Gosh, it's March and I last blogged in December. Bad. I am a bear, I hibernate in winter. On the occasions I do venture out it's rarely for a photo friendly activity. Anyhow, down to business. A few weeks back a friend and her family came to visit. I promised a few recipes, and being unable to find them in English on the web I'll do it myself. These are two classics from the South Tyrol.
Schwarzplentenetorte - Buckwheat Cake
Extremely delicious, and gluten free to boot. We had a three tiered version of this as our wedding cake.
200g butter, at room temperature
200g sugar
6 eggs
200g buckwheat flour
200g ground hazelnuts
2 roughly grated apples
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp lemon zest finely grated
icing sugar
lingonberry jam (though redcurrant or raspberry would work too)
one 20 or 24 inch cake tin - greased
Set the oven to 180c
Beat the soft butter with 100g of the sugar until foamy. Separate the eggs, whisk the whites together with the other 100g sugar until stiff and set aside. Slowly add the yolks to the butter and sugar. Once combined add the buckwheat, nuts, apples, baking powder and lemon zest and mix thoroughly. Finally fold in the egg whites.
Pour the batter into the greased tin and bake for 40 minutes.
Once cooled, slice the cake horizontally through the middle and fill with the jam. Sprinkle icing sugar over the top.
Spinatspatzlen - Spinach Spaezle
I don't know a child who doesn't like these. Or adult for that matter. Spinach? What spinach?
The recipe says it's for 4, but for 4 adults I would make the double.
80g cooked spinach (I use frozen that I've left to thaw. If you start with fresh you need about 160g to get 80g cooked)
1 egg
50ml water
salt
a pinch of nutmeg
125g flour
Sauce:
50g ham
1 tsp butter
150 ml cream
1 tbs parmesan, grated
salt and pepper to taste
Put a large saucepan of salted water on to boil, about the same amount and size as you would for pasta.
purée the spinach together with the egg, water, salt and nutmeg. Add the flour and mix it with a wooden spoon to form a smooth batter.
Once the water has come to a boil, take the batter and push it with the back of a wooden spoon through a colander into the water, and stir once.
Let the water come back to the boil, and drain the Spaetzle.
Finely chop the ham, and fry in the butter for a minute or so. Add the cream, parmesan and salt and pepper. Heat it through then mix together with the Spaetzle.
Photo credits: Spatzeln - Spaetzlewunder.de. Buckwheat cake: Saisonküche.de
Schwarzplentenetorte - Buckwheat Cake
Extremely delicious, and gluten free to boot. We had a three tiered version of this as our wedding cake.
200g butter, at room temperature
200g sugar
6 eggs
200g buckwheat flour
200g ground hazelnuts
2 roughly grated apples
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp lemon zest finely grated
icing sugar
lingonberry jam (though redcurrant or raspberry would work too)
one 20 or 24 inch cake tin - greased
Set the oven to 180c
Beat the soft butter with 100g of the sugar until foamy. Separate the eggs, whisk the whites together with the other 100g sugar until stiff and set aside. Slowly add the yolks to the butter and sugar. Once combined add the buckwheat, nuts, apples, baking powder and lemon zest and mix thoroughly. Finally fold in the egg whites.
Pour the batter into the greased tin and bake for 40 minutes.
Once cooled, slice the cake horizontally through the middle and fill with the jam. Sprinkle icing sugar over the top.
Spinatspatzlen - Spinach Spaezle
I don't know a child who doesn't like these. Or adult for that matter. Spinach? What spinach?
The recipe says it's for 4, but for 4 adults I would make the double.
80g cooked spinach (I use frozen that I've left to thaw. If you start with fresh you need about 160g to get 80g cooked)
1 egg
50ml water
salt
a pinch of nutmeg
125g flour
Sauce:
50g ham
1 tsp butter
150 ml cream
1 tbs parmesan, grated
salt and pepper to taste
Put a large saucepan of salted water on to boil, about the same amount and size as you would for pasta.
purée the spinach together with the egg, water, salt and nutmeg. Add the flour and mix it with a wooden spoon to form a smooth batter.
Once the water has come to a boil, take the batter and push it with the back of a wooden spoon through a colander into the water, and stir once.
Let the water come back to the boil, and drain the Spaetzle.
Finely chop the ham, and fry in the butter for a minute or so. Add the cream, parmesan and salt and pepper. Heat it through then mix together with the Spaetzle.
Photo credits: Spatzeln - Spaetzlewunder.de. Buckwheat cake: Saisonküche.de
