Gelato

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When In Rome–Enjoy Their Festivals

August 24, 2010 in Espresso, Gelato, Italian heritage, culture by Simple Italian Cooking Blog | No comments

Modern day festivals in Rome are a series of outdoor events known as Roman Summer.  The tradition of celebrations dates back to the time when Rome dominated the world.

Early Roman Celebrations

In the early Roman culture, the people loved celebrations.  This was a pagan society which worshiped many gods. The gods were jealous of each other and were always warring with one another.  In order to appease the different gods, the Romans held separate festivals to honor each god.  It was party time.  The parties consisted of many excesses in food, drink and sexual activity.  They loved games and we are familiar with the gladiators who fought each other and wild beasts as well.  Saturnalia was a feast to honor the god, Saturn.  The nobles dressed and acted like slaves and the slaves “became” noblemen. A good time was had by all.

Dark Ages

After the fall of Rome and the rise of the Papacy, the festivals were banned.  Mysteries or religious dramas became the form of entertainment.  This period was originally thought of as the Dark Ages, in contrast to the light of classical Greek and Roman antiquity that came before.  It was a time of economic and cultural deterioration and there was not much to celebrate.

Renaissance

During the Renaissance there was a return to festivals.  The Roman Carnival became famous and people came from all over the world to participate.  The celebration inspired many artists and musicians, including Berlioz and Resipghi.  There was even horse racing down the main street in Rome.

Modern Times

Today, Roman Summer or L’estate Romana, is a festival that lasts from June to September.  It is a series of open air performances.  There are many sites in the city where music, dancing and theater are offered.  At the Baths of Caracalla and the Castle of St. Angelo ballets and operas are performed in the open air.  There are many piazzas or squares where visitors and locals alike enjoy sitting and enjoying a gelato or sipping an espresso while watching the crowds go by.

Celebrations, parties and festivals are a natural way to express our love and enthusiasm for life.  Let the good times roll.

Stephanie
Italian Nonna

Simple Italian Cooking

How To Make Easy Low Fat Italian Fruit Gelato

August 19, 2010 in Gelato, cooking, dessert by Simple Italian Cooking Blog | No comments

This recipe is the best of both worlds.  It’s super tasty and it’s low fat.  How can that be?  It’s really easy.  A few simple substitutions can make a big difference in calorie count.  In this recipe, cornstarch is substituted for egg yolks and low fat milk for the heavier, calorie dense kind.  Fresh or frozen fruit provides the sweetening as well as many healthful vitamins.

This Italian fruit gelato is especially good to make in the summer when fresh fruits are readily available.  But don’t despair if you don’t have any.  Frozen fruit is easily substituted for fresh.

IngredientsGelato with strawberries

  • 1/2 half cup of sugar
  • 3 thin strips of lemon (yellow part) 1/2 x 3″ long
  • 1 tbs cornstarch
  • 2 cups low fat milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • fruit puree – see specific amounts below

Directions

  • Combine sugar and lemon peel in a large sauce pan.  Press the lemon peel into the sugar to release the lemon oil.
  • Add cornstarch
  • Stir in milk
  • Cook over medium heat for about five minutes, stirring with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming.  When the mixture comes to a boil, continue cooking for one minute.
  • Remove from heat and discard lemon strips.  Add the puree and vanilla to the mixture and let it cool.  Put it in your gelato maker and process.
  • If you are using an ice cream maker, you must make sure the mixture is very cold before you add it to your ice cream maker.

How to Prepare Puree

  • Blueberries:  Process about 3 cups of fresh or partially thawed frozen blueberries and 2 tbs of lemon in your food processor or blender.  Make sure the skins are chopped up fine.
  • Raspberries, blackberries, loganberries, boysenberries:  Process 3 cups of fresh or partially thawed frozen berries and 1 tbs of lemon juice in your processor or blender.  Then put them through a strainer to remove the seeds.
  • Strawberries:  Process 3 1/2 cups of fresh or partially thawed frozen berries and 1 tbs of lemon juice.

I hope you enjoy this low fat fruit gelato.  It tastes good and it’s good for you.

Stephanie
Italian Nonna

Simple Italian Cooking

Who wants gelato for dessert?

August 5, 2010 in Gelato, cooking, dessert by Simple Italian Cooking Blog | No comments

I wanted to share a basic gelato recipe with you, but I have to admit I was confused by the many “basic” recipes.  I researched several different versions and came up with the one below.  I found there are many variations in the ingredients and in the quantities.  I think this is one of those times when you just have to play with it and make adjustments to suit your tastes.  Here goes!

IngredientsDifferent types of gelato

  • 2 cups of milk (whole, low fat or non fat)
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1/4 cup of fat free powdered milk
  • 8 eggs (yolks only)
  • 1 cup of light cream or half & half or fat free half & half
  • 1 tsp of vanilla extract
  • 3 cups of prepared fruit

Directions

Since the DeLonghi gelato maker has a built in refrigeration unit, you do not have to freeze your container ahead of time.

  • Heat the milk, sugar and powdered milk in a large saucepan with a heavy bottom.  Just heat to a slow simmer to dissolve the sugar and then lower the heat to keep the mixture warm.
  • Separate the yolks from the eggs.
  • Whip the egg yolks with a whisk or hand mixer until they are thick.
  • Slowly add 1 cup of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks constantly whisking while you pour.
  • Then pour the egg mixture back into the hot milk and increase the heat to medium.  Be sure to use a wooden or plastic spoon and stir for about 6-8 minutes until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon.
  • Stir in the cream, whichever kind you have chosen and the vanilla.  Pour the mixture through a strainer into a bowl and chill the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
  • Prepare the fruit, whatever kind you want.  Just fix it the way you would as if you were going to eat it and then puree the fruit in the blender. Combine with the milk/cream mixture and put it in the DeLonghi removable bowl and turn on your gelato maker.  Your gelato will be ready in 30 minutes.  Yum!!

Like I said before, there are many variations of this recipe.  Some use less sugar, some less eggs.  And of course, there are many different flavorings you can use.  Let your imagination soar and create your own special gelato!

Stephanie
Italian Nonna

Simple Italian Cooking

What exactly is gelato and what can I do with it?

July 15, 2010 in Food, Gelato by Simple Italian Cooking Blog | No comments

The best way to describe gelato is to call it Italian ice cream.  the word “gelato” comes from the Italian verb, gelare, which means to freeze.

What it is

Gelato is a combination of whole or reduced fat milk, eggs, sugar and natural flavoring, usually fresh fruit and sugar.

So gelato is a frozen dessert, but it is not like our American ice cream.  Gelato is different from ice cream  in that it doesn’t have as much fat in it. For those of us who are weight conscious but have a sweet tooth, this is good news.

Ice cream has between 10 to 20 % fat, while gelato has only 8% or less.  Gelato is  softer and has more intense fruit flavors.  It is like a sorbet, but more creamy.  It’s creamy because as you make it in a gelato maker, it spins at a slower speed and therefore does not incorporate as much air in the mixture.

There is also a similar dessert called sorbetto which is a blend of fresh fruit and juice with a small amount of cream in it.  It is similar to our sorbet.

Gelato can be bought in retail food stores, ice cream shops and in Italian restaurants,  but the best way to enjoy it is to make it yourself.  Then you can tailor it to your own specific tastes.  There is no end to the combinations you can make.  If you have a gelato maker you can make a batch in about 30 minutes.

Italian Themed Dinner Party

The traditional way to serve gelato is to put it in small cups with a little spoon with perhaps a small wafer in it.  This makes a really classy dessert, especially if you are having an Italian themed dinner party.  Just picture delicious pasta served in handcrafted Italian pasta bowls, with homemade gelato for dessert.  Don’t forget the espresso made with your very own stovetop espresso maker. Yum!

Gelato Recipes

Another way to enjoy gelato is a milkshake, or I guess I should say a gelato shake.

For a 16 oz. drink,  just combine 10 oz. of gelato with 4 oz. of juice, coffee, espresso or any other liquid of your choice.Or you can try a smoothie which uses sorbetto  instead of gelato.  Remember, sorbetto is gelato without dairy products, except maybe a little cream.

To make a smoothie, combine 10 oz. of sorbetto and 4 oz. of juice.  This makes a 16oz. smoothie.

If you want to use fresh fruit, reduce the sorbetto to 8 oz., add 2 oz. fresh fruit and 4 oz. of juice.  If you are using fresh fruit, prepare it as if you were going to eat it, and then blend it in a food processor or blender .

So now you know what gelato is  and a few of the ways you can enjoy it.

For more gelato recipes check out gelato cookbooks at Amazon.

Buon appetito!

Stephanie
Italian Nonna

SimpleItalianCooking.com