La Cucina Siciliana di Gangivecchio: Gangivecchio's Sicilian Kitchen 
asked by bigben on November 29, 2006 4:17 PM
Giovanna Tornabene opened a restaurant in her home in the Madonie Mountains of Sicily in 1978 because it seemed the only way to hold on to her family's centuries-old estate. In La Cucina Siciliana di Gangivecchio, her daughter, Wanda, who helps run this restaurant on the secluded family estate, shares the history of their family, the estate and the colorful evolution of Sicilian cooking. Michele Evans captures the graceful generosity, spontaneity and charm of both mother and daughter in this work. It features veal and pumpkin stew made with just four ingredients; Swordfish in Umido, steamed with oregano and garlic; cauliflower drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil; a tart filled with sweetened ricotta studded with chocolate chips; and 200 other dishes. This is the simple yet deeply flavored, humbly sophisticated food that makes Sicily a culinary paradise.
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It's funny but I think they modify the recipes so they don't work out quite the way they should. You always hear about old women doing this,leaving out some ingredient or changing a quantity to keep it from being as good as theirs!
In particular, the pasta frolla recipe, an essential part of many sicilian desserts, had 22 tablespoons of baking powder in it which caused tart crusts to puff up like a cake and not be flat. Checking many other sicilian recipes for pasta frolla there is no baking powder in it.
Perhaps it's my lack of ability, perhaps not! But it created a Frankenstein tart that was still edible but more like fruit-topped dry cake.
In particular, the pasta frolla recipe, an essential part of many sicilian desserts, had 22 tablespoons of baking powder in it which caused tart crusts to puff up like a cake and not be flat. Checking many other sicilian recipes for pasta frolla there is no baking powder in it.
Perhaps it's my lack of ability, perhaps not! But it created a Frankenstein tart that was still edible but more like fruit-topped dry cake.
reviewed by imtheboss on November 29, 2006 6:25 PM
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I bought this book over a year ago, and still there are many recipes I want to try. Every time I look through the book something here or there will call my attention. Most recipes can be made with commonly found ingredients. Any cook should recognize the love for a constantly inspiring book --the best advertisement is just to list some recipes I've tried: roasted pepper and cream sauce with penne, risotto milanese that can be modified with your favorite vegetable, risotto with pumpkin and walnuts, risotto with spinach and pecorino, baked stuffed swordfish rolls, baked stuffed zucchini, and sweet and sour pumpkin. There are lots of diverse, fantastic sounding recipes in the book, but I haven't tried them for lack of time. But all of the recipes I've listed can be made in under 1 hr with prep time included. My risotto wasn't great before, now it's fool proof.
I would recommend this for someone that knows how to cook and can draw on this book for their own recipes.
I would recommend this for someone that knows how to cook and can draw on this book for their own recipes.
reviewed by bulldogs on November 29, 2006 6:32 PM