| Culinary Seduction On a Student Budget |
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Moflo's food expert tells you how to make a three-course meal to rival any Tuscan kitchen.
We all know that the quickest way to man's heart is through his stomach. Likewise, displaying dexterity in the kitchen will give any woman the right idea about what kind of a man you are. With that in mind, moflo is here to act as a culinary cupid, helping you to cook your way into someone's heart while staying on a budget.
Two people, three courses, fifteen Euro.
“15 Euro?” you ask. It may seem impossible but restaurants have to turn a profit somehow, right? Many of the ingredients you’ll buy for this menu will last you much longer than one dinner so consider some ingredients as stocking your kitchen. You will certainly be able to use them again.
Here is a three-course meal you’ll be able to prepare in less than two hours. It may seem like a lot of time but time = payoff; at least that’s what the kids are calling it these days…
Figs and Bacon
1 Package pitted dried figs 1 Package cubed pancetta
Let’s start with a simple way to keep your guest occupied while you stir your sauce or decant your wine. There is definitely more than one way to serve this sweet, yet savory appetizer. In interest of keeping it economical, let’s invert the traditional way of preparing it. Traditionally, figs are wrapped with bacon or “pancetta”, but the thinly sliced stuff will cost you a little more than the cubed. For about 2,50 you can buy a box of figs that will last you a couple of weeks, and for another Euro, you can purchase the cubed pancetta, which again, is too much to consume in one sitting. Besides, you can throw it in your omelet the next day should your guest be spending the night. Let’s assume he/she is… Anyway, make sure the figs are pitted and slip one cube of pancetta into each fig. Bake them on some oven paper at 1800 for 10-15 minutes or until you can smell them.
Fresh Pasta
Ingredients: 1 Egg 100 grams semolina (from now on referred to as flour) a pinch of salt
The most economical, yet biggest payoff of all is fresh pasta. A proper surface is crucial during the kneading process or else you’ll have a gluey texture that won’t separate from your table. I recommend making pasta on marble (there’s plenty of it in Florence), stainless steel or a very dense wood surface. If none of these are available create your dough in a bowl and save yourself the mess. Start by making a well with the flour, sprinkle a pinch of salt and put the egg in the middle (without the shell, stronzo). First use a fork to gently whisk the egg, then mix in the flour gradually. Use your fingers and both hands to work the dough for 10 minutes. Since the pasta dough doesn’t take long to make you could potentially prepare it with your guest, creating some kind of “Clay pottery scene from ‘Ghost’” scenario. The dough should be formed into a ball once it becomes smooth and elastic in texture. Wrap it in plastic and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Stretch the pasta by machine or rolling pin; first thicker and gradually thinner using flour whenever it gets sticky. When the pasta sheet is thin, roll it up and cut it with a well-floured knife about 6/7 mm for tagliatelle, thinner for taglioni. Make sure the strips of pasta are floured so they don’t stick together. It is also important to boil the pasta quickly after making it or it will become a pain in the culo to work with.
Ragu Sauce
Ingredients: Olive oil (50grams) Onion, carrot, celery (150 grams total) 100 grams ground beef 100 grams ground pork (sausage meat) 500 grams tomato sauce passata (without pulp) 100 ml red wine Bay leaf Salt
You can’t eat pasta without sauce so let’s make a simple meat and tomato sauce or “ragu” that will taste like it’s fresh from nana’s kitchen. Allow yourself at least an hour to simmer the sauce so the flavors will mingle and enrich the whole dish.
Finely chop the vegetables and sautee them in olive oil on low heat until soft (Sottofritto in Italian). Add the meat and let cook until the water from the meat has been extracted and evaporated, separating the meat with a wooden spoon as you cook. Add red wine and let evaporate. Add the tomato sauce, salt and pepper, and bay leaf and let simmer for an hour to an hour and a half.
Tiramisu
Ingredients: 4 spoonfuls rum or brandy 100 ml strong coffee 16-20 Savoiardi biscuits 400 grams Mascarpone cheese 2 eggs, separated 4 tablespoons powdered sugar 75-100 grams dark chocolate, pulverized in blender
Tiramisu, literally translated to “Pick me up” is usually at the top of any Italian dessert menu and will give you a little bit of some caffeine confidence at the end of an otherwise heavy meal.
Whisk yokes and powdered sugar together until light in color and double in volume. Gradually mix in the Mascarpone. For the meringue whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt or sugar until foamy (8 times volume). You can optionally add a drop of lemon juice to the meringue to make it whiter and fluffier. Gently fold the meringue into the Mascarpone mixture. Mix together the coffee with the liquor and quickly drop each biscuit into the liquid. The biscuits should be lightly covered, not soggy when removed. Place biscuits in desired pattern in a bowl and spoon mixture over the top, repeating process until satisfied. Refrigerate over night for best results or no less than an hour. Sprinkle cocoa over tiramisu before serving. |
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