About Davide Giovanni Papa Expertise For professional chefs and home cooks-questions relating to the Authentic Classical recipes of Italy;No desserts questions at this stage:No homestyle cookery questions:Italian classical cuisine is on the verge of vanishing;I would like to establish a Classical International Recipe base so that no matter where you eat,the right recipe is served."Mums" cooking is fine..but I get angry when a classical recipe is implied which it`s not.
Being italian does not automatically make you a good Italian chef..on the contrary it only means that the food you have been served has been done so by a person of Italian origins-Classical Italian recipes are clealy defined by history as well as research-and by the entity known by Academy of Italian cookery Rome-anything else is unacceptable. The French have converted from regional recipes to an established uniform protocol for hundreds of years..it`s time the Italian cuisine did the same-and applaud the Italian government in establishing laws to protect such recipes from any further corruption.Customer have the right to know exactly what they`re eating...Regards Chef Davide:
Experience
Past/Present Clients Senators,many other Chefs,Visiting Italian Consulate staff:Leading Business people:
When I was little a tasted a wonderfully delicious Italian coffee-layered cake. When I visited Rome I had it again as a desert. But unfortunately I do not know that name of that cake. Could you please help me identify it? I think it's made of Expresso coffee but I don't think it's 'tiramisu"
Many thanks for your help.
Carole
Answer
Dear Carole
TIRA ME SU- (Tea- RAH -ME - SUE) "Means lift me" up in native Sicilian- It's not a classical Italian recipe but an authentic regional recipe that has made it into the big time world wide-
There are many variations to this recipe- but if you are looking to closely make one to what you have tasted in Italy it's a very simple application-
Visualize the quantity needed-I will give a basic guide only as i don't really give regional dessert recipes out-
Ingredients-
Strong cup Black coffee - use percolated fresh ground coffee beans- i.e: Lavazza- Leave to cool
Quarter/Half cup of Marsala
Quarter cup of cocoa for sprinkling-
Lets say 10 oz "Marscapone cheese" or if unavailable soft Philadelphia cream cheese will do
Quarter cup of thickened cream.
Sugar to taste -
( Some put an egg yolk- No need and can do without-)
Get a packet of Italian finger sponge biscuits or make a firm plain sponge cake- Get a small tray lets say six or seven inches by 12 inches long ceramic or glass- or 12 inch spring loaded round cake tin-
Place coffee on flat plate, beat the Marscapone and cream together until smooth add sugar and Marsala ( I would say quarter of a cup of each should do or less) until just sweet- combine well-
Cut your sponge at least 3/4 of an inch thick slices ( or use sugar coated sponge finger as is)
Don't SOAK sponge cake - simply very very quickly dip the sponge into the coffee , and layer the tray-Do it so hardly no coffee soaks in-because it will soak through when left to set overnight-
Uneven gaps simply cut the sponge finger or cake to fit-If you soak it through it will turn into mash-(disaster)
Pour all cream cheese mixture over the top, smooth out-
ADD ANOTHER LAYER OF COFFEE LACED SPONGE ON TOP- fill in gaps as needed-
GENTLY PRESSES DOWN LIGHTLY- And very generously cover the whole lot with a s dusting of good cocoa chocolate-
leave over night in the refrigerator, serve directly from tray using a large spoon or if using a spring loaded cake tin- run a small knife on the inside edge to un stick the Tira mi su from the side- and spring open the tin and gently serve as slices-
second time around you can balance out what you do wrong the first time- practice makes perfection-
Variation: You can mix the Marsala and coffee together before dipping the sponge and put vanilla essence in the cream and cheese mixture with sugar-
The Magic is created not the coffee but the Marsala- (Try this - Any commercial sweet biscuit,quick dip only Marsala, add freshly whipped cream with vanilla essence added, and build your cake like a lasagna in layers- cream, Marsala dipped biscuits layer at a time- -Place in refrigerator for the Marsala to do it's magic- it's addictive.)
Regards
Chef Davide
www.chefdavide.freeservers.com
