Recipe »Paste di meliga with Zabaglione«
In our sisterMAG Food Feature »Midnight Treats« which is inspired by the »Pasticcerie Notturne« – the so-called night bakeries in Florence – Karolina Wiercigroch presents three sweet Italian recipes. Here you can download the following recipe for free: »Paste di meliga with Zabaglione«.
- Recipe: Karolina Wiercigroch
Recipe »Paste di meliga with Zabaglione«
Originally from Piedmont, these delicate golden biscuits were born out of tough times. With the rise of prices of wheat flour, bakers started substituting a portion of expensive white flour with cheaper polenta, creating a delicious crunch and a sublime golden glow.
Paste di meliga are delicious dipped in thick, creamy zabaglione – an airy dessert made of whipped egg yolks, sugar and sweet Italian wine. The choice of wine depends on the region – it’s moscato d’Asti in Piedmont and Vin Santo in Tuscany.
Paste di meliga:
Makes around 35 small biscuits
- 250 g flour
- 125 g extra fine polenta
- 100 g sugar
- 250 g soft butter, diced
- 2 eggs
- peel of 2 lemons
- a pinch of salt
- In a large bowl, combine flour, polenta, sugar, salt and lemon peel.
- Add butter and eggs.
- Working with your fingers, mix butter and eggs into dry ingredients, forming a soft, smooth dough.
- Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and set aside for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper.Transfer the dough to a pastry bag and use it to shape biscuits onto the baking tray.
- Bake until golden – about 10-15 minutes.
- Let cool completely.
Zabaglione:
Serves 4
- 4 egg yolks
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 4 tbsp Vin Santo (or other sweet wine)
- Prepare a pot of water gently simmering over low heat.
- Put sugar and egg yolks into a nonreactive bowl and vigorously whisk until well combined.
- Sugar should dissolve and the mixture should become brighter and more foamy – this should take 3-4 minutes.
- Place the bowl over the pot of simmering water, creating a bain-marie.
- Whisking constantly, gradually add wine.
- Continue whisking until the mixture is pale and foamy – for about 5 minutes.
- Be careful not to let yolks cook around the edges of the bowl.
- Serve immediately.