Sweet Tortelli Emilia Romangna Style Tortelli Dolci All Emilia Recipes

SWEET TORTELLI EMILIA-ROMANGNA-STYLE (TORTELLI DOLCI ALL' EMILIA

Steps:

• Place flour on a pastry board and make a well in the center. Break eggs into well and beat lightly with a fork. Add granulated sugar, lemon zest, butter and wine. Mix thoroughly with eggs. Using your hands, gradually add flour starting from inside of well and work into a ball.
• If using a food processor, place flour, eggs, sugar, lemon zest, and butter into processor. Using a metal blade, process until ingredients are blended. Add wine and process until dough forms a ball. Wrap dough in waxed paper and refrigerate 1 hour.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3-inch round scalloped pastry cutter or a glass, cut dough into circles. Put 1 heaping teaspoon of jam into each circle of dough. Fold each circle in half and press edges firmly.
• Pour oil 2-inches deep in a large saucepan or deep-fryer. Heat oil to 375ºF or until a 1-inch cube of bread turns golden brown almost immediately.
• Using a slotted spoon, lower tortelli a few at a time into hot oil. Turn tortelli. When golden brown on both sides, remove from oil with slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Arrange drained tortelli on a platter and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve hot.

RICE CAKE (TORTA DI RISO)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Butter a 10-inch spring form pan.
• Sprinkle pan with fine unflavored breadcrumbs and shake off excess crumbs.
• Combine milk, sugar and lemon zest in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
• Stir in rice and reduce heat.
• Simmer uncovered 45 minutes to 1 hour or until all the liquid is absorbed; stir occasionally to make sure mixture is not sticking.
• Remove from heat and let cool.
• Beat eggs until foamy in a large bowl.
• Add cooled rice mixture, almonds, candied citron and 1/4 cup rum.
• Mix thoroughly.
• Pour rice mixture into buttered pan and level top with a spatula.
• Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out dry.
• Pierce holes in top of cake with fork and sprinkle with 2 to 3 Tablespoons rum. Cool to room temperature, them remove cake from pan. Decorate with whipped cream.

SWEET TAMALES

Steps:

• Sort corn husks, setting aside any torn ones.
• Soak intact husks in warm water for at least 1 hour or until softened and easy to fold.
• Beat 2/3 cup lard in large bowl until creamy.
• Combine flour, corn meal, sugar, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl.
• Alternately add flour mixture, water and sweetened condensed milk to lard, mixing well after each addition.
• Melt remaining lard and gradually stir into masa mixture, mixing until consistency of thick cake batter (masa).
• Stir in vanilla, raisins and nuts.
• Spread 1/4 cup masa, using back of a spoon, to form a square in the center of one husk.
• Fold right then left edge of husk over masa.
• Fold up bottom edge.
• Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Place vegetable steamer in pot with lid and add water to just below steamer.
• Arrange tamales upright in steamer rack.
• Cover top of tamales with reserved dry husks and a damp towel and cover.
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low.
• Steam, adding water as needed, for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until masa pulls away from husks.