Strawberries with Prosecco features local strawberries in such an elegant manner; truly summer entertaining at it’s best. Select a fine bottle of Prosecco, Il Colle being a family favorite, to compliment the strawberries. A fine bottle? There are quality differences, a subject for a later post hosted by Mio Marito. Lengths of lemon peel and mint awaken the natural flavor of the the fruit. Strawberries with Prosecco is a perfect example of a recipe that illustrates the simplicity of Italian food it all of it’s glory. Served outdoors after a late afternoon meal, it is an ideal way to end a summer evening.
Strawberries with Prosecco is recipe adapted from the brilliant cookbook, Marcella Cucina by Marcella Hazan. Long considered the doyenne of Italian Cooking, Marcella is credited with introducing the American public to the finer points of traditional Italian cuisine. Her cookbooks, written in Italian then translated into English by her husband Victor, are indispensable guides to understanding the the products, techniques and culture surrounding food from an Italian prospective.
Watsonville, just about one hour south of San Jose, produces some of the finest strawberries imaginable. How lucky can we be to have a farm stand just around the corner that trucks in a fresh supply of these seasonal beauties daily. Of course red juicy strawberries are just about everywhere in the Bay Area at this time of year, but our local farm stand has the tastiest berries ever.
Enjoy the lazy days of summer and dazzle your guests by presenting Strawberries with Prosecco along with a few biscotti at your next gathering.
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- 5 pints of freshly picked strawberries
- 1½ cup of Prosecco
- 1 cup of graduated sugar
- Lemon peel strips from one large lemon
- Mint leaves from 4 springs of mint, torn into pieces
- Mint for garnish
- Select a large bowl that will feature the finished dish nicely.
- Wash the strawberries under cold running water and allow them to drain well. If after draining the strawberries they still seem wet lay them on paper toweling to absorb the remaining water.
- Slice the stem off the strawberries, then slice each in half placing the strawberry halves into the bowl. Cover the berries with the lemon strips and sprinkle with the cup of granulated sugar. Gently pour the Prosecco over the strawberries, watching it fizz. Take a spatula and gently turn the berry mixture. Add the torn mint leaves and turn once more.
- Place the bowl of scented strawberries into the refrigerator for at least one hour to allow the flavors to merge.
- Serve cold garnished with a few mint sprigs.
Climbing up into the hills of Piedmonte from the town of Alba, the landscape alternates between vineyards of grape varietals and intermittent groves of hazelnut trees; the panorama takes your breath away. Typically, hazelnut trees are planted on hillsides that don’t receive the requisite sun for grapes. Hazelnuts, also know as Filberts in the United States, are emblematic of Piedmonte and provide a stable source of income to some growers…. 
Southern Italians celebrate Pasqua or Easter with the gamut of ricotta type pies ranging from savory to sweet. Campania is famous for a mildly sweet wheat berry pie called Pastiera; a crostata made with ricotta cheese, cooked wheat grain and delicately scented with the flavor of orange blossom. Although Pastiera is a staple on the table for southern Italians at Easter, our preference has always been the Crostata di Ricotta, often referred to as the Italian Cheesecake…. 
Venetian Haroset is a staple at our Seder and the Seder of many of my students and friends. I am not at all suggesting that you abandon your Bubbie’s Haroset, but why not add Venetian Haroset to your Pesach Seder along with a little history of Jewish Venice.
