Cena con Cinzia, Marzio e Orazio

After we went to Villa Genero, Cinzia invited me to have dinner at her place, and cook together. Both Cinzia and I like to cook and when we're together it's a lot of fun to try new recipes. I like to cook with Cinzia, she's so relaxed, so it's really just fun. We decided to make a hazelnut cake and some cheese fluffy appetizers. We took the recipes from the book 'Cucina di tradizione del Piemonte -ricettario a fumetti', which I gave her for Christmas, after trying so many good recipes from it.
So I'll post the recipes and pictures here! But before that, a portrait of Cinzia's family - a very intellectual family :) :)


Gonfiotti al formaggio (Fluffy cheesy appetizer)
1 cup water
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp white flour
2 eggs
4 tbsp grated parmigiano cheese
olive oil
Add the butter to the water and bring to boil. Add the flour while stirring for about 2 minutes. Remove from the stove and then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well. Then add the parmigiano, while still stirring. Warm up the oil in a pan and add the batter in small amounts, and fry until you obtain nice fluffy and golden 'clouds'. Serve warm or hot. They're delicious!

Torta di nocciole (Hazelnut cake)
3 eggs
3 1/4 (100 g) tbsp butter
1 2/3 (200 g) cups flour
2 cups (200 g) roasted and coarsely ground hazelnut
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
Beat the eggs, add sugar, flour, butter, and baking powder, and when it's a nice cream, add the hazelnuts. Warm up the milk and add it, mix and let the whole mixture rest for 10 minutes. Preheat oven at 320 F (160 C). Butter and flour a pan, pour the batter in that and cook for ~30 min. Serve cold.
Here is Cinzia preparing the cake. Note the wooden spoon - she said it is necessary to use that in order to make a really good homemade cake :)

Now, wasn't this a nice dinner? Gonfiotti al formaggio, some tomatoes, and a cake :) - just perfect!! Ah, such nice memories..