Tag Archives: Almond Bar

Passito spiced summer cherries

July 24, 2014

This is my local take on Maraschino cherries, but instead of Maraschino liqueur I used our local sweet wine, Passito di Pantelleria. Originally maraschino cherries were made from marasca cherries (originated in Croatia) which were then preserved in Italy’s maraschino liqueurs. Since I am not using Maraschino liqueur, rather Passito di Pantelleria such as Sangue d’oro and the local cherries “Amarena”. The cherries need to sit in the jar for about two weeks to really soak in the spices before serving. Eat the cherries as a dessert with or without vanilla ice cream, place them on top of a cupcakes or as a garnish to a whiskey sour.
Chin chin!Passito spiced summer cherries
Ingredients
1 Cup (2.4 dl) sugar
1/2 Cup (1.2 dl) water
3 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Cinnamon stick
1 Star Anise
1 Clove
A pinch of grated nutmeg
1 Vanilla bean cut and seeds scraped
2 LB (900 grams) sweet stoned cherries (use your local variety)
1 Cup ( 2.4 dl) of Passito di Pantelleria

Method
Wash and remove all the cherry’s stones.
In a saucepan, combine all ingredients excluding the cherries and the Passito allowing them to come to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the cherries and simmer for 8-10minutes. Remove from heat, add the Passito and let cool.
Transfer the cherries and liquid into clean jars and cover tightly and refrigerate for two weeks.

Almond Bar’s Whiskey Sour
Ingredients
1 part Bourbon whiskey
2 part simple syrup, recipe for simple sirup here
1 part lemon juice
1 Passito spiced cherry
Ice

Method
Mix all the ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake and serve with a cherry on the top. If it’s a hot summer day serve with some extra ice.

Fennel bites with almond and cheese crust

September 11, 2013

There are four huge almond trees in the garden, and they provide us with an abundance of almonds. Beginning at the end of August into the first weeks of September this is the time to harvest. The following recipe is for a popular snack served Under the Almond Trees that includes ingredients that I could solely live on for a long time. Fennel, almonds, oregano and cheese! Treat yourself, family and friends by trying this simple recipe serve with a nice glass of red.

Fennel with almond and cheese crust
8-10 bites

Ingredients
1 pound (450 grams) fennel bulb slices
1/2 cup (1,2 dl) raw almonds
9 (oz) 250 gram of cheese that melts and browns well, I used a 50/50 combination of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese
Olive oil to saute fennel
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon of Origano di Pantelleria (dried oregano)

Method
Set the oven at broil 530 F degrees (275 C).
Rinse and clean the fennel, cut slices about 0.3 inches (0.75 cm) thick.
In a saucepan saute the fennel in olive oil, salt and pepper.
They are cooked enough when the slices softens and produces a slightly golden.
Since the pieces will be different in size, they will have different cooking time, pay attention to remove the smaller pieces from the pan first.

Coarsely chop the almonds, in a bowl grate the cheeses and combine together with the almonds. Arrange fennel pieces on the baking sheet, give the portions enough space on the tray cover with cheese and almond mixture then into the oven fennel portions. Place baking pan in the oven 3/4 of the way not quite directly under the broiler in the oven for about 3-5 minutes. When golden brown remove tray from oven and sprinkle oregano on top allow to cool slightly to let the cheese set before serving.

Gorgonzola filled figs

August 30, 2013

Figs are at their best at this moment! I picked them early in the morning and served some under almond tree the other evening, the fig variety is named Ottata and at the moment you can see them all over the island of Pantelleria. This recipe is a great starter or serve it as a part of an antipasto.
Happy weekend everyone!

Gorgonzola filled figs
Serves 6

Ingredients
12 figs
7 oz (200 gram) of Gorgonzola cheese
12 walnuts
12 large slices of Prosciutto crudo

Method
If you want to use a piping bag for the cheese, remove the cheese from the fridge a good hour prior as to let it to soften, then it’s easier to handle in the piping bag.
In a sauce pan over medium heat dry toast the walnuts gently.
Cut a cross on the top of the figs, spoon or pipe the figs with the Gorgonzola.
Wrap each fig with a slice of prosciutto and top with a walnut.
Arrange on a nice platter serve immediately or place in the fridge and serve when you desiree

Insalata di Polpo, Octopus salad

July 28, 2013

Carlo is always fishing, at this moment Octopus is abundant and he catches a lot. Antipasto served at the bar under the almond trees you will find this delicious octopus salad.

Insalata di Polpo
Serves 8 antipasto plates
Ingredients:
1 1/3 pds (600 grams) octopus (preferably fresh)
2 cloves of garlic
2 cups (473 ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cups (473 ml) lemon juice
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
1 fresh green chili pepper
1 pinch of sea salt
1 carrot (peeled)
2 celery stalks (peeled)
1 lemon (zest removed and juiced)

Marinade:
Place the Extra Virgin Olive Oil into a large bowl and add the following.
Minced and pasted garlic with sea salt, finely chop the green chili, lemon minced zest of lemon and salt.
Wash, peel, and cut the stalks of celery and carrots into uniform small pieces and add to oil mixture

I a large sauce pan filled 3/4 in volume with water. Cover with a lid and turn on high heat and bring to a boil.
Rinse the Octopus and if you want, clean out the head and eyes.
When the water is boiling, insert a fork in your head and dip the Octopus in and out of the water allowing the tentacles to curl upward. When you see this has occurred emerge the Octopus into the water and let simmer at medium heat for 25-30 minutes.
The Octopus texture is chewy, so if you boil it for a few minutes too long it wouldn’t make a difference.

Let octopus cool and cut into bite sized pieces.
Mix the Octopus into the bowl of marinade, taste and adjust if you need more salt.
Let the salad to stand and marinate for a few hours but if you don’t have this time, it will becomes delicious nonetheless.

Just before serving, chopped the parsley and mix it in.

Tomatoes everywhere!

July 22, 2013

2 Replies

This year we are really lucky with our crop of tomatoes! We planted them into the soil this spring in two week intervals where during this gap, in May we experienced the last thunderstorms and the wind damaged some of them. This event caused us to be afraid that we would be without tomatoes this summer so we planted more. Beginning one month ago, we have been harvesting full boxes every week, different kinds. This small cherry tomatoes are my favorite, kissed by the sun and sweet as strawberries. This time of year we have a lot off guests in the garden and the favorite selection for antipasto in The Almond Bar is our Bruschetta Pantesca. The mix of the sweet tomatoes with the salty Capers are just divine, when served with a glass of Prosecco you’ll make someone happy!

Bruschetta Pantesca
The recipe is for approximately 20 to 25 bite sized bruschetta (you might want to double the recipe for they disappear as fast as you make them!)

Initial preparations; preheat oven to 400F (200C), then place one, or two bottles of prosecco on ice!

Ingredients:
20-25 small slices of Italian white bread
1 clove garlic (peeled)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pound (400-500 g) cherry tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Capperi di Pantelleria, rinsed and soaked
3 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 filets of anchovies in oil (drained)
2-3 teaspoons of Origano di Pantelleria
pinch of sugar to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle on top to finish:
1 teaspoon dried Origano di Pantelleria (dried oregano) which is harvested in June and use the teaspoon for the entire recipe not one Bruschetta

Method:
Rinse and divide the tomatoes, (core them if not using cherry tomatoes) and cut them into small dices.

Cut each anchovy in 5 parts mix together with tomatoes, oil, sugar, capers and basil .
Season with salt and pepper.Preheat the oven on 400 F (200 C) grades.

Slice bread into thin disks and brush a little olive oil on each bread slice place on a oven tray and toast until golden, about 5 min. When toasted remove from the oven and rub the toasted bread slices with the garlic clove just to provide the taste, then, set a side.

Just before serving, ad a spoon or two of the tomato mix on each bread slice, sprinkle with some oregano. Next arrange on a platter. Set glasses and napkins out on the serving table along with the prosecco in a ice bucket pop the cork and start making people happy!

Capperi di Pantelleria http://shop.underthealmondtree.com/
Origano di Pantelleria http://shop.underthealmondtree.com/
Dinnerplate from http://newkamman.com/

Sunny Aperol

May 24, 2013

This week we had days of stormy weather in Pantelleria, today it’s seems to have calm down and there is hope for a summer is coming. While we wait for the weather to get warmer my friends and I are going to sip on these Sunny Aperol this late afternoon in Almond Bar. Please join us in spirit if not in person!
Salute!

Ingredients
4-6 ice cubes
2 ounce (6 cl) Aperol
2 ounce (6 cl) orange juice (freshly squeezed is prefered)
Prosecco
Garnish: 1 slice of orange and a mint twig

Method
In a highball glass or similar add ice cubes, Aperol and orange juice, mix using a cocktail spoon
Fill up with Prosecco and garnish. Serve right away!

Almond trees in full bloom

February 5, 2013

The almond tree that this blog is named after is now in full bloom. Almond trees belong to the plum family and the almond is the core of the almond fruit that is a stone fruit. It is not actually a nut. Here in Pantelleria the almond trees are now covered with white/pink flowers. Almonds are an important ingredient in the Pantescan cuisine. I love to use almonds both in cooking and baking and, of course, just eating them plain. When the bloom period is over the trees develop their foliage. After that the fruit is at first green (see picture below) and has a soft shell similar to the peach. This skin will dry over the summer and fall off when the stone fruit is ready.
This is what looks like a nutshell. Inside you have the almond, which is the core. We harvested our almond trees in August, and we use them throughout the year. When the almonds are fresh they are juicy and not as sweet as the dry ones. In Sicily, almond milk is a popular drink and is often served at the bars together with small Sicilian assorted cookies.Almond milk
6 servings

Ingredients
2.1/2 cups (6 dl) whole peeled almonds
18 cups (2.8 liter) room temperature bottled water, you will need to 6 cups (14 dl) per soaking (2 times) 6 cups for blending.
3 tablespoons honey
Optional grounded cinnamon or vanilla seeds to taste

Method
Place almonds together in a large bowl that can accommodate both the almonds and the water so the almonds are covered by the water. Cover with plastic and allow them to soak 4 hours. Then change water and do the same procedure soaking for another 4 hours.
Drain and rinse almonds with fresh water using a colander.
Using a blender or food processor, mix the almonds with 6 cups bottled water, and add honey. Mix together using a blender or food processor (taste if you want it sweeter, add some more honey). Place the mixture back into the bowl and cover with plastic allowing it to rest for 2 hours. If you want, now is the time to add a little vanilla seeds or grounded cinnamon to taste.
Strain the almond milk through a cheesecloth or a strainer, serve well chilled.
Store the almond milk covered in the refrigerator. It has a possible shelf life 3-4 days when properly stored.