Film Food
Initially, I started this page inspired by the food from the movies, because, besidethe kids, cooking and crafts, movies are my great passion. I spend much of my spare time digging through libraries, looking for some good, old and international movies. Vancouver has great libraries, where you can find almost any great book and movie from all over the world!
"Big Night"
"Big Night"
by Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci
Film about real food, ideals and Italian brothers trying to succeed in new environment in 50's.
Timpano of Macaroni is my recipe pick from this movie. Timpano in Italian means drum. Originally it has been baked in a drum shaped dish. I replaced it with a stainless steel bowl, and it worked just as fine. It is very festive and tasty, real gourmet dish for a big crowd or large Italian (or other) family.
Pasta lovers favourite!
recipe:
Timpano of Macaroni :
Big dish! I have found many versions of this recipe. It is up to your personal taste and editing cooking art, as I did my version of Timpano on this post.
These are different versions from couple of different cookbooks.
version 1
Ingredients:
1 lb 2 oz macaroni or follow Primo's example : make pasta yourself!
1/4 cup butter
2 cups diced mozzarella
1 cup grated Parmesan
3 lb 4 oz pork eye round
2 rosemary twigs
2 thyme wigs
4 cups finely sliced Pancetta (rindless bacon)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lard
2 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup dry rich wine
2 1/4 cup tomato concentrate
4 1/2 cup tomato passata
1 large bunch basil
salt & pepper to make 3 1/2 cups of sugo di umido
For the meat balls:
2 cups pork from the sugo di umido
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 egg
salt
flour for dredging
oil for frying
For the short pastry:
4 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cup gr sugar
1 1/4 cup lard
6 egg yolks
The day before:
Begin by preparing the "sugo di umido" the sauce formed during the cooking of the pot roast to be used separately. Place the rosemary and the thyme on the meat and wrap it in pancetta, then tie it tightly with kitchen string. Choose a casserole that is neither too large nor too narrow for the volume of the meat. Place the oil and lard on the bottom, then the onions and then the meat and cook on medium heat until the meat acquires a golden amber crust. You must check the pot roast constantly adding a little wine when neccessary and stirring so that it does not dry or burn. When the onions are softened and the meat is well browned remove it from the casserole and without pricking it set it aside keeping it warm.
Lower the heat and add the tomato concentrate, stirring slowly with a wooden spoon. When it starts sticking to the bottom of the pan add a little wine and continue stirring. Continue this procedure until it is thick and creamy, about 10 minutes. Place the meat back in the casserole gently and cover it with the tomato "passata", salt moderately and cover with a lid leaving a slight opening. Cook on really gentle heat until it turns a syrupy dark red, about an hour and a half. Remove the meat and add plenty of basil. Let the meat cool, remove the string, then mince finely and set aside for the meat balls.
Prepare the meat balls with 1 lb 2oz/2 1/4 cups/500 gr of the minced meat. Mix the meat with the egg, the chopped parsley and a pinch of salt. Dredge in flour and fry in olive oil and refrigerate until needed.
The big day!
Prepare the pastry case. Quickly mix the ingredients with your fingers until you obtain a smooth dough. Refrigerate for an hour covered with a clean dish cloth.
Boil the macaroni very "al dente" strain and dress with the tomato sauce, butter, plentiful grated Parmesan and cool. Butter a large cake mould with removable ring (15"/30cm) and line with 2/3rds of the finely rolled out pastry. The pastry must overlap the edges substantially.
Assemble the timpano: Place half the macaroni in the case and level, then the meat balls interspersed with diced mozzarella cheese and sprinkled with grated Parmesan. Lastly cover with the rest of the macaroni. Roll out the other third of the pastry into a disk, cover the macaroni and fold over the flaps of pastry, pressing down on the edges so that it is well seeled. Brush with egg white and bake in a pre-heated oven at 350°F/180°C/ for 45 minutes, let it rest 5 minutes before removing the ring and serve hot.
version 2
Dough
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 ounces lard or butter or vegetable shortening
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt ((end of dough ingredients)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups toasted breadcrumbs (4 ounces)
• 2 lbs rigatoni pasta or ziti pasta
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For the assembly
2 1/2 cups ragu napoletano neapolitan pasta sauce*
2 cups freshly grated romano cheese
1-1 1/2 cup besciamella bechamel sauce
1/2 lb prosciutto, crudo cut into 1/4 inch dice
12 polpette alla napoletana- neapolitan meatballs
Directions
To make the dough: Place the flour on a wooden work surface, make a well in the top.
Cut the lard or other fat into ¼-inch pieces and place in the center of the well with the yolks, ½ teaspoon salt, and a teaspoon of ice water.
Mix well with the tips of your fingers to form a lumpy mass.
Bring together as a dough and knead for 4-5 minutes.
Wrap in plastic and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375-degrees.
Roll out pasta to a large circle ¼-inch thick.
Butter the metal bowl and dust thickly with the toasted bread crumbs.
Line the buttered dish completely with the sheet of pasta, with a 1 ½-inch edge overhang.
Boil 6 quarts of water in a large pasta pot, then add 2 Tablespoons of salt.
Cook the rigatoni/ziti in the boiling water, 3 minutes less than the package instructions state.
Drain and refresh under cold running water, or an ice bath, until cold, 2-3 minutes.
Toss with olive oil, and set aside.
Mix half of the cooked rigatoni/ziti with 2 ½ cups meat sauce and ½ cup of Parmiagiano, and set aside.
Mix the remaining cooked rigatoni with half of the Besciamella, ¼ cup of Parmigiano, the prosciutto, and nutmeg.
Place this besciamella-sauced rigatoni/ziti into the bowl, and press lightly. Sprinkle with some of the grated Parmigiano.Arrange the meatballs on top in an even layer, and press down again.
Sprinkle with more Parmigiano.
Spread the meat-sauced pasta over the meatballs and press down gently.
Fold the extra pasta over the whole thing, and press gently to seal.
Cover the open top with foil and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven, remove the foil, and invert onto a large serving platter, without removing the bowl.
Allow to rest 10 minutes, then carefully loosen the pasta around the sides with a knife and knock with your knuckles to release the bowl.
Serve immediately with the remaining shredded Parmigiano on the side, cutting the timpano into wedges to serve.
Bon Appetit!
*ragu napoletano-neapolitan meat pasta sauce
Check Tomato-vine on my blog if you don't have any Napoletano sauce
I have picked Spanish crepes recipe, because these relatively unknown crepes deserve their place at least beside French crepes or Mexican churos. Sophisticated aroma gives this dish a credit to become the part of that "special occasion" breakfast .
recipe:
5 egg yolks
¾ cup milk
¼ cup unbleached flour
3 tbs sugar
Zest from one Lemon
Cinnamon sugar: ground sugar with cinnamon
Ground sugar with lemon peel in the coffee grounder. Whip egg yolks with milk. Add ground sugar and flour. In the small non stick oiled pan, make little crepes from the batter. Roll them in the tubes and sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.
There is an interesting review of this movie here http://www.traditioninaction.org/movies/001mr.htm
recipe:
This is one of the best chocolate cakes you will ever taste! And probably easiest to make!
So mist and chocolaty, and at a same time so simple and quick to make, this is a recipe everyone should have in a case of emergency!
Ingredients:
sugar 300 gm
flour white 175 gm
cocoa powder 50 gm
baking powder 5 Gm (2tsp)
baking soda 5 Gm (2tsp)
salt 1/2 tsp
eggs - 2 pc
olive oil 100 ml
vanilla essence 2 tsp
milk 165 ml
water - boiling 165 ml
Making
1. Combine dry ingredients and sieve at least three times (to evenly distribute ingredients)
2. Combine all wet ingredients (omit the water)
3. Pour the wet onto the dry and combine together thoroughly using a balloon whisk
4. Add the boiling water and combine
5. Pour into a prepared cake tin (22cm round)
6. Bake at 160°C for 75 to 90 minutes approximately
My twist to this cake:
Chop two oranges with skin on and cook them with two tbs of sugar and tbs of water in the pot until soft and syrupy (15 minutes).
Cut the cake in half in two layers. Spread oranges over and cover with second half.
Spread the shredded chocolate over the cake.
recipe:
Ingredients:
6 quail
3 tsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup dry sherry
Petals of 6 fresh, organic red roses
6 peeled chestnuts (boiled, roasted or canned)
1 clove garlic
1/2 c pitaya or red prickly pear fruit puree (or substitute raspberries)
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp ground anise seed
Rinse the quail and pat dry. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and lightly brown the birds on all sides. Add sherry and salt and pepper the quail. Lower the heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Turn the quail, cover and cook another 10 minutes. Remove the quail, reserving the pan juices.
Rinse the rose petals in cold water. Place half the petals in the blender, with remaining ingredients and the pan juices. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a sauce pan and simmer 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper and/or honey. Pour sauce over quail and sprinkle with the remaining rose petals.
recipe:
4 eggs
1 ¾ ounces (50 grams) melted butter
3 ounces (85 grams) plain flour
1-ounce (30 grams) good-quality cocoa powder
Genoise Sponge
1 pound 1-ounce (500 grams) mascarpone
2 ½ ounces (70 grams) caster sugar
2 egg yolks
3.5 fluid ounces (100 milliliters) Vin Santo
4 to 5 shots espresso coffee
Tia Maria liqueur
3 ½ ounces (110 grams) good-quality white chocolate, melted
Cocoa powder, for dusting
1 bar good-quality dark chocolate, for shavings
Filling
First make the sponge. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C /gas 4).Whisk the sugar and eggs until they are at ribbon stage. Fold in the melted butter, then fold in the sifted flour and cocoa. Pour the mixture into a lined Swiss roll tin and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove the sponge from the oven when it is done and leave to cool.
To make the filling, put the mascarpone, sugar, egg yolks, and Vin Santo into a bowl and mix until smooth.
To assemble the tiramisu, break up the sponge and press it into the bottom of a shallow dish. Drizzle over the coffee, Tia Maria, and white chocolate. Spoon over the mascarpone filling, then dust liberally with cocoa. Using a large knife, scrape the chocolate towards you to make shavings and arrange these delicately over the top.
Beside many complicated recipes in this movie and some probably impossible to make (turtle's soup), here is the one that is still tasty, and ingredients are found in any local store.
recipe:
8 cups flour, sifted before measuring
1 recipe for Chantilly cream (recipe follows)
2 cups each milk and butter
2 cups seedless raisins
1 1/2 cups sugar
about 1 cup diced glazed fruits (optional)
10 eggs
2/3 cup blanched almonds
1/4 – 1/2 cup rum
6 packages active dry yeast
2 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon rind, grated
Let all the ingredients come to room temperature.Scald the milk and then let cool to just lukewarm. Pour the
milk over the yeast and after the yeast is dissolved beat in 2 cups of the sifted flour. Set this sponge to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). Beat the butter until it is soft and then gradually sift in the sugar, blending until the mixture is light and creamy. One at a time beat in the eggs and then beat in the salt. Add the sponge, the remaining flour, the raisins and lemon rind. Beat the mixture until smooth and elastic. Divide the blanched almonds in the bottoms of two 23 cm (9") greased tube pans. On top of the almonds divide the batter and let stand until again nearly doubled in bulk. Bake the cakes in an oven that has been preheated to medium for 50 - 60 minutes (to tell if the cakes are done, insert a sharp knife. If the knife comes out clean, the cake is done). Let the cakes cool before removing from the pans. Just before serving sprinkle the cakes over with the rum, coat generously with the chantilly cream and, if desired, decorate with glazed fruits. Serve with well chilled Champagne.
It's a Greek movie about deeply emotional and complicated life of the people that, because of some political and religious issues, can not live in their homes any more . It's the smell and taste of that etnic home cooked meal left to allways remind you and your kids where do you coming from.
That can never be taken away.
Atmosphere in the movie is more about secrets of food and spices and family gathering than about some excuisite gourmet recipes.
There were meatballs, cooked sheep-heads and cinnamon.
Cinnamon, makes people turn to each other and express their emotions. Salt makes food tastier. Meatballs must have cumin, according to one group of women, but another group claimed they must contain a pinch of sugar, oregano and nutmeg...I tought it's more apropriate to put something unique and original, some ethnic specialty from that area, like halva.
I also added one of the best and most unique cake recipe I ever made. I am including it here even though it is not from this movie but it's related buy one importan ingrediant: halvah.
It's frozen
*Chocolate halvah Dacquoise"
- FOR THE COCOA MERINGUE
- 1 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 6 large egg whites
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- FOR THE GANACHE
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- FOR THE HALVAH CREAM
- 2 cups milk
- 5 tablespoons honey
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 1/2 cups crumbled plain halvah
- 1 cups heavy cream
- Prepare the cocoa meringue: Preheat oven to 150 C. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a marker, trace three 8-inch circles total on parchment (2 on one sheet, 1 on another); turn paper marked side down on baking sheets; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and a tablespoon of the granulated sugar; beat until soft peaks form. With mixer running, gradually add the remaining 11 tablespoons granulated sugar, beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the confectioners sugar and cocoa mixture, then fold in remaining whites.
- Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip. Starting just within the marked circles, pipe meringue, working inward in a spiral pattern. Bake for about 1-2 hours. Turn off oven allowing meringues to dry out until oven is completely cool, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
- Prepare ganache: Place chocolate in a medium bowl. In a saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Pour cream over chocolate, and let stand for 3 minutes. Whisk to combine. Refrigerate, covered, until thick enough to spread, 1 to 2 hours.
- Prepare halvah cream: Bring milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Meanwhile, in a large heatproof bowl, whisk together tahini, honey, cornstarch, and egg yolks. Whisk a little of the hot milk into the tahini mixture. Continue to whisk while adding remaining milk. Return to saucepan, and bring to a boil while whisking. Boil, whisking constantly, until very thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and whisk in half of the crumbled halvah. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
- Whip heavy cream just until soft peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream and the remaining crumbled halvah into the chilled tahini mixture.
- To assemble: Set aside nicest meringue disc for top layer. Place one meringue layer on an 8-inch cardboard cake round or a plate. Spread 1/3 of the halvah cream over meringue. Top with second meringue disc. Spread evenly with ganache. Top with another 1/3 of the halvah cream, spreading evenly. Top with last meringue disc. Ice outside of cake with remaining 1/3 halvah cream. Freeze for 1 to 2 hours.
- Before serving, dust top with confectioners' sugar. To slice, use a serrated knife dipped in hot water. Wipe dry between slices.
*Halva*
- Ingredients
- 280g sugar
- 100ml water
- flavorings
- 340g tahini beaten to mix in any excess oil
Hazelnuts and (unsalted) pistachios can be roasted then rubbed in a towel to remove their skins.
At this stage add nuts (pistachio, almond, hazelnut). It's worth the effort to blanch almonds then gently toast the nuts in a moderate oven (180 °C - 355 °F). Add as many as you want—this mixture will easily take 250g of nuts if you like your halva that way; shop-bought halva has far less. Gradually add the flavoured sugar syrup to the tahini, beating all the while.
Beat the mixture well as you add syrup to sesame, and continue beating once all is combined, until the mixture begins to set. This promotes formation of sugar crystals which give halva the flaky character it should have.
Press the mixture into an oiled cake tin (either with a press-out base, or lined with baking paper) or plastic container, and leave in the fridge for 36 hours. Cut while cold, with a sharp knife (if the halva is softer than the nuts it's difficult to make a clean cut).I always wanted to add to this page this spooky, dark comedy, but I never came up with a non-cannibalistic version of movie's "masterpiece" recipe:"chikie-wikies". The movie, with a great Danish cast, now worldwide celebrity: Mads Mikkelsen, is again about a food, but in a weird and morbid way, and a great Danish sense for a dark humor and deep society observations.
My friend, married to a Dane, recently introduced me to few great Danish desserts. So, instead of recipe from the movie, I got few other Danish food "connections".
And also, some Halloween "fanatics", might find amusing to watch it at this time of the year (end of October).
*Kransekage*( marzipan wedding )rings
Danes make this dessert for weddings
For 18 kransekake/kransekage rings:
18 oz. (500 grams) powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons flour
3-4 egg whites
1/4 cup powdered sugar for kneading
Frosting:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 egg white
1 teaspoon vinegar
Grease baking sheets well with butter. Mix almond paste and powdered sugar. Add egg whites. Mix well. Place bowl in hot water and knead dough until it is lukewarm. Turn out on board sprinkled with 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Let rest 10 minutes.
Knead 2 to 3 minutes. Press dough into greased ring forms approximately 1/2" in diameter. Bake at 300 F for 20 minutes. Do not remove rings from forms until cold.
Use decorating nozzle to apply frosting on each ring, and place each ring on top of one another. The frosting will keep the rings fastened together.
*Rødgrød*
* Red Fruit Jelly with Cream - Rødgrød med fløde*
1 lb (500 g) red currants
½ lb (250 g) cherries or raspberries
½ lb (250 g) black currants
5-6 tbs sugar
About 1½ pint (3/4 l) water
2½-3 tbs corn starch per 1 pint liquid
Wash the berries. Place in layers in an enamel saucepan, adding just enough water to cover. Bring slowly to the boil and simmer until the fruit has all broken up and the juice is dark red in color.
Sieve the juice through a clean cheesecloth, pressing as much juice out of the berries as possible. Measure the juice, boil up and thicken with the required amount of cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water.
Pour into a bowl, sprinkle with sugar to prevent a skin forming and serve cold with milk or cream.
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