My very first trip out of the United States was when I was 23. My mentor had sent me to Italy armed only with a few years of cooking under my belt, my dogeared copy of Waverly Root’s The Food of Italy and a mandate to ‘steal’ a few secret recipes from colleagues of his who refused to give them up. He decided to start things off at the top and have me work my way South, where I would eventually spend most of my time. And so my very first meal on Italian soil was in Milano at the amazing Da Giacomo. Opened in 1968 by Giacomo Bulleri, to call this well-loved trattoria a culinary institution would be like calling the Gothic behemoth of a cathedral in Milano a pretty little church.
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After the eye-popping and succulent orecchia di elefante (the famous breaded cutlet pounded out the size of an elephants ear!) I discovered one of the greatest desserts of all time: meringata!
A frozen cake of cream and meringues, meringata is a testament to the art of simplicity. The freshly whipped cream is often unsweetened, as the meringues do their part to bring the fun. Like a semifreddo, the fluffy cream freezes less than ice cream so the texture is unique against the crispy crunchy meringue. There are versions of this cake up and down Italy, and the variations on the basic concept are as varied as the seasons and what’s on hand. Fresh fruit, lemon curd, pastry cream and even melted chocolate can be folded into the cream, or it can be made plain and served with these adornments at the table. But the first kiss is always the sweetest, and my barometer for perfection is that meringata at Da Giacamo.
Like the Swiss and the French, the Italian knack for meringues is a special one, and only requires egg whites, sugar and a little forethought. We make a good amount of fresh pasta in our home, and often use only egg yolks for a more decadent result. So having egg whites on hand is a pretty regular thing. They freeze well and can be thawed quickly if done so in flat plastic freezer bags. Once made, the meringues can keep in an airtight jar for weeks, which makes them perfect for tea or coffee. Of course, the larger discs of this recipe are not vital, and an impromptu version of meringata can be made by merely crumbling the smaller meringues and folding them with cream and freezing in a cake tin. Store-bought meringues are also an option and produce as good a meringata as the quality of the meringues themselves.
THE RECIPE
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