PANNETONE FRENCH TOAST

Panettone

Panettone has become a national symbol of the Italian Christmas, and lately assimilated into the festivities of many other Catholic countries, however, this celebrated ancient bread is a typical product of the gastronomic tradition of Milan . Over the centuries, a great number of legends have grown up around the origins of this dessert. It is said for example that a certain Toni, a Milanese baker in the service of Ludovico il Moro, Duke of Milan, invented the panettone, which was called “pan de toni”……toni,s bread in his honor.

In the 1606 reprint of ‘Raccolta delle Parole Milanesi dichiarate”, a collection of Milanese dialectical terms, edited by Giuseppe Capis, panaton was defined as a “large bread, which is made on Christmas day”. Alessandro Manzoni, a 19^th-century Italian author who wrote the famous novel “I promessi sposi”, describes how Renzo Tramaglino, one of the book’s protagonists, goes in the 16^th century from the countryside to Milan, where he is astounded to find ”round, very white bread” which was not usually eaten in rural areas.

www.italian-regional-recipes.com/panettone-an-italian-christmas-cake/

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE FRENCH TOAST OUT OF PANNETONE:
(serves 2)

Pannetone sliced about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick

2 extra large eggs

1/3 c half and half

1/4 c sugar

1/2 tsp of vanilla

Freshly grated nutmeg

dash of salt

Butter for frying

Maple syrup for serving

More butter

Combine the first 6 ingredients except for the pannetone slices, in a large bowl and beat well.  Dip the slices of pannetone bread a few seconds to absorb the liquid on both sides.  Do not soak.

Heat griddle and melt 1 TB butter and spread it around the griddle.  Fry the dipped pannetone about 2 minutes on each side in  medium heat.  Remove and keep warm.

The egg mixture in the bowl next to the raisin Pannetone.  (You can use any version of the Pannetone)

Fry the dipped Pannetone in buttered hot griddle

Suggested serving:  Butter on top with warm maple syrup and thick-cut pepper bacon

What is certain is that panettone developed by degrees. Made initially with simple, standard ingredients, it was gradually enriched through the addition of more sophisticated products. In the 1818 edition of Francesco Cherubini’s “Vocabolario Milanese Italiano”, panettone was described as follows. “Panatton or Panatton de Natal. A type of bread from wheat flour enriched with butter, eggs, sugar and raisins, or sultanas; the surface of the dough is cut in an almond shape so that the result, after baking, is numerous crescents. Its weight of about one kilo or more, and made only at Christmas.

Since candied fruit is not mentioned, it is obvious that the practice of adding it was introduced later. While panettone has become the symbol of the Italian Christmas, it is a delectable dessert that deserves to be appreciated through the year.

MY STEAK TAPA

Above are the ingredients I used.

Tapa in the Philippines is a piece of steak meat that they usually treat or enhance to give taste or preserve.  In Mexico, they have a similar dish called Cecina which they add condiments too and air dry before frying.  My version uses basic ingredients for everyday food and indoor cooking.  This type of steak is called Tapa in the Philippines.  It is basically steak as for steak and eggs for breakfast, or main course for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients:
1 lb of skirt steak or flank steak
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1TB of butter
2TB of canola oil or safflower oil for frying

First you have to slice the steak into thin slices in order for the meat to absorb the marinade.

The video below demonstrates the technique on how to slice your beef steak thin.

MARINADE: Combine the soy sauce and the brown sugar.

After slicing the meat, marinate it for an hour or 2 (up to overnight if you want).

After an hour or two, you can fry them in a mixture of oil and butter.  The mixture of the oil and butter prevents the butter from burning.

                                                  Best served with some salad on the side.

The Tapa is cooked

The steak (tapa) is served with mango salad on the side which compliments the dish.  It is best served with either steamed or garlic fried rice which we'll discuss and demonstrate in the future.

Note:  I like eating this with some hot sauce on the side.

SIMPLE ONE-PAN BREAKFAST 101

I like fried sunny side eggs for breakfast.  I use organic olive oil to fry the eggs in.  Instead of flipping the egg to fry them without overcooking, simply add a little water to the pan.  Cover the pan for a few minutes and promptly remove the cover when yolk and white appear cooked but still runny.  (It's advisable to have a see-through glass cover so you can watch the eggs get cooked!)

Simple One-Pan Breakfast 101 - now, watch the demo!

                                                     MY FRYING EGG TECHNIQUE

ONCE THE EGGS ARE DONE, I SIMPLY PUT A FEW PROSCIUTTO SLICES IN THE PAN TO CRISP.

THEN, USING THE SAME PAN, ADD A TABLESPOON OF OLIVE OIL TO MAKE YOUR PAN FRIED TOAST!

Enjoy your breakfast to energize your day!

LIGHT BREAKFAST

Had to try Ameraucana hen eggs for breakfast.  I decided to serve it as a minute soft boiled egg served with a slice of toasted Filone bread and some prosciutto.

Ameraucana eggs have a bluish/pale green color and tasted what an egg should taste.  I decided to serve it soft boiled to remind me that it was not a regular egg.

Above is espresso with cream poured over slowly over a spoon against the cup so it continues to float on top till you stir it.