Apple Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 60-70 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: Maybe with changes

Recipe Source: The Italian Country Table

Oh boy, I had a lot of trouble with this one. I was really intrigued by this recipe, because it cuts butter into some flour and sugar, then makes a very thin crust in springform pan with some of it. Then you take the rest of that mixture and mix in eggs, milk, etc, and then the apples. So you end up with a buttery crust for the cake.

The trouble began when the crumbs didn't really stick together well, but I did my best to press them into the pan. I made the cake and put it in. However, about 30 minutes into the bake, I noticed a smell. I looked in the oven and noticed pools of butter in the bottom of my oven. It was leaking out of the spring form pan. :-( I worried that it might catch on fire, so I decided to sop it up with a paper towel and tongs. Which, unfortunately, touched the electric coil, and proceeded to catch on fire! I turned the water on in my sink, and was able to get it under control, thankfully.

I turned the oven off, and let it cool a bit, then tried again. So, there was about 10 minutes where the cake was out of the oven. I turned it back on and tried to finish it. I think it mostly baked through OK.

In the end, it wasn't bad, but not exactly my favorite. I love spicy apple cakes, and this doesn't really have any spice, so I guess it disappointed me a little. I did like the crusty part though. So I might have to try it again with some spices and possibly a more tart apple. It is a unique idea, and I'm not ready to give up on it yet.

I should mention, you are supposed to add a meringue topping, but I decided to skip that part.

Oven-Roasted Canned Tomatoes

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2+ hours

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: The Italian Country Table

This is another great simple recipe from The Italian Country Table. It makes a delicious spread or something nice to put on pasta. It takes a long time to cook, but there is very little hands on time here.

Polenta

Total Time: 90-120 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: The Italian Country Table

This recipe is very simple, but takes a while to make. You make the polenta in a double broiler, so it cooks slowly and doesn't need as much attention. You just have to stir it every 20 minutes (although more often the first 20 minutes).

It is good soft, but I love to put it into a pan and let it solidify first (you can use a sheet pan or a loaf pan - both work). Then I cut it into pieces, brush with a little oil and either grill or broil. It gets crunchy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside.

I love to have this with roasted peppers or tomatoes and it makes a nice appetizer for an italian meal.

The Italian Country Table

I don't have a lot of cookbooks, and 80% of those that I own come from America's Test Kitchen (Cook's Illustrated). But Lynne Rossetto Kasper's The Italian Country Table is one that I have kept. Part of the reason is that it is a fun read, talking about different country areas of Italy. There are a few recipes in here that are really great and simple and this will remain a keeper for me.