Innehållsförteckning för July/August 2022 från Bake from Scratch

What brought you to Boston, Massachusetts, alone at 19? What was it like being away from family? Giulia Ciaghi: I came to Boston for college. I went to Boston University, where I got a bachelor of arts and a master of science. The first few months were hard, especially because my English was not so good and that was my first time being alone and away from my family. What part of Italy did your grandmother live in? GC: My [maternal] grandmother was from Trento, Italy. Trento is a small city up north, close to the border with Austria on the Italian Alps. What was it like growing up with Italian and French influence in the kitchen? GC: So, my mother’s mom was Italian, while my father’s mother was French.…

S.forno is a cozy bakery with vintage, bohemian vibes that’s located in Oltrarno, one of the most authentic neighborhoods of Firenze (Florence), Italy, not far from the Arno River. It’s been a forno, a neighborhood bakery, for more than 100 years. Angelo, a local baker, baked bread there every morning for 40 years until 2014, when he sold the bakery to Il Santo Bevitore, a restaurant a couple of minutes away from the bakery, for which he was already baking bread. It was Angelo who passed down his skills to Rose Hélène Govoni, who’s now the head baker at S.forno. From the outside, S.forno is still the same shop, a humble bakery whose entrance door is crowned by the original sign, panificio, dating back to the 1970s. Inside, they kept…

TORTA DI SUSINE Makes 1 (9-inch) cake A homey cake that celebrates the singular beauty and flavor of fresh plums, the torta di susine encapsulates the Italian ideal that fine produce should be presented simply and perfectly. 2 large eggs (100 grams), room temperature¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar½ cup (112 grams) neutral oil½ cup (120 grams) whole milk, room temperature2 teaspoons (12 grams) vanilla bean paste2 cups (250 grams) unbleached cake flour2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt2 small plums (220 grams) (any varietal), cut into ¼-inch-thick slices 1. Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C). Spray a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray with flour. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat…

No visit to Italy is complete without the uniquely Italian experience of sitting under the bright sun of an Italian summer, sipping away at an espresso, and savoring the sweet splendor of a fresh maritozzo served alongside it. A pillowy, yeasted bun practically bursting with cloudlike whipped cream, it beckons all those around to take a bite. Sweet summertime splendor, and the very essence of la dolce vita, in a single bun. With a maritozzo for breakfast and a leisurely morning ahead, life truly is just a little bit sweeter. Thought to be inspired by various other honey-sweetened loaves already in existence, as well as pagnotelle, a type of savory filled bun made to fit into the saddlebags of laborers who needed a source of sustenance on the go, maritozzi…

Italians have an ancient baking tradition and, thus, an ancient relationship with flour. Throughout Italy’s 20 regions, various grains, nuts, and beans have become the basis for their flours, not just the quintessential wheat. These alternative flours, like chestnut flour and chickpea flour, were created out of rustic necessity, offering nutrients during famines and hard times. We’re taking a look at each signature Italian grain, its uses, and what makes it an Italian icon, from the popular 00 flour to the golden-hued semolina flour. 00 FLOUR: One of the defining differences between American and European flours are their classification systems. In the United States, we divide flours by their protein level, with bread flour and whole wheat flour often representing the highest protein and cake and pastry flour standing in…

Panoramic vistas and olive fields flank the country road that leads to Giulia Scarpaleggia’s Tuscan kitchen in Colle Val d’Elsa, between Firenze (Florence) and Siena. It’s here that Giulia, perhaps best known by her blog name, Juls’ Kitchen, bakes, cooks, writes, and teaches. Her kitchen looks out over the rolling hills of Toscana, where you’ll find her dogs lounging in the warm sun and chickens staying busy next to the garden her mother tends for the family. Giulia shares her family’s compound with her photographer husband, Tommaso, and their daughter as well as her parents and grandmother. The stone farmhouse is steeped in more than family history; it was used as a post office in World War II by both German and US forces. Today, Giulia is making history of…

In Fernanda Giamello’s kitchen, you won’t find her using measuring cups, a scale, or a kitchen timer. She cooks, bakes, and teaches by sight and feel, relying on her years making traditional Piemontese recipes with her family. The results are rustic, humble, and delicious. Visit Fernanda at her home that’s tucked into a hillside just outside the historic city center of Alba, and you can see hazelnut orchards from her porch and laundry drying on clotheslines in the sun. With doors left open to usher in the breeze, her kitchen has that familiar feel that embraces you like you’ve walked into your Italian nonna’s kitchen. A large farm table, brilliantly topped with a stainless steel work surface, anchors the kitchen and serves as a gathering spot for espresso. Elsewhere, well-loved…

SOFT AMARETTI COOKIES Makes about 28 cookies Derived from the Italian word for bitter (amaro), the almond-rich amaretti cookie popped up in Italy in the Middle Ages. Though they can often be crunchy like biscotti, our fast take on these crinkly cookies promises a soft, chewy crumb and unparalleled sweet almond flavor. 10 ounces (284 grams) blanched almonds, lightly toasted (about 1¾ cups) (see Notes)1¼ cups (250 grams) granulated sugar, divided¾ cup (90 grams) confectioners’ sugar, divided¾ teaspoon (2.25 grams) kosher salt2 large egg whites (60 grams), room temperature¾ teaspoon (3 grams) almond extract¾ teaspoon (3 grams) vanilla extract 1. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. In the work bowl of a food processor, combine almonds and ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar;…

FOR A TASTE OF ITALY IN YOUR OWN HOME KITCHEN, WE’VE GATHERED SOME OF OUR FAVORITE ITALIAN BAKING STAPLES, FROM THE BELOVED NUTELLA TO THE EXQUISITE AMARENA CHERRY FOR CHOCOLATE LOVERS Many Americans have already embraced this Italian chocolate hazelnut spread from the Piemonte region with open arms, and it’s really no wonder why. Delightfully rich, creamy, and chocolaty and accented with toasted, nutty notes of hazelnut, Nutella makes even the most ordinary bakes extraordinary. If you’re looking for recipes that let this wonder ingredient shine, be sure to check out our 4 Ways with Chocolate Hazelnut Spread feature, starting on page 85. Available at your local grocery store. THE CHERRY ON TOP With a jar almost as beautiful as the cherries inside are delicious, Amarena Fabbri Wild Cherries are…

Pizza for breakfast? Yes, it’s a thing. When I visited Roma (Rome) to produce this issue, I was amazed by the number of people lined up for a slice of pizza to start their day. Pizza was only part of the reason I wanted to go on the ultimate Roman breakfast quest. When the Rome episode of Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy aired, I learned about maritozzo and knew I had to discover it for myself. I turned to author Katie Parla as a trusted source for food in Rome and asked her to show me around her home city. Those of you who know me know I don’t get up early for much, but the bakeries we visited made the early alarm worth it. GLOSSARIO Colazione: breakfast, or the…