By Peter Gambacorta, Exec. Chef Private Chef of Tampa LLC.
At this time of the year, as we attend parties and gatherings, we are bombarded by an array of overly sweet and gooey cookies. At this time, I am going to share a part of my culinary history with you. Last week, my sister, Rosemarie Woodward and I began to discuss our childhood Christmas traditions and we decided to try to recreate my mother’s famous sesame cookies.
As a Culinary Institute of America (CIA) trained Private Chef, the challenge was on between us. After much debate and discussion, we agreed on the proper ingredients and quantities for the recipe. So, our journey back to our childhood began in my kitchen.
My mother Claire Terranova Gambacorta’s sesame seed cookies and biscotti are crunchy, nutty, with extra spicy notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and, of course, sesame. These cookies are low in sugar and low in overall fat content and they taste and are exactly as we remembered them. Not bad for our first try at copying Mama Claire.
These food traditions take us back to the cold and snowy days in Buffalo, NY, when we would have large family gatherings every Sunday at our grandmother’s house, with many of our aunts, uncles, and cousins running around everywhere. And, there always was a large pot of red sauce simmering on the stove, with which we smothered the large bowls of spaghetti placed in front of us. I still can remember my white dress shirts dotted with red sauce; and every Italian boy I knew can recall being scolded for this infraction, even when our shirts were covered by napkins tucked into our shirts.
These are the type of cookies and biscotti that go perfectly with coffee, or in lieu of overly sugared cookies — or, as in my family tradition, served with large glasses of red wine from the gallon jug kept under the table.
These cookies are quite easy to prepare for any home cook and the only requirement to make things easier is the use of a stand mixer. To the right is the recipe as we recreated it. Remember that these cookies or biscotti’s are baked low and slow to increase the crunch. I hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed making and sampling them.
I hope you will try this recipe and feel free to post comments about the recipe at NTNeighborhoodNews.com.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all and best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous new year from Private Chef of Tampa!
Private Chef of Tampa LLC, which is locally owned and operated, can do private parties for 6–75 people in your home. We supply chefs, waitresses, bartenders, vocalists and even local wine experts to make your next party one that is memorable. Our prices are inclusive per person and are generally no more than the cost of a dinner at a nice restaurant. We do all the work and you enjoy your guests and party.
For info, email me at peter@privatecheftampa.com, visit PrivateChefTampa.com or find and “Like” us on Facebook. Or, call 380-4014 to find out more.
No comment yet, add your voice below!