Tiramisù

I was going for the New Zealand team today, but only because I would go for any team playing against the Italian. Seeing the Italian team lose a match used to give me enormous pleasure and it was almost worth the self-inflicted stress of watching the games. If there was a team that didn't leave me indifferent...

But then, you know, I am reminded of some awesome things coming from this country. Things that touch my heart like the films Il Postino and Cinema Paradiso, stories by Alberto Moravia. And imagine, the cheese world without Parmigiano, the operas without Puccini and Verdi! How much poorer this world would be.

Despite the Italian soccer team, I love many things Italian. As a prove, I just finished baking a batch of almond biscotti. And more prove, dinner tonight was spaghetti. Oh yes, I want to share something about this spaghetti as well. It was in a simple tomato sauce, with shreds of fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil. But what made it top top was --purists please forgive me-- swirling in a few blobs of boursin. A perfectly satisfying dinner.

The next appropriate thing to follow, if it's even possible to improve upon a perfectly satisfying spaghetti dinner, would be none other than a tiramisù. And not just any tiramisù, but this particular one. The one that stopped my search for the tiramisù recipe, from ever ordering one in a restaurant again. And if the Italian team had won tonight, this tiramisù would have been consolation enough.

Tiramisù Recipe

For 6 servings

Ingredients :
250 g mascarpone
3 eggs
4 TBSP. icing sugar
a pinch of salt
100 g ladyfingers
4 small cups of espresso
50 ml marsala / amaretto
cocoa powder

Directions :
1. Separate egg whites and yolks in two separate bowls.
2. Beat the yolks with 3 TBPS. of icing sugar until pale. Add marsala and mascarpone while stirring until it mixture becomes smooth cream.
3. Beat the egg whites with the salt and the rest of sugar until stiff.
4. Incorporate gently into the mascarpone cream.
5. Layer with dipped lady fingers. Refrigerate at least 12 hour.
6. Sprinkle with cocoa powder before serving.

Bon appetit!