Gino's chocolate pistachio cake (and carbonara!)
Gino D'Acampo is back to brighten up the most depressing day of the year so far. He's offering not one, but two feel-good Italian dishes, and we've asked you to decide which he should make.
Will you choose his rich chocolate and pistachio cake - or speedy lunch of spaghetti carbonara?
La Caprese, Chocolate & Pistachio Cake with Amaretto Liquor
Serves: 8
Ingredients
250g good quality dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
80g shelled pistachio nuts 100g salted butter, plus more for greasing 4 eggs, separated 160g icing sugar 160g ground almonds 50ml Amaretto liquor
Method
Put the pistachios in a medium size bowl and pour over boiling water from the kettle. Leave the nuts to soak for 3 minutes then drain and peel off the skin. Place the pistachios on a chopping board and roughly chop them. Set aside.
Grease a 23cm diameter loose-bottom tin and pre-heat the oven to 180°
Place the butter and chocolate in a large bowl over a pan of simmering water and allow to melt. Make sure that the water in the pan doesn’t touch the bowl otherwise the chocolate will become bitter.
In a separate large bowl, whisk the egg yolk and icing sugar until fluffy and pale in colour
In a separate large, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff
Pour the melted chocolate into the bowl with the egg yolks and sugar and combine thoroughly. Mix in the ground almonds, Amaretto liquor and chopped pistachios. Immediately after, gently fold in the egg whites with a metal spoon.
Pour the cake mixture into the cake tin and cook the middle of the oven for 30 minutes
Take the Caprese out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before unmoulding.
Slice and serve at room temperature with a tablespoon of Mascarpone cheese and a little glass of Amaretto liquor
PAN TO PLATE IN: 45
Spaghetti alla carbonara with eggs, pancetta and Pecorino Romano
Serves: 4
Ingredients
250g diced pancetta5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil3 tablespoons of un-salted butter500g Spaghetti4 eggs6 tablespoons of freshly grated Pecorino Romano4 tablespoons of finely chopped flat leaves parsleySalt and black pepper to taste
Method
In large frying pan or a wok, over a medium heat fry the pancetta in the oil and butter for 8 minutes until golden and crispy. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon and once ready, remove from the heat and set aside
Whisk the eggs in a bowl with ½ of the cheese. Add in the parsley and plenty of black pepper. Set aside
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring to the boil 5 litres of water and a tablespoon of fine salt. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente.
To get the al dente perfect bite, cook the pasta one minute less then instructed on the packet and always cook the pasta with the lid off. Drain and tip the pasta back into the saucepan.
Add in the pancetta with the oil and butter and pour over the egg mixture. Mix everything together for 30 seconds with a wooden spoon. (The heat from the pasta will be sufficient to cook the egg enough for a creamy and moist texture).
Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately with the remaining cheese sprinkled on top
PAN TO PLATE IN: 15