Gusta Pizza

Now that I have been in Florence for almost seven weeks (crazy, I know) I definitely have certain places that have become favorites. I have found different shops, restaurants and places around the city that I love going to... so I thought I'd share my favorite pizza place...

GUSTA PIZZA

I have been to this pizzeria three times already since living here in Florence, and I assume that I will be going back A WHOLE LOT MORE before I leave to go home in December. For just 5 euro you can have a DELICIOUS margarita pizza. They have a few other types of pizza but the margarita is so good I have just gotten that each time.

The pizza is made in a wood oven and you can watch them while they make it for you. And... if you flirt with the chefs (who are all young, cute Italians) they'll make your pizza in a heart shape (see pictures below) :)

I will seriously miss the pizza in Florence so much, especially Gusta. It is so delicious and just a quick ten minute walk from my apartment. Makes me hungry for it just writing this quick post.... ;)

Ciao, Erica <3

Tre Gusti Per Un Dolce

For my Contemporary Italian cooking class we made a dessert today!! I was so excited, because baking is definitely more of my forte. We made a dessert called "Tre Gusti Per Un Dolce" or "Three Flavors for One Dessert." It was so delicious & I cannot wait until I make it back at home. Sadly I forgot to bring my camera to class, but this treat was so good I had to talk about it anyways. 

It was a layered dessert, with a "chocolate biscuit" or brownie on the bottom, then a layer of Coffee Bavarian Cream, then a chocolate mousse and finally at the top creme brulee. It was one of the most decadent things I have ever eaten.

Here is the recipe if anyone wants to try making this at home :) 

Chocolate Bavarian Cream

200 gr milk

200 gr heavy cream

6 egg yolks

100 gr sugar

4 gelatin sheets (softened in cold water, the squeezed)

50 gr instant coffee

Gently heat milk w/o bringing it to a boil. Beat yolks with sugar, then add the hot milk. Bring back to the flame and gently heat until cream thickens, w/o having it boil. Pass through a sifter. Add the softened gelatin sheets and the instant coffee. Let cool, then whip the heavy cream and fold it into the coffee cream. Cool in the fridge

Creme Brulee

250 gr dark chocolate

500 gr heavy cream

8 egg yolks

125 gr sugar

 3 gelatin sheets (softened in cold water, the squeezed)

Beat yolks with sugar over a bain marie, until the cream thickens. Melt chocolate over a double boiler and add to the cream, the add the softened gelatin sheets. Let cool, then add the whipped heavy cream. Keep cool in the fridge.

Creme Brulee

1 vanilla bean 

175 gr milk

175 gr heavy cream

150 gr sugar

6 egg yolks

Caramel: 1 cup of sugar + 1/2 cup water

Prepare the caramel by boiling the sugar with the water until the caramel forms. Drizzle on bottom of baking dish. Beat yolks with sugar. Gently heat milk with heavy cream and vanilla bean, then add to the egg yolks. Place cream in a baking dish and back at 100 degrees C for approx. 30 minutes.

Chocolate biscuit

150 gr chocolate

15 gr butter

50 gr sugar

3 eggs (seperate yolks from whites)

Beat yolks with sugar. Melt chocolate with butter over a bain marie, than add to the yolks. Whip egg whites and fold into the chocolate mixture. Place on baking dish covered with wax paper and bake at 180 degrees C for 5 minutes. 

Assemble the dessert by layering the creams into individual dishes. Layer with chocolate biscuit on bottom, then coffee cream, chocolate mousse, then the creme brulee. 

It was absolutely delicious!! I wish I had an actual picture to show you. Next week I will make sure to bring my camera to class.

Here a picture off of google to show you what the dessert should kind of look like:

This photo definitely doesn't do the dessert justice, but it's just to give you an idea.

Next week we are making, Lasagnetta alle Melanzane, quartirolo e basilico. Which means.. lasagna with eggplant, cheeses and tomatoes. Should be delicious!!

Thanks for reading!

Ciao, Erica xo

Fiorentine Versus Lazio Soccer Match

Yesterday, Sunday October 2nd I attended my first professional soccer game!!

I have grown to love any and all live sporting events so I was extremely excited that ISA gave us the opportunity to go to one.

It was so much fun! The only problem was that it was UNBEARABLY hot outside.

I'm not sure which was hotter: the temperature or the players ;)

It was about 90 degrees and everyone was sweating, but I think it was worth it to see the game!

We had awesome seats. They were on the ground about 5 rows back, so we had an awesome view of the game.

 

 The fans were CRAZY!!! It was a sea of purple at the stadium, so many flags & signs cheering Fiorentine on. There were so many different cheers & songs the fans were singing (I should have done research before hand so I could have sang along).

  

Sadly, we lost the game. It was close with a score of 2-1. Fiorentina was the first to score just ten minutes into the game. By then end of the first half it was tied, and then at the very end, with just fifteen minutes remaining in the game, Lazio scored. 

 Above is a picture of Teresa, Ashley & I

I got a few videos at the match. The first is of the players entering the field and the crowd singing the Italian national anthem, and the other a quick clip from the game. 

Ciao, Erica <3

Lucca For the Day

Today my friend Teresa & I traveled to Lucca to do some exploring :)

The train ride takes about an hour and a half and only costs 5,30 euro one way. Once I got there I was in love with how quiet it was. Florence is full of tourists and crowded with people so it was definitely a nice change of pace. Thanks to my Tuscany tour book and Teresa's home-stay Mom we had a few things we definitely wanted to check out. 

 One cool thing about Lucca is that the entire city center is surrounded by a brick wall that's about a mile and a half long

These two picture are of the Torre del Guinigi. A large tower in the city that has trees at the top & amazing views

 All of the stairs to the top of the Torre del Guinigi

 The top of the Torre with the beautiful trees! It was stunning

Next we went to another tower. The Torre del Ore. There is a clock in the bell tower that was put in in 1754 that still rings today. The walk up this tower was a little scarier because the stairs were the original stairs built in the 14th century. They were wobbly and uneven, not to mention there were PIGEONS hanging out there... terrifying.  

 The view of the stairs from the bottom

 

After all the stair climbing we decided we needed a gelato. We looked for a place that was recommended in my book & I'm so glad we did... it was delicious.

Gelatoria Veneta

I decided to get a shake with Nutella gelato :)

Fun/random fact... The richest man in Italy today... the inventor of Nutella

We also went to a pastry shop to find the famous bread from Lucca, buccellato, a black licorice-flavored bread with raisons. Both Teresa & I agree that it is not the most appitising thing, but Teresa wanted to bring some back for her sweet house Mom. 

Some other pastries from the yummy shop..

It was such an enjoyable day! Lucca was gorgeous and a nice change of pace for the day.

Ciao, Erica <3

September 30th Cooking Class

Yesterday about 30 students from ISA went to a cooking class after our Academia tour. It was so much fun and so delicious. 

We made an appetizer, dinner & dessert

The Appetizer or Apperitivo:

Baked eggplant, mashed potatoes with zucchini & cheese

eggplant

mashed potatoes & chopped zucchini

three stacked eggplants, spoonful of the potato mixture and the cheese (before backing)

After backing

My appertivo :)

Main Course:

spinach & cheese-filled ravioli

Mixing the flour & egg together

The filling: ricotta cheese, egg, spinach and salt & pepper

rolling out the dough

placing the filling on the dough

pre-cooked

 simple sauce of butter & sage

the finished ravioli

 my plate :)

Finally, Dessert!

Tiramisu

The lady fingers & espresso

separating the yolk and egg whites to make the cream filling 

 Folding the egg whites into the mascapone base

Dipping the lady fingers in the espresso and scooping in the filling

 The finished product :)

So delicious

 Clearly my meal was delicious because my plates are totally empty...

Ciao, Erica <3