Rose and I have been having a lot of fun trying out recipes using ingredients from my land. We have an abundance of Arangi (Oranges) and of course, sacks of Mennuli (Almonds.)

I am committed to using our own ingredients and not wasting anything. We have been experimenting with recipes from the internet. (I will be happy to share the recipes we have tried but will not publish here since they are not original. Please contact me and I will send.) We have enjoyed the results and feel we have perfected a couple.

Here are the results so far:

Farina di Mennuli (Almond Flour)

We ground our own Farina di Mennuli using my high speed blender. It is a simple process. However, it has proven to be labor intensive because we want to attain a fine grind without making almond butter. I plan to investigate other grinders. In the meantime, we have avoided the butter stage by doing an initial grind, then sifting the Farina di Mennuli (this is the annoying part) to separate the large pieces. We then do a second grind on the large pieces. The result is delicious, so I feel it is worth the effort. Also, if I ignore the investment I made in harvesting the Mennuli, it is cost effective compared to store bought Farina di Mennuli and the flavor is amazing. Rose is still willing to help me with this tedious process.

Pasti di Mennuli (Almond Macaroons)

We made this recipe several times using our own Farina di Mennuli and almonds. It is perfect! Using only 4 ingredients, this fabulous cookie is crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside and keeps well in an airtight container! We used to buy these from a local pastry shop because they were the best in town. Ours are better.

Torta di Mennuli

This is our Torta di Mennuli (Almond Cake)

It is also a wonderful recipe. The Torta is moist and flavorful, everyone loves it. We used Rose’s cheese grater/slicer to slice the almonds for the topping.

Arangi (Oranges)

We have lots and lots of Oranges! They have been gifted by our neighbors, Signor Raimondo has given us various varieties and I have several Orange trees of my own. They will not be wasted!

So far, we have squeezed juice for breakfast and for the freezer, used in Orange and Fennel Salads, made Orange Gelatine and a couple of delicious Torte All’Arangi (Orange Cakes.)

The Torta above, with the powdered sugar decoration, has two layers and is filled with orange curd and orange marmalade.

The Torta in the center is called a Ciambella (pronounced chi-ahm-bellah.) A Ciambella is a generic term for a cake that is baked in a pan with a center tube. We made it last evening using a spring form pan. It is a beautifully risen cake. It is light and fluffy and deeply orange flavored. It was a hit with the family. Next time we make it, we will slice into three layers and fill with our orange curd.

We used Blood Oranges for the Orange Gelatine pictured above. We love the color. The ingredients are Orange Juice, Sugar and Cornstarch. It is light and refreshing. Giorgia, Rose’s four year old granddaughter loves it and so do I.

Next on the agenda are Orange Marmalade and Candied Peels.