D.

What exactly defines a "pastry or dessert product"?

R.

It is prepared food, either cold or hot, whose base ingredient is a sweet product.

D.

Should ice cream be considered a "pastry or dessert product"?

R.

Yes. Ice cream is a cold preparation based on whole milk and sugar. Another version, the sorbet, is made with a syrupy base and fruit juice or meat.

D.

The traditional Emilian cuisine does not have great and complex desserts, but rather down-to-earth home made compositions. This does not mean that there aren't delicious recipes for those with a sweet tooth, though. Can you give us some examples?

R.

Sure, the Torta di Tagliatelle (Taglioline Cake), the Bensone, the Erbazzone, the Pan Papato, the Mandolini (Mandolins) from Ponte Lagoscuro, the Torta di Riso (Rice Cake), Frittelle di Mele (Apple Fritters), Frittelle di Castagne (Chestnut Fritters) and Castagnaccio, to name some.

D.

The"bensone" is a typical Modenese kind of cake, what are the ingredient used how did it change from centuries ago?

R.

The ingredients are flour, sugar, butter, eggs, various flavorings, salt and yeast.

The major changes are two. First of all, the cooking method has changed. In the past it was done in wood-burning ovens while today it is done in modern ovens. The second is the current use of chemical yeast, while in the past either ammonium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate was used.

D.

Are there other desserts that have stuck so much to the tradition? Which ones?

R.

The Pan Papato for instance, which was already served at the table of the Estensi family, Ferrara and Modena rulers, in Renaissance times.

D.

What are Saba, savòur, and sughi? Are these products still used to prepare desserts or pastries? How?

R.

Saba is made with overcooked must (grape juice before it starts to ferment).
Savòur is cooked must with the addition of quince.
Sughi is a jelly made with cooked must.

All three ingredients are still used in artisanal pastrymaking as well as in homemade desserts, particularly in celebrations of traditional events in the countryside, where the historic re-evaluation of culinary traditions is appreciated and promoted.

D.

Milk – cream – butter …… these are the main ingredients. What else is used?

R.

Flour , sweeteners, eggs, fat components such as butter substitutes and margarine, dry fruits, fresh fruits and rice.

D.

What kind of flours are used to prepare Emilian pastries?

R.

Wheat and chestnut flour. Strangely enough, there's no use of corn flour in Emilia, while in Piedmont for example, it used widely.

D.

It seems like all cakes and desserts are fattening! Is there a dietetic recipe to satisfy both the vanity and the taste buds of today's skinny young girls?

R.

D.

Could you a suggest specific pairings of dessert with wine and with liquor?

R.

Chocolate mousse paired to a good, aged Rum.
The Bensone cake paired either with the red Primitivo di Manduria passito or the white Albana Passito.

D.

Could you mention a traditional and a modern Easter recipe?

R.

The traditional recipe is the Pan Frutto (bread dough sweetened with sugar, butter, raisins and candied fruits).

For the modern recipe, I suggest Tiramisu, served inside half an Easter milk chocolate egg.