Blueberry Sauce →

Quck and easy to make...here’s a delicious blueberry sauce to pair with Semolina Ricotta Cake (Migliaccio), pound cake, or cheese cake. It’s also wonderful just spooned over vanilla ice cream. You can use fresh blueberries if available, but frozen at home or frozen berries from the supermarket work just as well. Enjoy!

Blueberry Sauce
Yield about 1 cup

INGREDIENTS

• 2½ -3 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries

• 5 tablespoons sugar

• ¼ cup of water

• about a 3-4 inch strip of lemon zest (no white pith)

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 2-3 tablespoons Limoncello (optional)

PREPARATION

1. Mix the blueberries, sugar, water, and lemon zest in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

2. Strain the liquid into a blender or food processor and add half the berries reserving the remaining fruit and lemon zest. Buzz the mixture for 20-30 seconds.

3. Strain the mixture back into the saucepan and add the reserved berries, lemon zest, lemon juice, and limoncello if using. Bring to a boil over medium heat, simmer, and reduce the liquid for about 5 minutes.

4. Remove the lemon zest and cool the sauce to room temperature. The sauce thickens as it cools and will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in a covered container.

*NOTE: if you want a slightly thicker sauce, mix 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water until smooth and add to the sauce while still hot; stir and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Semolina Ricotta Cake with Blueberry Sauce

Creamy Parmesan Polenta →

Ingredients:

• 4 cups water

• 1 cup half-and-half or whole milk

• 1 ½ teaspoons salt

• 1 cup coarse grind cornmeal

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• pinch of baking soda (to help it cook faster)

Preparation:

1. Bring the water and milk to a boil in a heavy-duty saucepan or small Dutch oven. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.

2. Gradually sprinkle the polenta into the pan while whisking at the same time. Turn the heat to a very low simmer, cover, and continue to cook the polenta for 25-30 minutes, until it's thick, fluffy, and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

3. When it's done, remove from the heat and stir in the butter, cheese, and additional salt to taste if needed.

4. Serve warm, sprinkled with additional cheese if desired, and the topping of your choice.

For Polenta Cakes:

1. Line a baking dish with plastic wrap, or grease the sides of the dish with butter or olive oil.

2. Pour the freshly made hot polenta into a baking dish or sheet pan that will allow you to spread out the hot polenta to about 1/2-3/4 inch thickness. Spread the top evenly, allow to cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm.

3. Slice into rectangles or squares, or cut into portions with a cookie/biscuit cutter. Pan-fry in a cast iron or non-stick pan with a little olive oil until brown on both sides. (2-3 minutes on a hot skillet)