Date and Walnut Cake - Hold the Butter, Sugar, and Eggs!

I never would have believed it if I hadn't tried it, but this cake -- with no butter, no sugar and no eggs -- is downright delicious. OK, so you're never going to throw your favorite chocolate layer cake with buttercream frosting overboard, but if you want a healthier version of a snack cake that won't give you a guilt trip, try this recipe from Cooking With Renu. She made hers with vegan milk and whole wheat flour, but I substituted buttermilk and white flour in my version. I also added more walnuts than her recipe calls for. If you're trying to cut back on your sugar or butter intake, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how good this cake can be for satisfying your sweet tooth.

It's simple to make with just a spoon too, although it takes a little advance prep to soak the dates in the milk for a few hours, or overnight, as I did. When you're ready to prepare the rest of the ingredients, just whir the buttermilk and dates in a food processor (or blender) to get a puree, the basis of the cake's sweetness. 

It will look like this when you place the batter into a loaf pan.

It comes out of the oven without a "dome" but that's perfectly fine.

The only sugar in this cake is the confectioner's sugar I used to decorate the top.

It is tender, moist and easy to make too. So get yourself some dates and start baking!

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No Butter, No Sugar, No Eggs Date and Walnut Cake

Adapted from Cooking with Renu

• 1 8 ounce package of pitted dates 8-20 dates 
• 1 1/2 cup buttermilk (regular or vegan milk can be used) 
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (or whole wheat flour)
• ½ cup oil plus one tablespoon (I used canola oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions:

Slightly warm the milk and de-seed and soak the dates overnight in the refrigerator, or for at least 4-5 hours. 

Toast the walnuts slightly in the oven or on the stove to get a more intense flavor, but be careful not to let them burn. Let them cool.

Once the dates are soaked, blend the dates along with the milk into a smooth paste using a food processor or blender. Mine wasn't completed pureed, but had some small bits of dates that weren't quite liquified. That's fine.

Place the flour, baking soda, baking powder and walnuts in a bowl. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, mix in the date mixture, the vanilla and the oil.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured loaf pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, checking after 30 minutes for doneness.

If desired, sprinkle the top with confectioner's sugar after it has cooled.

Casatiello

I should have posted this a while ago so you could have served this Neapolitan treat at some point during Easter, especially Easter Monday, when Italians all take off from work and head out to the countryside for picnics. But it's so good, you'll want to keep this recipe handy and serve it to friends and family any time of year.  The recipe was in The New York Times from Yotam Ottolenghi, the Israeli chef and restaurateur. I made a few changes with the interior filling of his recipe and the oven temperature too, but used the original dough recipe. Don't be afraid of working with yeast. This is an easy dough recipe and works beautifully. I find the key is using the right temperature water when using yeast -- between 105 and 115 degrees F.  That's warm enough to activate the yeast but not so hot that you kill it. The dough is stuffed with small cubes of salami and cheese. I used caciocavallo cheese (instead of the gruyere called for by Ottolenghi) and pecorino (instead of parmigiano). I also eliminated the hard-boiled eggs in the original recipe. 
 

After the dough rests for a bit, roll it out into a rectangle.

Ottolenghi's recipe called for using parsley and basil leaves ground into a paste, but I decided to use some basil pesto I had in the freezer from last year's crop, and it was really delicious with the salami and cheeses.

Spread the other ingredients over the pesto and press into the dough, then roll up tightly starting from the long end.

Pinch the edges of the dough together and form a ring, sealing with some water to stick the dough together. If you don't have a ring mold, you can bake it in a cookie sheet as is (after a second rise).

I greased a ring mold and placed the stuffed dough inside, then brushed with olive oil and scattered a little semolina and some sesame seeds on top. I let it rise until it reached the top of the pan.

I baked it at 425 degrees instead of the 450 called for in the original recipe, because I was concerned that the interior might not cook thoroughly and the top might get too brown. It came out perfect!

This is the underside -- also cooked perfectly.

Let it cool slightly and cut with a serrated knife while still warm, or serve at room temperature. It was perfect with drinks before Easter dinner, but I could see eating it as a meal with a side salad or other vegetables. It serves a lot of people, so if you have any leftover, it freezes and reheats well too.

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• Casatiello
  (Original recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi is here, but I changed quite a few things - I used pesto instead of fresh herbs, different cheeses, different oven temperature, and added sesame seeds to the top.)
• Ingredients
• ⅓cup/70 milliliters extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
• 3tablespoons/45 grams fine semolina flour
• 1/2 cup basil pesto sauce
• ½teaspoon kosher salt, more for seasoning
• 4cups/500 grams bread flour (strong flour), more for dusting
• 3teaspoons/10 grams instant yeast (fast-action dried yeast)
• 1½cups- 2 cups/360 milliliters lukewarm water
• 1salami log (6 ounces/160 grams), rind removed and cut into ¼-inch/½-centimeter cubes (1 heaping cup)
• 4½ounces/130 grams provolone, or caciocavallo, cut into ¼-inch/½-centimeter cubes (1 cup)
• 2ounces/70 grams pecorino cheese, coarsely grated (1 lightly packed cup)
• Black pepper
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
• Instructions:

1. Step 1

   Grease a 10-inch or 24-centimeter tube pan with a flat bottom with 1½ teaspoons oil. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons/30 grams semolina, tapping out any extra once the interior is fully coated.

2. Step 2
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, 1 tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon salt and the lukewarm water. Use a spatula to stir mixture until combined and turn out onto a floured work surface. Dust your hands with flour, then knead dough for 5 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. You may need to add more flour if dough is too sticky, but do not add too much or it will become dry. Shape dough into a ball and set aside. Scrape down, clean and dry work surface, then dust with more flour.
4. Step 3

   Roll dough into a 12-by-16-inch/30-by-40-centimeter rectangle, with the longest side toward you. Spread evenly with the pesto, leaving a 1½-inch/4-centimeter border at the top and bottom, and a ½-inch/1-centimeter border on the sides. Scatter salami, caciocavallo (or provolone), pecorino and egg evenly over pesto. Grind pepper generously over the surface and then gently push the cheese, egg and meat into the dough.

5. Step 4

   Starting from the longest side, roll dough into a log (as you would a Swiss roll or the dough for cinnamon rolls), making sure to tuck dough in at the ends as you go so contents don’t fall out. Press edges to seal.

6. Step 5

   Transfer dough to pan, with the long sealed side facing down. The stuffed dough will be heavy, so make sure you have a good grip on both ends before you lift it. Use your hands to bring the ends together, pinching them into place so they form a continuous ring of dough. (It may be easier to shape it into a ring on the counter first and then transfer it to pan.) Using a pastry brush, coat dough with remaining oil and then sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon/15 grams semolina and sesame seeds. Cover with a slightly damp cloth and let rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until nearly doubled in size.

7. Step 6

   Meanwhile, heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

8. Step 7

   Bake bread for 30-40 minutes, until golden and crisp; it will seem very hard but will soften once it cools. Remove from oven and set aside for 15 minutes to cool slightly. Turn bread out of pan onto a wooden board. (You may need to run a knife along edges of pan to release the bread.) Serve warm or cold.

9. Note: If you don't have a tube pan, you can bake it freeform on a cookie sheet, or use a large cake pan and place a ball of aluminum foil in the center. (Just be sure to grease well around the aluminum foil so it doesn't stick.)

Domenica Marchetti's "Italian Cookies"

                     Biscotti Della Nonna

When Christmas rolled around last year, I made only one type of cookie -- pizzelle. That was a distinct departure from how I approached holiday baking in years past, when I made at least a half dozen different types of cookies. But here it is nearly Easter and I baked three different cookies over the weekend. Why? Because I couldn't resist the recipes in my friend Domenica Marchetti's newest cookbook, "Italian Cookies." 

This beautiful book is in pre-order right now and scheduled for release in a couple of weeks. After receiving an advance copy, I couldn't resist trying some of the recipes immediately. Well, I should add that immediately was relative -- because I first got drawn to the writing in the book and clung to each well-written story in the text. That's understandable given Domenica's background as a journalist before she became a cookbook writer.

Domenica Marchetti (photo credit Lauren Volo)

I got lost in the pages, reading about the history of some of the cookies, which span the entire Italian peninsula. The recipe for crumbly sbrisolona took me back to a shop in Castell'Arquato, where I used to buy that treat, near my mother's hometown in Emilia Romagna. The story about the Biscottificio Artigianato Innocenti brought back memories of when we lived around the corner from that bakery in Rome's Trastevere neighborhood and I would often stop in for a treat. The recipe for serpette made me long for those "S" shaped cookies I would buy whenever in Frascati. There are so many more recipes that jogged such sweet memories that I know I'll be dipping into the book for more reasons than just to satisfy my sweet tooth. 

              Chifferi Alla Nocciola

There is no disputing Domenica's authority on Italian cooking either, growing up in a household where her Italian parents took her to the homeland each summer to spend time with relatives in Abruzzo. It's where deep roots took hold in the kitchens of aunts and other relatives. "I have been baking Italian cookies ever since I was a young girl and my mom put my sister and me to work at the kitchen table shelling nuts for her Christmas cookies and other holiday bakes."

When asked how long it took to do the research for the book, she replied "The earnest research for this book started around 2018 when I had my first taste of a butter cookie from Liguria called canestrelleti di Torriglia. I started down an Italian cookie rabbit hole and over the next several years collected recipes and stories.  2023 and 2024 especially were filled with travel all over the boot in search of book material."

 Occhi Di Santa Lucia

Some of the recipes are quite familiar to me and have long been my favorites, like the crunchy chiacchiere for Carnevale, or the decadent baci di dama from Piedmont. But many are new to me, like the rhomboid-shaped caviadini from Lombardy or the pabassinas (iced raisin cookies) from Sardinia.

It was hard to decide where to start, but I chose the three cookies in the photos. The biscotti della nonna are destined to be on rotation here, since they are made with olive oil, and I'm trying to cook more heart-healthy foods for my husband and me. They are also great dunkers, as my husband can attest. "This book is dangerous," he said.

But those butter-laden chifferi alla nocciola are downright addictive with the fine hazelnut flavor and generous dusting of confectioner's sugar. They're quite similar to cookies that are known by other names, like Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican wedding cookies. If you love anise flavoring, try the occhi di Santa Lucia, those adorable knots covered in a sugary glaze. Domenica confided that while baking all the cookies in the book, she did not gain weight. "I shared with neighbors, sent some off to the office with my husband, froze some, and ate some. That's the beautiful thing about cookies. They are a small indulgence."

Fortunately, I had a meeting at my house last night and was able to spread the wealth to my committee members. I'd better freeze the rest though, before I end up having to loosen my belt another notch.

I've included the recipe for the biscotti della nonna below, but you'll have to wait until the official release on April 14 for the others. It's a great reference you'll definitely want in your cookbook collection and a wonderful gift too.

Biscotti Della Nonna

(From Domenica Marchetti's "Italian Cookies")

Makes 10 large or 20 medium cookies

Ingredients

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to coat your hands

1/4 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

zest of 1 small orange (I used a large orange), about 2 teaspoons

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Cinnamon Sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:

Combine the sugar, egg, olive oil and milk in a large bowl and mix well with a whisk or a hand mixer. Whisk in the vanilla extract and orange zest. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour this into the egg mixture and fold everything together with a large spatula until thoroughly combined. The dough will be soft and sticky. Cover the bowl and let it rest briefly.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

To make the cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, mix together the 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon.

Lightly coat your hands with a little olive oil. Pinch off gold ball-size pieces of dough and roll them into ovals or circles. Pat them down to flatten them a bit; they should be about 1/2 inch thick. If you want to weigh for accuracy, each piece should weigh slightly under 2 ounces. Coat both sides of each oval or circle in cinnamon sugar and place them on the baking sheet, taking care to leave about 1 inch of space between them.

Bake the cookies in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes, or until they are lightly browned. They should be puffed and set, with some light cracking on the surface. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes; then transfer the cookies from the baking sheet to the rack to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Copycat Entenmann's Chocolate-Chip Crumb Cake

If you love crumb cake, you're going to love this copycat Entenmann's Chocolate Chip Crumb Cake. I actually never ate the authentic Entenmann's version, but I have to say, when I saw the photo on my friend Stacey's blog, I knew it was in my future. When one of my neighbors and I made a date to get together at my house for coffee, I knew just what to make. It comes together in a jiff, and you don't even need to use a mixer -- a few wooden spoons or spatula and a fork will do the trick. The original recipe is from "Bianca From Brooklyn" who posted it on her Instagram page, and it's definitely a keeper. It is laden with chocolate chips and topped with a thick layer of chocolate crumbs. I was dubious about the recipe, which contains only 2 tablespoons oil, no butter. But it's plenty moist, and yikes, there's a whole stick of butter in the crumbs. But those chocolate crumbs are irresistible.

As a side note, I checked on the cake in the oven a few minutes before it was done and set the timer for four more minutes. Wow, I almost caused an oven fire because I accidentally left one of my potholders on the floor of the oven. Fortunately, it didn't catch fire, but was well on its way, burnt beyond practical use. By the way, I lined my loaf pan with parchment paper (which I buttered). It made it easy to remove the cake from the pan without flipping it upside down, and losing a lot of the crumbs. 

Despite the burnt potholder, the cake didn't suffer, and my neighbor and I enjoyed it thoroughly while we chatted away and scarfed down a slice of cake. Make it, and share with someone you know.


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Copycat Entenmann's Chocolate Chip Crumb Cake

Ingredients

Cake Batter:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup white sugar
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons oil (neutral)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips 
• Chocolate Crumb Topping:
  • 1 cup flour
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 stick (8 tbsp) melted butter
  • Pinch of salt and dash of cinnamon
  • Powdered sugar (for dusting 
  • Instructions
  • Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
  • 1. Make Cake: In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla, stirring until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour into the pan.
    2. Make Crumbs: In a separate bowl, mix the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and cinnamon. Pour in the melted butter and stir with a fork until large crumbs form. Do not overmix.
    3. Assemble & Bake: Sprinkle the crumbs generously over the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
    4. Finish: Once fully cooled, dust heavily with powdered sugar.

Chicken Piccata Meatballs

 

It's International Meatball Day! Who knew? I have my favorite meatball recipe inherited from my mother, that's made with beef, veal and pork, and no one will convince me there's a better version. I make it with and freeze large portions of sauce to have on reserve. You can find that recipe here. But occasionally, I want to branch out and try something new - and a chicken meatballs recipe from "A Simple Palate" sounded like just the ticket for a recipe that was a little more "heart-healthy."

 These were delicious with the sauce that mimics the sauce you make for chicken piccata - a little butter, lemon, garlic, capers and parsley. I served these with rice, but of course, you could add some plain spaghetti if you prefer, tossed with olive oil or butter. 

Click here to connect with me on Instagram and find out what’s cooking in Ciao Chow Linda’s kitchen each day (and more)

Chicken Piccata Meatballs

recipe adapted from "A Simple Palate"

Ingredients:

For the Meatballs:

• 1 lb ground chicken
• ▢1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, shredded
• ▢1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• ▢1 egg
• ▢1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ▢two large cloves
• ▢3 Tablespoons fresh parsley, minced  
• ▢1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 healthy pinch red pepper flakes
• ▢2 Tablespoons capers, rinsed & drained then roughly chopped
• ▢2 Tablespoons olive oil 
• For the Sauce:
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• ▢1 large garlic clove, minced 
• ▢1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• ▢1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• ▢2 Tablespoon capers, rinsed & drained
• ▢2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• ▢2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, minced 
• ▢1/4 teaspoon salt
• Instructions
• Make the meatballs: First, in a large bowl use your hands or a utensil to mix together the meatball ingredients (not including the butter and olive oil)
• Form the meatballs: Next, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Then use a cookie scoop or measure enough for a 2-inch sized meatball and use your hands to roll it into a ball. Place the meatballs on the sheet pan and repeat until finished.
• Brown the meatballs: Then heat a saucepan with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil + 1 Tablespoon of butter. Place the meatballs in the pan and brown for about 3 minutes, then flip and brown for another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Once the meatballs are browned, transfer them onto a plate. Note: the meatballs will not be fully cooked yet, they will finish cooking with the sauce.
• Make the sauce: Without cleaning the pan use the same pan you cooked the meatballs in to make the sauce. Add 2 Tablespoons of butter and minced garlic. Saute for about 30 seconds, then add the flour and whisk the broth in with the flour, whisk constantly to smooth out the sauce. Then add the lemon juice, capers, and salt. Let the sauce simmer and thicken for about 5 minutes.
• Add the meatballs: When the sauce has thickened, stir in the fresh basil and meatballs. Cover and let simmer on low with the sauce for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with rice or noodles when the meatballs are fully cooked. Note: I strained the sauce, to eliminate the pieces of garlic, but if that doesn't bother you, just leave the sauce as is. 
• 

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