Espresso al Uovo Batuto
Ask any member of my famiglia what would happen if Mum didn’t get her coffee in the morning and you would get pretty much the same response from each of them. Eyes will widen in fear, eye brows will raise, hands will gesticulate madly and they will start walking backwards towards the nearest exit in case they need to avoid flying knives as they flee through the door! I am more than happy to shop daily to maintain food levels, to cook morning, noon and night to keep them fed, to work any number of jobs, to be a mum, a wife and a confident, to give lifts, to soothe broken arms and hearts BUT I do NEED my coffee in the morning. Without it, I turn into the beaarch from HELL!
Every week day my routine is exactly the same; I get up at around 5am, greet the world on Facebook, change into my walking clothes and am out the door in 20 minutes. I get home from my walk at 6.30am, open the house up and tidy as I walk from the front door, through the house to the back door. I sit down at my desk and 20 minutes later my angelic saviour Monique floats through my study door with her beautiful angel wings fully spread and glistening in the morning light; she always has a beautiful smile on her face and as she places my cappuccino on my desk she always asks how my walk was. I always shower my Monique with a gazillion thank you’s and I always tell her how much I love her and that her place with the holiest of holies is in heaven is guaranteed. You see, I really need my coffee in the morning.
Coffee, or as the Italians call it Caffe, plays an enormously important role in an Italian home. The day commences with a cappuccino and usually ends with an espresso after dinner. Over the next few weeks, Monday mornings I am going to invite you to join me for a nice
Italian Coffee Treat.
Today I am kicking off with the coffee that I featured on RSG’s morning show two weeks ago. Both Johan and Martelize had an Italian ‘Opkikker’ called Espresso al Uovo Battuto which means Espresso with Beaten Egg and loved it. On a cold day such as today, it’s pouring down in Durban, when you need a cuppa comfort this is exactly what you should have. You know those days when you just don’t have the time or the inclination to get into the kitchen after a long day – well a cuppa Uovo Battuto is quick and easy and a meal in a cup. An Italian Mamma will often have one of these in the late afternoon while she does her ironing standing in front of her tv watching her favourite Soapy! Oh yes, they do have The Bold and the Beautiful in Italy and it is called Beautiful! Nonna Lilly would make Uovo Battuto for Trickyricky in winter when he got home from soccer practice. It’s a ‘pick-me-up’ for those moments in the day when you batteries have run dry and you are in need of a burst of energy to make it through the rest of the day. It’s sweet and rich and creamy and always does the trick!
Espresso al Uovo Battuto
For 1person – simply repeat the process for more than one cup.
Ingredients
1 egg yolk
1Tbs Vanilla Castor Sugar or Plain Castor Sugar
100ml espresso coffee
A dash of Cinnamon or Grated Chocolate or Hot Chocolate or Nutmeg
Place the egg yolk into a coffee cup
Add the Table spoon of castor sugar
Put one whisk in your electric beater and beat the egg and sugar until it’s white and fluffy.
This can also be done by using a teaspoon if you don’t have a mixer
it takes a bit longer but you can achieve the same result
Pour 100ml of espresso coffee into the cup either by placing your cup under the nozzle
of your coffee machine or by pouring it down the side of the cup if you have a
stove top coffee machine
Top with a dash of cinnamon
Drink immediately with an amaretto biscuit, or a nice hot croissant
A tot of Marsala, an Italian fortified wine is sometimes added for a little kick!
How about adding a tot of Kahlua or Amaretto!
Fancy a Coffee & Walnut Cupcake with your cuppa?
Click on the pic to be taken to this easy cupcake recipe.
Have a great coffee fuelled Monday!
As always
Buon Appetito
Xxx
Jan