Vatican City

 Welcome to Vatican City!  I had no idea that the Vatican was it's own country.  Fascinating!  I also saw "Vatican City" and "Holy See" used interchangeably.  Apparently, this isn't accurate.  Vatican City is the smallest country in the world, and Holy See is the administrative body of the worldwide Catholic Church.  However, the Pope is the head of both Vatican City and Holy See.  Sounds like a lot of responsibility. The country also does not have any restaurants! According to Google, the population of Vatican City is 825 people, and it does not have a capital.  Their national dish is...

 

 

Fettuccine alla Papalina!

Literally, it means Fettuccine of the Pope.  It is basically Fettuccine Alfredo with ham.  Sounds amazing.  To go with Fettuccine alla Papalina, we made Strawberry Gelato.  Sounds very Italian!  I was cooking for Handsome Husband's relatives, and one can't eat ham, so I also made a "traditional" Fettuccine Alfredo.  I will put the link below, but won't type it out.  Here's what I did:

FETTUCCINE ALLA PAPALINA

1 onion, chopped

4 thick slices ham, diced

40 g butter

4 egg yolks

1 whole egg
80 g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated and shaved
400 g gluten free fettuccine

Salt and pepper, to taste

Fresh parsley, as garnish

 

1. Combine the egg yolks, egg, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, salt and pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Cook the fettuccine to al-dente, and drain, but save two ladles of pasta water.  
3. Melt the butter in a large frying pan.
4. Add the chopped onions and one ladle of pasta water.
5. Cook until the onion is translucent.
6.  Add the ham, and cook until warm.
7. To the egg mixture, add a ladle of hot pasta water slowly while whisking - this will cook the eggs without making them scrambled.
8. Add the cooked fettuccine to the pan with ham and onions, and return to low heat. 
9. Add the egg mixture and stir vigorously, until incorporated and creamy.
10. Serve with fresh parsley and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.
11. Enjoy!

(Source: Fettuccine alla Papalina and Fettuccine Alfredo)

 

STRAWBERRY GELATO

2 C whole milk
1/2 C heavy cream or whipping cream 36% fat
1 lb fresh strawberries
1/2 C sugar
2 egg whites
Mint leaves, for garnishing

1. Place milk in a pot over medium low heat, add sugar. 
2. Stir gently until sugar is completely dissolved.
3. Turn off the heat. Milk should NOT be boiling!
4. Beat heavy cream with egg whites. 
5. Add the mixture to the milk.
6. Turn on the stove top to low, and while continuously stirring bring the mixture to 181F. Again, do NOT boil!
7. Stem the strawberries and put them in a food processor.
8. Blend until smooth and creamy.
9. Stir the strawberry sauce into the milk. 
10. Pour your “soon to be” gelato into a rimmed baking tray (I had to use 2) for 2 hours.
11. Pull out your gelato from the freezer and break the ice or the crust that has formed on the surface and mash everything well with a fork.
12. Place container in the freezer for another 40 minutes.
13. Repeat the process.
14. After the 3rd round, remove gelato from the container and blend it with a blender or food processor until creamy.
15. Level it nicely in the container again.
16. Place in the freezer until it’s time to enjoy your strawberry ice cream treat!

(Source: Strawberry Gelato)

    

The verdict?  This was delicious.  It was a bit oily from the butter and cheese, but the actual dish was delicious.  The gluten free noodles held up surprisingly well - we were quite impressed.  I don't know that I would do the egg sauce again - I think I would just add the onions and ham and cheese.  The gelato didn't turn out creamy - I guess my food processor/blender wasn't the best for that.  It tasted very good and wasn't too sweet, but it wasn't gelato.  The Nifty Niece and Nephew both loved the gelato :-)

ME

Taste of Fettuccine alla Papalina (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 8

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Fettuccine alla Papalina (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor):7

 

ME

Taste of Strawberry Gelato (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable):0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor):6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Strawberry Gelato (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable):  0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

Another delicious country in the books!  Next time: South Korea!