In this column we share the cuisine and recipes of Italy and our Italian American communities. Each month we feature recipes curated from our research and those shared by LGI readers.
Food and cooking are important aspects of our cultural identity and sharing recipes is one way for us to connect to our roots and to one another! We invite you to share your family recipes and the stories behind them with us! Please email your favorite recipes and photos to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before September 10. For more recipes like this, subscribe to La Gazzetta Italiana.
Buon appetito!
Crema Gelata
dalla cucina di Diana Lucarino-Diekmann
Inside Italian Custards
Crema Pasticcera is an Italian pastry cream that serves as a simple yet incredibly versatile filling for pastries and tarts. The recipe calls for milk, sugar, flour, egg yolks, and vanilla.
Zabaglione, or Zabaione, another sweet, thick and creamy custard dessert, is made with egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala wine. Savioardi cookies and fruit complete this dessert.Panna Cotta, which means “cooked cream,” is a traditional, easy and delicious Italian custard that does not use eggs. The ingredients are cream, milk, sugar, unflavored powdered gelatin, vanilla bean, and a pinch of salt. The gelatin makes this custard thicker and hold its shape.
My personal Tiramisù recipe uses a custard that includes egg yolks, sugar, sweet Vermouth, and mascarpone cheese. It makes a savory yet subtly sweet filling for the coffee-soaked savioardi cookies.
Our family custard recipe is called Crema Gelata. The name Crema Gelata suggests ice cream or gelato, but it is not. This is what we called this creamy egg and milk custard. Although this dish is likened to the Spanish flan or the French crème brûlée, which are considered desserts, with the high protein, calcium and nutrients in the whole egg and milk and very little sugar, crema gelata is a perfect breakfast food. We always had some ready in the refrigerator for a quick and nutritious breakfast or late morning snack.
Ingredients:
You will need a double boiler for this custard.
4 Eggs
2 C. Milk (higher % of fat will make it richer)
½ Lemon rind peeled or 2 tsp. Vanilla or both
1 T. Sugar
3 T. Sugar
Directions:
In a bowl, whisk the whole eggs, milk and 1 T. sugar. Melt 3 T. sugar in the top part of a double boiler until caramelizes. Hold the pot over the flame and keep turning so that it does not burn. Add egg and milk mixture to the caramelized sugar and place over boiling water. Add the lemon rind and/or vanilla. Cook 1 hour. Place in cold water. Turn into a bowl, cover and refrigerate. Serve for breakfast or anytime as a snack. Remove the lemon peel once you begin serving the crema gelata. The burnt sugar adds a subtle caramel sweetness to the custard. It’s always a good choice for a quick, nutritious breakfast in a hurry.
Buon apetito!
