Each culture has its ‘thing’ that it does far better than the rest. Jews? We save money better than most. The Swiss? Nobody dots their i’s and crosses their t’s like the fastidious Swiss. The French? They have an uncanny knack for self-preservation when it comes to international conflicts. The Italians? Nobody does simple, rustic food as spectacularly as the Italians.
While I would most likely tip my hat to the French for overall cuisine, Italian food wins the award for turning a handful of plain, every day ingredients into something drool-worthy. The culture that brought us thin-crust pizza, Linguine alla Carbonara & Cannolis must be applauded for its prowess in turning the simple into something sublime.
While Italy has many popular culinary claims to fame, one of my favorite Italian dishes is the little-known Affogato.
It means drowned in Italian, and all it is, is a dish of perfect, preferably smooth ice cream, drowning in a cup of espresso. Sounds basic, a little boring, or like you may be left with a messy puddle of ice cream milk? Well, like the flour, egg, and water that constitutes the best pastas, this little dish is so much greater than the sum of its parts.
The ice cream sweetens and enriches the taste and consistency of the espresso that runs along the side of the dish, while the espresso adds an adult kick to the soft, sweetness of the ice cream.
A couple of weeks ago, I got a hankering for a little Affogato and dragged PT to Toscanini’s in Cambridge. Affogato is so little known that the server at Toscanini’s – a much-beloved Cambridge landmark that sells ice cream and coffee almost exclusively – didn’t know what it was. I asked him to pour a shot of espresso over a dish of Salted Caramel ice cream, and it was divine. PT said that it was the best thing he’d ever tasted, which would have offended me greatly had I not completely agreed.
Words are useless to describe how good this is, so I simply implore you to try it yourself.
Click here for a printable version of the recipe
Affogato
Ingredients:
1 Cup Best Quality Ice Cream (I love Toscanini’s Salted Caramel or Burnt Sugar)
1 Shot Espresso (or substitute 1/3 cup of strong coffee)
Preparation:
Prepare the espresso or coffee according to instructions/your liking.
Dish the ice cream and pour the espresso over it. Serve and eat immediately.
This desert looks so delicious. A sure winner after a wholesome meal.