Tiramisù: Friuli or Veneto? And three recipes for chilled creamy coffee summer desserts
Tiramisù
Ricotta and Coffee Cream
Is it possible not to love tiramisù?
A velvety melange of savoiardi dipped in a strong freshly brewed coffee layered with delicately sweetened whipped eggs (traditionally just yolks) with the freshest possible mascarpone cheese. All topped with a generous dusting of cocoa powder.
It’s the most loved and searched for Italian dolce, and invariably the most famous Italian dessert.
The neighbouring regions: Friuli and Veneto, have for ever claimed their paternity over tiramisù. Il tiramisù has been an object of conflict and each region has claimed the origins of it.
Over the years we had all believed that tiramisù was born in the region of Veneto, in Treviso at Le Beccherie with the date oscillating around the early 70’s. Moreover, ”L’Accademia Italiana della Cucina” had even issued a formal ”birth certificate”- Italians take their food very seriously, in case you haven’t noticed yet… Subsequently, the Veneto has since created its very own gastronomic identity.
Life however, can be full of surprises and sometimes things don’t last forever.
Ricotta Cream & Tiramisù
Mascarpone Coffee Cream
Mixed Gelato for Affogato al Caffè
We currently live in Venice (Veneto) and as much as I’d like to keep the birth place of il tiramisù in the confines of Treviso, where it’s so easy to arrive by train and get spoiled by this creamy, coffee, cocoa guilty pleasure, there appears to be a little ”BUT”.
Unfortunately, ”I Friuliani” demonstrated much older documents in reference to il tiramisù.
In 2017 ”Il Ministero delle Politiche Agricole” placed the famous Italian pudding on the list of the ”Prodotti Agroalimentari Tradizionali” PAT (traditional agricultural and food products) – the official state recognition, as a product of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Not of Veneto, not of Treviso, but of Friuli.
In the 50’s, in the province of Udine in Tolmezzo, a cook called Norma Pielli was already preparing a pudding combining mascarpone, eggs and coffee. A creation a good 10 years older than the one from Le Beccherie. Also, in the province of Gorizia, the signs of ”tirime su” travel back to the year of 1950.
Veneto has never given up on fighting for its formal recognition of tiramisù even thought the ministerial decree of 2017 did not leave any margins for interpretation: il tiramisù belongs to Friuli.
Most surprising is the fact that over the past almost 10 years this important recognition has been left in total silence. And so, most of the visitors arriving in Venice (or Verona, Padova – Veneto in general) think that they order a local treat. In fact, Treviso continues going about the business of selling tiramisù as if the above mentioned decree didn’t exist.
There are hundreds of variations of Tiramisù and while there are countless riffs nowadays, the basic idea of the dessert of soaked savoiardi in creamy layers has existed for decades (even centuries when delving deep into the gastronomic history). The origin of the modern tiramisù is highly disputed. There have been three claims alone made by the city of Treviso.
Gigi and Clara Padovani, authors of the meticulously researched ”Tiramisù- history, curiosity, interpretations of the most loved Italian dessert ”, 2016, conclude that while it was technically invented in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region it became famous because of its Veneto connection.
Il tiramisù was officially added in 2017 to the list of traditional regional dishes of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, however, it’s important to note that the first published recipe for this famous dessert was published in the early 80’s in the magazine ”Vin Veneto”, associating it with Treviso in Veneto.
The gran finale? The world’s most loved dessert is officially attributed to Friuli but everyone says that it was born in Treviso.
It’s the Veneto that spread tiramisù’s fame internationally and, sadly, Friuli has sort of forgotten about it.
Tiramisù & Mascarpone Coffee Cream
Affogato in our Garden
Apart from the famous Il Beccherie, tiramisù is a domestically prepared pudding, of the Italian mothers and women. Since our move to Venice I’ve started preparing it in its most simple traditional way, without my beloved Marsala, which in my opinion makes everything taste better. But I’m a convert now and I’m actually delighted with the ”less is more” heavenly creation, always remembering about the freshness of the ingredients, and that it’s the egg yolks whipped until pale and fluffy that are responsible for the softness and silkiness of the creamy mascarpone layers (find my recipe here) which in turn hug the savoiardi dipped in a strong coffee.
The summer came very early, we have the gorgeous bright light of May and the temperatures of July, with the humidity making itself more noticeable day by day. Our garden is verdant green and healthy looking- but we water it daily to maintain it that way. The fig tree and thickening visteria regale us with much appreciated shade, under which we would have an afternoon little ”pick me up”, in English for ”tirami sù”- perhaps due to the stimulating effects of the coffee.
My other recent homemade pick-me-up-style puddings have also been creamy, laden with the note of an awakening espresso, served as individual portions, and most importantly-well chilled.
The recipe for ”Ricotta and Coffe Cream Spiced with Rum” you can find here, and for ”Mascarpone and Coffee Cream Peppered with Cognac” also you can find here.
To prepare an Affogato you barely need any instruction, but try to buy the best quality ice-cream that you can find, trust me, it will pay off in the unrivalled creaminess when the espresso is poured over it. For the flavours, try the ones you enjoy the most, there is no set rule, but the ice-cream should be cream-based. I play with different combinations such like: fior di late, vanilla, ricotta, hazelnut and chocolato fondente. When ready to serve, brew a Moka pot of hot coffee or make an espresso if you are equipped with a fancier coffee making machine, scoop the ice-cream (as much as you wish but if I may suggest stop at two to three scoops per portion) into small bowls or tea cups. Now pour over the coffee and enjoy immediately as the ice-cream melts into the hot bitter espresso.
It’s needless to add that all the above recipes are extremely easy to make, requiring only a bit of whisking the ingredients together and resting in the fridge until needed.
Thinking about it, perhaps I should create a separate recipe folder titled: ”When it’s almost too hot to cook”, given the ferocious prelude to summer. For now, I leave you with a few sweet ”wake me or pick me up” ideas, that hopefully will bring you some enjoyment over the sunny days to come.
Aleksandra xx
Antica Torrefazione Girani
P.s. I’ve found a historic artisan coffee roasting shop in Venice ”Antica Torrefazione Girani”, founded in 1928, the only one left (up until recently there were two). It’s based in Castello, in Campo Bandiera e Moro and it only opens in the mornings. It’s been my coffee supplier ever since I discovered it, a truly lovely shop where you can actually still get practical advice and assistance.
There are, of course, more modern coffee roasting shops in the city, but if you wish to taste a part of Venetian history, in fact Venice was the first western city to import coffee and make it popular, it’s definitely worth a visit.
Campo Bandiera e Moro