Calamarata Pasta with Calamari (squid) in Tomato Sauce.

When I was growing up, Christmas eve dinners were always a big deal. We sat at the table for hours, eating fish course after fish course. Later on in the evening, some of the neighbors would stop by, enjoying my mother's cooking and joining the boisterous conversation. Most of the fish were fried - including smelts, eels, baccala and other staples of the Italian-American "Feast of the Seven Fishes." Once my brother Frank brought home conch when he was stationed in Boston as a tour guide on the U.S. Constitution (both he and my brother Joe were in the Navy). I don't have any recollections of liking it, although I've since grown to enjoy conch when we're in the Caribbean, in either conch fritters or ceviche. There was always spaghetti too on Christmas eve. To me, the pasta was the highlight of the meal, and I don't know which I loved more - the spaghetti with crabs we'd have some years, or the spaghetti with squid other years. Either way, they were always served in a red sauce, and you needed plenty of napkins to keep your hands cleaned while eating the messy crabs.

After decades of taking over the reigns for the Christmas eve fish feast, I still make sure to have at least seven fishes, but have pared down quite a bit, and no longer make the fried fish as I once did. We gather around the coffee table first, eating octopus salad, shrimp cocktail and several other offerings, all washed down with ample prosecco being poured. 

I get a lot of help from other family members like my son, who makes baccala mantecato, that I used to serve with grilled polenta. But since gaining a Jewish daughter-in-law, who makes latkes in keeping with her Hanukkah tradition, we now spread the baccala over a latke -- a perfect combo and one we jokingly call "baccalatkes."

After an hour or so, we move to the dining room, but instead of presenting numerous main courses as I did for years, now I narrow it to one, in addition to a salad. Most years, it's been pasta with shellfish, (spaghetti ai frutti di mare) but even that requires multiple pots to be going at once -- two pots just to boil the pasta, plus a pot to saute the shrimp and scallops and separate pots to steam the mussels and clams. 

It can be done but it's a lot to juggle, especially if you're serving 16 people, as I am this year. And I hate missing out on all the fun happening in the living room while I'm in the kitchen.

So this year, I'm planning to serve pasta with squid in tomato sauce, requiring only three pots (two to boil the pasta and one to cook the squid) It's a dish reminiscent of what my mother made, but not with spaghetti. I'll be serving it with calamarata pasta, named after the calamari it so closely resembles. You can buy it at Italian grocery stores or online, but I also found it at Home Goods, a store that sells everything from carpets to candy. The food section at Home Goods always has a great selection of pasta -- and the brand I found there -- made by Falco -- was really good quality - extruded with bronze dies, and with a slow drying process, it held its shape well after cooking. It was also designed with ridges and that helps the sauce cling. 

The squid is normally pretty clean when I bring it home from the store, so I just rinse it and cut it into rings. Be sure to get some of the tentacles too. If your squid needs to be cleaned first, click here for a useful YouTube video to guide you through the process. This amount below was only slightly more than 1/2 lb., enough for two people, but I would figure on 3/4 lb. of cleaned squid for two. 

Saute the garlic and shallots in olive oil until soft, along with the red pepper flakes, then toss in the squid rings and cook until they become opaque.

Add the tomato passata, wine, salt, pepper and basil, then simmer for about 30 minutes. You can do this an hour before serving if you're having company, then turn off the heat and gently simmer again for 10 or 15 minutes while you boil the pasta.

After the pasta is cooked to the al dente stage, add it to the sauce and stir to get everything well coated. Sprinkle with more fresh basil and serve with a good dry wine. We're planning to open up several bottles of nero d'avola. It's a red wine from Sicily and I know some people would say white wine only with fish. But squid in tomato sauce can hold its own with a medium to full-bodied red wine and nero d'avola is one of our favorites. But if you prefer white wine, do your own thing. But please, don't sprinkle parmesan cheese on this dish!

I think this is the perfect dish for Christmas eve, and one that's sure to please everyone around our table this year -- from my two-year old granddaughter to my 102 year-old father. I hope you make it too, whether for Christmas eve or another time.
Wishing you all a Buon Natale e felice anno nuovo.

If you'd prefer this dish with a garlic and olive oil sauce, click here for that recipe. For more Christmas eve fish ideas, click here.

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Calamarata pasta with calamari in tomato sauce

(serves four people)

printable recipe here

1/2 cup olive oil

2 small shallots

4 large cloves of garlic

red pepper flakes, to taste

1 1/2 lbs. squid, cleaned and cut into rings

2 - 2 1/2 cups passata (or tomato puree)

3/4 cup dry wine (red or white)

1/2 teaspoon salt, pinch of black pepper

fresh basil

1 lb. calamarata pasta

Saute the shallots and garlic in the olive oil until limp. Add the red pepper flakes and the squid and cook the squid a few minutes until they are opaque. Add the wine, the passata and seasonings. Cook for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes.

Boil the pasta until al dente, then add to the sauce and stir everything together until the pasta is well coated. Sprinkle more basil on top and serve.

 

Rose's Pizzelle

In most Italian and Italian-American households, pizzelle are always present at Christmas time. My mother made them not only on holidays, but periodically through the year. She died in 1986, but I will never forget the stacks of pizzelle she used to churn out when I was growing up. The vision of my mother seated at a table pressing her pizzelle iron closed, with the scent of anise that wafted through the house, lingers in my memory decades later.

My father remarried a few years after my mother's death, and his wife Rose also made dozens of pizzelle at Christmas. She hasn't made them in a few years, but I have to say, I am partial to her recipe, which uses anise seed instead of anise oil. I made them recently for a family reunion, and they disappeared quicker than melting snow, even though some of them were almost burnt. 

So I decided I had to make them again yesterday, and this time, they were all a uniform shade of beige. Truth be told, the first batch were on the dark side because I didn't think they were crispy enough, so after they cooled, I placed them on a cookie sheet and put them in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. That was too long, and too hot. If yours aren't as crispy as you'd like, I recommend putting them on a wire rack on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes, but keep the oven at a low temperature of 200 degrees. 

The batter should be sticky and kind of thick. You may not need all the flour called for in the recipe.  I used a little less than 3 cups of flour this time, even though the recipe says to use 3 1/4 cups. A lot depends on the size of your eggs, and the humidity on the day you make them. It all gets blended with a wooden spoon. You don't need a mixer.

 I spray my pizzelle iron with "PAM" for the first batch, but after that, it doesn't need any more greasing.They come off easily using a tweezer or other kitchen utensil. I have my timer ready, and remove them after about 45 seconds, then place them on a wire rack. Keep in mind they're very pliable when they're hot, so make sure they lie flat to cool. You could also wrap them around a cannoli form when they're hot, if you want to make a tubular cookie. After they've cooled, if they're not as crisp as I'd like, I put them in the oven for a short while as mentioned above.

They keep for a very long time in an airtight tin, and make delicious gifts to friends, family and teachers too.

For something even more special, dip the edges in some melted chocolate, then pour some colorful sprinkles over the chocolate. 

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Rose's Pizzelle

printable recipe here

Ingredients:

6 eggs

1 3/4 cup sugar

1/2 lb. butter, melted

3 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons anise seeds

Directions:

Beat eggs with a whisk, add the sugar and slowly add the melted butter.

Add the flour and anise seeds using either a mixer or a wooden spoon.

Place about 2 tablespoons of the batter onto the pizzelle iron and bake according to the instructions with your iron.

It may take one minute, or more, or less, depending on your iron.

Remove with a fork, or kitchen tweezers and let cool on a flat surface.

Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Are you still trying to decide on apple pie or pumpkin pie for your Thanksgiving dessert? Why not break with tradition this year and make a pumpkin cheesecake? Or include it among your offerings of sweet endings to the seasonal meal. It serves lots of people, and would be a great offering to take if you're invited somewhere for the holiday. You can make it a day ahead of time and forget about last minute dessert prep (it should be refrigerated at least six hours after baking). Yes, it is highly caloric, but it's a once-a-year indulgence, and who's counting calories on Thanksgiving? You can start dieting next Friday.

After pouring the batter into the crust, wrap the springform pan in two layers of aluminum foil, and bake in a bain marie (water bath).

That helps to ensure even baking with no cracks in the middle of the cheesecake.

Let it cool overnight, then decorate with whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

A little goes a long way since it's quite rich, but I guarantee people will be asking for seconds!

Happy Thanksgiving.

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Pumpkin Cheesecake

printable recipe here

From "My Baking Addiction" website

FOR THE CRUST:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

FOR THE CHEESECAKE:

4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 can (15 oz.) pure pumpkin puree

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

Whipped cream for topping, plus a sprinkling of cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with foil and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, granulated sugar and pumpkin pie spice.

Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of prepared pan.

Bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack for about 10 minutes.

Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, granulated sugar and brown sugar until fluffy; about 3 minutes.

Add in eggs, pumpkin and heavy cream, mix until fully incorporated; scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Finally, add in vanilla and pumpkin pie spice and mix until well combined.

Pour batter into prepared crust.

Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan.

Bake 60 minutes, the edges will appear to be set, but the center will still have some jiggle to it.

At this point, crack the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. After one hour has passed, carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Once the cake is completely cooled, place it into the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.

Decorate with whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon on top.

Cappellacci stuffed with pumpkin

As the calendar moves toward Thanksgiving, many of you are starting to plan your meal for the big feast. In many Italian-American households, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without a pasta first course. With so many squash and pumpkins in markets right now, it makes sense to use this delicious seasonal vegetable as part of your meal. I used a "cheese" pumpkin for this since it's much more flavorful than the Halloween jack o'lanterns. But another combination I love to use is mashed sweet potato mixed with butternut squash. To me, the taste is closest to the squash you find in Italy. You choose, depending on your preference and what's available where you live.

Making your own pasta may seem daunting, but the use of a food processor really speeds things along. Instructions below will guide you to make about six or seven dozen cappellacci. You can prepare everything ahead of time, then freeze the filled pasta in a single layer on a cookie sheet. When they're frozen, remove and place in a bag for the freezer, and you can pull them out right before you cook them.

Here's the technique: Take a teaspoon or so of the filling and drop it into a round of dough (I use a biscuit cutter to make the circles, but the rim of a glass works well too.)

Moisten one half of the edge of the circle and fold it over from the middle.

Then pick up the semi circle and pinch the ends together.

Squeeze to secure the ends. It helps if you use a dab of water.

Then flip up the edges to form a cappellaccio (from the Italian word for hat "cappello.")

Click on the video below for a demonstration of how to shape the cappellacci.

Once you get the hang of it, it won't take long to make enough for your meal.

Boil them in abundant water right from the freezer if you've made them ahead of time.

Serve with a simple sauce of butter, sage and parmesan cheese.

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Cappellacci Stuffed With Pumpkin

Ingredients

FOR THE PASTA: (makes about 75-80 cappellacci)

2 cups 00 flour

3-4 eggs, depending on humidity

FOR THE STUFFING:

1 cup cooked and mashed pumpkin (or squash or a combo of sweet potato and squash), drained overnight

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

4 amaretti cookies, crushed

a few gratings of nutmeg

salt, pepper to taste

FOR THE SAUCE:

1 1/4 sticks tablespoons butter

fresh sage leaves

parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

Directions

Mix all the stuffing ingredients together and set aside while you make the pasta.

Using a food processor, add three of the eggs to the flour and whir together.

The mixture should start to form a ball, but if it looks too dry, add another egg.

Keep whirring until you have a mixture that will hold together when you press it with your fingers, but is not so wet that it is real sticky.

If it's too sticky, add more flour.

Dump it onto a floured board and knead it a bit till it easily forms a ball.

Let it rest at least a half hour to loosen the glutens and make it easier to work.

Roll it out by hand or with a pasta rolling machine, to one or two points thicker than the thinnest setting.

Cut circles using a glass or biscuit cutter, about three inches in diameter.

Place a small amount of filling in the center of the dough, moisten the bottom edge and fold in half, encasing the filling.

Using your fingers, moisten one edge of the cappellacci, then wrap it around your index finger, and let the two edges overlap a little.

Press them together securely and flip up the edges.

Boil and serve with butter melted and flavored with sage leaves.

Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

Cook within a few hours of making the cappellacci or store covered in refrigerator overnight.

Mummy pastry-wrapped brie appetizer

When I was thinking of what appetizers to serve guests just before Halloween, I turned to the internet for some holiday ideas. One that popped up more than once, was this pastry-wrapped brie cheese, meant to look like a mummy. Bingo. I had the basis for my charcuterie board. It was easy to make, using purchased puff pastry, with some apple slices and raisins for the eyes. Add some salumi (your choice, I used some soppressata), nuts, olives, fruit and maybe another dip or two, with some crackers and bread, and you can sit down and enjoy conversation with your guests instead of fussing in the kitchen.

By the way, I meant to spread some fig jam over the brie before wrapping, but I forgot that step. So I served the fig jam on the side. I also meant to brush the pastry with egg before baking, but I forgot that too (senility starting). As it turns out, it didn't need that either, so if you want to eliminate either of those steps, it works out just fine.

Happy Halloween.

Pastry Wrapped Brie Appetizer

printable recipe here

One 8 ounce wheel of brie cheese

fig jam (optional)

1 sheet of puff pastry

1 egg, beaten for spreading over the pastry (optional)

small piece of apple and raisin or currants.

Defrost the sheet of puff pastry and roll it out to make sure it doesn't fall apart at the creases.

Smear some fig jam on the top of the brie and flip over so that the jam side is facing the pastry.

Fold the pastry over the brie, cutting out excess, but making sure to cover the entire wheel of cheese.

With the excess pieces, cut them into strips and cover the pastry again, placing the strips helter-skelter. 

If the pieces are too small, scrunch them together and roll out again.

When you place the strips on the pastry, make sure to tuck them into the bottom so they don't release in the baking.

Using a pastry brush, brush some of the beaten egg over the pastry.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Let the brie rest for at least 15 minutes before serving, otherwise the cheese will be too runny.

Cut some thin pieces of apple and small currants or raisins and place into the pastry at strategic spots for the eyes.

Serve with crackers.

 

Butternut Squash Al Parmigiana

When I saw this recipe of butternut squash, with a crispy coating of parmesan cheese, I knew I was done for. It combines one of my favorite fall vegetables with the king of cheeses until they cook and blend into a crispy, cheesy delight. This is truly addictive, so I have to be careful not to make a pig of myself.

I got the inspiration from an Italian Instagrammer, Viviana of "cosatipreparopercena" or "what I'm making you for dinner." Viviana's directions called for steaming the squash briefly before roasting with the cheese, and that's what I did the first time I made this.

However, the next time I next made it, I omitted that step and it worked just as well, with fewer pots to wash. Just peel the squash and cut into discs, semi-circles or whatever shape you want, but keep the slices uniform at about 1/4 inch thick. Spread a light layer of olive oil on your cookie sheet, then sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. For this amount of squash, I used about 2 tablespoons olive oil and about 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.  Place the squash slices over the oil and cheese and sprinkle with minced rosemary.

Roast in a 400 degree F. for about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven, and separate the pieces immediately. They'll start to stick together because of the melted cheese, and I found the easiest way to separate them from each other is with a pair of scissors. Just be sure to use a spatula first to lift them off the pan, then use the scissors if need be, to separate the squash slices.

The squash slices paired beautifully with a stuffed pork roast, but they'd make a great part of a vegetarian meal too, for those friends and family who won't eat animal flesh.

Butternut Squash Al Parmigiana

printable recipe here

one small butternut squash, cut into 1/4 inch pieces, or half of a large squash

olive oil, about 3 tablespoons

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Peel the squash and cut into 1/4 inch pieces.

Smear the cookie sheet all over with the olive oil.

Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on the olive oil

Lay the squash pieces over the olive oil, then sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.

Roast for 20-25 minutes or until browned and crispy on one side.

Butternut Squash, Lentils and Red Onions

Butternut squash season is upon us, and there are many delicious ways to enjoy this vegetable. I frequently just roast it, make risotto with it, or use it in a lasagna. When I feel like veering from Italian recipes, I reach for one of my Ottolenghi cookbooks. His food is always a refreshing change from the typical fare I normally eat. The last time I was in London I ate this dish at one of his restaurants, and was eager to try it at home. I found the recipe in his book "Simple" and made it as printed. It calls for dolcelatte or a gorgonzola cheese, which I love. However, to me the dish would be even better with feta cheese, or some dabs of burrata instead, so that the cheese flavor doesn't overpower the squash. If you're not a cheese lover, you could leave it out entirely.

This dish is good served warm, or at room temperature. It's perfect for parties when you want to get all the work done ahead of time and just leave a finished dish on the table for people to help themselves. 

Roasted Butternut Squash with Lentils and Red Onions

From Ottolenghi's cookbook "Simple"

printable recipe here

1 large butternut squash, unpeeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch thick half-moons or wedges

2 red onions, cut into 1 1/2 innch wide wedges

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to serve

1/2 cut sage leaves

salt, black pepper

1/2 cup lentils

1 large lemon, finely zested to get 2 teaspoons, then juiced to get 2 tablespoons

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped

1/4 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped

1/2 cup tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

3 1/2 oz. dolcelatte or gorgonzola cheese, torn into 3/4 inch pieces (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the squash and onions in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons oil, the sage leaves, 3/4 teaspoon salt and plenty of pepper. 

Mix well, then spread out on a large parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Roast for 25-30 minutes, until cooked and golden brown. 

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

While the squash is in the oven, fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and place over high heat. Once boiling, add the lentils, decrease the heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes, until cooked. Drain, set aside to cool slightly, then place in a large bowl. 

Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, mint, tarragon, remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

Add the squash and onion to the lentils and stir gently. Transfer to a serving bowl, dot with dolcelattte, drizzle with oil, and serve.

Pappardelle With Wild Boar Ragu

I can't resist pappardelle with wild boar ragù when I'm in either Umbria or Tuscany, where I spent some time recently. Wild boar appears on many menus in both regions, including a restaurant in Orvieto where I ate this wonderful dish last week.

 Recreating the pasta at home is easy. If you've never made homemade pasta before, click here for a tutorial.

Finding wild boar is more difficult. I couldn't get any chunks of wild boar meat, but my local supermarket sells it in ground form. If you can't find it near you, it's sold online through D'Artagnan, in all forms from sausages to stew cuts. You can always use ground pork, but it won't have that nuttiness that wild boar contains, but it will taste good, nonetheless.

Like any ragù, it needs time to simmer and develop flavors, but you'll end up with a lip-smackin' delicious sauce.

Serve it with purchased pappardelle if you like, but if you make your own, you'll be rewarded with a silky toothiness that can't be beat. Buon appetito.

Check out Ciao Chow Linda on Instagram here to find out what’s cooking in my kitchen each day (and more).

Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragù

printable recipe here

Ingredients

1 pound ground or chopped wild boar meat

4 ounces pancetta, in small dice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup finely minced onion

2 stalks celery, finely minced

1 small carrot, grated

2 cloves garlic

1 pound wild boar meat, either ground or in chunks

1 cup milk

1 large sprig rosemary, minced

2 bay leaves

a few gratings of fresh nutmeg

1 can (28 oz) San Marzano tomatoes, pureed in food processor

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup red wine

salt to taste

pappardelle pasta (about 1 lb)

Directions

Place olive oil in saucepan, and pancetta, cooking almost until crisp, but not quite.

Add onions, celery, carrot, garlic and saute until limp.

Add wild boar meat and stir to break up clumps, cooking until all red is gone.

Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 2 1/2-3 hours, stirring every so often so nothing sticks.

If it needs more liquid, you can add a little more wine or water. 

Serve over pappardelle (preferably homemade).

Lemon Custard Tart

Are you a lemon lover? This lemon custard tart might be right up your alley. It's got plenty of lemon flavor all right, but it's not as sharp (or as difficult to make) as a recipe made with lemon curd. The custard tempers the tartness of the lemon. It uses milk in the recipe, not cream, so if you eliminated the whipped cream topping (I know, it's a silly suggestion, but you could decorate with berries on top instead), you might even call it nutritious. I used Lactaid since that's what I had, but you could use whole, part-skim, or fully skim milk.

The recipe for the lemon custard is from Everyday Pie, but the crust is from Preppy Kitchen. They were meant for each other.

I served it to my Italian chit chat group recently, and they all loved it. 

I hope you do too.

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LEMON CUSTARD TART

printable recipe here

FOR LEMON TART FILLING:

(recipe adapted from Everydaypie.com)

This made more than would fit in my 9" tart pan. Next time I would use aa 10-10 1/2" tart pan and make 1 1/2 times the crust recipe. For a pie pan, it would be fine as written below.

1 tart/pie crust 

5 eggs, divided

¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar

2 tablespoons (15 grams) cornstarch

⅛ teaspoon salt 

⅓ cup (70 grams) lemon juice

1 Tablespoon Limoncello (optional if you don't have it)

2 cups (260 grams) milk

1 teaspoon lemon zest

FOR THE TART CRUST:

(recipe from Preppykitchen.com)

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour (150g)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup sugar (50 gr)

2 tbsp. cream (10 ml)

1 egg yolk

• ▢
• ¼ tsp salt
• ▢½ cup butter cold cut into small pieces (113g)
• ▢

FOR THE TOPPING:

1 Cup whipping cream

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

zest of one lemon

• 
  

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE CRUST:

Whisk the egg yolk and cream together in a small bowl and set aside.

Measure the flour into a large bowl then add the salt, and sugar. Whisk together then add the cubed butter. Work the butter in with a pastry cutter or your clean hands.

Once you have a crumbly mixture with roughly pea-sized pieces of butter throughout you can drizzle in the yolk cream mixture and mix together with a fork or knife. Transfer The dough onto a piece of plastic, press and fold together, then shape into a disk, wrap and chill for about an hour.

Roll the dough into a circle then transfer to a 9 or 10 inch tart pan (one with a removable base is preferable). Press into the pan then dock the bottom and trim the edge. Freeze for about 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375F then blind bake the crust for about 20 minutes (I use a piece of aluminum foil into which I put some dry beans and rice. I have used the same ones for more than 20 years).

Bake until a light golden color, remove from the oven and then reduce the oven temperature to 325F. 

FOR THE FILLING:

Whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt in a bowl. Add in the remaining 4 eggs, the leftover egg yolk, and the lemon juice, and whisk together. 

Heat the milk in a medium pot over medium heat until small bubbles form along the edges, about 120ºF.

Next, temper the egg mixture: Slowly pour in 1 cup of the warmed milk to the eggs, while gently whisking. Then, pour the whole egg mixture slowly back into the pot of milk while gently whisking. Continue to cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture has just barely thickened and reached 170-180ºF. To double-check the custard has formed, take a wooden spoon and coat it with the milk. Draw a horizontal line on the back of the spoon with your finger. If the line “holds” then your custard is set. If the line collapses right away, the custard needs another minute or so. However do not bring the mixture to a boil, this will overcook the custard.

Strain the mixture to catch any bits of cooked eggs. Add in the limoncello and the zest and then slowly pour the filling into the baked crust.

Place the tart onto your oven’s middle rack and bake it for 30-40 minutes, or until the custard has puffed up and set nearly throughout, but still slightly wobbly in the middle. 

Remove the tart from the oven, and place it on a rack to cool.

Once the tart has come to room temperature, move the pie to the refrigerator to finish setting up, at least 4 hours.

Whip the cream and confectioner's sugar, then decorate with a piping bag, or just use a spoon to place dollops on the tart. Use a lemon zester to add more decoration over the whipped cream. Serve chilled.