Baci di dama with Grana Padano in courgette nests
Effort: medium Time: 1 hour
Ingredients and method for 4 people
Mix 85 g of coarsely grated Grana Padano with 60 g of chopped hazelnuts and 2 g of unsweetened cocoa powder; pour the mixture into a silicone hemisphere mold: you should obtain 24 hemispheres, enough to make 12 baci. Bake at 200°C for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool. Using a mandolin, peel 2 green zucchini, cutting them into 4x4 mm thick "spaghetti" pieces, and set aside the zucchini cores. Season the zucchini "spaghetti" with a pinch of salt and let them marinate for 30 minutes.
Chop a spring onion and sauté it in a little oil in a nonstick pan for 3 minutes; add the chopped zucchini hearts and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Deglaze with 25g white wine, but don't let it dry out too much. Remove from the heat, let it cool, then add 10g milk, 20g oil, and 5g grated Grana Padano, seasoning with salt and pepper. Blend everything together until you obtain a smooth sauce.
Drain the zucchini spaghetti from the marinade and pat them dry with paper towels. Drizzle with a little oil, then arrange them on a serving dish, forming 12 small "nests."
Divide the zucchini and spring onion cream between two hemispheres, creating 12 baci di dama (lady kisses). Arrange each baci di dama (lady kisses) in a nest of zucchini spaghetti and serve, garnished with mint leaves.
