The Menu

Prosecco di Valdobbiadene

Tuscan Crostini

Butternut Squash Soup with Croutons and White Truffle Paste

Pinot Grigio delle Venezie, 2003

Pork Loin with Belgian Endive Sauce on a Basket of Truffled Potatoes

Bolla Chianti, 2003

Butternut Squash and Pecan Custard Tart

Espresso and Limoncello

Cladys Magagna, House Chef at ICC introduced Sandra and welcomed guests to the ICC. Sandra thanked her former students who were in attendance, many of which had traveled a great distance to be a part of the dinner. Sandra, ever the Instructor, told the guests about the menu, and then explained that many of the courses contained truffles in some form. The three Tuscan Crostini (which Sandra reminded guests are Bruschetta in Italy and are pronounced Broosketta, which means “toast”) consisted of butter and truffle paste, Gorgonzola mixed with mascarpone cheese (which is 85 – 86% butterfat), and soffrito with diced red and yellow peppers. Joseph Hahn made the Butternut Squash Soup with Croutons and White Truffle Paste “with love and passion” according to Sandra, and as such he explained how he made the soup, (soffrito, extra virgin olive oil, onions, carrots, peeled chunks of squash), which cooked with water for 30 minutes. Salt and pepper were added to taste, as well as a thickening agent, in this case a raw potato with the skin on. Sandra said that she likes to use potatoes, as they are a wonderful binding agent without adding any flavor. You can also use cornmeal to thicken soups. The soup was then blended with an immersion blender. To finish the dish, Joseph ladled in the truffle paste. Of course, Sandra being Sandra, gently reminded that they had to use a French Baguette because they could not find the bread she uses in Italy. Extra virgin olive oil was infused with sautéed chopped garlic, then the garlic was strained out, before it was used to pan sear the croutons.

Janine DiMarco made the truffled potatoes and demonstrated how to use a pastry bag to pipe out the Baskets of Truffled Potatoes made with potatoes, egg, and truffle and then baked at 400 degrees until the edges are golden. Christopher Covelli explained that using the right type of potato is essential when making the baskets, as you want a high starch potato. New, red and purple potatoes have too much water in them, and as such the baskets will fall over. Old potatoes will be too flaky and will not stick together. Idaho or Yukon Gold, are the best choices. Sandra explained that you should cook the potatoes with their skins on so that they do not absorb the water, and then use a ricer to get a nice fluffy texture. Ricers are best used for beans and potatoes, as they don’t increase the starch level. Always add the truffle paste at the last moment to retain their flavor. Sandra, author of many cookbooks, as well as a regular contributor of magazine articles, wrote an article on truffles for Intermezzo magazine.

Joseph prepared the pork loin, and explained how guests could achieve the same results. Marco Barcaroli explained how he made the gravy, as well as using an addition of extra virgin olive oil. Sandra, an extra virgin olive oil proponent explained that it fights free radicals and is high in Vitamin E, which is an antioxidant. Rob Miketa and Marco made the dessert, which had a pasta frolla base, butternut squash custard, and praline pecans, which Christopher had made.

Appreciative collective sighs were heard throughout each of the delicious courses, as guests perhaps remembered their trips to Tuscany or were perhaps planning a trip, while enjoying the Tuscan cuisine. Sharon and Larry Rohrbaugh of Baltimore, Maryland had celebrated their 40^th wedding anniversary in Tuscany with their children, so their children, who reside in New York, decided to surprise them with this dinner. After the dinner, the family was interested in perhaps attending Sandra’s cooking school on a future trip to Tuscany. The dinner ended with applause for the chefs, as well as hugs from Sandra and her team, as the guests made their way home into the New York night.

For information on future dinners at the Italian Culinary Center please contact Claudia Costantino at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit their website at www.italiancookingandliving.com. For information on Toscana Saporita Cooking School, please contact Sandra Lotti at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit her website at www.toscanasaporita.com. For more information on Tuscany, please read our articles in the Hotels & Resorts, Destinations, Restaurants, and Wine Cellar sections.