At pizzeria 081 in Melegnano (province of Milan), chef and pizzaiolo Francesco Saggese, born in 1987 and a background of working 15 years in high end kitchens, has made his innovative dream come true: to open a real Neapolitan pizzeria with a gourmet concept, from the appetizers to dessert.
The gourmet pizza has Neapolitan dough, therefore thin base, made using sourdough and stone-ground flour from Molino Quaglia, but topped with refined ingredients, seasonal natural materials and distinctive cooking preparations. Practically a traditional Neapolitan pizza with a modern twist: from 6 euros for the margherita to 13 euros with truffle. And for dessert, the babà could not be missing, the Neapolitan pastiera and the caprese cake, but served as a single portion with limoncello sauce. Here is Francesco's recipe.
Caprese Cake with Sorrento Limoncello Cream Recipe
Ingredients for 14 single portions
3 cups almond flour, 11 oz butter (room temperature), 9 oz icing sugar, 10 oz dark chocolate, 2 ½ oz albumen, 3 oz caster sugar, 2 yolks, 4 whole eggs
Method
Whisk the butter and icing sugar in a planetary mixer, apart from melting the chocolate in a bain-marie, taking care not to bring the water to the boil, then add the whole eggs and yolks a little at a time and, finally the almond flour. Whip the egg whites and caster sugar and add to the mixture. Put in a ventilated oven at 350° for 14 minutes. Store the Caprese cakes in a cool, dry place, not in the fridge.
Ingredients for the Sorrento limoncello cream
3 ½ cups cream, 1 cup milk, 4 ½ oz caster sugar, 8 oz yolk, 8 oz handmade limoncello
Method
In a pan boil the milk and cream, in a separate bowl mix the caster sugar and yolks without whipping, then place the bowl with the ingredients in the pan and boil it all in a bain-marie until it reaches a temperature of 180°. You’ll see when it’s ready as the cream takes on a creamy consistency and if you take it with a teaspoon and blow it and see a kind of rose forming it means that it has reached the ideal temperature. Let it cool and add the limoncello. The limoncello cream can be kept in the fridge for up to 36 hours.
To finish the dish place the limoncello cream at the base of the plate then lay the Caprese cake on top and sprinkle with icing sugar.