Tastes of Tuscany

Pears poached in Gabbiano Chianti DOCG

• 6 fat, ripe pears e.g. Comice
• 6 cloves
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways
• 1 piece of lemon zest, 5cm long
• 1 piece of orange zest, 5cm long
• 1 bottle Gabbiano Chianti DOCG red wine
• 100g caster sugar
• 75ml mild honey, such as Acacia

Peel the pears and spike each one with one clove on its bottom, near the centre. Put them into a saucepan stems facing upwards. Pour over the Gabbiano wine, add the sugar, honey, vanilla, cinnamon stick and zests.

Bring the wine up to a gentle boil and then turn down to simmer for one hour, uncovered. Turn the pears gently a couple of times. Using a slotted spoon remove the pears to a serving dish. Reduce the wine for around ten minutes and then sieve it into a serving jug. Pour a little over the pears and put the rest of the table.

These make a heavenly combination served with a little piece of rich chocolate cake like the torta caprese and some Amaretto cream.

Rose Wine Jelly

Katie Caldesi says

This is a lovely summer dessert. The raspberries fully complement the red berry fruit flavours of the Gabbiano rose wine. This is great for dinner parties as it can be made in advance and left in the fridge to chill.

Serves 4

• 500ml Gabbiano Rose IGT Toscana
• 100g sugar
• 4 leaves of gelatine
• 200g raspberries

Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water. Pour the Gabbiano rose wine into a medium saucepan and add the sugar. Bring to the boil stirring occasionally. Remove it from heat when boiled. Once it's off the heat take the gelatine and, squeezing out the water, put it into the wine and sugar, taking care that it is mixed in well.

Pour the jelly into a cold jug and leave to cool. Divide the raspberries between four glasses or moulds evenly and when the jelly mixture has cooled (but not set) pour into the glasses or moulds.

NOTE: If you are in a hurry to cool the jelly, pour into a bowl and stand over another bowl 1/3 full of ice and cold water.

Gabbiano Pinot Grigio IGT Delle Venezie, Gabbiano Chianti DOCG and Gabbiano Rose Toscana wines are all available from Asda priced £4.99.

To learn more about Tuscan cookery, join Giancarlo and Katie at their cookery school La Cucina Caldesi

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