Every culinary experience at our Laura’s Restaurant is a   liaison of taste   which combines our gourmet cuisine courses with the wines we select and store in our cellar. 

The course that concludes the meal must be accompanied by a wine that is worthy of a fundamental function: to lower the curtain on an experience, while encouraging the desire to have another one soon.

Passito wine, a co-star with dessert

 Passito wine is a   sweet fortified wine  that is obtained from a special vinification method in which the grapes undergo a dehydration process. This process can take place when the grapes are still attached to the vine, or after the harvest.

Although it is well known, the passito is a little used wine. Furthermore, few people know  there are many different Italian dessert wines, some of which are famous internationally.

The Sommelier’s recommendations, from Sicily to Veneto

 Outstanding among the most popular desserts this autumn is the single portion dessert created by our Chef Patissier Enrico:   a tart with walnut and pear frangipane with orange Bavarian cream.   

This dessert is all the more delicious when paired with one of the passito wines in our cellar. From this selection of wines, our Sommelier has chosen three excellent labels that are perfect for an extraordinary taste experience.

The Pantelleria Ben Ryè di Donnafugata passito 

The Pantelleria DOC passito comes from the Zibibbo vine; it is produced in south-west Sicily and on the island of Pantelleria. 
 It is a wine of global fame for which we are envied. Of all the white grape passito wines, it is certainly the most  sumptuous.  

Its aromas are complex and broad: one can perceive orange marmalade, Mediterranean flowers, acacia honey, and cinnamon and other sweet spices.  Its flavour persists for a long time on the palate, and it   is balanced (structured with a high alcohol content). 

The Fior d’arancio passito from Cantina Borin

 This wine is a lighter passito than the previous one. Therefore, our  Sommelier Mirco   recommends it to guests who require a    pleasant but unstructured dessert wine.  Derived from yellow muscat grapes, this wine is fermented in an autoclave and reaches an alcohol content of only 6 °.  It is also the only  wine of the Euganean Hills genre to deserve the DOCG label.  

The higher acidity of this wine is a positive note because it provides a freshness that balances the full sensation given by the cream on the tart.

When tasting the Fior d’arancio passito one perceives floral notes and hints of wildflower honey and ripe fruit such as pineapple and rennet apple.

The Torcolato di Maculan

 From Padua we move to   Vicenza  or, more precisely, to Breganze. The Torcolato is perfect for those who love a passito but are not looking for a strong wine. Derived from vespaiola grapes, this passito has a  demanding and drier taste,   with high acidity and smooth drinkability. 

 From an olfactory and gustatory point of view, this wine surprises with its   freshness.  Indeed, one perceives the spiciness of dehydrated alfalfa, notes of dried and dehydrated fruit, and a light touch of licorice in the finish.

Now we have revealed our passito wines, all that remains is to offer you the recipe of the single portion tart created by our pastry chef Enrico.

Walnut and pear frangipane tart with orange Bavarian cream 

Ingredients for the cocoa shortcrust pastry:

200g flour

20 g cocoa

80 g butter

100 g sugar

1 egg

Method

Combine the flour, cocoa and butter until you get a sandy mixture. Add the sugar, and then add the egg. Knead only for the time necessary to obtain a smooth mixture. Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of 5 mm. Let it rest for an hour in the fridge; using a pastry cutter, slice the dough and line 9 cm diameter moulds with it.

Ingredients for the walnut frangipane cream:

50 g walnuts

50 g sugar

50 g butter

50 g egg

15 g flour

20 g semi-candied pears

Method

Blend the walnuts with the sugar, add the butter, then the eggs and finally the flour. Arrange the dough precisely on the raw shortcrust pastry bottoms, sprinkle with the pears, and cook at 160 degrees for 20/25 min.

Ingredients for the orange Bavarian cream

60 g egg yolk

100 g orange juice

100 g sugar

Grated orange peel

300 g semi-whipped cream

6 g gelatin sheets

Method

Start by rehydrating the gelatin. 

Separately, mix the orange juice, grated peel, sugar and egg yolks in a saucepan; cook over low heat until thickened. 

Take off the heat, add the gelatin and allow to cool. Once warm, gently add the semi-whipped cream. Arrange in 6 cm diameter half-sphere moulds and place in the freezer for at least 3 hours.  

Unmould, sprinkle with chocolate and lay on the tart.

To taste our dishes and our wines, you can book your next stay at Hotel Tritone by writing  here  or calling (+39) 049 8668099