TASK

Option 2 – Plan, prepare, cook and present a range

of dishes which are based on a European cuisine.
Present three dishes.

FOOD PREP NEA 2

 Section A: Researching the task.
Analysing the task
For this task I will have the opportunity to plan a wide range of different dishes that are based on
European cuisine. The dishes must not be from another continent apart from Europe to answer the
task.

Present: the dishes must be

displayed sophistically to achieve
the best outcome. Visual attraction

Range: technical trials used which Plan: design a descriptive plan

will follow up to the three final which is specific to the task given.
dishes. Multiple dishes will be My plan will be very organised and
made. contain background knowledge.

European: the dishes must all be

from European origin. I will select a
specific country within Europe.

Research
With an idea of the standards of the task given I can now research into European dishes. The country
I will be focusing on is Italy and I will carry out background information on only Italian dishes as
follows:

 Background information into Italian food origin

 Typical ingredients with nutritional information
 Meal structure and tradition
 Common techniques and complicity

Italian Cuisine
Italian cuisine has developed through centuries of social and economic changes since its origin.
Changes came with the introduction of potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, maize and sugar beet
which are now common ingredients within Italian dishes. It is known for its regional diversity and
offers an abundance of taste, and is one of the most popular and copied in the world. Italian food is
generally characterised by its simplicity, with many dishes having only two to four main ingredients.
Italian cooks rely mostly on the quality of the ingredients rather than on elaborate preparation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_cuisine

Italian food is bold and satisfying without being heavy. It’s rich and textural and uses a whole
palette of flavours. It’s much easier to make pasta than you think. Although there is an
abundance of fancy gadgets out there—gnocchi boards, hand-cranked extruders, and cavatelli
machines—all you need is a food processor, a rolling pin, and a smooth, comfortable surface.

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https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/italian-cuisine

Common ingredients
Italian cuisine has a great variety of different ingredients which are commonly used, ranging from
fruits, vegetables, sauces, meats, etc. Pasta dishes with use of tomato are spread in all Italy. Italians
like their ingredients fresh and subtly seasoned and spiced. In Northern Italy though there are many
kinds of stuffed pasta, polenta and risotto are equally popular if not more so. Traditional Italian
cuisine uses ingredients such as tomatoes, all kinds of meat, fish, and pecorino cheese. Finally, in
Southern Italy, tomatoes – fresh or cooked into tomato sauce – peppers, olives and olive oil, garlic,
artichokes, oranges, ricotta cheese, eggplants, zucchini and certain types of fish are important
components to the local cuisine. Italian cuisine is also well known (and well regarded) for its use of a
diverse variety of pasta. Pasta include noodles in various lengths, widths and shapes. Distinguished
on shapes they are named differently.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_cuisine

If an ingredient that can’t stay out of an Italian meal exists, that is the tomato. The reason behind
this is that Italy is a big producer of them. And there are more than three hundred types of it. But
the best part is the delicious recipes that they prepare with each one of them, like sauces, salads,
soup, bruschetta, pizzas, gazpacho and many more.

Olive oil is the most consumed liquid in Italy. In fact, it is called liquid gold for the importance that it
has in the history of Italian cuisine. Olive oil is present in almost every preparation of Italian
food. The taste of it is considered to be one of the best in the world, especially the one from the
Tuscan region.

http://travelforfoodhub.com/7-ingredients-traditional-italian-food/

Traditional Techniques

 Boiling or simmering: food is cooked in hot water. Examples of this include pastas, rice,
vegetables, and tough but flavourful cuts of meat.

 Pan frying: food is quickly cooked in a small amount of very hot fat—butter or vegetable oil.
This is what we commonly think of as “sautéing.”

 Braising: food is browned in hot fat, then cooked in a moderate amount of flavoured liquid
(wine, broth or vegetable juice), most often with aromatic vegetables and other seasonings.

 Pan roasting: similar to braising, the food is initially browned in hot fat; it is then cooked in a
small amount of liquid, just enough to keep it moist. This is most often used for chicken,
rabbit, and certain cuts of pork.

Italian doughs and pasta usually only requires a couple of simple ingredients to get the best
outcome. They don’t require many specialised equipment or complicated techniques.

Deserts
Italian desserts are made completely from fresh ingredients, like cream and cheese, which make
Italian desserts so delicious and dairy. For example, a dessert originating from Florence is Zuccotti, a

2
 semi frozen dessert of ice cream, cake and brandy, that is made in a cone shaped mould. The
Panforte recipe is a traditional dessert with a spicy flavour containing fruits and nuts like a fruitcake.
This recipe originated in the Tuscany region and, after it was baked, the cake was used as a tax
payment to the monks. It is similar to Panettone, a sweet bread made at Christmas time. Biscotti,
which are now considered by many to be a gourmet dessert, also originated around this time,
although the original versions were less complex than those of today.

Panna cotta made with the highest quality cream that is lightly sweetened and held together ever
so slightly with gelatine derived from fish cartilage and left to set up in a small, tall mould. Some of
the best panna cotta have a distinct jiggle when they are unmoulded and served. They are usually
served with a fruit compote, caramel, or chocolate sauce.

https://jovinacooksitalian.com/2012/08/13/what-makes-italian-desserts-so-special/

Meal structure
Today, the traditional Italian menu is kept mainly for special events (such as weddings) while an
everyday menu includes only the first and/or second course, the side dish, and coffee. A notable
aspect of Italian meals is that the primo or first course is usually a more filling dish such as risotto or
pasta. Italian cuisine also includes single courses (all-in-one courses), providing carbohydrates and
proteins at the same time (e.g. pasta and legumes). Italian style coffee (café), also known as
espresso, is made from a blend of coffee beans. Espresso beans are roasted medium to medium dark
in the north, and darker as you move south. This would be taken at the end of meals.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_cuisine

Possible Dishes
After carrying out my research I now have some ideas in the possible dishes and ingredients needed
from Italian cuisine. I must now consider the dishes I could make with some moderations and
additions to increase skill.

Braised rabbit pappardelle is a

pasta dish involving debones and
fried rabbit legs to improve skill.
Pasta making is also a main skill
used. Sauce can be included.

Chicken and sweetcorn pizza is a

classical Italian food containing many
common skills such as dough making Cannoli is a high-skilled Italian
and reduction sauce. The chicken can dessert which involves shell dough
be de-boned to improve skill. along with a cream-cheese filling.

Plum and amaretti semifreddo.

An Italian half-frozen dessert
which involves meringue making
and incorporates fruit and nut.

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 Agnolotti is a unique pasta with
Apricot and ratafia sponge cake is a technical pasta shaping skill. A
an Italian dessert where the main filling or sauce can be added to
skill is cake making. Also includes improve skill.
glace icing and creaming.

Farfalle. The typical bow tie

pasta which is a unique pasta
shaping skill. Can include a
filling and usually served with a
light vegetable sauce.

Panna cotta with coulis. A

Italian meringue with gelatine based Italian dessert
chocolate sauce and a gelato is which is made high skill with a
a medium skill dish with skills reduction sauce or sorbet.
such as whisking.

Tortellini includes unique

pasta shaping and rolling
with a filling included. Knife
skills are also present.

Italian chocolate cheese cake is also

gelatine based and can be made
with a gelato or coulis to make it
Meat lasagne. A typical Italian
high skill.
dish which can be a high skill if
pasta, sauce and béchamel
(roux) is made.

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Selected skills dishes
After having done my research I have decided that the following dishes will be done as part of my
skills dishes:

Recipe 1: Farfalle with pepperoncino gamberi sauce

Recipe 2: Italian chocolate cheesecake with vanilla gelato

Recipe 3: Pizza with deboned chicken and sweetcorn

Recipe 4: Zeppole with Crema Pasticcera

The reasons for choosing these dishes can be found under ‘reasons for choice’ in section B.

Section B: Demonstrating technical skills

Recipe 1: Farfalle with pepperoncino gamberi sauce
Reasons for choice: I chose this dish because it is a high-level dish and a
typical Italian food as it contained bow shaped pasta with an Italian prawn
sauce. The unique pasta shaping, prawn peeling, and sauce are a
demonstration of complex skills that I would be carrying out. Also, there
was an option of developing the dish in many different ways.

Ingredients: 100g ‘00’ flour, 1 egg and a pinch of salt - for the pasta. 20 ml
olive oil, 5 large prawns, 2 garlic cloves, 1 chilli, 30g grated parmesan, fresh
parsley – for the sauce.

Skills used: Making pasta is a very complex skill: it requires dough making and
kneading, rolling out to the required thickness, cutting and shaping to farfalle.
In addition, Prawns need to be peeled, chopped and de-veined. Knife skills are
present in chopping the garlic and chilli. An overall sauce will incorporate all
the ingredients to be fried and different timings. Seasoning and presentation
skills.

Sensory evaluation:
It was important to test the farfalle using sensory analysis to view the full
outcome and how successful I was in making the dish. The appearance
scored 18/20 showing that the dish was present well. The tasters enjoyed
the mix of colours given by the chilli and prawns with the addition of the
fresh parsley which gave a contrasting look. The oil from the sauce also gave
the pasta a good garnish. The taste also scored 18/20 which was very good.
The dish was spicy which might be disliked by some people although the
tasters enjoyed the strong flavour. The strong taste went well with the
bland taste of the pasta. This enhanced the dish as a whole although if the spice was reduced then
the garlic and seasoning taste would have been more vibrant. Texture scored 13/20 however which
shows room for improvement. The panel thought that the chillies and garlic was overcooked leading
to an unnecessary crunchy texture. Although the prawns could have been softer, the pasta was

5
cooked perfectly and gave the dish a good overall texture. Aroma scored 17/20 which proves that
the tasters enjoyed its smell. The smell was strong and ranged due to the sauce and prawns.

Taster 1 Taster 2 Taster 3 Taster 4 Total

Appearance 4 4 5 5 18
Taste 5 5 5 3 18
Texture 3 3 4 3 13
Aroma 4 5 4 4 17

Recipe 2: Italian chocolate cheesecake with vanilla gelato

Reasons for choice: I chose this dish because it contains two aspects of typical Italian dessert in
cheesecake and gelato which are combined to make a high-skilled dish. I would be carrying out a
complex skill using gelatine for the cheesecake. The dish could’ve been developed in different ways
and can lead on to a famous gelatine-based Italian dessert in a panna cotta.

Ingredients: 50g milk chocolate, 250g mascarpone, 2 gelatine leaves, 80ml

double cream, 20g icing sugar – for the cheesecake mixture. 40g digestives
(crushed), 25g butter – for the base. 100g caster sugar, 75ml water, 40g
white chocolate – for the chocolate sand. 40g butter, 100g dark chocolate –
for the sauce. 100ml whole milk, 60g sugar, 200ml double cream, 1 vanilla

pod – for the ice cream. Whipped cream for presentation.

Skills used: The use of gelatine for a dessert is a high-level skill as there
needs to be precise amounts for successful setting. Knife skills present when
cutting the vanilla pods along with the quick freezing of the ice-cream. High
amounts of presentation skills such as making white chocolate sand.

Sensory Evaluation:
It was important to test the cheesecake using sensory testing in order to compare its quality to the
ideal cheesecake and how successful I was in making it. I did this by using a tasting panel and found
out it was a success. I intend on developing this dish into a panna cotta which can be made a high
skill. The appearance of the cheesecake scored an excellent 18/20 showing that the presentation
was effective. The shiny layer of chocolate sauce along with the gelato and chocolate sand enhanced
the appearance greatly. There was also a good contrast in colours although a mint leave would’ve
enhanced this. Nevertheless, the texture scored a standard 12/20 when referring to the cheesecake
only. It was said to have a jelly-texture rather than a creamy one which made it feel more like a
panna cotta in the mouth. This may have been improved with the amount of gelatine or the
thickness of the mixture. The taste also proved to be successful with 15/20 showing that I used the
right chocolate to cream cheese ratio for a good flavour. Also, the success on the gelato and the
chocolate sand enhanced overall sweetness.

Taster 1 Taster 2 Taster 3 Taster 4 Total

Appearance 4 5 5 4 18
Taste 4 4 3 4 15
Texture 3 3 3 3 12

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 Aroma 4 5 4 4 17

Recipe 3: Pizza with deboned chicken and sweetcorn

Reasons for choice: I chose this dish because It’s a famous Italian food and can be adapted top
change skill and ingredients for different aims. By starting from scratch and making a homemade
dough, sauce and deboned chicken the dish becomes high skill. Complex
skills are used to improve marks to ensure good marks. Pizza is also
appealing and popular. The dough or sauce can also be adapted to other
Italian dishes.

Ingredients: 1 packet active, dry yeast, 30ml olive oil, 175ml warm water,
240g strong plain flour, 1tbsp salt – for the dough. 400g fresh tomatoes, ½
onion, 2 basil leaves, pinch of salt, black pepper, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 garlic
cloves – for the sauce. 3 chicken thighs, sweetcorn, mozzarella cheese – for
the toppings.

Skills used: Dough making, kneading and rolling for the base is complex.
The reduction tomatoes sauce is also complex as fresh tomatoes were
used. The deboning of the chicken thighs are complex knife skills as well as
chopping of the tomatoes, onions and garlic. Shaping of dough and
presentation skills used.

Taster 1 Taster 2 Taster 3 Taster 4 Total

Appearance 2 3 3 3 11
Taste 5 4 5 3 17
Texture 4 4 4 3 15
Aroma 4 5 4 4 17

Sensory Evaluation:
The sensory analysis of the pizza showed the aspects of strength and the
aspects of weakness amongst my pizzas. The pizza was one of my weaker
dishes as it scored lower on the tasting panel on average. It only scored an
11/20 for appearance which is not that good. This was mainly due to the
toppings and the result of the pizza after the oven. Some cheese
overlapped the crust and greens could have been used to enhance colour.
The taste however, scored 17/20 showing that the dough was cooked well
and the sweet corn and chicken combination enhanced flavour. However more tomato sauce
could’ve been added. The texture was also quite good as the cheese melted well and the dough was
the right thickness with a crunchy crust. However, if more tomato sauce was added it would’ve have
improved the texture to make it less dry.
Recipe 4: Zeppole with Crema Pasticcera
Reasons for choice: I chose this dish because it is a complex Italian dessert and
high skill if made with a reduction cream. It can also be easily adapted to another

7
pastry-based dessert such as cannoli with a cream filling. The pastry is complex and adds to the skill
of the dish. It can also be adapted with different presentations or different shaping of the dough
using piping bags.

Ingredients: 235ml water, 140g plain flour, 3 eggs, pinch of salt – for the pastry. 2 egg yolks, 60g
caster sugar, 1tbsp plain flour, 235ml milk, lemon zest – for the Crema Pasticcera.
1l of vegetable oil – for the deep frying. Olive oil, Icing sugar, sour cherries – for
the presentation.

Skills used: Complex pastry making skill involving using a saucepan at the right
temperature and cooking the dough to ensure it combines smoothly and with
good consistency. Deep frying is used to cook the zeppole. The crema pasticcera
is a reduction cream which is also a good skill used. High amounts of presentation skills also used.

Sensory Evaluation:
Sensory testing using the tasting panel was essential for the zeppole as I needed to find out the
consistency and texture of the dough as well as the cream. The tests showed that overall this was
one of my strong dishes. The dish scored 18/20 for appearance which shows that it was very well
presented and deep-fried to a nice golden colour. This can be due to the piping of the zeppole to
give a unique shape as well as the use of the piped cream and icing sugar finish. The texture also
scored an excellent 18/20 showing that the dough was well aerated and light with the cream being
smooth and sweet. The taste scored a solid 17/20 which clearly shows that the tasters enjoyed the
sweet cream flavour combined with the soft zeppole. Lemon zest was also used amongst the cream
to enhance flavour as well as a sprinkle of icing sugar for a sweet touch.

Taster 1 Taster 2 Taster 3 Taster 4 Total

Appearance 4 5 5 4 18
Taste 4 5 5 3 17
Texture 4 4 5 5 18
Aroma 3 5 4 4 16

Section C: Planning for the final menu

Selecting final dishes
Tortellini with tomato sauce and prawn filling: I have chosen tortellini as an adaption from
farfalle pasta. The farfalle pasta helped to develop my pasta making and shaping skills. It also
incorporated the skill of peeling and de-veining prawns which I then added to the tortellini recipe.
The tortellini was an increase in skill from the farfalle as it was a more complex than the farfalle. This
was because of the advanced pasta shaping and the addition of a filling as well as a reduction sauce.
It is also entirely made of Italian based foods and skills.
Ingredients: ‘00’ flour, eggs, olive oil, salt, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, onion, prawns, ricotta, lemon
zest.
Skills and methods: Pasta shaping, kneading, reducing, peeling, de-veining, chopping.

White chocolate panna cotta with coulis: I have chosen panna cotta as an adaption from the
chocolate cheesecake. Both recipes are Italian gelatine-based deserts and require creaming. The

8
lining of the dishes and the setting is important for the final presentation. Both were made with
chocolate sand and a reduction sauce in the cheesecake chocolate sauce and the panna cotta coulis.
Panna cotta and cheesecake are equally skilled as the cheesecake included a gelato which evens the
skills.
Ingredients: Double cream, milk, white chocolate, 1 tbsp caster sugar, gelatine, frozen raspberries.
Skills and methods: Reducing, gelatine setting.

Cannoli with Crema Pasticcera: I have chosen cannoli as an adaption from the zeppole. The
dishes both contain pastry making although there is a difference between the methods used for
both pastries. They are both deep fried and contain crema pasticcera which is a reduction cream.
Cannoli contains more complex pasta shaping and moulding making it higher skill that zeppole. It
also contains a cream filling rather than topping. It’s an Italian pastry containing Italian white wine
and comes from Italian origin. It therefore followed on perfectly as it contained similar skills to the
zeppole.
Ingredients: Plain flour, caster sugar, salt, butter, eggs, dry white wine, vegetable oil, milk, lemon
zest.
Skills and methods: Pastry making and moulding, reducing, deep frying, piping.
N.B To avoid repetition of work I have decided to just include the nutritional analysis for this
section as part of the evaluation. Marks for this can be obtained from there.

Time Plan for the Final Dishes:

Key: Panna cotta Tortellini Cannoli

Ingredients:
100ml double cream 100g ‘00’ flour 120g plain flour
60 ml milk 1 egg 1 tbsp granulated sugar
50g white chocolate 1 tbsp olive oil Pinch salt
1 tbsp caster sugar Pinch salt 30 g butter
2 sheets gelatine 900g tomatoes ½ egg yolk
100g frozen raspberries Leaf fresh basil 40ml dry white wine
20g caster sugar ¼ onion Vegetable oil
100g caster sugar 1 garlic clove 4 egg yolks
75ml water Pinch salt 120g caster sugar
40g white chocolate 300g prawns 2 tbsp plain flour
Pinch salt 470ml milk
1 egg white Lemon zest
60g ricotta
Lemon zest
Tomato pure

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Time Order of work Extra
information
8:30 – 9:00 Mise en place: Organise work space, collect ingredients and Wear apron, wash
equipment. Weigh ingredients for all recipes. Soak gelatine in 500ml hands and use
of water. digital weighing
scales. Use
antibacterial to
clean surfaces and
ensure no jewellery
is worn.
9:00 – 9:05 In small saucepan, combine double cream, milk, chocolate and sugar. Use two separate
Dissolve 2 tbsp water with sugar in another saucepan. saucepans. Heat
no.4
9:05 – 9:10 Blend gelatine into hot panna cotta mixture. Make sure gelatine
Add raspberries to the other saucepan when sugar is dissolved. id soft and drained.
9:10 – 9:15 When dissolved place in fridge. Place in fridge once
When coulis is soft, blend, pass through sieve and refrigerate. cooled for a bit.
9:15 – 9:20 Combine flour, egg, olive and salt for pasta. Knead, warp in cling film Clean surface
and leave in fridge till needed.
9:20 – 9:30 Make cannoli dough: Flattening makes it
 Mix flour, sugar and salt. easier to roll
 Work in the butter until breadcrumbs form
 Add egg yolk and white wine and form a dough
Wrap in clingfilm, flatten and place in fridge.
9:30 – 9:40 Make chocolate sand: Stir vigorously to
 Boil water and sugar to 135C prevent chocolate
 Chop chocolate from sticking to pan.
Add and mix till sand forms
9:40 – 9:45 For the crema pasticcera, prepare saucepan, and heat milk and lemon Heat no4.
zest to boil. Meanwhile separate 4 egg yolks and mix them with the
sugar.
9:45 – 9:50 Once milk is simmering, pour a bit at a time through a sieve, into the
egg yolks and stir till all combined.
9:50 – 10:00 Then pour the mixture back into a saucepan and thicken. Clean surface and
equipment.
10:00 – 10:10 Peel prawns: Use paring knife and
 Twist and remove head blue chopping
 Pull body and tail out of skin board.
 De-vein them Use small bowl with
Chop into very small pieces water to rinse
prawns.
10:10 – 10:15 Blend prawns with ricotta and zest until smooth. Leave in fridge.
10:15 – 10:20 In a pot, heat vegetable oil to 180C. Meanwhile flour surface and Do not heat to more
remove dough from fridge. than 180C.

10
10:20 – 10:35 Roll the dough till very thin. Cut circles about 7-10cm in diameter. Seal firmly to
Wrap around cannoli mould and seal with egg wash. prevent detachment
Flare the edges of each cannoli. from mould.

10:35 – 10:45 Fry each one till brown and crispy (about 2 mins). Remove to a Fry 2 at a time to
tissue when done and slide off the mould. prevent the oil from
cooling.
10:45 – 10:55 Boil tomatoes in saucepan of water to remove skin. Meanwhile Use clean knife and
chop basil, onions and garlic. brown chopping board.
10:55 – 11:15 Peel and chop tomatoes and cook with some oil and the basil till
soft in a saucepan. Meanwhile fry onions and garlic in a separate
frying pan.
11:15 – 11:20 Add the onions and garlic to the tomato when soft. Blend till Clean surface and
smooth. Add some water to make the sauce less thick. Leave to equipment
simmer on low heat.
11:20 – 11:25 Roll tortellini with lots of flour till very thin.
Cut into 5-7cm diameter circles with a cutter.
11:25 – 11:45 Shape tortellini:
 Spread ½ the circle with egg wash
 Place small amount of filling
 Fold in half
 Fold around finger and seal to form a ring
11:45 – 11:50 Cook in boiling water till tender (2-3 mins) Make sure water is
boiling before adding
pasta
11:50 – 12:00 Present and serve all dishes

Section D: Plan, prepare, cook and present a range of dishes which are
Making the based on a European cuisine. Present three dishes.
final dishes Final dishes: Prawn tortellini with tomato sauce
Cannoli with crema pasticcera
White chocolate panna cotta with coulis

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Section E: Analyse and Evaluation
Prawn Tortellini
When making the prawn tortellini I utilised my pasta making skills.
Rolling out the pasta dough, cutting It and shaping it uniquely
improved technical skill. The pasta was rolled easily as it was
thoroughly floured and the tortellini shape held firmly with egg
wash. The prawns and tomato sauce also varied my skills. In
addition, for presentation I placed a neat serving of pasta with
some sauce. Parmesan and basil was used to enhance colour and
prove its Italian theme. I served it on an appealing oval plate with
two additional prawns to give an extra effect.

Sensory Testing
The prawn tortellini were Taster 1 Taster 2 Taster 3 Taster 4 Total
a high skilled dish and Appearance 4 3 4 4 15
succeeded in taste and
Taste 4 5 5 3 17
texture especially as they
were enjoyed by the Texture 4 4 5 4 17
tasting panel. The taste Aroma 3 5 4 4 16
scored a 17/20. I believe
that this was because the pasta and sauce were
well seasoned and were rich in flavour due to the Tortellini
prawn and ricotta filling along with the parmesan
Appearance
and rich tomato sauce. The prawns in the filling 20
also provoked a savoury taste. The texture was 18
16
just as successful and this was due to the 14
12
smoothness of the tomato sauce along with the Aroma 10 Taste
delicate pasta that was well cooked. The ricotta
filling may have brought a creamy texture which

Texture
12
went well with the sauce. However, appearance scored a lower 15/20. Although the pasta was well
served with a neat layer of sauce, I believe that the untidy shape of the tortellini may have distorted
the appearance a bit. I think they were slightly too big but overall the basil and parmesan helped to
improve appearance

Nutritional analysis
What stands out from the
tortellini is the high amounts
of carbohydrates and calories
present in the dish. The 300-
kcal present makes up about
15% of the average adult’s
calorie intake per portion of
the dish. The amount of carbs
makes up 30% of the average
daily amount (per portion).

These large energy factors are mainly present in the pasta and olive and make the dish high in
energy. Italian cuisine is normally high in carbs due to the flour used and starchy ingredients. Its also
high is protein and monounsaturated fats which are good for overall health. However, the dish
contains a lot of salt due to seasoning and the sauce and this may be reduced with herb uses.

Costing:
Ingredient Cost £
Pasta
100g ’00’ flour 0.13
1 egg 0.08
1 tbsp olive oil 0.02 As it serves three portions it contains
Pinch salt 0.01 a cheap price of only £2.45 making
Prawn Filling
300g prawns 4.00 very economical for this type of dish.
Pinch salt 0.01 Seasonal vegetables or home-grown
1 egg white 0.08
60g ricotta cheese 0.30
herbs could’ve reduced price but this
Pinch salt 0.01 wasn’t needed.
Tomato Sauce
900g tomatoes 1.72
Chopped fresh basil 0.70
¼ onion 0.05
1 garlic clove 0.02
Olive oil 0.20
Pinch salt 0.01
Grand Total 7.34

Creative improvements:
 I was not totally satisfied with the appearance of the dish as it could’ve been improved with
neater shaped smaller sized tortellini.
 The dish could’ve been served with a side of homemade garlic bread with extra tomato
sauce to improve skill, appearance and taste, giving an overall boost to the dish.

13
White chocolate panna cotta
When making this my skill was the use of gelatine and reducing. I allowed the
coulis to simmer for 5 minutes to obtain a honey-like texture. The panna cotta
set perfectly in time and enough gelatine was used for it to stand. To present
my dish I used a tall cup and topped the panna cotta with a thin layer of
raspberry coulis for a great colour contrast and sweet taste. I also made
chocolate sand and sprinkled it over the top. This had a good effect as it scored
high in appearance for sensory testing.

Sensory Testing
Taster 1 Taster 2 Taster 3 Taster 4 Total
The panna cotta had a
Appearance 4 5 5 4 18
successful sensory testing
although scored the lowest Taste 4 5 5 3 17
for texture. Texture 4 3 3 4 14
The texture of the panna
Aroma 3 5 4 4 16
cotta did not produce a wobbly appearance. This might have been due to the addition of too much
gelatine which could have lead to a firmer texture
instead of a jelly-like texture. Nevertheless, the texture Panna Cotta
of the coulis was good apart from the fact that I
could’ve passed it through a sieve in order to make it Appearance
20
smoother. The chocolate sand also enhanced and 18
varied texture. The appearance and taste of the panna 16
14
cotta was the most outstanding. This was due to the 12
contrast in colours between the white panna cotta and Aroma 10 Taste
deep red coulis. The panna cotta was perfectly even
and had a smooth layer of coulis containing the
raspberry seeds for effect. The taste was greatly
Texture
enhanced with the addition of white chocolate to the
panna cotta. The sweet and sour coulis and chocolate sand toppings mixed to give a great flavour.

Nutritional analysis
The sweetness of the panna
cotta signifies that it is
overall and unhealthy dish.
It weighs 150g per portion,
each one containing 450
kcal which is 20% of
average calorie intake per
day in adults. Furthermore,
these calories are mainly
coming from saturated fats
(44g) and sugars (57g) which shows it’s a fattening dish and inappropriate for weight loss. However,
Italian desserts are normally high in sugar for sweetness which brings higher calories. However,
there is fibre present in the raspberry coulis. Overall it is a relatively unhealthy dish as it follows
Italian desert style and is low in vitamins and other nutritional content.

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Costing:

Ingredient Cost £ As it serves 2 portions, each portion results in £3.12.

Panna Cotta
100ml double cream 0.40 This is reasonably cheap for a dish of this sort. Agar
60ml milk 0.07 could’ve been used instead of gelatine to reduce
50g white chocolate 0.60
1 tbsp caster sugar 0.03
price although this would’ve reduced skill.
2 sheets gelatine 3.80
Raspberry Coulis
100g frozen raspberries 0.60
20g castor sugar 0.03
White Chocolate Sand
100g castor sugar 0.16
75ml water 0.10
40g white chocolate 0.45
Grand Total 6.24

Creative improvements:
 The texture could’ve been improved by adding less gelatine in order to obtain a jelly-like
wobble.
 The dish could’ve been placed onto a plate and served with a berry mix in order to improve
presentation.

Cannoli with crema pasticcera

To give the cannoli an appealing appearance I stacked two of the and piped
in some crema pasticcera the middle. I also sprinkled them with a hefty
amount of icing sugar and added a few curls of lemon zest for contrast of
colour. There is also a high skill in the dough of the cannoli with complex
moulding and frying. Egg wash was used to prevent the dough unsticking
when frying. The crema pasticcera was a reduced cream.

Sensory Testing
Taster 1 Taster 2 Taster 3 Taster 4 Total
Overall the cannoli and
crema pasticcera Appearance 4 5 5 4 18
scored very highly for Taste 4 4 5 3 16
all four categories. The Texture 4 4 5 5 18
highest and most
Aroma 3 5 4
Cannoli
4 16
popular aspects were
its appearance and texture. The cannoli were Appearance
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presented effectively with vibrant colours on a black 18
16
slate. Each one was leaning on each other with piped 14
12
Aroma 10 Taste

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Texture
cream and a sprinkle of icing sugar to give a professional look. This gave a sweet and appealing look
to the taste panel who enjoyed it. Furthermore, the texture of both the cream and the cannoli shells
were perfect. The cannoli were well cooked and dried bringing a delicate, crispy and crunchy
sensation of sweetness. The crema pasticcera was also reduced the perfect consistency making it
well piped. It was also blended smoothly without any lumps. The egg yolks in the cream did not
curdle as the milk was added slowly and carefully and constantly stirred whilst simmering. These
effects also enhanced taste although the dish was just a bit too sweet and may have needed more
lemon zest in the cream filling in order to enhance the lemon, sour flavour.

Nutritional analysis
The main outlier in the nutrition of the
cannoli was the high amount of fats and
carbohydrates present. A portion of the
amount shown would make up around
40% of the saturated fat and calorie
intake of the average adult in a day. This
shows that it could have bad effects on
people with diabetes or cholesterol
problems. However cannoli dough is
completely unique to Italian cooking as
well as the adapted crema pasticcera which goes perfectly with it. The fats and carbs may have come
the sugar, egg yolk and whole milk. Protein was present from the milk, eggs and flour although in
minority compared to the fats. The icing sugar used for presentation represents typical Italian
presentation.

Costing:
Ingredients Cost £
Shells The dish serves 2 people and so is
120g plain flour 0.10 also very cheap, only £1.54 per
1 tbsp granulated sugar 0.02
Pinch salt 0.01
portion.
30g butter 0.32
½ egg yolk 0.08
80ml dry white wine 0.38
Vegetable oil (deep frying) 1.20
Filling
4 egg yolks 0.32
120g caster sugar 0.30
2 tbsp plain flour 0.05
470ml milk 0.24
Lemon zest 0.05
Grand Total 3.07

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Creative improvements:
 The dish could’ve been served with a lemon gelato to add in extra skill, improve
presentation and add the flavour of the dish.
 The crema pasticcera could’ve been piped with a star shaped nozzle to make it more
sophisticated and improve appearance.

Final evaluation:
As you can see over the last few weeks I have been working on NEA2. For this task I had to ‘plan,
prepare, cook and present a range of dishes which were based on a European cuisine. I also had to
present three dishes.’

I have closely followed the marking criteria to ensure that I have met all the points from sections A-E
and I believe that I successfully met the task title and ended up producing 3 quality dishes that met
the needs of the task.

Bibliography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_cuisine
https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/italian-cuisine
http://travelforfoodhub.com/7-ingredients-traditional-italian-food/
https://jovinacooksitalian.com/2012/08/13/what-makes-italian-desserts-so-special/
https://www.tesco.com/
https://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ucm274593.htm

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