How The Opera Cooks

«Oh the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
Since we've no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…» 

Today it’s orthodox Xmas Day!!! Magic is here! Today I was singing Christmas songs with my choir in the White Temple (one of our local temple)! It’s a very special feeling when you sing such songs on this day! You become very happy and cheerful till the rest of the day! And it was snowing during the day, I was catching giant snowflakes with my hands…ooohhh…it was a real magical moment!!!

Anyway, I thought it would be cool to write a Xmas post today!

I’m sure that one of main elements of any holiday is food on the table, so I’d like to suggest a very good idea for opera-lovers!

My very close friend bought a book for me three months ago (Thanks to her again!!!). It is called «The Opera Cooks».  Who doesn’t know it’s a recipe-book in which you can learn how to cook favourite dishes of many operstars like Roberto Alagna, Natalie Dessay, Renee Fleming, Elina Garanca etc.

I’ve chosen, I think, the most Christmassy recipe from all of them and it’s Joyce DiDonato’s «Fabulous Cinnamon Rolls». I’ve adapted it a little bit to my taste. So here it is!

You need:

For dough:

• 4-5 cups flour
• 2 tsp dry yeast (to 1 ½ cups warm water)
• 100 g butter
• 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg

For filling:

• 150 g butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground nutmeg

Heat the milk... 

...add the butter and remove from fire. 

Add warm water...

...and the yeast

....to the milk

Stir in the egg. 

Add slowly flour and salt... 

...and knead the dough.

Cover with the cling film...

...and let it rest for 90 minutes

After 90 minutes....

Roll out the dough (1 cm/0,4 in thick). 

Mix butter,... 

  ...sugar,...

...ground cinnamon and nutmeg...

 ...to a smooth paste and coat the dough with it. 

Roll it starting at the broad side. 

Slice it and place the rolls in a ovenproof form.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) and bake the rolls for about 20 minutes. 

 Coat the rolls with powered sugar.

It’s just delicious! I prefer to eat it with tea or juice watching the new Met’s production of «Falstaff». This opera is full of joy, mystery and…food and it seems an ideal entertainment on Christmas!!!

 Bon Appetit!