Fish wrapped in Prosciutto with Pine Nut Sauce

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Truta com Presunto em Molho de Pinhoes

Trying to get more fish in your diet? Here’s an easy recipe with crispy prosciutto, tender fish, and a dash of rich pine nut sauce.

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It’s a salty, fragrant Portuguese classic.Wrapping the fish in a thin layer of prosciutto seals in the fish’s moist juices and enhances the flavour. The pine nut sauce adds a touch of decadence and is a great match for the salty fish and prosciutto. Grab a bottle of chilled, Vinho Verde and you’re in for a treat.

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From the north of Portugal (where it’s presunto thank you very much), this recipe is traditionally made with cold water fish, but I like it with any firm, white fish. Try rock fish, European sea bass or even salmon. Trout fillets, skinned and deboned, also work. My favourite is sea bass.

*Carla’s Tip*: Buy the freshest fish possible.The eyes of the fish should be completely clear, never cloudy or sunken.The flesh should be firm, spring back when touched, and smell fresh with no strong odour. Gills should be bright red.

Fish in Prosciutto

  • Servings: 1-2
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Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) olive oil (approx)
  • 1 1/2 lb (750 g) 1 whole fish, cleaned and trimmed
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh parsley
  • 3 to 4 thin slices of prosciutto
  • 1/2 lemon, sliced and cut into wedges (optional)

Pine Nut Sauce (optional)

  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) butter
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) pine nuts

Instructions

  1. Line a baking dish large enough to hold the fish with parchment paper. Grease with about 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil.
  2. Using a sharp knife, make 3 shallow diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch (6 mm) deep along both side of the fish. Season both sides and cavity with salt and pepper. Tuck half of the parsley into the diagonal cuts and the cavity of fish.
  3. Rub 1 Tbsp (15 mL) of olive oil around and inside of fish. Wrap prosciutto around the body of the fish; secure with toothpicks or butcher’s twine, to hold prosciutto in place. Place fish onto prepared baking dish and and pour about 1 Tbsp (15 mL) of oil over fish.
  4. Bake in a preheated 450F (230C) oven for 10 minutes per 1-inch (2.5 cm) thickness of fish.
  5. Halfway through cooking, carefully turn the fish over with a lifter and sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) of oil. Bake until the fish flakes easily when pierced with tip of sharp knife or fork and prosciutto is crispy.
  6. To make the pine nut sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil and butter just until the butter is melted. Add the pine nuts and cook until the pine nuts begin to brown, stirring frequently, about 1 to 2 minutes. Keep warm.
  7. Transfer the fish to a serving platter and, remove and discard the excess parsley (if desired) , and pour the warm pine nut sauce (if using) overtop, garnish with parsley and lemon slices (if desired

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Italian Apple Cake

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Torta di Mele

When my mother first arrived to Canada, over fifty years ago, olive oil was difficult to find and very expensive. As a result she substituted vegetable oil in most of her recipes. Not until olive oil became readily available in Canada did she reintroduce her much loved oil into her baking. Nothing beats the moist and tender results that olive oil imparts in this family favourite. Olive oil, common in Italy where this recipe comes from, adds an unexpected rich texture and flavour.

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Use regular olive oil in baking, higher grade, expensive cold pressed olive oil loses its healthy benefits during baking.

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Although apples are the easiest to use in this recipe (they’re available year-round), I often add plums, peaches and/or blueberries when they’re in season.

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If you’re feeling decadent, add a scoop of ice cream to your finished cake. Alternatively, you could blend mascarpone cheese (1/3 cup) with sugar (3 tbsp) and amaretto (2tbsp) to taste for an Italian touch.

*Carla’s tip*: Bring buttermilk and eggs to room temperature before baking for a consistency that will allow them to blend easier with other ingredients and will make a lighter cake. Use a variety of apples, easily found at your local grocer’s, for a contrast of  taste and flavour.

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Italian Apple Cake

  • Servings: 4-6
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Ingredients

  • 5  apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
  • 1 cup + 1/4 cup (310 mL) granulated sugar
  • Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon (approx)
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) olive oil
  • 3/4 cup (185 mL) buttermilk
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) almond or vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cup (435 mL) all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tsp (10 mL) baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
  • 4 eggs
  • Sifted icing sugar

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Instructions

  1. Grease and line a 11 x 7 inch baking dish with parchment paper. Combine the apples, 3 Tbsps (45 mL) sugar, lemon juice and zest, stir to combine and set aside.
  2. In a bowl, combine olive oil, buttermilk and almond extract. In a second bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a third bowl (last one, I promise!), beat  the eggs and 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar until the mixture thickens.
  3. Add both the flour mixture (bowl #2) and the oil mixture (bowl #1) to the egg batter (bowl #3). Add a little bit from each, alternating slowly to evenly mix everything.
  4. Pour half the batter into the baking pan. Top the batter with half the apple pieces. Add the remaining batter to this, and top everything with remaining apples.
  5. Sprinkle remaining 1 Tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar over top. Bake in preheated 325F (160C) oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.
  6. Let the cake cool in the baking pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan. Turn out the cake and remove the parchment paper.
  7. Serve warm or at room temperature with a dusting of icing sugar. Sweetened mascarpone topping or ice cream are optional

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Fragrant Warm Olive appetizer

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Recently a friend served these fragrant olives and other appetizers before dinner. Olive oil, herbs, and seasonings combined to give these olives a decadent punch of flavour. The dinner was great, but I would have been happy to eat these olives and bread all night!

The olives pair nicely with a variety of cheeses, charcuterie and other simple appetizers like roasted sweet peppers or tomato salad. It’s a simple, quick and delicious recipe that can be made ahead and reheated before guests arrive. Just don’t tell them it was so easy to make 😉

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You can increase the olive oil used in this recipe and serve with a few pieces of crusty bread that you can dip in the fragrant olive oil.

*Carla’s tip*: For a boost of flavour and colour use a wide variety of olives, found at your local grocery store.

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Warm Olives Appetizer

  • Servings: 4-6
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Ingredients

    • 1/4 cup (60 mL) olive oil
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 3 to 4 twigs of rosemary, loosely broken up
    • 3 to 4 twigs of thyme, loosely chopped
    • Peel from one orange
    • Peel from one lemon
    • 3 cups (750 mL) variety of olives
    • 2 to 3 chopped hot peppers

Garnish:

  • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) each of orange and lemon zest
  • 2 Tbsp (30 mL) each chopped rosemary and thyme

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Instructions

  1. In a skillet or saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and cook the garlic for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the garlic begins to turn golden brown.
  2. Add the rosemary, thyme, orange and lemon peel, continuing to cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until flavours are well combined.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat and add olives, stirring to distribute the flavourings with the olives. Return the pan to the stove and cook over medium-low heat for 10  minutes or until olives are warmed through.
  4. If you have time, cover the olives and set aside until ready to serve.
  5. Just before serving (heat olives if they have cooled) place olives in a serving dish and garnish with orange and lemon zest and chopped rosemary and thyme.

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Sweet Ricotta Cheesecake

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Pezza Dolce

Pezza Dolce means a piece of sweetness in Italian and is a tasty treat that comes from the Southern Italian city of Bari. This flour-less, gluten free ricotta cheesecake is a light and wholesome sweet snack that you can feel good about feeding family or friends. It’s a celebration of spring with simple ingredients: eggs and ricotta cheese. I like to serve it with fresh cherries or seasonal berries.

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This recipe came to Canada over 50 years ago with my friend Sarah’s mother. Sarah loves cooking and baking, and has been working to preserve her family’s recipes to share with a new generation.

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This ricotta cake is easy to make and works well with many flavours. I like to combine lemon peel and citric liqueur, such as Limoncello or Cointreau. If you’re going old school Italian, Sambuca and lemon peel are for you.

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Once you remove the cake from the oven, the puffy cheesecake will deflate while it cools. This is normal and will not affect the flavour.The cake tastes best slightly warm and on the same day you bake it.

*Carla’s Tip*: Bring all of the ingredients to room temperature to allow them to more easily mix uniformly and blend in to a creamy texture. Also, if you are unable to find extra smooth ricotta, press the ricotta through a ricer to make a creamy ricotta best suited for this recipe. Adjust the sugar to your taste.

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Ricotta Cheesecake

  • Servings: 6
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb (450 g) ricotta cheese, extra smooth
  • 2/3 cup (160 mL) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) milk or cream
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) Flavoured Liqueur, such as Sambuca or Cointreau
  • Finely grated zest from a small lemon
  • 1 Tbsp (15mL) ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Lightly grease a 9-inch (23 cm) pie plate or baking dish and set aside. Preheat oven at 350F.
  2. In a large bowl combine the ricotta with sugar and milk, until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and ensuring that eggs are well incorporated into ricotta. Add the Liqueur and lemon zest to batter; mix well until smooth.
  3. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie plate. Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly over the cake (as desired).
  4. Place foil loosely over top the dish (tent style) and place in the centre of the oven for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes.  The cake is ready when it no longer jiggles in the centre.
  5. Begin checking cake after 75 minutes of baking time, as each oven varies slightly. Remove cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. If desired serve with a variety of sliced berries.

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Stuffed Artichokes

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Carciofi Ripieni

Stuffed artichokes were an early Spring staple in my house growing up. My mom cooked them in a flavourful broth with seasonal peas or fava beans. They’re stuffed with my egg and cheese recipe, an old favourite (see Pallotte cacio e uova).

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The hardest part of this recipe is preparing the artichokes. The recipe below provides helpful, straightforward instructions. Don’t be afraid to pull back as many of the other leaves of the artichokes and cut off any prickly leaf tips. You will be rewarded with beautiful green/yellow tender artichokes that can be cooked stuffed in this recipe or plain if you prefer. Buy a few extra, while they are in season, and cook and store them in your refrigeration ready to accompany any meal as a side dish or add them to your salad.

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The large and medium size artichokes you are seeing in the markets at this time are arriving from California. Ontario artichokes will arrive later in the year, closer to the fall.

*Carla’s tip: Artichoke leaves brown quickly once you start trimming them. Rub artichokes with half of a cut lemon periodically and place them in water with lemon juice while preparing them for this recipe. Also, prepare the stuffing and broth before cleaning the artichokes, to reduce the time that the artichokes might be sitting around and browning.

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Stuffed Artichokes

  • Servings: 4
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 slice French or Italian bread, (about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick) torn into  pieces
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL)  whole milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup ( 125 mL) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh or lightly toasted, breadcrumbs
  • 2 Tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 4 cups (1 L) vegetable, chicken stock or water
  • 2 Tbsps (30 mL) olive oil
  • 1/4 bunch of fresh parsley sprigs
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and whole
  • 2 Tbsps (30 mL) white wine (optional)
  • 4 medium artichokes, rinsed
  • 1 large lemon, cut in half
  • Salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions

  1. In a small bowl toss the torn bread with the milk and set aside for about 5 minutes. Using your hands, squeeze some of the milk from the bread (the bread should be somewhat soggy), reserve the milk. Set aside.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs in a large bowl with a fork.  Add the cheese, breadcrumbs and milk bread to eggs, one at a time, stirring between additions.  Batter should be light and creamy, add about 1 to 2 Tbsps (15 to 30 mL) reserved milk to make a moist, but not soupy, batter (the mixture should stick together when you form a ball). Stir in the  parsley, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Loosely cover and set aside for 20 minutes in refrigerator or until ready to stuff artichokes.
  3. In a 2 or 3 quart saucepan, or a saucepan that will tightly fit 4 stuffed artichokes sitting upright (you would like them to remain upright so that the stuffing does not fall out), place stock, oil, parsley, garlic, white wine (if using) and salt and pepper to taste, cover, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low maintaining a low boil.
  4. Using a serrated knife, cut about 1-inch from top of artichoke and remove the stem so that artichoke will stand up. With cooking scissors, remove pointy thorns/spikes of artichokes. Remove and discard as much of the outer tough leaves of artichokes until you get to the thin, yellow-green inner leaves.
  5. Gently spread out the outer leaves of the artichokes until you get to the centre, remove the centre leaves from the artichokes in addition to silky layer at the bottom of artichoke, where it meets the heart. This should make a space to place stuffing.
  6. Using a spoon, press about 1/4 of the breadcrumb stuffing into each artichoke. Off of the heat, place artichokes with stuffing facing upwards, in saucepan with stock. If stock has reduced, add up to an additional 1 cup (250 mL) of water or add enough water so that liquids reach 3/4 way up artichokes (this will help reduce darkening of outer leaves and tenderize artichokes further). Return saucepan to heat and partially cover, simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until hearts are fork-tender. Transfer artichokes to a serving dish, ladle broth over top.

 

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Tomato Salad

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Insalata di Pomodoro

There’s something about a simple, yet delicious meal that appeals to me. You don’t need fancy or exotic ingredients to enjoy dinner. You’d be surprised what you can do with a few high quality ingredients.

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Stock up on good, cold-press olive oil. With fresh garlic and a few dried herbs on hand, you can whip a salad like this up in no time.

Last week, my Zia Concetta shared her Almond cookies, a 3-ingredient treat. She’s back this week with an Italian classic and shares her secret: dried oregano. She gently rubs it before tossing it over the tomatoes, for added flavour.

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Oregano is an important herb in the Molise mountain village, where my family grew up. The whole town helps forage for it in the summer, and dries it to be used year-round. Molise oregano is more bold than its Greek and Mexican counterparts. I like to use it with some garlic in my marinade when grilling meats.

*Chef tip*: This tomato salad explodes with flavour if made a few hours before serving. Add all of the seasonings to tomatoes and mix, set aside up to 2 hours beforehand. Just before serving toss, taste again and adjust seasonings if necessary.

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Tomato Salad

  • Servings: 1-2
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Ingredients

  • 3 large tomatoes or a variety of different size and type of ripe tomatoes (about 2 cups/500 mL), coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 sweet banana pepper, chopped coarsely
  • Coarse salt, to taste
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) dried oregano (approx)
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) cold pressed olive oil
  • 2 to 3 fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
  • 1 loaf of crusty bread, (optional)
  • 2 to 3 bocconcini or 1 Burrata cheese, (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a large serving bowl add the tomatoes and banana pepper. Sprinkle garlic and oregano, mix well. Add oil and basil. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and herbs if necessary.
  2. Can be served immediately, or, if time allows, cover loosely and set aside in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
  3. Just before serving, toss and adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with a loaf of crusty bread to soak up the tomato juices.

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Almond Cookies

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Biscotti alle Mandorle

Italians are fond of celebrating with homemade cookies, especially almond-flavoured. Baptisms, communions, graduations and wedding showers wouldn’t be the same without them. More than just a tasty treat at the end of a huge meal, preparing cookies is a chance for the whole family to come together. Moms, aunts, and grandmothers work together shelling almonds and catching up on family news.

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This weekend, I was lucky enough to be a part of my cousin’s child’s  first communion. As a result, my aunt and other relatives made several batches of their best cookies to celebrate. We were all full after dinner, so the cookies were sent home in individual packets with guests.

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The following almond cookie recipe is for a slightly crispy almond cookie with a chewy interior, which pairs nicely with a espresso or a glass of almond liqueur. Mostly, I like them because they use only a few, simple ingredients: ground almonds, eggs and sugar. Perfect for your gluten free friends and family.

*Chef’s tip* In this recipe, the skin is kept on the almonds, for flavour and colour. If you wish to shell your own almonds, don’t over grind them, as the processor will bring out the almond’s oil and make for a moister batter. The secret is to grind small batches of almonds at a time and refrigerate almonds beforehand. My aunt’s almonds are of a thicker consistency than the almond meal available at the grocery store. The finer almonds makes for a denser cookie that is equally as flavourful.

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Almond Cookies

  • Servings: approx 30 cookies
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Ingredients

    • 2 eggs
    • 3/4 cup (185 mL)granulated sugar
    • 2 3/4 cup (685 mL) ground almonds

Almond and Sugar topping:

  • 1 cup (250 mL) coarsely ground almonds
  • 3 Tbsps (45 mL) granulated sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C)
  2. THE BATTER: In a bowl, using an electric mixer or a wooden spoon, beat together the eggs and sugar for about 1 or 2 minutes or until pale and sugar is dissolved. Gradually add the ground almonds to the egg batter until combined and soft dough is formed.
  3. THE ALMOND-SUGAR TOPPING: In a separate bowl, blend coarsely ground almonds and sugar
  4. Using well-greased hands, shape approximately 1 Tbsp (15 mL) of the batter into logs.
  5. Roll each log into the almond and sugar topping. Place onto a greased baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) between cookies.
  6. Bake on the middle rack at 350F (175C) for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges of the cookies are golden brown.
  7. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Store in a cookie tin to keep them crisp for up to one week.

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Roasted Red Peppers

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Peperoni Arrostiti

Roasting peppers has always been a family affair in my house. For a day or two in the Fall we all worked together. My father barbecued about 2 bushels full, my siblings and I peeled and my mom portion the peppers for freezing.Throughout the year, mom would dip into our pepper reserves, making some of my favourite meals.

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To this day I consider red peppers my go-to snack, often served as an appetizer-style meal. Recently, I ate peppers with creamy  cheese, thinly sliced prosciutto, olives and a tin of smoked oysters.

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The secret to perfect roasted red peppers is to set the peppers in a tight container, such as a bag or covered bowl, once they’re cooked. They will steam and the skin will peel off much easier.

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Roasted Red Peppers

  • Servings: 2 appetizers
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb (500g) red bell peppers, rinsed and dried (about 4 large)
  • 2 Tbsp  (30 mL) olive oil (approximately)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Rinse red peppers, pat dry, and place them on a baking sheet.
  2. Broil about 4 inches from the heat until the skin blackens in parts and the peppers are tender– about 30 to 40 minutes– turning with tongs 2 to 3 times until peppers evenly browned.
  3. Transfer peppers to a paper/plastic bag or a bowl and seal/cover them. Leave for about 30 minutes.
  4. When cool enough to handle, scrape off the skin with a knife and seed. Cut peppers into thin slices, about 1/2 inch strips. Place them into a bowl and toss with about 2Tbsp (30 mL) of the olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Can be served immediately as-is or refrigerated and enjoyed later. Warm up (if desired) and toss before using.

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Mom’s Tomato Sauce

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Sugo di pomodoro

My mom’s tomato sauce tastes like comfort and love. Each time I visit, she’s quick to start the sauce simmering. Soon the air is heavy with the sweet smell of garlic, basil, and tomatoes and I can finally relax. It’s the scent of my childhood, an escape from my everyday worries.

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She’s been refining and improving her sauce for longer than I’ve been alive. In all that time she hasn’t forgotten what’s most important: quality ingredients. Tomatoes are key and she cans her own each Fall. That’s a story for another blog post, but thankfully there are good quality canned tomatoes available in grocery stores. And don’t skimp on olive oil while you’re there!

This recipe is for her everyday tomato sauce (delicious in its own right), but on Sundays she makes a special sauce. Soffritto, a mix of diced celery, carrot, and onion, is added to saute with the garlic for more flavour. She’ll also add meat and her Braciole di vitello al sugo for a real treat.

The dash of baking soda is added at the end to correct for acidity. Mom insists that even the sweetest tomatoes have some acidity.

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Mom's Tomato Sauce

  • Servings: 4
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Ingredients

  • 1 can (28 oz/796 mL) tomatoes
  • 3 Tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 4 to 5 sprigs of fresh basil or 1 tsp (5 mL) dried basil or oregano
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) tomato paste
  • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
  • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) baking soda (optional)

Instructions

  1. Puree whole tomatoes in a blender or food mill.
  2. In a 2 or 3 quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Cook the garlic for 3-5 minutes, until golden all over. Add the pureed tomatoes and basil, cook partially covered, for about 20 minutes. Stir frequently and adjust heat to prevent burning. Sauce will be reduced and thickened.
  3. Add tomato paste, salt and pepper, stirring after each addition. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, when the sauce begins to splatter add about 1 cup (250 mL) water. Return to a boil and reduce heat to maintain sauce at a low boil, cook for about 15  to 20 minutes further. Stir every few minutes or as needed.
  4. Add up to 1 cup (250 mL), additional water, to sauce. During cooking, water will evaporate and sauce will thicken. Simmer to desired consistency. If using, add baking soda to sauce and mix well, cook for 3 to 5 minutes further. Taste sauce and add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside for 30 minutes before serving over pasta noodles, if desired. Can be used immediately. Refrigerate for about 3 to 4 days or freeze for future use.

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Orange Cake

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My friend Serilia spends a few months each year among her family’s 7,000 orange trees, so you can understand why I was excited to taste her orange cake. Serilia knows her oranges and her cake was intense in colour and flavour.

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She shared her secrets, and with a bit of tweaking, it’s a simple dessert with a punch of citrus to help you celebrate spring in style.

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Oranges are high in vitamins, help lower cholesterol and have strong anti-inflammatory properties. Most of that comes from the peel and white pulp of the orange. More reason to use and eat whole oranges whenever you can.

Look for thin skinned, meaty oranges for best results.

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For an adult version, replace some of the orange juice with orange liqueur, Cointreau or Grand Marnier.

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Orange Cake

  • Servings: 6-8
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Ingredients

  • 2 oranges, about 1 lb (500 g), ends trimmed
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
  • 4 tsp (20 mL) baking powder
  • Icing sugar (optional)

Sunshine Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup  (60 mL) fresh lemon juice
  • 3 Tbsp (45 mL) fresh orange juice

Instructions

  1. Quarter the oranges and remove seeds. Transfer orange pieces to a food processor, add oil and eggs and process until smooth and light coloured.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar and baking powder.
  3. Pour the orange batter over the flour mixture in mixing bowl and stir until well combined and smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 9 x 13 inch, baking pan. Bake in 375F (190C) oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean and the cake is firm to a light touch. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.  If using, dust the serving dish with icing sugar. Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan and turn the cake onto the serving dish.
  4. To make the sunshine sauce: Bring the sugar, lemon and orange juices to boil over medium-high heat in a small heavy saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the syrup thickens and reduces. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
  5. Using the back of a wooden spoon, make holes in the top of the cake. Drizzle the sauce over-top and set aside for 30 minutes or until the cake soaks up the sauce. Serve.

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