“Nomen nominis” you have to climb on the hills above Merano to find, among vineyards, woods and apple orchards, a seventeenth-century castle, part of an older structure, from the fourteenth century. And here we find it Preciousone of the two restaurants of what has become the charming hotel, Castel Fragsburg.
You dine in the glass loggia or in the gourmet lounge on the wooden terrace, with a breathtaking view of Merano and the mountains that surround it. The cuisine is managed by chef Egon Heiss, who after a long international experience has returned to his places; and offers creative cuisine linked to its territory: from game to freshwater fish and mushrooms. Among other things, many of the products come from the Fragsburg Soul Garden, the Castle’s “vegetable garden”. Prezioso has one Michelin star and one Michelin Green star.
Here are two recipes:
Caramelized Kaiserschmarrn with glazed apple pearls
Ingredients
For the Kaiserschmarrn
• 75 g of flour
• 50 ml of whole milk
• 50 ml of fresh cream
• 3 egg yolks
• grated orange zest
• grated lemon zest
• 1 vanilla knife tip
• 1 knife tip of ground cinnamon
• 1 dash of dark rum
• a few toasted flaked almonds
• a few rum raisins
• 3 egg whites
• 20 g of sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
For the apple pearls
• 1 Granny Smith apple
• 1 drop of white wine
• 1 drop of Calvados
• a little vanilla bean / vanilla extract
• 100 g of granulated sugar
Caramelized Kaiserschmarrn with glazed apple pearls by Prezioso.
Preparation
Sift the flour and mix it with the milk and cream until a smooth and homogeneous mixture is obtained. Flavor with vanilla, cinnamon, rum, lemon zest and orange zest. Finally, incorporate the egg yolks.
Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and sugar until you obtain a soft and stable consistency. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the Kaiserschmarrn mixture.
Heat a medium-sized steel pan with a little sunflower oil. Pour the mixture into the pan and spread the toasted almonds and rum raisins on top.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C with top heat for approximately 10–12 minutes.
In the meantime, cut out small apple spheres using an apple corer.
Slowly caramelize the sugar in a pan, deglaze with white wine and Calvados and delicately glaze the apple pearls in the caramel.
When the Kaiserschmarrn is cooked, remove it from the oven and divide it into irregular pieces with the help of two spoons.
In another pan, prepare a light caramel and generously sauté the Kaiserschmarrn pieces until they are shiny and caramelized.
Serve with icing sugar and glazed apple pearls.
Chef’s tip: «I love to accompany this dessert with cranberry jam and vanilla ice cream»
Gourmet Precious Hannes Niederkofler
Tortelloni filled with mountain cheese fondue, spinach cream and white truffle
Recipe for 6 people
Fresh egg pasta for tortelli
Ingredients
• 125 g of flour
• 125 g of durum wheat semolina
• 1 whole egg
• 100 g egg yolks (4-5 medium eggs)
• 10 g of extra virgin olive oil
Preparation
Mix the flours and arrange them in a fountain. Add an egg, the egg yolks and the extra virgin olive oil.
Work the dough carefully until you obtain a solid and elastic dough. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before using.
This dough is particularly versatile and is ideal for both filled pasta and more structured pastries.
Tortelloni filled with mountain cheese fondue, spinach cream and white truffle
For the filling
Alpine cheese fondue
Ingredients
• 200 g of milk
• 100 g of cream
• salt to taste
• nutmeg to taste
• 30 g of flour
• 30 g of butter
• 20 g of Parmigiano Reggiano aged 24 months
• 30 g of mountain cheese aged 6 – 8 months (Alto Adige cheese)
• a few drops of walnut oil
• a little grated lemon zest
• 20 g of egg yolk
• Flakes of white truffle to taste
Preparation
Prepare a delicate base of butter and flour, then gradually add the milk and cream, cook for 8 minutes, stirring constantly until a smooth, velvety consistency is achieved.
Season with salt and nutmeg. Then add the Parmigiano Reggiano and the mountain cheese, letting them melt delicately in the cream. Refine with a few drops of walnut oil, grated lemon zest and finally incorporate the egg yolk. Blend carefully until you obtain a creamy and elegant fondue. Cool; put the mixture in a pastry bag.
For the cream to serve
Spinach cream
Ingredients
• 200 g of clean, washed and dried leaf spinach
• 2 shallots peeled and cut into strips
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and cut into slices
• 20 g of extra virgin olive oil
• 40 g of butter
• 80 g of cream
• Salt to taste
• nutmeg to taste
Set table for dinner in the diningroom of Relais & Chateaux Castel Fragsburg
Preparation
Gently fry the shallots and garlic in the extra virgin olive oil and butter until translucent.
Add the spinach and increase the temperature slightly. Season with salt and nutmeg.
Add the cream and leave to cook briefly. Pass the mixture through a sieve and then blend it at high speed until you obtain a smooth and velvety cream. Cool immediately.
If desired, finish with a little semi-whipped cream.
Plating
Heat the spinach cream and finish it with half a spoonful of whipped cream. Meanwhile, cook the tortelli for 1.5–2 minutes. Arrange the spinach cream on the plate, place the tortelli and add some grated white truffle.
Precious
Fragsburg 3 – Merano BZ
Tel.: 0473 244071
fragsburg.com