Mascarpone and Nutella Heaven

I’m proud to be writing about an awesome find in Hoboken this past weekend.

Saturday morning began with a city view blocked by incredibly dense fog over the Hudson River and the sound of a large cruise ship repeatedly blaring its horn (to avoid running over smaller boats, I guess). Nevertheless, the weather forecast called for yet another unseasonably mild winter day (March 20th = first day of Spring). It was the perfect opportunity to transition my 4-mile race (Central Park, first ever race, April 29th) training regimen from the treadmill to the streets. The outdoor air was brisk, crisp and fresh. A great start to the weekend.

Later that day, the Mrs. and I decided to go for a stroll around town and grab a late lunch. One of our stops was Italmoda, our favorite tailor in Hoboken on 6th and Jefferson. It was along that route that we came across a corner BYOB pizza joint called Dozzino. Although technically a pizza restaurant, Dozzino is anything but a stereotypical Hoboken pizzeria. It’s not located on Washington Street and it does not sell pizza by the slice. Its charm, authenticity and minimalist decor drew us in. After sharing a bottle of prosecco and two pies (I ordered a plain pie while Tania ordered something spicy with meat), it was time for dessert – the best part of the meal (and inspiration for this post).

Dozzino had two items on their dessert menu: nutella ice cream and mascarpone/nutella crostini’s. The thought of cheese and dessert didn’t appeal to me so I went for the ice cream (which was delicious). That said, the crostini was even better! The unusual combination of mascarpone and sweet nutella along with a touch of salt created the perfect compliment of flavors and texture. You know that show on Food Network called “The Best Thing I Ever Ate”? This would be on there. It is that good.

By the time I got home, I was determined to recreate this sweet treat. How hard could it be; the name itself included two of the three ingredients. It didn’t take long to come across the exact recipe posted by the owner Marc in an NJ.com article.

Do yourself a favor and try this right now!! No bake dessert that will take you about 30 seconds to create. Serve as a crostini, on a cracker or any way you wish.

Recipe

Serving Size (up to you)

Estimated time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 parts mascarpone cheese
• 1 part nutella spread
• toasted sliced baguette or cracker

1. using a spoon, mix nutella and mascarpone in a bowl
2. spoon mixture onto a baguette or cracker
3. sprinkle with salt
4. serve immediately or store in fridge for a few minutes to make sure the cheese is not melted