Mascarpone is a sinfully good cheese that, when fresh, is amazing just by itself, generously slathered on a piece of good bread. In specialty delis in Italy, such as Pecks in Milan or Tamburini in Bologna, it is displayed in decadent swirling mountains, like pristine white-capped peaks after a heavy snowfall. Fresh mascarpone barely lasts two or three days, but the packaged kind that is available in the States has a much longer shelf life and is fine when used in dishes such as this one and