Cuisine...NORTHERN CUISINE
CENTRAL ITALY
SOUTHERN AND THE ISLANDS
LINKSHISTORY OF ITALIAN COOKING
In 1533 Catherine di Medici journeyed from Florence to France to marry King Henri 11. France was still in the dark ages as far as the art of cooking was concerned, and Catherine took with her own chefs and pastry cooks who knew how to make ices, cakes and cream puffs. Marie di Medidi followed in her footsteps in 1600 to become the bride of Henri IV. The Florentines were responsible for introducing haricot beans, petit Lois, broccoli, artichokes and savoy cabbage to the French, and they also educated them in the culinary skills that were soon to make their own cuisine great and renowned the world over.
By the 16th century the French had become so advanced in the art of cooking that chefs from the French court were sent back to Venice to demonstrate their skills. The Venetians were not impressed. "French cooks have ruined the Venetian stomach," wrote Gerolamo Zanetti, "with so much sauces, broths, extracts, garlic and onion in every dish.....meat and fish transformed to such a point that they are scarcely recognizable by the time they get to the table... everything is mashed and mixed up with a hundred herbs, spices, sauces.... " Though the author was a biased (Venetian) observer writing some 400 years ago, his comment serves to underline the major differences between present-day Italian and French cooking. For while French cuisine tends to be elaborate and subtle, that of Italy is bold, simple and direct. Respect for local tradition is very much part of Italian cooking today. It is not just influence from abroad that is resisted, but influence from other regions of Italy, and it is this that makes Italian cooking so varied and unique.
Venetian
Venetian cuisine is known for its variety of dishes and ingredients. This can only be expected in a lagoon city which, though born of its own waters, has always maintained close ties with the mainland as well as flourishing trade routes with many faraway countries, from northern Europe to the far East. Thus, you find not only the dried baltic cod and the exquisite Asian spices, but also the genuine if perhaps more modest fresh vegetahles from the estuary islands, fish from the Venice lagoon and game fowl captured in the "barene", or shallows. A visit to Venice offers an opportunity to discover a fascinating gastronomic tradition, a chance to venture down unfamiliar culinary roads often overshadowed hy wide-spread fastfood consumption. Traditional Venetian recipes:
BACCALA' MANTECATO (Creamed Cod) Dried cod, or more properly "stockfish", came from North in exchange for spices and has always been a major part of Venetian cuisine. It can be prepared in many ways besides the following, which is perhaps the most popular. In a large container, cover dried cod with water; and leave to soak for 48 hours, changing the water periodically. Boil for 2-3 minutes in salted water. Divide into very small pieces, including the skin and the bit of intestinal membrane found inside. Put these pieces into a churn (or Cuisinart with appropriate attachment) and beat together with a quarter of their weight in olive oil or, if preferred, vegetable oil - to be added very slowly, a littie bit at a time. Churn until eveything is reduced to a sort of delicate cream, add salt and pepper to taste and flavour with a very little finely chopped garlic. The amount of oil can be increased if necessary. Some people add a bit of the cooking broth and/or a bit of hot milk to make creamier.
BIGOLI IN SALSA (Wholemeal pasta in anchovy sauce) "Bigoli in salsa" is the traditional dish for days of fasting: Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Slice two large onions and clean 70g. of salted sardines or anchovies, washing them carefully and leaving them to soak for a while. Lightly fry the onions and the sardines, cut to pieces, in 100 ml. of olive oil, first over high flame without a lid and then, when the onions turn golden, add two spoonfuls of water to halt the cooking, cover and leave over a very low fire until the onions are completely soft like tender golden fillets. Cook the pasta until it is "al dente" and season with the sauce, adding a pinch of freshly milled pepper. There are many variations of this dish whose traditional recipe is the one here: you can add garlic, or use tuna fish instead of the sardines.
MAZORO A LA VALESANA (Wild Duck) Pluck, draw and cut into fourths a "mazoro" (wild duck), preferably a hen, after leaving it to hang for three days. The evening before cooking, soak it in wine with thyme, marjoram, rosemary, bayleaves and a drop of vinegar. The next morning put it in a terracotta pot with olive oil and garlic and roast on high flame until half cooked. In a separate pan lightly fry some onion and celery and bayleaves and add 4 salted sardines (rinsed) and 15 g. of pickled capers. Add the pieces of duck, salt, pepper and cover with white wine and broth. Cover and finish cooking on medium/low heat for about 1, 1/2 hours, adding frequently cold broth. Serve with hot grilled polenta.
FEGATO ALLA VENEZIANA (Venetian style liver) This dish is as famous throughout the world as it is easy to prepare. Venetians correct the rather bitter aftertaste of the liver by adding a sweetening ingredient: the onions. A very old custom, if it is true that the Romans prepared it ficatum, that is with figs, from which comes the very name of 'fegato". Cut half a kilo of calves' liver into thin, not very long strips. Finely slice two large onions, cover and cook slowly in oil and butter until golden. Remove from heat and leave to cool slightly. Add the liver and replace on the fire. After two or three minutes, stir and leave to cook for another couple of minutes. Add salt to taste. Serve the liver with slices of grilled polenta.
RISI E BISI (Rice and Peas) This is the most famous Venetian soup. The Doge used to eat it - observing a strict ccrimonial - on the feast-day of St. Mark, Venice's patron saint. Lightly fry some onion and half a clove of garlic in oil and butter. When the onion turns golden, add a generous quantity of peas and some broth, and let cook for about 10 minutes. Then add a handful of rice per person, mix very well, and completely cover with good broth. Let cook over moderate flame for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more broth Iif ecessary. Toward the end of cooking time, add salt and pepper to taste, a hit of butter and generous spoonful of fresh parmesan cheese. This "soup" should actually have a quite dense consistency. Fresh, just-shelled peas are recommended.
PASTA E FAGIOLI (Pasta and Bean Soup) Originally a country dish, it is now a very popular Venetian dish. Use freshly shelled Lamon or Borlottini ("Baete" beans from S. Erasmo would be especially nice) beans or dried beans left to soak overnight with a pinch of bicarbonate. Prepare a finely chopped mixture of onion, carrot, celery, rosemary, bayleaf and bacon, and sautie lightly. Add beans (if using dried beans, rinse well and drain water) and a hambone, cover well with water and add rock salt to taste. Boil for about 40 minutes. Separate 1/3 of the beans and pass through a food mill, then put back into the soup. Add small quantities of pasta to the soup, preferably "subiotini" or "tagliatelle", and let cook as necessary Serve hot or warm with freshly milled pepper and a dash of virgin olive oil. It is not correct to add Parmesan cheese but many people like it. The final addition of chopped parsley and garlic-flavoured oil can also be agreeable.
RISOTTO DE GO (Goby Risotto) The best time to enjoy this very tasty dish is late autumn through winter when fishermen go out during low tide to the "barene" (shallows), easily flnd the holes the gobies dig in the mud, and capture tens of kilos in a matter of minutes. Capture and not just fish because their technique is to sbove their arms through the two entrances to the tunnels the gobies have dug in the mud, and grab whole families with their bare hands. The goby is not a particularly prized fish: when it is very young it is used under the name of "maciarella"for catching the more prized fish, the sea bass, but when fully grown it provides us with the "risotto of kings". The recipe is simple even though somewhat laborious: take five or six large, gutted and scaled gobies and boil them with onion, celery, garlic and green peppercorns for about an hour and a half. Remove the flavouring vegetables, finely strain the court-bouillon (we recommend using cheese cloth, squeezing it to filter the fish stock). Lightly fry the rice in olive oil with garlic and two slices of fresh ginger then add the goby stock a little at a time. When it is almost cooked, add a spoonful of brandy and, before serving, sprinkle with chopped parsley.
SEPPIE COL NERO (Cuttlefish in their ink) During the summer the lamp-lights of the fishermen catching cuttlefish are easily visible along the shores. There are many ways to cook this very popular fish, this is certainly the most traditional recipe. Carefully clean a kilo of cuttlefish, removing the beak, the bone, the outer skin and the bag of ink which you will put aside. If the cuttlefish are small, leave them whole otherwise cut them into rather large strips. Sautie 2 cloves of garlic and a bayleaf in olive oil until golden. Add the cuttlefish letting them brown slightly. Add a little white wine then let it reduce completely. At this point add 2 spoonfuls of tomato sauce and the little ink bags (previously diluted in a spoonful of oil and broth). Add salt and pepper, cover and let simmer for about 45 minutes, checking periodically to make sure it doesn'tget too dry. Serve with hot soft polenta, and sprinkle with parsley.
BISATO SU L'ARA (Eel cooked in bayleaves) This is one of the oldest Venetian recipes, and to be more exact a specialty of Murano where it was cooked on the red-hot furnace stones. Open and clean eel and make two parallel cuts (one on each side with a distance between the two of 6-7 cm). Cover the bottom of a large pot (preferably of terracotta) with bayleaves and arrange the eel on top, circling it around itself. Season with salt and peppercorns and cover with another layer of bayleaves. Let cook, adding nothing else, as the eel meat will cook in its own fat. Tradition has it that it should be cooked over hot coals in the glass furnaces, but alternatively you can use a high oven for about 25 minutes.
SARDINE IN "SAOR" (Sardines with onion marinade) A seafaring civilization always comes up with recipes whose main aim is to conserve food for a long time. This is the case of the "saor", a small gastronomical masterpiece. Fry the sardines in the normal way (eel and sole are also excellent). In extra-virgin olive oil soften a quantity of sweet white onions equal to half the weight of the fish. The onions must be cut very finely and end up as sweet soft golden strips. If necessary, add a bit of fish stock or water during cooking. Now add the vinegar to taste. Piace the fish on the bottom of an earthenware bowl, cover with part of onion, oil and vinegar mixture, make another layer of fish and another of the onion mixture. Cover with all the liquid. Leave in a cool piace for at least two days before serving. The old recipe included pine-nuts and sultanas (raisins) pre-soaked in wine and each layer was sprinkled with a pinch of spices.
MOLECHE FRITE (Fried Soft-shelled Crabs) "Moleche" is the name given to crabs when they are changing their shells which, at this time, are so soft they can be eaten whole. Beat 2-3 eggs and adda pinch of salt. Soak the "moleche" in the beaten eggs (in Murano the claws are removed, in Venice they are eaten as well) and wait until they have absorbed all the egg. Cover in flour and fry in an iron pan filled with boiling (1700 C) peanut or olive oil.
GOLOSESSI (Assorted sweet biscuits) There is no better way to finish a typical Venetian dinner than with a good plate of 'golosessi", delicious small biscuits to be dunked in malvasia or in zabaglione - the Venetian zabaglione made with egg, white wine, sugar and lemon -. Bussolai from Burano (the sweet ones, not the savoury ones which are typical of San Pietro in Volta), "baicoli", "zaeti" made with corn meal and, at Carnival, the 'frittelle" (a sort of doughnut) which you can make using this recipe. Put 30g. of yeast in a cup, dissolve in tepid water and mix with a handful of white flour. Cover with a serviette and leave in a warm place. When the mixture starts to rise, add 100 g. of sultanas, 100 g. of mixed rinds, 100 g. of pine-nuts, a small glass of grappa, and stir well. Gradually add 800 g. of flour. Cover, leave in a warm place to rise for a few hours. Heat plenty of vegetable oil and throw in spoonfuls of the mixture and cook until golden. Sprinkle with sugar before serving.
TRENTINO
The fact that the local population lived in conditions of extreme poverty meant that the typical dishes of Trentino became very uniform and substantial in character. In some secluded valleys, this archaic flavour has been preserved in certain recipes, which are still in use in farm kitchens open to the public.
In the Noce valleys for example, the main condiment was butter, however once linseed oil was not frowned upon, the plant used to produce textile fibres. Pork was the most respected meat bred in the "tres" of the farmstead: the "lucaniche" and the "l'osocr", especially if smoked, conserved at length the secret flavour which the family butcher had given them. Lamb's meat and tripe were very popular. Tripe was cleaned, the fat removed, and then boiled for several hours. It was eaten with a soup made from home grown vegetables and flavoured with oil and onion. The meal was served almost always with polenta which was a meal in itself in the "monchi" recipe: spoonfuls of "polenta" were put on a plate, similar to large "gnocchi", sprinkled with grated cheese and flavoured with melted butter and sage. Another tasty dish was "polenta rostida", slices or pieces of polenta reheated in pig's fat, with cheese and chopped potato. Bread was made from rye flour and was baked in the village oven by the women four times a year and was then stored in a dry place on wooden racks. Important dishes were "menestra dei frigoloti": "minestra da orzi" with pig or mutton bones added, gnocchi "de comhde" (mountain spinach), potato and garlic soup: milk was the main ingredient.
For breakfast it was common to eat fried potatoes with "ciciole", the leftovers of pork fat dripping, or with lard; for lunch or dinner, after a bowl of "menestra da orzi" (barley soup), "torta de patate cruve" (potato cake) was served (finely chopped potato was put into a copper plated pot, with a pinch of salt and a spoonful of white flour and pig's fat was added; it was then placed in a very hot oven for about three quarters of an hour, until the dough started to turn golden). At the farmstead, in the winter evenings, grannies used to prepare for their grandchildren an imported German dish called "smorm" (omelettes made with flour and eggs, cut up into small pieces and sprinkled with sugar). When the cow had calved, the calf's first milk was used to make a cake called "de colostro", when a pig was slaughtered, a special cake was made in preparation for the harsh seasons: the "torta de sangue" (blood cake). The "torta de lev`" was eaten on Sundays: fermented yeast was added at two different intervals to white flour, some eggs, a knob of butter; after mixing together it would be left to stand and then placed in the oven until cooked.
In Valle del Fersina, situated in the east of Trentino, where a language of German origin is still spoken today, "mocheno", "kropfen" and "strrboi" are very common. These cakes have a particular flavour and are eaten during holidays and local village feasts. The basic ingredients are eggs, milk, sugar, beer, flour, grappa and yeast but the secret lies in being able to pour the dough through a funnel into a frying pan of hot oil. The "mochen" women are capable of creating a sort of circular net of mixture which when cooked is sprinkled with icing sugar. In Valle di Fiemme "canochi", typical ravioli of the Alpine area have a fundamental ingredient, potato filling, which acts as an absorbent. They were the main dish during holidays, and even though they didn't constitute a very substantial meal they took time to prepare and the women farm workers had more time available during their days off. The filling is made with potato, cheese (usually "Puzzone di Moena" or "Nostrano di Cavalese", nutmeg and chives. This is rolled into dough cut into rounds and folded in half moon shapes. After cooking in boiling salted water, parmesan cheese, melted butter and sage, and a sprinkling of poppy seed, can be added. The "minestra de orzit" is still eaten today in Valsugana, made with vegetables and barley. Tarts with blackberries, bilberries or raspberries, picked from the woods in the area, make some of the best desserts.
PIEDMONTE
The Piedmontese concern themselves with the pleasures of the table and the full enjoyment of eating. The most obvious illustration of this is the recipe for bollito, one of the traditional dishes of the region. It is substantial and rich, designed to fill both the heart and stomach. Its secret lies in the number of different meats it combines - turkey, beef, pork, veal, chicken and goose; and in the variety of vegetables - cabbage, potatoes, onions and lentils; in the quality of the sauces - mustard, green sauce, pickles, must (grape juice) sauce; and in the preparation time, which is at least four hours.
The search for happiness through food is demonstrated by listing the ingredients in some Piedmontese dishes. What could be richer than a fonduta? It is thick cream, made by mixing cheese with butter, eggs and milk, which is served simmering, sprinkled with paper-thin slices of white truffle. White truffles were a favourite of the Emperor Claudius in ancient Rome, of Madame Pompadour in Paris, and of Marilyn Monroe. The gastronomic philosopher Brillat-Savarin maintained that these "diamonds of the kitchen" made "women more tender and men more amiable". There is no doubt that the joys of Piedmontese cuisine belong to winter, or at least autumn. This is evident from the ingredients, the preparation times and Piedmontese dining habits: the people enjoy being at home, sitting in the warmth of friends before a piping hot meal, while outside it is freezing.
The cuisine of this region is poorer in summer, and borrows dishes form other regions. The gastronomic year here finishes in spring, with asparagus, which is produced by the ton and dispatched all over Italy. And what a wonderful finish: asparagus tips in vinegar, asparagus soup, asparagus croquettes, fricassee of asparagus, asparagus with melted butter and cheese In autumn the cycle begins again with the first delicacy on the calendar: a salad of ovoli, the brilliant orange oval mushrooms of Piedmont. Specialties Piedmont is a paradise for gastronomes and connoisseurs of vintage wines.
Bordering directly with France, the influence of Savoy is evident in Piedmontese food. Butter and cream are the preferred over olive oil in cooking; indeed olive oil and tomatoes are relatively uncommon, although immigrants from the south to towns like Turin have brought their cooking with them. Up in the mountains few households had ovens until quite recently, and cooking was done in a frying pan or by boiling. Hence the bagna cauda, literally the "hot bath." A sauce is made of olive oil, butter, garlic, chopped anchovies and thinly sliced white truffles. This is served in little bowls on individual heaters with a selection of raw vegetables which you dunk into the mixture. Truffles, rice and meat Piedmont is perhaps most famous for its tartuffi bianchi - white truffles, the most exquisite of which come from the town of Alba. White truffles are much rarer and more expensive than black truffles and are considered tastier by connoisseurs. They sell for at least $1,000 a pound wholesale. White truffles go into many Piedmontese dishes, including the fonduta a variation of the Swiss fondue. And since Piedmont produces much of the country's rice, you will find plenty of risottos. Agnolotti (ring-shaped envelopes stuffed with minced veal, ham and spices) are the favourite type of pasta. But tagliatelle cooked in chicken broth and served with chicken livers comes a close second. Much polenta is eaten, as well as semolina gnocchi, which is said to have originated here.
Bollito misto - boiled beef, chicken, veal and ham served with cabbage or onions with a green sauce and a dab of jelly - is a popular dish. Others are brasato al Barolo and tripe served in wine. Vegetables and Bread Sticks Clever things are done with vegetables. Panizza (a specialty Vercelli) is a mixture of white beans, tomatoes, onions, bacon and rice. Peppers are stuffed with tomatoes, anchovies, garlic, butter and then baked; mushroom heads, stuffed with parsley, onions, anchovies, egg and bread crumbs, are simmered in olive oil. Truffles are stewed in Asti Spumante, or cooked with Fontina cheese. Onions are made into a sweet by stuffing them with bread soaked in milk, macaroons, scrambled egg and raisins. Indeed Piedmont is famous for its sweets - the streets of Turin are lined with confectioners where you can pile on the calories. Turin is also the home of the humble grissini, or bread sticks, which stand like logos on the tables of Italian restaurants the world over.
Wines The vineyards around Alba produce Piedmont's great Barolos and Barbarescos from Nebbiola grapes. Barolo is one of the most famous of all Italian wines. Grown in a carefully defined territory just south of the Tanaro River, it has a bouquet of violets and a smooth velvety flavour with a slightly resinous aftertaste - known as goudon or tar. Barbaresco, which comes from the steep slopes surrounding the ancient town of that name, is also a "big" wine - a younger sibling of Barolo if you like - and it matures quicker. Wine from the north of the Tanaro is simply called Nebbiolo and has the violet fragrance which is characteristic of that grape. These vintages are lighter and can be drunk young. Piedmont wines are predominately red. But among the whites, Asti Spumante has become famous ever since Carlo Gancia, who learned how to make champagne at Rheims, got to work on Moscato grapes. Nowadays Asti Spumante is as common as vermouth, another piedmont specialty which was originated, commercially at least, in 1786 by Benedetto Carpano at his wine shop near the Turin Stock Exchange. It seems that the dealers' cries of "punt e mes (a point and a half)" went into the language, like Carpano's own name, to describe a special type of bitter vermouth which is made of white wine infused with herbs, spices, roots and a good many other ingredients. In those days the vermouth producers were small family affairs. Now they are mammoth distilleries whose secret formulas are jealously guarded.
TUSCAN
Tuscany "land of cooks" In the villages there are no more inns or wine shops as in the past; it is not possible to admire the slow passage of horses and wagons; only few people know the pleasure of an afternoon snack under a pergola in the summer time, passing their time with a slice of bread in one hand and a glass of wine on the table, arguing with friends. Let us imagine to travel all over the Mugello valley at the end of the past century or at the beginning of this one. The valley was characterised by some contradictions: dusty roads full of carts and carriages and, at the same time, at the sides of these roads, tidy fields set like typical Italian gardens; peaceful resorts resounding of ancient voices but, at the same time, villages happily crowded during the characteristic festivals, the market days and after the Sunday mass; coloured and crowded farms during the threshing and the grape harvest. Even if this past world was extremely unfair in its social values, and divided by unbearable inequalities, it was rich of incentives and certainties about human values, and we should relate to it to find and understand the rural and peasant tradition. This tradition, a main feature of border countries, has lost its main characteristics or it has been badly uncovered, nevertheless it offers simple courses: all of them are extremely tasty and never heavy, because the Mugello cooking - like the entire Tuscany cooking - is made by simple tastes and flavours, without great elaboration, and these flavours are obtained by employing raw materials, sometimes poor, but always genuine and easily available.
The basic products of our cooking are: bread, oil, meat, vegetables from kitchen gardens, few spices such as pepper and nutmeg and sometimes chili pepper, here called "zenzero". There are also chestnuts, maize flour and game. Starting from these products it is possible to obtain almost all the courses of our cooking. There is also the very important family tradition to prepare the first courses, which comes from the influence and intense trades with the nearby region of Emilia Romagna. Mugello is a relatively small valley but one can find different influences and softening in the use of food products: we can say that different influences and softening may be found in the language, which represents the fruit of ancient historical events. Today many links are broken and so it is difficult to find the old inns and even in families, the ancient tradition from mother to daughter which permitted to preserve the secrets of old courses is almost lost. And, even if inside families the occasions decrease, caused by the rhythm of present life, the local cooks and innkeepers should maintain alive our gastronomic tradition and this commitment should be rewarding from an economic point of view.
The Flavors of Tuscany
On a recent trip to Tuscany, I met Lorenza de Medici at the cooking school she recently started on her family's two thousand-acre estate, Badia a Coltibuono (the Abbey of The Good Harvest). Lorenza is warm, hospitable, and an accomplished cook. She has written several cookbooks and was food editor of Italian Vogue. Now she channels her boundless energy into the cooking school. The school is a natural extension of Lorenza's finely-honed cooking skills. Her participation classes, held in her well-appointed kitchen, are suffused with her graciousness and personal style. She devotes the week-long sessions to Italian country cooking. The cuisine is uncomplicated and earthy; fresh, full-flavored and exciting. As she explains, the key to this traditional cooking is to begin with high quality ingredients, and prepare them simply but knowingly. This is the essence of Lorenza's approach, the lesson she teaches at Badia. To reach that goal, the ingredients come from the Badia estate whenever possible. There's a lovely kitchen garden supplying vegetables, herbs and salad greens. Badia also produces a magnificent array of red, white, and dessert wines; a deep golden-green extra virgin olive oil; wine vinegar; and a tawny golden chestnut-blossom honey. All these ingredients find their way into Lorenza's recipes. Lorenza has shared some of her recipes with me, which I have adapted to the food processor. I think you'll find beauty in their simplicity and enjoy them as much as I did. by Abby Mandel The following recipes are from "THE PLEASURES OF COOKING" Volume 8, Number6.LEMON AND EGG SOUP Minestra d'Uova Delicate yet substantial, its thickening is bread crumbs and eggs. 1 quart chicken stock [1 L], preferably homemade l/4 cup loosely packed parsley leaves [1/4 ounce, 7g] 1 medium Lemon [about 4 ounces, 110g] 11/2 ounces Parmesan cheese [45g], cut into 1 -inch [2.5cm] pieces 1 slice dry Italian bread, 1-inch [2.5cm] thick [about 1 1/2 ounces, 45g ], crust removed, quartered 4 large eggs 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Salt and freshly ground white pepper Bring the stock to the boil in a medium saucepan. Process the parsley with the metal blade of a food processor until finely chopped, about 10 seconds. Reserve. Remove the peel of the lemon with a zester or grater. Process the lemon peel, Parmesan and bread with the metal blade until finely chopped. Pulse 4 times then process continuously for I minute. Add the eggs and lemon juice and process 5 seconds to combine. With the motor running, pour 1 cup [240ml] of the boiling stock through the feed tube. Whisk the contents of the work bowl into the remaining stock in the saucepan and cook, whisking constantly until the soup is hot but not boiling. Season to taste and serve immediately, garnished with the reserved parsley. Makes 4-3/4 cups [1.2L].
ITALIAN BREAD SALAD Panzanella A traditional favorite that is at its best when vine-ripened tomatoes and fresh basil are abundant. 8 slices dry Italian bread, each about 1 inch [2.5cm] thick [about 8 ounces total, 230g] 2 large garlic cloves [1/3 ounce total, 10g], peeled 1 small red onion [about 2 ounces total, 55g], peeled and halved 1/3 cup Nicoise olives [about 2 ounces, 55g], pitted 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves [about 1 ounce, 30g 2 medium tomatoes [about 12 ounces total, 340g], cored, peeled, cut crosswise in half and seeded 1 can [61/2 ounces, 180g] Italian tuna in oil, drained 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil [120ml] 1/4 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper Break the bread roughly into -3/4-inch [2cm] pieces. Place in a serving bowl. Reserve. Drop the garlic through the feed tube of a food processor with the metal blade in place and the motor running. Process until finely chopped, about 5 seconds. Add the onion and pulse until finely chopped, about 5 times. Add the olives and all but 4 of the basil leaves and pulse to chop coarsely, 2 or 3 times. Remove the metal blade and insert the French fry disc. Process the tomatoes cut side down. Add the contents of the work bowl to the serving bowl. Crumble the tuna over the top. Process the remaining ingredients with the metal blade for 5 seconds. Pour over the salad mixture and toss well. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature. Toss again just before serving and taste for seasoning. Garnish with the 4 reserved basil leaves. Makes 8 servings [about 4 ounces each, 110g].
PENNE WITH SWISS CHARD Penne con le Bietola A robust and highly Flavored pasta for those who like garlic. 6 quarts water [6L] Salt l slice dry Italian bread, 2 inches [5cm] thick, [about 3 ounces, 85g], quartered 2 large garlic cloves [about 1/3 ounce total, 10g], peeled 5 flat anchovies [about I ounce total, 30g], rinsed and patted dry 1/4 teaspoon dry hot red pepper flakes 1/2 cup olive oil [120ml] 8 ounces Penne pasta [230g] 1 pound Swiss chard, including stems [450g 1, washed, dried and cut to fit the feed tube, vertically Freshly ground black pepper to taste Bring the water and 2 teaspoons salt to the boil. Meanwhile, process the bread with the metal blade of a food processor until finely chopped; pulse 4 times then process continuously for 45 seconds. Reserve. With the motor running, drop the garlic through the feed tube and process until finely chopped, about 5 seconds. Add the anchovies and red pepper flakes and pulse 5 times to chop. Heat 1/4 cup [60ml] of the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Remove to paper towels to drain. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel. Heat the remaining oil, add the garlic mixture and cook over low heat, stirring, until the garlic is soft but not brown, about 3 minutes. Set aside. Add the Penne to the boiling water and cook until not quite tender, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, pack the Swiss chard in the feed tube and process with the ultra-thick [8mm] slicing disc. When the Penne has cooked for 8 minutes, stir in the Swiss chard and cook until the pasta and chard are tender, about 3 minutes more. Drain well and transfer to a serving bowl. Toss the pasta and Swiss chard with the garlic mixture and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with the bread crumbs. Makes 6 servings [5 ounces each, 140g]
STUFFED GAME HENS ON A BED OF ZUCCHINI Piccioni Ripieni Handsome and delicious-a dish for entertaining. Juniper berries lend a pungent note to the stuffing. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 Cornish game hens [about 1 l/2 pounds each, 680 1 slice dry Italian bread, 3 inches [7.5cm] thick, [about 2~/2 ounces, 70g], quartered l/2 cup loosely packed parsley leaves [ I/2 ounce, 15g] 8 juniper berries, crushed with the flat side of a knife 4 ounces prosciutto [110g], cut into 1 -inch [2.5cm] pieces l/3 cup milk [80ml] 2 large eggs Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons honey, warmed 1 cup dry white wine [240ml] Sautied Zucchini (recipe follows) Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 4000F. [2050 C. ]. Melt the butter in a shallow roasting pan large enough to hold the birds without touching. Remove the giblets from the birds and reserve 2 of the livers. Rinse the game hens inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Trim the membrane from the livers and quarter them. Process the bread, parsley, juniper berries and prosciutto with the metal blade of a food processor until coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses. Add the livers, milk, and eggs and pulse until the bread is well moistened, about 6 times. Sprinkle the inside of the birds with salt and pepper. Divide the stuffing among them, filling the cavities loosely. Tie the legs together with string. Sprinkle the outside of the birds with salt and pepper, pat with the flour and brush with the warmed honey. Put the game hens in the prepared roasting pan, breast side up. Roast in the preheated oven until tender and well browned, 45 to 50 minutes, turning them every 15 minutes. Remove the birds to a platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Discard the fat from the roasting pan. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan over high heat, stirring to scrape up the brown bits. Boil for 2 minutes. Strain the juices and reserve. To serve, remove the strings from the legs. Cut the birds in half; cut off the backbones. Arrange the birds cut side down on a bed of Sautied Zucchini and pour on some of the pan juices. Serve any remaining pan Juices separately Makes 4 servings [18 ounces each, 510g]. Sautied Zucchini l/2 cup parsley leaves [1/2 ounce, 15g] 8 medium fresh mint leaves or l/2 teaspoon dried 3 medium zucchini [About 11/4 pounds total, 560g], ends trimmed, cut into 1 -inch [2.5cm] pieces 2 tablespoons olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper Process the parsley and mint with the metal blade of a food processor until finely chopped, about 10 seconds. Reserve. Process the zucchini in batches with the metal blade. Use about 1 cup for each batch and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 4 times for each batch. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring, until very hot, 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and toss with the reserved herbs. Season to taste. Makes 4 servings [4 1/2 ounces each, 130g]. Arista di Maile al Finocchio
PORK ROAST WITH FENNEL Aromatic herbs, including fennel seeds, enliven the meat. A puree of fennel bulbs is the perfect accompaniment. 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 l/2 teaspoons dried rosemary 1 teaspoon fennel seeds Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 medium garlic cloves [about 1/2 ounce total, 15g], peeled 1 pork loin roast [about 6 pounds, 2.75kg], center cut, bones split for slicing 2 large fennel bulbs [about 21/4 pounds total, 1.3kg], trimmed of stalks, cut into eighths 1/4 cup water [60ml] 1 cup dry white wine [240ml] Fresh rosemary, for garnish Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 4000F. [2050C. ].Put 1 tablespoon butter and the olive oil in a roasting pan and place in the oven to melt the butter. Put the rosemary, fennel seeds, I/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in the work bowl of a food processor with the metal blade in place. Drop the garlic through the feed tube with the motor running and process until the garlic is finely chopped, about 10 seconds. Cut l/2-inch [1.25cm] deep slits in the pork loin at random and fill with the herb-garlic mixture. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Put the pork loin in the prepared roasting pan and cook in the preheated oven until the meat registers an internal temperature of 1700F. 1 1/4 to 11/2 hours. Meanwhile, process the fennel bulb pieces in 2 batches until finely chopped, about 8 pulses for each batch. Simmer the chopped fennel in the water, covered, until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the fennel thoroughly and process with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down the work bowl as necessary. Return the puree to the saucepan, season with salt and pepper, cover and set aside. When the pork is done, transfer it to a cutting board and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Discard the fat from the roasting pan, leaving only the juices. Place the pan over high heat and deglaze it with the white wine. Boil for 2 minutes, then strain the juices and discard the solids. Reheat the fennel puree over low heat. Slice the pork through the split bones. Serve with the pan juices and the fennel puree. Garnish with fresh rosemary. Makes 8 servings [about 10 ounces each, 280g].
SOLE FILLETS WITH FINES HERBES Filets de Sole aux Fines Herbes 4 large soles, filleted (16 fillets), carcasses reservccl Salt, freshly ground pepper Chopped fines herbes (recipe follows) 10 ounces fresh, unsalted butter White-wine fish ,fumet, made from the carcasses Soak the fillets in ice water for 10 to 15 minutes, spread them out on paper towels, outsides (membrane surfaces) up, sponge them dry with more paper towels, flatten each slightly with the flat side of a large knife blade, and slit each shallowly, 3 or 4 times on the bias, with a very sharp knife-only to cut through the membrane. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fines herbes, place a blade of butter on the thick half of each fillet, fold the slender half over, and press gently. Butter a large, heavy sauti pan, preferably copper, of a size just to hold the folded fillets placed side by side, sprinkle the bottom with fines herbes, lay the folded fillets on top, pour over barely enough fumet to cover, sprinkle over more fines herbes, and press a buttered round of parchment paper to the surface of the fillet. (Up to this point, they may be prepared slightly ahead of time.) Place the pan, covered, over medium heat. As the liquid heats, check regularly, lifting the edge of the buttered paper, and, the instant the boil is reached, remove from the heat and leave, tightly covered, to poach for 7 or 8 minutes. Dice the remaining butter. Delicately remove the fillets, one by one, to a pastry rack placed over a platter to collect the draining juices; lay the buttered paper atop to protect them. Over high heat, reduce the cooking liquid. When the fillets have drained, transfer them to a heated serving platter, add their drained juices to the reducing liquids, and, when these arrive at a syrupy consistency, a sharp, staccato bubble replacing the foamy boil, remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining butter. Give the pan a swirl, pour the sauce over the fillets, and serve immediately, accompanied by the stewed cucumbers. Fines Herbes Parsley, chives, chervil, and tarragon are the fines herbes, used separately or in combination, chopped, to garnish salads of all sorts, vegetables, and sauced meat or fish preparations, added to omelettes and crepe batters, and so forth. Flat parsley is much finer than the curly variety; it is easy to grow (it is biennial but goes to seed in its second year so must be planted anew each spring) and of recent years has become increasingly common on the market.... French tarragon (the variety called "Russian tarragon" has no taste) does not mix well with other herbs outside of the fines herbes group but is often used alone in the cooking of fish and white meats - sometimes, but less successfully, with beef; infused into a hot preparation, it can be overpowering and should be used with discretion. Chopped fresh herbs should be cleanly cut, minuscule particles that sprinkle freely; to avoid a sticky mess, the herbs must be absolutely dry and the knife sharp.
STEWED CUCUMBERS Concombres ` l'Etavie 2 pounds cucumbers, peeled, quartered lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1-inch lengths Salt, freshly ground pepper 1 ounce butter Sole Fillets with Fines Herbes served with Stewed Cucumbers Plunge the cucumber sections into heavily salted boiling water for a minute, drain them well, and cook them over low heat in butter for 7 or 8 minutes, tossing from time to time, until yellowed and quite tender-they should remain slightly firm. Serve them separately or on the same platter as the fillets, scattered around the edge. Food Regions Umbria It is said that St. Francis of Assisi, on his deathbed, wanted his dearest friends beside him, and one of these was Modonna Jacopa dei Settesoli, a Roman noblewoman who was very devout. He sent her a letter saying: "If you want to find me alive hurry and come to S. Maria degli Angeli and bring with you an ash-colored wool cloth and candles for the burial. I also ask you to bring me those sweets you always gave me when I was ill in Rome." The friars were looking around for someone to take the letter to Rome when there was a knock on the door, and Donna Jacopa had already arrived. Women were forbidden to enter the monastery, so the friars asked the saint what should they do, and he answered: "You cannot apply this rule to this woman whose great faith caused her to travel so far." She was allowed to enter, and had brought a sack with an ash-colored wool cloth for a cassock, as indicated in the letter as well as the requested sweets made with almonds, sugar, honey, and other ingredients, called "mostaccioli" in Rome. Today these sweets are made in memory of the humanity humaneness of this saint who travelled across the Umbrian countryside on muleback. Umbria still feels his presence strongly. The sweets of Umbria are often tied to religious holidays. Perugia has the "frittelle di San Giuseppe" and for San Costanzo, patron of the city, they prepare "torcolo", a doughnut with candied fruits, raisins, pine nuts and anise seed. Assisi boasts "stinchetti" and "rocciata." The first are made with marzipan in the form of small leg bones, they are also called "ossa di morto" (dead man's bones) and are usually prepared for the beginning of November for the all saints and all souls day. "Focciata" is a roll of sweet pasta filled with almonds and chopped walnuts, dried fruit, apple, suger, and cinnamon. How can we not remember "serpentone" made by the Capucine nuns and the "pinoccate"
Christmas, all very simple and old sweets: a gracious excuse to accompany the famous "Vin Santo." Umbria, green and wise. Although crushed between Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, and Lazio, this region has managed to conserve its original simplicity founded on certain basic ingredients: olive oil, among the best in Italy, the hog, the lamb, durham wheat pasta of the best quality and the colombaccio, the wood-pigeon that Umbrians love. Let's begin the roundup with a real speciality: the precious black tartufo from Norcia. Hunting this treasure is a secret jealously kept by its masters and it's hard to find a friend in Norcia who will take you along for the hunt because the locations are a secret handed down by one generation to another in the local families. Norcia has another speciality: the treatment of hog meat. The term "norcino" means to butcher and prepare sausages, all excellent, and the extraordinary "mazzafegati" which are sausages made from hog's liver, orange peel, pine nuts, raisins and sugar. Cooking in Umbria is varied: meat, fish, cereals, vegetables, spices, and herbs are equally important and combined with an enviable equilibrium, so it doesn't seem right to define this cooking as "poor." Perhaps "essential" is a better description with its proud and primitive disdain for any kind of sophistication. In Foligno, for example, delicious "minestroni" (soups) with a fresh vegetable base are made with egg pasta. Wild pigeons are served in the fall with a sauce made with oil, wine, vinegar, and herbs. In the local fairs stuffed "porchetta" is often served, young roasted pig served with a strong flavour of wild fennel. A favourite dish in Todi is sweet and sour ox tongue and at Cascia they prepare, with a very old recipe, veal with tartufo. In the towns around Lake Trasimeno the local fish is baked or braised, seasoned with fragrant herbs. This is the land of the ancient Etruscans, and studies of frescoes in the ancient tombs show that the locals eat in a manner very similar to that of their ancestors. Lamb with Truffles For four persons 1 Thigh from a young lamb 120 grams black truffle crushed in a mortar anchovies 1 lemons 1/10 litre olive oil salt Cut the lamb in large pieces and brown it in a casserole, add salt to taste plus four anchovies with the spines removed and crushed in a mortar. Halfway through the cooking (about half an hour) remove lamb for a moment and pour out the fat accumulated in the pan. Add the juice of two lemons with a bit of water. Continue to cook over a low fire, check after twenty minutes for doneness, the meat near the bone should be tender and no longer pink, remove from the flame and add the truffles, carefully turning the pieces of lamb to mix. Cover the pot and let rest for ten minutes before serving.
ABRUZZI
The Cuisine of the Abruzzi When it comes to good food the people of the Abruzzi are blessed, for this is the land of plenty and birthplace of Italy's most accomplished chefs. Here a healthy appetite is a prerequisite and the faint of heart - not to say stomach - need not apply. Traditional, often spontaneous feasts known as Panardas still live on in some of the Abruzzi's more remote mountain villages. This colossal meal, reminiscent of the banquets of ancient Rome and classical Greece, traditionally begins at midday and continues on long into the night. Honor demands that guests do nothing less than negotiate their way through up to 30 different courses - fortunately the cuisine is more than equal to to the task. Lavish, hearty and robust, even zesty at times, the cuisine of the Abruzzi is also inventive and daring. Natives of Abruzzi relish a little hot seasoning on occasion and even chili peppers sometimes find their way into the list of ingredients. Saffron is another seasoning that makes an appearance on the Abruzzi menu. The Abruzzi is Italy's principal source of saffron, with the majority of it grown for export. Worth more than its weight in gold - it takes approximately 130,000 flowers to produce just two pounds - saffron is used respectfully and sparingly by judicious Abruzzi cooks. Nowhere in Italy is more closely identified with fine quality pasta and pasta dishes. Maccheroni alla chitarra, macaroni served with a rich, slightly piquant tomato sauce, flavored with peppers, bacon and Pecorino cheese, is its most celebrated regional specialty. Lamb, ham, salamis and delicious pork sausages prepared with fennel, peppers and orange peel, are a staple in the region's interior, whose mountainous slopes provided the perfect grazing grounds for large flocks of sheep and a variety of wild game. Abruzzi farmers claim that grazing at higher altitudes causes their lamb and pork to be leaner and thus exceptionally tasty. Along the Abruzzi coastline, where skillful local fisherman trawl their nets in the abundant Adriatic sea, fish is a mainstay of the local menus. But even here, hearty meat dishes are enjoyed. For all those with the good fortune to be invited over for dinner in an Abruzzi household, be sure to leave room for a tempting dessert, especially if it's Parrozzo, a fabulously soft, creamy cake coated in chocolate. After such a sumptuous meal, what better aid to the digestion than a few sips of a delicious homemade liqueur made from woodland and mountain herbs? Back to Top Visit the Abruzzi Region and learn about its wineries and wines.
RISOTTO CON ZUCCA E MONTEPULCIANO (Pumpkin Risotto with Montepulciano) A real knock-out, Citra's pumpkin risotto is certainly one of the tastiest we've enjoyed in the longest time. Better still, when accompanied by a bottle of Citra's Montrepulicano d'Abruzzo red wine. 4 tablespoons olive oil salt and black pepper 1/2 cup chopped onion 5 cups beef broth 1/2 cup shredded pancetta or bacon 5 cups Arborio rice 2 lbs pumpkin diced into 1/2 inch cubes 2 cups Citra Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Grated parmesan for the table *For 8 servings Put the olive oil, onion and pancetta or bacon in a large, sturdy pot and turn on heat to medium-high. Cook until the onion turns translucent and then add diced pumpkin, two cups of the wine and season with salt and black pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Add rice to pot and stir thoroughly to coat grains well. Add half a cup of the beef broth and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Continue to add broth, half a cup, at a time, stirring constantly until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is fully cooked. Serve promptly with grated Parmesan cheese on the side. Back to Top Visit the Abruzzi Region and learn about its wineries and wines.
SPEZZATINO DI VITELLO COI FUNGHI (Veal and Mushroom Stew) A deliciously hearty, stick-to-the-ribs entree, guaranteed to take the chill out of a cold winter's night. We can think of no better complement for a fine bottle of Caroso red wine. 4 tablespoons olive oil 4 tablespoons chopped parsley 2 or 3 garlic cloves peeled Salt 1/2 lb tomatoes peeled and and crushed 1 lb mushrooms sliced 1 1/2 lbs veal cut into 1 1/2 -inch cubes For 4 to 6 servings *This recipe can be made a day or two ahead of time, stored in the refrigerator and reheated before serving. Put the olive oil and crushed garlic in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet and turn on heat to medium. Cook until the garlic turns a light nut brown, then discard garlic from pan. Add veal to skillet and brown thoroughly on all sides, then sprinkle with parsley and a pinch of salt. Stir briefly, reduce heat and add tomatoes. Cover and cook at a gentle simmer, stirring from time to time, for 15 minutes. If extra liquid is needed, add a few tablespoons of water. Add sliced mushrooms to skillet, cover and simmer over a low heat for at least 30 minutes, stirring from time to time. Then, turn off heat, check for seasoning and serve. Back to Top Visit the Abruzzi Region and learn about its wineries and wines. The food of Calabria is simple: pastas and vegetables, complemented by olive oil and sausages. Think of various shapes of dried pasta like spaghetti or penne topped with colorful sauces with combinations of tomatoes, eggplant and peppers. Combine that with spicy dried salame or other sausages such as pork sopressata or smoked capocollo and you pretty much sum up the cuisine of Calabria. All these ingredients frequently make their way into hearty soups. The result is what we in America now think of as a "Mediterranean" diet. Throughout Italy, and especially in southern regions like Calabria, homemakers create frittatas as a means of using up leftovers. A frittata is usually described as an open-faced omelette where the fillings are cooked inside (as opposed to a French omelette, where fillings are rolled inside thin egg pancakes). I also think of a frittata as a quiche without a crust. However you describe it, it requires eggs and whatever other ingredients you choose, cooked together in a saute pan. In most regions, the "other" ingredients are vegetables, meat or seafood. In Calabria and other southern regions, cooked pasta, often leftovers, is frequently included. I like frittata con pasta so much that I make pasta just for the purpose of including it in a frittata. Below is my recipe for a frittata you might find in Calabria, combining pasta, spicy sausage and red bell peppers. It's a great dish for lunch or brunch (we always have a frittata on holiday mornings) and can also be an appetizer or part of an antipasto buffet. The wines of Calabria are rarely, if ever, exported. The winemaking revolution that has brought regions like Tuscany and Piedmont to international prominence has skipped Calabria. Wine production remains small and the results undistinguished. Fortunately, across the Straits of Messina lies Sicily, which produces excellent wines that are perfect accompaniments to Calabrian cuisine. For inexpensive wines, choose the red or white Corvo from Duca di Salaparuta. For the more adventuresome, try the excellent wines produced by the Tasca family at their Regaleali estate. Once you have successfully made a couple of frittatas, you will be ready to experiment. Make a frittata with whatever you like or just happen to have around. Frittatas are an easy way to please a crowd.
FRITTATA DI PASTA CON SALSICCE Ingredients 2 large red bell peppers 1/2 lb. dried pasta such as spaghetti 5 T. sweet butter 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 3/4 lb. spicy Italian sausage 1 doz. large eggs Optional 1 large tomato 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Directions 1.Char the outside skin of the bell peppers over an open flame or under the broiler until completely blackened. Place in a brown paper bag to cool. Once cool (at least 30 minutes later), remove the charred skin, rinse under cool water and pat dry. Remove core and seeds. Cut into small dice (approx. 1/4-in. squares). 2.Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and toss with 4 T. butter and 1 cup grated cheese. Allow to cool. (You can substitute any leftover sauced pasta.) 3.Remove sausage from casing and place in saute pan over medium heat. Break up the sausage using a wooden spoon. Cook until brown. Remove from pan and drain. (Alternatively, use ground pork or turkey and season according to your tastes.) 4.Break eggs into large mixing bowl and beat lightly. Add cooled pasta and mix to combine evenly. (The easiest way is to use your hands.) 5.Melt remaining butter in a 10-in. saute pan over medium heat. Add half the egg/pasta mixture. Spread cooked sausage and red pepper over the pasta. Top with remaining egg/pasta mixture. 6.Leave over medium heat and cook until bottom of frittata separates cleanly from pan. Using a large spatula, slide the frittata onto a large plate. Place the pan over the uncooked side of the frittata and flip. Return the pan to the heat and cook until the other side also separates cleanly from the pan. Slide cooked frittata onto serving platter and garnish. 7.Instead of flipping the frittata, you may finish it under the broiler. Once the bottom is set, garnish the top with tomato slices and the additional cheese. Place under the broiler until top sizzles and begins to turn brown. Slide onto plate and serve. 8.Serves 8 at brunch, 12 as an appetizer. La Cucina Di Sardegna Smoked hams, roast lamb and suckling pig, seasoned with juniper and aromatic herbs and cooked over an open fire, are time-honored staples of Sardinian cooking and remain so to this day among Sardinian rural communities. More recently, however, partly in response to the growth of tourism in coastal areas, there has been a shift away from hearty meat dishes toward the island's excellent seafood. Finer quality seafood than that which abounds off the shores of Sardinia, it is hard to imagine. The heightened salinity of the Mediterranean and the cleanliness of Sardinian waters imparts a delicacy of flavor rarely paralleled on the side of the Atlantic. The preparation of seafood in a dazzling array of styles is a gastronomic art form at which Sardinia's chefs excel. Sardinians are equally inventive when it comes to baking bread. It is said that every Sardinian village produces its own style of bread and the choice is seemingly endless. Pane carasau which poetically translates as "music paper," is the best known version for in its unbaked form, it is indeed as thin as a sheet of music. Thanks to the prevalence of sheep and goats in the island's interior (sheep exceed Sardinia's human population by a ratio of more than two to one), Sardinia also produces a fine local cheese, the piquant tasting pecorino sardo. With its stylish wines and splendid local cuisine, Sardinia is an irresistible destination no self-respecting epicure can afford to ignore. Back to Top Visit the Sardinia Region and learn about its wineries and wines.
GNOCCHETTI ALLA CAMPIDANESE (Country-Style Gnocchi) Sella & Mosca's Tanca Farra, a 50/50 blend of estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Cannonau grapes, is the perfect match for this hearty, appetizing dish from Sardinia. 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 lb sausage meat 1/2 teaspoon powdered saffron 2 tablespoons boiling water 2 cups crushed tomatoes 1 1/2 lbs fresh or frozen gnocchi 8 oz grated pecorino cheese *Serves 4 Put extra virgin olive oil and chopped onion in a large skillet and cook over a medium heat until onion turns a pale gold. Add sausage meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and turning from time to time until browned all over. In a small cup, add 2 tablespoons of boiling water to powdered saffron; stir and pour over sausage meat. Add crushed tomatoes, adjust heat to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. In a large pot of boiling water, pour in the gnocchi. As the gnocchi rise to the surface of the water, scoop out of pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a warmed serving dish. Toss gently with the sausage meat/tomato sauce and the grated pecorino cheese and serve. Back to Top Visit the Sardinia Region and learn about its wineries and wines.
ARAGOSTA ORTOLANA (Gardener's Lobster) As delicious as it is easy to prepare, this cool, refreshing seafood salad will have your guests returning for more. Any use of herbs and seasonings is effectively made redundant by the presence of freshly cooked lobster meat, which supplies a subtly compelling backdrop for the other ingredients. Lobster is a special delicacy of Sardinia's northern coast. Serve with thick slabs of crusty bread and a well chilled bottle of La Cala Vermentino from the Sella & Mosca estate. 3 lbs frozen lobster tails, thawed** 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 lb vine-ripened tomatoes 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 8 oz Bermuda red onion, thinly sliced Sea salt to taste ** or 5 lbs live lobster *Serves 6 Place lobster tails in a steamer and cook over boiling water for about 3 minutes, or until the shells turn pink. Remove from steamer, peel off shells and dice the lobster meat into small cubes. Chop tomatoes into small cubes. Transfer to a salad bowl. Add the thinly sliced Bermuda red onion, diced lobster meat, vinegar and olive oil. Toss ingredients thoroughly and add salt to taste. Back to Top Visit the Sardinia Region and learn about its wineries and wines.
SPAGHETTI ALGHERO (Alghero-style Spaghetti) Summer or winter, this hearty, typically Sardinian dish is never out of season. Sella & Mosca's Vermentino provides a perfect counterpoint for its robust, assertive flavor. 2 dozen littleneck clams 1/2 cup Vermentino white wine 1/4 cup olive oil 3 teaspoons garlic , coarsely chopped 1 cup crushed tomatoes 2 teaspoons dried oregano 3 oz green olives, pitted and chopped Black pepper, freshly ground 2 tablespoons capers 1/2 cup chopped parsley 1 lb spaghetti Soak clams for 5 minutes in a bowl of cold water. Drain and refill bowl with fresh cold water. Scrub clams thoroughly with a stiff brush. Repeat operation 2 or 3 more times until you see no more sand at the bottom of bowl. Discard any clams that stay open when handled. Put clams in a large skillet, turn on heat to high and cover. Turn clams over frequently and remove from pan as soon as they open up their shells. Remove each clam from its shell, chop into 2 or 3 pieces and set as Put clams in a large skillet, turn on heat to high and cover. Turn clams over frequently and remove from pan as soon as they open up their shells. Remove each clam from its shell, chop into 2 or 3 pieces and set aside. Put the olive oil and garlic in a saucepan and turn on heat to medium. When the garlic becomes a pale gold, add the chopped green olives and capers, stir and add chopped parsley. Pour in the white wine, stir and add the chopped tomatoes. Sprinkle with oregano and grindings of black pepper. Adjust heat to a gentle simmer and cook for a couple of minutes longer. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the spaghetti. Once cooked al dente, drain and transfer to a serving bowl. Add clam sauce, toss thoroughly to combine ingredients, and serve. Back to Top Visit the Sardinia Region and learn about its wineries and wines.
APPETIZERS
The term antipasto, usually translated as "appetizer" in English literally means +before the meal; and denotes a relatively light dish designed to stimulate the palate before the service of more substantial courses. In the hands of a creative cook or chef, the antipasto course can play much the same role in the orchestration of the meal that the overture does in the presentation of an opera: it can set the tone of, and heighten anticipation for, what is to follow,while establishing the author's style and outlook and the quality that may be expected of the whole performance. Antipasti are not essential to the Italian kitchen; a formal Italian dinner without antipasti would not betray the traditions of Italian gastronomy. Today, however, it is difficult to imagine a formal dinner that would not include some dishes classified as antipasti. In the regional Italian kitchen, antipasti are an important element, not on a daily basis, but certainly on holidays and special occasions. Many dishes, served as accompaniments to main courses, are today considered too rich for such use. So, through the years, many of these dishos trave beon adapted to serve as antipasto. Antipasto take full advantage of all kinds of different foods not generally regarded as being substantial enough to be served as main courses. Clevorly used, they produce a wonderful variety of flavorful and unusual items.VEGETABLES : Many vegetables used as salads, steamed, baked stuffed or marinated, were at one time used as side dishes and today are used successfully as antipasti.
SALADS: Meat, fish, vegetables, legumes and starches can all be used as salad for starters, although they may be successfully served as a main course as well. The amounts served determine their role. Salads should be servod well chilled at all times, although in recent times, we have seen the employment of lukewarm salads quite often as combinations of legumes or greens with fish or meat.
BREAD AND BISCUITS AS SALADS : Stale and re-baked bread as well as unleavened biscuits can be toasted, soaked and chopped together with vegetables, fish, greens and so on to make delicious first courses, and salads.
LEGUMES : Cooked beans can be used as salads or poured over bread or biscuits. These also are part of a wide range of foods that can be served as antipasto.
MUSHROOMS AND TRUFFLES : Fresh Mushrooms may be served as a salad with just oil and drops of lemon juice. White truffles can be used to add flavor to cheese, antipasti, or as toppings to toast or patis.
UOVA & FRITTATA: Eggs, either cooked soft, hard, stuffed or fried, like a flat omelet, accompanied by, or with the addition of a variety of meats, cheese, or vegetables, can make some interesting starters.
PIZZA: Regarded more as a snack than as an antipasto. Pizza has come a long way since its inception as poor people's food in Naples. Toppings can be as varied as your imagination. Pizza should be used as an antipasto only in small amounts; otherwise it would be too heavy to begin a meal.
FOCACCE AND FRITTERS: Focacce and fritters, as well as savory pies and sformati, can be served, like pizza, as starters. Some judgement must be exercised in selecting these foods as antipasti because they are rather filling. The amounts, shapes and stuffing can vary according to the ingredients used.
MARINADES: The term marinade refers to all types of food flavored with herbs, spices, liquide or fats, to be consumed raw or be cooked afterwards. At times certain foods are first cooked then marinated or preserved. The role marinades play in antipasti is very important, because in this category fall dishes such as carpaccio, marinated raw anchovies, vegetables marinated in vinegar (sottaceti) or marinated in oil (sottolio).
FRITTO: From vegetables to organ meats, frying is one of the most widespread forms of using bits and pieces of leftovers. The skill of frying should not be underestimated, as it requires perfect timing. Fried food may be served as antipasto or as a main course.
SALAME AND SALUMI: Salumi, such as prosciutto and bresaola, are quite often served as antipasti, often with fruit such as melon or figs, with greens like rugola, with a condiment of oil and lemon. Salame can serve as an antipasto as part of affettato misto, a term which implies that many types of salami and salumi are used in the same dish. Salame can also be served as a snack or as a stuffing for sandwiches.
CHEESE: Cheese leftovers can be very cleverly used as appetizers. Cheese such as mozzarella or ricotta are best served as antipasto when very fresh but are also excellent cooked when they are a few days old. FISH: The Italian coastline provides a rich variety of fish that may not be appropriate as main courses, but would be excellent as an antipasto. Among the fish antipasti, one can list bottarga (dried fish roe), fish carpaccio, sea food salads, baked, sautied or stewed fish, shellfish and mollusks or dolphin fillets (musciame), which can be served either alone or as a principal ingredient in a famous Ligurian recipe called cappon magro.
Links:
For more information on Italian Cuisine, please visit the following sites:
http://www.avventuratv.com/
http://italianfood.miningco.com/index.htm