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Almost Wordless Wednesday: Risotto al Tastasal
9 Mar 2010 at 9:13pm
The concepts of Risotto and Cheese go hand-in-hand, and if you are organizing a party or dinner for a significant number of people, one of the nicest ways to serve a risotto is in a hollowed out wheel of cheese. In this case Monte Veronese, a mild slightly nutty cows' milk cheese made in the mountains above Verona, and the risotto is risotto al tastasal, a risotto traditionally made in the Veneto during the salami-making season (before filling the casings), to judge if the impasto, or filling of the salami is is properly seasoned. The heat of the risotto melts a little of the cheese, and makes it even tastier!
If you click on the photo you'll be taken to the risotto al tastasal recipe (you could also use a mild sausage, if need be).
Some other risotto recipes from Verona.
Risotto alla Pilota
A hearty risotto with lots of pork, for the people who worked Verona's rice mills and needed substantial foods.
Risotto al Radicchio Rosso di Verona
The bitterness of radicchio goes wonderfully with the creamy texture of a risotto.
Risotto All'Isolana
A classic from Isola della Scala, the heart of Veronese rice production, made with pork and cheese.
Veronese rice production, you wonder? Southeast from Verona is Isola della Scala, a pretty town surrounded by rice paddies, where Vialone Nano, one of the great Italian short-grained risotto rices, is grown.
Making Risotto: Basic Instructions | Making Risotto, IllustratedAlmost Wordless Wednesday: Risotto al Tastasal originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 02:13:41. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Way Off Topic: Felice 8 Marzo!
7 Mar 2010 at 8:14pm
March 8 is International Woman's Day, and is an occasion for considerable celebration in Italy.
Not familiar with L'8 Marzo? Like many other days set aside to celebrate the rights of workers, the International Woman's Day's origins are American: At the turn of the last century women were entering the workforce in record numbers in the United States, and began to agitate for better working conditions and pay, as well as the vote. In 1908 the Socialist women of the US held demonstrations for improved working conditions, better pay, and suffrage on February 28. On February 28 1909 several thousand women turned out in Manhattan, and during the same winter the women working in the sweatshops struck for better conditions and pay, with the support of the Woman's Trade Union, which provided bail money and food.
American women continued to observe February 28 as Woman's Day, while in 1910 the delegates of the Socialist International Meeting in Copenhagen voted unanimously to establish an International Women's Day, without setting a specific date.
So in 1911 the women of Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland demonstrated on March 19, and it is estimated that more than a million people participated. A week later, on March 25, in Manhattan the Triangle fire claimed the lives of more than 140 workers, mostly immigrant girls -- there was only one fire escape for the hundreds of people trapped in the burning floors -- and the newspaper accounts led to calls for reform, while tying the fire to the struggle for women's rights in popular imagery. (For more information, including heart-rending newspaper accounts, see the Triangle Fire pages).
Yearly demonstrations continued, becoming associated with the peace movements that formed as a response to the gathering clouds of war in Europe; in particular, Russian women settled on February 28 as the day for their demonstrations. And continued to demonstrate during the war; despite opposition from other activists, on the last Sunday of February -- the 23rd -- 1917 they went on strike to protest conditions at home and the more than 2 million war dead. They called for "bread and peace," and four days later the Czar capitulated; one of the first things the provisional government did was grant women the right to vote. The date, February 23 on the Julian calendar then used in Russia, was March 8 in the Gregorian calendar used elsewhere, and that's why International Woman's Day is March 8.
In Italy it's an occasion for meetings, talks, and demonstrations, and men traditionally give women a sprig of mimosa, with its bright yellow blossoms, to mark the occasion. I'm off to buy Daughter Clelia and Wife Elisabetta theirs.
Again, happy March 8 to all who celebrate it!Way Off Topic: Felice 8 Marzo! originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 01:14:00. Permalink | Comment | Email this
An Italian Meal for the Week
5 Mar 2010 at 9:39am
To Begin, an Aside: I have just posted my notes from this year's Chianti Classico vintage presentation, and also selections of the Chianti D'Annata and Riserve that impressed me. However, these wines are still in Italy; what you will now find in stores are the Chianti D'Annata (vintage wines) and Chianti Riserve presented last year. And what might you serve with them?
Starting with a Chianti d'Annata:
Mixed cold cuts, antipasto misto, and crostini.
Followed by (we're in winter and it's cold) Pasta (my father-in-law is partial to penne) al sugo, with a bolognese sauce, which is as common in Tuscany as it is in Emilia Romagna.
Then, moving up to a Chianti Classico Riserva:
You might have stewed wild boar (or beef), or perhaps a bistecca alla fiorentina (a portherhouse steak), served with spinach and either fried or mashed potatoes.
To finish up, Zuppa Inglese. Some might be tempted to serve it with a sweet wine, a vinsanto even, but I would simply want an espresso, and (perhaps) a tiny glass of grappa.An Italian Meal for the Week originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Friday, March 5th, 2010 at 14:39:30. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Almost Wordless Wednesday: Fesa di Tacchino, or Turkey Breast
3 Mar 2010 at 12:18am
Whole turkeys are rare in Italian markets: A few appear around Christmas, but during the rest of the year you'll mostly find skinned turkey breasts, generally sold either whole or by the half, though some enterprising merchants slice them and charge (often quite a bit) more for having done so. There are also turkey drumsticks, but not nearly as many, and I occasionally wonder where they go. Most likely to processed foods.
Returning to turkey breast, it is quite popular in Italy because in addition to being inexpensive it is lean, mildly flavored, and adaptable: one can do all sorts of things with it. If you click on the photo you'll be taken to a collection of turkey breast recipes.
And here are several chicken breast recipes that will also work quite well with turkey breast:
Chicken (or Turkey) Rollups with Bell Peppers
Bell peppers and breast meat makes for an ideal spring-summer dish.
Chicken (or Turkey) Breasts with Hazelnuts
Tasty, and easy to do.
Chicken (or Turkey) Cuscus & Caper Salad
This is a distinctly modern Italian revisitation of a traditional Italian food -- Sicily's cuscus -- of the sort that you might find in a trendy café that caters to those on their office lunch hour, or who want a quick refreshing bite to eat.
Almost Wordless Wednesday: Fesa di Tacchino, or Turkey Breast originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 05:18:38. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Involtini.... Vegetariani
1 Mar 2010 at 12:25am
Involtini are generally meat based, a scallop or braciola wrapped around a filling and cooked. But one can also use vegetables -- either borad leaves or slices of something along the lines of eggplant -- as a base, and wrap them up around a meatless filling. The result is perfect for a light lunch, and also well suited to Lent, if you are observing it. A couple of ideas:
Involtini Vegetatiani con Biete e Patate
Leafy vegetables such as Swiss chard are perfectly suited to being rolled up, and do a fine job of containing a potato filling. This will make for a nice light lunch, if served with crusty bread and a tossed salad.
Involtini di Zucchine
With a cheese and bell pepper filling.
Involtini di Melanzana alle Noci
This is a quick easy eggplant rollup recipe that is quite newfangled in style, and will work nicely as part of a light lunch, especially if made with care, at which point it becomes quite impressive.
Involtini di Peperone
A classic Piemontese recipe, roasted bell pepper strips rolled up around tuna.
Farewell, Rose
I did not know Rose Gray, and have never been to the River Cafe, one of London's most influential Italian restaurants. But Ronan Bennett's tribute is beautiful, and makes me wish I had had occasion to go. Involtini.... Vegetariani originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 05:25:20. Permalink | Comment | Email this
An Italian Meal For The Week
26 Feb 2010 at 2:29pm
The days are significantly longer now, and it has gotten warmer. Not any drier, however, and dishes that bring warmth to the table are still quite welcome. Few things are quite as good at bringing heat to a plate as Risotto, so we'll start with it:
Risotto al Rosmarino: Risotto is generally seasoned with some sort of meat or vegetable, or something creamy. But there are other options, and a risotto seasoned with rosemary will have a delightful woodsy feel and provide a nice change of pace. Followed by:
Petti Di Pollo Alle Nocciole, Chicken Breasts with Hazel Nuts: Another woodsy dish, and quite tasty too. And, on the side, in honor of dieting, a tossed salad seasoned with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and a drop of vinegar.
To Finish Up? Fresh fruit, and this time I might go with a pear. Wine? Red, not too heavy, and Campriano's Chianti Colli Senesi might be nice.An Italian Meal For The Week originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Friday, February 26th, 2010 at 19:29:02. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Almost Wordless Wednesday: Polenta!
24 Feb 2010 at 4:06am
Yes, polenta is corn meal mush, and it was (and still is) a winter staple in Northern Italy. The standard recipe says to stir it slowly in a paiolo, or copper pot, as it thickens, and Italians who follow this course generally buy a motor-driven paiolo of the sort shown here, which I picked up on sale in a supermarket years ago. If you don't have a pot of this kind, however, all is not lost.
John, who lives outside Milano, adds his cornmeal to the water when it boils, seals the pot, and barely simmers it for 40 minutes, while Remo's grandmother taught him to make polenta in a slow cooker. In other words, you can stir, if you want, but you can also go about your business while the polenta cooks on its own.
Got polenta? Polenta is a foil, on a par with bread, and begs an accompaniment. If you're being quite simple, good olive oil, a sprinkle of sea salt, and a wedge of mild pecorino toscano is very good, but people usually want more, especially in the cooler winter months. Stew, for example:
Spicy Braised Beef With Polenta
Though this packs a punch, the sauce and the polenta go together beautifully. Should you prefer it less hot, reduce the pepper content.
Lo Stufato Dell'Adriana
Simple home cooking, a pork and beef stew that simmers for hours, warming the house, and then the table.
Carne da Galera, or Jailhouse Meat
The name comes from the fact that the cuts involved are less noble, and tended to go bad quickly in the days before refrigeration. Hence this herb-laden pot-roasting method, which was able to cover any off smells the meat might have developed.
Pastissada di Manzo, Beef Pastissada
Pastissada is an old Veronese stew that draws from Austro-Hungarian tradition (Verona was a part of the Empire for a long time) and brings goulash to mind. Most of the recipes I've seen call for horse meat, but this one is beef based.
And what to serve with you polenta and stew? The combination begs a substantial red wine. An Amarone, for example, and here you will find my notes for the 2005 vintage, which is currently in stores. Curious about 2006? I went to the vintage presentation two weeks ago, and here is a selection of the 2006 wines that impressed me the most. Almost Wordless Wednesday: Polenta! originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 at 09:06:18. Permalink | Comment | Email this
A Few Fish Recipes, Not Just For Lent
22 Feb 2010 at 2:56am
Lent's arrival does require a mental shift in gears, if one chooses to observe it: burgers (what Italians call Svizzere), chicken, tagliatelle alla bolognese... They're all out. And that leaves us with...
Fish!
Wonderful, healthy, wholesome fish, which is also low in calories and will help those who are not observing Lent prepare for the Summer Swimsuit Season. Yes, there are reasons everyone should enjoy fish! This said, how about:
Pagello Al Sale Aromatico, Pandora Roasted in Aromatic Salt
Salt roasting is a very simple technique. However, one can flavor the salt, which will then impart delightful flavor to the fish as well.
Potatoes and Baccalà
Baccalà, salt cod, is one of the unsung heroes of the culinary world. Potatoes do an excellent job of supporting it in this recipe, which has a Sicilian feel to it.
Seppie in Inzimino
Cuttlefish with greens is a traditional Tuscan way of cooking cuttlefish of all sizes; you can also use octopus.
Pesce Lesso, Boiled Fish
Boiled fish is easy to do and can be tremendously satisfying.
A Few Fish Recipes, Not Just For Lent originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Monday, February 22nd, 2010 at 07:56:58. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Greetings from Montalcino!
17 Feb 2010 at 8:54pm
Come February the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino, the organization that oversees the production of Brunello di Montalcino, one of Italy's most famed and sought after wines, organizes a presentation of the current vintages the producers are releasing: The 2005 Brunello di Montalcino, the 2008 Rosso di Montalcino -- Brunello's younger sibling, from a nicely balanced, graceful vintage, -- Moscadello, a sweet white wine made from the Moscato grape that was famed long before anyone in Montalcino took an interest in reds, and Sant'Antimo, a catch-all denomination that includes both red and white wines, some of which are quite good.
I won't be commenting on the tasting until next week, but in the meantime here's a menu one could build around the wines.
With a White Sant'Antimo:
Mixed cold cuts and cheeses, or perhaps pici all'aglione, thick stranded extraordinarily garlicky pasta.
With a Red Sant'Antimo, or a Rosso di Montalcino:
Pappardelle sul Cinghiale, broad strips of pasta with a wild boar sauce (other furred game will be fine if need be).
With a Brunello di Montalcino:
The obvious answer is a roast, but I might opt for a scottiglia, a rich stew made by the charcoal makers of the area from whatever animals they could catch. As side dishes, boiled white (cannellini) beans and spinach.
To finish up with the Moscadello,
A simple Sienese Torta di Ricotta.
Buon Appetito!Greetings from Montalcino! originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Thursday, February 18th, 2010 at 01:54:06. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Almost Wordless Wednesday: It's Ash Wednesday!
16 Feb 2010 at 8:01pm
And that means, for the Catholic among us, the beginning of Lent, when the Church asks people to forgo meat as part of the spiritual renewal leading up to Easter. Avoiding meat is actually not at all a bad idea even for non-Catholics, because it allows us to rid our bodies of all sorts of toxins, and also opens the way to all sorts of fish. For example, the reef mullet pictured here, which are delightfully flavorful. You might use them to make:
Triglie alla Livornese: With a zesty tomato sauce.
Triglie al Cartoccio: Wrapped up with other delights and baked.
Triglie con Uvette e Pinoli: With raisins and pine nuts, a classic Italian Jewish recipe.
La Galleria Del Pesce, The Fish Gallery | How To Select Fresh Fish
More Lenten RecipesAlmost Wordless Wednesday: It's Ash Wednesday! originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at 01:01:36. Permalink | Comment | Email this
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