About.com Italian Food

The Feverish Turn to... Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe?

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:58:33 +0000

Last week Daughter C and Son R both came down with Swine Flu - it's spreading though Italian schools at an astonishing clip - so it was only a matter of time; Yesterday at noon I felt fine, but by 7 PM I was running a 39 C (102.5 F) fever, and the fever would be the same today were it not for the pills I pop. Much unhappiness on my part, because today my mother-in-law made her heavenly ossibuchi al sugo, which are simply beyond my abilities at this point.

However, something zesty such as Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe...

Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe is one of the most classic Roman pasta sauces, and though it is very simple -- just 4 ingredients -- it does require care. Though some people add a few drops of olive oil, Roman purists frown at this practice, and I tend to agree with them. Just pasta, cheese, and pepper, and the creaminess of the sauce comes from a few tablespoons of starchy pasta water. Just the thing to stimmulate the appetite!

The Feverish Turn to... Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe? originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 10:58:33.

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An Italian Meal For The Week

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:12:02 +0000

We're entering the winter months, which in much of Italy mean cabbage of one sort or another. In the south, especially, broccoli and broccoli raab (also known as cime di rapa) are very popular, and it therefore seems fitting to begin with one of my favorite winter pasta dishes, which features them prominently:

Orecchiette coi Broccoletti, Orecchiette pasta with Broccoli. Even those who think they hate broccoli enjoy this classic dish from Puglia.

We'll follow the pasta with Stuffed Cuttlefish Pugliese Style, simple baked stuffed cuttlefish with a bread filling. Quite easy to do, and tasty too. With the cuttlefish? A tossed salad seasoned with olive oil, vinegar and salt.

And to close? Fresh fruit. It's difficult to beat the Williams pears we have in Italian markets now.

Wine? I would be tempted by a white for both the pasta and the cuttlefish. Perhaps a Castel Del Monte Bianco: Rivera's is quite nice, as is Torrevento's. Enjoy!

An Italian Meal For The Week originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 11:12:02.

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Almost Wordless Wednesday: Andar Per Olio

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:05:49 +0000

It's that time of year again, and throughout Italy people are spreading parachutes under olive trees, gathering Athena's precious gift (the olives), and taking them to the presses -- some modern, and others (like Francesco's, shown here) traditional. And yes, stores are announcing Olio Nuovo, the new oil.

When purchasing olive oil, remember that you get what you pay for. The cheap stuff that comes in a 5-liter screw-cap can is going to be uninspiring, and though you may want to cook with it, you will likely not want to drizzle it over your soup or salad because it won't contribute those wonderful olive oil aromas and flavors one gets from better oils.

In terms of quality oil, don't overlook a (relatively) conveniently priced local olive oil if you live in an area where oil is produced -- if it was properly made, a tasting I went to a few years ago showed that it will rival just about anything imported. And if you live in a non-producing area, don't feel you must buy the most expensive European import to enjoy olive oil. Taste the various possibilities with an open mind, and you may find yourself preferring something from a less renowned area that's less expensive.

What to do with olive oil? Some ideas that will show it at its best:

Pinzimonio: a selection of raw vegetables (artichokes, celery, carrots, radishes, and spring onions, and bowls for us to fill with olive oil, seasoning it to taste with salt and pepper, and dip away. Tasty!
Bruschetta: Toasted bread rubbed with garlic, salted and drizzled with oil. Wonderful!
Pappa al Pomodoro: A tomato-bread porridge that is very tasty, and profits greatly from a little oil. Kid's food for all ages.
Minestra di Pane: Tuscan Bread Soup, made with kale, beans, and many other veggies. It's very tasty fresh-made and even better the day after.
Ceci all'Olio: Chickpeas boiled simply, and seasoned at table with salt and olive oil.
Fagioli all'Olio: Cannellini (white beans) boiled with a leaf of sage and a clove of garlic, and seasoned at table with salt, pepper, and olive oil.
Rosticciana: Simple, well-salted grilled spareribs that go wonderfully with both the beans and the chickpeas.
To finish up, A wee dram of Vinsanto

Andar per Olio: More about olive oil -- the grades, purchasing it, storing it, recipe suggestions and more.

Enjoy!

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Andar Per Olio originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 01:05:49.

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Aglio to Zucca: That's Garlic to Squash

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:59:22 +0000

I've just added photos of a garlic braid and a Neapolitan long squash to the Vegetable Gallery, a collection of photos taken at Italian outdoor vegetable markets. When I started putting it together I expected at the most to have a couple dozen pictures, but we're already up to 81 (!), and every time I visit a market something new has come into season, or someone is reintroducing an heirloom fruit or vegetable.

In other words, I may never finish this gallery. But I'm not complaining.

Each entry - for those who have yet to browse it - includes information on the vegetable or fruit in question, links to a few Italian recipes, and links to recipes from the other sites on the food channel.

I hope you like it!

Aglio to Zucca: That's Garlic to Squash originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 09:59:22.

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An Italian Meal For the Week, and Gavi

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:18:22 +0000

Last week I worked on Barolo, and this week on Gavi, Piemonte's finest white wine. With whites people think primarily of cheese, eggs, and fish, and though Gavi does have the backbone necessary to work with white meats too, and also fried foods -- yes, it's versatile, and that's one of the reasons I like it -- we'll stick to fish this time. To start out:

Risotto coi Gamberetti, with shrimp. Very delicate, and romantic, even. Followed by:
Salmone all'Aneto, salt-roasted salmon with dill. As a side dish, I might be tempted by scalloped potatoes, which aren't really Italian but will be nice with both the fish and the wine (Gavi, of course...).
To close? We're in Apple Season, and what could be better than Budino di Mele, Apple Pudding?

An Italian Meal For the Week, and Gavi originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 11:18:22.

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Almost Wordless Wednesday: There's More to Seasonality Than Vegetables

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:18:09 +0000

Hear the word "seasonality," and you may think of fruit or vegetables: asparagus in the spring, peas and peaches in the summer, chestnuts and porcini mushrooms in the fall...

Meats are seasonal too, or at least they were before modern commercial farming. In particular, Italian farming families used to butcher their hogs in the crisp autumn months, after which they would cure much of the meat, making cold cuts in part to raise cash (or pay the landlord), and in part to guarantee a supply of meat into the spring if not further.

But they also enjoyed some pork at the time, and arista -- roast pork loin, and the cut as well -- is very nice in the fall months.

Almost Wordless Wednesday: There's More to Seasonality Than Vegetables originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 01:18:09.

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Happy Halloween!

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:13:09 +0000

Halloween is a relatively new thing in Italy: When I moved here in 1982 nobody celebrated it and I had to explain the Halloween scene in ET to my friends.

Things have changed, and now Italians are enthusiastic devotees. Not kids, however, but rather adults, who welcome the Eve as an occasion to get dressed up (I recall seeing a bare-chested demon and demoness a few years ago...) and go out on the town. Lots of parties, and lots of party foods: things one can nibble as one talks or between dances.

A selection of Italian party and finger foods.

Happy Halloween! originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Sunday, October 25th, 2009 at 06:13:09.

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An Italian Meal For The Week, and Barolo

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:16:08 +0000

I have spent much of the past week working on my tasting notes from Alba Wines, the annual presentation of the wines from Piemonte's Langa region. Specifically, the 2005 Barolo. It was a difficult vintage, but I found a number of wines that I liked, and you will find them listed here.

What to enjoy a Barolo with? Barolo is a full bodied, tannic wine, and here are a few ideas:

Risotto ai Funghi Porcini: We've certainly had enough rain for Porcini to sprout of late, and they are richly flavored enough to work well with Barolo.

Brasato al Barolo: Beef braised in Barolo wine, one of Piemonte's signature dishes, and very, very good. Appropriate for this time of year in Italy, too. Want to drink, rather than cook with your Barolo? A Nebbiolo D'Alba will also work, as will other full bodied tannic red wines.

With the Brasato? Mashed potatoes will be nice,as will polenta, and you could serve sauteed spinach in addition to the potatoes or polenta.

Dessert? Bon�t, a rich chocolate pudding, is perfect at this time of year.

Buon appetito!

An Italian Meal For The Week, and Barolo originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Friday, October 23rd, 2009 at 07:16:08.

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Almost Wordless Wednesday: Cavolo Cappuccio

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:50:05 +0000

I admit, green cabbage isn't as exciting as some of the other things one finds in Italian vegetable markets. But it is quite healthy, and inexpensive too. And versatile. In short, one of the perfect winter vegetables!

Some ideas:
Tortiglioni Con Cavolo E Salsiccia: Pasta with a sausage and cabbage sauce.
Cavolo Cappuccio Alla Siciliana: Tomatoey Sicilian Stewed Cabbage.
Cavolo Con Le Mele: Red cabbage and apples marinated in spiced wine and stewed.
Jennifer's Sauerkraut in a Mason Jar: You may find you like home-made better than the commercial stuff.

Buon Appetito!

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Cavolo Cappuccio originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 at 04:50:05.

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Pork & Beans

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:03:51 +0000

As I say in the most recent newsletter, we are still nominally in Autumn, but Winter is paying an early visit to much of Italy, especially the south, where they've had snow in the mountains, coupled with heavy rains and howling winds. Nor are things much better in some sections of the north. Given the climate, beans seem a natural, and here are a few ideas:

Fasuleda: This is an Emilian relative of the Pimontese fagiolata. And like its Piemontese cousin, it will be quite nice over polenta, or, if you want something non-Italian, a bed of rice.
Panissa Vercellese: A peasant dish made with rice and beans, which is quite rich and can work well as a one-course meal.
Cotenne e Fagioli: People don't often eat pork skins any more, but back in the days when famine was always lurking nothing was allowed to go to waste. And as is often the case with so-called lesser meats, the ingenuity people used in preparing them led to very tasty dishes. Pork and beans are an old standby, and as you might guess, you can also use pork skins.
Braciole di Maiale Coi Fagioli: a Piemontese recipe for pork chops and beans. It will do an excellent job of contrasting winter's chill (especially if served with polenta), and is something you may find yourself making often.
Fagiuoli all'Uccelletto: Beans with a light tomato sauce are one of the most classic Tuscan dishes, and are a common accompaniment to braised dishes or stews in the winter months. Served with Italian link sausages they also make a perfect winter main course. In short, they're comfort food.

Pork & Beans originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Sunday, October 18th, 2009 at 17:03:51.

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