Category: Italian Recipes and Food

San Daniele, the king of the ham

In Friuli the area of San Daniele is a few miles distant from the foot of the Alps, a delightful hill where, at the beginning of the 1300s, Girolamo Sini told us in “Cronache della Magnifica Comunità di San Daniele del Friuli” about the small town today famous all over the world for its excellent ham.

A few chilometres away from  Udine, San Daniele is produced and stored  in airy “rooms” which the farmers reserved for their tasty “prosciutto”: the months of curing comes really from the tradition! The medieval carvers stated that the number of months has to be equivalent to the weight in kilos of the fresh leg.

For tasting? If you are visiting the splendid gothic features of Udine,  just go down the producers’ shops and ask for the “prosciutterie” to have a magnificent slice of San Daniele ham and a lovely taste of wine! At the end of August you can’t miss in San Daniele the celebration called  “Aria di Festa“. It is a party completely entitled and dedicated to the precious and famous ham!!

The gastronomic wandering in Friuli is not complete if you do not go and try in the ancient “ostarie” the most traditional dishes of Friuli unusual cousine. Let’s have a go with a particular and tasty “gnocs cu’ lis siespis” (potato gnocchi with plums), getting on with some “us e spacs” (hard-boiled eggs and asparagus), then we can choose  “musét e bruade” (pig’s head with turnips) or a “sopa de fasuj e uardi” (bean and barley soup), some “cjalçons”  (agnolotti) dressed with  “scuete fumade” (smoked and grated ricotta and melted butter).

Don’t worry the menu are translated! Or you can always close your eyes, point a finger and…something delicious will appear in front of you anyway! You should have a bite of the Montasio cheese, another excellent delikatessen of the region !

Do not forget a lovely trip inside the wines of the area, fantastic choice of both delicate and robust flavours: the area of  Cividale is for example the core-centre of the Doc zone “Colli Orientali”, where the great white wines come from.

We start with a Tocai Friulano and we can get crazy tasting the rare but unbelievable Picolit. The closest osteria (hostelry) in one of the historical alleys of  Udine will provide you with everything. In the hostelries the customer the ritual of the glass of wine (il tajut) is really  an opportunity for meeting with each other.

Cheese and Nero d’Avola wine: from Ragusa and Sicily with red passion

Sicily: what a triangle to visit! But again where to start? Going to the south? There is the Channel of Sicily, the door to Africa. From the gorgeous beaches or the countryside, made of hills and farms, necropolis and amphitheatres coming form the Greek: all is to be discovered in Sicily! Do not panic and stay with us for a little tour of a peculiar town in the north of the triangle!

Going to the North? There is Mount Lauro, the highest peak of the Iblei mountains, the province of Ragusa, the centre with Modica – of a gastronomy that counts artichokes, tomatoes and the olive with the Dop “Monti Iblei” quality brand on it and the biggest centre where to find delicious pecorino and ricotta cheese from the  sheep!

Here we can taste also the original Nero d’Avola wine, the red heart of many Sicilian red wines. let’s have a look at the town. Rich in History and fascination, Ragusa can surprise you for the variety of things to visit here.

Ragusa Inferiore is well-known since ancient time with the name of Ibla: baroque churches and buildings belonging to the old feudal nobility are surrounded by narrow alleys and mixed up with the ancient Arab traces. The Duomo of  St. George is another gorgeous piece of church coming from the baroque architecture!


Ragusa Superiore is instead an eighteenth- century city of late baroque buildings; here the  Ibleo archaeological museum which has six sections, ranging from prehistoric stations, to the necropoles and the Syracuse colony of Camarina, archaic Siculean towns, Hellenistic centres, late Roman settlements, collections and acquisitions.
The Cava d’Ispica (near Modica) is something you can’t forget if you have the luck to visit it: it is a narrow gorge of 13 km.  where  necropoles, rocky dwellings, catacombs and  shrines come from the Eneolithic period!

Canederli with Speck: the taste of Trentino

Canederli with speck is a traditional yummi Italian recipe of Trentino in the North of Italy. They are close  to the kind of gnocchi made with stale bread. Pretty apprecciated in the autumnal and winter seasons, again this is a great peasant traditional recipe. Many kinds of canederli are out there: the basic ingredient is the stale bread with the addition of others like speck, cheese, spinach, mushrooms and so on. Stuffed of fruit, sweet canederli can be served as dessert.Today we will present you the recipes of canederli with speck: old michetta are the best for this recipe, but of course you can substitute with other type of stale bread; but try to find and use the speck of Trentino. The broth has to be from meat.

Ingredients for the Canederli with speck:

  • 600 g of bread (michetta or stale bread)
  • 2 Eggs
  • 80 g of Flour
  • 200 g of Speck
  • 500 ml of Milk
  • 1 Small Onion
  • 3 Tablespoons of Extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 Tablespoons of parsley chopped
  • Nutmeg
  • Salt and Black pepper

Ingredients for the broth:

  • 500 g of Rump of beef
  • 1 Potato
  • 1 Carrot
  • 1 Celery
  • 1 onion
  • 1 L and 500 ml of Water

Preparation will be around 2 hours, but cooking time only around 15 minutes. For the wine, taste the nice red Alto Adige Santa Maddalena Doc.
Start and prepareof broth of meat: peel and clean carrot, potato, onion and  celery, place them in a pan with the meat  and boil in the water for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Now prepare the canederli: cut the bread, put the small squared pieces you have nicely cut in a large bowl, mix everything with the egg, the milk, salt, and black pepper. The mixture has to still for about 1 hour.

Now the speck: chop the onion and put it in a pan withthe oil, fry a bit and add the speck cut it in small pieces. Cook about 5 min.

Cool the mixture of speck and then add it to the bread with parsley, flour and nutmeg. Let the ball of mixture stand for  30 min.

Boil water for canederli. Roll little ball with your bared hands and… start add them in the water; if the canederlo breaks apart, add some flour to the mixture! After cooking them carefully, drain them and place them in a platter with the broth.

Eating in Italy: where to go for a meal among the eateries you can find

Are you really aware of what kind of restaurants are you entering while you are travelling in Italy? If not, follow us in this nice guide to what has to be expected when you are in Italy and you nwant to dine out.

Looking  for the cheapest place ever to eat good food but sometimes Italian restaurant category puzzle you? No worries and no panic; here we are a list of the Italian eating out places:

The Ristorante, the Italian word for “restaurant” will welcome you with a full-service eating menu in Italy, with different levels of ristorante and not necessarily the most expensive chance you have to eat out. An Italian ristorante has the most high-end service of any other kind on this list.

Trattoria: the difference between a ristorante and a trattoria? Nothing substantial: the trattoria is smaller, on a side-street, and the food establishment  is strictly family-run, with the granma or grandpa or the mother or the father actually cooking  the menu! “La cucina della nonna” is waiting for you with its good and abundant portion!

Osteria is a quite relax estabilishment, no formal at all and cheap! Good wine, good food such as piada or main course can be found in a good osteria with a quite an ancient and rural touch! Taverna  is as well as rustic in its design, with  inexpensive menu and a strict selection of food: like a night bar for dinner time!

Pizzeria are of course the temple of pizza but you can easily find other things on the menu!

Rosticceria will usually offer you roast chicken or other meats, with a pretty good selection of all kinds of other pre-made meals really tasty like lasagne! Also Tavola Calda offer a counter full of pre-made dishes: you can ask for it by the piece or by weight; then they will be re-heated.

The Italian Bar is more like the cafeteria in UK and USA: if you want a quick cup of Italian coffee and a simple thing to eat. Worthy to go and  taste an aperitivo!

Vegetable Lasagna: an healthy choice among Italian dishes

Do you want to indulge in a fantastic meal but the normal Italian lasagna is too fat, even though ludicrous, or are you a militant vegetarian? Do not renounce from the ecstasy an home-made lasagna can bring to you at every bite! Just find another lovely recipe among the millions which surronds the lasagna world.  Your healthy choice will involve a vegeteian lasagna, made with the delicious veggie you have for sure in your fridge. This is suitable of course also for vegan if you change the lasagna noodle type, delete eggs and cheese from the recipe. Check it out in the best well-being shop. Let’s start with the ingredients’ list for vegetarian and lovers of veggies:

  • 1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
  • 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
  • 3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
  • 3/4 cup chopped onion
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 (26 ounce) jars  sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
  • 4 cups mozzarella cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

How to make the vegeterian lasagna:

  1. Start cooking the lasagna noodles in a large pot full of boiling water for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Put a bit of olive oil to avoid the lasagna noodle sticking together. Then rinse in cold water and drain.
  2. In a large pan, you can cook and stir in oil the mushrooms, together with green peppers, onion, and garlic.  Stir in tomato sauce and basil and bring to a boil. After just reduce the heat, and start simmering about 15 minutes.
  3. Combine ricotta, the two cups of mozzarella cheese, and the eggs.
  4. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F- 175 degrees C. Put carefully one cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Layer then lasagna noodles, cheese mixture and  sauce, sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese. Do again the layering, and top it all with the remaining from the two cups of mozzarella cheese.
  5. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. After, let sit approximately 15 minutes before serving and enjoing.

Biscotti bliss: few steps in simplicity

Why in Italy does everyone love biscuits? It is very interesting understanding how such an easy recipe can be so different even from house to house in Italy! Not to mention the differencies among the regions, and the towns! Because there is an element of childhood in it! Biscotti are like bread and pizza an homemade recipe for dessert which every family and every town jelously hide! These crunchy Italian biscotti are baked twice: first as a log, and then as individual slices.

We are going to discover how! And if you have an Italian friend ask him/her his/her secrets.  Or his/her grandmother’s recipe. If you are really gentle and you are really generous, meaning you will give the cookies as a gift to your friend then maybe he/she will reveal the hidden secrets of the family recipes.

How are we going to make it? Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

Mix dough, adding common flavours like anise, orange, almond, chocolate or hazelnut. Even dried cranberries and pistachios, or lemon or nuts and also lavander are the best adding!

fBiscotti can big or small, as you like, for a big breakfast or for a little espresso coffee. The dough has to be sticky!

After the first baking, the biscotti form are firm and very lightly browned! After having sliced neatly, just baked another time to dry out the biscotti without browning them! A low oven temperature and a slow baking time are the key.

Once the biscotti have cooled, you can decorate them if you wish, dunking them in chocolate or rolling them in  nuts.

Well-dried biscotti  can be stored in a tightly closed container for months and you can even taste it with a lovely wine like vinsanto, perfect for the almond cookies coming from Tuscany and called amaretti!

Panna cotta with strawberries: when you reach perfection in Italian dessert

Lovely couple, the panna cotta and the strawberries! The ingredients has to be fresh and there are fit for all the tastes and desire. Of course in summetime this is a delicious nibble, pudding or dessert! What do you need? Simply, the best! Here we go with the list! for the panna cotta you will need:

  • 1 1/2 cups milk;
  • 1 (.25 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin;
  • 1 1/2 cups whipping cream;
  • 1/4 cup white sugar;
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

For the dressing those are the ingredients:

  • 1 quart fresh strawberries, quartered,
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract,
  • 1/4 cup sugar,
  • 1/4 cup water.

Now, put the milk into a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the milk. The mixture has to sit until the gelatin softens. I takes about 5 minutes.
Mix the cream and 1/4 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.

Stir in the gelatin mixture; cook and stir until the gelatin will dissolve completely. It takes about 3 minutes. Add then the vanilla extract and pour the mixture in abowl, cover and let chill for 4 hours.

Instead, in order to make the strawberry sauce, put together the strawberries with two teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/4 cup sugar and water. Heat the mixture in a saucepan, and in the while you can crush the strawberries, Simmer the sauce until the sugar has absorbed and the sauce has thickened. It takes about 10 minutes; then let it cool.
Remove chilled panna cotta from the refrigerator  before serving, dipping the bottoms of the cups in which you have put it in warm water. This will help loosen the custard. The dessert is almost ready to be put  onto a dessert plate, in order to unmold. With a spoon sprinkle lovely and juicy strawberry sauce over your panna cotta and serve.

 

Caponata alla Siciliana: aubergine and art to eat

The dish which is a source of proudness for Sicily is caponata siciliana, an aubergine-based recipe originally sicilian but then spread throughout the Italian Peninsula. Outside Sicily, nobody but a Sicilian can make a real caponata, though. This refreshing summer and vegetarian dish is ideal for stimulating  appetite on a very hot day!!! In Palermo the caponata can also include fish.
Ingredients are simpel to find in a street market:

  • 2 1/4 pounds aubergine
  • 1/2 pound green olives packed in brine, pitted
  • 6 ounces salted capers, rinsed
  • 1 1/4 pounds celery ribs
  • 2/3 pound onions
  • 2/3 pound tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • Basil
  • 3/8 cup pine nuts
  • Olive oil and salt

How you can make it:

Strip the filaments from the celery sticks,  blanch them in lightly salted water. Then cut them into little pieces, sauté them in a little oil.

Wash and dice the aubergines,put the pieces in a strainer, sprinkle them  with salt, and let them sit for 12 hours to draw out the bitter juices. Then blanch, peel, seed and chop the tomatoes.

Once the aubergine has sat, rinse away the salt, slice the onion and sauté them in olive oil, adding the capers, the pine nuts, the olives, and the tomatoes. After 15 minutes,  remove the pot from the fire.

Heat a second pot of oil and fry the diced aubergine, return the tomato pot to the fire and stir in the fried aubergine, together with the celery. Cook over a low flame, stirring gently, then stir in the vinegar and the sugar until the vinegar evaporates. Let th caponata cool and serve it1  cold and  garnish with fresh basil.

The Capunata Palermitana chi Purpiceddi is with fish and you will had one pound baby octopus (or squid), cleaned, one cup flour and 2 artichokes.

Flour the celery sticks, the artichokes, the olives and the capers, and fry them. Fry the octopuss, add all to the tomato mixture, and finish cooking as above.

 

The aperitivo time in Italy: enjoing wine and finger food a là Italienne

If I say “high-quality, seasonal, regional ingredients”, what do you think of? Yes, the answer is “Italian cousine and recipes“.

Italian food is absolutely regional, meaning that it could exists some “special” dishes you can eat only in one town or a small number of nearby towns!
Do you think you know Italian foodie and specialities because the Italian restaurants are accesible all over the world? Maybe it is not exactly like that! Italian menu vary throughout the country and we all know that food for Italians  is a very, very serious matter.

First tip: try not to be scared if you do not recognise anything on the menu and… ask the waiter!

You don’t have to spend a fortune to eat a good meal in Italy, and you don’t have to eat for hours either. Be adventurous and please  avoid restaurants where the menu is in several languages. Try instead  a “trattoria” or an “osteria,”  a “ristorante” or a “bar” with thei aperitivi better than an happy hour and it is a cheap way to eat well!

The experience of the aperitivo involves a a pre-meal drink to stimulate the appetite, but it is the ritual of going out for a drink at one of the many bars that offer it, a chance to socialize and relax.

The stars of aperitivo time (from 6pm to 9pm) is the bitter carbonated drinks like Crodino, Campari Soda and Sanbitter. Aperol and Campari are mixed in with different sodas and spirits.  Martini is white Vermouth served on the rocks with a twist of lemon.

In recent years, Italians use to drink wine as an aperitivo. In the bars you’ll have a wide variety of wines by the glass like Barolo and Chianti, Vermentino and Pignoletto or Prosecco which come along with a variety of finger food.

Different varieties of snacks like piadine, bread and pizze cut into little portions, olives, nuts, seeds, specialty breads, breadsticks, and different baked rustici. Bars will charge you for the wine, but not for the food!!

So why don’t you try a quick and cheap aperitivo for a change??!!!

 

Cotoletta alla Milanese: tasty and energetic dish from Italy

The Cotoletta alla Milanese: meaning a delicious breaded veal cutlets which will be fried in  butter. It is a difficult Italian dish to prepare? Not at all if you follow our cooking recipe!

Milan is proud of this recipe! The similarity of this dish to the WeinerSchnitzler coming from the Austrian tradition is not a case: Vienna and Milano are less than 200 miles apart, Milan was a part of the Austrian Empire. So don’t get surprised to aknowledge that cotoletta alla milanese resembles the delicious dish from Imperial Vienna! In time of Queen Jubilee in UK why do not you serve this to your guest? A royal meat for her Majesty the Queen of your house!
Ingredients:

  • 4 veal cutlets with bone
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup finely ground breadcrumbs
  • 3/4 cup butter

How to make it:
For this recipe we will use only the veal: some will use also thinly sliced beef: the result will still be gorgeous, but you should use just good, high quality meat!

Trim away the fat from the choosen piece. Divided in 4 cutlets and flatten the meat out between the palms of your hands, or with a stone, salt them, dip them in the beaten eggs, sprinkle them with the bread crumbs, pressing very hard to make sure that the crumbs stick on the cotoletta, and shake them to remove the excess.

You want to melt the butter in a pan large enough for all your 4 cutlets, so you can cook it at once, and add them. Cook quickly, turning once, until both sides turn brown.

Then serve hot, garnished with a slice of lemon on the side, some mashed potatoes or steamed green beans. also a good salad made of green leaves will be gorgeous! The wine? A Barbera will be perfect for our cotoletta!