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Italian Food
The word Saltimbocca literally translates as hoppintheouth, and is singularly apt for this quick Roman dish: Veal medallions seasoned with prosciutto sage, and pan-sautéed in either oil or butter -- Artusi calls for butter, while more recent recipes call for oil -- and perhaps a little white wine.
Delightful simplicity, of the sort one wouldn't think required improvisation. However, Gianfranco Vissani, one of Italy's most influential chefs, was doing a thing on Italian-American cooking for RAI TV, and found a woman in New York's Little Italy who added spinach to it in her restaurant. Not as a side dish, but between the veal and prosciutto, and Vissani, who's pretty big, started hopping up and down on the sidewalk while screaming "You can't do that!"
Of course she could and she did, but I do understand Vissani's pain in this case. I haven't found anything like what caused his outburst, though I have found suggestions the saltimbocca be served on a bed of spinach. These I can live with.
A couple of recipes in Italian:
Roma-O-Matic (where did they get this name?) has an absolutely traditional version of Saltimbocca, and a photo of the dish too.
Cosa Cucino's Saltimbocca is quite traditional too. What makes it interesting are some of the variations readers suggest -- sottilette (pre-sliced cheese), spreading ricotta over the prosciutto, using pork loin, Etc., and the reactions (similar to Vissani's) of other readers.
Next, A Couple of Recipes On Site:
A very traditional Saltimbocca recipe drawn from Artusi.
Leonard Bibbo has kindly shared a variation he makes with veal chops, and another with a richer sauce.
Another Recipe in English
In Mama's Kitchen they don't use any flour, and go a little heavier on the sage than I would. Served over a bed of spinach.
So far we've stayed pretty much true to type.
However, I've also found a number of recipes for chicken saltimbocca, and while one could substitute chicken breast medallions for veal, that's not what we have. Giada De Laurentis's recipe is representative (and looks tasty); she takes her chicken breasts, lays prosciutto over them, and then spreads them with cheese and spinach and rolls them up. To my way of thinking, this isn't saltimbocca, but rather involtini di pollo, chicken rollups.
And finally, we have a Saltimbocca Sandwich made with smoked turkey, sage, prosciutto, and mascarpone cheese, among other things. I don't know what to think. But if you're brave, you might give it a try, with a good micro-brewed India Pale Ale.
As always, I want to stress that I am not judging the recipes; they all look good to me. Just looking at variations, which are the spice of life.
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Want to see Past Wordless Wednesday posts? You'll find them here!Italian in English: Saltimbocca alla Romana originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 05:52:12. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Polenta is Corn Meal Mush, and on the face of it not a good choice for the grill. However, you can adjust the thickness of polenta with the cooking time -- as it cooks it gradually thickens, and thickens further as it cools.
So if you make up a fairly thick batch of polenta and spread it out in a fairly thin layer on you work surface, it will firm up enough that you can slice it into bars, which then gain delightfully smoky accents if briefly grilled like this (Vittorio, the Man in the Kitchen at the Antica Trattoria da Bepi, in Marano di Valpolicella, cooks over hardwood coals).
This is perfect hearth cooking: Let the coals in your fireplace burn down, set your grill over them, set the polenta bars on the grill, and cook them for a few minutes, turning them carefully to brown all sides. Don't have a hearth and not about to fire up an outdoor grill? A broiler is a good workaround.
Grilled polenta makes for a dandy side dish, and if you put three bars together on your plates to make triangles, you can fill the resulting wells with a stew, which makes for a nice individual presentation.
What sort of stew?
Adriana's Beef & Pork Stew
Beef Goulash
Lamb with Black Olives
Another Option for Grilled Polenta: La Polenta del Reggitore, Cheesy Polenta Sandwiches
Last thing: The Lonardi family, which owns the Antica Trattoria, also makes very fine Valpolicella and Amarone della Valpolicella. Well worth seeking out.
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Want to see Past Wordless Wednesday posts? You'll find them here!Almost Wordless Wednesday: Polenta Grigliata originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 05:27:10. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Most definitely; the markets are full of all kinds of oranges now, and though my favorite way to enjoy them is at the end of a meal or as a snack, they can work very well as ingredients too. Desserts obviously come to mind, but you can also use them in savory dishes.
For example:
Creamy pasta with oranges
Roast leg of lamb with oranges.
Dentex (The Fish) Stuffed with Oranges
Sicilian Orange Salad
More about oranges, and other recipes
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Want to see Past Wordless Wednesday posts? You'll find them here!It's Orange Season! originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Friday, January 27th, 2012 at 00:01:59. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Agnello scottadito, finger-burning lamb, is one of several Italian recipes whose names suggest how good they are - Saltimbocca alla Romana, Roman hop-in-your-mouth, is another - and the name is accurate, because this grilled lamb is so good that you might be tempted to snatch it directly from the grill, thus scottando - burning - your fingers.
Fortunately, the Ristorante degli Angeli, a fine place on a country road not far from Magliano Sabina, a town about 40 minutes north of Rome, kept me out of the kitchen. Their Agnello Scottadito is a little richer than some, because they included another cut as well as the chops traditionally used to make scottadito.
Nowhere near Magliano Sabina?
A classic recipe for agnello scottadito
Ivana marinates her lamb with juniper berries and more
Alessio Pesucci makes his alla diavola, with hot pepper
Dr. Stu makes his with yogurt sauce
Moving in a different direction, we continue with the Superbowl Recipe Exchange:
Eastern European Ideas
Barbara Rolek, About.com's Guide to Eastern European Food, says, "American football and the Super Bowl or European soccer and the World Cup bring out the same 'need to feed' among rabid sports fans. One-pot dishes that can bubble away in a slow cooker unattended, or what I like to call casserolia, are perfect for noshing during the big game. Polish Hunter's Stew (bigos) -- a meat-eater's dream come true -- and Smoked Sausage and Sauerkraut can be prepared in advance and then slowly reheated when ready to serve. If you've got a crowd coming, the recipes can be easily doubled or tripled. Score!
If You Are Cooking For Two:
Kevin Weeks says, "This fall I've been working on recipes for traditional Superbowl foods like Buffalo Wings, Crab Dip, and Barbequed Ribs. You can find these and many more here:Superbowl 46 - Game Time Eats.
Thinking Spanish?
Lisa and Tony Sierra say, "The Spanish aren't counting the days to the Super Bowl, but it is a big day for appetizers in the US. So, it's the party atmosphere, and the desire to graze is perfect for a tapas buffet. We have a list of easy-to-make Spanish tapas for a Super Bowl buffet - our Spanish pizza with chorizo sausage and Serrano ham toppings, easy bravas potatoes, pancetta-stuffed mushrooms, or pinchos morunos (spicy pork kabobs).
Finally, there is Drink:
Colleen Graham says, "The road to the biggest football game of the year is always exciting. Beginning with the conference championships then onto Super Bowl XLVI, here are this years cocktail menus for the Giants, Patriots, Ravens, and 49ers. Also, for all of your game day party planning needs, check out the ideas for Throwing a Successful Super Bowl Party.
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Want to see Past Wordless Wednesday posts? You'll find them here!Almost Wordless Wednesday: Agnello Scottadito originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 at 05:40:49. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Just got back from the presentation of the 2008 Taurasi, a great Italian red wine from Irpinia, inland of Naples. There were about 60 wines, and at noon Luciano Pignataro, a friend and colleague who writes for Il Mattino di Napoli (and who runs Luciano Pignataro Wine Blog, which is quite interesting) took us to the Ristorante Pizzeria Da Pino in the town of Taurasi.
One of the highpoints, for me, was Soffritto d'Interiora d'Agnello, the local term for Coratella D'Agnello, stewed lamb organ meats, and while this may make some blanch, the dish is a very tasty reminder of the days when all meats were much too precious to be discarded.
Moving in a radically different direction, Talked with a friend from new England last night who is ecstatic about the upcoming Superbowl. Should you be planning on doing something, some ideas:
From Holland
Karin Engelbrecht says, "When the Dutch watch sports on TV their favorite snacks include kroketten, those sumptious shrimp or veal ragout-filled crispy croquettes, frikadellen, typically Dutch skinless meat sausages, and kaasstengels, rich Gouda cheese straws, all of which can be found on her list of Dutch Party Appetizers.
Stephanie Gallagher, Who Cooks For Kids, Says:
The fun thing about throwing a Super Bowl party is that the menu can really be anything you like, from take out pizza and potluck appetizers to chili and cornbread to homemade snacks and desserts. These Super Bowl menu ideas give you three great options. Feel free to mix and match the recipes to suit your own tastes.
Like Baking?
Carroll Pellegrinelli says,
"Make it easier on yourself (or the hostess) by making desserts, and other sweet treats, that don't need a fork to eat them. These Chocolate Nut Bars are just one of the many treats found on this page of Fork-Free Desserts.
And Finally, Linda Says:
"Whether or not you're interested in football, you can throw a party on Super Bowl Sunday. My Super Bowl Snacks and Anti-Super Bowl Party Foods are all delicious, quick to make, and fun to eat. Hope your team wins!
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Something (Very) Different: Coratella D'Agnello originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 at 10:17:19. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Winter has definitely arrived, bringing with it heavy frosts and driving down the temperatures indoors as well -- Italian homes are made of stone, and feel much colder than those made of wood. The solution? Cook foods that will warm heart and soul, and perhaps even the house, if you simmer them long enough.
The Superbowl Recipe Exchange Returns!
Superbowl parties don't need to be laden with processed food - Molly Watson, our Guide to Local Foods, shows you how to make fresh, delicious Superbowl snacks like homemade potato chips, spicy peanuts, and succulent beer-basted spicy glazed ribs.
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Want to see Past Wordless Wednesday posts? You'll find them here!To Keep the Cold at Bay originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Thursday, January 19th, 2012 at 00:19:51. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Pasta Reale is one of Sicily's most glorious traditions, almond paste beautifully sculpted and painted. A feast for both eyes and palate!
This pasta reale was on display at Torino's Salone del Gusto. If you want to try your hand at it, you will find instructions here.
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Want to see Past Wordless Wednesday posts? You'll find them here!Almost Wordless Wednesday: Pasta Reale originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Wednesday, January 18th, 2012 at 04:28:00. Permalink | Comment | Email this
In Italy, if you mention mushrooms most people think of porcini, Boletus edulis, and they're what you're most likely to find people gazing raptly at if you visit a market and find fresh mushrooms for sale.
There are others of course, some even more prized than porcini (truffles, for example), and people do go mushroom hunting, but overall the preeminent position of the Porcino is secure.
Here are three recipes that call for them, and that will also work well with other flavorful wild mushrooms.
Zucchini Involtini with Stewed Mushrooms
Mushroomy Valdostan Bread Pudding
Chicken and Porcini Mushrooms
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Want to see Past Wordless Wednesday posts? You'll find them here!Funghi! That's Mushrooms originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Monday, January 16th, 2012 at 14:27:21. Permalink | Comment | Email this
Radicchio Rosso looks like, and is a leafy vegetable. But it's more than just a salad "green," and not just because of its arresting color. The area around Treviso has been renowned for its greens since Roman times (though it wasn't until the 1860s, when a Belgian agronomist applied the techniques used to whiten endive to it, that Radicchio's brilliant reds became apparent), and -- unlike many salad greens -- it takes very well to being cooked.
Therefore, in addition to shredding it for your salad during the winter months, you might:
Grill it. An illustrated recipe done with Judy Francini, who uses a bistecchiera, or cast iron steak griddle.
Make Risotto: Risotto al Radicchio is a fine winter dish.
Make Stuffing: Duck (or chicken) stuffed with Radicchio is very fine eating indeed.
More about Radicchio (the kind shown here is Radicchio Precoce di Treviso, but there are a number of others as well).
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Want to see Past Wordless Wednesday posts? You'll find them here!Almost Wordless Wednesday: Radicchio Rosso Trevigiano originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Wednesday, January 11th, 2012 at 04:34:26. Permalink | Comment | Email this
A few weeks ago we went to the Trattoria La Baracchina, a restaurant owned by Simone Ciattini that's about a half hour south of Florence, not far from L'Albergaccio, where Macchiavelli wrote il Principe after being banished from Florence. Even if he weren't an old friend of my brother-in-law it would be worth the trip; the location is beautiful and refreshingly cool in summer (in winter you eat indoors, and there is a nice fireplace), and the food is quite good. I started with crostini misti, mixed crostini, and then had bollito misto, boiled dinner, which is a dish I generally associate with the north.
Simone has an innovative approach that will also be more practical for a home cook than might be the carrello piled high with mixed boiled meats one often encounters in restaurants.
He simmers his meats in the kitchen, and come time to serve them cuts a half-inch (1.5 cm) slice from each kind of meat he has cooked, sets them in a heated terracotta pot, tops the pot off with simmering broth, adds a boiled potato, and brings it to the table, where the diner transfers them to the plate and adds condiments.
Very Tasty!
What to Drink With a Meal Like This?
Chianti Classico would be a good bet. However, I would also be tempted to serve a Barolo or Barbaresco from the Langhe, where King Vittorio Emanuele was known for sneaking away from court to enjoy Bollito Misto alla Piemontese.
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Want to see Past Wordless Wednesday posts? You'll find them here!Dining at Simone's originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Monday, January 9th, 2012 at 07:45:12. Permalink | Comment | Email this
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