Food, Wine, Cheese....The Tastes of Northern Italy in 5 Parts...Mangia!

Part One:  The Vineyards, a Festival of Tortellini, Cherries and Amarone Risotto.

We arrived at the Borgo San Donino- Selva Capuzza, just a short drive outside of Verona, surrounded by rows of grapevines, brightly colored oleander, fig trees, and tall tall cypress trees pointing up towards the blue sky.  The Mountains of Lake Garda stood proudly in the distance.  

During all of my trips to the different regions of Italy over the years, I had become very familiar with the wonderful food, wine, oil, fresh produce, gelato, pasta, meats, cheeses, soups, pastries, coffee.... yes I could of course keep going... 

But never had the focus of a trip been solely on the food and wine alone.  This was what this week in Northern Italy would be about and it was not only delicious, but very, very informative. 

 

We were greeted each morning with this lovely breakfast table, complete with espresso, blood orange juice, peach nectar, fresh strawberries and pastries. 

Early in our week, we went on a day long excursion to the small town of Borghetto for a lunch, a lesson in tortellini making, and to see the annual Festo del Nodo d'Amore (The Festival of the Knot of Love or the Tortellino).  This festival takes place each year in June, and is dedicated to the little knot shaped pasta.  4,000 people sit for a tortellini dinner at one long table that runs along the length of the old bridge in town.

 When we arrived in the outskirts of historic Borghetto, we walked down a small modern residential street, where people swept their sidewalks and greeted us with "Buon Giorno."  Plastic water bottles were lined up outside of homes, so that neighbors could water plants while the owners were away.

We were greeted at the end of the street by a friendly dog, and one of the family members who run the Pastificio al Re del Tortellino, a small tortellino shop.

We were shown into the kitchen, where the ingredients that are used to make the meat filling were on display, and then down to the enclosed area where they make each tortellino by hand.  I was surprised to find out that mortadella was included in the meat mixture, and that the ingredients were left to simmer for about 6 hours to develop the flavor.

We washed up and were invited to make a few tortellini of our own.

After making tortellini, we were invited across the courtyard to the family's house, where they served us an incredible lunch.  The first course was the meat tortellini tossed with a little butter and grana padano cheese...oh my....The filling was light and flavorful, almost resembling a cheese filling.  I had a second little helping of these, not knowing what would be next on the menu. 

The second course was basil and ricotta torelloni in a fresh tomato sauce.  The ingredients were incredibly simple, but the flavors were complex.  Each little knot was so fluffy that they melted in my mouth.

The third course, was pumpkin, chocolate, amaretti tortellini in a light butter and cheese sauce.  On my ever growing list of the best things that I have ever eaten, these were the perfect blend of sweet and savory.  The tortellini with pumpkin filling at the center, was half chocolate pasta dough and half a dough that had a subtle taste of amaretti cookies (little almond cookies that are great crushed on desserts and used on certain pasta dishes).

The chocolate pumpkin pasta was for sale in their storefront, and oh how I wished that I could take these home!

At their wonderful little shop, I bought a Mostarda di Pere, which is a sweet and spicy condiment that is great on cheese.  Pears or Apples are caramelized into a sticky jelly and combined with mustard powder for a really interesting and zingy flavor combination. 

After lunch we ventured north about an hour to Marano di Valpolicella, east of Lake Garda.  As we climbed higher and higher up the hills, the thousands of terraced vineyards became apparent.  Lines of grapes were drawn all along the hillsides, each supported by a stone wall beneath.  The vines rolled with the shape of the hills, tracing the landscape with the mark of the agricultural importance of the region.  High above the world below stood the small, family operated,  Giuseppe Lonardi Winery. 

We toured the winery, the aging tanks, and barrels.  The aging rooms that housed the oak casks were filled with the pungent perfume of aging and fermenting grapes.

Meeting the family, and hearing about the process, introduced a whole new life and story to the wine in the bottle.  Winemaking is a dedicated art form, a process of preparation, growth, transformation, aging, and production, all tied together by a strong tradition of family and history.

I began to see in this process, the true marriage of nature and culture, as each season and aspect of production is subject to annual weather and soil, conditions in each region.  There seemed to be a respect for the land and a command of it at the same time.

After the tour, we went to a nearby restaurant up on the hill above for a tasting and dinner.

After the day of tortellini, it was hard to believe that we would be eating again, and boy was I in for a surprise!

We tasted numerous red wines, including the winery's Valpolicella Classico, Privilegia, Amarone, and a sweet wine called Recioto.  I learned that the production of fresh cherries was prevalent in the region, and began to see a relationship between the tastes in the wines and this distinct flavor. 

After our tasting, we were invited into the kitchen where we watched the chef prepare polenta over a  wood fire of grape vines, which would be served with sauteed rosemary mushrooms.  The flavor of this polenta was truly unreal.  The distinct smokey flavor of the grape vine wood was apparent, and the pairing with the mushrooms and wine made my tastebuds sing.  

Next, we were presented with Amarone risotto, cooked in a savory broth and generous amount of Valpolicella wine.  It's aroma and creamieness, with just a sprinkle of cheese was like nothing I have ever tasted.  It truly elevated the wine, taking the ingredient, with all of it's complexity and flavor, and making it the shine.  

I couldn't help but think of the respect for the ingredient itself in this dish, considering all of the steps, process, and work that had gone into making the wine, and then incorporating in to this one amazing little plate of rice.  

The dish was followed by tender lamb cooked in wine, with a side of grilled smokey polenta, and a few potatoes.

Finally some of the sweet Recioto wine, a cherry torte, and coffee of course ended the meal.

I could have left Italy after this day a happy, happy woman, but there would be so much more to come...

Snowy Saturday Recipe-Creamy Cauliflower Winter Soup

Ok Ok, so winter is upon us.  There are mounds of snow everywhere.  And they don't seem to be getting any smaller.  After days of shoveling and being cooped up inside, I decided to attempt a soup recipe that was sure to raise my snowy spirits.

This recipe was inspired by a creamy cauliflower soup that I often order for lunch at a restaurant in New York City.  It is hearty and filling, and the perfect comfort food on a winter night.  I decided to try to recreate the flavors of this yummy dish, while adding a few elements of my own. 

I began the soup by cutting up a head of cauliflower into flat segments, so that the pieces would caramelize when browned, adding a nice roasted flavor.

In a large enamel soup pot, I began to saute the cauliflower in olive oil and Italian butter that I found at my local grocery store.  This butter is sweeter than regular butter, and created a complex richness in the soup.  I also added a piece of pancetta that I had been saving in my freezer and browned this along with the cauliflower.  I often try to keep a piece of this handy in order to flavor soups and sauces.

Next, I chopped shallots, onion, and garlic and added them to the pot along with a dash of salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and dried french thyme for flavor.

Once the veggies were softened and browned, I added two boxes of chicken stock, freshly chopped parsley, and about 1/4 cup grated grana padano cheese (parmigiano would work well too).  I allowed this to simmer for a few minutes so that the flavors could become incorporated.

In the meantime, I preheated the oven to 350 degrees, and chopped up bread pieces to use as croutons, tossing them on a cookie sheet with olive oil and rosemary seasoned salt.  

 

On a separate cookie sheet, I spread chopped kale that I drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with steak seasoning, salt, pepper, and smoked spanish paprika.  I wanted the kale to be a smokey and crispy element that would add complexity to the soup.

While these were baking (making sure not to let the kale burn), I removed the pancetta pieces from the soup pot and pureed the soup using my immersion blender.  Once the soup was creamy, I added about two cups of milk, and a little more butter to get a thick but smooth consistency.  Salt and pepper were added as needed.

Next, I made a chili oil to drizzle on top of the finished soup.  I don't keep chili oil in my pantry, so I mixed olive oil with chili pepper, smoked spanish paprika, chipotle seasoning, and a splash of tabasco.  I let this sit for a while so that the dried spices would become incorporated into the olive oil.

When the kale was brown and crispy, I added some slices of imported capicola to the cookie sheet so that I could crisp it and crumble it over the soup.  This would add a smoky crunch that would balance the nutty flavor of the kale and the sweetness of the soup.

Once everything was finished, it was time to assemble the soup!

I put the left over kale and crispy capicola in a little bowl on the side to munch on and add to the soup.  The flavors combined into a perfect balance between sweet, nutty, smoky, and salty.

This is a wonderful soup to make and freeze to have for lunch or dinner.  Just save the crispy kale and croutons in an air tight container to add as a garnish and enjoy!  Yum!

Pizza Sunday! Roasted Veggie and Prosciutto Bacon Pizza

Turn those veggies that you saved from frost, into something delicious and yummy!

This recipe came about as a result of all of the veggies that I rescued about a week ago from the first freeze of the season.  I have red, yellow, green and purple tomatoes residing on my counter, and beans, cucumbers, mini eggplants and peppers in my fridge.  They are on the small side, and I wasn't sure what I would do with them until last night, when I decided to put some of them to good use.  Make your own pizza night!

I had an idea of making a caramelized vegetable pizza with crispy prosciutto, and roasted garlic.  First, I sliced fairy tale eggplants, and spread them on a baking sheet with a few cloves of garlic, and some whole tomatoes.  I drizzled them with olive oil, and added a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, thyme, salt, and pepper and roasted them in the oven until they were golden brown.

Once these were brown, I started to assemble my pizza.  I stretched out fresh dough on an oiled pizza pan, and sprinkled it with olive oil, chopped garlic, and thyme.  I added a layer of crushed tomato, added salt, pepper and freshly grated parmesean.  I had baked a few pieces of prosciutto di parma earlier in the day to make an italian style prosciutto bacon...which was delicious.  I decided that these smokey, crunchy bits would be great with the roasted veggies on the pizza.  When crisped like bacon, they have a  flavor that tastes smokier than regular prosciutto.

I tore some fresh basil leaves, and added the roasted veggies in addition to sliced marinated roman artichokes.  I covered them with another layer of fresh parmesean.

Next, I sliced some fresh mozzerella and layered it on top of the other ingredients.  Finally, I finished the pizza with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper, and baked at 450 degrees until golden brown. 

I have found that if I bake the pizza on the lower rack for the first few minutes, the crust becomes nice and crisp, I then transfer the pizza to the top rack for the final few minutes of baking to get the cheese brown and bubbly.

Served along with the pizza, I decided to use a few other harvested garden ingredients to assemble a fresh, colorful salad.

Mixed greens, cucumber, yellow brandywine tomatoes, fennel fronds, chives, and purple carrots sprinkled with gray salt, and a fresh vinaigrette make this the perfect compliment to the smokey and rich veggie prosciutto pizza.

Enjoy.  Mangia!

Fall Colors!

 As the season winds down and the days are getting shorter, it takes a little more effort to find the colorful blooms and signs of life among the yellowing leaves and exhausted plants.  During  September and October, I often forget that there are indeed things happening in my garden, veggies are ripening, flowers are re-emerging, enjoying the warm days and cool nights.  It is important to recognize the last efforts made by these plants before the weather gets cold, and skies turn gray.  I have cataloged a few of these blooms in an effort to pay close attention. 

Reblooming Purple Clematis.

Delphinium.

Zinnias planted later in the season allow the colorful blooms to paint the flower beds.

Nasturtium flowers make a colorful and edible addition to salads.

Monk's Hood.

Blue Hydrangeas display a beautiful jewel-like purple color in the fall.


Not only are the fall flowers full of color, but the veggies too!

Purple Stringbeans.

 Bananarama Pepper.

 Fairytale Eggplant.

Sweet Thing Pepper.

Good as Gold Pepper.

 
Tomatoes.

Rainbow Chard.

Re-seeded lettuce mix.

Peppermint Stick Celery.

With these fall colors in mind, and the abundance of fresh grown produce coming in each day, I decided to make a few fun dishes.

The weather has been both warm and chilly, as if it is having trouble making up its mind.  After harvesting from my own garden, and visiting the local farm markets, I settled on a hearty vegetable soup, and gazpacho with a side of fried squash blossoms.  These soups make great dinners, and will last, saved for leftovers.

For the veggie soup I used an abundance of fresh greens as the main ingredients, like Red Russian Kale, Mustard Greens, and Rainbow Chard.  I also added purple dragon carrots, rosemary, thyme, purple sweet potato, butternut squash, celery and onion.  First, I sauteed the ingredients, adding each one gradually, saving the greens for last, until they are browned.  Next I added chicken stock, salt, pepper, and parmigiano cheese rinds for flavor.  I also added some pastina stars to thicken the soup, rice could also work well for this.  Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, freshly ground pepper and grated parmigiano cheese. 

For the gazpacho, I sampled a variety of peppers from my garden, along with heirloom tomatoes, scallions, cucumber, and fresh squeezed lemon juice.  I chopped all of the veggies, along with a clove of garlic, added salt, pepper, tobasco, and tomato juice.  With an immersion blender or standard blender, I pureed the veggies until finely chopped.  Chill soup in refrigerator for an hour and serve with garlic bread and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.   

For the side dish, I made my all time summer favorite, fried squash blossoms.  I found these blossoms at the Union Square Farmer's Market in NYC this week and nearly jumped for joy.

The batter consists of a cup of flour, salt, pepper, an egg, olive oil, and a splash of dry white wine.  Combine Flour, salt, pepper, 5 tablespoons wine, 2 tablespoons olive oil and egg yolk, adding warm water until a smooth batter forms.  Save egg white to use later.  Let batter sit for an hour and then add egg white.  Dip each flower into the batter and fry in olive oil until golden brown.  Sprinkle fried flowers with sea salt and eat.

Yum!

Though the leaves are falling and the days are getting shorter, there are plenty of things going on in the garden during this time of year.  Try not to forget about it just yet!