BlogInBo: discovering Bologna and its surroundings

Food Tours

Discovering enchanting places right near our home is always a pleasant surprise and Bologna and its surroundings were one of those discoveries for me. That happened at BlogInBo, the 3-day Emilian event for real Italian tourists.

BlogInBo: discovering Bologna and its surroundings

Dozza, an open-air museum

We set out from the hills of Bologna in search of some fresh air in the scorching days of late June, and we do so from one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, Dozza, with its unique little houses with their colourful murals that an enlightened mayor in 1960 had planned to make the village an open-air museum.

With time passing, brushstroke after brushstroke, Dozza has become a small work of art. Every step captures the gaze, and it is also worth taking the time to visit the Rocca Sforzesca that houses the Museum and, for food and wine lovers, the Regional Enoteca of Emilia Romagna for tastings and purchases.

In the evening, Dozza transforms into a nativity scene, dotted with the lights of the small restaurants, many of which also offer gluten-free options, considering that the lion’s share is taken up by local deli meats and Bolognese meat sauce (asking for a gluten-free pasta seems to be a feasible undertaking!).

Bologna the Learned

The history of Bologna’s university permeates the streets, buildings, statues and faces of the many students who crowd the porticoes, cheerfully huddled around elegantly-dressed friends with the ever-present laurel wreath marking new horizons.

As we walk along Via D’Azeglio, the street of the famous illuminations, we hear humming of the most popular verses of the songs of Raffaella Carrà, a beloved Bolognese who died recently. And the same happens as we pass in front of the house of another local artist who made Italian song unique, Lucio Dalla, whose traces and memories come up in various corners of the city.

Omaggio a Lucio Dalla sui muri di Bologna

to Lucio Dalla on the walls of Bologna

Passing medieval courtyards, towers and squares, we then enter the heart of the Learned: theArchiginnasio. Here we find the Municipal Library with its inaccessible treasures and an imposing Anatomical Theatre that inspires both reverence and imagination!

The Anatomical Theatre inside the Archiginnasio

It is no coincidence that such a place of science and medicine arose in Bologna in the mid-1600s. Its purpose was keeping under control the activities that previously had been carried out secretly, in private homes, by physicians whose dissection activities walked the fine line between science and witchcraft.

And without ever having to give up the pleasant embrace of the 38 km of arcades, we immerse ourselves in the maze of market streets with their deli shops, stores, trattorias and osterias: a riot of fresh pasta and deli meats that are absolute proof that the second adjective historically linked to Bologna has not been undermined by new food fashions.

Bologna the Fat

A stop at the historic workshops of Tamburini and Simoni to shop for good food because since 1465 at theOsteria del Sole you can only buy wine: definitely an invitation to honour all the good things on the way to Vicolo Ranocchi.

The Osteria del Sole is the meeting point of local people, it is the place where social classes disappear and bottles of Sangiovese from Romagna and the most expensive French champagne are sold in equal numbers. It is the place where the greatest personalities of cinema and sport have stopped to taste the pink mortadella whose unmistakable aroma is more insidious than Ulysses’ Sirens.

So, despite all the good intentions to resist temptation and indulge in just one slice, we end up satisfied and satiated, ready for a stop at the coffee shop for the last treat for the senses: an espresso from Terzi where we try a new, intoxicating coffee blend.

From earth to heaven

Never have the 498 steps of the Torre degli Asinelli been so invoked to walk off the sumptuous lunch! The keyword: punctuality, because the Tower must be climbed strictly with a reservation and at the appointed time, so to organise your activities in the best possible way, stop by at the offices of Bologna Welcome and Extra Bo in Piazza Maggiore where you can find all the information, buy tickets and book access and visits.

le scale per salire sulla torre degli asinelli

The stairs to the Asinelli Tower

In addition to the view of the city from its highest point, the Tower offers us a few refreshing raindrops and the desire to continue enjoying the sky above Bologna by reaching the city’s other symbol, the monument that announces to all the approach into Bologna: the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca.

Refreshing excursion with the little train to admire the succession of arches that, with their 3,796m, form the longest portico in the world and reach the Sanctuary, allowing pilgrims to be sheltered from the weather and heat. Among the bright green trees of the Colle della Guardia, the warm orange of the Basilica stands out even more imposing against the backdrop of a postcard-perfect turquoise sky.

Bologna and surroundings it’s egg pasta

I have no idea how many times I have made egg pasta, nor how many times I have taught how to make it in my life, yet I could not resist the temptation to take part in the Tortelloni and Tagliatelle making course held by the fabulous Monica and Barbara from Tryandtaste in Monteveglio, about half an hour’s drive from Bologna.

Do you know what I love about fresh pasta? That each family has its own version of each dish, an extra or less ingredient that makes their tortellone simply unique. So from my rolling-pin companions I learnt not only how to seal the pasta the Bologna way, but also how to flavour the filling with parsley and a pinch of garlic, a forbidden ingredient for the Bertinelli’s home-made fillings.

With rolling pins and pasta cutters, the cutting boards are soon filled with the most inviting and pot-bellied Tortelloni and soft nests of Tagliatelle, which, while we take photos and videos, are already waiting for us, seasoned and fragrant on the work table masterfully transformed into a simple but sumptuous banquet: Butter Tortelloni, sage and Parmesan cheese authentic meat sauce Tagliatelle.

You do know I was well trained to deal with Bologna’s culinary exertions, and yet, every time I eat a good meat sauce my palate is always amazed as if it were the first time I tasted that recipe! And perhaps there is a reason for this because, in Bologna every one has a own version of the sauce using a different cut of beef or pork, adding more or less tomato purée or paste, the much-debated glass of milk, you name it: to each his own meat sauce! Mine? I’m going to tell you shortly here on the blog pages.

The good and the beautiful that are good for the environment

As in all self-respecting shows, our BlogInBo could only end with a grand finale, this time in the rolling hills of the Regional Park of the Abbey of Monteveglio, surrounded by the vineyards of the organic winery of the Corte d’Aibo farmhouse.

It was in this corner of paradise that in 1989 Antonio Capelli and Mario Pirondini took over 35 hectares of land to give life to their avant-garde project of creating an organic farm. Today it is complemented by a splendid cellar where the wines rest for part of their life in buried clay amphorae that allow the grapes to preserve all their goodness until the skilful knowledge of the winemakers assembles them into the magical combinations of Corte d’Aibo’s 14 labels.

L'anforaia della cantina di Corte d'Aibo

The amphorae of the Corte d’Aibo winery

The pleasure of fresh sparkling Pignoletto gives us relief from the heat of lunchtime, accompanied by a crouton served with the summer truffle of this land full of surprises: the truffle that the Appennino Food Group searches with the help of the lagotto dogs in the surroundings of Savigno, the little-known home of this underground treasure.

Then, a glass of Rugiada, a still white wine with no added sulphites, which combines the fragrant Malvasia di Candia with the slightly bitter touch of Grechetto Gentile, leads us to the final climax: the tasting of Franceschini’s artisan mortadella which could only be called Opera.

Definitely a work of art: made only from the finest Italian pork, stuffed into natural casings, hand-tied, slowly stewed and free of preservatives, flavourings and allergens – in short, to be enjoyed to the last bite and with eyes closed so as not to miss even the most hidden aroma.

Simone Franceschini affetta la sua Opera

Simone Franceschini slicing his Opera

Here at Corte d’Aibo I would love to stop and admire the sunset behind the neat rows of vines because I am sure it is a breathtaking spectacle, but the schedules of each of our BlogInBo companions oblige us to say goodbye to this land and to our new friends. I feel I can say that it will not be long before I return to retrace the path I have trodden because beautiful, good and healthy things should be shared, Ilaria’s word.

June 28, 2022/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Discovering Italian PDOs: Savoury muffins with Provolone Valpadana PDO

Antipasti, Food Tours

While still loving the ‘old’ way of travelling, I decided to embark on a journey of discovery of the Provolone Valpadana PDO through the project “Choose your taste, sweet or spicy, only from Europe”in collaboration with the European Commission and theItalian Food Bloggers Association. The project aims to improve the manner in which European quality labelled products are recognised and promote their consumption, and I did it with my Savoury muffins with Provolone Valpadana PDO.

My encounter with this product dates back to my childhood when I accompanied my father to the International Dairy Cattle Fair in Cremona , where the food stands present at the social event for breeders from Northern Italy displayed huge cheese wheels, shiny, sometimes round and sometimes cylindrical. Their size fascinated and, at the same time, frightened me.

After so many years, discovering how this cheese is made fills my heart with joy.

The sweet and spicy Provolone Valpadana PDO

Where does the name of this cheese come from? From the Italian word prova “try” (because in the past, when there were no technological means to verify that the curd was fermented to the right point to be spun, pieces of it were taken and spinning tests were made repeatedly (hence the name Provola and its augmentative Provolone) until the results were perfect to proceed.

The production area of Provolone Valpadana PDO includes part of Lombardy, part of Veneto, the province of Piacenza and part of the province of Trento, an area characterised by the presence of the Po Valley.

The production process in brief

Milk preparation in the boiler within 60 hours after milking.
Addition of fermented whey from the end of the previous day’s processing and, if necessary, of additional lactic acid bacteria always obtained from the whey of Provolone Valpadana PDO.
Rennet and curdling, the stage from which the differentiation between mild and piquant Provolone starts, thanks to the addition of calf rennet in the former and kid rennet in the latter, which cause the milk to curdle at a temperature of between 36 and 39°C.
Curdling (photo by Consorzio del Provolone Valpadana PDO)
Fermentation and cutting of the curd, when the curd is allowed to rest by fermenting on suitable surfaces and, once ready, cut and then stretched.
Stretching, a process that takes place in water at 85-95°C, consists of melting the curd by pulling it to form long threads.
Moulding, cooling and firming, when the curd is moulded either by hand or in special moulds and placed in ice-cold water to promote rapid cooling and subsequent firming.
Salting, which consists of immersing the cheeses in brine for a period of time depending on their size.
Salting (photo by Consorzio Provolone Valpadana PDO)
Tying, possibly smoking and maturing are the final stages of production since once the cheeses are tied, they can be smoked and matured or stored for a short time in the case of sweet Provolone Valpadana PDO.

Maturation (photo by Consorzio Provolone Valpadana PDO)

Many shapes for many flavours

As a great cheese enthusiast, I find the variety of shapes in which Provolone Valpadana PDO can be presented really unusual, because each size will have its own uniqueness in terms of flavour. So not only is there a difference between sweet and piquant, but within those, ranging from small 6kg wheels to huge 100kg cheeses, the sensory profile develops in a multiplicity of nuances.

For this reason, maturation periods can vary from a minimum of 10 days to over 240 days!

How to use Provolone Valpadana PDO

Given the variety of flavours, textures and maturations, Provolone Valpadana PDO can be used in an infinite number of recipes, which will then be characterised by our choices: a delicate version with a milky scent or a strong touch of flavour and spiciness, as if we had added a pinch of chilli pepper.

Provolone can be used directly raw or in preparations that are to be cooked in a pan or in the oven. Here is the recipe I have prepared to share with you and which I cooked using mild Provolone Valpadana PDO, but which you can easily modify using the piquant version of the same cheese to obtain a completely different result: have fun experimenting!

Savoury muffins with Provolone Valpadana PDO

33.43g carbohydrates per 100 g

Ingredients for 4 large muffins

90g wholemeal rice flour*
75g Provolone Valpadana PDO sweet or spicy (sweet in the photo)
2 eggs
35g tapioca starch*
30g milk
25 g extra virgin olive oil
20g dried tomatoes
5g baking powder for savoury pies*
salt and pepper

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

Coarsely chop the Provolone cheese and dried cherry tomatoes and set them aside.
Place the rice flour and tapioca starch in a planetary mixer or bowl, then mix with eggs, milk and oil until smooth and creamy; finally add the yeast, Provolone cheese and cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
Pour the mixture into 4 rather large muffin tins, filling them 3/4 full.
Bake the muffins in a static oven preheated to 180°C for 10-20 minutes.
Take the muffins out of the oven and eat them warm – they are mouth-watering!

Version with gluten of Savoury muffins with Provolone Valpadana DOP

The recipe contains only naturally gluten free ingredients, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten.

February 1, 2022/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

The flavour of Christmas: Cappelletti in meat stock

Food Tours, Primi piatti

If there is one recipe that is the symbol of our Christmas, it most certainly is the recipe for Cappelletti in meat stock because it accompanies not only Christmas Day, but also the preceding period of busy preparation and anticipation.

And the recipe for Cappelletti is part of the advent calendar of the Italian Food Bloggers Association which presents a typical family recipe for every box.

Making Cappelletti in meat stock: a family affair

The preparation of Cappelletti is a family affair: yes, because the whole family gets involved during Christmas holidays and everyone is assigned a task based on their culinary skills, an indispensable contribution to this almost sacred ritual.

There are two types of these beloved stuffed buttons: those stuffed with stew and those stuffed with cheese (called Anolini), each of which has its own convinced and adamant admirers.

Tradition has it that for the most important feast of the year, the stuffing with meat stew should be preferred, so Cappelletti are going to be prepared. Stracotto is prepared several days in advance also because, as its name implies, it takes so long to cook. Precisely for this reason, the cooking juices, with precious flavours and aromas, are used piping hot to moisten the breadcrumbs (unlike cheese stuffing where broth is used for this purpose).

Although the ingredients are few and the recipe is always the same, the stuffing (together with the meat stock) is the element that most determines the success of the Christmas lunch because the stracotto will never be perfectly the same as the previous year’s, nor will the Parmesan cheese and bread we use be identical, so the tasting committee has a task of great responsibility. One of the most vivid and amusing memories I keep of the “Cappelletti factory” is the ritual of tasting the filling by the men of the house who, excluded from all household chores, could not help but be involved in the approval of the filling: an additional pinch of aged Parmesan cheese, a bit less of nutmeg, in short, an invisible recipe hidden in the memory of tastes.

The traditional dough: 100g flour for 1 egg

My grandmother’s rule has always been this, a proportion that we cannot maintain in the preparation of gluten-free dough, which requires more hydration and therefore more eggs.

The dough must be bright yellow due to the careful selection of eggs with the yolk having an intense colour to ensure an even, golden dough. My grandmother’s powerful arms (now often replaced by my own) would push her wrists so that they would sink into the resistant mass of flour and eggs, which would eventually surrender, becoming docile and smooth, ready to receive the precious explosion of flavour of the filling.

My mother was (and still is) in charge of rolling out the pastry into thin, almost transparent strips and my aunt presided over the precision work of distributing the filling. And then, the workforce still available was given the task of cutting with round, smooth or ribbed stencils, and the patient arrangement, especially by the children of the house, in perfectly aligned rows; so that the precise number of Cappelletti prepared was readily known and flaunted with acquaintances and friends in fun competitions in search of Guinness records.

Capon stock

Last but not least, the stock. Again, for Christmas, the choice of ingredients is very accurate and detailed: a rich piece of beef, a large beef bone, a free-range capon and the essential vegetables for colour and fragrance, namely onion, celery, carrot, garlic and parsley. Slow cooking, careful skimming of the foam on the surface and an eye on the cooking of the meat that will be the second dish of the day: the boiled meats accompanied by homemade sauces, sweet and spicy.

Once the stock has been strained and the salt has been adjusted, the last effort before the pleasure and the feast: throw in the cappelletti and cook them, keeping them at a gentle simmer to prevent them from opening and releasing their filling. So here they are, the adored and legendary “floaters“, as Parma natives like to call them.

Cappelletti in meat stock

37.31g carbohydrates per 100g raw cappelletti, without stock

Ingredients for the egg pasta for 4 servings

300g flour for fresh pasta Molino Dallagiovanna** (for gluten-free version, see below)
4 eggs
salt

Ingredients for the Cappelletti filling

150g stew meat
75g breadcrumbs, brand Nutrifree**
40g Parmigiano Reggiano, 36 months, grated,
35g Parmigiano Reggiano, 24 months, grated,
1 egg + 1 yolk
meat stew liquid to wet the breadcrumbs, salt and nutmet

Ingredients to complete

2.5 litres approx. of meat stock, preferably prepared using capon
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

Prepare the dough: make a well with the 2 flours, crack the eggs in the centre, add a pinch of salt and start by beating the eggs with a fork; gradually incorporate the flour until you can knead the mixture using your hands. Continue mixing with a fork until the dough is stiff enough to be kneaded by hand. Continue working the pastry until it is smooth and compact.
Cover the pastry with foil and leave it to rest while the filling is prepared.
Bring the stock almost to the boil, then pour small amounts of it over the breadcrumbs, stirring so that the liquid is perfectly absorbed. When all the breadcrumbs have been soaked, mix well and leave to cool for about ten minutes. It is important that the breadcrumbs are wet, but still well separated and not creamy.
Add all the other ingredients and mix to obtain a filling with a rather hard consistency.
Cut the pastry into slices, flatten them with a rolling pin, then roll them out into thin strips, 30-40cm long and about 7cm wide with the pasta sheeter. Place mounds of filling of a suitable size for the ring you are using in the centre of the pasta sheet, spacing each 2cm apart.
Fold the pastry over lengthwise, press the pasta sheet around the perimeter of the filling with your fingers and cut out the cappelletti with the cutter.
Put a pot of stock on the stove and when it comes to the boil, lower the flame, remove from the heat for a moment (to prevent the broth from spilling out when pouring the cappelletti) and throw in the cappelletti. Let them cook until the pasta dough is of the desired consistency.
Serve the cappelletti with the stock piping hot and, if desired, sprinkle them with grated Parmesan cheese.

Version with gluten of Cappelletti in meat stock

Replace the Molino Dallagiovanna fresh pasta fix flour with an equal amount of wheat flour, kneading it with 3 whole eggs, while all other ingredients remain unchanged.

December 19, 2021/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Fregnacce Sabina style

Food Tours, Primi piatti

In Roman dialect, the term Fregnaccia means nonsense, lie, and nuisance, but in the tradition of Central Italy it also indicates a type of pasta, similar to a large, thick Maltagliato, so called to indicate the simplicity of a dish that wins you over with the flavour of its few, delicious ingredients. Here is the recipe for the second meeting with the Rieti-Viterbo Chamber of Commerce, Fregnacce alla sabinese.

And what are these extraordinary ingredients?

The Ovalone Rietino Tomato P.A.T. (i.e. traditional Italian agri-food product) of the Tenuta San Giovanni Farm of Gianfranco Gianni.

The Azienda Olearia’s Leccino Olives Bonifazi Oil

Petrucci’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the lively The Three Doors Sabino chilli pepper

In preparing the recipe from the book ‘La Cucina Sabina’ by Maria Giuseppina Truini Palomba, we were guided by chef Marco Bartolomei and the result was a feast for the whole family.

Enjoy the journey and bon appétit!

Fregnacce Sabina style

49.3 carbohydrates per 100g of unseasoned Fregnacce

Ingredients for Fregnacce

300g fresh pasta flour mix Molino Dallagiovanna** (for gluten-free version, see below)
180g water (or however much you need to have a consistent dough)
a pinch of salt

Ingredients for sauce

500g peeled Ovalone tomato
100g Leccino olives in brine
1 clove of garlic
parsley, chilli pepper, salt and extra virgin olive oil

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

Knead the flour with a pinch of salt and enough water to obtain a firm, homogeneous dough. Fate riposare la pasta in un sacchetto di plastica per circa 15 minuti.
Divide the dough in half and roll it out with a rolling pin to a not-too-thin thickness, forming a large disc that you will leave to air dry for about half an hour. Roll each disc to form a large cylinder and cut it with the knife blade at an angle with the tip pointing once to the right and once to the left so that the resulting pieces are diamond- shaped.
Prepare the sauce by putting the clove of garlic in oil with the chilli pepper. Brown the garlic well, then add the tomato after having mashed it well with a fork to make it homogeneous. Cook the sauce for about twenty minutes, seasoning with salt, then add the olives and chopped parsley and leave to season for another 10 minutes.

Boil the pasta in boiling salted water and when it rises to the surface, drain it, toss it in the pan with the sauce and leave it to season for a few minutes.
Serve your pasta immediately because the saying in Romanesco goes ‘Cook the Fregnacce and eat them right away’.

Le fregnacce alla sabinese pronte per essere gustate

Fregnacce Sabina style ready to be thoroughly enjoyed

Version with gluten of Fregnacce Sabina style

Replace the Molino Dallagiovanna fresh pasta flour mix with an equal amount of wheat flour, adjusting the amount of water needed for kneading.

December 13, 2021/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Stracotto for Christmas Cappelletti

Food Tours, Secondi piatti

Preparing the Stracotto stew for Christmas Cappelletti is a big responsibility because expectations for the most anticipated meal of the year are always very high. This is how I prepared it to bring my whole family to the table… definitely feeling everyone’s eyes on me!

First of all, the stew should be prepared with three types of meat: beef, veal and pork. It’s a bit like doing no wrong to any of these meats, which at different times of the year brighten up our tables with extraordinary dishes.

As the name stracotto implies, the meat is cooked for such a long time that it falls apart simply by piercing it with a fork.

Once ready, the stew is blended or finely minced and the boiling cooking juices are used to wet the breadcrumbs that will be used to prepare the legendary Christmas Cappelletti, the meat-filled version of Anolini in broth.

And believe me, the type of filling is by no means an irrelevant matter! The tradition of eating one type of stuffing instead of the other is so ingrained that restaurants are obliged to put one or the other version on the menu according to boundaries dictated by custom, or else the menu would flop completely!

Here then is how to prepare Stracotto for fans and supporters of the meat version of this stuffed pasta, namely Cappelletti.

Stracotto for Christmas Cappelletti

negligible carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

350g beef
350g pork
300g veal
300g red wine
50g onions
50g carrots
30g celery
30g tomato paste
30 g butter
1/3 clove of garlic
3 cloves
extra virgin olive oil
water
salt

Preparation

Put the butter in a pan or earthenware casserole and melt it; add chopped onion, carrot and celery and brown it.
Add the tomato paste and a third of a clove of chopped garlic, let the paste caramelise slightly, then place the three types of meat in the vegetable base, sealing the meat on all sides. Stick a clove into each piece of meat.
Add the wine and pour in enough water to cover the meat, season with a pinch of salt, put the lid on and leave to cook on a low heat for at least 4 hours.
After the time has elapsed, remove the cloves and add salt to taste. Remove the meat and put it in a food processor. Strain the cooking juices through a colander, add the remaining vegetable pieces in the colander to the meat in the processor and chop finely.
Heat the liquid from the stew well and use it to scald the breadcrumbs of the Cappelleti filling.

Version with gluten of Stracotto for Christmas Cappelletti

The recipe contains only naturally gluten free ingredients, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten.

December 11, 2021/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

From the heart of Italy, Chestnut and grass pea soup

Food Tours, Primi piatti

A year later, I virtually set off again towards Rieti to meet with bloggers, journalists and cooking enthusiasts to discover other products of the Alta Valle del Velino area through the first recipe: Chestnut and grass pea soup.

This soup is naturally gluten-free and the presence of pulses helps to better control the carbohydrates provided by dried chestnuts and potatoes, foods that require some attention for proper blood sugar management.

The journey of flavours in the heart of Italy: Chestnut and grass pea soup

The local tourism and culture project was designed by the Rieti Viterbo Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the Azienda Speciale Centro Italia Rieti and is aimed at highlighting the area’s excellence. Also look at the recipes cooked last year: Amatriciana and Pulse pasta with Rascino lentils.

The main ingredients of Chestnut and grass pea soup are two types of chestnuts and dried grass peas.

The chestnuts of the Rieti area are Chestnuts from Antrodoco and Rossa del Cicolano, both valuable varieties that have always been linked to the economy of these areas and thus one of the main components of the diet of mountain populations along with the rich selection of pulses. In our soup, we used dried chestnuts from Atrodoco, left to soak in water for about half an hour, and partly sliced raw to add a delicious fresh scent and a crunchy touch to the preparation.

The grass pea or Indian pea (an expression that betrays its provenance from distant lands) is a pulse whose cultivation is valuable in areas prone to drought and famine, so it ensured subsistence for farmers even in years when other products failed to bear fruit, thus important despite the difficult harvest.

Grass peas have a sweet taste, similar to that of chickpeas, that easily conquers the palate, but since they grow on stony ground it is important to subject them to a careful visual inspection before putting them in the pot: restaurants in this part of Italy are often equipped with a good insurance policy to cover any expenses for a dentist’s surgery after a tasty stop at the table!

So are you ready to discover the heart of Italy with another recipe? Let’s arm ourselves with pots and ingredients and cook it together.

Chestnut and grass pea soup

16.04 g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 4 servings

1.2 litres of water
300g dried grass peas (soak for at least 8 hours)
100g dried chestnuts (soak for 1 hour)
100g potatoes
20g extra virgin olive oil, plus oil for serving
4 whole chestnuts
1 clove garlic
bay leaf
parsley
rosemary
salt and pepper

Preparation

Put extra virgin olive oil in a pan and season with chopped garlic and parsley. Add the soaked and well-drained grass peas and allow them to gain flavour for a few minutes, stirring them with a wooden spoon.
Add water and cook for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the soaked dried chestnuts for about 20 minutes in lightly salted water with a bay leaf. Drain and roughly chop them, then add them to the grass peas together with the diced potatoes and finish cooking.
Take 2 ladles of soup and put them in a blender, then pour the resulting cream back into the soup so that the mixture is nicely thick.
Peel the raw chestnuts, cut them into thin slices and serve the soup with the chestnut slices, chopped rosemary and parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Complete with bread croutons to your taste.

Version with gluten of Chestnut and grass pea soup

The recipe contains only naturally gluten free ingredients, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten.

November 29, 2021/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Autumn at the winery: Hunter’s style Gnocchetti with hare

Food Tours, Primi piatti

Also this year the Tuscan Wine Tourism Movement in collaboration with theItalian Food Blogger Association has launched the initiative involving 15 food bloggers to propose a pairing of a Tuscan wine with an autumn recipe, and my proposal is these Gnocchetti with hare. See also my pairing from last year for Christmas Bacchus .

Hunter’s style Gnocchetti with hare and Monterosola Winery

The winery I was lucky enough to be matched with is Monterosola in Volterra, a winery that has been active since 2013 to realise the dream of a Swedish family, the Thomaeus, to produce wine in a state-of-the-art, hi-tech, eco-sustainable winery in full harmony with the nature of the enchanting Tuscan countryside.

Crescendo IGT 2018 – Photo by Lorenzo Moreni

The wine that Monterosola decided to send me is Crescendo IGTa 100% pure Sangiovese from 2018. It is a full-bodied wine that matures 15 months in French oak barrels, preparing itself for an ageing process that certainly does not frighten it. Pouring Crescendo, one is struck by its garnet red colour that goes well with the fresh notes of red fruits and spices, expressed in the mouth by fine tannins, good acidity and a pleasant persistence: definitely a name that is a promise!

When thinking of a recipe, I wanted to find a meeting point between two iconic autumn ingredients, pumpkin and Porcini mushrooms, and a meat with a strong enough personality to stand up to Crescendo. A friend offered me the solution on a silver platter by giving me a hare ready to be cooked! And the perfect connection between the sweet Gnocchetti and the gamey hare is in the slivers of 40-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano, which immediately befriended the notes of toasted almonds and spices of the enveloping sips of this impressive red.

After trying this combination, all you need to do is book a visit to the winery!

Hunter’s style Gnocchetti with hare

10.77g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for Gnocchetti for 6 servings

630g ricotta
200g Parmigiano Reggiano, 24 months, grated,
200g mashed pumpkin, oven baked
200g gluten free pasta flour mix, brand Molino Dallagiovanna**
2 eggs
brown rice flour* for dusting
salt

Ingredients for hare sauce

1 litre milk
900g boneless hare
100g Crescendo IGT 2018
60g onions
60g carrots
30g celery
30g triple concentrated tomato paste
15g dried Porcini mushrooms
1 bay leaf
meat stock
aromatic herbs for marinating (rosemary, sage, thyme)
garlic
spices (coriander grains, chilli, pepper)
extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese 40 months to serve

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

Marinate the hare in a large bowl completely covered with milk and water with the herbs and garlic. Leave the hare in the fridge for 2 days, turning it once a day.
Remove the meat from the marinade and de-bone the hare so that you have about 900g of meat, which you cut into small pieces of about 1 cm per side.
Prepare the chopped vegetables typical of meat sauce, i.e. chopped onion, carrot and celery, and brown them in a saucepan with a little oil and half a clove of chopped garlic. When the vegetables are browned, add the triple concentrated tomato paste, possibly diluted with a few tablespoons of water, let it flavour for a few minutes, then add the chopped meat.
Seal the meat over a high heat for a few minutes, then douse with the Crescendo IGT and let it evaporate. Add a ladle of meat stock and the bay leaf, put the lid on and lower the flame to the minimum.
Soak the dried Porcini mushrooms, then cut them into small pieces and add them to the meat. Leave to cook for at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Preparation of Gnocchetti

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together to obtain an even and rather sticky mixture. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to rest for at least 30 minutes.
With a little flour, start forming cylinders with a diameter of about 1.5cm and cut the dumplings; put them on trays dusted with flour.
When the meat sauce is cooked, season with salt and pepper, a teaspoon of ground coriander grains and a pinch of chilli pepper.
Put a pot of water on the stove, salt it and cook the dumplings until they rise to the surface. Drain them with a slotted spoon, toss them in a large frying pan to gain flavour with the hare sauce and serve.
Complete the dish with a few thin slivers of 40-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano.

gnocchetti con ragù di lepre e lamelle di Parmigiano Reggiano 40 mesi

Gnocchetti hare sauce and slivers of 40-month Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Version with gluten of Hunter’s style Gnocchetti with hare

Replace the 200g of gluten free flour with 220g of wheat flour; no other adaptation is needed.

October 24, 2021/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Non fried Sicilian Caponata

Antipasti, Food Tours

Sicily is undoubtedly one of the most popular destinations for art and cuisine, and one of its gastronomic symbols is undoubtedly Sicilian Caponata , of which I share the recipe of dear friends from Carini, near Palermo, whom we feel are part of our family. The only change I made is not frying aubergines… I hope you’ll forgive me!

Precisely because of its Italian character, I chose the Caponata recipe as the star of a fantastic project to make the international public aware of what the products of a virtuous cosmetics company contain, Davines which uses Slow Food Presidia to extract its active ingredients. So you can watch the video made in the Davines Scientific Garden to discover that the ingredients of Caponata are also the ingredients of solid shampoos that are as friendly to humans as they are to the environment.

So have a good trip to discover a recipe that makes us beautiful inside and out!

Non fried Sicilian Caponata

9.34g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 6-8 servings

830g aubergines, preferably round or striped
550g tomato sauce and peeled tomatoes
300g onions
225g celery
150g pitted green olives*
60g raisins
40g pine nuts
30g salted capers
10g sugar
extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar and salt

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on Prontuario AIC)

Preparation of Non fried Sicilian Caponata

Wash and peel the aubergines, then dice them, sprinkle them with a pinch of fine salt and leave them to drain in a colander for a couple of hours. Blot the aubergines to remove the water they have released and fry them in a non-stick frying pan with a little oil (this is the step that makes the difference to the original Sicilian recipe in which the aubergines are deep fried).
Soak the raisins in water.
Meanwhile, cut the celery in pieces and cook it for about 5 minutes in boiling water, then drain it (without throwing away the cooking water) and set it aside.
Cut the pitted olives in half and set aside.
In a non-stick frying pan, pour a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the sliced onion, then add the celery, olives and well-desalted capers and leave to gain flavour for about ten minutes.
In the meantime, in another non-stick pan, cook the tomato sauce and peeled tomatoes for about 15 minutes so that they shrink, adding sugar and a pinch of salt. Finally, pour in the vegetable mixture, aubergines, wrung out raisins and pine nuts. Stir and cook for about a minute, then remove from the heat and add white wine vinegar to taste. Adjust salt if necessary and serve Caponata warm or cold.

Version with gluten of Non fried Sicilian Caponata

The recipe contains only naturally gluten free ingredients, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten.

August 19, 2021/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Rosa di Parma: a rose-like roast

Food Tours, Secondi piatti, Video ricette

Rosa di Parma is not a flower, but a rose-like roast. Its name comes from the way the roast looks like: being fairly rare, the meat is similar to a rose and the origin is confirmed by the ingredients used to prepare it, namely Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Rosa di Parma only contains ingredients that are naturally gluten-free and is practically carb-free. Thanks to the presence of few, yet refined ingredients, its preparation is very simple, but challenging at the same time: the difficulty lies in finding the right cooking point. And what is the right cooking point? Even if the name reveals that it should be “rosy” internally, I have to admit that my children like meat when it is medium to well-done, therefore I always have to find a compromise to make everyone happy at home.

Something interesting to know: in Parma there is a deeply rooted tradition of eating horse meat, which is absolutely banned at our place because of Gaia’s great passion for horse riding. Well, in many families, Rosa di Parma is prepared replacing beef fillet with a cut of horse meat rigorously recommended by your trusted butcher.

To prepare this typical dish, you can watch the video on my Youtube channel (do you remember it? I shared it during the lockdown in 2020 for one of our daily appointments) where you can learn how to easily tie the roast with string: at this point, it’s time to try! And if you like roast meat, have a look at this Stuffed turkey.

Rosa di Parma

carbohydrates per 100g negligible

Ingredients

800g beef fillet, opened up to form a rectangle
100g Prosciutto di Parma, sliced
1 glass of Marsala wine
Parmigiano Reggiano in slivers
1 clove of garlic
aromatic herbs
salt and pepper

Preparation

Put the fillet reclangle on a cutting board, rub it well with the clove of garlic cut in half to flavour the meat.
Form a layer of slices of Prosciutto di Parma on the meat in order to cover its surface completely. Then, cover the layer of Prosciutto with thin slivers of Parmigiano Reggiano leaving out just a couple of centimetres of meat all around the perimeter.
Roll the fillet on the long side, then tie it with string (watch the video recipe to see how) to keep the fillet together well.

Rosa di Parma ready for being cooked

4. Rub the outer surface again with garlic, pour a good amount of olive oil in a frying pan, then when the oil is hot, add Rosa di Parma and roast it well on all sides to seal the meat. When the meat is perfectly sealed, add aromatic herbs to taste and continue cooking the meat for 15 minutes, then add red wine or, as I did, Marsala wine. Once alcohol has evaporated, complete cooking. The cooking point is very personal: my children like meat when medium or well-done as you can see in the video recipe, whereas in the picture below the fillet is rare.

5. Wrap Rosa di Parma in foil for about 10 minutes to allow the meat juice to level out and in the meantime reduce the cooking juice that will be used as a sauce for serving.

6. Slice Rosa di Parma and dress it with the reduced juice.

Rosa di Parma sliced

Version with gluten of Rosa di Parma

The recipe contains only naturally gluten-free ingredients, so no adaptation is needed for its version with gluten.

March 5, 2021/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli

Radimonio: Pinzimonio with Radicchio Variegato

Antipasti, Food Tours

How to prepare a Pinzimonio that no one can say no to? A cream of Radicchio Variegato di Castelfranco and grilled Parmigiano Reggiano rinds for a recipe that is also anti-waste.

Radimonio? A cream made with Radicchio Variegato to make Pinzimonio irresistible

The journey to discover the products protected by the Consorzio Tutela del Radicchio di Treviso PGI and Radicchio Variegato di Castelfranco PGI, true ‘winter flowers‘ because of their splendid shape. To represent my region of origin, Emilia Romagna, and my family tradition, that of Parmigiano Reggiano production, I thought of a custom of peasant cuisine that I have always loved because it is an expression of respect for food and the commitment behind its preparation: the use of grilled Parmigiano Reggiano rinds.

All the work behind Radicchio made me inevitably associate it with the product my family has always been dedicated to. Radicchio is marked by long waits in the countryside and Parmesan cheese has to wait years for nature to take its course to give us unique and unrepeatable flavours. That is why I believe it is a crime to waste even a small part of the product, and farming culture teaches us never to do so.

A modern interpretation thus inspired me to come up with a way to enjoy a truly unusual snack or aperitif because it sees Radicchio variegato, normally eaten raw, cooked for a few minutes in a pan and a ‘scrap’ of cheese turned into a very tasty crunchy stick to scoop up a cream that also carries the aromatic note of another great product of the Veneto region, Recioto wine. Furthermore, the blade-shaped leaves of late Radicchio are ideal to complete the tasting experience.

Trying is believing.

What Radicchio Variegato di Castelfranco PGI looks like

Radicchio Variegato di Castelfranco: a beautiful rose

Its beautiful rose shape and the play of colours of its leaves makes us associate it with a very special flower because it blooms when others are asleep, i.e. in winter. Its origin is a hybrid between radicchio and escarole from which Variegato takes a combination of characteristics.

The product bears the name of the town where the country culture of its cultivation is rooted in the history of a plain characterised by long, harsh winters during which families found shelter from the cold by gathering in the stables. It was in the stables, protected by straw, that chicories were stored to protect them from frost and, as often happens, an extraordinary method was discovered to make the plants even tastier: the forcing technique.

What is the forcing technique?

This is the technique whereby the plants are left in the dark (in ancient times under straw, today under special cloths) so that they lose their chlorophyll, the whitening process we also saw in Radicchio Tardivo. In addition to taking on their unmistakable colour, the bitter taste of the chicories fades and the leaves acquire an extraordinary crunchiness.

To enjoy Radicchio Tardivo in a slightly unusual way, try the Strozzapreti with Radicchio and pumpkin fondue.

Radimonio, my Pinzimonio with a Radicchio Variegato dip

2.2g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 4 servings

300g Radicchio variegato di Castelfranco PGI
150g Crescenza cheese (I used goat’s milk cheese)
100g shallot
50g Recioto wine
1 clove garlic
rinds of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
leaves of Radicchio di Treviso tardivo
extra virgin olive oil
pepper
salt

Preparation

Cut the shallot into thin slices and sweat it slowly in a pan with a little extra virgin olive oil for about 10 minutes.
Wash the radicchio, cut it into strips and add it to the shallots. Cook it for a few minutes over high heat while continuing to stir it with a wooden spoon. Douse Radicchio with the Recioto wine and end cooking without allowing the Radicchio to dry out too much: overall cook for about 6-7 minutes.
Transfer the Radicchio into a blender or food processor, blend it to a cream, add the Crescenza cheese and blend again to make the mixture smooth and even. Season with salt and pepper.
Take the Parmsan rinds remaining after eating up the cheese, scrape them with a knife to clean the outside. I like to leave them slightly thick, about 5mm, so that the inside is also slightly softer.
Place a grill on the stove and heat it up to a high temperature; lay the Parmesan rinds on it and grill them on both sides until they acquire a dark golden-brown colour.
Place the cream in a bowl and serve it with the warm rinds and the Radicchio tardivo leaves, both of which can be used as ‘spoons’ to scoop up the Radicchio cream.

Radimonio con croste di parmigiano grigliate e radicchio tardivo

Radimonio with grilled Parmesan rinds and Radicchio tardivo

Version with gluten of Radimonio

The recipe contains only naturally gluten-free ingredients, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten.

February 18, 2021/0 Comments/by Ilaria Bertinelli