Italy on a Plate - The Week in Italian Food: 11-28-2010

 

 

 

Welcome to this week's Italy on a Plate.  Just in time for lemon season, this week's recipe roundup includes one for limoncello.  Along with the savory dishes, there's a chocoholic's dream roulade and several crostata recipes from the month's Daring Bakers' Challenge.  Eating Italy has restaurant information for Rome, a peek into the making of focaccia col formaggio in Recco,  Piedmont wine and information on an artistic winemaker, and more tasty treats throughout Italy. I've added a few new festivals, including a chocolate one in Naples and a dessert sagra in Sicily.  Hope you enjoy it all and Buon Appetito! 

 

 

 

My Choice for the week's top 10 recipes from around the web:

Lemon season is almost upon us, meaning it's Limoncello time! Limoncello - Campania's Lemon Liqueur - There's a recipe, information about the limoncello tradition, and beautiful pictures of the Amalfi Coast - Charming Italy

A perfect cold-weather appetizer, Fagottini Salati (Savory little pies) - Frutto della Passione

Ligurian Savory Pie - Torta di Riso (Rice Tart) - Beautiful Liguria

Risotto Bietole e Peperoncino (Swiss Chard and Chili Pepper Risotto) - Volevo Fare Lo Chef (click on "English Version" for English)

Frank serves up his rib-sticking Ribollita - Memorie di Angelina

Tagliolini al Limone (Tagliolini with Lemon) - Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino

Cjalsons (Stuffed Dumplings) from the Fruili-Venezia-Giulia region in Italy - Cream Puffs in Venice

A Tuscany sweet treat, Torta della Nonna - Experience Tuscany

Calling all Chocoholics - Chocolate Roulade with Chocolate Amaretto Cream - Italian Foodies 

Crostata many ways - The Daring Bakers did crostata and we benefit - There were so many delicious looking variations, I couldn't possibly pick one:

• The Cake Duchess did a Nutella Crostata
• Juls Kitchen went a little crostata crazy, making chocolate, tahini and chestnut pastry cream and cookies with the left over dough
• Simona at Briciole made a Chocolate and Pear Crostata
• For more crostata variations, check out Daring Bakers Crostata Challenge

 

 

 

Eating Italy:

Fern gives us an insider's view into the oldest restaurant in Recco and the making of the Ligurian and restaurant's specialty, Focaccia col Formaggio - An Expatriate in Rapallo

A run down of the best dishes at Katie's favorite restaurants - In Rome, Not All Dishes Are Created Equal - Parla Food

Learn about Roasted Chestnuts in Tuscany and watch them being burned (bruciate) on the streets of Florence - Tuscanycious

A Guide to the Restaurants in Catania - Italian Travel Notes

Information and photos of the Sicilian pastry Teste di Turco (Turkish Heads) from the famous Modica pastry shop, Antica Dolceria Bonajuto - Love Sicily

Barbara ends her week-long "Tour of Espresso" with some Neapolitan Espresso History - The Espresso Break

In The Art Wines of Cascina Carpini, Joel shares information on the winemaker and his wines from Piedmont, along with tasting notes and food pairings - Vintrospective

Tuula's been killing me with her posts from Rome lately, but this one of Tiramisu Dreams at Pompi in Rome has me wishing someone could beam me over there just to taste the Tiramisu in that photo! - Le Petit France Blog

 

 

 

Upcoming Food and Wine Festivals:

Suvereto Festival - November 28 to December 12 - In the medieval town of Suvereto, near Livorno, there is a two-week food and historic festival of local delicacies including wild boar, wine, olive oil, honey and more

Showcolate - Chocolate Festival in Naples - December 4 to 8 (Thanks to Napoli Unplugged for the festival information)

Ancient Flavors from Tuscany and Beyond - December 3 to 8 - Lastra a Signa near Florence

Barga Chocolate Festival - December 4 and 5 - Barga - Lucca - Chocolate tastings and demonstrations begin at 10 am on December 4th

ChocoBarocco in Modica - December 3 to 8 - The Sicilian town famous for its chocolate is throwing a chocolate festival - and you can take a chocolate tour on a Vespa (Some information in English on Sicily Guide)

Pig and Wild Boar Festival (Sagre del Maiale e Chingale) - December 4 and 5 in Antillo, a city near Taormina in Sicily

Sagra della Testa di Turco - December 8 - In Castelbuono, outside of Cefalu in Sicily, the town celebrates the Turban-resembling Sicilian pastry filled with ricotta cream

Eurochocolate Ski - December 16 to 19 - In the Alpine town of Cortina d'Ampezzo you can eat chocolate and ski - Information in English at Italy Magazine

Sagra della Sfincia - January 6, 2011 - A town outside of Palermo, Montelepre (the town of my grandparents) celebrates the town's sweet fried dough

Cioccolosita (Chocolate Festival in Tuscany) - February 4 to 6, 2011 - The town of  Monsummano Terme, near Pistoia, hosts a chocolate festival and brings chocolatiers from all over Italy with samples!

Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore (Almond Blossom Festival) - February 2 to 11, 2011 - The town of Agrigento celebrates spring and almond blossoms with this festival featuring typical Sicilian foods

Carnevale di Venezia  - February 26 to March 8, 2011 - A magical event that I would recommend attending at least once in your life, the entire city of Venice becomes a stage

 

 

 

Related Posts:

Cozze alla Marinara - Neapolitan Style Mussels

Fettuccine ai Funghi (Fettuccine with Mushrooms) To Transport You to Rome

Cichetti and Ombra - Little Tastes of Venice

Christmas Baking Memories and Snowball Cookie Recipe

Christmas Markets and Events in Italy

New Year's Eve Cocktail with Lemon Granita

Seven Sensational Gelaterie in Turin - Over 100 Scoops Later

 

Comments

[Paula]

1. The biscotti look JUST like the ones my noni used to make ... where'd you find them?
2. What the he** is that stuff next to the prosciuto?
3. My parents loved sfingi - who would've guessed they'd have a festa for them?
4. I now have to add Cioccolosita to my itinerary.

[Kathy]

Paula, my very loyal reader, I MADE those biscotti. Click on the picture, and it will take you to the post with the recipe. These are the cantucci of Tuscany, my favorite type - very crunchy with an almond flavor. I did a lot of taste testing to get the taste and crunch, right.

2) The "stuff" next to the prosciutto is lardo (yes, pure cured pig's fat), and it was good, too...a little slimy though.

3) My nonna made sfingi, too. As she's from Montelepre, I'm guessing they're the same....I think in Sicilian dialect/accent the c comes out sounding like g....as in "gistu cha," which my mom always said - Once I started taking "proper" lessons, I realized it was "questo che." And, the way my aunt says cannoli, it sounds a little like gannoli.

[Giulia]

Thank you Kathy for mentioning us recipe of Limoncello! Your list and suggestions will be very useful for Christmas and New Year celebrations I guess :)

[Laura from Ciao Amalfi]

Ciao Kathy! Thank you so much for sharing the article on Limoncello on Charming Italy. It's one of my favorite treats in Campania! What a wonderful list of articles. Perfect for this rainy day on the Amalfi Coast. Grazie mille!!

[Claudia]

My dinner just looks pathetic now! Really craving the chocolate roulade...

[Tuula M]

Ciao bella! Well I tried to leave a comment while I was in Rome, but guess it didn't make it (still not up to speed with Mac computers!)..
Just wanted to say that I'm really thankful (along with a lot of other folks I'm sure) for your weekly Italian round-up & your posts always put a smile on my face...and cravings in my stomach!
We had a piece of tiramisù in your honor :) & thanks for the lovely mention!

[Eleonora]

Ciao Kathy! Thank you so much for the Tagliolini mention and for your exquisite weekly round-up.
I am honored to be in such worthy company!
Your generosity and scope of links and information provided are simply wonderful.

Grazie!
Eleonora

[Danny]

You're so amazing, Kathy! These meals look delightful! I'd better tell my wife about these dishes! She loves cooking. She'll definitely try this one.