Food Lover's Odyssey

Italy on a Plate - The Week in Italian Food: April 29, 2012

 

This week the Italian food and wine links are more delicious than ever. If you can't find guanciale, that most necessary ingredient for pasta all' amatriciana, locally?  No problem, there's a recipe for making your own. Also there are links for handmade farfalle (butterfly) pasta, braised pork cheek ravioloni, artichoke risotto and more. In Eating Italy, find out about a fish cooking class on one of Abruzzo's trabocco, dining in Venice and lots of food photos, another food photo essay on food in Rome, much about wine in Puglia, Verona, Liguria and Orvieto, and a link to clips on a TV program in Italy that humorously pits north against south in the kitchen.

On another note, I've been offline this week due to a few things. One is that my 82 year-old aunt Giuseppina, one of my most loyal readers and whose hands you see regularly in food photos, has been in the hospital. I've been spending a lot of time there and helping to get things in order for her recovery and return home. Sweet, independent and also stubborn, I'm sure she's determined to get back to driving and lunching with her club of Sicilian-Italian ladies. Get well soon, Josie!

Besides that, I've been planning for another summer on the road! After a week of traveling with dad in Scandinavia, I'll continue this food lover's odyssey with a culinary giro in Italia and southern France. The giro begins in Rome and ends in September with the fabulous Culinary Journey in Puglia! (If you'd like to join us, spaces are still available but are filling up fast!)  I promise this week you'll hear more from me here on the blog and with daily photos from Italy and France on Facebook.  Enjoy & Buon Appetito!

 

 

My Choice for This Week's Top 10 Italian Food Recipes:

Homemade Guanciale - Scordo

Torta Salata ai Carciofi (Savory Artichoke Tart) and photos from the artichoke festival in Ladispoli (near Rome) - Aprons and Sneakers

Chili Pepper Farinata - Lucullian Delights

Minestra di Verdure Stile Ribollita (Ribollita-Inspired Vegetable Soup) - Briciole

Artichoke Risotto: Risotto ai Carciofi - Educated Palate

Risi e Bisi (Rice and Peas) - Kitchen in the City

Handmade Farfalle, Pesce Spada e Pistacchi (Farfalle with swordfish and pistacchios) - Volevo Fare lo Chef

Braised Pork Cheek Ravioloni - Emiko Davies

Saltimbocca alla Romana - Manu's Menu

Seppie in Zimino (Cuttlefish with Leafy Greens) - The Florentine

 

 

 

 

Eating Italy:

Fun with Fish: An Italian Fish Cookery Course Aboard a Trabocco - Life in Abruzzo

Benvenuti a Tavola: Nord vs. Sud - Clips and thoughts about a TV show in Italy that uses humor, and food & cooking, to shine a light on north vs. south in Italy - Rubber Slippers in Italy

A lot of eating in Venice going on by Melissa - at Anice Stellato and also at Il Ridotto and finally at one of my favorites Osteria La Bottega ai Promessi Sposi - Melissa Santos

Food in Rome: Restaurants, Campo dei Fiori and a Giant Mortadella - great food photos from Rome - Wired 2 the World

Festa della Palamita - A Tuscan Food Festival - Honest Cooking

Artichoke Indulgence - Photo essay of the abundance of artichokes in Rome - Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome

Enoteca Trucchi in Rome Specializes in Natural Wines - Parla Food

Salice Salentino DOC: The Basics - Cantele, Puglia Wine Trails

Rossese - A red wine to go with fish and some info on dining in Liguria - The American in Italia

Barberani Winery - And the Importance of Sharing Your Story - Vindulge

The Potent King of the Valpolicellas - story about Amarone and the winemaker Giuseppe Quintarelli - New York Times

 

 

 

Upcoming Food & Wine Festivals in Italy:

Porto Cervo Wine Festival - May 4, 5, and 6 - Sardinia - Sample wines from 60 of Sardinia's wine maker and from other regions of Italy while enjoying the beauty of the Emerald Coast

Le Strade della Mozzarella - May 7,8, and 9 - Paestum - Celebrating mozzarella di bufala and other food and wine of the region. Check the program for details (in Italian)

Wine in the City - May 16 to 19 - Naples - Throughout the city wine will be the focus of this event, where there will be wine to taste

Vitigno Italia - May 20 to 22 - Naples - 8th Annual Wine Festival in Naples at the Castel dell' Ovo

Firenze Gelato Festival - May 23 to 27 - Florence - The piazzas and streets of Florence will be filled with gelato stands and gelato!

Festa Artusiana - June 16 to 24 - Forlimpopli - A gastronomic festival to celebrate Pellegrino Artusi, author of the first Italian cookbook, in his home town in the Emilia-Romagna region

Melodia del Vino - June 27 to July 7 - Various locations in Tuscany - Where Tuscan wines and classical music meet

Events in Tuscany - Site listing many events throughout Tuscany, and not only food and wine

Events in the Langhe area of Piedmont - Site from the Alba Tourist office listing many festivals, mostly wine & food, happening in the Langhe area of Piedmont

 

 

Join me on a Food & Wine Lover's Culinary Journey Through Puglia!

Book your trip by May 30, 2012 and receive a $200/per person discount

 

 

 

Related Posts:

Italy on a Plate - The Week in Italian Food: April 22, 2012

Nutella Frittelle - Nutella filled Venetian Fritters for Carnival

Tasting Venice: A Food Tour with Monica Cesarato

Best Ways to Savor Venice

Eating My Way Through Venice: Cicchetti and Seafood Antipasti

Cassata Siciliana

Seafood and More with Chef Lino at Ristorante Donna Lisa in Salento

Art of Making Pasta by Hand a Pugliese Pasta Lesson with Nonna Vata

Cooking with Mamma Giulia in Salento - Orecchiette and Salentine Breads

Italy on a Plate - The Week in Italian Food: April 22, 2012

 

 

Besides 10 great recipes (for of them desserts), this week's roundup includes HomeFood's home cooking in Italy, dining in Venice, Italian pizza, wines from around the boot, seeing stars (of the Michelin kind) in Lake Maggiore and more. Enjoy and buon appetito!

 

 

 

My Choice for This Week's Top 10 Italian Food Recipes:

Fabrizia's Panelle - An Appetizer for all Seasons - Delicious Days

Laundry is Forever, Fava Beans Are for Now - A fresh fava bean puree and a writer's love for this seasonal bean - Domenica Cooks

Frittata with Garlic Scapes - and a little about Umbrian cuisine - Umbria on the Blog

Tomato Sauce 101 - Memorie di Angelina

Fresh Lemon Tagliolini - Juls' Kitchen

Fried Artichokes - Italicious

Brutti Ma Buoni (Ugly but Good cookies) - Italian Food Forever

Fior di Latte al Rosmarino & Gelato in Florence - Emiko Davies

Cappuccino Panna Cotta and a Le Creuset Cafe Collection Giveaway - Bell' Alimento

Gelato alle Fragole - Sunday at the Giacometti's

 

 

 

 

Eating Italy:

Pizza, Pizza, Pizza - A little bit of history and some information on the famous Italian fast food - Under the Tuscan Gun

Michelin Restaurants in and Near Stresa - Information on fine dining establishments around Lake Maggiore - Stresa Sights

Al Fontego dei Pescatori, Venice - Dining in Venice - Melissa Santos

A True Home-Cooked Meal in Italy: Homefood - Italy Beyond the Obvious

Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena - tour of a balsamic making manor in Modena - La Tavola Marche

Bordeaux Blend, Amarone & Barolo, Oh My! - Italianna

I Clivi Wines and Wine Comics from Friuli - Hawk WakaWaka Wine Reviews

San Lorenzo Market, Florence - The Purple Foodie

Taurasi, Italian Grape Name & Appellation Pronounciation Project - How to pronounce and a little information on this wine from Campania - DoBianchi

Guide to Wine Tasting in the Istrian Peninsula - Europe Up Close

A Few of My Favorite Things in Friuli - Part 3 - Food, Wine & great photos from Friuli - J. C. Reid, TX

 

 

 

 

Upcoming Food & Wine Festivals in Italy:

Sapori e Saperi 2012 - April 21 to 25 - Pompeii - Located at the Pompeii Sanctuary (Santuario di Pompeii) is this food festival celebrating typical products of the Campania region (Information about the Sapori e Saperi Festival in English)

Pic & Nic a Trevi - April 28 & 29 - Trevi - Enjoy art, music and food - and picnic among the olive groves in this Umbrian town

Le Strade della Mozzarella - May 7,8, and 9 - Paestum - Celebrating mozzarella di bufala and other food and wine of the region. Check the program for details (in Italian)

Wine in the City - May 16 to 19 - Naples - Throughout the city wine will be the focus of this event, where there will be wine to taste

Vitigno Italia - May 20 to 22 - Naples - 8th Annual Wine Festival in Naples at the Castel dell' Ovo

Firenze Gelato Festival - May 23 to 27 - Florence - The piazzas and streets of Florence will be filled with gelato stands and gelato!

Festa Artusiana - June 16 to 24 - Forlimpopli - A gastronomic festival to celebrate Pellegrino Artusi, author of the first Italian cookbook, in his home town in the Emilia-Romagna region

Melodia del Vino - June 27 to July 7 - Various locations in Tuscany - Where Tuscan wines and classical music meet

Events in Tuscany - Site listing many events throughout Tuscany, and not only food and wine

Events in the Langhe area of Piedmont - Site from the Alba Tourist office listing many festivals, mostly wine & food, happening in the Langhe area of Piedmont

 

 

Join me on a Food & Wine Lover's Culinary Journey Through Puglia!

 

 

 

 

Seafood and More with Chef Lino at Ristorante Donna Lisa

 

I've written a lot about the pasta, the many vegetable dishes, and cheese of Puglia, but seafood is as big a part of Pugliese cuisine as those other dishes.  The heel of Italy's boot, the region of Puglia is a smaller peninsula of the larger peninsula that is the bel paese.  Salento is surrounded by water three sides, and the freshest fish and shellfish are only minutes away from any city. I spent an afternoon in the kitchen of, Ristorante Donna Lisa, where seafood dishes are their specialty. We watched the chef, Lino, cook up many of the restaurant's dishes, and sampled them, too.

 

Chef Lino at the stove

It's not all seafood, vegetarian and meat dishes are also on a long menu that consists of 30 primi piatti (pasta and risotto dishes), 20 secondi (main dishes), antipasti galore and a wine list that boasts over 100 wines, coming not only from Puglia but other parts of Italy and a few from France.

The Salento city of Maglie, as my friend Ylenia explained it, is the most chicest in all of Puglia. Both men and women are clad head to high-heeled toe in designer names, Italian designers that is. I watched fashionistas glide over the city's cobblestone and uneven walkways in, men in suits and shiny leather shoes and stiletto-heeled women in shades of black and grey. Not only a city for the stylish, Maglie is a food city, host to one of the most popular food & wine festivals in Salento, the Mercantino del Gusto every August. 

Not far from the piazza where the Mercantino del Gusto is held is the restaurant. The entrance is the 5th century courtyard of Leccese stone, that also doubles as the outdoor dining area.  The interior dining area is adorned in a contemporary palette of black, grey and white. Even the breakfast "caffetteria," a not-so traditional Italian coffee bar, has a crystal chandelier.

 

Courtyard dining at Donna Lisa

The indoor dining area at Donna Lisa

The hostess, Anna Lisa and chef Lino's daughter

 

It's a family-run restaurant that Chef Lino opened 4 years ago, after having worked at another restaurant for 20 years. His son, Vincenzo, is the main waiter and Anna Lisa, his daughter, the hostess. Chef Lino handles all orders for first and second courses and the antipasti plates that are cooked to order.  Besides his son and daughter, he had two ladies in the back that help with prep, plating, and dish washing. A small crew for the 100 cover restaurant, yet I was the only person frantic in the back of the kitchen, as I observed lunch service and scribbled down notes and between samples.

It was a live cooking demonstration of sorts, as we watched him prepare dish after dish, as the orders came in. As he cooked he explained ingredients that made up each dish and peppered in a few of his cooking tips as side notes.  One being that he liked to cook the pasta in water for only about 4 minutes, then added it to the sauce to let it finish cooking there. This allows the pasta to take on the flavor of the sauce. He made a penne pasta with radicchio and gorgonzola, explaining that the two strong flavors - the bitterness of the radicchio and the sharpness of the cheese - balance each other out. (This was the second time I'd seen radicchio paired with a strong cheese.)

 

There was antipasti galore that flew out of the kitchen - shellfish, fried sarde and other small fish, marinated anchovies, succulent salami platters, paper thin slices of grilled vegetables just to name a few. If you can't choose just one, they offer a selection of antipasti, wheeled out to your table on a fancy white cart. We tasted so many that it was impossible to get through three courses.  One of my favorites was the stuffed and fried mussels.  A cheese and herb stuffing surround the quickly fried mussels. The recipe for these will be in another post, coming soon.

 

The antipasti cart

Selection of salumi

Calamaretti Fritti (Fried miniature calamari)

 

A delicious stuffed and fried mussel

 

 

 

The menu at Donna Lisa includes 30 primi piatti, some a basic as a popular paccheri with julienned vegetables, one of the pasta dishes we tasted, and others more exotic like a risotto with saffron and gold leaf or another risotto with rose petals. Chef Lino made for us one of the seafood fish recipes that can only be found in Salento. It's made with gamberoni testa viola (a violet-headed large shrimp) from the fishing village of Gallipoli.   

 

Paccheri with sauteed  Julienne vegetables

Penne with radicchio and gorgonzola cheese

Gamberoni Testa Viola (Violet head shrimp) from Gallipoli used in our pasta dish

Spaghetti con gamberoni testa viola

 

 

We had no room for a secondo (main dish), but Donna Lisa offers 20 different secondi on their menu.  Grilled and fried fish makes up the majority of those 20. One non-fish dish that I found interesting was a fillet of steak cooked in the local Negromaro wine with onions. 

Steak in a Negromaro & onion sauce     ~     and     ~      Grilled Swordfish

 

If you're in Salento and want to taste some of the freshest fish cooked both simply and creatively, I suggest you visit Ristorante Donna Lisa.  You can see more of the restaurant and hear Anna Lisa talk about the restaurant (in Italian) in this video.

 

Join me in Puglia in 2013! For this food lover's culinary tour, we'll be cooking with our beautiful Italian mamme and professional chefs. We'll also be eating and exploring our way through the region.  There are four tour dates available from which to choose! For tour details, check out this page: Culinary Tours in Puglia 2013! 

***Early booking discount: Book and pay by check by January 31, 2013 and receive a $200 discount off the tour price.****

 

Ristorante Donna Lisa
Via Ospedale
73024 Maglie
Phone: +39 0836 311 865

Open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner, except Sunday for dinner.

The menu is a la carte, but a three-course meal averages 40 euros, without wine.

 

 

 

 

Related Posts:

Orecchiette and Salentine Breads - Cooking with Mamma Giulia in Salento

Under the Salento Sun - The Masserie of Salento

Wedding in Puglia

Cheese in Puglia - Making and Eating Fresh Cheese in Salento

Artisanal Cheese at Masseria CinqueSanti in Puglia

Orecchiette with Cauliflower, Sausage & Cheese - Cooking with Mamma Mariantonietta

Tradtional Salentine Dishes at Locanda Rivoli in Lecce

Lecce: The Baroque Beauty of Puglia

The Art of Making Pasta by Hand: A Pugliese Pasta Lesson with Nonna Vata

The Pastries of Lecce with Pastry Chef Luca Capilungo

Olivotto: The Sweet Side of Olives

Zeppole di San Giuseppe

Pugliese Pasta Dish: Sagne Ncannulate con Sugo Schiattariciati

Classic Salentino Cuisine Reinvented at Sette di Sette in Lecce

Tour of Masseria L'Astore and its Frantoio Ipogeo in Salento

Lunch Salento Style at Cantine Menhir

Sagne Ncannulate Schiattariciati - Pugliese Pasta with Schiattariciati Tomato Sauce

The Dish from Puglia: Ricci di Mare (sea urchins) from Porto Badisco

The Dish from Puglia: Friselle with Tomatoes

The Dish from Lecce: Rustico Leccese

Christmas Desserts in Salento

Italy on a Plate - The Week in Italian Food: April 15, 2012

 

Welcome to this week's Italian food news and recipes. As we wait for the next Italian holiday and the food that surrounds it, this week's food is all about Spring and pasta. An artichoke pie, artichoke pasta, another pasta from Calabria, a video of making spaghetti carbonara in Rome, and handmade garganelli pasta are just a few of the recipe highlights. In Eating Italy, there's a great list of 75 must eat places in Rome. Besides Rome there's great food in Venice, a cooking class in Sicily, the Umbrian flavors in Norcia, coffee and gelato in Turin, pizza in Naples and more about wine in Friuli.  Enjoy & buon appetito!

 

 

 

My Picks for This Week's Top 10 Italian Food Recipes:

Focaccia - Ciao Chow Linda

Frita' an bagna (Frittata in Sauce) from Piedmont and part of a great blogging meme that explores the 20 regions of Italy: Italian Cuisine ABCs - Briciole

Artichoke and Ricotta Pie - Italicious

Torta Verde - Piedmont in Brooklyn

Spring Soup: Farro & Leek - La Tavola Marche

Hirosioli and the Spaghetti Carbonara - A video recipe, of sorts, for the Roman classic - Parla Food

Handmade Garganelli Pasta with Asparagus and Hazelnuts - The Front Burner

Pasta with Artichokes and Wild Mint - Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome

Calabrian Simplicity: Bucatini alla Reggina - Emiko Davies

Braciole alla Napoletana - Memorie di Angelina

 

 

 

Eating Italy:

The Untouchables in Rome - 25 categories of must visit food spots in the Eternal City - Tavole Romane

Italy - A food bloggers trip to the Amalfi Coast, Naples & Rome and lots of food photos from the trip - The Italian Dish

Feasting with Leopards: An Unordinary Cooking Lesson in Sicily - Folktales

Norcia: Grace and Flavours in Another Italy - The Telegraph

Coffee and Gelato in Torino - Italianna

Good Food in Venice - Melissa Santos

The Friuli 411 - Food, wine and more from the Friuli-Venezia-Giuliana region in Italy - Brunellos Have More Fun

Schioppettino, the Next Big Thing? (History of its Revival and Fortune) - Do Bianchi

Red Grape Varieties of Colli Orientali Friuli - Hawk Wakawaka Wine Reviews

A Few of My Favorite Things in Friuli - J.C. Reid, Texas

Poetry of Pizza at Da Michele in Naples - The Daily Meal

The Art of Making Caffe in the Italian Language - Becoming Italian Word by Word

Lunch at Porto Corallo in Rome - Browsing Rome

La Buona Forchetta - a little history of the fork and food in Italy (and France) - The Florentine

Artichoke Festival Near Rome - A little history about the artichoke and its festival in Ladispoli - 50 Years in Italy

 

 

 

Upcoming Food & Wine Festivals in Italy:

Sapori e Saperi 2012 - April 21 to 25 - Pompeii - Located at the Pompeii Sanctuary (Santuario di Pompeii) is this food festival celebrating typical products of the Campania region (Information about the Sapori e Saperi Festival in English)

Pic & Nic a Trevi - April 28 & 29 - Trevi - Enjoy art, music and food - and picnic among the olive groves in this Umbrian town

Le Strade della Mozzarella - May 7,8, and 9 - Paestum - Celebrating mozzarella di bufala and other food and wine of the region. Check the program for details (in Italian)

Wine in the City - May 16 to 19 - Naples - Throughout the city wine will be the focus of this event, where there will be wine to taste

Vitigno Italia - May 20 to 22 - Naples - 8th Annual Wine Festival in Naples at the Castel dell' Ovo

Firenze Gelato Festival - May 23 to 27 - Florence - The piazzas and streets of Florence will be filled with gelato stands and gelato!

Festa Artusiana - June 16 to 24 - Forlimpopli - A gastronomic festival to celebrate Pellegrino Artusi, author of the first Italian cookbook, in his home town in the Emilia-Romagna region

Melodia del Vino - June 27 to July 7 - Various locations in Tuscany - Where Tuscan wines and classical music meet

Events in Tuscany - Site listing many events throughout Tuscany, and not only food and wine

Events in the Langhe area of Piedmont - Site from the Alba Tourist office listing many festivals, mostly wine & food, happening in the Langhe area of Piedmont

 

 

Join me on a Food & Wine Lover's Culinary Journey Through Puglia!

 

 

 

Related Posts:

Italy on a Plate - The Week in Italian Food: April 8, 2012

Seven Sensational Gelaterie in Turin

Tasting Venice: A Food Tour with Monica Cesarato

Bottega ai Promessi ai Sposi - Dining in Venice

Eating My Way Through Venice: Cicchetti and Seafood Antipasti

Pizza Lover's Odyssey in Naples

Food in Rome: Taste of Testaccio is Offal

The Dish from Rome: Coda alla Vaccinara

Pasta all' Amatriciana

Pasta alla Genovese and Other Classic Neapolitan Sauces at Citta del Gusto

Artichoke and Spinach Ravioli in a Browned Butter Sauce

Braciola di Maiale - Braised Pork Roll for a Sicilian Holiday Dinner

 

 

Cassata Siciliana for a Blog Birthday

 

Today Food Lover's Odyssey turns three. Before anything else, I want to thank all of you for helping me get here. I truly appreciate all your visits to the site, your comments, emails and Facebook "likes." I've been able to meet and cook with so many great people as a result of this blog, and it's all thanks to you!

Besides my recipes and food stories, I hope you've enjoyed my tales of magical desserts, limoncello misadventures and meeting royalty, and thank you for making the weekly roundup of Italian food, Italy on a Plate a success. This year I've started to branch out beyond the blog by hosting a fabulous Culinary Tour to Puglia! (By the way, plenty of spots are still available for September's trip.) 

I would love to hear from you about what you'd like to see, or see more of, in the upcoming year.  What have been your favorite posts? What parts of Italy & France do you want to read more about? (I'll be traveling again soon and will use your input to make my travel plans.) Please let me know in the comments.

 

 

 

In the meantime, let's celebrate with cake! I've made a special cake from Sicily, the elaborate Cassata Siciliana. Although cannoli are probably more popular outside of the island, cassata is just as iconic of a dessert. I wonder how the popularity of both these Sicilian desserts might have been reversed if that famous line from The Godfather had been, "Leave the gun, take the cassata."

Like cannoli, this cake uses the ricotta cream made with Sicily's spectacular sheep's milk ricotta. (There's really none better anywhere else, so if you're in Sicily you must indulge in at least one ricotta dessert).  A traditional dessert of Easter so rich and sweet, it is a great way to end the long Lenten fast. The sugar overload and the Baroque decor are attributed to Sicily's Arab conquerers who brought sugar to the island. Long ago only nuns in monasteries and chefs of the rich made this cake, but now it is a standard in the pastry shops all over the island. You can also find it in pastry shops on Italy's mainland, especially in Puglia, Campania & even Sicilian pastry shops in Rome.

Sponge cake (pan di Spagna) that has been doused in liquor encases a thick layer of ricotta cream filled with a chocolate bits and candied pumpkin (zuccata).  The cake is wrapped in green-colored marzipan and covered, sometimes only on the top and sometimes completely, with a sugar glaze. If that's not enough sugar for you, whole pieces of candied fruits cover the top in an elaborate decoration resembling a flower petal. More decorations of thin piping finish off this extravagent, Baroque (some might say over-the-top) cake. The cake brings toghether the sweet tastes that are quintessentially Sicilian: ricotta cream, marzipan and candied fruits.

 

 

 

Being of Sicilian ancestry, I thought it fitting that I make this cake to celebrate turning 3.  The cassata I've made takes into consideration a few of my flavor preferences, no candied fruit inside and icing only on the top. You can find cassata made exactly like this in Sicily, but purists may want a little more. I've noted in the recipe where I've strayed off the traditional path, so you can make it in the very traditional way, with a thick coating of icing all around and filled with candied fruits. I did a little bit of fruit decoration to the top, although I only found the cherries and candied orange peel here in the suburbs of San Francisco.  Being more of a minimalist, I think I should have stuck with my initial idea of only three cherries in the center. The sweet smell of candied fruit and crushed almonds mixed with sugar, from the marzipan, sends scents of Sicilian pastry shops through your kitchen.

 

 

 

Cassata Siciliana
(makes one 10-inch cake)

For the pan di Spagna (sponge cake):
8 eggs, yolks and whites, separated and at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (240 g) granulated sugar, divided in half
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of cream of tartar
2 cups (240 g) cake flour, sifted


For the ricotta cream:
30 ounces (850 g) fresh ricotta, preferably sheep's milk, drained
2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
3 ounces (170 g) candied fruit*
3 ounces (170 g) dark chocolate chips*

*NOTE:  If you prefer, you can leave out the candied fruit and use 6 ounces of chocolate chips instead.

For the imbibing syrup:
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
Scant 1 cup (200 ml) water
2 to 4 tablespoons Maraschino liqueur or rum, to taste

For the marzipan:
10 ounces marzipan
2 to 3 drops of green food coloring
Powdered sugar, as needed to help keep the marzipan from becoming too sticky


For the sugar glaze:
6 ounces (150 g) powdered sugar
About 3 tablespoons water


For the royal icing:
8 ounces powdered sugar
1 egg white (or 1 tablespoon meringue powder plus 2 tablespoons warm water)

 

Whole candied fruit and candied orange peel for the garnish

 

 

Preheat an oven to 375 F

Butter the bottom and sides of one 10-inch round cake pan and one 8x8-inch square cake pan. Then lightly dust both with cake flour.

To make the pan di Spagna (sponge cake): In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk together the egg yolks, half the sugar and vanilla extract until the mixture is pale, thick and at the "ribbon stage" (meaning when you lift the beaters the batter falls back on itself in a ribbon-like effect), about 10 minutes.  Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Clean the mixing bowl and in it, whisk together the egg whites with the cream of tartar.  Once the mixture becomes frothy, slowly add the other half of the sugar.  Whisk until the mixture forms soft peaks. (You don't want firm peaks or the egg whites will be too stiff to fold in with the other ingredients.) 

Fold 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture to lighten the egg yolk mixture.  Then fold in half of the flour mixture.  (It's best if someone else sprinkles the flour into the egg mixture while you are folding it in; it allows the flour to be incorporated more slowly while keeping as much air in the batter as possible.)  Fold in another 1/3 of the egg white mixture.  Then fold in the remaining flour. Lastly fold in the remaining third of the egg white mixture. 

Pour 2/3 of the batter into the round cake pan and the remaining batter into the square cake pan.  Bake for 20-25 minutes. The cake is done when you lightly touch the top of the cake and it springs back. Let cool for 10 minutes and remove from the cake pans.  Let cool completely before assembling the cassata.

 

To make the ricotta cream: Press the drained ricotta through a seive.  Add the powdered sugar and stir the mixture together, by hand or using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, until the mixture is creamy.  Add the candied fruit and/or chocolate chips and stir in.  Place in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble the cassata.

 

To make the imbibing syrup: Bring the sugar and water to a boil. Let cool for 10 minutes. Add the Maraschino or rum, the amount depending on your taste. Refrigerate until it's cold and you're ready to assemble the cassata.

 

To prepare the marzipan: Add 2 small drops of green food coloring to the marzipan and knead in until the color is uniform and a light green. Add powdered sugar to the mixture as you're kneading in the color to prevent the marzipan from becoming too sticky. If you need to, add 1 more drop of food coloring to the marzipan to get the desired color. (Be careful as a very little coloring goes a long way.) Set aside until you're ready to assemble the cassata.  If the marzipan is too soft, put in the refrigerator until it firms up.

 

To make the sugar glaze: Do this only right before you are ready to ice the cake. In a small saucepan, melt the powdered sugar with the water, starting with 2 tablespoons and adding more if necessary.  The more water you use the thinner and more translucent the icing will be; it will also run more easily.

 

To make the royal icing: Make this when you are ready to decorate the cake.  In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk together the sugar and egg whites until it forms a thick icing.  Place in a pastry bag fitted with a small writing tip.

 

 

Assembling the cassata -

Line a 9-inch pie dish or pan with cling wrap.  (Ideally you would like the dish to have a smaller bottom in order to get the traditional dome-like shape of the cassasta.) Roll the marzipan out into one strip of 1/4-inch thickness and wide enough to cover the entire side of the dish. Place the marzipan strip in a ring-like shape along the side of the dish so that is covers the entire side of the dish. Trim any excess at the top.

Slice off  the thin layer of crust on the top and bottom of the round sponge cake. Then slice the round sponge cake in half horizontally, so that you have two round cake disks.  Using the bottom of the pie dish as a guide, measure one disk to fit the bottom, trimming away any excess.  Place that disk at the bottom of the pie plate. Using a pastry brush, give the cake a generous imbibing of the syrup.  

Cut four slices about 3/8-inch thick from the square sponge cake. Wrap the slices around the edges of the plate, laying they against the marzipan. Brush these pieces of sponge cake generously with imbibing syrup.

Fill the center with ricotta cream, filling it to the top and leveling the cream with an offset spatula.

Place the second round disk of sponge cake on top of the ricotta cream and brush generously with the imbibing syrup.  Bring the marzipan up around the sides of the cake.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, overnight is best.

When you're ready to finish decorating the cake, make the sugar glaze. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap.  Place a dish or cake plate on the uncovered sponge cake and flip the cake over. Remove the pie dish and plastic wrap.  Slowly pour the icing onto the top center and spread it outwards with a spatula.  If you would like to ice the sides, pour enough icing so that you can spread it down along the sides to cover the marzipan. If you want to ice only the top, pour a smaller amount of icing onto the center and spread it almost to the edge of the cake. It should settle itself into the edge. Let the icing cool completely until it hardens.

Decorate by adding to the top candied fruits, Maraschino cherries, and candied citrus peel in the shape of a flower petal. Finish decorating by piping royal icing along the sides and top of the cake.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Related Posts:

Fraisier to Celebrate My First Blog Birthday

Torta Setteveli - Seven Veils Cake from Palermo

Cassetelle Siciliana (Sweet fried "ravioli" filled with ricotta cream)

One Cannolo, Two Cannoli

Eggplant Caponata and Sicilian Market Etiquette

Pasta con le Sarde and Cooking in Palermo

Taste of the Sea and Spaghetti Siracusana

Good Eats and Good Views in Taormina

Foods Not to Miss in Sicily

Totano Festival and a Weekend on the Aeolian Islands

Take Anything but Leave the Cannoli

 

 

 

Italy on a Plate - The Week in Italian Food: April 8, 2012

 

It's the Easter Monday, or Pasquetta, version on Italy on a Plate.  I hope everyone had a happy holiday weekend filled with family, friends, fun and lots of great food.  Just when I think I'm finished with the chocolate eggs and sweets for a while or at least until the next Italian holiday, I see the last slice of Cassata Siciliana calling my name. The holiday is not quite over yet here on the blog either. This week's roundup is full of Easter dishes from all around Italy - savory breads from Umbria, Abruzzo & Napoli, savory dishes from Sicily & the Lunigiana, and desserts and sweet breads from Puglia, Napoli, Calabria and Tuscany.  In Eating Italy a post about the best places to find already made picnic baskets in Rome.  There are many entertaining & informative posts on last week's wine bloggers expedition to the Eastern Hills of Friuli and more.  Enjoy and Buon Appetito!

 

 

 

 

My Choice for This Week's Top 10 Recipes from Around the Web:

Pizza di Pasqua from Umbria - Life Italian Style

Italian Easter Bread (aka Pizza Rustica) - A savory Easter bread - Proud Italian Cook

Casatiello - Easter Salame-egg pepper bread from Naples - Z Tasty Life

Traditional Easter Lamb Stew with Artichokes from the Lunigiana - Ciao Lunigiana

Chocolate Chicken, a Sicilian Easter Dish - Twist on the traditional Sicilian rabbit dish - Tavola Talk

Scarcelle: Typical Easter Cake Made in Puglia - Italy Magazine

Pastiera - The Neapolitan Easter dessert - Napoli Unplugged

Tuscan Easter: Schiacciata di Pasqua - Emiko Davies

Tuscan Schiacciata, Sweet Easter Bread and an old fashioned love story - Juls Kitchen

Guti di Pasqua {Italian Easter Bread} from Calabria - Cake Duchess

 

 

 

 

Eating Italy:

Best Picnic Baskets in Rome - Aglio, Olio & Peperoncino

In Fair Verona, where we lay our scene - Tips on what & where to eat in Verona - Life Italian Style

La Campana, Another Great Place in Rome - Melissa Santos

Will Write for Food - A writer's top picks for spots to write & snack in Rome - Eleonora for The American in Italia

Easter in Italy - Scordo

Susanna's Girls: A Family Story of Sorts from Montepulciano - Palate Press

Emporoio delle Spezie {Rome} - Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome

A Few of My Favorite Things in Friuli - Part 1 - J.C. Reid, Texas

Lunch with Lidia Bastianich #COF2012 - Do Bianchi

A Specogna Surprise - Wines from COF2012 -  Brunello Have More Fun

Colli Orientali del Friuli Sauvignon: Considering the Variety's Local Typicity - Hawk Wakawaka Wine Reviews

Five Things You Love About Schioppettino (but don't know it yet) - Synesthesia

 

 

 

Upcoming Food & Wine Festivals in Italy:

Sagra del Carciofo Romanesco - April 13 to 15 - Ladispoli outside of Rome, celebrates the 62nd Roman Artichoke festival (Information about the artichoke festival in English)

Sapori e Saperi 2012 - April 21 to 25 - Pompeii - Located at the Pompeii Sanctuary (Santuario di Pompeii) is this food festival celebrating typical products of the Campania region (Information about the Sapori e Saperi Festival in English)

Le Strade della Mozzarella - May 7,8, and 9 - Paestum - Celebrating mozzarella di bufala and other food and wine of the region. Check the program for details (in Italian)

Wine in the City - May 16 to 19 - Naples - Throughout the city wine will be the focus of this event, where there will be wine to taste

Vitigno Italia - May 20 to 22 - Naples - 8th Annual Wine Festival in Naples at the Castel dell' Ovo

Firenze Gelato Festival - May 23 to 27 - Florence - The piazzas and streets of Florence will be filled with gelato stands and gelato!

Festa Artusiana - June 16 to 24 - Forlimpopli - A gastronomic festival to celebrate Pellegrino Artusi, author of the first Italian cookbook, in his home town in the Emilia-Romagna region

Melodia del Vino - June 27 to July 7 - Various locations in Tuscany - Where Tuscan wines and classical music meet

Events in Tuscany - Site listing many events throughout Tuscany, and not only food and wine

Events in the Langhe area of Piedmont - Site from the Alba Tourist office listing many festivals, mostly wine & food, happening in the Langhe area of Piedmont

 

 

Join me on a Food & Wine Lover's Culinary Journey Through Puglia!

 

 

Related Posts:

Italy on a Plate - The Week in Italian Food: April 1, 2012

Best Picnic Fare and Picnic Spots in Rome

Roman Pasta Dishes and 10 Places to Eat Them in Rome

Zeppole di San Giuseppe

Nutella Filled Venetian Frittelle for Carnival

History of Chocolate in Turin - Gianduia and Much More

Journey Through the Pastries of Napoli

Pastries of Lecce - A Tour with pastry chef Luca Capilungo

Pasta alla Genovese and Other Classic Neapolitan Sauces from Citta del Gusto

Pizza Lover's Odyssey in Naples

 

 

 

 

 

Orecchiette with Cauliflower and Sausage - Cooking with Mariantonietta in Salento

 

For many of us, our image of an Italian mother is one of a sweet, petite, slightly rounded woman, apron tied around her waist and flour always under her fingernails. We see her spending most of her day in the kitchen making pasta by hand and cooking up something wonderful for her family and/or guests whom she dotes on endlessly. It is possible that these women exist, but get in mamma's way at the supermarket and you'll see mamma and nonna in a whole new light. The elbow jab to the ribs or rolly-cart to the shins will quickly shake away any misconception you have of a sweet & frail mamma.  I met up with Italian mamma, Mariantonietta, for a day of food shopping and a Pugliese cooking lesson. 

Now Mariantonietta can cook, and it's clear she knows her way around a kitchen. She owns a seaside restaurant in Salento, is part-owner of Masseria Provenzani and is responsible for organizing many food and wine events in the area and throughout Italy. Obviously, this bustling business woman is too busy to be in the kitchen all day, yet she still insists on eating tasty, nutritious Italian meals. Her motto is that an easy and elegant meal should take no longer than an hour to prepare.  After a day "out in the fields" meeting local farmers, olive oil producers and visiting a wine cooperative, we cooked up a delicious four-course dinner full of the flavors of Puglia. And we did it in less than an hour.

 

Quintessential Italian Table - Perfectly set with tablecloth and flowers

Mariantonietta in her kitchen

 

That morning we spent exploring Leverano, an area in Salento rich in agriculture. We visited a tomato grower who grows 150 varieties of tomatoes, tasted olive oil from a olive oil cooperative and saw wine being made at a cooperative where around 1200 small producers combine their resources to make wine and olive oil. Talk about fresh, the produce we purchased had just been harvested that morning. We even met with a flower grower in the area and picked up flowers for the table.

We brought our purchases back to Mariantonietta's kitchen.  Not only is her kitchen spacious and colorful, decorated with all sorts of photos, tiles and ceramics, but it's also modern and well-equipped. At first look it might seem that the pots and kitchen utensils were only for decoration, but they were hung strategically, which allowed for quick and easy retrieval when cooking. It wasn't all work in the kitchen either. In between chatter, photo breaks, and plenty of wine (the wine was a Negroamaro from the Leverano Wine Coopertive), we put together a fabulous meal, where local vegetables and ingredients were the stars.

 

 

Although she never seemed rushed, Mariantonietta was swift in the kitchen. She moved from sink to prep area to stove like a ballerina, each motion seemingly choreographed and practiced many times before. Local and seasonal vegetables were key to making this meal. Mariantonietta pointed out that the fresher the vegetables are, the quicker they cook and the tastier they are. And if you use dried pasta, which we did, most Italian pasta dishes are quite quick and easy to make. With five ingredients or less, you can make a wonderful dish. Our meal was the essence of Italian cooking, simple yet so full of flavor because Mariantonietta let the unadulterated quality and freshness of the ingredients shine.

 

 

 

We started with antipasti of local salumi and cheese. We also had bruschetta made with local tomatoes, the famous bread from Altamura and olive oil from the Leverano Oil Cooperative. 

 

 

 

The primo piatto was a gorgeous plate of orecchiette with cauliflower, sausage and cheese. The mild flavor of the cauliflower blended well with the bold taste of the sausage, and the cheese, not too much, brought a perfect creaminess to the entire dish.

 

 

Using extras from the pasta dish, we made a secondo of grilled sausage links and a contorno (side dish) of cauliflower gratin.  That wasn't all.  Two more contorni rounded out the meal: the classic dish peperonata, bell peppers, tomatoes and garlic slowly cooked in olive oil. We also had the famous Pugliese vegetable cime di rapa (broccoli rabe), again boiled and dressed with olive oil.

 

 

 

Dried figs with an almond inside (a Salento specialty), walnuts and limoncello were dessert.

 

 

Mariantonietta and I taking a cafe break in Porto Cesareo, near Leverano

 

The day was much more than a cooking lesson. I was able to see exactly from where the produce we purchased came, meet those producers - the many that get their hands dirty so we can eat well, and learn a little about agricultural life in Salento. Not only that, I made a new friend in Mariantonietta. Whenever I make this dish (which I have many times because it's so easy to make), I think of her, cooking and eating together, and the people of Leverano. (More on Leverano and its producers coming in another post.)  Below is the recipe for orecchiette with cauliflower,sausage and cheese based on Mariantonietta's recipe.  She used cacioricotta cheese, which is hard for me to find in California, but any semi-soft, not too strong cheese will do.

 

 

 

 

 

Orecchiette with Cauliflower, Sausage and Cheese
(Serves 4 as a main course, 6 as a primo piatto)
 

1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
About 1 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup olive oil
12 ounces of Italian sausage (3-4 links)*
1 pound orecchiette or other small dried pasta (i.e. mezzi rigatoni or conchiglie/small shells)
About 8 ounces cheese, grated or diced (cacioricotta, pecorino)
Freshly grated black pepper, to taste

Place the cauliflower florets in a large pot and add water about half way up the pot and the salt.  Bring the water to boil and cook just until the cauliflower are al dente.  Remove the cauliflower and drain.  Use this water to cook the pasta, adding more water and salt if necessary. 

In a large saute pan, add the olive oil and sausage, and cook the sausauge.

When the sausage is almost done, cook the pasta for only four minutes, then drain.  Save the pasta water.  Add the drained pasta to the sausage and stir through to coat the pasta with the olive oil and "toast" it, for 2-3 minutes.  Add the cauliflower and 2 or 3 ladles of pasta water. Cook a few minutes more until pasta is al dente.  Remove from the heat, add the cheese and stir in until the cheese has melted creating a creamy finish.  Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and serve. Buon Appetito! 

*Note: When I recreate this dish, I use 12 ounces of sausage out of the casing, using 6 ounces of sweet/mild sausage and 6 ounces of spicy sausage.

 

 

Join me in Puglia in 2013! For this food lover's culinary tour, we'll be cooking with our beautiful Italian mamme and professional chefs. We'll also be eating and exploring our way through the region.  There are four tour dates available from which to choose! For tour details, check out this page: Culinary Tours in Puglia 2013! 

***Early booking discount: Book and pay by check by January 31, 2013 and receive a $200 discount off the tour price.****

 

Mariantonietta and Michael (of YLTours)

 

 

Related Posts:

Making Orecchiette and Salentine Breads - Cooking with Mamma Giulia in Salento

Artisanal Cheese at Masseria CinqueSanti in Puglia

The Art of Making Pasta by Hand: A Pugliese Pasta Lesson with Nonna Vata

Cheese in Puglia - Making and Eating Fresh Cheese in Salento

The Pastries of Lecce with Pastry Chef Luca Capilungo

Zeppole di San Giuseppe

Wedding in Puglia

Traditional Salentine Dishes at Locanda Rivoli in Lecce

Lecce: The Baroque Beauty of Puglia

Pugliese Pasta Dish: Sagne Ncannulate con Sugo Schiattariciati

Classic Salentino Cuisine Reinvented at Sette di Sette in Lecce

Tour of Masseria L'Astore and its Frantoio Ipogeo in Salento

Lunch Salento Style at Cantine Menhir

Shopping and Eating Local in Italy - Farmers' Market in Lecce

Sagne Ncannulate Schiattariciati - Pugliese Pasta with Schiattariciati Tomato Sauce

The Dish from Lecce: Rustico Leccese

The Dish from Puglia: Ricci di Mare (sea urchins) from Porto Badisco

This Dish from Puglia: Friselle

Christmas Around Italy - Christmas Desserts in Salento

Italy on a Plate - The Week in Italian Food: April 1, 2012

 

Welcome to the April Fool's edition of Italy on a Plate. Hopefully you've been able to avoid any foolish Pesce d' Aprile pranks and enjoyed the weekend.  Lots of links this week for Easter meal recipes, and also lots of artichokes and asparagus (two of my favorite things about Spring).  In Eating Italy there's more about Easter in Rome, and since the Vinitaly wine fair just ended, there are many wine links, too.  Enjoy & buon appetito!

 

 

 

My Picks for This Week's Top 10 Italian Food Recipes from Around the Web:

Cabucci (Sicilian "pocket" bread) - Manu's Menu

Carciofi in umido con le uova (Artichokes Stewed with Eggs) - Italy Magazine

Frittata di Carciofi come Fa Nonna (Grandma's Artichoke Frittata) and an interview with Giulia from Jul's Kitchen - Domenica Cook's

Fave e Cicoria (Dried Fava Bean Puree and Bitter Greens) - Z Tasty Life

Cannelloni with Zucchini, Ricotta and Tomato Sauce - Lucullian Delights

Risotto with Wild Asparagus and Sun-Dried Tomatoes - Aprons and Sneakers

Tie it Up and Call it Easter: Roasted Lamb Shoulder - The Florentine

Pesce al Forno con Patate e Carciofi (Roasted Fish with Potato and Artichokes) - Memorie di Angelina

Colomba di Pasqua - Italian Easter Dove Bread - The Front Burner

Blood & Chocolate: Sanguinaccio - Emiko Davies

 

 

 

Eating Italy:

Taste 2012 {Florence} - Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome

Col Fondo, not Sur Lie - A story of a Prosecco winemaker told at VinItaly - On the Wine Trail in Italy

Barolo Chinato - Italianna

Dinner with Friends in Siena (Osterie Le Logge) - DoBianchi

Rome Easter Dining 2012 Edition - Parla Food

Pizzeria Florida (in Rome) - Una Americana a Roma

Eating in Florence: Brac & Ora D'Aria - Freya's Florence

Land Once Owned by Mafia Produces Prize-Winning Wines - The Washington Post

Ten Places for Foodies in Rome - Browsing Rome

Wines of Italy Series: Terre Margaritelli - Torgiano - Come for the Wine

Lamb, Pies, Eggs, Doves and Much More: What and Where to Eat in Rome for Easter - Buzz in Rome

Italian Natural Wines are Slowly Getting the Attention They Deserve - Slow Italy

Tomatoes and Pomodori - Quatro Fromaggio & Other Disgraces on the Menu

Book Review: An Honest Look at Brunello - Palate Press

 

 

 

Upcoming Food & Wine Festivals in Italy:

Sagra del Carciofo Romanesco - April 13 to 15 - Ladispoli outside of Rome, celebrates the 62nd Roman Artichoke festival (Information about the artichoke festival in English)

Sapori e Saperi 2012 - April 21 to 25 - Pompeii - Located at the Pompeii Sanctuary (Santuario di Pompeii) is this food festival celebrating typical products of the Campania region (Information about the Sapori e Saperi Festival in English)

Le Strade della Mozzarella - May 7,8, and 9 - Paestum - Celebrating mozzarella di bufala and other food and wine of the region. Check the program for details (in Italian)

Wine in the City - May 16 to 19 - Naples - Throughout the city wine will be the focus of this event, where there will be wine to taste

Vitigno Italia - May 20 to 22 - Naples - 8th Annual Wine Festival in Naples at the Castel dell' Ovo

Firenze Gelato Festival - May 23 to 27 - Florence - The piazzas and streets of Florence will be filled with gelato stands and gelato!

Festa Artusiana - June 16 to 24 - Forlimpopli - A gastronomic festival to celebrate Pellegrino Artusi, author of the first Italian cookbook, in his home town in the Emilia-Romagna region

Melodia del Vino - June 27 to July 7 - Various locations in Tuscany - Where Tuscan wines and classical music meet

Events in Tuscany - Site listing many events throughout Tuscany, and not only food and wine

Events in the Langhe area of Piedmont - Site from the Alba Tourist office listing many festivals, mostly wine & food, happening in the Langhe area of Piedmont

 

 

Join me on a Food & Wine Lover's Culinary Journey Through Puglia!

 

 

 

 

Related Posts:

Italy on a Plate - Week in Italian Food: March 25, 2012

Roman Pasta Dishes and Ten Places to Eat Them in Rome

Best Picnic Spots and Picnic Fare in Rome

Orecchiette and Salentine Breads - Cooking with Mamma Giulia

History of Chocolate in Turin - Gianduja and Much More

Gianduja Budino and a Chocolate Pass in Turin

Torta Caprese - Flourless Chocolate Cake from Capri