February 9, 2010
The word Biscotti has become part of the American lexicon. It has come to mean a long thin cookie that sometimes has nuts and sometimes doesn’t. Biscotti in Italian really means cookie not just that particular kind of cookie which is really a version of the Cantucci di Prato, an ancient Tuscan dessert that is served at the end of the meal.
Usually very dry and crunchy, it is often served with a small glass of Vin Santo. Some people dip the cookies into the Vin Santo. The cookies are very easy to make and are baked twice. The Vin Santo is a much longer process.
Here’s a recipe for the cookies which would make a great Valentine’s day gift. This recipe is for about 36 cookies.
INGREDIENTS
* 500 g bread flour
* 300 g sugar
* 250 g almonds, unpeeled
* 50 g pine nuts
* 4 eggs
* 1 tsp baking powder
* pinch of salt
* grated peel of one lemon
* a baking or cookie sheet, parchment paper
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
2. Mix the flour and sugar in a bowl. Add eggs and the rest of the ingredients until the ingredients stay together in a ball of dough.
3. On a clean surface, turn out the dough and shape it into a 3 cm wide roll as long as your baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper to help keep the cookies from sticking to the sheet (as no butter or oil is used). Place roll on the sheet, lightly flattening the top part of the roll.
4. Place sheet in oven and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the roll from the oven. The roll should be warm and firm; place it on a cutting board and cut diagonally, making 1 cm wide slices.
5. Place the slices back on the baking sheet on one of the cut sides, making sure to leave some space between each slice and place the sheet back into the oven, lowering the temperature a bit to 150°C (300°F). Bake for 15 minutes, then take the cookies out and turn them onto the other side and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove and let cool.
Vin Santo or the wine of saints is an Italian dessert wine that is produced in Tuscany, Umbria, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia-Giulia and Trentino.
White grapes (Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia and Canaiolo in Tuscany, Garganega and Gambellara in the Veneto and other grapes in different regions) are hand picked in the Autumn months of October and November. The bunches are left to hang dry from the rafters in a room called the Vinsantaia, which generally has many windows in order to promote air circulation and drying.
When the grapes have dried, which can go into January, they are pressed and the must that is obtained goes into the caratelli (small chestnut barrels) for fermentation. After the initial fermentation the wine is racked at least once and the caratelli are placed under the roof of the winery. Each area has a different tradition in terms of how long the wine remains in the caratelli before being bottled and eventually sold into the market.
Vin santo traditionally has a honeyed, orange taste with hints of dried fruits and nuts on the nose and palate. Usually it is an off dry or sweet wine and is the perfect way to end a special meal.
1 Comment | 
Baking, Dessert wines, Italian Regions, Tuscany | Tagged: Biscotti, Cantucci, Dessert Wine, Dried Grapes, Malavasia, Trebbiano Toscano, Tuscany, Vin Santo | 
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Posted by radicchioblog
February 2, 2010
Is Mozzarella really made from buffalo milk? Sometimes it is, in fact. Mozzarella di Bufala along with Pasta is the queen of the Campania region. It is usually white and solid but can have different consistency as well.
Mozzarella di Bufala is one of Italy’s protected products with a DOP or Denominazione d’origine protetta designations. Buffalo came to Campania at the beginning of the Middle Ages as beasts of burden. Their traditional home is in the marshy area between Caserta and Salerno. Some say that the home of Mozzarella is the town of Aversa in Campania.
Mozzarella can be served as at the beginning of the meal as an antipasto, as a main course, a second course, as a snack, a side and even a dessert. The name Mozzarella comes from the action that the dairy farmer does, they cut off a piece of the cheese or mozzare with thumb and the index finger.
It is hard work and is generally taught from one generation to the next. Each mozzarella is to have the same weight just by eyeballing the amount cut off. This is done wholly without using scales and is a source of pride for the dairy farmers. Mozzarella can be served as an oval ball or in a braided version.
The right mozzarella is a key ingredient in making the perfect pizza. This is one of the reasons why the pizza from Campania is considered to be the best Italian pizza. Mozzarella di Bufala has made a splash all over the world and can be bought in many different countries.
1 Comment | Campania, Cooking, Ingredients | Tagged: buffalo milk, Compania, Italian Cheese, Mozzarella di Bufala DOP, Pizza | Permalink
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January 28, 2010
Next week, numerous wine producers, importers and journalists will arrive in New York for a week of activities dedicated to the trade loosely called Italian wine week. This is the second annual Italian wine week. The four day event will be chock full of seminars, lunches and dinners where Italian wines will be discussed, dissected and thankfully tasted.
While these events are not open to the public, one event where consumers can participate is Luca Maroni’s Sensofwine at Cipriani 42nd Street. For tickets to the event, please go to the Alta Cucina Store.
Another event that will take place next week that is open to all New York is the SHOP & DINE VINO 2010. Wines from Apulia, Calabria, Tuscany, and the Veneto will be showcased at selected restaurants and wine shops. This promotion starts today, January 28 and goes to February 10. A number of wine shops will also be having educational seminars.
It promises to be an exciting and fun filled week with rivers of Italian wine. That sounds especially appealing on this snowy day in New York City.
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: Italian wine week, Luca Maroni SensofWine, Shop & Dine Vino 2010, Vino 2010 | Permalink
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January 26, 2010
Pasta is certainly a uniquely Italian dish but not all pastas are created equal. Those in the know say that the best pasta is that which comes from Campania. Even that isn’t specific enough for some. The real home of pasta they say are two small towns: Torre Annunziata and Gragnano. The latter even holds an annual pasta festival. Both of these areas are very well known for the pastas that they produce, a few of which are exported to the United States.
Some historians date the creation of the four pronged fork with which to twirl pasta to this area of the world as well. Apparently a certain Gennaro Spadaccini, one of King Ferdinand II’s Chamberlains, added an additional prong to the fork so that noblemen were able to perform the slight circular motion done when eating pasta more easily and to better wind pasta onto their forks without the risk of being covered in sauce. A noblemen covered in sauce would certainly go against the rules of the Galateo, a book on manners.
What it is that makes the pasta from these towns so special? Apparently it is the air and the water quality, the cooking and drying methods used as well. Pasta is only made from durum wheat here and graces the table at almost every meal excluding breakfast. Pasta can be dry or fresh and homemade. It is served with sauces, seafood or meat or vegetables.
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: Campania, Gragnano, Pasta | Permalink
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January 19, 2010
Luca Maroni’s SensofWine NYC will be held at Cipriani 42nd Street for the second year in a row this February 4. Maroni, a noted Italian wine expert, will showcase 100 wines from over 40 producers. Last year’s event was a huge success with more than 1200 attending.
The walk around tasting is divided into a special two hour session reserved for members of the wine trade and restaurant industry and the press which runs from 3:00pm to 5:00 pm. Consumers and the trade/press can all attend from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. The cost of the event for consumers is $35. Alta Cucina members pay $30. In order to sign up for the event, please go to Alta Cucina’s store to buy tickets.
Maroni has created his own tasting method which evaluates different sensory elements. He gives each wine a numerical vote and publishes a wine guide with his ratings on an annual basis. Maroni hosts a huge SensofWine event in Rome every November, often attended by 30,000 people.
Don’t miss out on this event if you are in town on February 4. Last year was a fabulous evening and this year will surely be one as well.
Leave a Comment » | Events | Tagged: cipriani, Luca Maroni, Sensofwine | Permalink
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January 12, 2010
Italy, like most countries in the Mediterranean basin, is renowned for its olive oils. Olive oil came to the Mediterranean through what was known as Asia Minor or the modern day country of Turkey. The three main producers of olive oil are Spain, Italy and Greece. Greece has more varieties than any other country in the world. Italy also has numerous cultivars, the word for different types of olives.
Olive oil has many nutritional benefits including the fact that the mono-saturated fats present in olives/olive oil, when combined with the antioxidant protection offered by vitamin E, lower the risk of damage and inflammation. Olive/olive oil contains active phytonutrient compounds, including polyphenols and flavonoids, which have been found to have significant anti-inflammatory properties. Moreover, the vitamin E present in olives/olive oil has been known to offer cellular protection against free radicals present in the body and prevents the oxidation of cholesterol in the body and thus helps reduce the risk of having heart attack or stroke.
Olive oil has been slowly making its way into the United States market. At any local grocer, you can now find olive oil. Some of these oils are Italian, many are Spanish and many are a mixture. Those in the know can immediately tell the difference. One factor to look for, in addition to taste, is the color of the olive oil. Most good oils are quite green when they are first sold into the market. As they get older they become a bit more yellow.
Each cultivar produces different aromas and flavors when it is made into olive oil. Some oils are spicier than others while some are more delicate. There are also regional traditions in olive oil. For example, in Calabria, most olive oil is made from an indigenous cultivar called Carolea. Carolea can grow in Sicily as well but it is in Calabria that it finds its true home. For more information on olive oil from Calabraia, check out the website of Calabriadorata.
What matters most when choosing an olive oil are the flavors and the stability of the oil. Oils are judged and labelled with their level of acidity as well. In all, the world of olive oil is almost as complex as that of wine, tea or chocolate tastings. In fact, there are many classes and certifications to become an olive oil taster. At the huge Italian wine fair held in April every year, Vinitaly, there is always one entire building for the SOL event which is dedicated to olive oil. Visiting the fairs can be quite overwhelming but is without a doubt, an exquisitely pleasurable experience.
Leave a Comment » | Ingredients, olive oil | Tagged: Calabria Dorata, olive oil, Sol, Vinitaly | Permalink
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January 7, 2010
Italian cheeses are almost as numerous as indigenous grape varieties. Few of these cheeses, however, have received the prestigious denominazione d’origine protetta (DOP) designation. One of that has is the Canestrato Pugliese, a hard cheese from Apulia made with goat’s milk in the entire province of Foggia and parts of the province of Bari.
The cheese is usually aged for two to four months and can be enjoyed with fruit, vegetables or jams. One great pairing is with marmalade such as that of Moreno Cedroni offered at the Alta Cucina Store this month in a special promotion. Moreno Cedroni is an acclaimed Italian chef who has received two Michelin stars for his work. Cedroni has created a unique line of preserves to pair specifically with cheese. Young Canestrato pairs well with white wines or Rose’ as long as they are still dry wines.
After Canestrato is aged for two to four months, it is bathed in olive oil and can then be aged for a further eight to ten months. Aged Canestrato works very well with dishes from Apulia such as Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe. In this case, the dish could be paired with a heartier wine from Apulia such as a Salice Salentino.
The cheese gets it name from the baskets in which it is created. These reed baskets are known as Canestri. The cheese forms generally weigh anywhere between 7 to 15 kilos. On the palate, this cheese is quite aromatic when aged and a bit more delicate in its younger version.
Leave a Comment » | Apulia, Cheeses | Tagged: Canestrato Pugliese, Italian Cheeses, Moreno Cedrone | Permalink
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January 5, 2010
January 6 is traditionally considered the end of the Christmas holiday. It is the twelfth night of Christmas and is often called the Epiphany or L’Epifania in Italian. According to tradition, this is the day when the three wise men or the Magi visit Jesus in the manger. It has also developed into a family holiday in Italy where children are given candy and treats if they are good and coal if they aren’t. These goods are delivered by an old woman on a broomstick known as La Befana.
La Befana is supposed to be an old woman whom the three Magi met on their way to the manger. Legend has it that they asked for shelter on their way to Bethlehem and that she refused to give it to them. The story is that she said she was too busy cleaning her house, hence the broomstick as part of her image. At some point though, she changed her mind and wanted to accompany them to Bethlehem. When she went to look for them, they had vanished. She has been wandering around looking for them ever since.
In addition to bringing treats for kids, La Befana usually brings traditional desserts to the table for adults. Jan 6 is a national holiday in Italy so many people take the opportunity to have a big, traditional family meal. In the Veneto region in the North East of the country, for example, the meal generally ends with a delicious piece of La Pinza Veneta. Made with cornmeal, it is a very dense cake with raisins and figs. Most people in Italy consider La Befana the end of the holiday season and the beginning of the new year. Auguri.
Leave a Comment » | Baking, Cooking, Italian Regions, Veneto | Tagged: Epifania, La Befana, La Pinza Veneta, Re Magi | Permalink
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December 29, 2009
As many people know, eating lentils on New Year’s Eve is supposed to bring good luck during the year. While any lentils will do, the most famous lentils in Italy are those made in certain areas of the provinces of Umbria and Le Marche in Central Italy known as Lenticchia di Castelluccio di Norcia IGP. Lentils have been recognized with the IGP designation. IGP stands for Indicazione Geografica Protetta.
These lentils are made wholly within the National Park called Monte Sibillini which encompasses parts of the provinces of Fermo, Macerata and Ascoli Piceno in Le Marche and Perugia in Umbria. These lentils can be preserved for a considerable amount of time if conserved correctly in fresh and dry areas. Lentils are not only good luck but are also a very good source of protein.
These lentils have a delicate flavor and have a thin skin. They can therefore be cooked much more easily than many other legumes which need to soak in water for a time before they can be cooked. Lentils are usually harvested during the summer months after a seven to eight month growing season.
2 Comments | Cooking, Italian Regions, Le Marche, Legumes, Umbria | Tagged: Lenticchia di Castelluccio di Norcia IGP, Lentils | Permalink
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