Italian Food

[epicuric]

https://www.mypinchofitaly.co.uk/2019/03/24/simple-bean-stew-with-bacon-and-celery/

Beans have been a staple in Italian cuisine for centuries: they are a cheap source of proteins, and can be dried during the harvesting season and used later on in the cold winter months. Soups and stews that have beans as their main ingredients are a healthy and filling comfort food that warms up even the coldest days.

There’s many different ways to cook a delicious bean stew: some recipes suggest to use lard instead of bacon, or tomato sauce instead of fresh tomatoes. Tuscany’s traditional bean stew, called ‘Fagioli all’Uccelletto’, is characterised by the heavy usage of sage.

View attachment 23756

That looks lovely!

 

[epicuric]

I am a supporter of putting a piece of carrot in the sauce because it releases its natural sugars.

Is the carrot just put into the sauce whilst cooking, or is it left in and blended with the sauce? A neat trick either way!

 

[MypinchofItaly]

That looks lovely!

Thank you!

 

[MypinchofItaly]

Is the carrot just put into the sauce whilst cooking, or is it left in and blended with the sauce? A neat trick either way!

The carrot is left and blended with the sauce, when it has become soft (and after tasting the sauce), it can be removed

 

[MypinchofItaly]

Bunet is a Piedmontese dessert, forerunner of Italian panna cotta.
It is made with rum, cocoa, milk and Amaretti biscuits.

https://www.mypinchofitaly.co.uk/2019/05/13/bunet-rum-cocoa-milk-pudding-piedmont/

 

[MypinchofItaly]

Spaghetti with Fresh Homemade Tomato Sauce

The best tomatoes to make sauce with are the smaller cultivars, those that you can buy still attached to their vine: cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, piccadilly tomatoes… there are so many different kinds that is almost hard to choose only one. My absolute favourite is the ‘Pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuvio’, a cultivar of tomatoes from around Naples, in southern Italy. This tomato variety was selected because its thick skin makes it possible to keep it fresh for months at end, allowing for a constant supply of fresh tomato sauce to be used on pizza.

That's a recipe to prepare some traditional spaghetti with tomato sauce; but don’t you dare break the spaghetti in half or eat them with a spoon (not in Italy, at least )

Recipe - Spaghetti with Fresh Homemade Tomato Sauce

 

[rascal]

Spaghetti with Fresh Homemade Tomato Sauce


View attachment 29907
The best tomatoes to make sauce with are the smaller cultivars, those that you can buy still attached to their vine: cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, piccadilly tomatoes… there are so many different kinds that is almost hard to choose only one. My absolute favourite is the ‘Pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuvio’, a cultivar of tomatoes from around Naples, in southern Italy. This tomato variety was selected because its thick skin makes it possible to keep it fresh for months at end, allowing for a constant supply of fresh tomato sauce to be used on pizza.

That's a recipe to prepare some traditional spaghetti with tomato sauce; but don’t you dare break the spaghetti in half or eat them with a spoon (not in Italy, at least )

Serves: 4 | Preparation time: 15 mins | Cooking time: 60 mins

• Cherry tomatoes, fresh: 800 g
• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO): 30 ml
• Basil, fresh: 4-5 leaves
• Garlic: 1 clove
• (Optional) Parmesan, grated: to taste
• A small piece of carrot (about 2 cm) or a pinch of sugar

Method

Tip: To verify whether your tomatoes have reached optimal ripeness, just look at the stalks: if the stalk is dark green, dry and the tomatoes detach easy, it means the tomatoes are just as ripe as they should be.

Wash the tomatoes under cold running water and use a knife to cut a shallow X on each tomato, crossing over the point where the tomato was attached to the stalk. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the tomatoes for 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the tomatoes from the water and leave them to cool down in a bowl full of ice cubes or under cold running water. Peel the tomatoes; thanks to the way you cut the skin before blanching the tomatoes, they will peel easily. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds if they are visible and white – smaller seeds will not be a problem in your sauce. Dice the tomatoes in small cubes and then crush them with a fork.

Roughly chop the basil leaves. Peel the garlic and brown it in a pan along with the olive oil. Add the crushed tomatoes and let them simmer over low heat for 1 hour. Add the basil and season to taste.

Tip: When picked in season, fresh and perfectly ripened tomatoes usually taste perfect just as they are. Should your sauce taste too acidic, however, you can add a pinch of sugar – or even better, a piece of carrot or pumpkin, which will release its naturally sweet flavour and counteract the acidity of the tomatoes.

Turn off the heat and leave the tomato sauce to cool down slightly.

Tip: If you want your sauce to be just like the ones at your favourite specialty shop, use a food processor to blend the tomatoes in a puree. For a more ‘homemade’-like sauce, just leave the tomatoes in pieces.

Boil the spaghetti in salted water, being careful to put them in the water only when the water is visibly boiling; the pasta will overcook if you put it in the water when the latter is still cold.

When the spaghetti are ready, drain them from the water and put them back in the same pot. Add a ladle of sauce to the spaghetti and mix them well.

Garnish each plate with a generous ladle of tomato sauce, some fresh basil leaves and a handful of grated Parmesan.

Do you use oregano in your sauce?

Russ

 

[MypinchofItaly]

Do you use oregano in your sauce?

Russ

This is the basic tomato sauce - you can also avoid basil- but the one with tomato/garlic/oregano is marinara.

 

[rascal]

This is the basic tomato sauce - you can also avoid basil- but the one with tomato/garlic/oregano is marinara.

So my sauce is bastardised,lol. I bow to your knowledge.

Lol.

 

[MypinchofItaly]

So my sauce is bastardised,lol. I bow to your knowledge.

Lol.

Oh no, please. It's only tomato sauce.
The important thing is that you like yours and I'm sure it's very well prepared. Names can always be changed, but a good sauce always remains a good sauce!

 

[rascal]

Oh no, please. It's only tomato sauce.
The important thing is that you like yours and I'm sure it's very well prepared. Names can always be changed, but a good sauce always remains a good sauce!

True! My good friend David always tells it as it is. We have a mutual friend who owns and runs an Italian restaurant, so he's eaten Italian a lot. He says my sauce is as good as the restaurant sauce. I believe him. I once served him and his wife a steak. I asked if it was ok, he said to be honest it was pretty tough and below average. I knew why too. My fault that night. Lol.

Russ

 

[Morning Glory]

True! My good friend David always tells it as it is. We have a mutual friend who owns and runs an Italian restaurant, so he's eaten Italian a lot. He says my sauce is as good as the restaurant sauce. I believe him. I once served him and his wife a steak. I asked if it was ok, he said to be honest it was pretty tough and below average. I knew why too. My fault that night. Lol.

Russ

Good that he is so honest. There is nothing worse than polite mutterings about one's cooking when you know you haven't quite hit the mark.

 

[MypinchofItaly]

SMACAFAM - Savoury Carnival Pie from Trentino Alto Adige – South Tyrol

A short hystory:
Because of its peculiar position, the region of Trentino Alto Adige – South Tyrol, in the extreme north-east of Italy, finds itself at the crossroad of many different cuisines: it’s influenced by the Italian culinary tradition and by the one of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. On one hand the dishes typical of this region are those found in the mountainous areas, concocted with whathever was available. On the other hand, many other preparations come from Tyrol, a region of Austria situated north of Trentino Alto Adige.

The Smacafam’s name gives away its true origins: this savoury pie is literally called ‘hunger killer’ (‘smaca’ roughly means to beat up and ‘fam’ stands for ‘hunger’) and was conceived as a clever way to prepare a meal that would sate just about anyone’s appetite by using ingredients widely available at any farm. It’s usually eaten warm over Carnival.

just about anyone’s appetite by using ingredients widely available at any farm. It’s usually eaten warm over Carnival.

A fresh Luganega
The most important ingredient in the Smacafam is the Luganega, a pork sausage typical of Trentino Alto-Adige. Various versions of both the Luganega and the Smacafam can be found also in the neighbouring regions of Lombardy and Veneto.

Recipe - Savoury Carnival Pie

Tip: If you don’t find some Luganega at your local butchery, don’t give up! Use any really fresh, good pork sausage and your Smacafam will turn out just as delicious!

 

[Karen W]

Spaghetti with Fresh Homemade Tomato Sauce


View attachment 29907
The best tomatoes to make sauce with are the smaller cultivars, those that you can buy still attached to their vine: cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, piccadilly tomatoes… there are so many different kinds that is almost hard to choose only one. My absolute favourite is the ‘Pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuvio’, a cultivar of tomatoes from around Naples, in southern Italy. This tomato variety was selected because its thick skin makes it possible to keep it fresh for months at end, allowing for a constant supply of fresh tomato sauce to be used on pizza.

That's a recipe to prepare some traditional spaghetti with tomato sauce; but don’t you dare break the spaghetti in half or eat them with a spoon (not in Italy, at least )

Looks delicious!
Before the end of Summer here, I want to check out the tomatoes - on the vine, heirloom, etc., for pasta with fresh uncooked tomato sauce. Yum.

 

[MypinchofItaly]

Looks delicious!
Before the end of Summer here, I want to check out the tomatoes - on the vine, heirloom, etc., for pasta with fresh uncooked tomato sauce. Yum.

Thank you, dear!
Oh I love it too to check out for fresh tomatoes directly on the vine when I have the chance
Heirloom, just fantastic.
I see what you mean, is what we called crudaiola, a pasta with fresh uncooked tomato sauce....it will be great to see a photo from you about it!