Allora, Andiamo!

Ciao tutti! It’s been a long minute. I’ve been meaning to share some special digestivi recipes with you, and was prompted by my “Winers” group to get back in the game and post something. Allora, andiamo. Let’s move beyond Limoncello (although we love it!) to some liquori that you maybe haven’t ever made, and perhaps never even tasted!

My digestivo journey definitely began alongside my Italian studies. Italian 1, Cabrillo College, fall semester 2004, held off-site at our neighborhood junior high school. I embraced the connections with my fellow students, many of whom were in my “more mature” age bracket, and of Italian heritage like myself. As my studies and friendships blossomed and my travels in Italy increased (required to practice my language skills, right?), I collected recipes and techniques, growing ever more confident in my abilities to produce digestivi that my friends and family, Italian or not, enjoyed. I was always grateful for that “Carolina! Complimenti!” after their first few sips.

#1 – Liquore di Ciliegi – Cherry flavored liquore

My friend Lorenza introduced me to this delightful liquore. Lorenza, who is from Puglia and lived and worked in Rome before emigrating to California, used to give us private cooking lessons. She always liked to say that she just cooked the way her mother did.

Lorenza expertly and lovingly shared her recipes and techniques for Pasta della Mezzanotte (“so ‘light,’ you can eat it at midnight”); a salad of thinly sliced Trumpet Royale mushrooms with shaved parmigiana, lemon juice, and olive oil; squash ravioli with a butter and sage sauce … you get the picture. “Lorenza” is a separate tab in my Italian recipes notebook. For one afternoon cooking class, we finished our meal with chocolate “salami” (a mixture of cocoa, sugar, butter, and amaretti cookies) and a little of this cherry liquor (Lorenza liked to drizzle it on top of the chocolate “salami”.) She would buy the special cherry flavoring for the recipe when in Puglia visiting her mother, and would bring bottles back for me. I looked for the brand online and when I was in Italia, but could never locate (or they wouldn’t ship to the U.S.), so I came up with an available and quite acceptable substitute.

Liquore di Vino Rosso al profumo di Ciliegie – Liquore of Red Wine flavored with Cherries

Ingredients:

½ a 750 ml bottle of Everclear or other 150-190 proof spirit – yep, the strong stuff

600 ml. Zinfandel wine (Lorenza uses Bogle Zinfandel)

350 gr. sugar

1 bottle cherry extract – brand Alma/Fiume or concentrated cherry juice 42.5 grams (1.5 fluid ounces)

Instructions:

Boil wine for 5 minutes.

Add sugar and stir to dissolve.

Boil together for another 5 minutes.

Cool.

Measure out your spirit (Everclear, or) in a large pourable container, and pour in the cherry extract. Stir to mix.

When wine mixture is cold, add the Everclear/cherry mixture to the wine.

Let sit in a cool, dark place for at least 4 weeks.

Note: If you drink this too soon, it will remind you of cough syrup! Allora, pazienza! Patience! Wait at least an additional month before enjoying. It will continue to mellow with age and delight you!

#2 Nocino – Walnut Liquor

Nocino is a special and unique liquore, very dark in color, and rich with spices. This is usually the digestivo that my native Italian friends prefer among my many offerings. Traditionally, the walnuts, still in their green casings, are collected on the Feast of San Giovanni (June 24th). My friend, Susanna (on the far left in the photo of the cooking class above), says you are supposed to collect them at midnight, naked. I must admit I have never followed those last two instructions – but have collected them on the appropriate date! The walnuts are far from ripe at this stage, and the casings can be very, very hard (see below for my daughter’s brilliant tip on how to break them open without endangering your life).

Ingredients:

2 dozen or so good sized green walnuts

1 bottle (750 ml) of Everclear or other 150-190 proof spirit

Long strips of the zest of one lemon (unsprayed or well cleaned)

2 sticks of cinnamon

8-12 cloves

1 vanilla bean, split

4 cups water (1 liter)

3 cups sugar

Instructions:

Do not try to cut the green walnuts. It’s kind of dangerous to take a knife to them. My daughter, Ollie, came up with the idea of putting 1 dozen walnuts in a large ziplock bag, sealing it, and taking out the hammer to smash them in half, and then in quarters. Works perfectly! So, divide your 2 dozen-ish walnuts between two ziplocks and pound a few times. Not too much, you don’t want too many tiny pieces. And note that if you handle the broken-apart walnuts at all, they will turn your hands black (!)

Place the walnut pieces with the alcohol, lemon zest, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla bean in a large canning jar with a rubber gasket and clamp-type lid, or any other jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Leave for 40 days in a cool, dark place, shaking contents occasionally, to make sure all ingredients are covered by the alcohol. The mixture will be very dark, almost black in color. (Mine turned black immediately upon putting it in the jar!)

After the 40 days, make a simple syrup by placing 4 cups of water and 3 cups of sugar in a pan over a low flame and heat until the sugar is dissolved.  Remove from the heat and let it cool. Make sure that the sugar mixture is completely cooled before adding it to the infused alcohol or the liquore will become cloudy.

Tip: for my Limoncello, I like it cloudy, so I don’t let the simple syrup cool completely before combining with the lemon-infused alcohol.

Filter the alcohol from the green walnuts and spices and add the cooled simple syrup to it, then put it away in a cool place for another 40 days.

After that, you can bottle it, store it, and enjoy! Makes about 2 liters of Nocino.

#3 Liquore al Finocchio – Fennel Liquor

Allora, I get to thank my cugina, Constanza, for setting me on the path to learn how to make this one. She was traveling in Italia in Fall of 2021, and came across Finochietto in Puglia. I tracked down a recipe, foraged wild fennel growing up the hill from me near University of California, Santa Cruz, and am very happy to have this digestivo in my repertoire! Plus fennel is actually very good at aiding digestion.

Ingredients:

300 grams of wild fennel fronds (just the delicate leaves)*

1 liter of Everclear or other high proof spirit

1 spoon of fennel seeds – slightly crushed with a mortar and pestle

700 grams of sugar

800 ml of water

Instructions:

Put fennel fronds, fennel seeds, and alcohol in a large jar with a good sealing lid. Leave for at least 10 days in a cool dark place, shaking the contents every day to rotate the fronds into the alcohol . When ready, strain alcohol from fronds and seeds. Dissolve the sugar in the water and let cool completely. Pour the sugar/water into the alcohol, seal the mixture back up and leave for another few days. Then bottle, store and enjoy!

*Variation: My sources tell me you can make this using the wild fennel flowers and stems instead of the fronds as well. “The smell and taste are more intense, but the flavor is very similar.” To make that version, instead of the fronds, use 150-200 grams of the flowers and stems of wild fennel.

Allora, now you are ready to up your digestivi game. Buon divertente! Have fun and let me know how it goes – or better yet, invite me over for a taste and a “Complimenti!”

Ciao for now, Carolina

Continuiamo with the ravioli recipes, va bene? I wanted to share another treasure that I discovered when we visited Capri. Certo, the island itself is a treasure, but did you know they have their own local speciality ravioli? Chissa? Who knew?

When we stayed on the Isola di Capri in 2016, our hostesses, Nunzia and Chiara, were keen to share a couple of key things with us, besides the usual restaurant recommendations, etc. Numero uno: the island of Capri is meant to be walked. Numero due: we had to try the local speciality – Ravioli Capresi. It wasn’t until Chiara made that recommendation that the light bulb went off for me about my favorite salad, Insalata Caprese – Capri – Capresi. So, the classic salad of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and basil was named for the Isle of Capri, and now there was also a ravioli recipe to discover!? I was ready. Allora, andiamo.

Capri is a stunning ferry ride from Napoli, Sorrento, or Positano (this was our route and took 25 minutes). Unfortunately, most visitors to Capri only ferry over for the day. I am so grateful that we planned a couple of nights there to really explore, and good thing, because our hostesses were right! You can discover so many of the delights of this island by traversing it on foot. We walked miles up and over the hills to visit the ruins of Villa Jovis, built in the 1st century A.D. for Emporior Tiberius. The narrow paths and streets leading there are lined with low stone walls, behind which hide villas both humble and extravagant.

There is also the beautiful and centuries-more modern Villa Lysis and more ruins at Villa Damecuta on the other side of the island – the Anacapri side. And don’t miss the famous Phoenician Steps, la Scala Fenicia. This long, steep, stone stairway was probably built by the ancient Greeks, and before the road was built, was the only route up to Anacapri.

Our first night on Capri, we enjoyed a lovely dinner at La Virginiello, highly recommended by our hostesses, and we were able to try Ravioli Capresi for our primo. Served in a lusciously simple tomato sauce, and garnished with fresh basil, these plump, round, ravioli have a more solid “bite” to both the pasta and the filling. When I mentioned this to our waiter, he was quick to tell me that the secret of the recipe is using boiling water when you mix the pasta dough. Ma dai! I decided to query Nunzia about the recipe before we left the island.

These ravioli were delicious and I love the round shape! The Amberjack, caught just a few hours prior in the oh-so-blue waters I could see from our table, was also excellent.

The morning we were scheduled to ferry back to Napoli on our way to Roma, we had the privilege to share a caffe’ in Nunzia’s dining room while she shared with me, in Italian, the recipe for Ravioli Capresi. Jay recorded it on his phone while I took notes. Indeed, the secret is boiling water in the pasta dough! I think of it is a “pasta dura” – strong – more substantial and mirroring the consistency of the more firm caciotta cheese in the filling. I was also very happy to find a round ravioli cutter in a kitchen store in Rome, so felt prepared to tackle Ravioli Capresi once I got back to my own kitchen.

Of course, on Capri you have the local, fresh caciotta cheese and the sun-ripened tomatoes and the fresh basil, but I have been successful replicating the texture and flavors in the recipe below. Enjoy!

Ravioli Capresi

The Filling:

• one caciotto cheese, or “Bigonda”, a caciotto-style cheese (Trader Joe’s) or substitute 2 small packages of raw Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 medium-sized balls of fresh mozzarella cut in half, wrapped in cheesecloth and drained in the fridge overnight
• 100-150 grams freshly grated parmigiano cheese
• 70-80 grams pecorino cheese, grated
• 1/2 tsp of marjoram 
• freshly grated pepper
• two eggs, lightly beaten.

Mix all together as you would for meatballs (using the claw motion vs. the “pressing” motion)

For the Pasta:

1 kilo all-purpose or Tipo 00 flour

2 eggs

2 spoons olive oil

Boiling water, as much as you need to work the dough – let cool only until you can handle

Making the ravioli:

Working with 1/10th of the dough at a time, run through the pasta machine until you get to #4. Lay the sheet of dough on a lightly floured surface, and mound a row of filling, each about the size of a small walnut. Lay another pasta sheet on top, and use a round ravioli cutter (or a small glass or biscuit cutter) to form your ravioli. Carefully press out the air using your fingers, and seal the edges if needed. Makes about 5 dozen ravioli

The Sauce:

3 generous tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled but whole

1 can (28 oz) San Marzano tomatoes, drained and halved or squished by hand

pinch of salt

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the garlic cloves and brown, about 2 minutes. Remove and discard the garlic. Add the tomatoes and salt and cook for 10 minutes, then mash them with a fork and cook the sauce over high heat unitl thick, 7-10 minutes.  Serve ravioli topped with freshly torn basil leaves.

a few travel notes:

The island is pronounced with the accent on the first syllable: Cah’pree, not Capree’ – fyi.

Famous for the Blue Grotto, don’t forget there is also a Green Grotto and a White Grotto, which are less popular, and may be easier to enjoy during the busy season.

I recommend walking up La Scala Fenicia vs. down – easier on the knees, and you can always stop to take in the view behind you. The stairs come out at Villa San Michele, the former home of Axel Munthe, now a museum worth a visit.

Capri Town itself is bustling. I prefer it in the evening when the day-ferriers have left, and the time is right for a perfect gelato from Buoncuore, where they make their own cones. Find this gelateria by following your nose!

Be well, and Ciao for now! Carolina

Il tempo volo! I can’t believe another six months have passed. I am missing my Italian travels so much that I’ve found it hard to share with you all! But hey, time to get it together and POST something! Davvero?

Allora, I did promise you, way back in the spring, to share my Italian cugine’s recipe for ravioli filled with herbs in a meat sauce – in English. But first, the story … (I beg your forgiveness in advance for the pre-2010 iPhone-sub-standard-quality of some of the photos. The technology has definitely improved since then!)

When Constanza and I were preparing for our 2012 trip to Rapallo, we read The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken by Laura Schenone (a family rift resulted in the loss of the recipe, but the book has a happy ending, fyi). Laura’s family was originally from the hills in Liguria very close to our relatives. I’ve learned a lot from Laura. She, along with the Pasta Grannies, inspired me to learn to roll my pasta by hand, and I discovered that our family’s recipe mirrors her experience and discovery in remarkable ways. She also mentions a restaurant (now with a Michelin Guide nod) in a town near Rapallo where she had a memorable meal of traditional, local dishes. Constanza and I decided to check out that restaurant, La Brinca, one dark January night.

We took the train from Rapallo to Chiaveri (the next stop) and then hired a taxi from the stazione. We had no idea where we were going, but the driver knew Ne and he knew La Brinca. After a long, wind-y drive, he pulled into a little hamlet, where all we could see were a few buildings and a few lighted windows. When he dropped us off I asked him to pick us up in 2 hours adding “Non dimenticarci!” – “don’t forget us” – because there was no train to Ne and no buses at that time of night! We walked into the warmly lit, nearly empty restaurant, saw the book that had inspired us to visit sitting on their shelf among the wine bottles, and settled in near the comfy fire for a five course meal that neither of us will ever forget.

What Laura had talked about in her book, and what we experienced at La Brinca, was the ultimate in local, foraged, traditional, backyard-garden-to-table cooking. The “sprig” of green on our cheese plate was the same sciserbue that I had been picking at my Zia’s house above Rapallo the day before and was pressing in my notebook.

Fried ravioli, fried borage leaves?! I’m tellin’ ya’. If you don’t have borage growing in your garden, you should do something about that. The bees love it, and you get to make fried borage leaves and eat them regularly. (I’m adding that recipe at the bottom for you).

Our meal included two pasta courses, one a chestnut flour pasta topped with pesto perfetto, and the second, the ravioli filled with the mixture of wild herb and greens (Prebuggiun or Preboggion) just like our Zia, and cugine, and Laura’s family make. I felt like I was eating “home,” if that makes any sense. Every bite was so fresh, so simple … sublime? And even though I had never tasted most of the dishes before that night they somehow felt familiar.

Of course the most familiar was the ravioli, because here, in this hyper-local area in the larger region of Liguria, the ravioli is made like this. They use the mixture of wild herbs, various types depending on the season and the hills where gathered; and the raw veal in our recipe is apparently, according to Laura Schenone, a tradition particular to these hills near Rapallo. It’s a thing! and I am grateful.

The taxi driver, by the way, didn’t forget us (grazie alla Madonna), and appeared after the two hours I had requested for our pick-up. I asked the cameriera to put un caffe’ and a grappa on our tab for him while we enjoyed our dolci. He seemed just as content to sit and enjoy the warmth of this gem of a restaurant as we were, and drove us all the way back to Rapallo so we wouldn’t have to take a late train (which was probably wise – you do see all those wine glasses, right?)

Allora, from my family to yours, here’s the recipe. Mangia bene!

Rina’s Ravioli

Filling: Gather 2.2 pounds (a kilo) of greens and herbs: borage, chard, nettles, dandelion greens. (There are several on the original recipe that I have yet to translate/figure out:  tagette, taleque,  and sciscerbue (Cicerbita in dialect – sow thistle?).  Add the greens to boiling water for 5 minutes or so – you will see that the “spines” of the borage disappear – that’s kind of when you know they are done. Drain really well – squeeze out all that water (this is the hardest part! – I recommend alternating between a salad spinner and wrapping the greens in a dish towel and squeezing the water out). Chop the greens finely and add 8 oz. of very finely ground raw veal. Non preoccuparti! Don’t worry, the veal will cook fully when you cook the ravioli.  Mix with 50 grams (about 1 cup) of freshly grated parmigiano, 2 eggs, a pinch of nutmeg (freshly grated is best), a small handful of fresh marjoram leaves, chopped, and a generous pinch of salt.

Stir to make a paste.  If it is too thick, add another egg.

Pasta: see my the last post “Time to Make some Pasta” – that recipe with this amount of filling will make about 9 dozen ravioli.

Roll the pasta very thin and lay out.  You can “mark” your grid on the pasta with a wet finger, and then put a walnut-sized amount of filling into each square. Top with another sheet of pasta and gently press around each mound to squeeze out the air and seal. Cut into squares with a knife or a ravioli cutter.

OR, use a ravioli “tray” like Rina does!

Cook in boiling, salted water.  When the ravioli float to the top, they are ready. Remove gently with a slotted spoon or “spider.” Sauce and serve with extra parmigiano on the side.

Sauce for the Ravioli ‘da Rina’

Saute in olive oil: carrot, celery, onion, parsley, garlic, finely ground veal (I used 1 lb), reconstituted dried porcini, canned tomatoes and leave to boil for at least 1 hour. Rina recommends adding an nice piece of meat to the sauce, e.g. roast, not only for flavor, but also for your secondo to enjoy eat the ravioli with a nice salad. I have done this and it’s brilliant!

Deep-Fried Flowers, Vegetables & Herbs

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

2 cups beer

½ cup cold water

2 tsp. fine sea salt

3 ice cubes

peanut oil or extra-virgin olive oil for frying

Zucchini blossoms, nasturtium flowers, borage leaves and/or borage flowers, rinsed, dried and stems trimmed, whole sage leaves, rinsed and dried

Process:

In a large bowl, beat together with a fork the flour, beer, water and sea salt to form a thin batter.  Let the batter rest for an hour or so, covered and at room temperature.  With a spoon, stir in the ice cubes and let the batter rest for an additional half-hour. Stir the batter again – making sure to get the thicker mixture off the bottom and up into the batter. It should now be smooth and have the texture of heavy cream. If it’s too thick, add cold water by the tablespoonful until the “heavy cream” texture is achieved.

Over a medium flame, heat the oil in a deep fryer or a heavy pan to a depth of 3”. The more slowly the oil heats, the more evenly it will heat, helping you to avoid hot and cold spots and unevenly fried foods. Test the oil by dropping in a cube of bread. If it sizzles and turns golden in a few seconds, the oil is ready.

Drag the flowers, herbs, etc through the batter, shaking off the excess. Place them into the hot oil and let them bob about for half a minute or so, allowing them to take on a good, dark crust. Turn them with tongs, to finish frying, then remove them with a slotted spoon to absorbent paper towels. Using a small squirt/spray bottle filed with warm sea-salted water, spritz each batch immediately and keep them in a 100-degree oven while you fry the next batch.  Or better yet, gather your family and friends around the stove and eat these treats pan to hand to mouth for a very informal first course.

for travel notes on this area – please see my previous posts:

February 2020 – Crostata #1 and

September, 2019 – Allora, let’s talk about Pesto!

alla prossima – Ciao for Now!

Mi mancate tutti voi! I miss you all! And I’m sorry for being remiss in these blog posts. How is it that “being home all the time” hasn’t given me any free time?! Oh work … yuck! I promise I will try to make it up to you – vi promesso!

It’s hard for me to even say “time to make some pasta” without hearing Linda Arnold singing it in my head … “Pasta, pasta time to make some pasta. If you eat it everyday it makes your hair grow fast-a.”

Allora, making your own pasta might be a good thing to do, or try, if you haven’t yet, while we are still at home with time on our hands. There is really nothing like homemade pasta – and I’m here to tell you, it’s easier than you think! It took me a few years of trial and error to come up with this recipe, but I stand by it’s “reliable workability” status. A smooth, pliable, pasta – delicate if you roll it really thin; but able to stand up to a “bite” and a hearty sauce if rolled a little thicker, either with the pasta machine, or by hand.

And the secret? Well a family recipe of course. In 2008 when Jay and I visited my grandmother’s hometown near Rapallo, and spent a day with my father’s zia Elisa, we were, of course, awed by the ravioli she and her daughter, Rina, made for us as a primo. We didn’t know this would be followed by meat and potatoes! The traditional ricetta of this area of Liguria uses one kilo of wild greens – nettles, borage, chard, dandelion, as well as “sciscerbue”, a “weed” that grows near their old home on the hill, and that my cousin could not propagate in her yard a few kilometers away no matter how many times she tried. I was enthralled in the telling and trying to take notes in my head (it amazes me that this was all in Italian and at a rapid speaking pace). When zia Elisa said “a little white wine IN the pasta,” I knew I had un segreto!

I promise to share the ravioli filling recipe (in English) next time with another story. For now, you could put some pesto on your noodles (see my previous post on Pesto). Or, how about an Amatriciana.

Pasta (with reliable workability)

500 grams tipo “00” flour

4 large eggs + 1-2 egg yolks (whisked together)

1 Tbls. olive oil

¼ – 1/3 cup white wine

Weigh out the flour. (You can mix the dough initially in the bowl if you like, or pour it onto your work space – whatever makes you most comfortable).  Make a wide well in the flour with your fingers.  Add the olive oil to the whisked eggs and blend.  Pour carefully into the well of flour and begin working with your fingers to incorporate the flour – slowly, piano piano.  Add the white wine and work in the flour until the liquid is incorporated to the point that you can pull the dough together roughly.

Using a pastry scraper, “chop” the flour and egg mixture a bit to incorporate until fairly uniform.  Depending on the humidity of the day, you may need to add a little more wine. Then gather the dough into a ball and knead by hand, as you would pastry, for 10 minutes, sprinkling more flour on the table to prevent sticking as needed.  Cover the dough with a towel or put under a bowl, and let rest at least 15 minutes.

Cut into quarters and working with one quarter at a time, run through the pasta machine. Run through the #1 setting 4-6 times, folding the pasta in thirds and turning a quarter turn every other time until smooth.  Then increase your settings and run the pasta through (just once at each setting) until you get through setting #4.  Cut the length of pasta in half before going onto #5 because your dough piece will get very long.

For noodles – stop at #5 (recommend cutting this length in half so your noodles won’t be too long).  Recommend letting the pasta sheets dry for 5 minutes before running through the  noodle cutter, or cutting by hand.  This will keep the finished noodles from sticking together as the pasta will be a little dryer.  Toss cut noodles with flour and keep them dry on a cookie sheet. Roll into nests, or just separate, lightly floured on the sheets or towels until you cook. You can also freeze them at this point for later use.

For ravioli – go all the way through #6 on the machine.

Cook pasta in abundant water, salted as “for soup”

(your pasta) all’Amatriciana

1 ½ pounds noodles

2 TBLS olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced or garlic

5 oz. pancetta, diced

½ cup dry white wine

1 pound ripe or canned tomatoes, diced

salt and pepper – use pepperoncini (red pepper flakes)

¾ cup grated pecorino cheese

Heat the oil and sauté the onion over a very low heat until soft.  Add the pancetta and fry slowly for a few minutes.  Moisten with white wine and continue cooking until it evaporates a little.  Add diced tomatoes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and cook over a brisk heat for not more than 15 minutes. 

Bring a large pan of salted water to a fast boil.  Lower the spaghetti into the water, stir well and cook until just tender.  Drain and dress the spaghetti immediately with the hot cauce, and sprinkle with the grated cheese.

A few travel notes:

Genoa – although I have only spent a few days there (so far), here’s what I have to recommend:

Cristoforo Colombo Airport – small, easy to navigate, gets my vote for flying in or out of the area.

Caruggi – the labyrinth of narrow streets of the old town – get lost in them

the Strade Nuove in the town center – lined with palazzi. Palazzo Rosso and Palazzo Bianco, across the street from each other, are now museums.

The Aquarium and the harbor – imagine what it would have been like for your grandparents to board a steamer ship to emigrate to America … they had more guts than me!

Eataly – rows and rows of every product from every region of Italy – need I say more?

Ciao for now! Carolina

Ciao tutti! It’s been too long … time is playing tricks with me during this staying-at-home, too-much-time-but-not-enough-time Time!

Allora, have you heard of Aquafaba? The “water” from a can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans/ceci? Did you know it is magical!

For your Valentine today, or tomorrow, or whenever, whip up a little Aquafaba Chocolate Mousse – easy, yummy, and even vegan. Trust me, they’ll never know it’s origin

Aquafaba Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

¾ cup aquafaba – water from one can of unsalted chickpeas

5 ounces good quality chocolate chips, but with a low cocoa % – the lower the cocoa % the better – I used 46% 

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Drain one can of Garbanzos (no salt) saving the liquid (Aquafaba) which will yield a scant cup. Reserve the Garbanzos (ceci) for another use.M

Melt the chocolate chips over a pan of simmering water (bain marie) and let cool until barely warm

In a stand mixer, pour the aquafaba and whisk until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and mix on low, gradually increasing the speed to high.  It will take about 5-10 minutes to whip the aquafaba until it resembles whipped cream. Be certain it has formed stiff peaks.

Spoon ½ of the melted chocolate into the “cream” – it will sink to the bottom.  Mix on low to incorporate.. Then using a spatula, gently fold the rest of the chocolate into the “cream”, trying to maintain the airiness, but be certain it is well distributed. You don’t want “little chunks of chocolate” (or do you?)

Spoon into 4 dessert cups, or your Nonna’s crystal glasses, or whatever, and chill at least 2 hours or overnight.  Top with berries, whipped cream, yogurt, a little shaved chocolate? and enjoy.

My valentine loves it!

I promise to put some Travel Tips in my next post.

Ciao for now, and a presto!

Carolina

Ciao tutti! Welcome to a bit of an escape from, well, everything else! Allora, andiamo …!

One year ago (or was it a lifetime ago?) we spent a week in Lucca and a week in Varenna on Lago di Como with our dear friends, Meghan and Toby. Looking back now, I am so grateful that we made that trip happen. If we’ve learned anything from this mess, it is that time with our loved ones is precious and irreplaceable. Next time you have a chance to share time with a loved one, perhaps you will want to bake these little lovelies as an offering.

We were fortunate in our time in Lucca to have an afternoon cooking class with our friends from Cooking in Toscana, Mauro and Tze’ela. You will not meet more down to earth or kinder people.

We shared a wonderful afternoon, stuffing squash blossoms with Mortadella and Provolone and frying them to perfection; hand-rolling the pasta for our spinach and ricotta-filled ravioli sauced with butter and sage (oh how I wish we could buy the already pre-cooked, pre-drained “balls” of spinach here!), Panzanella (tomato, cucumber and bread salad), and for dessert, i Cantuccini.

Cantuccini are the smaller, delicate versions of the more widely-recognized Biscotti – which translates to “baked twice.” They are the perfect, sweet accompaniment to just about anything. Meghan really wanted to learn how to make these, as she had fond memories of Cantuccini from her brief visit to Lucca a few years ago.

But, Mauro has a saying when they are sharing their recipes and techniques with you: “Your eyes, your hand, your heart.” Yes, there are some rules to follow in a recipe, but much of what makes a recipe something you can conquer and own is trusting your own senses, not just what is written on the page. So, “your eyes, your hand, your heart” – if it looks and feels right to you, go with it.

It was glorious day with special people.

After our time in Lucca, we headed to Varenna on the east shore of Lago di Como, a quaint and picturesque village that Jay and I knew from our 2005 trip. Varenna is part of the trifecta you will hear (over and over again) on the ferries as you traverse the lake. They call out the route: “Menaggio, Belaggio, Varenna.”

Meghan and Toby had visited Varenna a few years back and had discovered the Sentiero del Viandante – hiking trails from one village to the next that sounded right up our alley! Castello Vezio is on the top of the hill (in the photo above) and you can continue on to Bellano, walking for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, then take the ferry back.

We hiked most days, on both sides of the lake, and on the Bellagio peninsula.

You know… when you spend your days hiking, you can eat more. You can even hike to lunch. Works for me!

Allora, here’s the recipe – and see the travel notes below for some tips about Lago di Como.

Cantuccini di Prato

Ingredients:

400 grams All-Purpose flour

250 grams Sugar

2 eggs plus

3 egg yolks

100 grams Almonds with skin (Meghan says double that!)

1 tsp. baking powder (I prefer Paneangeli Lievito with vanilla)

a drop of orange essence

pinch of salt

Process:

Preheat oven to 180C/400F. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix eggs and yolks with sugar. Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, until all flour is absorbed (stirring with a wooden spoon – this will get more difficult as you continue). Add the baking powder, orange essence and salt. Add the almonds at the end (do not chop the almonds).

Work the dough until it comes together (don’t knead!), then divide into three equal parts and pat each into a thin loaf (see the photo above).

Lay loaves on a parchment-lined cooking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes or until loaves become golden. Remove from the oven.

While still warm, cut each loaf, straight across the width and into 1 cm thick/wide slices, using a straight-edged knife. Place again in the oven for about 5 minutes.

Let cool and serve with Vin Santo.

A lot of travel notes:

So much to recommend in just this one small area of Como …

Check out the series of trails called the Sentiero del Viandante – the Way of the Wayfarer – along the eastern coast of Lago di Como.

Get around the lake using the ferry system. I recommend purchasing a pass for several days based upon which areas of the lake you want to explore.

Varenna is a sweet spot to stay, but has only one small grocery store (cash only and limited hours) one small deli, and a lot of restaurants. If you do stay in Varenna, I recommend stocking up on deli items at one of the larger deli’s in Bellagio, and just using the little grocery for eggs, milk, fruit, etc.

You can take the ferry to tour the beautiful villas Lake Como. I loved Villa Balbianello.

On the western side from Menaggio, hike the frazioni (hamlets) – the tiny villages dotting the hills between Aquaseria and Rezzonico. Near the top is Locanda San Martino – worth the view for lunch or dinner.

Lastly, if you have watched the Netflix documentary series “Dogs”, you will know the impressive Ice, who fishes alongside Alessandro from the little village of San Giovanni. Just two ferry stops from Varenna, the Mella family hosts a down to earth trattoria featuring the fish Alessandro and Ice catch each day. The Ravioli di Pesce? sublime. Ristorante and Itturismo Mella.

Ciao for now! Carolina

Ciao tutti! I’m sorry I haven’t posted for a couple of months – time is really weird right now as the days and months kind of start to blend together … right? I can’t believe it is already July.

Allora, six years ago this week, we were in the Sud Tyrol, home of the mighty Dolomiti, a hiking and biking mecca that we sought to save us from the Italian summer heat! I am grateful that we happened upon this idyllic setting. And, so grateful that there, in the little town of Dobbiaco, I discovered Krauti!

We had begun our trip in Venezia, taking our daughter Ollie when she graduated from junior high school, as we had for our older daughter in 2005.

Venice is always amazingly beautiful and exciting, but that particular few days was unbearably hot for me/us. We escaped by taking the vaporetto to Burano (famous for it’s lace), meaning we were on the lagoon for a good while; and another day to The Lido, to lounge on an umbrella-shaded “bed” on the beach and to swim in the Adriatic.

But, admittedly, when the time came to rent a car in Piazzale Roma/Mestre and drive into the mountains, we were ready!

I had chosen Dobbiaco as the village for our 3-day stay because: 1) there was a travel poster of Dobbiaco on one of my calendars and it looked beautiful; 2) it was a not-too-long drive from Venezia; 3) hiking, biking, beauty.

This part of Italy, is only 35 kilometers from Austria (I know because I rode those 35 kilometers on a bike – see the Travel Notes below), and the street signs are in both Italian and German. The food is also a mix of Italian and German/Austrian cuisine, which we found delightful, and enjoyed at the same restaurant for our entire stay – Winkelkeller. I fell in love with the Krauti as my “salad” at the first dinner, and got to order it for the following two nights – Lucky me!

Krauti – Krautsalat – Cabbage Salad

This quick “pickled” cabbage with speck, caraway seeds and a generous dose of olive oil, has become a staple in my kitchen, and I serve it with everything from sausage or chicken, to spicy cauliflower, tuna, or hamburgers. You can make it with green or purple cabbage, add the caraway seeds and speck, or not, depending on what you are planning to serve it with.

Ingredients:

1 small head white cabbage (about 1/2 lb)

Salt

White wine vinegar

Caraway seeds

2-3 slices of bacon (diced), prosciutto, or speck

Extra-virgin Olive Oil

Process:

Remove the outer leaves of the head of cabbage, quarter it and cut out the hard core. Slice very thinly or (recommend) use a mandolin. In a medium-sized bowl, sprinkle 1 tsp. or so of Kosher salt over the cabbage, mix, and let the cabbage soften – about 15 minutes.

While cabbage is softening, dice a couple of slices or bacon or prosciutto (or speck if you are in the Sud Tyrol) and fry them up in a little olive oil. Drain on a paper towel.

Douse the cabbage with white wine vinegar, sprinkle caraway seeds over (if using), and drizzle with good olive oil. Before serving, toss in the bacon/prosciutto/speck pieces and pour on more olive oil.

A few Travel Notes:

We didn’t know before we arrived in Dobbiaco, but this area is particularly famous for a cycle path that winds along the Drava river from one sleepy town to the next, between the spectacular castle and spire-dotted mountains of the Val Pusteria, into Lienz, Austria. The paved bike trail has no real elevation gain, so you are free to gaze and enjoy the scenery. On Sundays, it is free to put your bike on the train in Lienz and take the train back.

And, of course, the Dolomiti are begging you to hike! I still have the goal of hiking from one refugio to another (someday); but there are also lovely day hikes in the area. Lago di Braies is a good starting point for heading off, either for an afternoon, or a longer trek.

Stay safe, all. Ciao for now!

These strange times have us missing out on so many plans and events: weddings, graduations, vacations to Italy and New York City, a trip to the barber. I’m also missing the ability to replenish my supply of Italian products. Yummy Bazaar lets you search by region for products often seen only in Italy; and I’ve become addicted to the Gran Pavesi Pomodoro crackers, and Gran Cereale Classico. Because of the lockdown in Italy, many products aren’t being produced or shipped. And unfortunately, they have become essential to me!

I was able to find a domestic source for the Gran Pavesi (first had these in Bologna spread with squacquerone cheese!) But the Gran Cereale Classico are all “out of stock!” So, desperate times and all that … I decided to see if I could recreate the Gran Cereale crackers.

But first, let’s talk about Bologna!

Bologna is heaven for (us) foodies! Parmigiano aged to golden perfection (and with a black rind?), prosciutto sliced thinner than anywhere else in Italy (according to the Bolognese), gigantic rolls of Mortadella studded with pistachio, tortellini in brodo, lasagne bolognese … and so much more. The food in this region of Emilia-Romagna is rich, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Central (il centro) Bologna is fairly small and compact. A couple of blocks from the main piazza and you are in il Quadrilatero; the quadrant filled with food shops where every inch of ceiling is hung with legs of prosciutto. Food heaven.

Shop for a picnic and enjoy it in a park thrumming with cicalas (a summer-months’ phenomenon in Bologna). After a nap, head back to il Quadrilatero for an aperitivo and a platter of mortadella served with the characteristic gnocco fritto, a deep fried puff of bread. You slice the bread open, stuff in some mortadella and wash it all down with an Aperol Spritz.

And there is more to Bologna than the food (see “A few travel notes”, below)

Allora, on to the crackers. Have you ever baked crackers? I’ve made olive oil crackers that are so good, I had to stop making them (because I just eat them all!) My Cereale recipe results in a cross between a cookie and a cracker with just a hint of sweetness. I like to crumble them on top of my homemade yogurt (thank you InstaPot!) with a teaspoon of homemade jam swirled in. Or, I grab one to have with my mid-morning cappuccino-break from my working-from-home computer screen and/or Zoom meeting. They are also good topped with a slice of monterey jack cheese (or fresh pecorino if you can get it) and a drizzle of honey.

Cereale crackers 

200 grams whole wheat flour, plus all-purpose flour to dust 

90 grams of whole rolled oats – toasted in a 300 degree oven until lightly browned

55 grams sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. cinnamon

1 Tlbs. honey

75 ml sunflower or canola oil

25 ml olive oil

2-4 Tbls milk – as  needed.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a food processor, put the flour, ½ of the toasted oats, the sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and honey –  and mix to combine. Pour in the oils and mix until well incorporated.  Add the rest of the toasted oats and 2 Tbls of milk and pulse until the dough comes together, adding more milk if needed. You want to still see oat pieces in the dough. The dough should not be too wet, but it also needs to hold together enough to roll out.

Dust your work space with flour and dump the dough on top. Gather the dough together with your hands and knead gently a couple of turns until you think you can gently roll it out. Dusting your rolling pin, gently roll the dough to between one eighth and ¼ inch thickness, gently patching if you need to. Use biscuit cutter, or floured glass, to cut into rounds, and place on parchment-lined cookie sheets.  Prick the crackers all over with a fork and bake for approximately 15 minutes, rotating sheets half-way through, until crackers are browned.

Let cool on racks, and snack away!  

And just for kicks – Below is the olive oil cracker recipe as well.

Olive Oil and Sea Salt Crackers

Yield: about 100 crackers

1 lb All-Purpose flour

6.75 oz semolina flour

4.5 oz whole wheat flour

2 1/4 tsp salt

1 3/4 cups warm water

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

extra olive oil and sea salt for topping crackers.

Whisk together the flours and salt in a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook. Mix the water and olive oil and add to the flours. Mix the dough at medium speed for about 5 – 7 minutes, until smooth. The dough should be just a bit tacky, but not difficult to work with. Add a bit more water or flour if needed.

When you are done mixing, shape the dough into a large ball and rub with olive oil. Place in a bowl covered with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour to relax the gluten.

Preheat your oven to 475 degrees.

Cut the dough into equal-sized pieces roughly the size of a billiard ball and flatten.

Using a pasta machine, roll into a flat strip of dough, starting with the widest setting and working your way up to number 5. Lay the sheet of dough on a floured surface and cut into whatever shape you like. Set on a parchment lined baking sheet and brush each cracker heavily with olive oil. Top with sea salt and bake until golden.

Cool completely.

A few travel notes:

Bologna is a great jumping off point for visits to Parma, Modena, Ferrara and Ravenna.

In Bologna, visit the Palazzo Archigginasio, the most ancient university’s original site, now a biblioteca (library) housing 800,000 volumes. You can view the stacks and some old volumes from the richly decorated Sala della Stabat Mater. The Teatro Anatomico is on the ground floor of this Palazzo – worth a visit.

Find the Canale di Reno – wait?! Are we in Venezia or Bologna?

Walk through and under >650 portici (2 miles – the longest portico in the world) from Porta Saragozza up to the Santuario della Madonna di San Luca, to work off the calories from that mortadella mousse, and for the beautiful vista of Bologna and the surrounding hills. Don’t forget to go into the Santuario to see the famous painting of Madonna e Gesu, that is sacred to the Bolognese.

And check out FICO Eataly just outside Bologna for 100,000 square meters of Italian food, culture, products, restaurants, a bookstore, even a spiaggia (beach). You can ride loaner bikes fitted with baskets around the interior of the building from region to region – the place is huge!

Ciao for now!

Carolina

I think we all are indulging in a little (proprio molto!) comfort food these days – and goodness knows, we need all the comfort we can get. Here’s a combination of two comfort foods: mashed potatoes and pasta. Yep, really! Gnocchi (pronounced: nyow·kee) are made mostly of baked, riced potatoes, with a little flour, olive oil, egg, and love thrown in.

I first tasted gnocchi back in 1984 in Sonoma County, at the amazing Gourmet Dinner & Bed & Breakfast run by my parents’ dear friends, Carolyn and Mario Lucchesi. Carolyn (after whom I am named) was an amazing cook, and the combination of their warmth and generosity made for a spectacular weekend that June, gifted to me to celebrate my graduation from college.

For years, I had the 8 1/2 x 11-typewritten copy of “Carolyn Lucchesi’s Gnocchi” in my recipe files. Several times a year, I would read it through hopefully, thinking I would tackle gnocchi, but I always chickened out. It just seemed daunting …

Allora, a few years ago, I read a thorough description in Cook’s Illustrated of the process for making gnocchi and putting that together with Mrs. Lucchesi’s recipe resulted in success! I’ve also learned that the tools are important: a potato ricer is a must (I love my vintage one because it is small and fits in my hands); and I also love my olive wood “rigagnocchi”- the tool you roll the gnocchi on to make the ridges that all the sauce can hang on to, which I found in a kitchen store in Lucca last summer.

I think it is fitting that this splendid and beautiful tool was purchased in the Italian town that gave name to the lovely woman who shared her love of cooking with me.

Potato Gnocchi – Carolyn Lucchesi’s Recipe (with help from Cook’s Illustrated)

This recipe makes about 12 dozen gnocchi

2 lbs same-sized russet potatoes

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 tsp. salt

2 T. olive oil

¾ cup 00 flour

Pierce potatoes all over with a fork and microwave for 10 minutes, rotating them half way through.  Then put on the racks in the oven at 350 for another 18-20 minutes until easily pierced through.  Slice open the the skins and bake another 5 minutes.  Let steam escape and once the potatoes are cool enough to handle with a hot pad, peel and then rice them.

Using a fork, gently stir in beaten egg plus egg yolk and olive oil, just until combined.  Sprinkle flour and 1 tsp. salt over potato mixture.  Continuing to use a fork, gently combine until no pockets of dry flour remain.  Press mixture into rough ball, transfer to lightly floured counter, and gently knead until smooth but slightly sticky, about 1 minute, lightly dusting counter with flour as needed to prevent sticking.

NOTE: You do not want to be heavy handed in your kneading – handle the dough as little as possible to keep the gnocchi light and fluffy when cooked!

Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and dust liberally with flour.  Cut dough into 8 pieces.  Lightly dust counter with flour.  Gently roll each portion of dough into a ½-inch thick rope, dusting with flour to prevent sticking.  Cut rope into ¾-inch lengths.  Holding fork with tines facing down in 1 hand (or using a rigagnocchi), gently press each dough piece, cut-side down, against tines with thumb of other hand to create indentation by gently rolling the dough down the tines to form ridges on sides.  If dough sticks, dust thumb or fork with flour.  Transfer formed gnocchi to sheets and repeat with remaining dough.

You can freeze the gnocchi on the cookie sheets and then store in plastic bags in freezer; OR

Boil a large pot of salted water.  Drop a few gnocchi at a time in rapidly boiling water.  They will sink to the bottom of the pan and rise rapidly – remove immediately from water using a spider or sieve, and place in a well-oiled or buttered pan.  Reheat in the oven for 30 minutes when ready to serve.

Sauce suggestions: Pesto Genoese, a simple tomato sauce, Butter & Sage sauce or a Four-cheese sauce.

A travel note: I have several friends who were planning to visit the Amalfi Coast this spring and summer, and asked me for some tips. Though their travels have been postponed, I thought I would share some of those notes here with all of you. Allora, andiamo!

There is amazing hiking along la costiera amalfitana from south of Positano to Sorrento. I recommend this book for all details about the Sentiero degli Dei – the Path of the Gods:

Sorrento, Amalfi Coast & Capri: Car Tours and Walks (Sunflower Landscapes) 9th edition by Tippett, Julian.

I would not recommend driving along the Amalfi, the buses rule the road and take no mercy! We stayed in Praiano, with an amazing view of Positano (just a 15-minute bus ride away). We were able to hike up to the Sentiero right from our hotel and walk along the crest of the cliffs all the way to Monte Pertuso, and then back down into Positano.

Stop for lunch at La Tagliata right on the road toward Monte Pertuso, where Mama cooks and you gratefully eat whatever she decides to prepare that day.

When you get back to Praiano after your epic day(s) of hiking, stroll down to Cafe’ Mirante for an aperitivo (Ciro’s famous Mirante Spritz anyone?) and to watch the sunset (il tramonto). We actually stayed at the hotel Il Tramonto, just a few steps from this cafe.

Pompeii is accessible from here via bus plus the Circumvesuviana train (1 1/2 hours one way). Don’t forget to visit the delightful towns of Amalfi (accessible by bus or ferry), Minori and Majori, and to hike up (or down from) Ravello to visit the two incredible villas there: Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufolo. I recommend Mimi’s, a garden cafe on your right as you walk toward Villa Cimbrone. Their meat and cheese platter is fabuloso!

Italia, you are in my thoughts and prayers. Un gran abbraccio ai tutti.

Ciao for now, Carolina

One of my favorite things to do when I’m in Italy is to peruse the shelves of the grocery stores. My trips to the market are usually solitary affairs, as I like to take my time just going up and down the aisles, finding new products, marveling at how inexpensive the wines are, oggling the espresso section …

I was actually told off one time at the Eataly in Genoa for taking too many photos of the pasta displays. Ma dai!? There are so many tipi di pasta that we don’t see here in California. It’s interesting …

And it wasn’t as though I was going to leave the store without actually spending some money…

Allora, in vacanza, I usually buy toothpaste, and lotion, and olive oil, and espresso, of course, to use while I’m in Italia. And I always bring back some Paneangeli lievito (baking powder flavored with vanilla) for the Crostata #2 ricetta.

I cannot take credit for finding this recipe, or this product – so credit where credit is due … Allora, la mia cugina, Costanza, first introduced me to this lievito after her WOOFing stay at Spannochia. She shared with me the recipe she learned there, and gave me my first package of lievito (Bertolini). You can use lievito as a substitute in your cake recipes; it’s a 1 to 1 substitution. The product is available in the states via Amazon – but that just isn’t as much fun as finding it in an Italian supermercato for 2 euro!

Adding lievito to the frolla (dough) for the crostata gives it a more cakey texture and rise, and I prefer to prepare Crostata #2 when I’m using fresh fruit – although it works well with jam too! This recipe gives you more of a batter that you just spread into the pan and add your topping.

Travel side note: My most recent visit to Siena (2018) involved Italian study at Scuola Leonardo Da Vinci.

Though my brain was thoroughly taxed, the instructors, staff, and fellow students from all over the world made it a wonderful experience. And, bonus, I was in Siena!

Costanza and I made a wonderful meal for our housemates on our last evening together, capped off with a Crostata, naturalmente! Allora, get baking (or packing!)

Graziella’s Pasta Frolla and Torta di Frutta – from Costanza

2 eggs

150 g. sugar (2/3 cup)

100 g. butter (about seven (7) Tbls.)

250-280 g. flour (Farina Typo “00”) (best with about 1 ¼ cups of flour)

grated rind of one lemon

half packet of yeast for sweets, with vanilla:

Brand: Pane Angeli or Bertolini. Lievito Vaniglinato (baking powder with vanilla)

Jam (preferable homemade) or fresh fruit cut into 2-3” pieces, or both

Raw sugar

After mixing batter, put in baking dish lined with parchment paper, and put in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Use 13×9 pan.

Spread marmalade, or place fruit over top. If using fruit, sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake for 30 minutes at 180 c, (350 f.) Cool on a wire rack, cut and enjoy!

A travel note or two: Toscana: so many agriturismi, so little time! Just google one and go! If you are interested in language study, I recommend Scuola Leonardo da Vinci. They also have schools in Florence and Rome. The instructors are wonderful and I learned so much from the after-class lectures and tours around Siena.

Siena also hosts a Summer Music Festival. Jazz musicians rehearse in front of Santa Maria in Provenzano. There is a lovely restaurant right across the street (Il Cavaliere Errante), perfect for a summer’s eve.

ciao for now! Carolina