Allora, Andiamo!

When I feel like baking something beautiful, sweet, and reaching toward my Italian roots, I bake a crostata. I love the jewel tones of the (homemade) jam, the not-too-sweet dough, the pleasure I see in my family’s eyes when they know they will soon get a tasty slice. For me, a piece of crostata is a little piece of love – allora, perfetto for this Valentine’s month.

Crostate are a very common sweet in Italia. They may be called something different in Napoli (coppi) or in Lombardia (sfogliate), but are essentially a rough formed tart or pie, topped with jam and/or fruit. In Liguria and Toscana, they are dappertutto! (everywhere).

Through my Italian travels and contacts, I have collected two different recipes for crostata dough, and there are a few different ways to top a crostata: do you want to use jam, or fresh fruit, or both? Would you prefer a more firm and crispy tart result, or a cakey one? I’ve decided I’ll share one style and recipe this month, and the second next month. Allora, andiamo …

Crostata recipe #1 is a treasured recipe from my cugina in Rapallo. (Rapallo is just a short bus ride from Portofino and Santa Margherita-Ligure). Maria made a crostata for Costanza and I on our visit with her in 2012. It was simply made, with no lattice, but with her homemade peach marmellata! She insisted we take the rest back to our Airbnb apartment, and we enjoyed it for several days with our morning cappuccini. Thankfully, she was happy to share with us her recipe for the pasta frolla (dough) and told us she used to make cookies from the leftover dough for her son, Fabbio, when he was a boy – as a treat after school.

What I love about making this pasta frolla is the way it comes together. When you first pour the flour, sugar, butter, lemon peel, and egg mixture onto your work area, it is so crumbly that you can’t imagine it will become a dough! You think about adding more egg, or water, or milk, but no need! As you work the mixture, the heat from your hands very quickly allows the ingredients to come together into a smooth dough – it’s magical.

Maria’s Frolla for Crostata or Cookies

Ingredients: Note: I like to bake and cook Italian, in grams – and measuring is the most accurate way – so get out that kitchen scale, use grams and measure away!

250 grams (about 1 cup) Tipo 00 flour (available in high-end groceries – or on line)

125 grams plus 1 Tbsp. (about 1/2 cup or 1 cube, plus 1 Tbsp.) unsalted butter

125 grams (about 3/4 cup) sugar

1 egg

2 egg yolks

grated peel of one lemon

About 8 ounces of jam. Homemade is preferred, but use what you have. I like red plum or apricot – you don’t want a cloyingly sweet jam, which some store-bought jams can be

additional egg plus 1 Tbls. of milk for egg wash

Process:

Mix the flour, sugar and lemon peel in a bowl, then mix in the softened butter with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles a coarse cornmeal.  Make a well in the mixture and add the eggs (beaten), stirring with a fork as you would for pasta. The mixture will be very dry. Carefully dump the mixture onto your floured worksurface, and gather together with your hands forming a rough ball. Gently knead, gathering and gently pressing the dough together until the heat of your hands and gentle motion create a smooth ball of dough (a couple of minutes), adding flour to your work surface as needed to prevent the dough from sticking. Flatten into a disk and wrap in plastic bag and place in the refrigerator – chilling for at least ½ hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly butter a 9-10″ tart pan and line with a cut-to-fit piece of parchment paper (you can also use pie plate in a pinch).

Roll dough on a well-floured surface to about 1/8″ thick. Lay the tart pan on the dough as far to one side as you can; mark the dough and using a spatula, raise the dough and place in the tart pan on top of the parchment. Patch if you need to. The dough does not need to be a tight fit, as you will line the edges with rolled dough.  Spread jam on top in an even layer about 1/4″ thick.   

For the lattice: Cut 1-inch strips from the remainder of the dough, eyeing as best you can the length across the middle and working out toward the edges vertically. Then gather together the rest of the dough, roll and cut into strips to lay across horizontally. No need to do an over/under lattice thing!!   Using the remaining dough, gather a tablespoon at a time and roll into “ropes” about 1/4″ thick. Line around sides of the pan, piecing together and giving a nice look and seal to the crostata.

Make an egg wash by whisking together the remaining egg and the tablespoon of milk. Using a pastry brush, gently and carefully brush all of the dough with the egg wash. (If you still have dough left, cut out some biscuit-sized rounds, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar, or top the dough with jam and place another “cookie” on top, sealing the edges. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar and bake (as I did in the photo under the title of this post). Yum!

Bake the crostata at 350 for 30 minutes until browned and bubbly. Let cool on a rack. Slice, serve, and marvel at your beautiful creation.

If I am planning crostata for a special occasion, I make it the day before, as it is even better the next day!

Another Travel note about Liguria: Rapallo can surprise you! There is a lot going on there, from the beautiful lungomare lined with shops and restaurants that runs from the castello past the harbor, and the beaches with their “beds” to rent for the day, to the ferry you can take to beautiful Santa Margherita, or on to Portofino. Take the funicular up to the Santuario di Montallegro (2,000 above sea level), where the Virgin Mary appeared in 1557 (prompting the building of a spectacularly beautiful church). From picturesque Portofino, walk up the hill to Castello Brown, where Enchanted April was filmed (I love that film).

Ciao for now! Carolina

January, 2020

Happy New Year! After all the holiday festivities and calories (yes, our Christmas Eve tiramisu’ was fabulous again this year, thanks to Emily – check out the updated photos in the December post), I thought it might be time for some veggies in the way of a “big soup” – a minestrone. My actual recipe is titled, once again, “the Best Minestrone”, but let me clarify. “Best” in my recipe files means “the final compilation of trial and error, resulting in the ultimate recipe and the way I will prepare this from now on.” I got a little push back from le cugine on “The Best Tiramisu'” from my last post. I don’t mean to rompere le vostre scatole – rain on anyone’s parade. “The best” is subjective, davvero? Allora, please refer to the above clarification anytime “the best” appears in my recipe posts.

Before we jump into la ricetta, let me reminisce a bit … Eight years ago (eight!?), in January of 2012, I spent a few weeks in Italia, exploring Lucca, Siena, Rapallo and Genoa with la mia cugina, Costanza. We arrived the week between Capo d’Anno (New Year’s) and Epifania (January 6th, celebrating the Epiphany and the arrival of La Befana) so the streets and shop windows were still decorated for the holidays.

In Siena, we walked, and walked, and shopped (I think I bought three purses that trip), and ate, and cooked, and then walked some more.

On one stroll through the contrade (neighborhoods), we happened upon a perfect stop for lunch, La Bonta’ di Giangio, with this display outside …

It was the perfect time to try l’olio nuovo, the “new” oil from that Fall’s olive harvest. Let me tell you that there is nothing quite like a simple slice (fettunta) of unsalted Tuscan bread soaking in a plate of that green gold.

Allora, back to the Minestrone:

A big soup begins with the soffritto – celery, onion and carrots chopped very finely and carmelized in lots of olive oil.

Then you add on-hand veggies, greens, canned tomatoes, and, of course, a good broth (Allora, please refer to my post from October). You can personalize your Minestrone depending on veggies in season. Some would say the cannellini beans are essential; in the winter, I use canned green beans. You might try adding a spoonful of your homemade pesto from the freezer instead of the drizzle of olive oil before serving (Allora, please refer to my post from September). Anyway you serve it up, a Minestrone is the perfect weight and warmth for a cold winter’s day.

(MY BEST) MINESTRONE

Makes 10 cups – Serves 8

For the soffritto:

1/3 cup olive oil

1 large celery stalk; very finely chopped

1 medium carrot, very finely chopped

1 large onion, very finely chopped

You can use a mezzaluna to chop the soffritto, as le nonne would do, or the cuisinart.

For the soup:

1 medium leek, white and pale-green parts only, quartered lengthwise, cut into 1/4 –inch slices, rinsed well

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 large celery stalks, cut into ¼ inch slices

2 medium carrots cut on the diagonal into ¼ inch slices

6 fingerling or small red potatoes cut into ½ inch pieces

In winter: 1 large eggplant – cut into ½ inch pieces

In summer: 1 medium zucchini quartered lengthwise, cut into ¼ inch slices

1 15-oz can whole peeled plum tomatoes with juice. Crush the tomatoes with your hand as you put them into the pot

1 bunch Tuscan kale (cavolo nero – Dinosaur Kale), stemmed, leaves cut crosswise into ½ inch strips

1 small head savoy or napa cabbage, cored and very thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

4 cups vegetable or chicken stock (or more)

1 rind Parmigiano-reggiano cheese

4 oz. proscuitto end (optional)

1 bay leaf

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

1 can green beans, peas or cannellini beans

Pesto or grated parmigiano (optional) for serving.

Make soffritto:  Heat oil in stockpot over medium-low heat.  Add celery, carrots and onion.  Cook, stirring often until deep golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

Make soup: Add leek and garlic.  Cook stirring often until soft about 4 minutes.  Raise heat to medium high; add celery, carrots, potatoes, (eggplant or zucchini).  Cook, stirring often until golden about 5 minutes.  Stir in stock, tomatoes, kale, cabbage, cheese rind, prosciutto (if desired), bay leaf and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1 ½ hour.

Add beans and/or canned peas and heat through.  Thin with water if needed. Serve warm (not hot), with a drizzle of olive oil and a spoon or grated parmigiana or pesto, if desired.  

This soup recipe can easily be doubled. Enjoy!

A travel note about Siena:

Siena is worthy of a few days’ stay vs. just a day trip. Plan to take lots of walks around the 17 contrade. Spend time in il Campo, the main piazza, where il Palio is run twice every year. Visit the Santa Maria della Scala – the former ospedale, now museum; the beautiful Duomo and Bapistry, and don’t forget the Pinacoteca Nazionale, which houses a beautiful collection of Sienese art.

I recommend Bar Key Largo’s outdoor balcony to sit and sip and watch the world go by.

Ciao for now! Carolina

December, 2019

For the holidays, I thought I would share with you what has become a Christmas Eve tradition for us, and is, truly, the best and simplest tiramisu’ recipe.  You’re welcome.

Back in 2005, seventeen (17!) of us Pitagoras met Italy for: a week at a villa near Lucca (Villa La Volpe), a few days visiting our Italian relatives in Rapallo in Liguria, and for half of us, a 2 week stay in a tiny hamlet (frazione) on Lake Como. That trip really clarified for me that I prefer “slow travel” – being in one place long enough to really get to know it, going to the same bar for un caffe’ each morning, the same alumentari for our staples, etc.  At the time, we planned our trip “slow” because we had a 5-year old we didn’t want to be dragging from place to place.  But since then, all our trips to Italy are slow-er.  I want to feel like I’m at home in that new place.  

Allora, back to the tiramisu’!  Our family had been making tiramisu’ for a few years for special occasions. The recipe was easy enough: ladyfingers, espresso, mascarpone, maybe a little brandy.  Yeah, it was fine.  But my husband’s birthday dinner that trip at Crème Carmel in Acquaseria on the shores on Lake Como changed everything in the tiramisu’ department. 

The next time we made tiramisu’ we set out to refine our recipe in the style of Crème Carmel. We didn’t need to add any trendy flavors, or make it in individual servings; we just wanted to recreate the flavors – and the feeling – of that perfect dessert enjoyed in that perfect setting.

The primary addition for our recipe was egg yolks instead of the whipping cream we had been using, blended with the mascarpone. I know that some make a zabaglione – ok.  For us, the egg yolks work beautifully.  Credit for the chopped chocolate addition (vs. the more traditional sifting of espresso/powdered sugar on top) goes to my daughter Emily, which took our recipe to a whole new level of taste and texture. And the beauty of this recipe is how easily it comes together, as well as how much it is appreciated and raved about by everyone!  It is simple and special at the same time, and to my mind, that is what makes a great recipe.

Il Miglior Tiramisu’ – the Best Recipe (according to us)

Makes 9 x 13 pan: Serves 12-15

6 egg yolks (save the egg whites for another use)

1 cup sugar

4 tsp. vanilla

16 oz. mascarpone

2 pkg (24) ladyfingers (hard) (Savoiardi)

3-4 cups espresso (use a Moka pot if you have one) or strong coffee

1 Tbls of rum or brandy (optional)

2-3 oz shaved or chopped chocolate – bittersweet (at least 60% cocoa)

Instructions:

Make espresso; pour into a shallow dish, cool and add rum or brandy if desired.

Beat egg yolks, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add mascarpone and beat for 5 minutes until very creamy and smooth.

Lightly dip ladyfingers in espresso and arrange at the bottom of a pan (you can use a springform (cheesecake) pan or just a pyrex dish.  Cover with half of the mascarpone mixture.  Sprinkle ½ of the shaved or chopped (or a combination) chocolate on top.  Repeat – layering espresso-dipped ladyfingers, mascarpone mixture, chopped chocolate.  Cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. 

Portion, serve, and enjoy!

Allora, Buon Natale! and Happy Holidays!

A travel note or two: Villa la Volpe is a special place that can be divided into two separate villas, or joined into one – which is how we used the property. It is located in a serene setting in Segromino in Monte, about 15 minutes outside of the walls of Lucca. If you do a tour of famous villas outside of Lucca, you will visit Villa Torrigiani which is a short walk from la Volpe. There is also a winery and vino sfuso (to fill up your bottles) a short walk up the hill.

Lastly I must recommend, our friends Mauro and Tze’ela, who catered our long, leisurely, lunch in the loggia at la Volpe, and have their own cooking school and classes, which I have been fortunate enough to experience a couple of times now – and will feature in future posts. Contact them at Cooking in Toscana.

Ciao for now! Carolina

During a week long stay in Rome back in the fall of 2016, we couldn’t resist spending a day in Tuscany with a Walks of Italy tour.  (We also used Walks of Italy for our “Pristine Sistine” Vatican tour – see travel notes below). Though there wasn’t a lot of walking that day, the tour did include a stop in Pienza for some pecorino, wild boar salami and a balsamic tasting, lunch at an agriturismo, and a Brunello tasting at Cordella winery in Montalcino, one of our favorite Tuscan villages.  That lunch at the agriturismo … well, I just have to share some of it with you. Allora… andiamo

Set on the edge of the dramatic Crete Senesi, Spedalone is a property that dates back to the 7^th century. We were awed by the utter silence, the beautiful farmhouse and organic farm, guest houses and olive groves. Just-picked pumpkins – so many pumpkins – of various varieties lined the walkways and sat atop hay bales, and the kitchen garden was bursting with Tuscan kale, also called dinosaur kale, what the Italians call “lanciato”.  Pumpkins and kale, dappertutto! Absolutely everywhere!

We were welcomed by Sandro, one of the owners and chefs at the property, and seated in the sunny dining room at long table with carafes of red wine, and jugs of new olive oil from their trees – pressed just three days prior. Three Days!

At the farm, as in most of Italy in general, you eat what is in season. Allora, it was no surprise that our first course was a beautiful pumpkin soup!  The surprise was that it was topped with thin strips of delicate kale frittata. “Che cosa?” What? But, hey, what else are you going to do with all that kale? I thought it was inspired, but before I could dig in Sandro said “Olio, olio!” and we happily drizzled the freshest, brightest green olio nuovo onto our soup. The ingredients were so fresh, and eating them within a few feet of where they were grown… that simple-sounding soup, topped with that humble frittata was sublime.

Zuppa di zucca con frittata di lanciato

For the soup:

A note about types of pumpkins: You can use your standard “jack-o-lantern” pumpkin, but the sugar pie (small orange pumpkins) used for pumpkin pie are also an option. The pink pumpkin is a french heirloom variety preferred for their pumpkin soup, as it is sweeter and less fibrous (according to my pumpkin connection at Post Street Farm in Santa Cruz).

2 small pumpkins plus 1 medium butternut squash          

1 ½ medium onions, diced 

Fresh or dried thyme – add to the sautéed onion 

Extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups of chicken broth – preferably homemade (see my post on “Brodo”)

Salt and pepper

Slice, de-seed/de-string the pumpkin and squash. Lightly oil a large roasting pan or pyrex dish. Place the slices on their sides in the pan, drizzle with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Add about 1/2 an inch of water, cover with foil, and roast in the oven at 375 for about 40 minutes until soft.

Meanwhile, heat a generous glug of olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Sauté the onion with a few sprigs of the fresh or dried thyme until golden.

When squash is roasted and cool enough to handle, remove skin, and add to onion mixture.  Pour in the chicken broth and heat over medium flame until squash is ready to be mascerated.  Using a hand-held mixer, blend ingredients until smooth – soup should be thick.

Season the soup with salt and pepper.

For the frittata:

Note: I have made and served this frittata many times as an appetizer, and the leftovers are great for breakfast! It is mostly kale with just enough egg to hold it together, and the cheese provides the perfect salty balance to the sweetness of the pumpkin soup.

2 large bunches of Tuscan kale (lanciato), stems removed and sliced thinly into ribbons

½ onion

4-6 eggs, depending on their size – you want this frittata to be mostly kale; the eggs are just to hold it together

Salt and pepper (or pepper flakes)

1 cup grated parmigiano or pecorino romano cheese 

Olive oil

Saute onion in olive oil. If using pepper flakes, add them.  Place kale in the pan with salt and cook down, using tongs, rotate leaves until kale is soft and bright green.  Let cool.

Whisk eggs in a separate bowl.  Add kale/onion mixture and cheese, and pour into a greased 7 x 11” baking dish (you want the frittata to be thin, about 1/4” only).  Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until browned and pulling away from the sides.

Serve the soup warm (not hot!) with thin slices of frittata on top and finish with a healthy drizzle of olive oil.

A travel note, or two:

This agriturismo, Spedalone, is worth a look when you are in the area of Montalcino. The story we heard from our tour guide is that the 3 owners had emigrated to the U.S. and were working in the computer industry when they said ” basta!” and returned to Italy. They purchased this farm and have immersed themselves in bringing it back, producing traditional products in traditional ways, and living there with their growing families.

Find out about Spedalone here.

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Walks of Italy provides tours in the largest cities of Italy.  In Rome we took a “Pristine Sistine” tour of the Vatican, which avoided most of the crowds; but the Waking up the Vatican Tour through Viator that my friend, Ashley, got to do sounds amazing!  Super small group, and you tour with the “clavigero” (key keeper), actually opening the doors to the rooms of the Vatican, including the Sistine Chapel, and turning the lights on in each room as you go. Now that would be something!

Find out about Walks of Italy here.

Ciao for now! Carolina

With the change of season upon us, I want to share with you what has become a staple in my house: Brodo di Pollo –  chicken broth that is so easy and delicious I make it once a week, drink it for lunch, use it for soups and sauces, and my daughters ask for my “magic broth” when come the sniffles or scratchy throat. Allora, andiamo.

During my first stay within the walls of Lucca, in January of 2012, we took a wonderful “Sauces and Main Ingredients” cooking class with Chef Paolo Monti at the Hotel Carignano outside of Lucca. 

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We learned molto from Chef Paolo that morning: how to make a quick and simple tomato sauce; use our homemade broth to enhance and season the sauce for a variety of different pastas and chicken dishes, as well as learning on the side the recipe for the easiest, best roasted potatoes with lemon peel and sage! 

During that 4-hour class, we made four bruschetta antipasti, chicken broth, a cooked and a raw tomato sauce, a Bolognese sauce, four pasta dishes (using the sauces), two chicken dishes, and individual tiramisu for dessert! 

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It was a wonderful experience, and everything was delicious, but it is the Brodo that I have made, time, and time, and time again.  I don’t ever buy chicken broth anymore, and I always buy beautiful yellow onions with lots of dark skin to add to the broth, for a rich color.  Allora, I remember and invoke Chef Paolo often in my kitchen! Grazie tanto, Chef, for the memories and the instruction!

Chef Paolo’s Brodo di Pollo – adapted by Carolina

16 oz. raw chicken wings, or 1/2 of a leftover chicken carcass

1 medium carrot, peeled and halved

3 sticks of celery with leaves, halved

1 medium yellow onion, halved – dark skin on, or thrown into the pot

1 medium ripe tomato, halved, (or 1 tsp of tomato paste)

4 quarts of cold water

optional:

1 small fennel bulb, sliced in half

1 rind of parmigiano cheese (I always keep my parm. rinds in the freezer for these purposes …and to add to tomato sauce as well as other soups!)

1 tsp. of peppercorns

1 bay leaf

Put the ingredients in a large soup pot

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Add the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1/2 hour.

and … Done!  

Pour through a fine sieve or colander lined with cheesecloth into another large pot – discard vegies and bones.  Return to stove top and salt to taste.  

From here, you can make soup, add to your sauces, drink from a mug, or ?

You can also freeze in large mason jars – just only fill the jars 2/3 full because … water expands when it freezes (note to self!)

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and, for those roasted potatoes … prego

In a medium bowl place:

8-10 – Medium to small yellow, red or fingerling potatoes, cut into 1” pieces

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped

4 leaves of fresh sage, chopped

1 clove of garlic, chopped

kosher salt

pepper

grated peel from 1 medium lemon

Extra-virgin olive oil – a good glug

Toss all together well and spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake in a 425 degree oven until browned and crisp, tossing occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Note: I usually skip the rosemary and garlic – and just go with the sage and lemon. Squisito.

Enjoy and ciao for now!

Carolina

Another travel note about Lucca:

I highly recommend taking Chef Paolo’s Sauces and Main Ingredients class if you are visiting the Lucca area.  His contact information is below.

www.cucina-italiana.com

www.hotelcarignano.it

email: chefpaolo@cucina-italiana.com

September, 2019

My paternal grandmother, Emilia, was born in a little village in these hills above Rapallo on the Italian Riviera in Liguria. Ever since I first visited the area, and our relatives, and tried the local pasta with fresh real pesto, I have been working to perfect my recipe and the process. Although it seems simple enough: basil, pinenuts, olive oil, cheese – there are a lot of variations and a lot of recipes out there!  

For example, back in the summer of 2014, and were walking around Desenzano on the southwestern side of Lake Garda when I encountered a lovely signora with a huge bunch of basil in hand.  Since I need no excuse to speak with Italians about food, I commented “che bel basilico”-  what beautiful basil.  “Ah si, si, bello basilico” (I always love how gently Italians will correct my Italian). She told me she was going to make some pesto.  Allora! I know about pesto!  I shared that my family was from Liguria, at which point she knew that I knew about pesto, it having been invented in that region of Italy.  

I learned from la signora that she adds a few noce (walnuts) to her pesto in addition to the pinenuts, and that she uses Grana Padana cheese instead of Parmigiano – because that is what is local to her.  Like I said, there are a lot of different recipes out there …

There is also the question of using a food processor vs. mortar and pestle.  Allora, if you have the time, and a good sized mortar, use it.  To be authentic, you should use a wooden pestle. It takes some time, and some physical effort, but there is no doubt that the motion of grinding the basil into a paste (“pesto”) releases the flavor-full oils of the basil and makes a superior pesto.  But, I have had plenty of success using the good old Cuisinart; and if you are making pesto to freeze for later, don’t waste your time with the mortar and pestle. Save that effort for when you are going to use the pesto subito! (immediately!) with fresh, homemade pasta, perhaps?

I also try to use Genovese Basil – yes, there is a difference between Sweet Basil and Genovese Basil.  The Genovese (Ligurian) basil is a variety of Sweet Basil, and is preferred for pesto (and also for Insalata Caprese!)  I have grown it in my yard from seed (smuggled home in my luggage) and my local garden center carries the Genovese basil starts.  This time of year, you can buy fresh Sweet or Genovese basil at the Farmer’s Market for niente! Allora, andiamo – make some pesto!

Here is my recommendation for the best process for making Pesto Genovese.  Try it, and then adjust it to your liking and what you have locally and readily available.  

Pesto Genovese

Makes about 1 cup 

4 cups basil, preferably Genovese, loosely packed

1/3 cup toasted pine nuts, preferably from Italy

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ tsp. (about 1 medium clove) chopped, fresh garlic

½ tsp. Kosher salt

1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/3 cup finely grated pecorino cheese

1. Wash the basil in cold water. Gently pinch leaves from stems. Soak the leaves in a bowl of very cold water (add a few ice cubes) for one hour. 
2. Put the pine nuts, olive oil and garlic in a blender   Pulse until you have a coarse paste (pesto).  Add basil leaves, one handful at a time, shaking off most, but not all of the water (a little water helps the ingredients emulsify) and a pinch of salt. Pulse to blend, then repeat with another handful of the basil leaves and pinch of salt, pulsing a few times after each addition.  When all the basil has been pureed, blend on high until the pesto is smooth.
3. Add the cheeses and pulse a few times only to blend.  (Take care not to over blend at this stage or the sauce will heat up and could separate like a broken sauce).  

If using immediately for pasta, pour the pesto into a broad, medium-size mixing bowl.  If more than 20 minutes before serving, cover pesto with a think film of mild olive oil to slow oxidation.  While pasta cooks, scoop up a tablespoon or two of the hot pasta water and stir it into the bowl of presto to melt the cheese and meld the ingredients (never heat pesto over a flame, it kills the flavor).  Add the cooked, drained pasta to the pesto and stir gently to coat.  Place pasta and any remaining pesto on plates; top with a sprinkling of parmigiano-reggiano and a basil leaf for garnish and serve immediately.

OR

You can put in a clean jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; 

OR 

You can put in a clean jar and freeze for quite a long time!

Note: Ligurians often put a little potato and green beans in with their pesto and pasta dishes.  Here is my current favorite way to serve pasta with pesto in this Ligurian style.

Pasta with Pesto, Beans and Potatoes

(Pasta con Pesto, Fave e Patate)

One pesto recipe – as above

3 medium red-skinned potatoes, peeled, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices

12 ounces fresh fava beans, shelled, or 6 ounces thin green beans, trimmed

14 ounces pasta – fettucine, (or trenette or trofie if you want to get Ligurian)

1 Tbls butter (or extra-virgin olive oil)

Cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to large bowl. Add fava or green beans to same pot and boil until tender, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beans to bowl with potatoes. (if using favas, set aside to cool slightly, then squeeze beans out of their casings and add to potatoes while the pasta is cooking). Cook pasta in same pot until tender, but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup cooking liquid. Add pasta to potatoes and beans. 

Whisk enough reserved liquid into pesto to moisten. Add pesto and butter or oil to pasta. Toss to coat and serve.

From Bon Appetit, May, 2007

A travel note about Liguria: The Cinque Terre is in Liguria and beautiful, but has become quite over-run with visitors. Instead, consider going a bit south (Bonassola?) or north of Portofino.  From Camogli, you can hike the Portofino Peninsula to San Fruttuoso, have lunch, and then take a ferry back.  

August, 2019

Since we are in the peak of tomato season, I want to begin by sharing my version of an incredible treat from my most recent (this July/August) visit to Italia. Sicilian Chef Carlo loGrande at Ristorante la Norma in Lucca, Tuscany, prepared this as the first plate of a five-plate appetizer spread.  This is essentially a tomato granita scooped over a ball of fresh mozzarella (I used burrata) cheese, swimming in extra virgin olive oil.  It was the perfect way to begin the meal on a very warm evening with a beautiful glass of Rose’. As I found out when I told the Chef that I loved this dish, he uses small Sicilian tomatoes, which have a flavor more “intenso”. However, since the Italians are all about using what is available and as local as possible, we should be too!  Organic cherry tomatoes I purchased at our local New Leaf Market worked beautifully. Check out your Farmer’s Market, or maybe you have some growing in your garden!

Burrata (or fresh Mozzarella) with Tomato Ice

Serves 6-8 as an appetizer

1 pound ripe small very red cherry tomatoes 

Pinch of kosher salt

Pinch of sugar

3-4 medium-sized balls of Burrata cheese (or very fresh mozzarella) – ½ ball per person

Extra virgin olive oil

Good, fresh bread, sliced thinly

Wash tomatoes, remove any stems, and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.  Add salt and sugar, and puree.  Press through a fine sieve into a bowl and discard the solids.  Pour the juice into an 8×8 pyrex dish, or small rimmed baking sheet, and place flat in the freezer, uncovered.  Stir (scrape) with a fork every 30 minutes until mixture is frozen and you have ice flakes (see photo) approximately 2-3 hours. 

Remove tomato granita from freezer about 15 minutes before serving. Cut the cheese balls in half and divide among small bowls.  Pour a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil around the cheese, and then using an ice cream scoop, scoop a ball of tomato granita on top.  Garnish with a fresh basil sprig, and serve immediately with a spoon.  Have a plate of the bread of your choice on hand for spreading, dipping and (for) “fare la scarpetta” – the Italian phrase for using that bread like a “little shoe” and wiping all the deliciousness out of those bowls.  

A travel note about Lucca:  Lucca is a wonderful jumping off, or landing, point for exploring Tuscany. A walled city, the wall of which is a wide, urban park enjoyed at all times of the day by walkers, runners and bicyclists, Lucca is easy to get around in and has so many delights.

The NY Times recently pointed it out as the city to visit instead of Florence, to avoid the crowds. Duh.  Florence is 45 minutes by train; Pisa and the Cinque Terre are also within striking distance.  

Or, instead, rent a car and drive away from the crowds up into the Garfagnana mountains to enjoy the countryside and incredible local food at Il Vecchio Mulino in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana. 

Rent a bike and ride outside the wall along the acquaduct. From there you can (lock up your bikes and) hike to the “waterworks”, and all the way to Pisa if you’d like!  

Ciao for now!  

Carolina

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2 thoughts on “Allora, Andiamo!”

1. KelvinAUGUST 26, 2019 AT 3:31 AM EDITLoved this! Looking forward to more! Thank you for sharing. Allora!LikeReply
2. CathyAUGUST 27, 2019 AT 10:37 PM EDITAllora, looking forward to your next blog post. Can’t wait to try the Tomato Ice!LikeReply

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