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Gina DePalma and Copulettas – Half-moon pastries from Sardinia
Greetings to all. It’s been months since you have heard from me. Life and my home remodel have conspired to keep me out of the kitchen and away from my computer. This post, however is not about me. It is about Gina DePalma. Gina, for those of you unfamiliar with her, is one of the stars of the Italian pastry world. She was the pastry chef at Babbo and Enoteca restaurants in New York for many years, and she is the author of numerous articles and Dolce Italiano, one of my favorite collections of Italian desserts. Read the remainder of this entry »
Stuffed Tomatoes Redux – Pomodori Ripieni
More with Fonte di Foiano Pendolino Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Stuffed tomatoes are the quintessential summer dish, and they are easy to put together. They are perfect for any meal, casual or elegant, and are incredibly versatile, moving easily from day into night. Serve them with a crisp green salad and white wine for an elegant lunch or as a starter for a more elaborate dinner. You can use large, medium or small tomatoes, what ever suits your fancy. Read the remainder of this entry »
Cicerchie and Black Kale Soup
What beans! What character! The humble cicerchie, Lathyrus sativus, with their hearty flavor have been a character on the world food scene for thousands of years. Paleobotanists have determined that cicerchie came to ancient Rome from Greece, having first made their way from the Near East along the northern coast of the Mediterranean. The ancient Romans called the legume cicercula, and the march of the Roman legions was fueled on soup made from them. Because cicerchie grow well in high altitudes and cool climates they have traditionally played a large part in the cuisine and farming of the central and southern Apennines, especially Abruzzo where they sustained the poor through good times and bad. Cicerchie farming and consumption decreased after WW II, but a resurgence is underway, thanks to the burgeoning interest in traditional foods and sustainable agriculture both in Italy and worldwide.
However, cicerchie have one characteristic that sets them apart and is worth addressing. They contain the neurotoxic amino acid Read the remainder of this entry »
Blood Orange and Bella di Cerignola Salad with Solerno
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow will be dying.
…Robert Herrick
It’s as true of blood oranges as rosebuds. Winter will soon be gone, and with it this most glorious citrus fruit. So juice up the Lenten season with blood oranges. There’s no sin in them.
This classic combination of blood oranges, black olives and a vinaigrette is a wonderful luncheon plate. And jazzing it up with a drizzle of Solerno blood orange liqueur updates it a bit. I’ve used black Bella di Cerignola olives. These olives are delicacies. Huge, with meaty flesh that yields to the bite, they come from Foggia in the region of Puglia. Try them once, and you will be hooked. Read the remainder of this entry »