I had the pleasure of first sampling this rich and tasty dessert at a friend’s house over the holidays. After my first bite I was hooked and inquired after the preparation of the dish. Luckily, everyone here is happy to share their secrets and pass on tips. First, let me explain, chocolate salami is not salami at all (even though Greg wolfs this dessert down, he has a hard time getting past the name). This simple, no bake dessert only resembles salami. This Italian favorite was originally served around the holidays but now is acceptable any time of year. I think it’s the perfect dessert to serve while entertaining. The best part is that you can prepare it ahead of time and store it in the freezer.
Voilà! A salame di cioccolato (chocolate salami)
INGREDIENTS (serves 8 people)
>One (1) cup of biscotti or dry cookie broken into pieces >Eight (8) ounces of dark chocolate. I used 70% >One (1) stick of high quality butter, softened >Two (2) eggs, very fresh >Half (½) cup of sugar >Quarter (¼) cup, freshly brewed espresso >Confectioners’ sugar, as needed >Chopped nuts optional (I didn’t use them but I think I will try next time)
***RAW EGG WARNING. I have been told you can make this dish without using eggs but I haven’t tried this myself.
Your ingredients
DIRECTIONS
Begin by breaking up the biscotti and setting them aside. Melt the chocolate using a double boiler and stir until there are no lumps.
Break the bits of biscottiDon’t crumble them too much – they’ll need to represent the inside of a salamiTry not to lose any too many of your cookie crumbles in the processUse a double boiler to melt the chocolateThe double boil method is easy and brings the chocolate to a perfect consistency
Stir butter in a large bowl. Continue stirring and add sugar and eggs. Once combined stir in the chocolate and add the espresso. Stir the cookies into the chocolate mixture until well combined.
Combine the wet and dry ingredientsMix thoroughlyIt’s always nice to have a helping handAdd your chocolate and mix wellPour in the espressoSlowly combine your biscotti cookiesStir together and watch little “biscotti thieves”
Place the mixture on a large sheet of wax paper and begin to shape the mixture into a salami by rolling it on your work surface. Tightly secure the ends and place the “salami” in the refrigerator for 8 hours. I continued to roll the salami in the refrigerator so that it wouldn’t become flat on one side.
Roll the mixture in wax paper and form the shapeTie off the ends and set in the refrigerator to form
Remove salami from the refrigerator and unwrap. Cover the salami with confectioners’ sugar using brush. Put the salami on a wooden board when ready to serve.
Chocolate Salami – Enjoy!
This dish should keep in your refrigerator for a maximum or two-three days. It should last in your freezer for about one month. Of course, if you have someone like Greg in your home, there is no way it will last anywhere near that long! Enjoy!
On a particularly warm and sunny day this week, Greg and I and decided to ditch the pasta and opted instead to share a lighter lunch. We all love shrimp (especially Julia) so we decided to try our luck with Shrimp Scampi. I have never made this dish before so I did some research and looked at a few different ways it is prepared. After evaluating the ingredients I had lying around the house, I came up with a simple recipe for my first attempt at this classic dish. I have to say – we were all pleasantly surprised with how it turned out.
Buon Appetito!
I was pleased to see Greg fare la scarpetta, or “to do the little shoe”. This is a term the Italians have come up with that I adore. When you have a delicious sauce that you can’t stand to leave behind, you can use a piece of bread to mop it up. I would encourage you to be sure that you have plenty of good bread for you or your guests to do la scarpetta!
INGREDIENTS (serves two)
>Two (2) teaspoons Olive oil >Juice of half (½) a lemon >Zest of about one (1) lemon >Three quarter (¾) cup of white wine >Three (3) cloves of minced garlic >Two (2) tablespoons of unsalted butter >One-two (1-2) tablespoons of chopped flat leaf parsley >One (1) pound of shrimp >Salt
IngredientsBe sure to prep your ingredients – it will make cooking much easierWe kept the shells on the shrimp
As you can see I used shrimp that was still in the shells. You can also choose to use peeled shrimp. I thought we got good flavor from keeping the shells on though. Either way, make sure your shrimp is clean and dry before putting it in the pan.
Place the shrimp in the pan with a little olive oil
>Place olive oil and two (2) tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
>Add the shrimp to the pan and spread them out so they lay flat on the pan bottom.
>While the shrimp is cooking, flavor with salt.
>Cook for one-two (1-2) minutes without moving. Once that side is cooked, mix in the garlic and flip the shrimp.
>Cook for an additional one-two (1-2) minutes or until fully cooked. >Remove the cooked shrimp, set aside and keep warm.
Add the shrimp and spread evenly in the panTurn to evenly brown each shrimpAdd the garlicBe sure to turn as necessary so to not burn the shrimpLooking yummy alreadySet the shrimp aside
>In the same skillet add the wine and lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
>Allow the liquid to come to a boil and slightly thicken and salt to taste. >Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest and parsley. Return the shrimp to the pan and mix into the sauce. Serve while hot!
Making the sauce – I would recommend you make extra – it’s that good!Serve and enjoy!
Note: The next time I make this dish I will try to make additional sauce by increasing everything but the shrimp. The sauce was so good, we wanted more!
If you’ve read a couple of our recent Christmas posts, you may notice a consistent theme over and over. We have been thoroughly enjoying the official drink of the season, vin brulé from the markets of Alto-Adige to the lakeside shores of Lugano, Switzerland. I promise you, we are by no means a pair of winos – but I’m pretty sure it’s against the law not to have a vin brulé in your hands as you stroll through the Christmas markets.
Homemade vin brulé
We have been having so much fun thawing the chill from our bones with this delicious winter drink that we thought we should make it at home for ourselves. I have to say, for our first attempt – it was pretty darn good! And since we enjoyed this easy and delicious recipe so much, we decided it was only fair to share it with you. Of course, that meant that we had to go back to the test kitchen and whip up another batch!
What is vin brulé, you ask? You may know it better as mulled wine or glühwein (it is a very common German drink). No matter what you call it – it is basically a red wine heated over a flame, sweetened with sugar and seasoned with spices and fruit. The result is nothing short of perfection. You are sure to find the drink in just about any of the thousands of holiday markets set up all over Europe in December.
Here’s how it is made (follow closely… nah, just kidding. It’s pretty easy).
Ingredients (serving for four)
>1.5 liters of red wine (a lot will cook down)
>1.5 cups of sugar
>4 to 8 cloves
>Nutmeg to taste
>2 cinnamon sticks
>2 mandarins (you can also use a small orange)
Your ingredients – feel free to add or subtract items
The great thing about the ingredients for this recipe is that they don’t have to be exact. You can use what you have lying around. If you like more nutmeg flavor – go ahead and add it. This is completely based on personal preference.
Directions
>Slice some of the citrus peels and set them aside
>Grate the zests of one of the manderian and add to a pot with the sugar, cloves, cinnamon and citrus peels
>Add about one cup of the wine and cook on a high heat until everything blends together. This will create a thick almost syrup like liquid that is infused with tones of Christmas flavor. You don’t want to use all of your wine because cooking it at this high heat will burn off the alcohol
>Add the remaining wine and reduce the heat to a low simmer
>Serve and enjoy!
Add the ingredients
Add one cup of the wine
Cook over a high heat
There you have it! Easy and delicious!
We wanted to be sure to post this recipe on Christmas, with the hope that you make this delicious and easy drink on your own today or tonight. You have our personal guarantee that it will increase your festive cheer by 19.6%. That’s 4.6% higher than the next best thing… not getting underwear in your stocking.
Since Thanksgiving is tomorrow – here is a suggestion of something you can do to dress up your leftovers.
Risotto is a favorite of mine; winter, spring, summer or fall. While cooking risotto, I like to use fresh, seasonal ingredients – and with fall comes all things pumpkin. So, this was my chance to combine one of my favorite dishes with one of my favorite fall flavors.
Risotto con zucca (Risotto with pumpkin)
However, when it came to the Thanksgiving dinner we just had, I knew it would be too much for a first course. While risotto is relatively simple to prepare it is time consuming and requires my undivided attention for at least 20 minutes. I decided instead to create a new family tradition. My plan was to serve pumpkin risotto the day after Thanksgiving, along with all of the other delicious leftovers. I think it’s a perfect way to add a new element to a meal we’ve already eaten a couple times over by lunch the next day. I had plenty of left over zucca (pumpkin) from the soup course, which worked out perfectly. I have officially converted Greg into a pumpkin/squash lover. If you want to add some Italian flavors to your holiday meal this year, check out my simple recipe. I hope your family enjoys it as much as we do.
INGREDIENTS (serving of 4)
>Olive oil
>One (1) small onion (diced)
>Four (4) cups of chicken stock
>Nine (9) palms of arborio rice (two per person with one extra). Roughly two (2) cups
>Half (½) – full (1) cup of white wine (depending on taste… and quality of wine)
>Roughly ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese and additional cheese for the table and for garnish
>Third (1/3) stick of butter
>Salt to taste
>One and a half (1 ½) cups of cubed butternut squash (one butternut squash cleaned, peeled and deseeded)
The ingredients
Arborio rice
Directions
>Cube the pumpkin and dice the onion
Prepare your pumpkin and onion
>Heat chicken stock in a pot
>On a separate burner, heat olive oil in a large flat pan with high sides. Add onion and squash until it is softened and the onion is translucent. While the onion and squash are cooking, add a dash of salt. This could take a little over 5 minutes. Don’t allow the onions to brown
Watch that the onions don’t burn
>Add the rice and mix together. Stir until the rice is toasted (but not brown) about three – four (3-4) minutes
Stir in the rice
>Add the wine and continue to cook the rice until the wine is absorbed. After a minute, add a ladle or two of the stock, stirring the rice continuously until the liquid is absorbed
Laddle in the broth
>Continue stirring and ladling the broth for approximately fifteen (15) minutes. Be sure to taste as you go and add salt accordingly. The rice should be al dente and creamy
Keep stirring and add more broth once it’s absorbed
>Remove from heat and stir in butter and Parmesan cheese. Cover and allow pan to sit for five (5) minutes
Stir in the parmesano
Cover and let sit for five minutes
>Serve right away and top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Don’t forget to add the grana (grated cheese) and enjoy
PLEASE NOTE – Cooking risotto requires constant attention. Make sure the table is set and everything else you are serving is ready before you begin the rice.
Don’t forget to combine your risotto with your Thanksgiving leftovers!
Is it possible that the turkey gets better after the Thanksgiving meal?!
Combine whatever sides you have leftover
I hope that you’ve enjoyed this recipe and that perhaps you’ll try to incorporate it into this year’s Thanksgiving! Let us know if you do and buon appetito!
I know this is Jen’s Kitchen, but I’m sorry to report that you’ve got me (Greg) writing this one. This area of the blog is Jen’s domain – but she was having trouble getting her writing juices going, so I offered to give her a hand (her timing in the kitchen may be pure perfection, but if I don’t get this post going, it’s sure to be over-cooked).
Jen shows of her tomatoes
I may not know a lot, but I have learned two things while living in Italy:
First, every home has two types of olive oil. They all have the generic store bought one (that’s still delicious) for cooking and salads as well as the “special” olive oil that is pressed by someone’s nonno in some small town in the mountains somewhere…
Second, (along the same vein) every home has homemade passata (tomato purée) that is either fatto in casa (made in house) or gifted by a friend of family member. Why the homemade passata, you ask? And what the heck is passata to begin with?! Well, let’s travel back several thousand years to a time when food was seasonal, fresh and delicious. In the time of the ‘hunters-gatherers’ people would eat whatever they could get – whatever was walking around and growing nearby that time of year. They quickly learned that proper storage of proteins (those delicious saber-toothed tigers) was an important part of surviving the winter. Fast forward to the early 19th century and technological advances allowed people to store fresh vegetables alongside their meat and fish. Since Italians love to cook with fresh, unaltered flavors – the benefit of having access to tomatoes year round was paramount. Grazie, Louie Pasteur for your contribution to Italian cuisine. So, the passata that we are talking about, is simply a puréed tomato that is jarred and stored in the cupboard for use throughout the winter.
Our freshly jarred passata
Many recipes call for a tomato purée including soups, stews, sauces and dishes that require a tomato flavor (Jen’s easy and delicious marinara recipe). Most of the tomato purée sold in the US is processed and has a different consistency than passata. While that type of purée also has it’s purpose in Italian cooking, you can’t be without freshly jarred passata. At the end of the “tomato season” (early fall) all the grocery stores and fruit stands recognize this fact, and sell crates of San Marzano tomatoes for (in this case, we bought Roma tomatoes).
Here’s how you do it:
Equipment >Canning jars and lids (the ones that have the little “pop” and can be sealed)
>Several large pots
-One to boil the tomatoes
-One to puree the tomatoes
-One to boil the jars in order to seal them
>A passaverdura (vegetable mill)
>Funnel to pour the purée
>Kitchen dishtowels to separate the jars (in order to prevent breakage)
Ingredients
>The best tomatoes that you can find (Jen’s preference is San Marzano)
>Basilico fresco (fresh basil)
>Coarse salt (the kind you would use in pasta water)
*Note – the ratio of tomato to passata roughly 2 to 1 (so for 10lbs of passata, you’ll need 20lbs of tomatoes)
Get the freshest tomatoes you can find
It’s always a benefit if you have a willing helper
We have basil growing on our balcony
Steps
>Clean and sterilize your jars (run them through your dishwasher)
>Put on your husbands nasty old painting tee-shirt; you will get messy
Clean any bruised or damaged tomatoes
>Place the tomatoes in the pot, cover with water
Place your tomatoes in a pot and cover with water
>Add salt to the water (you’ll need 7 teaspoons of salt for 20 pounds of tomatoes)
>Cover pot and bring water to boil
>Once water boils, remove lid and let simmer for 15 minutes
>Remove tomatoes and place into the vegetable mill (which will rest over another large pot)
Place the tomatoes in the mill
>Grind tomatoes through the mill, which remove the skins and seeds
You can see the entire station set up here – it’s quite the process
This one was a pro managing her assembly line
The passata once it has been strained through the passaverdura (mill)
>Now you’re jarring begins – place 3 fresh basil leaf in the bottom of each jar and filter the passata through the funnel to the top of the jar
Pass the passata through the filter so that it all fits into the jars – leave about an inch at the top
If your husband is a dream and a catch wrapped up in a bundle of charm – maybe he’ll make you a snack
>Place a towel in the bottom of your third pot and place jars inside, separating by additional dishtowels. This will prevent breakage while working with a fragile medium
>Add enough water to cover the jars by roughly an inch (lukewarm water; cold water will cause the jars to break)
The simmering bottles, protected from one another by a dishtowel
>Simmer on a low boil for 45 minutes, removing once they are cool enough to touch
>Rest in a cool, dry place and leave them alone. The jars will create a vacuum seal within the next 12 hours. You can test the seal because the little “pop” in the center of the lid will “suck down”
You’ve done it! You have passata
Congratulations! You have just made genuine, Italian passata! One last step is to have fun creating your own labels. I made these for Jen at the same time I made our grappa labels. Do you like them?
Have fun – add some custom-made labels
Come have some of our “Passata di Mamma” – we would love to make some sugo for you
Let us know if you try this and have the benefit of enjoying fresh tomato passata all winter long!
Before Jen blindsided me so many months ago with the suggestion that we move to Italy, I never thought I would know how to make grappa. Honestly, I never thought that I would ever even like grappa! But like so many other things I swore I’d never change about myself, living in Italy has transformed that part of me (keep an eye out for me sporting a “puffy” coat this winter – a style I hated when I first moved here and now think is the coolest thing to come of the runways of Milano).
A selection of grappa offered in a restaurant in Lago Maggiore
Grappa is an alcoholic beverage that is served in Italy as a digestivo (digestive) after a meal. We have learned that Italians take the digestion of their meals very seriously and have structured the order of eating in such a specific way as to aid in the digestion. A full blown Italian meal will include the following:
You’ll notice that you’ll begin with the antipasto as a medium to enhance the appetite. The pasta course lays the “foundation” for the meal and acts as a base (note: when served as a primo, you should only serve roughly 80 grams of pasta). Next you’ll move onto your main dish and vegetables – the “center” of the meal. After that you’ll progress on to your salad (as opposed to having the salad first) because Italians believe that finishing your meal with the light and refreshing salad helps aid in digestion (add this to the list of things that I’ve changed in my daily life). Finally, the dessert rounds out the meal and the coffee always comes last. But when you eat like this, you’ll need one final component to assist in proper digestion – your ammazzacaffè (coffee killer). In many cases, this will come in the form of a grappa.
A glass of my favorite grappa in a proper bicchierino (small glass)
I have had the good fortune to have visited Italy many times before moving here, so grappa was not foreign to me. I’d choked the stuff down on many previous occasions, admitting to the table that I wasn’t a fan – but not leaving a drop behind, lest my manhood be challenged. However, somewhere along the way I have not only grown accustomed to drinking grappa – I have become quite the fan. I seldom finish a heavy meal without a grappa and I would be lying to you now if I didn’t tell you that I am presently sipping a nice Grappa Casereccia as my fingers glide across the keyboard (the same grappa pictured above).
The only thing better than drinking grappa is making your own grappa. You see, while the distilling process of grappa is more or less the same, the taste can vary greatly between types (grappa is made by distilling the skins, pulp, seeds and stems left over from the winemaking after pressing the grapes). The quality of grapes used, the specifics within the distillation process and any additional processes can alter the flavor of the grappa.
Claudia (Jen’s aunt upstairs) is fortunate enough to be from a region in Italy that [I personally believe] stands out above many other fabulous grappa-producing areas. She has brought back many different types for us to try and our liquor cabinet has expanded and contracted like the aged wood of the barrels themselves. In addition to supplying us with some of Belluno’s best grappa, she has an incredible knack for making her own. She taught us her secrets and now I’m going to impart them on to you.
Our liquor cabinet – please don’t play “I spy” with how many bottles of grappa are in there!
First, you start with a “white” grappa. This is a plain grappa that does not have any flavors and uses the traditional distilling process. Next, you pick your “flavor”. This can be anything from a melissa (a plant that tastes a lot like mint) to a pino mugo (a small pine-cone unique to the Dolomites). For our first batch of grappa, Jennifer selected basilico (basil) and limone (lemon).
The ingredients
BASILICO (BASIL)
Ingredients
>1 liter of grappa (white)
>20 leaves of fresh basil
>Lemon peels
Preparation
>Place the grappa into a jar
>Add 10 unwashed leaves (if the plant is dirty, wash and let dry)
>Leave the liquid for three weeks in a warm place, not exposed to the sun
>Filter the basil and leave for another three weeks with remaining leaves
Note: basil is particularly suitable to be combined and to macerate together with other fine herbs
LIMONE (LEMON)
Ingredients
>1 liter of grappa (white)
>Lemon peels of two lemons
>6 leaves of sage
>2 cloves
>1 tablespoon of sugar
Preparation
>Add all the ingredients of the grappa in a jar and leave in a hot place for two weeks
>Shake the bottle occasionally
>Filter and leave for another four weeks
The jars after the filtration process
Now that they’ve been filtered, they’re set to rest a little longer
Once complete, pour contents into bottles of your choosing (in our case, old grappa bottles)
If you really want to get nutty, make custom labels
Claudia was simultaneously making grappa of her own and gifted us many bottles (hers was better)
I hope that you’ve found this to be informative and fun. Making grappa is not the hardest thing in the world, you just need some time and access to good grappa (admitadly, we did chose two of the easier recipes). If you end up trying it at home – let me know. And if you haven’t tried grappa yet, eat a big meal and have a sip. You may be cursing me as the first taste burns your throat, but thanking me as it frees open your full stomach.
Before you put away your grills for the summer, you have to try these very simple but delicious verdure alla griglia (Grilled Vegetables). The combination of a few very simple ingredients helps bring out the flavors of the vegetables, leaving even the pickiest of eaters wanting more.
Verdura alla griglia (grilled vegetables)
For this particular meal we chose to use melanzane (eggplant) and zucchine (zuccini). You can use a number of different vegetables that will all come out terrific on the grill.
DIRECTIONS
>Begin by slicing the vegetables in thin strips. I don’t have a mandolin here but that would have made it much easier!
Slice thin, but not paper thin – roughly a 1/4 inch. It has to withstand the heat of the grill
>Next, place vegetables on the hot grill. The seasoning comes later. This was foreign to both Greg and me because we had grown accustomed to brushing olive oil and seasoning on before we grilled the vegetables. In this case, don’t apply anything – just put them on the grill naked.
Place on the grill without any prior treatment or coating
If you are lucky like me, you’ll have a good-looking crew working the grill!
For some reason, Greg always grills better with a beer
But this is his real secret weapon!
Greg was careful to brown each side to get that wonderful charred flavor without burning the vegetables.
Brown each side and be sure to cook all the way through – grill marks add a nice appearance
>The final step is adding the seasoning, a combination of olive oil, salt, minced garlic and a dash peperoncino (dried, spicy red peppers). >Combine minced garlic and olive oil in a bowl. Brush on the garlic-oil and add salt to taste.
>At the end, add a dash of peperoncino for a kick of flavor. Remember to be careful when you add the heat. You can always add more but you can’t take it away. I make a separate dish for Julia without the hot peppers.
Olive oil, garlic, salt and hot peppers
Olive oil mixture
Brush on to evenly disburse the oil
If the vegetables sit they will continue to develop flavors. They don’t have to be served hot. This is a great side because you can prepare it ahead of time before your guests even arrive.
I hope you will give these a try the next time you and your family decide to pull out the grill. Word to the wise, if you’re using a charcoal grill (like we do) – be sure to give yourself plenty of time to heat the coals, grill and then cook the vegetables. You’ll probably need a two hour total head-start before you plan on cooking your meat.
From Greg’s Grill
Greg here – just quickly chiming in. Since I am a carnivore and would never eat just vegetables (I’d compare that to watching watching “Sleepless in Seattle” without immediately following it up by watching a football game – just to even the scales), I suggest pairing your tasty vegetables with any delicious grilled meat… without heavy sauces. Chicken would work quite nicely, but without the BBQ sauce (in which case, you’re better off pairing it with a pickled slaw). In that same vein, I’d suggest you try grilling ribs (pork or beef – we prefer pork) but with a slightly different twist. Try grilling it the Italian way – you may be pleasantly surprised.
The process is simple – high heat, grill for a few minutes, searing on each side. Remove from grill and serve. But here’s the kicker. No marinade. No sauces. No seasoning (not even salt). Like the vegetables above, place the ribs on the grill as naked as Miley Cyrus when she twerks. When they are fully cooked, remove from the grill and then liberally add salt. The salt will bind and enhance the natural flavors of the meat, leaving your tongue free to enjoy the flavor as it was intended. I learned long ago that Italians prefer fewer flavors and hardly ever mask food with heavy sauces. We have lovingly grown accustomed to these types of ribs over the summer, but admittedly – I did just smuggle some Texas BBQ dry rub back from the US… just to do a taste test. I’ll be sure to let you know which way reigns supreme.
Get good, meaty ribs from your butcher (we prefer pork – beef has nice flavor, but less meat)
Grill and simply add salt (the rosemary was sprinkled for presentation and aromatics)
I don’t know who was more excited… Jen to see her parents or Jen’s parents to see their granddaughter. It was close, but judging by the suitcase of presents exclusively for Julia, I would give the edge to Jen’s mom, Diane. Of course, this suitcase (along with the 42 other suitcases Jen’s mom, dad and sister brought) got lost somewhere over the Atlantic and didn’t arrive for another two days (the airline had to hire a Mack truck to deliver everything in one trip).
Julia playing with Nonna on Day One
As you’ve no doubt surmised from above, Jen’s family came to visit recently. They wanted to see the country they love, their second home that has been overtaken by three squatters, their kids and their granddaughter (not necessarily in that order). And we were thrilled to see all of them. Since the timing was right with their work schedules and nursing school (Jen’s sister, Jessica had just graduated), they were able to stay a full month. We had plenty of down time relaxing and plenty of time on the go-go-go. Since so much happened during this month, the story of their visit will most definitely be broken into a few posts.
“I LOVE the view up here!”
Julia chilling with Jess by Lake Como
We made quick work getting to Como and spending some time visiting many of the other lake towns. Early on during their visit, we had lunch at a place we’ve been wanting to try, Al Veluu in the lake town, Tremezzo. We had tried to visit this restaurant in the past (with my Aunt and Uncle), but ran into a problem more common than you may think. They were closed for several months – this time, due to renovations (usually it’s more along the lines of… “we’re on vacation, come back next month”). The apparent renovations paid off – the restaurant, terrace and view were all exceptional. Secretly, Jen and I were thrilled to show Dominic and Diane a new place they hadn’t tried in their many years coming to Como.
Ristorante Al Veluu
The land this building sits upon has been in the family for over 300 years
Another angle of the restaurant and Inn
Passing through the entryway
Dom and Diane were so happy to be back in Italy, they were all smiles
Julia made quick work playing with the toys
She even found some friends to play with
The view from the terrace
A shot of the terrace – we made friends with our “neighbors”
Another angle of the incredible view
Some delicious bread to get us started…
…which went perfectly well with this olive tapenade
Dominic and I started with a steak tartare made table side
Vitello Cotoletta alla Milanese con arugala (veal chop lightly breaded and topped with salad)
Piccata di Vitello “Al Veluu” (veal scallops in white wine with spicy red sauce and capers)
Incredible desserts
They tasted as good as they look
The complete dessert inside
Julia loved her lunch and we love to kiss her!
Another day, we took the funicolare to the hilltop town of Brunate, which sits high atop Como. Jen and I had visited on a fog-filled day this past winter (HERE), so we were eager to soak up the incredible views that we knew Brunate offered (but were previously impeded for us). Diane suggested a restaurant she had been to before. If you know Diane, you’ll know that she is a creature of habit (let’s just say on her first visit, she was dumbfounded that we would go to the other grocery store or park in a different parking lot in Como). So we knew if she had a good experience at this restaurant before, trying to convince her otherwise would not be worth our lives. Luckily, she nailed the pick – they had amazing views, the best cheese plate we’ve eaten since living in Italy and Dominic and I enjoyed the most tender capra (goat). Julia even had fun kissing the head of the fish from Jen’s dish.
View of Lago di Como from Brunate
Julia had an incredible time at lunch
She played the drums with her Nonno
Then stopped for a pose with Mom and Dad
As well as Nonna
Another day still, we enjoyed the sights and sounds of Menaggio. OK, OK… we really enjoyed some wonderful gelato.
Julia always goes to splash in this same fountain in Menaggio
Stopping for a photo-op with her Nonni
“Mom, this is my cone – get your own!”
“That goes for you too, Nonno!”
Apart from all this rolling around town, we also took two marvelous trips while they were here. We had previously planned a visit to Scotland, but we also planned an impromptu visit to Civitella in the Abruzzo region of Italy. This village was Jen’s nonna’s (grandma’s) birthplace and hometown. Since both trips were so rich with stories and experiences of their own I will continue them in separate posts.
“I’m exhausted already, you’d better break this into a few more posts!”
If you have never tried Risotto, I think it is a must. It’s delicious and a great way for us to change up lunch from our typical pasta dishes. Since this has been our first week of spring weather I wanted to make a spring risotto with beautiful seasonal asparagus.
Risotto with fresh asparagus
My mom used to make this for us a lot as a kid growing up in the spring and summer, so I was excited to make this for Greg and Julia. I was pretty happy with how this dish turned out. I served with a fresh salad of fennel and our meal was complete. Even Julia ate a huge plate. This dish is a great way to get kids to eat their vegetables. I hope to post some other risotto recipes soon (like pasta, there are many different ways to introduce new flavors). I hope your enjoy this as much as we did.
INGREDIENTS (serves 4)
>Olive oil
>One (1) small onion (diced)
>Four (4) cups of chicken stock
>Nine (9) palms of arborio rice (two palms of rice per person, with one extra for good measure). This is roughly two (2) cups of rice
>Two (2) cups of asparagus, pre-cooked (best to blanch to preserve color and texture). Cut into 1″ pieces
>Between half (½) and a full cup of white wine (depending on taste/quality of wine)
>Roughly one half (½) a cup of grated parmesan cheese and then additional cheese for the table and garnish
>Third (1/3) stick of butter
>Salt to taste
Fresh ingredients
>Heat chicken stock in a pot.
>On a separate burner, heat olive oil in a large flat pan with high sides. >Add onion until it is softened and translucent. While the onion is cooking, add a dash of salt. This could take a little over 5 minutes. Don’t allow the onions to brown.
Cook onions
>Add the rice and mix together. Stir until the rice is toasted (but not brown) about three – four (3-4) minutes.
Add the rice and continue to stir
>Add wine and continue to cook the rice.
>After a minute, add a ladle or two of the stock, stirring the rice continuously until the liquid is absorbed.
>Continue stirring and ladling the broth for approximately fifteen (15) minutes. Be sure to taste as you go and add salt accordingly. The rice should be al dente and creamy.
Ladle in the stock
>Before you add your last ladle or two of stock, add the asparagus and stir into the rice.
>Remove from heat and stir in butter and Parmesan cheese. Cover and allow pan to sit for five (5) minutes.
Add the asparagus…
…and cover
>Serve right away and top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Enjoy!
PLEASE NOTE – Cooking risotto requires constant attention. Make sure the table is set and everything else you are serving is ready before you begin the rice. I have made that mistake before!
Here is something my Mom, Greg and I all have in common…we love Pizza. And pizza in Italy is the best! Pizza originated in Italy and they have continued to perfect the art ever since. When my Mom was in town we decided to make our own versions of our favorite pizza’s at home. We had so much fun and Julia even got in on the action.
Rolling out her dough
When I told my uncle our plan to try to duplicate our favorite pizza’s at home he gave us a brief history lesson on the pizza. As it turns out, pizza started as a flatbread consumed by many people in Europe. In 16th century this was a common meal sold on the streets to the poor throughout Naples. It was an inexpensive dish that offered many different types of toppings. Credit for the first Margherita pizza is given to pizza maker Raffaele Esposito of Naples. The story is that in June of 1889 to honor the Queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, he created a “Pizza Margherita” for the Queen (I had to get that from Wiki – History of Pizza) . This pizza consisted of tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil to represent the colors of the Italian flag. Thank you Raffaele! Today people around the world enjoy this simple but delicious pizza.
Our own Pizza Margherita
After our history lesson we were ready to prepare dinner. On the menu were our three favorite dishes. Diane’s favorite, Pizza Margarita; Greg’s, a Napoli Pizza; and my go to, Quattro Formaggi (four cheese).
Pizza Napoli
Quattro formaggio
We wanted dinner to be “easy” so we opted for store bought pizza dough. We will try making the dough another day. We also don’t have any fancy pizza stones or brick ovens here but we managed to create a crispy crust and pretty darn good pizza. Here is what we did:
All of the pizza’s started off with the same crust. Coat the baking pan with a little bit of olive oil so that the dough doesn’t stick. Instead of rolling out the dough we used our hands to stretch it and work it into a circle for the baking sheet. Once on the baking sheet we used a fork to poke a few holes in the dough (to prevent bubbles). Next we drizzled some olive oil and added some sea salt. Below is how to make the different types of pizza.
Drizzle olive oil on the dough
Pizza Margarita
For the sauce use a can of crushed San Marzano tomatoes. Simple is always best! Next you need to add slices of mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. Or, you can also choose to add the basil to the pizza after it comes out of the oven. It’s totally up to you! Either way you end up with a beautiful red, white and green pizza.
Crushed tomatoes as the sauce
Next, add your toppings
Pizza Napoli
Again, for the sauce simply use a can of crushed San Marzano tomatoes. Next, add slices of mozzarella, provolone and grated parmigiano reggiano cheese. What makes this a Napoli Pizza is adding acciughe(anchovies) as the final step. Feel comfortable to arrange them in any pattern you like.
The acciughe (anchovies) – Greg’s favorite
Pizza Quattro Formaggi
There is no need for sauce when making this pizza. Since the pizza is a four cheese, it does not need any sauce as a base. Instead, use some olive oil and crushed garlic on the dough. Our four cheese pizza consisted of mozzarella, provolone, grated parmigiano reggiano and gorgonzola cheese. Feel free to substitute any or all of the cheeses for your favorite (and if you’re feeling really crazy, make it a five or even six cheese pizza!).
Give spacing for your gorgonzola – it will melt over a large surface
All three pizza’s will cook in under 10 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. The trick is to watch the pizza and look for the crust to brown and the cheese to start to bubble. Once the crust is crispy enough to transfer, remove the pizza from the baking sheet and finish cooking it directly on the oven rack. This will give it a crispy crust without the brick oven. When you remove the pizza’s allow the cheese to cool for a few minutes before you cut and serve.
Julia and her Nonna
Jen and her Mom
Julia “rolling” on her own!
I hope you enjoy making pizza at your home. You can try these or invent one of your own with your favorite toppings.
