As I mentioned in prior post, this month I’m focusing on food inspired from the Amalfi Coast, which is in the Campania region of Italy. On the coast as you would imagine, fish is a dietary staple. A few years back when I visited, I ate some sort of seafood everyday; how could you not.
I had a dish that was similar to the one I made here; it was potato crusted cod fish. The dish was a cod fillet sandwiched between two layers of potatoes. While the cod baked, the potatoes formed a nice crust that added some texture to the fish.
In Diva’s version I spruced up the recipe a bit. I added chopped olives, capers, tomatoes, chili pepper & lemon zest as a condiment. I also marinaded the cod in lemon juice, which was later made into a sauce with added white wine. I’m really happy the way this turned out. It’s fresh & light; perfect for a summer meal.
Gustatela!
D I V A
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Baccala’ crosta di patate (potato crusted cod)
May 18th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink
Linguine con i Pomodori ripieni (pasta w/ stuffed tomatoes)
May 8th, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink
Angela is a young woman, who goes to the same gym as me. When we first met, she told me that her family is from & still owns a home in Salerno Italy. So, when I decided to focus on the Campania region this month on Diva Eats Italia, I thought of her right away. She told me of a dish that is a specialty of Salerno & that her mother often prepares.
Angela was nice enough to tell me how her mother makes “Maccheroni con i pomodori ripieni.” What that means is, pasta with roasted stuffed tomatoes. The roasted tomatoes are placed on top of the pasta. When they are cut into, the juice of the tomatoes & the stuffing, becomes the sauce. This was new to me, so I was excited to try the recipe. It sounded like something I would love, so in the kitchen I went.
I hate to say this, but I changed a few things in the recipe..(don’t tell her) I added & changed a few ingredients to the stuffing & the pasta. The stuffing has homemade breadcrumbs (which I think produces the best results.) It also has capers, gaeta olives, pine nuts, parmesan & basil. The tomatoes are then stuffed & roasted. (Angela told me that, her mother has stuffed cherry tomatoes to make this dish. That’s a little too ambitious for me, so I opted for the larger variety)
I then heated some olive oil in a pan & browned garlic, anchovy fillets & red pepper flakes. When the pasta was cooked I mixed it with the flavored oil, as well as any juice that was in the pan from the roasted tomatoes. They’re then placed on top of the prepared pasta.
I’m so glad, Angela was nice enough to share this dish with me.
I love trying new recipes, especially when they come from family & friends. It makes them that more special & delicious.
Gusatela!
D I V A
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Insalata Caprese w/ Roasted Tomatoes & Lemon Zest
May 2nd, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink
I can’t focus on the food from Campania, (which includes the island of Capri), without mentioning the Caprese Salad. Insalata Caprese, means salad in the style of Capri. I can only assume that this salad originated in Capri, but no one truly knows. Since mozzarella and tomatoes are considered the best in this region, there’s no wonder these two star ingredients are married in this simple, and delicious dish. Together they are pure bliss.
What makes these ingredients so special? The volcanic ash from Mt. Vesuvius, the volcano that’s in the Gulf of Naples, makes for a rich soil that tomatoes thrive in. As for the mozzarella, it is made with buffalo milk, instead of the cows milk that’s used mostly in the States. This makes for a creamier, softer, lighter but stronger tasting cheese. Buffalo mozzarella is considered to be of highest quality.
Making mozzarella in Italy is a serious matter. There are strict regulations that needs to be followed. You may have seen the letters “DOC” on wine or even olive oil bottles. This means that the product is controlled by “Denominazione di Origine Controllata.” They insure that the highest quality product is produced at all times. Each product needs to be made in a specific region with special methods. Now, that’s what I call serious!
A Caprese salad is usually served with sliced mozzarella & tomatoes, with basil leaves tucked in between. In Diva’s version, I used what is know as campania tomatoes, which are smaller than a regular tomato, but bigger than a cherry tomato. (I found them in whole foods) I’m not in Italy, so I had to use the tomatoes at hand. I roasting them to made them sweeter, and they also burst in your mouth when bitten into. I also drizzled extra virgin olive oil & lemon zest, over the salad. In Capri, lemons are every where, so I wanted to incorporate them in the recipe. The lemon zest gave the salad a brightness that I love; just like Capri.
Gustatela!
D I V A
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Cozze al Vino Bianco (Steamed Mussels in White Wine)
May 1st, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink
This is the first post I’m dedicating to the Campania region of Italy. It’s more about the Amalfi Coast than the entire region. Since the warm weather is upon us, I thought it would be nice to keep the food on the lighter side. Along the Amalfi Coast, there’s no shortage of seafood. It’s fried, sauteed, made into a salad, poured over pasta, in soups & steamed. One of the things that is especially enjoyed in this area are mussels. Every restaurant serves them in their own way. Since I’m focusing on the food of the Campania, I had to include a dish with mussels. Cozze al vino bianco, is a simple dish that’s great as an appetizer, main course or even over pasta. The hardest part of this recipe, is making sure the mussels are sand free! The most important thing to remember when serving this dish, is to have plenty of crusty italian bread handy to sop up all the fantastic broth. (The process of sopping up in Italian is called scarpetta)
Gustatela!
D I V A
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Campania
May 1st, 2012 § 2 comments § permalink
Positano during the day.
Campania is a region of Italy that’s located in the south. In terms of where it is on the boot; it’s the lower shin. It’s a region that has hills, mountains and a spectacular coastline, know as the Amalifi Coast. It has been said that, “The Amalfi Coast is the most beautiful place in the world.” I’m not sure if this statement is true, but it is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. Because of its beauty, it is a popular destination for vacationers.
Capri
Campania is most know for its city of Naples, the Amalfi Coast (which includes Capri) and Mt. Vesuvius, the volcano that sits in the middle of the Bay of Naples. The land in this area is rich in volcanic soil, due to Mt. Vesuvius. This soil turns out the most delicious and sweetest tomatoes, especially the famous, San Marzano. Some of the other foods that Campania is know for are; lemons, capers, buffalo mozzarella (which is made from buffalo milk) and along the coast, plenty of seafood.
The Amalfi Coast was one of the first places in Italy I traveled. I was so excited to go, knowing this
is the birth place of my grandparents and ancestors; it was an eye opening experience. I couldn’t believe the sheer beauty of every town on the coast. We drove along the mountain, with the bluest water I’ve ever seen below us. We stayed in the little sea side village of Positano, in the
San Pietro Hotel. The hotel was fabulous, but all I could think about, was getting lost in the winding streets to explore the town. As I walked, I saw similarities in the people, to my family; not only the way they looked, but their hand gestures, expressions, and mannerisms. I suddenly, began to understand things about my family and myself, that I never understood before.
The Blue Grotto on the Island of Capri. If you jump into the water you turn blue. It's very cool.
One night, we went to a restaurant called Restorante Donna Rosa. We hopped into a taxi, not knowing what we were in for. We began to drive up the VERY steep mountain. Mind you, our hotel was at the bottom of the mountain and the restaurant was just about at the top. There were no guard rails, no traffic lights, it was dark and oh, I forgot to mention, it was 2 way. I have never been so nervous in my life. I think I went up the mountain with my eyes closed.
When we finally arrived at the restaurant, (after I thanked God for getting us there safe), I stepped out onto the restaurant terrance, which looked down the mountain. I couldn’t believe my eyes. The full moon was reflecting off the glistening water. The mountains curved along the shore, like rippling waves, and there were tiny white and amber lights that were twinkling from the homes that were built into the mouintain. I was so totally and utterly in awe and completely overwhelmed, that I began to cry. I think it was a combination of the beauty, the family history and the beginning of understanding my heritage. I have never been so proud to be part of this culture, as I was at that very moment.
D I V A
This is the view that made me cry!
This month I’m going to focus on the food of Campania. Each week I will post dishes from different courses of a meal. Antipasti, primi piatti, secondo piatti e dolce. (appetizers, first course, second course and dessert.) I put my own spin on some dishes that may be familiar to you; but I also hope to show you some dishes that are new. I will focus on what this region is best known for.
I hope you join me while I explore the food of Campania, Italy; the birth place of my family.
RECIPES INSPIRED BY THE REGION OF CAMPANIA:
*Cozze al Vino Bianco(Steamed mussels in white wine)
*Insalata Caprese (mozzarella & tomato salad)
*Il Pane di Pasqua (Easter Bread)
*Orecchiette con rapini e fagioli (pasta w/ broccoli rabe & cannellini beans
*Christmas Pasta (cappellini w/ anchovy, nuts & raisins)
*Spaghetti con Acciuga, Capperi e Pangrattato (spaghetti w/ anchovy, capers & breadcrumbs)
*Stuffed Vinegar Peppers
*Bistecca Puttanesca (steak w/ anchovy, gaeta olives, capers & tomatoes)
Sweet Pea Ravioli w/ Pancetta & Spring Onions
April 17th, 2012 § 1 comment § permalink
About a year & a half ago, I bought the attachment for my Kitchen Aid that makes pasta. I’m embarrassed to say that I never used it. I never even took it out of the box! I did the same thing with an ice cream machine that I just had to have. I put it away & forget about it. I eventually found it shoved in the back of a closet. I couldn’t leave it there anymore; it was time to make the ice cream. It was so yummy, that now I make it all the time; especially when we have a dinner party. It really impresses the guest. I’m hoping, now that I found the pasta attachment, I’ll do the same.
I think I haven’t used it, because I have a fear of dough. I don’t mean cookie dough, I mean dough that you have to knead. I never know how much to knead it. I recently made Easter bread that I messed up so many times in the past. I either kneaded it too much or not enough. I always relied on other peoples instructions & I never got it right. This time relied on my own instincts & it turned out awesome! I decided that I was going to take the same approach with the ravioli. I’m happy to say, they to turned out great. I no long have a fear of dough or kneading.
I guess the moral of this story is always trust your own instincts. You’ll always come out on top.
Gustatela!
D I V A
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Cotoletta alla Valdostano (breaded veal chops stuffed w/ prosciutto & fontina)
April 6th, 2012 § 2 comments § permalink
I’ve traveled a lot of places throughout Italy, but have never been to the Northwest regions. The smallest Alpine region in the far northwest of Italy is Valle d’Aosta. This tiny region borders Rhone-alps in France & Switzerland. Of course, the bordering countries influence the food of Valle d’Aosta, especially since many from these bordering countries visit this Alpine region for it’s skiing. Since Valle d’Aosta is a popular winter place, the food tends to be hearty & rich. Butter is the fat of choice here over olive oil & there is plenty of cheese. Some of the staples in their diet are cabbage, polenta, fonduta (melted cheese) & game meats.
The Veal chop recipe in this post is one of the popular dishes of Valle d’Aosta.
I made a pocket in the bigger side of the chop to make room for the stuffing. I then stuffed it with fontina cheese, (which is made in this region), prosciutto & a sage leaf. The chops were then breaded & fried until crispy & golden & the cheese inside is gooey & melted. When you cut into the chop you get a cheesy somewhat salty surprise that is just great with crispy veal.
Gustatela!
D I V A
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Cheesecake/Carrot Cake
April 2nd, 2012 § 6 comments § permalink
Happy Birthday to ME, Happy Birthday to ME, Happy Birthday Dear DIVA, Happy Birthday to ME!!!
On one of my mile stone birthdays, I was so depressed that I cried the entire day. My poor husband tried to make the day special by taking me to the “Four Seasons” restaurant in Manhattan, thinking this would make me happy. Instead, I got upset with him because there were too many “blue haired people,” (are the words I used) in the restaurant and it made me feel old.
When I came to my senses, I realized HOW RIDICULOUS that was! From that point on, I decided not to attach an age to my birthday, but to celebrate it as another year I was blessed with life! Life and birth are the same thing, aren’t they? So if your age gets you down, just start looking at it in a different way. We can’t change the fact that we’re all getting older, but we can change the way we think about it.
I now believe in celebrating my birthday to it’s fullest. For me it doesn’t last a day, I have week long celebrations. One year I actually wrote up an itinerary of activities for my friends to help me celebrate. My birthday has become an event my friends look forward to. This year besides the day at the spa, lunch with a few friends, dinner with my husband, then a dinner with my family, we are going to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, New York with some of my closest friends.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Arthur Avenue, it’s the Italian section of the Bronx which has rows & rows of restaurants and speciality food stores. The restaurant we’re going to is called
“Pasquale Rigaletto’s.” I love this place because not only is the food good, but they have a man that sings old Italian songs like my father and uncles use to. They would sing, and we kids would sing right along with them not knowing a single word they were saying, nor did we care. All we knew is that we were having fun. This place reminds me of those happy times spent with my family. I can’t think of a better place to celebrate my LIFE!
Enjoy!
D I V A
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The cake is a creamy cheese cake that is sandwiched between 2 layers of carrot cake & covered with a cream cheese icing! It’s decadent, rich & sinful! A must try!
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Easter Bread
March 26th, 2012 § 2 comments § permalink
Is anyone familiar with the TV show “Everybody Loves Raymond?” If not go to you tube & watch some of it, it’s pretty funny. If you are familiar, then you have a glimpse into my life. It’s about an Italian American family & the dynamics between them. Of course it touches on the stereo typically over bearing, controlling mother & the “special” relationship with her son. It also shows the strained relationship the mother has with her daughter-in-law Deborah, who tries hard to be excepted.
Marie the mother-in-law, prides herself on being a good cook & in a way controls her family with this. In one episode Deborah asked Marie for her recipe for “Steak Pizziolo” because it’s Raymond’s favorite dish. Marie happily gives her the recipe, but changes one of the ingredients..intensionally.
Your probably asking yourself, “What does this story have to do with Easter bread?”…I’ll tell you. My husband always teases me & says that his mother gives me the wrong recipes.
I have several of them & they are never the same when I make them; including this bread.
I have tried over the last 25 years to make my mother-in-laws recipe for Easter bread & it NEVER…EVER…comes out right. I wrote the recipe & directions down word for word as she explained it, but yet..”I always do something wrong.” I gave up trying & just relied on her giving us a loaf or 2 every Easter.
Now that I’m a Little more experienced in cooking, I gave it another try…this time relying on my own instincts. Guess what? E’ PERFETTO!! It’s perfect.
Unlike Deborah in the show, her mother-in-law never warms up to her, my mother-in-law realizes now that I can cook & I do it well. I guess getting recognition after 25 years is better then not getting it at all!
Bouna Pasqua!!
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Orecchiette con Rapini e Fagioli (pasta w/ broccoli rabe & cannellini beans
March 23rd, 2012 § 2 comments § permalink
During Lent all Catholics from the ages of 14 & older are to abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday & all other Fridays of Lent. As a kid I never really understood this church law, it didn’t make sense to me. I just did what I was told so I wouldn’t be a sinner.
On most Fridays during Lent my mother would make some sort of pasta.
When I got home from school on those afternoons, I knew just by the smells what we were having for dinner. There is nothing like the smell of garlic browning in hot oil. Orecchiette with broccoli rabe & cannellini beans was one of the dishes she would make & one of my favorites. Orecchiette in Italian means little ears, which refers to the shape of the pasta.
I think most people know what broccoli rabe is or rapini as it’s know in Italian. It’s a leafy green that has flowery buds & a bitter yet peppery taste. I know some people don’t like it because of it’s bitterness but for me, the more bitter the better!
I still abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent. It’s not because I think I’m going to sin, but because I have visions of Sister Mary Margaret hitting me with a yard stick if she found out I ate a hamburger. Old fears never die!!
Gustatela!
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