There are three main regions in Italy for the purpose of distinguishing culinary specialties.  There is north, central and southern.  The northern region is bordered on the north by Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia.  This is farm country and the cuisine reflects what is grown in the fields.  There is less use of pasta and olive oil.  Also, tomato sauce is not as prevalent as it is in the other regions.  The  regional dishes use more rice, butter, corn and cheeses, which are used to make creamy sauces.  Risotto and polenta are favorites.

There are seven distinct areas in Northern Italy.

Val d’Aosta

This area is home to fontina cheese.  One of their specialities is veal chop covered in fontina cheese.  They also have a delicious venison stew, complete with vegetables and wine.  Their vineyards are in an Alpine region and produce some unique reds and whites.

Piedmont

Fonduta is one of their signature dishes, which is composed of melted cheese, eggs, milk and white truffles.  They produce several fine cheeses including Tumin electric which is white mountain cheese that is soaked in red peppers.  Many of their dishes contain rabbit, veal tongue and oxtail.  Piedmont is home to Porcini mushrooms and truffles which are prized the world over. They also produce Asti wines from which we get our Asti Spumante.

Lombardy

There are many recipes that incorporate rice in Lombardy.  One is Risotto alla Milenese which is a creamy rice dish with meat stock and saffron and cheese.  They also make a ravioli with pumpkin filling.  Osso bucco, which is veal knuckle, is another of their specialities.

Veneto

Polenta and rice are staples here. They also enjoy rabbit, duck, pigeon and guinea fowl.  For those who live by the sea, shrimp, clams, fresh fish and eels are an important part of their diet.  Veneto is also the home of Asiago cheese.

Trentino Alto Adige

This area combines Italian and German elements in their cooking.  Gnocchis, which are dumplings, as well as polenta and sauerkraut are common to the kitchen here.

Fruili-Venezia Giulia

Corn is a big crop here and as a result, polenta is very popular.    Goulash and dumplings as well as a soup of beans, potatoes and cabbage reflect the German and Slavic traditions.  Seafood is enjoyed along the coast.

Liguria

Liguria is best known for its pesto sauce.  It is also famous for its olive oil, which is unusual for Northern Italian cuisine.  Seafood is an important part of their diet, especially anchovies and swordfish.

This is a brief overview of Northern Italian cooking.  I will cover the other regions in other posts.

Stephanie
Italian Nonna

Simple Italian Cooking

Modern day festivals in Rome are a series of outdoor events known as Roman Summer.  The tradition of celebrations dates back to the time when Rome dominated the world.

Early Roman Celebrations

In the early Roman culture, the people loved celebrations.  This was a pagan society which worshiped many gods. The gods were jealous of each other and were always warring with one another.  In order to appease the different gods, the Romans held separate festivals to honor each god.  It was party time.  The parties consisted of many excesses in food, drink and sexual activity.  They loved games and we are familiar with the gladiators who fought each other and wild beasts as well.  Saturnalia was a feast to honor the god, Saturn.  The nobles dressed and acted like slaves and the slaves “became” noblemen. A good time was had by all.

Dark Ages

After the fall of Rome and the rise of the Papacy, the festivals were banned.  Mysteries or religious dramas became the form of entertainment.  This period was originally thought of as the Dark Ages, in contrast to the light of classical Greek and Roman antiquity that came before.  It was a time of economic and cultural deterioration and there was not much to celebrate.

Renaissance

During the Renaissance there was a return to festivals.  The Roman Carnival became famous and people came from all over the world to participate.  The celebration inspired many artists and musicians, including Berlioz and Resipghi.  There was even horse racing down the main street in Rome.

Modern Times

Today, Roman Summer or L’estate Romana, is a festival that lasts from June to September.  It is a series of open air performances.  There are many sites in the city where music, dancing and theater are offered.  At the Baths of Caracalla and the Castle of St. Angelo ballets and operas are performed in the open air.  There are many piazzas or squares where visitors and locals alike enjoy sitting and enjoying a gelato or sipping an espresso while watching the crowds go by.

Celebrations, parties and festivals are a natural way to express our love and enthusiasm for life.  Let the good times roll.

Stephanie
Italian Nonna

Simple Italian Cooking

This recipe is the best of both worlds.  It’s super tasty and it’s low fat.  How can that be?  It’s really easy.  A few simple substitutions can make a big difference in calorie count.  In this recipe, cornstarch is substituted for egg yolks and low fat milk for the heavier, calorie dense kind.  Fresh or frozen fruit provides the sweetening as well as many healthful vitamins.

This Italian fruit gelato is especially good to make in the summer when fresh fruits are readily available.  But don’t despair if you don’t have any.  Frozen fruit is easily substituted for fresh.

Ingredients

• 1/2 half cup of sugar
• 3 thin strips of lemon (yellow part) 1/2 x 3″ long
• 1 tbs cornstarch
• 2 cups low fat milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• fruit puree – see specific amounts below

Directions

• Combine sugar and lemon peel in a large sauce pan.  Press the lemon peel into the sugar to release the lemon oil.
• Add cornstarch
• Stir in milk
• Cook over medium heat for about five minutes, stirring with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming.  When the mixture comes to a boil, continue cooking for one minute.
• Remove from heat and discard lemon strips.  Add the puree and vanilla to the mixture and let it cool.  Put it in your gelato maker and process.
• If you are using an ice cream maker, you must make sure the mixture is very cold before you add it to your ice cream maker.

How to Prepare Puree

• Blueberries:  Process about 3 cups of fresh or partially thawed frozen blueberries and 2 tbs of lemon in your food processor or blender.  Make sure the skins are chopped up fine.
• Raspberries, blackberries, loganberries, boysenberries:  Process 3 cups of fresh or partially thawed frozen berries and 1 tbs of lemon juice in your processor or blender.  Then put them through a strainer to remove the seeds.
• Strawberries:  Process 3 1/2 cups of fresh or partially thawed frozen berries and 1 tbs of lemon juice.

I hope you enjoy this low fat fruit gelato.  It tastes good and it’s good for you.

Stephanie
Italian Nonna

Simple Italian Cooking

Italy is home to many wonderful cheeses that we use in our meals everyday. There are three main categories of cheeses: soft, semi hard and hard.

Soft

• Mozzarella was originally made with the milk from a water buffalo, but now, because of the scarcity of water buffalo, it is made with cow’s milk.  The cheese is made by spinning and cutting, hence the name mozzarella.  The verb ” mozzare” means to cut.  There is low moisture mozzarella which is good on pizza and high moisture or fresh mozzarella.  Fresh mozzarella is heavenly on a slice of fresh tomato with a sliver of fresh basil.
• Gorgonzola is one of the finest blue cheeses available.  It comes from Como, Milan and Brescia.  It is a great dessert cheese and is used on salads and in dips.
• Ricotta means “cooked again”  referring to the way it is processed.  It is similar to cottage cheese but lighter.  It is used in lasagne, manicotti and raviolis.

Semi Hard

• Provolone is made from cow’s milk.  It comes from southern Italy and is basically mozzarella that’s been aged and smoked.  It’s drier than mozzarella and is therefore good on sandwiches.
• Fontina cheese hails from the Aosta valley in northern Italy. It is one of the oldest Italian cheeses and dates from the 12th century.  It melts easily and is good for fondues and pizza.  It’s also a good dessert cheese.
• Bel Paese is made from cow’s milk and is made in Lombardy.  It is a mild, white, creamy cheese with an almost buttery taste.  It is good for snacks or desserts.  It can be a substitute for mozzarella.

Hard

• Parmigiano Regiano is one of the most familiar cheeses in America.  It is sold in America as Parmesan cheese.  It is made with cow’s milk and comes from Reggio Emillia and Parma.  True Italian Parmesan is very different from the Parmesan we are used to buying in cans in the supermarket.  If you can find the imported variety in a specialty store, buy a chunk and try grating it just as you need it.  You’ll be surprised at the difference.
• Pecorino Romano is made with sheep’s milk.  “Pecora” means sheep in Italian.  It is sharper than Parmesan but can be used as a substitute for it.  It comes from central and southern Italy.  It is used for grating.
• Asiago  is made from cow’s milk.  It comes from Veneto and is used for grating or as a table cheese.  It develops a strong flavor as it ages.

Well, now you are familiar with nine Italian cheeses.  What are you waiting for?  Go out and buy some!

Stephanie
Italian Nonna

Simple Italian Cooking

Tiramisu is a melt-in-your-mouth Italian dessert.  It is a layered dessert made in a flat pan that is light in texture and filled with hints of the most delightful flavors.  The name “tiramisu” means pick me up, which may have something to do with the strong espresso that is used in it.

Recipe

I am combining a few recipes to create a basic Italian  version.  There is really very little variation in the ingredients.  There may be a slight difference in quantities but that is all.  Of course, the more authentically Italian your ingredients are, the more Italian your Tiramisu will be.

Ingredients

• Eggs, 3 large with eggs and yolks separated
• Sugar, 1/2 cup
• Mascarpone, 8 oz.  Mascarpone is a triple cream cheese that is easily spread like thick cream.
• Ladyfingers, 20
• Espresso, 1 cup
• Cognac or Brandy, 2 tablespoons
• Cocoa, 1/8 cup

Directions

1. Make the espresso in a stove top espresso maker and let it cool.
2. Combine 3 egg yolks, 1 tablespoon espresso, sugar and Cognac into a large mixing bowl and beat 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the Mascarpone and beat 3 to 5 minutes until the consistency is smooth.
4. In another bowl, combine 3 egg whites and a pinch of sugar.  Beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks.
5. Gently fold into the Mascarpone mixture.
6. Pour the rest of the espresso into a flat dish.  You are now ready to put the Tiramisu together.
7. Take a ladyfinger and lay it flat, sugar side up, in the espresso and remove it immediately.  Lay it sugar side down in the Tiramisu dish.
   Use 1/2 of the ladyfingers.  If any are not dark with the espresso, just sprinkle a little more espresso on them.
8. Spread 1/2 of the mascarpone mixture on the ladyfingers and sprinkle with cocoa.  Put the cocoa in a sieve and tap on the side to apply the cocoa evenly.
9. Take the remaining ladyfingers and repeat step 7.
10. Add the rest of the mascarpone mixture and sprinkle that layer with cocoa as described in step 8.
11. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.  All the liquid will be absorbed by the ladyfingers and the flavors all blended together.

Storage

This dessert will keep in the refrigerator for several days, but I can’t imagine that there would be any left after the first time it is served.  Enjoy!

Stephanie
Italian Nonna

Simple Italian Cooking