Tag: dishes

The false Italian recipes abroad. Myths to dispel and dishes to discover – Italian Cuisine

Even if the golden palm for the "creative reinterpretation" of Italian cuisine would be rightfully the Americans, it is less and less rare – when you are around the world – to stumble across dishes passed off for real delights of our cuisine, which in reality, in our eyes (and our palate) are aberrations in all respects.
Their origin is socio-anthropological and has its roots in the first emigrations of the late '800: not always could find 100% Italian ingredients, and so, taken by necessity, people tended to improvise, readjusting the typical recipes of the peninsula in based on contingencies and what was similar.

Between spaghetti alla bolognese, fettuccine Alfredo, garlic bread and pizza pepperoni, here are the false culinary myths that abroad are proudly and falsely exhibited as Italians.

The 'spaghetti alla bolognese': pasta, meat, tomato and a lot of parsley. A nightmare for a Bolognese Doc (and more)

Bolognese Bolognese sauce is a species of great panacea used in any situation that requires it. Here, however, the sauce lends its name to a dish prepared exclusively with spaghetti, which would make the skin crawl to any Bolognese Doc (and beyond). There is no mention of the famous ragù prepared in the capital of Emilia with plenty and slowness, or fresh noodles: it is instead of spaghetti with meat, tomato and a lot of parsley.

The 'garlic bread': a bread literally stuffed with garlic or drowned in garlic flavored butter

They call garlic bread and not bread with garlic not by chance. If you are thinking of a tasty bruschetta with fresh tomatoes, fragrant oil and a rubbed of garlic you are off the road: here the bread is literally "stuffed" with garlic (in supermarkets it is even ready, in pieces) or drowned in butter flavored with garlic. In America there are also those who consume a lot at lunch, and then return to the office. With all due respect to his colleagues.

The 'fettuccine Alfredo': though the recipe has a truly Italian origin, in Italy they do not exist

In the United States I am a must: there is no "Italian" restaurant that does not offer it in the menu or supermarket that does not sell the tin ready with the Alfredo sauce. Funny to think that the recipe has a truly Italian origin: in Rome, in the early twentieth century, in Via della Scrofa was located the historic inn where Alfredo prepares his dishes. When Alfredo's wife gives birth to her first child, he prepares an energetic dish: egg fettuccine with butter and Parmesan cheese. Making this dish notorious are Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, Hollywood star of the turn of the century who, during their honeymoon in Rome, savor Alfredo's already famous cuisine. Struck by the goodness, the two give Alfredo two golden cutlery and a reputation overseas that leads the restaurant to become an unmissable stop for the jet set American visiting the capital. And if almost no one knows the story of the fettuccine Alfredo in Italy, in America – now much more "messed up" than the chef proposed – they are the Italian gastronomic symbol.

Pizza pepperoni', that is when a double changes everything: pepperoni in English it is a spicy salami!

In the series, when a double changes everything: pepperoni in English it is a spicy salami that has nothing to do with peppers. The pizza in question is a kind of devil with a lot of cheese and – in fact – a generous dose of this sliced. Which often, it should be pointed out, assumes strange colors that border on the phosphorescent pink.

Spaghetti & meatballs': remember them in the movie Lady and the Tramp? They are the typical comfort food American

Variation on the theme of those bolognese, spaghetti with meatballs are typical comfort food American, that food so familiar that it always manages to give a consolation to those who enjoy it. Very famous dish – remember it in the cartoon Lady and the Tramp? – is also a favorite of director Martin Scorsese, whose mother used to cook it. In Italy they do not exist, despite the tradition of adding meat to the sauce to exhaust the remains of Sunday lunch is still being carried out, especially in the south.

The 'chicken Parmesan ': slices of chicken covered with tomato sauce full of garlic and lots of stringy cheese

The parmigiana is a religion in all respects, which in Italy is honored to the north, when to the south. It is with great amazement (not to say anything else) that sometimes we come across in chicken slices covered with tomato sauce full of garlic and lots of stringy cheese, passed off as a delicacy for the palate. Unless you also venture into such imaginative – and doubtful – reinterpretation of the classic Parmigiana.

THE' 'Italian dressing': a condiment whose recipe is unknown, covering completely the taste of vegetables

If in Italy, when we season the salad, oil, salt, a little vinegar or lemon are enough, the question becomes more complicated abroad. Yes, because the intent is not so much to give flavor, but to completely cover the taste of vegetables. Free way then to an almost infinite series of sauces, among which figure theitalian dressing: the recipe is unknown to most people, but sometimes it is good taste to stay to wallow in ignorance, and never order it.

Marianna Tognini
September 2018

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Christmas side dishes – Italian Cuisine – Italian Cuisine

For lunch or dinner, for them it is the great opportunity to transform themselves from supporting actors to protagonists. If the other dishes have rich and complex tastes, the ideal is to resort to simplicity. Inspire, with imagination, to tradition

THE right contours for Christmas? It will depend on the second dish to which they match, you will say. But no. Or rather, Christmas is one of those occasions in which the outline can live its own life, exalting itself, without necessarily being a supporting figure. Just look at the example – we repeat it once again! – dell 'Neapolitan reinforcement salad, so independent of the dish that once "reinforced" that in many cases, now, has moved arms and luggage to the appetizer. Of course, in front of Christmas recipes particularly complex or refined, from appetizers to the second, for the contours the advice is to play on simplicity. With a touch of creativity. As usual, the best way will therefore be to revisit the stars of our own tradition. With a touch of fantasy and an eye to the seasonal ingredients. Here then 10 ideas to make the outline really Christmas.

Christmas vegetables

Free space for imagination: they are needed potatoes, carrots, white turnips, artichokes and shallots. Season with salt, pepper and aromatic herbs (the classic mix of sage, bay leaves, rosemary and thyme) Put everything in the oven and, at the end, spread a pinch of roast or the second sauce that you have cooked (if possible.) Otherwise, glaze them with honey, as you can see, in this case, the outline apparently continues to play the role of the compimario, but once tasted …

Duchess potatoes

Contour of sure scenographic effect, borrowed from the kitchen French. In practice it is a question of mashed potatoes enriched with egg yolk, butter, nutmeg and parmesan and then baked in the oven, after they have taken the classic curled shape using the sac a poche. In addition to elegance, their main value is versatility: they combine perfectly with both meat and fish.

Modified puntarelle

A classic in the kitchen season Roman. These are the Catalan sprouts, cut into strips, and then immersed in water and ice: a trick that reduces their bitter taste and gives them the typical curled appearance. They should be seasoned with a sauce based on anchovies, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, pepper and garlic. But, instead of anchovies, you can also try an excellent condiment based on capers, pine nuts and Gaeta olives, all crushed together in order to obtain a homogeneous sauce.

Battered vegetables

Another classic of the kitchen Roman: cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, artichokes and pumpkins. And – if you want to go out of season – aubergines and zucchini. All fried in batter. They will be snapped up!

Red chicory and gorgonzola salad

The Red radish, or theBelgian endive, can be combined with gorgonzola, toasted hazelnuts, liquid honey, delicate mustard and extra virgin olive oil for a mixed salad of great personality, filling the leaves with cheese and hazelnuts.

Stuffed artichokes

Another seasonal ingredient that at best makes Christmas, the artichoke can be enriched with a tasty filling based on minced meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, parsley and garlic. The artichoke, before filling, should be boiled. And then, cooked in the oven. With a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil as a final touch.

Baked mushrooms

A simple filling based on breadcrumbs, parsley, salt, pepper, white wine and extra virgin olive oil. With which to fill large champignon mushrooms. Baking and a final bit of oil. What do you want more from life?

Poached brocolli

Typical Sicilian recipe, get ready by cooking i broccoli in a pot with onions and extra virgin olive oil. Then, during cooking, they are added anchovies, pecorino cheese, pepper and red wine.

Orange salad

The red oranges from Sicily make great in this side: peel them, cut them into slices and mix them with Tropea red onions cut into thin slices, olives, oil, salt and pepper. Everything can be arranged on a bed of small salad like the valerian.

Stuffed potatoes with ham

How to enrich the usual potato? Simple. Just burn in the pan onion and raw ham in strips in extra virgin olive oil. The potatoes, once blanched, should be cut in half and then seasoned with the mixture, to which it will be added parmesan and breadcrumbs.

31 detox dishes to face January – Italian Cuisine

TO January I do the diet. In January I start eating healthy. TO January I stop buying junk. Have you also announced these good intentions?

Like every year, knocked down by the kilos taken during the holidays and encouraged by the beginning of a new period, we make ourselves and other ambitious promises, aimed at improving appearance, health and habits. But before putting into practice any diabolic plan, it is good to think of a period of complete detox, in which to give our body time to purify and reassure itself after the tears to the rule of Christmas. Black cabbage, cauliflower, fennel, broccoli and many other seasonal foods are precious allies of this "detox operation", Here they are collected in 31 recipes to try and enjoy waiting to put into practice all the good intentions that we have set ourselves.

Here are 31 detox recipes to face the first month of the year

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Fennel with catalan sauce