Tag: rich

Bagna cauda day 2021: a rich calendar to taste the main dish of Piedmont – Italian Cuisine

Several local adherents and 6 dates to be set: this year the "Bagna cauda day”Multiplies the appointments for lovers of the main dish of the Piedmontese tradition. Strong stomachs and gourmets indeed are preparing to participate in the ninth edition of the most anticipated event by all bagnacaudisti, which this year will receive the fabric bib with the motto "Fourth dose!", Signed by Sergio Ponchione. A nice cadeau to say that, after vaccination, a good "dose" of bagna cauda contributes to the well-being of the body, given the known antiseptic qualities of garlic. So much so that in 1855 in the Crimea the Piedmontese and allied troops to whom General Lamarmora had the famous dish prepared called it "suitable for strong and brave men for its shooting-like flavors".

A centuries-old preparation

For centuries now in the Langhe and Monferrato the end of harvests have been celebrated by preparing the traditional bagna cauda: a tasty sauce made with garlic, thistles and other vegetables, anchovies and extra virgin olive oil. The bagna cauda is then served in the characteristic earthenware container (called “dianèt) and placed in the center of the table with a spirit warmer underneath in order to always keep it hot and bring out all the scent. Daughter of peasant civilization, bagna cauda is mainly known in its classic version, which includes a list of cheap ingredients: garlic heads, extra virgin olive oil and, where possible, a glass of walnut oil and red anchovies from Spain. However, over time other variants have spread, such as the bagna cauda of the archpriest, which involves cooking garlic in milk, in order to dampen its strong taste and smell, and adding butter and beef fillet.

Bagna cauda day: the news of 2021

And we conclude this historical tour on the bagna cauda by telling the main news of the 2021 edition. First of all, since the places are limited, you have to book your place by calling the restaurant participating in the event. To find out which clubs join, just go to the website www.bagnacaudaday.it and scroll through the lists, divided by geographical areas (Alto Piemonte, Turin, Asti, Monferrato, Langhe, Valle d'Aosta and other regions). This year, moreover, the event focuses on protecting the environment. In fact, the proceeds will be used for finance the birth of the Bosco degli Astigiani, a land of over 5 hectares made available by the Banca d'Asti.

Finally, while the price remains unchanged (25 euros) in all the places, the tasting proposal changes: the bagna cauda will in fact be offered in 3 versions signaled by a traffic light: As God commands, Heretics (with diluted garlic), Atea (without garlic).

Rich asparagus toast recipe – Italian Cuisine

Ingredients

450 g Asparagus
150 g Aosta Valley Fontina
120 g Cooked ham
20 g Butter
20 g Grated Parmesan
8 pcs Slices of sandwich bread
salt

Duration: 30 min

Level: Easy

Dose: 4 people

Remove the terminal half of the asparagus (you can use them to prepare a cream) and keep the tips with about 8 cm of stem.

Cut them in half lengthwise and blanch them for 2 minutes in boiling salted water; then cool them in ice water for a few minutes, then drain and pat dry with a cloth.

Arrange the half asparagus tips in a baking dish with the melted butter, sprinkle with the parmesan and gratin in the oven at 220 ° C for 7-8 ′ minutes.

Place 4 slices of fontina cheese on 4 slices of bread, 4 slices of ham and 6 half asparagus tips, then ham and fontina again.

Close with the remaining slices of bread and lightly grease them with butter. Gently press the rolls and bake them at 220 ° C for 5-6 '. Remove from the oven and serve immediately while still hot.

Pumpkin flowers: delicious and rich in precious properties – Italian Cuisine

Excellent in batter, delicious in the oven, versatile with pasta: the courgette flowers they are a real delicacy in the kitchen and are popular with young and old.
Thanks to their delicate taste, they marry in fact with many dishes and have various useful features for our health.
We deepen them with Valentina Bolli, dietician, who explains in detail why they are healthy and suggests how to prepare them to best enjoy them with an eye to lightness.

Excellent source of hydration

Bolli warns "Primarily they contain a very high percentage ofwater about 94% "therefore represent a good source of hydration for our body and for this reason they are very suitable for summer season, in which our body most needs water and minerals.

Good iron content

As for minerals, compared to other vegetables, says the dietician "they boast a significant amount of iron, or 2 mg. per 100 g of flowers, which is a very important mineral for transporting oxygen in the blood and maintaining the proper functioning of the immune system. Obviously we are talking about a comparison with other vegetables, proteins of animal origin always remain the best in terms of richness and bioavailability ".
They also have a quantity of football (39 mg vs. 21 of zucchini) better than zucchini, which is very important for healthy teeth and bones.

Benefits for skin and eyesight

Pumpkin flowers also contain a significant amount of vitamin A, or 252 mg per 100 grams (unlike courgettes that do not have the same characteristic).
Vitamin A protects Skin and the cell membranes, but also preserves the view (like tomato). Thanks to the content of carotenoids, has a powerful antioxidant and anti-aging action.

They are low in calories

Finally, adds Bolli "The interesting aspect is that I am low calorie (12 calories per 100 g) and which, combined for example with other vegetables, such as courgettes, carbohydrates and proteins, represent a complete dish ".

Not just in batter

In addition to the well-known batter version, which is certainly the most delicious but also the most caloric, they lend themselves well in many other preparations in the kitchen.
"With the pasta for example, accompanied by the right amount of Parmesan Cheese (50 g per person) are a perfect dish from a nutritional point of view ". Or they can be cooked in the oven, in a thousand appetizing and captivating ways. Suggest stamps “They can be stuffed for example with ricotta, which is a low-fat cheese, with the filling of the same zucchini and enriched with aromatic herbs, or even with meat.
In this case they go, combined with carbohydrates, they represent a tasty and inviting second course.

If you can't resist frying

If, on the other hand, you allow yourself a sin of gluttony and you prefer the fried version, it is good to follow some makeup to make them lighter.
Suggest stamps "It is important, for example, to use a oil with a good smoke point, such as that of peanuts, changing it every time and dry the courgette flowers when they are cooked to remove excess oil ".
Alternatively, one can also be used lighter batter.
“You can take inspiration for example from Tempura, the famous Japanese fry and prepare one light batter, with rice flour, also suitable for celiac and sparkling water to add ice. In this way, however, they are greedy but a little lighter. "

Elisa Nata
June 2018
updated August 2019

DISCOVER THE SALT & PEPPER COOKING COURSES