Tag: world

Conciato Romano: the oldest cheese in the world – Italian Cuisine

An ancient cheese, indeed the oldest, produced since Roman times. Strong, penetrating, aged in terracotta amphorae and seasoned with oil and vinegar. A Slowfood Presidium from the province of Caserta to try, sparingly as is done with truffles

Conciato Romano is not among the oldest cheeses in the world; Conciato Romano is the oldest cheese in the world. Mentioned by Pliny as by Martial, it has been produced in the upper Caserta area since the time of the Samnites, but nowadays it is not a cheese for everyone, since we are no longer used to smells and flavors like this strong. In fact, for value and intensity, we could venture to define it "the white truffle of the south": it takes very little to give a unique touch to dishes as well as to pizzas, since there are infinite ones based on Conciato (we are still in Campania ). It was also the first Slow Food Presidium of the province of Caserta, in 2002; an important milestone for an area too often known for other reasons. And its history today is intertwined with that of people who no one has helped, if not their fatigue; people who have fought and who still fight, with their heads held high and their backs straight, without ever bending over.

The Roman Tanning

It owes its name to the original tanning technique, or the fact that in the past the cheese was cunzato, that is, seasoned with oil and vinegar and then placed in amphorae to be transported together with Falerno, the wine of ancient Campania. The addition of "Roman", on the other hand, is due to the discovery of Roman deposits on site, which only took place later. Today it is produced from sheep, goat or bovine milk, with kid rennet; after pressing by hand, the small wheels are salted, dried in the beech farmhouse and then tanned in this way: they are washed with the cooking water of pettole, a fresh pasta shape which, being a natural antibacterial, allows the subsequent absorption of the sauce. In fact, later, the forms are precisely tanned, that is, seasoned with extra virgin olive oil (preferably of the local variety), local wine, the ancient Casavecchia grape and chilli, thyme and oregano because those were there and still are in the mountains. Finally, its destiny is to mature for a long time, at least 6 months, both in glass demijohns and in amphorae, so that it can absorb all those smells that it will release so intensely when it comes out. An unforgettable moment every time, as if all those years of history came out of that amphora with each seasoning. This, at least, is the Tannery of the La Campestre farmhouse, the only one to ensure one traceability total on their product: "I always hope they come and check here, so they see how we work"Liliana Lombardi.

The La Campestre farmhouse

Liliana Lombardi, between the two women today at the reins of the Agriturismo La Campestre in Castel di Sasso, wanted to keep the sheep and over time managed to convince her husband, Francesco, who had already grown up with the sheep. Of their two children Manuel, the oldest, has always had clear ideas about his IT future; while Fabio, the younger brother, has always preferred the earth to books; that same land that first gave it life and then took it away, one day like any other, on a tractor. It is after this tragedy that Manuel and his wife Eulalia have no doubts and decide to join their parents with the same sang 'and soul of his brother to carry on his dream: to make the Roman tanning known in the world, practice clean agriculture and restore dignity to the work of the farmer, especially in an area like Caserta. Today La Campestre, from the name of the locality, also has rooms and a restaurant (the Conciato museum is coming soon), where only dishes based on their products are served. Alternatively, there is no shortage of restaurateurs who from Caserta to Los Angeles get their supplies from the Lombards, such as Rosanna Marziale, Among the first customers for years now, or Maria Rosaria Stellato, who has just opened his restaurant.

Where to eat the Roman Conciato

The grit and exuberance of a hurricane in life, the delicacy and precision of a surgeon in the kitchen: this is Maria Rosaria Stellato from the restaurant My soul of Caserta, opened just last July 2017. Here the soul is first of all what she puts into it, class of '87, always well anchored to her land and its products, including first of all the Roman Conciato de La Campestre , in the 12-month menu on 12. We find it in dishes such as grilled octopus with papaccella and potatoes, where the Conciato enhances everything, while the result is different in the burnt wheat ravioli with garlic, oil and chilli on pumpkin cream, not to mention theClock of flavors: it's his cheese tasting, where the Roman Conciato is paired with a dark chocolate. Exactly its two souls. Exactly the two souls of this land.

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Small world is served … is on sale & Pepe newsstands in October – Italian Cuisine

Brescello, February 2020. I came to this village in the lower Reggio area for work, but when I crossed Piazza Matteotti I realized that I had entered another world, the "small" one, described by Giovannino Guareschi, writer, journalist and designer from whose imagination the characters of Don Camillo and Peppone: "This is the Bassa (…) and in Piacenza also the small world of my stories begins, which small world is located in that slice of plain between the Po and the Apennines". A long story, that of Guareschi, through post-war rural Italy, developed in 346 episodes published mostly on "White"(humorous-satirical magazine that he founded with Giovanni Mosca in 1946, publisher Rizzoli who later also became a producer of the films). The narration of a laborious peasant environment, made up of human solidarity and strong passions, accompanied by a landscape marked by the river and from the plain.

And here Peppone and Don Camillo come to life ("who created them is the Bassa. I met them, I took them by the arm and made them walk up and down the alphabet.") Who for all have the faces of the two actors who played them: “Gino Cervi corresponds exactly to my Peppone, Fernadel has not the slightest resemblance to my Don Camillo. But he is so good that he blew the place for my praeton. So now when I venture into some new Don Camillo story, I find myself in serious difficulty because I have to have a priest who has the face of Fernadel work ”.

Those who cross Brescello cannot do without feel on the set of the five films that were shot here between '51 and '65. There is still the Casa del Popolo with the inscription clearly visible, there is the house where Peppone overlooked, under the arcades of via Giglioli there is the recently restored Sputnik bell. But it is crossing the square that you can see the two bronze statues dedicated to the two protagonists and respectively placed one near the seat of the Common and the other to the church, where the wooden crucifix to which Don Camillo was addressing is kept inside.

In Small world of course we ate, meals were frugal: bread, cheese, cold cuts obtained from pigs, a soup with lard, an onion omelette, fried cake, fresh pasta, stuffed or not, homemade. Occasionally a few backyard chickens. All washed down with a glass of Lambrusco. Goodness that can still be eaten today in the many trattorias in the area in a small journey that from Roncole Verdi leads to Busseto, Zibello, Roccabianca, Fontanelle, Soragna, San Secondo, Colorno and finally Brescello. Here the museum awaits you Peppone and Don Camillo and the B museumrescello and Guareschi, the territory and the cinema. Nearby is Don Camillo's restaurant La Bottega del Paese, where I ate, which he has bought in the course of time the photos of the filming of the films completely wallpapering the walls. For a dip in the food of the Small world and Italian cinema of the 1950s.

Laura Maragliano
on Sale & Pepe of October 2020

The 10 craziest pizza toppings in the world – Italian Cuisine

Around the world to discover the strangest pizza toppings: from the Malaysian one inspired by bubble tea to the Japanese one with mayonnaise, up to the Swedish one with kiwi

There Pizza, pride of Italian cuisine, has the distinction of being one of the most famous and most loved foods in the world. As with any other globally renowned culinary specialty, however, even the pizza recipe has undergone all sorts of changes depending on the country, with adaptations and variations that in our eyes can be extravagant and sometimes questionable. So forget the classic Italian flavors and ingredients, because what we are about to do is a virtual tour around the world to discover ten of the strangest toppings. Before starting it is good to know that some of these recipes are in effect the consolidated gastronomic specialties of the respective country, while others are the fruit of imagination and the most modern culinary trends. If the Canadian "Hawaiian pizza", considered by many to be "sacrilegious" due to the presence of pineapple among the toppings, has already upset or intrigued you, hold on tight, because another long roundup of unusual ingredients and risky combinations is on the way.

1) Canada (Quebec), "pizza ghetti"

Incredible, but true: the Canadians, in addition to having invented the famous margherita-based tropical pizza topped with pineapple and ham, have also created a dish that embodies both of the iconic Italian dishes, namely pizza and pasta. The so-called "pizza ghetti" is none other than one margherita covered with spaghetti with tomato sauce and then baked. There is also a variant that provides that the spaghetti are hidden under a generous layer of stringy cheese.

2) Brazil, pizza with unusual vegetable ingredients

Brazilians are true pizza-lovers and are famous for adopting many traditional Italian recipes including the four cheeses and a reinterpretation of the capricciosa pizza. However, there were also other more typically South American recipes that include typical national vegetables and condiments, including hearts of palm, corn, mashed potatoes and peas.

3) Costa Rica, coconut and shrimp pizza

Let's stay in South America to discover a truly original sweet and sour recipe. It is a very popular tropical recipe in Costa Rica, in which shrimp meet the exotic taste of coconut flakes.

4) Sweden, pizza with kiwi

Anyone who is passionate about viral food trends will certainly have heard of pizza with kiwifruit invented in Sweden, a recipe that has become a real media event, attracting the curiosity, but also the indignation, of the people of the web. This local variation of Hawaiian pizza is actually just the latest of one long series of "unconventional" Swedish flavors; very popular are, in fact, also the pizza with curry, chicken and peanuts or the same recipe, but in a vegetarian version, with bananas instead of chicken.

5) France, pizza with crème fraîche, bacon and onions

A French gastronomic specialty, and in particular from the Alsace region, is the tarte flambée, also known as "French pizza". The dough is soft and very similar to that of Neapolitan pizza, but the revolution is in the topping. In fact, instead of Italian mozzarella we find sour cream or very fresh fromage blanc (white cheese), both specialties of French cuisine, and to garnish this creamy base are caramelized onions and strips of fried bacon.

6) Finland, pizza with smoked reindeer meat

For many, the idea of eating reindeer meat may be unpleasant, let alone imagine it on a pizza. Well, a very popular pizza in Finland has among its ingredients the smoked reindeer meat, accompanied by chanterelles and crunchy onion. A dish with decidedly strong flavors, for the truly courageous.

7) Russia, "four fish" pizza

Another bizarre and equally challenging pizza to digest is the mockba, la traditional Russian pizza. This special pizza, named after the city in which it was created, is indeed garnished with ben four kinds of fish (usually salmon, sardines, tuna and mackerel) and a final addition of aromatic herbs and onions. The dish is served strictly cold, perhaps accompanied by a glass of vodka.

8) Malaysia, "boba pizza"

A recent novelty on the creative pizza front is a Malaysian recipe inspired by bubble tea, the beloved drink born in Taiwan and then went viral globally. Well, this pizza with contrasting flavors is topped with condensed milk, spreadable cheese, cheddar and a few drops of garlic oil, all covered with tapioca balls. There is also a variant without condensed milk, but with the addition of cempedak, a tropical fruit typical of South East Asia.

9) India, tandoori chicken pizza

In India, alongside the usual Mediterranean flavors of pizza, you can find a wide variety of unique local toppings, with a spicy and typically oriental flavor. The most famous is the tandoori chicken pizza, which in addition to the well-known chicken marinated with yogurt, a mix of spices and garlic, is garnished with delicate Indian cheese (paneer) or alternatively mozzarella, tomato sauce (or fresh tomatoes), sliced green peppers, red onions and freshly sliced jalapenos.

10) Japan, pizza with mayonnaise

We could not fail to conclude this virtual journey around the world in what par excellence is the land of contrasts, including culinary ones, or the Japan. Here the West and the East meet in the kitchen, giving life to what can be considered one of the most eccentric pizzas ever invented. It's about a pizza topped with mayonnaise (yes, you read that right), or rather with the characteristic Japanese mayonnaise, which compared to ours is denser and with a more intense flavor. But this ingredient is not the only surprise that the toppings of Japanese pizzas can reserve; in fact, the use of sweet corn, cuttlefish ink, cod, bamboo shoots, local mushrooms (including maitake and shimeji), Japanese basil and, last but not least, the traditional "natto", is also very common. fermented soybeans.

In short, as we have seen, there really is something for everyone! Maybe some pizza will have made you turn up your nose, but every foreign recipe, although characterized by "not very authentic" ingredients, should be appreciated as creative reinterpretation of the classic Neapolitan pizza, a way to bring together different cultures and pay tribute to our country.

Photo: World's strangest pizza toppings_hawaiian pizza_flickr_Patrick.jpg