Simple Italy

Celebrating Your Inner Italian

Wedding Puts Puglia on Map

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Wild and beautiful coasts are always close in the region of Puglia.

Hollywood celebs Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel married this weekend at the luxury Borgo Egnazia resort in southeastern Italy.

Eonline quoted a statement from the newlyweds issued by People magazine which apparently has a lock on the coverage. People’s print edition will publish exclusive photos this week.

All of this gushing coverage has highlighted geographical challenges among some in the U.S. media. The most humorous gaffe I read is in the Los Angles Times web column Ministry of Gossip. They reported that the couple’s famous friends “have landed in the southern town of Puglia.”

Since Puglia is a region, roughly equivalent to a U.S. state, that would be like saying they landed “in the southern town of Florida.”

Traffic on a country road in Puglia.

Puglia, in fact, resembles Florida in that it’s a peninsula jutting out from the mainland mass of Italy. It’s the heel of the boot. Walter and I traveled by car through the region three years ago. We marveled at the oceans of olive tree groves, the many wine vineyards, the conical stone trulli, the stunning wild beauty of the coasts (on three sides), Spanish baroque architecture in Lecce, the purity of the cucina and the genuine hospitality of the locals.

I asked our friend Cinzia Rascasso, who operates the Stile Mediterraneo Cooking and Wine School with her sister Marika, if she believes the international publicity from the wedding will boost tourism to her native region. “I am not sure this will impact tourism in Puglia,” she said. “Puglia has already become a very popular tourist destination . . . very different than when you came.”

The happy couple Walter and Sharon (sorry, Justin and Jessica) in the Spanish baroque city of Lecce in Puglia.

If I had access to Justin and Jessica, I’d compliment them on their choice of locale for the nuptials and asked them how they chose it? Had they visited there previously? Walter thinks that avid golfer Justin may have been drawn to the links at Egnazia. Good selection, I’d say. And if brings more people to know and appreciate this distinctive ancient place, that’s worth celebrating.

Have you visited Puglia?
Share your memories.

Biscotti Bambini

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Baby biscotti–ready for dunking.

In the grand American tradition of Bigger is Better, commercial biscottiare sometimes the size of Little League bats with a durable texture to match.

In Italy, biscotti are more diminutive—about the size of a fat thumb. Valued as “good keepers,” these crisp cookies can hang out for a long time in the larder. They stand ready to be plunked into a cup of cappuccino, tea or even a glass of wine. The dip moistens the biscotti and further flavors them.

Biscotti attain their crunchy demeanor by two sojourns in the oven. “Bis” means “twice” and “cotti” means cooked. I’ve found that home-baked biscotti, while still crumbly, are not the tooth breakers that the manufactured ones can be.

Because bite-sized foods are so charming, I recently prepared some biscotti bambini—biscottini—as a hostess gift. I love that you don’t have to make a career out of eating one. [Read more…]

My Husband Is In Tuscany

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Is Tuscany a state of mind? It has to be when your husband is there without you.

Mio marito è in viaggio in Toscana. My husband is traveling in Tuscany.

Am I envious that he is in one of the most desirable destinations on earth without me? Or that his last email so exquisitely described a day in Firenze that it seemed surreal?

No. Truly, no. It’s not that I’m that selfless. But I am glad that he’s in a place that gives him so much joy. And—full disclosure—every time I’ve traveled alone on a media trip to Italy, he has been totally supportive. To not reciprocate would make me seem really petty.

The grape vines after harvest at Tenute Silvio Nardi near Montalcino, Tuscany.

Walking this morning, I felt assured that my Inner Italian is always available to transport me. The crystalline September light took me back to my visit in Toscana a couple years back, on a trip sponsored by Donna Franca Tours. The air was crisp and the sun warm even though it was November and the weather had been chilly and drizzly. My group was visiting Tenute Silvio Nardi, a highly regarded wine producer near Montalcino. The grapeless vines shimmered with tinges of gold and burgundy.

We enjoyed an early lunch of salume, formaggi, e focaccia with the elegant Nardi Rosso di Montalcino. It was tasty but the aroma of simmering ragù cinghiale (wild boar sauce) coming from the kitchen was distracting me like crazy. On my way out, I stuck my head in the cucina to briefly meet the cooks Lucia and Marizia who were preparing tagliatelle to accompany the robust meat ragù for an event that evening. (That time, I was envious!)

The Nardi cooks with their hand-rolled tagliatelle.

I purchased a Rosso di Montalcino from a good year as a gift for my husband. One of my trip mates, noticing the price, asked if he’d appreciate the value. “Yes,” I replied with certainty, “he will.”

And he did.

Basil Pesto Recipe

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Pick tender basil leaves and flat-leaf parsley early in the morning when it's cool.

Now that there are several pounds of peeled, quartered local peaches tucked into the freezer, I can turn my attention to making basil pesto. I hesitate to call it pesto alla Genoese (literally Genoa-style paste) because the purists are rigorous that the ingredients in this renowned condiment be basil and olive oil grown only in the region of Liguria. There’s even a Consorzio dedicated to its preservation.

Another issue is the grinding method. In Liguria, traditionalists crush the tender herb leaves, garlic, and pine nuts in a marble mortar with an olive wood pestle.

In his book Recipes from Paradise: Life and Food on the Italian Riviera, Fred Plotin writes, “A mortar and pestle mashes while the food processor or blender grinds. The flavors of herbs and nuts, their oils and essences, are released in a unique way that cannot be equaled in a machine.” He does go on to say that many cooks in Liguria use a blender but acknowledge that the pesto is not as good.

I priced a 7-inch-wide marble mortar and pestle on the Williams-Sonoma store site. At a cost of $99.95, I don’t think it’s going to be in my kitchen anytime soon. Less expensive rough granite models exist—from Mexico and Thailand—so I’ll be on the lookout for a good buy.

Adding salt and flat-leaf parsley helps to lock in the green color of the basil which can brown if handled roughly.

For now, however, I need to pick my basil before it goes to flower. I’ll make a double batch of pesto alla Pennsylvaniana. In January, it will taste like heaven even if it’s not quite Ligurian.

Basil Pesto
Makes about 2 cups

Poaching the garlic makes this pesto mellow but using raw garlic cloves is the classic choice.

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small head garlic, cloves peeled
2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves, divided (see note)
1 cup tightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, divided (see note)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) pine nuts, blanched walnuts, or raw almonds, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Pecorino Romano cheese

In a glass measuring cup, combine the oil and the garlic. Cover with waxed paper. Microwave for 30 seconds. Reduce the setting to low; microwave for 1 minute, or until bubbly and fragrant. Allow to cool to room temperature.
In a food processor, combine half of each of these ingredients: the basil, parsley, pine nuts, salt, and garlic oil. Pulse 20 times or until coarsely chopped. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Process for about 2 minutes or until a coarse paste forms. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Transfer to the bowl. Stir in the Parmesan and the Pecorino Romano.

Flash-freeze dollops of pesto on a tray before packing into air-tight plastic freezer bags or other containers. Use a serrated knife to cut off the amount of frozen pesto you want for a recipe.

Spoon the pesto in mounds (1/4 or 1/2 cup are convenient amounts) onto a plastic wrap-lined tray. Place in the freezer for several hours, or until solid. Transfer the pesto mounds to a plastic freezer bag. Return to the freezer for up to 6 months.

Pasta with Basil Pesto: Cook 1 pound pasta until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water. Drain the pasta and return to the cooking pot. Add 1/2 cup of frozen pesto and enough of the water to moisten the sauce. Season lightly with salt if needed.

Note: Because I grow basil and parsley without pesticides, I never wash it but rather wipe off any visible dirt with a paper towel. If you feel you must wash the leaves, dip them gently in cold water and pat dry before making the pesto.

They Sure Make a Big Deal Out of a Peach

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Italians wait patiently until the moment is ripe for perfect peaches.

My daughter Tess used to think she didn’t like peaches. But when she was nine and visited Italy, she changed her mind. We bought some lush peaches at the most charming frutta e verdura, “fruit and vegetable shop,” I had ever seen. The shop exterior was, appropriately, painted exactly the rosy blush color of a ripe peach. Folk art paintings of fruits and vegetables graced the windowpanes.

As we strolled by, the scent of peaches beckoned us, like those visible aromas that tickle the characters’ noses in cartoons. Inside the shop, the lettuces, radicchio, scallions, strawberries, cherries, onions, and peaches were arranged in an edible tapestry that would have impressed Martha Stewart.

Within moments Tess was in heaven, sweet golden juice dripping down her chin, eating a wondrous peach out of hand.

A day or two later, as we finished our midday meal at a family-run trattoria—not a fancy place at all—I wasn’t surprised when Tess ordered a fresh peach for dessert.

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Sausage, Spinach, and Cheese Calzoni Recipe

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Homemade Italian calzoni are pockets of pure pleasure.

Calzoni are half-moon shaped stuffed pizzas that can be prepared as individual servings or one large turnover to be sliced into pieces. The fillings can include a variety of meats, vegetables, and cheeses. In Italy, calzoni are not typically prepared with tomato sauce. This version combines spicy sausage (use mild if you prefer), spinach, and a blend of mozzarella and provolone cheeses. Brushing the calzoni with an egg wash gives the baked pies a professional sheen. [Read more…]