Simple Italy

Celebrating Your Inner Italian

Colosseum “Naming Rights”

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Telecom Italia Colosseum has a certain ring to it. Or maybe Fiat Group Colosseum will triumphantly cruise into the winners circle. But then again,  the Banca Popolare di Milano may have deeper pockets to make the Colosseum its own.

If all goes to plan, a corporation could soon be restoring the Roman Colosseum, one of the most-recognized antiquities in the world.

As Ella Ide of Reuters reports in Italy Turns to Private Sector to Help Colosseum in the Washington Post, the cash-strapped Italian government is looking for a corporate angel to pony up $32 million to completely restore the Colosseum and make it fully accessible to visitors by 2013.

Of course, I’m using the phrase “naming rights” ironically. The article does not specify whether the donor will plaster its name on the facade. Plus, there is precedent. The Vatican carried through a controversial deal with Japan’s Nippon Television Network to fund the restoration of Michaelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. In return, Nippon filmed the entire project and also released a massive coffee table book documenting the process.

Are corporations the new-millenium Medici? Do business conglomerates know the first thing about restoring priceless antiquities? How do you feel about the Colosseum going begging?

Gratinata di Zucchini

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Sure, the happy yellow blooms look pretty now.

Oh, and look, some of the flowers have baby zucchini growing out of them. How cute!

Ah, but in a a span of days, those diminutive veggies will explode to gargantuan proportions.

Act now! Pick your zucchini when they are no more than 1-inch wide. You’ll thank me later.

To prepare a gratinata, slice the zucchini very thin on the finest setting of a mandoline or with the slicing blade of a food processor.

This easy dish is always a hit because the cheese and olive oil not only add terrific flavor to the mild squash, they help to crisp up the texture. It’s equally delicious served warm or at room temperature.

Gratinata di Zucchini

Extra-virgin olive oil

3/4       cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2       cup plain dry breadcrumbs

2          pounds small zucchini (1-inch diameter) very thinly sliced

Salt

1/4       cup coarsely chopped pine nuts or almonds

Preheat a grill to 375°F. On a sheet of waxed paper, combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan.

Oil the bottom of a 13 x 10 x 1-inch baking sheet with sides. Coat with one-third of the Parmesan mixture. Place one third of the zucchini slices in an even layer in the pan. Season lightly with salt. Repeat layering twice. Drizzle lightly with oil. Sprinkle evenly with the pine nuts.

Bake in the covered grill over indirect heat for about 40 minutes or until browned and sizzling. Remove from the grill to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

What’s your favorite way to cope with zucchini bounty? Leave a comment below.

Italian Rice Salad

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I always associate Rice Salad with summer in Rome. Even when it’s sweltering and your appetite is wilted, this refreshing dish will revive it.

Please look at this recipe as only a guideline. Rice salad is the type of preparation, like pasta, that is totally open to improvisation.  Vary it throughout the season with whatever vegetables are ripe. For instance, use chopped tomatoes instead of roasted bell pepper. And, if you have leftover cooked rice on hand, the dish takes only minutes to create.

You can serve it as is for a main-dish for a luncheon. Or, toss in 1 to 2 cups of drained tuna fish, cooked shrimp, or sliced cooked Italian sausage, for a more substantial salad.

As a side with dinner, serve with grilled meats, poultry, seafood, or vegetables.

Summer Rice Salad

Serves 8 to 10

2          cups medium or long-grain rice

2          cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 1/2    teaspoons salt

1          medium-large sweet or red onion, chopped

5          tablespoons red or white wine vinegar

1/3       cup extra-virgin olive oil

3          ribs of celery hearts, chopped

1 1/2    cups chopped sweet pea pods or frozen baby peas, rinsed

1/2       cup shredded Provolone, Swiss Gruyère, Parmesan, Tuscan Pecorino, or Spanish         Manchego cheese

1          roasted red or yellow bell pepper, chopped

3          tablespoons drained capers or slivered green or black olives

Ground black pepper

In a large pot, combine the rice, broth, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat so medium-low so rice simmers. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside, covered, for 5 minutes.

Coat a large tray with no-stick spray. With a fork spread the rice on a large tray. Stir occasionally to speed cooling.

In a small bowl, combine the onion, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and enough cold water to cover. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

In a large bowl, whisk 1/3 cup oil, 3 tablespoons vinegar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the celery, peas, cheese, pepper, capers or olives, and rice. Toss to mix. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill.

To serve, drain and rinse the onions. Add to the salad. Season to taste with black pepper. Toss the salad. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil and vinegar if needed.

Serve right away or cover and refrigerate for several hours. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Palladio in New York

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Portrait, believed to be of Palladio, by Sebastiano Ricci.

I visited my old friend, the architect Andrea Palladio, the other day at the Morgan Library & Museum in Manhattan. As always, he made the world seem harmonious, simple and elegant . . . a serene and sensible place.

Perhaps I should explain that Palladio isn’t actually in New York (he departed the earth in 1580). But fascinating pieces of his legacy are on display for old companions and new acquaintances to savor. A special exhibit Palladio and His Legacy: A Transatlantic Journey runs through August 1, 2010, at the Morgan.

It’s impossible to imagine certain periods of American monumental architecture without bowing to Palladio. The Supreme Court Building, the New York Stock Exchange, countless train stations, banks, universities and libraries are directly influenced by his genius.

The exhibit shows how a residential architect, working in the 16th Century Veneto, gained lasting international influence. Some early Palladio drawings, on loan from the Royal Institute of British Architects Trust, illustrate the intensive study that enabled him to become the bridge from ancient Rome to the future.

Detail of the design for Palazzo Civena, Vincenza, around 1539.

By poring over Vetruvius’ writings about classical architecture (no drawings survived with this text) and visiting ruins of the Empire, Palladio absorbed the ethos of those timeless structures and interpreted them in his magnificent designs. In 1570, he published I Quattro Libri dell’Architettura (Four Books on Architecture) which became the Bible of generations of European, British and American architects.

Plaster model of Villa Rotonda by Timothy Richards, Bath, England.

Also on view are sketches, pattern books and models of Palladio’s creations as well as several of the American buildings, such as Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and the Virginia State Capitol Building, that he influenced.

If you can’t make a pilgrimage to the Villa Rotonda this summer, visit Palladio in New York.

Plaster model of Drayton Hall Timothy Richards, Bath, England

For all the details, go to

The Morgan Library & Museum

225 Madison Avenue, at 36th Street
New York, NY 10016-3405
212.685.0008

Italian White Wines for Summer

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Here’s a fresh look at some ancient grape types that are worthy of your summertime quaffing consideration.

The parameters for this collection are:

  • Italian whites
  • Widely available
  • Under $15.00 per bottle
  • No Pinot Grigio (not that there’s anything wrong with Pinot Grigio!)

Garganega

From the Veneto, long a mainstay (blended with Trebbiano) for Soave, this grape can bring a lush, pear, melon and apricot experience.

Ferdi, Bianco Veronese, 2006, IGT, Sartori, $14.99

Mass maker Sartori delivers value and juicy fruit with this winner. Sharon says “Wow, I even get some honey in here!”

Vermentino

Victor Hazan thinks the Vermentino arrived from Spain to Liguria…then migrated to Sardinia.  Others believe in the Spanish origin, but see it arriving in Sardinia via Corsica. It thrives in heat and dryness and is grown successfully in Sardinia, Liguria and coastal Tuscany. Aromatic fireworks…sometimes with deep piney herbs, other times more plump, rounded and melony.

Costamolino, Vermentino di Sardegna, 2008, DOC, Agriolas $14.99

This classic is tightly structured, firm, spirited and bright to the taste.

Prelius, Vermentino Maremma, 2008, IGT,Volpaia, $9.99

This is a wonderful example of the Tuscan coastal success with Vermentino. Nice grip, piney nose, breezy.

Catarratto

It’s the most planted white wine grape and the second-most planted grape (behind Sangiovese) in Italy. Long a blending wine, it can be a refreshing party or picnic pleaser, when handled by a caring producer.

La Piazza, Catarratto, 2007, IGT, Cantine Calatrasi, $10.99

Simple, just a hint of pear…like a soft wind blowing into Trapani.

Donnafugata 2007, IGT, Anthili, $14.99

This pleasurable blend of Catarratto and Ansonica (Inzolia) symbolizes the growth of the Sicilian wine industry. Crisp, delicate fruit hints of peach. You’ll get some attention with this one.

Falanghina

I’ve come to enjoy this grape over the years….and especially since our visit to Campania. It’s a beachside natural.

Falanghina Sannio, 2007, DOC, Fuedi Di San Gregorio, $16.99

I pushed the $15.00 envelope with this beauty…but it still represents great value. Bracing, in a sea breeze manner, with crisp fruit and a waft of pine.

Do you have a special Italian summer white? Leave a comment and tell us about it.

Torta di Fragole

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Torta di fragole, strawberry tart with rum pastry cream, is a celebration of spring in Italy.

When fragoline, the tiny woods strawberries, appear in markets and trattorie in late spring, it is truly cause for celebration. During their brief reign, there is no other dessert worth contemplating. Eaten simply out of hand or in a cookie crusted cream tart, now is the time to revel in this sweet seasonal gift.

Torta di Fragole (Strawberry Tart)

Makes 10 servings

Sweet Pastry Dough (recipe follows)

1/3       cup sugar

2          tablespoons all-purpose flour

1            egg plus 2 egg yolks

1          cup half-and-half or whole milk

2          tablespoons dark rum, divided

1          tablespoon butter

1          quart (1 1/2 pounds) medium or small strawberries, halved if desired

1/2       cup all-fruit apricot preserves

Coat a 12-inch round baking or pizza pan with no-stick spray. Prepare the dough. Pat into the bottom and 1 3/4 inches up the side of the pan. Prick all over with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake for about 30 minutes, pricking any big air bubbles with a fork, or until the entire surface is lightly browned. Remove to a rack. Store, covered with waxed paper, in a dry place for up to 24 hours.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour. In a measuring cup, beat the egg, egg yolks, and half-and-half or milk. Add to the pan; whisk until smooth.

Cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the mixture starts to bubble. Cook, whisking vigorously to prevent lumping, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Continue whisking until mixture cools slightly. Whisk in 1 tablespoon rum and the butter. Pour into a bowl. Set aside to cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or as long as 1 day.

Place the preserves in a glass measuring cup. Cover and microwave for 60 to 70 seconds, or until bubbling. Press through a fine sieve. Discard the solids. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon rum.

Up to 2 hours before serving, spread the pastry cream evenly over the crust. Top with strawberries decorative pattern. Brush the top evenly with the apricot glaze. Refrigerate, uncovered, for up to 2 hours.

Sweet Pastry Dough

1 1/4    cups all-purpose flour

1/4       cup cornstarch

1/3       cup sugar

2          teaspoons grated lemon zest

Pinch of salt

1 1/4    sticks (10 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces

2          egg yolks, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

To prepare by hand: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar, lemon zest, and salt with a fork, pastry blender, or hands. Add the butter. Cut or break it up into fine bits, mixing well with the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center. Add the egg yolk mixture. Toss to mix. The mixture will look crumbly. Turn the mixture out onto a work surface. With hands and a dough scraper, work the mixture into a smooth disk.

To prepare in a food processor: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Process to mix. Add the butter. Pulse 12 to 15 times to incorporate. With the machine running, drizzle in the egg yolk mixture. Turn off the machine. Pulse 6 times. The mixture will look crumbly. Turn the mixture out onto a work surface. With hands and a dough scraper, work the mixture into a smooth disk. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, if desired, so dough is easier to handle.