18th Festa delle Castagne

Monte di Malo, Vicenza (Veneto) - It's all about tradition. Come rain or shine, there are some things that should never be missed, and we almost let a whole month go by without attending the usual October chestnut roast — la castagnata. A big deal for someone who thought mainland chestnuts were the hottest foodstuff when seasonally shipped in to Hawaii. Speaking for myself, the castagnata epitomizes autumn when it is still enjoyable; still relaxed; luxurious - lazy almost - before it all turns into twinkling lites, Babbo Natale and the madness of holiday gift shopping.

However, you can't survive on roasted chestnuts alone and it's often the antichi sapori, the old and forgotten flavors that makes a tradition extra special. At the Festa delle Castagne, the menu boldly announced pasta and polenta plates to fill the belly and warm the soul. All of it great stuff! The people who put this together had a good system planned out — you get in line to place/pay for your order, then take the receipt to the friendly gal at the counter. When your order is ready, she calls out the receipt # via loudspeaker, and in no time it's buon appetito! During the wait I looked over at the dessert station as two girls made fritole calde. They worked in tandem, dropping rolled discs of dough into bubbling hot oil, then removing and draining the golden brown rounds before giving a generous sprinkling of sugar. Seemed just the thing to end the meal, but we couldn't manage another bite. With all that we had eaten, chestnuts included, it was impossible to want for anything else!

Bigoli co' l'arna (thick spaghetti-like strands with duck)


Bigoli al cinghiale (thick spaghetti-like strands with wild boar)


Polenta e scopetòn e formajo (grilled slices of polenta and local cheese with a dipping sauce of olive oil and anchovies) - potent! I liked the texture of the polenta; light and soft on the inside.

Guasto con Alice

Blaaaaaaaah! Alice (our service provider) could possibly stand for Always Leave Internet Customers Excuses. I was hoping that our ISP troubles would be solved today but it looks like NOT. The line works for about 5 minutes and then everything s-l-o-o-o-o-w-s to a snail's pace, or doesn't work at all. "Hey Alice! Ya think that maybe you could get your head out of Wonderland and follow through on what you said (last Wednesday) about fixing the line?"

I wonder if they let doggies onto the metro and in internet cafes in Milan? Gone on vacation.

October 31st - update:
One whole week and the situation is still unresolved. And contrary to what some readers might think, I do have fast internet, not dial up. At this point Telecom/Alice has exhausted their repertoire of excuses, playing out the entire rigamarole for kicks? Now they say that a solution to the problem is indeterminable, which means that there is nothing left to do except grin and bear it. (Hey! It's only the internet.) At least I can find solace in the fact that we're not the only ones, because google searches for "i guasti con Alice" pulls up a load of results. Siamo fottuti...

Once-In-A-Lifetime meme

Usually, I'm not one for memes, but this one merits participation since it involves the collaboration of jackie's students and their Lost in English blog. (Jackie if you recall, is the gal in Marche that I met up with at the froggie races in Fermignano.) Anyway, the idea of this meme is to make a list of once-in-a-lifetime goals, and I invite everyone to lend their support and help her students navigate their way through the english language, which hello, isn't always easy when it comes to the occasional dual pronunciations. Don't even start on american and british, because that might start a war all over again and it's not going to be over tea. Check out the link: Once-In-A-Lifetime meme.

As for myself, I used to, and still do, live life rather efficiently so I've achieved just about all of my goals, with the exception of my current obsession: 100 ways to celebrate Italy. Therefore, that leaves only a few, which are:
- Volunteer work concerning endangered animals
- Learning how to productively milk a cow and to make fresh cheese (any latteria that reads this, I would be willing to work for free!)
- Swimming with the dolphins

Clearly, I have a fondness for living creatures, given the recent fuggi fuggi, Castelbuono donkeys, and racing amphibians posts.

L'Insetto Scoppiettante

Two years ago to the day, I wrote about discovering a travel blog, The Vespa Diaries, and so it seems almost serendipitous to be mentioning another Vespa-inspired web log written by Alessandro of L'Insetto Scoppiettante. The insetto what? It's.. a crackling insect or bug, which I won't go into deep discussion for reasons of getting lost in my own explanations. Sure. Vespa is the italian word for wasp, so think of that sound they make and you should get what I mean. Now, if by a slim chance the Vespa draws a complete blank, click on L'Insetto Scoppiettante and find out for yourself. Way cool site (sorry Ale, but I just had to say that one more time). It's written in both italian and english, so I promise you won't get lost...

Exploring Italy by Vespa

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Saved comment(s)

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I remember that drawing!

Rowena, you are so good to have achieved most of your life goals! I haven't even set any! I have little short-term goals, but have never gone much further than that. Guess I better start thinking about it!
Cathy | Homepage | 10.28.07 - 2:57 am

Kudos to your second goal (milk a cow & make fresh cheese)!! I definitely wish I had the opportunity to do that!
Kathy | Homepage | 10.27.07 - 7:04 am

Oh that vespa looks like so much fun! i just saw your post about the fuggi fuggi, how hysterical! i loved the sound of the bells and bleating, and that was a seriously big herd... good thing you were safe in a car!
Sandy | Homepage | 10.26.07 - 11:03 pm

thank you Ro!
I'm gonna talk about *you* in my weblog, so keep on reading!
Ale- | Homepage | 10.26.07 - 3:25 pm

Portuguese Bean Soup

Brrr...it's c-c-c-cold! And rainy. Gimme portuguese bean soup. Easyjet flights from Milan to Portugal are as low as 125€ rt (and I could eat a ½ dozen pasteis de belem!), but I'll satisfy yet another nostalgic taste from Hawaii right here in Italy.

Contrary to the previously posted recipe on patele stew, variations on this soup are profusely abundant online, so what would it hurt to add one more? The only distinction that sets mine apart from Hawaii is that I was able to use the "real thing" in regards to portuguese sausage -- chouriço picante that was purchased awhile back when I was eating my way around Lisbon and Porto. Also, the addition of cavolo nero or black cabbage (tuscan kale), rightly gives this soup a bit of an italian touch - not that the soup needs any embellishment. I simply like the added texture and goodness to be had from Tuscany's famous cabbage.

Recipe

1½ pounds smoked ham shanks, or ham hocks
10 cups water (2.4 liters)
1 tablespoon salt
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup tomato sauce
½ pound head cabbage, roughly chopped
2-3 large handfuls of roughly chopped tuscan kale tops
½ pound portuguese sausage, sliced into rounds and fried separately in a skillet
1 cup macaroni pasta, uncooked
1 (15 oz.) can red kidney beans, save liquid
a generous pinch of clove spice
salt and pepper

Place the ham shanks, water and salt in a large kettle. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the meat falls off the bone; about 2 hours. Remove and shred meat off the bone and chop the skin into pieces. Discard bone and return meat/skin to the kettle. Return to a simmer.

Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, carrots and potatoes. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes.

Next add tomato sauce, both cabbages, fried portuguese sausage and macaroni. Continue to simmer for another 15 minutes, then add the kidney beans and all of their liquid. Add a generous pinch of ground cloves and adjust salt and add pepper to taste. Simmer for a final 5 minutes and serve. Goes great with portuguese sweet rolls. Serves 8-10.

...you say ham shanks, I say stinco.

Smoked ham shanks in Italy run big, and this stinco affumicato is proof in the pork. At one and 3/4 pounds, it seems a steal at the equivalent of 2.26USD/lb.

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Saved comment(s)

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This Portuguese Bean Soup is right up my alley. I've been looking for the right, meaty recipe, and I think this one is a winner, especially with that smoked ham hock. Yum.
Christina | Homepage | 10.30.07 - 3:51 am

Thank you! This is a recipe I loved and lost years ago. I puree part of the beans, sometimes all of them, and float a thin lemon slice on top.
Judith in Umbria | Homepage | 10.26.07 - 11:42 am

The soup looks marvelous! I like the addition of kale. Thanks for your comment, by the way. I made kalua pig just last week. I've got a very simple, yummy slow cooker recipe which I can share with you if you're interested. No local should ever go without their kalua pig.
Larissa | Homepage | 10.26.07 - 7:33 am

Winter is just around the corner in England, and I love beans, and I love soup... so we have a real winner here. My family is going to love this recipe... thanks!
Jacob | Homepage | 10.25.07 - 11:36 pm

YUM! That sure looks goooooood! Don't know what's more delicious, the soup or the pretty picture... Hmmm, I now want to re-do my post and try to get you to do the Kitchen MeMe.
Roam 2 Rome | Homepage | 10.25.07 - 10:41 am

Wow! that lamb shank looks huge! and delicious :D I guess it's fine if it's cold but not when it's cold & wet. Unfortunately, the weather i have here is summer all year round. Perhaps, you might like having summer. But i do envy you for being able to experience 4 seasons.
piccola | 10.25.07 - 7:43 am

You best be getting to Hawaii where's its warm.
Carla | Homepage | 10.25.07 - 5:58 am

We're finally getting some rain here... but not cold yet. Your soup looks delicious! I love that kale, which around here is called dinosaur kale (or at least I've heard it's the same as cavolo nero).
Cathy | Homepage | 10.25.07 - 5:27 am

Buongiorno Rowena,
I've been taking short trips with you all over France via your blog. I love your blog! It makes me so homesick for Europe ... I wish I had known you while we were still in Germany! But I stopped dead in my tracks with your awesome video of the sheep! That was incredible that you had a video camera with you, Thanks for sharing that, it just made my whole day. I can't wait for my husband to get home so I can show him, too.

Ok, I'm continuing on my journey through your archives ... Hey, can I put your link on my site too? Thanks, manju
Manju | 10.25.07 - 3:06 am

Hope you are feeling better. That shot of the soup made me feel a bit homesick, but it looks ono!!
Kat | Homepage | 10.25.07 - 1:40 am

It's soup all round today! This looks delicious Rowena - really hearty!! Nice pic too.
lorraine@italianfoodies | Homepage | 10.24.07 - 11:02 pm

Wow! that looks ono! Hope all is well in Italy.
Laura | Homepage | 10.24.07 - 10:30 pm

Oooh, reminds me of home! I don't know if you ever went to Punahou carnival, but we had some pretty yummy portuguese bean soup. And I'm taking my husband to carnival when we go back home next year, yay! But maybe I'll need to try your recipe before we go, especially as it starts to get cold.
Natalie | Homepage | 10.24.07 - 10:19 pm

More soup! yum! i've been wanting to make some cavolo nero soup for a long time--this is definitely soup season! i hope that you are recovering from your cold!
Jackie | Homepage | 10.24.07 - 7:07 pm

Patele Stew Recipe

A taste of Hawaii in Italy. It's always around this time of year when the nostalgia for "comfort food" kicks in with great appetite. In particular, this flavorful stew of pork and grated bananas which I'm beginning to think is something found only in the Aloha State. Search results are sadly lacking on the how-to's of this island favorite, so I thought why not share the love? Patele (or pastele) is similiar to the mexican tamale, a savory filling of cooked pork wrapped in masa — a mixture of grated green bananas conditioned with achiote oil — which is then bundled in ti or banana leaves and boiled until done. Patele stew is a different take on that dish; a thick, textured, delectable mass that I could elaborate endlessly on how very ono-licious it is. Introduced by immigrants from Puerto Rico, no wonder cooks hesitate to share their family secrets online. Hawaii folks go nuts over wrapped patele, but since the process of making them requires time and effort, they're not an item that everyone chooses to prepare at home. Easier to buy, and diners in-the-know find the tasty bundles in small local eateries, on the menu of lunchwagons, and on tables, naturally, of puerto rican relatives.

Every family has their own method to preparing patele stew. I've adjusted the enormous catering measurements for the home kitchen, but be forewarned, it still makes quite a bit! The good thing about this stew is that it can be portioned and frozen for future meals. To serve, simply thaw and heat, thinning with water if necessary. Serves 8-10.

Patele Stew Recipe

This is a true work of love, as several steps go into the making. To simplify the process, prep the achiote oil and masa ahead of time. The oil keeps well in a cool place, and the masa can be frozen for several weeks.

2 pounds boneless pork butt, cubed about 3/4 inch (don't trim too much of the fat if any)
6 tablespoons achiote oil (recipe below)
1 large onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1½ tablespoons salt
2 bay leaves
1 cup chopped cilantro (I use the stems too)
½ cup tomato sauce
1 (15oz.) can pitted olives
10 cups water
1½ pounds masa (recipe below)
ground black pepper
extra freshly chopped cilantro for garnish

Cooking the stew:
In a very large pot or dutch oven, heat the 6 tablespoons of achiote oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, cumin, salt, bay leaves, cilantro and pork. Stir and cook for about 10 minutes, until onions have softened but not browned.

Next add the tomato sauce, olives and their liquid, and 4 cups of the water. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Now add the masa and the rest of the water (6 cups). Taste and adjust for salt. Cover and continue to simmer for 1 hour, stirring and checking from time to time to avoid scorching. The stew should thicken nicely, but if it looks to be too much, add a little water to thin. Season with freshly ground pepper. Serve over steaming white rice and garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.

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For the achiote oil:
2 oz. packet *achiote seeds (1/3 cup)
1 1/3 cup olive oil
Heat the achiote seeds and olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the oil has taken on the reddish color of the seeds. Cool and store in a tightly sealed jar.

For the masa:
4 - 5 large green bananas or plantains
½ cup achiote oil (see above)
salt to taste
Peel bananas and place in lightly salted water. I find that halving them lengthwise and using gloves makes the job easier (green bananas leave a sticky sap) . Grate on smallest opening of a food processor or cheese grater. In a bowl, combine grated bananas and achiote oil thoroughly, seasoning lightly with salt. Store in a heavy ziploc bag in the refrigerator, and use within 1-2 days, or freeze until needed.

Note: The tricks to making good masa are green bananas (and I mean firm, unripe green) and a grater that will allow you to achieve the proper texture. I do not suggest using the cutting blade of a food processor or blender; it will produce too coarse of a result (or too gritty if overdone). The smallest hole of an all-purpose kitchen grater should work. My sister's husband shared a nostalgic story of how his grandma used a tin plate that had been punctured with holes made from a nail. Necessity is always the mother of invention, no?

Related articles of interest:
Jackie's provides authentic Puerto Rican pastele - The Honolulu Advertiser
Pasteles de Masa, Pasteles de Yuca, Pasteles de Arroz - The Recipe Link
Saturday Farmers' Market at KCC - Kukui Sausage Company has pastele sausage?!?
Patele stew Topix discussion - View this thread

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Saved comment(s)

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Howzit Rowena,
Just catching up with your so interesting posts. Serious confession here, I lived years in Hawaii and never ate Patele! Woah... I don't have any Puerto Rican roots, so I never ate any of that. It does look great.. onolicious grinds. See you!
barbara | Homepage | 10.24.07 - 1:46 pm

It looks good and I would like to have some. It could be a good substitute for Andrea's Lasagna. Talk to you soon.
Tommaso | Homepage | 10.24.07 - 9:38 am

Looks intriguing and delicious Rowena, and I love that it's served at a place called "Jackie's" (although do you think that maybe "Jackie" makes a vegetarian version?) :-) I'm actually in the midst of the same comfort food stages with all of this cold weather coming in -- I love soups and stews!
Jackie | Homepage | 10.23.07 - 8:13 am

It sounds delicious Rowena! Does the green banana/plaintain just serve to thicken the stew or does it flavor it as well? Also, I was thinking maybe you could use a food mill for the bananas?
Cathy | Homepage | 10.23.07 - 4:39 am

Cathy, the bananas are like the starch (carbs!) part of the dish, but I guess you could say that it also acts as a thickening agent. It doesn't taste strongly of green bananas though -- which are sort of bland.

I don't think a food mill would work as very green bananas are rock solid. Peeling them is bad enough because they leave a sticky substance on your hands, but grating them manually is almost like having to grate a potato. Most cooks will enlist the help of family members to make the task much more efficient...fun!
~rowena~

You know, i use achiote powder for making grill chicken almost like El Pollo Loco chicken, a Mexican rotiserrie chicken fast-food joint, here in US (do you know it?) They come out yellow and pretty just like the original!
eliza | Homepage | 10.23.07 - 2:00 am

Oh yum. I've never heard of this dish before, but really want to try it out. I'll let you know when I do! Thanks for sharing this, Rowena.
Larissa | Homepage | 10.22.07 - 11:17 pm

You know, I've never tasted this before? Sounds delicious. And the lipstick plant brings back memories, my neighbor used to have it in their yard and we used to get scolding for getting all over our hands and clothes!!
Kat | Homepage | 10.22.07 - 2:19 pm

It's a fuggi fuggi!

Ok. Don't LAUGH at my omg-I-can't-believe-I'm-seeing-this-in-Italy-voice but yep, that's me all flabbergasted at encountering this enormous flock of sheep, goats and donkeys. Returning home from a bunch of errands, we were about to swerve up the driveway when my husband shouts "Look!" — All of sudden they were upon us, and as I beamed my most dazzling smile at the shepherd with an equally enthusiastic buongiorno!, the herd relentlessly pushed their way forward along the road. It seemed like a fuggi fuggi - a stampede - as they engulfed and jostled the car in a confusion of hooves, bleats - and poop. Fuggi fuggi (pronounced foo-jee foo-jee), sounds almost like...a muppet song?

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Saved comment(s)

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Just wanted to say that it was a great video; the flock is endless! I could hear you in the video.

I remember hubby & myself having the road going to the Mont Saint Michel being cut off by a herd of sheep (just a few). And having a troop of cows "swallow" our car up in another countryside. They are very memorable times and yes, we would NEVER, just NEVER see that in Hawaii!
barbara | Homepage | 10.24.07 - 1:51 pm

Fuggi fuggi may just be the best term for a stampede that I've ever heard, especially when the stampede is composed primarily of sheep and donkeys. I love this.

Doesn't running into something like this make you feel like there is still a whole lot of hope left on this planet? This summer while on our roadtrip, we had to wait to watch cowboys herd their cattle across the highway. I couldn't stop grinning for hours afterwards.

Thanks for sharing this with us.
Christina | Homepage | 10.23.07 - 5:35 am

omg, this is so fantastic! I love this! fuggi fuggi, very much like mahna mahna. ;-) - I think I'm gonna watch your little video a few more times... I love the sound of the sheep or goat bells. Thanks so much for capturing and sharing this!! It's made my day!
emily | Homepage | 10.23.07 - 3:13 am

Corona del Re

A pizza in the likeness of a crown — pizza fit for a king! In keeping with the festive spirit of Vigevano's Palio delle Contrade, subjects (loyal ones anyway) ordered this "speciale" of salsiccia, friarielli (peppers), ricotta, salame, prosciutto, mozzarella, eggplant, arugula (rocket) and flakes of grana cheese. This one was just a window display but if I were to judge from the aroma coming out of the kitchen, I'm sure this tasted great.

On the other hand, Friday (today) is always pizza day at the cafeteria where my husband works. [Says the pizza is junk.] I know he'll be ravenous when he returns home.

Since the month of October is National Pizza Month, it only seems fitting to post on unusual pizzas/pizza recipes that I've recently encountered. For example, this pancetta & banana pizza at Interwined was really good, even for the discerning palate of my husband (italians do have their own ideas on what works and what doesn't as a topping). Others include an "American" with a whole LOT of meat toppings + corn kernels + one raw egg in the middle. Major yuck and overkill, and I bet they snickered and laughed their heads off when I ordered it. Sh*t, I did!! I'm curious though, any pizza oddities to share? An unlikely combination to salivate over? I still have yet to try one of those pizza cones by Konopizza and follow that up with another - only the gelato kind. Have a Mahna Mahna w/e - whatever that means.

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Saved comment(s)

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There is truly no pizza better than a homemade one, with all the bits. I give this a 5 yummy award.
Carla | Homepage | 10.20.07 - 6:38 pm

Could that pizza look any more delicious? Fabulous. fabulous. fabulous.
casey | Homepage | 10.20.07 - 7:03 am

National Pizza Month?! That just sounds too good! Hmmm... I've recently tried a Turksih Pide, don't know if you can call that a version of the pizza? But it was really good.

When I was in SF, went to a restaurant called California Pizza Kitchen and had a garlic chicken pizza, totally great for the garlic lover that I am. Apparently, they used to have one with Peking Duck topping?...
Monique | Homepage | 10.20.07 - 6:39 am

What a great looking pizza! It really does look like a crown! National Pizza Month! Fantastic! I'm going to check out your pizza links. Also, that Mahna Mahna sketch is one of my absolute favorite muppet sketches! It always makes me laugh! Thanks for posting it! All day at work today I'll be thinking of this...haha!
emily | Homepage | 10.19.07 - 8:20 pm

I love that shape for pizza - it fits me. Jeni, did I say that? (You princess!) I must say that I love traditional toppings - prosiuctto, arugula, etc. I'm not much of an experimenter with pizza I'm afraid.
Jeni | Homepage | 10.19.07 - 5:33 pm

Man! I love the muppets! They also do "phenomenon". Do you think he was trying to say that? I'd really like to know how they form the dough when they make the crown pizza. It looks awesome.
Maryann@FindingLaDolceVita | Homepage | 10.19.07 - 1:37 pm

Gosh! I'm gonna have to order pizza for dinner after seeing this one! Here are some funky combos that are sold here:
tuna+corn
crab+mayo+mushroom+onion
mochi+leeks+nori+mayo+bacon
crab+potato+bacon+corn+onion+mayo+black pepper+parsley.
Loved that muppet snippet, brought back memories!
Kat | Homepage | 10.19.07 - 11:01 am

Sagra della Zucca "bertagnina"

Dorno, province of Pavia (Lombardia) — Q: When is a pumpkin more than just a pumpkin? A: When it's a bertagnina! This past weekend was to have been a veritable tasting event at the Sagra della Zucca Bertagnina, with the odd-shaped pumpkin presented in several ways: in risotto, ravioli, al forno (baked), agrodolce (sweet-sour), as a jam and in cakes. Unfortunately....we arrived way ahead of schedule (early bird gets the worm sort of thing) and with not much else to do except shop the market stalls, settled on buying one of those Berta babies to go. Still haven't decided how I'm going to prepare it.

The scoop on how it got its name is all in the looks.

The characteristic protuberance at the bottom sealed the deal for bertagnina, decidedly setting it apart from...the rest of the patch. Bertagnina probably came from bartò or bartòi which, in dornese dialect, signifies berretto, the flat cap that looks so adorable perched atop old men and ultra chic on thin parisian females. The one we purchased weighs 3½ pounds - about the size of a japanese kabocha. I'm thinking to save the seeds for the garden next year and cross my green thumbs for success. As for the sagra itself, we don't regret not sticking around for the food because of one reason: we already had some. Those market stalls I mentioned earlier? Always difficult to resist picking up a few things to bring home.

Baci di dorno (Dorno kisses): pumpkin and chocolate "truffles" coated in cocoa powder, crushed amaretti, or chocolate. They are addictive!


Again, that 'Nduja of which we're so crazy for. Our supply has been replenished.


Colorful contrast between the pepper flakes and capers.

World Bread Day '07: Pizza Secca ai Cereali

Update: World Bread Day '07 - The roundup is online!

Zorra's open invitation to participate in World Bread Day gave me good reason to put an end to the quest for pizza secca ai cereali, which loosely translated, is a plain pizza bottom made with cereal grains. This "quest" came about when a reader asked if I had knowledge of a type of flatbread by that name, and after subsequent replies and more info, decided that I'd find out for myself with a visit to the bakery in Sirolo (Marche) where she had tried it. The last end-of-the-day piece that I bought turned out to be not so much a "pizza" as we know it, but more like a thin focaccia. It tasted strongly of olive oil and sunflower seeds with a firm, chewy texture - surprisingly delicious given its rather humble appearance.

I've been playing around with this recipe for the past month, using different combinations of flours, grains, etc.. It can be rolled out thinly like a pizza to achieve that flatbread texture, or pressed into a pan for a thicker focaccia. Thick or thin, this makes a wholesome contrast to any filling but I like it best with a dipping mixture of 2 parts balsamic vinegar, 1 part extra-virgin olive oil, minced garlic, a good pinch of dried pepper flakes, herbs, salt and pepper. Leftovers are even better when toasted on a ridged cast iron griddle.

Recipe

3 tablespoons uncooked farro or multi-grain cereal mix
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup wholewheat flour
1½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons hulled sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
1½ teaspoons quick-rising yeast
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 tablespoons warm water

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and cook farro or cereal grains for about 30 minutes until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Combine the two flours, salt, sugar, sunflower and sesame seeds in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the cooked cereal grains, olive oil and water. Sprinkle the yeast over the water, allowing it to dissolve in the liquid.
3. Using your hands or a sturdy wooden spoon, mix everything until it comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead steadily for 10 minutes to develop the gluten. Lightly oil the exterior of your dough and place into a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise until doubled, 1½ to 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough into a 14½ x 8½ inch rectangle and place on a parchment-lined sheet. Let rest for 20 minutes then lightly dimple with your fingertips and drizzle olive oil over the top. If desired, sprinkle with fleur de sel. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown on the undersides. Makes 8 slices.

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Saved comment(s)

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That's funny about the michetta bread that you mentioned, since it looks also like what antonello calls "rosetta" bread, which he claims is from Rome. Hmmm...A "rosetta" by any other name?
Jackie | Homepage | 10.18.07 - 12:31 am

Hey Jackie! The michetta that dario knows is an "airy" type of roll...it reminds me of a cream puff shell because it has nothing inside! My italian food dictionary says there is a roll called rosetta which sounds like the same deal except that the rolls are from Venice?! I don't care much for michetta/rosetta as I like my bread to have well, uhm - bread - within. :-P
~rowena~ | 10.18.07 - 7:51 am

Hi Rowena,
Your bread looks yummy :-) I admire already anyone that makes their own bread. Breadmaking machines have become popular in France. But, it is probably not as rustic as mixing & pounding it yourself. I LOVE the different types of bread that you can buy in France.
barbara | Homepage | 10.17.07 - 8:35 pm

Taking World Bread Day a step further, I remembered an interesting mural that I took a picture of awhile ago. It's in the new parking lot in central Calolziocorte and the bread rolls depicted in the painting look like michetta (mee-KEH-tah), a traditional milanese bread with 5 sides and a button top. Click to enlarge.

~rowena~ | 10.17.07 - 12:25 pm

Looks yummy...and familiar! I think I bought something quite like it here in Macerata a few months back. It would be interesting to try the original in Sirolo--what a pilgrimage!
Jackie | Homepage | 10.17.07 - 11:40 am

It looks delicious! I like the griddle marks too.
myra | Homepage | 10.17.07 - 7:31 am

Oh, that looks good! I'm going to have to try it - thanks for all your hard work on the recipe! Reminds me of something we got in Lucca at a busy little bakery. There was a pan of little crusty flat squares of bread (not whole grain, though) that everyone was asking for, so when my turn came I pointed and said cinque (one for each of us). It was amazing! They didn't charge me for it, so it wasn't on my receipt and I have no idea what it was. I'm guessing schiacciata or foccacia, but whatever it was I'll never forget it or that bakery!
Cathy | Homepage | 10.17.07 - 3:40 am

Wow, you went through a lot of trials, it looks delicious! great entry!
Kat | Homepage | 10.17.07 - 2:13 am

You're my hero. I can't wait to try it.
Tracy Hewat | 10.17.07 - 2:11 am

Love it. So simple. Your bread looks so wholesome and I like the griddle marks in the photo. I'll try this :-)
Maryann | Homepage | 10.16.07 - 2:49 pm

Hiking the big one: The Resegone of Lecco

To unknowing eyes these veiled peaks could easily be construed as Mystery Mountain, but speaking just for myself, the Resegone at close range is, in a word, staggering. To get an inkling of what I'm talking about, you really need to see this magnificent range from a distance, and images that I've found on Trip to Monte Resegone does a fine job with large picture files. With perfect fall weather this past Saturday, we packed 'nduja sandwiches, a couple of granola bars and set out on trail #11 which leads through Valle della Gallavessa towards the Resegone. This particular path commences at the end of the road from the secluded village of Erve (559 meters) and zigzags upwards at a steady pace, reaching the southern foot of Resegone and Rifugio Monzesi in about 2-2½ hours (1173 meters). The peak, or la vetta, reaches a height of 1875 meters (6151 feet) — we'll gladly leave that 2 hour climb to the maniacs. The trail marker labels #11 as facile (easy). Easy my butt! For goats perhaps, as the difference between beginning and end amounts to 614 meters. That's 2014 feet fyi. A cardiovascular exercise on the way up, and a real workout for the calves on the return trip down, even with the use of hiking poles. For the dog it was just another walk in the park.

As it turned out, there were goats on the trail...


Rifugio Monzesi

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The scenery on this hike isn't as spectacular as those with a clear view of the lake but it's a pleasant walk in the fall when the season turns everything into warm autumn colors. Just past the donkey bridge (Ponte del Bruco), there's a natural water source named San Carlo. It spouts out from a deep source within and there's a metal cup attached to the rocks--handy for weary hikers wanting to quench their thirst.
~rowena~ | 10.16.07 - 2:14 pm


Goats! I have yet to see a goat in real life! They look almost mystical to me, like characters out of Harry Potter! Maddie, of course, is darling as always. She never fails to put a smile on my face!
Kathy | Homepage | 10.16.07 - 5:29 am

That's an awesome hike. Well ~ at least it was worth the hike up and down right? Maddie seems to be having it easy. The bread you had 'Nduja looks delicious.
piccola | 10.16.07 - 4:48 am

I checked out the link in your post and it mentioned a cable car. Cable car my a**! I'll stay on the ground thank you very much! That's one mighty mountain! Love that goat on the left. What an expression!
Maryann | Homepage | 10.16.07 - 1:12 am

Wow - that is beautiful! I calculated that going up 2014 feet in two hours means going up one foot every three and a half seconds or so - that's almost like walking up stairs only the footing isn't so good! I was looking for Maddie posing amongst the goats, but I guess didn't make their acquaintance?
Cathy | Homepage | 10.16.07 - 12:14 am

Mystery donkey deaths at Castelbuono

Aww..I hope you heard that, she called me a noble steed.

I don't usually like to share less than cheerful news, but given my obvious affection for the film Shrek and its main characters, it seems appropriate to post about a tv segment this past Wednesday which alerted me to the mysterious deaths of three donkeys in Castelbuono. This town is in fact, where we stayed in anticipation for the sicilian wedding and of all the things that I had written about, the one that I neglected to include were Castelbuono's recently implemented protagonists of refuse management — donkeys. Why? For one, I didn't take a photo when I had the chance, and two, a working ass as subject material just didn't seem to fit in with gelato breakfasts and italian matrimonial couples. Period.

My mistake, as now the puzzle surrounding the demise of these beasts, all within several hours of each other, gives cause for speculation. I think they're cute. Heck, at one point I even impulsively begged my husband for a donkey in the yard. It bothers me to think that perhaps the animals died from coming in contact with something toxic in the course of their work, or pray it's not true, from some sick bastard that didn't agree with the idea of donkeys doing a "(hu)man's job".

If you're interested in initial reports when these environmentally-friendly trash collectors first came onto the scene, follow the link to ABC News. My first thought upon encountering them was "great idea", and would welcome the same if it were proposed in our little community. However not all citizens of Castelbuono share similiar sentiments. At the very end in the video, an old woman declares that for her, the donkeys - it doesn't work. Heehaw. Everyone is entitled to their own stubborn opinion.

Questi asini, per me non vanno!"

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Sad that someone killed those donkeys. I think it is great that the donkeys can help save $$ and the use of fossil fuels to collect the garbage.
Kat | Homepage | 10.12.07 - 12:51 pm

Hi Rowena,
That is a first for me; donkeys working as trash pickup carriers! I'm sorry to hear that they all died. What could have happened? Shame on anyone that would kill these poor animals for whatever twisted reason.
barbara | Homepage | 10.12.07 - 8:15 am

With a title like that, I knew I had to read it. It sounds very suspicious, but like I said in my post about the fires..that was the way the Italian Mafia got more jobs in the Forestry dept until they put a moratorium on hiring - there's actually a law saying they won't hire more people if there are more fires! Wouldn't surprise me if they are punishing donkeys now.
Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy | Homepage | 10.12.07 - 6:10 am

'Nduja will do ya

Eh... or maybe not. It all depends on how much "heat" you can handle when it comes to spicy anything. 'Nduja, a spreadable salsiccia that even has its own Sagra della ‘Nduja, comes from the southern region of Calabria yet occasionally finds its way up north at market stands. What's left of the one above came from the calabrese cheese stall at the Slow Food fair we'd recently attended last month. Judging from the ingredient list (25% calabrian hot peppers!), I was ready to commence howling as soon as my papillae reacted to the capsaicin, but super hot it is not. Spicy yes, with a fantastic peperoncino flavor that goes swell on a pizza margherita, or sandwiched with spinach and cheese between a thin focaccia. To some it might seem weird to be peeling off the thin casing (don't fuss, it's not raw pork!), but using a bit of that in a ragu with sauteed onion, chopped tomatoes and a minced hot pepper will make plain ol' rigatoni w/pasta sauce look like two left feet on the dance floor. I swear it makes me want to do the salsa. Piccante not your thing? That's alright. On a scale of 1 to 5 with the lowest being 'would rather have ice cubes in my mouth(!)', I sit on the opposite end with a shirt that reads 'I'm a fire-breathing dragon in disguise'. Either that qualifies me as a Spice Girl or I should've been a firefighter.

Cereal-grain flatbread with 'nduja, cream cheese and spinach

Festa delle Giuggiole

Arquà Petrarca (Veneto) - They resemble a cross between an olive and a date, but giuggiole [JOO-joh-leh] were the celebrated fruit of the Festa delle Giuggiole yesterday. Held at the thirteenth century hamlet of Arquà Petrarca on the 7th and 14th of this month, this is the first time I've seen or heard of this exotic fruit. In english, giuggiola (sing.) turns out to be none other than jujube, or chinese red dates, even though with 400 cultivars to choose from, I've no idea which one(s) grows so prolifically in this part of Italy. Vendors at the event sold everything from baked goods, preserves and liqueurs made with jujube. Fruit and vegetable purveyors cheerfully scooped them into bags for about 3- 4 euros/kilo and offered samples to curious onlookers. They taste somewhat like an apple when not completely ripened and are said to be much sweeter like dates when matured. If not for the pesky stone, I'd agree with them better. The ones that we purchased are in the half-ripe stage so I'm letting them sit in hopes of developing better flavor.

Oddly enough, on today's broadcast of La Prova del Cuoco (an italian cooking show), giuggiole was featured in two traditional recipes which appeared to have won tastebud approval from program host Antonella Clerici. The first was a homemade strudel (combining salsiccia, white grapes, giuggiole, and pecorino for a savory/sweet filling), and the second was a fruit-enhanced soup called Brodo di giuggiole.

Another thing I like about these smalltown celebrations is being able to get a hold of local produce that is otherwise not available in a neighboring region. Veneto has got it down when it comes to growing melagrane and I snagged a large sack of pomegranates for only 5.50 euros! In the photo I've positioned a large egg to give an idea of how HUGE one of the fruits are. No special name to distinguish size or variety but in my opinion, that has got to be Big Mama pomegranate.

The gelato combo for this double-scoop cone is uva fragola (concord grape) and jujube. The intense, grape candy flavor really came through here, making the latter pale in comparison. Apart from all of the sweet concoctions, cheap meals in the form of panini sandwiches and wine rounded out the menu, as in this one here written in dialect. Thumbs up to italophiles who can figure it out!

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I always get a look at your top photo before any of the text is visible (I have to scroll down), so I'm looking at this photo thinking, olives? no, maybe dates? So yes, they do look like across between dates and olives! I have never had a chance to try a jujube by any name, but am wondering now if I might ever find them around here. I'll look forward to your experiments nonetheless!
Cathy | Homepage | 10.10.07 - 5:12 am

Yeah! More fabulous festivals! These look like they deserved the celebration. I am going to have to keep my eyes open next time I'm in Chinatown. I'd have to say from my gelato experience, limited as it is, giuggiole gelato sounds so fabulous! Looking forward to your experiments. Also, in response to the pomegranates, WOW!
emily | Homepage | 10.10.07 - 1:33 am

I love giuggiole! i never knew they actually had a translation in English though! This sagra sounds fun...a fruit sagra is kind of rare, isn't it? The uva fragola gelato takes the cake here for me, though--looking at the picture, I can just imagine how tasty it was. Yum!

About pomegrantes--I see them growing ALL OVER here, but they never sell them in the stores, or at least the ones that they DO sell seem to come from Spain. Weird. Anyway, next time I'm out for a run, I'm thinking of picking one from one of the trees I run by...if i do it quick enough, maybe the owners won't notice :-)
Jackie | Homepage | 10.09.07 - 8:57 pm

Ahaaa..... you've discovered something I wrote about in one of my very first blog posts!! I have some info and recipes here - And the pomegranates are HUMONGOUS this year aren't they???
Kim H | Homepage | 10.09.07 - 1:12 pm

Wow, I've never heard of giuggiola! I'll have to keep my eye out...the ice cream sounds interesting (though I'd love to try the grape!)
Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy | Homepage | 10.09.07 - 6:28 am

Hey you were in my husbands 'hood! =) He grew up in those hills. I love Arqua Petrarca, I think its such a quaint village. And I am so glad you posted a pic of giuggiole. He has talked about the fruit alot but I have never seen one and had no idea thats what they looked like. Can't wait to see how the recipes turn out.

Too bad I don't live there yet - we could've met up!
stacy | Homepage | 10.09.07 - 3:34 am

That IS a big pomegranate! I love these posts you do about things I've never heard of. Thanks Rowena.
Maryann | Homepage | 10.09.07 - 2:45 am

Lots of red dates. There is a house on my walk to the supermarket that has a tree. On it, they have a sign, "help yourself"! That is one bambucha pomegranate!
Kat | Homepage | 10.09.07 - 1:37 am

Bostrengo

Pork blood, boiled rice, chocolate, and dried fruit are said to be the original ingredients for this humble dessert, but as with most things, tastes and personal preference do change with time. I sampled a version of this at the Sagra del Bostrengo in Marche only to be left feeling somewhat...disappointed. Still a bit curious though, I wanted to give it a try at home.

To begin with, the results were very much different from the dense, bread pudding-like offering at the sagra. In terms of texture, a fair amount of rice, pine nuts, and zero flour gives a large crumb and a distinct chew. The flavor was the only part to remain pretty much the same — chocolate, sweet figs, citrus — ok even for the second time around, but not something that I'd likely make again. (Although warmed for a few seconds in the micro and served with a scoop of Grom vanilla gelato is dah BOMB!). Since it contains no flour and honey may be used as a substitute for the sugar, I'm including a recipe in the interest for those with dietary restrictions.

Bostrengo

3/4 cup risotto rice
1 cup milk (whole or skim)
4 cups water
½ cup granulated sugar or ¼ cup honey (your preference)
1 large egg, beaten well
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons golden raisins
3 dried figs, chopped
grated zest of 1/4 orange
grated zest of 1/4 lemon
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted
1/4 cup espresso or strong coffee

1. Bring the milk and water to a boil; add the rice and cook for 15-18 minutes until al dente, stirring frequently to avoid scorching the bottom. Drain rice grains and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients thoroughly, add the drained rice and stir to blend well. Pour the mixture into an 8 to 9-inch baking pan which has been lined with parchment and brushed with butter. Place on the middle oven rack and bake for 50-55 minutes or until the top forms a visible crust. Remove and cool completely before serving with a dusting of confectioner's sugar.

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Oooo, that's so interesting (in a good way!) - would it be like a cross between bread and rice pudding? or am I totally off? lol The pork blood is also an interesting addition, though I don't think I'd be brave enough to add it if I tried to make it myself, hehe. Grom just opened up a location in nyc, I'll have to make a trip up there soon!
Kathy | Homepage | 10.07.07 - 9:30 am

What a relief to read that you didn't include pork blood in the cake! :-) It's a gorgeous cake and the one I've never tried before. Guess when you're living in Italy, the cake is bound to be almost always something delicious.
eliza | Homepage | 10.07.07 - 6:48 am

That photo is gorgeous - your bostrengo sure looks delicious! I did stop short when I started reading your post, though, pork blood? What a relief that particular ingredient has fallen from favor. I'm ever so much fonder of good old milk and eggs, etc!
Cathy | Homepage | 10.07.07 - 3:07 am

Whoa, holy cannoli the chocolate filled cannolis make my knees weak and I'm swooning! That must have been quite a treat... Loved the funny worm posting too, strange looking little piles of poops! And this bostrengo, which I have never heard of before, sounds and looks so good. I am very fond of textury things and might heat up the old oven (something I rarely do) to give it a try!
sandy | Homepage | 10.06.07 - 12:40 am

We've got...worms? Yes we do.

Update: Thanks to Cathy's comment, I dug up a few answers on the mysterious pile of dirt in the form of (not to mince words here) worm poop. Whichever way you want to see it, worm castings, worm excrement, or vermicast is what it all heaps up to which translates to good news for the yard. Makes sense though...with the heavy amount of rain we had earlier this week, I noticed large worms on the street (unfortunate road kill) and thought nothing of it although now I can presume that they were crawlers flooded from the ground.

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Puttering around the yard lately, I've noticed an increase in these little "dirt mounds" in the yard/garden. I don't think there's a mole amuck; the piles of earth aren't significant enough. Still, I wish that I could be sure of the culprit. With tulip and narcissus bulbs going into the ground soon, the last thing we need is something destroying my potential flowers. Already had that problem when Maddie was the flowerpot vandal, and then again much later, when she discovered that biting off the new blooms was a heck of a lot more fun.

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Very interesting... you'll have to post an update when you finally figure it out! Looks like the dirt is being spit or excreted or something rather than kicked/pushed out, so I wouldn't think mole either. Besides, I've had moles and I don't remember seeing holes - just tunnels and plants missing their entire root systems!
Cathy | Homepage | 10.05.07 - 4:54 am

How do they get that choco-coating inside the cannoli shell?

Cannolo made to order -- not your everyday dessert.

Good question; and the very same thing that I wondered when spying a display of cannoli shells with chocolate-coated insides. Expanding on the previous cheese fair post, one food stand to attract much attention was sicilian cannoli. At 2.50 euros a piece, there was a crush of people waiting to bite into a sugar-dusted beauty like the one above, and in the image immediately below, you see the makeshift production line with the large flat of ricotta to the left. A sole pastrychef filled plain shells as fast as he could while an assistant dipped the ends into chopped nuts before finally giving it a generous sprinkling of powdered sugar.

As for the shells coated with chocolate on the inside? Those were merely a display but the tricks-of-the-trade were demonstrated via video on a nearby tv screen. Randomly choosing one of the many cannoli recipes to be found online, I gave it a try and it works! (Well, sort of). Here are the results while messing around in the kitchen on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Frying the shells until half done.


Drained, slightly cooled shells with a piece of semi-sweet chocolate tucked inside, ready to be slipped back into the hot oil and refried until crisply done. In the demo, it was clear that they used chocolate batons. I've worked with the dark chocolate sticks before at a bakery (for making chocolate-filled croissants), but have never seen them readily available at the market.


Voila! Just like magic huh? Right. Let's backup a step.


In the video I watched up to the point where they slip the baton-filled cannoli into a bath of bubbling oil and that was it. The "theory" that I had about the improbable method: chocolate melts, expands, and coats the inside. Not the case for me. I rolled the shells over in the oil to evenly brown the outside, but the chocolate within went nowhere. It simply stayed put. After removing the shells to drain on paper towels, I used a palette knife to spread the softened chocolate around evenly. There was actually an excess to be scraped out. Another downside is that minute granules of melted chocolate remained in the oil, so if there should be more than say...a dozen shells to fry, the risk of those burned bits affecting the oil might be something to consider.

Still, and on a very positive note, the shells tasted great. Light, crisp, and no taste of burnt chocolate!! We ate them as is, not having any fresh ricotta on hand, but I have no doubt that these shells would've been 10x better had they been filled 'al momento' on the spot.

Useful links:
Cannoli recipe used: http://bitsyskitchen.com/italian24.html
Cannoli step-by-step: Mister Carota's sicilian cannoli (italian)

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That looks absolutely divine!!! Is there a place where I can mail order those things? I'd like a whole box please, shipped right to my door.
Carla | Homepage | 10.04.07 - 6:26 am

Wish I could get some testimony on these (Cannoli By Mail or Golden Cannoli Shells) but they look like pretty good sources even though the latter is not yet available online as of this date.
~rowena~

omigosh! BEST POST EVER!!!!!!!!!! I love it! Everything from the first photo to the last - Rowena, you're so talented! :-) and you got me craving a cannoli (and regretting I didn't get one at the Italian pastry shop last night!)...oh man.
Kathy | Homepage | 10.03.07 - 5:26 am

Wow - I'll take 10 please! I love cannoli, I kept every restaurant and pastry shop in Taormina in business last year when I was there. I was also 6 months pregnant which didn't help :-)
lorraine@italianfoodies | Homepage | 10.03.07 - 12:26 am

This looks absolutely delicious! So they had a video explaining how they made them? You are quite right, chocolate doesn't magically expand. This was too yummy...
Farfallina... | Homepage | 10.02.07 - 7:42 am

Fantastic! These cannoli shells look so delicious! Also, since I've been rather absent, I have to say the pictures of the cheese were great shots! Makes me want to eat some. And the Big Pink Bunny! I'm so glad you visited, because I heard about this a few years ago, when they did the installation. So to see it, two years later with grass growing out of it's knee and a shrunken stomache, brought some giggles to my day. Great posts!! Thanks!
emily | Homepage | 10.02.07 - 4:47 am

I was gonna say coat your piping bag with chocolate then add the cream, so when you pipe the cream into the shell, the chocolate would be on the outside of the cream, but on the inside of the shell...
Kat | Homepage | 10.02.07 - 1:12 am

If I had to put it on the inside, I think I would use the chocolate that forms a hard shell on ice cream. Do you get that in Italy? Then you could just squeeze some in neatly. It would harden in a minute, and voila! Good try though, they still look delicious.
Maryann | Homepage | 10.02.07 - 12:15 am

yum!!! I've been planning to make cannoli ever since I got back from Sicily - I even bought those tube things. But you know me and deep fat frying... Speaking of which, it looks like you used just an inch of oil or so - is that right? That would make me much more comfortable with the whole idea. Also, having done it this way, are you convinced it's necessary to melt the chocolate in the cannoli and in the oil? Would it work just as well to spoon in some melted chocolate and smear it around? No matter how you did it, though, they look pretty darn good!
Cathy | Homepage | 10.01.07 - 10:57 pm

Regarding (chocolate coating) outside vs. inside, here is what a source stated: "The wafers are prepared with a coating of chocolate inside to stop the wafer from becoming moist."

Trying offering soggy cannoli to guests...so not cool. And whether it's Magic Shell or plain ol' melted, a pastry brush or small palette knife to smear the chocolate around seems the best way to go. Although it takes the fun out of refrying the shells(!), no excess chocolate will go to waste.
~rowena~

Wow that is really a treat which you are holding in your hand. And such a wonderful step-by-step instruction thankyou.
Happy Cook | Homepage | 10.01.07 - 4:51 pm

A quick note about the chocolate-in-the-inside cannoli shells:
As Susan states below, the usual method is to add mini chocolate chips to sweetened ricotta, or a drizzling of melted chocolate over the shells works just as well. The "big deal" between the two of course is something that only chocoholics might be able to understand. Plus, if you're able to pull it off, your guests will be bugging you for the secret all night long!
~rowena~

What a timely subject! I just came back from a quick trip to Boston, where I had the best cannoli I've ever tasted (although I haven't tasted many). It has inspired my newest mission: finding my favorite cannoli in NYC's Little Italy. Oooh, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!
Natalie | Homepage | 10.01.07 - 3:47 pm

What a job! I think you were right to spread the melting chocolate yourself, otherwise I'm imagining hot bubbling choclate oil, yuck! Maybe a simpleton's question: What about just adding mini semi-sweet chocolate chips to the ricotta along with a few candite? That's the way they serve 'em in Chicago. Is there a distinct benefit to the chocolate coating?
Susan in Italy | Homepage | 10.01.07 - 3:31 pm