Italian food

I lived in Italy for a year and learned a thing or two about tiramisu and ragu.

eggplant ragu… on soft polenta.

02/16/2012 | 1 Comment | Topics: entree, food., Italian food

I teach cooking classes at a nearby cooking school. It isn’t uncommon to have class participants who are vegetarian, gluten-free and/or have food allergies or restrictions. Offering substitutes or alternative dishes—aka accommodating those needs—is part and parcel to being a chef. Sometimes during an iron chef event, we have a whole team dubbed ‘vegetarian.’ For example: a group of 60 might be participating in an iron chef event—each team… [more]

gnocchi. and why it is your friend.

01/03/2012 | 3 Comments | Topics: food., Italian food, starch

I have been teaching a lot of gnocchi-making classes lately. I adore traditional gnocchi made with waxy, yellow potatoes (nope: don’t use russets/baking potatoes). Though sweet potato gnocchi is wildly popular and the other day a plate of beet gnocchi made me smile—I am still a sucker for classic potato. Gnocchi lend themselves to a myriad of dishes, and are a fantastic candidate for… [more]

risotto. with winter vegetables.

12/10/2011 | Leave a comment! | Topics: Italian food, starch, vegetables

Living in Italy for a year meant I had a lot of time to focus on food, roam food markets and notice which foods ‘grew together’ at different times of the year. Right now any combination of winter vegetables would happily co-mingle on top of a plate of risotto. Kale and chard, carrots, brussel sprouts and onions… winter squash, yams, sweet potatoes. Toss in some raisins or nuts for… [more]

thanksgiving dish re-invented: sweet potato goes gnocchi

11/21/2011 | 9 Comments | Topics: holidays, Italian food, starch

I actually teach gnocchi-making, and sweet potato gnocchi is one of my favorite variations. The recipe is inspired by fellow Chef Iole. You pronounce it /ee oh lay/ and yes: she is Italian. You may or may not know this about me, but I have a great affinity for Italian food. It is one of my specialties; I like to tell people that living in Italy for a year… [more]

DaVinci Wine Cookbook: page 9 [of 10] DOLCI

10/09/2011 | 1 Comment | Topics: DaVinci Wine, dessert, Italian food

Dolci. Dessert in Tuscany is often a simple cake, a fruit tart or cookies. Chocolate shows up too, but my experience with dessert is beverage-forward: Grappa or Vin Santo (sweet white wine) and always espresso. Once you have the drink down and are wholly satiated on the aforementioned multi-course meal, dessert is more of an excuse to stretch time and good conversation than showcasing multi-tiered dessert cakes or layers… [more]

DaVinci Wine Cookbook: page 8 [of 10] CONTORNI

10/08/2011 | Leave a comment! | Topics: DaVinci Wine, Italian food

Contorni. Meals are often accompanied by a plate of tenderly cooked garbanzo or cannellini beans, a dish of sautéed-with-garlic spinach or grilled mixed vegetables (tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and asparagus are common). At nearly every meal, we enjoyed a plate of cannellini beans, perfectly cooked then seasoned with the best-quality olive oil and liberal grinds of salt and pepper. I tried my hand at making this white-bean side—and now you… [more]

DaVinci Wine Cookbook: page 7 [of 10] SECONDI

10/07/2011 | 1 Comment | Topics: DaVinci Wine, entree, Italian food

Secondi. The second coarse is the main coarse of the meal: the protein climax. This is where you pull out the big forks and knives to dive into wild boar stew, tuna steaks, and fish or sausage nestled in a bed of cannellini beans with garlicky tomato sauce. This was when we were already happily stuffed to the gills with big samplings of salami and pecorino, chicken liver pate,… [more]

DaVinci Wine Cookbook: page 6 [of 10] PRIMI

10/06/2011 | Leave a comment! | Topics: DaVinci Wine, Italian food, starch

Primi. The ‘first course’ is generally a starch. Italians spread out their courses, so no two things go on a plate. Contorni are the sides, salad is separate and pasta stands alone. No piling multiple things—in Italy each course is deserving of its own plate. The Primi coarse includes everything from pasta (with ragu, seafood or just garlic and oil) to risottos, polenta, gnocchi and gnudi. Gnocchi are olive-size… [more]

DaVinci Wine Cookbook: page 5 [of 10] ZUPPA & INSALATA

10/05/2011 | Leave a comment! | Topics: DaVinci Wine, Italian food, salad, soups

Zuppa e Insalata. The soup and salad course is not to be missed: salads are home to seasonal greens plus seafood and all the trimmings—or simply lettuces with high quality olive oil, salt and pepper. A quintessential soup of Tuscany—and born out of a peasant’s kitchen—is called ribollita. Ribollita can take on many forms, from thin and broth-like to thick like stew. Its signature ingredients include day old bread,… [more]

DaVinci Wine Cookbook: page 4 [of 10] ANTIPASTI

10/04/2011 | 4 Comments | Topics: DaVinci Wine, Italian food, starters

THE RECIPES. To fully embrace the Montalbano region (of Chianti): buy some DaVinci Chianti (Trader Joe’s carries it—and many others), then make some of these recipes. And don’t worry if you aren’t used to zucchini flowers, haven’t cooked with rabbit and can’t find wild boar: I’ve got you covered. You can substitute beef for boar, zucchini flowers are easier than you think, and to Italians: eating rabbit is as… [more]