Quatro Fromaggio and Other Disgraces on the Menu

Italian Myths

2012-02-12T15:22:00.000-08:00

This article is about "Italian" products that don't actually exist in Italy - true myths like Spaghetti with meatballs (an Italian-American creation), Caesar salad and Italian soda (successful inventions of Italian immigrants), Fettuccini Alfredo, Italian wedding soup and "Al fresco" dining (specific Italian items mistaken as traditional).

Despite their Italian roots, these products don't represent today's Italian dining and, in that regard, they can't be considered as authentic. However, they are historically important and offer interesting clues on the North American interpretation of Italian food... read more

Egg Pasta with Green Beans and Mushrooms

2012-02-02T10:23:00.000-08:00

Here is another vegetarian recipe with amazing depth of flavors. The earthiness of the mushrooms perfectly marries with the green beans, which also add texture to the dish. But the secret star of the show is the wine - its complex aroma is essential to bringing all the flavors together, as it often does in Italian cuisine.

This all-season pasta sauce can be prepared quickly, almost as the pasta boils, and it makes for a satisfying dish that is also beautiful to serve... read more

Canederli, the Italian Knödel

2012-01-22T11:06:00.000-08:00

Canederli are bread dumplings only found in the north-east of Italy (Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli, and part of Veneto), where they are served as a first course or as a main entree. Variations of canederli are common in all south-eastern Europe, where they are also served as an accompaniment to meat stews and roasts. The word 'canederli', in fact, derives from the German and Austrian 'knödel' (dumplings)... read more

Pasta Calendar Quiz - The Results!

2012-01-14T21:11:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all who played the Pasta Calendar Quiz. If you're like me and like numbers, you may enjoy this quick update. Spoiler warning! This post will give the correct answers.

Surprisingly only 43% of the people who played answered correctly to all questions. Another 25% did quite well, though, with just 1 error, 21% made 2 mistakes, 9% made 3, and 2% made 4. Nobody got them all wrong... read more

Amaretti and Amaretto

2012-01-11T22:36:00.000-08:00

Amaretti cookies and Amaretto liqueur are both well known in Italy, and have been gaining popularity worldwide. The word 'amaretto' comes from the Italian 'amaro' (bitter) in reference to the sharp flavor of bitter almonds. Despite the name, both products are predominantly sweet, and their bitterness only enhances the flavor depth. Amaretti cookies are a treat to eat on their own, or they are used as an ingredient in desserts and even in some savory dishes. The Amaretto liqueur is a classic accompaniment to coffee at the end of a meal, or used in cocktails, long drinks and to flavor hot chocolate. This article considers both the cookie and the liqueur, starting from their key ingredient: bitter almonds... read more

Polenta Taragna

2012-01-04T08:34:00.000-08:00

In previous posts, we talked about Cucina Povera, the cuisine of the poor, now becoming "fashionable" in high-end restaurants. This is the case also for polenta - one of the simplest dishes ever conceived.

Now traditionally made with cornmeal, different types of polenta have been feeding the masses since Roman times, well before the discovery of the Americas and the subsequent introduction of corn into Europe. Earlier polentas were made with millet, rye, spelt, barley, chickpeas, chestnuts or wheat flours... read more

Caldarroste (Roasted Chestnuts)

2011-12-23T08:05:00.000-08:00

Nicknamed 'caldarroste' in Italian, roasted chestnuts are a great segue in the series of seasonal classics. Traditionally, caldarroste are fire-roasted in a holed pan, but they can also be made at home - in the oven or, as described in this recipe, on the stove... read more

Pasta Calendar 2012

2011-12-16T23:29:00.001-08:00

Pasta shapes are aesthetically pleasing. They are warm, they're playful, even comforting. And they have interesting names, if you think about it. In the Pasta Names Explained article, I went through the most common pasta cuts and gave an explanation of the origin of their names in the form of a literal translation.

As 2011 wraps up, I decided to create a downloadable Pasta Calendar 2012, featuring 12 high resolution pictures of some of the most interesting types of pasta - one for each month of the year. The calendar (available with Australian, Canadian, Italian, US, or UK holidays) is free for everyone, but to download your copy you will have to answer a simple quiz :). It's really just for fun - I hope you'll enjoy the game and that you'll like the calendar. Happy Holidays!

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Vin Brulé (Mulled Wine)

2011-12-09T08:09:00.000-08:00

Most European countries have their variation of the British mulled wine, a drink made with red wine and spices, served hot during winter. Northern Italy's version, popular around Christmas and especially in Christmas markets, is called Vin Brulé (from the French word brûlé, burnt).

The practice of mulling wine goes back to medieval times, probably as a way to use up low quality or spoiled wines. Mulled wine has then remained popular as a comforting winter drink and as a remedy for colds and flus. Its curative effects have then found confirmation in the anti-inflammatory properties of red wine and in the high content of antiseptics and antioxidants of cloves and cinnamon... read more

Pomegranate with Grappa

2011-11-10T00:05:00.000-08:00

If you've only tasted grappa a few times and you found it a bit too dry, you will enjoy this spectacular after-dinner treat of pomegranate seeds soaked in pure grappa.

The sweetness and the tartness of the pomegranate perfectly balance the harshness of the grappa, which becomes sweeter and more palatable. In return, the grappa lends some of its alcohol to the seeds, giving them a pleasant "kick"... read more

Search Queries

2011-11-03T08:58:00.000-07:00

One of the most interesting aspects of keeping a blog is to look up the statistics on how people come across it. Aside from being referred by other websites, many visitors stumble upon the blog by using search engines. When they do, the exact sentence that they typed in into the search bar is collected in the statistics (although anonymized).

This atypical post contains the verbatim transcripts of some of the most interesting search queries that I have seen over the 15 months of running Quatro Fromaggio and Other Disgraces on the Menu. Some of these queries led to relevant articles and hopefully the visitors found them interesting. Some other queries instead brought up pages that did not satisfy the visitor at all. For some of those, this post also tries to provide some answers. In a way, this post was written by the viewers themselves! ... read more

Baked Shells Pasta with Ricotta and Spinach

2011-10-24T22:07:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in the Pasta 101 article, baked pastas have an important role in Italian cuisine. For this cooking style, larger cuts of pasta are layered or stuffed with filling and baked in a pan along with a sauce. The most known examples are lasagna (sheets of egg noodles, layered with Bolognese sauce and Parmesan), and cannelloni (pasta tubes with ricotta and spinach or meat filling, covered in béchamel and/or tomato sauce)

The Boom of Limoncello

2011-10-20T07:10:00.000-07:00

Limoncello (pronounced: lee-mon-chel-low) is a sweet lemon-flavored liqueur made by soaking lemon peel in pure alcohol to extract its aromatic oils. Straight chilled limoncello is served after dinner as a digestive, or to accompany a dessert. When mixed with tonic water or sparkling white wine, limoncello can also make for a refreshing aperitif.

The origins of limoncello
Lemons made their first entrance in the Mediterranean region as early as 100 BCE. Around 1000 CE cultivated lemon trees were common in Italy, especially in the regions of Sicily, Calabria, Campania, Sardinia and Liguria. Despite the availability of lemons and a proven Italian tradition in liqueur production, it took until the beginning of the 20^th century... read more

Spaghetti alla Norma

2011-10-13T22:00:00.000-07:00

Pasta alla Norma is a staple Italian first course almost unknown in North America. The dish, native to Sicily, is especially known in southern Italy, but can be found all around the country.

Alla Norma sauce (likely named after the opera "Norma", by Sicilian composer Vincenzo Bellini) can be recognized from other eggplant-based sauces for the use of fried eggplant and for a finish of 'ricotta salata'

Ravioli: the Food of Kings and Peasants

2011-09-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

The word 'ravioli' (plural of 'raviolo') refers to all kinds of filled Italian pasta where a thin layer of dough wraps around a filling ('ripieno', in Italian). Ravioli are either boiled and dished out with sauce (a popular first course), or served in broth (a classic dinner option, especially during winter). The pasta layer, generally egg-based and rolled into a thin sheet, serves as more than an enclosure - it overextends around the filling and binds with the sauces or the broth. Common fillings may include meat, cheese, vegetables and vary greatly between the countless regional recipes. Special types of deep fried sweet ravioli also exist, perpetuating a tradition that goes back to the earliest written documents on filled pasta... read more

Frittatona di Cipolle

2011-09-17T21:30:00.000-07:00

This is probably one of the least blogged recipes - it doesn't look too good in picures and no Italian would make it for their guests. But this simple dish is one of the favorite things that Italians make for themselves when nobody is watching! 'Frittata di cipolle' (or 'frittatona' when it's big, as "Fantozzi" would say) is basically scrambled eggs with sautéed onions. Is it that simple? Yes, but it's one of those dishes where you need to pay attention or it may not turn out

Saffron and Leek Risotto

2011-09-06T22:04:00.000-07:00

Leeks ('porri', in Italian) have thickening properties and a more complex flavor profile than onions, thanks to the cabbage hints of their upper leaves⁽¹⁾. When replacing onion for leek in a risotto, the resulting dish is creamier and with more depth. Saffron brings an additional element to this first course, and the brighter color makes it even more appetizing. The preparation of any kind of risotto is very reliable, as long as

Bell Pepper Pasta

2011-08-31T07:37:00.000-07:00

Italians rarely get tired of a good tomato sauce, but when they do they often resort to a tomato sauce variation. This recipe is based on the simple addition of roasted bell peppers, and of chili for some heat. The resulting sauce is great on pastas, but it also doubles as a tasty dip for toasted bread. The peppers are sliced, roasted in olive oil and then added to a tomato base. If the skins are unwanted or if a smoother texture is desired, the cooked peppers can be strained

Pesto, Potatoes and Green Beans Pasta

2011-08-25T06:59:00.000-07:00

This article is about pesto, the second most famous Italian pasta sauce, after the tomato one.

However, this is not about the super-traditional way to make "Pesto Genovese" - using a mortar; there's plenty of good resources on that (as greatly summarized on Food Lover's Odyssey). This article is about the more modern way to make pesto - using a blender, a method which is quite common also

Panino, the Italian Sandwich

2011-08-19T08:13:00.000-07:00

In Italy, just like in all Europe and North America, a sandwich is a popular lunch option, and in some cases also a quick dinner alternative. Italian bars often press-grill their sandwiches to enhance the flavors, turn the bread more fragrant and crunchy, and melt any cheese. However, at home, or when bakery-fresh bread is available, the Italians enjoy non-grilled sandwiches just the same.

This article describes both styles of Italian sandwich: the world-famous grilled sandwich (known as Panini) and the less known un-grilled... read more

Seven Links

2011-08-11T21:53:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I had the honor of being nominated by Nami (@ Just One Cookbook) for the Seven Links Challenge. It consists of selecting seven of my existing posts based on as many given criteria, and explaining the reasons behind the choices. So, here I go! ... read more

Asparagi alla Milanese

2011-08-07T17:48:00.000-07:00

Of simple Italian recipes that are almost unknown in outside of Italy, Milanese-style Asparagus would probably rank near the top. This dish, traditionally associated with the city of Milan, is enjoyed all around Italy as a second course, especially in late spring, when asparagus is in season.

Before getting to the recipe, let's spend a few words on its main ingredient. Asparagus is one of the shoots of a perennial plant called Asparagus officinalis, harvested when it reaches

Insalata di Riso

2011-08-01T08:51:00.000-07:00

'Insalata di Riso' (rice salad) is an informal Italian dish that is especially popular in the summer as an appetizer, or as a refreshing first course, particularly for lunch. Its main component is Parboiled rice - the most appropriate for this preparation as its grains remain firm and separated when cooked, and stay soft when they get cold. The cold rice is lightly dressed with olive oil and lemon juice, and flavored with a variety of add-ins, according to personal preference, but also following the tradition

Birthday Blog

2011-07-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

It has been one year already! I started this blog at the end of July 2010 out of sheer exhasperation. I felt that Italian cuisine was too often completely misrepresented in North America. Not only was it not authentic (which is understandable this far away from Italy), it frequently tasted plain bad.

With many of its principles distorted, Italian food becomes a caricature of itself. It needs to have olives and sun-dried tomatoes; bread must be foccacia or have flour on it and be called ciabbatta; tomato sauce, salami, olive oil, or a balsamic reduction... read more

Tortiglioni all'Arrabbiata

2011-07-23T17:31:00.000-07:00

Sugo* all'Arrabbiata is a classic pasta sauce from Central/Southern Italy that can be prepared very quickly, while the pasta cooks. This sauce is traditionally quite spicy, and this is at the origin of its name (all'arrabbiata, in Italian means 'angry-style'). If desired, a milder version can be made, but a certain amount of heat is necessary to counter the acidity of the lightly cooked tomato, and enhance its flavor