Torta di Verza

Savoy Cabbage Pie

The Savoy Cabbage is a  flavorful crinkled leaf cabbage, which I've been told is one of the best varieties for cooking. Its head consists of loose leaves, which vary in color from dark green to light green containing lacy patterned veins.  I am still experimenting with recipes, but have found a real crowd pleaser with this pie. 

Being that we are away from home, and away from the home grown produce, we appreciate  COOP.  They have such a great selection of biological products, from fruits and vegetables to household products.  I am hooked!   I can happily say that my house is stocked with either biological, DOP or IGP products. (denominazione di origine protetta e indicazione geografica protetta) 

This is the time of lent, Quaresima, so I would omit the speck. The pie tastes just as good without!

Crust: a bit unusual, but a nice crunchy change

300 g Durum wheat flour (flour for pasta)

100 g beer

40 g evo oil

Just mix the ingredients and line a pie pan. I place a sheet of baking paper over the pasta to roll out evenly. It is a bit sticky.

Filling

Half of a large head of cabbage

one onion

50g speck (or prosciutto, ham)

Parmigiano-Reggiano DOP half cup, or more for your taste

3 eggs

bay leaf, salt and pepper

In a pot of boiling water, cook the cabbage cut up into small pieces. In a separate large pan cook down an onion in a small amount of water. Once cooked add the speck and the bay leaf. Add boiled cabbage to the pan and simmer. (If you omit the meat, a tsp of olive oil would be a nice addition.) Remove the bay leaf.

In a bowl, scramble the eggs with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Add salt and pepper.

Transfer filling to prepared crust and top with egg mixture. Place in oven at 180.  When egg is cooked and the crust is golden you are set! 

Cipollini Agrodolce

At the market yesterday I found a large basket of little onions. My first impression, when I saw these little beauties, was to make a batch of sweet and sour onions.

I'm afraid they are not going to last very long in this house...


2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
half kilo small white cipollini onions
5 tablespoons sugar
half cup white wine vinegar (or less)
half cup water Salt and pepper

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine all ingredients, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 40 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally so that the onions don't stick to the bottom of the pan. The onions should be easily penetrated with a paring knife but should not be falling apart.
Remove the lid and continue to cook until the liquid has evaporated and the onions are glossy and dark brown, taking care not to burn. Remove from heat and serve.

carciofi

Last night for dinner, I prepared the artichokes that I bought from the street market. The artichoke possesses many properties, including antioxidant effects, GI soothing qualities, cholesterol-lowering effects, and helps prevent damage to the liver. Who knew that this little green sphere could do so much good?

Every part is eaten. The artichokes were fresh and sold with the stems, so I cleaned and cut each stem to boil with the artichokes.

I sprinkled a mixture of bread crumbs, parmigiano reggiano, and garlic, making sure to reach each layer.

A small amount of salted water was added to a large pan and then I placed the stuffed artichoke inside.

In the meantime, I prepared some of the smaller artichokes without stuffing. I like to save the hearts and freeze them to make a pasta dish for another day.

It is perfectly OK to pluck and eat artichoke leaves with your fingers. I realize many already know, but to eat the leaves, pull off a leaf by grabbing the pointed end. The wider end has a thin layer of edible flesh, so scrape off the flesh and stuffing with your teeth. Repeat with each remaining leaf. The leaves contain bitter principles that are used in the preparation of aperitif liqueurs. This is considered a digestive aid. The edible portion of the leaf becomes larger as you get closer to the center of the artichoke, where the leaves will become almost white with purple tips just before you get to the very center. Soon you will reach the fuzzy choke; the part that many say is the inedible center portion, guarding the heart of the artichoke. If it is soft enough, there is no problem in eating it.

The heart of the artichoke (considered the best part) is then your reward. The flower contains a sweetener that enhances flavor perception, so whatever you happen to eat afterwards, you are sure to enjoy!

Cucuzza Mieli con Riso e Mascolini

Let's hope the rain is over! This winter we were saturated with rain. Almost every day there were clouds, something very unusual for this place. We have been fortunate to have some beautiful days this past week. I say that, however, today it happens to be a bit of a dreary day. In any case, I took a picture to remember the sunshine shinning through my kitchen window when I was cooking.

Cucuzza Mieli con Riso (Pumpkin risotto) was on the menu for this day. My mother in law gave us half of a very large sweet pumpkin, from our garden. Nothing is better than the vegetables grown in the rich Sicilian soil.


For second, I bought Mascolini at the fish market. They are very inexpensive and they are not cultivated! Therefore, when they are available, I buy them. These little fishes are rich in omega 3, excellent blue fish, and oh so good.

Cucuzza Mieli

The sweet pumpkin is in season! There are so many different ways to prepare this, but one of our favorite ways is simmered with sweet onions and served with bread.

Cucuzza Lunga

Now is the time of year when the serpent like, long zucchini is in harvest. What a treat it is!
The first time I had the pleasure of trying this recipe was in the kitchen of Antonello’s mother. It was a cold evening and this warm vegetable plate waiting for me was like heaven. What more could I ask for, I was dipping crunchy bread into a hearty broth covered with my favorite fresh oven baked ricotta cheese (ricotta infornata). This memory still has my head spinning…
Like the zucchini I was used to in the states, this variety is so moist and full of water. Actually, it cooks in it’s own juices, no need to add water.
• First, cook down one onion in a small amount of water. (I used a red onion from Tropea, which is why my broth turned out a rose color…)
• In the meantime, skin the zucchini and cut into slices
• Once the onion is cooked, add the zucchini, one cut up tomato, and a touch of salt
• Cover and cook!
• Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, crunchy bread and shaved baked ricotta
The longer this cooks on the the richer the flavor!





If you're interested, click on the title and it will take you to Terra Madre, a site where you, too, can buy and enjoy a variety of Italian Cheeses including this ricotta infornata!! I just found them online; I have never used this site...

Polenta con Cipolla e Asparagi con Uova

Polenta with Onions
The first time I ate Polenta was in the town of Linguaglosa at their festival during Natale. There we had it served with a thick meat ragout, but polenta can be served many ways. Today we had it with sweet onions, but you can add any vegetable. It is ridiculously easy to make.

2 liters of water for 500 grams of Polenta
In a separate pan, cook down the onions in a little water.
Bring a pot of water to boil and gradually add the polenta flour. Continue stirring until mixture reaches a think consistency.
• Our polenta was gurgling like melted lave, but I was told this was normal.
Add salt to taste.
We also added a small amount of butter.

Once the mixture is ready, transfer to a baking dish.
We then layered the polenta with grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese.
On the top we sliced soft cheese as a garnish and baked in the oven for 45 minutes.

Asparagus and Egg
Today we also had the asparagus we picked in the garden the other day.

Rinse and clean the Asparagus.
Place in a pan and cook covered until tender.
• You won’t add any water to the pan, the water on the stems is enough.
Add one or two eggs to the pan and stir until the egg covers all the stems.

You can serve hot or at room temperature.

A day picking Greens

I know, I forgot my camera again, and it would have been a great photo! Yesterday, after lunch, we went to the hillside to collect greens. It was just that, a beautiful, untouched, hilly landscape covered in green. We were serenaded by the ringing bells around the necks of the lambs in the distance eating. I felt like I was in Ireland. We went right to work, bent over, cutting what seamed to be weeds to me, the same plant that you see above. Honestly, if we were to eat what I collected, we would have been eating just bread. I’m still learning!

But, as the day progressed, I was getting better at recognizing the leaf that we were searching for. Once I came home, I looked online and was shocked! This leave has the same shape as dandelion. Check out the link attached to the title of this entry and you too will be amazed of all the benefits this pesky weed has! You might rethink trying to kill it in your lawn.

Olivi Nero

The other day, in the garden, we collected the olives. I forgot my camera that day, but picture the scene from Under The Tuscan Sun when they were all out collecting their olives. There were people on tall ladders combing the branches, while the grapes fell to the material covered ground. Now, take everything that is Hollywood away and that is what it was like.

We are now letting the olives rest in salt until they are ready.

Ce Ci e Pepe

Chick Peas
Soak at lease a kilo of Chickpeas over night in water.
• When you buy them, you want them to be big and round.
Place fresh water in a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the beans.
To the pot add carrots, celery, and an onion.
Boil until the Chick Peas are tender.
• We used a pressure cooker, but any pot will work.
When garnishing the plate, add cut up pieces of hard bread and drizzle with Extra virgin olive oil.

Cooked Peppers
We had a lot of small peppers on hand, so instead of roasting them, we sautéed them in a pan.
This is very simple, first cook the onion in a small amount of water.
Once cooked, add sliced peppers.
Once the peppers are cooked, serve with salt and EVOoil.

"I milinciani cini" (le melanzane ripiene)

Stuffed Eggplant
In a pan with little water, steam 8-10 small eggplants.
Once cooked (very mushy), cut in half, scoop out the center, and save the skins.
Meanwhile, cook an onion in a pan with a small amount of water.
• Water is a healthier alternative to Oil.
Add sausage to the onions and cook.
We then added a hard boiled egg, but you can add a fresh egg.
• This is a recipe to use up items in your fridge, add what you like.
Turn off the heat: Add a small amount of oil, bread crumbs, ham, cheese, and basil.
Then fill the skins with the mixture and cook in the oven.

Melanzana Roste e Carne Roste

Grilled Eggplant

Cut Eggplant into slices.
• You want to choose an eggplant not to firm. You should be able to squeeze it slightly.
• If there are too many seeds try to remove them.
Roast on the grill until slightly blackened on both sides. No need to salt and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Mamma prefers the flat iron grill shown below
Remove from the heat and place on a plate containing:
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil, garlic, basil, and salt
You can serve immediately, or even better, the next day!
Leftover Eggplant cooked like this is great in homemade spaghetti sauce…

Grilled Meat

Here, in Sicily, meat is cut thin. Seldom, if ever, have I seen a thick slice of meat. I mainly added this meal, not because of the cooking method, because that is the same. Rather, I added it because of the grill that they use. Every family has one of these…

Once cooked:
• Sprinkle with salt, dried herbs (Rosemary), and drizzle on Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cicoria & Cauliceddi

Chicory
We find these vegetables in the garden wild, or where ever weeds grow.
You want to use only the young tender leaves.
• Discard wherever the stem becomes tough.
• Small leaves are best.

For both follow the following method.
• Clean thoroughly, 3-4 times.
• Submerge in water and boil until tender.
• Add salt to each serving bowl as you might be interested in saving the reserve water. They drink it here as an unsweetened tea. (To make you feel better.)
• Garnish with extra virgin olive oil and bread.














Cauliceddi
What I believe to be young Broccoli Rabe

Baked Pumpkin or Sqaush

Cut pumpkin into strips and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Prepare a mixture of grated Parmigiano cheese, bread crumbs, and parsley.
Take the pumpkin strips and first dip them in extra virgin olive oil and pat in the mixture, placing them back onto the baking dish.
Back in the oven until tender.