Italian cooking

Tortellini with Double Cream, Peas and Ham​


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Tortellini Panna, Piselli e Prosciutto is a classic primo piatto of the Italian tradition, creamy and tasty. Cubes of cooked ham are used, either ready-made ones for convenience or a thick slice then cut into cubes.
Fresh peas are always welcome, but so are the bagged frozen ones.
I've just added a personal variation, namely some chopped mint leaves to add a touch of freshness.

It's curious how this dish is considered an old-fashioned one.
It was made in abundance and found everywhere in the Italian homes or restaurants during the 70s and 80s. Nowadays you can't find it anymore and I'm really sorry because for me it's wonderful. But I can imagine that the use of double cream is now considered a no-no around here.
I find this weird and such a pity because once in a while it can be eaten. Possibly replacing it with something lighter like ricotta could help somewhat, although it wouldn't be the same thing.
In spite of this absurd fashion of considering certain dishes outdated and no longer worthy of note, some restaurants (well, mostly Osterie or Trattorie) still resist and offer it.

When I made this dish not too long ago, I was talking to a friend about food, and I said: 'you know today I made tortellini with double cream, peas and ham. I was craving for it'.
She replied: 'really? I hadn't heard of it for years. Isn't that a bit too heavy? You know, it's got double cream.'

Me: 'You're eating an Algida cream and chocolate ice-cream, sweetheart'. :laugh:
 
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Stracciatella Romana, Traditional Roman-Style Egg and Cheese Soup

Recipe - Stracciatella Romana, Traditional Roman-Style Egg and Cheese Soup

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A Roman-style soup made with meat broth, eggs and grated Pecorino cheese, although grated Parmigiano cheese is also often used. Stracciatella Soup is widespread in many other regions of Central Italy like Le Marche, Abruzzo and Emilia Romagna, although the Roman one is the best known since it originated in Rome. It is called Stracciatella because the beaten egg, when poured into the hot broth, congeals into many small lumps called ‘straccetti’, i.e. ‘torn’ or ‘strips’.

Variants from other regions add grated lemon peel and marjoram or as per Le Marche region, breadcrumbs are also added.

Stracciatella has a Christmas tradition, although today it is above all a winter comfort food that we also like to enjoy in the warmer season, whether eaten warm or cold. This recipe was born above all to recycle the broth, which is usually made from beef or poultry in cuts that are not too lean. The fat of the animal gives the broth lots of flavour and broth plus egg provided a good amount of protein and nutrition, which is why it is also given to babies for weaning.

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My mum used to make this soup for me or my brother when we were kids and needed to recover energy after having a fever, but it was also good to eat it on winter evenings to keep warm.

I still make it every now and then, and beef broth or even chicken broth is just perfect. I don't always make it from scratch because I don't always have the time or the inclination, but this soup can really be made in 5 minutes. I even eat it cold!
 
Nothing wrong with double cream. People believe what is often repeated whether true or not. Everyday might be too much but once in a decade I think your safe. I kid. Anyway, both of those dishes look devine especially the Stracciatella. I've always used chicken stock for the broth and pecorino of course and I have half a litre of egg whites from making mayonnaise. Grazie!
 
Recipe - Carabaccia Fiorentina- The Ancient Florentine Onion Soup with Cinnamon and Almonds (Leonardo Da Vinci's favourite)

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Carabaccia Fiorentina is an old rustic onion soup from Tuscany, precisely from the city of Firenze, whose curious name comes from the carabazada, namely the soup tureen in which the soup was served. Red onions or Golden onions are used, cooking gently until they soften and the dish is characterised by chopped almonds and cinnamon, which gives it such a special taste. It is served with some slices of stale bread that will become as soft as butter, because in Tuscany the use of stale bread in soups is a must.


This was Leonardo Da Vinci's favourite soup.


Over the centuries, this soup has undergone variations, sometimes it is not always found in its most original and therefore particular version.


Its origin seems to be attributed to Caterina de' Medici took it to the French court, and it would seem that the most famous French onion soup is the descendant of the Florentine Carabaccia, which arrived in Paris from Florence.

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My Tuscan aunt taught me how to make this soup and even now I thank her for these precious gems of such ancient tradition.
And I couldn't help but ask her 'but you were there then?! and how was Leonardo?' :laugh:

I won't write her answer though
 
Honestly I can’t decide what’s better between Pecorino and Parmigiano, I think both work well just depends on personal tastebuds. Yesterday a follower wrote me a comment where he said he tasted it with the addition of amaretti. That’s completely new to me, although if you think better, it makes sense somehow. After all Amaretti are made with almonds and a pinch of cinnamon. I am always so much amazed by this kind of things.
 

Monachina, Neapolitan Fried Boiled Eggs Bechamel Filled​


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Uova alla Monachina in Italian language, namely hard-boiled eggs stuffed with a sauce made from hard-boiled egg yolks mixed with béchamel, then breaded and pan-fried, served as a starter however also perfect as a main course, better if paired by something fresh and light to lighten the palate.

This traditional Easter dish from Naples and its region Campania, has a French and noble origin.

So not a popular recipe as the presence of béchamel suggests a dish was born in Naples between the 18th and 19th centuries; by the Monzù (a Neapolitan mispronunciation of the French word Monsieur), the head cooks of the aristocratic houses in Campania during the supremacy of French gastronomy.
 
Recipe - Pan-Fried Sea Bream Fillets Garam-Masala Flavoured

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Sea Bream Fillets with a Mediterranean and Oriental flavour, a combo I have been experimenting and I liked it very much. I've used fillets of sea bream already sold filleted for convenience. They cook in a short time, a perfect recipe for combining convenience and taste.

The olives are Ligurian Taggiasche or Taggiasca, small black pitted pearls. What does ‘Taggiasca’ mean? The name ‘Taggiasca’ comes from Arma di Taggia, a medieval town in the province of Imperia, western Liguria.

Garam-Masala is a mix of oriental powdered spices generally with white and black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, cardamom, cloves and nutmeg in varying proportions. Other spices can be added as desired, thus we have added turmeric.

This kind of combination of flavours is not that unusual after all. Just think of Sicilian swordfish, where the fish is seasoned in a similar way with cherry tomatoes, onions and olives, plus raisins and pine nuts Sicilian Swordfish – MyPinchofItaly.co.uk
 
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There’s an old Italian way of saying about gnocchi which says “Giovedì Gnocchi” (Gnocchi on Thursday) so that’s what I ate today.
Simple potato gnocchi with a Neapolitan Ragù, namely meat tomato sauce. I’ve used a mix of veal and beef steaks. Since I was afraid it could be not enough substantial, I’ve also added a couple of Parmigiano rinds 😅
I’m ready for the lean eating over the next couple of weeks

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Torta Barozzi, Gluten-Free Chocolate, Peanut and Coffee Ground Cake from Emilia Romagna

Recipe - Torta Barozzi, Gluten-Free Chocolate, Peanuts and Coffee Grounds Cake from Emilia Romagna

Torta Barozzi, Barozzi Cake is a cake made with chocolate and coffee grounds, traditionally rectangular-shape. It is gluten-free since it has only peanut and almond flours, it has no yeast, it recalls of an American brownie moist inside and dry and crumbly outside. It is baked in foil, then cut into cubes and can be stored for up to 40 days.

Torta Barozzi is one of the most famous cakes in Emilia Romagna, a Central Italian region, typical of the town of Vignola in the province of Modena. Torta Barozzi dates back to 1886 created by Eugenio Gollini, founder of the homonymous pastry shop. Even then it was an incredibly modern cake being the first gluten-free cake that was created without using flour but peanuts. Modern for then, modern still now.

If you are passing through Vignola in Modena area, go to the Gollini pastry shop in Vignola and taste this traditional cake. Its original recipe is jealously guarded by the bakery where it is made and the trademark “Torta Barozzi” is registered.

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