All Italia

Is it, in short, ever well to be elsewhere when one might be in Italy?

                                                        

                                                                                                                          Edith Wharton

What is it about Italy that makes us swoon?
 Just saying the name of that romantic place is enough to set off daydreams, from which only a cold flute of Prosecco can rouse you.

Just back from the most fabulous trip, here are the top ten things I love about Italy.

If you have never been, I urge you to set aside some money and time to make the trip.
If you have had the privilege to visit, you may nod your head along in recognition.

1. There's no hurry.
When you've already done the hard work of creating modern civilization, what's the urgency? You can close the shop for three hours in the middle of the day. You can take a leisurely lunch at a trattoria instead of your desk. Enjoy a slower pace.

2. Wine.
It's everywhere, all the time. Lunch, dinner and I've even seen Italianos sipping a glass at breakfast.  A local house wine is as perfectly delicious as a bottle with a pedigree (at least to me it is). And if you have a charming waiter, he will continue to fill your glass of house wine "on the house", until you finish your meal. Yes, the Italians are generous with their wine.

3. Gelato.
Flavors you've never heard of and you are allowed more than one per cone. And don't overlook granita - very refreshing after a long hike from town to town in Cinque Terre.

4. Coffee.
Each cup is made individually to order, everywhere. Even at the train station, you can get a really good espresso, freshly made, just for you. No huge urns of coffee made hours ago. And no one is rushing around clutching to-go cups. Just stand at the coffee bar and enjoy. See #1.

5. Walled cities.
We adored the city of Lucca, with its strong, high walls, first built by the Romans, then expanded three more times in later centuries. Pisa is also fortified by a wall as are many other smaller hill towns.
Can you imagine if New York City or Boston had a huge wall surrounding it, to keep out marauders? Just a thought.

6. Growing stuff.
No plot is ever too tiny, or too steep, for growing. Very often it's grapes (see #2). We also saw loads of lemon trees, which I got a big kick out of. Wouldn't I just love to have that in my yard!

7. Passeggiata
The leisurely stroll through town, at sunset, before dinner. There is an art to this: Walk slowly (preferably arm-in-arm), browse the windows, chat quietly. Enjoy the beautiful light of late evening. Again, see #1.

8. Art and architecture
From soaring duomos to simple Palladian structures, Renaissance frescoes, Romanesque arches, and della Robbia terra cotta. All you have to do is walk along the street and peek into any of the centuries-old churches to have a lesson in art history. It's all here, mostly free and awesome in the truest sense of the word.

Santa Croce, Florence

San Michele, Lucca

San Frediano, Lucca

Duomo, Pisa

Della Robbia decoration, San Frediano

9. Pesto and panini
We spent a few days in Cinque Terre, on the Ligurian coast. Pesto is a specialty there. It's always been a favorite of mine and when eaten there, in the sunshine, it tastes extra-heavenly. Trofi pasta at Trattoria dal Billy, on a steep terrace overlooking Manarola was particularly delicious. A panini on fresh foccacia, with creamy mozzarella and grilled vegetables, is a welcome snack after walking all day.

At 'Ino, near the Uffizi in Florence

10. Pasta - of course!
Sure it's cliche, but honestly, the pasta is so much better in Italy. Maybe it's the flour, maybe it's the water (maybe it's the wine - again, see #2) or the judicious use of sauce - whatever, there's just no comparison.
My favorite dish of the trip was spaghetti with tiny clams at Miky in Monterosso.  Second was a pasta we had the first night at a new ristorante in Florence, called Beccaio (highly recommend it). The pasta  was a triangular-shaped tube with asparagus and proscuitto - squisito! Alas, no photos - too hungry.

Not pasta, but fresh anchovies also at Miky

And finally a grazie mille (many thanks) to my dear husband for a wonderful trip  - pre-celebration of my own half century birthday, coming up very soon.

Are you a fan on Facebook? If so, you can see more pictures here.  If not, why don't you give me the thumbs up today? Grazie!

Stir Crazy! Spring Green Risotto

Have I told you that I'm going to Italy?

I am! 

I mean we are - Bob and me. Next week, if the Icelandic volcano gods are willing.

Per favore...let me get to Italy...

The itinerary goes something like this: Florence, Cinque Terre, Lucca then back to Florence.

I am open to any and all suggestions from my dear readers who have been to any of these bella places lately.

Grazie!

So in order to get my taste buds into moda Italiano, I made risotto last night.

A lovely, luscious, incredibly rich risotto. Brimming with green spring vegetables and earthy shiitake mushrooms,  then smoothed out with a big spoonful of mascarpone.

Risotto, if you haven't tried it, is arborio rice, cooked slowly in wine and broth. It absorbs all the liquid and becomes something else entirely.  It's Italian comfort food, in all its creamy goodness. Just right for a cool spring night.

I won't lie to you. Risotto is labor intensive and may take a bit of practice to get it just right. You must continue to add more broth, then stir and stir and DO NOT STOP until each grain of rice gives way when bitten. If you still feel a hardness inside the grain when you bite into it, you are not done. 

Add more broth and stir some more.

But don't be intimidated, mia amicas! It's not a particularly difficult technique. And if you get tired of stirring, ask someone else to take it on for a few minutes. Sipping a glass of vino while you stir is also very helpful.

Spring Green Risotto adapted from Barefoot Contessa

1 1/2 Tbsps. olive oil

1 1/2 Tbsps. unsalted butter

2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

2/3 cup dry white wine

4 - 5 cups chicken stock, simmering in a saucepan on the stove

1 lb. asparagus, preferably thin

10 oz. peas, defrosted if frozen or 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas

1/4 lb. shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced (optional)

1 Tbsp. freshly grated lemon zest

2 Tbsps. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/3 cup mascarpone

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

3 Tbsps. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2" pieces, discarding tough ends.

Blanch in boiling salted water for 4-5 minutes, until bright green and cooked al dente. Drain and cool.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. 

Add the leeks and saute until tender, 5-7 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the vegetables and fats.

 Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles-full at a time, stirring constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, add the asparagus, lemon zest, 2 tsps. coarse salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. 

Continue cooking, adding stock and stirring until the rice is tender but still firm. This should take 30-35 minutes, but could take a bit longer. Be patient!!

If you are using the mushrooms, saute them briefly in a small frying pan, with a teaspoon of olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Add to risotto when they are lightly browned and soft.

Whisk the the lemon juice into the mascarpone in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, take it off the heat and stir in mascarpone mixture, plus Parmesan and parsley. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Mangia!

Celebrating World Nutella Day

Did you get the memo that said Thursday February 5 is World Nutella Day? I did.
I got it from Ms. Adventures in Italy, a blog by a lucky young American who happens to live in Italy. Go to her site and learn 50 ways to eat Nutella.
My favorite way? On a banana! Or in a crepe. Or in a crepe with a banana!

If you haven't yet been introduced to Nutella, it's a chocolate-y, nutty, yummy, creamy treat from Italy that you can find in your own grocery store. Smooth and spreadable like peanut butter, but chocolate with a hint of hazelnut. And you don't even have to go to la groceria italiana to get this little bit of heaven.

Go get yourself a jar. Now, before World Nutella Day passes you by! Try one of Ms. Adventure's delicious suggestions, or use it to bake...



Nutella Cupcakes, from Baking Bites

10 Tbsps. unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup white sugar

3 eggs

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
(that means sift first, then measure)

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

Nutella, about 1/3 cup (a little more is always better)

Preheat oven to 325. Line 12 muffin tin with paper liners.
Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Don't worry of the batter looks curdled. Add vanilla.
Stir in flour, salt and baking powder until thoroughly combined and no flour remains.
Fill each paper liner with batter, 3/4 full. Top each cupcake with approx. 1 1/2 tsps. Nutella.
Swirl Nutella and batter together with a toothpick, making sure to fold a bit of the batter up over Nutella. Bake 20-25 mins., until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean (except for the Nutella). Remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

Caution! Once you've tried Nutella, it's easy to get hooked. See this post by Bleeding Espresso (another lucky girl living and drinking coffee in Italy) to find out if you are truly addicted.