Different regions in Italy have their own food specialties and sometimes have unique cooking methods. Probably the most distinct region in Italy is Sicily. Sicily is an island slightly bigger than the state of Vermont that lies in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. The fact that it is physically separated from the mainland by the sea makes it easy to differentiate this region from the other regions of Italy, which can sometimes overlap or be a little harder to classify.
It’s been said that there is no comparison to the vegetables grown in the rich soil of the island of Sicily. It’s for this reason that the foods of this region emphasize simplicity. By overcooking or using complex recipes, the pure deliciousness of the freshly grown vegetables could be masked.
The world-famous cannoli is a specialty of Sicily. You may have also heard of Marsala, the famous Sicilian sweet wine. Sicily is also known for fresh fruit, grown on the island itself. Citrus fruits in particular, especially oranges and blood oranges, are grown in plenty in Sicily.
The eggplant we talked about in great detail in a previous post? It’s probably the most commonly used vegetable in Sicily. The people there have developed literally hundreds of mouth-watering ways to prepare it. If you think you don’t like eggplant, a visit to Sicily will surely change your mind! Artichokes and peppers follow closely behind in popularity.
And, finally, the burning question that has been on all your minds since you started reading this post. What’s up with “Sicilian Pizza”? First, real Sicilian Pizza has no cheese or anchovies. The square pizza known as Sicilian pizza in the United States is an American invention, of sorts. The real deal also has some of the ingredients incorporated into the dough, instead of just being placed on top. It’s quite delicious! You can try to make your own just by adding a few of the ingredients you would normally place on top into the dough before baking. Try it out and share your new recipes with us!
mercoledì 28 maggio 2008
venerdì 23 maggio 2008
Sensational Seafood
Fish and shellfish are a big part of the Mediterranean diet. Of course, Italy lies along the Mediterranean Sea, and the Mediterranean diet involves making use of the freshest ingredients available, so it only makes sense that seafood is a big component in fine Italian cooking. The versatility of seafood is incredible. There are an endless variety of delicious and healthy meals that can be created using many species of fish and shellfish.
Fish is very rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which help to lower bad cholesterol. It has also been shown that there is a link between eating fish at least twice weekly and a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or having a stroke. Seafood is rich in nutrients and low in saturated fats, and can also lower the risk for heart disease, one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Just think – eating something so fabulously delicious that it tastes like it must be sinful can actually lower your risk for three major health problems! I know, I know – it’s a major sacrifice!
There has been some concern with levels of pollutants in waters that may contaminate fish. While it’s true that some fish can contain some contaminants, problems really can be avoided by obtaining your fish from a reliable source, cooking it appropriately, and really varying the types of fish that you eat. Avoid eating a lot of large predatory fish, such as shark, because these are the types of fish that have the highest levels of mercury. And of course, if you’re pregnant, the recommendation is to not exceed twelve ounces of fish per week, but eating fish during pregnancy has been shown to aid in healthy baby brain development, so try not to avoid it altogether, unless of course your doctor tells you to do so.
Look for a great collection of fish and shellfish recipes, coming soon in The Italian Kitchen!
Fish is very rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which help to lower bad cholesterol. It has also been shown that there is a link between eating fish at least twice weekly and a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or having a stroke. Seafood is rich in nutrients and low in saturated fats, and can also lower the risk for heart disease, one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Just think – eating something so fabulously delicious that it tastes like it must be sinful can actually lower your risk for three major health problems! I know, I know – it’s a major sacrifice!
There has been some concern with levels of pollutants in waters that may contaminate fish. While it’s true that some fish can contain some contaminants, problems really can be avoided by obtaining your fish from a reliable source, cooking it appropriately, and really varying the types of fish that you eat. Avoid eating a lot of large predatory fish, such as shark, because these are the types of fish that have the highest levels of mercury. And of course, if you’re pregnant, the recommendation is to not exceed twelve ounces of fish per week, but eating fish during pregnancy has been shown to aid in healthy baby brain development, so try not to avoid it altogether, unless of course your doctor tells you to do so.
Look for a great collection of fish and shellfish recipes, coming soon in The Italian Kitchen!
mercoledì 14 maggio 2008
Zucchini with Lemon
Well you must all know by now that I am a huge fan of zucchini, and nothing makes me want to try some great new zucchini recipes more than an abundance of wonderful warm sunshine outside and fresh zucchini available at the market. Did you know zucchinis are very low in calories because they are made up of about 95% water? About 26 calories per cup, raw, and 36 calories per cup, cooked. That means they’re great for the summer waistline as well as the summer tastebuds!
Try this simple zucchini recipe at your next outdoor barbeque. It goes great with many different dishes, and can be served as a side dish or even as a main dish.
Zucchini with Lemon
Serves 6
6 medium zucchini
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1. Slice zucchini into small (1/2”) rectangular chunks. Boil for 10 minutes in lightly salted water.
2. Heat oil in a skillet; add zucchini and toss to coat completely with oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Lightly squeeze the lemon wedges over zucchini to zest with the juice, and enjoy!
If you’re feeling adventurous, and really want to show off your grilling skills, try grilling zucchini slices right on the grill, and melt some mozzarella cheese on top. The zucchini will be delightfully tender and flavorful, and is a great accompaniment to grilled steak or seafood.
Post a comment, and share with us some of your own great zucchini recipes. And, as always, don’t forget to check back here soon for Maria Liberati’s newest book, The Italian Kitchen!
Try this simple zucchini recipe at your next outdoor barbeque. It goes great with many different dishes, and can be served as a side dish or even as a main dish.
Zucchini with Lemon
Serves 6
6 medium zucchini
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1. Slice zucchini into small (1/2”) rectangular chunks. Boil for 10 minutes in lightly salted water.
2. Heat oil in a skillet; add zucchini and toss to coat completely with oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Lightly squeeze the lemon wedges over zucchini to zest with the juice, and enjoy!
If you’re feeling adventurous, and really want to show off your grilling skills, try grilling zucchini slices right on the grill, and melt some mozzarella cheese on top. The zucchini will be delightfully tender and flavorful, and is a great accompaniment to grilled steak or seafood.
Post a comment, and share with us some of your own great zucchini recipes. And, as always, don’t forget to check back here soon for Maria Liberati’s newest book, The Italian Kitchen!
sabato 10 maggio 2008
Caffe 101
There are many types of coffee common in Italy, and we Italians take our caffé very seriously! It is common in Italy to drink coffee not only in the morning, but in the evenings after dinner as well. When we go out to dinner, we have such strong preferences for our coffee that we may actually drive to another location for the perfect espresso after having spent hours at a different restaurant for dinner. This is particularly amusing to non-Italians because, as we will discuss in a few minutes, espresso is a very, very small cup of very strong coffee that takes about two gulps to devour completely. So, to some who have not learned to appreciate a true and perfect espresso, it would seem absurd to drive to a different bar for such a small beverage!
When you purchase your copy of Maria Liberati’s latest book, The Italian Kitchen, here or at MariaLiberati.com in a few weeks, you will receive a chapter with delicious, authentic caffé recipes. In order to truly appreciate each of them when you try them out, it’s important to have an idea of what each type of coffee common in Italy is, exactly, because the names can be a little confusing if you’re not a connoisseur (which we hope to make you into, after you’ve tried all the recipes in our upcoming book!).
So, here’s a rundown of the common coffees you would find on a visit to the beautiful country of Italy.
· Espresso – We’ve talked about briefly already. This is a very small cup of very strong coffee. Typcially the standard coffee drink in Italy.
· Cappuccino – We’ve all heard of this one. It’s strictly a morning beverage, standard espresso infused with steamed milk. Delicious!
· Caffé Americano – Coffe, the way Americans drink it, but a little stronger. It’s served in a large cup and is not as strong as espresso.
· Caffé Freddo – Iced coffee
· Caffé Latte – warm milk mixed with coffee, typically served as a morning beverage, with breakfast
· Caffé Corretto – Espresso with a shot of liquer
There are hundreds of ways to modify each variation of Italian coffee, and Italians pride themselves on their delicious and fancy coffee drinks that they serve with great fanfare. Treat yourself to a few of the great recipes you’ll find in our upcoming book, and then try to deny that you’re a coffee lover!
When you purchase your copy of Maria Liberati’s latest book, The Italian Kitchen, here or at MariaLiberati.com in a few weeks, you will receive a chapter with delicious, authentic caffé recipes. In order to truly appreciate each of them when you try them out, it’s important to have an idea of what each type of coffee common in Italy is, exactly, because the names can be a little confusing if you’re not a connoisseur (which we hope to make you into, after you’ve tried all the recipes in our upcoming book!).
So, here’s a rundown of the common coffees you would find on a visit to the beautiful country of Italy.
· Espresso – We’ve talked about briefly already. This is a very small cup of very strong coffee. Typcially the standard coffee drink in Italy.
· Cappuccino – We’ve all heard of this one. It’s strictly a morning beverage, standard espresso infused with steamed milk. Delicious!
· Caffé Americano – Coffe, the way Americans drink it, but a little stronger. It’s served in a large cup and is not as strong as espresso.
· Caffé Freddo – Iced coffee
· Caffé Latte – warm milk mixed with coffee, typically served as a morning beverage, with breakfast
· Caffé Corretto – Espresso with a shot of liquer
There are hundreds of ways to modify each variation of Italian coffee, and Italians pride themselves on their delicious and fancy coffee drinks that they serve with great fanfare. Treat yourself to a few of the great recipes you’ll find in our upcoming book, and then try to deny that you’re a coffee lover!
martedì 6 maggio 2008
Italian Wedding Traditions
Well it’s finally May, which marks the beginning of wedding season, when many blushing brides-to-be are getting excited about their big day and frantically trying to organize all the last-minute details. If you happen to be one of them, and are interested in bringing a little Italian style to your nuptials, you’ll find some good ideas here for what makes for a traditional Italian wedding feast.
First – and, most importantly – the wedding cake. The typical Italian wedding cake is actually much like the modern American wedding cake – multiple layers, with a cake topper on top. Traditionally, the cake topper is a bride and groom figurine, although the modern trends include many other varieties, such as a shining letter symbolizing the new couple’s last initial. As always, traditions can vary greatly by region in Italy, and in some regions, cake is not served as part of a traditional wedding meal. Of course, espresso and other coffee drinks are served with the cake, following the meal, which can consist of as many as twelve to fourteen different courses. (We in Italy take our food and our celebration very seriously, and one goes hand-in-hand with the other. Therefore, big celebration = lots of wonderful food!)
For the all-important cocktail hour which precedes the meal, many drinks are served to the guests and to the bridal party. Stronger drinks for the men, and sweet liquor for the women. There are a couple of foods that are still very common and traditionally served at Italian weddings. Wanda are fried dough pieces in the shape of a bowtie, coated with powdered sugar. And white sugar coated almonds, called confetti, are also very common. In the regions of Italy that do not celebrate with a wedding cake, sometimes these almonds are served in a decorative bag or box at each place setting, in place of the cake.
The reception begins with a course of antipasti, consisting of cheese, olives, peppers, mushrooms and other light choices. Chicken, lamb or salmon are common as main dishes, and the menu often includes – yes, you guessed it – Italian wedding soup, as well as meatballs and rice. Following all the food and festivities, the bride and groom may break a glass or a vase. The number of pieces it breaks into is said to represent the number of years of happiness the couple will enjoy.
Even if you’re not planning a wedding this spring, it’s always fun to explore the traditions of a country so rich with tradition as Italy. Be sure to pick up a copy of The Italian Kitchen to explore the many flavorful authentic dishes you can create for your family!
First – and, most importantly – the wedding cake. The typical Italian wedding cake is actually much like the modern American wedding cake – multiple layers, with a cake topper on top. Traditionally, the cake topper is a bride and groom figurine, although the modern trends include many other varieties, such as a shining letter symbolizing the new couple’s last initial. As always, traditions can vary greatly by region in Italy, and in some regions, cake is not served as part of a traditional wedding meal. Of course, espresso and other coffee drinks are served with the cake, following the meal, which can consist of as many as twelve to fourteen different courses. (We in Italy take our food and our celebration very seriously, and one goes hand-in-hand with the other. Therefore, big celebration = lots of wonderful food!)
For the all-important cocktail hour which precedes the meal, many drinks are served to the guests and to the bridal party. Stronger drinks for the men, and sweet liquor for the women. There are a couple of foods that are still very common and traditionally served at Italian weddings. Wanda are fried dough pieces in the shape of a bowtie, coated with powdered sugar. And white sugar coated almonds, called confetti, are also very common. In the regions of Italy that do not celebrate with a wedding cake, sometimes these almonds are served in a decorative bag or box at each place setting, in place of the cake.
The reception begins with a course of antipasti, consisting of cheese, olives, peppers, mushrooms and other light choices. Chicken, lamb or salmon are common as main dishes, and the menu often includes – yes, you guessed it – Italian wedding soup, as well as meatballs and rice. Following all the food and festivities, the bride and groom may break a glass or a vase. The number of pieces it breaks into is said to represent the number of years of happiness the couple will enjoy.
Even if you’re not planning a wedding this spring, it’s always fun to explore the traditions of a country so rich with tradition as Italy. Be sure to pick up a copy of The Italian Kitchen to explore the many flavorful authentic dishes you can create for your family!
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