I hope that by now you have developed an unprecedented appreciation for the versatility, health benefits and deliciousness of vegetables. A true connoisseur of fine Italian cooking should certainly have such an appreciation, but if you haven’t just yet, not to worry! I’m not quite through with you yet. I’m about to tell you all about the fine qualities and uses of another vegetable popularly used in authentic Italian cooking: the bell pepper.
Probably the most common recipe using bell peppers as the main ingredient is stuffed bell peppers. The peppers are stuffed with meat, rice, other vegetables, or some combination of the three, seasoned, and simply baked. There are tons of variations of this particular dish, and you really can’t go wrong with any choice or combination of stuffings.
Peppers are delicious sliced into thin strips and eaten raw or enjoyed in a fresh garden salad or pasta salad. Perhaps the most overlooked use of the pepper is its incredible ability to add a zest of flavor to so many different things, often without your guests even realizing peppers were used in your cooking. (While this is a fine idea for tricking a finicky husband who refuses to eat anything healthy, it’s probably wise to disclose this information to dinner guests in the event of an allergy!)
Not only do peppers taste delicious whether they are raw or cooked, but an equally appealing feature is the wonderful aroma that will fill your kitchen and your home when you are baking or roasting peppers.
Bell peppers are unripe when green but are actually quite commonly eaten this way, which is somewhat out of the ordinary for a vegetable. Ripened varieties are usually red or yellow, but are sometimes orange, pale yellow or purple. They are an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin C. The red variety in particular also contains lycopene, which can help protect against heart disease and cancer.
So, besides enjoying them raw, with some veggie dip, in a garden or pasta salad, or stuffed and baked, what other recipes could find use for some delicious bell peppers? They make an excellent ingredient in breakfast omelettes, in soups and stews, and in spaghetti sauce. They’re a great addition to lasagna recipes, and they also make a great garnish for a lot of dishes. Simply cut up your peppers into tiny cubes and sprinkle a few on top of scrambled eggs, omelettes, hash browns, casseroles or any other idea you might have that sounds appetizing!
Mmmm…writing about all that has made me hungry, so happy cooking, and don’t forget to keep checking back with us for the release of The Italian Kitchen!
lunedì 23 giugno 2008
lunedì 16 giugno 2008
Ordering "Pepperoni" Pizza in Italy
Close your eyes. I mean it, really. Humor me for just a moment. Close your eyes, and visualize the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about Italian food.
In the stereotypical American vision of Italian food, one might picture a big heaping plate of spaghetti. Or perhaps a mouth-watering slice of lasagna, or maybe pizza. Whatever you might visualize, it probably involves tomatoes, or maybe even more commonly, tomato sauce of some sort. It’s also likely to include pasta. Am I right?
While pasta is an integral part of the Italian cuisine, and tomatoes are certainly central to the Mediterranean diet, peperoni, or peppers, are often forgotten despite their large role in creating many of the wonderful flavors and aromas you experience when enjoying Italian cuisine.
For those Americans who have ever had the pleasure of visiting the country of Italy: Have you ever tried to order a pizza with “pepperoni”? What did you get on your pizza? Certainly not “pepperoni,” but “peperoni”! Peppers! In Italian, what Americans call “pepperoni” is referred to as Salami. The true meaning of the word “peperoni” was kind of lost in translation and it evolved into the American “pepperoni” that we now use to refer to the thinly sliced, dry sausage that is popular on our pizza.
If you travel to an area where there are typically a lot of American tourists, you may find some restaurants who will actually give you “pepperoni” on your pizza simply because this is a common mistake made by American tourists. Or, if you’re lucky, they may ask you for clarification. But if you order “pepperoni” pizza, don’t be surprised if your pizza comes out with some delicious red and yellow bell peppers!
Check back with us later this week for more information on peppers and their use in authentic Italian cooking! And keep checking here and at MariaLiberati.com for the release of celebrity-chef Maria Liberati’s latest book, The Italian Kitchen!
In the stereotypical American vision of Italian food, one might picture a big heaping plate of spaghetti. Or perhaps a mouth-watering slice of lasagna, or maybe pizza. Whatever you might visualize, it probably involves tomatoes, or maybe even more commonly, tomato sauce of some sort. It’s also likely to include pasta. Am I right?
While pasta is an integral part of the Italian cuisine, and tomatoes are certainly central to the Mediterranean diet, peperoni, or peppers, are often forgotten despite their large role in creating many of the wonderful flavors and aromas you experience when enjoying Italian cuisine.
For those Americans who have ever had the pleasure of visiting the country of Italy: Have you ever tried to order a pizza with “pepperoni”? What did you get on your pizza? Certainly not “pepperoni,” but “peperoni”! Peppers! In Italian, what Americans call “pepperoni” is referred to as Salami. The true meaning of the word “peperoni” was kind of lost in translation and it evolved into the American “pepperoni” that we now use to refer to the thinly sliced, dry sausage that is popular on our pizza.
If you travel to an area where there are typically a lot of American tourists, you may find some restaurants who will actually give you “pepperoni” on your pizza simply because this is a common mistake made by American tourists. Or, if you’re lucky, they may ask you for clarification. But if you order “pepperoni” pizza, don’t be surprised if your pizza comes out with some delicious red and yellow bell peppers!
Check back with us later this week for more information on peppers and their use in authentic Italian cooking! And keep checking here and at MariaLiberati.com for the release of celebrity-chef Maria Liberati’s latest book, The Italian Kitchen!
mercoledì 11 giugno 2008
The Slow Food Movement
The Slow Food Movement is a movement that actually started in Italy. It was founded by Carlo Petrini, in 1986, and was originally an organization called Arcigola. It became the Slow Food Movement officially in 1989, with the signing of the founding Manifesto by delegates from 15 countries in Paris, France.
The organization exists to build awareness and help preserve the culture, local traditions, cooking methods, tastes and foods that tend to fade away with the introduction of multitudes of fast food restaurants. They also focus on how food choices, preparation and production might affect the environment. The organization will probably begin to gain greater publicity and recognition in the coming months and years with the world’s newfound focus on everything “green”. The Slow Food Movement claims that slow food is “good, clean, fair food,” that it tastes good, is produced in a way that doesn’t harm the environment or animal welfare, and that the people who produce the food are compensated fairly (probably in support of local farmers who work hard to produce local crops but are often the victim of unforeseen circumstances or economic conditions).
The organization attempts to promote and preserve local food products and traditions, and they go as far as to organize celebrations of local cuisine in different regions. They educate consumers about fast food and the consequences that may follow indulging in the modern “fast food” lifestyle. The Slow Food Movement boasts more than 80,000 members from around the world, currently.
It only makes sense that such a movement was founded in Italy. Italy takes great pride in their culinary traditions and the people have passed family recipes and cooking methods down through many generations. The Mediterranean diet, focusing on using the freshest ingredients available, which would more than likely be grown locally, and the Italian way of life, with rich regional specialty dishes that focus on the best crops grown in the region at different times of year, are the perfect poster children for the Slow Movement, and by following these simple practices, you can help combat the modern “fast food” way of life and help to protect our environment.
Pick up your copy of celebrity-chef Maria Liberati’s latest collection of mouth-watering traditional Italian recipes, head to your local market for some fresh ingredients, and be on your way to making some delicious “Slow Food”!
The organization exists to build awareness and help preserve the culture, local traditions, cooking methods, tastes and foods that tend to fade away with the introduction of multitudes of fast food restaurants. They also focus on how food choices, preparation and production might affect the environment. The organization will probably begin to gain greater publicity and recognition in the coming months and years with the world’s newfound focus on everything “green”. The Slow Food Movement claims that slow food is “good, clean, fair food,” that it tastes good, is produced in a way that doesn’t harm the environment or animal welfare, and that the people who produce the food are compensated fairly (probably in support of local farmers who work hard to produce local crops but are often the victim of unforeseen circumstances or economic conditions).
The organization attempts to promote and preserve local food products and traditions, and they go as far as to organize celebrations of local cuisine in different regions. They educate consumers about fast food and the consequences that may follow indulging in the modern “fast food” lifestyle. The Slow Food Movement boasts more than 80,000 members from around the world, currently.
It only makes sense that such a movement was founded in Italy. Italy takes great pride in their culinary traditions and the people have passed family recipes and cooking methods down through many generations. The Mediterranean diet, focusing on using the freshest ingredients available, which would more than likely be grown locally, and the Italian way of life, with rich regional specialty dishes that focus on the best crops grown in the region at different times of year, are the perfect poster children for the Slow Movement, and by following these simple practices, you can help combat the modern “fast food” way of life and help to protect our environment.
Pick up your copy of celebrity-chef Maria Liberati’s latest collection of mouth-watering traditional Italian recipes, head to your local market for some fresh ingredients, and be on your way to making some delicious “Slow Food”!
venerdì 6 giugno 2008
Top 10 Reasons to Love Italian Cuisine
1. It’s so good, meals typically consist of several courses, because one just isn’t enough.
2. Italian cuisine makes use of the world’s most delicious cheeses.
3. Two words: The wine!
4. Everyone loves it, so it’s a no-fail way to please all your guests at your next dinner.
5. Only in Italian cuisine do vegetables taste so delicious you think the cook must be lying to you – this can’t be a healthy meal!
6. The Mediterranean diet is one of the most healthy diets in the world. Studies show Italians live longer and have lower risks of heart disease than people in most other countries.
7. The food is rich, flavorful, festive and full of tradition. Wait, that was four reasons in one!
8. The Italian cuisine focuses on using the freshest ingredients readily available – so, it’s environmentally friendly to eat Italian food, too, because you won’t be using ingredients that have been processed to death in some factory nor will you be using ingredients that have traveled halfway across the world in big, expensive, gas-guzzling machines just to make it to your dinner table.
9. Italians are the coolest people in the world, and we love to eat like them just to be like them!
10. It’s romantic – a gourmet several-course Italian meal with some delicious Italian wine and flavorful dessert, and you’ll win the heart of your lover forever!
Be sure to check back with us soon to purchase celebrity-chef Maria Liberati’s latest book, The Italian Kitchen, to be released in the coming weeks, right here and at MariaLiberati.com!
2. Italian cuisine makes use of the world’s most delicious cheeses.
3. Two words: The wine!
4. Everyone loves it, so it’s a no-fail way to please all your guests at your next dinner.
5. Only in Italian cuisine do vegetables taste so delicious you think the cook must be lying to you – this can’t be a healthy meal!
6. The Mediterranean diet is one of the most healthy diets in the world. Studies show Italians live longer and have lower risks of heart disease than people in most other countries.
7. The food is rich, flavorful, festive and full of tradition. Wait, that was four reasons in one!
8. The Italian cuisine focuses on using the freshest ingredients readily available – so, it’s environmentally friendly to eat Italian food, too, because you won’t be using ingredients that have been processed to death in some factory nor will you be using ingredients that have traveled halfway across the world in big, expensive, gas-guzzling machines just to make it to your dinner table.
9. Italians are the coolest people in the world, and we love to eat like them just to be like them!
10. It’s romantic – a gourmet several-course Italian meal with some delicious Italian wine and flavorful dessert, and you’ll win the heart of your lover forever!
Be sure to check back with us soon to purchase celebrity-chef Maria Liberati’s latest book, The Italian Kitchen, to be released in the coming weeks, right here and at MariaLiberati.com!
mercoledì 28 maggio 2008
Sicilian Specialties
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!
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!
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!
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