We know it is spring in Italy, when the bright yellow oval shapes of lemons line orchards for miles along the Coast, through rolling hills and in along chestnut made trellises. Lemons are everywhere in Italy at this time of year, and although ever blooming, the spring crop seems to produce the best. Bright, big and bursting with a sweet juice, they are zested on fococcia, grilled with Provolone, used as an accent to meat and fish, made into gelato and squeezed into granita. Italians make wonders with lemons.
At recent visit to the kitchen of Taverna del Leone, I had the chance to see Chef and owner Fortunata making her Caciotta al Limone, an old world recipe for Cagliata Sorrentina. Her modern take on this antica recipe uses cow’s milk followed by the Caciotta cheese served on lemon leaves. She used only the lemon zest placed on the curds to infuse just the right amount of lemon flavor. The original recipe called for goat’s milk and was served on fern leaves. Fortunata’s traditional regional cuisine served up with a modern twist has everyone coming back for seconds. www.latavernadelleone.com
The song might wax lyrical about Paris in the springtime, but spring in Italy is just as beautiful. The post winter buzz and excitement is tangible wherever you go, the first bar and restaurant chairs and tables appearing in piazzas and sidewalks all over the country. That great Italian love of living outdoors is back, with sunshine and birdsong a reminder that a new season is here. Days are getting longer, trees and shrubs are in flower and it really does seem that spring brings a smile to everyone’s face.
It’s so good to be able to enjoy eating outside again. Sure, we might still be wrapped up in our outdoor clothes, but the pleasure of enjoying an al fresco lunch down by the sea front or in a country agriturismo is second to none. But remember, T.S. Eliot called April ‘the cruelest month’; it tantalizes you with a taste of summer then threatens a return to winter. So enjoy each sunny day as it comes, but don’t forget your raincoat!
During the month of April, vegetable gardens are a hive of activity: fava beans are already tall and leggy; peas are close on their heels, their tendrils wrapped tightly around canes; tall thistly artichokes bearing their grey-green fruit; rows of lettuce and cabbage; and those deliciously peppery radishes that served with a little fresh farm butter make such a great impromptu appetizer. And anyone with a rosemary bush will be enchanted by its early growth and delicate pink flowers. Of course, this means that there are great new dishes to prepare in the kitchen too. It doesn’t take long to cook up a simple risotto with lettuce and spring onions, or add some blanched wild garlic to creamy mashed potatoes. Chargrill some asparagus and serve it with a lemon chive sauce or whizz up some rocket pesto and serve on top of bruschetta or to dress pasta. But let’s not forget about the great fresh fish available either. This is the time of year to enjoy cod and cuttlefish, and sea bass makes a healthy and satisfying meal when roasted with spring vegetables and served with sautéed new potatoes. This month we give you a few ideas on how to make the best of April’s new produce, ending with a delicious dessert perfumed with rosemary.
This makes a simple appetizer or an elegant side dish.
200g asparagus, blanched
1 clove garlic, whole
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Balsamic vinegar
Once cool, toss the blanched asparagus in a little olive oil with the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Heat a griddle pan until extremely hot - you should see smoke rising, and grill the asparagus (discarding garlic) for 4 minutes, turning as necessary so it colors on all sides. Divide the asparagus between plates and garnish with a few drops of balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately.
Taste and smell the various herbs you will include until you find the mixture that best reflects your tastes. Or for something a little different, omit the lemon juice and garlic and substitute the herbs with dried lavender. Serve on a bed of shaved fennel. Quite delicious!
4 large cod fillets
150g homemade breadcrumbs
Olive oil
Handful finely chopped mixed herbs (basil, parsley, dill)
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of one lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Half an hour before you intend to cook the cod, place it in an ovenproof dish, squeeze over the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and turn the oven on to 190°C/380°F. In a small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, herbs, garlic and a small swirl of olive oil. Mix well and season with a little salt and pepper. Just before cooking, scatter breadcrumb mixture on top of cod, pat down, drizzle with a very little extra olive oil and bake in the hot oven for about 10 minutes. Serve hot with wilted spinach and new potatoes.
Rosemary is simply delicious in sweets and desserts, from rosemary cantucci to rosemary creme brulée. Here we use it to add an exotic touch to an apple pie with a difference.
700g shortcrust pastry
350g cooking apples
350g pears
2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
125g fine sugar
Grated zest one lemon, plus juice
25g butter
1 egg, beaten egg
Preheat the oven to 190°C / 380°F. Roll out the pastry and use about two thirds of it to line a buttered 22cm pie dish. Peel and core the apples and pears and cut them into thick slices. Put slices in a bowl with the sugar and lemon zest and juice and toss well. Arrange fruit in pie dish, scatter chopped rosemary on top, dot with butter and roll out remaining pastry and cover pie. Use your fingers to seal the edges of the pie, and using a sharp knife, make two or thee incisions on the top to allow steam to escape. Brush pie with beaten egg, sprinkle with a little more fine sugar and bake for about 35 - 40 minutes or until pie is golden brown. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream.
Visitors to the Amalfi Coast should try to catch one of the enchanting classical music concerts held in Ravello from March to October. In April there are a number of chamber music events held in Villa Rufolo. Take your pick between Bach, Mendelssohn, Lizt, Chopin, Schumann, Beethoven and many more.
www.ravelloarts.org
Every year in the lovely town of Scalea in Calabria, hundreds flock to enjoy the vintage car and motorbike race where teams arrive from Campania, Basilicata and Lazio to participate in this meeting. As well as being able to inspect these wonderful vehicles up close, visitors can also watch the road race, with the prizes being awarded at the race’s conclusion. Sunday 11th April.
Anyone who loves Italian wine should really try to visit this impressive exhibition at least once. VINITAY celebrates the world of wine made up of men and women whose passion preserves history and culture to take them into the future. It’s where all these people meet to exchange wines and ideas. This 44th edition of the largest international exhibition dedicated to wine seeks to provide an injection of optimism in a sector that is already proving to have it sights set beyond the current difficulties on the market.
www.vinitaly.com
Italian pottery is a firm favorite all over the world and Bellezza fine hand-painted ceramics offer some truly lovely pieces. From umbrella stands handmade in Tuscany and hand-painted planters from Deruta to traditional tableware from Campania and exquisite pharmacy jars, these beautiful one off pieces add an unmistakably Italian touch to any home.
www.bellezzahome.com
This spring, we take a look at some great food festivals to suit all tastes this April in Italy.
18th Gnocchi Festival: This delicious sounding sagra is held in the main piazza of Alto in the Province of Padova on the 11th and 18th April. Turn up and watch local experts prepare these little potato dumplings then help yourself to a piping hot plate of freshly made potato gnocchi. Music and entertainment for children is also offered. The perfect way to enjoy a day in the Colli Euganei with good food, good wine and good fun!
Sagra delle fettuccine agli asparagi di bosco, 18th April, Torrita Tiberina (RM). Held in the beautiful setting of a piazza overlooking the Tevere, this festival has enjoyed tremendous success in past years. At midday, visitors can enjoy a mouthwatering dish of handmade pasta dressed with local wild asparagus, as well as barbecued sausages, fried potatoes, bean salad and a good glass of local wine to wash it all down. And for those interested in burning off some of those calories, there’s lots of live music to get your feet tapping.
Festa del Carciofo di Paestum: This sagra which celebrates the famous purple artichoke of Paestum is held from 22 to 25th April in the town of Gromola di Capaccio (SA). First take a walk round the informative stands describing the unique qualities of this artichoke, then dig in to a selection of delicious local specialties which exalt this product. Traditional musical shows, singing and dancing conclude the evening.
12 Metri di Bontà: This must be one of the most particular sagras around. On the 24th and 25th April, in the town of Mede near Alessandria in Lombardia, locals gather together to cook a salami 14 cm in diameter and, wait for it, 12 meters long! Preparations start the night before at about 5pm, but it is on the 24th at about 4pm that you’ll at last be able to queue up for your helping of record breaking salami. For entertainment, there will also be flag throwers and an arts and crafts fair.
In honor of the new outdoor music theatre in Ravello we bring you Our “Music In The Kitchen” program which will have you cooking Neapolitan classic traditions with our excellent Chef in a city that is steeped in music from around the world. Chef Raffaele transforms fresh garden picked treasures along with seasonal fish and meats, and hand-made pastas into savory favorites. He starts with grilled eggplant rolled with fresh Ricotta and basil then slow baked; or hand-made ravioli stuffed with pumpkin and tossed with olive oil; and fresh caught sole rolled with garden herbs and lemon oil grilled to perfection. His desserts make for a sweet ending, and include almond flour cake, torta di mandorle, topped with caramelized oranges and a steamy espresso, or delicate crostata filled with fresh seasonal fruits. This is just a sample of the Neapolitan classics that will be made.
Discover Italy’s best-loved Neapolitan recipes with Chef Raffaele. This cooking program walks you through tasty recipes-all of which you can easily create at home, and gives you the opportunity to learn about Ravello’s traditions and customs in an inspiring atmosphere overlooking the Amalfi Coast.
Germaine Stafford gives you her chef of the month, book recommendation, and a list of seasonal foods for April.
Pork products (salami etc.)
Octopus
Cod
Cuttlefish
Sea Bream
Spring lamb
Rosemary
Wild garlic
Radishes
Spinach
Watercress
Morel mushrooms
Asparagus
Artichokes
First fava beans (broad beans)
Jerusalem artichokes
First strawberries
Rhubarb
Just south of The Cinque Terre, clinging to the side of a hill called Montemarcello, you’ll find the tall red and orange houses of the delightful village of Tellero. According to legend, Tellaro is famous for being prey to the pranks of a giant octopus that would reach its long tentacles out of the seas to ring the church bells to annoy the inhabitants. Or, as more charitable folks suggest, to warn the population of imminent invasions. Thankfully, the only octopuses you’re likely to see today are considerably smaller and tend to be on your dinner plate.
Locanda Miranda has been around since 1959, and 70-year-old chef patron Angelo Cabani is still to be found cooking up a storm in the kitchen, though over the years his cooking has shifted from the purely traditional to a lighter, more modern cuisine. His wife Giovanna and son Alessandro take care of the dining room where the atmosphere is warm and inviting and service is relaxed and friendly without being over-familiar. The menu here is almost exclusively fish based, but what fish! For years now Angelo has been receiving praise and tributes for his cooking, and it has to be said that his dishes are particularly original and delicious, and are as good to look at as they are to eat.
Dishes change with the seasons and on Angelo’s whims, but expect to find fish versions of many of the area’s specialties like ravioli with sweet red mullet; farro lasagna with scampi; fennel and orange salad with scampi; delicious John Dory served with capers and greens; and a selection of tempting desserts. Upstairs there are also rooms to let offering fabulous views over the Gulf of Poets, so those who have planned ahead can eat and drink to their heart’s delight without worrying about who’ll be doing the driving. All in all, the sort of family run locanda that you’re delighted to discover while on holiday in Italy.
Further Information:
Locanda Miranda
Via Fiascherino 92
Tellero
Tel: (+39) 0187 964012
www.miranda1959.com
The Italian Farmer’s Table
Authentic Recipes and Local Lore from Northern Italy
By Matthew Scialabba and Melissa Pellegrino
Over the past fifteen years or so, the popularity of Italy’s working farms that provide room and board for visitors, has grown tremendously, and not just with the young set. The authentic Italian country lifestyle offered by these farms is appreciated by everyone from young families to professionals eager to get away from the city, with many working farmhouses providing surprisingly sophisticated surroundings and fare. The Italian Farmer’s Table offers an enchanting introduction to thirty such working farms in northern Italy, and features 150 authentic recipes.
Professional chefs Scialabba and Pellegrino provide an introduction to each establishment, describing its location, the owners and the style of cuisine before going on to present the recipes. As you would expect, local seasonal ingredients play a fundamental role in these dishes, and while the recipes are clearly explained and fairly simple to prepare, many of the tastes and flavor combinations are enticing to say the least. True, you’ll find simple staples such as lamb stew, butternut squash gnocchi, stuffed zucchini flowers and apple cake. But you’ll also find caramelized chestnuts with prosciutto, phyllo bundles with walnuts and Asiago, turkey breast with orange and pomegranate, and Prosecco mousse with peach puree.
Sumptuous photographs bring these northern regions of Italy and their people to life, and interesting anecdotes make for enjoyable reading. Many of the featured recipes are hearty, all are authentic, and each and every single dish makes you want to drop everything and rush to Italy to try it for yourself. What more do you want from a cookbook?
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