Ricco Risotto

I don't eat risotto very often, but in Italy risotto is a very common dish seen on a restaurant menu. There are many varieties with seafood, cheese, any type of vegetable such as peas or asparagus, and even sometimes meat, but not as often as seafood, cheese, or vegetables. Coming to Italy made me realize that there are so many things that I haven't tried and that I need to experience before leaving.

Risotto is a rice that has broth added to it to create the creamy consistency that it has. There are a variety of different types of broth you can add to the risotto such as chicken broth, beef broth, vegetable broth, or even just water. It just depends what kind of flavor you want for your risotto and what you are going to be adding to it so that it can have a well-balanced flavor. Risotto is one of the most common ways to cook rice in Italy. One of the most common types of rice to use is a long grain rice called arborio because it has a high starch, low amylose concentration so that it can absorb liquid well and release starch to create a thicker, creamier consistency.

Risotto is not a very difficult dish to make however it does require some patience because it takes time for the rice to absorb the liquid. It also takes some careful watching because you need to continuously add the liquid until it becomes thick and creamy enough, which can take awhile because the rice can absorb a lot of liquid. One risotto recipe that I made included gorgonzola and onions, which was actually very delicious although you might think the gorgonzola might be too strong of a cheese, it really isn't in this particular dish.

Here is the recipe:

500g Arborio rice
50g of olive oil
1/2 medium onion, minced
1/2 a glass of dry white wine, warmed
1 1/2 quarts Vegetable broth, simmering
200g Gorgonzola cheese
1 Tbsp cream

Sauté the minced onion in the oil over a low flame until it is just golden. Remove the onion with a slotted spoon, turn the heat up slightly, and stir the rice into the drippings. Continue cooking for several minutes, stirring constantly so the rice doesn't stick.

Return the onion to the rice, stir in the wine and continue cooking until it has evaporated. Begin adding the vegetable broth a ladle at a time. When the rice is half cooked stir in the gorgonzola and continue adding broth until the rice is done, scraping your spoon across the bottom of the pot so the rice and cheese mixture doesn't stick and burn. When the rice reaches the al dente stage stir in the cream and serve.

Lots of Mozz-arella di Bufala

Of the many wonderful cheeses I have consumed this past semester, one of my favorites from Italy is mozzarella di Bufala or buffalo mozzarella. Buffalo mozzarella is a very popular cheese to use on pizzas as well as in sandwiches and even just as an appetizer. There are also many ways to change the flavor of buffalo mozzarella such as smoking the cheese or frying the cheese although smoking it is much more common.

Buffalo mozzarella gets its name because in order to make it, it uses the milk from a domestic water buffalo rather than a cow to give it its distinctly taste and texture. Buffalo mozzarella has a protected geographical status, which means that buffalo mozzarella made in the region of Campania bears the "Mozzarella di Bufala Campana" trademark. It is also a DOC (denomination of origin control) and has PDO status, which is just high protection of the product in relation to its origins from Campania.

The following are major steps in the production of buffalo mozzarella:

1. Milk stored in big steel containers is ideal.
2. Milk is heated to a liquid then poured into a cream separator.
3. Curdling of the milk by induction of natural whey.
4. Curd maturation by reducing the acidification processes and reach a pH value of 4.95 in tubs
5. The "spinning" of the curd occurs by pouring hot water onto the curd in order to soften it then pulling or stretching it out called "pasta filata"
6. Shaping of the curd into balls (can be done by hand or with machines)
7. Cooling by immersion in cold water
8. Pickle the mozzarella by immersing them in containers with the original whey
9. Packaging in special films cut as bags or in small, plastic basins.

As you can see, there are many steps to create the tasty buffalo mozzarella that we consume today. The farm that I visited in Cilento, which is located in the region of Campania actually does most of this by machine except for the pulling and stretching of the cheese and formation into balls, which is done by hand with 2 men working over one tub of curd at a time. It was really interesting to see it being done and also very interesting to see a functioning farm working on making fresh mozzarella.

Due to the water buffaloes producing richer milk from low grade vegetation, the buffalo mozzarella tends to be higher in protein, fat, and minerals than cheese produced from cow's milk. This can have advantages as well as disadvantages. It has a higher amount of protein, however, that doesn't mean you should eat of a lot of this type of cheese due to the higher fat content, which can outweigh the advantages of the protein in the cheese product. A good amount of buffalo mozzarella such as on a pizza or just 2 small balls at a meal can be enough to supply the needed protein as well as not overdo the amount of fat that you would consume if you ate more.

This was what I found hard to do in the region of Campania when I visited because buffalo mozzarella is everywhere. At one dinner, I had a huge ball of buffalo mozzarella as an appetizer, then pasta, then pizza (with what I assumed was mozzarella on it). Another meal that weekend, I had more cheese and pizza, which led to me becoming a little tired of having buffalo mozzarella all the time. However, the buffalo mozzarella I ate in Campania was probably the best tasting buffalo mozzarella, I will ever consume. It had so much richness and flavor and the texture was perfect for anything that you would eat. If you ever go to the region of Campania, the most popular city in this region is Naples, I highly suggest going somewhere and getting something with buffalo mozzarella in it or on it. Whether it's pizza, pasta, or just by itself with either tomatoes for caprese or bread to just eat with it, the buffalo mozzarella cheese in Campania is literally the best cheese I could ever consume in my lifetime.

Simpli Suppli

"Suppli? What is that?!"

This was my first reaction when someone mentioned "suppli" to me. When I first heard this word, I had no idea whether or not it was a type of food or if it was some sort of event or location, it really could've been anything, but now I know that suppli is a special type of Italian snack food sold generally in most pizzerias as well as select cafes/bars or special suppli places that sell mostly suppli.

Suppli are Italian snacks that is basically a ball of rice (risotto is generally used with or without tomato sauce and raw egg around a piece of mozzarella. The entire ball shaped snack food is then soaked in egg and coated with breadcrumbs so that it can be then fried and in most cases, deep fried. Suppli is native to Rome from the region of Lazio, so you will see suppli all over the place in various restaurants, pizzerias, and other random food stores that sell suppli. There are many places in Rome that sell suppli because it is native to the area however you can find suppli in other areas of Italy as well, but the best ones are found in Rome.

The name "suppli" comes from the idea that when the suppli are eaten in pieces, the mozzarella becomes drawn out in a string somewhat resembling the cord connecting a telephone handset to the hook. This has then led to this snack food being referred to as "suppli al telefono." Suppli is sometimes seen as a variation on the Sicilian arancini or Naples' palline di riso. The Sicilian arancini are differently shaped and have some added ingredients on the inside like meats and/or vegetables like peas however it is the same idea as suppli.

Tiramisu per Tutti!

What's not to love when it comes to tiramisu? The richness and decadence of a lovely Italian dessert after a wonderfully starchy meal is what everyone looks forward to.

Tiramisu is an Italian cake that has layers of flavor as well as layers that are needed in order to create the cake itself. The cake is made by layering "lady finger" cookies dipped in espresso with a mixture of mascarpone and egg yolks. Then the entire cake is flavored with coffee liqueor and dusted with cocoa powder on top. There are many adaptations for this specific dessert by making it into a pudding or ice cream flavor, but the traditional cake dessert is still known for it's wonderful mix of decadent flavors.

I have noticed too that all over Italy tiramisu is a popular dessert on a restaurant menu whether you're in Florence or Venice or Rome, it's on a lot of menus. Also, you can get tiramisu from a variety of different cafes or bakeries that do their own traditional preparation of the tiramisu.

If you want to make your own tiramisu, here is a quick lesson:

No matter where you get your tiramisu or if you make it yourself, you know in the end-if it's made right-the end result will be like "heaven in your mouth" when you eat it. The creaminess of the mascarpone and egg yolk mixture combined with "lady finger" cookies soaked in espresso or coffee liqueor with a finish of cocoa powder on the very top meld together to create a wonderful mixture of flavors that marry so well together.

Yummi Gelati!

Oh the wonders of gelato! There are an endless amount of gelaterias in the city of Rome as well as throughout Italy as a whole. Gelato is the ice cream that Italy is famous for, but some regions of Italy are also well known for their particular gelato. They are all slightly different in their own way, however, all the ones that I have tried have all been very good in their own way as well. From Florence to San Gimignano to Rome, the differences in gelato from texture to flavor to color. Of all the ones I've tried, I would have to say that my favorite has definitely been in Rome, but it's a hard choice between Giolitti and Palazzo del Freddo. Both are similar in their creamy texture and delicious flavors especially the chocolates and berry flavors.

The biggest thing about gelato is the difference compared to regular ice cream. Regular ice cream has  a much higher butterfat content, which gives it a more richer taste and harder texture. Whereas, gelato has a much higher sugar content that contributes to the sweeter taste and creamier texture associated with it. Gelato is special in its own way, but also the different gelaterias might have a slightly different approach to making the gelato in order for them to be somewhat distinguishable. My two favorite places are Palazza del Freddo and Giolitti. At Giolitti, the smallest size can have up to three different flavors, if desired, which is also a trait of Palazzo del Freddo. At first glance, the main difference between the two is the price, Palazzo del Freddo is slightly cheaper than Giolitti however it does not show in the taste of the product. The differences in the taste involve the flavors. Giolitti has much richer and well balanced chocolate and coffee flavors as well as various other stronger and bolder flavors however Palazzo del Freddo, I think, makes better and more flavorful fruit and berry flavors that just burst with the fresh flavors of strawberry and raspberry as well as their many other flavors. Also, Palazzo del Freddo offers a few more varieties of flavors compared to Giolitti,  but Giolitti has a much better and more convenient location (near the Pantheon) than Palazzo del Freddo (near Santa Maria Maggiore).

All in all, pretty much any gelato that I have consumed while being in Italy has been good in its own way, but some happen to be better in their flavors or textures or just well-balanced compared to others. Whatever characteristic you're more favorable towards is most likely the gelateria that you will fall in love with when you come to Italy. Therefore, if you ever do come to Italy, I feel that trying a variety of different gelaterias will help you to find the one that truly suits your taste buds.

Parmigiana Perfection!

Before coming to Rome, one of my favorite Italian dishes was eggplant parmesan. There is also a version with chicken as well, but the style of "parmesan" or "parmigiana" in Italian is all about how the dish is created, not just about what kind of cheese is used with it to make it. In Italian, eggplant parmesan is translated to "parmigiana di melanzane," chicken parmesan is not quite as popular in Italy as eggplant is, so I don't usually see it on a menu very often.

The basis of origin of eggplant parmesan is mainly from the southern parts of Italy supposedly claimed by both Campania and Sicily even though when translated "parmigiana" traditionally means "from Parma," (this is unrelated to Parmesan cheese) but Parma is a Northern city in Italy, which does not relate to the beginning creations of the parmigiana di melanzane. The Italian versions of parmigiana are only vegetarian, which is why you won't find chicken or veal parmigiana in Italy however around the world you can find chicken and/or veal parmigiana in various restaurants. 

The basic preparation for a "parmigiana" is basically having the eggplant sliced thin and fried (usually in olive oil) and then layered with tomato sauce and cheese, which is then baked in the oven. The main focus of the dish either eggplant, chicken, or veal must be thinly sliced and pan fried in oil to create the "filling" of the parmigiana. Then it is layered with tomato sauce and cheese, usually the tomato sauce is the first layer, then the eggplant or meat, and finally the cheese. This continues until you have used all of your ingredients based on your recipe. The various types of cheeses to use in parmigiana include hard cheese like Parmesan or Pecorino or soft cheeses like Mozzarella or Caciocavallo. Some even use a combination of hard cheese/soft cheese to create this wonderful dish for people to enjoy.

 The eggplant parmigiana that I had at Hostaria del Moro aka "Tony's" in Trastevere.

Here is a recipe for one version of a traditional eggplant parmesan*

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 28-oz. can crushed Italian tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flour
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups dried plain bread crumbs, sifted
1 large eggplant
12 fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
1/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
3/4 cup grated provolone
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, season to taste with salt and pepper, and simmer, stirring, until sauce thickens, about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place flour in a shallow dish. Beat eggs together in another shallow dish. Mix bread crumbs with a generous pinch of salt and pepper in a third shallow dish. Set dishes aside.

3. Peel and trim eggplant and slice lengthwise into 1/2'' pieces. Dredge each slice first in the flour, then in the egg, then in the seasoned bread crumbs.

4. Heat remaining ⅛ cup oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until oil is hot but not smoking. Add breaded eggplant slices to the hot oil (working in batches, if needed) and cook until golden on both sides and dark brown on the edges, 2-3 minutes per side.

5. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of a large shallow ovenproof dish. Arrange eggplant in a single layer on top of tomato sauce. Spoon remaining sauce over eggplant. Scatter basil on top of sauce and sprinkle with parmigiano-reggiano, then provolone. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.

*Note: there are many versions of eggplant parmesan that can be made along with different forms of parmigiana with chicken or veal. This is just a sample of what is typically done for a parmigiana recipe.

Oh My Carbonara!

Before coming to Italy, I had heard of variations of pasta alla carbonara, however, I had never had it before so I never really knew how to make it. For one of the cooking classes I had, I learned how to make the traditional Italian carbonara and it's actually a very simple recipe. It's also really flexible because the carbonara is technically the sauce of the dish, so you can use any type of pasta you want like penne or rigatoni or spaghetti, just choose your favorite! Sometimes this is good, but sometimes it makes for a weird texture because different types of pasta hold the sauce differently giving some pastas an advantage when making carbonara. The most famous and typical pasta used in carbonara is spaghetti.

Here are the ingredients for a typical spaghetti alla carbonara:

spaghetti (or any other pasta like rigatoni)
panchetta (or guanciale is used also)
egg yolks
parmesan cheese
pecorino cheese
salt and pepper to taste

The technique to making the sauce isn't hard, but it's a different approach and takes a little more time compared to a typical tomato sauce that just cooks together. Before making the sauce, the panchetta needs to be cooked on the stove top until crispy like bacon, it can then be taken off the heat and put on the side to be used later. Then, the sauce is made by first cracking the eggs, but only taking the egg yolks and leaving the egg whites in a separate bowl. The egg yolks (typically 2 egg yolks for a half pound of pasta) is then mixed with 3 Tbsp of cheese total. It can be divided however you want: equally between the parmesan and pecorino or a little more pecorino or a little more parmesan, it really depends on what you like most. The cheese is then combined with the egg yolks making a type of thicker paste like mixture. While this part is going on, there should be a pot of water boiling on the stove for the pasta. Once it is boiling the pasta can be dropped in for about 10 minutes. Before taking out the pasta and adding it to the egg yolk/cheese mixture, a little bit of boiling water should be added to the eggs to temper them so they don't scramble when the hot pasta is added. Once the egg yolks are tempered, the pasta can be strained out and added directly to the mixture. Mix the pasta with the egg yolk/cheese mixture until everything is coated. Add the panchetta (heating it slightly on the stove before hand to warm it up) and mix well. Add some more cheese on top, salt and pepper to taste, and the carbonara is ready.

This carbonara was made with rigatoni and guanciale: