Italian food is famous for its flavor and character. There really is nothing like genuine Italian food, and it’s no coincidence that many Italians loathe the imitation “Italian” food, which actually is inferior product. If you eat Italian food anywhere in the world, from Rome to  Sydney bars, you’ll find some strong opinions about anything claiming to be Italian food.

Bucatini Salsiccia and Tomato

The difference between Italian food and fakes

The real difference between Italian food and artificial pretenders is actually chemical. However good flavor enhancers like monosodium glutamate and others may be, they can’t duplicate the physics of fresh food. Nor can microwaves duplicate the effect of a wood fired pizza or a good Bolognese sauce.

Italian food is extremely popular, and that’s entirely because of its tastes and textures. Mozzarella cheese, for example, has a unique combination of taste and texture. Combined with fresh ingredients, and put on to a wood fired pizza, almost the entire composition of the pizza is going to be different from any artificially produced version of these flavors.

There are other differences, too. Real Italian food is also regional food. The cuisine in Naples, Rome and Florence is quite different in many ways, using traditional techniques and ingredients. Like French food, these regional differences add up to big differences. “Italian” food, strictly speaking, is really multiple types of food with local variations.

These differences are also impossible to duplicate on an industrial scale. It wouldn’t be cost-effective for a big company like McCains, for example, to produce regional recipes. The global market wouldn’t recognize the differences, and the Italian food aficionados outside Italy would be a very small part of the overall market. As a matter of fact, where regional food is duplicated outside Italy, restaurants usually charge a lot for it, and the cheapest, most basic foods become gourmet dishes, usually much to the disgust of the local Italians.

Character and generic foods

The market’s generic “Italian” food really does leave a lot to be desired to those who know what the real food tastes like. “Gelato”, for example, in its Italian form, is delicious, with many different flavors and it’s all food. The market version is basically a combination of water, flavor, and some raw materials, most of which have nothing in common with the originals. “Chalk and cheese” barely describes the difference.

Character and style are big issues with Italian food, and it’s really quite odd that the market hasn’t picked up on the differences. Real Italian food comes as a revelation to people that have grown up thinking spaghetti grows in cans. They can barely believe that the real Italian version is actual spaghetti, and that what they’ve been eating for years is essentially flavoured noodles with tomato sauce. Macaroni is another case in point. Real Italian macaroni is made with durum wheat, not cardboard, and the texture and nutritional content is entirely  different. There’s no comparison between fake and real macaroni.

The solution is simple enough- Get real Italian chefs involved in the production of manufactured Italian food. Stop using processed food, and use the real, natural ingredients. It’d save a fortune, and after all, the best way to preserve an authentic culture is to stick to authentic traditions.

INFORMATION

Phyllo strudel with honey

2 people
360 calories per serving
Easy Difficulty
Ready in 45 minutes
Vegetarian recipe
Can be prepared in advance
You can eat out

INGREDIENTS
1 yellow apple
20 g butter
1 tablespoon sugar
2 sheets of phyllo dough
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 tablespoon liquid honey
1 tablespoon chopped hazelnuts

PREPARATION
Wash the apple, remove core and cut into small pieces.
Put the butter in a saucepan, combine the apples, sprinkle with sugar and cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
Place the sheets of phyllo dough on a sheet of baking paper, spread the filling area is shared between the two sheets. Combine the pine nuts and close a package.
Brush the surface with honey. If it is not fluid enough to put the jar in a water bath for a few minutes.
Sprinkle with chopped nuts and bake at 180 ° C for 15 minutes.

This article courtesy of Ricette primi piatti “Lo Spicchio d’aglio” .

INFORMATION

Hazelnut Donut

8 people
415 calories per serving
Easy Difficulty
Ready in 1 hour
Vegetarian recipe
Can be prepared in advance
You can eat out

INGREDIENTS
100 g butter
200 g of shelled and toasted hazelnuts
200 g flour
1 package yeast
2 eggs
100 g sugar
50 ml milk
Butter and flour for the mold

PREPARATION
Cut the butter into cubes and melt in double boiler.
Finely chop the hazelnuts in a food processor.
Sift the flour into a large bowl with the yeast and mix. Make a hole in the center and break the eggs, then add sugar, nuts, butter and milk. Start stirring with a wooden spoon, slowly mix until the ingredients form a batter that smooth and soft.
Grease a pan 22 cm in diameter, with or without a hole in the center, or a loaf pan, sprinkle with a thin layer of flour and shake it to blow away the excess.
Put  into the batter and bake for 30 minutes at 180 ° C by placing the cake in the middle to bottom of the oven.
Remove the cake, let cool and remove.

This article courtesy of ricette dolci “Lo Spicchio d’aglio” .

INFORMATION

Skewers of mushrooms and tomatoes

2 people
70 calories per serving
Easy Difficulty
Ready in 20 minutes
Vegetarian and vegan recipe
Light recipe
Can be prepared in advance
You can eat out

INGREDIENTS
10 small tomatoes of Pachino
12 small mushrooms
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

PREPARATION
Wash the tomatoes and mushrooms, after removal of the earthy part of stem with sprouts.
Skewer with toothpicks to skewer alternating tomatoes and mushrooms.
Heat the cast iron plate on the stove, grease it with a little oil and wipe dry with paper towels.
Cook for about 5 minutes turning first one side then the other.
When cooked, place on a serving platter, drizzle with a little oil and a pinch of salt.

PERFECT COMBINATION OF COURSES
Main courses of meat and fish.

This article courtesy of “Lo Spicchio d’aglio” .

INFORMATION

Pasta with pepper cream

2 people
450 calories per serving
Easy Difficulty
Ready in 45 minutes
Vegetarian recipe
Light recipe

INGREDIENTS
1 small yellow pepper
1 small red bell pepper
250 ml vegetable stock
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion
Salt
Pepper
2 basil leaves
160 g pasta
Ricotta salata

PREPARATION
Wash the peppers, remove cores, seeds and white ribs and reduce them into cubes.
Heat the vegetable broth.
Place two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and finely chop the onion. Brown it over medium heat, then add the peppers. Put a pinch of salt, pepper and grated half a ladle of hot broth.
Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally. After the cooking time uncover and cook another 5 minutes. Combine a little vegetable broth if the sauce dries too.
Once cooked set aside two tablespoons of the rest of pepper and mix together with a spoonful of broth and two basil leaves washed and chopped.
Put the cream in a bowl.
Cook the pasta in salted water, drain and season without too much shake in the bowl, stirring thoroughly. Serve garnished with peppers and chips required by salted.

PASTA PERFECT COMBINATION
Fusilli, curls trofie, celentani, homemade.

This article courtesy of “Lo Spicchio d’aglio” .

INFORMATION

Roulade of turkey with peppers

2 people
420 calories per serving
Easy Difficulty
Ready in 45 minutes
Light recipe

INGREDIENTS
6 slices of turkey
1 red bell pepper
50 g of mozzarella
50 g cooked ham cubes
Oregano
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
½ cup dry white wine
Salt
Pepper
4-5 basil leaves

PREPARATION
Flatten the slices of turkey with a meat mallet protecting them with a sheet of baking paper not to break them.
Wash the peppers, remove the stem and the white parts and cut into squares of two inches square.
Reducing the mozzarella into small cubes and mix it with ham.
Put the center of each slice of turkey ham and a tablespoon of mozzarella, a pinch of oregano and close the meat very well, thoroughly sealing the filling. Stop each roll with kitchen string or toothpicks.
In a large pan heat the oil with the peeled garlic.
Far brown garlic, then add the rolls. Brown well on all sides and add the peppers. Blanch them briefly and add the white wine, a pinch of salt, pepper and grated basil leaves washed and chopped.
Allow to resume the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon.
After the time indicated uncover, to dry the gravy over high heat and serve.

This article courtesy of “Lo Spicchio d’aglio” .

Bucatini sauce swordfish

INFORMATION
2 people
490 calories per serving
Easy Difficulty
Ready in 45 minutes
Light recipe

INGREDIENTS
1 slice of swordfish of about 100 g
4 green olives
4 black olives
4 anchovy fillets in olive oil and anchovies
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
150 g canned tomatoes with tomato juice stored
Salt
Oregano
160 g bucatini
Pepper

PREPARATION
Rinse the swordfish steak under running water, remove the skin and, if present, the bone. Cut into small cubes of 1 cm side.
Stone the olives and chop coarsely.
Drain the anchovies from the oil and dry with paper towel to remove excess liquid.
In a large pan put oil, garlic cloves peeled and anchovies. Light the fire and fry over high heat until the garlic will not brown.
Add the swordfish, mix and let it brown evenly.
Add the olives and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently, then add the tomatoes with their juice storage, a large pinch of salt, a handful of oregano, mix the ingredients well, let it boil again, cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium flame.
Cook the pasta in salted water, drain, and toss the sauce in the pan for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
Serve immediately with a generous grinding of pepper.

This article courtesy of Ricette primi piatti “Lo Spicchio d’aglio” .

Panzanella crisp

INFORMATION
2 people
490 calories per serving
Easy Difficulty
Ready in 30 minutes
Vegetarian recipe

INGREDIENTS
1 red onion (60 g approximately)
100 grams of bread (Altamura, Apulia, Tuscany)
3 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon water
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Oregano
400 g tomatoes type Pachino
4-5 basil leaves
100 grams of mozzarella cherry

PREPARATION
Slice the onion thin, cut it further if it had to be very large and soak in a bowl with cold water for 4-5 minutes changing the water a couple of times and stirring occasionally.
Cut the bread into thick slices, rub with the garlic and reduce them into cubes of 1-2 cm from the side.
In a bowl, emulsify the oil, vinegar, water, a pinch of salt, a grating of pepper, a handful of oregano. Set aside two tablespoons of dressing and emulsion for use the remainder as evenly as possible to soak the bread cubes.
To place it on a sheet of parchment paper and toast them under the grill until they are golden brown. Collect and set aside.
Wash the tomatoes and halve them. Add salt and mix well.
Wash and chop the basil leaves, keep aside a few for garnish.
In a large bowl mix the tomatoes with the onion squeezed, the mozzarella, basil, sliced garlic, a pinch of salt and the emulsion of oil kept aside.
Merge the top of the bread, stir briefly, place on a plate and serve immediately.
Olive oil for those who want it.

NOTES
Variant “crunchy” in the typical Tuscan dish, which provides for bread soaked in water, oil and vinegar and use of cucumbers.
VEGAN VERSION
Replace the mozzarella with diced bean curd.

This article courtesy of “Lo Spicchio d’aglio” .

After working in the catering industry, I have discovered that I have to be prepared to modify menus to fit my clients’ requests, palates and budgets.  It sounds challenging but this is the most creative aspect of my job! At Cassandra Fine Catering, requests for Italian style menus are very popular, especially for the clients that appreciate menus that are not consisted of typical Italian foods such as pasta topped with marinara sauce. It possible to have an Italian menu without any pasta or marinara sauce, and so much more healthy! Being open to suggestions and new flavor combinations will help foodies achieve this culinary goal.  I feel that incorporating appropriate wine pairings makes this journey so much more exciting. Here is one of my absolute favorite Italian menus created by Chef Juan Garrido with amazing wine pairings:

Canape: Cbicken Liver Bruschetta with Caper Gremolata

Suggested Wine: Cartizze DOC di Valdobbiadene

First Course: Baby Arugula & Organic Mache Salad with Fennel Pollen Braised Artichokes with Finochionna Salumi, Marcona Almonds & Truffle Vinaigrette

Suggested Wine: Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio Valdadige DOC

Entree: Pan Roasted Wild Halibut with Crispy Pork Belly, Potato Gnocchi, Spring Peas & Blood Orange Citronette

Suggested Wine: La Ponderina Brunello Poggio Banale

Dessert: Espresso Panna Cotta with Pistachio Biscotti & Honey Lavender Creme Fraiche

Suggested Wine: Ceretto Moscato D’asti Vignailio Di Santo Stefano

The art of creating custom menus is really listening to your client and what they love or hate when they sit down to eat. My first question is to ask, “What are your thoughts on the menu?” and go from there. If they mention that they may love Sage but really don’t like Basil, I would suggest using an alternative herb such as Rosemary or Thyme. However, it is important to guide them on what flavors really “sing” together and what foods will be a disaster for their guests when impressing them is important. Sophisticated palates can be developed with a little bit of guidance and education – the key is to keep trying new foods!

Guest author, Kimberly Jameson, is a passionate menu creator for Cassandra Fine Catering in Dallas, Texas.

Cartizze DOC di Valdobbiadene - the perfect start to a wonderful Italian meal

This is a Guest Post by Mandi Titus, author of Mandi Munches and her personal blog @ Vermont.  Mandi loves all things food and writing about her dining experiences.

The small town of Positano sits on the Amalfi Coast in Campania, Italy.  In the 16^th and 17^th centuries, Positano was a prosperous port of the Amalfi Republic.  As the 19^th century approached the town fell on hard times and over half of the populations immigrated to Australia.  Positano was a poor fishing village in the early 20^th century but the culture, food, and views of the coast and seas attracted tourist creating the town that exists today.  John Steinbeck wrote an essay about Positano in 1953 that was published in Harper’s Bazaar.  “Positano bites deep,” he wrote, “It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.”

In this small town overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, there is a luxurious hotel and restaurant, Il San Pietro di Positano. The restaurant serves the finest traditional, regional, and Italian haute cuisine.  The Belgian born chef of Il San Pietro, Alois Vanlangenaeker, used only the best local ingredients found.  Some of these ingredients are found on hotel property, such as the olive oil from the hotel’s own groves. Vanlangenaeker uses the ingredients to create exquisite dishes with delicious flavors.  Of course, being in Italy, wine has a great influence and the restaurant and hotel wine list includes some of the best regional wines.

It is in this five star restaurant that Sam Moggio, chef of The Cellar in Daytona Beach, Fl, trained in the culinary arts. Chef Moggio creates delicious dishes with Italian and Mediterranean influences using the highest quality ingredients found in the area.

The restaurant in Daytona is located in the historic home of Warren G. Harding.  The name of the restaurant is very telling as you enter through the side door of the home and descend downward into the dining room.  The décor reflects Italian culture with photographs and artworks of Italian landscapes and cities. Sitting around a large round table, it truly felt like an Italian dining experience.  There was a lot of good food, including Peperoni Imbottiti, Gnocchi Alla Bolognese, Ravioli al Mare, Avocado con Gamberi e Granchi, Risotta ai Porcini, Fettucini con Salmone Affumicato, Torta di Cicocolata, Frutti di Bosco, Torta di Pane and much more.  The walls were covered with wine and the company was excellent.

The chef and his wife Lina, the hostess and wine expert, both came to the table to discuss the food, the wine, and the experience.  It was a combination of the delicious food which was perfectly prepared and presented, the wine (of which there were many fine selections), and the atmosphere that made dining at The Cellar feel like a little bit of Italy in Florida