The history of Piemontese cuisine: a historical journey through Piemonte foods

by: Eleonora

Thinking about traditional Piemontese cuisine, some words immediately come to mind: tajarin, agnolotti, bunet! But when did this tradition begin? 

When we talk about Piedmont and its typical food we have to start from an important assumption: the Piemontese cuisine tradition is the result of the fusion of three different cuisines. We have the popular tradition, passed on orally and made up of simple and economical ingredients; the bourgeois tradition, characterized by richer preparations; and the aristocratic cuisine, created at the court of the Savoy family. Then, during the last century, the process of contamination of these three categories began, arriving at the present with the dishes that we eat today. 

ANTIPASTI

Bagna cauda

Anchovies, oil, garlic and the magic is done: bagna cauda is the simple Piemontese antipasto that never fails to surprise! It can only be found in autumn, since it is a traditional recipe that celebrates the end of the harvest. Its cheerful spirit is also reflected in the way it is served: a large terracotta bowl in the center table and a mix of raw and cooked vegetables dipped in it. In other words, a convivial dish that brings together not only people, but also the ingredients. 

As I mentioned before, we only need three ingredients to prepare this dish, but one of them seems to be coming from the wrong place: I am talking about anchovies. 

This small fish arrived in Piemontese cuisine many years ago, and its appearance is actually  linked to the salt trade, the Via del Sale: this region was part of a route that connected the salt flats of Provence and Nice with the Piemontese valleys, bringing salt within the Italian borders. 

At the end of the eighteenth century, the tax on salt began to increase significantly, and the merchants invented a way to avoid the high payment: the barrels full of salt were covered with a layer of anchovies to hide the salt from underneath. 

Once they arrived in Piedmont, people understood that anchovies could be used in recipes as a substitute for salt, which explains the presence of this fish in so many Piedmontese dishes! 

Vitello tonnato 

This recipe breaks all the Italian rules about keeping certain ingredients separate : in fact, you will find something that is really unusual for the Italian tradition, namely the combination of meat, in this case beef, and fish (tuna and anchovies) in the same dish. 

This Italian preparation was born in the north of Italy in the XVIII century, but it quickly became the face of Piemontese antipasti.

At first sight, many northern Italian and French cookery books speak of a dish in which the beef is cooked “like the tuna” (this explains the origin of the name): the beef is salted for a short time, then cooked and preserved in oil. In some of these recipes we can also see the anchovy in the broth or in the garnish sauce, but not yet the tuna. 

As we can see from many 18th century European recipes (such as the Alemannic veal breast or the Lyonnaise veal ribs) the association between anchovies and beef is not new. The difference is the tuna, which probably arrived thanks to the development of the canning industry which began in France and England and then came to Italy. This way of preserving food opened the door to a new way of conceiving a specific type of food, such as tuna, giving the opportunity to use non-local ingredients to improve various recipes.

PRIMI PIATTI

Tajarin

Similar to tagliatelle but thinner, they look like tagliolini but they are not: Tajarin is a pasta in its own right! 

Its preparation shows how the boundaries between poor, bourgeois and aristocratic cuisine have been broken down: from being a poor dish, characterized by familiar features and served in convivial contexts, this recipe has now become an extravagant dish thanks in particular to the version with thinly sliced white truffle. 

The name “tajarin” comes from the Italian verb “tagliare” (to cut) and it refers to the act of cutting: in fact, one of the peculiarities of this pasta is that it is cut by hand with a knife. Another big difference that makes this homemade pasta unique is the dough: when we think about pasta we all know that there is a certain ratio between eggs and flour (one egg for 90g of flour). But, as you can see from the color of the tajarin, which has a distinct yellow hue, the most important ingredient is only a part of the egg: the yolk. It is the number of yolks per kilo of flour that counts, and every Piedmontese has found their own recipe that makes this traditional dish unique from place to place!

Agnolotti del plin 

Derived from the dialect word “anulòt” - which refers to a specific ring-like tool used to prepare this dish - agnolotto is certainly one of the kings of the Piedmontese table.

Born as a way to use the leftovers of the roasted meat, the history of this stuffed pasta begins in the Langhe and Roero at the beginning of the twentieth century and represents a different version of the female “raviole” (a small square dumpling surrounded by hot broth). 

But, what is the main difference between the two? First of all, the shape! In fact, to close the agnolotti del Plin you have to pinch the dough ( “plin” in dialect) in a special way: you have to try it! 

Another peculiarity that makes this dish impossible to find outside of the Piemonte borders, is the way it is eaten: in many Piedmontese restaurants you can still find the original version of the agnolotti, served not in a normal dish but in a napkin closed in a triangle. In this way, it is possible to preserve all the tenderness of the pasta - originally agnolotti was a poor dish, eaten straight from the napkin during the working day, without adding any sauce. 

In short, a really unusual way to eat dumplings, always famous for their saucy components, which disappear here, but create a really special kind of dumpling that you will never find anywhere else! 

DESSERT

Bonet 

I could not talk about desserts without mentioning the bonet, one of the oldest dishes in the Piedmontese culinary repertoire!

The archaic version of the bonet appears in the distant XIII century but in a completely different form: in fact, the first recipe of this pudding was characterized by the combination of milk, eggs, almonds and sugar. Today, we can see a different dessert, which has changed from cream to brown, in which the almonds are replaced by amaretti biscuits and cocoa. 

Although today it is the most representative dessert of the whole region, this delicious pudding originates from the fancy tables of the aristocracy and it is only now that it has found its way into everyday meals. The curious thing about this dish is that, at the beginning of its history, it was used as a snack between courses and was not considered a dessert!

Gelato with white truffle 

There is no Italy without gelato: born in Sicily during the Arab domination, gelato is certainly an emblematic preparation that can be found all over Italy. 

On the other hand, there is no Piedmont without white truffle, usually used as a garnish for savory dishes…what about slicing it in a bowl of fresh gelato? When I moved to Piedmont, I was sure that I would find good gelato, but what I did not expect was this combination which I swear, it is paradise in a spoon: the contrast between the freshness of a cream or fiordilatte-flavored gelato and the delicacy of the white truffle brings you in a completely different universe! The best time to eat truffles is, of course, when they are in season, which you can read about in this article.

I hope that this essay has helped you understand the philosophy of Piedmontese cuisine better: all you have to do now is order it! Of course, you will also have to pronounce the names of the dishes correctly, and we have already thought of giving you some suggestions, you can find it here!

Alba White truffle - What is it? Why is it so famous?

by Alexa

We cannot talk about Piedmont without thinking of the king of the table: Barolo, I mean the Alba White Truffle.

But what is a truffle? And why is it so precious and famous? I’ll answer all of these questions and more, helping you with some tips on food pairings, on the Truffle Festival and on the right season to come to appreciate at best this delicacy.

LET’S TALK ABOUT THE ALBA WHITE TRUFFLE

Truffles are underground mushrooms that grow attached to some specific tree’s roots. Oaks, poplars, willows, hazelnuts and lindens are their favorite. The main areas in which you can find them are three: Langhe, Roero and Monferrato, even if, nowadays most of them are mainly from the last two, since there are more wooded areas.

The tuber magnatum pico aka alba white truffles are the most aromatic truffles in the world, their aroma is delicate but explosive, while the black truffles are more pungent and have a more earthy aroma. 

That said, black truffle slices need to be heated a little bit in order to release all their aroma. On the other hand white truffles are to be sliced directly on your dish so the perfume hits your nose immediately. 

Getting more specific on the white truffle, it loves humidity and cold weather. The season to find them is between mid-September and the end of January. Outside these months it’s not possible to sell them. The aroma has notes of garlic, honey, wheat, mushrooms and moist soil. Thanks to the intensity of its perfume it is able to attract wild animals, such as boars, foxes and deers that help spread the truffle spores around, digging and eating them and it’s able to survive and grow again the next year.

Before giving you practical tips on the truffles, let's talk about its long history. Historians think that it’s known since Babilonians and Sumerians, 6000 years ago, but the first proof in Europe is from Roman times. Plinio the Elder, a Roman writer, described it in his Naturalis Historia (XIX, 11) as a natural prodigy, because it grows without roots. He thought that this was possible because of the rains and lightning. A similar idea came to Giovenale, another Roman writer, who wrote the myth of “truffle birth”:  Jupiter threw a thunderbolt near an oak tree and the first truffle was found. The Romans understood the aphrodisiac properties of the truffle and wrote about it, but, for the same reason, during the Middle Ages was considered a Devil temptation and formally disappeared from the tables. It came back loudly on the Europeans nobles’ tables starting from the Renaissance, mostly thanks to two noble women: Caterina de’ Medici and Lucrezia Borgia. 

HOW TO KEEP AND CLEAN A TRUFFLE

You are in Alba and you’ve just bought a white truffle, you have to preserve it in the right way if you don’t want to waste it. 

Truffles are made up of 80% of water, you don’t want them to gain too much humidity or to dry out. Don’t listen to people telling you to put under rice, because it will completely dry your truffle. You have to wrap it in a piece of kitchen paper, put it in a plastic or glass box and then into the fridge and don’t forget to change the paper at least once a day or it will absorb humidity. Of course, the sooner you eat it, the better! Make sure to ask the seller how many days you can keep it. It depends on when it was dug up, and of course, on the quality.

Once you decide what to pair with it, you must clean it. Don’t put it under running water, it will absorb too much humidity. Instead, use a soft brush to clean the dirt that is still attached to it. 

Once you’re done, it’s ready to be sliced! Use a truffle slicer, in this way you can regulate how thin or thick you want your slice. 

WHAT TO PAIR WITH A TRUFFLE

Now you know everything about truffles before being consumed, but what is the best way to eat them? The white truffle's great aroma is delicate and, at the same time, explosive in your nose and mouth. But in order to get as much of it as possible you want to cook a dish that is hot and has a component of fattiness. 

I recommend trying the truffle with a fresh handmade pasta, as tajarin, typical of Langhe, seasoned only with a good quality butter. Just slice it on the pasta and you’ll have a simple but effective way of enjoying it!

Another good pairing is with a poached egg. The less is seasoned the better, since it will enhance the aromaticity of the truffle without covering it. Even better if you do a cheese fondue, not too strong, put your poached egg on top and as a final touch the sliced white truffle. 

If you’d like to have a full menu, you can also try it with a dessert, such as cream-flavored ice cream, it’s delicious, trust me!

Of course, we cannot talk about food pairing without including wines! I recommend a wine that would enhance the natural aroma of the truffle, without overpowering it. A good choice is a wine from the truffle’s region, such as Alta Langa Sparkling Wine or a Timorasso white wine from Monferrato region. If you prefer red wine, you cannot go wrong with a Nebbiolo based wine, such as Barolo or Barbaresco. 

ALBA WHITE TRUFFLE FESTIVAL

Every year, from October’s first weekend, people from all over the world come to Alba for the White Truffle Festival. It’s lovely to just to explore by car, taking little roads between the vineyards, stopping to take a picture of the stunning panorama and then, during the weekends, to visit the truffle festival held in a little square of the city center, called Cortile della Maddalena. 

The festival was born in 1929, as part of the harvest festival. Some truffle hunters from Langhe, Roero and Monferrato were called to show and sell their white jewels. It was right off a success and started to grow bigger and bigger every year. 

In 1932 Pinot Gallizio, a famous artist from Alba, invented the donkey race that is still very famous and trust me, quite funny. 

Today I suggest you to come during the weekends of October, especially the first one, if you don’t want to miss the donkey race, the historical reenactment and the Baccanale, a full day of medieval games, food and drink! 

But if you’ll be here only for the truffles you want to come later, from the second half of November. The truffle aroma gives its best with the cold weather, rain and humidity. 

While you’re here, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to have a truffle hunting experience with an expert and her dog! You’ll follow a real truffle hunter and you’ll see the dog doing its job. It’s beautiful to have the chance to witness the relationship between the two of them and it’ll be unforgettable the emotion of finding your first truffle.

Want to experience a real truffle hunt, taste Langhe’s best truffles, or learn more about them? Check it out here.

Typical Piedmont Cuisine - the Best Italian Dishes

by: Amanda

Home of the Slow Food Movement, Piemonte is the place to sit down, relax, grab your self a glass of wine and mangia!

Don’t chicken out on these dishes, you must give them a go because as they say “when in Rome, do like the Romans.” “We say when in Langhe do like the Langhette.”

Here is my easy guide of these northern Italian dishes, to help you figure out what those menu’s really mean.

Don’t ask for the English menu, here you have the perfect cheat sheet to show off your foodie Italian skills. 

Remember this is the real Piedmont Italian food, there are no spaghetti and meatballs on these menu’s. 

For Starters = Antipasti pronounced (an-ti-pah-stee)

Carne Cruda

pronounced car-neh cru-dah

This is a typical dish like a beef tartar but instead of lots of flavors to cover the delicate meat flavor, they will just add EVOO and salt. If you want to look like a local, this is eaten with a grissini (breadstick) in hand to give some crunch. The way the people in Alba enjoy their Carne Cruda is thin slices, the way the people in Monferrato enjoy their Carne Cruda is chopped with a knife (batutta con cotello)

Vitello Tonnato

pronounced vi-tell-oh toh-nat-toh

This dish everyone must try, because once you start you can’t stop! A real traditional Piedmontese recipe.

You have roast beef thinly sliced with a tuna, caper, and mayo sauce. Absolutely delicious, trust me. 

Insalata Russa

pronounced in-sa-la-ta rue-ssah

This is Italy’s example of Potato Salad with some peas and carrots to make it healthy. There is sometimes tuna or hard boiled eggs added to this dish.

If you would like to make this easy dish at home you can find the recipe here.

Tonno di Coniglio

pronounced ton-no D co-nig-li-oh 

A wonderful light dish made with rabbit that has been slow cooked to look like canned tuna. There is no tuna in this dish but the rabbit sure does look like one. 

Bagna Cauda

pronounced ban-ya caou-dah

This one is for the brave, a traditional Piedmontese recipe. A fondue served warm made with EVOO, lots and lots of garlic, and anchovy. You will take this and dip your veggies here and must have a glass of Barbera to help clean your pallet. 

For the First Course = Primi pronounced (pree-me)

Tajarin

pronounced thai-ya-reeen 

This is what Piedmont is famous for, our typical egg pasta, like spaghetti, but yellow from all the egg yolks they put inside. This dish when the White Truffles of Alba are in season can be grated on top for extra flavor. Otherwise you will find it typically served with a ragù (rah-ghu) or salsiccia (sal-see-cha) or fassone (fas-on-neh).

If you would like to make this wonderful dish at home please check out how to here.

Agnolotti del Plin

pronounced ag-know-lo-tea del pleen

This is our small but big flavored ravioli. Typically stuffed with meat and vegetables, but can also me made in the magro (ma-grow) version and will then be stuffed with ricotta (re-coat-ta) and spinach.

If you would like the whole story about these wonderful ravioli and how to make them at home you can find this here.

Gnocchi

pronounced ño-key

This wonderful potato dumplings are light and fluffy and will typically be served with Castelmagno (cast-al-mag-know) cheese, which is a wonderful cows milk cheese coming from the Alps. Or you will find it al pomodoro (pom-oh-door-row) a tomato sauce. 

Here is a great recipe of Gnocchi made with Ricotta and Stinging Nettles, here.

Risotto

pronounced riz-aught-toh 

This is our rice, but made differently than the white rice you might find in an Asian or Indian restaurant. We cook ours with a vegetable broth adding a little bit at a time until the rice has reach the perfect texture. Then we will add either cheese, or seasonal vegetables. 

Risotto cooked in wine recipe here.

Risotto with asparagus recipe here.

Main Course = Secondi (say-con-D)

Tagliata

pronounced tag-lee-ah-tah

this is the under filet of Fasone (fa-so-neh). Fasone is the breed of cow we have here in Piemonte, which is white, and very lean and so thus the meat should be enjoyed as rare as possible. Because if you cook it too much then it is better to braised to make it tender again. 

Brasato

pronounced brah-za-toe

This is braised beef cooked in wine. Sometimes with Barolo wine, sometimes with Barbaresco wine, and sometimes with Nebbiolo wine. Slow cooked and so tender that can be cut with a spoon. 

Bollito Misto

pronounced bowl-eat-toe miss-toe

This is a wintertime favorite of all kinds of boiled meat. Typically coming from the cow, and will be all kinds of different cuts. This is also served with two typical salsas that are Verde (ver-day) made with parsley, garlic, and EVOO or Rosso (roe-so) made with red peppers, and EVOO. The sauces are crucial to give the meat some extra flavor. 

Fritto Misto

pronounced free-toe me-stow

The literal translation is a mixture of fried things. Yum! With this you must be prepared for a typical Piedmontese meal of 25 courses of fried stuff. You must be brave as they fry everything from sausage, veggies, brains, heart, to cookies and apples, for the lighter side of things. 

Dessert = Dolce (dole-chay)

Bunet

pronounced boo-net

This is like a chocolate custard made with chocolate, almond cookies, eggs, and rum. It is quite decadent and perfect after a meal if a little bit of red wine is still in the glass.  

Semifreddo

pronounced semy-fray-dough

As is sounds it is an almost frozen dessert. Typically made with Torrone (tore-rone-nay) an egg white nougat with honey and hazelnuts. Or they will make it with Chinato (key-nat-toe) a red grape fortified wine with and infusion of quinine, herbs and spices.

 The Slow Food Movement

A few words about the Slow Food Movement that was started in Piemonte. It stated by Carlo Petrini in the 1990’s as the story goes; when McDonalds was trying to get the ok to be able to open up a food store in Piemonte or Rome (I am not quite sure which of the two), Carlo Petrini along with a group of friends and maybe some politicians started a protest, stating that Italy does not need any fast food stores.

What Italy needs is to practice the Slow Food traditions that are becoming more and more rare. That phrase Slow Food was the start of a movement, and organization to help preserve the traditional recipes and methods of the Italian regional cooking. With this list that I have given to you are some of these dishes that we need to keep in our traditions.

Please come to Piedmont with an open mind and to embrace the traditional foods that have shaped this area.

What we say in Sommelier school is: “wine from the area, food from the area.” As these are the two things that really go the best together.

You will also notice that when enjoying the wines and the food together that they make a perfect match. 

At the end of this story, thanks to the Slow Food they have put some pretty interesting laws in place for McDonalds and any other fast food chains.

That for their food stores they must place on each menu products coming from that area.

So what does this mean?

No outside foods, no processed meat or (pink slime) as they call it. It must be made from the farms surrounding.

So when you are in Piemont and they have a burger with Tuma cheese, now you know why. 

My top 10 Gelato places in Piemonte - Italy

by: Amanda

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Some people might call us crazy, but that is just what makes this so fun. We have traveled every centimeter of Piemonte diligently tasting every gelataria that we come across. It was a lot of work, and sometimes a stomachache but we did it. And here are our Top 10 Gelato places in Piemonte - Italy. I am going to be honest Gelato or Ice Cream is one of my favorite things to enjoy. It always has been, as a matter of fact my parents to this day give me a hard time about my love for gelato. As the story goes, on graduation from Kindergarden you had the opportunity to tell the audience of parents what I would like to be when I grow up. The normal things that adults ask kids in hopes to get them ready to make that big decision before they head off to college. As most of the kids would reply “Astronaut, Doctor, or Lawyer” when it was my turn to reach the podium I was one of the last to do so with a last name beginning with W I responded that I would like to make Ice Cream. As it was my favorite childhood memorie. My sister and I would hop in the Van of my father and the three of us would drive over to Haywoods for Mint Chocolate chip, butter pecan, Rocky Road, or Moose Tracks sit outside and enjoy the nice summer days.   That was how I wanted to spend my adult years, bringing joy to families. A few minutes out of the day to enjoy together.

Wanting to bring people together with a smile I have here my list of the Top 10 Gelato places in Piemonte.

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1. #10. Pepino - Torino, I have to tip my hat for Pepino making gelato since 1884. They are a larger more industrial operation today, which isn’t my norm but, they have mastered their flavors and are a staple here in Torino. So that is why they have made it to the list.

Piazza Carignano 8, Torino (TO)   website

1. #9. Cremeria dell’Antico Borgo – Mondovi’ Located in the historic center of this beautiful little town for me it has always been a nice pit stop. Don’t be surprised if there is a line to get their gelato as this place is small and busy.

Piazza Maggiore, Mondovi (CN)

1. #8. Mara dei Boschi – Alba Between Alba and Torino there is a lot of wonderful Gelatarie. This Gelato shop has two locations but the one I visit more often is located in Alba. I typically like to get from them their fruit flavors, they tend to work with more seasonal ingredients and project quite nicely their full flavors.

Via Vittorio Emanuele 17D, Alba (CN)   website

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1. #7. Conogelato – Torino WHAT Buffalo milk Gelato!! So as it turns out there are also Bufala (the correct name in Italian) here in Piemonte. There is a farm located in the Providence of Torino where they have these wonderful animals and they are not only making milk for this amazing gelato but also cheese. The flavor I recommend trying is Fior di Bufala, they serve this flavor like a soft serve and it is so creamy and delicious, it will pair nicely with Nocciola (hazelnut) or Caramello (caramel). Yum!

Via Cesare Battisti 3, Torino (TO)   website

1. #6. AgriSAPORE – Pralormo When taking a minute to drive some of the back roads of the Langhe/ Roero you will sometimes be pleasantly surprised when seeing a sign for Artisinal Gelato. There are two great gelato places off the beaten track the next one will be listed as number 5, and it is always nice when you can go and visit the cows then enjoy a scoop of their freshly made gelato! It is good too for people traveling with children as there is plenty of room to run and play. The flavors I recommend trying when there are Miele (honey) and Pasta di Meliga (polenta cookie).

Strada della Franca 5, Pralormo (TO)   website

1. #5. Agrigelateria San Pe’ – Porino Another off the beaten path gelateria, and honestly I will make the drive to come out to this one. If you find yourself there on a weekend, be prepared for no sitting room and to wait a bit in line for your turn. The flavors that I recommend there are Torrone (a nugat with hazelnuts and honey) or the fruit flavors like Pesche (peach) or Fragole (strawberry). Because here the fruit grows amazing in this area.

Cascina San Pietro 29/A, Porino (TO)   website

1. [embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/BJXHJ-NBg4h/?taken-by=amandaswineadventures[/embed] #4. Sacchero – Alba If you are a lover of Chocolate this is your heaven. The flavors that they make here are so full of flavor and creamy that I cannot walk by this place without stopping for a bite. Some of my many favorite flavors are; Chocolato (chocolate), Chocolato Pesca (chocolate peach), and Menta (mint). The mint is very rare when they make it, but when they do it is amazing.

Via Vittorio Emanuele 32, Alba (CN)

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2. #3. Soban – Valenza Another gelataria with a long history of quality and taste. Founded in 1924 today this gelataria is still family run. Being pioneers of Tradition and innovation it is here that I will take a risk with the wilder more creative flavors. Like Parmesan and Balsamic vinegar, or Candied Orange and Saffron. Here I know I am in good hands and every time I go probably being that is a bit of a ride from my house, I will always have a second helping!

Piazza Gramsci 23, Valenza (AL)   website

1. #2. Gelato I.G.P. – Bra This was a tough choice because there are many places I like to go when I am in Bra, but Gelato D.O.P. I just cannot walk by without stopping. The flavors here are so rich and great examples of the products they use that it is sometimes hard to choose which one. Also I recommend trying their Gelato pops, you won’t be disappointed.

Via Principi di Piemonte 63, Bra (CN)

1. #1. Berlica – Gallo Grinzane Cavour My ultimate favorite gelato place. If you don’t believe me you can ask the people who work there. I am there almost everyday and never get tiered of the flavors they have to offer. Here the flavor selection is limited to a few key flavors that they do so well it will tickle your taste buds. The ingredients that they use to make these wonderful treats are the highest quality out there and you can tell. The flavors I recommend to try are Licorizia (licorice), Berlica (a chocolate, hazelnut), Menta (mint), Pistacchio (pistachio), Dolce Salato (salted caramel), and basically anything else that they might have at the time. You will think you are in heaven.

Via Garibaldi 123, Frazione Gallo- Grinzane Cavour (CN)   website

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Leave time for lunch.

by: Amanda

In many societies today I hear more and more people talking about how their jobs are so demanding that they only have time to quickly grab something from the kiosk parked right outside their office to bring back to their desk so they can eat while they are working. Fast paced life has people now eating and drinking on the go. Gigantic coffee mug in the car on the way to work, no good. The more convenient this world is becoming the time to escape from the everyday stress is become harder to separate from, great example smart phones. The most important thing people are quickly forgetting is the importance around the dinner table. When there is a meal to share this table will bring people together, this table entices conversations for people to take a few hours out of their day to interact with their friends and families. This table is like an Island away from the stress of everyday, and is quickly being forgotten. This table is something very important to Italian lifestyle and no matter how much the world is changing this Island will always bring people together to enjoy the time spent together, a glass of wine, and something wonderful to eat.

When you come to Piemonte one thing that must be respected is the time for lunch. Your body needs to be replenished, nourished and at lunchtime is the perfect time to do so. Piemonte has a culture of the locals stopping their workday around noon, sometimes a group from work will plan to go to have lunch together at the local Trattoria or Osteria and there they will sit and enjoy until they need to be back to work around 2pm. Typically this lunch will consist of a glass of wine, a starter followed by a plate of homemade pasta. Nothing fancy but just enough time to relax, socialize, and get away from some everyday stress.

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When you come to Piemonte here the home of Slow Food movement, the movement that has helped to preserve some of the food traditions that were in danger of going extinct. You come to a place that understands patience, has less stress, and knows how to enjoy the better things in life. I must admit here in Piedmont you eat very well. We actually say amongst each other that, it is hard to find a place to eat that is not good. With that said some of my favorite dishes from the area are: Vitello Tonnato thinly sliced roast beef with a mayo-tuna sauce. I know this combination sound weird but I swear once you try it you will be craving it when you return back home. Pepperoni ripieni con salsica di Bra, roasted peppers filled with sausage from Bra, the sausage from Bra is a specialty around this area. Made from 100% veal and specially seasoned with spices this sausage is typically eaten raw. Cipiola Ripiena this is a baked in salt whole onion that they take and hollow out add cheese and typically sausage to the onion, mash it all up then put it back into the onion skin. So good. Pasta Agnilotti del Plin a hand pinched small ravioli filled with a mixture of meats and green vegetables. The sauce for these ravioli typically are a butter and sage or the jus from the roasted meat. Tajarin, this is Piemontese for Tagliatele a hand cut pasta made with eggs. Typically for every kilo of flour you use you will need 40 egg yolks for this dough. The sauces for this pasta are either a sausage ragu or butter and freshly shaved white truffle. Yum! The beef here is a special breed called Fassone, that does not tend to get fatty. So you can easily eat it raw or when you sear a steak medium rare you can cut through it like butter.   Just some salt and oil and that’s it. Save room for dessert because when you get a fresh Panna Cotta there really is nothing like it.

While you are here you might as well tuck yourself in for a nice meal, some good company, and of course some excellent wines.  A short list of some of my favorite places to eat the foods I have mentioned earlier are:

Osteria I Rebbi - Monforte d’Alba

Osteria Veglio - La Morra

La Cantinetta – Barolo

Trattoria dei Bercau – Verduno

Osteria dell’Arco – Alba

Degusto – Neive

Ristorante Repubblica di Perno – Monforte d’Alba

Ristorante Casina Collavini – Costigliole d’Asti

You will probably find me at one of these places on my lunch break!

If you would like to make some of these traditional dishes at home you can look at Gianni's cooking blog at DoSomethingGood

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Typical Italian food: Insalata Russa

Insalata Russa

5-6 medium carrots, cut into dice

5-6 medium waxy potatoes, cut into dice

500g/16 oz frozen peas

100g/3.5 oz Tunna 

400-550g /14-16 oz mayonnaise

Steam carrots, potatoes and peas, each separately, until tender but still firm, usually about 5-8 minutes. Make sure to salt the water in the bottom of your steamer generously. Do not let the vegetables overcook. As each vegetable is done, put it in a colander to drain and cool. Taste the vegetables for seasoning and sprinkle with a bit of salt if you think they need it.

Add all the vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise and fold it into the vegetables until each bit is well covered. Add more mayonnaise if it seems a bit dry, but take care not to ‘drown’ them.

Line a mold just large enough to contain your salad with clear plastic wrap (cling film) and then add the salad, pressing it down into the mold so as not to leave any holes. Close up the top with any wrap hanging from the rim of the mold. Place the mold in the fridge for a couple of hours (or  more) to firm up. (This will allow the salad to hold its shape.)

Typical Italian Food Arancini - simply the best Sicilian street food

by: Amanda

Because you can never have too many, this recipe makes 18 or 20 bite sized

Having an Italian around the house is always helpful when having to whip up pasta or make risotto. So here is Gianni’s tips and tricks to making the best Italian rice.

For the rice:

1 kg or 2 pounds Italian Rice (arborio, carnaroli, roma, risotto di vialone nano)

2 liter or 8 cups vegetable broth

Saffron (optional)

For the filling you will need:

2 cups Ragù or my Bolognese 

1/2 cup provola cheese chopped into small pieces if you cannot find provola, provolone or mozzarella is fine too

if you would like some peas like a half a cup mixed into the ragù 

For the egg wash

4 - 6 eggs

1 cup flour

1 1/2 cup bread crumbs

For the Frying

2 liters or 8 cups of sunflower oil

Prepare the rice - you can make this the day before

In a pot add the broth, saffron if you are adding it, and salt. Let boil, then add the rice, cover and adjust the heat to low. Allow to cook for 10-15 minutes until the liquid has absorbed and the rice is cooked to al dente.  Set aside.

Prepare the Ragù or Bolognese:

For Gianni’s Ragù you will need, 1 small onion chopped, 1 carrot chopped, 1 celery stalk chopped, 2 bay leafs, 1/2 LB ground beef, 1/2 LB ground pork, 1/2 cup white wine, 2 tablespoons tomato concentrate, 1/2 cup peas (optional), salt and pepper to taste

In a small saucepan add one tablespoon EVOO and cook onion until translucent, then add the chopped carrots and celery and mix until tender. Then you will add the bay leaf, ground beef and pork and cook until the juices evaporate. After add the white wine, tomato concentrate, peas, salt and pepper and cook until wine evaporates. You can let simmer for an additional half hour or you can use right away after the wine evaporates. 

Now for the tricky part, how to form your arancini!

Wet your hands in water and in the palm of you hand take a spoonful of rice, pat it down to make like a bowl then add some ragù and sprinkle in some cheese pieces. Cover with rice and mold together with both hands until a cone form. Making sure that the filling is not coming out or showing, that you have a good rice wall to keep inside all these yummy ingredients. Set the arancini aside on a plate until the next step.

Once you have made all your arancini you will then want to give them the egg bath. Beat together your eggs if you would like to use less eggs you can use 4 and add a 1/4 cup of water. 

Take and dip you arancini in flour, then the egg mixture, then the breadcrumbs.

Place on a plate aside until you have done this step to all your arancini. 

After they are ready to be deep fried. We recommend sunflower oil as it is light and leaves no oil flavor. 

Place your oil in a deep pan and wait until the temperature reads 190°C or 375°F, then one at a time add your arancini to the oil making sure all sides cook evenly. Place on an oven proof dish covered in paper towel to absorb any extra oil. 

If you are not eating them immediately you can place in the oven at a low heat of 100°C or 215°F until you are ready to serve, but not for too long as you don’t want them to dry out. 

Want to have a one of a kind authentic Sicilian experience, eating and drinking along the whole way? Well now you can, check out here my exclusive Sicilian experiences. Take me to Sicily My Love

Typical Italian Food - Sarde a Beccafico

by: Amanda

If you like fresh sardines you will love this recipe. It is super simple and very delicious a true Sicilian dish.

What you will need:

1 lb fresh sardines or anchovies

1/2 cup bread crumbs

4 anchovy fillets (optional for a less salty version)

zest and juice of one lemon

1 tsp sugar

chopped parsley

3 tbs raisins (soak them in warm water for 10-15 minutes)

3 tbs pine nuts

bay leaves cut in half to use in-between each sardine

salt and pepper to taste

EVOO

Preheat oven to 375°F 

Clean the sardines removing the head, bones, and guts. Place on a plate until ready to stuff.

In a frying pan add a tbs of EVOO warm up then add anchovies, the bread crumbs and cook until fragrant. Turn off the heat, then add lemon juice, zest, sugar, parsley, raisins, pine nuts and salt and pepper. Stir around a bit, if the stuffing is too dry you can add a touch of water or white wine until it is moist and the ingredients stick together. Think of a meatless meatball consistency. 

Take an oven dish pan and coat the bottom with EVOO. 

Once the filling is ready, take your sardine add one tablespoon of filling to the center and roll like a cannelloni. Add you're filled sardine to the pan and place a half of bayleaf on its side to separate from the next sardine. Do this until the pan is full and you have finished your sardines. 

Then pop them in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes and serve. You can drizzle some EVOO on top for an extra finish. 

Buon Appetito!

Want to have a one of a kind authentic Sicilian experience, eating and drinking along the whole way? Well now you can, check out here my exclusive Sicilian experiences. Take me to Sicily My Love

Amanda's Bolognese, trust me its the BEST!

by: Amanda

After my first time making this Bolognese for my Italian husband Gianni, it is now my duty to always make the Bolognese for the Italians. This could be the biggest compliment ever!!

My one little secrete is to make sure you have the whole day, no rushing on this recipe, you want the flavors to slowly come together. And, trust me everyone will appreciate it. A little PRO tip, I always make way more than I need for that dish so I can freeze the rest and use later.

Ingredients:

3 tbs. EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)

6-8 garlic cloves

3/4 cup pancetta coarsely chopped

1 cup soffritto (EVOO, onion, carrot, celery)

1/4 cup double or triple concentrated tomato paste

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (make sure it has got some fat)

1/2 pound ground pork

salt | pepper | nutmeg to taste

half a bottle white wine or white vermouth or whatever you think is best

3 cups stock veg or chicken is perfect

1 cup milk whole milk

First step | Soffritto

If you have one at home the Le Creuset pans are perfect for slow cooking your soffritto in.

A good dose of EVOO a little less than one cup to coat the bottom of the pan. Then add to the oil while cold 1 2 cup finely chopped white onion, 1 cup finely chopped carrots, 1 cup finely chopped celery. Turn on the heat to medium and cook stirring often for about 3 hours. Until the soffritto is a deep brown color and the vegetables are almost melted.

Life after Soffritto

Once you have finished your soffritto place in a bowl and set to the side for later use. With the Creuset already seasoned from the soffritto, take and add the pancetta and chopped garlic to the pan. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly so you don’t burn the garlic. Then take the soffritto and add it to the pan. Cook for about 1 more minute. Move the vegetables to one side of the pan and on the cleaned part add the tomato paste. Stirr around the paste for about 1 minute so all of it can caramel slightly. Then add your meats, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and stir around a bit. Cook the meats for about 10 minutes until the juices evaporate a bit. Then add the wine, increase the heat and cook for about 10 minutes, until almost dry. After add the stock, bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and let cook slowly for another 2 hours. Give it a stir every once in a while (good excuse to taste). When you feel ready after the 2 hours it is time to add some milk. I like to put in one cup, but I go by the color of the sauce. Continuing to cook for another 30 minutes on low heat stirring quite frequently.

From there your Bolognese is ready. You can enjoy it on your favorite pasta or even Tajarin, or you can make pasta al forno (lasagna).

recipe adapted from Mozza cookbook

Typical Italian food: Agnolotti del Plin

The story of Agnolotti del Plin

This is a story about a life growing up around the table, many different memories but the same narrative, from everyone that I talk to about the history of the food in the region.  This is a story a remembrance, of how the agnolotti was brought to the table.  

The best way to impress your guests on a nice Sunday lunch would be to start with a beef tartar from the Fassone breed of cattle, seasoned with salt, pepper, and your finest olive oil and immediately after a roll of wild rabbit and herbs.  For the first dish is typical to enjoy agnolotti del plin or some Tajarin with Truffles that will always hit the spot. For the main course which would typically be enjoyed over the next hour or two a bollito misto or fritto misto which are typically served piece by piece, always being accompanied by “un bon bicer" of homemade Barbera wine, that would always make everyone happy.

From Grandma’s feast which was always abundant and satisfying filled with stories, laughs, and the memories that would continue to the next day and with it brought the rich smell of when all the unused ingredients were mixed together to make the filling of the Agnolotti del Plin we know today. At the time this dish was rich and considered to be king of foods because for peasant farmers to have such rich ingredients was unknown in every other region of Italy. 

A reminder that basically with all these ingredients together, you have the whole region of Piedmont in one dish.  The first written documentation of the Agnolotti was in 1182 when they were brought to Liguria and were eaten by an Albegniese writer. The first written record of Agnolotti in Piedmont was in Gavi (Alessandria) in 1200 but we believe that this pasta was known also by the Arabs and could possibly have been present in this area before Christ. 

Today we are going to share Gianni’s grandmothers recipe that just by this whole conversation has got Gianni chatting about the memories of his grandmother and how when she made the filling of the Plin he would stand by the bowl eating spoonfuls at a time.  If there is left over filling she would take and roll out some filling on top of Prosciutto cotto and make what we would call a meatloaf. 

For the filling:

200 grams or 7 ounces brut e bun this a part typically used for bollito this is the part

150 grams or 5 ounces rabbit

200 grams or 7 ounces pork capicola

200 grams or 7 ounces spinach

100 grams or 7 ounces escarole 

50 grams or 3 table spoons grana padano

butter for braising the meats

1 onion yellow, chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 celery stocks, chopped

1 garlic clove whole

1/2 cup white wine

sage rosemary nutmeg salt pepper 

1/2 cup risotto cooked separately

2 eggs 

Special equipment: Le Creuset, meat grinder or food processor

In the Creuset melt the butter then add one piece at a time to braise on all sides in the pan, once this is done remove the meat from the pan and place aside to rest. Lower the heat to medium. Once the butter has cooled down a bit add the whole clove of garlic, onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and sage. Let cook until the onions are transparent and the vegetables are tender about 10 minutes.  Add the braised meats to the pan and stir in the white wine, turn the heat up again to high and let simmer until the wine has evaporated, about 10 minutes.  After add the escarole and spinach, turn the heat to low and cover the pan. Let this cook for about 3 hours, turning the meat every hour or so. This can be done the day before as you will want the meat cooled for the filling. 

In a separate pan cook the 1/2 cup of risotto in vegetable broth following the instructions from the package. Let this cool as well.

The next day separate the solids from the broth (the broth will be used as a sauce later). The solids are placed in a food processor or meat grinder, with the rice. At this time adjust salt and pepper to your taste and add in nutmeg and grana padano. Then after these are mixed and taste to your liking you can now add the eggs. Mix together and your filling is ready. 

Now you will need to make the dough 

For the dough: (if you would like to make half or double you can add or subtract accordingly) 

500g or 5 1/2 cups flour all purpose would be ideal

11 egg yolks 

1 full egg

about 1/3 of a cup of water (you see how much water it needs)

Special equipment: a large wooden board, a pasta machine to roll out the dough, a pasta cutter, kitchen towels

On the wooden board you will need to make a well from the flour.  Inside of the flour well place the one full egg and the 11 egg yolks and a splash of the water.  By hand start to mix some of the outside flour into the eggs creating a dough, if you notice it is too dry add more water.  Be careful not to break a wall of the flour or you will have eggs running all over your kitchen.  If you do not feel comfortable about the egg well, you can place these ingredients into a bowl for safe keeping. Let the dough rest for about an hour under a moist towel.  

*don’t through out the egg whites after you can make an angle food cake for dessert see below for recipe.

To make these pinched ravioli you will need to roll out to dough into very thin sheets. At the edge of the sheet take a full spoon of filling and with the end of another spoon, scoop some small amounts of filling in a row on the sheet close to the edge closed to you.  Then take the edge of the pasta sheet closest to you and flip the sheet over coving the filling. Pat down the edge to close the from of the ravioli, then in between the filling pinch together with your index and thumb fingers the dough to close the sides of the ravioli.  After cut the front part of the ravioli with the pasta cutter and then in between the ravioli. You will want to cut from you away in-between the ravioli so you end up with a little pocket shaped pastas. 

Place the finished ravioli on top of a prepared baking sheet and if you are making many you can place them in the freezer. If not these will be ready to go to boiling water. 

To cook the Agnolotti:

You will need to boil some water with salt and cook the agnolotti for about 2 minutes, then take out the agnolotti and place in another pan with the broth from the cooked meats from before.  Let cook for another 30 seconds to coat the pasta with the sauce and then serve. 

If you would like another sauce you can make the butter and sage. Melt about 1/4 cup of butter in a pan with a couple of sage leaves toss the pasta in the butter and serve.

This can also be done with a ragù or can be cooked in a meat broth brodo di Capone and enjoy like a soup.  During Carnival some people will also add red wine to their brodo and this is called ravioli al vin. 

Typical Italian food: Drunk Risotto

Drunk Risotto or Risotto cooked in wine

½ cup risotto

1 onion  chopped

100 gram / 3.5 ounces sausage 

1 cup Barbera wine

Vegetable stock (use as needed)

Rosemary

Butter

Parmesean or Tuma cheese

Place some EVOO in a medium sized deep pot place the onion and cook seasoning with salt and pepper.  Then add the rice and toast with the onion for about 2/3 minutes then add the sausage.  Cook until the sausage is fully cooked.  Then add the red wine and stir until the alcohol had evaporated.  

Place the spring of Rosemary let cook together for a few minutes then remove the rosemary from the risotto.  Add some vegetable stock once cup at a time until the rice is cooked.  We want a Risotto not a pudding so don’t cook the rice too much.

Turn off the heat and add a little bit of butter and the cheese.  Taste and add salt if needed.   Mix together and let sit for a couple of minutes before serving. 

Typical Italian Food: Pasta alla Norma - Sicily

by: Amanda

Ingredients:

1 pound spaghetti or macaroni 

3 pounds tomatoes (San Marzano)

basil to taste

1 tablespoon of sugar

2 garlic cloves lightly smashed

2 long eggplants, medium size

EVOO

ricotta salata 

If you are planning to make your own pasta, I used 1 pound semolina flour eyeing the water, EVOO, because depending on the day you might need more or less. On a wooden surface pour the flour to make a volcano shape. Add some water and EVOO and mix with your fingers until the dough is stringy, not too much water to form a ball, you want the machine to put it together. 

Once you have reached the coarse texture of the pasta add it to the extruder machine to make the shape you choose. Today I made macaroni, it was fun!

Let the pasta dry out on the wooden board until you need them.

Meanwhile start to make the sauce.

Slice up the eggplant into long strips about 1/2 inch thick. Add them to a colander, cover with salt, and put a bowl onto to weigh them down to squeeze out any access water. To do this will make it so they do not absorb too much EVOO when frying. 

While your eggplant is squeezing, place a pan full of water on the stove till boiling and add the tomatoes for about 2 minutes or until the skin starts to split. Remove them from the water and let them cool enough that you can peel them, cutting off the tops.

In a sauce pan warm up one tablespoon of EVOO and the garlic until it becomes fragrant, coarsly chop the tomatoes then add them to the garlic, stir, lower the heat to a light simmer and add the basil, salt, sugar and let cook until it has reduced a bit and the flavors start to become equilibrated. 

While the tomatoes are reducing and your pasta is drying, take a shallow fry pan add some EVOO about 1/4 of an inch heat up the oil and lightly fry the eggplant until they are crispy. Place them on some paper towels to absorb the excess oil and set aside. 

When you are ready to serve, boil up some water for the pasta, add some salt to your pasta water, cook until slightly under al dente, slightly crunchy. Add the eggplant to the tomato sauce and cook together, remove the garlic cloves, then add the pasta to the sauce and finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, add some pasta water to the sauce to help it cover all the pasta and give it some starch to help it stick to the pasta. 

Once the pasta has been cooked to your liking, plate it and finish with the grated ricotta salata. Buon Appetito! 

Want to have a one of a kind authentic Sicilian experience, eating and drinking along the whole way? Well now you can, check out here my exclusive Sicilian experiences. Take me to Sicily My Love

Typical Italian food: Ricotta Gnocchi with Nettles

Nettles and Ricotta Gnocchi

If you cannot find Nettles you can use spinach

500 grams / 17.6 ounces Nettles

50 grams / 1.7 ounces Ricotta

1 cup of flour

1 onion

¼ cup butter

1 egg

parmesan 

sage

salt/pepper

nutmeg

From the Nettles take just the leaves, wash and make sure to use gloves because they do pinch.

Then blanch for a few minutes in boiling water, then remove from the water and squeeze the remaining liquid from the Nettles.  Finely chop the nettles. 

Place the butter in a pan with one chopped onion.  Sauté the onions for one minute then add the nettles to the pan.  After a couple of minutes place in a bowl and add the flour, ricotta, and parmesan cheese with the egg, salt, and nutmeg.  Let this mixture rest for a half and hour and then you are ready to make the gnocchi by hand.

Once you have shaped your gnocchi place in a pan of boiling water and cook until they float to the top of the pan.

For the Sauce

1/3 cup unsalted mountain butter

10 fresh sage leaves

Place butter in a large sauté pan and melt, then add the sage and cook for 1 minute just enough to get the scent of the sage in the butter.

Once the gnocchi has been cooked then add to the butter sage sauce and sauté for a few minutes adding some of the pasta water to the butter sage sauce. 

Serve immediately and season with parmesan. 

Typical Italian food: Tajarin

Tajarin

100 grams / 3.5 ounces Flour 00

150 grams  / 5.2 ounces Durum wheat Flour 

1 full eggs

4 egg yolks

Evo oil, Salt

Measure out the flour and place on a wooden surface, making a whole in the middle of the flour.  Like a volcano! Add the 1 full eggs and 4 yolks to the center of the flour.  With you fingers gently break the yolks and add flour from the volcano a little bit at a time until it forms a dough.

Let the dough rest in plastic wrap in the fridge for about 30 minutes. 

Cut the dough in half and with one half start to roll out with a rolling pin on the wooden surface.  Rotating between rolling either side and adding a little flour to help dry out the pasta.  You will know the pasta is ready to cut when it is so thin you can see through it.  Once the pasta is ready roll up on the rolling pin, gently slide off the pin and cut into Tajarin!