Today is a great day, a great few weeks actually. First I met Oscar Farinetti, the owner of Eataly, and now my first magazine interview was published this morning on Fine Dining Lovers! (The article is in Italian but there are always online translation sites for those who are curious).
It’s not every day that I see my own face appear on one of my favorite food magazines next to pictures of world renowned chefs and articles about the latest trends, recipes and gastronomical events. There is also a separate International Fine Dining Lovers websitefor all you English speaking foodies. It’s a must read.
I feel so grateful for this opportunity, especially since italicana kitchen launched just a mere 3 months ago. A big thank you to all of you readers who follow and comment on my blog, facebook, pinterest and twitter pages! Without all of you, my blog wouldn’t exist!
Spring has finally arrived and there is no better way to celebrate than with a cake. Corn is not the first ingredient that comes to mind when thinking about cake; however, I can promise you that this corn cake is so good it’s almost impossibile to stop eating it.
Mr. Italicano and I tried this cake :: torta for the first time at a dinner party and we both went back for seconds…then thirds…then fourths…then fifths…after that, I lost count—good thing they were cut in bite size squares so I suppose it was like 1 or 2 slices total, I hope.
The two winning components of this dessert are the texture and flavor. The center is moist, yet compact with a slightly crisp :: croccante surface layer while the flavor is perfect for those who like desserts that aren’t overly sweet. With a half a shot of Sassolino, an Italian anise liquor, you can taste subtle notes of fennel and liquorice. If you really want to make these flavors shine you can misread the Italian recipe and add a “half cup” instead of “half shot of Sassolino liquor.” Oops, so apparently I’m not a 100% fluent in Italian, good thing it still tasted good!
This delicious corn cake is perfect for those who prefer desserts that aren't overly sweet.
Serves: 12
Ingredients
1 cup +1½ tablespoons (250g) softened butter
1½ cups (300g) sugar
Zest of 1 organic lemon
4 egg yolks
1 cup (150g) corn flour
1 cup (150g) potato starch
2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
3 egg whites
½ shot Sassolino liqueur (or another similar liqueur)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) on conventional oven mode. Butter a round 9½ inch (24 cm) spring form pan.
Using an electric mixer, whip together the butter and sugar in a medium bowl then add the lemon zest and egg yolks.
In a small bowl combine the corn flour, potato starch and baking powder. Once mixed, add a portion of it at a time to the wet mixture. Add the liqueur and mix well.
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form then add it to the mixture, stirring it in by hand. Stir until just combined then pour into the buttered pan. Depending on your oven, bake for about 35-45 minutes or until it is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserting it into the center of the cake.
If you have ever been to Italy, there is no doubt that there is one thing that automatically comes to mind when you think back on your trip: the food. Although the evening strolls along cobblestone streets with ancient Roman ruins lining your way may certainly be impressive, the mouthfuls of handmade pasta with a flavorful sauce between sips of Tuscan wine are surely more memorable. Tragedy usually strikes your palate when you return back home and crave the freshly grated parmesan cheese, robust olive oil drizzled over salad or cured ham that bursts with flavor. Fret not. Thanks to the genius Italian entrepreneur, Oscar Farinetti, 25 Eataly shops around the world have opened and are offering just what you desired the most: high quality Italian products straight from the motherland.
It was already a great day when I headed to Eataly Smeraldo in Milan. I had just visited the online magazine Fine Dining Lovers who gave me the fantastic news that a few of my articles would be published as well as a personal bio. I was on cloud nine. As I strolled through the Eataly doors I was greeted by curated market stalls that resembled the outdoor vegetable and produce markets that can be found weekly in almost every Italian town square.
Filling the stall were bursts of colorful fruit and vegetables nestled into wooden baskets and galvanized buckets.
In addition to the name and price, each product had its place of origin listed: stubby cucumbers and purple cauliflowers from Puglia, round zucchinis from Lazio and giant fava bean pods from Basilicata were just a few of the produce coming from the different Italian regions.
Passing through the market stalls I found myself amidst rows of jams, marmalades and giant mason jars of canned peaches, reminding me of my mom’s root cellar that was filled with similar garden and orchard treasures.
Following my nose, I found myself standing in front of freshly baked loaves of crusty artisan bread, golden breadsticks and pizza by the slice which you could buy for take away.
For those wanting to sit and enjoy a wood fire pizza, an angle of the building was dedicated to just that.
Scattered around the 3 level building were 15 other corners including various bites of Italy like a piadina stand and a gelato shop;
a dessert corner and a pasta making booth;
fish, meat and cheese counters;
and a large wine and beer selection just to name a few. There is also a luxury restaurant in addition to 3 floors filled with essential Italian high quality goods. If that isn’t enough to make your mouth drop, there is also a book & cooking gadget section, 2 conference rooms, a cooking class space and a majestic piano positioned strategically on a stage in the center of the open space for musical concerts to honor the building’s heritage which was previously a historical theater. Talk about your all-in-one-I’m-in-heaven-experience.
I didn’t want to leave; however, I’m glad I did. As luck would have it, I was in the check out line when I heard the name “Farinetti” pronounced by a grey haired woman behind me. I turned to the direction she was staring to see a kind-looking man in a dark blue trench coat. I paid for my jar of caper berries and followed him out the door. He was saying farewell to two men and as he turned the other direction to leave, I took the opportunity to introduce myself before he started walking away. He politely posed for a photo and before I could ask him a few questions about his business, he started to ask me about mine. Who would have thought that a multi-millionaire, successful entrepreneur would be in the least bit curious about the life of a beginning food blogger.
If luck struck on our first encounter then fate played a role in our second. Although we had said our goodbyes only moments before, 5 minutes later we found ourselves together again at a traffic light stop. I was curious to know more about his life and Eataly and so I offered to walk him and his architect to the metro stop.
“Do you know why I opened this Eataly Smeraldo store in Milan on March 18th?” asked Farinetti.
“No,” I replied.
As we walked through a large square he explained that March 18, 1848 was the first of five days of an important revolutionary event that started a war for independence against the Austrian Emperior who had taken over the regions of Lombardy and Veneto.
“I symbolically chose this date because I wanted to show that if Italians could do something big in the past, then they can also come together and do something important in the present,” Farinetti continued.
We can consider Eataly a modern day revolution against mass produced food and a road to return to the consumption of goods made with care. We can learn to eat better and live better, as Eataly promotes, and it all starts with the awareness of high quality artisanal products.
If you are a salad lover, you will adore this caramelized almond, apple, dried cranberry and feta salad; if you usually detest salads, get ready to be converted—this is one you’ll be happy to eat.
Mr. Italicano’s request last night for dinner was to eat light :: leggero. I agree. Over the weekend alone we had two pizza nights (hard to refrain when we’re talking about thin crust wood oven pizzas, no?) as well as countless cones of gelato andice cream (my ultimate addiction). Monday was the start of a new week and thusly a start of 5 days of mindful, healthy eating.
Healthy eating shouldn’t be boring or bland; otherwise, you’ll be quick to reach for a comfort food loaded with unneeded calories. Make a caramelized nut, fruit and cheese salad your secret weapon :: arma segreta to getting yourself to eat more salads. The flavor combinations are endless; how about a fig, pear, gorgonzola and walnut salad with a poppy seed vinaigrette or a salad with strawberries, quinoa and caramelized walnuts? If you want to make the salad even healthier, you can just skip the sugar and toast the nuts.
My mom is the queen :: regina of caramelized nut salads with delicious vinaigrette dressings. Growing up I lived close to a lake, and each summer when we would head down to go boating, our family friends who would meet us would always request her Walla Walla sweet onion salad with mandarin oranges and caramelized almond slivers. It was a salad that never got old.
This caramelized almond, apple, dried cranberry and feta salad is another one of my mom’s salads that I make here in Italy and is often requested by family or friends. It has turned into my go-to salad for dinner parties with new guests. I remember last summer we hosted a bbq for Mr. Italicano’s colleagues :: colleghi and this salad was the talk of the table, not the veggie burgers that I had prepared with 10+ gourmet toppings. No, the star of the night was this salad which is not only simple to make but is a sure bet to impress guests.
Caramelized Almond, Apple, Dried Cranberry And Feta Salad
If you are a salad lover, you will adore this caramelized almond, apple, dried cranberry and feta salad; if you usually detest salads, get ready to be converted—this is one you’ll be happy to eat.
Serves: 2
Ingredients
For the caramelized almonds:
¼ cup (37g) whole almonds
½ tablespoon granulated sugar
For the salad:
4 ounces (100g) mixed greens
½ golden apple, chopped
¼ cup (40g) dried cranberries
¼ cup (35g) feta, crumbled
For the dressing:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 orange wedge, juiced
Instructions
For the caramelized almonds:
Add the almonds and sugar to a skillet and heat over medium heat while stirring continuously, about 3-5 minutes. When the sugar has melted and has coated the almonds, remove from heat and spread in a single layer onto a piece of wax paper to cool.
For the salad:
In the meantime prepare divide the mixed greens, apple pieces, dried cranberries, feta and caramelized almonds among two bowls.
For the dressing:
In a small bowl, add the ingredients in the order given, stir well then divide the mixture between the two bowls. Grab a fork and dive in!
The arrival of Spring brought a multitude of fresh and colorful produce to the vegetable and fruit market. As I patiently stood in line waiting for my number to be called I admired the early morning rays of sun that beamed down on the crates overfilled with plump mushroom caps, dark purple artichokes and mounds of long skinny light green peas, which I thought were Edamame at first but soon came to find out that they were called fava beans (or broad beans) and are a staple to Mediterranean cuisine.
Shelling vegetables from our garden was one of my chores growing up, however it never felt like an obligation as long as there were fresh peas :: piselli in my queue which I could alternate from dropping them into the yellow plastic bowl on my lap or popping them into my mouth when no one was looking. Sometimes I would open up a pod and use my teeth to scrape them out; they were crunchy and burst of Spring.
These fava beans were fun to shuck :: sbaccellare. Not only did it bring me back to my childhood days, but since they were so big they were easy to open and had a delicate inside that reminded me of the thin Styrofoam that electronics are sometimes wrapped in. Good thing Mother Nature is taking extra care of these delicious beans. Later I found out that the smaller fava beans are typically eaten whole or cut up like regular green beans, shells and all.
A lot of my recipes come together when I open my fridge. I often buy fruits and vegetables randomly and when it’s time to cook I just stand in front of the open refrigerator door like a sculptor in front of a slab of marble :: marmo waiting for inspiration to hit. Sometimes it come easily, other times I need to close the fridge and brainstorm for a moment or two while I set the dinner table. If I’m really at a mental block I look at photos on pinterest or search for inspiration on some of my favorite blogs.
This recipe, however, came quite easily. I needed an appetizer for a dinner party and I wanted something healthy. Just like my classic guacamole recipe, you can really play around with the level of spice :: spezia and ingredients to alter this dip so it is suitable to your taste buds. Enjoy!
This fava bean and avocado dip is healthy, versatile and incredibly easy to make.
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
1 cup (160g) fava beans
1½ ripe avocados
2 tablespoons light cream cheese
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¾ lime, juiced
½ green chili pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
1 pinch paprika
1 pinch garlic powder (o ¼ of a fresh clove, finely chopped)
1 pinch salt
Instructions
Bring a small pot of water to boil and blanch the fava beans until they begin to rise to the surface, about 2-3 minutes.
Using a blender or immersion mixer, combine all ingredients together in the order listed above, tasting and adjusting the seasoning to how you see fit. Serve immediately with tortilla chips, crackers or toasted crusty bread, or conserve in the refrigerator covered tightly with plastic wrap or in a airtight container for up to 2-3 days.
