Last weekend I was invited to Umbria (a region in central Italy) along with six other wine, food, and travel bloggers, to participate in a three day educational tour. You can read about this incredible experience and get some travel tips :: consigli di viaggio from my previouspost about Umbria.Now, let’s talk about a delicious traditional dish I tried called Scafata. Oh my, if you haven’t tried this Italian stew with fava beans :: fave you are in for a treat!
Fava beans, or broad beans as they are often called, are the oldest known beans. Like lentils, they are used in various European and Mediterranean dishes. Fava beans grow in a soft fuzzy pod :: baccello, but are much larger than peas. In France and America it is custom to peel the transparent skin off the bean, but here in Italy, we just shuck them from the pod and eat them raw, or cook them in various dishes.
Fava beans are the main players in this dish. From here you can toss in a variety of seasonal vegetables. I’ve used a sweet Tropea onion, freshly shelled peas and a large bunch of Swiss chard ::bietole. Asparagus would work well, which I unfortunately didn’t have on hand.
Scafata is good when eaten warm right after being cooked, but like many great Italian dishes, it becomes absolutely darn right mouthwatering when made a day or two ahead and eaten cold or heated up. The traditional recipe doesn’t call for cheese :: formaggio, but Mr. Italicano tried it with grated Parmesan as well as a spoonful of Burrata, which were also great variations.
"Scafata" is a traditional dish from Umbria, Italy that is loaded with vegetables and perfect for summertime.
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 red or Tropea onion, finely chopped
3 cups (400g) shelled fava beans (or frozen)
2 cups (285g) shelled peas (or frozen)
13.5 oz (400g) cherry or datterini tomatoes, without the skins*
12.5 oz (350g) Swiss chard, chopped
1 handful basil or mint, chopped
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, as needed
Grated parmigiano reggiano (parmesan cheese), as needed (optional)
Instructions
Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Don't add salt to the boiling water as the peas and fava beans will toughen up. Salt the dish at the end of the recipe.
Put the extra virgin olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and onion and cook for a few minutes over medium heat.
When the water is boiling, cook the fava beans for 2-3 minutes then drain them (reserving the hot water) and put them in the skillet with the garlic and onions. Add the tomatoes, swiss chard and half of a ladle of the hot water. Cover the skillet and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water if necessary to keep the mixture from sticking to the pan.
Now that the stew is ready, bring the water reserved back to boil and cook the peas for 1-2 minutes; drain and add to the fava mixture. Add the basil or mint, salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add the parmesan cheese. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Serve warm o cold. This dish is best made a day or two in advance and eaten cold or reheated.
*To easily remove the tomato skins, stick the tomatoes in the freezer over night and run them under lukewarm water to remove the skins; or, boil them for 1 minute and then run them under cold water and the skins will easily come off.
If you’ve ever traveled around Italy, you’ve probably discovered that every region, even each town, has special traditional dishes :: piatti.Erbazzone, a delicious spinach pie, is one of these unique dishes that originated from Reggio Emilia, a quaint town in the region of Emilia-Romagna. The easiest way to show you how to make this Italian delicacy is with a short video. Enjoy! 🙂
I still remember the first time I ate erbazzone. It was over six years ago and my second morning of living in Italy, my new home ::casa. I remember walking into the town’s center for a cappuccino and a brioche (or croissant, as Italians most commonly call them.) They were out of my favorite kind: whole wheat with honey, so, I instead opted for the inviting little square slice in the display cabinet. I had no idea what it was. I just pointed and the person behind the counter said a weird name: erbazzone.
It was love at first bite. Thin layers of crust surrounded cooked greens (Swiss chard and spinach, I came to find out). I had lived in Rome in university for three months and traveled quite a bit throughout Italy, but it was moments like these that always put me in awe. Italian gastronomy is so vast :: vasto. There is so much variety and diversity, it’s an endless flavor discovery.
I devoured the square and asked for another. I was eating my vegetables after all, wasn’t I? Well, come to find out this little seemingly vegetarian slice of goodness is most often loaded with lard, and often times pancetta, an Italian style of bacon. My dad would love it…for those on the other hand who want a healthier option, you can easily substitute with extra virgin olive oil and still get all the great taste :: sapore. Problem solved.
If you want to try an easy, but authentic, Italian breakfast or appetizer, make this erbazzone recipe!
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
For the dough:
3 cups (400g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (10g) salt
3 tablespoons (35g) extra virgin olive oil
1 cup (210g) lukewarm water
For the filling:
1 lb 10 ounces (800g) Swiss chard
1 lb 2 ounces (500g) spinach
1 bunch spring onions with stems (100g), finely chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3.6 oz (100g) grated Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan)
1 handful of Italian flat-leafed parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
Instructions
In a large bowl, add the flour and salt. Stir. Add the extra virgin olive oil and water and begin mixing with your hands. Add more water, a spoonful at a time, if needed until the mixture becomes homogenous and comes together in a ball. If you press the dough with your finger it should leave an imprint that soon disappears; if it sticks to your finger, add a bit more flour. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for ½ hour.
In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to boil and generously salt the water. Add the Swiss chard stems, cook for a few minute then add the leaves and cook for another minute or two until soft. Scoop the Swiss chard out and drain well. Cook the spinach until wilted. Drain thoroughly and press out the extra water with a wooden spoon against the holes of the strainer.
In a large skillet, add the extra virgin olive oil and cook the garlic for one minute over medium heat. Add the spring onions and cook until soft. Add the spinach and chard and cook until the water from the vegetables has evaporated. Remove from heat and transfer the vegetables into a bowl.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) (static mode). Line a 20 inch (52cm or larger) rectangular pan with parchment paper. Divide the dough in two and roll the sheets out thinly so they are the size of the pan. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and carefully lay it in the pan.
When the vegetables have cooled, add the Parmigiano Reggiano, parsley, salt and pepper; mix well. Put the filling on top of the dough and spread it out evening, leaving a little bit of an edge. Put the second layer of dough on top and crimp the edges. Prick the top layer all over with a fork, making sure to go all the way down; otherwise, the dough will puff up when baked. Brush with extra virgin olive oil.
Cook for 30 minutes; let cool then cut into squares. Eat warm or cold for breakfast, lunch or as a snack or an appetizer.
Last week I talked about the beauty of food boxes and without further ado here is the full video-recipe for Spaghettoni with Red Wine Tomato Sauce made with delicious high quality Italian artisanal products.
P.S. If you want to support small Italian artisans who have outstanding quality products head over to augustoitalianfood.com . Just for italicana kitchen followers you can get a 10% discount at checkout by entering in ITALICANAKITCHEN. Buon appetito!
Note:This post is not paid by augusto italian food. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Spaghetti with Red Wine Tomato Sauce is a delicious Italian pasta dish that is made with high quality artisanal products from AuGusto Italian Food.
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
1 garlic clove, cut into thick slices
1 shallot, cut into thick slices
400g Peeled San Marzano DOP Tomatoes
¼ cup still red wine
1 teaspoon milk
2 anchovy fillets, under oil
2 teaspoons capers in salt, desalinated
3 pinches of dried oregano
1 handful of fresh basil, chopped
Salt and black pepper, to taste
400g of Spaghettoni (or spaghetti)
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to boil, add course salt and cook the pasta for 15 minutes.
Put some extra virgin olive oil in a large pan and over low heat, cook the shallot and garlic for a few minutes to give flavor to the oil. Discard the shallot and garlic.
Add the tomatoes and smash them in the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer then add the red wine, milk, anchovies, capers, oregano and bay leaves. Continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Add the basil and season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
While the pasta and sauce are cooking, pour yourself a glass of wine. Drain the pasta, keeping some of the water aside in case you need to thin the sauce. Mix the pasta with the sauce until the sauce has been thoroughly distributed. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Buon appetito!
Notes
You can also use tomatoes with the skins, but you will need to blend the sauce in a food processor before mixing it with the pasta.
Last weekend I was invited to Umbria (a region in central Italy) along with six other wine, food, and travel bloggers, to participate in a three day educational tour. You can read about this incredible experience and get some travel tips :: consigli di viaggio from my previous post about Umbria. Now, let’s talk about a delicious traditional dish I tried called Scafata. Oh my, if you haven’t tried this Italian stew with fava beans :: fave you are in for a treat!
Fava beans, or broad beans as they are often called, are the oldest known beans. Like lentils, they are used in various European and Mediterranean dishes. Fava beans grow in a soft fuzzy pod :: baccello, but are much larger than peas. In France and America it is custom to peel the transparent skin off the bean, but here in Italy, we just shuck them from the pod and eat them raw, or cook them in various dishes.
Fava beans are the main players in this dish. From here you can toss in a variety of seasonal vegetables. I’ve used a sweet Tropea onion, freshly shelled peas and a large bunch of Swiss chard :: bietole. Asparagus would work well, which I unfortunately didn’t have on hand.
Scafata is good when eaten warm right after being cooked, but like many great Italian dishes, it becomes absolutely darn right mouthwatering when made a day or two ahead and eaten cold or heated up. The traditional recipe doesn’t call for cheese :: formaggio, but Mr. Italicano tried it with grated Parmesan as well as a spoonful of Burrata, which were also great variations.
Last week I talked about the