If you want a taste of Italy, try these tortiglioni with anchovies, radishes and tomatoes. Don’t shun the thought of anchovies just yet! This salty ingredient is the secret ingredient in this mouthwatering sauce.
Although anchovies might not be the first ingredient that comes to mind, definitely don’t exclude them. Anchovies are extremely versatile and can be used in a variety of ways, whether they are fresh or salt-cured in olive oil. You can melt them down with butter or olive oil in a skillet and spread the flavorful sauce onto a piece of toasted artisan bread then top with stracciatella cheese for a quick bruschetta. Or, how about marinated anchovies, which are a typical Italian recipe proliferate in restaurants along the Mediterranean Sea?
If you want a real taste of Italy, cook with anchovies. Their savoriness adds an irreplaceable bold flavor to dishes that are unlike others. My challenge to you: sneak them in various sauces, soups and salads and observe for yourself if anyone can spot that flavor, or if they just tell you that your dish is delicious.
If you want a taste of Italy, try these tortiglioni with anchovies, red radishes and tomatoes. Don’t shun the thought of anchovies just yet! This salty ingredient is the secret ingredient in this mouthwatering sauce.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ large white onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
7 radishes, thinly sliced
20 datterini tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes), cut in half
5 anchovies in oil, cut into pieces
1 fresh sage leaf, torn in pieces
1 chive stem, torn in pieces
250g Tortiglioni pasta (or fusilli, penne, or macaroni ecc.)
1 tablespoon coarse salt
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, as needed
Instructions
Put the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet and cook the onions and garlic over medium heat until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the radishes, tomatoes, anchovies, sage and chives and continue to cook until the tomatoes are soft, about 5-10 minutes.
In the meantime, bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil, add the coarse salt and cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain and return to pot. Pour in the sauce and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and stir until the cheese has melted. Delicious served both warm and cold.
The majority of Italians eat pasta every day for lunch. Of course they vary their recipes so it doesn’t get boring and prepare dishes like this vegetable kamut pasta,tagliatelle with asparagus and peas,tortelli verdi,lumaconi or pasta with a simple tomato sauce. But, yes, that’s right, most Italian eat some kind of pasta every day. But that’s not all. The typical weekday Italian lunch usually includes some kind of meat or fish, vegetables, fruit and espresso. On the weekends expect to find various desserts and gelato. You would think that with these extravagant lunches everyday, the whole country would be obese, no? Yet, Italy is considered to have one of the healthiest diets in the world and is ranked among the highest life expectancies. What’s the deal?
From my observation of the last 5 years living in Italy, there are a few eating behaviors that play a large role in the Italians healthy style of living. This is not a scientific study, so take what I say with a grain of salt. This is only my observation/opinion. This reflection is for the majority of Italians; certainty, there are individuals who follow a less healthy diet.
7 Italian Diet Secrets
1) Fresh foods—Italians typically prepare food by hand instead of buying pre-packaged goods loaded with preservatives and sugar. They eat a lot of fresh fruit, vegetables, beans, whole grains, dairy products, fish and extra virgin olive oil. Recipes are simply and don’t require loads of caloric condiments like mayonnaise.
2) Sauces, pesto and dressings—Sauces are made by hand with just a few whole ingredients. Tomatoes and basil are picked from the vegetable garden to make tomato sauce and pesto. Alternatively, if you don’t have a garden, both markets and supermarkets carry extremely fresh produce which often times even lists the place of origin; many products come from local farmers. Salad dressings consist of just healthy extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Meat is usually eaten alone or with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Think of all the calories Italians save by not loading their salads with ranch, thousand island or blue cheese dressing or dipping their meat into mountains of bbq sauce?
3) Snacks—Mid morning or mid afternoon snacks typically consist of a yogurt, nuts or piece of fruit.
4) Sugary drinks—Coca cola and similar beverages are typically drunk on special occasions. Italians drink wine and natural or sparkling water at meals.
5)Quantity—Italians dishes aren’t meager portions by any means; however, they aren’t exaggerated and super-sized like you often find in the states or restaurants with all-you-can-eat buffets.
6)Quantity vs.meal time—Typically Italians eat sweets for breakfast, a large and varied lunch, and a light dinner. This gives their body fuel for the entire day and they slowly and consistently burn most of it off by evening. Makes sense. Not sure why in the states it’s the reverse and we often go to bed with a full belly of food.
7) Walk—Italians have a tradition of a “passeggiata” or “stroll” after meals, which aids in digestion.
There you have it, 7 Italian diet secrets for a healthier lifestyle. These 7 secrets aren’t hard at all to incorporate into your everyday life. It just takes some self-will and determination to undo some of the habits you may have grown accustom to.
From every culture we can learn something new that can help us live better. And, in this case, Italy’s healthy style of eating can be an inspiration to all of us to alter the way we think about consuming food. Remember, what we put in our body affects how we feel. If we feel good, we are happy. If we are happy, we are more productive. If we are productive, we are motivated to live fully. All this, just by eating better.
Forget the store bought sauces and make your own with vegetables for a flavorful and healthy Italian meal.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
¼ cup (25g) extra virgin olive oil
1 vegetable bouillon cube*
½ onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
3 celery stems, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 datterini or grape tomatoes, skin removed (I freeze the tomatoes then the skins just pop off under water)
10 cloves
½ Cinnamon stick
Dry white wine, as needed (enough to cover the vegetables)*
12 ounces (340g) pasta (I used kamut tortiglioni pasta)*
½ tablespoon coarse salt
½ cup (38g) grated Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan cheese)*
Instructions
In a medium-sized saucepan, add: extra virgin olive oil, vegetable bouillon cube, onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook on medium low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomatoes, cloves and crumble in the cinnamon stick. Cover the vegetable mixture with white wine and stir.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes, checking periodically to make sure that there is some liquid at all times, adding a bit more wine or water if needed.
In a medium pot, bring water to a boil and add the coarse salt. Cook the pasta according to the indications on the package. Drain and mix in the sauce and Parmigiano Reggiano. Buon appetito!
*For a vegan recipe, check the vegan-friendly wines here, double check the vegetable bouillon ingredients list (or buy vegan bouillon cubes), make sure that the pasta doesn’t have egg and don’t include the cheese.
The market was alive with commotion as the fruttivendoli :: fruit & vegetable vendors yelled out prices of their fresh produce. I took a paper ticket from the little red machine that orderly tamed the mobs of people that crowded around the plump artichokes, sun kissed oranges and leafy vegetables. As I waited for my number to be called out, my eyes roamed across the multitude of plastic containers piled high with bright colored fruits and vegetables stopping at last on a bunch of green grass.
“Che cos’è?” :: “What is it?” I asked an elderly woman standing next to me while pointing to the grassy vegetable.
“Agretti,” the woman replied. Also known in English as Salsola Soda or Opposite-Leaved Saltwort. (Agretti is pronounced as “Ah, gret, tee”)
The elderly woman continued to recount :: raccontare a simple recipe.
“First you chop of the roots, wash them well then boil them for about five to ten minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to keep the Agretti green then mix with lemon juice and olive oil.”
“Sounds delicious,” I thought to myself. “I have to try it.”
When I returned home, my curiosity :: curiosità got the best of me and at 10:00a.m. I was already in the kitchen cooking up this new and intriguing vegetable.
While some women :: donne get their high off of buying the latest pair of Jimmy Choo shoes, for me, I indulge in exotic produce. Is that lame or cool? I’m really not sure…
Agretti is also known as barba di frate, which can be translated to monks beard in English. What a weird name :: nome. Although when picked, they do resemble a bushy beard and monks typically did have vegetable gardens so I can presume where the name derived from.
In less then 15 minutes the bright green dish was ready. Talk about a great side for entertaining guests. As you may have already noticed :: notato, I speak often about recipes for large groups. One of my favorite things to do is host fuss-free dinner parties with high quality food.
Agretti is great served on a small dish or under a bed of fish like in my Striped Red Mullet recipe to give a dash of elegance :: eleganza.
What does agretti taste like? Certainty not like grass :: erba. I would say it greatly resembles the sharpness of spinach and when mixed with lemon and extra virgin olive oil it is quite refreshing.
If you need help getting your kids :: bambini to eat their vegetables, just add a face to a fork and let them create different hairstyles.
You don’t have to tell them that agretti is a super healthy vegetable that is full of vitamin A, iron and calcium. Who would have thought that eating your vegetables could be so much fun :: divertente!
*If your kids are young, attach the face to the stem of the fork so there is no risk that they eat the paper.
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Bring a large pot of water to boil, add the course salt then the agretti. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until tender. Drain then combine with lemon juice and olive oil. Serve warm or cold.
Fried calamari rings are a popular and much loved appetizer in the United States, yet when you want to eat lighter definitely try out a healthier Italian version that is stuffed with herbs and simmered in a fragrant tomato sauce.
It wasn’t until moving to Italy that I ate stuffed calamari. In reality, up until five :: cinque years ago I didn’t even know what whole squid looked like, I just knew that the fried ring variety found on the appetizer list in many restaurants was pretty dang good. Little did I know that I was missing out on a multitude of other delicious variations scarcely found in the states (at least in WA state and in the restaurants I frequented).
In Italy, squid and octopus dishes are abundant. From grilled to baked or boiled to stewed, you can find a multitude of varied recipes that are easy :: facile to make and healthy to eat.
I’ve read in a number of recipes that calamari must either be cooked on high heat for less than 2 minutes or more than 1 hour and that any amount of time in between will yield a chewy meal. I followed the instructions my Italian fish monger gave me, and would like to add that the 20 minute cook time in the red sauce :: sugoproduced a perfectly cooked squid that was neither gooey nor rubbery, but tender and firm.
Some people chop the tail into tiny pieces :: pezzettini, cook it for 5 minutes then add it to the stuffing mixture. I, however, attached it with toothpicks to the whole calamari, as the long tentacles add a gourmet appeal to the plated presentation.
This recipe is for two as an appetizer but can easily be turned into a meal by doubling or tripling the portions. Whole calamari is a relatively inexpensive :: economico fish to buy and since the recipe calls for a minimal list of ingredients, it is an affordable seafood dish for entertaining guests (or a hungry husband like Mr. Italicano!)
A healthy Italian calamari recipe that is stuffed with herbs and simmered in a fragrant tomato sauce. Perfect as an appetizer or main course.
Serves: 2
Ingredients
For the stuffing:
¼ cup bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 whole calamari, cleaned with tail set aside
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
1 cup tomato purée
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the stuffing:
In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir until combined then divide the mixture and stuff the calamari leaving a little room at the top.
Close each calamari with a toothpick. Then take another toothpick and attach the tail to each calamari.
For the sauce:
In a medium skillet over low heat, add the olive oil, heat for 1 minute then add the onion and garlic. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the onion is translucent, stir often.
Remove the garlic then add the tomato purée, salt, pepper and calamari. Simmer for 15-20 until the calamari is white and firm and the sauce has thickened. Serve warm.
Want to put together an easy, yet elegant looking meal for Valentine’s Day? Try out this recipe for striped red mullet, a delicate white fish that is stewed with juicy red tomatoes, tangy capers and salty black olives; it’s an Italian specialty.
Striped red mullet :: triglia di scoglio is found in the Mediterranean and Black Seas as well as the eastern North Atlantic Ocean. It has been considered a delicacy since antiquity, especially among the ancient Romans. If you are not able to find striped red mullet in your local grocery store you can also substitute it with red snapper.
I have never cooked with striped red mullet and the vibrant :: vibrante red and yellowish scales enticed me to try something new. The fish monger was all too kind to supply me with a typical Italian recipe called “Triglia alla livornese.” Triglia, as you can imagine, means striped red mullet; “alla Livornese”, on the other hand, basically means Livorno style. (Livorno is a port city on the Ligurian sea.)
While the fish monger scaled the striped red mullet, he quickly told me the ingredients for this beloved dish. Unfortunately, he was extremely quick at his job and finished before I could ask him the quantities :: le dosi. Seeing a long line behind me, I didn’t want to bother him so the recipe you find below may not be true Livorno style, but dare I say the presentation is more beautiful following my recipe while the taste is equally delicious.
While doing a little researchon the traditional recipe, it appears that this dish is mostly served with the whole fish (instead of fillets), topped with green olives (not black) and covered with purèed tomatoes (not whole). Feel free to try out the more traditional method, although I usually prefer eating fillets of fish since it’s much less work to eat and I liked the presentation :: presentazione with the tomato pieces as you can still see the fish underneath.
Capers :: capperi are commonly used in Mediterranean dishes as they are native to the area. In this recipe they add a nice tangy burst of flavor.
When making seafood dishes, I like to use few ingredients :: ingredienti to keep it healthier and quicker to prepare. Just like my Italian baked sardine and easy blood orange sole recipes, this dish was on the tablein under 30 minutes.
I hope you enjoy this recipe:: ricetta, and I look forward to hearing what you think!
Want to put together a easy yet fancy looking meal for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion? Try out this recipe for striped red mullet, a delicate white fish that is stewed with juicy red tomatoes, tangy capers and salty black olives; it’s an Italian specialty.
Serves: 2
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion
1 glove garlic
2 cups datterini or grape tomatoes
6 fillets of Striped Red mullet, deboned (or Snapper if you aren’t able to find striped red mullet)
2 tablespoons capers
½ cup black olives, finely chopped
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat then add the onions and garlic. Sautè them until they’ve softened and have turned slightly brown.
Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the striped red mullet fillets and cook until the meat is white and flakes away, about 5-10 minutes.
Add the capers and black olives, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Believe it or not, anchovies are making a come back in the States. Chefs are showcasing this intense flavored fish in a variety of sophisticated dishes like Chef Michael Symon’s dish for roasted brussel sprouts with capers, walnuts and anchovies or chefs Mario Batali and Dave Pasternack’s anchovy and roasted pepper salad with goat cheese. 
Although anchovies might not be the first ingredient that comes to mind, definitely don’t exclude them. Anchovies are extremely versatile and can be used in a variety of ways, whether they are fresh or salt-cured in olive oil. You can melt them down with butter or olive oil in a skillet and spread the flavorful sauce onto a piece of toasted artisan bread then top with stracciatella cheese for a quick bruschetta. Or, how about marinated anchovies, which are a typical Italian recipe proliferate in restaurants along the Mediterranean Sea?
If you want a real taste of Italy, cook with anchovies. Their savoriness adds an irreplaceable bold flavor to dishes that are unlike others. My challenge to you: sneak them in various sauces, soups and salads and observe for yourself if anyone can spot that flavor, or if they just tell you that your dish is delicious.
