"I'm not afraid of the Italian armpit." - Jessie, in response to our early exit from the crowded, smelly bus
The parentals on pasta
After I mentioned to mom and dad respectively that I might have to lose a few pasta pounds post Italian vacation, they had two very different responses.
MOM: "Well, have you been walking? Why are you eating so much? Get some exercise."
DAD: "Good! You probably look better with some meat on your bones."
---
Well, cool, y'all. Thanks. I think.
Day 7: When in Rome
Il Colosseo
Our march through Rome began with a tour of the largest amphitheater in the world, best known for hosting gladiators' contests, animal exhibitions and executions. Unfortunately, said tour was led by led by a less-than-stellar guide and we decided to ditch the Frenchman after the first half hour of unintelligible English. (American Tip: When seeking a guide, request a native English speaker.)
The second half of our tour was hosted by Snarky Stan from Toronto. (I'll take it.) The Canadian took us through parts of the Roman Forum, pointing out the Arch of Titus (constructed in 82 AD), the Temple of Saturn, the Basilica Aemilia, the Temple of Caesar and many others. Or what's left of them. Pretty amazing stuff.
We left the forum in search of dinner in Trastevere, a district on the West Bank of the Tiber River where vibrant red poppies lined the streets.
Along the way, we passed the Altare della Patria (Altar of the Fatherland), also known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II and the "wedding cake building." The monument is made of white marble, built to honor the first king of a unified Italy.
We walked across the bridge over the Tiber River, pausing to admire the artisan jewelry and leather bags on display along the way.
Legend has it that Romulus and Remus (Rome's founding brothers) were abandoned on the Tiber before they were rescued by a she-wolf who kept them alive.
This is evidenced by the Lupa Capitolina, a bronze sculpture of a she-wolf, or lupa, suckling twin infant boys. You gotta love those Italian legends.
Across the bridge, we explored Trastevere, stopping at a lovely hidden bakery for some pre-dinner pastries. Our search for an "off the beaten path" kind of meal landed us at what the girls called The Olive Garden of Rome. Fail. More wine, please.
After dinner, we scored some gelato before hopping on a crowded bus to make our way home. As we stood sandwiched between dozens of chatty commuters rocking back and forth with each stop, multiple languages flew among them. And in that moment, I couldn't help but revel in the beauty of such diversity.
Day 6: The bell foundry and pizza extravaganza
This morning, we climbed into Papa Gerry's tiny car for a day trip to Agnone, best known for manufacturing the bells of the Vatican. Agnone is a small town of 6,000 people about 35 minutes west of Carunchio in the Province of Isernia. On the drive over, Gerry made sure us Texas girls were well aware of the correct pronunciation of the famous town, instructing us to repeat "AH-NEO-NEH" after him like schoolchildren until we got it right.
I popped a "travel gum," (essentially chewable Dramamine), in hopes that the ride through the hills would be more forgiving this time. Not so much. Thankfully, I recovered pretty quickly upon arrival and rejoined the group for our first stop. Turns out, a strong stomach is not my super power. (By the way, thank you to whomever vandalized my unattended notes to dub me "barfy." Good times.)
The Marinelli Bell Foundry
A short walk later, we were standing in front of the Pontifica Fonderia Marinelli, the official Vatican Papal Bell Foundry. Incredible. This place has been around for a thousand years, employing mostly autistic men. One of them banged out a short concert for us in the workshop. ( "Jingle Bells" was his song of choice.)
To make a bell, the master bell casters start with a wax cast -- a technique they've been using since the 1300s. The artisans use wax to transfer religious designs and decorations onto the cast.
Then, a layer of clay is applied to form a "false bell." Once that hardens, the wax inside is melted, leaving the imprint of the design on the inside of the false bell.
P.S. Brass + tin = bronze. Heat that concoction up to 2,000 degrees and you get MOLTEN bronze, which is poured into the middle to form the final bell. Voila! Each time a new bell is "born," it's blessed by a local parish priest. Kind of a big deal, eh?
Porchettas & Peronis
After we left the foundry, we walked a few blocks down to the local butcher, where Botegga Vecchiarelli had 25 porchettas ready for our group lunch. The classic street sandwich of sliced pork is commonly found in Central Italy and often topped with fennel.
Ours was mixed with pickled eggplant, dribbled in olive oil and stuffed into flaky bread rolls. We took our porchettas to a nearby courtyard, where we sat in the sun and promptly washed them down with a Peroni -- the perfect complement. Afterward, a lovely gelato of pistachio and limone.
Say Cheese
Next on the agenda was the Di Pasquo cheese factory, run by four sisters. Agnone is famous for its formaggio, especially the caciocavallo, which is a stretched-curd cheese often considered a gourmet version of provolone.
We were invited to tour the factory -- where they also produce mozzarella, and ricotta -- but not before donning a hair net. Gotta keep it clean, y'all. I just couldn't resist copping of feel of the cavciocavallo.
Gerry Knows Best
After taking multiple photos with curtains of cheese, we headed back to Carunchio. This is the part where Papa Gerry gave us the low down on marriage, children, and the microeconomics of olive oil. This dude has opinions! He also let on that he's learning Thai via Skype twice a week with a friend in Thailand. Of course he is.
That's Amore
Finally, on our last night in this beautifully remote village, it was time to make-eh the pizza. The Abruzzo way. We gathered for the last time in the gorgeous mosaic-covered kitchen. When it was all said and done, we had sampled somewhere around 18 different pizzas. Then, an impromptu Italian hootenanny to close out the night.
By the end of the week, I knew that my soul was in synch with something that I cannot explain. Good news, guys. I found the secret to happiness. And it starts with a thin crust.
P.S. Whoever gives my eulogy, please mention that I once sang "The Eyes of Texas" over dinner in a tiny Italian village.
Proof God wants us to be happy
Move over, milk mustache.
This is how you advertise dairy in Italy.
Overheard at the Palazzo Tour d’Eau
We love your balls! - Mandy to Chef Dino, re: delicious pallotte cacio e uova (cheese and egg dumplings)
Day 5: The barista and the biscotti
We decided to go for a walk downhill into the village this morning, where Jessie and I shared a cappuccino and couple of croissants at the local bar/cafe. English-speaking locals are hard to come by, so I attempted enough Italian (supplemented by gestures) to ask the guy at the counter where I could buy some post cards. He said something in Italian before disappearing into the back of the café and returning with a 16x20 framed print of the Carunchio landscape in winter. Smiling, he held it up. I smiled back, confused.
It wasn't until I heard him say the word “regalo” that I realized he was giving me this enormous picture. He held it out for me to take it, waving away my attempts to offer him a few euros. Perhaps he felt bad that they didn't actually sell post cards? Maybe he wanted to show us a little hospitality? Whatever the reason, I thanked him for the unexpected gift and we set off to make the half-mile walk back uphill. Sans inhaler. Picture me fanning myself along the way with my new Texas-sized "post card."
Cooking Class
We made it back to the Palazzo Tour d'Eau just in time for our cooking class, where Chef Dino taught us to make polpetinne cacio e uova, a typical vegetarian dish in Abruzzo. The breadcrumby cheese balls are sauteed in a tomato, onion and bell pepper sauce, and then served over pasta.
We're told this Medieval concoction is traditionally eaten for breakfast on Easter morning, but I'm pretty sure everyone was very pleased they decided to extend the tradition to our visit. Major crowd favorite. Please try this recipe at home.
After lunch, we watched Dino prepare almond biscotti, starting with homemade dough and then adding raw almonds, among a host of other ingredients. We each took turns rolling the dough into long thick cylinders before it was baked, cut into strips and served for dessert.
I watched longingly as everyone dipped their perfectly crafted biscotti into cups of wine and espresso. Curse you, tree nut allergies. But not to worry. I won't deny you the recipe.
After lunch, it was back down the hill for a few Peronis with our new friends before The Detox Dinner using mostly ingredients from the Palazzo Tour d'Eau garden.
- Green salad with apples, arugula, pesto and nettles; greens soufflé; tartines
- Crepe stuffed with fresh greens and served atop wild potato cream sauce
- Almond sponge cake with walnuts filled with white cream and cherry juice topped with pear jam and a pair of borage flowers
- Warm "Grandma-spiced" digestif of apple, orange, onion, dried fig, clove, cardamom and cinnamon
- Limoncello
It's not you. It's me.
The tree nuts continue to mock me, the little bastards. Tonight, they denied me this almond sponge cake with walnuts. The lovely little devil was filled with cream and cherry juice, and topped with pear jam and borage flowers. Alas, I begrudgingly said my goodbyes. It's times like these that my travel companions benefit from my autoimmune deficiencies. Seconds, anyone?
Almond biscotti
Almond biscotti
AbruzzoCibus.com
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1 Stick unsalted butter (4 oz.), melted
- 3Tbsp Marsala or other sweet wine
- 2 tsp sambuca*
- 1 tsp vanilla extract*
- 1 Cup whole almonds with skins, lightly toasted, cooled and coarsely chopped if you like
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 ¾ Cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
*These flavorings can be interchanged with brandy, grappa or limoncello, based on your preference.
Stir together sugar, butter and flavorings in a large bowl. Then stir in the almonds and the eggs. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined. Chill dough, covered, for 30 min.
Preheat oven to 350° with rack in middle.
Using moistened hands, halve dough and form 2 (16 X 2-inch) loaves on a large baking sheet fitted with parchment paper. Or, form 3 smaller loaves for smaller biscotti.
Bake until pale golden, 20 – 25 min. Transfer loaves to a rack and cool for 15 min.
Cut loaves into ¾ inch slices using a serrated knife.
Arrange biscotti, with a cut side down, on the baking sheet with parchment paper, again, and bake until golden,
20 – 25 min. turning once, or less time if you prefer biscotti to be less crunchy. Transfer to rack to cool completely before storing.
Note: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature. Biscotti will improve in flavor after 2 days.
Recipe: Polpetinne Cacio E Uova
Polpetinne Cacio E Uova
(Cheese and egg dumplings)
AbruzzoCibus.com
- 6 eggs
- 200 grs of old bread (white part only - hand grated)
- 600 grs grated of mixed parmesan and pecorino cheese
- chopped parsley
- salt & pepper
- garlic
Mix the above ingredients together in a bowl until fully blended. Form by hand into compact ovals or round. Sautee the balls with olive oil and when a little brown, add tomato sauce.
SAUCE
- olive oil
- 1 medium brown onion, sliced
- 2 medium bell peppers, red and yellow, cut into strips
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- chopped tomatoes
- salt & pepper
- bay leaf
- rosemary
In the olive oil, sauté the onion, garlic and bell pepper until soft.
Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper.
Simmer 3/4 hour until the oil shows on the top of the sauce.
Add some WATER if dry and bring to a boil.
Drop in the dumplings. Cook and turn gently. They are finished when they are spongy.
Makes 8-9 DUMPLINGS
Day 5 : The Detox Dinner
Overheard at the Palazzo Tour d’Eau
“Take out all the regularity, sell its soul and you have a prostitute.” – Massimo, our host and sommelier, on the standardization of American wines
Day 4: Pasta, braciole, wine lessons and the black mariah
Today is May Day, also known as Labor Day, so the town is mostly at rest. Every day, the church bells toll every 15 minutes. But today, after what I’m calling our daily Fat & Happy Nap, the bell’s chimes woke us and rang for 15 minutes straight. We thought, at first, that some kind of evacuation was in order until we remembered the holiday. Apparently, there was a procession of townspeople making their way through Carunchio. Relief. I guess we Americans are easily alarmed.
Cooking Class
Our morning class started off with a lesson on braciole, (bra-che-o-le). Each of us were presented with a plate containing a thinly sliced piece of culatello (pork butt), pancetta, a sweet Italian sausage link, a pearl of garlic, a leaf of parsley and a sliver of pecorino.
We seasoned the culatello with salt, pepper and nutmeg before Chef Dino showed us how to lay the pancetta over it create a barrier between the open pork seams. Then, we layered the sweet Italian sausage atop that, and nestled it next to the parsley, pecorino and garlic. Finally, we rolled everything up and sewed it shut with a toothpick before Dino seared and cooked for over an hour.
Next came the cavatelli, a seriously labor-intensive pasta also known as gnocchiette. Chef Cheryle showed us how to mix semolina, flour, olive oil, salt, baking powder and water before kneading the mixture for 8 minutes.
Once it was “smooth as a baby’s bottom,” we were instructed to cut off a plum-sized piece of dough, roll it out into a long skinny worm-like line, and cut it into tiny squares.
From there, we used the side of our thumbs to roll each little square of dough down a small wooden paddle with lined grooves to create the individual furrowed cavatelli. Each piece of pasta was supposed to contain a small trench in the center (if done correctly) to absorb the soon-to-be-added ragu. Reserve a Sunday afternoon and try this recipe at home.
Here, pasta is always served first, followed by an entrée and sometimes salad. Finally, an elaborate dessert is presented. I'm not sure how I'll go back to one-course meals after this.
Today’s lunch and photos of lunch:
- From-scratch cavatelli with tomato ragu topped with parmesan cheese (recipe)
- Braciole (recipe)
- Blood orange and fennel salad (recipe)
- Sorbetto di limone mixed with white wine and limoncello
At 6 p.m., we met for an informative wine class, taught by our host and sommelier, Massimo. With clear contempt for the "defective" white wine, he focused his talk on a pair of red Montepulcianos.
Top things things to note, says Massimo:
- Visuals / color
- scent
- sensory response
Tonight’s “peasant food” dinner:
- Bruschetta over wood-fired bread, anchovies, garlic parsley and truffle oil
- Rustic torte of puff pastry filled with artichokes and cheese
- Frittata
- The Black Mariah, a double chocolate sponge cake filled with chocolate cream and Abruzzo Punch Liqueur (below)
The Texas Trio
We cook with wine. Sometimes we even add it to the food.
Recipe: Cavatelli aka: Gnocchietti
Cavatelli aka: Gnocchietti
AbruzzoCibus.com
In some parts of Italy this pasta is also known as gnocchetti or seashells. The rolling and forming of the pasta is not done for aesthetic reasons. It is practical because the ridges and/or small pockets in the cavatelli help to pick up and hold the sauce.
- ½ cup of unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups of grano duro (durum wheat flour)
- 3/4 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
- 1/2 cup or more of hot water
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
Use a fairly large mixing bowl. Put the flour and salt into the bowl. Add the vegetable oil.
Make a well and form a pool of a little hot water. Add the baking powder and let it foam. Mix with a fork to combine. Add more water a little at a time as necessary. When the flour comes together start using your hands.
Mix thoroughly with your hands until the dough comes together in a ball.
If the dough feels stiff, add a bit more hot water. The dough should be quite soft and a bit spongy.
Take the dough out of the bowl and knead for 4 to 5 minutes.
Cut of a piece of the dough (about the size of a plum), keeping the rest covered with a towel. Stretch and roll this piece between your hands to form a tube-like shape.
Place the dough on your work surface and, with a very light amount of pressure, roll your hands over the dough to stretch and thin it out. Continue until you have used all of the dough.
Cut the pasta tubes into small pieces.
Roll the pieces down over the tines of a fork, with some pressure, to form the cavatelli.* The pasta is now ready for cooking.
Cook the cavatelli in plenty of boiling salted water for about 4 minutes. Test with your teeth. They should be cooked through but with a little resistance to the teeth. Because they are made without eggs, the consistency is different than that of pasta made with eggs.
Drain well. Put them in a large serving bowl. Pour the sauce over them and mix well.
Makes four appetizer-size portions.
*If you are lucky enough to have a cavatelli attachment to your pasta machine, the work is faster. You just feed the tube of dough between the rollers while turning the handle. The machine forms and cuts the cavatelli, ready for the boiling water.
Recipe: Fennel & Orange Salad
Fennel & Orange Salad AbruzzoCibus.com
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tsp. chopped fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, marjoram or chives)
- 4 navel or blood oranges, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
- 2 medium fennel, thinly sliced
- 2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
- 20 black olives (optional)
Mix together oil, orange juice and herbs in a small bowl. Set aside.
Overlap the slices of fennel, orange and onions on a serving platter. Drizzle dressing over the top.
Garnish with the olives (optional) and fresh parsley. Serves 6 to 8
Recipe: Braciole
Braciole
AbruzzoCibus.com
- pork cutlet
- sausage
- slice of parmesan or pecorino cheese
- 1 tsp chopped parsley
- 1 clove garlic
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of pepper
- Pinch of nut meg
- Bay leaf
- Rosemary
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- Tomato sauce
Lay the pork cutlet flat on a cutting board and pound it to make it thinner and more tender. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Lay the piece of sausage at the very top of the cutlet and sprinkle with parsley. Roll up the sausage inside the cutlet to create a roulade. Close it in the center with a couple of toothpicks.
Sauté over medium heat with extra virgin olive oil until golden brown on all sides. Add chopped tomatoes or tomato sauce to the pan along with a bay leaf and some rosemary. Cook the sauce down for a couple of minutes and then add a cup of vegetable broth. Cover the pan and let the braciola cook in the sauce for about one and a half hours on low heat. Check periodically to make sure the liquid has not evaporated too much.
Day 4: Lunch
Overheard at the Palazzo Tour d’Eau
That was a little bit of a party in my mouth, eh? - Canadian Karyn, re: Montepulciano tasting