I have made this Polenta and Ragu on several occasions now. My first attempt was actually not mine at all but a generous Italian friend volunteered to come over and cook this hearty dish for some visiting friends. I loved the experience from top to bottom. My friends gathered in the kitchen and began preparing the polenta.
Mmmmm, Pumpkin Risotto! It was one of my first acquired recipes while living in Italy and one of my favorites! The Autumn, with its sunny days and cold nights is the perfect time to enjoy this Autumn vegetable while it warms your home and your family. Pumpkin Risotto is like eating macaroni and cheese, the color is orange and the texture creamy. The addition of butter and parmesan at the end adds that cheesy goodness that we all crave.
My region of Italy is Lazio and it is famous for its Artichokes, in Rome you can enjoy them Roman Style or Jewish Style. Both styles trim the artichoke all the way down to only the edible parts. The Roman Style is then simmered in water and olive oil along with spices until soft. It is then eaten in its entirety, no peeling back leaf by leaf until you reach the heart. Nope, you just dig right in. The Chef did all of the work for you.
There are some things I will really miss about living in Italy, such as the produce I will just not be able to taste again until I return. One is the Porcini. This mushroom is available in the spring and fall and is native to the forests in this part of Europe. It does not have “gills” like the large Portobella we are familiar with in America. But it is similar in size. It is medium golden brown and thicker than a Portobello. The flavor is intense and woodsy but not as intense as a truffle.
I recently bought a new springform pan to make the Lemon Torta and have been dying to use it again. A springform pan is great for layered cakes with Savoiardi (ladyfingers) or mousse. It has a base that can be detached from the sides.
The Autumn days of October when the air is crisp, the trees are changing colors and the weather is unpredictable. Today we had some rain in Italy and what better way to welcome Autumn and cozy up in the house than to cook up some hearty soup. Farro is quite popular in Italy and is grown in the Northern regions such Umbria and Tuscany and mine, the Lazio Region.
Autumn is gently rolling in and the late summer harvest of Pumpkins has arrived. I love when I start to see the pumpkins with their large spheres and pale pink skins start to show up at the farmers market. The pumpkins here are different than our American version that are orange skinned. The pumpkins in Italy have pale skin and dark orange interiors. They call them ‘zucca” and this is my favorite variety.
Fudge Brownies are as much of a hit in Italy as they are in America. Who can resist that moist, deep chocolate flavor? I love this recipe because you just dump all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix it up. It’s easier than using a brownie box mix! Some things in life are just delicious and easy! This recipe is another treasure from that little blue vinyl cook book I copied years ago from my mother.
What could be more homey than a chicken roasting in the oven with the smell of rosemary and thyme wafting through the air? The promise of a hearty meal soon to be set at the table. In our modern era of convenience foods the smells of a slow cooked meal are almost extinct. But this smell conveys the feeling of family and love and contributes to the families feeling of well being.
Seasons are changing and here in Italy fall is in the air. The mornings have that cool crisp feeling and we are starting our day a little later as even the sun wants to stay in bed longer. This slight change is bridging that gap between two seasons: the waning of Summer and the start of Autumn.
