MULLET OF ORBETELLO.



CACCIATORA CHICKEN STEW

Cacciatora stew is one of those simple dishes which comfort you, above all if served with mashed potatoes on a cold winter day.

It is an incredibly rich and simple dish, the result is an amazing sauce in which you can plunge bread and collect it in the famous “scarpetta”. It is a gesture not be made in a restaurant, still the most of us would not resist the temptation. It is almost a moral obligation, none could waste such a treasure.

With some variations, this Tuscan dish is loved and prepared in all Italy. Some cooks add olives, they use dry white wine and no tomato, probably the version I am proposing is revised compared to it. Tomatoes appeared on the tables of Central and Northern Italy quite late, only in the second half of the nineteenth century, I guess that this addition was made more recently.

For the white version, follow the same recipe replacing the red wine with a dry white one and do not add tomato. Some also add pitted olives half an hour before the end of the cooking process.

The same recipe is used for the rabbit too, and the result is always excellent.

It is those of these dishes that represents Italy at its best: Mediterranean herbs, vegetables, wine. The frequent use of wine allows us to use fewer fats and keeping the meat or fish moist. In the meanwhile, it enhances the taste of the seasoning, letting us to use less salt.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 2 hours + 20 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours + 30 minutes | Yield: Makes 4 servings.

 

Ingredients

  • 1 medium-size chicken, chopped in small pieces
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 celery rib, finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 3 sage leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 oz. fresh pancetta, chopped in cubes
  • 3 tablespoons EVO oil
  • ½ cup red wine

 

Instructions

To cook, brown the chicken pieces in a heavy pot with the oil. Once the meat is brown, add the vegetables, pancetta, and herbs. Make the chicken simmer, cover with a lid.

Cook until the vegetables are golden, then add the wine and season the meat. It is important to add salt and pepper with the wine because it enhances the tastes and you use less salt.

Wait until the wine has completely evaporated in order to add the tomato puree. Cook for a couple of hours, adding some water or stock if needed.



OCTOPUS SALAD WITH POTATOES

This is an extremely fresh way to be introduced to octopus. This salad is ideal to be served in a hot summer day, above all if you are back from the beach.

Italy has an incredibly wide range of fish and seafood, and as many recipes to cook them. Throughout the country, Octopus is a favourite dish. It is an extremely clever animal, but unfortunaly for it, its meat is extremely tasty, low in fats, but rich in good cholesterol, like prawns and other crustaceans.

I was introduced to the joys of octopus quite late – in my mid-20s – by some friends from Civitavecchia who came to visit with some of them, caught by their father. These cephalopods live in rocky coasts. Hailing from the sandy coast of the northern Adriatic coast, I had never seen it. In these past few decades, Italy has been discovering the cuisines of other regions, and it is common to see it in seafood restaurants all over Italy.

When the octopus is fresh, it is extremely tough. The new way to deal with the problem is provided with technology. (see recipe). The old way, that is quite grisly for my taste, has been turned into a touristic show in the old Harbour of Bari. It consists of pounding the octopus on the rocks for hours. Another technique consists of beating it with a stick until the color changes from red to white. Then it is washed in a basin on a tilting stool until it curls. For more info look here.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 1 hour + 25 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour + 35 minutes | Yield: Makes 6  servings.

Ingredients

  • 1 octopus 1 medium, 3 ½ -4 pounds, thawed (1½-2kg),
  • 2 celery stalks, cut roughly
  • 1 onion, cut roughly
  • 2 tbsp black olives
  • 3 potatoes, medium
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 handful flat parsley leaves
  • flaky sea salt and black pepper
  • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

In a pot boil the potatoes for about 20-30 minutes.

In another one join the octopus, cold water, salt, celery, carrots and onion. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until octopus is tender, about one hour.Important note: in order to stay soft, octopus should not suffer thermal shock: leave it in the water until it is room temperature.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into bite-sized pieces, do the same with octopus.

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and garlic and blend them using an immersion blender.

In a large mixing bowl, gently combine the octopus and potatoes with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper and add the olives.

It should be served tepid. If you prepare it some hours ahead it should be kept in the fridge and then put it in the microwave.

Freezing and then thawing the octopus breaks down the toughness in the cellular structure of the flesh. It is the best way to soften it; otherwise, it would be rubbery.

In Italy frozen octopus is sold already cleaned of the guts, still you need to discard the eyes and the beak.



CARNEVALE FRITTERS – A REGIONAL DELIGHT CELEBRATED ACROSS ITALY

http://Ricette carnevale giallozafferanoThese are typical fritters made for Carnevale. They are extremely simple and very popular all over Italy. Of course, each region has its own slight variations in the name and ingredients.
In most recipes, there is the possible addition of liquor (grappa, Sambuca) and butter, but I prefer my grandmother’s recipe.
Replacing the liquor with vinegar is a touch of pure genius, even if it seems quite odd. Adding liquors helps the dough not absorb the oil during the frying, but vinegar works even more efficiently, and the taste evaporates during the cooking. This is a recipe that, in spite of being a fried food, is much lighter than its official version.

The most popular and simple fritters in Italy, my granmother’s variation of the standard recipe makes them even lighter and yummy.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Yield: Makes 4  servings.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup 00 flour (130 gr.)
  • 1 medium size egg
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (15 ml.)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml.)
  • 1 tbsp white sugar (15 gr.)
  • icing sugar (for sprinkling the fritters)
  • peanut oil (for frying)

Instructions

 

On a wooden pastry board pour the flour in a mound, make a hole at its center and pour the egg.

Add sugar, vinegar and olive oil in it to the mound.

Starting with a fork, slowly add the flour to the liquid in the middle, gradually adding more flour all the time. Mix well.

When all the flour is mixed in, start to knead the dough.

When smooth, roll out by hand using a rolling pin, turning as you work.

Roll the dough into a sheet about 2 mm thick. If using a pasta machine, continue to feed dough through rollers once at each setting, without folding, until you reach the second to narrowest setting.

Cut the dough in diamonds, to about 10cm (4”) long.

Carefully place the pieces into the oil. Fry the diamonds a few pieces at a time, turning carefully with two forks to gently lift each piece. The dough will bubble as it cooks.

When light brown, remove and let cool on paper towel. Sprinkle the icing sugar while still warm, and serve.

BLOG PAGE