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Nonna Yolanda Closes the First Season |
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Ciao a tutti!
With the coming of the autumn weather, we are witness to yet another ending of the natural cycle. Since no one can improve on nature, tonight will see the closing of our very first season! It's fitting that we've saved this week's recipe for last. This week sees the return of Nonna Yolanda serving up her Saltinbocca alla Romana, which literally translates to "Jump in the Mouth". Because that may be a tough fit for a person (what with the shoes and all), we'll use veal cutlets, prosciutto and mozzarella instead.
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The venerable dinner time mainstay of Lazio, Saltinbocca alla Romana is incredibly simple to prepare, and Nonna Yolanda walks us through the recipe with the kind of sharp acumen that all of us seek to possess, and that she conveys with the greatest of ease. The tenderness of the veal is complimented with the salty prosciutto and creamy mozzarella, and once you see just how quickly one can prepare the meal, it will soon make it's way to your table on a regular basis.
I'd like to leave you with some thoughts about our first season. There have been some ups and downs, and of course, we've had plenty of growing pains, but through it all, it's been an amazing experience. The wisdom and insight of the Nonne has been nothing short of penetrating, and it's been a very joyous and humbling experience to have been able to work with them in helping to share with you their secrets. I'd like to also sincerely thank everyone involved with the production of the show. Without their dedication and hard work, this show would never have gotten off the ground. Of course, the show would really be nothing without you, our gentle viewers. I would like to thank all of you out there in front of your computers for leaving comments, emailing me personally, and of course, tuning in. It's because of the overwhelming interest from you out there in internet land that I'd like to announce the imminent arrival of the second season of Cooking with Nonna this October! There are so many surprises in store for you, our loyal viewers, coming very soon, so stay tuned, and grazie mille for a wonderful first season!
Tanti Baci,
Rossella
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My Nonna is Back |
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Ciao a tutti!
I'd like to welcome you to a very special week here at Cooking with Nonna. My very own Nonna Romana returns to teach us one of the most coveted recipes in all of Italian cooking: Foccacia Barese! The delicate preparation of this often imitated and almost never duplicated (until now, that is!) sentinel of the dinner table will finally be revealed so that this wonderful staple can grace everyone's table.
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Foccacia comes in many shapes, sizes and tastes. As with anything involved with Italian culture, the styles and flavors not only vary region to region, but town to town. Foccacia Barese gets its individual charm from the traditional topping: tomatoes. Often in the North, for example, one finds that the very sight of anything other than herbs atop their crispy bread vulgar and offensive, while others recoil at the notion of the absence of some sort of vegetable. Common items you will find in wide use are onions, olives and peppers, while others use various types of cheeses to accompany the herbs. As always, we encourage our viewers to experiment, and if you find that magical combination of ingredients to adorn your foccacia, stick with it!
The streets of Foccacia-ville have been littered with the unsuccessful attempts at taming the wild beast. Too dry, too salty, too oily are the signposts that mark the resting places of those that have come before. Dear friends, it's time to depart from the past once and for all. With these simple instructions, some moxie, and the actual ingredients, you can sleep soundly knowing that you've reached one of the most coveted plateaus in the world of Italian cuisine. Thanks again to Nonna Romana and her recipe, which has now spanned two centuries (and will traverse many more, I'm sure!)
Tanti Baci,
Rossella
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