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Cooking with Nonna Ann Marie |
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With the bustling north slowly shrinking in our rear window, we've decided to do some defrosting in Abruzzo. We're in Pescara this week, a lively coastal town known the world over for its seafood, but today Nonna Anne Marie is giving us the goods. The world famous Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and beans), or as it's more commonly known, Pasta Fazool (that's the correct spelling, I kid you not!)
Now I'm going to guess that there are, oh, say 10,000 different ways this can be made, however this, dear viewers, is the traditional recipe of the people of Abruzzo, so suffice it to say this is probably the most accurate (traditionally speaking, of course). What's
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really special about this recipe is the inclusion of the pancetta.
Now, this is a very controversial issue, but if I may offer a humble opinion: try it! You will not be disappointed. The salty oils bring out everything; it brings out the delicate tender notes of the beans, the richness of the tomato, just about everything that you'd look for from this meal is enhanced in one fell swoop. Add a little olive oil at the end (even some cheese) and you are set for a sure fire way to keep warm during those frigid nights.
This was also the first time we've used our KitchenAid Immersion Blender, as well as their food processor. Not only do they make the recipe MUCH easier than it already is, they sure know how to paint it one heck of a red color! For the next few weeks, we'll be giving these as well as other fantastic time-saving appliances from KitchenAid, so to help you get over to the contest page faster, I'm stopping now.
Tanti Baci,
Rossella
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Welcome Back Nonna Carmen |
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Because I'm a sucker for the cold weather (not really), we're going to spend another week in the snow-capped comfort of the Alps and the warm, inviting kitchens of the north. This week transports us mere hours from last week's sojourn in verdant Toscana to the cobblestone shadows of the Duomo and the gilded steps of the Teatro la Scala -- you guessed it -- Milan! Letting us back into the inviting corners of her kitchen is the electric Nonna Carmen. She'll be providing us with her usual sharp insights and gentle guiding hand as we attempt to add a northern twist to an infinitely popular dish: Risotto alla Milanese, or perhaps also known as Risotto allo Zafferano.
If there were a one word summation for the magnificence of this dish (it wouldn't be
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magnificence, at least not yet), it would be: simplicity. Risotto may be a somewhat delicate endeavor, however in our case, it's the omission of extra ingredients that makes the recipe stand out. The one that does stand out is, of course, the indomitable saffron. Not only does it give the rice a sunny gold color, it adds just the right amount of flavor to the entire mixture, leaving you with the sense that yes, one pound of saffron is worth the clear-cutting of 75,000 flowers needed to obtain it. The rice heavy focus of agriculture in the north yields not only the coveted aforementioned grains, but a cornucopia of recipes that lend the spotlight to this omnipresent staple of the world. What pasta is to the south, rice is to the north. When combined, it's no wonder that this slender peninsula lends so much to the worldwide spectrum of culinary arts.
And with that, I'm going to enjoy some nice warm risotto and try to take some of the chill out of the crispness of the winter air. Another great big thank you to Nonna Carmen for this dish, which has truly become a winter classic. Until next week....
Tanti Baci,
Rossella
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