Leeks (‘porri’, in Italian) have thickening properties and a more complex flavor profile than onions, thanks to the cabbage hints of their upper leaves(1). When replacing onion for leek in a risotto, the resulting dish is creamier and with more depth. Saffron is traditional in Milanese style risotto, but also a spice that goes amazingly well with leek, bringing an additional element to this first course. The preparation of any kind of risotto is very reliable, as long as a few tips (below) are kept in mind.
(1) Harold McGee. On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. 2nd edition (2004).
In a second, larger, pot melt 1 tablespoon of butter (fig. 1).
Add the leek to the butter (fig. 2) and roast it at medium heat until tender.
Add the rice and toast it with the leek for 2-3 minutes (fig. 3).
Add the wine and let it evaporate while stirring constantly. Reset the clock - the rice cooking time will be between 15 minutes (for Arborio) and 18 minutes (for Carnaroli).
Add the vegetable broth, one ladle at a time, while stirring frequently (fig. 4). Ensure that both the risotto and the broth are kept simmering.
When the rice is almost ready, dissolve the saffron in one ladle of broth and then add it to the pot. By the time the rice will be ready, the risotto will need to be quite soft, but without any excess liquid left in the pot.
When the time is up, take the pot off the heat.
Stir in ½ of the grated Parmigiano and the remaining ½ tablespoon of butter, adjust the salt if necessary.
Let the risotto rest for 1 minute.
Serve sprinkled with the rest of the Parmigiano and some ground black pepper.
Italians rarely get tired of a good tomato sauce, but when they do they often resort to a tomato sauce variation. This recipe is based on the simple addition of roasted bell peppers, and of chili for some heat. The resulting sauce is great on pasta, but it also doubles as a tasty dip for toasted bread. The peppers are sliced, roasted in olive oil and then added to a tomato base. If the skins are unwanted or if a smoother texture is desired, the cooked peppers can be strained in a food mill.
Of simple Italian recipes that are almost unknown outside of Italy, Milanese-style Asparagus would probably rank near the top. This dish, traditionally associated with the city of Milan, is enjoyed all around Italy as a second course, especially in late spring, when asparagus is in season.
Before getting to the recipe, let’s spend a few words on its main ingredient. Asparagus is one of the shoots of a perennial plant called Asparagus officinalis, harvested when it reaches a length of about 8 inches and hasn’t yet developed any branches. If allowed to grow, the shoots become inedible – they gradually thin out, harden, and develop fern-like branches, up to 1.5 meters tall. Indigenous of Eurasia, Asparagus officinalis was already known in ancient Egypt, when it was eaten raw. The Greeks and the Romans are credited for learning how to cultivate it and for discovering its diuretic properties.
In North America, asparagus is mostly used as an appetizer or as a side dish (steamed, fried, or char roasted), as well as in soups and quiches. In Italy, it is also used to make one kind of risotto, in ‘frittate’, as filling for ravioli or just paired up with melted butter, eggs, and Parmigiano as in this recipe.
Asparagi alla Milanese
Yield: 2 servings
Total Time: 15 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 kg of fresh asparagus, washed and with their bases trimmed
4 tablespoons of Parmigiano, freshly grated
2 tablespoons of butter
4 eggs
salt
Preparation
Place the asparagus in a pot of salted boiling water, the spears above the waterline to be cooked by the steam. Cook for 10 minutes (15 if the stems are particularly thick). If using a large pot, the asparagus can be tied up to force them to remain vertical.
Just before the asparagus are cooked, fry the eggs in butter, sunny-side-up, in a large non stick pan. Ensure the whites are fully firm, while the yolks are still runny.
Gently drain the asparagus and assemble the dish in warm serving plates by layering the eggs, the asparagus (tips towards the center), and the grated Parmigiano.
Known in North America by the French name apéritif, an aperitivo is a drink meant to be had before the meal as an appetizer. To this purpose, the apertitivo is usually a moderately alcoholic cocktail based on vermouth, bitters or white wine. Non-alcoholic versions also exist.
Even though the aperitivo is technically a starter to the meal (the word comes from the Latin verb ‘aperire’, to open), Italians usually have it well before lunch or dinner, accompanied by a snack. Because of this, the aperitivo often refers to the whole experience of drink plus food (as Italians say: “fare l’aperitivo”, do the aperitif), with the actual purpose of quenching the appetite while waiting for a late meal.
As described in the article on breakfast, in Italy bars double as coffee shops and are often part of people’s daily routine. And in the bars of Milan and other north Italian cities, the evening aperitivo has evolved into its own tradition. Starting at around 6 pm (which is at least one hour before restaurants open) and continuing until 8 or 9 pm, most bars offer a lot more than peanuts and chips to accompany their drinks. For a slight surcharge on the aperitivo drink, a complimentary buffet of appetizers is commonly offered.
The best aperitivo venues overflow with customers attracted by their luscious buffets and compete in providing the best ambiance and quality. They are especially popular as social hubs, typically for after-work gatherings, while waiting for dinner time. Even though the buffets can be very tempting, generally people try not to take advantage and limit themselves to one or two small appetizer plates. However, aperitivo spots are also appreciated by students and younger crowds in general, which may help themselves more generously and even decide to have more than one round of drinks and skip dinner altogether.
As for the actual drink, all of the standard “pre-dinner” cocktails are served. These include:
Dry white wine, especially the sparkling Prosecco (see the article on wine);
Martini, which in Italy is just straight vermouth on the rocks (from the historical brand Martini e Rossi), as opposed to North American Martini – a cocktail based on gin or vodka;
Classic long-drinks, such as gin and tonic, rum and coke (also called Cuba Libre), Americano (gin and sweet red vermouth).
But the Italians favorites are bitters-based, they include:
Straight Campari (25% alcohol, created in 1860) or Aperol (11%, created in 1919), both served on ice and possibly topped up with soda water;
Spritz (Aperol or Campari, sparkling wine and soda water), which originated in the North East of Italy.
It has to be noted that none of the alcoholic aperitivo drinks are particularly strong. In North America they would all be considered “girly” drinks, also because of their bright colors. Italians enjoy them as appetizers, leaving red wine and beer to accompany dinner, and stronger liquors for later in the night.
Aperitivo drinks can even be entirely non-alcoholic and are quite popular in the morning before lunch. The most common are ‘San Pellegrino Bitter’ (more recently commercialized as ‘Sanbittèr’) and ‘Crodino’, both of which contain herb extracts that give them a bitter aftertaste. They are sold in small individual glass bottles (100 ml) and served on ice with a slice of lemon or orange, or as part of juice-based cocktails.
Pre-made low-alcohol aperitivo cocktails also exist and can be bought in single-dose glass bottles. The most important are Camparisoda (10%, created in 1932) and Aperol Soda (3%).
Appetizer display at Spritz bar in Milan-Navigli.
As for the accompanying appetizers, other than the typical potato chips and toasted peanuts, it’s common to have olives, savory tarts, bruschette, pasta salads, pizzette. Also quite standard are cold cuts (including prosciutto, mortadella, salame), mozzarella and tomatoes, grilled vegetables, cheese bites (e.g.: Parmigiano slivers, smoked scamorza), or even generous blocks of spreadable cheese (e.g.: gorgonzola or brie), and a selection of breads (small buns and sliced loaves). More rarely deli appetizers are featured, for instance ‘insalata di mare’ (seafood salad, containing boiled octopus, squid, and shrimp in olive oil and lemon), ‘insalata russa’ (Russian salad, containing diced boiled potatoes, peas, carrots, in mayonnaise).
More appetizers at “Spritz” bar.
Occasionally, warm appetizers and even actual hot courses are offered in the classic buffet chafing dishes, heated with alcohol burners. Example include first courses that don’t need to be freshly made (e.g.: butter and sage tortellini, gnocchi with cheese sauce, baked pasta), second courses (e.g.: meat stews), and sides (e.g.: roasted potatoes or polenta).
Half-wheel of Parmigiano and focaccia slices, also in a Milan bar.
Every appetizer is served in bite-size portions meant to be eaten directly at the buffet or put on a small disposable plate and taken to the table. Plastic forks and knives are usually provided, though some places limit their customers to using toothpicks and serving spoons.
Aglio (pronounced ‘ah-llyo’), Olio e Peperoncino (Garlic, Oil and Chili Pepper) is one of the simplest and most popular Italian pasta sauces, and one of the most delicious. Its simplicity is unmatched for showcasing perfectly cooked, high-quality spaghetti, the cut of pasta that it best goes with. Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino is really more of a pasta dressing, rather than an actual sauce. And it’s perfect for when there is no time to make a sauce, for a midnight snack, or for unexpected guests.
Italian cuisine is based on quality – the more a dish is simple, the more it requires the best ingredients. And this is definitely the case with Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino.
Let’s start with the pasta: a typical serving of 70-80 grams per person of dried durum semolina spaghetti from a quality Italian brand (e.g.: Voiello, De Cecco, Barilla). It’s possible to use another cut of pasta – spaghetti could be replaced with linguine, but that’s pretty much as far as an Italian would push it. Definitely, short pasta wouldn’t be appropriate, and neither would egg noodles.
Even by sticking to spaghetti, most Italians have a preference of what thickness best suits this dish. Every brand has its own “units”, for instance in my family we’ve always preferred the thicker Barilla #7 (‘Spaghettoni’), whereas the most popular kind is the thinner #5.
Another fundamental choice that Italians make is whether or not to break the spaghetti in half before boiling them. Traditionally, pasta should never be cut – not before cooking it and especially never after it has been dished out. However, boiling 10 inch long noodles requires a particularly tall pot and breaking them in half may be practical.
As for the oil, extra virgin olive oil is a must for this dish. Other than being a vessel on which to carry the flavor of the pasta and the spiciness of the chilies, extra virgin olive oil brings its distinct aroma, which perfectly complements them.
The third and last ingredient, chili pepper, tops up the flavor profile with the simplest cooking trick: adding some heat! Any kind of chilies can be used, from a fresh cayenne pepper to dried flakes. It’s only important to get the desired amount of spiciness, which is usually medium-hot.
Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino
Yield: 2 servings
Total Time: 15 minutes
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Ingredients
150 g high quality dried spaghetti
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes (or 1 fresh cayenne pepper*)
(optional) 2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
In a small pan, warm up the olive oil at medium heat for a minute.
Add the crushed garlic and let it fry until it turns golden-brown (fig. 2). *If using a fresh cayenne pepper, it should be seeded and roasted along with the garlic and then also removed.
Turn off the heat, discard the garlic and add the chili flakes (fig. 3).
As soon as the pasta is cooked "al dente", drain it in a colander and toss it back in the empty pot.
Pour in the garlic chili oil, quickly stir and dish the pasta into serving bowls.
If desired, add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and serve immediately.
This quick and versatile recipe is another great representative of the cuisine of northern Italy. With any kind of strong, creamy cheese and a handful of always-ready ingredients, this delicious sauce can be whipped together from scratch in minutes. In Italy, there is absolutely no Alfredo sauce! The most famous dish that makes use of a creamy cheese sauce is ‘Gnocchi al Gorgonzola‘, but any kind of pasta can be used – and boxed dried pasta is actually recommended for this dish.
One handful of crushed walnuts, pecans or pine nuts
20 g grated Parmigiano
140 g dried pasta. In the picture above you can see whole-wheat 'penne', but any dried pasta or fresh gnocchi can be used. Ricotta and spinach, or cheese ravioli also work very well with this sauce.
Preparation
Put butter and water in a saucepan at medium heat.
When butter has melted, add the flour.
Stir until it sizzles.
Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Add the nutmeg.
Add the walnuts, the Gorgonzola, the Parmigiano, and adjust with salt and pepper.
Cook the pasta "al dente", then drain it and put it back in the pan adding the cheese sauce. Mix well and serve in pre-heated bowls.
Pizzoccheri is a Northern Italian dish almost unknown in North America. It originates in Valtellina (known as Valtelline or Val Telline in English), a valley at the very top of Lombardy.
Despite the name, Pizzoccheri has nothing to do with pizza. It is a first course centered around a special pasta made of buckwheat flour, a type of grain also called Saracen corn (‘grano Saraceno’ in Italian). The recognizable hearty flavor and coarse texture of buckwheat pasta are almost absent from Italian cuisine, but they marry perfectly with potatoes, cabbage, butter, and Valtellina Casera cheese (also indigenous of Valtellina) to make a unique dish.
As detailed by its official website, Valtellina Casera is a medium-ripening, semi-cooked PDO cheese (see the ‘Formaggio Cheese’ post for more information on cheese classification) exclusively produced in Valtellina and made with partly skimmed cow milk. For the preparation of Pizzoccheri, Valtellina Casera is used when just over its minimum aging of 70 days while its flavor is delicate and milky and before it turns more intense.
In Italy, dried buckwheat pasta specifically cut for use in Pizzoccheri can be bought in stores. However, it can also be easily made from scratch without particular equipment.
Pizzoccheri della Valtellina
Yield: 2-3 servings
Total Time: 45 minutes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
For 200 g of fresh Pizzoccheri noodles
100 g buckwheat flour
50 g white all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
For the finished dish
200 g fresh Pizzoccheri noodles (the same amount of dried Pizzoccheri can also be used).
250 g potatoes (2 small, diced).
150 g Savoy cabbage (sliced). For a more delicate flavor, it can be replaced or mixed with spinach.
100 g Valtellina Casera cheese (thinly sliced). It can be replaced with other, easier to find, mild semi-cooked cheeses (such as young Fontina, Montasio, Raclette or Gouda).
20 g Parmigiano cheese (grated).
50 g unsalted butter.
3 cloves of garlic (crushed).
2 or 3 leaves of fresh sage (optional).
Salt and black pepper.
Preparation
For the Pizzoccheri noodles
Mix the buckwheat flour with the white flour and the salt.
Work in about 1/3 cup of water, just enough for a firm dough to form. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
Roll the dough into a sheet 2-3 millimeters thick.
Cut the sheet into small rectangles of about 0.5 by 5 cm.
Using a spatula, separate the rectangles from the cutting board.
Place the pieces on a floured plate (sprinkling with more flour before overlapping them).
For the finished dish
Bring a very large pot of salted water to a boil (using ½ tablespoon of salt per liter of water).
Add the potatoes and the cabbage to the boiling water.
Let the vegetables cook for 12-13 minutes (5 minutes if using dried pasta).
Toss the (uncooked) pasta into the boiling water and keep cooking for another 2-3 minutes (10 minutes if using dried pasta).
Meanwhile, melt the butter with the garlic and the sage in it; roast them until the garlic is golden, then discard both.
Drain the pasta and vegetables mix removing it from the top by using a skimmer not to disturb the cloudy water.
At this point start assembling the dish directly into individual bowls. Start layering the ingredients alternating some of the pasta and vegetables with a sprinkle of Parmigiano, a few cheese slices and some melted butter. Repeat 2 or 3 times using up all of the ingredients, ending with a layer of pasta and vegetables and a sprinkle of Parmigiano.
Add some black pepper and serve without stirring.
Notes
A vegetable mincer can be used to make parallel cuts.
Risotto is a staple northern Italian dish obtained by toasting the rice in the pan and then slowly adding liquid and mixing until absorbed, for as long as the rice takes to cook. Even though the recipe requires constant stirring, the procedure is very easy and guaranteed to produce perfect results as long as the rice is kept at a constant boiling temperature for the correct amount of time.
This recipe serves two hungry people, or three not so much. It takes about 25 minutes from start to finish.
Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms
Yield: 2 servings
Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup of Carnaroli Rice (Arborio as a second choice)
3 ½ cups of vegetable or beef stock
One handful of dried or fresh Porcini mushrooms
1 tablespoon of chopped onion
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 glass of white wine (best if at room temperature)
¼ cup of Parmigiano cheese (grated)
Some ground black pepper
(Recommended) 1 pouch of Italian saffron
(Optional) 1 green onion or a bunch of chives
Preparation
Bring the stock to a gentle boil (ensure the stock is flavorful, but not too salty).
If using dried mushrooms, wash them well under tap water and then soak them for 5-10 minutes in lukewarm water to rehydrate them. Let any grit sediment settle to the bottom, pick up the mushrooms leaving the dirty water in the bowl.
In a second pan, sauté the onion in 2/3 of the butter until soft and translucent.
Add the rice and stir at medium heat for a couple of minutes (this will "toast" the rice, adding flavor).
Add the wine and set the timer: 18 minutes if using Carnaroli, 15 minutes if using Arborio.
Add the re-hydrated or fresh mushrooms.
Keep stirring. When the rice dries out a bit, add some stock and go back to stirring. (Note: it might be necessary to lower the temperature, but make sure the rice keeps boiling, and so does the stock.)
3-4 minutes from being ready, add the saffron (dissolved in a tablespoon of stock).
When the time is up, turn off the heat, move the pan off the burner and add the remaining butter. Keep stirring for 1 additional minute. At this point the Risotto should be creamy and soft, and without any liquid running around.
Serve in bowls covered with the grated Parmigiano, some ground black pepper and (optionally) garnished with fresh thin-sliced green onion or chives.
Eat immediately, as this dish absolutely can't be reheated.
Notes
Other than mushrooms, many other ingredients can be added as flavors (some of the most common are: leek, artichokes, asparagus, radicchio, Taleggio, Gorgonzola, seafood, sausage).
Even though the flavors are important, Risottos (or Risotti in Italian) are as much about the rice as they are about the add-ons. The particular type of rice and the gradual hydration while stirring constantly is what extracts the starch and gives creaminess and texture to the dish. Using the wrong type of rice or a different cooking technique can completely ruin the result.
Even though Italy is a pretty small place, its regions are quite different from one another. And cheese (formaggio , in Italian) is one of the products that changes the most across the territories. Since the area of origin is a big part of what defines each cheese’s properties, many Italian cheeses have a protected denomination under European Union law (PDO – “Protected Designtrecciation of Origin”, or DOP – “Denominazione di Origine Protetta” in Italian). For a cheese to be labeled as PDO, every step of its production needs to happen in a specified geographic area: from local cows eating local hay, through production happening entirely in local facilities, to aging (or, for fresh cheeses, just packing) occurring rigorously in place.
Since Italian cheese names are so representative, in Italy they are never used as adjectives. For instance, you just say Mozzarella, not formaggio Mozzarella. And this even when the cheese name is indeed an adjective (for instance in the case of Parmesan which means ‘from the city of Parma’ – in Italian you just say Parmigiano, in English Parmesan cheese is instead more common). It has to be noted, however, that the name alone doesn’t guarantee the origin. For instance, “Mozzarella” isn’t a PDO cheese per se, while Mozzarella di Bufala Campana is (http://www.mozzarelladop.it/).
Specialized cheese stores in North America can provide a good sampling of the most important cheeses found all around Italy. However, even the best stores are incapable of handling fresh cheeses (some need to be consumed within 3-4 days from their preparation), and locally made equivalents are sometimes sold instead (although, generally, they don’t compare with the originals).
Cheese is considered very highly in Italy. Italians are very proud of and take their cheeses very seriously. They use them in their cuisine, but mostly eat them on their own, just with some bread or accompanied by fruit (pears, grapes), by compotes (figs), or kinds of honey. All aged cheeses go very well with wine. Often, cheese is a course on its own (served at the end of the meal, before fruit or dessert). Eating Italian cheese is a true multi-sensorial experience, from the look, to the aroma, to the deeply multi-faced flavor. And, with the many varieties found from north to south, cheese is also a fascinating journey, both geographically and historically.
Let’s go over the main Italian cheeses, classifying them by the process used to make them.
Formaggi a Pasta Cruda (Uncooked Cheeses)
Fast ripening (less than 30 days):
Caciotta (e.g. Caciotta Toscana DOP) –usually a blend of ewe (70%) and cow (30%)– traditional creamy farmhouse cheese.
Mascarpone –cow– one of the main ingredients of Tiramisù, also used in other preparations as an alternative to heavy cream or butter.
Stracchino –cow– gets its name from the word ‘tired’ (in Lombard dialect: stracco), referring to the fact that used to be made from the milk of cows who were tired because of the transhumance to the valley after the alpine summer.
Taleggio (PDO, Taleggio Valley, Lombardy) –cow– [pronounced “ta’leddʒo”, not “ta’lejeeo”!] when very young, tastes similar to Bel Paese.
Gorgonzola (PDO, Lombardy) –normally, cow– soft and creamy if is less than 2 months aged, crumbly and spicy-hot when aged for longer.
Formaggi a Pasta Semicotta (Semi-cooked Cheeses)
Medium ripening (1-6 months):
Fontina (PDO, Aosta Valley) –cow– soft when younger, harder and more pungent when aged. Differs from Danish fontina which has a red wax rind.
Asiago (PDO, Veneto region) –cow– great on its own as a table cheese, can be used on pasta (grated or in slivers).
Montasio (PDO, Friuli and Veneto regions) –cow– also consumed on its own or added as an ingredient to several dishes.
Piave (trademark, Veneto region) –cow– mostly a table cheese, three varieties are produced: mezzano (medium aged), vecchio (old), and stravecchio (extra-old).
Formaggi a Pasta Cotta (Cooked Cheeses)
Slow ripening (more than 9 months):
Grana Padano (PDO, northen Italy) –cow– considered inferior to Parmigiano Reggiano because aged less (9 months minimum) and produced with less strict quality regulations.
Parmigiano Reggiano (PDO, Provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, Mantua) –cow-, one of the most representative Italian cheeses in the world – its origins can be traced back to the middle ages and the recipe hasn’t changed substantially (this cheese is aged at least 12 months and up to 30). It’s eaten on its own or used as a complement to hundreds of recipes, most pasta dishes, and risottos.
Aged Pecorino – (4 varieties of PDO: Sardo, Romano, Toscano, Siciliano from the corresponding regions) –sheep– a mildly aged variety also exists.
Mozzarella –cow, water buffalo– can be made of cow milk, but the one made of water buffalo milk is more renowned and “Mozzarella di Bufala Campana” is PDO. Small sized mozzarellas, usually with high water content are called bocconcini. Similar products are fior di latte and Treccia.
Scamorza (from the Naples area) –cow– both smoked and mild varieties are used for instance on pizza and with pasta.
Burrata (also from southern Italy) –cow or water buffalo- mozzarella on the outside and cream plus mozzarella on the inside. Eaten as is at room temperature is a true delicacy.
Medium ripening (1 month):
Caciocavallo (southern Italy, e.g. PDO Caciocavallo Silano) –sheep, cow– a smoked variety also exists.
Provolone (e.g. PDO “Provolone Val Padana”) –cow– [pronounced provolone-eh!] originated in the south but is now produced mostly in northern Italy.
One characteristic of Italian cheeses that definitely stands out in North America is that they often have some kind of moldy rinds. In general, the rinds are not meant to be eaten (with a few exceptions, e.g. scamorza and provola which have edible rinds), but they are essential for the aging process. Italian stores, whenever possible, try to keep the cheese wheels whole and only slice them to order (this is especially true for fresh or medium ripened cheese; aged cheese gets more “stable” and better maintains its properties when stored).
Even though Italy is a big producer of cheese, a few foreign brands managed to make their way into the Italian cheese market, with moderate success. For instance, in 1971 the American Kraft introduced Philadelphia, a pre-packed cream cheese, and in 1975 a type of cottage cheese (sold under the brand name “Jocca”). Kraft also introduced a kind of processed cheese slices called “Sottilette” (Italian for “thins”). It has to be noted that the words “cottage cheese” and “cream cheese” don’t even exist in Italian, let alone “processed cheese” – these products are exclusively known by their brand names (to Kraft’s advantage).
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