Hi and welcome to Thoughts on the Table! As you may already know, I am just back from a brief trip to Italy. This time, I managed to bring back a special podcast featuring my friend Fiona, an amazing food blogger based in Milan.
Join me as I chat with Fiona about her life in Italy, where she moved from New York as a child. In this episode, Fiona focuses on the food of Milan: from its deep traditions to its growing multiculturalism. In the second part of our chat, Fiona shares what brought her to starting Nuts About Food and what motivates her to continue posting new recipes.
NOTE: In the podcast, Fiona mentions “Mondeghili” and “Riso al Salto“. Follow the links for more info on these traditional Milanese dishes (thanks to Giallo Zafferano and Manu’s Menu).
In this episode, I have the pleasure to introduce a new guest: my friend and renowned food blogger Manuela Zangara from manusmenu.com.
Manuela (or Manu, as she likes to be called) talks about herself as a food blogger, the role of food photography, and the challenge of cooking traditional Italian dishes in Australia, where she lives. She also presents her latest creation: Manu’s Christmas Menus, an eBook containing four Italian-inspired 5-course menus specially designed for the holidays.
In this episode, Jessica Burgio talks about the difficulty of recreating traditional Italian dishes in North America and gives her suggestions on how to make use of what’s locally available. She also explains how sometimes regional Italian dishes are hard to recreate even within Italy when taken outside of their native areas.
Thoughts on the Table is back with a new topic: Italian Misconceptions, foods which have been rewarded some sort of myth in the creation of new dishes which are different to the origins of Italian food. In this first episode, we are especially focusing on Carbonara. With me is Gino De Blasio, an amazing writer, and blogger based in the UK. Join us in our chat on how Italian food abroad often mutates into something else, and in our plead to preserve traditional Italian recipes and food philosophy. Gino blogs at Eatosi, a unique way of food storytelling, looking at the cultural, historic and sometimes completely absurd links between food and modern day life. He is also a features writer for Italy Magazine, looking at sport, wine and -yes- even the journey of Italian food across the globe.
If you like blue cheese, but you haven’t tried Gorgonzola (), you’re going to love it. If you don’t like blue cheese, and you try Gorgonzola, you might very well start to like blue cheese! In fact, next to the traditional Piccante (pungent) variety, the milder Dolce (sweet) variety meets the palate of those who are not too fond of ‘blue’ flavors.
The characteristic pungent aroma of Gorgonzola Piccante is due to the aromatic molds that, over a 6 month aging period, grow to fully inhabit it. As the cheese ages, it becomes compact or even crumbly because of its natural loss of moisture (down to 30-40%). This transformation also intensifies the flavor.
A slice of Gorgonzola Piccante
The Dolce variety instead (shown in the feature image) is only aged 2 to 3 months: it has only partially established molds and still contains high amounts of moisture (45%). This results in a cheese that is only mildly blue, and that is also creamy and spreadable.
Both the Dolce and the Piccante varieties are made from whole cow milk, and they have similar percentages of fat (around 25-30%).
Cheese production makes use of specific kinds of molds (Penicillia) that over the centuries were discovered capable of improving the flavor and the texture of the product. We now know that these molds are aerobic fungi that produce enzymes capable of metabolizing the milk fats and proteins, therefore completely transforming the cheese. These molds are perfectly safe to eat since they don’t release any toxins and even have antibacterial properties. The antibiotic penicillin, in fact, derives from a mold that belongs to the same family.
Out of all of the different kinds of Penicillia, only two are responsible for the characteristic flavor of the countless varieties of blue cheese: Penicillium glaucum and Penicillium roqueforti. Gorgonzola is traditionally made using the former, but the latter can also be used.
For easier distribution, the drum of is generally cut into 4 pieces.
Molds are often associated with cheese, but in most kinds of cheese, they grow only on the rind. In blue cheese, instead, the mold is encouraged to grow deeply into the cheese paste. Since Penicillia need at least minimal levels of oxygen to survive, in the production of Gorgonzola, the uncooked curds are left unpressed to favor the formation of fissures and cavities through which the mold will be able to breathe. In order to get an even more uniform growth of the mold within the paste, when the cheese is 3-4 weeks old, the rind is perforated deeply with metal needles. The mold ends up thriving on the walls of the holes, forming the characteristic green veining. In Italian, this process is called Erborinatura from the word ‘erburin’, which means ‘parsley‘ in northern Italian dialect, in reference to the similarly green color.
Origins
The exact origins of Gorgonzola are unknown, but they certainly revolve around a city that bears the same name, 15 km East of Milan, in the core of Lombardy.
Milan (green dot) and Gorgonzola (red dot) in the region Lombardy.
As early as in the 9th century, Lombardy was known for the production of a soft cheese called stracchino(1). There is evidence that the stracchino made around the town of Gorgonzola developed special characteristics that made it unique – likely it was contaminated with a particular mold which is naturally present in the caves where the cheese was ripened. The “stracchino of Gorgonzola” started being appreciated as a different kind of cheese, a delicacy that then became known in all of northern Italy.
Over time, the production of Gorgonzola expanded to other parts of Lombardy, but the city of Gorgonzola maintained its prestige until the middle of the 19th century. In 1840 writer Luigi Cattaneo wrote in his Milanese publication: Il Politecnico that “while the cheesemakers of the town of Gorgonzola kept the secret of the peculiar circumstances that make this cheese special, this cheese remained their almost exclusive privilege. But nowadays this cheese is produced in several other locations in Lombardy with the same good success, although the one that is made in the surroundings of Gorgonzola maintains higher commercial regard.”(2)
Since 1970, the production of Gorgonzola is regulated by its Consortium, and it’s limited to specific areas of Lombardy and Piedmont, as stipulated by its designation of Protected Geographical Status.
Uses
Gorgonzola and mascarpone “cake”.
Gorgonzola is commonly eaten by itself, usually spread on bread. The aged variety (Piccante) is sometimes paired with honey to counterbalance its intense body. For those who prefer more delicate flavors, a modern preparation exists that is even milder than Gorgonzola Dolce: a “cake” made by layering sweet Gorgonzola with mascarpone.
Gorgonzola is also widely used in cooking. The main examples see it used:
as a sauce for pasta or gnocchi, sometimes with the addition of walnuts;
in risotto, simply added when the rice is nearly cooked;
on pizza, alone or as one of the 4 kinds of cheese in quattro formaggi;
The wine pairings of Gorgonzola are somewhat difficult and a source of lengthy debates. There seems to be consensus, however, that the Dolce variety goes with fruity wines (Riesling, Pinot bianco, various novelli). The Piccante variety, instead, needs a stronger, sweeter wine, even fortified: various kinds of passito, as well as Port and Marsala. All agree that Gorgonzola goes well with beer, especially the Trappist kind.
Notes
1) Stracchino is a fat cheese whose name derives from the word “stracco” (“tired” in Milanese dialect), in reference to the fact that it was made with the milk of cows that were “tired” because of having just returned to the valley after spending the summer on higher pastures.
2) Luigi Cattaneo, On the way to produce the fat cheese called Stracchino of Gorgonzola, Il Politecnico 3 (1840), p. 309-322.
Addendum – Bloggers Recipes (from comments)
Thanks to my friend bloggers who accepted my invitation to share their best Gorgonzola recipes! Here is a clickable list compiled from their comments. Enjoy!
A few weeks ago, I was thrilled to be invited by Roz from La Bella Vita to write a guest post for her blog. She asked if I could present a traditional Italian Christmas dish. I didn’t really have a dish that is only for Christmas, so I chose a recipe for really special occasions – an Italian classic adapted from Silver Spoon’s “Pasticcio di Tagliatelle”.
As I explained on Roz’s blog, “in Italian cuisine, a ‘pasticcio’ (sometimes referred to as ‘timballo’) is a preparation in which several ingredients (including pasta or rice, meats, and sauces) are baked in the oven within a pastry shell or a pie crust. The resulting dish, which looks plain on the outside but reveals rich fillings, was invented in the 1700s by palace chefs precisely to surprise and delight their noble guests. Today, pasticcio is still considered a dish for special occasions, including the Christmas meal.”
Tagliatelle Timbale with Wine Gravy
Yield: 3-4 servings
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
For the timbale
2 Tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter (including some for greasing)
7 oz (200 g) pizza dough (which can be bought in specialty stores)
Some flour (for dusting)
4 oz (120 g) fresh spinach
6 oz (170 g) Cremini mushrooms, chopped
½ oz (14 g) dried Porcini mushrooms, re-hydrated and chopped
¼ cup white wine
1 Tbsp (15 ml) milk
2 Tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream
4 oz (120 g) tagliatelle pasta (either fresh or dried)
1 egg
¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
Some salt and pepper
For the wine gravy
1 Tbsp (15 g) unsalted butter
1 Tbsp (15 g) all purpose flour
½ tsp vegetable stock extract
1 cup milk
¼ cup white wine
Preparation
For the timbale
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Preheat the oven at 350°F (180°C).
Grease an oven-proof dish with butter.
In a large pan, roast the fresh mushrooms in butter for 5 min at high heat.
Add the re-hydrated mushroom, cook for another 2 min at medium heat (a1).
Add the wine (a2) and allow it to boil until it evaporates.
Cook the fresh spinach in a covered pot (without any added water) at medium heat for 5 min (a3).
When the spinach is ready, squeeze out as much water as possible and chop.
Add the spinach to the pan (a4).
Add milk and cream (a5), adjust salt and pepper.
Cook the tagliatelle in plenty of salted water for 2/3 of their standard cooking time.
Drain the tagliatelle and them to the pan. Incorporate gently (a6).
Roll out the dough to the thickness of 1/8 inch (3 mm).
Line the (greased) oven proof dish with the dough (b1).
Spoon in the filling (b2).
Beat the eggs with the Parmigiano. Pour the mix uniformly over the filling (b3).
Fold the pizza dough fully wrapping it around the filling (b4).
Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350°F (180°C) until the top is well browned.
For the wine gravy
Warm up the butter in a small pan (c1) at medium heat until it barely melts, then add the wine (c2).
Add the vegetable stock extract (c3). Let it reduce, then add the flour (c4).
Mix until a ball of dough forms.
Add a small amount of milk and whip until you get a creamy texture (c5).
Gradually add the rest of the milk, as you continue whipping.
While stirring constantly, boil for at least 2 minutes until the mix thickens (c6).
Pour the gravy in the bowls, then place a slice of timbale in each bowl and serve immediately.
Pasticcini are exquisite Italian fine pastries which have been perfected over the centuries to achieve the best flavors, textures, and fragrances. In the Italian tradition, assorted pasticcini are served as a dessert, as a treat to accompany coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, or as a cake alternative for celebrations and other special occasions (in which case they are usually accompanied with ‘spumante’, the Italian sparkling wine).
The word ‘pasticcino’ is a diminutive of ‘pasticcio’, which in turn derives from Vulgar Latin pasticium, a dish made by mixing various ingredients, mostly wrapped in dough (‘pasta’).
A pastry shop display.
Pasticcini can be found in two sizes: standard (2-3″ in diameter) and mignon (1-2″). The latter has become increasingly popular thanks to its sampling size, a definite plus, given the great variety of pasticcini.
Since fine pastries are difficult and time-consuming to make at home (especially if a variety of kinds is desired), Italians prefer to buy them fresh in a ‘pasticceria’ (pastry shop). Although some bakeries also sell pasticcini, most pastry shops are independent specialized stores, have extended opening hours (they’re often open on Sunday mornings, for any last minute pastry pickup), and sometimes even double as coffee bars.
A small tray of paste da tè: chocolate and pistachio shortbreads, and ‘Baci di Dama’ (Ladies’ Kisses), a traditional Piedmontese cookie made of two crumbly hazelnut or almond halves held together with a layer of dark chocolate.
Along with pasticcini, pasticcerie often also sell shortbreads and other kinds of cookies and dry pastries. Those, however, are called ‘paste da tè’ (tea pastries) and are considered a distinct product. Nevertheless, pasticcini and paste da tè are often served side-by-side to appeal to every palate.
The Italians are traditionalists when it comes to food, and pasticcini are no exception. As an interesting consequence, it’s on traditional pasticcini that most pastry chefs showcase their best techniques. Every pastry chef needs to know how to execute them flawlessly since it is on them that they are evaluated by their customers.
There are several kinds of traditional pasticcini. Some are available all throughout Italy, some are exclusively regional, and some are only made during particular times of the year. The following can be found nationwide (although some have strong regional origins).
Cannoncini (cream horns). Among the most popular pasticcini. Made with a baked horn of puff pastry (‘pasta sfoglia’), generally filled with pastry cream (‘crema pasticcera’), which may be chocolate or hazelnut flavored. They are not to be confused with ‘cannoli’ (see below), although they sound similar because both of their names derive from ‘canna’ (reed), which they resemble.
Bigné (cream puffs). Also extremely popular. Made with choux pastry filled with pastry cream (vanilla, chocolate, coffee or hazelnut flavored), with Chantilly cream (vanilla-flavored whipped cream), or with zabaione.
Sfogliatelle Napoletane. Made of a shell similar to the Greek phyllo dough and filled with ricotta and candied peel. Originally from Naples.
Crostatine alla frutta (fruit tarts). A base of baked shortbread, with a layer of custard, topped with fresh fruit, often covered with gelatin.
Babà. A spongy cake dipped in sugar water and rum. Also traditional to Naples, though with Polish origins.
Cigni (swans). Bigné which have been cut in half and filled with pastry cream (on the bottom) and whipped cream (on the top). A small squiggle of puff pastry is then applied on the bigné to form the neck and head of a swan.
Cannoli. Made of a fried shell, with a ricotta-based filling and flavored with candied citrus peel or chocolate chips. Originally from Sicily.
Fiamme (flames). Drop-shaped mousse (thick foams, generally chocolate-based), on a wafer or a shortbread base, usually covered in chocolate.
Tronchetti (small trunks). Rolls of sponge cake and mousse, which are then sliced in cylindrical sections.
Tartufi al cioccolato (chocolate trouffles). Chocolate and coffee ganache covered in cocoa powder.
Mini strudel. A small version of the Austrian/German strudel, a kind of pastry filled with apples, raisins, and pine nuts.
Cassatine Siciliane. A small version of the Cassata Siciliana cake, a dessert made with sweet ricotta, sponge cake, almond paste, and candied fruit. Originally from Sicily.
Chiavi di Violino (treble clefs). Liqueur-drizzled sponge cake layered with cream, covered in dark chocolate and decorated with a treble clef made of white chocolate.
Diplomatici. Layered puff pastry, sponge cake, and custard, which is then cut in squares and sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar.
Meringhe(1). Two crisp meringues enclosing a heart of whipped cream.
A basket of pasticcini (2-3 mignon per person) is also a common hostess gift.
Crostini (plural of: ‘crostino’, from bread crust) are rustic appetizers where toasted bread slices are used as a base for various toppings. In a way, a ‘bruschetta‘ can be considered a kind of crostino, but it’s generally not seen that way because of its stronger identity. Crostini may be also served as a snack or to accompany an aperitivo.
Most crostini share the same kind of base: a toasted bread slice, with fresh garlic and extra virgin olive oil. Countless toppings can then be added to this already delicious support. Here you will find the recipes for two of the most traditional ones: cannellini spread and stewed radicchio, both of which can be served either cold or warm.
Cannellini spread
The first topping is based on cannellini, a kind of white beans with a very thin skin, delicate flavor and a starchy texture. Cannellini are also used to thicken soups and in the famous Pasta e Fagioli.
Stewed Radicchio
The second topping is based on radicchio, an Italian vegetable that belongs to the same family of chicory, escarole, and Belgian endive, and with which it shares a bitter flavor. To counter the bitterness, radicchio is often generously salted and/or paired up with salty cheese (especially Parmigiano).
Two Kinds of Crostini: Cannellini and Radicchio
Yield: 8-10 crostini
Total Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
Base ingredients
8-10 slices of ciabatta or baguette, toasted
1 garlic clove, pealed
Some extra virgin olive oil
Cannellini spread
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, mashed
1 sprig of rosemary, finely sliced
1 can of cannellini (~400g), drained
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Stewed radicchio
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 big shallot, thinly sliced
1 radicchio, sliced
2 Tbsp red wine
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp of Parmigiano, coarsely grated or slivered
Preparation
Base preparation
Toast or char-grill the bread making sure it doesn't dry out completely.
Rub each slice with the garlic (the roughness of the toasted bread will act as a scraper).
Drizzle with the olive oil.
Cannellini spread
Roast the garlic in the olive oil until golden.
Add the rosemary and the cannellini.
Cook for 5-10 minutes.
Mash the beans coarsely by using a fork.
Adjust salt and pepper.
Spread on the crostini and then drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
Stewed radicchio
Roast the shallot in olive oil for a couple of minutes.
Add the radicchio and keep roasting for 2 more minutes.
Add the wine and allow it to evaporate.
Lower the heat and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the radicchio softens.
Adjust salt and pepper.
Place on the crostini and then sprinkle with Parmigiano.
Most Italians would be perfectly happy to eat pasta every day, and some probably do! Everyday pasta is normally dried durum pasta, delicious when of good quality and properly cooked, and also convenient as it can be stored for months in the cupboard. Fresh pasta, on the other hand, is generally regarded as more sophisticated, and it’s more likely to be found on restaurant menus. This recipe describes how to make ‘tagliolini’ from scratch without a pasta machine, and then serve it with a simple wine mushroom sauce. ‘Tagliolini’ is a kind of ‘tagliatelle,’ and is similarly named from the verb ‘tagliare,’ to cut.
Fresh pasta has a different texture and flavor than dried pasta also because of the different ingredients. Eggs are frequently added (most fresh pasta is labeled: ‘pasta all’uovo’) and all-purpose flour is often used instead of durum wheat flour. This is especially true when fresh pasta is made by hand since durum flour is harder to work into shape.
Handmade Tagliolini with Mushrooms
Yield: 2 servings
Total Time: 1 hour
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
For the tagliolini
100 g (3/4 cup) of flour
1 egg
a pinch of salt (1/16 of a tsp)
For the mushroom sauce
2 cloves of garlic, each peeled and cut into 2 or 3 pieces
5 or 6 medium-sized cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
a splash of white wine
1/2 cup of double-cream
salt & pepper
For the plating
1/8 cup grated Parmigiano
a handful of Italian parsley leaves, minced
black pepper, ground
Preparation
For the tagliolini
Using your hands, mix the ingredients together (2).
Add just enough warm water (2 o 3 teaspoons) to form a compact, hard ball.
Kneed for a couple of minutes (3).
Have the dough rest, covered in plastic wrap, for 30 minutes at room temperature.
As the dough rests, start bringing a large pot of salty water to a boil (see Cooking Pasta 101) and prepare the sauce.
For the mushroom sauce
Roast the garlic in the olive oil at medium heat (a) until golden.
Add the cremini mushrooms. Roast them until they soften and start to release some liquid (b).
Add a splash of white wine and wait until it evaporates fully.
Remove the garlic and add the cream. Season with salt and simmer for a few minutes (c).
Turn off the heat and put a lid on the pan to keep the sauce warm and moist.
Mince the parsley and grate the Parmigiano in preparation for the plating.
Unwrap the dough and proceed to roll and cut the tagliolini as shown in the video below.
To complete the dish
Warm up the sauce adding some pasta water to rehydrate it if necessary.
Boil the pasta for 2 minutes stirring gently (it'll start floating in about a minute).
Drain the pasta quickly and toss it into the pan with the sauce. Mix gently.
Serve in bowls, sprinkle with Parmigiano, parsley, and some ground black pepper.
Note: This traditional technique makes use of the rolling pin to stretch the dough, as opposed to just pressing it. This process takes a bit of time to master, but it’s easy when making a small batch of noodles. Preparations like ravioli and tortellini are a lot harder to do by hand because they require a thinner dough.
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