This dish is a summer classic featuring an incredible flavor combination: roasted zucchini, shrimp and saffron, in a creamy wine sauce.
Like other crustaceans, shrimp tend to spoil quickly and are often frozen at sea or even sold cooked. Whole shrimp deteriorates even quicker because the cephalothorax (the “head”) contains the midgut gland (corresponding to the liver), which contains digestive enzymes. This gland, however, also happens to be the most flavorful part of the shrimp*. For best results, choose the freshest whole shrimp – when the recipe calls for just tails (like in this case), use the heads to make a tasty fish broth.
*Harold McGee. On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. 2nd edition (2004).
Shrimp, Zucchini and Saffron Linguine
Yield: 2 servings
Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
5 oz (140 g) shrimp tails, peeled
1/2 cup (120 ml) cream (~30% fat)
1/8 cup (30 ml) white wine
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 zucchini, sliced into sticks
1 pouch powdered saffron (0.15 g)
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
140 g linguine (or your other favorite dried pasta)
salt and pepper
Preparation
Start bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil (1 Tablespoon of coarse salt every 2 liters of water).
Cook the shallot for 2 minutes in olive oil, then add the zucchini.
Roast at high heat for 5-10 minutes tossing gently to prevent sticking.
At this point, start cooking the pasta for the time indicated on the box.
Add the shrimp, roast them on one side for 30 seconds, then flip them for another 30 seconds with a splash of wine.
Remove the shrimp from the pan and set them aside in a bowl, making sure you collect their juices.
Add the saffron and the cream.
Allow the sauce to reduce for 5 minutes at max heat. Adjust salt and pepper.
When the pasta is just about ready, add the shrimp you had set aside along with their juices.
Then, rapidly drain the pasta and toss it into the sauce.
Mix gently for a minute or two until the pasta is uniformly coated.
Dish out the pasta with the help of tongs, then pour any remaining sauce onto the dishes.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately. Enjoy with a glass of white wine!
Part of the spirit of Cucina Povera (the Cuisine of the Poor) is frugality and eating anything that can still be eaten. For some ingredients, this even involves a special preparation or a process to make them more edible. And this is certainly the case with Parmesan rind, which is safe to eat, but too hard to chew.
I grew up in one of those northern Italian families that go through a lot of Parmigiano! It’s almost always sprinkled over pasta dishes and an essential component of risotto. Because of this, in our fridge, in the cheese drawer, there were always a couple of pieces of Parmesan rind which were saved for the next risotto. Parmesan rind can also be used to flavor soups, but in my family, we never used it that way.
For the use in risotto, the rind is added at the beginning of the preparation. As the stock is gradually incorporated, the rind releases flavor, while re-hydrating itself and becoming softer. When using a relatively young Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano (a different cheese, similar in flavor, but aged less), by the time the risotto is cooked, the rind will appear substantially thinned, and will be easy to cut with a knife or even the side of a fork. Although it might be an acquired taste for some, the rind will be absolutely delicious when eaten in small bites, along with the risotto. When using particularly aged Parmigiano Reggiano, instead, the rind will still be quite hard at the end of the cooking – if not chewable, of course, it should be discarded (in this case, the rind will be only used as flavoring).
Parmesan rind can be added to all kinds of risotto, but in the case of a radicchio risotto, it is even more desirable. Radicchio, a vegetable that belongs to the chicory family, has a bitter flavor which is especially pronounced when raw, but also present when cooked. Any bitterness can be dampened by adding some saltiness. Because of this, Parmigiano is a great pairing for radicchio. Some people, however, develop tolerance or even a liking for the bitterness of radicchio. If its bitterness is not a problem, thinly sliced fresh radicchio can be added to the finished risotto as a garnish.
Radicchio Risotto with Parmesan Rind
Yield: 2 servings
Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
2/3 cup of Carnaroli rice
3 cups of vegetable or beef stock
1 shallot, chopped
½ radicchio, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
1 glass of white wine (red can also be used for a stronger flavor and for color)
¼ cup of Parmigiano, grated
1 or 2 Parmesan rinds, scraped and washed
Some ground black pepper
Preparation
Bring the stock to a gentle boil in its own saucepan.
Prepare the Parmesan rinds by scraping off the top of the rind, the part that would have been directly exposed to the air (fig. 1).
In a second, larger, saucepan, sauté the onion in 2/3 of the butter until translucent, then add the radicchio and continue cooking at medium heat until softened.
Add the rice and stir at medium heat for a couple of minutes.
Add the wine and the Parmesan rind (fig. 2). Set the timer for 18 minutes.
Keep stirring. When the rice dries out a bit, add some stock and go back to stirring (fig.3).
When the time is up, turn off the heat, add 2/3 the grated Parmesan and the remaining butter (fig. 4). Keep stirring for 1 more minute.
Serve in bowls, sprinkle with the rest of the grated Parmesan, some ground black pepper, and (optionally, if the bitterness of radicchio is appreciated) garnish with fresh thinly-sliced radicchio.
Not everybody loves Brussels sprouts. But, unless you are overly sensitive to bitter flavors, you will find this to be a delicious side dish.
Brussels sprouts are the buds of a kind of cabbage belonging to the Brassica family (along with broccoli, cabbage, kale, turnip, and mustard). This vegetable has an inherent bitterness that constitutes a defense mechanism, but it can be minimized by first roasting it, and then stewing it. Roasting, in fact, adds flavor due to browning, but mostly allows the inside part of the Brussels sprouts (which is the part where the bitterness is the most intense) to reach an intermediate temperature (60 to 80 °C) which activates the enzymes responsible for the flavor generation. The enzymes’ activity stops when the temperature reaches 100 °C – if this temperature is reached too quickly (like when the vegetables are plunged into boiling water), the bitterness remains intense(1). After roasting, the Brussels sprouts can be stewed to complete the cooking. It’s important, however, not to overcook them since they otherwise develop a sulfur odor.
But enough of all of this theory! Let’s get on the recipe 🙂
(1) Harold McGee. On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. 2nd edition (2004).
Stewed Brussels Sprouts
Yield: 2 servings (as a side)
Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
300 g (10 oz) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and washed
1 T olive oil
1 small shallot, sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 splash of white wine
½ glass of vegetable stock
salt
Preparation
Fry garlic and shallot in olive oil at medium heat for a couple of minutes.
Add the Brussels sprouts, roast for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add the wine and allow it to evaporate fully.
Add the vegetable stock, cover and stew for 15 minutes at medium-low heat.
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.
The combination of green beans and mushrooms makes for a vegetarian recipe with amazing depth of flavor. The earthiness of the mushrooms perfectly marries with the green beans, which also add texture to the dish. But the secret star of the show is the wine – its complex aroma is essential to bring all the flavors together.
This all-season sauce can be prepared relatively quickly, almost while the pasta cooks, and makes for a satisfying dish that is also beautiful to serve.
Egg Pasta with Green Beans and Mushrooms
Yield: 2 servings
Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
125 g (4 ½ oz) fresh or dried egg pasta (e.g.: pappardelle, tagliatelle, fettuccine)
100 g (3 ½ oz) green beans
150 g (5 ½ oz) mushrooms (e.g.: fresh porcini, oyster, crimini), sliced
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
½ of a small onion, sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup vegetable stock, warmed up
1 cup half and half (10% fat cream)
½ glass dry white wine
2 Tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved
Salt and pepper
Preparation
Shave the green beans using a sharp potato peeler. This preparation is essential for the recipe as it tenderizes the green beans, while preserving their crunchiness.
In a frying pan, sauté the green beans in olive oil for a couple of minutes at high temperature (1-2).
Add the vegetable stock and let the green beans stew for 10 minutes at medium heat (3).
Meanwhile, in a second frying pan, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil for a couple of minutes at high (4).
Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes at medium heat until tender.
Add the white wine and let it evaporate completely (5).
Add the cream and let it reduce for 5 minutes at low temperature (6).
Merge everything into a single pan, mix and simmer for a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Boil the egg pasta in plenty of salty water (see Cooking Pasta 101 for all the ins and outs), then drain it briefly and add it to the sauce mixing well for about 1 minute. Serve with some shaved Parmigiano.
Most European countries have their variation of the British mulled wine, a drink made with red wine and spices, served hot during winter. Northern Italy’s version, popular around Christmas and especially at Christmas markets, is called Vin Brulé (from the French word brûlé, burnt).
The practice of mulling wine goes back to medieval times, probably as a way to use up low quality or spoiled wines. Mulled wine has then remained popular as a comforting winter drink and as a remedy for colds and cases of flu. Its curative effects have then found confirmation in the anti-inflammatory properties of red wine and in the high content of antiseptics and antioxidants of cloves and cinnamon.
As far as the recipe goes, many variations can be found, although they all revolve around similar ingredients. The main difference between mulled wine and vin brulé is in the preparation. Vin brulé is usually boiled until no alcohol remains (a process sometimes accelerated by lighting a flame on the surface). Mulled wine instead is only warmed up for a short amount of time and at lower temperatures to preserve the alcoholic content of the wine. Occasionally, a shot of brandy or sherry is also added at the end for an extra bite.
Vin Brulé (Mulled Wine)
Yield: 6 cups
Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 liter of red wine (any full-bodied wine will do, choose an inexpensive bottle)
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 like structure in the way they eat. To them, the balance between the different courses of the meal is as important as the balance between the ingredients of each dish. In Italy, eating is far more than nutrition, it’s a moment of aggregation where families, friends, colleagues get together, relax and participate in the dining ritual. This article describes a typical everyday meal (at home or in an informal restaurant) and compares it with the bigger and fancier meal reserved for special occasions (a wedding, for instance).
In Italy, even the most informal meals commonly include multiple courses. This doesn’t mean that people eat more food – the various courses are a way to break down the meal into different sections, add variety and create a progression. Appetizers and first courses come first because of their delicate flavors (and textures); second courses follow with their stronger elements; desserts, coffee, and liquors are reserved to end the meal. The subdivision into courses also introduces pauses, which in some cases are intentionally extended to give the diners the necessary time to rest their palate, and socialize.
In this article we will be referring to both lunch (“pranzo”) and supper (“cena”), as the mid-day meal and the evening meal. As for the early-day meal, please see the post on breakfast (“colazione”).
Everyday meals
Everyday meals generally only include a first course (“primo piatto” or simply “primo”) and a second course (“secondo piatto” or “secondo”), plus possibly some fruit (“frutta”) and coffee (“caffé”).
The first course is usually based on dry pasta, gnocchi, ravioli, or rice (“risotto”). First courses don’t need any sides and they are not accompanied by bread. Mostly during winter, and especially for dinner, the first course can take the form of a soup, which may contain pasta or rice or may be served with croutons (“crostini”).
The second course is centered on a protein – typically meat or fish, but also cheese or eggs. Second courses are normally served with one or more side dishes (“contorni”), such as salads or roasted vegetables. They are usually eaten with bread, polenta (boiled cornmeal), or boiled rice.
The structure of everyday meals may seem somewhat similar to North America, where it’s common to have soup or salad as a first course, a main course, and dessert. The difference is that the Italians put a lot more emphasis on the first course, so much so that the second course loses the title of ‘main’.
Formal meals
Italian formal meals always begin with a starter course (“antipasto”), and continue with one or more first courses, one or more second courses (meat or fish, sometimes interleaved with a lemon sorbet as a palate cleanser), a cheese course (“formaggio”), desserts, a fruit course, coffee, and liquors. One or more second courses may be replaced by a “piatto di mezzo” (a soufflé or a “torta salata”, similar to a quiche).
For starters, a selection of appetizers is a must. They may be in the form of pre-assembled platters, or, more informally, they can be brought to the table in serving dishes, or even presented in a self-service buffet (see the article on antipasto).
First courses have elaborate preparations and sometimes make use of expensive ingredients (e.g.: truffles, seafood). When more than one first course is served, the portions of each become smaller. In some cases, a sampler of primi containing 2 or 3 dishes on the same plate may be offered; this, however, is becoming more and more uncommon.
Second courses also have a refined presentation and sophisticated ingredients. With respect to North America, the meat portions are smaller to compensate for a filling first course. In restaurants, for some meat or fish dishes, a chef may plate each portion in front of the diners by working in a carving or plating station set up next to the dining table. If both a fish secondo and a meat secondo are served in the same meal, it’s customary to serve them in that order and to interleave a sorbet (usually lemon) as a palate-cleanser. If all second courses are based on meat, or if there is only one second course, then a sorbet may be served between first courses and second courses.
Formal meals often have an entire course dedicated to cheese, either in the form of pre-assembled samplers, or where a selection of cheeses is presented on serving trays. In some cases, aged cheeses are paired up with jams (especially figs and pears jams), aromatic honey (e.g.: chestnut tree honey), or mostarda.
Desserts are also a must in formal dining. In restaurants, a daily selection of cakes, pastries or tarts is often presented on a serving cart for each diner to choose from.
The fruit course may be prepared in a salad (called “macedonia”), and optionally served with ‘gelato’. In winter, a combination of dried fruit and fresh fruit might be offered.
Coffee is always served. In restaurants, it’s in the form of espresso; at home, it may be from a home-espresso machine or a ‘Moka’.
Liquors often conclude the meal because, like sweets, they quench the appetite. They are normally digestive bitters (“amari”). However, grappa, Sambuca, amaretto, nocino, and especially limoncello are also common.
Note that the aperitif (aperitivo) – an appetizer drink generally accompanied by a light snack – is not part of the courses as it’s usually had some time before the meal, possibly even in a different venue.
Bread and wine
In both informal and formal setups, bread is very important to the Italians (so important that any food that comes with bread is generically called “companatico”). Individual buns and sliced loaves may be served in a basket, or set directly on the table. Butter is not part of the tradition, though in some cases unsalted butter curls may still be served. Bread may be had as a snack before the primo – sometimes in the form of breadsticks (“grissini”) – and it always accompanies the second course. In informal setups, it’s acceptable, after the primo, to use a few bread chunks to wipe up any pasta sauce that may be left on the plate. This practice, called “scarpetta” (little-shoe) is however never used after eating risotto, as its cream (made of starch) is not technically a sauce.
Wine, somewhat common in everyday meals (especially for dinner), becomes mandatory in formal dining – and it must be of high quality. First courses, “piatti di mezzo” and fish courses are paired up with white wines or light reds. Meat-based second courses, instead, require stronger red wines. See the article on wine for more information.
Further Readings
For more information, check out 10 Facts About Italian Food, an interesting article on some of the less known misconceptions about Italian food.
More featured articles
An Italian in Canada – From the Food of Italy to “Italian Food”
Personal Space – Why Italians Seem to Require Less of it
Il Mercato – The Tradition of the Italian Street Market
A World of Eggs – How They Differ Between Italy and North America
Gorgonzola – The Italian Blue
The Italian Bar – A Licensed Coffee House for Every Time of the Day
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.
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