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Interview with PBS Host Mary Ann Esposito and Ciao Italia: Five Ingredient Favorites Book Giveaway!

By Vincent Scordo on September 2, 2010 | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

(Photo: Mary Ann Esposito, photo courtesy of NY Mag)

Every big idea or theory has an associated sound bite. The French philosopher Rene Descartes is remembered for his famous line, "I think, therefore I am.", the chef Jacques Pepin loves to utter, "fast food my way", and the chef, turned uber capitalist Lidia Bastianich (see the mega Italian Mall, Eataly, just opened with Mario Batali and Lidia's son, Joe) loves to utter "Tutti a tavola a mangiare" (translated roughly as everyone come to the tables it's time to eat - kind of ordinary sounding in English!) after she prepares her TV meal.

If the Italian table had an associated sound bite it would be something like, "simple ingredients make outstanding food." Give me a few days and I'll jazz up the tag line, but the idea of simple, great tasting, food made via fresh and seasonal ingredients is at the heart of what it means to eat or cook like an Italian.

For PBS host and cookbook author Mary Ann Esposito she's taken the idea that the best Italian food is made via simple, and fresh, ingredients as a literal truth and just released her new cookbook, Ciao Italia: Five Ingredient Favorites. Mary Ann's book includes recipes (from dinner to dessert) that are made with five ingredients or less (including salt and pepper). Some of my favorites include pork chops with pistachio crust, Prosciutto di Parma and pine nut pizza, and chocolate, hazelnut and banana tartlets.

(Photo: Mushroom and celery salad from Ciao Italia Five ingredient Favorites by Mary Ann Esposito. St Martins Press, NY)

In honor of the new cookbook and the fact that I used to see Mary Ann Esposito on the campus of the University of New Hampshire (she tapped her PBS show Ciao Italia close to campus) during my undergraduate years (I never had the courage to introduce myself), I interviewed Mary Ann and asked her a series of questions about her Italian American experience and how she defines Italian cooking.

Moreover, Scordo.com has also partnered with Mary Ann to offer one lucky reader a chance to win a free copy of Ciao Italia: Five Ingredient Favorites! Here's what you'll need to do to enter the contest:

- Become a fan (or encourage somone to fan) Scordo.com on Facebook and leave a comment on our wall on your favorite, simple, Italian recipe or food and 2. Become a fan of Mary Ann on Facebook.

- Only one entry per person please.

- The contest is open until 12 midnight on 9/9 and a single (1) random user will be picked via Random.org (sorry contest only open to folks from the US given shipping logistics). The winner will be announced immediately on Twitter (so please follow me) and on Scordo.com by 8PM on Friday, 9/10.

- Please be sure to send me an email to let me know you've become a fan on Facebook (sorry, Facebook doesn't allow me to sort by new fans), email me at blog at scordo dot com

- Mary Ann's publisher will send out the book to a single contest winner during the week of 9/13.

Finally, here's my interview with Mary Ann, enjoy:

Question One:
Tell us what it means to be an Italian-American and how you would best suggest to young Italian-Americans to keep our traditions alive and well (across food, lifestyle, and general living)?

Mary Ann's Answer:
"It means everything to me because the Italian culture has historically set the standard for so much of world achievements. When you think of inventions, art, architecture, music, saints, science, religion, fashion, family and food, much of it has been attributed to the Italians. Young Italian Americans should involve themselves in organizations like the National Italian American Foundation, study Italian in school and on their own and above all talk to their family members about the history of the immigrants who made them who they are today. I try to do this through our web site ciaoitalia.com and Mary Ann Esposito Foundation which encourages would be chefs to study Italian regional cooking. You can learn more about the foundation on the web site."

Question Two:
What part of Italy did your family originate from? What traditions do you (or your family) bring to the US from Italy?

Mary Ann's Answer:
My family is from the province of Avellino in the region of Campania and Caltanisetta in Sicily. My grandparents were very proud but poor people. First and foremost they brought strength and a fearless attitude. They brought strong religious faith. They brought their skills of tailoring and farming and olive culture. They made wine; we did the same. They cultivated gardens; we did the same. They made all their own food; we do the same. I try to emulate their traditions by recreating the foods I grew up via my books and my PBS series television, Ciao Italia now in its 21st year of broadcast. I also keep my family traditions alive through my blog.

Question Three:
How you define Italian cooking at home?

Mary Ann's Answer:
Fresh, in season ingredients, treated simply to keep the integrity of the food. All my cookbooks stress this.

(Photo: Pistachio pork chops from Ciao Italia Five Ingredient Favorites by Mary Ann Esposito. St Martins Press, NY)

Question Four:
You have a Masters Degree in history from the University of New Hampshire; has your knowledge of history impacted how you cook and see the world?

Mary Ann's Answer:
Absolutely. When I wrote my thesis on a Renaissance Italian cooking manuscript, I began my introduction by saying without food there is no history. Food and history are inseparable. Early foods like grains, legumes and puls allowed civilization to flourish and many wars were waged over whether there was food or not. In Italian culture, food is the cornerstone of everything. Take bread as an example. When I make it, I am reminded of how this simple staple from water and flour is still the staple food of third world and emerging nations. I see that waste not want not quality that my grandparents had who revered bread so much that not a bit was every wasted. To this day, I never throw away stale bread, using it instead for bread salads, as fillers for vegetables, to sprinkle over pasta dishes and as what has come to be very chic and in today, the bruschetta or crostino.

On Ciao Italia I give you not only a recipe but the story behind the recipe; where does it come from, why is it named so. The Mary Ann Esposito Foundation's goal is to keep the history and traditions surrounding Italian regional foods alive. I want the next generation of Italian Americans to take over where I leave off so we can preserve our heritage for generations to come.

Question Five:
What are some of your favorite recipes and food types outside of traditional pasta with tomato sauce, for example?

Mary Ann's Answer:
I love to make polenta and risotto as well as traditional breads and pizza. Once you start studying the regions of Italy and their local foods, you have a better understanding of why there really is no Italian food per se; there is only regional food. I love eels from the Veneto and from Sardinia; the bistecca of Florence and the porchetta of Umbria. Any eggplant dishes and rabbit stews are also favorites. I have so many that it would be impossible to mention them all here and that is why their importance has consumed me in my work.

Question Six:
What are the top five ingredients that you keep in your pantry at all times?

Mary Ann's Answer:
Extra virgin olive oils, imported semolina pastas, dried beans, arborio rice, San Marzano tomatoes. In fact my latest book is called Ciao Italia Five Ingredient Favorites and you would be surprised how much you can make with just 5 ingredients as opposed to a whole list!

The Italian Pantry - 12 Ingredients To Keep In Your Kitchen at All Times

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By Vincent Scordo on August 31, 2010 | 4 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

(photo: a typical trip the market for some fresh ingredients for our kitchen, including bread, fruit, whole chicken, yogurt, etc.)

I've always equated good cooking with being prepared, just like a fine carpenter has the necessary tools to build a bookcase or a deck on hand at all times, a home cook should always have a well stocked pantry to prepare meals. The following is a list of items that I always keep in my kitchen, in addition to the impromptu shopping I do for vegetables, fruit, meats, and fish throughout the week (here's my guide on how to buy fish, fruit, and vegetables). Contrary to what you see in cookbooks and FoodTV, it's impossible to make grand meals every night and simple, high quality, meals made from good ingredients are often a reality of modern life (here's my view on cooking 30 minute meals).

Eating well, therefore, is about access to ingredients and if you keep the following items in your kitchen or pantry at all times you'll always be able to eat like a king!

1. Canned Tomatoes

Tomatoes serve as a base for all types of sauces (or condiments) for pastas, but canned tomatoes (either concentrato di pomodoro, passato, or pelati) can also be used in soups and roasted meat dishes, as well.

2. Canned Tuna, Sardines, and Anchovies

I love, high quality, canned fish and in some instances they can be much better than mediocre fresh fish. I always keep 4-5 cans of Italian tuna in olive oil (preferably from Sicilia) as well as a few sardines packed in oil and one large jar of anchovies, again packed in olive oil. You get what you pay for with canned fish, so buy the best you can afford (same rule applies to buying shoes!). I like the Scalia brand.

3. Homemade Breadcrumbs

Buying store breadcrumbs is the equivalent of buying water at your local market; that is to say, there's just no need to do it. If you always have bread in your kitchen, then you'll always be able to make fresh breadcrumbs.

4. Fresh Bread

I aim to buy a fresh baguette every other day or so. We tend to have a bit of bread with our meals when we're not starting with pasta and especially during the summer months when we consume a ton of tomatoes with olive oil and basil. Good bread is crunchy on the outside and has airy interior texture that's not too dense.

5. Beans

Keep as many dry beans in your pantry as possible, as well as a few cans of ready to cook beans. I keep garbanzo, kidney, black, cannellni,

6. Olive Oil

Olive oil serves as a base for both simple meals and extraordinary dishes. Buy a good quality first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil for tomato salads, salad dressings, finishing pastas, etc. and buy a good, super market, olive oil for cooking. For all olive oils, consume it quickly and store it in a dark and cool spot. Here are some of my olive oil reviews.

7. Vinegar

I keep a high quality red wine vinegar and a decent bottle of balsamic vinegar. Click here for a review of the brands I like.

8. Garlic

I keep 5-6 bulbs in the kitchen at all times. Buy fresh garlic that is compressed tightly and doesn't have it's skin falling off at the market.

9. Dry Pasta

I keep about 6 dry pastas in my pantry at all times. 3 short (penne, rigatoni, etc.) and 3 long (linguine fine, spaghetti, etc.). De Cecco is the only super market brand worth purchasing (Colavita isn't bad). Barilla made a very good product up until about 5-7 years ago when I think they switched to an inferior flour or manufacturering process (whatever happened, the quality of the pasta has changed dramatically). If you can stomach the price, Rustichella is a fine every day pasta. You can certainly make your own pasta and store it, short term, in your freezer.

10. Cheese and Salumi

I keep 2 quality cheeses in my fridge for a light Sunday or Summer meal and 3-4 large pieces of Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano (a cheaper substitute with near, identical, flavor and texture) in my basement kitchen. I only grate the hard cheeses before I consume them and store the pieces in my fridge in a vacuum sealed bag. My fridge also includes pieces of either Cacciatore, Finocchiona, Crespone, Salami Secchi, and Sopressata (whatever I can find). Here's my guide to salumi or salami, including a review of Creminelli and Columbus Artisan brands!

11. Sun Dried Tomatoes

It's very easy to make your own sun dried tomatoes and I primarily consume them with bread and cheese. I know folks tend to cook with sun dried tomatoes but I'm not a big fan. Click here to learn how to make your own!

12. Whole Wheat Toasted Bread

I know I told you not to buy store made breadcrumbs, but I think it's nice to have a few packages of pre-made toast in your pantry for an impromptu meal or party. I love the Grissin Bon Light brand and you can make a quick breakfast with them (with jam and butter) or add tomatoes and salt for a quick appetizer.

Canning Tomatoes: Passato di Pomodoro (Puree of Tomato)

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By Vincent Scordo on August 23, 2010 | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

(photos: Jersey plum tomatoes washed and ready to be cut)

August is prime season for canning tomatoes and this year's Jersey plum tomatoes are outstanding! The Scordo family purchased about five bushels of locally grown plum tomatoes and canned only passato (passato is essentially pureed tomato, in the past we canned a combination of passato and whole tomatoes). As the site e-rcps.com points out:

Tomatoes are usually preserved in three different forms, each of which has its particular uses. First there are the ordinary tinned or bottled whole tomatoes, 1. pomodori pelati, which contain a high percentage of liquid and are best used for dishes that require a tomato base but need a long cooking time. Secondly there is the puree, 2. passato di pomodoro, which is a much thicker reduction of tomatoes, sometimes flavoured with celery, onion, carrot and basil, then called pomaruola or conserva. This is ideal for sauces which need a rich body of tomato. Thirdly there is the tomato concentrate, 3. concentrato di pomodoro, which is the tomato reduced to a very strong paste and flavour and is useful for colour and flavour in a dish where bulk tomato is not required.

The advantage to canning passato is that when it comes time to make tomato sauce for dinner or lunch, there is no need to food mill whole tomatoes!

You can read my detailed article on how to can tomatoes here. Enjoy the photos from our 2010 tomato canning extravaganza:

(photos: cutting the plum tomatoes into sections and removing some of the seeds)

(photos: cooking cut tomatoes in large aluminum pots)

(photo: stirring the tomatoes)

(photo: almost ready for the large food mill)

(photo: Italian-made food mill being set up)

(photo: food mill set up)

(photo: tomatoes being put through the food mill for passato)

(photo: pure tomato passato!)

(photo: the food mill does a great job of removing the skins from the tomato, tomato skins are the enemy of a good tomato sauce)

(photo: preparing sterile mason jars with basil)

(photos: fresh garden basil)

(photo: moving passato into mason jars)

(photo: the tomato canning process is intense and very hands on, but the end result is terrific)

(photo: future canning expert examining the end result" tomato bliss in a Mason jar!)

(photo: strainers help wash whole tomatoes)

(photos: bushel crates, five in total for the Scordo family)

On What it Means to Be and Live As An Italian American Today

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By Vincent Scordo on August 18, 2010 | 10 Comments | 1 TrackBack

(photo: my grandfather and his sons in mid 1960 Pellegrina <Bagnara Calabra> Calabria)

The year was 1997 and I was a college junior applying for a prestigious fellowship for first generation college students. The fellowship provided funds and a mentor to guide and prepare students for graduate work in the humanities and sciences. The fellowship had strict academic and social-economic requirements. On the socio-economic side, students were expected to be first generation college students, fall on the lower end of the income scale, and come from an ethic group that were/are underrepresented at US graduate programs.

In my view, I was qualified for the above fellowship and was excited to apply. The question as to whether I was from a distinct ethnic group (underrepresented in academic circles) was not an issue in my mind (the last I checked most prestigious universities had faculties brimming with Waspy sounding last names and not surnames ending in vowels). After all, I did not learn to speak English until I was 5 and thought the American side of my Italian-American moniker was just a way of acknowledging that we breathed the air in New Jersey and not Calabria; I spoke, ate, lived amongst, and thought like an Italian, so I was a true Italian.

(photo: typical Italian wedding in Pellegrina, <Bagnara Calabra> Calabria)

When I got the call from the faculty advisor alerting me that I would not be selected for the summer fellowship program, my immediate reaction was rage. Not because I had been denied, but rather because I had been denied for not being from an appropriate "ethnic group"; at least the groups that were currently in fashion as being minorities in the US and in turn at Academic institutions. I pleaded my case with the advisor and asked, for example, how many of the students that had been selected spoke a second language or had been to the region/country that deemed them to be a minority, for example? The answers that came back were disheartening and I felt betrayed.

The incident made me think long and hard about what it means to be an Italian-American living in the United States today. Unlike Geremio and his son Paul in Pietro DiDonato's classic novel Christ in Concrete, being an Italian American in New York at the turn of 20th century did not come with the added effort of proving one's status as an American with Italian ancestry. After all, Geremio's son Paul was Italian, although born in New York (like the author who was born in West Hoboken). No one at the turn of the 20th century would accuse Paul as being an American, rather he was an Italian who happened to be born to recent immigrants from Italy. Suffice it to say, if such an academic fellowship existed in Paul's time, he would have surely qualified as being part of a true ethnic group.

(photo: my grandmother's family posing as though they were well off - they were not)

So, what has happened to the Italian-American in the 90+ years since DiDonato's seminal novel? Has the Italian-American remained truly unique with strong ties to what it means to live like an Italian? Or have the images of Sonny, Tony Soprano and the cast of Jersey Shore penetrated our media driven society so deeply that to be Italian in America is solely about being involved in crime, putting gel in one's dark colored hair, and consuming tomato sauce? What has happened to the attributes of the Italian American that were so pronounced and vivid in DiDonato's America yet so dull and mis-represented in our current epoch? In short, what has happened is as simple as unadulterated assimilation (some self induced and some pushed by the larger American society) of the negative kind that leaves the current Italian American in a state of watered down culture and misrepresentation (in short, a sort of sudo Italian-American).

All is not lost for the modern Italian American, however, and there are glimpses of living the Italian way in America that are centered on core attributes like practical living, working hard, recognizing quality food and products, and just, plan, living well. I see first and second generation Italian Americans shunning the popular, and myth driven, portrayals of the goofy, unintelligent, "Tony" (don't let the literary critics convince you he was seminal TV figure) and "Sonny" characters and argue strongly that being Italian in America is just that; namely, living like a typical Italian that has been transplanted to North America (with a focus on food, family, friends, and enjoying deep and meaningful experiences every day).

How do you live as an Italian in America today?

Recipe: Pan Simmered Capretto (Baby Goat) with Tomatoes, Onion, Parsley, and Herbs

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By Vincent Scordo on August 15, 2010 | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

I get the same reaction when I wax philosophically about the virtues of Capretto or baby goat; namely, that's gross! I often explain how, as far as I can remember, eating baby goat was a staple of our Italian American Easter and Christmas dinners. Nonna Rosa's Capretto recipe included simply roasting a whole baby goat (which was butchered at home or by the local Italian butcher) with canned tomato pieces, coarsely chopped onion, a bit of homemade red wine, garlic, dried oregano, pepper and kosher salt. My mother's recipe included the same ingredients but differed in two ways: 1. the dish was pan simmered on the stove top and 2. the Capretto parts were quickly seared to develop a deep flavor and crust. Both recipes, however, had a secret ingredient which included marinating the Capretto pieces for several hours prior to cooking (marinating the goat in simple red wine yielded a tastier end product).

When it came to selecting the appropriate Capretto for a holiday meal or Sunday lunch, both ladies would often prosecute the local butcher as to the source and freshness of the Capretto. Moreover, they would have the butcher swear on their dead relatives that the Capretto was, in fact, baby goat and not adult goat which is tougher and gamier in flavor (you see once goats begin grazing on grass, they develop a mutton-like flavor which, unless you're accustomed to such flavor, can be a little odd). The idea of prosecuting the local butcher stemmed from the fact that both ladies were used to baby goat that were raised on their respective farms, fighting with the butcher in the US somehow dulled the pain of having to buy ingredients (including meat) from someone else (an unheard of concept in rural Calabria).

On the nutritional side, goat is very low in fat and cholesterol (in fact, goat is 40-60 percent lower in saturated far than chicken and beef, respectively). Capretto flavor components are rich and complex (sort of like, beef, short rib) and I encourage folks to experiment and try preparing a dish of roasted or pan simmered Capretto!

The Italian Diet, Meat Consumption, and How We Eat in America

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By Vincent Scordo on August 12, 2010 | 1 Comment | 0 TrackBacks

(photo: Various family members during the late summer wheat harvest in Pellegrina, Calabria. When wheat is king, you learn from a young age the beauty of delicate bread and pasta versus Beef)

You can say, unequivocally, that Americans love their beef. Compared to their Mediterranean counterparts, American's are ranked third in the world (only behind Argentina and Uruguay) when it comes to choosing beef for their dinner table (Italy is ranked 9th, per 1999 statistics). An educated guess as to why beef consumption has skyrocketed in the US, post WWII, is probably linked to access, price, and perceived nutritional value (if McDonald's sells a mediocre hamburger for less than $2.00 then why would the average US consumer spend, say, $2.99 per pound on organic peaches or $8.99 per pound on Wild Cod). Moreover, given how quickly fast food establishments have scaled (from a franchise and business perspective) in the US since 1950, for example, it's probably easier for you to find a Burger King than a quality food market (you can blame capitalism and the subsidized food system for the proliferation of what I like to call, "big box crap food" <read Pollen's work for a more elegant explanation>).

Contrary to the American food system, meat, especially beef (and especially in Southern Italy) is a nice to have at the dinner table in Italy, as opposed to a given. Poultry, while abundant in the Italian country side is consumed even less; while the much beloved Italian pig is only ranked in the middle of the world pack (according to rate of consumption). Specifically, here are how Italians rank in terms of per capita meat consumption (globally):

- Poultry: 23rd

- Pork: 15th

- Beef: 9th

(source: Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade, annual.)

What are we to make when we think deeply about how Italians view meat consumption? One conclusion we can draw, because of access and price (food, like gasoline, clothing, and housing, is very expensive in most parts of Europe, including Italy) is that cheaper and healthier food items (such as dairy, fruits, vegetables, grains, olive oil, legumes, nuts, etc.) are more popular in Italy ; hence the so-called Mediterranean Diet. But what about when access and price do not enter the equation, do rich Americans eat better than middle class

Americans? Does beef consumption scale with income? Maybe by way of cut, but, anecdotally, eating well in American is still NOT about a delicately prepared plate of pasta or a bowl of just ripe, locally farmed, fruits., rather eating well is about feeling full, salt, and protein via meat (all in relation to price, of course).

While the Mediterranean Diet has received lots of good publicity here in the United States, we've yet to see the large scale shift in eating preferences because it's still not in our Anglo-Saxon DNA (culture) to put food at the top of list of what's most important to us. Children do not grow up in a culture of seeing mom or dad prepare, from scratch meals, fruit at the end of a meal, or the local farm that raised the cow they grilled, for example. In turn, food is more akin to something that is a "given" in American society; that is to say, it's been branded as something available 24 hours a day, with little or no taste/quality, and at a absurdly low price.

It's not all doom and gloom for the American food system, especially on the coasts and near large cities with ethnic populations (where demand for high quality food is intense). In fact, demand is the key concept here; Americans should demand better quality food types, just like the Italian born ladies do at my local market. So, forget about the Mediterranean Diet and think high quality foods instead (specifically, the best ingredients you can find in your area).

Happy eating!

Pesto Tuna, Dandelion and Red Onion, and Kidney Bean, Corn, and Parsley Salad

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By Vincent Scordo on August 6, 2010 | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

I remember walking through the Calabrian countryside with my grandfather as a boy when he suddenly feel to his knees and plucked a few pieces of what I thought was simple green grass from the ground. I, of course, thought he was just being his usual pazzo (crazy) nonno, but what he found were dandelion greens, prized for their earthy, minerally, and zesty flavor.

Like many prized goods in the food world, the best ingredients are often found in the wild and prepared without much manipulation. Calabria is famous for wild mushrooms (click here to read my guide on finding wild mushrooms), chestnuts, asparagus, roasted wild boar, etc. and it's part of what makes the southern most province in Italy (along with Sicily) such a special region. Hence my simple mantra: wild food is great food (let the French have their fancy manipulated fair).

You can of course find wild dandelion in most suburban lawns here in the US, but the flavor component is not the same (trust me, I've sampled the fare both as a kid and an adult!). I have, however, found some good "wild" dandelion greens at a local market during the Spring season. You can sauté dandelions, but I like them in a simple salad with a good red wine vinegar/extra virgin olive oil dressing and thinly sliced red onion. You can also try a vinaigrette dressing (here's my recipe).

My kidney bean salad is comprised of 1 inch diced green beans, corn, red onion, parsley, carrot, kidney beans, extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper, and kosher salt.

Pesto Tuna Salad is simply comprised of homemade pesto sauce and good quality Italian tuna packed in olive oil (the best is imported from Italy and canned in Sicily). Here's my pesto recipe.

The above meal goes well with a rustic homemade wine.

Scordo Pasta Challenge #96 Pappardelle with Garlic, Parsley, Olive Oil

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By Vincent Scordo on July 27, 2010 | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Think of Pappardelle as fettuccine on steroids (basically very broad fettuccine). Pappardelle derives from the word "pappare" which means "to gobble up." The pappardelle I consumed was egg based and made by Rustichella.

I always associate Pappardelle with meat sauces, specifically a ragu made out of rabbit (it was a favorite of mine growing up in NJ). Pappardelle also pairs well with a sauce made out of wild boar. Like many Italian food types, there is a festival in Italy honoring pappardelle (yes, food is honored in Italy!); Sagra delle Pappardelle al cinghiale (Pappardelle with wild boar festival) is held every August in the city of Gemmano in the Emilia-Romagna Region.

The Scordo Pasta Challenge putters along even in the oppressive East coast heat - long live the king of starches.

(photo: the main ingredients outside the pasta)

(photo: the boil; 6-7 minutes)

(photo: tossed in olive oil, parsley, and garlic)

(photo: the pasta obsession is passed on to the next generation)

Introduction to Anchovies

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By Vincent Scordo on July 14, 2010 | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Like any controversial figure, the mighty anchovy is a highly misunderstood food type. In the US, unfortunately, preserved anchovies have a bad reputation and are seen as a bad smelling (and overly salty) fish. The reputation, however, is undeserved and the tiny dynamo of a fish should be consumed with pleasure and as often as possible!

(photo: my favorite brand, Scalia; thanks to Dr. K for picture)

For most Italians, and especially the Italians of Southern Italy, the Acciughe (anchovies preserved in salt) and alici (fresh anchovies) are a staple food. Anchovies are often eaten on toast with good olive oil, fried, baked, added to sauces, etc. Anchovies are a wonder food and high in antioxidants and low in mercury. The best anchovies come from the Mediterranean (near Sicily) and the North Atlantic. You can find Anchovies packed in salt or oil or sold in good markets by the pound (fresh or salted, per the above picture).

I usually serve Anchovies in an impromptu weekend lunch, alongside a salad of tomatoes with basil and red onion, good bread, oil cured olives, and a bit of cheese and salumi (you could also include anchovies in a salad Nicoise). If you're feeling particularly adventurous and want to de-head, gut, and remove backbones, you can deep fry a batch of fresh anchovies and let your significant other do the clean-up! Fried anchovies are particularly good with fresh lemon and a very cold glass of beer / lager or white wine (here's my post on fried sardines and smelts).

Recipe: Risi e Bisi and/or Rice and Peas

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By Vincent Scordo on July 13, 2010 | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Risi e Bisi is basically a variant of risotto and while a good risotto is creamy in texture, a good bowl of risi e bisi is looser in composition.

As you would guess, the humble pea is the star of the rice-based dish and the fresher the pea, the better the dish (here's my guide to buying fresh fruit and vegetables). I like to make risi e bisi in the Spring when fresh peas are abundant, but I also crave the dish in the winter time when I make use of good quality frozen peas (both Trader Joe's and Whole Foods carry organic frozen peas at a decent price).

Lets start with the ingredients:

- 3 tablespoons olive oil

- 1/2 cup finely diced onion

- 1 garlic clove, finely minced

- 1/2 cup dry white wine

- 8.5 cups of stock (vegetable or chicken; bones if you have homemade stock!)

- 1.5 cups peas (fresh or frozen)

- 1.5 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped

- 1/4 - 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

- Salt (Kosher) and freshly ground pepper to taste

- 1.5 cups arborio rice (click here to see which brand tested best at America's Test Kitchens)

1. A good risotto starts with Arborio rice. Look for brands imported from Italy and expect to pay a premium for this superb starch (a little goes a long way). Begin by sautéing the finely diced onion with olive oil in a large pot, adding salt and pepper to taste.

2. Next, add a bit more olive oil and sauté the Arborio rice until the kernels become translucent (this will add tremendous flavor to the dish and also start the cooking process for the rice). Next, add the white wine and stir the ingredients. Next, add enough stock to cover the rice and stir well..

3. At this point you'll need to constantly stir the mixture and add one ladle of warm stock every 5-10 minutes (or whenever the ingredients are not covered by liquid), your flame should also be on simmer. After about 10-15 minutes you should start to see the Arborio rice release it's starch and the kernels begin to plump up.

4. The total cooking time should be between 30-45 minutes. At the 30 minute mark be sure to taste the rice kernels (you don't want al dente rice); once the rice is done add a bit more salt and pepper to taste and the freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Mix the rice well and add 1-1.5 ladle of stock and the freshly chopped parsley (adding the extra stock at the end creates the variation in composition for your dish, remember you're not making risotto!).

Enjoy with a crisp Sauvignon blanc.

Scordo Pasta Challenge #25 Chitarra with Pesto

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By Vincent Scordo on June 14, 2010 | 1 Comment | 0 TrackBacks

(photo: completed pesto sauce in a bowl made from the famous ceramic factories in Bagnara Calabra)

Chitarra is similar to spaghetti, but with squared edges. It was once cut on guitar strings, hence its unique name. Here's a great link to a "guitar pasta maker"

(photo: Chitarra with pesto and a glass of Pinot Noir from Chile <light years ahead of any under $20 Pinot from Oregon or California>)

I used Rustichella Chitarra and prepared a pesto sauce to accompany the pasta. The squared edges on the long pasta did a great job of adhering to the wonderfully thick and aromatic pesto sauce (see my recipe via Genoa-born neighbor Amelia). The pesto sauce recipe has an interesting ingredient, so be sure to click through!

(photo: pesto via machine. proper pesto is made from via mortar and pestle but I have soar arm from my poor, tennis, serving technique )

(photo: close up of the pesto)

(photo: salad with Romaine, dandelion greens, tomatoes, Persian cucumber, red onion, Greek feta with a mustard dressing)

My pasta intake is increasing in proportion to my current home improvement projects; good for getting weekend project completed but not for the author's waistline. Long live the Scordo Pasta Challenge.

Scordo Pasta Challenge - #98 Pasta al Ceppo with Tomato Sauce

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By Vincent Scordo on June 3, 2010 | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Pasta al Ceppo is literally translated as pasta on a stick and knitting needles were once used to shape the pasta. The pasta has a nice texture and works well with hearty sauces.

The Scordo Pasta Challenge continues!

Scordo Pasta Challenge: #13 Cannelloni with Ricotta and Tomato Sauce

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By Vincent Scordo on March 23, 2010 | 6 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

(photo: Cannelloni ready to eat! Because the pasta is baked after boiling, the tomato sauce tends to thicken up a bit).

Cannelloni have a special place in my heart as I've always consumed them on special days (such as a holiday or a birthday). My favorite Cannelloni are prepared in a simple manner, that is, with fresh ricotta, parsley, and tomato sauce. Cannelloni are typically boiled and then stuffed with ricotta and thereafter they are baked in the oven with tomato sauce.

(photo: Cannelloni up close in the tray)

I enjoyed the above pasta with a simple glass of Burgundy.

(photo: Cannelloni in the baking tray)

How do you prepare Cannelloni and do you refer to them as Manicotti? What's the difference?

Scordo Pasta Challenge: #94 Paccheri with Olive Oil, Parmigiano Reggiano, and Course Ground Pepper

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By Vincent Scordo on March 19, 2010 | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Paccheri is one of those shapes I wasn't aware of until I stumbled across it in the Rustichella catalog. Paccheri is a super variant of rigatoni (without the ridges) and best prepared with chunky sauces (such as a ragu with rabbit, for example).

However, I cooked up a batch of Paccheri and simply added very good extra virgin olive oil, freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano, and lots of coursley ground black pepper for my Scordo Pasta Challenge this past Thursday. If I had fresh ricotta (recipe to come!) in the house then I would have included a bit of it as well.

I enjoyed the dish with a glass of Aglianico from Campania or Basilicata. Now go and enjoy the weather if you live on the East Coast!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Review and Vittorio Cassini Giveaway Contest

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By Vincent Scordo on March 17, 2010 | 13 Comments | 2 TrackBacks

(photo: Latella family olive orchard outside of Pellegrina, Italy)

(3/22: Update - Contest is closed and the winner is Joe. D., congratulations! And thanks to everyone for leaving a comment)

Click here for my other olive oil reviews!

Images have always played a large role in my life. I still have vivid images in my mind of childhood events like playing hide and seek at dusk on my New Jersey block or the fierce eyes and large breasts of my sixth grade teacher Mrs. Salzarulo. I shut my eyes and mental pictures bring me back 5, 10, even 20 years ago to seminal and not so important events in my life. I don't consider conjuring vivid imagery a particularly impressive ability, just a function of how my brain works. Some images are romanticized, and I'm sure not wholly accurate, while there are other mental pictures that I've shelved as eternal truths.

One such mental image is that of my grandfather Latella in Calabria. The mental image I have is of Nonno under one of his beloved olive trees. The image is simple enough; namely, an elderly man sitting underneath an ancient olive tree. But the image in my mind is more detailed; it includes a weathered face molded by a happy, but difficult, life working the land, large hands gently removing leather working boots, and the same hands reaching for a bottle of cold wine to quench a thirst brought on by the mid-day Mediterranean sun. The image of Nonno Latella represents the Southern Italian life for me; that is, a life of simple pleasures, fierce individualism, and a love for the land.

Nonno's love for his land, combined with his paternalistic tendencies towards his olive trees, yielded some pretty intense, first cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil (I describe it here in my Guide to Olive Oil). The Italians from the rural South use olive oil from everything from simple tomato salads to deep frying arancini to lubricating shotguns and polishing leather shoes. In the US, of course, we're a bit more selective about how we use olive oil and it's mostly a culinary lipid / liquid (thankfully!).

Recently, I had the good fortune to sample some new extra virgin olive oils from Italy, including Titone (from the Trapanesi Valley in Sicilia), Frescobaldi Laudemio (from Firenze in Tuscana), Vittorio Cassini (from Liguria), and Frantoio Di Sommaia (from Calenzano in Tuscana), all imported by Manicaretti.

Titone Extra Virgin Olive Oil is produced by a father / daughter team Nicola and Antonella. The 5000 tree olive farm in Sicilia is organic and has a D.O.P status. The Titone oil is limited quality and has a deep golden yellow/light green color. The Titone family also hand picks all of their olives and the resulting oil has a sharp and pepper flavor base as well as complex grass and earthy elements. I think Titone would work best with hot pasta or in a rustic (hot) potato salad.

Frescobaldi Laudemio Extra Virgin Olive Oil has won a ton of awards, including #1 Tuscan oil in 1997 by Wine Spectator and "Best of Olive Oil" at the 2001 Summer Fancy Food Show in New York. The consortium that produces Laudemio has been around since the early 1990's and the filtered oil has nice notes, again, of pepper and lemon zest. I like Laudemio drizzed over a hot bean soup or over roasted broccoli and red pepper flakes.

Vittorio Cassini was my favorite amongst the 4 olive oils I sampled. Cassini is made from 100% Taggiasca olives and is a limited production oil. The olive farm is located in the hills above the Ligurian coast between Nice and Genoa. The olive oil itself has less pepper than the aforementioned oils and has a wonderful raw nut flavor which is clean and almost sweet. Cassini is ideal for making pesto, tomato salads, or drizzling on a freshly baked pizza. This is the least bitter and intense oil.

Frantoio Di Sommaia has been made by the Marini Bernardi family for almost 200 years. The olives are hand picked and pressed via stone in Calenzano, Tuscana. The family uses 100% Bianca olives. The oil is unfiltered and extremely pungent, but has a wonderful buttery mouth feel. Frantoio would work well with an arugula salad or drizzled over fresh basked bread with coarsely ground black pepper.

In honor of Nonno Latella (who's still alive but upset he doesn't get to go to the farm as often as he once did) Scordo.com is giving away a bottle of Vittorio Cassini Extra Virgin Oil! The oil was my favorite amongst the four bottles I recently sampled and I'm sure you'll enjoy a bottle of the expertly crafted oil.

(photo: Latella family olive orchard outside of Pellegrina, Italy)

Here's what you need to do to enter the Nonno Latella Extra Virgin Olive Oil Contest:

- 1. leave a comment under this post on how you use olive and which olive oil you normally purchase (doesn't need to be a fancy kind, just what you use and like) and 2. sign up as a fan of Scordo.com on Facebook here or Scordo.com newsletter, it doesn't need to be both). If you've done both already, then I'll ask you if you can please re-tweet the article on Twitter and include the article URL in the RT: http://bit.ly/cVgYQT and @scordo in your tweet)

- Only one entry per person please.

- The contest is open until 12 midnight on 3/20 and a single random user will be picked via Random.org. The winner will be announced immediately on Twitter (so please follow me) and on Scordo.com by 5PM on Monday, 3/22.

- Please use a valid email address when leaving a comment so I can contact you just in case you're the lucky winner (I'll need your shipping address).

- Manicaretti Italian Food Imports will send out the bottle of Vittorio Cassini olive oil to the single contest winner during the week of 3/29.

That's it, so please sign up for a chance to win a wonderful bottle of extra virgin olive. If you can't wait to sample the olive oil then head on over to the Manicaretti site to find out how to buy some!

Scordo Pasta Challenge - #151 Paone Tripolini w/ Braised Meat Tomato Sauce

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By Vincent Scordo on March 15, 2010 | 9 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

(photo: Tripolini close up)

The Northeast saw a monster wind and rain storm over the weekend with many downed trees and electrical lines. Some of our neighbors in NJ also lost water pressure. Luckily our home was spared and we didn't see any crashing white pine, sycamore, or silver maple, as was the case a couple of years ago when a large silver maples crashed into our neighbors front porch.

(photo: Meatball close up)

With high winds and rainy weather I become like a house cat looking for comfort and, as you've probably guessed it, my mind turns to the ultimate comfort food: pasta!

On Sunday I consumed pasta shape #149 Tripolini (via the Scordo Pasta Challenge) with a braised meat (baby back pork ribs, pork sausage, and meatballs) tomato sauce. Tripolini are oversized fettuccine with ridges on both edges of the pasta. Growing up, Tripolini was a specialty pasta we only had once or twice a month (I suppose it was hard to find and commanded a higher price) and we consumed it with a braised chicken tomato sauce.

The pasta brand is Paone.

(photo: braised meats: spare ribs, sausage, and meatballs)

Scordo Pasta Challenge - #149 Trenne w/ Peas, Red Onion, and Garlic

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By Vincent Scordo on March 12, 2010 | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

(photo: close up of Trenne before mixing with sauce or condiment).

Here we go, the first pasta dish consumed for the Scordo Pasta Challenge or Vincenzo Eats His Way Through Every Pasta Shape Known to Man!

#149 Trenne

Think of Trenne pasta as the "quill" pasta; that is to say, Trenne are shaped like a writing instrument that is triangular in shape. Trenne is a more modern and angular version of Penne (Trenne has the lines of a new Cadillac or Acura sedan). Trenne is probably best consumed with an abundant and loose codiment or sauce (think of a cream based sauce or maybe summery marinara with chunks of tomatoe, basil, and garlic).

>>New to cooking pasta, here are my 8 Tips for making perfect pasta at home!

I decided to pair small peas with Trenne and the pasta didn't disappoint (the brand was Rustichella). Here are the ingredients for the sauce:

- Half a package of frozen, organic, peas (if you have happen to have fresh peas then go for it!)

- 3-4 cloves of garlic diced on a diagnal

- Half a red onion finely diced

- Freshly ground pepper and Kosher salt to taste

- 1 tablespoon of salted butter

- 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil

- 1/2 cup of grated Grana Padano

- 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water

(photo: after mixing the sauce with the Trenne)

In a large sauté pan add your olive oil and butter (pan should be hot before adding fats). Next, add your onion and garlic and begin to slowly sauté over medium heat. Add some salt and pepper. Next, add your peas and stir well. Add a bit more salt and pepper and reduce your heat. Drain your pasta and add the Trenne to your pan containing the sauce; mix the pasta with your condiment and add some of the starchy pasta water (your pan should have a medium flame going) . Next, add a bit more olive oil and the grated cheese.

Follow the pasta with a piece of salmon and a small arugula salad. Pair the dish with a chilled Ciro Rosato!

>>New to cooking pasta, here are my 8 Tips for making perfect pasta at home!

The Scordo Pasta Challenge: Vincenzo Eats His Way Through Every Known Pasta Shape

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By Vincent Scordo on March 11, 2010 | 13 Comments | 2 TrackBacks

Update: 3/15/10: Manicaretti, who imports Rustichella into the US, told me there are closer to 310 pasta shapes, as opposed to the 158 I had researched earlier. Specifically, the good folks at Manicaretti pointed me to the seminal pasta book, Encyclopedia of Pasta by Oretta Zanini de Vita (here's the review from the NY Times). And, in fact, when checking the preface of the book de Vita (no de Ziti!) mentions there are 310 standard pasta variations (not including the sub variations which are basically off-springs of 310 basic shapes). In turn, my quest deepens and stretches to 2014 (adding another, roughly year and half, to eating every known dry pasta shape on the planet.

I woke up this morning and had a revelation! Well, it wasn't exactly a revelation of grand proportion like when Einstein told Newton he was all wrong about the physical world back in the early twentieth century rather my revelation was epicurean and it concerned my favorite food on the planet; namely, Pasta!

Like Julie Powell's idea of cooking through all the recipes in Julie Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, I wondered this morning if it was possible for one individual to prepare and consume every conceivable (and available) commercial pasta shape ever produced?

A quick search reveals well over 150 (158 to be exact) pasta shapes - click here for a visual look at most of these shapes. Attempting to cook and consume one's way through 150+ pasta shapes would be quite the challenge; after all, one couldn't make a different pasta shape each night because of issues with weight and general diet (and this is coming from an Italian-American with the metabolism of a humming bird). But what if we took the Italian-American tradition (at least the one I grew up with in Northern New Jersey) of only consuming a starter (or primo) portion of pasta every Thursday and Sunday night? If two unique pasta shapes were cooked twice a week then one could get through about 100 pasta shapes in one year and 158 shapes in about one and half years (this is assuming the pasta shape world ends at about 158 unique shapes). Thus, one could complete the above project in about 547 days!

Today is, indeed, Thursday and I'm eating pasta tonight! The shape will be Trenne and the sauce will be comprised of peas, butter, olive oil, red onion, garlic, and grated Grana Padano.

So, let the challenge begin! I'll check off "Trenne" tomorrow from the list of 158 pastas (see below) and in turn reach my goal by, roughly, September 9, 2012.

(Little Tommaso says, "Dad, you can do it!" Big Tommaso is a little more skeptical and says, "You're crazy!")

I've set up some rules and guidelines for myself:

1. Any claims of consuming a specific shape will be accompanied by photos of me in my home kitchen, along with said pasta shape in at least one photo! Ordering a pasta shape at a restaurant will not count.

2. I hope to include a recipe with each pasta dish, but I don't expect to be able to come up with 158 unique sauces (don't push your luck).

3. There may be times when said pasta shape will be difficult to secure, in that case I may need to either, 1. get on a plane to Italy and conduct a search for the missing pasta shape 2. make the shape at home (if possible) or 3. do a pasta shape substitution. I'm hoping to avoid #1 and #3!

That's it; if you can think of another guideline just let me know and I'll include it above. I'll be updating the list below by simply adding the date of pasta consumption and a strikethrough on the given pasta shape (as well as a link). I'll be posting individual entries with pasta photo and recipe (hopefully each Friday and Monday).

Oh, if you'd like to contribute photos of you and your family cooking you favorite pasta shape then please send pics via email and I'll be sure to post them!

List of 158 Pasta Shapes (let me know if I've missed any):

1. Acini di pepe

2. Agnolotti

3. Alfabeto

4. Anelli

5. Anellini

6. Barbina

7. Bavette

8. Bavettine

9. ~~Bucatini~~

10. Calamarata

11. Calamaretti

12. Campanelle

13. ~~Cannolicchi~~

13. ~~Cannelloni~~

14. Capelli d'angelo

15. Capellini

16. Capunti

17. ~~Casarecce~~

18. Casoncelli or casonsèi

19. Casunziei

20. Cavatappi

21. Cavatelli

22. Cellentani

23. ~~Cencioni~~

24. Chifferi

25. Chitarra

25. Ciriole

26. Conchiglie

27. Conchigliette

28. Conchiglioni

29. Corallini

30. Corzetti

31. Couscous

32. Creste di galli

33. Croxetti

34. Ditali

35. ~~Ditalini~~

37. Elicoidali

38. Fagioloni

39. Fagottini

40. Fantolioni

41. Farfalle

42. Farfalline

43. Farfalloni

44. Fedelini

45. ~~Fettuccine~~

46. Fettuce

47. Fettucelle

48. Fideos

49. Fideuà

50. Filini

51. Fiorentine

52. Fiori

53. Foglie d'ulivo

54. Fregula

55. Funghini

56. Fusilli

57. Fusilli Bucati

58. Fusilli lunghi

59. Garganelli

60. Gemelli

61. Gigli

62. Gnocchi

63. Gomito

64. Gramigna

65. Israeli couscous

66. Lagane

67. Lanterne

68. Lasagne

69. Lasagnette

70. Lasagnotte

71. Linguettine

72. ~~Linguine~~ (parsley, olive oil, and garlic)

73. Lumache

74. Lumaconi

75. Macaroni

76. Maccheroncelli

77. Mafalde

78. Mafaldine

80. Maltagliati

81. Mandala

82. Manicotti

83. Marille

84. Marziani

85. Mezzani pasta

86. Mezze Penne

87. Mezzelune

88. Mezzi Bombardoni

89. Mostaccioli

90. Occhi di Lupo

91. Occhi di pernice

92. ~~Orecchiette~~ ~~(with broccoli, mushrooms, garlic, and onion)~~

93. Orzo

94. ~~Paccheri (olive oil and black pepper)~~

95. Pagliaioni

96. ~~Pappardelle~~

97. Passatelli

98. ~~Pasta al ceppo~~

99. Pastina

100. Pearl Pasta

101. Penne

102. Penne lisce

103. Penne rigate

104. Penne Zita

105. Pennette

106. Pennoni

107. Perciatelli

108. Pici

109. Pillus

110. Pipe

111. Pizzoccheri

112. Quadrefiore

113. Quadrettini

114. Radiatore

115. ~~Ravioli~~ (with a mushroom tomato sauce)

116. Ricciolini

117. Ricciutelle

118. Rigatoncini

119. Rigatoni

120. Risi

121. Rotelle

122. Rotini

123. Sacchettini

124. Sacchettoni

125. Sagnarelli

126. Sagne 'ncannulate

127. Scialatelli of Scilatielli

128. Seme di melone

129. Spaghetti

130. Spaghetti alla chitarra

131. Spaghettini

132. Spaghettoni

133. Spätzle

134. Spirali

135. Spiralini

136. Stelle

137. Stelline

138. Stortini

139. Stringozzi

140. ~~Strozzapreti~~

141. Tagliatelle

142. Taglierini

143. Tarhana

144. Torchio

145. Tortellini

146. Tortelloni

147. Tortiglioni

148. Trenette

149. ~~Trenne~~ (3/12/10, Sauce: peas, red onion, garlic, and grana padano)

150. Trennette

151. ~~Tripoline~~ (3/15/10, Sauce: Braised meat tomato sauce with meatballs, ribs, sausage)

152. Trofie[2]

153. Tuffoli

154. Vermicelli

155. Vermicelloni

156. Ziti

157. ~~Zitoni~~

Wines of Calabria

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By Vincent Scordo on March 9, 2010 | 0 Comments | 1 TrackBack

(photo: Nonno Scordo's vineyard overlooking the sea near Bagnara Calabra)

Ciro is the most well known Calabrian wine here in the US and it's for good reason. The region of Ciro is situated on the eastern tip of Calabria, about a 4 hour trip north from Reggio Calabria. Ciro is designated a DOC wine or Denominazione di Origine Controllata, DOC is basically a fancy label meaning that any particular wine from an officially recognized region of Italy must be produced in specific well-defined regions, according to specific rules designed to preserve the traditional wine-making practices of the individual regions. Other, more famous, DOC wine regions include Chianti Classico and Barolo. There are three other labels you may see on wine bottles from Italy including Vino Da Tavola (table wine) , Vino a Indicazione Geografica (IGT), and Vino a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) - just think of all these classifications as standards for wine making (with DOCG being the strictest standard). Here's a nice map that points out both DOC and DOCG regions in Calabria.

Back to Ciro, there are three standard types produced including a rosso (or red) made from the Gaglioppo grape, rosato (rose), and biano (white) made from the Greco grape. Some rosso wines also contain a mixture of Greco and trebbiano white grapes, but it must be less than 5 percent to meet DOC standards. Like most wines produced throughout the world, Ciro is meant to be consumed 3-4 years after production, but some Ciro Rosso can be aged 10+ years.

(photo: Nonno Latella and my father at the vineyard)

As the UndertheGrapeTree states, The Gaglioppo grape is usually left for blending, giving its blend a softer edge. Ciro Rosso is like Beaujolais or red Bourgogne (both from Fance), with soft red fruit, allspice and cinnamon flavors, notes of walnuts, and a bright, acidic stricture that matches up nicely with spicy meats, stuffed peppers, and pizza, lamb, and even fish like swordfish and sardine. If you've come across any Calabrian wines in your local wine shop, it's probably Librandi Ciro Rosso, which is a fine representation of the Gaglioppo grape (read on for a great, exclusive offer on Calabrian wines from Winechateau)

Another DOC zone in Calabria is Melissa (about a 30 minutes drive south of Ciro). The region of Melissa produces Ciro-like wines (mostly from Gaglioppo and Greco Nero) but doesn't have the same reputation (at least outside of Calabria) as Ciro.

Calabria has 12 DOC regions and they include:

- Ciro

- Bianco

- Bivongi

- Donnici

- Isola di Capo Rizzuto

- Lamezia Terme

- Pollino

- San Vito di Luzzi

- Savuto

- Scavigna

- Verbicaro

- Melissa

There are other wine producing regions in Calabria, but they all have the lesser IGT label which, in my view, doesn't take away from the quality of the wine produced in these areas. For example, near my parents place of birth in the province of Reggio Calabria there are many IGT zones including Arghillà, Costa Viola, Locride, Palizzi, Pellaro, and Scilla Given the intense regionalization in all of Italy it's common for locals to drink wines only from their specific micro-regions (hence the wine world's golden rule of drinking wines associated with a given regional cuisine; this rule is flexible, but I think drinking wines from the Costa Viola region along the western Calabria seacost with Swordfish and goat dishes for example is a great way to map foods with wine).Made In Italy also has a nice overview of wines from Calabria as well as Italian Made.

Finally, in honor of Calabrian wines, I've partnered with the good folks at Winechateau.com to offer free shipping on any wine in their online shop to one lucky Scordo.com reader, including some great Calabrian wines such as Librandi Ciro Duca Sanfelice Riserva and the Librandi Ciro Rosso Classico.

Here's what you'll need to do:

- 1. leave a comment on your favorite Italian wine (doesn't need to be from Calabria) and 2. sign up for the Scordo Facebook Fan page or Scordo.com newsletter, it doesn't need to be both). If you've done both already, then I'll ask you if you can please re-tweet the article on Twitter and include the article URL: http://bit.ly/ae4RqH and @scordo in your tweet)

- Only one entry per person please and only to US residents.

- The contest is open until 12 midnight on 3/13 and a single random user will be picked via Random.org. The winner will be announced immediately on Twitter (so please follow me) and on Scordo.com by 5PM on Monday, 3/15.

- Please use a valid email address when leaving a comment so I can contact you just in case you're the lucky winner (I'll need your email address to email you the free shipping code).

- You'll select and order your wine and enter your free shipping code at http://www.winechateau.com/ . Wine Chateau reserves the right to limit the amount of bottles ordered via the free shipping code promotion.

8 Tips to Make Great Pasta at Home: From My Childhood Block in New Jersey

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By Vincent Scordo on March 7, 2010 | 3 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

(photo: the backdrop isn't New Jersey but rather Nonno Scordo's farmland in Calabria. Nonno is in the center while my father is on the right and my Uncle is positioned on the left. All three men are/were excellent pasta eaters and the photo above is one of my favorites <as my father often says, life in Post War southern Italy was difficult, but the quality of life, including food, was wonderful.>)

Growing up in Northern NJ on a densely packed block full of immigrant families (mostly from Calabria) both Thursday and Sunday were special days. That is to say, for many of the families on our tiny New Jersey block from Pellegrina, Bagnara Calabra, Grimoldo, and Ceramida Thursday and Sunday were designated as pasta days! My mother, from Pellegrina, would often make pasta with Tomato sauce on Sunday and then a more exotic pasta condiment on Thursday (maybe a ragu of rabbit with Pappardelle, for example). And I'm convinced our New Jersey block had a higher relative humidity on the aforementioned days because of of all the pots of boiling water going at once (ever notice why Italian kids have great skin!).

Here, then, are eight pasta tips gathered from the many Calabrian women on Oregon Avenue (from, say, 1979-1994) in New Jersey. Oh, enjoy your pasta today!

1. Buy the best possible dry pasta on the market. Like fine dress shoes, you get what you pay for in terms of dry pasta. Good dry pasta usually comes from Italy and is made with 100% semolina (Durham wheat) flour and spring water. The better Italian products are also made by hand. De Cecco is a fine readily available pasta brand. Rustichella d'Abruzzo uses slightly better ingredients for a nicer end product and is usually sold at Italian specialty shops.

2. Use lots of fresh boiling water. I have a dedicated pot when it comes to boiling water for pasta and I always overcompensate when it comes to the amount of water needed. You want lots of water so that the pasta doesn't stick during the cooking process.

3. Salt the water right before adding your pasta and as soon as you have a good, rolling, boil going. Not including a healthy amount salt in your pasta water is the equivalent of eating a tomato without salt, so please use plenty of it!

4. Once you add your dry pasta to the pot stir often and don't walk away from the pot. You don't need to nurse a pot of cooking pasta like risotto, but you should certainly stir every 2-3 minutes.

5. Most brands include cooking times depending on pasta shapes so it's important to time when you add your pasta to the boiling water. Al dente (or to the tooth) is the golden rule, but I know plenty of dyed-in-the-wool northern and southern Italians who go well beyond the al dente cooking time period, Nonno Scordo, for example, preferred rigatoni and penne at 1-3 minutes over al dente. Like finding your niche in the wine world, you should cook pasta to your taste, but please don't turn it into mush (just keep in mind there should be some give when chewing pasta). Finally don't add olive oil (or any oil for that matter) to your pot.

6. Add your drained pasta to your hot pan containing the condiment or sauce and never vice versa. Adding your pasta to the hot pan containing the sauce will allow you to cook through the pasta for an extra 30-90 seconds. You should also save some of the starchy pasta water just in case you're looking to change the consistency of your sauce. You don't always need to add pasta water to your sauce, as many FoodTV personalities do. Moreover, do not rinse your pasta after the cooking process (again because the pasta contains a coating of starch that allows your condiment to adhere to the pasta).

7. Finish your pasta with a bit of olive oil (I almost always add a bit of olive oil to my completed pasta dish). The oil gives your pasta dish an additional fresh oil component and just finishes the dish. You can add grated cheese to your pasta during the mixing of pasta and sauce in your pan and then again at the table. You can use Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Pa'dano (a great substitute for the more expensive Parmigiano-Reggiano) , or Pecorino Romano (note Pecorino Romano is not a substitute for Parmigiano-Reggiano)

8. Watch your portions. Most Italians have pasta as a starter for any given dinner or lunch and not as the main dish. A quarter pound of pasta for two people, for example, is deal.

History of Calabria

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By Vincent Scordo on March 5, 2010 | 5 Comments | 1 TrackBack

(photo: the picture is taken from Pellegrina looking down on the seacost <Mediterranean Sea> town of Bagnara Calabra.)

As many of you know, my parents (and extended family) were all born in the southern Italian province of Calabria (specifically in a tiny hilltop village called Pellegrina). The region of Calabria is comprised of mountains, multiple seas, farms, small and large towns, and even a few urban centers. The history of Calabria is tumultuous and is part of why the Italian region has been so underrepresented in the Italian storybook (afterall, you don't hear tourists talking about their trip to Reggio or their recent wine and food tasting tour of the Calabrian country side <this is changing, however, and the secret may be getting out!>).

(photo: the village of Pellegrina and associated villages.)

If you're interested in reading more about Calabria you can quickly read a history of Calabria via Michelle from Bleeding Espresso. Michelle also has a great book resource page where she highlights books about the Calabrian region (make sure to sort the books by "southern Italy").

In terms of an accessible cookbook on the food of Calabria, I really like Mary Palmer's Cucina di Calabria. Not only is Palmer's book full of easy recipes, there's also some great content on the history of Calabria, the story of immigration, and the beverages and wine of the region.

Portable Espresso Take Three: MyPressi Twist Review

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By Vincent Scordo on March 1, 2010 | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

(Photo: Espresso machine meets the Star Trek Enterprise)

I was a big fan of the Sci-Fi series Battlestar Galactica. Battlestar, as it was known to series insiders, was serious science fiction that was elegantly produced with big ideas, a great script, and blissful (almost film noir) type visuals. The central plot of Battlestar centered on man made machines called Cylons that evolved into sentient and free will-laden beings that ultimately destroy all of humanity (this is why we shouldn't train primates) except, of course, for a few interstellar space ships and it's human inhabitants (I forget how much of humanity was left, but I think it was under 500 and it didn't include Joan Rivers).

The very first iterations of the Cylon machines were robot-looking with lots of shiny stainless steel, curved surfaces, and proportions that weren't exactly right (kind of like an Audi TT). The Cylons evolved and eventually came to look like humans, but it's the first iteration of the Cylons that I immediately thought of when I layed eyes on the MyPressi Twist portable espresso machine by Espressi, Inc. No, I didn't think the MyPressi espresso machine was going to obliterate New Jersey and most of my Italian friends and family, but the large circular head and sleek curved handle somewhat mirrored the Cylons or better yet the StarTrek Generations version of the space ship Enterprise.

I can assure you after using the MyPressi Twist for a few weeks that the machine has only one major existential goal, namely, to produce world class espresso at home. And produce quality espresso the Twist surely does!

(photo: packaging is nice, but Handpresso had nicer packaging materials ala Apple)

Here are the produict details: The MyPressi Twist is comprised of aluminum (I'm making an assumption) and plastic components and weighs about 38 ounces (or a little over 1 kilogram). The unit measures in at less than 11 inches in length and is capable of producing 135 psi or 35 bars of pressure (this is important). The unit comes with a ton of accessories including a carrying case, tamper, drip catcher coaster, o-ring replacement kit, and baskets for both fine espresso and more coarse espresso used in a stovetop espresso unit like the Bialetti. The pressure is derived from N20 gas cartridges which are recyclable. One gas cartridge will produce 8 single or 4 double shots of espresso. The Twist handles freshly ground espresso or ESE pods and a typical extraction lasts about 25 seconds. The unit requires hot, boiling, water. The unit retails for $169.00 (you can find it for $149.00 at OpenSky and help support Scordo.com!) and comes with 5 N2O cartridges; you can purchase additional cartridges for $15.84 (24 pack).

(photo: all the parts!)

(photo: group head)

(photo: closeup of water chamber, where's the water line? took some time to find)

I used my Twist in a home environment with fresh boiling water produced via a Krups water kettle. I used both illy fine grind coffee and Lavazze Crema e Gusto Ground coffee, 8.8counce brick. I didn't use freshly ground coffee with the Twist because I don't think most users purchasing the unit will be grinding their own beans via a burr grinder (unlike say a coffee enthusiast purchasing the Rancilio Silvia). Twist espresso was sampled by 6 individuals (including yours truly, my Italian born father/mother/aunt/uncle, and US born cousin (all are avid espresso drinkers and have experience drinking coffee in Italy and the US <at cafes, via semi and full automatic machines at home, and standard Bialetti stovetop espresso>). Here are my wholly unscientific observations:

1. The Twist produces semi-automatic type espresso at home, meaning the coffee is similar to espresso brewed in units costing between 4X-8X more than the $169.00 Twist. And even with pre-ground coffee, the Twist produced a lovely crema head that hung to the side of the espresso cup. The espresso itself had complex notes of chocolate and almond. The espresso had a nice consistency and was very "clean" tasting but maybe a little "bright" as other reviewers pointed out. Twist espresso is no where near a ristretto type of espresso, even when pulling a single shot. The Twist easily produces a better cup of coffee than most mediocre semi and fully automatic home machines and in terms of coffee quality beats both the Handpresso Wild Domepod and Wild ESE.

(photo: required top water lid)

(photo: pulling a shot, took a couple of trials to learn the machine)

(photo: with my third pull I was finally producing good crema)

2. The Twist is a cumbersome and a bulky son-of-a-gun to use. The unit is comprised of a group head, handle, water container, water container top, basket, and diverter lid (which funnels the coffee into a one or two cups). It took me multiple times to learn how to assemble the unit and moreover align both the group head and diverter lid to the handle set (even with clear indicator marks visible). Moreover, filling the water container and thereafter the basket with coffee can get messy so it's best to do this over a large kitchen towel. Unscrewing all the components after use was also messy and I had to use a dish towel to unscrew the group head from the handle because some of the part stuck. Dumping the coffee grounds from the small basket required the use of a spoon to dig out the grinds. In terms of ease of use I'd opt for the Handpresso Domepod.

3. It's no secret the Twist produces great espresso because of the use of N20 cartridges, the cartridges produce the necessary pressure but there are two huge drawbacks to this system: 1. cartridges are expensive and yet another required accessory and 2. a single cartridge only lasts 3-4 (double) shots. A single shot was not enough coffee for an individual, in my view (and my guests agreed). A single shot is appropriate when drinking authentic ristretto or corto because of the richness of the end product, but in all other espresso drinking cases a long or double is the appropriate amount of coffee for a single person (or an almost full standard espresso cup).

(photo: you need N02 cartridges for the MyPressi)

4. The temperature of the espresso was not adequate. I used boiling water (seconds after coming to a boil) and also preheated my espresso cups with boiling water for several minutes and all my guests had the same reaction: the coffee is excellent but the coffee temperature is not correct or appropriate (this equivalent to making a wonderful tomato sauce and buying imported dry pasta from Italy only to bite into your first forkful of linguine and realize you undercooked the pasta and it's incredibly crunchy, it just ruins the whole experience).

5. The Twist uses a considerable amount of coffee. The standard basket uses 21 grams of ground espresso or almost 4.5 teaspoons of coffee for a double shot. The unit is designed for single coffee drinker so don't plan on using the Twist for a dinner party.

6. From an industrial design perspective, and like the Chemex drip coffee maker, the Twist is a nice piece of consumer gadgetry and design and all Sci-Fi analogies aside it looks nice and will easily impress your techie and art scene friends, if that's your goal in life.

Overall, the MyPressi Twist surprised me immensely as I didn't expect the unit to pull the quality shots it did and when compared to some semi-automatic home machines it's a steal in terms of price and size (there's no bulky machine sitting on your counter top, just slide it into your kitchen drawer).

However, only single cup espresso drinkers should purchase the Twist because it's really designed for single use and moreover requires additional components to work (namely, the purchase of N20 cartridges on a consistent basis which makes my frugal alter ego cringe).

If you're willing to sacrifice how your espresso tastes and want ease of use without the additional expensive of buying cartridges (including easy clean up) then opt for a Handpresso Wild Domepod for $88.95 (non ESE pod version). If you're the occasional, single dose, espresso drinker and value quality over an easier use experience go and get yourself a MyPressi Twist!

Here's the NY Times Magazine take on the MyPressi Twist.

Recipe: Uovo Rotto al Aqua con Cipolla e Prezzemolo or Poached Eggs with Onion and Parsley

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By Vincent Scordo on February 28, 2010 | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

(photo: poached eggs with parsley and onion)

My mother can pretty much make a fabulous meal out of anything she has laying around the house (her culinary skill set constantly amazes me). Here's a classic example: uovo rotto al aqua con cipolla e prezzemolo, literally translated from the Calabrian dialect, "egg broken over water with onion and parsley" or poached eggs with parsley and onion.

My mother's recipe is not technically a variant of poached eggs but rather a type of gently fried egg.

Let's start with what you'll need:

- 4 large eggs (buy good eggs as they're the king of the show)

- 2 tablespoon of olive oil

- 2 tablespoons of water

- 1 large onion finely diced

- Bunch of parsley fined diced

- 2 teaspoons of dried oregano

- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Start by sautéing the sliced onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil (add salt and pepper to taste). Once the onion has become softened and slightly caramelized add the chopped parsley and stir well. Next add the remaining olive oil and water and crack 4 eggs into your sauté pan (in separate parts of the pan). Sprinkle the eggs with the dried parsley and a bit more salt and freshly grounded pepper. Cover the sauté pan with a lid and gently cook for 5-10 minutes depending on how cooked you like your eggs (I prefer my egg yolk runny).

You can serve uovo rotto al aqua with some good wheat bread, cured green olives, and some simply prepared risotto, and an arugula salad with vinaigrette. Serve the eggs with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough in New Zealand.

Elegant and Sustainable Coffee: Chemex, Filter Drip, Coffee-Maker

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By Vincent Scordo on February 11, 2010 | 6 Comments | 2 TrackBacks

(photo: thanks to Dr. K, Chemex in action during brewing process)

I was flipping through the latest issue of the New Yorker and an article by Malcom Gladwell caught my eye, as it usually does whenever I see his name in the table of contents. Gladwell writes clearly and as deeply as a popularizer of big ideas can so I look forward to his articles (you'll never get all the details with writers like Pinker, Dennett, and Gladwell because they often write for a mass audience - this is just a small critique).

Gladwell's piece was on the drinking habits of two distinct people; the Cambra of Bolivia and the Italian-Americans of New Haven, CT (circa mid 1940's). The reference to the latter group caught my eye and I read intently as Gladwell points out that for both the Bolivians and Italian - Americans a great deal of alcohol is consumed on a day-to-day basis, but unlike many other ethnic groups, the propensity for alcoholism is low (versus the Irish - American class in New Haven, CT of the same generation, for example). Gladwell attributes the idea of "drinking responsibly" to cultural norms in the aforementioned groups that don't tell it's members: "drink and get loud or violent", "drink until you can't stand up", or "drink when you have a problem" as is the case for some college students, tailgating sports fans, or unhappy suburban dads.

(photo: thanks to Dr. K; close up of "bloom" during brewing process)

The New Yorker got me thinking about other positive habits that Italians and Italian-Americans take part in on a daily basis (I'm not talking about watching the Jersey Shore on MTV). And like having a daily glass of wine or aperitif, many Italians begin their day with coffee (usually in the form of a single espresso or a cappuccino <if you want to stand out as a tourist in Italy just order a cappuccino after 10:30 AM; it's not accepted for most natives>).

I witnessed the coffee ritual first hand growing up in NJ, as the first thing my parents did in the morning was reach for the Bialetti stovetop espresso maker. I should also say that the second thing they both did was kiss their kids (bad breath and all, sorry ma/papa'). For Italians in Europe the morning coffee ritual often takes place at the local bar (short for café) with customers ordering a short or single espresso and consuming it quickly (while standing) at the bar). The process is usually repeated again after lunch.

(photo: thanks to Dr. K; part of unit that collects coffee)

I've expressed my love for all types of coffee here on Scordo.com, including stovetop espresso, French press, handheld espresso, single cup Americano, etc. And all for good reason, I truly love coffee and I couldn't imagine not taking part in my twice a day coffee ritual (either a latte or Americano in the AM and a single shot espresso after lunch; caffeine after 2PM doesn't work for me). Recently, I've shared my love of coffee with Dr. K. from Philadelphia (Dr. K is married to my wife's college roommate and we've gotten to know each other over the last couple of months). And one recent discussion centered on how difficult it's been to find an easy to use, drip style, coffee maker for larger amounts of coffee (read more than a few cups). Being self described coffee aficionadas we shied away from plug in drip style machines (which are often expensive, yield bland brown liquid, and consume a ton of counter top space) and messy French press machines (which yield a good cup of coffee but often include sediment and are finicky with bean grind). Just as our quest for a simple drip style seemed futile, Dr. K. stumbled across the Chemex filter drip coffee maker from his favorite online shop Sweetmarias.com.

(photo: with the first pour of water using my trusty Krups electrical hot water kettle, a must have for any kitchen)

The Chemex is an elegant coffeemaker made out of glass and natural wood and has been produced for forty years (the product is made from International Housewares Corporation in Pittsfield, MA). The 10 cup model I used basically looked like an oversized science beaker (Chemex was started by a Chemist!) yet with a lot more style. The Chemex works with a proprietary bonded coffee filter (available in both natural, non dyed, brown and regular, bleached, white). The square shaped brown filters can be used in a compost and are relatively cheep ($7.50 for 100). At the heart of the Chemex is the aforementioned paper filter which according to the company is 20-30 percent heavier than standard filters. The Chemex filters brew coffee slower than most drip style machines but do not let any nasty sediment or paper taste come through. And brewing via a longer time period is something you want in a drip style machine, as the grinded coffee bean has more time to "sit with" the hot water and creative flavor.

The process for brewing a pot of Coffee is fairly straightforward with the Chemex unit. You start with hot water at 200 degrees F. and thereafter place the custom paper filter over the opening of the unit. Next, you place one tbsp of coffee per 5 oz cup (grind it fresh please, preferably with a burr grinder, but if you have a traditional blade grinder the Chemex filter is pretty forgiving) - you can add more or less to suit your taste. The trick with the Chemex coffee maker is to add just enough hot water (with the first pour) to allow the coffee to "bloom" or develop that nice crema (you'll see it when it happens). Thereafter, you keep on adding water and stop just before reaching the top (you'll need to do this several times if you wan to brew the full 10 cups). That's it for the process.

(photo: close up of glass and wood/leather handle)

Here are my quick observations on the Chemex unit and the coffee it produces:

- It's incredibly easy to use and clean up is quick (as you just throw away the filter with grinds and wash out the glass container and let dry).

- The coffee is very good and it does exhibit some nice complexity. The coffee flavor is, indeed, better than a standard drip style coffee maker, but I do find a French press or Aeropress cup of coffee to have more complexity and richer overall flavor. The coffee is incredibly "clean" with the Chemex; that is to say, there is no harshness or bitterness but it does lack a depth of flavor that I've found with other manual type machines. I may need to try adding more coffee grinds than the 5 oz per cup recommended by the company.

- The coffee does not remain hot for a long period of time after the brew period. As Dr. K recommends, it's best to have a large stainless carafe ready so you can move the contents of the Chemex to an insulated container as quickly as possible.

- From an industrial design perspective, The unit is well executed. The wood and leather used in the middle of the unit serves as a handle and from an ergonomic perspective is almost perfect (think of Oxo products without the plastic). The model I used was made with machined glass, but there are more expensive models made with hand blow glass.

- The unit is inexpensive and requires no electricity. The 10 cup (50 oz) model I tried retails for $37.50 at Sweetmarias.com

(photo: packaging has an Apple-like feel, very simple and elegant)

- Like any glass coffee maker you do need to be careful when washing / cleaning the unit. I have friends who have broken countless Bodum glass French press coffeemakers.

- The unit requires proprietary filters and is akin to a vehicle needing premium gasoline to run (yes, in some cases, an engine will yield more power or run more efficiently, but at a higher price point). The filters, as I said, are not expensive, but you need them in order for the unit to work the correct way (trust me, I tried using a regular paper coffee filter as a test)

- The unit is perfect for a large dinner party when you want to brew up a large batch of quality drip style coffee (just make sure you have an insulated carafe waiting and your guests will not be disappointed).

Pre-Dinner Cocktail: Introducing The Scordoni

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By Vincent Scordo on February 9, 2010 | 3 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

(photo: Scordoni awaits grapefruit juice and a quick stir)

I didn't always like Campari; in fact, I thought the liquor was bitter, fowl, and just unappetizing. I remember ordering a Negroni (made with gin, sweet/red vermouth, Campari, and bitters) at a fancy New York restaurant and thinking this drink is strong, but it's really not doing much for me on the flavor / experience side of things.

Fast forward a couple of years to present day and I love most Italian amari and/or digestivos. The "loving" part came about slowly and I still prefer to mix a liquor like Campari with other ingredients to create the perfect cocktail. One recent cocktail experiment yielded what I believe is the definitive pre-dinner drink or apéritif; namely, the "Scordoni"

(photo: Scordoni ingredient from left to right: red vermouth, Campari, St. Germain, and unsweetened white grapefruit juice)

Here's what you'll need to create the Scordoni:

- 1 tumbler glass filled with 5-6 ice cubes (or about half way up the glass)

- 1 ounce of Campari

- 1 ounce of red vermouth (Martini and Rossi is fine)

- 1 ounce of St. Germaine (a French liquor made from elderflower blossoms)

- 2-3 counces of unsweetened white grapefruit juice

(photo: the ingredients and tumbler glass chilling)

Add the ingredients to your glass and stir well; you can add a twist of lemon, if you'd like. I like to serve the Scordoni as an apéritif (you can whip up a pitcher and serve it before a large dinner party; I guarantee it will stimulate everyone's appetite!). The cocktail is also very refreshing and especially tasty during the summer months.

(photo: mixed Scordoni)

(photo: mixed Scordoni in tumbler glass)

Tarallini: The Perfect Italian Snack Food

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By Vincent Scordo on February 8, 2010 | 4 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

(photo: tarallini made with red pepper flake)

I'm going to ask the inevitable question; how many bags of chips did you consume this weekend? And did you include some dips like sour cream and chives or salsa to go with the multiple bowls of corn and potato chips? Well, I'm not going to scold you because it was Super Bowl weekend and what better to go with a cold beer than some salty chips (my favorite beer/chip combo is Brooklyn Lager with Cape Cod Chips; don't tell any of my foodie buddies!). Oh, burgers go great with beer as well; here's my recipe!

When I'm not consuming chips and beer, however, my favorite all time snack food are taralli (sometime called tarallini or Italian pretzels). Tarallini are very popular in Southern Italy and go well with wine. Tarallini are formed into tiny rings and baked and have a crunchy texture and the better varities are made with wine, olive oil, and any number of fresh spices (including red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, and black pepper).

Like buying a good quality extra virgin olive oil, the selection process for finding a good quality Taralli can be hit or miss (unfortunately, this is the case for many Italian specialty products). Most Italian specialty shops carry a local product, probably made from a near by bakery (this is the case in my area) or have the bread snacks imported from Italy. Most of the Taralli that I've tried in the NYC/NJ area have been poor representations of the original product that I first tasted in Calabria. Taralli should have a crunchy and flavorful consistency and the olive oil and wine components should be nicely pronounced. Moreover, the bread flavor shouldn't be stale or flat. When Taralli are made with a particular spice, such as fennel seed, then the spice should be baked throughout the taralli and really stand out as the main flavor component.

(photo: Aroma Antico tarallini and aroma stix <or bread sticks> made with red pepper flake, sesame seed, and fennel seed)

Recently, I had the chance to sample some taralli made by a Lynbrook, NY company called Aroma Antico (translated as "traditional flavor"). Aroma Antico makes a wide range of products, but their bite size, and flavored, tarallini (branded as Rallini) stand out as one of the better Italian bread snacks I've tried in the US (and believe me my mother kept a well stocked Italian pantry!).

Aroma Antico's Rallini are made without preservatives, artificial flavorings, and GMOs. Aroma Antico also uses real extra virgin olive oil, NY Finger Lakes region white wine, and unbleached Dakota wheat flour to make their product. The spices used in the Rallini are also top notch and include red pepper flake, black pepper, garlic, and fennel seed.

(photo: tarallini made with black pepper)

I sampled all four of the spiced Rallini and each tarallini had the spice baked all the way through the product and the flavor component was huge. The red pepper flake Rallini was nice and spicy and you could see how the olive oil and red pepper flake baked into the product when examining the Rallini closely. The black pepper variety had a pronounced flavor and was quite good, but my favorite, slightly ahead of the red pepper flake flavor, was fennel seed. Like the Columbus' Artisan Finocchiona salami), the Rallini fennel tarallini had great fennel seed flavor and were nutty, vibrant, and slightly tart. I went through a bowl of the Fennel Rallini within minutes; they were that good.

On a separate occasion I had my parents over for a quick taste and we consumed the remaining Aroma Antico Rallini with some cacciatore, extra sharp provolone, and a bottle of Morellino di Scansano. My father enjoyed the fennel variety while my mother was impressed with both the garlic and red pepper flake flavors. We also sampled the Rallini without meat or cheese. Rallini are especially good as a sort of wine cracker.

(photo: aroma stix made with extra virgin olive and tons of sesame seeds)

Aroma Antico also produces Aroma Stix, Pastelle - tea cookies, and Friselle. Without sounding overtly bias, I didn't try a product that I didn't think was well made and incredibly authentic (in relation to the same varieties made in Italy). The sesame seed Aroma Stix were particularly good (and full of sesame seeds!) and both my mother and wife enjoyed the tea cookies (and commented how "home made" the product tasted).

You can order Aroma Antico products via their web site or via Amazon in 6 pack bundles (at a great $16.00 price).

Italian Dried Pasta Taste Test and Rustichella d'Abruzzo Contest

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By Vincent Scordo on February 2, 2010 | 14 Comments | 3 TrackBacks

(photo: incorporating olive oil, garlic, and parsley with spaghettini)

Update: Congrats to Susan for winning the contest. The giveaway is closed.

Back in September of 2009, in my overview of dried pasta entry, I made the claim that dry pasta is NOT inferior to freshly made pasta (this is the type of pasta which I often make at home with my classic, hand cranked, Imperia pasta machine). Don't get me wrong, I love homemade pasta, especially ravioli, but I don't exactly look forward to the work effort involved to make it at home. There's the making of the dough, the flattening of the dough into sheets, cutting the pasta, and finally flowering and air drying the product. The process is messy and unless you make large quantities it's tough to justify making pasta at home on a consistent basis (this is just one home cook's opinion, of course).

Enter the revolutionary idea of dry pasta. OK, maybe the idea of pre-packaged pasta isn't revolutionary but it's one of those food products that actually makes sense to acquire in an already completed fashion (read: not making it at home from scratch).

Dry pasta has it's origin in 8th century southern Italy; specifically, in Palermo, Sicilia. The most accepted theory of pasta being introduced in Italy is not via Marco Polo and China, but rather in Sicilia via one of the many Arab conquests of the 700's (this was a time period when the Middle East, part of North Africa, and the Iberian Peninsula all came under Arab rule). Moreover, as the web site LifeinItaly.com states:

Like so much of southern Italian life, the Arab invasions of the 8th century heavily influenced the regional cuisine and is the most accepted theory for the introduction of pasta. The dried noodle-like product they introduced to Sicily is most likely the origins of dried pasta and was being produced in great quantities in Palermo at this time. The modern word "macaroni" derives from the Sicilian term for making dough forcefully, as early pasta making was often a laborious daylong process. How it was served is not truly known but many Sicilian pasta recipes still include other Arab gastronomic introductions such as raisins and spices like cinnamon. This early pasta was an ideal staple for Sicily and it easily spread to the mainland since durum wheat thrives in Italy's climate. Italy is still a major producer of this hard wheat, used to make the all-important semolina flour.

By the 1300's dried pasta was very popular for its nutrition and long shelf life, making it ideal for long ship voyages. Pasta made it around the globe during the voyages of discovery a century later. By that time different shapes of pasta have appeared and new technology made pasta easier to make. With these innovations pasta truly became a part of Italian life.

(photo: Rustichella pasta line up)

Fast-forward 700 years or so and there are an abundance of dry pastas on the market in both the US and in Italy/Europe. The very best dry pastas are manufactured in Italy and are made with locally grown Durham wheat. The hard Durham wheat is what yields semolina flour, which is used in all types of quality dry pastas. In the US, the most common pasta brands are Ronzoni, Barilla, Colavita, De Cecco, etc. Of the brands found in the typical US supermarket, De Cecco, in my view, is the best choice. You can see De Cecco's quality via it's color and firmness out of the package and once you cook up a batch of linguine fine, for example, you can taste the quality in the semolina flour used.

One readily available "luxury" pasta found at most Italian specialty shops (as well as Whole Foods) is a brand called, Rustichella d'Abruzzo. Rustichella sits along side other premium pasta brands such as Martelli, Latini, Benedetto, and Setaro. The premium pasta brands command prices as high as $8.80 for 18 ounces (Bendetto), for example. Rusticella pasta commands a price of about $6.60 per 18 ounces (a little over a full pound) and is priced in the middle of the luxury pasta segment.

I, along with various relatives from Calabria and Sicilia, had the pleasure of tasting 10 distinct Rustichella d'Abruzzo pastas, including Bucatini, Trofie, Cencioni, Paccheri, Linguine, Spaghettini, Penne, Rigatoncini, Trenne, and Farafalloni. All of the Rustichella products are handmade and use Italian Durham wheat and spring water. And according to Rustichella bronze moulds are used during the extraction process yielding a pasta with a course exterior texture (the logic here is that the condiment or sauce can better adhere to the pasta). Another product differentiator according to Rustichella is that their "drying process is slow and takes place at a low temperature (up to 50 hours and at temperatures of around 35 degrees) which is the opposite to the industrial process, mass produced pastas, of 4/5 hours at 90 degrees."

(photo: getting ready to chop garlic and parsley)

(photo: raw garlic)

(photo: parsley ready to chop)

(photo: slowly frying some sliced garlic and red pepper flakes with extra virgin olive oil)

The first pasta I tried was spaghettini with a simple alio e olio sauce (olive oil, garlic, and parsley). I choose a simple sauce because I wanted the pasta to be the star and the Rustichella spaghettini didn't disappoint. Unlike mass produced pasta brands, the Rustichella spaghettini had a wonderful texture and had none of the "cardboard-like" taste found in brands like Ronzoni. The spaghettini also had some wonderful nutty and malty flavor components, especially when sampling it without the sauce or condiment. When I did mix the alio e olio with the spaghettini the pasta quickly absorbed the extra virgin olive oil and the tiny bits of parsley, garlic, and red pepper flakes hung closely to the pasta. The idea of the sauce "sticking" or melding with pasta is a key concept and I look for this trait in any pasta. A high quality pasta should also allow for the sauce to integrate into the overall texture of the product (think of those nasty cream cheese and celery appetizers you may have consumed at cocktail parties; the celery, however unfortunate, is a vessel for cream cheese, just like a good pasta, fortunately, is a vessel for the sauce or condiment).

(photo: adding salt to pasta water at the boil)

(photo: measuring pasta)

(photo: drain pasta and save some of the starchy water for the condiment)

Next, I sampled the Paccheri (smaller, and plain, rigatoni - no ridges) with a tomato sauce and again the pasta shined. I was looking for the tomato sauce to slide off the pasta or for a little more blandness because of the larger size of the Paccheri, but the flavor was tremendous (kind of like a clean and crisp Sauvignon Blanc).

My extended family sampled the rest of the Rustichella pastas and all but a few of the pasta critics enjoyed the high quality and texture of the product. Some of the more critical comments from family members centered on price point and similarity to De Cecco pasta. More specifically, one Uncle couldn't justify price versus flavor (he was hinting at value and while he thought the product was of high quality he had concerns about why it was priced 2-3x that of other, typical, Italian brands like De Cecco).

(photo: do you think he will grow to like pasta?)

Pasta Content Giveaway!

As with any food experience the ultimate judgment comes by way of the consumer of the product and his or her relation to other, similar, products they've sampled. So, Scordo.com has teamed up with Rustichella d'Abruzzo to offer one lucky Scordo.com reader a pasta sampler gift package consisting of 1 package each (4 total) of the following pastas: Linguine, Spaghettini ,Penne, and Paccheri. I'm looking for you, the "end pasta user", to be the ultimate critic! Here are the details on the pasta package giveaway contest:

(photo: end product!)

- What you need to do to enter: 1. leave a comment under this post on a favorite pasta brand and shape (no, it doesn't need to be Rustichella!) and 2. sign up as a fan of Scordo.com on Facebook here or Scordo.com newsletter, it doesn't need to be both). If you've done both already, then I'll ask you if you can please re-tweet the article on Twitter and include the article URL: http://bit.ly/ceTiVa and @scordo in your tweet)

- Only one entry per person please.

- The contest is open until 12 midnight on 2/6 and a single random user will be picked via Random.org. The winner will be announced immediately on Twitter (so please follow me) and on Scordo.com by 5PM on Monday, 2/8.

- Please use a valid email address when leaving a comment so I can contact you just in case you're the lucky winner (I'll need your shipping address).

- Manicaretti Italian Food Imports will send out the pasta package to the single contest winner during the week of 2/8.

That's it, so please sign up for a chance to win a sampler package of, quite possibly, one of the best food products on the planet (i.e., pasta)! If you can't wait to sample Rustichella pasta you can buy it online here!

Also, be sure to search Scordo.com for a ton of pasta recipes!

Crocchette di Patate Calabrese

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By Vincent Scordo on January 30, 2010 | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

(perfectly fried crocchette and ready to consume)

Don't tell my wife but I had a secret lover on my wedding day. That's right, in addition to my beautiful wife I secretly adored the Crocchette di patate that were being served at our party! The potato croquettes were made with a mashed potato filling, stuffed with cubes of fresh mozzarella, and breaded with fresh breadcrumbs, dried oregano, and finely chopped parsley. Thereafter, the croquettes were deep fried and served piping hot. The restaurant where we held our wedding reception served the crocchette as a side to the main course, but I would have had 6-7 of the delicate croquettes with a few glasses of Ciro as my main meal.

While I adored the crocchette made for our wedding, I always prefer making the real deal at home (even if it does include frying and messing up the kitchen; I'm with Jacque Pepin here, the only thing I hate about cooking is the cleanup!). The following is my crocchette di patate recipe. Serve the crocchette as an appetizer with a few cocktails or as a side with wild salmon of dry aged sirloin. Let's start with the ingredients:

- 2lbs of Idaho Potatoes (you'll be baking these as the process nicely eliminates the moisture in the potatoes and makes for a better frying experience)

- 1 bunch of parlsey

- 1 cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

- 2 eggs

- Salt and pepper to taste

- 2-3 cloves of garlic (crushed and minced finely)

- 2-3 tablespoons of fresh breadcrumbs

(photo: notice the crunchy exterior without using too much breadcrumb; the potato should be king here and not the breadcrumb)

(photo: three generation of crocchette makers: from left to right, my mother, great grandmother, and grandmother. the photo was taken on Via Nazionale in the early 1960's)

Bake the potatoes at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Next, scoop out the interior of the potatoes and mash them with a potato masher (don't use an electric mixer as you'll develop too much gluten in the potatoes). Move the mashed potatoes into a bowl and add Parmigiano-Reggiano, eggs, 1 tablespoon homemade breadcrumbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix the ingredients and scoop approximately 1 tablespoon of the mixture into your hand and shape the potatoes into an oblong shape (similar to the photo above); you can add some cubed Mozzarella at this point, if you'd like). Finally, role the individual croquettes in the remaining breadcrumb (very lightly) and fry your croquettes in your preferred oil (I use canola). You can season the remaining breadcrumbs with a bit of salt, pepper, and dried oregano prior to rolling your crocchette. You can also use a deep fryer to cook the crocchette, but I simply fill a large sautee pan with about an inch of olive oil (just enough to cover the crocchette). Fry the croquettes until golden and serve hot!

Why Italians Love to Talk About Food Book Giveaway and Interview

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By Vincent Scordo on January 25, 2010 | 21 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

(photo: couch's whiting or blue whiting with red onion, peppers, and tomatoes)

(UPDATE 1/31/09: Contest is closed. The winner is Evan Lucas! Thanks to everyone for participating.)

In Elena Kostioukovitch's preface from the book, "Why Italians Love to Talk About Food" Elena asks, "And why is that you identify particular historic moments with references to food?" The "you" Elena is referencing are the intelligentsia of the Italian landscape (i..e, scholars, journalists, historians, political figures, etc.) but she might as well be talking about the seamstress from Naples or the fisherman from Calabria. You see, for most Italians, food is the identifier of moments (hence the phrase, "Parla come mangi" or Speak the Language of Your Food); it bonds Italians, allows them to experience pleasure, and defines what it means to lead a good life. In America, we consume material or money, while in Italy its inhabitants eat wonderful foods to "live well and soundly" (and it's the most basic and pure form of consumption).

(photo: is that drying pasta or makeshift window curtains?)

(photo: the long process of harvesting saffron)

I have to confess, I was fascinated with Kostioukovitch's book well before I sat to read through the 450 pages. My fascination wasn't, of course, centered on how a people could disregard economic or material status for the sake of food, but, rather, why anyone would want to chase the good life in any other manner beyond eating well. You see, I learned early only to associate both important events in my life, as well as the mundane, with wonderful food. For example, I associate my first trip as a boy to Italy with the taste of cold pressed extra virgin olive oil from Nonno Latella's small olive orchard outside of Bagnara Calabra. The olive oil was different from the corn oil my Italian family consumed in the States (we couldn't afford olive oil in those days) and I quickly identified our trip to Calabria with the green nectar from many years to come. And it wasn't just olive oil that formed strong references to key events in my life. I still associate, vividly, the smell of frying dough with Christmas Eve (zeppola), boiling pasta water with Sunday mornings (linguine with a rabbit ragu), sun dried tomatoes , provolone cheese, and salami to my parent's Saturday evening dinner parties, and strong stove top espresso with my mother's breath.

Kostioukovitch does a great job of documenting the same sort of food associations I mention above in her 19 chapters on Italian regions, history, and folklore. I was particularly interested in her chapter on Calabria and it didn't disappoint. Here are some interesting food and cultural tidbits on the southern Italian province of Calabria from Kostioukovitch:

(photo: I'll take the zucchini blossoms!)

1. In some parts of Calabria, "farmers still read omens from a pig's entrails when it is taken to slaughter, as the Etruscan haruspices did." I remember when Nonno Latella used to slaughter a given pig from his stock (about every 2 years or so) and the ritual was very solemn (he didn't do much reading or perform any rituals; rather he was focused on slaughtering the pig).

2. Calabrian women danced and shouted incantation to drive away evil spirits while kneading dough. Both my Calabrian born grandparents kneaded plenty of dough and I don't remember them shouting, unless of course I came into the kitchen with dirty hands. However, I do remember Nonna Scordo telling me I had very poor hip movement when I kneaded (she said I had no rhythm or style and she was right).

(photo: grilled seafood in Veneto)

3. The sign of the cross is traced on loafs of bread before they enter the oven. I'll have to ask Zia Giovanna if she performs this ritual in her bakery each morning. My hunch is that she may on occasion trace a few crosses, given her belief that one can make major life decisions by placing a single drop of extra virgin olive oil in a bowl of water and then asking the oil to move in a certain manner (when she did this for me as a small child I thought we were playing the Oiju board game; I was slapped quickly and told to sit still).

4. Calabria was part of Magna Craecia (or "Greater Greece" from the eight century B.C. until the third century. The Romans arrived in Calabria 500 years after the Greeks and loved the local wines! After the Roman empire fell, "Calabria was ruled by the Germans, the Goths, the Lombards, the Byzantines, the Normans, the Franks, the Swabians, the Saracens, the Spanish, and the French." The 'ndrangheta (Calabrian mafia) begin flexing it's muscle from 1850 onwards and some say they've never loosened their vice grip on the region (a sad fact for the people of Calabria).

5. Cistercians monasteries dominated much of Calabria and their traditions continue to this day, such as practicing an ascetic way of life and deep reliance on agriculture.

6. An annual swordfish sagra (festival) is held on the first Sunday in July in Bagnara Calabra. The sagra features wonderful food and is best known for the blessing of the ontre or traditional fishing boats used to spear swordfish. The is one cool event and it takes place only 10 minutes outside of Pellegrina (Pellegrina has it's own sagra focused on wheat)

7. Calabrians are famous for the diversity of their eggplant crop as well as reliance on fava beans, broad beans, and white beans. Many fish are consumed from the Tyrrhenian and Ionia seas including swordfish, tuna, sardines, and herring. See my article on 10 Ways to Cook Like An Italian here.

(photo: boar head next to boar salami?)

Contest / Book Give Away

In order to spread the concept of leading the good life via food (or at least talking about it!) the folks over at Farrar, Straus, and Giroux hava agreed to send a free copy of Why Italians Love to Talk About Food to one lucky Scordo.com reader ! Here's how you can enter the Why Italians Love to Talk About Food book giveaway contest:

- Prize Giveaway includes one (1) copy of Why Italians Love to Talk About Food.

- What you need to do to enter: 1. leave a comment under this post on a favorite food memory (from any region of the world) and how you indentify it to a major life moment or event (or even an important person or relative) and 2.sign up for the Scordo.com What's New Newsletter here (if you're already a newsletter subsriber than you'll need to sign up as a fan of Scordo.com on Facebook here).

- Only one entry per person please.

- The contest is open until 12 midnight on 1/30 and a single random user will be picked via Random.org (sorry contest only open to folks from the US given shipping logistics). The winner will be announced immediately on Twitter (so please follow me) and on Scordo.com by 5PM on Monday, 2/1.

(photo: book cover)

- Please use a valid email address when leaving a comment so I can contact you just in case you're the lucky winner (I'll need your shipping address).

- Farrar, Straus, and Giroux will send out the book to the single contest winner during the week of 2/1.

Finally, Elena was nice enough to answer a few of my questions on Italians and food. You can find the full interview below and also purchase the book via Amazon:

1. How did you first get interested in the relationship a typical Italian has with his or her food?

It was soon after I began my formal study of Italian language and culture in the University of Moscow. Suddenly I realized that there's a multitude of topics, either abstract or practical, which are closely linked to a food themes of in the mind of Italian people (and of people of Italian origins of course). An Italian says about his or her mother that 'she's as gentle as a bread', about a friend: 'we're like mac and cheese' ('cacio con i maccheroni'), and about a nasty person: 'his pumpkin (head) obviously lacks salt (brains)'. So the more I've been reading Italian journalism, poetry, novels, even philosophy and academic books, the more obvious it was: in order to understand Italy and Italians, one definitely should familiarize herself with secrets of their culinary code.

2. What surprised you the most about how Italian interact and relate to food?

I just love their comprehensive approach to food! A dish can't be 'delicious' or 'bad' per se, it's to be evaluated in context of the entire feast menu. To really enjoy spaghettis, one should take into account a dish that was served before it (antipasto), what was a main dish, and what followed (a dessert). Such an approach suppose that a customer is not only able to evaluate a palatability of every single dish, but also understands what sequence/combination of dishes might be considered prefect, good, adequate, bad, or disastrous. I should affirm that literally every adult Italian has got - subconsciously in the majority of cases - this culinary culture, that he or she has adopted from the very childhood, both in family and in social institutions (kindergarten, school, college etc.)

Yet to say that Italian teenagers today - and especially in big cities - gradually absorb an American-style eating traditions: hamburgers, French fries, hotdogs, Coca-Cola. It is possible that in a decade or two Italian culinary rituals and traditions will sink into degradation and will be swept away by a globalization.

3. Americans get a bum wrap for their relationship with food (not to mention the typical American diet); are things changing in the US? Will we ever see regional cooking make a comeback in the US?

Well, you tell me! I strongly hope that there's a possibility for that in the US, but let your readers express their own judgments. I will enjoy reading them. (Scordo comments: well, what do you think of Elena's question, will American ever be food obsessed in the way Italians live and eat?)

4. Your book is not a typical cookbook; was it difficult to talk about food with no references to recipes?

The main subject of my book is not a food in itself, but what Italians SAY about it. To a certain degree, my book is a systematized collection of testimonies of Italians who cook, sell, describe, picture, enjoy and eat Italian food. To put it the other way, my book's main focus is not on recipes, but on existing general concepts and their roots.

5. Is there a particular regional, Italian, cuisine that you like best?

My favorite regional Italian cuisine is definitely that of beautiful Toscana (Tuscany). Its food is full of energy and dynamism essential for Tuscan character. I adore the taste and look of fresh Tuscan products: vegetables, bread, fish, meat, and not to forget about its inimitable wine. I would highly recommend a freshly-made fiorentina beef stake (only a couple of minutes on grill), a cazzimperio salad made of fresh vegetables and special seasoning (vinegar, olive oil, local spices). Tuscan bread is in the base of the world-known bruschettes. As for a local fish courses, made of Tuscan fish, so rich in flavor, my favorite is a delicious cacciucco soup, which according to a local tradition should be prepared of at least five different kinds of fish (as many as Cs in its name, cacciucco), though the more the better.

6. Of the southern regions of Italy, is there a dish or food philosophy that you enjoyed researching or were surprised by?

As almost every newcomer, I was amazed by a practice of meridionale (southerners) to eat a wet uncooked fish or seafood just from the net, seasoning it only with salt and lemon juice and washing it down with chilled white local wine. This viand turned to be just as tasty, nutritious and delightful as French oysters accompanied by Chablis wine or Japanese fugu sushi with Japanese beer; the only difference is that the last two are world-famous luxury food, while only few connoisseurs outside Italy know the divine taste of a freshly caught octopus, sea urchin and frutti del mare accompanied by chilled Fiano wine (brought to Apulia by Angevins some 800 years ago). To tell you all the truth, I believe that one should try these delicacies only in Italy, combining a joy of gourmet with other esthetic pleasures Apulia with its magnificent seashore and plenty of old Norman castles offers.

Arancini di Riso Recipe

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By Vincent Scordo on January 21, 2010 | 5 Comments | 1 TrackBack

(thanks to mondo del gusto for the photo)

One of my favorite dishes at a local trattoria in New Jersey is an appetizer consisting of potato croquets, mozzarella in Carrozza (mozzarella sticks), calzoncini (friend pockets of dough), and arancini (rice balls). All of the items in the dish, officially called frittura Napoletana, are expertly fried and generally well executed. However, it's the arancini that stand out and remind me of the fried treats I consumed on the Violet coast (in Bagnara Calabra) as a child (usually from street vendors or small pizzerias) during my summer vacations.

Arancini are traditionally prepared with Arborio rice, tomato sauce with ground beef or pork, peas, and mozzarella (or another local cheese that melts well), coated with an egg wash, breaded, and finally deep fried until golden and the cheese is melted. The arancini of my youth were especially delicious after a day spent swimming in the Mediterranean with my cousins Vice, Maria, and Giuseppe. And while the grown ups scolded us for consuming "vile", and fried, street food I wondered how they could compare melted cheese and creamy Arborio rice to the swordfish and roasted goat dishes they would later have for dinner (I later learned to love both swordfish and goat, of course!).

(thanks to stefaniav for the photo)

My mother Annunziata continues the fried rice ball tradition in her New Jersey kitchen, though it's become a once a year thing as the work to prepare arancini becomes more daunting with age (don't tell my mother I said that). Annunziata's State-side arancini do not differ widely from the Italian variant in both size and flavor (a rare happening when trying to replicate Italian dishes in the US) as she uses good ingredients, is meticulous about preparation, and most importantly, is an expert fryer.

Here's Annunziata's rice ball or arancini recipe (call them Calabrian or Sicilian in origin - it doesn't really matter once you take your first bite):

Ingredients:

- 2 cups of plain arborio based risotto (there's no substitute for arborio rice)

- 3 cups tomato sauce with ground beef or pork

- 1 cup of peas

- 2 ounces of cubed mozzarella

- 1 ½ cups of plain breadcrumbs

- 2 large eggs

- salt, pepper, oregano to taste

- ½ cup of finely chopped parsley

- vegetable oil for frying

(thanks to yosoynuts for the photo)

Process:

- Make plain risotto and proceed to scoop out a healthy amount into the palm of our hand (you're looking for baseball size arancini; note they don't need to be perfect spheres, in fact, I'm used to seeing arancini with a more oblong shape versus something perfectly round). Make sure to wet your hands with some fresh water prior to handling the rice (this will prevent the rice from sticking)

- Make an indentation in the middle of the rice and proceed to fill the ball with a little tomato sauce, 3-4 cubes of mozzarella, and peas

- Next, close the rice around the filling and seal the ball by shaping the rice into a ball.

- Beat a few eggs and season them with a bit of salt and pepper. Next dip the rice ball into the egg mixture and then in a bit of flour. Thereafter, dip the ball back into the egg mixture and then into fine breadcrumbs (buy fresh breadcrumbs from a local shop that are not seasoned; you can season your own breadcrumbs with salt, pepper, oregano, and finely chopped parsley).

- Begin heating your vegetable oil in a large pot (no need to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil as Mario Batali used to do on his FoodTV cooking show, as it's a royal waste of money). The ideal frying temperature is between 350 and 375 degrees. You can invest in a thermometer like this, but after several frying sessions you'll get a sense of when your oil is ready.

- Gently place the balls in the hot oil and fry for about 4 to 4.5 minutes (depending on the size of the ball itself). You're looking for a golden exterior appearance but ultimately you want the mozzarella to melt well and achieve "gooey" consistency; I've had very bad rice balls in the US that appear golden and perfectly cooked only to have barely melted cheese in the ball center)

Enjoy the rice balls right out of the fryer (you need to consume this product right away). You can reheat rice balls but they often become dry.

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