TWO OF THE MOST DELICIOUS SNACKS IN ITALY

 
SFOGLIATELLE

Sfogliatelle  at Pantaleone        Photo Credit: Pasticceria Pantaleone

 

 

 

I love to take credit for sharing some special place, undiscovered by tourists, that I’ve stumbled upon while lost in some Italian village, but this one goes out to my husband. While on vacation years ago in Napoli, my husband, Joe said to me, “Tomorrow I am going to take you to eat the best sfogliatelle of your life...In Salerno”. In a town such as Napoli, loaded with pastry shops, I was thinking, “Really? It’s not IN Napoli?” I doubted he could fulfill his promise and joked that he was a savory chef and didn’t know what the hell he was talking about.  He proved me wrong.

For anyone who isn't familiar with this delicious confection, sfogliatelle is a crispy clam shell shaped sweet, consisting of layers of super thin dough filled with sweet semolina and ricotta. It is one of the most difficult Italian pastries to excel at, (and one of the most time consuming!), which originated on the Amalfi Coast.  In the early 1700's, at the Santa Rosa Convent in the town of Conca dei Marini, a nun created the pastry to resemble a monk's hood. Sfogliatelle spread later outside of the convent to the public, and became popular in other southern Italian cities, especially Naples, and today is a signature sweet of the south,  and the Pantaleone family in Salerno has perfected the recipe.

Like Napoli, Salerno can be a little rough around the edges, until you peel off its layers.  Situated at the foothills of the Amalfi Coast, on the Gulf of Salerno, the city’s beautiful baroque architechture battles with random graffiti, strewn across the faces of its ancient buildings.  Salerno is full of personality.  Shops selling flashy Italian clothes and glittery shoes, clanging church bells competing with the sound of vespas speeding past, and sudden pop-up religious processions which include statues of saints and live bands. Just loud and unpredictable in general. It was my first visit to the city that year, and at that point I realized, this HAS to be where the most delicious sfogliatelle in the world live!  Food reflects the personality of its birthplace. Whether it’s from the hands of the chef or the place the dish originated. 

 

                                         Pasticceria Pantaleone, Salerno 

 

Joe led me through the winding streets until we came upon the main corso and could smell Pantaleone pastry shop was nearby.  The sfogliatelle were still warm when the man behind the counter handed them to us, definitely the best way to enjoy them. So why is this particular pastry worth the ride and so friggin’ amazing? Hang on to your seats vegans… LARD. The dough is coated with lard and filled with a semolina and ricotta filling, along with bits of candied citrus from local groves that grow on the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, just a short hike away.  The result is a smoky-sweet, bacon scented pastry.  It’s not what you are expecting and it is this amazing “in your face” bold taste, just like the energy of Salerno itself.  (Also a great way to satisfy the craving for a savory breakfast travelling abroad, hard to come by.)

 

                               Backdoor with the bakers of Pantaleone

Each year we return to Salerno, and a few years ago, we rented an apartment which was directly next to the pastry kitchen of Pantaleone. What luck! I had no idea the apartment was near their kitchen before we arrived, as they don’t bake on the same property as their shop location, but just around the corner. Unable to resist, I snooped over to their back door one early morning as the guys were loading up the trucks with warm pastries for delivery, and I explained my love affair with their sfogliatelle. Then next thing I knew I was in their kitchen getting a private tour and tasting everything! It's moments like this, when the Italians recognize someone's passion for something, and then open their world to you even more, that make me love this country so much. 

    

Pantaleone is located at Via dei Mercanti, 75, Salerno, Italy

Opened in 1868, they are masters of Italian desserts. 

 

 

 

 

 

CARCIOFI ALLA GIUDIA

 

An ancient specialty of the Roman Jewish ghetto, fried artichokes are a must in spring! 

 

 

Deep purple artichokes add an extra punch of color to the outdoor markets all over Rome in March and April, but their season is a short one, so take advantage. While carciofi alla giudia are a spring staple in Rome, you rarely see them on a menu in America or hear of anyone in the neighborhood making them at home. Bring an ancient tradition to yourtable .  Grab a box cutter and get to cooking.  You'll thank me after your first bite.

 

 

  Ingredients:  

  4 Roman artichokes (purple)

  6 cups of extra virgin olive oil (for frying)

  Juice of 1 lemon  

  salt & pepper
             

Fill a medium size bowl with water and squeeze the lemon juice into the water.  (Leave lemons halves to float in the bowl of water.) Start by cleaning the artichokes. Eliminate the tough outer leaves until you get to softer internal ones, (the purple part), using a box cutter or sturdy paring knife. Be careful not to nick the leaf below, proceeding gradually towards the inside. Cut away the outer leaves until the artichoke resembles the shape of a rose. 

At this point, throw away the outer parts and more leathery part of the stem.

Immerse the artichokes in a bowl of water with the juice of 1 lemon, for at least 10 minutes. Remove them from the water, drain, dry, and beat them against one another to ensure that the leaves start to open. Heat oil to 300F immerse the artichokes in the hot oil and cook for 10-15 minutes.  To check if they are ready, pierce the base  of the artichoke with a fork.  If the fork will penetrate in the artichoke, you can remove it from the oil. Drain on paper towels upside down for 20 minutes, and with a fork, open the leaves from the inside creating the look of a flower so that they adopt the characteristic shape of a rose in bloom.

At this point, sprinkle the inside of the artichokes with salt and plenty of black pepper, and let them rest for a few more minutes. Sprinkle them with water (or white wine) and dip them back in the oil, raising the temperature slightly but being careful not to burn them. Remove them after about 1 minute and put them to dry on a paper towel. Serve piping hot!

TIP: You may fry in vegetable oil, but frying the artichokes in extra virgin olive is better for digestion and adds crunch.  

 

 

 

 

Try the best sfogliatelle and Roman artichokes

in the world with us! 

 

 Visit www.anticoitaliantravel.com

for more details on our tours to Italy.

 

 

 

 

 

GUARDIANS OF TUSCANY & UMBRIA, "I CIPRESSI"

Tall, dark, and handsome, there’s no denying the magnificent ”i cipressi”, (the cypress trees) ,of Italy.  Deeply rooted and standing strong, they seem to have seen it all, and some of them have.  The cypress tree can live up to 2,000 years and is originally native to Persia, but were brought to Italy by the ancient and mysterious Etruscans.  Why though, was it so important to take something so far away from their home that wasn’t even edible?

Magic. Tree worship was common in ancient times as many tribes including Druids and Celts believed trees held spirits, benefic or malevolent.  The Etruscans believed the cypress harbored supernatural powers mainly because of their lifespan and the fact that they didn’t lose their leaves or die in cold weather. They were symbols of strength and protection.  Cypress wood was used to build coffins in Egypt and the Middle East and its essential oils were considered extremely powerful, and used for protection and longevity. Considered the guardians of the spirit world, they were planted wherever Etruscans were buried, and a handful of cypress wood thrown on the grave of a loved was said to ensure a happy afterlife. Now planted all over Italy as wind breakers along property lines and decoration around houses, the cypress has taken on a useful role outside of the mystical realm, but somehow they still give off that feeling.

While cypress trees can be found all over the Mediterranean, a drive through the valley known as the Val d’Orcia is the place to experience their real power. For one of the most spectacular scenic drives in Umbria, head south from Siena and just past the medieval city of Pienza.  You can’t miss the hilltop clusters of cypress perfectly sprinkled across the landscape, every twisting turn a National Geographic worthy photo.

A favorite spot to stop and picnic on long journeys, bring a blanket, a bottle of wine, fresh bread and some snacks, and take it all in. Just remember to leave a little something beneath the sacred cypress as a gift to its spirit.  It’s watching over you ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

TORTA DI CECI

(CHICKPEA CAKE)

During my early visits to Italy, I often showed up in the country with pennies to my name and worked as a starving artist, literally.  Being broke, but young and full of hope, I didn’t care what I had to eat to survive, as long as I could stay in Italy! I didn’t get to dine in the fancy restaurants that Tuscan dreams are made of. (Well, until I got a boyfriend…but that’s another story!). 

I was living in Nozzano Castello, a tiny hamlet just a few miles outside of the walled city of Lucca. Each morning, the panettiere, (baker), came into the village at 7 am, barely making it through the serpentine streets in his little truck, his focaccia still warm from the wood oven.  I waited every morning for him and on the days I missed him, let's just say I was pretty miserable.   For weeks, focaccia with a thin slice of prosciutto was my staple for breakfast.  As I am after all still an American, and even after all of the years I have spent in Italy, I just can’t adopt the cappuccino and cornetto sweet breakfast. But then one day, no focaccia was left on his truck and I had to buy the next cheapest thing, and it was lucky for me, because it was then that I discovered torta di ceci!  

Torta di ceci is a warm flatbread made of chickpea flour, and sprinkled with black pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a snack popular around the Tuscan Coast.  To make a meal out of it, it is served on a fresh baguette or between focaccia, a very filling and true “la cucina povera”. Marinated or grilled eggplant is sometimes added in summer.  

This turned out to be my most delicious, (and cheap), culinary find which carried me through my days spent sitting under the hot, Tuscan sun, painting ceramics in the piazzas, and I was no longer a "starving" artist.  The recipe below is the closest I have ever had to the one the old man made from his panificio in Nozzano Castello, and comes from the lovely Emiko Davies’ cookbook, “Florentine”.  

Serve torta di ceci on its own, topped with fresh prosciutto, or go all out and enjoy it as a panino.  Enjoy!

*Purchase Florentine by Emiko Davies here:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1743790031?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=1743790031&linkCode=shr&tag=emikdavi-20&linkId=IJ35OJQTIOITNEE6

*You will need a scorching hot oven and a pizza pan that is as wide as will fit in your oven.

◾1 part chickpea flour

◾3 parts water

◾pinch of salt

◾1 tbs olive oil, plus more for greasing

 To serve:

◾freshly ground black pepper

◾extra Virgin olive oil

 

Directions:

Combine the flour and water together bit by bit to avoid creating lumps in the batter. When this is blended together and perfectly smooth, add the salt and olive oil to combine. Let the mixture rest for about 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to as high as you can, around 250°C (480°F).

Oil a pizza tray with olive oil and pour in the batter, turning to cover the surface completely. It should be about 3mm thick but not more. Bake in hot oven until golden brown and crispy on top.

Serve hot with freshly ground black pepper and a beautiful, green extra virgin olive oil from the Etruscan coast.

 

 Longing for Tuscany?
Join us July 2 - 9, 2017 for our tour through Tuscany & Umbria.
  Prices just reduced to $2,800 per person

 Rate includes 4 lunches, all dinners, wine with each meal, 7 nights accommodation at Hotel Villa Marsili in Cortona, transportation and transfers, taxes, gratuities, entrance fees to excursions and activities outlined in tour, and Vespa rental.
**** Airfare and travel insurance not included.  

Visit www.anticitaliantravel.com for more details.

 

Chestnut Crepes & La Befana

 

 

Buona Befana!

 

 

 

Christmas and New Year's Eve may be old news as of this morning, but the Italians aren't finished celebrating just yet.  There is one more night of fun lined up for the holidays, La Befana.
Befana is celebrated on January 6 for the Epiphany, the Christian feast day that commemorates the visitation of the three biblical wise men to the baby Jesus.  According to the legend, the three wise men were following the star to find the baby Jesus and knocked on her door in search of more information.  The wise men asked her to join them on their search but she refused, as she said she was too busy sweeping to help them. (This is symbolic of sweeping away the past in the new year).  Later regretting her decision, she ran out into the dark of the night with a bag of sweets distributing them to every child, being sure not to miss a single one in case it were the baby Jesus.  From that night on, it is said she spends the evening of  January 5, an unrested soul, flying on her broomstick bringing presents to children in search of Jesus.  

Origins of La Befana:

It is thought that the name  Befana derives from Epiphany, (in Italian is Epifania), a word with Greek origins that means manifestation of the divinity. The Epiphany is the last feast of Christmas time, and is said to take away all of the festivities, as it is stated in a little phrase they say in Italy, "L’Epifania tutte le feste si porta via“.  As with most western holidays, Befana is rooted in Paganism. In the freezing cold of winter, the land is barren and the earth is dying, but there is the hope of spring bringing a rebirth of all things. Many rituals to welcome winter spirits were carried out during this time to ensure bountiful crops.

 

The ancient Romans adopted many Pagan rituals and believed that during these dark, cold days, female creatures, (not very beautiful in the minds of the Romans),  flew over the fields blessing the future harvest. A popular ritual still going strong in Tuscany is to burn a puppet of La Befana inside of the home to represent the end of the year. The left over coal is put in the children's shoes along with sweets as memory of the year gone by. It  is customary to leave old Befana a little something for her travels, and in our family we set out a glass of anisette liquor and some biscotti. 

 

 

 

 

 

  "Necci",  Tuscan Chestnut Crepes with Sweet Ricotta

 

 

                                                           

 

In late fall, and throughout the winter, the smoky aroma of roasted chestnuts is hard to escape in Italy, and who would want to?! Outdoor stalls sell paper cones of these warm treats to be enjoyed during the nightly stroll known as "passagiata".  Another chestnut treat called Necci, popular in Tuscany, is made using chestnut flour, and is great for breakfast or dessert, with a cappuccino or a glass of Vin Santo!  Buon appetito! 

 

1 cup chestnut flour, sifted           
2 extra-large eggs         
1 1/4 cups milk         
2 cups fresh sheep's or cow's milk ricotta cheese 
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt          
1/2 cup chestnut or orange blossom honey           
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Place flour in a medium size bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add half of the milk and whisk until smooth. Add remaining milk and whisk until smooth; let batter stand 15 minutes.        

Meanwhile, place ricotta in a medium bowl; stir in 1/4 cup honey, sugar, salt, and cinnamon and set aside.         

Heat a 6-to-8-inch cast-iron skillet or crepe pan over medium heat; brush pan with enough olive oil to coat. Add 2 tablespoons batter to pan and tilt until evenly coated. Cook until crepe becomes firm on the bottom and begins curling at the edges, about 1 minute. Turn and cook until opposite side is cooked through. Repeat process with remaining batter, stacking crepes on top of one another as you cook.         

To serve, place two tablespoons of the ricotta mixture in the center of each crepe. Fold in half and drizzle with remaining honey; serve warm.


Wishing you wake to something sweet on January 6th!
Buona Befana!

Angela

Want to experience more treasures of Tuscany? Space still available for our tour July 2-9, 2017 

 

Visit www.anticoartisanaltravel.com

or call Angela at (443) 440-0473 to book your trip today!

 

 

Tombola! A Little Neapolitan Luck.

 

 

 

 

 

Southern Italians love to play the lottery, especially in Naples. The hope to strike it rich, fueled by a little Neapolitan superstition, has given birth to a traditional Christmas game, Tombola Smorfia. Italians believe the objects in your dreams at night correspond with lucky numbers. For example, you have a dream that you were sitting by a lake watching boats sail by.  First thing in the morning , you would go to the local "tabacchi", (news stand), and tell the vendor your dream.  He would then take out a tiny book, a dream dictionary of sorts, that lists objects and their lucky corresponding numbers. On a scrap of paper he would scribble down your numbers and urge you to play them in the lottery that day.  

A touch of this mystical gambling can still be seen in another version of tombola played in homes and in bars in Italy around the holidays.  In the same manner as bingo, cards are given to each player which show numbers accompanied by funny drawings such as a voluptuous woman or a man picking his nose! Someone acts as the caller, and shakes a wicker, cornucopia type vessel which holds wooden numbers. As numbers are called, players use beans, chick peas, or dried pasta is used to mark their cards.

When played in bars, players must purchase their cards of fortune, but prizes are edible, not monetary.  Cover three numbers and a plate of salami and cheese may show up in front of you.  Four numbers, a pizza or plate of spaghetti and clams. The big winner who covers all of the numbers first sometimes walks away with a whole prosciutto!

If you find yourself in Naples one day, be sure to dig through the piles at the vendor’s stalls selling everything from nonna’s housecoats to escarole.  You may get lucky and find a vintage Tombola game for sale!  Paper Tombola games can be purchased along Via San Gregorio Armenio in the year round Christmas market or online here:       http://www.dalnegro.com/eng/tombola-48-cartelle-smorfia.html

 

Visit Naples with us!   

Check out our tour of Naples & The Amalfi Coast 

http://www.anticoitaliantravel.com/amalfi-coast

 

 

 

Cannoli Workshops at Brigantessa

 

 

Grab a friend and stay warm in the kitchen at Brigantessa at  this hands on class, and learn to prepare authentic Sicilian Cannoli. Enjoy some wine and roll up your sleeves as we make the cannoli dough the old fashioned way, right on the table top!

We will be making the cannoli shells along with a variety of fillings: Nutella Ricotta, Traditional Chocolate Chip, and Orange Blossom Ricotta filling too!

WORKSHOP INCLUDES:

• Savory bites & wine to enjoy while cooking

• Recipes to keep

• Cannoli to take home

• Swag bag of Italian Treats

$75.00 per person. 2 person minimum to hold workshop.

Sundays 1/08/2017 through 5/21/2017

MUST BE BOOKED AT LEAST 1 WEEK IN ADVANCE OF CLASS DATE.

 

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cannoli-workshop-at-brigantessa-tickets-29541239643?aff=eac2

      

 

 

  For more information on our tours or events

visit www.anticoitaliantravel.com or call Angela at (443) 440-0473

 

 

Struffoli! A Neapolitan Christmas Sweet

 

 

 

 

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Struffoli are tiny, fried bits of dough, tossed in warm honey and covered with a rainbow of sprinkles to bring you luck in the new year. It is believed the more struffoli you eat, the more luck you will have. This tradition originated in Naples, but can be found all over southern Italy, and is also known as cicerchiate in Abruzzo, which literally means "to chit-chat". An old woman once told me it got it's name from everyone sitting around the table snacking on a bowl these honey coated treats, while they gossiped about the neighbors!

As a child, I have fond memories of my great grandmother giving us kids pieces of the citrus scented dough to roll into little ropes, and how the smell filled the house as she cut and fried them.
Gather your family around the table one chilly afternoon, and bring this old world tradition into your home this holiday season with this fun and easy recipe. Buon Natale!


Struffoli
2 cups all-purpose flour (Plus 2 cups for working dough)
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (softened)
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
¼ cup Strega Liquor or White Wine
Zest ½ orange
Pinch of salt
4-6 cups vegetable oil for frying
2 cups honey
½ cup multicolored candy sprinkles

In medium bowl, whisk flour, salt, and sugar. Add eggs, liquor, softened butter and orange zest. Combine by hand until dough comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead 3 minutes. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let rest in refrigerator 30 minutes.
Remove from refrigerator and begin making the struffoli by pinching off a small handful of dough and rolling it between your hands to form a thin rope, about ¼ inch thick. Cut rope into small pieces, ¼ inch thick, and set aside. Continue with the remaining dough.
In shallow pot or deep fryer, heat oil to 350F.
Fry about 1 cup of struffoli dough bits at a time. Cook about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove from hot oil with slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels to absorb any extra oil. While still warm, place struffoli in a bowl and pour honey over them, enough to coat. Stir and add sprinkle with multicolored candies. Enjoy warm!
TIP: To make ahead, cut ropes into little pieces and place in an even layer, on a parchment line baking. Wrap with plastic and freeze. Struffoli may be fried while frozen.

Join us on our culinary tours of Italy! For details visit http://www.anticoitaliantravel.com