an italian cook around the world
The Ribollita is one of the most popular Italian bread soups. This historical recipe prepared in Tuscany since the Middle Ages, and came from the necessity to reuse the stale bead mixing it with the herbs and vegetables available in the garden: the result is simply delicious! To prepare an authentic Ribollita, Tuscan bread, Lacinato kale and beans are essential ingredients: a traditionally vegan delight!
Castagnaccio is a super famous Italian chestnuts flour cake, traditional in several regions with some variations. Thanks to its ingredients, easy to find in the Italian woods, in the past, this recipe was particularly popular among the poor people. Today, I made the Tuscan variation of Castagnaccio with walnuts, pine nuts, and raisin. This cake is very easy to prepare: just 10 minutes for the batter and 40 minutes in the oven. A classic winter recipe from Italy ready for you: vegan, healthy, and tasty!
Rosemary flatbread is a Tuscan specialty! In Italy it is called “focaccia” or “schiacciata”. Coarse salt is essential to obtain the characteristic taste and texture. The Italian tradition requires adbundant olive oil. For this reason the quality of the oil is essential to obtain a great “schiacciata”. I love load my rosemary flatbread with cheese, baked vegetables or cured meats, but it is delicious simply plain as well!
Red wine reduction is a simple basic recipe for many dish: stews, braised vegetables, even ice cream! Here I propose my personal recipe, just a base for your own creations!
Today I propose a simple and tasty recipe, perfect for family gatherings. The sausage cheese crostini are a “must” of the Tuscan tradition. The best cheese to make this great appetizer is the Stracchino, one of the most creamy and flavorful Italian cheese. I suggest to prepare these crostini just before serving: In a few minutes you’ll have an amazing starter!
Coming back in Portland to discover the best Italian restaurants,I stop at “Trattoria Gallo Nero” where chatting the owner Davide, eating a dish of pici and cantucci with vin santo, he tells me how he came to open an authentic Tuscan restaurant on the other side of the world.
DANIELLE, BECCA, DAVIDE, RICK, AND NICHOLAS
The Pearl District of Portland; In a few hundred meters is possible meet a plenty variety of the world. However, forget the hectic life of a big city; here we are on the more unknown to mass-tourism West Coast part. We are in Oregon.
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Looking for the best hamburger in Florence.
Florence is a destination I’ve been visited frequently during my Italian travels (also because my wife’s parents live there!). If you are foodies, Florence it is a kind of paradise; tasty soups, crispy bruschettas, high quality products, and juicy steaks (click here to read how to cook a Florentine T-bone steak). It is missing only one single thing … a good hamburger with fries! Throughout my last foray into the Florence, my American spirit needed to be fulfill by a delicious burger with fries, but I knew it would be tough challenge satisfy my wish. Luckily I was wrong! After some research and a few failed attempts, I found a place that offers an innovative solution; Delicious organic burgers prepared with local ingredients combining the taste of one of American classics with a touch of Tuscan cuisine.
During my recent trip to Florence I have been the opportunity to taste again the delicious croutons with chicken livers (click here to read my foodie adventure throughout the Tuscan capital!). If are planning your vacation there you should definitely to try on them! Meanwhile, I propose you my own personal version, flavored with cognac and capers. I will sin of immodesty, but this recipe is one of my favorites!
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The Florentine steak (called Bistecca alla Fiorentina or simply La Bistecca) is a serious matter in Florence, no jokes with the Ciccia (meat in Florentine slang)! The Tuscan cuisine has plenty of delicious dishes, but if you must choose only one of them, as your last meal, opt for La Bistecca!
The most famous Italian pesto is “Pesto Genovese” (basil, garlic, cheese, pine nuts and olive oil): Its goodness lies in its simplicity! But Pesto Genovese is not the only option. In Sicily, for instance, pesto is prepared with tomatoes, cottage cheese and almonds. Today I propose you a rich but healthy pesto version with eggplant and mint. Eggplants are baked in the oven with no added fat. The mint leaves are crushed with garlic and blended with the eggplant pulp. The Tuscan pecorino adds flavor and a pinch of Italian tradition. Finally, the zucchini cut into chunks are a tasty surprise in the sauce. You can prepare the eggplant pesto also a day or two in advance, in order to have a quick and super-tasty dish ready to serve. For the pasta, I suggest caserecce, a typical south Italian specialty whose shape is perfect to hold the sauce!