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To our Italian " crew "
Posted January 16th, 2010 by ancoterpstra
Dear Pitta, Emilia, Paula, Berit and all other Italian friends,
Gloria challenced me in a nice way to post recipes, and of course gladly I did.
However I pass on this challenge to you, my friends, of course because I am a great supporter of Italian food !!
But I did not yet find any recipe of you :)
Please don't deny us all your " excellent cuisine " any longer !!
with much Love,
your Dutch supporter
Dear Anco, I will try to
Dear Anco,
I will try to give you some recipe, easy, vegetarian, italian. But, please, be understanding, I am not an expert in cooking, just in eating.
I fear that, after trying my recipes, you will be no more our "Duch supporter"!
Dear Anco, I'm sorry but I
Dear Anco,
I'm sorry but I am a lousy cook. I come from Finland where you can say you eat to live, and only here in Italy I learned to live to eat. I mean that they don't pay so much attention to the food in Finland, it's just something you need to make and consume in order to live. While in Italy food has an important role, and you can live the most intimate and exquisite moments of your life sharing a delicious meal with others. But I never learned to cook as well as the Italian ladies do.
*****************
Never think that you are I. Know that I am you. /HEAVEN #515)
Dear Captain
Your "Italian crew" embarks water.
Two are asleep, the other two are pretty bad at oars.
Oops !
Dear Emilia,
I hope you have not come under the impression that I see myself as captain of a crew.
I see everyone as their own captain and no one as my crew.
And, allthough I live in a not so big village, we fortunately have 2 pizzeria's and 1 Italian restaurant, so I guess I have to settle for that..........
safe
We were nearly to sink into a dutch "italian pizzeria" .
I confess, I would have deserted the ship before.
Thanks God, Berit arrived.
Emilia dear, I have posted
Emilia dear,
I have posted "Parmigiana di Melanzana" under Divine Recipes for now ! Right after dinner with full stomach it was quite a match !
Tons of love
Berit
Talking of food, eh ? I
Talking of food, eh ? I think I can wake up for this !!
just kidding dears, hopefully by end of january I hope to return to a "normal routine" of family life and be more on the forum.
Anco dear, so glad that you love italian food, but then, who doesn't ??
I am not much at hand with the vocabulary of cooking so it is a bit difficult, I will see what can be done to support the crew.
I am laughing really, for I was thinking of some very tipical dish, explained in a dialect of south italy which I don't understand !
Well what is your favorite (italian?) dish dear ?
much much love
Berit
Dear Anco, of course I would
Dear Anco,
of course I would see you happy, with an italian food, so exquisite, in front of you. But dear, you have to understand: to me is so difficult translate recipes in English! But I promise to you, I will do it very soon.
pitta
always a pleasure !
Dear Italian friends,
It is always a great pleasure to exchange postings on the forum with you ! It makes me smile through my days, and I hope it does the same for you.
thank you so far, and for Emilia I add : before we " sink into the level of a Duth pizzeria, " for me there is luckily my wife making excellent pizza at home !
pizza
I see, but as the Captain, I insist, You shoud have sank with the ship.
You know, dear Anco, also in Italy it has become more and more difficult to find proper pizza.
I like to joke, now and then, but being serious about food!
Love
Seconding Mr. Helma: Go for
Seconding Mr. Helma: Go for tasty ("lekkere") pizza, Anco, never mind "proper" unless you know it's short for "lovingly propered". I even go for so-so pizza when I'm properly hungry.
Still have to admit to a certain interest in pizza properly done in the "technical" sense, Emilia. What, would you say, is the secret of it (provided it can be told)?
Wouldn't it be wonderful if
Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone could send samples to everyone!
Alas, it is not. But just talking about good food makes my mouth water.
Keep it up!
proper pizza
"Technically" speaking, a proper pizza is when I like it. This may not be true for you, I see.
Coming to less important points I daresay few things:
you need "San marzano"tomatoes ( it is a variety from Naple area);
mozzarella must be fresh, but not too milky and made only of cow milk;
you cannot forget basil;
strictly "extravergine" olive oil;
baked in wood stove;
not too thick not too thin, eye is needed.
Probably few other things.
Please, remember that Pizza is exclusively made with tomatoes and mozzarella. There is only one kind of pizza and that is "Margherita" kind ( refrain from topping it with something else).
Well, what do you expect,
Well, what do you expect, I'm German. My Complete Guide to International Clichés says that... oh, you probably have your own copy.
Among the "less important points" it's the last one I find most interesting. I seem to be able to forgive a lot of things when it comes to pizza with all sorts of toppings (most of which I don't like from some natural instinct). But for me the really difficult thing among the simplest recipes is spaghetti ad aglio e olio which I love. Although I do not know whether there is an orthodox way of preparing it, I'm positive that most of what they serve you in restaurants is a sorry affair, nondescript. You don't happen to know the technically and ontologically proper way of preparing it?
hold on
Our "natural instinct" will save us.
Yes, I "am" my own italian guide, a living cliché, slightly "démodé".
Just hold on and the right file will come up for spaghetti aglio, olio and...( yes, it is not complete ).
spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino
Let me say to you, dear Jochen, you are a fine "connaisseur".
There are right questions, but not always right answers, and this is not to lighten my position. I will take my responsabilities.
You need just the right ingredients:
spaghetti durum wheat;
red garlic from Abruzzo, one clove for each person;
"extravergine" olive oil, four spoons for each person;
red chilli at your pleasure.
Cook spaghetti in boiling salted water, abundant water.
Take a pan with high border, put inside garlic and olive oil, when garlic is blond you will add spaghetti, well drained from all the water where they have cooked, add chilli cutted in little rounds. Turn for one minute in the pan.
It is suggested to strain spaghetti one minute before they are "al dente" and put them in the pan where they will cook for another minute.
Serve in warm dishes.
Aaaah, even reading it is a
Aaaah, even reading it is a day in the sun. Thank you, dear one. Abruzzo is one of our dream destinations, we even bought a book to give our dream more traction – – but tell me, does this recipe really depend on red garlic from there, or can I experiment with red garlic of no particular origin? OK, Munich is really a bag full of foodies (to a degree I find slightly unappetizing), so I might find it somewhere.
Another question: Although I like the peperoncino version, sometimes I need even more purity and prefer this dish without. In my culinary dictionary for Italy (no recipes) it says that your recipe is typical for Abruzzo and Molise, the one without peperoncini for Lazio. Is that correct? If so, you will probably allow me to have both... Or does the Lazio one require parsley from the eastern slopes of Colle Corvia?
purity
This is becoming a very serious affair.
The recipe without chilli is allowed, but no parsley ( well, unless you particularly like it. In my opinion the flavours can match, so you have my personal, not universal, support, if this can help).
Concerning Abruzzo, Molise and Lazio different recipes, I confess, you know better than me! We italians are imaginatives, but do not apply.
I don't know if there is any red garlic coming from a different place. If you find it let me know, in Italy we consider the red one from Abruzzo to be the best.
Two last advices: synchronicity is required, when you strain spaghetti, garlic must be ready, pasta cannot wait; olive oil requires gentle cooking, light fire.
Dear Jochen, also if you
Dear Jochen, also if you could thinking different, I have to advice you: Spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino is the most difficult recipe to do well. Belive me. Emilia has right: synchronicity is indispensable and she intends one minute later or early is the flop for your recipe.
The most wonderful, so "slurping", amazing spaghetti like these, oh I have eaten them in Positano, on the Amalfi Coast. Wow, I remember them already now, after twenty years.
Duly awed and loving you
Duly awed
and loving you good cooking ladies
I shall muster my courage
steadying my trembling hands
towards some semblance of dignity
and try to heat the water p r o p e r l y
ahah!
...and in the end
with the same dignity and firm hands
try to eat whatever it is!
Dear God, please allow me to
Dear God, please allow me to read these recipes and swoon and still continue thinking of You!
Oh-o. I am totally agree
Oh-o. I am totally agree with you dear Emilia!!
I love pizza so much, but I prefer don't eat it if it isn't proper, alias when I like it.
the italian spirit comes out
Dear Jochen and Emilia and Gloria,
Finally, Jochen has been able to appeal to the Italian spirit ( good work, Jochen, but please don't call me mr. Helma, I count on your support with all these ladies here !) and Emilia comes out with THE recipe for pizza !
Of course she is right, but also we non Italians put all kind of tasty stuff on a pizza, and I must say we are no exception over here.
But there was Gloria, probably reading my mind : most of all it would indeed be nice if all of us were able to share a good meal together !
Oh well, if all of us share this idea, it shall manifest. Maybe this summer ? Of course Italy should be the place to be then, such a nice country with such good cooking ladies with so much recipes ......................!
"to share a good meal"
Let's focus on this idea then, but, as God says, with no expectations, especially for "good cooking ladies".
Do you also mean that if all of us share the idea of a pizza, it shall manifest for eating? Then focus on my recipe, please.
I love the idea of creating
I love the idea of creating a pizza meeting !! ... and I might add I love all kinds of pizza, ehm.. also the thick ones !
will see for further recipes!
much love
Berit
Yes I do I do!! Pizza
Yes I do I do!! Pizza meeting! Wonderful!
Yes, let's get started.
Yes, let's get started. Since I'm not good at visualization, I'll do the olfactorization. Will we have to content ourselves with tastilization when it's fully virtualized?
it's right here dear, you
it's right here dear, you can smell it and be already there, and since I am there too I do really hug you !!
hope this helps !
Ha, ha, ha !
Dear ones,
Saturday morning starts with a good laugh again, because of all your great comments ! Love you all !
Let's see where it brings us !
Berit, your picture brings it already a few steps closer. Is this the famous mozzarella / tomatoes / basil pizza that Emilia is claiming to be the one and only original Italian pizza ?
I will start experimenting and exercising on " transporting myself to Italy, " so if you read in your newspapers about a Dutch guy landing on the Tower of Pizza.....................:):)
the only one
Exactly!
This is it, the image fits perfectly with the recipe I gave. You also can see it has been baked in a wood stove.
Berit, how did you manage to find such a photo?! You are a woman of enormous hidden resources.
Waiting for you at the foot of the Tower, Anco.
We will have to have
We will have to have pictures in our cookbook. Maybe photos and drawings.
Emilia, what do we who cannot get the tomatoes from Naples you speak of to do? We have to have a substitute.
Your recipe is not in front of me right now, and if I go to it, I may lose this place. In the photo, it looks like the tomatoes are not exactly made into a sauce, or, at least not like the sauces here where the tomatoes are not recognizable as tomatoes.
And what does everyone feel about the title of the Heaven cookbook being Beloved Dumpling? We would also have some other wording under it. Something about international and Heavenreaders.
suggestion
Dear Gloria,
Several years ago a new trend in cooking was called : fusion, i.e mixing recipes of several cultures. Well, there are definitely many cultures where Heavenletters are read.
I therefore suggest for the cooking book also the term : Heavenly Fusion
Beloved Anco, what a great
Beloved Anco, what a great word -- fusion! I LIKE it. This is a magnificent idea.
uniqueness
We are all irreplaceable, it is no different for tomatoes.
But I see the difficulty and I think you could substitute them with fresh seasonal tomatoes, red, ripe and not "watery". They are cutted in pieces, you are right, it is not a sauce.
I love that title!
What do you mean by "something about international and Heavenreaders"?
Love
Beloved Emilia, I mean this
Beloved Emilia, I mean this will be an international cookbook. At this rate, it might be an Italian cookbook! How do we get more countries involved!
Dear ones, what wonderful
Dear ones, what wonderful see your comments here! Berit, dear, where have you find this beautiful photo of a pizza? Slurp, this is the true pizza I like. Dear Gloria, if you cannot have San Marzano tomatoes, like it seems obviously, you could sobstitute them with tomatoes sause, without anything add in it, simply tomatoes sause, please prefer fresh tomatoes. But I wait to hear Emilia thinking.
Dear Anco, I add a new receipe of cake with leeks, I hope you will like it.
I was thinking, last day, it will be so nice have a meeting all togheter, also dearest non Italian friends that can reach us, for a "polenta and gorgonzola day" . Do you like it? We could add a light sause with onions and porcini.
Wow!! Who want to book it?
I am already "gaining weight"
With all this talk about delicious food, I feel like I'm already gaining weight without having eaten it, so I went for a ride on my bike, allthough it was minus 2 degrees Celsius.
Pitta, your Leek's cake is noticed. We gonna try that one too.
And about your " polenta and mozzarella day, ": wow, can't wait to be there !
And afterwards perhaps that famous espresso with tiramisu ?
Pitta, dear, your idea of
Pitta, dear, your idea of "polenta" is very good. It is typical italian and you can dress it with gorgonzola cheese or tomato sauce.
You could think to post the recipe, although it has a certain difficulty of execution.
I suppose you agree with what I told Gloria about "San Marzano" tomatoes and how she can substitute them, do you.
I go "tastilizing" ( is that correct? ) your leeks cake.
Love
I love polenta mix: mais and
I love polenta mix: mais and taragna (I couldn't find it in my dictionary) meal. It has to cook it in a copper pots for 45 minutes, very slowly and mixing often. Just before give out of fire add gorgonzola and another cheese more sweet: Alpes toma (slurp!) not too seasoned.
Transfer the polenta on a wood trencher.
You have already prepared (while polenta is on the fire) a light (!!) sauce.
Porcini fine cuttered and passed with some fresh butter, add fresh cream out of fire and just a little cheese. You can perfume the sauce with some spoons of white vine; I prefer add white vine at first, in the pot on fire. It will remain only a breath of perfume, without interfere with the rest.
Then you could pass the sause at mixer and serve it in a pot for sauce, everyone will be free to add or not.
Please: pour the meal in the water when that is boiling with not too much salt. Pour the meal just a little by little, always mixing with a whip.
You could do a sause for this polenta like above but with walnuts mixed and the rest follow the same. It's very good.
When I do this receipe for my family I use ready-polenta. Noooooooooo!
Yes
taragna – buckwheat
taragna – buckwheat
I always agree with you for
I always agree with you for what you want my cherie
I find "tastilizing" perfect: also for me who don't understand always English very well, it is immediate. Tastilizing, of course.
For the polenta, dear everyone who want to come, I am here and I'm waiting for all of you. I never joke in that.
There will be tiramisu at the end of course, and also jam tart.
Hmmm, and also ice cream with panettone sause (it sounds good, don't it?)
And whatever you want.
Panettone sauce: invent it!
Some warm milk (just a little) for the panettone; add cream, and mix the two.
We can add cacao pouder, or vanilla cream (what I prefer) some butter, yes,... please help me.
One person in the world who
One person in the world who always agrees with me! But, is there still something we can agree upon? Let's agree there is none.
I would be glad to help you eating, later, I am just coming from having my breakfast.
Tomorrow, if midday will not approach with no warning at all, as usually is, I'll prepare polenta and mushroom sauce.
Panettone sauce, how interesting, but I think foreigners may not know what "panettone" is.
I would like to know what
I would like to know what panettone is. I have heard the word. Don't laugh, but is panettone a kind of cookie or cake? Cheese? What is it?!!!!
a sort of cake
I try to post a photo.
We use to eat it at Christmas time. For expert "chef" only.
(No subject)
(no substance either !)
Dear Emilia,
I like panettone, according to your picture of it. It has no substance, so I can never gain weight from eating it.............just teasing :) !
Well, what I see is square,
Well, what I see is square, blue and questionable. Could be high-energy space stuff. Beware.
a light recipe
I am using a new system of high virtualization, sort of Tesla's experiment with energy. Beware indeed, we can all disappear!
Anco and Jochen, both very amusing !
You will forgive my flop.
Dear Gloria, until we
Dear Gloria, until we somehow manage to give you a proper idea of panettone, here's Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panettone.
(And if you'd like to see more pictures, just google "panettone".)