copyright 2011 Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc./Maria Liberati

After surviving another Feast of the Seven Fishes in Italy  last year (the meal typically celebrated in Italy and now all over the world for Christmas Eve with many seafood dishes) I wanted to jot down some quick tips on cooking seafood many different ways. Everyone always seems puzzled as to what to make and how to make it. These are some quick, easy tips to help, but not only for the Feast of the Seven Fishes but all year round seafood dishes too! These are the principal 5 ways to cook specific types of seafood.

Alla Brace (usually refers to cooking in a fireplace or wood burning oven -over wood or coal)

Fish that has firm meat inside like tuna, are perfect for cooking this way,not all fish can hold up to this cooking method.

You can add a sort of aroma and splash with white or red wine or seafood broth to reinforce the perfume of the herbs/spices added. Choose a double sided grill that will make turning the fish easier.

Alla Griglia (grilled)

If you are going to grill fish you shouldn’t scale it, the skin protects the delicate meat of the fish from the intense heat of the grill. Before placing on the grill, dry the fish well with paper towels, even if it has been soaking in a marinade. Don’t overcook the fish. For example, sardines cook for only 1 minute on each side, for a sea bass-10 minutes per side. A large fish should be cooked slowly and drizzled with oil every so often to keep it moist.

Alla Mugnaia (a la meuniere- a French cooking term that means lightly dusted with flour and sautéed with butter)

A whole fish or one that has delicate meat inside like Sole should first be sautéed in a sauté pan with butter, then cooked over medium heat. In general, most fish can be lightly salted and breaded before cooking. The cooking time varies from between 2-3 minutes per side.

Fritto (Fried)

Fish best fried are small fish or those cut into smaller pieces or those like cod and sole. Always dry the fish before frying, coat with flour and dust with breadcrumbs. Oil should be hot but not smoking and should also be in an abundant quantity. Avoid keeping the breaded fish in the pan for too long a time, after cooking remove and place on absorbent paper or paper towels to absorb the oil.

Al Forno (Baked)

Al Forno – best to cook medium or large fish this way. You can also flavor the fish with flavorful spices and/or herbs or herb butter, broth, white wine. And if the fish is big enough you can also bake it stuffed with bread crumbs or shrimp or crab meat. In the oven, you can also cook smaller fish in parchment paper

So many of you have emailed  asking about how to celebrate this feast. So for those of you that do, please share with readers your favorite Feast of the Seven Fishes traditions and recipes. Christmas Eve is almost here!

For more Christmas recipes get a copy of the Gourmand World Award Winning Cookbook The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays &Special Occasions-2nd edition

**December 10th- Join me at Wendell August (103 Woodcutter Dr) in Exton, Pa from 1:30 –2:45 for a book signing of the Holiday book and Holiday recipes. Hope to see you then. For more info email: events@marialiberati.com

The variety of landscapes in the region of Abruzzo, Italy, in November are filled with subdued colors. Close to the sea, the fields that once were overflowing with  grapevines and olives are now scraggly fields  and make silhouettes against the oft gray skies. The new winter frosts have dimmed the once cheerful giardini (gardens). Sunflowers have closed and gone to sleep for most of the winter. The cold harsh winds drive the rains against terra cotta roofs. In the mountains, off in the distance the snow capped mountain tops , can be seen as a sign of things to come to the valley below.

The sheep still graze outside on the muddy hills with a sheepdog, known as an Abruzzese shepherd minds them  under a watchful eye.

Truffle and mushroom hunters roam the mountainsides. The open air markets provide a point of color on the brown landscapes, filled with colorful apples, oranges, pears, kiwi, pomegranates on display.

Vino Novello, the new wine that has just been produced from the ‘vendemmia’ in October can be found everywhere as people begin to prepare to gather items for the Holiday table.

As November wears on the harsh rains halt and I wake up to crisp morning skies with a sun as  brilliant as the sun of August, so harsh it hurts your eyes. It provides the perfect setting for local farmers to cut and cord the wood for fireplaces everywhere. Especially the kitchen fireplaces that will be used to grill meats and cheese or roast chestnuts for the Holiday meals to come.

Fall signals the time for certain foods ,especially pears in wine, and roasted chestnuts. Jars of white -flesh, preserved pears, now make a stark contrast next to the bright red  jarred tomatoes from  summer’s end. that decorate  many wine cellars or cantinas usually in home basements or separate small attached buildings. But it is time to think of the Holiday meals.

Although Thanksgiving is not officially celebrated here, meals leading up to the Holidays rival any Thanksgiving celebration. Panetone and Pan D’oro the sweet dessert breads of the winter Holidays line the windows of local bakeries and aisles of the supermarkets.

One of my favorite,elegant yet simple appetizers to make for Holiday  soirees or to start off a Holiday meal are these mushroom appetizers since mushrooms are in abundance.

An online culinary arts education is what some people pursue when they want to become a chef.

Tortini ai Funghi

(Mushroom Tarts)

Appetizer

Serves 4.

• 2 scallions
• ¾ pound fresh mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Pinch of salt and black pepper
• 1 large puff pastry strip, or 4 small strips
• 2 eggs
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 ounces grated Comté cheese
• 3 finely chopped leeks
• 4 small ceramic or glass baking cups; should be about four inches in diameter

Peel and finely chop the scallions. Carefully wash, clean, and thinly slice the mushrooms. Place 1 tablespoon butter in a sauté pan and sauté the scallions over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and let simmer until all liquid has been absorbed. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and let cool.

Use the remaining butter to butter the baking cups. Place puff pastry in baking cups and cover the bottom and sides of cups with pastry. In a bowl, mix together the eggs, pinch of nutmeg, pinch of salt, and grated Comté cheese.

Cover bottom of each baking cup with mushroom slices, then cover with chopped leeks. Pour egg mixture on top.

Cook in oven preheated to 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then for an additional 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

Best served hot.

**Join me on May 2012 in Italy for an all inclusive luxury cruise to Italy and the Mediterranean. There are a few more spots left, don’t miss out. This is all inclusive luxxury cruise with absolutely everything included. Call Julie at Rosenbluth Vacations now at 1-800-257-8279

Tonight, after dinner, I sadly cut the last slices of ‘cocomero’ (watermelon) that were left in the refrigerator. I knew this meant that the end of summer is here and soon we will be leaving the country house  to open up our  ‘pied a terre’ in the city.
Watermelon is one of my favorite flavors of summer. But this year it was almost a required fruit to eat to  beat the extreme temperatures in Italy..nothing refreshes more than a cool slice of watermelon..my favorite souvenir of this year’s watermelons is a cool drink that is made with watermelon, white melon and Prosecco-or you can have it without alcohol.

Just puree approximately 1 cup of the fruit of a watermelon, then puree 1/2 cup of a white melon.  Divide evenly into serving cocktail glasses, add in a spritz of Prosecco, a slice of fresh pineapple!

Join me here in Italy on the Luxury culinary cruise that will be leaving from Venice in May 2012. It is all inclusive and will include even your airfare from whatever city in the world you depart from to Venice and back. Only a few spots left, email events@marialiberati.com

TravelSquire.com provides a rich travel experience offering detailed destination information as well as designing the actual journey; the online magazine is filled with original content featuring far-flung locales around the world. The site features columns, videos, an interactive map and much more. Every article transports the reader to places all around the world in an engaging, fun and informative way. The content on TravelSquire.com covers what’s hot and new around the globe. Destination articles are updated every other week and the site as a whole is updated daily. Each week, Travel Squire’s 10,000 newsletter subscribers receive the most current news delivered right to their inbox. These newsletters feature what’s new and happening on Travel Squire.com to ensure that their readers don’t miss a thing. They feature great places to stay- from established to exotic destinations to the latest trendy hotel. They review the world’s most interesting hotels whether a unique, stand alone property or a member of an established chain. Travel Squire is the perfect place to find out about some of the destinations on my upcoming culinary cruise to the Mediterranean

Here’s my suggestions for a great trip to Little Italy in NYC

Join me on a luxury culinary cruise to the Mediterranean. Visit a vineyard in Sicily with me and be part of my culinary demonstrations and dinners on board. And it is all inclusive, even your flight ticket is included from wherever you are leaving from in the world to join us in the departure city of Venice. To join me call Rosenbluth Travel   at 1-800-257-8279 or email: events@marialiberati.com and reserve your luxury cabin, reserve your place now before they are sold out!

copyright 2010 Maria Liberati

A cool August night in the piazza in Tagliacozzo and nothing soothes the soul more than eating a dish of creamy gelato in front of the fountain in Piazza Obelisco while discussing French and Italian wines….. and ..since the discussion is in Italy with only Italians… favoritism slanted to the wines of Italy..

As the heated discussion continues..and I try to concentrate on the smooth, creamy glob of chocolate sliding down my throat, and the medieval architecture of teh buildings in view… almost not paying any attention to the discussion that is well in progress..

Let’s just say that the conclusion was that Italian wines have an edge over French wines because of the superior quality of the Italian grapes, since climate is more favorable to grow grapes in Italy..,,grapes grown in France tend to be bitter…Italian grapes are sweeter..French tend to aromatize their wines.they have to because the grapes are bitter..Italian wines are made without anything added..just real grapes…

Anyway the perfect way to cool the discussion was to turn all thoughts onto the dishes of gelato we were at this point halfway through..after a few more spoonfuls who could think about anything else..our taste buds  were drunk with the intensity of the flavor..and the discussion turned to which flavor is the best and where the best gelato places were….even a subject that cool got a little heated since Italians are passionate about their gelato also…well what is it that they are not passionate about??

But the discussion all of a sudden stopped as everyone quietly concentrated  on finishing their dish…every last drop..and everything was forgotten..and we joined everyone for our evening walk around the piazza..and an evening of  intent discussion ended cool, relaxed and satiated..

It pays to listen to gossip and conversation in the town piazza at night..some more than others..from overheard conversations last night was a variety of talk about family riffs going on..to the latest couple breaking up in town because of a cheating husband and those disagreeing on whether the wife should forgive and take him back..and then the most useful piece of gossip was overheard at midnight a woman speaking in detail about the fresh parsley in her garden this year and how she used it to flavor roasted potatoes instead of Rosemary (which is the usual here) and how delicious they were..of course she mentioned how her husband did not like Rosemary much so she decided to substitute, This was my favorite piece of gossip and the only one I care to remember in detail…I knew I would eventually hear something of true interest!

Today’s lunch will be a variety of roasted vegetables including roasted potatoes with parsley and locally produced fresh mozzarella..the bread from our local baker or ‘forno’..it is bread made from potatoes..a specialty of this region where potatoes are cultivated..I guess we could think of this area as the Idaho of Italy. Potatoes from the Fucino valley are known throughout and even the headquarters of Micron for Italy (also in Idaho) is located here

Roasted Parsley Potatoes

1 lb of peeled potatoes

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 handful chopped parsley leaves

Boil potatoes for 5 minutes. Peel. Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil on bottom of pan. Cut potatoes into quarters, place in pan. Drizzle remaining olive oil on top. Sprinkle on chopped fresh parsley. Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees ,then place under broil for 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve with a chilled white wine-Trebbiano D’Abruzzo

For more recipes get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition

Visit OpenSky

Sept 9-12 Rhinebeck, NY, see you at Hudson Valley Wine Festival at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. I will be bringing the Basic Art of Italian Cooking on stage with recipes and stories from the book series and book signing event will be held all weekend. For more info or to sponsor the on stage cooking demos email: Info@marialiberati.com

Oct 29-30-Philadelphia Gourmet Food & Wine Show , Valley Forge, Pa. The Basic Art of Italian Cooking will take center stage throughout the event and book signing swill be held throughout the show. For more info or to sponsor on stage demos contact: info@marialiberati.com

copyright 2010, art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc/ Maria Liberati

What could be more appropriate than Food and the City..my answer to Sex and the City 2 (the newly released film) how to get local, fresh, inspiring food experiences while living in the city.

Even though I live in the city.. while in the USA..my country house in Italy is never far from my mind..Bunches of fresh mint and oregano  tied together with twine or ribbon decorate the halls and rooms wherever I go….just the fragrance so inspiring.. Wherever I live I  turn my surroundings into a ‘country house’ it seems to be an uncontrollable reflex I have..

As a child living in South Philadelphia with a fig tree in my backyard growing through the concrete..and tomato plants  covering every bit of  the concrete..creating a ‘green backyard’.. I can’t help but wonder if it is an inherent natural reflex of mine..you know ‘’filling a city apartment with flowers and bowls of fresh fruit and veggies from the local market

Food and the City can be a challenge-especially for someone like me who loves to eat locally,hates to eat out..loves dining al fresco…but that country house and my childhood home in  the middle of South Philadelphia are  always there in my mind to help overcome..

Here are some tips to enjoy Food and the City for those city dwellers that hanker for a country atmosphere:
*Make your kitchen as rustic as possible-think Tuscan or Italian farmhouse style. Whatever fits your budget..even if it is just one piece a rustic looking chair..perhaps an old farmhouse table you found at a local outdoor market you can refinish..or even something as simple as a picture of a country kitchen.

*Place vases of fresh mint, fresh flowers, fresh lavender to make your surroundings more fragrant..

*Use whatever window space you have  to let as much light in as possible..make your dwelling sunny and bright-using real light (saves energy also).

*Most cities have open air markets. take advantage of it..nothing says ‘country farmhouse’ more than fresh fruits and veggies..

*Eating al fresco makes any meal..no matter how simple into the perfect meal. ( don’t know about you but a slice of bruschetta and a glass of Est!Est!Est! on a warm summer evening eaten out doors is the perfect summer meal) So wherever you are make use of any outdoor space you have that could fit a small table and some chair.

And if you are really inspired become a city farmer!

Hope to see you at Wed, May 26th, Book Expo America (Javits Convention Center, NY,NY) for my book singing at 11 AM at autographing area 4. Will be signing copies of my upcoming book release of the second edition of  The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions- winner of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards

Sept 9-12-I will be appearing at the Hudson Valley Wine Festival in Rhinebeck, NY..so much great wine and food there..hope to see you there.

For more info on any of these events or any upcoming appearances email: events@marialiberati.com

To book an event email Andrea  at : events.ar@gmail.com

Visit me at OpenSky

http://twitter.com/Marialiberati

Maria

marialiberati.com

where food meets art, travel & Life!

copyright 2009, Maria Liberati 

Farfalle pasta (or bow tie pasta) always seemed more stylish and elegant to me than spaghetti or penne. Maybe it’s the fact that they look like a stylish little bow tie or that they are easier to manage with a fork than spaghetti…but whatever the reason they are my favorite pasta..stylish and delicious.

Here is one of my favorite recipes for spring and summer with farfalle and an appetizer and dessert course to go with them. These make 3  courses for a Spring or Summer Picnic and make use of fresh fruits and vegetables..the taste here is fresh..so fresh….

Farfalline all’Ortolana

(Farfalle or Bow Tie Pasta Garden Style)

copyright 2009, Maria Liberati

http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2

http://www.marialiberati.com

1 lb Farfalle Pasta (Bow Tie Pasta)

3 small zucchini

½ lb string beans fresh or frozen

½ lb peas-fresh or frozen

4 ounces fresh pecorino cheese cut into small cubes

1 garlic clove

Fresh basil leaves-torn or chopped

Cook zucchini, string beans, peas in 3 seperate pots with boiling water or steam till just past al dente stage. Remove from heat and drain.

Placeqa pot of water to boil t ocook pasta. Cut zucchini in cubes, string beans in small pieces.

Saute garlic in approx 1 tblsp of extra virgin olive oil. When beginning to turn golden, place in zucchini, string beans and peas and saute. Place in dash of salt and grated black pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Cook pasta as directed. Drain. Place in bowl and place in vegetables, place in fresh basil leaves torn and pecorino cheese cut into small cubes or shaved. Toss. Drizzle olive oil on top, toss and serve.

Tramezzini Sandwiches

12 slices of sliced or whole wheat bread

1 can of albacore or yellow fin tuna packed in water

1/2 red onion finely chopped

2 kirby cucumbers sluced thinly

1 red ripe tomato sliced thinly

 8 slices fresh mozzarella or fontina cheese sliced thinly

Olive oil to taste

freshly ground black pepper

Cut crusts off all sides of bread slices. Drain and flake tuna in small bowl, add in 1 tblsps of extra virgin olive oil and chopped red onion, mix with fork, let marinate. On 1 slice of bred spread tuna mixture, top wihta slice of bread and top this slice with 2 cheese slices, some cucumber and tomato slices, drizzle olive oil on top, grate black pepper on top. Tope with anothr bread slice, cut into 4 triangle sandwiches. Wrap wax or parchment paper on bottom and serve. Repeat with remaining ingredients

Fresh Fruit Macedonia

1 whole cantaloupe-peeled and cut into large cubes

1 pound fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered

1/2 pound fresh blackberries washed

5 bananas

5 fresh peaches sliced into 1/2 ” thick slices

2 fresh lemons

1/2 cup sugar

Wash and cut fruit, banans peel and cut into 1 inch slices. Place in large bowl. Squeeze juice of 2 lemons on top. Sprinkle with sugar. Stir and let marinate for at least two hours before serving, garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Upcoming Events….

May 15th-5-8 PM & May 16th-1-4 PM - Book signing and Cooking demo at Bella Italia Retail Store in Bethesda Row, Bethesda, MD for their Style Event. May 15 from 5-8 PM, May 16th from 1-4 PM.  Email events@marialiberati.com for more info or go to http://www.bethesdarow.com/

http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/2524400/ 

   Tuesday, June 2^nd 7 PM- Book Signing & Cooking on a Budget with The Basic Art of Italian Cooking with Celebrity Chef Maria Liberati. Recipes from her best selling book and The Basic Art of Italian Cooking School in Italy. Samples provided. Kenilworth Library, 548 Kenilworth Blvd., Kenilworth, NJ 908-276-2451
 

June 4th at Foster’s Gourmet & Housewares, Philadelphia, Pa. The Basic Art of Italian Cooking School with Celebrity Chef Maria Liberati and  Preparing a Tuscan Picnic. In conjunction with Temple University Continuing Educ. Fee of $55 includes cooking demo, sampler 4 course meal and lesson. Email events@marialiberati.com or call 215-204-6496

June 6th- Horsham Day in Horsham, Penna.-Book signing and The Basic Art of Italian Cooking School demo with Celebrity Chef Maria Liberati. Deep Meadow Park, Horsham, Pa. 1-3 PM

June 7th-Book signing and on stage appearance-Chicago Tribune Literary Festival- Printer’s Row Chicago. Celebrity Chef-Maria Liberati will be bringing The Basic Art of Italian Cooking School to Chicago along with a book signing. The Basic Art of Italian Cooking was one of the books specially selected to be a part of this annual event. For more info email:events@marialiberati.com

For more recipes/articles

Join me in Italy for The Basic Art of Italian Cooking School

 So hopefully you are following me along on this trip to Abruzzo..and now to the mountains. My favorite little ‘citta d’arte’ in the mountains is Tagliacozzo.  It is neatly tucked away in the mountains of Abruzzo. Big enough to have a main piazza with some great coffee bars and ristorante and even a few boutiques but small enough not to have any fast food resturants or shopping malls or any franchises. It is a well known resort and refuge for many Romans.. it is not far from Rome, not too expensive, quiet..not touristy except for the locals…-the perfect spot.

And,  it is really a little city filled with art from the monasery of St. Francis that has old frescoes on the wall that date back to the middle ages, to the convent and church of St Cosmas & Damian. The cloistered nuns there make these wonderful pastries for sale on Sundays.But you have to know the proper procedure to buy them. Cloistered nuns can not be seen by anyone in the outside world, it is a bit of an experience. And when you have completed your purchase, you feel like you have accomplished a great feat.

Walking up the high hill in the old part of Tagliacozzo to the convent, ringing the old bell outside the door to find a lazy susan that opens up with just a peep hole and a voice asks what you want (in Italian of course). You must tell her that  you want ‘dolce’ sweets. She will ask ”how many” and you will then tell her an even amount (10,12,24). She will tell you the cost. You put your money on the lazy susan and turn it around so the nun receives it. Out comes a beautifully wrapped package with your little cookies and cakes and your change. You have just made a business transaction without seeing the cloistered nun. A heavenly experience awaits when you bite into the tasty morsel!

But there is more to Tagliacozzo then the churches. The summer’s film festival provides some interesting entertainment.  And now to the food, of course, I told you I get hungry    on these trips to the mountains- If you walk along the main street in the little town there is a little ‘forno’ or pizza oven. it is just marked FORNO.,.. ah  my favorite pizza..thin not too doughy just right especially if you time your arrival for when the pizza is coming out of the oven.

Then there is the beautiful view and the crisp air. Whether you choose to stay down into the center of the town or go up to the top known as ‘piccolo svizzera’  (little Switzerland) for how much it resembles Switzerland-green rolling hills high up in the mountains.

My family originated from this town and I can’t help but being brought back to a time when all I knew of Tagliacozzo were the pictures that were passed around the Sunday dinner table. My grandfather would always end Sunday dinner with memories of Tagliacozzo and he would always have the photo of the sign with the town’s name on it. The sign is still there, it still looks the same as when my grandfather first showed it to me from a photo.

This magical little kingdom, or at least from my eyes as a 4 yr old, it always looked like that-castles and mountains and beautiful art. Could that be my fascination with this beautiful town or is it that wide eyed wonder of a little 4 yr old who still remembers the  stories of her grandfather telling  (what seemed like)strange tales of a far away land. Oh how that intrigued me so much so that I knew in my heart one day I was going to get there and get there I did ..

Pecorino D’Abruzzo is one of the specialty cheese made by the farmers there from  sheep  We used to make this at our family’s vineyard in Tagliacozzo. Here is a traditional recipe from Abruzzo.  Although you won’t be able to find this specific type of Pecorino from Abruzzo unless you are there, you can find Pecorino almost anywhere now.

Palotto Cacio e Uova

For 4 people

8 ounces of plain bread crumbs

2 tsps of freshly chopped parsley

2 chopped garlic cloves

5 eggs

2 tblsps extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese

Place bread crumbs, pecorino cheese, and eggs in a bowl. Blend with wooden spoon. Add in chopped garlic and parsley, blend well. heat olive oil in saute pan. Roll  mixture into the size of small meatballs and fry till crispy. Place on paper towels to drain. Serve with a tomato sugo (sauce) or plain.

Here is a link to the podcast  you might enjoy from my  latest radio interview  on my travels in Italy:

http://tinyurl.com/3f9nvw

For more great recipes, get your copy of the bestselling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com

Follow me on twittter at http://twitter.com/marialiberati