copyright 2009, Maria Liberati 

I have  always thought of Italian cooking as just that… always making something ordinary into something extraordinary..day old bread becomes an elegant appetizer with just a drizzle of extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil..tomatoes are transformed into a savory condiment for pasta using a few simple ingredients-fresh San Marzano tomatoes (and right now I am up to my elbows in San Marzano tomatoes..it is the season and we are preserving them for the winter) fresh basil, fresh garlic, extra virgin,cold pressed olive oil.

Here is a recipe from The Basic Art of Italian Kitchen here in the mountains of Abruzzo..making ordinary out of the extraordinary with local potatoes, organic rosemary from our garden and locally produced extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil.

Tuscan Roasted Potatoes

*1 lb of red or Yukon Gold Potatoes or locally grown potatoes

*3 stalks of  fresh rosemary

*4 tablespoons extra virgin,cold pressed olive oil

*salt to taste

Wash potatoes, boil  for 10 minutes. Drain, peel. Cut into quarters. Drizzle half of olive oil on bottom of roasting pan, place in potatoes. Drizzle remaining olive oil on top, Salt to  taste, take some rosemary off branches and place on top of potatoes. Place 1 branch of rosemary on top and bake for 30-40 minutes at 450 degrees, place under broiler for 2-3 minutes when finished to brown top.

Serve with a white wine..my choice today will be a chilled Vermentino from Sardinia.

Buon’appetito

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene,

Maria

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Get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions just in time for the Holidays with over 140 recipes, menus, tips for the holidays, short stories about Holidays spent in Italy and more

 copyright, 2009, Maria Liberati, The Basic Art of Italian Cooking

Our short trip to Venice was enough inspiration for many delicious Venetian treats. Carnevale is in the air and many are anxiously awaiting it’s arrival.  The brightly colored masks are beautiful and some of  the costumes are so authentic to the time of Casanova..But besides the beauty of the masks and the costumes there is a meaning behind the tradition of wearing the costumes & the masks. When a mask and costume were worn no one knew your true identity..in so much as no one knew if you were rich or poor of nobility or not. And for this, the tradition of wearing of the mask and costumes grew ever so popular.  

Carnevale brings to mind the beauty of the masks and the tradition behind wearing of the masks as well as the sweets and traditional foods that Venice has to offer..You knew I had to somehow tie in food with this..but in Italy everythig nis somehow related to food..

The Basic Art of Italian Cooking kitchen here in Italy will be working on some of the recipes we were inspired by in Venice. Sweets to first courses to appetizers.  Our recipes this week will be:
Baicoli..a traditonal sweet biscuit made with Marsala wine

Risi e Bisi..a traditional dish from Venice but famous all over Italy (it means rice and peas)

Cicchetti..traditional appetizers served at happy hour at coffee bars in Venice. Cicchetti is realy a word that comes from Venice and means appetizers or snacks which are sometimes known in the rest of  Italy as ‘stuzzichini’

These traditional recipes will give you a chance to experience Venice from your own kitchen, wherever that is. But if you do get a chance to visit Venice, here are some sightseeign tips we came up with:

http://www.trifter.com/Europe/Italy/Sightseeing-Tips-for-Your-Venice-Trip.275877

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

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene,

Maria

Here in the little town of Baschi….right outside of Orvieto for The Basic Art of Italian Cooking school and the one coming in September. Last night, we had a wonderful welcome first from Domenico and Paola at our arrival in Baschi ( location of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking school)  and next from Velia & Gianluca (proprietors of) the world famous wine bar The Champagneria- in view of the magnificent cathedral in the center of Orvieto and in the main piazza. 

Gianluca, a talented sommelier  and Velia  a very talented cook- never fail to surprise you with their culinary acumen!!   You can  always count on Gianluca to recommend the best wines or sparkling wines to go with Velia’s creations!  The food and wine is always as exciting as the conversation and last night was no exception….from the exceptional Orvieto classico wine  served by Gianluca to the scrumptious focaccia bread and appetizers..can’ t forget her homemade chocolate torrone… whipped up by Velia to the stimulating conversation there.

And of course you never know who will stop by to add another point of view to the conversation..in about 4 hours we went through every topic you can imagine from politics (Italy and the US) to food, to the state of economy, the Vatican, wines, how much we all ate for the non stop 2 week period of the Holidays, philosophy,opera, music,Orvieto, Abruzzo, Philadelphia, Boston, NY city, Rome..and I think that took us all the way into closing time (2 AM).

I always enjoy having a great conversation on  any topic here in Italy.  Italians are so passionate about any topic you are in the mood to discuss or philosophize about…always providing a good mental workout and a great discussion of differing points of view. But when great food and wine are present it only makes the conversation  and what may turn into  a heated discussion-that much more enjoyable.. 

Recipes and photos will be posted here shortly..stay tuned ..In the meantime.. Tanti Saluti da Orvieto and if you would like to join us in September for  the next The Basic Art of Italian Cooking School here in Orvieto….. email: events@marialiberati.com  Reservations are limited..so hurry and reserve your week under the Umbrian sun, enjoying food, wine, beauiful views of the hills of Orvieto, Todi and surroundings, and of course The Basic Art of Italian Cooking school….

For more great recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking a http:www.marialiberati.com

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene

Maria

Umbria jazz festival is in town (Orvieto). This year the festival is highlighting gospel music and the music of Duke Ellington..but one never knows who will show up. One year-Sting-who  lives in Umbria- showed up unannounced. You can check out the festival here. at www.umbriajazz.com

If you want to join the culinary tour and cooking classes I will be hosting during the summer version of Umbria jazz, just email Sue at info@marialiberati.com It will be a program of wine and olive oil tasting as well as cooking classes and visits to some special places and a stay in a beautiful Umbrian farmhouse resort..

Nothing goes better with great food and wine than great music, so the festival really fits in well with the culinary programs we are doing here (in Orvieto). Great cooking and tasting during the day and then the jazz festival music at night really makes for a complete  Umbrian experience.

Besides cooking and great recipes and tasting we got to make a stop at the famous Champagneria in Orvieto…  and since it is the Holidays.. sparkling wine pairings-so popular this time of the year. The appetizers we made for this sparkiling wine pairing will be posted here in the next few days.

But remember that sparkling wines can be used for any occasion not just for Holidays. They make any dinner or luncheon a special one. For some suggestions start off a meal with Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene…  A great way to welcome your guests and to start the event.

To follow that with your appetizers of  ,quiche, salami and parmigiana-reggiano cheese try a Pinot noir which is a versatile spumanti. This can also be served with fish, vegetables, white meats, shellfish.

For the dessert course try a a  Moscato d’Asti which is perfect served with panettone or most cakes and pastries that contain fruit. Brachetto d’Acqui (which has become one of my favorites) can also be served with your dessert  course. This is a very versatile spumanti as well and I have received many emails asking where to purchase this. It is light with just tinge of sweetness.

And if you are serving some type of dessert that needs to be eaten with a spoon-like a creme bruleee or flan or pudding-go back to a Prosecco for dessert this makes a great accompaniment.

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

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene

Maria

These days I have been busy putting together  recipes for the Feast Your Eyes campaign of  the American Academy of Ophthalmologists and Eye Care America as I am serving as a media spokesperson for this event.

The recipes have to be ‘yummy’ but they also have to contain ingredients that are healthy for your eyes.  Since it’s getting to be that time of year when Holiday Parties are on everyone’s mind, I decided to put together healthy appetizers.

This first healthy appetizer makes agreat dip (and donlt tell nayone but it is contains many ingredients that are healthy for your eyes):

Crema Di Carote (Carrot Cream Appetizer)

*2 lbs of carrots

*2 cups of vegetable broth or boullion

*pinch of nutmeg

*pinch of hot pepper

*4 tblsps of grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

*1/3 cup of pitted black olives

*8 slices of crusty Italian bread

*1 tblsps of extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil

*1 tblsps of unsalted butter

*pinch of salt and pepper to taste

Wash, peel and cut carrots into large pieces. Bring broth to a boil. Place in carrots and cook for 20 minutes. When finished, pour liquid and carrots into a bowl and mash carrots with fork and mix with liquid.

In a sauté pan, place in oil, warm on low heat for 30 seconds. Place in mashed carrots, add in butter and grated cheese. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, pepper, nutmeg. Cook for 2 minutes and mixing continuously with wooden spoon so mixture does not stick.

Remove from heat. Divide cream onto 4 small appetizer dishes. Garnish with black olives on side of dish. Serve with 2 slices of crusty Italian bread on each plate.
For more great recipes get your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati at http://www.marialiberati.com

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene

Maria

 I have taken some of the staff and editors of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm to my office in Italy and  some are traveling around  Italy as well,  capturing interesting stories ,places ,faces and more,..In honor of the culinary cruise I will be doing in Venice this winter, here is an interesting bit of info for those of you wanting to visit Venezia.