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

My favorite recipes combine ‘healthy with delicious’..and I am always in search of ingredients to help me in this ‘mission’..artisan ingredients are the healthiest version of foods..so when  I found a lite version of a freshly made Gouda cheese I began working on something special in The Basic Art of Italian Cooking  test kitchens here..and this is what we came up with. This works well as an appetizer or as a light dinner to be eaten on the terrazzo  ‘al fresco’… on a warm summer night with a loaf of crusty whole grain bread and a glass of chilled white wine. ( Falenghina, or Est!Est!Est!)

Baked Tomatoes with Gouda

3 large tomatoes (washed)

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves chopped finely

4 ounces gouda cheese

3 leeks finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut tomatoes in half. Grease a baking pan with 1 tablespoon of the oil, spread in pan  with clean fingers. Place tomato halves in greased pan On each tomato half place 1 tsp of olive oil.  Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in  saute  pan.  Saute finely chopped garlic with finely chopped leeks over low heat, just until golden. Remove from heat, place garlic mixture on top of tomato halves divided evenly. Bake tomatoes for 10 minutes. Grate Gouda cheese and place on top of tomato halves place under broiler until cheese is bubbly. Remove and serve…hot or cool…

May 25th, 11 AM- Book Signing at Book Expo America, Javits Convention Center, NY, NY. First 100 visitors get a free galley copy of the second edition of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking:Holiday & Special Occasions

For info on this event email : info@marialiberati.com

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Maria

 copyright, 2008, art of living,PrimaMedia,Inc, The Basic Art of Italian Cooking

Tartufi (truffles) are considered by many to be  a ‘mystery of nature’.  Gaio Plinio Secondo known as Plinio il Vecchio, born in 79 AD  wrote in Naturalis Historia- ‘that tartufi are born spontaneously and not from seeds and they live without roots’, according to Plinio the origin of tartufi   remain always in an ‘aura of mystery’ and to this day that remians true..

According to botanists tartufi (truffles) are categorized as a ‘fungus’ that live under ground that is rich in water, minerals and near the roots of a tree. They live in symbiosis with the tree root.

Tartufi are rich in fiber ,a complete protein and easily digested.

Truffles have long been a part of the history of the gourmet table. It was said that Lord Byron kept a truffle on his desk, he believed that the perfume of the truffle ignited his creativity. Alexander Dumas (the writer of The Three Miusketeers) described tartufi as one ofthe most maginifient ingredients of the table.

You can find truffles in many regions of Italy-Abruzzo, Tuscany, Umbria and others. For this a national association known as the”Associazione Nazionale Citta di Tartufo” (National Association of Truffle Cities) has been formed to discover new ways of finding and growing this ‘mystical fungus’.

Truffles (tartufi) come in black and white. The white truffle is the more delicate and costly. Most gourmet stores carry truffles But if you canlt find fres htruffles, you can find them jarred in olive oil or truffle oil.

Truffles have a strong taste and a very little goes a long way. To experience the taste of truffles, drizzle (sparingly) some truffle oil on top of a plate of risotto or grate (sparingly) some fresh truffle on a plate of pasta or pizza. Not even a full teaspoon of grated truffle is needed to experience the flavor.

Since we live in a region where truffles are found- I always find presents of a tartufi or two left for me at home in the winter. Truffles have become my favorite present and I use them to flavor everything.

Here is a recipe we have been working on in The Basic Art of Italian Cooking kitchen here in Italy to experiecne the truffles in season now:

Risotto con Tartufo

*1 cup of rice (carnaroli or arborio)

*2  tblsps + 2 tsps extra virgin olive oil

*2 scallions

*4 large oysters-steamed

*1 white truffle

*3 tblsps parmigiano cheese grated

* 2 quarts Vegetable Broth

*1/2 cup dry white wine

Heat vegetable broth till boiling, lower heat and let simmer. 

Cut scallions into small rounds. Place olive oil in saute pan and heat, place in scallions and saute till just about golden. Place in rice. Saute for 30 sedonds.   Add in white wine,  consistently stirring. When liquid is absorbed begin adding in broth approx 1/2 cup at a time and stirring till liquid is absorbed. Repeaat till rice is cooked till al dente (approx 18 minutes). Stir in parmigiano cheese and drizzle approx 2 tsps on top, stir risotto. Remove from heat.

Divide into 4 portions and place on 4 plates. On top of risotto, place an open steamed clam and on top of this place a few very thin slices of white truffle.

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

“Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene”
Maria

 The day after Christmas was the feast of Santo Stefano. In Abruzzo, what is known as the traditonal cement of Santo Stefano- arrived and covered much of the region..the snow that is.

The eating feasts were still continuing. I had two ‘pranzi’ to get to and decided to eat the first and second course at the first pranzo (luncheon) and then ate desserts and fresh fruit at the second. The only way this could have worked out.

The evening was (brrrrrr) very cold and the traditional ‘mercato’ went off without a hitch since snow in this mountain town is a usual occurrence during the winter Holidays and always to be expected.

But the festa still continues and the eating feasts continue now till January 6^th.

But holidays are always very interesting since many of the residents of this town return for a day or two to visit family and friends during the Holidays. Although many residents, after graduation, leave to pursue their careers in Rome or Milan ,they still miss the quiet and the traditional things that still exist here..the central place that we all know as the piazza. A place where you can catch up with friends that you have not seen for years.

Last night, my better half ran into two of his friends from high school that he had not seen for many years. One has moved to Rome, but told us that he missed the piazza here..a place that you can come to relive memories with friends from the past. Not everyone understands this small town tradition, the piazza, the camaraderie it provides.

It is like a constant in your life..something comforting that you can always be sure of. Even if you move far away..you can be sure that if you go to the piazza at 6:30PM (before dinner) or 10 PM (after dinner) there is usuallly someone to catch up with..you may even find someone that wants to catch a movie or grab a cup of coffee or get a pizza..

Some former residents miss this so much that they drag their spouses back, even if just for Holidays , to experience this with them..and some don’t appreciate this or understand this tradition..as evidenced last night.

A man who had since moved and settled into big city life in Rome and Milan with his wife, had insisted on coming back to visit family and friends and going to the piazza for a few nights to catch up with old friends..However, he announced that his wife just left him without his car, house keys and returned to their house in Rome.

She had announced that if he was not back by 4 PM she was leaving for their house in Rome..alone… and alone he was also. They were staying with his family so he has a bed to sleep in but a way to get back to Rome was his only concern as he tried to make train reservations by cell phone while reminiscing with friends in the piazza.

Not everyone understands or appreciates this old world…. laid back…. style of life and camaraderie..still being able to lose yourself in the conversation of old friends and chatter about nothing important or maybe being able to philosophize about the state of the country or the world or rising gas prices or what your plans are for Capo D’anno (New Year’s).. nothing that will change the world or change your life for that matter..just something that you can always be certain of in this uncertain world..a meeting place filled with friends..

Anyway, here is a fun ,easy to make dessert. The apples are great this time of year and even though we have many desserts left over from holiday get togethers I usually try to make this for an informal get together with friends. Happy Holidays..

Torta Rovesciata alle Mele

(Upside Down Apple Cake)

• 1 ½ cups flour

• 4 ounces butter-softened

• ½ cup sugar

• 1 egg yolk

• 3 fresh apples (granny smith)

Place 2 ounces of softened butter in bowl with flour,1 tbsp sugar and egg yolk. Blend. Add in ½ cup cold water. Mix together with hands. When dough is smooth consistency, place in aluminum foil. Leave in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Peel apples and thinly slice. In small sauce pan, caramelize remaining butter with remaining sugar over low heat. Remove from heat just before butter turns golden brown. Pour butter mixture into pie pan, arrange apples on top.

Roll out dough to make pie crust. Place crust on top of apples. Bake in oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven.

When cooled invert pie pan onto serving dish toll pie comes out. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or small scoop of vanilla gelato.

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene

Maria

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

Uova in Curry (eggs in curry sauce) is something out of the ordinary and a dish I  have come up with  for my next book. It makes a great second course dish for almost any meal. Although, the recipe is done in an Italian style  with the tomato based sauce-the adding of the curry is not something traditionally Italian. But the curry does give this easy and healthy dish its’ own chaarcter.

Try it and let me know how you like it….

Uova E Curry

copyright, Maria Liberati 2008- The Basic Art of Italian Cooking, Holidays and Special Occasions.

Uova al Curry (Eggs in Curry Sauce)

(serves 4)

8 large eggs

2 medium eggplants

16 ounce can of crushed tomatoe

1 tsp powdered curry

1 tsp fresh chopped parsley

4 tblsps extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Wash. dry eggplant. Cut of both ends of eggplant. Cut into small cubes. Place I ncolander and sprinkle 1 tsp of salt on top, let sit for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.

In sauté pan heat 1 tblsp olive oil, whole garlic clove for 1 minute. Place in eggplant cubes and powdered curry. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes.

Add in crushed tomatoes,salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 20 minutes over low heat.

I n separate pot cook eggs in boiling water for 10-15 minutes or until hardboiled. Peel.

Remove eggplant from heat. Remove garlic clove. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.  Arrange 2 eggs on each serving plate and cover with eggplant mixture.

Ciao for now..

Maria

http://www.marialiberati.com

http://mediterraneandiet-healthy.blogspot.com

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