EGG PAPPARDELLE WITH FRESH, BROWN MUSHROOMS

444Egg pappardelle with fresh, brown mushrooms, garlic and aromatic herbs is a simple, satisfying pasta dish that I am always happy to eat.

The earthy flavour of mushrooms, enhanced by rosemary, thyme and a splash of white wine, makes a delicious sauce for the broad ribbons of egg pasta.

I am writing this post for two reasons. Firstly, after nearly six weeks of being unable to access my blog, All Things Sicilian and More, I am keen to discover whether everything is finally working as it should. What better way to test it than by publishing a new recipe?

Secondly, I recently prepared this dish in a holiday house in Victor Habor  (close to Adelaide), in someone else’s kitchen, with unfamiliar equipment and a frying pan that was considerably smaller than I would have liked.This was only because of the large amounts of mushrooms I insisted on.

Fortunately, a good pasta dish doesn’t require elaborate equipment, just excellent ingredients and a little ingenuity.

Beautiful, fresh, brown, large mushrooms were the inspiration for this pasta dish.
Excellent Quality Fresh Mushrooms Were the Inspiration

There were four of us for a quick Sunday lunch, but the large, brown mushrooms were so fresh, large and beautiful that I couldn’t resist buying well over a kilogram.

Mushrooms are particularly good with egg pasta. Their earthy, savoury flavour complements the richness of the eggs, while the broad ribbons of pappardelle provide plenty of surface area for the sauce to cling to.

I kept the other ingredients simple: garlic, a small onion, fresh rosemary and thyme, some parsley, a little dry white wine, salt, freshly ground black pepper and, of course, extra virgin olive oil.

I added a couple of tablespoons of butter towards the end of cooking, this enhanced the flavours of the mushrooms, herbs, wine and olive oil and made the sauce more viscous.

Cooking Plenty of Mushrooms in a Small Frying Pan

The greatest challenge was accommodating such a generous quantity of mushrooms in a frying pan that was clearly too small for the job. But there was a lid.

Mushrooms contain a considerable amount of water and reduce substantially in volume as they cook. The solution was to add them gradually, allowing each addition to soften and reduce before adding more. I used a lid at times to provide more steam and quicken the process.

More than a kilogram of mushrooms, sliced and ready for the frying pan. This can be viewed as being excessive for 4 people, however, I was excited by the quality of the mushrooms.

It required a little patience, but it worked beautifully.

The mushrooms released their juices, the garlic and herbs added fragrance, and the white wine reduction and addition of the butter brought everything together.

Once tossed with the freshly cooked egg pappardelle, the result was a delicious,  an uncomplicated pasta dish.

Sometimes the simplest meals, particularly those prepared without the comforts of your own kitchen, turn out to be among the most enjoyable.

RECIPE: Egg Pappardelle with Fresh Brown Mushrooms

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25–30 minutes

Ingredients
  • 400–500 g dried egg pappardelle, or approximately 600 g fresh egg pappardelle
  • 1–1.2 kg fresh brown mushrooms (or field mushrooms)
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 3–4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or sliced
  • 2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 small sprig fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup of chopped parsley (or more)
  • 100 ml dry white wine
  • 4–5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbs of butter
  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Reserved pasta cooking water, if needed (my sauce had enough moisture)
Method

1. Prepare the mushrooms

Gently brush or wipe the mushrooms to remove any soil. Trim the stems if necessary and slice the mushrooms fairly thickly. Larger mushrooms can be cut into generous pieces so they retain some texture during cooking.

2. Sauté the onion and garlic

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Add the finely chopped onion and cook gently until softened and translucent.

Add the garlic, stirring for another minute until fragrant. Take care not to brown the garlic.

Adding the mushrooms gradually allowed me to cook a generous quantity in a surprisingly small frying pan.

3. Cook the mushrooms

Add the mushrooms gradually, beginning with a few generous handfuls.

Allow them to soften and reduce before adding more. Cover with a lid occasionally and add rosemary and thyme.  Stir now and then to encourage even cooking.

As the mushrooms release their moisture, they will shrink considerably, making room for the remaining mushrooms.

Continue cooking until all the mushrooms have been added and most of their liquid has evaporated.

4. Add the white wine

Pour in the white wine and allow it to simmer until the alcohol has evaporated and the liquid has reduced.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

 Add butter. The finished mushrooms should be moist and glossy, with a little concentrated cooking liquid remaining to coat the pasta.

5. Cook the pappardelle

Bring a large saucepan of generously salted water to the boil.

Add the egg pappardelle and cook until al dente, following the recommended cooking time for fresh or dried pasta. Our pasta was 7 mins.

Before draining, reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water just in case you need it. I didn’t

6. Combine the cooked pappardelle and mushrooms

Add the drained pappardelle to the mushrooms and toss gently.

If you need to do this Add a little reserved pasta cooking water, a tablespoon or two at a time, to loosen the sauce and help it coat the pasta.

Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some freshly ground black pepper.

Broad ribbons of egg pappardelle are ideal for carrying the rich, savoury mushroom sauce.

7. Serve immediately

Divide the pappardelle and mushrooms between four warm plates, ensuring everyone receives a generous portion of mushrooms.

This is a dish best enjoyed immediately, while the pasta is hot and the fragrance of the mushrooms and herbs is at its best.

Remove the stalks before mixing the mushrooms with the pasta.
A Few Cooking Notes

Choosing mushrooms: Brown mushrooms have a deeper, earthier flavour than ordinary white button mushrooms. Large, mature specimens are particularly suitable for this dish.

Avoiding overcrowding: Ideally, mushrooms are sautéed in a wide pan to encourage evaporation and browning. However, as my experience demonstrated, adding them gradually also works when equipment is limited. The mushrooms will initially steam in their own juices, but continued cooking will concentrate their flavour.

Using fresh herbs: Rosemary has a strong flavour, so use it sparingly. Thyme is particularly complementary to mushrooms. If I had sage, I would have added that as well.

Parmesan: A little freshly grated Parmigiano offered at the table,  can be a good idea, although  sometime I prefer to appreciate the flavour of the mushrooms and herbs without it.

Nutmeg? Nutmeg was unavailable in this holiday residence, which is understandable given its temporary nature. I would typically use it to enhance the dish.

Type of mushrooms? Any, or a mixture of mushrooms including dry porcini.

PASTA WITH MUSHROOMS; Pasta ai funghi

WILD MUSHROOMS; Saffron Coloured, Pine Mushrooms and Slippery Jacks

STUFFED MUSHROOMS with pine nuts and fresh breadcrumbs – Funghi ripieni

Celeriac and Kohlrabi: Italian recipes for Two Unusual Vegetables

As the season of spring arrives in Melbourne, I’m still enjoying celeriac and kohlrabi, two unusual vegetables that are still available in September and October at the Queen Victoria Market.

Celeriac and Kohlrabi: Strange-Looking but Delicious

Celeriac and kohlrabi could be described as particularly beautiful. Celeriac is knobbly, tangled and earthy; kohlrabi has a swollen round stem with leaf stalks projecting from it, but these rather inhospitable exteriors are two versatile and delicious vegetables.

Not the prettiest vegetables at the market, but celeriac and kohlrabi reward the cook who looks beyond appearances.

The specimens in my photographs are particularly rugged. A careful grower or more selective retailer might have rejected them before they have reached this  mature end of season stage.

Kohlrabi is best harvested young because large, mature plants can become tough and woody. Celeriac is more forgiving and can grow to a considerable size while remaining perfectly good to eat.

A younger looking kohlrabi as usually sold at the beginning of their season
When Are Celeriac and Kohlrabi in Season?

Celeriac is very much a vegetable of the cooler months and has a long growing season. In the Northern Hemisphere it is generally harvested from autumn through winter and into early spring; in UK, for example, the main season extends roughly from October to March.In Italy kohlrabi grows during two main seasonal cycles: a spring crop from May to June and an autumn-to-winter crop from October to November.

 In the southern part of Australia the seasons are reversed, making celeriac predominantly an autumn and winter vegetable, although local climate and growing conditions can extend its availability.

Kohlrabi is a member of the brassica family. It grows quickly and also prefers cool conditions. When harvested young, its swollen stem is crisp, juicy and mildly sweet, with flavours reminiscent of cabbage stem, broccoli and turnip. It can be eaten raw, steamed, sautéed, roasted, stuffed or added to soups and stews.

In Europe, successive crops can provide young kohlrabi from late spring through autumn and into early winter in milder regions. In temperate parts of the Southern Hemisphere, spring and autumn provide particularly favourable growing conditions but too much heat or dry weather can encourage older specimens to become tough and woody.

Green coloured Kohlrabi sold with substantial amounts of leaves that I bought in Vietnam!

The leaves of kohlrabi are edible too and can be cooked like other leafy brassicas.

A much younger me holding a bunch of leafy Kohlrabi (cavolo rapa) that my relatives in Ragusa use to make with pasta (Causunnedda )

My relatives in Ragusa use them in a delicious, rather soupy pasta dish. I was always intrigued by the kohlrabi they bought there: very leafy, with relatively small swollen stems, and invariably beautifully tender. The violet varieties of kohlrabi are prominent in Italy and eventually they will also be common in Australia.

Kohlrabi in the Market in Syracuse. Bought young has crisp, juicy flesh, but the leaves are valuable too—something Sicilian cooks have long understood.
Versatility of CELERIAC and Kohlrabi

Perhaps because of their uncompromising appearance, celeriac and kohlrabi are easily overlooked, but European cooks have long recognised their value. Both can move comfortably between raw and cooked dishes and take well to strong flavours as well as simple preparations.

They are also suited to preserving. In Central and Eastern European food traditions, firm vegetables have long been preserved in vinegar, brine or through fermentation, sometimes with herbs, mustard seeds and spices. Kohlrabi and celeriac lend themselves particularly well to pickling because of their firm texture and ability to retain some crunch.

I have written about both vegetables before, with recipes and examples of how they are prepared in different parts of Italy. Use the links to see those earlier posts.

Two northern Italian recipes that demonstrate Celeriac and Kohlrabi recipes

Two distinct recipes from Northern Italy are here: a hearty Veronese minestra with celeriac, borlotti beans, sausage, and tagliatelle, and a Trentino–Alto Adige preparation of kohlrabi slowly cooked with butter and cream until tender.

Recipe: Minestra di Sedano Rapa Tagliatelle –Veronese Celeriac, Borlotti Bean and Tagliatelle Soup

This substantial minestra from Verona is made with celeriac, borlotti beans, fresh pork sausage and egg tagliatelle. The celeriac softens during the long cooking and contributes the distinctive celery-like fragrance, while the beans give the soup body and the fresh sausage adds richness.

Grande Enciclopedia Illustrata della Gastronomia

I found this recipe in my 1990 edition of Grande Enciclopedia Illustrata della Gastronomia, where it is attributed to Giovanni Capnist’s La cucina veronese.

The accompanying text written in Italian makes an interesting distinction: although celeriac has essentially the same aroma as ordinary celery, it is not used simply as an aromatic but treated as a vegetable in its own right, both raw and cooked.

This minestra demonstrates that particularly well. Celeriac is not hiding in the background as we do with celery stalks,  it is one of the substantial ingredients around which the dish is built.

Serves 6–8

Ingredients
  • 400 g dried borlotti beans
  • 1 celeriac, about 500–600 g before trimming
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 4 small fresh pork sausages
  • 1.5 litres beef broth
  • 200 g dried egg tagliatelle
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Extra virgin olive oil, to serve — the original suggests olive oil from Lake Garda

METHOD

Soak the borlotti beans overnight, then drain.

Peel and trim the celeriac and cut it into small pieces. Roughly chop the onion and carrot and remove the sausage meat from its casings.

Place the beans, celeriac, onion, carrot and sausage meat in a large saucepan. Add the beef broth and bring gently to a simmer.

Cook over low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally so that the ingredients do not catch on the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper.

About 20 minutes before the end of cooking, add the dried egg tagliatelle. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.

Remove from the heat and allow the minestra to settle and cool slightly before serving. For a thicker consistency, mash some of the tender borlotti beans against the side of the pot and stir them back through the soup.

If desired, finish each serving with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil*

 An Interesting point: *The original Italian recipe finishes with:

“Servire, condendo se piace con un filo di olio d’oliva del Garda.” – If desired, serve, with a drizzle of  olive oil from Grada.

That reference to Lake Garda olive oil is not an incidental detail. Verona lies just east of Lake Garda, where the moderating influence of the lake has allowed olives to be cultivated unusually far north. A final thread of local olive oil therefore gives the dish an unmistakable local,  geographical connection.

Recipe: Cavolo Rapa Soffocato – An Alto Adige Way with Kohlrabi

I have found versions of this traditional Alto Adige dish in two of my cookery books. In my 1990 Grande Enciclopedia Illustrata della Gastronomia it appears as Cavolo rapa stufato, while Osteria: 1,000 Generous and Simple Recipes from Italy’s Best Local Restaurants, published by Slow Food Editore, calls it Cavolo rapa soffocato – smothered kohlrabi.

Osteria: 1,000 Generous and Simple Recipes from Italy’s Best Local Restaurants,Slow Food Editore

The recipes are essentially the same, but I much prefer the straightforward, simple instructions in Osteria.

What makes the recipe particularly interesting is that it treats kohlrabi quite differently from the crisp vegetable we might expect in a salad or pickle. Here there is no attempt to preserve its crunch. The kohlrabi is deliberately cooked for an hour until very tender, with butter, a little sugar and flour, before being finished with cream. The sugar encourages browning and enhances the vegetable’s natural sweetness, while the flour and cream turn the cooking juices into a light sauce.

It is rich, comforting and distinctly Alpine in character and an excellent example of what northern Italian cooks can do with this rather austere-looking vegetable. The cream and butter are also characteristic of this very northern Italian Cuisine.

The recipe in Osteria is attributed to Klaus Mayr of Renon–Ritten, in Bolzano–Bozen, Trentino–Alto Adige.

I have not made this recipe yet, but although it is a side dish, I rather like the idea of presenting it as a hot dip with warm bread. I doubt very much it the Bolzano crew would be impressed!

Cavolo Rapa Soffocato — Smothered Kohlrabi

Serves 4

Ingredients
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 4 kohlrabi, diced
  • 1 tablespoon plain flour
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup cream
Method

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar begins to caramelise.

Add the diced kohlrabi, sprinkle with the flour and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring so that it does not stick, until the kohlrabi begins to brown.

Add ½ cup cold water, cover and cook over low heat for about 1 hour. Check occasionally and add a little more water if the pan becomes too dry.

Uncover, stir in the cream and cook for a few more minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened. Serve warm.

A finishing comment: There is something very appealing about these two recipes sitting together. Celeriac and kohlrabi may be awkward-looking vegetables, but neither is treated timidly in these northern Italian dishes. In Verona, celeriac becomes part of a substantial minestra with beans, sausage and pasta; in Alto Adige, kohlrabi is slowly smothered with butter and cream. Both recipes make a convincing case for looking beyond appearances—and perhaps for giving these vegetables a little more space in our kitchens.

Other recipes on the blog:

UNVEILING KOHLRABI, a BRASSICA

KOHLRABI with pasta (Causunnedda )

KOHLRABI, as eaten in Sicily

Kohlrabi, Fennel, Celeriac and Daikon make a good salad (and other recipes)

A WET PASTA DISH WITH KOHLRABI

KOHLRABI and TENERUMI, shared between cultures of Sicily and Vietnam

SEDANO RAPA (Celeriac and how to eat it) 

I am surprised that there is only one post about celeriac as I use it quite a bit, however you will find a number of different ways to prepare it in the above link.

COSTATE DI MAIALE RIPIENE: STUFFED PORK CHOPS FROM RAGUSA, SICILY

 Costate di maiale ripiene, stuffed pork chops from the province of Ragusa in south-eastern Sicily, are an example of a unique regional cooking tradition built around  the local produce  –  pork, offal, cheese and in modern times, the skills of the butcher.

Thick, bone-in pork chops are opened a libro – like a book – generously filled, sewn closed and slowly cooked with red wine and broth.

It is a substantial dish that says something about the food culture of this distinctive part of Sicily.

Ragusa and the Monti Iblei

Ragusa in Sicily is both the name of the city and of the surrounding in southern Sicily, includes towns like Ragusa, Modica, Scicli, and Chiaramonte Gulfi. It’s located in the island’s southeast corner. Much of the province lies on the Hyblaean Plateau, a limestone landscape with rolling hills, valleys, and deep ravines known as the Monti Iblei.

The area is different in some respects from the more familiar image of Sicily. Its pastoral and agricultural economy has produced a cuisine with a particularly strong association with cattle, pork, lamb, cheeses, offal, filled breads and substantial festive meat dishes.

Cattle raising and dairy farming have long been important. The renowned Ragusano DOP is a firm, stretched-curd cow’s-milk cheese, traditionally formed into large rectangular blocks and aged. Ricotta, provola and other dairy products are also deeply embedded in the local cuisine.

Sicilian cuisine developed from a strong culture of farming, livestock raising and home preservation. Meat and dairy are comfortably paired with vegetables, pulses, olive oil and wheat.

Agriculture has changed, too. In Sicily, serre are greenhouses used for intensive cultivation, particularly common in the south-east around Ragusa, Vittoria and the coastal plain. Usually covered with plastic rather than glass, they provide protected growing conditions for tomatoes, peppers, aubergines and other vegetables that are grown all year round. These have become a distinctive feature of the modern agricultural landscape.

Pork and the Food of My Father’s Family

My father’s family lives in Ragusa, a city and surrounding countryside I have visited numerous times. The region has a particularly strong reputation for pork and traditional meat cookery:

The region is renowned for its pork and traditional meat cookery, particularly hearty dishes in which very little of the animal is wasted.

Cotenne, strips of pork rind, for example, may be added to pork, often still on the bone, to enrich the flavour and texture of a slow-cooked tomato sauce for pasta. Sausages also are popular in this area and added. Pork and rind are also used to make stock for particular minestre and brothy pasta dishes, including the local specialty made with kohlrabi.

Then there is gelatina di maiale, also known locally as zuzzu or liatina. This is a traditional jellied pork preparation made from the pig’s head, including the tongue, with additional meat and plenty of rind to provide the natural gelatine.

My elderly aunt, an exceptional cook who taught me so much about Sicilian food, once made gelatina for me. She died several years ago and, these days, the extended family is quite happy to buy it from one of the many butchers who still make it. The butchers of Chiaramonte Gulfi are renowned as some of the best in the region for making gelatina.

These are intensely local dishes and sometimes seem surprisingly different from the familiar “Sicilian” repertoire presented elsewhere on the island or in general Italian cookbooks.

Costate di Maiale Ripiene — Stuffed Pork Chops

The traditional local speciality is am discussing is costate di maiale ripiene — stuffed pork chops particularly associated with Chiaramonte Gulfi.

These are no ordinary pork chops. They are cut very thick, approximately alte due dita,  two fingers thick and opened like a book, while the bone is left attached.

The filling is generous: minced or finely chopped pork, pork liver, fresh caciocavallo, hard-boiled egg and slices of local salami. In effect, the dish brings together many of the characteristic flavours of the region within a single pork chop.

Once filled, the chops are closed and sewn so that the filling cannot escape during cooking.

Traditionally, they may be browned in strutto (lard), although oil is mush more commonly used today, then braised with onion, red wine and broth until tender.

The younger members of my father’s family purchase them from a trusted butcher. I have eaten costate ripiene cooked in the traditional braised way and also roasted over a rustic wood fire. Both were exceptionally good.

This is an integral part of the cooking tradition. The dish has not only been passed down as a homemade recipe but also represents the culture of the butcher shop. The butcher expertly cuts, fills and prepares the meat, while the customer brings it home to cook.

A Dish That Belongs to the region 

What appeals to me most about costate di maiale ripiene is that the dish makes complete sense when viewed within the food culture of Ragusa.

The pork and liver reflect the traditional use of the whole animal; the caciocavallo speaks of the region’s strong dairy culture; the salami belongs to its macelleria tradition; and even the sewing of the chop tells us something about an older style of cooking in which time, skill and economy were taken for granted.

It may seem an elaborate pork chop, but it is also a small expression of the agricultural and culinary landscape of the Monti Iblei.

 Stuffed Pork tradition in Italian Cooking

Thinking about costate ripiene reminded me of a Tasting Australia event I attended in Adelaide, led by renowned Western Australian butcher Vincenzo Garreffa, founder of famous butchery called Mondo di Carne (now called Mondo).

During the event, Vincenzo demonstrated the preparation of various smallgoods and also made porchetta.

Porchetta varies considerably across central Italy. Garlic, rosemary, fennel and other herbs appear in different combinations according to place and tradition; sage is also found in some versions. Pork liver and other offal may be included, adding richness and a more robust flavour.

He boned a piglet and filled it with pork fillets, blanched almonds, pork liver, garlic, rosemary, fennel seeds, salt and pepper before rolling and securing it for roasting.

After the initial shock of seeing a whole little pig boned, filled, trussed and squeezed between racks into the oven, we all agreed  at the end that the aroma, and eventually the taste was wonderful.

An Italian Tradition of Stuffing Meat

Stuffing meat seems to be one of those lasting Italian approaches to cookery:

open it → season or fill it → close, tie, sew or roll it → cook it.

At one extreme is the whole pig used for porchetta. At the other are smaller preparations such as costate ripiene.

Other examples include arrosti ripieni (stuffed roasts), lonza farcita (stuffed pork loin), braciole (stuffed meat rolls), involtini (small meat rolls), falsomagro (Sicilian stuffed rolled beef) and numerous intensely local variations.

Despite regional differences, the underlying principle remains remarkably consistent: meat is wrapped around, folded over or opened to contain a seasoned filling, turning modest ingredients into something more substantial, flavourful and celebratory.

Anna Pomar’s RECIPE FOR Costate di Maiale Ripiene

I have several cookbooks on Sicilian cuisine, many of which are written in Italian and purchased in Sicily. However, it has been difficult to locate a recipe. The reason that it is absent is probably because it is a unique local dish distinct from the more familiar Sicilian recipes, and is therefore absent from general Sicilian or Italian cookbooks.

The recipe I found is from Anna Pomar’s La Cucina Tradizionale Siciliana., a book given to me by my cousin Rosetta who lives in Ragusa.

The cover describes the book as a collection of recipes representing lost flavours and often-forgotten traditions.

Pomar identifies costate di maiale ripiene as a famous speciality of Chiaramonte Gulfi, which, because of this speciality, had become “una delle mete predilette dei buongustai siciliani” — one of the favourite destinations of Sicilian gourmets.

That alone tells us something about the reputation these awe-inspiring stuffed pork chops.

It is only fair that I present the recipe, with the Italian version first followed by the English.

THE RECIPES in Italian and English

Italian – Costate di Maiale Ripiene 

Questa ricetta è tratta da La Cucina Tradizionale Siciliana di Anna Pomar. L’autrice presenta le costate di maiale ripienecome una famosa specialità di Chiaramonte Gulfi, “divenuto per la sua specialità una delle mete predilette dei buongustai siciliani”.

Ingredienti

6 costate di maiale
200 g di carne di maiale tritata
200 g di fegato di maiale
50 g di salame
100 g di caciocavallo fresco
2 uova sode
1 cipolla nuova
1 bicchiere di vino rosso
olio
brodo, quanto basta
sale e pepe

Preparazione

Le costate di maiale dovranno essere piuttosto doppie e aperte a libro. Non si dovrà però togliere loro l’osso.

Preparate un impasto con la carne tritata, il fegato sminuzzato, sale, molto pepe e un sorso di vino rosso. Ponetene un cucchiaio fra le due fette di ogni costata, insieme al formaggio fresco, alle uova sode e al salame affettati.

Richiudete le costate e cucitele in modo che il ripieno non fuoriesca.

Soffriggete in un tegame la cipolla grattugiata con l’olio, aggiungete le costate, sfumate con il vino e coprite con il brodo. Lasciate cuocere, coperte, per circa un’ora.

Servite con un contorno di riso condito con il sugo della carne e pezzetti di fegato.

English – Stuffed Pork Chops- Costate di Maiale Ripiene

Ingredients

6 thick bone-in pork chops
200 g minced pork
200 g pork liver
50 g salami
100 g fresh caciocavallo
2 hard-boiled eggs
1 fresh young onion
1 glass red wine
Olive oil
Broth, as required
Salt and plenty of black pepper

Preparation

The pork chops should be quite thick and cut open like a book, without removing the bone.

Prepare a mixture with the minced pork, finely chopped liver, salt, plenty of pepper and a splash of red wine. Place a spoonful between the two sides of each chop, together with slices of fresh cheese, hard-boiled egg and salami.

Close the chops and sew them securely so that the filling does not escape.

Gently fry the grated onion in oil in a saucepan. Add the stuffed chops, then pour in some wine and allow it to evaporate. Add enough broth to cover and cook, covered, for about an hour.

Serve with rice dressed with the meat juices and pieces of liver.

Gelatina/ Zuzzu/Liatina

GELATINA DI MAIALE. Pork Brawn

The Ugly Ducklings in Italian Cuisine (Scarrafoni in cucina)  

Kohlrabi

KOHLRABI, as eaten in Sicily

KOHLRABI with pasta (Causunnedda)

A WET PASTA DISH WITH KOHLRABI

GNUCCHITEDDI (Making small gnocchi shapes using my great grandmother’s device)

Porchetta

PORK, SALUMI (Smallgoods). Tasting Australia

MAIALINO ARROSTO (Roast, suckling pig)

PORK IN RAGUSA (I Ragusani mangiano molto maiale)

Mondo di Carne butchery in Western Australia, now called MONDO

Home

SQUID WITH BLACK INK SAUCE (Calamari al Nero)

Squid with Black Ink Sauce is one of those dishes that never fails to impress. With its glossy black sauce it looks dramatic, tastes intensely  flavourful and of the sea. But, despite its striking appearance, is surprisingly straightforward to prepare.

I recently prepared this dish for a friend’s first gathering. I sought a memorable, yet simple, dish that would feel generous and celebratory. It was the ideal choice.

Because I have included many photos and discussed the ingredients,  the process may look complicated. But it isn’t.

Calamari and Cuttle Fish, the differences

Calamari (squid) have long, streamlined bodies, ten tentacles (eight arms and two longer feeding tentacles) and tender, mildly sweet flesh. They cook quickly and are popular grilled, fried, stuffed or slowly braised.

Cuttlefish (seppie) are close relatives of squid but have broader, flatter bodies and firmer, sweeter flesh. They contain larger ink sacs than squid, making them the preferred choice for classic dishes such as seppie al nero, where the ink creates a rich, glossy black sauce.

Cuttle fish is more difficult to purchase, and in fact mostly impossible in the Queen Victoria market so I have used Calamari in this Recipe.

Introduction and background to squid or cuttlefish cooked in black ink

Over the years I have cooked calamari al nero many times, changing the recipe to suit the occasion. Because I know this dish well from both Trieste and Sicily, my version sits comfortably between the two traditions. It combines the rich black sauce of the northern Adriatic with the brighter flavours of southern Italy.

Calamari al nero, glossy and black and delicious!

Being winter in Melbourne, I served it with crisp baked polenta rather than pasta—a combination that always draws admiration before it is tasted. And of course polenta is northern Italian food.

A Dish Shared Across Italy

Squid or cuttlefish cooked in its own ink (calamari al nero or seppie al nero) is one of Italy’s most distinctive seafood dishes. It appears all along the Italian coastline, but each region prepares and serves it differently.

Veneto and Venice

Around Venice, seppie al nero is a classic. Cuttlefish are preferred because they have larger ink sacs. The cuttlefish is slowly braised with onion, garlic, white wine and just a little tomato until the ink produces a glossy, intensely flavoured sauce.

It is traditionally served with soft white polenta. . I used golden polenta and the contrast between the jet-black sauce and the golden polenta is as beautiful as it is delicious and perfectly balances the richness of the ink.

Trieste and Friuli Venezia Giulia

Across the northern Adriatic in Trieste and Friuli Venezia Giulia, the dish remains very much part of everyday cooking. In Italian it is called seppie in umido; in the Triestino dialect it becomes sepe in umido. It still appears regularly on the menus of traditional trattorie, especially in Trieste Vecchia, the city’s historic quarter.

Although Trieste has absorbed influences from Slovenia and the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, this dish remains unmistakably Adriatic.

Sicily

In Sicily the same dish takes on a different character. Squid is used more frequently than cuttlefish, and the sauce generally contains more tomato, fresh parsley, garlic or onion and white wine. The result is lighter, fresher and more aromatic, while the ink still provides its unmistakable depth of flavour.

Rather than polenta, Sicilians usually toss the sauce through spaghetti, sometimes serving the squid separately as a second course.

These regional differences reflect Italy’s extraordinary culinary diversity, but both result in a silky sauce with extraordinary depth and complexity.

Finding Squid Ink

Not everyone can buy squid or cuttlefish with the ink sacs intact. Most seafood is cleaned before sale and the ink is discarded.

Fortunately, nero di seppia (cuttlefish ink) is widely available from Italian delicatessens and specialist food stores. It is sold in small sachets, jars or tubes and is the same product used by many Italian cooks when fresh ink is unavailable, especially these days when the fish is mostly sold clean and cut. The ink has a long shelf life and delivers the same deep black colour and rich flavour.

If your fishmonger prepares whole squid or cuttlefish, ask whether they can save the ink sacs for you. They freeze well for several months. Simply thaw them, pierce the sac and stir the ink into the sauce towards the end of cooking.

Fresh ink has a slightly more delicate flavour, but good-quality packaged nero di seppia is an excellent substitute.

How to Clean Squid
  • Pull the head and tentacles from the body.
  • Remove the internal bone.
  • Peel away the skin and remove the fins.
  • Slit the body open.
  • Remove the innards, reserving the ink sac if present.
  • Remove the eyes and beak from the tentacles.
  • Rinse thoroughly and pat dry before slicing.
Cleaning and cutting the squid
For the polenta

Prepare your preferred polenta ahead of time so it can be baked just before serving. Information, instructions further down in this post.

Baked polenta with the compulsory crust

THE RECIPE

Squid with Black Ink Sauce (Calamari al Nero)

Ingredients

Serves 6–8

For the BRAISED squid
  • 2.5-3 kg small squid, cleaned and sliced
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 400 g tin of chopped or puréed tomatoes
  • 1-2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 4–6 sachets squid ink (4 g each), or about 3 tablespoons nero di seppia paste
  • 1 cup fish stock or water
  • Pinch chilli flakes (optional, especially if cooked in Southern Italy)
  • Fresh chilli, finely sliced, to finish
  • You can add peas – I used frozen, 2 cups. adds taste, nutrition and visual appeal.
Final addition – the fresh chilli

I also deseeded a couple of long red chillies, cut them into thin strips and put them on top of the black glossy contents.

Method

  • Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pan and gently soften the garlic.
  • Add the squid in batches so it sautés rather than steams. Cook for about 15 minutes.

  • Pour in the wine, add the tomatoes.
Adding a can of tomato puree to the squid
  • Add parsley (and cilli flakes if using). Cover and simmer gently for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Adding the parsley to the squid
  • Stir in the squid ink and cook for another 20 minutes or until the squid is tender.
Draining the squid from the main saucepan into another and evaporating the sauce
  • Remove the squid  from the main saucepan with a slotted spoon. Reduce the sauce until thick, glossy, black and intensely flavoured.
  • Stir in the tomato paste if further thickening is needed.
Adding a little tomato paste to thicken the sauce
  • Return the squid to the pan.
Returning the squid to the reduced sauce
  • Add the frozen peas and cook gently for a final 10 minutes.
  • Once cooked, add the strips of fresh chilli. on top.
The squid with the peas and thin strips of red chillies

ABOUT POLENTA and Baked Polenta

Types of Polenta:

Instant polenta is usually made from yellow cornmeal that has been pre-cooked and dried, so it cooks in 2–10 minutes instead of the traditional 30- 35 minutes. It produces a smooth, creamy consistency but generally lacks the depth of flavour and texture of traditionally cooked polenta. It is ideal for quick weeknight meals and can be served soft or left to set before grilling or frying.

Yellow polenta is the most common type in Italy and is made from yellow maize. When cooked slowly, it develops a rich corn flavour and can range from soft and creamy to firm enough to slice once cooled. It pairs well with hearty meat ragùs, sausages, mushrooms, game, braised dishes and robust cheeses. This is the type of polenta I stock at home.

White polenta is made from white corn and has a milder, more delicate flavour and a finer texture than yellow polenta. Traditionally associated with the Veneto and parts of Friuli Venezia Giulia, it is often served with seafood, salt cod (baccalà), cuttlefish in ink, or more delicate meat dishes. It is cooked in the same way as traditional yellow polenta but has a softer, silkier finish.

Cook the polenta according to the packet directions (traditional polenta generally takes about 30 minutes).

Pour into a well-oiled baking dish or heavy ovenproof pan. Smooth the surface, drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil and bake in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes until lightly crisp on top.

Serve generous slices topped with the squid and plenty of black ink sauce.

Leftover polenta is excellent fried the following day in olive oil until it develops a crisp crosta—a golden crust that Italians treasure.

The polenta waiting to be baked. It can be cooked and poured into a baking tin well before you bake it

Golden baked polenta provides the perfect contrast to the silky black ink sauce.

The polenta and squid in black ink sauce on the table, ready to be served

Finished dish with peas and strips of fresh red chillies

Serving the squid dish on each plate with the polenta
Calamari al Nero served on crisp baked polenta—a meeting of Sicilian and northern Adriatic traditions.
The squid with black ink sauce and polenta was immensely enjoyed by all

SEPPIE IN UMIDO CON POLENTA (Cuttlefish or Squid With Black Ink And Polenta from Trieste)

MONTALBANO’S PASTA WITH BLACK INK SAUCE

Polenta and its magic

NDUJA with SQUID, very simple

CALAMARETTI IN TEGAME; in Sicilian it is CALAMARICCHI ’N’TIANU (Small calamari braised with tomatoes and potatoes)

MONTALBANO’S FAVOURITE DISHES

RICOTTA RAVIOLI and STONE GROUND FLOUR

TUNA PASTA AND THOUGHTS ON SUSTAINABLE TUNA

I prepared this sustainable Tuna Pasta recently using a carefully chosen piece of Yellowfin tuna, something I now purchase only occasionally as an environmentally conscious consumer. Tuna can be prepared quickly, eaten raw or cooked lightly, and I still enjoy it very much. In this post I share both the recipe and some thoughts about tuna and sustainability.

In Sicily, combinations of tuna, olives, parsley and tomato are very common, especially in coastal cooking where fresh fish is treated respectfully and simply  with common kitchen ingredients.

Tuna and Sicilian Coastal Culture

As someone with family in Sicily and who has visited the region many times, I am very aware of the historical and cultural significance of tuna fishing and consumption in Sicilian life.

In Sicily, Bluefin tuna has long been central to coastal culture and cuisine, particularly around the historic tonnare (tuna fisheries) of places such as Trapani and Favignana. Sicilians traditionally used every part of the fish, creating dishes that reflected both practicality and a deep maritime heritage.

Tuna fishing was once seasonal, communal and highly ritualised. The annual tuna harvest shaped local economies, food traditions and the rhythms of coastal life for generations.

Changing Attitudes to Tuna

I stopped purchasing Bluefin tuna several years ago. The issue of tuna ranching and sea pens also concerns me. Having lived in South Australia, I became familiar with this industry in Port Lincoln, where young wild tuna are captured and fattened in sea cages before sale.

There is now similar tuna penning in Sicily and other parts of the Mediterranean. These operations are not true full-cycle aquaculture because the fish are still taken from wild populations. Critics point to concerns about pressure on tuna stocks, the large quantities of feed required, pollution from sea cages and the ethics of confining large migratory fish.

This creates a striking contrast with Sicily’s older tuna traditions, which were once seasonal, local and closely connected to coastal communities and fishermen sold tuna in the streets.

bluefin tuna sold in the streets of the coastal towns of Sicily

Is Yellowfin Tuna More Sustainable?

I buy line-caught Yellowfin tuna rather than Bluefin, although sustainability is far more complex than labels such as “wild caught” or “dolphin safe” might suggest.

In some fisheries, pole-and-line or handline methods are considered more sustainable because they reduce bycatch and avoid some of the damaging practices associated with industrial fishing. However, Yellowfin stocks in several oceans are also under pressure due to growing global demand.

Ultimately, sustainability depends not only on how fish are caught, but also on stock health, quotas, fishery management and the scale of international consumption.

A Different Future for Aquaculture?

Land-based aquaculture can work well for certain species, particularly smaller fish and shellfish that adapt more easily to controlled environments. These systems can reduce pollution, limit escapes into the wild, and allow better control of water quality, disease and feeding practices.

While such systems are unlikely to replace traditional tuna fisheries, they offer a more sustainable direction for some forms of seafood production.

Here is how I cooked one slice of tuna recently to make a pasta sauce. I will not include precise amounts of ingredients because precise measurements are not necessary.  The pasta was for 2 people.

 Tuna Pasta with Green Olives, Chilli and Herbs

I cooked this simple tuna pasta recently using a fresh slice of tuna and a handful of ingredients I had at home. It is the kind of meal I enjoy making when I want something quick, light and full of Sicilian flavours. The tuna is cooked only briefly so that it remains tender, while the olives, herbs and chilli give the sauce brightness and depth. I added peas for extra nutrition.

the ingredients for the pasta dish with tuna

Ingredients

For 2 people

  • 1 slice fresh tuna
  • 2 green chillies
  • 2 spring onions
  • a small bunch of parsley
  • some basil leaves
  • 1 cup green olives, stoned
  • 1 cup of peas (I used frozen)
  • a little tomato passata
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt
  • pasta of your choice, I used linguine

Method

Cut the tuna into pieces or thin strips. Do not make the pieces too small because the tuna should still keep some texture once cooked.

Finely slice the spring onions and chillies. Roughly chop the parsley and basil. Slice the olives if they are large.

The herbs, spring onions and green chillies are sautéed

Heat olive oil in a frying pan and gently cook the spring onions, parsley and chillies until softened and fragrant.

The tuna is slightly sautéed

Add the pieces of tuna, sear lightly and remove from the pan.

Add the olives, basil and a little tomato passata. Cook so that the flavours combine without the sauce becoming too heavy.

The tuna is removed and all of the ingredients are cooked together

Add the peas. Continue to cook till the peas have cooked and the sauce looks to be the favoured consistency (not too thick, nor too thin).

Add the tuna and finish off the cooking for a very short time. Fresh tuna should remain moist and tender and is best not overcooked.

Meanwhile cook the pasta until al dente.

Toss the pasta through the sauce, Finish with a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil.

Notes

  • Good quality olives make a significant difference.
  • Capers can also be added for a more Sicilian flavour.

TUNNU `A STIMPIRATA; TONNO ALLA STEMPERATA (Tuna with onions, vinegar, capers and green olives)

TONNO AL AGRO DOLCE; Sweet and sour tuna, Sicilian – ALBACORE TUNA

TONNO E PISELLI (Tuna and peas)

TONNO (Tuna, albacore)

 

SBS Italian Radio Recipes | Italian Food Podcasts with Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

SBS Italian Radio Recipes: Italian Food Interviews and Podcasts with Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

SBS Italian Radio has invited me on many occasions to share some of my favourite Italian recipes, regional food traditions and culinary stories with broadcaster Massimiliano Gugole who it the Audio and Language Content Producer at Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) Australia,

This page brings together those interviews so they are easy to find in one place.

If you speak Italian, you can listen to these conversations on the SBS Audio App  or if you click on the links provided below. Each episode generally runs for 10–14 minutes and explores not only recipes but also some of the history, traditions and regional food culture behind them.

One exception is Zuzzu: An Ancient Sicilian Pork Terrine That Uses Everything but the Oink, runs for approximately 30 minutes. This podcast forms part of The Ugly Ducklings of Italian Cuisine, a popular series on SBS with a number of interesting and noteworthy participants. Some of the presenters are not Italian speakers and the podcasts are in English.

These are the podcasts. Use the link to listen on SBS Italian Radio

L’Italia in cucina: puntarelle con pomodorini, aglio e acciughe

Italy in the Kitchen: Puntarelle with Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic and Anchovies
24 June 2026
Bunches of Puntarelle, a type of Cicoria/ Chicory. Also called Catalogna.

Best of 2025: la ricetta dei carciofi ripieni di Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

Best (recipe) of 2025: Marisa Raniolo Wilkins’ Stuffed Artichoke Recipe
20 January 2026

(rebroadcast from 2025)

Inverno, cosa comprano e cosa mangiano italiani e italiane d’Australia?

Winter: What Do Italians in Australia Buy and Eat?
22 July 2025
Purple cauliflower, Market in Syracuse

La dispensa estiva: i consigli di Valentina Vigni, Dan Pasquali e Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

The Summer Pantry: Advice from Valentina Vigni, Dan Pasquali and Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

11 December 2025

Smmer baby tomatoes

Sicilian Cassata, as Recipe by Marisa Raniolo Wilkins | SBS Italian – SBS in Italian

Sicilian Cassata: Marisa Raniolo Wilkins’ Recipe
24 December 2025
Cassata, covered with Marzipan and glace fruit  

Zuzzu: an ancient Sicilian pork terrine that uses everything but the oink

Zuzzu: An Ancient Sicilian Pork Terrine That Uses Everything but the Oink
(already published in English).
This podcast was the most popular in the series.
13 February 2024

This episode forms part of the SBS Italian Radio series The Ugly Ducklings of Italian Cuisine, celebrating traditional regional dishes that are less well known outside Italy.

SBS, the Ugly Ducklings of Italian Cuisine, a series of podcasts

Ricette di Natale 2024: la caponata catanese

Christmas Recipes 2024: Catania-Style Caponata
24 December 2024

 

La jota triestina, una ricetta perfetta per l’inverno

Triestine Jota: A Perfect Recipe for Winter
18 July 2023
Jota/ Iota a hearty thick soup from Trieste made with smoked pork, borlotti beans and sauerkraut
Read the Recipes in English

Many of these recipes have also been published in English here on All Things Sicilian and More, often with additional historical background, photographs and cooking notes.

Simply use the blog’s search function and search for SBS Italian Radio or search by recipe name or ingredient, for example:

  • Puntarelle
  • Stuffed Artichokes
  • Sicilian Cassata
  • The Ugly Ducklings of Italian Cuisine  (Zuzzu)
  • Jota

You’ll find several detailed recipes about the same ingredient, together with the stories, traditions and regional food culture that inspired each dish.

It is worth seeing the full range of photos of the process of making Zuzzu – Sicilian Pork Terrine:

Zuzzu:The Ugly Ducklings in Italian Cuisine (Scarrafoni in cucina)

 

 

PUNTARELLE Cooked with Tomatoes, Garlic and Anchovies

I ate Puntarelle cooked with tomatoes, garlic and anchovies as a side dish several years ago in Venice. This is the photo below:

Cooked puntarelle as presented in a restaurant in Venice

A Venetian inspiration for a simple pasta sauce or contorno

Venice Cannaregio, a view from our accomodation

Puntarelle are one of my favourite Italian vegetables, and because I now can find them in a stall at Queen Victoria Market I buy them. Although they are best known in the classic Roman salad of finely sliced shoots dressed with anchovy, garlic and olive oil, puntarelle can also be cooked to make an excellent contorno or a delicious pasta sauce.

One of a number of puntarelle salads I have made recently

A memory from Cannaregio, Venice

This dish is inspired by a meal I enjoyed in Cannaregio, one of Venice’s most authentic neighbourhoods, during my visit to the Venice Biennale in 2019. Away from the busiest tourist routes, Cannaregio still retains the atmosphere of a lived-in Venetian district, with local markets, small trattorie and canals that invite leisurely wandering.

 

‎⁨Guglie⁩/ Cannaregio ⁨Venezia⁩, ⁨Venice⁩

One of the dishes I ordered  at a restaurant was a simple plate of cooked puntarelle that was tossed with tomatoes and I remembered tasting, garlic and anchovies. It was uncomplicated cooking, but memorable because puntarelle were impossible to find in Melbourne or in Adwhere I have found many vegetables that I have had difficulties finding in Melbourne.

Another person ordered the salad. This had red radicchio in it as well as tomatoes and the usual anchovy and garlic dressing.

The puntarelle salad in Venice

The results were a simple recipe with remarkable flavour. Italian cooking often demonstrates that excellent dishes require very few ingredients. In this recipe, the slight bitterness of puntarelle, the sweetness of tomatoes and the savoury richness of anchovies create a balance that is both elegant and deeply satisfying. It is a reminder that some of the most memorable meals are also the simplest.

Puntarelle in Melbourne

Recently I have been making the most of the puntarelle available from Sophia’s stall at the Queen Victoria Market. Most often I prepare the traditional salad with an anchovy and garlic dressing and have made a few of these now.

The bunches sold in Melbourne, however, usually contain fewer leaves than those I have purchased in Italy. To prepare them as a cooked vegetable, I often combine the leaves with other bitter greens such as chicory, endive or cime di rapa, which have similar flavours and cooking qualities.

One of the bunches of puntarelle I have bought in Melbourne
This bunch of puntarelle bought in Melbourne has slightly more leaves

When I was staying in an Airbnb in Venice, I also bought a bunch of puntarelle and cooked both the spears and leaves together simply in extra virgin olive oil and garlic. The Venetian bunch was much leafier than those I generally find in Melbourne, making it particularly suitable for cooking.

This is the bunch of puntarelle I bought in Venice…. very leafy.

And recently I cooked puntarelle in much the same way that I cook cime di rapa for pasta or cicoria ripassata.

A simple contorno or pasta sauce

The version I remembered from Venice included tomatoes, so I decided to recreate it at home. Because good fresh baby tomatoes taste bland during winter, I used quality tinned baby tomatoes drained of their juice instead. Their sweetness balances the gentle bitterness of the puntarelle beautifully.

Drained tinned baby tomatoes

 As with all of the green leafy vegetables as I braise with garlic and anchovies and sometimes chilli, the anchovies melt into the olive oil, creating depth while the garlic provides the familiar flavour combination found throughout Italian regional cooking.

Braised/sauteed puntarelle are equally enjoyable served as a vegetable side dish or tossed through pasta. I prefer short pasta. Because the bunches I buy at the Queen Victoria Market  don’t contain many leaves and chicory, endive or cime di rapa are in season, I add more green leaves as well.

In this version I added cooked cime di rapa
RECIPE: PUNTARELLE Cooked with Tomatoes, Garlic and Anchovies
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch puntarelle, including shoots and leaves
  • Extra leaves of chicory, endive or cime di rapa if needed
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 6 anchovy fillets (or more) in oil cut into smaller pieces
  • 250-300 g baby tomatoes (fresh when in season or good-quality tinned baby tomatoes)
  • ground black pepper or pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
  • salt if you need it.
For serving: 3-4 people
  • 350g pasta
  • Grated pecorino or toasted breadcrumbs toasted in extra virgin olive oil if desired. (Pecorino is stronger tasting than parmesan cheese and probably better suited)
Method
  • Prepare the puntarelle

Wash the puntarelle thoroughly. Separate the shoots and leaves and cut into bite-sized pieces. If the quantity of leaves is limited, add some chopped chicory, endive or cime di rapa. (*On this occasion I added some already cooked cime di rapa that I had in my fridge.)

Traditionally, if serving the greens with the pasta, they are blanched in salted boiling water for five minutes or more (depending on quantity and texture). If using the mixture as a pasta sauce, reserve some of the cooking water. However, I prefer a modern method: sauté the greens directly without parboiling (once again depending on quantity and texture).

  • Make the sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan.

Add the anchovies and stir until they dissolve into the oil. Add the garlic until fragrant but not coloured.

Stir in the green leaves, toss around in the pan and when they wilt, add about a tablespoon of water, put on the lid and soften further. Remove them from the pan and set aside.

Add a little more oil to the pan, add the puntarelle spears and cook for a few minutes until softened but still vibrant. (**I added the cooked left over cime di rapa after I cooked the puntarelle and tomatoes).

Add the tomatoes and cook for several minutes until they soften and release their juices. Season with black pepper and chilli flakes if using.

I added the cooked left over cime di rapa after I cooked the puntarelle and tomatoes

Serve as a contorno – grilled fish or meat, roasted meats (nothing juicy).

To serve with pasta
  • Cook the pasta until al dente.
  • Transfer it directly to the pan with the puntarelle mixture, adding a little reserved pasta cooking water if necessary to create a silky sauce. Toss well and serve  plain or with grated pecorino or toasted breadcrumbs, according to your preference.

Puntarelle alla Romana and Cicoria Ripassata

CICORIA and Puntarelle (Chicory)

Puntarelle alla Romana and Cicoria Ripassata

Puntarelle alla Romana and Cicoria Ripassata are two classic Roman dishes that celebrate Italy’s fondness for bitter greens. Both are types of chicory.

Puntarelle

Puntarelle are a distinctive type of Italian chicory (cicoria catalogna), especially associated with Rome and the Lazio region, where they appear in markets during the cooler months.

Punterrelle, a type of chicory

I have always loved Italy’s bitter greens — cicoria, radicchio, indivia, cime did rape, dandelion  — flavours that many people initially find challenging, but which Italians value for their slight bitterness. Puntarelle belong firmly within this tradition.

The plant has long serrated leaves, but the prized part is the pale green central shoots that are tender, crunchy and slightly bitter.

The shoots of the Puntarelle

Their texture and flavour make them especially refreshing when eaten raw.

Puntarelle – vegetable with some of the outer leaves removed

Puntarelle, even more so than chicory, are not a common vegetable. I have only purchased Puntarelle twice in Australia, once from Carmel and Gus’s stall at the Queen Victoria Market and now I was delighted to find it at Daniel’s stall in the B Shed Shop 23-26. The stall is called Sophia’s.

The classic Roman preparation is Puntarelle alla Romana. The shoots are sliced finely into thin strips and soaked in iced water until they curl and become wonderfully crisp – a bit like curling celery.

Curled puntarelle after being soaked in iced water

They are then dressed simply with olive oil, garlic, anchovy and vinegar or lemon juice. The flavour is sharp, savoury and refreshing at the same time. Sometimes hard boiled eggs are added to the dressed salad and this makes this dish extra suitable as a starter.

The ingredients for the dressing

Like many Italian vegetables, very little is wasted. The outer leaves are often boiled or sautéed with olive oil, garlic and chilli in the style of cicoria ripassata, much like other bitter greens prepared throughout Italy.  I have added this recipe because I have mentioned that the course outer leaves are cooked and not wasted.

A mixture of  leafy greens can be added with the outer leaves of the Punterelle as there are likely insufficient greens to cook in this manner.

I particularly appreciate puntarelle because they reflect something essential about Italian cooking: the ability to transform a simple seasonal vegetable into something elegant through restraint and balance rather than complexity.

For those who enjoy vegetables such as dandelion greens, chicory or radicchio, puntarelle offer a similar bitterness but with a particularly crisp texture and elegant appearance. They pair beautifully with anchovies, citrus, capers, olives and robust olive oil — flavours that appear frequently in Roman and southern Italian cooking.

ROME’S BITTER GREENS

Puntarelle alla Romana

This is one of Rome’s most characteristic salads — crisp, bitter and refreshing, with the salty sharpness of anchovy balancing the chicory beautifully.

Ingredients
  • 1 bunch puntarelle (mine was one plant)
  • 4 -8 anchovy fillets
  • 1-2 garlic clove
  • 2–3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1-2  tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Preparing the Puntarelle

Separate the pale inner shoots from the outer leaves. Save the small leaves to add to the salad.

Slice the shoots finely into thin strips. Traditionally they are cut very thinly so they curl easily.

Place the strips into a bowl of iced water for about 30 minutes. This helps them curl and become crisp.

Preparing the Dressing

Traditionally, anchovies and garlic are crushed together to form a paste. Add olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice and mix well.

Alternatively, the garlic can be crushed and placed in a jar with the oil and lemon juice. The anchovies are then cut into small pieces and mixed together just before dressing the salad. I prefer to do this as it allows for a more visual presentation. 

The dressing: Chopped anchovies and a mixture of extra virgin olive oil, squeezed garlic, and lemon juice
Assembling the Salad

Drain the puntarelle thoroughly and dress just before serving.

Taste and adjust seasoning carefully — the anchovies are already salty.

Punterelle alla Romana – salad

The salad is excellent with grilled fish, roasted meats or simply with bread especially when there are boiled eggs in the salad.

 We had it as an accompaniment to a seafood Paella.

Cicoria Ripassata

This is one of the simplest and most satisfying ways Italians cook bitter greens. The word ripassata refers to the greens being “passed again” through the pan after boiling.

Cicoria – Chicory
Ingredients
  • 1 large bunch cicoria or other bitter greens including the outer leaves of the Puntarelle
  • 2–3 garlic cloves, sliced
  • Chilli flakes or fresh chilli to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt
Cooking the Greens
  1. Wash the greens thoroughly and trim any tough stems.
  2. Boil in salted water until tender — usually about 10–15 minutes depending on the maturity of the greens.
  3. Drain well and gently squeeze out excess water. Chop roughly if the leaves are large.
  4. Heat generous olive oil in a frying pan.
  5. Add the garlic and chilli and cook briefly until fragrant, but do not allow the garlic to burn.
  6. Add the greens and sauté for several minutes so they absorb the flavours of the oil.
  7. Taste for salt and serve warm or at room temperature.

In Rome this dish is often served alongside grilled sausages or roasted meats, especially pork – the bitterness counteracts the fatty nature of the meat.

CICORIA and Puntarelle (Chicory)

CICORETTA CON SALSICCIA (Chicory with fresh pork sausage)

ITALIAN BITTER LEAF SALAD

WANT NOT WASTE NOT- Chicken livers and chicory, twice

EDIBLE FRESCO CAKE INSPIRED BY ROMAN VILLAS

Edible Fresco Cake inspired by Rome’s Villa Livia and Villa Farnesina

Edible fresco cake is an unexpected subject for my blog, yet this exquisite creation harmonises food, art, memories and a celebration in an unforgettable manner.

Gluten-free edible fresco cake decorated with Roman-inspired imagery

A Cake to Admire

So, shall we eat the cake, or simply admire it a little longer?

This cake was made by a friend for a special 70th birthday celebration in Hobart. It was conceived, baked and decorated by Valerie Sparks for her husband Roger. Valerie is an artist whose work explores immersive spaces—frescoes, glasshouses, historic wallpapers and contemporary light installations. Therefore, it is no surprise that she approached this cake as both a cook and an artist.

Turning Images into Edible Art

To begin with, the decoration came from edible prints—sometimes called icing sheets or sugar sheets—made by a specialty cake shop. A digital image is adjusted for colour and size, and then printed with food-safe inks onto a thin sheet of starch or sugar paste (in this case, gluten-free). As a result, once applied to a smooth iced surface, the image becomes part of the cake, almost like a transferred fresco.

Detail inspired by the frescoes of Villa Livia

Valerie collected the printed image and applied it to a well-chilled, buttercream-frosted cake. Meanwhile, the cake itself was built from several layers of the same size, baked over a few days and assembled with buttercream. Following the instructions carefully, she smoothed the edible sheet from the centre outwards to avoid air bubbles. Finally, she finished it with a border so that the image blended naturally into the design.

The Flavours

In addition, the cake was gluten-free, made with flour, eggs, sugar, butter, lemon zest and almond meal. Consequently, it had a light texture, gently perfumed with citrus and enriched by the almonds. The lemon butter icing—made with butter, icing sugar and fresh lemon juice—added a soft sweetness. At the same time, it provided a clean, sharp note of acidity that balanced the flavours beautifully.

Inspiration from Rome

Not surprisingly, Rome is one of Valerie and Roger’s favourite cities. During their travels, they were deeply taken by the frescoes of the Villa of Livia and the Villa Farnesina.

The Garden of the Villa of Livia

Roger, sitting in the room in Villa Livia surrounded by the frescoes

At the Villa of Livia, the frescoes—now preserved in the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme—once surrounded an underground dining room with a painted garden. In fact, trees heavy with fruit, flowering plants and birds create the illusion of a space open to the air, suggesting an eternal spring.

Fresco of lush garden with fruit trees and birds

Often interpreted as a symbol of abundance, fertility, and cultivated order, the garden may also carry subtle political meaning, reflecting the peace and prosperity associated with Augustus’ reign.

These images were used to decorate the sides of the fresco cake.

These works belonged to Livia Drusilla, wife of Augustus, a powerful and influential woman and the villa served as her country residence.

Livia Drusilla Claudia (59 BC – AD 29) was the daughter of a senator. She married Tiberius Claudius Nero around 43 BC (they had two sons, Tiberius and Drusus), but they divorced in 38 BC to marry Octavian, Julius Caesar’s adopted son and heir. Octavian became the first Roman emperor in 27 BC, known as Augustus, and Livia became the Roman empress. Livia and Augustus were married for over fifty years, and she was a trusted advisor to Augustus. Her son Tiberius became emperor in AD 14 after Augustus.

The Myth and Movement of Villa Farnesina

By contrast, the mood at the Villa Farnesina changes. The frescoes designed by Raphael and his workshop tell the story of Cupid and Psyche. Here, there is movement, lightness and grace. In particular, the doves—sacred to Venus—gently draw her chariot. As a result, they bring a softness to the scenes and remind us that even in myth, tenderness, love, grace and beauty have a place.

Doves are a recurring motif in Raphael’s frescoes at Villa Farnesina, notably in the depiction of doves pulling Venus’ chariot.
Venus and her chariot pulled by doves

A Cake to Remember

Ultimately, this edible fresco cake brought together the stillness of a painted garden, the history and myths, the pleasure of sharing food at this celebration and Valerie’s skills . Although the cake was intended to be consumed, it also invited us to pause and observe—as we might before a fresco—before it was enjoyed further.

Valerie Sparks

CASSATA SICILIANA: SBS ITALIAN EASTER RECIPE

When I was asked to share an Easter recipe for SBS Italian Radio, I immediately chose cassata Siciliana — a dessert that truly represents Sicily, its history, flavours, and identity.

For the occasion, I prepared the recipe along with some notes in Italian to accompany the radio discussion, aiming to convey not just the steps, but also the cultural meaning behind this traditional dessert.

In this post, I have also included some photos of the cassata being made. These are not on the SBS website, but they help to show the process more clearly.

The remainder of the post is in Italian and I was interviewed by Massimiliano Gugole from SBS Radio Italian.

IN ITALIAN

Quando mi è stato chiesto di condividere una ricetta di Pasqua per SBS Italian Radio, ho scelto subito la cassata siciliana — un dolce che rappresenta bene la Sicilia sapori — la sua storia, i suoi sapori e la sua identità.

Per l’occasione ho preparato la ricetta e alcune note in italiano per accompagnare la conversazione in radio, cercando di trasmettere non solo i passaggi, ma anche il significato culturale di questo dolce tradizionale

In questo post ho aggiunto anche alcune foto della preparazione della cassata. Non sono presenti sul sito di SBS, ma aiutano a vedere meglio i passaggi.

****If you would like to listen to the interview and discussion in Italian on SBS Radio, here is the link:
90.avif

La cassata siciliana, nella ricetta di Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

https://www.sbs.com.au/language/italian/it/podcast-episode/la-cassata-siciliana-nella-ricetta-di-marisa-raniolo-wilkins/szz86479i 

Notes – Per parlare sulla radio

Cassata Siciliana — Tradizione e Gusto
  • La cassata siciliana è uno dei dolci più rappresentativi della Sicilia, soprattutto nel periodo di Pasqua. È un dolce ricco, scenografico, che racchiude storia, cultura e tradizione.
  • La cassata è un’opera culinaria che testimonia secoli di storia.  Dalle influenze fenicie, che introdussero le mandorle, all’apporto arabo, che portò zucchero, frutta secca, marzapane e agrumi, e al contributo spagnolo, che portò il pan di Spagna. I monsù, cuochi francesi al servizio delle famiglie aristocratiche siciliane, ne perfezionarono la presentazione, mentre le suore nei conventi custodirono e tramandarono le ricette tradizionali.
  • Alla base troviamo il pan di Spagna, soffice e leggermente inumidito con un liquore.
  • Il cuore della cassata è la ricotta, preferibilmente di pecora, lavorata con zucchero fino a diventare una crema liscia e delicata.’è un gesto semplice, ma molto significativo, che appartiene alla tradizione della cassata: la ricotta non si mescola soltanto — si passa al setaccio.
  • Alla ricotta si aggiungono piccoli pezzi di cioccolato fondente, pistacchi e scorze di agrumi canditi.
  • Il dolce viene poi assemblato in uno stampo: il pan di Spagna riveste base e lati, si riempie con la crema di ricotta, si chiude e si lascia riposare in frigorifero per una notte.
  • Il giorno dopo si sforma e si ricopre con la pasta reale/il marzapane, spesso di colore verde chiaro, e si decora con frutta candita.
  • La cassata, in tutte le sue varianti, `e un emblema di celebrazione. Le pasticcerie siciliane sono rinomate per la loro maestria nella preparazione e decorazione delle cassate. 
Cassata Siciliana — Ricetta Tradizionale
Consigli:

La cassata si prepara al meglio in due giorni. Si assembla il dolce il giorno prima e si lascia riposare in frigorifero per tutta la notte affinché si compatti. Anche il pan di Spagna beneficia di essere preparato in anticipo.

Note sugli Ingredienti

Ricotta

Usare ricotta soda e ben scolata, preferibilmente di pecora, naturalmente più dolce e saporita.

Spesso viene venduta in forme intere e tagliata al momento — questa è la migliore.

Evitare la ricotta confezionata in vaschetta, generalmente troppo acquosa e poco saporita. Se non avete alternative, è consigliabile scolarla per tutta la notte.

Per un ripieno più ricco, si può aggiungere un po’ di panna densa durante la lavorazione.

Frutta Candita

La frutta candita è conservata in uno sciroppo zuccherino che ne mantiene la morbidezza e ne intensifica il sapore. (Si chiama anche glacé)

Se possibile, utilizzare scorze di agrumi canditi di buona qualità oppure fette intere di arancia candita, invece della comune frutta candita mista.

Il cedro ha un ruolo importante nella pasticceria siciliana. Coltivato in Sicilia e in Calabria, si riconosce per la buccia spessa, dal verde al giallo.

Liquore

Usare secondo il proprio gusto. Alcune opzioni:

  • Liquori all’arancia: Cointreau, Grand Marnier
  • Liquore al mandarino: Mandarine Napoléon
  • Altri: Marsala dolce, Amaretto, Strega, Maraschino
Le foto: Come preparare la cassata

Ci sono tre parti da preparare:

  • Il pan di Spagna
  • Il marzapane
  • Il ripeno

 

Il pan di Spagna
Il ripieno – ricotta,  zucchero, cioccolato , pistacchi, scorze d’agrumi candite
Il pan di Spagna tagliato in quattro strati. Il marzapane steso tra due pellicole
Il marzapane, di due colori – naturale e verde. La confettura per attaccare il pan di Spagna

PREPARAZIONE DELLO STAMPO

Lo stampo foderato, il pan di Spagna -uno stato di sotto, e due strati per rivestire i lati. L’ultimo strato di sopra per coprire il ripieno.
L’ultimo strato di pan di Spagna per coprire il ripieno
Con un peso di sopra
La cassata sformata è ricoperta da una glassa di marzapane. La confettura viene utilizzata per facilitare l’adesione del marzapane al pan di Spagna
Quadretti del marzapane verde per l’applicazione sui lati
Quasi!
Eccola!

**Sul blog All Things Sicilian And More ci sono parecchi post della Cassata con altre foto, ma scritte in Inglese.

EASTER IN SICILY: Faith, Spring, History and Cassata

CASSATA ( Post no. 2) Calls for a celebration!!!

SICILIAN CASSATA and MARZIPAN AT EASTER (Food and Culture in Sicily, La Trobe University)

SICILIAN CASSATA and some Background (perfect for an Australian Christmas)

RICETTA PER LA CASSATA SICILIANA ( SBS )

Ingredienti

Come la maggior parte delle ricette italiane, le quantità degli ingredienti non contano davvero. I cuochi si affidano al gusto, all’occhio e al tatto.

Ripieno di Ricotta

  • 700 g – 800g ricotta fresca (preferibilmente di pecora)
  • 120 g zucchero semolato
  • 60–100 g cioccolato fondente, tritato
  • 100 g pistacchi, tritati
  • 60–100 g scorze di agrumi canditi (arancia, limone, cedro)
  • ¼ cucchiaino vaniglia (o pasta di vaniglia)
  • ¼ cucchiaino cannella

Per Assemblare

  • Circa 450 g pan di Spagna, fatto in casa (questo il peso quando acquistato nei negozi commerciali
  • Pasta reale (marzapane) per copertura
  • Frutta candita per decorare
  • ½ tazza (o più) di confettura di albicocche
  • ½–¾ tazza di liquore (o più, a piacere)

Pan di Spagna

Preparare 1–3 giorni prima.

Ingredienti

  • 5 uova
  • 120 g zucchero
  • 100 g farina setacciata
  • Scorza di limone e/o vaniglia
  • Burro per lo stampo

Procedimento

  1. Montare i tuorli con lo zucchero fino a ottenere un composto chiaro e cremoso.
  2. Montare gli albumi a neve ferma.
  3. Incorporare delicatamente gli albumi al composto di tuorli.
  4. Unire la farina setacciata e gli aromi.
  5. Versare in uno stampo imburrato e cuocere a forno moderato per circa 40 minuti, fino a doratura.
  6. Lasciare raffreddare completamente prima di tagliare.

Ripieno di Ricotta

  1. Lavorare la ricotta con lo zucchero fino a ottenere una crema liscia. (In alternativa, sciogliere lo zucchero in poca acqua per ottenere uno sciroppo, lasciarlo raffreddare e poi unirlo alla ricotta
  2. Aggiungere:
    • vaniglia
    • cannella
    • un goccio di liquore (facoltativo)
  3. Incorporare:
    • cioccolato
    • pistacchi
    • frutta candita

Mescolare delicatamente.

Pasta Reale (Marzapane)

Ingredienti

  • 500 g mandorle pelate e macinate finemente
  • 300 g zucchero a velo
  • 1 albume
  • Vaniglia q.b.
  • Un pizzico di sale
  • Qualche goccia di colorante verde

Procedimento

  1. Montare leggermente l’albume con il sale fino a renderlo spumoso.
  2. Aggiungere la vaniglia.
  3. Incorporare gradualmente mandorle e zucchero, impastando fino a ottenere un composto liscio ed elastico.
  4. Regolare la consistenza:
    • aggiungere mandorle o zucchero se troppo morbido
    • aggiungere poca acqua se troppo duro
  5. Avvolgere nella pellicola e conservare in frigorifero.

Quando sarete pronti per coprire la cassata:

Facoltativo:

Dividere in due parti e colorarne una di verde, oppure è decorato a larghe strisce verdi e del colore naturale del marzapane.

Stendere il marzapane tra due fogli di carta da forno.

Preparazione dello Stampo

  • Foderare uno stampo rotondo (da 25–30 cm) con pellicola o alluminio.
  • Tagliare il pan di Spagna in 4 strati.
  • Rivestire anche i lati dello stampo con le fette di pan di Spagna, utilizzando confettura se necessario per fissarle.

Assemblaggio della Cassata

  1. Disporre uno strato sul fondo e spennellare leggermente con confettura di albicocche.
  2. Inumidire con un po’ di liquore.
  3. Riempire lo stampo con il composto di ricotta e livellare.
  4. Coprire con l’ultimo strato di pan di Spagna.
  5. Inumidire leggermente con liquore.
  6. Coprire e porre un leggero peso sopra.

Mettere in frigorifero per tutta la notte.

Copertura e Decorazione

(Da fare il giorno del servizio)

  1. Sformare la cassata.
  2. Spalmare uno strato sottile di confettura di albicocche.
  3. Coprire con la pasta reale stesa.
  4. Decorare con frutta candita.

Mantenere in frigorifero fino al momento dell’uso.