I make braised fennel very often, so often, in fact, that I’ve never bothered to write a post about one of the ways to enjoy this vegetable in a fragrant broth.
Of course raw fennel is marvellous too, but fennel can be cooked in various ways and here is the recipe.
Preparing fennel is a straightforward process, and I employ the Italian culinary technique known as ‘cucina all’occhio’. This technique entails making intuitive decisions based on culinary expertise and knowledge.
Although there is no specific recipe, here are some general guidelines that I find helpful:
I always include herbs like parsley, fresh bay leaves, and minced garlic. If I have rosemary, thyme, or tarragon, I might add one of these too. Sometimes I add a little butter. This enhances the sauce and makes it velvety.
sectioned fennel with fronds and herbs
I always braise with stock – chicken or vegetable, that I stock in the freezer and I always add a splash of wine. That’s a northern Italian touch, not Sicilian.
If there’s some Cinzano Extra Dry vermouth that I have around, I’ll use that instead of the wine, especially if I have used tarragon. I’ve also used Pernod, which of course enhances the aniseed flavour. The ratio is simple: about 1 part alcohol to 8 parts stock.
PROCESS
Use a saucepan with a lid that fits the fennel snugly and allows enough room for liquid.
Clean and prepare the fennel: Cut off the stalks and discard them. Save the younger fronds—the wispy pale green ones.
I like to keep the leaves of the bulb intact as they cook, so I only trim part of the tough core. Then I cut the bulb into quarters.
Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in the pan. Lightly pan-fry the fennel quarters until lightly golden on both sides.
Lower the heat, add the stock and wine (or vermouth/ Pernod), the herbs, and a bit of minced garlic. The liquid should come about halfway up the fennel.
Cover and braise gently until the fennel is tender but still holding its shape.
If there’s too much liquid at the end, just remove the lid towards the end of the cooking process and let it reduce a little.
Of course, fennel is also great when it is simply baked… I just include it on the baking tray with potatoes (and other vegetables), but here are a couple of other cooked fennel recipes:
Even if it is pork, Maiale al latte (Pork cooked in Milk) is a light, delicate and sweet tasting dish, a classic recipe from the Veneto region of Italy.
This is one of the easiest and most delicious recipes for cooking a lump of pork, either the loin or the neck. I prefer it not to be a fatty piece of meat and I trim most of the fat off.
Many like to prepare a pork dish for Christmas. Pork braised in milk could make a pleasant change!
About the Recipe
Maiale al latte – pork gently braised in milk until meltingly tender – is one of those old farmhouse dishes that several Italian regions claim as their own. Tuscan cooks link it to their classic arista roasts, in Emilia-Romagna it’s made with the local abundance of milk and Parmigiano, in Friuli it appears as purcit tal lat, and there are even Neapolitan and Campanian versions. Over time it has become a pan-Italian comfort dish: simple pork, plenty of milk, a few herbs, and a long, slow simmer on the stove.
I first discovered this recipe in Ada Boni’s books. Some classify maiale/al latte as a traditional dish of Emilia-Romagna (the land of Parmigiano Reggiano), and in Marcella Hazan’s books she describes the pork-in-milk roast as Bolognese in origin.
I always use full cream milk. The milk separates into flavourful and creamy curds that can be gently strained out and served on the side or under the succulent, cooked meat that has been sliced. The meat juices and whey are the fragrant sauce.
Pork cooked in milk.
Fresh sage, garlic and lemon rind are the flavours. I also like to use quite a bit of black pepper.
I used a boneless loin of pork.
RECIPE FOR MAIALE AL LATTE
Ingredients for 1k.500g:
extra virgin olive oil and butter to seal the meat and brown
1 small head of garlic, cloves peeled and halved
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh sage, about 10 large leaves
full cream milk, a sufficient amount to cover up to three quarters of the meat.
lemon peel from one large lemon cut into thin, wide strips – use a potato peeler.
Processes
Trim the fat off the meat, rub salt and pepper all over the pork and leave for about 10 mins.
Use a heavy-bottomed pot that is large enough to hold pork and milk that will almost cover the pork.
Brown the pork on all sides in some oil and butter. Use medium-high heat. Add pork and cook until well browned on all sides.
Add garlic and sage and milk. Bring to a boil, add lemon zest, reduce heat to medium-low.
Cover and gently simmer the meat. Resist stirring. Turn over the meat a couple of times and cook for about 3 hours. The milk will have reduced and golden curds would have formed. It will smell like caramel.
Transfer meat to a cutting board and let it rest while you lift off the curds gently and separate them from the liquid. The garlic will have dissolved into the sauce. Remove the lemon peel and the sage leaves. Skim off any fat (I did not need to do this as my meat was pretty lean).
Observe the thick caramelised milk sauce.
Slice the meat. Serve on a bed of curds and the caramel meat juices poured on top.
Victorian fresh mussels are always fabulous and wonderfully versatile. Here are three delicious ways to enjoy them: in a broth, with spaghetti, and as a risotto.
There are two of us in my household, and we usually buy 2 kilos of mussels. Sometimes we eat them all; other times I use the leftovers to create another meal. There’s usually some mussel broth left over from steaming them in a little white wine — I store this in glass jars in the freezer. I also save any cooking juices from other seafood dishes to use later as a base for soups, sauces, or risotto made with seafood.
My partner enjoys shopping at the Queen Victoria Market and off he goes with his list, his bag and his mask (during Covid) to shop. on one occasion, he came home with 3 kilos of mussels. Since we were in lockdown, we couldn’t share them with anyone else, and so it was just the two of us. I don’t like freezing seafood either fresh or cooked so we consumed then in three days. By the third day, we were feeling a little “mussel-ed out but we managed three delicious meals from that single batch.Very frugal.
MUSSELS IN THEIR OWN BROTH
For the first meal, I cooked the 3k of mussels steamed in their own broth. In Italian this is called: In brodetto – brodo is broth…. brodetto is a small broth, nothing too fancy.
I begin with a soffritto of heated olive oil chopped carrots, celery, onion and garlic, with the help of a little white wine, then add the mussels, put on a lid and let them steam open. I sprinkle a little chopped parsley towards the end. We ate these with good quality, home baked bread, rubbed with oil and garlic and toasted in the oven. Perfect for soaking up all that wonderful broth.
There were a little more of 1kilo of mussels left left over and I left half of them whole and in their shell and I took the other half of them out of their shells.
I placed the shelled ones in a jar with some of their broth for a risotto and left the ones in their shells in a container to use the next day for a pasta dish.
MUSSELS WITH SPAGHETTI
On the second day we made some home made egg spaghetti. Home made pasta is not difficult to make, but we had more time during Covid. Obviously dry pasta is fine.
I made a salsa, first by dissolving a few anchovies in a little hot extra virgin olive oil, then I added a can of chopped tomatoes, a whole clove of garlic, a sprig of fresh oregano (because there is no basil growing on my balcony in this cold season otherwise I may have added both). I let the salsa cook with no lid, to reduce and thicken.
Add the mussels just before serving, letting them heat through in the sauce. Toss through the spaghetti and serve immediately. (I like to remove the whole garlic clove before serving — my partner prefers it left in!)
MUSSELS WITH RISOTTO
The final meal was a mussel risotto, simple but deeply satisfying.
This time I used the leftover mussels (removed from their shells in some of their juice) but because I needed more both/stock I took what I had in the freezer – a jar of some left over fish juices that has been cooked in tomato, white wine and herbs. Vegetable stock is OK as well.
There are three types of rice you can use for risotto: Carnaroli, Vialone Nano. and Arborio.Carnaroli has more starch as does Vialone Nano and these two varieties make a risotto creamier. Aborio is the easiest to find in Australia and works beautifully for seafood dishes because it keeps the texture lighter and lets the flavour of the fish shine through.
You might recall many recipes that suggest cooking risotto and gradually adding hot fish or mussel broth, one ladle at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid between additions. This is the usual way to make traditional Italian risotto. For many locals Sicilian rice dishes are unique and made differently. I’ve watched my elderly Sicilian relatives cook rice and have read many Sicilian recipes where some stock (not necessarily heated) is added, the lid is put on, and it’s left to absorb. The liquid may be added twice or three times at the most.
Recipe for making the risotto, quick and easy.
Sauté 2 sliced spring onions and 2 chopped cloves of garlic in extra virgin olive oil. Cook gently by tossing it around in the hot pan and not letting the contents burn.
Then I added one finely sliced fennel and some copped parsley and sautéed it gently by tossing it around till golden.
I added 1 cup of rice (this is sufficient for 2 people but you can add more). Toss it around to coat. Add a good splash of white wine and saffron (a generous pinch soaked beforehand in about 1/2 cup of water).
As you cook the rice, add the fish juices / broth, covering the pot with the lid to allow the rice to absorb the liquid between additions. I added liquid three times, but didn’t use the lid after the third addition to check if more was needed.
When it is nearly cooked add the shelled mussels. Cook the risotto until it is cooked all’onda…it should ripple like the sea, creamy yet loose.
I do not wish to eat mussels again for a couple of weeks.
THERE ARE MANY OTHER RECIPES FOR MUSSELS IN THE BLOG, here are a few:
Formaggio all’Argentiera is a Sicilian way to pan fry, fresh cheese and it is really worth doing. Unlike other pan fried cheese delights, it is presented with a simple sauce.
I had forgotten how much I particularly like Formaggio Fresco, pan fried with a sliver or two of garlic in a smidgen of extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled with a little dry oregano and de-glazed with a little red vinegar and a pinch of sugar (optional). This is how Sicilians like it.
Formaggio Fresco = Cheese Fresh….Fresh Cheese.
This Sicilian recipe is called Formaggio all’Argentiera.
Why All’ Argentiera?
An argentiere in Italian is a silversmith.
All’argentiera means “in the style of…as an argentiere would cook it”.
Why this name?
An argentiere can afford the price of meat, a poor person cannot, however, the poor can afford to buy and cook cheese and pretend that he is eating meat. The lovely smells dissipating from the windows of the poor will give passers-by the impression that just like a silversmith he can afford to eat meat. It is all to do with the making a bella figura syndrome.
The recipe is quick and easy, the difficulty could be finding what is called Formaggio Fresco. What is ‘fresh cheese?’
Some producers call Formaggio Fresco, Fresh Pecorino, but they are both young cheese (aged typically 15- 45 days depending on the manufacturer). It is a white, semi soft, smooth and milky cheese, good for slicing and for partially melting.
Pecorino is made from the milk of a pecora, (sheep), however, most Pecorino Fresco or Formaggio Fresco, especially in Australia is made from cows’ pasteurized milk, salt and culture (usually rennet).
Aged Pecorino, whether Romano (Roman), Sardo (Sardinian), Toscano, or Siciliano is the firm, salty and sharp cheese we are familiar with and used for grating – you can eat it too. In Italy they are DOP cheeses and made in the place of origin.
Stores that have Italian Produce are likely to have Formaggio Fresco but I have also seen some in a few good supermarkets.
In Melbourne I can buy Formaggio Fresco made by these manufacturers: That’s Amore cheese, they call it cacciotta and Pantalica make Bacio and Pecorino Fresco.
In Adelaide the manufacturers are: La Casa Del Formaggio and La Vera. I have seen La Vera sold in other Australian cities as well.
Formaggio all’Argentiera
A little extra virgin olive oil to fry the cheese.
Also: 1 large clove of garlic (cut into slivers), pinches of dried oregano, 1-2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and a pinch of sugar.
I prefer to use a non-stick fry pan.
Heat the oil; use medium heat.
Add the garlic, the slices of cheese and lower the heat. Sprinkle the cheese with some of the dry oregano.
Cook that side of cheese until golden in colour, turn the cheese over and repeat with the dry oregano….cook for as long again.
Add the vinegar and sugar ( I sometime do) and deglaze the pan.
Moulinex vellutate, baby food purées and Pappa al Pomodoro evoke memories for many of us who grew up with a trusty Moulinex on the kitchen bench. This simple tool—so effective at making velvety soups and smooth—remains part of Italian kitchens and traditions.
A friend’s husband recently underwent surgery for a hiatus hernia and is now following a gradual recovery diet: first liquids, then purées, and eventually soft, mushy foods. But this doesn’t have to be dull. The pale beetroot Borsch I made recently was silky, nourishing and full of flavour—proof that puréed food can still feel comforting.
MOULINEX FOR BABY FOOD
This slow return to solids reminds me of the way Italian babies begin their food journey. When my younger brother was born, I was eight and watched my mother cook with care and delight. Years later I followed the same steps with my own children.
The gradual progression of the density of food and the complexity of ingredients seems very much like what babies experience when they are introduced to solids.
We began with minestrine, gentle broths with light vegetables, and pappe made with bread. Then came purées and small pastine, followed by semolina in brodo. My mother added puréed chicken, veal liver, fine minced chicken breast or a little white fish to broth with overcooked rice. Her vellutate—a broth blended with one or two vegetables—was enriched not with cream but with an egg yolk to keep it light and digestible. A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and finely grated parmesan were introduced early.
The traditional Moulinex rotary mill, perfect for velvety soups and purées.
The heart of the operation was always the Moulinex (or Mouli)—a rotary vegetable mill that made perfect baby-food textures. Unlike blenders, which pulverise everything including tough skins, the Moulinex purées vegetables while leaving behind skins and fibres.
Vegetables like zucchini, green beans, carrot, pumpkin and potato were considered the easiest for babies to digest, with spinach added later. For brain-building, as my mother liked to say, she often made minestrine with white fish, sometimes enriched with puréed potatoes or tiny stelline pasta.
Stelline pasta
My brother and my son adored pappa di pane—simple bread simmered in water or broth until soft and creamy, then enriched with olive oil and eventually a little parmesan.
Later, stewed tomato (often cooked with a basil leaf) was added, and the Mouli came out again to remove skins and seeds. No wonder Italian babies develop such an early love of flavour.
My daughter always preferred broth with pastina. The broth was made with meat and a carrot and a piece of celery, but not onion – this is too heavy for babies. The meat was removed and the carrot and celery were puréed once they were cooked and returned to the broth.
USING THE MOULINEX FOR ADULTS
The Moulinex made beautiful vegetable vellutate for the whole family. The mushroom vellutata was pretty good and made some with pulses – dried peas, lentils and chickpeas.
Basically, you can turn any left over vegetables into a good looking, tasty vellutata and some good broth.
Adults, especially in Tuscany, never lose the taste for pappa. Pappa al Pomodoro, thickened with stale bread, remains a timeless dish. Although simple, every cook and region has its own variation. What matters most is the quality of tomatoes, bread, basil and olive oil. You can keep the tomatoes rustic, or use your Moulinex to create a smoother version.
You can see why Italian babies develop a palate – a taste for flavour!
Adults, especially in Tuscany, never lose the taste for pappa. Pappa al Pomodoro, thickened with stale bread, remains a timeless dish. Although simple, every cook and region has its own variation. What matters most is the quality of tomatoes, bread, basil and olive oil. You can keep the tomatoes rustic, or use your Moulinex to create a smoother version. And although this is a rather simple recipe, you can find various versions of it across Tuscany and some other regions of Italy.
Good produce, gentle cooking and simple tools like the Moulinex are at the heart of Italian comfort food—whether for babies, convalescing adults or anyone who loves nourishing, flavourful dishes.
Pappa al Pomodoro Recipe
Ingredients
1 medium onion, finely diced
2–3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
1 kg fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 800 g good-quality canned
200 g day-old white bread, crusts removed, cut into chunks
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (or water)
Salt and pepper
Fresh basil
Method
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft and fragrant. Add tomatoes and cook until reduced and thickened, like a salsa.
Add stock, bread, seasoning and basil. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, stirring to break down the bread.
Serve the pappa warm or at room temperature topped with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil leaves.
Do I take making coffee at home too seriously? Here is a photo of the coffee-making equipment I have at home.
In times before the Corona Virus lockdown, when a group of us went to gym classes at the Melbourne City Baths we would go for a coffee and a chat after our session. Now that we are socially isolating, the same gym group catches up for a chat on Zoom.
During one of our Zoom sessions I brought out the coffee making equipment pictured above on a tray and I staged a performance of having made a coffee for each of us. There were the expected laughs but one person said that it looked as if I was hording. That was the end of that. I kept on thinking about this and wondering if I did have too many coffee makers.
I do not know if my friend knew just how important is a ritual making coffee at home.
As an Italian, I take the preparation and consumption of coffee very seriously. I have a range of macchinette da Caffè of various sizes: one, two, four and six cups. I do not have a three or five-cup machine, but if I have three people wanting coffee, I use both my one- and two-cup machines. For five people, I use my one- and four-cup machines. If I anticipate that someone may require more than one cup, I ask beforehand and prepare coffee in one or more of the larger machines.
I grind my coffee beans just before I place the ground coffee in the chosen macchinetta because freshly ground coffee is likely achieve the best flavour and aroma. If I am making coffee for one, it has to be in the one cup macchinetta, for two people, it has to be in the two cup, etc. Usually Italians are happy with just the one coffee per time and they only make the right amount because, after all, it needs to be freshly made and never rewarmed. I have had that grinder for about 30 years old.
Any left-over coffee can be saved to make a caffè freddo in summer or a granita di caffè. The left-over coffee can also be kept if there is someone in the household who mixes left over coffee with milk to eat with bread, broken into pieces and dropped in. This is no different to the French doing the same thing. My father used to have this for breakfast. Of course, he did not do this when we lived in Italy – there he would go to the bar on his way to work to have a quick coffee and a chat with the barista at the counter.
No lingering. (CremCaffè in Piazza Goldoni, Trieste). His Tailoring business was a couple of doors to the right and upstairs and our apartment was just around the corner.
CremCaffè in Piazza Goldoni, Trieste.
There was no way that my dad could continue this ritual in Australia when we came to Adelaide from Trieste in 1956.
Lucky for us, times have changed and those who wish can do this. You will not see Italians carrying takeaway coffee or sipping it as they walk along and I find it difficult to appreciate those who sit in a coffee place for a long time, chatting and having only one coffee or reading their papers or writing on their laptops. Especially if it is a small business. Some beliefs are difficult for me to dismiss. Maybe it is to do with the coffee place having a relatively quick turnover so as to make a living.
If we (father, mother and I and perhaps friends) wanted a leisurley coffee and luxurious cakes we would go to Caffe degli Specchi in Piazza Unità on the waterfront.
Trieste has numerous coffee bars.Caffe degli Specchi in Piazza Unità.
Our Napoletana coffee-maker travelled with us to Australia. At the time it was the top domestic extraction coffee-maker available before the stovetop espresso macchinette became popular. This is not a photo of what we had. This piece of equipment was discarded years ago. We also brought with us a little milk heating saucepan to heat the milk. I have memories of inviting one of our Australian neighbours for coffee. I can remember the man’s face and irrespective of the amount of warm milk we poured into the coffee, it was was much too strong. He was used to Chicory Essence.
We tried.
This is called a Napoletana.
The Napoletana has a tank for the water, the ground coffee holder and filter, a small hole for steam to escape and the server.
Once it is assembled, the part that holds the water is put on the heat to boil and once it has boiled and the steam begins to come out, the pan is flipped upside down and the boiling water trickles through.
Now back to my macchinette da caffè and do I have too many? I do not think so.
Alfonzo Pupplieni e figli (and sons) made these Coffee Macchinette.
There are the macchinette I use at home (as above) but we also have some that travel with us. We never travel overseas with out taking these. They are very light weight. These are much more modern than all my other caffettiere, the little blue Bialetti used to be my mum’s – I cannot get rid of that! Coming to think of it, that little blue Bialetti must be at least 15 years old. The ones in the photo above were made by Alfonzo Pupplieni e figli (and sons) and I notice that my research indicates that they are classified as “Vintage” and are in high demand. Good things last.
Simple BIALETTI macchinette.
This one (photo below) is heavy. It comes camping with us and gets taken when we go and sleep at friends’ houses or Airbnbs or rental holiday accommodation.
We like our “proper” coffee.
Fortunately, none of our friends drink instant coffee … or at least they do not let us know. Some friends have plunger coffee … this is not the coffee I like to drink. My partner drinks plunger coffee if he has to, but prefers coffee from the macchinetta that travels with us. He even prefers this to the coffee made from electric Coffee Machines – pod or automatic so it gets included in our luggage.
The Atomica was designed by Giordano Robbiati in 1946 in Milan Italy.
But he doesn’t like strong coffee in the morning, so he uses the distinctively designed Atomica, which makes two large cups. I never drink coffee from the Atomica. It is far too weak for my taste. This vintage coffee maker can also froth milk to make cappuccino or caffè latte. The Atomica was designed by Giordano Robbiati in 1946 in Milan Italy. I do not know the age of my Atomica but just like our car, it goes in for a regular service. This used to belong to a friend and was given to me many, many years ago.
I want to make special mention of this macchinetta. It was a gift from one of my Sicilian aunts. With this heavy macchinetta, I can make coffee for four people or six; this macchinetta must also be getting to be elderly.
I had a taste for coffee when I was pretty young. My mother made me “caffé col’uovo sbatutto” (coffee with beaten egg) for breakfast.
If it wasn’t a “uovo sbattuto” it was “un uovo all’ ostrica”…this was an egg yolk with a squeeze of lemon juice, just like having an oyster.
This with a cup of hot chocolate was breakfast.
Caffè col’uovo sbattuto
Beat an egg yolk with a few teaspoons of sugar until foamy, then pour in a little good strong coffee, and mix it up. The coffee deletes the sweetness. If I had been an adult, more coffee would have been added.
If I am going to have good coffee at home, I do want proper equipment…. and I take pleasure remembering.
These free -range pork chops bought at a Farmers’ Market were simply and quickly cooked and tasted delicious. The meat was very tender and extremely flavourful. I used sage, thyme and juniper berries and these are Northern Italian flavours.
This Berkshire pork comes from Brooklands Free Range Farms in Blamfield, in the central highlands of Victoria.
If you live in Victoria, the pork is sold in some of Farmers Markets – see list on the photo below, it is on the back of their business card.
WHY GIN OR DRY VERMOUTH TO DEGLAZE?
When I use juniper berries I like to deglaze the pan either with dry vermouth or gin rather than white wine. Juniper berries are a spice used in a wide variety of culinary dishes and best known for the primary flavouring in gin – you will not need much and it will enhance the taste of the sauce.
Add a small amount of extra virgin olive oil to a frying pan, then place the meat, a pinch of salt, herbs and juniper berries. I used approximately eight juniper berries. The pork is lean and pink, just how I like it.
Turn them over when coloured on one side, cover and cook on low heat for approximately six minutes.
Turn again, deglaze. Turn off heat, rest for a few minutes before serving.
Thank you Brooklands Free Range Farms for producing top quality produce and what i particularly like is that these pigs not only frolic on rich volcanic soils but that other local producers contribute to feeding these pigs- local grain, vegetables and whey. The pigs also eat seasonal acorns…very European.
The Inspector Montalbano’s series of books and his favourite dishes were the brainchild of the Sicilian director and author Andrea Calogero Camilleri, born 6 September 1925; died 17 July 2019.
The entire nation is in mourning: RAI 1 news, the state broadcaster, dedicated 80 per cent of its time slot to this news; writers, intellectuals and the highest representatives of the Italian state have expressed their condolences. Even his arch-enemy, Matteo Salvini, minister of the interior and leader of the xenophobic Northern League party — with whom Camilleri had several heated exchanges over the years — has paid tribute to the popular Sicilian writer.
The paragraph above is from an article published in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald on July 20. It is written by Barbara Pezzotti, a lecturer in Italian Studies at Monash University. She is the author of three monographs dedicated to Italian crime fiction and has extensively published on Andrea Camilleri.
Camilleri is the author of numerous books, but in Australia he is perhaps best known for his Montalbano novels and has become one of the most-loved crime fiction writers in the world.
His books have been published worldwide and translated into 32 languages, including Catalan and Gaelic. The highly successful television series, inspired by Montalbano’s books, became an international success and was broadcast in Australia by SBS. The series’ depiction of beautiful Sicily has undoubtedly encouraged many travellers.
Following the death of Andrea Camilleri last week, a relative from Ragusa, Sicily, sent me an article from Ragusa News. This online publication covers news and interest stories from the Ragusa Province and nearby towns, including Vittoria, Modica, Comiso, Scicli, Pozzallo and Ispica.
The article is called Domenica a pranzo onoriamo Camilleri con la pasta ‘Ncasciata (On Sunday for lunch let us honour Camilleri with pasta Ncasciata).
The house on the beach where Montalbano lives in the series.
Sunday lunch is still an important family occasion in Sicily and Pasta ‘Ncasciata is a Sicilian version of oven baked pasta; it is one of Montalbano’s favorite things to eat. It is prepared for him by his housekeeper, Adelina.
In his Montalbano series, Camilleri describes almost every dish that the character consumes, all of which are traditionally Sicilian.
Marzipan fruit.
Sicily has many variations of Pasta ‘Ncasciata, each with distinct ingredient combinations. The most notable is from Messina, and the recipe in this article appears to be the Messinese version. It is made with commercial, short-shaped pasta layered with tomato meat sauce, mortadella or salami, fried eggplant, caciocavallo cheese, salami and hard-boiled eggs.
Sicilian Cassata.
Apart from Pasta ‘Ncasciata, Montalbano has other favourites, which I have also written about in my blog and first book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking.
This information provides instructions for making a summer Sicilian soup using a Sicilian squash, the tendrils and leaves of the vine.
The tendrils of the Sicilian squash are called tenerumi and this soup is particularly easy to make if you have a Sicilian friend who grows this vegetable in her garden. I have bought some of this squash at a farmers’ market but it is only available for a short time in the season.
The squash is a long, light green trumpet-shaped squash. It is called a zucca lunga (long squash) or zucca trombetta (trumpet squash) or zuccaserpente (serpent squash). she had no squash available but she knew I had some zucchini to replace the squash, and the soup tasted delicious.
simple ingredient_ tendrils with leaves, zucchini, basil leaves, garlic and tomatoes.
It is a summer dish, and red tomatoes, a little garlic (optional) and basil are also added ingredients. Broken spaghetti are used to thicken the soup…when in Sicily you are unlikely to eat soup without pasta.
PROCESS
Strip and use the soft tendrils and soft leaves off the long, hard curly stems.
the tendrils and leaves stopped from the hard stalk.
Place the leaves and tendrils ( and some squash or sliced zucchini) in some boiling water with a little salt.
When they are nearly cooked add some broken spaghetti.
These vegetables are cooked separately.
The tomatoes are left cut in half. Soften the tomatoes in a little extra virgin olive oil with some garlic and basil. It is just a tomato salsa!
The half tomatoes- cut made into a summer salsa.
Add the tomato mixture on top of the pasta. Drizzle on some good extra virgin olive oil, more basil leaves and some chilli flakes if this is your want.
You will find more photos (including the zucca lunga) and information about this recipe and ingredients on previous posts:
The Sicilian summer soup called Minestra di Tenerumi.
I used Hapuka cutlets to cook with Sicilian Flavours, but any fish can be cooked in the same way.
Hapuka fish cutlets.
The Sicilian flavours are simple – grated lemon peel, lemon juice, anchovies, fresh mint and parsley.
Flavours – Anchovies, parsley and lemon.Roasted peppers as a side plate.
Procedure
Cut anchovies into small pieces.
Grate some lemon peel and squeeze some lemon juice.
Chop parsley and mint. Use greater amount of parsley. You will need a double small pile of the herbs: one for pan-frying and the other mixed with the lemon peel for decoration and flavour.
Fry one side of the fish, then flip it and top with chopped parsley and mint and anchovies. Cook the other side until desired, as it’ll be flipped again briefly.
Slices of pan fried fish with Sicilian flavours. Notice the vibrant fresh colour of the herbs.
The anchovies should have softened. Turn the fish over and season the other side with salt and lemon juice. Evaporate the lemon juice and the fish is ready.
Scatter with more chopped parsley and mint mixed with the grated lemon peel for colour and flavour.
