Tag: Australian Christmas

SAUCES for meat, fish and vegetables to brighten up your Christmas

Sauces are one of the easiest ways to expand your Christmas repertoire and brighten up your Christmas without changing the core of your menu. Whether your table is seafood-focused, meat-heavy, vegetarian, or a mix of all three, a thoughtfully chosen sauce can bring freshness, complexity and colour.

Because one of the books I’ve written is Sicilian Seafood Cooking—and because my blog is called All Things Sicilian And More—many readers assume that my Christmas table must be strictly Sicilian. It’s a lovely assumption, but like most Italian traditions, the reality is far more regional, varied, and personal.

Buon Natale, and happy cooking!

What Do Italians Eat at Christmas? It Depends Where You Live

Italy has no single “national” Christmas menu.
Food traditions shift dramatically from region to region, and even from town to town.

When I lived in Trieste (in the north), Christmas Day always began with brodo—a clear, comforting broth that signalled the start of a long, leisurely lunch.

Years later, celebrating Christmas in Sicily, the menu was completely different. First courses would be gnucchiteddi (tiny hand-rolled gnocchi) or delicate ravioli di ricotta scented with cinnamon, sugar, and local cheese.

RAVIOLI DI RICOTTA

GNUCCHITEDDI

My family in Ragusa making gnucchiteddi. It is always a family affair.

QUADRUCCI IN BRODO, Squares of home-made Pasta in Broth

Quadrucci – squares of him made pasta with herbs.

BRODO DI GALLINA (Chicken Broth)

GNOCHETI DE GRIES (as called in Trieste), GNOCCHETTI DI SEMOLINO (Italian), SEMOLINA Small GNOCCHI

Gnochetti di Gris.

Even within Sicily—an island smaller than Tasmania—the diversity is astonishing.
Christmas in Ragusa always meant scacce: layered, folded pastries filled with vegetables, ricotta, sausage, tomato, or combinations of all three. They remain a staple of festival tables.

Scacce.

Would Sicilians in Australia be making scacce for Christmas? Perhaps some from Ragusa will—but most Sicilian-Australian menus are shaped by a mixture of regional traditions, personal favourites, and of course the Australian summer.

SCACCE

What I Cook at Christmas

People often ask what I’ll cook for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The honest answer: I rarely know until the last minute.

On Christmas Eve, I usually follow Italian custom and eat fish.
On Christmas Day, I like to cook something special that I haven’t made for a while—perhaps pasta with sea urchin (ricci), bottarga, squid ink, crayfish, or crab.

There are many posts on this blog that delve into Christmas dishes from Sicily and other regions of Italy—feel free to explore and adapt them for your own festive table.

But this post is not about planning an entire menu. Instead, it’s about something more universal – Sauces.

Whatever you’re serving this year—seafood salad, roast turkey, grilled vegetables, barbecued meat— a fresh, vibrant sauce can instantly transform a familiar dish into something festive.

Essential Sauces and Dressings for Christmas

Below are some of my favourite sauces—Italian, Sicilian, and beyond—that can brighten any Christmas spread.

Highlight sauces include:

  • Salsa d’Agresto – medieval green grape and nut sauce for roasted meats
  • Salsa Verde – Italian parsley, anchovy and caper sauce for vegetables, fish or cold meats
  • Sicilian Sarsa di Chiappareddi – capers, anchovies and olive oil for grilled fish
  • Bagna Cauda – warm garlic and anchovy dip for mixed vegetables
  • Salmoriglio – Sicilian lemon and oregano dressing ideal for BBQ seafood
  • Homemade Mayonnaise – classic, saffron or tuna versions for cold dishes
  • Romesco Sauce – roasted peppers and almonds for fish and vegetables
  • Salsa Saracina – sweet-and-savoury Sicilian sauce with olives, pine nuts and saffron
  • Hot Mint Sauce – mint, cumin and vinegar for lamb or goat

Use these sauces to lift any Christmas meal—seafood salad, roast turkey, summer vegetables or a simple backyard BBQ. A fresh sauce can transform your festive table.

Salsa d’Agresto (Green Grape Sauce)

A medieval sauce that predates the widespread use of lemons. Traditionally, it relies on the tart juice of unripe grapes (agresto).

It dates pre-Renaissance time and went out of fashion because lemons became popular in cooking and superseded the use of green grape juice. The recipes suggested that the juice of the green grapes can be extracted by using a mouli or a juicer.

Walnuts and almonds are blanched to remove as much skin as possible. My sources indicated that there may have been more walnuts used than almonds in these sauces.

Today you can substitute: verjuice or dry white wine

Key ingredients:

  • blanched walnuts and almonds
  • onion, garlic, parsley
  • breadcrumbs for body
  • a touch of sugar
  • enough agresto/verjuice to form a soft paste.

Onions, garlic and parsley and a few breadcrumbs are pounded together with the nuts. Add a bit of sugar, some chopped parsley and sufficient grape juice to make the amalgamated ingredients soft – like a paste.

Heat these ingredients and add a little broth as the sauce will thickened because the bread crumbs.

Warm gently and thin with broth as needed.
Perfect for roast meats, especially pork, chicken or turkey.

SALSA D’AGRESTO

Salsa Verde – Italian Green Sauce

Salsa verde can be used to jazz anything up – vegetables, roasts, cold meats, smoked fish, crayfish etc. I sometimes use it to stuff hard boiled eggs (remove the yolk, mix with salsa verde and return it to the egg).

Parsley, anchovies, capers, green olives and good olive oil form the backbone of this lively sauce.

SALSA VERDE – ITALIAN GREEN SAUCE

Sarsa di Chiappareddi (Sicilian Caper and Anchovy Sauce)

There may be times when an accompanying sauce for fish cooked in various ways will bring you greater compliments.

Salted capers need to be soaked and rinsed well before use.

The sauce is called sarsa di chiappareddi in Sicilian. Salsa con capperi in Italian.

A beautiful sauce for grilled, baked or fried fish.
What makes it special: high-quality extra virgin olive oil, capers and anchovies from Sicily a fresh, herbal perfume released the moment cold sauce meets hot fish.

Simple, quick, and always impressive.

SARSA DI CHIAPPAREDDI

Bagna Cauda – The Piedmontese “Hot Bath”

Bagna Cauda, translated as “hot bath,” is a dip for any combination of firm vegetables – cooked or uncooked.

A warm, deeply savoury dip from Piedmont. Traditionally served in a communal pot surrounded by:

  • raw or cooked fennel
  • carrots
  • celery
  • cauliflower
  • peppers

Made from:

  • garlic
  • anchovies
  • butter
  • sometimes a little olive oil

It is a hot sauce and it is most essential to use quality, extra virgin, olive oil. This is especially important for cold sauces, – when the cold sauce hits the hot food, the fragrance of the oil will be strongly evident.

 BAGNA CAUDA

Salmurrigghiu / Salmoriglio – Sicilian Citrus-Herb Dressing

Such a simple Sicilian dressing and a Sicilian staple.

Just: extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and most times a touch of garlic.

It’s sublime on grilled fish, meat, or vegetables—especially anything coming off the BBQ.

SALAMURRIGGHIU – SALMORIGLIO (salmorigano)

Home-Made Mayonnaise – Classic, Saffron, or Tuna

A good mayonnaise can rescue almost any cold dish.

Maionese.

See:
MAYONNAISE  and SAFFRON MAYONNAISE
INSALATA RUSSA
CHICKEN LAYERED WITH TUNA AND EGG MAYONNAISE
VITELLO TONNATO

Salsa Romesco – Spanish Almond and Pepper Sauce

Originally from Tarragona in Catalonia, though many mistakenly think it is Roman because of the name.

Excellent with:

This sauce is usually associated as a condiment for shellfish and fish. It is also good with eggs and grilled and roasted vegetables (especially cold, left over ones that need dressing up the next day).

Recently, I have been to two restaurants and this sauce was presented with cold asparagus.

Made from:

  • roasted red peppers
  • garlic
  • almonds
  • paprika
  • olive oil

Smoky, sweet, and a crowd-pleaser.

 SALSA ROMESCO

Salsa Saracina (Saracen Sauce)

A unique Sicilian cold sauce that blends:

  • green olives
  • pine nuts
  • sultanas
  • saffron

Often used with fish, but versatile enough for grilled vegetables, cold meats, or even room-temperature salads.It is sweet-and-savoury in the most Sicilian way.

I use it for many  hot or cold foods.

SALSA SARACINA (Saracen sauce)

Green Olive and Anchovy Sauce for Roast Duck

One of the times I roasted a duck I made this special sauce for it, and it tasted great.

  • green anchovies
  • parsley
  • tender celery heart
  • garlic
  • stock and wine added to the roasting pan and reduced in the pan made an excellent gravy.

A rich, aromatic gravy that lifts any roast beautifully and while you are at it, it includes the recipe for cooking the duc

ANATRA A PAPAREDDA CU L’ULIVI

Hot Mint Sauce (Casa Moro)

This is a recipe from Sam and Sam Clark’s Casa Moro, The Second Cookbook. I first had this sauce at a friend’s house accompanying roast goat. I too had this book.

it is a Middle Eastern-inspired sauce that pairs beautifully with:

  • roast goat
  • lamb
  • grilled meats

Made with:

  • mint
  • cumin
  • garlic
  • red wine vinegar or balsamic

Vibrant, earthy, and excellent for outdoor summer meals.

HOT MINT SAUCE

There are many other posts on this blog that delve into Christmas dishes from Sicily and other regions of Italy.  Whether you live in a cold or hot country  explore the content and adapt them for your own festive table.


	


	
	






	
	

		
	

		
QUADRUCCI IN BRODO, Squares of home-made Pasta in Broth
	


	

		
Quadrucci in Brodo are one of those homemade pasta-in-broth dishes that, for me, tell the story of Christmas better than any elaborate menu.


Time and time again I am asked what I will be cooking for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The truth is that I don’t always know in advance. What I do know is that, in keeping with Italian tradition, Christmas Eve is usually reserved for fish, while Christmas Day gives me the opportunity to cook something a little special — often a dish I don’t prepare very often.


Over the years, this has included pasta with sea urchin (ricci), bottarga, squid cooked in its black ink, or dishes featuring crayfish or crab. (Links to these recipes appear at the bottom of this post.)


What was consistent in my immediate family, however, was brodo. Because Christmas Eve was often a substantial meal, Christmas Day lunch tended to be lighter, and a clear, nourishing broth was the natural way to begin.


DISCOVERING QUADRUCCI IN BRODO


I first discovered Quadrucci in Brodo in 1984, when Giuliano Bugialli’s book The Taste of Italy was published. Bugialli refers to this pasta as quadrucci — small squares. A quadro in Italian simply means “square”.


In his recipe, Bugialli suggests making the broth with turkey meat and bones. On this occasion, however, I had a strong duck stock in the freezer, made from the carcass after removing the breasts and legs for another dish. It worked beautifully — but any good, well-flavoured broth will do.


Bugialli describes Quadrucci in Brodo as a representative dish from Puglia, although he himself was Florentine. As is often the case with Italian cooking, dishes like this cross regional boundaries, especially when they rely on simple ingredients and careful technique.


MAKING QUADRUCCI AT HOME


Because there were only three of us eating, I wanted to make a small quantity of pasta. I used a rolling pin rather than my pasta machine — I was in a hurry and didn’t want the extra washing up.




The pasta dough was rolled very thin and layered with whole parsley leaves, then folded and rolled again so that the parsley became embedded in the dough. The pasta was then cut into small squares.


Once cooked in the broth, the effect is striking: delicate pasta squares with parsley visible inside, resembling fine embroidery. It is simple food, but undeniably elegant.


A LIGHT, AUSTRALIAN CHRISTMAS TOUCH


Because asparagus was in season, I added a small amount to the broth to give the dish a lighter, summery feel — perfect for an Australian Christmas. It lifted the dish without overpowering it, allowing the clarity of the broth and the handmade pasta to remain the focus.


Sometimes the most memorable Christmas dishes are not the most elaborate, but those that reflect tradition, restraint, and care.


WHAT I DID


    

  • good meat broth, fat skimmed off, solids passed through a fine mesh strainer,
    • 

  • sprigs of Italian parsley (I also tried some with basil leaves),
    • 

  • home-made pasta = *1 large egg per 100 grams of hard flour (like unbleached, bread making flour, high in protein) is sufficient for 3 persons. Double or triple accordingly.
    • 



Sift the flour and place it in a large bowl or on a bench (depending how you like to mix flour to make into a dough).


Make a well in the centre and add the egg and a little salt.


Begin to knead with your fingers; I begin by adding flour from the edges into the centre. Mix everything well. At this stage you may need to add a little bit more of flour if the mixture is too wet or a tiny bit of water if it is too dry. This is because of the differences in the size of the eggs and the absorbency of the flour. Work the dough till the pasta feels elastic.


Shape the dough into a ball, cover it (cloth or plastic wrap) and leave it for about one hour.


Using a rolling pin (or a pasta machine especially if making greater quantities) roll/ stretch the pasta quite thin.


Place whole parsley leaves on top of half the length of the layer of pasta. Fold the other half of the layer of pasta over the parsley, and press the layers together.




Roll it again until it is very thin and you will see the parsley through the top layer of the pasta – sandwiched in the centre and looking like embroidery. I also used basil leaves for some quadri (squares).




Cut the pasta into squares ( like ravioli). These do not need to be of regular size and shape. trim off irregular bits of pasta.




Bring the broth to a boil and add the pasta squares. Cook for 1-3 minutes- they will rise to the surface when cooked.




Once I added the pasta to the broth I added the asparagus. The ingredients were cooked in a very short time.




This is what my version looked like:




BUGIALLI’S RECIPE OF QUADRUCCI IN BRODO


FOR THE BROTH:


900g/2lbs dark turkey meat, with bones

1 medium-sized red onion, peeled

1 stick celery

1 medium-sized carrot, scraped

1 medium-sized clove garlic, peeled but left whole

1 cherry tomato

4 sprigs Italian parsley

3 extra large egg whites

coarse-grained salt


FOR THE PASTA:


40g (1 1/2 oz) (1/2 cup) freshly grated Parmesan

5 eggs

pinch of salt

6 twists black pepper

450g (1 lb) (3 1/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

30 sprigs Italian flat-leaf parsley, leaves only


Prepare the broth: put the turkey, coarse-grained salt to taste, the whole onion, celery, carrot, garlic, tomato, and parsley sprigs in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water and put the pot over medium heat, uncovered. Simmer for 2 hours, skimming off foam from the top.


Remove the meat from the pot and reserve it for another dish. Pass the rest of the contents of the pot through a fine strainer into a large bowl, to remove the vegetables and impurities. Let the broth cool, then place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight to allow the fat to rise to the top and solidify.


Use a metal spatula to remove the solidified fat then clarify the broth. Pour 4 tablespoons of the broth into a small bowl and mix it with the egg whites. Pour the broth and egg white mixture into the rest of the cold broth and whisk very well. Transfer the broth to a pot and place it on the edge of a burner. Bring to the simmering stage, half covered, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the egg whites rise to the top with the impurities, and the broth becomes transparent.


Meanwhile, place a clean, wet cotton tea towel in the freezer for 5 minutes. Then stretch the tea towel over a colander and strain the broth through it to clarify it completely. The broth should be absolutely clear.


Prepare the pasta with the ingredients listed, placing the grated Parmesan, salt, pepper, and eggs in the well in the flour. With much care and patience, gradually work the eggs into the flour until you have a slab of dough. Shape this into a ball and leave under a towel or in cling film (plastic wrap) to rest.


Stretch the pasta as thinly as possible by hand or with the pasta machine. Place the whole parsley leaves on top of half the length of the layer of pasta. Fold the other half of the layer of pasta over the parsley, and press the layers together. Continue to roll out the layer of pasta until it is very thin. Using a scalloped pastry cutter, cut the pasta into squares of about 5cm/2in.


Bring the broth to a boil and add the pasta. Cook for 1-3 minutes, depending on how dry the pasta is. Serve hot, without adding cheese, which would spoil its purity.


This is what Bugialli’s  pasta looked like. With a little more effort and a pasta machine, mine will look like that too, next time.




Other recipes mentioned in this blog.


For first course I may cook:


SPAGHETTI CON RICCI DI MARE


PASTA CON BOTTARGA


SPAGHETTI WITH CRAYFISH OR CRAB


 PASTA WITH BLACK INK SAUCE 


 

	


	
	






	
	

		
	

		
ZUPPA INGLESE, Italian dessert and Alchermes
	


	

		
I use a Florentine ancient Liquer called Alchermes (or Alkermes) to make the famous Italian dessert called Zuppa Inglese.


Zuppa Inglese is the Italian version of the English trifle that is generally made with sponge cake, moistened with fruit syrup or/and sweet sherry, layered with cream/and or custard, jam, and most times red coloured jelly made with jelly crystals.


Trifle is still being made in UK and countries like Australia (that initially inherited much of the British cuisine) especially at Christmas. Over time there have been some little variations to the recipe, for example I have often eaten trifle in Australian homes that included preserved fruit – particularly canned peaches. Recently fresh fruit has become a popular edition, particularly strawberries.


The roots of Zuppa Inglese are shrouded in mystery, with several theories about how the dessert came to Italy. Some suggest it was introduced by Italian diplomats who tasted trifle during visits to London. Others believe it emerged in the kitchens of English expatriates living in Florence in the late 1800s and early 1900s, many of whom employed Italian kitchen staff. These Italian cooks would have adapted the traditional English trifle recipe using local ingredients: , savoiardi, crema pasticcera and perhaps some signori inglesi missed some of their cooking from home and this was what their Italian kitchen maids prepared as trifle Alchermes, the ancient Florentine, red liqueur commonly used to moisten and flavour cakes.


And thus, Zuppa Inglese was born, earning its nickname “English soup” due to its layered, somewhat “messy” appearance, which some say resembles a soup more than a neatly arranged dessert.


There are many stories about how this English dessert came to be part of Italian cuisine. Some say that perhaps Italian diplomats tasted trifle on a visit to London and this may have been their interpretation of this dessert. Others say that it probably eventuated in the kitchens of the well-off English; there were many living in Florence in the late 1800’s till the lead up of the Second World War.  Most of them employed Italian staff; . They had to use Italian ingredients – savoiardi (sponge fingers – mostly used in layered Italian desserts) and Alchermes the ancient Florentine, red liqueur commonly used to moisten and flavour cakes. Fresh cream was (and is) rarely used in cakes in Italy, but pastry cream called crema pasticcera (also crema inglese – crème anglaise) is very common. And it is easy to see how this sloppy mess could be called “soup”(zuppa).


I have seen modern Italian versions of recipes for Zuppa Inglese, which include red fruit (like berries) and many include chocolate. My mother’s version sometimes included grated dark chocolate on the top; I think that this was partly for decoration; I sometimes top it with cherries and torrone. Other modern versions I have seen have a sprinkling of coffee beans and I wonder if the makers are getting confused with Tiramisu, which because it contains coffee is often decorated with coffee beans.


In the Zuppa Inglese below I have placed a sprinkling of crushed pistacchio nuts and choccolate on top .


IMG_2302


I often make Zuppa Inglese especially when I am stuck for ideas, or have little time to prepare a dessert; it is so easy to prepare and never fails to impress.


I still use the traditional way to make it. I always assemble it in layers: sponge fingers moistened with Alchermes (either homemade or purchased at a good wine shop), cover these with crema pasticcera, repeat x 2-3 layers finishing with a layer of sponge fingers.


I use a large glass bowl to assemble the layers of ingredients (it is a pretty dessert) and keep the zuppa inglese, in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight before I intend to present it – it gives the dessert time to settle and the flavours to develop.  I finally cover it with a layer or tuffs of panna montata (literally meaning cream made into mountains – isn’t the Italian language marvellous!). it is also known as Chantilly cream, whipped cream with a little caster sugar flavoured with vanilla bean –Italians would never think about using plain cream in cakes.


Alchermes


At some stage during my research about Alchermes I found out that the name is likely to have been derived from the Arabic “al” (a) and “qirmiz” (worm). This is because it contains cochineal, which gives the liqueur its red colour. Cochineal used to be made with a particular insect which was crushed and dried, this produced a rich, red dye.


In the photo I have included a bottle of purchased Alchermes (32% volume). I also make my own , see link below.




Crema Pasticcera can be a litttle scary to make. This is the easier way to make the egg custard.


For a more authentic recipes see link below.


INGREDIENTS


3 egg yolks, 3 tablespoons caster sugar infused with a vanilla bean, a pinch of salt 3 tablespoons of cornflour, 1 litre of milk, rind of 1 lemon, and a cinnamon stick, a lump of unsalted butter.


 


PROCESSES


In a saucepan, mix the egg yolks with the sugar and slowly add the flour, salt and a little milk to make a smooth paste – a whisk could be useful. If you do not have sugar that has been infused with a vanilla bean, use a little vanilla essence (not artificial).




Add the rest of the milk and incorporate to dilute the mixture evenly.


Using a vegetable peeler remove the rind in one piece from ½ lemon. Add this to the milk mixture. Add the cinnamon stick.




Use low – medium heat, stir it constantly with a whisk or a wooden spoon and slowly bring it to the boil – the custard should have thickened. if it thickens too much, add a little more milk. Add a lunp of butter and stir it in: this will enrich the custard. Cool before using. To prevent a skin from forming, I place a piece of baking paper or butter paper on its surface until you are cready to use it.




This Zuppa Inglese looks quite impressive in a round glass bowl.


This one is topped with preserved cherries (link below), and bits of torrone.






















Zuppa Inglese is the kind of dessert that’s perfect for any occasion. It’s versatile enough for a family dinner, but elegant enough to serve at a special gathering. While modern variations with berries or chocolate are delicious in their own right, there’s something about sticking with tradition that feels just right.




SEE:


 In Australia I make my Alchermes with Vodka. How to make Alchermes Alkermes the liqueur to make Zuppa Inglese: ALCHERMES/ALKERMES (The liqueur used to make Zuppa Inglese)





MILLEFOGLIE or Millefeuille and CREMA PASTICCIERA or crème pâtissière


Marmellata di cigliege (Cherry jam) and Zuppa Inglese