Tag: Venice

MARINADED FISH and a recipe for PESCE IN SAOR

Pesce in Saor is one of the iconic dishes of Venetian cuisine, and it is marinated fish. It is also popular throughout  the coastal areas of the Veneto region.

Pesce in Saor—describe a traditional method of preserving fish by frying it and marinating it in vinegar, onions and other flavourings, creating the distinctive Italian balance of agrodolce (sweet and sour).

Long before refrigeration, marinating or ‘sousing’ fish extended its shelf life and is still a popular method. Vinegar inhibits microbial growth in a manner like salt while sugar acts as a preservative and softens the vinegar’s sharpness. This practical necessity has evolved into one of Italy’s most memorable regional dishes.

 

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Pesce in Saor – Sweet-and-sour marinated fish, one of Venice’s and Trieste’s most celebrated traditional dishes.

Pesce in Saor and My Family Traditions

The Italian word for fish is pesce, but in the Triestine dialect it becomes pesse. I lived in Trieste as a child, where pesse in saor was commonly prepared with sardines and served with soft white polenta.

My Sicilian grandmother also made marinated fish, known in Sicilian as pisci ammarinatu, but her flavourings reflected the cuisine of  Catania in Sicily. She preferred mint, bay leaves and garlic in the vinegar marinade, whereas the Venetian and Triestine versions include raisins and pine nuts.

These regional variations demonstrate how a simple preservation technique became adapted to local tastes and ingredients.

Marinated Fish Throughout Italy

Venice is not alone in its love of soused fish. Similar preparations appear throughout Italy:

  • Pesce alla scapece from central and southern Italy, with regional versions flavoured with saffron, garlic or sage.
  • Pesce in carpione from Lombardy, scented with celery and carrot.
  • Scabeccio from Liguria, featuring garlic, rosemary and peppercorns.
  • Sardinian versions that may include chilli, garlic and tomato.

The idea extends well beyond Italy. Escabeche is found throughout Spain and Portugal and travelled to North Africa and Latin America. Nordic countries also have long traditions of preserving fish in acidic marinades. Even a German friend of mine prepares soused fish, adding coriander seeds to his recipe.

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Part of the bay of Trieste
Trieste, Ponte Rosso

 Childhood Memories of Trieste

My maternal grandmother always had pottery terrines of marinated fish in her Sicilian kitchen, covered simply with plates used as lids. When she visited us in Trieste, she continued the same practice, and our kitchen would soon fill with the unmistakable aroma of fish and vinegar.

She especially loved eel. We would walk together to the Pescheria on the waterfront in Trieste, where she would select a live eel from a large tank and the fishmonger would prepare it for her. I never enjoyed watching that part, but I loved visiting the fish market overlooking the bay.

The Old Pescheria of Trieste – now EATALY

Today, the fish market building has been fully renovated and found a new life as Eataly, but my memories remain tied to the sounds, smells and traditions of the old Pescheria.

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The Old Pescheria of Trieste as I remembered it

Using Coorong Mullet Instead of Sardines

Traditionally, pesce in saor is prepared with sardines that are lightly dusted with flour and fried until crisp. However, many small firm fish are suitable.mullet, sand whiting, garfish, flathead or leatherjackets, cleaned and filleted

On some regular trips from Melbourne to Adelaide, I drove through Meningie at the northern end of the Coorong and bought freshly caught Coorong mullet. Their firm flesh made them an excellent substitute, and I used them to prepare this version.

Traditionally, the fish is lightly dusted with flour and salt before it is fried in very hot, extra virgin, olive oil. Although the flour helps to hold the fish together, the oil used to fry the fish will need to be discarded (the sediment will taint the taste of the oil) and the flour coating will often come away from the fish in the marinade.

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Coorong mullet and how it is sold and wrapped in newspaper
Recipe: Pesce in Saor

Serving suggestion: White polenta is traditionally used as an accompaniment for fish and yellow polenta is usually an accompaniment to meat.

Good bread is also good.

Ingredients

Serves 4–6

  • 12–16 fresh sardines or other small fish such as mullet, sand whiting, garfish, flathead or leatherjackets, cleaned and filleted
  • Plain flour
  • Salt
  • Olive oil for frying
  • 2–3 large white onions, finely sliced
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
  • White wine (enough to soak the raisins)
  • 250 ml white wine vinegar
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Soak the raisins in the white wine for about 30 minutes.

Lightly dust the fish with flour and a little salt, shaking off any excess.Fry the fish in plenty of hot olive oil until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.

Gently sauté the onions in a little olive oil until soft but not browned.

Add the vinegar and freshly ground black pepper and simmer for a few minutes.

In a deep terrine or ceramic dish, place a layer of fish followed by onions, drained raisins and pine nuts.

Continue layering until all the ingredients are used, finishing with onions, raisins and pine nuts.

Pour the vinegar mixture over the fish, ensuring everything is well coated.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving. Like many marinated dishes, the flavours improve with time.

Serve at room temperature, traditionally with soft white polenta.

 

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Coorong Mullet fillets, a very suitable fish to make in Saor

See: PISCI ALL’ AGGHIATA – PESCE ALL’AGLIATA (Soused fish with vinegar, garlic and bay)

 

BURRATA, MOZARELLA, STRACCIATELLA

Burrata, mozzarella and stracciatella are among Italy’s culinary pleasures. These fresh cheese are simple and beautifully made, proving that outstanding ingredients need very little to please.

Whenever I travel through Italy, I make the most of every opportunity to eat these fresh cheeses.

During a recent visit to Venice and Trieste I enjoyed as much mozzarella, burrata and stracciatella as I could, accompanied by magnificent summer tomatoes that were at their seasonal best.

Fortunately, we now have those fresh cheeses in Australia, but maybe some makers are not as good as they could be.

Three Fresh Cheeses, Three Different Experiences

Fresh mozzarella, whether made from cow’s milk (fior di latte) or buffalo milk (mozzarella di bufala), has become widely available outside Italy. Burrata, however, remained relatively unknown for many years, although it has now become one of the most sought-after cheeses on restaurant menus around the world.

The reason is easy to understand. Burrata offers the delicate freshness of mozzarella with an indulgent creamy centre that transforms even the simplest dish into something memorable.

What is Stracciatella?

Stracciatella is the luscious filling found inside traditional burrata. It is made by combining finely shredded strands of fresh mozzarella with rich cream, creating a soft, almost spoonable cheese.

Its name comes from the Italian verb stracciare, meaning “to tear” or “to shred,” referring to the torn strands of mozzarella curd that are folded through the cream.

It is delicious served on its own with crusty bread, but inside burrata it becomes something even more irresistible.

Burrata: Puglia’s Creamy TreaT

Burrata originates in Puglia, the region of southern Italy famous for its olive groves, beautiful coastline and handmade orecchiette pasta.

The outer shell is made from stretched mozzarella curd, while the centre is filled with creamy stracciatella. As soon as you cut through the delicate casing, the creamy filling gently spills onto the plate.

It is one of those foods that never fails to impress.

The name burrata comes from burro—the Italian word for butter—a reference to its rich, buttery texture. Traditionally, some versions were filled with fresh cream rather than stracciatella, making the connection even more obvious.

Freshness Matters

Like all fresh cheeses, burrata is best eaten as soon as possible after it is made—ideally within 24 hours.

It is usually sold immersed in lightly salted whey or water, which helps preserve its freshness and delicate texture. Unlike aged cheeses, burrata is all about freshness, softness and clean dairy flavours.

Two traditional styles of burrata—the classic round burrata and the hand-tied version, both filled with creamy stracciatella.

Burrata with knot on top

Both burrate delicious and both enveloping the creamy filling.

Burrata with a sealed sphere
Heirloom tomatoes
Heirloom tomatoes
 Burrata and Tomato Salad

When beautiful tomatoes are in season, burrata needs almost nothing else.

Combine ripe heirloom tomatoes with sweet cherry tomatoes, fragrant basil leaves, a drizzle of exceptional extra virgin olive oil and perhaps a few slices of mild red onion. Finish with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

The combination is extraordinary: the sweetness and gentle acidity of the tomatoes, the perfume of basil, the richness of the creamy cheese and the peppery fruitiness of the olive oil create perfect balance.

An Italian Meal in Paris

I purchased ingredients and assembled this salad in Paris.

Burrata salad I made in Paris

The tomatoes, basil and red onion came from markets around the Mediterranean, while the burrata itself was Italian.

Italian Burrata bought in Paris

It was a reminder that wonderful cooking is often less about complicated recipes and more about choosing excellent ingredients and allowing each one to speak for itself.

Sometimes the simplest meals are the most memorable.

the friends made it for expressed that the mild acidity of tomatoes, basil, super-duper good quality extra virgin olive oil was ecstasy.

Paris

A SAVOURY COEUR À LA CRÈME to accompany a summer fresh tomato salad or summer vegetables

PUMARORU CA CIPUDDA (Tomatoes with onions). INSALATA DI POMODORO (Tomato salad)

 

POLASTRO IN TECIA – POLLASTRO IN TECCIA in Italian (Chicken cooked as in the Veneto Region of Italy)

Foods cooked ‘in tecia’ are from the Veneto and the Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions of Italy.

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A tecia is a saucepan in the Venetian dialect (teccia in Italian). It is wide and of medium height, usually called a casserole in English and it is perfect for cooking this dish. Pollastro or gallina is chicken in Italian.

The recipes for pollastro in teccia vary and my version also contains mushrooms and potatoes. It is a homely way to cook chicken in the north of Italy; notice the use of butter, sage or marjoram which are not common in the south of Italy. I grew up in Trieste and I am very familiar with this dish.

INGREDIENTS
1 whole chicken (mine was 1.8 kg and free range)
1 onion
2 stalks of celery
2 carrots
50 g butter
½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of dry white wine
400 g of ripe, chopped tomatoes (can use cannned)
2 sprigs of sage leaves or marjoram (I use fresh; these are removed after cooking)
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 cloves
potatoes ,1-2 per person depending on size and tastes
½ cup chicken broth or use a stock cube

PROCESSES
Cut the chicken into 8 pieces and wipe dry.
Roughly chop the onion, celery and carrots.
Place the butter and oil in the pan (which will hold all of the ingredients), add the vegetables and toss them around in the hot pan until well coated.
Add the chicken pieces and brown them.
Add wine, tomatoes, broth, cloves, herbs, salt and pepper, cover and cook all over low heat.

The chicken should take about about 60 minutes.  Either cut or use the potatoes whole – you will need to estimate how long into the cooking time you need to add these. I added the potatoes about 30 minutes beforehand and the mushrooms 15 minutes before the chicken was cooked.
Remove the herbs and serve.

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

In Australia squid and cuttlefish is often sold interchangeably.
Both squid and cuttlefish have the potential to contain ink sacs in their bodies, but cuttlefish seems to contain more ink and is preferred for ‘black ink’ dishes in Italy, especially in coastal towns around the Adriatic.  As you can see in the photo seppie are often covered with ink when they are sold.

Squid can be as well, but rarely have I seen this in Australia (we like things clean and white!)

This photo was taken by my nephew very recently in the fish market in Venice. They are seppie (cuttlefish).  Fresche means fresh, senza sabbia means without sand in Italian.

If you have ever cleaned squid or cuttlefish you may have found a pea like swelling filled with black ink in some of the cavities, but some come with an empty ink bladder. If you have ever fished for squid, the moment you try to lift them out of the water, most squid will squirt a cloud of dark brown ink in their attempt to get away.

The ink is not harmful to eat (It was once used as the artist’s pigment, sepia).

You may need to buy ink separately – you will need 3-6 ink sacs for this recipe, or Tinta di sepia/ Cuttlefish ink, sold in jars from produce stores that sell Italian products.

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In Venice and in Trieste seppie are cooked in umido (braised) in wine and in their own ink and served with polenta (a very popular dish). As a child living in Trieste this was my favourite dish, especially when served with left over fried polenta. In Triestino (dialect from Trieste) they are called sepe in umido co la polenta –this dish is still very popular in the trattorie in Trieste, many of them are found in Trieste vecchia (the old part of Trieste).

The seppie in umido become the dressing for the polenta (popular in the north of Italy, by many eaten more often than pasta and preferred to pasta).

INGREDIENTS
cuttlefish or squid, 2k
ink sacs or Tinta di sepia/ Cuttlefish ink, sold in jars
white onion, sliced thinly
parsley, ½ bunch, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
garlic, 2 cloves, chopped
extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup
dry white wine, ¾ cup

 

PROCESSES

Clean cuttlefish or squid: discard the eyes and beaks, separate heads from bodies and, cut off tentacles and set aside. Pull out hard transparent cartilage from bodies and discard. Cut bodies lengthwise to open and carefully remove the ink sacs and set aside. Remove and discard entrails. Rinse cuttlefish or squid under cold running water.
Slice fish and tentacles into large strips (they will shrink).
Heat oil in a large pan with lid over medium heat.
Add onions and garlic and sauté till golden. Add cuttlefish and reserved tentacles and sauté, add parsley and keep on stirring for about 10 mins.
Add wine and evaporate for a few minutes.
Mix the ink sacs in ½ cup of water, press on the ink sacs with the back of a spoon on the side of the cup to break the skin and release the black ink.
Add the water and ink to the braise.
Cover the pan, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fish is very tender for about 30 mins.
If there is too much liquid, uncover pan for the last 5 minutes of cooking to reduce and thicken the sauce.

Serve with plain polenta – no cheese, no milk. Traditional polenta is made with plain water.

POLENTA

There is instant polenta and original polenta. Instructions for cooking it are generally on the packet.Generally the ratio is 1 ½ cups yellow polenta to 4 cups water, salt to taste.Original polenta will take about 30 minutes.
PROCESSES
In a heavy saucepan sift the cornmeal into the pan with water and salt. On medium eat bring to the boil. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon with a long handle. Reduce the heat to low. You will need to stir constantly until the polenta is smooth and thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Pour out the polenta onto a wooden board and with a spatula, shape it into a round shape (to resemble a cake) and allow it to rest 10 minutes.
Cut the polenta into thick slices, place one slice on each plate and top with the seppie in umido.
Slices of left over polenta taste wonderful fried in extra virgin olive oil. The surface of the polenta will develop a crosta (a golden brown crust). Delightful!!
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For the Sicilian version of Pasta with Black ink sauce see earlier post:

RISI E BISI (Risotto with peas)


Today in Venice, Venetians are celebrating the feast day of their patron saint (25 April, the date of the death of San Marco).

Risi e bisi the classic Venetian dish was traditionally offered to the Doge (do not know which one) on April 25, the feast of Saint Mark. This is not surprising, it is spring in the northern hemisphere and peas are one of the symbols of the season.

It is a public holiday in Venice and all sorts of events take place.

Although Venetians celebrate his feast day they also celebrate Liberation Day (liberation from the Nazis at the end of 2nd World War) and Festa del Bòcolo (is a rose bud) and it is customary for all women, not just lovers, to be presented with a bud. The very old legend concerns the daughter of Doge Orso Partecipazio, who was besotted with a handsome man, but the Doge did not approve and arranged for the object of her desire to fight the Turks on distant shores. The loved one was mortally wounded in battle near a rose bush. There he plucked a rose, tinged with his heroic blood and asked for it to be given to his beloved in Venice.

I grew up in Trieste (not far from Venice and in the same region of Italy) and risi e bisi is a staple, traditional dish.

The traditional way of cooking it does not include prosciutto but prosciutto cotto, what we call ham in Australia. Poor tasting ingredients will give a poor result; use a good quality smoked ham. As an alternative some cooks in Trieste use speck, a common ingredient in the region (it tastes more like pancetta). Some of the older Triestini use lard and only a little oil.

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My mother also added a little white wine to the soffritto of onion and the ham, but this also would have been a modern addition. The butter is added last of all for taste. Use parmigiano – parmigiano is the cheese used in the north of Italy, pecorino in the south.

The secret is in using good produce, preferably organic, young and freshly picked peas (for their delicate taste) and a good stock.

My mother made chicken stock. If she had no stock, she used good quality broth cubes- very common in Northern Italian cooking. Use as much as needed.

INGREDIENTS

peas (young, fresh), 1 kilo unshelled
rice, 300g vialone nano preferably,
ham, cubed 50-70g,
onion,1 finely cut (I like to use spring onions as well)
parmigiano (Reggiano), grated
50g
extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup
dry white wine, ½ glass (optional),
parsley, finely cut, ½ cup
butter, 2 tablespoons
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 
PROCESSES
Shell the peas.
Heat the olive oil, add ham and onion and over medium-low heat soften the ingredients. Do not brown.
Add the shelled peas, parsley and when they are covered in oil, add very little stock (to soften the peas), cover and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the rice, and stir, add the wine (optional) and evaporate.
Keep on adding the hot stock, stirring the rice and adding more stock as it is absorbed. End up with a wet dish (almost soupy and all’onda as Italians say) and with the rice al dente. In fact, the dish should rest for about 5 minutes before it is served so take this into consideration (the rice will keep on cooking and absorb the stock).
Add parmesan and butter, stir and serve.
 
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