Victorian produce | All Things Sicilian and more

Autumn Produce Returns to Victoria

The shift into cooler weather always brings my favourite autumn produce in Victoria. This week’s market haul was especially inspiring: vibrant cime di rapa, glossy artichokes, fennel bulbs, chicory, and beautifully firm heads of red radicchio—much sturdier than just two weeks ago.

Cime di Rapa with Italian Sausages

As soon as I saw the cime di rapa, I knew what dinner would be. I sautéed the greens with chilli-flavoured Italian pork sausages and tossed them through orecchiette with plenty of strong, salty pecorino. A classic, comforting Pugliese combination that never disappoints.

CD3FB839-9298-4B53-BD23-284EB591C581 — Cime Di Rapa

There were artichokes, fennel and even chicory for sale, and because of the colder weather the heads of red Radicchio seemed firmer than two weeks ago.

Fresh autumn produce from Victoria: chicory, radicchio, fennel and artichokes.

Lemons, Quinces and Autumn Baking

A dear friend dropped off a generous bag of lemons from her father’s tree—fresh, fragrant, and perfect for the quinces I still had from last week.

This time, I baked the quinces with honey and Tuaca, the golden-brown liqueur from Livorno made with brandy, citrus, vanilla and gentle spices. I added black peppercorns, cinnamon quills, star anise, a dash of vanilla, and slices of four large lemons.

The lemons caramelise into something like a crisp-edged marmalade: intensely flavoured and wonderfully sharp against the sweet quince. A modest splash of alcohol is enough, though a more generous pour would certainly be luxurious.

Yet again, I baked the quinces with different flavours. Honey as the sweetener and Tuaca from Livorno – this is a sweetish, golden brown liqueur, and the ingredients include brandy, citrus essences, vanilla, and other secret spices – probably ordinary simple cinnamon and nutmeg .

There was also a bit of water.

The baked quinces were fragrant, magnificent tasting and I enjoyed preparing them.

A Gift of Wild Pine Mushrooms

Another surprise was a delivery of saffron-coloured pine mushrooms (Lactarius deliciosus)—also called saffron milk caps—from friends in Red Hill. The small ones are beautiful left whole, while the larger mushrooms slice perfectly and become meaty and rich when cooked.

Holly our friends’ Cocker Spaniel, loves her photo being taken. She seized the opportunity for another photo session. She is a muse like photographer William Wegman’s photographic Weimaraner dogs.

Cooking the Pine Mushrooms

I cooked the mushrooms gently with garlic, parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary, a little nepitella, and a splash of white wine. The result was a deeply savoury sauce that paired beautifully with freshly made egg tagliatelle.

THE COOKING OF THE MUSHROOMS AND THE HOME MADE TAGLIATELLE

Homemade Pasta: Simple and Satisfying

Making pasta at home is easier than many people think—just 100g of flour per egg.

For two people (with a small portion leftover), I used 300g of durum wheat flour and three eggs:

Place the flour in a bowl and make a well.
Add eggs and a pinch of salt.
Bring the mixture together with your fingers.
Knead into a smooth dough.

You can also use a food processor—mix until the dough looks like breadcrumbs, then gather it into a ball with your hands.

I divide the dough into three pieces, wrap them, and rest them in the fridge for an hour. Rested dough passes much more easily through the pasta machine. Flatten slightly and roll several times before cutting into tagliatelle.

BVXWi%1KSKSCSZzhTkJCQA — Freshly rolled egg tagliatelle made with durum wheat flour.

JUST TO SHOW OFF

This week I also made a rustic pasta from rye flour, rolling it between sheets of baking paper and cutting it into simple strips. Earthy, quick, and very satisfying.

Very simple.