Polenta Torta con i Fichi Secchi, Uva Passa, Pignoli e Grappa

by chefbikeski Posted on January 29, 2012
Polenta Torta Italiaoutdoors custom bike tours italy
Polenta Torta con i Fichi Secci

A recent cooking class got me thinking out of the box (which is always good) as one of the participants was allergic to cow dairy. No butter, milk, cow cheese or cream. The savory dishes were easy, a cheese-free Risotto with salmon, roasted chicken, arancini stuffed with goat cheese and mushrooms, and a salad. But the dessert gave me a bit of a pause. I could have substituted lard for butter in a pie crust or cake, but I wanted to use this opportunity to find something a little different. Then I remembered a dessert based on polenta that we had planned for our cooking classes on our last Italiaoutdoors Chefs on Bikes tour of Italy. We didn’t quite get around to it on our trip, but here was a great opportunity to try it out.

Corn plant in Italia - Italiaoutdoorsfoodandwine tours italy private
Corn plants in Italy

Polenta is a staple in Northern Italy, replacing pasta in some regions as the most popular starch. For hundreds years, the residents of these northern regions literally survived on this staple. You will see it served as a soft ‘mush’ as a side dish to meats, and then the leftovers allowed to harden and served grilled, or topped with cheese and soppressatta and broiled. In the recipe that follows, leftover polenta is combined with dried fruits and nuts, and baked as a shortcake.

Originally, polenta was made with a variety of grains, millet, spelt, and eventually buckwheat. Corn, or maize, was unknown in Italy until it made its way there from North America in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Spanish and Portuguese ships traveling from the Caribbean to Europe would bury their treasures and gold in flint corn to hide it from pirates. This new grain was  easier to cultivate and had higher yields than the traditional grains, making it much less expensive to produce, so these other grains soon took a back seat to maize as the grain of choice.

Corn fields along bike route - Italiaoutdoors italy bike tours
Cycling beside corn fields in the Veneto

Today, we see many fields of corn as we explore the Veneto by bike or foot. What we don’t see, however, is fresh corn on the cob at mealtime. The corn cultivated there is used for either animal fodder, or dried and ground into meal for polenta. Cornmeal can be stored for a long time, and so historically would have been how corn was incorporated into the cuisine before modern techniques such as freezing and refrigeration.

This recipe is based on Marcella Hazan’s recipe from her classic cookbook, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. In her book, she mentions that James Beard became fascinated with this particular dessert during a stay in Venice, and asked Marcella to provide the recipe. The addition of dried fruits and nuts reflects Venice’s role for hundreds of years as the crossroads of trade between Europe and the Near East.

I took the liberty of adding a bit of the favorite local digestif, grappa, to give it a bit of a kick.

Polenta Torta con i Fichi Secchi, Uva Passa, Pignoli e Grappa

Figs and Raisins for Polenta Torta - Italiaoutdoorsfoodandwine custom cycling holidays italy
Figs and Raisins for Polenta Torta

Serves 6-8

1/3 cup seedless raisins
1 cup dried figs, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/4 cup grappa
1 cup coarse cornmeal
Kosher salt
3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for smearing the pan
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for dusting
1/3 cup pignoli (pine nuts), toasted
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Place the raisins and figs in a small bowl, and cover with the grappa. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.

Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium, and then whisk in the cornmeal, adding it in a thin, steady stream. Season with salt and add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil.  Continue to stir as the cornmeal thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 15 seconds or so. Remove from the heat.

Add the sugar, pine nuts, raisins, figs, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the egg, and mix thoroughly to combine all of the ingredients. Add the flour and mix well to form a smooth cake batter.

Polenta Torta ready for oven - Italiaoutdoorsfoodandwine italy bicycle trips
Polenta Torta ready for oven

If not using a non-stick pan, smear the cake pan with olive oil, sprinkle lightly with flour, turning it upside down and tapping it to remove the excess. Place the batter in the pan, leveling the top with a spoon. Sprinkle with sugar, place the pan in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes.

While the cake is still warm, loosen its sides from the pan with a knife, and remove from the pan. Serve with whipped cream and roasted fruit, or a fig compote. A nice sweet Torcolato dessert wine from Breganze would make a nice accompaniment.

Posted in Baking, Dessert, Figs, Polenta, Torcolato, Vegetarian, Veneto Food | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Jota Inspired Bean and Cabbage Soup – Peasant food from Friuli, Italy

by chefbikeski Posted on January 22, 2012
jota
Bean and Cabbage Soup - Jota

Located on a narrow strip of land, between the Adriatic Sea and Slovenia, lies the city of Trieste. This unique location has placed this city at the crossroads of Latin, Germanic, Slavic and Austro-Hungarian cultures for centuries. United with Italy after World War I, today Trieste remains a very cosmopolitan city, where east meets west in an exciting blend of culture, history, art, and cuisine. We are excited to add this fascinating region Friuli-Venezia Giulia to our Italiaoutdoors tours this season.

A traditional food of the city that visitors will find at the many buffets and restaurants is La Jota, or Iota, a peasant soup made from beans, potatoes, and sauerkraut. This is a thick, hearty soup, perfect for a cold winter evening. You will find, as usual, different variations. Marcella Hazan’s recipe thickens the soup with cornmeal, a version common near Gorizia, and flavors it at the end with a paste of finely chopped salt pork, called pesta. Others, such as Fred Plotkin thicken with flour and puree a portion of the beans. Plotkin also mentions that a similar soup is made in Slovenia, using fresh cabbage rather than sauerkraut. Further west in Friuli, you may find Jota made with brovada, pickled turnips, rather than sauerkraut.

Skowhegan CSA
Skowhegan CSA - The Pickup

I have been intending to try this soup for while, and was inspired to finally do so by a recent trip to the Skowhegan CSA, called “The Pickup”. It is still amazing to me to find fresh produce available from the local farms here in Maine in the middle of January, albeit mostly root vegetables. But there were local dried soldier beans, cabbage, and potatoes. A bit of pancetta, some garlic, and I was ready to go. Except for the weeks I would need to make the sauerkraut. And there are no high quality store-bought alternatives nearby. So I set about to see what I could do to create a somewhat similar flavor with what I had at hand – fresh cabbage, salt and vinegar. You can make this soup either way, using store-bought or homemade sauerkraut, or with the ‘quick pickled’ cabbage. Either way, it is a tasty soup that improves after a day or so in the refrigerator.

I would call this recipe “inspired” by Jota, rather than authentic. But it was delicious, and a great way to incorporate many local foods into a great soup. I’ll try the authentic version someday when I’ve made my own sauerkraut. But don’t hold your breath waiting for that post.

Native Maine soldier beans
Native Maine soldier beans

Jota Inspired Bean and Cabbage Soup

10 ounces dried beans, bolotti, soldier, white
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 head cabbage, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup white vinegar
3 bay leaves
1 pound new potatoes, cleaned and cut into 1/2” pieces
2 ounces pancetta, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
4 cups chicken stock

Begin the soup the night before you plan to eat it.

Place the beans in a large bowl, and cover with water. Allow to soak overnight.

Pickled cabbage and pancetta
Pickled cabbage and pancetta

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a saute pan. Add the cabbage and saute until soft and beginning to brown, about 10-12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plastic container, add the vinegar, and allow to sit in the refrigerator overnight.

When ready to prepare the soup, drain the beans and place in a large saucepan. Cover with water by about 1 1/2 inches, add the bay leaves, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and allow to simmer, covered, until tender, about 1 hour. The length of the cooking time depends on the size and the age of the beans. Drain and remove the bay leaves.

While the beans are cooking, place the potatoes in a medium saucepan. Cover with cold water, add salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook just until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot, over medium heat. Add  the pancetta and cook until browned and beginning to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and caraway seeds and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the cabbage and vinegar mixture, and cook until thickened a bit, about 5 minutes.

Add the beans and the chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to cook and thicken a bit. Using an immersion blender, puree about half of the soup, leaving about half of the beans and cabbage intact. Add the potatoes, and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with a sprinkling of Montasio cheese, and/or a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with a nice glass of Refosco from Friuli.

Posted in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, refosco, Soups, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Torta con le Mele – Apple Cake from Northern Italy

by chefbikeski Posted on January 18, 2012
Torta con le Mele

Italy is the world’s sixth largest producer of apples, and Europe’s second, with 2.2 million tons produced each year. Golden Delicious is the second most cultivated apple variety globally and the first in Trentino, where around ten thousand hectares are dedicated to apple production. Trentino is particularly well-suited to the growing of high-quality fruit, and production totals for 2009 were around 450 thousand tons, accounting for 21 per cent of the national market. One in five apples eaten in Italy comes from Trentino, and together with Alto Adige, it provides over 60% of apple production in Italy.

Apples in market
Apples in market

In Trentino, apple orchards wind their way across the region, from Val Sugana, continuing along the Adige Valley and then straight to the epicenter of apple cultivation, the Val di Non and Val di Sole. These valleys are just to our west as we travel down the Sudtirol Strada del Vino on our bike tours in the area, so there are many apple-based sweets to sample as we refuel along the way. More than four million apples of all varieties and sizes are produced each year in these valleys and today, more than ever, they are used satisfy a growing overseas market.

You will also find apples grown throughout the Veneto, from the flatter plains along the Adige, Po, and Mincio river valleys to the south, up into the Pre-Alps near Val Sugana and Monte Grappa.

In Friuli-Venezia Giulia, apples are cultivated in the Carnian Alps area, where both local varieties as well as imports are found. Apple cider is traditional fare at weddings and baptisms, sometimes referred to as the “wine of the poor”. The annual Festa della Mela is held in Tolmezzo each September, celebrating the annual apple harvest.

Apple torta at cooking class
Apple torta at cooking class

You will find apples used in a variety of dishes in Friuli, from sweets such as strudel and apple cakes, to more savory preparations such as the stuffed pasta, cjalsons, a ravioli type pasta filled with apples, crushed biscotti, dried fruit an nuts, as well as the Christmas lasagna, Lasagna dal Fornel, a layered pasta dish in which the customary tomato sauce and cheese is replaced with grated apples, dried fruits, nuts and poppy seeds. Apples also are used in the regions famous risottos.

Here is an easy apple cake, based on several recipes I found, some attributed to Friuli, others to Trentino. I included it in my last cooking class, for a family that prefers fruit desserts, and it was quite a hit. Take care not to overmix the batter once you combine the wet (eggs/grappa/butter) with the dry ingredients. This should be done just until combined, to avoid developing the gluten, resulting in a “tough” cake. I mixed a bit of grappa into the whipped cream, which was a nice addition!

Torta con Le Mele

Serves 8

Sliced apples on cake
Sliced apples on cake

1 cup butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup grappa
3 apples, peeled and cored, 2 chopped, one thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Grease an 8” springform pan with butter and dust lightly with flour. Or use a non-stick pan.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder and salt.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and grappa, an mix until thoroughly combined. Add the flour mixture, and again, mix just until combined. Stir in the 2 chopped apples.

Torta with whipped cream
Torta with whipped cream

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, and arrange the thinly sliced apple on the top. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan, sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and cinnamon, and serve with whipped cream.

Serve with a sweet dessert wine, such as a Torcolato from Veneto, Picolit from Friuli, or a Vino Santo from Trentino.

Posted in Apples, Baking, Dessert, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Torcolato, Travel, Trentino Food, Uncategorized, Vegetarian, Veneto Food | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kellerei Cantina Terlan Wines – Classic Wines from Alto Adige

by chefbikeski Posted on January 11, 2012
kellerei cantina terlan - front entrance
Kellerei Cantina Terlan

Located north of Bolzano, in the town of Terlano, the Cantina Terlan produces high quality wines in both the Terlano and Alto Adige DOC. Started in 1893 when 24 local growers united to jointly produce, sell and market their wines. This was one of the very first cooperatives in Sudtirol. Today the Kellerei Cantina Terlan consists of about 120 members, with a total of just under 20,000 hectares under cultivation, making it one of the regions smaller producers. There is some wonderful bike paths that lead us right through this region, and during the winter months, great skiing is close by.

View of vineyards bike tours italy
View of Cantina Terlan vineyards

The soil of this region is made of porphyry rocks, characterized by large-grained quartz crystals dispersed in a fine-grained matrix, and quite porous. Of volcanic origins, this soil drains well and confers a distinctive mineral flavor to the grapes. The cool nights and warmer days of this region give a good balance to the wines, with just the right amount of acidity and sugar. The Cantina currently produces wines from both indigenous as well as international varieties such a Pinot Bianco and Sauvignon.

Terlaner Bianco - Italiaoutdoors bike wine tours italy
Terlaner Bianco

The Terlano/Terlaner DOC regulations describe one white blend, the Terlaner Bianco. This blend can use a variety of white grapes from the Terlaner region, but must consist of a minimum of 50% Pinot Bianco and/or Chardonnay, with the remainder a blend of Riesling, Riesling Italico, Sauvignon, Sylvaner or Muller Thurgau. I tasted the Terlaner Classico 2009, a blend of 60% Pinot Bianco, 30% Chardonnay, and 10% Sauvignon. Pale yellow in color, with a bare hint of green, it had an aroma redolent of flowers and tropical fruit. Rich and well-balanced, with a nice, persistent strong finish, very refreshing on the palate. This would pair well with fish or chicken, or a light first course pasta or risotto.

I have also enjoyed two Lagrein wines from Cantina Terlan, the Alto Adige Lagrein from the Classics line, and the Porphyr Riserva Lagrein, from their Selection line.

laagrein bike wine tours
Cantina Terlan Lagrein 2010

The Classics Lagrein 2010 is a garnet red, and exhibits a smoky, cherry nose with a vegetal hint. There is a nice smokiness to the palate as well, with blackberry, black cherry and plum. The fruit is nicely balanced with mild tannins, and a slightly bitter, long-lasting finish.

Cantina Terlan Porphyr - Italiaoutdoors bike wine tours italy
Cantina Terlan Porphyr – Lagrein Riserva 2005

The 2005 Porphyr Riserva Lagrein is a real treat. First fermented in stainless, and then in new oak barrels, it can age for up to 15 years. A deep purple red, with aromas of cherry, tobacco, and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, with developing tannins, it has a great acidity which will cut through a lot of fattier foods. The palate is deep and complex, with notes of coffee and cherry. It should be opened and decanted, or allowed to sit for a few minutes before drinking.

The classic food pairing for a Lagrein is the local speck, a smoked prosciutto hailing from the region. It pairs well with hearty winter stews, braises and roasts, such as my Roast Pork with Balsamic Vinegar.

Posted in Lagrein, Terlaner, Travel, Uncategorized, Wine, Wine Pairings, wine tastings | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Brasato di Maiale al Latte – Braised Pork in Milk

by chefbikeski Posted on January 8, 2012
Brasato di Maiale al Latte
Brasato di Maiale al Latte

The first time I cooked this dish, the decision was born out of desperation. During the winter months, I live at Sugarloaf, ME, and the nearest somewhat reasonable grocer is fifteen miles away. My refrigerator was pretty bare, and I was looking through my various recipe books for something that required ingredients I already had on hand. This was perfect – all I needed was pork, butter, olive oil, and milk.

But I return to this recipe again and again, even when my pantry isn’t quite so barren. It’s wonderfully tasty, as well as wonderfully simple. The slow cooking transforms even the toughest cuts of pork into tender chunks of flavor that only requires a fork to eat; the milk becomes nutty, brown clusters that make a delicious sauce, albeit one that is not particularly visually attractive. However, if that bothers you, a quick dip with an immersion blender can fix that.

Browned pork with milk
Browned pork with milk

There are many versions of this recipe, and many regions of Italy which claim it as a traditional food. Marcella Hazan, in her classic book “Essentials of Italian Cooking”, includes a recipe for pork loin braised in milk, which she identifies as “Bolognese Style”. I have also seen other versions, some that braise the pork in milk, some that roast it in the oven. All types of cuts are used, from pork chops to roasts to loins to shoulders/butts. Some claim the recipe is Tuscan, others identify it as a classic food in the Veneto, still others in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. It probably hails from all of these regions, any that raised both pigs and cows.

My fellow food blogger and a guest on one of our Italiaoutdoors tours, Steve Dunn from Oui, Chef did a great job covering this same dish a while ago on his blog – check out his version of Maiale al Latte. He adds a few more flavoring ingredients, sage leaves, garlic and lemon zest. I always encourage my cooking students to add their own creativity to what they prepare, so play with different herbs (bay), or try the addition of some white wine, which I also saw in some recipes. This is the ‘austere’ version, but you will be surprised at how much flavor the cooking process alone brings to this dish.

Finished dish, with nut-browned sauce
Finished dish, with nut-browned sauce

One interesting note I learned while reading up on this dish – the Italian word for pork, maiale, comes from the Roman goddess Maia, mother of Mercury. The Romans used to sacrifice pigs to earn her good graces. You will usually see the cut of meat (arrosto, braciole) included in the name of this dish; maiale al latte in Italian can also refer to suckling pig.

After researching several recipe variations, I decided to base my dish on Marcella Hazan’s. Many of the recipes add all the milk at the beginning; Marcella recommends adding the milk 1 cup at a time, allowing it to cook down and brown before adding more.  I also recommend the pork shoulder or Boston butt for this recipe, which will take a while to cook, but the result will be worth the wait. The tenderloins we find today have been bred to make them as lean as possible, the upshot of this can be a rather dry dish at the end of an extended cooking time. The higher fat content of these cheaper cuts avoids this problem.

Brasato di Maiale al Latte (Braised Pork in Milk)

1 pork shoulder or boston butt, about 4-5 lbs.
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons pure olive oil
3 cups, or more, whole milk

Place the pork on a sheet pan, and season on all sides with salt and pepper.

Searing pork
Searing pork

In a heavy-bottomed pot, such as a La Creuset enamel pot, place the butter and olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. When the foam subsides, add the pork and sear until it is browned on all sides. If the butter begins to turn a bit too brown, reduce the heat.

When the meat is browned, very carefully and slowly add 1 cup of the milk. It can boil over quite quickly. Allow the milk to come to a simmer, then reduce the heat as low as you possibly can, place the lid on the pot slightly ajar, and let cook at the lowest simmer for about one hour, checking after about 40 minutes or so.

After 45 minutes to 1 hour, the milk should be thickened and fairly dark brown in color. Turn the pork, and add another cup of milk. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat, again place the lid on, tightly this time, and allow to cook for another hour.

Again, repeat the process. After the hour, the milk should be no longer be ‘liquid’, but thickened nut-brown clusters. Turn the pork, add the last cup of milk, cover and cook for another hour.

Check the pork for tenderness – you want the meat to fall apart easily when prodded a bit with a fork. If it is still fairly tough, add more milk and continue to cook.

When the pork is tender, and all the milk in the pot has thickened into nut-brown clumps, remove the pork to a cutting board and allow to sit for a few minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any bits of sauce that are stuck. If there are some nicely browned bits on the bottom that aren’t coming off, add a bit more milk or water, and reduce while you scrape them off. If you wish to make the sauce a bit more elegant in appearance, you can add in a bit of heavy cream and give it a quick mix with an immersion blender.

Serve, topping the meat with a bit of the sauce.

Posted in Braising, Emilia Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Pork, refosco, Travel, Uncategorized, Veneto Food | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment