Goulash – Yes, It’s “Italian”

Goulasch with Polenta
Goulasch with Polenta

For most of us, when we think of Italian food, goulash is not the first dish that comes to mind. Originating in Hungary, and supposedly deriving it’s name from the Hungarian gulyas, or ‘herd’, goulash is a dish first cooked by cattle and livestock herders. Traced as far back as the 9th century, Magyar (Hungarian) shepherds would prepare a stew, slowly cooking it until all the liquid was absorbed. The stew was dried in the sun, and packed in sheep’s stomachs to be carried with them as they tended their flocks. Water would be added to reconstitute the stew at mealtime.

Malga in Trentino - Serving Goulasch
Malga in Trentino

Popular in Austria, Croatia and Slovenia, it is yet another example of the Central European influence we see on our Italiaoutdoors tours in the region, especially in the mountains of Trentino-Alto Adige and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, where you will see it referred to as goulasch in Italian. Called golas in dialect, it is a local specialty of Trieste, often found at many of the cities traditional buffets. It hails back to the days when Trieste was main trading port of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Trieste is credited with adding tomatoes as a key ingredient. It is found throughout Friuli and Trentino-Alto Adige, most commonly in the mountain areas along the Austrian border. It’s a staple at the numerous mountain farms that serve food, known as malgas. It is usually served with polenta, potatoes, or csipetke, a pinched (csipini) noodle similar to spaetzle.

Goulasch with Canderli at Malga
Goulasch with Canderli at Malga

There are endless preparations for goulasch, and it can be made with a variety of meats, beef, pork, lamb and even a combination. But most use meat and onions that have been seasoned with paprika, cooking them for a long time over low heat. Paprika is a fairly recent addition, as it did not arrive in Hungary until the 16th-17th century, courtesy of Turkish invaders. The use of this fiery spice spread, well, like wild fire, as people loved it’s exotic nature, and it was believed to have the ability to ward off cholera. There are some meatless versions that use vegetables such as peppers or potatoes, which were served during hard times when meat was too expensive.

This recipe is derived from several versions I found both online and in books. I would encourage you all to play with different meats and spice combinations. Here, I used smoked paprika, a bit nontraditional, but the only paprika I had! You can add vegetables like peppers, potatoes, carrots or parsnips, or add some caraway seed.

A nice spicy Schioppettino from Friuli would be a great wine to accompany this dish, or if you are in Alto Adige, try a St. Magdalener, a blend of Schiava and Lagrein.

Goulasch

Serves 6 – 10

Seared Beef
Seared Beef

4 tablespoons pure olive oil
4 medium onions, cut into 1/2 inch slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 small sprigs rosemary, leaves removed and stem discarded
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 pounds stew beef
1 28 ounce can pureed tomatoes

Heat half of the olive oil in a large enamel or heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium-high heat. Spread the stew beef cubes out on a sheet pan and season with salt and pepper. Add the beef chunks to the pan and sear on all sides, cooking in batches so they have some space between them. If they are crowded in the pan, they will steam more than sear. You want them to brown nicely on several sides. Remove from pan when browned and set aside.

Goulasch cooking
Goulasch cooking

Reduce the heat to low, and add the remaining olive oil. Add the onions, spreading them out in a layer that covers the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and half of the paprika, rosemary leaves, bay, and oregano. Top with the beef cubes, and then the remaining paprika, rosemary, bay and oregano.  Partially cover the pot, and cook for 3 hours over as low a heat as possible. After 1 1/2 hours, check the pot every 30 minutes to make sure liquid remains in the bottom. If it becomes dry, add a bit of water.

One hour before the goulasch is done, place the can of tomatoes in a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to low and continue to cook until thickened. You want to reduce the tomato puree by approximately one-half, making a very thick tomato sauce.

After 3 hours, add the reduced tomatoes to the pan, and stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. It is now ready to serve, but will be even better if left to sit for a day (in the refrigerator, of course.) Serve with crusty bread, polenta, potatoes, or csipetke noodles.

Posted in Beef, Braising, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lamb, Pork, Schioppettino, St. Magdalener, Travel, Trentino Food, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Roast Pork with Balsamic Vinegar and Bay Leaves

Roasted Pork with Balsamic Vinegar and Bay
Roasted Pork with Balsamic Vinegar and Bay Leaves

Balsamic vinegar is one of the most well-known Italian contributions to the culinary world, now a basic condiment found in many kitchens here in the US. It is common all over Italy, we find it at every table in the regions we tour, but to truly appreciate it requires a bit of background on it’s origins and the role it has played in the households over the centuries. Balsamic vinegar hails from the Emilia-Romagna provinces of Reggio Emilia and Modena, with its origins dating almost 1000 years ago. The name comes from the Latin Balsamum, meaning a ‘balm’ or a restorative, and it was originally used for it’s curative properties. Supposedly, during the plague of 1630, the Duke of Modena carried an open jug of the vinegar in his carriage to ward off the disease.

Ingredients - Balsamic Vinegar, Bay, Rosemary
Ingredients - Balsamic Vinegar, Bay, Rosemary

The incredibly popularity of this vinegar has, unfortunately, spurred a rash of imitators. The traditional original product is not a true vinegar, in which the alcohol is converted to acid, but a reduction of cooked Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes, in which the sugars are eventually converted to the acid, producing a much ‘sweeter’ end product. It is referred to as “Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena” or “di Reggio Emilia”, and both are currently protected by both the Italian and EU DOP (Denominazion de origine protetta) quality regulations.

In the farmhouses and estates that in Reggio Emilia and Modena which have been producing balsamic vinegar for centuries, enter their sunny attics and you will find a row of wooden barrels, of increasing size, lined in a row. The number of barrels may vary, but the minimum was 3, and the DOP regulations require at least 7 barrels, and a total aging period of at minimum 12 years. The types of wood used for the barrels varies as well, one may be chestnut, one cherry, one mulberry. Each year, a bottle of vinegar – the families allotment for the year – is removed from the smallest of the barrels. The smallest barrel is then topped off with vinegar from the next smallest barrel, and so on down the line. The sweet concentrate produced each fall by pressing and cooking down this year’s grapes enters the largest barrel, beginning its slow progress into the wonderful balsamic vinegar – now one may understand why, in Modena, it is said “One generation makes balsamic for the next.” Balsamic vinegar was traditionally part of a brides dowry, and one of the families prized possessions that traveled with them during wartime evacuations during WWI and WWII.

Roasted Pork
Roasted Pork

Other varieties of balsamic are available. The Condimento grade, labeled as condimento balsamico, is made in a similar fashion to the tradizionale, but with the following exceptions to the true DOP regulations: aged less than 12 years, or made by producers outside of Modena or Reggio.  Commercial grade products are simply wine vinegar to which artificial colors, caramel flavor and thickeners have been added to imitate the thicker consistency and sweeter flavor of the real thing.

I have found several different Italian recipes for cooking pork or beef with the combination of vinegar and bay leaves. If you have the wonderful tradizionale vinegar, simply drizzling it over a grilled steak is perfect. I had a bone-in pork roast to cook, and used this combination of flavors to develop a marinade for the roast. It results in a beautiful, dark crust on the pork, and smells wonderful while roasting. Serve with some cooked garlic greens and farro or polenta.

Roast Pork with Balsamic Vinegar and Bay Leaves

4 bay leaves
1/4 cup good quality balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 spring fresh rosemary, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 5-lb. pork roast, bone-in

Marinade
Marinade

Combine the first six ingredients in a small bowl.

Place the roast in a sealable plastic bag – it should just fit into a gallon bag. If not, place in a roasting pan. Pour in the marinade, and seal the bag. Turn the bag over a couple of times to move the marinade around and cover the meat on all sides. Allow to marinate for a couple of hours, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Remove the pork from the bag and place in a roasting pan. Put into the preheated oven. After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 375°. Roast until the internal temperature of the meat is 130°, about 90 minutes in total. I would suggest checking at 60 minutes, just to see where you are.

Pork marinating in bag
Pork in marinade in bag

Remove from the oven, and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve.

The classic regional wine pairing would be a Lambrusco, which we think of as a light, fizzy wine, but can be found in both frizzante as well as dry versions in the Emilia region. Or if you’re trying to find a pairing here in the US, a nice full Valpolicella would be wonderful.

Posted in Emilia Romagna, Pork, Travel, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Insalata con Marroni, Mele e Melagrana – Salad with Chestnuts, Apples and Pomegranate

Recipes from Italiaoutdoors Food and Wine bike tours in Italy
Insalata con Marroni, Mele e Melagrana

Chestnuts are found throughout Italy, and have been a staple of their cuisine for thousands of years. Mentioned in writings from Homer and Pliny, they were cultivated throughout the region by the Middle Ages, especially in the mountainous areas where they are one of the few crops that can grown on steep slopes, as well as produce during colder winter months. In some of the more mountainous areas, the economy revolved around the chestnut, as people gathered them in the fall, and worked throughout the winter to sort, dry and sell them.

Marroni in Market - recipes from Italiaoutdoors bike tours in Italy
Marroni in market on our bike tour

Chestnuts were traditionally dried to preserve them. A small, two story hut was built, and the chestnuts were laid out in the top story; a fire was started in the lower story, under a large stone shield that protected the crop and the building itself, from the heat of the fire. The fire was kept going continuously, the heat drying the nuts and the smoke would rid them of the worms that could infest and ruin an entire crop. During colder evenings, entire families would gather in the roasting hut to enjoy the warmth and aroma of roasting nuts. Dried chestnuts can be boiled, or the dried nuts ground up into flour and used in a variety of dishes, such as pasta or baked goods

Chestnut - Italiaoutdoors Food and Wine bike tours
Cutting "X" in side of chestnut

There are many different varieties found throughout Italy: the smaller, flatter castagne and the rounder, fuller marroni. Up in Northeastern Italy there are several areas that still cultivate chestnuts, mostly of the marroni variety. We still find vendors selling freshly roasted chestnuts at market stands in the fall during our Italiaoutdoors Food and Wine bike tours; the aroma is divine, and the nuts a wonderful treat to enjoy on a cooler fall shopping day.

When purchasing chestnuts, look for shiny, healthy nuts without any discoloration. They should also be firm and solid, without much give between the shell and the flesh. In the markets and homes in Italy, you can still find chestnut roasters, essentially iron pans with holes, with a long handle. The nuts would be placed in the pan, sprinkled with a bit of water, and roasted over a fire. I don’t have any special equipment for roasting chestnuts, all you really need is a sheet pan and a hot oven.

Roasted chestnuts - Italiaoutdoors Food and Wine Bike and Ski tours
Roasted chestnuts

To roast chestnuts, preheat your oven to 450°. With a small sharp knife, cut an “X” into the flatter side of each nut. Place the nuts on the sheet pan and roast for about 15-25 minutes, depending upon the size of the nuts. They are done when the skins around the “X” have pulled back, and the nut meat inside is fork-tender, but still firm. Peel when still warm, and enjoy as the Italians might, sprinkled with some red wine, with a glass for yourself – a lighter Schiava from Alto Adige would be perfect.

Here’s a recipe for a tasty winter holiday salad, where chestnuts are paired with some nice crisp apples and ripe red pomegranate seeds.

Insalata di Marroni, Mele e Melagrana

Chestnuts and pomegranates
Chestnuts and pomegranates

Serves 4

1/2 pound chestnuts
1 pomegranate
1 large apple, cored and sliced
1 stalk celery, peeled and sliced
6 cups mixed greens
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425°.

On the flat side of each chestnut, cut a large X with a small sharp knife, all the way through the skin. Place the chestnuts on a sheet pan and place in the oven. Roast for about 30 to 40 minutes, depending upon the size of the chestnuts. Shake the pan occasionally to make sure the nuts cook evenly.

Peel the chestnuts as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Coarsely chop.

Cut the pomegranate in half, and remove the seeds. This is easily done over a bowl of water, dropping the seeds into the bowl. The white pith will float as the seeds sink.

Place the salad greens in a large salad bowl. Add the chestnuts, apple slices, celery and pomegranate seeds.

Place the sherry vinegar and olive oil in a small lidded plastic container. Cover tightly with the lid, and shake vigorously. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the dressing to the salad, and toss lightly. Serve.

Posted in Apples, Fitness, Salad, Schiava, Travel, Uncategorized, Vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Alto Adige Terlano Wine Zone: Wonderful, Crisp Whites from Northeastern Italy

View of Terlano Vineyards
View of Terlano Vineyards

This past summer I spent some time exploring the wine regions of Alto Adige. One stop on my tour, and a place we will return to on our Bike the Wine Roads of Trentino-Alto Adige bicycle holidays in 2012 is the town of Terlano, and the DOC wine zone that shares its name. Located in the Adige valley, the Terlano (or Terlaner) wine zone stretches several miles both north and south of Terlano, which lies six miles west of Bolzano. Terlano is a small town of about 4000 people, and is famous for two products – wine and white asparagus. According to the 2001 census, 87% of the population of Terlano speak German, with only 13% speaking Italian.

The wine-making tradition in this area dates back over 2000 years, back to the ancient Rhaetians, the people that lived in the area when the Romans reached the Alps. In the Middle Ages, the wines from this region were quite popular in the Bavarian monasteries, who purchased quite a bit of wine from this area. Terlano is located at the foot of Mount Tschoggel, and as is usually the case in these mountainous wine producing regions, the topography plays a huge role in the cultivation of these grapes. The south-facing slopes offer extended exposure to the sun, the porphyry rocks found here soak up the sunlight and keep the soil warm and dry; the porous soil drains well, again, keeping the roots dry and rot-free.

Kellerei Cantina Terlan
Kellerei Cantina Terlan

The vineyards of Terlano are particularly well-known for their white wines, which are big, complex, and long-lived. Red wines are also grown in the region, but the particular Terlaner DOC regulations apply only to the whites from this area. Reds are included under the Alto Adige DOC, which I’ll cover in a future post.

In April and May, this region produces a wonderful white asparagus, a very elegant vegetable found throughout Northeastern Italy, but rarely outside of it. The Terlaner Sauvignon Blanc is a perfect wine to pair with the asparagus.

Wines of the Terlano/Terlaner DOC

Terlaner Bianco: A white blend, using a variety of white grapes from the Terlaner region. It must consist of a minimum of 50% Pinot Bianco and/or Chardonnay, with the remainder Riesling, Riesling Italico, Sauvignon, Sylvaner, Muller-Thurgau. Both dry and sweet Passito and Vendemmia Tardiva (late harvest) versions are available, as well as a dry Spumante. Flowery and fruity, with a full flavor profile.

Chardonnay: 90% chardonnay. Both dry and sweet Passito and Vendemmia Tardiva (late harvest) versions are available, as well as a dry Spumante. Fruity, dry, medium-bodied, pale straw yellow in color.

Kellerei Cantina Terlan Terlaner Wine
Kellerei Cantina Terlan Terlaner Wine

Muller Thurgau: 90% Muller Thurgau. Both dry and sweet Passito and Vendemmia Tardiva (late harvest) versions are available, as well as a dry Spumante. Pale yellow, lightly aromatic with tropical fruits.

Pinot Bianco or Weissburgunder: 90% Pinot Bianco. Both dry and sweet Passito and Vendemmia Tardiva (late harvest) versions are available, as well as a dry Spumante. Pale yellow with hints of green, fruity and soft.

Pinot Grigio or Rulander: 90% Pinot Grigio. Both dry and sweet Passito and Vendemmia Tardiva (late harvest) versions are available, as well as a dry Spumante. Light straw yellow, ripe fruit and good balance.

Riesling: 90% Riesling. Both dry and sweet Passito and Vendemmia Tardiva (late harvest) versions are available, as well as a dry Spumante.

Riesling Italico or Weischriesling: 90% Riesling Italico. Both dry and sweet Passito and Vendemmia Tardiva (late harvest) versions are available, as well as a dry Spumante.

Sauvignon: 90% Sauvignon. Both dry and sweet Passito and Vendemmia Tardiva (late harvest) versions are available, as well as a dry Spumante. Light yellow, with hint of green, intense fruit bouquet, well-balanced acidity.

Sylvaner: 90% Sylvaner. Both dry and sweet Passito and Vendemmia Tardiva (late harvest) versions are available, as well as a dry Spumante. Earth and minerals, with a scent of fresh herbs.

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

Christmas Lasagna – Lasagna da Fornel: Not your ordinary lasagna!

Lasagna da Fornel
Lasagna da Fornel

Another traditional Christmas dish from Northeastern Italy intrigued me the moment I discovered it, but it is quite unexpected, and I was unsure of how it would go over with American palates. I’ve made it a couple of times now, and it has been incredibly well-received, with people requesting seconds. It is a Christmas Lasagna, Lasagna da Fornel, but it’s not your typical lasagna. Throw out all your preconceptions of what goes into a lasagna – this is made with apples, figs, raisins and nuts.

This recipe hails from a couple of different areas in Northeastern Italy, where apples abound throughout the area – you can cycle through apple orchards from Trentino-Alto Adige all the way down to the Adriatic. It is found in the mountainous Carnia territory of Friuli-Venezia Giulia; a festive dish that is commonly served at Christmas, but may be found throughout the year. It is also found in the Veneto region, in the provinces of Belluno and Treviso, served either on Christmas eve or Christmas day. It is made as a lasagna, layers of apples, dried fruits and nuts between sheets of pasta; or it can be made as a  deconstructed loose pasta dish.

Ingredients - apples, nuts, raisins, poppy seeds
Ingredients - apples, nuts, raisins, poppy seeds

It is seasoned with semi di papavero, poppy seeds, not a spice you think of when you think of Italian food, but quite common in these regions in the Northeast. Poppy seeds are used in many cuisines of Central Europe – Austrian, Czech, Hungarian, German and Slovac. There appearance in the cuisine of Friuli-Venezia Giulia is one more example of the influence of these areas on the foods of this region of Italy.

The city of Trieste lies on the Adriatic, and throughout history was a very active trading port, as Austria lavished money and attention on the principal port of the Hapsburg and then Austro-Hungarian empire. Here, spices of all types arrived to be carried north to Austria, Germany and elsewhere in Central Europe. These spices were often transported by cramars, traveling peddlers who lived in the mountains of Carnia in the northernmost section Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Originally settled by the Celts, who brought with them a talent for land management, and began by raising livestock in this region. When winter approached, and grazing was limited, these pig farmers would load up with spices, leave their families behind and made a difficult trek north through the Alps to Austria and Germany to pick up some additional income by selling their wares.

homemade pasta
Homemade pasta sheets

As many of these spices were believed to have medicinal benefits, these cramars became a sort of medicinal healer as well, selling mixtures of spices and dried herbs as remedies. Any of these spices that were not sold ended up being used in the kitchens of this region. You see them in many baked sweets, breads, and salad dressings, just as you do here in the US, but they also appear, as here, in pastas.

I made it with both store purchased as well as homemade pasta. My homemade was much preferable. I would recommend using the best pasta sheets you can find, as it is a  bit more delicate that a traditional meat lasagna.

A prosecco would make a wonderful pairing with this dish, most certainly what they would enjoy it with in Treviso, the home of prosecco.

Lasagna da Fornel – Christmas Lasagna

Kosher salt
1 pound dried lasagna
8 apples, such as Macoun, McIntosh, or Cortland
1/4 cup lemon juice
6 ounces dried figs
6 ounces raisins
4 ounces walnuts, finely chopped
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350°.

Layering lasagna
Layering the lasagna

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add salt. Cook the lasagna noodles, 4 or 5 at a time, until about 1/2 done. For fresh pasta, this would be about 2 minutes; for purchased dried pasta, about 4-5 minutes.

Spread the cooked sheets out on a towel, without overlapping. Allow to dry.

Peel and core the apples. Grate them into a large bowl, or using a food processor. Transfer to a large bowl, and add the lemon juice to keep them from turning brown. Add the figs, raisins and walnuts, and mix to combine.

Melt the butter.

Ready for oven
Ready for oven

Brush butter on the bottom of a 13×9 baking dish. Place a layer of lasagna sheets, and top with 1/3 of the apple mixture. Brush with about 1/4 of the butter, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the poppy seeds. Repeat the layers of noodles, apples, butter and poppy seeds two more times. Finish with a last layer of noodles, brush with the remaining butter and sprinkle the last of the poppy seeds.

Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Serve.

Posted in Apples, Christmas, Figs, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Pasta, prosecco, Travel, Uncategorized, Veneto Food, Wine Pairings | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments