Here are some more italy articles...

For A Great Vacation, Get Booted - To Idyllic Southeast Italy By Milan Matchev My holiday in Italy was a dream come true and my wish to enjoy the less touristy side of Italy was realized. I stayed in a vacation rental villa in the city of Avetrana , situated in the Apulien Read more...

Why Take An Italy Cruise ? By By John Metcalfe  History, wine, serene beauty, dramatic people andstunning views - an Italy cruise has it all! You canvisit the main sites of Italy on a European cruiseor a Mediterranean cruise, but to really Read more...

The Best Sightseeing In Italy - Locations You Don't Want To Miss By Jessica C If you love shopping for high fashion and dining on wonderful food, then you should be sightseeing in Italy. Italy has so much to offer: It's rich in history, culture, and society. The country is Read more...

On Italian Meals
I recently got a note from James, who says:<BR><BR> <i>I enjoy things Italian, not the least of which is its food. Part of that enjoyment is the proper presentation of its food in the context of meal time. <BR><BR> There is some information as to what constitutes proper form of the meal: hors d'oeuvres, courses, etc. Not so much info regarding the recipes of the menu items, what is an acceptable first course, and what would be an appropriate second course, in light of the first course, etc. <BR><BR> I suppose it seems as though I'm overly interested in food, but it is more important to me that I have presented a meal in what is considered good form. It goes without saying that the meal should be well cooked, but more important, it should be well presented. <BR><BR> Could you direct me to any publication or organizations that address this issue?</i> <BR><BR> To which I replied:<BR><BR> Dear James,<BR><BR> I do discuss the organization of an Italian meal (the meals of the day, actually) <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/od/menues/a/aa112499.htm">here</a> . <BR><BR> In terms of form, it's important to remember that Italian cooking is quite seasonal, with people tending to cook the vegetables in season (<A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/eggplant/Vegetables_Eggplant.htm">eggplant</A> in summer, <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/anitalianenglishglossary/g/cabbage.htm">cabbage</A> in winter), and make much lighter dishes during the summer months than they do in the winter. <BR><BR> Exactly what combination of dishes gets served depends upon the tastes of the cook, but in Italy cooking tends to be local. Neapolitans cook <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/regionalcuisines1/ss/southern_2.htm">Neapolitan</A>, Tuscans cook <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/regionalcuisines1/ss/central_2.htm">Tuscan</A> and so on. People do occasionally cook favorites from elsewhere, and there are some standard dishes, e.g. the <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/beefbracioleetc/r/blr0050.htm">cotoletta alla milanese</A>, but most dishes are local. So if you're preparing a <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/regionalcuisines1/ss/islands_2.htm">Sicilian</A> first course, you probably won't want to follow it with a second from <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/regionalcuisines1/ss/northeastern_9.htm">Friuli Venezia Giulia</A>. <BR><BR> I hope this helps! <BR><BR> Adding to my reply, in the past I did put up meals for the week, and will resume doing so now. Among the meals posted to date are: <UL> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/06/18/an-italian-meal-for-the-week-38.htm">Summery, with pappa al pomodoro followed by scaloppine</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/03/12/an-italian-meal-for-the-week-37.htm">Wintery, revolving around oranges</A> </LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/03/05/an-italian-meal-for-the-week-36.htm">Pasta and meat to serve with Chianti</A> </LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/02/05/an-italian-meal-for-the-week-34.htm">A cold weather meal revolving around broth and boiled meats</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/01/29/an-italian-meal-for-the-week-33.htm">Fish, and more specifically salmon</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/01/09/an-italian-meal-for-the-week-31.htm">A meaty fall meal, for when the mist comes in</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/b/2009/10/30/an-italian-meal-for-the-week-and-gavi.htm">Another early fall meal, featuring fish and Gavi wine</A></LI> </UL><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/04/on-italian-meals.htm">On Italian Meals</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Saturday, September 4th, 2010 at 05:04:33.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/04/on-italian-meals.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/04/on-italian-meals.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/04/on-italian-meals.htm&#038;zItl=On Italian Meals">Email this</a></p>
Almost Wordless Wednesday: Tris di Sughi
<IMG SRC="http://0.tqn.com/d/italianfood/1/0/m/A/1/trissughiww.jpg" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=232 WIDTH=298 ALT="Tris di Sughi"><BR><BR> <strong>Or Three Sauces,</strong> and this is what you'll get with your bigoli (thick-stranded pasta) if you order them in a traditional eatery in the Veneto: <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/vegetablesauces/r/blr0022.htm">Tomato Sauce</A>, <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/library/weekly/aa061703.htm">Peas</A>, a Tomatoless Meat Sauce, and you sauce your pasta as you see fit, adding grated cheese to taste. It can be very nice!<BR><BR> <strong>The meat sauce, you wonder?</strong> If the restaurant is very traditional it will be made from <em>rovinazzi,</em> or chicken giblets:<BR><BR> 2/3 pound (300 g) chicken giblets (gizzards, cockscombs, hearts, and livers)<BR> A sprig of fresh sage <BR> A sprig of fresh rosemary<BR> 1/2 cup (100 g) unsalted butter<BR> 1 cup (50 g) freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano<BR> Salt<BR><BR> Clean and wash the gizzards. <BR><BR> Bring a small pot of water to boil, salt it lightly, and simmer them for 10 minutes. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon, and dice them finely.<BR><BR> Use a needle to prick the cockscombs and boil them for 5 minutes. Drain them, skin them, and chop them.<BR><BR> Wash the hearts and livers under cold running water, removing filaments and fat, and all traces of bile (greenish spots on the livers). Chop the hearts, and crumble the livers with your fingers.<BR><BR> Heat the butter with the sage and rosemary, and when it begins to crackle add the chopped gizzards, cockscombs and hearts, and simmer for about 15 minutes over a low flame. <BR><BR> Remove the herbs, add the livers, season to taste, and cook, stirring, over a brisk flame for about 3 minutes. <BR><BR> It's done! <BR><BR> Serve your bigoli (figure 3/4 pound, or about 320 g for 4 people, and time the cooking so they will be done when the sauce is), with the giblet sauce, tomato sauce, peas, and grated cheese on the side for those who want it. The wine? Red, and <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/library/weekly/aa041297.htm">Valopicella</A> will be perfect.<p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/01/almost-wordless-wednesday-tris-di-sughi.htm">Almost Wordless Wednesday: Tris di Sughi</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 at 05:19:48.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/01/almost-wordless-wednesday-tris-di-sughi.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/01/almost-wordless-wednesday-tris-di-sughi.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/09/01/almost-wordless-wednesday-tris-di-sughi.htm&#038;zItl=Almost Wordless Wednesday: Tris di Sughi">Email this</a></p>
Peperoni...
<IMG SRC="http://italianfood.about.com/library/pics/peper.jpg" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=187 WIDTH=244 Align="left" ALT="Peppers">It suddenly occurred to me that I have yet to say much about peperoni, bell peppers, this summer. A serious failing on my part because they have been good. But there's still time, and should you pick up a few at your market (the ones shown here are <i>Corno di Bue,</I> or Bull's Horn peppers, from Piemonte), you have many options, including these, most of which will also be nice at a cookout or picnic: <UL> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/bellpeppers/r/blr0182.htm">Bell Pepper Rollups, or Involtini</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/bellpeppers/r/blr1802.htm">Goria-Style Marinated Grilled Peppers</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/bellpeppers/r/blr1483.htm">Grilled Bell Peppers</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/bellpeppers/r/blr0273.htm">Neapolitan Stuffed Peppers</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/bellpeppers/r/blr0825.htm">Peperonata Rustica</A></LI> <LI><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/bellpeppers/r/Peppers-Stuffed-With-Tuna-Mozzarella-And-Pine-Nuts.htm">Peppers Stuffed with Tuna, Mozzarella and Pine Nuts</A></LI> </UL> <B><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/library/rec/blr0168.htm">More Ideas for Bell Peppers</A></B><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/30/peperoni.htm">Peperoni...</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Monday, August 30th, 2010 at 10:25:09.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/30/peperoni.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/30/peperoni.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/30/peperoni.htm&#038;zItl=Peperoni...">Email this</a></p>
Dining at the Shore
<IMG SRC="http://z.about.com/d/italianfood/1/0/4/y/bright.jpg" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=167 ALIGN="LEFT" hspace="5" vspace="5" WIDTH=200 ALT="Fresh fish">August is traditionally the month Italians head for the shore, and this of course means eating fish. That people now stay at the shore for days rather than weeks doesn't change the picture much -- people simply enjoy as much fish as they can in the time they have. I know we're at the end of the month, but there's still time for one more weekend meal.<BR><BR>One might start out with <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/shellfishrecipes/r/blr0931.htm">Cozze al graten</A>, a classic Neapolitan recipe for baked mussels (or go with a <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/shellfishrecipes/r/blr0932.htm">Sicilian variation</A> that also has tomato), followed by <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/shellfishrecipes/r/blr0930.htm">impepata di cozze</A>, a peppery mussel stew (if you really like mussels) or the classic <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/fishsauces/r/blr0058.htm">spaghetti alle vongole</A>, spaghetti with clams, and finish with <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/freshfishthebasics/r/blr0851.htm">grilled fish</A>, perhaps an orata or a spigola (sea bass or snapper, respectively) and a zesty tossed salad. The wine? I'd go with a Falanghina, a delightful white from Campania. And dessert? <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/library/rec/blr0115.htm">Gelato</A>.<BR><BR> <B><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/od/fishdishes/ig/La-Galleria-del-Pesce/">La Galleria Del Pesce, The Fish Gallery</a> &#124; <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/od/aboutingredients/ss/aa081106.htm">How To Select Fresh Fish</a></B><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/27/dining-at-the-shore-2.htm">Dining at the Shore</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Friday, August 27th, 2010 at 18:39:51.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/27/dining-at-the-shore-2.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/27/dining-at-the-shore-2.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/27/dining-at-the-shore-2.htm&#038;zItl=Dining at the Shore">Email this</a></p>
Almost Wordless Wednesday: Piadine!
<A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/breadspizza/ss/aa072507.htm"><IMG SRC="http://0.tqn.com/d/italianfood/1/0/h/A/1/piadina10ww.jpg" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=231 WIDTH=300 ALT="Piadine"></A><BR><BR> Piadine are the wonderful flatbreads made in Romagna (east of Bologna), and though one might expect them to be an old, old tradition, their status as the day-to-day bread Romagnoli enjoy is fairly recent, because they contain lard that few could afford (except for special occasions) until after WWII. <BR><BR> <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/breadspizza/ss/aa072507.htm">Piadine are quite easy to make</A>, and quick too, because there's no rising involved. Tradition dictates that they be slathered with a spreadable cheese, for example stracchino, topped with prosciutto, and folded in half, but I have also enjoyed a piadina folded around grilled sausages and onions -- it made for a different and quite invigorating breakfast, and was just what I needed after a night in the rain at Imola, where my friends and I had gone to see a Formula 1 race.<BR><BR> If you serve piadine at a cookout or picnic, expect people to wonder at their appearance, and then gobble them up! <BR><BR> <B>Some other Hearth Breads<br /> <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/breadspizza/ss/aa051906.htm">Panigacci are Ligurian</A><BR> <A HREF="http://indianfood.about.com/od/breadrecipes/ig/How-to-Make-Chapatis/">Chapatis are Indian</A><BR> <A HREF="http://mideastfood.about.com/od/breadsrice/r/pitabreadrecipe.htm">Pita Bread is Middle-Eastern</A></B><p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/25/almost-wordless-wednesday-piadine.htm">Almost Wordless Wednesday: Piadine!</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Wednesday, August 25th, 2010 at 07:08:50.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/25/almost-wordless-wednesday-piadine.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/25/almost-wordless-wednesday-piadine.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/25/almost-wordless-wednesday-piadine.htm&#038;zItl=Almost Wordless Wednesday: Piadine!">Email this</a></p>
Got Fruit? Make Mostarda!
<A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/saucescondiments/ss/aa121305.htm"><IMG SRC="http://z.about.com/d/italianfood/1/0/-/G/most10s.jpg" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=164 ALIGN= "LEFT" WIDTH=200 ALT="Jars of Mostarda"></A>The end of summer is one of the richest periods of the year for fruit, and your markets may be overflowing with all sorts of things that would be nice to carry into the winter months. What to do? <BR> Make <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/saucescondiments/a/aa121405.htm"><I>Mostarda</I></A>, a traditional Italian fruit condiment that's perfect with boiled meats or vegetables (and is also nice with a roast); it gains a healthy kick from ground mustard seed or mustard oil, but otherwise has little in common with the yellow stuff the French call <I>Moutarde</I> and Italians call <I>Senape.</I> <BR> Though it will take you several days to make a batch of mostarda, the actual process is quite easy and the steps only take a few minutes per day. <BR><BR> <B><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/saucescondiments/a/aa121405.htm">More about mostarda, and several recipes</A>.</B><BR> <B><A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/saucescondiments/ss/aa121305.htm">Making mostarda: the steps, illustrated</A>.</B> <p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/24/got-fruit-make-mostarda-2.htm">Got Fruit? Make Mostarda!</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Tuesday, August 24th, 2010 at 04:41:40.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/24/got-fruit-make-mostarda-2.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/24/got-fruit-make-mostarda-2.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/24/got-fruit-make-mostarda-2.htm&#038;zItl=Got Fruit? Make Mostarda!">Email this</a></p>
Making Jam And Have A Bad Seal?
It's wild berry season in Italy now, and this especially means blackberries; the brier patches are heavy with ripe black berries, and you'll find people happily picking them if you drive out into the country. What next? They're wonderful over <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://">gelato</a> or with whipped cream, but the best thing to do with a blackberry (I think) is <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/preservesetc/r/blr0507.htm">make jam</A>. For that matter, buy other ripe fresh fruit while you're at it (Italian markets sell it by the case at this time of year, especially <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/preservesetc/r/blr0795.htm">peaches</A>) and make <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/library/weekly/aa053099.htm"><I>lots</I> of jam</A>. <BR><BR> It's important to sterilize home made jams, and after the jars have cooled you should tap the lids to make sure the seals ring true. If one doesn't you simply open it first. Got two that don't ring? Use one to make a <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/library/rec/blr0253.htm">crostata</A>, the classic central Italian jam tart. They're wonderfully tasty, and you may find yourself hoping more jars clank.<p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/20/making-jam-and-have-a-bad-seal.htm">Making Jam And Have A Bad Seal?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Friday, August 20th, 2010 at 01:58:06.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/20/making-jam-and-have-a-bad-seal.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/20/making-jam-and-have-a-bad-seal.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/20/making-jam-and-have-a-bad-seal.htm&#038;zItl=Making Jam And Have A Bad Seal?">Email this</a></p>
Almost Wordless Wednesday: Basilico!
<img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/italianfood/1/0/S/8/1/basilicogal.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="351" alt="Basil"><BR><BR> It was overcast today, so Elisabetta and I took Daughter C to <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.comune.sarzana.sp.it/citta/Default.htm">Sarzana</a>, a pretty town just across the border into Liguria. As in much of Liguria, the cuisine is strongly vegetarian, and most every restaurant offers a dish, or perhaps many, with pesto sauce. In Particular: <ul> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/od/greenvegetable/r/blr0013.htm">Trenette al Pesto</a>, with green beans and potatoes too.</li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/od/bakedpasta/r/blr0012.htm">Lasagne al Pesto</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/od/bakedpasta/r/Pesto-Vegetable-Lasagna.htm">A slightly richer Lasagne al Pesto</a></li> </ul> A couple of non-pasta recipes with pesto sauce or basil:<BR> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/od/heartysoups/r/blr0153.htm">Minestrone al Pesto</a><BR> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/od/turkey/r/blr0154.htm">Tacchino al Basilico</a>, Turkey with basil<p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/18/almost-wordless-wednesday-basilico-2.htm">Almost Wordless Wednesday: Basilico!</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 at 17:34:16.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/18/almost-wordless-wednesday-basilico-2.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/18/almost-wordless-wednesday-basilico-2.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/18/almost-wordless-wednesday-basilico-2.htm&#038;zItl=Almost Wordless Wednesday: Basilico!">Email this</a></p>
An End of Summer Recipe: Mediterranean Cuscus, or Cuscus Mediterraneo
To begin, a quick aside: The Contrada della Tartuca won <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.seetuscany.com/culture/palio.htm">Siena's Palio dell'Assunta</a> this year, after a fairly quick, clean start. Quick race too, and no injuries to horses or jockies. Auguri <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.tartuca.it/">Tartuca</a>! <br /><br /> Cuscus may bring the southern shores of the Mediterranean to mind, but has long been eaten in Italy too, both by Sicilians, who tend to make theirs <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/od/primivari/r/blr0712.htm">with fish</A>, and by Italian Jews, who tend to make theirs <A HREF="http://italianfood.about.com/library/rec/blr0711.htm">with meat</A>. But there are other things one can do with cuscus, and this salad is extremely refreshing. Easy to make, too, and quick as well. You'll need: <UL> <LI>1 pound (450 g) precooked cuscus</LI> <LI>8 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil</LI> <LI>4 small eggplants</LI> <LI>6 ripe salad tomatoes</LI> <LI>3 spring onions, finely minced</LI> <LI>3 heaping tablespoons freshly minced basil</LI> <LI>6 ounces (150 g) aged ricotta, grated (this is firm; use a couple of ounces of salted ricotta or pecorino Romano if need be)</LI> <LI>More basil leaves for garnishing</LI> <LI>Salt and pepper to taste</LI> <LI>8 elegant (ideally) clear glass individual-sized salad bowls</LI> </UL> Bring a cup of lightly salted water to a boil. Put the cuscus in a broad, not-too-deep bowl and sprinkle the water over it. Cover the bowl with a sheet of aluminum foil and let it rest 10 minutes.<br /><br /> When the time is up, separate the cuscus grains with your fingers or a fork, and mix the minced spring onions and basil into it. <BR><BR> Wash the eggplants, pat them dry, cube them, and saut?hem in 3 tablespoons of hot oil for about 10 minutes, or until they are golden. Season them to taste with salt and pepper and set them aside.<br /><br /> Wash and dry the tomatoes, dice them, and but them in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. <br /><br /> Take your salad bowls and evenly distribute the cuscus, eggplant, and tomatoes, layering them in the bowls, and sprinkling some of the cheese over each bowl when you're done filling them. Season with the remaining olive oil and a healthy grating of black pepper, distribute the basil leaves as garnish, and enjoy! <p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/16/an-end-of-summer-recipe-mediterranean-cuscus-or-cuscus-mediterraneo-2.htm">An End of Summer Recipe: Mediterranean Cuscus, or Cuscus Mediterraneo</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Monday, August 16th, 2010 at 18:53:47.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/16/an-end-of-summer-recipe-mediterranean-cuscus-or-cuscus-mediterraneo-2.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/16/an-end-of-summer-recipe-mediterranean-cuscus-or-cuscus-mediterraneo-2.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/16/an-end-of-summer-recipe-mediterranean-cuscus-or-cuscus-mediterraneo-2.htm&#038;zItl=An End of Summer Recipe: Mediterranean Cuscus, or Cuscus Mediterraneo">Email this</a></p>
Falsomagro from the Islands
<I>Falsomagro </I>is generally a rich meaty Sicilian pasta sauce. However, on the smaller islands around Sicily meat was rare enough that people had to use fish. The results are quite different, but every bit as suited for a festive meal.<p style="background:#f5f3ef;border:1px solid #d5d0bf;clear:both;padding:.5em;"><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/13/falsomagro-from-the-islands.htm">Falsomagro from the Islands</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/">About.com Italian Food</a> on Friday, August 13th, 2010 at 01:30:55.</p><p><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/13/falsomagro-from-the-islands.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/13/falsomagro-from-the-islands.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://italianfood.about.com/b/2010/08/13/falsomagro-from-the-islands.htm&#038;zItl=Falsomagro from the Islands">Email this</a></p>