briciole

garganelli / handmade garganelli

ready to roll?

When you are done rolling, you get this:

meet Mr. Garganello

You look at garganelli and you think: penne rigate. There are a few differences between the two pasta shapes. In particular, in garganelli the ridges are perpendicular, rather than parallel, to the length, and there is a visible seam. A link tweeted recently by Frank of Memorie di Angelina sent me to an article on garganelli. As soon as I finished reading it, I started planning my rendition.

According to the Encyclopedia of Pasta by Oretta Zanini De Vita, this pasta shape is typical of Emilia-Romagna (like the strozzapreti I featured recently), but it can also be found in Marche and Umbria. The name comes from the dialectal word garganel, chicken's gullet "which the ridged garganello resembles." I am not familiar with the dialects of Emilia-Romagna, but in Italian there is the expression bere a garganella, which means to drink without placing the rim of the vessel on your lips, but letting the liquid drop straight into your mouth.

Zanini De Vita's entry for garganelli is interesting to read in its entirety, in particular because it shows an image of the pettine (comb), the tool traditionally used to make them. They are indeed also known as maccheroni al pettine. I don't have a pettine, but browsing around the web, I saw that the tool sold as garganelli board, to be used in lieu of a pettine, is basically a gnocchi board with a mini rolling pin.

my first version of rolling pin for garganelli

I already had a gnocchi board, so I asked for my husband's help in crafting the mini rolling pin. "We need a dowel," he said. I am used to going to the hardware store to ask for things that are made for one job, while I will be using them for a totally different one. I did not do my homework with the necessary care (see later), so I asked for a 1/2-inch diameter dowel (photo above). The dowel he got me was too long, but a small saw took care of that detail and voilà, I had my mini rolling pin.

I then turned my attention to the logistics of shaping garganelli. The recipes I read for the dough were all over the place: the only common trait was the use of eggs. Most importantly, the recipes did not address my main question: how do you prevent garganelli from flattening?

I decided to use my regular egg dough, which has a certain amount of body due to the presence of semolina and durum flour in the mix. It all went smoothly and I had a lot of fun shaping the garganelli. But then, what I was dreading, happened: my beautiful tubular garganelli slowly flattened while drying. Of course, they were still edible.

in great shape

For my second attempt, I let the pasta dry somewhat between the rolling and the shaping, so that it would be stiffer. It worked: My garganelli kept their pretty shape until I plopped them into boiling water, over an hour after they I had rolled them.

garganelli dressed with mashed avocado

Then, in a grocery store in Oakland, I happened upon dry garganelli and noticed that their diameter was smaller than that of my homemade garganelli. I went home and did a bit more research. The most influential source of information I found is a post that includes a .gif image showing the shaping of a garganello using the thicker end of a chopstick. After reading the post, I got two more dowels: one 3/8-inch and the other 1/4-inch (6 mm) in diameter and again cut a piece from each, about 8 inches (20 cm) long. I then made garganelli using both and in the end concurred with Yuko of Cuisinivity that using a small-diameter mini rolling pin is better. The garganelli made with the 1/4-inch diameter mini rolling pin are less tricky to handle and keep their lovely shape better.

Here are my hands making garganelli:

I follow Yuko's lead in somewhat marking the pasta square by lightly passing the rolling pin over it first. My addition is that when I do the actual roll, I use the side of the board closest to me to direct the rolling action (see where my thumbs are in the video).

As in other pasta shapes I make, the hands move with a balance between not enough pressure, which in this case would make a garganello without ridges and not properly sealed, and too much pressure, which would make the dough square stick to the board or to the rolling pin. 

I have made several batches of garganelli by now, to test the variations described above, and dressed them alternatively with burro e parmigiano and with mashed avocado (I am using avocado in many dishes these days). A Note about cheese: I am submitting the recipe below to a vegetarian event and therefore I am leaving the kind of cheese unspecified. Cheese may be made with calf rennet, for example Parmigiano-Reggiano, or non-animal rennet, so the vegetarian needs to choose accordingly.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for handmade garganelli

The following ingredients yield two small portions. Once you become conversant with the shaping action, double them or more, depending on how many people there are around the table and the rest of the menu.

• 1 extra-large egg
• 80 g (a teaspoon less than 3 oz.) King Arthur Flour's pasta blend, plus more as needed to obtain the dough
• A pinch of salt
• All-purpose flour, as needed, for rolling and shaping
  
• Half a ripe avocado
• Freshly grated cheese of choice, to taste (see Note above)
  

Make a dough using the first three ingredients. Add more pasta flour as needed to get a supple dough. Cover the dough and let rest for at least half an hour.

Roll the dough  by hand or with a machine (on my machine, I stop the rolling at the last one thickness level), flouring as needed (with all-purpose flour) to prevent sticking. Cut the pasta into squares of 4 cm / 1.5 inch side and let rest briefly, while you knead, roll and cut the odd-shaped cutouts.

Starting from the squares you cut first, shape each one into a garganello (see the video above for reference). Place a square diagonally on the board, then lightly roll the mini rolling pin over it in the direction away from you. Hook the corner closest to the board handle on the mini rolling pin and roll towards you, applying a light pressure to imprint the ridges on the outer surface and to seal the garganello. Flour the board and the mini rolling pin as needed to prevent sticking. Place the shaped garganelli on a lightly floured tray.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add some coarse salt, stir and then add the pasta. Bring water back to boiling. Cooking time depends on flour used and thickness of pasta, but it is in the order of a few minutes, so don't wander away, but pay undivided attention.

Since the pasta takes only a short time to cook, prepare the dressing as the water comes to a boil. Put the avocado in a bowl and mash it with a fork to make a cream.

When the pasta is ready, turn off the heat, pour a glass of cold water in the pot, stir and then drain the pasta, leaving a bit of water clinging to it. Toss pasta and mashed avocado, sprinkle grated cheese on it and toss some more. Serve immediately.

This is my contribution to the first edition of Pasta Please, a new pasta-centric event created by Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes and hosted this month by the creator herself. The theme this month is: cheese.

This post contains the roundup of the event.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

garganelli

or launch the garganelli audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

handmade pasta, avocado, cheese

biancore / whiteness

One of the joys of making cheese at home is making ricotta with the leftover whey. The batch in the photo was a particularly good one. The whey came from making Leerdammer. The surface texture of snow-white ricotta is due to the draining basket and it's what I have tried to highlight in the photo.

I recently enjoyed a very nice post by Nancy Harmon Jenkins titled Ricotta, a true story. I recommend you follow the link and read Nancy's report of a visit to a cheese maker in the Mugello valley of Tuscany. (Nancy's words about ricotta echo words I have written in the past, for example, in this post.)

This is my contribution to edition #68 of Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar, and hosted this week by Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once.

The photo was shot using the Hi preset of my Nikon D5000 and then converted to black and white (using Lightroom preset B&W Look 1).

This post contains the gallery of images submitted to the event.

On this page, you can find out who is hosting the current and future editions of the event.

fagioli gratinati / bean gratin

the view from above

The smell of rosemary coming from the oven is always comforting, no matter what memory it awakens: roast chicken, maybe, or roast potatoes. It promises solid nourishment. Add to it some sage and you enter serious territory. When out of the oven comes a pie plate hiding something under a golden green-speckled crust, you may still not think right away at beans. Yet, that's what's underneath.

The December 2012 issue of Food & Wine (one of the two magazines to which I subscribe, the other being EatingWell) had a set of recipes for a crowd contributed by John and Tamar Adler. Among them, I singled out Cannellini Bean Gratin with Herbed Bread Crumb Topping.

I would not let the fact that I did not need to cook for a crowd stop me from trying the recipe. On the other hand, I did not want to cook a dish with 3 pounds of beans. So, I went about cutting down the recipe to a manageable size, making a few adjustments along the way.

The result was excellent: Rosemary, sage and garlic bring the beans to an intensely aromatic level and the bread crumbs provide needed texture contrast. I have already made this dish several times and I foresee doing it again: it has immediately become a household favorite. I have a good stash of beans and of my garlic in my storage space and my little garden keeps providing me with the fresh herbs I need, though it's winter, so I'am all set.

Paul's mix, a medley of organic beans

I love cannellini beans, but my everyday beans are Paul's mix, a locally grown, organic bean medley that I have already featured on this blog, which has proved to be perfect in all bean dishes I have prepared with it. Plus, it reminds me about the great variety of beans out there. 

These are the ingredients I use for the gratin:

• 1 cup (200 g, 7 oz.) Paul's mix beans (original recipe: dried cannellini beans) [see below how to cook beans with aromatics]
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (from my homemade bread)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (prezzemolo)
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped sage (salvia)
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary (rosmarino)
• 1 garlic clove (2 if they are small)
  
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (senape di Digione)
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar (aceto di vino rosso)
  
• Sea salt

How to cook dry beans
I follow my usual method rather than that described in section 1 of the original recipe.

The way I cook beans for further use comes from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison (Beans with Aromatics). After soaking a cup of dry beans for several hours or overnight in enough water to cover them by about an inch (I use 3 1/2 cups), empty the whole bowl into a saucepan and add

• A small onion (or half of a medium one), halved
• A large bay leaf
• A large clove of garlic, or two small ones, sliced
• A few sprigs of fresh parsley
• A piece of kombu or other seaweed of choice (optional)
  

If it feels that there is not enough water to cook the beans well, add 1/2 cup. Bring the water to a lively boil quickly, and keep it there for five minutes, then turn down the heat and let the beans simmer, covered, until they are ready. How long this takes depends on the type of beans and their freshness. Let them cool in their broth, then remove the aromatics and discard them. Let the beans rest in their cooking broth until ready to use.

How to prepare the topping and season the beans
I follow section 2 of the instructions, using 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. (Be extra careful here, since the bread crumbs burn easily.) Then, I follow section 3.

How to finish the dish
I follow section 4 of the recipe, with the following adjustments:

• Transfer the drained beans to a Pyrex pie plate (9.5-inch / 24 cm diameter) and lightly salt them, then stir.
• Set aside 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid and don't drain the beans completely.
  
• Whisk in the vinegar and 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil into the remaining garlic-mustard mixture, then stir in the reserved bean cooking liquid.
• Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top and bake on the top shelf for 15 minutes.

Serve warm.

the view from the plate rim

As noted in the recipe, you can cook the beans and toast the bread crumbs ahead of time.

This is my contribution to My Legume Love Affair 55 the current edition of the popular, legume-centered event created by Susan, The Well-Seasoned Cook, and hosted this month by the creator herself. This post contains the roundup of the event.

And I am submitting this recipe, bookmarked on my copy of the December 2012 edition of Food & Wine magazine, to Bookmarked Recipes #20, an event originally started by Ruth of Ruth’s Kitchen Experiments and now hosted by Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes. This post contains the roundup of the event.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

fagioli gratinati

 or launch the fagioli gratinati audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

beans, bread crumbs

Related articles

zimino di fagioli / bean, mushroom and chard soup

torta salata "nella pentola" con pollo / chicken pot pie revisited

vaniglia pura / pure vanilla

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano]

Madagascar vanilla beans

The first time I heard the expression “plain vanilla” I had to ask for an explanation of its actual meaning. Taken literally, “plain vanilla” sounded like a combination of two contradictory terms. Vanilla is one of the most intense flavors in nature, and it is all but plain. I learned that the expression comes from the fact that vanilla is the most common flavor of ice cream in this country, a sort of default flavor. By analogy, “plain vanilla” became a synonym for basic, ordinary, “lacking special features or qualities” (as the Webster dictionary specifies).

I had never seen a vanilla bean (baccello di vaniglia) before moving to California. I made its acquaintance when I started making vanilla ice cream (gelato alla vaniglia) at home. I learned to extract as much flavor as possible from the bean, recycling used beans to make vanilla sugar and vanilla salt. 

When I opened the book Pure Vanilla, Irresistible Recipes and Essential Techniques by Shauna Sever, I thought I knew a fair amount about vanilla. As it turned out, I had a lot more to learn. In the information-packed Introduction, Sever covers topics like:

• how historically we came to know and use vanilla
  
• how the vanilla bean goes from orchid to extract
  
• the varieties (I didn't know that Uganda and India produce vanilla) and their characteristics
  
• the different forms in which it is used.
  

The chapter ends with a set of frequently asked questions covering topics from bean storage to vanilla extract intensity to growing your own vanilla.

Madagascar vanilla beans

The Madagascar vanilla beans in the photos, purchased from one of the resources listed at the end of the book, are quite flavorful. They are shorter than the ones I get in the bulk section of the local grocery store, so to make my version of vanilla ice cream, I used 3/4 of one bean instead of the usual half. I then scraped the seeds from the remaining piece and used them in the dish portrayed below. Did you know that the seeds are called vanilla caviar (caviale)?

The marvel of vanilla beans is that besides being deeply flavorful, they provide flavor in all their components. In fact, "it's the pod that carries most of the dreamy flavor and fragrance" (page 16).

After devouring the Introduction, I started to look at the recipes. The very first one, Vanilla Bean Bread Pudding (budino di pane), looked perfect. I am not able to share the recipe on the blog, but you can see a photo below. Suffice it to say that it is a great use for my homemade challah. I make a few adjustments to the recipe (I use the present tense, because I have made it already several times). In particular, since challah is already a bit sweet, I use only a small amount of sugar (zucchero), sprinkled on the top. While the recipe makes a large pudding, it is easy to halve it (which is what I do).

a very nice breakfast

Reading Pure Vanilla made me finally try to make vanilla extract (estratto di vaniglia), something I had in my to-do list for some time. The most difficult part of the process was to choose the vodka in which to steep the vanilla beans. I had no idea I would face shelf after shelf of vodka bottles at the store. I chose one that had a nice bottle and no added flavor.

Homemade Vanilla Extract
(reproduced with permission; from page 87, partial reproduction)

And it couldn’t be simpler. All you need is a clean jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid, whole vanilla beans, and a clear neutral-tasting liquor (vodka is my top choice). For an 8-ounce jar, 2 split beans should do, but you can add more if you like. Let the sealed jar sit in a cool, dark place for about 2 months before using. I also add scraped seedpods to the extract jar after I’ve used them in recipes, unless they land in my container of Vanilla Sugar first. As you use the extract, top off the jar with more of the same type of liquor for a nearly never-ending supply.

You can also combine several different varieties of vanilla in one batch of extract, creating your own special blends.

My little jar with vanilla beans steeped in vodka is currently in retirement in a cool, dark place and I won't disturb it for a little longer. Then I'll eagerly try the result and let you know.

Vanilla lovers will find a lot to inspire them to use the "dreamy" spice in its various forms in breakfast dishes, cakes, cookies, candies, custards and drinks. You can get a sense of the recipes covered in the book on this page. By clicking on the link View Interior Spread, you can see the first 15 pages of the book and, in particular, one of my favorite photos, on page 3; the photography is by Leigh Beisch. And on this page, there are four recipes you can try. The recipe cards, though not exact copies of the relevant pages, give an idea of the graphic look of the book, modern and pleasantly elegant. (I particularly like the font chosen for the title of the recipes.)

The book includes instructions on how to prepare vanilla sugar and vanilla fleur de sel, which have been in my kitchen for years. If they are not in yours, I recommend you invite them in.

This is my contribution to edition #367 of Weekend Herb Blogging, an event started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, now organized by Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once and hosted this week by Marta of Mangiare è un po' come viaggiare.

This post contains the roundup of the event.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

vaniglia pura

or launch the vaniglia pura audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

FTC disclosure: I have requested a review copy of the book mentioned in this post from the publisher and received it free of charge. I have not and will not receive any monetary compensation for discussing the book on my blog. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

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vanilla bean, vanilla extract

Per i lettori italiani

baccelli di vaniglia del Madagascar

Non avevo mai visto un baccello di vaniglia prima di trasferirmi in California e imparare a fare il gelato alla vaniglia a casa. Ho imparato che i baccelli usati sono ancora ricchi di sapore e possono essere riciclati per aromatizzare zucchero e sale.

Quando ho aperto il libro Pure Vanilla, Irresistible Recipes and Essential Techniques di Shauna Sever, pensavo di conoscere abbastanza la vaniglia. Ho scoperto di avere molto da imparare. Nell'Introduzione, ricca di informazioni, Sever parla della storia dell'uso della vaniglia, di come si va dalla pianta all'estratto, delle diverse varietà (non sapevo che la vaniglia venisse prodotta anche in Uganda e India) e loro caratteristiche, e delle diverse forme in cui viene usata. Il capitolo si conclude con delle domande frequenti riguardanti argomenti come la conservazione, la potenza dell'estratto e come coltivare la propria pianta di vaniglia.

baccelli di vaniglia del Madagascar

I baccelli di vaniglia del Madagascar delle foto, che ho comprato presso uno dei fornitori citati nelle risorse in fondo al libro, hanno un aroma intenso. Sono più corti di quelli che compro sfusi nel negozio dove faccio la spesa e quindi per per preparare il mio gelato alla vaniglia, ho usato 3/4 di un baccello invece di metà. Poi ho grattato via i semi dal pezzetto rimasto e li ho usati nella ricetta ritratta qui sotto. Lo sapete che i semi contenuti nel baccello vengono chiamati caviale di vaniglia?

La caratteristica meravigliosa della vaniglia è che fornisce il suo caratteristico intenso aroma in tutte le sue componenti. Infatti, la parte più aromatica è il baccello (piuttosto che i semini).

Dopo aver divorato l'Introduzione, ho cominciato a guardare le ricette. La prima, budino di pane alla vaniglia, mi è sembrata perfetta. Non sono in grado di condividere la ricetta sul blog, quindi dovete accontentarvi della foto e delle mie parole. Lo preparo con la mia challah fatta in casa e faccio alcuni aggiustamenti alla ricetta, in particolare, dal momento che la challah è un po' dolce, uso solo un po' di zucchero cosparso sulla superficie (ho usato il tempo presente dal momento che budino l'ho preparato diverse volte). La ricetta è per un budino piuttosto grande, ma è facile da dimezzare (che è quello che faccio io).

un'ottima colazione

Leggere Pure Vanilla mi ha fatto finalmente decidere a fare l'estratto di vaniglia, una cosa che avevo in mente da tempo. La parte più difficile è stata scegliere la vodka nella quale immergere i baccelli. Non mi aspettavo di trovarmi davanti a tanti ripiani pieni di bottiglie di vodka quando sono entrata nel negozio. Ne ho scelta una che mi piaceva per la forma e che contiene vodka senza aromi aggiunti.

Estratto di vaniglia
(riproduzione parziale di pagina 87 con permesso dell'editore; traduzione mia)

E non potrebbe essere più facile. Avete bisogno solo di un vasetto o bottiglia puliti e con un coperchio che chiude bene, e un liquore dal sapore neutro (la vodka è quello che preferisco). Per un vasetto da 240 ml dovrebbero bastare due baccelli tagliati a metà per il lungo, ma se volete potete usarne di più. Fate riposare il vasetto chiuso ermeticamente in un luogo fresco e buio per circa due mesi prima di usare l'estratto. Io aggiungo anche i baccelli dai quali ho rimosso i semi per utilizzarli in qualche ricetta, a meno che non finiscano nel contenitore dello zucchero aromatizzato alla vaniglia. Man mano che usate l'estratto, aggiungete al vasetto lo stesso tipo di liquore, in modo da creare una fornitura quasi infinita.

Potete anche combinare diverse varietà di vaniglia e creare in questo modo il vostro estratto personale.

Il mio vasetto con vodka e baccelli di vaniglia in questo momento si trova in ritiro in un luogo fresco e buio e non lo disturberò ancora per un po'. Poi proverò il risultato e vi farò sapere.

Gli amanti della vaniglia troveranno ampia ispirazione per utilizzare la spezia "da sogno" nelle sue varie forme in piatti per la colazione, torte, pasticcini, dolciumi, creme e bevande. La pagina web del libro (in inglese) è qui. Se cliccate su View Interior Spread, potete vedere le foto delle prime 15 pagine del libro e, in particolare, una delle mie foto preferite, a pagina 3; le foto sono di Leigh Beisch. E su questa pagina trovate quattro ricette da provare (sempre in inglese). Le ricette non sono copie esatte delle pagine rilevanti ma danno un'idea della veste grafica del libro, moderna ed piacevolmente elegante. (Tra le altre cose, mi piace molto il carattere tipografico del titolo delle ricette.)

Questo post è il mio contributo all'edizione numero 368 di Weekend Herb Blogging, un evento creato da Kalyn di Kalyn's Kitchen, organizzato ora da Haalo di Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once, la cui versione italiana è organizzata da Brii di briggishome, e ospitata questa settimana da Martissima di Mangiare è un po' come viaggiare.

Questo post contiene il raccolto dell'evento.

Dichiarazione per l'FTC: ho richiesto alla casa editrice una copia del libro citato e l'ho ricevuta gratuitamente. Non ho ricevuto e non riceverò alcun compenso monetario per parlare del libro nel mio blog. Le opinioni espresse sono le mie.

Weekend Herb Blogging #367: il riepilogo / the roundup

[cliccare il link per andare direttamente al raccolto della edizione italiana di WHB]

As the host of last week's edition of WHB, I am pleased to present an interesting set of posts submitted by bloggers from various countries. For each contribution, I will give you the official information (author, blog name and post title) and a short quote or brief description that summarizes it, a teaser that invites you to follow the link to read the relevant post. Follow me: it will be an interesting tour.

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Barbara of My Italian Smörgåsbord presents Ligurian-style Tri-layered Vegetable Meatloaf
A layer each of carrots, celery root and green beans make for "a little scenographic effect." A relatively simple dish to assemble: just allow a little extra time for the cooking.

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Janet of The Taste Space prepared Confetti Veggie Salad with Mustard Curry Dressing
"This kind of salad is perfect with hard crunchy veggies. Like the veggies leftover from platters. Cauliflower and broccoli always seem to linger behind. Save the veggies!"

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Johanna of Green Gourmet Giraffe offers us Caramel Banana Cake
"I loved how it was so soft and full of flavour that it didn't need any embellishments. Perfect for work snacks or a little sweet something late at night. Great for sharing."

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Cristina of La cucina di Cristina prepared Italian dandelion and borlotti bean soup
A great idea for a weekday soup that fetures tasty borlotti beans, chicory and vegetables we usually have in the crisper.

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Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once made Breakfast Crumble
"I've oven roasted the peaches in a light sugar syrup that has been spiked with slices of lemon. I've used lemon rather than spices... as I find this a much fresher flavour, perfect to start the day."

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Cinzia of Cindystar prepared Boerenkool met worst - Potato, cabbage and sausage
"a traditional Dutch dish made with mashed potatoes and vegetables (only one or several vegetables together, in this case Boerenkool is a kind of cabbage, literally cabbage of the farmer)."

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Brii of Briggishome prepared Sweet millet cake
"I love walking, even with bad weather like today. It has been raining all day... But then around 2 pm, it stopped (or almost) so I decided to go for a walk... It was so peaceful, so relaxing, so joyful."

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Simona of briciole (your host for this week) prepared Brussels Sprouts with Avocado
"The dish highlights the flavor of Brussels sprouts — sweetened by oven-roasting — via the creamy texture of avocado. The lemon juice adds a brightening trill."

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A heartfelt Thank you! to all who contributed to the event. Marta from Mangiare è un po' come viaggiare is currently accepting submissions for this week's edition of Weekend Herb Blogging. You can always look ahead to who's hosting on this page. And if you are new to the event or need a reminder, the rules for participating are detailed on this page.

A final thank you to Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once, who organizes the event started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen. It gives me special pleasure to be part of an established tradition that links so many food bloggers around the world.

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Per i lettori italiani

Come ospite dell'edizione di Weekend Herb Blogging della scorsa settimana, ho l'onore di presentare dei bellissimi post. Per ognuno, specifico i dati ufficiali (autore, nome del blog e titolo del post) e poi aggiungo una citazione o breve descrizione che riassume il post, un assaggino che vi invita a seguire il link per andare a mangiare leggere il resto.

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Barbara di My Italian Smörgåsbord presenta Polpettone di fagiolini tricolore
"Un delizioso polpettone vegetale, in cui fagiolini, sedano rapa, e carote da contorno diventano piatto principale."

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Marta di Mangiare è un po'come viaggiare ci offre Biscotti rustici ai fiocchi d'avena e sciroppo d'acero (vegan) — "Sono sempre attenta alle ricette biscottose che trovo sulle riviste piuttosto che sui miei volumi..." Questa è una ricetta "fotografata."

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Graziana di Erbe in cucina presenta Avocado e crescione in carrozza
"Al posto della mozzarella ho usato il più saporito Camembert, accoppiato al gusto morbido dell'avocado, con il pungente crescione a fare da contrasto."

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Cristina di La cucina di Cristina ha preparato Zuppa di cicoria e fagioli
Ottima idea per una zuppa con fagioli borlotti, catalogna e verdure che di solito abbiamo sotto mano.

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Cinzia di Cindystar ci offre Boerenkool met worst - Salsiccia, patate e verza
"Piatto tradizionale della cucina olandese a base di patate schiacciate e verdure (un solo tipo di verdura o più tipi insieme, in questo caso boerenkool è una specie di verza).

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Brii di Briggishome ha preparato Dolce di miglio con uvetta e cranberries
"6 km sotto la pioggia che da forte è diventata debole fino a smettere del tutto. L’aria profumava di sottobosco, di fresco, di frizzante. Era bellissimo, riposante, pacifico."

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Simona di briciole presenta Cavolini di Bruxelles con Avocado
"Attraverso la cremosità dell'avocado, il piatto mette in risalto il sapore dei cavolini di Bruxelles addolciti dalla cottura al forno. Il succo di limone aggiunge una nota brillante."

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Grazie di cuore a tutti coloro che hanno contribuito all'evento. Questa settimana l'ospite di WHB è Marta di Mangiare è un po' come viaggiare. Se volete saperne di più sull'evento potere andare su questa pagina. Qui invece trovate chi ospita e le raccolte delle edizioni passate.

Un ringraziamento finale ad Haalo di Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once, che organizza la versione "madre" dell'evento creato da Kalyn di Kalyn's Kitchen e a Brii di briggishome che organizza la versione italiana. È bello far parte di una tradizione che unisce da tanto tempo food bloggers in tutto il mondo.

making garganelli

the tools of the trade

A preview of my upcoming post for the series "adventures in handmade pasta." The tools I am using are a gnocchi board and a piece of wooden dowel. In a few days this post, you'll learn how the square of dough sandwiched between them turns into a garganello. Note: the dowel size (i.e., diameter) I ended up choosing after various tests is smaller than the one in the photo above. Please, refer to the post for the details (and a video).

This is my contribution to edition #67 of Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar, and hosted this week by Jehanne of The Cooking Doctor.

The photo was shot in color and then converted to black and white (using Lightroom preset B&W Look 1).

This post contains the gallery of images contributed to the event.

On this page, you can find out who is hosting the current and future editions of the event.

cavolini di Bruxelles con avocado / Brussels sprouts with avocado

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano]

a simple side dish that tastes great

I have made this side dish a dozen times recently. As I explained in a recent post, I have been harvesting Brussels sprouts as part of my U-pick CSA share, and those, together with Zutano avocados acquired at our local farmers' market, inspired me to devise this simple, flavorful contorno (side dish). 

The dish highlights the flavor of Brussels sprouts — sweetened by oven-roasting — via the creamy texture of avocado. The lemon juice adds a brightening trill.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Brussels sprouts with avocado

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Brussels sprouts
• Olive oil
• A medium avocado 
  
• Sea salt
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice (succo di limone), possibly from a Meyer lemon

How to roast the Brussels sprouts
Preheat oven to 350 F. Rinse and trim the sprouts as needed: cut off the hard end of the stem (1/16 - 1/8 inch / 2-3 mm), then remove any wilted leaves. Cut the smaller sprouts in half and quarter the larger ones. Place in a bowl and sprinkle a bit of olive oil on them. Stir well then spread in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. Turn the halved sprouts cut side down and the quartered ones to have one of the cut sides down. Bake until tender. After 20 minutes, stir the sprouts (keeping them still in one layer) and gauge the time remaining to complete cooking. They should be nice and tender, with a hint of browning of the lighter parts.

How to finish the dish
While the Brussels sprouts are in the oven, dice the avocado pulp and place in a food processor fitted with the steel blade or a blender, add a pinch of salt and a bit of lemon juice (I prefer the more delicate flavor of Meyer lemon here) and process briefly. Empty into a serving bowl. Alternatively, dice the avocado pulp and place in a serving bowl, add the other two ingredients, and mash it with a fork (this is what I did the evening I took the photo above).

When the Brussels sprouts are ready, place them into the bowl (insalatiera) with the mashed avocado and toss well. Adjust the salt and serve warm.

In our household, these quantities serve two and there are no leftovers (avanzi).

after sunset

The evening I photographed the bowl of roasted Brussels sprouts above, the sky looked thus.

This is my contribution to edition #367 of Weekend Herb Blogging, an event started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, now organized by Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once and hosted this week by Simona of briciole (that would be me).

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

cavolini di Bruxelles con avocado

or launch the cavolini di Bruxelles con avocado audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

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Brussels sprout, avocado, side dish

Per i lettori italiani

un contorno semplice e gustoso

Questo contorno l'ho preparato una dozzina di volte nelle ultime settimane. Come ho spiegato in un post recente, raccolgo cavolini di Bruxelles in un'azienda agricola locale e questi, insieme agli avocado di varietà Zutano che trovo al farmers' market, mi hanno ispirato a creare un contorno semplice e dal sapore piacevole. 

Attraverso la cremosità dell'avocado, il piatto mette in risalto il sapore dei cavolini di Bruxelles addolciti dalla cottura al forno. Il succo di limone aggiunge una nota brillante.

Ingredienti:

• 450 g cavolini di Bruxelles
• olio d'oliva
• un avocado medio
• sale fino
• succo di limone fresco, possibilmente di limone Meyer

Cuocere i cavolini di Bruxelles
Scaldare il forno a 180 C. Lavare e mondare i cavolini: tagliare la parte dura del gambo (2-3 mm) e rimuovere le foglioline avvizzite, se ce ne sono. Tagliare a metà i cavolini più piccoli e in quarti quelli più grossi. Metterli tutti in un'insalatiera e spruzzarci sopra un po' d'olio. Mescolare bene, poi distribuirli in un solo strato sopra una placca da forno foderata con un tappetino di silicone per forno. Girare le metà in modo che la parte tagliata sia sotto e i quarti in modo che poggino su una delle parti tagliate. Cuocere in forno fino a quando siano teneri. Dopo 20 minuti, mescolare i cavolini mantenendoli su un solo strato e stimare il tempo che rimane per completare la cottura. Al termine devono essere teneri e un po' abbronzati nelle parti chiare.

Completare la preparazione
Mentre i cavolini sono nel forno, tagliare a dadini la polpa dell'avocado e frullarla brevemente insieme ad un pizzico di sale e del succo di limone (io preferisco il sapore delicato del limone Meyer). Versare in un'insalatiera. In alternativa, tagliare a dadini la polpa dell'avocado e metterla in un'insalatiera. Aggiungere gli altri due ingredienti e schiacciarla cin una forchetta (ho fatto così la sera che ho scattato la foto in alto).

Quando i cavolini sono pronti, metterli nell'insalatiera con l'avocado e mescolare bene. Regolare il sale e servire caldi.

A casa nostra questo piatto serve due persone e non ci sono mai avanzi.

dopo il tramonto

La sera che ho fotografato il piatto di cavolini di Bruxelles, il cielo si presentava così.

Questo post è il mio contributo all'edizione numero 367 di Weekend Herb Blogging, un evento creato da Kalyn di Kalyn's Kitchen, organizzato ora da Haalo di Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once, la cui versione italiana è organizzata da Brii di briggishome, e ospitata questa settimana da Simona di briciole (che sono io).

Amargosa Hotel

signs and black chair

For some reason, the Amargosa Hotel sign (as already narrated in a previous post) was on the ground to the left of the main entrance.

Update (March 31, 2013): Yesterday, I was honored by a visit from the artist who is working on painting the signs. In a comment, she provides the following information on her work:

The reason that the hotel sign is sitting on the ground is because I painted it for them. It is a recreation of the original hotel sign that was on the front of the building when it was new in the 1920's. I recreated it on the sign in your photograph and one day it, along with the other signs you see sitting there with it, hopefully will be hung. It will go over the front entrance where the smaller, older sign is currently hung.

The view to the right

Tables and chairs are quite inviting, but the cold early January temperature made sitting outside a bit challenging. Still, I can imagine sitting at one of the tables with a nice tray holding a Viennese coffee melange, like the one I just saw on Merisi's Vienna for Beginners recent post.

Inside the hotel, the dining room was quiet. The silence and low light added to the atmosphere of mysteriousness of the place. There are murals in this and other rooms.

table for two

A favorite corner of the hotel. Still dreaming of Viennese coffee melange.

The second and fourth photo are my contribution to edition #66 of Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar, and hosted this week by Lynne of Cafe Lynnylu.

The photos were shot in color and then converted to sepia the first three (using Lightroom preset Sepia Tone) and to black and white the last one (using Lightroom preset B&W Look 5).

This post contains the gallery of images contributed to the event.

On this page, you can find out who is hosting the current and future editions of the event.

annuncio / announcement: Weekend Herb Blogging #367

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano]

This week I have once again the honor of hosting Weekend Herb Blogging, an event started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, and now organized by Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once.

I hope you'll join this illustrious event that week after week brings together food bloggers from around the world. The rules for participating are detailed on this page. You can download the logo to add to your post.

I will be delighted to receive your contribution to the event at simosite AT mac DOT com. Please, specify WHB #367 in the title of the message.

In your email please include the following information:

• Your Name
• Your Blog Name/URL
• Your Post URL
• Attach a photo (maximum width 400px)

Sometimes messages get lost in cyberspace, so if you don't receive an acknowledgment of your email or a comment on your post, please contact me again by leaving a comment on this post.

The deadline for submitting your contribution is Sunday, January 20 at 2 pm PST (5 pm EST).

I will publish a roundup of the event on Monday, January 21. Ready? Go!

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whb

Per i lettori italiani

Questa settimana ho l'onore di ospitare Weekend Herb Blogging, evento creato da Kalyn di Kalyn's Kitchen, organizzato da Haalo di Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once e la cui versione italiana è organizzata da Brii di briggishome.

Spero che decidiate di partecipare a questo evento illustre che ogni settimana raduna food bloggers da tutto il mondo e che ha la sua versione tutta italiana grazie alla superenergetica Brii. Le regole per partecipare all'evento le trovate su questa pagina. Se volete, potete scaricare e utilizzare nel vostro post il logo.

Sarò felice di ricevere il vostro contributo all'evento all'indirizzo simosite AT mac DOT com. Per favore, specificate WHB #367 nel titolo del messaggio.

Nel messaggio, includete le seguenti informazioni:

• Nome
• Nome e URL del blog
• URL del post
• foto allegata (larghezza massima 400px)

Può succedere che un messaggio si perda nel ciberspazio, quindi se non ricevete una risposta alla vostra email o un mio commento sul vostro post, per favore contattatemi di nuovo lasciando un commento su questo post.

La scadenza per mandarmi il vostro contributo è domenica 20 Gennaio alle 22 ora italiana.

Pubblicherò il riepilogo dell'evento lunedì 21 Gennaio. Tenete conto che vivo in California e quindi sono 9 ore indietro rispetto all'Italia. A seconda dell'ora di pubblicazione, per voi potrebbe essere già martedì 22 Gennaio.

cavolini di Bruxelles e castagne / Brussels sprouts and chestnuts

[cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano]

What a couple!

Have you ever noticed how pretty a Brussels sprout is? Each one is a miniature cabbage. I have been handling many recently and I still marvel at their perfection.

Brussels sprouts are easy and fun to pick. The photo above shows a field and the one below a stalk bearing some sprouts. I took the photos during one of my Brussels sprout picking expeditions to Redwood Roots Farm. The expeditions are part of my winter U-pick CSA share with the farm. The idea is that, instead of receving a box with my share, I go out to the farm and pick what I want among what's available.

The recipe I am about to describe was inspired by a Dutch dish. The immediate reason for my foray into Dutch cuisine is the first installment of the European Community Culinary ABC, which started this week in the Netherlands (Paesi Bassi).

I have a special connection to that country and to Amsterdam in particular: it is there that my husband and I first met. Although I have been to the Netherlands a few times, my knowledge of Dutch cuisine is nil. So, to prepare my contribution to the event, I browsed the web and quickly found an intriguing recipe that uses two ingredients I like, Brussels sprouts and chestnuts: Spruitjes met kastanjes.

chestnuts at the farmers' market

Chestnut season is over, but I still have some local chestnuts I bought at our farmers' market and gladly used them in this dish. (I previously featured chestnuts in a soup: zuppa di castagne, fagioli e patate.) I halved the quantities and made several other adjustments to the original recipe. In particular, I cooked the Brussels sprouts is in the oven, because that is how I prefer to prepare them, used olive oil instead of butter and added some the water in which the raisins had been soaked to round off the dish.

Print-friendly version of briciole's recipe for Brussels sprouts and chestnuts

Ingredients:

• 250 g /  9 oz. chestnuts
• 500 g / 1 lb. 2 oz. Brussels sprouts
• A small bay leaf
• Olive oil
• 40 g / 1/3 cup / 1 1/2 oz. raisins (uvetta)
• Ground nutmeg (noce moscata)
• Sea salt

How to cook the chestnuts
Place chestnuts in a saucepan, cover abundantly with water and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil and cook gently until they are tender. Keep the chestnuts in the cooking water and take out one at a time to peel. Use a sharp knife with a pointed blade to remove the shell, then the skin. Set aside. (If a chestnut breaks, while being handled, it is fine.)

Note: the original recipe describes how to single out "bad" chestnuts to be discarded and also instructs to cut a cross into the ‘flat’ end of the "good" chestnuts. I didn't follow either instructions. Nor did I rinsed the cooked chestnuts in cold water, but followed my tried-and-true method of keeping them in the hot cooking water and take out one at a time to peel.

How to roast the Brussels sprouts
Preheat oven to 350 F. Rinse and trim the sprouts as needed: cut off the hard end of the stem (about 1/8 inch / 3 mm), then remove any wilted leaves. Cut the smaller sprouts in half and quarter the larger ones. Place in a bowl and sprinkle a bit of olive oil on them. Stir well then spread in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. Turn the halved sprouts cut side down and the quartered ones to have one of the cut sides down. Bake until tender. After 20 minutes, stir the sprouts (keeping them still in one layer) and gauge the time remaining to complete cooking. They should be nice and tender, with a hint of browning of the lighter parts.

How to finish the dish
While the Brussels sprouts are in the oven, place the raisins in a small bowl and add warm water to just cover them. When the Brussels sprouts are ready, place them in a bowl, add the chestnuts and the raisins, drained, plus a couple of tablespoons of their water. Sprinkle a dash of nutmeg and salt to taste, then dress with half a tablespoon of olive oil. Toss well and serve warm.

I don't know what would happen in a different household, but in ours, this dish served two with not a sprout leaf or chestnut crumb left over.

This is my contribution to the first installment of the Abbecedario culinario della Comunità Europea (European Community Culinary ABC), an event organized by Trattoria MuVarA that will bring us to visit 26 countries of the EU (all except Italy) using the alphabet as guide. A like Appeltaart (Netherlands) is hosted by Mony of Gata da plar.

On this page you can see the recipe of Appeltaart and the list of dishes contributed to the event.

If you are interested in participating, this post has the complete list of countries, hosts and time frames.

Click on the button to hear me pronounce the Italian words mentioned in the post:

cavolini di Bruxelles e castagne

or launch the cavolini di Bruxelles e castagne audio file [mp3].

[Depending on your set-up, the audio file will be played within the browser or by your mp3 player application. Please, contact me if you encounter any problems.]

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Brussels sprout, chestnut, Dutch recipe

Per i lettori italiani

Che bella coppia!

Avete mai notato quanto sono carini i cavolini di Bruxelles? Ognuno è un cavolo in miniatura. Di recente ne ho presi in mano parecchi e continuo a meravigliarmi della loro perfezione.

 

I cavolini di Bruxelle dono divertenti da raccogliere. La foto qui sopra mostra delle piante e quella qui sotto dei cavolini ancora sulla pianta. Le ho scattate durante una delle mie spedizioni a Redwood Roots Farm: invece di ricevere la cassettina, vado nell'azienda e raccolgo quello che preferisco.

L'ispirazione per la ricetta che sto per descrivere mi è stata data da un piatto olandese adocchiato per il mio contributo alla prima tappa dell'Abbecedario Culinario della Comunità Europea, cominciato questa settimana con una visita ai Paesi Bassi.

Ho un legame speciale con quel paese e in particolare con Amsterdam, dove io e mio marito ci siamo conosciuti. Anche se sono stata nei Paesi Bassi alcune volte, la mia conoscenza della cucina olandese è nulla. Quindi, per preparare il mio contributo all'evento, ho consultato internet e ho subito trovato una ricetta interessante che utilizza cavolini di Bruxelles e castagne, due ingredienti che mi piacciono molto: Spruitjes met kastanjes.

castagne al mercato

La stagione delle castagne è terminata, ma io ne ho ancora un po', comprate al farmers' market, e le ho utilizzate volentieri in questo piatto. (In precedenza, le avevo usate nell'ottima zuppa di castagne, fagioli e patate.) Ho dimezzato le dosi della ricetta originale e apportato altre modifiche. In particolare, ho cotto i cavolini di Bruxelles al forno, che è il mio modo preferito di prepararli. Inoltre, ho usato olio d'oliva invece di burro e un po' dell'acqua nella quale ho fatto rinvenire l'uvetta per completare il piatto.

Ingredienti:

• 250 g castagne
• 500 g cavolini di Bruxelles
• una piccola foglia d'alloro
• olio d'oliva
• 40 g uvetta
• noce moscata grattugiata
• sale fino

Cuocere le castagne
Mettere le castagne in una pentola, coprire abbondantemente d'acqua e aggiungere l'alloro. Portare a bollore e cuocere a fuoco dolce fino a quando le castagne sono morbide. Tenere le castagne nell'acqua di cottura e tirarne fuori una alla volta per pelarla. Usare un coltello con la punta per rimuovere la buccia e la pellicina. Mettere da parte.

Nota: la ricetta originale descrive un metodo per distinguere le castagne cattive da scartare e fa tagliare una X sulla estremità piatta delle castagne buone. Io non ho seguito tali indicazioni. E non ho sciacquato le castagne cotte in acqua fredda, ma ho seguito il mio metodo solito di tenerle nell'acqua bollente di cottura e tirarne fuori una alla volta per pelarle.

Cuocere i cavolini di Bruxelles
Scaldare il forno a 180 C. Lavare e mondare i cavolini: tagliare la parte dura del gambo (2-3 mm) e rimuovere le foglioline avvizzite, se ce ne sono. Tagliare a metà i cavolini più piccoli e in quarti quelli più grossi. Metterli tutti in un'insalatiera e spruzzarci sopra un po' d'olio. Mescolare bene, poi distribuirli in un solo strato sopra una lastra da forno foderata con un tappetino di silicone per forno. Girare le metà in modo che la parte tagliata sia sotto e i quarti in modo che poggino su una delle parti tagliate. Cuocere in forno fino a quando siano teneri. Dopo 20 minuti, mescolare i cavolini mantenendoli su un solo strato e stimate il tempo che rimane per completare la cottura. Al termine devono essere teneri e un po' abbronzati nelle parti chiare.

Completare la preparazione
Mentre i cavolini sono nel forno, far rinvenire l'uvetta in una ciotolina con dell'acqua calda. Quando i cavolini sono pronti, metterli in un'insalatiera, aggiungere le castagne e l'uvetta scolata più 2 cucchiai dell'acqua in cui è stata a mollo. Spargere un pizzico di noce moscata e sale q.b., poi distribuire un filo d'olio (mezzo cucchiaio). Mescolare bene e servire caldo come contorno.

Non so quante persone questo piatto serve in un'altra famiglia, ma nella nostra questo piatto ha servito due persone e non sono avanzate né una foglia di cavoletto né una briciola di castagna.

Questo è il mio contributo alla prima tappa dell'Abbecedario culinario della Comunità Europea, un evento organizzato dalla Trattoria MuVarA che ci porterà a visitare i 26 paesi della Comunità Europea (eccetto l'Italia) usando le lettere dell'alfabeto come guida. A come Appeltaart (Paesi Bassi) è ospitato da Mony di Gata da plar.

Se questa pagina trovate la ricetta della Appeltaart e la lista dei post contribuiti all'evento.

Se siete interessati a partecipare, questo post contiene la lista completa di paesi, blog ospitanti e scadenze.

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Related articles

zuppa di castagne, fagioli e patate / chestnut, bean and potato soup