La Bietola

Fresh swiss chard, bietola fresca. Can't you just see the vitamins! (I've included my hand as a reference to show you the size of the leaf.) Now, I was never a fan of this vegetable until I discovered it could be cooked in olive oil with garlic and red pepper flakes. Actually, everything tastes good cooked that way.  Here's how: Cut a few of the largest, most mature leaves from each plant, or alternatively you can find swiss chard in the veggie section everywhere this time of year.  Clean them well but don't dry them!  Cut them into one inch slices including the white stalk. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil into a pan, along with some sliced fresh garlic and red pepper flakes. Place the cleaned chard on top, cover and simmer on low heat until the water evaporates, usually 15-20 minutes.  Remove the lid, add a little salt and pepper and it's ready to eat.  Or, do what I do and continue cooking the chard until it browns and crisps just a little. It's like eating candy, not your vegetables!

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Cherries for a Friend

Thanks to the February Freeze earlier this year, we have had many successes in our garden.  Plants that have never bloomed did so this year.  Last year our cherry tree produced lots of cherries but they were small and not very sweet.  This year, although we had terrible winds when there were blossoms on the tree and there were less cherries, the cherries that remained were big and sweet!  I took a bag to a friend but before I closed the bag I couldn't resist taking a picture for the archives.

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Asparagus Sformato

I considered titling this post "Sinful Sformato" because it's that delicious! A sformato is best described as a savory cheesecake without the graham crust. It's basically ricotta, egg and cheese to which you add whatever vegetable and herbs suit your fancy and the season. Very simple and very easy! I steamed my asparagus, but you could also saute any vegetable in olive oil. In a separate bowl lightly beat two eggs, add one cup of ricotta, a 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese, a pinch of nutmeg and salt and pepper. Mix in the lightly cooked, chopped vegetable and pour into a greased dish. Bake until golden and set (approximately 45-60 minutes). Let cool for 15 minutes before cutting.  And try not to eat the whole dish by yourself!

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Piggy Picking

It's once again that time of year for Amore's family to purchase two pigs to fatten and ...  um .... slaughter.  That's life in the countryside in Italy and pretty much most of rural Europe.  The pigs are well-fed and well-cared for and then they're made into pancetta, prosciutto, sausages, and assorted other delicious products.  

There was a particularly pretty piglet that I fell head over heels for but Amore said I wouldn't be able to part with (read: eat) this little darling when it was time.  He's right, look at those gorgeous eyes!

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Carciofi Grigliata

I am a grilling fool. One with a marked propensity or fondness for something, not a simpleton. Anyway, I love my grill pan and researched a bit about how to grill baby artichokes. Cut them in half and boil them in water along with rosemary and garlic cloves for about 5 minutes. Drain and brush them with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill them about 5 minutes a side. When they're done give them a squeeze of fresh lemon juice on the cut side and enjoy!

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Che Pizza!

Remember The Great Snowfall of 2012? Well, something really good came out of being snowed in, something really yummy good.  Since we weren't able to make it into town for our Saturday night pizza pick-up, Amore made us pizza.  And he's been doing it every Saturday night since!  Don't tell him, but I sort of miss the wood oven pizza from downtown.  But only sort of.  However, I must say it's great to be able to control the amount of toppings and their placement on the pizza.  Not that I'm a control freak or anything.  Here's a list of our favorites:

Sausage, Potato and Rosemary
Sausage, Onion and Cannellini Bean
Tuna and Onion
Four Cheese
Hotdog and Onion (Try it!)
Ham and Mushroom
Ham, Artichoke and Sliced Boiled Egg
Sausage, Mushroom and Onion
Sausage, Black Olive and Onion
Roast Veggies, Onions and Sausage
Fresh Arugula with Bresaula and Shaved Parmesan

If you need any details, please don't hesitate to ask.  That's what I'm here for.  In Italy.  Someone's gotta do it.
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My Friend Agata

I want to share this letter with you.  It's from my dear friend Agata who after living in Italy for a few years returned to Poland.  She's a lovely person, both inside and out.  It made me happy to read this.  I hope you enjoy it too and wish her well!

My dear Friends!!!  Into the forest when the spring is coming... after the rain... when the wind comes with the smell of my memory from years ago... remind you something... something what is hard to call.   Like childhood happiness and fascination of walking trough the dark woods even on rainy days when the musk is green and the steps make no noise on the watersoaked ground of brown needles.  I'm dreaming a lot with open eyes and they coming... they coming to me one by one....  some of  the dreams become memories. Not only pictures but also memories of feelings and sometimes of smell.

A lot of good rides, lay down on the border of the woods with a picnic in the sack, watch the clouds I feel really like in the past, when I am riding is coming this impression that I have 16 again... I spoke with Agata what I see looking at my country now... and you know what?  I start to believe that the forest smell like that only in Poland... is a smell of my childhood... and my  happy time here... is funny... because when Zorro is running through the forest I am proud to show him all this... and he is just a horse can not understand a difference... so I am happy but veeeeeery busy... no time now for drawings... I have a car and I love it... I will send you a picture... Is just made for me... first because is black... and second when you will see you will know why.... I had already offer from very important stable for a job but I will stay with my friends because I promised... and also because i wanna try and also because I feel happy with them... for a course is possible that will be very near to my town... if not I have to go to Warsow... I miss you and our time together... sometime is like a dream for me... but my life is like this... and my dreams are beautiful.  It is warm during the day, some flowers will grow.  I feel like at home riding through the woods as I did long time ago.  Did the circle close?

LOVE...Agata

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