Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle

Tasting notes

Intense ruby red, limpid and bright. Highly complex, distinguished nose, revealing the Syrah’s great finesse. Black fruits, sweet spices and, ultimately, finely woody. Full and generous, silky tannins and a very long finish.

98 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Last year, I giddily speculated whether the 2019 Hermitage La Chapelle would warrant a 100-point score. While close—and I wouldn't completely discount it reaching that pinnacle in another decade or two—I'm not sure this wine is as good as I thought. It boasts exciting aromas of roasted meat, mocha, crushed stone, plum and cassis on the nose. It's full-bodied, concentrated, richly tannic and velvety in texture. It's long and complex on the finish, adding hints of cracked pepper and salted licorice. And yet, as much as I enjoyed tasting it and as undeniably great it is, angels didn't sing from the heavens. Maybe next bottle. Best after 2025. Rating: 98+

97 Points Jeb Dunnuck

Showing even better than when I tasted it last year, the 2019 Hermitage La Chapelle is another ripe, powerful, sexy, and full-bodied example of this cuvée that brings classic La Chapelle gamey darker fruits as well as smoked meats, chocolate, sandalwood, and peppery spice. Full-bodied on the palate, it has good concentration, lots of ripeness, polished tannins, and a great, great finish. As with the 2018, it's opened up beautifully on the palate since I tasted it at the domaine and is a ripe, expansive, pure, beautiful Hermitage.

95 Points James Suckling

A big, rich wine with intense fruit, showing blackberry, black olive and black truffle character. Full-bodied and layered with chewy tannins that are soft and juicy. It’s a little warm on the finish. Yet, the decadence is so attractive and the phenolics keep it in line. This is very solid.

 

Amatriciana, Cacio e pepe, Carbonara, Gricia

Carbonara: anything but easy to make

The ingredients are few, but this does not mean that the recipe - whose origin is still debated - is simple to make. Mistakes are lurking: shredded eggs, thick sauce, burnt bacon and pepper. Then whether the pasta is long or short is just a matter of taste... Well prepared, it is a first course to enjoy.

One of the (pleasant) characteristics of traditional Roman cuisine was the ability to create delicious dishes, based on ingredients of rural and peasant origin. Just think of the role of meat: the saltimbocca and the famous lamb were destined for the feast day. For the rest, lots of vegetables, cheeses from the region or at most from Abruzzo and pasta. In this, Roman chefs have been exceptional because they have managed - over time, in some cases over centuries - to create a poker of great delicacy. Carbonara, amatriciana, cacio e pepe and gricia represent a "block" that is impossible to escape if you live in or pass through the capital. 

AMATRICIANA SAUCE RECIPE

Ingredients: The ingredients, referring to the preparation of 500 g of pasta, are: - 125 g of "Guanciale Amatriciano".; - a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil; - a dash of dry white wine; - 6 or 7 San Marzano tomatoes or 400 g of quality peeled tomatoes; - a piece of fresh or dried chili pepper (if necessary); - salt and pepper to taste. Method: Brown the "Guanciale Amatriciano" in a strictly iron pan, lightly browning in extra virgin olive oil, well cleansed from the rind and cut into long strips. Add the white wine and black pepper to taste, and possibly the chili pepper, and cook over low heat for a few minutes until the guanciale is lightly golden, taking great care that it does not brown too much, a fundamental rule for the success of the recipe. Remove the strips of guanciale from the pan, drain well and keep them aside, if possible, warm, thus avoiding the risk of them becoming too dry and salty. Add the sliced tomatoes and remove the seeds, having previously blanched them, or use 400 g of quality peeled tomatoes. 

For the Amatriciana Sauce recipe, as is the case with many traditional Italian recipes, everyone has their own trick and their own "familiar" and "official" recipe. But there is a "sum", the "perfect recipe". It is the one codified by the municipality of Amatrice, which has designated Amatriciana as a recipe with a Municipal Denomination and has drawn up a specification. It's the classic recipe, in two versions. The first is the "white" one, which we all actually know as "gricia", which is the original recipe, the one born with the shepherds of Amatrice who in the period of transhumance brought with them a few ingredients, easy to preserve, to prepare a meal: guanciale, aged pecorino cheese and flour. The second is the "red" one, born with the introduction of the tomato in the eighteenth century when the Neapolitans recognized the organoleptic qualities of the tomato and consequently, the Amatriciani (Amatrice at that time was part of the Kingdom of Naples), who added it to the traditional recipe.

Pasta alla gricia (pasta with guanciale) is one of the most famous dishes of Lazio cuisine, considered the ancestor of pasta amatriciana. As with the recipe for the amatriciana, in fact, it includes guanciale and Pecorino Romano cheese. The main difference lies in the tomato sauce, which is absent in pasta alla gricia because its origin even predates the importation of tomatoes into Europe. It is said that pasta alla gricia was invented by the shepherds of Lazio, who, with the few ingredients they had available, prepared this simple but equally tasty and substantial dish. You can choose to add a long type of pasta like bucatini, or a short one like rigatoni!

INGREDIENTS

Rigatoni  (320 g)

Guanciale (250 g) - (already peppered)

Pecorino Romano PDO cheese ½ cup (60 g) - to grate

Fine salt to taste

PREPARATION

To prepare pasta alla gricia, first place a pot full of water on the burner that will be used to cook the pasta. At this point take the guanciale and cut slices 1/2" (1 cm) 1 thick. Then separate any rind that may be present (you can keep it in the fridge and use it in other recipes, such as soups) and from the slices you get strips about 1/8" (half a cm) thick. Pour the guanciale into a pan already hot, without adding more fat. Let it sizzle on medium heat for about ten minutes until it is golden and crisp, taking care not to burn it. In the meantime the water will have come to a boil, salt and cook the pasta; while the pasta cooks, finely grate Pecorino cheese. When 2 minutes are left before the pasta is done, slow down the cooking of the guanciale by adding a ladle of cooking water. The cooking of the guanciale will stop and the starch released from the pasta will create a pleasant cream. Jiggle the pan a little bit to move the pieces of guanciale. At this point your pasta is done, add it directly to the sauce, preserving the cooking water. Stir for about 1 minute, shake the pan and stir. Then remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle with a third of grated Pecorino cheese and add a little more cooking water if necessary. Stir and toss the pasta again; you will notice that a tasty cream will have been created. You can then serve pasta alla gricia and garnish each plate with the remaining Pecorino cheese.

STORAGE

I recommend eating immediately. If you prefer, pasta alla gricia can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 day. Freezing is not recommended.

TIPS

Guanciale should be cooked in a hot pan over medium heat, checking occasionally to avoid burning it. If the guanciale you use is not already peppered on the outside, add grated black pepper to taste while cooking.

"Yes, life is a butt, here you stub well". This is one of the typical phrases that introduce menus in Roman trattorias or fraschette. But Carbonara and amatriciana, like spaghetti cacio e pepe, have now become symbolic dishes of Italian nature, made with PDO ingredients linked to the traditions of the territories in which they were born. 

INGREDIENTS

Spaghetti 320 g

Medium-aged Pecorino Romano , to be grated 200 g

Black peppercorns 5 g

PREPARATION

To prepare spaghetti cacio e pepe, first put a pot with water on the stove to cook the pasta: fill it with about half of the water you usually use, in this way it will be richer in starch. In the meantime, grate the Pecorino Romano and transfer almost all of it to a bowl, keeping a little aside for serving. When the water has come to a boil, add a moderate salt and dip the spaghetti. Meanwhile, crush the peppercorns with a meat mallet (or use a grinder leaving it rather slow so that you also have larger pieces of pepper). Pour the pepper into a large non-stick pan and toast it over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Deglaze with a couple of ladles of the pasta cooking water. Keep stirring over low heat. Drain the spaghetti 2-3 minutes before the time indicated on the package and transfer them to the pan, taking care to preserve the cooking water. Finish cooking the spaghetti in the pan, risotto, then add hot water as needed and stirring continuously with tongs. Wait until the bottom of the pan is almost dry before adding more water. You can prepare the Pecorino cream (do not start earlier because it would tend to congeal or be too cold compared to the temperature of the pasta): pour a ladle of hot cooking water into the bowl with the grated Pecorino cheese, then stir vigorously with a hand whisk. The consistency you will have to get is more pasty than creamy, don't worry if it will be very dry. If, once the cream is ready, the pasta is not ready for creaming, place the bowl briefly on the pot with the hot water, continuing to stir with the whisk, so as to have the cream at a temperature similar to that of the pasta. When the spaghetti is cooked, turn off the heat and add the Pecorino cream, stirring constantly with tongs. For the ideal creaminess, adjust by adding more Pecorino or a little cooking water as needed. Serve your spaghetti cacio e pepe sprinkled with the remaining grated Pecorino cheese and more freshly ground pepper to taste!

PRESERVATION

It is recommended to consume the spaghetti cacio e pepe immediately. Any form of storage is not recommended.

ADVICE

It is important that the pasta cooking water is rich in starch because it will help you obtain a creamy sauce without lumps. If you prefer to test your ability to make cacio e pepe, the advice is to make half a dose so that it is easier to manage the ingredients of the cream cheese. Lovers of short pasta can use mezze maniche or rigatoni instead of spaghetti! There is also a tasty version with pici, typical of Tuscany. A gem? If you want to slightly "degrease" the dish, you can grate a little lemon zest into the Pecorino cream: purists won't want it.

 

The pizza Margherita

Pizza is not bread. Anything that moves away from this basic concept is focaccia, aka decomposed Margherita: on one side the bread, on the other the filling. So I prefer bread, mozzarella and raw tomato:-) Obviously we are talking about Margherita even if in the last two years the imagination is running wild. But when I go to a pizzeria I always ask for a marinara, then a Margherita and then we talk about it! These are not the only good Margherita pizzas in Naples, but they are the ones that right now are the ones that I prefer among those that you can take home. The Neapolitan pizza without ifs and buts, the one that determined the cartwheel style and the tradition from which there is no departure. A safe reference for the whole neighborhood, effective and good. A traditional and effective pizza, with an immediate, reassuring impact. 

Naples is a thousand shades * of pizza! But, if you ask around, they’ll tell you that there’s just one original, the Margherita pizza, and that tomato, mozzarella, and basil are the only toppings there are. Every self-respecting pizza chef, or pizzaiolo, has their own recipe that they guard jealously, but I’d like to share the one that I’ve come up with. By following our instructions step by step, your homemade Margherita pizza will be just as good as one from a pizzeria! There are just a few secrets that you’ll soon discover: First of all, the ingredients must all be of the highest quality, the oven must be red-hot, and last, but not least, you must put all your love for cooking into the dough – it’s the only way to make the pizza really special!

INGREDIENTS

flour 1 ½ cup (200 g)

Water 1 ⅓ cup (300 ml) - at room temperature

Fine salt 1 ½ tsp (10 g)

Fresh brewer's yeast 1 ¼ tsp (4 g)

FOR THE TOPPING

Tomato puree 1 ¼ cup (300 g)

Mozzarella cheese 0.5 lbs (200 g)

Basil to taste

Extra virgin olive oil to taste

FOR ROLLING OUT THE PIZZAS

Re-milled durum wheat semolina to taste

PREPARATION

To make the pizza dough, we’ve chosen to knead by hand, but if you prefer to use a mixer or kneading machine, you can follow the same steps, using the dough hook at low medium speed. First of all, pour the two flours into a bowl, crumble the yeast into it, and pour in the water a little at a time. The ideal water temperature is 77°F (25°C). As you pour the water in, stir slowly using a wooden spoon, and once you’ve added nearly all the water, add the salt as well. Continue adding the water and begin to knead with your hands to combine the ingredients well. Finally, transfer the dough to a work surface and work it with your hands until it is smooth and even. At this point, leave it to rest on the work surface for around 10 minutes, covering it with a bowl. Once rested, give it a little fold: Imagine that the ball of dough is divided into 4 parts; take the end of each part, pull it out delicately, and fold it in toward the center. After making the 4 folds, shape the dough into a ball again by turning it over on itself. Transfer the ball of dough into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave it to rise. For your convenience, you can place the bowl in an oven that’s turned off but with the light on; that way, the inside will reach a temperature of 79-82°F (26-28°C), which is ideal for leavening. Otherwise, you can put the bowl in a warm place. The leavening times are approximate because the dough itself, temperature, and weather conditions all have an influence on the leavening: On average, it should take 6 hours for the dough to double its volume. After this leavening time has passed, the dough will be nice and puffed up, so transfer it to the work surface and divide it into three 9½-oz (365-g) pieces using a dough cutter. If needed, you can lightly flour the work surface. Next, take each portion of dough and lift up one end of it and bring it toward the center, like you did before in step 9. Repeat this process for the other 3 ends of the dough. Turn the dough over and carry on with the rounding: Rounding the dough means turning it around with your hands on the work surface, bringing it toward you and then moving it away repeatedly until you get a smooth, even ball. As you form these little balls, transfer them to a greased pizza dough container and cover with the lid. Let the balls of dough rise for another 30 minutes. In the meantime, place the pizza stone in the upper part of the oven. Turn the oven on and heat to 480°F (250°C) in conventional mode. Now, using a dough cutter, carefully lift the first ball out of the dough container. Transfer it to a work surface with plenty of semolina and also add some semolina to the surface of the dough. Press down in the middle of the ball using your fingertips. Keep doing this, with a rotating movement, so the dough gets stretched out. Be sure not to press the edges down, however, and continue pressing and rotating until you get an 11-inch (28-cm) disc. Transfer the dough to a pizza peel, taking care not to damage it. Now, using a spoon to help you, spread some tomato purée on the dough, leaving some room around the edge. Place the raw pizza in the oven by sliding it carefully onto the stone. Let it cook for around 6 minutes. In the meantime, cut the mozzarella into strips or pull it apart with your hands. You can squeeze it out gently so that it doesn’t release too much water when it gets cooked. After 6 minutes have passed, take the pizza out of the oven using the peel. Arrange the pieces of mozzarella on top and then put it back in the oven for another 6 minutes, approximately. Once it’s nice and golden, take it out of the oven, add the basil leaves, and a drizzle of oil if you like, and serve up your Margherita pizza. Finish the other two pizzas following the same steps and enjoy while still hot.

STORAGE

Once leavened, you can also freeze the pizza dough; in this case, it’s better to divide it into portions before freezing and store in a freezer bag. Later, all you’ll have to do is let the portion(s) you want to use defrost at room temperature, and then follow the steps in the recipe. If you like, you can also freeze the Margherita pizza once it’s partially cooked: Just cook it halfway, let it cool, and then freeze it covered with aluminum foil. When you’re ready to cook it, you can do so from frozen, at a slightly lower temperature.

INTERESTING FACTS

Created in Naples in 1889 in an inspired move by Neapolitan pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito, Margherita pizza was born out of a visit to the city by Queen Margherita, who was at that time reigning alongside King Umberto I. Esposito created three very different pizzas for the occasion, but the queen liked the one with mozzarella and tomato in particular, which from then on was known as the “Margherita” in her honor.

 

 

Bread and prosciutto🤩

Can you eat cold cuts and cured meats when trying to follow a healthy diet? This issue has always been a dilemma as it is often recommended to avoid them due to the high content of sodium, cholesterol and saturated fats, as well as additives and preservatives, which could have harmful effects on health. But is that really the case? Should they really be abolished? It is important to remember that a healthy and complete diet involves all foods in the right doses. There are no "good" or "bad" foods, nothing is forbidden if it is not consumed in excess, in fact all excesses are bad for you. Including this type of food does not hinder a weight loss path if you pay attention to the quantity, not exaggerated, but above all to the quality of the product, choosing lean, genuine cuts of safe origin. Prosciutto di San Daniele certainly falls into this category as it is made with only 3 ingredients: selected Italian pork legs, sea salt and the particular microclimate of San Daniele del Friuli. I'll tell you more about the origin of Prosciutto di San Daniele. It is a totally natural product, free of preservatives, nitrites and nitrates. Due to its high nutritional value and its easy digestibility, guaranteed by a maturation of no less than 13 months, this product is suitable for any diet. Being an excellent source of high-quality noble proteins, vitamins and minerals, it is in fact ideal for the diet of athletes, children, the elderly, but also for those with low calories.

Ingredients

4 slices of bread prosciutto

4 slices of 

1 clove of garlic

1 ripe tomato

olive oil to taste

salt to taste

Method

Toast the bread and, while still hot, rub it with the garlic clove and then with the tomato cut in half. Add salt, a drizzle of oil and finally the prosciutto.

 

Bowl of pasta

This is a great budget saving, delicious dinner, if you like greens. Like spinach, asparagus, and many other things. But I discovered this idea of greens was an over cooked mess! This was delicious and simple. If you have a little white wine I deglaze the pan with it before adding the pasta, just make sure to cook the wine down.

This is so delicious and easy to make, you can get it on your table in no time at all. It’s a little twist on regular broccoli and pasta because it uses broccolini. Broccolini is nothing like regular broccoli or broccoli rabe it has a much sweeter taste and when cooked it has a nice tender bite to it, and in this dish I love how the long thin stalks get intertwined with the pasta. You can use what ever long pasta you like but I happened to have a bag of curly spaghetti. I also used a nice fresh red chili instead of flakes, it’s really not that hot if you remove the seeds. The other important ingredient is homemade breadcrumbs, larger in size, filled with flavor that will give the finished dish a nice tasty crunch on top.

You boil your pasta first then at the last five minutes you throw your broccolini in with the pasta, scoop everything out and into a pan with olive oil, lemon zest, garlic and the chili and cheese, but don’t throw out all of the pasta water, that’s key to creating your creamy sauce! This would be a great dish to whip up quickly and serve to guests that might be dropping by during the holidays.

Ingredients

1 lb. long spaghetti, preferably curly

5 garlic cloves, chopped and 1 more for breadcrumbs

2 bunches of broccolini, trimmed

1 or 2 long red chili, deseeded and sliced thin

zest of 2 lemons

1 cup of grated Romano or parmesan cheese

olive oil

HOMEMADE BREADCRUMBS

bread cubes from a day old baguette, olive oil, 1 garlic clove smashed and fresh parsley.

Instructions

For breadcrumbs, take a small baguette or half of a large one, cut into ¼ inch chunks, drizzle and toss it into olive olive add a small smashed garlic clove and a handful of chopped parsley and place on a rimmed baking sheet in a 375 degree oven until golden and crunchy. Cook pasta in a large pot with salted water, cook according to directions on package adding the broccolini for the final 1 minute of cooking time. Meanwhile drizzle olive oil all over the bottom of a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the 5 chopped garlic cloves, chili and zest, stirring until fragrant, just a few minutes. I like to use a spider and scoop out the pasta and broccolini leaving the pasta water, but if you don't have a spider and want to drain the pasta and broccolini be sure to save at least two cups of the water. Toss it into the sauté pan mixing everything together, add the grated cheese, maybe some more olive oil, black pepper and little by little add some of the pasta water until it loosens up and creates a little sauce. You might not use all the water, just add it little by little. Place on a platter or individual bowls and top with your homemade breadcrumbs and adding more cheese if you wish.

 

First beans... crisp and tender 

Dear vegetable readers, this week I am dedicating myselv to a very summery and healthy product: in fact, I offer you the better known as green bean. It is an all-eating bean, because unlike other beans, such as borlotti beans or cannellini beans, of which only the seed is eaten, here we use the entire pod.

The dwarf bean is a hardy plant, easy to grow, with an early cycle, therefore fast. A beautiful plant with deep green leaves and white flowers are formed, from which long, thin and cordless pods will be born in about 50-55 days. The ideal cultivation takes place in the ground, in a fertile soil but not too sandy or clayey and with good sun exposure.

Beans should always be cooked. They are also perfect for drying or freezing. Beans are often used for salads, soups, side dishes, or stews. In the refrigerator they will only keep 2 to 3 days. However, they are the ideal vegetable to freeze and are part of the classic vegetables for processing. Fresh beans are in season in Switzerland from June to October. For the remaining months, they are available canned or frozen. There are numerous varieties: the best known are green beans and pinto beans. Green bean plants can reach up to three meters in height. Beans are native to South America.

2005 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve 

My tasting notes

Excellent bottle. Drank with a friend who knows wine. Everything in this bottle was seamlessly integrated. Smooth tannins, rich mouthfeel. Dark berries, cassis, leather, chocolate, tobacco. 

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Beringer’s 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve comes from the top selection from all their different holdings, with each vineyard aged separately for close to two years, then blended for quality. This blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc is a gorgeous example of the Private Reserve. Of course, it probably suffers from the fact that Beringer is part of a gigantic international conglomerate, but this is just a stunning wine – inky purple, with plenty of cassis, a hint of espresso, subtle background oak and forest notes. The color is opaque and the wine full-bodied and opulent, with sweet tannin and a multilayered mouthfeel. It has silky tannins, good freshness and uplifting acid, which should ensure a considerable longevity of 15-20 additional years. This is a stunner. Rating: 95+

Wine Spectator

Offers richness, concentration and depth while remaining elegant and supple, focusing on the ripe, spicy currant, mineral, herb and sage notes. Ends with a measure of finesse and polish, with the right mix of tannins.

No winery or vineyard more thoroughly embodies the timeless appeal and seductive flavor of Napa Valley than Beringer Vineyards, Napa's benchmark producer since the establishment of the vineyard in 1876.

Now in its third century of crafting classic wines from Napa's finest appellations and vineyards, Beringer today is guided by the inspired partnership of celebrated Wine master Emeritus Ed Sbragia and Winemaker Laurie Hook. Together, they craft Napa Valley wines that speak eloquently of the rich heritage of the Beringer Vineyard, while offering cutting-edge quality and contemporary elegance. The exquisite wines crafted at the Beringer Vineyards display a single minded dedication and pursuit of excellence instilled by its founder, Jacob Beringer.

ROAST TUNA BEEF WITH CAPONATINA 

The tasty fish marries sweet and sour vegetables for an appetizing and healthy main course. Sliced tuna with winter caponatina is a tasty second course that is very easy to prepare. In less than 40 minutes you can bring to the table a tasty and delicious dish suitable for important lunches and dinners. Even less experienced chefs, following my recipe, will be able to prepare a succulent cut of tuna for their diners, which we have enriched with a truly delicious winter vegetable caponatina. To prepare this dish, you need to buy a slice of really fresh tuna that can be recognized by its red color tending to brown and compact meat.

Ingredients

800 GRAMS TUNA FILLET

FENNEL SEEDS TO TASTE

SESAME SEEDS TO TASTE

2 SPRIGS ROSEMARY

1 RED ONION

SUGAR TO TASTE

4 ARTICHOKES

1 LEMON

8 CHERRY TOMATO

1 TBSP PINE NUTS

1 TBSP RAISINS / RAISINS / SULTANAS / DRIED GRAPES

1/2 CELERY RIB

12 TAGGIASCA OLIVES

2 TBSP WHITE VINEGAR

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL TO TASTE

SALT

PEPPERCORNS

How to prepare tuna roast beef with caponatina

 Prepare the ingredients. Soak the raisins for at least 10 minutes. Prepare a bowl with cold water and squeeze the lemon juice inside, then start cleaning the artichokes by removing the stem, the harder outer leaves and the tips of the leaves with thorns. Divide them in half to remove the inner beard, then cut them into wedges and, as you clean the artichokes, soak them in the acidulated water you have prepared. Remove the filaments from the celery, cut it into cubes and blanch it for a few moments in lightly salted boiling water, then drain it and set aside. Peel and chop the onion and finally cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Sauté the onion in a pan with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, add the well-drained artichokes, the cubes of seared celery, the cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, olives and the drained and well-squeezed raisins. Season with salt, stir and cook for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables with a generous teaspoon of sugar then wet them with vinegar and let them evaporate for a few minutes, until the smell of vinegar is no longer intense. Pepper, season with salt and remove the caponatina from the heat. Close 1 teaspoon of peppercorns and 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds in a piece of parchment paper and lightly crush them with a meat mallet and pour the mince into a plate. Add 1 tablespoon of rosemary needles, 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds, 2 pinches of salt and mix well with the spices. Take the tuna fillet and roll it over the aromatic mix to coat it on all sides.  Cook the tuna fillet. Heat a non-stick frying pan and sauté the tuna for a few moments on all sides. Then place it on the baking tray lined with baking paper and put it in a preheated oven at 180° for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, let the tuna roast beef rest covered for a few minutes. Compose the dish. Cut the tuna roast beef into thick slices and serve immediately accompanied by caponatina.

Orecchiette with broccoli cream and crispy Italian guanciale 

Pasta with broccoli and guanciale is a tasty and colorful first course, to be enjoyed on these winter days when broccoli is at the height of its seasonality and we can afford a few extra calories. Pasta with broccoli and guanciale is a simple dish but it gives great satisfaction; Personally, I really love pasta with broccoli, which I usually prepare in this lighter version, with a sauté of garlic, chili pepper and anchovies; But the other day I had some wonderful leftover guanciale from Amatriciana and I thought I'd use it to create a sort of gricia with broccoli. The result was a success: pasta with broccoli and crispy bacon is a hearty and tasty first course, which however is not excessively fatty on the palate and can be eaten with pleasure.

Ingredients

360 g of short pasta 

500 g green broccoli 

150 g of bacon

40 g of grated pecorino romano cheese

A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

A pinch of salt

Pepper to taste

Pasta cooking water to taste

Preparation

To prepare the pasta with broccoli and guanciale, start by cleaning the broccoli: Remove the leaves and also the lower part of the stem. Cut off the top of the stem and remove the outer bark, leaving only the white, tender and tasty part. Cut it into cubes. Gently separate the buds, cutting the larger stems in half lengthwise so that they cook faster. Place the buds in a colander and rinse thoroughly under running water. Cut the guanciale into slices about 3 mm thick, then remove the rind and cut it into strips. In the same pot where you will cook the pasta, boil the broccoli in boiling salted water for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan, then lower the guanciale. Sauté it over low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the fat has become transparent and the lean part is golden and crispy. If the guanciale was very greasy, remove some of the fat released into the pan. When the broccoli is tender, drain it with a slotted spoon and transfer it to the pan. Cook the pasta in the same pot. Cook the broccoli over medium heat for about 5 minutes, crushing them with a spoon to form a cream; Season with salt and pepper. If necessary, add a tablespoon or two of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta al dente and transfer it to the pan with the sauce, then stir it for a minute or two with a little cooking water and a handful of pecorino cheese. Serve the pasta with broccoli and crispy bacon immediately, sprinkled with a tablespoon of grated pecorino cheese.

Pappardelle with wild boar ragout 

Pappardelle with wild boar ragout is part of the culinary tradition of the Tuscan Maremma... Tasty and appetizing, they contain the authentic taste of the past. Compared to the classic Bolognese sauce, wild boar has a stronger and very particular note, thanks to its slightly wild flavor. After the long hours of cooking, this fine meat will be soft and it will be difficult to resist the scent of freshly made meat sauce! But what happens when pappardelle meets this amazing condiment? Their union gives life to one of the most succulent first courses of the Tuscan tradition. The rough and porous egg pastry absorbs the game sauce to release it with every taste! So what are you waiting for? Let yourself be enveloped by the aromas and rustic flavor of pappardelle with wild boar ragout.

INGREDIENTS

Egg pappardelle 250 g

Ground wild boar 500 g

Tomato puree 375 g

Red wine 50 g

Onions 50 g

Celery 40 g

Carrots 50 g

Extra virgin olive oil 15 g

Garlic 1 segment

Rosemary 1 sprig

Laurel 2 leaves

Fine salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

PREPARATION

To prepare the pappardelle with wild boar ragout, start by making the dressing. Trim and peel the carrot with a vegetable peeler, remove the outer filaments from the celery and peel both the garlic and the onion. Wash and finely chop everything, keeping the whole garlic aside. Pour the oil into a thick-bottomed pot and add the carrots, celery, and chopped onion. Add the garlic in large pieces (so you can remove it more easily at the end of cooking) and let it simmer for about ten minutes over low heat. Add the chopped wild boar, chopped rosemary and bay leaves. Turn up the heat slightly and let it brown for another 10 minutes, stirring with a spatula, so that the meat is cooked evenly. At this point, add the red wine and only when the alcohol has completely evaporated add the tomato puree. Salted, pepper and cook covered for about 3 and a half hours over low heat, then remove the lid and let the sauce dry for another 30 minutes. Cook your pappardelle in plenty of boiling water, salted to taste. In the meantime, transfer the sauce to a large pot, drain the pasta and pour it into the pan with the sauce, stir until everything is combined and serve your pappardelle with wild boar ragout while still hot.

PRESERVATION

Store the pappardelle with wild boar ragout in the refrigerator, closed in an airtight container, for a maximum of 1-2 days. If you have used all fresh ingredients, the sauce alone can be frozen.

ADVICE

Cook the sauce over low heat, and for a long time to ensure that all the flavors bind at their best.

Soppressata mushrooms and polenta 

Sopressata, polenta and mushrooms is a typical appetizer from the Veneto region. Preparing it is really simple!

Ingredients

mushrooms 400 gr

Sopressata 

Oil to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Garlic 1 clove

Yellow flour for polenta

Preparation

Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth and cut off the stems from the head (use only the leaves). Cut the mushrooms into strips and put them in a pan with three tablespoons of oil and a clove of minced garlic until they are cooked. Prepare the polenta by cooking the yellow flour in water and a little salt. Cut slices of sopressata. Arrange everything on a plate, perhaps even adding a few cubes of Asiago cheese and accompany with red wine.

Polenta and mushrooms, with cheese or sopressata, accompanied by a nice glass of red wine, is one of the great classics of Venetian cuisine, also excellent for these last days of winter. In this case, I chose the pairing with Franconia Le Rive. Wine experts think this Northern Italy Red wine would be a match made in heaven with this dish. Buon appetito!

Growing area

Veneto, Pradamano (Udine)

Grape varieties

100% Franconia

Character

The wine has several scents and is reminiscent of violets and sour cherries. It feels soft and velvety on the palate.

Maturation

After the harvest, the skins and must ferment for about 8 to 10 days at a controlled temperature of 28 degrees Celsius in 300 HL steel tanks. This method enables gentle fermentation without breaking the seeds and skins in order to obtain smooth wines. The wine is then refined in cement tanks for a few months.

Alcohol content

12.0% vol.

Drinking temperature

14 – 16 °C