The history of Corn and Sandwich

It is a cereal native to Central and South America, also called "corn" from the indigenous Haitian name, called "Turkish" because in the sixteenth century everything that had colonial or overseas origins was so called.

Hulled in water and lime, ground to be eaten in cooked buns (today's tortillas), it was mostly accompanied by legumes that made up for the completeness of the nutritional values with their contribution of niacin, an essential amino acid almost absent in corn, the lack of which causes pellagra.

The first explorers, such as Columbus who mistook it for bread, recognized it as a cereal, which promoted its early diffusion in various European regions (Seville, Catalonia and Galicia in Spain, Portugal, Veneto in Italy, Béarn in France) and its introduction into the Congo and along the Euphrates, China and the Indian Archipel.

"I, Messer Pietro Martire d'Anghiera, have received as a gift from Admiral Colombo some grains of a new type of grain, yellow or red, and arranged in admirable order on a corn on the cob."

This is a little story about maize, discovered by Columbus but introduced to Europe by the Spanish conquistador Cortés.

Researchers have shown that it was cultivated in Mexico as early as the fifth century B.C.

The Aztec and Mayan civilizations worshipped him as a deity who occupied a prominent position in their theological hierarchy. Corn spread in the West in the second half of the 500s, with particular precocity in the Veneto area, introduced into cultivation practices and the peasant diet, adopted to traditional cooking uses: "the peasants make polenta of this flour", wrote the doctor Castor Durante in those years. A use, that of obtaining flour from corn, adopted by our populations, but unknown to the American people who instead consumed it roasted or boiled, whole or in grains or kneaded, but not in the form of polenta. This cereal soon arrived in Naples, probably because it was a viceroyalty of Spain, to establish itself definitively in Italy in the 600s, especially thanks to its high productivity and resistance.

In the form of polenta and bread, preferred to the more expensive wheat, corn soon became the staple food in the peasant diet of northern Italy. There are scholars who presume the Neapolitan "polenta pasticciata" was born before the Biella "polenta", or at least at the same time as the Venetian "polenta pasticcio".

Corn, a grassy plant with a herbaceous stem, is born in summer at the apex of the stem (called plume), the structure that bears the male flowers. Along the stem, on the other hand, the female spike, called panicle, is formed. Normally, only one ear appears on the plant which, depending on the variety, bears yellow-orange grains of various shapes. There is vitreous corn (yellow flour), sweet corn (fresh consumption), burst corn (popcorn), and dress corn (ornamental). Oil, alcohol and sugars can also be extracted from corn.

Also very tasty is a sandwich made with Senatore Cappelli durum wheat semolina, lucanica, goat and sheep cacioricotta, DOP eggplant from Rotonda, extra virgin olive oil, radicchio and corn.

Apparently it is just a couple of slices of toasted bread stuffed in various ways, but in reality it is the basis for preparing, in a versatile and delicious way, many meals for every occasion, from breakfast to dinner: we are talking about toast, undoubtedly one of the most loved sandwiches ever, with a fascinating history and deeply rooted in the culinary traditions of different cultures. The history of this food originates in the fifteenth century, as a direct evolution of the practice of toasting breadand to preserve it longer and make it tastier, and even today toast is widespread in many variations all over the world.

LAZIO: THE BREAD OF LARIANO

Also in Lazio the production of bread is rich in offers. A very common loaf is that of Lariano with a well-browned crust, a whitish and very soft inner dough. It lasts up to 5 days, so it's the perfect choice for the family. I adapted the recipe from the one found on the net of that nice guy Osvy, if you happen to wander around on YouTube go and look for some of his videos because you will see, he explains things with extreme simplicity and they are really within everyone's reach. It takes a day to prepare this bread (well, to be honest, I did it with a temperature of 32 degrees in the kitchen). In summer you can start early in the morning before going to work and bake after dinner, considering that from the moment of kneading after 4 hours it is baked. All you have to do is calibrate the timing. 

Ingredients

2 Slices of Lariano bread (about 100 g)

50 g Coppa Piacentina 

10 g Red peppers

20 g Sweet Gorgonzola 

Salt

EVO oil

PREPARATION

Wrap a whole pepper in aluminum foil and bake it in the oven at 200 C degrees for 15 minutes; Once cooked, remove the skin and seeds. Cut the pepper into thin slices and season with oil and salt. Fill the sandwich with gorgonzola, bell pepper and Coppa Piacentina.

 

Italian cuisine is the best in the world. 

The 800,000 "critics" of "TasteAtlas.com" say so. The 2022 verdict of the portal that censuses 15,000 typical foods, dishes and drinks from all over the world. The most popular Italian dish is pizza margherita. Thanks to dishes and products such as pizza, risotto, tagliatelle with meat sauce, pasta carbonara, ravioli and gnocchi, tiramisu', lasagna, breadsticks, Parmigiano Reggiano, pesto alla genovese, omelette, amatriciana and so on, traditional Italian cuisine is crowned, once again, as the best in the world. Ahead of that of Greece and Spain, in an all-Mediterranean podium, and at the top of a "Top 10" completed by Japan, India, Mexico, Turkey, the United States, France and Peru. Here is the verdict of the ranking of TasteAtlas.com, an international portal that between Facebook, Twitter and Instagram brings together more than 800,000 followers all over the world. And it is dedicated, as we read on the same Facebook profile, "to normal food''. No haute cuisine, no grand cuisine, no Instagrammable places... Simply traditional dishes and local ingredients. We don't care which country has the most Michelin restaurants." The method by which it is compiled is simple: TasteAtlas has a database of more than 15,000 foods, typical dishes and drinks from all over the world, which are voted by users, with a rating from 1 to 5 stars. And then the dishes that can be traced back to that cuisine are averaged, recognizing as invalid some votes such as "nationalist" ones ("the people of a country give high marks to their dishes and low grades to their neighbors. We don't count votes like that," https://www.tasteatlas.com/best/cuisines explains). And so, with a score of 4.72 out of 5, the flavors of the Balpaese have the better of those of Greece (4.69) and the Spanish peninsula (4.59). A "choral" victory, the Italian one, given that we look at the ranking of the individual dishes, the first of the Italians is the pizza margherita, which is "just" placed at position no. 11, with the most voted being, instead, the Japanese "kare", a sort of Japanese-style curry, the "picanha", a typical meat dish of Brazil, and the "ameijoas a bulhao pato", clam dish that comes from Portugal.

The Amatriciana frittata revists the quintessential Roman pasta prepared with guanciale, Pecorino cheese, and tomatoes. The reimagined riff on the classic is perfect for brunch. The essentials. The fundamentals of any decent frittata comprise eggs, milk, Parmigiano, salt, and pepper. For the amatricana frittata, add guanciale, onion, and potatoes, and swap Pecorino for the Parmigiano.Tomatoes depend on preference – if you'd like a frittata that takes the color of the sauce, then add some chopped tomatoes. How to make the Amatriciana Omelet. Cook the onion in a pan with oil. While the pasta recipe doesn't contain onions, the onion adds a flavorful contrast to the guanciale and eggs. Separately, blanch some sliced potatoes and add them to the onions. In another pan, cook the guanciale without adding any oil or butter – the guanciale will release its own fat and cook in it. When crispy, add the guanciale to the onions and potatoes. Once the eggs are beaten with salt, pepper, a little milk, and plenty of grated Pecorino cheese, pour the mixture into the pan with the other ingredients and continue cooking as you would for a classic frittata.To avoid any risk of the frittata breaking shape, you can transfer everything into an oven dish and bake at 400°F for about 15 minutes. Pasta all’Amatriciana – in frittata form! You can use any leftover pasta all’amatriciana to make a frittata di pasta. The versatile recipe originated in Campania but is now widespread throughout Italy as it can be adapted to any pasta or rice dish. It's simple to prepare – just mix the pasta and the sauce with beaten eggs. For each 4 oz. portion of pasta, you will need about two large eggs so that the ingredients fuse together smoothly. Add plenty of Pecorino and ground black pepper, then cook the frittata in a pan or in the oven.If you want to bring it to work for lunch, you can prepare it the night before and refrigerate it overnight.

 

Stracciatella in broth with eggs and grated pecorino

The recipe is obviously very simple and will come in handy on days of intense cold. Try this recipe and you'll see what it tastes like! The egg and pecorino soup is prepared by adding the beaten eggs to the boiling broth, scrambling them with a whisk while they firm, the pecorino will complete the preparation which will be served hot. Here are all the steps for the egg and pecorino soup recipe. On these cold winter days, my favorite food to warm up is soups and soups, to put it as they say now, my favorite comfort food. The gastronomy boasts many basic preparations, a real treasure that can be customized according to seasonality, taste preferences and needs. Think of fresh pasta with mini ditalini, eggs, grated pecorino.

Stracciatella in broth is a classic, especially if you have children, you have certainly prepared it a thousand times, but it is also a dish that is prepared very often during the Christmas holidays and on December 26th, since the other dishes are always very heavy and caloric. Stracciatella in broth is really quick and easy to prepare, delicious and very nutritious if, as I said before, you want to prepare it for your children. When my grand daughter was little I can't tell you how many times I made her stracciatella in broth and then in the end I ate it too because it made me feel like a child again. Have you ever prepared stracciatella in broth? And what do you call it in your area? If you want to try the recipe, run immediately to buy the ingredients.

Ingredients

Eggs 4 

Pecorino cheese 150 g 

Butter 50 g 

Vegetable broth 

Bread 4 slices 

Salt to taste 

Pepper to taste 

Parsley 1 sprig

Preparation

Prepare the vegetable broth. Put the whole eggs and grated pecorino cheese in a bowl and mix with a hand whisk so that they blend completely. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Put the broth in a pot and bring it to a boil. When the broth boils, pour the egg and grated cheese to the mixture into the center of the pot and stir with the hand whisk for a few seconds. Cook for 5 minutes from when it starts to boil again, then stir quickly again with the hand whisk in order to break the coagulated egg. Serve the stracciatella in broth piping hot.

 

Broken noodles soup

A simple first course, with poor ingredients, but which at the table create a beautiful atmosphere of good homemade things. I love all soups, but this one is something unique; A soup different from the others because this one is very, very creamy: with pasta. This recipe of the Roman tradition. I propose my version, I assure you that it is equally delicious... This was just the best when i was little and it could not miss in my blog, especially now that here it is so cold and you come back home just starving and looking for a hot nice soup.

Ingredients

Do you want to know how to prepare it? You will just need vegetable stock, 70gr of pastina broken noodles for each person and some Parmesan to finish! NOTHING ELSE!

Preparation

Put on the fire a sauce pan with some water and a vegetable stock. Let the water boil and just add the pastina. Wait for it too cook, and it won’t take long, so try it just after 5 minutes. When ready, with the help of a spoon , place the pastina in a plate and add the broth until the plate is full. Add some Parmesan cheese, mix and serve also with fresh grated pepper if you like it. There is basically nothing easiest than this… now you can understand why my father was a real master chef in this, and i can’t forget this recipe!

 

Prosecco valdobbiadene doc with salmon

Salmon is one of the most used fish in Italian homes: baked, smoked on a slice of bread and butter, on avocado toast, in pasta... But what are the best wines to pair with salmon? Of course, it all depends on how it is cooked. As for smoked salmon, it is advisable to pair it with a Gewürztraminer, a typical wine from the province of Bolzano. Its strong and spicy aroma goes very well with the smoking of fish, enhancing it. Another wine that can be paired with salmon is Prosecco Valdobbiadene DOC: this type of brut sparkling wine goes well with fish without changing its taste and characteristics. It is ideal for both smoked salmon and salmon cooked in the oven or in a pan. In addition, prosecco is also recommended as an accompaniment to appetizers. Another white wine that can be combined with salmon is Chardonnay, which contrasts with fish without overlapping its flavor.

The ultra-high quality grapes grown in the hills of the Prosecco Superiore DOC zone ensure this Prosecco Valdobbiadene  its inimitable aromas and flavours of green apple, acacia blossom, and full-flowering wisteria. It appears a pale but luminous straw yellow, and boasts a long-lingering, slender cascade of pin-point bubbles.

PAIRING

Excellent as an aperitif. Perfect for tasty appetizers, and goes well throughout the meal especially with fish dishes

Smoked salmon and Valdobbiadene prosecco is a very tasty, elegant and delicate dish. Eat smoked salmon when you don't have the time and desire to cook and especially when you don't want to turn on the stove, because it's good, it's good for you and it's rich in properties. It is rich in Omega 3, the good fat that is a balm for the heart, and is very nutritious. You can consume it even if you are on a diet, just don't overdo it. In addition to the classic can of tuna, then, add smoked salmon to the refrigerator - for all 4 seasons. Generally, smoked salmon can be bought ready-made and packaged in all supermarkets, but perhaps not everyone knows that it can also be prepared at home. You just have to have time and patience.

Ingredients

Smoked salmon (50 g)

Chives (1 g)

Lemon Quarter (30 g)

Preparation

Place your smoked salmon on a plate, squeeze the lemon and add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, plus all other fixings to your taste.

 

Fabio Oberto Barolo 2019

Within the Azienda Andrea Oberto family business, Fabio managed to acquire knowledge and experience for over 22 years. Collina di Dionisio is a company of winemakers determine to bottle the best of the Langhe hills. Aged 26 months in old oak casks of 8 to 10 years, then refined in bottles for 6 months, this Barolo offers a wonderful expression of cherry pie, plum and leather, alongside notes of liquorices, bitumen and dried flowers.

For 22 years Fabio worked with Andrea, running the operations,traveling all over the world to present their wines and impressing wine experts. In 2012 Antonio Galloni wrote “Andrea and Fabio Oberto’s Barolos stand out for their exceptional balance and sheer polish… one of my favorite growers in La Morra, Andrea and Fabio don’t get anywhere near the attention they deserve for their superb Barolo.” 

In 2017, Fabio created his own company, “La Collina di Dioniso da Fabio Oberto” and now he is now able to pursue his own vision in a way that allows him to continue working with his father but also gives him complete creative freedom. Indeed most of the wines are sourced from the original vineyards of his father, to which he has added new and exquisitely produced wines from local grapes such as Nascetta and Arneis, as well as a new base Barolo, traditionally styled with long macerations and extended elevage in botti up to 100HL.

Tasting note

Garnet red colour with brick orange shades which intensify as time goes by. Intense and complex perfume but delicate and ethereal at the same time; warm, full and dry palate. Its complexity is given by the persistence of the tannins.

 

 Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco

Located in the picturesque foothills of the Alps Mountains in the northeastern Veneto region of Italy is Conegliano Valdobbiadene - an area known for its production of outstanding Prosecco Superiore wines.

In 2009 Conegliano Valdobbiadene obtained DOCG status - the highest classification for Italian wines - and in 2019 it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Prime vineyard sites in this area grow amidst an undulating landscape of daunting slopes, some so steep that they can only be hand-pruned and harvested. The rich diversity in geology and microclimates contribute to the complexity and depth of these wines, which are produced with dedicated care - often reflected in a higher price-point.

Wines here can also be labeled ‘Conegliano Prosecco Superiore DOCG’ or ‘Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG’. Many wineries welcome guests for tastings, and are well worth a visit to try this beautiful region’s wines.

When pairing wine with shellfish, it's best to think it terms of how it's cooked, its taste, and how tender it is after cooked. Since there are many different kinds of shellfish, I'll be going over wine pairings for only the most popular types: lobster. If you're one to dip your lobster in a butter-based sauce, try pairing it with a light Burgundy wine (which is a type of Chardonnay). This wine has a very distinct flavor that will be able to stand up against the distinct butter and lobster flavors. Lobster alla Brera involves a lobster of decent size that will be grilled sprinkled with butter and then served at the table sprinkled with finely chopped parsley.

Ingredients

Lobster 1 kg 

Anchovies in oil 50 g 

Butter 200 g 

Worcestershire sauce 

1 tbsp Parsley 1 handful 

Salt to taste 

Pepper to taste

Preparation

Cook the lobster on the grill, turning it frequently and brushing it with a little melted butter, then salt and pepper it. Finely chop the parsley, beat the remaining butter (about 130 g) and stir in the Worcestershire sauce and parsley. Sprinkle the lobster with the mixture and garnish with the anchovy fillets. Serve at the table.

Note

The rules of the kitchen provide that in the case of small lobsters these should be served whole with only an incision to facilitate the extraction of the meat, in the case of large lobsters, on the other hand, the tail is separated from the chest and the pulp is extracted, which is generally sliced.

Tasting note

Light. High in acidity. Good balance. Long finish. Notes of peach, pear, and apple with a hint of citrus and lemon. Smooth on the palate. Nice texture. Perfectly paired with snacks and appetizers. One of the best Prosecco’s I’ve had to date. Crisp apple, hints of brioche and a healthy dose of concrete minerality. Great nightcap for an awesome Chistmas day!

Stuffed squid 

One of the wonders of Sicilian cuisine. In Lampedusa it will not be difficult to find skilled guardians of the original recipe of stuffed squid a truly unique dish that will leave you speechless. Stuffed squid is a very tasty seafood main course that is very easy to make. The recipe has a thousand variations, but I particularly like this one. An easy and tasty recipe perfect to make when you want to bring a light and healthy second course of fish to the table. The most tedious part is cleaning the fish, but once you've done it, the rest is really super easy. If this step bothers you, you can easily get help at the fish market.Waiting to eat more.😉

INGREDIENTS

7 squids (total weight 700 gr, already cleaned)

FOR THE FILLING

4-5 tablespoons breadcrumbs

an egg yolk

a handful of raisins and pine nuts

a clove of garlic, minced

mint, basil, parsley

a pinch of salt, extra virgin olive oil

FOR THE SAUCE

800 gr of peeled tomato pulp

a clove of garlic

a quarter of a chopped onion

extra virgin olive oil, salt, basil and mint

GUIDELINES

Clean the squid and cut the tentacles into small pieces. In a frying pan, brown a clove of garlic with extra virgin olive oil and fry the tentacles until they begin to "pop". In the meantime, prepare the filling in a bowl by mixing the breadcrumbs with raisins and pine nuts, minced garlic, mint, chopped parsley and basil, two tablespoons of oil and a pinch of salt, mix well to flavor. When the tentacles are sautéed, add this seasoning and stir for a minute. Turn off the heat and let it cool, when it is already cold add an egg yolk and mix well. The egg is used to bind everything better, it does not spoil the taste but if you want you can also omit it. At this point, fill the squid but not to the brim, leave a little space and then close them with a toothpick. When they are all full, heat some oil in a pan and fry them until they are golden on all sides and begin to crackle, deglaze with half a glass of wine. In the meantime, in a pan, fry the onion with the garlic in extra virgin olive oil, add the peeled tomatoes and basil and mint, simmer for about ten minutes, at this point add the sautéed squid (with any oil that has been produced) and cook for about half an hour.

NOTE

Make sure that the squid is well cleaned, otherwise you risk altering the flavor of the dish.

PRESERVATION

You can store stuffed squid in the fridge for up to 1-2 days in an airtight container.

ADVICE

If you prefer, you can also add capers to the filling. In this case, desalt them well and consider whether to add salt to the preparation.

Pasta with broccoli and onion 

We return to the routine, slowly, with eyes full of new discoveries and with a great desire for a plate of pasta. And after the binges of the past few days, to start again in a great way, I prepared a simple dish, simple but really good and healthy. Pasta with sautéed broccoli and dried onion is a quick first course to prepare with a few ingredients, season a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil with the dried onion, add the broccoli and sauté until softened, they should remain slightly crispy, drain the pasta and serve with a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil. Easy and exquisite...

Ingredients

160 gr pasta

1 broccoli

2 teaspoons dried onion

extra virgin olive oil

salt

Pepper

Procedure

First of all, put a pot full of water with salt and as soon as it boils, throw in thepasta. In a non-stick pan, cook a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil with the dried onion for a couple of minutes over low heat. In the meantime, wash, clean, cut the broccoli into small pieces, add it to the pan and cook for about 10 minutes with two ladles of cooking water with a lid. As soon as the broccoli has softened, season with salt and pepper, drain the pasta and mix with the sauce with a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil.

 

Sweet and sour rabbit 

When I was a child we used to go picking chestnuts, together with my uncles and one thing I remember very well about those days: lunch time! In fact, a fixed stop of our autumn picnics was lunch at a trattoria, which to tell the truth I don't know if it is still open, but where we ate very well!! My favorite dish, as an 8-year-old boy, was sweet and sour rabbit, I was crazy about it and even if my mother tried and tried again to cook it as they prepared it in this small and rustic place, I never found that flavor ... Then the other day, I went into the butcher's shop to buy some chicken breast, I came out with 1kg of rabbit legs, my children had never eaten it, that I had erased from my mind the possibility that rabbit could be a food... Anyway the rabbit had been bought and I just had to put it in the pan, having never cooked it personally I improvised and with a lot of amazement, in the end, I found that flavor that I liked so much as a child: "the sweet and sour rabbit"! Rabbit meat was a pleasant rediscovery for me and a tasty discovery for my boys and I think I will resume cooking it because they really liked it. If you want to try to cook sweet and sour rabbit, follow me in the kitchen, you will see how simple it is and how much goodness it is!

Ingredients

1 kg Rabbit

2 Onions (large)

4 Carrots

Salt

Extra virgin olive oil

100 g Vinegar (or less, depending on taste)

1 cup Water

4 Bay leaves

Preparation

Divide the rabbit into equal pieces that are not too large. Place them in a large pan in a single layer and cover it with all the coarsely chopped marinade ingredients. Let it flavor overnight. The next day, drain the rabbit stew from the marinade, dry it with a kitchen towel and flour it. In a large pan heat three tablespoons of oil, add the onion and the finely sliced shallots and let them wilt, then add the stew and let it brown evenly, add the chopped celery, salt, cover the pan and cook over low heat for about fifteen minutes, checking that the cooking liquid does not shrink too much (in this case sprinkle with half a glass of water), Add the pitted and chopped olives, capers and pine nuts. Finish cooking and when the rabbit is tender, add two generous tablespoons of sugar and vinegar. Simmer for a few minutes, then turn off the heat and let it cool in the cooking pan. Place the stew on a serving plate and pour the cooking juices over it. A very appetizing dish.

 

The mussel soup of Holy Thursday

Holy Thursday and, as per tradition, in Naples we have dinner with mussel soup! This custom, a bit like all Neapolitan festivals, is a mixture of the sacred and the profane. On the evening of Holy Thursday, in fact, we remember the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, consumed with his Apostles before the "Passion", re-enacted in church with the Mass in "Cena Domini", that is, the Lord's Supper. Legend has it that Ferdinand I of Bourbon, a glutton for fish and seafood that he used to cook with very sumptuous recipes and often of his own creation, was admonished by a Dominican friar, Gregorio Maria Rocco, who invited him not to exceed with sins of gluttony, at least during Holy Week. Then the sovereign, in order not to give up the mussels he liked so much, ordered the servants to prepare them for him in a simple and humble way. The resulting dish consisted of mussels, tomato sauce and hot pepper oil. Currently, the recipe for mussel soup has many variations, which are handed down from the family: in fact, there are those who prepare it only with mussels and those who also add clams and "purpitielli", those who make it ultra-spicy and those who almost do not add chili pepper. Below, I offer you my version of mussel soup!

Ingredients

Mussels 2 Kg

Octopus 1 1/300 Kg

Freselle 3 Kg 

Extra virgin olive oil 

Chili

pepper 

Tomato sauce concentrate 1 g

Garlic cloves

White wine 

Steps

Clean the octopus and cook it in a saucepan filled with water for about 40-50 minutes. Once cooked, cut the octopus into small pieces and save the water to wet the friselle. Sauté the garlic with the oil in a pan, when it is golden, add the tomato paste sauce, 2 cups of water and the chili pepper and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Clean the mussels well and, in a non-stick pan, brown a clove of garlic with oil, when it is golden remove the garlic and pour in the mussels, let it evaporate with white wine, then cover with the lid for about 5 minutes, the time for all the mussels to open spontaneously. Remove the mussels, filter the cooking water and add it to the octopus water. At this point, arrange the freselle on each plate, wet them with the water of the octopus and mussels, add the mussels, the octopus and, finally, the sauce to taste. Traditional Thursday mussel soup is served!