Homemade Lasagna

Yes, homemade, doesn’t mean I made it. Even better I had an Italian friend cooked for me in Rome.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasagna

There are many varieties of receipts out there. He used scamorza and Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano) cheese. He simmered ragù on the side and made béchamel sauce also. The Lasagna is even better the next day!!

Scamorza is an Italian cow's milk cheese, similar to mozzarella.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scamorza

Rustic Roman restaurant - Da Enzo

Da Enzo is an original rustic Roman trattoria on the less-touristy side of Trastevere. It serves up classic fare such as spaghetti amatriciana, with a mouth-watering selection of home-made desserts. I had lamb and was tasty but bit dry. The price is reasonable.

Check out their menu in the pic. But it is in Italian.
I went there at Saturday night and it was fully packed. Many people didn’t get it. Too bad I had to eat on the street tables and didn’t get an chance to take a good look at inside decoration.

Zucchini flower pasta

I am not the only one who loves zucchini flowers. A friend in Rome cooked zucchini flower pasta for me. Very interesting flavor!
First cook zucchini by themselves till soft while in another pan simmering anchovies with pin nuts and raisins. Till the last minutes add zucchini flowers with the anchovy sauce. The salty anchovy sauce balances well with the sweet zucchini pasta.

Little-ear pasta -Orecchiette

A friend picked up at metro station and we went directly to his friends’ dinner party. When we got there, food was still on the stove. The dinner started at 10pm with little-ear pasta (Orecchiette), sausages, veggies really tasty) and backed potatoes with red pepper. Of course, followed by dessert and cookies. Eat till your heart content!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orecchiette

It is interesting to discover that there is a Chinese counterpart in city Hangzhou. “In Chinese cuisine, a kind of noodle called Maoerduo (Simplified Chinese: 猫耳朵, cats' ears) is similar to orecchiette. Maoerduo may be steamed and served with sauce, or cooked as a noodle soup.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Maoerduo.JPG

Don’t know why it is called “Cat’s ear”. Don’t be scared, they are just pasta.

Truffle sandwich

When we think it is such an exotic thing, but it is so accessible in Italy. Love that country! They have summer or winter black truffle paste and the famous white truffle in the winter season. They put some ham, cheese with black truffle paste on nice Italian sandwich bread. Or you could ask them to put whatever you want on the sandwich. You know I love truffle! Ok, it was not the fresh truffle, but still taste good!

Porchetta – roasted pig

“Porchetta /por'ket:a/ is a savory, fatty, and moist boneless pork roast of Italian culinary tradition. The body of the pig is gutted, deboned, arranged carefully with layers of stuffing, meat, fat, and skin, then rolled, spitted, and roasted, traditionally over wood. Porchetta is usually heavily salted in addition to being stuffed with garlic, rosemary, fennel, or other herbs, often wild.

Porchetta is one of two iconic culinary products of the Lazio region, the other being the sheep cheese pecorino romano.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porchetta


I had it for the first time in a small village (castel gandolfo) 30 mins south of Rome. Few slices of porchetta in white bread for lunch. Really savory!!

Carbonara pasta

“Pasta alla carbonara is an Italian pasta dish based on eggs, pecorino romano, guanciale (un-smoked Italian pig's cheek bacon), and black pepper.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonara

My friend cooked for me one day. But I am not sure if he strictly follows the traditional receipt. Did he really use pig’s cheek bacon? But it was classic and tasty!

There is a receipt I found online:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/02/seriously-italian-pasta-alla-gricia-recipe.html

Zucchini flower, anchovy with mozzarella

It is always my favorite combination, doesn’t matter on a sandwich or on a pizza. I know it is quite common to see that in Italy. But in Canada, it is hard to find zucchini flower. Rareness becomes exotic. I could only hope to steal some zucchini flowers in my friend’s garden this year!

Italain Christmas dessert – Pandoro ("golden bread")

“Pandoro (pan d'oro) is a traditional Italian sweet yeast bread, most popular around Christmas and New Year.
Breads enriched with eggs, butter and sugar or honey were served in the palaces and were known as "royal bread" or "golden bread"”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandoro

The pandoro comes with a pack of white sugar. They put sugar on top then shake with the bread. When it is done, the bread looks like cover by white snow. Perfect for Christmas season! It was soft and sweet with chocolate flavor.

Horse meat? – le coppiette

In a small village 30 mins south of Rome, I saw the spicy horse strips (le coppiette) in a prosciutto store. It looked very dry.

“The coppiette are some strips of meat, cut with special blades that preserved with salt and natural spices, and make mature about sixty days. Before they use meat of horse but at present, pork (thigh of the pig) is used instead.”

http://www.gustoblog.it/post/1335/coppiette

I am not sure the one I saw is horse or not, at least my friend said is horse. You can see it is 40 Euros/ kg. Too bad I didn’t try it. That store has all kinds of Salami, very imressive!

Gelato in Rome at G.Fassi

They say there should be a big fountain in the middle of the G.Fassi, but unfortunately when I was there it was renovating. Well, December is not a tourist season, so I guess have to go back someday in the summer.

But even it was December there were many people line up for ice cream. The place has an old history(“the Fassi business dates back to 1880”) as you can see the old posters and journals about the place on the wall. Besides ice cream, they also have other desserts. Don’t mind the poorly design the websites and pictures, it definitely worth to drop by (close to metro Vittorio E).

http://www.palazzodelfreddo.it/english/boot.htm

Fried Mozzarella

Near Piazza del Popolo in Rome, there is a small cute Sicilian place (close to the metro Flaminio entrance). Food are cooked daily and placed behind the glass. People order them for lunch and eat at small table stands (only have 3).

I had fried mozzarella and it is delicious! Never thought about deep-frying cheese would taste so good! I also had typical Sicilian pasta, which looks like small circles, with tomato sauce and bread crumble on top.

Dessert bread

I had this at a friend’s place at north of Rome. But the bread is made by his mother from south. It is very hard inside out like a rock and stay like that for months. I dipped them into hot tea after the main course.

Making pizza

That was a total surprise! A Roman friend was having a pizza party in Madrid. I used the opportunity to learn how to make pizza at his place. Also he did most of the work, I was writing notes and helping out.
Have to try it myself one day!

Pizza (Four-season) in Madrid

My first night in Madrid, yet I went to dinner at an Italian restaurant. My friends knew all the people works there, from the owner to the chef. The guy who made pizza for me is from Napoli.
I had four-season pizza: mozzarella, tomato, mushrooms, artichokes, cooked ham, olives and oil. I liked it; almost felt I was still in Italy. I suggest cutting anchovy into small piece because they are very salty.

Pizza in Rome

When I was a student in college, I ate so many pizzas from Pizza Pizza on the campus (note: there were not many choices). They are greasy with thick dry crusts. When I graduated from the school, I swore never go into pizza joint again! I thought all pizzas are like that and just the thought gave me stomachache. However the trip to Italy really changed my mind: fresh good quality ingredients, variety of choices and all backed in traditional wood-fired brick oven. Just look at all pics, make you mouth water! All freshly made, no frozen pizzas!!!


Pizza with gorgonzola cheese (veined Italian blue cheese) and apple (in Rome).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorgonzola_(cheese)

I love the sweetness of the apples mixed with creamy cheese. I also like it better because the thin crust (Roman style!) The opposite of Roman style thin crust pizza will be the Chicago deep-dish pizza. Looks interesting haven’t had opportunity to try it yet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago-style_pizza

Pizza with eggplant and cheese.



Condadina pizza with mozzarella, eggplant, zucchini, anchovy, mushroom and cherry tomatoes.


Pizza with black truffle and cheese. but the black truffle mushroom was not fresh.


Again Pizza (on the right ) black truffle and cheese. Truffle was not fresh but with very strong aroma. I am suspicious that they use synthetic truffle aroma to enhance the flavor.
Pizza (on the left )with prosciutto and arugula salad.

That is my favorite combination: Creamy hardy mozzarella, soft flowers and salty anchovies.


Pizza (on top) is mixed cheese with tomato sauce. Compare with the one I had is very simple.
Pizza (bottom) is my greedy yummy creation: artichokes, mushrooms, arugula salad, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella. I basically ask them to put all my favorite ingredients.

That pizzeria also has an antique olive-oil grinding device. Nowadays was placed in the center of the pizzeria for decoration. Quite rustic homey place 30 min Nord of Rome (in Castel Nuovo).

Cow neck prosciutto

A really simple dinner, a friend bought white pizza (pizza cooked with nothing on it) and we ate with prosciutto. The star is the cow neck prosciutto, which is made and brought by his mother from south of Italy. That is priceless because you can’t buy it anywhere, but eat at his mother’s place.

Parmesan cheese with truffle honey

I tried it for the first time in Rome and I love it!!
Parmesan cheese with truffle flavored honey, simple but delicious! I have never thought about eating cheese with honey!

INCANTO Restaurant

Located at Amstel 2, INCANTO is an elegant Italian restaurant that has a wonderful view. I wish I could try everything on the menu.

http://www.restaurant-incanto.nl/

The chef special tasting menu is 49 Euros. They also recommend different types of wines to accompany with each dish. Everything is delicately made with care and love! Fish with risotto (left top pic); Pate duck liver with red onion on polenta (right top pic); grilled swordfish and fennel (center pic); followed by perfectly cooked duck leg; homemade chocolate mousse and sorbet as dessert.
When could I go back?

After lunch coffee

After a hearty winter soup, it is time for an Italian coffee. We crossed the Piazza Duomo and entered this 100-year old bar. The place is spacious with beautiful paintings on the ceiling. I had a really creamy hot chocolate made by an elegantly dressed bartender.