L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2022 www.italoamericano.org 26 L'Italo-Americano O f course, we have Parmi- giano Reg- giano, basil, and tomatoes. And we can't forget extra vir- gin olive oil, rice, and moz- zarella. But we'd be doing our brilliant and creative cui- sine a disservice if we didn't admit we use pretty much everything Mother Earth of- fers us and turn it into some- thing good to eat. It certainly comes from the rural roots of our society and from people's natural a b i l i t y t o m a k e d o w i t h what's available, but there is a lot of culinary ingenuity in it, too, the same that made Italian cuisine one of the simplest yet tastiest in the world. Consider this article a short note to keep near your pantry, just a little reminder of the many things you can do with simple, unexpected ingredients when you cook an Italian meal. Let us begin with some- thing every American knows and with which you probably have – just like most Italians – a l o v e - h a t e r e l a t i o n s h i p : s a l t e d a n c h o v i e s , o r a c c i u g h e sotto sale, as we know them on this side of the Atlantic. W h e n i t c o m e s t o t h e m , y o u ' d e i t h e r p u t t h e m o n anything and everything, or despise them more than your soul can possibly conceive. Personally, I belong to the first category: give me salted anchovies in pasta, on a slice of buttered bread, on pizza, in sauces, on their own. I am known to take impromptu trips to the fridge and just dig into the jar with a fork to enjoy that short blast of sea- like saltiness they give you. As much as I love them, I am aware the above sentence probably caused someone to fill slightly ill to their stom- ach, and I apologize for it. But salted anchovies are something we Italians always k e e p a t h a n d . N o t o n l y because they make an amaz- ing addition to your aglio e olio pasta, but because they are key in some incredibly t a s t y s a u c e s : P i e m o n t e ' s famous salsa tonnata, a type of sauce made with boiled e g g y o l k , o l i v e o i l , t u n a , capers and, of course, salted anchovies, wouldn't be the same without them. Even its simpler-to-make version, which substitutes the egg yolks with mayo, still wants them in its recipe. Salsa ton- nata is a staple in several of our antipasti, especially from the North-West: it's key for Piemonte's vitello tonnato, we use it for our deviled eggs a n d t o m a k e h a m r o l l s . Salted anchovies are also the secret ingredient in salsa v e r d e ( a l s o k n o w n i n Piemonte as bagnet verd) or green sauce, a parsley, olive oil, bread, and boiled egg yolk concoction served with meat or raw vegetables (it is p a r t i c u l a r l y d e l i c i o u s o n freshly sliced cuore di bue). Without a doubt, it wouldn't be as delicious and wouldn't pack the same punch with- out salted anchovies in it. Another key ingredient in I t a l i a n c u i s i n e w h i c h w e often forget is hazelnuts: the most famous variety we h a v e i s t h e t o n d a g e n t i l e trilobata, also known as noc- ciola Piemonte IGP, the real queen of the Italian hazel- nuts, as its IGP (PGI, pro- tected geographical indica- tion) tells us. But there are others, and they are just as p r e s t i g i o u s : w e h a v e the tonda gentile Romana DOP (PDO, protected desig- nation of origin), the noccio- la di Giffoni IGP, the noccio- l a t o n d a d i A v e l l i n o a n d t h e n o c c i o l a S i c i l i a n a . Hazelnuts are key in many Italian desserts: in Piemonte, you'll find them in a beauti- fully decadent sponge cake u s u a l l y s e r v e d w i t h zabaione, but also in deli- c i o u s c o o k i e s l i k e t h e famous baci di dama and, of c o u r s e , i n c h o c o l a t e a n d chocolate spreads. In Sicily, they are used often as a sub- stitute for almonds in many c a k e s a n d d e s s e r t s . B u t h a z e l n u t s a r e k e y a l s o i n savory recipes: they are often u s e d t o a d d t e x t u r e a n d depth to roasts or sprinkled over risotti, especially wild mushroom's. Last but not l e a s t , w e a l s o l o v e t o e a t them just like that, with a slice of bread: a snack fit for a king. Let's move to the South of I t a l y t o m e e t t h e s i n g l e ingredient every Sicilian who d o e s n ' t l i v e i n S i c i l y is always looking for: finoc- chietto selvatico, or wild fennel. Wild fennel grows s p o n t a n e o u s l y a l o n g t h e Mediterranean coast and it is a key ingredient in some of the most iconic Sicilian dish- es: traditional pasta con le sarde wouldn't be the same without it, nor would be the glorious Palermitan frittedda madonita, a light but flavor- some dish made with broad beans, peas, and artichokes. But finocchietto selvatico is also the secret in the making o f S i c i l y ' s a m a z i n g f r e s h sausage, to which the herb gives an unmistakably fresh and crisp taste. I said it earlier: if there is something Italians do well is m a k e d o w i t h w h a t t h e y h a v e , e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e kitchen. So, it's not surpris- ing to know we managed to turn what most would con- sider useless weed into deli- cious food. Enter ortiche and bor- ragine, nettle and bor- age. Nettle is known across the world for its detoxifying p r o p e r t i e s a n d e v e r y o n e knows you can make a pretty healthy tea with it. But truth is that, here in Italy, hum- ble ortiche are a delicacy. They need to be cleaned and boiled before you can add them to frittate, risotti, pies, and even bread. We love to add them to fresh pasta, too, because they give a subtle b i t t e r t a n g t o i t w e f i n d delightful. Speaking of weeds and pasta, you can make very n i c e f r e s h t a g l i a t e l l e with borage, too: green and fragrant, you only need to add some butter and grated parmesan to get the best off them. Borage is a beloved ingredient in Ligurian cui- sine, where it is essential to make the filling of ravioli and of the region's most famous filled pasta, pansotti. S o , n e x t t i m e y o u a r e doing your food shopping – or you are out for a walk in t h e c o u n t r y s i d e – t h i n k about these simple but deli- cious ingredients and bring some home! Five humble ingredients that every Italian loves FRANCESCA BEZZONE Hazelnuts are used in many recipes in Italy, both sweet and savory (Photo: Alessandro Cristiano/Dreamstime) Nettle is used to make frittate, but also as in ingredient for stuffed pasta (Photo: Vkuslandia/Dreamstime) LIFESTYLE FASHION FOOD ARTS ADVICE

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