L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 22 L'Italo-Americano W e a l l k n o w that Ital- ian cook- ing likes to follow the seasons, and rather than relying on the same fruits and vegetables year-round, we just choose what's naturally at its best. Spring is a key moment in this cycle: nature awakens, the air gets light and fra- grant, just like the way we c o o k . W e m o v e f r o m t h e rich, hearty dishes of winter to the lighter, fresher flavors o f t h e w a r m e r m o n t h s . Nothing marks this change better than ingredients like asparagus, artichokes, f a v a b e a n s , a n d p e a s , which find their way into everything from soups to pasta. Seafood also takes on a bigger role, with white fish and shellfish becoming sta- ples in coastal regions. Asparagus, a springtime favorite When you see aspara- g u s a t t h e m a r k e t , y o u know spring has arrived: green, white, or purple, it finds its way into risottos, frittatas, and even into sim- ple side dishes where it is lightly blanched and driz- z l e d w i t h o l i v e o i l a n d lemon. Another satisfying way to enjoy asparagus is by cracking an egg on top of it, a d d i n g s o m e P a r m i g i a n o a n d b l a c k p e p p e r , a n d enjoying it with a big slice ( o r t w o ! ) o f h o m e m a d e bread. Besides the green and white varieties, don't forget Italy also has purple asparagus, grown in the P i a n a d i A l b e n g a , i n t h e Savona province of Liguria. S w e e t e r a n d r i c h e r i n antioxidants, it is a true deli- cacy, just like wild aspara- gus, which you can find in forests and in the country- side: it has a thinner, darker a p p e a r a n c e a n d a m o r e intense, slightly bitter flavor that adds a lot of character to risottos and frittatas. Tasty spikes: artichokes! Artichokes are another staple of the Italian spring kitchen, but nowhere are they more revered than in R o m e , w h e r e t w o i c o n i c preparations reign supreme: c a r c i o f i a l l a R o m a n a s e e s w h o l e a r t i c h o k e s stuffed with a mixture of g a r l i c , p a r s l e y , a n d m i n t before being slow-cooked in w h i t e w i n e a n d o l i v e o i l u n t i l t e n d e r . M e a n w h i l e , carciofi alla Giudia, a legacy of Rome's Jewish culinary tradition, involves deep-fry- i n g a r t i c h o k e s u n t i l t h e y become crisp and golden. Beyond these classic Roman dishes, artichokes are also u s e d i n p a s t a s a u c e s a n d vegetable medleys through- out the country. If they are very fresh, you can also slice them thin and add them to salads. Fava beans: you can pair them with everything F e w c o m b i n a t i o n s a r e quite as good as fava beans and pecorino cheese! This tradition, which is particu- larly strong in central Italy, wants fresh fava beans eaten r a w a l o n g s i d e s l i c e s o f s h a r p , a g e d p e c o r i n o . I n other parts of Italy, it is also common to pair them with thick slices of salame. Very simple combinations, but o h - s o g o o d ! A n d o f t e n enjoyed as a snack during Labour Day celebrations on the first of May. Vignarola, Lazio's own name for spring In Lazio, one of the most iconic springtime dishes is v i g n a r o l a , a v e g e t a b l e stew made with fava beans, a r t i c h o k e s , p e a s , l e t t u c e , and guanciale (cured pork cheek), all gently braised in olive oil. The result is a rich y e t f r e s h m i x o f f l a v o r s , o f t e n s e r v e d w i t h c r u s t y bread to soak up the juices. Simple and yummy! I n L u c c a , s p r i n g t i m e tastes like garmugia Tuscany is known for its rustic and straightforward a p p r o a c h t o f o o d . H e r e , especially in Lucca, spring is synonymous with garmu- g i a , a l e s s e r - k n o w n b u t m u c h - l o v e d s p r i n g s o u p . G a r m u g i a f e a t u r e s f a v a beans, artichokes, aspara- gus, and peas, all combined with pancetta and ground veal to create a hearty yet fresh-tasting soup. Unlike heavier winter soups, gar- mugia is light and fragrant, which makes it ideal for the transitional season; tradi- tionally, it is enjoyed with slices of toasted bread. Cappon magro: Liguria's seafood salad M o v i n g t o w a r d s t h e coast, Liguria presents one of Italy's most visually strik- ing spring dishes: cappon magro. Despite its name, which suggests a dish made with capon, this elaborate seafood salad contains no poultry; instead, it layers boiled white fish, shrimp, and various spring vegeta- bles atop a base of hardtack biscuits softened with vine- gar and garlic. The entire dish is then drizzled with a g r e e n s a u c e m a d e f r o m p a r s l e y , c a p e r s , a n d anchovies. Originally, cap- pon magro was a meal for fishermen, but today it is considered a true delicacy, prepared and enjoyed only on special occasions. Nothing says primavera like fiori di zucca I n a c o u p l e o f m o n t h s , when we are getting closer to summer, zucchini blos- soms — or fiori di zucca, as we say in Italy — will start to appear in markets. Golden and delicate, fiori di zucca are often stuffed with ricotta c h e e s e a n d f r e s h h e r b s b e f o r e b e i n g d i p p e d i n a light batter and fried. They c a n a l s o b e s t u f f e d w i t h mozzarella and ham or bat- tered and fried on their own. Some regions, particularly L a z i o , a l s o i n c o r p o r a t e anchovies into the stuffing for extra flavor. The sweet side of spring: l a p a s t i e r a a n d E a s t e r colomba When Easter comes, so do pastiera Napoletana and colomba. Pastiera, as we all know, is a rich ricotta and wheat berry tart from Naples, typical of spring- t i m e . W i t h i t s s w e e t a n d fresh notes of candied citrus and orange blossom water, it is a triumph of floral, zesty flavors, with a creamy and decadent texture able to sat- isfy everyone with a sweet tooth. Equally important is the Colomba di Pasqua, a dove- shaped Easter bread similar t o p a n e t t o n e , m a d e w i t h flour, eggs, sugar, and but- ter, and usually topped with pearl sugar and almonds. Soft and fragrant, buttery and golden, it is traditional- ly served on Easter Sunday a s a d e l i c i o u s s y m b o l o f p e a c e a n d s p r i n g t i m e renewal. CHIARA D'ALESSIO Spring also brings to the table fish and seafood, just like in the case of Liguria's cappon magro (Photo: Luigino Visconti/Dreamstime) LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES G r e e n i s t r e n d y i n t h e Italian spring kitchen!

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