L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 34 L'Italo-Americano LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018 W hen mold beco- mes tasty: Gor- gonzola and its creamy note of spiciness Let's not mistake Gorgonzola with blue cheese or Roquefort which, in spite of being its moldy cousins, are much different. Gor- gonzola has gone a long way since it was born, entirely by chance, in an anonymous stable in the town bearing the same name. In 1996, it obtained a DOP denomination, it has its own consortium and its pro- duction has to follow a very strict regulation, which also limits its productive area to four provinces: Milano, Pavia, Como and Novara, the latter producing today about 45% of it. Gorgonzola is a pasteurized cow milk cheese, very rich, whose molds are due to the adding of se- lected penicillum spores.There are two varities: one, called "dolce," or sweet, is very creamy, mildly spiced and matured for 50 days. The other, matured for 80 days, is harder and spicier. Once upon a time, it was called "Stracchino di Gorgonzola" or "green Stracchino," which suggests it, indeed, originated from strac- chino cheese and that , just like it, it was produced during the Fall, when cattle returned from moun- tain pastures. An interesting and very tasty re- cipe is the "torta Gorgonzola," created with layers of mascarpone cheese and walnuts alternated with fresh Gorgonzola. Gorgonzola is protagonist of nu- merous other recipes, from pasta to risottos, even if a notable mention should be made of Bergamo's own recipe of polenta with Gorgonzola, usually enjoyed with a glass of Moscato di Scanzo. Pantelleria's caper: the flower growing on lava Pantelleria's capers are unique in the world and are known for their intense aroma, caused by a protein present in the island's volcanic soil. They are dark green in color, rich in vitamins and minerals, have a very low fat content and great an- tioxidant properties. They are usually picked, rigorously by hand, from May until the end of October and they must end their maturation process under salt, otherwise they'd be too bitter to be consumed. They are usually placed in con- tainers, covered with coarse sea salt and stirred daily for about 10 days, so that all their excess water is lost. They can be preserved for years, without loosing any of their nutri- tional characteristics.They need to be rinsed before being used. Since 1880, capers have been intensively cultivated in Pantelleria, with the aim to increase their spon- taneous presence on the island. Here, capers are cultivated on sun exposed terracing, irrigated with rain water usually collected in the dammusi, containers made in lava stone. For the Greeks and the Romans, Pantelleria capers were an aphro- disiac fruit. They remained very popular in recipes up to the 17th century and today they are a fun- damental ingredient of Sicilian cui- sine. Among the most famous re- cipes containing capers we have caponata, spaghetti alla puttanesca and pantesca salad. Because of their uniqueness, Pantelleria capers have been an IGP product since 1993. Strange foods from home: Il Biroldo Its simple name evokes history, ancient history .... and we're not mistaken thinking that. Biroldo is a Slow Food protected cold cut, a product of Tuscan tradition, al- most impossible to find nowa- days. It's made with the pig's les- ser parts like the head, tongue, heart and lungs, mixed with blood, spices and local herbs, without the addition of any preservatives nor stabilizers. In ancient Rome, it was con- sumed to honor the god of Ferti- lity, Priapus, and Ulysses had it once he returned to his land, Ithaca. For these ties with the pa- gan world, Biroldo was forbidden during the Middle Ages. Such culinary traditions, even if somehow distant from our own modern tastes, must be preserved, because they represent our past and are the very soul of our mo- dern culture. Biroldo, Mallegato and Buristo are different names for the same cold cut, which originated from Garfagnana, an area most known for its spelt production. It is made by boiling all meats for a long time, "tying them together" with the use of pig's blood, and them boiled again. It has to be eaten very fresh: in fact, having it warm would be best! Don't turn up your nose at it. Leave behind all prejudices and, if you ever have the opportunity, do try this delicacy with a slice of chestnut bread: you'll find it deli- cious. Gorgonzola is unique and delicious, not to be mistaken with other "moldy" cheeses like blue cheese and Roquefort VARINIA CAPPELLETTI Italian Food Culture A Culinary Journey by L'Italo-Americano Capers of Pantelleria are unique in the world and are known for their intense aroma An ancient tradition that may sound odd to modern ears

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