Without a doubt, one of the best ways to discover truly authentic Italian recipes is to subscribe to Pasta Grammar's YouTube channel. Follow them on social media too... @PastaGrammer.

You see, aside from the nonnas on the Pasta Grannies YouTube channel, this raven haired Calabrese, Eva is one of the best cooks who uses traditional techniques for traditional Italian dishes.

Her recipe for ciabatta is one you'll want to make every week.

--Jerry Finzi

One of the cucina povera (poor kitchen) Christmas traditions in Italy is Polenta alla Spianatora (polenta on the board), a rustic meal of polenta served as a dinner during the cold nights between la Vigilia (Christmas Eve) and Capodanno (New Year's Day). What makes this meal so unusual is the manner in which it is served. In the old days, hot polenta was poured and spread out directly on the family's wooden table. A slow-cooked sugo (thick, meaty tomato sauce), peas and possibly sausages or pieces of braised pork were arranged in concentric circles. The bits of meat were a real treat for children in the poor, farming communities. Young and old alike were given forks and everyone would make their own trails in the hot mess of deliciousness, each staking out their own section. But as I've been told, in some homes there were rules: you weren't allowed to eat the meat until you ate a path to the center, with some slow eating children not having such luck!

This manner of eating is a celebration of nature from the 15th century when corn was introduced to Italy from the New World. This dish is a celebration of the recent harvest... the circular shape of the polenta represented the sun, and it's corn having come from Mother Earth herself. All the ingredients topping this sun would have also been nurtured by the sun during the growing season: lentils, chickpeas, pork, chicken.

This is an ancient meal that also celebrates life--and family. So everyone was at the table digging in. This is a big meal... with a large amount of polenta traditionally prepared in a copper pot resembling a modern wok.

Nowadays, people tend to use a Spianatora (or spianatoia)--a modern day wooden cutting or pastry board--to pour the polenta onto. There are even some restaurants in southern/central Italy that will service this during the holiday season.

To make this warming meal for your famiglia, first you need to make a Sugo. Here's a link to my own family's Sugo Recipe.

For the Polenta

• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 4 cups yellow imported Italian polenta

1. Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
2. After the broth is boiling, add 2 teaspoons of salt.
3. Slowly whisk in the polenta little by little.
4. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the polenta is tender still very loose and creamy, but stir constantly. This should take about 20 minutes until it thickens. Once it is thickened, remove from the heat.
5. Prepare a large clean wooden cutting board by rubbing with some Extra Virgin Olive oil, a dusting of course corn meal and a sprinkling of course sea salt.
6. Pour the polenta directly onto a the board and spread into a large circle. Don't use a stone or marble countertop or your polenta will cool off way too fast.
7. Top the entire surface of the polenta with the tomato sauce from your sugo, and then arrange the various meats in the center into concentric circles... perhaps meatballs in the center, sausages around them, and bits of other cooked pork surrounding the rest. One circle can contain peas, lentils (for good fortune in the New Year) or even cooked chickpeas or beans.

Top this beautiful, hot mess with Parmigiano Reggiano  or Romano and invite your amici and famiglia to start scraping.

Buon appetito, Buon Natale and Felice Anno Nuovo!

--Jerry Finzi

When I was a child, my mother would make meatloaf... plain, American style, ketchup covered, meatloaf. Filling, yes, but usually a bit dry and boring. After  learning of the various types of polpettone (Italian meatloaves) they make in Italy, I wanted sometime more tasty with a little bit of a spicy kick. Here's my Polpettone con Salsa di Mele...


For the Polpettone 

1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg, beaten
2 cups fresh bread crumbs (honey wheat), cubed
1 cup cinnamon applesauce (of course, you can make your own)
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 pound ground beef, extra lean
1 pound ground pork
 
For the Glaze 
1 cup cinnamon applesauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey Dijon mustard
2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce (apple maple)
20 “cracks” of freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Finely chop onion and then sauté in canola oil until onions start to caramelize and brown in color. If it looks like they are burning, add a tablespoon of water to the pan as needed until they are a nutty brown color.
• Put ground beef and pork in mixing bowl, then add salt. Gently mix the two meats together.
• In another bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, pepper, egg, onions, one (1) cup of applesauce and mix well (gently toss).
• Add the breadcrumb mixture into the meat and gently mix until combined. Do not over mix.
• Shape the mixture into a metal loaf pan, rounding over the sides to come away from the pan's sides. Do NOT cover with foil.
• Bake at 425 F for 10 minutes to create a crust, then turn down the oven to 350 F and bake for 1-1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the glaze…  Combine the remaining 1 cup applesauce, cider vinegar, mustard and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Crack the pepper into the mix. Heat and stir until blended and the brown sugar is incorporated.
• After the first half hour of bake time, spoon some of the apple glaze over the top of the meatloaf to coat it.
• If needed, brush the top of the meatloaf with some glaze, reserving some for a topping.
• If there seems to be too much moisture around the sides of the pan, use a turkey baster to remove some liquid. If too dry, add more glaze.
• Let meatloaf sit for 20 minutes before serving.

Serve with some of the glaze on top of each slice, with a side of either potato croquettes or homemade spätzle (like they make in the Alto Aldige region of Northern Italy).

Of course, best served with a bottle of Italian sparkling cider.

Growing up, one of my favorite things to ask for when my family went to a restaurant was "meat sauce". Meat sauce on spaghetti. Meat sauce on ravioli. Meat sauce on veal cutlets. I'd even ask for meat sauce on top of chicken parmesan! Well, I've grown up and matured (OK, somewhat). In this article I'll show you how to make a grown-up version of "meat sauce"--Ragù alla Bolognese.

One of the very first meals we had during our Voyage to Italy was Pici al Ragù... a Tuscan version of Spaghetti Bolognese. We had just gotten off the train from Rome in the small Tuscan town of Chiusi Scalo ("Scalo" designates the part of a town that surrounds a railway station). Chiusi proper, an historic Tuscan town with proud roots back to the Etruscans, was up on the nearby hilltop.

We were so weary from having traveled about 16 hours or more, first by air to Rome and then by train from Rome to Chiusi, where we were to pick up our rental car. And at this point we were also famished--needing to re-fuel. When we got off the train, the Hertz office was closed for riposa (a 3 hour siesta), so we had planned to have lunch while we waited. I had already picked out the trattoria that we would eat at, selected weeks before while fine-tuning the details on my Google Earth maps... we would eat our first Italian meal at Trattoria Porsenna, one block from the train station. It was a fantastic choice. With only 12 tables and a casual country style, we order a bottle of gassata for the table and waited for our meals. When the Pici al Ragù came, I couldn't believe how delicious it was.

By the way... Pici is a sort of thick, hand rolled spaghetti. Ragù is basically a meat sauce, the best of which is Ragù alla Bolognese, which originated in Bologna but is found all over Italy nowadays. People will tell you that "spaghetti Bolognese" doesn't exist in Italy--but it does. The sauce will just be called "Ragù" instead of "Bolognese", as in "Spaghetti al Ragù",  and typically in place of spaghetti the dish is usually served with tagliatelle, a long, flat, fresh pasta noodle--"Tagliatelle al Ragù".

Historic records even prove that in centuries past, spaghetti (dried) was commonly used with a Ragù sauce anyway. (NOTE: In the weeks that followed, we saw "Spaghetti alla Bolognese" listed on many menus). So, whatever the name, and no matter what type of pasta you put under it, I knew that this was the Ragù I wanted to duplicate when I returned back home.

Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef (80% or less fat)
1/4 pound speck (cut 1/4" thick), 1/4" dice (Speck is a smoked prosciutto)
1 large Vidalia onion (or 2 large yellow onions)
1 teaspoon sugar (for sauteing onions)
4 tablespoons canola oil (for sauteing)
3 carrots, 1/4" dice
3 celery stalks, 1/4" dice
4 garlic cloves, smashed then diced
5 bay leaves (remove after cooking)
1-1/2 tablespoons thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1-tablespoon dried basil
1 cup full bodied red wine (Primativo, Montepulciano, Chianti, etc.)
1-28 ounce can Tuttorosso crushed tomatoes
1-6 ounce can tomato paste
1 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Heat 4 tablespoons of canola in in large stock pot, then add the onions, carrots and celery. Sprinkle in the sugar. Saute on medium heat until onions are translucent.
2. Add the diced Speck and saute for 1 minute, then add the diced garlic. Cook for another minute or two, but don't burn the garlic.
3. Add the ground beef and cook on moderate flame, stirring occasionally until lightly browned. You can add the spices at this point... basil, thyme, pepper flakes and bay leaves. 
4. As the meat cooks, turn over the mixture to allow for equal browning and distribution of the spices. 
5. Turn up the flame and add the wine. Using a flat bottom wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan (you want to get up any fond that might have developed). Cook for 2 minutes until the alcohol has evaporated from the wine. 
6. Turning the flame down to medium, add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and combine well into the meat/vegetable mixture. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
   
7. Next, add the heavy cream, mix, then turn the flame down to simmer (use a smaller back burner, or use a heat diffuser plate under your pot).
   
8. Simmer, stirring occasionally and cook for 3 hours covered. Then, remove the lid and continue simmering for another hour or until the sauce thickens considerably (making sure the bottom of the pot doesn't burn). If you feel like your sauce hasn't thickened enough, you can always use an the old Italian Nonna's trick.... toss in a handful or two of breadcrumbs).
   

This recipe will make enough Bolognese sauce for several meals. It also freezes very well.

If you would like to make fresh tagliatelle to go with your Bolognese sauce, read Making Fresh Pasta at Home: Not a Necessity, but a Tradition.

Or, try making our Torta Rigatoni Piede Bolognese al Forno - Baked Standing Rigatoni Pie with Bolognese. Or, try Baked Standing Rigatoni in a Mug. It's also wonderful spread on a bruschetta for a small lunch or snack.

Buon appetito!

--Jerry Finzi

To illustrate how much Italians love this special dish, certain pasticcerie have created a legal version: a dessert called Polenta e Osei, made to look just like the real dish. It's made of a soft light sponge cake filled with hazelnut cream that is rolled in a yellow fondant. On top are little chocolate birds made from chocolate marzipan. You can find this in the town of Bergamo.
As for the real song bird dish, the macho thing is to pick up the birdie by the beak and leave nothing... devouring bones, beak and all. At least they are not as ruthless as a similar dish I saw in France years ago--where they drown the birds in the local brandy, then when eating drape a napkin over their heads and the dish to inhale the fragrances and crunch down on the bird, apparently head hidden in shame. 

Memorial Day Weekend is here. And so is the corn on the cob, French fries, burgers, hotdogs, hot wings and brisket. In Italy the equivalent of our Memorial Day is April 25, la Festa della Liberazione which commemorates the end of WWII, followed by Festa dei Lavoratori (Labor Day) on May 1st. Many Italians combine the two and go on holiday to celebrate the beginning of spring, and like Americans, they love their BBQ, but typically over a wood fire. Many Italian-Americans are looking for ways to bring a little of Italy into their choices... here are some ideas.

From Giada's Giadzy:
Burrata and Kale Salsa Verde Bruschetta
The salsa verde for these decadent toasts can be made a day ahead, making assembly a breeze once the grill heats up.
Bistecca Fiorentina
Florence's signature dish doesn't need to be made with that famous Tuscan beef - a good-quality rib-eye marinated in this herb-garlic mixture will do the job perfectly.
Tomato, Avocado, and Escarole Salad
Bitter escarole is a perfect foil for the rich steak in this simple side salad, while tomatoes and Castelvetrano olives add bright acidity. And you can never have too much avocado!
Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
Ice cream on the grill? It's true! Grilled bread topped with luscious chocolate-hazelnut spread encloses scoops of vanilla ice cream for a perfect ending.

A here are some tips on how to recreate an
Italian Mixed Grill from Honest Cooking, using a variety of meats grilled over a wood fire, as Italians do.

And of course, the ultimate Italian BBQ is the Tuscan classic, Bistecca alla Fiorentina, offered here from Memorie di Angelina. In Tuscany, the steaks used are from the Chianina, an Italian breed of cattle raised mainly for beef. It is the largest and one of the oldest cattle breeds in the world. In the U.S. 1-1/2 - 2"" thick porterhouse or T-bone steak are good substitutes. In Tuscany, these steaks are grilled over wood coals until dark and smoky outside and bloody toward the center. They are sliced thin and enjoyed by all with a salad of Italian greens (especially arugula) grilled potatoes or beans in olive oil and sage. There are always wedges of lemons, course sea salt, pats of butter or extra virgin olive oil to top it off. Chianti Classico or Brunello di Montalcino are good choices to add to the celebration.

by Jerry Finzi

For Valentine's Day, my wife treated us to a Beef Wellington dinner, prepared and delivered by a local chef. Even though she got rave reviews, we weren't really Wow'd. Having had Wellington in the past, I knew that there were a few things lacking... The cut of beef wasn't tender enough, the mushroom duxelle was a bit funky tasting, and it was missing a wrap of Parma ham inside the (greasy) pastry.

Thinking I could do better, I started thinking... and thinking... Why not transform the Wellington into an Italian version?

The idea was to design a recipe similar to Beef Wellington... but instead of using a tender loin steak inside, it would be a large, flattened Italian style polpette (meatball), wrapped in prosciutto and provolone cheese with an black olive/pesto Tapinade just inside the puff pastry. There are similar recipes in Italy called Polpettone in Crosta, but these are loaf-size meatloafs, often stuffed with hard boiled eggs or other ingredients. I wanted mine to remain a Polpette--a true meatball...

I set out to make my Polpette alla Wellington!

Ingredients
for the Polpette
2 pounds ground chuck
1 medium Vidalia, small dice
1 egg
2 tablespoons red wine
1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1-1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1  teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 tablespoon dried basil
15 cracks black pepper (from a pepper-mill)
1 cup canola oil + 2 tablespoons olive oil for frying

for the Tapinade
1 - 16 ounce can of black olives, well drained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons pesto (from jar or Make it Fresh)
3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

for the Pastry Wrap
4-6 slices delicatessen sharp provolone
1/4 pound prosciutto, speck or Boar Head Brand Piccolo Prosciutto
2 packages frozen puff pastry (butter or shortening type, your choice)
1 beaten egg (for egg wash)

Making the Tapinade

Next, to make the Tapinade, drain the olives and place into a food processor along with the pesto, tomato paste, garlic, red pepper flakes and Reggiano. Pulse several times to get a spreadable texture... but not too smooth. You might have to scrape down the sides of the mixer between pulses.

You can serve your Polpette alla Wellington over a bed of marinara, as we did for one meal, but to be honest, we thought the tomato sauce masked some of the flavors. Also, even though I made the size of our polpette match the size of most beef tenders used to make a traditional Wellington, we felt the serving was too large. If we make this again, we would serve as we did for our second "leftover" meal--each serving was one-half a Wellington.

In fact, the second meal we served with a side of Italian flat beans and no tomato sauce. We actually enjoyed this meal much better... the Tapinade's flavors came to the forefront and the spices in the polpette were obvious. The half-sized servings were a perfect portion. I actually thought that 2 days later, after setting up in the fridge, wrapped in foil, the flavors melded and intensified a bit. We re-heated the leftover halves in loosely wrapped foil for one hour.

If we make this recipe again, we will make smaller Polpette so each person can have a completely pastry-wrapped Wellington.

Enjoy this recipe and let us know how yours turned out!

© GVI

Culatello is one of the most prized salumi in Italy, dating back to the 15th century. Culatello is produced in the flatlands located north of Parma, near the Po River. The city of Zibello is epicenter of production (Culatello di Zibello), due to its particular climate that is ideal for aging the meat. The thick fog that rolls off the Po and the biting cold of the winter give culatello its characteristic sweetness and fragrance.

Culatello is made with the muscular part of the hind leg of pigs that were born, raised and slaughtered exclusively in Emilia Romagna and Lombardy. The meat is then processed in the communes of Polesine, Busseto, Zibello, Soragna, Roccabianca, San Secondo, Sissa and Colorno, in the province of Parma. The thigh is skinned and de-boned, and the best part, or heart, is removed and salted immediately.

Twine is then wrapped around the meat in a spiral fashion, giving the culatello its signature pear shape. The meat is left to rest and after a couple of days it is massaged, causing the salt to further penetrate the meat. The culatello is left to rest again, in a cold environment, and is then encased in a clean, dry pork bladder and tied up well.

At this point, the culatello is placed in humid, room-temperature cellar for at least 12 months. Once it has been aged, the culatello should weigh between 6 ½ and 11 lbs and have kept its characteristic pear shape.

Parma versus Colatello

Parma ham is sweet and tender.
Culatello is a bit saltier than Parma ham, with lots of flavor that comes out when chewing it--rich and sometimes peppery and aromatic.

D.O.P. culatello on AMAZON.

Beef Ragu over Cheesy Polenta
A rustic, belly-filling recipe from simple ingredients. The cook time from pan to table is under an hour, so it's great for a quick family meal during the workweek...

Ingredients
Polenta

• 1 cup quick-cooking polenta
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 cup mascarpone

Ragu

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground chuck/beef
• 1 medium diced sweet onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  
• 1 (28-ounce) can Tuttarosso crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves or two teaspoons dry

Directions

1. Cook polenta in a medium saucepan according to package directions. At the end, stir in 1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano and mascarpone. Cover to keep warm.
2. Next, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
3. Saute onion until translucent, then add beef and garlic, stirring often to break up meat. Cook until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer beef mixture to a plate using a slotted spoon and discard excess fat. Return meat to the pan, then add the crushed tomatoes and all the spices. Simmer for 20-30 minutes with the pan covered on low heat.
5. Divide polenta evenly among 4 shallow bowls. Top each serving with the ragu, top with a few fresh basil leaves and some grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Enjoy!

--Jerry Finzi