SUMMER SALADS IN WINTER
Summer foods to me are those foods which are quick and easy, and don't require much (if any!) cooking. Anything with tomatoes...a BLT, a salad with tomatoes, even a plate piled high with sliced tomatoes is fine with me. A cold pasta salad is also my idea of a perfect summer meal.
Cold pasta salads seem to be much more popular in American than they are here in Italy. Broccoli, like celery and carrots, stays nice a crispy in a pasta salad but, as I’ve mentioned before, one of my biggest disappointments with the seasonal availability of various foods is that we can’t find broccoli in the summer.
I’m not a lover of cooked broccoli, but I know it’s good for you, so I do try to eat it raw with dips, maybe quickly cooked in a stir-fry, or in a cold pasta salad. Art loves broccoli any way I fix it, but generally if I don’t like to eat it, I don’t cook it, so no cooked broccoli for Art....although without a cheddar cheese sauce he doesn’t miss it as much!
I decided to take advantage of the fact that broccoli is plentiful right now to make a pasta salad for lunch. First I cooked a pound of fusilli pasta. Of course all pasta should be cooked to just “al dente”, but with a pasta salad this is even more crucial….you don’t want mushy pasta in your pasta salad! The pasta was cooked in about 9 minutes, then I plunged it into cold water to make sure it didn’t cook any more.
I chopped up a medium sized bunch of broccoli, thinly sliced a large carrot, and chopped a purple onion into small pieces. I then mixed up some ranch dressing using a powdered mix  that Jill and Larry left for us when they went back to the states.
I’d never seen this mix before….when we lived in the states if I wanted ranch dressing I just bought a bottle, but really I’m not a huge fan of ranch dressing. I guess Jill and Larry really like ranch dressing, so this mix was perfect for their time in Italy. Bottled salad dressing just doesn’t exist here…..you’ve got olive oil and vinegar…red wine, white wine or balsamic, so why would you need bottled dressing???
I mixed up about 1 ½ cups of the dressing using mayonnaise and milk, but I used about twice as much ranch seasoning as called for on the jar. I tossed the pasta with the ranch dressing and the veggies, then added about ½ cup crumbled bacon bits and about ½ cup parmesan cheese, maybe a little more. I grated lots and lots of black pepper over the entire bowl and stirred everything until blended. We’ll have this for lunch, maybe for a quick snack, and as a side dish with dinner tomorrow.
All I need to do now is to find someone who’ll bring me some more (real) bacon bits from the states!
Click HERE to see some pictures we took this afternoon....an interesting mix of snow on the mountains and green, green fields!
WINTER ARRIVES
 January is normally cold, damp and foggy in Umbria. We’ve been fortunate this year, though….it’s been quite mild and very dry. As we left the house this morning I snapped this picture of the rose bush by the front door. There are leaves starting to sprout all over the bush, and the hydrangeas that line the wall are covered in fat buds. I know this will end badly, but what can I do???
As we drove down to Marsciano, we could see the snow covering the mountains off in the northeast. This is what Umbria looks like in the winter…cloudy, foggy, and with reminders of how cold it can be.
We were headed to the ASL office to renew our health insurance coverage for 2007. As residents, we’re allowed to participate in the Italian healthcare system by paying a percentage of our income, and we find it to be a pretty good deal. We’d been to the ASL office on Tuesday, but the line had been way too long, and we decided to return another day. Art needs to fill his prescriptions for the month, so today was the day.
I went ahead while Art parked the car, and I could tell right away that things weren’t any better today than they’d been before. Today there was even a large roll of numbers, something we’d said they really needed in order for everyone to keep track of whose turn it was.
Once Art arrived he rolled his eyes, but we had no choice but to wait. We’d left it until the end of the month and now we had to pay the price. In true Italian style, everyone kept crowding around the door, asking this question and that, and the two women who work in the office patiently answered everyone as best they could.
At one point another woman appeared from a different office, and she tried to explain the system to everyone. She said that some people needed numbers, others did not. I wasn’t really paying attention, and Art was confused enough to ask for clarification. All of a sudden we were in! Apparently we didn’t need a number!
The woman who was supposed to help us wasn’t familiar enough with how to help retired foreigners like us, so the other woman called us over to her desk, just as she had last year. Although there are lots of foreigners here, most are EU citizens who work and pay into the system, making their healthcare needs the same as the Italians.
We presented the woman with all our documents….our Permessi, our now expired 2006 health cards, and bank statements from the last three months, showing the automatic deposit for Art’s pension. We told her everything was the same as last year, and that the documents hadn’t yet arrived from the United States, all we had were the bank statements.
None of this was a problem and she quickly computed our payment and sent us to the Post Office where we would pay the bill. She gave us a printed piece of paper showing who we should make the payment to, and said that I should write my name on the form as well. Because only Art has a pension, I’m covered with him.
At the Post Office there were only two people in line, but it took me longer to fill out the forms since I had to fill them out in triplicate. By the time I was ready, several other people had completed their transactions. The nice thing about the Marsciano Post Office is that because it’s bigger, the banking transactions are always handled separately from the postal transactions. In San Venanzo things are a bit more casual, and usually there’s only one person at the window to handle everything.
We drove back to the ASL office, disappointed to note that it had started to sprinkle. We were hoping to walk on the paved track near the pool before we drove back home.
Pandemonium still reigned at the ASL office….there were just as many people waiting when we got back, although we knew that we wouldn’t have to wait long since we were just returning to complete our business. How everyone keeps track of whose turn it is, and who has to wait versus who doesn’t is always a mystery to me.
The woman who’d been helping us came out to make an announcement: the computer wasn’t working, therefore she couldn’t issue any new health cards. She didn’t know when the computer would be fixed, so she told everyone they could wait, or they could come back another day.
I stuck my head in the door to ask if she wanted to go ahead and make copies of our paper work. If we had to come back, and all the people in the waiting area had to come back, I figured this would be one less thing to do when we returned.
She told me no, to just bring the papers back, but said she did need for us to complete and sign a document. Actually she filled it out and Art just signed. I never even got to read it, but I’m guessing that it was just a verification of our income and information. She told us we could come back next week and hope the computer was working! Apparently after February first everyone must use the new credit card instead of the old fashioned green ASL card. Even Umbria is coming into the 21st century!
As we drove back up to San Venanzo the fog got heavier the higher we drove. By the time we got home it was just starting to rain again, and the rain was trying to turn into snow. The rain and snow mix continued on for a while, and eventually the snow won out. 
Big fat wet flakes fell for about thirty minutes, then gradually slowed down. The park behind us looked like a winter wonderland,
 
but what I was happiest about was that we had plenty of food and no need to go anywhere!
The forecast calls for temperatures close to 50ºF within the next few days, so we’ll get another reprieve from winter. Personally, I’m ready for spring, but I’m betting that this won’t be the last of the cold weather, or the snow.
JONESIN' FOR SOME ORIENTAL FOOD
Although there ARE Oriental restaurants in Italy, we've never been to one. The general consensus for both Oriental and Mexican restaurants seems to be that the food isn’t very good, so we’ve just never bothered. Regular visits back to the states have allowed us to satisfy our tastebuds, and it gives us something to look forward to when we go back.
I have brought some Mexican foods and ingredients to Italy, and we occasionally enjoy fajitas, but alas, no refried beans. Oriental food is something that I’ve never cooked at home though, except for a fried noodle recipe that I fell in love with and eventually had to stop making because there were just too many carbs!
A few months ago I found a recipe for Bourbon chicken, which seems to be the latest hot thing at the food court Oriental restaurants. You can’t walk through a mall these days without being offered a sample, and although it’s not as good as sweet and sour pork, or my favorite, General’s Chicken, it was tasty so I figured I’d give it a try.
I’ll give you the recipe, but not before telling you what I thought about the recipe. First of all, I was surprised that the chicken was baked! I thought after marinating it would then be quickly stir-fried, but no! Secondly, although the chicken was tender and tasty, it may have been a little too….something….too sweet, maybe.
Thirdly, it definitely did NOT satisfy my craving for Oriental food. Perhaps I do need to dig out that fried noodle recipe, or try more ‘traditional’ recipes. Sweet and sour pork or chicken, War Su Gai, General’s Chicken, or maybe even a bowl of pork fried rice might do the trick, but this recipe, although good, just didn’t scratch the itch. The fourth problem I had with this recipe is that it just wasn't good enough to justify using 1/2 cup of my good Kentucky bourbon!!
Perhaps if you have better access to good Oriental food on a regular basis you’ll be easier to please than I was. The recipe is certainly simple enough, and here it is:
Bourbon Chicken
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp powdered ginger
2 Tbsp dried minced onion
1/2 cup bourbon whiskey
1 lb. boneless chicken leg or thigh meat cut into bite size chunks
2 Tbsp white wine
Cooked white rice, optional
In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, ginger, onion and bourbon; stir until sugar has dissolved.
Add chicken and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Place chicken and the marinade in an 8 x 8-inch glass baking dish and bake in a preheated 350°F. oven for 45 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with pan juices.
Remove chicken. Scrape pan juices with all the brown bits into a frying pan. Heat over medium heat and add white wine. Stir and add chicken. Serve immediately with pan juices over cooked rice.
I used a bit more than one pound of chicken...I think you could use up to 1 1/2 pounds with good results. Also I didn't have any dried onions, so I chopped up a bit of green onion and used that instead.
I did find that taking the meat off the legs and thighs to be a giant pain in the ass. I'm not some girly-girl who cringes at the sight (or touch) of blood and guts, but it was just soooo time consuming, and not nearly as easy as de-boning a chicken breast. Labels: chicken
CONVENIENCE FOODS
In the short time we've been here we've seen more and more convenience foods on the grocery shelves. The refrigerated case is full of doughs that are filled with sweet or savory foods. there are ready made, refrigerated batters to bake a torta, and of course plenty of refrigerated, fresh pastas. My camera battery died yesterday in the grocery store, but not before I got this shot of the newest arrival: slice and bake cookie dough!!!
On my next trip to the grocery I'll make sure the battery is fully charged and take some more pictures of what's new at the grocery in Italy.
BUMPER STICKERS
Okay, you know my politics and know how I feel about this current administration. Our friends Jack and Suzy sent us these in an email. Some of them made me laugh out loud, others made me cringe with embarrassment, and a few just made me sad.
(On an infant's shirt):
Already smarter than Bush
1/20/09: End of an Error
That's OK, I Wasn't Using My Civil Liberties Anyway
Let's Fix Democracy in This Country First
Bush. Like a Rock. Only Dumber.
You Can't Be Pro-War And Pro-Life At The Same Time
If You Can Read This, You're Not Our President
Hey, Bush Supporters: Embarrassed Yet?
George Bush: Creating the Terrorists Our Kids Will Have to Fight
Impeachment: It's Not Just for Blowjobs Anymore
America: One Nation, Under Surveillance
They Call Him "W" So He Can Spell It
Which God Do You Kill For?
Jail to the Chief
Who Would Jesus Torture?
No, Seriously, Why Did We Invade?
Bush: God's Way of Proving Intelligent Design is Full Of Crap
We Need a President Who's Fluent In At Least One Language
We're Making Enemies Faster Than We Can Kill Them
Rich Man's War, Poor Man's Blood
Is It Vietnam Yet?
Bush Doesn't Care About White People, Either
Where Are We Going?
And Why Are We In This Handbasket?
You Elected Him. You Deserve Him.
Impeach Cheney First
Dubya, Your Dad Shoulda Pulled Out, Too
When Bush Took Office, Gas Was $1.46
The Republican Party: Our Bridge to the 11th Century
2004: Embarrassed
2005: Horrified
2006: Terrified
ITALIAN/NOT ITALIAN...or DELICIOUS BY ANY OTHER NAME
As you might imagine, we have lots in common with all the other expats living in Italy. Obviously we have more in common with other Americans living in Italy, since we have a common background. We make some of the same discoveries and observations as other expats, and I’m sure veteran expats can’t help but smile as we write about our newest “discoveries”.
Like most other Americans, expat or not, we grew up with many Italian foods. Spaghetti and meatballs. Pepperoni pizza. Ceasar salad. Even that grated cheese in the green can! Because of this I wasn’t too surprised to read another American expat blogging about these foods. Valerie, who writes on her
2 Baci in a Pinon Tree blog, wrote about these foods and more just after I’d made spaghetti and meatballs at Art’s request.
Art always prefers his spaghetti with meatballs, rather than with plain tomato sauce or with ragu (meat sauce). Spaghetti with meatballs is NOT an Italian dish! As we were eating, we too discussed how Italian food is different from Italian-American food.
I’d love to be able to find spicy Italian sausage here in Italy. Or pepperoni pizza….but for that I’d want an authentic Italian pizza, thin crispy crust, just a bit a sauce, fresh mozzarella, but with good ole American-style pepperoni. In Italy pepperoni means peppers, as in green or red peppers.
And lasagna here is different…not as much tomato sauce, no gooey, rubbery mozzarella. Just thin layers of delicate pasta combined with ragu and fresh cheeses. And the ragu, as made Bolognese-style, has very little, if any tomato sauce, and a touch of cream or milk at the end. It really is ‘just a meat sauce.’
Garlic bread, which I guess is supposed to substitute for bruschetta, falls waaaaaaaaaaaaay short. And those puddles of olive oil that some restaurants have started serving? Definitely NOT something Italian, and from what I’ve tasted, most of those restaurants should be ASHAMED to serve the sludge they call olive oil. REAL olive oil, GOOD olive oil is wonderful all by itself with just a sprinkle of salt, but still, it’s not an Italian tradition.
Just as the United States has regional foods, so does Italy. In Italy however, it’s not quite as easy to find dishes from one region in others. But think about it…..would you really order clam chowder in Alabama, or grits in Wisconsin? Maybe in the states we have easier access to foods of other regions, but they’re always better in their home.
In Italy, just like in the states, regional cooking is based on what’s most plentiful in the area. Over time, and with the increased availability of foods in all areas and all seasons, the United States has lost some….maybe even most?.....of its regional distinctions.
In Italy the south tends to have simpler foods, a more Mediterranean type diet, while the northern part of Italy has richer, more complex foods. North of Bologna you’ll find butter used quite often, and pesto, and more meats. The south tends to have less meat, and only olive oil. Certainly things are changing, and even Italy is seeing people move from one area to another….something not very common in the past. Even so, regional differences are still quite distinct.
Here in Umbria we’re known for pork, for cinghiale (wild boar), and sausages made from both. We’re also known for truffles and olive oil and red wine from Montefalco and white wine from Orvieto. We have plenty of pecorino cheese made from local sheep’s milk. We have saltless bread like the Tuscans, a tradition begun hundreds of years ago to avoid the Pope’s tax on salt. Our food is a mix of north and south, still simple and rustic, but including plenty of meat.
When the waves of Italian immigrants arrived in the states in the early to mid 20th century, recipes were adapted to use ingredients that were available. Certainly there were Italian delis and mom and pop groceries who imported specialties from Italy, but still, change was inevitable. Gradually pizza became deep dish, and mozzarella was no long made from buffalo’s milk. Tomato sauce, called ‘salsa’ in Italy, became known as ‘gravy’ in Italian/American homes.
For us, now exposed to both cultures and both cooking styles, it’s nice to be able to enjoy the best of both worlds. To remember how it used to be, and to be brave enough to make changes…sometimes for necessity, sometimes for convenience, sometimes just for creativity. And so, gradually, Italian cooking becomes Italian-American, and northern Italian cuisine blends with southern Italian. And hopefully, we can enjoy the old with the new, appreciating each for its uniqueness, and for its good taste. After all, isn’t that what it’s all about?
SUGAR HIGH FRIDAY...ON MONDAY!
Over on DAVID LEBOVITZ'S BLOG, Sugar High Friday has come early, and we're all the better for it!! After an apparently overwhelming response to David's request for recipes featuring chocolate, he had so many he decided to start publishing them before Friday! Lucky us!
My recipe for Chocolate and Peanut Butter bars is listed today, as is Judith's recipe for Hot Silk, although David mis-read her recipe and wrote the recipe title as "The Chocolate". Anyway, read, drool and enjoy! I've already picked out a few that I can't wait to try.
WE’VE GOT MAIL…WELL, SOME OF IT….
Whether you’re in Italy or in the states, someone always has a horror story about their mail. If it’s YOUR piece of mail that’s lost or damaged you don’t give a damn if 10 zillion other pieces got to their destination in record time. Mail is still very personal, and even in this electronic age, very important.
Right now we’re wondering where our M bag is. For those of you who don’t know, an M bag is a way to mail books or recorded materials from the U.S. The rate is cheap, about $1/pound, because it takes the slow route. Based on past experiences it usually takes an M bag nine weeks to get from Louisville to San Venanzo, so now, at week 10 we’re getting a little worried.
Yes, we’ve had a bunch of holiday to hamper our M bag’s delivery, but these holidays shouldn’t have delayed the shipment from the states. Here in Italy we’ve had the December 8th feast of the Immaculate Conception as our first holiday. Then the long Christmas weekend, with Dec, 26th also being a feast day/holiday……then New Years weekend, followed by the Epiphany on Jan 13th to close out the holiday season. We haven’t yet given up hope, but still…..
We have had better luck, so we’re not completely down on the postal system. Thank you cards sent to us by my son and his family, mailed on a Monday from Florida arrived here on Thursday! A small package mailed from Le Marche, a neighboring province, arrived the day after it was mailed.
 My daughter recently sent me a wonderful package….a collection of American magazines. She found the perfect mix of trash, general interest and serious material. Reading novels is nice, and reading the local newspaper online is fine, but there’s nothing like having a few magazines to flip through, reading things here and there, turning a corner to mark a recipe or article of interest.
Although the internet allows us to keep in touch with friends, family and local information in the states, and although we call home quite frequently, receiving mail is still a treat. This isn’t necessarily because we’re in Italy, because I’ve always rushed to the mailbox, but now it’s even more special. Now if that M bag, filled with more magazines, as well as new books, would just get here!
And completely unrelated to mail, this is what I saw this morning when I opened the bedroom shutters....
Directly out our bedroom window we have this view, framed by two cypress trees...
Looking to the right, down into the valley, it's common to see the fog settling in...
And looking to the left, past the park, past the rooftops, up towards Monte Peglia....
For those who are wondering, it should be obvious that we're not experiencing any of the extreme weather that's plagueing northern Europe. Here our weather is unusually mild, proably in the 50's, and I'm still opening the windows up to air out the house, at least for a little while each day.
PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE BARS
There must be a zillion food blogs on the internet these days. Trying to find consistently entertaining AND informative blogs of any sort is a challenge. One of the better food blogs out there is one written by David Lebovitz. (There’s a link to his blog in the left Hand column) I like David because he likes chocolate and because he’s not a food snob.
David’s decided to focus on chocolate this month and has invited his readers to submit recipes using chocolate. The only requirement is that you note the brand of chocolate you used, and why.
Of course the first inclination is to show off, to make something fancy, something showy, something that’s just as much a work of art for the eyes as it is for the palate. But that’s not me. I’m not a chef, I’m a cook. A good cook, yes, but I’ve never been formally trained, never learned the tricks and techniques of the fancy pastry chefs, so why pretend?
Additionally, I wanted to make something that the average person could easily make at home. Something that’s yummy, but simple to put together. I wanted to try a fantastic brownie recipe featured in the cookbook of our friend Jack Roby called “I’m For Easy”, but when I discovered that I didn’t have any crème di cacao on hand, only chocolate liqueur, I looked for something else.
I finally settled on a bar cookie. It’s pretty simple, and uses ingredients that are readily available. With cholesterol-lowering oats, heart healthy dark chocolate, and eggs for protein, it’s almost a health food. Of course it also has sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, peanut butter and a stick of butter, but you know those things will only add to the yummy factor!
The original recipe called for semi-sweet chocolate chips, and if I’d used them I would have gone with Ghirardelli chocolate chips.  I love their creaminess. But because my supply of Ghirardelli chocolate chips in Italy is limited to how many bags I can cram into my suitcase, I decided to use something else....no point wasting the chips when the chocolate in this recipe gets melted down! I decided to use some of the Perugina chocolate I was given as a gift. Having a friend who works at the Perugina factory, located not far from us, is a definite bonus!
The chocolate I used was Nestlè Noir, 70%. It comes in thin 'leaves', and makes a great simple dessert, just place a few sheets on a plate, serve with an after dinner liqueur and savor. Maybe 70% is a little more bittersweet than semisweet, but the choice is yours. Play around with it, use semisweet, bittersweet, whatever you like. One of the things I like about the chocolates I find here in Italy is that normally they’re labeled by the percentage of chocolate rather than a general label of semisweet, bittersweet, etc.
Here’s the recipe:
PB&C Bars (Peanut Butter and Chocolate Bars)
1 cup butter MINUS 2 Tbsp
1¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
½ cup peanut butter
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
12 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate pieces
1 cup chopped peanuts
2 tsp vanilla
In a large mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugars; beat until well mixed. Beat in eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla. In another large bowl stir together flour and baking soda; stir in oats. Gradually stir dry mixture into beaten mixture. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan combine the peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk, and chocolate pieces. Cook over low heat until chocolate melts, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in peanuts and 2 teaspoons vanilla.
Press two-thirds (about 3-1/3 cups) of the oat mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Spread chocolate mixture over the oat mixture. Using your fingers, dot remaining oat mixture over the chocolate.
Bake in a 350º F oven about 25 minutes or until top is lightly browned (chocolate mixture will look moist). Cool on a wire rack. Cut into 2x1-inch bars. Makes about 75 bars.
Here's the finished product along with the box the chocolate came in.
These bars were NOT as decadently chocolatey as I expected. Perhaps the recipe needs more chocolate, or just something else to make the filling a little more gooey. Maybe it just needs a shorter baking time. I'll keep working on the recipe and report back...or you can take the basic recipe and experiment for yourself!
Addendum: Over the next two days, the chocolate flavor did seem to be more pronounced. Guess I shouldn't be surprised, as this is to be expected with dark choclate. If you plan to make anything with dark chocolate, I definitely recommend making it very early in the morning if you're planning to have it for dinner, or better, yet, make it the day before and keep things simple. Also, fo r this recipe, maybe just a bit more chocolate next time...14-16 ounces instead of 12. Of course this might make the bars a bit gooier and more difficult to handle, but it just might be worth it! Labels: chocolate
RYE SUCCESS!
Great news! The rye bread turned out beautiful AND tasty! I'm soooo glad I brought the rye flour from the states!
I did add one heaping tablespoon of vital gluten to this dough, just to ensure a nice rise.
With this basic recipe you can go many different directions: add whole wheat flour, nuts, fruits. Happy baking!
P.S. See the post just below this one for the recipe! Labels: Bread
NO KNEAD BREAD...DO YOU NEED THIS RECIPE?
Have you read about the newest rage in bread making? A thread on the SlowTrav message board referenced an article in the New York Times . Now this recipe has been discussed on food message boards all over the internet. Do a Google search and you’ll find it on sites like egullet, cooks.com, and Chocolate & Zucchini.
At first I only read about the recipe, because it called for a 6-8 quart pan…one that would withstand a 450º oven complete with a tight fitting lid. I didn’t have an oven-proof pan that large, but eventually decided to try it in my 3 quart Calphalon pan. I checked the information and both the pot and the lid were oven-safe to 450º, so I figured I didn’t have much to lose…..a few cups of flour maybe.
When I mixed the dough the fact that it was very slack (wet) didn’t bother me as much as it did other posters on the ST board. I knew from past experience that a slack dough usually makes for a great finished product. I brought the bowl up to the living room, the warmest room in the house, and let it rise for the maximum time, 18 hours.
Before baking, not only is the oven pre-heated, but the pan is preheated as well. The slack dough is plopped into the pan with a sizzle and the lid is put on to steam the bread, ensuring a crisp crust. This is even easier than spraying the bread and/or the oven! The lid is removed for the last 15-20 minutes of baking, and when it’s done, it just pops right out of the pan!.. Of course the hardest part is waiting for it to cool enough to slice it easily. Sometimes we succeed with this step, sometimes not.
I did experiment with a 2 ½ qt pan, but in the end decided that the 3 qt pan gave me the size loaf I wanted. 
I think letting it rise the full 18 hours gives it a tangy, sourdough taste. For us it’s a great compromise between a saltless Umbrian bread that’s perfect for bruschetta and a soft white sandwich style bread that’s good for sandwiches.
Right now I have dough made using 1 cup of rye flour and 2 cups of bread flour. Of course I also added 1 tablespoon of caraway seeds since that’s the way I like my rye bread. It’ll be interesting to see how this turns out!
With a few adjustments, here's my version of the recipe. Don't be afraid to experiment! For the original version click on the link for the NY Times article.
No Knead Bread
3 cups bread flour, more for dusting (430 gr)
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1 ½ teaspoons salt
Water (1 ½ - 1 5/8 cups), tepid
Time: About 1½ hours plus 14 to 20 hours rising
In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.
Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Put dough seam side down on plastic wrap. Cover with more plastic wrap and a cotton towel and let rise for about 2-3 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450ºF. Put a 3-4 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that’s okay. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.
Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.
Labels: Bread
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DRIVING TO MARMORE (AND MORE)
We took a drive yesterday, first driving east, turning south at Bastardo, heading towards Spoleto. At Spoleto we took the less travelled road, driving through the mountains, passing the Marmore waterfalls.
We packed a lunch and a bottle of water and just enjoyed the ride, the scenery and each other. The area we drove through seems more mountainous than our area, and it's amazing that Umbria has so much diversity in such a small area.
Just south of Terni are the Marmore Falls. In the spring, and when the falls are 'turned on', the flow is spectacular.....
Unfortunatley things were a little calmer when we were there....
The park was closed for the season, but the gate was unlocked. We were able to not only see, but also to hear the falls, and it was a wonderfully relaxing sound....
Normally these fields would be brown...just huge clumps of dirt, waiting for the spring plantings. This year, due to the mild temeratures, everything continues to grow, allowing the weeds and grasses to cover these fields in a carpet of green...
 We passed the cute town of Ferentillo..... Labels: Marmore, Umbria
TRAPPED IN BLOGGER HELL!
I'm just coming up for air, gasping, really. I've been trying for the past three days to get this blogger mess straightened out. As you can see, I managed to get back into my blog, but this may be a one-deal like the last time.
I still don't know what I did right or wrong, or what's different....but what I DO know is that the support from Google and/or blogger is non-existant. I don't know if they were any more helpful when they were smaller and still trying to get established, but now that they seem to own a considerable piece of the internet world they sure as hell don't have time to help the 'customers' with any problems.
It's a shame, but customer service seems to have disappeared in many areas of today's world. Talking to a real person is a challenge, and sometimes proves impossible. Unfortunately, even when you do get a real person, very often all they do is spout their carefully written speech with no regard for you as an individual or your particular problem. I can't count the number of times I've sent an email to a company regarding a problem, and all I get back is "answer #347", even though I've carefully explained that I've already tried steps 1,2,3, and 4, and that I'm still having a problem. Wouldn't it be just as easy to have someone answer my specific question the first time instead of going back and forth with three, four, maybe more emails????
They say that the U.S. has changed from an industrial nation into a service industry nation, but really, where's the service? Last time I check most of it had been out-sourced to Pakistan, or somewhere equally remote, where I could barely understand the person who wasn't really interested in helping me.
For now I'm just posting this so that you'll understnad why the posts are few and far between. We took a drive today and I shot some nice pictures, but who knows if I'll be able to log back in tomorrow to post them or not. Wish me luck... progress is hell.
(SIGH!)
I've just been throught two days and nights of pure hell with Google/blogger! After 'upgrading' to the "new" blogger, (whatever that means), I realized that I'd linked the new version to an invalid email address due to a typo! I'm not a very good typist, but I swear, this was the first time in YEARS that I'd mis-typed my own email address.
Do I need to go through all the steps I went through to get this mess straightened out???? Probably not....most of you can probably already imagine the horrors, the completely useless hlep sections, the question and answer sections that never seem to be specific enough, or that always seem to stop just short of your particular problem! I sent off emails, posted on blogger's help section, tried changing the password....nothing.
Adding to the stress was the fear that by merely deleting the account with the wrong email address I would also lose the entire blog in the process! Changing the wrong email address to the right email address wasn't possible, since when I tried that tact I was told that email address was already in use. YES! I KNOW THAT! IT'S ME YOU STUPID PROGRAM!!!! I JUST MADE A TYPO!!!!!
Once I finally received a reply from Google/blogger, they DID tell me to delete the account with the correct address, then edit the other account, changing the email address back to it's correct form. Reasonably sure I could follow the simple directions, I made the changes.....AND STILL COULDN'T LOG-IN TO MY BLOGGER ACCOUNT!!!! grrrrrrrrrrrrrr
I checked with the help forum on blogger, and the one thing everyone said was "don't delete your account"! Oh shit, had I made the situation even worse by following the directions?????
And then all my Google pages started showing up in Italian! I checked to make sure the default language was in English...it was....I re-set it again to be sure....changed the passwork yet again...re-read the help forums......
And then my blog didn't load when I tried to click on it from a link, and I thought "Uh oh, this is it! I've lost the blog and THAT'S the reason I can't log in...it doesn't exist anymore!!!" So then I did a search on blogger to find my blog....and it wasn't there. there were links to my blog, quotes from my blog, references to my blog....but no blog!
More emails to blogger....LOTS of CAPITAL LETTERS AND EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!! LOTS of "PLEASE's" and "HELPs"....more checking with the log in pages of both blogger and Google....still Italian....okay, now I think it's back to English....back to the Google page to check my account...click on the bloger icon once again......
and here I was, back into blogger! Back to my blog! Where had it been? What made it go away......what made it come back?? Will it last? will I still be able to get into it tomorrow? Should I just stay logged in 24/7 just in case?
This was why I hadn't switched to the 'new' version of blogger when it was still in the beta stage. After a recommendaton from a friend, who told me the picture posting was much more reliable, and after seeing that it wasn't beta anymore, I took the plunge....and certainly lived to regret it!
I'm really not good with change, especially this type of change. My knowledge of computers is limited...I know how to do what I need to do...how to do the stuff I've always done. Learning a new way, a 'better' way isn't easy for me, and I usually fight the change as long as possible.
It's the same way with other forms of technology...like when you get the television, VCR, DVD player, surround system AND the satellite system all hooked up and working correctly. Sure, it takes a few tries to figure out how to get the surround sound to run while using the VCR. or how to switch over from the DVD player, or, the hardest...how to record something in the middle of the night! Waking up and wondering...did I really tape the right channel at the right time??? Learning to coordiante all those remotes can be a nightmare.....push just ONE button out of sequence and you're completely screwed.
Screwed pretty much describes how I felt about this change with blogger....I just KNEW better than to change and I did it anyway! What was I thinking????
Anyway, for at least this one post, I'm using the new blogger format. Since I"m not even posting a picture it all seems rather pointless right now, and quite frankly I'm exhausted from all the stress, but I guess (hope) I've taken yet another baby step forward in technology. It's a bit frustrating not really knowing what I did or how I did it. In the end I guess I really didn't do anything. There was probably just some glitch in the system and some wonderful computer geek somewhere is high-fiving it because he finally got everything fixed!
TIS THE SEASON
But what season? Here in San Venanzo the weather has been unseasonably mild. We haven't had the spring-like weather they've been experiencing in Louisville, but even with temperatures in the 40's we're not complaining. The flowers are still blooming everywhere...roses and even annuals continue to flourish...
Small shrines like this one are everywhere in Italy, along the roadside, tucked away on a country road, or like this one in San Venanzo, just a part of everyday life. The creche was put in for the Christmas season of course, but vases of flowers decorate the shrine every day, tended by a devoted few.
Someone went to a lot of effort to decorate this tree with various items used by a plumber. The metal door just behind the tree houses a small office, so perhaps it's the office of a plumber, or maybe just a home handyman....
Sunset
On Saturday evening a special concert was held in the church
to close the Christmas season. The choir, originally formed in 1977, is composed of twenty five men and women. In 2005 they participated in the Umbrian regional Sacred Music concert.
The musical selections were interesting for many reasons. The opening number, "O Come All Ye Faithful", was was listed as being of Irish origins, something I never knew. I wasn't familiar with the next several songs, but the fifth song we knew as "Silent Night". The program listed this song as "Astro del Ciel", and I never could get any of the Italian words to match up to the English words, so perhaps the words are translated differently, or maybe they're completely different in different languages, adapated for the best 'fit'.
"Hark the Herald Angels Sing" was also a familiar tune, but once agian, the words didn't seem to be the same.
"The Little Drummer Boy" was sung in English and was accompanied with a drum. Even in English, the Italian accents made it sound just a little different! Out of the ten songs performed for the concert, this was the song selected as the encore, perhaps to utilitze the drum once again.
All in all this was a wonderful way to close the Christmas season.
INTRODUCING SOME FRIENDS!
I've just added a new section in the right hand colum, and I just wanted to let everyone know. It's called "Blogroll" and it lists the blogs of friends, mostly expats living in Italy, and a few other special treats. (Special thanks to Annika for helping to set this up, and to Cyndi for making changes that allow the links to open in a new window, keeping my blog still open.)
To introduce you briefly, here's the rundown on the blogs and their authors:
At Home in Piemonte is Diana's blog. She and her husband quit their jobs and bought an old property to renovate into a bed and breakfast. (Baur B&B )They've made quite a success of it, and I don't know where she finds the time to write a blog! Alpine Settler is written by Carole, an English woman who lived in Italy many years ago and has now returned, living in one of the most beautiful areas of Italy. Bill Thayer's Gazetteer of Italy For those of you who'd like to know more about the history of Italy, Bill's site is a good place to start. It's loaded with information and pictures, as well as links to other sites. Casey, Italy and Other Good Stuff is written by Jane and Ken, a retired couple who are raising their young grandson and living for a year in Chianti. Chocolate and Zucchini is the food blog of an amazing young woman who knows about good food! You've read about her on my blog before, and I've shared many of her recipes. dove mi porta il cuore is written by Annika, a Swedish girl who must have been Italian in a past life. Her young son 'remembers' sharing this life with her, and we hope one day they have the chance to live here again!If not now, When? is the story of our friend Kellee who's been blessed with the opportunity to house-sit in Tuscany.
KZ in Toscana is the blog of Jane and Ken's eight year old grandson! He's learned Italian and now attends the local school. His perspective is unique!
La Cucina di Cristina is written by our very own Cristina from Expats in Italy. She's promised to give us all a sneak preview of some of her favorite recipes before she publishes her own cookbook!
Live Cheap and Make Art chronicles the two year period our friends Bob and Rosemary have spent in Italy. They've stayed six months in four different areas, and Bob's captured everything so beautifully with his camera, while Rosemary's watercolors add a beautiful touch.
Over a Tuscan Stove is the blog of Diva Cucina, also know as Judy Witts. If you're ever in Florence you can sign up for one of her cooking classes, but until then check out her blog for great recipes and food news.
Pecorino e Miele follows the adventures of a shy girl from Seattle who is drawn to Italy and her Italian roots. (The part about her being shy isn't true!)
Re-boot: A New Life in Italy is the story of Cyndi who fell in love with an Italian and moved to Italy! Follow Cyndi as she follows her heart.
The Traveling McMahans is the blog of fellow Louisvillians Brian and Dana. Although they're still in the states they love to travel, and their blog chronicles their trips, both in the states and abroad.
The View from Il Loggino is about Joanna's journey to Italy. She lives in the val d'Orcia, a beautiful area of Tuscany in a house she's renovated over the last few years.
Think on it! is written by our friend Judith who lives just north of us. She's a designer, a fabulous cook, and as our friend Tina described her" spunky'! Check out her blog for fashion news as well as her latest culinary delights! I've posted many of her recipes here before, and now you can have immediate access!
2 Baci in a Pinon Tree is the blog of Valerie, who along with her husband decided to pack up and leave New Mexico for a year in Italy! Great idea, don't you think?
Travel Sweeps is a blog written by a woman who loves to travel and who hopes to win some of the fantastic trips offered by various organizations. Somebody has to win, right? Wandering Italy is the blog of James Martin who also writes for about.com. Enjoy his observations about life and food in Italy.
So there you have it....certainly not a complete listing, but a start. Take a look and if you find one (or more) that you really like, I'd suggest using Bloglines to keep up-to-date. I've also posted a link to Bloglines in the right hand column, and as I wrote before, it wasn't the easiest set-up to understand, but if I can figure out I guess anyone can! Bloglines will let you know when the blogs you're interested in have posted something new.
TIME TO START THE NEW YEAR
Here it is already the seventh of January, so I guess I’d better do a bit of catching up. Even though the holidays officially end today, at least here in Italy, these last few weeks have been pretty quiet.
Today is Epiphany…the twelfth and last day of Christmas. How many of you didn’t know that the twelve days of Christmas actually started on Christmas? I didn't know it for many years. Epiphany is the celebration of the day the three wise men arrived in Bethlehem to present their gifts to the baby Jesus. Anyway, not only is this day the official closing of the Christmas season, it’s also the day Befana arrives in Italy. Befana is a witch who brings sweets to the good children and coal to the bad children. So, here in Italy, January 6th is a big day, combining both religious aspects and pagan aspects…sort of like Easter when we celebrate the resurrection and the Easter bunny. Strange how these traditions get mixed together. As I write this the church bells are ringing furiously.
Since all I did was put up our tiny Christmas tree…small enough to need only one short string of lights and maybe ten or fifteen of my favorite ornaments, taking it down and putting everything away wasn’t the headache that it can be. We talked to our family on Christmas Day, but still it was a little sad to have the house so quiet. I’m thinking next year I might want to be in Louisville for the holidays, but that’s a long way off.
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The weekend before Christmas we attended our first bingo party in Italy! ‘Tombola” is what it’s called here, and although we could see the similarities, there were quite a few differences.
Since we’d been specifically ‘invited’, we didn’t feel as if we could refuse, so at the appointed hour (9 p.m.) we walked down to the community hall next to the church. A few people were milling about, and as we walked in the door we had to make a decision: one card for €4, or three cards for €10? Obviously we took the 3 for 10 deal, being Americans who know a good bargain when they see one! I assigned the extra card to Art because his Italians better than mine, altho I do tend to do much better with numbers. In the end it didn’t matter, but we’ll get to that in a minute.
The room was filled with many rows of folding chairs, separated by a center aisle. At the front of the rooms was a table with 2 men, a laptop and a traditional bin with a handle containing the bingo numbers. Behind the table, and running the entire width of the room was a red curtain. Of course we had no idea what might be behind the curtain, and just figured it was covering up things that were being stored in the hall, maybe more tables and chairs.
There weren’t more than fifteen people already there, but of course when they say nine o’clock it really means nine thirty, nine forty five, maybe even ten, so we found two seats in the third row, which would give us a good view of the caller. We were also hoping that the laptop, now simply projecting it’s desktop onto the curtain, would be used in some way to help us keep track of the numbers.
We sat and tried to figure out the cards we’d been given. Unlike Bingo cards in the states, there were no letters across the top of each column. There were only numbers, random numbers, filling the three rows of ten columns. Hmmm, how did this work?
Someone came up to advise us, and from what we understood, all we had to do was to match two of our numbers in any row. In addition to our card we’d also been given a pencil and were told that when a number was called out, if we had it on our card we should draw an ‘X’ through it. That sounded a little too easy, but still, how hard could it be? We’d just wait til the game started and see what happened.
Over the next fifteen or twenty minutes the hall began to fill. At first it seemed to be mostly men, which we thought was a bit odd. In the states I would imagine that most bingo halls are filled with women and with children if they’re allowed. Eventually I decided that because of the time, most of the women were probably still at home, putting away the remains of dinner and washing the dishes. Whether or not that’s true I’ll never know for sure, but eventually the women and children DID arrive…and in droves. A U.S. fire marshal would have had a fit as more and more people filled the hall. All the seats were taken, more chairs were set up, and the back of the room was now standing room only.
Around 9:30 Adamo made an announcement that we would wait for a few more minutes to begin, making it nearly ten before the festivities got under way. Eventually the curtain was pulled back, revealing a large “tree” with gold-covered, coin shaped chocolates hanging from every branch, and also with large pieces of paper, which were the gift certificates for the prizes.
An old lady was at the front, standing next to a huge easel which held a poster containing the numbers from 1 to 100…or was it just ninety? Anyway….
She was dressed as Befana, which I thought was a bit strange since this was the week before Befana arrives. When the number was pulled out of the bin and called out, our friendly Befana would “X” the number off the sheet, making it easy to keep up with things.
Of course I don’t know if there are different ways to play this game or not. As we explained to the Italians sitting near us, American bingo allows for a ‘bingo’ when the line is filled vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. Obviously this wouldn’t work with our three rows of numbers in Italy. What we did find out was that this game was progressive. At first only two numbers within the same row we required to win, then three, then all five, then eventually we had to have the equivalent of a ‘cover all’ to win the last and best of the prizes….an €80 gift certificate to Davide, the large macelleria (butcher shop) in town.
Our cards were duds from the get-go. I had only one number for the longest time, and even though it took quite a while for someone to claim the grand prize, neither of us was ever in the running.
A short intermission was held just before the grand prize, cover-all began. Befana and her helpers began to take the chocolate coins down from the tree branches and to throw them to the kids in the crowd. Eventually the kids went up to the stage to receive the candy directly, and although it was frantic with the candy being thrown into the crowd, none of the kids went crazy. No one pushed or shoved, there was no aggression, just happy anticipation, and in the end, every child in the hall had several pieces of candy, even those who were too shy to approach the stage. For the shy kids there were people passing out candy in the crowd, and everyone made sure that the shy kids got some treats too.
Before the game resumed Adamo, who seems to be the master of ceremonies at most of these events, reminded everyone that there would be food and drink after the tombola was over, and made a special note of the fact that I’d brought “dolci Americani”…American sweets! I’d brought chocolate chip cookies, knowing that they’d be a hit, and I’d also brought peanut butter cookies with chocolate chunks.
Probably the strangest cookies I brought were the cut-out sugar cookies. Last Christmas when I was unable to find food coloring in Italy I’d ask our friend Shelly to bring some on her next visit. To make the cookies a little more festive I’d dyed half the dough red, the other half green, and then decorated them with sprinkles. I didn’t think the colored cookies would be that strange, but apparently it was an idea they’d never seen or heard of before. Of course the proof’s in the pudding, or in this case, the cookie, and everyone seemed to like all the cookies, even the red and green ones! Maybe I should start selling American-style cookies on the side…..
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Belinda and Giacomo drove to Sicily for Christmas, then drove back north to fly to Australia for the month of January. Since winter here is cold and damp, and since it’s summer in Australia, Belinda and Giacomo take this opportunity when Belinda’s not working anyway, to visit her family down under. They called yesterday to wish us Happy New Year. I could hear the birds singing outside their window as we spoke, and they told us they’re house-sitting for some friends….in a six million dollar house overlooking Sydney Harbor Bridge! Wow! What a way to welcome the New Year!
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What else? Oh yeah, I finally tried a pork recipe that I’d found a while back, and I was very pleased with it. Of course I couldn’t find red cabbage so I substituted a head of radicchio (well, it looks about the same!)
 and it tasted fine. For this size roast I think maybe three apples instead of two, and maybe not quite so small a head of cabbage (or radicchio, as the case may be!). For the French spice mix I just used a sprinkle of each of the spices.
ROAST PORK W/RED CABBAGE, APPLES & PRUNES
1 tablespoon olive oil
One 800 gr (1 3/4 pounds) boneless center cut pork roast
Fine sea salt
1 small head red cabbage, quartered, cored, and sliced thinly
2 medium baking apples, peeled, cored, and cut in eighths
8 prunes, pitted and halved
4 whole garlic cloves
Whole coriander seeds
French four-spice mix (ground nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves)
1/2 cup red wine
Freshly ground pepper
Serves 4.
Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the roast and sear for a few minutes, flipping the meat regularly, until browned all over. Season with salt and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the cabbage, apples, prunes, and garlic to the pot, stir to coat, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the cabbage starts to soften. Season with whole coriander seeds, French four-spice (light-handedly), and salt. Stir to combine.
Form a little nest in the middle of the vegetables and place the roast there. Pour the wine over the meat and vegetables, cover, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about an hour, stirring from time to time to make sure the vegetables don't burn at the bottom, until the meat is cooked through (I just cut a slice to check when I think it's done, but if you have a meat thermometer, it should read 70°C / 160°F).
Remove the lid, turn the heat up to medium-high and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the juices have reduced by half. Taste the vegetables, adjust the seasoning, sprinkle with pepper, and serve with strong mustard on the side.
Again, one of the things I like about Italian cooking is that so many of the meat dishes are prepared on the stovetop, keeping the oven free for other, more important things like dessert! I baked an apple crumble first, then cut up some potatoes, coated them with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted them to serve with the pork roast.
Also, serving a strong mustard on the side for dipping is an idea I’d never have thought of, but one that really did add to the dish! Try it!
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We had our first showing of the house last week! A couple who live and teach in Rome drove up to see it, and I really need to write to them to get their feedback. We tried to get everything as spruced up as we could, and altho we’ve sold houses on our own before, it would still be nice to have some feedback.
Although I’ve decluttered some, due to limited storage space it’s just not possible to a large degree, and also due to the fact that we expect the sale to take a while, I don’t want to live in a house devoid of all personal mementos and family pictures. This is a tough decision, because I know from watching all the house-for-sale shows that are on how hard it is for some (most!) people to see beyond the décor, beyond a purple wall color, an outdated kitchen or a style that’s not to their liking.
I remember when we bought our last house in the states. It was a condo that hadn’t been touched since the owner built it as her retirement home in the 1970’s…complete with shag carpeting….long since worn flat, flocked wallpaper so dry it was falling off the wall, and the piece de resistance, the complete 1970’s style kitchen with harvest gold appliances (including trash compactor), a harvest gold countertop, and dark, dark cabinets. My daughter took one look and thought I’d lost my mind! Six month later with new paint, new flooring and an entirely new kitchen, I’m not sure that even she would have realized it was the same place if she didn’t know we lived there!
We hope that the people who look at our house are able to envision themselves living here, surrounded by their own furnishings and mementos.
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We tagged along with a friend to look at an apartment in Orvieto the other day. Unfortunately the apartment wasn’t actually in the city, but on the road that leads up to the city. There was no outside space, and the only view was of the rock upon which Orvieto sits. The place was really more like a borgo, just four apartments in one building, right on the side of the road, no charm, no view, and the only way to get to the city was to go UP…..altho it wasn’t far, it would be a very steep walk, and not fun when carrying groceries. It was a quick and definite “NO” for our friend.
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We finally got to see Wendy’s new place, and WOW! what a place. It’s a former stable, charmingly converted into a three bedroom, two bath apartment full of character…stone walls, fireplace, great furniture, arched doorways and a cute little loft area.
We had a nice dinner with Wendy, her brother who’s visiting from the states, and her new boyfriend. This was the first time Wendy had ever cooked for us, and now that she has her own place I told her we have to start alternating! She’s a great cook! After years of not having her own kitchen, she can now start cooking again, something that she really enjoys.
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We met with a new expat friend yesterday, Tina, who’s from Seattle. She’s been living in Perugia for several months, attending the University there, studying Italian. For whatever reason our paths had never crossed before, and we were finally able to arrange to have lunch her in San Venanzo. Tina rode the bus from Perugia, which is quite a scenic ride along the SS317, and we promised to take her back to Perugia after lunch.
Art had been wanting to have a pesto lasagna for several weeks, so I decide this would be a good dish for lunch. I sautéed some pancetta, then threw in some mushrooms. I coated the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of pesto, the started layering fresh pasta, pesto, some of the pancetta/mushroom mixture, and grated parmesan cheese. When the pan was filled to the top I dusted the last sheet of pasta with parmesan then slowly poured milk into the side of the pan until the milk was just barely covering the pasta.
Once baked the pasta absorbed the milk and by using milk instead of the more traditional béchamel the dish was much lighter. I’ve found that when I use béchamel the dish is just too rich and too heavy, and this idea of using milk, which I read on the SlowTrav message board, works perfectly every time.
For a more traditional lasagna using a meat sauce (ragu), I’ll do the same, although I will add a little mozzarella or ricotta to the layers, depending on what I have in the frig. The only thing you have to remember is to use fresh pasta, or if you’re using dried pasta, cook it first, at least for a few minutes.
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2007 promises to be a year of changes for us. Keeping my anxiety in check will be a challenge, and although I know that “che será, sera” (what will be will be), it’s the lack of control throughout the journey that makes me crazy! My resolution will be to savor every moment we have here…to enjoy our house, our park, our town and our neighbors. Even if we buy something else in San Venanzo we’ll have new neighbors and a new perspective on the town. And then of course there’s also the possibility that we’ll take this opportunity to explore a new town, maybe even a new part of Italy! The choices are unlimited!
If you know of anyone who might be interested in our house, please direct them to our blog! Selling a house in Italy isn’t quite as simple as selling a house in the states. Although it’s certainly possible that an Italian or an expat living in Italy could buy our house, we have to think globally, and to market it to as many people in as many places as we can. Most of our potential buyers are far, far away…in North America, in Australia, in Great Britain or in other EU countries.
For these people, just reading about and seeing pictures of our house on the internet isn’t enough….of course they want to see it in person, and this means scheduling the time for a trip to Italy! Pleasant as that may be, for many people it still requires some planning, and it may take them six months or longer to arrange to visit. We ask for your help in passing the word and for your continued support, whether it’s in the form of prayer or simply good thoughts and wishes.
Here’s to a great 2007 for us all!
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that Jill and Larry left for us when they went back to the states.
Spina Bifida
