Adventures in the South of Italy Part I

Last weekend, Endira and I had a whirlwind trip down South.  We stopped in Naples, Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi during the course of Saturday and Sunday. It was crazy and lots of fun too.
On Saturday we took the slow train (3 hours) at 8:14am. If you ever take one of these cheap but long trains in Rome (or from any of the capo linea, the journey starting point) get on the train EARLY or else you run the risk of standing the majority of the journey.  We planted ourselves in the corridor by the steps and had to keep getting up and down whenever the exit was on our side for the various local stops. It was a long trip but we read our books and had a lot of laughs.
However, when we got to Naples, at around 11am I was just a little out of it (that's what happens
when you stay out late the night before an early morning trip) and I thought it was already noon and therefore time for pizza.  This also just proves that I can't do math.  3 hours on a strain starting at 8, what time do you arrive? Alissa's stomach says noon.

I was insistent on getting this pizza.
Best pizza, but remember it's closed on
Sundays!

And I was quite gung ho about getting my Neapolitan pizza fix so we took a walk and figured out that Da Michele, the best pizza EVER was closed until noon.  So one random conversation with a Neapolitan later (note: they'll try speaking to you even if you don't know Neapolitan. A lot of Neapolitans are wonderful, hilarious people, some are crooks trying to con you into something... soo proceed with caution) we decided to go for a walk and see the churches in the area and get a coffee.  I needed an energy upper and Naples is known for its coffee.

beautiful shakerato

It's known for 2 things Pizza and Espresso.  Their espresso is strong and sweet and pretty amazing (other Italians will say their coffee is better but I'm partial to Neapolitan espresso).  We stopped at a cute coffee shop on the corner and sat outside in the warm sun.  We each decided to get a Shakerato which is a type of ice coffee. In Florence it was quite thin and smooth, basically regular espresso, milk and liquid sugar, shaken with ice (hence the name) and served cold.  In Naples at this caffe it was like melted ice cream made tiwh the best espresso in the world. It was delicious and creamy, but incredibly strong.  Stir it periodically!  Otherwise at the end you're going to get a mouthful of super strong espresso that you weren't expecting.  It was refreshing and quite energizing but a little messy.  I would definitely get it again.
Then we stopped into the Duomo for a beautiful peek and after we kept walking for a while.  We found a photo exhibit and a man raising money for a library so that the kids in the neighborhood would ahve a place to study.  He was lovely and the project was a beautiful idea, especially since he's doing it in honor of his 14 year old daughter who was killed by the Gamorah (Neapolitan mafia) a few years ago.  The school down the block is named after her. He's doing a wonderful job keeping her memory alive and positive.  He was a lovely man with a positive message and spirit.  He's also collecting books for the library in any language, so if you want, you can send books for the beautiful cause (I'll add in the address tomorrow).
He also gave us a nearby restaurant recommendation that I'll have to look into next time because I was utterly fixated on getting pizza from Da Michele again, so we went there next.
We got there at noon and there was already a line at the door so I cut to the front to see what was going on.  I wanted to get our pizzas to go so I figured that there was no hurt in trying and well, it cutting the line definitely paid off for us with quick pizzas but more on that in a minute.
Apparently, Da Michele's had been robbed the night before!!The crooks had broken in from below and ruined the bathroom in the process which is why the restaurant still wasn't seating anyone.  I really hope that the crooks get caught and that they didn't get any money.  The sweet, amazing people working that way didn't seem too concerned right then, which makes me think that it probably isn't the first break in that they've faced.

In any case, they couldn't seat anyone who wanted to sit and eat but since we wanted to take ours as takeaway we were in luck.  I asked the man at the counter and he was very sweet and told the guys by the kiln to make us some pizzas. And we got to watch them making our pizza which was excellent.  The older men were amazingly quick and then the pizza was ready very quickly as well.

We got traditional margarita pizzas. Da Michele's only serves 3 kinds Marinara (no cheese), Margarita (the traditional Neapolitan pie) and Doppio Margarita (with double the mozzarella).
Our pizzas were amazing, especially since they were the very first made that day!
They were delicious with the perfect crust and a wonderful balance of sauce and cheese, with just the right amount of basil.

If you ever have a chance to pass through Naples, I highly recomment Da Michele.  I also recommend you explore the rest of the city because although it's quite nitty gritty and the city is highly underrated, in reality it's a gorgeous city with lots to see (the coast, castel d'uovo, spaccanapoli, the archaeological museum just to name a few) but do be aware of your belongings because there are some shady characters roaming amongst the friendly.
After eating our pizza in the piazza by the train station, we got onto the circovesuviano for 1 hour and 15 minutes of hot stuffy train to Sorrento....
That being said it was TOTALLY worth it.

Want to read more about my adventures down south?
Part II here
Part III here

Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!
It's that time of year again, to give thanks for the people and the things in our lives.  I am so thankful for my Mother because she has supported me in all my endeavors even though it means that I'm not with her again this Thanksgiving.  I'm thankful for my baby bro and his adventurous spirit. I hope he's having a good hot meal today and making friends somewhere in South America. I am thankful for the siblings who found me one year ago. It's so amazing to have older siblings in my life all of a sudden, and nieces and nephews!  It's crazy! And I'm thankful for my Uncle, Aunt and cousins. We don't talk much but I'm glad to have them in my life.
I am grateful for my friends stateside, especially my Jersey girls because they're always there for me even though they know I'm a little crazy. I'm so happy that you guys are there for me even though I'm not physically present in the Jersey and I hope you know that if you need me for anything, I'm an email, a skype call or a phone call away. I miss you all immensely!!
I'm so thankful I have Endira here in Rome because I have someone to talk to and show me around the city and just because she's awesome in general. And I'm very thankful for this teaching position and my fellow teachers because they are fantastic and hilarious. We make quite the team. What would I do without the suggestions and reminders to bundle up? What would I do without the camraderie? Probably go nuttier than I already am. :D
This year, I'm finally back in Italy and I'm so happy to be here. I'm so thankful to have been offered this opportunity. Teaching is difficult. It's a challenge. It makes me tired. But it's so rewarding and fun even if I don't have a lot of free time.
Actually, my lack of free time also means that I won't be celebrating Thanksgiving with all the fixings tonight.  I'm working till 8:30 and won't have time to cook so I'm having a delayed celebration on Saturday night. I'm cooking with Endira as my sous chef for about 10 or 11 of our friends. We're introducing Thanksgiving to some Brits and to some Italians and it's going to be an amazing.   We're having a pretty traditional feast and I'm really looking forward to cooking a couple of dishes that I've never made before.
For the most part I'm cooking and Endira is going to help. But a couple of friends will be bringing side dishes too. I love that sharing and coming together is part of this fantastic holiday. Honestly, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday all year long.

So this years menu is mostly traditional with a couple of twists mostly because I don't like following recipes and because I can't find everything I would like to prepare here... Italy does not celebrate Thanksgiving so it can be hard to find things like Turkey and cranberries.

Appetizers:
Butternut Squash Soup
Stuffed Mushrooms
Salad

Main Course: 
Roasted Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy and Roasted Potatoes 
String bean salad
Berry Relish (sadly I haven't found cranberries)
Garlic Mashed Potatoes (made by friends
2 kinds of Stuffing (made by friends)
Grandma's Artichokes

Dessert: 
Apple Pie with a cookie crust 
Pumpkin Pie
Tiramisu (made by a friend)

I'm so excited by all of this food and so thankful to have people to share it with. I'll keep you all updated about recipes and post some pictures after the actual meal too!!

I hope you're all having a wonderful holiday season filled with family, friends, food and laughter!!

 

 

Pizza Pizza

I've had some great pizza over the years, both in Italy and in the states. I've learned that no two pies are exactly alike. Florence has some of the best thin crusted pizzas but they're not the same as pizzas from Naples. Naples has the original, the absolute best pizza that I've ever had in my life. You can not beat the thin crust with homemade sauce and fresh bufala mozzarella with oregano... Simple yet delicious. My mouth is watering at the thought. The ingredients in all Italian pizzas are fresh and very often organic. The vegetable toppings pack a lot of flavor even before additional seasonings.
But that's not to say that I haven't found some wonderful pizza here in the U.S.A. Pizza here, however, is enormously different. The pies themselves are larger and the flavor and ingredient combinations are drastically different too. I think that American pizza, whether fast food, homemade or 5 star restaurant quality  is generally more adventurous in its flavor pairings than most anything you'll find abroad. No Italian would dream of pputting pineapple or chicken or barbeque sauce onto a pizza.
Italians, I find, don't use their imaginations as much when it comes to food. They are so richly steeped in tradition that they don't often have to think outside of the box to get fantastic flavors and dishes. Here in the U.S.S we don't have the same kind of tried and true traditional mentality. We are a melting pot, a stew of traditions and cultures. As a result, our food tradition (at least on the east cost) we are often willing to play with our food, to combine one tradition with another.  Pizza is delicious, so is BBQ, so let's combine them together and make a BBQ Chicken Pizza. Like Thai food? There are many places that will put Thai spicing and traditional ingredients onto a pizza. One tradition is not enough. We can combine and play and experiment until we have something new and delicious.
The original, the traditional will always be respected and will always have a place in our diets but it is fun to try the new and untested.  In places like NYC, the unique and new is a challenge, it is something to be tried and enjoyed.
When my family makes pizza at home, we use the traditions that Grams shared with us but we also like to play around with sasonings with the sauce and vegetables that with use.  Grams showed us the typical margherita and marinara pizzas. But after her long exposure to the United States, she came to appreciate stranger combinations and was willing to try some new things.
Pizza is probably one of my favorite foods and part of that is because it is such a versatile food. You can stick with the traditional or you can experiment with outlandish ingredients that somehow when combined and baked together, no longer seem so outlandish.  There is literally nothing to love about pizza.

Recipe: La Parmigiana #1

Eggplant Parmigiana is slowly becoming one of my favorite things to eat, and one of my favorite things to make, even though it takes forever to make. I have a couple of amazing variations on this recipe. The first is the one I traditionally use.

1 large eggplant or 2 medium eggplants
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs or flour
Pot of tomato sauce (homemade is best :) obviously )
Grated mozzarella
250 grams of ricotta
parmigian cheese
oregano
salt
pepper
fresh basil (to put in the layers)

Everyone says Parmigiana is complicated... but I think it's pretty simple if a little time consuming...
Preheat the oven to 350*-400*.
Slice the eggplant into thin slices and salt lightly.  Beat the eggs with the various spices. Dip each piece of eggplant into the egg batter and then coat evenly with the breadcrumbs.
In a pan heat some olive oil and fry each piece of eggplant. When the eggplant comes out of the oil, drain the excess oil on sheets of paper towel.
In an oven proof casserole dish, ladle a thin layer of sauce into the casserole. Lay down a layer of eggplant, cover with a layer of mozzarella, ricotta and a fresh grating of parmigian cheese. Season with salt and pepper and then cover with another layer of tomato sauce.  Repeat the layering until you run out of all ingredients.
Finish by coating the top layer  of eggplant with sauce and extra parmigian cheese.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until there is a lightly golden crust.
Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Cut and serve!

~Raspberry Truffle

Carbonara please!!

Don't know why I'm suddenly in the mood for Carbonara pasta. I know how to make it, and it's utterly delicious if somewhat complicated. Maybe I'll be able to have some later this week! The image is Paula Dean's Tuscan Carbonara, and seriously I'm salivating!

The image underneath, isn't really carbonara, but I'd love to try it anyway! It's Giada's version of Carbonara. (Giada's Carbonara) (Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis) but it's not a real carbonara at all. It just looks yummy!! It's a little bit healthier because it doesn't use cream and changes the egg ratio, probably making it easier to make in all honesty and it uses yummy asparagus. But we shall see, which I actually decide to try to tackle later this week! Creamy or healthy?? it's a toss up...

oh wait, I found another carbonara option, this was more traditional but it also has broccoli, choices choices choices, now what do I do?? suggestions anyone???



~Raspberry Truffle...