Great Politics and great food- a perfect pairing

Is it just me or does it seem like the rest of the world has also gone crazy for our American potlitical election? Many of the European countries have formed interest groups for specific political candidates.

In Italy and France there are some groups that are interested in Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. They have regular meetings to discuss the candidates, have meetings to watch primary elections and see how their candidate fared even though they can not vote for them.

It is all in the fascination for everything American..just as we have a fascination with the Italian way of life.

Italian political watching has become one of my hobbies and I do so enjoy watching their Senate meetings on TV. Quite different from a US Senate meeting. A bottle of champagne may be popped open at the end of a successful meeting.. it is also a chance to see the latest fashions worn by both men and women and a smattering of the latest sunglasses-many Senators wear dark sunglasses to these meetings. Since I have grown tired of many of the same old predictable celebrity events.these political events have now taken my interest..But I am also learning about the rest of the world and the other political systems while being entertained.

It seems as though American politics have become so predictable- well I guess not this year with the first woman and African American candidates- we have added something interesting and we all may be witness to an important part of American history if one of these candidates gets elected..

But Italian politicians are more passionate about what they do and I always get the feeling that I am watching an opera -without the music-and not a Senate meeting or a political speech, everything is always so dramatic and everyone is so passionate about their cause.

It is a veritable modern day opera..

We(Italians) are descended from the ancient Roman Philosophers- a trait that is very visible in today's Italian politicians.

Everyone wants to be the next Roman emperor and have their day in the spotlight or at the Roman forum (Foro Romano) and Italian politicians are no exception.

Oh well just a little happy hour chit chat to enjoy a glass of a light sparkling wine like Bracchetto D'Acqui, it goes great with appetizers and desserts. Here is an appetizer to accompany your glass of Bracchetto:

Torta Salata con Brie
copyright 2008, Maria Liberati from "

The Basic Art of Italian Cooking -Holidays and Special Occasions, art ofl iving, Prima Media,Inc.
This makes a great antipasto!!

Ingredients:
*A disc of puff pastry (big enough to cover bottom and sides of a pie pan about ¾”-1” high)
*3/4 lb of brie
*1 fresh red pepper
*1 fresh yellow pepper
Olive oil
Pinch of salt

Directions:
Cover pie pan with puff pastry. Cut the brie into thin slices (do not eliminate the white skin). Lay brie slices on puff pastry. Wash the peppers and cut into thin slices, place on top of the brie. Drizzle about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil on top, and sprinkle a pinch of salt.

Bake in preheated oven of 375 degrees for about 7 minutes or until puff pastry is golden.
Served best hot instead of warm.

Ciao for now!
Maria

http://www.marialiberati.com/

Pasta, Pasta, Pasta...

(Copyright, Maria Liberati, 2006-2007)

Pasta is one of our national treasures (in Italy)- we have even a museum dedicated to pasta in Rome. But there are so many ideas and misconceptions about its' orgins. So with my 3 part series on this wonderful delight, although I am featuring some pasta recipes from my book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking,part I (http://www.marialiberati.com)and/ the upcoming book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Spaghetti at Midnight- I want to first set the record straight on many 'pasta myths'.
When it comes to Italian culture, one cannot offer an accurate description without giving due attention to the plentiful dishes that are tied to the nation’s identity and shared with the rest of the world. However, the Italian menu that is practically synonymous with the nation itself has not always been. While it is difficult to imagine an Italy without its traditional food, such a place did at one time exist. By taking a look at some of the history of what we now consider “Italian food,” we are offered an often overlooked aspect of the beloved cuisine and an opportunity to appreciate it all the more.
An obvious starting point is the origin of pasta, the ultimate staple of Italian cooking. While other traditional Italian favorites such as tomato sauce and pizza have a fairly recent history, pasta has a much older heritage that can be traced back hundreds, and perhaps thousands of years.
A common myth surrounding the introduction of pasta to Italy is that the Venetian merchant, Marco Polo, returned from journeys in China with the dish, thereby introducing it to the nation. However, this belief has been debunked, as records clearly show that pasta was already in existence in Italy at this time. While several theories still exist, the more commonly accepted one today is tied to the Arab invasions of Italy in the 8th century. Pasta was first prepared in Italy in dried form in Sicily. Some Sicilian lasagna dishes today still contain such ingredients as raisins and cinnamon, also Arab contributions, which lends credence to the fact that pasta was indeed introduced by this group. The combination of Italy’s climate, which proved favorable for the harvesting of durum wheat, and the gradual introduction of newtechnology, which made pasta easier to make, allowed the dish to thrive.
Next week we will learn how the making of pasta was transformed from a labor intensive task to a much simpler undertaking through the innovations of several individuals who contributed their ideas and inventions.

Enjoy this first pasta dish! This is a popular Roman dish. Bucatini and perciatelli pasta are thicker versions of spaghetti. If you have any questions, please email maria@marialiberati.com and for more recipes, tips, ideas, please visit us at: http://www.marialiberati.com

BUCATINI WITH BROCOLETTI

(copyright 2007, The Basic Art of Italian Cooking, Spaghetti at Midnight by Maria Liberati)
1 lb of perciatelli or bucatini pasta
1 lb of brocoletti (broccoli rabe or you cn use regular broccoli)
2 garlic cloves
1 tblsp pignoli nuts
½ lb plum tomatoes
1 handful parsley
Grated pecorino cheese
5 tblsps of extra virgin olive oil
Salt, pepper to taste

Wash broccoletti and boil in lightly salted water. Take out of water when done, saving the cooking water. In a sauté pan place in the olive oil with finely chopped garlic and onion, and sauté for a couple of minutes. Then add in tomatoes cut into small pieces, pinoli and broccoletti, add pinch of pepper and salt and let cook for 15 minutes.
Boil the water that you used to cook broccoletti and let cook till al dente and drain, Place in pan with sauce and toss to lightly coat. Sprinkle in handful of grated pecorino cheese, toss lightly and serve.