Marco Polo, Adventures, Food Discoveries

Guest Blogger- Dan Rahim
Copyright 2011 Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc.
Marco Polo is probably best known today as a game played in the swimming pool. But behind the game lies a great history of discovery and adventure. Marco Polo traveled across Europe through Asia and went all the way into china for the chance to discover riches and new worlds.
With all these travels and tales of the orient Marco Polo became the most famous person in Europe in the 13th century. At a mere 24 years, he traveled to discover and reorient Europe with the rest of the world. This was not only because he had this incredible journey but also because he was the first person to publish a book about it and able to disseminate the knowledge across Europe.
In fact Marco Polo’s impact was so great it influenced European explorers for years to come. The most famous of which was Christopher Columbus who is credited for the European discovery of the Americas. In fact due to reading Marco Polo’s book Columbus believed that the New World was either India or the eastern Isles of Sumatra or Java.
Marco Polo did in fact did bring back many different thing back from his trip. Most are documented in his book Il Milone. The problem with documenting this introduction is that there are hundreds of versions of this book and no definitive version. In the era before the printing press it is hard to distinguish which version is most authentic. Therefore attributing anything to Marco Polo is quite dubious and there are several critics of his contributions.
Marco Polo is most famous for his introduction of the idea of ice cream. The Chinese had been making ice cream for nearly four thousand years before Marco Polo arrived. The Chinese were able to make this sweet, creamy drop of heaven thanks to the use of large pots of ice and salt. Many western scholars dispute this claiming that ice cream in the West has purely western origin, but it’s pretty silly to argue that the idea or concepts of ice cream had no influence from the Chinese or Marco Polo’s book. Regardless, there is no definitive proof one way or another on the origins of ice cream.
But Ice Cream was not Marco Polo’s most controversial contribution. In fact the idea that spaghetti noodles came from the orient is highly debated. Some coarse forms of pasta had existed since Roman times and perhaps even before. But pasta which is the main staple of Italian food is completely different. Many claim that modern Spaghetti was brought to Italy thanks to Marco Polo’s introduction to the Chinese through Kublai Khan. This claim has come under criticism due to the fact there are documents that describe “long pasta” before Marco Polo was born. This does not prove spaghetti is a western invention as there have been traders between east and west before Marco Polo, but it casts into doubt whether Marco had truly brought spaghetti to Italy.

Mussels & the South of France

copyright 2010 art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc

The thought of a dish of Mussels always brings back my memories of  summer trips to the South of  France, where many restaurants serve them fresh from the sea..the thought of eating a plate of mussels in tomato sauce outside on a warm summer day in the hot summer sun brings me to a special place..  ..and maybe it is anticipation but with Spring just popping by it seems that summer can't be far off...but doesn't have to be summer to enjoy this.... it is from my latest book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions


Tagliolini Pasta with Mussels


(Tagliolini are egg noodle pasta traditional to the Region of Emilia-Romagna but are sold all over the world)

½ lb of egg noodles (tagliolini pasta)

1 lb of zucchini

1 ½ pounds fresh mussels

¼ cup chopped onion

1 scallion

6 tablespoons of extra virgin oilive oil

1 handful of fresh basil

1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley leaves

salt

freshly ground pepper to taste



Chop onion and scallion. Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan.Saute on medium low heat for 5 minutes, do nor brown. Wash and slice zucchini into small sticks. In another saucepan,place in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, warm for 1 minute and place in zucchini, saute for 5 minutes,season with salt and pepper to taste. In another sauce pan place in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, place in washed mussels and chopped parsley. Cover and when mussels have opened their shells, remove from heat. Set aside. Remove mussels from pan and shell. Filter the water from cooking mussels and set aside. Place shelled mussels, cooking water , sauteed zucchini, in saute pan with onion.Saute together for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Place in chopped basil and remaining olive oil. Cover and set aside. Cook noodles. Drain. Place into saute pan with mussels, place over moderate low heat for one minute, toss gently. Serve

Booksigning at Free Library of Philadelphia-April 14

Leftovers Again??

All blogs copyright art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc 2008,2009,2010

What’s for dinner tonight? The answer is simple once you’ve mastered the quickstep approach in meal preparation, transforming tiresome leftovers into rock star dinners. Even if you can’t cook, have fun with it because these ideas are easy enough from start to finish. There’s nothing worse than finally sitting down after a long strenuous workday than to a repeat-offender of last night’s meal. Practically willing it to disappear, those Houdini techniques at dinnertime sometimes fall short due to rushing lifestyles and little time. You certainly don’t have to juggle yet another bag of groceries to achieve creative-greatness in the kitchen. So relax… open the refrigerator, allow its contents to inspire your inner-chef, and reinvent those weary leftovers. Everyone will think you’ve spent the entire day cooking, and only you will be the wiser.




Like many, the thought of food lingering from previous meals stirs visual doldrums that need not be recurring. With gas prices on the rise, ordinary provisions can become extraordinary cuisine without spending another dime at the local supermarket. Growing up, there were certainly times when money was sparse, and the invaluable lesson instilled was always the same, 'waste not want not'. When it comes to leftovers, anyone can present a versatile delicacy of options for turning just about anything into a forgivable next day feast. Sounds strange… but, in most cases, it’s actually true. Need proof? An American culinary staple is and will forever remain the hamburger, and while employing leftovers may seem a difficult task… those burgers can easily become a savory meat sauce for any pasta dish.






Pasta Surprise

Ingredients yield approximately 4 servings depending on ‘leftover’ amounts.

1 16 oz package of durum wheat or whole wheat spaghetti

Leftover hamburgers

1tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 -16 oz cans plum tomatoes

1 medium tomato, diced

1 tsp freshly chopped parsley

1 tsp freshly chopped oregano

¼ tsp garlic

3 basil leaves, chopped

Salt/pepper (to taste)

Grated Romano cheese (to taste)



Shred hamburger and place in a large skillet, stirring in 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to remoisten meat. Cook on medium heat setting for 3-5 minutes or long enough to heat. Add plum tomatoes and diced tomatoes while blending in herbs/seasonings to enhance flavor. (This easy recipe is still ideal no matter what spices you have in your refrigerator and pantry.)



Bring meat sauce to boil then cover and reduce heat to simmer, allowing flavors to meld. Stir occasionally while preparing spaghetti. After draining al dente (firm) noodles. Place spaghetti in saute pan with sauce and toss, place on large serving platter, and sprinkle with grated Romano cheese. Voila, you’ve just reinvented your leftover hamburgers into a delectable Italian dish.

Still hungry?

Be sure to visit http://www.marialiberati.com for more great recipes, and get your copy of, The Basic Art of Italian Cooking, by Maria Liberati.
 Sign up for my free newsletter and receive a Free recipe E- Book of 10 Spaghetti recipes at http://www.marialiberati.com/newsletters
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The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions

Spaghetti alla Carbonara Makes a Comeback

copyright 2009, Maria Liberati

Spaghetti alla Carbonara has made a comeback in popularity. It was one of the dishes that I had not paid too much attention to. However on a recent visit to Italy many people began asking me about this dish and a few people requested learning the recipe at some of the culinary tours I hosted. I was somewhat perplexed, as if , almost out of nowhere, this recipe was experiencing a renaissance of interest. What was the real reason for this?


The 'rebirth' of the popularity of this dish began happening during and after the Presidential elections. And so was my answer uncovered, the newly elected President Barack Obama, began expressing his fondness for this dish to the media while in Italy.. As proud as the Italians are of any of their dishes, it was an honor for them to know that an American President was so fond of one of their dishes and thence began the rebirth of the popularity of this dish. The media would proclaim that even Barack Obama had a fondness for Italian cuisine, especially one of their traditional dishes.



The origins of this recipe are uncertain. There are 3 main theories, one is that it is called 'carbonara' because it was invented by the 'carbonai' the men who worked with carbone (coal). The other is that this dish was invented by a chef who was part of a group known as the 'carbonari' that is the men who fought in the war against the Austrian occupation of Northern Italy and for Italian independence.



The 3rd appears in 1945, when the American soldiers occupied Rome at the end of the Second World War they would ask for a breakfast of 'eggs, bacon and noodles'. They would be served these items separately on a large plate. For convenience sake they began mixing everything together and unknowingly created this dish.



The 4th theory is that it was invented by Ippolito Cavalcanti of Naples in 1837. He wrote a cookbook and it includes a recipe that is very similar.



One thing remains true, many people are passionate about their Spaghetti alla Carbonara. There are a few minor differences in the recipes that exist. Some prefer to add cream, some prefer no cream, some prefer to add more egg yolks and less egg whites, some prefer smoked bacon to regular bacon, some prefer pecorino-romano cheese,others prefer parmigiano-reggiano cheese.

Either way it joins the ranks of one of Italy's delicious artisan dishes.
Stay tuned for a recipe for this wonderfu ldish in one of ny upcoming blog posts

Mangia bene, Vivi Bene,
Maria

http://twitter.com/Marialiberati

Spaghetti in Rome

copyright 2009, Maria Liberati
Here is a recipe for one of my favorite pasta dishes..brought to mind because I just enjoyed a dish at one of my favorite restaurants in Rome-
Serve with Chianti wine in recipe, dine al fresco as we did in Rome-for an added touch..


La Matriciana

for 4 people

*1 lb of pasta (spaghetti, bucatini,rigatoni)
½ onion
1 clove of garlic
¼ pound bacon (optional), cut into thin strips
3 tblsps of extra virgin olive oil
½ cup of dry white wine (Chianti)
½ tblsp of white wine vinegar
5-6 leaves of fresh basil
¼ of a dry, hot ,red pepper
a pinch of black pepper
2 lbs of ripe red plum tomatoes
¼ cup of pecorino romano cheese freshly grated

Place olive oil in saute pan and warm, place in bacon and chopped onion, hot red pepper, garlic .Saute until onion begins to become golden. Pour in wine and let liquid evaporate. Then add in the tomatoes that have been fileted (seeds removed) and fresh basil leaves.
Saute on medium heat for approx 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
Cook the pasta till al dente. Drain and place in sauce, toss and place in half of the grated cheese, toss. Serve each portion with a pinch of black pepper and more grated cheese.

Orvieto and Minestra di Farro

recipes from Orvieto and Minestra di Farro..take a look at http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2

San Valentino and dinner pe due

Romantic Dinner Menu for Two
Copyright 2008- Maria Liberati, art of living, PrimaMedia,Inc.
THE BASIC ART OF ITALIAN COOKING, Holidays & Special Occasions


Cocktail : Tintoretto
½ cup Prosecco Spumante (or a Spumante)
¼ cup pomegranate juice
Divide Spumante-evenly- among 2 champagne glasses. Top each glass with pomegranate juice –evenly divided among two glasses. Don’t stir- two colors of each liquid will provide two different colors or layers.
Antipasto: Bruschetta Gratinate
¼ pound of reduced fat fontina or Swiss or baby Swiss cheese
3 leaves of fresh arugula
1 large or 2 small very ripe tomatoes
4 slices of crusty Italian bread (can be day old)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tsp of Sapori D’Italia herbs- Tuscan Picnic blend (by Maria Liberati’s The Basic Art of Italian Cooking)

Cut fontina or Swiss cheese into small slices or small cubes. Wash and dry tomatoes, cut into small cubes and eliminate seeds. Wash and dry arugula and chop finely. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bread slices on cookie sheet, drizzle with 1 tsp of olive oil and sprinkle spice blend on top. Place in oven till slices begin to get crusty and turn golden- for about 1 minute.

Remove from oven. Layer remaining ingredients in this way: First place cheese cubes or slices, then chopped arugula, then tomatoes. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and remaining ½ tsp of spice blend. Place under broiler of oven till cheese begins to bubble. Broiler times vary- should be 1-4 minutes depending on broiler.

First Course: Linguine alle Vongole
(Clams with linguine)
1/3 box or 1/3 pound of linguine.
2 tblsps of extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil
2 clove of garlic-whole
½ lb of fresh steamed clams
½ lemon (to squeeze over finished pasta)
Handful of fresh parsley

Fill pasta pot with water and small handful of kosher or gross salt. Place on medium heat.
Place olive oil in large sauté pan. Place in peeled, whole clove of garlic (if you leave garlic in whole pieces the garlic will give the clams a flavor but the flavor will not be an extremely intense one-‘if you don’t want to have garlic on the breath’. If you don’t care about garlic odor then by all means chop it finely). Sate garlic over medium low heat until oil starts to form bubbles and garlic begins to get golden color. Place in clams and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring the clams every so often to distribute the flavors. Remove from heat. Sprinkle in the freshly chopped parsley. Stir for about one minute.
Place pasta in boiling water according to package directions (about 10 minutes). Taste before draining to be sure pasta is done to your liking. Drain in colander. When water is drained off place in saucepan with clam sauce and toss with pasta pincer till pasta is coated. Squeeze ½ lemon over pasta and toss. Place in individual serving dishes

Can be served with dry white wine – 1small glass



Second Course : Pepperoni Imbottiti
(Stuffed peppers)
1/4 cup cannelloni beans
1 tables minced onion
2 taps of fresh garlic minced finely
1 cans tuna (6 ounces)
1 tblsp of extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
Juice of ½ small lemon
¼ cup freshly chopped parsley
½ tsp Sapori D’Italia spice -Tuscan blend

Drain tuna can. Place tuna in large bowl and flake. Then add in beans, 3 tsps olive oil, garlic, onions, spice blend (leave a pinch behind to bake peppers), lemon juice. Toss.
Take whole peppers, cut of tops and clean out seeds and inside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place peppers standing on glass or ceramic baking baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tsp of olive oil and a pinch of the spice blend. Place in oven for approx 20 minutes or until tender.

Remove from oven, let cool and scoop in tuna mixture. Divide evenly between both peppers. Serve cool or while peppers are still warm. In the summer you may want to try serving this with raw peppers. This makes a wonderful picnic dish also.



Dolce : Fragole con Limone
(Dessert course: Strawberries with Lemon)
1 pound of fresh ripe strawberries
1 fresh lemon
1 handful fresh mint
1 tblsp sugar or 3 packets artificial sweetener
(Optional- 1/4 cup red wine)

Make this dessert about 1 hour before dinner so that the lemon juice and sugar have a chance to marinade the fruit>

Wash and hull strawberries. Cut each strawberry in quarters. If you are using the baby strawberries (fragolini- little strawberries) you can leave them whole.

Place in serving bowl. Cut lemon in half, with fork incised into lemon half (use both halves). Squeeze juice over strawberries- taking out any seeds. Sprinkle sugar on top. If you want t add in red wine-do so now. Stir and toss so strawberries are coated well with juice and cover bowl, refrigerate for about 1 hour.

When ready to serve, garnish with mint leaves on the top of the individual serving dish.


After Dinner Drink: Caffe Dolce e Speziata
(Spicy Dessert Coffee)
2 cups hot espresso coffee
2 tsps artificial sweetener or sugar
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of cinnamon
2 tblsps of light whipped cream

Place hot coffee in individual espresso serving cups
Stir in sweetener, top each cup with pinch of cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg and then 1 tblsp of light whipped cream.








Other useful tips:
*Even though olive oil is very good for you, you may want to lessen the calorie content of some of these dishes by substituting Enova oil for half or 1/3 of the olive oil in the dishes. Always use some olive oil so you still
Capture that flavor in each dish. Enova oil is a ‘good for you oil’ but you do not absorb all of its fat content.

*In any of the dishes that use sugar- even though my recipes don’t generally use a lot of sugar- so the sugar calories are minimum- you can still substitute an artificial sweetener.

*This meal contains a lot of good for you ingredients, Fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, pasta, seafood, olive oil. However, I have included a small amount of alcohol in the form of spumante (sparkling wine) because this is meant to be a dinner for a special occasion. But remember alcohol does add calories- even thought there have been health benefits found- you should limit your alcohol consumption to special occasions so as not to load up on unnecessary calories, etc. I also recommend that if you drink the cocktail (Tintoretto) –you serve that with your appetizer. You should never drink alcohol on an empty stomach. And you don’t want to munch away on salty pretzels and peanuts to add more calories with your cocktail.

*If you drink the cocktail before dinner and still want to drink wine with the meal be sure to drink a small glass only with the meal. Alcohol-even wine does add calories

*Since this is meant to be a romantic meal for two- you may want to partake in a small square of dark chocolate (should be minimum of 70% cocoa to get the health benefits) with your after dinner drink.

for more recipes get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at http://www.marialiberati.com and recieve $5 off retail price and free shipping for a limited time only..

Ciao for now!
Maria

Today's Souvenir is...

copyright 2008, Maria Liberati

Take a clay pot, a pound of speckled beans (borlotti beans), 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 200 grams of fresh short pasta, can of plum tomateos, pinch of salt, 1 celery stick with leaves and you have a great pasta and fagioli meal.. Add a glass of Chianti and you have an even better meal. My clay pots are my favorite pots to cook with, but I usually take them out only in winter to make hearty bean soups or stews,etc. They are made in Italy from clay produced in Italy. They are somewhat cumbersome, and, of course, you do have to be extra careful not to drop the pot or the lid. I would never even attempt to take them on my flight back to the US-they would probably never make it back in one piece..
But if you want to experience a true pasta and fagioli soup -there is nothing like making one in these specially made clay pots.
Besides taking in the sparkling sunshine today on my stroll around town to get the beans and celery at our little farm store in 'centro'- most of the beginning of my day was spent on making the bean soup -a recipe that will also be in one of the upcoming books.
And that is my souvenir and my special memory to share with you for today, sunshine in a small mountain town and speckled bean soup with fresh pasta, and a glass of chianti...

don't forget to read all about more foods at my other blogs at:
http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2
http://mliberati.diaryland.com/
http://www.marialiberati.com/
and our new site all about coffee at http://www.yourcoffeeguide.info/

More recipes in the bestselling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking, order your copy online or get a free chapter at 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.

Cold pasta to lift your spirits....

(Sorry I have not been writing as frequently as usual, I am here at my office in Italy now till mid September). Hope this little splash of words helps yourday as it did mine yesterday...
Anytime I need something to lift my spirits a wonderful dish of pasta is a great start. And todays' meal was no exception. Of course I had to rush home so that I would have enough time to make the pasta dish I was dreaming of; A cold pasta salad with fresh mozzarella, small 'pachino'tomatoes, fresh basil and some extra virgin olive oil..
I say 'rush home' because I had a lot of work to finish up and had to quickly stop to pick up fresh mozzarella before stores close at 1:30. ( I am writing from my office in Italy). But I made it a few minutes before 1:30. As typical Italian approach to life- no one was rushing or running-even though it was 3 minutes till closing and people were still entering the store -albeit in a relaxed pace.

We were getting really hungry it was now 2 PM by the time I got home.
Water in the pot..
Pinch of salt in the water...
Place gas on...
Cut small tomatoes in half
Chop fresh basil
Cut fresh mozzarella into small chunks

Now place fresh tomatoes. fresh basil, fresh mozzarella in bowl. Place penne pasa in boiling water and cook for 9 minutes. Drain. Place in bowl with fresh tomatoes, drizzle with jsut about 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and toss gently to coat and mix all ingredients..

Oops, don't forget the freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese on top. Grate on top of each individual serving...
Ahh.. perfect pasta to lift anyone's spirits. And a glass of chilled white wine like a light Trebbiano goes well and keeps the meal light and refreshing.

Ciao for now, and don't forget to visit me at http://www.marialiberati.com