Sbriciolata of potatoes, zucchini and Stelvio PDO

 Sbriciolata of potatoes, zucchini and Stelvio PDO

If you like savory pies the Sbriciolata of potatoes, zucchini and Stelvio DOP will conquer you. It is an easy recipe to prepare and becomes a unique dish thanks to its delicious filling. And if you have some left over, it's even tastier the next day!

INGREDIENTS

• 700 g of red potatoes
• 200 g of Stelvio DOP cheese
• 2 zucchini
• 1 spring onion
• 100 g of cornstarch
• 40 g of butter
• 2 yolks
• salt
• pepper
• extra virgin olive oil
• breadcrumbs
• butter for cooking
• fresh mint

Sbriciolata with potatoes, zucchini and Stelvio is a healthy and hearty recipe, ideal as a single course, perhaps during lunch break or as an aperitif, accompanied by a glass of Pinot Grigio Alto Adige DOC.

When we talk about sbriciolata, we usually refer to a cake, which crumbles, inspired by the more famous sbrisolona. As it often happens in cooking, from the original recipes of a preparation are born new ideas and this is the case of the sbriciolata we are proposing, in its savory version. As opposed to a potato gattò or a flan, this cake has the typical irregular aspect on the surface. This characteristic is achieved by arranging the last layer of mashed potatoes in pieces, in a disorderly and discontinuous manner, so that it can expand in cooking, while maintaining a crumbly appearance.

The potato crumbles enclose a soft and irresistible filling, first a layer of zucchini and on top a generous diced Stelvio DOP cheese, which softened in cooking makes the taste fragrant and delicious. A hint of mint completes the whole.

Preparing the potato, zucchini and Stelvio crumble is easy. First, boil the potatoes in their skins for 20 minutes. Cut the cheese into cubes about 1 cm per side and slice the zucchini into rounds and then in half. 

Saute the zucchini together with the chopped spring onion in a little oil in a large hot pan. Scald over high heat, add salt and pepper and set aside. Once the potatoes are cooked, peel them while still hot and mash them in a potato masher, collecting the pulp in a large bowl. 

Add the butter, egg yolks and starch, season with salt and pepper and mix. The result will be a mixture similar to a puree, but more compact. 

Take about half of the mixture and distribute it in the mold lined on the bottom with a disc of baking paper. Compact it in a single layer with the (greased) palms of your hands. Stuff with the zucchini and chopped fresh mint. 

Add the Stelvio cubes and cover the surface by arranging the remaining potato mixture in irregular, coarse mounds. 

Sprinkle with a light dusting of breadcrumbs, place some butter flakes on top and bake in a static oven preheated to 200°C for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to set for about ten minutes.

Gently transfer to a serving dish and serve your potato, zucchini and Stelvio crumble in slices. 

Pasty polenta with fake sauce

 Pasty polenta with fake sauce

Polenta pasticciata con sugo finto is an easy and hearty recipe, with a very tasty sauce that features a vegetarian ragout that is absolutely worth trying. A unique dish perfect for when the temperatures drop.

INGREDIENTS

1. 280 g yellow flour
2. a level teaspoon of salt
3. 500 g of ripe tomatoes
4. 1 liter of water
5. 2 celery stalks
6. 1 onion
7. 1 carrot
8. 1 tuft of parsley
9. 100 g of grated Grana Padano cheese
10. 1 tuft of basil
11. extra virgin olive oil
12. salt
13. pepper

Polenta pasticciata con sugo finto is an easy, hearty recipe, perfect for when temperatures drop. A unique dish that has its trump card in the sauce. 

Sugo finto is a rustic and tasty meatless ragout, like the vegetarian ragout: very popular in Central Italy, especially in the Marche and Tuscany, it is also defined as a "poor" sauce due to the absence of animal proteins. It is a traditional peasant recipe which features a rich "parterre" of vegetables such as carrot, celery, onion and tomatoes, flavored with aromatic herbs and cooked slowly, which is used here as a condiment for layers of yellow polenta and Grana Padano cheese. 

In autumn and winter, there is no lack of robust dishes with polenta as the protagonist, such as polenta concia, enriched with speck, Asiago and Puzzone di Moena. If instead you want to try another version of veggie ragout, here is our lentil ragout.  

In order to prepare this polenta pasticciata with a fake sauce, first of all prepare the latter, as it will have to cook for about an hour. Wash the tomatoes and blanch them for a couple of minutes in a pot full of water. Peel them, remove the seeds and reduce them to small cubes, recovering their liquid by passing the waste through a sieve. 

Finely chop the celery, carrot, onion, parsley and basil. Heat three or four tablespoons of oil in a pan and add the chopped vegetables for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook semi-covered over low heat for about an hour.

At this point, prepare the polenta. Pour the lukewarm water into a saucepan, salt it and, stirring, add the flour. Keep stirring to avoid the formation of lumps and after 30-40 minutes the polenta should be cooked. In a casserole or bowl, place half of the polenta and half of the dressing on the bottom, adding plenty of grated Grana Padano cheese. 

Form the second layer first with the polenta and then with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with more cheese to taste.

Bread dumplings with salami

Bread dumplings with salami

Bread gnocchi with salami are a very hearty and flavorful first course. Inspired by the many traditional recipes of popular cuisine that call for the use of stale bread, these gnocchi are actually the result of a well-thought-out combination of fresh breadcrumbs and the well-known salami. Perfect for a robust family lunch, and if they don't win in lightness they certainly triumph in taste!

INGREDIENTS

• 400 g of fresh bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 40 g of sliced lard
• ½ liter of milk
• 1 white onion
• parsley
• 120 g of salami
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• extra virgin olive oil
• garlic
• parmesan cheese
• sage
• butter
• salt
• black pepper

Gnocchi di pane al salame (bread dumplings with salami) are a robust and tasty first course that takes up and reworks the traditional recipes of popular cuisine, present almost everywhere in the territory, born to reuse in the kitchen the leftovers of stale bread, cheese, cold cuts or vegetables. Recipes that have then assumed the rank of real regional specialties, as in the case of the famous South Tyrolean dumplings.

In this version, the bread dumplings we are proposing are actually made with fresh breadcrumbs. And if you want to recycle them, don't worry, the leftover bread crust can be kept in a paper bag and dried to become breadcrumbs or large crumbs for crispy breadcrumbs.

After cooking in salted water, gnocchi are seasoned with melted butter and grated cheese. Alternatively, they are also very tasty cooked in vegetable or meat broth, as desired, and served with just a sprinkling of cheese. Maybe they cannot be defined as the lightest dish to propose for lunch or dinner, but they are certainly among the tastiest.

And if you are in the mood to try alternative gnocchi recipes to the classic potato ones, we certainly recommend Gnocchetti di semolina in broth, Cajettes and Gnocchetti with Jerusalem artichokes, Taggiasca olives, pine nuts and lemon.

To make Gnocchi di pane al salame, beat the egg in a large bowl with the milk and add the breadcrumbs in pieces. 

Heat the lard, cut into squares, in a pan until it becomes transparent. In a pan, brown the finely chopped onion in a little oil. Add both the lard and the onion to the crumb mixture. Add the chopped parsley with half a clove of garlic, the chopped salami, salt, pepper and flour.

Knead until the mixture is well blended and firm enough to handle. If necessary, add a little more flour and let it be well absorbed. Let the dough settle for a few minutes and then, with slightly wet hands, form some gnocchi about the size of a large walnut. Place them, as they are ready, on a floured work surface. 

Boil the gnocchi in plenty of boiling salted water. When they come to the surface, gently remove them with a skimmer and place them in a pan where you have melted the butter flavored with sage. Turn the pan so that the gnocchi with salami are seasoned evenly without breaking and then serve them sprinkled with grated cheese.

Chutney of Chioggia radicchio, orange and dried fruits

 Chutney of Chioggia radicchio, orange and dried fruits

Chutney of Chioggia radicchio, orange and dried fruit is an original and spicy sweet and sour preparation, a perfect sauce to accompany cheese, cold cuts and cold foods. An easy recipe to prepare and to serve with appetizers or aperitifs. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head of radicchio di Chioggia
• 2 Golden apples
• 3 cm of ginger root
• 90 ml of apple vinegar
• 90 g of brown sugar
• 1 clove
• 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• grated rind of 1 orange
• 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
• pink pepper to taste
• 3 black pepper berries
• 20 g shelled walnuts
• 20 g of sliced almonds
• salt

Chutney of Chioggia radicchio, orange and dried fruit is an easy and original recipe, inspired by Asian flavors but based on an ingredient that is an Italian excellence, perfect to tastefully accompany cheeses, cold cuts and boiled meats.

Chutneys are in fact a preparation of Indian origin, generally made of spices and fruits or vegetables, which accompany the main courses. Very common in the English cooking as well, they can remind our mustards, also because they are often slightly spicy. 

The bitter taste of radicchio di Chioggia goes particularly well with the sweetness of the other ingredients and makes for an original chutney. If you would like to try other recipes with radicchio in which this intriguing bitter-sweet combination can be found, we also suggest Radicchio and Forest Honey Salty Cake and Red Rice with Caramelized Pumpkin and Radicchio.

Another tasty idea to accompany cheeses, fresh or aged, are our jams such as Pepper jam or Green Tomato jam.

To prepare the Chioggia radicchio, orange and dried fruit chutney, start by peeling the radicchio and cutting it into strips. Peel and core the apples and dice them.

Pour the vinegar into a large, shallow pan and mix it with the sugar. Add the apples and cook for a few minutes.

Pound all the spices in a mortar and add them to the mixture along with the salt and grated peeled ginger, leaving them to gain flavor. Add the radicchio and orange zest, allow to soften and lower the heat.

Add the dried fruit and cook for about 30 minutes until you have a soft, jam-like mixture. Pour into a well-cleaned glass container with an airtight seal, turn upside down and let cool completely.

Kansas barbecue sauce

 Kansas barbecue sauce 

Kasas City Style BBQ sauce is the traditional accompaniment to American-style BBQ. It is a sweet and sour, lightly smoked sauce that is perfect for grilled meats, especially pork. It is very easy to make, and preparing it in a pressure cooker greatly reduces cooking time. A recipe absolutely to try for summer grilling.

INGREDIENTS

• 200 g ketchup
• 125 ml of tomato puree
• 220 g of dark molasses
• 1 medium onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons of muscovado brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of apple vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcester sauce
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt

To prepare the Kansas City Style Pressure Cooker BBQ Sauce, gather all the ingredients in the jar of a blender and blend until smooth and homogeneous. Transfer it to the pressure cooker and bring to a boil, then close the lid and place the pot over a medium-sized fire on high heat. From the hiss, reduce the power of the heat source and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat, allow to vent and open the lid. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and let it cool completely before serving.

Kansas City Style Pressure Cooker BBQ Sauce is the typical accompaniment to Ribs BBQ style, the queens of American grilling. It is also excellent with our Grilled Pork Ribs or Grilled Sausages. In the summer, try it with cold boiled meat: you will be amazed. If you are not able to find dark molasses, you can replace it with chestnut honey or fir honeydew.