“Poetry is the revelation of a feeling that the poet believes to be interior and personal, but which the reader recognizes as his own”
— Salvatore Quasimodo (1901 – 1968)
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Ricette Classiche: Lasagne Verdi al Forno
Baked Spinach Lasagne with Meat Sauce in the style of Bologna
Italy’s most famous baked pasta is lasagne! Historians have traced the dish back to at least Roman times, believing its name derives from the Latin lasania [cooking pot], and possibly to ancient Greece.
Lasagne has been widely adopted throughout Italy, with each region placing its own imprimatur on the dish. In Bologna, lasagne is made with fresh spinach pasta and layered with classic ragù alla Bolognese. In Liguria, lasagne is made with pesto (although sometimes the boiled pasta sheets are simply tossed with pesto [Genoa’s mandilli de sæa al pesto]). Neapolitans layer tomato sauce and mozzarella between the pasta sheets, and Calabrians prefer ricotta salata. In Piedmont, I’ve had lasagne with mushrooms and ham; and lasagne with artichokes is, well, sublime.
This dish takes quite a bit of time to prepare, but in our view it’s worth the effort. You can make the ragù alla Bolognese ahead of time. Also, once fully assembled, you can hold lasagne verdi al forno in the refrigerator for two full days if tightly sealed with plastic wrap. Just allow it to return to room temperature before baking.
Continue reading “Ricette Classiche: Lasagne Verdi al Forno”
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“Allegory of the Planets and Continents”
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696–1770)
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Citazione del Giorno
“Continued work and application form my soul’s nourishment. So soon as I commenced to rest and relax I should cease to live.”
— Francesco Petrarca (1304 – 1374)
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Casanova di Neri’s 2006 Brunello di Montalcino: Perfetto!
From the day we opened Bellavitae, Casanova di Neri was one of the most important wineries on our wine list. We went through cases and cases of Giacomo Neri’s wine, from the Rosso, to White Label, the Tenuta Nuova, Pietradonice, and finally the Cerretalto. Giacomo was a frequent guest at Bellavitae and our guests loved his wines!
Wine Spectator magazine named the 2001 Tenuta Nuova Brunello di Montalcino the best wine in the world a few years ago. How can you top that? With the 2006 vintage, which James Suckling describes:
“a perfect wine with everything in proportion from the ripe fruit and fine tannins to the bright acidity and rich alcohol . . . 100 points.”
Click here to watch a quick interview and tasting with James Suckling and Giacomo in his dinning room in Montalcino. See Giacomo’s emotional response when James tells him the wine is perfection.
Here’s what James Suckling ultimately writes:
“So much ripe fruit here with currants and sultanas, yet fresh and very clean. Dark berries too. Incredible ripe Sangiovese character. Full body, with masses of fruit and chewy tannins. Plus, there’s black licorice and dried berries. Give it time to soften. What a bottle. Will it ultimately be better than 2001 Tenuta Nuova? Yes. Best after 2013”
I believe that Giacomo has been a successful winemaker because he’s a farmer at heart. The great wines are first made in the vineyard, not the cellar. Casanova di Neri isn’t always easy to find, as the vintages usually sell out. I see that wine.com has the 2005 Tenuta Nuova vintage still in stock. To purchase, click here.
Complimenti, Giacomo!
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Arte
“Hand of the Violinist”
Giacomo Balla (1871-1958)
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Citazione del Giorno
“I am aware of the frailty of man, I think about the power of fortune, and I know that all our actions are at the mercy of a thousand vicissitudes.”
— Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus Major (236 BC – 183 BC)
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Ricette Classiche: Ragù alla Bolognese
Tagliatelle al Ragù alla Bolognese [Fresh Egg Pasta Ribbons with Meat Sauce in the style of Bologna] was our most popular pasta dish at Bellavitae. It appeared on the menu when we opened the brick oven every autumn, and lasted into the cold winter months when the oven’s open fire was roaring to keep everything in the restaurant toasty. There is nothing more satisfying in the dead of winter than a comforting bowl of homemade egg pasta with beef ragù.
Ragù alla Bolognese is a centuries-old recipe, where beef is combined with a perfect balance of chopped vegetables and left to sputter for hours over low heat, rendering it succulent and deeply flavored. I know of nothing that so easily warms the soul.
This ragù is very easy to make; the only challenge is that of time. It freezes beautifully or you can hold it in the refrigerator for at least three days. Ours is a most authentic recipe and once you try it you’ll understand why any imitation or variation (some say bastardization) is simply not acceptable – and why the original became so famous.
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“Lady in White”
Vito d’Ancona (1825 – 1884)
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Citazione del Giorno
“Lovely it is, when the winds are churning up the waves on the great sea, to gaze out from the land on the great efforts of someone else.”
— Titus Lucretius Carus (99 BC – 55 BC)
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