The Virtual Group of Italian Chefs celebrates its 5th Annual International Day of Italian Cuisines today as hundreds of chefs in over 40 countries around the world prepare and serve Ossobuco in Gremolata using an authentic recipe.

The Blonde Bear Tavern is joining the celebration, and you can, too.  Learn the history of this centuries-old iconic dish, along with an in-depth look at the optimal ingredients and their correct proportion, as we reveal our famed recipe here.

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The post International Day of Italian Cuisines: Ossobuco in Gremolata alla Milanese appeared first on BELLAVITÆ.

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Italians are masters of braising meats, and ossobuco is a perfect example. Take a relatively cheap cut of meat with lots of connective tissue,  Braise it until the tough tissues melt, coating the meat fibers, rendering them soft and silky.  As with Brasato, the meat will develop a velvety texture and delicious, earthy flavor, but with the added luxury of unctuous bone marrow.

Ossobuco is a centuries-old Lombard recipe of cross-cut veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine, and broth.  It is typically garnished with gremolata, a combination of lemon zest, parsley, and garlic.  The most traditional accompaniments to the dish are risotto alla milanese, polenta, or mashed potatoes.

The dish is famous world-wide, and its recipe has been published extensively outside of Italy.  It was featured in Henri-Paul Pellaprat’s famous L’Art Culinaire Moderne, published in France in 1935, and the British Italian Food, by Elizabeth David, first published in 1954.  The dish has become a part of the French home cooking tradition, known as ossobucco à la milanaise (with added butter (!)

Every January 17^th — for the last five years — the Virtual Group of Italian Chefs (GVCI) promotes one authentic Italian recipe on its International Day of Italian Cuisines (IDIC).  We were honored to participate the last two years with a couple of Bellavitae signature dishes:  Tagliatelle al Ragù Bolognese, and Pesto Genovese.  The previous years featured Pasta alla Carbonara and Risotto alla Milanese.

The International Day of Italian Cuisines is born from a mission, as explained by Rosario Scarpato, GVCI Honorary President and last year’s IDIC Director:

“We certainly aim at educating worldwide consumers, but more than anything else, we want to protect their right to get what they pay for when going to eateries labeled as ‘Italian’; that is, authentic and quality Italian cuisine.”

So in celebratory spirit we participate again this year, right here at The Blonde Bear Tavern.  Ossobuco is a perfect entree after skiing all day.  Come join us this Tuesday, January 17th, for our preparation of ossobuco.

 Lombardy – Birthplace of Ossobuco

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Ossobuco traces its beginnings to Lombardy (“Lombardia” in Italian), and many believe to Milan, although there is some controversy about that.  Lombardy is a large region in the north of Italy.  The river Po forms a natural boundary in the south, the Alps to the north, with Lakes Garda on the east and Maggiore and Como on the West.

The regional cuisine of Lombardy is based upon ingredients like maize, rice, beef, pork, butter, and lard.  Despite being a form of Italian cuisine, Lombard food tends to have little in common with Central or Southern Italian dishes, in many cases lacking the presence of tomato and olive oil, being more meat-based and buttery.  In many ways, Lombard cuisine has much in common with that of Austria and much of central Europe in general.

But as Italian cuisine, Lombard food is full of variety and every city and part of the region offers its own specialties.  A characteristic Lombard dish is risotto, most famously risotto alla milanese (which is made with saffron), with rice-based food being highly common throughout the region.  Similar to risotto, maize-based dishes such as polenta are also common.  Other famous Lombard dishes include cotoletta, cassoeula, and of course ossobuco.  The region also offers several delicacies and desserts, including mostarda and panettone.  Regional cheeses include Robiola, Crescenza, Taleggio, Gorgonzola and Grana Padano.

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What to drink with Ossobuco

Which wines pair well with Ossobuco?  Ask the expert, Luca Gardini, named the world’s best sommelier last year.  His recommendations are here.

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The History of Ossobuco

The word ossobuco (“oss bus” in Milanese dialect) means “bone with a hole” (osso bone, buco hole), a reference to the marrow hole at the center of the cross-cut veal shank.

Milan claims to be the birth city of ossobuco and in 2007, the City Council declared it as part of the De.Co. (Denominazioni Comunali or community denominations), which is an official public acknowledgement that a dish belongs to a certain territory.

The use of marrow bones and veal shanks was common in Middle Age Italian cuisine, but there is no evidence of the presence of ossobuco as a dish at that time.  The recipe is believed to have first appeared in Pellegrino Artusi’s cookbook La Scienza in Cucina e l’Arte di Mangiar Bene (The Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well), the first collection of Italian national cuisine ever published.  The book celebrates both home cooking and well-known dishes from all over Italy.  These dishes were well-established, indicating the dish had been around for decades, most likely originating in one of the region’s osterie or trattorie.

 The Ingredients (for six servings)

For the Ossobuco:

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 veal shanks, cut 1 ½ inches thick, patted dry and tied tightly around the middle
• Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 2 ½ cups dry white wine
• 2 medium onions, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 2 medium carrots, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 2 medium celery ribs, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 2 cups veal or low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes

Preparing Ossobuco

Preheat the oven to 325°F and adjust the rack to the lower middle portion, so the Dutch oven will rest in the middle of the oven.

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Season both sides of the veal shanks with salt and pepper
2. Place 3 of the shanks in the pan and cook until they are golden on one side, about 6 minutes.  Guild the other side of the shanks, about 6 minutes longer.
3. Remove shanks from Dutch oven and place in a bowl.  Off heat, add ½ cup of the white wine to the Dutch oven, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon.  Pour the liquid into the bowl of shanks.
4. Return the Dutch oven to medium heat and repeat the process with the remaining 3 shanks, guilding both sides in the same amount of olive oil and butter, then placing them with the original 3 shanks.  De-glaze the Dutch oven again using 1 more cup of white wine.  Pour the liquid over the six shanks.
5. Return the Dutch oven to medium heat and add the remaining olive oil and butter.  Saute the onion until translucent.  Then add the celery and Bay leaf and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.  Finally, add the carrot and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Increase the heat to high and add the broth and remaining 1 cup of wine. Add the tomatoes.  Return the veal shanks to the pot, arranging in a single, tight layer.   Ensure the open end (or larger opening) of each bone is facing up so the marrow doesn’t fall out during braising.  The liquid should just cover the shanks – if not, add more broth.  If there is too much liquid, remove some with a spoon.
7. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover the pot and transfer it to the oven.   Cook the shanks until the meat is easily pierced with a fork, but not falling off the bone, about 2 hours.

Ossobuco, the perfect winter dish, most satisfying after a vigorous run down the mountain.  Too tired to make it yourself?  Join us and hundreds of other chefs around the world on January 17th.  Enjoy this famous dish, evolved over centuries, right here at The Blonde Bear Tavern.

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The post Ricette Classiche: Ossobuco in Gremolata alla Milanese appeared first on BELLAVITÆ.

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.

Emilia-Romagna – The Richest Gastronomic Region in Italy

Ragù alla Bolognese traces its beginnings to Bologna, where Europe’s first law university was founded in 1119; hence the city’s nickname La Dotta [the Learned].  Bologna lies in the middle of Emilia-Romagna, through which three ancient throughways converge:  The via Romanea Francigena, the via Pedemontana, and the via Emilia.  Throughout history these roads attracted settlers and rulers from afar – Etruscans, Romans, Lombards, and Byzantines; pilgrims from the north, the Farnese from Rome; and Bourbons from Naples and Austria.  During the 16^th Century, Pope Paul III established his nephew in Parma and the region became the site of frequent ceremonial visits that included banquets and festivities overseen by cooks of international reputation.

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The land of Emilia-Romagna is well-suited to cultivation, and the region is a great producer of tomatoes, sugar beets, peas, and beans.  But the region is best known for its famous cured pork – the prosciutto of Parma and culatello of Zibello.  The most renowned aged cheese on earth, of course, is Parmigiano-Reggiano.  And the world’s most luxurious vinegar comes from Modena – balsamico [balsamic].  This abundance of gastronomic delights has earned Bologna its other Italian nickname:  La Grassa [the Fat].  Pavel Muratov, the Russian art historian explains:

“In Bologna there is something light that cheers the eye, agreeably not too complicated.  It is a city of contented, healthy people.  The fattest granaries [grain storehouses] and vineyards of Italy surround it, producing a renowned wine.  No other place can compare with Bologna for the abundance, variety, and good price of every possible and imaginable foodstuff, and it is no accident that the Italians call it ‘Bologna la Grassa.’”

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The History of Ragù alla Bolognese

Ragù in Emilia-Romagna has been traced back to the 16^th century, when it was enjoyed by wealthy courts of noble families.  The origins are related to the French ragôut, a noun derived from the verb ragôuter, which means to “wake up”, “whet the appetite”, or “give more taste”.  Ragôut, of course, is a hearty French stew of meat, fish, game, or vegetables, cut into small pieces and cooked very slowly in some fat over low heat.

Ragù alla Bolognese has evolved – like all classic dishes – not just over decades or generations, but over the centuries.  For example, original versions of the dish didn’t include tomatoes.  Tomatoes weren’t known or used in Italy until later in the 16^th century.  Pork is included in some recipes, but the common usage of it likely occurred after World War II, when the meat became more affordable.  Likewise, butter was likely a latter addition.  There are no herbs or spices in Ragù alla Bolognese (and certainly never garlic!), although you frequently see the addition of Bay leaves.

The Accademia Italiana della Cucina [Italian Academy of Cuisine] was formed in 1953 to record and declare official the classic recipes of regional Italian cooking.  In its encyclopedia of over 2,000 dishes is Ragù alla Bolognese.  The challenge of reducing a classic recipe to one official version is exceedingly difficult.  Can you imagine if someone asked you to describe the authentic recipe for American fried chicken?  Or apple pie?  It’s no wonder the Accademia took 38 years to agree on the official recipe for Ragù alla Bolognese.  There are many recipes for the dish in and around Bologna.  Ask ten different cooks in the area what the authentic recipe is and you’ll get ten different answers – all of them, of course, are authentic.

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Bellavitae’s Recipe

We base our recipe largely on that of the Simili sisters, who have published three Italian cookbooks (alas, none has been translated into English).  They began working at the family bakery, located in Bologna, in 1946.  Stefano Bonilli, the Bolognese-born director and founder of Gambero Rosso, had this to say about the bakery:

“More than a business, the bakery that the Simili Sisters ran in Via San Felice and then in Via Frassinago was a meeting point for all of Bologna’s gourmets.”

In 1986 the sisters held cooking courses at the Hotel Milano Excelsior di Bologna and three years later they opened the Scuola di Cucina della Sorelle Simili [The Simili Sisters’ School of Cooking], which acquired worldwide acclaim.  The school was closed during the summer of 2001.

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Ragù alla Bolognese Dishes

The most popular dishes that use this ragù include:

• Fresh egg pasta
  • The most perfect is, of course, Tagliatelle
  • Tortellini is also well-suited
• Dried pasta
  • Rigatoni
  • Conchiglie
  • Fusilli
  • With all due respect to my friends in the United Kingdom, spaghetti is not appropriate with this meat sauce!
• Lasagne Verdi al Forno [Baked Spinach Lasagne]
• Polenta alla Bolognese [Baked Polenta with Bolognese Meat Sauce]
• Crespelle alla Bolognese [Italian-style Crêpes with Bolognese Meat Sauce]
• Risotto alla Bolognese [Risotto with Bolognese Meat Sauce]

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The Ingredients (for six servings)

For the soffritto:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 – 3 slices of Prosciutto di Parma or Pancetta, finely chopped (approx 3 oz)
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 2 – 3 Bay leaves – optional
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 chicken livers, finely chopped (approx 3 oz) – optional

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For the meat sauce:

• 1 ½ lbs ground chuck
• 1 cup milk, hot
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 cup brodo di carne [beef broth]
• 1 28-oz can puréed Italian plum tomatoes
• ¼ teaspoon (or to taste) nutmeg, preferably freshly-grated
• Sea salt
• Freshly-ground black pepper

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A note on the ingredients:

• Butter and olive oil.  Use enough to coat the bottom of the skillet, keeping the 3-to-1 ratio
• Bay leaves.  Most traditional recipes call for no herbs (or spices or garlic, for that matter), but I like the richness and depth Bay leaves impart in this recipe.  I prefer imported Bay leaves to the stronger-flavored and oilier California herb.
• Chicken livers.  This is marked optional in the recipe, but I would encourage you to use it.  After a long braise, the sauce will not take on a chicken liver flavor, but rather will produce an additional layer of flavor complexity, or as some would say, umami.  In their classic Italian cookbook, Sfida al Matterello, the Simili sisters, Valeria and Margherita, say this:

“In the past, chicken giblets were included in ragù as well:  heart, kidney, and liver; ingredients with a strong flavor that are no longer liked by the modern palate – what a pity!  Of these ingredients only the liver has survived; please don’t eliminate it.  If you don’t like it, use less, just a half, but include it because in such a small quantity you will not detect it but it really fills out the flavor by giving it more body.”

It should be no surprise that giblets are frequently used in this recipe; it is also common to do so in French ragoûts, such as the financière.  It’s usually impossible to buy only two chicken livers at the supermarket, but you can always take the giblets from a whole chicken and freeze them, or alternatively, buy a carton of chicken livers, divide and freeze them in sealable plastic bags.

• Ground Chuck.  Use 80 / 20% ground chuck, which will provide the optimum flavor and texture profile for this recipe.  Many recipes call for the use of shredded beef, but over the years ground beef has become much more common.  For you traditionalists, you can use shredded braised beef.  In the recipe registered by the Accademia, thin skirt [cartella] is specified, which is the muscle that separates the lungs from the stomach.  However, a more suitable cut is the flank brisket [finta cartella (pancia)], which has more fat and requires longer cooking.
• Milk.  Use whole milk for this recipe, not reduced fat or skim.  You will be disappointed with the results, otherwise.
• Beef broth.  Don’t use beef stock in this recipe.  I prefer to use organic beef broth.
• Canned tomatoes.  I prefer Italian San Marzano, which have an amazingly fresh flavor.  The recipe calls for pureed, but you can use crushed tomatoes, or whole tomatoes and dice them yourself (or run them through a food mill).  This is a texture issue – use your personal preference.

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Preparing Ragù alla Bolognese

For the soffritto:

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large, deep, heavy pot over medium heat.  When hot, add the chopped onions and prosciutto, sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, but not browned, about five minutes.
2. When the onion has clarified, add the celery and Bay leaves.  About a minute later, add the carrot and cook for three minutes more, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, clean and prepare the chicken livers.  Remove any trace of the bitter-tasting green bile.  Crush the livers using the fat end of the knife blade in order to separate the nerve fibers from the flesh.  After the nerve fibers have been separated, chop the livers fine.
4. Push the soffritto to the perimeter of the pan with a wooden spoon.  Place the chopped chicken livers in the center of the pan and cook, flattening and stirring continuously until the meat begins to change color.  As it darkens, bring the soffritto back to the middle of the pan and stir everything together for a moment.

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For the meat sauce:

1. Combine the tomatoes and beef broth in a sauce pan and heat over medium heat for later use.
2. Separate the ground chuck into thirds.  Again, push the soffritto and livers to the perimeter of the pan.  Add one third of the ground chuck to the center of the pan and cook, flattening and stirring continuously until the meat begins to change color.  While still somewhat pink, push this third of the ground chuck to the perimeter.  Repeat this procedure with the second and third portions of the ground chuck.  Bring the soffritto back to the middle of the pan and stir everything together for a moment.
3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in the microwave or a small saucepan.  Don’t let it reach the boiling point, but heat until small bubbles appear around the perimeter of the container.
4. Add the hot milk in two or three doses and let it simmer while stirring consistently until it has completely bubbled away, about 10 – 15 minutes.  Stir in the nutmeg.
5. Bring the meat mixture into the center of the pan, leaving the perimeter clear.  Slowly add a third of the wine to the cleared perimeter of the pan.  When the wine has fully heated, repeat with the second portion and then the third.  Stir the mixture together in the pan and let simmer until the wine has fully evaporated; i.e., when you can no longer detect its aroma, about 10 – 15 minutes.
6. Season with salt and freshly-ground pepper.
7. Add the hot tomatoes and beef broth.
8. After the sauce begins to boil, reduce heat to the laziest of simmers – a bubble or two periodically should reach the surface.  Simmer at this temperature with the pot uncovered for at least three hours, stirring occasionally.  Taste for salt and pepper, adjust accordingly.
9. Combine with the pasta, sprinkle with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve immediately.

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Tips for Success

• Use gentle heat when preparing the ingredients.  Anything over medium will tend to over-brown the surface, which will be magnified after the long simmering.
• Don’t sauté the chicken livers or beef too long or they will dry out.  No amount of simmering in the sauce will revive the dried meat.
• If you find the moving of ingredients around in the pot is too burdensome, complete these steps in a separate pan.  I do this to save on dishwashing!  Just be sure to complete the final simmer in a tall pot in order to reduce evaporation.
• The secret to this ragù is to have an optimal amount of liquid left in the sauce at the end of the long simmering period; i.e., not too runny, but not too dry.  Many recipes suggest that if the sauce becomes too dry before its allotted simmering time to add more beef broth.  I prefer to simply place a cover on the pot at this point rather than dilute the sauce.

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Understanding

• Sauté the chicken liver away from the other vegetables because it coagulates immediately when heated.  If it touches a hot vegetable, it will cling to it, rather than later dispersing throughout the sauce.  Care is taken while separating the livers’ nerve fibers so the ingredient will integrate well with the others.
• Italian cooking utilizes beef broth, which is typically made by braising meat, bones, and vegetables.  It is not stock, as is used in French and American cooking.  Thus it imparts a softer flavor to dishes, adding hints of flavor, but always taking a back seat to the other ingredients.
• Using a leaner cut of beef will render the sauce less sweet and succulent, creating disappointment in both flavor and texture.
• Salt is added to the meat after it is browned, so as not to encourage release of liquid before it cooks, which would render the meat dry.
• The meat is sautéd briefly only to enhance flavor, it should not be browned.  It’s cooked at a relatively low temperature to prevent drying (see Mastering the Techniques of Sautéing and Browning).  Once too much liquid is released from the meat, the texture will become rubbery, a process that cannot be reversed.
• Milk is added to the meat before the acidic ingredients (white wine and tomatoes) to protect them from “cooking” the meat and inflicting a inferior texture.  The milk also helps to tenderize the meat and adds a sweet, appealing flavor.
• Liquids that are added to the meat are first brought to a hot temperature.  Dramatically changing the meat’s temperature by adding cold liquids will alter the proteins’ structure, to the detriment of both flavor and texture.

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Related:

• Pasta all’Uova Fatta in Casa: The Joy and Satisfaction of Making Homemade Egg Pasta
• The Italian Flavor Base: Battuto, Soffritto, Trito
• Mastering the Techniques of Sautéing and Browning
• Ricette Classiche:  Lasagne Verdi al Forno

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Further Reading:

• The Official Dish of the IDIC 2010: Tagliatelle al ragù Bolognese
• The Italian Academy of Cuisine:  La Cucina, The Regional Cooking of Italy
• Official Site:  Bologna
• Official Site:  Emilia-Romagna

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The Virtual Group of Italian Chefs celebrates its 4th Annual International Day of Italian Cuisines today as hundreds of chefs in over 40 countries around the world prepare and serve Pesto Genovese with pasta using an authentic recipe.

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Bellavitae is joining the celebration, and you can, too.  Learn the history of this centuries-old iconic dish, along with an in-depth look at the optimal ingredients and their correct proportion, as we reveal our famed recipe here.

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Related:  Ricette Classice –  Pesto Genovese

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The post International Day of Italian Cuisines: Pesto Genovese appeared first on BELLAVITÆ.

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Pesto Genovese was one of our most popular signature dishes at Bellavitae.  People would travel across town just to experience this simple yet sublime celebration of Italy’s most seductive herb – basil.  Guests would frequently ask for the dish in the dead of winter!  Of course we would explain that they would need to wait until summer – when basil was at the height of its season – to enjoy the delectable sauce.

Pesto is a centuries-old recipe, where Mediterranean-grown basil is combined with a hint of delicate mountain-grown Vessalico garlic, to which is added Italy’s two most famous aged cheeses – Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino.  Add some Italian pine nuts [pinoli] and the cleanest, sweetest sea salt from Cervia.  Trickle in the fruitiest, most sublime Taggiasca olive oil and presto! – Pesto Genovese.

So why are we talking about this summer dish in, well, the dead of winter?

Every January 17^th — for the last four years — the Virtual Group of Italian Chefs (GVCI) promotes one authentic Italian recipe on its International Day of Italian Cuisines (IDIC).  We were honored to participate last year with Tagliatelle al Ragù Bolognese, another Bellavitae signature dish.  The previous years featured Pasta alla Carbonara and Risotto alla Milanese.  This year, of course, it’s Pesto Genovese.

The International Day of Italian Cuisines is born from a mission, as explained by Rosario Scarpato, GVCI Honorary President and IDIC 2011 Director:

“We certainly aim at educating worldwide consumers, but more than anything else, we want to protect their right to get what they pay for when going to eateries labeled as ‘Italian’; that is, authentic and quality Italian cuisine.”

So in celebratory spirit we again participate this year.  The weather outside may be cold, but think of the following as a virtual culinary vacation to the Italian Riviera.  Bookmark this page and return to it during the summer when basil is in full season.  Follow the detailed recipe within and discover why Pesto Genovese has remained one of Italy’s most famous dishes.

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Liguria, One of the Most Beautiful Places on Earth

Pesto Genovese traces its beginnings to Genoa, the seaport city in Liguria along the famed Italian Riviera.  Liguria is a narrow strip of land nestled between the Mediterranean and the Alps and Apennines mountains.

Its cuisine revolves around bountiful Mediterranean seafood; and balmy and sunny days provide the perfect environment for luscious fruits and vegetables, aromatic herbs, and fragrant olive oil.  As Marcella Hazan describes it:

“Sheltered by the Apennines’ protecting slopes and bathed by soft Mediterranean breezes, Liguria enjoys the gentle weather synonymous with the Riviera.  Here flowers thrive, olive groves flourish, fragrant herbs come up in every meadow and abound in every dish.  It is no accident that this is the birthplace of pesto.”

The History of Pesto

The word pesto comes from pestare [to crush something with a pestle; reducing it to powder, a mash, or to the thinnest of layers].  In Italy, pesto is also known as battuto Genovese.  There are many Italian cooks, when referring to any battuto, who might say they are making a pestino [a little pesto].

The recipe for pesto, like all classic dishes, has evolved – not only over a generation or two, but over centuries.  Genoese pesto probably descends from the ancient Roman moretum – a green paste made from cheese, garlic and herbs, the preparation of which is described in a verse attributed to Virgil.

In the Middle Ages, there was a peasant sauce which many consider to be the predecessor of pesto.  It was called agliata – simply a mash of walnuts and garlic.  For centuries, garlic was an important part of Ligurian cuisine, especially for those who went to sea.  Genoa and Liguria have ancient maritime traditions and seafarers ingested great quantities of garlic because they believed it warded off illnesses and infections during long voyages at sea.

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The First Recipes

Mashed garlic is mentioned in 17^th century documents of the City of Genoa, while authentic pesto recipes begin to appear in the 19^th century.  In 1863 Giovanni Battista Ratto published La Cuciniera Genovese [The Genoese Cook], considered to be the first and most complete book of Ligurian gastronomy and in which the recipe for pesto with pine nuts, is the following:

“Take a clove of garlic, basil (‘baxaicö’) or, when that is lacking, marjoram and parsley, grated Dutch and Parmigiano cheese and mix them with pine nuts and crush it all together in a mortar with a little butter until reduced to a paste. Then dissolve it with good and abundant oil. Lasagne and troffie [Liguriun gnocchi] are dressed with this mash, made more liquid by adding a little hot water without salt.”

The presence of Dutch cheese instead of pecorino is no surprise because many recipes of the time mention a generic cacio [cheese].  Gouda was plentiful in Genoa due to the city’s maritime commerce with Northern Europe.  Parsley or marjoram were mentioned as alternatives to basil, which although was abundant, had a shorter growing season.

Ratto’s recipe for pesto stated unmistakably that it was a sauce for dressing pasta such as lasagne and trofie.  Trofie are kneaded out of white flour – elongated and twisted gnocchi, with pointed extremities and fatter waists.  They are a specialty of the town of Recco in the Province of Genoa – the same town that gave birth to focaccia.

By 1876, pesto was entered by Giovanni Casaccia in his Genovese Italian Dictionary.

Giuseppe Gavotti wrote in 1973 in his Cucina e Vini di Liguria [Food and Wine of Liguria], that the original pesto was “uncouth” because it contained so much garlic.  Gastronomist Massimo Alberini, in his 1965 I Liguri a Tavola, Itinerario Gastronomico da Nizza a Lerici [The Ligurians at the Table, a Gastronomic Itinerary from Nice to Lerici], made a similar observation, explaining that pesto recipes of the 1800s were somewhat stingy with the basil – using only a couple of leaves – and abounding in garlic, using three or four cloves of it (Mama mia!).   This was due largely to the Arab-Persian influence – which dominated the sauces of Genoa at the time — as well as Ligurian seafarers’ preference for the “medicinal” garlic.  Today’s pesto is balanced, with a more noticeable presence of basil.

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Variations

In the 1800s, Pasta al Pesto was considered to be a working class dish and today the recipe has remained substantially the same.  There also remains a tradition of adding potatoes, broad beans or French green beans, and sometimes zucchini cut into small pieces and boiled together with the pasta. Particularly in Genoa, potatoes and French green beans are added to classic or whole wheat trenette or trofiette.

As with all classic dishes, it’s difficult to find two identical versions of pesto, sometimes within the same family.  For instance, there can be the addition of walnuts, ricotta, or other cheeses.  In classic Italian cooking, these variations not only represent a wealth of diversity, but also an indirect legitimization of any generally accepted version.

In his 1997 book Recipes from Paradise:  Life & Food on the Italian Riviera, Fred Plotkin tells of pesto throughout Liguria, and the passionate views every cook has regarding how to make it.  He describes the region’s superlatively perfumed small-leafed basil, and then notes 16 versions of the famed sauce.

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Pesto Dishes

The most popular dishes that use pesto include:

• Trofie al Pesto [Ligurian Gnocchi with Pesto]
• Mandilli de Sæa al Pesto [Silk Handkerchiefs with Pesto]
• Piccagge [Ligurian Boiled Lasagne with Ricotta Pesto]

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The most common pastas for pesto include:

• Trenette (the classic)
• Spaghetti
• Tonnarelli

I also like pesto with potato ghocchi.  In Milan, they use pesto in a summer minestrone that features Arborio rice.

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The Ingredients

Pesto is a case study in classic Italian cuisine:

• Ingredients, few in number, but freshest available
• Perfect flavor balance
• Simple execution
• And most importantly – a celebration of the garden rather than fussiness in the kitchen.

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The recipe is simple, the technique easily learned.  The care in this dish is in the ingredients, as described below.  While you may not be able to duplicate exactly the sauce as prepared in Genoa, careful selection of the ingredients and a watchful eye toward balance will ensure success.

We’ll update this article when basil is in season, touching on the following:

• Growing your own basil
• Storing basil
• Selecting and cooking with garlic
• Recipes that use pesto

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In the meantime, here are the optimal ingredients cooks use in Genoa when making their famous pesto:

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Basil [Baslico]

Basil [ocimum basilicum] is an herbaceous member of the mint family.  It is a delicate herb, and contains more than 1% essential oil which supplies an intense, spicy-sweet aroma with a slight anise-like undertone.

In addition to its culinary use, basil has a long history as a medicinal herb. The Greek physician Dioscorides prescribed basil for a headache.  Pliny thought it was an aphrodisiac; his contemporaries fed it to horses during the breeding season.  In modern aromatherapy, basil is used to cheer the heart and mind. The sweet, energizing aroma is believed to help relieve sorrow and melancholy.  In Italy, it is considered a sign of love — in the past, women who were ready to receive a suitor might put out a pot of basil as a sign of their willingness.

Basil is a polymorph, meaning it occurs in many different forms, varieties, and closely related species. The different types are easily hybridized, producing many kinds of plants with different essential oil compositions. There are cinnamon, lemon, clove and licorice scented basils; purple and green, curly and lettuce-leafed varieties. Dwarf bush types with tiny leaves are grown as ornamental plants.

The principal essential oils that give basil its intoxicating aroma and flavor are:

• Linalool, also found in lavender and clary sage
• Methyl Chavicol, which is found in tarragon
• Eugenol, which is found in clove and allspice

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The classic basil used in pesto is from the small village of Prà, southwest of Genoa and is called Genovese basil (in Ligurian dialect baxaicò or baxeicò).  It is a cultivar (cultivated variety) of sweet basil.  This is the variety you should look for in the supermarket or when buying seeds for the garden.

Use only the freshest basil you can find, as it does not keep very well once harvested.  If at all possible, grow your own!  Although the plant is very sensitive after it is picked, in the garden it is very hardy.  It thrives in full sun, although with partial shade you will achieve more tenderness and better flavor.  Pick the plants while the leaves are still young, preferably in the morning, before the intense sunlight.

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Pine Nuts [Pinoli]

In Italy, pinoli come from the Mediterranean Stone Pine (pinus pinea), which has been cultivated for its nuts over the last 6,000 years.  Pinoli from wild trees have been harvested and used even longer.  Janet Fletcher explains:

“The ancient Greeks and Romans also ate pine nuts. Archaeologists have found the seeds in the ruins of Pompeii. Indeed, according to Johan’s Guide to Aphrodisiacs, pine nuts were a sort of early Viagra. The Roman poet Ovid includes ‘the nuts that the sharp-leaved pine brings forth’ on a list of love potions.”

There are many varieties of pine nuts, but the two principal types are Italian and Asian.  Italian pine nuts are long and slender and have a delicate nutty flavor, whereas Asian pine nuts are more rounded, more pungent, and oilier.  The Italian version has the highest protein content (34%) of any species.  They are much more expensive, but with the small amount used in this recipe, why not splurge a little?

Because of their high oil content, pine nuts can turn rancid quickly once they are shelled.  Store in the refrigerator (up to three months) or freeze them (up to nine months).

A small portion the population can experience taste disturbances after eating pine nuts, developing 1–3 days after consumption and lasting for days or weeks.  A bitter, metallic taste is described.  Though very unpleasant, there are no lasting effects.  Some refer to this phenomenon as “pine mouth”.  If you’re one of the unfortunate few that experience this distress, you can find more information here.

By the way, the correct Italian spelling is “pinoli”, not the commonly used “pignoli”, the singular of which is actually a word used to describe a fussy, overly fastidious or extremely meticulous person).  Pignoli cookies, an Italian-American specialty confection would be called biscotti ai pinoli in Italy.

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Grated Hard Cheese

Authentic pesto is typically made with two types of grated cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino.  Many recipes call for only Parmigiano-Reggiano, but the addition of a smaller portion of Pecorino adds bit of sharpness and structure (through its higher protein) that provide perfect balance to the basil and garlic.

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Parmigiano-Reggiano

It is said that Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese has been “a great cheese for at least nine centuries”— a reflection not only of its ancient origin, but the fact that this cheese is identical to how it was eight centuries ago.  It has the same appearance and the same extraordinary fragrance.  It’s made in the same way, in the same places, and with the same expert ritual gestures.  Today, as in the past, cheese masters make Parmigiano-Reggiano with only milk, rennet, fire, and art.

There is simply no suitable American substitution for Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano.  If you use anything else – and this goes for most any Italian dish – you will surely be disappointed in the result.  I’m aware of a few dairies in Wisconsin that are beginning to produce parmesan cheese, but to date they have been unsuccessful in any close duplication (I’m sure with time they may come close!).

American-made parmesan cheese is pasteurized, which kills many of the important microorganisms.  Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano is unpasteurized, but is aged for a minimum of 12 months, up to 24 months, rendering any dangerous bacteria harmless.  Parmigiano-Reggiano, however, assumes its full and typical characteristic qualities only after a period of aging that exceeds 18 months.

Parmigiano-Reggiano is produced exclusively in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and parts of the provinces of Mantua and Bologna, on the plains, hills and mountains enclosed between the Po and Reno rivers.

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Pecorino

The word pecorino is from the Italian word for sheep, pecora.  Unlike cows, sheep refuse to live in barns or even pens, finding only open fields and meadows suitable.  Cows eat a steady diet of what farmers feed them all year long.  Sheep, on the other hand, graze on the grass, wildflowers, and weeds indigenous to where it roams.

Milk reflects the greatest expression of terroir – what the animal eats, drinks, even the air it breathes – of any food we consume.  And like wine, the unique flavors resulting from terroir are amplified as cheese ages.  As any wine lover knows, you can’t duplicate terroir.  This explains pecorino’s richness and depth of flavor, which is greater than any cow’s milk cheese.

Pecorino is also very seasonal in that a ewe will only part with her milk when she is not feeding a newborn, usually from fall to spring.

In Italy, cow’s milk cheeses are made from either wholly or partially skimmed milk.  Pecorino is always made with whole milk.  Sheep’s milk is also much higher in protein content, particularly a protein called casein, which comes from the Latin word caseus.  The Roman words for cheese – cacio – and cheese maker – casaro, are derived from this word.  This protein makes pecorino the cheesiest of cheeses!

Pecorino becomes a hard cheese after it has lost most of its moisture, which takes between eight months and a year.  The best known is Pecorino Romano DOP, which is the oldest of all Italian cheeses – it has been made since the time before Christ.  Most of this cheese was traditionally produced just outside of Rome, but nearly all the production has now been moved to Sardinia.

The majority of Pecorino Romano is made for export to North America, due largely to Italian-American cooking.  The cheese is characterized by a very sharp, salty taste that is reserved for very few authentic Italian dishes.  For pesto, a more subtle, supporting pecorino is Fiore Sardo [Flower of Sardinia], sometimes called Pecorino Sardo, which is what we recommend for this dish.

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Olive Oil [Olio d’Oliva]

Ligurian olive oil is fruit-forward and delicate.  It is unique in that most Ligurian producers use only a single variety of olives to produce oil, whereas other regions, such as Tuscany and Sicily, use a blend of two or more varieties.  The leading variety is Taggiasca, named for the town of Taggia in the province of Imperia.

At Bellavitae, we used BuonOlio Extra Virgin Olive Oil DOP Riviera dei Fiori, made by Gigi Benza and his mother Claretta.  It’s made from 100% Taggiasca olives and is the quintessence of the Italian Riviera’s olive oil.  Its delicate and fruity character blends perfectly with basil.  The American importer of the oil, Gustiamo, has this to say about Gigi:

“Liguria is famous for its olive oil: weather, vicinity to the sea, calcareous soil made it perfect to grow the local Taggiasca olive trees.  But the olive groves are perched on terraced hills, very difficult to cultivate with modern machinery, olives must be picked by hand and the groves are progressively being abandoned by their original farmers, giving space to fires and desolate landscape.  Gigi is a passionate young man with a big heart, hopes and a clear vision for his future: he wants to do good for his land and his beautiful region!  A few years ago, he started to buy abandoned tree groves, reclaiming the landscape to its original magnificence.  He has now 4,000 trees. We wish him good luck and more BuonOlio for Gustiamo and our friends in the future!”

We highly recommend this olive oil.  You can purchase it here.

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Garlic [Aglio]

The overuse of garlic is the single greatest error one can commit when cooking in the Italian style.  Garlic typically plays a supportive role and almost always remains in the background – it should never steal the show.  Garlic in pesto is no exception.  Italian garlic is typically much milder than its American counterpart, especially the famed Vessalico garlic, known throughout Italy for its delicate flavor and favorable digestibility.

Among the many varieties of garlic grown in Italy, only 10% contain a red pigment, which can be divided into four sub-varieties:  Rosa Napoletana, Rosa di Agrigento, Rossa di Sulmona, and Rosa di Genova.  The latter is the genetic origin of the variety grown in the Arroscia Valley, in the Communes of Borghetto, Aquila, and Vessalico.  Vessalico garlic, grown at an altitude above 400 meters, is famous all over Italy; the area hosts an annual garlic fair that has been held for over 300 years (generally on 2nd July).

The exceptional taste qualities of Vessalico garlic are determined by two factors:  First the climate and the range of temperature variations, and the chemical composition of soil and water.  The farmers’ care in growing and preserving the produce has been handed down for centuries, nearly all of it manual and organic.  The garlic’s stem is kept in all its length, in order to keep feeding the bulb and preventing it from drying out.  The stems are then woven into long, intricately laced braids, called reste.

Vessalico garlic is fundamental in Ligurian pesto and irreplaceable in the recipe of ajé, a mayonnaise made made with a mortar & pestle, with egg and olive oil, very much related with the French aïoli.

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Sea Salt [Sale Marino]

The preferred salt here is Sale di Civera. Cervia’s sea salt is known for its absence of bitter minerals so it’s naturally more dolce or sweet than other sea salts.  Long favored by popes, it’s also the trusted choice of many Emilia Romagna specialty producers for salting their Parmigiano-Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma.  Salt production at Cervia, a small town between Ravenna and Cesenatico on Italy’s Adriatic coast, dates back more than 2,000 years, beginning with a mixed history dealing with the Umbrans and Greeks.  Its name comes from the Latin acervus meaning a mound of white salt, called “white gold.”

Sale di Cervia is entirely sea salt, with 2-4% natural humidity.  It is never artificially dried or blended with anti-caking additives.  This method preserves all of the minor elements found in sea water: iodine, zinc, copper, manganese, iron, magnesium and potassium.  The salt workers closely monitor the entrance of concentrated salt water and as soon as sodium chloride has formed, run off the mother brine which contains the bitter chlorides. This and the muds formed are used for therapy treatments at Cervia spas.

Sale di Cervia is often refered to as Il Sale dei Papi [Pope’s Salt], as it is traditionally the seasoning sent to the Papal table.  In early modern history, salt production belonged to the Bishop of Cervia and was taxed heavily.  Today this sea salt is used by saints and sinners alike to season vegetables, carpaccio, roasted meats, grilled fish, salads, and more.

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Where to Buy it

If you’re not able to find some of the ingredients needed, check Bellavitae’s online Italian Marketplace:

• Basil seeds
• Pine Nuts
• Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Fiore Sardo (Pecorino Sardo)
• BuonOlio Ligurian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sale di Cervia Sea Salt

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Equipment

The Mortar & Pestle.  I used to tell our kitchen staff that the most important ingredient in pesto is elbow grease.  Using a mortar & pestle is relatively easy and really takes no time at all.  We would make many servings every night at the restaurant, so we utilized a large one that was carved out of Thai granite.  We could make up to four servings at a time.  You can find it here.  I prefer the heavy models, so the heavy pestle can help do the work for you.  If you’re a traditionalist, you should use a marble mortar and a wooden pestle.

The word “pestle” comes from the word pestare (pestillium in Latin, pestello in Italian) that together with the mortar is the utensil used for making pesto.  The word “mortar” is derived from the Latin mortarium, a recipient in which ingredients are minced or mashed, historically not only used in kitchens but also in traditional pharmacies.  Similar utensils are found throughout the world, such as the molcajete and metate of Central America and Japan’s suribachi.

While you certainly can make pesto using a food processor, it is not as preferable as the mortar & pestle method.  As chef Enrico Tournier explains:

“When we prepare pesto genovese with the classic mortar and pestle, we subject the instrument to the product while respecting the right proportions of the ingredients because we are the ones to decide the proportions of the doses.  While when using a mixer, in order to succeed in cutting the basil we have to add more oil than otherwise necessary, thus altering the doses and in such manner we subject the product to the instrument.”

The Proportion (for six servings)

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 50 grams tightly-packed fresh basil leaves (about 2 cups)
• 2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 1½ teaspoons)
• 6 tablespoons freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about ⅓ cup)
• 2 tablespoons freshly-grated Fiore Sardo (if using Pecorino Romano, use 1 tablespoons and 7 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano)
• 1 tablespoon lightly-toasted pine nuts
• Coarse sea salt

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Making Pesto

1. Soak the basil leaves in cold water, and then pat them gently but thoroughly with towels.
2. Put the coarse salt and garlic into the mortar.
3. Add about a third of the fresh basil leaves and begin to grind the ingredients with the pestle, using a rotary movement.
4. After the basil begins to break down, add another third of the leaves.
5. Add the final third of the leaves, continuing to grind them into a paste.
6. Add the pine nuts and grind them in with the pestle, which will begin to amalgamate and soften the sauce.
7. Add the grated cheeses and use the pestle to incorporate completely.
8. Add the olive oil, slowly in a thin stream, and stir with a wooden spoon until distributed evenly.
9. Serve immediately

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Tips for Success:

• Most of basil’s essential oils are stored in the veins of its leaves, so to get the best taste, don’t pound the leaves, but slightly rotate the pestle to rip the fragrant leaves.
• Processing should take place at room temperature and should end as soon as possible to avoid oxidation.

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Wine Pairings for Pesto Genovese:

These are some of the wines we like to drink with Pesto Genovese.  Click on the links for more information or to purchase them from wine.com:

Arneis

Vietti 2006 Arneis Roero

Chardonnay

Jermann 2008 Chardonnay

Pinot Grigio

J. Hofstatter 2009 Alto Adige Pinot Grigio

Terlano 2009 Pinot Grigio

Further Reading:

• The Official Dish of the IDIC 2011: Pesto Genovese
• Consorzio del Pesto Genovese:  The Official Recipe
• Fred Plotkin:  Recipes from Paradise: Life & Food on the Italian Riviera
• Rose Levy Beranbaum:  Pesto Perfect
• gustiBlog:  Buonolio from Liguria, 100% Taggiasca and Do Good for Liguria
• Thomas Debaggio and Susan Belsinger:  Basil: An Herb Lover’s Guide
• Janet Fletcher:  Pine Nuts – The Popularity of Pignoli
• Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese Consortium
• Sardegna Agricoltura:  Pecorino Sardo DOP
• Seeds from Italy:  Genovese Basil
• ItalyTraveller:  The First Salt of Summer
• Genoa’s Basil Park:  Il Parco del Basilico di Genoa Prà
• Laura Schenone: Visiting Liguria
• Official Tourism Site:  Liguria Region

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