Showing posts filed under: Tuscany Clear

Recipe: Fave Crude e Pecorino

This is a spring salad that I would eat every year at Cibreo, my favorite restaurant in Florence. Fabio Picchi, chef/owner, would practically shell the fave into the bowl in front of you. It’s a simple salad but one that I eat with reverence now that Fabio has passed. February …

Cauliflower Paté with Turmeric and Chili

I love to play with my food. In this case, this doesn’t mean fondling, squishing it between my fingers or throwing it up in the air. It’s like painting. I like to have a a few raw ingredients in front of me and let my imagination go to town.What flavors …

Cappelletti in Brodo Toscano

Cappelletti in Brodo Toscano The word cappelletto means “little hat,” which is what this pasta should resemble. They are traditionally served in broth, as are the more infamous “tortellini”. This is the traditional filling we use at La Cucina al Focolare. Nothing is more satisfying than a bowl of “tortellini …

Recipe: Heirloom polenta with hokkaido pumpkin and cavalo nero

One of my favorite dishes to make in winter is polenta. It’s hearty and warm and heats the inner fires. I found a great local source from Aspen Moon Farms in Hygiene, Colorado called, Organic Biodynamic Red “Floriani” Cornmeal. It has a rich yellow color with red flecks inside. It’s open-pollinated, non-GMO, and heirloom..out of Italy, which is why it is also great for making polenta, not just cornbread. For those who may or may not know, the Italians use “flint”corn for their polenta, which I recently learned is the same as native American calico corn, which surprised me. Each kernel has a hard outer layer to protect the soft endosperm, it is likened to being hard as flint; hence the name.