Elizabeth Minchilli's Blog, page 3

Espressino (and more coffee advice)

Marocchino in Rome

Have you ever heard of an espressino? I bet you haven’t. You’d think that there would be nothing new left for me to write about drinking and ordering coffee in Italy. But during the last few weeks, while I was leading our guests around Italy, I realized that there is one way of ordering coffee that needs just a little more explanation so I’m here to give some much needed coffee advice.

I keep seeing our guests order not just a caffe doppio (double shot of espresso) but even a triple shot which barely even translates into Italian. I mean no Italian would EVER order a caffe triplo. It’s just way way too much caffeine.

But I realized that part of the reason that our guests are ordering such strong coffee is partly because they see the simple shot of espresso, or even a macchiato (with a tiny bit of milk) as too meager a drink to satisfy. As my barista around the corner said to me this morning, as we were talking about this, ‘Americans like a beverone.’ Americans like a big drink.

I totally get it. And there is there is something I order when I want something just a bit bigger than a macchiato, but not as milky as a cappuccino. How I ask for it depends on where I am.

In Puglia I ask for an espressino – This is usually served in an espresso cup, but is filled to the top with foamed milkIn Florence and northern Italy I ask for a macchiatone – usually served in a big cappuccino cup, but the milk is only half of that of a cappucinoIn Rome it’s a Marocchino – usually served in a glass, so you can see the layers, and almost always topped with chocolate.

These three coffee drinks will get you a shot of espresso topped by half the foamed milk usually used in a cappuccino. It’s not quite the beverone that many Americans are used to, but it’s not a teeny tiny shot of espresso either. And definitely won’t give you the jolt of three shots of espresso which is just insane.

I’m really curious to hear what you think? Is there any reason that someone would need three shots of espresso at once?

Macchiatone in Florence

Espressino in Puglia

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Sophie + Stanley in Puglia

A quick reminder that Sophie will be appearing with Stanley Tucci this Sunday October 23 at 9:00pm EST on CNN on Searching for Italy.  For now it’s available only live so I hope you tune in! When it becomes available for streaming, I’ll post here.

Sophie takes Stanley (I guess we’re on first name basis now?) through Bari. So it should look familiar if you follow Sophie on Instagram or TikTok. It’s many of the same places we visit during our food tours.

If this all makes you hungry and want to visit Puglia with Sophie, I’ll be posting new dates for 2024 soon in the premium version of my newsletter. and then, a few days later, here.

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Ricotta Board

If you have been any where near TikTok in the last couple of weeks then you’ve probably seen the viral Butter Board trend. I admit that any recipe that provides the excuse to eat more butter is good with me. The recipe, which was actually published in this cookbook a few years ago, went viral I think because a) it’s so pretty , b) it’s so easy and c) everyone is like me and wants to eat more butter.

Since I have now adopted TikTok in a big way I of course decided to put my own somewhat Italian-ish spin on this trend. Rather than use butter I opted for ricotta, and then basically spread it on a board, and piled on some of my favorite garnishes. The next step is cutting up some focaccia, inviting some friends over and then letting everyone dig in with negroni or spritz in hand.

You can see my original TikTok here or, my reel on Instagram. I probably should have whipped my ricotta first, and it would have looked better and spread more easily. But I didn’t and you don’t have to either. And while I was able to get my hands on superb farm fresh sheep’s milk ricotta, I’m thinking that this would work well even with run of the mill supermarket ricotta.

And absolutely feel free to play around with the garnishes. Sun dried tomatoes would definitely work, and any other fresh herbs would be great. And if someone ends up making a sweet version of this (which a lot of comments on TikTok suggested ) let me know.

PrintRicotta BoardIngredients2 cups fresh ricotta1/4 cup pitted olives2 tablespoons capers4 anchovies, chopped1/4 cup chopped parsley1/4 cup chopped chivesred pepper flakeslemon zestExtra virgin olive oilFocacciaInstructions

Whip the ricotta until smooth and then spread it in a 1/3 inch layer on a wooden board.

Scatter with olives, capers, anchovies, herbs and seasoning. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve with pieces of focaccia.

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Braised Fish with Olives

I’m very lucky to have a fantastic fish monger right across the street from my home in Rome. Not only does he have super fresh fish, he will also clean it and even fillet whatever I choose. This makes getting dinner on the table even easier.

The most difficult part of this process is choosing which fish to cook. Last week he had mackerel so I grabbed them right away. They are usually the first to sell out for two very good reasons. They are delicious. And they are also very affordable. At 9 Euros a kilo they are usually the least expensive fish he sells. They are also sustainable and not farmed. AND a great source of Omega 3’s which are supposed to be good for you.

Here is one of my go to recipes for any type of meaty fish fillet. If you end up making this with a more tender fish, like cod or hake,  just cut the cooking time a bit. And of course it’s be great with sword fish.

I served it with black rice and a green salad and it was a perfect dinner. I thought I’d have leftovers the next day for lunch but it was so good we ate it all.

 

PrintBraised Fish with Olives

Prep 10 mins

Cook 15 mins

Total 25 mins

Yield 2

I made this recipe with mackerel, which was perfect. But feel free to sub in any other meaty fish fillet. It works well with frozen fish fillets too. I usually just add the frozen fillets without thawing them out. They just take an extra five minutes or so to cook.

Ingredients1 red onion, sliced thinly1/4 tsp pepperincino1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil2 pounds / 1 kilo mackerel fillets1 cup white wine (I actually used leftover prosecco)1/2 cup good quality green or black olives (I like castelvetrano)salt and pepper to taste1/2 cup chopped parsleyInstructions

Pour the olive oil in a saute pan large enough to hold all of the fish fillets in one layer.

Add the red pepper flakes and  onion and let soften. Then add the garlic and let cook another minute.

Place the fish atop the cooked onions, and season with salt and pepper. Add the olives

Add the white wine, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and cover. Let cook for about 8 minutes.

Take the lid off and let the accumulated liquid cook away a bit.

Turn off heat, add parsley and serve.

 

If you’re feeling fishy, here are a few more recipes you might like:

Fish and Potatoes
Fish wrapped in Paper
Octopus in its own Water

And if you’d like to eat some fish with us in person, we still have a few spots left for Week in Puglia and Basilicata April 17-22, 2023.

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Lake Como Favorites 2022

Before things start up for Domenico and me this fall, we decided to extend summer by just one more week. Domenico, who is an architect, restored a villa on Lake Como about 6 years ago. Since then, the owners have very graciously offered us the use the villa any time, but somehow the years sped past and it wasn’t until last week that we made it. We finally found the time and luckily my sister and her husband were able to join us too. We had an amazing week.

The villa is located just outside of Cernobbio and before you ask: no, it’s not for rent. Sorry. So although I can’t share a place to stay with you, I can share all of the fabulous places we ate, as well as things we visited and did.

A few things to keep in mind if you do go to Lake Como: it’s not cheap. Both hotels and most restaurants are extremely pricey, especially in high season. And if you are thinking of going in high season? Book way ahead of time.

If you’d like to see more of what we did, make sure you are following me on Instagram where I’ve saved much of this on my highlights and many reels, and also on TikTok. I also wrote this post in 2016 when I was last there.

RestaurantsCernobbio

Trattoria Il Vapore – Very cute simple trattoria where locals go. There are tables in the back outside, but the inside is cute and cozy. We had an amazing tomato topped fried veal chop.

Osteria del Beuc – Another local favorite in Cernobbio, a bit more sophisticated than Vapore. It’s very cute and also has outside tables.

Villa D’Este: This historic hotel has several restaurants, all rather formal. We would have gladly gone to any of them, but they were all completely booked for the entire week we were there. I have a feeling there was a big wedding going on (this happens).

Ristorante Trattoria del Glicine – a local friend recommended this lovely restaurant high up the hill above Cernobbio and it was the perfect last meal of our trip. This incredibly romantic restaurant is surrounded by a wisteria bedecked terrace. We had one of the best meals of the trip here.

Around the Lake

Crotto dei Platani – I first visited this lovely restaurant in 2016. At the time it was a simple trattoria. They have completely redone it and it is now extremely upscale. But the food remains excellent and the views – perched over the lake – can’t be beat. We arrived by boat, which I’d recommend, since they only have about 4 parking spots. The restaurant has it’s own dock.

T-Bar – The Grand Hotel Tremezzo is one of the great hotels of Lake Como. While you might not be able to stay there, you can certainly enjoy lunch. There are three restaurants. Giacomo is by the pool, right on the lake and is probably the most casual of the bunch (but it’s the same Giacomo as in Milan, so not that casual). La Terazzo is Gualtieri Marchesi’s restaurant and has a fabulous dining room and terrace, and I believe a michelin star. We opted for T-Bar which was in between the two and had a fantastic lunch before we visited Villa Carlotta which is next doo.

Bellagio
La Golletta – Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni
Bellagio can be hard to navigate since it gets a lot of tourists, but the pool side La Golletta at the Grand Hotel Serbelloni is a little oasis. Great food and a very beautiful setting. We went here after visiting the gardens at Villa Serbelloni

Bellavista Brunate – This very old fashioned restuarant is part of the hotel Bellavista in Brunate. It’s located on the top of the hill above Como where the funicular goes. Amazing views! It’s a great place to have lunch, then take a walk or longer hike.

Crotto di Lierna
After running as fast as we could away from Varenna, which was completely jammed with tourists, we found refuge in this perfect family run restaurant. It’s about a 10 minute drive south of Varenna and we had a marvelous meal.

Menaggio
Bar Centale – Hotel du Lac
If you find yourself in Menaggio the Bar Centrale which is part of the historic Hotel du Lac, is a lovely place to just hang out. We had late morning cappuccino and ‘toast’ which is bascially a grilled cheese sandwich.

Villas & Gardens

One of the great things to do on Lake Como is visit villas and gardens. We visited:

Parco di Villa Serbelloni, Bellagio – Not to be confused with the hotel Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, this Villa Serbelloni is now owned by the Rockefeller foundation. They open the garden to 60 visitors per day (you can book here) and we had a lovely 2 hour guided tour. The villa itself is not open to visitors, but the garden is magnificent and the views stupendous.

Villa Carlotta – One of the most important gardens on Lake Como, it’s easy to visit and you can combine it with lunch at Grand Hotel Tremezzo.

Villa Balbianello – This is by far the most famous and beautiful garden on Lake Como. Located on a spit of land just south of Lenno, it’s not so easy to get to. You have to reserve tickets ahead of time here. If you arrive by boat, you have to either park and walk (it’s about a 20 minute walk) or take a water taxi from Lenno. Or else arrive by private boat, which is easiest (but costly). But it is worth the effort, as this fairy tale like place is just magical.

Getting around

We took the train from Rome and rented a car in Como. Although a lot of people don’t like to drive around the lake we enjoyed it. Yes, it’s narrow and if you’re not used to it I guess it can be a bit scary, but the speeds are slow and you really get a sense of the lake.

Boat: We did take a private boat out for a morning and LOVED it. We used Taxi Como Lake and our captain Andrea was an amazing guide. I would have gladly booked another day of boating, but he – and all the boats on the lake – were completely booked up. So if you’d like to do this, book ahead. A perfect thing to do is have a late morning drive around the lake looking at villas, then stop for lunch at a place like Crotto dei Platani or La Tirlindana.

You can also take the ferry to the different towns, but we found it a bit awkward to use, since they don’t run that often and are quite slow. But it’s certainly possible.

 

 

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New Tours in Puglia: Spring 2023

Due to the huge interest in traveling to Puglia this spring, all of our previously scheduled tours are completely sold out. But we’ve added 2 new dates:

Puglia and Basilicata with SophieMarch 20-25, 2023April 17-22, 2023

Puglia and Basilicata with Sophie

Sophie will be sharing this five-day feast through Puglia. A bit shorter than our other tours, you’ll be based in Bari and visit some of her favorite towns including Alberobello, Monopoli, Polignano and Matera, in Basilicata.

A few of the things you’ll be doing:Visit to the Unesco heritage town of MateraDay at a family farm in the Valle d’Itria making cheese and baking biscottiGuided tour of Unesco heritage town of AlberobelloPasta making lesson and lunch in private homeDay exploring the seaside towns of Monopoli and PolignanoLunch on the beachand more….DetailsWhen:March 20-25, 2023April 17-22, 2023Where: You’ll be based in Bari, staying your private room with a sea view and balconyWho: The tour is limited to 12 guestsWhat: The tour is 5 nights and 4 days and will include very full days, with trips in our private 20-seat bus. But don’t worry, you’ll also have some down time in Bari, to explore on your own.

How: If you’d like more information, including the pricing and the full itinerary, just send me an email

To see what Sophie is up to in Puglia make sure you are following her on Instagram and TikTok (@sophieminchilli)

And you can also order her book, The Sweetness of Doing Nothing, which perfectly  captures what she loves best about Puglia.

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Bean Salad

Whenever I post about shopping at the farmer’s markets, both in Umbria and in Rome, the focus is usually on fresh produce. I shop for seasonal fruits and vegetables on Saturdays, and the bounty sees us through the week. But what about those times when I can’t get to the market? Luckily there are a lot of farmers who also sell things that I can place in my cupboard. Beans are number one on that list. And are perfect for making this quick and easy bean salad.

While I am a big believer in buying and using dried beans (I LOVE my Instant Pot) I also realize that not everyone has the foresight and/or time to soak and cook beans. And I am immensely grateful that one of the stands at my Umbrian farmers market sells the BEST canned chickpeas and  beans.

While Sophie uses the chickpeas to make hummus at least once a week, I’m currently obsessed with bean salad. I can pull it together in about 10 minutes, and while it stands on it’s own, it’s also a great side for meats. I usually serve it for lunch, along with a big green salad, this cucumber salad or this zucchini salad.

Here follows the recipe, but please feel free to improvise. I like to keep it simple and don’t add much seasoning beyond salt and pepper. I love a bit of crunch and usually use celery, but a carrot is great too.

One more thing: don’t ever let anyone make you feel guilty about using canned beans over dried.

PrintBean Salad

Yield 2-4

Ingredients1 small red onion, chopped1/2 tsp saltred wine vinegar1 can drained white beans1 medium ripe tomato, chopped1 handful of chopped parsley1 carrot or stalk celery, choppedolive oilsaltpepperInstructions

Place the red onion in a small bowl with the vinegar and salt. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes.

Mix everything else in a bowl, then add the drained onions, reserving the vinegar. Stir and taste and add some of the vinegar, and adjust the seasoning.

You can double the recipe since it’s even better the next day.

Notes

I used canned Purgatorio beans, a local heirloom variety. Cannellini would work well too.

If you live in Italy you can order these beans and much more from

Azienda Agricola Fratelli Graziani and you can also follow them on Instagram

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Pasta with Raw Tomatoes

I can’t believe I’ve never posted a recipe for my go-to summer pasta. This simple pasta with raw tomatoes, is eaten all over Italy and called by different names. In Rome it’s called ‘alla checca’ and in other places simply pasta fredda, or cold pasta. In my house we’ve always called it Spaghetti Estate , or summer spaghetti. I’m pretty sure we first had it as kids when I lived in Italy with my parents.

I think I’ve never written about it because it seemed too simple? There are few ingredients and it’s difficult to tell you how much to use of each of the ingredients since it barely matters. It’s always great.

A few tips:

While you can prepare the tomatoes a few hours ahead of time, don’t refrigerate them. And definitely don’t add the past till the last minute.If you want to make is more hardy, add some cut up mozzarella to the tomatoes to marinate.Another cheesy alternative is to add grated ricotta salata at the end.Don’t be temped to over do it with the garlic. A little goes a long way.If you don’t have basil, don’t worry. Something green is nice though, so if you have some arugula, throw it in at the last minute.

Don’t worry too much about which pasta shape you use. It’s so good, that no one will notice anyway. For some reason I’m partial to bow ties or fusilli. But as you can see from these photos I use whatever I’ve got.

And if you don’t have big fat juicy summer tomatoes, cherry tomatoes are your best bet.

PrintPasta with Raw Tomatoes

Yield 4-5

If you’d like to make this more filling, add a cup of chopped mozzarella. You can even add a can or two of tuna.

Ingredients500 gr / 1/2 pound pasta (any shape will do, but I am partial to bowties)4 large ripe tomatoes or 3-4 cups cherry tomatoesBunch basil1/3 cup olive oilsalt and pepper1 small clove garlicInstructionsPour the olive oil in a large serving bowl. Crush the garlic into the oil and stir.Cut the tomatoes into bite sized pieces and add to oil. Season with salt and pepper and add basil. Stir and let sit so the juices come out. Taste and adjust seasoning.Bring a large pot of water to boil and add salt.Add the pasta and cook until al dente.Drain pasta and add to tomato mixture, stir and serve immediately.

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Puglia +Basilicata with Sophie

Sophie Minchilli has been spending time in Puglia since before she was even born. Her father, Domenico, is from the capital, Bari, and his family home there has been her base to explore the entire region. She has since built a career there, sharing her passion for the region through social media , tours and her new book, The Sweetness of Doing Nothing. It’s not surprising then, that Puglia – and nearby Basilicata – are some of her favorite places.

During this 5 day tour you’ll have the time to truly explore all Sophie loves about Puglia , from a completely food-centric point of view of course. You’ll visit some of her favorite places, and meet her friends — in small towns , through the countryside and by the sea — tasting, drinking, eating, learning and having fun.

You’ll be based in Bari , staying in a luxury hotel overlooking the sea. The days will be full, with adventures both, but don’t worry, you’ll have down time as well, to head off on your own to explore Bari in the late afternoons and evenings.

A FEW OF THE THINGS YOU’LL BE DOINGGuided visit to the Unesco heritage town of MateraDay at a family farm in the Valle d’Itria making cheese and baking biscottiGuided tour of Unesco heritage town of AlberobelloPasta making lesson and lunch in private homeDay exploring the seaside towns of Monopoli and PolignanoLunch on the beach

and more….

DETAILS

When: March 13-18, 2023 **

Where: You’ll be based in Bari, the capital of Puglia, staying in a 5-star hotel in a private room with sea view

Who: This tour is limited to 10 guests.

What: The tour will include very full days, with trips in our private bus. But don’t worry, you’ll also have some down time in Bari, to explore on your own.

How: If you’d like more information, just send me an email.

If you’d like to see some of the things we’ll be doing in Bari, you can watch the episode we filmed with CBS Sunday Morning recently.

**I will be adding more dates in future for 2023 and 2024. Since they sell out quickly, make sure you are signed up for the Premium Version of my Newsletter, to be the first to hear when I post them.

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Evan’s Blue Cheese Dressing

My friend Evan Kleiman is visiting us in Umbria this week. We are doing a tour together which starts tonight, and we will immerse ourselves in all things Umbrian – food, crafts, wine and even beer. But for the last few days Evan – as always – is indulging our cravings for typically American foods. Of course, being the pie queen that she is , she made us a perfect cherry pie with fruit from our own trees last night. She also made us one of my favorites: Iceberg lettuce salad with blue cheese dressing.

Here in Italy there is no such thing as ‘dressing’ when it comes to salads. It’s simply the best olive oil, with salt and pepper and perhaps some vinegar. I’ve posted variations of some of my personal salad variations here, here and here.

But when Evan realized that I had a huge head of iceberg lettuce in the fridge, she just looked and me and said “Blue Cheese Dressing”. Being in Italy she of course used a local version of gorgonzola.

I made sure she made a huge batch.. The first night we had our simple salad as a side to grilled pork chops which Evan seasoned with wild fennel pollen. Heavenly. The next day she made up a mixed salad with the rest of the dressing for lunch.  I also managed to scoop up any leftovers with a spoon, but I’m thinking that if I don’t thin it out so much with milk that it would make the perfect dip for my evening bowl of chips. That plus a martini counts as a meal, right?

PrintBlue Cheese Dressing

Make this recipe as thick or thin as you’d like. I like using it as a dip.

Ingredients3 oz/ 100 grams Gorgonzola – or a not too strong blue cheese of your choice1/2 c. Sour Cream1/2 c. Mayonnaise1 tsp dijon mustardSaltPepperMilkInstructions

Mash the blue cheese with a fork in a small bowl. Add the sour cream, mustard and mayonnaise and stir till smooth. Season with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings. If it seems too thick, thin it out with a bit of milk.

If you’d like to join me on a tour in Umbria you can see our current schedule of tours here. And if you’d like to be the first to know about new tours (they sell out fast!) make sure you are signed up for the Premium Version of my newsletter.

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