You will find the recipe for chef Matteo’s Easter rack of lamb with herbs and artichokes in our previous post about the Academia Barilla Easter Gift Set. The recipe can also be found on the Academia Barilla website, as well as at our online store.

LAMB WITH ARTICHOKES AND SAPORI ITALIANI
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4 to 6
· 2.2 lbs of Lamb loin
· 6 artichoke hearts
· 1 clove of garlic, chopped
· 1 bunch of mint leaves, chopped
· Academia Barilla IGP Toscano Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· 4 oz. of Academia Barilla Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
· Academia Barilla Sapori Italiani, to taste
· salt and pepper, to taste

To begin, we suggest you take special care in selecting your ingredients. Italian cooking is all about bringing out the natural flavors in foods. Traditionally, fresh lamb is a springtime food and, depending on where you live, you should be able to find it at your local farmer’s market. While you are at the market, don’t forget to pick up artichokes, garlic and mint! The rest of the ingredients called for in the recipe are available at our online store.

Before you start cooking, we suggest that you watch chef Matteo’s video at least once. He provides helpful hints along the way allowing you to work through the recipe smoothly.
While the lamb is marinating, Matteo suggests that you trim and slice the artichokes. By placing them in cold water with lemon juice, you will be able to keep them from discoloring.

Another important tip is to hold onto the lamb trimmings in step 1 of the recipe. They will be used to make the base for the mouth-watering balsamic vinegar sauce. The sweet flavor of the sauce pairs perfectly with the savory flavor of the meat.

And be sure to pay attention to how Matteo plates this dish, beginning with the sautéed artichokes, then layering on the lamb and finishing the dish with the balsamic sauce, some extra virgin olive oil and, last but not least, Sicilian sea salt flavored with black olives.

Well, Matteo, you sure have got our mouths watering. Thanks for another delicious, seasonal recipe!
Buona Pasqua a tutti!

Still trying to figure out what to serve your guests this Easter? Not sure where you will find all the right ingredients? No need to look any further.

The Academia Barilla Easter Gift Pack has everything you need to make this Easter a day to remember.

Traditionally in Italy, Easter is a day spent together with your family. And as is the case with almost every Italian holiday, one can anticipate sitting down to long lunch or dinner. Easter is a time of celebration and where better to do celebrate than gathered around the table. Good food and good company is what it is all about.

Although we cannot help you with the company part, we can certainly give you a hand with the food. We understand that a great meal starts with great ingredients, so Academia Barilla has put together a special selection of Italian products to help you get started.

Our Easter Gift Pack includes,

a bottle of Academia Barilla IGP Toscano Extra Virgin Olive Oil
a bottle of Academia Barilla Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
a jar of Academia Barilla Sapori Italiani
and a jar of Academia Barilla Black Olive Sicilian Sea Salt.

All of our ingredients are rich in flavor and tradition. And each one can be used separately, or in combination, to bring new life to your favorite springtime recipes.

The Academia Barilla Easter Gift Pack is easy to order and easy to send. It is an ideal gift for any Italian food lover or passionate home cook. What’s even better is that we have decided to offer FREE GROUND SHIPPING for any order place through Monday, April 13th.

And should you still be searching for what to serve to your guests next Sunday, might we suggest a traditional Italian Easter dish of lamb with artichokes. A special thanks to the team of Academia Barilla chefs who crafted this recipe using many of the ingredients included in our Easter Gift Pack. Buon appetito e buona pasqua!

LAMB WITH ARTICHOKES AND SAPORI ITALIANI
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4 to 6
· 2.2 lbs of Lamb loin
· 6 artichoke hearts
· 1 clove of garlic, chopped
· 1 bunch of mint leaves, chopped
· Academia Barilla IGP Toscano Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· 4 oz. of Academia Barilla Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
· Academia Barilla Sapori Italiani, to taste
· salt and pepper, to taste

PREPARATION
Clean the loin of lamb, leaving it whole.
Flavor the lamb with Academia Barilla Sapori Italiani and allow it to marinate at least one hour.
To clean the artichokes, cut them in half, and then julienne (meaning to cut them into short, thin strips). Place artichokes in the pan with a little Academia Barilla IGP Toscano Extra Virgin Olive Oil and sauté until tender. Once the artichokes are done, add the chopped garlic and mint; mix gently.

Brown the lamb in the pan with some Academia Barilla IGP Toscano Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and then put it in the oven until it is finished cooking (approximately 10 minutes). Just before the lamb is finished, degrease and douse with Academia Barilla Balsamic Vinegar of Modena. Once the lamb is finished cooking, let it rest for a few minutes.

Place the cooked artichokes in the center of a dish.
Slice the lamb, following the line of the ribs, and place them on top of the artichokes. Drizzle it slightly with the Academia Barilla Balsamic Vinegar of Modena remaining in the pan and the flavorful Academia Barilla IGP Toscano Extra Virgin Olive Oil and serve.

Spring has sprung here in Italy, and it is no more evident than at the market. The stalls of radicchio and other bitter, winter greens are slowly disappearing, making way for next season’s fashions. What joy can be found in the arrival of tiny, tender fava beans, crisp radishes, spring onions and strong fragrance of fresh garlic.

The change of season has inspired all of us here at Academia Barilla to do a little spring-cleaning. As you may have noticed, we have shed the wintery design of our Italian Food Lover’s Blog and have selected bright, cheerful colors and images to carry us through the next couple of months.

We have also spent sometime dusting off the bookshelves of the Academia Barilla Gastronomic Library. We are all happy to have rediscovered a number of seasonal cookbooks and spring time recipes that are certain to bring new life to our tables.

One book that really caught our attention was the The Four Seasons Cookbook written by Charlotte Adams. The book contains a beautiful collection of recipes from New York City’s legendary The Four Seasons restaurant. The restaurant opened its doors with much acclaim exactly 50 years ago. Since then Julian Niccolini and Alex Von Bidder, the restaurant’s owners, have continuously served fashionable Manhattanites some of the city’s best seasonal cuisine – often inspired by Italian dishes.

As Charlotte points out in her book, “for the city dweller, the first glimpse of spring may well be the arrival of tightly pointed, perfectly matched bunches of green or white asparagus in the markets.” We couldn’t agree more.

To celebrate the new season, we present Charlotte’s directions for preparing the perfect asparagus – all taken from the chefs at The Four Seasons.

Asparagus
4 POUNDS ASPARAGUS
BOILING, SALTED WATER TO COVER
Serves 6.

Cut the woody ends off the asparagus and, with a vegetable peeler, peel off the skin from the bottom of the stalks up to the tender heads. Wash. Tie into bundles with white kitchen string. Cook bundles in a large pot full of boiling, salted water for 10-15 minutes, or until done to your taste. The spears should be tender, but still crisp. Run cold water over the asparagus. (This is called “refreshing” and is done to stop the cooking and set the color.) Drain well.

Serve with the sauce you prefer: clarified butter, lemon butter, Sauce Mornay, Parmesan or Polonaise

Asparagus Mornay
4 POUNDS ASPARAGUS,
COOKED AS ABOVE/
1 CUP SAUCE MORNAY (SEE SAUCES)
6 TABLESPOONS GRATED SWISS CHEESE
Arrange the asparagus on a buttered flame-proof dish. Pour the sauce Mornay over the tips. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and run under the broiler to brown lightly.

Asparagus Parmesan
4 POUNDS ASPARAGUS,
COOKED AS ABOVE/
14 CUP GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE
2 CUP CLARIFIED BUTTER (SEE SAUCES)
Arrange asparagus on a buttered, flame-proof dish. Sprinkle the cheese over the tips. Pour butter over. Run under the broiler to brown.

Asparagus Polonaise
4 POUNDS ASPARAGUS,
COOKED AS ABOVE/
1/2 CUP CLARIFIED BUTTER
(SEE SAUCES)/
3 TABLESPOONS FRESHLY GRATED
BREAD CRUMBS/
3 TABLESPOONS GRATED
HARD-COOKED EGG YOLK/
3 TABLESPOONS GRATED
HARD-COOKED EGG WHITE/ 3 TABLESPOONS MINCED PARSLEY
Arrange asparagus on a buttered flame-proof dish. Heat butter in a skillet. Mix remaining ingredients and add to butter. Saute for a few minutes. Sprinkle over the tips of the asparagus. Run under the broiler for a few minutes, being careful not to burn.

(Source: Adams, Charlotte. The Four Seasons Cookbook. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1971.)

Gorgonzola is a blue cow’s milk cheese originally from the small town of Gorgonzola, located less than 15 miles northeast of Milan. For more information on this legendary Italian blue, be sure to check out Chef Matteo Carboni’s video presentation.

In this recipe, the spicy, piquant flavor of the gorgonzola is balanced by the sweetness of the fresh pear sauce. Follow the chef’s directions for making a perfectly rewarding risotto.
What a wonderful way to finish your day.

RISOTTO WITH GORGONZOLA AND FRESH PEAR SAUCE
Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS
For the pear sauce:
- 3 pears, medium-sized
- ½ clove garlic
- 2 sprigs of marjoram
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp of Academia Barilla 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the risotto:
- 8 oz Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice
- ½ onion
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 3 oz gorgonzola
- 1 oz butter
- 1 oz Academia Barilla Parmigiano Reggiano aged 18
- 2 tbsp of Academia Barilla 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION
The Pear Sauce
Cut the pears into quarters. Peel and core them. Peel garlic clove and cut in half. Heat a tbsp or two of Academia Barilla 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a pot and add garlic, roughly chopped pears and marjoram. Stir and let cook for a few minutes. Then, season with salt and pepper. Add vegetable stock and cook until soft. When pears are done cooking, remove from heat and set aside.

The Risotto
Begin to prepare the risotto by chopping 1/2 onion. Add a couple tbsp Academia Barilla 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil to a pot. When the oil is hot, add finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt and stir. When onion is soft, add rice and another pinch of salt. Stir constantly so rice doesn’t stick and toasts uniformly. Once rice is toasted, start adding boiling stock, a ladleful at a time. When stock evaporates and rice becomes slightly dry, add more stock. Continue cooking in this way for 16 to 18 minutes, depending on the variety of rice.

Return your attention to the pears. Once cooked, add freshly ground black pepper to the pot and then blend into a smooth pear puree. Finish cooking the risotto. Remove from heat when risotto still has a little liquid. Add ½ of the gorgonzola and butter. Cover and let rest for a minute. Add remaining gorgonzola and Academia Barilla Parmigiano Reggiano aged 18 months. To serve, pour a ladleful of pear sauce into each bowl. Place 2 large spoonfuls of risotto on top of sauce. Finish with a sprig of marjoram and freshly ground black pepper.

This simple, seasonal dish is certain to keep you warm while you wait for spring. Thanks Chef Matteo for another great recipe to add to our collection.

As we get into 2009 and we move from a Christmas blog design to a Winter make-up, we want to share with you a delicious Season treat from Academia Barilla. We recently blogged about panettone, inviting you to bake your own one by presenting it as recipe of the month for the month of December. Today we introduce to you Academia Barilla’s lavish and exclusive version of the traditional Italian Christmas cake.

Academia Barilla and Master Pastry Chef Corrado Vicina are happy to introduce the Four Season Panettone (Panettone Quattro Stagioni), an exceptional combination of intense flavors that will make you discover, slice after slice, all the taste of four different ingredients in one panettone cake: chocolate for a Winter taste, cherries bring all the flavor of Spring, apricots stand for Summer and chestnuts to bring us back the autumn gourmet mood.

The presentation of the Four Season Panettone preparation included here above illustrates the process that requires Master Pastry Chef Corrado Vicina three full days of intensive artisanal preparation at the Academia Barilla Culinary Center in Parma, Italy. 

Chef Corrado Vicina, with the help of the Academia Barilla Chef Team, start processing the purest yeast with first choice quality ingredients, individually selected one by one.

The Academia Barilla Culinary Center has a Pastry Lab with professional, state-of-the-art bakery tools that allow creating the perfect dough for a mass yet limited production. Just few hundreds Four Season Panettones are baked each year, and they are available exclusively through the Academia Barilla Culinary Center in Parma, Italy.

Chef Corrado Vicina has a secret recipe for the Four Season Panettone, sorry we cannot share it - but we can tell you how the Four Season Panettone is made. 

As you can see from the slideshow, after processing the dough in the four flavor variations, the fours seasons merge together into a smooth hug after two days of leavening.

Before putting the cakes in the oven Chef Vicina puts his final Chef touch, a sprinkle of pure white almonds and a cloud of grains of white sugar. The panettone cakes are baked in transparent ovens, so the baking can be constantly overviewed.

After one hour of intense oven heat, the panettones get hung upside-down drying for an entire night, a 12-hours process that allows eliminating excess humidity and that will make the Four Season Panettone softer and fresher.

Academia Barilla’s Four Season Panettone gets a very simple yet elegant packaging: a protective inner plastic bag seals flavor and softness, while an hand-wrapped red wrap makes it perfect for a gourmet Season gift!

Happy New Year again from Academia Barilla and Italian Food Lovers!