For all of the seafood lovers out there, chef Matteo has created a savory, citrus marinade for shrimp and squid using our Academia Barilla Sapori Italiani herb mix , Sea Salt with Blood Orange Zest and delicate Ligurian extra virgin olive oil, which is guaranteed to really get your mouths watering.

If chicken and turkey are more your cup of tea, try rubbing the meat with olive oil and Sapori Italiani herb mix and allowing it to marinate for at least 10 minutes in the fridge. The added herbs really work nicely on the grill, giving the meat an extra, unexpected kick.

And if you are planning to invite any Italians to your summertime festivities, consider serving grilled pork chops – a classic Italian summer dish that will make your guests feel at home. The garlic marinade described by chef Matteo can certainly stand up to the heat of the grill.

And our team of trusty cooks has even found a way to incorporate one of our favorite ingredients – Balsamic Vinegar Must – in a savory, yet sweet, marinade to be used on lamb. The acidity of the vinegar brings out the flavor of the meat and will be sure to be a crowd pleaser.

We hope that you enjoy these recipes as much as we do. Try them out at your next BBQ and let us know what you think.

Have a good summer and get cooking!

INGREDIENTS
GRILLED FISH, SERVES 4
2 lb shrimp
2 lb squid
Marinade for Shrimp and Squid
1 lb breadcrumbs
⅜ oz Academia Barilla Sapori Italiani mix
1 clove of garlic, chopped
2 ½ oz Academia Barilla Riviera Ligure DOP Extra Virgin Italian Olive Oil
Academia Barilla Natural Sea Salt with Blood Orange Zest to taste

GRILLED MEAT, SERVES 4
1 lb chicken breasts
1 lb turkey
2 lb pork chops
8 lamb chops
Marinade for Chicken and Turkey
¾ oz Academia Barilla Sapori Italiani mix
3 oz Academia Barilla Monti Iblei DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Marinade for Pork Chops
3 oz Academia Barilla IGP Toscano Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves of garlic
2 sprigs thyme
Marinade for Lamb Chops
1 ¾ oz Academia Barilla Monti Iblei DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 ½ oz Academia Barilla Balsamic Must of Modena - aged 8 years

PREPARATION
1 hour preparation

GRILLED FISH, SERVES 4
Marinade and Cooking Instructions for Shrimp and Squid
Mix all of the ingredients needed for breading the shrimp and squid together in a large bowl: breadcrumbs, Academia Barilla Sapori Italiani herb mix, chopped garlic, Sea Salt with Blood Orange Zest and Academia Barilla Riviera Ligure DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Once the shrimp are clean, skewer and bread the shrimp. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. To clean the squid, remove the tentacles and clean the inside of the body well. Put them on a skewer and gently cover them with the breadcrumb mixture. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Drizzle the shrimp and squid skewers with Academia Barilla Rviera Ligure DOP extra virgin olive oil, and cook the skewers on a hot grill, about 2 minutes per side. When done, sprinkle with a pinch of Academia Barilla Sea Salt with Blood Orange Zest and serve.

GRILLED MEAT, SERVES 4
Marinade and Cooking Instructions for Chicken and Turkey
Mix the Academia Barilla Monti Iblei DOP extra virgin olive oil with the Academia Barilla Sapori Italiani herb mix, and rub the mixture on the chicken and turkey. Marinate for at least 20 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Before grilling the meat, it is best to bring it to room temperature by removing it from the refrigerator 10 minutes before cooking. The meat should be grilled for about 5 minutes, depending on its weight. At the end, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Marinade and Cooking Instructions for Pork Chops
Pick off thyme leaves and slice garlic. Rub the pork chops with Academia Barilla IGP Toscano extra virgin olive oil and thyme. 

Then place the fresh garlic slices on top. Allow it to marinate for at least 20 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator. To avoid burning the garlic and thyme during cooking, it is best to remove them from the meat before grilling. Also, the meat should be left at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before cooking. Grill the meat for about 10 to 15 minutes. Once cooked, slice the ribs and serve. 
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Marinade and Cooking Instructions for Lamb Chops
Marinate the lamb chops with Academia Barilla Balsamic Must and Monti Iblei DOP extra virgin olive oil for at least 20 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator. 
Before cooking the lamb, keep at room temperature for at least 10 minutes. 
Grill the meat for 5 to 6 minutes and serve. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Did you know that library houses over 4,700 historic menus from the 19th and 20th centuries? And did you know that they are all available for public view should you make the very worthwhile trip to visit us in Parma, Italy?

And in perhaps even more exciting news for our friends on the other side of the Atlantic, many of these menus are available online.

Hidden within the Gastronomic Library section of the Academia Barilla website, you will find a wide array beautifully decorated menus that mark milestones of Italian gastronomic history. There is so much to explore… so let’s get started.

Here is a fun historical fact.
Menus – or printed lists of dishes to be served at a specific occasion – did not appear until around 1810 when formal dining in Europe witnessed a major change. Prior to this date, most formal dinners were presented with traditional French service, which meant that all the dishes were placed down on the banquet table at once.
However, in Russian service dinner guests were served one dish at a time, over the course of the evening. Printed menu cards were presented to the guests, like playbills, giving them a preview of what was to come. These elegant menus of yesteryear are not unlike the prix-fixe menus you might fine in a contemporary fine-dining restaurant or at a gala dinner.

As was custom during the 19th and some of the 20th century, many of the menus are printed in French – the language of European diplomacy. However, with the unification of Italy, the menus printed in Italian began to appear.

The Academia Barilla virtual menu gallery is subdivided into sections, making it easy to navigate. The “A Menu a Month” section contains 12 menus – one for each calendar month – and is a fun introduction to the collection.

A brief description of the event for which the menu was printed is presented next to the digital image of the menu itself. You can click on the image to enlarge the menu, allowing you to read, for example, exactly what Umberto I of Savoy at for lunch on February 27, 1897.

In the “Menus of the Italian Nobility” section, you will find the menus from meals served to many of Italy’s great noble families. Take a trip back in time by scrolling through the menus from the Borromeo, Meli Lupi di Soragna, Negroni, Spinola, Visconti and Litta family lunch and dinner parties. One of the Spinola family documents even contains a seating chart for a 1920 lunch held at the Villa Spinola in Genoa.

And there are even more hidden treasures to be discovered in the “Historic Menus from the House of Savoy” and “Menus of the Italian Government” sections of the gallery. Here you can explore what the Vittorio Emanuele III used to eat for dinner or what the Italian Ministry served visiting diplomats.

You may even be surprised to find a menu including pizza alla Napoletana, served with sparkling wine no less.

Come and join us on a gallery tour!

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.)