Italian Food Lovers

We asked our guest Chefs from the Italian Food Lovers Chef Network to share with us some gourmet recipes that can be the centerpiece of you Christmas meal. Today Chef Doug D’Avico from Trattoria N.10 in Chicago teach us how to prepare a yummy pasta dish: Farfalle Pasta with Duck Confit, Crimini Mushrooms, Asparagus and Parmigiano Reggiano. 

Ready? Let’s go to the kitchen!
Read more…

A friend of Academia Barilla, who happened to travel business class on an American Airlines flight this week, spotted an article on CL - Celebrated Living, the luxury in-flight magazine for American Airlines Premium Class Passengers, quoting the Academia Barilla Culinary Center as a recommended choice among luxury gourmet destinations around the world. 

Too small to read? We’ll read it for you! In an issue mostly dedicated to gourmet topics, The Food and Wine Issue (with articles about South America culinary, wine auctions, and worldwide culinary trends), the CL editorial team recommends (right side of the image) three top gourmet choices.

After introducing the Hotel Marques de Riscal as a luxury destination in Rioja, Spain, the Spanish Wine Valley, and the two 4-star colonial hotels in Puebla, Mexico, Mesón Sacristía de las Compañías and Mesón Sacristía de Capuchinas, CL Magazine introduces Parma, Italy and Academia Barilla.

The article goes like this (we read it for you):

PARMA - Neighbor to Tuscany, the Emilia-Romagna province is locally considered the culinary capo in Italy. Why? Because it’s home to three of the nation’s best products: Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and aged Balsamic Vinegar.

The new Academia Barilla (866-722-2233, www.academiabarilla.com) from the Parma-based Barilla pasta company, allows visitors to explore the local wonders, combining tours of cheese factories and vinegar aging houses with cooking classes.

Thank you CL Magazine for quoting our cooking school and the gastronomy and culinary tours we organize in Parma and around Emilia-Romagna.

This press mention comes after the recent one from Gourmet Magazine, who listed the Academia Barilla Culinary Center among the top 5 luxury cooking schools in the world, as you might remember from a previous post here on Italian Food Lovers.

The Academia Barilla Culinary Center and the cultural, gastronomy and culinary tours offered by Academia Barilla, as well as the cooking classes at the Academia, are a luxury experience indeed. But this doesn’t really means our courses are expensive or way too exclusive.

With a range of cooking courses, gastronomy and cultural tours, and culinary initiatives that go from individual to group classes, from week-long to short, half-day immersive classes, to internship programs for Chef students, the Academia Barilla Culinary Center can be affordable at many levels, yet retaining that luxury treat profile that you will start experiencing as soon as you will walk through the Academia’s doors.

Enquire with Academia Barilla about the culinary learning experiences offered in Parma, Italy; we’ll be happy to design for you and your party the perfect formula that fits your culinary skills and needs, your permanence in Italy and your budget!

You can reach us in Parma calling +39 0521 264060 (toll-free number from Italy 800 376-116), or through the US toll free number also kindly provided by the CL Magazine (866-722-2233).

As we announced yesterday, we have a full schedule of gourmet recipes for your Thanksgiving meal, provided by the great Chefs who joined our Italian Food Lovers Chef Network. Today we start the series of blog posts with a delicious recipe by Chef Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia Restaurant in Chicago: Cappellacci di Zucca con Salvia (Pasta Hats with Pumpkin and Sage).

The recipe is included in Tony and Cathy Mantuano’s cookbook “The Spiaggia Cookbook – Eleganza Italiana in Cucina“, which is available online at Amazon and Barnes&Noble. Chef Mantuano customized this recipe for us adding a few gourmet products from the Academia Barilla Italian food specialty collection, as you can see from the ingredients’ list below.

As described by Chef Mantuano in the Spiaggia cookbook:

This dish may well become a family favorite, especially at Thanksgiving, when pumpkins are in season. The filling has a sweet-and-savory flavor that pairs well with turkey, goose, or duck. Whenever we serve this dish to customers and friends who have never tried it, the raves are loud and clear. This stuffed pasta yields hearty portions, and we suggest serving it with a robust red wine.

CAPPELLACCI DI ZUCCA CON SALVIA – PASTA HATS WITH PUMPKIN AND SAGE
A recipe by Chef Tony Mantuano
(serves 6 to 8)

INGREDIENTS

- 1 pie pumpkin, about 2 pounds (about 2 cups purée after roasting)
- 1/3 cup mostarda, coarsely chopped (see notes)
- 1 1/4 cups dried bread crumbs
- 1 1/4 cups grated Academia Barilla Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 cup amaretti cookies, finely ground
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Academia Barilla Natural Sicilian Sea Salt with Orange Zest and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- basic pasta dough (you can also use premade pasta sheets from your local grocery store)
- 2 cups unsalted butter
- 16 fresh sage leaves
- more grated Academia Barilla Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. To make the filling: Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds.

Arrange, cut sides down, on an aluminum foil-lined or nonstick baking sheet roast until very tender, 20 to 30 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and place in a blender or food processor. Add the mostarda and process to a purée.

Transfer to a bowl and add the bread crumbs, cheese, cookie crumbs, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Roll out the pasta dough into thin sheets. Working with one sheet at a time, cut the pasta into 3-inch squares. Place each square on a lightly floured board or cloth and let dry 5 minutes.

To fill, place a dough square in front of you on the diagonal, so you are facing a diamond shape. Place a teaspoon of filling in the middle of the diamond. Lightly spray the pasta with water and bring the bottom point of the diamond to the top point.

Press the pasta together to form a triangle, working out from the filling. Trim the 2 unfolded sides of the pasta triangle with a crimped pastry wheel, and then fold the side points of the pasta forward and press to join them together in a “bishop’s hat” shape. Repeat with the remaining dough and filing.

Stand the finished cappellacci to dry for about 5 minutes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and dusted with flour.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat; do not let the butter brown. Stir in the sage leaves. Set aside and keep warm over very low heat.

Add the cappellacci to the boiling water and cook until al dente (tender but firm to the bite), 3 to 5 minutes after they rise to the top.

Remove with a slotted spoon and carefully transfer to the warm butter and sage sauce. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the pasta to marry with the sauce and absorb some of it.

To serve, divide the cappellacci among 8 warmed plates and top with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve immediately.

CHEF TIPS

Mostarda is a candied fruit, such as pears, apricots, and cherries, mixed with white mustard and sugar syrup. More sweet than piquant, mostarda adds dimension to the pumpkin filling. It is also used with boiled meats and in confections. You can find mostarda in Italian specialty stores or online.

The cappellacci can be assembled in advance and frozen. Arrange them, not touching, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and dusted with flour. Freeze until hard, about 20 minutes. Transfer to zippered plastic bag and freeze for up to 1 month.

Thank you Chef Mantuano for your delicious recipe and for the precious Chef tips. We know Chef Tony Mantuano is getting a Christmas recipe ready to be served to our Italian food lovers next month, and we look forward to it!

Don’t forget to stay with us all week for daily gourmet Thanksgiving recipes from our Chef Network!

Savor the food and the art of Parma, and enjoy the cultural life with VIP access to the Correggio monographic exhibition in Parma, Italy, and many other cultural and monumental highlights of Parma and the Italian Food Valley.

Antonio Allegri da Correggio is the foremost painter of the Parma school of the Italian Renaissance, responsible for some of the most vigorous and sensuous works of the 16th century. In his use of dynamic composition, illusionistic perspective and dramatic foreshortening, says the Wikipedia, Correggio prefigured the Rococo art of the 18th century.

Academia Barilla organizes luxury cultural tours in conjunction with the Correggio exhibition, offering a full package of 3 days and 2 nights (or 4 days and 3 nights, in the deluxe version), with tour already selling since the end of September, and until January 25, 2009. 

An amazing opportunity to visit Parma during the Correggio Exhibition that places Parma among the elite destinations of the international cultural panorama. Artistic treasures from the National Gallery and frescoes of the Cathedral, San Giovanni Evangelista Church, and Camera di San Paolo are only a few of the masterpieces that will take your breath away! The city will be at its best for this unique event…don’t miss it! Follow this link on Wikipedia to discover more of Correggio’s Reinassance work in Parma.

This is the program of the gourmet cultural Correggio travel package proposed by Academia Barilla -

Day 1 – “The Correggio Experience”

MORNING: Arrival in Parma on your own (private transfer on request). Check-in at your luxury (at least 4 stars) hotel accommodation in the city. Enjoy your first Parma-style lunch.

AFTERNOON: Guided tour of Parma city center to begin a first discovery of the works of Correggio. You won’t want to miss the Cathedral and the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista with their astonishing chapels, the unique Baptistery, and the astonishing Camera di San Paolo with its frescoes.
The day will end with a delightful dinner in a well-known restaurant in the city center. Night at the hotel.

Day 2 – “The Correggio Experience”

MORNING: Breakfast at the hotel. Your day will start with a guided tour of the Correggio Exhibition to discover masterpieces of the National Gallery such as “Madonna della Scodella” and “Madonna of San Gerolamo”, just to mention the most famous ones. Enjoy your lunch in a typical restaurant in the city center.

AFTERNOON: Transfer to the hillside of the Parma province to visit the permanent collection of Fondazione Magnani-Rocca, counting works by Gentile da Fabriano, Filippo Lippi, Albrecht Dürer, Tiziano, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya, Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, de Pisis, Morandi, Burri, Canova, Lorenzo Bartolini, and many others.
Your visit will conclude with a special dinner in a private Italian Villa, which will open its doors exclusively for our guests (upon availability). After dinner, return to Parma and night at the hotel.

Day 3 – “The Gourmet Experience”

MORNING: Departure for the discovery of the gastronomic treasures that this land produces.
Visit a Parmigiano Reggiano producer to observe the time honored production method that has remained unchanged for centuries. The tour concludes with a tasting session of samples of Parmigiano Reggiano at the various stages of its aging process.
To follow, visit a producer of Prosciutto di Parma, the most famous ham of the world!
Your experience of the different flavors of Parma will end in a charming winery that will offer a rich tasting of wines paired with typical products.

AFTERNOON: You can choose between a relaxing shopping excursion at one of the most exclusive Chic Outlets in Italy or return to Parma for an arrivederci on your own to the beauties of the city.

Note: the 3 days/2 nights program here above may be subject to some modifications
Price per person (min. of 2 people): US$ 1,020.00 (VAT included)
Price per person in group (min. of 12 people): US$ 790.00 (VAT included)

In the deluxe version of “The Correggio Experience”, the package that will allow you to enjoy more of your Parma cultural and gourmet experience through a 4days/3nights stay and more initiatives, you will start Day 4 in a very intriguing way.

Day 4 – “The Cooking Experience”

MORNING: Breakfast at the hotel. Welcoming and tour of Academia Barilla, the world’s premier italian culinary facility.
Practical cooking class focused on the old recipes of the time and territory of the Correggio, taken from the prestigious books of the largest culinary library of the world inside Academia Barilla.
Lunch with the chef based on what you prepared during the course.

AFTERNOON: Free afternoon for individual visits and/or shopping through the charming streets of the center of Parma. Dinner in an elegant restaurant in the city centre. Night at the hotel.

Note: the 4 days/3 nights program here above may be subject to some modifications
Price per person (min. of 2 people): US$ 2,099.00 (VAT included)
Price per person in group (min. of 12 people): US$ 1,299.00 (VAT included)

For more info, details and booking for Academia Barilla’s cultural, culinary and gastronomic tours, including the Correggio Tour, please get in touch with Academia Barilla in Parma at +39 0521 264060 (toll-free number from Italy 800 376-116), or in the United States at the US toll-free number 1-866-772-2233.

Academia Barilla just broadcasted an online press release announcing to the media the launch of its latest artisan Italian food products. We want to provide a description of these new products to our Italian Food Lovers readers, along with some of our serving suggestions and delicious gourmet recipes.

Today we will talk about the Academia Barilla Italian Tomato Sauce, Academia Barilla Pesto alla Genovese and Academia Barilla Pitted Sicilian Green Olives.

ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE

Academia Barilla’s Italian Tomato Sauce is the result of a premium quality, exclusive Italian Scarpariello tomato grown in the heart of Emilia-Romagna, Italy’s Food Valley.

An incomparable fresh and sweet flavor enriched with extra virgin olive oil, this all natural tomato sauce is a traditional, delicious recipe with an intense red color great for a variety of Italian pasta courses.

Characteristics and serving suggestions:

- Aroma: Scent of sweet, vine ripened tomatoes.
- Flavor: Sweet and delicate with fresh tomato taste.
- Texture: Smooth texture is a perfect complement for a variety of pasta dishes.
- Serving suggestions: very versatile; its smooth texture is a perfect complement for a variety of pasta dishes.

PITTED SICILIAN GREEN OLIVES

Academia Barilla’s Pitted Sicilian Green Olives are personally selected from the centuries-old trees of the well-known Belice Valley of Sicily. Here, the red soil and warm climate offer the precious and renowned Nocellara del Belice D.O.P. olive variety.

Seasoned with hot pepper, local wild oregano and garlic, this traditional Sicilian recipe offers fresh and exceptional Mediterranean flavors.

Characteristics and serving suggestions:

- Aroma: Rich and intense aroma of olive pulp, enriched with Mediterranean spices.
- Flavor: An intense and fresh fruitiness with traditional Sicilian flavors.
- Texture: Firm olives with minced herbs and spices.
- Serving suggestions: perfect as an appetizers, a first course and as a snack.

PESTO ALLA GENOVESE

A unique non-pasteurized fresh pesto direct from the seaside town of Sanremo in Liguria, Italy. Made with the freshest basil of the Italian Riviera, top quality extra virgin olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano and whole pine nuts.

Characteristics and serving suggestions:

- Aroma: perfume of fresh sweet basil and aged Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Flavor: tangy, sweet, freshly picked basil.
- Texture: chunky, minced basil and whole pine nuts.
- Serving suggestions: perfect for lasagna, gnocchi and pasta al pesto.

Enjoy Academia Barilla’s Italian gourmet gastronomy! Remember you can buy them all at the Academia Barilla online shop! Academia Barilla Pesto alla Genovese is exclusively available at Sur la Table at this Sur La Table link.

Tomorrow we will publish a gourmet recipe using some of the new Academia Barilla products, stay tuned!