Today we introduce four new Italy-in-a-Box Italian gourmet gift boxes: Food Lovers’ Classic, Cheese Lover’s Knife Set, The Ultimate Bruschetta Party and Giada De Laurentiis Selected by Academia Barilla.

All these luxury gift sets are included in the latest Academia Barilla collection of luxury Italian gastronomy gift boxes, a limited edition gift set series, and contain authentic Italian food specialties from the Academia Barilla gourmet food collection.

FOOD LOVERS’ CLASSIC

Food Lovers’ Classic is a refined gift set includes an exclusive assortment of classic products from different regions of Italy and serves as a wonderful, compact alternative to any conventional gift basket. An exclusive gift set to savor authentic Italian delicacies in countless ways.

Food Lover’s Classic Gift Box contains:
 • 1 Bottle of Extra virgin olive oil 100% Italiano
 • 1 Jar of Sicilian cherry tomato topping
 • 1 Jar of Spicy Sicilian cherry tomato topping 
• 1 Jar of Sapori Italiani, mix of capers, olives and oregano 
• 1 Jar of Sicilian sea salt with fresh orange zest 
• 1 Jar of Sicilian sea salt with fresh olives 
• 1 Jar of Pesto alla Genovese 
• 1 Bottle of “Aged” Balsamic vinegar of Modena 
• 1 Mini-Recipe

CHEESE LOVER’S KNIFE SET


The Cheese Lover’s Knife Set is a refined set composed of 3 knives designed specifically for cheeses, with different consistencies. Japanese steel, hand
forged blade with mirrored finishing, hand-sharpened. A perfect gift idea for cheese lovers!

The Cheese Lover’s Set contains: • Knife for grana cheeses • Knife for hard cheeses • Knife for soft cheeses

ITALIAN PARTY IN A BOX

The Ultimate Bruschetta Party Gift Box is a fresh and trendy gift idea! This fantastic set helps create delicious bruschetta, pasta, pizza party, and Italian aperitivo. This extraordinary assortment of products helps create appetizing plates that will surely add to the success of any party.

The Ultimate Bruschetta Party Gift Box contains:
 • 1 Bottle of extra virgin olive oil 100% Italiano 
• 1 Jar of Sicilian cherry tomato topping 
• 1 Jar of Spicy Sicilian cherry tomato topping 
• 1 Jar of Sapori Italiani, mix of capers, olives and oregano 
• 1 Jar of Sicilian sea salt with fresh olives
 • 1 Mini-Recipe

DINNER WITH GIADA

An accurate selection of the best Italian products signed by Celebrity Chef Giada de Laurentiis and included in the Giada De Laurentiis Selected by Academia Barilla gourmet product line. The Essentials of everyday Italian cuisine.

Dinner with Giada Gift Box contains: • 1 Bottle of Extra virgin olive oil 100% Italiano
 • 1 Bottle of Balsamic vinegar of Modena
 • 1 Jar of Sicilian sea salt with fresh lemon zest 
• 1 Jar of Giada’s Tuscan herbs 
• 2 Glass cup 
• 1 Mini-Recipe

More Italy-in-a-Box soon! If you are too curious and can’t wait for the next post, we suggest you go have a look at the Academia Barilla online shop!

The recipe is taken by the cookbook “Chicken” by celebrity Chef and cookbook writer James McNair, published by San Francisco publisher Chronicle Books.

The pictures in this blog post are taken from the same book, and are by photographer Patricia Brabant.

Ready? Let’s go to the kitchen!

CHICKEN BREAST STUFFED WITH HERBS AND CHEESE
A recipe by Chef James McNair
(serves 4 to 6)

INGREDIENTS

- 8 boned and skinned chicken breast halves
- 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, preferably flat-leaf Italian type
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried oregano, finely crumbled
- 1-1/2 tablespoons minced fresh marjoram, or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram, finely crumbled
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
- 1/4 pound Fontina or Bel Paese cheese
- flour for dredging
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup unseasoned fine dry bread crumbs, preferably made from Italian or French bread
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 cup dry white wine

PREPARATION

Discard the tendons and any connecting tissue or fat from the chicken breasts; tuck the little fillet under the larger muscle.

Place breasts between 2 sheets of waxed paper and pound with a mallet or other flat instrument to a uniform thickness of about 1/8 inch. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve.

Place butter in a food processor or blender and whip until light and fluffy. Add parsley, oregano, marjoram, and nutmeg and blend well. Reserve.

Cut the cheese lengthwise into 8 equal-sized pieces and place 1 piece crosswide on each reserved chicken piece. Equally distribute about half of the reserved herb butter among the chicken pieces, spreading it over the cheese.

Roll the breasts tightly around the cheese. Place the flour, eggs, and crumbs in 3 separate bowls. Dredge the chicken rolls lightly in flour, then dip into beaten e6gs, and finally roll in the bread crumbs.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Pour vegetable oil to a depth of 1/8 inch in a heavy skillet, heat over medium heat, add the chicken rolls, and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken rolls, seam side down, to a flat, ovenproof baking dish.

Melt the remaining herbed butter in a small saucepan, stir in the wine, and pour the mixture over the chicken. Bake, basting occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown and tender, about 15 minutes. Spoon pan drippings over chicken before serving.

Thank you to the BIGAB team, our colleagues from the Academia Barilla Gastronomic Library, for providing us with this traditional Bologna gourmet recipe. We actually got two chicken recipes from BIGAB, and we will publish the second one soon this week, so stay tuned!

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.

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!

As recommended by Chef Matteo Carboni in the video above, results are better when different varieties of grapes are mixed, which will result in a richer flavor. In the video recipe, Chef Carboni uses Sultuna, Pans and Moscate, which he introduced in his last video here on Italian Food Lovers.

Before proceeding with the grape hand-pressing. Matteo advises to use 4 pounds of table grapes in order to obtain 4 cups of table juice for 6 servings.

Not an easy job! You will surely need some strength to do this. Chef Carboni suggests to begin pressing the grapes with your hand, then to proceed crushing the remaining grape berries one at the time with your fingers before filtering the grape juice and giving it a final hand-squeeze to get as much juice as you can.

For 4 cups of grape juice we will need 4 oz of all-purposes flour that must be mixed with the grape juice in a bowl. Start with a little bit of juice. Mix with a whisk ensuring there are no lumps. Add the rest of the juice and keep mixing for a few more minutes until all the lumps disappear.

Put the mixture in a pot and bring to a boil, constantly stirring it. Keep boiling for 2 minutes before placing the mixture into molds while it’s still hot. Chef Carboni uses two different molds based on the servings he desire to prepare. Place the molds in the fridge, allowing them to rest for at least a couple of hours.

The first recipe prepared by Chef Matteo Carboni, Sugoli Grape Jelly paired with Pecorino Cheese and hazelnuts, is a dish that you can serve at the end of the meal as a dessert, or before the dessert. 

Chef Matteo Carboni concludes the video with a final dessert preparation, using the bigger Sugoli Grape Jelly molds that have been in the fridge for a bit longer. For the dessert presentation Matteo simply adds fresh cranberries, fresh mint and ground dark chocolate to the Sugoli Grape Jelly.

Chef Carboni also suggests trying a glass of Moscato wine (Muscat wine), to enjoy with this delicious Italian gourmet dessert.

Thank you Matteo, we can’t wait for your next video recipe!