In one of my last posts I mentioned that I would present some of my preferred Italian dishes. Seeing that I am on a somewhat of a Latin- themed decadent binge, this is a good time to delve into this. First, a little background. Lollobrigida, hit it! Your food I digida...
Like France, Italy is an outstanding culinary nation. It is nearly impossible to match the variety and quality of cheeses and wines that come out of the two lands. In terms of sheer scope, Italy produces more types of food (rice, cold-cuts, pizza and foccacias, olives, olive oil, gelato, liquors, espresso, vinegars (including Balsamic), pasta, etc.) than any country. Italy is also a world leader in the production of organic food. Furthermore, few countries spend as much as Italy in upgrades in machinery and development (e.g. advanced mechanized olive oil and espresso machines) when it comes to the food industry. Needless to say, there is much to choose from and enjoy.
Although Italy has not standardized its food industry as early (and possible as effectively) as France - leaving it open to much confusion (surprise and welcome to organized chaos) - for some this is just fine; the regionalized ambiguities left behind make studying Italian cuisine all the more pleasantly challenging. I myself am not always sure what constitutes a "pure" way of preparing a particular dish. Usually, we go with what mom made.
Case in point, spaghetti alla carbonara - one of my all-time favorites. Recipes vary slightly from region to region and every now and then some hotshot chef tries to tamper with it - like the genius who added pineapples to pizza. According to the classic cookbook The Talisman by Ada Boni, the recipe calls for pancetta (Italian bacon), pepper, eggs and white wine - if desired. Some people add parsley, others onions. However, it should not deviate too much from this utterly classic and rustic dish. I know some call for cream to be added (for North American tastes and should technically be avoided), but that's too rich. I prefer it dry and not too creamy if you add more water and eggs. What I like about shpa-get al'carbonar (my dialect) is that it offers carbs and protein with a pancetta punch on one plate.
What is often called Italian cuisine is really Italian cuisine adapted for local North American tastes and habits, hence the exaggerated amount of salty sauce poured on a pasta dish and the satanic Kraft-style pastas. Very few restaurants - only upon requests- will actually prepare a dish as originally intended. I only go to the ones where I feel comfortable enough with the staff to ask them to make something fresh of the day.The
consequence of this is that some misconceptions persist about Italians and their mad love affair with food. For starters, Italy is not an over-starched or 'carbed' society. True, pizza and pasta are the single most recognizable and famous exports, but it does not mean Italians eat them three times a day. Get a grip, people. First, while this has changed somewhat over the years, pasta is predominantly consumed in the south of the Mezzogiorno. When Italian immigrants left Italy, most were from the south and brought with them southern-based foods. By contrast, the Northern part of Italy tends to use more butter and cream. The hierarchy of the Italian diet is best described as the northern part of the country consuming rice, the central devoted to soups and south leaning towards pasta.Quick comment on the Mediterranean diet. The circle (sphere, whatever) of countries that make up the Mediterranean: Spain, France, Portugal, Greece and various North African and Middle-Eastern countries including Lebanon, do have the most diverse and healthiest diets.
Ok. Rice or risotto - picture above. I like all risotto. In addition to being extremely healthy, it is a meal onto itself. One I tend to make is risotto with tomato and basil. Risotto is a long process to prepare, but well worth the effort. As for soups, there are too many to name here. I would have to include almost any minestrone from any region. Bavette soup Genoese style, Stracciatella, soup with tortellini, soup with tiny meatballs and swiss chard, and so on...
So, back to pasta. Why is it so popular? Economically and practically, it's cheap to buy and easy to make - well, it should be easy to make. Too many people don't realize a good pasta must be al dente and not mushy. Even the process of selecting pasta is interesting. Contrary to the temptation of dismissing pastas as being all alike, there are many types of pastas (hundreds) and several manufacturers from low to high quality. Personally, if I don't buy (or make by hand) fresh pasta, I like to sing and buy Barilla or De Cecco. 
Then comes the part of how to eat pasta. Cutting spaghetti or linguine is frowned upon (personally I like to get violent around people who do so) so don't do it. Another odd ritual I have noticed over the years is the practice of drinking milk with an Italian dinner. What...the....? Milk is not intended to act as a compliment with pasta. In fact, it's probably not even good for you. You can die. Please, go to a local Italian grocery store. Buy some carbonated water, bitter, Chinotto, pear juice or any other Italian drinks meant to be consumed with your meal.When it comes to Italian food (or Chinese or Indian or French), observe how the natives eat it. Which brings me back to the the perception that Italians eat "too many carbs." The Italian diet is far more balanced than the North American one. Check out any fish, game and meat section of a recipe book. There are too many to name here. I know that this varies from region to region. In my house, veal tended to be the "go to" mainstay. By contrast, the Tuscan household of my friend would eat foods like rooster with rosemary or thin, very cooked pizzas with herbs. It is always odd to hear a Canadian say this regarding one of the world's most advanced and civilized culinary nations. Love of eating entails learning how to eat and this is something the Italians have been mastering at the highest levels for centuries. They do go the extra mile (or kilometer) when it comes to perfecting food - consider that the Italian government has actually legislated laws to ensure that certain foods (cheese, pizza, espresso) maintain a level of quality.
And this is saying nothing of Italian fruits and vegetables and the endless gardens still tended by the Italian immigrant army. Italians don't go to war. I'm not sure they only make love. But they damn well tend to their gardens.
In any event, it is only now that my brother and sisters and I are realizing just how diverse my mother was in her cooking. We have practically eaten everything in my house from tripe, lamb brains, polenta and pasta with oil and garlic. My mother doesn't just make one type of lasagne - she makes four or five different versions.
For the record, The Economist disclosed a survey a few years back that ranked nations according to their weight. Italians came in as the second lightest people behind The Netherlands, thus lending proof that Italians are not gluttonous goofs as often portrayed in Hollywood mob movies.
Italy does not begin and end with pasta, just like soccer is not the only sport Italians are mad about. They happen to be the topics they are most vocal about, but rice (risotto), polenta and soups are just as much a part of the Italian diet as motor-racing, basketball and cycling are among sports fans.
Anyway, what's a meal without dessert? Sure, there are all sorts of wonderful and legendary Italian desserts, from spumoni (or strawberry spumoni), to tiramisu, to granita, to sfogliatelle.Any of those would do fine with with either Sambuca, Averna, Prosecco or an espresso - or all combined. Look them up. You won't regret it.
For all recipes check out this link:
www.italianchef.com/
This is but one precious link. There are so many out there. Everyone has their own favorites, whether they be found on The Food Network or through family recipes passed on for generations. I went on a little too long here - you would not believe the amount of editing that took place.
