projectfoodlab : italy

baccelli e pecorino - raw fava beans and pecorino cheese

baccelli e pecorino - raw fava beans and pecorino cheese

there are few things that herald spring in florence like this simple dish. especially because eating fava beans raw requires that they are young. in a few months the beans become too large and are covered in a thick skin that is unpleasant to eat. at this point they can of course be peeled. (a thankless task performed in restaurants when the head chef hasn't had the time to change the menu yet...) i've seen florentines almost in tears in anticipation of this dish... and the the accompanying spring.

insalata di finocchio e arance - fennel and orange salad

bulb fennel, orange filets, pine nuts, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil

a fresh salad that almost changes its character with the seasons. in many ways, just as appropriate in the summer as in the winter. at pane e vino here in florence we served this with mashed anchovies in the vinaigrette. another addition are often raisins. pairs wonderfully with fish.

bocconcini di pomodorini, burrata e basilico - burrata filled cherry tomato bites

bocconcini di pomodorini, burrata e basilico - burrata filled cherry tomato bites

springtime has arrived in florence and it seemed like it was time to freshen things up.

a simple spin on the traditional mozzarella and tomato caprese. it's not necessary to use burrata, a creamier version of  mozzarella, but burrata is beautiful...

product posts coming.

bresaola e rucola in stratti - bresaola and rucola

bresaola di valtellina igp, rucola, lemon - olive oil vinaigrette

playing with construction. work in progress. update will follow.

carciofi fritti e maionese gialla al limone e pepe nero - fried artichokes with lemon and black pepper mayonnaise

fried artichokes in italian- style batter (pastella) with an extra yellow lemon - black pepper mayonnaise ( more egg yolks, more lemon juice and fresh black pepper)

Mozzarella di Bufala e Zucchine Grigliate - Buffalo Mozzarella and Grilled Zucchine

I picked this up at a restaurant where I was working in Chianti. I would have liked to have added two slow baked cherry tomatoes for a little color and flavour contrast. But this way it highlights the pairing of mozzarella with something other than sliced tomatoes.. Making the mozzarella's creaminess and milkiness standout.

Crostini di Patate e Pesto al Prezzemolo - Crostini with Potatoes and Parsley Pesto

Few things are simpler:

Poatoes - Parsley Pesto - Rustic Tuscan-style Bread

    Continuing with the idea of using potatoes to top or fill diverse flatbreads, a variation of a classic crostini. Which served as an antipasto(appetizer) or at an aperitivo style buffet are utterly versatile. They can be topped by 'almost' anything and still be considered crostini. Despite being so simple they are still found on many restaurant menus. It is of course also known as bruschetta and topped with tomatoes, garlic and basil it stormed the world under that name. Though technically it is any grilled slice of bread 'brushed' (bruscato in Italian) with oil  and then topped or even just eaten as is. The classic combination with potatoes is normally a basil pesto. This variation uses a pesto of parsley, pine nuts, parmigiano reggiano, extra virgin olive oil and a touch of garlic. This pesto is also common in Liguria, though not used as profusely as the basil based version for which the region is so famous.