Bologna is one of Italy's most interesting and dynamic cities.
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| The Asinelli and the Garisenda Towers |
It was the best decision to stay in Bologna when I traveled to Italy.
Foremost, Bologna offers visitors one of the best preserved historic centers in Europe.
Towers, squares, churches and buildings are interwoven into a network of connecting porticoes over 37 km long, the longest arcades in the world.
Since 1100, when the growth of the University led to create new spaces for urban development, Bologna's porticoes have become a place that is public and private at the same time and that performs both a social and business functions. Today, these porticoes have become a symbol of hospitality in Bologna.
Furthermore, the Bologna Centrale Railway Station made our trips to other parts of Italy possible. From Bologna, we visited Milan, Florence, Chianti, Rome, Venice, The Cinque Terre and Modena.
Most important for me, Bologna is a Gastronomic capital. The food here comes from the heart of Emilia Romagna. The region's culinary stars are Mortadella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, prosciutto, culatello, golden tortellini filled with meat, cheese and vegetables. This region produces the best butter, milk, cheese and pasta.
My friends, who have traveled with me, have said that I am eating all the time. In reality, I am examining the food from everywhere all the time. I am a food tourist, after all. I am in pursuit of enjoying memorable food and drink experiences.
Bologna is Celebrated for its Culinary Tradition
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The Mortadella
'The mighty edifice that is Bolognese cuisine rests on the single foundation stone of Mortadella,which has so much "typicality" that it has become synonymous with the city. Often known simply as "Bologna".Sixty percent of it comprises good cuts of pork, triple minced to produce both a smooth texture and the unmistakable pink color revealed when it is sliced. The meat is evenly speckled throughout with pearly cubes of fat from the pig's throat, which serve to make the taste even smoother and sweeter.'
Delizia! The Epic History of the Italians and their Food. J. Dickie, 2008
The Bolognese Cuisine has so much history. Clearly, food has cultural, economic, environmental, and sociological impacts. Bologna's Bologna, the Mortadella, represents the quality of life it is known for. Bologna’s many nicknames include La Grassa (The Fat), for the culinary tradition and the warm hospitality of the people; La Dotta (The Learned), for its ancient university; and La Rossa (The Red), for the colourful hues of its buildings and left-wing politics.
On our first day in Bologna, we were very fortunate to have met Davide Simoni from Salumeria Simoni. His hospitality, knowledge, passion for food and commitment to their tradition inspired me. Consequently, I paid closer attention to the local food. He said that I needed thirty days to get to taste everything in their Salumeria. Unfortunately, we did not have that much time. Nonetheless, we made the most of it. I also cooked everyday while I was in Bologna because I was very inspired to do so.
Salumeria-Simoni
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| Davide Simoni |
Affetati Misti
Artichokes, Fiocchetto Di Prosciutto, Prosciutto Di Parma, Ciccioli Secchi,
Ciccioli Campagnoli, Strolghino di Culatello, Squaquerone Cheese
Prosciutto Di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, Natural Olives, Anchovies, Salsiccia Passita, Wild Mushrooms, Artichokes
Le Verdure
Puntarelle
A simple Puntarelle and Tomato Salad with Vinaigrette
Peperonata with Sauteed Mache Lettuce and Pancetta
Piadina
Il Pasta
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| Tortellini with Bolognese Sauce |
Tagliattelle a la Carbonara
Le Ricette
Cappeletti in Brodo
Filled pasta is a specialty of Emilia-Romagna. Depending on its form, it may be called tortellini, tortelloni, anolini, cappeletti, lasagne or canelloni.
Serves 6
1/2 Chicken breast (4 oz.), chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 oz. mortadella
3 oz. ricotta
5 oz (1 1/4 cups) freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
3 eggs
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground pepper
7 oz. (1 3/4 cups) all purpose flour
1 1/2 qt. (6 cups) clear meat broth
Method:
Brown the chicken breast in the butter, seasoning it with salt and pepper; set aside. chop Mortadella finely and combine in a bowl with the chicken, ricotta, 1 cup of Parmesan, 1 egg, nutmeg, salt and pepper and mix well.
Heap the flour in a mound on a board and make a well in the center. Break in the 2 remaining eggs and knead into a smooth dough. Roll out into a thin sheet and cut into a 1 1/4 in. circles.
Place a little of the filling in the center of each circle and fold the pasta in half, pressing it around the edges to seal in the filling. Then wind the folded edge around the tip of your index finger and press the two ends together to form a ring.
Bring the broth to boil, drop in cappelletti and cook until al dente, about 2-3 minutes. drain and serve, passing the remaining Parmesan cheese separately.
Tagliattelle with Ragu
Spaghetti Bolognese is one of the most popular and well-known Italian dishes around the world. However, The Italian themselves would never dream of serving their traditional Bolognese Sauce on Spaghetti. Tagliatelle is the usual accompaniment.
Serves 4
4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
3 oz. pancetta or bacon, finely chopped
7 oz. ground beef
7 oz. ground pork
2 oregano sprigs, chopped or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
pinch of nutmeg
4 oz. chicken livers, trimmed and finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup milk
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 cup beef stock
1 lb. tagliatelle
grated Parmesan
Method:
Heat the butter in a saucepan and add the onion, celery, carrot and pancetta. Cook over moderate heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Add the ground beef, pork and oregano to the saucepan. season with salt and pepper and the nutmeg. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the meat has changed colour but not browned. Add the chicken liver and cook until it changes colour.
Pour in the wine, increase the heat and boil over high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the wine has been absorbed. Stir in 1/2 cup of the milk, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and half the stock, partially cover the pan and allow to simmer gently over very low heat for 3 hours. Add more stock as it is needed to keep the sauce moist.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Stir the remaining milk into the sauce 5 minutes before serving. Taste the sauce for seasoning, toss with the tagliatelle and serve with grated Parmesan
Italian Wine
Good wines are produced in every one of Italy's regions. Even in the hot South, some excellent wines can be found, while Piemonte and Tuscany produce wines of international repute. The Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) label on wines in italy guarantees authenticity and certain minimum standards of quality by defining production processes. Some of the country's finest wines, such as Barolo, Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino are controlled under the stricter
denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (DOCG) regulations. However, some of Italy's wine-makers choose to produce wines that do not conform to the strict regulations required to obtain DOC status, particularly those regarding grape varieties. There are now attempts to classify these "super- table" wines, many ratings among Italy's finest, under a new IGT (Indicazione Geographica Tipica) system, but many are still sold as vino de tavola. In Italy, an Enoteca is a "wine library"- a specilist wine store that can give advice on buying wines.
Reading Italian Labels
Abbocato medium dry
Amabile medium sweet
Amarone dry (literally bitter)
Classico wines that came from the best part of the DOC area
Dolce sweet
Frizzante slightly fizzy,usually naturally fizzy from fermentation
Recioto wine made from selected bunches of grapes
Riserva wine that has undergone a longer period of aging
Secco dry
Spumante fully sparkling
Superiore higher degree of alcohol than normal
Coffee
Italy doesn't actually produce coffee, however, this drink is enormously important to Italian culture. Italians insist their coffee is prepared properly, and the rituals of making a good espresso are very important.
In Italy, coffee is drunk in a bar. People visit for a cappuccino on their way to work, or pop in for a quick espresso in the mid-morning or afternoon, all of which are cheaper if taken standing at the bar. In Italy, ordering a caffe will always mean you get an esspresso.
Coffee made at home is usually made in an espresso pot or moka, a double jug that boils water and forces it through the coffee grounds under pressure.
The Best of Bologna
I read that Bologna is famous for the quality of life it offers its citizens and guests, as well as for its universally recognized civic virtues. In the short time that I spent in Bologna, I can only say good things.I thought the city is very charismatic with its history and arts and the people are very hospitable. Truly, it is a gastronomic capital.
I read about "Paese della Cuccagna",which is a medieval trope denoting a mythical land of plenty, an imaginary place of extreme luxury and ease where physical comforts and pleasures are always immediately at hand and where the harshness of medieval peasant life does not exist. During the Baroque Bologna in the 1600's, the political authority of Bologna made this city to be the land of plenty, "Paese della Cuccagna". Hence, the feast of the suckling pig was created, among other feasts. The city demonstrated to provide plenty to remove all fears of famine.
Today Bologna, lovingly called "La Grassa", "La Dotta" and "La Rossa", could be the refined and modern representation of the land of plenty.
Sources:
Ospitalita a Bologna, www.bolognaitaly.it
www.ospitedibologna.it
http://www.iperbole.bologna.it
Delizia!: The Epic History of the Italians and Their Food By John Dickie
http://www.deliciousitaly.com
The Food of Italy, 2004, Bay Books
Lorenza De Medici, Italy the Beautiful Cookbook, Collins Publisher
Images from Bologna
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| The Fountain of Neptune- A Masterpiece by Giambologna |
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| Petronio Residence, Rizzoli 38, Bologna |
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| The Girl with a Pearl Earring ,a masterpiece of Vermeer, is the special guest of Bologna from February 8th to May 25th, 2014 |
