Winter Radicchio "tardivo"

Winter greens such as kale and swiss chard are plentiful at this time of year, but another greens family that is common in Italy in the cold weather is cicoria, or chicory. The chicory family includes many different greens, including puntarelle from Rome, but the most welcome and famous are the radicchios from the Veneto.

Known as far back as Roman times, there are many varieties of radicchio, the round cabbage-shaped Chioggia being the best-known in the US market. Grown in California, it's a year-round staple in US produce departments. But in Italy the time of year between Christmas and Easter brings a welcome flood of winter crop radicchio to the marketplace. Most of them are known for the name of the town in the Veneto region where they are grown.

The oldest and most famous is the Treviso, which is long and shaped like romaine lettuce; it has protected status and can only be grown around the town of Treviso and a few towns outside Venice and Padova. There is also the Castelfranco, with variegated creamy leaves speckled with red, and the Verona with full shaped round heads. Chioggia also derives its name from a town on the Venetian coast.

But the rarest of all and the radicchio that you simply must be in Italy to find is the winter tardivo, which means "late". Known for its chef-hat shape, strong white ribs and trimmed root, these heads are harvested soon after the first November frost. Labor intensive to produce, after pulling them up with the root ball attached, they are kept in circulating spring water, which brings on crisp new shoots on the inside of the head. After several weeks they are plucked from the spring water and the root ball is carefully trimmed, with the dead leaves pulled away. They seemingly magically appear in the markets in mid-winter and are wonderful, crisp and bittersweet.

All radicchio are great raw in salads or can be grilled or sautéed with a sprinkle of olive oil and sea salt. A delicious risotto can also be made with sauteed radicchio, a bright and warm risotto to warm you in the cold mid-winter.

Buon Appetito! Gina

Risotto con Radicchio

2 cups fresh radicchio, chopped

1 onion, chopped finely

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cups white wine

2 cups arborio rice (1/4 cup per person)

6-8 cups rich vegetable or chicken broth

6 tbsp butter

¾ cup parmigiano or grana padana, grated

Make the vegetable broth with a chopped carrot, a celery stalk or two, half an onion, a few sprigs of fresh parsley, some peppercorns and a bay leaf; for chicken broth, add ½ a chicken. Simmer 60 minutes and after it’s cooked, discard the veggies and add salt to taste.

Heat the broth to almost boiling and keep hot.
In a large pot, sauté the onion in olive oil and 1 tbsp butter until soft, then add the radicchio and cook 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with oil, allowing the kernals to heat up. Add the white wine and stir until well cooked off. Add the broth one to two cups at a time, stirring until the liquid is absorbed with each addition. The rice should be soupy after each addition of hot liquid; as the liquid cooks off and is absorbed, the mixture becomes drier, at which point you add liquid to the soupy stage again. Continue this process until the rice is cooked, with the interior of the kernels being slightly al dente, about 15 minutes. Check for salt.
Add the butter and grated cheese and vigorously beat them in. The risotto will stiffen quickly, so serve it immediately, adding additional liquid as needed right before serving to maintain the characteristic creaminess of the dish.

Bologna, the best food in Italy!

I'm not the first person to say it, and I won't be the last. Bologna and it's surrounding environs offer the best food in Italy! The city of Bologna, in the region of Emilia Romagna just north of Tuscany, is one of the most beautiful cities in northern Italy. Although it is one of the least visited by tourists, who generally race through this fertile region on their way to Venice or Florence, even a day spent walking around this incredibly rich city is well worth the effort it takes to get off the train and check your luggage at the deposito. But I recommend you schedule at least a couple of days so that you can be sure to sample all the traditional foods Bologna has to offer.

Many of Italy's best food products originate in this area:

Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano, Culatello di Zibello, mostarda from Cremona and Mantova, and Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, authentic balsamic vinegar, are just some of the better known products from the area surrounding the city. For great food tours of the area outside Bologna, contact my friend Alessandro at www.italiandays.it. He'll pick you up at the train station and drive you around food producers in Emilia Romagna for the day!

rows of prosciutti & culatelli

culatello di zibello

A dazzling array of fresh, rich, homemade pasta such as tortellini, tortelli and lasagna, make this a foodie paradise. The Bolognese have a light hand when making pasta and it's some of the most luscious pasta I've ever eaten. The most traditional pastas of Bologna are tortellini in brodo, rich tiny meat filled pasta cooked in a rich meat broth; tagliatelle al Bolognese, fresh egg noodles with rich meat ragu; and the best lasagna in Italy with fresh spinach pasta layered with ragu, besciamel sauce and parmigiano. True pasta heaven, they are light, tender and incredibly delicious!

tortellini in brodo

tagliatelle with Bolognese

lasagna with spinach pasta

In between meals you have to do something, of course, if only to make room for the next scrumptious plate of pasta. The architecture in Bologna is incredible and beautifully preserved, as are the numerous frescoes and paintings throughout the city. Taking walks around the city is possible no matter the weather because of the miles of loggia, or covered walkways. Bologna has the oldest university in the world, started in 1088. The medical school had one of the first theaters in the Middle Ages for vivisection of the human body, which is possible to view at their museum.

My favorite church, Santo Spirito, is actually an ancient composition of seven churches. Begun in Roman times and added on to until it reached its present maze of ancient brick designs and columns, it has a mystical feel. Some of the windows don't contain glass at all but have the original thin sheets of marble, more for design and beauty than to illuminate the church. The fresco below was astounding because at first glance it was merely a wash of color, but as you looked closer you could see the original design and detail.

Santo Spirito

Fresco of the Madonna, Santo Spirito

My favorite cathedral in Italy is the Basilica of San Petronius which has a rare meridian line inset in the floor. The area to the east of the main square, Piazza Maggiore, is covered with old shops and stalls selling seasonal fruits and vegetables along with meats, salami, fish and horse meat, a regional specialty.

The people of Bologna are open, gregarious and festive. I ran into these two guys in the market having a morning coffee at the bar who insisted on helping me find a great place to eat fresh pasta for lunch. And they didn't steer me wrong, the restaurant was lovely and the pasta excellent!

Two buddies hanging in the market.

Bologna also has a fun aperitivo culture in the evening and there are many bars with tables outside where you can enjoy a glass of wine and plate of sliced cold cuts for lunch.

mortadella, coppa di testa and parmigiano at Tamburini

Here's an authentic recipe for Ragu Bolognese from my friend Grazia, who was born and raised just outside the city. Note that it is very meaty, not seasoned with herbs or garlic, and with just a little tomato for taste and color. The milk helps to soften the flavor of the ragu and this sauce is always served with fresh egg pasta, never with dried semolina pasta from the South, like spaghetti.

Buon Appetito! Gina

Ragu Bolognese

2 lbs ground beef, pork and veal, any combination

1 large onion

2 celery stalks

1 carrot

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp tomato concentrate

2 cups tomato sauce

2 cups white wine

1 ½ cups milk

Salt, pepper

Place the onion, celery and carrot in a food processor and puree. Brown the meat in a small amount of olive oil, breaking them into small pieces and removing to the side when browned. Add the vegetables and sauté well until softened, then add the meat back in with a little salt and pepper. Add the wine and cook off completely, then add the milk and cook off completely. Add the tomato concentrate and sauce, cover and allow the sauce to cook for 2 hours, tasting for seasoning and adding additional salt and pepper. If it’s very thick, add a little water and watch it while it cooks to make sure it doesn’t burn or get too dry.