Join me on a culinary journey through Europe
Click here to download the passport; 👇
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🇮🇹ITALY🇮🇹
Our culinary adventure takes us to Italy 🇮🇹! Growing up in Germany, I was incredibly fortunate to have frequent opportunities to visit Italy. During my last time in Europe, I had an absolute blast exploring Northern Italy and embarking on exhilarating hikes in the picturesque Cinque Terre. These "five earths" encompass five charming villages that were once accessible solely by boat.
As a child, our family often visited Italian beach towns, for our family vacations and I hold dear memories of our time together exploring this beautiful country. Nevertheless, my most cherished recollection of Italy revolves around its remarkable cuisine. There is an indescribable essence when indulging in Italian food, that I have yet to encounter elsewhere. Italians possess an unrivaled passion and pride for their culinary creations, with a flavor of tradition and family sprinkled into every recipe—a sentiment that truly sets them apart for me personally and makes the dining experience in Italy exceptionally unique. It is hard to describe. |
💡Quick facts about Italy:
👢Italy looks like a high-heeled boot jutting into the Mediterranean Sea. The boot seems to be kicking a weirdly shaped ball: the island of Sicily. Italy is a peninsula: the top of the boot connects it to continental Europe but the rest of the country is surrounded by water.
🌊The sea around Italy is called “The Mediterranean”. Despite all this water, you cannot see the ocean from Italy! The Mediterranean is a sea, not an ocean, and if you ask an Italian where you can see the ocean, they would probably tell you that you have to travel to Portugal for that! It is one of the seas of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the region that brings together southern Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa.
🍕Pizza was invented in Naples, Italy. The most famous type of pizza in Italy is pizza margherita and it was born in Naples in the XIX century. It takes its name from Queen Margherita, for whom this pizza was first cooked: the 3 colors of this pizza (tomato=red, mozzarella=white, basil=green) are those of the colors of the Italian flag!
🌋Italy also has several volcanoes, including Mount Etna, in Sicily, which is the tallest active volcano in Europe! Another famous volcano in Italy is Mount Vesuvius, near Naples. Mount Vesuvius is the volcano that erupted in 79BC and destroyed Pompeii: you can still visit Pompei nowadays and see how the city was back in the day. The volcano basically stopped time there and you can still see the houses, streets and even some of the people who lived there over 2000 years ago!
🍝There are many types of pasta in Italy but there are about 350 different shapes of pasta. And though Italy is famous for its pasta, this is not where pasta was invented. It is believed that pasta was originates from Asia. Italians typically cook their pasta a little bit more "al dente" - a term that means "still firm when bitten" - than we do here in the USA.
👢Italy looks like a high-heeled boot jutting into the Mediterranean Sea. The boot seems to be kicking a weirdly shaped ball: the island of Sicily. Italy is a peninsula: the top of the boot connects it to continental Europe but the rest of the country is surrounded by water.
🌊The sea around Italy is called “The Mediterranean”. Despite all this water, you cannot see the ocean from Italy! The Mediterranean is a sea, not an ocean, and if you ask an Italian where you can see the ocean, they would probably tell you that you have to travel to Portugal for that! It is one of the seas of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the region that brings together southern Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa.
🍕Pizza was invented in Naples, Italy. The most famous type of pizza in Italy is pizza margherita and it was born in Naples in the XIX century. It takes its name from Queen Margherita, for whom this pizza was first cooked: the 3 colors of this pizza (tomato=red, mozzarella=white, basil=green) are those of the colors of the Italian flag!
🌋Italy also has several volcanoes, including Mount Etna, in Sicily, which is the tallest active volcano in Europe! Another famous volcano in Italy is Mount Vesuvius, near Naples. Mount Vesuvius is the volcano that erupted in 79BC and destroyed Pompeii: you can still visit Pompei nowadays and see how the city was back in the day. The volcano basically stopped time there and you can still see the houses, streets and even some of the people who lived there over 2000 years ago!
🍝There are many types of pasta in Italy but there are about 350 different shapes of pasta. And though Italy is famous for its pasta, this is not where pasta was invented. It is believed that pasta was originates from Asia. Italians typically cook their pasta a little bit more "al dente" - a term that means "still firm when bitten" - than we do here in the USA.
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It was hard to find just two recipes for this edition. I wanted to find something approachable but also special. I chose a classic pasta dish and an appetizer that you might have not eaten yet. I hope you will try it and let me know how it was. The creamy tomato pasta is what I ate in Vernazza, Italy just recently, it was a delicious creamy sauce, with a kick of pepper, so delicious! I hope it will carry you straight to Italy!
🇮🇹RECIPES🇮🇹
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WHIPPED RICOTTA SPREADThis recipe is simple to make and allows you to enjoy the creamy goodness of ricotta cheese combined with aromatic herbs and seasonings.
Buon appetito! Ingredients:
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Instructions:
- In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, olive oil, minced garlic, honey and fresh lemon juice.
- Mix well until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the mixture is smooth.
- Add the chopped fresh basil and parsley to the ricotta mixture, stirring until evenly distributed.
- Season the dip with salt and black pepper, adjusting the amounts to suit your taste.
- Transfer the ricotta dip to a serving dish.
- If desired, garnish the dip with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of chopped herbs, or a dusting of grated Parmesan cheese.
- Serve the Italian Ricotta Dip with sliced baguette, breadsticks, or vegetable crudites.
CREAMY TOMATO PENNEA super simply but so satisfying dish!
Add a little spice to it and it will make all the difference. Ingredients:
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Instructions:
- Cook the penne pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet or saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant. (do not overcook or it turns bitter!)
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, mixing well to combine.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the tomato mixture simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Gradually pour in the heavy cream, stirring constantly to incorporate it into the sauce.
- Add the grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper to the sauce, stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed, adding more salt or pepper according to your preference.
- Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes, mixing well to incorporate the flavors.
- Add the cooked penne pasta to the skillet and toss it in the sauce until the pasta is evenly coated.
- Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, allowing the pasta to absorb some of the sauce and heat through.
- Remove the skillet from heat.
- Serve the creamy tomato penne hot, garnished with additional grated Parmesan cheese and basil if desired.
- Enjoy your delicious and creamy tomato penne pasta!