Italian Recipes Remade

Caprese Salad

Antipasto "Before The Meal"

Dish prepared by: Bryce D'Arelli

Caprese salad is very popular among Italians and incorporates some of their key ingredients such as fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, and basil.  This salad is very fresh, healthy, and simple to make.  The ingredients can be found at any grocery store or farmer's market if you wish to make it with farm fresh ingredients.  Caprese salad is something I have had many times in Italian restaurants but had never thought to make myself.  I found large multi-colored heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar of Modena all at my local Trader Joes grocery store.  I simply sliced the tomatoes and cheese, sprinkled with a little salt, and drizzled with the olive oil and vinegar.  It was so simple yet unbelievably delicious and refreshing.  It is commonly eaten as a appetizer before a heavier main course, and is definitely something I will make again.

You can find the recipe here: 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/caprese-salad-recipe/index.html

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Primo Piatto "First Course"

Dish prepared by Julia Keller

I decided to make an Italian classic: Spaghetti and Meatballs! Spaghetti originated on the Italian island of Sicily around the 12th century. Whenever I think of Italian food, pasta is one of the first meals that comes to mind. I really enjoyed making this dish because I have never made meatballs before. Making this meal was great because meatballs are super easy and everything tasted delicious! I shared my pasta with my roommates and they all loved it especially my meatballs. I can see why this dish is so popular in Italy! The recipe is simple and I will post my version below.

For Meatballs:

Ingredients needed: 1lb ground beef, 1 egg,1 teaspoon of onion, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and  shape into balls. Place on cooking sheet and cook in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. 

For Pasta:

Ingredients needed: 1 package of spaghetti pasta, 1 can of tomato sauce

Cook pasta in water until al dente. Strain the pasta place back into pot. Add however much sauce needed and mix with pasta. Then add the meatballs and enjoy!

Ameretti Cookies

Dolce "Sweet" (Dessert)

Dish prepared by Gina Marraccini

Ameretti cookies are a traditional Italian dessert made from sugar, flour, egg whites, and Amaretto (almond ingredient). The legend behind the Amaretti goes: a baker and his fiancee made a mandatory special sweet grift for the visiting Cardinal of Milan in 1700s. The Cardinal loved the cookies so much he became a regular at the bakery. The cookies I made were delicious and fluffy, my Italian family enjoyed them very much!

Ingredients: 200 grams almond flour or very finely ground almonds 200 grams granulated sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 large egg whites (about 60 grams) pinch salt 1/2 teaspoon almond extract confectioners' sugar, as needed directions: In a large bowl, sift together almond flour, sugar, and flour. In a bowl, whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are foamy and fall into soft mounds (not quite soft peaks). Whisk in almond extract. Add to bowl with dry ingredients and stir until it comes together, kneading with your hands if necessary until it forms a sticky dough. Lightly dust your hands with powdered sugar, scoop out pieces of dough (a small cookie scoop works perfectly) and roll into 1-inch balls. Arrange on parchment or silicon-lined baking sheets, leaving 1 inch of space between cookies. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F, letting cookies sit out and dry in the meantime for about 15 to 20 minutes. When oven is preheated, bake cookies for 20 to 22 minutes or until tops are cracked and bottoms are just barely golden. Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Cookies will keep, sealed in an 

airtight container, for up to 3 days.

Geography and Cultural Influences on Italian Food

Geografia d'Italia 

Geography of Italy

 

Figure 1. Worldatlas Map of Italy

Geography from World Atlas

Italy is a beautifully scenic and mountainous peninsula, often referred to as "boot shaped," in Southern Europe that stretches out into the Mediterranean Sea. During the year of the Roman Empire, Italy and other countries of the Mediterranean sea boarder became a melting pot of different cultures that introduced a variety of culinary traditions. The merging of Roman and Germanic cultures had the largest influence on Italian cuisine. The Romans followed a Greek model that represented agricultural and urban civilization with wheat, grapes, and the olive tree as the core. On the other hand the Germanic population followed and a more hunter gather approach, staying close to the forest. The two cultural traditions clashed and brought about different ways of utilizing land. For some time these different diets indicated two different civilizations but when the Germanic people invaded the Roman empire their traditions slowly took over and kept with it the Roman agricultural traditions through the practice of Christian faith. The new identity of cuisine consisted of bread, wine, and meat. 

Figure 2. Meat, wine, and fruits

(left) Figure 3. is a photo of the Roman Colosseum, shot on my parents vacation to Italy. It is one of the major land marks in Italy you can visit to sense the amazing history that comes with Italy. 

Above is another major landmark in Italy, Manarola is the oldest town in Cinque Terre and in my opinion one of the most beautiful. It has an incredible view of the Mediterranean Sea. (Also shot on my parents travels).

Figure 4. Italian Flag of Staples in Italy

(Basil,pasta,tomatoes) 

L'immigrazione da e per

Immigration To and From

The cuisine in Italy varies from region to region because of the different cultures settling in different parts of Italy. However, much of the cuisine was shaped by Italian immigrants who traveled to the Americas and brought back with them a wide range of food. These foods include: chocolate, vanilla, tomatoes, avocado, peppers, pineapple, and a variety of squash. Unfortunately much of the “Italian” food you find in the United States has been Americanized. Italians focus on simplicity and rely of the flavors of fresh products to represent the dish, while Americans like to throw in many different herbs and pull together many flavors on a single dish. 

Below in Figure 5 and 6, is an example of a loaded meaty American pizza verse the traditional basil, tomato, and mozzerella pizza from Italy.

(American)

(Italian)Attached is an excellent recipe for an authentic Italian pizza:
 Everyone Love Pizza


Sequenza di Piatti
Sequence of Dishes

In Italy, food is an art of combination; the dishes must be balanced and compliment each other. For example, certain breads,cheeses, and meats should be pared with the correct wine. In the Ancient times, meals needed to balance each other with temperatures as well. If a food was too hot, it needs to be accompanied by cold foods or moist foods should be accompanied by dry foods. Rules of cuisine such as these have carried on through time but aren't followed as strictly. Meat is also a food product that followed specific methods, such as Venison also being eaten boiled. Anthimus, a Byzantine physician said "Roasting is good if the deer is young. But a roast of venison is heavy if the animal is old."

The meal structure in Italy goes as follows: Colazione (breakfast), Pranzo (lunch), Merenda (Mid-afternoon snack), Cena (dinner). Colazione usually consists of Caffe e Latte with bread, butter, and jam. Pranzo is considered the most important meal of the day and is often spent with families and very cherished. Merenda is similar to breakfast and consists of a creamy drink, with bread, or yogurts. Cena, unlike in the United States is a light meal that consists of soups, salads, or leftovers.

Figure 7: Photo taken in Italy on family vacation. 

The final picture is of my great Grandfather Federico Marraccini (far left) and his buddies drinking wine in Lucca Italy. 

Work cited: 

The National Geographic Atlas of the World, Italy Facts, Eighth Edition. 

Capatti, Alberto and Montanari, Massimo, Italian Cuisine: A Cultural History, Columbia University Press; 1999, p. 35-70, 84-115, 273-293

Kittler, P. Nahikian-Nelms, M. and Sucher, K. Food and Culture (text book), Sixth Edition; 2012, 2008, 2004 Wadsworht, Cengage Learning p. 130-158. 

Religion & Food Culture in Italy

I T A L I A

Figure 1. Pope Benedict XVI

Today, Italy is recognized as the "spiritual and administrative headquarters" of the Catholic branch of the Christian religion, with about 90% of people identifying themselves as Christian.  In order to understand how main religions effect food culture in Italy, we must first explore religious traditions and customs.  

Figure 2. Vatican City, the seat of government of the Roman Catholic Church

Although Christianity is the most widespread religion by far in Italy, some customs are not practiced as devoutly as in years past.  Although about 90% of the population identify as Christians, only about 35% of the population actually attend Church.  This is representative of the fact that people's attitudes toward religion are becoming more relaxed, which is seen also in traditional Italian food practices related to Christianity.  

R E L I G I O N & F O O D

Figure 3. A mural by Italian artist Blu, incorporating two important facets of Italian culture, food and religion

• Lent is a Christian season beginning on Ash Wednesday and is observed for the 40 days leading up to Easter.  It is a period of preparation for Easter and traditionally a time of fasting, abstinence, and spiritual discipline.  However, modern day Christians typically only forbid eating meat on Fridays during Lent.  
• Lamb is normally eaten for the Easter holiday, a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus from the tomb
• Christmas Eve is the night when Christian Italians eat seafood, such as Cioppino

Figure 4. Roasted Lamb with vegetables

Recipe found here: Roman Roasted Lamb Recipe

Figure 5. A traditional Italian seafood dish, Cioppino

Recipe found here: Cioppino Recipe

I M P O R T A N C E  O F  F O O D

In the Italian culture, both religion and food are two of the main distinguishing factors.  The culture can be characterized by strong family bonds, which are held together by the backbone of shared meals and a strong common faith.  For most Italians, including my family, meal time is a time for prayer, conversation, camaraderie, and tradition.  These are the things that hold us together as a unit.  Recipes are shared and passed down from generation to generation, and it is a passion that all members of the family can take part in.  

W O R K S  C I T E D

Chiu, Edward. "Blu Mural in Italy." Hypebeast. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Aug. 2013.

DeLaurentiis, Giada. "Cioppino." Recipe : Giada De Laurentiis : Recipes : Food Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Aug. 2013.

"Italy Main Religions." Globerove. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Aug. 2013.

"People and Society of Italy." Culture of Italy. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Aug. 2013.

"Roman Grilled Lamb Chops." DeLallo. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Aug. 2013.

San Fillipo, Michael. "Italian Holidays." About.com Italian Language. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Aug. 2013.

Health Issues, Values, and Disparities in Italy

The Italian culture values health and it shows in their good health across the country. Issues arise from the new fast paced society and health differences between areas in Italy.  Italians are a healthy group of people who cherish their local food and its benefits. 

Overview of Health of Italian People 

Venice, Italy

Italy is widely considered one of the healthiest countries in the world. As recently as 2012 Bloomberg ranked all the countries in the world based on their health and Italy was the second healthiest country in the world. One of the biggest aspects in which Italy's health exceeds other is its high life expectancy. The average life expectancy is 81.5 years old compared to the United States life expectancy which is currently at 79.9 years old. Italy has the 2nd highest life expectancy in the world demonstrating their good health. Another strength of Italy is their low infant mortality rate. For every 1000 infants born, only 5.51 will die before the age of one, placing Italy as one of the countries with the lowest infant mortality rate. The general population of Italy has good health because of their nutritious and healthy eating habits. While Italy is one of the healthiest countries in the world, it still has health issues which I go into more depth later on. 

Family dinner in Italy

Link to Bloomberg's ranking of healthiest countries: http://images.businessweek.com/bloomberg/pdfs/WORLDS_HEALTHIEST_COUNTRIES.pdf

Health Between Generations

Italian college students

Over the past decade in Italy, there has been an increasing divide between the younger generation of people and the older generation. The younger generation is often referred to as "convenience seekers" because their priorities about their food choices are different than the older generation. Younger people are becoming more concerned with fast and easy meals instead of spending time cooking quality and healthy meals. Their newfound eating habits are straying further away from what the Italian Ministry of Health recommends. 

Elderly Italian couple

The older generation of people in Italy have continued with the traditional eating habits that previous generations have used for years and years. The older generation is using traditional cooking methods and because of this, they have the healthiest eating habits compared to the younger people in Italy. The current lifestyles between the generations and the economy are the main reasons for the differences between these two generations. 

Link to the Italian Ministry of Health's website: http://www.salute.gov.it/

Italian Ministry of Health logo

Health Disparities in Italy

Many of Italy's health issues stem from either socioeconomic differences, the living conditions, or healthcare. One of the biggest issues deals with the socioeconomic differences. In Italy there has been an increase in poverty, unemployment, and income inequality because of the suffering economy. These are all factors that contribute to poor health. The Italian people in these situations have much less access to healthy food and ingredients. They also have less access to medication and quality healthcare. Another health disparity in Italy is the issue of living conditions. People who live in impoverished living conditions are more likely to have poor health based on the stress on these conditions. The healthcare system in Italy is widely considered one of the best in the world which also contributes to overall good health of the country. Because of their successful healthcare system and modern views on medicine most Italians do not use food for medicinal purposes. But in older times, Italian men would bring home pigs to eat because it was believed it would bring good fortune and togetherness. 

Florence, Italy

 

Works Cited:

Leonardo Casini, Caterina Contini, Enrico Marone, Caterina Romano. Food habits. Changes among young Italians in the last 10 years. Appetite Volume 68 September 1, 2013 pages 21-29.

Luisa Franzini*1 and Margherita Giannoni. Determinants of health disparities between Italian regions. BMC Public Health 2010, 10:296.

Alfia Mangano. An analysis of the regional differences in health care utilization in Italy. Health & Place Volume 16 Issue 2 March 2010 pages 301-308.