We All Don’t Cook
OK, readers, not everyone in Italy cooks ALL the time. Some of us have better things to do…like hope our newfound friends will invite us to their place for the authentic stuff. And if I say a really serious novena, they’ll have air conditioning. Unlikely, but I can always hope. (lack of air conditioning and ice are a whole other topic here in Italy.)
Long ago and far away, I was a major foodie in New York and Los Angeles. I went to all the new restaurants, wrote up my list categorized by cuisine, rated them, listed pros and cons, addresses and phone numbers for reservations, made a photocopy and then neatly folded it and kept it in my wallet. Friends asked for copies, I discreetly evaded the request. My list was GOLD. I didn’t want it out of my sight for any period of time, long or short. But at one point, I weakened and loaned it to a potential suitor and well, that was the end of the list…and the guy. Believe it or not, I’m still heart broken – over the list – not the guy. At this point, my list would have been a very cool restaurant archive filled with memories. I don’t know about you, but like a song, just the name of a restaurant evokes a whole time period in my life of activities, people and jobs. Most of those restaurants are gone, but if I hear someone mention Ma Maison on Melrose or Le Chardonnay on Beverly Blvd., I sort of drift off for a moment and let the images flow in front of my mind’s eye.
But that was then. Things have also changed in Italy in the gastronomical world. Who knew this country of endless ristoranti had takeout? Since my move to Salerno in March of this year, I noticed a lot more rosticcerie (fried food snacks) and gastronomie (mostly non fried veggies, main dishes, homemade breads and desserts) places that have opened. I’m guessing that since they’re always busy when I go in for my takeout a new phrase was borne out of necessity: ‘per d’sporto’ per favore’= I’ll take that to go, please. Also, the butcher shops (macellerie) now have gastronomia sections for ‘per d’sporto’. They make everything from delicious eggplant parmigiana, which is only called parmigiana here, to polpetti which are the most savory-cooked meatballs, with or without sauce (yes, I said sauce and not gravy).
Not Your Normal Takeout
Naturally, within the first week of my arrival and having no time or desire to cook at home, I discovered my favorite takeout, MANZONI GASTRONOMIA. The family’s history began with nonno Antonio Manzoni in 1935 starting with a biscotti factory in Salerno. From 1959 their parents continued to grow the business and have created their White Art into well-respected and well-known bakeries, wine bars and delis long before anyone else in town. The daughters Alessandra and Maria Grazie have put their mark on their six-year old creation winning the hearts of several generations of food lovers. It’s a teeny little space (about the size of the soup kitchen on Seinfeld) on Via Roma,66 owned by the Manzoni sisters, but size is irrelevant in this case. Their total output for the day probably exceeds that of an eat-in restaurant.
March was super cold and windy here in pasta/pizza land, and the Manzoni shop was right across the street from the Accademia Italiana where I first studied Italian. Lucky me! I would dash over and Maria would guide me towards her favorites for the day. She always smiled and made me feel comfortable as I tried out my new everyday Italian phrases on her (I cringe at my early attempts of verb chaos.) So, bracing myself for the cold temps and forceful winds off the Med, I raced home with my pranza (lunch) goodies.
The food is so damn good I can’t even describe it, for fear of a hunger attack at at the current time of 4pm. Just look at those pictures. Look at that bread! They even make homemade pizzelle (see them in plastic bags in photo)
-those waffles you see in gourmet shops in the States, semi-sweet and yummy made from flour, eggs, sugar, butter and anise, vanilla or lemon flavoring. For Christmas, my mom made a dessert sandwich by putting her lemon cream in between two homemade pizzelle, in addition to making an at least fifteen other cookie recipes! Better than any store in College Point, Queens.
Manzoni Mia
The choices at MANZONI GASTRONOMIA change daily depending on availability. I’ve never been disappointed with my selections: lightly basted potato fritters, eggplant parmigiana, egg frittata enveloped with various kinds of veggies and of course some cheese, a pasta torte (yes, a pie make out of pasta (why oh why are these people not fat!!) with cheese, veggies, prosciutto and more- Oh my)!
They prepare their broccoli very simply with olive oil and very little garlic, escarole cooked the same and of course roasted chicken parts and sausage. I think there is a misconception in the States that most Italian food is loaded with garlic. That has not been my experience in southern Italy. However, I do find that much of the takeout I get and sometimes in restaurants is swimming in olive oil. Not sure why and I don’t want to insult the owners by asking. I need my takeout!
Another group of not-to-be-missed foods in the shop are all the breads which are made on the premises and range from the crusty bread, called biscotto di grano bagnato, which is sliced crusty/toasted bread (varying sizes sold in plastic bag. See photo).
When I first saw it around town, I thought it was brilliant marketing to sell day old bread, but I was wrong. It’s intentionally baked that way and very fresh.) The way to eat it is to dip a piece in a bowl of water and then eat with the meal. Depending on the saturation, you can either add ingredients from a salumeria and pick it up like a sandwich, or add it to your dish sliced and eaten with the primo or secondo piatti. I recently went to a sagra (food fest of the local speciality) where the damp bread was sliced in cubes and placed in a pasta bowl along with pieces of cheese and small tomatoes with the prerequisite basil and olive oil. The crowning glory were slices of prosciutto across the top of the plate…a simple rustic meal with the perfect combination of soft and crunchy, so easy to pull together at the last minute.
The shop also sells mozzarella di bufalo (in plastic bags with water. See photo), pizzette which are individual slices of pizza, usually with just cheese and tomatos or tomato sauce, little doughy things with spinach and cheese or sausage and too many to name. The dolci range from a giant fruit torte to fresh baked cookies. There’s also a huge selection of pasta on hand, bagel-shaped biscotti di grano bagnato (see photos for all the above.)
Speaking of the kitchen, the sisters were kind enough to share a recipe of one of the more popular dishes:
Pasta E Patate Con La Provola
INGREDIENTS
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling on top
- 1 large clove garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
- 100 grams/3.5 oz. pancetta, cut into lardons or small cubes
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 500 grams/1 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 150 grams/2/3 cup canned Italian peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand (see note)
- 1 rind Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, rind washed and scrubbed
- 1 pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or the tip of a fresh red chili, such as a Thai Bird chili, optional
- 300 grams/10 oz. pasta mista, spaghetti broken into pieces, or ditalini
- 100 grams/3.5 oz. Provola cheese, or provolone, or a mix of smoked and regular mozzarella (not fresh), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2-4 leaves fresh basil, or to taste
- 1/2-1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated, to serve on top
INSTRUCTIONS
- Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a tea kettle or pan.
- Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the garlic clove and cook until very lightly browned, press down to release its flavor. Take care to not burn it or brown it too much.
- Next, add the pancetta and cook until it begins to crisp at the edges and releases some of its fat. Add the onion and chili, if using, and cook until the onion is translucent and softened.
- Add the cubed potatoes and cook for a few minutes with the aromatics. Next, add the tomatoes with a pinch of salt and cook for another few minutes to combine the flavors.
- Add enough water to cover the potatoes, plus a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Smash some of them with your wooden spoon before adding the pasta. Add your pasta and a little more water, plus another pinch of salt. Cook until al dente, stirring frequently to keep it from sticking. You will need to stir a lot towards the end. Make sure that the water is constantly simmering and add water as necessary.
- Once the pasta is cooked, turn off the heat and remove the garlic clove. Add the cubed cheese and stir for one minute in one direction to melt the cheese and render the soup nice and creamy. Add some of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, stir and put on the lid for about 3 minutes. Just before serving, tear the basil leaves into the soup and stir. Taste for seasoning. Serve immediately with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and grated cheese.
Restaurant Styles
Another thing in Italy that has changed immensely over the years is the interior design of the restaurants. Some have gone ultra modern and minimalist, which is always so surprising coming in from cobblestones on the streets. Some have retained their old-world charm good homemade food, hideous fluorescent lighting and laminated tabletops with family members yelling from the kitchen to the waiters over the heads of half the diners. This group has not yet passed the torch to the next generation to reflect their own tastes.
And then there’s the last group which has brilliantly combined both the old-world charm of exposed stone, super practical use of space with incredibly sophisticated lighting elements. This is the category that the Manzoni sisters are in. They chose to retain the original frescoed-cathedral ceilings and then arched the stone walls and added some cool modern lighting. They used all light-colored wood to open up the space and then installed a sliver of an eat-in counter (close encounters of the Italian kind-sorry) and one small table for a quick bite. The kitchen area is an open design, always interesting to watch how they make every movement economic yet graceful while I wait for my food.
I was fortunate to find this great this little jewel in Spring at the beginning of my arrival in Salerno. But there are still two more seasons to go. I look forward to the items on their menu from the locally grown vegetables that the Manzoni sisters have up their sleeves for Autumn and Winter. Stay tuned for more recipes from Italy !
Thanks for reading about MY BIG FAT MOVE TO ITALY and sharing with your friends.
Ciao for now !
