Here is a ‘make do recipe’ because I had some bacon left over in the fridge. The original recipe calls for Bucatini pasta and guanciale but I only had spaghetti in the store room and the bacon in the fridge. This recipe is straight from the mamma of my very close friend in Rome.

Ingredients -

1 packet of Spaghetti (or Bucatini)

1 small salad onion (or any mild onion)

Half cup white wine

250gr packet of bacon (or guanciale)

2 cans of peeled tomatoes (or Mutti polpa)

1 of the cans of tomato filled with water (rinse your cans and add to sauce)

Pecorino Romano grated (to have on top after served - if you like it)

Watch the video for the method below. Once the sauce has simmered and reduced back to a nice thickness it’s ready.

Carangiole (also known as Cartellate in Puglia) are a Christmas delight from my mother in law’s hometown Santa Croce Di Magliano in Molise and this is her recipe. Molise and Puglia are neighbouring regions in Southern Italy along the Adriatic Coast and my mother in law’s hometown is a stones throw from the border that separates Molise and Puglia. I am not sure why these Christmas delights are named differently - that’s something I’ll be asking Zia when we can get back home to Italy.

They are similar to a cannoli/crostoli only a little softer and more fluffy.

Scoll down for the recipe and head to out instagram page to watch how they are made via the ‘reel’.

The Little Italian School instagram

RICETTA - Recipe

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of sugar

50 gr softened butter

1/2 cup white wine

1 teaspoon of raising agent for cakes

Watch ‘reel’ over at our instagram page for the method (click on link below). NB Sunflower oil used for frying

The Little Italian School Instagram

Or scan the QR Code below to take you there -

I’m not sure when it happened, I’m just glad it did. I’m glad the world has become smaller and we are all embracing each others diversities. We still have a way to go maybe, but for Italians the world looks peachy. The beauty of our culture is shining all over the globe. Apparently it’s really ‘on trend’ to be Italian.

Things were a little different for the first wave of immigrants and their children back in the 1950’s post World War 2. The struggles were real. An unknown race was flocking overseas in search for opportunities they didn’t have in Italy at the time. Italians & Italian culture was the unknown, those ‘greasy wogs’ - ‘bloody garlic munchers’.

Italian immigrants proved themselves, and earned respect. The Italians of that generation are known as hard workers - the heads down and get on with it sort. No handouts, no complaining (they couldn’t speak English anyway) and they had one goal in mind - survival. Sometimes they were called names or mistreated, but that was child’s play compared to the hardship they had left behind in Italy.

We can thank our ancestors for giving Italians a good reputation around the world, and thank gosh for travel being more affordable these days so people can see how beautiful our culture is by visiting Italy and immersing themselves in it. Italians proved themselves and now the rest of the world can’t get enough of all things Italy!

So what are the things non Italians love to love about Italians and Italian culture? According to my language students the list from a foreigner’s perspective is long. Let’s begin -

1. Family values

   ‘La famiglia’ is the most important part of an Italian’s life. ‘La mamma’ and ‘la nonna’ are two of the most respected family figures.

   All ages matter - especially the children and the elderly.

   There are definitely some sexist undertones still going on, but that’s a global issue. I would dare say it is a matriarchal society. In the eyes of my students, Italian women are ‘generally’ strong and confident, with a bit of ‘sass’.

2. Food & drink culture

   For the way it brings people together, the rituals around it, the way food is spoken about in a positive light. The ‘aperol spritz’ & ‘burrata’ fads in other countries may pass (thank gosh), but the deep rooted culture around food will always remain. It runs deep in the veins.

3. Community, Traditions, La Piazza

   The holding on to traditions and ancient (usually religious) festivals, that bring everyone together. The ‘passeggiata’ and the piazza, where people can just ‘be’ on a daily basis without the pressure of always having to ‘do’ or ‘purchase’.

4. People’s pride and loyalty to the town or village they are from

   Italians speak of their birthplace with such love and pride. Most are able to tell you story after story with so much oomph you leave believing they live in the most special village in all of Italy.

5. Language

   People simply love the sound - hence the name ‘la dolce lingua’ (the sweet language). It is very easy on the ear

6. Art, music, literature, architecture, fashion

   I have bunched all of these into one. These are the things Italy used to promote to the tourist and are extremely significant. Italy is flooded with history. I can say that 99% of my students, when visiting Italy enjoy a trip to the local museum, stand in front of stunning architecture with jaws dropped, love to walk the high streets of fashion in Milan & Rome, but much prefer to immerse themselves in the everyday living of an Italian when possible. They will always tell me stories of people more than places, and the warmth they feel from Italian locals when travelling.

But everything goes in and out of fashion. People are always searching for the next best thing or something new. This trend may pass too - but I imagine that because it is the Italian people and culture stealing hearts, not just the ‘place’, foreigners will be forever pining for Italy - as though it were their first love.

Raspberry & Cream Cake

allora - grab a bowl, a spoon , a cup and a whisk and in this order pop everything in the bowl and stir….

INGREDIENTS

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup cream ( I used thickened)

1 grated rind of a lemon

1 vanilla sachel (or from a pod, or vanilla essence - whatever you have)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarb soda

about 1 1/2 cups raspberries (blended in food processor - I used frozen)

2 1/2 cups 00 flour ( or if you use self raising you don’t have to put the baking powder or bicarb)

METHOD

Put the ingredients all in a bowl in the order written and stir. Place batter in a greased cake tin and bake for abotu 40 minutes on 175c

For the Panelle -

About 300 gr chickpea flour

500ml water

1 tsp aniseed (if you don’t like it leave it out )

Salt and pepper

A handful of chopped parsley

** in a pan - bring to boil stirring for approx 8 min (until thick), add the parlsey once cooked, spread onto baking paper until about 1cm thick and leave to cool and set.

Once set, cut in to squares or rectangles and fry lightly in sunflower oil. Set aside to be served with the vegetable stew.

For the Carciofi -

Half and onion sliced

4-5 Artichokes

About 3 handfuls peas

About 3 handfuls fava beans

1 tblsp capers

Handful Parsley

**I cleaned the carciofi and boiled the hearts seperately and set aside. Then fry the onion in some evoo, add the carciofi, peas, fava beans. Salt and pepper to taste. Top with about half cup of water and let simmer with lid on for about 15 mintues. Add parsley and capers once cooked.

Head to instagram to watch the method - https://www.instagram.com/the_little_italian_school/

Sicily in a plate. Tuna is huge in Sicily and nope - no Sicilian ties on my part at all, apart from my mamma’s ‘vicina di casa’ (neighbour) who has been sharing some amazing recipes with me…..and here is one of them.

I had onions on hand, old wine that we now use as vinegar, and tuna steaks I had picked up at the supermarket. Simple, easy and delicious and great with a loaf of bread and a salad.

You’ll need -

At least two onions (I used the purple spanish ones but the white onions are fine also great)

About 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 Tuna steaks

3/4 bottle red wine vinigar (it will evaporate and make a nice juice)

For the method head over to the reel on our instagram account https://www.instagram.com/the_little_italian_school/

Method in summary - cut onions, place in bowl of water. Heat pan, place onions on pan and salt - lid on and let collapse. Add oil - cook a little more. Place cooked onions to the side of the pan, fry tuna steaks. Remove tuna, add red wine vinegar and let cook with the onions until it has reduced. Place your tuna back in the reduced ‘agrodolce’ (sweet and sour sauce). Enjoy x

Cheese an veg lovers rejoice. You could work your magic and do a few variations with this I am sure. An addition of fried mushrooms? Or why not add the slices of salumi you have in the fridge not getting eaten if you fancy a little meat? You could even make this with layers of pasta. Unleash that wild imagination.

Scroll down for recipe…

Ingredients below but head to REELS in instagram for the method https://www.instagram.com/the_little_italian_school/reels/

For the besciamella:

1/2 litre of milk

50gr butter

About 1/4 cup of 00 flour (but if it seems too thick to spread once cooked then just add a little more milk)

Salt and pepper to taste.

For the rest of the dish:

3 large zucchini (sliced long ways, and plced in to layers in a colander , with each layer getting a sprnkle of salt before the next is layed)

about 2 cups worth each of chopped or sliced mozarella, parmigiano and breadcrumbs (all ready to be sprinkled on the layers as you make them.

Cook on around 185 c - fan forced - for about 40 minutes or until bubbling and golden on top

The time has come to farewell winter (thank gosh) which also means saying goodbye to the winter menu.

Here’s a quick and easy ‘Spezzatino’ Recipe (Meat stew - also known as ‘Carne e Patati’ in Calabrese Dialect). You can watch the method on my Instagram Reel page here https://www.instagram.com/the_little_italian_school/reels/

INGREDIENTI !

1kg gravy beef

1 onion diced

2 carrots chopped chunky

4 celery sticks chopped chunky

4 potatoes chopped chunky

1/4 cup white wine

Lots of bay leaves (at least 5)

Salt (quanto basta)

Topped with water and left to simmer for a good 2 hours or more

Eaten with good bread though steamed rice could also be an option.

I floured the meat lightly before frying- it helps thicken the sauce

2 Eggs

1 Cup of ricotta

2 Tablespoons of sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 Cups Self raising Flour

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Grated rind of a 1 lemon

Handful bluberries (or a few more if you want more)

Mix all of the wet ingredients. Add the flour and mix. At the end add the blueberries and fold through.

Heat sunflower oil in a frypan and using a tablespoon, scoop the mixture and drop into the oil. Careful not to have the oil too hot or they will burn.

Pop the cooked mini donuts onto paper towels as you cook them so they excess oil drains. Sprinkle with icing sugar to serve and eat.

So how does one drink like an Italian?

Italians love to socialise and alcohol is a huge part of our culture. Vino rosso, vino bianco, cocktails, birra (beer), amari (digestives), all have a place in an Italian’s social life. Though it seems how we embrace them is very different to those in other parts of the world.

Positano

Binge drinking is not glorified in Italy, and when we head out to catch up with friends or family, we are not on a mission to drink to get drunk. When Italians go to a bar, we like to socialise and embrace the life around us. Bars and restaurants are full of people chatting about anything from politics, to family, to the latest fashion or event, to history, and to life in general. Sipping your drink is the ‘norm’- while sculling just isn’t something you’ll see Italians do.

Positano

Drinks are never ever served without being accompanied by some sort of nibble or meal. We don’t drink cocktails like the Spritz or the classic Negroni during our meal either, as they are generally served to enjoy with some simple nibbles like peanuts, olives, tarallucci or mini crostini. We call this an ‘Aperitivo’ which has now become well known and very trendy with non-Italians. While it may seem ‘cool’ to drink several Espresso Martini’s or Spritz with your dinner in other parts of the world, it’s just not a thing in Italy. Infact, a lot of Italian noses would be screwed up just at the thought. We do our coffee in the morning, or after a meal, or even for an afternoon pause and pick me up… but never during our meal. Just ew!

Positano

So what we choose to drink often depends on the food we’ll be eating and the time of day. It’s like poetry in motion. An aperitivo before lunch or dinner, wine with your meal and an ‘amaro’ (digestive) after it. I guess you could call them little rituals. Wine is a dining table staple, and children are often encouraged to have a sip with their meal. Food, drink, friends, family, acquaintances and conversation go hand in hand. They were married in Italy and until death do they part!

My all time favourite Italian cocktail is the classic Negroni. The aromas take me back to my childhood and memories of days and nights spent in the family restaurant. Here is the recipe, and a few others with variations. They are all simply served on ice and stirred, dressed with a slice of orange.

NEGRONI: (original)

·       30 ml Campari

·      30 ml Sweet vermouth

·      30 ml Gin

NEGRONI SBAGLIATO -  MISTAKE NEGRONI

A Negroni created by mistake, hence it’s name. Born in the 70’s at the Bar Basso in Milano by a bartender who accidentally added spumante in place of the gin.

• 30ml Bitter

• 30ml Vermouth rosso 

• 30ml Prosecco (spumante Brut) 

IL CARDINALE – THE CARDINAL

In the 1950’s in Rome, a Cardinal would order his usual Negroni at a Bar in Via Veneto, when one day the barman asked if he could change it up a little and created for him a Negroni with dry vermouth instead of the usual red vermouth.

• 30ml Gin 

• 30ml Bitter

• 30ml Dry Vermouth

NEGROSKI:

This variation of Negroni replaces the gin with vodka.

• 30ml Vermouth rosso

• 30ml Bitter

• 30ml Vodka

JAPANESE NEGRONI:  

This Negroni variation replaces the gin with the classic Japanese Sakè.

• 30ml Vermouth rosso

• 30ml Bitter

• 30ml Sakè