So here we are in Roma and my computer has decided to go on strike .... so posting off the IPad which is a bit limited as I can’t post as many pictures as I would like for the last few cooking classes.
Had a great 3 days cooking in Fontana del Papa and got some great new receipts. My favourite was the drunken cauliflower this time with white wine and pork sausage stunning ... way way better than the red wine one from Puglia which I have now called “ Pissed 😠 cauliflower “ it was way... tooooo drunk!!!!!!!
Yesterday we did our final cooking class for this our 3rd 1/4 of our cooking gap year with Andrea from “Cooking in Rome”.
Tonight sitting looking over the Pantheon from a cute little restaurant having pasta 🍝 as a farewell dinner as tomorrow we start heading home to Australia.
We have had so many wonderful experiences and as usual have meet and reconnected with so many or our Italian friends old and new.

Ronciglione

Is another cute little town just 5 mins from the lake with historical buildings from the 10th century and today we had lunch looking over one said building, the ancient tower. The whole town is built up the side of the hill and its just house on house, history on history

 

So many steps, always so many steps, well here's hoping that will show on the scales when we get home, all this fantastic Italian food BUT hoping all these Italian steps evens it out!!!! 

 

The restaurant was just off the high street and well just over the edge.

 

 

 

Amazing lunch, these guys will be getting a Sandy trip adviser review as other people really need to experience this traditional food when they visit this unique location.

Loved and amused by the English interpretation that is on the menu see no. 11

Egg in his shirt ! with asparagus on herbal mousse and ... 

And here No.23

Red dwarf potato dumpling cremated!!! ....

 

 

And our last dish was No 3

Milk pork in frosted crust ! and wild fennel perfumed wood oven!

The English descriptions were all interesting and not sure if they really helped, but the food was simply amazing and with the help of the owner/waiter we worked out what they were trying to say.

 

 

And whats the point of good food with out good wine, this local 70% chardonnay/ 30% grechetto was like cream in a bottle sooooo smooth and went so well with the first 3 courses.

 

 

A little red with complements from the owner to go with the pork

and a complementary Zibibbo and biscotti because we were Australian's and he ... well just didn't want us to leave. 

 

 

So Sandy and Muma in the kitchen sharing recipes.

 

 

While the owner showed me down to the cellar which goes for 1 mile under the old city we only explored the first 100 m and the smell of the damp and wine and cork hmmmmm.

 

 

 

So after a bit of a boozy lunch and when we were finally allowed to leave as I'm sure they were wanting to adopt us! we wandered the streets till ... well ... I was allowed to drive again.

 

 

 

 

 

Time out on the shores of Lake Vico

Have had a couple of days away from the kitchens to take in the beauty of Lake Vico 70 km north east of Roma before we head back to Tolfa and Fontana del Papa where we started this whole section of our 2017 cooking journey and then finally into Roma to take in some city life and our final cooking class with Andréa at Cooking In Roma ... Sandy loved his classes, last couple of time's he was just so informative and interesting and oh so quintessentially a young Roman male living and working in Roma.
Our time is coming to an end here in Italy with only 7 more sleeps in Italy. Staying at the Relais Sans Souci and Spa right on the shores of the lake. 

Check out the hot tub with a view over the lake

Its all about the views here, that picture window is huge and triple glazed about 6m x 2.5m in one piece nnnnnice.

White and elegant

 Killer views

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pork filet wrapped in Lardo

These last few days have been very very simple country food and well lets just say ... "not rocket science" so I could take photos and also taking notes, wow Pete multi tasking ...  you never quite know what sort of cooking classes you are actually getting yourselves into. Sooooo very Italian, so you have to take the good classes and experience with the simple and money spent on a class doesn't always mean it with be value for money.

So we have learned to take the money equation out of the classes and just go with the flow and see where it takes you.

So keep your eyes open and it is amazing what little tips you pick up and can take away with you to make it all worth while.

 

 

 

 

Served here with creamy potato and when you have such a fabulous cut of meat and it is cooked with love it is truly simple food that is packed with flavour a winner always.

 

Italian season their meats with a salt and rosemary mixture that sits on the bench and the rosemary and or oregano infuse the salt.

 When you see it on the menus it comes under the word Grillo.

Beware as grillo just means a dish of grilled meat.

Italians are not big on the sauces with the final course.

 

 

 

Artichoke Carpaccio

A very simple dish yes maybe ... but a big part of any Italian table.
Love it cooked or pickled but today it is served raw.
The only trick is to work quickly to stop them browning.
Remove several of the outer leaves, cut in 1/2, cut off the top of the petals then scoop out the centre fibrous flower.
Check with the tooth that the remaining leaves are edible then slice.
Season with lemon to stop the browning then add olive oil, salt and pepper.
This is my 1st time to try them raw, Sandy's not a big fan but for me it had a irony taste and would be quite enjoyable as a side dish to a meaty tomato based dish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gnudi

Gnudi are as soft as a feather pillow in your mouth, well without the feathers !!! If done right and with fresh truffle ... well you have heard it a 1000 times I'm in food heaven.

Gnudi is many and Gnudo is for one, thanks for the secrets Serina, but seriously WHEN would you only just have ONE...

"iiis not possable"

Said in my best Italian.

 

 

 

Acqucotta

A great humble Tuscan Winter Soup.

 

  

Baby spinach is used a lot here in Italy and is much softer in flavour than the larger varieties with the typical iron flavour, so its  personal choice. But when this dish is all about the celery best with the baby spinach.

Boil off the spinach as you will want the spinach water as part of the stock later.

  Add the cooked spinach to the onion and celery

  Salt and pepper

Some chilly ... again a happy Sandy

 

Cook to soften and get some colour.

Add tined tomatoes or some home cooked from Sandy new Italian pantry.

 

Add the retained spinach water and cook till reduce to a firm stew.

Traditionally then you add the poached egg.

 

Again not so pretty on the plate but with bangs of celery flavour and so good for you, that's if you love as I do celery.

This dish is open to some may additions to you taste but for a traditional Acqucotta stick to the recipe above.

Enjoy next winter, as I'm sure in Australian now it is getting well into summer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eggplant and Ricotta Moulds

Sandy favourite vegetable so insert smiley face, great knife skills Sands ... or was that a mandolin over in the corner.

 My happy Sand's back in the kitchen again.

  

Mix ricotta, egg, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese 

Oil and breadcrumb some moulds, hmmmmm.

this is for us becoming such a shame to see that the Italian are so happy to use disposable moulds and not reusable ... anyway that for another day so don't get me started on that one just yet....

 

  

cook 180 deg 8 mins.

Now for us while a great simple starter to an Italian meal, needs a bit of texture and a bit more flavour. Yes I know this is the traditional Italian way but At The Retreat we will trick it up a bit with some cooked eggplant in the ricotta and some sort of warmed cooked tomato sauce over the top would make this a

real Wining Dish.