October in The Pontine Islands

The Pontine Islands, known as the Ponziane, comprise two groups: Ponza, Palmarola, Zannone and Gavi to the northwest and Ventotene and Santo Stefano to the southeast. These groups are separated by about 22 nautical miles. Some 6 km to the south of Ponza the solitary rock known as “The Botte” rises from the sea. Italy's Undiscovered Islands, in the Tyrrhenian Sea off of Italy’s west coast, seem like a hidden destination out of a dream. Just far enough from the mainland to be an impractical destination for mass tourism. So much the better for those who do go to the trouble of making a trip here, because what you'll find is a rare Mediterranean gem that has kept its Italian identity intact and undiluted. The rocky coastline is dotted with grottos, both natural and man made. And the pristine beaches and beautiful sunsets look like the makings of a perfectly relaxing getaway. If you want to avoid the holiday scene altogether, just come in the gorgeous shoulder months of May, June, September and October… locals will tell you this is when their island really shines. 

They are the result of volcanic activity and has been inhabited for thousands of years. Neolitich artifacts and Bronze Age obsidians have been excavated on the islands. The islands were used by the Etruscans who carved the "Blue Grottos". The earliest recorded history of the islands occurs with the Roman victory over the Volsci at 338 BC. According to a local legend, this was once the lost Kingdom of Tyrrhenia which sank with a narrow strip connected to mainland Italy. The islands have a romantic and ancient history, they were a regular stomping ground for Roman emperors and used during the reign of Caesar Augustus as as a retreat and a place to exile politically troubling citizens.

These days, they are a haven for sailors. Italy's best known documentary film maker, Foloco Quilici, calls the area the most beautiful place he has ever visited. “I cannot recall a year without feeling this urge for the sea, the start of another summer season that will continue until next autumn’s first north west breezes. That I should make the connection between my yearning has visited so many islands in the world – is not only because of their beauty, above and below the water, but because these islands were my first archipelago… Palmarola is the gem of the Archipelago, and for me one of the most beautiful islands ever to have been born of the sea. Here are solitude, silence, emptiness and wonder. Alone with its multicoloured volcanic rocks, its deep and limpid wate s , Palmarola is a mirage of sea beds to explore and to discover, anmisland bewitching in its protected sleep, cradled by a whispering and reassuring sea.”

To reach the archipelago we drive from Rome an hour south to Anzio, one of four towns where ferries leave for Ponza, eponym of the Pontines and the archipelago's main destination. We disembark in Ponza, the largest of the group, we are welcomed by the 18th-century Bourbon port, where a sun-bleached amphitheater of colorful houses looks down on the busy stage of the harbor, which is connected by stairs and passages to the cobblestoned pedestrian high street.  One of the most charming parts of a trip to the Pontine Islands would be getting around by boat. Then you can zip up and down the coast, getting the best views of the cliffs, bays, and ancient grottos, and visiting beaches only accessible by water. Two other islands in the archipelago not served by regular ferry, Palmarola and Zannone are classic day trips from Ponza, each just 30 minutes away by boat. Zannone is a nature reserve with quiet hikes, dense forests, and wild sheep running free. This tiny island universe reaches beyond itself, and into a mirror-like sea, reflecting onto its surface and way down to the seabed.

 Ventotene and Santo Stefano are land and sea conservation areas, supervised by the Ministry of the Environment, administration being in the hands of the Municipality. Ventotene draws people not just by its beauty but also because, architecturally speaking, Rome is still alive here. Its port remains in use, totally evocative for anyone who understands what it means to drop anchor in a stretch of sea linked to

ancient times and which makes it seem as if 2,000 years had not passed. In fact the port jetty with its two bollards and shops cut straight out of the soft local volcanic rock, are exactly as they once were. Arriving here and tethering the boat to one of the stone bollards, We are doing just what any sailor from a Roman galley or Aragonese man-of-war would have done in his time. To reach the Roman port of Ventotene, we have sailed through the channel that separates this contented island from its small twin Santo Stefano. also contented for the time being though for two centuries a place of sadness and pain. From Bourbon times and until five years ago, Santo Stefano was used as a penitentiary. It continues to be dominated by

the abandoned prison buildings, still massive and structurally intact, reminding one at the same time of Kafkaesque castles and baroque follies in the Neapolitan style.

Tuscan cabbage soup

Tuscan cabbage is a versatile vegetable that can be used in soups, salads or as a side dish. Also known as cavolo nero, this Italian cabbage has long, narrow, wrinkled, very dark green leaves and a mild flavour. It's a source of vitamin C and provides folate, beta carotene and dietary fibre. Cabbage soup is surely one of the most famous Italian vegetables soup, whose two basic ingredients are typical of Tuscany: bread and cabbage. 

Ingredients 

Servings 4

1 tin of cannellini beans, rinsed
500 gms – 1 lb. Tuscan cabbage, shredded
2 small onions, chopped
2 small carrots, chopped
2 small potatoes, chopped
2 bunches of swiss-card 

1cup tomato souce
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

6 to 8 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste
2 slice of bread

Preparation

Fry lightly in olive oil some onion, celery and carrot, all finely chopped. When the onion wilts,  add a coarsley shredded cabbage; when also the cabbage gets tender, add 2 potatoes and 4 or 5 courgettes cut into cubes. As soon as also these vegetables become soft, add 1 cup of tomato sauce, mix to blend it with all the ingredients, then add 2 bunches of swiss-card (about 1 pound) 2 of red cabbage and the beans. Leave to cook slowly for at least 1 and a half hour. About 30 minutes before the cooking time is over, add basil and thyme. In the meanwhile slice some bread into a soup tureen, pour the hot soup onto and leave to rest until the following day. Before serving put the lot again on the flame and leave it to simmer  for 10 to 15 minutes.

Autumn has arrived: here is a tasty recipe to Help You Celebrate the First Day of Fall!

The sights, sounds and smells of fall stir the soul, but delight is mixed with melancholy. Autumn can mean  a sort of sadness which is not entirely unwelcome; a sort of sober, slowing-down of the spirit, leaving us much given to reflection. Indeed for anyone capable of looking up from their screen, for anyone in the slightest way alive to the rhythms of the natural world and its sights and sounds and smells, autumn has a peculiar personality of its own which is powerfully attractive. This is a season brimming with the highest level gastronomy, amidst the colours of the grape harvest and noble flavours. Mushrooms, truffles and chestnuts: the fruits of Autumn are venerated and special, like all Italian recipes which exploit abundant quality. I’ll give you a fantastic surf and turf recipe that combines the rich flavors of prawns and mushrooms.

Prawn and Porcini Risotto

Servings 4

     ¼ oz langoustines, medium

    ⅝ lb Carnaroli rice

    3 ½ oz Porcini Mushrooms

    1 ¾ oz onion

    ½ teaspoon garlic, chopped

    6 cups fish broth

    ¾ oz butter

    3 ½ tablespoons white wine

    ¼ cup olive oil

    salt and pepper to taste

 

Preparation

30 minutes preparation + 16 minutes cooking

Clean the prawns and separate the heads from the tails. Use a pairing knife to make an incision on the underside of the belly and use your finger to remove the meat, placing it in a bowl. Use the heads to make a fumet (a reduced broth), using about 6 cups of water and 2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for at least 20 minutes. Then keep warm.

Clean the mushrooms by cutting off the tips of the stems and wash, if necessary, with a wet dishcloth. Then cut into thin slices.

Place a pot over medium heat. Add oil, and once it is hot, add crushed garlic. Do not let it brown. Once slightly golden, add the prawn meat and mushrooms.

Cook for about 2 minutes. Add the rice and toast it for a couple of minutes or until it becomes transparent. Then add the wine and, once almost all of it has evaporated, add a couple ladlefuls of boiling, filtered fumet. Lower the heat and continue to add fumet, a ladleful at a time, as it is absorbed by the rice.

After about 12 minutes, add washed, chopped arugula. After 5 more minutes, adjust the salt and pepper. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the butter and cognac.

Before serving, check to see if the risotto is too dry. If so, add more fumet or hot water. Stir and serve immediately.

What's the secret to a good Italian coffee?

Coffee is the great protagonist of the awakening of many Italians. During breakfast and after lunch, an espresso in Italy it' s a must. But how ta make a good espresso with the classic mocha coffee? 

Here are some simple tips: 

1.     The mixture of coffee should be of good quality, and once opened should be stored in a closed container, away from foods that emit strong odors and may alter the flavor.

2.     Water is also very important. It Would be better to use fresh water and low in calcium. Not recommended the use of hot water to try to expedite the preparation.

3.     Fill the boiler up to the level of safety valve, without exceeding it.

4.     Fill the coffee filter generously. without pressing the powder, and making a bum.

5.     Close the pot tightly and put it on low heat.

6.     As soon as the coffee begins to come out, lift the lid, so as to prevent that the condensation falls on pot.

7.     Before the coffee is completely left, remove the pot from the tire.

Important: never leave boiling coffee on the fire. the flavour would taste of burn!Enjoy the coffee when is still hot!

Homemade Noodles recipy

It is very simple to make your own fresh pasta at home, even without a pasta machine. Just follow these basic steps and discover the delicious taste and satisfaction of eating your very own pasta.