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Garganelli, which means "small esophagus", is a pasta
from Emilia-Romagna that is difficult to find outside
of that region.
Admittedly, it takes a bit of time and patience to
hand-form the pointed tubular shape that resembles
penne, but they are so delicious that I encourage
you to try them.
The Bolognese say they are the masters of lasagne,
but don't expect to find ricotta, mozzarella, hard-boiled
eggs or anything similar layered between these egg
pasta sheets. Authentic Bolognese lasagna, unlike
what you find farther south, is made with ragł, white
sauce, and parmesan cheese.
Passatelli are a classic Romagnan
specialty, made with a cup-and-plunger-like device
that forces dough through a plate with 1/4-inch diameter
holes in it, thus forming strings that are called
passatelli.
In presenting them a century ago, Artusi suggested
that those without a passatelli iron might make do
with a pastry bag.
Long, thin flat egg noodles best served 'alla Bolognese',
in other words, with ragł. The tourist treat 'spaghetti
alla Bolognese' is a bastardization of this typical
Bolognese dish.
Tortellini are luscious little parcels of egg pasta
filled with pork, prosciutto, mortadella, parmesan
cheese, and various spices. You will find them served
in a number of ways, but the traditonal Bolognese
recipe is to serve them cooked in a meat broth with
lots of parmesan cheese on top.
This pasta is shaped like tortellini but it's bigger,
and it is filled with ricotta and spinach or other
greens instead of meat. May be served with ragł, a
plain tomato sauce, or butter and sage.
A good ragł must cling to the pasta in order
to be enjoyed. It must have the right mix of meats
and spices and simmer for hours. The correct meats
to use are veal, pork, and sausage. Just a touch of
tomato is added as this is not a tomato sauce. To
finish, add a drop of heavy cream and a dollop of
fresh butter.
Crescente
Square bread usually made with lard and/or pork fat
to which prosciutto, pancetta or ciccioli has been
added. You can also find meatless olive-oily versions
topped with rosemary or onion. Often cut into chunks
and served in a basket in osterie.
Light, puffy fried bread dough, usually served hot
with a selection of cold cuts and cheeses.
A famous favorite from Romagna, piadina is a thin,
flat round bread cooked on a special kind of frying
pan or grill. Piadine are eaten folded in half and
filled with prosciutto, arugola, stracchino, or squacquarone
(two varieties of soft, fresh cheese).
Made of the same dough as crescentine but cooked between
two stone or metal discs, tigelle are usually sliced
in half and filled with prosciutto , other cold cuts,
or cheese. If you dare, try them as they were meant
to be eaten, filled with pesto modenese, which is
made of lard, garlic, rosemary, and parmesan cheese.
A real Bolognese tradition, bollito misto consists
of boiled meats and vegetables. The usual mix contains
beef tongue, beef brisket, veal brisket, chicken,
carrots, celery, onion, and potato. Locals serve it
with a tart green sauce
A large pork sausage roughly seasoned with cloves,
nutmeg, salt and pepper. This heavy dish is usually
reserved for the winter months. A classic at Christmas
or New Year's, usually served with mashed potatoes
and lentils.
(Bolognese cutlet), with ham,
Parmigiano cheese and truffle from the Tuscan-Emilian
Appennine.
the Bolognese mixed friedmixed
fry, is a selection of small, bite-size pieces of
vegetables, fruit and cream dipped in a batter and
deep-fried.
This is Bologna's most famous cold cut, otherwise
known as Bologna. You'll find it at every salumeria.
The stars of the prosciutto world are prosciutto di
Parma.
Prosciutto cotto is cooked ham and prosciutto crudo
is cured salted raw ham.
Here the sausage meat has been stuffed back inside
the pig's foot or zampa, making for quite a display.
Castagnole
Traditional Carnival sweet, these soft doughy ballS
made of chestnut flour are deep fried and then rolled
in sugar.
These rich Christmas cakes are chock full of candied
fruit, nuts, and chocolate. Panone is a simpler and
softer version of certosino, which in addition to
the above ingredients is bedecked with large pieces
of candied fruit.
Fave dei morti
These delicious, multi-colored chewy cookies made
of almond paste appear in bakeries during the last
two weeks of October. They are made for the November
1st and November 2nd holidays, Tutti i santi e Tutti
i morti, when Italians remember their dead.
Made of cookie dough which is rolled out and filled,
most traditionally, with prune or apricot jam and
then rolled into a half moon shape. The Bolognese
make them Especially for March 19th, the saint day
of San Giuseppe, which is also celebrated as Father's
Day here.
Another traditional carnival sweet made of strips
of sweet dough which are fried and then sprinkled
with lots of powdered sugar.
The Bolognese are very proud of this solid confection,
half cake, half custard.
It's made with rice, almonds, and amaretto.
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