Baccalà and pizza have one thing in common: they can be prepared in endless ways. Let’s just try to imagine all the pizza variations we have seen recipes of, and the salted cod recipes: An infinity. Baccalà fillets, is an ingredient that I connect to my childhood in Iceland. For children the mashed potato version was and sure still is a big favorite….. with some butter of course to make it even more appetizing. In time I’ve made a pizza version of my beloved baccalà & potato mash.
Spring is a wild season, an awakening season, so full of new, fresh perfumes. One of the top ingredient of the season is the wonderful asparagus. So delicious, so versatile, so rich of minerals and vitamins, and so joyfully green, or sweetly pale. Love it on the pizza with eggs, creamy cheese and parmigiano cheese, maybe with an egg, and some parma ham. This one is a wild one, topped with pea pesto as well, pine nuts and detox artichoke. Feta or fresh goat cheese on top. Whole grain pizza loaded with greens.
Zabaione, known also as zabaglione or zabajone, is an extremely simple italian dessert made of egg yolks, sugar and sweet wine. Marsala or vin santo are the most common wines used in the preparation, but moscato wine is also a delightful ingredient choice, and gives this fantastic dessert a “summerly” air. Topping it with fruit in summer is popular, in winter you could dust some cocoa powder over it for extra comforting richness in taste. The classical lady finger biscuits (savoiardi), or other hard biscotti are always a delicious way to spoon up this tempting egg nog pudding, that N.B. inspired the creation of the historical egg liquor Vov in the 19th century.
Sweet Sunday Morning. When starting the day with a sweet bite, it becomes even sweeter itself. That is at least my theory. Some honey in your tea, a little cinnamon in the milky rice, some fruits in your yogurt, a marmalade on your toast…. and once in a while a little more indulgence, like these mini pancakes, with caramel ricotta, chocolate covered “in season” strawberries & toasted pine nuts. Various fruits are perfect here, use your fantasy and look out for possibly what’s in season.
Spring on toast & toast for spring. Grab the season of rebirth and cherry blossoms into your hand and savor these springful toast slices accompanying your senses into the new cycle of life with colors, delicate taste, seasonal food, elegance and a completely natural sparkling wine from LaStaffa, a classical method biodynamic verdicchio wine with a small percentage of trebbiano grapes, a true rarety, cultivated in the rolling hills of Staffolo nestled in the hills in the north of the Marche region, in the Esino valley. In fact its name is “Mai sentito” (Never before heard of). It is a perfect match here and its so appropriate to make a toast to spring, summer coming up and Mother Earth, with this fresh, crisp, fruity and extremely convivial natural spumante, expressing in such a beautiful way the distinct characteristics of the area.
Asparagus, bacon strips, butter. A classic. Like a 19th century novel or a Bach minuet. Everything perfectly in place, in harmony as it should be, yet so inspired. The orange pepper and the parmigiano butter give a little twist to this all time classic, to be enjoyed with asparagus in season.
A lot of vitamin D here: mackerel, eggs and butter…. and a lot of taste. A quick and substantial lunch or aperitivo dish. With a glass of dry traditional method sparkling wine, you’re in for a “bubbling” tastebud adventure.
Fried zucchini flowers are one of Italy’s most elegant and graceful street foods. Like so often in Italian cuisine, the variants are numerous, and every region has its traditional recipe. Then you can make your own variations to the theme of course. When its delicately crunchy surface gives in to the soft filling, is a magical moment for the senses. It’s an authentic sensation, unique. Normally sparkling water is used in the batter, but I made a sparkling wine variant to the theme, that I thing is matching perfectly with the mild flavor of the flower dumplings. The chopped chive is also giving a mild contrast to the cheese in the filling. A romantic tête-à-tête dinner or an elegant appetizer. This is your dish.
Baccalà, salted cod is an ingredient I adore, and I am definately not the only one. This fantastic ingredients that comes from my ocean of origin, the seas around Iceland, has been and continues to be a great inspiration for cooks all over the world. In the Mediterranean diet there exist numerous dishes including this versatile and delicately sapid ingredient. One of those is the classical baccalà potato mash, that has become a worldwide favorite spread, that is an ideal appetizer for a fish based dinner or whenever you need an elegant fingerfood.
When I make those butter fried slices of bread for late Sunday breakfast or whenever I need extra sunshine into my morning, the lines from Richard Rodger’s score of “Oklahoma” automatically come to mind: “Oh, what a beautiful morning, oh, what a beautiful day”, and I feel like Gordon MacRae admiring the golden meadows on a super sunny day. That is what food can do to us. In addition to nurturing us, it takes our spirit on the most incredible “voyages”. Use the fruit you have in season for topping.
