Food Dictionary
PASTA DISHES
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 ragù, 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 ragù. 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 ragù, a plain tomato
sauce, or butter and sage.
SAUCES
A good ragù 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.
BREAD
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.
MEAT
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.
Fritto
Misto alla Bolognese
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.
SWEETS
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.
