Bella Toscana is finally operating. A warm welcome to all those interested in participating in the group.
Gala Placidia's activity
Questions Asked
Testing the group. Can you help by posting something to see whether it is working?
Mon, 10/24/2011 - 10:45
I just heard that the Italian MotoGP pilot Marco Simoncelli has died in a horrific accident at Sepang (Malaysia) during the Grand Prix.
Sun, 10/23/2011 - 08:32
This is "funghi porcini" time and you will find them sold fresh everywhere. A great time to enjoy them. There are many ways to prepare them: sauces, garnishes, omelettes, pasta....
Sat, 10/22/2011 - 14:31
Further to previous posts and threads, I did not get an answer from Admin regarding the current status for "Northern Tuscany" group... Consequently, I decided to do something different and I requested the creation of a new group...
Wed, 10/19/2011 - 11:08
Could anyone explain why it is not possible to access the Northern Tuscany Group? I am supposed to be its Administrator and I have not received any information regarding this.
Tue, 10/18/2011 - 04:54
We are just back from a n enjoyable week in Rome and I must mention the great coffee we had at Piazza Sant'Eustachio, a sort of "sanctuary" for all coffee lovers.
Tue, 05/24/2011 - 03:52
We were driving around Lucca when I saw at a newsagent a headline from regional newspaper "Il Tirreno" stating that the Royal couple were coming to Lucca during their honeymoon.
Fri, 04/29/2011 - 12:25
I travel to San Francisco, California, quite frequently as my two daughters live there. I love the city and I have always noticed its strong Italian influence.
Mon, 03/28/2011 - 06:25
Comments posted
Welcome to the Community. Enjoy!
Caritas works locally, helping people in need, the elderly and immigrants. It is run by the Catholic Church. Contact any parish church for information.
Bologna´s real estate prices are normally high and I agree with Sebastiano that you may get more of a difference in some rural areas. It all depends on the property and its location. Compare prices with other townhomes for sale in the area.
Another interesting sauce also from Liguria is "Salsa di Noci" or Walnut and Pine Nut Sauce. Goes beautifully with pasta.INGREDIENTS:20 large walnuts, blanched and peeled and then chopped50 gof Pine Nuts1 garlic clove minced1 bunch of parsley chopped1 carton of fresh cream (250 g)salt and pepper to tastefreshly grated parmesan cheesemelted butterPREPARATION:Mix the nuts, garlic and parsley. Add the fresh cream very slowly. Season with salt and pepper.Serve with freshly cooked pasta tossed with the melted butter and the parmesan cheese and add the nut sauce on top.Enjoy!
Hi Debora and welcome. It is great to investigate your family origin.
As Adriatica mentions, Timballo is another resourceful dish in Italian cuisine. As it is the case with lasagne, there can be as many versions as cooks and they can be fairly simple or highly elaborated ones. In my opinion, the most memorable version is from Sicily and it is portrayed in Luchino Visconti´s film "Il Gattopardo", based in the award winning novel by Prince Lampedusa. It is a mixture between a timballo and a pie, with a variety of fillings and sauces and it includes truffles and penne rigatte and many spices. All encased in a puff pastry base. A fabulous festive dish with a great presentation, but the word "Moderation" does not apply. Each mouthful will be about 5,000,000 calories.....
Moderation is the key word and it is true that a glass of wine with your meals has excellent therapeutic effects. Many doctors are in favour of a moderate consumption of red wine in particular.Very interesting article.
If you can´t get beyond the small seedlng stage, I would buy a mature next time. Transplant it into a large terracotta pot with good quality soil and choose a warm, sunny spot. Keep the soil moist and see how it goes. Keep on cutting the young shoots to try to make it as bushy as possible. And see how it goes. The location may be a problem, make sure that the plant gets at least 6 to 8 hours of full sunshine. And experiment during the warmer season. Basil hates cold weather!Good luck!
Obviously, the best lasagne sheets are the ones that are homemade; however, Barilla makes quite a good "Lasagne all´uovo" , in their "La Collezione" selection, which does not need pre-cooking, a real blessing. A few tips, though, to get the best results:1.- As Paola says, start with a generous layer of béchamel, besciamella or white sauce. I always do this, but particularly if I am using this type of pasta.2.- Try to find a baking dish which will hold a certain number of sheets without having to break them into pieces.3.- Prepare the dish at least half an hour before you bake it as this will allow the lasagne sheets to absorb some of the sauce.4.- You can freeze any leftovers or you can bake two lasagne at the same time and freeze one. Very handy to have in the freezer.Basically, you can create your own favourite lasagne according to your personal taste. Experiment with fillings and do not forget that herbs and spices are the ones that make a big difference. Good cheese or using different varieties of cheese can also add to the dish. And do not forget a pinch of nutmeg for the white sauce.Happy cooking!
Basil is relatively easy to grow providing you have the right spot for it (sunny and frost free), you keep it well watered and you pinch the tops to encourage new growth. Do not allow it to bloom so that the leaves get all the strength. You can propagate it from seed, seedlings and even cuttings.