Appreciated for its nutritional and energy-giving properties, the pepper is characteristic of tropical regions, but widely available in temperate climates as well. According to De Candolle it is originally from Brazil, while other historians hold its origins in Jamaica. The pepper was introduced to Europe in the 16th century and it spread like wildfire: in 1542 three varieties were already well known, in 1640 thirteen were well known and at the end of the 1600s thirty-five. It first appeared in Italy in 1551.
In the Golden Ages of artisinal Neapolitan pasta factories, every year the pasta makers from Gragnano would create a new procedure for pasta production, which sometimes led to an important discovery. The birth of the Princess Mafalda of Savoia in November of 1902 was greeted with the creation of the Mafalde, large tagliatelle embellished by a graceful smerlatura, that in short were beset by more small Mafaldine.
Preparation:
Slice the artichoke hearts and put them in a large pan with oil along with the crushed garlic clove and the fava beans: let them brown, add the broth and let it cook for 20 minutes. In the meantime cook the pasta in a pot with a good amount of salted water. In a non-stick pan, let the slices of prosciutto brown without adding anything and keep them separate. Drain the whole wheat mafalde corte and place them in the pan with the artichoke hearts and fava beans and let them absorb the flavor for a few minutes. Serve the pasta on individual plates, sprinkle some parsley and put the slices of prosciutto and pecorino shavings on top. Add salt & pepper to taste if you like!
“lu carrature,” or “the guitar,” is a wooden loom coursed with metal strings pulled tight to get the famous macaroni carrati or “Guitar Spaghetti” (“spaghetti alla chitarra”) that is said to have been born in the Abruzzi region. This is a tradition that was established by artisans in Pretoro, which is in the province of Chieti.
Preparation:
While the water is boiling, cut the garlic into fine strips and let them brown in hot oil together with the peperoncino. Take the garlic out and save it on a plate. Add the grape/cherry tomatoes to the oil and let them cook over a medium-high flame for a few minutes. Cook the whole wheat spaghetti alla chitarra, drain the pasta and put it in the pan together with the oil and tomatoes. Let them sauté and add the minced parsley. Put them in an oven baking dish and serve. You may add the browned/toasted garlic at the end to taste.
Appreciated by the Greeks and Romans as they were mentioned in many recipes of those eras. These vegetables made their appearance in the Italian kitchen at the end of the 1500s at the time that Spain began shipping them towards America. Florence, the art and commercial capital of Europe, was among the first European cities to taste the beans that often appeared on the rich and opulent counters of high nobility. It seems that in Tuscany they were introduced by Pope Clement VII, who in his time received them from Carlo V, Emperor of Spain.
Ingredients (for 3 people):
250 grams of Garofalo Whole Wheat Mafalde
400 grams of pinto beans
2 teaspoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 garlic clove
5 small ripe tomatoes
Celery stock
Salt and pepper to taste.
Preparation:
The night before put the beans in a bowl. Strain the beans and boil them with watter, tomatoes, celery, garlic, oil and salt for about an hour and a half. Add the pasta in the same pot making sure that the pasta is always submerged in the water (that will eventually be added from time to time). Continuously stir until the pasta is cooked just right making sure that the dish is creamy. Add parmigiano reggiano if you like.
Chef’s tip: add a spoonful of olive oil infused with peperoncino to add a little more taste.
Pappardelle are the largest cut among egg pastas. Their origins are attributed to northern-central Italy, more precisely in Tuscany, where they are very commonly used. Even the name comes from Tuscan dialect “pappare,” which refers to the verb meaning to eat with joy and pleasure- almost in a childlike way.
INGREDIENTS (for 3 people):
300 grams of Garofalo Whole Wheat Pappardelle,
8 fresh artichokes,
a spoonful of butter,
Parmigiano Reggiano,
1 tablespoon of flour,
lemon juice (from ½ a lemon),
1 garlic clove,
parsley,
salt.
PREPARATION:
First, take the artichoke leaves off of the outside and the thorns of the heart and soak them in a bowl of water, lemon and flour and let them sit for about 30 minutes.
After that, rinse the artichokes well, cut them in strips and stew them for about 10 minutes in a pan with parsley, garlic, salt, olive oil and a little bit of water.
Put the pasta in a good amount of salted water.
Once the pasta is cooked and drained, put it in the pan with the artichokes and toss everything together adding the butter and a little bit of parmigiano reggiano.
