Umbria Regional Meal
Monthly column by Rosa D'Ancona - February 1, 2008
"A cuisine whose roots go back as far s the Middle Ages and, in certain cases. to the Romans. A poor cuisine, but rich in flavor, which has preserved many traditional recipes, as well as cooking techniques, especially meat based, almost unchanged.”
These are the characteristics which mark the Umbrian gastronomy and which make it unique, despite the cultural contamination which affected the neighboring regions. The key ingredient of this regional cuisine is meat, which is mainly barbequed. The beef is excellent, but pork is widely used as well, especially in the preparation of salamis and cold cuts which are the pride of the regional butchers, and include sausages, coppa (cold cut made with the pork neck), soppressata (another typical cold cut), mortadella (Bologna), capocollo (aged pork flank) and prosciutto among the other products which have made the gastronomy of this region famous in the rest of Italy.
Suckling black piglets are used to make porchetta , which is believed to have originated in this region, in Bastia Umbra.
Let's not forget poultry and game, especially the colombacci selvatici (wild birds similar to pigeons), pigeons and guinea fowl cooked leccarda-style. This recipe takes its name from the terra cotta, called leccarda, used to collect the fat dripping from the guinea fowl, to be re-used during the preparation of the dish.
Though meat is at the center of the regional cuisine, recipes based on fresh water fish, such as carp, carbonaretti (small pike fish) and alborella (Alburnus alburnus).
Both meat and seafood recipes are seasoned and flavored with the excellent extra virgin olive oil produced in the region, black truffles, of which the region has abundance, and wild aromatic herbs, which enhance the natural flavor of the basic ingredients.
As one might expect, Umbria has its own home made pasta and bread tradition which is passed down from generation to generation.
Among the pasta dishes lets highlight the ciriole (home made coarse noodles served sauteed in olive oil and garlic, or with meat sauce), the umbrici (thin home made spaghetti seasoned with tomato sauce or olive oil and garlic with abundant grated Pecorino cheese), or pasta with beans and pork skin. In addition to pasta recipes, the traditional first courses include soups such as the acquacotta (literally, 'cooked water' made with leftover bread and tomato), lentil soup, scafata (non translatable - broad beans and pesto made with parsley, garlic, chard and tomatoes), and the garbanzo and spelt soup.
The regional pastry tradition is noteworthy as well. Arguably, the most well-known regional dessert is the Panpepato, a recipe which originated in the Middle Ages and prepared mainly during the holiday season. This recipe brings together odd ingredients such as dried fruit, chocolate, cooked must, honey, black pepper and hot spices.
To wash down the Umbrian specialties there are the excellent regional DOC an IGT wines, with the rare Sagrantino di Montefalco and Torgiano to lead the list.
Hors d'Oeuvres |
| Crostini al Tartufo (Truffle Crostini) |
| Preparation: |
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- 6 sluices bread
- 100 gr truffles (sliced or pate)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- Salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste
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| Preparation: |
- Chop truffles and garlic.
- season with oil salt, pepper, lemon in enough quantity to mix everything into a rough spread.
- Toast bread, season each slice with oil and lemon then spread truffle sauce.
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| Wine: |
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First Course |
| Ciriole alla Ternana (Ciriole Pasta Terni-Style) |
| Ingredients for the dough: |
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| Ingredients for the sauce: |
- 300 gr tomatoes
- 1 garlic clove
- Basil
- Chile pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grated Pecorino cheese
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| Preparation: |
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- Knead flour, salt and cold water until the dough is firm.
- Taking small amounts of dough, shape it into long, rough, uneven, thick noodles.
- Let dry for at least two hours.
- Brown garlic, add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook pasta in abundant salted water.
- Drain pasta, add sauce and abundant grated Pecorino cheese.
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| Wine: |
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- Orvientano Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon
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Second Course |
| Faraona alla leccarda (Guinea Fowl Cooked Leccarda-Style) |
| Ingredients: |
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- 1 guinea fowl, chopped
- 375 ml white wine
- 1 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Butter
- Few sage leaves
- 2 lemon slices
- 4 chicken liver
- 1 rosemary sprig
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| Preparation: |
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- Wash guinea fowl, chop it, then wash it again with wine.
- In a frying pan brown onion and garlic.
- Add guinea fowl and cook until liquid is released.
- Drain the liquid, substitute used onion and garlic with fresh ingredients.
- Add oil, butter, salt, pepper, sage and brown.
- Add white wine to cover and lemon slices.
- Cook covered.
- Brown chicken liver with oil, butter, rosemary, sage, onion and one garlic clove.
- Add one glass white wine and bring to simmer.
- Mash liver, add salt and pepper as needed, add tsp. butter and mix into a sauce.
- When guinea fowl is almost done take out meat and stir the gravy.
- Add chicken liver sauce, mix, add guinea fowl meat and let stew a few minutes before serving.
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Dessert |
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| Brustengolo (Non translatable) |
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| Ingredients: |
- 350 gr fine corn meal
- 1 liter water
- 100 gr pine nuts
- 100 gr sugar
- 100 gr raisins
- 1 apple
- 1 dessert wine glass of Mistrà (anise flavored liqueur)
- Half glass extra virgin olive oil
- 4 Tbs. lemon juice
- 1 Tbs grated lemon zest
- 200 gr walnuts
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Preparation: |
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- In a large bowl mix flour and slightly salted boiling water with wooden cookware until obtaining a fairly soft dough.
- Peel apple, slice it and sprinkle with lemon juice.
- Add pine nuts, chopped walnuts, grated lemon zest and season with sugar, oil and mistrà.
- Add the mix to dough.
- Grease oven tray, pour the mix, flatten with a knife until roughly two or three cm (.78 to 1.18 inches) thick.
- Cook for 2o minutes in oven pre-heated at 180°C (356°F).
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| Wine: |
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Buon Appetito! |
