EARTHQUAKES IN ISCHIA

The Island of Ischia, by A. Ortelius, 1592

Modern Ischia

An earthquake, measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale stroke the island of Ischia, a popular tourist resort, near Naples, Italy, leaving two women dead and at least 36 people injured.   The towns that were significantly damaged were Casamicciola and Lacco Ameno, where all the buildings collapsed and at least 2.500 residents of the region had to be evacuated to safer destinations.

Fortunately, a baby and two children that were trapped under the rubbles of their house, in the village of La Rita, were rescued by the Italian fire brigade, and no one else seems to be missing.



Here are a few regional recipes.



                                                       TIMBALLO

This a delicious baked pasta dish.

500 g (1 lb) anelletti pasta, boiled in salted water "al dente" and strained, then add
2 tbsp melted butter and swirl


2 tbsp olive oil
1 bay leaf
2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely sliced
1 carrot, peeled and finely grated

1 kg (2 lb) shoulder of pork, cubed
4 tbsp tomato paste
Salt and freshly grated black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 salt spoon dried red chili pepper flakes, optional
125 ml (1/2 cup) white wine
1 litre (4 cups) hot, tasty chicken stock

150 g (1/4 lb) ricotta
250 g (1/2 lb) Parmesan grated, separated
150 g (1/4 lb) provelone cut in slices

A knob of butter
2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs mixed with
2 tbsp grated Parmesan,


Saute the onion, carrot and bay leaf in olive oil until soft.  Add the garlic and meat and cook until,  brown all over.  Stir in the tomato paste, and season with salt, freshly ground pepper, grated nutmeg and red chili pepper, if using.

Pour in the white wine and cook, stirring until the alcohol evaporates.  Then add enough chicken stock to cover the meat.   Lower the heat and simmer, covered for about 1 hour, until the meat is very tender and the sauce thick. Discard the bay leaf and stir in the ricotta cheese.  Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Preheat the oven to 180 C  (350 F) and lavishly butter a baking dish and sprinkle it with the breadcrumb/Parmesan mixture.

Place the boiled pasta in a large bowl and sprinkle with half the Parmesan.  Arrange half the pasta in the prepared baking dish, and level the surface with a wooden spoon.

With a slotted spoon add the cooked meat evenly over the pasta, reserving the sauce for later.  Cover the meat with the provelone slices.  Top with the remaining pasta, leveling the surface, and sprinkle with the remaining  Parmesan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.  Run a flexible knife around the edges of the dish and reverse the timbale on a hot dish.   Serve with reserved tomato sauce from the ragu and a large green salad.


                                                SARTU DI RISO

A Delectable Italian Dish

This is a baked rice dish, very similar to the previous one.


500 g (1 lb) Arborio rice
1 liter (4 cups) tasty chicken broth
Salt to taste
1 bay leaf


250 g (1/2 lb) finely grated Parmesan
6 eggs

3 tbsp olive oil
500 g (1 lb) mild sausages, casing removed
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
2 sprigs basil or
1 sprig sage
One 5 cm (2 in)  piece of  Parmesan rind
2 x 400 g (1 lb 10 oz) crushed tomatoes

3 tbsp light cream
7 tbsp dried breadcrumbs

1 cup frozen peas
250 g (1/2 lb) mozzarella ball, diced

A knob of butter for the Pyrex dish + 1 tbsp extra butter cut into small pieces




Place the rice, chicken stock, bay leaf and salt to taste, in a saucepan.   Cover and simmer gently until the rice is cooked "al dente" and the liquid absorbed.   Remove the rice to a large bowl and set aside to cool.

Whip 4 eggs lightly and stir in 180 g (6 oz ) finely grated Parmesan;  add it to the cold rice and mix very well together and reserve.

Saute the sausage meat in olive oil until brown, transfer to a medium-sized bowl with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Saute the onion and garlic in the same olive oil, sprinkle with salt, stirring constantly until the onion is soft.   Add the basil or sage, the tomatoes and the Parmesan rind and bring to a light boil.  Reduce the heat and barely simmer, for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Discard the herbs and cheese rind and add 500 ml (2 cups) sauce to the reserved sausage meat.

Preheat oven to 180 C (350F)  and grease the inside of a Pyrex bowl lavishly with butter and sprinkle with the remaining breadcrumbs making sure that the dish is thoroughly covered with bread crumbs to prevent sticking.

In a separate bowl mix together 2 tbsp breadcrumbs, the cream and the remaining eggs, whipped.   Stir in the thyme and the remaining grated cheese and stir well together and reserve.

Add the peas and mozzarella to the sausage meat sauce.

Spoon 2/3 of the rice mixture into the prepared Pyrex dish, and press the rice evenly and gently over the bottom and sides of the Pyrex dish with damp hands.  Spoon in the sausage meat sauce, cover with the remaining rice and again press with damp hands especially along the sides to seal.   Spread the reserved breadcrumb/cream mixture over the entire surface,  Sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs, dot with butter, and bake for 45 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes.  Invert the sartu on a hot serving dish and serve with the remaining sauce.




                                                   PASTA E FAGIOLI  

A Beautiful Dish of  the Italian Cucina Povera

One can prepare this with a few rashers of chopped bacon or pancetta if preferred.


500 g (1 lb) cannellini beans, soaked overnight and boiled until tender, but not falling apart

500 g (1 lb) ditali or any other small pasta of your choice, parboiled

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 stalks celery, trimmed and very finely sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 sprig rosemary
1 small peperoncino de-seeded, optional
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4-5 tinned tomatoes, de-seeded
250 ml (1 cup) of the tinned tomato juice

750 ml (3 cups) or more tasty vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Grated pecorino or Parmesan


Saute the onion, carrot and celery in olive oil, stirring often, until soft.  Lower the heat and stir in the minced garlic, rosemary and peperoncino, if using and cook for a few minutes more and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  Then, stir the tomatoes and simmer gently until they separate from the olive oil.

Add the precooked beans and allow them to absorb the flavours and aromas for five minutes, before pouring in the vegetable stock and adding the parboiled pasta.

Simmer gently, squashing some of the beans to thicken the cooking liquid, until the pasta is thoroughly cooked.  Mix one tablespoonful of grated cheese into the pasta e fagioli, then taste and season with more salt and pepper, if necessary.

Serve sprinkled with freshly grated black pepper and drizzled with a little olive oil.   Hand around a bowl of grated cheese, for your guest to help themselves if required.




                                            FETTUCCINE  E SCAMPI

Here is an elegant Italian dish which I think you will love.


500 g (1lb) fettuccine, boiled in salted water and strained

1 tbsp olive oil
500 g (1 lb) large shrimp, shelled and deveined, thoroughly washed and patted dry
2 rosemary twigs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper, optional

2 tbsp butter
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine, a Chardonnay would be wonderful
750 ml (3 cups) thick cream
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


Parsley, leaves only, chopped



Rub the prawns with olive oil.  Cook in a single layer, with the rosemary twigs, in a hot frying pan until they just change colour, about 1 minute on each side. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and Cayenne pepper,  if using.  Transfer the prawns to a plate and discard the rosemary twigs.

Lower the heat, saute the onion in butter, sprinkle with salt, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft.  Add the garlic and stir for two minutes more.  Pour in the wine and simmer for 3-4 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.

Then pour in the cream and simmer for a few minutes, stir in the grated parmesan and cook until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.   Add the pasta and prawns and cook tossing until hot and well coated with the creamy sauce.  Taste and add salt and freshly ground black pepper, if necessary.

Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.




                                                     PORCHETTA

Stuffed Porchetta

Porchetta with Special Seasoning

One can prepare porchetta with a mince meat stuffing or just with special seasoning.


2 kg (4 lb) shoulder of pork, butterflied, skin left on

Special seasoning:
1/2 tsp fennel seeds and
6 black peppercorns
(both toasted for 5 minutes, ground and sieved)

1 salt spoon red pepper flakes
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
zest of 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp salt
(mix everything well together)

Stuffing:
1 onion peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
250 g (1/2 lb) minced pork
120 g (4 oz) chicken livers, cleaned and finely chopped
90 g (3 oz) toasted pine nuts
90 g (3 oz) raisins
5-6 leaves sage, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley, leaves only
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

250 ml (1 cup) white wine mixed
250 ml (1 cup) water



First, prepare the stuffing.  Saute the onion in olive oil until soft and sprinkle with a little salt.  Add the minced meat and the chicken livers, break up the mince with a wooden spoon. and mix everything well together.  Add the pine nuts, raisins, chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper, mixing well to combine, and simmer for 5 minutes more.  Place the stuffing in a bowl to cool.

Preheat the oven to its highest level.   Lay the meat on a working surface, skin side down, and season well with the special seasoning, massaging it all over.    Spoon the cold stuffing down the center of the pork, roll the meat up tightly and tie with kitchen string as tightly as possible in order to prevent the stuffing from falling out.

Place the rolled pork in a roasting tin, drizzle the skin with olive oil and pour the wine mixture all around.   Lower the oven temperature to 180 C (350 F) and roast for 3.5 - 4 hours until the skin is crispy and golden.

If you wish to serve immediately, carve the porchetta into thickish slices.  Otherwise, remove the crackling and set aside.   Slice the pork and serve with small pieces of crackling, roast potatoes, sauteed vegetables of your choice and a lovely green salad.  Contrary to Italian tradition, I usually serve porchetta with a bowl of apple sauce.

(Left over crackling can be heated in a hot oven to regain its crispness)





                                                          BONET

A Coffee, Rum and  Chocolate Custard

Individual Bonet

A delightful  Italian dessert very easy to prepare.   Bonnet can also be baked in a water bath (au bain Marie).


6 eggs
8 tbsp sugar, separated
700 ml  (2 4/5 cups) warm milk
210 g (7 oz) plain amaretti, finely crushed
2 1/2 tbsp of the best quality cocoa
250 ml (1 cup) strong coffee
3 1/2 tbs rum


Preheat the oven to 150 C (305 F).
Beat the eggs with 5 tbsp sugar, add the milk, crushed amaretti, cocoa, coffee and rum and mix very well together until thoroughly combined.

Heat the remaining sugar with 2 tbsp of sugar and let it become a golden brown,  Pour the liquid caramel into the warmed mould, swirl it to entirely coat the interior. and cool.

Pour the milk mixture into the mould and bake for 1 hour or until the custard sets.

Chill the dessert and run a flexible knife around the edges of the mould and carefully reverse the bonnet on a pretty serving dish.