Fall and winter are very good times for hearty dishes. Italian falls into this category, but there are many kinds of Italian cuisine, not just pasta and pizza. It varies not only by region but by meat as well. I love to cook, but I do not claim to be an expert on these dishes. They are fun to prepare and certainly enjoy.
Regional Italian cuisine highlights its connection to the land and its people, emphasizing the use of fresh, local ingredients, the simplicity of dishes, and the deep-rooted traditions and history that define each region's culinary identity. Food is seen as an expression of love and a fundamental part of Italian culture and pride, reflecting a unique regional history at the table.
Northern Italy: Rich, Creamy, and Hearty
The cuisine of Northern Italy is heavily influenced by its cooler climate and proximity to neighboring countries such as France, Switzerland, and Austria. As a result, the dishes here tend to be richer, creamier, and more meat-centric. Some of our favorite dishes include:
Crockpot Braised Oxtails with Veg Over Taters
3 1/2 pounds oxtails
1 medium onion (chopped)
4 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
4 carrots (peeled and cut on diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces)
1 (14 to 16-ounce) can tomatoes (chopped)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 Tbsp. Pecorino Romano
In a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat until very hot. Cook oxtails, in batches, until browned, about 5 minutes per batch, using a slotted spoon to transfer oxtails to crockpot as they are browned.
Add onion and garlic to drippings in pan; cook until onion is tender - about 7 minutes. Stir in carrots; then add tomatoes with their juice. Stir in broth, ginger, salt, ground red pepper, and allspice; heat to boiling. Place into crock pot with oxtails.
Cover and cook on low for 5 hours or until meat is tender. With a slotted spoon, transfer oxtails to warm platter. Skim and discard fat from pot liquid; pour juice over meat, garnish with cheese, and serve. You can serve this over rice, orzo, or potatoes.
Venison Manicotti
1 pound venison (preferably burger)
½ cup diced onion
1 15 oz. tub park skim ricotta
1 cup mozzarella
½ cup parmesan
1 cup shredded spinach
1 package manicotti shells
1 jar marinara sauce (choice)
½ pint half n half
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Chives
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp SPG
Chop spinach and set aside. Heat olive in skillet over medium heat. Add venison, Worcestershire, and onion; break apart and brown. If using Axis deer, this won’t take long. Drain when done. Cool and then place in large bowl and mix with all the cheeses, spinach, and seasonings. Mix well. Preheat oven to 350F.
Boil water in large pot and cook manicotti about 6 minutes. Set aside in strainer and spray with cold water.
Pour marinara sauce and enough ½ and ½ to make a lighter, creamier in a saucepan and warm on medium low. Ladle bottom of baking dish with some of the sauce.
Stuff shells with mixture and place in bottom of 9” x 9” baking dish or larger. If you have extra mix, save it. Pour a light ribbon of marinara mix down the middle on top of shells and then top with any remaining stuffing mixture. Sprinkle with chives. Place in oven uncovered and bake for 30 minutes. Serve with salad and garlic bread.
Central Italy: Pasta, Olive Oil, and Simplicity
Moving towards the center of Italy, the food becomes more balanced, featuring a mix of meats, legumes, and fresh vegetables. Pasta is a major staple, often prepared with simple yet flavorful sauces. Beef is a favored ingredient here and as such:
Wild Boar Ragu with Pappardelle Pasta
1.1 pounds wild boar you can also use pork
14 ounces pappardelle pasta
Marinade
1 onion peeled and halved
1 carrot washed and cut into large pieces
1 celery stalk washed and cut into large pieces
2-3 bay leaves
2 teaspoon juniper berries
2 cloves of garlic peeled
1 sprig rosemary
2.10 pints red wine
ground black pepper
For the sauce (You can use commercial, Primavera)
1.1 lbs tomato passata or peeled tomatoes
1 onion peeled and finely chopped
1 carrot washed and finely chopped
1 celery stalk washed and finely chopped
2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves peeled
3-4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
5 flozs red wine 1 serving
salt for pasta and to taste
black pepper to taste
Wash the wild boar meat, cut it into chunks and put it in a large bowl.
Add the onion (peeled and cut in half) and the carrot and the celery in large pieces, the 2 peeled cloves of garlic, the bay leaves, the juniper berries, the rosemary and some black pepper. Cover with red wine and mix. Cover the container with plastic wrap or a lid and allow to stand in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.
Once the necessary time has passed, drain the meat and eliminate the vegetables and herbs. You can cut the meat into smaller pieces if preferred.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet and fry the garlic, carrot, celery and onion slightly. Add the bay leaves and wild boar meat; brown it on all sides.
Add the red wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Lower the flame and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the tomato pulp/ peeled tomatoes and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook with the flame reduced to a minimum for about 1.5-2 hours (depending on the size of the pieces of wild boar and how old it is). Stir occasionally and add some beef stock or water if the sauce seems dry.
While the ragu is cooking put a pot of water onto boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again. When you are ready to serve your wild boar ragu, cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. Once ready, save a cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta. Serve immediately.
Tagliatelle alla Bolognese
1 lb fresh egg tagliatelle (or fettucine in a pinch)
3/4 lb ground beef
1/3 lb pancetta
1 1/4 cup of tomato passata or tomato purée
3/4 cup of beef broth
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup of red wine
1/2 cup milk
extra-virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
Chop the pancetta. Trim the celery, carrots and onion, and mince into fine pieces. Heat a pan with a drizzle of oil, sauté the pancetta, add the vegetables and gently sweat until soft.
Add the meat and sauté for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup wine and allow to completely evaporate. Add the tomato passata and stir for a few minutes. Add 1/2 cup milk and cover with the broth.
Cook the meat sauce for 2-3 hours, adding more broth every now and then while adjusting the seasoning.
Cook the tagliatelle in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes or until al dente, drain and serve with generous amounts of sauce.
Southern Italy: Bold Flavors, Tomatoes, and Seafood
As we move further south, the cuisine becomes spicier, more tomato-based, and heavily reliant on seafood. The warmer climate allows for the cultivation of sun-ripened produce, including tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. We love shrimp and fish.
Venison Orecchiette
1 pound ground venison
½ pound ground pork
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large egg
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
¼ cup whole milk
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon chili flakes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 jar Ragu Vodka Sauce or Five Cheese
1 pound orecchiette (or tortellini works as well)
½ pound fresh or smoked mozzarella, coarsely grated
¼ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
NOTE: You can make this with either the meatball recipe listed below or just season and mash together and then simmer it in skillet without forming into meatballs but use ½ cup bread crumbs.
In a bowl, mix the ground venison and pork together with the garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, ¼ teaspoon of the pepper, and the chili flakes. Mash vigorously with your hands until smooth, about 3 minutes. Shape the mixture into small balls.
Heat the olive oil in a pan large enough to accommodate the meat (balls). When they have browned evenly, after about 10 minutes, add the Ragu Sauce. Dilute as needed. Season with ¼ teaspoon of the salt and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray PAM a 9 x 12 baking dish and add place meat (balls)/sauce mix.
Cook the pasta in 4 quarts of boiling water with the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt until al dente; drain and fold into the pan with the meat (balls).
Top with the Mozzarella and Pecorino. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until bubbling, and serve hot. Serves 6
Gemelli with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
16 ounces gemelli pasta
2 tablespoons butter
16 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
10 ounces wild mushrooms or shiitake sliced
3-4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/3 cup cooking sherry
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Set a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, cook the gemelli pasta according to package instructions. Drain reserving 1 cup of pasta water for later use.
Meanwhile slice all the mushrooms into thin slices. Then chop the garlic, rosemary, and
thyme.
Set a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the butter, mushrooms, and garlic. Add a good sprinkling of salt to the mushrooms. Stir and sauté the mushrooms until they release their juices, 5-6 minutes.
Add in the cooking sherry and fresh herbs. Stir well and simmer another 3-5 minutes, until most of the moisture has cooked down.
Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Once the cheese has melted into the sauce, place the drained pasta into the sauté pan. Stir to coat the pasta with the mushroom sauce.
Add ½ - 1 cup of the reserved pasta water to the pan to loosen the sauce.
Once the pasta is well coated and the sauce has tightened a little, taste, then salt and pepper. Serve warm with an extra sprinkling of Parmesan cheese
The Islands: Sicily and Sardinia
Italy’s islands have developed unique culinary traditions influenced by various cultures, including Arab, Spanish, and Greek flavors.
Fritto Misto
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 can beer
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
1 12-oz. can seltzer
Vegetable oil, for frying (about 6 cups)
1 tsp fennel
½ pound battered white fish (of your choice)
6 oz. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, halved lengthwise
½ cup fresh basil leaves
Lemon wedges (for serving)
Vigorously whisk 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ tsp. baking powder, and ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl to combine. Gradually pour in one 12-oz. can seltzer, whisking constantly until combined.
Pour vegetable oil into a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot to 2” depth. Working in batches as needed, repeat with beer battered cod chunks, trimmed, torn or cut into bite-size pieces, 6 oz. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, halved lengthwise, and ½ cup basil leaves.
Serve with Garlic Aioli and olives. Recipe below:
5 cloves garlic, finely grated, minced, or pressed
1 to 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ tsp Dijon mustard
¾ cup mayonnaise & salt
Baked Cod a la Pizzaiola
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
½ cup finely diced onion
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed or chopped
1 tsp dried oregano, more for garnish
1 tsp sea salt
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cod fillets or loins (about 1-inch thick)
1 ¼ cups seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add onion and cook until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, salt, and garlic. Stir. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until thickened. Add the parsley, pepper and additional salt if needed. Continue cooking 5 to 10 minutes longer.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 1/4 cup of oil in a shallow bowl. Place the breadcrumbs in a separate shallow bowl. Coat the cod in the oil first. Then coat evenly in the breadcrumbs. Place on baking sheet, spacing evenly apart.
Spoon the sauce evenly on top of the fish pieces. Sprinkle with each piece with a pinch of dried oregano. Drizzle remaining oil on top and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
I urge you to try any of these that may pique your interests. They are simple meals but take 'scratch' ingredient efforts and time. Relax and enjoy.
"There is a history to Italian food that goes back thousands of years, and there's a basic value of respecting food"
Lidia Bastianich
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