RECIPE: Mamma Ester, Farro Salad from Garfagnana, Tuscany

Mamma Ester comes from the region of Garfagnana, in the north-west of Tuscany. Mountains, Valleys, The Marble Caves and the Tirreno Sea, makes the area a beautiful spot to visit a stunning nature and historical towns.
Food is of course an important part of the region. Our charcuterie foods come from there.
A special product from Garfagnana is Farro, a grain similar to pearl barley with a special flavour (halfway between couscous and rice), Romans used it to make bread and soups.

Here is the recipes of Mamma Ester's Farro Salad:

Ingredients for 4 people:
200 gr. Farro (soon in our stock!!)
8 cherry tomatoes, diced
1 zucchini julienne
1 carrot julienne
1 celery
15 green olives
basil
mint
extra virgin olive oil
salt and shredded black pepper

Wash the Farro well and soak it for about 3-4 hours in cold water, then drain it. Cook the farro in saucepan covered with cold water and bring to boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, until tender, and drain well. In the meantime cut julienne or dice all the vegetables and place them on a plate. Add the olives, the tomatoes, basil leaves and mint leaves and mix all.
When the Farro is cooked, wash it in cold water and drain it again.
Mix Farro with the vegetables, dress it with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.
A fresh, tasty and light salad is ready!

A glass of our delicious and fruity Bacio Rosé will pair perfectly with your salad!

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RECIPE: Zia Elisabetta pasta with asparagus and ham. Seasonal, delicate and delicious.

Mr. Asparagus acutifolius belongs to the family of Liliaceae, picked in springtime, healthy food for its specific properties: diuretic and ideal for a pre-bikini diet.
In the kitchen, just wonderful for a risotto, Italian omelette, or simply cooked flavored with olive oil and vinegar etc

Today recipe is an idea of Zia Elisabetta, simple, quick and very delicious. You can use Farfalle, Penne or Maccheroni pasta or Maccheroni pasta (see our special Martelli).

Ingredients for 2 people:
250 gr. wild asparagus spears
100 gr. Tuscan ham
1 onion
black pepper
extra virgin olive oil Triglifo
sheep cheese Pecorino Toscano
250 gr maccheroni pasta

Wash the asparagus, cut and select the spears. Chop the onion and make crispy in a large pan with extra virgin olive oil Triglifo. Add slices (or cubes) of the Tuscan ham for a few minutes.
Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water until al dente. Add the asparagus spears to the boiling water for the last 2-3 min of the cooking time (this will give a special flavor to the pasta).

Drain the pasta and asparagus, then mix in the pan with the ham, sprinkling grated Pecorino and adding freshly grounded black pepper.

Healthy and tasty spring dish for all.

Perfect match with our red wine DOC Macchion Del Lupo

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RECIPE Mamma Antonietta's best pasta sauce: Sicilian broccoli pasta.

Here is a simple and delicious recipe of a fantastic and rarely know pasta dish:

Main course for four people.
Get
+ 500 gr of our Maccheroni Martelli
+ 500 gr broccoli (better broccolini, now is the season!)
+ 2 anchovy fillets
+ red hot chilli pepper
+ salt
+ 1 garlic clove
+ parmesan
+ 1 small spoonsfull of pine nuts
+ 1 big spoonfull of raisins.

Boil enough water to cook the pasta in your beloved pot. Once the water starts boiling (only then!) add salt and then the broccoli (only the flower heads) and let the veg cook for about 10 minutes. Make sure not to over cook the broccoli, they must be still a bit hard. In the meantime, keep the raisins in a bowl with water to let them get softer for about 5 minutes, then dry out the water. When ready, take out the broccoli and put them in a plate. In the same water start cooking the pasta. Sauce: pour a bit of our extra virgin olive oil on a large pan and add the anchovy fillets and the garlic. The anchovies will melt in the hot oil and the garlic will get soon “blonde”. Once the garlic is toasted take it out and add as much as you like hot pepper (crushed or whole) together with the cooked broccoli. After 3 minutes add raisins and pine nuts, the sauce is done! In the meantime the pasta will be ready al dente. Mix the pasta for a few extra minutes in the pan together with the sauce. Just before serving top with sliced parmesan. You are practically a sicilian chef now.

DID YOU KNOW? Broccoli is a member of the cabbage family, and is closely related to cauliflower. Its cultivation originated in Italy. Broccolo, its Italian name, means "cabbage sprout." Because of its different components, broccoli provides a range of tastes and textures, from soft and flowery (the floret) to fibrous and crunchy (the stem and stalk). Oh yes.

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