My Italy Eats

Dishes I've tried and come to LOVE!

TASTE. image by Flora Kontilis

Souvenirs from TASTE. image by Flora Kontilis

The first weekend in Florence my mom and I went to TASTE, a food and wine tasting event. Basically, I was in foodie heaven. I lit up and bounced around the countless vendors, sampling their divine selections of wines, tomato sauces, cheeses, salami, olive oils, chocolates, and truffles (it’s no surprise to say Italians are passionate about their cuisine). I even stepped out of my comfort zone and indulged in some exotic samples. I dare say the best thing I tasted that day was…pork liver. Yes, that’s right. Approaching the booth, gazing at the jar of who knows what, I thought, "Screw it! I’ll try that." It was amazing! And then I accepted a taste of pork cheek, which was also exceptionally good.

First time tasting Peposo. image by Flora Kontilis

To that end, I’ve been a bit more adventurous with trying the food here. Until now, I hadn’t eaten red meat since 2006. But in Florence I’ve been intrigued try it. I came to the right place: Florentines are known for their steak dishes. So far the best thing I’ve been introduced to is Peposo, a Tuscan beef stew. However, it’s not so much a stew as it is juicy pieces of beef (chuck steak) in a savory peppery sauce. Don’t let that deter you though; it’s not spicy by any means. Last night I shared Peposo with my mom. I sliced through it like butter. No...really. Who would have thought of all the things to eat here that I’d love a red meat dish? This is definitely one of my favorite take-aways from Italian life.

Vendor at TASTE. image by Flora Kontilis

I’ve found a peposo recipe for you here. Food blogger Giulia Scarpaleggia has a great post on peposo as well. Enjoy!

Oh, and stand back, Manchego. Watch out, Buffalo Mozzarella. Pecorino cheese is where it’s at.

Pear slices with goat cheese and honey

image by bon appétit

Last night was Girls Night. I reveled at the chance to host my mom and my dear friend Joanne. It was one of those occasions you witness from outside yourself. You know, the ones that warm your heart and make you think, "This perfect evening is my life, happening right now." I do this sometimes. I enjoy brief bits, aka internalize for a while, when time slows down if only for a fraction of my day or even week. Couple that with cooking (hello, passion!), hosting, and spending time with two of the most influential women in my life and voilà! A happy place is born.

A dish from the night included sliced pears with goat cheese and honey.

What you need:

• pears (I chose bartlett pears, cut in long slices, and served at room temp.)
• spreadable goat cheese 
• honey
• almonds slices (optional)

What you do:

• simply cut your pears in half then in long thin slices
• spread goat cheese on one side of each pear slice
• arrange on a plate and drizzle with honey
• sprinkle almond slices across the arrangement 
• enjoy individual bite size treats!

*for more recipe ideas visit my Pinterest board 

Crispy brussel sprouts

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I'm a sucker for brussel sprouts. It's a bit of a joke between me and my friends when we go out to eat. If there's a brussel sprout dish on the menu, then I'm all in.

Here's a shot of my homemade Crispy Brussel Sprouts. The recipe is easy! See below:

What you need:

1. large brussel sprouts, washed and peeled
2. extra virgin olive oil (I used Organic Tuscan Blend from il fustino)
3. salt and pepper

What you do:

1. pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees
2. cut brussel sprouts in fourths (if you use small brussel sprouts then you can probably just cut in half)
3. place on a large baking sheet, drizzle olive oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. toss until fully coated and place in the middle of the baking rack
4. cook until tender and edges are slightly crisp 

*my favorite go-to ingredients include flavored olive oils, like the one I used here, from il fustino.