Appetizers & snacks
CHISOLA (Kind of ‘focaccia’)
Ingredients:
- 2.3 pound all –purpose flour
- 2.7 ounces brewer’s yeast
- 0.9 pound ‘ciccioli’ (kind of cured pork meat) cut into pieces (1/2 inch each)
- ¼ pound lard
- ½ glass dry white wine
- salt
- olive oil
- warm water
Directions:
Stir ½ pound flour, brewer’s yeast and warm water. Place the dough in a lightly floured bowl, sprinkle with other flour. Let rise in a warm place for 12 hours. In a large skillet fry lightly ‘ciccioli’ and lard. Add some water if needed.
Pour the rest of flour on a surface. Make a well in the centre and add the yeast dough, warm water and white wine. Knead the dough for a few minutes and then add ‘ciccioli’. Stir until well blended. Let rise in a warm place for at least one hour.
Place the dough into a greased loaf pan and allow it to rise. In the meanwhile preheat the oven. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30/35 minutes.
This ‘focaccia’, loved by the great composer Giuseppe Verdi, has got very old origins. Currently it can be easily found bought at the baker’s above all in Borgonovo Val Tidone.
BURTLÊINA (kind of omelette)
Ingredients:
- 0.7 pound all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- salt
- water
- little onions
- lard
Directions:
In a large bowl stir together flour and water (stirred little at a time). Mix until well smoothed. Stir eggs and salt (just a little). Let the batter in the bowl for at about 30 minutes. Stir in a few little onions finely chopped. Mix until well smoothed. Pour the batter, little at a time, into a large skillet greased abundantly with lard. Drain the omelettes on paper towels. Serve hot.
This recipe is well known in Val Luretta. It can be made without little onions: perfect to be tasted with cured pork meats!
PISTA’ AD GRAS (lard thick dip)
Ingredients:
- lard
- garlic
- parsley
Directions:
Cut with a big knife the piece of lard until well blended and smoothed. Stir with some cloves of garlic (finely chopped) and a little bit of parsley. Excellent if served slathered on croutons.