A Special Offer from a Door to Italy - Scuola di Italiano per Stranieri

    Our friends at A Door to Italy - Scuola di Italiano per Stranieri would like to meet members of the Modern Italian Network!  Located in Genoa, Italy this school offers Italian language and cuisine courses ranging from beginner to advanced levels.  Their students come from all over the world!  A Door to Italy has offered a 10% discount on the course package to Modern Italian members with an option of also making lodging arrangements as follows:

-   Language Course – 20 lessons of Italian Monday through Friday from 9:10AM until 1:00PM

-         Cuisine Course – 3 lessons plus 3 buffet dinners; lessons last about 3 hours each with an in-house teacher; at the end of the lesson, we will eat the meal prepared in class

-         Lodging – double room in Bed and Breakfast guest house in the city relatively close to the school (travel time on foot: approximately 10-15 minutes).  Services include:

o     Room equipped with a television

o      Self-serve Italian breakfast  

o      Sheets – changed weekly

o      Water, gas, heat, electricity, use of the washing machine once a week

o        Kitchen to use in the evening on your own and cook your own meals (food for meals not included in this package)

o        Housekeeping is done daily in the common areas; bedroom housekeeping is done once a week

For those who would like to make their own housing arrangements, the offer for the 10% discount on the courses will remain intact.

For more information on this offer and to register please send an e-mail to info@adoortoitaly.com; send a fax to: 0039 010 2542240; call by telephone: 0039 010 2465870 and mention Modern Italian to redeem your discount.

Please click here to visit the A Door to Italy website for further details.

Spiedini alla Romana (Skewered Chopped Beef Roman Style)

Meat Mixture Ingredients:
1 lb. chopped beef (top round)
2 eggs
3 tbs. grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tbs. chopped parsley
1 clove garlic
Salt & pepper to taste

Mix all meat ingredients thoroughly.  Mold into oblong shapes 2 inches long and 1 inch in diameter.  Set aside on platter.  Other ingredients:
1 lb. mozzarella cheese
1/4 lb. prosciutto
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
4 slices white bread
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup peanut or olive oil
Salt & pepper to taster

Have 12 skewers ready.  Cut bread, prosciutto, and Mozzarella into 1-inch squares and place on separate plates.  Thread each skewer alternately with oblong meat shapes, bread, prosciutto, and Mozzarella.  Set aside.  Break eggs into deep oblong dish; beat thoroughly.  Place bread crumbs and flour on convenient flat board.  Dip filled skewer in flour, then in egg, and finally in bread crumbs.  Set all aside on platter.  Place oil in very large frying pan; when well heated, fry spiedini (filled skewers) quickly about 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown but not dry.  Serve on skewers while still sizzling hot.  Serves 6.

The Art of Italian Cooking (Maria Lo Pinto)

2011 Tour to Italy

IL DUO DINAMICO
SPG AND IL POETA MISTERIOSO
TRIP TO ITALY
TRAVEL DATES: June 26, 2011 - July 6, 2011 (11 DAYS / 09 NIGHTS) 
Contact person: Catherine Miserendino cmiserendi@comcast.net  
or call 410 529 9791

FLORENCE
Le Due Fontane 3* Down				www.leduefontane.it
Hotel Meridiana 3* Down				www.florence-hotel-meridiana.com
Villa Gabriele d'Annunzio 3* Down				www.hoteldannunzio.com
Viva Hotel Capitol 3* Down				www.florence-hotels-capitol.com
LIDO DE VENICE
Hotel Villa Panononia 3*				www.hotelvillapannonia.it
Hôtel Rigel 3*				www.hotelrigel.it
hotel Riviera 3*				www.rivieravenezia.it
ROME
Madison 3* down				www.hotelmadisonrome.com/en/index.htm
Galles 3* Down				www.romeby.com/gallesrome/
Mercure Corso Trieste 3* Down				www.mercure.com
Mercure Piazza Bologna 3* Down				www.mercure.com

Uova Fiorentina (Egg Florentine)

Ingredients:
4 eggs
3 tbs. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. fresh spinach
Salt & pepper to taste
4 tbs. grated Pecorino cheese

             Clean, wash, and drain spinach carefully.  Put oil in saucepan; when hot, add spinach.  Cover well; cook 10 to 12 minutes or until tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
             Arrange spinach in four individual ramekins (glass serving bowls).  Break an egg over each; sprinkle 1 tablespoon of grated Pecorino cheese over top.  Bake in moderate oven about 3 minutes or until egg white is firm but yolk is still soft. Serves 4.

(From The Art of Italian Cooking)

Nonni's Zuppa di Pollo

When it comes to Italian cuisine, it seems to strike a nerve with many people.  Not just Italians.  I would even venture to say that non-Italians seem to get more excited about Italian cuisine than the nationals themselves!  There are many factors as to whatever makes Italian cooking so special.  Of course, there is nothing like cooking with the country's fresh ingredients which seem to make the dishes so rich in flavor.  The simplicity in the dishes is probably what makes the abundant flavor stand out.  Let's not forget the love with which Italian dishes are brought to life!

We wanted to share with you this recipe from Maria Lo Pinto's book The Art of Italian Cooking.  We'll start with a classic soup:

Nonni's Zuppa di Pollo (Nonni's Chicken Soup)

1 plump fowl (4-5 lbs.)
2 large carrots
1 large onion
3 stalks celery
1 large onion
3 stalks celery
1 large fresh tomato
3 springs parsley
Salt & pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in 6 quarts of cold water.  Bring to a boil.  Lower flame and simmer for 2 hours or until fowl is thoroughly tender and meat falls from bone.  Remove fowl from pot.  Strain all vegetables through a sieve.  Heat exact amount for serving.  Serve piping hot and clear.  Serves 8.

(Recipe from The Art of Italian Cooking)

You can also take a look at our favorite food-related items and more here!

-Gina Andracchio