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Emilia Regional Meal
Monthly column by Rosa D'Ancona - March 15, 2008

The Emilia Romagna region of Italy is home of the Parmigiano Reggiano, mortadella (bologna) and tortellini, and it has conquered the world with its typical products and simple, hearty recipes. In this region two separate traditional cuisines with different temperaments are identifiable. There's the Emilian cuisine, which is more refined, and the Romagna cuisine, which is simpler and exhibits stronger flavors.

The unchallenged top element though is pasta in both camps, especially the stuffed kind. In many local trattorie one can see the making by hand of tortellini, tortelloni, tagliatelle, etc.

The most common pasta sauce in the region is called ragù (from the French ragout) which comes in two main versions as well. The typical Bolognese version is made with ground meat, while the other version, influenced by other regions, is made with meat cooked for a very long time, until it practically breaks into pieces. The smaller types of pasta, such as tortellini, are usually served in broth, while the larger tortelli filled with meat, or the pumpkin or ricotta tortelloni, are served with a sauce, often simply consisting of butter and sage. Other typical regional pastas are the lasagne Bolognese-style and cannelloni (another kind of stuffed pasta).

The gastronomy from Romagna instead, appears to have been influenced by the central-southern regions of Italy, since it incorporates such ingredients a chili pepper, abundant olive oil and tomatoes, and, above all, the tradition of barbecuing both meat and seafood. The Romagna meat-based recipes, both beef and pork, as well as the seafood preparations, are certain to satisfy even the most demanding palates.

Among the Mediterranean catch the sanpietro (John Dory), sogliola (sole), rombo (turbot) and anguille (eels), which are either fried, grilled or stewed (cioppino-style). In this part of the region a local flat bread, called piadina is very popular. It's a small, round, unleavened bread which is traditionally filled with prosciutto and squacquerone (kind of cheese eaten very fresh, with a gooey, mushy structure). In Emilia on the other hand, there are two particular types of bread: the crescentine, also called gnocco fritto, and tigelle.

Vegetables are used widely in many recipes as well, from pumpkin, used to stuff the cappellacci (as tortelloni pasta is called in Ferrara), to many aromatic herbs and asparagus.

In addition Emilia is among the regions with a wide variety of cheese and cold cut production, from the the various types of prosciutto, to coppa, bologna, pancetta (rolled bacon), salami, zampone and cotechino. Many of these products have obtained the IGP e DOP recognition.

As for the cheeses, suffice it to say that this is the homeland of the world famous Parmigiano Reggiano, which is a global symbol of Italian food quality. A totally different product, which is widely appreciated by consumers, is the squacquerone cheese, whose Italian name describes its soft, creamy, shapeless consistency.

Another unique Emilian product is the condiment aceto balsamico (balsamic vinegar). Both the original Aceto Balsamico tradizionale di Modena, and the Aceto Balsamico di Reggio Emilia, are unparalleled by any of the various hundreds of imitations found in almost any supermarket worldwide. Different ageing stages, as well as the type of wood in which the vinegar has aged, affect the use of this product. In fact it can be used in salty dishes, for instance to season green and vegetable salads, along with a drip of extra virgin olive oil and salt, or drip a few drops over cutlets, or with risotto. But it is also excellent with sweet dishes, such as with strawberries and sugar, or gelato (Italian ice cream).

In addition to pasta dishes, this region is widely appreciated for meat preparation and cold cuts as well. There are also a few varieties of fruits typical of Emilia Romagna, which are famous also outside the national borders, such as the cherries from Vignola, nectarines, and pears. These and other fruits are used to prepare delicious fruit salads or, as in the case of pears, served with Parmigiano Reggiano, pecorino and/or provolone cheese.

The excellent Emilia Romagna cuisine finds its perfect pairing with the regional wines, which are often lightly or fully sparkling, especially in Emilia, or the northwestern part of the region. Vitiviniculture in this region has ancient roots which reach back to the Etruscans. The Lambrusco grape, which produces the naturally re-fermenting red wine which is the symbol of the region, was already known before the widespread of Vitis Vinifera. Make no mistake though, this region produces other outstanding wines in addition to Lambrusco, such as Albana, Alionza, Pignoletto and Sangiovese di Romagna, which has a totally different character from its Tuscan cousin, grown on the other side of the Apennines, plus some other native varieties.

Hors d'oeuvres:	Gnocco Fritto (Home Made Fried Bread)
First Course:	Tagliatelle al Ragù (Flat Egg Noodles with Meat Sauce)
Second Course:	Cotolette alla Bolognese (Cutlet Bolognese-Style)
Dessert:	Crostata di Ciliegie (Cherry Pie)

Hors d'Oeuvres
Gnocco Fritto (Home Made Fried Bread)
Preparation:
330 gr. flour 100 gr. butter 20 gr baking powder Olive oil to fry Salt

Preparation:
Dissolve baking powder thoroughly in lukewarm water. Lay flour in a circle,add pinch of salt, softened cube of butter and water with baking powder. Mix all ingredients until obtaining a homogeneous dough. Cover and let rise for 40 minutes. With rolling pin, flatten dough to around 5 mm (around 0.2 inches) thick. Cut either round pieces with an upside down glass, or diamond shapes with knife. Heat abundant olive oil (old timers still favor strutto [lard]). Drop the dough and turn at least once to brown both sides. Drip excess fat and lay on absorbent paper. Serve hot with cold cuts and cheeses.
Wine:
Pignoletto dei Colli Bolognesi Frizzante or Lambrusco di Sorbara

First Course
Tagliatelle al Ragù (Flat Egg Noodles with Meat Sauce)
Ingredients for the sauce:	Ingredients for the dough:
200 gr. ground veal 100 gr. ground pork 50 gr. sausage 150 gr. tomatoes 80 gr. onion 60 gr. carrots 40 gr. celery 20 gr. butter 2 dl. di meat stock 1 dl. white wine Salt ad pepper to taste	200 gr Flour 2 eggs

Preparation:
Clean and wash onion, carrot and celery thoroughly. Chop finely and brown for a few minutes in a casserole with butter. Crumble sausage and add to the casserole along with ground veal and pork. Add wine after 5 minutes and let evaporate. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 2 hours, adding broth from time to time as needed. Once cooked, turn heat off and add a small bit of butter. While the sauce simmers, lay flour in a circle with a well in the center. Add eggs in the center. Work eggs with a fork, then mix until the dough is smooth and homogeneous. With rolling pin, flatten until very thin. Lay pasta on dishcloth and let dry. Roll pasta into a tube and cut strings about 5 mm wide (around 0.2 inches). Boil abundant salted water and cook pasta tagliatelle. Drain al dente (slightly undone according to US taste), and mix with ragù in a serving bowl.
Wine:
Lambrusco Emilia IGT

Second Course
Cotolette alla Bolognese (Cutlet Bolognese-Style)
Ingredients:
6 veal cutlets 1 egg (whisked) Few slices of prosciutto Abundant Parmigiano Reggiano cheese Sliced white truffles Salt and pepper to taste Breadcrumbs

Preparation:
Flatten cutlets thoroughly, roll in breadcrumbs, paying attention to coat thoroughly all around cutlet. Next dip cutlets in whisked eggs seasoned with salt and pepper, then roll again in breadcrumbs. Fry with hot lard until the breadcrumbs are golden-brown. Lay cutlets on greased baking plate, drizzle abundant Parmigiano cheese. Add sliced truffles, cover with sliced prosciutto, then sprinkle abundantly with more grated Parmigiano cheese. Heat in oven until cheese melts. Serve hot with favorite vegetable side dish.
Wine:
Sangiovese di Romagna DOC Riserva

Dessert
Crostata di Ciliegie (Cherry Pie)
Ingredients for the dough:
200 gr. durum flour 100 gr. sugar 100 gr. butter 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk Salt to taste
Ingredients for the filling:
150 gr. cherry jam 50 gr. pitted cherries Butter
Preparation:
Mix butter until soft and creamy. Lay flour and sugar on work table, add egg and egg yolk. Whisk with fork, add butter and pinch of salt, then mix until obtaining a smooth, homogeneous dough. Roll dough in a ball, wrap in clear wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. Keeping a little amount of pasta apart, flatten the rest until about 5 mm thick (around 0.2 inches). Lay dough in a round baking plate about 22 cm (around 8.6 inches) of diameter, being careful to wrap the sides as well. Lay cherries at the bottom, cover with jam, and smooth surface. Flatten remaining pasta and cover pie, squeezing dough lightly against rim. Bake in oven at 180°C (356°F) for about 35 minutes.
Wine:
Malvasia dei Colli Piacenti Amabile, or Albana Passito