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  • PastaMania #07: "Farfalle Funghi Asparagi" (Farfalle with Mushrooms and Asparagus)


     INGREDIENTS

    Serves 4
    ·      First you'll need 24 oz De Cecco farfalle
    ·      24 oz asparagus
    ·      6 oz fresh mushrooms
    ·      4 tablespoons De Cecco extra virgin olive oil
    ·      1 onion
    ·      2 oz Parmigiano
    ·      A bunch of basil
    ·      Salt to taste
     
    PROCEDURE
    ·      Clean thoroughly and slice the fresh porcini mushrooms.
    ·      Finely dice the onion.
    ·      Take the asparagus, remove stems and cut lengthwise into thin strips.
    ·      Remember to only use fresh vegetables and prepare them yourself. They're more flavourful than frozen, pre-cut vegetables.
    ·      Pour extra virgin olive oil into a large saucepan and add the onion first.
    ·      After a minute or so, add asparagus and stir until the onion is golden.
    ·      Once onion is ready, add porcini.
    ·      Cook for ten minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste and stirring thoroughly till well mixed.
    ·      When the water comes to a boil, add coarse salt and toss in the farfalle, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick.
    ·      Check to make sure the farfalle you are using is made in Italy with durum wheat semolina.
    ·      The best Italian pasta stays firm after cooking and has a rough texture that the sauce sticks to better.  
    ·      Cook farfalle for 12 minutes.
    ·      If you cook it longer, Italians won't like it! Pasta must be "al dente"—or firm to the bite. Don't strain the pasta—just remove it from the pot using a large slotted spoon and add it to the saucepan. The starch in the water will help the sauce stick to the pasta.
    ·      Cook over a high flame for a minute or so.
    ·      While stirring thoroughly, sprinkle with fresh basil and parmesan.
    ·      Farfalle con porcini e asparagi should be paired with a crisp, fresh Italian white such as Pinot Grigio from the northern region of Alto Adige. Or if you want to stay in the region of origin, try a Grechetto or Orvieto from Umbria.

    ... AND REMEMBER: To make an excellent pasta dish, use excellent pasta!


     
  • Life & People

    Partying with i-Italy - Slide Show


    "Being together, knowing each other and being connected to Italy. I-Italy is what we have in common!", Letizia Airos, Editor in Chief.


    "i-Italy sotto le stelle" was made possible by a lot of friends and the enthusiastic participation of numerous sponsors: dinner was offered by Giovanni Rana Pastificio e Cucina, and it was served with Prosecco Bastianich, Birra Peroni, Acqua San Benedetto, Limoncello Arvero and Bellini Cipriani. Dessert, two beautiful and delicious cakes carrying the i-Italy logo, were made by Bruno's Bakery. Other sponsors were Pasta De Cecco, Cirio, Colavita and Perugina which offered products for the gift bags. Alitalia participated donating two tickets, the first prize of a rich raffle. And more... gifts by Ribalta Pizza, Fabbrica Restaurant & Bar, Cacio e Vino, Cellar 58, Il Ristorante Rosi, The Leopard at des Artistes, Eataly NYC, Il Salumaio
  • Life & People

    I-Italy and friends: Alitalia Tickets Winners Hunt! In Search of the Unclaimed Winning Tickets!


    The raffle prizes were offered by a number of italian restaurants in New York and the first amazing prize by Alitalia : two tickets to Italy!

     
    As some guests left early, there are a few winners that still don't know how lucky they are.
     
    Brace yourselves: here is the list of the unclaimed winning tickets!
     

    2 Alitalia tickets: 164003


    Gift vouchers  for:

    The Leopard at des Artistes 164023
     
     
    EatalyNY: 164008


    ----


    The following prizes have instead been claimed last night - a dinner gift voucher at the follwing restaurants

    Ribalta
    Fabbrica
    Cacio e Vino
    Cellar 58
     
    If you have the winning ticket, please send a picture of it and you, along with your personal details to:

    summerparty@i-Italy.org



    I-Italy would like to thank Banca Intesa San Paolo for the great hospitality and  all the sponsors that contributed to make this evening a great success:

    Dinner offered by: Giovanni Rana Pastificio & Cucina, Prosecco Bastianich, Water San Benedetto, Beer Peroni, Limoncello Arvero,  Cake by Bruno’s Bakery

    Gift bags with the participation of Cirio, Colavita, De Cecco, Perugina, Cipriani Bellini
  • Events: Reports

    How Good Does "Italian Sounding" Sound?


    The phenomenon of Italian sounding represents not only a threat but also an extraordinary opportunity for Italian businesses. "Fake Italian" brands have in fact helped create and strengthen a bond between the product category and Italy. In other words, it is also thanks to Italian sounding products that Italy dominates the perception of quality by the consumer in different product categories .
     
    On this basis, PINYC  offers a unique chance to analyze threats and opportunities arising from this phenomenon, with perspectives given by leading stakeholders involved in the value chain high quality authentic Italian food. They will to discuss it with a representative of a leading Italian food manufacturing company, a major global retailer of high quality authentic Italian food products and a prominent PR firm.


     
     ----
    PINYC (a.k.a. PIN) is a group of professionals, entrepreneurs and researchers residing in NYC and it surrounding (Tri-State) areas who aim to organize, promote and participate in networking opportunities that are both social and professional. The Tri-State area possesses a flourishing Italian community, whose constituents utilize the qualities and skills they bring from Italy to achieve success in the local social and business environment.
     
    PINYC members are committed to contributing their talents to enhance the dynamic network of Italian professionals who live in the Tri-State Area, creating new relationships with Italy, and strengthening the already existing ones. PINYC is a nonpolitical, nonreligious, and nonracial association.
     ----

    About the panel:

    Dino Borri: Born and raised in Piemonte, Italy, Dino started his career in the food realm in 2000 with Slow Food hired where he organized all their gastronomic events. In 2008, Dino started collaborating with Eataly in Turin, where he soon became the person in charge of opening new Eatalian stores all around the world. He moved to New York in 2010 to open the Eataly New York and then Eataly Chicago. He is now focusing on developing key partnerships and relationships with like-minded Italian brands abroad, and is Eataly’s brand ambassador.

    Leonardo Auricchio: Head of the U.S. branch of Barabino & Partners, one of the leading branding, corporate and financial PR firms in Europe, as well as Italy’s largest PR firm. He oversees cross-border communication projects between Italy/Europe and the U.S. and advises European and Italian SMEs and large corporations on communication & marketing strategy in the U.S..

    Marco De Ceglie: Since early in his career, Marco de Ceglie has demonstrated that he has the leadership and diverse management skills to be a consistently strong contributor to corporate success. With 34 years of experience in the industry – 29 of which working for Unilever – he has a deep understanding of the consumer goods business. Significant brand experiences include a key role in the launch of the Dove brand in Europe and the worldwide management of Bertolli Olive Oil for several years in North America. Currently, he is the CEO of De Cecco Pasta in the U.S.A..




    RSVP to [email protected]

    ZIO Ristorante


    17 W 19th St, New York, NY 10011

    18:30 PM Monday, June 9th , 2014

     

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    Post by i-Italy.
  • Events: Reports

    The IBLA Grande Prize International Competition

    "The sunbaked island of Sicily, the largest and historically richest in the Mediterranean, is the scene of the annual IBLA GRAND PRIZE, a piano competition held in a hall buried among the clusters of 17th and 18th century stone buildings that crowd the little threads of streets. The rocky town of only 80,000 lies just a few miles from where Ionian and Mediterranean meet at Sicily's southern most tip. Hearing piano-playing in this kind of setting is amazing. It is like the opening of an ornate and ancient casket only to find it stocked with glittering gems."

                            -Gordon Sparber, Winston-Salem Journal, NC, USA

    Now in its 23rd year, the IBLA Grand Prize International Music Competition
    has become one of the world’s cultural treasures. Held each summer in Ragusa-Ibla, the quietly beautiful baroque quarter of the Sicilian provincial capital of Ragusa, the competition has consistently proven to be a world-class showcase for musical talent of the highest order.

    The competition’s founder, Dr. Salvatore Moltisanti, himself a pianist, has created an atmosphere that encourages openness to all forms of music, allowing presentations of all musical styles and instruments including several types of jazz ensembles, domra virtuosos, accordionists, folk singers, and many others from outside the classical mainstream, as well as instrumental and vocal performers of standard and contemporary repertoire. The IBLA event thus is a place where the ideas of wonderfully talented people can be nurtured in a spirit of respect.

    Every year the Baroness Maria Zerilli-Marimò, Chairwoman of the IBLA Foundation, offers people the opportunity to experience the extraordinary talent of these musicians at Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò of NYU with a se-ries of events leading up to and following the annual Gala concert. This year the concerts will take place on May 14 at Carnegie Weill Recital Hall and at Casa Italiana Zerilli Marimo'.  As we have come to expect, the event will present musicians of the highest order.

    Ibla is the name of an ancient baroque enclave, the hilltop UNESCO World Heritage site that sits below more modern center of Ragusa. The city and itssurrounding Monti Iblei are but 18 minutes away from the Mediterranean coast.
    ------

    Three days of performances at Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo'

    May 12, 2014

    (06:00 PM )
    The first day of performances at Casa Italiana will feature pianist Cong Cong, performing music by the Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, before his Carnegie Hall debut.

    May 13, 2014

    (06:00 PM )
    The second of three days of performances at Casa Italiana will feature French harpist in the world, Claire Iselin, before her Carnegia Hall debut.

    May 16, 2014

    (06:00 PM )
    The last of three days of performances at Casa Italiana will feature cellist Christoph Croise, soon after his Carnegie Debut.

    List of performers this year

    LIST OF PERFORMERS

    Anujin Altangerel, Piano / MONGOLIA
    Vito Amato - Percussion / ITALY
    Vladimir Anisimov, Saxaphone / RUSSIA
    Natalia Anisimova, Piano / RUSSIA
    Kris Becker, Piano / USA
    Sergio Cali, Percussion / ITALY
    Cong Cong Chai, Piano / HONG KONG
    Christophe Croise, Cello / SWITZERLAND
    Antonino Errera, Percussion / ITALY
    Michal Gajda, Accordion / POLAND
    Anzel Gerber, Cello / SOUTH AFRICA
    Robert Guzik, Guitar / POLAND
    Kai Han, Piano / USA
    Claire Iselin, Harp / FRANCE
    Matei Ioachimescu, Flute / ROMANIA
    Ariunzaya Jargalsaikhan, Piano / MONGOLIA
    Ian Miller, Piano / USA
    Alexander Panfilov, Piano / RUSSIA
    Alessandro Russo, Piano / USA
    Ben Schoeman, Piano / SOUTH AFRICA
    Gabriella Sultana, Piano / MALTA
    Raika Tetsu, Violin / JAPAN
    Ana Topalovic, Cello / SERBIA
    Adam Woch, Guitar / POLAND
  • Events: Reports

    Just Like a Comet: Marco Bellocchio in New York

    He was in town for two reasons: first a retrospective at Moma that celebrates 50 years of his career as a filmmaker (www.moma.org) and the presentation of the book about him titled Morality and Beauty edited by Sergio Toffetti. We're talking about Marco Bellocchio one of Italy's most celebrated film directors who, along with Bernardo Bertolucci and Pier Paolo Pasolini, has become a leading cultural figure for generations of Italians.

    Born in Piacenza in 1939, Bellocchio first was interested in poetry, than he had a painting phase, tried to be an actor, applied to the film school Centro Sperimentale in Milan and became a director. He made his film debut in 1965 with Fists in the Pocket which immediately placed him at the forefront of international cinema. The film, a prophetic precursor to the student revolutions of the late 1960s, shocked Italian society and cinema and defined him a controversial director who consistently confronts the sociopolitical issues that define a particular moment. His films have addressed the anger and alienation that defined the generation of 1968 (Fists in the Pocket), religion seen through the eyes of an atheist whose mother is proposed for sainthood by the Vatican (My Monther's Smile), crucial historical moments, such as the kidnapping and execution of the Italian politician Aldo Moro (Good Morning, Night), and difficult issues, such as euthanasia (Dormant Beauty), inspired by current events.

    The Moma retrospective features 18 of his films and runs through May 7th. “I think they selected most of my significant films,” Bellocchio told I-italy during a video interview (which will be aired soon!) “Of course they had to chose and some films were indeed excluded. I am surprised about the exclusion of Sorelle Mai, a 2010 film that is really personal.” Sorelle Mai is a nostalgic fantasy documentary that depicts in six episodes the Bellocchio's family story in Bobbio between 1999 and 2008.

    And his family was in New York with him, his wife Francesca Calvelli, who works as an editor on his films, his son Pier Giorgio, who often acts for him, his daughter Elena and more... there was also actress Maya Sansa, who has starred in three of his films, and who, by now, is also part of the family. “Once you work with him,” Sansa told us, “a connection is established, a connection that remains unbroken, even after the shoot. It is very intense and there is a sort of telepathy. Marco says little, but if you are connected with him you know what he wants from you... and you become one.”

    In the book Morality and Beauty Sansa is one of many who had something to say about the film director. “The book, which is bilingual, wants to tell how Bellocchio's cinema is made,” Sergio Toffetti said. It is divided into three parts: first there is a section called “The Filmmaking Machine,” which starts with a long interview with Bellocchio and then continues with a series of testimonies from people who have been on set with him. Among them, in addition to Sansa and his son Pier Giorgio, we find celebrated actor Sergio Castellitto, who has started in a couple of his films (My Mother's Smile and The Wedding Director) and Roberto Herlitzka, who played Aldo Moro in Good Morning, Night. The following section is called “Our Elder Brother,” and includes writing from a generation of Italian film directors who have come after Bellocchio and who have been inspired by his work. Among them we find Gianni Amelio and Marco Tullio Giordana. The third and last part includes essays, critiques and interpretations written by important film scholars, including Antonio Monda who addresses the issue of History and Revolution in Good Morning, Night. “I've not had the chance to read it all,” Bellocchio joked, “but I can say that Sergio has been successful in making me look good. It is incredibly helpful to know what people think of you and of your work. One of my greatest regrets is that I cannot find out directly form the audience what they get from watching my films. I would love to sit with them, and hear their response. It is incredibly helpful and fulfilling.”

    Richard Peña, ex Director of Lincoln Center's Film Society and now Professor at Columbia University, wrote an introduction to the book, by the title Marco Bellocchio: Back in the USA, where he described the effects of Bellochio's cinema on American audiences. He wrote: “For American audiences, Marco Bellocchio has been something like a comet, a presence in the celestial cinematic heavens whose presence we've always known was out there but who would always draw close enough for us to actually see his work every ten or fifteen years. As a result, we've had to re-acquaint ourselves with him a few times, and yet although the style and some of the themes have changed, there's also a startling consistency to all he's done. Let's hope that, thanks to this current retrospective, now that we have him in our orbit we can now keep him close to us forever.”

    We asked him if he feels like a comet, if he's planning to return in ten or fifteen years. Bellocchio smiled and reassured us that, although he is not planning to shoot anythingin the US, his cinema is here to stay.

  • Fatti e Storie

    "Diciamo basta alla violenza e ai diritti negati"


    E' stata celebrata al Palazzo del Quirinale, alla presenza del Presidente della Repubblica, Giorgio Napolitano, la Giornata Internazionale della Donna. "Diciamo basta alla violenza e ai diritti negati" è stato quest'anno il filo conduttore che ha posto al centro dell'incontro sia le azioni per contrastare persistenti condizioni di oppressione femminile nel mondo, sia alcune delle conquiste raggiunte nella prima parte del 2014.


    La cerimonia, condotta dalla giornalista Maria Concetta Mattei, è stata aperta dalla proiezione di un filmato realizzato da Rai Educational, al quale hanno fatto seguito l'intervento del Ministro dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca, Stefania Giannini, la testimonianza della professoressa Amel Grami sul processo democratico che ha portato l'inserimento della parità di genere nella Costituzione tunisina, l'intervento del Ministro degli Affari Esteri, rappresentante del Governo, Federica Mogherini, e la lettura della poesia "Sii dolce con me. Sii gentile", da parte della poetessa Mariangela Gualtieri.


    Il Capo dello Stato ha poi consegnato le seguenti onorificenze dell'Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana:


    Avv. Lucia Annibali - Cavaliere - Per il coraggio, la determinazione, la dignità con cui ha reagito alle gravi conseguenze fisiche dell'ignobile aggressione subita;


    Avv. Irma Conti - Cavaliere - Per il suo significativo contributo al contrasto della violenza sulle donne attraverso l'apertura di uno sportello di ausilio per il sostegno alle vittime di violenza sessuale e domestica e per le iniziative di intervento preventivo;


    Avv. Gilda Violato - Cavaliere - Per la sua appassionata opera di assistenza a favore delle donne profughe e immigrate svolta anche in occasione delle recenti situazioni di emergenza a Lampedusa;


    Dott.ssa Francesca Monaldi - Ufficiale - Per la professionalità e la passione con cui ha organizzato e gestito azioni di contrasto ai reati di natura sessuale e rappresentato la Polizia di Stato in iniziative di sensibilizzazione sul tema;


    Dott.ssa Simona Lanzoni - Commendatore - Per il suo costante impegno nell'affermazione dei diritti delle donne all'istruzione e al lavoro e nell'avvio di processi di empowerment nei paesi in via di sviluppo e in Italia;


    Sig.ra Maria Maddalena Bonetti (Suor Eugenia) - Grande Ufficiale - Per la sua instancabile attività di difesa e accoglienza della donne immigrate, vittime del traffico di esseri umani;


    Sig.ra Francesca Viola (detta Franca) - Grande Ufficiale - Per il coraggioso gesto di rifiuto del "matrimonio riparatore" che ha segnato una tappa fondamentale nella storia dell'emancipazione delle donne nel nostro Paese.


    Il Presidente Napolitano, dopo aver consegnato una Targa alla campagna di "NoiNo.org", per l'importante contributo nel sensibilizzare gli uomini sulla necessità di isolare, condannare e rigettare ogni forma di violenza maschile sulle donne, ha rivolto un discorso ai presenti.


    Hanno partecipato alla cerimonia il Presidente del Senato della Repubblica, Pietro Grasso, il Presidente della Camera dei Deputati, Laura Boldrini, il Presidente della Corte Costituzionale, Gaetano Silvestri, il Ministro della Difesa, Roberta Pinotti, il Ministro per le Riforme Costituzionali e i Rapporti con il Parlamento, Maria Elena Boschi, il Ministro per la Semplificazione e la Pubblica Amministrazione, Marianna Madia, rappresentanti del Parlamento, delle istituzioni, della cultura e della società civile.


    Precedentemente il Ministro dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca, Stefania Giannini, e il Segretario Generale della Presidenza della Repubblica, Donato Marra, hanno consegnato le pergamene e le medaglie della Presidenza della Repubblica ai vincitori del concorso nazionale "Donne per le Donne - Diciamo basta alla violenza e ai diritti negati", promosso dal Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca.


    In ricordo delle vittime della violenza e per partecipare al lutto dei loro familiari, la Fontana dei Dioscuri sul piazzale del Quirinale è stata illuminata di rosso la sera del 7 marzo e l'8 marzo, dalle 19.30 alle 02.00. Sulle basi dell'obelisco sono stati proiettati i nomi di alcune delle vittime delle sanguinose aggressioni dell'ultimo anno. Un modo per mantenere viva la memoria di tutte coloro che sono state uccise. L'esterno del palazzo del Quirinale è stato decorato con foglie di alloro per onorare quanti si sono battuti a favore dei diritti delle donne.
  • Events: Reports

    "Finding the Mother Lode: Italian Immigrants in California"


    "This excellent film fills a real gap in our understanding of the complexity of the Italian immigration experience… It is a must see!" Carol L. McKibben, Historian, Stanford University

    Finding the Mother Lode is "a thoroughly woven narrative of the Italian experience in the Golden State … the perfect companion piece to Pane Amaro, which together form a one-two punch of the history of Italians on both coasts of the United States."  Anthony Julian Tamburri, Dean, John D. Calandra Italian American Institute (Queens College, CUNY)

    Too little known, even in the west, this story of California’s Italians provides a bracing contrast to east coast stories and opens a new route to understanding the diversity and complexity of ethnic histories in the Golden State. If you have ever wondered about the origins of that tower in Watts, the workers of cannery row or the transformation of Americans into drinkers of wine, you will find answers here. Filmmakers Gianfranco Norelli and Suma Kurien offer a vivid interpretation of the past—one that recalls the ugly along with the beautiful and the conflicts and tragedies along with the solidarity and triumphs.

    Donna R. Gabaccia, Historian. University of Minnesota

     

     

    ---

    The experience of Italian immigrants in California has been markedly different from that of their compatriots elsewhere in the United States. Initially part of the Gold Rush, these immigrants turned to farming, fishing, viniculture, and commerce. Through stories set in seven Italian-American communities throughout California,Finding the Mother Lode examines how economic and social mobility became possible for many Italian Americans in the Golden State. The film weaves together oral histories from community members and contextualizing historical analysis by scholars to tell a thorough and engaging narrative of migration, transformation, and self-identification.
     
    Post-screening discussion with the directors led by Joseph Sciorra, Calandra Institute.



    ----


    Finding the Mother Lode

    Directed by Gianfranco Norelli

    Produced by Suma Kurien and Gianfranco Norelli

    Edited by Kathryn Barnier


    John D. Calandra Italian American Institute

    25 West 43rd Street, 17th floor

    New York, New York 10036

    (Between 5th and 6th Avenues; B, D, F, M to 42nd St./Bryant Park, or 7 to 5th Ave./Bryant Park)

     
  • Dining in & out: Articles & Reviews

    Going Veggie, Italian Style


     Over the ages, resourceful Italian cooks have devised countless ways to prepare vegetables—all incredibly flavorful and simple. In this rich collection of traditional and contemporary Italian recipes for vegetarian and nearly vegetarian dishes, cooking authority Michele Scicolone shares recipes that she gathered during years of traveling in Italy.


    Some, like Green Fettuccine with Spring Vegetable Ragu and Easter Swiss Chard and Cheese Pie, came from talented home cooks. Others, such as Stuffed Cremini Mushrooms, were passed down through her family. She encountered still others, in- cluding One-Pot “Dragged” Penne, in restaurants and adapted dishes like Romeo’s Stuffed Eggplant from the cookbooks she collects. Many recipes display the Italian talent for making much out of little: Acquacotta, “Cooked Water,” makes a sumptuous soup from bread, tomatoes, and cheese. In keeping with Italian tradition, some dishes contain small amounts of pan- cetta, anchovies, or chicken broth, but they are optional.


    Simple desserts— Rustic Fruit Focaccia, Plum Crostata—finish the collection.

    Already well known to the world of foodies and lovers of fine Italian eating, Michele rose to a quasi-celebrity status when she wrote (with Allen Rucker) two best-selling cooking books inspired by David Chase’s multi- award-winning HBO dramatic series “The Sopranos”: The Sopranos Family Cookbook (2002), and Entertaining with the Sopranos (2008), both published by Grand Central Publishing.


    Last but not least, nearly 40 years ago Michele married wine expert Charles Scicolone, and since then they have been woring together, travelling to Italy several times a year, either to visit winemakers, research for books and articles, with groups on culinary tours, or simply to explore and enjoy. Michele and Charles are leading food and wine bloggers for i-Italy’s online portal and have appeared in this magazine and its companion TV show from the very beginning.



    The Italian Vegetable Cookbook

    Michele Scicolone

    Rux Martin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

    ➤ pages 224 ➤ $ 23.10

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