First Courses of the Traditional Florence Cookery

Spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino = Spaghetti with garlic, oil and chili powder

• Spaghetti
• Salt
• Extra vergine olive oil (one/two spoons per person)
• Garlic
• Chili powder
• Parmigiano

Put some olive oil in a frying pan (one/two spoons per person) and add some minced garlic (1/2 cloves) heat it but not fry, put little salt, at last add the chilli. Put the boiled pasta into the pan, mix and serve with Parmigiano cheese.

Spaghetti con i pomodorini = Spaghetti with little tomatoes

• Spaghetti
• Salt
• Extra vergine olive oil (one/two spoons per person)
• Garlic (1/2 cloves)
• Little tomatoes (as in the photo)
• Chilli powder
• Parmigiano

Put a frying pan with some olive oil in (one/two spoons per person) on the fire, add some minced garlic (1/2 cloves) when it fries, add the little tomatoes (cut them into two parts if they are too big), add a little salt and cook for 5/10 minutes, at last add the chilli. Put the pasta into the pan mix and serve with Parmigiano cheese.

Spaghetti alla carbonara = Carbonara spaghetti

• Spaghetti
• Salt
• Ham or bacon (50 gr. per person)
• Yolk
• Butter
• Black pepper
• Parmigiano and pecorino cheese

For this recipe I use ham instead of bacon because it is less fat.
Put very little olive oil in a frying pan, cut in little cubes the ham or the bacon , put the cubes into the pan and roast them. When they are well roasted, switch off the fire and add the butter (one spoon per person) later add the yolks (one or two every two person), add the grated cheese and mix all, add the boiled pasta.

Spaghetti con le cicale = Spaghetti with the squills

• Spaghetti (80 grams per person)
• Salt
• Extra vergine olive oil (one/two spoons per person)
• Garlic (1/2 cloves)
• Little tomatoes (as in the photo)
• Chilli powder
• Squills (three or more per person) – also shrimps, prawns etc.

Put a frying pan with some olive oil in (one/two spoons per person) on the fire, add some minced garlic (1/2 cloves) when it fries, add the little tomatoes (cut them into two parts if they are too big), add the squills, a very little salt and cook for 10 minutes, at last add a little chilli. Put the pasta into the pan mix and serve.

Farfalle con verdure = Farfalle pasta with vegetables

• Farfalle (80 grams per person)
• Salt
• Extra vergine olive oil (one/two spoons per person)
• Zucchini (
• Asparagi
• Piselli
• Little tomatoes
• One little onion
• Parmigiano

Cut the vegetables in little pieces, put a frying pan with some olive oil on the fire, put the minced onion, fry and then add the vegetables, the salt, cook for 15 minutes. If necessary add a little water while cooking. Mix with the boiled pasta

Orecchiette con i broccoli = Orecchiette and broccoli

• Orecchiette (100 grams per person)
• Broccoli
• Extra vergine olive oil (one/two spoons per person)
• Garlic (1/2 cloves)
• Chilli
• Parmesan cheese

Boil the broccoli in water and salt. When I prepare this pasta I always cook many broccoli (about 1 kg) and I use some for the pasta and the others as vegetable with the second course. Drain them. While the orecchiette are boiling, put a frying pan with some olive oil in (one/two spoons per person) on the fire, add some minced garlic (1/2 cloves) when it fries, add the broccoli and a little chilli. Wher the orecchiette are cooked, mix all together. Add the parmesan.

Pasta all' uovo = Egg pasta

Now you can find good egg pasta in every shop, remember that a good egg pasta must have 5 eggs per kilogram, not less. In Italy you can find dry and fresh egg pasta.Sometime I prepare home made pasta, you can use it for:

• Tagliatelle
• Taglierini
• Lasagne
• Tortellini
• Ravioli

To prepare the pasta you need very little things:
A clean wooden rolling board and, if possible, a normal pasta machine like the one in the photo. If you do not have the machine you can prepare the sheet of pastry with a rolling pin or even with a bottle. I prefer kneading by hand than by a machine because for me cleaning a machine is worse than 15 minutes work kneading a mixture.

Well: put the flour on the board, make a hole in the centre with your fist and put the eggs into the hole

Every 100 grams use one medium or big egg.
Mix first with a fork and then with the hands, dust often the desk with little flour. Work on the mixture for 10/15 minutes and then leave it under a length of cloth for about 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough with the machine or with a rolling pin.
Dust well a board or a cloth with flour and put the sheets of pasta on it they must not touch one another.
Your pasta is ready to be used as tagliatelle or lasagne.

Lasagne = Florentine Lasagna

• Pasta for lasagne (see the previous recipe or buy a ready made)
• Ragù (see the previous recipe)
• Béchamel sauce
• Grated parmesan
• Olive oil
• Salt.

Boil a plenty of salt water and add one spoon of olive oil, put into the boiling water six or seven pieces of pasta, let them boil for some minutes (3 or 4) mixing often with a ladle. Take out of the water the slices of pasta and place them on a clean cloth on a table. Continue until you finish all the pasta slices.
Place a layer of pasta in an oiled baking tin, cover with ragù (about one spoon every slice), with béchamel sauce (half spoon per slice), sprinkle with parmesan. Repeat until you finish the pasta and end with the parmesan. Bake for 40 minutes, grill for the last 5 minutes.

Gnocchi di patate = Potatoes gnocchi

• Potatoes (Yellow) gr. 500
• Flour gr 300.

In a pot boil the potatoes with the peel, when they are cooked, peel them and while they are hot mash them. Put the mash on a wooden board and mix with the flour. Divide the mixture in bits and work each of them whit your hands to form little snakes Cut these little snakes in pieces about 2/3 cm each. Pass these gnocchi on the prongs of a fork. Your gnocchi are ready. Place them in boiling water, when they come up on the water surface, they are cooked.
Gnocchi are good with pomarola, ragù and pesto.
I like to prepare them in three colours in the same plate: one part with butter and parmigiano cheese, one part with pesto (and parmigiano cheese) and the third with pomarola or ragù (of course with parmigiano).

Risotto ai funghi = Rice and mushrooms

• Rice (two handfull per person + 1 for the pot – this is what my granny used to say )
• Mushrooms (500 gr, porcini are the best)
• Garlic (1 or 2 cloves)
• Hot consommé or hot water
• Butter
• Parsley
• Olive oil
• pepper

Place in a saucepan a little oil and the minced garlic, sauté, add the mushrooms cut in pieces, and the rice, mix all for one or two minutes and then add the hot water and the salt, cook for about 20 minutes mixing frequently and add more water if necessary. At the end add some butter, pepper and parmigiano cheese

Risotto ai carciofi = Rice and artichokes

• Rice (two handfull per person + 1 for the pot – this is what my granny used to say -)
• Artichokes (one each person or one every two people)
• Garlic (1 or 2 cloves)
• Hot consommé or hot water
• Butter
• Parsley (a good bunch)
• Olive oil
• Pepper

Mince the garlic and the parsley, place it in a saucepan with a little oil, clean and cut in little slides the artichokes and place them in the pan. Add the rice mix all for one or two minutes and then add the hot water and the salt, cook for about 20 minutes mixing frequently and add more water if necessary. At the end add some butter, pepper and parmigiano cheese.

Risotto nero alla fiorentina = Black rice with cuttlefish

• Rice (two handfull per person + 1 for the pot – this is what my granny used to say -)
• Cuttlefishes (two each person)
• Garlic (1 cloves)
• Hot fish broth or hot water
• ½ onion
• White wine (one glass)
• Chard (about 400 grams)
• Olive oil
• Tonmato sause (one spoon)
• Pepper and salt

Clean carefully the cuttlefishes and keep the little bladder with the black ink, (you can also buy the black ink)
Brown into 6 spoons of oil the onion and the garlic, add the cuttlefishes you had cut in pieces, and the chard also cut in strips, cook for 5 minutes and add the white wine, let it evaporate and then add the rice , the tomato sauce the broth, the salt; after about 20 minutes add the black ink and serve with pepper.