Cari amici,
Seems like yesterday we were in the midst of the holidays...and now the 40 days of Lent are upon us! Time for some decadence with a traditional lasagna and yummy fried Carnevale treats. There's a recipe below and also on Gina's blog (links are below).
Great time to travel to Italy! The exchange rate for the US dollar to the euro is at its best in over 10 years at $1.13, and we are keeping an eye out for lower air fares for spring and fall travel. We have several culinary trips planned this year - take a look below for more information. If you're interested in renting a villa contact Mary - there is still availability at some of our favorites! Buon Appetito!Gina and Mary
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Carnevale Treats
There is a big celebration all over the world in the days leading up to Lent, in what are, or formally were, Catholic countries. Called carnevale in Italy, the word literally meant " a removal of meat", and began as an acknowledgment that they would soon be faced with 40 days of fasting before Easter. It evolved into a decadent celebration of masked parties and rich foods, before Ash Wednesday reminds us all that "man thou art dust and unto dust thou shall return." Italy abounds with many special dishes that show up in celebration for any number of feast days and holy days, some more regional than others. The fried and sugared pastry strips of the last blog (recipe to the left, here), cenci, lattughe and chiacchiere, are found throughout all of Italy, with different names; but in Naples you also find struffoli, those little chickpea size fried balls with colored sprinkles. It is also in Naples that you will find an especially rich lasagna dish called Lasagna di Carnevale. Chock full of meat balls, sausage balls, mozzarella and ricotta, this rich lasagna is a celebration of the Napolitano kitchen. It is the origins of what Americans typically copy for lasagna and has become common at any important celebration in Naples. But it was originally a rich expression of eating well and fully before the privations of Lenten sacrifice and penitence. Click here for the recipe
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