Puglia Monti: Artichoke Heaven

Puglia Monti

     Puglia Monti is a quaint little place in Monti, very close to the Roman Forum.  The owner and chef is Emanuele Dicuonzo who is from Puglia, hence,  the name Puglia Monti.  I have to admit that although I am vegan, I tend to avoid restaraunts in Rome that are specifically vegan or vegetarian.  I do so because my experience has been that these places have a huge emphasis on veganism, and not the actual food, so they do a lot of mock recipes and overuse seitan, and they are often very overpriced.  Puglia Monti is a vegetarian place in the heart of Rome that specializes in regional dishes from Puglia, but the food speaks for itself.  I ate the best food I have ever had in Rome here.  We went to Puglia Monti for lunch on “Little Easter,” the Monday after Easter.  I wanted to get there while artichokes were still in season.  A few weeks earlier I had dinner at Puglia Monti and had the best artichokes I have had in my life.  

Emmanuale truly embraces the word chef .  He creates masterpieces from simple ingredients, which is the true heart of the Italian kitchen.  He is trying to showcase the best of the pugliaese kitchen, without using animal carcasses, which is the tendency in the Roman kitchen.  In Rome, it seems they make up for lack of flavor or creativity by overusing animal products.  After all, what is the excuse most people use for not being vegan?  It tastes so good.  The traditional Mediterranean diet is not full of animal fats and proteins: 

   
According to Dr Walter Willett of Harvard University's School of Public Health in the mid1990s:    The traditional Mediterranean diet diet is based on,  food patterns typical of Crete, much of the rest of Greece, and southern Italy in the early 1960s, this diet, in addition to "regular physical activity," emphasizes "abundant plant foods, fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert, olive oil as the principal source of fat”

 At Puglia Monti, the food is of another world.  Serious attention has been paid to every detail.   The food is fresh, the flavors simple, the presentation is modern and minimal.  It is a tiny place, with the capacity to hold maybe 20 people for lunch or dinner.  The wine list is 100% wine from Puglia.  The host is also a sommelier like us, and he is working on a degree in oenology.  He speaks perfect English, so if you have trouble reading the menu, he can help. 


      I came for the carciofi, and I left more than satisfied.  I have never before had artichokes this delicious in Rome, the city known for artichokes.  

YUMMY!

We ordered a bottle of Cacc'e Mmitte di Lucera which is a DOC from the province of Foggia.  The principle grape is Troia.  It was a decent wine that was ruby red, earthy, honest, and warm.  It had a great minerality, but die to it's position in the south, it lacked a good acidity.  

For my starter I ordered Spiedini di Carciofi e Mandarini con Insalata di Finocchio, Pangrattato e Pesto delle Tremiti-Artichoke and Mandarin Skewers on a bed of roasted Fennel Salad, Bread Crumbs and Pesto of Tremiti

It was out of this world.  Everything was perfectly cooked, the vegetables were still crisp.  The mandarin was slightly caramelized, it was heaven.  The bread crumbs gave it a lovely texture, almost like cane sugar because it had set in with the caramelized mandarin.  The entire creation was perfectly balanced.  It was evenly sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and mineral with each bite.  The plate was also very well presented.

For my primo I ordered: Ravioli Ripieni di Carciofi su Crema di Fave Secche e Menta- Artichoke stuffed Ravioli with a Cream of Fave Beans and Mint

This was the great surprise of the evening.  I would love to know how he was able to manage to make stuffed ravioli using a pasta recipe without eggs(usually a binder) and yet the pasta was rich, homemade, and did not break.  It was actually delicious.  The dish was so creamy, I was in gastronomic heaven.  The filling was also a surprise.  I expected the usual bitterness to accompany the artichoke, but instead found that it was very complex, sapid, savory, nutty, and only slightly bitter.  This was a marvelous recipe.  I wish I at least had the recipe for the pasta.  

   

For my main I ordered:

Variazione di Carciofi-Mixed Artichokes

1.  Carciofi alla Giudia-Jewish style artichoke, or,  fried artichoke flower

2.  Carciofi alla Romana-Roman artichoke or, Artichoke Stewed with Garlic and Mint

3.  Carciofi sottaceto-Pickled Artichoke

4.  Carciofi alla Brace-Grilled Artichoke

5.  Carciofi Fritti-Breaded and Fried Artichoke

Everything was cooked to perfection.  Nothing was overly greasy, the fried artichokes were not dripping in oil as has been my experience in other parts of Rome, and the pickled artichoke were crispy, fresh, and had a well balanced flavor.  They were not overly acidic.

For dessert:  Tortino al Forno con Frangipane e Mele su mosto cotto-Small oven baked Apple pie with baked apples.  

I have noticed a lack of photos of ME when we go out.


I can't wait to go back, I hope it will be soon, and when artichokes are still in season!


Puglia Monti
Via Urbana 104
Rione Monti, Roma
064742772
pugliamonti@gmail.com   


Antiqua Tours

Wolfberger: Vin D'Alsace

    

      I am quite impressed, with the new interest in wine in San Diego.  We went to a wine bar called The Wine Lover .   It was a lovely place, and I will definitely go back. 

My choice was an Alsace Gewurztraminer.  Try saying that 3x…

Wolfberger

Gewurztraminer

Alsace France

Vin D’Alsace

2003

    This wine was gorgeous.   It had a bouquet of roses and magnolia in bloom, but from a distance.  Not overpowering, like magnolia can be on a hot and humid day, but a hint.  The wine was sharing a secret, or seducing me with this intoxicating perfume.  On the palate it was slightly oily in texture, dry but fruity, with a long after taste.  It tasted of dried mangoes, hint of vanilla, and rose water.   This wine reminded me of Pablo Neruda love poems to his wife.  Romantic, well balanced, in harmony with a woman's taste, but not sickly sweet or overly romantic.  I enjoyed it immensely. 

Pappardelle alle Lepre di Seitan=Ribbon Pasta with Seitan Hare Sauce

Pappardelle alle Lepre di Seitan=Ribbon Pasta with Seitan Hare Sauce 

Last night I came home from a long day of work hoping that the house would be clean, the table set, and dinner served.  The day before I had to haul myself all over Rome with drippy nasty pink eye, and 2 days into it, I was absolutely exhausted.  I was at the Vatican.  Not only was I at the Vatican, which even in good times tests my patience, it is Holy Week.  The busiest week of the year in Roman tourism, and it was not a pretty sight, I can assure you.  I sent Ettore a message with a list of ingredients, hoping that my later SMS messages  saying I would be late would inspire him to turn up the burners and cook my favorite meal, Pappardelle all Lepre.  This is MY Vegan Chicken Soup for the Tired Soul.  Whenever I feel like I may have a Crohn's flare-up, I feel tired and worn out, or I just want something warm and yummy, I make this.  Chicken soup is disgusting, but I suppose it refers to comfort food that makes you feel better when you are sick.  When I first became vegetarian I thought I would still eat this dish on special occasions, but I couldn’t stomach it.  In Italian, Lepre are hare, wild rabbits.  Even when I ate this dish I never actually liked the meat, I just liked the flavor of the sauce, and I finally learned how to replicate it in a non cruel way with a lot of practice.  I personally don’t need the texture of Seitan for this dish to be appealing, so the Seitan part of the recipe is really not necessary.  This dish is also simple to make, so, even though I arrived home late last night and the table was empty, the burners cold, and the man in bed with the dogs, I managed to whip this up in about 45 minutes.  

Ingredients:


Sauce-

2 500g(15oz) cans of whole Roma tomatoes
1 vegan boullion cube

4 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon dried rosemary, OR two sprigs fresh rsoemary

1 teaspoon dried whole red calabrian hot peppers

1/2 cup of white vinegar( I like to used filtered apple cider)

1/4 cup olive oil
5-6 1 inch long thin strips of Seitan for texture (optional)
Egg free Ribbon Pasta for 4 people, OR  egg free Fettucine

Tools:  Mortar and Pestle for crushing and grinding

Directions:

In a large deep dished pan, pour olive oil and whole tomatoes and add two cans of water from the tomato cans, turn burner on high.

Put the garlic, rosemary, red pepper, and vinegar in the mortar and pestle and grind everything for about 2 minutes.  You don't want to make a paste but you want the mixture to be chunky.  When it is chunky, mix it in, mix until the sauce starts to boil, and then turn down to a low to medium heat.  Let the sauce simmer for at least 45 minutes, stirring it every 5 minutes or so and occasionally using a masher to mash the whole tomatoes.  The longer you cook the sauce the more concentrated it becomes, but also more flavorful.   If you feel it is getting to dry, add 1/4 cup water and continue to simmer for at least 45 minutes.  If you are using the Seitan, you'll want to through the strips in when you start to boil the water, so they don't break up too much.

While the sauce is simmering you can make your vegan Pecorino.  I have tried all the vegan parmigiano recipes on earth, but I experimented a bit and whipped up a lovely cheesy sprinkle for pasta, to replace the pecorino (sheep cheese) on top..  Even my cheese loving husband loves it.    I suppose this could last in the fridge for about a week, but I eat it up in about a day!    Since vegans sometimes have issues with B12, why not use a fortified Nutritional Yeast here, like Red Star.  My dogs and cats LOVE this "Almondzano."  As a bonus, it keeps ticks and fleas away!

Ingredients:

200 g of blanched almonds

1 teaspoon agar agar POWDER

1/2 tablespoon Celtic sea salt (NEVER table salt, not even cheap sea salt from the grocer)

1 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast

Directions:

Place everything into a food processor and blend until it is totally smooth with no chunks.  I process at least 5 minutes, but I also have a cheap ass food processor.  :)

I put this into a left over jar that I can close and store it in the fridge.  IKEA jars are also good. 

Now, back to the Pasta...

So the sauce has been simmering for at least 45 minutes, and you have been smelling all the amazing aromas of from the rosemary and vinegar, the tomatoes are no longer acid and the sauce is an aromatic masterpiece...it is time to boil your water.  In a large pot bring water to boil, add Celtic Sea Salt, or even the flavorful Himalayan salt(it's pink) and throw in your pasta, make enough for leftovers, because this dish is DELICIOUS fried up i the pan the next day.  It sort of reminds me of Thai food, as it is Aromatic, comforting, spicy, exotic, and tastes even better the next day.  

When Pasta comes to a boil drain, and put pasta back in pot, pour sauce over the  pasta and stir everything together and add some Almondzano while mixing.  Serve it in large Pasta bowls, and have a very quiet meal.  Nobody will talk because the dish is THAT delish!  Make sure to leave a small bowl of Almondzano on the table in case some people may want a more "cheesy" pasta.  

Buon Appetitto!!

Thousands Linger in Hell!

No-kill shelters are BIG business in Italy:
http://tiny.cc/W8BMF
It is disgusting how people take advantage of animals for profit.

There is one of these Canile Lager right near Rome, in Rieti. I am trying to
get some of the older dogs out, but I can't help them all.
http://ulminopericanidirieti.splinder.com/
there are only THREE people helping over 700 dogs.
Better is Laura at
http://www.adozionicani.it/
she responds quickly to emails.
I have posted about one, Sole, and received emails regarding wanting to
volunteer.

Your best option would be through them:
http://www.associazionecanililazio.it/
or
Giuliana Montella

Giuliana is a volunteer and organizer with the canili in Rome and speaks
english.

Another option is long distance adoption of one of the dogs of Rieti. This will
ensure the dog will be taken to a canile that actually has volunteers and grass
and has contact with other dogs. The dogs of Rieti NEVER get out of their
cages, NEVER.

2 urgent dogs

Maxina is quasi paralyzed and lived in a Canile Lager in the south of Italy.
She was rescued and then is now slowly losing back leg ability to walk. She
needs help, urgently.

http://rome.en.craigslist.it/pet/1621422090.html

And of course, Sole

http://rome.en.craigslist.it/pet/1591754570.html

If we all pitch in a little, we can help these dogs. STOP RANDAGISIMO IN
ITALY!!

Never buy a dog when so many(thousands and thousands) spend there life locked
up!! You can find dogs of any size, breed or age through the Canile

Veganize it!!

Veganize it...Don't just Criticize it!

Check out this vegan blog.  This woman is amazing!  She is coming out with a recipe book soon and I am certainly going to line up and spend the night in the rain to get it if I have to.  Her recipes and photos are gorgeous and the blog is fun to read.  I look forward to her posts.  She really puts so much effort into making amazing food, proving that vegan food is as hedonistic as we all would like.  Corpse munchers, chew on that!  I love this blog because it is positive and refreshing.  It is easy to get boggled down with all the negativity surrounding the movement.  Sometimes I just want to breathe in and celebrate food, as a true foodie.

Looking Forward to Summer's Bounty

I don't know how much more of this rain and cold I can take.  I am sick of it, so I am dreaming of California summers.  this photo was taken in August 2009 at the "Complex" in Big Bear.  The whole fam got together for a BBQ, so I made Ettore and I vegan patties.  Everything save for the hamburger and bun came from my dad's super yummy vegetable garden. I did most of the marinade.  I think simple is best With  olive oil,  celtic salt, fresh rosemary and a bit of garlic, you've got a nice base for grilled vegetables.  My dad's avocados are seriously divine.  They are super rich, creamy, slightly sweet, but not watered down like what is at most stores.   They really stand on their own.   I miss a good California avocado.  Sorry, Israel, you ain't cutting it for me in Italy.

I just can't wait to move and to start summer grilling with veggies from my own garden.  Summer 2010!!

Death of a Saint

I just found out I am going to be the luckiest girl in Rome.  I am going to be leading day tours to Florence starting in March.  I am very excited about this new adventure, and also a bit nervous.  Can I do this magical city any justice?  As a tour guide you have to find where your personal boundaries with clients or you become very emotionally drained.  It takes awhile to figure out where to draw that line.   In Rome, I know I have a typical love/hate relationship with the city.  There is so much to love about Rome, in fact, more to love than hate.  I have the benefit, however, of not actually living in the city.  I have seen many a patient person fall out of love with Rome in a heartbeat due to pure frustration.   Rome is a big city, and like any big city it is crowded, polluted, and people are downright rude.  Florence is a provincial town compared to the majesty and greatness of Rome, but the true Florence is far from provincial.  It is our modern birthright, where our own modern culture is born.  Where the greatest artists lived and worked under the patronage of a family that built an empire off of wool and banking.  Florence is the glory and dark heart of Italy.    I met Ettore the first time I went to Florence.  I was on vacation with my then dutch boyfriend.  We were having an Italian holiday, and we first stopped in Venice.  I fell in love with Italy the instant I stepped off the train.  After two days with the dutchy, I was tired of his Germanic cold ways, and intrigued by the warmth and openly emotive Italians.  I broke up with him in one of the world's most Romantic cities.  We decided to make a go at friendship, and went to Florence together.  We did not spend time together and went our separate ways.  I wanted to wonder around and feel the atmosphere of this wonderful place, he wanted to do all the things on the what-you're-supposed-to-do-in-Florence checkbook.  BORING.  I let gypsies read my tarot, I spent hours in Markets listening to the Florentines haggle, I sat in wine bars…and I met the love of my life.  What I thought would be the chance Italian love on my vacation turned out to be a life together.  So, you see, Florence is close to my heart.   When we finally moved to Italy,  I did not speak a word of Italian.  So I decided it would be best for us not to live together and for me to go to Florence for the summer to take an intensive course in Italian.  It was the best summer of my life.  I met the most amazing people and I really got to know the city of Florence as more than a vacation spot.  I made friendships that will last a lifetime, and I started a love affair with a dead man.  Giotto di Bondone.  In the fourteenth century, Giotto was credited with having brought painting out of the Middle Ages into the light of a new day.  Dante's famous lines in the Purgatory state the light/dark metaphor in comparative terms, noting that Giotto's reputation obscured that of Cimabue's.  Lauri Schneider Adams, Italian Renaissance Art Giotto captures emotion.  While not as theatrical or dramatic as Bernini, I find he reaches psychological aspects of the human experience that most artists until the Expressionists were unable to depict.  Though he had patrons, his work feels like arts for arts sake, art as creation rather than craft.   And for me, nothing expresses human pain, loss and suffering more than his Death of St. Francis which is in the photo above.   As a person who has suffered the death of those very close to me, it resonates to the core of my being everytime I see it.  I've been told I am obsessed with Giotto and this fresco.  The man who is searching into the Saint's face looks inquisitive and at a loss.  He seems profoundly aware that he will be the only true witness when St. Francis takes his last breath, and he is focused on this, while the others seem to be lamented their own loss, this man is comfort, because he restrains his innermost fears.    I feel like I have been this man.  St. Francis, on the otherhand, is beyond all worldly hope.  He is saved and calm.  I think we have all been there, and it is where we are all going.  I love this image for its simplicity in composition.  It forces the viewer to focus on the scene, rather than focus on salvation or the dominion of the Church.  It emotes, as I said above.  The colors are gorgeous, soft and peaceful.   In fact, they remind me of some of the colors I saw at the Imperial Roman Painting exhibit that was in Rome a few weeks back. Although I will not be including Santa Croce on my tour, when I was up in Florence last week I could not leave without paying homage to Grotto.  I can never leave Florence without being in this church at least once. It turns out St. Francis and I have a lot in common.  He loved animals, and they say that on his deathbed he thanked his donkey for carrying him and helping him throughout his life.  Well, y'all should know by now that my goal in life is to adopt and foster donkeys.   St. Francis is the patron saint of all animals, and even though I am not a Catholic, I can appreciate that, indeed.