Rice salad- insalata di riso

Everybody knows about pasta salad, but fewer Americans know about another popular Italian summer dish- insalata di riso, or rice salad.

I just made it this morning. It's lighter and more refreshing than pasta salad, but the main reason I made it is that I had a lot of disparate stuff waiting to be used. Here's what I did:

Made rice for four in microwave because getting near stove in July is uncalled for. Use regular rice, not risotto rice. It should be al dente. If you don't know how to microwave rice, here's how. I do it all the time. When done, put in fridge to cool its heels.

Then I got a large bowl. Finely minced my fresh flat-leaf parsley and basil (more parsley though). Got out half-can of solid chunk leftover albacore, carefully rinsed to avoid fishy taste. Added flaked tuna. Got pimento-stuffed olives, quartered. Added those. Got crinkly cherry tomatoes, quartered and added. Finely diced some crinkly red pepper, zapped briefly, added that too. Got out coolish rice, mixed everything carefully. Seasoned with salt and freshly-ground pepper (take into account saltiness of ingredients before seasoning). Doused with extra-virgin olive oil (Bertolli). Mixed carefully. Covered and placed in fridge. It needs to rest one-two hours.

This can be varied greatly. Here are some ideas:

Pieces of uncooked hot dog. Yes, this is authentic. In fact it's common.

Finely diced cheese (fresh mozzarella is very good).

Diced ham.

Diced artichoke hearts.

Hard-boiled eggs.

Finely diced zucchini.

Button mushrooms.

Capers.

Kernels of corn.

Diced pickle.

Diced cucumber.

Cocktail shrimp (preferably fresh or thawed frozen).

Halved or quartered pearl onions.

Nuts, especially pine nuts.

Other herbs (fresh only)

Not all at the same time.

Spaghetti with onion and anchovy sauce

Here's another one of my what-I-had-for-lunch posts. Don't be put off if you don't like anchovies; the finished dish does not necessarily taste that fishy.

The original name of this recipe is called bigoli (or bigoi) in salsa. Bigoli are like chubby fresh spaghetti. This dish is from the Jewish Venetian tradition. Originally made with buckwheat, they are now usually made with whole wheat. However, I don't care for whole wheat pasta, so I used my regular De Cecco spaghetti, which is good because the rough surface allows the sauce to cling to it.

OK. I put plenty of water on to boil for the pasta. I did not salt the water because of the saltiness of the anchovies. For one person (actually, one eggplant), I minced a medium-sized yellow onion with my mezzaluna. I put four-five tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a frying pan and added the onion, frying over a medium-high heat. Onions should not brown at any time, so add water or turn down heat to avoid this. After a few minutes I added the anchovies (2 ounces), which I had rinsed. I continued to cook the onion-anchovy mixture for about ten more minutes, making sure the anchovies were completely blended and the onions were soft. Toward the end, I mashed the onions with the back of my wooden spoon to make the sauce more paste-like.

I drained the cooked spaghetti and turned them out into the pan with the sauce. I quickly and thoroughly stirred, then added about three tablespoons of fresh minced flat-leaf parsley. I also added some freshly-ground black pepper, but that's optional. It was good, and I'll probably make it again, but it wasn't exceptional. For less of an anchovy taste, I would soak the anchovies for ten minutes. I would also remove the anchovy bones beforehand if you don't like them, because they don't disappear into the sauce as I expected. Don't add cheese.

The dish is inexpensive and convenient, because you can always have onions and canned anchovies on hand. I'm not sure I'd make it for company, because it turns out to have a homely grayish-light brown color.

By the way, if you like anchovies you're sure to like pane cunzato, an excellent summertime pizza alternative. See my recipe here.

Home exchange to Italy

The publication Il Salvagente, which deals with consumer affairs, has an article (in Italian) on home exchange. While I've never done this sort of thing, I know people who have and who have been quite happy with it.

It's obviously a way to drastically lower your expenses, possibly extend your stay, and see more of the real Italy and less of the tourist Italy.

What will be of special interest in the article, even if you don't know Italian, are the links they publish to five major home exchange sites. Good place to get started. You'll find them here.

(in the photo, a Scavolini kitchen)

Spaghetti frittata

Here's another one of my what-I-had for lunch posts. Since today is a cleaning day, I decided to minimize the cooking, and went with a spaghetti frittata. This is not something I just made up; it is actually part of the Neapolitan tradition.

I had cold, leftover spaghetti in the fridge (other pasta may also be used). Some people actually use leftover pasta with sauce for this e.g. spaghetti with ragu', but this sounds very unappealing to me. So. I used four eggs (ideally, for frittate and omelettes, they should be at room temperature). I beat the eggs and added a generous amount of parmigiano-reggiano, salt and freshly ground pepper. I heated a few tablespoonfuls of olive oil in a 10" teflon pan, then placed enough spaghetti to almost cover the bottom of same. I sauteed the spaghetti just enough to warm it. In the meantime I turned on my broiler to high. I added the egg mixture and allowed to set a bit, then added some capers and a pinch each of dried oregano and marjoram. To finish, I passed the pan quite close to the broiler to cook the top. This is actually rather quick, and is an alternative to flipping and cooking the other side of the frittata in the pan. Be careful not to overcook.

There, all done. Quite filling and tasty, although humble. Like most frittate, it can be eaten warm or cold. You don't have to use parmigiano, which is expensive. You can use things you have on hand: bits of mozzarella or other cheese, onions, bacon, herbs you fancy.

Get a free Italian grammar

I think highly of the materials published by Living Language, an imprint of Random House. While perusing their Website, I came upon their free resources section and found a 58-page essential handbook of Italian pronunciation and grammar. You can download this free, with no need to register, here.

It is a good little book that will come in handy especially for those who are beginners or lower intermediate, those who are on a budget, those who are studying Italian on their own, or those who hate grammar and are doing their best to ignore it. That includes a lot of people. I am personally very skeptical of any claim that you can learn a language decently without some exposure to grammar and its (gasp!) rules.

The weakest part are the first few pages, on basic pronunciation. Although pronunciation is perhaps the easiest part of Italian, you should strive to get it right from the beginning. The material here is misleading e.g. the Italian letter e is not pronounced like the vowel sound in the English word "day." The list of vowel combinations is (somewhat) valid only if they are diphthongs. I would disregard this section and look for audio guidance by native speakers, which you can find on the Internet, for example, at the pronunciation section of the BBC's beginners' course in Italian, found here.

Also, note that the little handbook makes no attempt at providing the grammar in the order in which it should be learned.

La pasticceria

One of the great attractions of Italy, after restaurants, wine and art, are the pasticcerie. We might translate with "bakery," but Italians mostly separate bread products from pastries. So a bakery (non-sweet) will be called a panettiere/panetteria. Alas, the latter are increasingly rare, what with the Italians going to supermarkets and not wanting to be bakers. Not that you won't find some mixture in both places. But the pasticceria is going strong.

A pastry in Italian is una pasta, just like the word for the savory dish, but it will usually be found in the plural, le paste. I find that Italian pastries and cakes are superior to American ones, but pies aren't. An excellent idea when you're in Italy is to skip the dessert and coffee at the restaurant and go to a pasticceria after your meal. You're likely to save, too, and have more of a choice.

Frugal airfares

Sometimes I just have to defer to the knowledge of others. Having spent almost all of my time in Italy living there, I never had to bother much with the pesky details of getting there and back.

Fortunately the New York Times comes to our aid with a thorough rundown on finding the best fares online. See it here.

Restaurants in Italy- some consumer tips

One of the main attractions of a trip to Italy is restaurant dining.

But the experience is potentially fraught with danger (to your wallet). And not only for foreign tourists- the Italian consumers' association Adiconsum has issued a list of tips to prevent fraud and overcharging.

Perhaps the most important is that you should demand a written menu (which should also be posted outside), with prices. Avoid verbal orders. This is the law. Be careful about wine prices, too. The cover and service charge can be set independently by each business, but it must be stated on the menu. In Lazio (where Rome is), a cover charge is no longer legal. No tip is ever mandatory in Italy beyond the included service. I never give extra tips in Italy. Frozen foods should be clearly indicated on the menu. Ask for the receipt (preferably itemized).

In case of suspected irregularity, you can go the vigili urbani (the local municipal police). A young Japanese couple was charged nearly 700 euros at a Rome restaurant this summer- they reported them, and the restaurant was even closed for violations.

(In the photo, the picturesque Locanda Montin in Venice)

The Frugal Eggplant: keeping cool in summer

Here's one big tip about keeping cool(er) and saving money that I'm surprised many people don't know about, perhaps because it's counter-intuitive.

I learned this while living in Northern Italy, in the Po Valley, which gets very hot and muggy in the summer. Italians use A/C a lot less than we do; many think it's unhealthy. At the very least, the settings are not frigid.

When it gets really hot, you should keep your windows open at night when the air is cooler, and use fans. As soon as the outside air is no longer cooler than the inside air (usually in the early or mid-morning), shut windows and blinds to block out hot air and sun. You can do this even if you have air-conditioning, as it will save on the bill by bringing the temp down.

This is of course subject to safety considerations. Most Italians don't live in single-family homes and therefore are less likely to be sleeping on the ground floor. They also have persiane or tapparelle (in the photo) which are built-in shutters that seal the interior partly or wholly from air and light.

Some other stuff. I also quickly learned in Italy why warmer climates have siestas more than we do. The hottest hours are in the early and mid-afternoon, when it is advisable (if you can) to slow down or even take a nap. Cut down on coffee and alcohol. Take hot showers- also counter-intuitive, but the hot water and soap all over your bod will open your pores and free your skin of oil, allowing for better sweating and thermoregulation. Cool down in the last few minutes with cooler water. Avoid synthetic clothing, including underwear- prefer cotton and linen. Cut down on cooking (and calories) by eating more raw and simple foods.

Easiest no-cook pasta sauce

Summertime and the livin' is easy. And it will be even easier if you don't have to wither over a hot stove.

Here is my basic no-cook tomato sauce for 2-3:

1 15-oz. can Hunt's tomato sauce

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove fresh garlic, very finely minced

several shredded fresh basil leaves

Make ahead, allow to stand at least two hours. Do not substitute other brands of tomato sauce (no, I am not being paid to say this; somehow I don't think ConAgra needs my endorsement). Do not use pre-peeled or pre-minced garlic (ever). Do not use dried basil. I use Goya olive oil- good price/quality ratio. Do not add salt.

Variations:

Take out basil, subtitute flat-leaf parsley. Add small can good tuna, freshly-ground black pepper.

or,

Add small amounts of your own fresh herbs, finely minced.

Save your wet cell phone with risotto rice

This may well be one of the strangest things you'll ever read on the Internet. And that's saying something.

When technological disaster strikes, as is its wont, I go to the oracle. Not the oracle at Delphi. The oracle at Mountain View. Google.

Recently, when my cell got wet (rain), it stopped working entirely. I consulted the oracle and found that the treacherous manufacturers will not honor the warranty if your device has been exposed to moisture. They have even installed a doohickey that shows such exposure, so don't play innocent ("but it never rains or snows in Boston!")

In despair, I perused the Web for solutions. Ever attuned to food, I chose the rice fix. Take battery out, lid off, cover with rice in a bowl. I put the bowl on a radiator overnight. I also used risotto rice, which absorbs more humidity than long-grain. To be precise, I used vialone nano, the most absorbent risotto rice. Worked like a charm.

The Frugal Eggplant- Microwave polenta

There is more than one way to make this, but here's what I do. First of all, there is no need to buy the more expensive product called "polenta." Buy corn meal, finely ground (or experiment if you like). Then, get a round microwave-proof container of medium to large size. Pyrex is nice. The proportions of water to corn meal should be about 4 or 5 to 1, depending on the desired consistency. Again, you must practice.

I set the salted water in the microwave and bring it to a boil (actually, it will only ever come to a simmer). Quickly open the door and spoon the corn meal into the water, being careful to avoid lumps. Stir rapidly as you do this. Return swiftly to microwave, cook several minutes, open door and stir again, checking for doneness. Continue to cook (and stir again, if necessary), checking every two minutes or so.

The polenta as prepared above will be a soft polenta suitable as a side, especially for meat (ribs, chicken, roast). Polenta can also be a meal itself as polenta concia, or dressed polenta. I like cheese, or mushrooms, or both. I don't care for a tomato sauce as a topping. If you would prefer a firm polenta, allow the above to harden in a rectangular or at least a square container. Upon cooling it will set, depending on the initial consistency. You can then slice it and warm it with butter, or even grill the slices.

Remember that in this as in other Italian dishes such as risotto, practice makes perfect.

The Frugal Eggplant: Goya Extra-Virgin olive oil

In recognition of the fact that our economy seems to be collapsing before our very eyes, the Eggplant is starting a new series, called "The Frugal Eggplant."

Due to its historic poverty, Italy has (until very recently) been a naturally frugal society. Frugal, not cheap. Frugality does not preclude living well. Inexpensive recipes, products, travel, and other stuff will be featured. The series will have the label "frugal eggplant" along with its other topical label.

Here's an important starter: Goya extra-virgin olive oil. About two years ago I abandoned the everyday use of Italian oil upon considering that a) it was too expensive b) it was often not Italian anyway and c) I had concerns about authenticity and quality even for expensive oils. See my post about adulterated Italian oil from last year.

I buy my Goya oil at (surprise) the local CVS. It costs $3.19 for a half bottle of 250 milliliters, which is much lower than my previous choice, Bertolli. Another surprise: the drugstore price is much cheaper than the supermarket. I have seen Boston-area supermarkets where the same item costs $4.79. It seems to me that the reason is that for the Hispanic target market the oil is a staple and not a luxury. As a result, there is no price inflation.

I had spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino making the oil today, which is also quite frugal (in terms of time and money). Spaghetti aglio olio is even cheaper. Kyle Phillips' recipe calls for browning the garlic- you should almost never actually brown (make brown) garlic. The Italians use the words imbiondire (make blonde) or dorare (make golden) when referring to this. I also shouldn't have to tell you that you must not use pre-peeled garlic, much less the pre-minced stuff in jars.