This year marked our 3rd Thanksgiving in Italy.  Of course, this very American celebration is not included in the Italian pantheon of holidays, but people here are aware of the American holiday from various American films - in particular Christmas Vacation.  Each year, we have invited a number of our Italian friends to join us in celebrating the day.  Our friends are very curious about both the foods and the origin of the holiday.  I think they are most curious about the concept of cooking an entire turkey. 

For me, making a Thanksgiving dinner in Italy is probably 3 times as much work as in America -- or at least what I would normally do in America.  First, there are no whole turkeys in the markets.  You must go to the butcher shop (macelleria) a week in advance and order a turkey.  You need to be sure to ask for the turkey cleaned and without the head and feet.  Remember, no one normally buys them this way, so you must be very specific. Each year, we have had to ask that they cut off more of the feet so that the turkey will actually fit in the oven.   I also have to ask for something in the 15 pound range because even at this weight it takes up the entire oven.  (Everything here is smaller than in the US and the ovens are particularly small.)  I have noticed that we also have a little work to do in removing some of the feathers after it arrives; however, the insides are remarkably clean.  And, I must admit that these are the best tasting turkeys we have ever eaten.  They are fresh from the farmer.

It is not just the turkey that causes me some consternation, however.  In America it is easy to go to the store and buy your can of Libbys pumpkin to make soup or pies. Or you can buy the frozen pie or even a ready made pie for your Thanksgiving feast.   That is not the case here. First, we heard off to the frutta e verdure (the fruit and vegetable store) to buy a pumpkin.  Interestingly, we end up paying as much for the pumpkin to make pie and soup as we do for the turkey.  In Italy, they are very particular about what types of pumpkin they eat.  Some are for eating, and some are for Halloween.  (Halloween is a developing phenomena here, and in our neighborhood we see a few jack o lanterns on display.)  The variety for eating is very different than what we find in our stores at Halloween.  This year, we had a great deal of difficulty finding pumpkin when we wanted it, so we ended up buying butternut squash and some other variety of squash that looked very similar to a pumpkin but did not have the sweetness. 

Making the pie was a three day event.  First, Jim cut the pumpkin and cleaned it, and then I baked it until it was well done.  Next it was put in a colander to drain, so that all of the excess moisture was taken out.  The next day I started to make the pie filling, but wait, pie filling uses evaporated milk.  Guess what, there is no evaporated milk here -- at least not in our area.  After trying three stores, I decided to make my own evaporated milk.  Hours later, it had evaporated.  Since I knew that my squash was not as sweet as a normal pumpkin, I decided to make the evaporated milk into condensed, sweetened milk.  So, add some more cooking time.  The next morning, Thanksgiving, I mixed the pumpkin, condensed milk and other ingredients and put them into the home made pie shell.  In an hour, I had the most delicious pumpkin pie. (Note, there is no such thing as all spice here or a can of pumpkin pie spice, so each year, I add a little extra cinnamon, and ginger to the recipe to make up for the missing spices.)   I was pleasantly surprised that the pie turned out so well this year.  In terms of time and materials; however, it was probably a $100 pumpkin pie. 

Our Thanksgiving meals are always missing one essential ingredient of the American Thanksgiving -- cranberry sauce which is not available here.  But, in general, we are able to replicate most other elements of the Thanksgiving feast.  Each year, as we bring each item to the table, people ask questions about it.  The stuffing and the gravy in particular seem very foreign to our Italian friends.

Perhaps our biggest surprise this year was having one of our guests ask about the meat thermometer - what is was and how it is used.   We had not realized that meat thermometers were not common here.  

Here was our Thanksgiving menu this year:
Antipasti: salami, cheeses, olives, pickles, caprese salad, sliced pears with balsamic on arugula
Pumpkin soup with garlic croutons
Turkey
Pear, hazelnut and prosciutto stuffing with fennel
Mashed potatoes
Gravy
Brussel sprouts and carrots
Pumpkin pie with whipped cream
Chocolate Ricotta torta
Visciola ( a local cherry wine)
Passito

Buon Appetito!  and Happy Holidays.  Maree
 

 People in Le Marche, where my home is, have the longest lifespan in Italy.  Several years ago, I asked my friend Olimpia why that was.  Her immediate response was the clean environment.  My  husband who had become very enamored with a Marche liquor, countered with, "It's the varnelli". ( Varnelli is an anise liquor similar to Sambuca which is made in Le Marche and very difficult to find anywhere else.)  Having lived here now for several years and observing the people of Le Marche on a daily basis,  I now have my own theories, and I think there is a lot more to it than the environment.  I believe it is a combination of life style factors including both diet and exercise.

 In Le Marche, as the rest of Italy, people follow a Mediterranean diet.  This diet continues to make headlines for being heart healthy and brain healthy.  The latest research suggests that a diet rich in olive oil and nuts is not only better for heart health and stroke prevention, but also for brain health.

 An article published in February of this year in the New England Journal of Medicine followed nearly 7,500 individuals for over 5 years.  The participants were divided into three groups. Two groups were advised to follow a Mediterranean diet  while one group was advised to follow a low-fat diet.  One of the Mediterranean diet groups was told to consume at least four tablespoons of olive oil per day. The other was told to eat 30 grams of nuts (walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts) every day.  There were no limits on how much participants could eat and no exercise requirements.  The two groups eating the nuts and olive oil on a daily basis, had significantly fewer strokes and heart  attacks.  The conclusion was that the Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil and nuts is more heart healthy than a low fat diet.

A second article, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry in May of 2012 suggests that the Mediterranean diet, enhanced with extra virgin olive oil or nuts appears to improve cognition compared with a low-fat diet.  This study, conducted in Spain, tracked 522 people for 6 1/2 years.

But, for me, these studies do not address the life style factors that I believe also play a key role in the longevity of the people in Le Marche.  Daily I see my elderly neighbors (in their mid-80s) tending their garden - pulling weeds, using the hoe to till the soil, picking their olives and grapes in the fall.  As I drive my car along the winding and hilly streets, I pass many people who are obviously well beyond Medicare age riding their bicycles to the market or to visit friends.  Seeing this always makes me feel guilty that I am not getting that much exercise myself.  Walking here is still in style.  The elderly and their children and their children's children  walk the mile or two to town or in the park or down a country lane to pick the wild asparagus and other wild greens growing in abundance.  Here, the lifestyle is not sedentary. 

So, if you are looking for a way to get more olive oil and nuts in your diet, why not include them in your desserts.  Below are links to several recipes on this site which are rich in nuts and use olive oil rather than butter or other fats. 

Gluten allergy and gluten intolerance are becoming a more recognized condition both in the US and in Italy.  Some speculate that it is on the rise because of the hybridization of the wheat plant.  Now, even in Italy where pasta and pizza reign supreme, it is possible to find restaurants advertising gluten free menus and entire end caps in the grocery store stocked with gluten free cookies, crackers, and pasta.  What is a real bonus, for dolce lovers; however, is the fact that there are a number of spectacular Italian desserts which are made with no flour.  This orange-almond cake from Tuscany is one example of such desserts.  This could be my favorite torte.  I have made it to rave reviews in both Italy and California.  And, I am repeatedly asked for the recipe.  Well, here it is for everyone to enjoy.  You do not need to be gluten intolerant to love this wonderful torte.

Orange & Almond Torta

This recipe takes some time to make as you must first cook an orange to make a syrup.  This step can take up to one hour.  Add to this the time to mix ingredients plus 1 hour of baking time and from start to finish you will have at least 2 ½ hours.  Your time and efforts will be rewarded, however, by a light and moist cake unlike anything else. 

This torta is essentially made with an orange, almonds, sugar and eggs.  It contains no flour and no butter or oil.  Buon Appetito!!

Ingredients

1 large orange

5 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon passito, vin santo, or another dessert wine 

1 1/3 cups almonds finely chopped in a food processor or blender

Equipment:

1 ten inch spring form pan greased

Food processor or blender

Kitchenaid or hand mixer

Step 1:  In a sauce pan over a medium heat cook the orange in 2 cups of water until the water has reduced to approximately ½ cup resulting in an orange syrup.  This should take about 45 to 60 minutes.  Be sure to watch when the liquid is reducing so that you do not burn the orange.  While the orange is cooking turn it several times so that all of the surfaces are cooked as the water will not cover the entire orange.  Remove the orange from the pan and let cool.  Reserve the liquid.

When the orange is cool, cut it into eights and remove all of the seeds.  Put the orange including the skin into a food processor or blender and add ¼ cup of the orange liquid.  Blend the orange and liquid until it results in a smooth and creamy mixture. 

Step 2:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a nine inch spring form pan.

Step 3:  In a food processor or blender, finely chop the almonds.

Step 4:  Separate the five eggs reserving the egg whites for step 6.  In a kitchenaid mixer or with a hand mixer, mix the egg yolks and the cup of sugar until smooth and creamy looking – approximately 3 minutes.  (This step can be done by mixing by hand with a wooden spoon.  By hand, the time will be approximately 5 minutes.)

Step 5:  Add the orange mixture, the finely chopped almonds, and 1 teaspoon of dessert wine to the egg and sugar mixture and mix until it is thoroughly blended. 

Step 6:  Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Add about ¼ to 1/3  of the egg whites to the egg and orange batter and gently stir in with a wooden spoon to lighten.  Gently fold in the remaining egg whites until there are no white streaks.  Do not over mix.

Step 7:  Pour the batter into the greased spring form pan.  Place in the center rack of a preheated oven.  Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Baking time will be approximately 55 to 60 minutes.  (Note:  The cake will look very brown.)

Step 8:  Remove the cake from the oven and let cook on a rack for one hour.  When it is cool, remove sides of the spring form pan and dust the top with confectioners’ sugar. 

Serving Suggestions

When the torta is cooled, dust it with confectioners’ sugar.  As you serve the torta, add some fresh raspberries and a dollop of whipped cream to each slice.