A Taste Of Old Italy

As my hunger grows in thinking about my lunch, I want to share with you one of my favorite tastes of Italy that can be enjoyed at anytime or anywhere and offers you a connection to the country itself, like an edible picture of the hillside. Sitting here looking out at the rolling hills of Italy in the Gargano region, food is the best tool I have to help lead you to the land, the culture, and the gifts of Italy. As you stand within her, you cannot help but be overtaken by the intensity of a beautiful sky, as if the sky is trying to define the color blue for the first time. The mountains provide a gentle breeze whispering on my cheeks with a backdrop of sunshine that is almost blinding, illuminating for you, a beautiful stage that time has forgotten. A small glass of frizzante (water with bubbles) rests at my side, accompanied by a small glass of chilled white wine under the umbrella I have set up to stay cool for the afternoon. Inhaling all the aroma of the hills covered with olive trees, fig trees, and fields of tomatoes, I sit here filled with the appreciation of life as I hear the sea off in the distance, singing to me her gentle lullaby of rolling waves. I love everything this region of Italy has to offer, with her culture, her music, the romance, the lifestyle, and most impressive, her food. The freshness and quality of every ingredient cannot be duplicated anywhere I know of. When the food is offered up by the land you get the sense of Italy's generosity and pride wanting to share a part of her soul and history in what she grows from her soil. Starting with a food found on every table of the old country, this recipe gives you bread in every bite, with a thick crust made in hot ovens fueled by wood and generations of wisdom. Next we add mother's milk or mozzarella cheese made from the milk of grass fed buffalo. That have been roaming the hillsides flavored with sunshine, adding a depth of flavor to a cheese that only here at this place, in this time, will it ever taste this good. Add to your palate, arugula, with its grassy freshness and pepper taste grown for centuries in the rich soil of the country. Now we lay before you, ham from Parma, always cared for, with the attention of a newborn making each bite tender, deep, and flavorful with a backdrop of salt. Only to be covered up by a blanket of the best tasting and reddest tomatoes in the world. Last and truly my favorite and what I am most passionate about, extra-virgin olive oil. This is truly nectar from the gods, as each olive is handpicked from the small ancient farms that adorn the hillsides of the Puglia region. Each olive is persuaded to give up her oil only after months of work and effort by the love and attention of her owner. The recipe I want to share with you is of course the Panini, and if done well with the list of only the best ingredients, will provide you with the taste and smells of the country side of Italy. Spending time with my grandmother and some of the grandmasters of the Panini here in Italy I will share with you some of their secrets as the Panini offers up her crisp and crackling bites. Italian Panini – 4 sandwiches 1 Loaf Fresh Bread 1 Lbs Fresh Sliced Ham 2 Whole Red Tomatoes Handful of Arugula 1 Lbs Fresh Mozzarella Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Salt & Pepper Start with the middle cuts of a large round of freshly baked bread with a strong crust sliced to medium thickness. Next, drizzle extra-virgin olive oil on both sides and finish with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place bread in the hot Panini maker and let crisp so that both sides are toasted. After a few minutes, remove the toasted bread from the Panini maker and set aside on a work surface. Take care to place 3 slices of ham sliced thin, ensuring to cover the entire slice of bread with even thickness. Follow this with several thin slices of tomato from top to bottom, and then fresh mozzarella broken into thin slices making it melt evenly. Finish with 4 to 6 leaves, grossly chopped, of fresh arugula and return back to the Panini maker set to warm. (Note the reason for thin slicing and chopped herbs is to allow for a clean break with every bite preventing large pieces from the inside to slide out) Cook 4 to 6 minutes or until the inside cheese is gooey and melted as the outside becomes even crispier. Gently remove the Panini from the Panini maker and cut in half with a strong diagonal cut. Plate with a slight stack and finish with a sprinkle of parsley. A glass of water with bubbles and a small glass of white wine at the head of your plate, and you are now a part of Italy, whether on the streets of any great city or sitting alongside any Italian countryside, you have come home to experience something of the best Italy has to offer. Bon appétit By Joe Borio Cooking Italian with Joe