Food Lovers' Adventure Tour in Italy's Gastronomic Paradise:
The Countryside Around Bologna

• Detailed Cooking Tour Description, Itinerary, Dates, Prices: You'll feel you're in Italy

Two Recipes

Ragu
from our professional Italian pastamaker, Alessandra.

Serves 6-8.

100 gr./ .2 lb. pancetta
1 carrot
1 celery stick
1 big onion
semi oil to lightly fry the above
350 gr./ .77 lb. ground pork
150 gr./ 1/3 lb. ground beef
1 glass of white wine
salt

Directions:

Mince the onion, carrot and celery rather finely together, and put in a pot with the semi oil. Fry lightly for about 10-15 minutes. Add the minced pancetta and cook a few minutes. Then add all the minced meat and mix well with a wooden spoon so the meat doesn't stick together in clumps. When the meat is cooked, pour in the white wine and leave to evaporate. Mix every now and then. Then add 2 or 3 spoons of tomato paste, combining it well into the sugo, and salt to taste. (best not too salty) Cook at least 3 hours covered, stirring every now and then. Add broth if the meat gets dry.

Pasta Butterflies in Primavera (Spring) Sauce

From "The Recipes of San Domenico", with recipes by Chef Valentino Marcattilii, published by Rizzoli. page 70.

Ristorante San Domenico is in Imola, Italy, about 40 minutes east of Bologna and is rated in Italian restaurant guides as one of the top in Europe. The grand finale dinner for the Food Lovers' Adventure Cooking Tour is held here!

1 lb. /454 gr farfalle (pasta butterflies)
1/3 cup/ 50 gr diced zucchini
1 2/3 oz./ 50 gr shelled green peas
1 2/3 oz./ 50 gr Parma prosciutto diced
2 large red peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
1 oz/ 30 gr unsalted butter
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup/ 125 ml fresh cream
salt to taste

Directions

In a non-stick saute pan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the ham and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the cream and red peppers. Cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

To a large pot of lightly salted boiling water add the pasta with the peas and zucchini. Cook until just al dente. Remove from the heat and drain well.

Transfer the pasta and vegetables to the saute pan containing the sauce. Toss over medium heat for about 3 minutes to allow the flavours to blend. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and, if the sauce seems too dry, add a couple of tablespoons of hot water from the pasta cooking water. Check for seasoning.

Arrange on a platter and servce immediately.

Buon Appetito!

• Detailed Cooking Tour Description, Itinerary, Dates, Prices: You'll feel you're in Italy!

To Reserve: Contact Margaret Cowan at margaret@italycookingschools.com or call 1-800-557-0370 wihtin North America or 604-681-4074.