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Gina DePalma's Profile

Website: http://www.ginadepalma.net

Location: New York, NY and occasionally, Rome, Italy

About: I've been the Pastry Chef of Babbo Restaurant and Enoteca for the past ten years, and my cookbook, Dolce Italiano was published in October of 2007. Right now, I'm researching book number two in Italy, and am the Rome correspondent for Serious Eats

Favorite foods: anything lemon, pasta of all shapes, my mom's Sunday sugo, a perfect grilled cheese sandwich, toast with butter and jam, ripe peaches.....

Last bite on earth: un bacio from someone who loves me.

The Ten Most Recent Posts By Gina DePalma

From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Sfoglia or Frolla?

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From left: Frolla and sfoglia.

The conversation went something like this:

Friends: "We're going to Naples tomorrow."

Me: "Really?"

Friends: "Yes. Business. Do you want us to bring you back a sfogliatella?"

Me: "Of course. It is my favorite pastry, ever."

Friends: "Frolla or sfoglia?"

Me: "Both!"

Friends: "We knew you would say that."

When it comes to sfogliatella, this is an enduring and significant question among Neapolitans. Sfoglia, also known as riccia, refers to the shell-shaped version that most of us are familiar with, made with tissue-thin dough that is stretched and then rolled to create overlapping, irresistibly crisp layers. The frolla variation features soft, tender, flaky dough that literally melts in your mouth. Both pastries contain the same delicious filling, made from semolina, ricotta, sugar, cinnamon, eggs, and bits of candied citrus.

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From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Pan Frutto Ciociaro

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My Italian friends know well enough by now that any trip with me along for the ride, whether a stroll outside of my own neighborhood or a weekend visit out of town, must include a meaningful encounter with something sweet. It is an unspoken arrangement that works for everyone involved; I get my research done, and they get a chance to show off a hidden pastry gem that I probably wouldn't find on my own.

Such was the case this weekend, during an overnight visit to the tip of the Frosinone province, southwest of Rome. We ventured to the very top of the Ciociaria, a vast geographic swath that extends from Frosinone down to Naples. It is an area rich in history and gastronomic traditions, completely off the beaten path but filled with exciting discoveries.

Pasticceria Battisti is a sweet gem located in Ferentino, one of the principal towns of the Ciociaria. We were greeted with warm smiles and enticing aromas on a late Sunday afternoon, when the spring sun had started to retreat and locals were out and about, walking off the traditional Sunday family lunch. Everything we sampled was excellent, including tiny tartlets made from local, wild cherries, exquisite pasta mandorla, (tender, oval-shaped macaroons made from almond paste) and the most delicious examples I have found so far of Lazio's traditional cookies, tozzetti and ciambelle al vino.

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From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: The Queen of Porchetta

Last week, I took a little lunchtime trip to Frascati, one of a handful of little towns in the Castelli Romani, a culturally rich area just southeast of Rome shadowed by the Alban Hills and dotted with volcanic lakes. Thanks to a direct commuter train, I was there in only 30 minutes, and at the very appealing price of €1.90 (US$2.96) each way.

Frascati is home to a number of grand villas built by some of Rome's most powerful and wealthy families as retreats from the city's sweltering streets. Most of Frascati's day tourists make a beeline straight from the train station to visit the elaborate gardens of Villa Aldobrandini (right), the largest of the estates. I headed in the opposite direction, climbing a steep stone staircase to get to the compact center of town.

After wandering up and down the narrow, cobbled streets, I reached the Piazza del Mercato. As the name implies, it is ringed with the kind of stores that meet the daily needs of residents: an alimentari, a few bakeries, the butcher shop, and a place for household odds and ends. But at the far end of the circular piazza, I paused, gasped, and beheld "Leda, La Regina della Porchetta."

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From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Rome's Organic Market

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In a city of numerous and terrific markets that are spread among wonderfully characteristic neighborhoods, it is almost hard to become attached to yet another one. But Rome's twice-monthly Organic Market has definitely won me over.

It takes place on the second and fourth Sunday of every month, which is more than enough to get excited about. If the timing is right, it is a relief to have a place to head for fresh produce on a day when everything else is shut down tight. The location is right, too, in a little piazza where some of the most characteristic streets of the Centro Storico converge, not far from the Campo de'Fiori.

Relaxed and Leisurely Pace

My first visit had a very relaxed vibe, especially compared to the usual frenzied commotion at every other market on Fridays and Saturdays, when everyone is scrambling to get their shopping done. Sundays are sacred for most Romans, reserved for relaxing or spending time with the family. Although this little market was buzzing, it wasn't too busy to have a leisurely chat with the organic producers who had traveled from all over Lazio, Umbria, and lower Tuscany, eager to answer questions or give me a sample to nibble.

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From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Eataly Torino

"Come hungry, and bring money. Lots and lots of money."

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My visit to Torino last month would not have been complete without a stop at Eataly, the grand and glorious emporium dedicated to the finest foods and gastronomic traditions of Italy. A short taxi ride from the center of the city brought me to the more working-class area of town where Eataly sits, framed by views of the Alps and across the street from the original Fiat factory complex.

Let me start by saying that I am not crazy about the name. When I first read the news of Eataly Torino’s grand opening in 2006, my first reaction was that it sounded like a cool place with a lame name. I still can’t say I’m entirely comfy with it, but once I got inside, they could have called it Foodaly and I wouldn’t have cared.

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From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Torino's Guido Gobino

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It is nearly impossible to visit Torino without having a deep, personal encounter with chocolate in some way, shape, or form. Solid chocolate was born in the city toward the end of the 18th century, and today its aroma wafts through the air inside pastry shops and beckons from elaborately decorated window displays. There are oodles of places to worship chocolate in Torino, but during a recent whirlwind trip I was most excited about visiting the bottega of Guido Gobino. The elegant, wood-paneled shop on Via Lagrange presents a traditional setting for handmade chocolates with a decidedly modern edge.

Enter the shop and your eyes are immediately drawn to the display of tiny, molded chocolates filled with different flavors of ganache and decorated with touches of color; a dusting of spice or a sprinkling of pulverized nuts give clues to the flavors enclosed. Peperoncino, mint, hazelnut, and orange were each delectable, and my friend Jay and I nearly swooned when we tasted the ganache flavored with Barolo Chinato.

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From Recipes

Snapshots from Italy: Seeing Red at the Market

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The markets of Rome are always ablaze with color, but as the weather gets warmer and the variety of produce grows, the vivid hues have intensified. This past Saturday at the Campo de’Fiori was a riot of spring colors, but it was the reds that leapt out and grabbed my attention.

Locals elbowed wide-eyed tourists for space and the usual Italian cluster mobs had formed, but the hand-to-hand mortal combat wasn’t enough to distract me from seeing red at every turn, bright and deep, from pink to purple. The last of the apples were being nudged by baskets of tiny fragole di bosco, or wild forest strawberries, delicate, variegated Radicchio di Castelfranco nodded to me in the breeze, and tomatoes of every shape and size from Sicily screamed of juicy ripeness.

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From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: A Day of Flavors from Abruzzo

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My friends and I set out for our day in Abruzzo on a rainy, foggy, downright chilly morning in Rome. It was a straight shot out on the autostrada, and within 40 minutes we had hit the Abruzzese border, bidding Lazio farewell in order to immerse ourselves in the foods, sights, and countryside of a region that is blissfully off the well-beaten tourist track.

In no time we reached Sulmona, a pretty little city known as the birthplace of the Roman poet Ovid and the home of the candies known as confetti. The rain had stopped and bits of sky were starting to peek out of the low-hanging clouds. I was told that the entire city would be filled with the sweet aroma of the confetti factories but I wasn't prepared for the overwhelming perfume of wisteria, as the sun gradually emerged and warmed the blossoming vines. The mountains revealed themselves from behind the fog, the smell of wood-burning stoves pierced the air, and the bustling little town suddenly came alive.

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From Recipes

Snapshots From Italy: Hammer Your Spears

Italians have an undeserved reputation for hammering vegetables to a fault, an accusation most often leveled at us by the" tender-crisp" camp. While I agree that cooking vegetables to the point of disintegration can be yucky, I think undercooked veggies are an insult to the vegetal world. Too many fine, deserving vegetables suffer an inconsequential position in a meal by being left in a slightly crisp state of unfulfilled flavor that no sauce can rescue.

Asparagus are the perfect example of a vegetable that needs a good long hammering (ahem) in a hot oven. Sorry, fans of tender-crisp, but I really dislike waterlogged, boiled asparagus, and steaming them renders them equally tasteless. If you don't believe me, bite into a "tender-crisp," steamed asparagus spear—no cheating with mayo, please—and tell me if any fireworks go off.

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From Serious Eats

Snapshots From Italy: Ten Reasons Why I Love Shopping in Italy

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1. Butchers
I love Italian butchers. I have never met an unfriendly macellaio, anywhere. Most Italian food purveyors are happy and even eager to talk about their goods, but my butcher has an amazing amount of interest in what I will do with the 1/2 kilo of whatever I just ordered. This is especially true when I demonstrate an inadequate thirst for his knowledge. If the right questions about my veal or lamb or sausages aren’t posed, my butcher will ask me what he suspects I need to know, then gallantly and gently coming to the rescue when I have revealed exactly how clueless I am, and showing genuine happiness if I prove to be on the right track.

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The Ten Most Recent Comments By Gina DePalma

From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Eataly Torino

That is what I meant; I apologize if it wasn't clearer! I should add that my lunch was somewhere around €8 for the plate of pasta, and included mineral water, which was a nice, unexpected touch, since the water can really jack up any restaurant bill.

I thought Eataly was wondrous. I hope that came across.

From Recipes

Snapshots from Italy: Seeing Red at the Market

Hi there!
Great question. Yes, I must say that prices have gone up dramatically and are continuing to rise. I usually shop in Monteverde or Testaccio, because the Campo, and even Piazza San Calisto are expensive. Produce is still relatively reasonable, depending on what you buy. That day, I also bought 3 big potatoes, and 2 big red onions, and it was €.90, so it evens out sometimes. The strawberries were maybe €1.50.

Meat is really, really expensive; I only eat it twice a week, maybe. Pasta is more expensive than it used to be, but still an economical way to eat. I've been making pasta lately and it is a real money saver. With 3 eggs and 300 gms of flour, I can make enough pasta for 4-5 meals.

Most Romans know that prices can vary greatly from shop to shop, block to block, so they will go out of their way to find a good bargain.

Rome is overall a very expensive city. I am in Torino right now for a few days. Prices are much less expensive here, for everything. And the shopping is great, I must add. Eveyone who loves Italy should visit Torino. It is one of the great, grand European cities. I'm going to post on it soon!

From Recipes

Snapshots from Italy: Roman Easter Soup

To make any egg-enriched soup, I would use 1 egg yolk per 1 1/4 cups stock; flavor and season as you like! If you use whole eggs, you will get a stracciatella-effect, and the soup should actually come to a simmer to fully cook the eggs. I don't want to get too far off-topic, but if you have ever had stracciatella, you know what I mean. Good luck!

From Recipes

Snapshots from Italy: Tagliatelle with Artichokes, Leeks, and Lemon

Hi Ben! The artichokes here are gi-normous, I must say! Much bigger than the ones I am used to back in the States, which are probably more like to the ones you used. The first couple of times I have made this dish, I did it a la minute, and by cooking the artichokes a bit first, then adding the leeks, they softened up pretty fast with the lid on. But cooking them ahead of time can work too.

I had some friends over for dinner a few nights ago and wanted to cut down on my in-the-kitchen exile; an hour or so ahead of time, I sauteed the artichokes in a bit of olive oil, then added a bit of water and the lid to cook them through, and set them aside. I picked up the rest of the recipe by cooking the leeks, and added the chokes back to the pan when I added the lemon. It worked fine that way, so if anyone wants to break the recipe up in the same manner, go for it...

From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Crema di Gianduja

Hi Jen,
They are both quite good, and I think the Baratti is becoming my favorite...it will be a great gift for your sister!

From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Crema di Gianduja

Ciao! Yes, you are indeed correct. The formula for the U.S. market is much sweeter and firmer than what they sell here in Italy. I don't really like the Nutella sold in the States because of that, to be honest. The U.S. formula used to contain dreaded palm oil, but recently it was switched to vegetable oil. Regardless, it is nothing like real crema di gianduja. The Baratti & Milano is the least expensive of the bunch I mentioned above, and it is quite good.

From Serious Eats

Roman Perfection to Go

Thanks, everyone, for such a warm welcome! I actually was pushed and stomped on to get my pizza rossa that day - by a 7-year old boy. Nice. And he got the best piece. I promise to have my game on by the next post. My quest to find the traditional, the interesting and the delectable for Serious Eats readers will continue despite the obstacles!

Responses to Comments by Gina DePalma

From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Eataly Torino

Eataly Torino is a mandatory stop if you're visiting Piemonte. We spent almost three awestruck hours there last October, including a wonderful lunch at the pizza/foccacia restaurant, and purchased as many products as we could fit in our suitcases to bring home. But I just can't see how this could be duplicated in NYC or maintained at the same level of quality and scope of what we found in Torino. Conceivably Mr. Farinetti plans to offer seasonal American foods from local artisanal producers as espoused by the Slow Food movement, but it still won't be the same.

From Recipes

Snapshots from Italy: Seeing Red at the Market

Gina, it is such a wonderful surprise to discover you on Serious Eats and to find that you are submitting essays from Rome is icing on the cake. I have enjoyed your travelogues and Rome blog on the Slow Travel website and look forward to reading more about your newest Italian travels and life in Rome.

The food of Rome, especially in this season, is my favorite - I'm spring green with envy and definitely wish I had a return to Rome in my near future.

Janice

From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Crema di Gianduja

Hi Jen,
They are both quite good, and I think the Baratti is becoming my favorite...it will be a great gift for your sister!

From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Crema di Gianduja

hi gina,
great post. i'm going to buy a jar for my sister who adores nutella, so she'll go crazy for this. i found the baratti one for $9 and the venchi one for $20. is the venchi one that much better than the baratti one? what do you think, is the splurge worth it?

thanks,
jen

From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Crema di Gianduja

Mmmmm... Hazelnut...

The artisan cremas di gianduja look exquisite! Wish we had importers here.

From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Crema di Gianduja

After falling in love with their Crema di Gianduja Extrafondente (with extra-dark chocolate), we visited Locanda La Posta in Cavour, Piedmonte, and got ourselves more, including a bottle of Crema di Gianduja al Rhum. What could be more sinful than alcoholic indulgence for breakfast...

From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Crema di Gianduja

Artisanal designer Nutella: Who knew there was such a thing? I want some now. It's not really on my diet. I suppose I could have teaspoon.

From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Crema di Gianduja

This looks like a creamy, decadent dream. Damn Europe for having creamier Nutella too--I never knew that!

From Serious Eats

Snapshots from Italy: Crema di Gianduja

Wow... I'll BOLO. We love Nutella and work it into many recipes - in addition to just eating it off a spoon. (God, I'm bad.)

From Serious Eats

Roman Perfection to Go

MMMmmmmm...pizza bianca. :)