Panzanella, Penne, Peposo, Scarpaccia, Sformato and the Tuscan Cookbook

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COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC
  
WHERE DID BARRY POPIK EAT ON FRIDAY?--La Cantina Toscana, 1109 First Avenue 
(between East 60th and East 61 Streets). $11 for an asparagus appetizer seems a 
bit much. There's a good "wild game" menu that I wasn't game for. A Zagat 
review is prominently displayed outside.
  
WHERE DID BARRY POPIK EAT ON SATURDAY?--Caffe' Linda (cucina italiana), 145 
East 49th Street (between Lexington and Third Avenues). My server was 
Vietnamese. The place was empty. I was told that it's usually packed. Maybe the Rudy 
Giuliani Republicans have something against Italian food?
  
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PANZANELLA, PENNE AND THE TUSCAN COOKBOOK
  
THE TUSCAN COOKBOOK
by Wilma Pezzini
New York: Atheneum
1978
  
Pg. 34:
PANZANELLA
(Panzanella)
THis has been, across the years, a classic dish of both the city Florentines 
and its country folk. The peasants use theiir fresh vegetables in the summer 
and add the good stle bread and the seasoning. The more sophisticated citizens 
add capers and achovies to dress up the simple dish, but the real core of this 
preparation is Tuscan bread, the fresh vegetables and the olive oil.
  
(789 Google hits. "Panzanella" is not in the OED. The revised OED must have 
it. It's in EATING YOUR WORDS--ed.)
    
Pg. 49:
PENNE ALLA CARMEN
(Carmen's Penne)
_Penne_ means feather or pens (pens, as most people remember, were once made 
of feathers) but in Tuscany it's a type of _pasta_. It's short and round and 
comes in several sizes, but the one used most frequently is about the length of 
half a cigarette, and slightly thicker. The outside is usually ridged (there 
is a smooth variety, but it's not as popular), the inside is hollow, and the 
ends are cut on a slant, which probably justifies the name. It's a _pasta_ that 
doesn't overcook easily and that takes well to a thick sauce (some gets into 
the hole in the middle).
  
Pg. 52:
TORTELLI OR TORDELLI
_Tortelli_ are the Tuscan version of a dish which exists in almost every 
country. In Yiddish they're called _kreplach_, in Russian _piroushki_,  in CHinese 
_wonton_, in other parts of Italy _ravioli_. They are made with dough and 
various fillings which can be all meat, meat and vegetables, cheese and 
vegetables or meat, cheese and vegetables. Unlike the small _tortellini_ for which 
Bologna is famous, and which are very good eaten _in brodo_, the Tuscan _tortello_ 
or _tordello_ is eaten with a sauce, _asciutto_. Following are two types of 
dough, the classic egg dough which can be used for noodles, _lasagne_, 
_pappardelle_ and _tortelli_, and a lighter, softer dough which is the one used here.
  
(36, 300 Google hits for "tortelli," 632 for "tordelli." Neither is in the 
OED. "Tortelli" is in EATING YOUR WORDS, but it's not identified as Tuscan--ed.)
  
Pg. 60:
PAGLIA E FIENO
(Straw and Hay)
This excellent _pasta_ dish is named for the two colors of egg noodles used: 
yellow and green.
  
(Previously discussed on ADS-L. 11,400 Google hits. Not in OED. Not in EATING 
YOUR WORDS--ed.)
  
Pg. 90:
ZUPPA MATTA
(Crazy Soup)
  
(3,730 Google hits for "Zuppa Matta"--ed.)
  
Pg. 97:
ZUPPA IGNORANTE
(Ignorant Soup)
  
Pg. 134:
CACCIUCCO
_Cacciucco_ means fish soup in Tuscany. Every port has its own version, but 
essentially it's a lot of fish in a spicy wine and tomato sauce, served on 
toasted, garlic-flavored bread. In fact, the _cacciucco_ is also called _zuppa di 
pesce_, since anything with bread in it is a _zuppa_.
  
There's an interesting legend about the origins of this famous dish. It seem 
that _cacciucco_ was invented by a _livornese_ lighthouse keeper who, living 
out at sea, had all the fish he wanted but wasn't allowed to fry it because the 
oil was needed to keep the light going. So, with a little ingenuity, a little 
wine and a little hot pepper he invented this excellent specialty, which 
tastes better than fried fish ever did. Incidentally, _cacciucco_ should be made 
with at least five varieties of fish, one for each "c" in its name. The origins 
of the name are not clear, some say it means "mixture" or "confusion"; others 
say it comes from the Turkish word "_kacukli_" which means "minute stuff" or 
"tid-bits."
   
(5,820 Google hits for "cacciucco." It is not in OED. It is not in EATING 
YOUR WORDS.--ed.)
    
Pg. 148:
PEPOSO
(Peppery Stew)
  
(1,610 Google hits for "peposo." It is not in OED. It is not in EATING YOUR 
WORDS--ed.)
(Peposo
... Peposo. Peposo is a specialty of Impruneta, a town near Florence that's 
famous for
its terracottas. ... Carefully pour the peposo over the bread and serve. ... 
italianfood.about.com/library/rec/blr0246.htm - 25k - Cached - Similar pages) 


(Cucina Italiana - Curiosità e ricette storiche: Tuscany - Peposo
Peposo. This dish it seems was invented by the oven-workers of Impruneta;
it was in fact known as the "peposo alla fornacina" and ... 
www.emmeti.it/Cucina/Toscana/ Prodotti/Toscana.PRO.101.uk.html - 6k - Cached 
- Similar pages) 
  
Pg. 207:
SFORMATO DI CARCIOFI
(Artichoke Custard)
Loosely translated, the Tuscan _sformato_ can be called a "flan." It's a very 
good way of treating vegetables, by mixing them with bechamel (white sauce) 
and eggs and then cooking them in a double boiler. A _sformato_ can be made 
with many vegetables: peas, broccoli, spinach, carrots, and so on.
    
(15,700 Google hits for "sformato." It is not in OED. It is not in EATING 
YOUR WORDS--ed.)
  
Pg. 221:
PEPERONATA
(Pepper Stew)
  
(11,700 Google hits for "peperonata." It is not in OED. It is not in EATING 
YOUR WORDS--ed.)
  
Pg. 228:
SCARPACCIA
(Zucchini and Onion Pizza)
The _scarpaccia_ is a sort of _pizza_ made with zucchini squash and onions. 
It's characteristic of the city where I live, Camaiore. No one knows where the 
name comes from; literally and liberally translated, it means "big old shoe," 
and some claim that it's meant to imply that his _pizza_ should be as flat as 
possible, like the sole of a very old pair of shoes. Other places in Tuscany 
don't seem to knw it, and I include it in this collection because it's very 
good, and quick and easy to make.  Here it's made in spring, when the zucchini 
are small and full of flowers. It can be made without flowers, but the zucchini 
should always be small--the large ones have too much water.
  
(1,840 Google hits for "scarpaccia." It is not in OED. It is not in EATING 
YOUR WORDS--ed.)
  
Pg. 232:
CASTAGNACCIO
(Chestnut Flour Cake)
  
(709 English Google hits. "Castagnaccio" is not in OED. It is not in EATING 
YOUR WORDS--ed.)
    
Pg. 242:
NECCI
(Chestnut Flour Crepes)
  
(54 Google hits for "necci" and "chestnut." It is not in OED. It is not in 
EATING YOUR WORDS--ed.)
    
Pg. 251:
ZUCCOTTO
The name of this excellent, rich FLorentine dessert comes from _zucca_, 
pumpkin, because it has the shape of half a pumpkin.
  
(6,150 Google hits for "zuccotto." It is not in OED. It is not in EATING YOUR 
WORDS--ed.)