The kitchen is traditionally very much the heart of Umbrian farmhouses as it’s the room where people work and meet. Apart from the stables it occupied the largest space in old farmhouses and it was there that the women cooked and gathered to chat. Meals were eaten there and long winter evenings were spent huddled in front of the fire.
In the interest of hygiene and practicality the kitchen was divided from the dining room after the refurbishment was completed in the aftermath of the 1997 earthquake. It was completely modernised and fully complies with current health and safety regulations. The great open fire has been preserved in the dining room and it is a favourite haunt for guests who gather around it to talk about old traditions, Umbrian arts and crafts and the local cuisine.
The food at Casa del Vento is traditional Umbrian country fare, though some of the dishes have a modern twist. Here are a few recipes for you to try out:
Boil some chicken or duck livers. Drain and put in a saucepan with carrots, celery, sage and homemade vinegar. Leave to marinate. Purée and spread over toast... done.
back to topFirst make the dough for the pasta using an egg for every hundred grams of flour. Roll it out, not too thinly, then roll it up and cut it using a sharp knife. Gently fry some garlic, carrots and celery in olive oil and salt until soft in a deep saucepan. Place the duck that’s already been blanched in the saucepan and add in a little water with three or four cloves, a sprinkling of freshly ground pepper and a drop of white wine. Allow the wine to reduce then add a good amount of chopped tomatoes. Simmer slowly for about two hours and then pour over the tagliatelle ..... done.
back to topSlice some white onions into whole round slices and separate into rings. Coat them in batter made from eggs, flour and beer and fry them in corn oil .... done.
back to topCut the cured bacon into thick slices and place in a frying pan with wine and sage. Fry over a medium heat until cooked .... done.
back to topTake a chunk of pancetta and smother it in rosemary, fennel, garlic, freshly ground pepper, salt and add a couple of bay leaves. Roll it and roast it in a wood fired oven ... done.
back to topMake the dough (see recipe for tagliatelle). Mix honey, cocoa powder, apples, raisins, walnuts and dried figs in a bowl. Roll out the pastry and place the filling at one end and roll. Bake for 30 minutes in the oven... done.
back to topMix together 300 grams of flour, 150 grams of sugar, 100 grams of butter, 3 eggs and some yeast which has been softened in warm water. Lay out the pastry in a cake tin, leaving some aside for strips to decorate the crostata on top and spread out the homemade jam. Bake for about 30 minutes ... done.
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