The Flavors of Southern Italy

From Cosa Bolle in Pentola:
I met Erica a number of years ago on the Web when I was looking for interesting recipes, and happened upon Pasta Improvvisata (http://www.ericademane.com), a site she had put together to promote another book of hers. Interesting recipes told with flair, enthusiasm, and charm, and I eagerly offered to review the book. "I've got another one coming out soon, " she replied, and it has been worth the wait.

Erica is quick to point out that the book is not strictly southern, in the sense that she didn't go to the South and write down what people were doing, step by step; rather, she traveled through the South, absorbing culinary atmosphere, as it were, combining it with her family heritage -- though the elder generation changed their names to things less obviously South Italian they continued to cook as they had in the old country -- and her experience working in New York's restaurants. What we get from her is much like what we get from good modern Italian cooks, traditional recipes updated and improvised upon with respect, with their roots quite evident and none of the frank improbabilities one encounters among chefs whose primary desire is to draw attention to themselves rather than the food they present. Couple the recipes with the background and the sidebars, and you have a book that you'll be as tempted to read in the living room as you will to use in the kitchen, though if you start in the living room you may well find yourself standing in front of the stove, stirring the contents of the pot and wondering how you got there. If there are two of you, you might be making:

Fried Calamari, Lemon and Chilies (page 180)

Serves 2.
The southern Italian love of deep-fried food is one that I share. I order a fritto misto of shrimp, calamari, fish, artichokes, and zucchini just about anytime I see it on a menu. Other fish fries I've sampled on the Amalfi Coast contained little whole fish like anchovies and sardines along with calamari and shrimp. Deep-frying at home can be a lot of work if you do it for a group; you can be stuck in the kitchen turning out batch after batch of whatever you're frying while everyone else is at the table enjoying it. My solution is to fry one thing, make a small amount, and sit down to enjoy it with one friend.

I've tried all kinds of batters for fried fish and vegetables, using beer, cornmeal, eggs, and baking soda. I finally decided upon the Italian standby plain flour, which works fine, until I learned that Mario Batali fried calamari in a mix of finely ground flour and cornstarch. I tried it and it made the lightest, crispest crust, so I've implemented his idea here.

The fried lemon slices came from a fritto misto recipe of Jonathan Waxman's; the fried chilies are an idea I picked up from a salt-and-pepper squid dish in Chinatown.

4 cups inexpensive extra-virgin olive oil for deep-frying

1/2 cup [50 g] cornstarch

1/2 cup [50 g] Wondra or other "instant" flour

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 1/2 pounds [675 g] small squid, cleaned, bodies cut into 1/4-inch rings, tentacles left whole

2 small unpeeled lemons, cut into thin rounds

1 long, skinny fresh peperoncino chili, cut into thin rounds

Small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over high heat.

While the oil is heating, mix the cornstarch and flour in a large bowl and season it with a generous amount of salt and pepper.

Test the oil by adding a small piece of squid. If it sizzles immediately it's hot enough (the temperature should be about 365 F [180 C]). Pat the squid and lemon slices dry with paper towels. Add the squid to the flour mixture, tossing it around with your hands until it is all well coated. Transfer the squid to a colander over the sink and shake out the excess flour.

Add the squid, lemons, and chili to the oil and fry until the squid is lightly golden, 4 or 5 minutes, stirring it once to make sure it isn't sticking together. Using a large strainer, transfer them to paper towels to drain. Transfer them to a large bowl. Scatter on the parsley leaves and sprinkle on a pinch of fresh salt and a few grindings of pepper, giving it all a quick toss. Eat right away.

Variation
I love fried shrimp done this way almost as much as I do squid, and I often make this dish using shelled large shrimp, leaving the tails on for an interesting look and a neat little handle. They take just about a few seconds longer to cook than the calamari.

Fine eating indeed. The book begins with an exhaustive look at the ingredients one finds in the south, ranging from peppers, both sweet and hot, to almonds and pistachios, which go into all sorts of things; there's also advice on purchasing southern cheeses in the US.

The recipes are broken down into sections, beginning with vegetables, followed by seafood, meats and poultry, savory tarts, soups, pasta, and desserts, and this perhaps reflects an American order of eating things more than Italian, but then again Erica is American. Each section begins with handy info on buying, cooking, and serving whatever the section is dedicated to, with observations on how South Italian practices differ from those in the US, and then there are recipes -- lots, of the kind one will be happy to do at home. In other words, not the tremendously elaborate Big Night style timpano or a Cassata, but rather fusilli with sautéed green olives and bread crumbs, or baked lemon ricotta with raspberry sauce. Then there are menus, a quick overview of southern wines that I found a little short, but then again I am a wine writer, and a quick list of sources for ingredients.

In all, there are about 250 recipes, with a great many asides and much good advice. Highly recommended, and it will also make a fine gift. Complimeti all'autrice!

Practical things:: The Flavors of Southern Italy; Erica De Mane; John Wiley & Sons, 2004; Hardcover, with about 240 recipes and 450 pages, nicely laid out; ISBN 0471272515

Looks Good! I'd like to see the Order Form.