This is my official entry into the "Mama Mia... Now That's Italian" TD.
Please accept my entry titled "Socca from Valle d'Aosta".
This is a recipe from Chef Lidia Matticchio Bastianich that comes from the least populated and coldest part of Italy called Aosta. It is located in the western Alps just above Piedmont. This recipe was 'Plan B' and I'm happy my cook worked out this way so I could learn about this fascinating north Italian region.
Socca is a layered beef, cabbage and potato casserole -- below are the ingredients. Knowing what I know now I would have doubled the amount of beef. I forgot to take the blade roast out of the freezer the day before so I was rushing around trying to thaw it the morning of and not paying attention to how much beef was in front of me. I intended to make half a recipe so I thought the small roast would do. It didn't. I'm making this again so I get another crack at it. The beef is traditionally raised and a limosine/red angus cross.
Cabbage cut into strips.
Potato slices.
Olive oil, rosemary, sage, garlic cloves and Celtic sea salt blended together for coating the main casserole ingredients. Lidia calls this a pestata.
Potatoes coated with olive oil and a tbsp of pestata.
Next half the cabbage coated with olive oil and a tbsp of pestata.
Coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil and then arrange a layer of sliced potatoes.
Layer the cabbage on the potatoes then coat the meat with 2 tbsp pestata and arrange them on top of the cabbage.
Coat the rest of the sliced potatoes like the first and arrange them on the meat. Coat the rest of the cabbage like the first and arrange that over the potatoes.
Put a cup of dry, white vermouth into the remaining pestata, swish it around and pour over the top of the casserole. Lidia used white wine in her recipe but since I don't like white wine I was looking for an 'out'. It came from the strangest place. I was in my second grocery store looking for Fontina cheese and asked the young man working in the seafood display next to the cheese display. They didn't have it and staff at the deli counter wasn't familiar with Fontina. The young man asked what I was making and I told him Socca from Aosta in the western Alps. He said, "My mother makes that, she's from that region". He said his mother uses Peccorino Romano. I love Peccorino and already had a few wedges at home in the fridge. We talked more about the dish and I told him I was going to use red wine because I didn't like white wine. He said that would change the taste of the dish. His mother doesn't like white wine either and uses white Vermouth. I chatted with him a bit more and left really happy. Went to the liquor store and what do I find? Martini white vermouth is made in Piedmont! No kidding, I bet lots of Alpine Italians make this dish with vermouth. I read up on Fontina, too. Italian Fontina has a strong flavour and is a harder, drier cheese. Fontina from other countries is softer and milder. The cheese goes on the last 20 minutes of cooking but because I was smoking it I took the lid off earlier to get smoke into it. Below is the casserole with the cheese before and after Dragona's fiery belly.
It tasted really good but reminded me more of German food than the southern Italian food I'm more familiar with. Then again, Aosta is in the Alps, isn't it?
PLEASE USE THE PHOTO BELOW FOR VOTING
I've been looking for different coloured plates to use in the TDs but was having a hard time either finding what I wanted or deciding what I wanted. Then I thought -- why don't I use the clear glass plate I already have and put tablecloths or fabric below to create the colour of plate I want in that moment. It will be fun experimenting with colours and how they compliment the food I'm plating. Here's two close up shots of the Socca -- Valle d'Aosta comfort food.
Thanks for looking!