First day of Northern Italian Regions: Marche

The region of Marche is located on the Adriatic sea (Eastern Italy) and is north of Abruzzo and east of Umbria and Rome. This region focuses on simple, but extremely flavorful food. From warm beaches of Riviera del Conero to the snow capped Monti Sibillini, this region has weather of all kinds. Between the beaches and the mountains, there are flat lands that are famous world wide. They produce legumes, especially lentils, with no pesticides, all organic!

The dishes we created today were all traditional dishes of the Marche region. Here is some of the dishes and notes I have about them:

Vincisgrassi
This is layered similar to a lasagna, but has a ton of layers, expanding up to 32! This dish is layered with a ragu sauce containing panchetta, chicken livers/hearts, ground beef, and ground pork. The flavor from this sauce is unlike any other because of the presence of the livers and hearts. They add a flavor to it that is sweet and salty. The layers are made up of sauce, pasta, pecorino cheese, and bechammel. Bechemmel is a cream sauce that adds a creamy note to this dish, a very large difference from a lasagna. In this region, pecorino cheese is used in most of the dishes because they have a lot of sheep there.


Moscioli Arrosto Portonovo Style 
This antipasti was probably one of my favorites we have made so far. It is composed of mussels that are slightly cooked, taken on the half shell, then are covered in breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, and a little oil. Oh my goodness! The flavor of the salty mussels with the crispy breadcrumbs is delicious. This was similar to oysters rockefeller, in terms of eating and distinction. This would be a great antipasti to serve in a restaurant or even a cafe. The preparation is very simple and fairly inexpensive, and the end flavor and look is nothing but exceptional.

Tip: When making these, do not push the breading down because it will become more of a crust that is unpleasant to eat. 

Coda di Rospo in Potacchio 

Italian Word of the Day: Coda = Monkfish

This dish was a main course made with monk fish, tomatoes, rosemary, parsley, garlic, and white wine. This is a fairly new dish because tomatoes were brought to Europe after the discovery of America. Rosemary is also a herb used in a lot of dishes from the Marche region. I enjoyed the flavors of this dish, from the sweet taste and slightly firm texture of the monk fish to the earthy, light, and flavorful sauce, this dish was one to remember. 

With our lunch today, we tried a white wine from the Marche region: Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. This wine is made from the verdicchio grapes and is different from any other wine that I have tried. It is definitely acidic, but upfront, it has some sweet notes. This wine would pair well with a more hearty fish dish or even a risotto because the acidity would help cut the fattiness from the meal.

All and all, when considering the favors, tastes, and ingredients used in the Marche region, I can gather they have a lot of different ingredients available. These ingredients come together in small quantities to produce simple dishes that pack a flavorful punch. 

Side note! Today I learned how to tie a piece of meat. This may sound simple to you, but the way Chef Odette does it really holds the meat and the twine does not move from where it is placed. I also have difficulty learning things like this because I am left handed and have to teach myself to do it backward. I really enjoyed this and the fact that Chef told me it was excellent really helped my confidence that I feel like I have been lacking lately in the kitchen. 

Fun Fact of the Day:
What is the home for the World Heritage Site in the northern part of Marche and what is it known for?
Urbino is the World Heritage site in Marche that is known for its medieval walls surrounding the town. Inside of Urbino, there are winding roads and steep stairways that date back many centuries. This was a very significant literary and artistic center during the Renaissance. 

With love,
Baylee