SECRETS OF THE ITALIAN DIET
SECRETS OF THE
ITALIAN DIET
HEALTH BENEFITS OF AN AUTHENTIC ITALIAN DIET Studies show that a Italian/Mediterranean-style diet has many health benefits such as lower risks of heart disease and cancer, and longevity. Nevertheless, something must be getting lost in translation. Many of the Americans’ favorite Italian foods, like cheese-laden pepperoni pizza and fettuccini Alfredo, are neither authentic, nor healthy Italian recipes. In Mediterranean countries -- like Italy for example --obesity is rare despite an abundance of pasta and other delectable dishes. Are there any Italian diet secrets that we could learn?
ITALIAN DIET SECRET NO. 1:
SMALL PORTIONS, MANY COURSES The typical Italian diet is far from the courses you see on a typical American Italian restaurant menu. Italian people enjoy a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, beans, fish, poultry, olive oil, tomatoes, whole grains, dairy, red wine -- and they eat very little red meat. Typically, Italians start the day with a relatively small breakfast of coffee with milk (rather than cream or half and half) along with cereal or a cornetto, a small pastry. Lunch varies from family to family, and all over the country, but typically consists of a “first course” and “second course,” such as a sandwich and salad, or a small plate of pasta (as a first course), followed by a small piece of fish or chicken and vegetables (as a second course). Adults often opt for a coffee or a cappuccino made with milk (not specialty coffees topped with whipped cream). When kids want a midday snack, they usually
have yogurt or fruit, not cake, cookies, or candy. Lunch and Dinner are larger meals. It’s usually pasta with a tomato or vegetable sauce; a small portion of fish or meat; vegetables; and fruit for dessert. A Mineral water is the preferred beverage (no carbonated sodas) , along with a glass of red wine. All portions tend to be small when compared to American supersized quantities. In Italy, even a light meal includes more than one course, but portions are small. A plate of pasta is probably half the size of what Americans normally eat.
ITALIAN DIET SECRET NO. 2:
DINE LEISURELY AND EAT SLOWLY It is clear that Italian people, like other Mediterranean cultures, know how to really enjoy the experience of eating. They relax and socialize while dining, over lunch and/or dinner. They understand the benefit of eating slowly. If you eat slowly, you’ll chew your food better, which favor a better digestion. Digestion actually starts in the mouth, so a good chew will reduce the work your stomach will have to do later.
Consider that it takes about 20 minutes to our brain to register that we’re full. If we eat fast, we can continue eating past the point where we’re full. If we eat slowly, we have time to realize we’re full and stop just in time. Since Italians take their time eating, their brain has the opportunity to register a sensation of repletion which allow them to stop the eating while keeping enjoying the company at the table.
ITALIAN DIET SECRET NO. 3:
WALK AFTER EATING Italians love walking or bike riding. Before and after dinner, many Italians engage in a passeggiata, a leisurely stroll through town with family or friends. For generations Italians have been walking together, engaging in conversations, this way keeping a cherished tradition alive. Italians never eat in front of a television, a computer, or a book, and never just before going to sleep. Lastly, Italian people do not indulge in junk food.
ITALIAN DIET SECRET NO. 4:
BUY FRESH AND QUALITY PRODUCTS The quality of the ingredients Italian people eat is of utmost importance to them. This is the reason why they spend more time and money on their food than any other nationality in the world. Italians are generally suspicious of industrial products that aren’t locally grown. Not only they know the source of their food, but do they know also just what to do with it -- how to prepare and cook it to the best in order to maximize taste, nutrition, and presentation.
The Italian cooking is simple and genuine. Italians start with fresh ingredients, often from farmers’ markets. They usually don’t buy precooked foods. Italians seldom eat between meals, which keeps their consumption of junk food fairly low. When you visit a supermarket in Italy, you’ll notice that potato chips and soft drinks occupy a small amount of shelf space compared to the supermarkets in North America.
MODERN ITALIAN/MEDITERRANEAN DIET PYRAMID
SOME SIMPLE AND AUTHENTIC ITALIAN RECIPES FOR YOU TO TRY AT HOME, AT SCHOOL, WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS
What about a CAPRESE
SALAD for lunch?
Ingredients:
How to make it:
4 tomatoes 2 cups mozzarella cheese Fresh basil leaves 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into thick rounds. Arrange cheese and tomatoes on a dish alternating them in overlapping slices. Top with few basil leaves. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Serves 2 to 4.
Did you ever tried
FARRO, DANDELION AND RED BELL PEPPER SALAD? Ingredients:
How to make it:
/2 lb farro 1 bunch dandelion leaves cut into 1-inch strips 2 large red bell peppers, peeled and diced 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped Extra-virgin olive oil to taste Salt and black pepper to taste
Boil farro in salted water until tender yet still crunchy. Drain well, and then transfer to a large bowl. Season it with the chopped garlic, a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. In a covered pan, cook the dandelion and the diced bell peppers in ½ cup of water, stirring until the dandelion reduces in volume. Close the lid and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Combine the red bell pepper and dandelion mixture with the cooked faro. Enjoy it warm or refrigerate it overnight. Allow it to stand at room temperature for a half-hour before serving. Serves 2 to 4
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PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED GRISSINI is a tasty snack appetizers. You can easily prepare it at home following our recipe! Ingredients:
How to make it:
8 cups flour; 1 1/2 oz compressed yeast; 2 cups lukewarm water; 2 tbsps salt; some slices of prosciutto
Dilute 1/2 oz of yeast in a cup of lukewarm water, combine with 3 oz of flour and let it sit for a couple hours or until the volume has doubled. Then add 4 cups of flour, the remaining yeast, salt and enough lukewarm water to form soft, elastic dough. Work the dough until it no longer sticks to your hands. Form the dough into a large ball, make a cross-like incision on top and cover with a moist towel. Let it sit at room temperature for 5 hours or until the dough has doubled in size. Add the remaining flour and water and knead the fermented dough again until it is smooth and elastic. Cut small pieces of dough and roll them out onto a wooden board to form long, thin sticks. Place them on a baking pan and let them sit until they double in size. Bake at 550째F for 10 minutes. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around each breadstick so half is covered. Serves 2 to 4.
A great idea for lunch:
PEAR, WALNUTS AND GORGONZOLA SALAD! Ingredients:
How to make it:
14 oz mixed greens (lettuce, arugola, radicchio, dandelion greens, watercress, spinach); 7 oz of gorgonzola cheese; 3.5 oz walnuts; 2 pears; extra virgin olive oil; red wine vinegar; salt
Thoroughly wash greens in cold water and gently dry. Cut gorgonzola into cubes. Wash pears and cut into small pieces. Combine greens, cheese and pears in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt. Prepare vinaigrette by mixing 2 tbsps red wine vinegar with 6 tbsps olive oil. Toss with dressing just before serving. Serves 2 to 4.
A simple and tasty lunch first course: PENNE
WITH RAW TOMATOES AND PARMESAN CHEESE! Ingredients:
How to make it:
/2 lb ripe plum tomatoes; 1 lb penne; 1 /3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano cheese; fresh basil; extra virgin olive oil; salt
Wash the tomatoes, remove the seeds and cut into chunks. Put the tomatoes in a bowl and add chopped basil. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle salt, toss and let sit. In a pot of boiling water, cook pasta until al dente. Drain and transfer the pasta to a serving bowl. Add tomatoes and toss with Parmigiano cheese. Serve immediately.
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Spaghetti Time!:
GREEN PESTO SPAGHETTI Ingredients:
How to make it:
2 garlic cloves 3 cups fresh basil leaves 3 tablespoons pine nuts 1 oz. fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 /2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 /4 cup mixed grated Pecorino cheese and Parmigianino Reggiano cheese salt and freshly-ground pepper
Thoroughly wash greens in cold water and gently dry. Cut gorgonzola into cubes. Wash pears and cut into small pieces. Combine greens, cheese and pears in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt. Prepare vinaigrette by mixing 2 tbsps red wine vinegar with 6 tbsps olive oil. Toss with dressing just before serving. Serves 2 to 4.
A perfect vegetarian main course:
MELANZANE ALLA PARMIGIANA Ingredients:
How to make it:
3 lb aubergines Fine salt 2 tbsp olive oil 3 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 lb good tinned tomatoes 1 cup red wine Pinch of sugar 1/2 tsp dried oregano Olive Oil, to fry 1 /2 lb mozzarella, thinly sliced 1 /4 lb Parmesan, grated 3 tsp breadcrumbs Handful of basil leaves
Cut the aubergines lengthways into 5mm slices, sprinkle with salt and leave in a colander to drain for half an hour. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium pan over a medium-high heat and add the garlic. Fry for a minute, then tip in the tomatoes and wine. Bring to a boil, mashing the tomatoes, stir and then turn down the heat slightly. Add a pinch of sugar, a little seasoning and the oregano, and simmer gently for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Puree until smooth. Preheat the oven to 180C. Put a large pan of water on to boil if you’re feeling healthy. Rinse the aubergines well, and dry thoroughly with kitchen paper. Pour enough oil into a frying pan to coat the bottom well, and put on a high heat. Fry half (healthy) or all (not), of the aubergine slices until golden brown on both sides, working in batches. Put the cooked slices on paper towel to drain. Blanch the other half, if necessary, in the boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain well. Lightly grease a baking dish and spread with a thin layer of tomato sauce, followed by a layer of aubergines (packing them tightly), mozzarella, Parmesan and seasoning. Add another layer of aubergines, followed by tomato sauce, the cheeses and seasoning. Repeat this order until you have used up all the aubergine, finishing with a layer of sauce (you may not need all the sauce) – keep a little Parmesan back for the top. Toss the breadcrumbs with a little olive oil and Parmesan and sprinkle on top. Bake for about 30 minutes, until bubbling and browned, then allow to cool slightly and sprinkle with torn basil before serving.
A Mediterranean flavored fish:
CITRUS MARINATED CARPACCIO OF BRANZINO AND CANTALOUPE MELON Ingredients:
How to make it:
2 lbs branzino (European Sea Bass), very thin fillets 1 small cantaloupe melon 1 small orange (Blood orange), juiced 1 small lemon, juiced 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste
Arrange the branzino in a single layer on a serving platter, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and orange. Let the branzino fillets soak in the marinade for 5 minutes. In the meanwhile, thinly slice the melon and arrange it on the platter, lay the marinated branzino on top and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
A DELICATE DINNER SECOND COURSE:
SALTIMBOCCA Ingredients:
How to make it:
12 veal escalopes (around 1 lb); 3.5 oz prosciutto (Parma ham); 1 /2 cup dry white wine; 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp butter; fresh sage leaves; dash of flour; salt and pepper.
Veal escalopes should be very small and thin, about the size of your palm. Remove skin, flatten them with a meat pounder and arrange on the table. Sprinkle with pepper and a little salt (the prosciutto is already salted and put a sage leaf on each slice. Cover each escalope with half a slice of prosciutto and secure horizontally with a toothpick going just under the surface of the meat. Lightly flour only the bottom of the veal escalopes and heat oil and butter in a large pan. Gently sautĂŠ a few sage leaves before adding escalopes to pan. Escalopes should be close but not cover each other. Cook the escalopes for two to three minutes on high heat. Do not flip them over as the prosciutto will lose its flavor over high heat. When the escalopes begin to take color, add the wine. When the wine has evaporated, the saltimbocca are ready: if they stick to the pan, gently remove them by adding a spoonful of hot water. Serve the saltimbocca very hot with sauce from the pan.
ABOUT AUTHENTICALLY EATALIAN The purpose of Authentically EATalian is to promote the Italian Diet as a genuine and a nourishing diet that contributes to leading a healthy lifestyle and overall physical wellbeing. The project is sponsored by Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico (the Italian Ministry of Economic Development), and is organized in partnership with Assocamerestero, Italy-America Chamber of Commerce, Southeast of Miami, Italy-America Chamber of Commerce, West of Los Angeles and Gambero Rosso. The aim of Authentically EATalian is to capture the minds of average American consumers and reinforce the idea that eating authentic Italian food contributes to a person’s wellbeing and good health. The project’s goal is also to raise awareness on how to identify “real” Italian food and avoid the “fake” / “Italian Sounding” counterparts, which lure consumers daily into believing that what they are purchasing is authentic Italian food, without fully understanding the consequences of their misguided choices.
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Italy-America Chamber of Commerce Southeast, Inc .
Authentically EATalian