P R E S E R V I N G I T A LY• • • 4 • • •

CONTENTS

I N T R O D U C T I O N

S A F E T Y

W A T E R - B A T H C A N N I N G

P R E S S U R E C A N N I N G

Foods Preserved in Oil

Foods Preserved in Vinegar

Preserves, Conserves, Jams, Jellies, Marmalades

Tomatoes and Sauce

Infused Oils, Vinegars, and Condiments

Syrups, Liqueurs, and Foods Preserved in Alcohol

Fresh Cheeses and Simple Cured Meats

Confections

R E S O U R C E S

I N D E X

Preserving Italy_sample pages_3b.indd 4-5 9/13/15 8:03 AM

P R E S E R V E S , C O N S E R V E S , J A M S , J E L L I E S , M A R M A L A d E S• • • 3 1 • • •

P R E S E RV I N G I TA LY• • • 3 0 • • •

OVEN-ROASTEd TOMATOES IN OIL• • • MAKES ABOU T 1 P I NT ( 4 73 ML ) • • •

Roasting tomatoes in a slow (low-heat) oven deepens their flavor and enhances that delicious savory quality known as “umami.” This technique can turn even anemic out-of-season tomatoes into something special. Even if all you have on hand is a box of pasta and a jar of these tomatoes, you have the fixings for a

delicious dinner. I also use these as a topping for bruschetta or crostini, a sauce for grilled or sautéed fish, or as a flavor booster for soups and stews. Because

these tomatoes retain some juice, they won’t last as long as those that are dried completely in the sun or in the oven. Store them in the fridge and be sure to keep

them submerged in olive oil to prolong their freshness.

2½ pounds (1.1 kg) ripe Roma (plum) tomatoes, about 10 large

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil½ teaspoon sea saltFreshly ground black pepperA few sprigs thyme or crushed fennel seeds

(optional)

1 • Heat the oven to 275°F (135 C).

2 • Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and arrange them on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and season with the salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Scatter the thyme over the top, if using.

3 • Slow-roast the tomatoes for 3 hours, or until they are partially collapsed, crinkled and somewhat dried out, but still soft and juicy, even a little caramelized. Be sure to check on them from time to time to make sure they are cooking evenly and aren't developing any scorched spots. Rotate the pan if necessary for even cooking. Let cool.

4 • Pack the tomatoes into a clear pint-size

(½ liter) jar with a tight-fitting lid. Pour in enough olive oil to cover them and store in the refrigerator for up to two months. As you use the tomatoes, be sure top off those in the jar with oil to keep them covered.

Preserving Italy_sample pages_3b.indd 30-31 9/13/15 8:03 AM

F O O d S P R E S E R V E d I N V I N E G A R• • • 2 5 • • •

P R E S E RV I N G I TA LY• • • 2 4 • • •

CARROTS ANd FENNEL IN AGROdOLCE• • • MAKES 4 P INT S ( 1 . 9 L IT E RS) • • •

Italians are fond of preserving vegetables—and fruit—in a sweet and sour brine known as “agrodolce.” Sweet peppers are a classic example, but I like

this somewhat more unusual combination of crunchy carrots and sliced fennel bulb. Use a mix of colored carrots—gold, orange, and red—if you can find

them. The darker ones turn the brine a pretty shade of sunset pink.

2 cups (473 ml) waterJuice of 2 lemons2 pounds (900 g) fennel bulbs, plus 4 small

fronds, thoroughly washed2 pounds (900 g) carrots, thoroughly

washed and peeled2 cups (473 ml) white wine vinegar2 cups (473 ml) cider vinegar2 cups (400 g) sugar or vanilla sugar2 tablespoons sea salt1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds

EQuIPMENT

4 sterilized 1-pint (473 ml) jars and their lids

1 • Combine the water and lemon juice in a bowl.

2 • Cut the tops off the fennel bulbs. Cut each bulb into quarters and each quarter into thin wedges. Drop each wedge in the lemon water as you go to prevent it from browning.

3 • Cut the carrots into 2-inch sticks, and cut any large pieces in half or into quarters lengthwise to yield bite-size pieces. Add the carrots to the lemon water.

4 • Combine the vinegars, sugar, salt, pep-percorns, and fennel seeds in a large, deep saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Bring the brine to a boil, stirring occasionally to make sure the sugar dissolves.

5 • Drain the fennel and carrots and add them to the boiling water. Cover the pot, turn off the heat, and let the vegetables sit for 5 minutes.

6 • Place a fennel frond in the bottom of each jar. Pack the vegetables into the jars, taking care to get a mix of vegetables and some spices in each one. Pour the hot brine over the vegetables, leaving ½ inch headspace. Use a bubble remover or a clean chopstick to get rid of any bubbles that may be trapped. Screw the lids on tightly, and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath (see Water Bath Canning, page xx).

7 • Store the sealed jars in a cool, dark place and let the vegetables cure for at least 1 week before serving. They will keep for up to 1 year, though they may eventually lose their crisp texture. Store any jars that fail to seal properly in the refrigerator and enjoy those first.

COOK’S NOTE • You may have a fair amount of brine left over. Rather than toss is, use it to make fennel-pickled eggs: Hard-boil and peel six eggs. Pack them snugly into a clean glass jar and pour hot brine over them, making sure the eggs are completely submerged. Cap tightly and refrigerate. Let the eggs cure for a couple of days before using. Enjoy within a week.

Preserving Italy_sample pages_3b.indd 24-25 9/13/15 8:03 AM

P R E S E RV E S , C O N S E RV E S , JA M S , J E L L I E S , M A R M A L A d E S• • • 2 7 • • •

P R E S E R V I N G I T A LY• • • 2 6 • • •

BITTER CITRuS MARMALAdE• • • M AKES ABOU T 3 P INTS ( 1 . 5 L ITERS) • • •

Bitter orange marmalade is a classic Sicilian preserve. When I was growing up I couldn’t tolerate the intrusive bits of peel and the sharp taste, and that memory

stayed with me for a long time—I didn’t touch it for years. My palate has changed quite a bit and I now find this marmalade irresistible. I think of it as

“lazy” bitter marmalade because rather than painstakingly scraping off the white pith after the oranges have cooked, I leave it on. This makes less work for me

and gives the preserve that bitter flavor that I have come to love.

2½ pounds (1.3 kg) organic, untreated citrus fruit, such as blood oranges, mandarin oranges, lemons, etc. (use more exotic fruit, such as kumquats, mandarinquats, or Buddha’s hand, if you like)

Spring or filtered waterSugar 1 vanilla bean

EQuIPMENT

CheeseclothKitchen twineKitchen scale, preferably digital3 sterilized 1-pint (473 ml) or six ½-pint

(237 ml) jars with their lids

1 • Wash and dry the fruit. If using small citrus, such as kumquats or mandarinquats, cut them crosswise into very thin wheels. Cut the oranges and lemons into quarters and cut the quarters crosswise into very thin wedges. Remove and collect the seeds of the fruit into a bowl as you work. They contain lots of pectin, which will help to set the marmalade.

2 • Place the fruit in a large, heavy-bottomed, nonreactive pot or a preserving pot and cover with 3 to 3½ cups (710 to 828 ml) water—enough to just cover the fruit. Put the seeds in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it into a bundle with the twine. Add this to the pot.

3 • Bring the fruit to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature; then cover the pot and refrigerate overnight.

4 • Bring the fruit to a boil once again over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the peel of the fruit is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove and dis-card the bundle of seeds.

5 • Weigh the fruit; it should weigh about 2½ pounds (1.1 kg). Add an equal weight of sugar to the pot. Slice open the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the pot. Reserve the pod for another use (I use it to make vanilla sugar).

(recipe continues)

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S Y Ru P S , L I Q u E u R S , A N d FO O d S P R E S E RV E d I N A LC O H O L• • • 3 5 • • •

P R E S E R V I N G I T A LY• • • 3 4 • • •

BLOOd ORANGE SYRuP• • • M AKES 2 3/4 CUPS ( 625 ML) • • •

My kids have always loved Italian Fanta orange soda, which they claim is entirely different, and better, than the American version.

They’re right; it’s less sweet and more bitter, pleasantly so. I have them to thank for giving me the idea to try a homemade version using this

jewel-toned syrup. As good as this syrup is in a refreshing sparkling soda, it’s even better on vanilla ice cream—think creamsicle!

2 cups (473 ml) freshly squeezed juice blood orange juice, from about 6 to 8 oranges

1½ to 2 cups (300 to 400 g) vanilla sugar

1 • Strain the orange juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan. Stir in the sugar. Bring the juice to a simmer over medium-low, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, cover and let cool to room temperature.

2 • Strain once more through a fine-mesh sieve and then funnel into a clean bottle or jar. Chill in the refrigerator before using. The syrup will keep, refrigerated, for up to a month.

ITALIAN BLOOd ORANGE SOdA

Put a couple of ice cubes in an 8-ounce (237 ml) glass. Pour ¼ cup (60 ml) blood orange syrup into the glass and fill with soda water or sparkling spring water. Stir well and enjoy.

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The notion of preserving shouldn’t be limited to American jams and jellies, and in Preserving Italy, author Domenica Marchetti turns our gaze to the ever-alluring flavors and ingredients of Italy. There, abundant produce and other Mediterranean ingredients lend themselves particularly well to canning, bottling, and other preserving methods. Think of marinated artichokes in olive oil, classic giardiniera, or, of course, the late-summer tradition of putting up tomato sauce. But in this book we get so much more, from Marchetti’s in-person travels across the regions of Italy as well as the recipes handed down through her family: sweet and sour peppers, Marsala-spiked apricot jam, lemon-infused olive oil, and her grandmother’s amarene, sour cherries preserved in alcohol. Beyond canning and pickling, the book also includes recipes for making cheese, curing meats, infusing liqueurs, and even a few confections, plus recipes for finished dishes so you can savor each treasured jar all year long.

DOMENICA MARCHETTI is the author of six cookbooks on Italian cooking. Her articles and recipes have been featured in The Washington Post, Food & Wine, Fine Cooking, Cooking Light, and Leite’s Culinaria, among others.

CAPTURE THE FLAVORS OF ITALY WITH MORE THAN 150 RECIPES FOR CONSERVES , PICKLES , SAUCES ,

L IQUEURS , INFUSIONS , AND OTHER PRESERVES

Publicity and Marketing

+ Online Marketing and Social Media Promotion

+ Author Website: domenicacooks.com

Publicity ContactBrittany Edwards

brittany.edwards@hmhco.com(212) 592-1112

+ ISBN: 978-0-544-61162-7

+ Price: $23.00

+ Publication Date: June 14, 2016

+ Trim Size: 7 1/2 x 9 1/8

+ Page Count: 304

+ Paperback

+ Full Color Throughout

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