Gubbio, Assisi, and Perugia

 The Umbrian region of Perugia has many beautiful and interesting cities.  This region, being in the center of the peninsula, is mountainous.  Each of the cities we visited was situated on the side of a hill - some steep and some rolling.  We climbed the stairs of these cities to explore their winding streets.

Gubbio is a city famous both regionally and worldwide for its Corsa dei Ceri.  In the neighboring towns, they refer to Gubbio as "the city of the crazies."  This is because of the Corsa dei Ceri, which is an annual celebration held on the 15th of May.  During the Corsa dei Ceri, three groups each devoted to a different saint run through the streets up to the top of the town.  They carry enormous shrines of their saints and race to the plaza high up the hill.  This can be very dangerous for onlookers who might get in the way, since it is well known that the carriers of the shrines will kick and trample anyone without hesitation.

Assisi is an elegant city.  The birthplace of the famous St. Francis of Assisi, this is a major destination for tourists.  There are beautiful basilicas, numerous churches, a Roman amphitheater, and the Rocca Maggiore.  The city is small but has many corners to explore. 

Some of the best ice cream we have ever had.  I wanted chocolate, and Javier wanted orange.  We decided to get one cone with both, and it was the best decision we could have made.

Perugia is the capital of the region.  Whenever I hear the name of this city, I immediately think of a fine restaurant we had in Missoula during my childhood.  The city is of the same style as many in the region.

Ascoli Piceno and a Generous Family

Ascoli Piceno is a beautiful city which is well known for an odd little snack food called Olivas Ascolanas.  These little treats are fried olives stuffed with ground meat, spices, and cheese.  They are sold all over the town in shops and on the street. 

I must admit that most of my memories of this area have nothing to do with the cities.  We were invited to stay with a family in their large country house halfway between Ascoli and the sea.  Finding the house was complicated the first night.  It was dark and the house was a little down the hill, so we couldn't see any lights on.  We finally figured out which house was theirs, and settled down for the night.

The next day we met the family.  There was the young woman who accepted our request and her mother - who were both originally from Argentina - and there was the mother's husband, an old Italian sailor.  We were able to speak Spanish with the mother and daughter, and the husband's knowledge of Spanish combined with our knowledge of Italian made us mutually intelligible. 

The house was situated on a decent chunk of land covered in olive and fruit trees.  They told us about how they take their olives to a local community press and make their own olive oil each year.  They also made delicious fig jam.  They even sent us off with a jar.  Because of them, fig jam is now officially my favorite.

One of the days we were out driving around, we had a fatal incident that put our car in the shop.  This was very stressful for us.  Getting back to the house became complicated - we had to take a bus and then walk many kilometers.  Having this family to go home to was a great comfort.  We ate meals together, and it felt like home.

Puglia and the Truli

Puglia and the truli: sounds like a punk band right?

Truli are cute stone houses common only in Puglia: the heal of the boot.  These houses are made with no mortar, so the shepherds that traditionally lived in them could dismantle and move them to a new location.

The walls are very thick; this makes them warm in the winter and cool in the summer.  Normally these houses are alone in the countryside, but there is a very special town called Alberobello where dozens were built side by side. 

Matera

Matera is an impressive city of ancient cave dwellings that were inhabited until the 1950's.  Conditions in the caves were unsanitary and malaria was out of control, so the Italian government evicted all the inhabitants of the old city.

Many people will recognize the city as the filming location of The Passion of the Christ. 

We visited a museum exhibit in one of the old dwellings.  The house was furnished as it would have been in the early 20th century.  They 

Recipe: Arancini

Arancini - little oranges - are delicious fried balls of rice filled with various stuffing.  We indulged in these delicious treats in roadside bars and on ferries in Sicily.  These are a truly Sicilian dish.  We first learned how to make these rice balls while in Siracusa, Sicily.  The main types we would see on the road were filled with either: tomato based meat sauce, mozarella, and peas; or ham and cheese.  The ones filled with tomato sauce were spherical, and the ham and cheese were egg shaped. 

We always make arancini filled with ragu: homemade tomato sauce with ground beef, mozzarella, and peas.  Here is how we make them.

Ingredients:
I have to admit that every time I make this the amounts I use for the finished product are never the same, and I always make too much filling.  I will do my best to estimate the amounts I use, but it will not be perfect.  I suggest you use your best judgement.  These amounts will make around 10 arancini.

Filling

• Ground beef/lamb (300g/10oz)
• Onion (1 full onion)
• Garlic (3 cloves)
• Tomatoes(6-8 depending on size)
• Sweet peas (1 225g/8oz can - drained)
• Herbs (oregano, basil, whatever you like to put in your tomato sauce)
• Salt and pepper
• Mozzarella (1 fresh ball)

Rice Shell

• Rice (400g/14oz - 2 Cups) [It is best to use a short grained, Mediterranean rice like Arborio, Redondo, or Bomba. A rice that will not get starchy when cooked.]
• Parmesan (170g/6oz grated)
• Egg (2 eggs)
• Saffron (10 strands)

Fry Coating

• Egg (Start with 2, add more when needed)
• Bread crumbs (Have full container and add to plate as needed)

To make the filling:

Chop the onion and mince the garlic.  Chop the tomatoes.  I usually use ground beef, but lamb would also be delicious.  Heat a pan on medium heat with a small amount of olive oil and when it is ready add the ground meat.  Once cooked, drain the fat and add the onions and garlic.  When the onion is translucent - but not yet browned - add the tomatoes.  When the sauce is cooked down, add the peas, herbs, salt, and pepper.

**You will not want an overly moist sauce.  A thicker sauce is preferred so the rice balls do not flatten out.

**Chop the mozzarella.  Do not add the mozzarella to the sauce until it is cooled down.  If you add it earlier, the cubes will melt.  You do not want them to get gooey until you fry and bake the finished arancini.

To make the rice:

When Spaniards and - as far as I know - Italians make rice, they make it like they make pasta.  Get a pot of water boiling, add salt, then add your rice.  If the water starts foaming over, add a spoonful of oil to keep the water tension up and prevent over boiling.  Check the rice after five minutes or so to see how well it is cooked.  Cook the rice until it is "al dente".  Firm, but cooked through - no dry, white center.  Definitely not overly sticky or starchy.  Like pasta, when it is fully cooked you put it through a strainer and remove the water.

When the rice is cooked and strained put it in a bowl and add the other ingredients: eggs, Parmesan, and saffron.  Add the egg and cheese to the rice when it is still hot.  You want the egg to thicken a little.  Mix it together well.  Let it completely cool and congeal a bit, so that it will stick together when you are making the outer structure of the arancini.

Forming the Arancini:

This is the most complicated part of the process.  I would like to tell you it is easy, but it is not.  It takes practice.  Most likely you will put too much filling at first, which makes it very difficult to keep formed (it will fall flat easily).  Or you might make it too big, which will result in the same issue.

First, take about three or four spoonfuls of rice mixture and spread it flat in your hand.

Put a couple teaspoons of the filling into the center of the flattened out rice.

Cup the rice around the filling and close it around the filling.

In a bowl of scrambled egg (mixed with a tiny bit of water), roll the rice ball until it is thoroughly covered.

Take the egg covered rice ball and roll it in the bread crumbs.

You can usually place the formed arancini on a plate at this point.  You will want to fry them quickly so that they don't flatten too much.

Cooking the Arancini:

The best way to fry the arancini is in a narrow deep pot with a lot of oil.  Deep frying makes it easier than frying in a pan with a couple centimeters of oil, because then you do not have to roll the rice ball.  The more you roll it, the more likely it is to split open or fall apart.  If you fry it in a pan, use two spatulas and be careful as you roll it around.  Whichever way you fry the arancini, when they are a beautiful golden brown put them on a baking tray.

You will bake them at 175C (350F), for around 20 minutes.  Until they are hot on the inside.

** You can wait to bake them if you are eating later.  You can put them in the fridge for a couple days, and bake them when you want them.  Once they are formed they can be heated in the oven when you want them over the next week.

They are great with a salad.  They are pretty heavy, so you will probably not want everything else.