Recipe from Lidia Bastianich, an Emmy award-winning public television host, a best‐selling cookbook author, restaurateur, and owner of a flourishing food and entertainment business.

Ingredients

• 1/4 CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
• 4 OUNCES SLAB BACON, CUT INTO LARDONS
• 1 SMALL ONION, CHOPPED
• 1 RED BEL PEPPER, CHOPPED
• 1 1/2 CUPS ARBORIO OR OTHER ITALIAN SHORT GRAIN RICE
• KOSHER SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
• 3/4 CUP DRY WHITE WINE
• 6 TO 7 CUPS HOT CHICKEN STOCK OR WATER
• 2 LARGE EGGS
• 3 SCALLIONS, CHOPPED
• 1 1/2 CUP FRESHLY GRATED GRANA PADANO

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.    Then add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon begins to crisp, about 3 minutes.  

Add the onions and bell pepper and cook until tender, about 4 minutes.  Add the rice and stir to coat in the oil.  Cook until the rice grains are somewhat translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Add the white wine and cook until absorbed.  Ladle in enough hot stock to cover the rice.  Simmer until the liquid is absorbed.  Continue adding stock to cover as it is absorbed until the risotto is barely al dente, about 16 minutes from the first addition of liquid.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a small bowl with a pinch of salt.  Whisk in 1 cup of hot stock.  Stir into the risotto make wisps of scrambled eggs.  Stir in the scallions to wilt, about 1 minute.  Turn off the heat, stir in the grated cheese and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6 people.

Written by Margo Sorenson, advocate for Italian language education, and the author of thirty-one books for young readers. Her most recent Adult/YA novel, SECRETS IN TRANSLATION (Fitzroy Books, October 2018), takes place in Positano, Italy with plenty of Italian food being enjoyed!

“Italy is a beautiful country and people are warm and generous, a wonderful place that can be enjoyed in spirit through sharing meals of Italian food with friends and family.”

Margo Sorenson

Who can’t remember a favorite Italian meal? All it takes to call up that memory is the same mouth-watering scent, and we are transported back in time, engaged again by a rush of nostalgia. I recall with clarity the images stirred up of my childhood in Italy by the scent of fresh tomatoes on the vine and of olive oil sizzling in the pan with fragrant red peppers. Close your eyes, reveling in your own heartwarming memories with friends and family intertwined with Italian food.

Experts say the sensory aspects of food are central to an understanding of our lives and experiences. In Giancarlo Iannotta’s award-winning film, “My Country,” when the American-born Italian hero and his Italian-born brother sit down to share a first meal with their extended family in Molise, they renew important connections with their roots in a heartwarming scene that brings smiles and laughter to all. When dining in Italy, we experience the bonding effects of meals taken late, enjoyed at a leisurely pace, promoting conversation and laughter. There is deep truth in the old Italian saying, “Benvenuti: Entri come Amici, Vada come Famiglia,” “Welcome: enter as friends, go as family.”

As we eat Italian meals in conviviality, sharing old memories, creating new ones, let’s savor every bite, making the effort to treasure each moment. Allowing Italian food–its sensory elements and its bonding–to make an impact on our lives can enlarge our horizons. Italy is a beautiful country and people are warm and generous, a wonderful place that can be enjoyed in spirit through sharing meals of Italian food with friends and family. So, as you enjoy your next meal, whether it is Pasta Carbonara or Strozzapreti, or Uova al tartufo, revel in the moment and enjoy the creation of precious memories.

Information on ILF’s wonderful corporate partner, and how they have been able to provide the highest quality of food for over 200 years, comes from the Fratelli Beretta website.

“La Qualita e una Tradizione di famiglia” The statement “Quality is a Family Tradition” is the driving force that guides the company and continues to be the main focus of a 200 year tradition.

Fratelli Beretta, first opened its door as a small local meat processing business in 1812 serving the region since the time when Napoleone Bonaparte reigned in Europe. In the early 1900’s, Fratelli Beretta expanded to a manufacturing enterprise with a stable business structure that has thrived through two World Wars and The Great Depression.

Fratelli Beretta remains the longest existing family-owned business in Italian charcuterie tradition, focused on providing quality products, deeply entrenched in tradition while emerging as a leader in innovation.

Today, Fratelli Beretta is a producer of Prosciutto di Parma®, Prosciutto di San Daniele®, Mortadella, Salami, Proscuitto Cotto and other Italian Specialties with a dedication to producing products of the finest quality and the most distinctive flavor.

Written by: Amy Riolo, award-winning author, chef, television personality, cuisine and culture expert, educator, and Mediterranean diet advocate

Skip the long lines and traffic this holiday season and give your loved ones what they’ll appreciate most – a homemade, edible gift from the heart. The following recipes offer something for every palate, budget, and dietary restriction. Enjoy!

For the Gourmand: 
Decadent Chocolate and Dulce de Leche Brownies

Dulce de Leche, the rich – milk caramel from Argentina pairs perfectly with the double chocolate flavor in this rich recipe.

Makes 1 (9×13-pan)

Ingredients
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2  teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons butter
1 ½ cup sugar
18 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 eggs
9 tablespoons Dulce de Leche

Preparation
Preheat oven to 325F degrees.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.
Combine butter, sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over high heat, stir well, and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat and stir in half of chocolate (9 ounces) and vanilla.
Stir in eggs and mix well to combine.
Carefully blend in flour mixture.
Stir in remaining 9 ounces chocolate.
Pour into a greased 9 x13-inch baking pan.
Spread top evenly.
Using a butter knife, swirl the Dulce de Leche into the brownie mixture.
Bake on middle oven rack for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

For the Chocoholic/Mediterranean Food Lover:
Double Chocolate Baklava

For Italophiles:
White Chocolate, Cherry, and Pistachio Biscotti, Pizzelle, and Calabrian Sesame Cookies (Diabetes Friendly)

For Traditionalists: 
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

For Pastry Purists:
Italian Pound Cake (Quattro Quarti)