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Dinner, Food & Drink, Lunch, Recipes, Tastes of Italy
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Recipe: Fried Zucchini Blossoms

If produce is the gauge by which we measure the seasons, summer must be just around the corner. At Via Umbria we are getting the first zucchini–you know the ones, small and tender opposed to the overgrown bat size zucchini ones that conveniently show up on my porch when no one knows what to do with them. I love zucchini all summer long and thrive on finding new and different ways to prepare it so that we can eat it everyday. But the best part of the zucchini is the blossom. Zucchini blossoms are the first sign that the fruit will be ready in a couple of days. You can enjoy the sweet blossoms straight from the garden, add them to scrambled eggs or salads, stuff them or the simplest easiest way is to make a light batter and fry them. Light and crispy on the outside and sweet melt in your mouth on the inside.

At Via Umbria you can choose to buy your own and experiment at home or look for them in our cafe–definitely fried but also in salads.

Fresh Zucchini Blossoms

Fried Zucchini Blossoms

Shallow pan of hot oil (we use Canola Oil)
A bunch of fresh zucchini blossoms

For the Batter
1 cup flour
1 egg
1/2 cup sparkling water

1. Beat together flour, egg, and water with a whisk. The batter should be very thin.
2. Dip the clean zucchini blossoms into the batter and immediately submerge in hot oil.
3. Cook them quickly (1 minute or less), then remove from oil and place on a towel lined plate.
4. Sprinkle lightly with salt and enjoy!

Download a printable version of the recipe here!

How to eat the best part of the zucchini Read more

If produce is the gauge by which we measure the seasons, summer must be just around the corner. At Via Umbria we ...

Dessert, Food & Drink, On the Table, Recipes, Tastes of Italy
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Summer Salad: Strawberries with Balsamic

There’s nothing quite like a fresh spring berry to add a punch of sweetness to any dish. With the bounty of fresh produce coming from the garden this time of year, we have a special fondness for salads in spring. For those of you who, like us, don’t always have the strongest sweet tooth we recommend turning these sweet, springtime delights into a tangy, savory salad for dessert. Salad? For Dessert? Trust us–once you try this rich, flavorful dish you’ll never think of salads (or strawberries) the same way again! As simple to make as it is delicious, this Italian take on a fruit salad is the perfect treat for breakfast, dessert, or your next cookout. Next time you visit Via Umbria, pick up some fresh organic strawberries and a bottle of our finest balsamic glaze so you can whip up this salad at home.

You will need:
1 pint fresh strawberries
1/2 red onion diced small
1 bunch basil (chiffonade)
Balsamic Glaze (try Antichi Colli)
Parmigiano Reggiano

How to make it:
Slice fresh strawberries and mix in diced onions. Drizzle with Balsamic Glaze and top with shaved parmigiana. You can plate it beautifully like we did, or just dig in and enjoy!

Italian Strawberry Balsamic Salad

A tangy, savory salad perfect for summer Read more

There's nothing quite like a fresh spring berry to add a punch of sweetness to any dish. With the bounty of fresh ...

Entertain, Food & Drink, On the Table, Recipes
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A Very Cherry Cocktail

Matt, our resident cocktail connoisseur, will be starting with us next week! In honor of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, here’s his original recipe for a cocktail called La Squisita Ciliegia (“the exquisite cherry”). It’s easy, simple, refreshing and has a beautiful red color. Drop in next week from 4 – 7 pm for Spritz O Clock and try one for yourself!

La Squisita Ciliegia

Prosecco
1 oz Mezcal (I used Vida)
1/4oz True Grenadine
1 Luxardo cherry
We love Luxardo cherries! You can also find them in our delicious Manhattans.
We love Luxardo cherries! You can also find them in our delicious Manhattans.

Cin Cin! See you when the clock strikes Spritz.

 

In honor of DC's cherry blossom festival Read more

Matt, our resident cocktail connoisseur, will be starting with us next week! In honor of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, here's his ...

Dinner, Food & Drink, Recipes
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Recipe: Flan with Truffle Honey

Truffle Flan
After our truffle hunting extravaganza, we headed back to the kitchen to learn how to prepare dishes highlighting the truffle.
Truffle Flan
One of the crowd favorites was the Flan with Truffle Honey – simple to prepare yet very impressive and undeniably delectable. We were able to get the recipe, which we can share with you today! Download your printable version (Flan with Truffle Honey) and then find us on Pinterest for more Umbrian recipes.
Truffle Honey Flan Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmigiano
Mache lettuce
Whisk together the eggs, cream and cheese. Pour into silicon trays.  Bake bain-marie at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until done.  When done remove from the baking dish and place on bed of lettuce dressed with Truffle Balsamic glaze.  Drizzle Bianconi truffle honey over the flan.  If available shave fresh truffle over the flan.
Truffle Honey
Truffle Honey Flan
Ci Vediamo!
–Via Umbria

After our truffle hunting extravaganza, we headed back to the kitchen to learn how to prepare dishes highlighting the truffle. One of the ...

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Recipe of the Week: Roasted Rabbit

You know we like to get fancy sometimes over here at Via Umbria. But that doesn’t always mean difficult. To celebrate the on boarding of Vickie Reh, Bill took a crack at some roasted rabbit.  We take you through the process, step by step, to create this untraditional and delicious roast.

rabbit

_DSC0009 _DSC0014

 

 

INGREDIENTS:
Large rabbit
Salt and pepper
Fennel pollen
Sage
Rosemary
Olive oil, lemon

 

Rabbit Umbrian Style _DSC0244

_DSC0261 Step one: debone the rabbit. _DSC0272

Step two: lay the boneless rabbit out on your work surface and rub the inside with chopped garlic. Season both the inside and outside of the rabbit with the salt, pepper and fennel pollen rosemary and sage and olive oil.

Cooked Rabbit Recipe _DSC0330 _DSC0353 _DSC0360Step three: roll the rabbit tightly around itself. Tie with butcher’s twine.

_DSC0395_DSC0431

_DSC0434

Step four: drizzle the exterior with high quality olive oil. _DSC0458 _DSC0464 _DSC0467

Step five: Preheat the oven to 425°F.  Roast for about 45 minutes. Wait 30 minutes before slicing. Enjoy with a glass of Monetfalco Rosso!_DSC0481

 

Ci Vediamo!

–Via Umbria

 

 

 

 

 

 

You know we like to get fancy sometimes over here at Via Umbria. But that doesn't always mean difficult. To celebrate the ...

Dinner, Entertain, Food & Drink, On the Table, Recipes
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Recipe: Sombrerini, our newest pasta

As we prep to open the new store, we are gathering some fun new products – expanding our inventory to offer the best. When these sombrerini came off the shipment, we couldn’t wait to make them, as they are the the most fun and colorful pasta we have seen in a while!

Sombrerini

While one could prepare these in a cream sauce or simply toss with some olive oil, onions, and spices to fully reveal all of their colors, we decided to make them in the traditional way. We stuffed them with a cheese mixture and baked them as open ended ravioli!Sombrerini

Stuffed Sombrerini

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4):

1 bag Sombrerini pasta 

1/2 cup ricotta

1/2 cup grated aged parmesan

3 cups spinach

1 onion

5 cloves garlic

1 jar organic tomato puree  

Sea salt and bruschetta seasoning to taste

 

PROCESS:

Boil your pasta water, and pre-set your oven to 350 degrees.

Parmesan

Grate your parmesan into a bowl.Ricotta

Add the ricotta. _DSC0059

Chop your onion, and sauté with the garlic over medium-low heat. onions

Gently place spinach on top to slowly wilt. You will have to do two batches of wilting, most likely.

spinach

wilted spinach

Top the cheese mixture with the wilted spinach, stir. crushed tomatoes

Prep your pasta sauce by combining the tomato puree, bruschetta seasoning, sea salt, and a dash of oil, then blend with the onion mixture. sale dolce _DSC0146

Boil your pasta for 5 minutes. They will be undercooked – this is the point as they will be further baked, and need to maintain their structure for filling. fill the pasta

Pour your sauce mixture onto a large baking pan. Now to stuff your sombrerini! With a spoon, scoop the mixture into an upside down pasta, and place in the sauce. ravioli sombrellini recipe

Keep creating rows until the whole sheet is filled. Cover with tin foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

_DSC0211

We were surprised at the structural integrity of the pasta – we assumed that the cheese would just fall out of the pasta, or the pasta would get to soggy or hard, but it turned out fantastically! Our taste testers all agreed that this pasta is a visual treat, and tastes like the ravioli we all know and love, and has a fantastic presentation. We voted it best to serve at a dinner party.

Until we open, you can find all of your ingredients on our online store, direct from Italy. And once we do, you can find dishes like this coming our of our kitchen.

Download your recipe card here: Stuffed Sombrerini.

Ci Vediamo!

–Via Umbria

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we prep to open the new store, we are gathering some fun new products - expanding our inventory to offer the ...

Food & Drink, Recipes, Tastes of Italy, Wine
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Cocktail Corner: Peach and Honey Spritz

Here at Via Umbria, you know we love a good Spritz, and this week we created another classic twist.  We got a little fruity with notes of peach nectar and clover honey, balanced out with a double dose of Martini Rosso. Scroll on down to see our recipe, and then we invite you to submit your own at elsa@viaumbria.com, for #spritzoclock!

 

Honey Aperol Spritz

 

 

Ingredients: 

1 part Aperol

2 parts Martini Rosso

1 part Prosecco

1 tablespoon Pisaroni Peach Nectar

1 tablespoon Sorelle Nurzia Wildflower Honey 

sorelle nursina honey

Take a tablespoon of wildflower honey and dip into your glass.

Pisaroni Peach Nectar

Add one tablespoon of peach nectar. 

#spritzoclock _DSC0311

Add two parts Martini Rosso and one part Aperol.

aperol spritz

Fill with ice, top with prosecco.

Rosemary cocktail Enjoy!

–Via Umbria

 

Here at Via Umbria, you know we love a good Spritz, and this week we created another classic twist.  We got a ...

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15 Minute Recipe – Cannara Onion Pasta

Via Umbria pasta

The excitement from the Sagra della Cipolla has us thinking onions…so this week we whipped up a special pasta using the marinated onions from Italy. Using our handy Arrabbiata seasoning we created a quick, unconventional, and spicy pasta that was fun and satisfying (and took less time then it takes to drink a glass of wine).

This meal is vegan, but fresh parmesan and bacon crumbles can be added if desired.

 

INGREDIENTS: 

1 box of Verrigni Soqquardo pasta

1 cup Cipolla Rossa onions and the oil from the jar

1 cup fresh spinach

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

3 cloves of garlic

1/2 tablespoon Arrabbiata seasoning 

Via Umbria Georgetown Cooking

Process

Dice your garlic and halve your tomatoes as you set a lightly salted pot of water to boil.

http://viaumbria.com/emporio/sauces-spices-antipasti/preserved-anitpasti/pisaroni-cipolla-rossa.html

Pour the onions into a non stick pan, making sure to include the flavored oil.

onion cippolla

Add the garlic, turn to low heat, and soften while the water boils.

cipolla rossa

add garlic

add tomatoes

Add the cherry tomatoes and continue to cook on low heat.

http://viaumbria.com/emporio/pasta-grain/pasta/verrigni-soqquadro.html

As you add the pasta to the water, season the onions and the tomatoes with our arrabbiata seasoning. It’s spicy, so season to your taste! http://viaumbria.com/emporio/sauces-spices-antipasti/spices/il-boschetto-arrabbiata-sea-salt.html

Combine with pasta with the tomato and onion mixture in the saucepan and stir on low heat for another two minutes, as you add the spinach (it will lightly wilt). _DSC0246 _DSC0253

Garnish with chopped walnuts and more seasoning if desired.

square pasta

Pour your self a glass of wine, and enjoy!

_DSC0267

Ci Vediamo!

–Via Umbria

The excitement from the Sagra della Cipolla has us thinking onions…so this week we whipped up a special pasta using the marinated onions from Italy. ...

Food & Drink, Recipes, Tastes of Italy
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Cocktail Corner – Classic Spritz

In the past, we have lauded the important of the ritual of aperitivo. 

This Sunday, we think you should slow down your evening with a classic Aperol Spritz.

Aperol Spritz

•3 parts prosecco

•2 parts Aperol

•1 part soda water

•Slice of orange

Aperol Spritz

Pour the prosecco into your tall glass, and pile on the prosecco. Add your soda water and garnish with a slice of orange. Cheers to the beginning of a relaxing night.

Aperol Spritz

Once you have mastered the classic, you can trying adding a little whisky. Cheers!

Send your favorite Spritz o Clock photos to elsa@viaumbria.com or @viaumbria on Instagram #spritzoclock for a chance to be featured!

–Via Umbria

In the past, we have lauded the important of the ritual of aperitivo.  This Sunday, we think you should slow down your evening ...

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15 minute recipe – Zucchini Ribbon Antipasti

 

Ribboned zucchini

A favorite of Simone, this is a recipe we love every time. Simple to prepare yet elegant, put this on a platter before dinner and watch the compliments flow in.

Instructions:

Shave one zucchini and place in a container with white wine vinegar. Let marinate for a few hours.

Place arugula on the plate, and place your ribbons of zucchini on top. Garnish with high quality Italian olive oil, feta, salt, pepper, and a few sprigs of oregano.

Enjoy your simple yet elegant starter!

–Via Umbria

  A favorite of Simone, this is a recipe we love every time. Simple to prepare yet elegant, put this on a platter ...

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15 minute lunch – Zucchini Bruschetta

IMG_0971

Summertime, and the cooking is easy. This simple lunch came to us direct from the garden, with a little help from Umbria.

Grab the zucchini, which is flowing out of every produce stand this time of year. Get the pesto you made (or bought)  a few days ago out of the fridge.

Slice up that zucchini, and throw it it a bowl with some good Umbrian olive oil, sea salt and bruschetta seasoning. These three embellishments really make or break the recipe when working with such paired down ingredients!

Zucchini Bruschetta

 

Italian Umbria Zucchini

 

 

 

Bruschetta seasoning Pesto zucchini toast IMG_1093

Spred the pesto on a good piece of bread, and top with the tossed zucchini. This is an excellent super fast lunch, or a pleasant bite to enjoy before dinner with a cocktail.

 

Enjoy summer’s bounty while it lasts!

— Via Umbria

Zucchini Pesto

Summertime, and the cooking is easy. This simple lunch came to us direct from the garden, with a little help from Umbria. Grab ...

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Recipe – Make Your Own Pesto

There comes a time in the summer when we begin eyeing our beautiful, flourishing, tall basil plants. We want to obliterate them into a pulp.

We want to make pesto.

The word pesto is derivative of the Italian, pestare or ‘pound, crush.’ A pesto can really be any sauce that is crushed, traditionally a circular motion of the pestle in the mortar.

The first mention of recipe for pesto as it is known today is from the book La Cuciniera Genovese written in 1863 by Giovanni Battista Ratto.

Then, 1944, The New York Times mentioned an imported canned pesto paste. In 1946, Sunset magazine published a pesto recipe by Angelo Pellegrini. But pesto did not become popular in America until the 1980s and 1990s.

Our favorite fast meal to make with pesto is the classic trofiette recipe, which we made last week, and comes straight out of Genova!

Here are the steps to make the perfect home -made pesto:

1. Gather your basil during the midsummer.

Basil

 

Picking Basil

 

Pestle Basil

2. Give them a basic pounding, then add some olive oil. Mancino Evoo

Homemade Pesto

3. Once crushed into a paste, add your nut of choice. This time around, we chose walnuts. Walnut Pesto

4. Add your parmesan cheese…Parmesan

5. Smash it all together, and serve! Excellent in pasta, as a spread in sandwiches, or even as a dip.

Pesto

Feeling lazy? We got you covered, with our authentic pestos from Italy:

Anfosso Red Pesto 

Anfosso Basil Pesto DOP 

Seggiano Vegan Pesto 

Pistachio Pesto 

Seggiano Red Pesto 

 

Shop on Emporio now, and let us know what you make with your pesto!

 

Ci Vediamo!

Via Umbria

There comes a time in the summer when we begin eyeing our beautiful, flourishing, tall basil plants. We want to obliterate them ...