Italy on a Shoe String - Living ‘La Bella Vita’ Inexpensively

[shas]

krikey Anastasia,you must have strong teeth,hard,stale bread AND toasted for bruscetta..?not being a foody type person the only recycling of the bread I,ve been able to come up with is its role in"zuppa di verdura" which is traditionally served on Ferragosta here in toscana and more of a bread soup than greens soup.Any other recipes gratefully received..ciao shas

[widow twanky]

Originally Posted by shas

krikey Anastasia,you must have strong teeth,hard,stale bread AND toasted for bruscetta..?

Like, it seems everyone on here, you have got the wrong idea about Anastasia. The power of the internet gives the impression that she has great teeth and a rather nasty bite. At eleventy-seven, she is in fact toothless and the best she can muster in real life is a rather nasty suck!!!:)

Andy

Bread is generally hard in Italy - you can buy morbido - and even my little shop - does as above - you want half a loaf you can have half a loaf - shopping in Italy is a way of life - not a hard sell - where the shop keeper does the shopping for you - I love it!

And if it aint on display - not as in the UK - it probably is in the back! A shop with no parking - but has everything! Even gas bottles!

And again - I agree - a lot of people in large villages like mine - grow vegetables - its not like suburbia in the UK - where people take prowess in just lawn and flowers -

Its normal to see people working on the land - my lovely neighbours gave me tomatoes, zucchini and eggs!

I am missing Italy...

Also like to add - tho this probably makes me a sinner - but with only 3KW in Italy and approx 21KW in the UK - it makes you think of alternative methods - of energy...

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by shas

Tanny-have you discovered the Emhaus "mercato de usato"(I hope thts right?)stores -theres two in Toscana at Prato and Quarrata,I dont know about Liguria.They sell second hand everything at reasonable prices and also do a good job for the community by employing people who have fallen out of the mainstream system for one reason or another(check out the origins of the movement on the web).Lots of it is tat but its the nearest Ive seen to a uk junkshop/carboot..good for recycling -marble-wine making gear etcetc and if your lucky you can spot a real find.(Although on a recent visit I noticed the Firenze antique dealers hauling of a van load- got there too late).Theyre only open wednesdays and saturdays and of course the obligatory 3-4 hour lunch break..
happy hunting
shas

Shas -

This is of interest to me, as both Prato and Quarrata are within Ape range of my place (just). Could you please give me a lead to the addresses, or the website? I also have some items to dispose of - is the outfit in the nature of a charity, ie should I offer to give them surplus items, or is a more businesslike approach appropriate?

John

[tuscanhills]

Originally Posted by JohnR

..............Could you please give me a lead to the addresses, or the website?..............

• www.mercatinousato.com
• http://www.secondamano.it/
• Some good flea markets at http://it.geocities.com/cesarelanza/mercatini/

Or more general small ads....

• http://www.mercatinoannunci.it
• http://www.aziendopolis.it
• http://www.mercatinousato.com

...or good old www.eBay.it!

[Anastasia]

This has got to be one of the easiest and cheapest meals you can make. If you use the borlotti beans then it looks like a light brown sludge - but this is the best tasting version for me.

pasta e fagioli.jpg

I use a pasta called "tubbettiello" for this dish - the small, short little tubes just like in the photo above - but you can use different shapes if you want - like "digitalli" or other similar sized. The idea is to have an equal balance of beans and pasta.. un fagiolo per ogni tubbettiello e' la versione ideale!

Pancetta - or bacon - chop it up - just enough to give the taste
Garlic - as much as you like - finely sliced
Good olive oil
A bit of celery - string it and chop finely
Onion - finely chopped
2 or 3 fresh ripe tomatoes - chopped
2 large tins borlotti beans - I cant be bothered soaking the dried ones overnight - you can if you want.
500 grammes of pasta
Fresh parsley - flat leaf is good
Loads of cheese
Salt and black pepper

Fry the garlic gently in the oil until light golden brown. Add the celery, onion, pancetta and tomatoes and cook until they break down a bit, then add a bit of water, let it cook for another 10 minutes or so until it is a sauce. Add the beans and the juice from the tin, stir gently and continue to simmer slowly for a bit. Cook the pasta al dente, drain and add to bean mixture. Stir gently for few minutes. If it gets too thick or dry, add more water. Add some parsley.

Serve immediately or the pasta will absorb all the liquid.. put on flat plates rather than in a bowl so you can spread it out - it will cool down faster - with lots of cheese. I love it cold the next day, or you can add a little water and warm it up again. Enjoy!

You can replace the borlotti beans with cannellini beans, black eye peas or lima beans. Omit the tomatoes and it becomes a "white version" if you are using the cannellini beans.. you can even add a fresh red chilli if you want.

Hmm.. I think I'll make some for lunch. :) :)

[shas]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Shas -

This is of interest to me, as both Prato and Quarrata are within Ape range of my place (just). Could you please give me a lead to the addresses, or the website? I also have some items to dispose of - is the outfit in the nature of a charity, ie should I offer to give them surplus items, or is a more businesslike approach appropriate?

John

hi john,here are the addresses Emmmausitalia-Via Castelnuovo,216 c/o Parrochia 50047 Prato tel 0574/541104. Quarrata is Via Burciano,62
emmauspo@tiscali.it -I think this is all right but I cant read my own scribble! I believe the Prato one has larger furniture but Ive only been to Quarrata which has furniture too.Not sure whether theyd accept offerings,I dont see why not as it is a charity and a very informal steptoe's yard type affair,nice people too,but I would hate for you to go all the way there in your APE and have to come back with your own stuff..better check first?
ciao,shas =sorry try this http://emmaus.it/quarrata.htm

[shas]

hi john-try this web address,its got all the info on on the sites and the history of the movement www.emmaus.it etc...shas

[Anastasia]

Lord, I'm starting to sound like Fanny Craddock.. or a right penny pinching sour faced old bag! I prefer the sour faced old bag.. but you make up your own mind. :D

Butter and oil
Garlic
Pancetta or bacon - chopped
1 finely chopped onion
2 or 3 sticks celery - diced
2 or 3 medium potatoes - diced
2 or 3 courgettes
2 large carrots - diced
Cabbage - shredded
2 or 3 fresh ripe tomatoes
2 or 3 large tomatoes - chop roughly
Chicken stock - cheat like I do and use stock cubes
Pasta - more or less any type you want - break into 2 inch pieces if using spaghetti
2 tablespoons tomato puree
Parsley, Thyme and Rosemary
Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Anything else you fancy or have to hand

No two soups will ever be the same - depending on what ingredients you put it in..

minestrone.jpgMinestrone-006.jpg

You can put a bit of pesto on the top.. or add red lentils or rice instead of, or as well as the pasta - you can use a leftover chicken carcass to make the stock or a shin bone - you can add kidney beans or butter beans.. or even pearl barley.. just use whatever vegetables are in season.. you can do what you want, but the basic recipe is..

Melt the butter in a pan.. add a bit of oil and then fry the garlic - dont let it burn - it tastes awful. Fry the bacon and add the raw vegetables - fry until translucent and almost cooked.. but not heavily coloured. Add the stock - simmer slowly for ten minutes. Add the pasta and any remaining ingredients. Simmer on a low heat for 30-35 minutes or until the soup has slightly thickened. Serve sprinkled with the parmesan cheese, the parsley and a big hunk of bread.. the harder the better - so you can dunk it in to let it soften and then have a good suck on it.. great for toothless wonders of the world! :D :D

There will be enough to feed the five thousand.. for about 15p a bowl.. and it ALWAYS tastes better the next day.