The farmland of Venice’s mainland larder has its own rich culinary traditions mixing land and sea. Follow these recipes for a typical three-part meal
Valeria Necchio
Wed 12 Jul 2017 13.30 BST
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When I say I am Venetian, most people think I am from Venice. As much as I like the idea of a life among crumbling palazzi and hazy canals, I am the sort of Venetian who grew up inland – in the countryside, on the periphery. Home for me is a village enveloped by miles of farmland. And though it might not stand comparison with the charms of Venice, Veneto has always had a few good things going for it. The first, in my mind, is the food.
For as long as I can remember, food has always played a central role in the daily life of my family, filling our days and marking our conversations. Our kitchen was always flooded with vegetables from grandparents’ gardens – seasonal, varied, plentiful. Fresh bread was delivered daily. Locally reared meat and poultry were the centrepieces of our occasional roast dinners; these came from a farm that also happened to have walnuts in autumn, the fattest and freshest of their kind. Twice a week, seafood from the Chioggia fish market arrived at our doorstep via the travelling fishmonger. But most importantly of all, this food was then turned into honest, home-cooked meals shared by the four of us twice a day at the family table. Here, then, is a Venetian meal in three parts – primo, secondo, dolce – of the sort you would find us enjoying in our kitchen in Veneto, but that will hopefully feel at home in any kitchen, no matter where. (Prawn & prosecco risotto, serves 4) 1kg king prawns, shelled and cleaned (save the heads and shells)Risotto gamberi e prosecco
90g unsalted butter
1 onion, finely chopped
360g risotto rice (carnaroli or vialone nano)
200ml prosecco
Fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
One Sunday, soon after I started cooking prawn risotto, I realised that I had run out of my “usual” deglazing wine. “Use some of this,” my husband said, gesturing at the open bottle on the table. Nonsense, I thought. What a waste! But the rice was already hissing, so I reluctantly grabbed the prosecco and poured a generous splash into the pot, which began to seethe furiously, as if to say: “About time.” The risotto was a surprise. The higher sugar content in the prosecco backed up the sweetness of the prawns, creating a special bond between the two.
The wine left in the bottle, drunk with abandon, cleansed the palate and cut through the creaminess, leaving one wishing for more of everything. To which I would say: be generous with portions.
Store the shelled prawns in the fridge while you prepare the fumet (stock). Place the heads and shells in a large pan and cover with 2l of water. Place over a medium heat, bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes, stirring and squeezing the heads with a wooden spoon so they release their juices. Strain the liquid and place back in the pan. Set it over a low heat and keep it warm.
Next, melt 30g of the butter in a large heavy-based frying pan set over a medium-high heat. When hot and bubbly, add the shelled prawns. Sauté for about two minutes, season with salt and pepper and then remove from the heat and set aside.
Set a separate heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion in half the remaining butter and, once soft, add the rice. Toast it for a couple of minutes, stirring very frequently so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom. When the rice is opaque and hissing, pour in the prosecco. Allow it to reduce, stirring all the while, and then start adding the hot prawn stock, one to two ladlefuls at a time, adding more as soon as it’s absorbed. Carry on this way until the rice is tender but still al dente, in about 15 minutes. A couple of minutes before removing the rice from the heat, stir in the prawns. Taste and adjust the seasoning; add a last splash of stock if the risotto appears too dense.
Once done, turn off the heat and add the remaining butter. “Whip” and stir the risotto energetically for a couple of minutes (this will make it creamier and lighter), then serve immediately.
Polpette al sugo
(Meatballs in tomato sauce, serves 4-6/makes 25 medium or 30 small meatballs)
60g crustless white bread
60ml whole milk
450g minced beef
150g minced pork
1 large egg, lightly beaten
30g breadcrumbs
1 garlic clove, grated
3 tablespoons very finely
chopped flat-leaf
parsley leaves
Fine-grain sea salt and freshly
ground black pepper, to taste
For the sauce:
2 × 400g tins peeled plum tomatoes (San Marzano or Roma)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ onion, very finely chopped
1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)
¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (optional)
Fine-grain sea salt, to taste
A little vegetable stock, as needed
Aunt Maria Teresa, born in the early 50s, is the kind of cook everyone in the family looks up to. Her cooking is vintage, inspired by the well-seasoned array of dishes passed down through her family; her repertoire is small but consistent, her food always unfailingly good. Of her many specialities, the meatballs have always had my vote. Different from the shallow-fried meatballs of Venetian tradition, hers are braised in a velvety, sweet, zingy tomato sauce, which imparts juiciness and flavour in turn to the meat. On the side, a generous scoop of mashed potatoes would often make an appearance. For my young self, it just didn’t get any better than that; it still doesn’t.
In a small bowl, soak the white bread (loosely crumbed) in the milk until softened, which takes about two minutes. Squeeze out any excess liquid and transfer the crumbs to a separate, larger bowl. Add both meats and the egg and mix until evenly combined. Stir in the breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, a dash of salt and a generous dose of pepper, and mix again. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and allow to rest in the fridge for one hour. To make the sauce, pass the contents of the tomato tins through a food mill placed over a bowl. Alternatively, press the tomatoes through a metal sieve. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry gently until soft and translucent. Pour in the tomatoes, reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for about 15 minutes, until dense and silky. Taste and season; add a little sugar if the sauce is too bland, or the tip of a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda if too acidic – it all depends on the type of tomatoes. Take the meat mix out of the fridge and start shaping it into meatballs as big as a large walnut. Add to the frying pan with the sauce and cook them for five minutes each side, or until cooked through. If the sauce reduces excessively, add a splash of hot vegetable stock. Serve right away. (Raspberries with rosé wine, serves 4) 300g raspberriesLamponi al vino
20g caster sugar
160ml rosé wine, chilled
If there’s still a little bit of wine left at the end of lunch (and this is true especially in the summer), my family like to slice some fruit into their glass, add more wine and call it dessert. Now, the perfect partner to raspberries, in my mind, is rosé. The colour pairing is irresistible, the alliteration too, not to mention that rosé and raspberries both share the same summery soul. Together, they create a sprightly fruity dessert of sorts that is grown-up yet vaguely childish — reminiscent of fruit salad — and keeps things light and fresh after a generous meal.
Place the raspberries in a medium bowl. Add the sugar and wine and leave to macerate in the fridge for about 20 minutes, tossing a couple of times. Spoon the raspberries into four dishes or glasses and serve topped with some of their soaking liquid. Veneto by Valeria Necchio (Guardian Faber, £20). To order a copy for £15, go to bookshop.theguardian.com or call 0330 333 6846. Free UK p&p over £10, online orders only. Phone orders min p&p of £1.99.
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Topics
- Italian food and drink
- Food
- Rice
- Food and drink books
- Venice holidays
- Meat
- Fruit
- features
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