The perfect weather and growing conditions for our tomato project has resulted in pantry selves fully stocked with jars and bottles packed with umbrian sunshine.
We have peeled, pickled, made passata, filled jars with the base for pappa al pomodoro - ready to be mixed with bread and herbs. All to be enjoyed later in the year, when the heavy Todi fog sweeps over town - and you just want to be in front of the fire place with a big bowl of soup.
You may remember we mentioned our little tomato project in an earlier post - we can truly say - all the hard work has been rewarded. This year we decided to do everything in the orto from seeds and all from heritage varieties - no short cuts with buying in small plants. But when you can pick one basket after the other of tomatoes in every shape, size and colour - all the hard work is forgotten, as you head back to the kitchen with todays harvest and cook the sweetest tomato sauce ever with - well just tomatoes.
A 4 day course concentrating on the tomato, one of the pillars of the italian kitchen - during 3 cooking lessons we will be celebrating this fantastic fruit/veggie - that can be transformed in so many ways - from anti pasti, to primo, to secondo and yes even to dolce.
And just as important, we will be cooking and preserving the fruit of the summer into jars and bottles - yes - you will be making your very own peeled tomatoes, passata, pickled tomatoes, soups and jams. And if the weather is with us - meaning very warm and sunny we will try to make our very on STRATTU.
Strattu is one of the most amazing italian produce - as far as we know only produced by the old ladies in Sicilia - a sun dried tomato puree - so thick and dense - it looks almost like clay. This is used to add flavour to pasta, stews and most important to the national dish in Sicilia "the CUSCUS"
The course will include a 4 night stay in a double room, welcome dinner, recipes, 3 cooking lessons and a visit to a local vinery.
The course starts on the 16th of August 2017 - normal price is € 750 per person - BUT - if you book for 2 persons in the same room - we offer the course for just € 650 per person.
This offer is valid until the 1st of November 2016.
Write to us for more details and programs - [email protected]
You will still be able to find some good tomatoes at our green grocer - so there is still time to fill those jars for the winter to come.
This recipe makes about 2 kg of chutney
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
450 g white onions, peeled and finely chopped
2,5 kg sun ripe tomatoes, skinned
500 g caster sugar
500 ml white wine vinegar
5 sticks of rosemary, leaves only
Heat the oil in a large sauce pan with low sides and gently saute onions for 15 minutes, you don't want them to colour just to sweeten.
Meanwhile cut tomatoes into small dice. Make sure to save all the juices.
When onions are ready add diced tomatoes and juices to the pan together with sugar, vinegar and rosemary. Let is simmer for about 2 hours, until you see it starts to thicken slightly.
In the meantime sterilize your jars.
When the chutney is ready, remove from the heat and let is rest for 20 minutes before pouring into jars. Seal the jars.
If you want to preserve the chutney, place jars in a clean sauce pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Let it boil for 20 minutes, then remove from the heat. Cover with a lid and leave to cool completely overnight. Your chutney can now last for a year, once opened store in the refrigerator.
It's a good idea to let your chutney mature for a few months before using.