Ricette di Spannocchia

Spannocchia Food

FEATURED: FOUR RECIPES FOR A SUMMER HARVEST DINNER

During the height of the growing season, there is nothing quite like a meal highlighting ingredients from your own garden, local farmers market, or favorite farm stand. Here, we suggest four of our favorite simple summer dishes so you can enjoy them at your own table. These Spannocchia classics can be prepared individually—offered as antipasti/primi (appetizers/first courses) or contorti (sides) to accompany the rest of your own menu—or serve all four together and you've got an entire beautiful summer harvest meal planned out for you.

Most of these dishes can be prepared ahead and served at room temperature, which makes them especially enticing for summer picnics, pot lucks, and heat waves! Buon appetito!

Ingredients:

Serves 8

1 quart (4 cups) whole milk

300 grams (1 2/3 cups) uncooked short-grain white rice

150 grams (3/4 cup) sugar, plus more for sprinkling

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

100 grams (7 tablespoons) of butter, plus more for the pan

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon

100 grams (3/4 cup) raisins, soaked in water or rum for softness

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F. Butter an 8x8 baking dish (or similar) on the bottom and sides.

In a medium/large pot, bring the milk to a boil. Add the rice, sugar, and vanilla and cook on low heat, stirring frequently, until the milk has been absorbed, about 20-25 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the butter, and then let cool.

Once the mixture is at room temperature, add the eggs, lemon zest, and raisins (drained), and stir until incorporated. Pour the rice mixture into the baking dish and use a rubber spatula to spread it into an even layer.

Bake for 40 minutes until set and the rice is fully cooked. Sprinkle the top with sugar while you heat the broiler, and then broil on low for 5 minutes, or until it is nicely browned with a sugary crust.

A white ceramic serving bowl filled with farro, chopped tomatoes, basil, and green olives. Garnished with fresh basil and set on a woven placemat and wood table. "Farro Salad with Basil Pesto" is written at the bottom.
Three lightly breaded and baked vibrant zucchini flowers on a rustic gray ceramic plate, on a light green and lavender checked tablecloth. "Stuffed Squash Blossoms" is written at the bottom.
A white ceramic plate on wooden table surface, layer with wedges of potatoes, pickled red onions, capers, dollops of mayonnaise, and fresh fennel fronds. "Potato Salad with Capers" is written at the bottom.
A white platter on a natural colored linen tablecloth, with seven thin slices of baked zucchini covered in breadcrumbs, garnished with parsley. With a folk lying across the zucchini. "Zucchini Parmesan" is written at the bottom.

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A white ceramic serving bowl filled with farro, chopped tomatoes, basil, and green olives. Garnished with fresh basil and set on a woven placemat and wood table. "Farro Salad with Basil Pesto" is written at the bottom.
Three lightly breaded and baked vibrant zucchini flowers on a rustic gray ceramic plate, on a light green and lavender checked tablecloth. "Stuffed Squash Blossoms" is written at the bottom.
A white platter on a natural colored linen tablecloth, with seven thin slices of baked zucchini covered in breadcrumbs, garnished with parsley. With a folk lying across the zucchini. "Zucchini Parmesan" is written at the bottom.
A white ceramic plate on wooden table surface, layer with wedges of potatoes, pickled red onions, capers, dollops of mayonnaise, and fresh fennel fronds. "Potato Salad with Capers" is written at the bottom.
Topping thick slices of toasted bread with cooked kale.
Close up of kale and pancetta topped on toast.
Table set with two glasses of white wine and a platter of cavolo nero crostone.
A tableful of plates, each with one square of "dolce di riso." In the foreground is a close up piece of the cake, with a gently browned top, grains of rice and speckled with raisins.

Photo credit: Vaneshia Reed

RECIPE BOOK: Archived recipes

A square piece of the Dolce di Riso cake, with a gently browned top, grains of rice and speckled with raisins.
Spring 2023: DOLCE DI RISO | SWEET RICE CAKE
Looking for a new dessert to add to your repertoire? How about this sweet treat that's a little like cake, a little like pudding, a little citrusy, a little creamy, with a satisfying sugary crust. (Bonus: it's naturally gluten-free!)
Pasta with tomato sauce
February 2023: Salsa al Pomodoro | Simple Tomato Sauce
Sometimes there is nothing better than a big bowl of pasta with tomato sauce. And when you can have delicious, authentic, and easy homemade sauce in under an hour, there's no reason to resort to store-bought.
Ribollita
January 2023: RIBOLLITA | TUSCAN “REBOILED” SOUP
Ribollita translates to “reboiled” and refers to the traditional way of making this soup: by reboiling leftover bean and vegetable soups, and adding old bread that soaks up the goodness for a hearty stew. Our version can be made in one day, but is still a classic for winter months.
Kale Crostone (Toasts)
October 2022: CROSTONE AL CAVOLO NERO | Kale Toasts
No matter what the season, crostone (toasted bread with any topping) are a wonderful way to kick off a meal or enjoy a light bite during happy hour. In the fall, consider garlic-rubbed bread topped with hearty kale and pancetta (or bacon). A heartier version of our summery tomato crostone!
Tomato Crostone (Toasts)
July 2022: CROSTONE AL POMODORO + SPRITZ | "TOMATO TOASTS" + SPRITZ COCKTAIL
When it's the height of tomato season and it's super hot... nothing's better than an authentic Italian take on what many of us Americans call "bruschetta" (and if you call it that, you better say it correctly!). Pair your tomato toasts with a refreshing spritz cocktail, and you've got yourself a perfect summer aperitivo.
Orange pork loin
May 2022: ARISTA ALL'ARANCIA | ORANGE PORK LOIN
Another Spannocchia favorite! So satisfying, simple, and beautiful—we encourage you to try our braised pork loin with red onions and juicy oranges. The spring cooking classes enjoyed preparing and devouring this special dish, and we know you will too!
Spannocchia garden
March 2022: SFORMATO DI BROCCOLI | BROCCOLI FLAN
This is a favorite winter/early spring staple—before the first crops of the season are ready—because it can easily be made with any hardy vegetables that you froze after harvesting in the fall. We use fresh broccoli here but also often enjoy this creamy, savory side dish with greens like spinach or kale.
Aglione garlic with a wine cork for scale
JANUARY 2022: PICI ALL' AGLIONE | PICI PASTA WITH GARLIC SAUCE
Aglione (Elephant Garlic) are not simply “big” garlic cloves, but a typical Tuscan variety of the garlic family. In our winter recipe, we use aglione to make Pici All'Aglione, but you could substitute any store-bought pasta and even common garlic, if you can't find this special variety.
Two colorful winter squash and wild mushrooms on a marble tabletop
NOVEMBER 2021: CREMA DI ZUCCA AI FUNGHI | CREAMY PUMPKIN SOUP WITH MUSHROOMS
As a blended American-Italian community, Spannocchia's annual celebration of Thanksgiving is a similarly unique blend of American & Italian food traditions—a truly special and memorable event! Bring a taste of Spannocchia to your holiday table with this delicious fall soup.
Slices of schiacciata con uva on a silver tray
October 2021: Schiacciata con Uva | Focaccia with Grapes

If you've ever been at Spannocchia during the annual vendemmia (grape harvest), you know that the hard work culminates with a celebration—one which always includes sweet focaccia baked with freshly-picked grapes. Now, just get some wine grapes, and you can enjoy this traditional treat at home.

Ingredients for Eggplant Parmesan
September 2021: Parmigiana di Melanzane | Eggplant Parmesan

As the weather starts to turn cooler (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), enjoy this classic Italian recipe that perfectly straddles summer (with fresh garden eggplant) and fall (with a heartier preparation—fried and cheesy goodness!).

Baked Tomatoes
August 2021: Pomodori Gratinati | Baked Tomatoes

There is never a shortage of dishes you can prepare using tomatoes—not to mention canning and sauce-making for later enjoyment—but we’re particularly fond of this Mediterranean-inspired recipe that calls for baking them with a salty, briny topping.

Plum Cake
July 2021: Dolce Con Le Prugne | Plum Cake

As we harvest gorgeous plums from our orchard during the summer, we love making this fruit dessert. If you're not lucky enough to have plums in your backyard, grab some stone fruit at your local farm stand or market.

Vegetable Roll
June 2021: Rotolo di Verdure | Vegetable Roll

Mix cheese, garlic, and pine nuts with whatever fresh greens you have on hand, then roll it into a delicious ricotta-based dough and bake for a fairly simple but impressive appetizer or side dish.

Fava Bean Pesto
May 2021: Pesto di Fave | Fava Bean Pesto

Savor this favorite spring crop in a fresh, delicious pesto. Pair it with a crisp glass of Italian white wine and it might almost be like you're sitting under the pergola outside the villa dining room.

Salame Dolce ("Sweet Salame")
April 2021: salame dolce

Check out this favorite Spannocchia dessert made with chocolate and biscuit cookies, then rolled and sliced to look like "sweet salami."