Harvest Time in Piedmont and the Traditional Meals

Harvest in Piedmont - traditional local foods

Summer is about to end and in many regions around the world thousands of winemakers are getting ready to harvest their grapes and start winemaking. While some have already begun, many others have to wait due to local climate

In the Italian region of Piedmont, where great wines like Barolo and Barbaresco are produced, they usually wait for the Fall to come to start the harvest when the climate is cold because grapes tend to ripen later.

Fall is a magnificent season in Piedmont. Vineyards and hills turn golden and the time of porcino mushrooms, truffles and game begins, however this was not always the customary diet of a grape farmer.

According to tradition, there are some other dishes they used to eat in Piedmont during harvest.

Piedmontese food traditionally consumed during harvest

Most typical Piedmontese food would probably be bagna càoda, whose name means “hot dip” - and that’s exactly what it is. They prepare a sauce by cooking garlic and salt cured anchovies in oil and butter, and then they use it as a hot dressing for raw and stewed vegetables.This was a rather cheap dish because they used vegetables grown on farms and required a relatively small amount of anchovies (which were pretty expensive). Bagna càoda is, above all, a sort of peasant convivial ritual. People gather around the table and share food, taking their serving of dip from one central pot.

Polenta is another dish usually consumed during harvest.

Most people (among which a lot of Italians, too) think Polenta is a typical dish from northeastern Italy. Although t may be, it is traditionally consumed in other areas as well, even in central Italy and in other European countries. It is a sort of mush made of corn flour. The grain and the quality of the flour may change a little from region to region and from dish to dish, and the consistency of polenta varies from almost fluid to pretty much compact.

Polenta is a cheap food that could bring warmth and nourishment to farmers who had worked hard in the misty vineyards on the hills. In Piedmont, they usually cook a thick, compact polenta , which can be roasted and then dressed with bagna càoda to make it tastier.

Another traditional dish made of polenta is polenta concia, which is a corn flour mush cooked with cheese, not only does it give the dish more flavor but makes it more nourishing as well. Where a varietal of  cheeses may have been considered  a rather precious food, toma - a typical local cheese was relatively cheap because it was (and it still is) made according an easy method and required a short aging period allowing  almost every farmer to make a few for family consumption.

Another typical Piedmontese product is cardoons, with which another autumnal dish is made: cardi con la foduta, meaning “cardoon with fondue”.  Peasants in ancient times didn’t eat the refined fondues as they now serve in renowned Piedmontese restaurants, but dressing stewed cardoons with melted cheese was a smart way to fill stomachs with something warm and satisfying.

Lastly, raw beef and cured pork meat are also typical dishes from Piedmont The meat of the Piedmontese cattle is one of the most appreciated by gourmets all over the world, but meat is an expensive food and traditionally was found to be consumed by wealthy families and/or on special occasions only. According to tradition, pigs were butchered around November, which is when the whole winemaking process would come to a close.

Vegetable Bagna Càoda

INGREDIENTS Serves 6

• Three 2-ounce cans oil-packed flat anchovies, drained and rinsed
• 10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 pound asparagus
• 1 pound fava beans or edamame, shelled (about 4 ounces)
• 1 bunch watercress, tough stems discarded
• 2 medium fennel bulbs—halved, cored and thinly sliced lengthwise
• 2 bunches red radishes, trimmed
• 1 pound baby carrots, halved
• 10 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered

In a saucepan, combine the anchovies, garlic and oil. Simmer over moderately low heat until the garlic is very soft but not colored, about 30 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender and let cool for 10 minutes. Add the butter and lemon juice and puree until the bagna càoda is smooth.

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the asparagus to a plate and let cool. Add the shelled fava beans to the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and let cool under cold running water. Pat dry; if using favas, peel off the beans' tough outer skins.

Mound the watercress on a large platter. Arrange the fennel, radishes, carrots, eggs, asparagus and fava beans on top in separate piles and drizzle with some of the bagna càoda. Pour the remaining bagna càoda into a small bowl and serve with the vegetable platter.

Spinach Salad with Bagna Càoda Dressing

INGREDIENTS Serves 8

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 anchovies, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
• 3 thyme sprigs
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup coarse dry bread crumbs
• 10 ounces baby spinach
• Freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for garnish

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat until foaming. Add the anchovies and cook over moderately low heat until dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice. Add the thyme sprigs and let steep for 20 minutes. Discard the thyme and season the dressing with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast the bread crumbs over moderate heat, tossing, until golden, about 4 minutes. Let the bread crumbs cool.

In a large bowl, toss the spinach with half of the dressing and bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the salad to plates or a platter and top with the remaining bread crumbs and the shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pass the remaining dressing at the table and serve with lemon wedges.

MAKE AHEAD

The bagna càoda dressing can be refrigerated overnight. Warm gently before using.

NOTES

To make bread crumbs, tear 2 slices of day-old white bread into pieces, spread on a baking sheet and toast in a 300° oven until dried but not browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until coarse crumbs form.