Pit Stop - Hot Chocolate and Chiacchiere Le Colonne Style

Last Sunday afternoon I had lunch in Caserta . On  my way back home, I decided to make a pit stop.  A pit stop which included a steaming mug of hot chocolate, you know...made with real chocolate.  A pit stop which included serving or two of chiacchiere; strips of fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar. A pit stop at Le Colonne Restaurant, located a stone's throw from the amazing Caserta palace dating back to the 18th century.
There I met Michelin star chef Rosanna Marziale who came up with the cool idea of setting up a food trailer in the small piazzetta right in front of the family's restaurant.  And with a  super chic trailer on loan from a friend, Valeria Fusco, she decided to go for it.  Why not? It would be the perfect opportunity for Sunday strollers like me to stop by and pick up some of the restaurant's famous dolci, in particular Carnevale specialties such as castagnole (sweet dough balls)  or the chiacchiere that caught my eye.

The future?
The sky's the limit for Marziale.
In the meantime, Sunday pit stops at Le Colonne Restaurant are highly recommended.

Snapshot of the Day - Chocolate Panettone - Le Colonne (Ce)

And here we are.  December.  Time to officially start thinking about Christmas...and Christmas desserts!  In recent years there has been a big boom in Campania centered around specialty which doesn't have its roots in the south. The Panettone.  There are many versions, usually with candied fruit - but my favorite has to be chocolate. Like this version from Le colonne Restaurant in Caserta. Chocolate panettone after dinner...chocolate panettone for breakfast, for brunch, snack...
Well, you get the picture...er, snapshot.
:-)

A Star in Cantina - Chef Rosanna Marziale at Quartum Store, Quarto (Na)

Chef Rosanna Marziale

A Friday night wine tasting event turned from the usual to world class when Michelin star Chef Rosanna Marziale of  Ristorante Le Colonne visited Azienda Vinicola Di Criscio's Quartum Store.  Well, she didn't just visit.  She brought several of he famous dishes from Caserta and paired them with the wines of the winery based in Quarto.  

The evening began as every evening should...with a light fresh spumante.  We had a glass or two of Asprinio Spumante brut metedo chamat to go with our first two courses.

Then it was time for our appetizer:

'Minestra Maritata' with mozzarella and anchovies

Followed by our pasta course:

Mozzapepe and lemon

Our main course called for a new wine.  Campania Aglianico IGT 2010 aged in barrique which the chef used to prepare her stew.  

Buffalo meat stewed with Aglianico and creamed mashed potatoes with saffron

Our dessert...

Mozzarella cake with a raspberry sauce

Paired with Grappa di monovitigno di falanghina Campi Flegrei.

Friday night in cantina will never be the same.

Caserta's Easter Classics - Ristorante Le Colonne (Ce)

I must admit I was tempted.  I was drawn in.   Seduced by photos on Facebook published by Ristorante Le Colonne and Chef Rosanna Marziale.  Delicious photos of delicious desserts, just in time for the Easter season.   So the decision was easy.  The weather was spectacular.   The perfect day for a passeggiata.  Autostrade A1...exit Caserta Nord.  
I was greeted by the sempre smiling face of Marziale.  And after a caffe' and a chat,we got down to business...a crash course on what happens in Caserta during the Easter season.

First up...Casatiello.  A hearty Easter bread made with cheese, eggs, chopped salami and pancetta (bacon).  A delicious bomba of a bread which could be considered a complete meal thanks to all the goodies packed inside.  I particularly love how the egg is cooked right into the bread...shell and all. Perfect for those Easter Monday picnics.

Marziale then showed me a dish that I was not familiar with...one that is a sweet variation on the Casatiello Easter bread....Casatiello Dolce.  At first glance, it looks looks like an enormous muffin with a dolce white icing on top and sprinkled with confetti...

The next three desserts can be considered part of a set.  Or, one dessert in three different versions.   The Pastiera.  The Easter Cake.  There's the classic Neapolitan Pastiera made with ingredients unmistakable not to miss ingredients and flavors such as ricotta, boiled wheat, eggs, and candied fruit.

I learned that in Caserta, you may also have a slice of pastiera made with rice....

or with tagliolini (pasta).

Marziale had one more dish to share... Pavlova.  A dish named after the Russian dancer Anna Pavlova.   Le Colonne's version is a meringue filled with a two types of creams; a yellow and an orange crema pasticciera,/pastry cream.  

Time seemed to fly by., and my  crash course on Caserta Easter classics  was over.  I just need to go back and pick up my diploma .... and a casatiello....and a pastiera...and a pavlova.