I Love Italian Regional Cooking - Pairing Liguria Cuisine With Red Wine
Great Liguria food, fine Liguria or other red wine...Liguria is known as the Italian Riviera. It’s a sliver of land along the Ligurian Sea north of the Mediterranean. Liguria attractions include Cinque Terre, five little seaside villages that might steal your heart and the bustling port of Genoa, Christopher Columbus’ home base. Given that very little Ligurian wine is sold in North America we always propose other Italian wines, often originating in the general neighborhood.
Riomaggiore, one of the Cinque Terre villages.
For starters you might enjoy Torta Pasqualina ( Artichoke Savory Pie) that stars ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and lots of eggs and olive oil. So it makes a fine main dish as well. Recommended wine pairings include Grignolino d’Asti DOC from Piedmont near the Ligurian border, a fizzy red or rosé Lambrusco Mantovano DOC, or the Ligurian Rossese di Dolceacqua DOC, also known as Dolceacqua DOC. Be warned; this last wine may have a quite distinctive herbal, resiny taste.
Cima alla Genovese (Stuffed Flank Steak Genoa Style) includes lots of good stuff such as anchovies, capers, and tuna. Use three cups of white wine for a two-pound steak. In theory you can keep this for a couple of days in the refrigerator. I bet you can’t. For wine go with a Piedmont Freisa d’Asti DOC or Grignolino d’Asti DOC, or the Ligurian Rossese di Dolceacqua DOC. By the way, Bartenura sells a kosher version of the Freisa d’Asti.
Torta Pasqualina, doesn't your mouth water?
Pandolce (Pandolce) is a Christmas cake also known as Panettone. Some claim the best Pandolce comes form Genoa where tradition calls for lots of candied fruit. Enjoy this treat with a white sparkling Asti DOCG (formerly called Asti Spumante) or go for a sparkling red wine, the Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG also known as the Acqui DOCG. These wines are both from Piedmont.
About the Author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian, French, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and spend time with his wife and family. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Check out his global wine website at www.theworldwidewine.com with his weekly column reviewing $10 wines and his new sections writing about (theory) and tasting (practice) organic and kosher wines. Check out his Italian wine website at www.theitalianwineconnection.com.
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