An Edible Voyage

October 2021  Not one to pass up an opportunity for a traditional food item, I was straight on to researching tigelle as soon as I came across the unfamiliar word.  To my delight, bread being a favourite of mine in every country, injera excepted, tigella is a typical bread of the Emilia-Romagna region.  Traditionally cooked on clay discs called tigelle, cut in half and spread with pesto modenese, chopped pork lard mixed with rosemary, garlic and parmesan, they are now often cooked on metallic plates and filled with cold cuts such as mortadella or prosciutto crudo. In Bologna, I came across a street, Via Calzolerie, with a whole row of hatches selling multiple permutations of cured pork stuffed tigella, rolls and piadina, Emilia-Romagna flatbread.  A particular favourite of mine was the pistachio studded mortadella and squacquerone cheese, a new but delicious discovery for me, it's a soft, creamy cheese from Emilia-Romagna. Find Via Calzolerie just a few minutes walk ...

June 2020 It was one of those days when I had lots of bits to use up in the fridge - not enough of anything to make something.  Or so I thought.  Broccoli croquettes were born!  Steamed potatoes and broccoli mashed together, a little seasoning, rolled in panko crumbs and pan fried.  The lonely slice of ham finely chopped and thrown in to the pan for the last few minutes.  Parmesan cheese grated over hot croquettes to begin to melt ever so slightly.  The crunchy croquettes, the crispy ham, the sweet, umami parmesan cheese...an accidentally delicious creation.