{"id":36491,"date":"2023-06-17T16:16:04","date_gmt":"2023-06-17T14:16:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tortelliniandco.com\/?p=36491"},"modified":"2024-07-01T15:51:08","modified_gmt":"2024-07-01T13:51:08","slug":"fricando-vegetable-stew-recipe-from-romagna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tortelliniandco.com\/en\/fricando-vegetable-stew-recipe-from-romagna\/","title":{"rendered":"Fricand\u00f2: the vegetable stew recipe from Romagna"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Fricand\u00f2 recipe is a kind of rustic ratatouille and a typical recipe from the peasant tradition of Romagna.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Italian dictionary reports that the term is an Italian graphic and phonetic adaptation of the French fricandeau. This dish’s ingredients are cooked in the same pan as a stew.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The name, however, also has a Latin origin.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

In fact, it derives from <\/span>frico<\/span><\/em><\/strong>, which means sizzle and refers to the base of oil (and onion) that kicks off the preparation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fricand\u00f2<\/span> is a vegetable stew<\/span><\/strong> that celebrates the abundance of summer gardens.<\/span><\/p>\n

It takes shape in the vegetable garden, which reminds me of Cicero’s statement that whoever owns a library next to a vegetable garden has everything.<\/span><\/p>\n

History of the Vegetable Garden<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

The meeting between human beings and the vegetable garden, and with agriculture more generally, occurred a few million years ago when the first humans left nomadic life for a sedentary life.<\/span><\/p>\n

The garden, though still primitive, shows its usefulness early on.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the centuries, medieval monasteries spread the culture of the kitchen garden. And from that moment, they became fruitful and beautiful to admire.<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>hortus conclusus<\/span><\/em> is the space bordered by the walls that protect convents all over Europe. It was an era characterized by ever-moving armies, famine, looting, and pestilence, and the walled garden offered food and herbs for pharmacopeia.<\/span><\/p>\n

Still, in the middle of the Middle Ages, with the emergence of the first universities, the vegetable garden also became a place of open-air study where students learned to distinguish and use plants.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hence, from now on, it has become a permanent part of the landscape and has become domestic. You know, I mean that every farmhouse has its own garden.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first urban gardens spread between the 15th and 18th centuries.<\/span><\/h5>\n

In Europe, the first industrial revolution causes an exodus from the countryside to the cities, and the new emigrants introduced the custom of preparing a garden to support the family’s food needs. For this reason, city institutions and religious communities make land available to cultivate to this scope.<\/span><\/p>\n

After World War II, many Italian municipalities follow this ancient custom and allocate public land to those who want to garden in the city. <\/span>This practice<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0is no longer a response to poverty<\/span>\u00a0but rather<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0about offering older people an\u00a0<\/span>opportunity<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0to be active local community members.<\/span><\/p>\n

A few decades later, the vegetable garden gained other followers, the urban gardener, and new spaces such as condominium roofs and terraces.<\/span><\/p>\n

The vegetable garden has always been a part of human life. <\/span><\/p>\n

Isn’t it a beautiful story?<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Fricand\u00f2<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Fricand\u00f2<\/p>\n

Fricand\u00f2 recipe<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n

The garden has a recreational and productive vocation that makes those who do it feel good.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thinking about my time in the garden, I find only happy memories.<\/span><\/p>\n

For a few years, I owned one and taught a series of courses for aspiring urban farmers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, as a child, I spent many hours in the garden learning about the flavors of fruits and vegetables and the difference between unripe and ripe.<\/span><\/p>\n

At home, fricand\u00f3 was born from these moments in the garden.<\/span><\/p>\n

Grandma and I would take a little of this and a little of that to bring to the kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

We used to make it with tomatoes picked still hot and juicy from the plant, but a good puree is fine, too. The important thing is to shrink the sauce, which is thick in this dish.<\/span><\/p>\n

The simplicity and robust taste of fricand\u00f2 tell of its peasant origin when large pans of vegetables were prepared to feed the (large) family returning from work in the fields.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fricand\u00f2 is a side, but you can dress pasta or crostini (warm bread and fricand\u00f2 at room temperature). Of course, eating with <\/span>piadina romagnola<\/span><\/a><\/strong> or grilled slices of polenta (even with <\/span>polenta fritta<\/span><\/em>) is perfect.<\/span><\/p>\n

Friggione<\/span><\/a><\/strong>, a versatile sauce made with onion and tomato, and fricand\u00f2 are similar recipes from the Italian traditional cucina povera. Both are worth trying.<\/span><\/p>\n

Buona cucina, Monica<\/span><\/p>\n

On Tv<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n

I am fond of this recipe I narrated and cooked in an episode of Food Network Italia’s TV program,<\/span><\/p>\n

L’Italia a morsi<\/span><\/a><\/strong>, dedicated to Imola, Romagna.<\/span><\/p>\n

Keep in Touch<\/b><\/h4>\n