Viola Buitoni comes from one of the most historically significant food families in Italy. Growing up in Umbria, Buitoni was surrounded by olive trees while rabbits, pigs, and geese ran wild. With a vegetable garden that included fava beans, artichokes, peas, tomatoes, and fruit trees, her mother embraced the idea of homesteading.
In her first cookbook, Italy by Ingredient: Artisanal Foods, Modern Recipes, Buitoni focuses on the sensory side of cooking, something she has been teaching for years. "Food is a living, breathing thing that changes all the time," says Buitoni. The carrots used today may be sweeter and crunchier than the carrots used last week, Buitoni points out. "When you cook, taste is the last thing that [comes in]. Until you sit [at] the table, you don't really get to try the full meal or the full result of what you have made."
To stave off their pasta cravings with a lighter option, many Italians turn to rice during the hottest months of the year. Photo by Molly Decoudreaux.
Riso freddo estivo al pomodoro e basilico
Cold summer rice with tomatoes and basil
Serves 4-5
I attribute this dish to my friend Micaela, who first made it for me to combat the torrid heat of a summer afternoon in Palo Alto. In turn, she attributes it to a homestyle restaurant in Milano she used to frequent with her parents. Whatever its origin, I have fallen in love with the communal nature of this recipe, with its vivid colors and lively flavors, and cannot get enough of it. Use very ripe tomatoes, the ones that appeals to fruit flies. I prefer large heirloom tomatoes, like Cherokee Purples or Beefsteak. I use chives to give an allium touch, but if you like a more decisive hint, experiment with some shallot or even a clove or two of garlic. Basil is always a good bet with tomatoes, but you can mix in some mint and/or parsley and liven it up with a little marjoram or oregano.
Ingredients
- 2 lb / 1 kg overripe sweet tomatoes
- Salt
- 1 1⁄2 cup / 300g Arborio rice
- 8 to 10 chives
- 1 cup / 20g loosely packed basil leaves (see headnote for other herbs)
- Black pepper or red chili flakes
- Extra-virgin olive oil as needed
Instructions
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Bring 2 quarts / 2 L water to a boil in a saucepan. Fill a large bowl half full with water and drop 2 handfuls of ice cubes in it.
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Score a skin deep X on the butt of each tomato with the tip of a paring knife. Drop the tomatoes in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes -- until their skins are imperceptibly lifting and retracting at the Xs. Fish out the tomatoes with tongs or a slotted spoon and plop them in the ice bath.
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Season the water in the pan with 1.5 teaspoon salt. When it comes back to a boil, stir in the rice and then adjust the heat to keep the rice at a lively simmer. Set a time for 15 minutes. When the tomatoes have cooled down completely, you will be able to easily peel off the skins.
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Core the peeled tomatoes, cut them into chunks, and toss them into a food processor. Add most of the chives and basil leaves, saving a few for garnishing, and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Pulse until you have a dense and textured puree. Transfer the puree to a serving bowl. Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper—or red chili flakes for a spicy kick—to suit your palate. Stir into 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil, then taste and add more oil or seasonings if needed.
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When the timer goes off, taste the rice. It should be al dente but not crunchy. When it is ready, drain it and run it under cold water to slightly cool it and wash off some of the starch. Mound it in a shallow bowl and garnish it with the herbs you saved. Place the two bowls side by side in the middle of the table and invite diners to serve themselves.
by Viola Buitoni
Salads are favorite this time of year when produce is so vibrant that it needs little intervention. Olives and capers add a layer of taste, elevating a bean and tuna salad. As figs come in season, Buitoni wraps them in prosciutto or uses them in a salad with mint and buffalo mozzarella.
As a lighter option than pasta, Italians use rice during the summer months. Buitoni makes a cold rice salad with tomatoes, basil, chives, and red chili flakes.
Italy by Ingredient: Artisanal Foods, Modern Recipes presents the history and geography of the country's most iconic staples. Photo courtesy of Rizzoli.