This week we celebrate all things Italian!
Spicy Calabrian peppers!
Chefs love the distinctive flavor of Calabrian peppers, small hot Italian cherry peppers that usually come to us in the States packed jars of olive oil and preserved with a little salt. Tuscany at Your Table in Virginia-Highland offers prepared Italian foods like Tuscan Soup, panini and Orecchiette with Broccolini. But their shelves are also stocked with a wide range of Italian pastas, olive oils, wine and artisan foods like these little jars of Artibel Calabrian Peppers. Terry Koval of The Wrecking Bar uses Calabrian peppers in his Shrimp Sausage and just in time for spring, check out Adrian Villarreal's recipe for Grilled Green Garlic with Calabrian Chilis. $12.50 per 7-ounce jar or in bulk from the deli counter.
Tuscany at Your Table, 1050 N. Highland Avenue, Atlanta. 404-205-5092, http://tuscanyatyourtable.com/.
Mozzarella with Italian Meats and Roasted Peppers!
The Augello family has been making mozzarella at E. 48th Street Market in Dunwoody since they opened in 1986. For their best-selling Mozzarella di Casa, they layer the housemade mozzarella with salami, capicola, roasted peppers and herbs and roll it up into a log. It’s so popular, they sell 20 to 30 pounds every week. Get it sliced 1/4-inch thick and use it for bruschetta, or get thicker slices and put them on a salad. They have a full line of prepared foods, delicious espresso and housemade pastries along with shelves full of Italian specialty products. $14 per pound.
E. 48th Street Market, 2462 Jett Ferry Road, Dunwoody. 770-392-1499. http://e48thstreetmarket.com
Salsa di Pomodoro!
Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market carries Salsa Di Pomodoro Ciliegrino, a cherry tomato sauce that tastes of sunshine and Sicilian cherry tomatoes. The sauce is sweet from these particular cherry tomatoes and mildly seasoned. The label says "Ready in two minutes" and it's true that all you have to do is heat up the sauce as a topping for pasta or other dishes. Tal Baum, owner of Bellina Alimentari, suggests you could also cook it down to make homemade, healthier ketchup. "Reduce the sauce down in a small sauce pan over medium heat for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. For added flavor, season the sauce with salt and pepper, whole garlic cloves and fresh oregano." Delicious. $8 per 23.3 ounce bottle. Bellina Alimentari, 675 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta. 404-330-9933, http://bellina-alimentari.com
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