Congratulations to Dino Caterini of Bethesda, MD and Sarah LoFaso. They are the winners of Ciao Italia Family Classics by Mary Ann Esposito. Thank you for subscribing to CiaoDC.com at NIAF's Expo Italia. Enjoy a taste of your prize below and welcome to CiaoDC.com!

Potato, Zucchini and Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Tart

Tortino di Patate, Zucchine e Parmigiano-Reggiano

When I was growing up I could count on the same lunch every Saturday: chicken livers with onions and fried potatoes and zucchini. That memory of Saturday's main fare has always stayed with me. I have since given up eating chicken livers and have given potatoes and zucchini a new lease on taste in this easy to make layered tart, no pastry involved. Just an elegant presentation of simple fare.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 to 5 medium size baking potatoes (Russet or Yukon Gold), cooked, peeled and cut into thin slices

1 large sprig thyme, needles only

4 medium zucchini plus one for garnish

Extra virgin olive oil

1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

3 whole mint leaves minced

Salt to taste

Grinding black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Coat a 9 x 3 inch spring form pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside.Preheat the oven to 375F.Place the potato slices in a bowl and toss them gently with the thyme, salt and pepper. Set side.Cut four zucchini into 1/4-inch thick slices and sauté' in 3 tablespoons of olive oil until lightly browned. Transfer the zucchini to a bowl and stir in the mint leaves. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.Make 4 alternating layers of potatoes, zucchini and cheese, dotting each layer with bits of the remaining butter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until nicely browned on top.Transfer the pan to a cooling rack. Remove the sides of the spring form pan. Place a sprig of mint on the tart. Cut into wedges to serve.

Tip: Potatoes should be kept in brown paper bags in a cool, not cold dark place.

Buon Appetito!

Mary Ann Esposito, Chef/Author/TV Host

NIAF's 36th Anniversary Gala Convention Weekend!

Listen to CiaoDC's exclusive interview with NIAF's Executive Vice President, Dr. John Rosa - get the highlights of NIAF's 36th Anniversary Gala Convention Weekend.

Visit CiaoDC.com at NIAF's Expo Italia on Friday, October 28 and Saturday, October 29 and enter to win Chef/TV Host/Author, Mary Ann Esposito's latest cookbook release, Ciao Italia Family Classics.

Don't miss this star-studded Italian event right here in our Nation's Capitol!

Pure Authentic Italian Cuisine at Acqua al 2

Recently, CiaoDC had the pleasure of dining for a second time at Eastern Market/Capitol Hill's Acqua al 2.  Acqua al 2 is a restaurant that has its original roots in Florence, Italy, in the heart of Tuscany.  DC's location is only the second international location for the Florence favorite, after San Diego.  As someone who spent several months living in Tuscany, with frequent visits to Firenze, I promise this is one of the few places in the area that does not disappoint on the authenticity front.

Ok, enough with talk, now onto the real reason why you're all reading this - the food and the wine.  We began our meal with an item that is not on the menu - the Burrata - which was a "thank-you" from the chef because we waited a bit beyond our reservation time for our table.  I was so pleasantly surprised that I forgot to take a picture!  But for those of you who are unfamiliar with the creamy deliciousness that is Burrata, check out this picture and description from BelGioioso.

Because no authentic Tuscan dinner could be better without a solid Tuscan wine, we went with a 2006 Brunello di Montalcino from the estate of Casanova di Neri.  Brunellos are unparalleled in both their taste and the precise science involved in making them.  Not surprisingly, they go best with food from the same region where they're produced.  This information should satisfy those steak-lovers out there, especially those who have tasted the famous Bistecca a la Fiorentina!

Next came the Cannelloni Ricotta e Spinaci which the menu aptly describes as: "Spinach and ricotta rolled in fresh pasta, baked in a bowl with our house-made tomato sauce, topped with bechamel and Parmesan cheese."  It was heavenly, my friends!  You could tell that the pasta was freshly made, the sauce has never even been near a jar, and the filling was the perfect balance of spinach and ricotta, not overpowering on either. 

CiaoDC's always-willing dining partner ordered the Tagliata alla Rucola - a grilled, sliced New York steak, served on a bed of arugula with cherry tomatoes, topped with shaved Parmesan and olive oil.  Although probably sacrilege to admit, this steak rivaled the Bistecca a la Fiorentina that we had in Tuscany last month!  It was cooked to perfection and exemplifies the elegant simplicity of the Italian cuisine.

For dolci, it had to be the Tiramisu.  You can see that Acqua al 2 takes great pride in their tiramisu - look at those layers!  They were also appropriately soaked in espresso and amaretto, and topped with that light fresh whipped cream and chocolate powder.  Perfetto!

On top of the exceptional food, the service was wonderful, and we will certainly be dining there again in the near future.   

Grazie mille, Acqua al 2!

Festa Italiana - A Winning Day!

Congratulations to Christina Tufaro! She is the winner of CiaoDC's Festa Italiana giveaway: NIAF Gala Weekend Package including two (2) tickets to Friday Night's Salute to the Martini Cocktail Event and two (2) tickets to Saturday's Celebrity Auction and Luncheon featuring Festa Italiana's Master of Ceremonies Elio Scaccio. Welcome to CiaoDC and enjoy your gift for subscribing!

Thank you and welcome to all of those new subscribers of CiaoDC.com. It was a pleasure meeting you at Festa Italiana - and what a great day!! Did you try the gelato popsicles? What about the juicy porchetta? And that stilt walker oh my! Special "Ciao" to six-year old Ashlyn Holtzapple and her Mommy, Lauren (photographed above) for representing Kensington Parkwood Elementary's Italian language program in Kensington, Maryland sponsored by the Italian Cultural Institute. Ashlyn sported the "Fratelli d'Italia" tee shirt, spoke some Italian and ate the yummy gelato made and scooped by our friends of Dolci Gelati. We took great pride in being the media sponsor of this fabulous annual event and can't wait for next year!

Didn't get a chance to come out to Festa or just need a quick CiaoDC and all things Italian fix? Visit us at the end of the month at the National Italian American Foundation's Expo Italia on Friday, October 28 and Saturday, October 29 at the Washington Hilton and Towers. More here.

Ciao Italia family Classics, Interview and Giveaways!

"Abbondanza!" (Italian: NOUN - Abundance, richness) That is the spirit of the new book release, Ciao Italia Family Classics by Author/Chef/TV Host, Mary Ann Esposito of Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito coming out late October just in time for Italian Heritage Month. Enjoy this culinary jewel complete with more than three generations of Mary Ann's family recipes.

"You cannot seperate food and family with an Italian family because the center of it is love."

-- Mary Ann Esposito
TV Host/Author/Chef

Listen here for an exclusive CiaoDC.com interview with Mary Ann Esposito.

DC's Festa Italiana 2011

The 13th Annual Festa Italiana promises to be all things Italian to Washingtonians and festa goers alike. Celebrating in the heart of -- what was once DC's Little Italy and is now trendy Penn Quarter -- 3rd and F Streets, NW will scream Italiana with red, white and green gelato popsicles by DC's own Dolci Gelati; pig-spitting porchetta by Toscana Cafe; homemade pizza and pasta; cannoli; and cup cakes?!; opera singing; stilt walking, oh my! Plus, CiaoDC's old time Marketing Partner and friend, Elio Scaccio will be Master of Ceremonies and will perform songs from his latest CD, Lettere D'Amore. Other entertainment on tap will include The Duke Ellington Opera Singers and Former Miss Ohio soprano, Andrea Beagel with her band, Ciao Bella. All this and more will come alive opposite Holy Rosary Italian Catholic Church and Casa Italiana. Kids activities, live entertainment and good eats are a sure bet this year. Come out and visit CiaoDC.com's canopy at Festa too. Free and open to the public. Festa Italiana 2011 will be held on Sunday, October 9, 2011, 11:30 - 5:30 p.m., 3rd & F Street, NW, Washington, DC. Judiciary Square Metro. CiaoDC.com is the proud media sponsor of Festa Italiana. Listen to interview with CiaoDC.com and Festa Italiana President, Joe Onofretti here.

Remembering the role of Italian Americans in the Labor Movement

As we embark upon the Labor Day weekend filled with cookouts, parties, weddings and trips out of town, it is easy to forget the reason for this Federal holiday.  This day that many of us have off from work, commemorates the hard work of the labor movement.  Everyone has their own opinion on labor, which has been caught in crossfires across the country this past year.  However, we should remember the benefits that we still enjoy today that were brought to us by the movement - the weekend, a 40 hour work week, and minimum wage, among others.

In addition, many Italians who immigrated to the U.S. during the height of the European immigration worked in cities across the United States in blue-collar jobs.  They contributed a lot to this country, along with laborers from all over the world.  Of course, many still do today as evidenced by Italian American Labor Councils in cities like Chicago and New York.  If you have some free time this weekend, here are a list of links from around the web where you can read about Italian American involvement in the labor movement.  Happy Labor Day!

NIAF: Milestones of the Italian American Experience

Journal of International Labor and Working Class History: The Lost World of Italian-American Radicalism: Labor, Politics and Culture

NYU: Guide to the Records of the Italian American Labor Council (1941-1996)

Cornell University: Photos at an Italian American Labor Council Concert in NYC (1942)

I-italy.org: The Fire that Changed America (Bonvicini)

Please leave your comments about these articles, leave suggestions of other articles, or just your memories on the movement.