Last year in June, Domenico’s cousin brought over a huge bag of zolle or garlic scapes (as they are called in English) and gave them to me.  My first question was,“what are these and what do I do with them?”  
 
Zolle or garlic scapes come from the garlic plant and, in our case, from the famous Sulmona Red Garlic plant.  It is the first tender stem and flower bud of the garlic.  It grows straight up and then starts to curl as it grows longer.  

​These little treasures are not harvested until late spring or early summer, the bulb isn‘t dug up until later in the summer.  If the scapes aren’t cut off, the plant uses all its energy to grow the stem and flower leaving nothing for the bulb.  So we cut off the scape so that the garlic bulb can grow big and strong.  It kind of looks like a green bean.  It reminds me of the curling tendrils of the grape plant. 

So what do we do with the scapes and what do they taste like? 
 
I’ve heard that zolle can be used in a ton of recipes as you would garlic cloves or scallions.  They can be sautéed, pureed, roasted, and pickled.  
 
What we like to do is pickle them.  This is the recipe was given to me at the time of receiving this lovely gift of garlic stems, and it is pretty easy to do.  Most of the time, the tips of the scapes will have a little bulb on it. Snip off the tips and the bulb, and cut them to the size of your jar.  In a large pot, use 1.5 liters of vinegar and 2 liters of water with a handful of kosher salt.  Boil for 20 minutes and then put them on a cloth to cool.  Fill your jars and add oil and, presto you’re done! 
  
Garlic scapes taste like a blend of onion, scallion and garlic. However, scapes are usually less fiery and have a fresher, “greener” taste than the actual garlic bulbs. The texture is similar to that of asparagus. 

Click h​I’ve googled garlic scapes to see what others suggest for recipes or things to do with them and found a great site. I am going to try the scape soup!  Check it out to see what else you can do besides pickle them: https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/06/the-crisper-whisperer-what-to-do-with-garlic-scapes-recipe.html 
 
Happily, we are OPEN and hope that you will come visit us at La Rocca Mia House B&B on your next trip to Italy.  Get away from the crowded cities and come out to the countryside where you too can jar garlic scapes with us.   

Email or call:  la.rocca.mia@outlook.com  or  +39 3888 272982 

Click here for our how to jar garlic scapes video!

Easter is just around the corner. Spring is in the air! 

It is time to start thinking about baking that special Easter bread. 

​There are many different types of Italian Easter Bread but most are made with the following ingredients:
flour, oil, sugar, eggs, yeast and milk.  Modern recipes are adding Pecorino, Parmigiano or another types of hard cheese.

Watch the videos below and see how our neighbor Rosa makes this traditional Italian Easter treat.
According to religious tradition, the Pizza di Pasqua should be prepared on Monday, Thursday or Good Friday to be eaten at breakfast on Easter Sunday.

Once ready, it was customary to bring the Pizza di Pasqua to the church, so that it would be blessed together with the other foods to be consumed on Easter day, but this doesn’t happen much today.
 
Though traditionally served at breakfast on Easter morning, it is also served as an appetizer during Easter lunch, it is accompanied by blessed boiled eggs, ciauscolo (a type of soft salami typically found in the region of Le Marche) and red wine.
 
Pizza Di Pasqua di Abruzzo
1 kg flour
6 eggs plus one yolk
250 g milk
250 g sugar
250 g vegetable oil
2 cubes fresh yeast
Zest of one lemon
1 tsp. vanilla

Procedure:
1. Dissolve the yeast in tepid milk.
2. Add all the other ingredients. 
3. Mix with a fork. 
4. Work with the dough with your hands for 15-20 minutes on a floured surface.
5. Divide into two parts. 
6. Using parchment paper in a shallow pan, place your dough onto the pan. 
7. Brush on the egg yolk and add sprinkles and/or colored eggs.
8. Let rise for 3-4 hours.   
9. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 180C.

ENJOY!!  BUONA PASQUA

To watch a video of Rosa making this bread go to: 
Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2_ouZtVPdg
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0A2p5uN06o
Part 3: https://youtu.be/oiefkrZ3V4I
​
Visit us during the Easter season and we’ll invite Rosa over to teach you to bake this lovely Easter Bread. 

DON’T MISS OUT ON OUR EASTER EXPERIENCES:  Just click on our Facebook cover photo “Experience Easter with Us” for all the details.   Go to our FACEBOOK page here.