Food - Bee Wilson says Verdi takes the biscuit
During the Italian wars of independence in the 19th century, people could sometimes be heard shouting the mysterious slogan "Viva Verdi!". An uncontroversial sentiment, you might suppose. Although Aida and Otello were yet to come, Giuseppe Verdi was already, in 1859, il Maestro, the unrivalled master of Italian opera, not to say world opera, not to say world art. Who but an embittered competitor would disagree with the sentiment "Viva Verdi"? But in 1859, the slogan "Viva Verdi" was not just an expression of naive admiration for the popular composer of Nabucco and Macbeth. As well as being the name of Italy's greatest artist, VERDI was also a convenient acrostic - "Vittorio Emanuele, Re D'Italia". Thus people could use Verdi's name to express contentious nationalist sentiment without risking their lives.
Now, in the centenary year of his death, with Verdi mania sweeping the opera-going classes of Europe, the composer's name is still used in ways that go far beyond music. Mainly, it is used to sell food. All over Parma, the headquarters of the Verdi industry, shopkeepers are making a good living selling Verdi knick-knacks of various kinds. There are Verdi liqueurs, Verdi cakes, Verdi biscuits. Every product comes with an "authentic" story relating to the great man: "these biscuits the Maestro liked to dip into milk in the morning"; "this cheese the Maestro liked to eat while he was composing".
Revisionist historians now have their doubts about Verdi's own commitment to Italian nationalism. But when it comes to food, there is no doubt that Giuseppe Verdi was quintessentially and proudly Italian. He took macaroni and parmesan cheese with him when he travelled to barbaric foreign lands such as Russia or France. He adored truffles and rice and those lovely, friable Italian biscuits. The son of a long line of grocers and innkeepers from the Parma region, Verdi knew all the commodities of Italy as well as he knew the octaves of the human voice. Indeed, he married into yet more grocer stock when he chose as his first wife Margherita Barezzi, the daughter of a local merchant. When she and their two young children died in quick succession, in 1838-40, it was the defining moment of Verdi's life. Only after their deaths did he achieve success; and he did not write another comic opera until Falstaff, which premiered in 1893.
Verdi's second wife was the prima donna Giuseppina Strepponi, a spirited woman who became very adept at providing Verdi with just the wines and foods his temperament desired. They kept a villa and estate at Sant'Agata in Parma, where Verdi, true to his roots, took a minute interest in the transactions of corn, wine, flour, salt, etc, on his tenant farms. His appetite for business was considerable, and he would probably have approved of the shameless culinary "branding" of his legacy.
The ultimate Verdi product is torta di Otello, or Othello cake. There is a much-repeated story to go with it. In the summer of 1880, Verdi began corresponding with the librettist Arrigo Boito about the possibility of turning Shakespeare's tragedy into an opera, but was rather slow producing the music. Every Christmas, Boito sent him a cake with a figure of the Moor in chocolate icing on top, as a reminder to get a move on. They referred to their work on the opera as "the chocolate project". The torta is still a big seller among tourists.
But the region of Parma has far greater foods to offer than this rather tasteless cake and the other assorted Verdiana. Apart from the best ham in Italy, Parma is also known for its butter, its way of cooking aubergines or artichokes with cheese - alla parmigiana - and its wonderful pork dishes. In Parma, they say: "The pig is like Verdi's music, there is nothing to throw away." But the area's most prized dish is tortelli alle erbette, pasta stuffed with spinach or chard and ricotta, something so often copied that, like an aria from Rigoletto, it's easy to forget what the point of it ever was. Yet, also like an aria from Rigoletto, when you experience it in its original form, you soon remember.
Tortelli alle erbette (enough for 4)
For the pasta: 300g tipo 00 flour, salt, 3 medium eggs,
grating of nutmeg, 150g ricotta
For the filling: 350g fresh spinach or 350g chard, 1 medium egg, salt, pepper
For the sauce: 50g best unsalted butter, 50g parmesan
This is the quick way to make the pasta: put all the ingredients in a food processor, process until they come together, cover in cling film and refrigerate.
Wash the spinach or chard very well and boil it for 3-5 minutes. Squeeze out all the liquid, chop finely and blend with the other filling ingredients. Refrigerate until needed. Cut the pasta dough into four pieces. Piece by piece, roll it out using a pasta machine (assuming you know how to do this). Place small spoonfuls of filling at intervals on the strips of dough; cover with another strip of dough; cut into separate squares, pressing the edges to seal.
Cook in boiling salted water for five minutes, drain and serve with the butter, melted, and cheese.
Post this article to
We want to encourage people to comment on our content and to exchange views with other readers and hope this will be done on a courteous basis. However, if you encounter posts which are offensive please let us know by emailing comments@newstatesman.co.uk and we will take swift action where necessary.
