Balsamic Vinegar/Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

I buy Deliza from Tuscany in a three gallon box for 65.00. It's a great aged balsamic for drizzling on stuff. It's sweet like raisins with the perfect acidity....It's not what you would consider a boutique vinegar but it's an excellent middle grade product. Unlike the schwag you get at the grocery store this stuff can almost be consumed like an aperitif....

[Carolyn Tillie]

In training for my new job (which, sadly has gone from a full-time thing to a part-time thing but that is another story), I was thrilled to be given a formal Balsamic tasting as part of my training.

As a quick side note, I recently acquired which was going to be selling Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Honey, and Preserves -- the company has basically decided they can't afford an outside sales person but needs someone to manage the inside, catalogue sales. Without wanting to shill , here's part of the selling text of the vinegards we tasted:

Delizia Estense, is made by the Bertoni family. Outside of Modena, in the hillside village of Montegibbio, is the pristine acetaia (the traditional facility where the Balsamic has been made for centuries) with over 1500 barrels for aging.

The Story:

In 1970, Sante set out with a passion and mission to revive what he felt was fast becoming a lost art. He dedicated his new business to "the innovative recovery of the cultural traditions and the ancient practices" which were slowly disappearing in Modena and being replaced by modern commercial practices in the making of Balsamic vinegar. The Bertoni family represents both literally and metaphorically what people in the area refer to as the "hilltop artisans". These are the remaining small producers in the Emilia Romagna region of Northern Italy who continue to make the authentic Parmesan, Prosciutto and Balsamic for which the area has long been famous.

Delizia Estense AgroDolce di Montegibbio 10-year

Aged a minimum of ten years in a successive battery of wood barrels, this highly-concentrated elixir is deep, rich and viscous, with a complex palate of flavors that give it a true traditionale profile. To be used drop by drop to flavor strawberries and raspberries, drizzled on a perfectly grilled steak or a simple sliced duck breast. Makes a perfect condiment for a cheese course.

Delizia Estense Aceto Balsamico di Modena 5-year

This is a finely crafted blend of older Balsamics with a minimum aging in the barrel of five years before bottling. It should be used in the kitchen as a condiment drizzled slowly over the simplest of dishes to enhance them with the distinctive Balsamic flavor. Try on height of summer tomatoes with basil and mozzarella, or with figs wrapped in prosciutto and mint or mix with fresh berries with vanilla gelato for a supreme dessert. Each bottle comes in an individual hand blown bottle.

Delizia Estense AgroDolce For Everyday Use

The youngest vinegar in this series with a minimum of two years of barrel aging (25%) will be mixed with substantially older (75%) in this blend. It's fresh and pleasantly concentrated sweet and sour taste is a good foil for vegetable dishes and bitter green salads, or to finish sauces for duck, pork and lamb, or to spoon over summer grilled foods.

Okay, so we had these three vinegars in little sipping cups along with a Trader Joe's Gold Quality Balsamic Vinegar of Modena. Here's there bottle text: Trader joe's Gold Quality Balsamic Vinegar is an aromatic vinegar with a mellow flavor. Made from the unfermented juice of fully ripened grapes, this vinegar is aged for many years in fine oak barrels. The front of the bottle says, "Aged 10 Years."

What I learned that blew me away was that there are no regulations (International or otherwise) keeping vinegar makers from putting Balsamic on the bottle, even if there is as little as one drop of TRUE balsmic therein. I could buy a bottle of distilled, white vinegar, add a single drop of balsamic and legally call it Balsamic Vinegar!

I also discovered that the stuff that TJ's sells is hardly balsmic -- okay, it tastes a bit, but must have some added sugars and colorings. There is book on Balsamico by Pamela Sheldon Johns which shows detailed drawings on how Balsamic STARTS in Oak, but then progressively gets moved into smaller barrels of other woods. The other fallacy has to do with years -- while some true, artisinal balsamic producers try to adhere to controlling and labeling their vinegars in years, it is also a sales ploy that is not necessarily accurate. Like the previous example, a bottle can contain one drop of REAL 10-year old balsamic to be called a 10- Year Old Balsamic!

So - the bottom line? See if you can find a real tasting of real balsamic. The real stuff is going to cost you some money. If you find a bottle for $4.99 (TJs for example), you can pretty much believe it is not real but processed.

Fun, huh?

[Jason Perlow]

The real stuff is so much better than the industrialized crap you get at the supermarket. Still, true Balsamico Tradizionale (which is not the stuff you had, its gotta be 12 years old minimum) is a thing of beauty.

Nevertheless I think balsamico is way over used in restaurants and its become a victim of its own success. Most people are probably unaware there is such thing as "good" balsamico.

[tommy]

The real stuff is so much better than the industrialized crap you get at the supermarket. Still, true Balsamico Tradizionale (which is not the stuff you had, its gotta be 12 years old minimum) is a thing of beauty.

Nevertheless I think balsamico is way over used in restaurants and its become a victim of its own success. Most people are probably unaware there is such thing as "good" balsamico.

absolutely.

i used to use "balsamic" quite a bit, and then i got sick of it. i think i got sick of it because it was actually sugary-crap from Kings supermarket. recently, a friend brought back a bottle from italy (which, of course, is probably still pretty low-end), and i've sought out the quality products. it has made a world of difference, and i'm using a lot more of it. and, a lot less of it when i do use it.

[pjs]

There is a great pdf file to download explaining Balsamico Tradizionale here:

The Rare Wine Co.

They also sell signed copies of the Pamela Sheldon Johns book.

I can only vouch for their olive oils--which are fantastic--because I still have a problem spending $55 for 100ml of 12 year-old vinegar. I hope to overcome this irrational fear soon. The 100 year-old Balsamico for $275/100ml. will forever scare me though.

PJ

[jsbst18]

I am looking for a GOOD decently priced balsamic vinegar (20 - 30 bucks or so). I want to use the balsamic without reduction drizzled over pears. Can anyone suggest a good one?

PS- I live in NYC, so if you can suggest a particular store that would be most useful.

[Bicycle Lee]

I don't know all the "underground" spots, but a place like Dean and Deluca will have good vinegars.

For 20-30 bucks you can get a pretty decent balsamic, but the stuff that is pure gold will run upwards of 110 bucks or more....but believe me, it is DAMN good vinegar. The ones that are rated Red, Silver and Gold are probably the easiest to judge. I'd go for silver....it might be a little more than 30 bucks, but it will be worth it. I'm no expert, but this is what I've found.

[Alex]

Dean and DeLuca sell a “Fondo Carrate” balsamic for $30. I have not tasted it but their selection usually is reliable. Williams-Sonoma sells the Fini brand for about $10 for the regular or $42 for the 10-yr-old.

But if you have the time, a phone or Internet order from Zingerman's might be your best bet. They have a good selection, and I've never been steered wrong there.

BTW, epicurious has a great recipe for baked pears with balsamic, goat cheese, honey, and black pepper.

[Fat Guy]

If it costs $30, it isn't technically real balsamico as in balsamico tradizionale. We've had some threads on this already, but in short the best place to go for the best selection of real balsamico is Rare Wine Co. (mail order out of CA): http://rarewineco.com/pdfs/balsamico.pdf -- Zingerman's is also good, but last time I checked the selection wasn't up to Rare Wine Co. levels.

Bottles start at around $50. If, however, you want to go with some of the balsamic-style syrup products that are more likely to be in the $20-$30 range, and you're in New York, I'd suggest Di Palo's on Grand Street.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I'll add an additional plug: www.katzandco.com

He imports some of the best I've tasted.

[slkinsey]

If you are really interested in making this dish with >$30 industrial balsamic, you should go ahead and reduce it to a thin syrup.

[Jason Perlow]

Well, there are balsamics out there are are from the same Modena producers that are in the Consorzio for Balsamico Tradzionale, but decided for whatever reason not to submit the samples of it to the Consorzio for full certification -- they are still expensive, like 25-30 bucks a bottle or so, but are way better than the industrial crap. I have some of the "Blue Line" 3 year old from Toschi that I got from a gourmet deli. Its two steps down from their Tradizionale, theres another "gold" one that is right before it, but in my opinion if you are gonna get that, you might as well go stright for the 12 year old Tradizionale at 50 bucks or so a bottle. Toschi also has a 25 year old Tradizionale but its really pricey.

[victornet]

Fat Guy is on the case. Go to Di Palos, and converse with them. You'll learn so much that you would not get picking stuff off the shelf at D and D. Plus you can get the great Ricoota, mozzarella, parmesan, and anything they recommend. I'm a big fan of their plain cheese ravioli (large raviolis with a big sheese to pasta ratio).

[MRX]

I love this stuff. I honestly think that vinegar is the sexiest of seasonings. Tangy, like sweat....ooopps, TMI? (too much information)

Any whooo, I really like balsamic vinegar, I have twelve year old 5 year old, 10 year old and other random bottles - probably around 8-10 bottles. Eat it with fruit, make it into soebert, drizzle it on plain vanilla ice cream, feed it to your lover on a piece of chilled mandarin orange...damn, just use the stuff. It is good, but I could certainly learn more about it.

A question, does it go bad? I have an expensive bottle that has been around for a couple of years and it seems to be changing, in fact I think that it is getting sweeter, should I toss it, savour it, use it fairly quickly (jumbo tomato and Maui Onion [see next thread Maui Onions] salad) - is it okay to use?

Edited January 20, 2004 by MRX (log)

[Jason Perlow]

I love this stuff.  I honestly think that vinegar is the sexiest of seasonings.  Tangy, like sweat....ooopps, TMI? (too much information)

Any whooo, I really like balsamic vinegar, I have twelve year old 5 year old, 10 year old and other random bottles - probably around 8-10 bottles.  Eat it with fruit, make it into soebert, drizzle it on plain vanilla ice cream, feed it to your lover on a piece of chilled mandarin orange...damn, just use the stuff.  It is good, but I could certainly learn more about it.

A question, does it go bad? I have an expensive bottle that has been around for a couple of years and it seems to be changing, in fact I think that it is getting sweeter,  should I toss it, savour it, use it fairly quickly (jumbo tomato and Maui Onion [see next thread Maui Onions] salad) - is it okay to use?

If its Balsamico Tradizionale (meaning it came in that special bottle reserved only for Tradizionale) you most definitely should not "toss" it. Balsamic vinegar only gets better with age.

[pumpernickel]

Throughout the years, the Italian Wine Magazine "Merum" has extensively covered Tradizionale and the pressures the producers had to face in Brussels. At one time not too far ago, the annual Tradizionale production was in the 100 gallon range , so you can imagine how hard they had to fight against the millions of tons of a product that bears only a faint linguistic relation to the real stuff.

I have been interested in Tradizionale for some time to the point that I started making my own (I have small barrels, so time passes more quickly...), ordered weird italian books on the microbiology of Tradizionale and the installement of the DOC etc.

Having plenty of it on my hands, I cannot but agree that it is the ultimate seasoning. Once you free your mind of how many $ you sprinkle on your dish there are actually no limits of its usefulness. My thing is wine - food pairings, and often Tradizionale can provide that missing joint. When I cook Seared Ahi towards a red Hermitage (i.e. topped with a paste of kalmata olives and roasted pine nuts), I would use artichoke and similar vegetables, finish them of with some parmeggiano slicings until the cheese just caramelizes and then sprinkle some Tradizionale on top of it all. When you sprinkle it on, it works much like coarse sea salt in that it creates textural complexity.

In my experience, parmiggiano and Tradizionale can make anything wine friendly. One my favourites is wild corn salad (fr. mache, ge. feldsalat) with wild garlic croutons, seared porcini, Tradizionale/olive oil dressing and a baked half of a medium crottin de chavignol on top. Works wonders with a floral Pinot noir (more like the Dujac kind of style), whereas everybodys says that wine and salad are no-nos. You would be surprised! And o what a wonderful crisp and complex aftertaste it leaves in a blueberry/strawberry/etc. sorbet (I usually add some lemon thyme or lavender to accentuate its - well, for lack of a better word - balsamic note).

The only thing I have never tried is the real Lambrusco that the Modenese are so attached to. Have you? And what are your favourite pairings in which only Tradizionale would do?

Enjoy!

[balex]

I think the thing to remember about the tradizionale is that it is not really a vinegar at all. My definition of vinegar is a process that goes from grapes via fermentation to something alcoholic (i.e. a proto wine) and then the alcohol turns to acetic acid. Tradizionale short circuits this process as bit. Normal Balsamic vinegar is a mixture of wine vinegar and the 'pure' tradizionale.

I think this is why tradizionale is so wine friendly -- it has such a low percentage of acetic acid.

Does anyone know how the process works? When does the fermentation take place? Does the stuff in the casks actually have alcohol in?

[pumpernickel]

Balex,

you are right in that Tradizionale fermentation works a little bit differnet. Acetic fermentation starts from (fruit) wine, whereas balsamic fermentation starts from concentrated must (reduced to ~1/2 - 1/3 by slow boiling). Balsamico fermentation is a simultaneous alcoholic and acidic fermentation. The sugar concentration is so high that the osmophilic yeasts are not able to ferment it in one go so that the acetobacter can convert alcohol into acetic acid as it is formed. Alcohol builds up to up to 5% and then starts to decline again. In the finished product, there is almost no alcohol left. Because of the complex bacteria/yeast coculture and the effect of climate, Tradizionale can vary dramatically in composition. Some of them do not reach 4% acid and that's where the italian law wants to see them labelled as Condimento rather than aceto. That's where you might have picked up that Tradizionale is not a vinegar, which is not true, of course.

I think this is why tradizionale is so wine friendly  -- it has such a low percentage of acetic acid.

Because the dry extract (a decent wine will have 25 g/l, to say a ballpark number) can go up to 900 g/l (1 l of water weighs 1000 g ...) you don't taste the acidity as much, but be assured it is there. Acidity varies between 4 and 8%, quite the same region that fruit, wine and sherry vinegars cover.

Normal Balsamic vinegar is a mixture of wine vinegar and the    'pure' tradizionale. 

That is simply not true. Normal, i.e. industrial balsamic vinegar is a mixture of acetic acid, oak extract, cooked grape juice and caramelized sugar. That's why it costs $2.99 at TraderJoes. If you are lucky, you may come across artisanal balsamico that was produced in a similar but abbreviated process. Or vinegar destined to be tradizionale that didn't make it. I that I think nobody in their right mind would blend pure tradizionale (that is by definition only stuff that has been approved) with wine vinegar. I think that in Modena this would be considered heresy. No kidding there...

[docsconz]

Pumpernickel, Thank you for your well-written posts on this subject. I had the great fortune to visit Acetaia del Cristo in Modena this fall and taste some truly heavenly juice aged greater than 100 years. It is a remarkable and complex process. The Pamela Sheldon Johns book, Balsamico is an excellent resource for background and uses of this elixir.

I look forward to reading more of your posts and welcome to eGullet!

[balex]

Balex,

you are right in that Tradizionale fermentation works a little bit differnet. Acetic fermentation starts from (fruit) wine, whereas balsamic fermentation starts from concentrated must (reduced to ~1/2 - 1/3 by slow boiling). Balsamico fermentation is a simultaneous alcoholic and acidic fermentation. The sugar concentration is so high that the osmophilic yeasts are not able to ferment it in one go so that the acetobacter can convert alcohol into acetic acid as it is formed. Alcohol builds up to up to 5% and then starts to decline again. In the finished product, there is almost no alcohol left.  Because of the complex bacteria/yeast coculture and the effect of climate, Tradizionale can vary dramatically in composition. Some of them do not reach 4% acid and that's where the italian law wants to see them labelled as Condimento rather than aceto. That's where you might have picked up that Tradizionale is not a vinegar, which is not true, of course.

I think this is why tradizionale is so wine friendly  -- it has such a low percentage of acetic acid.

Because the dry extract (a decent wine will have 25 g/l, to say a ballpark number) can go up to 900 g/l (1 l of water weighs 1000 g ...) you don't taste the acidity as much, but be assured it is there. Acidity varies between 4 and 8%, quite the same region that fruit, wine and sherry vinegars cover.

Normal Balsamic vinegar is a mixture of wine vinegar and the    'pure' tradizionale. 

That is simply not true. Normal, i.e. industrial balsamic vinegar is a mixture of acetic acid, oak extract, cooked grape juice and caramelized sugar. That's why it costs $2.99 at TraderJoes. If you are lucky, you may come across artisanal balsamico that was produced in a similar but abbreviated process. Or vinegar destined to be tradizionale that didn't make it. I that I think nobody in their right mind would blend pure tradizionale (that is by definition only stuff that has been approved) with wine vinegar. I think that in Modena this would be considered heresy. No kidding there...

Thanks for your comments -- that was exactly what I wanted to know.

You are right that most stuff that says balsamic vinegar on the bottle has absolutely nothing to do with anything we are talking about here. But I have some that I bought from the same place that I bought my tradizionale stuff, and they said that it was a mixture of the must-based balsamic , thinned out with normal vinegar -- (and probably some other stuff). It was expensive enough for that to be plausible.

I went to look at the bottle just now but it doesn't explain. I am sure you are right that it doesn't go through the same certification process that the tradizionale stuff does.

[docsconz]

The certification process requires tasting of batches by an official panel. If the vinegar doesn't cut the mustard as tradizionale, it cannot be sold as such. It is still pretty good stuff that winds up getting used with labels other than tradizionale.

[pumpernickel]

Thanks for your welcome and comments!

When I hear of declassified products a "grain of salt" is the phrase that immediately comes to my mind. I have no idea why...

I think that in Modena you had to bring the whole batch submitted for approval to the commitee and it would then be bottled and sealed immediately upon approval. With the increases in volume over the last years, I do not know whether that is still the case. But I would have to think hard of a DOC/AOC product that is more rigorously controlled than Tradizionale!

Any suggestions?

[Kim WB]

Pumpernickel, what an interesting set of posts...I'm intrigued by your focus on wine food pairings, as I am just trying to focus more attention on that aspect of dining and entertaining. Perhpas you can consider srating a new thread with some of your more suceessful pairings.

[pumpernickel]

Kim, thanks for your interest! For starters, may I reference you to my recent post on wine - lobster pairings? If you like it, I will write more. In my mind, I am running through some of the better pairings and already my mouth starts watering. I will name just one pairing so yours can start watering too:

Porcini a la creme with white peach filets/Gewurztraminer. Simply sautee the fresh porcini with just a hint of garlic in olive oil, then add some creme fraiche when they are almost done. Allow to simmer for a 1, 2 minutes and add the filets of white peaches 30 s before serving. I love adding some lemon thyme and a sprinkle of - you've guessed it: Tradizionale, of course.

Now the wine: it has to mirror the luxury of the dish and the lusciousness of its texture. Only a very special Gewurz can do the trick, an aged Sauternes might offer the best substitute. Riesling or Loire Chenins would be too tart. I am thinking of a Gewurz grown not far from Colmar on a limestone soil, which gives it sufficient acidity. It was picked very late with a little botrytis on perfectly ripe grapes and not allowed to ferment all its sugar. The mineral notes and its phenolic structure (like a red wine in disguise) give it ample backbone that keeps its own fat and sweetness and that of the dish in cheek and prolongs it into a lingering noble bitter finish. Peach and botrytis is an obvious association, but the aromes of the Gewurz are as much in the nose as they reappear on the palate, adding a surprising dimension to the combination. The texture and sweetness of the porcini is mirrored by the peache filets and sometimes you wonder whether it is porcini or peach that you are having right now. Some of the porcini have wild aromes (barnyard) that form a beautiful contrast to the purity of the peach fruitiness. The success of this combination depends on the wine echoing structure and aromatics of the dish, but introducing a new element, its minerality, that finally overwhelms the bunch of sensations and turns them into one lingering aftertaste.

This might read lenghty but believe me the pleasure is immediate and heavenly!

[calimero]

How can we remain indifferent when presented with a drop of this dark and shiny , thick and clear, uniquely and penetratingly perfumed elixir? It is all too easy to fall in love with this product of both art and science, the son of a long tradition, wich will take down the emilian paths of gastronomic pleasure.

Born centuries ago as a medicinal balsam for the exclusive use of kings and emperors, it has found its place in the kitchen as a product of excellence, it heightens the flavours and enriches every dish on the Emilian table, from the most simple ones such as salads and raw vegetables, to the most refined dishes such as filled pastas or meats. Among the thousand of possibilities, the dearest “love affair” of the Emilia people is most certainly that of traditional balsamic vinegar, tortellini, prosciutto di parma and parmigiano-reggiano (parmesan) cheese, cut into flakes. Trying is believing.

And if you are curious, here you can read about its history and there is even a “do it yourself taste and art” section.

Some recipes:

Salad with fillet steak, sultanas and pine nuts in “Lobster Red” traditional balsamic vinegar

Soak 50g of sultanas in lobster red T.B. vinegar. Prepare a vinaigrette with T.B. vinegar and dress 100 gr. of choped curly or mixed lettuce with a part of the vinaigrette. Slice 400g of beef fillet thinly (using an electric slicer); place the rest of the vinaigrette on a plate and dip the sliced fillet in it. Place the lettuce on a serving dish or on individual plates, lay the fillet slices on the lettuce and cover with 20g of roasted pine nuts and the sultanas with the vinegar. Add extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Lukewarm rabbit salad with pomegranate salad and “ Lobster Red” traditional balsamic vinegar

Remove the bones from two saddles of rabbit to get 4 fillets. Crush the bones and make a light gravy in a frying pan with some chopped carrot, half an onion and some olive oil. Once this is well done, add some broth and leave to boil for about one hour until the liquid has almost boiled of. Fry the rabbit fillets in a pan with a little butter and leave to cool. Strain the gravy and heat, adding half of a pomegranate, 2 spoons of “lobster red” t.b.v. and salt and pepper. Stir over a high flame for a few minutes.

Prepare a mixed green salad and place on the plates; cut the rabbit fillets into slices and lay on the lettuce in a fan shape. Pour over the hot sauce and serve with diced carrot and pomegranate grains.

Onion and apple pancakes with “silver” traditional balsamic vinegar

Slice 600g of red onions and place in 1 litre of milk for a couple of hours. Remove them, dry and cook in a pan over a low heat with 50g of butter for about 30 minutes, without allowing them to fry and adding a few drops of “silver" t.b.v. Cook a rennet apple in the oven and mix it in with the onion, adding salt and pepper to taste. When the mixture is creamy, remove from the heat. Lay 8 pancakes, prepared in the traditional manner, on the table and, having coated them with grated parmigiano reggiano, add the onion and apple mixture. Fold the pancakes into quarters and place in a buttered oven dish, sprinkling with more parmigiano reggiano. Cook at a temperature of 180° C for 10 minutes.Cut anothe rennet apple into thin slice and place in a wide non-stick pan with some “silver” t.b.v., and brown over a high flame for a few minutes. Remove the pancakes from the oven and place two on ech plate in the shape of butterfly wings. Garnish with the apple slices. Pour some thickened balsamic vinegar and serve.

Ravioli with radicchio in “lobster red” traditional balsamic vinegar

Fry four slices of bacon and half an onion in a little extra virgin olive oil. Add 500g of radicchio (red cabbage) cut into small pieces, spry over a little balsamic vinegar and cook over a low heat without the lid on. Prepare a filling with the finely chopped radicchio, 150g of grated parmigiano reggiano, and 20 choped pine nuts, ading salt and pepper to taste. Having made the pasta, cut into strips and add the filling, as for normal ravioli. Cook in salted water, drain and lay on the plates or on a serving dish. In the meantime melt 50g butter and add “lobster red” t.b.v. and a handful of grated parmigiano reggiano, mixing to form a brown liquid to pour over the ravioli as a dressing.

Rabbit salad on a bed of rocket with traditional balsamic vinegar

Serves six. Cook half rabbit in a saucepan for about an hour with a stick of celery, a (or two) bay leaf, four grains of juniper, a slice of lemon and some salt. Mix the juice of a lemon with some balsamic vinegar, add salt and pepper, and slowly add extra virgin olive oil, stirring continuosly. Slice the rabbit meat and leave to cool. Place the rocket on a plate with a few slices of grapefruit, place the sliced rabbit on top and dres with the sauce. Serve cold.

Fresh pasta squares with cabage, Parma ham and “lobster red” traditional balsamic vinegar

Serves six. Cut 600g of cabage into pieces and cook briefly in salted water. Heat 400g butter in a saucepan with extravirgin olivi oil and a laurel leaf. Add 180g sliced Parma ham cut into strips and the cooked cabbage, and 2 ladles of meat broth. Cook for about half an hour. Half-cook the pasta squares, drain and add to the sauce: When the cooking is complete, add two taspoons of “lobster red” t.b.v., 50g of grate parmigiano reggiano, stir and serve. For the pasta: mix 500g of plain flour with five whole eggs, a spoon of oil and salt, and knead to a uniform dough. Roll out the pasta to 3mm and cut into squares.

Baccala’ (stockfish) with traditional balsamic vinegar

Serves six. Ingredients: 6 slices of desalted stockfish, each about 200g, 2 spoons of breadcrumbs, 200g of fresh double cream and 2 spoons of “lobster red” balsamic vinegar. Place the cream, balsamic vinegar and stockfish in a large frying pan. Cook slowly for about 15 minutes. Make sure the fish is cooked, and place on a serving dish. Let the sauce thicken, adding a pinch of salt if needed, and add the breadcrumbs and pour over the stockfish. Serve with boiled potatoes.

Sliced ricotta cheese with “silver” and “gold” traditional balsamic vinegar

Serves six. Whisk three whole eggs with 200g icing sugar, add 500g of fresh ricotta cheese, and divide the mixture into two portions. In one half, add 100g of unsweetened cocoa powder. In the meantime, line an oven dish with greaseproof paper and place inside first the pale mixture then the cocoa mixture, cover and place in the freezer for twelve hours. Remove and cut into slices. Mix 3 spoons of “silver” or “gold” t.b.v. with 200g of sugar syrup and pour over each slice.