Where have I been?! After a week in the desert (Las Vegas) for work we went on vacation to Cape Cod…. the weather was fantastic! Wish we were still there… ahhhh, back to reality. I’ve been neglecting Italyville but I’m back and promise to post more. I will also do my best to get back to everyone who has emailed me in the last few weeks. I also promise to mow the lawn and finishing painting the house….. Blah!

What a great time of year! I must say, late summer/early fall is my favorite. The weather, the veggies, the wild mushrooms…. did I say wild mushrooms? That right. My favorite mushroom is here and E and I have been finding them everywhere! As I mentioned in my last post on wild mushrooms, in my family we call all the tree growing mushrooms “nassa” but the correct name for these is “Hen of the Woods” or “Maitake” They also sell for a big $ at the grocery store. In addition, the American Cancer Society promotes Maitake on their website as boosting your immune system among other things.

I saw this one on the side of the road while we were driving… E can’t figure out how I spot them on a drive by… must be the vigorous training my nonno put me through when I was younger.:)

We decided to take a little walk through the woods after finding this one and we ended up finding a few more.

So what do you do when you find yourself with a whole lot of wild mushrooms?

Nassa Giardiniera

What you’ll need:

• white vinegar
• Canola oil
• garlic
• hot peppers
• salt
• black pepper (optional)
• jars/lids

Thoroughly wash your nassa in cold water and break them up into small pieces. (They grow in the woods so there’s often bugs, dirt, leaves etc.) After washing them, place them in a pot of bowling water for 20-30 minutes. Then transfer the nassa to another pot of boiling water and white vinegar (approx. 1 to 1 ratio) Make sure to use a ladle to transfer the nassa so that any dirt that was removed in the first pot of boiling water doesn’t transfer along with your nassa. Boil the nassa in the vinegar/water mix for an additional 20-30 minutes. Remove and let cool. Once your nassa is cool, squeeze the excess water out of it with your hands and place it in a separate bowl.

Add Canola oil, diced garlic, diced hot peppers, salt and pepper to taste and mix with your hands. NOTE: It’s important not to use extra virgin olive oil (you won’t hear me say that too often) as it congeals when you put it in the fridge and it doesn’t come out as good.

Tightly pack your nassa into jars and then add a splash of Canola oil to the top. It makes a great side dish, snack and personally I like them with my eggs in the morning.

Enjoy and buon appetito!

PS – Hen of the woods is fairly easy to identify but please don’t eat ANY mushrooms that you are not sure about as there are many mushrooms that can cause sickness and even death!

I’m thankful for many of the things my dad and nonno taught me growing up but one of my favorites is hunting for wild mushrooms. I also love the fact that E loves it too. I think it’s a combination of being in the woods and the fact that I’ve always been fascinated with finding hidden treasure (it would be nice if it were in the form of gold or cash but wild mushrooms will do) not to mention, they taste GREAT.

It’s a great time of year for what my family always referred to as “Nassa” growing up, which for us is basically any mushroom that grows from or around the base of a tree. The correct layman name for this orange beauty is “Chicken of the Woods” not to be confused with its partner in crime that usually gets a later start (September) called, “Hen of the Woods” among other names. I’ll post about that once when I find the first one of the year.

It’s really hard to mistake “Chicken of the Woods” for another wild mushroom but PLEASE do not eat anything you are unsure of.

It has been a great year for “Chicken of the Woods” so far and this is our favorite way to cook it.
What you’ll need:

• olive oil
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 1-2 cups of tomato sauce
• salt, pepper and other seasonings of your choice
• splash of heavy cream (optional)

A good “Chicken of the Woods” is soft and tender. If the mushroom is in it’s later stages of growth it will be hard and woody. You may still be able to use the tips of the mushroom as the tips are usually softer but a really good one will be soft and tender throughout.

After cleaning the mushroom thoroughly, you should be able to tear it into small pieces with your hands. If you’re able to do this, the mushroom should be tender enough to eat.

Once you’re done pulling or cutting your “Chicken of the Woods” into small pieces, place it a frying pan with a little olive oil and garlic and fry it for 10-15 minutes on medium heat. (The mushroom will turn a beautiful dark orange color.) Add your tomato sauce, season well and let it simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. You can also add a splash of cream if you want (we usually do) for a richer taste. Serve as an appetizer with some bread or as a side dish. Enjoy and buon appetito!