What's Cookin'?

The Most Serene Republic of San Marino, a landlocked enclave completely surrounded by Italy, claims to be the oldest constitutional republic in the world, founded in 301. Its constitution, dating back to 1600, is the world’s oldest written constitution still in effect.

Their cuisine is similar to Italian foods, but they also have a number of  unique dishes.

Popular dishes are Fagioli con le Cotiche, Steak San Marino, served with hot rice and fruit salad and Bustrengo, an authentic dessert, intended for serving in small pieces with a sweet dessert wine.

Fagioli con le Cotiche
(Borlotti Beans with Pork Rind)
1 lb. fresh pork rinds or bacon
1 cup borlotti beans, (cranberry beans) soaked overnight
1 Tbsp. lard, chopped
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 celery stalks
2 small onions
2 small carrots
2 cloves garlic
1 pinch pepper
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup peeled tomatoes
Place the pork rinds, one onion (cut into large pieces), and the cloves of garlic in a large pot. Cover with cold water, bring to a low simmer, and cook for 2 hours or till the pork rinds are tender. Boil the beans in lightly salted cold water for one hour or till tender.
Cook the lard, butter, oil and the finely chopped onions, celery and carrots and cook over medium heat. Add a pinch of freshly ground pepper. Let cook till tender but not brown, add the drained beans and pork rinds cut into 2-in. long strips. Add the peeled tomatoes and broth and cook for half an hour. Serve piping hot.

Steak San Marino
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
4 beef round steaks, about 1 inch thick
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
Hot cooked rice
Combine flour, salt and pepper in small bowl. Dredge each steak in flour mixture. Place in slow cooker.
Combine tomato sauce, carrots, onion, celery, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaf in small bowl; pour into slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours or on high 4 to 5 hours. Remove and discard bay leaf.
Serve steaks and sauce over rice. Serves 4.

Bustrengo
1⁄2 cup fine cornmeal
2 cups flour
1 2/3 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1⁄2 tsp. coarse salt
3 eggs
1⁄4 cup olive oil
2 cups milk
5 Tbsp. honey
1 lb. peeled, cored and diced firm apples
3.5 oz. diced dried figs
3.5 oz. raisins
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Grated zest of 1 orange
Preheat oven to 325. Grease a 9 x 13” baking dish.
Blend the cornmeal, flour, breadcrumbs, salt, eggs and oil. Blend in the milk and honey, stirring well.
Add the diced apples, figs, raisins and grated peel, folding in gently.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes.
What’s Cookin’? will run every Wednesday in 2008. A different country’s foods will be featured each week. Next week: Scotland.