Italian language classes, a different way to learn Italian

Did you know that you can learn the Italian language through recupes and the history of the Italian gastronomy? What is the first thing you think about when you listen to the word "Italy"? Most of you will answer "food", some will say "love" and many others of you will say "romance". In fact, according to an international poll carried out by an institute organizing Italian language classes, Italy and Italian lifestyle are always associated to the idea of "love and passion", but also "happiness and calm" and "pleasure and enjoyment". This is not a coincidence! Italy has very strong culinary traditions and that is the reason why it has always given an important role to food. Love and romance are two fundamental concepts to identify Italian culture and its deep traditions in art, history, design, fashion and all the other fields where the Italians excel. Love ad romance are obviously strictly connected to the world of local food and cuisine as well. Would you like to taste a bit of Italian romantic Italian food? We suggest a panna cotta with honey dressed with pistachio sauce. Pistachio is considered aphrodisiac and since Saint Valentine’s day is coming, this is just the perfect recipe for you!

Ingredients for 2 servings:
1. 3 spoons cornstarch
2. 1 cup milk
3. 1 vanilla stick
4. 2 spoons liquid honey (we suggest chestnut honey)
5. 200 g salty pistachios
6. 3 spoons hot water

How to make it

Place cornstarch in a small pot, slowly pour milk and mix with a whisk to melt the starch. Add the vanilla stick and honey, mix until you get a homogeneous cream and place it on the flame. Mix and boil on a low flame for about 2 minutes, then remove the vanilla stick. Pour the cream in two panna cotta moulds (or two glasses) and let them cool. After that, refrigerate for about 2 hours. In the meantime, prepare the sauce: place pistachios (take apart a handful of pistachios for final decoration) in your mixer and mix until you get a homogeneous cream, add 3 spoons hot water and mix until you get a sauce. Remove panna cotta glasses from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving, dress it with pistachios sauce. And enjoy it!

Ilaria Sabrini - teacher and blogger. I was born in the United States, but I've spend in Italy most of my life. I'm a language teacher and a travel blogger.