VERONA, THE MARBLE CITY: PART I

I fell in love with Verona the moment my right foot graced its pink marble streets. We began walking down the Ponte della Vittoria where we were greeted by a pair of equestrian statues on both sides of the bridge, welcoming us into the city. The deep blue Adige River sweetly swept under us as we walked across the bridge. Staring at the blushing marble paths and amber buildings with their ancient balconies, I understood why this city was the setting for one of the greatest love stories of all time.

After checking into our room at the Palazzo Victoria, Michael and I quickly dropped off our bags and walked hand in hand through the streets of Verona to the House of Capulet. We walked through the long entryway to the courtyard. The lengthy entrance opens to an ivy-covered brick façade decorated with elegant gothic windows on either side of the legendary balcony. All the way at the end of the courtyard is a lovely bronze statue of Juliet Capulet. I sat there for a moment and listened to the words penned by Shakespeare almost haunting the walls as they echoed around me. We made our way past the crowd and back through the long archway, which is covered in graffiti were couples have written their names on the wall, believing that doing so means their love will be eternal. On the way back to the hotel, we just had to pass by Romeo’s medieval house. We almost missed the building until we spotted this inscription on the exterior wall, “Oh Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?”

Our room was on the top floor of the hotel. Floor to ceiling windows faced the center of a honey-colored courtyard below. Despite freezing temperatures, I opened the windows and played Noël Coward’s “A Room with a View” while looking out onto the courtyard in my pajamas with an espresso in hand.

On the second day, we traveled east to the small hamlet of Soave. We pulled up to the city’s ancient walls to Borgo Rocca Sveva, which is home to the most beautiful wines in the region. We toured the winery and completely fell in love with both the silky, ruby red Amarone della Valpolicella and with the floral and fruity Soave Classico. After our wine tasting, Michael and I decided to venture inside the walls of Soave. Perched at the top of the hill, the majestic Castello di Soave overlooks the town. The sky was overcast, and it left a golden glow over the city. It was as if I was looking through a glass filled with white wine from the region or perhaps we drank too much at our tasting. Either way whether it was the weather or the wine, it was a lovely trip indeed.

Grilled Radicchio & Balsamic Pasta

Serves 2

Note: We traveled to Verona to visit with Giovanni Rana, which is a family owned pasta company in Verona. This dish is inspired by the lovely radicchio I found in the markets in Italy. I love the way the bitter radicchio is slicked by the smoky bacon and the whole dish is lifted by beautiful balsamic vinegar. I am using Giovanni Rana Fettucine for this dish, which is great for a quick weeknight meal. 

 

6 ounces Giovanni Rana Fettuccine (or any other long, thin shaped pasta)

½ small head radicchio, core removed, leaves separated

1 slice bacon, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon rosemary leaves, roughly chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Pinch red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Shaved Parmesan, for serving

Extra virgin olive oil, for serving

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water and drain the pasta in a colander.

In a large skillet over medium heat, grill the radicchio leaves for a few seconds until charred in a few spots. Remove the radicchio from the skillet and set aside. Toss the bacon into the skillet. Once the bacon is lovely and crispy, take the skillet off the heat and add the grilled radicchio, tearing the leaves into long strips as you add them to the skillet. Toss in the rosemary, garlic, red pepper flakes, balsamic vinegar, butter and reserved pasta water. Place the pan back on the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Add the fettuccine and toss, toss, toss. Divide between two bowls and shower with shaved Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

This post was sponsored by Giovanni Rana, but all the experiences and opinions are my own!

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