Food

MILAN — She wore a moose apron and purple Chanel glasses.

She talked lovingly to the veal roast and admitted to inflicting suffering upon the Carnaroli rice for the sake of a good risotto.

And quite frankly, with further revelations of a no-perfume, no-husband, no-wine drinking, no-idle chatting policy in her kitchen, she hardly seemed a gatekeeper of civility.

But then again, this is Italy.

There is beauty in the absurd, fine art on the ceilings, trained truffle dogs and a network that has formed of women like Ornella Marcante of Milan, who are determined to preserve an often overlooked, underappreciated and, many believe, disappearing form of Italian culture: the culture of real Italian food.

"I am deeply convinced that one of the best things we have in Italy is our cooking," says Marcante, 48, married, with four children. "Italy is one of the few places in the world that you move 10, 20 miles and you eat something completely different."

Marcante got her devotion, not to mention "all the secrets and recipes," from her paternal grandmother, who was "magic in the kitchen."

Vitello in Fricando
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours, 25 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

(Braised veal, but a beef roast works fine)

2 1/2 pounds veal or beef rump roast, tied with kitchen string
5 slices prosciutto or bacon, cut in small strips
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 whole cloves
1 each, thinly sliced: onion, carrot
1 cup each: dry white wine, beef broth

Cut small slits in the top of the roast; insert all but 2 tablespoons of the prosciutto into the slits. Season the meat with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the prosciutto. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the roast to the Dutch oven. Cook, turning, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add cloves, onion and carrot; lower heat to medium. Cook until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the wine; cook until almost evaporated, about 8 minutes. Add the beef broth; heat to a boil. Lower heat to simmer; cover. Cook until roast reaches desired degree of doneness, about 2 hours for medium. Remove roast to cutting board; let rest 10 minutes. Strain pan juices; pour into serving bowl. Slice roast; serve with juices.

Sweet-and-Sour Onions
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Standing time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

Ornella Marcante serves these onions warm or cold.

4 white onions, cut into thin slices
2 tablespoons each: butter, sugar
4 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Place the onion slices in a medium bowl; add water to cover. Set aside 30 minutes. Drain; pat onions dry.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; stir in the sugar until melted, about 1 minute. Add the pancetta; cook, stirring, until crisp, 2-3 minutes. Stir in water and vinegar; add the onions. Lower to a simmer; cook, stirring often, until liquid evaporates and onions soften, about 50 minutes.