The territory of the municipality of Lierna is located on the eastern shore of Lake Como, bordering Varenna and Mandello del Lario.
Comprised of twelve villages, Lierna is famous for its religious monuments, military architecture, lakefront beaches that have little to envy of maritime ones, and its vibrant cultural scene. But not only that, it is also renowned for its wines, fish, olive oil, cheeses, honey, allowing locals to bring truly sublime dishes to the table.
In the episode shot in Lierna, on Lake Como, a small village rich in history dating back to ancient Rome, Chiara Maci met Annamaria.
A cook by passion and profession, our Cesarina Annamaria boasts experiences in the field of gastronomic training both in Italy and in various parts of the world, with a particular focus on nutrition sciences.
Annamaria loves to make slight modifications to Lombard cuisine, as she enjoys interpreting ancient tastes with the lightness of healthier flavors and ingredients.
Annamaria welcomed Chiara Maci into her cozy and elegant home overlooking Lake Como. In this corner of paradise, immersed in tranquility and surrounded by natural beauty, we can taste Annamaria's delicacies. Her recipes respect the seasonality of the products and the traditions of the area, always seeking lightness through the right balance of various ingredients.
"My cuisine combines tradition, health, and great attention to ingredients and lightness." - Annamaria
Recipes from the episode:
- Fried Sage
- Missoltini with Polenta
- Cagnone-style Rice
- Lavarello Fillet
- Miascia Cake
Fried sage
A crispy delicacy suitable as an appetizer or snack
DifficultyEasy
€
CostLow
Ingredients
- Large sage leaves
- 150 g flour
- 300 g carbonated water or beer
- 1 l peanut oil
- Salt to taste
Method
- Wash and dry the sage leaves well; then prepare the batter with water and carbonated liquid.
- Heat the peanut oil in a deep pan until hot, then dip the leaves in the batter and fry them.
- Remove excess oil from the leaves with paper towels and serve them hot with a pinch of salt.
Missoltini with polenta
A dish that warms the heart
DifficultyMedium
Ingredients
- 1 liter water
- 200 g corn flour
- 50 g buckwheat flour
- 200 g missoltini (dried fish)
- Balsamic vinegar to taste
- Olive oil to taste
Method
- Boil the water then gradually add the mixed flour (buckwheat and corn).
- Stir with a whisk to prevent lumps and cook for about 1 hour.
- Pour the polenta into a dish to cool.
- Cut the cooled polenta into 2cm strips and place them on the grill along with the missoltini, turning them to cook on both sides.
- Meanwhile, prepare a nice emulsion of balsamic vinegar and oil.
- When the polenta and fish are ready, clean the missoltini from the tail, head, and central bone and cut them into small pieces. Do the same with the polenta.
- Finally, compose the dish by placing a piece of polenta, a piece of missoltini, and a few drops of emulsion.
Cagnone-style rice with perch
A flavorful dish, yet light and digestible at the same time
DifficultyMedium
Servings4
€
CostMedium
Ingredients
- 300 g Carnaroli rice
- 750 g perch fillets
- 250 g butter
- 100 g breadcrumbs
- 3 sage leaves
- Salt to taste
Method
- Boil the white rice (better if Carnaroli) in plenty of salted water.
- Bread the perch fillets with breadcrumbs.
- In a pan, melt butter over low heat, then fry the fillets until golden brown. Optionally, add a few sage leaves to the frying.
- Finally, plate the drained rice, the fish fillets on top, and the cooking butter.
Lavarello fillets with green sauce
A dish with a delicate flavor capable of pleasing everyone
DifficultyEasy
€
CostMedium
Ingredients
- 1 kg filleted lavarello
For the green sauce:- Salt to taste
- 1 boiled egg
- 120 g parsley
- 80 g stale bread
- 3 anchovy fillets
- 1 tablespoon capers
- Olive oil to taste
Method
- For the green sauce: roughly chop the parsley, then put it in a mixer with stale bread, boiled egg, anchovies, capers, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and blend until creamy and homogeneous.
- Grill the lavarello fillets on a griddle and when ready, plate them with plenty of green sauce.
Miascia cake
Bread and fruit for a zero waste cake, rich in flavor
DifficultyEasy
Cooking time40m
€
CostLow
Ingredients
- 50 g raisins
- 2 eggs
- 50 gr amaretti biscuits
- 500 ml milk
- 250 g stale bread
- 2 pears
- 2 apples
- 75 g sugar
- Grated zest of one lemon
- A small glass of herbal and almond liqueur
- Pine nuts
Method
- Soak the stale bread in milk for two hours, then add diced pears and apples, raisins, toasted pine nuts, eggs, and liqueur, mixing everything well.
- Pour the mixture into a cake tin and bake in a preheated oven at 190°C for 15 minutes, then at 150°C for another 25 minutes.
Le esperienze di Cesarine sul Lago di Como
Follow Chiara Maci's lead and book a culinary experience in the enchanting area of Lake Como! Discover the cooking classes and tours that Cesarine has prepared for you!
L'Italia a morsi
"Italia a Morsi" is a culinary television program airing since January 16, 2019. In each episode, Chiara Maci visits an Italian location in search of its culinary traditions: in the first part of the episode, the food blogger and host explores the city and meets local producers; in the second part, she goes to the home of a Cesarina who prepares typical dishes of her area and serves them in her home restaurant.