To mark the arrival of the harvest season, this September, we’re taking customers on a tasting of Italy’s finest contributions to the world-renowned Mediterranean Diet. “Mediterranean Month’ will showcase not only the flavour, provenance and ancient regional traditions associated with the Italian staples of the Mediterranean Diet - but the health-giving properties too.
Customers can expect to enjoy new seasonal harvest recipes celebrating the Italian staples of the Mediterranean Diet, including Cavolo Nero Pesto, Baccala (salt cod) Tortelloni and Speck & Smoked Scamorza Ravioli.
What is the Mediterranean diet?
Renowned across the globe, the Mediterranean Diet encompasses the traditionally healthy living habits of those native to countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea, such as Greece, Spain, and Italy. Though this diet is informed by regional culture and lifestyle, and thus differs by country (or even region), a traditional Mediterranean diet is one that consists of the fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, grains, seafood (and to a lesser extent, meats), olive oil, dairy produce, and even wines that are local to a region.
For decades, health experts have praised the health-giving properties afforded by enjoying a Mediterranean Diet. For reference, two of the five ‘Blue Zones’ (regions of the world Identified as the places where people enjoy a longer life than average) of the world are located in and around the Mediterranean. In fact, Seulo, a small village in Sardinia, is widely regarded as the place in which people live the longest on Earth.
Sardinians are especially proud of their “Blue Zone” status, citing key factors such as clean air, fine local wines, or perhaps more colourfully, the fact they "make love every Sunday" as reasons for this longevity. Without undermining the locals’ claims, further research also suggests that pastoralism and slow living is most highly correlated with higher levels of centenarians. Locals enjoy an average of 15 pounds of local goats and sheep’s milk cheese per year, as well as key local ingredients such as fennel, fava beans, tomatoes, almonds and wine from local grapes.
Our Mediterranean Month menus
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Sea salt week
We’re starting our culinary venture with ‘Sea Salt Week’. Sea salt has been central to the Mediterranean Diet since ancient times, harvested from the saline waters of the Mediterranean Sea. For millennia, sea salt has been used to season, cure, smoke, and preserve a variety of foods. From the prosciutto in our Smoked Prosciutto & Scamorza Tortelloni to the salt cod in our "Baccalà" Sunflower Ravioli, each dish this week features sea salt in a distinct way.
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Cheese week
For the second week of Mediterranean month, we’ll be honouring one of Italy’s best-loved ingredients, cheese. From tangy Pecorino (the favourite cheese of Sardinian centenarians) and Parmigiano Reggiano to creamy burrata, Italy’s love affair with formaggio is certainly an enduring one. Our menu will enjoy a distinctly cheesy makeover, featuring iconic dishes like cacio e pepe, as well as star ingredients like Pecorino, scamorza and ricotta, all rich in calcium and protein, and beloved by Mediterranean natives.
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Vegetable week
During vegetable week, we’re devoting our menu to some of the finest, freshest produce grown on Italian soil. From earthy mushrooms to flavoursome peppers and tomatoes, vegetables are a key component of the Mediterranean Diet. Indulge without guilt on delicious new recipes like paccheri with red pepper pesto from Calabria, mafalde with cavolo nero pesto, or summer pea & mint ravioli with wild rocket pesto.
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Egg week
To round out our tour of the Mediterranean Diet, we’ll be showcasing the humble egg. Central to Italian cuisine, eggs are a key and eponymous ingredient in pasta all’uovo (egg pasta), and have been used in sumptuous pasta sauces since Ancient Rome. From the classic Carbonara to a playful lasagne inspired by traditional Tuscan breakfast cuisine, our Egg week dishes, in partnership with Clarence Court, are not to be missed.
Shop or Pre-order weeks 1-3 now at Pasta Evangelists
At Pasta Evangelists, we bring a taste of Italy to your kitchen. Prepared using the freshest ingredients, our gourmet pasta dishes are perfect for those looking to enjoy restaurant-quality meals, delivered to your door, and ready in under five minutes. Order from our weekly menu today, and we’ll offer you 25% off your first delivery - simply enter the code BLOG25 at checkout.
Want even more pasta perks? Subscribers receive new recipes to try each week, with free delivery and 15% off each dish. Subscribers also gain access to exclusive gifts and perks, as well as early access to Pasta Evangelists events and classes.
