Pasta, Pizza, Panzerotti, and More!

Before leaving Charleston I said I was worried about one thing with this move to Milan...gaining weight!  Italian food is probably my favorite and although I thought I already ate too much (2-4 times a week), I had no idea what I was getting into.  I said it would be hard, but I have to try and keep the weight off for my friend Ashley's wedding in November, not to mention I just don't want to put any on after losing a little in Dublin. 


I've been here exactly one week and not a day has gone by when I haven't had pasta at least once.  Yes, these Italians truly do eat it at every meal...well, this family doesn't eat any breakfast so you know what I mean!  At lunch I prepare pasta for the kids and I too have been eating it (small portions for me).  One day I had to make myself a salad instead because it got to be too much.  We've had pasta as our first course every night and then a second course of meat, and I can proudly say I've eaten fish several times.  I've only had a few little bites out, but over the weekend I had the funghi pizza (read Language Barriers) and last night I took my friend Sarah's advice and went to Luini's near the duomo for panzerotti.

Panzerotti is a snack by comparison to other Italian dishes.  It's essentially a "hot pocket" or mini calzone, but the thing that makes it so special is the dough.  It's more like a fluffly doughnut (no glaze) than flaky or even pizza dough-y.  Now that I'm thinking about it, I'd compare it in texture to the dough on the onion rings at Bessinger's BBQ in West Ashley (think light).  You have your choice of filling and although I ordered ricotta and spinach I ended up with the popular mozzarella and tomato.  It was my first, but surely won't be my last while in Milan.  If interested, check out the recipe at Panzerotti Recipe.

I've obviously had gelatto here, only once, and I've had my share of cheese as well.  The gelatto I got was chocolate and tasted like pure (thick) brownie mix...very rich.  The cheeses I've had...geez, I can't name them all.  I've enjoyed every bit of the food and I'm so happy to say that after weighing this morning, I've actually lost weight since arriving!! Whoohoo...now, enough writing, more exercising as that's all that's keeping the scale down!!