In honor of Columbus Day, Bucks Happening will share a variety of articles inspired by Italian culture within Bucks County throughout this week.  We've got lots of yummy treats in store, but first up, we spoke with Denis Chiappa, co-owner and cooking instructor from Carlow Cookery in Doylestown, PA. He teaches a variety of cooking classes including “Great Italian Cooking (Hands  on)” and “Making Pasta  and Gnocchi at Home.” Check out Denis's advice for the aspiring Italian chef and try out one of his favorite recipes. Mangia!

BH: Where do you go in Bucks County for the best Italian ingredients? –

DC: Living in Central Bucks, we're fortunate to have a great Italian market right in Doylestown, Altomontes Market.  It has all the staple ingredients as well as great meats, cheese and prepared foods.  For bread, which is an important part of the meal, I go to Crossroads Bakery.  It's as good a bakery as you will find anywhere.

DC: It varies by season.  In the summer, I like to use basil as much as I can.  In fact, I'm sad when I have to pull the basil plants out of the herb garden at the end of the season.  In the winter, I use a lot of rosemary.  Especially in the rich, slow-cooked beef dishes that are great for cooler weather.

DC: Seek out someone who is familiar with Italian cooking and ask to spend some time in the kitchen with them.  To me, Italian cooking is about feel and not recipes.  You only learn that by doing it as much as possible – so practice.

We took a family vacation to Italy and visited our relatives in Verona.  We had a celebratory dinner with them and it lasted three hours and included course after course of the best food I had ever tasted, all with great wine and a lot of laughs.  I will never forget it.

DC: My family is from the North and that's the type of food I grew up with.  I tend to make dishes that reflect that style of cooking more, but I love all Italian food.

DC: Make sure to properly stock your pantry. Great Italian cooking is about using good ingredients and keeping the preparation simple.  Having the right ingredients on hand makes preparing the meal easy and quick.

DC:  I love the incredible flavors, colors and textures of the food.  I think the only challenge is setting aside the time to actually cook.  More and more, people are so busy that anything homemade seems like to much.  We order or eat out when it is healthier, cheaper and more delicious to make something at home.

DC: Italian cooking is our most popular topic.  We regularly offer classes on a variety of different subjects  but next up is a best seller – making pasta and gnocchi at home (Wednesday, 11/17/10 at 6:30pm).  There is nothing like homemade versions of both.

A Few of Denis's Favorite Italian Recipes:

Italian Vegetable Soup

4 strips bacon

1 large onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

3 large carrots, diced

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 cup diced tomatoes

2 large potatoes, diced

1 cup string beans, cut into ½-inch pieces

½ cup barley, rinsed

1 14-ounce can of red kidney beans

3 quarts vegetable stock, or as needed

1 cup frozen peas

Fresh basil

Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

• Add bacon to a heavy Dutch oven and bring to medium heat.  Cook until the fat is completely rendered from bacon.  Drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan.
• Add the onion, celery and carrots and cook until slightly softened, about 6 to 7 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more.
• Add the tomatoes, potatoes, string beans, barley, kidney beans and stock.  Bring to a simmer and cook until vegetables are tender.
• Add peas and cook until heated through.  Season with basil, parsley, salt and pepper.  Serve with parmesan cheese

Sausage and Peppers

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds hot or sweet Italian Sausage

4 large red or green bell peppers

1 large onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic, sliced

2 cups pureed tomatoes

Fresh basil

Salt and pepper

• Bring a large Dutch oven to medium high heat and add the oil.  Brown the sausages.  Remove from pan.
• Add the peppers, onions and garlic; cook until softened.  Add the tomatoes and reserved sausages; bring to a simmer and cook until peppers are tender.
• Season with basil, salt and pepper.  Serve over polenta.

Creamy Polenta

3 cups chicken stock

3 cups whole milk

2 cups polenta

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Fresh cracked pepper

• Add stock to a heavy saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Whisk together milk, polenta and salt.  Whisk into stock.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until thickened and cornmeal is tender.
• Stir in parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper.

Chicken Cacciatore with Porcini Mushrooms

1 ounce porcini mushrooms

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 chicken thighs

1 onion, diced

1 pound button mushrooms, quartered

2 cloves garlic, crushed

½ cup red wine

1 cup rich chicken stock, or as needed

Fresh rosemary

Salt and pepper

• Bring 2 cups of water to a simmer.  Pour over porcini mushrooms and let stand until cooled; remove mushrooms and strain liquid.  Chop mushrooms and set liquid aside.
• Bring a large Dutch oven to medium-high heat and add the oil.  Season chicken with salt and pepper; brown and set aside.
• Cook the onion and mushrooms until nicely browned; add the garlic and reserved porcini mushrooms and cook 1 minute more.
• Add the wine and cook until reduced by half.  Add the reserved mushroom water, stock and chicken.  Bring to a simmer and cook until chicken is tender, about 1 hour.
• Season with rosemary, salt and pepper.

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