The Mediterranean diet is widely considered the cleanest, healthiest and most balanced in the world. Rather than relying on faddy trends and unsustainable eating habits, the Mediterranean approach relies on the quality of natural products, seasonality and the freshness of ingredients. It promotes health from the inside out.
White Wine
The White Wine in our products is an organic one that comes from the Di Giovanna Winery in Sicily. It's rich in proanthocyanidins, which hydrate the skin and act as an antioxidant, protecting the skin against free radicals and promoting cellular renewal. Given its healthful benefits, we've created a Mediterranean three-course meal with white wine.
Starter: A tipple of Di Giovanna Organic White Wine
Main: Spaghetti alle Vongole - Spaghetti with Clams
Ingredients:
1kg clams
350g spaghetti
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves
1/2 red chilli
80ml white wine
1 handful parsley, chopped
salt
Method:
1. Clean the clams by leaving them to soak in salted water for around 20 minutes. The clams will naturally filter out any grit and sand. If they are particularly sandy, repeat the process with a fresh batch of salted water. After this process, leave to soak in unsalted cold water for 10 minutes to rinse off any excess salt they have absorbed.
2. Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until very al dente – about 2 minutes under the recommended cooking instructions.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan with a lid. Gently sauté the garlic slices and fresh chilli until soft but not coloured. Add the clams to the pan followed by the white wine. Turn up the heat and cover with a lid.
4. Give the pan a shake every 20 seconds, the clams should be cooked after 2 minutes or so. Take the pan off the heat and discard any clams which haven’t opened, and any empty shells.
5. When ready, drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the cooking water. Toss the spaghetti through the white wine and clam sauce until well-coated, adding some of the reserved cooking water if needed.
7. Stir through the fresh parsley and leave for a minute or two for the pasta to absorb the flavours. Serve with a crisp glass of white wine.
Dessert: Cantucci di Prato - Almond Biscotti served with a glass of Tuscan Dessert Wine
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup whole almonds
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp anise seeds
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 tsp vin santo or other sweet wine
1 large egg white, beaten
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°c. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl combine the flour with the 1 cup of granulated sugar, almonds, baking powder, anise seeds, lemon zest and salt. Add the whole eggs, egg yolks and vin santo and beat at low speed until a stiff, crumbly, slightly sticky dough forms.
2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it 2 or 3 times, until it just comes together. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and form each one into a 12-by-1 1/2-inch log. Transfer the logs to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops of the logs with the egg white and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake the logs in the center of the oven for 25 minutes, or until they are lightly browned and slightly firm. Let the logs cool for 30 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a cutting board.
3. While the logs are still warm, cut them into 1/3-inch slices with a sharp knife. Arrange the cantucci on the sheets, cut sides down, and bake again, turning once, until golden for about 25 minutes.
In the same way that drinking white wine promotes good health from the inside out, we also promote good skin from the outside in by applying Di Giovanna Organic White Wine topically. The following products contain White Wine:
White Wine Body Cream
