The book “Eating with Pope Francis / Food in the life of Jorge Mario Bergoglio “ (A tavola con Papa Francesco, the original Italian title) which I had the honor to write, is not just a sort of food biography on a Pope who graduated in Food Chemistry and is very prepared on the dynamics of food preparation. The book is also a sort of singular “recipe book” that draws inspiration and reason mainly from the dishes that the future Pope had had the opportunity to prepare in Buenos Aires (Argentina) before to be elected Pope in 2013.

In the book 36 recipes are presented and illustrated with photos. I am happy to report a few of them. So, from today, I will propose those that, in my opinion, are considered the “historical” recipes, those that have marked moments and traits of life of Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

The book – with different titles according the different Countries where it has been published – is still available in bookstores, including online ones, like Amazon, where the book is collecting highest ratings by the readers.

Published in 14 Countries, in different languages, the book is divided into very topical issues, which concern environmental sustainability and actions against food waste. The various editions have 208 pages and over 250 photographs. The volume received the 2018 Bancarella Cucina Selection Award.

THE RECIPES WITH “CHEF FRANCIS” : STUFFED SQUID (CALAMARI RIPIENI) 

The detailed recipe on stuffed squid is illustrated on page 44 of the book, where anecdotes and facts related to the Bergoglio family are told, with a testimony : Pope Francis’s sister, Maria Elena, who trusts that her brother, Jorge Mario, was preparing ” squid to scream “.

Ingredients

4 squid, 1 clove of garlic, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese, 100 g of breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, pepper, extra virgin olive oil, salt and chilli to taste

Preparation

Clean the squid, removing the tentacles from the bag to eviscerate them. Extract the bone and wash thoroughly. Chop the tentacles and cook them in a pan with oil, garlic, chilli and salt for about 5 minutes. Toast the breadcrumbs in a pan separately. Add the mince to the mixture of egg, parmesan, parsley, breadcrumbs and pepper. Fill the squid bag and ‘sew’ with a toothpick. Brown in a pan with a drizzle of oil for 2 minutes. Deglaze with white wine and cook with the lid closed for 20 minutes.

SOME COMMENTS ON THE BOOK LEFT BY AMAZON CUSTOMERS

THE DIFFERENT COVERS OF THE BOOK ISSUED IN THE VARIOUS COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD. THE BOOK HAS 208 PAGES, WITH ABOUT 250 PHOTOS.