San Marino | Nidi di Rondine (Swallow's Nests)

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE I USED

San Marino is one of the world’s smallest countries and it exists entirely within Italy.

As you might imagine, finding something that was unique to San Marino when it is entirely surrounded by the culinary beast that is Italy was a little difficult.

I found one recipe that claimed to originate in San Marino. This one. It involves pasta, cheese, and red sauce. All things I enjoy!

It also includes a Béchamel sauce which I’d never made before but have happily eaten in the past. There’s basil, basil is good.  There’s also prosciutto.  I have a mixed feelings about prosciutto. It is fine but I don’t quite understand the hype around it and it isn’t something I seek to add to recipes and, when it is on a charcuterie board, it isn’t my first choice.

This might be the most expensive meal I’ve made during this project and I had to make some substitutions.  The local grocery store doesn’t carry Fontina cheese so I used gouda and provolone. (Google said they were suitable replacements.)  The store also doesn’t carry the exact kind of prosciutto listed in the recipe but I used the one style they do carry which looks very much like the prosciutto in the recipe photos. The Gouda cheese and prosciutto were expen$ive!

It was relatively easy to make.

If you can boil water, you can par-cook the lasagna noodles. If you can make gravy, you can make Béchamel sauce.  Layering the things wasn’t difficult but getting things to roll up nicely was a little tricky and a little messy but doable.

How did it turn out?

It was delicious! The prosciutto ended up adding a rich and savory touch to the nests that really surprised me.  The nests seemed like they were going to need more marina than the recipe called for but didn’t. Though, if you like things saucier, it wouldn’t hurt to spoon a little extra over them.

If you like lasagna, you’d like this. If you like stuffed shells, you’d probably like this. If you like pasta with lots of cheese, you’d like this. I think it will probably reheat very well in the microwave, if you stick to only one or two nest(s) at a time.

Would I make it again?

No. It is absolutely delicious but just too expensive, especially when Brian won’t eat it. (He doesn’t really like pasta, unless it is spaghetti with Bolognese sauce). For the amount I spent on the Gouda and prosciutto, I could have gotten a couple of nice steaks. It was fun to make and try but it is similar in flavor to other, less expensive, dishes.