Frankfurter & Potato Skillet Dinner and the Town of Sterzing-Vipiteno, Italy

My carnivore side comes out when I am here.  Frankfurters of different shapes and sizes were staring at me from the other side of the glass window.  I chose the simplest one, perhaps the most "friendly" looking among the others too.  This frankfurter skillet meal is one of my favorite dinners to put together.  The kids love it and it's fairly easy to do.   I cook them both on the stove and in the oven to get the crunch I look for in the potatoes.  After a day out in the nature, this is one of the meals that I put on the table. 

I find blogging away from home a wonderful way to in include my kids and husband in what I do.  We put together this set of props & board using what we had on hand.  The board is composed of firewood from the garage that my husband creatively put together, making them look like one big board.  It took him a lot of trips going up and down the stairs to finish his project.   The pine cones, grass & flowers were gathered by my kids to make my pictures beautiful.   There's nothing better than a homemade set created by my own family for me. 

Now let me introduce you to Vipiteno (or Sterzing in German), a medieval town that we visited three days ago.  We strayed away from our usual route at the Dolomites, spending a couple of days looking at some towns at the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige (South Tyrol) that are new to us and visiting Innsbruck in Austria.  One of the best feelings in traveling is to see new things, learn about (a part of) the history and trying out the local food.  I try to capture everything with my camera but it's impossible to do so.  These experiences will always remain in my memory. 

The town's cobblestoned main road is long and quite straight.  In the middle of it is the town's symbol, a tall clock tower called Zwolferturm, erected in 1470, to divide the New Town from the Old Town.

Vipiteno traces its roots to 14 B.C., when Nero Claudius Drusus founded a military camp called Vipitenum along the road between what are now Italy and Germany. 

Like most towns at the Dolomites, the buildings are candy-colored and the windows are donned with flowers and wreaths.  It gives me the pleasure to walk up and down the little roads and what takes a usual 20 minute walk would take me more than an hour photographing every single detail that feasts my eyes.  

We are still enjoying the fresh mountain air and the beautiful alpine scenery.   My posts in the following days will be dedicated to what I see and eat in this marvelous place.  It's always my pleasure to share them with you. 

Hoping all of you will enjoy your weekend.  A presto!

Frankfurter & Potato Dinner Skillet

Ingredients:
Serves 4

• 1 red onion, sliced to rings
• 50 grams speck, diced
• 8 medium potatoes, peeled & quartered
• 8 frankfurters
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper
• rosemary or parsley, dried or fresh

Directions:

1. Sautè the onions and speck in a cast iron skillet with extra virgin olive oil for about 5 minutes or when the speck are getting toasted.  Take them away from the skillet & set aside.
2. Add about 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in the skillet.  Put the potatoes.  Season with salt & pepper.  Cook for 15 minutes, tossing frequently.
3. Transfer to a pre-heated ventilated oven of 190 degrees Celsius.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Turn off the vent.
4. Add the frankfurters, rosemary, onions & speck.  Cook for another 15 minutes.