Anna Maria's Open Kitchen

Minestrone, Italian Vegetable soup

2011-09-15T22:19:00.000-07:00

“Minestra” is the Italian word for soup. Minestrone means “the big soup” and refers to the dish being full of vegetables.

To define a recipe for minestrone is impossible. Every region, every season, and every family have their own recipe. Some use pork fat as a condiment and some simple olive oil, in a pure vegetarian fashion. Some recipes, in Rome for example, call for pasta in it, some don’t. Some are richer in legumes, cabbage, or herbs. In Liguria they add pesto to the minestrone that gives a very flavorful basil aroma to the soup.

My mother was used to make this soup with all the different vegetables that are left in the refrigerator at the end of the week: A good way to avoid wasting food. And if she had a piece of parmigiano or pecorino romano, she would add it to the pot to make it even tastier.

Any kind of seasonal vegetables can be used in a minestrone. The vegetables are added in short intervals, the tender ones at the end, to avoid overcooking them. My recipe is simple and leafy. Add beans or green peas or cabbage for a more hearty texture.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz (60 gr) pancetta or un-smoked bacon, finely diced
4 oz (100 gr) onion, finely chopped
4 oz (100 gr) carrots, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 lb (450 gr) potatoes, in small dice
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped
4 oz (100 gr) fresh tomatoes, diced
4 cups (1 liter) homemade broth, or good quality store bought
salt and pepper
1/2 lb (220 gr) zucchini, diced
4 oz (100 gr) lettuce, chopped
4 oz (100 gr) beets, choped
4 oz (100 gr) short "ditali" pasta, or spaghetti broken in ½ inch (1 - 2 cm) pieces
4 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

Put in a pot the extra-virgin olive oil, and turn the heat to medium. Add the chopped bacon. When the bacon is browned add the onion. Sauté shortly until the onion becomes soft and translucent.

Stir in the pot the carrot and celery. Cook shortly.

Add the diced potatoes. Cook for about 1 minute.

Stir in the parsley, and tomatoes.

Add broth, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.

After about 10 minutes add zucchini, lettuce, and beets. Cook for 10 more minutes.

When the vegetables are half cooked but still firm, add the pasta and cook for the time indicated by the manufacturer or taste until is firm but not overcooked (al dente). Correct salts if necessary, add a pinch of pepper, and the the grated parmigiano. Serve warm in soup plates or bowls. Serve lukewarm in the hot season. Add fresh grated parmigiano to the individual dishes, if you like.

Veal Cutlet “Milanese”

2011-08-15T17:43:00.000-07:00

Cotoletta alla Milanese is, as the name says, a dish typical of Milan. It is somewhat similar to the Wiener-Schnitzel and there have been much debate on the true origin of this dish. Lombardia has been for long time under the domination of the Austian empire and without any information it is difficult to speculate where the dish has been "invented". The main difference is that the “Milanese” is cooked with the bone and “Wiener” is without the bone. Let’s just say that the Cotoletta is from Milan and the Wiener-schnitzel from Vienna and everyone is happy.

Cotoletta is in Italian a loin chop cooked with its bone attached. "Cotoletta alla Milanese" is a veal cutlet breaded and fried in butter. It is a very simple preparation but some basic rules need to be followed in order to do it right.

In Milan, where the Milanese cutlet originates, only choice veal chops from suckling calves are used, the ones that have been fed only mother's milk, otherwise the meat will result stringy and tough. The cotoletta is cut with the bone, and approximately about 1/2-inch (1.5 cm) thick, same thickness as the bone. The meat is then pound slightly to make it thinner and have it cook easily.

Butter is one of the most important component. The “cotoletta” need to be thoroughly cooked, golden without brown spots. Normal butter would burn and make it look ugly. For this reason you need to use clarified butter that can resist much higher temperatures without burning in the pan. Clarified butter is really easy to make or can be bought in any supermarket.

Finally the breadcrumbs should be very finely grated from a soft white bread or the interior of the bread loaf. And of course the eggs need to be very fresh.

2 veal loin chops, with bone
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups very fine ground breadcrumbs
8 tablespoons clarified butter
Salt
2 lemon wedges

Place the pan on medium heat.

Clean the bone removing the skin if necessary. Trim away the skin around the cutlet. Pound lightly the meat to make it thinner.

Dip the cutlets in the egg first.

Dredge the cutlets in the breadcrumbs.

Press hard over the cutlets with the palm of the hand to adhere the bread to the surface of the meat.

Put the clarified butter in the pan.

** Please note the clarified butter shown in the picture was freshly made, and therefore still liquid. If the butter was kept refrigerated it would be solid.

When the butter is hot place the cutlets in the pan and fry slowly for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden.

Remove the cutlets, place briefly on a kitchen paper towel to eliminate some of fat from the surface. Sprinkle with salt. Serve hot with one lemon wedge on the side.

Pan Sautéed Fresh Tomatoes

2011-07-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that Italians like simple food. The true secret is in using the best tasting, fresh, ripe vegetables. Buy some very ripe ‘on the vine’ small tomatoes, they shouldn’t be too watery, simply drop them in the pan with some garlic and olive oil and enjoy the true taste of the tomato: the most generous vegetable you can have in your pantry. Serve over slices of toasted country bread or simply as a side (contorno) to a dish of meat or fish. And you can use it to dress pasta too...

2 lb (1 kg) fresh, very ripe “on the vine” cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

salt

4 slices toasted country bread

Chop the tomatoes with their skin on.

Place in a skillet the olive oil and garlic. Turn heat to medium.

When the oil is hot add the tomatoes. Do not let the garlic color.

Cook the tomatoes for about 10 minutes. Let the juices thicken a little.

Serve as a bruschetta over slices of country bread oir simply as a side (contorno) to a dish of meat or fish.

Vitello Tonnato - Veal with Tuna Sauce

2011-06-15T17:09:00.000-07:00

In summer when the temperature starts rising many turn away from eating meat, considered an heavy food to digest. Vitello Tonnato also known as Veal Tonne’ It is a perfect cold dish for summer lunches. It was created in Northern Italy, most probably in Lombardia. The recipe seems to have French influences but it is authentic Italian, as even Pellegrino Artusi has this recipe in his book La scienza in cucina e l'arte di mangiar bene, published in 1891. Very popular in the 1960s it is a very simple dish with many variations that can accommodate any taste.

for the meat:

1 whole onion, approx 4 oz (100 gr)

2 cloves

1 whole carrot, approx. 4 oz (100 gr)

1 whole celery stick

1 whole fresh tomato, approx. 4 oz (100 gr)

1 whole fresh tomato approx. 100 gr

salt and pepper

2 lb (approx. 1000 gr) veal

4-5 quarts (4-5 liters) water

for the sauce:

1/2 lb (200 gr) canned tuna fish in oil

4 anchovy fillets

3 tbl.spn. capers

1 lemon, juiced

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1.5 caps mayonnaise

for the decoration:

3 lemon slices

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon capers

Stick the cloves in the onion. Fill a stock pot with water, add carrot, celery, onion, tomato, salt and pepper. Bring to boil and add the veal. Cook for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Remove the meat and cool at room temperature. Place the meat in the refrigerator for 3 - 4 hours. Filter the broth and reserve for a different preparation.

In a food processor put tuna fish.

Add anchovies, capers, lemon juice, oil, and run the blade to reduce to a very fine and smooth paste. If the sauce is too dense add 2-3 tablespoons broth to obtain the right consistency. Transfer the mix to a bowl, stir in the mayonnaise, and mix until obtaining an homogeneous paste.

Cut the meat in thin slices, place in a serving place, and cover with the sauce. The preparation can be kept in the refrigerator overnight if necessary. Garnish with lemon slices, capers, parsley just before serving.

How to Make Clarified Butter

2011-05-15T16:12:00.000-07:00

Grocery store butter often burns in the pan and gives to dishes a bad spotty look. To prevent butter from burning you need to use "clarified" butter. Clarified Butter can be bought in any grocery store but is cheaper to make it at home and very easy. Grocery store butter is made of three components: Casein, Butter Fat, and Water. Your goal in making the clarified butter is to separate the butter fat and to eliminate the casein and the water. The casein is the solid part of butter that burns at lower temperature. When frying burnt casein will give the dishes a bad spotty look.

Place the butter in a saucepan on medium heat.

Slowly let the butter melt.

After the butter is melt and still warm, remove the whitish casein that floats on the surface carefully with a spoon, and discard it.

After you have removed all the casein...

... pour the clarified butter in a bowl. Do not pour completely all the liquid. The water has separated from the butter and still sits in the bottom.

Pour the rest of the clarified butter in a clear glass. You will see the water in the bottom of the glass, and you will be able to easily recover all the clarified butter and discard the water.

Strawberry Risotto !

2011-04-15T13:46:00.000-07:00

The first time I discovered Strawberry Risotto on a menu was about 20 years ago in a restaurant in Verona. Strawberry Risotto? It sounded really odd but I am adventurous with food. I like to taste (almost) everything at least once. When the waiter proposed it, he didn’t have to work a lot at convincing me.

I remember it took a while to get my risotto to the table. If you order risotto in Northern Italy do not expect it to be served in 5 minutes. They take risotto seriously there and it takes whatever time it takes: Just be patient or order something else. While you wait for the risotto to be served, you can enjoy some light appetizer and drink some sparkling Prosecco wine. And by the way, there is no such a thing as dipping oil in the restaurants in Italy. After several minutes we were served a large dish of red risotto. It was just wonderful! If you never tasted Strawberry Risotto you will be amazed. At the end of the dinner I asked for the recipe to a very courteous chef, and of course he (courteously) refused.

I had to come up with my own recipe, and that was not a difficult problem to solve. Risotto making is pretty standard. The only change I made from traditional risotto, in this time of lean cuisine, I used extra-virgin olive oil instead of butter. Please feel free to substitute olive oil for butter and add more parmigiano cheese to my recipe if you like. But please don’t use cream! The creaminess of the risotto comes from the starch of the Italian rice. I used Arborio rice, the simplest rice to cook and maintain ‘al dente’. You can use Carnaroli rice for more body, or Vialone rice for a more ‘all’onda’ creamy consistency.

In my recipe I like to add the strawberries in two batches, the fist at the beginning, finely chopped, will dissolve while cooking the risotto. The second batch in larger chunks, added almost at the end, will give consistency and sweetness. Remember that, contrary to common belief, risotto doesn’t have to be stirred continuously for 20 minutes. If the risotto is stirred too much the rice skin will be broken and the risotto will result very starchy. I like to add half of the broth at the beginning and stir occasionally. Then, when the liquid is absorbed, add the rest a ladle at the time to control the consistency of the risotto.

I have been making strawberry risotto for many years and every time I am asked the same question: “You are making a sweet risotto?”. Strawberry risotto is not sweet! Depending on the ripeness of the fruit, it will have a wonderful fruity-sour-sweet tang. Prepare Strawberry risotto in spring and summer when the strawberries are at their best, dig in, and enjoy.

Strawberry Risotto
see also http://www.annamariavolpi.com/risotto_with_strawberries.html

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
1-1/2 cups (300 gr) Arborio rice
1/4 cup (60 cc) cognac
1-1/2 lb (600 gr) strawberries (half finely chopped, half halved, reserve a few strawberries for decoration)
5 cups (approx 1 liter) chicken broth, warm to a simmer in a small saucepan
salt and pepper
4 oz (120 gr) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Place the olive oil in a sauté pan on medium heat. When the oil is hot add the onion and sauté until the onion is translucent. Add rice.

Stir until the rice is fully coated for about 2 minutes. Add the cognac. Let the cognac evaporate.

Stir in the chopped strawberries.

Add about half of the broth. Keep the rice to a simmer and stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the pan.

When the broth is absorbed ...

... stir in the halved strawberries.

Add a ladle of broth and stir slowly keeping the rice at a “pasty” consistency. Add the broth a little at the time to control the consistency of the risotto.

Taste the risotto. When the risotto is al dente, in about 22 to 25 minutes, cooked but still firm to the bite, add the parmigiano cheese and stir vigorously for a minute.

Let the risotto rest for about 2 minutes before transferring to a serving dish. Decorate with the reserved strawberries and serve hot.

Misticanza

2011-03-17T22:06:00.000-07:00

Recently I commented on a New York Times food blog on an article on wild herbs. It reminded me of the many wild plants we still use (or I should say we should use?) in Italy. Herbs have always been an important factor in Italian cooking. Just think of the role that basil, sage, and rosemary play in the Italian kitchen, just to mention a few, and you realize how important herbs are in enhancing the taste of dishes.

These herbs are the domesticated plants that we find in the pots sold at the grocery stores. In reality there are hundreds of edible wild plants and flowers. You think arugula has strong taste? Wait until you taste wild 'rugola'. Not the tame cultivated one you buy at the store, but the one growing wild like a dreadful weed. Wow! It is like comparing a domestic dog to a wild coyote. How many people cook with wild fennel, an essential flavor in certain Sicilian dishes? And what about 'mentuccia' the tiny wild mint indispensible to cooking artichokes in the Roman style? I have a stomach ache every time I have to say 'substitute it with parsley'.

Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein (1751-1829)

Goethe in the Roman Countryside

“Andare per cicoria", to go look for chicory has a bad connotation in Italian. It means to go an spend your time in some very low level doings. Wild herbs are not comparable to truffles or even to wild mushrooms. Chicory is for peasants not for the refined palate, right? But who commands our taste buds? I love the taste of truffle as much as a dish of wild chicory 'ripassata' simply sautéed in olive oil and garlic: its bitter taste fills your mouth like an explosion.

I remember when I was a kid it was not unusual to see women in the fields on the countryside of Rome, slowly walking bent to the ground, looking for something, scavenging with a small knife in their hands. In reality they were looking for edible plants. Still today some women do this as a business and they sell their precious cache at the farmers markets. But finding these treasures of the wild seems to be more and more difficult. Wild plants feel like species in extinction. In reality the ability to find wild herbs is becoming a lost talent. In the continuous push to make everything faster and cheaper, in surrendering to the tendencies of mass marketing, we restrict our choices and we flatten our taste. Maybe it is a sign of age but I think every time we lose a skill, every time we have less choices, we lose a small piece of our identity.

Wild herbs have so many different tastes... they can be bitter or sweet , pungent or bland... they can be slick or sting you. Put them all together in a salad bowl, in the spring when they are fresh, savory, and tender and you have a “misticanza”. The word in the Roman dialect recalls a mixture... in our case a mix of wild edible herbs of every kind. It is like a symphony of tastes that will play in your mouth.

Buying wild asparagus in Campo de' Fiori farmers market

When I am in Rome there is nothing for me more fun than go to shopping in the 'Campo de Fiori' farmers market. It is the real hearth of the city; it is where you can discover the real soul of Roman people: witty and funny, wise and poetic, rude and gentle at same time.

The "vignarola" cleans wild chicory

The market is divided in two long aisles. And here, in a corner an old lady, "la vignarola", sells ‘odori’ herbs for your cooking: parsley, carrot and celery for your “battuto” the Roman ‘mirepois’... rosemary, sage, and mentuccia, the wild mint for your artichokes. Here in a large basket is the wild chicory that she is cleaning. When it is tender it can be prepared as a salad, otherwise it can be dropped in a skillet with extra-virgin olive oil and garlic to accompany any meat dish.

And side by side, here is a large basket of misticanza. Somebody asked for the recipe… What goes into a misticanza salad? oh well… here it is:

caccia-lepre (hare-hunter),

cresta di gallo (rooster crest),

dente di leone (lion tooth),

pimpinella (that's a sweet name, must be related to Cinderella),

raponzoli (ugly turnips),

crespigno lattuca pungente (stinging lettuce),

erbanoce (nut herb),

cipiccia (other funny name I am not even trying to translate this),

papala, small poppy plants (way before they start blooming), and....

cordone del frate (fraiar's rope),

orecchio d’asino (donkey hears),

porcacchia (wow!), and finally …

indivia (endive),

rughetta (wild rucola)

young wild chicory,

borage,

dandelion, and a few more.

For the topping …. Make a pesto pounding in a mortar two anchovies, one clove of garlic and some salt; add fresh extra-virgin olive oil pressed last fall, white wine vinegar (possibly from a reliable source that makes it natural and not industrially). Toss it all together and enjoy!

El Matador State Beach

2011-03-06T18:26:00.000-08:00

I couldn't have wished for a more beautiful Birthday.

Wonderful California coast just North of Malibu

Simple picnic in the park


Lonely bird looking for food

Fish Stew - Brodetto di Fano (Brodetto di Pesce alla Fanese)

2011-03-04T16:07:00.000-08:00

Fano is a very beautiful touristic town on the Adriatic coast of Italy in The Marche region. Last september I was visiting with my sister Patrizia. It was an unforgettable vacation, the beaches are awesome, the people is friendly, the country around is astonishing and the food... Am I using too many superlatives here? I guess I have to, in order to explain the amazing experience.

During my stay an event took place: The "Sagra del Brodetto". A 'sagra' is a street festival dedicated to a single theme, generally local food, and this 'sagra' in Fano was just extraordinary for the quality and the subject matter.

In fact a "Brodetto" (literally translated in 'little broth') is a local fish stew, prepared in a unique way and utilizing the local super-fresh 'catch of the day' from the Fano harbour. Many restaurant participated in the event that day with 'brodetto' on their menu, in addition to all the stands selling all sorts of gourmet specialties from all over the region.

We all went to several restaurant in town and we ate some of the best "brodetto" fish stew you can have on earth. After this experience of course we HAD to prepare our own.
We decided to prepare our own "Brodetto" at home using the traditional recipe given to us by a neighbor and I am going to share the recipe here.

All starts with the fish. We went to my sister's favourite fish shop, one of the best in town. The counter was amazing for the variety and the freshness of the fish, molluscs and crustaceans. Rita and Chicco, the owners of the shop, were very enthusiastic about the idea of us going to cook their local specialty. We asked for help and suggestions and they gave us plenty especially on the types of fish to be used.

Many of you will have all sorts of objections, I can already hear them: "I live across the ocean, where do I buy those fishes here?" My answer: you don't. Unless you are on the Adriatic coast, or at least in Italy, it will be almost impossible to find the same fish. But the principle of the recipe is very simple. It was a dish traditionally prepared in those times when no food was wasted, (if you are young and you don't understand what I am talking about, you better ask your mother or grandmother) with whatever fish was catch that would be FRESH but not the highest quality and wouldn't break your wallet. It was also prepared by the fisherman using all the small fish that couldn't be sold on the market.

You can prepare a very similar dish with whatever seafood is available in your area, the only important conditions are freshness and quality. Will it taste the same? Of course not. As a consolation, based on my experience, I can say that no two "brodetto's" taste the same, not even in Fano, as every cook will prepare it differently, with whatever fish they like or whatever they found at the market that day.

Back to the fish shop. We bought squid (seppie), monkfish (coda di rospo or rana pescatrice), mullet (triglie), skate wings skinned (razza), shrimps (gamberi), mantis shrimp (canocchie or pannocchie), mussels (cozze), clams (vongole). The fish was thoroughly cleaned, scaled and be-boned for us in a few minutes.

Next stop the hardware store. The reason being you cannot cook a brodetto properly if you don't have the right pan.

The brodetto pan is a large iron skillet with a long handle, similar to a paella pan.

If you don't have a brodetto pan (and very few have one) this recipe can be prepared in a large stainless steel skillet or sauté pan.

Now back at home. We cleaned and washed thoroughly all the fish and we started cooking.

Brodetto di fano (Fano's Fish Stew)
see also http://www.annamariavolpi.com/brodetto.html

About 5 lb of fish (about 2.5 kilograms):

squid (seppie), monkfish (coda di rospo or rana pescatrice), mullet (triglie), skate wings skinned (razza), shrimps (gamberi), mantis shrimp (canocchie or pannocchie), mussels (cozze), clams (vongole)

4 - 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1-1/2 cups tomato puree

1 tablespoon tomato concentrate

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

In a large skillet on medium heat, place the olive oil. Add the onion. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent.

Add tomato puree and tomato concentrate. Add vinegar. Stir to combine and cook for about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper.

Add the fish at intervals, starting from those who take longer to cook. Squid first, then larger fishes ....

.....followed by small fishes, skate, mullet, shrimps and mantis shrimps.

Finally add the mussels and clams. Add a little bit of water if the sauce is too think.

The stew is ready when the fish is thoroughly cooked and the mussels and clams are open.

We served it hot accompanied by a bottle of Verdicchio wine.

Pear Tart in a perfect day

2011-02-25T11:34:00.000-08:00

How do you define a perfect day? Barbecue with best friends, great food, perfect Los Angeles sunny Sunday... While my friend Yanush was barbecuing trout with rosemary, Margo cooked a lot of veggies: okra, sweet potatoes, parsnips, fennel, spinach, asparagus, and delicious orange from the tree. When she served tea she brought to the table a Pear Tart she just made that Sunday morning.

Pear Tart is a delicious cake and a classic recipe. Since I uploaded this picture to Facebook I received many requests to post the recipe for the Pear Tart. Perfect time to publish the recipe, now that pears are in season and they can be found ripe and sweet at any local farmers' market and grocery store.

Pear Tart (Torta di Pere)

for the shell

1-1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
3 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, diced
for the tart
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 ripe pears (Anjou or Bartlett)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
for the glaze
1/2 cup apricot jam
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup sugar

Preparing the dough

Sift the flour on a work surface and make a hole in the center. Place in the hole salt, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla and butter. Mix the butter with the yolks and draw the flour gradually into the mix.

Work quickly with your hands, to form dough—avoid warming the dough too much. Sprinkle lightly the work surface with some flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the table. When the dough is smooth, elastic, and consistent, form it into a ball cover with plastic wrap, and keep in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Preparing the custard

Melt the butter and let it cool to room temperature. Place the eggs in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the sugar. Whisk in the flour. Whisk in the melted butter. Set aside.

Assembling the tart

Preheat oven to 375 F (180 C). Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Butter a shallow tart pan—10 inches (25 cm) in diameter x 3/4-inch (2 cm) deep, with a removable bottom—and sprinkle with a small amount of flour.

Place in a large bowl cold water and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Peel the pears. Cut them in half. Remove seed and core, and place into the bowl with lemon water to keep prevent darkening. Using a rolling pin on a floured surface, flatten the larger portion into the shape of a disk, slightly larger than the pan.

Place the disk flat in the pan and with your fingers push it to uniformly cover the bottom and the sides of the pan. Trim the excess dough and patch the edges if necessary.

Remove the halves from the water one at the time, and dry well with a towel. Slice the pear halves crosswise on an angle about 1/8 inch thick slices. Keep the half pear together. Transfer the sliced half pear to the pastry lined pan, with the narrow tip toward the center. Push the slices inward to fan them slightly. Repeat this step with all the pears in a fan design.

Pour the custard filling in the empty spaces around the pears, but not on top of them. The custard should be only half way up the side of the pears. Bake for 20 minutes at 375F (180 C). Reduce oven 350F (170 C) and bake until fully cooked an golden. if the edges of the tart start coloring too much cover the cake with a aluminum foil and finish baking. remove from the oven and let the tart cool.

Making the glaze

In a small pan over medium heat melt the apricot jam. Stir in the water to make the jam thinner. Strain the jam through a fine sieve to remove the fruit pieces. Brush the pear halves with a thin coat of jam. Serve lukewarm.

Beans and Pork a Perfect Combination

2011-02-18T00:48:00.000-08:00

Today I found at WholeFoods a piece of "gambuccio" ( translated from Italian means 'small leg' ). This is the de-boned end of prosciutto and they sell it in vacuum sealed small chunks at a discounted price. You can use it as you would use "pancetta" (unsmoked Italian bacon). Gambuccio is surprisingly sweeter, leaner and less salty than other cured pork. I used it to flavor a dish of Beans Stewed with Tomato.

Here is the recipe :

Beans Stewed with Bacon and Tomato

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 lb (400 gr) gambuccio, fat trimmed (substitute for Italian "pancetta" or unsmoked bacon)

2 lb (800 gr) canned pinto beans, (best would be dry Borlotti beans soaked overnight)

1 lb (400 gr) canned diced tomato

salt and pepper (or red chili pepper flakes)

Place extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan, add onion and gambuccio.

Saute' until onion is translucent and the pork is browned.

Add beans.

Stir to combine.

Add tomato.

Cook covered for about 20 minutes, until the beans are tender but still firm and not overcooked. Add 1/2 cup water during cooking if needed.

Alfredo, and who on earth was he?

2011-02-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

If you ask for Pasta Alfredo in a restaurant in Italy all you get from your waiter is a stare. Why is one of the most famous “Italian sauces” for pasta unknown in its country of origin? The answer is simple: because in Italy Pasta Alfredo doesn’t exist.

Yes, Italians make a dish of pasta, fettuccine dressed with nothing else than good aged parmigiano cheese and a lot of butter, but is such a simple preparation that Italians don’t even consider it as a “recipe”.

Waverly Root in his famous book “The Food of Italy” (New York, 1971) wrote: “FETTUCCINE AL BURRO is associated in every tourist’s mind with Rome, possibly because the original Alfredo succeeded in making its serving a spectacle reminiscent of grand opera. It is the same ribbon shaped egg pasta tat is called tagliatelle in Bologna; but the al burro preparation is very Roman indeed in its rich simplicity. Nothing is added to the pasta except grated cheese and butter - lots of butter. The recipe calls for doppio burro, double butter, which gives it a golden color.”

Who was Alfredo then? Alfredo di Lelio, this was his full name, was an inspired cook who proposed this new exciting dish in the restaurant he opened in Rome in 1914. It was a high gourmet preparation in the Roman tradition of simplicity. Apparently he created his Fettuccine all’Alfredo when his wife lost her appetite during her pregnancy. To bring back her appetite he prepared for her a nutritious dish of egg fettuccine with parmigiano cheese and butter. That probably gave him the idea for his “triple butter” fettuccine.

He was an extravagant character who used to personally serve his paper-thin fettuccine with golden forks, apparently donated to him by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, the famous silent movie stars. In the fifties and sixties, Hollywood discovered Rome. Paparazzi photographers took photos of actors such as Tyrone Power, Ava Gardner, Richard Burton, Liz Taylor, or Sophia Loren in front of a plate of Fettuccine all’Alfredo, making his restaurant famous all around the world. The restaurant is now run buy his grandson, and the golden forks are still used to serve this dish for special occasions.

Samuel Chamberlain, journalist and food writer, met Alfredo in the late 50s and wrote in his book “Italian Bouquet – An Epicurean Tour of Italy” (New York, 1958): “Finally there is the great Alfredo, showman par excellence, who draws an endless file of amazed and hungry tourists to watch his calisthenics over a dish of hot noodles. The King of Noodles has come out of retirement, and now wields his golden fork and spoon at ALFREDO ALL’AUGUSTEO, at number 31 on the Piazza Augusto Imperatore. His Maestosissime Fettuccine all’Alfredo are most majestic, without a doubt. […] You have to visit this place at least once, we suppose, just to say you have seen this elderly, melodramatic good-hearted clown in action.”

Pasta all'Alfredo
see also http://www.annamariavolpi.com/pasta_alfredo_recipe.html

Prepare fresh fettuccine using my recipe on this page http://www.annamariavolpi.com/page31.html or substitute with one box Italian dry egg noodles (about 1/2 lb, or 225 gr).

1/2 lb (225 gr) butter, at room temperature
salt
1/2 lb (225 gr) parmigiano reggiano cheese, freshly grated

Place half of the butter in a serving bowl, large enough to contain the pasta. Keep the bowl warm.

Cook the fettuccine in abundant salted water. When the pasta is perfectly al dente, (firm but not too soft or overcooked), reserve a few tablespoons of the cooking water.

Drain without shaking the colander too much, so that the pasta doesn’t become too dry. Drop the hot pasta in the bowl over the butter.

Add the rest of the butter and toss quickly to melt it.

Add the parmigiano reggiano cheese, and a small quantity of the reserved cooking water if the pasta appears too dry. Toss vigorously, and serve immediately, accompanied by a small bowl with more grated parmigiano reggiano cheese, for the guests to add if they like.

Raisin Cookies

2011-02-04T10:53:00.000-08:00

Soft, delicate and tasty, these cookies are simple to make and easy to store. They can be enjoyed at tea time, for a light snack, as well as a light breakfast

see also http://www.annamariavolpi.com/raisin_cookies.html
3 oz (100 gr) dark raisin
1 lemon
2 cups (300 gr) flour + some for the workboard
1/2 cup (100 gr) sugar
6 oz (150 gr) butter, lukewarm
1 eggpinch of salt
for the egg wash
1 egg
powdered sugar

* Soak the raisin in a small bowl filled with warm water, until soft. Squeeze to remove excess water.
* Grate the lemon rind
* Juice half of the lemon.

* Spread 2 cookie sheets with butter, and sprinkle with a small amount of flour.
* Preheat oven 350 F (180 C).

Pour the flour on a work surface, in a mound shape with a hole in the center. Add in the well the sugar, butter, egg, pinch of salt, lemon juice, and grated lemon rind. Using a fork, mix the ingredients together with the flour.

Use a scraper to keep the compound together. Work rapidly with your hands to form dough. Avoid warming the dough too much. Sprinkle the work surface with some flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the table.

When the dough is smooth and consistent, flatten it with a rolling pin.

Spread the raisin on the dough. Fold the dough and knead it again until the raisin is evenly distributed, adding some flour if necessary.

Flour the work surface. Flatten the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 1/4” (5 mm). Cut the dough in round shapes to obtain the cookies.Work the cuttings of the dough again, flatten and cut more cookies. Repeat this step until all the dough is used.

Beat the egg in a small bowl, and brush the surface of the cookies.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Saltimbocca "alla Romana"

2011-01-28T11:44:00.000-08:00

Saltimbocca are veal scaloppini prepared very simply by assembling together slices of tender veal, prosciutto, and fresh sage leaves.

< The name means ‘jump into the mouth’ the idea being that saltimbocca is so delicious that [it] prompts you almost by its own volition to pop a piece of it in without hesitating for an instant > as Waverly Root, famous journalist and food writer describes them.

Scaloppini are very popular in Italy, but in the United States it is quite difficult to find a butcher who knows how to properly cut them. Scaloppini are thin slices of veal cut from the top round, and the slices should be cut across the vein of the muscles so that the fibers of the meat are short and the meat is tender. If they are cut along the vein, as they usually are in the US, the meat curls and toughens while cooking. To help prevent the meat from toughening, make the slices very thin and thump them with a meat.

While there are many variations on this dish with the addition of cheese or Marsala wine, we opted for the simplest recipe, as it is cooked in Roman kitchens. (Please keep your cooking simple .... )

Saltimbocca alla Romana

Veal Scaloppini with Prosciutto and Sage

2 oz (60 gr) flour
salt
4 veal scaloppini slices, about 1 lb (approximately 450 gr)
4 prosciutto slices, approximately
3 oz (80 gr)
4 leaves of fresh sage
2 – 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons (40 gr) butter
pepper

1/2 cup (120 cc) dry white wine

Put the flour on a large plate and add a pinch of salt. Dredge the veal slices in the flour, so that they are all well covered on both sides. Shake away the excess flour.

Place on each slice of meat, a slice of prosciutto ....

... and a leaf of fresh sage.

Secure the three together with a toothpick.

In a large frying pan, put the oil and the butter, and turn the heat to medium. When the butter begins foaming, place the meat in the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Be careful about salt as prosciutto is generally quite salty already.

Fry gently on both sides until light brown.

Add the wine, turn the heat to medium high, and let the wine evaporate. Place on individual plates, covering the slices with the sauce and serve warm.

Scallops: delicious and easy to prepare

2011-01-21T18:44:00.000-08:00

You want to prepare something special but no time to cook? Scallops are the perfect food for the occasion.

Scallops are a marine bivalve mollusk (similar to mussels and oysters) found in the oceans all over the world. The name scallop comes from the French ‘escalope’, which means shell. The shells are sometimes bright colored and have the characteristic fluted fan shape.

They do not anchor to rocks but they lay on the bottom of ocean floor where they move opening and closing the shell. To do this they have a very large muscle, much larger than those of other mollusks. The internal body has mainly two parts: a bright orange ‘tongue’ and a large white muscle.

While the whole organism is edible (in Europe and in the East they eat it entirely like oysters) in the US only the white muscle is eaten. It looks like a white solid cylinder of flesh. The flavor is very delicate and is generally prepared with mild, butter based sauces to avoid covering its taste.

Here is a simple and delicious recipe that can be arranged in few minutes.

Scallops with Basil
see also http://www.annamariavolpi.com/scallops.html
1 lb (400 gr) shelled scallops
salt and pepper
flour for dusting
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, mashed
1 tablespoon butter
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Season the scallops with salt and pepper, and dust lightly with flour, shacking off the excess.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, and add the scallops. Reduce heat to medium high and sauté for about 2 minutes on all sides.

Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes until golden and just firm....

... sprinkle with lemon juice, add butter and a few tablespoons of water if the pan is too dry.

Add basil, toss to blend, and serve warm.

Beans Soup for a cold winter supper

2011-01-14T10:07:00.000-08:00

Bean soup is traditionally slowly cooked in terracotta pots, often with the addition of prosciutto or pork meat to enhance its flavor. There are infinite variations of this recipe as almost every region of Italy has a different way of making “Pasta Fasul” (the way this dish is know in the United States).

Beans Soup

11 oz (315 gr) dry borlotti beans

1 quart (approximately 1 liter) water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz (60 gr) pancetta (substitute with un-smoked bacon), finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 stick celery, finely diced
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh ripe tomato, finely diced
2 cups (460 cc) broth
salt and pepper
5 oz (140 gr) short ditali pasta, or spaghetti broken in ½ inch (1–2 cm) pieces
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for topping

Clean and wash the beans the night before. Place them in a container, and cover with fresh water. Let the beans soak in the water overnight.

The next day, when ready to cook, drain the beans.

In a stockpot, pour 1 quart (1 liter) water and add the beans. Boil for about 20 minutes or until the beans are tender. Drain the beans and reserve part of the cooking water.

In a pot (I am using a traditional terracotta pan), pour the extra-virgin olive oil, and turn the heat to medium. Add the bacon, onion, celery, and carrot, finely chopped together. Sauté for 2 - 3 minutes, until the onion becomes soft. Stir in the tomato.

Transfer about one third of the beans to a plate. Using a potato masher, reduce the beans to a paste.

Add to the pot the beans . . .

. . . the puréed beans . . .

. . . the broth . . .

. . . and the beans cooking water. Bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the ingredients are well blended.

Add the pasta and cook for the time indicated by the manufacturer, checking for readiness from time to time. Pasta is ready when al dente (firm but not too soft or overcooked). Adjust the salt if necessary.

Place the soup in a large terrine or single serving dishes. Drizzle with the extra-virgin olive oil and serve warm.