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Peas With Pancetta

November 11, 2012 by 2 Comments
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Piselli Con Pancetta - 

Peas With Pancetta - finish

Buon giorno!

Tis the season for the search for “sides”. Everyone scrambles to find “something different” – “something new”. One of the best side dishes for holiday dinners or anytime dinners, for that matter, is PEAS WITH PANCETTA (Piselli Con Pancetta). This is a simple dish. It includes just a few flavor-rich ingredients that enhance and compliment the peas without overwhelming them. The wonderful thing about it is that it really makes the peas jump out and sing.

This dish is decidedly Tuscan, a region known for the sweetness of its peas. It has a sweet and savory combination of flavors. The pancetta offers the savory companion to sweet peas with the addition of just a little bit of sugar. The addition of sugar, may seem odd, but it really brings out the sweetness of the peas without creating a “sweet dish”.

This lovely vegetable side dish is lovely enough to accompany the most elegant of dinner entrees – while at the same time flatters the most simple of steak, chop, poultry, or even burger meals.

Put this one on your best veggie go-to list!

PEAS WITH PANCETTA

(Piselli Con Pancetta)

Serves: 6

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients

6 C. Peas (fresh or frozen) cooked until just tender

1/4 C. Toasted Pignoli (pine nuts)

1/4 C. Chopped Pancetta (easier to chop when partially frozen)

4 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Medium Onion – sliced very thinly

3 Tbsp. Milk or Cream

1 Tsp. Sugar

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Fresh Mint for garnish

Instructions

Cook peas until just tender.

Cook pancetta in oil until tender.

Peas 1

Add the sliced onion to the pancetta and cook until tender.

Peas 2

Peas 3

Add the cream and sugar. Stir in.

Now add the cooked peas to the pan. Toss and continue cooking 2-3 minutes more until the liquid cooks down, and cream will almost disappear.

Peas 4

Add Kosher Salt and fresh Black Pepper to taste.

Garnish with Pignoli and Mint.

PARLA COME MANGI!

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Spaghetti Carbonara

October 7, 2012 by 4 Comments
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An Afternoon With the Godfather - 

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Buon giorno!

Some of our memories are so perfect and vivid that they never fade. This is one of them, and I will share it with you. It is a tale that includes one of the most heavenly of Italian pasta dishes, SPAGHETTI CARBONARA. This dish supposedly hails from the region of Lazio, native to my mother, Loretta’s family. It is, like many from Italy, simple, and made from just a few well chosen and very good ingredients. Its origins are said to have been with a carbonai or charcoal maker who may have been the first to make it – thus the name Carbonara.  The simple ingredients include olive oil, onion, bacon (or pancetta or guanciale), Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, black pepper, salt,and egg yolks. Sound easy enough? Don’t be fooled by the simplicity. The key is the use of the best of each ingredient you can find. Note that I did not mention cream! This is an item added by some restaurants and recipes who attempt to over complicate the dish, and it is not an authentic addition. The egg yolks give the dish its creamy nature and golden color, and the miracle of the dish is in the TIMING! Putting this dish together quickly and while ingredients are hot is key to a successful result.

Now for the story! Godfathers are very special to Italians. They play an active role and are usually revered by the family. I am not referring to the godfathers of movie fame – all “mobbed up” and with a darker persona. Instead, I refer to the highly valued godfathers who play a special role  in the lives of Italian children as they grow and are truly a part of the family – the kind who watch over and gently guide. They stand ready to noticeably approve when you have done well – who encourage  – who nudge with kindness – and help when it is needed. That is the kind of godfather I had. He was almost a larger than life figure to me when I was very young – attractive, robust, generous of spirit, and always fun to be around. He was my father’s closest friend. Every Sunday, after mass at the Italian church, our families came together for breakfast. His name was Nick Corbisello – sometimes called N.R. – I affectionately called him “Compare Nick”. Compare (Sometimes pronounced Gumbah in Neapolitan dialect) is not directly translatable and can mean friend or family friend. Any true Southern Italian will know this term.

Shortly after I became engaged to be married, I visited Compare Nick, to introduce my future husband, hoping to gain his approval  – a tall order, as my fiance was NOT Italian! We had high hopes that he would pass inspection, but had nothing to fear as my godfather’s way was almost always approving and kind. On the day of this visit, Compare Nick’s cousin, young , handsome Aniello, who was on an extended visit from Italy, happened to be there. What good fortune for us, as the charming Aniello was a gifted cook, and it was lunchtime.While we sat at the kitchen table and shared a good bit of laughter and endless stories, Aniello effortlessly put together a lunch for us that my husband and I have never forgotten. It was the first time we had ever tasted SPAGHETTI CARBONARA. I watched him as he made the dish with a few simple ingredients. He used bacon instead of pancetta, as that was what was available in the refrigerator. I generally still use it for the dish, as that is the way it was first served to me. He served it in individual portions with an egg yolk at the side of each serving , so that each person could toss the spaghetti with a “personal yolk.”It was an amazing dish, golden in color, aromatic, and flavorful beyond almost anything I had ever tasted. That was 40 years ago, and it is still my husband’s favorite pasta dish. Fortunately, I watched Aniello carefully as he prepared it, so that through the years, I was able to prepare it in a similar way.

Recently, Compare Nick’s grandson, Nick Cerretani, was kind enough to put me in touch with Aniello’s daughter, the beautiful Susy, who kindly asked her father, living in Casamarciano, Italy, to confirm the original recipe, just to be sure. It was great to re-connect with Aniello after all these years through Susy. He remarkably remembered the now “famous” afternoon at Compare Nick’s where this splendid dish was first introduced to me and graciously shared his preparation for this blog post. Happily, Aniello still is a remarkable cook, and according to Nick ,grows most of his own vegetables, using and enjoying them in Napoletana style dishes. Some wonderful things just do not change!

I am grateful to Nick, Susy, and especially dear Aniello for still remembering that very special afternoon with my godfather and for sharing his cooking secrets with me.

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

Serves: 4

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. Spaghetti (cooked according to package directions)

1/3 lb. Bacon, Pancetta, or Guanciale (use more if you like) –For the very best bacon, I always recommend ordering from: Circle B Ranch !

4 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Onion coarsely chopped or sliced thinly (Aniello likes to use 1/2 an onion)

4 Egg yolks

1/2 C. Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese or Pecorino Romano Cheese – grated

Lots of Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Salt to taste

A little fresh parsley for garnish

More grated cheese to serve with the spaghetti at the table

Instructions

Fry the bacon in one pan. Chop the bacon after cooking – leaving it all in the drippings

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In another pan, fry the onions in the olive oil until tender.

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Separate four egg yolks and reserve.

Eggs carbonara

As soon as spaghetti is ready, mix the cooked bacon, drippings, cooked onion and oil, and the egg yolks in with it quickly while hot. Toss well.

Add the grated cheese, plenty of fresh pepper, and salt.

Add some fresh chopped parsley for garnish.

Serve with extra grated cheese.

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There you have it: SPAGHETTI CARBONARA – simple and beautiful, as suggested by Aniello Restaino from Casamarciano, Italy (in Campania near Napoli). Grazie, Aniello!

PARLA COME MANGI!

Comments are welcome in the “Speak Your Mind Area” beneath this post online.

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Spinach with Eggs

February 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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Spinaci Con Uova

Spinach-n-eggs_09

 

 

Buon giorno!

I’m not usually a believer in coincidences – but this is a coincidence. It must appear that I have been preoccupied with working on recipes containing eggs lately. The truth is, I haven’t been. It is a coincidence. Really!  No joke!  You’ll understand when you take a closer look at this one: SPINACH WITH EGGS or SPINACI CON UOVA. This is my version of this classic dish from the Emilia-Romagna region.

Where? The Emilia-Romagna region of Italy is located South of the Po River extending to Tuscany. This is the area considered to be the heart of Italy in terms of many ingredients that we associate with the finest in Italian cooking: pasta fresca, Prosciutto di Parma, Mortadella, Balsamico Invecchiato, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Some of the most studied of Italian chefs earn their stripes at the cooking schools in this region. I salivate just thinking about this region and all that it offers. I offer a cooking class on this region, and I am always excited to bring the very special dishes and ingredients of the area to students. Some are seeing and tasting them for the first time. JOY!

Back to the egg thing: So yes, this dish contains a poached or fried egg, and you’ll be glad it did. It lends the protein to the dish and makes it heartier- not to mention rich and delicious.

Brunch! This dish can be dinner for sure. However, it offers an option for a splendid brunch. The fresh baby spinach, besides being iron-rich, remains the brightest green in this recipe and combines with the grated cheese and spices to produce a gorgeous sight on the plate and an impressive gastronomic experience in your mouth. When you break the yolk and let the beautiful yellow velvet flow “like the Po” into the spinach, you won’t be able to resist diving into this little nest. It is sooo delicious – incredibly quick and easy, and tastes like so much more than the time you spent making it.

To pancetta or not to pancetta… The pancetta (Italian bacon) is optional. It does present tremendous flavor, a lovely crunch, and looks really cute accessorizing the top of this little pyramid – BUT – if you prefer to keep this a vegetarian experience, it will not cause an international incident! There is enough flavor in the dish without the pancetta to offer you a memorable experience – though not celestial. My preference is always to go with the pancetta or pork ingredient in any dish, as it really adds tremendous flavor like no other.

A note on finding pancetta for those who are less familiar – These days, it is commonly sold in the deli meat section of your grocer. You can ask to have it sliced for you just like you do for ham, turkey, roast beef etc.

The dish! This is how it goes…

SPINACH WITH EGGS

(SPINACI CON UOVA)

Serves: 2

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 35-40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Slices Pancetta (optional)

2 Tbsp. Butter

1 lb. Baby Spinach

1/8 Tsp. Kosher Salt

Some Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pinch of Fresh Nutmeg

1/8 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

Quick squeeze of fresh lemon

4 Tbsp. Heavy Cream

1/4 c. Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese + a little extra to sprinkle at the end

2 Poached or Fried Eggs

Instructions:

Fry pancetta in the olive oil until crisp and remove it and reserve for later.

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In the same pan – melt the butter and add the spinach in thirds.

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It will look like a lot of spinach – but it shrinks as it wilts and will reduce in bulk.

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Cook until water evaporates.

Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and hot pepper.

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Cook on medium for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

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During the cooking, give the spinach just a quick squeeze of a fresh lemon.

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Add the cream and stir.

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Add the Parmigiano and cook a couple more minutes, stirring.

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Cook the eggs.

Plate the spinach. Add an egg on the top and a piece of the reserved crispy pancetta. Sprinkle the egg with a little Parmigiano-Reggiano.

OK! Now you are ready for an incredibly tasty dish of SPINACH WITH EGGS for two. Add a chilled New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and you have yourself a BRUNCH! (A beautiful breakfast in bed option for Valentine’s Day, maybe?) Yeah!

PARLA COME MANGI!

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VEAL AND PEPPERS WITH FIGS

July 25, 2011 by 5 Comments
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Vitello e Peperoni Arrostiti con Fichi

Veal Peppers Figs_0061

Buon giorno!

Veal has always been a popular choice of meat in Italian dishes and a classic selection especially for many Northern Italian dishes. When I was growing up, veal was not reserved for special meals. Loretta and Attilio, my mother and father, served it in so many ways on any day of the week. Aside from the usual veal cutlets, they made stew with it, they stuffed veal chops, and breast of veal. As with other Italian families, we had a saute of veal and peppers often. There are as many recipes out there for veal and peppers as there are Italian families, I’m sure. Everyone seems to have their own special preparation handed down from the nonne (grandmothers). With our dish today, VEAL AND PEPPERS WITH FIGS, I have taken the classic sauteed version and made some changes.

The Standard: Usually, in most recipes, the veal cutlets or scallops are sauteed in olive oil with some peppers, sometimes with a little wine. Many like to add mushrooms.

Have Veal Issues? Then Cluck! This dish is also delicious using boned chicken breasts or chicken cutlets. The instructions are the same. Just make sure you slice the chicken breast pieces into thin scallops.

My Cheeky Addition: It is fig season now in most areas of the U.S. During the summer season, they arrive, for the most part, plump, juicy, sweet, and ready to eat. What could be better than making them part of the main event? Figs are really lovely with veal. They saute quickly and keep their flavor when cooked. In this case, they offer just a touch of sweetness that marries well with the savory quality of this recipe and smokiness of the roasted peppers.

My Peppery Preference: As with most vegetables, when possible, I always like to roast peppers. There is so much more flavor in a roasted “anything”! Peppers are no different and almost beg to be roasted. It is so easy to do this that it seems silly not to want to add this extra step. The peppers will also need very little cooking in the dish, as they are already tender from roasting. You simply brush your peppers with olive oil and pop them whole under the broiler, turning occasionally, for the “triple B” treatment: bruise, blacken, and blister. Then place them in a bowl covered with plastic wrap for 15 minutes to steam the skins off. Works like a charm! You can see the step by step easy process for roasting peppers by visiting a previous post: Sovana and the Mystery Dish. Since then , a subscriber, Stephanie, suggested cutting the peppers first and roasting them in pieces. This is a great suggestion which works very well.

How to serve: Even though this is definitely a meat dish and can be considered an entrée complete in itself, Veal and Peppers with Figs is actually a light choice for any time of day . Think of it as the “guy” who shows up for lunch in khakis, but put a tie on him, and he’s good for dinner! The “guy” cleans up nicely. This dish is definitely light enough for a lunch on the patio. However, add a green salad, a rustic bread like Focaccia, and a beautiful wine, a balmy evening, and you have yourself one fine dinner on the good china.

I’m hungry!

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VEAL AND PEPPERS WITH FIGS

Serves:

Prep: about 40 minutes

Cook: about 20 minutes

Ingredients:

About 8 Veal scallops or cutlets (boned chicken breasts may be substituted)

1/3 c. Flour seasoned with salt and pepper for dredging

4 Peppers Roasted, skins removed (See post:Sovana and the Mystery Dish for instructions on roasting) I like one of each color: red, yellow, orange, green.

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1/8 lb Pancetta – chopped

3 Cloves Fresh Garlic – chopped finely

1 c. White Wine  (substitute with water or broth if you do not choose to use wine)

1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

1 c. chicken broth

6-8 Fresh Figs – Sliced

2 Tbsp. Butter

2 tsp. fresh Lemon Zest

1/3 c. Chopped Fresh Parsley (preferably Italian Flat Leaf)

1 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme Leaves ( I like to use Lemon Thyme from my garden)

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Instructions:

Roast and skin peppers, cut in pieces, set aside. Can be done a day or 2 ahead if desired.

Pound veal scallops with mallet to make thin. Also use the sharp end of the mallet to tenderize.

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Dredge scallops in flour seasoned with salt and pepper and set aside.

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Pour olive oil in pan – add chopped pancetta and cook until crisp. Remove pancetta and reserve.

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Brown veal scallops in same oil on both sides – just a few minutes each side.( You can add another Tbsp. of oil if you think it is needed.) The scallops will brown quickly. Remove from pan.

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Add garlic to the same oil and saute a couple of minutes.

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Pour in white wine and add red pepper flakes. Cook a couple of minutes on medium high scraping up the bits on the bottom of the pan.

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Then pour in the chicken broth – again stirring up any bits left on the pan bottom.

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Add veal scallops back to pan -  reduce heat, cover and cook the veal for about 10 minutes or until tender. At any point, you can add a little more broth if sauce gets too thick.

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Add the roasted peppers.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.

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Add the figs.

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Add the butter – stir in.

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Immediately: add the Lemon Zest.

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Follow with the pancetta, parsley, and thyme.

Stick a fork in it – your VEAL AND PEPPERS WITH FIGS is done!

PARLA COME MANGI!

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CARNEVALE DI VENEZIA!

March 7, 2011 by 7 Comments
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Buon giorno!

Mask Carnevale

So after today, Shrove Tuesday, Carnevale will close, and all of the floats and costumes will go to sleep for another year. Although it is celebrated in many places, Venice is traditionally a hot locale for parties, games, parades, and fun. Why not take a peak into the most famous of such observances – Carnevale di Venezia! To properly prepare for this affair, check out the March Recipe of the Month at Linda’s Italian Table for my version of the famous drink of Venice, Sgroppino <Click here for your last lovely indulgence before the party is over.

For those who are not familiar with this 3-4 week celebration of merriment, Carnevale is a colorful and festive display of masks and costumes – many in the Commedia Dell’Arte Style which takes place just prior to Lent. In Venice, special party tickets are sold for a mere fortune. There is a Doge’s Ball where everyone wears masks and no one knows anyone. However, most of the fun is free and takes place in the streets of Venice, and in particular, at the Piazza San Marco, where the wine flows in seemingly endless abundance. This is the time when partiers release their innermost “Pagliacci” from the bondage of propriety only to dance, sing, drink wine, and eat glorious food until Lent brings it all to a screeching halt. During the days of the ultimate “party pooper”, Mussolini, the masks were banned – only to be revived again as late as 1979.

This year, Carnevale, for me, was more than the usual Polenta. I was so fortunate as to join the Accademia Italiana Della Cucina at Pricci Restaurant for their first annual Carnevale Di Venezia – Serata in Maschera. (Carnevale of Venice – Evening in Mask)  What a privilege it was  to celebrate with this honorable group at my very favorite Italian restaurant! The food, the service, the company, the ambience  – Fantastico!

The Accademia Italiana Della Cucina began in Milan, Italy, in 1953 at the Hotel Diana. It was formed to protect the integrity of Italian food and to preserve its authenticity for future generations. Those in attendance at its inception were considered the cream of the cultural and artistic crop at the time. The national secretariat of the organization still resides in Milan. The Atlanta delegation was founded in 2002 by Angela Della Costanza Turner, the Honorary  Consul General of Italy in Atlanta, pictured here.

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Ms. Turner, who holds the office of Delegate of the Accademia in Atlanta, generously welcomed all in attendance and wore a beautiful mask , as seen below, to promote the festive nature of the evening.

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The Delegate is appointed by the Presidential Council and is commissioned to lead and guide the delegation. There are approximately 213 delegations in Italy alone and 79 in other areas of the world. Each year they choose a theme, and this year it is fruit based cuisine. The Accademia publishes “L’Accademia Magazine” 11 months of the year and edits a guide to the restaurants of Italy.

Paolo Raugei, a good friend from the Tuscany region of Italy who has served as Treasurer and Vice-Delegate since 2003, rang the bell to call the evening to order and to begin the festivities.  In explaining the role of the Accademia in the realm of Italian cuisine, he mentioned humorously that it is thought to be that of the “Food Police”.

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I can attest to the weight of this bell that Paolo stuffs with a ball of foil to keep it from ringing at will – as I examined it myself. It was quite heavy.

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We were serenaded by two extremely gifted violinists from Emory University – whose lilting and sometimes haunting notes set the perfect tone for the evening.  They offered a special interlude between courses that was so astounding as to almost set the room ablaze! BRAVO!

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The tables were beautifully adorned in gold streamers with masks at each place setting.

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Pricci and the renowned and charming Chef Piero Premoli, originally from Milan, really went over the top with a superbly prepared menu of authentic dishes, wines, and the famous Cipriani Classic White Peach Bellinis of Venice.

Pricci Menu

After experiencing this menu, it is easy to see why Chef Premoli  received the Recognition of Excellence from the Accademia. Meet the extraordinary Chef Premoli!

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The amazing array of courses  began with an appetizer/salad, a beautiful dish, given considerable substance with Borlotti Beans, red and lovely, which literally melted in your mouth. The crisp crostini of Pane Nero were laced with the essence and flavor of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and herbs. AND OH – the Pricci “house cured” Pancetta – which must be tasted to fully appreciate!  As salads go – this one was really memorable.

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The First Course was my favorite part of the meal, and I simply cannot say enough about it. It was a pasta course of Bigoli, made with Porcini mushrooms, in a succulent Salsa d’Anatra – an authentic and well known Duck Sauce of the Veneto region. With advance notice, I might have to say that if I were to leave this earth any time soon, this would be my “last meal” of choice – just amazing.

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Bigoli is a Venetian pasta, not easily found outside the Veneto region, the eighth largest of Italy’s twenty regions. It looks like spaghetti only thicker, somewhat like Bucatini only without the hole. Bigoli is a thick substantial pasta which requires a very special tool to make. The Bigoli tool, generally not found in the US, was loaned to Pricci Restaurant by Elisabetta, one of the Accademia members who is from Vicenza. It was originally sent to her by her father.

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Chef Premoli gave us a demonstration in the  set-up of this very special instrument.

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It was the sole responsibility of Jose, pictured here with Chef Premoli, to make the Bigoli – masterful!

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The second course was a beautiful, light preparation of Branzino, a tender Mediterranean fish, with White Asparagus and Clam Brodetto which melted away on the tongue.

Last, but hardly least, was an extraordinary WARM Chestnut Mascarpone Tart with Zabajone Gelato, topped with Bubble Sugar, which looked like shards of free form glass. It was fanciful and just as delicious as it was picturesque. I noticed how unusual it was to see most of the dessert plates totally empty when they returned to the kitchen. I couldn’t leave a morsel! This was paired with Moscato di Noale, light, sweet and from possibly the oldest grape variety in the world.

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The  whimsical evening of elaborate imagination came sadly to a close, but not before the attendees posed for the “roving photographer” in their stylish and unusual masks.

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How we look forward to next year’s Carnevale di Venezia! We salute the good work of  the Accademia Italiana Della Cucina and congratulate Pricci Restaurant for providing another splendid and delicious evening of superior and cutting edge Italian regional dining.

PARLA COME MANGI!

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November: Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Sauce

November 15, 2010 by 2 Comments
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Recipe of the Month — November 2010

Makes enough Gorgonzola Sauce for 2 lb gnocchi. If leftover, it’s great on chicken!
Gnocchi are available to purchase at specialty food stores and most grocery stores now.

Subscribe to my blog and check out my homemade gnocchi recipe with step by step instructions.

Fry 1/4 lb pancetta chopped into small bits. Drain and set aside.

3 tbsp. butter
1 large clove garlic chopped finely
3 tbsp. flour
1/4 c. white wine
1 1/2 c. heavy cream warmed
4 oz Gorgonzola Dolce broken into bits ( The Dolce makes for a milder creamier sauce .)
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
Freshly Ground black pepper to taste
Chopped Fresh Basil for garnish.

Melt butter in saucepan and add chopped garlic. Cook for about a minute. And add flour and saute in butter for a couple of min. to cook the flour a little. With heat at medium add white wine and stir for about 3 minutes.   Then add the warmed cream and stir constantly until smooth and flour is cooked in and has disappeared (about 3-4 min).  Add Gorgonzola and stir until until Gorgonzola has melted into sauce.  Add salt and black pepper to taste. Thin with a little cream or milk if sauce becomes too thick.  Pour over prepared gnocchi and sprinkle the crispy pancetta over the top. Garnish with chopped fresh basil.

TROPPO BELLA!

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Gnocchi With Pork Ragu

November 2, 2010 by 6 Comments
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This Pig Needs No Lipstick!

 

Buon giorno!

 

When I think of Gnocchi, I automatically envision the Classic Tuscan dish, Gnocchi con Sugo Cinghiale or Gnocchi with Wild Boar Sauce. Since today’s grocery meat department is generally devoid of wild boar, my taste reverts to making MY favorite preparation of Gnocchi which is served with Pork Ragu . This sauce is, in my mind and heart, the standard among tomato sauces and can be used with so many types of pasta. It is easy and not expensive to prepare. This sauce illustrates the saying “Appetito vien mangiando” or Appetite comes with eating, as this is the sauce that brings an appetite to life! I like to use different sauces with my Gnocchi, but I suggest this Pork Ragu is the signature and reminds me most of that mouth watering Boar Sauce that is steeped in Tuscan tradition!

As I was growing up in our little house in Binghamton, New York, this was the type of sauce (with a couple of minor additions from me) that my mother, Loretta, most often made. It was Sunday Sauce. I can hear her say “the most flavorful sauce is made with pork – especially the bones!” The aroma of this pork sauce would permeate the house for hours, and I would wait for the moment when she would call me to “taste” the sauce. This taste test consisted of a piece of crusty Italian bread and a spoonful of the hot sauce on top. It brought a burst of flavor on the tongue and would wet my appetite for the meal to follow. I often sneaked a second taste when her attention was diverted.

Speaking of sneaking, my father, Attilio, would inevitably “slip” something into the sauce that Loretta did not know about. If asked, he called it “Sale da Gaeta”. (Translation: Salt from Gaeta – Gaeta being a city on the water between Rome and Naples from where the famous and wonderful wrinkly olives hail) Whenever a dish was especially delicious, he announced “Ah! It’s Sale da Gaeta!” None of us ever saw this “special salt” and very often, we assumed that his little addition to the recipe was usually red pepper flakes or “hot pepper” as he called it! He always had a container of this at the dinner table where he liked to add just a little more heat! (Hear more about Loretta and Attilio at“About Linda” at Linda’s Italian Table)

Each region of Italy seems to treat this sauce a little differently. Each area uses a different meat or combination of meats. Some use boar, some venison, some pork, beef, veal or all three. My mother, using the pork, left the meat on the bone alla Napoletana instead of shredding it Tuscan style. Everyone, then, received a large piece of meat still on the bone which was served separately after the pasta course and before the salad which is the traditional Italian style of presenting the meal.

When selecting the pork for this dish, it is your choice. Some even prefer to use Italian Sausage. When I choose to use sausage in any sauce, I always like a combination of sweet (mild) and hot. My family would almost always be most likely to use a cut of pork with the bones, and sometimes would combine both sausage and pork in the sauce. For Gnocchi, my personal preference is to use just the pork with bones. After the pork is shredded, it becomes very tender and surprisingly light with the Gnocchi. Any very inexpensive cut of pork from neck bones to ribs – anything really – can be used here. The desired effect is a combination of intense flavor and tender meat. The meat will cook in the sauce so long that it will tenderize and fall from the bone making it easy to serve. Andiamo!
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

PORK RAGU!

About 3 lb pork on bones, can be ribs, neck bones or other

 

 

 

 

1/4 lb pancetta diced

4 cloves garlic – chopped finely

4 tbsp olive oil

1 onion chopped – the sweeter the onion the sweeter the sauce!

1 stalk celery chopped

8 baby carrots chopped in very small pieces ( baby carrots are sweeter!)

1 c. red Italian wine (vino rosso) – could be a Chianti or Valpolicella

2 28 oz cans San Marzano Tomatoes- if you can find them because San Marzano tomatoes are by far the tastiest – if you can’t – use other- can use crushed or whole peeled and crush them

1/2 c. chopped Fresh Flat (preferable) Leaf Italian Parsley

1/2 cup chopped Fresh Basil

2 Tbsp chopped Fresh Oregano

1 tsp sugar

1 – 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt (to taste)

6-7 twists of the Black Pepper grinder

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Fresh Basil chopped for garnish

Begin by just browning the pancetta pieces.

Add the olive oil and then the garlic and pork with heat at medium being careful not to let the garlic burn.

Just brown each side of the pork as it will cook thoroughly in the sauce. Remove the pork pieces, set aside, and add the onion, celery, and carrots. Stir occasionally and cook these vegetables about 5 min until just tender.

Then add the browned meat back to the pan followed by the wine.Scrape the bottom of the pan a little to release the small bits from the bottom of the pan, turning the meat to let the wine seep into both sides. Cook the wine for about 2-3 min at medium high and let it bubble.

Then add the San Marzano Tomatoes, and all herbs and remaining seasoning including the sugar. ( Loretta and Attilio would be taken aback by this last addition as they used to whisper “so and so puts sugar in their sauce” as if some law had been broken.) In ancient times, sugar was said to be used only by the wealthy as it was considered dear. In our household it was – GASP ! - the Cardinal Sin.

My personal take on this is that the sugar cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and adds a little balance to the sauce.

If you have a rind or a piece of one from your Parmigiano-Reggiano, go ahead and drop it in the sauce as it simmers! It will add another level of flavor.

Simmer this sauce on low heat for about 3 hours – stirring occasionally. I like to cover mine while simmering. You know it’s done when the meat is so tender that is falls easily from the bones.

When sauce is finished, remove the pork pieces to a separate dish. the meat should be falling off the bones and you might have to “fish” for it.

The next step is familiar to those especially in the South who make barbecue. Take 2 forks and gently use them to shred the meat pulling in opposite directions.

Discard the bones and the fat. You might want to stir a couple of tablespoons of the sauce into the meat. I like to keep the meat separate from the sauce until serving time.

To serve, prepare the gnocchi as directed in last week’s post “Making Gnocchi” and place it in a serving dish bathing it in the delicious sauce. I take the shredded pork and mound it in the middle.

Garnish with chopped Fresh Basil and present to your guests with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese.

This makes a large amount of sauce, so what you do not use can be frozen for another great pasta meal – perhaps with Pappardelle!

My favorite accompaniment to this meal is a Zenato Valpolicella Superiore Doc 2007. .

PARLA COME MANGI!

**Also: See the new November RECIPE OF THE MONTH on LINDA’S ITALIAN TABLE – for another great sauce recipe for GNOCCHI!

Food Photos by Tommy Hanks Photography

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Pasta Alla Norma — Or Not?

October 12, 2010 by Leave a Comment
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Buon Giorno!

Pasta alla Norma is one of the most tried and traditional of Italian pasta recipes. It is considered to be a Sicilian dish and one of much fame and discussion. Given my rather capricious nature, I have tweaked this Sicilian recipe to favor my taste and whim. Thus, today, we explore Pasta Not So Norma!

So the story goes, Vincenzo Bellini, the brilliant and prolific composer of operas, created his famous work, “Norma” based on a French story of a tragic heroine in two acts. Several Druids and high priestesses later, our heroine, Norma mounts a funeral pyre and is joined by her love, Pollione. The role of Norma is said to be very challenging even for the most accomplished of divas. It was the signature role of Maria Callas who performed it over 40 times during her career and showcased the lilting Casta Diva,( <click here to experience her memorable rendition)one of the most famous Italian operatic pieces. Sicilians in the 19th century so loved this opera and the pasta dish we discuss today, that the two became entwined forever.

Traditionally, Pasta alla Norma is made with a combination of fried eggplant, tomatoes, basil and some hot pepper, topped with shavings of the sharp and lovely Ricotta Salata.

I have seen this dish all sorts of ways including an interesting deconstructed version that was presented in a series of layers of the ingredient almost like a lasagna. I much prefer the ingredients combined as they seem to intensify the flavor of the sauce as they touch and mingle reaching a fantastic crescendo of intensity – a rather sexy dish!

My Pasta Not So Norma has a similar mix of ingredients with something more! There is nothing subtle or mild about this pasta. It has plenty of flavor which seems to increase when made a day ahead. Do we love that? Troppo Bella!

A note about eggplant: I know there are different notions about whether or not to press or salt eggplant to remove any bitterness. My recommendation is to always press your eggplant unless you are using a very mild or baby variety, and there are several – such as the beautiful Rosa Bianca pictured here. This eggplant, an heirloom variety very common in Italy, is sweet, tender, creamy tasting and would not need pressing.

Also see the more familiar “Black Beauty”, your average garden variety eggplant, shown here which can be found at any grocer. The “Black Beauty” is my choice for this recipe, as I prefer a stronger eggplant for this longer cooking sauce consisting of multiple ingredients.

A word about pressing eggplant to remove any bitter flavor: My mother, Loretta, used to slice her eggplant and layer it with paper towels in a baking dish or casserole topped with a plate. She would then put an iron or heavy cans of tomatoes on top to weight it down or press it. She left it to press overnight – Then the next day all of the bitter juices transferred to the paper towels leaving sweet eggplant slices.

 

I still use the pressing method as described here, but I have found that pressing for about 2-3 hours is enough. Some cooks choose not to press the eggplant. However, it seems a bit risky in that we never know how much bitterness the eggplant may contain. My results are always reliable when I press, and it’s so easy.

At this point, I suggest turning on that CD of Norma with Maria Callas pining away as you prepare your ingredients. Nothing like a good aria and a tragic figure going up in flames to help ignite your appetite, turn up the heat, and get those creative juices flowing.

PASTA NOT SO NORMA

Serves: 4

Prep: 20 minutes + time to press eggplant if needed

Cook: about 50 minutes

3 cloves chopped garlic

3 tbsp. olive oil

4 oz. pancetta chopped

1 green pepper chopped

1 Medium onion chopped

1 Medium Eggplant chopped into cubes – whether or not to skin the eggplant is your choice. (Press eggplant sliced thickly for a few hours or overnight – then chop)

1 28 oz can San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes preferred

1 tsp Kosher salt – more to your taste

Freshly ground black pepper

At least ½ c. chopped fresh basil (can also use parsley instead for a little different flavor)

2 Tbsp. Fresh Oregano ( if dried use less)

¾ c. pitted Kalamata, Cerignola Green or Gaeta Olives sliced in ½ (if using Gaetas – you might want to use a little less salt in the sauce)

1/2 to 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes – adding the heat reminiscent of Norma’s demise (according to your taste as to how much fire you prefer!)

Ricotta Salata or Pecorino Romano cheese shaved or grated

1 lb Fusilli Pugliese or Rigatoni

Make your sauce a day ahead!

Saute garlic in oil in a deep fry pan or pot for a couple of minutes – then add pancetta.

Cook for a couple of minutes until it crisps up; add onion, green pepper and eggplant. Cook til tender – about 8 minutes. When you first add the vegetables to the pan, it will look like a lot, but will reduce and cook down.

Crush your tomatoes with clean hands or a knife and fork and add tomatoes with juices to the vegetables.

Crushing the tomatoes this way keeps them a little chunkier than if canned crushed tomatoes are used.

Add red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, salt, black pepper and stir. Cover and simmer for about 40 minutes, adding the olives in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Give it a stir occasionally.

To serve: I like this sauce over Fusilli Pugliese (small rolled strands of pasta from the Puglia Region of Italy) or Rigatoni. I serve this dish in shallow bowls topped with coarsely grated or shaved Ricotta Salata or Pecorino Romano – sharp cheeses suited for spicy sauces.

Usually, this serves 4 with a pound of pasta. There will be plenty of sauce – so if serving 6, the sauce should accomodate – just increase your pasta amount to 1 1/2 lbs.

My daughter, Jessica, likes to put diced Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella on this when it is very hot along with the other cheeses.

Wine: Barbera d’Alba – I particularly like the Mauro Sebaste Barbera d’Alba Santa Rosalia. The perfect accompaniment to this dish.

PARLA COME MANGI!

Reminder: Be sure to visit my website,Linda’s Italian Table, for the new Recipe Of The Month!

Food Photos by Tommy Hanks Photography

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“I give a Fig About Figs!”

September 28, 2010 by 2 Comments
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Buon Giorno!

Welcome to our first post on MY ITALIAN DISH!

I hope you will enjoy our conversations about Italian cuisine in many forms and come back to visit me often, both here and on my website at www.lindasitaliantable.com It is said Mangia bene, vivi felice! (Eat well, live happy!) I certainly would agree with that, as some of my happiest memories revolve around a great meal shared with the people I love.

Today we’ll explore the virtues of of BAKED FIGS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND PANCETTA – one of my favorites!

When my beautiful and gifted graphics designer, Kadria, was working on my logo, she sent me an email concerning my request to incorporate figs in the design and titled it “I give a fig about your figs!” I thought this would be a most appropriate adaptation for the title of today’s chat.

Dish of Figs
Italians love the fig and truth is, I, too, have a passion for figs – dried and fresh. I especially love fresh figs, and unfortunately, they have a short season, appearing here in Atlanta sometime in July and extending into October. Our very talented photographer friend, Doc, from San Francisco visited last August during one of my fig frenzies. Doc usually watches his portions and rarely has seconds even when trying to humor me. I had baked some exceptionally sweet Mission figs and served them with before-dinner cocktails. His eyes lit up when they came out of the oven, and this careful eater was observed happily enjoying “thirds”. There is something about figs!

I remember later in September of last year, I hunted for some of these delights at Whole Foods and chased down the Produce Manager to complain about my unsuccessful search. He said he thought it might be a little late for them, but he would check into it. After much begging and gnashing of teeth, he assured me that he would find figs for me by the following Tuesday. Sure enough, they arrived – the very last ones I would see until this year. This season, we have been most fortunate to have found a wonderful friend here in Atlanta with a very prolific and beautiful fig tree, and he has generously shared his bounty of figs with us this year. Troppo Bella!


Figs are truly Mediterranean, though not in origin. It is thought that they originated in Western Asia and were taken to the Mediterranean region. They date as far back as ancient Roman times with Cato – for those who remember their Latin instruction – verifying at least six varieties known at the time. The remains of ancient figs dating back as far as 5000 BC have been found among archaeological sites existing in present times. Of course, there was even a mention of figs existing in the Garden of Eden, if one remembers the strategically placed fig leaves in the old oil paintings of Adam and Eve.  Perhaps if Eve had chosen a fig instead of an apple? Today, figs are grown all over Italy even among olive groves and vineyards generally for fresh local consumption and not for export.  At our markets, we usually find the more commonly exported Mission (dark), Calimyrna (greenish), and Turkey (green with red markings) Figs. Fresh figs should be used quickly at their sweetest, keeping in mind that they perish in short order.


Fig Tree, Poolside

I love the sweet season of figs, as it offers a myriad of opportunities to use and introduce the luscious and juicy fresh fig to almost any dish. I’m sure I could throw a fig into anything and be happy with the result.

With that in mind, let’s talk about some interesting ways I have used fresh figs. I find that a fig’s versatility lends itself to side dishes, stuffings – especially with game, appetizers, desserts and yes, even breakfast. They are a marvelous accompaniment to almost any roasted meat on their own or in a mixture of roasted vegetables.

Today, we’ll discuss fresh figs featured as the main event in an appetizer – Baked Figs with Goat Cheese and Pancetta. This is one of the less expected applications of this little wonder as one might not think of using figs with cocktails. On the contrary, their sweetness coupled with a savory blend of cheese and/or meat makes the fresh fig a perfect choice to be repeated throughout the season with cocktails or wine especially al fresco which is my personal favorite form of summertime entertaining. (Not to be confused with the fact that “al fresco” is an Italian slang term for “being in jail”) To add to the joy of serving these appetizer figs and the delight in hearing the oohs and ahs they will create, they are easy to make!

Baked Fresh Figs with Goat Cheese and Pancetta

1/4 lb chopped pancetta
For Fresh Figs – Figure about 3 halves per person (they are usually found in 8 oz. containers)
Drizzle of your favorite honey (My favorite is a local Wildflower variety from Hidden Springs in Williamson Ga.)
3-4 oz goat cheese
1/3 c. Toasted Walnuts – chopped small but coarsely – not fine
1/3 c. Fig Balsamic Vinegar (or any Balsamic would be fine) cooked down a little to thicken

Put a few drops of olive oil in pan and crisp up the pancetta. Remove pancetta pieces from pan and reserve.
Baked Figs
Place sliced halves of figs in oiled baking dish face up. Drizzle them with honey to your taste. Top with bits of goat cheese – I like to use the full 4 oz. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts and follow with crispy pancetta. Drizzle the figs with the thickened Fig Balsamic. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serves about 6.
I like to serve these with little forks (or salad forks) and small interesting appetizer dishes. Each one pops easily into the mouth so there is no need for knives.

NOW FOR THE TWIST-UP!

There are other ways to serve these same baked figs! Because of the fleeting season, I serve them often and differently.

I especially like to pair them with salads of mixed baby greens with Marcona Almonds and a simple Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar Dressing. The Fig Balsamic is lovely as well. They look so beautiful laying on the side or arranged on top of individual salad plates.

Another way to enjoy this recipe is as a side dish to roasted or grilled meats. They offer just the perfect combination of sweet and savory to go with lamb, pork, duck, sausage, game – you name it!

I have even served these very same little jewels for an amazingly different dessert. Italians are known for serving fruit and nuts for dessert and don’t generally prefer very sweet gooey desserts as we know them in this country. This same preparation of fresh figs is a perfect ending to a rich meal. I like to serve 3 of them on a small plate – with a shaving of dark chocolate and perhaps a biscotti. Of course, a lovely Vin Santo or Moscato alongside and,YES, an Espresso would make my night complete!

PARLA COME MANGI!

Food Photos by Tommy Hanks Photography

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