Category — Recipes

Last night, I taught a cooking class at Eataly, the new market and restaurant complex owned by Lidia and Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali. Since I spend most of my time working on my books and articles, it’s a treat for me to get out to teach, so I was delighted when Lidia invited me.

I love having the opportunity to meet new people, sharing what I have learned and finding out what the students want to know as far as cooking is concerned.  Their questions and thoughts on food get me thinking in new directions.  I always say, I learn so much from my students!  In between preparing the recipes for Capri Lemon Meatballs, Parmesan Walnut Wafers, Farinata, and Tuscan Salsa Rustica with crudites, some good questions came up and we had a lot of fun.

Here’s the recipe for the Parmesan Walnut Wafers.  I like to bake and serve half the dough, and freeze the rest for another time.  Baked, the wafers keep in a sealed container for a week.  Serve them with a glass of wine for a starter, or with salad or soup.

Parmesan Walnut Wafers

Makes 48

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

4 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into bits

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped

About 2 tablespoons milk

1 large egg

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cheese, and salt. With a pastry blender or a fork, blend in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the nuts.

2. In a small bowl, beat together the milk and egg. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Add more milk, a teaspoon or so at a time, if needed to moisten the dough. Squeeze the dough together and form it into a ball.

3. Cut the dough into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a 7-inch log and place each on a sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, 4 hours up to overnight.

4. Place a rack in the center of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter two large baking sheets.

5. Cut the logs into 1/4-inch slices and arrange the slices 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the biscuits are lightly browned around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Serve at room temperature. Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone 1,000 Italian Recipes

Alan Richman for The Italian Slow Cooker

It’s not often that the stars are in perfect alignment, or that two such stellar eating occasions as World Nutella Day and Superbowl Sunday occur on consecuive days. But since that is the case this coming weekend, I’m planning to  celebrate the event with Nutella Pizza and Slow Cooker Sandwiches.

Of course, the sandwiches don’t cook in the slow cooker, just the filling does.  In this case it is Chicken Parmesan, a fuss free recipe from a made ahead sauce, or if you must, you can use a store-bought one.  Homemade tomato sauce is not only infinitely better than store-bought, it is also a lot less expensive and better for you.  But we can talk about that more another day.

Here is the recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches from The Italian Slow Cooker.  The chicken poaches gently in the tomato and stays moist and tender.   Good Parmigiano-Reggiano,  sweet mozzarella, and fresh basil make it sing.  It doesn’t get much easier or more delicious than this!

CHICKEN PARMESAN HEROES

(adapted from The Italian Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone)

Serves 6

4 cups Sweet Tomato Sauce or Red Wine Tomato Sauce from The Italian Slow Cooker

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 6 slices

6 basil leaves

6 hero rolls

Pour the tomato sauce into a large slow cooker.  Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and place the pieces overlapping slightly in the sauce.   Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.

Sprinkle the chicken with the Parmigiano-Reggiano and top each piece with a slice of mozzarella and a basil leaf.  Cover and cook 15 minutes more or until the chicken is melted.

Cut the rolls partially open and fill each one with a chicken breast.  Cut the sandwiches in half.  Serve hot with lots of napkins.

After the sandwiches, try a gooey hot Nutella Pizza for dessert.  I first encountered these when Charles and I were writing our book, Pizza Any Way You Slice It! Chocolate lovers and pizza lovers can’t resist it.  I don’t think there is anybody else, is there?

It’s been so cold lately that I’ve got my slow cooker working overtime. All we seem to want to eat is soup, stew, vegetables — anything hearty, hot, rich and/or saucy.  Like this recipe from my book, THE ITALIAN SLOW COOKER–spareribs simmered in tomato sauce with spicy sausages.

A lot of cooks think of spareribs for barbecue, but they are also a great cut to simmer and stew.  With some meaty, juicy spareribs from the supermarket and plump, fresh Italian sausages, I’ll serve this tonight with polenta and steamed broccoli.  The recipe makes a lot, so I’ll cut up and reheat the leftovers and sauce to serve with pasta another day.  Today is the best day, though, since despite the fact that the temperature is in the low 20′s, my slow cooker will be perfuming the house all day long with mouth watering aromas!

SPARERIBS WITH SPICY SAUSAGES

Serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 pounds meaty spareribs, cut into individual ribs

3 hot (or sweet) Italian sausages

1 onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree

Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the meats in batches and brown them on all sides.  Place the browned meats in the slow cooker.  Add the chopped vegetables to the pan and cook, stirring until tender and golden.  Stir in the tomato puree and a pinch of salt and pepper scraping the bottom of the pan.  Bring the sauce to a simmer.  Pour it into the cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until the meat is falling away from the bones.  Serve hot.

When I was in Tuscany researching recipes for my book Italian Holiday Cooking a few years ago, I met a young woman who was a winemaker.  Like everyone else I met on that trip,  I asked her what foods her family prepared for the Christmas holidays, expecting her to name something old and traditional.  Instead, she looked a little embarrassed and said, “We are all so busy, we don’t have the time to do anything special.”  Disappointed, I replied, “But you have to eat something.”  ”Well,” she said, “we’ll make something easy like roast chicken and Seven P Pasta.”

My ears perked up.  ”What does that mean?” I asked, horrified at the thought of  seven green peas in a bowl of pasta.  But it turned out the seven “P’s” stand for the ingredients:  penne, pancetta, porri (leeks), pomodori (tomatoes), peperoncino (hot pepper), panna (cream) and Parmigiano Reggiano.

She told me how she made it and at home I gave it a try.   It was a big hit–just right for the holidays since it is really quick and easy, but it seemed special because of the cream and the leeks.  Since then, I always make sure I have the ingredients in the house during the holidays, ready to make this delicious pasta.  It may not be an old recipe, but it is a new tradition in our house.

Selvapiana Pasta with Seven P’s

Serves 4 to 6

1 medium tender leek

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 ounces sliced pancetta, chopped

1 small dried peperoncino, crumbled, or a pinch of crushed red pepper

2 cups drained canned Italian peeled tomatoes, chopped

Salt

1 pound penne rigati or other short ridged pasta

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Trim the leek and cut it in half lengthwise.  Rise well under cool running water, separating the layers to remove any grit.  Cut crosswise into thin slices.

2. In a nonreactive skillet large enough to hold all of the ingredients including the cooke pasta, combine the oil, pancetta, leek and peperoncino.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leek is tender, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the tomatoes and a pinch of salt.  Simmer for 10 minutes more or until thickened.

4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boiling over high heat.  Add the pasta and salt to taste and cook stirring frequently, until the pasta is tender yet firm to the bite.

5.  Just before the pasta is done stir the cream into the tomato mixture and bring it to a simmer over medium low heat.  Drain the pasta, reserving a small amount of the water.  Pour the pasta into the skillet and toss well, adding a little of the reserved water if it seems too dry.  Add the cheese and toss well.  Serve hot.

Copyright 2001 Italian Holiday Cooking by Michele Scicolone

Seems like everywhere I went in Italy in September I came across a new and different version of Spaghetti Carbonara.  This surprised me since I believe in leaving well enough alone, and a classic Spaghetti Carbonara is just perfect.  Why mess around with it?

The first new version I came across substituted cubes of swordfish instead of guanciale.  It sounded so weird, I had to try it.  What was I thinking?  Of course, the poor swordfish was completely overwhelmed by the pecorino and did not belong on the same plate.   The other versions I came across also found substitutes for the guanciale.  Is there a shortage somewhere of cured pork cheeks?  I don’t get it.

In an Italian cooking magazine, I spotted a version made with zucchini, which probably tastes okay, though maybe a little bland.  In a Roman restaurant, the waiter said the day’s special was a mix of Carbonara with la vignarola, the Roman vegetable stew that contains artichokes, peas, fava beans and onions.  That sounded like it had potential, though I did not order it. Nor did I try another variation that was being served at Michelin-starred Roman restaurant that involved a quail ragu ala Carbonara.   I was still scratching my head about that one back at home when a friend described to me a famous chef’s “diet version” of Spaghetti Carbonara, made with yogurt and bacon bits.

Basta!  That’s enough!   Spaghetti Carbonara is made with just a handful of ingredients:  guanciale (cured pork cheek) or pancetta (or bacon if you can’t find either), olive oil, eggs, pecorino romano, and black pepper.  Notice I did not say cream, which is an Americanizzazione. Some chefs here add it to keep the eggs from curdling, but it really detracts from the flavor.

I don’t think something as rich as Spaghetti Carbonara is something you should eat often, but if you are going to eat it, treat yourself to the real thing.  The rest of the time, you can have a perfectly satisfying but less calorific dish of pasta and vegetables.  And forget the bacon bits.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Romans credit the hard-working charcoal deliveryman as the inspiration for this quickly made pasta. They say the generous grinding of black pepper resembles specks of coal dust!

4 ounces guanciale or pancetta, cut into thick slices

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 large eggs

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 pound spaghetti or linguine

3/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Cut the pancetta into 1/4-inch pieces. Pour the oil into a skillet large enough to hold all of the cooked pasta. Add the pancetta. Cook over medium heat, until the pancetta is golden around the edges, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat.

2. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a generous amount of salt and pepper.

3. Bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, then the pasta, gently pushing it down until the pasta is completely covered with water. Stir well. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente, tender yet still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water.

4. Place the cooked pasta in the pan with the pancetta and toss well over medium heat. Add the eggs and a little of the cooking water. Toss gently until the pasta looks creamy. Sprinkle with cheese and more pepper. Toss well and serve immediately.

© 1,000 ITALIAN RECIPES by Michele Scicolone, John Wiley and Sons, 2004

Every year about this time, the market stalls at the  Greenmarket are piled high with sweet, burgundy red beets.  I lug home big bunches, roast them either in the slow cooker or in the oven, then toss them with vinaigrette, slice  them for composed salads, or saute them to make this gorgeous pasta.

Don’t let the way it looks scare you off.  Though it has no tomatoes, no cheese, no meat, or cream, it is full of flavor, really easy, and quite dazzling to behold.  I first came across it in a little beachside town in Emilia Romagna.  We had stopped at a busy trattoria for dinner.  All around me families were gobbling up bowls of pasta and piles of fried seafood.  Just then, a waiter dashed by with big steaming bowls of bright pink-red pasta.  When I finally flagged him down, I asked what it was.  With a laugh he replied, “Spaghetti with Rubies, Signora!”  Of course I ordered it and though it seemed so simple, it was unlike any other pasta I had tried.   I couldn’t get the recipe, but when I went home, I tried to figure out how to make it.   First, I tried boiling the pasta and beets in the same water but that didn’t do it.  Then I considered making fresh pasta from scratch with pureed beets.  But the one thing I was certain of was that the recipe was made with beets and boxed dried pasta.

Finally I came up with this recipe, a simple variation on Spaghetti Aglio Olio.  You can roast the beets a day or two ahead of time, then quickly saute the beets while the pasta is cooking.  The secret is the pasta cooking water.  When the pasta is ready, grab a cup and scoop out some water.  Drain the pasta and toss it in the pan with the beets and some of the hot, salty water.  Toss, toss, toss until the pasta is pink and just al dente.

I made it the other night for friends, followed by grilled swordfish steaks topped with a chopped fresh tomato and basil salsa and arugula sprouts.  It was a perfect end-of-summer meal.

SPAGHETTI WITH RUBIES

(Adapted from A Fresh Taste of Italy, by Michele Scicolone)

Serves 6

2 bunches of fresh beets (8 medium beets, about 2 pounds), tops and tails trimmed

1/3 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Pinch of crushed red pepper

Coarse salt to taste

1 pound spaghetti or linguine

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Divide the beets between two sheets of foil.  Wrap the beets in the foil and place them on a baking sheet.  Roast for 1 hour or until tender when pierced with a knife.

To prepare them in a slow cooker, place the trimmed beets in the cooker on high heat.  Cover and cook for 3 to 4 hours or until the beets are tender.

Let cool, then slip off the skins.  Chop coarsely.

In a skillet large enough to hold all of the pasta, combine the oil, garlic and red pepper.  Cook over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant, about one minute.  Add the beets and salt to taste.  Turn them in the oil until just heated through.

Bring a large pot of water to boiling.  Add the pasta and salt to taste.  Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is almost tender.  Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

Pour the pasta into the pan with the beets.  Add some of the pasta cooking water and toss well over medium heat, stirring constantly until the pasta is evenly colored, about 2 minutes. Serve hot.