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Baked Penne alla Norma for 6-8 people

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On May 1, 2025

In Pasta Dishes

This is a classic Sicilian recipe from the Catania region, featuring grilled sliced eggplant, tomato, Pecorino Romano, and Ricota Salata.  It was named after the composer of the opera Norma, Vincenzo Bellini, a native of Catania, Sicily. There are of course many versions of this recipe, this one is the best! The problem in the US is to find the “Italian ricotta salata.” The authentic Italian ricotta salata is a firm Italian cheese with a crumbly texture and a salty flavor.  You can find it in specialty stores– be sure NOT to use normal ricotta!

Miguel plates the Penne alla Norma

Miguel plates the Penne alla Norma.

 Ingredients

  • 6 large fresh eggplants.
  • 1 and half box of Penne, from a good pasta-maker, for example Mancini, Rummo, or Seggiano.
  • 1 box of chopped Italian tomatoes, such as Pomì (about 750 grams or 26 ounces).
  • ½ cup Pecorino Romano, grated.
  • A very large handful of fresh Italian basil.
  • ½ cup of plain bread crumbs.
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil.
  • 2 smashed cloves of garlic.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • A cup of coarsely ground salt, for sweating the eggplant.
  • Ricotta Salata -You need a big chunk that you will slice using a cheese slicer over the pasta at the very end when comes out of the oven—do not cook the Ricota salata.

Preparation

This recipe requires preparation of grilled fresh eggplant slices, combined with tomato sauce and the cheeses.  You can prepare the grilled eggplant a day in advance, storing the grilled eggplant slices in paper towels in your refrigerator.

Grilled Eggplants

 

Miguel slices eggplant for Penne alla Norma.

Miguel slices eggplant for Penne alla Norma.

 

The eggplants need to be sweated and grilled.

  1. Cut the eggplants longitudinally, with each slice about ½ cm thick. Generously sprinkle the eggplant slices with coarse salt and stack them into a large pan. Add a weight (for example, another heavy pot) on top of the eggplants, and allow them to sweat for about 30 minutes.
  2. Rinse and dry the eggplants.
  3. Put a large grill on the cooktop and bring it to high heat. Once it is very hot, baste the eggplant slices with olive oil and grill them, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Before you flip the eggplant slices, brush the side that was on top with a light layer of olive oil. As the eggplant slices are completed, place them on a layer of paper towels.

 

 

Prepare the Sauce and Assemble the Recipe

  1. Add ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil to a large skillet on medium-low heat. When the oil is hot, add the 2 smashed garlic cloves to the oil.  Allow them to cook for about 30 seconds and turn off the heat.  When the garlic cloves become golden, remove the garlic with a fork and discard.  Add 10-15 fresh basil leaves, followed by 1 box of Pomì chopped tomatoes (750 grams). Turn on the heat to medium-low and allow to cook slowly.
  2. Put a large pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil and heat the oven to 350°F.
  3. When the pasta water comes to a boil, add the box of penne along with a generous amount of salt. Cook the penne until about 2-3 minutes before the suggested cooking time, then drain it in a colander.  Rinse it with cold water for a few seconds.
  4. Pour the penne into a large mixing bowl and mix it with about 2/3 of the prepared pasta sauce (the rest of the pasta sauce is reserved for Step 7). Gently mix in the ½ cup of grated Pecorino Romano.

    Penne alla Norma preparation.

    Penne alla Norma is best when only small amounts of tomato sauce are used for each slice of grilled eggplant.

  5. Brush the inside of an 11 x 9 baking dish with olive oil. Cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of breadcrumbs, then add a layer of the grilled eggplant to cover the breadcrumbs. Spoon about a tablespoon of prepared sauce over each eggplant slice (do not use too much sauce) and add some basil -see photo.
  6. Add ½ of the mixed pasta/sauce/Pecorino Romano, then add another layer of the grilled eggplant slices. Using a large spoon, smooth a little bit of tomato sauce over the eggplant—do not not exaggerate the amount of sauce, it should be just a thin layer.
  7. Add the second half of the mixed pasta/sauce/Pecorino Romano and two large spoons of tomato sauce. Cover with a layer of grilled eggplant slices.  Cover with a thick layer of breadcrumbs and a thin layer of the remaining tomato sauce.
  8. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, uncovered.
  9. Remove from the over and slice the ricotta salata all over it. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over it, Enjoy.
  10. Buon appetito!

Italiano

La pasta Norma.  Ne ho provate tante, con melanzane a tocchetti, e via dicendo, fatela come dico io a saranno tutti contenti. Per 6-8 persone.

Ingredienti

  • 6 melanzane
  • 1acco e mezzo di penne (750 grammi)
  • un barattolo di pomodori pelati a pezzetti, tipo Pomì
  • Pecorino grattugiato circa 200 grammi
  • Tanto basilico
  • Un bel pezzo di ricotta salata
  • Aglio e olio

Preparazione

  1. Tagliate a fette longitudinali le melanzane, circa 0.5-1 cm centimetro di spessore. Salatele, mettete un peso di sopra e dopo circa 40 minuti sciacquatele e asciugatele.
  2. Spennellatele con un po’ d’olio e mettetele su una griglia caldissima che fuma, circa un minuto per lato. Prima di girarle spennellate il lato che andrà sulla griglia. Poi mettetele su caro assorbente.
  3. Soffriggete 2 spicchi d’aglio nell’olio con qualche foglia di basilico, togliete l’aglio aggiungete il pomodoro un po’ di sale, altro po’ di basilico e fate cucinare a fuoco medio.
  4. Accendete il forno a 350 F cioè (circa 175 C) e allo stesso tempo mettete l’acqua a bollire.
  5. Calate la pasta quando l’acqua bolle e scolatela 2-3 minuti prima del tempo di cottura raccomandato, raffreddatela un po’ sotto l’acqua, poi mettetela in una zuppiera e aggiungete 2 mestoli di sugo di pomodoro, il pecorino grattugiato e mischiate bene.
  6. Spalmate con un pennello il fondo della pentola da forno con olio, poi coprite con uno strato sottile di pane grattugiato poi coprite con un primo strato di melanzane, aggiungete un piccolo cucchiaio di pomodoro circa su ogni melanzana, un pugno di basilico che si distribuirà sul tutto e coprite con metà della pasta a aggiungete un mestolo di sugo di pomodoro distribuendolo in superfice. Ripetete l’operazione, melanzane, pomodoro, basilico, pasta, pomodoro. Poi mettete il terzo e ultimo strato di melanzane, coprite con un sottile strato di pan grattato, un cucchiaio di pomodoro spalmato su le fette di melanzana e infornate per circa 30 – 40 minuti.
  7. Togliete dal forno. Con un tagliastruzze da formaggio le affettate la ricotta salata, a coprire il tutto con un sottile strato di ricotta. Un filo d’olio, e buon appetito.

Zia Viviana’s Tomato Sauce (sugo)

By

On November 19, 2024

In Basics, Pasta Dishes

My Zia Viviana loved to cook great foods with simple recipes.  Her tomato sauce, with a hint of bell pepper, garlic and Calabrian peppers, is wonderful if you want to make a flavorful, full-bodied sauce to accompany meatballs, pasta, or just soak up with a slice of crusty warm bread.  

Ingredients

  • 1 28-ounce can of whole San Marzano Italian tomatoes
  • 1 whole clove of garlic, peeled and smashed
  • ¼ of a red bell pepper
  • 4 – 5 leaves of fresh basil
  • 1 hot red pepper (optional)
  • ¼ – ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil (added after the sauce has been cooked)

Preparation

  1. Put everything into a pot at the same time, leaving the tomatoes whole. Bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, lower the heat to simmer and cover, using a wooden spoon to keep the lid partially open.
  2. Allow it to cook slowly for about three hours.  Note that this cooking time is elastic — if you cook it a half hour more or less, it is still delicious.  You can also stop halfway, cover, and then continue when you come home from work or errands.
  3. After three hours, remove the cover, and let it continue to cook for another thirty minutes. Remove from the heat and add the extra virgin olive oil.  Use a potato masher to smash the tomatoes.
  4. Use this sauce for a great spaghetti or use it as the basis of the sauce for my meatball recipe.
  5. Buon appetito!

 

Italiano: Sugo di Zia Viviana

Ingredients

  • 1 scatola dei pomodori pelati San Marzano (800 grammi)
  • 1 spicchio d’aglio schiacciato
  • ¼ di un peperoni roso
  • 3 – 4 foglie di basilico
  • 1 – 2 peperoncini rossi piccanti, a seconda di quanto ti piace piccante
  • ½ tazza di olio d’oliva

Preparation

  1. Mettete tutti gli’ingredienti in una pentola contemporaneamente, lasciando i pomodori interi. Lasciarlo bollire. Appena bolle, abbassate la fiamma e coprite, aiutandovi con un cucchiaio di legno per mantenere il coperchio parzialmente aperto.
  2. Lasciare cuocere lentamente per circa tre ore.  Tieni presente che questo tempo di cottura è elastico: anche se lo cucini mezz’ora più o meno, è comunque delizioso. Puoi anche fermarti a metà strada, coprirti e poi continuare quando torni a casa dal lavoro o dalle commissioni.
  3. Dopo tre ore, togliete il coperchio e lasciate cuocere per altri trenta minuti.  Togliere dal fuoco e aggiungere l’olio extra vergine di oliva.  Usa uno schiacciapatate per schiacciare i pomodori.
  4. Usa questo sugo per degli ottimi spaghetti oppure usalo come base del sugo per la mia ricetta delle polpette.
  5. Buon appetito!

Tagliarini with Black Truffles (for 4 people)

By

On October 10, 2024

In Pasta Dishes

This recipe requires access to fresh truffles, which is never an easy proposition.  I have a good friend, Franco, who lives in a region in Northern Italy.  When the truffles are fresh, he brings them to me in Calabria, where I make this special pasta for my closest friends.

Ingredients

  • 1 box of tagliarini (250 grams) – Note, if you can find “tagliarini al tartufo,” use them

    A plate with grated truffle over pasta.

    A plate with grated truffle over pasta.

  • 2 black truffles: grate the rough “skin” in a way that leaves only the soft internal part
  • 3 black truffles, grated entirely
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 TB. olive oil
  • 110 g butter (1 stick)

 

Preparation

  1. In a medium bowl, mix the grated truffes with the 2 smashed cloves of garlic and olive oil. This mixture needs to have a consistency of thick cream, so add olive oil a few drops at a time and mix well until you’ve achieved a creamy consistency. Note that the smashed garlic cloves are still within the creamy mixture, but they are not crushed. The aroma from the garlic will continue to infuse the truffle/olive oil cream throughout the cooking process.
  2. Melt the butter with a tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sized skillet on low heat.
  3. In the meantime, add the tagliarini to the boiling water. Once it comes to a boil, add salt to the water.
  4. About 2 minutes before the pasta is fully cooked, drain the al dente tagliarini from the pot, reserving a cup of the boiling pasta water.
  5. Add ½ cup of pasta water to the melted butter in the skillet. Stir the water and butter together, then add the drained al dente tagliarini to the skillet. Mix well and cook on low heat for about a minute.

    Grating the black truffle over a plate of pasta.

    Grating the black truffle over a plate of pasta.

  6. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the truffle cream, and mix well 1 more minute. If necessary, add more of the reserved hot pasta water to prevent the tagliarini from sticking together. Add just a few drops of water at a time to the skillet so that do not end up with a thin broth!
  7. Add black pepper, mix well, and plate the pasta. Shave ½ of a truffle on each plate and serve immediately. (Some people like to add freshly grated Parmigiano cheese, but I prefer the pasta without it).
  8. Buon Appetito!

 

 

Italiano: Spaghetti con i tartufi neri (per 4 persone)

Ingredienti

  • 1 box taglierini 250g (meglio al tartufo)
  • 2 tartufi neri a cui grattate “la buccia” nera in maniera che resta solo la parte interna morbida
  • 3 tartufi neri che grattate interamente
  • ¼ tazza olio d’oliva
  • 110 g di burro (1 panetto)

Preparazione

  1. Mischiare i tartufi grattati con 2 spicchi d’aglio schiacciati e circa ¼ tazza di olio d’oliva. Deve diventare una cremata consistente, non liquida. Notare che gli spicchi d’aglio schiacciati sono ancora all’interno della miscela cremosa, ma non sono schiacciati. L’aroma dell’aglio continuerà a infondere la crema di tartufo/olio d’oliva durante tutto il processo di cottura.
  2. Sciogliere il burro con un cucchiaio d’olio d’oliva a fuoco al minimo in una padella grande. quando la pasta è pronta e bene al dente scolarla conservate un po’ d’acqua aggiungete circa ½ tazza di acqua al burro sciolto e la pasta e mischiate bene, fuoco minimo.
  3. Mischiate bene 1 minuto e poi spostate la padella su un fornello spento e freddo aggiungete la cremetta di tartufi e mischiate per un altro minuto – i taglierini assorbono molta acqua, perciò, tenetevi sempre pronti ad aggiungere altra acqua di cottura se necessario, ma attenti a non fare un brodo! Mettetene un po’ alla volta.
  4. Un po’ di pepe nero, impiattate e tagliate a scaglia sul piatto 1 – 2 tartufi rimasti (mezzo tartufo a persona) e buon appetito (ad alcuni piace mettere anche il parmigiano, secondo me è meglio senza).

Spaghetti with Shrimp, Arugula, Tomato, and Cream

By

On October 10, 2024

In Dr. Michele Carbone, Pasta Dishes

This is a quick recipe with fantastic results. It’s one of my preferred new recipes, and as you can see, I chose to serve it for a group of good friends just a few days ago. All of them loved it!

A dinner party with friends in Calabria featuring spaghetti with gamberi (shrimp), arugula, orange, and cream.

A dinner party with friends in Calabria featuring spaghetti with gamberi (shrimp), arugula, orange, and cream.

Ingredients

  • 1 box of spaghetti 500G
  • 20-25 large shrimp (4-5 per person depending how big they are)
  • ½ cup of olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, smashed
  • ¼ of cup parsley, minced
  • 2 – 4 hot red peppers -depending on how spicy you like to it
  • 1 box of arugula of 4 ounces (113grams), or so
  • 1 cup of chopped Italian tomatoes (Pomì or similar)
  • 1/3 of cup white wine
  • ½ cup of orange juice
  • Whipping cream

 

 

Preparation

  1. Make sure you have all the ingredients measured and ready to cook, because this is a sauce made while the spaghetti is boiling. Look at the box to see how long the spaghetti should cook: you will need to remove it from the pot about 2 minutes before it’s fully cooked, because it is finished with the sauce for the last 2 or 3 minutes of preparation, which is about 11 minutes after you have started cooking the sauce. The total cooking time is about 15 – 16 minutes from the time you have started cooking the pasta.
  2. Rinse the shrimp and slice through the back of each shell, but leave the shells on the shrimp because they add more flavor to the sauce.
  3. In a large pot for pasta, put water on to boil. Add a little to the water, if necessary, you can always add salt at the end.
  4. Soon after you put the spaghetti on the pot to cook, prepare the sauce. Use a large skillet to cook the sauce, which will take about 11 – 12 minutes before you add the al dente drained spaghetti.Put the olive oil, garlic and minced peppers, shrimp, arugola, and parsley into the skillet at the same time.  Turn the heat to high.
  5. After 2 minutes, turn the shrimp and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.
  6. Add the chopped tomatoes and wine, lower the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and put them in a covered bowl.

    Preparing the sauce with shrimp with arugula, tomato, orange juice, and cream.

    Preparing the sauce with shrimp with arugula, tomato, orange juice, and cream.

  7. Add the orange juice to the skillet, stirring well. Let it cook for another 3 minutes so some of the liquid evaporates. If necessary, increase the heat to high.
  8. Bring the heat to low and add the whipping cream a little bit at a time, stirring until the sauce becomes pink –not red, and not white, but pink. Let it simmer gently for another minute or so.
  9. The spaghetti that’s boiling in the pot should be very al dente (firm now). Drain it in a colander and quickly pour it into the skillet containing the sauce.  With the heat on high, stir the pasta in the sauce and cook for another 2 minutes – until the sauce is dense.
  10. Mix the reserved shrimp into the pot and serve immediately.

 

Italiano: Spaghetti con Rucola, Gamberi, Pomodori, e Panna

Ingredients

  • 1 box of spaghetti 500G
  • 20-25 gamberetti grandi (4-5 a persona a seconda della grandezza)
  • ½ tazza di olio d’oliva
  • 1 spicchio d’aglio schiacciato
  • ¼ di tazza di prezzemolo, tritato
  • 2 – 4 peperoncini rossi piccanti, a seconda di quanto ti piace piccante
  • 1 scatola di rucola da 4 once (113 grammi), circa
  • 1 tazza di pomodori italiani a pezzetti (Pomì o simili)
  • 1/3 di bicchiere di vino bianco
  • ½ tazza di succo d’arancia
  • Panna da montare

Preparation

  1. Assicurati di avere tutti gli ingredienti misurati e pronti per la cottura, perché si tratta di un sugo preparato mentre gli spaghetti bollono. Guardate nel riquadro per quanto tempo devono cuocere gli spaghetti: dovrete toglierli dalla pentola circa 2 minuti prima che siano completamente cotti, perché vengono cotti con il sugo negli ultimi 2 o 3 minuti di preparazione, ovvero circa 11 minuti dopo aver iniziato la cottura del sugo.  Il tempo di cottura totale è di circa 15 – 16 minuti dal momento in cui avete iniziato a cuocere la pasta.
  2. Sciacquare i gamberetti e tagliare la parte posteriore di ciascun guscio, ma lasciare i gusci sui gamberetti perché aggiungono più sapore alla salsa.
  3. In una pentola capiente per la pasta, mettere a bollire l’acqua.  Se necessario aggiungetene un po’ all’acqua, potete sempre aggiungere il sale alla fine.
  4. Subito dopo aver messo gli spaghetti in pentola a cuocere, preparate il sugo. Utilizzate una padella ampia per cuocere il sugo, che richiederà circa 11 – 12 minuti prima di aggiungere gli spaghetti scolati al dente.
  5. Mettere contemporaneamente nella padella l’olio d’oliva, l’aglio, i peperoni tritati, i gamberi, la rucola, e il prezzemolo.  Alza la fiamma al massimo. Dopo 2 minuti, girare i gamberi e continuare la cottura per altri 2 minuti.
  6. Aggiungere i pomodori tagliati a pezzi e il vino, abbassare la fiamma a una temperatura media e cuocere per 2 minuti.  Togliere i gamberi dalla padella e metterli in una ciotola coperta.
  7. Aggiungi il succo d’arancia nella padella, mescolando bene.  Lasciare cuocere per altri 3 minuti in modo che evapori parte del liquido. Se necessario, aumentare la fiamma al massimo.
  8. Portare la fiamma al minimo e aggiungere la panna un po’ alla volta, mescolando finché la salsa non diventa rosa, non rossa e non bianca, ma rosa. Lasciamo cuocere dolcemente per un altro minuto circa. Gli spaghetti che bollono in pentola dovranno essere molto al dente (sodi ormai).
  9. Scolatela in uno scolapasta e versatela velocemente nella padella contenente la salsa.  A fuoco alto, mantecate la pasta con la salsa e fate cuocere per altri 2 minuti, finché lo sugo non sarà denso.
  10. Mescolare i gamberetti messi da parte nella pentola e servire immediatamente.

Pesto Recipe (for 4 – or 6 if you are on a diet!)

By

On July 14, 2024

In Pasta Dishes

Spaghetti al Pesto

Spaghetti al Pesto

We Italians love pasta, even on the hottest days of summer. Summer pastas feature light, fresh herbs and vegetables that don’t need to be cooked. One of the most classic of these is the Spaghetti al Pesto, which features fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, a touch of garlic, and grated Italian cheeses.

There are lots of variations of pesto, but my favorite is the Calabrese version.  It omits the pine nuts that are a feature of the Genovese region, and instead substitutes a few potatoes and green beans. The flavors are delicious, and the starch from the potato not only helps the pesto bind to the pasta, but they absorb some of the olive oil and basil for a surprisingly piquant flavor.

I use a food processor to mix all of the ingredients for the sauce. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender.

Ingredients

  • A large bunch of fresh Italian basil (leaves only).
  • 3 Yukon (golden) potatoes, medium size cut in 6 chunks
  • 1 garlic clove
  • A handful of green beans, cut into bite-sized pieces (fresh or frozen)
  • ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil (make sure this is very good quality, because it makes a bit difference in this recipe)
  • ½ cup Pecorino cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 box of a good Italian pasta, either the traditional spaghetti, or the busiate, or a smaller shape like the orecchiette.

It’s important that you do not add butter, cream, or too much olive oil. You make the pesto smooth with water from the pot where the pasta is cooked!

Preparation

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water is at a hard boil, put the chunks of potatoes into the water.  Wait for a couple of minutes, and then add the full box of pasta and the green beans to the boiling water.  As soon as the water starts to boil again, stir with a long wooden spoon to make sure the noodles don’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
  2. Add a tablespoon of salt to the water.
  3. While the pasta cooks, make the pesto in your food processor:
    1. Put the basil leaves, pecorino, garlic clove, and olive oil into the food processor. Blend for a few seconds until the pesto is bright green and chunky.
    2. Once the pasta is almost ready, dip a cup into the boiling pasta water (uou need the gluten, this is why you use the water in which you are cooking the pasta, so if you are using a gluten free pasta the pesto will be of low quality) and add some of it to the sauce. Blend it. It must become a smooth cream. So, add more of the pasta water if you need it until you are satisfied with the texture of the pesto.  Remember, you can always add water, but you cannot take it out, so be careful not to make a broth!
  4. When the pasta is al dente, drain it through a colander, and then quickly pour it into a large pasta serving bowl.
  5. Add the pesto and mix the pesto, its potatoes and green beans, into the pasta.
  6. Plate the pasta and garnish with a leaf or two of basil.
  7. Buon appetito!

 

Beef Bone Broth

By

On October 18, 2023

In Basics, Broths and Soups

This is a beef bone broth recipe based on one shared on the New York Times Cooking site by Julia Moskin.  It creates a delicious, rich broth that we use in preparing any risotto requiring a meat broth.

You need to start this recipe at least one day in advance because it requires about 12 hours of cooking time.

Ingredients

  • A total of 6 lbs. of beef bones:
    • 1 1⁄2 pounds bone-in beef short rib
    • 3 1⁄2 pounds beef shank or oxtail (you can substitute beef knucklebones or neck bones for some of the oxtail)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tube of Italian tomato paste
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 red onions, halved and peeled
  • 1 head of garlic, excess skin removed, and the top chopped off to expose the cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 bunch of fresh Italian parsley
  • ½ bunch of thyme
  • 1 handful of dried mushrooms, preferably shitake; you can also use fresh shitake if you cannot find dried shitake (I use about 6 ounces of fresh shitake).
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns

Preparation

Start this recipe at least one day before you plan to use it.  Also, make sure you have some large freezer containers so that you can freeze the portion you don’t use.  I am usually able to get at least three dinner parties worth of broth from this recipe.

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°
  2. Put all the beef bones into a large roasting pan, and then drizzle with the olive oil. I use a brush to coat all sides of the bones and meat, then dip the same brush into a small bowl containing the tomato paste.  Lightly cover the bones with the olive oil and tomato paste.
  3. Place the pan, uncovered, into the oven and roast for 35 – 40 minutes.
  4. Once the bones are roasted, transfer the bones to a large stockpot (12-quarts).
  5. Pour a little cold water into the roasting pan and use a wooden spoon to mix all the remaining drippings from the bottom of the roasting pan. Pour the water mixed with drippings over the bones, then add enough cold water to cover the bones by about 3 inches.  Add the vinegar.
  6. Bring to a rapid boil, then reduce to a simmer, leaving the stockpot uncovered. Simmer for 2 to 3 ho
    Meat broth

    Meat broth after simmering many hours.

    urs uncovered, occasionally skimming the fat from the top.

  7. Now add another 3-4 inches of water, along with all the vegetables and herbs. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and allow the stock to simmer for a minimum of 4 hours, but preferably overnight for 9 to 12 hours.  If the broth evaporates too much, add more water, and turn down the heat.If you are uncomfortable with letting the stock go all night, you can fully cover the pot overnight, leaving the pot on the cooktop.  In the morning, bring the ingredients to a boil, then uncover and reduce to a simmer for the remaining hours.  The process of heating and then cooling, then heating again helps add more flavor, in my opinion.
  8. Allow the broth to cool.
  9. Strain the broth from the bones and vegetables with a fine mesh sieve. If you are like my husband, you will put the beef and bones along with the carrots and celery onto a platter, then add some salt and pepper to it. It’s a great meaty dish.

Brodo di Carne (Italiano)

Questa è una ricetta per il brodo di ossa di manzo basata su quella condivisa sul sito di cucina del New York Times da Julia Moskin. Crea un brodo delizioso e ricco che utilizziamo nella preparazione di qualsiasi risotto che richieda brodo di carne.

È necessario iniziare questa ricetta almeno un giorno prima perché richiede circa 12 ore di cottura.

Ingredienti

  • Un totale di 2.5 kili di ossa di manzo
    • 1 kilo di costolette di manzo con osso
    • 1 kilo di stinco di manzo o coda di bue (puoi sostituire parte della coda di bue con astragali o ossa del collo)
  • 2 cucchiai di olio extravergine di oliva
  • 1/2 tubo di concentrato di pomodoro italiano
  • 60 ml di aceto di mele
  • 3 carote, sbucciate e tagliate grossolanamente in pezzi da 2 pollici
  • 3 gambi di sedano, tagliati grossolanamente in pezzi da 2 pollici
  • 2 cipolle rosse, tagliate a metà e sbucciate
  • 1 testa d’aglio, privata della pelle in eccesso e della parte superiore tagliata per esporre gli spicchi
  • 2 foglie di alloro
  • 1 mazzetto di prezzemolo fresco
  • ½ mazzetto di timo
  • 1 manciata di funghi secchi, preferibilmente shitake; puoi anche usare lo shitake fresco se non riesci a trovare lo shitake essiccato (io uso circa 6 once di shitake fresco)
  • 1 cucchiaio di pepe nero in grani

Preparazione

Iniziate questa ricetta almeno un giorno prima di pensare di usarla. Inoltre, assicurati di avere dei contenitori freezer grandi in modo da poter congelare la porzione che non usi. Di solito riesco a ottenere almeno tre cene di brodo da questa ricetta.

  1. Preriscaldare il forno a 180°
  2. Metti tutte le ossa di manzo in una grande teglia e poi condisci con l’olio d’oliva. Uso un pennello per rivestire tutti i lati delle ossa e della carne; quindi, immergo lo stesso pennello in una piccola ciotola contenente il concentrato di pomodoro. Coprire leggermente tutte le ossa con l’olio d’oliva e il concentrato di pomodoro.
  3. Metti la teglia, scoperta, nel forno e arrostisci per 35 – 40 minuti.
  4. Una volta arrostite le ossa, trasferirle in una pentola capiente (12 litri).
  5. Versa un po’ d’acqua fredda nella teglia e usa un cucchiaio di legno per mescolare tutti i liquidi rimasti sul fondo della teglia. Versare l’acqua mescolata con i residui sulle ossa, quindi aggiungere abbastanza acqua fredda per coprire le ossa di circa 3 pollici. Aggiungi l’aceto.
  6. Portare a ebollizione rapida, quindi ridurre a fuoco lento, lasciando la pentola scoperta. Cuocere a fuoco lento per 2 o 3 ore senza coperchio, scremando di tanto in tanto il grasso dalla parte superiore.

    Meat broth

    Brodo di carne.

  7. Ora aggiungi altri 3-4 pollici di acqua, insieme a tutte le verdure e le erbe aromatiche. Portare a ebollizione, quindi ridurre il fuoco a fuoco lento. Copri parzialmente la pentola e lascia sobbollire il brodo per almeno 4 ore, ma preferibilmente durante la notte per 9-12 ore. Se il brodo evapora troppo, aggiungete altra acqua e abbassate la fiamma.
  8. Se non ti senti a tuo agio nel lasciare il brodo tutta la notte, puoi coprire completamente la pentola durante la notte, lasciandola sul piano cottura. Al mattino portare a ebollizione gli ingredienti, quindi scoprire e far cuocere a fuoco lento per le restanti ore. Secondo me, il processo di riscaldamento, quindi raffreddamento e successivo riscaldamento aiuta ad aggiungere più sapore.
  9. Lasciare raffreddare il brodo.

Filtrare il brodo delle ossa e delle verdure con un colino a maglia fine. Se sei come mio marito, metterai la carne di manzo e le ossa insieme alle carote e al sedano su un piatto, quindi aggiungerai sale e pepe. È un ottimo piatto di carne.

Spaghetti with Black Squid Ink, Venetian Version

By

On September 28, 2023

In Fish, Pasta Dishes

This is the Venetian version, which I prefer because of its stronger “sea” flavor. Be sure to wear a large napkin to protect yourself from stains from the black ink! As for the wine, how about a Greco di Tufo by Benito Ferrara -if you can find it—or, a good Pinot Grigio or a Verdicchio!

This is a very easy and quick recipe to prepare.

Ingredients

  • 1 box of spaghetti (500 grams)
  • 1 lb. of squid (500 grams), tubes and tentacles
  • 1/3 cup olive oil (80 ml olive oil)
  • ½ sweet onion, or you may also use chopped green onions
  • 3 – 4 black ink squid bladders or 2-3 teaspoons of frozen black ink
  • ½ cup of good-quality white wine (120 ml), such as a Pinot Grigio
  • 1/3 cup of Italian parsley, finely minced
  • Optional: 1 or more red hot peppers (if you like it spicy)

Preparation

  1. In a large pot for pasta, put water on to boil. Do not add salt, because the squid ink is salty, so add little to no salt to the water, if necessary, you can always add salt at the end.
  2. As you put the pot on to boil, and before you add the pasta to the pot, use a large skillet to cook the sauce, which will take about 20 minutes total. Heat the olive oil at medium-high heat and add the chopped onion for about 1 minute.
  3. Add the squid, bringing the heat to high for about 2 minutes, moving the squid around to cook on all sides.
  4. Add ½ of the minced parsley and the optional red pepper. Then add the white wine and lower the heat to medium-low.
  5. By this time, your pot of water for the spaghetti should be boiling, so add the pasta to the pot and give it a quick stir as soon as it comes to a boil.
  6. Continue cooking the squid on medium-low until the pasta is very al dente (firm, but almost completely cooked, about 3 to 4 minutes before the cooking time on the box of pasta). Add the squid ink to the skillet where you are cooking the sauce. How much ink?

    Enough for the spaghetti to turn completely black, not gray.

  7. If the squid sauce begins to get dry, add a little bit of water from the pot of boiling pasta.
  8. Immediately after, when the pasta is still very al dente, drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta-water (which contains starch), transfer the pasta in the pan with squids, and adding water as necessary keep mixing well for about 3-5 minutes (this is why it is critical to drain the pasta when is still a little bit hard or you will end up with overcooked pasta). Once all the water is absorbed, and you have a thick sauce, remove from the heat.
  9. Add remaining parsley, mix well, and enjoy!

 

Italiano: Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia (alla Veneziana)

Ingredienti

  • 500 g. spaghetti o bigoli
  • 500 g. seppie (tagliate i tubi a rondelle+ tentacoli)
  • Circa 3 vescichette col nero di seppia, oppure 2-3 cucchiai di nero surgelato
  • ½ cipolla dolce oppure scalogno a pezzetti
  • Prezzemolo, vino bianco e se vi piace peperoncino rosso

Preparazione

  1. Mettete l’acqua per la pasta a bollire-poco o niente sale perché il nero di seppia è un po’ salato.
  2. Mettete in una padella capiente -deve accogliere gli spaghetti alla fine- l’olio d’oliva, quando è caldo aggiungete la cipolla a pezzetti 1 minuto a fuoco medio alto.
  3. Aggiungete le seppie, e cuocete altri due minuti girando spesso.
  4. Aggiungete metà del prezzemolo tritato fino, il peperoncino (se vi piace, a me si), mischiate bene e poi mezzo bicchiere di vino bianco, abbassate il fuoco a medio-basso.
  5. Più o meno a questo punto l’acqua bolle: calate la pasta.
  6. Continuate a cuocere le seppie aggiungendo l’acqua della pasta come necessario perché sia sempre un po’ liquida.
  7. Quando la pasta è a circa 3-4 min dalla fine della cottura, cioè molto al dente, aggiungete il nero di seppia e anche un po’ d’acqua della pasta nella pentola dove state cuocendo le seppie, alzate il fuoco e mischiate bene 1 min.

    Quanto nero?

    Abbastanza perché la pasta diventi completamente nera, non grigia!

  8. Immediatamente dopo, scolate la pasta tenendo da parte almeno una tazza di acqua.
  9. Versate la pasta nella pentola con le seppie e continuate a mischiare aggiungendo acqua come necessario finche non è pronta e la salsa asciutta. Spegnete il fuoco aggiungete il resto del prezzemolo, mischiate bene e buon appetito.

 

Vino: Greco di Tufo di Benito Ferrara, se lo trovate.

 

Meatballs “Polpette” (for 4 people)

By

On September 4, 2023

In Entrees

First, don’t eat these with pasta! You eat them “alone” with bread instead.

This is a great dish loved by both children and adults.  It’s the perfect dish to get a child involved in cooking.

Ingredients

Meatballs
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs made from 2-day old bread
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 lb. ground meat (I prefer Bison, but you can use any meat you like).
  • 3 oz. mortadella, minced
  • 4 egg yolks
  • A pinch of nutmeg
  • Zest of two lemons
  • 1 Tb. Freshly minced Italian parsley
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 2 Tb. extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
Tomato Sauce

The tomato sauce you use when cooking the meatballs is flexible.  You can make a very simple basic sauce (sugo), as described here. Alternatively, you can cook my Zia Viviana’s zesty tomato sauce and use it as a slightly more piquant sauce for your meatballs.

  1. 1 box of Pomì chopped tomatoes
  2. 1 – 2 cloves of fresh garlic smashed
  3. 2 Tb. Chopped fresh Italian parsley or basil, whatever you prefer
  4. ¼ cup olive oil

Preparation

Prepare the Meatballs
  1. Make fresh breadcrumbs by pulling apart the soft middle of 2–3-day old fresh bread. These crumbs need to be soft, not firm like those in a typical container of “breadcrumbs” sold at the supermarket.
  2. Mince the breadcrumbs and put them into a bowl with the milk.  Leave them in the milk for 3 – 5 minutes, then squeeze out the milk.  Add them to a large bowl containing all the other ingredients.
  3. Mix the meat, spices, breadcrumbs, etc. well, using your hands. Once the ingredients are mixed, form meatballs of about the size of a golf ball. (I did a little experiment and weighed a few of the meatballs before cooking them. They each weighed about 33 grams (a little over 1 ounce each) on my kitchen scale). Place the meatballs on a large plate as you prepare the sauce.

Prepare the Tomato Sauce

  1. Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat to medium.
  2. When the olive oil is warm, add the smashed garlic cloves.
  3. Allow the garlic to turn golden; then remove all the garlic, using a fork.
  4. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the basil and the meatballs, cover, and cook on medium.
  5. After about 10 minutes, gently turn the meatballs over. Re-cover and allow to cook for another 10 minutes. This cooking time may vary depending on how well-cooked you prefer your meat.
  6. Serve immediately with some good fresh bread.
  7. Buon appetito!

 

Italiano: Polpette con sugo di pomodoro

Ingredienti

Polpette
  • 1 tazza molliche di pane fatte con pane Vecchio di 1-2 giorni
  • 1 tazza di latte intero
  • 450 g carne macinata (preferisco il bisonte, ma qualunque carne magra va bene)
  • 80 g. mortadella, a pezzettini
  • 4 rossi d’uovo
  • 1 cucchiaino di caffè di noce moscata
  • La buccia grattata di 2 limoni
  • 2 cucchiai di prezzemolo tritato
  • 1 spicchi d’aglio tritato
  • 2 cucchiai di olio d’oliva extra vergine
  • Sale e pepe
Sugo di Pomodoro
  • 1 scatola di 1 kg pomodori latterini o Pomì a pezzetti (meglio se avete la Conserva di pomodoro 1 kg)
  • 2 spicchi d’aglio, schiacciati
  • Circa ½ tazza di olio extravergine di oliva
  • 1 peperoncino piccante calabrese italiano o, tritato (facoltativo) o altro Thai peperoncino, etc.
  • Una manciata di basilico italiano fresco tritato
  • Sale e pepe a piacere

Preparazione

Prepare le Polpette
  1. Mettete le molliche a mollo in una tazza di latte, per circa 5-10 min, poi strizzatele -senza esagerare- e usando le mani mischiatele con tutti gli altri ingredienti in una ciotola capiente.
  2. Quando gli ingredienti sono mischiati bene, fate delle polpette della grandezza di una palla da golf. Ho fatto un piccolo esperimento e ho pesato alcune polpette prima di cuocerle. Ciascuno pesava circa 33 grammi.
Prepare il Sugo
  1. Aggiungere l’olio d’oliva in una padella fuoco medio alto.
  2. Quando l’olio d’oliva è caldo, aggiungere aglio schiacciato.
  3. Lasciare che l’aglio diventi dorato; quindi toglierlo.
  4. Aggiungere la polpa di pomodoro and cuocete 2-3 minuti a fuoco medio. Aggiungete basilico e le polpette. Coprite.
  5. Dopo 10 minuti, girate le polpette e coprite di nuovo, per 10 minuti. Sempre coperto -ma se il sugo vi pare troppo lento allora togliete il coperchio così si asciuga, sempre a fuoco medio. Le polpette sono pronte, buon appetito.
  6. Servire subito con pane fresco
  7. Buon appetito!

“Sticky” Potatoes, or Patate Impacchiuse (for 4 people)

By

On August 24, 2023

In Side Dishes

This is an old Calabrian recipe, and I love it. My guests love it, too. I often prepare this as a hearty appetizer, particularly when the weather is cool.

Use a cast-iron skillet that has a good-fitting cover.

Use yellow (Yukon) potatoes, cut in slices of about ¼ inch (½ cm).  Use 1 or 2 potatoes per person -depending on size of the potato, what else you are cooking etc.

Ingredients

  • 2 – 8 Yukon potatoes, sliced about ¼ inch.
  • 2 cloves of garlic, sliced.
  • 2 Tb. Extra virgin olive oil.
  • 2-3 hot peppers, for example Calabrian red peppers or Thai peppers.
  • Salt and pepper

Preparation

  1. Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat to medium.
  2. When the olive oil is warm, add the sliced garlic cloves.
  3. Allow the garlic to turn golden; then remove all the garlic, using a fork.
  4. Add the hot chili peppers and saute for a minute.
  5. Add the potatoes, mix them so that each has a light coating of olive oil, then fry on medium/high 2 to 3 minute per side (i.e., until they get a gold to slight brown patina on the outside, NOT black).
  6. Cover the pot and cook on low for about 15 minutes.  Do not stir or mix, let them stick (impacchiuse means sticky).  Mix the potatoes gently– -try not to break them—so that those that were on top go on bottom and cover again.  Continue cooking on low heat for another 10 minutes.
  7. Remove the lid, and if the potatoes released water and so there seems to be liquid in the skillet, cook on medium high 2 minutes per side until the liquid evaporates.
  8. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

 

Italiano: Patate Impacchiuse

Ingredienti

  • 2 – 8 potate, tipo “Yukon”
  • Sale e pepe a piacere
  • 2 spicchi d’aglio, schiacciati
  • 120 ml di olio extravergine di oliva
  • 2 – 3 peperoncino piccante calabrese italiano o, tritato (facoltativo) o altro Thai piccante, etc.

Preparazione

  1. Aggiungere l’olio d’oliva in una padella fuoco medio alto.
  2. Quando l’olio d’oliva è caldo, aggiungere aglio schiacciato.
  3. Lasciare che l’aglio diventi dorato; quindi toglierlo.
  4. Add the hot chili peppers and saute for a minute.
  5. Add the potatoes, mix them so that each has a light coating of olive oil, then fry on medium/high 2 to 3 minute per side (i.e., until they get a gold to slight brown patina on the outside, NOT black).
  6. Cover the pot and cook on low for about 15 minutes. Do not stir or mix, let them stick (impacchiuse means sticky).  Mix the potatoes gently– -try not to break them—so that those that were on top go on bottom and cover again.  Continue cooking on low heat for another 10 minutes.
  7. Remove the lid, and if the potatoes released water and so there seems to be liquid in the skillet, cook on medium high 2 minutes per side until the liquid evaporates.

Bon appetito!

Betti’s No-Knead Bread

By

On June 13, 2023

In Dr. Michele Carbone

 

No-knead bread

Home made bread is the best!

We started making bread at home when one of our favorite shops stopped making the type of bread we preferred — a crusty loaf with an airy middle.  After searching for recipes and a fair amount of experimentation, we found that this recipe works best for us.  We make it several times a week, with an extra loaf or two before friends come over for dinner.  It’s always a hit!

  • Yield One 1 loaf of bread (1/2 lb.)
  • Time 1 hour 30 minutes, plus about 20 hours’ resting time

This recipe is largely based on Mark Bittman’s original No-Knead bread recipe, one of the most popular recipes The Times has ever published, courtesy of Jim Lahey, owner of Sullivan Street Bakery (here’s the recipe link: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11376-no-knead-bread).

While Mark Bittman’s original recipe did not require any kneading, the bread becomes airier when a small amount of kneading is done during the 18+ hour fermentation process.  See my variations on this great original Bittman recipe below.

Cooking Time

  • 45 minutes, plus 18+ hour fermentation

Ingredients if Using Active Dry Yeast

  • 430 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
  • 2-3 teaspoons sea salt
  • 390 ml lukewarm water (between 105°F and 115°F on an instant-read thermometer)
    • I use my kitchen scale to weigh the water as I pour it into the bowl with the flour, salt, and yeast.  One ml of water weighs 1 gram, so it’s easy. I simply zero the scale after mixing the dry ingredients, then turn it on to measure 390 grams of water as I add them to the mixing bowl.

NOTE: If you are making this with all whole-wheat flour, use 420 ml of water, because the whole wheat flour needs a bit more water.

Preparation

  1. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl combine flour, yeast, and salt. Use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients thoroughly.
  2. Add the lukewarm water (105°F to 115°F) and stir with a wooden spoon until  it’s blended; the dough will be shaggy and sticky.
  3. Cover the bowl with a tight-fitting lid or with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for twenty minutes.
  4. Remove the lid/wrap, wet your hands with warm water from the kitchen faucet, and then reach into the bowl to pull the dough from the outside edge to the middle. Rotate the bowl as you pull the dough until you have rotated the bowl completely around (360-degree rotation), and then quickly flip the dough upside down. Re-cover the dough to prevent it from drying out.
  5. Let the dough rise another for another twenty to thirty minutes, then repeat the “pulling” process.  Repeat this “pulling process” another couple of times, for a total of 4 times.
  6. Cover the bowl and put it into the refrigerator for at between 8 to 12 hours.  You can keep it in the refrigerator up to 36 hours, but I like it best after 12 hours.
  7. Remove the bowl from the refrigerator at least 6 – 10 hours before you plan to bake the bread.
  8. Wet your fingers so the dough won’t stick to them,  and then fold the dough over itself once or twice while it remains in the same bowl in which you allowed it to rise in the refrigerator. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap (or with the container’s lid) and let it rest another 15 – 20 minutes.
  9. Wet your fingers again, then form the dough into a ball.  Cover the container, or loosely place plastic wrap over it if you don’t have a container, allow it to rise at room temperature for 6-8 hours, until you plan to bake it.
  10. When it is ready, the dough will be at least double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
  11. At least a half-hour before you plan to bake the bread, heat oven to 450°F. Put a 6-to-8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven as it heats. (This is especially important if you are using a ceramic pan because it will break if it does not heat in the oven from cool to 450°F).
  12. When the oven is pre-heated, carefully remove the heated bread pot from the oven. If you don’t have a silicone dough sling (or parchment paper) to lay at the bottom of the bread pan, sprinkle a little bit of flour on the bottom and sides of the pot to help prevent the cooked bread from sticking.
  13. Quickly wet your fings and quickly and gently lift the dough from the bowl where it’s been rising, and place the dough directly into the hot bread pan.   It may look like a mess, but that is okay. Shake the pan once or twice if the dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover the pan/ceramic pot with its lid and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake another 15 minutes (or so), until the loaf is beautifully browned.
  14. As soon as you remove the bread from the oven, remove it from the hot baking pan. Cool it on a rack (or on the cool burners of your stovetop) so that air can flow around it for at least 10 minutes.Keep in mind that bread making with a non-commercial oven requires that you adapt to circumstances such as your altitude and humidity. If you live at sea level in a humid environment, you may need to reduce the water added to the dough.  If your bread is consistently too “wet” in the middle after cooking it the usual 45 minutes, you can put it back into the oven at 350°F for another 10 minutes.  This usually resolves the problem of it being too “wet.”

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