Michele-Carbone-New-Cover

Rigatoni or Paccheri in Oxtail sauce

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On April 20, 2021

In Dr. Michele Carbone, Pasta Dishes

This typical Roman dish is phenomenal.  If you never ate oxtail, it’s time for you to try it! It is easy to make but takes time –although there is nothing you need to do after the first 20 minutes of work. You can leave the house for 3-4 hours or so if needed while the dish cooks slowly, so for my lifestyle, it’s a perfect dish to prepare in a weekend.

Ingredients

  • 600 grams rigatoni or paccheri rigati (you can use any pasta, but these are the types I recommend)
  • 3 lbs (1.5 kg, or about 6-8 pieces) of oxtail, each about 2 inches tick
  • ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • 2 Calabrese or Thai peppers minced
  • ½ cup parsley, minced
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 150 g pancetta or guanciale (both work) and about 100 ml olive oil
  • 1 box peeled tomatoes chopped, Pomì (about 750 grams)
  • 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
  • Salt
  • A good pot; best iron pot, I use a Staub

Preparation

  1. Sauté the garlic in olive oil over medium-low heat together with pancetta. As soon as the garlic cloves become golden, remove it with a fork or a slotted spoon.
  2. Add the chopped onion, parsley and hot pepper.
  3. Turn the heat to medium/low and sauté the onion until it starts to become translucent.
  4. Bring the heat to medium-high/high, add the pieces of oxtail and brown each side for about 3 minutes.
  5. Add 1 cup of white wine, mix well, and wait 2 minutes so most of it evaporates.
  6. Add chopped tomatoes, salt lightly, reduce the heat to low or very low depending on your stove. Cover and cook for 5 hours mixing every hour or so.
  7. Remove the cover and dry up the liquid, till it becomes thicker, “creamy.”
  8. In the meantime, cook the pasta, remove very al dente, about 2minutes before you would normally remove from heat. Drain it and pour into the pot with the sauce from which you removed the pieces of oxtail.
  9. Turn the heat to high, and mix the pasta and the sauce continuously 3 minutes.Sug0 Con Coda Alla Vaccarina 1
  10. Remove from the heat, add the freshly grated Pecorino cheese and mix well.
  11. Put a piece of oxtail in the center of the dish, add pasts on top and enjoy!

 

Italiano: Oxtail Rigatoni strascicati nella coda alla vaccinara

Tipico piatto di Roma.  Meraviglioso, se non lo avete mai provato, fatelo!

Ingredienti (per 4-6 persone)

  • 600 g di Rigatoni o paccheri
  • 1.5 kg cioè 6-8 pezzi di coda a pezzi alti circa 3 – 4 cm
  • 2 spicchi d’aglio
  • 1 cipolla media, tritata
  • Prezzemolo
  • Un bicchiere di vino bianco
  • 150 g di pancetta
  • 1 pacco di Pomì schiacciati o altri pelati (circa 750 g)
  • 120 ml olio d’oliva
  • Sale
  • Circa 200 grammi Pecorino grattato
  • Una buona casseruola meglio se di ferro/ghisa con coperchio (tipo Staub)

Preparazione

  1. Soffriggere aglio in circa 100 ml di olio d’oliva l’olio, appena prende colore toglierlo e aggiungere la pancetta a dadini di circa 2 x 1 cm, la cipolla tritata, prezzemolo tritato e peperoncino. Abbassare il fuoco
  2. Appena la cipolla comincia a essere translucida aggiungere i pezzi di coda e fare rosolare a fuoco forte circa 3 minuti per lato.
  3. Aggiungere 1 bicchiere di vino bianco, fuoco forte, girare circa 2 minuti.
  4. Aggiungere 1 scatolo di Pomì, salare –poco- coprire e abbassare il fuoco a minimo, circa 5 ore, finché la carne si stacca dall’osso premendo col cucchiaio. Poi alzare un po’ il coperchio per ridurre il liquido all’essenziale per girarci dentro la pasta, cioè deve essere un sugo non un brodo
  5. Lessate la pasta toglietela molto al dente e ripassatela nel sugo da cui avrete rimosso la coda per circa 3 minuti a fuoco forte.
  6. Aggiungere Pecorino o Parmigiano, come preferite (io preferisco Pecorino).
  7. Mettere un pezzo di coda nel centro del piatto versarci sopra la pasta e buon appetito.

 

Michele Carbone pappa al pomodoro

Pappa al Pomodoro (for 6)

By

On April 20, 2021

In Broths and Soups

This evening, I made the “pappa al pomodoro”, a simple, wonderful Italian soup that my mother used to make.  It’s made with stale bread, tomatoes, basil and vegetable broth. It was great! 

For some reason, in the U.S., I have never seen this delicious meal in any Italian restaurant. Actually, unless I go to Florence, I cannot even find it in Italy because it’s a Tuscan soup.

The soup is very easy to make, and I substitute Pomì tomatoes for the fresh tomatoes that are traditionally used. Kids love this hearty soup, and adults like it even more! It takes 30 minutes to make, and the amounts suggested in this recipe easily feed 6. If you double up the ingredients, in 30 minutes, you feed 12 or more.

Ingredients

  • 300 grams Italian “rustic type” bread (ciabatta, for example) — old bread is fine — cut into thin slices
  • 500 gram peeled Italian tomatoes, a box of Pomì chopped tomatoes, or fresh tomatoes put in a food processor and roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 liter broth, either vegetable (traditional recipe) or chicken (my preference)
  • 1/3 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
  • A bunch of basil, chopped
  • Salt to taste

Preparation

  1. Fry garlic in oil on low heat until it takes on a golden color. Remove the garlic from the olive oil.
  2. Add the tomatoes and basil and cook on medium/high for 15 minutes.
  3. In the meantime, bring the broth to boil in a separate pen. When you’ve cooked the tomatoes and basil for 15 minutes, add the broth bring fire to high/max.  Add the bread and let it cook 10 more minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon. Taste and adjust with salt as needed.
  4. Turn off the heat, mix and let it sit for at least 1 hour. Mix again and serve, or if you are eating it many hours later, heat it up on low/medium flame.
  5. Serve the pappa at a warm (not hot) temperature. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to each bowl of soup as you serve it. Do not add parmesan cheese.

Italiano: Pappa al Pomodoro

Ingredienti

  • 300 grammi di pane di casa tagliato a fettine sottili
  • 500 grammi pomodori pelati, meglio conserva fatta in casa
  • 2 spicchi d’aglio schiacciati
  • 1 litro di brodo- la ricetta originale suggerisce brodo vegetale, io preferisco brodo di pollo, vedete che preferite voi
  • 80 ml di olio buono
  • Un mazzetto di basilico tritato (meglio un pò di più che di meno!)
  • Sale

Preparazione

  1. Friggete aglio in olio toglierlo come prende colore aggiunge i pomodori pelati e basilico e cuocer a fuoco medio alto 15 minuti.
  2. Intanto avete portato il brodo a bollore, aggiungetelo alla salsa di pomodoro, alzate il fuoco al massimo e mettete il pane tagliato a fettine.
  3. Fate cuocere 10 minuti rimestando spesso e spegnete il fuoco. Aggiustate di sale. Fate riposare un’ora.
  4. La pappa si serve tiepida –non bollente!- con un filo d’olio e niente formaggio per carità. Se e` fredda potete riscaldarla, coperta a fuoco medio basso.

Suggested Wine Pairing

A simple Rosso di Montalcino or a Chianti pairs very well with this hearty soup.

 

 

Skillet Bruschetta with Beans and Greens

By

On April 20, 2021

In Antipasti, Side Dishes

I read cooking magazines and cookbooks, and, every once in a while, I find something good.  This recipe improves a recipe that I learned from a friend in New York City.

Recipe from bonappetit.com

Ingredients

  • 8 ¾-inch thick slices crusty bread
  • 6 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • Two cans of 15 oz each of cannellini beans, rinsed
  • 1 bunch kaleor mustard greens, ribs removed, leaves cut into bite-size pieces
  • ½ cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Preparation

  1. Brush the pieces of bread on both sides with 4 tablespoons of oil total, and place in a large preheated skillet over medium heat.
  2. Working in 2 batches, cook the bread, pressing occasionally to enhance the crispiness until golden brown, which should take about 2-3 minutes per side.
  3. Season the toasted pieces of bread with salt and pepper, and set aside.
  4. Now, increase the heat to medium-high and heat the remaining 2 TB.s of olive oil in the same skillet. Add the thinly sliced garlic and red pepper flakes, and stir until fragrant. Then, add the cannellini beans, stirring occasionally, until they begin to blister, which should take about 3 minutes.
  5. Using a spoon, lightly mash half of the beans, and add kale and broth, tossing frequently until the kale has been wilted.
  6. Add lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Serve the now finished beans and greens mixture over the toasted bread.

Italiano: Bruschetta con fagioli e verdure

Leggo riviste o libri di cucina e ogni tanto trovo qualcosa di buono. Questa ricetta migliora quella che usavo prima che avevo imparato da un amico a New York.

Ingredienti

  • 8 fette di pane croccanti, spesse 1 cm
  • 6 cucchiai di olio d’oliva, diviso
  • Sale e pepe macinato fresco
  • 2 spicchi d’aglio, tagliati a fettine sottili
  • ½ cucchiaino di peperoncino rosso tritato
  • 2 lattine di fagioli cannellini sciacquati (800 grammi in totale),
  • 1 mazzo di cavolo nero (1/2 kg), le foglie tagliate a pezzettini
  • 250 ml di brodo vegetale o di pollo
  • 1 cucchiaio di succo di limone fresco

Preparazione

  1. Spennellate il pane da ogni lato con 4 cucchiai di olio in totale e mettetelo in un’ampia padella preriscaldata a fuoco medio.
  2. Cuocere il pane, premendo di tanto in tanto per esaltarne la croccantezza fino a doratura, che dovrebbe impiegare circa 3 minuti per lato.
  3. Condire i pezzi di pane tostati con sale e pepe e mettere da parte.
  4. Aumentare la fiamma a medio-alta e riscalda i restanti 2 TB di olio d’oliva nella stessa padella. Aggiungere l’aglio tagliato a fettine sottili e le scaglie di peperoncino e mescolare fino a renderli fragranti, 1 min. Quindi, aggiungere i fagioli cannellini, mescolando di tanto in tanto, fino a quando non iniziano a formare bolle, circa 3 minuti.
  5. Usando un cucchiaio, schiacciare leggermente metà dei fagioli e aggiungere il cavolo nero e il brodo, mescolando spesso finché il cavolo non è appassito.
  6. Aggiungere il succo di limone e condire con sale e pepe. Servire fagioli e verdure sul pane tostato.

Photo from http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/skillet-bruschetta-with-beans-and-greens

Basic Tomato Sauce (Sugo Simplice)

By

On April 20, 2021

In Basics, Pasta Dishes

Basic Tomato Sauce (for 4 – 6 people)

I use a basic tomato sauce as the basis for many recipes.  Whether you want to make a lasagna, an eggplant parmigiana, or a fast pasta for a group of hungry kids, use this recipe.  It literally takes less than 10 minutes to prepare, especially if you are using canned Italian plum tomatoes.

Ingredients

  • 1 can of Italian plum tomatoes (chopped), or a box of Pomì chopped tomatoes
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Calabrian red hot pepper or a Thai pepper, minced (optional)
  • A handful of chopped fresh Italian basil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make this Recipe

  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 of the garlic, using a fork.
  4. Add the chopped tomatoes and basil and bring the heat to high. Add salt and pepper. Stir the ingredients together and allow to cook about 5  minutes.  DO NOT OVERCOOK!
  5. Turn fire off.
  6. If you are using this as a sauce for another dish, you can use it immediately. If you are using it as a pasta sauce, mix with spaghetti or other pasta, add freshly grated Parmigiano cheese, and enjoy!

Italiano: Sugo Semplice

Uso una salsa di pomodoro base come base per molte ricette. Che tu voglia fare una lasagna, una parmigiana di melanzane o una pasta veloce per un gruppo di ragazzini affamati, usa questa ricetta. Ci vogliono meno di 10 minuti, soprattutto se si utilizzano pomodori a tatterini in scatola.

Ingredienti

  • 1 scatola di pomodori datterini italiani (tritati) o una scatola di pomodori Pomì a pezzetti
  • 2 spicchi d’aglio, schiacciati
  • 120 ml di olio extravergine di oliva
  • 1 peperoncino piccante calabrese italiano o, tritato (facoltativo) o altro Thai pepper, etc.
  • Una manciata di basilico italiano fresco tritato
  • Sale e pepe a piacere

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. Aggiungere la polpa di pomodoro e il basilico e portare la fiamma al massimo. Aggiungi sale e pepe. Mescolate gli ingredienti e lasciate cuocere per 5 minuti. NON CUOCERE TROPPO!
  5. Spegnere il fuoco.
  6. Se lo usi come salsa per un altro piatto, puoi usarlo immediatamente. Se lo usi come condimento per la pasta, mescola con gli spaghetti o altra pasta, aggiungi il Parmigiano grattugiato fresco e buon appetito!

Spaghetti with Orange, Mint, and Cointreau (the best pasta of Italy in 2000)

By

On April 20, 2021

In Dr. Michele Carbone, Fish, Pasta Dishes

Linguine With Orange And Anchovy 1This pasta reminds me of summertime, with its lovely scent of orange and mint.  It’s a recipe that can only be made in small portions, so don’t try to increase the measures in this recipe. It’s my friend Makana’s favorite pasta, and I made it for his birthday just a few weeks ago.

Ingredients

  • 400 grams of spaghetti or linguine
  • ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, smashed
  • Approximately 200 grams (0.4 pounds) of chopped anchovies, preferably the anchovies preserved in salt
  • The pulp from 2 oranges – no seeds, peel, or pith. The best tool for this task is a grapefruit segmenter tool, because it allows you to obtain the fruit without any of the skin around it.  I personally use a special citrus knife, but found this great little tool online: the Zyliss Twist & Scoop Grapefruit tool – https://www.zyliss.com/store/products/zyliss-twist-scoop-grapefruit-tool-e910033u.htm
  • 1 handful of freshly chopped mint, minced
  • 1 handful of plain breadcrumbs (please avoid those with “Italian spices”)
  • ¼ cup Cointreau

Preparation

  1. Prep all of your ingredients so that you can work quickly.
  2. While you are cooking the spaghetti or linguine, start cooking the sauce.
  3. Pour ½ cup of extra virgin Italian olive oil into a skillet and add the smashed garlic clove. On medium heat, gently sauté the garlic until it becomes golden andremove it from the skillet.
  4. Add the chopped anchovy filets to the skillet for about 2 minutes, the anchovy will dissolve  into a fine creamy texture in the oil.
  5. Add the orange slices, mixing them well with the olive oil and anchovy.
  6. Add the breadcrumbs and Cointreau, continuing to mix with a wooden spoon. The texture of the sauce should be creamy. As soon as the sauce turns from liquid begins to tick/creamy, remove the skillet from the heat.
  7. Pour the sauce into a large bowl, then add the pasta. Add the minced mint to the bowl, and gently combine all the ingredients.
  8. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Italiano: Spaghetti in salsa d’arancio (meglio pasta d’Italia 2000)

 Per 4 persone, 400g di spaghetti o linguine

  • 120 ml. di olio d’oliva
  • 1 spicchio d’aglio schiacciato
  • Circa 200 g di alici sotto sale, sciacquate e da cui avrete rimosso la spina centrale, a pezzettini.
  • 2 arance –polpa solo, niente semi niente buccia o bianco
  • 1 pugno di menta tritata
  • 1 pugno di pane grattugiato
  • 60 ml Cointreau

Preparazione

  1. Soffriggere aglio nell’olio, toglierlo come diventa dorato.
  2. Aggiungere i filetti di alici tritate, fuoco medio alto, circa 2 minuti.
  3. Appena diventano una crema aggiungere le arance a pezzetti, mischiare e aggiungere il pan grattato e il Cointreau (per carità, non usate il Gran Marnier!).
  4. Appena il liquido si ritira e il tutto è una crema, ma ancora un po’ liquida non completamente asciutta, spegnere e rimuovere la padella dal fornello caldo.
  5. Mischiare la pasta in questo ben di Dio aggiungere la menta a pezzettini e buon appetito

 

 

Fennel and Orange Salad

By

On April 20, 2021

In Dr. Michele Carbone, Side Dishes

This is a wonderful refreshing salad, typical of the South of Italy.  It goes very well after you eat any heavy food—pork, fish, whatever—to cleanse the palate and be ready for the next dish.  It is a constant in my twelve-course Christmas dinner, and it is always rated as one of the best dishes. It’s easy to make; I’ve never found someone who does not like it.

Michele Carbone fennel and orange salad

Our friend Ameilia prepared this beautiful presentation of fennels and oranges

Ingredients

  • 4 – 6 Naval oranges or better, “blood” oranges
  • 4 – 6 fennel bulbs, with the stalks attached –be sure the fennel looks good when you buy it, that is fresh, which means it  does not have brown spots.
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

 

 

How to Make this Recipe

  1. Peel the oranges, removing the pith.
  2. Slice into very thin rounds (it helps if you have a very good, sharp knife)
  3. Clean the fennel, preserving a few of the feathery fronds for decorative effect when serving
  4. Slice off the bottom of the bulb to remove the tough end, and you may want to peel off the outer layer of the bulb if the outer layer feels rubbery or wilted.
  5. As the the orange, slice the fennel bulb into very thin rounds.
  6. Now create a decorative series of layers, as our friend Amelia did with the photo shown above. She used a little bit of the lacy frond to plant a little “tree” in the center of the orange and fennel slices.
  7. Drizzle with high quality extra-virgin olive oil. If you prepare this in advance, you can drizzle with the olive oil and then cover with plastic wrap. Don’t add the salt and pepper until immediately before you serve the salad.
  8. Buon appetito!

Italiano: Finocchio e Arance

Questa meravigliosa insalata rinfrescante, è tipica del Sud Italia. Va molto bene dopo aver mangiato qualsiasi cibo pesante – maiale, pesce, qualunque cosa – per pulire il palato ed essere pronto per il piatto successivo. È una costante nella mia cena di Natale di dodici portate ed è sempre considerato uno dei migliori piatti. È facile da realizzare; Non ho mai trovato qualcuno a cui non piaccia

  • 4 – 6 arance senza semi, meglio rosse
  • 4 – 6 finocchi
  • Olio d’oliva
  • Pepe nero e sale

Preparazione

  1. Tagliare finocchi e arance come da fotografia, aggiungere un po’, non troppo olio, sale e pepe nero.
  2. Buon appetito!

 

Risotto with Fresh Mushrooms

By

On April 20, 2021

In Risotto

Risotto with Fresh Mushrooms

If you have some good fresh mushrooms, you can make a fantastic risotto using a variation of the recipe for the funghi porcini.  My friend Arty brought over some Chanterelle mushrooms, which provide a nutty, bright taste.  I combined them with a few dried porcini mushrooms to intensify the flavor.

Risotto With Chanterelle Mushrooms 1

Risotto with fresh Chanterelle Mushrooms

Many supermarkets now carry packages of “gourmet” or “chef’s choice” mushrooms, which provide exotic combinations of fresh mushrooms. They are all good in a risotto – the only mushroom you should consider carefully is the Shiitake mushroom, because its flavor is a little too strong for a risotto.

Ingredients for 4-6 people – depending on how much you eat!

  • A couple of handfuls of sliced fresh mushrooms (2-3 handfuls, depending on the number of people you are serving. 2 handfuls is enough for 4-6 people).
  • ¼ cup of dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in tepid broth for about 20 minutes (optional)
  • 1⁄3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 handful of minced Italian flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 spicy pepper, such as an Italian pepperoncino from Calabria or a Thai pepper
  • Salt and freshly grated black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
  • Optional: 50 g or so of butter (if you find truffle butter at your local market, and your guests all like the flavor of truffles,  use truffle butter instead of regular butter)
  • 3 ½ cups of risotto, Carnaroli preferred (1 box of 450 grams)
  • About 1 and half liter of chicken broth, brought to a low boil in a medium sized saucepan (this is incorporated in the risotto).

Preparation

  1. If you are also adding dried porcini mushrooms to the recipe, soak the dried funghi porcini in tepid/warm chicken broth for about 30 minutes.
  2. Slice the fresh mushrooms.
  3. Heat the chicken broth to a low boil in a pot. Keep the broth on a low boil or simmer throughout the recipe; the broth is incorporated into the rice one cup at a time: must be very hot when it is added.
  4. In a large heavy pan, add 1⁄3 cup olive oil and 2 cloves of smashed garlic. Sauté the garlic cloves gently until they take on a golden color.
    1. While the garlic is being sautéed, squeeze the broth from the mushrooms that have been soaking and chop them. Reserve the broth so that you can incorporate it into the risotto later.
  5. Discard the garlic and add the finely-chopped parsley and spicy pepper (chopped very fine). Allow the flavors to combine for 30 seconds to a minute on low heat. Reserve a little bit of the chopped parsley for a garnish when you serve the risotto.
  6. Add the risotto, bringing the heat to high. Toast the risotto in the pan for 1 and half minutes, stirring so that each grain of rice is coated in the oil.
  7. Add the chopped mushrooms and the chopped, reconstituted funghi porcini to the pot and continue stir continuously for about 2 and half minutes.
  8. Add 1 cup of white wine, and continue to stir until the wine has been incorporated and the alcohol evaporates (30 seconds or so).
  9. If you soaked the optional dried porcini mushrooms, add the broth they soaked in to the pan.  Stir the mushrooms and risotto until the broth is incorporated.
  10. Now start adding the heated broth, using a scoop or ladle to add it to the pan with the rice, 1 cup at a time. Keep stirring the risotto as it incorporates the broth.  You stir to make sure that each grain of rice is exposed to the broth and heats as it cooks.
  11. Continue adding broth, 1 cup at a time, until the risotto is ready. This usually takes about 20 – 25 minutes.  The risotto should be slightly firm – you don’t want it to get mushy. remember that it will continue to cook for a little bit after you turn the fire off, so turn off the heat 2 minutes before you think the risotto is ready.
  12. When the heat is off, add ½ cup of the grated Parmigiano and you may stir in the optional truffle butter.
  13. Sprinkle with the reserved chopped parsley. Put the rest of the grated Parmigiano in a small bowl so that you can serve at the table, allowing your guests to add more to their risotto if they like.  (Americans tend to use more Parmigiano on their pastas and risottos than Italians).

Wines: Barbaresco or Barolo, or other wine made with Nebbiolo grapes

Italiano

Italiano

Il risotto ai porcini o altri funghi freschi richiede brodo di pollo fatto in casa, porcini veri, tanto amore e poco o niente burro.

  1. Soffriggere aglio in olio (80 ml di olio) rimuovere aglio aggiungere prezzemolo e peperoncino, 30 secondi, aggiungere -450 grammi di riso carnaroli per 4 – 7 persone- cuocere a fuoco medio/alto 2 minuti, aggiungere i porcini freschi
  2. Fuoco forte 1 minuto.
  3. Aggiungere 1 bicchiere di vino bianco, fuoco forte, 1 minuto massimo, poi aggiungere il resto dell’acqua in cui avere rinvenuto i porcini –sarà circa “1 cup”, e poi abbassando un po’ il fuoco a medio/alto un po’ per volta brodo di pollo finché il risotto è quasi pronto.

Spegnere il fuoco 1 – 2 minuti prima che è pronto–il risotto continuerà a cuocere un po’, aggiungere parmigiano, pepe nero e se vi piace

 

Ceviche

By

On April 20, 2021

In Antipasti, Entrees, Fish

You do not need to go to Mexico to eat a great ceviche.  Actually, it’s very easy to make!  My ceviche of course is outstanding.  It is a great dish, always, but especially if you are on a diet, it is the right thing to eat: low in calories, yet you feel good after eating it and do not go to bed dreaming of food.

Ceviche

Ceviche with scallops, pear tomatoes, cilantro, and avocado.

Ceviche can be served as an entree or as appetizer in a formal dinner.

Here the food is cooked with acid rather than fire, but practically speaking is still fully cooked food.

 

 

So this is how you make it.

Ingredients (for 4 to six appetizer portions)

  • 2 pounds of lemons or limes
  • 1 pound of sea scallops, or mixed fish. You can use any fish you want: swordfish, tuna, clams, shrimp, etc. The only thing is, if you use fish other than scallops, double the time you marinate the fish in lemon/lime.
  • 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, minced
  • 8 oz of pear tomatoes, sliced in halves. A mix of yellow, orange, and red pear tomatoes makes the dish more colorful.
  • 3 ripe avocados, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces.
  • 1 TB. extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup of tomatillo sauce (homemade or from a store – I use the tomatillo sauce from Frontera Grill that contains Jalapeño )
  • 1 Jalapeño pepper, minced –only if you are not already using a tomatillo sauce that contains it
  • Salt to taste (I like to use black salt, which looks better when it’s served)

Preparation

  1. Squeeze the lemons or limes into a glass bowl
  2. If you are using scallops, slice them perpendicularly, about 4 slices per scallop. If you are using other fish, cut into bite-sized pieces no more ½ cm thick, not more or it will take a long time to cook.  Put in the glass bowl and be sure there is enough lemon juice to cover the fish entirely.
  3. Gently mix and cover with plastic. Put in the fridge for about 30 minutes for scallops, and up to 2 hours for other fish –the thicker you cut the fish the longer it takes to cook in lemon. Do not  “overcook” the fish as it marinades in the lemon/lime juice. Drain the lemon and either use or keep covered in the refrigerator until you need it, so you can prepare in the morning and eat the evening for example.
  4. Separately, mince the cilantro, cut the pear tomatoes into 2 or 4 pieces (depending on size), and peel and cut avocado in slices 1 inches long, 3 – 4 mm thick.
  5. Put in a separate bowl, add ½ cup of tomatillo sauce, and 1 or more minced jalapeño peppers.
  6. Mix these ingredients together just before you are ready to eat.
  7. Put the scallops/fish in a bowl, add the reserved tomato/cilantro/avocado/tomatillo mixture; add 1 TB. olive oil and black salt to taste, and gently mix the ingredients together.
  8. Serve individual portions in a nice cup or bowl over a piece of lettuce as garnish, as the picture below demonstrates.Ceviche In Bowls

 

 

 

Italiano: Ceviche

Non è necessario andare in Messico per mangiare una ottima ceviche. In realtà, è molto facile da realizzare! La mia ceviche ovviamente è eccezionale. È un ottimo piatto, sempre, ma soprattutto se sei a dieta, povero di calorie, eppure ti senti bene dopo averlo mangiato e non vai a letto sognando spaghetti e bistecche.

La ceviche può essere servita come antipasto o come primo o come secondo, va sempre bene.

Il pesce e1 cotto, solo che e cotto nell’acido anziché nel fuoco, ma pesce cotto, non crudo!

Ingredienti (per 4-6 porzioni per antipasto)

  • 1 kilo di limoni o lime (dipende però da quanto sugo hanno).
  • 1/2 kg di capesante (muscoli) di mare o pesce misto. Puoi usare qualsiasi pesce: pesce spada, tonno, vongole, gamberi, ecc. L’unica cosa è che, se usi pesce invece che capesante, raddoppia o triplica il tempo di marinatura  del pesce nel limone/lime.
  • 1 mazzetto di coriandolo fresco, tritato
  • Circa 225 grammi di pomodori a pera, tagliati a metà. Un mix di pomodori pera gialli, arancioni e rossi rende il piatto più colorato e bello.
  • 3 avocadi maturi, sbucciati e tagliati a pezzetti.
  • 1 cucchiaio olio extravergine d’oliva
  • ½ tazza di salsa tomatillo (fatta in casa o da un negozio – io uso la salsa tomatillo di Frontera Grill che però già contiene il Jalapeño)
  • 1 peperone Jalapeño, tritato (se non usi una salsa tomatillo che lo ha già)
  • Sale qb (meglio il sale nero Hawaiiano che rende il piatto più bello)

Preparazione

  1. Spremi i limoni o lime –è la stessa cosa! – in una ciotola di vetro.
  2. Se usi le capesante, affettale perpendicolarmente, circa 4 fette per capasanta. Se usi altro pesce, taglialo a pezzetti di meno mezzo cm di spessore –più è spesso più lungo deve cuocere nel limone).
  3. Immergi nel limone. Le capesante o altro pesce a fettine deve essere interamente sommerse nel limone/lime. Mescola delicatamente e copri con della plastica. Metti in frigo per mezz’ora e fino a 2 ore se è pesce. Attenzione a non “cuocere troppo” il pesce nel succo di limone / lime. Quando è cotto puoi mangiarlo subito, o scoli il limone e lo tieni in frigo fino a ora di cena.
  4. A parte, tritare il coriandolo, tagliare i pomodori a pera in 2 o 4 pezzi (a seconda delle dimensioni) e sbucciare e poi tagliare l’avocado a cubetti di circa 2 cm.
  5. Mettere in una ciotola, aggiungere ½ tazza di salsa tomatillo e 1 Jalapeño tritato.
  6. Aggiungere 1 cucchiaio di olio d’oliva e sale nero.
  7. Scolare le capesante / pesce in uno scolapasta, mettere le capesante / pesce in una ciotola, aggiungere la miscela riservata di pomodoro/coriandolo/avocado/tomatillo e mescolare.
  8. Servire ogni porzione in una bella coppa di vetro su una foglia di lettuga, vedi foto.

 

Spaghetti with Nduja (for 4)

By

On April 19, 2021

In Pasta Dishes

Nduja - Delizie di Calabria

Nduja – Delizie di Calabria

Nduja is a spreadable sausage made in Calabria mixed with Calabrian hot peppers.  It used to be impossible to get except in Calabria, but now you can easily buy it on the Internet, even in the US.  If you like spicy flavors, and you want to try something really good and unique, buy some Nduja, and do as I say since I grew up eating it.

In short, Nduja has all it needs, do not add anything to it!

Ingredients

  • 1 box (500 grams) of spaghetti
  • Approximately 200 grams of Nduja
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • That is all you need to make 5 people very happy.

Preparation

Preparation

  1. Fill a pot with a little less water than you usually use for boiling pasta and turn the heat to high. The reason you do not want too much water is that you will use some of it, and you want the water to have enough starch.
  2. When the water boils, add the pasta and stir it to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Add salt once the water comes to a boil.
  3. In the meantime, put a skillet on the stovetop. Add the Nduja, and bring the heat to low/simmer. Using a wooden spoon, break up the Nduja to release the fat.
  4. When the pasta is very “al dente” (about 2 minutes less than the cooking time specified on the package), remove 1 cup of the water it has been cooking in and set aside. Drain the pasta, then pour it into the skillet containing the Nduja, keeping the heat on low.
  5. Mix the pasta with the Nduja and add ½ cup of the reserved boiling water, stirring gently for 2-3 minutes. If necessary, add some more of the reserved water.  Don’t add any cheese!
  6. Enjoy!

Italiano: Spaghetti con la Nduja (4 persone)

Tipico piatto calabrese, spesso rovinato da preparazioni complicate.  Questo è un piatto semplice e cosi va mangiato.

Ingredienti

  • 400 grammi di spaghetti
  • 200 grammi di Nduja
  • 1 cucchiaio d’olio d’oliva buono

Preparazione

  1. Calate gli spaghetti in una pentola con non troppa acqua.
  2. Allo stesso tempo mettete in una padella un cucchiaio d’olio e l’Nduja, fuoco al minimo e con un cucchiaio di legno aiutate l’Nduja a sciogliersi.
  3. Quando gli spaghetti sono molto al dente, rimuovete 1 tazza di acqua dalla pentola con la pasta, scolate la pasta e mischiatela con l’Nduja e ½ tazza dell’acqua dalla pentola.
  4. Girate bene 2-3 minuti, aggiungendo acqua se vi pare secca.
  5. Niente altro per favore.
  6. Buon appetito!

 

Erbazzone, a savory pie made with bitter greens

By

On April 17, 2021

In Antipasti

Erbazzone

Savory kale pie

This is one of Betti’s favorite recipes, and she makes it once a week.  Betti’s version is based on Lynne Rossetto Kasper’s recipe in The Splendid Table, a collection of fabulous recipes from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.

The erbazzone is basically a shepard’s pie made with a simple crust and filled with bitter greens, parmigiano and pancetta, seasoned with a touch of spicy red pepper.  If you want to make a vegetarian version of the recipe, you can omit the pancetta, substituting chunks of a chopped, cooked potato in place of the pancetta in the filling (Michele calls this a “sad erbazzone”).   It’s a terrific appetizer for a crowd of hungry people, but it’s also a good meal on its own.  It even tastes good with a mug of coffee in the morning.

Ingredients:

Crust

  • 2 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 5 Tablespoons of cold vegetable shortening – I think the best is the hard shortening that you can buy from Whole Foods. If you don’t have that on hand, refrigerate 5 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1/3 to ½ cup of ice water

Filling

  • 2-3 bunches of fresh kale, or 1 and ½ bags of frozen, chopped kale or other bitter greens (for example, collard greens are also good)
  • 8 ounces of chopped pancetta (you can buy the packets at Whole Foods)
    • Reserve about 2 ounces of the chopped pancetta, mincing it and placing in a saucer until later.
  • ½ sweet onion (Maui onion is best), chopped finely
  • 1 Thai pepper, finely chopped (or, if you can’t get a good pepper, use a pinch of red pepper flakes)
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup of parmigiano cheese, grated
  • 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • ¼ cup of extra-virgin olive oil

How to make this recipe

  1. You need to prepare the dough in advance. This recipe is called “crazy dough,” an old recipe that requires just a small amount of oil, plus flour, water and salt.  The process involves refrigerating the dough for an hour, then rolling it out and re-refrigerating it for at least another hour.
  2. Put the flour into a food processor. Add a pinch of salt and then blend the ingredients for a second or two.
  3. Add the olive oil and then add ¼ cup of water. Turn on the processor to blend.
  4. Now, slowly drizzle in more of the water as the processer combines the ingredients. The flour needs to form a sort of clump that sticks together loosely. You don’t want the flour to be too “wet” – instead, it should be a sort of sticky ball.  Blend only for a few seconds (maybe 20-30 seconds)
  5. Take the flour out of the food processor and form into a ball. Put it on a large cutting board which has been lightly dusted with flour. Knead the flour for just a minute, re-form it into a ball, and wrap it in plastic.  Refrigerate it for at least 1 hour.
  6. Remove the dough ball from the refrigerator. Cut it into half. Refrigerate one-half while you roll out the other dough into either a rectangle or a round.  I usually roll it into a rectangular shape so that it is just about an inch longer and wider than my 9 x 12 baking dish.  The dough should be firm and slightly elastic.
  7. Put a small amount of olive oil in the baking dish or pie pan, then place the rolled-out dough in the pan. The edges should come up slightly.  Cover with a dish cloth and put the dish into the refrigerator.
  8. Remove the other half of the dough ball, and roll it out to the same size and shape as the first half. Once you’ve rolled it out, put it onto a lightly-oiled sheet of aluminum foil.  Cover with another sheet of foil and place in the refrigerator.
  9. The dough needs to stay in the refrigerator at least 20 minutes. In the meantime, you can prepare the filling and pre-heat the oven to 400o

Making the Filling

  1. In a large skillet, combine ¼ cup of olive oil with 2 cloves of sliced garlic. On low heat, simmer the garlic cloves until they take on a golden color.  Remove and discard the garlic.  Add the diced onion to the pan, continuing to cook on low heat until the onion is translucent.
  2. Add ¾ of the pancetta and all of the optional red pepper, cooking them with the onion for a couple of minutes.
  3. Add the chopped greens, turn the heat to high, and stir until the kale is cooked.
  4. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Using your hands, squeeze out some (but not all) of the excess moisture from the kale, putting it back into the pan.
  5. Once you have squeezed out some of the extra liquid, stir in the 2 beaten eggs. Add 1 cup of grated parmigiano and mix well.
  6. Remove the pan with the crust from the refrigerator and pour the kale mixture into the pan and spread it evenly.
  7. Remove the second part of the crust from the aluminum foil and cover the “pie.” Fold up the edges from the bottom crust over the top and then tamp down with a fork or spoon.  Prick holes in the crust with a fork.
  8. Put the pan into the center rack of the pre-heated oven. Cook for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven.  Sprinkle the remaining 2 ounces of finely-chopped pancetta pieces over the top of the crust.
  9. Put back into the oven and cook for another 20 minutes.
  10. Buon appetito!

Italiano: Torta di Verdure al Forno

Erbazzone, cioè, Torta di Verdure al Forno (Torta di Betti).  Ottima ricetta milleusi, fa da se un pasto, o in fette fa da antipasto quando avete tanti amici a cena.  Preparazione semplice, si mantiene per una settimana, ed è buonissimo.

  • Crosta
    • 530 gm di farina, cinque cucchiai di olio ‘d’oliva (buono) -cioè una tazzina di caffè, e 120 ml acqua fredda.
  • Ripieno:
    • Ripieno: 2-3 mazzi di bieta e/o altre verdure amara (cime di rapa). Lavarla, asciugarla bene.  Tagliarla a pezzetti.
    • 120 grammi di pancetta (100 per il ripieno e 20 per la crosta) tagliata a pezzetti piccoli
    • 1 cipolla dolce (tropea meglio)
    • 2 uova battute intere
    • Un peperoncino rosso piccante
    • 340 gm di Parmigiano grattugiato fresco
    • Sale e pepe

Preparazione:

Forno a 200 Celsius.

  1. Mettere la farina nel robot da cucina (food processor), un pizzico di sale, mischiare 2 secondi.
  2. Aggiungere l’olio d’oliva e 120 ml d’acqua. Mischiare 20 secondi con robot da cucina. Se necessario aggiungere un po’ d’acqua mischiare per qualche altro secondo finché diventa una palla appiccicosa.  Rimuovere “la palla” e impastarla con le mani per qualche secondo su un tagliere spolverato con farina così non si appiccica.  Avvolgere la palla in plastica (Saran Wrap o simile) e metterla per 2 ore in frigo.
  3. Tagliate la palla a metà, impastate una metà in una forma rettangolare (l’altra mettetela in frigo). Spalmate una teglia da forno circa 25 x 30 cm e metteteci dentro la pasta rettangolare.  I margini dovrebbero uscire un po’ fuori (sopra) la pentola.  Coprite e mettete in frigo.
  4. Preparate l’altra metà-quella che avevate lasciato in frigo nella stessa maniera (cioè fatene un rettangolo piatto). Mettetela fra due fogli di carta da forno con un po’ d’olio e mettetela in frigo per almeno 20 minuti.  Accendete il forno a 200C (400F).
  5. In una padella, soffriggete aglio e olio, togliete aglio, aggiungete la cipolla dolce a pezzetti, 100 g. di pancetta e peperoncino (se vi piace), cuocere finché la cipolla è translucida, aggiungere la bieta e cuocere fuoco forte circa 5-7 minuti (finché cotta). Lasciare raffreddare.
  6. Scolare se per caso c’è acqua in pentola (succede se usate vegetali surgelati). Poi mischiate 2 uova battute e 340 g. di Parmigiano grattato.
  7. Prendere la pentola con la pasta dal frigo e versarci dentro le verdure, poi prendere l’altra metà della crosta dal frigo e coprire la torta. Combaciare i margini in maniera che diventi una torta.  Poi con una forchetta fare un po’ di buchi attraverso la torta.
  8. Infornare 20 minuti.
  9. Togliere dal forno e metterci sopra i rimanenti 20 grammi di pancetta cruda a pezzetti.
  10. Rimettere in forno e cuocere 20 minuti.
  11. Buon appetito!

 

 

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