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Category: Broths and Soups Page 1 of 2

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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!

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.

Michele Carbone

Zuppa di Pesce, Seafood Stew (or Cioppino)

By

On April 20, 2021

In Broths and Soups, Entrees, Fish

I was in San Francisco in a famous Italian restaurant many years ago and saw a menu item called Cioppino. I had never heard of it. Out of curiosity I ordered it. It was a variation of a classic Southern Italian fish soup in a tomato base, but they had put too much tomato!

You can use just about any combination of seafood to make a good zuppa di pesce, but the essential ingredients are the squid, mussels, and shrimp. Fishermen like using small fishes, but they are full of bones. So, the recipe I use has no bones; nobody chokes, and it is delicious.

This recipe is best when prepared a day before you wish to serve it because the flavors blend together over time. So I suggest you make it in abundance since it will be good for a couple of days.  It takes only 15 minutes  to prepare!

Ingredients

  • ½ bunch fresh, flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1⁄3 chopped onion, red
  • Hot small Calabrian or Hawaiian or Thai peppers (1 or more)
  • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
  • 1 box of Pomì (750g) chopped tomatoes or homemade canned tomatoes and fish broth (see below) or water.
  • 2 pounds of squid (tubes and legs; slice the tubes into ½ inch segments)
  • Two large shrimp per person, shells on, but with the backs sliced
  • 1 and ½ pounds of fresh mussels –the most critical ingredient!
  • ¾ pound fish steak, such as swordfish, Marlin, tuna, Ono, or any fish that has a firm texture and cut 1 inch thick. Cut in cubes of about 1 inch.
  • ½ pound of sea scallops
  • 2 – 4 soft shell crabs (if in season) or whatever fish you like (except octopus)
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 2 cups fish broth (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. In a large heavy-bottomed pan with a cover, gently sauté the cloves of crushed garlic in about 3/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil. Remove the garlic cloves as soon as they take on color.
  2. Add the squid to the skillet together with the chopped parsley, hot pepper, and chopped red onion. Cook for 2 minutes, mixing often–yes I do not take out the “pink water” that comes out of  of the squid here!
  3. Add the rest of the seafood to the pan and cook for 2 more minutes, mixing often.
  4. Add 1 cup of dry white wine. Cover the pan for 1 minute.
  5. Remove the cover and allow the wine to evaporate for about 30 seconds.
  6. Add 1 full box of Pomì chopped tomatoes, along with an equal amount + half (i.e., fill in the box of Pomì with water, and next time fill it to half) of water, or better, fish broth that you should always have in your freezer. Also add the rosemary.
  7. Gently stir all the ingredients together.  Cover the pan and allow the ingredients to come to a light boil.
  8. Immediately turn the heat to low or medium depending on the power of your stove, keeping the cover on. Cook for another 10 minutes. Be sure it does not boil during this time or the fish will become hard and dry.
  9. Turn off the fire and move the pot to a cool burner, add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and let sit for at least 20 minutes.
  1. Serve over thick toasted bred brushed with a clove of garlic –if you like garlic. Buon appetito!

Suggested Wine Pairing:  Arneis, Gavi, Greco di Tufo, Vermentino, no more than 2 years old, cold.  Some people recommend red wine with a fish soup. Taste is taste! If you like a red wine, try a good Cirò, Chianti, or Barbera, or Pinot Noir, but stay away from Merlot and Cabernet!

Italiano: Zuppa di Pesce

Molti anni fa ero a San Francisco in un famoso ristorante italiano e ho visto una voce di menu chiamata Cioppino. Non ne avevo mai sentito parlare. Per curiosità l’ho ordinato. Era una variazione di una classica zuppa di pesce dell’Italia meridionale a base di pomodoro, ma avevano messo troppo pomodoro!

Per una buona zuppa di pesce, puoi usare praticamente qualsiasi combinazione di frutti di mare, ma gli ingredienti essenziali sono i calamari, le cozze e i gamberi. I pescatori la fanno con pesci piccoli, tipo scorfano, ma questi sono pieni di spine. La ricetta che uso non ha spine; nessuno soffoca ed è deliziosa.

Questa ricetta è meglio preparalrla il giorno prima di servirla perché i sapori si fondono ed e` piu` buona. Vi suggerisco percio di farla in abbondanza perche` sara buona per almeno 2-3 giorni.

Ingredienti

  • ½ mazzetto di prezzemolo “italiano” fresco a foglia piatta, tritato
  • 3 spicchi d’aglio
  • 1⁄3 cipolla tritata, rossa
  • Peperoncini piccanti calabresi o hawaiani o tailandesi (1 o più)
  • 180 ml (3/4 di cup) di olio extravergine di oliva
  • 1 rametto di rosmarino fresco
  • 1 scatola di pomodori Pomì schiacciati –o conserva fatta in casa- e brodo di pesce (vedi sotto) o acqua.
  • 1/2 kg di calamari o seppie (tubi e tentacoli; affettare i tubi in cerchi di 1 cm)
  • Due gamberi grandi a persona con il guscio, ma con il dorso tagliato cosi s’insaporiscono
  • ½ kg di cozze fresche
  • Una bistecca di pesce di circa 400 g, tipo pesce spada, marlin, tonno, Ono o qualsiasi pesce che abbia una consistenza soda e tagliato a cubett1 di 2 cm circa
  • 250 g di capesante (muscoli)
  • 2 – 4 granchi dal guscio molle (se di stagione) o qualsiasi altro tipo di crostaceo o pesce (tranne il polpo)
  • 250 ml di vino bianco secco
  • 500 ml di brodo di pesce (opzionale) o acqua. Sale e pepe a piacere

Preparazione

  1. Soffriggere in olio (quanto basta da coprire il fondo della padella per circa 3 – 4 mm, aglio.  Togliere appena prende colore.
  2. Aggiungere prezzemolo tritato (1 pugno), 1 o più peperoncini piccanti, 1⁄3 di cipolla rossa tritata, e le seppie, tubi tagliati a rondelle tentacoli interi.  Soffriggere (fuoco forte) 2 minuti.
  3. Aggiungere il resto del pesce.  Girare spesso, soffriggere altri 2 minuti.
  4. Aggiungere 1 cup di vino bianco secco, coprire 1 minuto, scoperchiare e fare evaporare 30 secondi.
  5. Aggiungere 1 box di Pomì “crushed” o “meglio” stessa quantità di conserva di pomodori fatti in casa, e un una quantità e mezza di acqua, o meglio di brodo di pesce fatto in casa e un rametto di rosmarino. (Cioe` se avete usato un box di Pomi`, riempite il box di Pomì di brodo di pesce o d’acqua e poi riempitelo di nuovo solo a meta` e versate sul pesce).
  1. Mischiare coprire e fare cuocere per dieci minuti a fuoco basso o medio-dipende dalla cucina- l’importante e ‘che non bolla sennò rovinate tutto.
  1. Spegnere il fuoco, aggiungere sale e pepe e muovete la padella su un fornello freddo e lasciate riposare 20 minuti o più (meglio farla il giorno prima ha più sapore).
  1. Servite su una fetta spessa di pane tostato su cui avete passato un po’ d’aglio (se vi piace).Buon appetito!

Vino: Un buon bianco giovane e freddo, Arneis, Gavi, Greco di Tufo, Vermentino, ecc.  Per chi preferisce il rosso: Barbera, Cirò, Chianti, Etna rosso, Pinot Nero vanno benissimo. Meglio evitare cabernet e merlot.

 

Ribollita, a wonderful Tuscan soup (for 8 – 10 people)

By

On April 20, 2021

In Broths and Soups, Entrees

This is a wonderful, hearty soup that makes a perfect meal.  As it happens, it’s also a vegan recipe.  It’s best to start preparing this dish at least one day in advance, because the flavors blend beautifully once you refrigerate it and then re-heat it.

Ribollita Soup

I always start by cooking dried cannellini beans, which requires that I soak them overnight the day before I complete the rest of the recipe.  If you would prefer to use canned cannellini beans, make sure to purchase good-quality beans and then drain them of their canned juices.  Heat them up with some vegetable broth, sage, and a couple of cloves of garlic.

 

Ingredients

  • If you start with dried Cannellini beans, use 400 grams dried Cannellini beans (you need to start the night before, because you need to soak the dried beans overnight before cooking them)
    • Cook the soaked dried beans for 2+ hours on low heat, along with 2 TB of olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic, and 2 leaves of fresh sage.
    • Purée 2/3 of the beans in a blender; this purée will be incorporated into the vegetables.
    • Reserve the remaining 1⁄3  of the cooked beans until the end of the recipe
  • 1 loaf of crusty white bread, such as a loaf of Sperlonga or Ciabatta, thinly sliced.
  • ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 bunches of black kale (Cavolo Nero), cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 bunches Swiss chard (Bietola), cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2/3 of a cabbage  (cavolo), chopped bite-sized small pieces
  • 2 Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped into small pieces
  • 2 carrots, sliced into thin rounds
  • 2/3 red onion, chopped into small pieces
  • 2 sticks celery, chopped into small pieces
  • 3 – 4 garlic cloves
  • 2/3 of a box of Pomì chopped tomatoes (2 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon of dried thyme or fresh thyme
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Sauté the garlic in ½ cup of olive oil over medium-low heat. As soon as the garlic cloves become golden, remove the cloves with a fork or a slotted spoon.
  2. Add the chopped onion and cook on low heat until the onion is translucent.
  3. Add the chopped celery and thinly sliced carrot rounds and cook down until softened.
  4. Add the thyme and potatoes, cooking for 5 minutes or so.
  5. Add the cut cabbage, kale, Swiss chard – cook 10 minutes until softened, mixing well. Cover and cook for 5 -7 minutes.
  6. Add the Pomì chopped tomatoes, mix and cover.
  7. Add the cannellini bean purée to vegetables, mix and check salt. Cook for 1 hour.
  8. Add 2/3 loaf of crusty bread cut in thin slices and reserved cannellini beans (i.e., the ones you did not puree), cook 10 more minutes.
  9. Turn off, let it cool and refrigerate overnight.
  10. Reheat and serve the next day.

Italiano: Ribollita

Ingredienti

  • Se inizi con i fagioli “cannellini” secchi, usa 400 grammi di fagioli cannellini secchi (devi iniziare la sera prima, perché devi metterli a bagno per una notte prima di cuocerli)
  • Cuocere i fagioli secchi in ammollo per 2+ ore a fuoco basso –finche` quando li assaggi sono cotti, insieme a 2 TB di olio d’oliva, 2 spicchi d’aglio e 2 foglie di salvia fresca.
  • Frullare 2/3 dei fagioli nel frullatore; questa purea verrà incorporata nelle verdure.
  • Riservare il restante 1⁄3 dei fagioli cotti che userai alla fine della ricetta
    • 1 pagnotta di pane bianco croccante, tipo una pagnotta di Sperlonga o Ciabatta, tagliata a fettine sottili.
    • 120 ml di olio extravergine di oliva
    • 3 mazzi di cavolo nero (Cavolo Nero), tagliati a pezzetti
    • 2 mazzi di bietole (Bietola), tagliati a pezzetti
    • 2/3 di un cavolo cappuccio (cavolo), a pezzetti di piccole dimensioni
    • 2 patate Yukon Gold (patate gialle), tagliate a fette di ½ cm di spessore
    • 2 carote, tagliate a rondelle sottili
    • 2/3 cipolla rossa, tagliata a pezzetti
    • 2 gambi di sedano, tagliati a pezzetti
    • 3 – 4 spicchi d’aglio
    • 2/3 di una scatola di polpa di pomodoro tipo Pomì schiacciati (400 grammi) o pelati fatti in casa
    • 1 cucchiaino di timo essiccato o timo fresco
    • Sale e pepe nero

Preparazione

  1. Rosolare nlll’olio d’oliva l’aglio. Non appena gli spicchi d’aglio diventano dorati, rimuoverli
  2. Aggiungere la cipolla tritata e cuocere a fuoco basso finché la cipolla non diventa translucida.
  3. Aggiungere il sedano tritato e le carote tagliate a fettine sottili e cuocere finché non si saranno ammorbidite.
  4. Aggiungere il timo e le patate, cuocendo per 5 minuti circa.
  5. Aggiungere il cavolo cappuccio, il cavolo nero e la bietola – cuocere per 10 minuti finché non si saranno ammorbiditi, mescolando bene. Coprite e cuocete per altri 5-7 minuti.
  6. Aggiungere la polpa di pomodoro Pomì, mescolare e coprire.
  7. Aggiungere la purea di fagioli cannellini alle verdure, mescolare e aggiustare di sale. Cuocere per un’ora.
  8. Aggiungere 2/3 di pagnotta di pane croccante tagliato a fettine sottili ei cannolini conservati (cioè quelli che non avete passato in purea), cuocere altri 10 minuti.
  9. Spegnere, lasciar raffreddare e conservare in frigorifero per una notte.
  10. Riscaldare e servire il giorno successive con un filo d’olio extravergine crudo.

 

 

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.

 

 

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!

Giancarlo Gottardo’s Vinaigrette

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On March 8, 2020

In Basics, Fun Stuff

Vinaigrette

Do you like a slightly-sweet vinaigrette with your salads? I do, and often I have used a bit of honey as one of the ingredients in my oil and vinegar salad dressings.  Now I have a new favorite – a grape-reduction vinaigrette that has become one of the staples in my pantry.

I never knew what to do with the grapes that remained after an event.  They are so beautiful when they are fresh and cool, displayed artfully on a platter…but if  they aren’t all eaten, they look soft and unappealing the next day. I used to throw them away, until Giancarlo Gottardo, our good friend, showed me how to use them to make a fantastic homemade vinaigrette.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of sugarGiancarlo's Vinaigrette
  • 1 cup of white, apple cider vinegar, or white
    balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) of white, red, or green grapes and their stems (you can use a mix of these varieties as well)

How to Prepare this Recipe

  1. Put the grapes, sugar, vinegar, water, and salt into a heavy saucepan with a good lid.
  2. Bring to a boil for a couple of minutes, then put a lid on the pot and turn down the heat. Cook for an hour on a simmer with the lid on.
  3. Allow the pot to cool, covered, then strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a bottle.
  4. Store at a cool temperature inside a cabinet.

Homemade Vegetable Broth

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On September 24, 2018

In Basics, Broths and Soups

I like to use homemade broths for all of my soup and risotto recipes. My wife, Betti, makes the broth in our household, and she always keeps fresh or frozen broth in the kitchen. Here’s her recipe for a simple vegetable broth.

Ingredients

  • 2 potatoes
  • 2 onions
  • 2 leeks
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 leafs of kale (optional)
  • 2 cherry tomatoes
  • ½ bunch flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
  • Salt
  • A teaspoon of black peppercorns
  • 2 liters of water

How to make this recipe

  1. Coarsely chop all of the vegetables except the cherry tomatoes and the parsley.
  2. Fill a pot with 2 to 3 liters of water. Make sure you have a heavy lid for the pot.
  3. Add the chopped vegetables, salt and peppercorns, and the ½ bunch of Italian parsley to the pot.
  4. Bring to a boil.  Allow to boil vigorously for 5 to 10 minutes, then partially cover the pot with its lid and bring to a simmer.
  5. Allow the ingredients to simmer for about 2 – 3 hours, making sure that it stays close to a boil, but doesn’t actually boil anymore
  6. After cooking for 2 – 3 hours, add the cherry tomatoes and bring to a boil once again for a few minutes.

Turn off the heat and allow to cool.  Use a colander or a strainer to separate the vegetables and peppercorns from the broth.

Basic Chicken Broth (Basic, or light version)

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On August 31, 2017

In Basics, Broths and Soups

My wife Betti makes all of the broths we use in our recipes.  We always have a store of frozen chicken, vegetable, and meat broths available because the flavor of these home-made broths is much richer and more intense than that of packaged broths.  If you have to buy a broth, look for an organic broth in your local market.  But I promise you, once you’ve made your own broth, you won’t go back to the store-bought variety.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 2 carrots, chopped into large pieces
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped into large pieces
  • 1 white onion, quartered
  • 2 leeks, chopped into rounds (wash the leeks carefully to remove the grit)
  • ½ bunch fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 20 black peppercorns
  • A handful of salt
  • A bunch of fresh thyme – sometimes you can find a combined bunch of thyme and marjoram mixed together at the market, and you can use this bunch

How to Make this Recipe

  1. In a large stockpot (about 4 quarts of water), add cold water and all of the ingredients except the chicken.
  2. Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Allow the vegetables to cook for about 40-45 minutes.
  3. Raise the heat to a boil and add the chicken (don’t add the giblets—you can reserve them for something else).
  4. Bring the heat to a boil over medium-high heat. Allow it to boil for about 5 minutes.
  5. Reduce the heat to a simmer, so that you see rolling bubbles every minute or two, but the water is not rapidly boiling.
  6. Partially cover, and allow to cook for about 1 hour. You can skim off any foam periodically, so that the resulting broth will be very clear.
  7. Remove the chicken from the pot, placing it into a large bowl or baking dish so that it can cool. Keep the broth on a low simmer until the chicken is cooled enough to pick the meat from the bones. Once it’s cooled, you can shred the meat from the bone and use it for another recipe—my favorite use for the shredded chicken is a variation of the Mediterranean Chicken Salad recipe from the classic cookbook The Silver Palate:  http://www.silverpalate.com/recipe/store-favorites/mediterreanian-chicken-salad
  8. Put the bones back into the broth and cook for another hour, partially covered, and always at a low boil.
  9. Strain the chicken broth once it’s cooled enough for use or storage.

Fish Broth

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On August 30, 2017

In Basics, Broths and Soups, Fish

How to Make Fish Stock

Use only fish from the sea, not from rivers and lakes.  You can use anything you like. For example, you can use 1 pound of sardines and/or fish heads (say salmon, grouper, Mahi Mahi, shirimp, or the “skin” of the shrimp. Always use some, say 10 or so mussels or clams, etc. and their spines. Do not use small fish. Then, you do not have to deal with their small bones that will choke some guests not used to eating fish).

In a pot (really big),  add the fish; it should occupy about 1/3 to ¼ of the pot.  Add 1-2 glasses white wine –depending on how big your pot is, 1 red onion cut in 4, 4 cloves of garlic crushed, 1 bunch of parsley, 1 sprig of rosemary, 1 celery cut in pieces, water up to 2 inches to the top, black peppercorns, and salt. Let it boil lightly for 2-3 hours or three, until the water is about half then what you started with. Drain the broth, set aside until it reaches room temperature, and then freeze. When you need it, you will defrost it.

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