Spring 2003

Ricette

Here are some of my most favorite Christmas dishes—enjoy! Oh by the way—OO is my quick way of typing olive oil—extra virgin, of course!

ORECCHIETTE CON CIME DI RAPE

This very simple dish is made from a curiously shaped pasta commonly found in the region of Puglia. Orecchiette are small disks of pasta made into ear-like shapes by pressing a thumb into a sliced fresh pasta disk creating a concave cap. Most of the pasta in this region is made without eggs, just flour and water, which makes a firm, chewier dough.

Very good commercially produced orecchiette are available here in dried form. Other small pasta shapes can be substituted. Use a good quality, fruity olive oil for this dish.

Cime di rape, more commonly known as rapini or broccoli rabe is a variety of turnip greens which resemble broccoli although with more leaves and tiny flowerets. Its flavor is somewhat bitter. Other bitter greens such as chicory and green radicchio can be substituted.

1 lb. orecchiette pasta
1 lb. broccoli rape
fruity olive oil
salt and pepper
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
dried, crushed red hot pepper flakes, to taste
Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano cheese

Rinse the broccoli rape and remove and discard any yellowed leaves. Trim the stem ends. Blanch in a large amount of boiling salted water until the stems are tender. Drain and set aside.

Cook the pasta in rapidly boiling salted water until al dente (slightly chewy).

While the pasta is cooking, in a skillet large enough to hold all the ingredients heat the olive oil, garlic and crushed dried red pepper flakes on low. Turn off the heat before the garlic begins to brown.

Add the cooked pasta and the broccoli rabe to the skillet. Toss on medium heat to distribute the flavors. If too dry, add a bit of pasta water or chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer to a warm bowl, and serve with freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano cheese.

ZUPPA DI CECI

This very easy soup is a staple in southern Italy. Relatively low in calories and very low in fat, it’s a perfect example of the healthful--and tasty--Mediterranean Diet. The soup should be highly flavored with herbs and a touch of crushed, red hot peppers.

1 lb. chick peas, washed and soaked overnight in 3 times their volume of water
1 T. olive oil
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves, garlic, finely chopped
2 T. tomato paste
5-6 plum tomatoes or 1 large can plum tomatoes, drained and seeded
1 Qt. water or broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed, red hot pepper flakes to taste
2 T minced fresh herbs of choice
salt and pepper

Combine the soaked ceci with 2 Qts of water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until tender. Set aside.

Make a soffritto by heating the olive oil and sauteing the carrot, celery, onion and garlic with a pinch of salt. Saute until tender and add the tomato paste, red hot pepper flakes and bay leaf.

Saute another 1-2 minutes. Add the chick peas with their water and the additional water or broth, oregano, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer about 1 hour or more to allow flavors to develop.

Remove the bay leaf and add the fresh herbs; simmer for about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and/or more red hot pepper flakes. Drizzle each serving with olive oil for added flavor. Serve hot.

CARCIOFI ALLA ROMANA

These artichokes exude a characteristic fragrance of Rome--that of wild mint. Since they are best at room temperature they can be made ahead of time. If refrigerated, bring to room temperature before serving.

4 artichokes
1 lemon
2-3 T parsley, chopped
1 T garlic, chopped
2 T fresh mint leaves, chopped
6 T breadcrumbs
1/2 C. olive oil
lemon for serving

Clean the artichokes by snapping off and discarding all the tough outer dark green leaves leaving the stem attached. With a sharp knife trim both the outside of the stem to the center core and stubby bits that remain at the base. Slice the lemon in half, and rub with cut side of the lemon over all the artichoke parts that have been exposed to the air, then squeeze the remaining lemon juice into a large bowl of water. Turn the artichoke on its side, and with a sharp knife cut off the remaining tops of the leaves. Gently pull the leaves out enough to expose the center core and with a teaspoon or grapefruit spoon, scoop out the purple pointed leaves and the fuzzy choke. Rinse under running water, then set the artichokes in the bowl of acidulated water until you are ready to use them.

Mix parsley, garlic, mint, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper with some of the olive oil. Save 1/3 of the mixture and press the rest into the cavity of the artichokes. Place the artichokes cut side down in a heavy bottom casserole with lid. Drizzle olive oil over the artichokes and rub the rest of the stuffing on the outside of the artichokes. Add olive oil and enough water to cover 1/3 of the artichoke. Cover casserole with 2 thicknesses of paper towel and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes or until tender. Serve warm or at room temperature with lemon wedges.

TRUCCHI (hints and tricks in the kitchen)

When grating citrus rinds, put a piece of parchment on the grater. As you grate the rind the citrus remains on the paper, instead of in the grater holes, making it easy to remove.

If a cork falls into your wine bottle, just insert the handle of a wooden spoon to keep the cork from blocking the flow of wine out of the neck of the bottle.

If you are cooking octopus or a stew/braise of not so tender cut of meat, add a couple of real wine corks to the casserole. The cork will tenderize the meat and cut down on your cooking time. Don’t forget to remove the corks before serving.

The remove the skin from nuts –- spray them with a bit of water and bake in a 350°F oven for 5 min. The steam formed by the water will loosen the skin and make it fall off the nuts.

For a richer risotto, place the rinds of Parmigiano Reggiano in the broth being used to cook the risotto. The result is a more intense cheese flavor in the dish.