Squash risotto (or risotto con la zucca), is a traditional risotto common in all northern Italy. The squash gives an especially mealy texture, and a sweeter flavor to it, along of course with a beautiful orange color. But what is squash, exactly?
Along with melon, watermelon, cucumber, zucchini, pumpkin, and gourd, squash belongs to a plant family called cucurbitaceae. Even though they’re all fruits, with the exception of melon and watermelon, the cucurbitaceae are used as vegetables. There are two kinds of squash: summer squash (e.g.: zucchini, straightneck squash), harvested as they ripen in the summer, and winter squash (e.g.: acorn squash, butternut squash, spaghetti squash), harvested in fall, when they are fully mature, their seeds have dried out, and their skin has hardened. Winter squashes have historically played a significant role in the kitchen because they can keep for several months (lasting well through winter) and because when cooked they develop an agreeable flavor, and a starchy, mealy texture similar to sweet potatoes*. Out of the various kinds of winter squash, the sub-family called ‘cucurbita maxima’ is particularly notable because of its size. In Italy, it’s generally called zucca gialla o dolce (yellow or sweet pumpkin), an example of which is the zucca mantovana (Mantua’s pumpkin) used to make the renowned tortelli con la zucca (pumpkin tortelli). In North America, cucurbita maxima includes several common squashes: hubbard, turban, kabocha, buttercup, and banana squash. Banana squash is especially suitable for this recipe because of its moderate sweetness and firm texture.
*Harold McGee. On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. 2nd edition (2004)
Squash Risotto, a Dish for Winter
Yield: 2 servings
Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
250 g winter squash (e.g. banana squash)
¼ white onion, sliced
1 tablespoon of butter, olive oil, or a mix of the two
2/3 cup Arborio rice
2 ½ cups vegetable stock
½ glass white wine, at room temperature
20 g Parmigiano, grated
Salt and black pepper
Preparation
Finely chop onion and dice the squash.
Bring the vegetable stock to a simmer in a small pan.
In a larger pan, roast the onion in butter, oil, or a mix of the two until translucent, then add the squash.
Season with salt and cook until the squash is soft. Put a couple of tablespoons of it aside and keep warm, mash the rest with a ricer (or in the blender).
In the pan where the squash was roasted, add a bit more butter or oil, then toast the rice for a couple of minutes at medium heat until translucent. Add the white wine and stir until it fully evaporates.
Add the mashed squash and stir in the stock, one ladle at a time, allowing it to be absorbed before adding more stock.
Continue stirring and adding stock ensuring that the risotto and the stock continue boiling gently throughout the process.
After 15 minutes of cooking, at a time when the risotto is quite moist, remove it from the heat, stir in the Parmigiano, and let it rest for a minute.
Serve the risotto in bowls and decorate with the cooked squash and a sprinkle of black pepper.
I’m from northern Italy – only been to Sicily once – and I only had heard about this dish before moving to Canada. Thanks to my friends food-bloggers, however, this dish tickled my attention, I starting making it, and I think it has already become part of my repertoire! What I love about Pesto alla Trapanese is how fresh it tastes, and that it can be prepared quickly (as the pasta cooks) and pretty much all year-round (unlike Pesto alla Genovese which requires large amounts of fresh basil, which is best in the summer).
Since I’m far from an authority on this dish, I’m presenting a variation over Frank Fariello‘s rendition. Similarly, it makes use of uncooked cherry tomatoes that are mixed in with other ingredients in a blender – a method quite common these days, as opposed to using mortar and pestle (which is traditional and at the origins of the name “pesto”). Aside from the blending technique, I substituted Pecorino for the milder (though geographically incorrect!) Parmigiano, and increased the amount of almonds for a grittier and drier sauce.
Pesto alla Trapanese, with almonds and fresh tomatoes
Yield: 2 servings
Total Time: 15 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
6-8 (140 g, 5 oz in weight) cherry or strawberry tomatoes
1 garlic clove, minced
8 basil leaves
40 g (1 ½ oz) almonds, blanched (chopped or whole)
40 g (1 ½ oz) Parmigiano, coarsely grated
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
140 g (5 oz) spaghetti, linguine, or even short pasta like farfalle or fusilli
coarse salt (1/2 Tbsp per liter, 2 Tbsp per gallon of boiling water)
Preparation
Bring a big pot of water to a boil.
Toast the almonds in a pan at high heat for a couple of minutes until they get some color, but before they turn dark.
Core the tomatoes and score their skin (see illustration on the side).
Boil the tomatoes for 20 seconds, then dip them in cold water to stop the cooking. Keep the water boiling, you’re going to use it to cook the pasta.
Salt the water and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box.
As the pasta cooks, peel the tomatoes and squeeze them to remove seeds and excessive liquid.
In a blender, mix all ingredients so that they turn creamy, but still a bit coarse. I used an immersion blender and it worked very well.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it and put it back in the pot along with the pesto. Mix gently and serve immediately.
Passatelli are a variation of “stracciatella”, an ancient soup that can be found in various parts of Italy. To make stracciatella, a mix of egg, cheese and (optional) breadcrumbs is whisked into boiling broth, resulting in bits of ripped dough that resemble small tore rags (“straccetti”). To make passatelli, instead, the dough is forced through a heavy perforated iron, resulting in irregularly shaped short noodles of variable thickness (their name comes from “passare” = to go through). You can see the passatelli iron in action in this youtube video produced by a local television in the Romagna area. Passatelli are a classic dish of the Emilia-Romagna, Marche, and Umbria regions, where they are traditionally boiled in broth and served as a soup.
Since the passatelli iron is nowadays hard to find (even in Italy), some suggest using a potato ricer with large holes. You can see it demonstrated in the second part of the same video. While this can be effective, it produces noodles of uniform thickness, removing that irregularity that is characteristic of the dish.
For my interpretation of passatelli, I made use of a spaetzle maker, which is fairly common in kitchen stores (and on amazon.com). The resulting passatelli are slightly shorter and thinner than they should be, but I found that they work especially well when served dry, as opposed to in a soup.
As for the proportions between the ingredients, I went with the original recipe presented by Pellegrino Artusi in his famous recipe book: Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well, which was first published in 1891. This differs from modern day passatelli which generally feature equal amounts (in weight) of breadcrumbs and Parmigiano. Also, Artusi calls for a small quantity of bone marrow “for extra softness,” which is no longer used. Instead, I kept the idea, but replaced the bone marrow with softened butter.
Even though I followed Artusi’s proportions for the dough, I served the passatelli according to a more modern tradition. Particularly, I tried to replicate the presentation suggested in the video mentioned above, in which boiled passatelli are drained and sauteed in butter with a small amount of radicchio, and then served over a light cheese fondue. The result was truly amazing! A very successful dish that can totally be the star of the show in a rustic and cozy meal.
Spätzle-style Passatelli Sauteed with Radicchio on Cheese Fondue
Yield: 2 servings
Total Time: 40 minutes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
For the dough
100 g (3 ½ oz) breadcrumbs (made from plain stale bread, without oils or additional ingredients)
40 g (1 ½ oz) Parmigiano, grated
20 g (¾ oz) unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
Sprinkle of grated nutmeg
2 liters (½ gallon) of vegetable stock
For sauteeing
1 ½ Tbsp unsalted butter
¼ of a small radicchio, sliced
Salt and pepper
For the cheese fondue
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp white flour
½ cup milk
20 g (¾ oz) Parmigiano, grated
40 g (1 ½ oz) Fontina, (or Swiss cheese), diced
Preparation
For the dough
Mix all ingredients except for some of the breadcrumbs.
Kneed for a few minutes until obtaining a soft dough that is not too sticky, adding the remaining breadcrumbs as needed to obtain a workable consistency.
Squeeze the dough through the holes of the spaetzle grater. See here for the video.
Bring the broth to a gentle boil, then toss in the passatelli.
Continue boiling until the passatelli will float, then drain them gently.
For sauteeing
Sautee the radicchio in butter until softened. Adjust with salt and pepper.
Add the boiled and drained passatelli. Toss them gently to lightly sautee them.
For the cheese fondue
Place the butter and a tablespoon of water in a small pan at medium heat to prepare a light bechamel.
When the butter melts add the flour and mix vigorously until you hear a sizzling sound.
Gradually add the milk, starting with a very small amount and mixing until completely absorbed.
Continue until all milk is incorporated. Allow it boil for a minute to complete the bechamel.
Add the Parmigiano and the Fontina, mix until they’re fully melted.
Assemble the dish by placing the cheese fondue in the bowls, then lay the sauteed passatelli over top.
When it’s cold outside, my definition of comfort food is a warm and rustic dish. This soup totally qualifies as such, especially when it’s served in individual earthenware bowls that stay hot.
This preparation is characteristic of the Aosta Valley, a small Italian region at the borders with France and Switzerland, on the western Alps. It can be considered a variation of the classic French onion soup that makes use of Fontina, a semi-soft cow’s milk cheese, which is local to the Aosta region.
As for the onion, the white variety works best thanks to the complex flavor it develops when roasted, which I find has hints of cabbage and fennel.
Part of the success of this dish is due to its layered construction and the resulting alternation of textures and flavors. Besides making for an appealing presentation and keeping the dish hot, the individual bowls also keep the layers into place.
Alpine-style Onion Soup (Zuppa di cipolle alla Valdostana)
Yield: 2 servings
Total Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
1/2 white onion, sliced
1 Tbsp butter
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 Tbsp white flour
2 tick slices country bread
4 slices fontina (or swiss cheese)
salt and black pepper
2 earthenware soup bowls, oven resistant
Preparation
In a pan, roast the onion in butter at medium heat for 3-5 minutes until golden.
Sprinkle with flour and continue roasting for a couple more minutes, stir gently.
Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes without a lid to reduce.
Meanwhile prepare 2 thik slices of fresh country bread, possibly with crust on one side. Trim them so that they fit tightly within the bowls.
Adjust the onion soup with salt and pepper, then pour it in the two bowls.
Add the bread, so that it lays overtop, crust downwards, barely touching the soup.
Lay the cheese over the bread to fully cover it.
Broil for 10-15 minutes until the cheese will be bubbly.
This is a summer dish, but if you can find ripe cherry tomatoes, then it can be made every season. And it’s one of those pasta dishes where the sauce is so quick it can be made as the pasta cooks – my favorites when I don’t have time to plan ahead. Despite its disarming simplicity, this dish is very complete and balanced – the acidity of the tomato is countered by the creaminess of the mozzarella, and the sweetness of the tomato-mozzarella base is countered by the savoriness of capers and olives. I called it “Mediterranean Pasta”, let’s dive into it!
Mediterranean Pasta with Capers, Olives, Cherry Tomatoes, and Mozzarella
Yield: 2 servings
Total Time: 15 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
5 oz (140 g) dried linguine or spaghetti
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons capers (brine-pickled)
3 tablespoons green olives (pitted and sliced, brine-pickled)
9 oz (250 g) cherry tomatoes, each cut lengthwise in four
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
4 oz (115 g) fresh mozzarella (e.g. 2 medium bocconcini), diced
Salt and pepper
Preparation
Toss the pasta in salted boiling water. In a pan, sauté capers and olives in the oil.
Add the tomatoes and oregano to the pan, maintaining medium heat. Roast for 3-4 minutes.
While the pasta cooks, cover the pan with a lid and cook at low heat until the tomatoes wilt (about 5 minutes). Adjust salt and pepper.
Rapidly drain the pasta and finish cooking it in the sauce until al dente.
Take the pan off the heat, add the mozzarella, stir briefly. Serve immediately.
Ah the Maillard reaction! The magic behind roasting and toasting which is responsible for the extra flavor in bread crust, pan fried eggs, seared steaks, and even maple syrup and coffee! Maillard browning is the result of the reaction between sugars and ammino-acids (the building blocks of proteins), which happens at temperatures around 150 °C, and which develops a large number of aromatic compounds.
Unlike in North America where cooked vegetables tend to be lightly steamed or even just blanched, in Italy they are generally cooked through, and roasting is common. Legumes especially benefit from roasting thanks to their high content of ammino-acids (which gives excellent browning), and to their meaty texture (which remains firm thanks to the partial evaporation of their water content).
This preparation makes for a satisfying side-dish which is ideal to accompany meat, fish, or cheese.
Roasted Green Beans
Yield: 2 servings (as a side)
Total Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
300 g (10 oz) of green beans, with the stems trimmed
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of white wine
Salt and pepper
Preparation
Heat the oil and fry shallot and garlic until translucent.
Add the green beans and roast at medium heat for 5 minutes, tossing gently.
Add the wine and cover with a lid, cook for 5 minutes.
Uncover and allow the wine to fully evaporate, continuing to toss gently.
Cook at low heat, tossing from time to time, for 15 minutes or until the green beans will have softened and browned uniformly.
This dish is a summer classic featuring an incredible flavor combination: roasted zucchini, shrimp and saffron, in a creamy wine sauce.
Like other crustaceans, shrimp tend to spoil quickly and are often frozen at sea or even sold cooked. Whole shrimp deteriorates even quicker because the cephalothorax (the “head”) contains the midgut gland (corresponding to the liver), which contains digestive enzymes. This gland, however, also happens to be the most flavorful part of the shrimp*. For best results, choose the freshest whole shrimp – when the recipe calls for just tails (like in this case), use the heads to make a tasty fish broth.
*Harold McGee. On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. 2nd edition (2004).
Shrimp, Zucchini and Saffron Linguine
Yield: 2 servings
Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
5 oz (140 g) shrimp tails, peeled
1/2 cup (120 ml) cream (~30% fat)
1/8 cup (30 ml) white wine
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 zucchini, sliced into sticks
1 pouch powdered saffron (0.15 g)
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
140 g linguine (or your other favorite dried pasta)
salt and pepper
Preparation
Start bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil (1 Tablespoon of coarse salt every 2 liters of water).
Cook the shallot for 2 minutes in olive oil, then add the zucchini.
Roast at high heat for 5-10 minutes tossing gently to prevent sticking.
At this point, start cooking the pasta for the time indicated on the box.
Add the shrimp, roast them on one side for 30 seconds, then flip them for another 30 seconds with a splash of wine.
Remove the shrimp from the pan and set them aside in a bowl, making sure you collect their juices.
Add the saffron and the cream.
Allow the sauce to reduce for 5 minutes at max heat. Adjust salt and pepper.
When the pasta is just about ready, add the shrimp you had set aside along with their juices.
Then, rapidly drain the pasta and toss it into the sauce.
Mix gently for a minute or two until the pasta is uniformly coated.
Dish out the pasta with the help of tongs, then pour any remaining sauce onto the dishes.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately. Enjoy with a glass of white wine!
I am very excited to announce that I have been invited to participate in a food lit event that will take place in Turin (Piedmont, Italy) this coming September. The event is titled “Turin Epicurean Capital” and will revolve around the universal meaning of food in life – naturally, a topic I feel strongly about.
I must admit that I didn’t grow up eating truffles – as a child I only experienced a whiff of them in restaurants when a truffle dish was ordered by somebody seated at my table. And I can’t say that I loved it. As an adult, however, I had a chance to rediscover and develop a palate for them. But my love for truffles totally bloomed during my latest trip to Tuscany and Rome. Being truffles season, most restaurants were featuring truffle dishes, so I finally had a chance to try them in different preparations within a short period of time – an amazing experience!
My research for this article has been fascinating, and I managed to answer questions that I have always wondered: what gives truffles their characteristic aroma? Why do people use pigs to find them? When is their harvesting season? I also wondered: can I actually buy them in Vancouver? And the answer to this last question is: yes! I was able to get a gourmet supermarket to special order a single black summer truffle, which is what is in season right now and, luckily for my wallet, one of the most affordable varieties. You can see it showcased in the pappardelle dish above (for which you can check out the recipe at the end of this post).
But what are truffles? They are a unique kind of mushrooms that develop entirely underground, attached to tree roots, and which may be of great commercial interest due to their high demand and relative scarcity.
Summer truffle
Like their tuber relatives, truffles are dense, rounded masses usually between 1 and 4 inches in diameter. In order to spread their spores, truffles produce pheromones that prompt animals to uncover and eat them – a behavior which has been exploited by truffle hunters who have traditionally made use of pigs to locate them. Particularly, truffles contain androstenone, a steroid also produced by boars when mating. Dogs1 can also be trained to search for truffles, with the advantage that they can be taught not to eat them upon discovery!
Flavor-wise, truffles are an acquired taste, containing several sulfur compounds (e.g.: bis(methylsulfanyl)methane) which may resemble hydrocarbons, and because of the presence of androstenone, which has an unpleasant smell described as woody/musky, to sweaty/urinous2. Even though a portion of the human population is unable to detect it3, there is evidence that repeated exposure to androstenone can cause sensitization4, leading to the conclusion that androstenone largely contributes to making truffles an acquired taste.
Truffles have been known since antiquity, with written evidence as early as in the 4th century BC. The Greek historian Plutarch thought that they were the result of lightning, while the Roman physician Dioscorides classified them as tuberous roots. Rarely mentioned in the Middle Ages, truffles became popular within the high classes during the Renaissance (legends say that they were a favorite of King Francis the 1st of France), and through the 18th and 19th centuries, their prestige kept increasing in high-cuisine.
The “Langhe” region, in Piedmont
Truffles only grow in very specific climates, in symbiosis with the right host trees. Because of this, they are very hard to cultivate with the most sought after demanding exorbitant prices. Most valuable is the white truffle (Tuber magnatum), especially the one found in the Langhe region (located in the Piedmontese provinces of Asti and Cuneo), but that can also be found in some parts of Tuscany and in central Italy. White truffles grow on the roots of oak, poplar, hazel and beech trees. White truffles mature in the fall, which is when the famous “Fiera del Tartufo” (Truffle Fair) of Alba takes place – a prestigious exhibition and trade show born in 1929 where the best white truffles can sell for over $400 per ounce. White truffles have a pungent, slightly garlicky aroma, and are best appreciated raw, freshly shaved on dishes before serving.
The second most valuable truffle is the black (winter) truffle (Tuber melanosporum), found in the hazelnut and oak forests in the Périgord region of south-western France. These truffles are harvested in fall and winter and have a delicate earthy flavor, which is known to be enhanced by light cooking. Another notable truffle is the Burgundy (Tuber uncinatum), which has an intense hazelnut flavor. It can be found in much of Europe and it is harvested in fall and winter. The Summer truffle (Tuberaestivum), instead, is harvested in the summer – it is molecularly identical to the Burgundy truffle, but has less intense flavor due to environmental factors.
Given the high price that truffles can reach, cooks often make use of truffle oils, pastes, kinds of butter, or even flour. Since oil-soluble bis(methylsulfanyl)methane can be easily synthesized at low cost, truffle-infused products are often completely artificial (also lacking any androstenone flavor, resulting in increased palatability for those who haven’t acquired a liking for it).
Some of the most known dishes using truffle as an ingredient include:
Risottos (often together with porcini mushrooms).
Various pasta dishes (especially egg pasta, such as tagliatelle, pappardelle or maltagliati, generally along with butter, cream, or mascarpone sauce).
Truffle omelets (for a stronger truffle flavor, the uncracked eggs can be kept in an airtight container along with the truffle for a couple of days before use).
Sauces to pair with meats, including beef tenderloin.
Truffle dishes are often accompanied with medium to full body red wines, sharp enough to cleanse the palate of the sulfurous notes, and aged enough to develop a matching earthiness. E.g.: white truffles with Barolo, Nebbiolo, Barbaresco, or Dolcetto d’Alba; black truffles with Burgundy or Pinot Noir.
As a final remark, please note that the popular “truffle” gelato served as a dessert in pizzerie and restaurants has nothing to do with truffles! It owes its name to its shape and color, which resembles a truffle, and, just like truffles, can be found in white and black varieties:
“Tartufo bianco” – (white truffle), consisting in “fior di latte” (cream) and coffee gelato, sprinkled with white chocolate shavings.
“Tartufo nero” (black truffle), which consists in chocolate and “fior di latte” gelato, covered in unsweetened cocoa powder.
Pappardelle with Cream and Black Truffle
Yield: 4 servings
Total Time: 20 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
280 g (10 oz) fresh or dried egg pasta - I recommend pappardelle (one of the widest cuts), but tagliatelle, or fettuccine can also be used
1 cup light cream (10% fat)
30 g (1 oz) fresh black truffle (a small one)
30 g (1 oz) unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, crushed
Nutmeg, salt, and pepper
Parmigiano Reggiano, grated (optional)
Preparation
Bring a large pot of salty water to a boil.
In a skillet, melt the butter at low heat, add the garlic and allow it to soften without browning (upper image).
Remove the garlic, add the cream and bring to a gentle boil. Sprinkle with grated nutmeg, adjust salt and pepper.
Using a sharp grater, grate half of the truffle directly into the skillet; remove from the heat and let rest (lower image).
Cook the pasta for 2-3 minutes (if fresh) or 5-6 minutes (if dried). Then drain it quickly and add it to the skillet with the truffle cream. Toss gently and finish cooking the pasta in the sauce for a couple of minutes.
Using a truffle slicer or a mandolin, thinly slice the rest of the truffle.
Serve the pasta in preheated bowls, and lay 5 or 6 truffle slices on each portion. Optionally, sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Going through my old recipe book, I stumbled upon this delicious dish – true comfort food, Italian style! An amazing entree where soft and creamy potato bignès, covered in nutty poppy seeds and deep fried are laid to rest on a bed of braised leeks and Taleggio! The dish is absolutely simple to make and a guaranteed success. The only challenge lies in finishing the two components more or less at the same time.
This recipe has been adapted from La Cucina Italiana (November 1997, page 58).
Poppy Seed Potato Bignès
Yield: 2-3 servings
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the sauce
1 Tbsp butter
1 big leek (or 2 smaller ones)
1 cup (250 ml) milk (for the sauce)
1/2 cup (125 ml) heavy cream (for the sauce)
10 oz (300 g) Taleggio cheese (for the sauce)
salt to taste (for the sauce)
For the bignè
1 small Russet potato (250 g)
1/2 cup (50 g) flour
1/4 cup (50 g) butter
1/4 cup (50 g) water
1/8 of a teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup poppy seeds
2 cups (0.5 l) olive oil for deep-frying
Preparation
Boil the potato. Let it cool until lukewarm.
Meanwhile, start preparing the sauce.
Slice the leek in thin rings (fig. a) and sauté them in butter for 10 minutes (fig. b).
Add the milk and cream (fig. c), and stew slowly for 30-45 minutes until thick (at that point take off the heat but keep warm).
While the sauce cooks, start preparing the bignè.
Put the water and butter into a small pan (fig. 1) and bring to a boil (fig. 2).
Add the flour and stir constantly (fig. 3).
Keep the mix on the heat until sizzling, and the mix detaches itself from the pot (fig. 4).
Move the mix into a bowl, let cool.
Add the egg and salt (fig. 5). Mix (fig. 6).
Mash the potato with the ricer and add it to the mix (fig. 7).
Mix everything until smooth, then stir in 1 Tbsp of poppy seeds (fig. 8).
With your hands, make walnut-sized balls, roll them over poppy seeds until completely covered (fig. 9). You should be able to make 8-10 of them (fig. 10).
Deep fry the bignès in olive oil (fig. 11) keeping the temperature at constant 180 degrees Celsius.
When golden-brown, remove balls and put them to dry onto paper-towel (fig. 12).
Finish preparing the sauce by adding the diced Taleggio to it (fig. d). Stir until the cheese melts completely. Adjust the salt.
Serve the bignè while still hot on a bed of sauce.
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