Category: Recipes

Traditional and less traditional authentic Italian recipes.

Asparagi alla Milanese – The Incredible Pairing of Asparagus and Eggs

Of simple Italian recipes that are almost unknown outside of Italy, Milanese-style Asparagus would probably rank near the top. This dish, traditionally associated with the city of Milan, is enjoyed all around Italy as a second course, especially in late spring, when asparagus is in season.

Before getting to the recipe, let’s spend a few words on its main ingredient. Asparagus is one of the shoots of a perennial plant called Asparagus officinalis, harvested when it reaches a length of about 8 inches and hasn’t yet developed any branches. If allowed to grow, the shoots become inedible – they gradually thin out, harden, and develop fern-like branches, up to 1.5 meters tall. Indigenous of Eurasia, Asparagus officinalis was already known in ancient Egypt, when it was eaten raw. The Greeks and the Romans are credited for learning how to cultivate it and for discovering its diuretic properties.

In North America, asparagus is mostly used as an appetizer or as a side dish (steamed, fried, or char roasted), as well as in soups and quiches. In Italy, it is also used to make one kind of risotto, in ‘frittate’, as filling for ravioli or just paired up with melted butter, eggs, and Parmigiano as in this recipe.

Asparagi alla Milanese

Yield: 2 servings

Total Time: 15 minutes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Asparagi alla Milanese

Ingredients

  • 1 kg of fresh asparagus, washed and with their bases trimmed
  • 4 tablespoons of Parmigiano, freshly grated
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 4 eggs
  • salt

Preparation

  1. Place the asparagus in a pot of salted boiling water, the spears above the waterline to be cooked by the steam. Cook for 10 minutes (15 if the stems are particularly thick). If using a large pot, the asparagus can be tied up to force them to remain vertical.
  2. Just before the asparagus are cooked, fry the eggs in butter, sunny-side-up, in a large non stick pan. Ensure the whites are fully firm, while the yolks are still runny.
  3. Gently drain the asparagus and assemble the dish in warm serving plates by layering the eggs, the asparagus (tips towards the center), and the grated Parmigiano.
https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2011/08/asparagi-alla-milanese.html

 

Insalata di Riso

‘Insalata di Riso’ (rice salad) is an informal Italian dish that is especially popular in the summer as an appetizer or as a refreshing first course, particularly for lunch. Its main component is Parboiled rice, which is the most appropriate for this preparation as its grains remain firm and separated when cooked, and stay soft when they get cold. The cooled rice is lightly dressed with olive oil and lemon juice and flavored with a variety of add-ins, according to personal preference, but also following the tradition.

Insalata di Riso

Yield: 3-4 servings

Total Time: 45 minutes

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Insalata di Riso

Ingredients

     Main

    • 1 cup parboiled rice
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
    • 100 g mild cheese (Fontina, Montasio, Raclette, Gouda), cubed
    • ½ cup Italian pickled cucumbers (no dill and no garlic!)
    • ½ cup Italian mixed 'sottaceti' (vinegar-preserved vegetables, e.g.: peppers, corn, capers, carrots, olives, fennel, artichokes)
    • ¼ cup sliced olives
    • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
    • the juice of 1 lemon
    • salt

     Other

    • pickled 'cipolline' (small onions), halved
    • pickled bell peppers, cut in small pieces
    • tuna in olive oil, crushed
    • ham, diced
    • cold roast beef or chicken, cut in small pieces

    Preparation

    1. Boil or steam the rice then spread it over a cloth and let it cool down, by the end the rice should be dry and fluffy.
    2. Meanwhile, hard boil the eggs and cook the peas, then let them also cool down.
    3. Move the rice into a bowl (fig. 1) and gently mix in the olive oil. Gather the pickled veggies (fig. 2).
    4. Gather peas, eggs (fig. 3) and diced cheese (fig. 4).
    5. Mix all of the add-ins together with the rice, then stir in the lemon juice.
    6. Adjust the salt and let the salad rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
    https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2011/08/insalata-di-riso.html

    Tortiglioni all’Arrabbiata

    Sugo* all’Arrabbiata is a classic pasta sauce from central/southern Italy that can be prepared very quickly, while the pasta cooks. This sauce is traditionally quite spicy, and this is at the origin of its name (all’arrabbiata, in Italian means ‘angry-style’). If desired, a milder version can be made, but a certain amount of heat is necessary to counter the acidity of the lightly cooked tomato and enhance its flavor. (*Sugo is another name for ‘salsa’, sauce.)

    Tortiglioni all’Arrabbiata

    Yield: 2 servings

    Total Time: 20 minutes

    Prep Time: 10 minutes

    Cook Time: 10 minutes

    Tortiglioni all’Arrabbiata

    Ingredients

    • 500 g peeled diced tomatoes (fresh or from a quality can)
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 chili pepper (whole or seeded if a milder sauce is desired), minced
    • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
    • some fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
    • 150 g dried short pasta (e.g.: tortiglioni, rigatoni, penne)
    • salt

    Preparation

    1. Mince chili pepper and garlic (fig. 1).
    2. In a large non-stick pan, fry garlic and chili pepper in olive oil for 2 minutes (fig. 2).
    3. Add the diced tomatoes (fig. 3), cook at medium heat for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
    4. Boil the pasta in plenty of salty water for the time indicated on the box.
    5. Add the well drained pasta to the pan and toss for 1 minute at high heat (fig. 4).
    6. Take off the heat, sprinkle with parsley, serve immediately.
    https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2011/07/tortiglioni-allarrabbiata.html

    Home-Style Pizza

    Unless you have a brick oven in your backyard, you can’t quite make pizzeria-style pizza at home; the regular kitchen oven simply can’t reach high enough temperatures. It is, however, possible to approximate the flavors of a pizzeria-style pizza by using a few expedients.

    There is more than one way to make home-style pizza. A pizza stone, for instance, can work really well but it requires time and practice.  The method that I am about to describe makes use of a perforated pizza tray. I find it easier and quicker and the results, in my opinion, are comparable.

    As usual with Italian cuisine, quality and simplicity of the ingredients are essential. Pre-made bread shells, pizza sauce, and pizza mozzarella must be avoided! Here is what you need:

    Home-Style Pizza

    Yield: 2 servings

    Total Time: 30 minutes

    Prep Time: 15 minutes

    Cook Time: 15 minutes

    Home-Style Pizza

    Ingredients

    • 1 perforated pizza pan
    • 450 g bread dough (from a bakery or bought frozen)
    • ¾ cup uncooked strained tomatoes (fresh or from a quality brand, e.g: Mutti, Pomì, Molisana)
    • 300 g fresh bocconcini mozzarella
    • some extra-virgin olive oil
    • one pinch of salt
    • one pinch of dried oregano (optional)
    • some fresh basil leaves (optional)
    • moderate amounts of your favorite toppings (I used capers and onions)

    Preparation

    1. First, warm up the oven to 450 °F (240 °C). Allow 15 minutes for the oven to fully reach its temperature.
    2. Flatten the bread dough into a disc that fits the pan. The dough should feel fluffy and slightly elastic. If it's too elastic, give it some time to relax its gluten strands.
    3. Unless you are using a non-stick pan, coat the pan very lightly with some olive oil, then transfer the dough onto it (1).
    4. Add the strained tomatoes, a pinch of salt, the oregano and any toppings that need to be fully cooked, e.g.: onions, fresh mushrooms, peppers (2).
    5. Half-bake the pizza base for 7 minutes. This allows the dough to cook through, without the weight and moisture of the cheese.
    6. While the base cooks, chop the mozzarella in small bites and prepare any additional toppings that don't need to be fully cooked, e.g.: capers, olives, ham.
    7. Remove the pan from the oven (3) and quickly add the cheese and the remaining toppings. Put the pan back in the oven.
    8. When the cheese is completely bubbly and starting to brown in some spots (after about 7-8 minutes), the pizza is ready (4).
    9. Add a drizzle of olive oil or of chili oil (if desired) and the basil leaves, serve immediately.

    Notes

    The perforated pizza pan is essential to allow the dough to cook evenly without becoming crunchy. Its holes allow excess moisture and the CO2 produced by the leavening process to escape so that the dough can cook rapidly without forming bubbles. The thin aluminum allows the pan to match the temperature of the dough that lays on it, preventing any hardening.

    https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2011/07/home-style-pizza.html

    Bruschetta, Properly Pronounced :)

    Bruschetta , plural ‘bruschette’ (brus-ket-teh), is a very popular appetizer born in the 16th century in central and southern Italy, which then spread to the entire country and eventually followed the Italian emigrants around the world.

    Classic bruschetta can be made in several ways, but it’s always based on a salad of fresh diced tomatoes on a toasted slice of rustic bread. The name bruschetta, in fact, derives from ‘bruscare’, Roman dialect for the verb to toast. Traditionally, a hint of garlic is added by rubbing a peeled garlic clove onto the char-roasted bread. However, it can also be added in small amounts directly to the tomato salad.

    Bruschetta can also be made with other toppings (e.g.: cooked beans, stewed mushrooms or bell peppers, tuna salad). In Italy, however, these are substantially less common than the classic tomato topping. Unless otherwise specified, the term ‘bruschetta’ refers to the tomato version and always to the whole preparation (bread plus topping), never to just the topping. So, no bruschetta burger, please!

    For the best results, the bread has to remain crunchy. To this effect, the topping should be not too soggy and it should be put on the bread only a few minutes before serving. Some restaurants even have do-it-yourself bruschette, where a tomato salad is served in a bowl along with toasted bread.

    This recipe describes a variation of the classic where a few extra ingredients are added.

    Bruschetta

    Yield: 2-4 servings (as an appetizer)

    Total Time: 25 minutes

    Prep Time: 25 minutes

    Bruschetta

    Ingredients

    • 4 Roma tomatoes
    • (optional) ½ shallot
    • 1 ½ cloves of garlic
    • 3-4 leaves fresh basil
    • 1 T olive oil
    • ½ T balsamic vinegar
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 4 slices of artisan bread
    • (optional) some ground black pepper

    Preparation

    1. Gather the ingredients. Wash and prepare the tomatoes for peeling by removing the bottom and by cutting a cross on the top. Slice and toast the bread.
    2. Blanch the fridge-cold tomatoes by dipping them in boiling water for 30 seconds, and then cooling them off quickly in cold water. The skin will come off easily.
    3. Remove the seeds and the cores, then dice the tomatoes.
    4. If using shallot, cut it into small dices.
    5. Cut the garlic into small dices. Slice the basil leaves by first rolling them up.
    6. Dress the bruschetta topping with balsamic vinegar, salt and olive oil.
    7. Place a generous amount of tomato salad on each bread slice. If desired, sprinkle with ground black pepper. This appetizers goes well with a full-bodied white wine, such as Malvasia Bianca, Soave, or Vernaccia.
    https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2011/06/bruschetta.html

    Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino – The Staple Midnight Pasta

    Aglio (pronounced ‘ah-llyo’), Olio e Peperoncino (Garlic, Oil and Chili Pepper) is one of the simplest and most popular Italian pasta sauces, and one of the most delicious. Its simplicity is unmatched for showcasing perfectly cooked, high-quality spaghetti, the cut of pasta that it best goes with. Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino is really more of a pasta dressing, rather than an actual sauce. And it’s perfect for when there is no time to make a sauce, for a midnight snack, or for unexpected guests.

    Italian cuisine is based on quality – the more a dish is simple, the more it requires the best ingredients. And this is definitely the case with Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino.

    Let’s start with the pasta: a typical serving of 70-80 grams per person of dried durum semolina spaghetti from a quality Italian brand (e.g.: Voiello, De Cecco, Barilla). It’s possible to use another cut of pasta – spaghetti could be replaced with linguine, but that’s pretty much as far as an Italian would push it. Definitely, short pasta wouldn’t be appropriate, and neither would egg noodles.

    Even by sticking to spaghetti, most Italians have a preference of what thickness best suits this dish. Every brand has its own “units”, for instance in my family we’ve always preferred the thicker Barilla #7 (‘Spaghettoni’), whereas the most popular kind is the thinner #5.

    Another fundamental choice that Italians make is whether or not to break the spaghetti in half before boiling them. Traditionally, pasta should never be cut – not before cooking it and especially never after it has been dished out. However, boiling 10 inch long noodles requires a particularly tall pot and breaking them in half may be practical.

    As for the oil, extra virgin olive oil is a must for this dish. Other than being a vessel on which to carry the flavor of the pasta and the spiciness of the chilies, extra virgin olive oil brings its distinct aroma, which perfectly complements them.

    The third and last ingredient, chili pepper, tops up the flavor profile with the simplest cooking trick: adding some heat! Any kind of chilies can be used, from a fresh cayenne pepper to dried flakes. It’s only important to get the desired amount of spiciness, which is usually medium-hot.

    Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino

    Yield: 2 servings

    Total Time: 15 minutes

    Prep Time: 3 minutes

    Cook Time: 12 minutes

    Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino

    Ingredients

    • 150 g high quality dried spaghetti
    • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon dried chili flakes (or 1 fresh cayenne pepper*)
    • (optional) 2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

    Preparation

    1. Start boiling the pasta in "abundant salty water" (fig.1).
    2. In a small pan, warm up the olive oil at medium heat for a minute.
    3. Add the crushed garlic and let it fry until it turns golden-brown (fig. 2).
      *If using a fresh cayenne pepper, it should be seeded and roasted along with the garlic and then also removed.
    4. Turn off the heat, discard the garlic and add the chili flakes (fig. 3).
    5. As soon as the pasta is cooked "al dente", drain it in a colander and toss it back in the empty pot.
    6. Pour in the garlic chili oil, quickly stir and dish the pasta into serving bowls.
    7. If desired, add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and serve immediately.
    https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2011/04/spaghetti-aglio-olio-e-peperoncino.html

    Pasta with Gorgonzola

    This quick and versatile recipe is another great representative of the cuisine of northern Italy. With any kind of strong, creamy cheese and a handful of always-ready ingredients, this delicious sauce can be whipped together from scratch in minutes. In Italy, there is absolutely no Alfredo sauce! The most famous dish that makes use of a creamy cheese sauce is ‘Gnocchi al Gorgonzola‘, but any kind of pasta can be used – and boxed dried pasta is actually recommended for this dish.

    Pasta with Gorgonzola

    Yield: 2 servings

    Total Time: 25 minutes

    Prep Time: 5 minutes

    Cook Time: 20 minutes

    Pasta with Gorgonzola

    Ingredients

    • 10 g butter (1 tablespoon)
    • 10 g water (1 tablespoon)
    • 10 g flour (1 tablespoon)
    • 100 g milk (½ cup)
    • some ground nutmeg
    • some ground black pepper
    • salt
    • 40 g Gorgonzola, Cambozola, or other blue cheese
    • One handful of crushed walnuts, pecans or pine nuts
    • 20 g grated Parmigiano
    • 140 g dried pasta. In the picture above you can see whole-wheat 'penne', but any dried pasta or fresh gnocchi can be used. Ricotta and spinach, or cheese ravioli also work very well with this sauce.

    Preparation

    1. Put butter and water in a saucepan at medium heat.
    2. When butter has melted, add the flour.
    3. Stir until it sizzles.
    4. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Add the nutmeg.
    5. Add the walnuts, the Gorgonzola, the Parmigiano, and adjust with salt and pepper.
    6. Cook the pasta "al dente", then drain it and put it back in the pan adding the cheese sauce. Mix well and serve in pre-heated bowls.
    https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2011/02/pasta-with-gorgonzola.html

    Pizzoccheri della Valtellina

    Pizzoccheri is a Northern Italian dish almost unknown in North America. It originates in Valtellina (known as Valtelline or Val Telline in English), a valley at the very top of Lombardy.

    Despite the name, Pizzoccheri has nothing to do with pizza. It is a first course centered around a special pasta made of buckwheat flour, a type of grain also called Saracen corn (‘grano Saraceno’ in Italian). The recognizable hearty flavor and coarse texture of buckwheat pasta are almost absent from Italian cuisine, but they marry perfectly with potatoes, cabbage, butter, and Valtellina Casera cheese (also indigenous of Valtellina) to make a unique dish.

    As detailed by its official website, Valtellina Casera is a medium-ripening, semi-cooked PDO cheese (see the ‘Formaggio Cheese’ post for more information on cheese classification) exclusively produced in Valtellina and made with partly skimmed cow milk. For the preparation of Pizzoccheri, Valtellina Casera is used when just over its minimum aging of 70 days while its flavor is delicate and milky and before it turns more intense.

    In Italy, dried buckwheat pasta specifically cut for use in Pizzoccheri can be bought in stores. However, it can also be easily made from scratch without particular equipment.

    Pizzoccheri della Valtellina

    Yield: 2-3 servings

    Total Time: 45 minutes

    Prep Time: 30 minutes

    Cook Time: 15 minutes

    Pizzoccheri della Valtellina

    Ingredients

       For 200 g of fresh Pizzoccheri noodles

      • 100 g buckwheat flour
      • 50 g white all-purpose flour
      • 1/8 tsp salt

       For the finished dish

      • 200 g fresh Pizzoccheri noodles (the same amount of dried Pizzoccheri can also be used).
      • 250 g potatoes (2 small, diced).
      • 150 g Savoy cabbage (sliced). For a more delicate flavor, it can be replaced or mixed with spinach.
      • 100 g Valtellina Casera cheese (thinly sliced). It can be replaced with other, easier to find, mild semi-cooked cheeses (such as young Fontina, Montasio, Raclette or Gouda).
      • 20 g Parmigiano cheese (grated).
      • 50 g unsalted butter.
      • 3 cloves of garlic (crushed).
      • 2 or 3 leaves of fresh sage (optional).
      • Salt and black pepper.

      Preparation

         For the Pizzoccheri noodles

        1. Mix the buckwheat flour with the white flour and the salt.
        2. Work in about 1/3 cup of water, just enough for a firm dough to form. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
        3. Roll the dough into a sheet 2-3 millimeters thick.
        4. Cut the sheet into small rectangles of about 0.5 by 5 cm.
        5. Using a spatula, separate the rectangles from the cutting board.
        6. Place the pieces on a floured plate (sprinkling with more flour before overlapping them).

         For the finished dish

        1. Bring a very large pot of salted water to a boil (using ½ tablespoon of salt per liter of water).
        2. Add the potatoes and the cabbage to the boiling water.
        3. Let the vegetables cook for 12-13 minutes (5 minutes if using dried pasta).
        4. Toss the (uncooked) pasta into the boiling water and keep cooking for another 2-3 minutes (10 minutes if using dried pasta).
        5. Meanwhile, melt the butter with the garlic and the sage in it; roast them until the garlic is golden, then discard both.
        6. Drain the pasta and vegetables mix removing it from the top by using a skimmer not to disturb the cloudy water.
        7. At this point start assembling the dish directly into individual bowls. Start layering the ingredients alternating some of the pasta and vegetables with a sprinkle of Parmigiano, a few cheese slices and some melted butter. Repeat 2 or 3 times using up all of the ingredients, ending with a layer of pasta and vegetables and a sprinkle of Parmigiano.
        8. Add some black pepper and serve without stirring.

        Notes

        A vegetable mincer can be used to make parallel cuts.

        https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2011/01/pizzoccheri-della-valtellina.html

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        Pasta e Fagioli

        Pasta e Fagioli (pasta with beans) is a delicious, hearty soup well known in both Italy and North America. In the United States, it’s sometimes referred to as “pasta fazool,” carrying the southern Italian pronunciation of the first Italo-Americans.

        Pasta e Fagioli represents a great example of Cucina Povera (cuisine of the poor), being a traditional dish made with simple and inexpensive ingredients. Many important Italian dishes belong to Cucina Povera (e.g. ‘polenta’, ‘osso buco’, ‘pasta cacio e pepe’) – nowadays they are no longer made out of necessity, they are rather considered sophisticated delicacies.

        There are many ways to make Pasta e Fagioli, my favorite makes use a particular kind of small white beans called ‘cannellini’ and a short pasta called ‘ditalini’, ‘tubetti’, or ‘ditaloni’ (as in the featured picture). This recipe uses tomato sauce, but there are variations without it.

        Pasta e Fagioli

        Yield: 2 servings

        Total Time: 45 minutes

        Prep Time: 15 minutes

        Cook Time: 30 minutes

        Pasta e Fagioli

        Ingredients

        • 1 small carrot
        • 1 stick of celery
        • 1 small onion
        • 2 cloves of garlic
        • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
        • ½ cup crushed tomatoes
        • 1 can cannellini beans
        • 2 cups vegetable stock
        • Salt and pepper
        • 60 g ditalini pasta (3 handfuls)

        Preparation

        1. Finely chop carrot, celery, onion, garlic and rosemary.
        2. Make a 'soffritto' (stir fry in olive oil, at medium heat, until tender).
        3. Add the cannellini (drained and rinsed).
        4. Add the crushed tomatoes and the vegetable stock; adjust salt and pepper.
        5. Simmer for ½ hr.
        6. Add the pasta and cook for another 10 minutes (or the time indicated on the box).
        https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2010/12/pasta-e-fagioli.html