Tag: parsley

Herb and Ricotta Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce

Butter and Sage sauce is often what comes to mind when showcasing ricotta-filled ravioli, and especially spinach and ricotta ravioli. In Italy, meatless preparations like this are sometimes called “di magro” (literally, “of lean”), with reference to the foods that are allowed during lent according to the Christian tradition. Really, though, this dish is anything but lean – it’s a decadent buttery and cheesy delicacy that is technically not even vegetarian due to the presence of Parmigiano (made with rennet).

As a gentle twist to the common spinach flavoring, this herb and ricotta ravioli recipe makes use of Swiss chard (“bietola” in Italian), which is slightly more bitter, flavored with more sage, parsley, and a touch of garlic.

As for the origin of ravioli themselves, we need to go all the way back to the Middle Ages. Over the centuries, these early preparations have produced several regional staples, from Anolini and Cappelletti, to Tortelli, Tortellini, Tortelloni, Agnolotti, and Casoncelli, just to name a few!

Ingredients for two servings

For the dough
– 100 g flour
– 1 egg
– pinch of salt
– bit of water		 For the filling
– 125 g ricotta, drained
– 1 egg yolk
– 20 g Parmigiano, grated
– 150 g Swiss chard
– 25 g fresh sage
– some parsley (optional)
– 1 clove garlic (optional)
– some olive oil
– pinch of salt		 To boil
– 2 Tbsp coarse salt

For the sauce
– 30 g butter
– 10 sage leaves

For the plating
– More grated Parmigiano

Preparation

Let’s start with the dough! Put the egg, the flour, and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl. Mix into a dry crumble, then add a tiny bit of water – just enough so you can knead it into a firm but elastic ball. Cover and let it rest for 1/2 hour.

Meanwhile, wash the chard and put it into a large pan. Put the lid on and cook at high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until it almost disappears!

Next, put the cooked chard into a potato ricer and squeeze out as much water as you can. Then, chop it coarsely.

Now, wash and dry sage and parsley and chop them finely. Heat up some olive oil in a frying pan. Roast the sage and parsley for a couple of minutes, then discard the garlic.

In a mixing bowl, add the well-drained ricotta, the egg yolk, the grated Parmigiano, the cooked chard, and the crispy sage and parsley. Mix well.

Once a half-hour has elapsed, roll the dough until very thin (max 1 mm thick). Using a sharp round container (about 5-6 cm diameter), cut circles out of the dough. Re-knead the offcuts and re-roll the remaining dough to cut more circles. This is also a good time to start bringing a large pan of water to a boil.

Fill each raviolo with a teaspoon of ricotta mix. Fold the dough onto itself and press around the edge. Continue until all ravioli are filled. Lay them out on a wooden surface or on a floured tray.

Then make the sauce by melting the butter and adding fresh sage leaves. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, boil the ravioli in plenty of salty water for about 4 minutes.

At this point, plate the ravioli on preheated dishes. Drizzle them with the sage butter sauce, and sprinkle them with some more Parmigiano.

Herb and Ricotta Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce

Yield: 2 portions

Total Time: 1 hour

Prep Time: 50 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Herb and Ricotta Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce

Ingredients

    For the dough
  • 100 g flour
  • 1 egg
  • pinch of salt
  • bit of water
    • For the filling
  • 125 g ricotta
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 20 g Parmigiano, grated
  • 150 g chard, can also use spinach
  • 25 g sage
  • some parsley (optional)
  • 1 clove garlic
  • some olive oil
  • pinch of salt
    • To boil
  • 2 Tbsp coarse salt
    • For the sauce
  • 30 g butter
  • 10 sage leaves
    • For the plating
  • More grated Parmigiano

Preparation

  1. Put the egg, the flour, and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl. Mix into a dry crumble, then add a tiny bit of water – just enough so you can knead it into a firm but elastic ball. Cover and let it rest for 1/2 hour.
  2. Meanwhile, wash the chard and put it into a large pan. Put the lid on and cook at high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until it almost disappears!
  3. Put the cooked chard into a potato ricer and squeeze out as much water as you can. Then, chop it coarsely.
  4. Wash and dry sage and parsley and chop them finely. Heat up some olive oil in a frying pan. Roast the sage and parsley for a couple of minutes, then discard the garlic.
  5. In a mixing bowl, add the well-drained ricotta, the egg yolk, the grated Parmigiano, the cooked chard, and the crispy sage and parsley. Mix well.
  6. Once a half-hour has elapsed, roll the dough until very thin (max 1 mm thick). Using a sharp round container (about 5-6 cm diameter), cut circles out of the dough. Re-knead the offcuts and re-roll the remaining dough to cut more circles. This is also a good time to start bringing a large pan of water to a boil.
  7. Fill each raviolo with a teaspoon of ricotta mix. Fold the dough onto itself and press around the edge. Continue until all ravioli are filled. Lay them out on a wooden surface or on a floured tray.
  8. Then make the sauce by melting the butter and adding fresh sage leaves. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, boil the ravioli in plenty of salty water for about 4 minutes.
  9. Plate the ravioli on preheated dishes. Drizzle them with the sage butter sauce, and sprinkle them with some more Parmigiano.
https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2021/09/herb-and-ricotta-ravioli-with-sage-butter-sauce.html

[Thoughts on the Table – 74] Commercial vs. Domestic Kitchens and Italian Food Knowledge, with Simon Pagotto

Restaurateur and Italian food ambassador Simon Pagotto is back for another great chat!

In the first part of the episode, Simon talks about commercial kitchens and how they differ with respect to domestic kitchens. For instance, he discusses timing, the benefits of professional equipment, dealing with large quantities, and achieving a consistent product.

In the second part, Simon goes through a list of 12 questions he’s been asking other Italian food ambassadors to test their knowledge. You can read the question below, join our chat to hear my answers! Do you agree? 🙂

Questions for Italian food ambassadors

  1. What dairy is in a pasta Carbonara?
  2. Is chicken acceptable in a pasta and if not, why not?
  3. Is there a right way to eat spaghetti? Is the use of a spoon acceptable?
  4. Why do they call Parmigiano Reggiano the king of cheeses?
  5. What’s your favourite pizza excluding a Margherita?
  6. Name another rice dish that doesn’t have the words risotto, arancini or suppli in the name.
  7. Does the word Ragu belong to just one plate or place?
  8. Do you know of a seafood dish that is served with cheese, if so what is it?
  9. Do you consider an area of Italy food more pure than any others?
  10. Do have a favourite region for food and what makes that region so special to you?
  11. Do you know some of the other regions of food as well as your favourite region?
  12. (Optional) Have you ever had a slightly warmed (so the fat just goes clear) salami sandwich on bread with an egg fried in the fat? Or a googy egg (just boiled eggs mashed with olive oil, s & p and fresh chopped parsley) bruschetta for breakfast? No need to answer that one, just try it sometime. LOL.

If you missed it, check out Simon’s first episode here.

During the show, we mention several dishes including Canederli, Amatriciana, and Carbonara.

Listen now!
   

Braised Fennel

Side dishes have an important role in Italian cuisine. These, often vegetarian, preparations are meant as an accompaniment to a second course, whether it’s meat or fish, a piatto freddo (literally, cold dish) of cheese and/or cold cuts, or a vegetarian preparation. To have a side of braised fennel was common in my family while growing up, and I now make it regularly.

Fennel is known for its aromatic seeds and as a vegetable consisting of the lower part of its stalks, which form an enlarged bulb-shaped bundle(1). As the stalks separate, they become fibrous and are discarded in cooking. Fennel belongs to the umbellifers family along with celery (which it visually resembles), carrots, parsnip, parsley, cilantro, dill, anise, and other plants which tend to produce flowers in umbrella-shaped clusters.

Fennel Nutrition Facts
Fennel bulb (raw)

Fennel has a strong anise aroma due to the presence of anethole, an organic compound also found in anise seeds. Some say that fennel tastes like licorice, but this is really because many licorice candies are flavored with anise.

Nutritionally, fennel is a good source of vitamins (e.g.: C, A), minerals (e.g.: potassium, manganese), as well as carbohydrates in the form of dietary fiber (non-digestible) and sugar (3.9% in weight).

Fennel is consumed raw (e.g.: thinly sliced and added to salads) or cooked (e.g.: roasted, braised, or au gratin). In this recipe:

  • I sliced the fennel perpendicularly to its fibers to tenderize it.
  • I pan roasted it in olive oil and butter to caramelize the sugars and develop flavor through browning.
  • Then, I added salt to enhance the flavor and to extract some water (via osmosis).
  • Allowed the fennel to braise in its own juice covered with a lid at a low temperature.
  • Interrupted the cooking after 15-20 minutes or when the fennel was cooked through but still had a slightly fibrous texture.
Braised Fennel

Yield: 2 servings

Total Time: 25 minutes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

side dish

Braised Fennel

Ingredients

  • 2 fennel bulbs
  • 1/2 Tbsp butter
  • 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Salt

Preparation

  1. Slice the fennel perpendicularly to its fibers, discarding the stalks.
  2. In a non-stick pan, warm up olive oil and butter, then add the fennel.
  3. Roast the fennel at a high temperature, tossing and flipping it frequently.
  4. Add a pinch of salt, lower the temperature, cover with a lid, and allow the fennel to braise.
  5. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring from time to time, just until the fennel is cooked through.
https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2019/02/braised-fennel.html

 

(1)Harold McGee. On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. 2nd edition (2004).

Gorgonzola – The Italian Blue

If you like blue cheese, but you haven’t tried Gorgonzola (), you’re going to love it. If you don’t like blue cheese, and you try Gorgonzola, you might very well start to like blue cheese! In fact, next to the traditional Piccante (pungent) variety, the milder Dolce (sweet) variety meets the palate of those who are not too fond of ‘blue’ flavors.

What is the correct pronunciation of “bruschetta”? Check out this and other often mispronounced Italian words.

The characteristic pungent aroma of Gorgonzola Piccante is due to the aromatic molds that, over a 6 month aging period, grow to fully inhabit it. As the cheese ages, it becomes compact or even crumbly because of its natural loss of moisture (down to 30-40%). This transformation also intensifies the flavor.

A slice of Gorgonzola Piccante
A slice of Gorgonzola Piccante

The Dolce variety instead (shown in the feature image) is only aged 2 to 3 months: it has only partially established molds and still contains high amounts of moisture (45%). This results in a cheese that is only mildly blue, and that is also creamy and spreadable.

Both the Dolce and the Piccante varieties are made from whole cow milk, and they have similar percentages of fat (around 25-30%).

Cheese production makes use of specific kinds of molds (Penicillia) that over the centuries were discovered capable of improving the flavor and the texture of the product. We now know that these molds are aerobic fungi that produce enzymes capable of metabolizing the milk fats and proteins, therefore completely transforming the cheese. These molds are perfectly safe to eat since they don’t release any toxins and even have antibacterial properties. The antibiotic penicillin, in fact, derives from a mold that belongs to the same family.

Out of all of the different kinds of Penicillia, only two are responsible for the characteristic flavor of the countless varieties of blue cheese: Penicillium glaucum and Penicillium roqueforti. Gorgonzola is traditionally made using the former, but the latter can also be used.

A drum of Gorgonzola
For easier distribution, the drum of is generally cut into 4 pieces.

Molds are often associated with cheese, but in most kinds of cheese, they grow only on the rind. In blue cheese, instead, the mold is encouraged to grow deeply into the cheese paste. Since Penicillia need at least minimal levels of oxygen to survive, in the production of Gorgonzola, the uncooked curds are left unpressed to favor the formation of fissures and cavities through which the mold will be able to breathe. In order to get an even more uniform growth of the mold within the paste, when the cheese is 3-4 weeks old, the rind is perforated deeply with metal needles. The mold ends up thriving on the walls of the holes, forming the characteristic green veining. In Italian, this process is called Erborinatura from the word ‘erburin’, which means ‘parsley‘ in northern Italian dialect, in reference to the similarly green color.

Origins

The exact origins of Gorgonzola are unknown, but they certainly revolve around a city that bears the same name, 15 km East of Milan, in the core of Lombardy.

Location of Gorgonzola in Italy
Milan (green dot) and Gorgonzola (red dot) in the region Lombardy.

As early as in the 9th century, Lombardy was known for the production of a soft cheese called stracchino(1). There is evidence that the stracchino made around the town of Gorgonzola developed special characteristics that made it unique – likely it was contaminated with a particular mold which is naturally present in the caves where the cheese was ripened. The “stracchino of Gorgonzola” started being appreciated as a different kind of cheese, a delicacy that then became known in all of northern Italy.

Over time, the production of Gorgonzola expanded to other parts of Lombardy, but the city of Gorgonzola maintained its prestige until the middle of the 19th century. In 1840 writer Luigi Cattaneo wrote in his Milanese publication: Il Politecnico that “while the cheesemakers of the town of Gorgonzola kept the secret of the peculiar circumstances that make this cheese special, this cheese remained their almost exclusive privilege. But nowadays this cheese is produced in several other locations in Lombardy with the same good success, although the one that is made in the surroundings of Gorgonzola maintains higher commercial regard.”(2)

Since 1970, the production of Gorgonzola is regulated by its Consortium, and it’s limited to specific areas of Lombardy and Piedmont, as stipulated by its designation of Protected Geographical Status.

Uses

Gorgonzola and mascarpone "cake".
Gorgonzola and mascarpone “cake”.

Gorgonzola is commonly eaten by itself, usually spread on bread. The aged variety (Piccante) is sometimes paired with honey to counterbalance its intense body. For those who prefer more delicate flavors, a modern preparation exists that is even milder than Gorgonzola Dolce: a “cake” made by layering sweet Gorgonzola with mascarpone.

Gorgonzola is also widely used in cooking. The main examples see it used:

  • as a sauce for pasta or gnocchi, sometimes with the addition of walnuts;
  • in risotto, simply added when the rice is nearly cooked;
  • on pizza, alone or as one of the 4 kinds of cheese in quattro formaggi;
  • with polenta, especially baked in layers.
Gorgonzola Piccante with chestnut honey.
Gorgonzola Piccante with chestnut honey.
Pasta with Gorgonzola.
Pasta with Gorgonzola.

The wine pairings of Gorgonzola are somewhat difficult and a source of lengthy debates. There seems to be consensus, however, that the Dolce variety goes with fruity wines (Riesling, Pinot bianco, various novelli). The Piccante variety, instead, needs a stronger, sweeter wine, even fortified: various kinds of passito, as well as Port and Marsala. All agree that Gorgonzola goes well with beer, especially the Trappist kind.

Notes

1) Stracchino is a fat cheese whose name derives from the word “stracco” (“tired” in Milanese dialect), in reference to the fact that it was made with the milk of cows that were “tired” because of having just returned to the valley after spending the summer on higher pastures.
2) Luigi Cattaneo, On the way to produce the fat cheese called Stracchino of Gorgonzola, Il Politecnico 3 (1840), p. 309-322.

Addendum – Bloggers Recipes (from comments)

Thanks to my friend bloggers who accepted my invitation to share their best Gorgonzola recipes! Here is a clickable list compiled from their comments. Enjoy!

Simona (Briciole)

Roz (La Bella Vita)

Manu (Manu’s Menu)

Frank Fariello (Memorie di Angelina)

Pola (An Italian Cooking in the Midwest)

And my own:

Rice and Parsley (Ris e Erburin)

Having some more Italian (flat-leaf) parsley in my fridge, not an easy find in Vancouver, and looking for something quick to make for dinner, I naturally went back to my childhood for a dish where parsley is the absolute star of the show: a simple soup of rice and parsley. I remember very well my grandma making this dish in the summer, especially when there was a storm approaching and the parsley in the orchard had to be cut quickly so that it wouldn’t get mangled by the rain.

Like for most northern Italian preparations (Pizzoccheri, for instance), this dish is almost unknown outside of its region of origin. For this reason, for the first time in this blog, I decided to mention in the title the dish’s name in Lombard dialect: “ris” (rice, or “riso” in Italian) “e” (and) “erburin” (literally ‘little herbs’, referring to parsley, or “prezzemolo” in Italian). Certainly, that’s how my grandma called it!

This soup can definitely be considered an example of Cucina Povera (“Cuisine of the Poor”) for it simplicity and its affordable ingredients. However, the version that I’m illustrating below (adapted from SaleDolce) is slightly more “decadent” thanks to the generous use of Parmigiano and of butter.

Rice and Parsley (Ris e Erburin)

Yield: 2 servings

Total Time: 25 minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Rice and Parsley (Ris e Erburin)

Ingredients

  • 3 cups light meat stock or flavorful vegetables and herbs stock
  • ½ cup Carnaroli rice (other medium-grain rices can also be used)
  • 1 ½ oz Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
  • ¾ oz unsalted butter
  • 1 bunch of fresh Italian (flat-leaf), parsley (should yield over 1 oz of leaves)

Preparation

  1. Bring the stock to a boil, then cook the rice for 15 minutes at medium-low heat.
  2. Wash and dry the parsley, then rip off the leaves and finely mince them.
  3. When the rice is ready, take it off the heat and stir in the butter, Parmigiano and parsley.
  4. Mix gently and serve in bowls, optionally sprinkled with more grated Parmigiano.
https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2012/09/rice-and-parsley-ris-e-erburin.html

 

Vodka Pasta (Made Vegetarian)

I’ve been away for so long that I feel almost ashamed of myself! Luckily, this is not sufficient to stop me from posting again 🙂

As you can see from the pictures below, I’m cooking in a different kitchen 🙂 – this is part of the reason for my prolonged absence: we have moved to a new apartment and I haven’t been cooking much lately, let alone blogging!

This quick and simple pasta recipe (adapted from the Silver Spoon) is another Italian classic although it’s made with vodka, a classic Russian spirit. Vodka pasta traditionally contains ham, but it can be omitted without taking too much away from the original flavor. As always when cooking with liqueurs and spirits, it has to be noted that any alcoholic content ends up evaporating completely. What is left, however, is more than the drink’s flavor – alcohol as a solvent has the ability to extract aromatic compounds from other ingredients (including some that don’t mix with water), increasing the overall flavor of the dish.

Vodka Pasta (Made Vegetarian)

Yield: 2 servings

Total Time: 25 minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Vodka Pasta (Made Vegetarian)

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup cream (33% fat)
  • ¼ cup vodka
  • 2 cups penne rigate (dried pasta)
  • salt and pepper

Preparation

  1. While bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil, finely chop the parsley.
  2. Melt the butter in a pan, then add the tomato paste and the parsley.
  3. Cook for 10 minutes at low heat, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, start cooking the pasta.
  4. Mix in the cream and the vodka, then continue cooking until the vodka evaporates completely and the sauce thickens again. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. When the pasta is a couple of minutes from being ready, drain it quickly and finish cooking it in the sauce. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2012/09/vodka-pasta-made-vegetarian.html

Handmade Tagliolini with Mushrooms

Most Italians would be perfectly happy to eat pasta every day, and some probably do! Everyday pasta is normally dried durum pasta, delicious when of good quality and properly cooked, and also convenient as it can be stored for months in the cupboard. Fresh pasta, on the other hand, is generally regarded as more sophisticated, and it’s more likely to be found on restaurant menus. This recipe describes how to make ‘tagliolini’ from scratch without a pasta machine, and then serve it with a simple wine mushroom sauce. ‘Tagliolini’ is a kind of ‘tagliatelle,’ and is similarly named from the verb ‘tagliare,’ to cut.

Fresh pasta has a different texture and flavor than dried pasta also because of the different ingredients. Eggs are frequently added (most fresh pasta is labeled: ‘pasta all’uovo’) and all-purpose flour is often used instead of durum wheat flour. This is especially true when fresh pasta is made by hand since durum flour is harder to work into shape.

Handmade Tagliolini with Mushrooms

Yield: 2 servings

Total Time: 1 hour

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Handmade Tagliolini with Mushrooms

Ingredients

     For the tagliolini

    • 100 g (3/4 cup) of flour
    • 1 egg
    • a pinch of salt (1/16 of a tsp)

     For the mushroom sauce

    • 2 cloves of garlic, each peeled and cut into 2 or 3 pieces
    • 5 or 6 medium-sized cremini mushrooms, sliced
    • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
    • a splash of white wine
    • 1/2 cup of double-cream
    • salt & pepper

     For the plating

    • 1/8 cup grated Parmigiano
    • a handful of Italian parsley leaves, minced
    • black pepper, ground

    Preparation

       For the tagliolini

      1. Using your hands, mix the ingredients together (2).
      2. Add just enough warm water (2 o 3 teaspoons) to form a compact, hard ball.
      3. Kneed for a couple of minutes (3).
      4. Have the dough rest, covered in plastic wrap, for 30 minutes at room temperature.
      5. As the dough rests, start bringing a large pot of salty water to a boil (see Cooking Pasta 101) and prepare the sauce.

       For the mushroom sauce

      1. Roast the garlic in the olive oil at medium heat (a) until golden.
      2. Add the cremini mushrooms. Roast them until they soften and start to release some liquid (b).
      3. Add a splash of white wine and wait until it evaporates fully.
      4. Remove the garlic and add the cream. Season with salt and simmer for a few minutes (c).
      5. Turn off the heat and put a lid on the pan to keep the sauce warm and moist.
      6. Mince the parsley and grate the Parmigiano in preparation for the plating.
      7. Unwrap the dough and proceed to roll and cut the tagliolini as shown in the video below.

       To complete the dish

      1. Warm up the sauce adding some pasta water to rehydrate it if necessary.
      2. Boil the pasta for 2 minutes stirring gently (it'll start floating in about a minute).
      3. Drain the pasta quickly and toss it into the pan with the sauce. Mix gently.
      4. Serve in bowls, sprinkle with Parmigiano, parsley, and some ground black pepper.
      5. Enjoy!
      https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2012/03/handmade-mushroom-tagliolini.html

      Note: This traditional technique makes use of the rolling pin to stretch the dough, as opposed to just pressing it. This process takes a bit of time to master, but it’s easy when making a small batch of noodles. Preparations like ravioli and tortellini are a lot harder to do by hand because they require a thinner dough.

      Canederli, the Italian Knödel

      Canederli are bread dumplings only found in the north-east of Italy (Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli, and part of Veneto), where they are served as a first course or as a main entree. Variations of this dish are common in all south-eastern Europe, where they are also served as an accompaniment to meat stews and roasts. The word ‘canederlo’, in fact, derives from the German and Austrian ‘knödel’ (dumpling).

      Canederli can be considered part of ‘cucina povera’ (cuisine of the poor), as they are made of simple and inexpensive ingredients: stale bread moistened with milk and bound with eggs and a small amount of flour. However, the mixture is often enriched with cheese and Speck (a kind of smoked prosciutto also local to the north-east regions of Italy).

      There are several variations of this regional dish, the following recipe describes one of the most common: filled with cheese. Once the dumplings are prepared and boiled, they are either served “dry” with melted butter or in broth.

      What is the correct pronunciation of “bruschetta”? Check out this and other often mispronounced Italian words.

      Canederli, the Italian Knödel

      Yield: 4-5 servings

      Total Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes

      Prep Time: 2 hours

      Cook Time: 20 minutes

      #Canederli, the Italian Knödel

      Ingredients

         For the dumplings

        • 300 g (10 oz) stale bread, diced (which can be obtained by dicing 450 g of fresh bread and laying it on a perforated tray for 24-48 hours, covered with a tea towel) - it's important that the bread is fully dried out and crunchy
        • 225 ml (1 scant cup) milk
        • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
        • 60 g (½ cup) white flour
        • 3 Tbsp (minced) flat leaf (Italian) parsley
        • 200 g (7 oz) cheese, e.g.: Fontina, Raclette (smoked or plain), or Gouda (smoked or plain), diced
        • 45 g (3 Tbsp) unsalted butter
        • 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
        • 1 onion, finely chopped
        • ½ tsp salt
        • ¼ tsp pepper
        • ¼ tsp nutmeg
        • 3 liters (12 cups) of vegetable stock (for boiling)

         To serve them "dry"

        • 20 g (1 ½ Tbsp) (per serving) unsalted butter
        • 10 g (2 tsp) (per serving) grated Parmigiano
        • 1 small bunch of chives, thinly sliced

         To serve them in broth

        • 1 cup (per serving) additional vegetable stock
        • Some grated Parmigiano
        • Some chives, thinly sliced (optional)

        Preparation

        1. Put the stale bread into a large mixing bowl (1). Add the milk (2), the eggs (3), as well as salt, pepper and nutmeg.
        2. Mix well and let it rest for at least two hours, covered with a tea towel, in a cool place or in the fridge. Stir occasionally to ensure that the mix absorbs the liquid uniformly.
        3. After the two hours, add the flour (4), then the parsley (5), and the cheese (6). Mix gently.
        4. Finely chop the onion (7) and fry it in oil and butter for ten minutes at medium heat, stirring occasionally.
        5. Let the onion cool (8), then incorporate it into the mix (9).
        6. Let the mixture rest for another half-hour covered with a tea towel. It should look uniformly moist and slightly sticky.
        7. Using your hands, form the canederli by pressing together enough of the mix to make balls the size of a small orange (60 to 80 grams each). You should be able produce 14-16 balls out of the entire mix.
        8. After making each ball, roll it in flour to seal the outside and prevent the canederli from sticking to each other (10).
        9. When all the canederli are ready, re-roll them into flour and compress them a second time (11).
        10. Have the vegetable stock in a large pot, well boiling on the stove.
        11. Place the canederli gently in the pot (12-13), wait until the boil is resumed (14).
        12. Boil the canederli for 12-15 minutes (they will be floating the whole time), then drain them gently.
        13. If serving the canederli "dry", warm up the butter just enough to melt it. Place 3 canederli into each plate, pour the melted butter on them, then sprinkle with some thin-sliced chives, a generous amount of grated Parmigiano, and some freshly ground black pepper.

        Notes

        Note: once boiled, the canederli can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

        If serving the canederli in broth, prepare more vegetable stock (as the one used for boiling will be cloudy because of the flour). Place one or two canederli into each bowl, then pour the broth on them. Finish with some grated Parmigiano and (optional) chives.

        https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2012/01/canederli-italian-knodel.html

        More featured recipes

        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