potato Archives - Quatro Fromaggio and Other Disgraces on the Menu

[Thoughts on the Table – 96] What makes a dish Italian? With Eva from Electric Blue Food

In this new episode of Thoughts on the Table, Eva from Electric Blue Food is back to help me break down a massive topic: What makes a dish Italian?

To non-Italians, Italian food may be what appears on the menus of Italian restaurants or anything tagged as Italian that goes viral on social networks, like Carbonara, Amatriciana, Neapolitan Pizza, egg-yolk ravioli. To the Italians, Italian food is what they naturally cook at home, and maybe the only thing they are able and equipped to cook. These are potentially two very different things!

With many cuisines, we see a set of iconic dishes that become famous around the world through some kind of selection (like Pad Thai, Chicken Vindaloo, Salmon Teriyaki). Despite helping to make those cuisines accessible to many, these dishes are really just a small sample of the foods originating in their native regions. Eva and I argue that the (often ill-formed) quest for “the original” or “the authentic” version of these recipes may contribute to weeding out all variations of those dishes except for their dominant ones. This is probably why abroad there tends to be only one kind of Tiramisu (the coffee/cocoa one), whereas in Italy important spin-offs happily co-exist.

Join us in this episode to hear more about the true cuisine of Italy by going over some unexpected Italian dishes, such as Mostarda, Bagna Cauda, Prosciutto and Cantaloupe, as well as evidence of many dishes sometimes labeled as “non-authentic” that are eaten daily all around the Peninsula, like Spaghetti alla Bolognese, Gnocchi al Pesto, Lasagne al Pesto, Carbonara with Pancetta, and Strawberry Tiramisu.

Finally, Eva describes her experience with the Polish cuisine of her grandmother and her encounter with Blueberry Pierogi, a sweet variation of the iconic potato dumpling that is equally unexpected outside of Poland.

You can learn more about Eva by visiting her website Electric Blue Food. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Please also check out Eva’s interview in episode 87!

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

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

Deep Fried Squid (Calamari Fritti)

This is another recipe that I had the opportunity to document during my last Italy visit: deep fried squid. Unlike the potato crusted sea bream dish, calamari have always been standard in my family, ideal for a Sunday meal, especially in the summer. Naturally, this second course needs to be paired with a starter and/or a first course. Should be served accompanied with lemon wedges, bread or grissini for the table, and chilled white wine. Goes well with a side of green salad (lettuce, white vinegar, salt, and olive oil).

Deep Fried Squid (Calamari Fritti)

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 30 minutes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Deep Fried Squid (Calamari Fritti)

Ingredients

800 grams whole squids (uncleaned)
1 liter peanut oil
half cup all-purpose flour
salt
1 lemon, sliced in wedges

Preparation

Clean and wash the squid, then slice it coarsely, lay it on a cloth, and pat it dry with paper towel. It's very important for the squid to be very dry or it will splash during frying.
Put some flour on a plate. A few at a time, transfer the squid pieces onto the flour.

Cover well in flour, ensuring that the flour goes inside the rings.
Shake off any excess using a sieve.

In a deep-frying pan, allow the oil to reach a very high temperature (4-5 minutes at high heat).
Place the floured squid pieces onto the frying sieve. Depending on the size of your frying pan, you may have to deep fry in batches.

Submerge the squid pieces and deep fry for 2.5 minutes at high heat.
Drain the pieces and let them rest for a minute on paper towel. Proceed with the next batch.
Serve seasoned with salt, along with lemon wedges.

Notes

Can also add shrimp for extra flavor.

https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2019/05/deep-fried-squid-calamari-fritti.html

Potato Crusted Sea Bream (Orata in Crosta di Patate)

During my last Italy trip, I got a chance to document the making of a dish that has become a staple in my family: potato-crusted sea bream. Based on a quick search, it appears to be quite popular in Italy and it has started to be featured internationally on restaurant menus.

Quite possibly, the diffusion of this preparation follows the increased popularity of Orata (Gilt-head sea bream) and Branzino (European seabass), two kinds of marine white fish that are delicately flavored and low in fat, but still moist and tender.

This is my mother’s take on the dish, a festive second course that showcases its simple but noble ingredients.

Potato Crusted Sea Bream (Orata in Crosta di Patate)

Yield: 3 servings

Total Time: 1 hour

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Potato Crusted Sea Bream (Orata in Crosta di Patate)

Ingredients

3 sea bream fillets, skin on, can also use seabass
3 yellow potatoes, sliced 3-4 mm (1/8 inch) thick
3-4 rosemary twigs, needles detached and finely chopped
olive oil
salt & white pepper

Preparation

Mince the rosemary needles, we used a 'mezzaluna' knife, but a chef knife will do.
Peel and wash the potatoes.

Slice the potatoes. We used a food processor with a slicing blade, but a mandoline slicer works too. It's important that the slices are not too thin and not too thick, therefore slicing them by hand is not advisable.
Allow the slices to rest on a towel and pat them dry with some paper towel.

Line the bottom and sides of a large bowl with potato slices and dress with a sprinkle of olive oil, salt, pepper, chopped rosemary.
Then add another layer of potato slices and repeat the seasoning. Continue until you've used all potato slices, then gently slide them around in the bowl to complete the seasoning. Preheat the oven at 200 C.

Put the fish fillets, skin down, on lightly oiled parchment paper, season them with salt, pepper, and rosemary.
Cover each fillet with partially overlapped potato slices.

Cook in the oven for 30-35 minutes at 200 C.
Serve accompanied with a green salad.

https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2019/05/potato-crusted-sea-bream.html

Oven-Roasted Vegetables Stripes

Roasted vegetables are nothing new, but this particular arrangement makes for a truly spectacular dish which can be served as a main course, accompanied with fresh and aged cheese, as well as a side dish.

When I lived with my parents, this preparation was a common Sunday meal feature. However, it didn’t start in my childhood. For some reason, one day my mother started roasting vegetables this way and ever since it has been pretty much her only way. Since the cooked casserole is incredibly beautiful, she would bring it to the table straight from the oven and ask people if they wanted a bit of all the vegetables or if they had their favorites. Since everyone likes potatoes, her casserole would always be generous with the popular tubers.

The striped arrangement, however, is not merely beautiful to see. By keeping the vegetables separate as they cook, each flavor remains distinct and intense. In fact, this dish works best when using vegetables of different flavor profiles and textures, as well as of differing colors. For instance, I decided to pair sweet bell peppers with bitter radicchio, and starchy potatoes with aromatic fennel. But yam, zucchini, eggplants, cabbage, mushrooms, endive, onion, green beans, and shallots can all be used as well.

Why radicchio and fennel?

I chose radicchio and fennel because they also happen to be quite obscure to many of my Canadian friends. They are often even obscure to the superstore cashiers who sometimes ask me what they’re weighing! If you have yet to try them, they’re both a bit of an acquired taste – but I guarantee they’ll quickly grow on you. Radicchio is quite bitter and astringent, but its flavor becomes milder with cooking, especially in the presence of salt. Fennel has a sweet anise-like flavor, though the roasting (and the resulting caramelization) brings out more of a well-rounded umami flavor.

Why pre-roasting?

As you will see, each vegetable is pre-roasted in the pan before going into the oven. This is to equalize cooking times. In the case of starchy vegetables like potatoes, pre-roasting also provides the necessary searing which will keep them separate and crunchy on the outside. The subtle layer of garlic flavoring and the oregano finish, along with the olive oil, all combine to bring the dish together.

Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables Stripes

Yield: 4 servings, or 8 sides

Total Time: 1 hour

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables Stripes

Ingredients

3 medium yellow potatoes, diced uniformly (1/2 inch edge)
1 large fennel (or two small ones), sliced
2 bell peppers (yellow and red), sliced
1 head of radicchio di Chioggia (or 3 of radicchio Trevisano), sliced
1 garlic clove, whole - just for rubbing the pan
1/4 cup of vegetable broth, kept warm
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano (dried or fresh)
salt

Preparation

Gather the ingredients.
Rub a garlic clove, which you have previously cut to expose the pulp, vigorously on a dry, oven-proof casserole. This will give a very subtle garlic flavor to the whole dish.
Pat dry the diced potato with paper towel. Preheat a tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick pan, roast the potatoes for 5-10 minutes at a high temperature, turning them from time to time to sear them on all sides. Note: don't add any salt at this time to avoid osmosis which would extract water from the potatoes, preventing proper searing. When the potatoes begin to brown, add a bit of salt, then put them in the casserole on one of the long sides (as in the finished dish above).
In the same non-stick pan, roast the fennel for 5 minutes at medium heat. If necessary, add a little more olive oil. While it cooks, add a bit of salt. When the fennel begins to brown, remove it from the pan and lay it in the casserole on the side opposite to the potatoes.
In the same pan, now roast the bell peppers (separating the colors, or together) at medium heat for 5 minutes. If necessary, add a bit more olive oil. Start preheating the oven at 180 °C (350 °F). As the bell peppers cook, add a bit of salt. When the bell peppers begin to soften, add them to the casserole, as a stripe next to the potatoes.
In the same pan, finally, roast the radicchio for a minute or two at medium heat until it starts to soften. Add a bit of salt.
Lay the radicchio as the final stripe, next to the fennel. Place the casserole in the oven at 180 °C (350 °F) for 45 minutes.
After 30 minutes of cooking, pour in the vegetable broth and sprinkle generously with oregano.

https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2016/07/oven-roasted-vegetables-stripes.html

Passato di Verdure (Strained Vegetables Soup)

Growing up, I was used to my mother’s soup made from chunky vegetables in clear broth. I can’t say I loved it – certainly not as much as I enjoy it now – but I clearly remember liking its strained variant: the “passato” (passed through, strained), the first time I tasted it.

This memory goes back to when I was a kid, during a summer vacation. My family and I were staying at our usual “pensione” on the Adriatic coast of Emilia Romagna, in the days before bed and breakfasts. The most common vacation accommodations were “full pensions”, with three meals a day included, and “half-pensions”, which only served breakfast and dinner, and so allowing time for day trips.

The Romagna region is famous for its delectable cuisine, and the pensione was no exception. Each day was special, but the Sunday menu was even fancier than usual, often featuring baked pastas, stews, roasts, a variety of sides, and dessert (which was only fruit on weekdays). Things however were less fancy on the chef’s weekly day off! On that day, reduced kitchen staff used to serve a simple dried pasta for lunch and a soup for dinner, both of which were followed by cold cuts and cheeses. One of those soups was my first passato, and it made a strong impression! Not only do I remember its complex flavor, its dark green color, and its velvety texture, I even remember the corner of the restaurant in which we were seated!

Over the years I learned to appreciate all kinds of soups, but passato still holds a special place in my memory. Like most Italian soups, passato di verdure is made by first roasting the aromatic vegetables (celery, carrot, onion) in olive oil, then adding water and the rest of the vegetables, then cooking everything for a long time to allow for the flavor to develop. To make a passato, however, the cooked vegetables are finally strained in a food mill (or by hand in a kitchen strainer), then allowed to cook some more. The straining process retains the fibrous content, and finely mashes the vegetables releasing all of their flavor into the broth. Mashing also emulsifies the olive oil used for roasting, bringing out even more flavor.

Passato di Verdure (Strained Vegetables Soup)

Yield: 2-3 servings

Total Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Passato di Verdure (Strained Vegetables Soup)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 onion, minced
1 big carrot, minced
2 celery sticks, minced
1 medium leek, sliced
2 yellow potatoes, diced
1/2 lb squash, diced
1/4 of a cabbage, coarsely cut
5-8 leaves black kale, coarsely cut
2 Roma tomatoes, halved
2 oz Parmigiano, grated
salt and black pepper

Preparation

Roast onion, carrot, celery in olive oil at high heat until soft.
Add the leek, potato, squash and continue roasting for a few minutes.
Add enough water to fully cover the vegetables.
Add cabbage, kale and tomatoes (which don't need to be peeled, since the skin will remain in the strainer).
Simmer for 2 hours, covered with a lid, or pressure cook for 1/2 hour (using the vegetable setting if available), which is what I did.
Strain the cooked vegetables in a food mill or by hand.
Put the vegetables back in the same pot, add most of the grated Parmigiano.
Adjust with salt and simmer for 15 more minutes. If necessary, use an immersion blender to make the soup even smoother.
Serve sprinkled with the rest of the Parmigiano and freshly ground pepper.

Notes

Like for any other vegetable soup, for a more filling dish you can add pasta/rice to the finished product, and continue boiling until cooked. Because of its density, however, the passato will require pasta or rice to cook for longer, since it will take longer to absorb water (up to 50% more in my experience).

https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2016/02/passato-di-verdure-strained-vegetables-soup.html

Spätzle-style Passatelli Sauteed with Radicchio, on Cheese Fondue

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

Spätzle-style Passatelli Sauteed with Radicchio on Cheese Fondue

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.

https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2016/01/spaetzle-style-passatelli.html

Poppy Seed Potato Bignès on Braised Leeks and Taleggio

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

Poppy Seed Potato Bignès

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.

https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2013/12/poppy-seed-potato-bignes.html

Egg Pasta with Green Beans and Mushrooms

The combination of green beans and mushrooms makes for a vegetarian recipe with amazing depth of flavor. The earthiness of the mushrooms perfectly marries with the green beans, which also add texture to the dish. But the secret star of the show is the wine – its complex aroma is essential to bring all the flavors together.

This all-season sauce can be prepared relatively quickly, almost while the pasta cooks, and makes for a satisfying dish that is also beautiful to serve.

Egg Pasta with Green Beans and Mushrooms

Yield: 2 servings

Total Time: 25 minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Egg Pasta with Green Beans and Mushrooms

Ingredients

125 g (4 ½ oz) fresh or dried egg pasta (e.g.: pappardelle, tagliatelle, fettuccine)
100 g (3 ½ oz) green beans
150 g (5 ½ oz) mushrooms (e.g.: fresh porcini, oyster, crimini), sliced
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
½ of a small onion, sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup vegetable stock, warmed up
1 cup half and half (10% fat cream)
½ glass dry white wine
2 Tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved
Salt and pepper

Preparation

Shave the green beans using a sharp potato peeler. This preparation is essential for the recipe as it tenderizes the green beans, while preserving their crunchiness.
In a frying pan, sauté the green beans in olive oil for a couple of minutes at high temperature (1-2).
Add the vegetable stock and let the green beans stew for 10 minutes at medium heat (3).
Meanwhile, in a second frying pan, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil for a couple of minutes at high (4).
Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes at medium heat until tender.
Add the white wine and let it evaporate completely (5).
Add the cream and let it reduce for 5 minutes at low temperature (6).
Merge everything into a single pan, mix and simmer for a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Boil the egg pasta in plenty of salty water (see Cooking Pasta 101 for all the ins and outs), then drain it briefly and add it to the sauce mixing well for about 1 minute. Serve with some shaved Parmigiano.

https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2012/02/egg-pasta-with-green-beans-and.html