Tag: recipe

Buckwheat Gnocchi with Mascarpone Tomato Sauce

This recipe was inspired by a dish I had last summer at Farmer’s Apprentice, a great Vancouver restaurant. For my interpretation, I made rustic gnocchi by mixing in some buckwheat flour, and used mascarpone as a base for a creamy tomato sauce. The result speaks for itself! The dish is really easy to make, but it helps to prepare the gnocchi ahead of time, since they’re a bit time consuming. Enjoy!

Buckwheat Gnocchi with Mascarpone Tomato Sauce

Yield: 2-3 servings

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Buckwheat Gnocchi with Mascarpone Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

  • 9 oz (250 g) fresh gnocchi made following these instructions, but using a mix of wheat and buckwheat flour (in a 3:1 ratio)
  • 5 oz (150 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp mascarpone
  • 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 6 grape tomatoes, yellow and orange
  • 6 "cocktail" mozzarella bocconcini (1 inch in diameter), at room temperature
  • a handful basil leaves, chopped
  • salt

Preparation

  1. Roll the buckwheat gnocchi, set aside.
  2. Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil.
  3. Warm up the olive oil in a pan and cook the cherry tomatoes at medium heat for 5 minutes, covered with a lid.
  4. Squeeze the cherry tomatoes using a spatula to mash them, remove the skins.
  5. Add the mascarpone and the butter. Mix until they melt and you obtain a creamy sauce. Lower the heat.
  6. Adjust the salt.
  7. Add the grape tomatoes and cover with a lid for 5 minutes.
  8. Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi in boiling water, until they float.
  9. Drain the cooked gnocchi and add them to the sauce. Mix well and continue cooking for 3-5 minutes in the pan.
  10. Plate the gnocchi, adding the cocktail bocconcini and a few basil leaves to each plate.
https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2016/08/buckwheat-gnocchi-with-mascarpone-tomato-sauce.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

  1. Gather the ingredients.
  2. 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.ingredients, potatoes
  3. 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).
  4. 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.fennel, bell pepper
  5. 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.
  6. 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.radicchio, garlic
  7. 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.
  8. After 30 minutes of cooking, pour in the vegetable broth and sprinkle generously with oregano.casserole, broth
https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2016/07/oven-roasted-vegetables-stripes.html

[Thoughts on the Table – 47] Introducing Food Writer and Cooking Instructor Giulia Scarpaleggia from Jul’s Kitchen

My guest today is Giulia Scarpaleggia from Jul’s Kitchen, an incredible project which includes a blog, food writing, food photography & videos, and a cooking school! Join me to hear from Giulia’s own voice how it all began and how it has evolved. During the episode we also talk about the recipe development that led Giulia to writing her fifth cookbook (currently being finalized) which will feature 100 recipes inspired by tradition, and which will not include Chicken Parmigiana – a dish you will not find it in Italy!

You can follow Giulia also on Twitter @julskitchen, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube.

The music in the episode is by: www.purple-planet.com.

Listen now!
   

Chard and Spinach Gnudi, the Naked Ravioli

This recipe was adapted from Domenica Marchetti’s “Swiss Chard and Spinach Ravioli Nudi”, part of her great cookbook The Glorious Vegetables of Italy, entirely dedicated to the prominent role of vegetables in Italian food.

I chose this recipe because I wanted to recreate the gnudi I tasted in a restaurant in Florence during a recent Italian trip, which also happen to have been the first gnudi I ever tasted! Florence is a mere 300 kilometres from my hometown, but regional specialties often remain confined to their native areas.

As pointed out by Domenica, “nudi” (or “gnudi” in Tuscan dialect) means naked. This is because essentially they are “naked” ravioli, i.e. ravioli filling without the pasta wrapper. The use of ricotta makes them light and fluffy, unlike potato gnocchi, which are much denser. It’s important to note that gnudi are used in first courses instead of pasta or gnocchi, they’re not meant to be served with pasta like some kind of vegetarian meatballs!

Gnudi can be prepared in several different ways. The version chosen by Domenica (and which I recreated) sees the addition of spinach and chard (“bietola” in Italian) for a “green” dough that is delicate and smooth, and which pairs well with plain tomato sauce (described here). The process of rolling the gnudi into shape is relatively easy, but it requires time and some patience. The result is spectacular – gnudi are a great first course which can set the tone for a very special meal.

Chard and Spinach Gnudi, the Naked Ravioli

Yield: 2-3 servings

Total Time: 1 hour

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Chard and Spinach Gnudi, the Naked Ravioli

Ingredients

  • 8 oz (225 g) green chard* leaves, ripped (*a.k.a. Swiss chard)
  • 4 oz (115 g) fresh spinach leaves
  • 6 oz (170 g) cow ricotta, well drained
  • 1 yolk
  • 1/2 cup (50 g) Parmigiano, grated
  • 1/8 cup (15 g) white flour, plus 1/4 cup (30 g) to coat the gnudi
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup (240 g) tomato sauce

Preparation

  1. Wash the green chard, coarsely rip the leaves and place them, still damp, into a large pot. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes at a medium heat until wilted, stirring occasionally. They will reduce their volume considerably.chard, cooking
  2. Meanwhile, wash the spinach leaves and cook them in the same way as the chard, but only for 5 minutes.spinach, cooking
  3. Remove the greens from the heat and place them in a colander to cool. When cold enough to handle, squeeze them vigorously with your hands or by wrapping them into a clean tea towel. As Domenica predicted, these quantities yielded about ½ cup of squeezed, cooked greens. Place the greens on a cutting board and chop them finely.gnudi greens
  4. In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped greens, the ricotta, the yolk, Parmigiano (keeping 1 tablespoon aside), flour, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly.gnudi mix
  5. As you bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil, start forming the gnudi. Prepare one bowl filled with flour, next to a plate coated in parchment paper. Using your hands, make balls of dough of about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. Roll them in the flour until uniformly coated, then place them on the parchment paper.ready to cook gnudi
  6. Boil the gnudi a batch at a time making sure not to overcrowd them (so that they don’t stick to one another, and to ensure the water remains boiling). Gently place them into the simmering water and allow them to cook undisturbed for 6-8 minutes. About half-way through the cooking, they will start floating.
  7. Gently remove the gnudi from the water using a perforated ladle, and place them into a colander. Keep them warm as you cook the next batch.
  8. Have the tomato sauce ready and kept warm in a skillet. Place 2-3 tablespoons of tomato sauce in preheated bowls. Roll the gnudi into the skillet with the sauce until coated, then gently place them into the bowls. Sprinkle with grated Parmigiano, serve immediately.
https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2016/03/chard-and-spinach-gnudi-the-naked-ravioli.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

  1. Roast onion, carrot, celery in olive oil at high heat until soft.
  2. Add the leek, potato, squash and continue roasting for a few minutes.
  3. Add enough water to fully cover the vegetables.
  4. Add cabbage, kale and tomatoes (which don't need to be peeled, since the skin will remain in the strainer).
  5. 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.
    cooked veggies
  6. Strain the cooked vegetables in a food mill or by hand.
  7. Put the vegetables back in the same pot, add most of the grated Parmigiano.
  8. Adjust with salt and simmer for 15 more minutes. If necessary, use an immersion blender to make the soup even smoother.
  9. 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

 

Squash Risotto, a Comfort Dish for Winter

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

Squash Risotto, a Dish for Winter

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

  1. Finely chop onion and dice the squash.
  2. Bring the vegetable stock to a simmer in a small pan.
  3. In a larger pan, roast the onion in butter, oil, or a mix of the two until translucent, then add the squash.
  4. 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).
  5. 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.
  6. Add the mashed squash and stir in the stock, one ladle at a time, allowing it to be absorbed before adding more stock.
  7. Continue stirring and adding stock ensuring that the risotto and the stock continue boiling gently throughout the process.
  8. 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.
  9. Serve the risotto in bowls and decorate with the cooked squash and a sprinkle of black pepper.
https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2016/01/squash-risotto.html

 

Pesto alla Trapanese, with Almonds and Fresh Tomatoes

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

Pesto alla Trapanese, with almonds and fresh tomatoes

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

  1. Bring a big pot of water to a boil.coring and scoring a tomato
  2. Toast the almonds in a pan at high heat for a couple of minutes until they get some color, but before they turn dark.
  3. Core the tomatoes and score their skin (see illustration on the side).
  4. 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.
  5. Salt the water and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box.pesto alla trapanese, blender
  6. As the pasta cooks, peel the tomatoes and squeeze them to remove seeds and excessive liquid.
  7. 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.
  8. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and put it back in the pot along with the pesto. Mix gently and serve immediately.
https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2016/01/pesto-alla-trapanese-with-almonds-and-fresh-tomatoes.html

 

pesto alla trapanese

 

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

      1. Mix all ingredients except for some of the breadcrumbs.
      2. 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.
      3. Squeeze the dough through the holes of the spaetzle grater. See here for the video.making spaetzle-style passatelli
      4. Bring the broth to a gentle boil, then toss in the passatelli.
      5. Continue boiling until the passatelli will float, then drain them gently.boiling passatelli

       For sauteeing

      1. Sautee the radicchio in butter until softened. Adjust with salt and pepper.sauteing radicchio
      2. Add the boiled and drained passatelli. Toss them gently to lightly sautee them.spaetzle-style passatelli

       For the cheese fondue

      1. Place the butter and a tablespoon of water in a small pan at medium heat to prepare a light bechamel.
      2. When the butter melts add the flour and mix vigorously until you hear a sizzling sound.
      3. Gradually add the milk, starting with a very small amount and mixing until completely absorbed.
      4. Continue until all milk is incorporated. Allow it boil for a minute to complete the bechamel.
      5. Add the Parmigiano and the Fontina, mix until they’re fully melted.making cheese fondue
      6. 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

      Alpine-style Onion Soup (Zuppa di Cipolle alla Valdostana)

      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

      Alpine-style Onion Soup (Zuppa di cipolle alla Valdostana)

      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

      1. In a pan, roast the onion in butter at medium heat for 3-5 minutes until golden.onion-soup_12
      2. Sprinkle with flour and continue roasting for a couple more minutes, stir gently.
      3. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes without a lid to reduce.onion-soup_34
      4. 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.
      5. Adjust the onion soup with salt and pepper, then pour it in the two bowls.layering_12
      6. Add the bread, so that it lays overtop, crust downwards, barely touching the soup.
      7. Lay the cheese over the bread to fully cover it.layering_34
      8. Broil for 10-15 minutes until the cheese will be bubbly.
      https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2015/12/alpine-style-onion-soup-zuppa-di-cipolle-alla-valdostana.html