Tag: vegetarian

Pasta alla Norma – A Sicilian First Course with Character

Pasta alla Norma is a staple Italian first course almost unknown in North America. The dish, native to Sicily, is especially known in southern Italy but can be found all around the country.

Alla Norma sauce (likely named after the opera Norma, by Sicilian composer Vincenzo Bellini) can be recognized from other eggplant-based sauces for the use of fried eggplant and for a finish of ‘ricotta salata’ (salted ricotta), not replaceable with fresh ricotta.

Unlike fresh ricotta (a mildly flavored dairy product resulting from the coagulation of the proteins left in the whey after the production of cheese), ricotta salata contains sea-salt and is allowed to ripen for up to 30 days, while being pressed. At the end of this process, ricotta salata reaches a firm consistency and can be shaved or grated. When added to a pasta dish, it brings a savory touch, but also some creaminess, while remaining separate from the sauce (just like regular ricotta, ricotta salata doesn’t melt).

This recipe has been adapted from La Cucina Italiana (October 1986, page 18).

Pasta alla Norma

Yield: 2 servings

Total Time: 50 minutes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Pasta alla Norma

Ingredients

  • 150 g dried spaghetti
  • 350 g crushed or diced tomatoes
  • 1 small eggplant, sliced
  • 25 g ricotta salata, shaved
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and thinly diced or mashed
  • 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
  • salt & ground black pepper
  • a few basil leaves, sliced (optional)
  • lots of paper towel!

Preparation

  1. Lay the eggplant slices on absorbent paper, sprinkle them generously with salt (fig. 1-3).
  2. Let them rest for at least 15 minutes to draw out some moisture through osmosis (fig. 4).
  3. Wash each slice under running cold water to remove the excess salt, then vigorously squeeze the slices to eliminate even more water (which has a hint of bitterness) and to collapse some of the air pockets that constitute the eggplant's spongy structure (so that less oil will be absorbed when deep fried).
  4. Dry the eggplant slices with paper towel, then dice them into uniform cubes (fig. 5).
  5. In a tall pot, pre-heat the olive oil to 150 °C; deep fry the eggplant dices (fig. 6) for about 5 minutes until golden, then drain and lay them on paper towel (fig. 7); pat them with more paper towel to soak up any excess oil.
  6. In a large non-stick pan, fry the garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil (fig. 8), then add the tomatoes (fig. 9) and the fried eggplant (fig. 10). Simmer for about 15 minutes, adjusting the salt.
  7. Meanwhile, boil the pasta in plenty of salted water then drain it briefly and toss it in the pan with the sauce.
  8. Serve with a generous sprinkle of shaved ricotta salata, the (optional) basil, and some black pepper.
https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2011/10/pasta-alla-norma.html

Frittatona di Cipolle – A Hidden Italian Favorite

This is probably one of the least blogged recipes – it doesn’t look too good in pictures and no Italian would make it for their guests. But this simple dish is one of the favorite things that Italians make for themselves when nobody is watching! ‘Frittata di cipolle’ (or ‘frittatona’ when it’s big, as “Fantozzi” would say) is basically scrambled eggs with sautéed onions. Is it that simple? Yes, but it’s one of those dishes where you need to pay attention or it may not turn out as good as it can.

Frittatona di Cipolle

Yield: 1 serving 🙂

Total Time: 10 minutes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Frittatona di Cipolle

Ingredients

  • ½ of a small onion (or 1 shallot, if you want a more delicate flavor)
  • 2 eggs (I prefer brown eggs, the color of their yolk is more appealing to me)
  • 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
  • salt & pepper

Preparation

  1. Slice the onion thinly and evenly.
  2. In a large non-stick pan, sauté the onion in the butter at medium-low for 10-15 minutes until golden and tender.
  3. Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl, then stir in a pinch of salt and add one teaspoon of water.
  4. Add the beaten eggs to the onions, maintaining the same heat (medium-low).
  5. Gently fold the egg mix over as it starts to firm up, incorporating the onions.
  6. Keep folding for a couple of minutes until the mix is cooked uniformly, but still slightly underdone - this is important because it will keep cooking in the plate.
  7. Enjoy with some pepper and an icy-cold beer!
https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2011/09/frittatona-di-cipolle.html

Saffron and Leek Risotto

Leeks (‘porri’, in Italian) have thickening properties and a more complex flavor profile than onions, thanks to the cabbage hints of their upper leaves(1). When replacing onion for leek in a risotto, the resulting dish is creamier and with more depth. Saffron is traditional in Milanese style risotto, but also a spice that goes amazingly well with leek, bringing an additional element to this first course. The preparation of any kind of risotto is very reliable, as long as a few tips (below) are kept in mind.

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

Saffron and Leek Risotto

Yield: 2 servings

Total Time: 25 minutes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Saffron and Leek Risotto

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup of risotto rice (Carnaroli or Arborio)
  • 2 leek stalks, washed and sliced
  • 1 ½ tablespoons of butter
  • ½ glass of white wine, at room temperature
  • 3 cups of flavorful vegetable broth
  • ½ of a pouch of Italian saffron
  • ¼ cup of Parmigiano, grated
  • Black pepper, freshly ground
  • Salt

Preparation

  1. Bring the stock to a gentle boil.
  2. In a second, larger, pot melt 1 tablespoon of butter (fig. 1).
  3. Add the leek to the butter (fig. 2) and roast it at medium heat until tender.
  4. Add the rice and toast it with the leek for 2-3 minutes (fig. 3).
  5. Add the wine and let it evaporate while stirring constantly. Reset the clock - the rice cooking time will be between 15 minutes (for Arborio) and 18 minutes (for Carnaroli).
  6. Add the vegetable broth, one ladle at a time, while stirring frequently (fig. 4). Ensure that both the risotto and the broth are kept simmering.
  7. When the rice is almost ready, dissolve the saffron in one ladle of broth and then add it to the pot. By the time the rice will be ready, the risotto will need to be quite soft, but without any excess liquid left in the pot.
  8. When the time is up, take the pot off the heat.
  9. Stir in ½ of the grated Parmigiano and the remaining ½ tablespoon of butter, adjust the salt if necessary.
  10. Let the risotto rest for 1 minute.
  11. Serve sprinkled with the rest of the Parmigiano and some ground black pepper.
https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2011/09/saffron-and-leek-risotto.html

Bell Pepper Pasta

Italians rarely get tired of a good tomato sauce, but when they do they often resort to a tomato sauce variation. This recipe is based on the simple addition of roasted bell peppers, and of chili for some heat. The resulting sauce is great on pasta, but it also doubles as a tasty dip for toasted bread. The peppers are sliced, roasted in olive oil and then added to a tomato base. If the skins are unwanted or if a smoother texture is desired, the cooked peppers can be strained in a food mill.

Bell Pepper Pasta

Yield: 2 servings

Total Time: 40 minutes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Bell Pepper Pasta

Ingredients

  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 2 small bell peppers, red or yellow (seeded and sliced)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • half of a fresh chili (minced) or 1 teaspoon of chili flakes
  • 140 g dried pasta (e.g.: farfalle, fusilli, rigatoni)
  • a sprinkle of Parmigiano (freshly grated, optional)
  • salt

Preparation

  1. In a non-stick pan, roast the pepper in olive oil along with the fresh chili (if using it) for 5 minutes at high.
  2. Lower the heat, add the chili flakes (if using them) and cook for 15 minutes covered, adjust the salt.
  3. Strain the peppers in a food mill.
  4. Collect the pulp and discard the skins.
  5. Put the pepper purée back in the non-stick pan and add the tomato sauce.
  6. Cook for another 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
  7. Meanwhile, boil the pasta in salty water for the time indicated on the box.
  8. When the pasta is ready, drain it and serve it with the sauce and a sprinkle of grated Parmigiano (optional).
https://www.disgracesonthemenu.com/2011/08/bell-pepper-pasta.html

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

    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

    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.

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

    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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