Indian Summer

 We have had a magnificent October, an Indian Summer with crisp fresh mornings, warm summer-like evenings, it is no wonder that we have been lulled into believing that summer is still with us. A quick trip around the Davis Farmer's Market last Saturday gave a few hints that change is in the air!

                                        And look at the size of these pomegranetes! Huge!

But even with these changes coming about, I can't help by try to linger on the warmth of the summer shedding its last glow. We still can find beautiful peppers in all colors, peperoni di tutti i colori, melanzane - eggplants, the very last of them.......I even bought the last of the cranberry beans and grabbed a pound of romanos. I am having a hard time letting go of the beautiful bounty the summer has provided. In celebration of the season, thought I might tarry a bit on this last fantasia of the summer.

The Basics: Tomato Sauce or Sugo di Pomodoro!

 Viva Tomatoes!!!

It is that time of year when tomatoes are at their very best!

Richly ripe and ruby red, abundant in all their glory! Now is the time to use all the bounty the garden has to offer and what better way than to make a good sauce? I am asked frequently about how Italians make a good basic sauce. So here it is... everything you may have wanted to know about a basic tomato sauce and its variations, Italian style.

Nothing could be more basic than the classic sugo or salsa di pomodoro and no dish has more variations and subtle differences in taste and texture. My mother’s sugo is slightly differently from mine as well my sisters’, my cousin’s, my grandmothers’ and so it goes.  Much of this variation has to do not only with the tomatoes, the olive oil or butter, but how long one cooks the sauce, a pinch of this or that, the love one lavishes upon its creation!  I fondly remember my grandfather’s maid/cook, Anna, a country girl from the Veneto region whose sauce was beloved by all. In fact in my family, we used to call it il sugo di Anna as if it had a special place of honor. We looked forward to Sunday dinners, pranzi, eating her spaghetti because it was so distinctive with its finely diced carrots and celery and buttery taste. Yet it was so simple! I have tried to reproduce it, having cooked it alongside her hundreds of times, yet it is never quite the same.

 It is important to have a good go-to sugo di pomodoro that fits the need of whatever particular dish you are preparing. One type of sugo cannot be replaced with another type. For example, you cannot or should not substitute a sugo di pomodoro al burro (with butter) in a Pasta alla Norma that requires garlic and olive oil. It changes the nature and flavor of the dish! Believe it or not, some basic rules apply to the type of tomato sauces you create.

1. Tomato sauces fall into two basic categories: One with garlic and olive oil, the other with onion, butter, and olive oil. The two are distinctive in flavor and purpose. Yes, I understand that sometimes garlic and onion can be cooked together in the same sauce and be delicious, but the end result does not complement the type of pasta or the other flavors in the dish. It’s confusing to the palate!
2. Always remember the rule of three! That means three spices…and that includes salt and pepper. Simplicity is at the heart of a good sugo di pomodoro. Avoid overloading with too many conflicting flavors! Choose basil or oregano…but not both.
3. Keep it light! Be careful not to overload with too much butter or oil. A little goes a long way, especially if you using the sauce in a dish that has other components like lasagne.
4. Don’t overcook. Most sauces require 10-20 minutes at the most – or as long as it takes to get the pot of water boiling and the pasta cooked! Caramelization, the browning of the sugars in the sauce, gives the sauce its robustness and depth. You want to reduce the sauce until it browns a bit before you add more water to gain the right consistency. This is what gives my sauce a different flavor than my sister’s.
5. Use good ingredients, yes. But that does not have to mean expensive or rare. Sometimes using canned tomatoes is preferable to fresh ones simply because you have more control over acidity, water content, flavor and texture. An heirloom tomato does not give much flavor because it has a high water content and it disintegrates into nothing. In fact, in Italy certain tomatoes are designated for cooking, such as a San Marzano (which has solid pulp), and others for insalata (generally unripe ones with green overtones), or eating in a salad. Lastly, avoid store-bought tomatoes altogether as they have no flavor at all.

Simplicity is the key point in making a good sauce that will complement whatever dish, pasta type, or other ingredients. Ok – having said all that, let’s have a go at all the different types of tomato sauces that form the basis of many dishes in Italian cuisine.

Prepping the Tomatoes

Before you start cooking, decide what kind of texture you desire, chunky or smooth. My husband doesn’t like the chunky texture, so I puree the tomatoes in my food processor ahead of time before adding them to the pan. If you are using fresh tomatoes, you may want to take the skins off when you are prepping your ingredients. Bring some water in a pan to boiling or almost boiling and turn off the heat. With a sharp knife make a small X on the bottom of the tomatoes and drop them in for 10-20 seconds or until you see the skin begin to peel back. Scoop the tomatoes out of the water and don’t allow them to cool. Work fast to core, peel, then cut the tomatoes in half. Gently squeeze the seeds and dice them finely or coarsely according to your need. Now you are ready to use them as you wish!

Sugo Veloce - Aglio, Olio, e Pomodoro  (Garlic, Oil, and Tomatoes)

Nothing can be simpler or faster (veloce) than this sauce for people on the go. In fact, the even simpler version to leave the tomatoes out completely (and so the sauce becomes aglio, olio e peperoncino!)..so fast that this is what Italians make with spaghetti for an impromptu feast at midnight with friends.

Ingredients

1-2 cloves garlic

2-3 Tablespoons olive oil, or enough to coat the bottom of the saucepan

1 8 oz can diced or finely diced tomatoes or 1-1 ½ Cups fresh

red pepper flakes (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

I like to use a wide-brimmed pan such as an 8-9 inch sauté pan with a 1-1 ½  inch side rather than a regular 2 quart sauce pan. I learned this from my mother who told me the sauce would cook faster and more evenly. I also like to drain the pasta slightly undercooked and throw it into the sauté pan to give it another minute or two of cooking with the sauce.

1. Heat the pan and add the olive oil. Coat the bottom, 2-3 tablespoons – or how you like it. Optional: Add some red pepper flakes to unleash the favor. Let them sizzle slightly.

2. Add the garlic. Now here is where Italians differ in their approach. If you like the taste of garlic, chop it finely and add it to the heated oil. Many Italians don’t like to taste the garlic so heavily and some dishes require no obvious presence of it. In this case, add the whole clove (or cloves), allow it to turn golden, squeeze it a bit with a fork to release its flavor, then discard it. Whatever you choose to do, don’t burn the garlic!

3. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, about half a cup of water and cook at medium high heat for about 10-20 minutes. Stir occasionally and let it caramelize a bit, adding a little additional water if you see it drying out or if you need the sauce to cook a little more. The sauce is done when it has a fairly thick consistency, making sure there isn’t a watery residue. The resulting sauce should not look like it has been poured out of a can. And it should not be overcooked either by looking too dark and bitter tasting.

Serves 4-5 or 1 lb of pasta.

Well…What kind of pasta?

This is a good question. The garlic-based sugo originally came from the South of Italy where pasta was primarily made from durum wheat. Sauces are generally simple and sometimes spicy with the addition of the peperoncino. Generally speaking, the garlic-based tomato sauce works best with short and thin pastas like penne (but not rigatoni – too thick) or spaghetti. Egg-based pastas like tagliatelle or fettuccine all’uovo are not appropriate for this type of sauce. The aglio-olio-pomodoro sugo  pairs well with vegetables, olives, light cheeses such as mozzarella and ricotta, and fish or shellfish, not heavy cheeses like gorgonzola and fontina (Northern cheeses) or beef.

Here I've added some mozzarella and basil!

Sugo Semplice - Burro, Cipolla e Pomodoro (Butter, Onion and Tomato)

The other classic tomato sauce- made with butter, onion, and tomato – is used as a foundation to so many dishes such as lasagne, pasta al forno, and so on. I never was more confused than when I came to the States and heard the term “marinara”. This means “having to do with the sea” or seafood….If you order Pasta alla Marinara in Italy, you will get a seafood pasta with shellfish. Here is another basic sauce, one that is so simple, versatile, and quick.

Ingredients

1 medium sized onion or ¾ Cup finely diced onion

2-3 Tablespoons olive oil

1-2 Tablespoons butter

1 8 oz can diced or finely diced tomatoes or 1-1 ½ Cups fresh

salt and pepper to taste

Optional: fresh or dried basil

1. Heat the pan and add the olive oil. Coat the bottom, 2-3 tablespoons – or how you like it. Add the butter and melt quickly with a sizzle.

2. Add the onions and sauté lightly until golden brown. Once the onions have become golden, add the tomatoes (diced or pureed), stir, add half a cup of water, salt and pepper. During the winter months, add dried basil if you like the taste. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water if the sauce becomes too dry and needs more time to reduce. 

The sauce should look something like this.

Optional: In the summer months, julienne some fresh basil and add it to the sauce once the cooking is completed, otherwise it will turn black and lose its flavor.

Serves 4-5 people or “condisce” (sauces) 1 lb of pasta.

Try this sugo with the following recipe which brings back all kinds of memories of eating this at home, at the beach on summer evenings, or coming home from school. with my family and children in general. It is called Pasta alla Nasona, “nasona” meaning big nose. I’m not quite sure why it is called this way except to think that because the cheese in this dish runs loose and stringy, well… you get the picture!

Pasta alla Nasona

1 lb pound of rigatoni

8 oz fresh mozzarella diced or shredded Monterey Jack

Optional: fresh basil

Bring a large pot of fresh water to boil. In the meantime, make the sauce. When the water begins to boil, add salt (be generous), and bring the water to a boil again before throwing in the pasta. Cook until “al dente”, drain the pasta retaining half a cup of the cooking water. Place in a large bowl, add the sauce and the cheese and stir until the cheese begins to melt. Add the water a little at a time as needed. Add basil if desired, give it one more stir, and serve. Pass the parmigiano around to those who want an extra zip to the dish!

The butter-based sugo di pomodoro is the heart and soul of many dishes such as Melanzane alla Parmigiana, but it is not the only way the sugo is prepared. Remember Anna’s sugo? Here it is!

Sugo di Anna

1 medium sized onion or ¾ Cup finely diced onion

1 large carrot diced finely

1 celery diced finely

2-3 Tablespoons olive oil

1-2 Tablespoons butter

1 8 oz can diced or finely diced tomatoes or 1-1 ½ Cups fresh

salt and pepper to taste

Begin with a classic mirepoix!

1. Begin as you would in the recipe with butter and onions, only add the carrots and celery once the onion is slightly golden.  Proceed in the same way with the rest. The resulting sauce is sweet and buttery because of the carrots and celery. Delicious on thin spaghetti with plenty of grated parmigiano!

Here is a variation of the sauce above. This one is convenient when you have a bumper crop of fresh tomatoes. My cousin Marianna makes her sauce this way because it keeps well and contains practically no fat. It is always ready for all kinds of uses.

Salsa di Pomodoro 

2 lbs of fresh tomatoes, unpeeled and cut into quarters

1 large carrot peeled and chopped in chunks

1 -2 stalks celery chopped

1 medium onion peeled and cut into chunks

a drizzle of olive oil

salt

Take all the vegetables and put them all at once in a pot with tall sides, salt lightly, add half a cup of water, and drizzle with a little olive oil. Cook over medium heat until all the vegetables have softened and reduced, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. Cool until easy to manage. Pass the sauce through a sieve or food mill until smooth and silky. At this point you can add basil. Use the sauce with spaghetti or short pasta like rigatoni. Or you can use the sauce for other dishes – top spinach and ricotta-filled crepes, fried eggplant slices, zucchini boats…the list goes on!

Salsa Cruda (Raw)

And lastly, one of my family’s favorite! This sauce made with fresh, raw tomatoes has a rich history and has become popular with all sorts of variations in the United States. Spaghetti made with this sauce became known in my area as Spaghetti alla Petrolini after a famous Roman comedian who probably was the first to make this dish popular. In our family as I was growing up, it became known as Spaghetti alla Mondezzara, or “Garbage-style” as it was infamously dubbed by one of our family friends by the name of Gaetano, an incredibly thin doctor with a hilarious sense of humor. Eating uncooked tomatoes in pasta was something of a novelty back in the late sixties….the notion of putting raw tomatoes, basil, and olive oil together as a sauce probably struck Gaetano as a funny way to cook and serve spaghetti. But he loved it as we did! I don’t know how many kilos of pasta we ate in those days!

Ingredients

For this sugo, you must use only fresh tomatoes from the garden or farmer’s market. The tomatoes need to be ripe, a dark red, preferably firm.

1-2 lbs. tomatoes (5-6 medium)

3 or more! garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

1-1 ½ cups olive oil

A handful of fresh basil, julienned

Salt and pepper

1 lb thick spaghetti

Ideally this sauce should be made early in the day so the flavors can blend and marinate. However, I have made it at the last moment and it works well . Quickly peel the tomatoes after you have put them in a bath of hot water and then gently squeeze out the seeds. Chop the tomatoes coarsely and put them in a large bowl. Add the garlic, basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper. When you add the olive oil, go easy, stirring the tomatoes, crushing them slightly. The olive oil should be enough to coat the pasta well, but not be too greasy (so you may not need as much as I stated above). Add plenty of salt (start with a teaspoon) and pepper. The tomatoes have a tendency to water down the flavor – so don’t be afraid to season the sauce well. Cover the bowl and let the ingredients marinate. Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions, drain well, and add to the bowl. Stir and serve! Absolutely delicious cold the next day...

At our beach villa in Terracina, my mother would serve 2-3 pounds of spaghetti made in this way. We would sit at a long table of eighteen people or more, most of us ravenous teenagers sunburned from a day of sea and sun. This dish reminds me of those beautiful summer dinners on the piazzalino – our sun-drenched veranda facing a glass-surfaced ocean reflecting the rose-tinted sunset.

Buon appetito e buone cose!

Look at What I Found! Purple Summer Radishes

I am not fond of radishes, but when I went past Lloyd's stand at the Davis Farmer's Market, I was taken by the lush beauty and vibrant colors of his plum purple summer radishes. Glorious! For a moment no one seemed to take notice of the beautiful, fresh mounds of greens and all hues of purple, pink and white....and then the crowds came and scooped up the lovely bunches as if they were gold.

I took the bunch you see here, the one that has one white radish (the rest are pink and purple), home with me -  certain of their beauty, uncertain what to do with them. I was particularly interested in the greens. Lloyd told me I could steam the tops...and so I was hooked. I soaked the green tops for a couple of hours until they revived and then in a minimum amount of salted boiling water, I cooked them ever so briefly. I drained the greens in a colander as they continued to steam. Later I sauteed them briefly in a little olive oil, fresh red chilis, and a finely chopped clove of garlic - the classic! They were sweet and tender like spring. With the radishes, I finely sliced them into green salad with fresh tomatoes. They are lovely...but I'm still not sure I'm keen on radishes!

Fast and Easy: Steakettes or Bistecchine

Fast and Easy: Steakettes or Bistecchine

As long as I can remember, steakettes, bistecchine, also known as fettine di bistecca, thin beef steaks, have always been a staple in the kitchen, mine and my mother’s. They are a meat of choice in the Italian household when busy mothers like my Zia Vittoria would come home at noon to put a full meal on the table with a pasta, a meat or fish, vegetables, salad and fruit. Fast and easy was important! When I got married, bistecchine, simply pan fried with a little olive oil, onion salt, and pepper, became a favorite of my husband’s as they reminded him of his mother’s cooking. They are economical and go a long way when served with rice, potatoes, or pasta. As they grew up, my sons loved them in all sorts of ways and would fight over the last piece. They especially loved La Pizzaiola, a classic way to serve the thin beef steaks with the same ingredients one finds in pizza! My son Marco would ask for them on his birthday and I would make them for him, a detail I didn’t remember until he reminded me the other day. Since my youngest son is busy at college and cooking for himself and his roommate, I thought I would share two fast, easy, and economical ways to use a variation of fettine di bistecca, a quick solution for a last minute meal.

You will need fresh (not frozen!) beef steaks, also known as “sandwich” steaks or carne asada, the ones typically used for fajitas. I prefer sirloin, but top round works well too, even though it may turn out a little tougher.  I stock these in my freezer so I can always reach for them in a pinch. Be careful when you defrost them or they will become tough and dry. In fact, don’t defrost them all the way because the more water lost, the tougher they will cook.

Al Limone

Ingredients:

1 lb. thin beef steaks. Top round or sirloin

1 Tablespoon olive oil or enough to lightly cover the bottom of the pan

Salt or onion salt to taste, pepper

Thin slices of Swiss cheese, Monterey Jack or fresh mozzarella

1 lemon cut in half 

1 Teaspoon thyme

Heat a 9 inch skillet to a high temperature until it is smoking. Add a drizzle of olive oil so it coats the bottom of the pan. Place the steaks in the skillet and pan fry them until you see the blood seeping through the edges. Salt and pepper the steaks then turn them quickly. Salt and pepper again and add the thyme. You will see that the steaks give out lots of liquid. Allow it to evaporate and wait until the steaks are slightly caramelized or brown. Place slices of cheese on the steaks, then take the lemon halves and squeeze the juice over the steaks. Cover and lower the heat until the liquid is somewhat evaporated and the cheese melted. Serve at once.

                                    La Pizzaiola

 

1 lb. thin steaks or fettine di bistecca

1 Tablespoon olive oil or enough to lightly cover the bottom of the pan

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 ¼ Cup fresh chopped ripe tomatoes or 1 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 Teaspoon dried oregano (origano in Italian!)

salt and pepper to taste

Heat a 9 or 10 inch skillet until very hot, then add the olive oil. Quickly add the steaks and let them sizzle until brown on one side. Salt and pepper them, then turn them, add the garlic, tomatoes and oregano. Let them cook at high heat for about 5 minutes, adding a little water or wine and turning the steaks as needed. Cover, lower the heat to medium and cook for another 5-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve with white rice, buttered pasta, or my favorite, mashed potatoes.

The Basics: Pasta e Fagioli

Pasta e Fagioli 

The humble cranberry bean reigns supreme in Italian cooking especially in the classic Pasta e Fagioli alla Veneziana. Not to be confused with the pinto bean, which has a different taste, texture, and darker color, cranberry beans have a special quality that makes them highly sought after. When cooked, they are much larger than the dried variety and provide more beanlike creaminess to the dish. They are difficult to find, so you can imagine my joy when they appear at the Davis Farmers Market at the beginning of summer! 

Only one vendor sells them and for a short period of time between the beginning of August to the beginning of September. With this small window of time in mind, I buy five, six pounds at a time and start freezing them so I have enough to carry me through the winter. Each bean is unique. When you open the pod, you may find pearly white beans with a few delicate striated red marks on them, or you may find entirely red ones. Holding them in your hand they are smooth and pearly. 

You will find them in an astonishing variety of preparations – some unusual – such as calamari and fagioli, or short pasta such as farfalle with a sauce made with beans and zucchini. Sounds strange, but it does work! I love them cooked in a tomato sauce with sausage served over polenta. The most classic dish, of course, is Pasta e Fagioli, the queen of soups -  la regina delle minestre, whose origin is from the region of Veneto where my mother’s family originated. Pasta e fasioi as I heard my mother call it in Venetian dialect, is a simple, hearty soup whose greatness relies on the beautiful texture and creaminess of the cranberry bean.

The recipe I have to offer has several options because Pasta e Fagioli, like many Italian dishes, is homegrown – every home cook has a special variation depending on the ingredients at hand. I hardly ever make it the same way every time, depending on my mood!

Ingredients:

3 lbs. cranberry beans (fresh and unshelled) or 2lbs. dry (soak the night before)

1 medium sized onion or 1-1/2 cups onion

1 carrot (optional)

1-2 stalks celery

1 potato

½ - ¾  C  guanciale or…

cotiche (outside fat of prosciutto or the heel)  (optional)

1 sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped (optional)

1 Tbl. tomato concentrate from a tube (optional)

2 quarts chicken stock or 2 dadi (Knorr bouillion cubes)  - (optional)

1 cup (or 2-3 handfuls) ditalini pasta  (or any small pasta like pennette) or

fresh egg pasta such as maltagliati.

1 Tbl. olive oil

1 Tsp. salt

Freshly grated parmigiano or grana gratuggiato to taste

 There are two ways to begin – one, a freddo – or cold method, in which you put the shelled and washed fresh or soaked beans in a stockpot with the onion and other ingredients of choice including the potato (but not the pasta!), cover it with water or stock, and let it cook for about an hour or until cooked through, the stock has reduced and beans are tender. This method is fast and produces good results. I often cook this way when I don’t want to spend too much time messing around with the ingredients and I’m short on time.

Before I added the water

The other day, feeling more patient, I used the other method which begins by sautéing the tris of vegetables in olive oil. The results were, I must say, exceptional!

1. Prepare the ingredients. Shell the fresh beans, wash and set them aside. If you are using dry beans, soak them the night before, then drain and rinse them for use. Dice the onion, the carrot, and the celery and set them aside. Sometimes I don’t use carrot and celery – these are optional, but do provide depth of flavor. This time I didn’t use rosemary because I didn’t want an “herby” flavor preferring to enhance the flavor of the bean with no masking.

2. In an 12 quart stockpot or enameled cast iron pot, heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil, move the chopped onions, carrot, and celery to the pot and saute’  until slightly golden. Add the beans and quickly give them a stir to pick up the flavors of the vegetables.

3. Cover the beans with water or chicken stock, about 2-3 quarts. The liquid should cover the beans with about 2 inches to spare. Peel and wash the potato and add it whole to the pot. Bring the pot to a boil and add a tablespoon of tomato concentrate (this is primarily to give some color – not absolutely necessary). Add salt – go easy here if using bouillion cubes and guanciale.

4. Optional at this point is the addition of the “meat.”  Most often I prefer to go vegetarian, but the most classic preparation of Pasta e Fagioli is the addition of the cotenna or cotiche, or outer fat or skin of a prosciutto. You can ask for it in the deli section of a good grocer. I sometimes buy the heel (bone) of the prosciutto and add it to the pot. This time, not having it, I used a chunk of guanciale or jowl bacon cut in three pieces (about one and a half inch blocks) and added these to the soup.

5. Lower the flame and allow the soup to simmer covered for about an hour and a half. From time to time, stir the pot to make sure the beans are not sticking on the bottom. As the cooking comes to the end, the beans are cooked through and tender, take out the potato and place it on a small dish. With the back end of a fork, mash it, maybe adding a little broth to make it smooth, and return it to the pot. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, then add the pasta.

6. I add the dry pasta by hand, usually a handful at a time because I don’t want to add too much. Judge it by the amount of liquid you have in the pot. The pasta will absorb quite a bit. This time I had a fresh pasta sheet in the freezer, so I took it out, let it defrost until it was malleable enough to manipulate. I lightly floured the granite workspace and rolled the sheet until it was about an 1/8 of an inch thick. I wanted a little heft to the pasta, giving it a rustic feel. I cut it in long strips and then in diagonal shapes. These are known as maltagliati, meaning “poorly cut”! 

Add these to the pot, cook them stirring delicately until tender. Fresh pasta will absorb more than the dry; if need be, add a little more water to give the soup a smooth consistency. Correct the seasoning by adding salt if necessary. Cool the soup for about 10 minutes before serving.

7. Ladle into bowls with a generous sprinkle of parmigiano. Heavenly…and even better the next day!

Serves 4-6. Pair with a red wine.

Look What I Found?!? Shishito Peppers!

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I discovered Shisito Peppers at Blackbird Restaurant in Sacramento where they were served as an appetizer. I was intrigued by the name and beauty of appearance. Diners dipped these little beauties  springing out of a bowl, in a salt and pepper mixture. Later I found them at the Davis Farmers' Market, sold and grown by Capay Valley Farms, the same organic farmer that supplies to restaurants. Consequently, because these peppers are in high demand, they are not always easy to find.  But how lovely they are! Of differing sizes, the peppers' bright green skin is slightly striped and shiny. Saute' them at high heat in a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, dress them with a sprinkling of Himalayan salt, a shaving of hard Asiago or Parmigiano Reggiano... lovely! The last time I made the I threw in a few tiny cherry tomatoes with their stems into the pan and sauteed them together. Shisito peppers hold their shape, so they have a certain crispness when you bite into them - and maybe this is the charm of their existence.  They remain sweet, never spicy and convey a certain butteriness of flavor. Place them in a bowl as an appetizer or side dish and enjoy!

Amaretti and Peaches

In summer nothing speaks so much of the season as those golden, rosy globes, juicy and sweet  - pesche, or peaches. And nothing seems to pair up with these sweet jewels better than amaretti, those almond-flavored cookies - soft or crisp - from the Piemonte region. When I was a girl,  my mother would make desserts with the amaretti di Saronno, almond cookies that are crisp and dry with a hint of the Amaretto liqueur. These were the only kind with which I was familiar. When I met my husband, he argued that amaretti were soft,  light as feathers and slightly chewy. I didn't believe him until I traveled to his side of Italy in Piemonte near Torino and I fell in love with these ubiquitous cookies, the pride of every baker in the region. To taste the soft amaretto cookies is a real treat since they are freshly baked and not easily found outside the area of Acqui Terme, Alba, even Torino. Amaretti and peaches, what a combination! My tastebuds pairing these two were formed from my mother's baked peaches which I would devour one after the other.

Baked Peaches with Amaretto Cookie Filling

Ingredients

4-6 Peaches, washed, cut in half and pitted

4-6 amaretto cookies crushed (not super finely)

1 egg

½ tablespoon sugar (or to taste)

1-2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon amaretto liqueur (optional)

1 cup whipping cream – whipped and sweetened with a little sugar

Preheat the oven at 350°

1. Wash, cut peaches in half and take out the pit. Gently scoop out the center of the peaches, leaving a 1/4 inch “wall”. Rub them a bit with soft butter. Place them side up on a greased cookie sheet.

2. Finely chop the scooped out pieces and place in a small bowl. Place the amaretti, the cookies, in a food processor and crush them until they are about the size of peas. You can do this with a towel and rolling pin, crushing the cookies until they are the right size.

3. Place them in the bowl with the chopped peaches. Add the egg and sugar to taste. If you like you can add a little amaretto liqueur. Mix together and scoop the mixture back into the hollowed peaches. Add ¼  teaspoon (or just a touch) of butter in each half peach.

4. Bake the peaches for about 45 minutes or until they look cooked through and golden on top. Remove them from the oven and let them cool. Transfer to a platter and refrigerate them for at least an hour. When ready to serve, place the peaches on individual dessert plates.  Top the peaches with a lovely dollop of whipped cream, maybe a sprinkle of crushed amaretti,  and enjoy with a light dessert wine.

These baked peaches freeze well. So you can make extra, freeze them on a cookie sheet. When frozen, place them in a ziplock bag. Take them out when the wind is cold and howling outside and you want to be reminded of the golden days of summer! Defrost and serve them as you would if you had made them that day. Serves 4-6

If you like the pairing of amaretto (the liqueur) and peaches...try a favorite of my husband's, a peach ice cream. The recipe comes from The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins (1985). I have made this recipe dozens of times, at least once during the summer.

Peach Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups heavy or whipping cream

1/2 cup sugar

8 ripe medium-sized peaches

3 tablespoons amaretto liqueur

1. Heat the cream and sugar in a medium-size saucepan over low heat just until the sugar dissolves. Let cool completely.

2. Drop the peaches, several at a time, into a large pan of boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and let cool. Slip off the skins, cut the peaches in half, and remove the pits.

3. Process 6 of the peaches in a food procesor fitted with a steel blade or a blender until smooth. Add the liqueur and process to combine. Mix the peach puree and cream mixture. Cut the remaining two peaches into 1/4 inch dice and stir into the mixture. Cool the entire mixture in the refrigerator for about an hour before putting in the ice cream maker.

4. Freeze in an ice cream maker, following manufacturer's instructions. Makes 1 quart.

The ice cream is delightful on its own or accompanied with more fresh peaches. If you haven't already tired of amaretto and peaches, try the outstanding new find I made last month, the Peach-Mascarpone Custard Pie with Amaretti Cookie Crumble. What a mouthful! My sons claimed this was the best pie they had eaten in ...years???(!)  This recipe comes via Tasting Table, adapted by Evan Kleiman, host of KCRW's Good Food, Los Angeles. Here's the link http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/la/9157/The_perfect_pie_for_summer.html

And the photo.....

 And lastly, to complete this fantasia of amaretti and peaches, try my last new creation - a fresh peach cake! Sinfully delectable!

Fresh Peach Cake

Here I have adapted Ina Garten’s Fresh Peach Cake recipe (Barefoot Contessa: How Easy is That? 2010) to include an amaretto feel and taste to the cake. I was interested in using almond meal or flour to give the cake a torte-like texture, a little like a chocolate torte my mother makes. Its exclusive use of ground almonds and no flour makes the cake dense and moist, if not a bit crumbly. In this version I keep some of the flour to reduce the crumbliness. I went ahead and tried this variation which turned out to be delicious!

Ingredients

1 stick or ¼ pound of butter

1  ¼ cups sugar

2 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1 cup of sour cream

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup almond meal (from Trader Joe’s)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 very large peaches or 3 medium-sized ones, peeled, pitted and sliced

½ cup of sliced almonds (option: soak these a bit in amaretto liqueur)

Preheat the oven to 350° degrees F. Grease a 9-inch non-stick square baking pan.

1. Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Add the almond meal and set aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy – about 3-5 minutes at high speed. Reduce the speed of the beaters, then add the eggs one at a time until blended. Add the sour cream and almond extract and mix until the batter is smooth.

3. Spread half the batter in the pan.  Place half the amount of sliced peaches evenly down on the batter . Lightly sprinkle with sugar and a light layer of sliced almonds. Top this with the remaining batter, another layer of peaches, light sprinkle of sugar and almonds.

4. Bake the cake for one hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack for about 30 minutes so it won’t fall apart. Serve at room temperature. I sprinkled a light layer of confectioner’s sugar to decorate. Delicious with ice cream - maybe  - being a little over the top- peach ice cream!

One view, crumbs and all!

Eaten by half!

Buon appetito e buone cose!

What Do I Do With This? Romano Beans

"What do I do with this?" is a common question I hear when I circulate among the stalls at the Davis Farmers Market, especially directed towards produce that is unfamiliar or exotic. I often ask the question myself as I eye some of the vegetables used in Asian cooking. Vendors generously offer tips and advice about prepping and cooking.  Sometimes, when a question comes up regarding vegetables commonly used in Italian cooking, I like to offer my own tips and recipes. Market-goers are open to new ideas; it is so much fun to see their expressions of surprise and gratitude. So I'm starting a series in which I will focus on my findings at the market, usually about produce whose preparations are not commonly known, but come from the heart of my background growing up in Italy with a mother who is a fabulous cook.

This week I finally found Romano beans, you know - those flat, green beans with a gnarly look!

I love these beans and I wait for them all year long! This year they have taken  a while to come to market. When I asked one of favorite vendors why the wait, she said the rabbits kept nibbling away at them. So much for competition! So what do you do with them? A number of different preparations are possible, mostly simple, from a salad with red onions, cranberry beans, and vinaigrette to a minestrone. Let me show you one of my favorite ways  - one preparation my mother used to make when I was a girl. It reminds me of lazy summer luncheons under the olive tree at our beachfront summer villa in Terracina.

Ingredients:

1 - 1 1/2 lbs. green beans ( you could really use any - even the asparagus beans)
1 Cup onion - or one small onion - diced
1 8 oz. can diced tomatoes or 3 fresh and peeled tomatoes
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1  Tablespoon butter
8 oz. pancetta or guanciale (optional)
1 7 oz. can tuna, preferably the Italian bran, drained (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Wash the beans and cut them into 1 inch pieces. In a saucepan or skillet with a one inch border, add the oil and the butter. Once it sizzles, add the onion and saute' until tender and slightly golden. If you are choosing to put pancetta or guanciale, add it at this time and stir until fragrant. Add the beans and stir again until blended. Cook for about a minute or two, then add the tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Add approximately a cup of water so that the beans remain  slightly submerged as in the photo below.

Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the beans are tender. You have to add more water if the mixture looks a bit dry and the beans aren't quite cooked through. At this point, it's done. But here's the twist! Add a can of tuna (make sure you drain it!) into the mixture while it is still warm. This is the part of the dish I like so much. The tuna makes it tangy and oh so yummy! I usually make this dish without the pancetta; I either like it with tuna or simply vegetarian. Experiment with whatever option - all are excellent! We usually serve this as a side dish or as a salad, cold on a hot summer day (my favorite). The favors blend and get better the next day or the next if there is any left! It keeps well for about a week. Serves 5-6

Delicious with the tuna!

Zucchini Corn Pancakes

 

Zucchini Corn Pancakes

As the zucchini plants continue to produce abundantly, last night I made zucchini corn pancakes to take care of a zucchini that had grown a bit too large. It was quick to make and delicious!

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini or the equivalent of 4 small ones 

1 onion

1 ear of corn (or substitute with 1 cup of frozen)

½ red pepper

3 eggs beaten

½ cup flour

¼ cup of milk

½ teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

I-2 tablespoons canola oil

salt and pepper to taste

1.Shred the zucchini in the food processor.  My zucchini was such a big guy that I had food processor bowl was full. Slice the onion thinly and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat a nonstick pan and add the olive oil. When it is hot, add the onions and stir until they have gained a little color about five minutes. Add the zucchini. At first the pan is going to seem very crowded. Never mind, it will shrink quickly. Salt and pepper the mixture and keep stirring until the zucchini and onions have cooked down, about 5 minutes.

3. Take the ear of corn, husk it and remove the kernels. You should have about one cup. Dice the red pepper to the similar size as the corn kernels. Heat a small saucepan, then add a little butter, followed by the red pepper. Stir fry it quickly, then add the corn and season the mixture. The mixture should not cook long, otherwise the corn will get tough. After 2 minutes, take off the flame and cool slightly.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 eggs, the milk, flour, and baking powder. To this add the zucchini and the corn mixtures. Stir to blend.

5. Heat a griddle or frying pan, and then grease it with a little canola oil. With a ladle, measure about ½ cup – more or less – of the batter, just like you would when making pancakes, and drop it onto the heated surface. When the edges seem a bit dry, turn the pancake over and cook briefly until a little puffed in the center. Remove to a plate. Continue making the rest of the pancakes. You may have to grease the griddle  again if needed.

6. Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt and optional, a dusting of julienned basil. A good dish to serve as an antipasto or summer entree and salad. Delicious with a crisp white wine. 

Serves 4.

All Things Zucchine

Zucchine, or little squash in Italian,  astonish us with the variety of different dishes that can be done with them. It seems as though every day I can find a different preparation, from savory to sweet. And lucky too because the rate at which it grows, I find myself scrambling to use it all up quickly. The other day I made Zucchine in 'scabece as they say in Rome - from the Spanish ceviche (or in Piemonte they say, in carpione - or marinated). This dish keeps well in the refrigerator up to a week or more because the vinegar preserves the zucchini well.

Marinated Zucchini

4 - 5 medium sized zucchini or one-two large

salt

canola or vegetable oil for frying

1/2 C. olive oil

1/2  C. wine vinegar

1 C. water

garlic - one or two cloves, chopped

1 onion (optional) - thinly sliced

mint or basil

1.  Wash and dry the zucchini, then cut them into rounds - not too thick or too thin! Layer them flat in a dish and salt them. Cover the dish with another overturned dish and let them sit for at least an hour or until they have let out their water. This is an important step so that the zucchini won't become mushy when you fry them. Rinse the zucchini and dry them well with a paper towel. 

2. Meanwhile heat up a skillet and add a thin layer of canola or vegetable oil. Make sure the oil is hot, but not smoking, and place the zucchini in the skillet so they are not touching each other. Quickly fry both sides and as soon as they are golden brown, take them out and drain them on a paper towel. Lightly salt them as they come out of the pan. Repeat until all the zucchini are cooked, adding more oil to the pan as needed. Drain the zucchini well, then layer them in a dish with a 1 inch border.

3. Optional: At this point you can fry the onions, making sure you don't brown them. Drain on a paper towel. If you don't like onions, you can skip this step.

4. In a separate pentolino, or pan, put 1/2 C. of olive oil and heat it until it is hot but not sizzling. Add the garlic. Cook briefly, then add the vinegar and water. Simmer for about 5 minutes and then pour it over the zucchini (and onions if you choose).  The marinade should cover the vegetables. Add a handful of chopped mint or basil, cover and refrigerate. These are ready to enjoy in a few hours or overnight. Try them as an antipasto, with a good hearty cheese like asiago, some olives, good bread! Marinated zucchini are terrific in sandwiches!

Here's another zucchini recipe I tweaked this week....

Spicy Zucchini Bread

This zucchini bread has a subtle kick to it because of the chipotle powder and a twist from the usual walnuts, a thin layer of sliced almonds on the bottom.

Ingredients you will need:

3 eggs                                                              

1 c. canola oil

1 ½ cups sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

3 c. flour

2 tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking powder

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

¾ tsp. chipotle powder

2 c. shredded zucchini

1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple including juice

½ c. toasted sliced almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 350°

2.Grease and flour 2  5x9 loaf pans. Toast the almonds, cool slightly and form a light layer at the bottom of the pan.

3.Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the egg and sugar until light and foamy. Add the oil, and vanilla. Beat for few more seconds. Gently combine the zucchini and pineapple by hand. Then add the flour slowly and stir until well blended.

4.Divide the batter evenly into the pans and bake in the oven for 50 minutes to an hour depending on your oven. You’ll know it is done if you insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean.

5. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, flip the loaf onto a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.

Buona Tavola e Fantasie

Buona Tavola,  a good table with good food and good company! Nothing can be more inviting in drawing a community of people together in harmony. Let us draw upon our muses and dream a bit as well, fantasie....remembering traditions and family recipes, communicating them for future generations, and maybe tweaking those recipes with bits of imagination. This is what this blog is all about and I hope you will join me!