Pasta with Clams (“Red Sauce”)

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Blessed to be living on a peninsula or neighboring island, Italians enjoy a ready supply of seafood of all kinds — and their diet is all the better for it. A favorite dish of mine, whether I’m visiting Italy or at home, is pasta prepared with clams. Here in Chicago, the selection of fresh clams can be limited to cherry stones, with little necks and manila clams available sporadically. Cherry stones and little necks are actually same species of clam. The only difference is their size, with cherry stones being the larger of the two. I find little necks do taste sweeter, however, and I’ll use them whenever I can. If, however, only cherry stones are available, I’ll remove them from their opened shells during the cooking process, give them a quick chop, and then return the chopped clams and any juices to the pot. When all else fails, I have used, with some success, frozen clams and cockles purchased from a few of the area’s Asian markets. These same stores, by the way, can be a relatively cheap source for flash-frozen, vacuum-packed calamari, in any size you could possibly want.

As you can tell by this posting’s title, today’s recipe features clams cooked in a tomato sauce. In this recipe, I find that the sweet, delicate tasting clams can be overpowered by the tomatoes. So, in order to bolster the clam flavoring — and unlike the “white” version of the recipe — I’ll add a can of whole or minced clams to the sauce. It’s listed as “optional” within the recipe’s ingredients and the choice is yours to make. By the same token, whether you add any canned clams, be sure to use herbs and spices sparingly. They, too, can overwhelm the clams. It’s a tricky balance you’re trying to achieve but one definitely worth the effort.

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Pasta with Clams (“Red Sauce”) Recipe

total time: under 2 hours (includes time to prep clams)

Ingredients

  • at least 2 doz. little neck or manila clams
  • 1 can (7 oz) whole or minced clams (optional)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/8 to 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1 large can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 lb cooked pasta (tagliatelle pictured above)
  • 1 cup reserved cooked pasta water
  • chopped parsley for garnish

Directions

  1. At least an hour before dinner, use a brush to individually scrub each clam before  rinsing and placing it in a large bowl of cold freshwater. Rinse them a second time just before proceeding with the recipe.
  2. Heat oil over med-high heat in a large frying pan with a lid. (If using red pepper flakes, add them now and sauté for 1 minute before proceeding.) Add onion, season lightly with salt & pepper, and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and parsley and sauté for another minute.
  3. Add tomato paste, sauté for one minute, add the wine, and then add the tomatoes. Season with salt & pepper, bring to a boil before reducing heat and  simmering for 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, your pasta should be cooking, with an eye toward being drained just as the clams are opening.
  5. Increase heat to medium high, add the basil, and stir. (Add the canned clams now, if you choose to use them.)
  6. Add the clams and cover tightly.
  7. In about 5 to 8 minutes, the clams should be open & steamed. Discard any unopened clams. Replace cover and remove from heat.
  8. Combine the clams & tomato sauce with the drained pasta. If too dry, add some of the reserved pasta water.
  9. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley.

Variations

Tired of tomatoes? Try the “white sauce” version of this recipe.

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Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles

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Barbecue season is well-underway and I want to share a recipe for making pickles. After all, what better way is there to top off a burger than with pickles?

Some 10 or so years ago, I watched Emeril as he prepared dill pickles. I was surprised to see that they weren’t canned but were stored in the refrigerator. I never did make them and that recipe, like so many others, was lost during one of my PC crashes upgrades. Then, a couple of years ago, during yet another long and sleepless night, I decided to surf the web looking for Emeril’s recipe. I never did find it but I did come across a number of recipes for bread & butter pickles. Now, I love bread & butter pickles and the fact that I could make them without canning was heaven-sent — and they’re delicious, to boot! As good as these pickles are, however, remember that since they’re not canned, they must be refrigerated and will not keep for longer than a few weeks. That’s the downside. The upside is that there’s no canning equipment to buy and store when not in use, not to mention this method is far less complicated than the canning process. So, I vote for refrigerator pickles but, if you can can, head to Paris and the Follies Berge- … er … um … but, if you can can, then start canning. Barbecue season will be gone before you know it.

Whenever possible, I use pickling cucumbers to make my pickles because they’ve fewer seeds. My second choice would be English cucumbers, another variety that’s also lower in seeds and that’s usually sold covered in plastic wrap. When all else fails and burgers are on the menu, I’ll use “baby cukes” but, because these babies are smaller in diameter, I’ll slice them on an angle to increase their relative size. As for the yield, the last time I visited Zia, I used 2 pounds of baby cukes and made 3 pints of pickles (pictured below). Most of the recipes use, in varying amounts, the ingredients I’ve listed, although I’ve seen some that add dill seed, garlic, paprika, red pepper flakes, cinnamon sticks, and the list goes on.  Make a half-batch using my recipe, have a taste, and make adjustments in the next batch, if need be. The recipe is neither expensive nor time-consuming and is, in fact, pretty straight-forward. You’ll be amazed at just how easy these are to make and, if you’re at all like me, you’ll never go pickle-less again.

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Refrigerator Bread & Butter Pickles Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 lb. pickling cucumbers, sliced no less than 1/8 inch thick
  • 1 large onion, sliced thin
  • 3 tbsp kosher salt
  • 2 cups cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp celery seeds
  • 1/4 tsp ground turmeric

Directions

  1. Place cucumbers, onion, and salt in a large strainer/colander and mix well. Place strainer in the sink where excess water will drain for one hour.
  2. Combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric in a large sauce pan, over med-high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add cucumbers and onion to the pan, place a dish on top of the mixture to keep the contents submerged, cover the pan, and simmer for about 5 – 7 minutes.
  3. Place the mixture in sterile jars and allow to cool a bit before covering and placing in the refrigerator. Best when served fully chilled. Pickles will keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator.

Variations

I’ve come across similar recipes for dill pickles but I don’t find them nearly as good as this one for bread & butter pickles. If and when I find one — or some reader sends me one — I’ll share it with you. Similarly, I’m on the look-out for a good pickling liquid for other vegetables. When found, that will be shared, as well. Lastly, I’ll be posting a great recipe for Chicago-style giardiniera in the weeks to come.

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ETA

Since writing this post, I’ve started canning/preserving — something I thought I’d never do. (Please keep thoughts of old dogs to yourself.) As mentioned, these pickles will last, as-is, for several weeks in the fridge. If canned, they will last up to a year on a cool, dark shelf. To can them, follow the above instructions. Once the jars have been filled with lids and tops in place, though not sealed tightly, place them in a boiling water bath deep enough to cover the jars by at least an inch. Leave them to process for 10 minutes before removing them to a cloth-covered surface, where they should remain undisturbed for 24 hours. At the end of that time, test to make sure each has sealed and store in a cool, dark place. Those that haven’t sealed properly must be immediately refrigerated and used with the next few weeks.

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Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

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I’ve been making ice cream for some time. Quite a few years ago, I bought a fancy Italian gelato maker from (the now-defunct) Sharper Image. Considering the cost of that machine and how little it was used, quart for quart, that was some of the priciest ice cream … er … gelato that I’ve ever eaten.  I never did get the chance to make enough to bring the costs down because the machine was a casualty of the move to my current home. Undeterred, I dove back into the pool and purchased a model from Cuisinart, as well as an extra freezer canister. I love this machine and it’s definitely paid for itself. Not only have I made ice cream for my friends and neighbors but I’ve brought it with me to Michigan and made ice cream for Zia and her friends. As for the many recipes I’ve tried, we are all in agreement that today’s recipe makes the best ice cream.

It was almost 2 years ago, during another long and sleepless night, that I came across a recipe for cheesecake ice cream. It called for cream cheese and, although tasty, it was, as a friend (the Entertainer) said, “… more like a frozen piece of cheesecake.” I kept searching until I found today’s recipe, which was posted by Melissa Symington on AllRecipes.com. Far and away, it is the best ice cream recipe I’ve come across in quite some time. Granted, by using a pudding mix, it is not a true ice cream and some ice cream purists may find that objectionable. Luckily, I’m not a purist nor are any of my friends and family. This is one ice cream recipe that I’ll make again and again.

The recipe presented below is pretty much the same one I found that night. The only changes I’ve made are to add a pinch of salt to each of the 3 preparations and to replace the milk with half-and-half. The yield is about 2 3/4 quarts of ice cream, although I’ve seen versions of this recipe where the ingredient amounts are all halved. Of course, the results are every bit as good as the original but then you’ve little to give to your friends. Trust me. Once they taste this ice cream, they’ll be asking for more. Make a full-batch and you can make everyone happy — well, maybe not your cardiologist.

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Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients

Berry Swirl

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • pinch of salt

Graham Cracker Crumble

  • 2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • pinch of salt

Ice Cream

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant cheesecake pudding mix
  • 1 quart heavy whipping cream
  • 2 cups half-and-half
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Gradually stir in water until smooth. Stir in blueberries and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in butter. Pat into an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in.x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the ice cream ingredients. Fill ice cream freezer cylinder two-thirds full; freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. Refrigerate remaining mixture until ready to freeze. Whisk before adding to ice cream freezer (mixture will have some lumps).
  4. Crumble the graham cracker mixture. In a large container, layer the ice cream, graham cracker mixture, and blueberry sauce three times. Use a spoon handle, chop stick, or similar object to swirl the now-full container’s contents. Freeze.
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Variations

Although not a problem with the blueberries in this recipe, I find that large pieces of fruit or berry usually do not freeze well in home-made ice cream. The water content of the fruit turns to ice and the resultant shard-like texture interferes with my enjoyment of the luscious cream across my palate. (Yes, I’m fussy about my ice cream.) So, to avoid this, if I’m going to use another fruit or berry in this recipe, I’ll pass them through my Roma strainer or, at least, purée them before preparing them for addition to the frozen cream mixture. This way I get all the flavor but none of the ice shards. That is how I prepared the strawberry ice cream pictured above, as well as a black cherry version of this same recipe.

Notes

One of the things that sets this ice cream apart is the graham cracker crumble. Reminiscent of a cheesecake’s crust, you do not want to skimp or skip this ingredient. Still, the recipe makes a great deal of the crumble and, like me, you may find there’s too much. Use as much of the crumble as you like and store the rest in your freezer for next time. I’ve no idea how long is should be frozen because mine has never been in the freezer for more than a couple weeks. This is one very popular ice cream.

It is possible to make ice cream at home without an ice cream maker. (I know because I forgot part of my machine during a recent trip to Michigan.) Granted, it may not be as easy as pouring ingredients into a frozen canister and pushing the “on” button but you can still make ice cream. First off, combine the ingredients listed above in a sturdy glass or stainless mixing bowl. Mix well and place the bowl and its contents into the freezer. Remove the bowl after 45 minutes and give its contents a good stir. Work fast. You can use a hand mixer, stand mixer, immersion blender, whisk, or spatula. Place the bowl back into the freezer. After 30 – 45 more minutes, remove the bowl and give it another good stir. Repeat the process again and again and again. It will take a few hours but you will eventually have a mixing bowl filled with ice cream that is as “solid” as you would get from a machine. Not only that but, believe me, you’ll never forget part of your machine again.

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Strawberry Risotto

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Strawberry risotto. What a concept! I first learned of the dish during a trip through Italy with my trusty Traveling Companion and a mutual friend. The three of us were staying in Rome and used a tour book to select a restaurant, La Maschera (The Mask), near Rome’s Campo de’ Fiori. For her primo piatto, my friend ordered strawberry risotto. She absolutely loved the dish, as did I when offered a taste. Fast forward a few years, Zia and I are in Rome. Eager to give her this tasty treat, we hopped in a cab and went to La Maschera — which was closed and seemingly had been for quite some time. (Let that be a lesson for you: when returning to a vacation spot, open the purse strings and buy a new tour book.) Although we had a lovely dinner nearby, there was no strawberry risotto on the menu and the dish “fell off my radar.” Then, during a sleepless night, I started looking at recipes for strawberry risotto on the web. Pretty much all that I came across shared the same ingredient list as “regular” risotto, save the strawberries, of course. I decided to give it a try and started by making my family’s risotto, substituting strawberries for mushrooms. Next to go were the garlic, cheese, and cream and eventually I settled upon the recipe I’m posting here.

First, before sharing the recipe, I think a few things need to be mentioned. This recipe requires that the rice be soaked before cooking. Anyone who has ever made risotto will tell you that this isn’t exactly normal. When I spoke with Zia about writing this recipe, she mentioned that when she was a girl, a family friend, Ida, taught her how to cook risotto and that she always pre-soaked the rice. So, my use of that technique here is something of a salute to Ida. (She, also, insisted that Zia use only Uncle Ben’s when making risotto but that’s where I draw the line. My salute will go no further than pre-soaked arborio rice.) I then experimented with the strawberries. In the beginning, I just couldn’t seem to get a strong enough strawberry flavor. Putting the berries in early only served to have them almost totally disintegrate during the cooking process. I want strawberry pieces in my risotto. Putting them in late resulted in risotto with strawberries in it, almost like breakfast cereal. I want to taste strawberry in every bite. Zia’s memories of Ida’s soaked rice were an inspiration. By soaking the berries in the wine, the strawberry flavor infuses the wine and, as a result, is more readily dispersed throughout the dish. Success! As for which wine to use, I only use white wine in this dish and avoid the sweet varieties, preferring instead a white that is on the dry side. Use a wine that you’d serve to accompany this risotto and you won’t go wrong. Lastly, do not use either cream or cheese with this dish; both will only mask the strawberry’s flavor and aroma.

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Strawberry Risotto Recipe

total time: approx.  1 hour (includes 30 minute “soak”)

yield: approx.  3 cups

Ingredients

  • 3 cups chicken stock, divided, (for a meat-free diet, vegetable stock may be substituted)
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and puréed or chopped as finely as you prefer
  • 1 cup arborio rice
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1 strawberry per plate, sliced, for garnish

Directions

  1. Soak strawberries in white wine and soak rice in 1 cup of stock for 30 minutes before you start cooking.
  2. Heat remaining stock in a sauce pan. Adjust heat to keep it hot but not boiling.
  3. Add butter to a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion, season lightly with salt & pepper, and sauté until translucent, about 5 – 8 minutes.
  4. Add rice, stir, and cook until all the liquid is just about gone. Add another ladle of stock and continue to stir.
  5. Repeat the process, adding stock by the ladle, stirring constantly until the liquid is almost gone, and adding another ladle of stock, for no less than 10 minutes.
  6. Add the strawberries and wine and continue stirring. When the wine has been absorbed, add a ladle of stock.  Continue stirring and adding ladles of stock for another 10 minutes or until rice is cooked to you liking.
  7. Season with salt & pepper, stir well, and serve garnished with sliced strawberries.

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Variations

Choosing not to use cream or cheese pretty much limits the possible variations for the dish. You can, however, use champagne in place of the white wine if you’re feeling relatively fancy schmancy that day/evening.

Notes

Even though this risotto begins with the unorthodox step of pre-soaking the rice, the other “risotto rules” still apply. That is to say, cook atop no more than medium heat, keep the stock hot, and stir the rice constantly.

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Grandpa’s Barbecued Shrimp

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I’ve just returned from a week-long visit with Zia in Michigan, where Spring has finally sprung — even if it is much wetter and colder than most would like. The arrival of Spring in Michigan’s Thumb means that Summer is just about here for the rest of the country. And with Summer comes barbecue season, but hold onto your skewers. First, a little history …

The old two-flat had a great barbecue in the backyard that Grandpa built during the Summer of 1959. Pictured on the right is the construction site and below, to the left, the finished monolith. Grandpa was a master at masonry and he created the arch over the grilling area. (It wasn’t until I was much older that I appreciated the skill involved in doing that.) The grilling area had 3 sections: the top was the grill surface; the middle was where the fire burned; and the lowest section was where the ashes collected. The doors of the lower 2 sections had vents with which you could limit and direct the airflow to the fire, and thereby control the grill’s heat. The flue system practically guaranteed that there would be no smoke to bother the eyes of the barbecue’s many users. To the left of the grilling area was a large, flat surface that served as a work station and, under that, an area for storing wood. He’d thought of everything.

Once it was finished, that barbecue was often a center of activity for both households, regardless of the weather. In Winter, our yard was turned into an ice skating rink and the grill helped to warm us as it heated our hot chocolate. In warmer weather, I clearly remember seeing Dad, the High Priest of Grilling, standing in front of his altar, umbrella in his left hand & struggling with the wind, as his right hand tended to the sacrificed beast that would become our meal. Once Summer came, there were many Sundays when both families feasted together on some main course that was char-broiled to perfection. As for Grandpa, he could often be found “out back” on Fridays grilling shrimp, his specialty and today’s recipe. Somehow, I always found myself at his side as he grilled and, lo and behold, he would give me 1 or 2 shrimp just for “keeping company.” I think I got the better part of that deal. Not only did I get a couple of shrimp back then but now, years later, whenever I lay skewers of shrimp on a grill, my thoughts inevitably turn to the times spent standing next to my Grandpa in front of his master work — and I smile.

Back now, to the Present. Many stores today offer shrimp that have been cleaned but with the shells still on. These shrimp are definitely preferable to those that have been peeled simply because the shells offer some protection during grilling and so the shrimp are less likely to burn. Not only that but the opening left from the de-veining process makes a perfect home for stuffing. When buying shrimp destined for the grill, I’ve found that bigger is better. Large shrimp aren’t so quick to burn and they make a more memorable presentation. As for the stuffing, the amount of olive oil you need will vary depending upon the bread crumbs you use — i.e., fresh, store-bought, or panko. The goal is a stuffing that’s rather wet, though not “soupy.” You want it wet enough to survive the heat of the grill without drying out completely and yet dry enough so that  you do not see stuffing and oil pooling on your serving platter. For the grilling, you can use a webbed grill basket, the kind with 2 sides that can be opened and that will hold the shrimp in place while grilling. This type of basket will allow you to turn over all the shrimp with ease. Lacking a grilling basket, thin bamboo skewers can be used after they’ve been soaked to prevent being burned on the grill. I use 2 skewers per set of shrimp and this, too, makes turning them over much easier.

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Grandpa’s Barbecued Shrimp Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 lb extra-large shrimp (no smaller than 21 – 25-ct), de-veined but not peeled
  • 1/3 – 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/3 – 1/2 cup olive oil
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • thin bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 1 hour before grilling
  • lemon wedges for serving

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Directions

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, salt & pepper and mix well.
  2. Add enough olive oil to the mixture to produce a wet, but not soupy, stuffing. Mix well.
  3. Place the shrimp into the bowl with the bread crumbs and mix well. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  4. In the meantime, arrange the coals, if used, to enable the “indirect cooking method.” Start the grill or fire up the coals so that the fire is ready when the shrimp are.
  5. Use 2 skewers to hold the shrimp. Place one skewer near the shrimp’s tail and the other skewer near its opposite end. Grab a second shrimp and do the same, using the same 2 skewers so that this shrimp is on top of the first one that you skewered. Be sure to include a little stuffing between the shrimp. Repeat the process until the skewers are full, keeping in mind the size or your grilling area. You may only be able to skewer 3 jumbo shrimp or 5 – 6 large shrimp per set of 2 skewers.
  6. Repeat step 5 until all the shrimp are skewered.
  7. With the grill very hot, clean the grates and use a wad of paper towels dipped in vegetable oil to coat the grilling surface. (No need to coat the grates if using a grilling basket.)
  8. If using the indirect method, the shrimp should take no more than a total of 5 minutes to cook both sides, depending upon the size and temperature of the grill. The time will be less if the shrimp are peeled and even less if they are grilled directly above the flames. Stay near the grill and watch them closely.
  9. Once cooked, the shrimp may be served as-is, on the skewers, or off of the skewers and arranged on a platter.
  10. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

Notes

With minor changes, you will see this bread crumb mixture, the Bartolini breading mixture, used again and again throughout this blog. The Bartolini Girls used it to stuff a number of vegetables, from artichokes to zucchini, not to mention seafood preparations from stuffed calamari to baked tilapia. Learn to make it, and to adjust the moisture level to suit the dish being prepared, and you will be amazed at how many uses you’ll find for it. Just please don’t forget to come back here and tell us about it.

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Pasta al Salmone

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My introduction to pasta with salmon was some 20 years ago in Rome, during my first visit to Italy. To say that it left a lasting impression would be a gross understatement. In the years to follow, I made it my life’s quest to duplicate that recipe and it was far more difficult than one might imagine. Back then I didn’t own a PC, there was no Food Network nor Cooking Channel, and the few cooking shows that were available were mainly broadcast on PBS. (We were simple folk back then.) Duplicating a recipe meant that I had to keep trying until I got it right. Well, I’m certainly not a trained chef, by any stretch of the imagination, and it’s not as if I attempted to make this dish every week, or even every month, for that matter. Eventually, my interest waned and my “testing” stretched out over several years. Sadly, I never did get it quite right, although things may have gone differently had I remembered to record the ingredients and their amounts from one test to the next. Anyway, the sauce would inevitably be too runny or too thick and the flavor either too bland, too strong, or just plain wrong. Then, one day in my favorite Greek market, I noticed a small container of salmon pieces packed in oil. Evidently, a processing plant in Florida packaged and sold the trimmings left when smoked salmon is prepared. I bought a container, substituted its oil for some of my recipe’s butter, and chopped a portion of the salmon for use in the dish. Eureka! The result was perfection and I served it to all of my friends, to great acclaim — for all of 6 months. That’s about when the market stopped carrying the small containers of salmon. After a suitable period of mourning — during which I contacted the company and asked, unsuccessfully, if their product was sold anywhere else, not just in Illinois but in Wisconsin, Indiana, or Michigan, too — I went back into the test kitchen and my quest began anew. Today’s recipe is the result of those very tests.

I can see now that my early renditions were doomed to failure. I used too much cream, not enough salmon, and the technique was all wrong. Even my use of garlic proved to be too much for the dish. In the end, however, I did wind up with a tasty cream sauce similar to the recipe that I’ve already shared for fettuccine alfredo. Being fish-based, however, no cheese is used during its preparation, nor when it is served, and shallots are used in place of the ill-fated garlic. All was well until a few months ago when I watched a YouTube video of a woman making a pasta with salmon dish. She only spoke Italian and her video was often interrupted by advertisements for some sort of thick, cream-like, vegetable-based product. Being that my knowledge of the language is so limited, I was about to turn off the video when she added some vodka to the sauce. (I may not know many foreign words but, inexplicably, “vodka,” much like “jagermeister,” is one that I recognize in many tongues.) As a result of that video, I added an ounce of vodka to my recipe and liked the result, for it really does add a nice depth to the dish. One thing I’ve learned, though, is that when you use vodka in a recipe, be sure to use a higher quality brand. I’m not suggesting that you spend $40.00 for a bottle of vodka — I surely don’t — but do try to avoid the really cheap stuff; there is a definite difference in taste. Lastly, as far as the vodka is concerned, if you’re going to use some, be sure to remove the hot pan from the heat source before you add the liquor. This is true whenever you add alcohol to a pan. If poured near a flame, the fumes alone may ignite and you could have a nasty situation to deal with. Just remove the pan from the heat, add the liquor, give it a quick stir, and return the pan to the stove top — and keep a pan lid nearby to smother any unexpected flames. Safety first, always.

This sauce should take about 7 or 8 minutes to prepare. Keep that in mind as you cook the trenette, or whatever pasta you intend to use. In a perfect world, the pasta will be draining just as the sauce finishes. Your odds will improve if you remember that fresh pasta cooks relatively quickly, in a few minutes, and that dried pasta can take twice as long to reach al dente. Read the package instructions and plan accordingly. And be sure to reserve some of the water used to cook your pasta just in case the sauce needs a little more liquid.

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Trenette al Salmone Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
  • 1 shallot, chopped fine
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 lb (8 oz) smoked salmon, cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch strips
  • 1 oz vodka (optional)
  • 1 lb cooked trenette
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, separated
  • salt & ground white pepper, to taste
  • reserved pasta water

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Directions

  1. Melt butter in a large, deep frying pan over med-high heat.
  2. Add shallots and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes.
  3. Add salmon and continue sautéing for another 2 minutes.
  4. Remove pan from heat, add vodka, give the pan’s contents a quick stir, and return to heat.
  5. After a minute, add the cream and continue cooking until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 – 3 minutes.
  6. Season with 1 tbsp of the parsley and salt & pepper to taste before adding the cooked trenette to the pan. Mix until the pasta is well-coated. If necessary, add a little of the reserved pasta water.
  7. Garnish with remaining tbsp of parsley and serve immediately.

Variations

The use of vodka in the recipe is certainly not required and is completely your choice. If you opt to use garlic in place of, or along with, the shallots, be careful not to be too heavy-handed. The star of this dish is the smoky flavor of the salmon and too much garlic will interfere with that.

And I’m begging you: Please, no cheese!

Notes

Traditionally served with pesto, trenette are thin, ribbon-like pasta that are just a bit more narrow than linguine. I prefer trenette over all other pasta simply because their width mirrors that of the pasta Mom and Zia cut by hand during my youth. In fact, when I demonstrated the pasta cutter for Zia, she agreed with my memory and I bought her a trenette cutter shortly thereafter.

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Chicken Parmesan

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As is the case within most families, birthdays were special events in our household and Mom would fix whatever dish the birthday child desired. For me, that choice was always veal parmesan. Mom served it with home-made pasta and I was one happy boy. Nowadays, I tend to avoid veal but I can’t avoid this dish nor the memories it evokes. So, instead of  veal, I use chicken. It may not be the same but it’s close enough — and certainly good enough — for me.

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To begin, I start with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which are fried after being floured and breaded. They are then placed into a baking dish, smothered in marinara sauce, and topped with sliced mozzarella & grated parmesan cheese before being baked in the oven. Yes, this recipe can make a mess of your kitchen but the pay-off is well worth the effort. The only advice in this area that I might offer is to clean as you go. When the marinara sauce is simmering, clean the work area and utensils. The same goes with the breading station as the chicken is being fried. When the final dish is in the oven, put the rest of the mess into the dishwasher (I hope you have a dishwasher) and start it running. Take it from one who’s been there, your kitchen will resemble a disaster area if you put off the cleaning until after you’ve eaten dinner.

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Chicken Parmesan Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 quart Marinara Sauce
  • 1 pkg boneless, skinless chicken thighs (5 or 6 thighs)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 – 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
  • 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, more as needed for frying
  • 1 large ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced thinly to provide a slice for each thigh
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • salt & pepper

Directions

  1. Set up a breading station. Place the flour in one dish; combine the eggs & milk and place into the center dish; and in the third dish mix the bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder and parsley. Season each thigh with salt & pepper. Use the standard breading technique and begin by coating each thigh with the flour, one at a time. Shake off the excess flour before coating the thigh with the egg mixture. Allow the excess to drain a bit and dredge the thigh in the bread crumbs.  Set the breaded thigh aside and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
  2. Place oil in a large frying pan and heat over med-high heat. Working in batches, fry the breaded thighs until each side is golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. If necessary, replenish the oil between batches.
  3. Pre-heat oven to 375*.
  4. Liberally butter or use a cooking spray to coat a 9 x 13″ baking dish.
  5. Coat the bottom of the dish with a few ladles of the marinara sauce.
  6. Place the fried chicken pieces into the dish and use the rest of the tomato sauce to cover them all.
  7. Evenly sprinkle the dish with the parmesan cheese and then position one slice of mozzarella on top of each chicken piece.
  8. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 20 minutes.
  9. Remove from oven and allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

Variations

Originally, Mom shallow-fried the veal in about 1/4 inch of vegetable oil. Initially, I did the same with the chicken pieces but, over the years, eventually cut out most of the oil in favor of a few tbsp of olive oil. Use whichever method you prefer, so long as the breaded pieces are golden brown when you’re done.

Mom never baked her veal parmesan and you needn’t bake this dish either. In a large, deep frying pan with a lid, add enough sauce to generously coat the pan’s surface, add the coated, fried chicken pieces, and cover with more sauce before sprinkling with grated parmesan cheese and topping with mozzarella slices. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat until the chicken is fully cooked, about 30 minutes. Use an instant read thermometer when in doubt.

I use chicken thighs but chicken breasts, tenders, or whatever chicken parts you prefer can be substituted. You may find, however, that boneless pieces work best. No matter what part(s) of the chicken you use, just be aware that the cooking times may vary, so, again, use an instant read thermometer to ensure the meat is thoroughly cooked.

Notes

The dish, as shown, was prepared “family style” and I wouldn’t necessarily serve it this way for guests.  Here, the chicken pieces are pretty much blanketed by a coating of cheese. If I were serving guests, I would be more careful with the cheese placement, using less cheese and restricting it to the individual chicken pieces. For “family,” however, I’ll go with the cheese blanket and I haven’t had any complaints yet.

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Fazzoletti Pasta

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It’s been said that the Inuit have 100 words for “snow.” I’ve no idea whether that’s true but I bet the Italians with their pasta can come close, matching them pasta shape for snow term. You see, as many pasta shapes and sizes that you may find in your local market, they are but a small fraction of the pasta varieties available, particularly if you’re lucky enough to visit Italy. It’s as if every restaurant there features a couple pastas that you’ve never heard of, each of which comes with some story behind it. Fazzoletti, today’s recipe, is one of those pastas. Derived from the Italian word for handkerchiefs, Zia and I were served this pasta for lunch one day in a small restaurant not far from the Coliseum of Rome. Today, I usually make fazzoletti with the dough scraps left when I’ve made some other pasta. Definitely the easiest of pastas to make, they are simply squares that can be anywhere from 3 to 6 inches long, per side. Personally, I tend to make mine around the 3 inch mark but two or three 6 inch fazzoletti, lightly dressed, make a perfect primo piatto. Whether you serve them large or small, you’ll amaze your dinner companions with your knowledge of Italian cuisine’s more obscure pastas. It works every time.

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Fazzoletti Pasta Recipe

total time: approx.  45 minutes (includes resting time)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb. fresh dough, (about 1/3 of Mom’s Pasta Dough recipe or use dough left over from some other preparation)
  • extra all-purpose flour for dusting the work surface and pasta sheets
  • To serve: your favorite tomato sauce (marinara or meat-based) or your favorite pesto (traditional or Trapanese).

Directions

  1. Steps 2 though 7 are a partial reprint of the directions found here Home-Made Fettucine, Linguine, Capellini
  2. Be sure the dough has been allowed to rest at least 15 minutes before starting to roll it.
  3. Using a knife or dough scraper, separate a ball of dough, roughly the size of a very large egg. With your hands, flatten the dough somewhat, making a square. Set your machine’s rollers to the widest setting and dust the rollers with flour.
  4. Place one edge of the dough between the rollers and turn the crank, causing the dough to grow thinner as it passes through the rollers. Lightly flour the dough, fold it in half upon itself, and pass it through the rollers again. Repeat this, without adjusting the rollers, a few times.
  5. Repeat steps 3 & 4. In fact, work with as many dough “eggs” as you are comfortable handling. Just remember to keep the remaining dough covered while you work with the “eggs.”
  6. Once you have rolled a few “eggs”, adjust the rollers to the next setting and pass each dough sheet through the rollers. If the dough is at all sticky, dust the sheets with flour. When all the sheets have been rolled, fold each in half and send through the rollers again.
  7. Adjust the rollers and repeat Step 6, again and again, until the strips are the desired thinness. You should no longer need to flour the strips between passes through the rollers.
  8. Lay a dough strip on the work surface. Use a pastry cutter to cut the strip into equally sized squares. Remove the fazzoletti and place in a single layer on a floured surface or lined sheet pan.
  9. Cook ASAP. Storing dried fazzoletti is problematic and some breakage is all but assured.
  10. Fresh fazzoletti will take minutes to cook in a pot of salted boiling water. Once cooked al dente, reserve some of the pasta water and either pour the pot’s contents into a colander or use a “spider” skimmer to remove the pasta from the water.
  11. Drain, lightly dress with either sauce or pesto, using some of the reserved pasta water if necessary. Serve immediately. If you prefer large fazzoletti, use tongs to carefully place and fold, in a seemingly careless manner,  the dressed pasta on each serving plate. (Remember: it’s all about presentation. You do not want a large fazzeletto laying flat upon the plate, nor is it desirable to serve several smaller fazzoletti stacked like pancakes.)

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Notes

As I’ve mentioned, I normally make fazzoletti out of pasta dough remnants, most often after making  a tray of lasagna for friends. I usually have enough pasta dough and sauce left over that I can quickly make myself a nice dinner of fazzoletti. If, heaven forbid, I don’t have any sauce, I can either serve it in bianco or grab some pesto out of the freezer. No matter how it’s dressed, you can be sure that I’ll be enjoying a dish of freshly made fazzoletti that evening while reminiscing about Italy, as will Zia when she reads this recipe.

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Pasta with Clams (“White Sauce”)

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Pasta con VongoleWhenever I’m lucky enough to visit Italy, I make a point of ordering pasta with clams at least once while I’m there. Using varieties of clams I’ve never seen stateside, my pasta is served chock full of tiny, incredibly sweet bivalves no bigger than my thumbnail. What a treat! Back here at home, when I’m in an adventurous mood, I’ll make a run to the Asian markets to try some of the varieties of clams that they have on hand. More often than not, however, I’ll just head to one of the better groceries and pick up some littleneck or manila clams. When I do, I know that night’s dinner will be something special.

With no tomato sauce to simmer, this is an amazingly simple recipe that results in a very flavorful dish. Just toss a few ingredients into a frying pan while your pasta cooks and, in about 10 minutes, you’ll be sitting down to dinner. It really is as simple to make as it is delicious to eat.

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Pasta with Clams (“White Sauce”) Recipe

total time: approx.  90 minutes (75 minutes for prep, 15 minutes cooking)

Ingredients

  • at least 2 doz. little neck or manila clams
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 to 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup white wine or water
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1 lb pasta
  • chopped parsley for garnish

Linguine with Clams

Directions

  1. At least an hour before dinner, use a brush to individually scrub each clam before  rinsing and placing it in a large bowl of cold freshwater. Rinse them a second time just before proceeding with the recipe.
  2. Bring a 6 quart pot of salted water to boil.
  3. Add oil to a large frying pan with a lid. Add the garlic, parsley and the wine or water.
  4. Add the pasta to the pot of salted boiling water. The pasta, if dried, should take 9 or 10 minutes to cook. If fresh, less time will be needed. Time it so that its completion coincides with that of the clams.
  5. Just when the frying pan’s liquid begins to show signs of boiling, add the clams and cover tightly,
  6. In about 5 to 8 minutes, the clams should be open & steamed. Discard any unopened clams. Replace cover and remove from heat.
  7. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta, and combine the clams & pan juices with the drained pasta. If too dry, add some of the reserved pasta water.
  8. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley.

Variations

This dish is totally reliant upon timing. If you’re off, the pasta will not be piping hot or, worse yet, the clams will be over-cooked and chewy. Just heed the pasta package’s instructions and keep in mind that the clams will open about 5 minutes after they hit the hot pan. Very often, if my clams are ready and my pasta still needs another minute or two, I’ll use the time to remove some of the clam meat from the shells. I won’t remove all of the meat from the shells because I prefer to see a few shells in each serving. It’s all about the presentation.

Notes

When in Italy, one is far more likely to see this dish than you would pasta with clams in a tomato (“red”) sauce. The latter dish, however, is more popular here in the States.  Truth be told, I usually prepare today’s recipe and only “go red” about 25% of the time. The choice is yours to make and here’s my recipe for Pasta with Clams – (Red Sauce) for those who prefer their clams in a tomato sauce.

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Cherry Cheesecake Pizza

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Since Easter is only a few days away, I thought it the perfect time for something sweet. Mom got this recipe from one of our two-flat’s neighbors, Johnnie, a wonderful woman whose daughter and my sister remain very close friends to this day. Easy to make, this is a perfect dessert for any party, potluck, or family dinner. If you wish, you can use canned pie filling and ready-made pie crusts — I told you it was easy. On the other hand, if you’ve got the time, you can make your own pastry dough and/or topping from fresh or frozen fruit. Either way, you’ll end up with a great little dessert.

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Cherry Cheesecake Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 pie crusts, ready-made or equivalent amount of pastry dough — not puff pastry
  • two 8 oz packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, rough chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • two 14.5 oz cans of pie filling (or use 2 cans/bottles of tart cherries and follow the maker’s recipe on the container to make a filling)
  • Whipped cream for serving – optional

Directions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350*.
  2. Roll pastry dough until large enough to cover the pan, as well as to create a ridge along the edge of the pan. Transfer to pan, prick with fork several times, and bake on center rack of oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
  3. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and sugar.
  4. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until well-blended. Add vanilla and mix well.
  5. Add the walnuts and mix using a spoon or spatula.
  6. Once the crust is thoroughly cooled, pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust and use an offset spatula to make it smooth.
  7. Bake in pre-heated 350* oven until set, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before proceeding.
  8. Carefully pour and spread fruit topping to cover the cheesecake. Refrigerate until well-chilled, at least 2 hours.
  9. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

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Variations

The original recipe called for one ready-made pie crust and one 8 oz package of cream cheese. Mom always doubled the amount of cream cheese and used both pie crusts, as well. This cheesecake was originally made on a 14″ or 16″ round pizza pan but, lacking one, I use a 12″ x 9″ sheet pan instead. Lastly, the original recipe used cherries for the topping. You can easily substitute blueberries, strawberries, or whatever fruit you prefer.

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