Tag Archives: Pasta

Porcini Mushroom, Leek, and Goat Cheese Ravioli Filling

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Last week I demonstrated how easy it is to make ravioli, tortelloni, and manicotti using wonton wrappers. Now that you know what to do with the wrappers, today I’ll show you how to make a filling.

Given the stated purpose of these two posts, it wouldn’t make much sense to use a filling that was overly complicated to prepare or that required a dozen ingredients. Using only dried porcini mushrooms, leeks, garlic, and goat cheese, this filling could not be easier to make and yet packs a great deal of flavor into each pasta. With the longest step in the process being the wait for the mushroom-leek mixture to cool after being sautéed, you can easily make enough wonton wrapper ravioli in an afternoon for that evening’s dinner. Yes, you can do this.

Thursday I’ll be leaving for Michigan, where the Dial-Up Modem is King. As a result, the Kitchens must close temporarily and there can be no post next Wednesday. My next entry is scheduled for Wednesday, June 5th.

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Porcini Mushroom, Leek, & Goat Cheese Ravioli Filling Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • .7 oz (20 g) dried porcini mushrooms
  • 3 oz (85 g) leeks, chopped fine
  • 1 garlic clove, minced or grated
  • 10.5 oz (298 g) goat cheese
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp white pepper

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Directions

  1. Bring 2 cups of water to boil, remove from heat, and add mushrooms. Allow mushrooms to soak for at least 20 minutes. Remove mushrooms to paper towels, being careful not to disturb sediments in liquid. (Reserve mushroom liquid. See Notes.) Use another paper towel to blot the mushrooms dry before chopping them to a small dice. Put aside.
  2. Heat olive oil and butter over med-high heat. Add leeks and mushrooms, lower heat to medium, and sauté until mixture just begins to change color — about 6 or 7 minutes.
  3. Add garlic, salt, and pepper, and continue to sauté until liquids are gone. Do not allow to burn.
  4. Remove from heat and allow to cool fully before proceeding.
  5. Once cooled, combine mushroom-leek mixture with goat cheese and stir to thoroughly combine.
  6. Filling may now be used to fill you favorite pasta.

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Variations

This recipe is not set in stone. Don’t have any leeks? Use half the amount listed in sweet onions. Don’t like goat cheese? Use ricotta. No porcini? Use 3 to 4 oz (85 to 113 g) fresh crimini mushrooms. Don’t like this filling at all? Don’t worry. You may prefer to use either of these 2 fillings: the traditional Bartolini ravioli filling or the Bartolini sausage ravioli filling. Still not quite what you’re looking for? In a few weeks I’ll be posting an asparagus-based filling recipe.

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Notes

There’s really no way of determining how much pasta you’ll be able to fill with today’s recipe. That will depend upon the type and size of the pasta you wish to make. Because of this, I wouldn’t invite 10 guests to dinner the first time you make a homemade stuffed pasta, whether or not you use wonton wrappers. Better to wait until your 2nd attempt or at least wait to make your guest list until after the pasta is made.

When making this filling, I allowed the goat cheese to warm a bit so that it would be easier to combine with the other ingredients. Depending upon the pasta to be filled, you may find it easier to chill it again before using it to stuff your pasta.

Do not discard the liquid used to rehydrate the porcini mushrooms. Once the sediments have settled, pour off the liquid, leaving those sediments behind. The liquid can then be stored/frozen for later use in soups, sauces, risotto, or pasta dishes, to name a few.

Although you can use any sauce yo wish to dress pasta using this filling, I chose to, again, keep it simple. Once it was cooked and drained, I gently tossed the raviolo in some melted butter and garnished it with flaked Parmesan cheese, as seen in this post’s opening photo.

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It’s déjà vu all over again …

BBQ Shrimp

Gamberetti alla Griglia

This weekend is a 3-day weekend and start of the grilling season. I thought it only fitting to feature Grandpa’s Barbecued Shrimp as this week’s blast from the past. Easy to prepare, whether you serve them as a snack, appetizer, or main course, you and your guests will love them. You can learn how Grandpa did it by clicking HERE.

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Coming soon to a monitor near you …

Baked Haddock

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Where East Meets West: Wonton Wrapper Pastas

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Today’s entry is the fulfillment of a promise that I made to Norma in the Comments section of the Bartolini Cannelloni recipe post of last March. (Norma, by the way, is a cookbook author whose wonderful blog, Garden to Wok, is filled with tasty recipes and gardening tips.) She asked if egg roll skins could be used in place of pasta dough to make cannelloni. Well, Norma, it took 2 months and I used wonton wrappers but here’s the promised post.

Back before I started buying ravioli molds but after I learned I was unable to use Mom’s tiny cappelletti mold, I saw someone on a cooking show use wonton wrappers to make ravioli. That’s all I needed to see. Before long I was making ravioli and tortelloni using the wrappers without any problems. In fact, I’d probably still be using wrappers if I hadn’t seen another TV cook use a large ravioli mold one day. Soon I was making ravioli and cappelletti of all sizes and I never bought another wonton wrapper.

When I’ve shared our ravioli recipes, some have mentioned that the process seemed difficult and time-consuming. Using wonton wrappers eliminates one of the more difficult elements, that of making and rolling out the pasta dough. With that out-of-the-way, the rest of the process is a snap and this post will show you just how easy it is to use wonton wrappers to make stuffed pasta. Along the way, we’ll make round ravioli, manicotti, square ravioli, and tortelloni, all of which are pictured in the unfortunate photo above. It’s a long post but the method for preparing each pasta will “stand on its own” so that you need only reference the section(s) that interest you.

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How to make Jumbo Ravioli (Ravioloni)

  1. Place one wonton wrapper on a floured work surface.
  2. Place about a tbsp of filling in the center of the wrapper.
  3. Use your fingers or a brush to moisten the 4 edges on the wrapper.
  4. Place another wrapper on top.
  5. Use your fingers to remove as much air as possible while pressing to seal the edges.
  6. Use a pastry wheel or sharp knife to trim uneven edges.
  7. Use a fork’s tines to press and further seal the 2 wrappers.
  8. Reserve on a lined baking sheet for later cooking or freezing.

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These ravioli are about 3.25 inches (8.9 cm) square, after trimming. Remember that when cooked, they will expand a bit more.

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How to make Ravioli

  1. Place one wonton wrapper on a floured work surface.
  2. Use a pastry wheel or sharp knife to cut the wrapper in half.
  3. Place about a tsp of filling in the bottom half of each part.
  4. Use your fingers or a brush to moisten the top half of each part.
  5. Fold the top half and cover the bottom half of each.
  6. Use your fingers to remove as much air as possible while pressing to seal the edges.
  7. Use a fork’s tines to press and further seal the 2 ravioli.
  8. Reserve on a lined baking sheet for later cooking or freezing.

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These ravioli are about 1.6 inches (4.0 cm) square.

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How to make Large Round Ravioli

  1. Place one wonton wrapper on a floured work surface.
  2. Place about 2 tsp of filling in the center of the wrapper.
  3. Use your fingers or a brush to moisten the wrapper area around the filling.
  4. Place another wrapper on top.
  5. Use your fingers to remove as much air as possible while pressing to seal the edges.
  6. Carefully place a large biscuit cutter over the covered filling. Make sure that the cutter surrounds the filling without touching it.
  7. Press down on the biscuit cutter hard enough to sever the wrappers.
  8. Remove excess wrapper from around the cutter.
  9. Remove the raviolo from the cutter and reserve on a lined baking sheet for later cooking or freezing.

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These ravioli have a diameter of 2.5 inches (6.4 cm).

To make Small Round Ravioli use a smaller biscuit cutter. Mine was 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter.

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How to make Tortelloni

  1. Place one wonton wrapper on a floured work surface.
  2. Use your fingers or a brush to moisten 2 adjoining sides of the wrapper.
  3. Place a little more than a tsp in the corner opposite the moistened sides.
  4. Fold the moistened half of the wrapper to cover the other.
  5. Use your fingers to remove as much air as possible while pressing to seal the edges.
  6. Use a fork’s tines to press and further seal the 2 sides.
    1. At this point, you’ve created a triangular-shaped raviolo. You can stop here or continue and make a tortelloni. 
  7. Use you finger to make an indentation in the center of the triangle’s hypotenuse. (And you once thought you’d never use geometry in real life, didn’t you?) 
  8. Bring the two opposing corners together, moisten one, and press together to seal.
  9. Bend backwards the remaining corner.
  10. Reserve on a lined baking sheet for later cooking or freezing.

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Although it’s not possible to give the exact size of your tortelloni, it’s safe to assume that these would be too large to be used in soup. Any stuffed pasta used in soup should be bite-sized so that the diner needn’t cut them before eating.

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How to make Manicotti/Cannelloni

  1. Place one wonton wrapper on a floured work surface.
  2. Place about 1.5 tbsp of filling along the bottom edge of the wrapper.
  3. Use your fingers or a brush to moisten the opposite or top edge of the wrapper.
  4. Carefully and tightly roll the wrapper and filling towards the moistened edge.
  5. Place the finished manicotto/cannellono, sealed-side down, on a lined baking sheet for later baking or freezing.

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In my family, cannelloni are meat-filled and manicotti are cheese-filled. These manicotti/cannelloni are about 3.5 inches (8.9 cm) wide, perfect for creating a double row in many baking dishes.

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Variations

The size and shape of your pasta is limited only by the size of the wonton wrapper. If you haven’t a biscuit cutter in the size you want, try using a glass or jar to cut your pasta. I’ve never used egg roll wrappers but imagine that the processes would be the same, only much larger. Frankly, I’d never use an entire egg roll wrapper to make a single stuffed pasta. Instead, I’d cut it into halves or quarters before using.

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Notes

No matter what size or shape of ravioli that you make, be sure that there is no filling along the edge where the dough is to be sealed. It will only interfere with the seal and the pasta will probably open up during cooking. Equally important is to make sure that the pasta edges being sealed are moistened with water. Mom, Zia, Lidia Bastianich, and Mario Batali all agree: egg or egg wash is never used to seal pasta for it can harden during the cooking process, making the edges of your pasta pillows unpalatable.

As you may have noticed in the photos, I used a cheese-based filling when making each stuffed pasta. The recipe for that filling, porcini mushroom, leek, and goat cheese can be found HERE. If you don’t wish to use that filling, you may prefer to use either of these 2 fillings: the traditional Bartolini ravioli filling or the Bartolini sausage ravioli filling.

At the very beginning of this post I stated that my objective was to show how simple it is to make wonton wrapper pasta. As you’ll see next week, the filling I used here is flavorful yet, also, uncomplicated and easy to prepare. The same holds true for dressing the cooked pasta. Although you can certainly use any sauce you wish to dress your ravioli or tortelloni, you needn’t complicate matters. The large ravioli pictured above were dressed with melted butter and garnished with Parmesan flakes and fresh parsley. You could just as easily use olive oil in place of the butter, and, grated cheese in place of the Parmesan flakes. By keeping it simple I hoped I’ve demonstrated just how easy it is to prepare a homemade stuffed pasta dinner using wonton wrappers. In short, yes, you can do this!

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 It’s déjà vu all over again … 

Fazzoletti PastaSince today’s post used square wonton wrappers, I thought I’d stick with the theme and send you back to the post where we made fazzoletti, little handkerchiefs, pasta. Nothing more than pasta squares, these are among the easiest of pastas to make at home. You can see how they’re made simply by clicking HERE.

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Coming soon to a monitor near you …

Porcini mushroom, leek, and goat cheese ravioli filling.

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Burrata Returns and This Time It’s Packin’ Fusilli

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Fusilli Corti Bucati alla Bolognese con Burrata

These days, I never know from where my next recipe idea will come.  Beyond my family’s treasure trove, there’s the Cooking Channel & Food Network; Saturday afternoons on PBS are Must See TV; mustn’t forget Julia, Lidia, Mary Ann, Biba, and Mario, whether new episodes or rebroadcasts I’ve seen a dozen times; and most recently The Chew — and that’s only television sources. What about cookbooks, magazines, newspapers, and foodie websites? And where would we be without WordPress, Blogger, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and, StumbleUpon? I must admit that some days — like when I’m on my 5th attempt at remembering a password — I wonder if all of this is really necessary. Yes, there are those days but there are, also, days when I’m rewarded with a gift like today’s recipe.

Back in January I posted a pasta recipe featuring spinach, lemon, and burrata cheese. The recipe was well-received and a number of you have since tried and liked it. In the Comments Section, Celia, whose wonderful blog Fig Jam and Lime Cordial is what I hope mine will become when it grows up, mentioned that Down Under burrata is served atop pasta, broken open to allow the cream and stracciatelle (torn curds) to soak into the pasta, and served. Well, that’s all I needed to hear. I got right on it!

My first attempt was just as Celia has said. I dressed the pasta with my tomato sauce with meat, placed the burrata on top, and served myself a portion. That plate was just incredible and I couldn’t wait to have a 2nd helping. And that’s when it happened. You see, leaving the burrata on top of the pasta, though great for the first servings, isn’t so great for a 2nd helping. WIth the cream now soaked into the pasta, the burrata sitting atop the cooling pasta also cools. Soon, instead of being a warm, gooey cheese, it’s more like a block of lumpy cheese –still very tasty but a hardened block nonetheless. Leftovers were no better because by then the cheese was more pasta death mask than gooey delight. How does one re-heat this?  I eventually did reheat it in a covered pan with a bit of water and butter over a low heat. This was not what I had expected. Undaunted, I bought more burrata,

Cheese issues aside, I realized that this is no normal pasta dish and I needed to step it up. That’s why last week my Sugo alla Bolognese was posted. I had planned to share the recipe this Fall but I wanted everyone to have the recipe should they decide to make today’s pasta. So, when I made this dish for the 2nd time, I used my Sugo all Bolognese and did everything the same, save one big exception. In the first test, I served the burrata right after I spread it atop the pasta. Not this time. Since I was again dining alone, once it was spread, I used two large spoons to stir the cheese and cream into the pasta, garnished it with grated cheese, and served. Though the presentation wasn’t as impressive as having a chunk of burrata on each plate being served, by mixing the bowl’s contents, each serving had an even amount of burrata within, and most importantly, the cheese and pasta left in the serving bowl remained warm and manageable. Second helpings were a delight as were leftovers.

So, my advice for preparing this dish depends upon the number of dinner mates being served. If dining alone or serving one other, you can break the burrata and spread it across the top of the pasta. Then you can either serve the pasta first and then mix the cheese into the remainder in the pasta bowl, or, just go ahead and mix the cheese before serving. If you’re serving a number of guests, then just spread the burrata across the top of the pasta and serve. Once everyone has been served, you may wish to mix the remaining burrata into the remaining pasta to avoid the hardened blob of cheese.

Since that first burrata post, I’ve been asked several times whether I plan to make burrata. The answer is an unequivocal no. Making mozzarella is difficult enough. Forming it into a pouch, stuffing it with shredded curds, and then filling it with cream is a bit much for me to handle. Still, some of you may wish to try making burrata at home. Here, then, is a video of burrata being made. Enjoy!

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The last thing worth mentioning is the pasta I chose Fusilli Corti Bucati for the dish . The word fusilli means “little spindles” and it’s a twisted pasta. Corti in the name means small or short, as opposed to lunghi which means long. Bucati refers to the fact that each fusillo has a hollow center. I chose them because their shape would hold onto both the sauce and the cheese very well. Feel free to use whatever pasta you like.

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Fusilli Corti Bucati with Burrata Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 lb (453 g) fusilli corti bucati — maccheroni molle (pasta springs) may be substituted
  • 1 quart tomato sauce with meat — vegetarians may substitute meatless sauce
  • 1 lb (453 g) Burrata “pouch”
  • grated/shaved Pecorino Romano cheese — Parmigiano Reggiano may be substituted

Directions

  1. Cook pasta following package directions.
  2. Heat tomato sauce in a sauce pan.
  3. Drain pasta, return to pan, and mix with 2/3 of the heated tomato sauce.
  4. Place the dressed pasta in serving bowl.
  5. Place remaining 1/3 sauce on top of pasta.
  6. Place burrata pouch on top of pasta with sauce.
  7. Use 2 knives to slice through the pouch, releasing the curds & cream.
  8. Continue slicing until the burrata is evenly spread.
  9. At this point you can:
    1. Garnish with grated and/or shaved cheese
    2. Serve immediately.

                                      —  or  —

    1. Thoroughly combine the burrata & cream with the pasta & sauce.
    2. Garnish with grated/and or shaved cheese.
    3. Serve immediately

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Notes … 

Whether the sauce you use is bought, homemade, and with or without meat, make sure it is your favorite. This is no ordinary pasta and deserves no less than your best.

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It’s déjà vu all over again … 

I first shared the recipe for Cherry Cheesecake Pizza 2 years ago, in the days leading up to Easter. The recipe was given to Mom by the wonderful woman who lived across the street from us. A great little dessert, this “pie” has also been served, in some form, at countless parties and barbecues,  Easy to prepare, you’ll quickly see why this remains a family favorite. Click HERE to see the recipe.

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Coming soon to a monitor near you …

Old Meets New

Old Meets New

Grandpa’s Tuna Salad Gets A Makeover

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Spaghetti with White Anchovies & Capers

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Spaghetti con Acciughe Bianche e Capperi

Spaghetti with White Anchovies and Capers

We’re back to fish recipes this week and today I’ll share the long-anticipated spaghetti with white anchovies recipe. This is not a family recipe but, I have to admit, it should be. There’s no doubt in my mind that all the adults in my family would have really enjoyed this pasta. And like so many of the pastas they served, it’s easy to make, requires few ingredients, and is ready in minutes. What’s not to like?

This recipe came about clearly by chance. Last Fall, I happened to overhear a cooking program in which Michael Symon used white anchovies in a pasta dish. Never having seen white anchovies, I didn’t think much of it. Then, around Christmas, I found a two-pack of white anchovies at one of the big box  stores. I bought them, went home and started working with them, using my aglio e olio recipe as a base. It really was that simple. As you’ll see later when you read the recipe, this is another dish you can have on your dinner table in 30 minutes, tops. And if you’re at all like me, it will find its way to your table more often than you now think possible.

The anchovies I found that day — and continue to use — are not only white but are far less salty and “fishy” tasting than the anchovies one finds in the small tins. These differences make them perfect for this dish and, as you can see in the photo bellow, white anchovies actually look like fish. Imagine that! The recipe calls for 6 whole anchovies but, truth be told, I normally use 8 or 10 of the little fishies when I make this dish. Yes, I really do enjoy them. I suggest that you taste one upon opening the package to see how it tastes before you decide how many to use for a pound of pasta.

As is the case with any of these aglio e olio pastas, time is of the essence. You want to time it so that the anchovies, garlic, and oil “sauce” is ready when the pasta is 2 minutes shy of being al dente. Don’t worry. It’s easy enough to do. And remember: whenever you prepare a pasta, always reserve at least a cup of the water used to cook the pasta. It has saved many a dish for me.

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That's a lot of achovies!

Packed in vegetable oil, wine, vinegar, & parsley.   7.1 oz (200 g)    (That’s a lot of anchovies!)

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Spaghetti with White Anchovies and Capers Recipe 

Ingredients

  • 1 lb spaghetti
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 6 whole white anchovies, drained & roughly chopped – more to taste
  • 4 cloves of garlic, diced or grated – more to taste
  • 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes – more to taste
  • 2 tbsp nonpareil capers
  • 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • salt & pepper
  • reserved pasta water

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Directions

  1. Make the bread crumb topping:
    1. In a small mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs, lemon zest, and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Season lightly with salt & pepper. Mix thoroughly.
    2. In a small frying pan over med-high heat, lightly toast the bread crumb mixture. Do not allow to get too dark or it will ruin the dish. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil. Add the pasta and stir.
  3. In a large frying pan over med heat, add the remaining olive oil. Once hot, add garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 1 minute.
  4. Add the anchovies to the pan and continue sautéing until the pasta has cooked 2 minutes less than the package’s cooking instructions indicate for al dente. If you’ve timed everything correctly, the anchovies should be sautéed for just a few minutes before the pasta is ready.
  5. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
  6. Add capers and pasta to the pan containing the anchovies. Gently toss to evenly coat the pasta with the anchovy & oil mixture. If too dry, add enough pasta water to create a sauce. Continue to sauté until the pasta is al dente, 1 to 2 minutes more.
  7. Remove from heat, add 2/3 of the bread crumb mixture, and toss.
  8. Place on a serving platter and garnish with remaining 1/3 of the bread crumb mixture.
  9. Serve immediately.

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Variations

This recipe is so basic and with so few ingredients that there’s little room for variations — or so I thought. In a comment written after last week’s cannelloni post, the Kitchens’ good friend and fellow ravioli maker, Spree, mentioned adding bits of preserved lemon to this dish. Though I’ve yet to try it — still working on corned beef sandwiches here —  I will soon, no doubt about it. What’s this? You don’t know how to preserve lemons? Well, neither did I until I saw Spree’s post of January, 2012. Now I use it exclusively to make preserved lemons and you can learn how to do it, too, by going to Spree’s wonderful blog, Cooking-Spree. While you’re there, be sure to look around. You’re in for a treat!

Notes

I have yet to find white anchovies in packaging smaller than shown in the image above. In fact, it was while trying to do so that I mistakenly bought the sardines that led to my sardine and pickled pepper recipe of a few weeks ago. I have seen an anchovy salad at one of the groceries but, now that I want to buy it, the salad has disappeared from their “fish/seafood bar.” If I do find some in more convenient packaging I’ll mention it in a post and come back here to announce it.

Be very careful when toasting the bread crumb mixture. If too well-browned, your pasta will have a burnt toast flavoring that isn’t at all desirable. Take the crumbs off of the heat as soon as they begin to have a golden glow.

I used homemade spaghetti with this dish but you can use any of the similar pastas — i.e., linguine, fettuccine, trenette, tagliatelle, etc.

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It’s déjà vu all over again … Stracciatella

I’ve mentioned that we ate lunch at home throughout the school year, a consequence of living so close to the parish school. I also said that when the weather turned cold, we would often find a bowl of soup waiting for us to walk through the door. One of those soups Mom prepared and today’s Blast from the Past is Stracciatella. Requiring few ingredients and ready in minutes, this soup is just about as easy to prepare as that stuff in a can — but, oh, so much better. You can see the recipe by clicking HERE.

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Coming soon to a monitor near you …

Broiled Halibut with Mushrooms 

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Another of the Bartolini Crown Jewels: Cannelloni

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Cannelloni dei Bartolini Serve Cannelloni

With St. Joseph’s Feast Day fast approaching, I’m going to take a break in our fish recipe series and share yet another of the Bartolini Crown Jewels, Cannelloni. St. Joe, after all, deserves no less.

Cannelloni are another of Italy’s stuffed pastas, though these are more in the style of manicotti (see Notes) rather than ravioli or agnolotti. As much as we all loved them — we kids called them “cigars” — cannelloni weren’t served for dinner very often. Unlike ravioli or cappelletti, which were “assigned” holidays, cannelloni were served when Mom or Zia found the time to make them. Remember. There were no freezers so a cannelloni dinner meant that they would have been up at dawn, rolling out pasta dough. As a result, though it wasn’t a holiday, a cannelloni dinner was a special occasion, to be sure.

Now, when you look at the recipe, something may seem a bit familiar. Déjà vu, perhaps? No, that’s not until the end of this post. It’s the filling. We use the same filling here that we used when we made cappelletti a few weeks ago. It is not unusual for Italian households to use the same fillings, condiments, marinades, etc., in a number of dishes. Our breading mixture is the perfect example of this. There are other examples but I’ll save those for another day. No sense spoiling the surprise.

Although the filling recipe is rather straight-forward, preparing the dough needs some explaining. As many of you know, I use either a hand-cranked pasta machine or a roller attachment for my stand mixer to roll my pasta dough. The result is a long sheets of pasta, about 2 to 3 feet long and about 6 inches wide Before doing anything else, you Cannelloni Sheetsneed to determine how wide each of the cannelloni will be. Ours are usually about 4 inches long, allowing 2 rows to be placed down the full length of the baking dish. Some prefer larger cannelloni. No matter which size you like, measure the inside width of your baking dish’s bottom. To allow the pasta to expand during cooking (see image for comparison), subtract at least half an inch from the measurement. If you want large cannelloni, this is the width of the dough sheet you’ll need. For smaller cannelloni, divide the measurement by 2. Keep this measurement in mind. (For example. My baking dish is 8 inches square, though, at the bottom, it is 7.5 inches. I wanted to place 2 rows of cannelloni into the dish so I cut my dough sheets at 3 inches.)

Once you’ve made the dough and allowed it to rest, roll it into long sheets. If your machine or rollers are at their widest when set to no. 1, roll and re-roll the dough up to and including no. 5. If your machine or rollers are at their widest at no. 10, then roll and re-roll the dough up to and including no. 6. Once the dough sheet is rolled to the specified thickness, lay it flat on a lightly floured surface. Using a straightedge, move down the full length of the dough sheet, marking it according to the measurement gained above. Use a pastry cutter or sharp knife to cut the sheet into smaller sections. (My sheets were all 3 X 6 inches.) Lay the newly cut sheets separately. Do not stack.

This is where things get interesting. It has been quite sometime since either Zia or I made cannelloni. So, when I asked if we par-boiled the pasta before filling it, she drew a blank. Obviously, so had I or I wouldn’t have asked the question. After some discussion, she leaned toward the side of no par-boiling was required, while I thought it was. I was left with little choice, so, off to the test kitchens I went. That afternoon I made side-by-side dishes of cannelloni, one with noodles that had been boiled and the other with noodles that were raw. Once finished baking, a taste test ensued. After all that, the difference was minimal. Yes, I could tell the difference, tasting them one right after the other. I’m not so sure, however, that I could identify one if eaten alone — although I’d have a 50-50 chance if I guessed. Even so, there was a difference,  no matter how slight, and I preferred the cannelloni prepared with par-boiled dough sheets. I guess I’ll be doing that from now on.

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Cannelloni Bite

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So, if you chose to par-boil your noodles, place them, in batches, into rapidly boiling salted water. Remove after 60 to 90 seconds, and place in an ice bath. Treat carefully because the noodles are delicate and may tear while being moved or handled. Continue with batch after batch until done. When you’re ready to fill them, you may find it easier if you pat dry each sheet before attempting to fill and roll them.

If you choose to use raw noodles, you must work quickly lest the dough sheets dry. This will cause them to crack when you attempt to roll them. To avoid this problem, once you’ve measured and cut the individual sheets, fill them all and put them aside before starting another piece of dough through the rollers. Follow this method and you’ll have no problems with cracking dough sheets.

Be sure to read the Notes section below for freezing suggestions.

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Bartolini Cannelloni Recipe

Ingredients

for the filling

  • 1 1/2 lbs. ground pork
  • 1 1/2 lbs. ground veal (chicken or turkey may be substituted)
  • 2 – 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 pkg (10 oz, 283 g) frozen chopped spinach (cooked and well-drained)
  • 1 pkg (8 oz, 227 g) cream cheese
  • 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano — Parmigiano may be substituted
  • 2 or 3 eggs slightly beaten — depending on size
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • zest of 1 lemon, more if you like

for the cheese sauce

  • 2 – 3 oz (57 to 85 g) cream cheese, softened 
  • 2 – 3 oz (59 to 89 ml) milk

for the cannelloni

  • Mom’s pasta dough
  • 1 quart tomato sauce, with meat or without (See Notes)
  • cheese sauce
  • an 8 oz ball of fresh mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

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Place filling on dough shet
Roll like a cigar
Place in baking dish
Cover with cheese sauce
Cover with tomato sauce
Cover with grated cheeses

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Directions

for the filling

  1. Sauté meat in butter. Season lightly with salt.
  2. Use meat grinder to process the meats. Add all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix until well-combined.
  3. Cover the filling and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
  4. Once the filling has rested, you can begin making your cannelloni.

for the cheese sauce

  1. Combine equal amounts of cream cheese with milk.
  2. Whisk and set aside. 

to make the cannelloni

  1. Shape 2 to 3 tbsp of filling into a small log, about as thick as your index finger. More or less filling may be required depending upon the size of your cannelloni. Do not over-stuff. Filling should leave a 1/4 inch (.6 cm) border on either side of the dough sheet.
  2. Place the filling on the edge of the dough sheet and roll as one would if making a cigar.
  3. Set aside, seam-side down.
  4. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 until all the filling or dough sheets have been used.

assemble the dish and bake

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350˚ F ( 177˚ C).
  2. Liberally butter a baking dish.
  3. Coat the bottom of the dish with 1 to 2 cups (237 to 473 ml) of tomato sauce
  4. Place cannelloni, seam side down, in 2 rows, until dish is filled. Do not over-crowd.
  5. Spoon cheese sauce over all the cannelloni.
  6. Add enough of the remaining tomato sauce to completely cover the dish’s contents.
  7. Sprinkle the top with the grated mozzarella and Pecorino Romano cheeses.
  8. Spray one side of a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and use it to cover the baking dish, sprayed side down.
  9. Bake in pre-heated 350˚ oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until cheese topping is cooked to your satisfaction. Over-cooking may result in dry cannelloni.
  10. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

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Cannelloni 7

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Variations

If you have a favorite ravioli filling, you can easily use it here. In fact, I’ve used our ravioli filling to make cannelloni several times. The truth is, you may find it easier to make cannelloni than it is to make ravioli, at least initially, so, why wait? Go ahead and use these instructions to make cannelloni with whatever filling you prefer. There’s sure to be a great dinner in store for you, if you do.

Although never served in my family, there is a version of cannelloni that uses crespelle (crêpes) rather than pasta dough sheets. One day I’ll give them a try — once I learn how to make crespelle, that is.

Notes

If you choose not to par-boil the dough sheets, add about a 1/3 cup (80 ml) of water to the tomato sauce before using and stir well. The extra water will be needed by the raw sheets as the cannelloni bake.

I recently made a half-batch of filling with a whole batch of Mom’s pasta dough. Combining the 2, I made 32 cannelloni, enough for several dinners. Your results may vary, however, depending upon how large you make your cannelloni. If you make an entire batch of filling, you could use half to make cannelloni on Day 1, as I did, and use the rest of the filling on Day 2 to make cappelletti. On Day 3, open your freezer and smile, secure in the knowledge that there are some very good dinners in your future.

Cannelloni can be frozen easily.  

  1. Once fully assembled, cover the baking dish with foil and freeze. To heat, leave covered with foil and bake in a pre-heated, 350˚ F (177˚C), oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until cheese is to your liking.
  2. I find it easier and more convenient to freeze the cannelloni individually on a baking Cannelloni for the Freezersheet covered with foil or parchment paper. Once frozen, place them into a hard-sided container and store in your freezer. When it’s time to serve them, you can use as many as needed to assemble your dish, rather than cook a dish you prepared the week before. Follow the same instructions for baking as in the preceding step.
  3. Even if you follow my cooking instructions for frozen cannelloni, you’ll need to test for doneness before removing them from the oven. To do this, place the tip of a metal skewer or sharp knife into one of the cannelloni in the center of the dish. Hold it there for 5 to 10 seconds. Remove and use it to touch the inside of your wrist or just beneath your lower lip. Continue baking until tip is hot to the touch.

If you can, try to use fresh mozzarella to top off this dish, for it tastes so much better. I prefer not to use slices here, though. Since the slices take longer to melt and brown, you run the risk of drying out the cannelloni while it bakes. Fresh mozzarella will melt faster but it can be a mess to grate at home. To make it a bit easier, open its packaging and place it all in your freezer for about 30 minutes before needed. You’ll find the cheese to be firmer and, therefore, easier to grate. If it is too firm, just leave on the counter for a few minutes.

I’m not certain if these definitions are “official”, but in our family, cannelloni were meat-filled and manicotti were filled with a ricotta cheese mixture. You now have our cannelloni recipe. Soon you’ll have our manicotti recipe, too.

It’s déjà vu all over again … 

tricolor-risottoFor today’s Blast from the Past, we’re going to continue to celebrate St. Joseph’s Feast Day with risotto, a dish that’s Italian, through and though.  This is no ordinary dish of risotto, however, as you can see on the right, for its colors are those of the Italian flag. You can learn how to prepare this dish by clicking HERE.

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Coming soon to a monitor near you …

Spaghetti with White Anchovies and Capers

Spaghetti with White Anchovies and Capers

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Grilled Swordfish with Salsa Verde

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Pesce Spada alla Griglia con Salsa Verde

Broiled Swordfish

As Lent continues, so does our fishing trip. Today’s catch is swordfish, a large fish that can be found primarily in the coastal waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. A favorite of cooks everywhere, its firm, relatively oily flesh is most often cut into steaks and is considered perfect for grilling. Well, considering my recent (highly unusual) successes on the grill, I’d little choice but to put away the broiler pan and return to the barbecue one more time.

Now, though I may continue to grill throughout the Winter, there’s nothing complicated in what I do, for it’s too cold for fancy schmancy. Instead, it’s Grilling 101. Heat the grates. Go back in the house. Clean the grates. Go back in the house. Oil the grates. Put the fish on the grates. Go back in the house. Flip the fish after a specified amount of time. Go back in the house. Remove, rest, and serve – in the house.  The only prep work for the fish involves seasoning the fillets with salt and pepper and lightly brushing them with oil. No, it doesn’t get much easier than this. And, to be honest, preparing the salsa verde, green sauce, isn’t much more difficult, as you’ll soon see.

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Raw Swordfish with Salsa Verde

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Green sauce, in one form or another, is common to countries in Europe and the Americas. Easy to prepare, with ingredients common to each area, this sauce can be used as a dip, condiment, and/or accompaniment for meat and fish dishes. Even so, the green sauce you find in Frankfurt, Grüne Soße, is quite different from that which you’d be served in Mexico, salsa verde. In Italy, there is no one salsa verde recipe. It varies from district to district, town to town, and probably house to house. So, when you look at my salsa verde recipe, use it as a guide. If you don’t like anchovies, drop them but be sure to add a bit of salt to make up for the change. Want a little mint? Swap some of the parsley for it. Just keep in mind that Italian salsa verde is meant to be a relatively simple sauce. Try not to get too exotic with the ingredient list. And no matter what recipe you follow, be sure to let your salsa rest at least an hour — hopefully 2 — before serving, giving the flavors a chance to blend and mellow.

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Grilled Swordfish with Salsa Verde Recipes

Ingredients

  • swordfish steaks
  • salt & pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • lemon wedges

Salsa Verde

  • 2 cups fresh parsley, chopped fine
  • 1 tbsp capers, rinsed
  • 2 – 3 anchovy fillets, chopped
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • zest of 1/2 lemon, more or less to taste
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • pepper, to taste

Directions

for the salsa verde

  1. Place parsley, capers, anchovies, shallot, and lemon juice (or vinegar) into a food processor and run, forming a paste.
  2. Scrape the bowl’s sides and resume processing for a couple more minutes.
  3. While the processor is running, pour the olive oil in a slow stream into the bowl. Continue until well-mixed.
  4. Taste before seasoning with pepper.
  5. Cover and set aside. Refrigerate if not needed for hours, though, best when served at room temperature.

for the swordfish

  1. Start grill. Will require a med-high heat.
  2. When grill is ready, thoroughly clean the grilling surface before using a towel soaked in vegetable oil to coat the grill plates.
  3. Lightly coat fish with vegetable oil, season with salt & pepper, and place on grilling surface. Do not move or disturb once placed on the grill.
  4. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat, cover, and let rest for a few minutes.
  5. Place swordfish filets on a serving platter and serve with salsa verde accompaniment

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Grilled Swordfish

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Notes 

Please note that the recipe for salsa verde requires 2 cups of chopped parsley and not 2 cups of parsley that you chop. Make that mistake and you’ll have one runny batch of salsa. Now, should your salsa be too thin for your tastes, there’s no reason to panic. You can always add more chopped parsley to the food processor and try to correct the problem. In Italy, some recipes call for a slice or 2 of bread to thicken the salsa. Having tried both over the years, I’ve come up with Option 3. Pour the salsa through a fine-mesh sieve, draining as much liquid as you wish. Once the salsa has been allowed to rest, taste it and correct the seasoning as required.  Believe me, that’s the easiest way around the problem and doesn’t involve a run to the grocery to buy more parsley.

Variations

This salsa verde is the one that I use when serving fish. When seafood isn’t on the menu, I’ll make a few changes, resulting in a salsa that’s a better fit for the protein being served. Instead of the lemon juice and zest, I’ll add 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar. I’ll, also, chop 2 cloves of garlic in place of the shallot. Whether you follow my suggestions, with just a few substitutions you can create a salsa verde to go with any dish.

So, maybe you’re thinking that as much as you like swordfish, this salsa verde thing just isn’t for you. Not to worry. The Bartolini kitchens aim to please. Perhaps you’d be happier with a different cuisine. Might I suggest taking a trip to a kitchen located on the other side of the World? This Hong Kong kitchen is run by a blogging buddy, BAM, who recently shared a GF recipe for swordfish cooked in the Thai style. Believe me, this is one recipe and post you don’t want to miss.

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It’s déjà vu all over again … 

Pasta alla Norma

Pasta alla Norma

A couple of weeks ago, I sent you to Naples for a peek at my Pasta Puttanesca recipe. This week, we’ll head to Sicily for a look at my recipe for Pasta alla Norma, another of Southern Italy’s great dishes. This meatless pasta features chopped eggplant and is garnished with ricotta salata, a firmer, saltier version of the creamy ricotta that we all know and love. If you’re interested, you can see the recipe by clicking HERE. 

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Coming soon to a monitor near you …

Cannelloni

Bartolini Cannelloni

Your eyes aren’t deceiving you. Next week we’ll be taking a break from our fishing trip in honor of the pending St. Joseph’s Feast Day. 

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Grilled Salted Cod

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Baccalà alla Griglia

Grilled Salted Cod

Today’s post is the 3rd straight recipe involving seafood of some sort — and we’ve 4 more to go. For today’s dish, we return to the grill but this time, after some discussion, a grill basket is used.   You see, fresh from my success with the grilled sturgeon, I wanted to try grilling salted cod, baccalà, directly on the grill plates. What could go wrong? Well, when I spoke with Zia about my plan, not only did she mention what could go wrong but she also pointed out that we Bartolini always grilled baccalà lightly breaded and in a basket.  How could I fight that kind of logic? This is, after all, a place for documenting our family’s recipes. So, moments later, she was explaining how baccalà was grilled in the Old Days and I was wondering where I’d put my grill basket. You needn’t worry, however, if you’re a fan of grill marks on you fish. We’ll return to the grill next week, when swordfish is on the menu.

With the grilling method out-of-the-way, let’s briefly recap baccalà and its preparation. For centuries, cod was caught, cleaned, and dried primarily in Scandinavia before distribution across Europe. If the cod is salted and then air-dried, it’s called salted cod, baccalà in Italy. If the cod is hung and air-dried, it is called stock fish, stoccafisso in Italy. (In Italy, all stoccafisso is cod but that’s not necessarily the case elsewhere.) Before either form of cod can be prepared, each must be re-hydrated and, if necessary, rinsed free of salt. To do so, place the cod in a flat baking dish, deep enough to hold enough water to completely submerge the entire fish. Keep the cod in the water for at least 12 hours but no more than 2 days. Replace the water 3 times daily. You can speed up the process a bit by letting a slow, steady stream of water flow into the dish but not on to the cod or you might damage the fillet. You’ll know the fish is ready by the way it looks, feels, and smells.

Once the cod is ready, remove it from the water and place it on (paper) towels while you make the marinade. You do not want to allow the cod to completely dry out but do remove the surface moisture. In a small mixing bowl, add about 1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs; 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley; 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary; 1 or 2 cloves of garlic (grated or diced); 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; and pepper to taste. (Salt should not be needed and ingredient amounts may vary depending upon the size of the fillet.) Return the cod to the now-dry baking dish and cover with the marinade, coating it evenly on all sides. This is not a “true” breading, so, there’s no need to completely cover the fish. Use plastic wrap to cover the dish and set aside for a couple of hours. It may be necessary to refrigerate the cod, depending upon your kitchen’s temperature.

Pre-heat the grill when you’re ready to cook your cod. Clean the grilling basket and oil it liberally just prior to placing the cod in its center. Once secured, lay the basket on the grill and sprinkle a bit of olive oil over the fillet’s top side and close the grill’s lid. Lower the heat to med-high. Depending upon your grill’s temperature, how the basket rests on the grill plates, and the thickness of the fillet(s), baccalà will take from 8 to 11 minutes per side. Be sure to check it midway through the cooking of each side and be prepared to adjust cooking times, as required. Once you’ve flipped the basket over, sprinkle the fish’s “new” top side with the juice of a half-lemon. Continue grilling until done.

When cooked properly, cod will easily flake. Keep this is mind as you carefully remove the cod from the grilling basket.  Place on a serving platter and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

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Notes

As mentioned earlier, the marinade is not meant to be a breading that completely covers the fillet. Though it contains bread crumbs, there is no way that all of it will remain on the fish as it is grilled. Once the marinade has done its job, the bread crumbs will offer some protection for the fish, helping it to remain moist as it’s grilled.

Depending upon where you live, you may be able to purchase a piece of baccalà that is just about equal in size to the fillet I used in this recipe.  I have no such luck and must purchase a large piece of baccalà, probably around 18 inches (46 cm) long, that is the entire side of the fish, from the gill opening to its tail. On Christmas Eve, the entire piece can be cut up and cooked, as I showed you HERE. Any other time of the year, that piece of cod is far too big for me and I divvy it up for 3 different dishes. First of all, do not re-hydrate the cod until you’re ready to use that particular piece of fish. Even though dried, you’ll notice one side, the fillet section, that is thicker than any other part of the fish (shown in RED on the right). Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to remove that piece. This is the piece I used in today’s recipe. On the other side of the fish, is another, equally sized portion, though not as thick (GREEN). Remove that section and return it to the packaging. This piece will be used to make a salad and I’ll show you how in a future post. The remaining section BLUE), about a 10 inch (25 cm) “tail”, should be returned to the packaging and, once re-hydrated, can be baked or broiled. I’ll be showing you how to do that, too, at a later date. Properly sealed and kept dry, these 2 remaining pieces will keep for months although, if you enjoy baccalà like we do, you needn’t worry about it being around for weeks, much less months.

And for those of you keeping track, this is pretty much the same bread crumb mixture that was used in last week’s recipe, as well as a number of other Bartolini recipes. Guaranteed, it will be making at least one more appearance in the weeks ahead.

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In my rush to get last week’s entry posted, I failed to include anything about my visitors. For those not in the know, that previous Friday, Miss C and The Matriarch, of The Kitchen’s Garden fame, rode into town on a brisk, but sunny, Friday morning and left the very next morning, heavily laden with packages of every kind. It was a whirlwind tour of some of my favorite food haunts, topped off with a late lunch at a favorite Thai restaurant. They were, without a doubt, perfect guests, as we ran from store to store, aisle to aisle, letting me prattle on as if I was personally responsible for the contents of each. By any measure, it was a very good day, one that I hope we can repeat, weather and Farmy permitting.

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It’s déjà vu all over again … 

Easter is still several weeks away but it’s never too late to plan. Besides, if you like this bread as much as all who’ve baked it, you’ll need time to bake another loaf for the Holiday. Crescia al Formaggio is baked in the Bartolini homeland, Le Marche, every year at Easter. With over a cup of grated cheese in its dough, this bread not only tastes good but it fills your kitchen with a fantastic aroma while it’s in the oven. Believe me. This is one bread that is sure to please everyone seated at your dinner table. You can read my post by clicking HERE.

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Coming soon to a monitor near you …

Grilled Swordfish with Salsa Verde

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Linguini Fini with Sardines & Pickled Cherry Peppers

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I continue to be amazed by the talent and creativity I see in the blogs I visit. Often, having spent the day in an assortment of unplanned, often unnerving, activities, the dinner hour is approaching and the blogger has absolutely no idea of what to prepare. A look in the pantry, a scan of the fridge, and within minutes a delicious dinner is on the table while a tasty dessert awaits on a countertop. OK, that may be a bit of an exaggeration but the point remains. Many of you can create fabulous dinners on a moment’s notice, using only what you find in your kitchen and pantry. This is so not me. If caught with nothing planned for dinner, I can scan my cupboards or stare into the fridge for hours and I’ll end up with the same 2 dishes: a sandwich from a previous night’s roast and, when there’s no roast, some sort of pasta. Today’s recipe is a case in point.

You see, this is not the recipe I had planned to share today but before I get into that, please take a look at the image to the right. Examine that box very closely. Everybody done? Good. Now, do you see anything that would lead you to believe that there are anchovies in that box? Anything at all. Of course not. So, why did I buy it, mistakenly believing it contained white anchovies — the ingredient that was supposed to be featured in today’s recipe? Worse yet, that box sat in my cupboard for 2 weeks, visible to me countless times during that period. Yet, incredibly, it wasn’t until I opened the tin late last week that I realized my mistake — and then I had an open tin of sardines to deal with and nothing for dinner or today’s post.

Now, I could have taken the easy route and just substituted the sardines for the anchovies but that would have cost me a perfectly good pasta recipe that uses white anchovies, as you’ll see in the weeks ahead. No, I had to think of something else and, thankfully, I remembered an ingredient Mario Batali had used recently. So, I went to my stash of canned goods, specifically the hot cherry peppers I pickled last September, and the result was today’s dish, a pasta much like an Aglio e Olio.

To recap, a typical aglio e olio uses olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes to dress a spaghetti-like pasta that’s topped with grated cheese and freshly cracked black pepper. The red pepper flakes give the dish a nice even heat that can be as bold as you like, unlike today’s dish, where the chopped pickled peppers give bursts of heat, as well a touch of acid from the pickling liquid. Of course the sardines give this dish an entirely different flavor profile from your everyday aglio e olio and, because of them, grated cheese should not be served with this dish. So, to top the dish off, I used the Bartolini breading mixture that was lightly toasted beforehand. And the result? Well, it was so good that I’ve promised Zia I’d prepare it for her when I visit next.

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 Linguine Fini with Sardines & Pickled Cherry Peppers Recipe 

Ingredients

  • 1 lb linguine fini (cappellini, spaghetti, linguine, or trenette may be used)
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 pkg. {3.75 oz (105 g)} of skinless & boneless sardines, drained & roughly chopped
  • 5 cloves of garlic, diced or grated – divided
  • 4 pickled cherry peppers, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • salt & pepper
  • reserved pasta water

Directions

  1. Make the bread crumb topping:
    1. In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 diced/grated garlic clove, bread crumbs, and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Season lightly with salt & pepper. Mix thoroughly.
    2. In a small frying pan over med-high heat, lightly toast the bread crumb mixture. Do not allow to get too dark or it will ruin the dish. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil. Add the pasta and stir.
  3. In a large frying pan over med heat, add the remaining olive oil. Once hot, add remaining garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
  4. Add the pickled peppers to the pan and continue sautéing for another minute before adding the sardines. Continue sautéing until the pasta has cooked 2 minutes less than the package’s cooking instructions indicate for al dente. If you’ve timed everything correctly, you should sauté the sardines for no more than 5 minutes before the pasta is ready.
  5. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
  6. Add pasta to the pan containing the sardines and peppers. Gently toss to evenly coat the pasta. If too dry, add enough pasta water to create a sauce. Continue to sauté until the pasta is al dente, 1 to 2 minutes more.
  7. Remove from heat, add 2/3 of the bread crumb mixture, and toss.
  8. Place on a serving platter and garnish with remaining 1/3 of the bread crumb mixture.
  9. Serve immediately.

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Variations

If you’re one who enjoys cooking Italian dishes, preparing aglio e olio is a dish you really should learn. The basic recipe involves using garlic-infused oil and red pepper flakes to dress pasta but that’s just the start. Today’s dish swapped out the red pepper flakes for hot cherry peppers and added sardines to the mix. You may wish to keep the pepper flakes and use some vegetable(s) instead of the sardines. No? How about some shrimp? What you choose to add or subtract from the garlic-flavored oil is totally up to you but the result is sure to be a flavorful dish of pasta. Best of all, you can go from staring into your refrigerator to dining at your table in under 20 minutes.

Notes

To be sure, not everyone has pickled cherry peppers in the pantry. Most groceries do carry them, however, but you could use peperoncini instead. Still, no matter which pepper you use, I suggest tasting one beforehand to see if its level of heat is to your liking.

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It’s déjà vu all over again … 

Having referred to it a number of times, I’ve little choice but to feature our Aglio e Olio recipe as this week’s Blast from the Past. The dish couldn’t be easier to prepare and the post contains a favorite memory of my Uncle. You can read both by clicking HERE.

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Coming soon to a monitor near you …

Grilled Salted Cod

Grilled Salted Cod

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Grilled Sturgeon — Storione alla Griglia

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Today, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of Lent for Western Rite Christians. In Catholic homes, it is a day of abstaining from meat, as are all the Fridays leading up to Easter Sunday. Although I consider myself a Recovering Catholic, I do think it a good idea to go meatless, for a number of reasons, and am trying to do so one day a week. So, whether you’re a practicing Catholic or just want to cut down on the amount of meat you eat, the Kitchens are here to help. Over the next several weeks, I’ll post a series of meatless recipes where fish is the primary protein. Well, that’s the plan anyway …

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Today’s recipe is not one from the Bartolini playbook. I don’t recall sturgeon ever being on the menu when I was a boy. I do enjoy sturgeon, though, having ordered it at restaurants several times as an adult. Recently, when my fishmonger ran a sale on the fish, I couldn’t resist purchasing some. While wrapping my purchase, he suggested I grill it. Now, those of you who have written posts featuring grilled fish have read my comments in which I confess an utter lack of grilling skills, especially when it comes to seafood. Fearing another disaster, I nevertheless took the fish monger’s suggestion as a challenge and fired up the grill that evening. Well, what can I say? Not only did the fish cook perfectly, it actually bore grill marks instead of sticking firmly to the grill plates. I have since returned to the grill and had equally good results, as you’ll see in the weeks ahead.

Once grilled, you’ll need some sort of sauce to compliment the fish. I’ve been served this sauce, or something closely resembling it, in restaurants several times. It couldn’t be easier to prepare and the amount of each ingredient may be modified to suit your own preferences. It’s, also, tasty enough that you can use it for just about any fish that makes its way to your dinner table.

And by the way,  Happy Birthday, Sis!

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Grilled Sturgeon with Lemon-Caper Sauce Recipes

Ingredients

  • sturgeon fillets, about ½ pound each, skin removed 100_1696
  • salt
  • pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil

Lemon-Caper Sauce

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • zest from ½ lemon
  • 1 tbsp capers
  • 1 small clove garlic, grated or minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

  1. Start grill. Will require a med-high heat.
  2. When grill is ready, thoroughly clean the grilling surface before using a towel soaked in vegetable oil to coat the grill plates.
  3. Lightly coat fish with vegetable oil, season with salt & pepper, and place on grilling surface. Do not move or disturb once placed on the grill.
  4. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat, cover, and let rest.
  5. While the fish rests, melt butter in a small fry pan over med-high heat. Add garlic and sauté for about a minute. Add the lemon juice, zest, and capers, continuing to sauté for another minute. Remove from heat, add parsley and gently stir.
  6. Place sturgeon fillets on a serving platter, spoon lemon-caper sauce over the fillets, and serve.

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Notes 

Sturgeon is a meaty, delicate tasting fish. It can be served baked, fried, smoked, or grilled. It’s flesh is more dense than say, cod, so it won’t flake as one might expect. Keep this in mind when you prepare sturgeon because it may become a bit tough with a more pronounced fish flavor when overcooked.

It really does pay to heed the experts and ensure that your grill plates are as clean as possible and well-oiled before you begin grilling any type of fish. Believe me, a light cleaning and oiling just won’t do. And be sure those grill plates are good and hot. Meet these 3 basic requirements and you’ll notice a marked improvement in your grilling.

One of the reasons I’ve chosen to go meatless one day a week is to reduce the impact on Mother Earth of raising meat, no matter the kind. I’d be robbing Peter to pay Paul, however, if I chose endangered seafood to eat instead of meat for that day. There are now a number of seafood apps available for your smartphone or tablet that will let you know whether a particular sea dweller is endangered and offer substitutions when possible. Just go to your virtual app store and do a search for “seafood”. The rest is up to you.

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It’s déjà vu all over again … 

Since we’re going meatless, we might as well take a look at some of the Kitchens’ previously posted meatless recipes, too. This week’s Blast from the Past will send you to my Pasta Puttanesca recipe. Originating in Naples, this flavorful pasta features anchovies, olives, and capers, all simmered in a rich tomato sauce. Not only that, its aroma is certainly one of a kind. You can find the recipe by clicking HERE.

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Coming soon to a monitor near you …

Pasta with Sardines and Pickled Cherry Peppers

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Cappelletti in Brodo, The Super Bowl of the Bartolini

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When I shared the recipe for Mom’s Brodo several weeks ago, it was with today’s post in mind. While it may be true that her broth was used in a number of recipes, from chicken cacciatore to risotto, for many of us, it was at its best when served with Cappelletti, yet another jewel in the Bartolini Crown of Recipes. Traditionally served at Christmastime, cappelletti are a type of stuffed pasta said to resemble small hats. Search the internet and you’ll see them made much like the making of tortellini. I’ve watched cooking shows touring Bologna and have been mesmerized at the sight of women quickly fashioning cappelletti by hand. As the camera moves back offering a wider shot, it is really quite impressive to see all the freshly made little hats prepared that morning. That is not what you’re going to see here today.

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Forming those little hats is a most time-consuming practice unless you’ve enough experience to become proficient. The women I’ve watched will make more cappelletti in one day than a Bartolini would have made all year — and then some. There is just no way Mom or Zia could devote the time to make enough little hats to serve their families later that day. You read that right, later that day.

When I was a boy, few families, if any, owned freezers other than the small compartment atop their refrigerator. As a result, there simply was no place to store freshly made ravioli or cappelletti. This meant that Mom and Zia got to work making pasta at 5:00 AM on every holiday. As such, either ravioli or cappelletti were made on any given holiday and never both. So, in our home, Mom served ravioli for our Christmas Day dinner, while cappelletti was served for lunch on New Year’s Day. There were days, however, when the cappelletti lunch was nixed in favor ravioli that night. It wasn’t until a large freezer was bought and placed in the basement that it became possible for ravioli and cappelletti to be made ahead of the actual holiday — allowing Mom and Zia to get some much-needed rest on those holiday mornings. Not only that, but it, also, became possible to have cappelletti for lunch AND ravioli for dinner on the same holiday. What joy!

Yet, even though they could now prepare their pasta in advance, there was still no way that either Sister could afford the time to make little hats. Initially, they made cappelletti as they did ravioli, rolling out large sheets of dough, covering half will little balls of filling, and then covering them with the “free” half of the dough sheet. Using a spoon handle, the mound in the dough were sealed and then cut using a pastry wheel. Remember that cappelletti are served in soup and shouldn’t need to be cut before being eaten. Each must be small enough to fit comfortably on a soup spoon, making this a time-consuming process in its own right. There was — and is — no need for hats. Speaking of which and just to be clear, although we call our pasta cappelletti, they actually are small ravioli, raviolini.

Everything changed again when Mom started using dies (moulds) to make her ravioli and cappelletti. Her cappelletti became miniaturized, smaller than any she’d made before. I have that die and, unfortunately, I’ve yet to be able to master it. The compartments for the filling are far too small for my hands to fill. I never saw Mom use the die and I must be missing some secret trick to its use. Now, Mom’s die made 40 cappelletti, each ¾ inch (1.9 cm) square, while my die will make 48 cappelletti, each 1 inch (2.5 cm) square. That ¼ inch may not seem like a lot but it’s enough to separate success from failure on my pasta board. Even so, I know that I’m not done trying to learn how to use that die if for no other reason than self-satisfaction.

This post will not be as detailed as previous posts when depicting the use of a ravioli die. You can find more complete instructions in my Ravioli dei Bartolini post. No matter the size of the die or the resulting pasta, the steps required are the same. Cover the die with a sheet of dough; place a small amount of filling in each indentation; lightly moisten another dough sheet before placing it atop the first; use a rolling-pin to seal the 2 sheets; remove the now-joined sheets from the die; and, separate the individual raviolo. Sometimes, a pastry wheel will be required to cut and separate them.

When using any die, the most important thing to remember is not to overstuff each compartment. Look again at the 2 dies in the photo above. One has compartments that are open while the other’s compartments have a back and are closed. When using a die that is open, the dough sheet will stretch a little to compensate if you’ve used too much filling. Even so, use too much filling and the dough sheet will stretch to the point of tearing, a very disheartening sight. If you place too much filling on to a die that is closed, that has a back, the excess filling has nowhere to go other than out that compartment’s sides, possibly affecting the seal of not just that one raviolo but all of its neighbors, as well. All is not lost, though, for some of these poorly sealed ravioli.

Ravioli are first boiled in water before being drained and dressed with your favorite sauce. Poorly sealed ravioli will dump their contents during the boiling or draining stage. Little can be done to save them and their tasty filling. Cappelletti, though, are a different matter altogether. As you’ll soon see, these are cooked in brodo and should any split during cooking, the contents aren’t lost but will serve to flavor the soup. It may not be pretty but it will be one tasty bowl of soup.

The recipe for the cappelletti filling is easy to follow and lacks exotic ingredients, a hallmark of Bartolini recipes. It can be made as much as 2 days in advance so long as it is kept covered and refrigerated. Longer than that, it may be frozen and used within a few weeks. In preparation for this post, I made about 500 cappelletti with one batch of filling — and still had enough filling left over to use in another recipe. That dish will be shared sometime in the weeks ahead.

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Filling Recipe for Bartolini Cappelletti

Yield: Enough filling to be used with 8 eggs of pasta dough. Recipe found here.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs. ground pork
  • 1 1/2 lbs. ground veal (chicken or turkey may be substituted)
  • 2 – 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
  • 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano — Parmigiano may be substituted
  • 2 or 3 eggs slightly beaten — depending on size
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • zest of 1 lemon, more if you like

Directions

  1. Sauté meat in butter. Season lightly with salt.
  2. Use meat grinder to process the meats. Add all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix until well-combined.
  3. Cover the filling and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
  4. Once the filling has rested, you can begin making your cappelletti.

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Variations

Our cappelletti are served alone in brodo. Adding other ingredients, aside from a garnish of grated cheese, might serve to overpower the hint of nutmeg or touch of lemon zest flavors within the cappelletti.  My blogging buddy, Stefan, serves his tasty Tortellini in Brodo the same way. Ours is not the only way, however.

Recipes abound that feature tortellini served in brodo with a variety of ingredients. Last October, my friend Linda, of Savoring Every Bite, shared her tasty recipe for one such preparation, a hearty Tortellini Soup. And, not to be outdone, my friend Tanya, over at Chica Andaluza, just last week posted her delicious recipe featuring Tortellini with Leeks and Bacon Broth.  You certainly cannot go wrong with any of these recipes.

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Notes

As mentioned earlier, cappelletti are cooked in the broth in which they are served. Bring your broth to the boil over med-high heat before adding the cappelletti. Once the boil returns, reduce the heat to a soft simmer. Too hard a boil may damage the cappelletti. Actual cooking times will vary, depending upon the cappelletti’s size and whether they’re freshly made or frozen. Once the cappelletti begin to float in the broth, they are usually just about ready for serving. I’ll wait another 1 or 2 minutes before tasting one for doneness. Serve immediately with plenty of grated cheese at the table.

Not everyone has the time to make homemade brodo and most of us will turn to store-bought stock occasionally.  Whether you use your own broth or buy one at your local market, make sure it is low sodium. The cheeses within the cappelletti both contain salt and, if you’re not careful when preparing/selecting your brodo, your bowl of cappelletti may be too salty to enjoy. You can always add salt, should the soup need it, just prior to serving.

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It’s déjà vu all over again … 

I shared the recipe for Steak Pizzaiola about 2 years ago and, since that time, it has become one of the most popular recipes on my site. Easy to prepare, this is one dish sure to please all members of your family — well, except for the vegetarians. Not to worry. We’ll be sharing recipes for our non-carnivore friends in the weeks to come. In the meantime, you can check out the recipe for steak pizzaiola by clicking HERE.

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Coming soon to a monitor near you …

Grilled Sturgeon with Lemon-Caper Sauce

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