Spaghetti and a Loaf of Bread

 

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Sunday easy livin'...

We took a trip down to West Chester to pick up some seasonal items to plant in the new vegetable garden. Our timing probably could have been better - it's still hot and we're off on to the West Coast on Thursday - but when ya have a new toy, ya gotta play.

We have several different greens, beets, and garlic in the ground. The garlic will just set there over the winter. The beets and greens are definite fall crops. Beets. This should be interesting because Victor has always disliked beets - well... of the canned variety, anyway. I'm thinking a roasted beet soup when it's cooler. And a way to can them without pickling... We shall see.

In the meantime, we're setting up a sprinkler so Donna - our Nonna-sitter - can just turn a faucet while we're gone.

I was off work early on Saturday, so I made a biga - an Italian starter for bread - and baked fresh bread on Sunday after we got back.

Biga

  • 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (or 1/10 package fresh yeast)
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1 1/4 cup water (room temperature)
  • 3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Stir the yeast into the warm water and let stand until creamy – about 10 minutes.  Stir in the remaining water and then the flour, one cup at a time.

Mix with the paddle attachment on the mixer at the lowest speed about 2 minutes.

Remove to a slightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise at cool room temperature for 6 to 24 hours.  The starter will triple in volume and still be wet and sticky when ready.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

While that was sitting on the counter, I made a pot of sauce.

 

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No recipe. It just has all sorts of stuff in it - onions, garlic, roasted red peppers, ground beef, roasted eggplant, fresh and canned tomatoes...

Ya just make this stuff. Really. Throw things in a pot, let it all simmer, and serve it over spaghetti. Really.

And then the bread.

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The Pane Pugliese really is one of my favorite rustic Italian breads. Crusty crust, light, tender crumb. Bake some! The recipe comes from my favorite Italian Bread Book, The Italian Baker by Carol Field. Buy a copy - you will not be sorry!

Pane Pugliese

adapted from The Italian Baker by Carol Field

  • 1 packet dry yeast (or 1/2 package fresh yeast)
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 3 cups water; room temp
  • 1 cup biga
  • 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp salt

Proof the yeast in the warm water. Add 1 1/2 c water and the biga, mix till blended. Add flour and salt, mix till dough comes together and pulls off the sides of the bowl. Knead 3-5 minutes in a mixer, longer by hand. Dough will be very soft and elastic. Let rise about 3 hours, shape into 2 small round loaves or 1 big flattish one. If you have baking stones, place loaves on baking peel or on baking sheets sprinkled corn meal. Let rise about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450°, and 10 minutes before baking flour the loaf tops and dimple them with your fingers. Bake 50-60 minutes for big loaves, 30-35 minutes for small. Tap the loaves to test for doneness (hollow=done) and cool on a rack.

 

 

 


Baked Crêpes Cacciatore with Parmesan Cream Sauce

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I tend to toss cooking magazines, nowadays... I have subscribed to, read, saved, and otherwise consumed so many magazines over the years, I could star in an episode of Hoarders. I probably have 50 or so left - mainly La Cucina Italiana since they no longer publish - but there's a few others that have made the cut, as well - like the April 2012 issue of Fine Cooking.

It's a pretty good magazine and, unlike Bon Appetit, there's always something I feel like making. Sometimes I take a while to get around to it, but that's life, ya know?!?

The cacciatore crepes called out to me the first time I saw the recipe but that was about the time Nonna had moved in and things were in a bit of an uproar. And then another magazine arrives and another arrives, and the focus goes elsewhere.

I was culling the remaining magazines the other day - I really am trying to pare down - when I saw the recipe, again. This time, I knew I was making it.

We've really been in a rut around here. Nonna's eating habits are a challenge, at times. She will zero in on something and want it all the time - and then, without notice, decide she no longer likes it. It definitely makes for some interesting mealtimes. The recipe as written had several things she's no longer interested in - mushrooms, red peppers, and chili peppers, to name but three - but the basic concept was sound.

She likes manicotti and other stuffed pasta, so I figured I could work this into a meal she - and we - would like!

First thing I did was make the filling. I used tomatoes from the garden, as well as some cooked, shredded turkey that was in the freezer.

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Then it was time to make the crêpes. These use browned butter which adds a nice nuttiness to the dish. I don't flip my crêpes when I make them - they cook through just fine.

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Then it was time for the sauce. Just heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Super easy.

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Putting it all together was a snap, as well. They were rolled and in the pan in no time, at all.

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And, finally, the finished product...

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They really did rock the casbah. Even Nonna ate two of them! The crêpes were light and delicate and the sauce added its crowning glory. I can see lots of variations on a theme, here!

Here's the recipe as written at Fine Cooking. It looks long, but it really is easy. Just do it in steps.

Baked Crêpes Cacciatore with Parmesan Cream Sauce

adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine

For the filling:

  • 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbs. unsalted butter; more softened for the baking dish
  • 8 oz. cremini or white button mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 2-1/2 cups)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium (8 oz.) red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into small dice
  • 1 large mild fresh green chile (such as Anaheim) cored, seeded, and cut into small dice
  • 1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 Tbs. all-purpose unbleached flour
  • 1 cup lower-salt chicken broth
  • 1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice; more to taste
  • 1/4 tsp. hot sauce
  • 2 cups chopped leftover roast chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken

For the cheese sauce:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 oz. (1-1/2 cups) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • Freshly ground black pepper

For assembly:

  • 12 8-inch crêpes, warmed if made ahead
  • 1 tsp. sweet paprika (optional)

Make the filling:

In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1 Tbs. of the oil and the butter over medium-high heat until sizzling. Add the mushrooms, season with 1/2 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms release much of their liquid and begin to brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and return the skillet to the heat.

Add the remaining 2 Tbs. oil, the bell pepper, chile, onion, rosemary, and 1 tsp. salt. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very soft and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes; don’t let them brown.

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for a minute or so, stirring and scraping so the flour gets mixed with the fat and starts to toast a bit. Add the broth and let it come to a simmer, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, lemon juice, and hot sauce; bring to a simmer again and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to slightly thicken the sauce.

Add the chicken and mushrooms and simmer for a few minutes until everything is heated through. Remove from the heat and season to taste with more salt, pepper, hot sauce, or lemon juice. Cover the filling and keep warm.

Make the cheese sauce:

In a heavy-duty 1-quart saucepan, bring the cream to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook until the cream has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the cheese, stirring until melted. Season generously with pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Assemble and bake the crêpes:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Working with a few crêpes at a time, lay them on a clean work surface. Spoon about 3 heaping Tbs. of the filling evenly onto the bottom third of each crêpe. Fold the bottom edge of each crêpe up and over the filling, fold the sides in toward the center, and finish rolling up from the bottom. Evenly arrange the crêpes seam side down in a single layer in the baking dish.

Spread the cheese sauce evenly over the crêpes and sprinkle with the paprika (if using). Bake until the sauce is golden and bubbling slightly, 12 to 16 minutes. Serve.

 

 

 


Australian Garlic Salt

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Through the miracle of Facebook, I was online-talking a couple of weeks ago with a cousin who lives in Australia. Kathryn and I have never actually met in person but were introduced through other cousins from Omaha. She is originally an Omaha girl but has lived down under for quite some time. In typical family-fashion, we've become fast friends.

I've never been to Australia. I came close - Singapore and then through the Java sea when in Uncle Sam's Yacht Club - but that other-side-of-the-world-flight-as-a-civilian has eluded me, thus far. However... I'm thinking that the trip may just be worth it one of these days!

We were chatting about food - how unusual is that?!? - when she mentioned some garlic salts she had gotten from a place south of Melbourne - Otway Fields - and said she'd send me a couple of packets.

Yesterday, the packets arrived!

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What fun to get local food from 17000 kilometers away!  You should see it! After opening the packet, the salt sparkled. I wish the picture could capture the way the light was reflecting off the crystals. It really did look magical.

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And the flavor... WOW! The Black Garlic has really been tamed by the long cooking - 40 days of heating - but the flavor is intense. Not garlic as you expect, but a rich, deep, earthy flavor that is really unique. The Smoked Garlic Salt has a stronger garlic flavor with a smoky undercurrent. Another unique flavor. As you may know, I'm a bit of a spice junkie. I think there are close to 50 different herbs and spices in the cabinet and 13 or so different salts. Well... 15, now. They're all there for a reason and they now have some excellent company. They have both put a smile on my face!

I coated a tri-tip roast quite liberally with the black garlic salt and tossed it on the barbie - and it came out divine!

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I didn't add any other spices or seasonings - I wanted to see how it would fare on its own - and it passed the test with flying colors.

I think the next dish may be potato salad. The flavors would be perfect. And I still have to try the smoked garlic salt. That one definitely has a garlic kick to it  - and a smokiness that may be calling for a piece of white fish of some sort... We shall see.

In the meantime, we had a great dinner and the joy of more to come!

Thanks, Kathryn!!!

 


Fagioli Rossi con Ragù di Anatra

 

I was really bummed when La Cucina Italiana ceased publication. It was by far my favorite cooking magazine. I read every issue cover-to-cover and always found lots of recipes and new ideas. It really was my go-to for new ideas.

And then it went away. Condé Nast - the evil publishing empire - closed down the US magazine without notice last year and changed my subscription to Bon Appétit. Bon Appétit is quite juvenile after reading La Cucina Italiana. Horrible photography, ridiculous fonts and graphics... I'm not sure who their market is, nowadays, but it certainly isn't anyone who actually likes to cook.

But I digress...

I saved many issues, and went perusing today. I'm glad I did - I found a great recipe for black beans and duck in the November 2011 edition.

I had a smoked duck breast in the freezer  - don't ask - and it really needed using. I also had 5 grilled lamb rib chops from last night that were taking up space in the 'fridge. It was too late to soak and cook dried beans, but I had a can of light red kidney beans. The rest of the ingredients were pretty much pantry staples. I went to work.

As per usual, what I did and what the recipe states are different, so I'm going to give you the recipe pretty much as written in the now-defunct magazine. It can be your guide for creating something really tasty - and really easy.

Fagioli Neri con Ragù di Anatra

Black Beans with Duck Ragù
adapted from La Cucina Italiana magazine

  • 1 1/2 cups dried black beans
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 lb boneless duck breast, skin removed, and cut into 1/2" cubes
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 celery rib, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • salt and pepper

Rinse beans and place in large saucepan. Cover with water by 3" and soak overnight.

The following day, add bay leaf and 1 tbsp oil to pot and bring mixture to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to a bare simmer, and cook until beans are very tender - 30 minutes to an hour, depending upon the beans.

Drain beans, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.

In a large saucepan, heat butter and remaining tbsp olive oil. Add duck and cook, stirring occasionally, until duck is browned on all sides.

Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, rosemary, and salt and pepper, to taste. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until vegetables are softened.

Remove and discard rosemary, and add wine.

Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until wine has evaporated. Add reserved cooking liquid, cover, and simmer until duck is tender - about 45 minutes.

Add the drained beans to the ragû, cover, and continue cooking until everything is heated through - about 10 minutes.

Serve over polenta, if desired.

Polenta is Italian cornmeal mush. I seriously love it. Sadly, Nonna doesn't like it - it reminds her of the Sons of Italy Orphanage she spent time in during her youth. I don't make it as often as I used to, but when it does, I just give her mashed potatoes.

You don't need a bag marked "polenta" to make dinner. My preference is for coarse, but your preference is your preference. You're eating it. And if you're cooking for me, I'm eating what you're serving. No arguments from me.

I always add shredded cheese - always whatever is already in the 'fridge. Tonight I used about a half-cup of shredded mozzarella that was left from dinner a few nights ago. I've used everything from Boursin to Cheddar, Monterey Jack to Gouda, Parmesan to Asiago - and back again. Use what you like.

Cheesy Polenta

  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup polenta
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 cup cheese of your choice
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Bring milk and spices to a boil.  Add polenta slowly, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat and continue cooking as per package instructions.  Stir in cheese and serve.

It all came out great.

 


Carbonara and Cured Eggs

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There's new fun food at our house!!

I know, I know... How unusual... but the cured egg yolks really did come out good! My stomach is smiling, as my sister, Eileen, used to say.

I had already thawed the lamb rack, otherwise  I probably would have made the carbonara the main dish, but, a bit of culture-mixing is nothing new in our house, either. We're eclectic from head to toe.

The eggs came out pretty much as I thought. They have a creamy/salty/eggy taste that really went well atop the carbonara. I can see these being used with asparagus, on garlic toast or bruschetta, or shaved onto salad. The possibilities really are endless.

Carbonara is traditionally made with spaghetti, but Nonna no longer likes spaghetti noodles, so I went for a short rigatoni that's easier for her to eat. I do believe that pasta shapes make a difference, but in this case, it came out just fine.

The basic carbonara recipe is:

Pasta alla Carbonara

  • 1 lb spaghetti
  • 4 oz pancetta, diced
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup grated pecorino romano
  • fresh black pepper
  • pasta cooking water

Start with a cold skillet and add the diced pancetta. Slowly heat the pancetta until it renders its fat and crisps.

Mix the eggs with the cheese and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Drain, and reserve a bit of the cooking water.

Add the cooked pasta to the pancetta pan and swirl to coat all of the pasta with the rendered fat and pancetta, and garlic. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly stir in the egg and cheese mixture, tossing it quickly to coat the pasta and cook the egg without scrambling it. Add a bit of hot pasta water, if needed to thin.

Place on plates and add several hefty twists of black pepper and then garnish with a grated cured egg yolk, if desired.

There are a few different takes on making a carbonara. I've heard of it being made with just egg yolks, but I really can't picture an Italian woman separating eggs and saving the whites for something else. Really. And the cheese is pecorino romano. Locatelli to the uninitiated - hand-crafted from 100% pure sheep’s milk. You can taste the difference.

And no cream and most definitely no peas! Just a couple of really good-quality ingredients.

Guanciale would be the meat of choice, but it's impossible to find out here in 'burbia. If you can get it, use it in place of the pancetta.

 

 

 


Cured Egg Yolks

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Victor was perusing the internet last week and ran across a dish using cured egg yolks. I vaguely remember seeing these years ago on some show or another and quickly forgot about them. Victor didn't. He decided to make some!

The premise is quite simple - eggs, sugar, and salt - and they really could not be easier to make. It's what to do with them after that's the fun of it all...

I see a pasta carbonara in our very near future - as in probably tonight along with lamb racks that I took out of the freezer a couple days ago - forgetting we weren't going to be home for dinner last night. I'll post about that when it happens.

In the meantime, here's how to make them:

Cured Egg Yolks

  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups kosher salt

Combine sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Line the bottom of a pie plate or other container with a thick layer of the salt mixture. Make small indentations in the mixture and slide the yolks into them. Cover the yolks completely with the salt mixture, cover with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator.

They should be ready in 4 or 5 days.

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Take them out of the salt mixture and brush off as much as possible.

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Gently rinse under cold water and blot dry with paper towels. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.

Grate over pasta or anything where you want a boost of slightly-salty, rich egg.

 

 


Tomatoes

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We have not had a bumper-crop of tomatoes, this year. I had visions of canning tomatoes, Victor making sauce with fresh tomatoes from the yard...

Ain't gonna happen.

I think part of the problem is the bed where we've been planting them. It's not getting the sun it used to... Too many big bushes and trees in the neighbor's yards are encroaching. One of those double-edged swords... They're perfect for privacy, but Mr Sunbeam is being blocked, as well. I've had to augment with store-bought heirlooms. At least they're local Pennsylvania, but it's just not the same.

Methinks that next year we'll be doing a raised bed in a different part of the yard and expanding the offerings...

In the meantime, we have had a few good peppers that I canned and set aside for possible Christmas offerings - if we don't eat them all, first...

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We've had a few lush years and hope to see a few more while we're here.

Tonight I baked chicken breasts with cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs from the yard and did a tomato salad with the store-bought's. I mixed the tomatoes and juices from the chicken with some really big, fat pasta noodles, hit it all with some cheese, and called it dinner.

Not bad, at all...