Italian Side Milanese Creamy Rice Creamy, exquisite risotto! There may be 100's of recipes—but they all require 2 things: arborio rice and patience to make it
Liquid & Stirring: heat oil in a large skillet till hot; sauté onions for 5 minutes. Add rice, stirring to coat the grains. Add wine, slowly, 1/4 C at a time, stirring constantly, making sure rice absorbs the first addition of liquid before pouring in the second. More Liquid & Stirring: next, add the chicken broth using the same method. Stir and pour bit by bit, never allowing the rice to be covered by the liquid. When the rice absorbs the first amount, add more. You may need only 6 C, or you may need 8. It should take you about 30-40 minutes of stirring and pouring. Even More Liquid & Stirring: keep adding liquid until the rice is tender (but slightly al dente)—and very creamy. Stir in butter cubes, bit at a time. Then stir in 1/4 C of the cheese. Pour into a large bowl, top with remaining 1/4 C of cheese, and serve immediately. * This is a basic recipe. Once you master it, try others with porcini mushrooms, chicken, asparagus, pine nuts, or goat cheese. The possibilities are endless. You can also find some good commercial mixes, too—but they still require time. |
Tips & Glossary Arborio Rice: a medium-grained rice. Its high starch content yields a creamy texture and is the basis for risotto. Balsamic Vinegar: dark, thick vinegar with a sweet pungent flavor. Fermented, concentrated, and aged in wooden casks, sometimes up to 12 years. Can be pricey. Caper: salty, pickled bud of spiny shrub native to the Mediterranean region. Most prized is the non-pareil, the smallest (approx. 1/8”), though other sizes are tasty and less expensive. Formaggio: Cheese! Like France, Italy is a land of sublime cheeses, some 400 varieties. Here are some of the most widely sold in the U.S. Italian Seasoning: blend of dried herbs used in Italian cooking—marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano, and basil. Packaged commercially and found in most food stores. You can also make your own. Olive Oil: There's much more to know than is room for here. To learn all you need to know about the different grades of oil, and much, much more, head to Tanbourit. Pine Nuts: pinoli or pignoli; edible seeds of pine trees used in pesto sauce. Before cooking, release flavor by lightly browning in a heated skillet. Roasted peppers: buy or make your own: place under a broiler, or hold over a gas flame, till skin chars and blisters. Place in a closed paper bag for 15-20 minutes (to steam them). When cool, the skins slip off under water. Prosciutto: especially Prosciutto di Parma, dry-cured ham from Parma. The real deal! Cured up to 2 years, is almost sweet and very expensive. You can substitute with capicola, a delicious, light peppery ham.
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Italian Side Cheese Polenta The variations for polenta are too many to list. It can top a meat casserole or sit underneath a fish stew. Use a packaged mix for this recipe if you like.
Polenta: in a large saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil and add cornmeal in a slow stream (make sure the water continues to boil). Continue pouring and stirring for about 30 minutes. When done, the cornmeal will be thick and pull away from the sides of the pot, the consistency of firm mashed potatoes. Assembly: preheat the oven to 350. Spread 1/2 of the mixture into a 9" x 12" buttered casserole. Layer the sliced cheese on top,* then spread the remaining 1/2 of the polenta and top with grated Parmesan. Bake for 35 minutes till top is golden brown. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing into 3" squares.* * Try this variation—Polenta Alla Lodigiana: add prosciutto to the layer of cheese. Cut into squares but, instead of baking, dip squares into egg, flour, and breadcrumbs. Fry the squares in melted butter to make fritters. |
Tips & Glossary Arborio Rice: a medium-grained rice. Its high starch content yields a creamy texture and is the basis for risotto. Balsamic Vinegar: dark, thick vinegar with a sweet pungent flavor. Fermented, concentrated, and aged in wooden casks, sometimes up to 12 years. Can be pricey. Caper: salty, pickled bud of spiny shrub native to the Mediterranean region. Most prized is the non-pareil, the smallest (approx. 1/8”), though other sizes are tasty and less expensive. Formaggio: Cheese! Like France, Italy is a land of sublime cheeses, some 400 varieties. Here are some of the most widely sold in the U.S. Italian Seasoning: blend of dried herbs used in Italian cooking—marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano, and basil. Packaged commercially and found in most food stores. You can also make your own. Olive Oil: There's much more to know than is room for here. To learn all you need to know about the different grades of oil, and much, much more, head to Tanbourit. Pine Nuts: pinoli or pignoli; edible seeds of pine trees used in pesto sauce. Before cooking, release flavor by lightly browning in a heated skillet. Roasted peppers: buy or make your own: place under a broiler, or hold over a gas flame, till skin chars and blisters. Place in a closed paper bag for 15-20 minutes (to steam them). When cool, the skins slip off under water. Prosciutto: especially Prosciutto di Parma, dry-cured ham from Parma. The real deal! Cured up to 2 years, is almost sweet and very expensive. You can substitute with capicola, a delicious, light peppery ham.
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Italian Soup Tuscan Bean Soup Italian comfort food. A creamy rich white bean soup flavored with ham and ladled over cheesey bread crisps.
Beans: Soak beans overnight. Or use quick soak method: bring beans to boil in 6 qt. water; boil 1 minute, turn off heat, and let beans sit 1 hour. Drain and use in the recipe. Soup: in a large pot, heat oil, add next 4 ingredients and saute till tender. Add garlic and saute for 2 more minutes. Stir in chicken broth, ham hocks, and soaked beans. Make a bouquet garni by using a cheesecloth square and tying together the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and pepper flakes; submerge in the broth. Simmer gently, over low heat, for 2 hours. Thickening: after 2 hours, remove ham hocks and set aside to cool. Discard bouquet garni. Puree half the mixture in a blender or food processor and return it to pot. When cool enough to handle, shred ham from hocks and add to the soup. Add salt & pepper to taste. Bread: while soup is simmering, lightly oil bread slices and toast in a 375 oven till golden brown. When soup is ready, place 2 pieces of toast in bottom of each individual soup bowl, cover toast with 2 T Parmesan cheese, ladle soup over bread slices, and serve. * Traditionally this soup calls for cannelli beans, but navy or great northern beans work well and can be easier to find. You can use canned cannelli beans, but they tend to be mushy. If you use them, drain and add to the soup during the last 30 minutes of cooking time. |
Tips & Glossary Arborio Rice: a medium-grained rice. Its high starch content yields a creamy texture and is the basis for risotto. Balsamic Vinegar: dark, thick vinegar with a sweet pungent flavor. Fermented, concentrated, and aged in wooden casks, sometimes up to 12 years. Can be pricey. Caper: salty, pickled bud of spiny shrub native to the Mediterranean region. Most prized is the non-pareil, the smallest (approx. 1/8”), though other sizes are tasty and less expensive. Formaggio: Cheese! Like France, Italy is a land of sublime cheeses, some 400 varieties. Here are some of the most widely sold in the U.S. Italian Seasoning: blend of dried herbs used in Italian cooking—marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano, and basil. Packaged commercially and found in most food stores. You can also make your own. Olive Oil: There's much more to know than is room for here. To learn all you need to know about the different grades of oil, and much, much more, head to Tanbourit. Pine Nuts: pinoli or pignoli; edible seeds of pine trees used in pesto sauce. Before cooking, release flavor by lightly browning in a heated skillet. Roasted peppers: buy or make your own: place under a broiler, or hold over a gas flame, till skin chars and blisters. Place in a closed paper bag for 15-20 minutes (to steam them). When cool, the skins slip off under water. Prosciutto: especially Prosciutto di Parma, dry-cured ham from Parma. The real deal! Cured up to 2 years, is almost sweet and very expensive. You can substitute with capicola, a delicious, light peppery ham.
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Italian Entree Lasagna Almost everyone has a favorite recipe for lasagna. But in case you don't, here's a tasty one.
Sauce: Filling: in a mixing bowl, combine ricotta with beaten eggs, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/3 C Parmesan. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake covered for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving. * This makes more sauce than you'll need...so freeze what's left over for another use...spaghetti? ** Some cooks substitue cottage cheese for ricotta. It's delicious! |
Tips & Glossary Arborio Rice: a medium-grained rice. Its high starch content yields a creamy texture and is the basis for risotto. Balsamic Vinegar: dark, thick vinegar with a sweet pungent flavor. Fermented, concentrated, and aged in wooden casks, sometimes up to 12 years. Can be pricey. Caper: salty, pickled bud of spiny shrub native to the Mediterranean region. Most prized is the non-pareil, the smallest (approx. 1/8”), though other sizes are tasty and less expensive. Formaggio: Cheese! Like France, Italy is a land of sublime cheeses, some 400 varieties. Here are some of the most widely sold in the U.S. Italian Seasoning: blend of dried herbs used in Italian cooking—marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano, and basil. Packaged commercially and found in most food stores. You can also make your own. Olive Oil: There's much more to know than is room for here. To learn all you need to know about the different grades of oil, and much, much more, head to Tanbourit. Pine Nuts: pinoli or pignoli; edible seeds of pine trees used in pesto sauce. Before cooking, release flavor by lightly browning in a heated skillet. Roasted peppers: buy or make your own: place under a broiler, or hold over a gas flame, till skin chars and blisters. Place in a closed paper bag for 15-20 minutes (to steam them). When cool, the skins slip off under water. Prosciutto: especially Prosciutto di Parma, dry-cured ham from Parma. The real deal! Cured up to 2 years, is almost sweet and very expensive. You can substitute with capicola, a delicious, light peppery ham.
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