Grilling
There's nothing quite like grilling. The heat is immediate, the aroma intoxicating, the flavor magical. In Italy, we grill a lot: we grill vegetables like carrots, eggplants, zucchini, peppers, fennel... we grill sausages and baste them with a vibrant mix of vinegar and olive oil... we grill juicy steaks and whole fish, we grill thick hunks of bread and fresh fruit... as long as the ingredients are superb, the results are always satisfying.
When I was little, my parents often grilled at our home overlooking the Lago Maggiore. There's a picture of us all, standing around the squat cement grill under my bedroom window, and every time I look at it I remember the anticipation of the first bite and the feasts that we enjoyed together.
My latest cookbook The Italian Grill is my way of sharing some of these happy memories, and some of my favorite grilling recipes, with you.
Step-By-Step Recipe
Parmigiana di Melanzane Leggera
Eggplant Parmigiana with Mozzarella, Basil, and Fresh Tomatoes
Step 1
Eggplant Parmigiana can be quite elaborate; traditional versions call for deep-frying eggplant, and the most classic recipes of all suggest breading the eggplant before frying. While the result is doubtlessly delicious, it is also time-consuming and rather heavy... definitely not well-suited to summer eating. I wanted to create a lighter version of eggplant Parmigiana that we could enjoy in the hot weather, and so I opted for grilling rather than frying the eggplants, substituted sliced fresh tomatoes for the usual cooked tomato sauce, and cut down significantly on the cheese sandwiched between the eggplant layers. The result tastes like summer on a plate.
For this dish, you will need:
- 3 medium eggplants (about 3 pounds total weight)
- 2 tablespoons plus 3/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing the roasting pan
- 12 ounces fresh Mozzarella
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups basil leaves
- 2 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, very thinly sliced
Since our friend Bill Bateman, our favorite NYC artist whose paintings adorn our cooking school, had just presented us with three glorious varieties of eggplant from a Vermont farm he had visited, I used all three varieties: a deep, dark purple eggplant; a pale mauve one; and a slender white one. All were delicious and cooked up evenly, so feel free to mix and match the variety of eggplants you use in this dish.
Step 2
Cut the stem off the eggplants. Cut each eggplant into 1/4-inch-thick slices and place in a colander.
Place the colander over a plate. Sprinkle the eggplants with 2 tablespoons of the salt and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.
The eggplants will purge during this time, letting out a dark bitter liquid. This step is essential to ensuring that your eggplant comes out sweet, not bitter, so don't skip it.
Rinse the eggplants under cool running water. Drain well.
Line a counter with paper towels and arrange the eggplant slices on the towels. Blot dry with paper towels.
Step 3
Heat an outdoor grill to medium-high, or heat an indoor grill pan over a medium-high flame.
Brush the eggplant slices with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. The eggplants will not be fully covered with oil, and that is fine; too much oil will cause the eggplants to burn on the grill.
Grill the eggplant slices until they are soft and nicely marked by the grill, turning once, about 3 minutes per side.
Do not undercook the eggplants; this is a vegetable that requires full cooking to coax out its subtle, delicious essence.
Remove the grilled eggplants to a tray and allow them to cool to room temperature.
This step can be done up to 3 days ahead; refrigerate the eggplants until you are ready to proceed with the recipe.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Lightly brush a 9-inch x 13-inch roasting pan with olive oil.
Thinly slice the Mozzarella and set it in a colander over a plate. Allow the Mozzarella to drip out excess liquid for 15 minutes. If you omit this step, your Parmigiana may end up watery, since fresh Mozzarella lets out quite a bit of water as it bakes.
Arrange half of the grilled eggplant slices in the oiled roasting pan. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon of the salt.
Scatter the garlic over the eggplant, and cover with the sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon of the salt.
Step 5
Arrange the basil leaves over the tomatoes. You can slice the basil leaves first if you like, but I like to scatter them whole in between the eggplant layers; keeping the basil leaves whole preserves more of their lovely fragrance.
Arrange the sliced and drained Mozzarella over the basil, covering the surface evenly.
Top with the remaining slices of grilled eggplant. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon of salt and drizzle the top with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
Bake the eggplant in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the eggplant is soft, the Mozzarella has melted, and the tomatoes have broken down slightly.
Serve the Parmigiana hot, in generous slices, with crusty bread and a refreshing arugula salad. Serves 4
Do-Ahead Tip
If you like, the Parmigiana can be baked 1 day ahead, cooled to room temperature, covered with aluminum foil, and refrigerated.
To reheat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees; reheat the Parmigiana, still covered with aluminum foil to prevent drying, for 15 minutes, or until hot all the way through.
Involtini di Melanzane alla Ricotta
Grilled Eggplant Bundles Stuffed with Ricotta
You can refrigerate the eggplants up to 1 day before serving. When you are ready to serve, bring to room temperature and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- 2 medium eggplants, peel on, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds (about 24 slices)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing the eggplants
- 3/4 pound fresh whole-milk Ricotta
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
- 2 tablespoons minced mint
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 ripe plum tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch dice
- 1/4 cup basil leaves, torn
Heat an outdoor grill to medium-high, or heat an indoor grill pan over a medium-high flame.
Meanwhile, brush the eggplant slices with a little olive oil.
Grill a single layer of eggplants about 5 minutes per side, or until lines appear on the bottom of the slices and the eggplants are thoroughly soft (uncooked eggplants don't taste good, so be sure to cook them through). Remove to a platter. Continue with the remaining eggplants in the same manner. Cool to room temperature.
In a bowl, combine the Ricotta, Parmigiano, parsley, mint, garlic, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and the cayenne pepper until smooth.
Spread the Ricotta mixture over the cooled eggplant slices and roll into neat bundles. Arrange on a platter. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt. Top with the tomatoes and basil, and serve at room temperature. Serves 8 as an appetizer, 4 as a main course
Saltimbocca alla Griglia
Grilled Veal Bundles with Fontina, Sage, and Prosciutto
Saltimbocca is a traditional veal dish from Rome: thin slices of veal topped with Prosciutto and sage, pan-fried until golden in a hot pan. In the recipe below, I add Fontina to lend a creamy, melting texture, roll the veal into bundles rather than leaving it flat, and use the grill instead of the sauté pan. If you like, you can stick with the original version and omit the cheese... it will still be a splendid dish. I prefer veal scaloppine cut from the butt, because they are so tender; if they are not available, opt for scaloppine from the top round.
- 12 veal scaloppine from the butt (about 2 ounces each), pounded thin with a mallet
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 12 thin slices Fontina from Val d’Aosta (6 ounces total)
- 12 thin slices Prosciutto di Parma
- 12 sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Place the scaloppine on a tray in a single layer. Season on both sides with the salt and pepper. Top each of the scaloppine with 1 slice of Fontina, 1 slice of Prosciutto, and 1 sage leaf, and roll each into a neat bundle.
Spear each bundle diagonally with a toothpick to prevent unrolling. Heat an outdoor grill to medium-high, or heat an indoor grill pan over a medium-high flame.
Brush the bundles with the butter. Grill the bundles until golden-brown on the outside and cooked most of the way though (veal can be pink in the center), turning to cook evenly, 4 to 5 minutes total. Serve hot, removing the toothpicks first. Serves 4
Grilling Tips
Whether your grill of choice is charcoal, wood-burning, gas, hearth, electric, or even a grill pan, be sure to follow these basic rules of grilling:
Regulate the heat. Remember that thicker pieces of food need lower heat for a longer time, and thinner pieces of food call for more intense heat for a shorter period of time
Wipe off excess marinade if you marinated food before placing it on the grill. Otherwise the food may flare up, especially if there was a lot of oil in the marinade.
Keep the grill clean, or the food will stick to the grill. It might also burn and develop an off-taste if the grill isn't clean.
Oil the grill grate lightly just before placing food on it; this makes it less likely that food will stick to the grill grate, and creates more visible grill marks.
The Italian Grill
The Italian Grill is a celebration of grilling Italian-style. Traditional and innovative recipes for every course, from antipasto to dessert, highlight the Italian penchant for simplicity, seasonality, and great flavor. Some are world-famous specialties, like Florence's grilled t-bone steak showered with slivered arugula, or humble staples, like grilled polenta; others may be new to the American scene, like fire-grilled focaccia stuffed with Mascarpone and truffled olive oil, or novel spins on old favorites, like Prosciutto-wrapped grilled figs.
The introduction covers topics such as Tips for Successful Grilling; Equipment; To Marinate or Not To Marinate; Essential Ingredients; and more. 85 brand new, succulent recipes are divided into 7 chapters (Antipasti; First Courses; Fish & Seafood; Meat & Poultry; Vegetables; Sauces & Marinades; and Sweet Endings). Unlike other grilling books, which focus heavily on fish, seafood, meat, and poultry, this book offers readers a wide range of starters, first courses, vegetable dishes, and simple fruit-based desserts,
Every recipe provides preparation tips. Informative and entertaining sidebars (anecdotes from my travels to Italy, technique and ingredient notes, suggestions for variations) are threaded throughout the recipes. In addition, I included a chapter on Suggested Menus and a list of Mail-Order Sources. The sum result is a colorful, lively cookbook whose easy-to-follow recipes will ignite your passion for grilling the Italian way.
THE ITALIAN GRILL, by Micol Negrin
184 pages, 85 recipes, 50 full-color photographs
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
Publisher's Price: $25.00
Publication date: May 10, 2005
REVIEWS OF THE ITALIAN GRILL
"This tightly focused volume may be less comprehensive than Negrin's first cookbook, the James Beard Award–nominated Rustico, but it's no less appealing. The grill's draw is that it turns out uncomplicated food without much stress, and Negrin respects that philosophy with such recipes as Tomato-Rubbed Bruschetta, and Sea Bream with Caramelized Lemons and Fresh Bay Leaves on skewers. On the other hand, a book on Italian grilling could have devolved into a series of similar recipes instructing readers to rub-with-olive-oil-and-sprinkle-with-garlic. Instead, Negrin offers many unusual ways to cook over an open fire. An entire chapter on bread preparations includes Focaccia Stuffed with Mascarpone and Truffled Olive Oil, and a Black and White Pizza with ricotta, goat cheese and olive paste. Fish recipes are equally inventive: a Sardinian-style Lobster, Lemon, and Mint Salad can be served warm or at room temperature. Basic information on both grills and ingredients is excellent. Negrin never calls for grilling where baking would do, and even simple desserts such as Summer Fruit Packets with Moscato d'Asti have a quiet sophistication that is welcome in a guide to using our most rustic cooking method." Publisher's Weekly
"THE ITALIAN GRILL by Micol Negrin, is filled with tasty summer recipes like whole trout with garlicky bread-crumb stuffing and herb-marinated pork chops over a grilled pepper salad." The New York Times Book Review
"THE ITALIAN GRILL by New York-based cooking instructor Micol Negrin teaches you how to grill the obvious (Florentine steak, pork chops) and the not-so (grapes, rum-glazed panettone). Stock up on good olive oil." Time Out New York
"This book teaches you how to grill Italian style. From antipasti such as pizza and bruschetta to shrimp threaded on rosemary skewers and sausage-stuffed onions followed by caramelized blood oranges over a creamy ricotta mousse, former magazine editor Negrin shows you how to grill a complete meal that captures the warmth of Italian cooking. With an emphasis on fresh ingredients and simple preparation, she'll soon have you cooking Italian over an open flame." The Detroit News
"Several nice stretches for the home grill aficionado await in THE ITALIAN GRILL by Micol Negrin. Its many seafood entrees include this delicate Clams in a Packet With Oregano, Garlic and White Wine. Negrin recommends buying the smallest, tenderest clams available. The cooked clams can be used to top pasta or grilled garlic bread, or eat them straight, scooping up the aromatic sauce with the shells." The Houston Chronicle
"Micol, 'la bella appassionata,' does it again. This book shows her love and understanding of the simple beauty of Italian food." Nick Stellino
"There is something new under the Italian sun – and it’s Micol Negin’s new book. The recipes are 'on fire' with flavor, classy in their restraint, bursting with the goodness of the best possible ingredients…You won’t believe what you can cook up on a grill!" Rozanne Gold
"Grilling over wood coals is an integral part of the Italian culinary heritage. Micol Negrin's fine book brings that full-flavored tradition to American homes." Bill & Cheryl Jamison
"Who says there is nothing new to learn about Italian food? The Italian Grill gives us quick and refreshing ways to serve old and new favorites and Micol Negrin does it with authenticity and fun. Fire up the grill!" Mary Ann Esposito
READERS' REVIEWS
"Read The Italian Grill... loved everything. Prepared the asparagus with lemon zest and chives last night an amazing explosion of flavors. Loved it. I think this is the first cookbook I have actually read, usually I just scan the recipes. Tomorrow I will try the monkfish. Can't wait. Just love the way you cook. The cook's notes are incredibly helpful and the tips on techniques perfect." Kathy M., Gloversville, NY
"Congratulations! You have indeed done it once again. I just picked up your new cookbook the other day and was again enthralled with your fresh ideas of cooking on the grill. Having been brought up in an Italian household myself, I know the importance of a charcoal grill!! I can't wait to share these recipes with my family!" Marie L., Montreal, Canada