Tag Archives: Parmigiano-Reggiano

Potato, Three-Cheese, & Swiss Chard Cakes

April 4, 2016 rusticoblog

These colorful potato patties are reminiscent of panfried gnocchi with lots of greens and cheese added. Much easier to shape than gnocchi, and completely flour-free, they are an ideal side dish to meat or poultry, or a satisfying appetizer served atop arugula dressed with lemon juice and olive oil or, as in the picture below, shredded green cabbage cooked with mustard seeds and garlic until browned at the edges and limp.

Feel free to use spinach or beet greens or Tuscan kale instead of the Swiss chard, and to swap out goat cheese for the Feta, or Pecorino for the Parmigiano; you really can’t go wrong with potatoes, greens, and cheese cooked in a bit of olive oil until golden on the outside and creamy on the inside!

Serves 2 as a side dish or appetizer

1/2 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed
2 ounces whole-milk Ricotta
1 ounce French Feta cheese, crumbled
1 ounce freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch Swiss chard, washed thoroughly
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon chili pepper
2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced

Place the potatoes in a saucepan. Cover with cool water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook until just tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Reserve the cooking water, but remove the potatoes from the saucepan, drain, and cool.

Peel the potatoes and place in a bowl. Crush with a fork, leaving some small chunks for a more interesting texture. Stir in the Ricotta, Feta, and Parmigiano. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and all the pepper. Set aside.

Return the potato cooking water to a boil. Remove the stems from the Swiss chard (reserve it for another use; I love the stems boiled, then tossed with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper). Drop in the Swiss chard leaves and cook 3 minutes, or until floppy. Drain, cool, and squeeze dry. Chop the leaves finely.

Place 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Add the chili flakes, scallions, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the scallions are soft, about 3 minutes.

Add the Swiss chard leaves and cook until they are wilted and aromatic, about 5 minutes. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir into the potato mixture and allow to cool thoroughly.

Compact the mixture with your hands and shape into 4 patties, each about 1 -inch thick.

Wipe out the nonstick skillet. Place it on medium heat. Brush it with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil.

Place the potato patties in the skillet and cook until golden and crisp on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Brush the tops of the potato patties with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil.

Flip the potato patties carefully. Cook until the other side is also golden and crisp, about 5 more minutes. Serve hot.

Pasta

Romanesco Cauliflower & Bacon Reginette

February 4, 2016 rusticoblog

The first time I saw Romanesco cauliflower, I was not in Rome. I was at a farmer’s market in New York City, and the subtle green vegetable made me stop in my tracks: it looked like an alien from a science fiction film, or something out of an Arcimboldo painting. It had a striking shape, with conical florets spiraling towards a pointed top.

When I asked the vendor about it, she said it was Roman broccoli (another name for it). Needless to say, that day I bought and cooked my first Romanesco cauliflower; and every time I have spotted any at the farmers’ markets, I never passed up a chance to pick one up. The flavor of Romanesco is a bit nuttier, sweeter, and more subtle than that of regular cauliflower, so I tend to like it best in simple preparations that don’t mask its nuanced flavor or its unusual shape.

The recipe below can certainly be made with regular cauliflower if Romanesco is not available.

Serves 2 as a main course, 3 to 4 as an appetizer depending on what else you are serving following the pasta

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
12 sage leaves, thinly sliced
2 thick slices bacon, fat removed, minced
1/2 pound Romanesco cauliflower florets, trimmed and cut as needed (they should be about 2 inches long at most)
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
water as needed
1/2 pound reginette or other long, fresh pasta
2 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Make the sauce: Place 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the shallot, garlic, sage, and bacon in a skillet large enough to accommodate the pasta later. Set the skillet over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often, or until the shallots are fragrant and the bacon has lost its raw smell.

Add the cauliflower florets, season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and cook, stirring often, until the cauliflower is limp and lightly browned in spots, about 10 minutes, adding a bit of water by the 1/4 cup as needed to prevent the cauliflower from burning or drying out.

Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. When the sauce is ready, add the pasta and the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt to the boiling water, and cook until al dente, about 1 minute. Drain, reserving 1 and 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water.

Transfer the pasta to the skillet and saute over high heat to combine the flavors. Stir in 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water, the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the Parmigiano, and the pepper. Adjust the salt if necessary, and add a little more of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems too dry. Serve hot.

Pasta

Reginette with Turkey Stock, Caramelized Onions & Rosemary

November 24, 2015 rusticoblog

If you’re wondering what to do with those rich juices from your roasted turkey, and you’re tired of soup or risotto, here’s my favorite recipe: an easy to make yet memorable pasta. The savory depth of the meat juices combined with the nutty flavor of the grated Parmigiano results in something far more than the sum of its simple parts.

After roasting your turkey, add a few cups of water to that roasting pan, scrape well to deglaze the clinging bits, and cook the juices until rich, then save them for the recipe below. You can even freeze the rich juices in ice cube trays for later use. This is one dish where homemade stock (or the reserved juices from roasted meats) really makes a difference; the store-bought stuff just won’t give you the depth of flavor needed to elevate a simple dish to extraordinary status.

And remember: when caramelizing the onions, take it low and slow… no need for sugar, just patience and a low heat and a bit of water to prevent scorching.

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large red onions, thinly sliced (2 cups)
2 rosemary sprigs, leaves only, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
cool water as needed
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups rich turkey stock

For the pasta and to serve:

2 tablespoons salt
1 pound reginette or other fresh, wide pasta noodles
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Make the sauce: Melt the butter over a medium-low flame in a deep, wide saucepan large enough to accommodate the pasta later. Add the onions and rosemary, season with the salt and pepper, and cook until the onions are soft and lightly golden, about 30 minutes, stirring often and adding a bit of water if the onions start to stick; the trick to caramelizing onions is to cook them slowly and to add a bit of moisture as needed. Watch the flame so the onions don’t burn.

Pour in the wine and cook 2 minutes, scraping the pan to release any caramelized bits into the liquid. Pour in the turkey stock, stir well, and cook over medium-low heat until there is about ¾ cup of liquid in the pan. It will take about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. The sauce should be very flavorful and intense. (The sauce can be made up to this point 2 days in advance; refrigerate until needed, then warm gently before proceeding.)

Make the pasta: Bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the salt and the pasta. Cook until al dente, then drain, reserving 2 cups of the pasta cooking water.

Transfer the drained pasta to the saucepan and sauté 1 minute over high heat. Add some of the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to thin out the sauce; it should coat the pasta nicely. Stir in the Parmigiano. Drizzle with the olive oil, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve hot.

Fresh Pasta

Reginette with Pine Nut & Marjoram Pesto

June 3, 2015 rusticoblog

One of our favorite summer dishes is fresh pasta (either round corzetti or the long, curly ribbons known as reginette, pictured here) tossed with a highly fragrant pine nut pesto. We look forward to this Ligurian specialty in the cold of winter, when fresh marjoram is not an option, and make it almost weekly when the marjoram on our deck starts to grow in. For a lighter (but no less delicious) version of the sauce, you can omit the heavy cream and double the milk, as we often do at home.

This recipe is adapted from my latest cookbook, The Best Pasta Sauces.

Serves 2

For the pesto:

3 tablespoons marjoram leaves
1 plump garlic clove, peeled
½ cup pine nuts
¼ cup whole milk, plus extra as needed
¼ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup (1 ounce) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

For the reginette:

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup semolina flour, plus extra for dusting
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs

To cook:

2 tablespoons salt

Make the pesto: Combine all the ingredients except the Parmigiano in a food processor and process until smooth. Place in a bowl large enough to accommodate the pasta later, and stir in the Parmigiano. If the sauce seems too thick, dilute with additional milk; the pesto should have the texture of heavy cream, but it won’t be perfectly smooth due to the nuts.

(The pesto keeps in the refrigerator up to 1 week as long as it is topped with a thin layer of olive oil; it can also be frozen for up to 1 month if the Parmigiano has not been stirred in.)

Make the reginette: Mix the flour, semolina flour, and salt on a counter and shape into a mound. Make a well in the center and add the eggs to the well. Using your fingertips, work the flour into the eggs, then gather into a dough and knead by hand; add a little water if the dough is too dry or a little flour if it is too moist. Knead for 10 minutes, or until smooth, then shape into a ball, wrap in plastic, and let rest 30 minutes.

Cut the pasta dough into 4 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time and keeping the others covered, roll out each piece using a pasta machine into a thin sheet. Sprinkle each sheet generously with semolina flour and roll up loosely jelly roll-style. Cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips with curly edges using a reginette attachment. Toss with semolina flour to prevent sticking. Spread out in a single layer on a few semolina-dusted trays. (If you don’t have a reginette attachment, you can order one from Fantes or simply cut into tagliatelle or pappardelle, or whatever shape you fancy.)

To cook: Bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the salt and the reginette and cook until al dente; drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Stir 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water into the pesto in the serving bowl. Add the drained pasta, and stir to coat. Adjust the salt if necessary and stir in additional reserved pasta cooking water if the sauce seems too thick to properly coat the pasta. Serve hot.

Main Course: Vegetarian

Spinach & Parmigiano Torta

May 14, 2015 rusticoblog

We can’t get enough of leafy greens. Spinach, broccoli raab, escarole, beet greens, Swiss chard, kale, cabbage… at least one vegetable green and leafy finds its way to our table at every meal. And while I adore these vegetables simply steamed and dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, or sauteed with garlic and chili flakes, I love incorporating them in more “dressed up” dishes like the torta below.

Essentially a souffle, this torta is baked in a pretty oven-to-table pan so it can be served all puffed up and golden straight from its cooking vessel. Denser and less airy than a classic French souffle, it is a lovely main course accompanied by green salad and crusty bread. Try using different greens as they appear at the farmers’ markets this spring; spinach, always available, is an excellent jumping off point.

Serves 2 as a main course

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 pound fresh spinach, leaves only, washed thoroughly
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 cup 2% or whole milk
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 large eggs, separated

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (preferably set on convection bake). Lightly butter an 8-inch x 4-inch oven-to-table pan (or any ovenproof pan with a 4-cup capacity). Dust the bottom with 1 tablespoon of the Parmigiano.

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt and drop in the spinach. Cook 3 minutes, or until soft and silky. Drain, rinse under cool water to stop the cooking, and squeeze dry. Chop finely and set aside.

In a small but heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly with a wire whisk, until the flour loses its raw smell, about 2 minutes. Do not allow the flour and butter mixture to take on any color, so monitor the heat carefully and whisk constantly.

Quickly pour in the milk, still whisking all the while to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil and cook over medium hear 3 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Whisk in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, the nutmeg, and 1/4 cup of the remaining Parmigiano. Now whisk in the egg yolks, beating thoroughly to avoid scrambling them in the hot milk mixture. Beat in the spinach and set aside.

In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gently fold into the spinach mixture.

Pour into the buttered oven-to-table pan and dust the top with the remaining tablespoon of Parmigiano. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden, set, and puffed. Serve hot.

Main Course: Vegetarian

Creamy Parsnip Sformato

March 2, 2015 rusticoblog

In Italy, there is a class of dishes (some sweet, some savory) that goes by the name sformato, from the word forma, which means mold or shape. Like frittata, a close cousin, a savory sformato is egg-based, but it is heavier on the vegetables, creamy in texture, baked in a mold, then unmolded (hence the name) before serving.

I make sformati with whatever vegetables I have on hand; in the winter, butternut squash, parsnip, fennel, and cauliflower are favorites. If using a starchy or fibrous vegetable (like the four mentioned above), I find it best to boil the vegetable before puréeing it; watery vegetables such as mushrooms or eggplants do better sautéed fist, then puréed. And while I bake sformati in individual ramekins for company, I usually bake a sformato in one large soufflé dish if it’s just the two of us sharing it. Cast iron or enameled cast iron skillets like the one pictured here are a great baking vessel too. In this case, I serve the sformato still in the skillet or soufflé dish, and it’s so comforting to dig in while the sformato is still hot from the oven!

Serves 2

1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup (1 ounce) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
6 ounces (1 medium) parsnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice (weigh after peeling)
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces young goat cheese
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites

Preheat the oven to 375° (preferably set on convection).

Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cast iron or enameled cast iron skillet. Sprinkle the bottom and sides of the skillet with 1 tablespoon of the grated Parmigiano.

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Drop in the parsnip and 1 tablespoon of the salt. Boil 3 minutes, or until the parsnip is fork-tender, then drain and cool under running water. Blot dry thoroughly before proceeding or the sformato will be watery.

Place the parsnip, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, the remaining 3 tablespoons of the Parmigiano, the nutmeg, pepper, goat cheese, and whole eggs in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, then transfer to a bowl.

In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a whisk until soft peaks hold; the whites should hold their shape when the bowl is turned upside down. If they do not hold their shape, beat a little longer. Fold gently into the parsnip mixture, being careful not to deflate it.

Spoon into the prepared skillet. Immediately bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden, set, and puffed. Serve immediately.

Soup

Escarole and Egg Soup with Pesto and Crispy Pancetta

February 10, 2015 rusticoblog

Soup: comfort in a bowl. In the winter, we eat soup at least once a day. Most of the time, we crave vegetable soups, full of chunky bits of goodness, with something to thicken the broth up: it can be a crushed potato, beans, or a roux. The soup below, thickened with beaten eggs, is a play on the spinach soup my husband grew up eating at home: his father Attilio cooked down spinach in broth until silky soft, then stirred in plenty of Parmigiano and beaten eggs just before serving. Here we use escarole instead of spinach, top it with crispy Pancetta for texture and meaty depth, add a squeeze of lemon juice to the eggs to lighten the flavor, and stir in pesto at the very end to brighten things up. Serve this soup with bread and salad, and you have a memorable meal fit for a chilly day indoors.

Serves 2
For the pesto:

1/2 cup packed basil leaves (about 1/2 large bunch)
1 garlic clove
1 ounce (1/4 cup) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

For the soup:

1 ounce Pancetta, defatted and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
water as needed
1 head escarole (about 1 pound), washed thoroughly and chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Make the pesto: Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process to a fine paste; there may be some little basil strands here and there, because there is very little oil in this pesto, but that is fine. The purpose of this pesto is to lend flavor to the soup, not to make the soup creamy in texture, so a semi-chunky texture is fine. Remove to a bowl and lay plastic wrap directly on top of the pesto to prevent darkening. This can be done up to 2 hours before serving. Hold at room temperature until needed.

Make the soup: Place the Pancetta in a 2-quart pot. Set over medium heat and cook until the Pancetta is crispy and lightly golden, about 3 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl.

Place the olive oil, onion, and garlic in the same pot in which you cooked the Pancetta. Set over medium heat and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often and adding a bit of water if needed to prevent scorching, until the onion becomes translucent. Add the escarole and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cook, stirring often, until wilted and collapsed, about 8 minutes. Add the broth, season with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 15 minutes, or until the escarole is silky and the soup smells rich and deep. The soup can be made up to this point 2 hours before serving and held at room temperature. Reheat when needed to the boiling point.

When you are ready to serve, beat the eggs with the lemon juice, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. Return the soup to a boil. Pour in the eggs and let sit, undisturbed, until the eggs set, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir gently once or twice, being careful to leave the eggs in large fluffy clouds, swirl in the pesto, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve hot, topped with the crispy Pancetta.

Rustico Cooking