Saveur Easy Italian

8/2/2019 Saveur Easy Italian

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Easy Italian30 Classic Recipes

b y t h e e d i t o r s o f s a v e u r m a g a z i n e


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Tom Nicolosi (right), owner of DiNics Roast Pork in Philadelphia, and his son, Joe Nicolosi,tuck into pulled pork Italiano sandwiches ( for a recipe, see page 73).


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Easy Italian30 Classic Recipes

b y t h e e d i t o r s o f s a v e u r m a g a z i n e


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Intodction6STARTERS

Swt nd So Eggplnt

Rlih11Std Gn12Cmy Polnt with

Mhoom nd Spinch15Pto Foccci16Bkd Clm21Sping Riotto22Bd nd Tomto Sld25SOUPS

Vgtbl Sop28Bd nd Tomto Sop31Minton32Ecol Sop35

PASTA

Tglitll with Bologn

Sc38Spghtti Cbon41Spghtti nd Mtbll42Ctlli with Boccoli

Rb nd Sg47Tntt with Pto, GnBn, nd Potto48Pt with Tomto

nd Eggplnt51Cokcw Pt with

Almond Pto52Lingin with Clm

nd Chil55Pt with Chickn

56MAIN DISHES

Swt nd So Glzd

Pok Chop61Swodfh Pttnc62Rotd Lmb Shold

with Potto66Bid Vl Shnk69Stk with Hb Sc70Plld Pok Itlino

Sndwich73Eggplnt Pmn74

SWEETS

Zbglion with Mixd

Bi79Vnill Pdding with

Stwbi80Pin Nt Cooki83Th Itlin Pnty85Itlin Whit Win90Itlin Rd Win91Tbl o Eqilnt92Indx93


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INTRODUCTION

Its no wonder were always cooking Italian. Many o Italysmost satisying oods are also some o the worlds simplestto prepare. Take spaghetti carbonara, that luscious Romanpasta dish: Its made with little more than parmigiano-reggiano, eggs, cured pork, and a liberal dose o blackpepper, tossed together just beore serving. Or savory

veal shanks braised in wine until theyre all-o-the-bonetender: The meal virtually cooks itsel. Italian ood may

be inherently easy, but that doesnt make it any less brilliant.Its success rests in quality ingredients and spare tehniquesthat allow favors to shine. A quick saut o escarole is

vibrant with anchovies and plenty o garlic; day-old bread istransormed into a beautiul salad thanks to ripe tomatoes,resh herbs, and olive oil. This book eatures the regionaldishes that are in heaviest rotation in Italian home kitchens,rom Emilia-Romagnas buttery pastas to Tuscanys creamypolentas to Sicilys sun-sweetened tomato sauces. Considerthese recipes your culinary road mapcomplete with cookingtips, wine pairings, serving suggestions, and inormationabout Italian oods history and loreto la dolce vita.theeditors

To subscribe to saveur,your defnitive guide to theworld o authentic ood, visitsaveur.com/subscribe.


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Zia (Aunt) Pina at her restaurant, which shares her name, near the Vucciria market in Palermo, Sicily.


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Whether its an array o cold dishes ora simple plate o polenta, these classic

frst courses are as simple to prepare asthey are delicious to eat.

Starters


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Italian soups are soulul simmers, like favorulsummer vegetable, rustic meatball-studded

escarole, or the kind o hearty minestrone youcrave on a winters day.

Soups


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Easy Italian 28

12 cup packed basil leaves

14 cup extra-virgin olive oil,plus more or drizzling

2 tbsp. minced fat-lea parsley

4 cloves garlic

12 medium onion, cut intochunks

8 oz. red new potatoes, cutinto 12-inch cubes

3 stalks celery, minced

2 medium carrots, minced

2 plum tomatoes, coredand minced

Kosher salt, to taste

3 oz. spinach, trimmed andrinsed (about 2 looselypacked cups)

112 cups canned cannellinibeans, rinsed

1 cup resh or rozen greenpeas

12 small head rise, leavescut into bite-size pieces(about 2 cups)

Freshly ground blackpepper, to taste

Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano, or serving

1Place half the basil, 2 tbsp. oil, parsley, garlic, andonion in the bowl of a food processor and process until

slightly chunky. Heat the remaining oil in an 8-qt. pot

over medium-high heat and add the herb-garlic mixture.

Cook, stirring often, until the juices from the onion

mixture have evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes,

celery, carrots, and tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, untilthe vegetables are golden, about 6 minutes. Add salt

and 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat

to medium-low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally,

until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

2Stir in the spinach, beans, peas, and frise and cook untilthe greens are wilted and just tender, about 10 minutes;

season with salt and pepper and stir in the remaining basil.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with

parmigiano, and drizzle with oil.

Cooking NoteServe this soup with crusty Italian bread orbruschetta, rubbed with garlic and drizzled with oil.

VEGETABLE SOUPZuppa di Verdure

S E R V E S 1

Chef and cookbook author Lidia Bastianich provided the recipe for this delicious

soup, in which the vegetables are cooked quickly to preserve their bright flavor.


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Easy Italian 32

or the pesto:

2 c ackd bail lav

12 c gad amigian-

ggian

12 b. xa-vigin liv il

12 . k al

1 clv galic, cd

12 lm ma, cd

K al and gnd

black , a

or the soup:

14 c xa-vigin liv il

1 z. anca, mincd

5 clv galic, fnly

cd

3 mdim ca, ld

and fnly cd

2 ib cly, fnly cd

1 yllw nin, fnly

cd

12 mdim zccini,

cd

14 ad Savy cabbag,

cd and inly ddd

8 c cickn ck

7 daind wl ld

cannd ma,

cd

13 c bkn did

agi

1 15-z. can cannllini ban

1Make the pesto: Process the basil, parmigiano, oil, salt,garlic, and tomato in a ood processor until fnely ground.

Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

2Make the soup: Heat the oil in a 6-qt. saucepan overmedium-high heat; add the pancetta and cook, stirring

oten, until the at has rendered, about 2 minutes. Addthe garlic, carrots, celery, and onion and reduce the heat

to medium; cook, covered and stirring occasionally, until

crisp-tender, 1215 minutes. Add the zucchini and cabbage;

cook, covered, until wilted, 35 minutes. Add the stock and

tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until

al dente, about 8 minutes. Mash hal the beans with a ork;

add to the soup along with the whole beanscook until

warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the

soup into bowls; serve with pesto dolloped on top.

Cooking NoteYou can save time by using store-bought basilpesto rather than making it rom scratch, and the fnished

soup will still be delicious.

MINESTRONES E R V E S 8 1 0

Minestrone means big soup, an apt name or this hearty simmer o vegetables,white beans, and pasta in a savory tomato broth. In northwest Italy, minestrone is

garnished with pesto, which imparts an herbaceous lavor.


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The Italian way with noodles is legendary.Pasta is a canvas for creativity, whether

mixed with a rich rag, a vibrant vegetablesaut, or a velvety sauce of cheese and cream.

Pasta


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Easy Italian 38

TAGLIATELLE WITH

BOLOGNESE SAUCETagliatelle con Rag alla Bolognese

S E R V E S 4

Cooks in the city of Bologna and surrounding hills of Emilia-Romagna takepride in their signature slow-simmered meat sauce tossed with fresh egg pasta.

This recipe comes from chef Anna Nanni, at Trattoria Amerigo dal 1934,a beloved restaurant in the region.

1 28-oz. can whole peeled

tomatoes in juice

14 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 rib celery, fnely chopped

12 medium yellow onion,

fnely chopped

12 medium carrot, fnely

chopped

Kosher salt and reshly

ground black pepper,

to taste

114 lbs. ground bee chuck

12 lb. ground pork shoulder

1 4-oz. piece pancetta,

fnely chopped

12 cup dry red wine

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 lb. resh egg pasta,

such as tagliatelle

Grated parmigiano-

reggiano, or serving

1Put the tomatoes and their juice into a blender; pureuntil smooth and set aside.

2Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy-bottomed potover medium heat. Add the celery, onion, and carrot, seasonwith salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until

soft and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat

to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and

caramelized, about 15 minutes more.

3Add the beef and pork and cook, stirring and breakingup the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat begins to

brown, about 10 minutes. Add the pancetta and continue

cooking, stirring occasionally, until its fat has rendered,

about 10 minutes more. Increase the heat to medium, add

the wine, and simmer, stirring constantly, until evaporated,

about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring

frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the reserved tomato pure,

reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally,

until the sauce is very thick, about 3 hours. Season the

rag with salt and pepper.

4Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add thepasta; cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain the pastaand add it to the rag; toss until the pasta is well coated with

sauce. Serve with grated parmigiano.

Wine PairingAn earthy, rustic red, such as a sagrantinorom Umbria, stands up well to the sweet-savory favor o this

meaty sauce.


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Easy Italian 66

34 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. crushed red chile

fakes

2 tbsp. dried oregano

4 cloves garlic, minced1 bunch parsley, minced

Kosher salt and reshly

ground black pepper,

to taste

1 67-lb. leg o lamb,

trimmed

8 large russet potatoes,

peeled and quartered

1Heat the oven to 500F. In a medium bowl, combine theoil, chile fakes, oregano, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper

to make a paste, and rub the paste over the surace o the

lamb. Set the lamb in a large roasting pan and place the

pan in the oven; roast until the lamb is browned, about

30 minutes.

2Reduce the oven temperature to 400F, cover the lambwith aluminum oil, and continue cooking or 40 minutes.

3Remove the oil, add the potatoes to the pan, and toss withthe rendered at; continue cooking until the potatoes are

tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the

thickest part o the lamb reads 140F, about 4550 minutes

more. Let rest or 20 minutes beore serving.

Wine PairingSicilys rosso di Etna has the mineralbackbone to enhance the sweet, herbaceous favors o this

roasted lamb.

ROASTED LAMB SHOULDER

WITH POTATOESCosciotto di Agnello con Patate

S E R V E S 8

Roasted herb-crusted lamb is a traditional Easter dish across Sicily. In this version,potatoes cooked right alongside the lamb drink in the savory pan drippings.


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Berries with freshly whipped custard;creamy panna cotta; almond-rich meringue

cookies: Italian desserts are simplepleasures that are blessedly easy to make.

Sweets


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Easy Italian 80

1Put 3 tbsp. cold water into a small bowl and add thegelatin; set aside to let soten or 5 minutes. Meanwhile,

heat the cream, 34 cup sugar, and vanilla bean along with

the seeds in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Cook,stirring oten, until the mixture is heated and the sugar

dissolves, 5 minutes. Remove the pan rom the heat and stir

in the soaked gelatin until its dissolved; add the buttermilk

and pour the mixture through a fne strainer into a large

measuring cup. Divide the custard between six 8-oz.

ramekins and rerigerate until set, about 4 hours.

2Meanwhile, toss the remaining sugar, strawberries, andvin santo in a medium bowl; rerigerate or 30 minutes. To

serve, immerse the ramekins in a baking dish hal ull o hot

water or 510 seconds; invert the ramekins onto serving

plates to release the panna cotta. Spoon the strawberries

and their juice around each panna cotta.

Cooking NoteIf fresh berries are not in season, you cansubstitute fresh pears prepared in the same way.

312 tsp. unfavored powdered

gelatin

223 cups heavy cream

34 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar

1 vanilla bean, split

lengthwise, seeds

removed and reserved

223 cups buttermilk

1 lb. strawberries, hulled

and halved lengthwise

2 tbsp. vin santo, port, or

brandy

VANILLA PUDDING WITH

STRAWBERRIESPanna Cotta

S E R V E S 6

Panna cotta translates literally as cooked cream, and thats really allit isa luscious dessert that can be whipped up quickly on the stovetop and

let to set in the rerigerator. A syrup o strawberries saturated in a rich winesuch as vin santo is the classic companion.


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ITALIAN RED W INES

Italy produces more winethan any other nation.

Much is rustic, everyday

table wine, but there are

also legendary reds. Among

the most amiliar o these

is chianti, made primarily

rom Tuscanys sangiovese

grape. The star o the variety

is ull-bodied chianticlassico, rom the heart o

the Chianti district, located

between Florence and Siena;

it has deep notes o black

cherry and leather, and is

perect with steak. In the

province o Cuneo, southwest

o Alba in the Piedmont, the

king o wines, barolo, is

made in dierent styles.Traditional barolo is made

or aging, with powerul

acidity, tannins, and avors

o berry, earth, and tar. Drink

it with succulent braised

meats. Soter and lusher,

younger barolos are great

with rags and rich risottos,

as are jammy primitivo winesrom Puglia. Hot days, cool

nights, and rich volcanic soil

lend spicy minerality to

grapes grown on Sicilys

Mount Etna. Rosso di Etna

wines go beautiully with

swordsh or lamb dishes.

From Trentinos sandy Adige

valley in the shadow o theDolomites, the little-known

teroldego rotaliano has a

heady ragrance, lively ruit,

and a bitter almond nish

that makes a great match

or hearty pork or vegetable

dishes; the regions plummy,

spicy Lagrein is also a

avorite. Another excitingregional red is Le Marches

lacrima di Morro dAlba,

which smells o lavender

and tastes o pepper and

strawberries; its wonderul

with the regions native

trufes and mushrooms. Also

great is Venetos refosco

easy to drink and earthy, its

great with pork, poultry, andlamb. And lastly, sagrantino

di Montefalco, rom Umbria,

has the tannins that made it

suitable or aging, but also an

earthiness with lots o ruit

that makes it perect or

braised meat sauces.


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Copyright 2011 Weldon Owen Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form

without written permission from the publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-61628-418-3

Design by Dave Weaver

Conceived and produced with by Weldon Owen Inc.415 Jackson Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94111

Telephone: 415 291 0100 Fax: 415 291 8841

and Weldon Owen are divisions of

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