Cucina DiBella

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Happy New Year! I thought the perfect way to start 2012 would be with some Spaghetti alla Carbonara. Maybe it's because the eggs and bacon that are mixed in with the pasta makes me think of brunch. Or maybe it is that this was often what my roommate in Italy would cook in the early morning hours after he got home from the bars. Either way, this dish screamed out to me as a great New Years Day meal.

Often attributed to Rome, Spaghetti alla Carbonara is a very simple, but very filling meal. Pasta is mixed with pancetta or bacon, parmesan cheese, and eggs. There is no actual "sauce", as the eggs create a thick, creamy sauce all of their own when added to the hot pasta. You can sometimes find this recipe with cream added as well, but since it isn't traditional, I left it out. Besides, it is plenty rich as it is without adding heavy cream! One of the best aspects of this recipe is that you likely have all of the ingredients on hand, making it a great last minute meal.

Picture is up (clearly)! Typepad IT is my favorite!

 

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Adapted from Mario Batali

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 pound spaghetti

1/2 pound pancetta or bacon, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 eggs

1 cup parmigiano regiano

Pepper

Parsley, for garnish

Procedure:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, seasoning with salt. When the water has come to a boil, add spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, retaining 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Return the pasta and reserved pasta water to pot.
2. While the pasta cooks, put a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta or bacon and cook until crispy. Just before the bacon finishes, add the garlic and saute with the bacon about one minute. Remove garlic and bacon from the heat.
3. In a bowl, whisk the eggs together.
4. Add the bacon, garlic, and parmesan to pasta and stir to combine. A little at a time, add the eggs, tossing to combine after each addition.
5. Serve topped with parsley as garnish.

 

Ryan's rating of Spaghetti alla Carbonara - 4.

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back.

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

Ligurian Fish and Potatoes

You can't talk about Liguria without mentioning its amazing supply of fresh seafood like this post for Stuffed Mussels.  In addition to mussels, Liguria has an abundance of fresh fish such as stockfish and cod.  In my mind, there's nothing better than a good fish recipe.  This one for Ligurian Fish and Potatoes is light, easy to put together, and despite its simple ingredients, full of flavor.

Traditionally, this dish would be made with cod or stockfish.  You can use any flaky white fish though, so I went with haddock.  I also added onion and garlic for a little extra flavor.  Normally this would just be seasoned with salt, pepper, parsley and olive oil.  The results were fantastic.  Served with some steamed vegetables like broccoli and zucchini make this quite a healthy meal (unusual for my site, I know).

 

Ligurian Fish and Potatoes

Adapted from the New York Times

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes

1/2 of a small yellow onion, diced

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

1 pound haddock (or any other flaky white fish)

2 cloves garlic, minced

Dried parsley

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel the potatoes and slice thinly, about 1/8 of an inch.  A mandolin works wonderfully for this.  Place the potatoes in a layer in a baking dish.  Sprinkle with the diced onions.
3. Drizzle the potatoes and onions with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Toss the potatoes to coat evenly. Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes. 
4. Season the fish with salt and pepper on each side.
5. When the potatoes have finished baking, place the fish on top of the potatoes in the baking dish.  Drizzle the fish lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with the minced garlic.  Return to the oven and bake for another 10-12 minutes until the fish is cooked through, flaking apart easily. 
6. Top with dried parsley. Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Ligurian Fish and Potatoes - 5.

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

Minestrone alla Genovese

For the few people who aren't familiar with it, Minestrone is a pretty straightforward vegetable soup with some small pasta mixed in.  Minestrone alla Genovese is no exception.  However, what sets this version apart is the addition of basil pesto to the soup.  When I went through Liguria's cuisine the first time, I talked about pesto being traditional to this area of Italy.  The addition of pesto to the soup lends a wonderful fresh basil flavor and brings a well known Italian soup to a whole new level.

This recipe is great for the summer (so long as it's not a 90 degree day) when vegetables are abundant and varied.  You can really use whatever you would like, and whatever you have available to you.  For Ryan and I, I chose to use celery, onion, carrot, potato, tomato and zucchini.  Making your own stock for this soup is quite easy, but you can feel free to use canned stock if you like.

 

Minestrone alla Genovese

Adapted from Italian Regional Cooking by Ada Boni, 1969

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

8 cups vegetable stock

1 stick celery, sliced

1 large carrot, sliced

1 onion, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 zucchini, chopped

2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/3 pound small pasta (I prefer Ditalini)

1 tablespoon pesto

Procedure:

1. Add the vegetable stock to a large pot.  Add the celery, carrot, onion, salt and pepper.  Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 1 hour. 
2. Add the zucchini, potato, and tomato and simmer for another 30 minutes.
3. Add the ditalini and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
4. When the pasta is finished cooking, add the pesto and stir to combine. 
5. Serve hot with fresh parmigiano reggiano sprinkled over the top.

Ryan's rating of Potato Croquettes - 4

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

 

Potato Croquettes

I don't know about you, but I've never seen a potato that I didn't like.  In all of its glorious, carb-filled forms, potatoes are absolutely delicious.  Potato Croquettes, or Coccoli di Patate, are no exception.  Formed into discs, torpedo shapes, or ball shapes, these are made by breading mashed potato and frying it to a perfect golden brown.  Coccoli di Patate are traditional to Liguria, however, they are found all over Italy.  I can remember eating these as a midnight snack often with my roommate, Kate, in Italy. There's nothing like fried potato after a night out at the bars!

My first batch of croquettes were a little bland, but after getting the technique down I added some garlic, parsley, and parmigiano reggiano, and this made all the difference!  Next time I think I will add some prosciutto for a little extra flavor as well.  You can also have fun with sauces for the croquettes.  They are great dipped in marinara sauce, or you could make a garlic aioli.  Any ideas out there for other ways to dress up this recipe?

 

Potato Croquettes - Coccoli di Patate

Adapted from Italian Regional Cooking by Ada Boni, 1969

Makes about 15 Croquettes

Ingredients:

3 medium russet potatoes

3 tablespoons butter

2 eggs

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3/4 teaspoon dried parsley

Breadcrumbs

Oil for frying

Process:

1. After washing the potatoes, boil until fork tender, about 40 minutes.  Allow the potatoes to cool only slightly and then peel.  Using a fork, mash the potatoes in a bowl, ensuring that there are no lumps.
2. Add the butter, 1 egg, garlic, parmigiano, salt, pepper, and parsley to the potato.  Mix to thoroughly combine.
3. Form the potatoes into torpedo shapes about 2 inches long (or if you prefer, you can form them into discs, round balls, or any other shape you feel like!)
4. Set up a breading station by whisking the remaining egg in one bowl and pouring breadcrumbs in another bowl.  Dip each croquette into the egg, shake off any excess, and then cover in breadcrumbs.
5. Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a pan over medium heat.  Once hot, add the croquettes in batches.  Cook until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes, and then flip.  Repeat on other side.  Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel to drain off excess oil.  Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Potato Croquettes - I only got a 3 on the first batch, but the second batch, above, scored a 4. Much better!

1 - Awful. If you make this again I'll shove a fork in my eye.

2 - Meh. It's not my favorite, but I won't threaten self-harm if it shows up again.

3 - Good. I wouldn't feel forced to order a pizza behind your back. 

4 - Great! I will fight you for the leftovers.

5 - Love it! Make it again tomorrow. Or immediately and I will bathe in it.

 

Wait...You Mean Cucina DiBella is Still Around?!

Well, I'm sure the only people still tuning in at this point are my mom and my sister (Hi guys!), but after an extended time away from Cucina DiBella, I'm getting ready for a return.  Things have been super hectic here with me working crazy hours, going to school, and oh yeah, getting pregnant.  I know what you're thinking, "Wah. I call that Tuesday in my house. Where are the new recipes?!" Well, the answer is, I'm working on it.  I've finally gotten my shit together and am ready to reclaim my kitchen after months of not feeling like cooking much of anything. So, if you will bear with me for one more week, I promise it will be worth your time!

Zeppole

Happy Saint Joseph's Day (several days late)! Sorry this post is so late.  Part of the reason was that I made the zeppole while Ryan was out of town, and he took his sweet time trying them. After asking him and asking him, he finally tried them.  Seriously, who turns down home-made zeppole for 3 days straight?

Anyway, March 19th, Saint Joseph's Day, is a day of feasts and festivals in Italy, and would not be complete without Zeppole for dessert.  There are several different ways to make Zeppole, some more complex than others.  Some versions, often more popular in New Jersey, are small fried doughnuts or fritters topped with powdered sugar. The zeppole that I grew up eating in Rhode Island were puff pastry filled with a creamy custard and topped with a cherry.  Side note: the ultimate place to get a zeppole year round if you are in Rhode Island is Borrelli's Pastry Shop in Coventry.  They are absolutely amazing, as is the rest of their selection!

While I'm partial to the Rhode Island style zeppole of my youth, the Jersey version seemed a little easier for my first attempt at making these at home. I'm hoping with this year's batch under my belt I will be confident enough to go for the custard filled zeppole next year.  There are a couple of keys to getting a light zeppola that isn't too dense and that cooks all the way through.  First, make sure that the oil is not too hot.  Otherwise, the outside of the dough will burn before it is cooked all the way through.  Each zeppola should take about 3 to 4 minutes to cook.  Also, make sure you add the ricotta! That might seem odd, but it really does keep things light and airy.  For a topping, I went with powdered sugar, but cinnamon and sugar would be equally delicious. If you're really ambitious, you could even melt some chocolate and dip the zeppole in it.  Have fun with it!

 

Zeppole

Adapted from Allrecipes

Makes 24

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Zest from 1/2 lemon (or orange)

Oil for frying

Powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar for dusting

Process:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.
2. In a saucepan over low heat, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, eggs, ricotta, vanilla, and zest.  Stir until well combined.
3. Drop the batter into the oil by the tablespoon.  (The batter will be sticky. You can dust your spoons with flour or spray with cooking spray to help to get the batter into the oil in a ball shape.  I found it easiest to use two spoons to get the batter into the oil.)
4. Fry each zeppole until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.  You may need to flip them halfway through if they are not completely submerged on their own.
5. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel to drain excess oil.  Dust with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar and serve.

Ryan's rating of Zeppole - 4.  He said he took off a point for it took so long for him to get to try one.  I almost smacked him.

Agnoletti

Agnoletti is a ravioli traditionally made in Piemonte that is filled with a mixture of meat, spinach and cheese.  For mine, I went with a ground beef filling, but you could use ground pork, ground turkey, or if you want to be more authentic, ground veal or rabbit.  With such a simple filling, you can really do anything as far as a sauce goes.  Marinara sauce works wonderfully, as would a light alfredo sauce.  However, to be true to tradition, I made a sauce from the pan drippings after browning the meat.  Similar to a gravy, the sauce is just beef broth, butter, and a little flour, but packs quite a punch of flavor.  This is a time consuming recipe, but totally worth it. Enjoy!

 

 

Agnoletti

Adapted from Mario Batali at Food Network

Makes approx. 30 ravioli

Ingredients:

For the filling:

1/2 pound ground beef

1 tablespoon garlic

5 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and chopped

2 tablespoons fresh grated parmesan cheese

1 egg

salt

pepper

For the dough:

2 cups all purpose flour

3 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

For the sauce:

2 cups beef broth

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1-2 tablespoons flour

Process:

1. Begin by making the filling so that it has time to cool before you fill the ravioli.  Add the beef and garlic to a skillet and brown the beef.  Break the beef up well as it cooks.  Don't worry if some of the beef caramelizes on the bottom of the plan. It will make for a wonderful sauce later!
2. In a large bowl, combine the beef with the spinach, cheese and egg.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Reserve the pan that the beef cooked in to later make the sauce.
3. To make the dough, whisk together the flour and salt on a clean counter top or on a large cutting board.  Gently mix the eggs in a bowl.  Make a well in the center of the flour and add the eggs to the well. 
4. Use a fork to gently mix the flour into the eggs until you have a homogeneous mixture. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until no longer sticky. Divide into two dough balls.  Wrap one in plastic while working with the other. 
5. Using a pasta roller, roll out the dough until nearly translucent (setting 6 on a KitchenAid).
6. Cut off the edges of the sheet so that it is about 5 inches high.  Place 1/2 tablespoon size balls of filling along the bottom half of the sheet about 2 inches apart.  Fold the top half of the past sheet down over the filling. Pinch the dough around each ball of filling to completely seal each raviolo.  Cut down the center between each ball of filling to produce the ravioli.  Place on a baking sheet and dust with flour until ready to cook.  Repeat with the remaining pasta sheets.
7. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt.  While waiting for the water to boil, make the sauce.
8. To make the sauce, reheat the pan that the beef was browned in over medium heat.  Once hot, deglaze with the beef broth, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the butter and bring to a simmer for about 3 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly.  Add flour to get sauce to desired thickness.
9. Once the water is boiling, add the ravioli and cook about 4-6 minutes until al dente.  Drain and serve with the sauce and sprinkled with fresh parmesan cheese.

Ryan's rating of Agnoletti - 5.  He absolutely loved this one.  When he went to get seconds he couldn't even be bothered to wait the 30 seconds it would have taken to heat it up a little since it had cooled.

 

Salsa Verde

I don't know about you, but my Italian sauces pretty much consist of tomato sauce, pesto, and alfredo sauce.  There's not too much variation going on here.  So, I was really excited to find out that one of the traditional recipes from Piemonte is for Salsa Verde.  It's a green sauce that's pretty similar to pesto, except it is made with parsley.  This sauce is usually used on boiled meats, but I couldn't think of anything more unappetizing than boiled meats.  So instead, I used it on baked fish, and it was fantastic.  This would also be great on toasted bread or roasted vegetables.  Give it a try and share with us your favorite way to use Salsa Verde!

 

 

Salsa Verde

Adapted from La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy, The Italian Academy of Cuisine, 2009, Rizzoli Publications 

Ingredients:

1 bunch flat leaf parsley

2 cloves garlic

2 anchovies

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2/3 cup olive oil

Process:

1. Put the parsley in a food processor and chop well.  (Note: instead of a food processor feel free to chop finely by hand.)
2. Add the garlic, anchovies, breadcrumbs, cheese, and red wine vinegar to the food processor.  Chop until no big pieces are left.  (Note: instead of a food processor feel free to chop finely by hand.)
3. Slowly add in the olive oil and mix the food processor until smooth.  (Note: instead of a food processor, whisk in the oil.)

Ryan's rating of Salsa Verde: 4.

 

Stringy Gnocchi

If you're getting sick of posts using Fontina cheese, you should probably just come back later.  Sticking with the theme of fontina drenched recipes, this week I made some Stringy Gnocchi, or Gnocchi alla Bava.  It's basically just gnocchi mixed with melted fontina, getting its name from the way the fontina stretches with every bite.

This was my second time making home-made gnocchi, and I must say they came out much better than my first attempt.  I used the same recipe, but my technique has definitely improved! Just takes a little practice.  I made my Stringly Gnocchi by just melting the fontina with a little cream on the stovetop and then mixing that in with the gnocchi.  However, an alternative is to cook the gnocchi, layer it in a baking dish with the diced fontina, and then bake it for a few minutes until the cheese melts.  I may try this next time.  I found that when melting the fontina on the stovetop, the cheese began to return to a solid very quickly after leaving the pan and didn't retain its melty quality for very long. What worked better was shredding the fontina, omitting the cream, and adding it directly to the cooked gnocchi, allowing the gnocchi to melt the cheese itself.  One more thought: if you want to really get crazy, this recipe would be great with some diced artichoke hearts added in!

Sorry I don't have a good picture of this one - I'll put one up as soon as possible. Or, if you make this dish, feel free to share your picture!

Stringy Gnocchi - Gnocchi alla Bava

Adapted from Inside Italy

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Gnocchi:

4 large russet potatoes

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces fontina cheese, shredded

2 tablespoond butter, softened and diced

Process:

1. Fill a large pot with cold water and add salt. Place the potatoes (with the skin still on) in the pot.  Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until a fork can pierce them easily (about 40-50 minutes).
2. Remove the potatoes from the water and peel each.  You may want to use a kitchen towel to hold the potatoes if they are too hot.  Mash the potatoes by either putting them through a potato ricer or by running the tines of a fork down the side of the potato.  Don't over mash the potatoes.  You just want them to be a fluffy potato base to work with. 
3. Spread the potatoes over a cutting board and let the potatoes cool for about 10 minutes.
4. Using either a bowl or the cutting board, pull the potatoes into a soft mound and drizzle with the beaten egg.  Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the flour over the top.  Fold the mixture onto itself until the egg and flour are well incorporated. 
5. Lightly knead the dough for about 5 minutes, adding more flour if the dough is too sticky.  Don't be afraid of adding more flour.  If there isn't enough flour, the gnocchi will come out sticky and mushy.
6. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.  Gently roll each piece into a long, snake shaped piece about the thickness of your thumb.  
7. Cut the pieces every 3/4 inch.  Roll a fork over each piece, creating grooves in the gnocchi.  Set aside and dust with a little more flour until ready to cook. 
8. Heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook about 2-3 minutes just until golden.  Set aside.
9. Bring a pot of water to boil.  Season with salt.  Add the gnocchi in batches, about 25 at a time.  The gnocchi is finished when they rise to the surface.  Remove the gnocchi and place in a large serving bowl.  Cover with foil to keep hot while cooking the remaining gnocchi.
10. Once the gnocchi is finished cooking, add the fontina, garlic, and butter to the gnocchi.  Stir to incorporate and melt the cheese.  If the sauce is too thick for your liking, add just a few spoonfuls of the water the gnocchi was cooked in to thin the sauce.  Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Stringy Gnocchi - 4.

 

 

 

Baked Penne Valle d'Aosta

As some of you may have noticed, I've been floundering lately with Cucina DiBella.  Since finishing my first round through all of Italy's regions, I haven't really found a good rhythm for my posts. So, instead of just pushing through with a system that wasn't working for me, I decided to head back to what originally drew me in to this project: Italian regional cooking.  

I'll head back up to Valle d'Aosta in the northwestern corner of Italy first.  If you remember back to the first recipe that I cooked for Cucina DiBella, Fonduta, Valle d'Aosta is known for their delicious fontina cheese. Fontina melts wonderfully with a smooth, creamy result.  One of the typical dishes that fontina is used in is Baked Penne Valle d'Aosta or Pasticcio di Penne alla Valle d'Aosta.  Really, this recipe is like an upscale, adult version of macaroni and cheese.  In the traditional recipe, fontina cheese is mixed with sauteed mushrooms and cream and poured over penne.  The whole thing is then baked for just a couple minutes to make the top layer of cheese bubble and get a slight crisp.  However, to add a little more flavor and texture, I added onion and garlic to my version.  I also sprinkled toasted breadcrumbs over half the pan (Ryan's not a fan, so I let him have his half without it), which was a delicious addition.  So, that's my version of this typical Valle d'Aosta recipe. Hope you enjoy it!

 
Baked Penne Valle d'Aosta - half with breadcrumbs on top, half without

 
Love the steam coming off the dish!

Baked Penne Valle d'Aosta

Adapted from Lidia's Italy

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 pound penne

2 tablespoons butter

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 cup half and half

8 ounces fontina cheese, shredded

1 cup parmigiano regiano, shredded

Optional:

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon butter

Procedure:

1. Prepare a baking dish by coating the sides and bottom with butter.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Fill a large pot with water and season with salt.  Bring to a boil and cook the penne as directed.  Drain the penne and return to the pot. 
3. While the penne cooks, heat the butter in a large pan over medium high heat.  When the butter is melted, add the onion and garlic and cook about 3 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms soften and release their liquid. 
4. Stir the half and half into the mushrooms and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until the liquid thickens slightly. 
5. Take the pot of drained penne and add the mushroom and cream mixture.  Add in 3/4 of the fontina and 2/3 of a cup of the parmigiano.  Stir the pasta mixture to combine. 
6. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining fontina and parmigiano. 
7. Optional: If you would like to add breadcrumbs, heat 1 tablespoon butter in a small pan.  When melted, add the breadcrumbs and stir until coated in the butter.  Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the penne in the baking dish.
8. Bake for about 5-10 minutes until the cheese is well melted.  Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Baked Penne Valle d'Aosta - 5. This is deinitely a new favorite!