Cucina DiBella

Rosa di Parma

I could live forever off of the cuisine of Parma in Emilia-Romagna.  The city is home to prosciutto and parmigiano cheese, two foods that steal the show in many a recipe.  Of course, there are also the times that they are the main attraction. Like when I stand in front of the open refrigerator eating slice after slice of freshly cut prosciutto. Though I guess that's less an example of prosciutto being a main ingredient than it is an example of me having no self-control. Moving on.

 

Rosa di Parma is a recipe where those delicious specialities of Parma previously mentioned bring the meal to a whole new level.  Typically made with a beef tenderloin, the tenderloin is butterflied and pounded thin and then rolled back up with prosciutto and parmigiano.  I used pork tenderloin, as suggested in the recipe I link to, below.  The depth of flavor is amazing, making it shocking at how simple this recipe is and how few ingredients are used.  Save this one for when you need to impress someone without feeling like actually putting in much effort.

 

Rosa di Parma

Serves 3-4

Adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients:

1 lb pork tenderloin

4 slices thin cut prosciutto

1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano

1/4 cup mozzarella

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare the pork loin by double butterflying it.  Without cutting all the way through, make one cut lengthwise along the tenderloin about 1/3 of the way in from the top edge.  Flip the tenderloin 180 degrees so that you will now be cutting into the side opposite where the first cut was made.  Make the same kind of cut, this time cutting 2/3 of the way down from the top edge. Open the tenderoin at both cuts so that it lays flat.  Using a meat tenderizer, pound to an even thickness, about 1/4 inch.
2. Top the tenderloin with the slices of prosciutto, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edge of the tenderloin.  Cover the prosciutto with the mozzarella and parmigiano cheeses.  
3. Starting on one of the long ends, roll up the tenderloin.  Place the tenderloin seam side down on a rack in a roasting pan.  Tuck the ends underneath the tenderoin slightly.
4. In a bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.  Brush the tenderloin with the oil mixture.  
5. Bake about 30-35 minutes or until pork is cooked through.  Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Ryan's rating of Rosa di Parma - 5.  I almost feel bad taking this though. With ingredients like this, it would have been hard not to get a 5.  And no, there's no Dominic's rating this week. Mostly because we didn't leave him anyway. I know, we're terrible parents.

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.

 

 

Erbazzone - Spinach Pie

With the holidays heavily upon us, I thought we could all use a recipe a little more focused on the vegetables.  Oh, who am I kidding? Yes, spinach is the main ingredient here, but it is sauteed in butter and mixed with cheese and prosciutto (as every meal should be).  

 

This spinach pie, erbazzone, is a recipe that is traditional in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy.  Specifically, it is often attributed to Parma, which is not surprising given Parma's delicious  prosciutto and parmigiana cheese.  It is sometimes made with different greens, so you have some leeway here if you would rather use swiss chard or some other savory green.  Prosciutto is not always put inside the pie, but I've never had a recipe brought to ruin by the addition of some prosciutto, so I didn't feel too bad about adding it. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Erbazzone

Adapted from Academia Barilla

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Two 9 inch pie crusts 

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

20 ounces spinach, frozen and thawed or about 2 pounds, fresh and wilted

6 slices prosciutto, diced

3/4 cup parmigiano regiano 

Salt and pepper to taste

1 egg

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9" pie dish.  Place one of the pie crusts in the bottom of the pie dish.  
2. In a saute pan, melt the butter.  Add the olive oil and garlic.  Saute about two minutes until the garlic is golden in color.  Add the spinach and saute another two minutes until warmed through.
3. Put the spinach mixture into a bowl and mix together with the prosciutto and parmigiano.  Stir to combine well.  Add salt and peper to taste.
4. Fill the pie shell with the spinach mixture.  Cover with the second pie shell. Trim off excess dough.  Poke the top of the pie with a fork several times to let air escape.  
5. Use a fork to stir the egg in a bowl.  Brush the top of the pie with the egg. Sprinkle with some extra parmigiano.  Place pie in the oven and cook as directed for your pie crusts or until the pie crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Ryan's rating of Erbazzone -3.  Not bad, but I think if Dominic could give a rating as well it would be a 5.  After all, he did eat two full pieces for lunch the next day!

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.

 

Peppina's Cake

Peppina's Cake is a dessert from the Modena area of the Emilia-Romagna region.  Named after the person who created this dessert, Peppina's Cake seems like the kind of recipe that would be passed down through generations. 

When I first decided to make this recipe, I thought it would be more like a chocolate cake than a cake with chocolate in it.  However, after taking a closer look at the recipe, I saw that it was similar to the Hazelnut and Chocolate Cake that I made several weeks ago.  The big difference, other than using almonds rather than hazelnuts, is the addition of butter to the cake.  Despite my love for hazelnuts, I actually think I prefer this cake!

Peppina's Cake (Torta di Peppina)

Adapted from Recipe Zaar

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

4 eggs, separated

2 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate

3/4 cup sliced almonds

1 pinch salt

Powdered sugar for garnish

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Use butter to grease a 9 inch round cake pan.
2. In a bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until well mixed. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time.  Using a spatula, fold in the flour mixture.
4. Roughly chop the chocolate.  Put the almonds in a food process and grind finely.  (If you prefer larger pieces of almond, grind coarsely.)  Add the chocolate and almonds to the batter and stir in.
5. Clean the beaters.  In another bowl, add the egg whites and salt.  Beat until stiff beaks form.
6. Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold in the egg whites to the cake batter.  Pour the batter into the cake pan.
7. Bake about 25 minutes, checking after 20 minutes.  Let rest in the pan for several minutes.  Remove cake and let cool the rest of the way on a baking rack.
8. Garnish with powdered sugar.

Ryan's rating of Peppina's Cake - 4

Chicken Scaloppini Bolognese

As promised, here is a second main course from the Emilia-Romagna region to make up for my lack of posts last week.  The original recipe that I used is actually for veal scaloppini, but in an effort to avoid eating veal for as long as I can in this project, I used chicken instead.  This meal was delicious and fairly simple to make.  It's the kind of meal that you can easily make on a busy weeknight.  It lacks some of the homey, comforting properties that so many Italian dishes boast, but on the flip side, it can easy make it's way into your regular dinner menu without skipping a beat. 

My big complaint is that I'm not used to cooking with butter.  I'm an olive oil girl.  Although it doesn't spatter and jump as much as olive oil, the butter splashed out of the pan when I put the chicken in way more than olive oil would (at least that's what I'm telling myself).  My forearm has a nice scald mark to back me up.  It's back to olive oil for me!

Chicken Scaloppini Bolognese

Adapted from Italian Regional Cookingby Ada Boni, published 1969, Dutton (New York)

-Serves 4-

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half length wise to make 4 slices of chicken

salt

pepper

flour, for dredging

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

4 slices prosciutto

4 slices Gruyere cheese

4 tablespoons white wine

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place each slice of chicken between wax paper and pound thin.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Dredge the chicken in flour, shaking off any excess.  Add to the skillet and cook on both sides until cooked through.
4. Remove chicken and put on a baking sheet, reserving the oil and butter in the pan.  Top each chicken slice with a slice of prosciutto and a slice of Gruyere.  Bake in the oven just until the cheese melts. 
5. Meanwhile, add the wine to the oil and butter reserved in the skillet.  Cook for 1 minute to form a sauce, scraping the brown bits off of the bottom of the pan. 
6. Remove chicken from the oven.  Put the chicken on a plate and top with the sauce.  Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Chicken Scaloppini Bolognese - 5.

Lasagna Bolognese

Making Lasagna Bolognese, the typical lasagna of the Emilia-Romagna region, took some planning ahead on my part.  While I do have a lasagna recipe that is quick enough for me to throw together on a weeknight, Lasagna Bolognese does not follow suit in the simple category.  This recipe is one that takes hours because it involves making two sauces from scratch (a Bolognese sauce and a Bechamel sauce), one that takes hours to cook, as well as assembling and cooking the lasagna.  Now, there are ways that you could cut corners, like using a jarred marinara sauce and just adding browned beef for the  Bolognese sauce.  If you have a free weekend day that you can devote to cooking this lasagna though, I promise you won't be disappointed.  The use of the Bechamel sauce rather than the typical ricotta cheese filling that is used in lasagna in the southern regions of Italy really keeps this lasagna moist and creamy.  I'll probably still resort to my weeknight lasagna most days, but it's great to have a show-stopper like this in my repertoire as well!

Lasagne Bolognese

Adapted from Simply Recipes

-Makes 12 pieces-

Ingredients:

For Bolognese Sauce:

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 ounces pancetta, minced

1 medium yellow onion, minced

1 stalk celery, minced

1 carrot, minced

3/4 pound ground beef

1/2 pound ground pork

1 teaspoon pepper

1 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes

1 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

For Bechamel Sauce:

2 cups whole milk

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

For Lasagna:

You will need enough lasagna noodles to make 4 layers in a 13" by 9 " pan.  This is generally either 12 lasagna noodles if they are the long kind, or 16 lasagna sheets if they are the shorter rectangular kind. 

1 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

Process:

1.  Make the Bolognese Sauce

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the pancetta, onion, celery, and carrot and cook until the onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the ground beef and pork.  Cook over medium-high heat until the meat is browned.  Add pepper.
3. Add the tomatoes and their juice, breaking them up with your hands as you add them (or, you can chop them on a cutting board before adding them.  Just be careful not to lose too much of the juice!)  Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
4. Add the milk and salt.  Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for 2 1/2 hours.  Stir every 20 minutes to 1/2 hour. 

2.  Make the Bechamel Sauce

1. Heat the milk in a saucepan, but do not let it come to a boil.
2. In a separate pan, melt the butter over low heat.  Add the flour and whisk to combine.  Let cook for 1 minute and then remove from the heat.
3. Add 1/2 of the hot milk to the butter and flour mixture.  Stir constantly to avoid getting lumps.
4. Return milk, butter and flour mixture to low heat.  Let cook until the sauce starts to thicken.
5. Add the remaining milk, stirring constantly.  Still stirring, bring the sauce to a boil.  Stir until the sauce has thickened.  Remove from heat and cover with plastic until ready to use.

3.  Make the Lasagna

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cook the lasagna according to package instructions.  Once cooked, lay the lasagna noodles on wax paper without touching so that they don't stick together.
2. Spread some olive oil around a 13" by 9" pan.  Put a layer of lasagna noodles down in the pan.  Layer on one third of the bolognese sauce.  Next, layer on one third of the bechamel sauce.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the parmigiano reggiano.  Repeat this process two more times, reserving a little bechamel sauce for the top.  Top with a final layer of noodles.  Put the remaining bechamel sauce on top of this layer.  Sprinkle with the rest of the parmigiano reggiano. (I added some mozzarella as well, just because I had some that I wanted to use up.)
3. Cover with aluminum foil.  Bake for 20-30 minutes, removing the foil during the last few minutes to brown the top of the lasagna.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Ryan's rating of Lasagna Bolognese - 5.  Maybe I won't be able to go back to my simple lasagna...

Tortellini in Broth

When I went to Bologna it was just a quick stop on my way to Cinque Terre.  We planned our train rides so that we would have several hours to wander around Bologna, which is one of the most well known cities in Emilia-Romagna, between trains.  Aside from walking around the enormous marketplace and exploring the enormous cathedrals and other landmarks, we made sure that we had time to have lunch in the city.  We had read, and heard, that while in Bologna we had to eat tortellini, one of the foods that the area is most well known for.  Tortellini, of course, being a delicious egg pasta shaped in a little circle and stuffed with different things (generally cheese or spinach).  So, we found a little restaurant, and I ordered tortellini in broth, or Tortellini in Brodo.  This dish is a delicious mix between soup and pasta, making it the perfect first course (or light lunch).  It was also the perfect thing for my to cook for my husband and I last night since I am still on the tail end of being sick, and I seem to have passed it on to Ryan, as well.  (Sorry, love!) 

This dish is as hard as you make it.  You can make your own tortellini and broth, or you can buy tortellini (like I did, since I don't have a pasta machine) and even buy the broth if you want.  However, I'll give you the recipe that I use for vegetable stock.  You can also use chicken or beef stock if you would rather.

In front of the Scala della Montagnola in Bologna.

Looking down at the ruins from the top of the Scala della Montagnola in Bologna

 
 
 Tortellini in Brodo
 

Tortellini in Brodo

-Serves 4 as a first course, 2 as a main course-

Ingredients:

2 quarts vegetable, chicken, or beef broth (recipe below)

8 ounces tortellini of your choosing

Freshly grated parigiano reggiano

Process:

1. Bring the 2 quarts of broth to a boil.  Add in the tortellini and cook as directed (about 8-10 minutes). 
2. Serve into bowls and top with a little freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese.

Vegetable Broth

Ingredients:

2 quarts water

1 carrots

1 celery stalks

1 large onion, peeled and cut in half

3-4 garlic cloves (smashed, but left whole and with peels on)

1 parsley sprig

1 thyme sprig

Process:

1. Put the water in a large stockpot.  Add in the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, parsley and thyme, along with any other vegetables or herbs that you desire such as leeks, turnips, etc.  Other than the notes made above, I generally leave the vegetables whole unless they cannot fit in my pot.
2. Bring the water up to a boil. Reduce heat and let the stock simmer for at least an hour. 
3. Remove the vegetables and herbs and strain the broth to remove any remnants.

If making your own broth, you could also make chicken or beef broth by adding in the bones and scraps from whatever meat-wielding animal you like.  Also, keep in mind that broth freezes very well, so you can easily make extra and keep it on hand for your next recipe!

Ryan's rating of Tortellini in Broth - 4

Piadini

I have a new favorite form of bread. It's called Piadini, and it's sort of reminiscent of a pita pocket.  It is a traditional bread from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.  Using only a handful of ingredients that I generally have on hand anyway, and taking about 2 minutes to cook, it's now on my list of things to make all the time. 

While I was making Piadini the first time, I was brainstorming all of the ways that I wanted to eat it.  Here are just a couple of the ones I came up with:  You could serve it with prosciutto or salami and cheese, or olives, or some good olive oil infused with rosemary and garlic, or roasted red peppers, or a great tapenade, or a great pesto, or tomatoes with mozzarella, basil, olive oil and olives (like a bruschetta topping), or hommus (If you are my dear friend, Shannon).  You could make it into a sandwich by folding in any ingredients you want, though I prefer chicken, roasted red peppers, mozzarella, and pesto as I've mentioned before.  You could throw some marinara sauce and mozzarella on it, throw it in the oven and make a mini pizza out of it.  The possibilities with this one are endless!

Piadini

Adapted from Learn to Cook 101

-makes 10-12-

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup mixture of half milk, half water

Up to 1/2 cup extra water

Process:

1. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.  Create a well in the bottom of the dry ingredients and pour in the olive oil and milk/water mixture.  Using a fork, begin to mix the dough.  Gradually add more water as needed.
2. When the dough has come together, form it into a ball.  Knead it on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes.  Let the dough rest for about 30 minutes. 
3. Divide the dough into small balls about the size of a plum.  You should get 10-12 pieces.  Use a rolling pin to roll out each ball to about 1/8 inches thick.
4. Heat a pan over medium heat.  When the pan is hot, put one of the piadini into the pan.  Cook for about 30 seconds and then flip.  Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, flipping several times throughout.  It will puff up during this process, so don't worry.  When finished, the piadini will have brown scorch marks all over it.  Repeat with the other piadini. Serve hot.

Ryan's rating of Piadini - 3.5

Any other suggestions for how to use piadini?