Rustic Italian Food Read online

  Add the ice water, dry milk, kosher salt, dextrose, gelatin, curing salt, ground pepper, ground coriander, and nutmeg to the lamb mixture. Mix with the paddle attachment (or the dough hook if your mixer seems to be working too hard) on medium speed for a minute or so. Add the wine, blanched fatback, and pistachios and mix until the meat is sticky, like wet bread dough, another minute or so.

  Attach a large sausage stuffer tube to the grinder. You may need to leave off the retainer bar so the pistachios will fit through the tube. Grease the stuffer tube with some of the meat mixture. The next step of stuffing the sausage is much easier with two people: if you can, have one person feed in the meat and the other person handle the casing as it fills up. Feed some of the meat into the feed tube on high speed until it just starts to poke out the end of the sausage stuffer. Turn off the machine. Slip the open end of the beef bung (casing) onto the stuffer all the way to the end, like putting a sock on your foot. Put pressure on the end of the casing so it’s gently pressed against the stuffer. Turn the machine to high speed and feed in the meat. Keep gentle pressure on the casing so the meat packs into the middle of the casing as tightly as possible. You want no air in there. As the meat gets stuffed into the casing, it should surround at least 1 inch of the end of the stuffer tube to prevent air from getting into the sausage. While stuffing, constantly check the sausage for air bubbles, working them out the open end of the casing as necessary. Continue stuffing the meat into the casing until you have a tight sausage about 1 foot long.

  Remove the stuffed casing from the stuffer, grab the open end, and squeeze it down tightly against the meat to pack it down. Twist the open end several times against the meat until the sausage is firm and sealed. Tie off the twisted end with butcher’s string. If necessary, tie the mortadella in several places to make it tight.

  Put the mortadella in a large, deep roasting pan and cover with cold water. Put the pan over medium-high heat and bring the water to 160°F. Adjust the heat to maintain that temperature until the mortadella reaches an internal temperature of 150°F, 2 to 3 hours. Remove from the water and immerse in a large bowl of ice water (or the emptied roasting pan) until the mortadella is cool.

  Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

  BEVERAGE—Monzio Compagnoni, Saten 2002 (Lombardy): This beautiful, richly flavored sparkler is my go-to alternative to Champagne. The quality will surprise you. Bottled at a lower atmospheric pressure near the lake district in Lombardy, Saten exhibits a soft, sparkling character with flavors of apple, pear, and spice. The mortadella, with its silky texture and pistachios, benefits from this wine’s supple mouthfeel.

  Rabbit SALAMI

  Salami requires a careful balance of lean meat and fat, and rabbit has very little fat, so you need to add a little more fat than usual here or the sausage won’t be tender. I like to serve this sliced and seared with some crusty bread (try the Rustic Loaf) and dried fruit. My favorite is prunes soaked in Armagnac.

  MAKES ABOUT 5 POUNDS

  4 pounds (1.8 kg) boneless lean rabbit meat, cubed

  1 pound (450 g) pork fatback, cubed, plus 4 ounces (125 g) pork fatback, cut into ½-inch dice

  1 small clove garlic (2.5 g), smashed

  4 tablespoons plus 1¼ teaspoons (62.5 g) dry white wine

  ⅓ cup plus ¾ teaspoon (50 g) kosher salt

  5¼ teaspoons (12.5 g) dextrose powder, or 4 teaspoons (10 g) superfine sugar

  1 tablespoon (6 g) mustard powder

  1 teaspoon (6 g) curing salt No. 1 (pink salt)

  1 teaspoon (3.5 g) cracked pepper

  1 teaspoon (2 g) chopped fresh sage

  ¼ teaspoon (1 g) ground juniper berries

  1 cup (125 g) pistachios

  Beef middles, soaked in cold water for 1 hour, then rinsed inside and out

  Freeze the rabbit and 1 pound cubed fatback in a single layer on a baking sheet until firm but not solid, about 1 hour. At the same time, freeze all the parts to a meat grinder.

  Meanwhile, blanch the 4 ounces ½-inch-cubed fatback pieces in boiling water for 30 seconds, then immerse in ice water until cold. Refrigerate until needed. Soak the garlic in the wine for 30 minutes, then discard the garlic and keep the wine.

  Fit the meat grinder with the large die, then scatter the kosher salt, dextrose, mustard powder, curing salt, black pepper, sage, and ground juniper berries over the cold meat and fat. Put on plastic gloves, then stick your hands in a large bowl of ice until very cold, almost painful. Place the bowl of a stand mixer in the large bowl of ice. Mix together the meat and seasonings with your hands, then set the grinder on high speed. Grind the meat, the 1 pound fatback, and the seasonings into the mixer bowl. Dump the mixture back onto the baking sheet and grind it a second time. Add the wine, the blanched diced fatback, and the pistachios to the bowl.

  Mix with the paddle attachment (or the dough hook if your mixer seems to be working too hard) on medium speed until the mixture is sticky, like wet bread dough, about 2 minutes.

  Cut the beef middles into 1½-foot lengths and tie one end tight with butcher’s string. Attach a large sausage stuffer tube to the food grinder. You may need to leave off the retainer bar so the pistachios will fit through the tube. Grease the stuffer tube with some of the meat mixture. The next step of stuffing the sausage is much easier with two people. If you can, have one person feed in the meat and the other person handle the casing as it fills up. Feed some of the meat mixture into the feed tube on high speed until it just starts to poke out the end of the sausage stuffer. Turn off the machine. Slip the open end of a beef middle (casing) onto the stuffer all the way to the end, like putting a sock on your foot. Put pressure on the end of the casing so it’s gently pressed against the stuffer. Turn the machine on high speed and feed in the meat. Keep gentle pressure on the casing so the meat packs into the middle of the casing as tightly as possible. You want no air in there. As the meat gets stuffed into the casing, the meat should surround at least 1 inch of the end of the stuffer tube to prevent air from getting into the sausage. Constantly check the sausage for air bubbles, working them out the open end of the casing as necessary. Continue stuffing the meat into the casing until you have a tight sausage about 1 foot long.

  Remove the stuffed casing from the stuffer, grab the open end, and squeeze it down tightly against the meat to pack it down firmly. Twist the open end several times against the meat until the sausage is tight and sealed. Tie off the twisted end with butcher’s string. Repeat with more tied beef middles until the meat mixture is used up.

  Put the salami in a large roasting pan and cover with cold water. Put the pan over medium-high heat and bring the water to 145°F. Adjust the heat to maintain that temperature until the salami reaches an internal temperature of 145°F on a meat thermometer, 1 to 1½ hours. Remove from the water and immerse in a large bowl of ice water (or the emptied roasting pan) until the salami is cool.

  Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can slice and serve this salami cold. But I like to sear pieces in a hot pan and serve them warm.

  BEVERAGE—Paitin di Pasquera Elia-Langhe 2006 (Piedmont): This fresh Nebbiolo-Barbera blend has just the right acidity and earthy spiciness to keep pace with the rabbit.

  Swordfish SAUSAGE

  I got bored with making meat sausages, but all the seafood sausages I ever tried were weak and rubbery. Not these. Swordfish has enough fat and a firm enough texture to make a satisfying sausage. Of course, it is fish, so it’s still somewhat delicate. Keep an eye on the temperature of your poaching water. If it’s too hot, the sausage will lose all its juices. When poached carefully, it’s amazing. As with the Rabbit Salami, I like to cut this sausage into medallions and quickly sear them in a hot pan in a little grapeseed oil. It gives the sausage a nice crispy crust.

  MAKES ABOUT 3 POUNDS

  2½ pounds (1125 g) swordfish, cubed

  12 ounces (375 g) pork fatback, cubed

  3 tablespoons (25 g) kosher salt

  1½ teaspoons plus ⅛ teaspoon (6.2
5 g) sugar

  ½ teaspoon (1.5 g) ground pepper

  ½ teaspoon (1.5 g) ground coriander

  1 small clove garlic (2.5 g), minced

  ¼ cup (55 g) water

  Hog casings, soaked in cold water for 1 hour, then rinsed inside and out

  Freeze the fish and fatback in a single layer on a baking sheet until firm but not solid, about 1 hour. At the same time, freeze all the parts to a meat grinder.

  Fit the meat grinder with the large die, then put on plastic gloves and stick your hands in a large bowl of ice until very cold, almost painful. Place the bowl of a stand mixer in the large bowl of ice, then set the grinder on high speed. Grind the fish and fat into the mixer bowl.

  Add the kosher salt, sugar, pepper, coriander, garlic, and water. Mix with the paddle attachment on medium speed until the mixture is sticky, like wet bread dough, 3 to 4 minutes.

  Attach a large sausage stuffer tube to the food grinder and grease the tube with some of the fish mixture. The next step of stuffing the sausage is much easier with two people: if you can, have one person feed in the fish mixture and the other person handle the casing as it fills up. Feed some of the fish mixture into the feed tube on high speed until it just starts to poke out the end of the sausage stuffer. Turn off the machine. Slip the open end of a hog casing onto the stuffer all the way to the end, like putting a sock on your foot. Put pressure on the end of the casing so it’s gently pressed against the stuffer. Turn the machine to high speed and feed in the fish mixture. Keep gentle pressure on the casing so the mixture packs into the middle of the casing as tightly as possible. You want no air in there. As the fish gets stuffed into the casing, it should surround at least 1 inch of the end of the stuffer tube to prevent air from getting into the sausage. Constantly check the sausage for air bubbles, working them out the open end of the casing as necessary. Continue stuffing the mixture into the casing, and when you reach the length of a link (I like 6-inch lengths for these sausages), twist the link a few times to seal one end. Continue stuffing until you reach another link length, then twist that link in the opposite direction. This will keep the links from unraveling. Continue stuffing until the casing is full and all the mixture is used, using additional hog casings as necessary.

  Remove the stuffed casing from the stuffer, grab the open end, and squeeze it down tightly against the fish to pack it firmly. Twist the open end several times against the fish until the sausage is firm and sealed. Tie off the twisted end with butcher’s string. Repeat with more tied beef middles until the fish mixture is used up.

  Put the sausage in a large roasting pan and cover with cold water. Put the pan over medium-high heat and bring the water to 160°F. Adjust the heat to maintain that temperature until the sausage reaches an internal temperature of 150°F on a meat thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the water and immerse in a large bowl of ice water until the sausage is cool.

  Cut between the links and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 1 month. You can grill or pan-sear this sausage whole, but I like to slice it into coins and sear the coins in a little oil in a hot pan.

  BEVERAGE—Anselmi, San Vincenzo 2008 (Veneto): From the Soave region of the Veneto, this Garganega/Chardonnay blend exhibits some weight on the palate, and the intensity of its citrus, pear, and hazelnut aromas picks up on the coriander and garlic in the sausage.

  Soppressata CALABRESE

  This is one of my favorites. Years ago, when I started making dry-cured salami, Calabrese was the first. For me, it is the perfect combination of salt and spice. It’s kind of like pepperoni, but sooo much better. If you like it really spicy, up the amount of red pepper flakes and black pepper.

  MAKES ABOUT 3½ POUNDS (ABOUT TWO 12-INCH-LONG SALAMI)

  4 pounds (2 kg) boneless pork butt (shoulder), cubed

  1 pound (500 g) pork fatback, cubed

  1 small clove garlic (2.5 g), smashed

  ¼ cup plus 4 teaspoons (75 g) dry red wine

  ½ cup plus 1½ teaspoons (70 g) kosher salt

  5¼ teaspoons (12.5 g) dextrose powder, or 4 teaspoons (10.5 g) superfine sugar

  2 teaspoons (4 g) red pepper flakes

  1 teaspoon (6 g) curing salt No. 2

  1 teaspoon (3.5 g) cracked black pepper

  ½ teaspoon (1.5 g) ground white pepper

  Beef middles, soaked in cold water for 1 hour, then rinsed inside and out

  Freeze the pork and fatback in a single layer on a baking sheet until firm but not solid, about 1 hour. At the same time, freeze all the parts to a meat grinder.

  Soak the garlic in the wine for 30 minutes, then discard the garlic and keep the wine.

  Fit the meat grinder with the large die, then scatter the kosher salt, dextrose, red pepper flakes, curing salt, black pepper, and white pepper over the cold meat and fat. Put on plastic gloves, then stick your hands in a large bowl of ice until very cold, almost painful. Place the bowl of a stand mixer in the large bowl of ice. Mix together the meat and seasonings with your hands, then set the grinder on high speed. Grind the meat, fat, and seasonings into the mixer bowl. Dump the mixture back onto the baking sheet and grind it a second time.

  Pour the wine over the meat, then set the bowl in the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until the mixture is sticky, like wet bread dough, about 2 minutes.

  Cut the beef middles to 1½-foot lengths and tie one end tightly with butcher’s string. Attach a large sausage stuffer tube to the food grinder. Grease the stuffer tube with some of the meat mixture. The next step of stuffing the sausage is much easier with two people: if you can, have one person feed in the meat and the other person handle the casing as it fills up. Feed some of the meat mixture into the feed tube on high speed until it just starts to poke out the end of the sausage stuffer. Turn off the machine. Slip the open end of a beef middle (casing) onto the stuffer all the way to the end, like putting a sock on your foot. Put pressure on the end of the casing so it’s gently pressed against the stuffer. Turn the machine to high speed and feed in the meat. Keep gentle pressure on the casing so the meat packs into the middle of the casing as tightly as possible. You want no air in there. As the meat gets stuffed into the casing, the meat should surround at least 1 inch of the end of the stuffer tube to prevent air from getting into the sausage. Constantly check the sausage for air bubbles, working them out the open end of the casing as necessary. Continue stuffing the meat into the casing until you have a firm sausage about 1 foot long.

  Remove the stuffed casing from the stuffer, grab the open end, and squeeze it down tightly against the meat to pack it firmly. Twist the open end several times against the meat until the sausage is firm and sealed. Tie off the twisted end with butcher’s string, leaving enough extra string for hanging. Repeat with more tied beef middles until the meat mixture is used up.

  Ferment the sausage in a warm (80°F to 90°F), dark place with 100 percent humidity for 36 hours. See Fermentation for options on setting up the fermentation environment.

  After fermentation, hang the sausage in a cool (50°F to 55°F), dark place with some air circulation and 75 percent humidity until the salami feels firm yet slightly pliable, usually 6 to 8 weeks (see Equipment and Doneness). Check the salami every couple of days. It should feel a little tacky on the surface and lose 25 to 30 percent of its weight. Some white mold is okay. A thick covering of mold usually means the humidity is too high. If the casing becomes hard and brittle, the humidity is too low.

  Remove and store in the refrigerator for several months.

  BEVERAGE—Librandi, Ciro Rosato 2008 (Calabria): Soppressata is rich, salty, and supremely satisfying. The wild berry, date, and spice aromas of this fresh rosato—as well as its solid acidity—act as the perfect foil.

  So Young and So Good

  If you want to be inspired by salumi, go to Italy. You can get mortadella the size of tree trunks in one city and tender, young sausages no more than three days old in another. When I went back to visit fr
iends in Bergamo in 2008, we ate at La Brughiera in Villa d’Almè. They served a soppressata made in the traditional way, but instead of aging it until it was firm, they served it after only three days. It was so soft, you could spread it with a butter knife. The bread on the side of the plate was there for just that purpose. It was the most flavorful sausage I have ever tasted. This soft, young dry-cured sausage opened my eyes to so many new things about sausage making. When I got home, I immediately cut into my dry-cured sausages to see how they would taste. They were a little more aged than three days, but one bite told me that I would be serving sausages in new ways from there on out.

  Fennel Salami

  Fennel SALAMI

  I like my salami very young. I only age them for about six weeks. But you could age them even less. Do an experiment: when you make dry-cured salami, cut into one of them after a week and taste it. Wait another week, then cut into another one. The next week, another one. It can be very satisfying to watch and taste how the salami changes as it ages. Maybe you’ll find out that you prefer your salami after eight weeks of curing, and that’s fine.

  MAKES ABOUT 3½ POUNDS (ABOUT EIGHT 12-INCH-LONG SALAMI)

  4 pounds (1.8 kg) boneless pork butt (shoulder), cubed

  1 pound (500 g) pork fatback, cubed

  2 cloves garlic (7.5 g), smashed

  ¼ cup plus 4 teaspoons (75 g) red wine

  ½ cup plus 1½ teaspoons (70 g) kosher salt

  5¼ teaspoons (12.5 g) dextrose powder, or 4 teaspoons (10.5 g) superfine sugar

  ½ teaspoon (1.5 g) cracked pepper

  2 teaspoons (5.5 g) fennel seeds

  1 teaspoon (6 g) curing salt No. 2

  Beef middles, soaked in cold water for 1 hour, then rinsed inside and out

  Freeze the pork and fatback in a single layer on a baking sheet until firm but not solid, about 1 hour. At the same time, freeze all the parts to a meat grinder. Soak the garlic in the wine for 30 minutes, then discard the garlic and keep the wine.