Rustic Italian Food Read online

  PREP AHEAD

  The pasta dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days or sealed in a ziplock freezer bag and frozen for up to 3 weeks. Bring the dough to room temperature before rolling and cutting. If you want to store it after rolling, sprinkle the cut or shaped rolled pasta with a little flour and freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. That’s usually what I do, then I take it right from the freezer to the pasta water.

  Fettuccine WITH PORK RAGÙ AND STONE FRUITS

  There is a lot of truth in the quote “Pork chops and applesauce—ain’t that swell!” (Peter Brady of The Brady Bunch, imitating Humphrey Bogart). Pork marries well with other fruits too, especially plums, peaches, cherries, apricots, and nectarines. Try this dish in the late summer or early fall when peaches and plums are at peak flavor in the market. You won’t be disappointed.

  MAKES 6 SERVINGS

  PORK RAGÙ

  2 pounds boneless pork butt (shoulder), cut into 1-inch chunks

  8 ounces pork fatback, cut into 1-inch chunks

  ½ teaspoon sugar

  2 teaspoons kosher salt

  1 teaspoon ground pepper

  1 clove garlic, minced

  1 onion, finely chopped

  ½ carrot, peeled and finely chopped

  1 rib celery, finely chopped

  4 canned San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand

  ¾ cup dry white wine

  3 cups water

  1 piece Parmesan rind

  1 pound fresh Fettuccine, or 14 ounces boxed dried fettuccine

  2 plums or peeled peaches, pitted and cut into ¼-inch chunks

  2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus a little for garnish

  2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus some for garnish

  For the ragù: Spread the pork and fatback in a single layer on a baking sheet or another shallow pan that will fit into your freezer. Freeze until firm but not solid, about 1 hour. Freeze all the parts to the meat grinder, too. Grind the cold meat and fat using a meat grinder fitted with a large die. If you don’t have a meat grinder, you can chop the mixture in small batches in a food processor using 4-second pulses. Try not to chop it too finely; you don’t want meat puree. Stir in the sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic until very well mixed. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

  Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground meat mixture and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.

  Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until barely tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they start to break down, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the wine. Simmer until the alcohol aroma begins to fade, about 5 minutes. Add the water and Parmesan rind and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the sauce has a light, creamy consistency, about 1 hour. Remove the Parmesan rind. Makes about 4 cups.

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the fettuccine, quickly return to a boil, and cook the pasta until tender yet firm, about 4 minutes (9 minutes for the boxed stuff). Drain the pasta, reserving the pasta water.

  Meanwhile, heat the ragù in a large deep sauté pan over medium heat until simmering. Add a ladle of pasta water and the fruit. Simmer until creamy, 3 to 5 minutes.

  Add the drained fettuccine to the sauce along with the butter, ¼ cup Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Toss. If the sauce gets too thick, add more pasta water.

  Divide among warm pasta bowls and garnish with Parmesan and parsley.

  PREP AHEAD

  The ragù can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat it in a large deep sauté pan before adding the pasta.

  BEVERAGE—Argiolas Cannonau 2008 “Costera” (Sardegna): Here’s a pairing that mimics the key dynamic in the dish itself: a distinct fruit component supported by a savory backbone.

  Opposites Attract

  When making food and beverage pairings, one approach I use is to highlight the opposites. If you like an overall balance, rather than pushing the extremes to the limits, you will most likely enjoy this approach. Let’s say you are having a hot pastrami sandwich. The dominant flavors here are salt and pepper. To tame the extremes, try drinking a Bierre de Miel, a honeyed beer with a sweet, cool finish that balances out the briny salt and sharp pepper of the pastrami. Another example is the Bucatini alla Matriciana. As I mention in the notes, the chile in the dish calls for something with low alcohol and lush fruit like a Montepulciano wine. I recently had a chocolate bar with chile flakes in it and it gave me the same experience I had when I tasted the plush fruity Montepulciano with the peppery sauce on the bucatini. The opposite flavors played off each other perfectly. The Escarole Ravioli with Pine Nuts and Honey illustrates the point even more. The escarole is bitter and the honey sauce is sweet—a great contrast on its own. But when you add some acidity in the wine, as with a crisp, tart Pinot Grigio, the three contrasting flavors make an even stronger statement.

  Goat Cheese and Beet Plin with Tarragon

  Goat Cheese and Beet Plin WITH TARRAGON

  When I opened Osteria in 2007, we started a garden the first year. We planted a few simple things, like lettuces, tomatoes, and beets. Everything came up, but the beets were outstanding and so plentiful that we had to use them in everything. One of the first things I experimented with was ravioli filling. I had just gotten some young goat cheese from our main farmer, Glenn Brendle, and with the beets, it was a match made in heaven. The filling has a gorgeous deep pink color offset by the sheer yellow of the egg yolk pasta. In Piemontese dialect, plin means “pinch,” and to make this particular pasta, you pinch between each ball of filling to make small pillows. Plin are usually stuffed with meat, but I like to switch things up and use a colorful vegetable filling here.

  MAKES 8 SERVINGS

  BEET FILLING

  1 large red beet (6 to 8 ounces), scrubbed

  ¼ cup fresh white goat cheese

  1 small egg, lightly beaten (2½ tablespoons)

  1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  Salt and freshly ground pepper

  1 pound Basic Egg Pasta Dough, rolled into sheets

  ⅓ cup fresh tarragon leaves, coarsely chopped, plus some whole leaves for garnish

  ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into 8 equal pieces

  ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  Freshly ground pepper (optional)

  For the filling: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Wrap the beet in heavy-duty aluminum foil, place in a shallow pan, and roast until fork-tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove and let cool enough to handle. Peel the beet, cut it into small chunks, and puree along with the goat cheese, egg, and Parmesan in a food processor or with a handheld immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste and spoon the filling into a pastry bag or ziplock plastic bag with one corner cut to make a small piping hole.

  Lay a pasta sheet on a lightly floured work surface, one long side parallel to the edge of the counter. Trim the short sides so the edges are straight. Cut the dough in half lengthwise, preferably with a fluted pasta cutting wheel, to make 2 long sheets. Lightly mist the dough with water.

  Pipe teaspoon-size rounds of filling along the bottom half of each pasta sheet, right along the bottom edge, leaving ¾ inch between the rounds.

  Pick up the dough beneath the filling on the long side of the pasta sheet and fold the pasta and the filling over, working your way down the pasta sheet so the entire bottom edge of the pasta and the filling is folded over once (see the photos at the beginning of the recipe). Repeat, folding the entire bottom edge of the pasta and the filling over once more. You should be left with one long strip of naked pasta above the folded part. Using both hands, gently pinch your fingertips and thumb together on the pasta between each round of filling to create a pillow of filling that stands a bit more upright. Use the pasta wheel or a knife to
trim the entire length of excess pasta to within ½ inch of the pillows. Cut between each pillow to create individual pastas, being careful to leave an even, sealed edge on each side. Repeat with the remaining pasta dough and filling. Toss with a little flour and set aside. Makes about 48.

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the plin, quickly return to a boil, and cook until tender yet firm, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving the pasta water.

  Just before the pasta is done, ladle 1 cup pasta water into a large sauté pan. Add the chopped tarragon and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the butter, one piece at a time, whisking until melted before adding the next piece. Continue until the butter is incorporated and the sauce is creamy.

  Slide the drained plin into the warm sauce. Toss gently until the sauce is creamy, adding more pasta water as needed.

  Divide among warm pasta bowls and garnish with Parmesan and tarragon. Add a few grindings of black pepper if you like.

  PREP AHEAD

  The plin can be assembled, tossed with flour, and frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 days before cooking. Take the plin right from the freezer to the pasta water.

  BEVERAGE—Coppo, Chardonnay 2008 “Costebianche” (Piedmont): On the whole, piemontese Chardonnay is cleaner and crisper than this rounder version from Coppo, which has enough richness to play off the sweetness of the beets. But it also gives a nod to the region’s stylistic preference with a dose of acidity and minerality on the finish, bringing balance to the wine and complementing the tanginess of the goat cheese.

  Robiola Francobolli WITH CHANTERELLE MUSHROOMS AND THYME

  You don’t see too much robiola cheese in America. But you should. It’s like an Italian version of cream cheese, but lighter and much more flavorful. Oselli is the best brand of robiola I’ve found, and it works in tons of preparations, but it’s best as a ravioli filling. It’s so creamy and so good. It makes the perfect backdrop for a sauce of woodsy chanterelle mushrooms. If you can’t find robiola, try mascarpone. And if you’re wondering, francobolli means “postage stamps,” which is exactly how these small ravioli look when you cut them with a fluted pasta wheel.

  MAKES ABOUT 6 SERVINGS

  ROBIOLA FILLING

  ½ cup robiola cheese

  ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  2 tablespoons lightly beaten egg

  Salt and freshly ground pepper

  1 pound Basic Egg Pasta Dough, rolled into sheets

  8 tablespoons unsalted butter

  3 ounces chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and sliced

  4 sprigs thyme, tied together, plus thyme leaves for garnish

  ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  For the filling: Mix the cheeses and egg until smooth, then season with salt and pepper.

  Lay a pasta sheet on a lightly floured work surface and dust with flour. Trim the ends to make them square, then fold the dough in half lengthwise and make a small notch at the center to mark it. Open the sheet so it lies flat again and spritz with water. Beginning at the left-hand side, place 2 rows of ⅛-teaspoon-size balls of filling the length of the pasta, leaving a ½-inch margin around each ball and stopping at the center of the sheet. Lift up the right-hand side of the pasta sheet and fold it over to cover the balls of filling. Gently press the pasta around each ball of filling to seal. With a knife or fluted pasta wheel, cut into 1-inch squares, trimming off any excess. Repeat with the remaining pasta dough and filling. Makes about 46.

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the francobolli, return to a boil, and cook until tender yet firm, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving the water.

  Meanwhile, melt ¼ cup of the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and thyme sprigs and sauté until the mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes. Ladle 1½ cups of pasta water into the pan and boil over medium-high heat until the sauce is creamy. Stir in the remaining ½ cup butter and remove the thyme.

  Slide the drained francobolli into the warm sauce. Toss gently until the sauce is creamy, adding more pasta water as needed.

  Divide among warm pasta bowls and garnish with Parmesan and thyme leaves.

  PREP AHEAD

  The francobolli can be assembled, tossed with flour, and frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 days before cooking. Take them right from the freezer to the pasta water.

  BEVERAGE—Monzio Compagnoni, Curtefranca Rosso 2005 (Lombardia): The wine (a unique blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Barbera, and Nebbiolo) gives off a distinct mushroom aroma to resonate with the chanterelles.

  Mortadella Tortelli WITH PISTACHIO PESTO

  Can you tell that I love mortadella? It shows up in a lot of my stuffings, stocks, pizza toppings, and fish and meat dishes. I make spreads out of it. I eat it with bread. I started to make mortadella myself a couple years ago. With a little ricotta and egg, mortadella can stand on its own as a ravioli filling. Definitely one of my favorites.

  MAKES ABOUT 6 SERVINGS

  MORTADELLA FILLING

  6 ounces Lamb Mortadella or purchased pork mortadella, finely chopped

  ¼ cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

  1 egg

  Salt and freshly ground pepper

  8 ounces Basic Egg Pasta Dough, rolled into sheets

  2½ cups Pistachio Pesto

  ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  For the filling: Put the mortadella, ricotta, and egg in a food processor and puree until smooth and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Season with salt and pepper.

  Lay a pasta sheet on a lightly floured work surface, one long side parallel to the edge of the counter. Trim the sides and ends so they are straight, then cut the pasta into 3-inch squares. Spritz lightly with water to keep it from drying out.

  Put teaspoon-size spoonfuls of filling on each square, then bring the opposite corners together over the filling to make a triangle. Press gently on the edges to seal. Makes about 36.

  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the tortelli, quickly return to a boil, and cook until tender yet firm, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving the pasta water.

  Just before the pasta is done, ladle 3 cups of the pasta water into a large sauté pan. Add the pesto and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the sauce is creamy, about 2 minutes.

  Slide the drained tortelli into the warm sauce. Toss gently until the sauce is creamy, adding more pasta water as needed.

  Divide among warm pasta bowls and garnish with the Parmesan.

  PREP AHEAD

  The tortelli can be assembled, tossed with flour, and frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 days before cooking. take the tortelli right from the freezer to the pasta water.

  BEVERAGE—Matjaz Cetrtic, Ferdinand, Ribolla Gialla 2008 (Brda, Slovenia): Although this is technically not Italian, it feels too right to pass up. Ribolla is a grape typically found only in the northernmost corner of Italy and across the border into Slovenia. It makes a fantastic pairing with the pistachio-studded lamb in this pasta stuffing.

  Caramelle di Zucca Ravioli WITH AMARETTI

  Mostarda, the Italian preserves of fruit in mustard syrup, usually make their way to the table as a condiments served with salumi. But here they give ravioli filling just the right kick, balancing out the sweetness of crushed amaretti cookies. This particular pasta is classic Italian. With the amber-colored squash filling and the pasta twisted around it on either side, the ravioli ends up looking like a caramel candy wrapped in tan waxed paper.

  MAKES 6 SERVINGS

  SQUASH FILLING

  1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  ½ onion, finely chopped

  ½ clove garlic, minced

  1 butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled, seeded, and chopped

  3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  2 tablespoons lightly beaten egg

  2 tablespoons ground amaretti cookies

  1 tablespoon Squash Mostarda


  1 drop essential oil of mustard, or 1 teaspoon mustard powder or pure mustard oil

  Grating of nutmeg

  Salt and freshly ground pepper

  1 pound Basic Egg Pasta Dough, rolled into sheets

  6 tablespoons unsalted butter

  6 to 8 fresh sage leaves, plus a few beautiful leaves for garnish

  2 tablespoons ground amaretti cookies

  3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  For the squash filling: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and squash, cover, and cook until the squash is soft, about 15 minutes, stirring now and then. Let cool until barely warm. Transfer to a food processor along with the Parmesan, egg, amaretti, mostarda, oil of mustard, and nutmeg. Puree using 5-second pulses, scraping down the bowl as needed, until the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and spoon the filling into a pastry bag or ziplock plastic bag with one corner cut to make a small piping hole. Makes about 2 cups.

  Lay a pasta sheet on a lightly floured work surface, one long side parallel to the edge of the counter. Trim the short ends so the edges are square. Lightly mist the dough with water.

  Pipe teaspoon-size rounds of filling in a single row down the length of the pasta right in the center of the sheet, leaving a 2-inch margin around each round of filling.

  Pick up the top half of the dough and fold it over the filling so the top and bottom sides of the pasta meet. Using both hands, gently press down the dough around each ball of filling to enclose the filling. Using a 2½-inch round cutter, cut out individual pastas; each will be shaped like a three-quarter moon. Fold each three-quarter moon up on the curved edge of the pasta so that the filling rests in the center with a “wing” of dough on either side of the filling. To shape the caramelle-like candies with twisted wrappers, pick up each filled pasta, holding it with the fingers of each hand, and lightly twist the “wings” of dough in opposite directions around the filling. Repeat with the remaining pasta. Toss with a little flour and set aside. Makes about 36.