Eating Italy: A Chef's Culinary Adventure (40 page)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup (62 g)
tipo
00 flour (see
page 277
) or all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons (45 ml) plus ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil, divided

1 pound (450 g) Egg Pasta Dough (
page 282
), rolled into 4 sheets, each about
inch (1.5 mm) thick

4 ounces (1 stick/113 g) unsalted butter

2½ ounces (71 g) Parmesan cheese, grated (¾ cup), divided

Dutch-process cocoa powder, as needed (optional)

Rinse the hare and then remove and discard the innards and excess fat deposits. Remove the hind legs and forelegs by driving your knife straight through the hip and shoulder joints. Snip through the breast bone with kitchen shears, and snip through one side of the ribs near the backbone to remove that side, then cut the hare crosswise into two pieces. You should have seven pieces total. Place the pieces in a large resealable plastic bag or a bowl, along with 1 cup (160 g) of the onion, 1 cup (122 g) of the carrots, 1 cup (101 g) of the celery, and one of the sachets. Add enough wine to cover the pieces, 4 to 5 cups (1 to 1.25 L). Seal or cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Drain the hare, discarding the wine, vegetables, and sachet. Pat the hare pieces dry, season all over with salt and pepper, and then dredge in flour, shaking off the excess. Heat 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the hare in batches if necessary to prevent overcrowding, and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter. Add the remaining 1 cup (160 g) of onion, 1 cup (122 g) of carrots, and 1 cup (101 g) of celery to the pan, and cook until deeply browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the remaining 4 cups (1 L) of wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Return the hare to the pan, and if necessary, add enough water for the liquid to almost cover the hare. Add the remaining sachet and bring to a boil. Cover and braise in the oven until the meat is fall-apart tender, about 2 hours.

Transfer the meat to a cutting board, and when cool enough to handle, pick the meat from the bones, shredding the meat and discarding the skin and bones. Discard the sachet and strain the vegetables, reserving the braising liquid. Pass the vegetables through a food mill or pulse in a food processor to a coarse puree, adding a little braising liquid, if necessary, to get the vegetables to puree. Combine the braising liquid, pureed vegetables, and shredded meat and season with salt and pepper. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week. You will have 5 to 6 cups (1.25 to 1.5 L) of ragù.

Lay a pasta sheet on a lightly floured work surface and trim the edges square. Cut crosswise into strips a little less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide, preferably with a fluted cutter. Repeat with the remaining pasta dough.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta in batches, if necessary, to prevent crowding, and cook until tender yet firm, about a minute.

Meanwhile, heat the butter and remaining ½ cup (120 ml) of oil in a large deep sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in the ragù and 1½ cups (375 ml) of pasta water, and simmer until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the pasta and add to the ragù in batches along with ½ cup (50 g) of the Parmesan, stirring gently until the mixture is creamy. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Divide among plates and garnish with the remaining Parmesan. If you like, you could dust the pasta with a little Dutch-process cocoa powder before garnishing with the Parmesan.

BISTECCA ALLA FIORENTINA
with
BRAISED CORONA BEANS

When my family came to Italy from the United States to visit, I took them to Florence to taste the steak. You order
bistecca alla fiorentina
by the kilo and we ordered six kilos (13 pounds). It came to the table like a giant Brontosaurus steak right out of
The Flintstones.
My family had never seen anything like it—not even my eighty-six-year-old grandmother, who was a butcher during World War II! You can order different sides, such as gigante beans stewed with tomatoes. Here’s my twist using big white corona beans. You could also use sweet white runner beans or even fresh lima beans, if they’re in season.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

1 cup (185 g) dried corona beans, soaked in water to cover overnight

½ medium-size yellow onion, finely chopped (½ cup/80 g)

1 medium-size rib celery, finely chopped (½ cup/51 g)

1 medium-size carrot, finely chopped (½ cup/61 g)

2 ounces (57 g) pancetta, finely chopped

1 sachet of 1 sprig parsley, 1 sprig rosemary, 2 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf and 5 black peppercorns (see
page 277
)

Coarse salt and cracked black pepper

1 bone-in porterhouse steak, 2 pounds (1 kg) and 2 inches (5 cm) thick

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil, plus more as needed

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound (450 g) mustard greens, washed, trimmed, and coarsely chopped

1 cup (240 g) canned plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, cored and crushed by hand

½ cup (120 ml) Veal Stock (
page 279
)

3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter

Drain the soaked beans and combine with the onion, celery, carrot, pancetta, and sachet in a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover the ingredients by 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bring to a boil over high heat and then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the beans are tender, about 1 hour. Season generously with salt and pepper, then let the beans cool down in the liquid. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Heat a grill, preferably with wood, to high heat. Let the steak stand at room temperature for 20 minutes to take the chill off. Brush the grill grate with a little oil. Grill the steak until deeply grill-marked, 5 to 6 minutes. Rotate it 90 degrees to create crosshatch marks, grilling another 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and grill the other side for 5 minutes, then rotate it 90 degrees and move it to a cooler part of the grill or lower the heat to medium and cook until the steak is rare to medium-rare (115° to 125°F/46 to 52°C internal temperature), another 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and season with coarse salt and cracked black pepper. Let the steak rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, and cook until golden but not burned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mustard greens, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the greens release their liquid, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and veal stock, cover, and cook until the greens are tender, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the beans and solids from their cooking liquid to the pan of greens (remove and discard the sachet). Add the butter, and cook until the beans and greens are hot and the sauce is a little creamy. Serve with the sliced steak.

CANTUCCI SUNDAE

Claudia and I are suckers for gelato, and when you walk through Florence, gelaterie are everywhere. Here’s my secret for spotting the best ones: look for the pistachio flavor. If it looks neon green in the case, go to the next gelateria because they probably use artificial colorings and flavorings in their gelato. But if the pistachio gelato looks pale green in color, you know they’re using the highest-quality pistachios or pistachio puree instead of artificial flavoring and coloring. One day, I had the idea of crushing up some of Tuscany’s famous cantucci cookies and adding them to gelato. It’s something I’d never seen in any gelateria but it made perfect sense. I served the sundae in a cup with almonds in vin santo syrup and more cookies on the side. It’s a twist on the classic Tuscan dessert of cantucci served with vin santo for dipping.

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

Vin Santo Almonds:

2½ tablespoons (37 ml) glucose syrup or light corn syrup

½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (140 ml) vin santo, divided

¾ cup (107 g) whole skinless almonds, toasted

Cantucci:

2¾ cups (345 g)
tipo
00 flour (see
page 277
) or all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon (3.5 g) baking powder

2½ tablespoons (25 g) coarse yellow cornmeal (polenta)

1¼ teaspoons (7.5 g) sea salt

4 ounces (1 stick/113 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (225 g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon (15 ml) grappa or brandy

¾ cup (107 g) whole skinless almonds, toasted

To Serve:

6 cups (1.5 L) Cantucci Gelato (
page 286
)

For the vin santo almonds:
Combine the glucose syrup, sugar, ½ cup (120 ml) of the vin santo, and ½ cup (120 ml) of water in a medium saucepan. Boil over high heat until the mixture reaches 220°F (104°C) on a candy thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes. Put the almonds in a heatproof bowl and pour the sugar mixture over the top. Let cool slightly and then pour on the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vin santo. Cover and let soak in the refrigerator overnight or up to 3 days.

For the cantucci:
Sift together the flour, baking powder, polenta, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside. Cream the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between additions until completely incorporated. Mix in the grappa. Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients on low speed until a moist batter forms, and then stir in the cooled toasted almonds.

Roll the dough on a lightly floured work surface into logs about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter and 12 inches (30 cm) long. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until cold and firm, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the logs on baking sheets until lightly browned on the edges and firm to the touch, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the logs cool until barely warm. Slice the logs crosswise on a steep diagonal into ½-inch (1.25-cm)-thick cookies and lay the cookies flat on the baking sheets. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C) and return the cookies to the oven to bake until they are dry, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

To serve:
Put a scoop of gelato in each of six to eight ice-cream or coffee cups. Spoon on a generous amount of vin santo almonds and their syrup. Serve one or two whole cantucci with each cup.

STRAWBERRY ZUPPA INGLESE
with
MASCARPONE CAKE

Although its name translates to “English soup,”
zuppa inglese
is a classic Italian dessert. It’s like an English trifle, with layers of cake, jam, and sweet custard. You can use almost any combination of flavors you like. My favorite is a mascarpone cake layered with strawberry jam and vanilla custard. It’s the first thing I think of when fresh strawberries start popping up in May. You could layer the dessert in a big glass bowl, but I like to do it in individual half-pint mason jars.

MAKES ABOUT 8 SERVINGS

Zuppa:

4¼ cups (1060 ml) whole milk

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

10 large egg yolks

1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar

½ cup (62 g)
tipo
00 flour (see
page 277
) or all-purpose flour

2½ cups (625 ml) heavy cream

Mascarpone Cake:

6 ounces (1½ sticks/170 g) unsalted butter, softened, plus some for greasing pans

1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar

12 ounces (350 g) mascarpone

3 large eggs

1½ cups (205 g) pastry flour

2½ teaspoons (11.5 g) baking powder

1 teaspoon (6 g) salt

Strawberry Marmalade:

2 pounds (1 kg) strawberries

½ cup (120 ml) glucose syrup or light corn syrup

1⅓ cups plus ½ cup (370 g) granulated sugar, divided

1 tablespoon (14 g) powdered pectin

For the zuppa:
Bring the milk and vanilla to a boil in a medium saucepan. Meanwhile, whip the egg yolks, sugar, and flour in a stand mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy and pale, 2 to 3 minutes. Temper the eggs by gradually stirring in ½ cup (120 ml) of the milk mixture, then another ½ cup (120 ml). Scrape the egg mixture into the saucepan, and cook over medium heat until thickened, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and let cool. Whip the cream on medium-high speed until the beaters leave soft peaks when they are lifted, 2 to 3 minutes. When the zuppa is completely cool, fold in the whipped cream. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.