Mediterranean Summer (33 page)

Panzanella

MAKES 6 FIRST-COURSE OR LUNCH SERVINGS

This Tuscan classic is great as a first course by itself or as a side dish with roasted or grilled meats and fowl. It will become a regular in your stable of go-to recipes, especially in summer, with aromatic sun-ripened tomatoes. Use day-old good-quality bread so it’s easier to work with and doesn’t get too spongy when tossed in the vinaigrette. Great for picnics too.

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese, plus a little more for garnish if desired

6 cups day-old Italian bread, crusts removed, cut into ¾-inch cubes

1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

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teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon anchovy paste (mashed from about 1 anchovy fillet)

½ teaspoon dried oregano

2 pounds ripe but not soft tomatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups)

2 cups arugula or chopped dandelion greens

½ cup thinly sliced celery heart

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cup very thinly sliced red onion

½ cup torn fresh basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Blend 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with the cheese in a large mixing bowl. Coat the bread in this mixture, then spread it out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Keep the bowl for making the dressing in the next step. Bake the croutons until lightly golden, 10 to 12 minutes, tossing from time to time to cook all sides. The bread should be lightly crispy on the outside but still soft on the inside. Set aside to cool.

Make the dressing. Combine the vinegar, salt, pepper, anchovy paste, and oregano. Whisk in the remaining olive oil in a steady stream.

Toss the tomatoes and croutons in the dressing so that the bread absorbs the residual tomato juice and the dressing. Add the arugula, celery, onion, and basil. Toss gently to coat these ingredients, but don’t let them get too wilted. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and an extra splash of vinegar if necessary.

Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. A little extra grated cheese isn’t a bad thing either. Serve
subito
(immediately)!

Entertaining Note:
This salad can be made up to 3 hours before serving. Layer but do not mix the tomatoes, then the bread, arugula, celery, onion, and basil. Cover with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated. Take out 30 minutes before serving and then toss with the dressing. Adjust the seasoning as necessary.

Wine Recommendation:
A coastal Tuscan white from the Bolgheri region, Grattamacco Bianco, or Tenuta Belvedere

Romano’s Warm Shrimp and White Beans

Gamberi e Fagioli con Pomodori e Basilico

MAKES 8 FIRST-COURSE OR LUNCH SERVINGS

This coastal Tuscan antipasto makes a regular appearance during the parade of antipasti at Ristorante Romano in Viareggio. The beans are warm and creamy. The shrimp are cooked in broth just before serving. Sun-ripened tomatoes are perfumed with fresh basil and a great olive oil. When the layers of this dish all come together, this is optimal summer fare and perfect for entertaining once the base components are prepared. Cannellini beans are the most traditional, but other varieties like White Runner or Great Northern will do just fine. Cooking times, as with all beans, will vary, and this will also be a result of their freshness, but plan on up to 3 hours. The rest of the prep work can be done while they are cooking. Or the beans can be cooked a day ahead and will actually benefit from sitting overnight in their flavorful broth.

2¼ cups (about 1 pound) dried white cannellini beans

1 medium yellow onion, roots trimmed but bottom still attached so the layers stay together, halved lengthwise

4 garlic cloves

2 Turkish bay leaves

4½ teaspoons fine sea salt

2 large strips lemon zest

¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

1½ pounds large (16–20 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined but shells reserved

2 large (about 1¼ pounds) tomatoes, ripe but not too soft, seeded and cut into
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-inch dice

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ cup lightly packed torn fresh basil leaves

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 or 4 scallions

To cook the beans, cover with cold water by 2 to 3 inches in a medium saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat, cover the pot, and let rest for 1 hour. Strain and rinse the beans, place back in the pot, then add enough cold water to cover by 2 to 3 inches, half the onion, 3 of the garlic cloves, and 1 bay leaf. Bring the water to a very slow boil—a little more than a simmer—and cook for 1½ to 2 hours, adding 2 teaspoons of salt after 1 hour. (If added too soon, the salt will toughen the beans.) Cook until the beans are tender—soft and creamy but not falling apart—if you’re going to serve the dish right away, in which case keep the beans warm over very low heat. If you’re making the beans a day ahead, cook them until tender but not soft, since they will continue to cook while they cool and also when reheated later, and then cool them in the water. Do not strain or remove them from the liquid while hot or their outer skin will peel. Also, the cooking liquid has a lot of flavor that will only make them better the longer they are in it. When cool, cover and refrigerate.

While the beans are cooking, prepare the shrimp broth. Boil 6 cups of water with the remaining onion, garlic clove, and bay leaf, the lemon zest, hot pepper, and 2 teaspoons of salt for a few minutes. Add the shrimp shells and boil slowly for 10 minutes. Pour the broth through a strainer into a bowl and then pour the broth back into the original pot.

If necessary, add a little more water to the beans so they are completely immersed in liquid. Gently stir from time to time and season with salt if necessary. Keep the liquid from boiling so as not to break or overcook the beans. At this point they should have a creamy texture. Bring the shrimp broth to a steady boil.

Blend the tomatoes with the olive oil, basil, and pepper. Set aside. Thinly slice the scallions, including a few inches of the greens.

Working with half the shrimp at a time, simmer them in the broth until opaque and slightly firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet.

With a slotted spoon, place the beans on a warm serving platter or individual plates. It’s fine if some of the flavorful liquid comes with them as you remove from the pot. Place the shrimp on the beans, arranging in a single layer of 3 or 4 per serving. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt to the tomatoes, then spoon them with the residual oil over the shrimp. Sprinkle the top with the scallions. Serve immediately.

Wine Recommendation:
A Tuscan white Vermentino from Cima or a Montecarlo Bianco by Fattoria del Buonamico

Grilled Tuna Panini

Panini di Tonno alla Griglia

MAKES 8 SANDWICHES

This is a version of a common sandwich found in cafés and snack bars all along the French coast called
pan bagnat,
typically made with canned tuna. Using a grilled piece of tuna takes it to another level. Have your fishmonger cut thin slices from a piece of center-cut loin. Instead of a gas or charcoal grill, you can also make this by using a grill pan on a stove. Either way, make a couple extra; they may leave you wanting more!

½ cup black olive paste (tapenade)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Eight 4-ounce slices fresh tuna

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

8 rolls large enough to hold the slices of tuna or 16 thick slices country bread like Italian or a French
bâtard

8 leaves Bibb lettuce

1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced crosswise

1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced crosswise

1 large tomato, cut into 8 thin slices

4 hard-cooked eggs, sliced

Preheat a grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat. Blend the olive paste with the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Set aside.

Season the tuna on both sides with salt and pepper and coat with the remaining olive oil. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once halfway through the cooking. Transfer to a baking sheet.

Cut the rolls or divide the bread to make sandwiches. Spread the inside surface of each piece with the olive paste. On the bottom slice of bread or roll, place a piece of tuna and add a lettuce leaf, a few slices of red and green bell pepper, and a slice of tomato. Season with salt and pepper. Add a few slices of egg to each sandwich. Cover with the top of the roll and gently press on the sandwich with just enough pressure to blend the ingredients and let any residual liquid get absorbed by the bread.

Chef’s Tip:
You can also use good-quality tuna in olive oil right out of the can or jar. It’s fine and actually true to the original.

Wine Recommendation:
A white from Piedmont, Roero Arneis from Bruno Giacosa, or a red Dolcetto d’Alba from Aldo Conterno

Mozzarella in a Carriage, sort of

Mozzarella in Carrozza

MAKES 8 SANDWICHES

Attenzione!
These are very addictive. Grilled cheese meets French toast in this hot, savory sandwich perfect for lunch, as an appetizer, or cut into small pieces for a snack. With this version of the Neapolitan classic, you build the sandwich on the griddle. This seems odd at first, but what you end up with is a lighter version of the original—and cleaner hands. The melted cheese and a little adornment of tomato, basil, or other savories inside will be enveloped in a “carriage” of the griddled and baked bread that is coated in a Parmesan-laden egg crust.

6 large eggs

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

16 slices white bread, crusts removed

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 ounces whole-milk mozzarella, cut into 16 thin slices

1 large tomato, cut into 8 thin slices

16 fresh basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 275°F. Preheat a griddle or cast-iron pan over medium-low heat.

Whisk the eggs with ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm water. Add the Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a baking dish large enough to hold 4 pieces of bread. Only one side of the bread will be coated. Working with 4 slices of bread at a time, place them in the egg mixture. Let rest for 10 seconds or so.