I don’t really watch a lot of television, but one series I’m
hooked on is Killing Eve. If you haven’t seen it, I won’t spoil anything, but I
can safely tell you that it’s not a cooking show. Despite that, a recent
episode set in Rome inspired this Italian “crema” ice cream video, which isn’t
exceptionally delicious because of what’s in it, but rather what isn’t.
Gelato alla crema is the answer to the question, “What would
vanilla ice cream taste like without any vanilla?” Without any other flavors to
get in the way, all you taste is the sweet goodness of milk, and cream, which I
think is a revelation. Most gelato alla crema recipes say you can add an
optional spoon of vanilla, but I’m not making that same offer, and really think
you should keep this pure “crema.”
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can still produce
a decent version using one of the many alternative methods, or “hacks” as the
kids call them, available online. If you do a web search you’ll see lots of
different approaches, most involving ice, salt, and a few plastic freezer bags.
Here’s one that outlines that process from Instructables; but my favorite is probably the
ice cube tray method from Serious Eats, which is covered in this post. But
regardless of how you make it, I really hope you give this less-is-more, Italian
crema ice cream a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for about 3 1/2 cups of Italian Crema Ice Cream:
"Agrodolce” is a very generic Italian term for any type of sweet
and sour condiment, and while it’s used on all sorts of things, it really
shines, both literally and figuratively, when used for braising chunks of
succulent pork shoulder. This really was a thoroughly enjoyable, soul-warming
dish of comfort food, which is why I was so amused by how much it made me think
of summer cooking.
I’m not sure if Italians “barbecue,” like we do here in the
States, but this sauce very much reminded me of something we’d brush on a rack
of ribs while sipping a cold beer. So, don’t be surprised if you see something
like that happen once the weather warms up. In fact, a little touch of
smokiness was maybe the only thing this dish was lacking, and we could have
taken care of that with a little smoked paprika. Next time.
As I mention in the clip, once the meat is tender, and ready
to serve, you’re going to have to decide whether to skim the fat. I’ll leave
that decision to you and your medical team, but if you do, here are a few tips.
It’s hard to skim rendered fat while it’s still in the baking dish, so I
usually remove the meat, and pour the sauce into a measuring cup, or small
saucepan. That way, we have much less surface area, and it’ll be way easier to
spoon off the top. Also, if you make this ahead of time, and chill it
overnight, the fat will harden, and you can easily remove it from the surface.
Either way, this pork agrodolce is amazing served on rice,
pasta, polenta, or as I teased in the video, a big pile of ricotta mashed
potatoes. In fact, I enjoyed those so much that if, and when, I adapt this
sauce to the summer grill, I’m still going to use that as a side. But, no
matter how you serve it, I really hope you give this it a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 large portions Pork Agrodolce:
3 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3-inch chunks
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
1 or 2 anchovy fillets mashed
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup green onions
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Roast at 325 F. for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until very
tender.
Note: While roasting, you can add a splash of water to the
baking dish if things are drying out, and/or you can cook this covered after
the meat has had time to brown. As long as the pork gets tender, and you’re
left with enough agrodolce sauce to coat the meat, you did it right.
I’ve wanted to make carabaccia ever since I found out it was
the ancient ancestor of French onion soup. Not only is that an interesting
fact, but it’s also a great addition to your dinner party conversation
repertoire, especially where there are French chefs involved.
Okay, now let’s talk cinnamon. The safe play is to not add
any, and live happily ever after. However, in very, very small amounts, it
really does add a mysterious, wonderfully warming background note that you actually
might enjoy. There’s only one way to find out, but please proceed with caution.
Too much will render the soup inedible, and there’s really no way to know what
“too much” is.
As I mentioned in the video, if you want to cut down on the stirring,
you can cook the onions in a roasting pan. Just pop them in a 325 F. oven until
they’re done, stirring a few times along the way. How long exactly is anyone’s
guess, but just like the stove-top method, take your time, and wait until they
are very soft.
So, whether you’re a culinary history buff like me, and want
to taste what French onion soup tasted like 500 years ago, or it’s freezing
outside, and a steaming bowl of something delicious sounds good, or both, I
really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 6 Portions:
4 pounds red onions, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3 sage leaves, plus more for toast
1/4 cup finely ground almonds
very tiny pinch of cinnamon*
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or to taste
5-6 cups beef, chicken, or vegetable broth
freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
For the toast:
3 thick slices Italian bread, halved
dress with olive oil, sage and grated Pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano
cheese
- Toast in a 400 F. oven for 15 minutes or until browned.
* While traditional, many people don’t enjoy the effect
cinnamon has on the sweetness of the soup, so you may want to omit it, or add
an extremely small amount, and then adjust from there. You can also make the
soup without any, and then experiment by adding a trace amount to a small sample
cup, and see what you think.
I’ve wanted to do a video for baked cheeseburger sliders for
a while now, but I’ve also been craving a meatball sub, so long story short,
this is what I ended up with, and they were amazing. Above and beyond some
decent ingredients, the real secret to these beauties is placing the meatball in through the
top of the roll, versus splitting and stuffing in the traditional manner.
I can’t explain exactly why, but there’s something very
special about these, and they really were a lot of fun to eat. Maybe it ‘s the
symmetry, or center of gravity, but they just feel right in your hand. I’m not
sure who invented this technique, but I first saw it on a blog called, Cooking for Keeps, so they get the credit for now.
Like I mention in the video, this easy procedure would lend
itself to all kinds of variations, and I expect to see some great ones shared
on social media soon. We’re getting close to the Super Bowl, and like I said
before, it’s not about who wins the trophy, but rather who wins the snack
table, and if you show up with these, that will be you. So, I really do hope
you give these meatballs-stuffed garlic bread sliders a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 18 Meatball-Stuffed Garlic Bread Sliders:
18 dinner rolls (I used Hawaiian rolls, but will try regular
less-sweet ones next time)
3 tablespoons butter infused with 3 or 4 cloves of crushed
or minced garlic
1 pound grass-fed beef
1 diced yellow onion and a few cloves of garlic sautéed
until soft in olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
1 large egg
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 cup grated fontina cheese, divided (big handful in the
meatball mix, and the rest on top)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper and cayenne to taste
2 cups prepared tomato sauce
freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for the top
Topping a thick-crust pizza with breadcrumbs might sound
like a strange idea, but it really is the secret sauce behind this Sicilian Christmas
Pizza. Well, that and the actual secret sauce. Speaking of secrets, whether you
tell your friends and family that the sauce is made with onions and anchovies
is your business, but if you think that’ll turn them off, then maybe keep it to
yourself, at least until they realize it’s one of the most delicious things
they’ve ever had. Hey, all’s fair in love, war, and pizza.
Besides the crispy, cheesy, crumb topping, and super savory
sauce, the other secret to this amazing pizza is the extremely wet and sticky
dough. You could use a more standard pizza dough for this, but it won’t be the
same experience. One reason we can get away with putting breadcrumbs on the top
is the contrast between that texture, and the feather-light, spongy crust. Besides,
if you use enough oil on your fingers, it’s really not that hard to work with
anyway.
As usual, I’m not claiming any kind of authenticity here, so
I don’t feel bad that I didn’t use casciocavallo, which is the
traditional cheese for this pizza. I ended up using mozzarella, aged provolone,
and pecorino, which I think work very well on this, but having said that, use
whatever melty cheeses you like. The same goes for adding other toppings, but I
can’t imagine anything making this any more amazing that it already is. Either
way, whether it’s for Christmas, or another occasion, I really do hope you give
this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for a 18" X 13" Sheet Pan:
For the dough:
2 cups warm water (105 to 110 F.)
1 package dry active yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, or more as needed to achieve a
very wet, sticky dough
Note: For best results, sauce should be highly seasoned
For the crumb topping:
3/4 cup fine plain dry bread crumbs
1 cup finely grated pecorino cheese
1 tablespoon anchovy oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
For the pizza:
3 ounces grated mozzarella
3 ounces aged provolone cheese
- Bake at 400 F. for about 35 minutes (go as long as you can
without the crumbs on top burning, so that the crust cooks as much as possible) -- For best results, slide cooked pizza on to a cooling rack to prevent the bottom from getting soggy. --- If bottom gets soggy, pizza slices can be reheated in a dry pan, which will crisp up the crust nicely.
I spent a few days in Florence about 30 years ago, and while
I don’t remember much, I do recall a few things that surprised me, with this
Tuscan Fish Stew being the most delicious. I’d had similar stews
before that, but what I found so interesting was how herbs like oregano, sage,
and rosemary, which I considered “meat only” seasonings were also used with
seafood. The other surprises were the partial nudity on TV and in magazines,
but that’s another blog post.
Anyway, it was quite the epiphany, since at the time, being
fresh out of culinary school, I thought parsley, dill, and maybe tarragon were
the only herbs we cooks were allowed to use for fish. Now that seems
ridiculous, but at the time it was pretty heady stuff. Speaking of which, you
do need to be careful, since these more resinous herbs can easily overpower a
delicate dish.
As I said in the video, any tomato product will work in
this, but I really like cherry tomatoes here, since they provide a fragrant
freshness you just won’t get with a can or jar. You do need to strain them
after blending, but the few extra minutes of work will be well worth the
effort.
By the way, I hear that for this to qualify as an official
Italian fish stew you need use at least five different types of seafood, which is
both insane and adorable, but I thought I’d mention it just in case any old-school Tuscans are
coming over. Regardless, I really do hope you give this easy and delicious fish
stew a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 2 large portions:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 sliced green onions
4 cloves sliced garlic
1 anchovy fillet
pinch of red pepper flakes
3 cups cherry tomatoes, blended with 1 cup of clam juice, or
chicken broth
12 ounces halibut or other white fish
1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp or other seafood
salt to taste
2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian herbs (basil, parsley,
oregano, and pinch of rosemary)
It’s very easy, and inexpensive to buy pasta at the store,
which is why people do it so often, maybe too often, but every once in a while,
when you want something specific, making a batch of your own can be fun, and
rewarding. Besides, it’s kind of nice to get compliments for the sauce and noodles
for a change.
By the way, don’t let the lack of a stand mixer with pasta
attachments stop you from making this. For decades, I used a cheap,
hand-cracked machine, which worked just fine. You can also go completely
manual, and roll the dough into thin sheets, which after a little bit of
drying, can be rolled up, and sliced into whatever size noodle you want.
Just be sure to use plenty of semolina, but that does work,
and may produce the most satisfying results, imperfections and all. For the
best texture, be sure to only cook your fresh pasta for just about a minute,
before tossing it in your hot sauce.
If you dry your pasta, like I did with my twistaroni, you’ll
need to give it a few extra minutes, or until it’s just tender, depending on
the exact shape. Either way, fresh or dried, I really do hope you give this a
try soon. Enjoy!
Makes 2 large or 4 small portions Fresh Spinach Pasta:
The last time I remember making sausage was with my Uncle
Billy many years ago, who was doing his famous dried Italian sausage for
Christmas Eve. By the way, I said “making,” but for the record I actually meant mostly
watching. Anyway, this fresh version is inspired by those, and while
we loved how they came out, I’m kicking myself for not saving a few to dry. That’s how Uncle Bill did them, and they’d be fried after
Midnight Mass, and served on bread with roasted red peppers.
They were
incredible, and one of my earliest and most vivid food memories. If you’re
going to make your own sausage on a regular basis, you’ll want to get a little
more professional sausage-making set-up than I suffered through here.
It did the job, but was slow, even after I figured out what
was holding me up. You can also grind meat in a food processor, and there are
plenty of videos out there showing how, but then you’ll have to get a sausage
stuffer. Speaking of videos, I know I said I’d try to find a link to a more detailed
demo using better equipment, but just head over to YouTube and watch literally
any other sausage video. Besides, the actual recipe is the hard part.
For a little nicer flavor, you can toast the fennel seeds in a dry pan
just until you begin to smell them. This goes for any other whole spices you may
want to grind and toss in. Also, if you can manage not to eat them right away,
I think letting them dry for a day or two really deepens the flavor, and firms
up the texture as well. So, with a wink heavenward to Uncle Billy, I'll close by saying, I really do
hope you give these homemade Italian sausages a try soon. Enjoy!
I used to tell my students to never try making classic
desserts “healthier,” since your guests will always compare it to the
unhealthy, and undoubtedly far superior original version.
And yet that’s
exactly what I’ve done with this strawberry semifreddo, although, in fairness,
that happened accidentally while I was trying to make the recipe easier.
Traditionally, we’d make an egg custard for the base, as
well as cook down our strawberry puree to concentrate the flavors; and while
that does produce a fine, and much richer semifreddo, I wanted something
simpler, that didn’t require any cooking. Besides saving time, and eggs, I
think we also get a little cleaner, more distinct berry flavor.
However, the price we pay for those skipped steps, and the
modest amount of sugar, is a less smooth and creamy texture. An extra rich,
classically made semifreddo can be quite similar to ice cream, whereas this
will be much firmer when frozen. That's why you really do need to let these
warm up for at least 10 or 15 minutes before serving.
In the video, I described the texture as something in between
strawberry ice cream and a strawberry popsicle, which reminds me, if you do
have the molds, this mixture would be perfect frozen on a stick. Regardless of
your delivery system, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Makes 10 Ramekins (mine were 5.5 ounces each):
1 pound fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
zest from 1 lemon
2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon aged balsamic vinegar, optional
1 3/4 cups cold heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
I enjoy the taste and texture of a classic cream sauce, but
what I don’t enjoy is that they tend to be very rich, and filling. I mean, come on, I’m
trying to save room for the tiramisu.
However, by using ricotta cheese, and
egg, and some boiling pasta water, we can make a sauce that seems every bit as
creamy, and delicious, but will still allow us to walk away from the table
under our own power.
I added some pesto to mine this time, but that could have
been some sun-dried tomato paste, or roasted chilies, or caramelized mushroom,
or diced-up, leftover grilled veggies, or…you get the idea. The technique is
really the thing to focus on here, and once perfected, you’ll simply be left
trying to figure out what else to add in, or on this lovely sauce.
As I mentioned in the video, I love to top this pasta with
ricotta salata. If you’ve never had it before, it’s worth a try, and not just
for this dish. Ricotta salata is a great summer cheese, since it’s perfect with
things like tomato salads, and grilled peaches, just to name a few. So, keep
that in mind, but in the meantime, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 2 large or 4 small portions:
For the sauce base:
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
zest from 1 lemon
cayenne to taste
about 2/3 cup hot pasta water, plus more if needed
I don’t remember much about the movie, Amadeus, which isn’t
surprising, since I don’t remember that much about the early eighties in
general, but I do recall the famous “Nipples of Venus” scene. At the time, I
wondered if that was actually a real thing, or just something made up for the
movie, but since there was no Internet yet, I never found out.
Fast forward thirty-plus years later, and inspired by a viewer’s
request, I finally learned that these were in fact real, and very delicious,
thanks in part to star of the show, chestnuts. While not a common ingredient,
chestnuts aren’t that hard to find, and worth the effort, since they work really well in this.
If you must, another nut like almond, or hazelnut, should
work about the same, especially when you consider your guest, or guests, will
be fairly distracted by the eye-opening appearance. Speaking of Netflix and
chill, you could show Amadeus after dinner, with these served as a sexy snack during the
viewing. From there, you’re on your own. Regardless of whether you serve these
on Valentine’s Day or not, I still really hope you give them a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for about 24 Nipples of Venus:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
1/3 cup white sugar
6 ounces dark chocolate
14 ounces whole chestnuts
pinch of salt
pinch of cayenne
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup brandy
*8 ounces white chocolate, chopped, divided
1/3 cup powdered sugar
enough milk to make a very thick paste
1 or 2 drops red food coloring
*This is more white chocolate than you need for coating, but that's how this stuff works. Just eat the rest.
The biggest problem with Chicago-style deep dish pizza,
especially for a New Yorker, is that it’s called “pizza.” I’m not sure what
else it could’ve, or should’ve been called, but when you grow eating
thin-crust, and all of a sudden someone hands you a plate of this, with a fork,
and calls it pizza, it’s quite the shock to the system.
Having said that, for the home cook at least, this deep dish
pizza is actually much easier to pull off than your classic thin-crust, which
really benefits from a 700 F. pizza oven. Another advantage is that we don’t
have to worry about too much, or too many toppings, which is usually the fatal
flaw of a poorly made NY-style pizza.
One key, besides the buttery, cornmeal-infused crust, is to
be sure your sauce is very thick, and flavorful. Some Chicago pizzerias simply
use seasoned, coarsely crushed tomatoes, but I prefer using a sauce, as long as
it’s reduced at least as much as you see here. Your favorite will work, but
just in case you don’t have one of those, here’s a link to our official pizza sauce recipe.
I went with a pretty basic sausage and cheese version here,
but you can, and probably should, add other things like peppers, mushrooms, and
onions. Same goes for switching up the cheeses, but I do like the combo of
fresh, and firm mozzarella. I don’t think it’s quite as good if you use all
one, or the other. Regardless, I really hope you give this “pizza” a try soon.
Enjoy!
For the dough (enough for a 12-inch cast iron skillet):
1 1/3 cups warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for the pan
1/2 cup cornmeal
3 3/4 cups flour, plus more as needed
For the fillings/toppings (in order of application):
4 ounces sliced provolone
8 ounces fresh mozzarella
1 pound spicy Italian sausage, removed from casing
4 ounces firm, low-moisture mozzarella
3 to 4 cups very thick pizza sauce (I made a double batch)
2 ounces (about 1 cup very finely grated)
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
I’ve never tried to make panettone before, mostly because of
how notoriously difficult it is to make, or so I was told. Turns out that
wasn’t the case, unless people are factoring in the time, as this does take
three days to complete, but other than that, I thought it was a pretty
straightforward bread recipe.
I think bakers like us regular folks to believe everything
is super hard to make, so as to elevate their standing in society; or, maybe
this is difficult, and I just got lucky, but regardless, I was thrilled with
how this came out.
I may add a bit more vanilla next time, and possibly a few
extra tablespoons of sugar, as it wasn’t quite as sweet as I imagined, but
other than using all the fruit, I don’t think I’d change much else. Speaking of
the dried fruit, there are so many other things you can include, such as nuts,
and chocolate chips, just in case this seems too healthy.
You'll find the panettone baking molds at places like Sur La Table, or other kitchenware stores at the mall, but they're also inexpensive and easy to find on Amazon. You'll see both in this size, and also the more traditional, tall, coffee-can shape. It might be a little late to start this, and finish by
Christmas, but I would try it anyway. Just don’t let your guests
know how easy it was to make, unless they’re professional bakers, then do. I really
hope you give this special occasion bread a try soon. Enjoy!
NOTE: If you don’t have sourdough starter, mix 3/4 cup flour
with about 1/3 cup cold water, or enough to simulate the thickness of the one
seen in the video, and add a pinch (1/16 teaspoon) of yeast. Mix, cover and
leave overnight, just like the one in the video.
Some recipes have amusing, or romantic stories for how they
came to be, but this peposo isn’t one of them, unless you consider making bad
quality beef taste better by covering it in black pepper, amusing or romantic.
As the story goes, the workers who made terracotta tiles in
the city of Impruneta, would place this stew into clay pots, and leave it their
still-hot kilns overnight, where it would be ready the next morning. Since they
were often stuck using less than fresh meat, copious amounts of black
peppercorn was used to make the beef palatable.
Luckily, this recipe adapts quite nicely to fresh meat, and
produces one of the more uniquely flavored braised beef dishes I’ve ever had.
The amount of black pepper is up to you, but even the ridiculous amount I used
wasn’t overpowering. The acidity and sweetness of the reduced wine balances
everything beautifully.
I hear that beef shank is the traditional cut of meat to
use, but short ribs worked really well. You could even use some beef chuck, cut
into two-inch pieces, but you’d have to adjust the cooking time. Having said
that, forget the time, and keep cooking until a fork goes in easily. Regardless
of which cut you use, or how fresh it is, I really hope you give this a try
soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 6 portions:
6 bone-in beef short ribs (about 8 to 10 ounces each)
1 tablespoon kosher salt to coat the beef
8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons black peppercorns, freshly crushed
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
3-4 sage leaves
3-4 small sprigs rosemary
2 cups red wine, preferably Chianti
2 bay leaves
salt to taste, to adjust sauce
- Simmer on low, covered, about 3 1/2 hours, or until fork
tender. Turn occasionally.
