We are looking forward to seeing everyone at Z and K's house for an Italian dinner on November 4th at 6:30!
Menu:
Arancine
Broccolini Salad with Onions, Olives and Burrata
Pasta with Bolognese Sauce
Dessert - Pistachio Semifreddo ~or~ Orange Marmalade Crostata (Cooks Choice!)
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Crostata con Crema di Formaggio e Marmellata di Arance Amare
Cream Cheese Crostata with Orange Marmalade
Crust
1 1/2 cups cake flour
4 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 large egg yolk
9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Filling
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2/3 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
For crust:
Mix flour and sugar together on work surface. Make well in center of mixture; add egg yolk. Scatter butter cubes over flour mixture. Using hands, gently mix ingredients together until well blended and dough forms (if the dough will not come together, add 1 tsp ice water and gently mix). Flatten dough into disk; wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch-diameter pie pan with nonstick spray. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 18 minutes. Cool crust in pan on rack.
For filling:
Beat cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Spread filling evenly in cooled crust; chill 1 hour. Spread marmalade evenly over filling. Sprinkle almonds over. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
Crust
1 1/2 cups cake flour
4 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 large egg yolk
9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Filling
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2/3 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
For crust:
Mix flour and sugar together on work surface. Make well in center of mixture; add egg yolk. Scatter butter cubes over flour mixture. Using hands, gently mix ingredients together until well blended and dough forms (if the dough will not come together, add 1 tsp ice water and gently mix). Flatten dough into disk; wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch-diameter pie pan with nonstick spray. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 18 minutes. Cool crust in pan on rack.
For filling:
Beat cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Spread filling evenly in cooled crust; chill 1 hour. Spread marmalade evenly over filling. Sprinkle almonds over. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
Pistachio Semifreddo
This is from Gourmet magazine. . .
Yields 2 quarts
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups shelled salted pistachios (6 1/2 ounces)
1 cup sugar
6 large egg whites
2 cups chilled heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Method
1) Pulse 1 cup pistachios with 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in a food processor until very finely ground. Add remaining 1/2 cup pistachios and pulse until just coarsely ground.
2) Beat egg whites in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Beat in remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, a little at a time, then increase speed to high and beat until meringue just holds stiff, glossy peaks.
3) Beat cream with almond extract in a wide bowl with mixer at high speed until it just holds soft peaks.
4) Fold meringue into cream gently but thoroughly, then fold in nut mixture in same manner. Spoon into a 2-quart dish and freeze, covered, until firm enough to scoop, about 4 hours. Let soften slightly before serving.
Yields 2 quarts
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups shelled salted pistachios (6 1/2 ounces)
1 cup sugar
6 large egg whites
2 cups chilled heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Method
1) Pulse 1 cup pistachios with 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in a food processor until very finely ground. Add remaining 1/2 cup pistachios and pulse until just coarsely ground.
2) Beat egg whites in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Beat in remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, a little at a time, then increase speed to high and beat until meringue just holds stiff, glossy peaks.
3) Beat cream with almond extract in a wide bowl with mixer at high speed until it just holds soft peaks.
4) Fold meringue into cream gently but thoroughly, then fold in nut mixture in same manner. Spoon into a 2-quart dish and freeze, covered, until firm enough to scoop, about 4 hours. Let soften slightly before serving.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Broccolini and Burrata Salad
The vinaigrette can be prepared several days ahead and kept in the refrigerator. The broccolini can be prepared through step 1 the day before.
Broccolini and Burrata Salad
Source: Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller
Ingredients
1 pound broccolini, thick ends removed and remaining stems peeled slightly
3 large cremini (sometimes called "baby bella") mushrooms, stemmed and cleaned
1/2 cup black Cerignola olives (this particular kind is recommended because they are mild, another mild variety will do. I've heard that Whole Foods carries Cerignola olives on the olive bar)
Salt and fresh black pepper
Burrata cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Sherry vinaigrette
2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil (you may need a little more)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously before adding broccolini. While water is coming to a boil, prepare a large bowl of ice water. When water boils, add the broccolini and blanch until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Submerge broccolini in bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, then drain and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Cut the mushroom caps into paper-thin slices. Place in a small bowl.
3. Cut all 4 sides of each olive away from the pit in flat slices. Lay the slices flat-side-down and cut into thin slices (slivers).
4. Toss to coat broccolini with about 2 Tbsp. vinaigrette (see recipe below). Sprinkle with additional salt or pepper if desired. Add 1 Tbsp. vinaigrette to the bowl with the mushrooms, and toss to coat, adding a bit more if needed. Move broccolini to serving platter and top with marinated mushrooms, then sliced olives.
5. Place the burrata in a small serving bowl. Using kitchen shears, cut a small X in the top of the burrata to expose the creamy center. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Add the bowl of burrata to the serving platter. Serve salad with tongs and a spoon for the burrata. Each person can top their own serving with the burrata.
Prepare the Sherry vinaigrette
Whisk together sherry vinegar and red wine vinegar in a small bowl. Stream in about 1/2 cup olive oil (the dressing will still look slightly broken – do not emulsify completely), and season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in more olive oil if dressing is too tart. Unused dressing for the recipe above will save in the fridge.
Broccolini and Burrata Salad
Source: Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller
Ingredients
1 pound broccolini, thick ends removed and remaining stems peeled slightly
3 large cremini (sometimes called "baby bella") mushrooms, stemmed and cleaned
1/2 cup black Cerignola olives (this particular kind is recommended because they are mild, another mild variety will do. I've heard that Whole Foods carries Cerignola olives on the olive bar)
Salt and fresh black pepper
Burrata cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Sherry vinaigrette
2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil (you may need a little more)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously before adding broccolini. While water is coming to a boil, prepare a large bowl of ice water. When water boils, add the broccolini and blanch until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Submerge broccolini in bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, then drain and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Cut the mushroom caps into paper-thin slices. Place in a small bowl.
3. Cut all 4 sides of each olive away from the pit in flat slices. Lay the slices flat-side-down and cut into thin slices (slivers).
4. Toss to coat broccolini with about 2 Tbsp. vinaigrette (see recipe below). Sprinkle with additional salt or pepper if desired. Add 1 Tbsp. vinaigrette to the bowl with the mushrooms, and toss to coat, adding a bit more if needed. Move broccolini to serving platter and top with marinated mushrooms, then sliced olives.
5. Place the burrata in a small serving bowl. Using kitchen shears, cut a small X in the top of the burrata to expose the creamy center. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Add the bowl of burrata to the serving platter. Serve salad with tongs and a spoon for the burrata. Each person can top their own serving with the burrata.
Prepare the Sherry vinaigrette
Whisk together sherry vinegar and red wine vinegar in a small bowl. Stream in about 1/2 cup olive oil (the dressing will still look slightly broken – do not emulsify completely), and season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in more olive oil if dressing is too tart. Unused dressing for the recipe above will save in the fridge.
Bolognese Sauce
One (of the several) available from Saveur.
Anna Nanni's Ragù alla Bolognese
Ingredients
2 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes (with juice)
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 1⁄2 b. ground beef chuck
1 lb. ground pork shoulder
1 8-oz. piece pancetta, finely chopped
1 cup dry red wine
4 tbsp. Tomato Paste
Pasta of your choice (The recipe suggests tagliatelle)
Method
1. Put the tomatoes and their juice into a blender; purée until smooth and set aside.
2. Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the celery, onions, and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and caramelized, about 15 minutes more.
3. Add the beef and pork and cook, stirring and breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the pancetta and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until its fat has rendered, about 10 minutes more. Increase the heat to medium, add the wine, and simmer, stirring constantly, until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add reserved tomato purée, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is very thick, about 3 hours.
4. Season ragù with salt and pepper. Toss with tagliatelle or the pasta of your choice. Serve with grated parmigiano-reggiano.
MAKES 8 CUPS
Anna Nanni's Ragù alla Bolognese
Ingredients
2 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes (with juice)
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 1⁄2 b. ground beef chuck
1 lb. ground pork shoulder
1 8-oz. piece pancetta, finely chopped
1 cup dry red wine
4 tbsp. Tomato Paste
Pasta of your choice (The recipe suggests tagliatelle)
Method
1. Put the tomatoes and their juice into a blender; purée until smooth and set aside.
2. Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the celery, onions, and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and caramelized, about 15 minutes more.
3. Add the beef and pork and cook, stirring and breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the pancetta and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until its fat has rendered, about 10 minutes more. Increase the heat to medium, add the wine, and simmer, stirring constantly, until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add reserved tomato purée, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is very thick, about 3 hours.
4. Season ragù with salt and pepper. Toss with tagliatelle or the pasta of your choice. Serve with grated parmigiano-reggiano.
MAKES 8 CUPS
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