Susie

Homemade potato gnocchi are light, tender delicious little dumplings that can be dressed in a variety of different sauces. They were first introduced by the Roman legions during the expansion of the Roman empire and included a semolina dough, very similar to modern day Gnocchi alla Romana and Sardinian Malloreddus, which do not contain eggs. After potatoes were introduced to Europe, they were incorporated into gnocchi recipes as wheat was expensive and flour alternatives were encouraged. They are typically served as a first course, or primi piatti, and are usually served with a meatless sauce, such as a simple pesto, tomato or cheese sauce. 

Potato Gnocchi are quite easy to make at home, only requiring four ingredients you may already have on hand – potato, flour, egg yolks and salt. Simply combine all the ingredients to form a dough, roll the dough into ropes, cut the dough into small pieces, and then shape them on a gnocchi board to create the characteristic dimple and ridges to hold the sauce.

While the preparation is not complicated, the key to light, tender gnocchi is to add the least amount of flour necessary and to not overwork the dough. I have a few tips:

Choose low moisture, high startch potatoes (like Russets). Choose a low moisture, high starch potato (like Russet potatoes) because they yield a drier fluffier flesh

Roast (don’t boil) the potatoes. Roast the potatoes so they do not absorb additional water while cooking

Use egg yolks only. Only use the egg yolks because egg whites have a high water content and would require additional flour to make the dough workable

Alright, let’s begin!

Prepare the potatoes. Preheat oven to 425°F. Place potatoes on a baking sheet, pierce potatoes several times with a fork to allow steam to escape as they cook, and bake for 45-60 minutes until fork tender. Once they are cooked, remove the potatoes from the oven and cut them in quarters alowing them to release steam and cool. When they are cool enough to handle peel off the skins.

Make the dough. Place the flour on a large work surface and make a well in the middle. While the potatoes are still warm, use a potato ricer to process the potato flesh into the well. Then, make a well in the middle of the riced potatoes and add the egg yolks and salt. Using a dough scraper, combine all of the ingredients. When the dough starts to look like small pebbles, knead with your hands until the dough is smooth and homogenous. Then, cover the dough and let it rest for at least 5 minutes.

Shape the gnocchi. On a flat work surface, cut the dough into quarters. Working with one quarter at a time, roll the dough into a log, about 1/2″ thick. Then, using the dough scraper or a knife, cut the log into pieces about 1/2″ each (5 grams). To create the grooves, use a gnocchi board (or the back of a fork). Roll the dough into a ball, then press it firmly into a well floured gnocchi board to create the ridges, and then roll it down the board so it curls into its characteristic shape. Repeat the process until you have used up all the dough.

Tip: To prevent the gnocchi from sticking to the board, press firmly into the board as you begin and then ease up the pressure as you roll the gnocchi off the board. See the video below for a quick tutorial:

Italian wedding soup, known in Italian as minestra maritata, is a traditional Neapolitan soup that combines green vegetables and meat in an aromatic chicken broth. While its name may suggest this soup is served at weddings, it actually refers to the marraige of the meat and vegetables in the broth!

This soup was traditionally a peasant dish, made with inexpensive, readily availble ingredients. As early as the late 17th century, the first recipe for Minestra Maritata appears in a book by the nobleman Giovan Battista del Tufo, who describes the dish as follows: “Married Soup made of bones and meat, you would let partridges and grey partridges escape, where a piece of aged ham is inserted to better prepare the sausage, sopressata, and broccoli with its fennel and good cheese inside, so that the flavor penetrates to the center.” It has been described as the daily food of the true Neapolitan.

American adaptations often include more substantial meats, or meatballs, pasta or potatoes, and substitute spinach, kale or other leafy greens instead of broccoli rabe (which is very traditional). For this recipe, I’ve opted to include a scaled down version of my skillet meatballs and I made them bite sized, small enough to fit on a soup spoon! The sausage in the meatballs adds a lot of flavor to the broth and the broccoli rabe stands up well as it cooks.

A few tips before we begin:

• Add the pasta just before you are ready to serve, otherwise it will overcook and get mushy. If you plan to have leftovers, I suggest cooking the pasta in a separate pot and add to the soup as desired
• Make the meatballs small, about 3/4″ in size, small enough to fit on a spoon

To begin, assemble the meatballs. Add all meatball ingredients to a large bowl and mix until just combined. Then, heat the olive oil in a deep pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the meatballs and cook for about 3 minutes, gently nudging them around the pan periodically, so they brown on all sides. Then, remove them and set aside.

Next, add 2 Tbspns of olive oil to the same pot you cooked the meatballs in, add the diced onions, carrots, celery and garlic and cook until they are soft, scraping up any brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Then, add the broth, Parmigiano Reggiano rind, if using, dried herbs, and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer for 30 minutes or longer. Stir occassionaly to help disperse the cheese rind as it breaks down.  Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Before serving, return the cooked meatballs to the pot. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, per the package recommendation. Stir in the broccoli rabe and cook until wilted and you are ready to serve.

To serve, top with grated Parmigiano Reggiano, fresh chopped parsley or torn basil and enjoy!

Crema Fritta, also known as Cremini, are a delicious sweet treat made of thick deep fried custard, shaped into diamonds (or sometimes squares), and are typical in the Veneto, Le Marche and Emilia-Romagna regions of Italy. With their crunchy outer coating and velvety sweet center, it’s no wonder why they are so popular! In the Veneto region, they are served as a sweet dessert or street food, while in Le Marche and Emilia-Romagna they are more commonly served as part of a savory appetizer platter called fritto misto and served alongside savory fried olives, and other vegetables.

Crema Fritta are traditional fare during Carnivale, late February to early March, ending just before Ash Wednesday when the Lenten season begins for Catholics, but in my family, my Nonna served these as dessert after our Epiphany dinner celebration. We only had them once a year, which made them special, but even moreso because she would turn off the lights, douse them in rum and flambé them at the table! If you know how to flambé, or want to learn, instructions are included in the recipe below. It makes for a very impressive presentation and the hint of brandy (or rum) left behind adds a rich spicy note, perfect for the holidays!

Now, back to the recipe, it took me quite a bit of practice to get this recipe right. The key is that the custard needs to have a very thick consistency so that you can slice it into the characteristic diamond shape before dredging and coating it in breadcrumbs. While the traditional recipe does not call for corn starch, many modern day recipes do because it helps to thicken the custard, reducing the amount of flour needed, resulting in a lighter, smoother custard that holds its shape when handling.

Tips:

• This recipe is sized to fit a quarter sheet pan, about 5″ x 9″ and will yield about 12 diamond shaped crema fritta; if you double the recipe, use a half sheet pan, about 9″ x 12″ and it will yield about 28 diamonds (plus the irregularly shaped trimmings)
• When making the custard, be sure to whisk the mixture over the heat for the full 3-5 minutes so it firms up properly before transferring it to the sheet pan to chill, otherwise you will not be able to slice and handle it easily.

To begin, line a quarter sheet baking pan (5″ x 9″) with parchment paper and set aside.

Then, prepare the custard. Add the milk and lemon zest to a small saucepan and heat over low heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture is smooth and pale yellow. Sift the flour and cornstarch into the egg mixture. Add a ladleful of warm milk to loosen it and whisk until smooth and homogenous. Then, pour the mixture into the remaining warm milk, whisking continuously until the custard thickens, about 3-5 minutes. The custard should be very thick.

Spread the custard evenly into the prepared sheet pan. Allow the custard to cool completely, about 3-4 hours, uncovered at room temperature, or chill it in the refrigerator.

Once the custard is set, lift the it from the baking pan, turn the slab out onto a smooth work surface, carefully peeling away the parchment paper. To cut the custard into the characteristic diamond shape, slice the custard in horizontal lines spaced 1 1/2″ apart, then cut a series of parallel diagonal lines across the entire slab at a 60° angle. For smoother cuts, use a knife dipped in warm water, wiping the blade clean between each cut. The edges and corners will be irregularly shaped, if you do not want to serve them on a platter, they make a perfect treat for the cook!

In a heavy bottomed fry pan or deep fryer, add oil to a depth of at least 2″, and heat to 350°F.

Set up a breading station using three shallow bowls. Add the flour to one bowl, lightly beat the eggs in the second bowl, and add the breadcrubs to the third bowl. Dredge each diamond in flour, then dip in the egg mixture and then coat in breadcrumbs. Repeat this process until all of the custard is breaded.

Working in batches, fry the custard until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the custard with a slotted spoon and allow them to drain on a cooling rack or on paper towels while you fry the rest.

Then, arrange them on a platter and dust with powdered sugar or, for a dramatic presentation, sprinkle room temperature brandy or rum over the top and light them on fire, turn down the lights and watch them come to life! See tips below to flambé safely:

• Use an 80 proof liquor or 40% alcohol by volume (rum or brandy suggested). Beer, champagne and wine will not work because the alcohol content is not high enough, while liquors above 120 proof would be dangerous.
• Heat the brandy or rum in a saucepan or microwave in a microwave safe container before igniting. Do not bring it to a boil or you will burn the alcohol off, but heat it until you can see bubbles around the edges.
• Arrange the crema fritta in a flambe pan, or skillet with a long handle. Splash about 1/4 cup of liquor over the top and using a long match, ignite the fumes at the edge of the pan (not the liquid itself).
• Precautions: be careful not to lean over the dish as you light it on fire, never pour liquor from a bottle into a pan that is near an open flame because the flame can follow the stream of alcohol into the bottle and cause it to explode.
• Keep a pot lid or fire extinguisher within reach, just in case you need it!

Buon Appetito!

Italian Summer Salad with Basil Vinaigrette harnesses all the freshness of the garden, crisp green beans, sun ripened tomatoes, and creamy new potatoes, all tied together with a sweet basil vinaigrette. It makes a perfect side dish or can be served on its own as a light lunch with a crispy baguette. It’s a typical country dish, making the most of what summer has to offer. It’s light and healthy, and packed with flavor.

For the best results, use the freshest ingredients you can find. Make sure the green beans are firm and crisp, and the tomatoes are ripe. Serve at room temperature or chilled, but I find that serving at room temperature yields the most flavor.

To begin, place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Add salt and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potates are fork tender, about 12 – 15 minutes. When they are done, remove them from the pot and when they are cool enough to handle, cut them in half.

Then, cook the green beans. Create an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water and place it next to the stove. 

Refill the same pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the breen beans and blanch for 3 minutes. Then, immediately transfer them to the ice bath. This stops the cooking and the ice water helps retain the color and al dente texture of the beans. 

Make the basil vinaigrette by adding all the ingredients to a blender and blend until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Assemble the salad. Drain the tuna. Using a fork, break it into chunks and add it to the bowl, then arrange the potatoes, green beans, cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, hard boiled eggs and tuna in a bowl.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad, toss gently and top with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and croutons and you are ready to serve.

Chicken Fricassee is an all time family favorite, on regular rotation in my house all year long. While it’s the briny olives that I cream shoot, there’s nothing not to love about this hearty stew, Between the sweet marsala wine, the melt in your mouth potatoes, or the fork tender chicken, it comforts to the core! Serve it on a bed of egg fettucine, or alongside a few slices of crusty french bread. Either way, it’s delicious.

Notes:

• Bone in or boneless chicken thighs work fine in this recipe. Bone-in chicken will give you a more flavorful and moist stew, but the boneless chicken will cook faster.
• Use any olives you like. I typically use Kalamata olives (Greek table olives), but if I can find them, I use Taggiasca (sweet and fruity Italian olives with a firm bite). If you’re cooking for kids, I’ve found black olives to be the best bet because they are mild in flavor.
• Like any stew, leftovers taste even better the next day.

Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.

Dredge the chicken in flour. I use a large ziploc bag, add 1/2 a cup of flour and then add the chicken thighs. Seal the bag and squish it around until the chicken is well coated. The flour coating will help the chicken brown evenly and also add thickness to the finished dish.

Heat olive oil in a large pan or dutch oven over medium heat and brown the chicken. Cook 3-4 minutes per side or until golden and remove from pan and set aside.

Then, to the same pan, add the diced onions, carrots, celery, minced garlic and bay leaf and sauté over medium heat until the vegetables are soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the chicken and all the juices back to the pan and add the tomato paste. Mix until the tomato paste covers all the food and cook until slightly sticky. 

Add the marsala wine and stir, scraping up any brown bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock, season with salt, pepper and rosemary and then cover the pot, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Next, add the peas, olives and potatoes. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes or, until the potatoes are fork tender and the chicken begins to fall apart. Taste, adjust seasoning and add chili peppers, if desired. Garnish with chopped Italian flat leaf parsley and enjoy!

There are a thousand ways to make meatballs, but these are unique in that I use a mixture of ground beef and Italian sausage for the base and the flavor is incredible! They slow simmer in tomato sauce where the flavors mingle and when they’re done, it’s hard to tell where the meatball ends and the sauce begins! Sometimes, I serve them with spaghetti or bucatini but often times I just plop the sauce pan down in the middle of the table alongside a loaf of hot, crusty french bread and dinner is served!

Tips:

I prefer to use 85% percent ground beef, 15% fat. It makes for a more tender meatball, but feel free to substitute with 92% lean, if you prefer.

Pull the meat out of the fridge half an hour before you are going to use it. It makes it easier to combine the ingredients without over mixing, yielding a softer, more tender result.

This recipe yields about 18 two inch meatballs. When I make these, I like to stock up! They freeze well. If you choose to freeze them, brown the meatballs, bake them in a preheated 350 degree oven for about fifteen minutes, or until cooked through. Let them cool and then freeze.

To begin, preheat the oven to 400°F. Then, coat a saute pan with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Turn off heat and allow the mixture to cool.

Put the ground beef, sausage, eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, bread crumbs, cooled onion mixture and water in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and use your hands to combine. The mixture should be well combined, but avoid overmixing.

Coat a large, heavy bottomed skillet with olive oil and bring to medium-low heat. Shape the meatballs and brown them on all sides. Don’t be afraid to let them get some color (it adds tons of flavor).

Pour the tomato sauce over the meatballs and top with mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano. Cover the skillet with a lid or foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the top is golden.

Saltimbocca alla Romana is a quintessential Roman dish, made with thin sliced veal cutlets, layered with prosciutto and sage and then pan fried in butter and white wine. The name of the dish is derived from the Italian phrase “saltare in bocca”, which translates to “jumps in the mouth”, a nod to the dish’s deliciousness, and, you will be surprised at how quickly it comes together!

Saltimbocca is traditionally made with veal, but you could substitute with chicken, just be sure to pound the cutlets very thin so they are tender and cook fast. Alright, let’s begin!

Place the veal cutlets between 2 sheets of parchment paper and using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound each cutlet thin, about 1/4.” Season with salt and pepper to taste, mindful that the prosciutto will add a fair amount of salt.

Top with a slice of prosciutto and a sage leaf and use a toothpick to secure the layers.

Dredge the bottom of the cutlets in flour and set aside. 

Heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat.

Add the cutlets and turn the heat to high. Cook for about 5 minutes until the edges begin to brown. 

Remove the cutlets from the pan when they are done and set aside. 

Then, add the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits that may have stuck to the bottom.  

Pour the sauce over the veal cutlets and you’re ready to serve!

Codfish with Tomatoes and Olives makes a quick and healthy meal any day of they week. The codfish is poached in a flavorful sauce made of white wine, sweet tomatoes, briny olives, and aromatic herbs. This recipe also calls for anchovy paste, which adds a rich umami element to the dish. The red pepper flakes are optional but if you like a little heat, they give the dish a nice kick. This fish is perfect served on top of pasta or rice, or alongside crunchy french bread or fugassa, perfect for sopping up the extra sauce!

Fresh cod has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and its tender and flaky texture make it perfect for this dish. If you cannot find codfish, feel free to substitute with any firm white fish.

To begin, heat the olive oil in a saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Then, add the garlic, oregano, thyme, anchovy paste, and red pepper flakes and saute lightly for about 20 – 30 seconds until the mixture is fragrant.

Next, add the white wine and allow the mixture to simmer until it has reduced by half. Any good quality, dry white wine works just fine.

Then, add the tomatoes and olives and simmer for 5 minutes until they are soft. 

Season the codfish with black pepper, and nestle the filets inside the sauce (I tend not to add salt to the codfish because the olives add a nice salty element to the dish and most of the time, I find that I do not need to add more).

The fish should be halfway submerged in the poaching liquid. if you need more liquid, add a small amount of water (1/4 -1/2 cup) to the pan.

Cover the pot with a lid and poach until the fish is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.

Once the codfish is cooked, taste the sauce and adjust seasoning, as necessary. Garnish with chopped parsley or thyme prior to serving.

Buon Apetito!

This is my take on Vitello Tonnato a popular, summer time dish made with tender sliced veal, served chilled, with a rich and creamy tuna and egg sauce. This dish originated in the Piedmont region of northern italy in the 18th century and was a traditional peasant dish, prepared as a way to use leftover boiled veal. Nowadays, Vitello Tonnato is typically served as a main course or an elegant antipasto, but I think this recipe would make a perfect light dinner or appetizer for any casual summer gathering!

For the meat: To begin, poach the meat. Tie the meat with kitchen twine and place it in a large pot with the carrots, celery and onion. Add the bay leaves, cloves, garlic, peppercorns and salt the water generously. Add the white wine and cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours so the herbs and spices have a chance to flavor the meat.

After the meat has marinated, bring it to a boil, then, reduce the heat, cover the pot and allow to simmer over medium low heat for 45 minutes, or until the temperature of the meat registers 125° – 130°F, and the meat is medium rare. Avoid over cooking the meat as it will not be as tender once sliced. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface as it cooks.

Once the meat is cooked, remove it from the pot, and strain and reserve the poaching liquid. Allow the meat to come to room temperature and then cover with plastic wrap and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before slicing.

For the sauce: Add the hard boiled eggs, drained tuna, lemon juice and zest, capers, anchovy filets, and salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor and blend until a smooth sauce is formed. If the mixture is too thick, add a small amount of reserved poaching liquid until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary and refregerate until ready to serve.

To assemble: Once the meat has chilled, slice it into thin slices. For a traditional presentation, arrange the veal slices on a serving platter and top with the sauce, using capers and parsley as garnish. For a more modern take, and as I’ve done for this recipe, serve the thinly sliced veal alongside the tuna and egg sauce and grilled french bread and top with drizzled olive oil and fresh herbs.

Serve cold.

Branzino with lemon and fresh herbs is a sweet and mild flavored, flaky white fish stuffed with breadcrumbs and aromatics and roasted until golden brown. The fish is native to the Mediterranean, and is often served whole becuase it is not particularly large (weighing about 2 lbs), it has very few bones and is firm enough to hold its shape as it cooks. Cooking a whole fish (rather than just a filet) gives the fish a fuller flavor, and helps it to retain more moisture. It also allows you to fill the cavity with flavorful aromatics that permeate the fish as it cooks, and a whole fish makes an impressive centerpiece! While it may seem daunting at first, you can often times ask your fishmonger to clean and descale the fish for you, which means all you have to do at home is prepare the aromatics, stuff the fish and slide it into the oven!

To begin, preheat the oven to 400°F. Then, add the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, garlic, rosemary, parsley and olive oil into a bowl and mix well. 

Rinse and dry the inside of the fish, season with salt and pepper and rub the outside of the fish with olive oil. Then, divide the breadcrumb mixture evenly between the two fish and add it to the inside the cavity, reserving some to sprinkle on top before baking. Next, squeeze lemon juice over the breadcrumb mixture.

Stuff the fish with the rosemary, parsley and thyme, add sliced lemons to the top of the fish and sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs on top.

Roast for about 25 – 30 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the fish reads 135°F and the fish is golden and cooked through.