Italian Cooking In The Loop

Spotlight Dishes

2011-07-20T15:34:00.000-07:00

We're offering a vibrantly diverse group of Spotlight Dishes tonight! Start off with our Insalata di Mercato (Fresh Market Salad), with gorgeous Thanksgiving Farms Patty pan squash, zucchini, crisp cucumber, young onion, basil, parsley, mint, and carrots.

Then the explosively flavored Sgombro in Carpione. It's a pickled mackerel with sliced Thanksgiving Farms carrots, red onion, cucumber, celery, fennel, and radish.

Our Lamb “T-Bone” is a custom-cut lamb loin chop seasoned with rosemary, chili flake, garlic, salt and pepper, pan-seared and served medium rare over a delicious blend of New Jersey corn, Stokes farms green beans, and leeks.

Finish things off on a cool and fresh note with our delicious Lemon Granita, a true Southern Italian favorite, topped with Red Jacket Orchards black cherries.

See recipes below for the Granita and the Sgombro.

Sgombro in Carpione

(Pickled Mackerel)

EVOO for frying

1 med. sized Spanish Mackerel, filleted, pin bones removed, skin on, cut into 1-2 oz portions

All Purpose Flour for dusting

Salt and Pepper

1 C thinly sliced red onion

1 C thinly sliced celery on the bias

1 C thinly sliced carrot rounds

1 C thinly sliced fennel

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 pt Red Wine Vinegar

1 pt water

Salt and Sugar to taste

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Mint leaves and lemon wedge for garnish

Sicilian EVOO for finishing

Heat 2” EVOO in a large roundeau. Season flour in a large bowl with salt and pepper. Toss fish pieces to coat evenly and shake off excess.
When oil is shimmering but not smoking, add fish, skin side down, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.
Cook until golden and flip, about 5 minutes. Flip again and get color on the other side. Drain well on a rack or paper towels.
Bring vinegar and water up to a boil. Season with Salt, Pepper and Sugar to taste. Add vegetables and cook 1 minute.
Arrange fish in hotel pan, skin side up. Pour liquid with vegetables over it and let cool.

To pick up, place 1 piece fish on a plate and top with some vegetables, no juice.

Drizzle with Sicilian Olive Oil, sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt and finish with 1 mint leaf.

Granita di Limone

(From my cookbook Italian Cooking For Dummies)

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon liqueur (optional)

Combine lemon juice with sugar. Add a tablespoon or so of your favorite liqueur, if desired. Pour the liquid into a 13 x 9 x2 inch ceramic or glass pan. ace the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes. Using a large metal spoon, stir frozen crystals from around the edges of the pan back into the liquid. As the mixture continues to freeze, scrape the spoon against the sides and bottom of the pan to loosen and break up frozen crystals. REpeat this scraping process every 30 minutes or so until the mixture is frozen and a bit creamy, about 3 hours total. Scoop the crysals into individual bowls or goblets, top with fresh cherries, and serve immediately.

Spotlight Dishes and Diary Entry

2011-07-12T18:22:00.001-07:00

Tonight's Spotlight Dish is the perfect finish to the perfect summer meal. Torta di Susina. This recipe comes from Cesare Casella's Diary of a Tuscan Chef and I have included it so that you can try it at home.

We will be having Torta di Susina which tonight is a baked peach tart with lemon pastry cream. "Peach?" You may ask. Yes, peach. Although the recipe calls for Plums we came across the most delicious peaches from Locust Grove, and could not pass them up.

Torta di Susina-
Plum Tart
Serves up to 8.

1/2-3/4 cup pastry cream
1 pastry crust
1 1/2-2 cups tart plums, sliced, (do not skin) *as we have tonight, you can substitute fresh peaches or kiwis or another fresh, thin-skinned fruit.
2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the pasty cream inside the pie crust creating a layer 3/4 inch deep. Arrange the plums in overlapping circles on top. Sprinkle the top with the sugar and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes. The tart is ready when the crust is golden brown and the fruit curls slightly at the edges. Serve the tart warm or at room temperature.

Our second Spotlight Dish tonight is Maiale con Peperoni. (Pork with Peppers) Which is pork tenderloin marinated with rosemary, sage and red pepper flakes.The pork is a Pasture-fed Duroc Pig from Good Farm in Kansas. It will be sautéed with Stokes Farm roasted red green and yellow peppers and Thanksgiving Farms young onions and capers, with garlic, and white wine, and finished with sage and rosemary. The recipe comes from Cesare Casella's The Diary of a Tuscan Chef, and we have included it so that you can try it at home.

Maiale con Peperoni
Pork with Peppers
Serves 4

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 boneless center cut pork chops each 1 inch think
3 bell peppers, one each of red, yellow, and green. Halved and seeded.
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
1 tablespoon drained capers
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup white wine

Mix together half of the chopped herbs and red pepper flakes and rub them into the pork chops. Wrap the meat in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 48 hours. (If you don't have the time to marinate it, the dish will be less flavorful but still good.)
Preheat the broiler. Place the peppers, skin side up on a broiler pan. Broil the peppers, watching them carefully. When the skin blackens, turn them over, until they are black on both sides. It will take about 10 minutes. Remove the pepper and place them in a closed plastic bag for 5 to 10 minutes. Rub off the skins and slice the peppers into thin strips.
pout 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a large frying pan. Add the garlic and onion and cook over medium heat until the mixture colors lightly, about 5 minutes. Add the other half of the herbs, the sliced peppers and the capers. Season with salt and pepper and cook for ten minutes. Remove from the heat, and keep warm.
In another large frying pan add the 2 remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the pork chops. Saute the chops over medium heat for 7 minutes on each side. Add the salt and pepper and white wine. Continue to cook until the wine reduces completely, about 5 minutes. Add the pepper mixture, warm through, and serve.

Daily Diary Entry: Insalata di Pomodori, Cipolle, Fagioli, e Tonno

2011-07-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

Tonight’s Daily Diary entry is a delicious cool salad from my cookbook Diary of a Tuscan Chef. Rest assured that you won’t even work up a sweat preparing it, as it is simple and easy to assemble...just don’t forget to soak those cannellini beans overnight. (Why not do that right now--your dinner for tomorrow will be taken care of!)

Insalata di Pomodori, Cipolle, Fagioli, e Tonno

Tomato, Onion, Bean, and Tuna Salad

(Serves 4)

1 ¼ cups dried cannellini beans

9 cups cold water

1 tablespoon salt, plus extra to taste

2 medium tomatoes, cored and cut in bite-size piees

½ sweet red onion, sliced thin

1 cup Italian tuna, canned in oil, drained and flaked

⅛ - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

2-4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Rinse the beans, picking them over to remove any pebbles. Soak them overnight in 4 cups of cold water. Drain them, add 5 cups of fresh water, and, in a medium saucepan, bring the beans to a simmer over medium heat. Add the tablespoon of salt and cook the beans until they are tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Drain and cool. Place the beans and the other ingrediuets in a serving bowl. Toss and serve.

Daily Diary Excerpt

2011-07-09T17:27:00.002-07:00

Today’s Diary Entry is a little anecdote about Chef Casella’s most favorite herb.

Rosemary

Rosemary is my favorite herb, but since it is such a staple in Tuscan cooking, I think it is under appreciated. Whenever I have the chance, I try to promote rosemary. For black-tie functions, I always put few sprigs in my tuxedo pocket; when I’m working I mix it with other herbs and carry them in the pocket of my chef’s jacket. I use rosemary as a bed to grill sea bass, as skewers for roasted meats, and to garnish french-fries. At Vipore I used to grow bushes of rosemary, some as big as trees. One year, I had almost 1000 plants, which were too many, even for me. When we cut them back, there were enough trimmings to fill a dump truck, so we decided to make a bonfire. As the rosemary was burning, we wet the fire so it would smoke. The whole countryside was filled with the scent of roasting rosemary.

Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

2011-07-09T17:27:00.001-07:00

TORTA DI MELE CON SALSA DI SULTANA

Apple Cake with Raisin Sauce

Serves 6-8

1 Stick (1/2 cup) sweet butter

1 cup sugar

Grated rind of 1 lemon

4 eggs

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2-1 cup milk

2 pounds Golden Delicious or Rome apples, cored, peeled, and sliced (squeeze lemon over the cut apples to keep them from turning brown)

Salsa di Sultana (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350०. Grease the 9-inch cake pan.

In a bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar. Add the lemon rind and blend. Add the vanilla and eggs and blend well. Add the flour and baking powder and 1/2 cup of the milk. If the batter is too sticky, add more milk, a little bit at a time. It should be like a thick cake batter. Fold in the apples, reserving a large handful to arrange on the top of the cake, and pour the batter into the cake pan. Arrange the remaining apples on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown. Cut in slices and spoon the sauce over each slice.

SALSA DI SULTANA

Raisin Sauce

1 cup milk

4 egg yolks

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons white raisins, soaked in warm, sweet white wine such as Marsala or Vin Santo for an hour

3 tablespoons toasted chopped walnuts

Put the milk in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a bowl, beat together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla until the yolks turn lemony yellow, and pour into the top of a double boiler. Add the boiled milk, beating continuously until the mixture thickens. The sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon. Before serving, squeeze out the raisins and add them to the sauce. Then add the walnuts. Mix, and spoon over the apple cake.

Diary of a Tuscan Chef Excerpt

2011-07-09T17:26:00.000-07:00

Snack time! If you had the pleasure of dining at Coco Pazzo then you may have tried this before. Delicious!

SOPPRESSATA DI POLPO CON SALSA DI CAPPERI ED OLIVE

Baby Octopus Salami with Caper and Olive Sauce

I first made this dish when I was at Coco Pazzo. I’d just come back from a vacation in Italy, where I’d had a similar dish at my friend Lorenzo’s restaurant. Walter, my sous chef, and I came up with our own version. I especially like it in the afternoon as a “lite” snack.

Serves 8-10

2 (1-pound) baby octopus, cleaned*

1 large red onion, quartered

3 cloves garlic, peeled

2 stalks celery

2 carrots

1 sprig each fresh rosemary, sage, thyme, and basil

8 cups well-washed arugula

Caper and Olive Sauce (recipe follows)

If you are using regular octopus, freeze it overnight, then defrost it before you start to cook. That will help tenderize the meat.

The day before you want to serve the soppressata, fill a large pot with water and add the octopus, onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and herbs. Bring the water to a boil, then simmer for approximately 1 hour, until the octopus is tender, not chewy.

* NOTE: Most good fishmongers will sell octopus already cleaned, but if you want to try cleaning the octopus yourself, start by locating the valve (it almost looks like an eye) on the underbelly. Remove it with a sharp knife. Make a slit under the eyes and cut them out of the head. Use that opening to turn the octopus head inside out. Scrape off the brains and reverse the head to right side out. Rinse the octopus well. If you don’t want your hands to smell, I suggest wearing surgical gloves to clean the octopus. Otherwise, you can rub your hands with lemon after you’re done cleaning up.

For the next step, you’ll need two 9-inch loaf pans or 2 small, deep containers, one of which fits exactly into the second.

Drain the octopus and place it immediately in one of the containers. Make sure all the tentacles are inside, and force the second container on top of the octopus. Squeeze down as hard as possible so you are compressing the octopus into a small block.

Tape the 2 pans together with heavy-duty packing tape. Set the pans on a counter top and weigh them down with something very heavy. Once the octopus has cooled, after 1 or 2 hours, place the pans in the refrigerator, still weighted, overnight.

When you are ready to eat, remove the tape from the 2 pans. Insert a knife inside the rim of the top pan and run it around the edge to loosen the soppressata. Turn the inside of the pan up-side down and bang it on the counter. It might take 2 or 3 tries, but eventually, the soppressata will pop out.

Arrange the arugula on individual plates. With a very sharp knife, cut slices of the soppressata as thin as possible. Lay 3 or 4 pieces on top of the salad and drizzle each serving with the caper and olive sauce.

NOTE: There are a few different types of soppressata in Italy. One, found in both Emilia-Romagna in the north, and Puglia and Basilicata in the south, is a stuffed sausage made with cut instead of ground meat. It is aged, not cooked. Before machines, it took two people to make this type of soppressata, one to hold the sausage casing and one to stuff it with meat. The sausage had to be packed in tight--soppressata means super-pressed--to eliminate pockets of air where bacteria could grow.

In Tuscany, soppressata is a cross between paté and salami, made from all the poorest cuts of the pig: the head, ears, nose, cheeks, hooves, knuckles, and skin. They are first cooked, then either stuffed into a casing and cooked again, or stuffed into the skin from the head of the pig and cooked. When a butcher wants his clients to know he’s got soppressata, he just leaves the pig’s head on the counter and sells the “salami” by the slice. It goes in a flash.

SALSA DI CAPPERI ED OLIVE

Caper and Olive Sauce

2 tablespoons drained capers

2 tablespoons pitted and chopped imported black olives

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1 cup roughly chopped plum tomatoes

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon red wine

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Put the capers, olives, red pepper flakes, oregano, tomatoes, garlic, parsley, and basil in the bowl of a food processor and puree. Pour the mixture into a bowl and add the vinegars, red wine, lemon juice, black pepper, salt, and olive oil. Stir to combine.

BASIL: There’s more to basil than pesto: It was sacred to the Greeks, who called it “The King”; it was used as an embalming agent in ancient Egypt and to ward off dragons in medieval Europe. I think basil is best fresh, or cooked as little as possible. You can eat the whole leaves in a salad or with tomatoes. I love basil with lobster or a delicate white fish such as bass. Basil is easy to grow at home on a windowsill with lots of light. Please don’t use dried basil.

Excerpt of Diary of a Tuscan Chef

2011-07-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

What a delicious dish perfect for a lighter meal.

Spaghetti con Cozze

Spaghetti with Mussels

Serves 4 as an Appetizer

3 quarts water

1 1/2 Tablespoons salt, plus more to taste

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon finely sliced garlic

5 tablespoons chopped fresh italian parsley

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 pounds of Mussels, cleaned. (beard them just before cooking.)

5 tablespoons white wine

1/2 pound plum tomatoes, chopped

fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/2 pound spaghetti

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and add the 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt.

In a large saute pan, place the olive oil, thyme, garlic, 2 1/2 tablespoons of the parsley, the red pepper flakes and mussels. Heat over medium. When the mussel shells open and the garlic colors, after about 5 minutes, add the white wine and let it reduce completely, another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and salt and black pepper. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the spaghetti to the boiling water. When it is very firm, drain it , add it to the sauce and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes, until al dente. Stir in the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons of parsley and serve.

Daily Entry of Diary of a Tuscan Chef

2011-07-09T17:24:00.002-07:00

Tonight’s Dish a perfect seafood and starch combination.

Rombo con Crosta di Patate

Turbot with Potato Crust

Serves 4

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

4 (1/3 lb) turbot fillets, skin intact. (Turbot is a type of flounder; mahimahi or sole can also be used.)

6 cups spinach, well washed and stemmed

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 Idaho potato

2 tablespoons flour

3 beefsteak tomatoes

1 lemon, sliced thin

In a blender, puree 1/2 cup of the basil with 1/2 cup of the olive oil, and salt and pepper. Salt and pepper the flesh side of the fish fillets, then coat them with the basil mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

Place the spinach , with the water still clinging to the leaves, in a pot large enough to hold it. Cook over medium heat, covered, until the spinach is just wilted, about 7 minutes. Drain it well in a colander, pressing out the excess water with the back of a spoon.

Put 1/4 cup of the olive oil, and the garlic in a medium saute pan and heat. When the garlic begins to color, in about 5 minutes, add the spinach and cook it briefly, about 2 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Keep the spinach warm.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Peel the potato. If you don’t have an electric slicer, it is probably easier to cut the potato in half lengthwise. Trim each half into a rectangle, then slice them crosswise. Coat the slices in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to keep them from oxidizing, or, keep them in a bowl of ice water. Arrange the potato slices on top of the basil mixture, so that they overlap and cover the fish fillets. If you’ve kept the potato in ice water, you may want to drizzle a bit of olive oil on top to help the slices stick together while cooking.

Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a saute pan and bring it to the smoking point. Dust the tops of the fillets with flour to keep them from sticking. Place the fillets in the pan, potato side down. When the potato side is brown and crispy, flip the fillets, transfer them to an ovenproof dish and bake, skin side down. The fillets will be ready in 5 to 8 minutes, when the skin is crispy.

While the turbot is cooking, chop the tomatoes and remaining basil. Toss to form a salad. Add the salt and pepper to taste, and then drizzle the salad with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Remove the fish from the oven, remove the skin, and serve the fillets on beds of spinach, surrounded by the tomato-basil salad. Garnish the dish with lemon slices.

Diary Excerpt

2011-07-09T17:24:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt is a fun anecdote about Chef Casella as a teenager in Italy. More summer fun recipes to come in the next few days!

"As I always imagined it, normal teenagers, or at least other Italian teenagers, passed their summer nights at the movies or in the disco. But in the country, for me and my friends, the height of summer fun was stealing fruits and vegetables from the local farmers. Conditions were ideal--the nights were long and there was no school in the morning--at least that was our reasoning.

I remember the night we did onions. There were about ten of us. During the day, each of us had gone around checking different farmers’ crops to see how their onions were progressing. That night, we met at Vipore with our reports: who had the best, the biggest, the readiest, the most plentiful onions. I made spicy spaghetti and a salad of tuna, beans, tomato, and onions, and over dinner, we discussed strategy.

Usually our favorite targets for vegetables were Beppe del Lombardo, Leo del Micheli, and Sisto Colombini, because they cultivated the best of everything. But the idea was that no one farmer should suffer too much, and that we’d never drive anyone so crazy he’d stop growing a certain crop. That night, we set our goal at somewhere between forty and fifty onions.

As we talked, we knew our main obstacle would be lightning. In the dark, it would be difficult to tell the difference between onion and garlic stalks, and if we weren’t careful, we’d end up with baskets of garlic. Also, the closer the garden was to the house, the more likely it was we’d be heard by the farmers and caught, which is why we decided to split up into teams.

That night, three squads went out, while I stayed at Vipore to work. Each team left at a different time, but all three came back with great onions, all the same size and color, really perfect. I thought, how odd that everyone in Pieve Santo Stefano is growing their onions the same way. But when my friends started talking, it turned out that the reason the onions all looked the same was that all three teams had raided the same farmer: Sisto. I felt so bad that the next day I went into Lucca, bought some young onions, and without letting myself be seen, left a basketful on Sisto’s doorstep.

That night, Sisto showed up at Vipore. 'Ragazzi,' he said, 'Boys, I already planted the onions once. What do you want, that I plant them again so you can rob me again? Se volete mangiare le cipolle, ve le piantate da voi.'

'If you want to eat onions, plant them yourselves."

Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

2011-06-26T17:38:00.000-07:00

What a delicious dish perfect for a lighter meal.

Spaghetti con Cozze

Spaghetti with Mussels

Serves 4 as an Appetizer

3 quarts water

1 1/2 Tablespoons salt, plus more to taste

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon finely sliced garlic

5 tablespoons chopped fresh italian parsley

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 pounds of Mussels, cleaned. (beard them just before cooking.)

5 tablespoons white wine

1/2 pound plum tomatoes, chopped

fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/2 pound spaghetti

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and add the 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt.

Daily Diary Excerpt

2011-06-19T12:33:00.001-07:00

Snack time! If you had the pleasure of dining at Coco Pazzo then you may have tried this before. Delicious!

SOPPRESSATA DI POLPO CON SALSA DI CAPPERI ED OLIVE

Baby Octopus Salami with Caper and Olive Sauce

Serves 8-10

2 (1-pound) baby octopus, cleaned*

1 large red onion, quartered

3 cloves garlic, peeled

2 stalks celery

2 carrots

1 sprig each fresh rosemary, sage, thyme, and basil

8 cups well-washed arugula

Caper and Olive Sauce (recipe follows)

If you are using regular octopus, freeze it overnight, then defrost it before you start to cook. That will help tenderize the meat.

For the next step, you’ll need two 9-inch loaf pans or 2 small, deep containers, one of which fits exactly into the second.

SALSA DI CAPPERI ED OLIVE

Caper and Olive Sauce

2 tablespoons drained capers

2 tablespoons pitted and chopped imported black olives

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1 cup roughly chopped plum tomatoes

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon red wine

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-06-18T12:30:00.000-07:00

TORTA DI MELE CON SALSA DI SULTANA
Apple Cake with Raisin Sauce

Serves 6-8

1 Stick (1/2 cup) sweet butter
1 cup sugar
Grated rind of 1 lemon
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2-1 cup milk2 pounds Golden Delicious or Rome apples, cored, peeled, and sliced (squeeze lemon over the cut apples to keep them from turning brown)
Salsa di Sultana (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350०. Grease the 9-inch cake pan.

SALSA DI SULTANA
Raisin Sauce

1 cup milk
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons white raisins, soaked in warm, sweet white wine such as Marsala or Vin Santo for an hour
3 tablespoons toasted chopped walnuts

Put the milk in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Daily Diary Entry

2011-06-14T17:53:00.001-07:00

Trota Arrosto con Rosmarino
Roast Trout with Rosemary
serves 4

Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 (1 lb) whole trout, cleaned, heads and tails left on
1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
8 sprigs rosemary, leaves stripped, chopped fine
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic, plus 3 whole cloves peeled.
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon, plus 1 lemon cut into wedges
1/2 cup white wine
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Salt and pepper the cavities of the trout. Mix together the parsley, the rosemary, and the chopped garlic, then rub the mixture into the flesh of the fish (not on the scale side.)
Place the olive oil and whole garlic cloves in a roasting pan and add the trout, turning them once to coat both sides in the olive oil. Bake the fish for 15 minutes. The trout goes from rare to well done in a matter of minutes. To check if the fish is the temperature you prefer, after the first 15 minutes of cooking time, cut a small slit near the spine of the fish. Douse the fish with the lemon juice and wine and continue baking for another 3 to 8 minutes. Remove the trout and serve it with lemon wedges.

Daily Diary Excerpt

2011-06-12T12:26:00.003-07:00

Today's dish is perfect for a rainy day.

Pappa al Pomodoro

Bread and Tomato Soup

This is an extremely thick soup. You can add more water to make the dish soupier if you like.

serves 4-6

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 leek, white part only, washed well and chopped

1/4 cup chopped red onion

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into strips

1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded (if you have time) and chopped

2 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups cubed day old bread

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Place 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the leek, onion and garlic in a large pot and heat over medium. When the mixture starts to color, after 6 to 7 minutes, add the wine, and let it reduce completely, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add 1/4 cup of the basil, the tomatoes, and the water. Cook for 15 minutes. Add the bread, and stir occasionally for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper, and cook for another 10 minutes. Then add the remaining 1/4 cup basil, and cook for a final 10 minutes. The soup is ready and will be very thick.

Pour it into individual bowls and top each serving with a tablespoon of the remaining olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the cheese.

Daily Diary Excerpt

2011-06-12T12:26:00.001-07:00

Today's dish is perfect for a rainy day.

Pappa al Pomodoro

Bread and Tomato Soup

This is an extremely thick soup. You can add more water to make the dish soupier if you like.

serves 4-6

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 leek, white part only, washed well and chopped

1/4 cup chopped red onion

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into strips

1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded (if you have time) and chopped

2 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups cubed day old bread

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Pour it into individual bowls and top each serving with a tablespoon of the remaining olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the cheese.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-06-10T15:47:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is a story from Cesare's childhood in which he tells of a particular fishing trip with his father that goes slightly awry. Read this story to get a glimpse of how Cesare and his father would be sneaky while on their family outings.

Pescando Le Trote

Il Lunedi, Monday, not Sunday, was always the day of rest for our family. We would close Vipore and set out on some adventure – a picnic on the beach in Viareggio, a drive to Torre del Lago, or an all-day game of briscola at Uncle Segio’s. In early and late summer, my favorite Mondays were always trips to the mountains to buy porcini. In the old days, we’d all go, the staff form Vipore, Mama, Papa, me, and always Mariano, the husband of our pasta cook. Mama insisted on Mariano because she was a picky eater. Mariano, on the other hand, was skinny but ate for two, so with him at her side, Mama could always clean her plate.

Usually, for porcini we went to Abetone, but one June I remember, Papa proposed a trip to Lucchio, a hilltop city famous for hens born with small sacks under their backsides. (It was said that they used the sacks to store their eggs so they wouldn’t roll downhill.) Papa wasn’t interested in the hens; he wanted to stop in Lucchio to fish in the Lima River, which in summer brims with trout. The porcini, he promised, we’d buy on the way home.

We got to the Lima early, around 10am. Some of our group went upstream, some down. I went with Papa in the car because he said he knew of a great spot. But after a hour, I began to despair. We hadn’t caught a single fish. Without a word, Papa motioned to me to join him in the car. In a few minutes, I understood. His “great spot” was a trout farm. The owner was wizened and weather-beaten, like a fish who’d seen one too many battles. Her eyes looked out in different directions, and she tried to sell us all the nicest trout, plump, with shiny scales. But Papa insisted on at least half ugly ones. Scrawny and ugly, too, he said magre e brutte, anche, and picked out twelve.

By the tie we reached Da Beppe, the restaurant where we’d arranged to meet for lunch, Mama, Adele, Camay, Onelia, and Mariano were already seated. I paraded our “catch” around the table; we had more than their trout combined. Everyone was impressed and even a little envious. I felt as proud as if I’d actually caught the fish myself.

Until, that is, the signora from the trout farm appeared, carrying a crate of trout for Da Beppe. Spotting papa across the room, she waved and called out, “Eh, signore, ci sono alter brutte, vuole guare?” “I’ve got some more ugly ones, wanna have a look” Mariano and Camay started in on us. Mama just shook her head. I was mortified, but not Papa. He laughed, because he almost got away with it . He even paid for everyone’s lunch. “Aspettate,” “Just wait,” he warned, indicating he’d get his revenge.

The bad new was that by the time we got to the porcini stand, the only ones left were as shriveled and unsightly as the trout we’d bought. That did make Papa mad. It meant he had to drive back the next day for some good ones.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-06-09T18:23:00.000-07:00

If you are bored of the usual snacks, this Pasta Frilla featured in today's recipe is a great way to enjoy something new!

Pasta Frilla - Pastry Dough

1 stick (1/2 cup) sweet butter, cubed

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

dried beans or pie weights

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Pour in the egg mixture and work into a smooth dough. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 3/4 of an hour before using.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a ten inch circle, 1/8 of an inch thick. Transfer the pastry into a 9 inch pie plate and shape to fit. Leave an inch overhang and fold it double around the edge to form a rim. Puncture the dough several times with the tines of a fork.

Completely cover the dough, including the rim, with a sheet of aluminum foil. Fill the pan of dried beans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven, discard the beans, and take off the foil. If the shell is too white return it to the oven, uncovered, for a few minutes. Remove it and let it cool.

ENJOY!

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-06-08T18:08:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Torta con Frutti Bosco, which is a sweet mixed berry tart. This refreshing tart of cream and berries is a cool treat on a warm summer's day. So try this delicious dessert today, and give any meal a fantastic Italian ending!

Torta con Frutti di Bosco

Mixed Berry Tart

(SERVES 6 – 8)

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 egg yolks

2 2/3 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 ½ - 4 tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons sifted confectioners’ sugar, plus additional for dusting

1 Pastry Crust

2 tablespoons Cointreau

½ cup fresh blackberries

½ cup fresh blueberries

½ cup fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small saucepan, bring the milk and lemon zest to a low boil. Remove the pan from the heat. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and granulated sugar together until pale yellow. Continue beating, adding the flour, vanilla, and hot milk. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan and heat over medium, stirring, until it thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. It will be the consistency of yogurt. Spoon the warm pastry cream into a bowl, drape it with plastic wrap so that no air is trapped between the wrap and the cream, and refrigerate until just chilled. The cream will be very stiff.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, whip the heavy cream to form stiff peaks, and add the 2 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar. Gently incorporate the whipped cream, a tablespoon at a time, into the chilled pastry cream, mixing well. Add only as much whipped cream as needed. The whipped cream/pastry cream mixture should be stiff, not runny. Spread it evenly over the cooled piecrust. Splash the Cointreau over the berries and mix. Arrange the berries in a pattern on the cream filling, or place them randomly. Dust with additional confectioners’ sugar and serve.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-06-07T15:00:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Manzo Cotto al Vapore di Pomodoro, which is a Filet Mignon baked over tomatoes. This truly Tuscan dish is a hearty meal that is sure to bring the flavors of Italy to your cucina!

Manzo Cotto al Vapore di Pomodoro

Filet Mignon Baked Over Tomatoes

(SERVES 4)

4 medium, ripe tomatoes

2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 pinches of sweet paprika

4 pinches of hot paprika

2 shallots, chopped fine

8 cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thin

¾ cup loosely packed fresh basil

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

4 (6-ounce) filet mignons strip steaks

4 tablespoons Arometo sauce

Extra-virgin olive oil (optional)

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Slice the tomatoes in half and place them, cut side up, in a deep, ovenproof skillet. Sprinkle them with the salt, paprikas, chopped shallots, and the mushrooms. Top with the basil (reserve a few leaves for the top of the steaks).

Salt and pepper the steaks and rub one side with the Arometo sauce. Place the steaks, sauced side down, on top of the tomatoes and garnish them with the reserved basil leaves. Seal the skillet with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. If you want, it makes a nice presentation to open the foil at the table.

Transfer the steaks and tomatoes to a plate and spoon the juices from the skillet over them. If you want, drizzle a touch of olive oil on top and serve. You can make a bed of tomatoes and cook a larger steak on top, too.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-06-05T11:17:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Risotto con Pesto, Funghi, e Gamberi, which is a tasty dish of Pesto Risottoe with Mushrooms and Shrimp. This truly Italian dish is a delicious way to try your hand at a risotto, and bring the flavors of Tuscany to your table.

Risotto con Pesto, Funghi, e Gamberi

Pesto Risotto with Mushrooms and Shrimp

(SERVES 4 AS AN APPETIZER)

3 tablespoons chopped red onion

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 ¼ cups Arborio rice

¾ cup white wine

4 cups simmering homemade fish or vegetable stock

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 cup cleaned, mixed mushrooms (chanterelles, shiitake, cremini)

1 dozen medium raw shrimp, shelled and cleaned

Salt to taste

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

½ cup Pesto alla Cesare, more to taste (recipe follows)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

In a medium saucepan, sauté the onion in ¼ cup of the olive oil over high heat until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the rice, stir to coat. Cook 2 minutes more, until the rice is lightly toasted. Remove from the heat and add ¼ cup of the white wine, then return the rice to the heart and let the wine reduce, about 1 minute. Add the simmering stock and continue cooking at a lively boil over high heat.

In a small sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil with 1 clove of the crushed garlic. Discard the garlic after 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and sauté over high, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the rice and stir. Over high, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil in the sauté pan with the remaining 2 crushed garlic cloves. Discard the garlic after 1 minute. Add the shrimp, salt, pepper, and the remaining ½ cup of wine (be careful, it will flame up). Cook for 2 minutes, then add to the rice mixture.

It will take about 15 minutes from the time the liquid is added for the rice to cook al dente. Taste it. If after 15 minutes it is still too hard, add a little more broth or water and continue cooking. The risotto should be slightly soupy and the rice firm to the bite. Add salt and pepper to taste. When it has reached this stage, remove the rice from the heat, add the pesto and chopped basil, stir well, and serve. (If you pour a thin layer of oil over the unused pesto, it will keep very well in the refrigerator for a week. You can use the leftover pesto to make pasta, drizzled over toasted Tuscan bread, or as an addition to vinaigrette to give your salad a light, basil taste.)

Pesto alla Cesare

Cesare’s Pesto

(SERVES 6)

2 cups fresh basil leaves

½ cup fresh Italian parsley

¼ cup fresh chervil (or use all parsley)

1 – 1 ½ cups extra-virgin olive oil

5 tablespoons pine nuts

4 -5 cloves garlic, peeled

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

5 anchovies, preserved in salt or olive oil (optional)

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

3 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese

Put the basil, parsley, chervil (if you don’t use chervil, use more parsley), olive oil, pine nuts, garlic cloves, salt and pepper, and the anchovies in a food processor. Blend coarsely, stopping form time to time to scrape down the sides. When the ingredients are well blended, pour them into a bowl and add the grated cheese. (If combining the pesto with pasta, add a tablespoon of the cooking water to the pesto to thin it out. This is unnecessary with risotto.)

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-06-03T17:49:00.000-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is an anecdote telling of how Cesare came to love and use tarragon in his food. This particular story shows that you might end up really liking something that might not have been appealing to you at first - so try a new herb in your cooking tonight!

Tarragon

The Italian word for tarragon is dragoncello. I guess it’s a reference to the fact that a dragon has a split tongue, just like the tarragon leaf. When I first discovered tarragon, I didn’t like it. The aniselike flavor was overpowering, plus, I thought it was French. But as I started learning more about herbs, I discovered that the cooking of Siena relies heavily on tarragon, which changed everything for me. I embraced it. Now I use tarragon either very sparingly, or in large quantities.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-06-02T14:01:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Bruschetta. This dish is a perfect way to start off any meal, as it offers a delightful taste of the flavors a Tuscan meal has to offer.

Bruschetta

Bruschetta

If you don’t have a lot of fresh herbs, you can just use additional basil here; but the more herbs, the better.

(SERVES 4)

1 pound plum tomatoes, cored ad quartered

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

1 scallion, sliced

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus 4 whole basil leaves

1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons red wine vinegar

4 slices Tuscan bread, toasted

Place half of the tomatoes, the olive oil, garlic, scallion, red pepper flakes, salt, and herbs in a food processor. Pulse it on and off to make a sauce. It should be much chunkier than a puree. Add the remaining tomatoes and pulse a few more times. There should still be bite-size pieces of tomato visible. Add the vinegars and stir.

You can serve the bruschetta mixture in a bowl and allow your guests to make their own, or you can spoon the mixture onto the toast, garnish with the remaining basil leaves, and serve immediately.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-06-01T15:31:00.000-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Crostini di Pomodoro, which is Tomato Toasts. This dish has become a staple in Tuscan food, and will please everyone at your table. Try this Tuscan treat in your very own cucina tonight!

Crostini di Pomodoro

Tomato Toasts

(SERVES 4)

2 cups seeded and chopped plum tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped shallot or Vidalia onion

¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (you can also use red wine vinegar, for a very different taste)

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 ½ teaspoons salt

4 slices of Tuscan bread

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, and basil. Add all the other ingredients except the bread, and mix well.

Toast the bread until golden brown. Spoon the tomato mixture on top of the toast and serve immediately.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-05-29T09:30:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt form Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Frutti di Bosco con Zabaglione, which is a delicious dish of summer berries with zabaglione. This dessert is perfect for the summer time when berries are in season and a sweet dessert is the perfect way to end a meal on a warm day.

Frutti di Bosco con Zabaglione
Summer Beries with Zabaglione
(SERVES 4)

4 egg yolks
¼ cup sugar
1 ¼ cups Vin Santo or dry Marsala
4 cups raspberries or other fresh berries

Place the egg yolks, sugar, and Vin Santo or Marsala in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, and beat with a wire whisk until the mixture becomes thick and creamy and doubles in volume. (The zabaglione must not be made over direct heat. If you don’t have a double boiler, bring water to a simmer in a saucepan and beat the zabaglione in another pan, over the simmering water.) It will take about 5 minutes.
Spoon the berries into individual serving dishes, pour the zabaglione on top, and serve.

Daily Diary Entry

2011-05-28T12:38:00.000-07:00

What a perfect dish to grill in the summertime!

Rosticciana di Maiale alla Griglia

Pork Ribs Grilled with Rosemary

1/3 cup chopped fresh rosemary

8 cloves garlic chopped

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

4 1/2 pounds pork ribs, cut into separate ribs

1 cup white wine

Rub the rosemary, the garlic and the salt and pepper into the ribs. Cover them and let them marinate at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.

Heat an outdoor grill. When then grill is hot, cook the ribs approximately 20 minutes , turning them often. Remove the ribs to a platter, splash them with the wine, then return them to the fire and cook them for another 5 to 10 minutes. Then serve. If you don’t have a grill, you can place the ribs in a broiler pan and broil in the oven instead.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-05-27T18:47:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Pasta alla Moda di Mezza Estate, which is a Midsummer-Style Pasta. This dish is perfect for the warm weather summer months that are upon us, and is delicious served warm or cold. Try this truly Italian dish in your own cucina to add some Tuscan flavor to your summer!

Pasta alla Moda di Mezza Estate

Midsummer-Style Pasta

(SERVES 4 AS AN APPETIZER)

4 medium, ripe tomatoes

1 tablespoon kosher salt

3 quarts water

1 ½ tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons salt

½ tablespoon each finely chopped fresh oregano, thyme, marjoram, and basil

½ bunch arugula, washed and chopped

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 small cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ pound fusilli or other short pasta

4 tablespoons freshly grated Parigiano-Reggiano cheese

Chop the tomatoes and layer them in a colander. Sprinkle them with the kosher salt and let them sit for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. This will draw the extra water out of the tomatoes and make their flavor more intense.

In a large pot, bring the water to a boil, then add 1 ½ tablespoons of the salt. Transfer the tomatoes to a bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients, and add the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt, the herbs, arugula, red pepper flakes, garlic, and olive oil. Cook the pasta until it is al dente, then drain and toss it with the sauce and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve. (This dish is also good served cold.)

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-05-25T18:28:00.000-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Insalata di Crescione e Fagioli, which is a watercress and bean salad. While this recipe may prove to be relatively simple in comparison to a number of the dishes found in Diary of a Tuscan Chef, it is just as delicious and one hundred percent Tuscan! Try this tasty salad in your own cucina tonight!

Insalata di Crescione e Fagioli

Watercress and bean Salad

(SERVES 4)

2 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

14 cup cooked cannellini beans

½ cup chopped tomato

3 tablespoons chopped red onion

8 cups well-washed watercress

Croutons, for serving

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and the salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Mix together the beans, tomato, red onion, and watercress, and toss with a few tablespoons of the dressing.

Divide the salad among 4 plates. Sprinkle with croutons and serve.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-05-22T11:16:00.000-07:00

Today's excerpt form Diary of a Tuscan Chef is a story that tells of the sacrifices the Casella family made in order to keep their restaurant running. In particular was Cesare's ever changing sleeping situation that was altered by the amount of business that Vipore drew in. Read this anecdote to see how the Casella family's love for food reigned supreme in their household!

Alla Conquista del Letto

In Search of a Bed

When Mama and Papa bought Vipore, it was an old inn, with three rooms and a restaurant upstairs, and a bar downstairs. Since we wanted more space for the restaurant, we converted the stanzina della televisione, “the small room with the TV” into an extra dining room. Six to fourteen could fit in the stanzina to eat, but if it was more than ten, we had to move the TV into my room, the stanza del fuoco, “the fire room,” which was exactly above the kitchen, toasty and warm in winter and burning hot in summer. But when Nonna Cesarina came to live with us, everything got moved around. Papa gave Cesarina the stanza del fuoco; I got a Murphy bed and was moved into the stanzina della televisione.

Unfortunately, the stanzina della telvisione always got booked up, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. It was small and intimate and everyone loved it for private parties. For me, that meant not being able to go to sleep until the people finished eating. I rarely lasted that long, and insteadI would crawl into the space under the refrigerator where there were sacks of bread I could use as a pillow. In the summer, I liked the copanna, the shed where we made tordelli and stored the big vats of wine. It was cool, and there was Billy, our dog, as a pillow. I used other places, which meant that after everyone had gone, Mama and Papa had to search high and low to find me to put me to bed.

Daily Diary Entry

2011-05-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

Today’s recipe is an all-time favorite. The quintessential paring of traditions. Enjoy! We certainly will...

Tiramisu

Serves 8-

You can also layer the tiramisu in a rectangular serving dish, starting with a layer of ladyfingers, then mascarpone, then cocoa. Finish with cocoa sprinkled on top.

6 eggs, separated

7 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1 1/2 lbs mascarpone cheese

1/4 cup grappa, brandy, or vin santo

1 1/2 lbs ladyfingers

3/4 cup cold espresso

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, or 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, grated

In one bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar, then fold in the mascarpone and the liqueur.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they are stiff and form peaks. Fold the whites into the mascarpone mixture.

Dip the ladyfingers into the espresso and drop 2 into a wine glass. Spoon the mascarpone over the cookies and sprinkle cocoa powder or grated chocolate on top. Chill several hours before serving.

Daily Diary Excerpt

2011-05-19T15:20:00.000-07:00

Today’s excerpt is a perfect meal for weather we can’t wait for.

Enjoy!

Controfiletto Di Manzo alla Moda di Mezza Estate

Mid-summer Rib-eye Steak

serves 4

4 cups well washed arugula

4 medium sized tomatoes cut into bite size chunks

2 2/3 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

2 (18-20 ounce) shell, New York, rib-eye, T-Bone or strip steak with bone -in.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the broiler. Arrange the arugula on 2 plates.

In a small bowl, mix the tomatoes with the balsamic vinegar, and add salt and pepper.

Salt and pepper the steak on both sides. Be especially generous with the pepper. Place the meat under the broiler. Cook for 5 or 6 minutes on each side, or to desired doneness. Remove from the oven and trim the meat. Arrange the tomatoes on top of the arugula. Cut the meat into 1/2 inch thick slices and arrange on top of the salad. Drizzle each plate with olive oil and serve.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-05-18T17:09:00.000-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Garganelli con Tonno Fresco, which is a dish of Garganelli with fresh Tuna. This meal brings the flavors of the Italian seaside to your dining room table, in a dish that is sure to please. Try this recipe in your own cucina for a truly Italian meal.

Garganelli con Tonno Fresco

Garganelli with Fresh Tuna

(SERVES 4 AS AN APPETIZER)

3 quarts water

1 ½ tablespoons salt plus extra to taste

½ pound garagnelli or penne pasta

1 ½ tablespoons chopped garlic

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¾ pound tuna steak, cut into ½-inch chunks

1/3 cup white wine

1 cup chopped tomato

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the 1 ½ tablespoons of salt and the garganelli.

Place the garlic, oregano, and olive oil in a large sauté pan and heat over medium until the garlic starts to color, about 5 minutes. Add the cut-up tuna and stir so the fish browns evenly, 3 to 4 minutes (depending on how well you like your tuna cooked).

When the pasta is al dente, drain it and keep warm.

Add the white wine to the tuna sauce and let it reduce, about 2 minutes. Then add the tomato and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley and salt and pepper. Toss with the pasta and serve.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-05-17T18:43:00.001-07:00

In today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef, Cesare describes an herb that is frequently utilized in cooking in Italy. But when he came to America and was not able to find this herb, he created a seasoning that works in very much the same way as the herb, and can be used in a multitude of dishes.

There's hardly a mushroom, artichoke, or zucchini dish in Tuscany and Liguria that doesn't contain nepitella, but unfortunately, you can't find that herb in any other region in the world. I've tried to reproduce the flavor here by mixing one-third fresh oregano, one-third fresh parsley, one-sixth fresh tarragon, and one-sixth fresh mint. I use it to flavor mushrooms, artichokes, and fish dishes.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-05-15T16:46:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Fagottini di Zucchini, which is a Zucchini Pocket. While it may utilize a particular ingredient that is not exactly of Italian cuisine, this dish is a Tuscan treat that is sure to add the delicious flavors of zucchini to your meal!

Fagottini di Zucchini

Zucchini Pockets

Sour cream isn’t an ingredient you’d ever find in Tuscany, but it makes the pastry crust extra flaky. At Vipore, we make fagottini with homemade puff pastry, but it’s complicated to prepare. You can cheat with frozen puff pastry.

(MAKES 12)

2 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon salt, plus extra to taste

¾ cup vegetable shortening

2 tablespoons cold water

2 table spoons sour cream

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 2/3 cups finely chopped zucchini

2/3 cup finely chopped shallots

¼ cup white wine

4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano

4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1 egg, beaten

In a bowl, combine the flour with the teaspoon of salt, then cut in the vegetable shortening. Sprinkle the water and the sour cream over the flour mixture and work the dough into a ball. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the oil, zucchini, and shallots in a medium-size sauté pan and cook over medium heat until the juices given off by the zucchini are nearly evaporated, about 7 minutes. Add the white wine, oregano, parsley, mint, and tarragon, and cook until the wine completely reduces, 8 to 10 minutes. The mixture should not be too dry. Add salt and pepper and let the mixture cool.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to about a 1/8 – inch thickness. With a glass or a cookie cutter, cut out circles about 4 inches in diameter. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the zucchini mixture into the middle of each circle. Brush the edges of the circles with the beaten egg and fold the dough over to form a half moon. Press down around the edge with the tines of a fork to seal the dough shut. Place the fagottini on a cookie sheet and brush the tops with the beaten egg. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Serve.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-05-13T16:46:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Torta di Ricotta con Salsa di Fragole Fresche, which is a Ricotta Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberry Sauce. Simple to make and even easier to devour, this delicious dessert is the perfect ending to any Tuscan meal.

Torta di Ricotta con Salsa di Fragole Fresche

Ricotta Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberry Sauce

(Serves 8)

Il Ripieno

Filling:

1 ¾ pounds ricotta cheese

1 ¼ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

1 ¼ tablespoons sifted cornstarch

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

3 eggs

Grated rind of 1 lemon

La Pasta

Crust:

6 tablespoons sweet butter, cubed

3 tablespoons sugar

1 small egg

1 teaspoon cold water

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups sifted flour

Salsa di Fragole Fresche

Fresh Strawberry Sauce:

2 cups finely chopped strawberries

2 tablespoons sugar

To make the filling: Combine all the ingredients in listed order in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on medium-low speed for 15 minutes or until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Set aside in a cool place (not the refrigerator) while preparing the crust.

To make the crust: In a large bowl, cream the butter and the sugar until they are light and fluffy. Add the egg and the water and mix well. Add the salt, continuing to beat until the salt and sugar dissolve. Bring the mixture to the center of the bowl. Add the flour around the edge. Then slowly incorporate the flour into the butter-sugar mixture. Stir until it forms a dough and makes a ball. Sprinkle the dough with flour to prevent it from getting sticky, then refrigerate it for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch springform pan.

To assemble the cheesecake: On a lightly floured surface, roll out a ¼-inch-thick, 1 1-inch circle of dough and fit it into the prepared pan. The crust should come up to the sides of the pan slightly. Pour the cheese mixture into the pastry-lined pan.

Bake the cheesecake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until it has risen in the center and formed a skin on top. It should give like Jello-O when touched. Cool it at room temperature, then chill for 1 hour before serving.

To make the sauce: Mix the strawberries and the sugar together.

Spoon over cut slices of the chilled cheeasecake.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-05-11T16:55:00.000-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Spinani Saltati, which is a delicious dish of sauteed spinach. While this may be a relatively simple recipe to make, it will provide your dinner table with the intricate flavors of Tuscany and be a wonderful addition to any meal.

Spinaci Saltati

Sauteed Spinach

If you can find tender, baby spinach, you can add it directly to the oil and garlic without precooking it.

Serves 6 - 8

4 pounds spinach, well washed, tough stems removed

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, sliced

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Place the spinach, with the water still clinging to its leaves, in a pot large enough to hold it. Cover and cook it over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the spinach just wilts, about 7 to 8 minutes. Drain the spinach well in a colander, pressing out the excess water with the back of a spoon.

Heat the olive oil and garlic in a medium saute pan. When the garlic begins to color, after about 5 minutes, add the spinach and cook it briefly, about 2 minutes, adding salt and pepper.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

2011-05-09T18:12:00.000-07:00

Today’s recipe is a delightful entree sure to shake off any shadow daunting Mondays may cast.

Agnello Arrosto con Aglio, Limone, e Spinaci Saltati.

Roast Leg of Lamb with Garlic, Lemon and Sauteed Spinach.

In Italy, we eat lamb very well done, but I’ve adapted my recipe for Amrican tastes, which lean toward rare or medium meat.

Serves 6-8

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

1 tablespoon minced garlic, plus 15 whole cloves, peeled and crushed. (1 bulb)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 (4-5lb) boneless leg of lamb

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

1 1/2 cups white wine

sauteed spinach (recipe follows.)

Preheat the over to 400 degress F. In a bowl, combine the chopped herbs, minced garlic and salt and pepper. Make 20 or more deep slits around the lamb and stuff them with the herb mixture, rubbing the remaining mixture on to the outside of the meat. Place the lamb in a casserole just large enough to hold it, and pour the olive oil over the lamb, massaging the oil into the meat. There should be some extra that catches in the bottom of the dish. Put the lamb in the oven. If the meat is very lean, you should check on it after about 15 minutes; to make sure it not cooking too fast.

Wait another 30 minutes, then pour the lemon juice and wine over the lamb, turn the lamb over, and add the crushed garlic cloves to the pan. Lower the heat to 350 degress F ad return the lamb to the oven. For rare ma, roast it another 5-10 mintues. Insert an instant reading thermometer. It should be at a minimum of 120 degrees F for rare. For medium rare roast it another 20 to 25 minutes.

Let the lamb rest for 15 minutes bore carving. Pour the juices into a gravy boat. Slice the meat, and serve with its juices and the sauteed spinach on the side.

Spinaci Saltati

Sauteed Spinach

If you can find tender, baby spinach, you can add it directly to the oil and garlic without pre-cooking it.

serves 6-8

4 pounds Spinach, well washed, tough stems removed.

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, sliced

salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste.

Place the spinach, with the water still clinging to its leaves, in a pot large enough to hold it. Cover and cook it over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the spinach just wilts, about 7 to 8 minutes. Drain the spinach well in a colander, pressing out the excess water with the back side of a spoon.

Heat the olive oil and garlic in a medium saute pan. When the garlic begins to color, after about 5 minutes, add the spinach and coo it briefly, for about 2 minutes, adding the salt and pepper to taste.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-05-08T16:37:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Tordelli con Ragu di carne, which is a recipe that Cesare's grandmother taught him to make as a child. Try this family recipe in your very own cucina for a taste of what sparked Cesare's love for food.

Tordelli con Ragu di carne

Lucchese Ravioli with Meat Sauce

Serves 10-12 as an appetizer

Il Ripieno

Meat Filling

1 1/2 pounds meat (beef, pork, rabbit, chicken, and/or turkey), cut into 3-x-3-inch cubes

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (sage, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and Italian parsley)

1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 pound Swiss chard, well washed and stemmed

1/2 cup day-old coarse bread crumbs

1/2 cup chopped cured meats (such as mortadella, salami, or prosciutto)

5 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 egg, beaten

Homemade Beef broth, as needed

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the meat with salt, pepper, fresh herbs, spices, and 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Place the mixture in a roasting pan and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the meat is well done.

While the meat is cooking, place the Swiss chard with the water still clinging to its leaves into a medium pot, cover, and heat it over medium-high, stirring occasionally. When the chard has wilted, after about 7 minutes, drain it, and squeeze out as much water as possible. Chop the chard roughly.

In a medium frying pan, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and add the chopped Swiss chard. Cook it for 2 minutes, then set aside to cool.

When the meat is done, place it in the bowl of a food processor long with its roasting juices, the Swiss chard, bread crumbs, cured meat, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and egg. Pulse until everything is well blended. If the mixture is dry, add some beef broth, a tablespoon or so at a time. Adjust the seasoning and set the mixture aside, allowing it to cool before using it.

Pasta per Tordelli

Tordelli Dough

Making pasta by hand takes patience and time. After 2 or 3 tries, you'll get it right, and be happy you did.

4 1/2 cups unbleached white flour

4 large eggs plus 4 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 - 3/4 cup water

2 teaspoons salt

Mound the flour on a clean work surface and form a well in the center. Add the eggs and the egg yolks to the well and scramble them with your fingers or with a fork. Add in the olive oil, 1/2 cup of the water, and the salt. Use one hand to mix up the eggs and the other to hold up the wall of the flour well from the outside. Gradually begin incorporating the flour from the inside wall of the well into the eggs.

When the eggs are no longer runny, push in the walls of the flour and work the mixture into a mound of soft crumbs. Gather the mass together and begin working it into a ball. (If it seems too dry here, add up to 1/4 cup more water, a tablespoon at a time.) Once the dough has formed, knead it vigorously for 10 minutes, until it is elastic and smooth. Shape the dough into a flat oval. Cover it with a kitchen towel, and let it rest for an hour.

To make the tordelli, clean, then lightly flour your work surface. Pinch off a baseball size portion of dough and shape it into a flat oval. Begin rolling it out with a rolling pin into a rectangular sheet, no more than 1/8 inch thick, preferably thinner. With a knife, trim the pasta into a long strip, approximately 3 inches wide.

You must work quickly so the dough does not dry out. Pinch off pieces of meat filling and roll them to form small, marble-size balls, about 1/2 inch in diameter. Center the balls, approximately 2 inches apart, in the middle of the strip of dough. Fold the pasta over the balls, presing down on the pasta between each ball with your fingers to seal the dough. Cut out the tordelli by using a pastry wheel with a wavy edge to make half-moon shapes. Repeat the process with the rest of the filling and dough. Dry the tordelli on a flat screen until ready to use. If you are not going to use the tordelli withint 24 hours, cover them lightly and refrigerate them. They will also keep frozen for 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator before using.

When ready to use, cook the tordelli for approximately 8 minutes (depending on the thickness of the pasta) in a pot of abundant boiling, salted water. Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to the water to keep the tordelli from sticking to each other.

Ragu di Carne

Meat Sauce

(Makes 10-12 cups)

1 large yellow onion

2 stalks celery, chopped fine

1 medium carrot, chopped fine

4 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 pound ground pork

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 pound ground veal

4 thin slices pancetta, chopped

4 thin slices prosciutto, chopped

2 cups white or red wine

1 (28-ounce) can whole Italian tomatoes, drained

1 cup crushed canned tomatoes

1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice or a dash each of grated nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon

In a large saucepan, saute the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until the mixture is tender and translucent, about 15 minutes. Just before the mixture begins to color, add the pork, beef, veal, pancetta, and prosciutto. Continue cooking until the meat is browned, about 8 or 9 minutes.

Add the wine, and raise the heat to reduce the liquid. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, covered, over medium-low heat for about 50 minutes. Add the water, salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and spices and cook for another 50 minutes, until the sauce is thick and flavorful. (Check occasionally to make sure the sauce isn't drying out. If it is, add a bit more water.)

Assembly:

Frshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Drain the cooked tordellini, mix them with the meat sauce, and serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-05-05T16:34:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the first recipe from the section of summer recipes within the book. Try this delicious dish in your very own cucina as a way to welcome the warm months of summer and to expand your knowledge of Tuscan cuisine!

Panzanella

Tomato and Bread Salad

Serves 5

10 ounces day-old country bread

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

4 scallions, sliced into thin rounds

1 cucumber, peeled and sliced thin

1 yellow or red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

3 tomatoes, seeded and sliced

20 basil leaves, julienned

8-12 anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped (optional)

6 ounces Italian tuna (canned in oil), drained and flaked (optional)

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram

Soak the bread in 4 tablespoons of the vinegar mixed with enough water to cover. After 2 minutes, squeeze it dry and place it in a bowl with the vegetables, basil, anchovies, and tuna.

In another bowl, mix the olive oil, the remaining vinegar, salt, and pepper until it is well combined. Add the dressing to the vegetable mixture and toss. Let the panzanella sit for 30 minutes at room temperature. Remix and serve with marjoram sprinkled on top.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-05-04T14:40:00.001-07:00

Today's recipe excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the introduction to the section of summer recipes, which is a personal anecdote that revisits the day Cesare decided to dedicate his days to cooking. Read this to gain your inspiration for your next cook adventure!

Aiutando a Fare la Pasta

A few years after my parents opened Vipore, my nonna Cesarina came to live with us. She helped in the kitchen, around the restaurant, and mostly, taking care of me. Since I had been born the same year her youngest son died, I was her favorite grandchild, which made her my favorite adult. Cesarina did everything for me, from brushing my hair to laying out my clothes in the morning - my shirt, pants, socks, and shoes. If I got scolded, I would console myself in Cesarina's skirts. If I had a secret, I shared it with Cesarina. On Saturday afternoons, when Cesarina went to visit our cousins in San Concordio, Cesarina would make fresh tordelli - a ravioli typical of Lucca that is stuffed with ground beef, pork, and chicken - so that Mama and Papa wouldn't run out while we were gone. The tordelli were her secret recipe, and Cesarina was very territorial about who she allowed to help her with the task.

One morning, I went to watch Cesarina as she made the tordelli. I know the day I decided I would become a chef. I was thirteen, and Cesarina started to show me how to roll and cut the pasta. Her hands flew, tucking and pinching like a seamstress. My first tries were disastrous, but when Papa came in, he was so encouraging that I caught on quickly and was soon producing perfect, savory rectangles.

I went to see Mama to brag, but I think she barely heard me. Instead she grabbed my hand and took me with her to check on the lamb and potatoes, which were roasting in the outdoor oven. I've breathed that smell a million times since, but I'll always remember the air that day. It was overpowering, a smoky haze of sage, rosemary, oil, garlic, and lamb roasting over wood. I watched Mama pull out the pan, splash on red wine and lemon juice, and toss in a handful of salt. When we got back in the kitchen, I asked so many questions about the meat and roasting, the pasta and the ragu, that Mama told me to be quiet and stay in the corner and watch. She may have been impatient, but she was a good teacher. I never went to San Concordio again with Nonna. From then on, I spent my weekends in the kitchen.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-05-01T09:52:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Zuppa Inglese, which is an "English soup". While you may expect to see ingredients of vegetables and broths, don't be fooled - this "soup" is in fact a dessert that will bring a sweet ending to any meal. Try this tasty "soup" in your own cucina for a delicious Tuscan treat.

Zuppa Inglese

"English Soup"

Serves 6

1/2 pound ladyfingers

1/2 cup Alchermes (a sweet, red liqueur of spices, flowers, and red cochineal - if you can't find it, substitute Vin Santo)

Pastry Cream

1 recipe Chocolate Sauce

Place the ladyfingers in the bottom of an 8-inch square serving dish. Drizzle them with half the Alchermes. Spread a layer of the pastry cream over the cookies. Drizzle 1/2 the chocolate sauce over the cream. Follow this with another layer of lady fingers, Alchermes, pastry cream, and chocolate. Refrigeratre the zuppa Inglese at least and hour before serving.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-04-25T14:53:00.000-07:00

Today's entry is a delicious dish to welcome the warm weather.

Farfalle al Salmore e Asparagi

Bow-ties with Salmon and Asparagus

serves 4 as an appetizer

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic chopped

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1/2 lb asparagus cut into 1 inch lengths, tip set aside

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

1/2 lb salmon fillet cut into this slices

1 medium tomato, peeled and chopped

fresh ground black pepper to taste

3 quarts water

1 1/2 tablespoons salt, more to taste

1/2 lb bow-ties or other short pasta

Place the olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, rosemary, and asparagus stems (not the tips) in a large saute pan and cook over medium high heat, stirring for approximately 5 minutes, until the garlic is golden and the asparagus is a bright green. Add the parsley and stir. Add the salmon and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the tomato, along with the salt and pepper, and the asparagus tips. Lower the heat to medium low and cook for another 3 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.

Bring the water to boil in a large pot. Add the 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and the bow-tie pasta and cook until the pasta is very al dente. Drain and add the salmon. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. serve. This is also nice served at room temperature as a salad.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-04-22T16:30:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Spumone al Miele, which is a Honey Mousse. This delicious dessert is a wonderful way to end any truly Italian meal - so try this recipe in your cucina tonight!

Spumone al Miele

Honey Mousse

serves 8

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup honey

4 eggs, seperated

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup heavy cream

In the top of a double broiler over boiling water, bring the water to a boil and add the honey, mixing well until the honey is completely dissolved. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar together , then pour the mixture into the Honey-water syrup and mix well. Return the pan to the stove and stir continuously over medium-low heat ( do not let it boil) until the mixture starts to stick to the spoon, doesn’t separate and is a uniform golden color, 20 to 22 minutes.

Remove the pan from the stove, pour the mixture into a large bowl and set it aside to cool, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, and fold them gently into the cooled honey mixture. Then whip the cream and fold that in too. Cover the mousse with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until serving time.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-04-21T18:17:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef contains Chef Casella's thoughts on bay leaves and how he came to fully appreciate them. Try some of his tips as to how you can utilize bay leaves in your own cooking for a truly Italian meal.

Bay Leaf

Bay leaf, what we call in Italian alloro, is so common in Tuscany that it’s used to make funeral wreaths, as hedges to divide neighboring properties, and to hide anything unsightly- even garbage dumps. I sometimes use bay leaf in boiled chestnuts, pork livers or game dishes, but I never really appreciated alloro until I went to Arpege in Paris and ate Dover Sole with fresh bay leaves stuffed between the flesh and the skin. It was one of the most memorable dishes of my life. Its difficult to find fresh bay leaf in the United States, and its also expensive. Bay leaf is ofter available only in the dried form- either the California or Turkish variety. Both types taste different from the Tuscan alloro but add subtle flavor to everything from soups to vegetables.

Diary of a Tuscan Chef excerpt-

2011-04-19T14:50:00.000-07:00

Piccione Ripieno
stuffed squab

If you make an extra squab or two, you can have an easy risotto or pasta. Just de-bone the bird, (or if you’re lazy cut it in pieces and let people eat the meat off the bone, which can be fun.) Mix the meat of one squab into a risotto (for 2 people) halfway through the cooking time; or dress up a plate of spaghetti with the squab, a little olive oil, some chopped parsley and fresh ground black pepper.

serves 4

4 squab
salt and fresh black pepper to taste
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 bay leaves
12 juniper berries
12 whole cloves
4 sticks cinnamon
4 cloves garlic peeled
3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
1 onion quartered
½ cup onion roughly chopped
11 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano
2 cups cleaned, sliced, mixed mushrooms ( shiitake, oyster, cremini)
¾ cup red wine
1 stalk celery, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 carrot, cut into ½ inch pieces
4 slices panchetta

preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Wash and dry the squab well, removing the giblets and reserving them for another use.
With your fingers, pull off the extra fat (don't use a knife, you might cut the skin which keeps the bird moist.) Salt and pepper the flesh and cavities of the squab. Divide the fresh rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, juniper berries, cloves, cinnamon whole garlic cloves and onion quarters into 4 batches and use them to stuff the squab cavities.
To a medium saute pan, add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the chopped garlic and heat over medium. When the garlic starts to color, after 3 or 4 minutes add the oregano, mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the mushrooms for 7 to 8 minutes, lowering the heat if the garlic starts to burn. Set the mushrooms aside.
Meanwhile, pour the remaining ½ cup of olive oil in large, ovenproof saute pan and heat over medium-high. When the olive oil is hot, add the squab and brown on all sides. (Be careful, the oil will splatter.) Remove the pan from the heat and add the wine. (Again be careful) .) Return the pan to the heat until the wine reduces completely, for about 1 minute. Add the celery, carrot, chopped onion and stir.
Turn the squab breast side up and lay one slice of panchetta on top. Place the squab in the oven and cook them for 15 minutes. Turn and cook for another 10 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a food processor and puree. Stir the reserved mushrooms into the puree and pour the mixture back into the pan. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degress F. Return to the oven and cook the squab for another 15 minutes or so, depending on their size. They are done when the juices run clear.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-04-17T13:32:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Sardine Gratinate, which is a dish of sardines with bread crumbs. This truly Italian dish differs from how sardines are generally prepared in America, bringing a new variation on this fish when it is set on your table for dinner.

Sardine Gratinate

Sardines with bread crumbs

Americans aren’t used to eating fresh sardines and anchovies which is a shame. These fresh items taste completely different from the kind preserved in oil that sit on grocery store shelves collecting dust. In seaside towns, like Viareggio and Pisa, sardines are a staple on restaurant menus: they’re delicate, subtle and best of all, plentiful and cheap. Montarey has some of the best sardines in the United States, which is why I included them on my Carmel menu. In most parts of the country they are admittedly hard to find. Ask your local fishmonger to order you some.

Serves 4

2 lbs (16 whole) fresh sardines, cleaned and fileted.

⅔ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 ¼ cups extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons chopped fresh italian parsley

4 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

½ cup thinly sliced red onion

1 ½ tablespoons bread crumbs

1 cup washed mixed salad greens

½ cup chopped tomato

Have your fishmonger clean and fillet the sardines, unless you want to try it yourself. If so, using a sharp knife , slit the sardine open along the belly and using a spoon remove the innards. There will be about a teaspoon. Cut off the heads and then pry the fish open, catch the end of the tailbone under the tip of the knife, and pull up. (This is easiest done under running water.) I also cut out the fin which is in the back. Wash the fillets and if you have time, marinate them for 24 hours in the lemon juice. ( If you are in a hurry, an hour or two will do.)

Gently remove the sardines from the lemon juice and pat them dry. They are now “cooked” and will break easily. In a dish large enough to hold all the sardines, combine the olive oil, parsley and oregano, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper and onion. Add the sardines, making sure they are all complete.y submerged in the oil. (they will keep in this preparation for 2 to 3 days.) Let them marinate for at least an hour.

You can eat the sardines like this, on a slice of toasted Tuscan bread with a little of the onion and herbs to garnish; they are delicious. Or you can remove them from the oil and lay them out in a broiler pan. Sprinkle them with bread crumbs, and broil them until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve them on a bed of salad greens, garnished with the chopped tomato.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-04-15T15:20:00.000-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Zuccotto, which is a dessert very much like semifreddo. Try this delicious Tuscan desert as a sweet way to end any meal!

Zuccotto

A zucchetto in Italian is a skullcap. This dessert is called zuccotto because it’s shaped like the Duomo in Florence, but you can also make the parfait in layers in a cake pan. The ingredients are similar to those found in semifreddo: In fact, zuccotto was probably the first semifreddo, a precursor of gelato. Though Catherine de Medicis is credited with bringing sorbet with her to France, what she probably served was semifreddo.

Serves 4-6

½ (12-ounce) sponge cake, cut into ½ - inch-thick slices (any spongy, non-frosted cake will do here)

1 1/8 cups heavy cream

1 18 cups fresh ricotta

½ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

½ cup chopped toasted almonds

¼ cup chopped candied fruit

6-8 tablespoons sugar, or more to taste

3 tablespoons sweet liqueur (Benedictine, framboise, Grand Marnier)

1 ½ ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

2 ½ teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Completely line a deep, 1 ½ -quart bowl with the sponge cake. With an electric mixer, beat the cream on medium-high until it begins to thicken, then lower the speed and continue beating until it is thick and glossy. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta on medium speed for 3 minutes, until it is smooth. Combine the whipped cream with the ricotta. Incorporate half the chopped nuts and all of the candied fruit, blending well. Add sugar to taste and mix well.

Drizzle the liqueur over the sponge cake. Spread half the whipped cream and ricotta mixture in a 2-inch-thick layer of the sponge cake. There will be a well in the middle.

Mix the remaining whipped cream ricotta mixture with the chopped chocolate and the cocoa powder until it is well blended. Spoon the chocolate whipped cream ricotta mixture into the center of the zuccotto and sprinkle the top with the remaining chopped nuts. Place the zuccotto in the freezer until it is firm, about 6 hours.

Fifteen minutes before serving the zuccotto, remove it from the freezer. Invert the bowl onto a plate so the zuccotto drops out. Cut into wedges and serve.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-04-14T18:25:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Torta di Rsio alla Carrarina, which is a Carraran Rice Pie. This sweet dish is a truly Italian treat that will bring the flavors of Italy right to your kitchen.

Michelangelo got his best marble from Carrara, so it’s likely he go a taste or two of Carrara’s renowned rice pie. The proportion of rice to milk and eggs may seem odd, but don’t change it. The quantities are exactly as they should be. When this pie is just right, you’ll have a layer of custard over a layer of rice. If you want to experiment, add aniseed or a little aniseed to the custard.

Torta di Riso alla Carrarina

Carrara Rice Pie

Serves 6

1 ½ cups water

¼ teaspoon salt, plus a pinch

½ cup Arborio rice

Sweet butter, for the pan

1 tablespoon flour

7 eggs

1 ¼ cups sugar

¼ cup rum or brandy

Grated zest of 3 lemons

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups milk, at room temperature

In a heavy saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the ¼ teaspoon of salt. Stir in the rice. Cover the pan tightly and cok over low heat for about 25 minutes, until the rice is light and fluffy. Set the rice aside.

About 15 minutes before the rice is done, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a deep-dish 9-inch pie pan and dust it with flour, shaking off any excess.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar, rum, grated zest, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Mix well and stir in the milk.

With the back of a wet spoon, press the rice into the bottom of the prepared pan, then pour in the milk mixture. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the top of the pie is golden brown. Cool, and serve at room temperature.

Dialy Diary Exerpt

2011-04-08T12:54:00.001-07:00

Semifreddo con Granella e Salsa di Cioccolato

Semifreddo with ground Nut Brittle and Chocolate Sauce

Semifreddo, which means “almost frozen,” unites the creamy coldess of gelato with the airy lightness of mousse. I grew up on it, and it’s added more than a handful around my midriff. The granella, a ground-up nut brittle, gives this semifreddo a tasty candy-bar crunch. (If you don’t want to make our own granella, you can buy a bar of peanut brittle and a bar of almond brittle, break them up, and grind them in a food processor.) For a really decadent flourish, serve the semifreddo with warm chocolate sauce and strawberries.

(serves 8)

3 medium eggs, separated 1/3 cup water

6 ½ tablespoons sugar Chocolate Sauce

½ cup Granella 3 cups fresh washed strawberries

1 ½ cups heavy cream

In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with 2 ½ tablespoons of the sugar until they are pale. Add the granella and mix well. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream on medium-high speed until it begins to thicken, then lower the speed and continue beating until the cream is stiff and glossy. Fold the whipped cream into the egg yolk mixture. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff and smoth.

In a saucepan, bring the remaining 4 tablespoons of sugar and the water to a lively bubble and let it cook for 3 minutes, or until the syrup is clear. Remove it from the heat. Turn you mixer to high, and slowly pour the syrup into the egg whites, beating the 2 ingredients together for about 3 minutes. The mixture should triple in volume. Turn the mixer down to medium and beat until the whites cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Fold the whites into the yolk mixture. Combine well but do not overmix, or the batter will fall.

Spoon the mixture into individual custard cups and freeze for about 6 hours, or until frozen completely like ice cream. Serve with the chocolate sauce and strawberries, if you wish.

Granella

ground Nut Brittle

¾ cup sugar

1 generous cup nuts (hazlenuts, almonds, peanuts) toasted and cooled

sweet butter- for the pan

melt the sugar in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly , then remove it from the heat, add the toasted nuts, and stir to coat the nuts well.

transfer the mixture into a well buttered sheet pan and spread to cover the bottom of the pan. let cool in room temp then move to freezer until it becomes brittle.

break the granella into chunks that will fit into food processor. process the granella until its course and crumbly. Granella can be used to garnish many sweets. store these ground nuts in a container wrapped with plastic in a cool dry place. will keep for about a month.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-04-07T12:48:00.000-07:00

This a power-house salad packed with nutrients!

Insalata di Rinforzo
Make-you-strong salad

1 quart water 10 cornichons, cut in half
8 shallots, peeled 2 tablespoons drained capers
1 head cauliflower, broken into florets 4 anchovy fillets, chopped
2 small zucchini, cut into 3-x-1/2 inch lengths 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste 1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons pitted, halved green olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley 3 tablespoons pitted, halved Italian black olives

Bring the water to boil in a saucepan and add the shallots. Cook them until tender, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on their size. Mix together the cauliflower and zucchini and steam them until they are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Place the peppers, skinside up, 2 to 3 inches from the heat and watch carefully. When the skin blackens, turn them over and blacken on the other sie. Place the peppers in a closed plastic bag for 15 minutes. Peel off the skin and cut the peppers into chunks.
Toss all the vegetables, olives, cornichons, capers, and anchovies together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the red wine vinegar with salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil in a thin, steady stream. Add the parsley, and pour the dressing over the salad. Toss well and serve warm or at room temperature, with the mixed grill.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-04-06T14:29:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is Pollo, Tacchino, Agnello, e Manzo Arrosto con Insalata di Rinforzo, which is a mixed dish of chicken, turkey, lamb, and beef. This delicious combination of meats is served with an equally tasty salad, both of which are a hearty and healthy choice for a meal. Try this healthy Italian dish in your very own cucina!

Pollo, Tacchino, Agnello, e Manzo Arrosto con Insalata di Rinforzo

Mixed grill of chicken, turkey, lamb, and beef with make-you-strong salad

4 lamb chops (loin or rib), trimmed of fat

8 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pound boneless shell steak, cut into 4 pieces

4 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped

Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

4 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 can of beer

4 chicken thighs

4 turkey wings

Make-you-strong salad (recipe follows)

Rub the lamb chops and steaks with salt and pepper and drizzle them with olive oil. Mix together the garlic and the herbs and rub half the mixture into the lamb chops and steaks.

Pour the beer into a large bowl and add the chicken and turkey, the remaining garlic-herb mixture, and salt and pepper. Let all the meat marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Heat the grill or broiler and cook the meat to desired doneness- approximately 4 minutes per side for the lamb chops (for medium-rare), 4 to 5 minutes per side for the strip steak(for medium-rare), and 15 minutes per side for the chicken. (If you broil the meat, it will take slightly less time than on the grill.) Serve with the salad.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-04-04T16:54:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Granchi Teneri Fritti, which are deep-fried soft-shell crabs. Try this truly Italian recipe in you very own cucina to bring the flavors of Tuscan seafood to your dinner table!

Granchi Teneri Fritti

Deep-Fried Soft-Shell Crabs

The traditional way to fry soft-shell crabs, back when they were plentiful, was to place the crabs (while they were alive) in a bath of beaten egg. The crabs would eat the egg and plump up. Then the chef would clean them, dip them in flour, and toss them into hot oil. This version is a little lighter.

Rinse the crabs under cold water. In a bowl, season the milk with salt and pepper, then soak the crabs in the milk for 30 minutes.

Mix together the cornmeal, flour, and salt and pepper. Fill a large saucepan one third full with peanut oil. (It should be at least 3 inches deep.) While the oil is heating, coat the crabs lightly in the cornmeal-flour mixture.

When the oil reaches 375, drop in the garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Then drop in the crabs, 2 or 3 at a time, and let them cook until they are golden and crispy, about 3 minutes. Remove crabs and drain them on paper towels. Serve the crabs accompanied by a fried garlic clove, a sprig of rosemary, a sprig of thyme and 2 lemon wedges.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-04-03T13:42:00.001-07:00

In today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef, Cesare tells of his first encounter with soft shelled crabs. Read his anecdote to get ready for the soft shell crab recipes that are soon to follow in the coming days!

Un Granchio Fuori D’Acqua

A Crab Out of Water

Granchi Teneri Fritti / Deep-Fried Soft-Shell Crabs

Granchi Teneri Saute / Sauteed Soft-Shell Crabs

Risotto di Granchi Teneri / Soft-Shell Crab Risotto

Zuccotto / Tuscan Parfait

Suggested Wines: Brut, Frescobaldi (Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Spumante); Le Grance, Caparzo (Grapes: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer)

When I first started working at Coco Pazzo, I came into the kitchen and noticed two crates of crabs sitting in the corner. They didn’t look like any crabs I’d ever seen, and I was a little hesitant to ask what they were. Then Kevin, my sous chef, asked me how he should prepare the soft-shell crabs, and I played furbo (sly). “Make them the way you always do, and I’ll tell you if you make any mistakes,” I instructed, watching him closely. After work, I pulled out a few of the books I’d brought with me from home and looked up soft-shelled crabs.

What I discovered was that at the turn of the century, soft-shelled crabs, called granchi teneri or “tender crabs,” were a popular delicacy in Tuscan cooking. In Sesto Fiorentino, a small town northwest of Florence, there was even a professional association of soft-shell crab fisherman. During the molting season, the fisherman would place crabs in stacked terra-cotta boxes made by Sesto Fiorentino craftsman. Every day they would pour well water into the top box, and it would drain down, from one container to the next, washing over the crabs. After a period of days, when the crabs molted, they would be transferred to containers lined with damp grape leaves. Then the fisherman would take to the streets shouting “Granchi teneri!”

Armed with this information, I showed up for work the next day with a dozen ideas for soft-shell crab recipes. Here are a few of them.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-04-02T14:19:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is Cesare's recipe for Spumini, which are meringue cookies. These truly Italian treats are a delicious way to end end any meal - so try them in your own cucina to end your dinner on a sweet note.

Spumini

Meringue Cookies

(Makes 20 cookies)

3 egg whites Grated rind of ½ lemon 1 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 225º. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-low until frothy. Continue beating while adding the sugar in a slow, steady stream. Stir in the lemon rind. Turn the speed to high and beat for 5 minutes, until the mixture has tripled in volume and has become quite stiff, dense, and glossy. Drop spoonfuls of the meringue onto the sheet pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. The cookies should be dry and crisp all the way through. Cool, then store them in an airtight container. They will keep for up to a month.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-03-28T15:30:00.000-07:00

In today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef, Cesare tells how he was able to shed some pounds while still spending hours in the kitchen at Vipore. Use his dieting methods to get yourself in tip top condition for the upcoming summer months!

CESARE VA IN DIETA

Cesare Goes on a Diet

Suggested Wines: Podere Fontarca, Fattoria Di Manzano (Grapes: Chardonnay, Viognier); Pergole Torte, Montervertine (Grape: Sangioveto)

In the winter in Pieve Santo Stefano, there was never much work, especially when it was very cold. For the farmers, there was little to do, and for the locals who maintained the villas of “I Signori” our name for the rich weekenders, even less. To pass the time, everyone came to Vipore, and by early December the bar metamorphosed into a winter piazza. Emilio, Camay, Pietro the butcher, Renzo the barber, and Papa played cards, drank, had coffee. I remember one particularly bad winter when the Signori never came, and the restaurant was deserted well into March. For me, it was the perfect moment to experiment in the kitchen.

We had a lot of pork that year because we’d slaughtered more than ever before. Every day I would try a variation on a favorite pork recipe. My first attempts were with pork cheeks, boiled and mixed with beans, sea salt, and olive oil. Then I turned to Pentolaccia, the dish we make during slaughter, which uses the less noble parts of the pig, like the tails and hooves. All of these dishes were very fatty- and very tasty. I started to feel it around my waistline. That had happened before, my growing a seasonal size. But this particular winter, I outdid myself. By the time March rolled around, I’d gained twenty-seven pounds.

Dieting isn’t easy for anyone, but for me it’s especially difficult. My job is to be with food, and if I’m cooking just for myself, I can’t do it. But that year, I had a brainstorm. I’d do a spa menu for Vipore. That way, even if I didn’t see any dishes to the clients, I’d still be able to eat low fat.

The surprise was that our clients actually liked the spa dishes. They were very Tuscan in concept, and flavorful, full of herbs and spices. Plus, we started putting bottles of olive oil on the tables so that customers could drizzle or douse their orders in as much oil as they pleased.

In less than two months, I not only sold our customers on the idea of spa cuisine, I lose all twenty-seven pounds. Then, when I wanted to get rid of the low-fat items, Papa balked. “They’re selling,” he declared. “They stay on the menu.” I didn’t really mind, it was just that after dieting so strictly, I wanted to splurge, and splurge for my clients, too. More to the point, I didn’t want word to get out that I’d been on a diet. In Italy, no one trusts a skinny chef.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-03-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

In today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef, Cesare imparts his knowledge about how to properly clean clams prior to utilizing them in your cooking. Follow his directions and you are sure to be on your way to a truly Italian meal in no time!

TO CLEAN CLAMS

At your fishmonger’s, check that the clams you buy are still alive. To do this, tap the shell with your finger. If they are alive, they will open slightly. When you get the clams home, take a very large bowl, and put a plate inside it, upside down. Place the clams on top and cover them with water and a little salt. This way, the clams continue to live and will kick out the sand that has settled in their shells. The sand will sift under the plate. Leave the clams in the bowl for two hours, stirring occasionally. Lift the clams out of the bowl, being careful not to jog the plate and disturb the sand. The clams are ready to cook.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-03-25T12:20:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Cacciucco, which is a Tuscan fish stew. This stew incorporates a number of different seafood elements that is sure to bring the flavors of Tuscany to your dinner table.

CACCIUCCO

Tuscan Fish Stew

(serves 6)

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves coarsely chopped

2 dozen raw mussels, well scrubbed (don’t beard the mussels until you are ready to cook them)

1 sprig fresh sage, leaves coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 dozen raw clams, cleaned (see Box)

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 pound plum tomatoes, pureed

20 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

3 cups water or fish stock

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 large raw shrimp, shelled and cleaned

1 ½ cups white wine

¾ pound cleaned boneless fish (monkfish, salmon, tune, grouper, or halibut)

½ pound raw baby octopus, cleaned and cut into chunks

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

8 raw squid, cleaned and cut into 4 pieces each

4 slices Tuscan bread, toasted and rubbed with a cut clove of garlic

In a large soup pot, sauté the rosemary, sage, red pepper flakes, onion, and crushed garlic in the olive oil over medium heat. When the onion becomes translucent, after about 5 minutes, add the wine and cover the pot. Cook until the wine is reduced completely about 7 minutes. Add the octopus and cook for 10 minutes; add the tomatoes and the water or stock and cook for 15 minutes; add the shrimp, fish and salt and pepper, and cook for 8 minutes. The soup is ready when the calamari are tender. Discard any clams or mussels that don’t open. When ready to serve, spoon the stew into bowls and top each serving with a slice of toasted bread.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-03-24T14:12:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Fettuccine dell 'Ortolano, which is a dish of Greengrocer Fettuccine. This truly Italian pasta dish is sure to please everyone at your dinner table!

FETTUCCINE DELL’ORTOLANO

Greengrocer Fettuccine

(serves 4 as an appetizer)

In Pieve Santo Stefano, we call greengrocers, or anyone who travels the country roads and sells their vegetables out of the back of their truck, Vortolano. This pasta is in honor of our ortolani.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped fine

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

1 small stalk celery, chopped fine

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

½ tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano

1 (14-ounce) can Italian tomatoes

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 ½ tablespoons white wine

3 quarts water

1 small eggplant, chopped fine

½ pound fettuccine

2 shallots, chopped fine

4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 medium zucchini, chopped fine

1 small carrot, chopped fine

In a large saucepan, put the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, oregano, and red pepper flakes and sauté over medium heat until the garlic starts to color, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and continue cooking until it reduces completely, about 5 minutes.

In a bowl, mix together the eggplant, shallots, zucchini, carrot, onion, and celery and season them with salt and pepper. Add the vegetables to the saucepan and cook the mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and their juices and cook for another 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If the sauce gets dense, you can thin it with a little water or vegetable stock.) Taste for salt and pepper, add the parsley, and cook for another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in a large pot and add 1 ½ tablespoons of salt. Cook the fettuccine until al dente, then mix with the sauce and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; and serve.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-03-23T16:10:00.001-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Calamari Ripieni, which is a dish of stuffed squid. This seafood dish is a truly Tuscan meal that is sure to bring the flavors of Italy to your table!

CALAMARI RIPIENI

Stuffed Squid

(Serves 6)

2 medium potatoes

2 slices Tuscan bread, crusts removed, soaked in water and squeezed dry (about 1 cup)

1 small red onion, sliced thin

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound raw cleaned squid, a third of it tentacles

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

6 medium raw shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 tablespoons water

10 cherry tomatoes, halved

4 tablespoons white wine

Paprika, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cups finely chopped zucchini

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes and onions together with 1 ½ tablespoons of the olive oil and the salt and pepper. Place the mixture in a 9-x-11-inch baking dish and sprinkle with the water and 2 tablespoons of white wine. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, place 2 tablespoons of the remaining olivfe oil in a large frying pan with the chopped thyme, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Heat the mixture over medium until the garlic starts to color, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of white wine and let it reduce completely, about 1 minute.

Mix in the soaked bread,making sure it is well blended. Remove the pan from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Rinse the bodies and tentacles. Chop the quid tentacles and the shrimp and stir them into the zucchini mixture. Stuff the squid bodies with the mixture.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and lower the hear to 325 degrees. Arrange th squid and cherry tomato halves on top of the potatoes and ovens. (If you have any leftover stuffing, form in into small balls and add them to the dish.) Drizzle the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil over tne squid and sprinkle them with the paprika. Cover the baking dish with the aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes. Turn the heat to broil and let the squid color slightly, about 3 minutes. Test the potatoes to make sure they are tender. The dish is ready. Sprinkle with the basil and serve.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-03-20T12:31:00.000-07:00

Today's entry shows Chef Casella's spark and personality. The Diary of a Tuscan Chef offers more than recipes to its readers, it also gives them a little taste of the Tuscan culture.

LA ZUPPA DEI SOMMAZZATORI IN DIRETTA

Scuba soup, Live!

On any given Sunday in Italy, there are probably as many households glued to “Domenica In,” the six-hour long variety extravaganza, as there are families who attend mass. The show is wildly successful, partially because of its scantily dressed chorines, but also because the host, Pippo Baudo, a sauve Jerry Lewis type, gets the most popular comedians, singers, and politicians week after week. For a while, Baudo sponsored regional cook-offs and showcased the contestants on “Domenica In.” When the show called me to represent Tuscany in a contest with Le Marche and Lombardy, I felt as if I’d been knighted Chef Laureate. It was far better than being elected secretary of the Associazioni Cuochi ci Provincia di Lucca (ACPL), which I had already experienced, and almost as exciting as cooking for Henry Kissinger, which I would do later.

The basic rules were this: The presentation had to be made from regional products, it had to represent regional cooking, and everything in the presentation had to be edible. After talking to Giuliano Taccetti, the president of ACPL, I decided to make a mixed fish soup, with a centerpiece honoring the Sommozzatori Artiglio, Viareggio’s courageous World War Two SCUBA commado. The centerpiece itself would feature two SCUBA divers and a huge octopus crawling on a reef- all made from reduced ox fat- and tide pool made with blue gelatin, and live crabs.

Just rendering the three hundred kilos of ox fat into a claylike substance took three weeks, and it smelled so bad that after the first week Mama barred me from using Vipore’s kitchen. The soup itself took weeks to develop; Mama’s friend Maria Giustina made seashell-shape bowls to serve it in, and Nicola, an artist I knew, helped me sculpt the divers and the rocks.

Finally, the day of the broadcast arrived and I drove to Rome, where “Domenica In” was produced. By coincidence, it was Easter Sunday, a day when everyone in Italy stays home and Domenica’s ratings score higher than the soccer finals. I was understandably nervous. More than 30 million people would see me. Only the fact that Giovanni Spadolini, Italy’s very serious ex-prime minister, would precede me gave me solace. Next to him, I would come off great.

When the stagehand started his countdown for me to prepare tp wheel out my creation, I was ready. I took the live crabs from my pocket and let them loose over the ox-fat reef. Spadolini, however, wasn’t giving up the spotlight so easily. He kept talking, and I had to retrieve the crabs. This happened twice; but after the third false start, one of the crabs jumped off my reef onto the stage ans started crawling towards Spadolini. I unfortunately jumped after him with a little too much spring, right onto the stage. Spadolini got his first laughs ever, I think. When I finally got the chance to roll out my masterpiece out, the applause was wild. Whether it was for my handiwork or my sprint work, I’ll never know.

Suggested Wines: Vigna Bellaria, Ama (Grape: Pinot Grigio); Guado Al Tasso, Antinori

(Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot)

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-03-18T18:51:00.000-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Insalata di Coniglio e Radicchio, which is a rabbit and radicchio salad. This dish utilizes a meat that is not commonly used in America, so try this dish in your very own cucina for a taste of Tuscany!

INSALATA DI CONIGLIO E RADICCHIO

Rabbit and Radicchio Salad

(serves 2-3 as an appetizer)

1 rabbit loin (or half a rabbit)

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1/3 cup of white wine

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2/3 cup homemade chicken stock or water

4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 ½ cups shredded radicchio

Rub the flesh of the rabbit with salt and pepper. In a large sauté pan, place ¼ cup of the olive oil, the garlic, rosemary and red pepper flakes, and sauté over medium heat. When the olive oil starts to sizzle, after about 3 minutes, reduce the hear to medium-low, add the rabbit, and brown it on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the wine and cook until it reduces completely, about 6 minutes, then add the chicken stock or water. Continue cooking for another 9 to 10 minutes, until the rabbit is tender. Remove the rabbit from the pan and turn the heat to high. Reduce the pan juices for 4 to 5 minutes and set them aside.

When the rabbit is cool enough to handle, bone it. Whisk the red wine vinegar together with salt and pepper. Whisk in the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil. Add 2 tablespoons of the pan drippings. Toss the rabbit with the radicchio and the dressing and serve.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-03-16T17:36:00.000-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is Cesare's personal anecdote about having to change what ingredients he utilized in his cooking when he came to America. Try changing up what ingredients you use in your cooking to find a new taste that might end up being your favorite dish!

PECORINO ROMANO

I never used pecorino Romano until I got to New York, and that was only because I couldn’t get pecorino Toscano. The two are not at all interchangeable: Romano is harder, sharper, and saltier, a cheese that’s primarily used in the south of Italy the way the north uses Parmigiano-Reggiano. In fact, if you mix grated Romano with grated Parmigiano, you get something approximating pecorino Toscano.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-03-15T14:14:00.000-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Scarpaccia, which is a Zucchini and Red Onion Scramble. This dish is quite similar to an omelet, and features a number of delicious vegetables. Try this truly Italian dish for something new and tasty on your table!

SCARPACCIA

Zucchini and Red Onion Scramble

(serves 4-6)

A scarpaccia in Italian is an ugly old shoe, but this scarpaccia- which should be as thin as the sole of an old shoe- is a delicious cross between a zucchini pancake and an omelet. It’s nice to make when you can get zucchini blossoms. I use five per person and add them when I add the zucchini.

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

4 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon each chopped fresh oregano, mint, and thyme

4 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1 ½ cups thinly sliced red onions

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

4 cups thinly sliced zucchini

2 eggs

2 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium sauté pan, heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, garlic, oregano, mint, thyme, and red pepper flakes over medium for about 3 minutes. Add the onions and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for another 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions and zucchini are almost translucent. Remove the pan from the heat and cool.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, flour, water, parsley, salt and pepper, and the cheeses. Mix in the zucchini and onions.

Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil into two 10-inch pie pans and heat it in the oven a few minutes. Remove the pans, swirl the olive oil around, and pour ½ the zucchini mixture into each. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, then put the two scarpacci under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes to brown the top. The scarpaccia is done when it’s lightly browned and has the consistency of a soft omelet. Remove, slice, and serve.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-03-14T18:20:00.000-07:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the tale of Cesare's first food competition, and how he prevailed even through his hesitations about competing against prominent Chefs while he was still so young. This was a great victory for Cesare, as it aided in helping him move forward to the skilled chef he is today.

IL VIN ITALY

The competition

Suggested Wines: Col Vento, Tenuta Del Terriccio (Grape:Sauvignon Blanc); Grifi, Avignonesi

(Grape: Prugnolo, Cabaret Sauvignon)

The first food competition I ever entered was Vin Italy, an annual wine exhibition in Verona. I was just twenty-four, the youngest of the seventy participating chefs, and very nervous. Giuliano Taccetti, one of my mentors, had helped me develop my entry- a whole stuffed boneless chicken served with radicchio and rabbit salad- and had been very supportive of my debut. But as the day of the competition neared, I still hadn’t worked out the final details of my peacock centerpiece, which, according to the Vin Italy rules, had to be made entirely from edible ingredients. A peacock body molded from butter with a tail from asparagus was as far as I’d gotten. I was stuck on what would make good body feathers.

Driving to Verona, I was so exhausted by anxiety, I fell asleep at the wheel. Luckily I wasn’t hurt, but Tutto il male non viene per nuocere, we say. Bad things don’t happen for nothing. I woke up in a ditch with a tree branch in my face and a vision of my peacock covered in sage leaves. My centerpiece was complete. It wasn’t until an hour later that my anxiety returned. Pulling into the Vin Italy pavilion, I noticed one after another of Italy’s most famous chefs, flanked by their sous chefs, unloading trucks of supplies, statues, and fancy cooking gear. I was by myself. All I had was my little peacock and what I had squeezed into my Cinquecento. I panicked and called Guiliano. There was no way I could win, I told him. I wanted to pull out. “You have to participate, and you have to win,” was all he said before hanging up. I downed a glass of red wine and went to work. All around me I could see these huge, complicated structures going up. When a friend showed up and invited me out to dinner, I saw my chance to escape. I approached Renato Ramponi, the president of the chef’s association, and excused myself. I wouldn’t be able to make the award dinner, I had another engagement, I explained. Impossible, he said, you’re a finalist. You have to be here. I was shocked, and even more so when they announced the winners: I’d split first place with two other chefs.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-03-11T12:16:00.001-08:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for La Torta Co'Bischeri, which is a Scalloped Pisa Pie. If you're in the mood for a truly Italian dessert, this is the way to go - with a long standing history in Lucca and Pisa, this dessert is sure to bring Tuscany to your dinner table!

LA TORTA CO’ BISCHERI

Scalloped Pisa Pie

(serves 8)

This pie is a specialty of Lucca and Pisa. Locals will tell you it was invented by a witch with a sweet tooth who longed for the best dessert in the world. It was one of Byron’s favorite sweets during his stay in Pisa.

La Pasta

The Crust:

2 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons sifted baking powder

1 egg plus 1 yolk

1 stick (1/2 cup ) sweet butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Grated zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons rum or sambuca liqueur

Il Ripieno

The Filling:

3 tablespoons finely chopped candied citron

1 ¾ cups milk

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup arborio rice

Grated zest of 1 orange

3 tablespoons sugar

2 ½ ounces semisweet chocolate, grated

¼ cup toasted pine nuts

2 tablespoons rum or sambuca liqueur

For the crust: In a large bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and extra yolk, the vanilla, lemon zest, add rum or sambuca. Slowly beat in the dry ingredients. Chill the dough for about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling: In a heavy saucepan, combine the milk and rice. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then turn to low, cover tightly, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the rice isn’t sticking. When the rice is tender but firm, remove from the heat and stir in the sugar. Let the rice cool, then add the pie nuts, candied citron, eggs, orange zest, grated chocolate, and the rum or sambuca. Let this mixture sit for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and butter an 8-inch pie pan.

Divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Roll the smaller portion on a lightly floured surface to form a 1/8-inch thick circle about 12 inches in diameter. Transfer the dough to the pan, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Pour the rice mixture into the piecrust. With a knife, trim the overhang into scallops and fold it over the filling. Roll the remaining portion of the dough 1/8 inch thick and cut into pieces. Arrange the pieces, as if for a cobbler, on top of the pie filling.

Bake the pie until the crust is golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. It is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool before serving.

Chef and the Associated Press, Part II!

2011-03-09T15:22:00.000-08:00

After Chef Cesare was featured by the Associated Press a few days ago, a number of other newspapers and online sites have picked up the article to bring his culinary ideas to more people around the world! The following sites are now featuring the article:

Brandon Sun (a Canadian newspaper): http://www.brandonsun.com/lifestyles/breaking-news/let-no-grape-go-to-waste-chefs-get-creative-in-using-up-leftover-wine-117599403.html?viewAllComments=y

Philly Burbs (a newspaper for the suburbs of Philadelphia): http://www.phillyburbs.com/lifestyle/wine/article_e5971c70-49b6-11e0-b46b-0017a4a78c22.html

News-Leader (a Missouri newspaper): http://www.news-leader.com/article/20110309/LIFE02/103090354/?odyssey=nav%7Chead

Go Green: http://gogreen.me/2011/03/08/go-green-with-your-vino-recycle-it

Wine-R.com: http://wine-r.com/go-green-with-your-vino-recycle-it

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-03-09T12:29:00.000-08:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef gives you an idea as to how you can utilize leftover bits of cheese to create a truly Italian meal. This particular recipe for Spaghetti con Pecorino will not only give you a way to use all of your cheese, but it will also keep everyone around your table wanting more!

SPAGHETTI CON PECORINO

Spaghetti with Pecorino

(serves 4 as an appetizer)

When I have a few leftover pieces of pecorino and am feeling lazy, this is the first dish that comes to my mind.

3 quarts water

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1 ½ tablespoons salt

2 teaspoons sweet butter

½ pound spaghetti

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

10-12 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino cheeses (the more types of pecorino you have here, the better, Try Sardo and Toscano, but don’t use just Pecorino Romano)

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the salt and spaghetti. When the pasta is al dente, reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water and drain the spaghetti.

Toss the pasta with the reserved water, the cheese, salt, lots of fresh black pepper, butter and olive oil. Let the spaghetti sit a minute or two to melt the cheese. Serve with one last grating of cheese on top.

Little Kid Cesare!

2011-03-08T15:08:00.001-08:00

Ever wonder what Cesare looked like as a little boy? Well wonder no more! Eater NY recently posted an article with pictures of well known chefs from their youth - check out http://ny.eater.com/archives/2011/03/photos_of_new_york_chefs_when_they_were_little_kids.php to see how Cesare has changed over the years!

Chef Casella and Salumeria Rosi in Associated Press!

2011-03-08T14:58:00.001-08:00

Chef Casella was recently interviewed by Associated Press, speaking about how he is able to efficiently use all of the leftover wine at Salumeria Rosi to help create his tasty dishes. While some restaurants may throw out unused wine at the end of the night, Cesare utilizes any leftovers in marinades that will aid in creating the dishes have brought the flavors of Tuscany to the Upper West Side. You can find the entire article at the following locations: http://www.cnbc.com/id/41966974 or http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Chefs-have-some-grape-ideas-for-recycling-wine-1047525.php.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-03-08T14:26:00.001-08:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef contains Chef Casella's thoughts on parsley and how he likes to use it while cooking. If you are not accustomed to using parsley in your own culinary creations, incorporate Cesare's tips for the taste of a new herb in your meal!

PARSLEY

In Tuscany, Italian parsley, sage, and rosemary are the three predominant herbs, but I’d say Italian parsley has an edge over the other two. In fact, when someone is in the newspaper or on television too much, in Tuscany, we say he’s like parsley. You can find parsley in everything from our soffritto, the sautéed vegetable mixture that serves as a base for many of our dishes, to anchovy marinade. I like using parsley stems, which have a celerylike flavor. Americans seem to have the idea that parsley is bland, an ingredient that adds color, but not taste, to a dish. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, in medieval Italy, parsley was considered so strong and peppery, pregnant women were advised not to eat it.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-03-06T10:13:00.001-08:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is a story from Cesare's youth in which a run of the mill picnic on a mountain turned into a feast of a number of different cheeses. This lead to his creation of a delicious spaghetti con pecorino that proved to be one of his favorite pasta dishes of all time.

CAMPOCATINO

On my Mountain

Suggested Wines: Paleo Bianco, Le Macchiaiole (Grapes: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino); Carmignano Vill Di TRefiano, Capezzana (Grapes: SAngiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Canaiolo)

My grandfather, sometimes called Il Gallo (the rooster), was born in Upper Vagli and Grandma (nonna), in Lower Vagli. Between Upper and Lower, there may have been one kilometer, but when Il Gallo and nonna married, neither wanted to move to the other’s village; it would have been like acceding to a foreign power. I guess that was a good choice, seeing as how half of Lower VAgli is now under water. That happened about seventy years ago, when the local power authority moved all the villagers out of the center, flooded it, and built a dam. Now, the only time you can see all of Lower Vagli is the day the authority drains and cleans the dam. I used to go sometimes and watch, it was like the unveiling of our own Tuscan Atlantis.

But the real reason I liked visiting Lower Vagli was because it gave me an excuse to drag my friends to Campocatino, a nearby mountain valley where Il Gallo owned a few hectares of land. I loved thinking of my family as mountainowners and showing off the property. One year, my cousin Paolo and I brought a few friends with us, and boasted that after seeing Lower Vagli, we could picnic on “our family’s mountain” in Campocatino.

What would have been a run-of-the mill picnic turned into a pecorino feast when two local sheperds tried to charge is two thousand lire a person to enter the valley. I pointed out that as Il Gallo’s grandsons and heirs, Paolo and I would be entitled to a portion of any fees the sheperds might collect. That’s all I needed to say. The sheperds apologized profusely, explaining that they were just trying to discourage campers, and sent us on our way.

Our group wasn’t twenty minutes into our picnic when the taller of the sheperds reappeared at the edge pf our blanket. I came to apologize again, he said, and lay a straw basket down I front of us. Inside there must have been three kilos of five different homemade pecorinos, fresh, studded with peppercorn, medium- and well-aged, and a slab of sweet ricotta. I nabbed the aged cacao, declaring I wanted to bring it to my parents, Rosa and Pietro. What I had in mind was grating it on a steaming bowl of spaghetti, with lot of fresh ground pepper, olive oil, and butter. I suspected it would be one of the best spaghetti con pecorino of my life, and I was right.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

2011-03-05T15:49:00.000-08:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Frittelle di Sn Giuseppe, which are Father's Day Fritters. This tasty dessert is a delicious way to end any meal, and will bring the flavors of Tuscany to your very own cucina!

FRITTELLE DI SAN GIUSEPPE

Father’s Day Fritters

(makes 45-50 fritters)

When we first started to make these for the San Guiseppe holiday ( Italian Father’s Day, March 19), we didn’t have an electric mixer, so Aunt LAnda and Aunt Anna- “La Spezina”- were put to work beating the dough by hand. They were very relieved when I started taking the dough to the pastry shop of some friends, and I liked the new system, too. I’d dawdle and talk to customers, barely making it back in time to fry the fritters for dessert.

1 cup water

6 eggs, at room temperature

Pinch of salt

½ cup of granulated sugar

¾ cup sweet butter

Vegetable oil, for frying

1 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons sifted flour

¼ cup confectioners’ sugar

Place the water, salt and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the butter melts, add the flour all at once, and lower the heat. Mix the dough rapidly until a ball forms. It will be very stiff. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Place the dough in the bowl of an electric mixer, and beat in the eggs, one at a time, until they are well incorporated. The batter should be thick, shiny, and smooth. Mix in 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Stir the batter for 5 minutes.

Fill a large sauté pan or saucepan one third full with the vegetable oil and heat it to 375 degrees. In batches, spoon scant tablespoons of the batter into the hot oil. Mix the frittelle regularly to help them puff up. When the frittelle are evenly browned, after 2 or 3 minutes, remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Mix the remaining granulated sugar with the confectioners’ sugar and dust the frittelle. These are great with Moscato, a sweet sparkling wine from Piedmont.

Exerpt of Diary of a Tuscan Chef

2011-03-03T17:36:00.000-08:00

Today I am introducing to the blog a wonderful recipe. Enjoy my friends!

OSSO BUCO CON PURE DI PATATE
Veal shank with Mashed Potatoes
(serves 4)

This dish is much more popular in American than it is in Italy.

4 tablespoons chopped fresh Rosemary 2 cups white wine
4 tablespoons chopped fresh sage 1 ½ cups roughly chopped red onions
6 tablespoons chopped garlic 1 cup 1-inch-long carrot pieces
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste 1 cup 1-inch-long celery pieces
4 sections veal shank, each 2 inches thick 3 cups crushed canned tomatoes
(5 pounds total) (or peeled, chopped fresh tomatoes)
1 cup flour 4 cups water
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil Mashed Potatoes (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix together the chopped herbs, garlic, and salt and pepper. Cut 2 or 3 slits in each veal shank and stuff them with the chopped herbs and garlic. Dredge the shanks on all sides, generously, in flour.
Pour the olive oil into a 4-quart ovenproof casserole or a large saucepan with a lid. Heat over high heat and add the shanks, browning them well on all sides. If there is still oil in the casserole, drain it, then add 1 cup of the wine, stirring to scrape up an bits that have stuck to the bottom of the casserole, and add the onions, carrots and celery. Cover the casserole and reduce the heat to medium. Stir occasionally. After 8 to 10 minutes, add the second cup of wine. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir well. Re-cover. After another 10 minutes, add the water.
Cover the casserole and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 2 hours. The meat should be very tender.
Serve with the mashed potatoes.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

2011-03-02T14:41:00.001-08:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Pasta con Verdure alla Griglia, which is a dish of pasta with grilled vegetables. Try this truly Italian meal in your very own cucina for the original tastes of Tuscany at your dinner table!

PASTA CON VERDURE ALLA GRIGLIA

Pasta with Grilled Vegetables

(serves 4 as an appetizer)

The first time I went to restaurants in Milan, I couldn’t get over how many vegetarian entrees were on the menus; this was something rare in Tuscany, where vegetables were eaten as side dishes. But I liked the idea, so when I went back to Vipore, I raided our garden, and went to work in the kitchen. This was the result.

3 quarts water

2 plum tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise

1 ½ tablespoons salt, plus 2 teaspoons

1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ pound short pasta, such as penne or fusilli

1 small zucchini, ends trimmed, sliced into 1/4-inch slices

1 sprig fresh basil, chopped

1 sprig fresh oregano, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and quartered

1 sprig fresh thyme, chopped

4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 small red onion, cut into ¼-inch thick slices

2 scallions

¼ bulb fennel, fronds trimmed, cut into ¼ inch slices

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the 1 ½ tablespoon of salt.

Heat the outdoor grill or oven broiler. Sprinkle the vegetables with the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt and the red pepper flakes, then drizzle them with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.

When the grill is very hot, add the vegetables, cooking them for 4 minutes on the frist side, 3 on the second. (If you don’t have a grill, you can broil the vegetables for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become soft and slightly browned.) When the vegetables are cooked, cut them into strips. In a large sauté pan, sauté the garlic in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil until it colors slightly, about 5 minutes.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente.

Add the chopped herbs to the sauté pan, sauté for 1 minute, and add the vegetable strips. Cook the mixture for 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, toss it with the vegetables and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and serve immediately.

Chef Casella in Vogue Magazine!

2011-03-01T15:51:00.000-08:00

Chef Casella was recently featured in Vogue Magazine, alongside Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich, for their multiple accomplishments in the world of Italian cuisine in America. The article describes each chef's personal recognitions and some which have been attained in group efforts. Check out http://www.vogue.it/en/uomo-vogue/people/2011/01/casella-batali-bastianich to see the full article and further details on the three chefs and their contributions to Italian cuisine!

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-03-01T13:19:00.000-08:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Insalata di Carciofini, or Baby Artichoke Salad. This delicious recipe is followed by some helpful information about artichokes that will be useful when making this truly Italian dish. Try this recipe in your very own cucina for the tastes of Tuscany at your table.

INSALATA DI CARCIOFINI

Baby Artichoke Salad

(serves 4)

In Italy, artichokes are believed to have all kinds of restorative powers. Growing up at Vipore, we always fed the tough outer leaves to our rabbits because it helped them digest their food and made their meat more tender. I remember in the ‘50s and ‘60s, there was even a famous amaro, or bitter, named Cynar, which was made from an artichoke base. It’s slogan was “Bevi Cynar Contro il Logorio della vita Moderna” (Drink Cynar to combat anxiety and stress of modern life). The ad showed a radiantly calm man drinking Cynar in the middle of a traffic jam.

16 baby artichokes

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano

4 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice

2 bunches arugula, well washed

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Peel the outer leaves from the artichokes until you reach the part where the leaves are mostly a creamy yellow. Cut the top inch off the artichoke and trim away the stem so that you are left with a golf-ball-size artichoke heart. If you aren’t going to eat the salad right away, put the artichokes into a bowl of water with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. To prevent the artichokes from turning black, lay a paper towel on top of the water to keep air from getting to them. Refrigerate.

When you are ready to prepare the salad, drain the artichokes and slice them lengthwise as thin as possible. (If you have an electric slicer, that’s ideal.) Place the artichokes in a bowl. Add the remaining tablespoon of the lemon juice, the olive oil, salt and pepper, and oregano. Toss.

Divide the arugula among 4 plates. Top each plate with some artichoke mixture. Shave slices of Parmigianno-Reggiano over each salad and serve.

ARTICHOKES

Artichokes are very reactive. They turn your hands black and turn black themselves if exposed to air too long. When I prepare artichokes, I always wear surgical gloves, a trick that’s useful in handling any food that might stain your skin, like beets, or leave it smelling unholy, like Gorgonzola or garlic. When you work with artichokes, don’t touch other foods, otherwise the artichokes will turn bitter. At the end, wash your hands with lemon juice.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

2011-02-28T18:29:00.000-08:00

In today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef, Cesare recalls an event in his youth that led to a lacking of chickens in his parents' chicken coup.

UNA PRIMAVERA SENZA POLLO

A Chicken- Free Spring

Suggested Wines: Chianti Dei Colli Senesi, Romitorio (Grapes: Sangiovese, Cannaiolo, TRebbiano, Malvasia); SAngioveto, Badia a Coltibuono (Grape: Sangioveto)

I was coming home in my yellow Fiat 500 one night when I grazed a fox that had darted out into the road. Ganzo, I thought, cool, a pet fox. I scooped her up, put her in the back seat, brought her home, and tied her on a short leash in the chicken coop. “Sei pazzo?” Papa blew up the next morning. “Are you crazy? Putting a fox in the chicken coop?”

Papa, I knew, wasn’t going to be the one to get close enough to liberate la volpe, so I teased him fr two days straight, and all the while, my new pet stayed put. She even left the chickens alone, though she wasn’t too fond of me; every time I went to see her, she’d give me dead-fish eyes.

Then one morning she was gone, her rope gnawed through, the chickens unharmed. I was a little sorry to lose her, but secretly relieved she hadn’t taken a chicken dinner with her. The relief was short-lived, however; within a day, la volpe returned, alla grande, in style. There were blood and feathers everywhere. Papa dubbed it a minimassacre and insisted on giving the victims a burial. If we couldn’t serve the chickens to customers, he said, at least we could use them as fertilizer. My punishment was to clean the coop, bury the chickens, and restock with new ones. I went to I Frati della Certosa, a local order of monks who raised chickens. It’s a hot place and smells awful. You have to pick the chicks one by one. I hated it. Then, for the whole spring, every time someone would as for chicken, Papa would smirk “E colpa di Cesare, se non c’e il pollo.” If there’s no chicken, it’s Cesare’s fault.

Cesare at Wegmans!

2011-02-27T13:45:00.001-08:00

The following pictures are from Chef Casella's recent visit to Wegmans where he got to spend some quality time in the kitchen

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-02-27T13:22:00.000-08:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Ricciarelli, which are Siena cookies. These Tuscan treats are a delicious addition to any meal, and are sure to be a hit at your dinner table!

Ricciarelli
Siena Cookies
(Makes 20 cookies)

1 (8 ounce) can almond paste
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier
1 cup plus 5 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
2 egg whites
½ cup blanched almonds

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place the almond paste in a food processor and pulse until the paste is softened. It will take between 2 to 6 minutes, depending on the quality of the almond paste. Add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the confectioners’ sugar and blend, then add the Grand Marnier and blend again.

Beat the egg whites until they are stiff. Transfer the almond paste mixture to a separate bowl. Add the whites, a tablespoon at a time. You will only need 5 tablespoons. Mix until a very stiff dough forms. Fold in the almonds and mix well.

Pinch off heaping tablespoons of dough and shape them into little logs, about 2 inches long ¾ inch wide. Place them on the sheet pan and bake until golden brown. 20 to 25 minutes. While the cookies are still hot, dust them lightly with the remaining 3 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-02-26T19:21:00.000-08:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for mixed nut biscotti, otherwise known as Biscotti di Noci Misti. These delicious cookies will bring a sweet ending to any truly Italian meal!

Biscotti di Noci Misti
Mixed Nut Biscotti
(makes 40 cookies)

½ cup sweet butter
1 ¾ cups flour
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 medium eggs, lightly beaten, plus 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup toasted almonds
¼ teaspoon almond extract
½ cup toasted hazelnuts
Grated zest of ½ lemon
½ cup toasted pistachios
Grated zest of ½ orange

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the 2 eggs and mix well. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and continue mixing. Mix in the lemon and orange zests.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add this to the sugar-egg mixture and blend thoroughly. Add the toasted nuts and blend thoroughly.

Divide the dough into 2 parts. Wet your hands and form each portion into a 12-inch log. Place the logs on the baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the logs are golden brown. Remove them from the oven and brush them with the egg wash. Return the logs to the oven for 5 minutes more, then remove and cool the biscotti for 10 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees. With a long metal spatula, remove the logs to a cutting board. Use a long sharp knife to cut the logs in 1-inch thick slices. Stand the cookies up on the baking sheet, and bake for another 15 minutes. Cook on wire racks. Store in airtight container.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-02-24T13:10:00.001-08:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is a tale of stolen food and Cesare's witty retaliation toward whoever took his delicious meal!

WINTER SAVORY

When I first started using winter savory in a monkfish dish at Vipore, I told my clients it was an aphrodisiac. Then on day all the winter savory I had in the Arometo disappeared, just like that. So I started saying that stolen winter savory would curse the user with a sexual hex. I didn’t get my garden replenished, but I got the satisfaction of a few furrowed brows. I love the spicy, thyme-like taste, especially to flavor game dishes.

Daily Recipe Excerpt from True Tuscan!

2011-02-23T13:59:00.000-08:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Coniglio Marinato alle erbe Aromatiche, which is rabbit marinated in aromatic herbs. Try this truly Italian dish and find the flavors of Tuscany on your dinner table!

CONIGLIO MARINATO ALLE ERBE AROMATICHE
Rabbit Marinated in Aromatic Herbs
(serves 4)

This dish combines innovation, tradition, and the fact that even my Vipore clients wanted to eat “light.” Our neighbor, Sodini, supplied us with the tastiest rabbit, and this dish became a big hit.

3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram 3 tablespoons plus ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons chopped fresh savory 3 bunches arugula, washed
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes 3 shallots, finely chopped
1 (3-pound) rabbit, cut in 8-10 pieces,
Rinsed and patted dry

In a small bowl, mix together the chopped herbs, red pepper flakes, and shallots.

First rub the rabbit pieces with salt and pepper, then with the herb mixture. Cover the rabbit and

Refrigerate it overnight.

When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the rabbit ona sheet of aluminum foil and seal it closed to make an airtight pouch. Cook for 30 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the thigh. If the juice runs clear, the rabbit is done. If not, return it to the oven another 5 to 10 minutes.

Beat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil with the balsamic vinegar and use it to dress the arugula. Divide the salad among 4 plates. Place the rabbit pieces on top, drizzle with the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil, and serve.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-02-22T14:16:00.000-08:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Pasta al Gusto dell'Arometo, which is a garden fresh pasta. Try this truly Italian recipe at home for the flavors of Tuscany on your very own dinner table!

PASTA AL GUSTO DELL’AROMETO
Garden Fresh Pasta
(serves 4 as an appetizer)

When we made arometo sauce at Vipore, it was always enough to last a week or two. Since there was so much chopping to be done- it took 2 to 3 cases of herbs- the whole staff pitched in to do the work. Everyone would get their own mezzaluna (a knife with a curved blade), and as the chopping began, the restaurant would fill up with the most amazing aroma of fresh herbs.

3 quarts water
1/3- ½ cup extra- virgin olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons salt, plus extra to taste
½ pound linguine #8, spaghettini, or angel hair pasta
1 cup tightly packed fresh mixed herbs (use a combination of basil, rosemary, thyme, Italian Parsley, marjoram, and oregano)- ½ cup minced
4 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 small tomato, peeled, seeded, diced small, for garnish
2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 ½ tablespoons of salt.
In a bowl, combine the herbs, garlic, and olive oil and set aside. (This mixture will keep for 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator. It’s best after 4 to 5 days.)
When the water boils, add the pasta and cook until it is al dente, then drain it and toss with the oil-herb-garlic combination. Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano and salt and pepper. Garnish the pasta with the diced tomato and serve immediately.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef!

2011-02-21T15:25:00.000-08:00

Today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is the recipe for Insalata di Fagiolini, followed by an anecdote from Cesare's youth about some of his first memorable experiences with Pecorinio Reggiano. Follow Chef Casella's tips when selecting cheese in order to create a delicious and truly Italian meal in your very own cucina.

INSALATA DI FAGIOLINI

Haricots Verts Salad

(serves 4)

1 pound fresh haricots verts, ends trimmed

1 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons salt, plus extra to taste

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (truffle oil works well, too)

1 cup well-washed arugula

1/8 pound pecorino Toscano cheese shaved into thin slices

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and add the haricots verts and 2 teaspoons of salt. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but crisp. Drain the beans and chill.

In small bowl, mix the oil with the vinegar and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper. Toss the arugula with 1 tablespoon of the dressin, and the haricots verts with the remaining dressing.

Divide the beans among 4 plates and top each pile with a few arugula leaves. Finish each salad with some of the shaved pecorino and serve.

PECORINO REGGIANO

Papa and I used to go once a week to Civage near Modena to buy fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano. I loved the drive, passing the dairy cows in the fields, the great green pastures, the silos. That farmer, I remember, had the best Parmigiano- nutty and grainy at the same time- and butter better than Nonna Maria’s. But the image that sticks most in my mind was when he’d tell Papa how he was planning to take the Parmigiano rounds “to the bank.” I thought he was taking them to the center in Modena and depositing them in the Banca Populare in exchange for money. In fact, he was taking the cheese “to the bank” to be aged.

Good Parmigiano is expensive, but you can’t cook Italian food without it. Buy the cheese in a chunk and store it in the refrigerator wrapped in a damp cloth or in an airtight container. For the freshest taste, grate the cheese just before eating. Look for the parmigiano-reggiano stamped into the crust of the cheese. Some people prefer Grana Padano, which is more moist than Parmigiano-Reggiano and doesn’t have as much bite. (Other substitutes are American Parmesan and Argentinean Reggianito).

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

2011-02-20T13:18:00.000-08:00

In today's recipe excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef, Cesare recalls his efforts to create his perfect pesto! Follow his directions in this excerpt and make your very own pesto that can be added to any dish for a truly Italian meal.

IL MIO PESTO

My Pesto

Suggested Wines: Villa Bianco, Antinori (Grapes: Trebbiano, Malvasia, Chardonnay); Spartito, Castellare

(Grape: Sauvignon Blanc)

I’d been to Recco, a small town outside Genoa which, like all of Liguria, is famous for silky, emerald pesto, redolent with garlic and basil, and cool Ligurian breezes. The Genovese turn a plate of trenette al pesto, a simple primo or first course, into a perfect well-rounded meal by adding green beans and potatoes. I had an astounding plate of this at a Genovese restaurant called Manuelina with my friend Giorgio Onesti and on the way home became obsessed with creating a Tuscan pesto.

Literally, pesto means “crushed.” In Liguria, recipes specify crushing the basil by hand in marble mortar with a pestle “of good wood.” In Pieve San Stefano, I had in my garden forty-seven herbs I could crush. I started to experiment.

It took me a month to find the right combination and proportion of herbs. I didn’t want to take a bite and be able to discern a little marjoram, a little thyme, a little mint. What I wanted was for all the herbs to fuse into one flavor. I started chopping herbs and letting them macerate in olive oil for a week at a time until I got the taste I was looking for. A journalist I know, Domenico Acconci, dubbed the results “l’Arometo,” which means “the place where aromas come from”- just as frutta (fruit) comes from a frutteto, olives come from an oliveto, and grapevines come from a vigneto.

Diary of a Tuscan Chef exerpt

2011-02-17T14:58:00.000-08:00

This lovely dessert not only satifies any creamy craving you might have and ends with a lovely citrus note.

PANNACOTTA CON SALSA DI ARANCI

Flan with Orange Sauce

(serves 4)

Though pannacotta and crème brulee are often confused, there is a big difference between them: pannacotta is a cooked custard (literally, cooked cream), while crème brulee is an egg custard that you dust with sugar and broil (literally, burned cream). The crème brulee I like best is Le Cirque’s, but my pannacotta holds its own.

1 cup whole milk

2 gelatin sheets soaked in cold water, or 2 teaspoons unflavored powdered

1 cup heavy cream

gelatin sprinkled over 3 tablespoons cold water

½ cup sugar

Orange Sauce (recipe follows)

1 vanilla bean, split; or

¼ tsp vanilla extract

In a medium-size saucepan, heat the milk, cream, sugar and vanilla over high heat. Whisk the micture to dissolve the sugar and bring it to a quick boil. Remove the pan immediately from the stove. Continue to whisk the mixture to combine all the ingredients. Add the soaked gelatin sheets (or the dissolved powder) to the hot cream mixture. Whisk thoroughly and let the mixture cool for ten minutes. (If the vanilla bean was used, discard it at this point).

Ladle the mixture into individual ramekins or custard cups, filling them almost to the top. Cover each cup with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the top. Then place them on a sheet plan and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until set.

When you are ready to serve, spoon a little sauce on each plate. Remove the pannacotta from their cups and place one in the center of each plate, upside down. Place 3 or 4 orange sections around each custard. Decorate the plate with the orange zest.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

2011-02-14T13:43:00.001-08:00

In today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef, Chef Casella describes how to make a perfectly cooked bowl of pasta. Try his tricks in your own cucina for a truly Italian meal!

PERFECT PASTA

I remember hearing with disbelief that Americans tested spaghetti by throwing a strand against the wall; it was ready to eat if it stuck and didn’t slip. I’d like to believe that story was apocryphal, but just in case, a few words about cooking and choosing pasta.

First of all, the pasta is the basis for your dish and is just as important as the sauce. It must be cooked in the right amount of water, with the right amount of salt, for the right amoung of time. I suggest 3 quarts wter and 1 ½ tablespoons of salt for every ½ pound of pasta. (The salt will vary depending on the saltiness of the sauce.) Some insist that the salt be added before the water boils. Others, only after. The important thing is to remember the salt- preferably kosher- and to taste the pasta for doneness. That is the only failproof test. Pasta should be cooked al dente, so that it is still resilient when you bite it.

The other important thing about pasta is that certain shapes go better with certain sauces. A safe rule is, the thinner to the pasta, the lighter the sauce. A heavy cheese sauce on capellini will result in a blob; olive oil an garlic on bucatini will be lost. Rotelle are good for “catching” tomato sauce, as are conchiglie. Use short pastas with chunky sauces; longer strands for “saucier” sauces.

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

2011-02-13T17:52:00.000-08:00

In Italy, it’s difficult to get precooked crab meat, so for a recipe like this, we boil the crabs ourselves in vegetable broth and tomatoes, then remove the meat and add it to the tomato sauce. This makes a tastier sauce, but the procedure is such a headache, I suggest you start off with cooked jumbo lump crab or back fin crab meat.
(Serves 4 as an appetizer)

PENNE CON FAVOLI (Penne with Crab Meat)

Ingredients
3 quarts water
1 ½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 ½ tablespoons salt, plus more to taste
1 ¼ cups crushed canned tomatoes
½ pound penne pasta
2 ½ cups cooked jumbo lump or backfin crab meat, picked over to remove cartilage
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Procedure

In a large pot, bring the water to a boil and add the 1 ½ tablespoons of salt and the penne.
Place the olive oil, garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes in a medium saucepan and sauté over medium heat for about 3 minutes.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, salt and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the crab and cook another 5 minutes.
When the penne is very al dente, drain the and add it to the sauce. Cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in the black pepper and serve.

Buon Appetito!

Daily Excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef

2011-02-11T18:15:00.000-08:00

In keeping with the theme of voyaging to markets, today's excerpt from Diary of a Tuscan Chef is a favorite recipe for incorporating seasonal vegetables in a Tuscan kitchen:

ANTIPASTO DAL MERCATO
Roasted Market Vegetables
(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients

1 small eggplant, cut lengthwise into ¼ inch slices

1 head endive, cut into 4 lengthwise pieces
1 small zucchini, cut lengthwise into ¼ inch slices

1 head radicchio, cut into 8 lengthwise pieces
2 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise

½ yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
½ medium head fennel, cut lengthwise into ¼ inch slices

½ red bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium carrot, cut diagonally into ¼ inch slices

4 tablespoons white wine
¼ pound shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

2 tablespoons water
4 scallions, cleaned

1 teaspoon salt
4 stalks asparagus, tough ends trimmed

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Procedure

Turn on the boiler: Place all the vegetables in a roasting pan.
In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, wine, water, salt, and black pepper.
Drizzle the olive oil mixture over the vegetables, and stir to coat them well.
Place the pan under the broiler for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, watching so the vegetables don’t burn but become slightly grilled and tender.
Serve the vegetables on 4 separate plates or on big serving platter while still hot.

Introduction to Italian Cuisine Part III - Diary of a Tuscan Chef

2011-02-09T14:10:00.000-08:00

The following excerpt is the final section of the introduction to Diary of a Tuscan Chef. Continue to follow Chef Casella's excerpts to discover the recipes and cooking styles that have helped him become the amazing Tuscan chef he is today!

Since the Italian cheese, wines, and salame- cured meats- are worlds unto themselves, I have also included tis to help the person cooking at home begin to understand them. With every menu, I suggest two Tuscan wines because they are the ones I know best and feel most comfortable recommending. (This, of course, is merely a guide. All of the wines might not be available in the United States, and they might not suit your taste. You can either rely on the type of grape named to select an alternative, or simply pick a wine you think will complement your meal.)

Occasionally, I will describe a salami I like or tell a story about one of my favorite cheeses. Tuscany, for example, is famous for its pecorino. There are dozens of different pecorinos; they vary from frazione to frazione (village to village) and farm to farm. Some are sold ages because the farmer loves far from the central market and only goes to town once a month; others are eaten fresh; some are spicy; others mild. Myself, I like pecorino best at the bar of Il Vipore, in the company of Piero “Penna Bianca” (the White Feather), my best friend Emilio, and Ernesto (a.k.a. Camay, because when he was young, he would steal bars of Camay soap to give to the local girls). On Sundays, we play briscola, an Italian card game, until very late. Everyone smokes, and as we insult each other, yell and pound the table, we consume slabs of cheese, washed back with Forci’s best red wine.

Eating in Italy is almost a full-time occupation. There is as much pleasure in anticipating a meal and reminiscing about it afterward as there is in the eating. That’s because Italians love Italian food. I even know a few who carry pasta, olive oil, and espresso with them when they travel- for fear of going hungry. I’ve gotten over that, but what I do miss about eating in Italy is an attitude. Italian cooking isn’t just reipes, it’s a fusion of many cultures, and it’s from the heart. It’s simple, based friendship, good whether you’re dining on fagioli (beans) or cavaile (caviar). In fact, the best Tuscan dishes are simple, like fettunta, toasted bread with olive oil, or acquacotta, literally; cooked water, to which vegetables, a piece of meat, whatever is in the cupboard, are added.

In opening my diary to you, I share my childhood, my life in New York, and my secrets from across the Atlantic. Sometimes, you’ll find ingredients that don’t exist in traditional Tuscan cooking. That’s because when I caem to the United States, I had to adapt and adjust an juggle to re-creat the taste of Italy. I took my clues from the peasant’s wife, the mother of Tuscan cooking. She works the fields all day; then returns home to put a meal on the table for her family. She doesn’t run out to the supermarket for anything at all. She doesn’t have to. She takes stock of her pantry and goes to work, more often than not producing love, and sometimes magic. I hope to help you do the same.

SPRING MENUS

Al Mercato con Papa/ At the market with Dad

Antipasto dal Mercato/ Roasted Market Vegetables

Penne con Favoli/ Penne with Crab Meat

Filetto di San Pietro di Brodo di Lattuga e Finocchi/ John Dory in Lettuce and Fennel Broth

Pannacotta con Salsa di Aranci/ Flan with Orange Sauce

2. Il Mio Pesto/ My Pesto

Insalata di Fagiolini/ Haricots Verts Salad

Pasta al Gusto dell’Arometo/ Garden Fresh Pasta

Coniglio Marinato alle Erbe Aromatiche/ Rabbit marinated in Aromatic Herbs

Biscotti Misti/ Mixed Cookie Plate

3. Una Primavera Senza Pollo/ A Chicken-Free Spring

Insalata di Carciofini/ Baby Artichoke Salad

Pasta con Verdure alla Griglia/ Pasta with Grilled Vegetables

Osso Buco con Pure di Patate/ Veal Shank with Mashed Potatoes

Frittelle di San Guiseppe/ Father’s Day Fritters

4. Campocatino/ On My Mountain

Torta di Erbe della Lunigiana/ Herb Pie, Lunigiana Style

Spaghetti con Pecorino/ Spaghetti with Pecorino

Controfiletto di Maiale al Profumo di Rosmarino/ Pork Chops Perfumed with Rosemary

La Torta co’ Bischeri/ Scalloped Pisa Pie

5. Il Vin Italy/ The Competition

Scarpaccia/ Zucchini and Red Onion Scramble

Insalata di Coniglio e Radicchio/ Rabbit and Radicchio Salad

Pollo Ripieno/ Stuffed Roast Chicken

Torta di Marmellata/ Marmalade Tart

6. La Zuppa Dei Sommazzatori in Diretta/ Scuba Soup, Live!

Calamari Ripieni/ Stuffed Squid

Fettuccine dell’Ortolano/ Greengrocer Fettuccine

Cacciucco/ Tuscan Fish Stew

Torta di Riso alla Carrarina/ Carrara Rice Pie

7. Cesare Va in Dieta/ Cesare Goes on a Diet

Insalata di Sette Vegetali/ Seven-vegetable Salad

Minestra Chiara Componibile/ Do-It-Yourself Vegetable Soup

Pollo al Cartoccio/ Chicken in Paper

Spumini/ Meringue Cookies

8. Un Granchio Fuori D’Acqua/ A Crab Out of Water

Granchi Teneri Fritti/ Deep-fried Soft-shell Crabs

GRanchi Teneri Saute/ Sauteed Soft-Shell Crabs

Risotto di Granchi Teneri/ Soft-Shell Crab Risotto

Zuccotto/ Tuscan Parfait

9. La Business Class/ Traveling Business Class

Sardine Gratinate/ Sardines with Bread Crumbs

Zuppa di Fagioli, Cozze, Vongole, e Tartufo Nero/ Bean, Mussel, Clam and Black Truffle Soup

Piccione Ripieno/ Stuffed Squab

Spumone al Miele/ Honey Mousse

10. Le Cene/ The Dinner Parties

Insalata di Funghi/ Wild Mushroom Salad

Farfalle al Salmone e Asparagi/ Bowties with Salmon and Asparagus

Pollo con Peporino/ Chicken with Peppers

Zuppa Inglese/ “English Soup”

My Introduction to Italian Cuisine, Part II

2011-02-08T18:32:00.000-08:00

In the Summer of 1993...

I came to New York to be the executive chef for Coco Pazzo, a popular restaurant on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. At the time, Coco Pazzo was THE scene, packed with celebrities and loyal regulars. On a busy night, we did three seatings back to back, ninety people at a clip. After that whirlwind experience, I moved on to work in several other restaurants, planning all along the way to open my own place.

It was certainly an experience, learning to live in a city with 8 million people! What a joy to discover I could walk between worlds in ten blocks, from Chinatown to Little Italy to Little Korea. I knew even before I got here that life in New York would be much more stressful than what I left behind in my beloved Pieve Santo Stefano, but I also know there was no other city that would offer so many opportunities. For an Italian, the idea of limitless possibility is something incredible. For someone who likes to compete and win as much as I do, New York City offers a daily challenge to overcome, and is therefore the perfect place for me.

Of course, no matter how long I live in this city, I will always be un ragazzo di campagna, a country kid. My connection to this heritage is what drove me to write Diary of a Tuscan Chef. Yes, there are already dozens of Italian cookbooks on the market. But as far as I know, no one has written a cookbook for the American public that presents Tuscan food at its best - simple, natural, and delicious. The Tuscan table should be as easy to set in New York as it is in Garfagnana or in Rome.

Remarkably, I've seen books where they use tons of butter - in Tuscany, this is done rarely, and then only in the mountainous regions. I've seen books relying on exotic products, which doesn't accurately reflect the unique nature of Tuscan life. These books do not highlight the Tuscan tradition that forms my culinary backbone.

The way I learned to cook, the way my family ate as I was growing up, and the way I cook today is true Tuscan cooking. It is using what you have on hand - whether from the garden or the cupboard or clipped from a street market on the way home from work. Being creative with what is at your disposal is an important factor in Tuscan life when your local store is at least an hour or more away.

Tuscan cooking doesn't require a professionally equipped kitchen or pantry stocked full of every spice and condiment imaginable. Where I grew up, if all you had one evening was canned tuna and spaghetti, then you put that together with a few grinds of black pepper, good bread, table wine, and presto - dinner. You learned to be flexible and to experiment. If a recipe called for lemon thyme and all you had was mint, then you went with it; if you wanted to flavor your seafood risotto with pancetta, you threw caution to the wind and forged ahead.

Tuscan food has always been and still remains a cuisine without rules. Some dishes, like a ragu, are more time-consuming to create than others, but almost everything is sweetly simple. You need only to know your ingredients and to be willing to improvise. I believe that the most important tool for organizing a menu is your calendar, which is why I've arranged this book along seasonal lines. I've put together dozens of menus - both traditional and innovative - inspired by moments from my life, favorite meals, the vendemmia (grape harvest), and the sbottaturra (when new wine is transferred from barrels to bottles).

As we continue to get to know each other, I will sometimes digress and talk about Giancomo Puccini, a native of Lucca, as famous locally for his beautiful music as for his appetites - romantic and otherwise. Or I reminisce about my friend Lorenzo in Forte di Marmi, who makes the most incredible baby octopus "salami." Then there's my friend Romano, from Viareggio, who makes the most phenomenal prawns. These stories are part of who I am, and I am so excited to share them with you!

In Bocca al Lupo,

Cesare

New Horizons: My introduction to Italian Cuisine

2011-02-06T17:17:00.000-08:00

To continue my tradition of imparting my most treasure recipes and experiences, I invite you to journey with me down memory lane. In these next entries, I'll explore the history of Tuscan cooking that has culminated in my fulfilling and diverse culinary career in New York City and abroad.

---

I don't know where I was conceived exactly, but if I had to guess, I'd say it was in the kitchen, among dusty rounds of Pecorino cheese put up for the winter, tins of salted anchovies to be eaten with freshly baked bread, jars of preserved shallots, and liters upon liters of vino delle colline Lucchessi (the house wine for natives of Pieve Santo Stefano, the tiny Tuscan town where I spent my youth).

Now that's not to suggest that my mother, Rosa (who was twenty seven when I was born) and my father, Pietro (also twenty seven) had a scandalous tryst in my grandmother Maria's pantry... they were destined for each other! When they met, Rosa was already working in the kitchen of a prominent Lucchese family and Pietro was running the restaurant owned by Zio Francesco, who later took off for Canada.

Their first date was on New Year's Eve, for dinner in Altopascio. Their courtship blossomed in modest countryside trattorie as they saved money for the day they would marry. When Papa popped the question, he treated Rosa to a fantastic dinner at Solferino (a restaurant that actually used tablecloths!) just down the street from where I would eventually grow up.

As a couple, Rosa and Pietro longed to have their own restaurant. I remember visiting many possible restaurant locations in Pieve Santo Stefano, sandwiched between my mother and my father on our Vespa. Mama was in the back with her arms stretch long around Papa to keep me safe in the middle. Until just a few years ago, that trip from Lucca to Pieve Santo Stefano was a treacherously bumpy twenty minutes. (The most direct road collapsed after a storm in the early seventies and wasn't repaired for almost two decades).

One day in April, we passed Solferino and went to look at a run down country tavern, Il Vipore. I later learned that this location was infamous for renting rooms upstairs by the hour, no questions asked. In August of that same year, Rosa and Pietro signed their lease. After two weeks cleaning and scrubbing, we went into business!!

On opening night, I got my first taste of the famous local rosso, or red wine, from the region of Forci. I don't remember that moment, but Mama says I drained my cup. I'm sure that I did, as I have done so many times since. My first night with my parents at Il Vipore was the beginning of a long and luxurious love affair with wine and food.

---

Stay tuned for tomorrow's update with Part II of my introduction to the world of Italian cuisine!

Ciao bellas,

Cesare

Daily Recipe Excerpt from True Tuscan!

2011-02-02T12:33:00.001-08:00

Today’s recipe excerpt from True Tuscan is Misto di Bosco, which means Fruit of the Woods. This dessert is a fruit salad that leaves you with the freedom to substitute your favorite kinds of berries into the recipe. Try this delicious meal-ending dessert in your own cucina to round off any truly Italian meal.

MISTO di BOSCO

Fruit of the Woods

I used to serve this at Vipore, my family’s restaurant in Lucca, as soon as berries came is season. You can obviously change the kind of berries and the proportions, too. I like adding a spoonful to a glass of Prosecco. SERVES 4

2 cups currants

2 cups blackberries

2 cups raspberries

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons Gran Gala or other fruit liqueur

WINE SUGGESTION - Spumante or any other light sparkling wine

Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Any leftovers will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for a few days.

Daily Recipe Excerpt from True Tuscan!

2011-01-31T18:08:00.000-08:00

Today’s recipe excerpt from True Tuscan is Insalata di Pesche, which is a peach salad. This truly Italian dessert is especially delicious during the warm months of summer, but will prove to be just as tasty at any point during the year. Try this recipe at home for the taste of Tuscany in your own cucina!

Insalata di Pesche
Peach Salad

This is a popular dish in summer when peaches are at their peak. Really old recipes call for poaching the fruit in the sauce, but I like marinating the fruit better; it tastes fresher to me. SERVES 3 TO 4

3 cups white wine, red wine, or Champagne
¼ cup orange juice
1/3 cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
2 lemon verbena leaves or mint sprigs
4 ½ cups thinly sliced peaches

WINE SUGGESTION: The wine you used in making the salad.

1. Combine the wine, orange juice, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon verbena or mint in a saucepan, bring to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
2. Put the peaches in a large bowl. Pour the marinade over them and mix well. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 3 hours but no longer than 24 hours. Any leftover peach salad will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for a few days.

Daily Recipe Excerpt from True Tuscan!

2011-01-30T18:01:00.000-08:00

COMPOSTA di CILIEGIE

Cherry Compote

I first started making compote in the United States because it was so hard to find the Italian cherry sauce, amarena fabbri, here. Now I like this desert even better than I liked that sauce! I spoon it over really good vanilla ice cream or a great cake, like Rosa’s Cake from an earlier post. I also use this same approach to make all different kinds of berry compotes.

(MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS, Serving 2 to 4)

Ingredients

½ cup sugar

4 cups pitted Bing cherries or sour cherries

1/2 cup water

Procedure

1. In a large saucepan stir together the sugar, ½ cup water, and the cherries, bring to a low boil, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, when the cherries start to soften

2. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.

3. Serve!

** Any left over compote will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for a few days**

Enjoy!

Daily Recipe Excerpt from True Tuscan!

2011-01-29T17:32:00.000-08:00

Today’s recipe excerpt from True Tuscan is Insalata di Cocomero, which is a watermelon salad. This truly Italian dish combines the flavors of watermelon and Sambuca for a one of a kind dessert. Try this sweet dish in your very own cucina for a taste of Tuscany!

Insalta di Cocomero
Watermelon Salad

I recently found an old recipe for watermelon that called for chunks of the fruit tossed with anise seed. Inspired, I substituted Sambuca, an anise-flavored liqueur that we love in Italy. Sambuca is also good poured over melon sorbet. SERVES 4 TO 6

2 teaspoons grated orange zest
2 star anise
¾ cup Sambuca
¼ cup sugar (optional)
9 cups cubed seeded watermelon

WINE SUGGESTION: Honestly, this dessert has enough of a kick on its own!

1. Combine the orange zest, ½ cup water, anise stars, Sambuca, and sugar if using in a saucepan, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and strain the syrup into a large bowl. Let cool for 15 minutes, then stir in the watermelon. Marinate for 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Serve. Leftovers will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for a few days.

Daily Recipe Excerpt from True Tuscan!

2011-01-28T09:36:00.000-08:00

Mangia e Bevi (Eat and Drink)

This is one of my favorite summer desserts, which was extremely popular in Italy in the 1980s. When my dad would take me to the nearby gelateria as a treat, it was always the first thing I ordered. I liked the little paper flags that the shop used as a garnish almost as much as the fruit and ice cream!

(SERVES 8)

Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 cup Gran Gala or other orange liqueur
1/3 cup orange juice
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups diced peaches
1 1/2 cups diced fresh apricots
1 1/2 cups grapes
1 cup diced plums
2 cups diced cantaloupe
1 cup quartered strawberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup blackberries
1 cup raspberries
3 cups seeded diced watermelon
1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
1/2 cup sugar
1 pint vanilla ice cream or sorbet of your choice - softened
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup cherry compote
Miniature flags or umbrellas for decoration!

WINE SUGGESTION: Whichever liqueur is left over from making the recipe

Procedure

Combine the lemon zest, Gran Gala, orange juice, and white wine in a large saucepan and heat over medium heat until the mixture starts to simmer.
Cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cool the marinade for 10 minutes
Mix all of the fruit together in a large bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 24 hours
To assemble, you need 8 large glasses, spoon in layers into each glass:

4 tablespoons fruit
4 tablespoons ice cream
2 tablespoons fruit
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon fruit
1 tablespoon Cherry Compote
Top with a miniature flag or umbrella and Serve!

Buon Appetito,

Cesare

Daily Recipe Excerpt from True Tuscan!

2011-01-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

Today’s recipe excerpt from True Tuscan is Brutti Ma Buoni, which translates to “ugly but tasty”. These cookies may not be the most visually appealing desserts, but they definitely are delicious. Try this recipe at home for the taste of a truly Italian dessert that will bring your meal to a sweet ending!

Brutti Ma Buoni
Ugly but Tasty

The recipe for these meringues was imported to Tuscany from Piedmont when Florence briefly reigned as Italy’s capital. In Prato, they’re considered the sister sweet to the famous cantucci. I love their light crunchiness. MAKES 100 COOKIES

5 cups blanched almonds
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup candied fruit, finely chopped (optional)
Salt
7 egg whites

WINE SUGGESTION: Pack a box of these cookies and a bottle of Chardonnay for a perfect picnic ending.

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Grease two cookie sheets.
2. Place the almonds on a baking sheet and toast until lightly colored, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. In a food processor coarsely chop 2 ½ cups of the toasted almonds and transfer them to a bowl. Finely grind the remaining almonds, then add them to the coarsely chopped almonds, along with sugar, cinnamon, and candied fruit if using. Set aside.
4. Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and using an electric mixer on the second highest speed beat to medium peaks. Fold a third of the egg whites at a time into the almond mixture.
5. Drop the batter in tablespoon scoops about 1 ½ inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake until the cookies are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on racks. The cookies will keep in an airtight container for 1 to 2 weeks.

Daily Recipe Excerpt from True Tuscan!

2011-01-26T17:20:00.000-08:00

BISCOTTI DI CIOCCOLATO

Chocolate Cookies

You wont find these cookies in any Tuscan bakery because my pastry chef at Beppe invented them! I'm sure they'd be a hit even in Lucca, since I get more requests for this recipe than almost anything else on the menu. MAKES 100 COOKIES

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks), butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon rum
2 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups (6 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder

WINE SUGGESTION: A Tuscan red made from Merlot, Cabernet, or Aleatico grapes would be great!

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Grease two cookie sheets.
In a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, and rum.
Add the eggs, one at a time
When the eggs are thoroughly combined, gradually add the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix until the ingredients are just combined.
Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 3/4 inch apart on two prepared cookie sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Cool on racks. The cookies will keep in an airtight container for one to two weeks.

Serve and enjoy,

Buon Appetito!