Northern Italian Classics
Originally
published the week of January 25, 1999
All content copyright by World Wide Recipes.
The bagna cauda (hot bath, or sauce) can be found in
all parts of Italy, and is usually based on a hot sauce
made of olive oil, garlic, and anchovies. This version
from Italy's northernmost and westernmost region of
Piedmont uses cream instead of olive oil. It is usually
served as an appetizer in restaurants, although it does
duty as a main course in many Italian homes.
Bagna
Cauda
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
4 Tbs (60 ml) butter
8 anchovy fillets, rinsed and finely chopped
1
tsp (5 ml) finely chopped garlic
Fresh vegetables of
your choice, such as cucumbers, carrots, fennel, sweet
bell peppers, celery, scallions, romaine lettuce,
tomatoes, and mushrooms, cut into a size and shape
suitable for dipping
Italian bread sticks or
Italian bread
Simmer the cream over a low flame, uncovered, in a
small saucepan for about 20 minutes, or until reduced to
about half its original volume. In a fondue pot, or
other flame proof enameled or earthenware casserole that
fits over a candle warmer or electric hot tray, melt the
butter over low heat. Add the anchovies and the garlic
and stir for about 1 minute. Add the reduced cream and
bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Do
not let the sauce boil. Serve immediately with the cold
raw vegetables and the bread sticks or Italian bread for
dipping. If the butter and the cream separate at the
table, recombine them using a wire whisk. Serves 6 to 8
as an appetizer, 3 to 4 as a main dish.
Although this soup is well know throughout Italy, it
originated in Lombardy, whose capital city is Milan, and
is peasant cooking at its best: simple and
delicious.
Zuppa alla
Pavese
4 Tbs (60 ml) butter
4 slices Italian bread,
about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick
4 cups (1 L) chicken
stock, fresh or canned
4 eggs (as fresh as possible)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Heat the butter in a large skillet over moderate heat
and fry the bread, turning it, until it is golden brown
on both sides. Place a slice of bread in each of four
soup bowls. Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a
saucepan over medium heat. Bring 2 inches (5 cm) of
water to a simmer in a large skillet, and gently put the
eggs into the water by first breaking the eggs, one at a
time, into a cup or saucer, and then letting them slide
into the water, disturbing the water as little as
possible. Do not let the water boil. Poach the eggs for
3 to five minutes, depending on the firmness you prefer,
and then remove them from the water with a slotted
spoon, allowing them to drain on a paper towel for a few
seconds before placing them on the slices of bread.
Sprinkle the eggs and bread with Parmesan cheese and
pour the stock around the bread. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
My family first discovered gnocchi (pronounced
NYO-key) when we lived in South America, where our
housekeeper was also an expert cook. I remember the
excitement of learning to make these myself, never
imagining that I could equal Pocha's mastery of the
dish. Mine are really very good, and probably only fail
in my not being able to thank Pocha after the meal.
Gnocchi di
Patate
1 1/2 lbs (680 g) boiling potatoes (not Idaho or new
potatoes)
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
Boil the potatoes UNPEELED in a generous amount of
water until they are tender. Do not test them too often,
as piercing them will allow them to absorb more water.
Drain and cool the potatoes until you can handle them,
and peel. Puree them through a food mill or potato
ricer. Add most of the flour to the mashed potatoes and
knead it until it is smooth. Stop adding flour when the
mixture is soft, smooth, and still a little bit sticky.
Roll out into sausage-like rolls about the thickness of
your thumb, and cut these into 3/4 inch (2 cm) pieces.
This next part is more difficult to describe than to do.
Holding a fork in one hand, and using the thumb of the
other hand, roll the individual pieces of dough over the
tines of the fork and allow them to fall onto the
counter. The gnocchi should be roughly cylindrical in
shape and have ridges formed by the tines of the fork on
about ¾ of its circumference, and there should be a
dimple left by your thumb on the remaining
circumference. This takes a little practice, so try a
few, and then roll the failures into balls and try
again.
Drop the gnocchi a couple of dozen at a time into 5
quarts (5 L) or more of boiling water. When they rise to
the surface they are almost done, so allow them to float
for about 10 seconds and then scoop them out using a
slotted spoon. Place on a heated platter and sauce with
the sauce of your choice. Serves 4 to 6.
Here is my favorite sauce for gnocchi:
Gorgonzola
Sauce
1 cup heavy cream or half & half
4 oz (100 g)
Gorgonzola cheese, or other good quality blue cheese
Salt to taste
2 Tbs (30 ml) freshly grated
Parmesan cheese
Bring the cream to a low boil in a saucepan large
enough to hold the cooked pasta. Boil gently, uncovered,
for 10 to 15 minutes, until reduced in volume by about
half. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until the
sauce has thickened slightly. Add the cooked pasta to
the pot and stir to coat with the sauce. Serve
immediately. Serves 4 to 6.
If there is a parcel of land that has contributed
more to the gastronomic lexicon than the northern
Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, I would like to know
about it. The capital city of Bologna is the home of
many unique and delicious sausages, including
mortadella, which is the ancestor of our American
"baloney." The region also contains the city of Parma,
whose "parmesano" is perhaps the best known of all the
world's cheeses, and the surrounding area produces
prosciutto ham. As if that weren't enough, the city of
Modena contributed balsamic vinegar to the food lovers
of the world. Today's Northern Italian Classic makes
good use of the cheese and ham that Emilia-Romagna is
justifiably famous for.
Petti di Pollo
alla Bolognese
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, about 1/2
lb (250 g) each
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
to taste
Flour for dredging
3 Tbs (45 ml) butter
2 Tbs (30 ml) olive oil
8 thin slices prosciutto
ham, about 2x4 inches (5x10 cm)
8 thin slices
Fontina or Bel Paese cheese, about 2x4 inches (5x10 cm)
4 tsp (20 ml) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Using a very sharp knife, carefully slice each
chicken breast in half horizontally, to make 8 pieces.
Place between layers of wax paper or plastic wrap and
pound with the flat side of a cleaver or the bottom of a
heavy saucepan to flatten slightly. Season with salt and
pepper and dust lightly with flour, shaking off the
excess. Heat the butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet
over moderate heat, and brown the chicken to a light
golden color, 3 or 4 slices at a time. Do not overcook.
Transfer the chicken to a baking dish large enough to
hold them comfortably. Place a slice of prosciutto and
then a slice of cheese on top of each. Sprinkle with the
Parmesan cheese and bake uncovered in a preheated 350F
(180C) for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is
melted and slightly brown. Serves 4.
OK, so I cheated a little with today's recipe.
Granite (singular: granita) are found all over Italy,
and not only in the north. They are so typically Italian
(in the USA they are usually called 'Italian ices'), and
so good, not to mention fat-free, that I just had to
publish them. So, without further discussion and very
little apology, here are some more "Northern Italian
Classics".
Granite
For lemon flavored:
2 cups (500 ml) water
1
cup (250 ml) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) lemon juice
For orange flavored:
2 cups (500 ml) water
3/4 cup (180 ml) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) orange
juice
For coffee flavored:
1 cup (250 ml) water
½
cup (125 ml) sugar
2 cups (500 ml) extra strong
espresso coffee
For cappuccino flavored:
1 cup (250 ml) water
1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) extra
strong espresso coffee
1/2 cup (125 ml) non-fat
milk
For strawberry flavored:
1 cup (250 ml) water
1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
2 cups fresh
strawberries, pureed in an electric blender or food
processor
2 Tbs (30 ml) lemon juice
(If using
frozen strawberries, reduce the amount of sugar to 1/4
cup, 60 ml)
Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring
to a boil over high heat, stirring just until the sugar
is dissolved. Boil uncovered for exactly 5 minutes,
remove from the heat immediately, and allow to cool to
room temperature. Add the remaining ingredients, stir,
and pour into a metal pan, such as a cake pan. Freeze
for 3 to 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes with a fork
and scraping the ice crystals that form around the edge
of the pan. When finished, the granita should have a
fine, crumbly texture, like coarse snow. For a coarser
texture that is preferred by some, freeze the liquid in
ice cube trays, and then crush the cubes in an ice
crusher or food processor immediately prior to serving.
Each recipe makes about 3 cups (750 ml).
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