Читать книгу Italian Recipes For Dummies - Amy Riolo - Страница 45

Having a multicolored selection of fresh fruits and vegetables on hand is paramount in an Italian kitchen. Frozen fruits and vegetables are a good plan B if getting to the market or store often is not an option for you. In addition, Italian cooks have turned to preserved vegetables, in extra virgin olive oil or vinegar, for years to help keep summer’s bounty available year-round.

You can combine many different kinds of vegetables with the stock, bean, or lentil recipes in this chapter to make savory soups, or sauté them to top bruschette and crostini. Tossing your favorite mix of fresh vegetables into a salad topped with fresh croutons from the Fresh Bread Crumbs recipe in this chapter can also be a fun way to add a personalized touch to a healthful meal. The Roasted Red Peppers recipe in this chapter provides the perfect topping for bruschette and crostini – perhaps atop a bed of mashed Braised Cannelini Beans (recipe also in this chapter). And turn some tomato purée into tomato sauce that can be used to coat pasta or combined with homemade stock to make an authentic and savory tomato soup.

Molliche di pane/Fresh Bread Crumbs

PREP TIME: 5 MIN | COOK TIME: 0 MIN | YIELD: 16 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

1 (8-ounce) loaf dense, day-old country-style bread

DIRECTIONS

1 Cut the loaf of bread into 1-inch cubes and, working in batches, if necessary, place them in a food processor, being careful not to fill it more than halfway. Pulse on and off until the crumbs are as fine as possible.

2 If not using immediately, freeze breadcrumbs in a plastic freezer bag for up to a month.

TIP: Try using leftovers from one of the bread recipes from this book to make breadcrumbs. If you are using store-bought bread to make this recipe, it may take a few days for the bread to get hard enough to process into breadcrumbs. If that’s the case, either leave the bread uncovered overnight to dry out, or place it in a 200-degree oven until it gets hard and begins to turn color. Allow it to cool, and then grind it.

Crostini

PREP TIME: 5 MIN | COOK TIME: 5 MIN | YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

1 (8-ounce) loaf dense, day-old country-style bread

DIRECTIONS

1 Preheat the broiler to high.

2 Cut slices of Italian-style bread into thin, ¼-inch-wide slices on the diagonal, and place on a baking sheet.

3 Place under the broiler, and toast until golden, 1–2 minutes on each side.

TIP: Crostini can be used as a base for appetizers, placed on the bottom of a bowl as a base for hot soup, or cut into cubes and used as croutons, depending upon your needs.

NOTE: Some people get crostini and bruschetta confused. The main difference between them: Crostini are usually smaller (hence the suffix “ini” at the end of the word) and thinner. They are toasted without the addition of extra virgin olive oil, which is drizzled on them once they are toasted.

VARY IT! The sky is the limit when it comes to the type of crostini toppings you can have. Leftover bits of meat, cheese, seafood, and vegetables make excellent crostini toppers. Chopped fresh tomatoes with garlic, basil, and EVOO are a classic, but marinated seafood, mascarpone cheese with sausage or grilled vegetables, eggplant or bean purées with tomatoes or greens, salt-cod mousse, pesto with octopus, chicken livers, and caramelized onions with pecorino cheese are all great combinations.

Bruschetta

PREP TIME: 5 MIN | COOK TIME: 5 MIN | YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

4 (½-inch) slices ciabatta or other light, crusty, country bread

2 tablespoons Amy Riolo Selections or other good-quality Italian extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1 Preheat broiler to high or grill to medium-high.

2 Brush olive oil on both sides of the bread.

3 Grill the bread slices on both sides until grill marks appear, or place under the broiler until golden brown.

TIP: Prepare your toppings ahead of time so you can place them on the hot bread and enjoy the bruschette immediately.

VARY IT! If you use good-quality bread and olive oil, then plain, simple bruschetta can be a decadent snack or accompaniment to soup or salad. To serve them as an appetizer, use your favorite combinations of ingredients. I like to use ricotta cheese, grilled vegetables, or tomatoes and eggplant most often, but there are many options to choose from.

Brodo di verdure/Homemade Vegetable Stock

PREP TIME: 5 MIN | COOK TIME: 30 MIN | YIELD: 8 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

1 medium yellow onion, halved (not peeled)

1 carrot, trimmed and halved

1 stalk celery, trimmed and halved (can include leaves, if desired)

4 ounces cherry tomatoes

4 sprigs fresh basil, with stems

1 small bunch (approximately ¾ cup) fresh flat-leaf parsley, with stems

½ teaspoon unrefined sea salt

DIRECTIONS

1 In a large stockpot, place the onion, carrot, celery, tomatoes, basil, and parsley. Cover with 16 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the salt, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

2 Drain the stock, reserving the liquid. Discard the rest. If you’re not using it right away, allow to cool and then store in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze it for up to a month.

Brodo di pesce/Homemade Seafood Stock

PREP TIME: 15 MIN | COOK TIME: 30 MIN | YIELD: 8 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

1 medium yellow onion, halved (not peeled)

1 carrot, trimmed and halved

1 stalk celery, trimmed and halved

Shells from 2 pounds shrimp or fish bones, or a combination

½ teaspoon unrefined sea salt

1 dried bay leaf

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

DIRECTIONS

1 In a large stockpot, place the onion, carrot, celery, and shrimp shells/fish bones. Cover with 16 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

2 Skim off the residue that forms on top of the stock, and discard. Add the salt, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes.

3 Drain the stock, reserving the liquid. Discard the rest. If you’re not using it right away, allow to cool, and then store in the refrigerator for three days or freeze for up to a month.

Brodo di pollo/Homemade Chicken Stock

PREP TIME: 5 MIN | COOK TIME: 40 MIN | YIELD: 8 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

1 medium yellow onion, halved (not peeled)

1 medium carrot, trimmed and halved

1 medium stalk celery, trimmed and halved

1¼ pounds chicken bones or carcass from cooked chicken

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 dried bay leaf

½ teaspoon unrefined sea salt

DIRECTIONS

1 In a large stockpot, place the onion, carrot, celery, chicken bones, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Cover with 16 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

2 Skim off the residue that forms on top of the stock, and discard. Add the salt, and simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes.

3 Drain the stock, reserving the liquid. Discard the rest. If you’re not using it right away, allow to cool, and then store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Brodo di carne/Homemade Meat Stock

PREP TIME: 5 MIN | COOK TIME: 2 HOURS | YIELD: 8 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

1 medium yellow onion, halved (not peeled)

1 medium carrot, trimmed and halved

1 medium stalk celery, trimmed and halved

1¼ pounds roasted meat bones

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 dried bay leaf

½ teaspoon unrefined sea salt

DIRECTIONS

1 In a large stockpot, place the onion, carrot, celery, meat bones, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Cover with 16 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

2 Skim off the residue that forms on top of the stock, and discard. Add the salt, and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours.

3 Drain the stock, reserving the liquid. Discard the rest. If you’re not using it right away, allow to cool, and then store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Fagioli secchi/Dried Beans

PREP TIME: 1 HOUR | COOK TIME: 30 MIN | YIELD: 8 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

1 cup dried beans (any variety)

¼ teaspoon unrefined sea salt

DIRECTIONS

1 Place the beans in a stockpot, and cover with cold water; leave to soak overnight. (If you’re short on time, place the beans in a stockpot, cover with boiling water, and leave to soak for 1 hour instead.)

2 Drain the soaked beans, and place them in a saucepan. Add the salt, cover the beans with water, and bring to a boil over high heat.

3 Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let cook until the beans are tender, about 25 to 50 minutes. (It may take longer depending on the size of the beans.)

4 Drain and cool. If not using right away, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Cannellini brasati/Braised Cannellini Beans

PREP TIME: 5 MIN PLUS AT LEAST 8 HOURS FOR SOAKING | COOK TIME: 40 MIN | YIELD: 8 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

1 cup dried cannellini beans

4 rosemary sprigs, divided

1 tablespoon Amy Riolo Selections or other good-quality extra virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon unrefined sea salt

DIRECTIONS

1 In a large bowl, add the cannellini beans and enough cold water to cover them by 4 inches. Let soak in a cool place or in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight.

2 Drain the beans and transfer them to a 2-quart saucepan. Pour in enough water to cover by 1 inch, and drop in two rosemary sprigs. Bring the water to a boil, and then lower the heat so the water is barely at a simmer. Cook until the beans are tender but not mushy, with just enough liquid to cover them, about 30-40 minutes. (If necessary, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to keep the beans covered as they simmer.)

3 Remove the beans from the heat and gently stir in the olive oil, the sea salt, and the remaining two rosemary sprigs. Let the beans stand to cool and absorb the cooking liquid. The end result should be tender beans with a creamy consistency in just enough liquid to coat them. If you’re not using them right away, store the beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to one week.

Lenticchie/Lentils

PREP TIME: 5 MIN | COOK TIME: 30 MIN | YIELD: 6 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

1 cup dried lentils (any variety)

¼ teaspoon unrefined sea salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

1 bay leaf

DIRECTIONS

1 Rinse the lentils in a colander.

2 Place the lentils in a saucepan, and add enough water to cover them twice (you should have twice as much water as lentils). Add the sea salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are tender, about 5-30 minutes depending on the variety. (Red lentils are the quickest-cooking variety, followed by green and brown, and then black.)

3 If you’re not using them right away, store cooked lentils in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to one week.