Читать книгу Bill’s Italian Food - Bill Granger - Страница 6
ОглавлениеI have been told, many many times, that ‘pronto’ doesn’t actually mean pronto in Italian. In fact, my Milanese friend assures me her family weep with laughter when they hear us English-speakers appropriate their word to mean quick and instant – because it’s what real Italians say to answer the phone. But, for me, ‘pronto’ sums up all that is glorious about Italian dining: that a plate of cured meats and a salad of three simple but perfect ingredients can be on the table in a couple of fuss-free minutes ... Roughly the same length of time it takes me to find my mobile phone and answer the thing.
MELON, PROSCIUTTO AND BURRATA SALAD
Burrata is a rich fresh cheese from Italy’s Puglia region. At first glance it looks like a ball of mozzarella, but tear open the soft rind and you’ll release the creamy curds inside. If you can’t find burrata, rip up a ball of mozzarella and toss it with a couple of tablespoons of crème fraîche.
SERVES 4
1 cantaloupe melon, deseeded
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
12 slices prosciutto
200g burrata cheese, torn
handful basil leaves, torn
handful rocket leaves, torn
Use a spoon to scoop out rough chunks of melon flesh into a bowl, catching any juice as you go. Add the olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Divide the dressed melon and the prosciutto between four plates. Top with the burrata, basil and rocket and a grinding of black pepper. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and serve.
RAW COURGETTE, ROCKET AND RICOTTA PASTA SALAD
One of the most refreshingly relaxing aspects of a holiday in Italy for me is that any meal can consist of a plate of antipasto, or a couple of salads and some simply grilled meats. I’ve tried to stick with this idea since I’ve been home – although I suspect that if you live in a house bursting with teenagers you will need to add bread into this equation.
SERVES 4
300g dried short pasta shape, such as fusilli, penne or garganelle
juice and zest 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 courgettes, sliced
250g rocket leaves
250g ricotta cheese
extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle
½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water according to the instructions on the packet, until al dente. Drain, refresh under running water and drain again.
Mix the lemon juice and zest with the oil and garlic then pour over the pasta. Stir in the courgette and rocket and place on a serving dish. Dot with the ricotta, give the salad a good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with chilli flakes.
ORANGE, FENNEL AND DILL SALAD
SERVES 4
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 oranges, peeled, pith left on
2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
large handful dill, chopped
large handful mint, chopped
In a large bowl combine the chilli, garlic and olive oil. Thinly slice the oranges over the bowl to catch any juice. Add the orange slices, fennel, dill and mint to the bowl and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Gently toss, trying not to break up the oranges too much, and serve.
The looseness of the Italian dining table, with platters to pass and share, seems perfectly designed to create a friendly stress-free meal.
PEAR, SPECK AND RADICCHIO SALAD
If you happen to have chestnut honey in your pantry (and who doesn’t?), this is the time to use it. Otherwise, ordinary runny honey is fine.
SERVES 4
2 pears, cut into wedges and cored
juice ½ lemon
1 shallot, finely sliced
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
1 head radicchio, broken into leaves
12 slices speck
250g goat’s cheese, crumbled or broken into chunks
60g roasted walnuts
In a large bowl toss the pears with the lemon juice. Mix together the shallot, honey and olive oil. Add to the pears with some sea salt and gently combine. Toss in the radicchio and transfer to a large platter.
Drape the speck over the salad and dot with the goat’s cheese. Crush the walnuts over the top with your hands and drizzle with olive oil.
ASPARAGUS AND POACHED EGG SALAD
I love raw vegetables, so when asparagus are at their slim green best I just slice them wafer-thin and don’t even bother to blanch – marinating in the lemony dressing is enough to soften them slightly. (Remember: ‘wafer-thin’ though, or they could be woody.) This beautiful combination of flavours and textures makes a perfect light dinner.
SERVES 4
200g asparagus, sliced into thin lengths
1 shallot, finely chopped
juice 1 lemon
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 very fresh free-range eggs
large handful rocket leaves
¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
25g fresh parmesan cheese shavings
Blanch the asparagus for 1 minute in boiling water and drain. Mix together the shallot, lemon juice and oil with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the asparagus and toss to coat. Set aside.
In a shallow frying pan, bring 5cm of water to the boil. Turn off the heat and add the eggs at once. To minimise the spreading of the whites, break the eggs directly into the water, carefully opening the two halves of the shells at the water surface so they slide into the water. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and leave them to cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes. The eggs are cooked when the whites are opaque. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a clean tea towel.
Toss the rocket into the asparagus and divide between four plates. Top each with a poached egg and any remaining dressing. Scatter with the chilli flakes and parmesan shavings and serve.
MOZZARELLA AND RED PEPPER TOASTS
MAKES 2
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
125g mozzarella cheese, sliced
4 slices crusty bread
1 roasted red pepper in olive oil, drained and cut into thick strips
4 basil leaves, torn
2 teaspoons capers, drained
4 tablespoons olive oil
Lightly beat the eggs and milk in a shallow bowl and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Divide the mozzarella between two bread slices and add the pepper strips, basil and capers. Top with a second slice of bread to make two sandwiches and press down firmly to flatten them.
Dip the sandwiches in the seasoned egg, making sure they are well coated on both sides. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and fry a sandwich for 4–5 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining oil and sandwich. Eat while they’re still warm.
MORTADELLA, ASIAGO AND OLIVE PANINI
The sandwich press is king in our house at the moment. We bought ours recently and are at the over-excited stage when we use it every day – for every meal. These panini are easy enough to make in a frying pan but, if you have a press, let it work its magic here.
MAKES 2
4 slices crusty bread
1 tablespoon black olive paste
125g asiago cheese, sliced
4 slices mortadella
olive oil, to drizzle
Spread two slices of bread with the olive paste and top with the asiago and mortadella. Cover with the remaining bread slices to make two sandwiches.
Lightly drizzle the sandwiches with olive oil and toast in a hot frying pan or on a griddle for 1–2 minutes on each side, pressing down firmly with a metal spatula so the bread crisps up and becomes golden. Serve immediately.
ARTICHOKE, CRISPY PROSCIUTTO AND MINT BRUSCHETTE
MAKES 4
small handful mint leaves
1 garlic clove, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
4 slices crusty bread
4 slices prosciutto
280g jar artichokes in olive oil, drained
Mix together the mint, garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Set aside.
Preheat the grill to high. Place the slices of bread on a baking sheet and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Grill on both sides until toasted and golden. Remove and set aside. Place the prosciutto in a single layer on the baking sheet and grill for 5 minutes, until crisp.
Halve the artichokes and divide them between the toasted bread slices. Top with the crispy prosciutto and the mint and garlic to serve.
TALEGGIO AND SPECK BRUSCHETTE
MAKES 4
4 slices crusty bread
olive oil, for drizzling
220g taleggio cheese, sliced
8 slices speck
Preheat the grill to high. Place the slices of bread on a baking sheet and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Grill on both sides until toasted and golden.
Top with the taleggio and speck and add a good grinding of black pepper to serve.
MOZZARELLA, FENNEL AND LEMON BRUSCHETTE
MAKES 4
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
4 slices crusty bread
olive oil, for drizzling
250g mozzarella cheese, torn
zest ½ lemon
Toast the fennel seeds in a dry pan, until they start to release their aroma.
Preheat the grill to high. Place the slices of bread on a baking sheet and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Grill on both sides until toasted and golden.
Top the toasts with mozzarella and scatter with the fennel seeds, lemon zest and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with sea salt and serve.
SPAGHETTI AND HERB FRITTATA
What a great ‘next day dinner’ for using up cooked pasta. I’ve resolved never again to leave a silly quarter-full bag of pasta in the cupboard ... I’ll cook the whole packet and make this with the leftovers.
SERVES 4
5 eggs, lightly beaten
100ml milk
handful rocket leaves
handful baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes (optional)
500g cold leftover cooked spaghetti (cooked weight)
sliced tomatoes dressed with olive oil and marjoram, to serve
Preheat the grill to high. Combine the egg and milk in a large bowl and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the rocket and spinach leaves and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the onion and chilli flakes and cook for 8 minutes, until softened and turning golden. Add the pasta and toss, as if stir-frying, until the pasta starts to look lightly toasted. Tip the pasta into the bowl with the eggs and leaves, toss well to combine, then tip the mixture into the pan and quickly level out the pasta.
