Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking: Pasta and Other Starches Recipe Reviews
September 2006 Cookbook of the Month: Please post your reviews of pasta, risotto, and other starch recipes from Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking here. Please mention the name of the recipe you are reviewing as well as any modifications you made to the recipe.
A reminder that the verbatim copying of recipes to the boards is violation of the copyright of the original author. Posts with copied recipes will be removed.
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beetlebug
Aug 7, 2007 06:31 PM
Broccoli and Anchovy Sauce (pg. 173)
Nice, easy recipe and I was able to use my CSA broccoli. This was delicious. Essentially, blanch a bunch of broccoli (including the stalk) and chop into pieces. In a large skillet, add olive oil and slowly breakup chopped anchovies. Add the broccoli and hot chile peppers, stir to coat and cook for about 5 minutes. Add cooked pasta (I used orecchiette) and cheese.
The recipe called for 1.5 lbs of pasta. I used only half a pound and it was enough. I like a heavier veggie to pasta ratio and this was perfect. There was just the right amount of cheesy goodness to offset the broccoli and the umami of the anchovies.
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beetlebug
Jan 29, 2007 07:19 AM
Bolognese Meat Sauce (pg. 203 in Essentials)
I made this last night and it was delicious. It was also sheer torture waiting for the sauce to finish. The smell of the simmering sauce for 3+ hours almost made me chew my arm off and I ended up snacking a lot more than I wanted. Keeping in mind the debates about this version v. the classics version, I did the following:
I split the baby in the amounts for the onion, carrots and celery. More than 2T but considerably less than the 1/2 c (onion) and 2/3 cup for the veggies. I also used 2 cups for the canned tomatoes. For the meat, I had 1/2 lb of beef and 1/4 lb of pork.
Technique - I followed the essentials instructions to simmer the milk with the meat before adding the wine. Marcella's explanation for this order - to protect the meat from the acidity of the wine. What I found interesting was the texture of the meat, after the milk had simmered away. Visually, it looked the same. However, when I stirred it around, I could feel how light the meat crumbles were. They practically danced off the spatula. It's difficult to explain, but made enough of an impression that I called C over to feel the sensation.
The end product was worth the wait. Next time, I'll be sure to start it earlier and have more snacking treats around the house.
Pic of finished product:
›1 Reply
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Katie Nell
Nov 22, 2006 06:10 PM
Waaaaaaaaaay behind, but I finally made something of Marcella's!! I made the Classic version of Bolognese and of course, it was amazing! Husband and I also made fresh fetuccine, our first time, and it turned out pretty spectacular, if I do say so myself! ;-) I had to return my books to the library a while back because they were overdue, and well, I never cooked anything from them! (Bad girl, bad girl!) So, I used the bolognese recipe online and I couldn't find a Marcella pasta dough recipe online and used Lidia's... I'm sure they're similar enough. At any rate, we loved everything so much that we made double batches of everything last night to freeze and give to our family members as Thanksgiving presents... I'm sure they will be thrilled! Gnocchi has to be next!
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MMRuth
Sep 25, 2006 11:39 AM
Risotto Milanese
I made this last night to go with Osso Bucco Milanese. I've made risottos many times from Essentials, but not this one. The consistency was perfect, despite taking it off the heat for about 15 minutes half way through the cooking as my husband couldn't find a cab at Penn Station. Also, I couldn't find my saffron, so he picked some up for me on the way home, and I didn't let it dissolve enough in the hot broth as instructed, so it didn't get that lovely yellow color. Usually when I make risotto, I use chicken broth even if the recipe calls for beef broth, but this time, to follow the recipe faithfully, I used beef broth (diluted purchased stock) and I think I really prefer to use chicken broth. We didn't eat it for about ten minutes after it was ready while my husband sent an email (agh ... I tried to be patient ...) and I was pleasantly surprised that it hadn't turned to mush and was delicious. The best part was putting the marrow from the osso bucco on top of the risotto, and it was delicious! I took photos and will try to post.
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I made potato gnocchi (THREE times!) this past week. I'm posting the whole experience in hopes it will help some other gnocchi virgin. I topped them with gorgonzola sauce from the same book which was very easy and absolutely wonderful.
The recipe is from Classic Italian Cooking. Ingredients are just 1.5 lbs potatoes, up to 1 cup flour. MH says not to use waxy or floury potatoes so I used Yukon Golds. Boil, unpeeled until tender. This takes around 30-45 minutes. Don't overtest or the puncture holes will make the potato soggy. When tender, peel and mash with ricer or potato masher. Mix in enough flour so the dough is not too sticky to handle.
The gorgonzola sauce is 4 ounces gorgonzola (I used gorgonzola dolce), about 2 Tbs butter and 1/3 cup milk. In the book she adds cream to the pasta which is served with the sauce so I put the cream (1/4 cup) into the sauce. Bring to a simmer, mix everything until blended. Set aside. This can be refrigerated and reheated which I did several times.
Gnocchi, Take One:
I followed the recipe above but when it came to mixing in the flour I didn't know if the potato should be hot or cool. None of the recipes I found gave specific directions. I mixed in my flour when the potato was still quite hot, using just under 1 cup flour. I wasn't ready to start cooking so I covered the dough and left it. BIG MISTAKE! When I came back about an hour later, it had mutated into a strange wet, spongy mass reminiscent of a biga or poolish (starter for bread). I don't know if the change was because I mixed it when the potato was hot or not making the gnocchi immediately. I had to add a lot of flour - over a cup to make the dough marginally manageable. When I tried cooking a few they were like heavy sodden dumplings as you would expect. I dunked them in the gorgonzola sauce which would be good on anything but ended up throwing the entire batch away.Gnocchi, Take Two:
I started again with half the recipe amounts. This time I let the potato cool, mixed in just under a half-cup of flour, and made the gnocchi immediately. NOTE: the dough is still sticky but don't add a lot of flour, it makes the gnocchi heavy. Keep everything dusted with flour, particularly your hands. My gnocchi had the thumb indent but the grooves made with a fork were shapeless. I dropped about a third into boiling water. ANOTHER NOTE: when you start cooking these, turn the heat down. I didn't so my gnocchi whirled away in the boiling water. I had no idea how to time them - recipe says to cook for about a minute after they rise to the surface. If your gnocchi are being swirled in rapidly boiling water this never happens. I fished them out after a short while but when I put them on a plate, they were mushy and on the point of dissolving. We ate them anyway. As I said, the sauce would be good on anything. Definitely overcooked but NOT heavy. I took this to be progress.Gnocchi, Take Three:
Several recipes call for the gnocchi to air-dry so I left the rest of my batch on a cookie sheet lined with parchment and lightly floured. I cooked these last night. This time I turned the heat down after dropping them into the boiling water. They rose to the surface after about 1-2 minutes. I let them cook for about another minute. Test for doneness by eating one. SUCCESS AT LAST!!! The gnocchi were light, not as feather-light as some I've had in restaurants but pretty darned good. Without sauce they have a slight potato flavor, quite pleasant. With the sauce they were decadent.So, to sum up what I learnt: let your potato cool before mixing in flour keeping flour to a minimum; shape gnocchi immediately; let air-dry on cookie sheet in refrigerator at least a couple of hours; cook in water that is boiling but not turbulent; test for doneness about a minute after gnocchi rise to the surface. And definitely make the gorgonzola sauce which would make rubber bands taste good.
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I looked at a friend's "Essentials" last weekend and turned first to the Pasta chapter. She's certainly... *severe,* I guess is the word I want. She describes one pasta machine--a kind I've never seen, where eggs and flour go in one end and pasta is extruded at the other--as making "a mucilaginous and contemptible product." And several pages on the "movements"--like a symphony or string quartet--of rolling pasta by hand... a little intimidating, though I'm not a beginner in the kitchen. Anybody else feel this way?
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re: rootlesscosmo
Robert Lauriston
Sep 21, 2006 07:14 PM
Making pasta by hand is a fairly difficult art. If you were trying to do it, you'd probably find the drawings and detailed instructions helpful.
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re: rootlesscosmo
I used to have a roommate from Florence who is the only person I ever saw roll pasta by hand. The taste of her pasta was beyond words. It was chewy but light, with very slight unevenness along the strands which picked up sauce very delicately. It's impossible to duplicate this with a pasta roller. As Marcella points out, hand-rolled pasta is stretched; machine-rolled pasta is compressed.
I tried a few times to roll pasta by hand but never could, even with Marcella's drawings. I should add that I've been making Chinese noodles rolled with a machine since my early childhood, so I know a fair amount about handling pasta dough.
Marcella can be a bit of a PITA but on this point I have to agree with her. BTW extruded pasta is absolutely horrible, it has a density approaching concrete. A friend described it as like eating snakes.
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Just wanted to throw out there that I doubled the Tomato Sauce III recipe by doubling the tomatoes, salt and sugar; doubling the butter by half; and keeping the onion the same (6 tbsp butter, 1 onion, 4 C tomatoes, 3 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar).
It came out tasting the same as the recipe, which was a relief--a little less butter in each serving.
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beetlebug
Sep 20, 2006 02:39 PM
Tuna Sauce with Tomatoes and Garlic (Essentials page. 180)
This was an excellent recipe. More importantly, it was fast and I had all the ingredients at home. I pretty much followed the recipe. Next time, I would cut up a hot pepper and simmer it with the garlic and I would probably add chopped anchovies to the mix. Oh, and I would probably add the whole can of tomotoes. I like my pastas on the saucy side. But, this is a quick easy week night dinner and definitely a keeper.
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MMRuth
Sep 20, 2006 02:20 PM
Butter and Rosemary Sauce - wonderful - has butter, rosemary, garlic and a crushed beef boullion cube - sauce takes about five minutes. I halved the recipe and a cooked a little under a half pound of spaghetti - served it as an appetizer. A keeper.
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Rubee
Sep 19, 2006 03:32 PM
Smothered Onion Sauce (p. 168 in "Essentials")
This recipe for a pasta sauce calls for cooking down about 6 cups of sliced onions in butter or lard (I used lard), covered, for an hour, and then browned with a little white wine. Tossed with chopped parsley, fresh grated parmigiano-reggiano, and spaghetti, this is another simple but flavorful sauce. I thought it would be similar to a pasta with caramelized onions, but it wasn't. The slow cooking breaks it down so it's almost stewed, and then you take the cover off to allow the liquid to completely evaporate and the onions to become a nice dark gold. I did add about 1/2 tb butter to the pasta when I added the onion sauce. I also made the whole recipe with 1 lb of pasta for the two of us, but plan on using the leftover spaghetti for Marcella's "Frittata with Pasta" (p.285) later this week.
Before pic:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6d739b3127cce8d53f5b76b9a00000016109Ict27Vm2w
After:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6d739b3127cce8d53f11cea0300000016109Ict27Vm2w
End result:
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re: Rubee
mielimato
Sep 19, 2006 04:15 PM
I've skipped over this recipe many time because it looked too simple to be good. But your photos and description have convinced me!
I've found that some of Marcella's recipes need to be tweaked for additional flavor (e.g. the addition of parsley or truffles in her meat roll recipe). Would you have added anything to this dish? An extra herb or chopped proscuitto?
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re: mielimato
Rubee
Sep 19, 2006 05:42 PM
I love fresh thyme with slow-cooked onions, so I was tempted. I'm really trying not to tweak the first time I try one of her recipes, to be able to make a comparison later when I make additions. Though simple, there's a lot of flavor, especially with the wine and a high-quality grated parm. Be sure to taste and keep adding salt. I love your idea of prosciutto too - I'll try that the next time I make it!
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I had a hankering for gnocchi last night--not homemade; I don't have time for that on a weeknight!--but I couldn't decide what to do for the sauce. In the spirit of the cookbook challenge, I decided to go with Marcella's recommendation of Tomato Sauce III.
Seriously, truly, some of the best tomato sauce I've ever had/made, and utterly easy. 2 cups pureed canned tomatoes; 1/4 lb butter; 1/4 tsp sugar; 1 1/2 tsp salt; one onion, halved and peeled. Mix it all together, put the onion in, slow simmer for 45 minutes. Discard the onion. It was velvety, tomato-y, and just sweet-savory enough. Absolutely dreamy, and ridiculously simple.
Has anyone tried to double it? My only issue is that it was in very small protions--just enough for two, and I generally like leftovers. I'm not sure if, when I double the amount of tomatoes, that I should use two onions, too. Doubling on sauces like this always stumps me.
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Why not make your own riootta?
Take a 1/2 gallon of milk (your choice, whole, 2%, goat, ...).
Place in a stainless steel pot. Heat gently to just before a boil (abou 185F). Stir in either 1 cup buttermilk or 2 tablespoons lemon juice. This will clabber the milk. Stir gently and take off heat. You should notice that clots have formed. If not, then heat carefully. Don't get it to a boil. When you notice the clotting, take off heat. Stir gently. and wait 10 minutes.Pour or ladle through a sieve lined with clean cheescloth mounted on top of another pot or bowl. This whey can be used in other dishes (I have even made more ricotta from it).
The residue in the cheesecloth is a tasty ricotta. Allow to drain until it reaches the moisture level you want.
You can add salt if you want to the milk if you want.
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re: rabaja
Robert Lauriston
Sep 20, 2006 04:22 PM
Traditionally, ricotta is made from whey.
Whole-milk ricotta is a kind of farmers cheese.
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kitchensalli
Sep 15, 2006 08:22 PM
Peas, Bacon, and Ricotta Sauce
Disappointing. I followed everything exactly as laid out but my results were less than I had hoped. The sauce was very dry and bland. The bacon I chose may have been too lean so the rendered fat was a missing key component. Perhaps that would have made it ‘saucier’. I’ll revamp the leftovers tonight (there are lots) with a splash of wine and some fresh herbs to accompany a grilled chicken breast.
Would be interested in hearing if anyone else has made this in the past and their take on it.
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re: kitchensalli
Robert Lauriston
Sep 15, 2006 08:56 PM
I've made that. It's good if you have tasty fresh ricotta (not Polly-O) and good fresh peas (currently out of season).
What kind of bacon doesn't throw off at least two tablespoons of fat?
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re: Robert Lauriston
I've made the peas/ricotta/bacon sauce also and find it delicious. Hmm, I used a good quality bacon-if you used some kind of lean bacon (I didn't even know this existed!), I can see how it wouldn't be very good. Also, did you use a good quality ricotta? I get a great fresh ricotta from an Italian deli (they scoop to order), and Whole Foods carries a very good one they call spreadable ricotta. The regular grocery store ricottas are usually awful, so if you used that I can see again how the recipe may have failed.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the tomato-butter-onion sauce! Absolutely delicious.
I also like her carbonara better than anyone else's.
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re: christy319
kitchensalli
Sep 16, 2006 12:20 AM
Okay – clearly getting the ricotta from the ‘grocery store’ was not the way to go. A better quality cheese would have likely made the difference in the texture of the sauce that I was looking for. Flavor was still good however.
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re: kitchensalli
jen kalb
Sep 25, 2006 03:54 AM
We enjoy this recipe - I think that good flavorful, smoky bacon (not sickly sweet supermarket brand), lots of freshly grated pepper and parmesan are key to a good result. You may also want to stir in some of the pasta water if your result is too dry (and use the whole milk ricotta, too, not skim) We use the frozen tiny peas and thaw them in the pan with the bacon. a little chopped onion in there is a valid addition.
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Candy
Sep 15, 2006 06:14 PM
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y75/...
Last night's Porcini Risotto form Essentials. Came out beautifuly and had a very rich lush taste.
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re: Candy
Carb Lover
Sep 16, 2006 12:01 AM
Nice! I like the cookbook in the backdrop of your photo...I may have to borrow that when I post my photos. Am still trying to decide on a Marcella menu. From the photo, it does not look like a loose, saucy risotto, right?
Assume you used dried porcini? I know we live in different parts of the country, but where did you get them from? I'm sure I can find them somewhere in the SF Bay Area, but I never really know where...
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re: Carb Lover
Candy
Sep 16, 2006 12:20 AM
It was made with dried porcini and was actually quite saucy, the bowls made it look less so. The rice was perfect with that tender but firm core. I put it in the cereal bowls because my DH needed to have some meat along side. I was happy witht just the risotto and some fresh tomatoes.
When I can I like putting the photo of the book in the picture. Did you see my Bouchon rabbit terrine picture? On that one it was kind of dificult to to get it all in.
I live in Bloomington, IN and my local chain Marsh had the dried porcini. Marcella says that dried porcini are available in large bags in Europe, not the little outrageously priced 1/3 oz. bags I can get here. I'll be in London in a month and may look into seeing what I can get there and how the price compares.
You might try Cost Plus World Market. You never know what is going to turn up there. How about Petrinis?
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re: Carb Lover
Robert Lauriston
Sep 16, 2006 12:29 AM
In the SF area, you can find dried porcini at most grocery stores or any Italian deli. I buy them in the bulk section of the Berkeley Bowl as the quality and turnover are high and the prices relatively low.
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Rubee
Sep 14, 2006 10:07 PM
Since we’re also discussing past recipes we’ve tried, I thought I’d re-post this since it’s based on a recipe from “Essentials” and included a pic.
White Clam Sauce
In my version, I started with step #4, but skipped the tomatoes and added shallots (and my parsley was wilted so couldn’t use it). Then I added the littlenecks (scrubbed well so there was no grit), let it simmer, covered, until the clams opened. Finished up with Hazan's technique of setting the clams aside, adding the slightly underdone pasta to the sauce to complete cooking and soak up all the juices, and then tossing it with the clams and fresh basil. I think I may have added a little buter, and garnished with lemon zest. Delicious! I was impressed by how easy it really was. Besides the fresh clams, the important step was, as Marcella says, to let the pasta finish cooking in the broth so that it “drinks up all the fresh clam juice”. It ended up being full of flavor and perfectly al dente.
Pic:
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re: Rubee
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re: Rubee
mielimato
Sep 15, 2006 07:03 AM
I forgot about this one! Thanks for reminding me! It is one of my favorite pasta dishes from Essentials. I agree that letting the pasta "drink" the sauce is key. First time I made it, I was out of basil and parsley so I put a tiny bit of rosemary at the end and absolutely loved the combination.
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kitchensalli
Sep 14, 2006 06:46 PM
Tonight I’m Making ...
A Pasta recipe from the Essentials volume
Peas, Bacon, and Ricotta Sauce.
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I made the lasagna (sans green pasta) twice, and the first time it set beautifully; the second time, no setting. Any advice on setting lasagna? The primary difference, ingredient-wise, was that I added two spicy italian sausages to the bolognese, which I think may have resulted in more oil in the sauce.
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re: MuppetGrrl
JoanN
Sep 16, 2006 02:02 PM
I've made the Baked Green Lasagne recipe with homemade spinach noodles nearly a dozen times and never had the problem you describe. I follow the recipe pretty much to a tee, so perhaps it does have something to do with the added sausages. Or, is it possible you didn't let it rest for the full 10 minutes before cutting into it?
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I don't have the book in front of me (sorry), so I'm going to get the titles wrong (actually, titles will be nonexistent).
But I've made (many times) the recipe for spinach/ricotta/prosciutto wrapped in sheets of pasta, the rolls wrapped in cheescloth and boiled. The, cheesecloth is removed, 'logs' sliced and covered with a mix of the tomato/onion/butter sauce (oh my god, is that good. ultimate comfort food, so simple and so good) and bechamel.
This is a long-standing family favorite. It is wonderful. I wonder if I have time to make it this weekend.
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mielimato
Sep 14, 2006 12:16 PM
Tomato Sauce with Anchovies, Garlic and Olives (Puttanesca or Arrabiatta?)
This has saved my life on several occasions. So simple, quick and delicious. Gives a basic tomato sauce great depth and flavor. Great recipe because it requires no fresh ingredients so if you ever find yourself late at night with an empty fridge, you know what to do.
Skip the step about melting down the anchovies in a hot water bath. Just mash it with a wooden spoon against the pan at low heat.
Other easy variations:
1) Replace the Olives with Canned Tuna or Sardines
2) Omit the Olives Completely and the dish is still good
3) Replace Anchovies with Fish Sauce?
4) Add fresh shrimp›6 Replies-
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re: MuppetGrrl
Robert Lauriston
Sep 14, 2006 07:16 PM
Hazan's tuna sauce ("spaghetti al tonno" in Classic) has been one of my standard dishes for years, but I usually add hot pepper and either a can of anchovies with their olive oil, or a couple of tablespoons of nam pla. Works better with penne than spaghetti.
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re: MuppetGrrl
Robert Lauriston
Sep 14, 2006 07:49 PM
No, though she also has a recipe for vitello tonnato.
It's a tomato and tuna sauce. In Classic the recipe is spaghetti al tonno (not listed under tuna in the index, one of numerous errors), in Essentials it's tuna sauce.
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heidipie
Sep 14, 2006 05:25 AM
Tomato Sauce with Garlic and Basil: I make it all the time when basil is in season. Not sauteeing the garlic gives it a haunting depth.
Cauliflower Sauce with Garlic, Oil, and Chili Pepper: This is such a great recipe. My father-in-law, a sworn cauliflower hater, gobbled it up without realizing what he was eating. When I sent the recipe to his wife, who shares his e-mail account, I titled it "Pasta with Ingredient" so he wouldn't catch on, and now that's what we all call this dish. If you cut the thick main stem out of the cauliflower before tossing it into the pan in step #5, you only have to parboil the cauliflower for ten minutes or so, and it'll still cover a pound of pasta.
No-stir polenta: yes indeedy.
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re: heidipie
Carb Lover
Sep 21, 2006 07:51 AM
I made the tomato sauce w/ garlic and basil (p. 156) tonight, and it was great! I really like all of her simple variations on tomato sauce. Her sauces so far have really proven that less is more...
Scene: Husband comes home starving at 7pm. We almost decide to go out, but 25 lbs. of tomatoes are staring at us. Husband is inspired to try another Marcella sauce, and by 10 til 8 we are sitting at the table w/ fork and glass of chianti in hand.
Here's a link to Marcella's recipe online:
http://www.of2minds.org/spice/archives/001108.html
It looks like the exact recipe except it omits the option of processing your own fresh tomatoes through a food mill after simmering for 10 min., which is what we did.Here we are running the tomatoes through the mill:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/btdoan/IMG_5654.jpgHere's the sauce simmering after we add the 5 cloves of finely chopped garlic and seasonings:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/btdoan/IMG_5657.jpgI would have ideally used spaghetti, but I'm trying to use up odds and ends in my pantry so opted for chiocciole, a cute snail-shaped pasta. Please forgive me, Marcella.
Photo of finished product in pot here:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/btdoan/IMG_5659.jpgPhoto of my serving:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/...Overall, this sauce was simply delicious. Can't go wrong if you have fresh ripe tomatoes. The garlic did really mellow in flavor, but there was no doubt that it was there. I only used one third bunch of basil since my bunch was pretty big w/ large leaves.
Conclusion: Husband was full and happy, and now we have 22 lbs. of tomatoes staring at us.
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I have lots of favorite Marcella recipes (most from Marcella Cucina), but tonight I made a new sauce from Essentials: Tomato Sauce with Olive Oil and Chopped Vegetables, Variation with Marjoram and Two Cheeses.
The unusual thing about this recipe is that you simmer the tomato, celery, carrot and onion together for 30 minutes with no oil or butter (it doesn't seem like a good idea, but Marcella is never wrong!). Then you add lots of oil and continue to cook for 15 minutes. I was pressed for time, so total cooking time was only about 35 minutes. I think the flavors would've mingled better if I'd had longer. But the cheese and marjoram version is definitely promising. Very savory and filling--nice for chilly early fall.
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NYchowcook
Sep 14, 2006 01:49 AM
Polenta by the “no-stirring” method (requires some stirring). Turns out fine.
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NYchowcook
Sep 14, 2006 01:48 AM
peas, peppers & prosciutto – I make often w/o peppers – see prosciuto cream sauce recipe, which is similar
amatriciana – yum
tomato sauce w/ onion & butter. A classic – comforting and easy – I return to often.
Pink shrimp sauce w/ cream. Yum, yum, yum. Guests ask for the recipe and serve to others for their birthday. (Must be the heavy cream!) I use her son’s version.
Butter and parmesan. Pablum for grownups. Very comforting.
Butter and sage sauce – great w/ frozen tortellini. Quick and easier than a TV dinner.
cream and butter sauce (Alfredo) – good, indeed
sausages and cream – not as disgusting as it sounds
Bolognese meat sauce – a big deal ragu. I had high hopes and was disappointed. Maybe I just don’t like ground meat.›28 Replies-
re: NYchowcook
mielimato
Sep 14, 2006 11:29 AM
Bolognese--I've made the Bolognese sauce several times and was a bit disappointed as well. Now, I skip the step about simmering the meat in milk first before the tomatoes and wine are added. I think the purpose of the milk is to tenderize the meat but I find that it makes the meat too soft and mushy for my tastes. I prefer my Bolognese with a firmer, meatier texture so I skip the milk.
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re: mielimato
Karl S
Sep 14, 2006 12:03 PM
The point is to gently cook the meat in a less acidic liquid. I cannot recall Marcella's precise ragu, but I know I did a combination of her's and Lynne Rosseto Kaspar's more classic approach, which I've posted before and produces a better result -- tomato is only added at the very end. The milk first approach then does make a significant difference.
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re: Karl S
mielimato
Sep 14, 2006 12:44 PM
The milk does alter the consistency of the meat and makes it very soft, which can be good or bad depending on your tastes. But I am still opened to trying different Bolognese recipes with milk. What are Kaspar's and your own variations on Marcella's recipe?
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re: mielimato
Karl S
Sep 14, 2006 01:42 PM
Kaspar's is based on the "official" recipe of the city of Bologna, IIRC.
Marcella's is her own magisterial approach.
Mine is explained in the link:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...
I would suggest that the point is the tenderness of the meat so that one does not recognize that it is ground meat as such; the texture should be quite different than a ground-beef American chili con carne, as it were. This is a sauce for pasta: pasta is the star, the sauce is the supporting player. The meat in the sauce must have dissolved to a point where it glazes the pasta; it's not supposed to be like chili con carni e paste.
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re: julesrules
Rubee
Sep 16, 2006 04:27 PM
4-5 tablespoons high-quality butter
6-8 whole fresh sage leaves
1 pound pasta (she recommends homemade pasta such as fettucini, stuffed tortelli, or potato gnocchi)Heat butter over medium heat until the foam subsides. Her tip for this recipe is that it's very important that the color becomes a deep gold (but not brown), for the sage to optimally flavor the sauce. Add sage, turning once for just a few seconds. Add sauce to drained pasta, toss, and serve with grated Parmesan.
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re: Rubee
Thank you very much. For some reason I have been intimidated by the brown butter thing for too long! So simple, with sage from my garden. Served with purchased mushroom, goat cheese and squash ravioli. Did not realize the sage would break apart when tossed with the pasta. Delicious, although a small appetizer serving is probably best.
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re: NYchowcook
Robert Lauriston
Sep 14, 2006 04:43 PM
The ragu recipe from the original "Classic" can't be beat.
The radically revised recipe in "Essentials" is weird. It has about five times as much carrot and onion and consequently comes out way too sweet.
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re: Robert Lauriston
Carb Lover
Sep 15, 2006 11:58 PM
I made the bolognese sauce from Essentials a long time ago and was disappointed as well. I remember it being too sweet and not as deeply meaty in flavor as I would have liked.
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re: Robert Lauriston
I find this interesting... could you paraphrase the original amount of carrots? The bolognese recipe in Essentials is one of my favorites, but I've noticed that the quality of each individual ingredient is crucial to how it turns out overall. That is, you can really taste the difference if you use better quality meat, milk, San Marzano canned tomatoes, etc. I've noticed the carrots a little more than I would like to the past couple of times I've made this recipe, so I find this post very enlightening!
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re: redwood2bay
Robert Lauriston
Sep 17, 2006 05:07 PM
The original is two tablespoons each onion, carrot, and celery. That's similar to every other traditional ragu recipe I've seen.
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re: NYchowcook
Carb Lover
Sep 17, 2006 05:01 PM
After tomato picking yesterday, I made the simple recipe for tomato sauce w/ onion and butter using the food mill method. The recipe was so easy, and the result was pure poetry! I'm so accustomed to oil-based tomato sauces that the silky sweetness imparted by the butter and stewed onion was a delightful change. I can see why people love this recipe so much...
I used 1 lb. of Barilla spaghetti and tore some basil to finish. Had Grana Padano instead of Parmigiano Reggiano, but I prefer the latter. I did add cracked black pepper at the end to offset the sweetness. The sauce was light and subtle, almost bland at first. But the character really came through after a few bites, and husband described its subtlety as non-fatiguing. Nice opener to a main course (although we ate it as the main).
I'm hesitant to alter this recipe too much, but just curious if anyone has added a garlic clove or other seasonings to infuse the sauce?
I should have taken a few photos of the cooking process, but here's a photo of the final dish: http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y45/...
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re: Carb Lover
Karl S
Sep 17, 2006 07:43 PM
Garlic or other discernable seasonings would ruin the balance, in my opinion, and I love garlic. The most that should be done is to puree some of the onion with the sauce. If one absolutely needed to try a variation, one might consider adding a peeled shallot to the simmer and then removing.
I usually serve this as a soup, rather than as a sauce, btw.
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re: Karl S
Carb Lover
Sep 17, 2006 08:18 PM
Mmmmm...I could totally see this working as a soup. Thanks for that tip. I'm inclined to agree w/ you on the garlic, but I'm very curious and like to experiment w/ recipes. I think I'll throw in one small clove of garlic next time (and maybe a few basil leaves) and fish out before serving...
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re: Carb Lover
Karl S
Sep 17, 2006 09:02 PM
Instead of basil, try a couple of sprigs of fresh marjoram. Basil (especially a lot of American-grown basil) often has strong methol-ish overtones. I think this sauce is best treated as something quite different than the typical marinara-style (olive oil, garlic, et cet.) sauce base we Americans think of as the generic foundation for tomato-based sauces. After all, how many mini-variations on tomatoes, garlic and basil do we need for sauce? It just seems odd to try to take this unique sauce and transform it back into something more familiar. It has a lot more fat, and it has dairy and fruit (both onion and tomato) sugars, et cet. For true experimentation, I think it would be better complemented by subtler companions, like shallot or even leek instead of garlic, and more subtle fresh herbs (marjoram, savory, e.g.) than basil; I'd even probably try sage (again fresh) before basil, experimenting with adding early vs late to see which produces a better result. The herbal presence should be in the background, not the foreground, and serve to counterpoint the main harmony.
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re: Carb Lover
Carb Lover
Sep 18, 2006 04:58 AM
Your points are well taken, Karl. I agree that I shouldn't morph this unique sauce into something it wasn't meant to be; however, I continue to be curious about the flavor of gently infused garlic (one whole clove, not cut cloves that have been sauteed and remain in the final product). Marjoram is a better idea than basil...
While I enjoyed the sauce as is, recipes such as this inspire me to build upon this method to honor it, not to reject it.
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re: Carb Lover
Tomato sauce w/onion and butter.
I wanted to try this very simple sauce and see for myself if something with such few ingredients and such a simple cooking method really could be as good as Carb Lover and others have said. You were all right! I wasn't able to use all fresh tomatoes, so I used a combo of canned Italian plums and a few fresh plum tomatoes from my garden. I don't have a food mill, so I quickly whirled them in the food processor and put them in the saute pan. Added the butter (only about 4 T.), the onion cut in half, a pinch of salt, and a very small pinch of sugar, since I thought the canned tomatoes were a bit more asidic than I'd like. Simmered uncovered for 45 min. Tossed angle hair pasta with sauce, grated pecorino,( which I prefer over Reggiano,) 1 more T. of butter,fresh ground pepper and garnished with shaved pecorino. Simply devine. Deep, wonderful flavor and something that can be made with everything I have on hand in my pantry. I'm anxious to pass this simple, deligthful sauce recipe on to my daughters since it's certainly easy enough for them to add to their menus.-
re: jackie de
Carb Lover
Sep 21, 2006 01:21 AM
Thanks for reporting back; I'm glad that you liked it.
I've been wanting to make the spinach and ricotta gnocchi as well as crespelle w/ spinach and prosciutto, but spinach isn't so hot right now. For those who have made those recipes, what other green might be suitable? Maybe mache? I have no idea...I could just wait til this spinach thing blows over and I can get my hands on some.
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re: Carb Lover
I tried making gnocchi once at home, using (I think) the Marcella recipe. I have the feeling I may have used a melange of different recipes, and I'll openly admit, that may have been my problem. Regardless, I would have to say that my gnocchi were spectacularly average (at best). I now understand why it's so remarkable when gnocchi are as light as a cloud. This isn't really a comment on a Marcella recipe (apologies), but more a bit of a warning that I think gnocchi are really difficult to do well.
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re: cheryl_h
Carb Lover
Sep 21, 2006 02:23 PM
Oooh, I look forward to your report! Maybe I'll try that recipe since it doesn't have spinach. The place where I work makes great, feather light gnocchi and it does NOT include egg. I'll be curious to hear about your path to gnocchi enlightenment.
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re: Carb Lover
That recipe for spinach and ricotta gnocchi is one of the
few places where frozen spinach gives an identical result.
Thawed frozen may actually be better; I'm guessing it's because
of the consistent moisture content. The freshness of the
ricotta is much more important to the silkiness and lightness
of the final result.
in the-
re: condiment
Spinach (swiss chard) and Ricotta Gnocchi
I've made these a few times over the years, but this was the first time I used swiss chard in place of the spinach. We thought they were just as good as the spinach version. Here's a picture before they were cooked. Served them with her tomato cream sauce. Lovely!
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Rubee
Sep 14, 2006 01:09 AM
Sardinian Bottarga Sauce
It's a pasta sauce made with mullet bottarga (bottarga di muggine), which is dried mullet roe, along with butter, onions, chopped parsley, and a little grated lemon peel. I also added a little extra virgin olive oil. Bottarga has a mildly salty, sweet taste and I've been wanting to try it for a long time. About a month ago I bought an ounce of it, so this recipe was the perfect chance to try it! Marcella's recipe calls for slicing it paper thin with a peeler, and then chopping into fine, soft grains. I ended up using a Benriger mandoline also to make it a little easier. I used spaghettini as she recommended, and garnished it with parsley and shaved bottarga as she suggests in "Marcella Says" (another book). It was simple and delicious, though something I won't make often as the bottarga is expensive. It's another example of her technique with just a few key ingredients resulting in such flavor. Oh, and be sure to cook the onions down until "lightly colored" (it probably took me about 15 minutes) - the sweetness really went well with the whole dish.
I'm not as adept with the camera as CarbLover, but here's a picture!
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re: beetlebug
Rubee
Sep 14, 2006 04:22 PM
Hi Beetlebug! I bought it at Salumeria Italiana in the North End. It was about an ounce and a quarter. The recipe calls for an ounce for two people, and I used the whole piece. It was vacuum-packed in clear plastic, came as one piece, and was about 6 inches long. You have to peel the membrane off before you use it, and yes, it's a little softer than parmesan. The picture makes it look reddish, but it was actually a dark amber color.
I guess most people think this is a review of past recipes, but I'm really hoping more people cook and report dishes they're cooking in September!
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re: Rubee
Robert Lauriston
Sep 14, 2006 04:27 PM
Note that Sardiniana bottarga is somewhat different from the general Italian kind. It crumbles into grains rather than flakes / shavings and has a slightly different flavor.
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re: Rubee
Rubee, that looks and sounds fabulous! If it wasn't for your description, and the monthly cookbook idea, this isn't something I would have thought to try but now I'm really tempted, especially since I work close to DiPalo's.
This is definitely a plus to people posting about something they made in the past (especially if it is a bit unusual) although I am looking forward to cooking 'with' folks.
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re: llinza
MMRuth
Sep 14, 2006 07:53 PM
Just FYI - you might want to call Di Palo's first - when I was there a week or two ago, they said that they might run out before the next batch (this year's harvest, due in at the end of September) comes in. Not that a trip to Di Palo's is ever wasted.
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