Molto Gusto_ Easy Italian Cooking Part 1

Molto Gusto_ Easy Italian Cooking.

by Mario Batali.

Introduction.

I have written and spoken perhaps too many words about Italian food and how and why I translate its inherent excellence and deliciousness to the American table. I have been on and in several thousand television shows and explained to a very large audience the philosophy of the Italian family, the importance of the table in daily life, and the significance of regional variations and the fierce respect and love for these regional differences from town to town-and even from home to home on the same street. I have and will continue to espouse this Italian strategy, and I love to interpret it and illuminate it for the many of us who are Italians, whether or not we were born there-that is, we have ancestral roots there-and for the many of us who merely want to be Italians, at least at the dinner table.

Us is a big word these days, and I do not use it lightly. Who are we? By is a big word these days, and I do not use it lightly. Who are we? By we, we, I mean those like-minded individuals who seek out the delicious, the traditional, the innovative, the unique, and the geo-specific in the world of nutrition and pleasure at the table, almost always in the company of others like us or of the same mind. We like to shop for food and prepare it, we like to braise, roast, poach, and steam. We have some but not all of the equipment we have seen on the cooking shows, and we have access to many great regional ingredients in our own towns. We l.u.s.t after the first asparagus of the season, we anxiously await the first local strawberries or cherries, and we are not afraid of either simple or many-step recipes. We love the change from merely slicing tomatoes and adding salt to complex braising as summer fades and autumn slides in. We sometimes plan menus for get-togethers weeks, or even a month or two, in advance. We are the cooks the houseware companies want to sell to. We are the readers of I mean those like-minded individuals who seek out the delicious, the traditional, the innovative, the unique, and the geo-specific in the world of nutrition and pleasure at the table, almost always in the company of others like us or of the same mind. We like to shop for food and prepare it, we like to braise, roast, poach, and steam. We have some but not all of the equipment we have seen on the cooking shows, and we have access to many great regional ingredients in our own towns. We l.u.s.t after the first asparagus of the season, we anxiously await the first local strawberries or cherries, and we are not afraid of either simple or many-step recipes. We love the change from merely slicing tomatoes and adding salt to complex braising as summer fades and autumn slides in. We sometimes plan menus for get-togethers weeks, or even a month or two, in advance. We are the cooks the houseware companies want to sell to. We are the readers of Food & Wine Food & Wine and and Bon Appet.i.t Bon Appet.i.t and of the local newspaper food pages, and we are the core audience of anything written by Michael Pollan, Mark Bittman, and Alice Waters. But we are not sn.o.bs or elitists, and we love it when other people cook for us. We like simple food. and of the local newspaper food pages, and we are the core audience of anything written by Michael Pollan, Mark Bittman, and Alice Waters. But we are not sn.o.bs or elitists, and we love it when other people cook for us. We like simple food.

In the last few years, the idea that there are social costs a.s.sociated with the decisions we make at the grocery store and at the table has become quite compelling. At all of the restaurants I own, we have spent significant time thinking these decision-based costs through, and we have taken many steps to prove our pro-planet resolve, never at the loss of flavor and pleasure, but often in the face of seemingly significant profit motives. Among other things, we no longer sell imported bottled water, a reflection of our thoughts on the use of limited resources in energy and other raw materials we consider important. We have become "green-certified" at nearly every location, installing efficient lighting, composting our carbon-based waste, and recycling all plastic and gla.s.s. We are buying hormone-free meat and poultry products, and in many cases we have driven our menus to a place with less and less protein as the main event. At no place is this drive toward less protein more evident than at Otto Pizzeria Enoteca. The idea that our protein-heavy diet has far-reaching implications, including energy and resource management as well as global warming, may seem new, but the traditional agrarian European diet is actually anything but "hot off the press."

What seems to be all the rage in the smart world of foodies is simply an extension of the traditional Italian table...

We created Otto Pizzeria for one basic reason, to give us a place to go with our kids that made sense in the "big three" for families: (1) to have fun; (2) to be able to find something the kids want to eat at the same place where the adults want to eat; and (3) to serve both adults and kids something that is good for them but, at the same time, delicious-without having to resort to the didacticism and sloganeering language that "health food" restaurants are trapped by. In the true world of Italian meal ideology, this is not as hard as it might seem when you look at that list: we simply created a menu that doesn't require a huge commitment to any particular or specific course. The typical meals may change from day to day, but most people have some vegetable antipasti and a leafy salad or two, maybe some cheeses or salumi, and then split a few pastas and a few pizzas and share a couple of gelati and coppette. I do not think that after our first year anyone even noticed that there are no standard meat- or fish-based main courses served in the restaurant. And if you have been paying attention to the current food brain-trust literati, it seems that our customers were ahead of the curve. Not really vegetarian, they've nonetheless been eating a diet heavy on vegetables, mostly leafy, with some grains thrown in, in the form of pasta and pizza, plus farro and legumes in salads, and very little protein from animals.

What you will certainly notice quite quickly is that this cookbook is radically different from all of the others I have written in its complete lack of traditional main courses. We do not serve any "meat and potatoes" plates at Otto, and we never have. What seems to be all the rage in the smart world of foodies is simply an extension of the traditional Italian table, where farming, foraging, and gardening have always yielded the bulk of the food in the daily diet, and where the occasional pig, chicken, or cow has been the exception to the rule. The health implications of this style of diet are no new shakes either, but I think that what you will note when dining on the following group of recipes is a kind of happy pa.s.sing sense of content and fullness not a.s.sociated with the consumption of a huge steak or chop. Most of the protein comes from small portions of cured meats, cheeses, and grains, with any animal protein as the flavoring and the bulk of the actual comestibles plant-based, whether leaf, stalk, flower, seed, or drupe. An ideal meal for several people from this book might consist of two or three vegetable antipasti, and a salad, followed by a pasta or two and a cheese course. Or maybe a plate of salumi and then some pizzas, with a couple of gelati and a coppetta or two.

The real trick is to let the market inspire you to buy and forage for the right things, then take them home and prepare them-and spend at least that amount of time enjoying them. You will notice that many of the recipes in this book are less than half a page long. This reflects the fact that they are indeed simple and a real part of the daily lives of many Italian people, who base a lot of their cooking and eating more on great products that they merely adorn.

But I do not want to weigh you down with a lot of political rigamarole. What is most important about food is the pleasure and nourishment it gives us. The sourcing is as significant a component of the process as the cooking, but let's not forget that the main event is not just to care for ourselves, but also to create energy for our constantly moving lives and our brains, and our laughing and singing and dancing and playing. So look at these recipes and ideas and think about smaller plates of food in a meal much less reliant on a big main course, yet still involving big beautiful flavors, and, most important, variation with the seasons. Many of the recipes are, in fact, organized by seasonal availability.

1.

VEGETABLE ANTIPASTI.

There is nothing that inspires me more, no matter where I am in the world, than a visit to a local farmers' market. To see what the sweet earth is giving up to those who care enough to coax it into fruition is my main gauge of the greatness of a town or city in any society. inspires me more, no matter where I am in the world, than a visit to a local farmers' market. To see what the sweet earth is giving up to those who care enough to coax it into fruition is my main gauge of the greatness of a town or city in any society.

From London's Borough Market to the Boqueria in Barcelona and Rome's Campo dei Fiori to Pike Place Market in Seattle and the Union Square Greenmarket near my home in NYC, there is the constant source of inspiration driven by the fact that the general const.i.tuency of both purveyor and customer represents everything I love about great food and its potential. The single most exciting word in food for me is geo-specificity. geo-specificity. If I can find something that is grown close to where I buy it (and plan on eating it), and it tastes like the smell of the wind on a rainy day in May or July or September, I have found something unique. If I can find something that is grown close to where I buy it (and plan on eating it), and it tastes like the smell of the wind on a rainy day in May or July or September, I have found something unique.

The recipes in this chapter are based on things we can find at our greenmarket in New York City, and they are generally so simple that I can for the first time put several recipes on a single page. (This is a new format for me and maybe for you too.) As usual, the best thing to do is go to the market and find the finest stuff, buy it, and bring it home. Then peruse the books you have-including this one-and find the simplest recipe you can for those ingredients. And then? Cook them and eat them with your friends and family!! It is the Italian way and the French way and the Spanish way and the Chinese way-I could go on and on describing the best food cultures from antiquity to the present. A series of four or five of these dishes might be a light snack or a brunch. Add a plate or two of salumi and cheeses, and you have a party. Add some of our fabulous homemade pizzas and a couple of pastas, followed by some gelati, and you have a bona-fide feast!

We have organized the recipes by season for the simple reason that that is how we think about all food, when it is at its most delicious, and most abundant, and least expensive. One of the great things about these vegetable dishes is that you can make just about all of them in advance and let them sit in the fridge overnight, or even for two or three nights (though if you are planning to make them ahead of time, it's really best if you do not add the acidic component of the dressing-e.g., vinegar, citrus juice, etc.-until shortly before serving them). In fact, most of them will get even better as the flavors marry whilst mingling in the darkness.

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Radishes WITH b.u.t.tER DRESSING.

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Fresh Fava Beans WITH RICOTTA SALATA.

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Shaved Asparagus WITH PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO.

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Artichokes with Grana Padano

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Chickpeas with Leeks

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Spring Peas with Mint

Spring Peas with Mint SERVES 6 6.

2 pounds peas in the pod, sh.e.l.led, or 2 cups fresh peas 1 medium red onion, cut into dice about the same size as the peas bunch fresh mint, leaves removed and torn into 2 or 3 pieces each cup Red Wine Vinaigrette (recipe follows) Maldon or other flaky sea salt and coa.r.s.ely ground black pepper Combine the peas, onion, and mint in a medium bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper and serve, or let stand at room temperature for 1 hour to bring out the flavors. (The peas can be refrigerated for up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before serving.) (The peas can be refrigerated for up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before serving.) RED WINE VINAIGRETTE.

MAKES 1 CUP.

cup red wine vinegar, preferably Chianti cup sparkling water cup extra virgin olive oil, preferably Ligurian Whisk the vinegar, water, and olive oil together in a small bowl. (The vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.) (The vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.)

Fresh Fava Beans with Ricotta Salata SERVES 6 PHOTO VEGETABLE ANTIPASTI.

2 pounds young fava beans in the pod, sh.e.l.led Scant cup Lemon Vinaigrette (recipe follows) Maldon or other flaky sea salt A 3-ounce chunk of ricotta salata for grating Coa.r.s.ely ground black pepper If the fava beans are young and tender, there is no need to peel them. It not, blanch the beans in a medium pot of boiling salted water for 30 seconds, just to loosen the skins. Drain, transfer to an ice bath to cool, and drain again. To peel the favas, pinch open the skin at one end of each bean and squeeze out the bean.

Toss the fava beans with the vinaigrette in a medium bowl and season with salt. Grate the ricotta over the favas, sprinkle pepper over the top, and serve immediately.

LEMON VINAIGRETTE.

MAKES CUP CUP.

cup fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon lemon marmellata (marmalade) or a generous pinch of grated lemon zest cup extra virgin olive oil, preferably Tuscan Whisk the lemon juice, marmellata, and olive oil together in a small bowl. (The vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.) (The vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

Shaved Asparagus with Parmigiano-Reggiano SERVES 6 PHOTO VEGETABLE ANTIPASTI.

2 pounds medium asparagus, tough bottom ends snapped off 3 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, coa.r.s.ely grated Juice of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons warm water cup extra virgin olive oil Maldon or other flaky sea salt and coa.r.s.ely ground black pepper Using a Benriner (j.a.panese mandoline) or other vegetable slicer, or a vegetable peeler, thinly shave the asparagus, making long diagonal shavings.

Put the Parmigiano in a large bowl and whisk in the lemon juice and warm water. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the oil to make a loose emulsion. Add the asparagus and toss gently to coat. Season with salt if necessary and with pepper and serve.

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Artichokes with Grana Padano SERVES 6 PHOTO VEGETABLE ANTIPASTI.

3 cups water 1 cup dry white wine Juice of 2 lemons 2 pounds baby artichokes (about 16) cup coa.r.s.ely chopped fresh basil, stems reserved 1 medium white onion, cut into -inch dice 5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh cup extra virgin olive oil Maldon or other flaky sea salt Hot red pepper flakes Tiny fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional) Thinly sliced red onion for garnish (optional) A 3-ounce chunk of grana padano cheese for shaving Combine the water, wine, and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Pull off the tough outer leaves from each artichoke, then cut off the top inch of the remaining leaves. Trim the bottom of the artichoke stem, then cut off the top outer layer of the stem with a paring knife. Transfer the artichokes to the lemon juice mixture as you work, to prevent oxidation.

Transfer the artichokes and their liquid to a medium pot; if necessary, add more water to cover the artichokes. Add the basil stems, onion, garlic, and bay leaf, put a pan lid on top of the artichokes to keep them submerged, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the artichokes are tender (test the centers with the tip of a sharp knife), 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the artichokes, reserving the garlic, and let cool slightly; discard the basil stems and bay leaf.

Halve the artichokes lengthwise with a sharp knife. Chop or mash the garlic. Transfer the artichokes and garlic to a saute pan, add the oil, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the artichokes are very tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and red pepper flakes and serve, or let stand at room temperature for up to 1 hour to bring out the flavors. (The artichokes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.) (The artichokes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.)

To serve, transfer the artichokes to a bowl, scatter the mint leaves and red onion, if using, over them, and, using a vegetable peeler, shave the cheese over the top.

Chickpeas with Leeks SERVES 6 PHOTO VEGETABLE ANTIPASTI.

Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 cup Leek Ragu (Vegetable Antipasti) cup extra virgin olive oil Maldon or other flaky sea salt 1 to 2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes Combine the chickpeas and leeks in a large bowl. Add the oil, salt to taste, and red pepper flakes, tossing vigorously to combine. Serve, or let stand at room temperature for 1 hour to bring out the flavors. (The chickpeas can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.) (The chickpeas can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.) Radishes with b.u.t.ter Dressing SERVES 6 PHOTO VEGETABLE ANTIPASTI.

6 tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.ter, melted 2 tablespoons very warm water cup extra virgin olive oil 1 pound radishes, preferably French Breakfast radishes, trimmed and halved lengthwise Maldon or other flaky sea salt Whisk the b.u.t.ter, water, and oil together in a small bowl until emulsified. Put the radishes on a serving plate, drizzle with the dressing, season with salt, and serve. Or serve the dressing alongside for dipping.

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Green Beans WITH CHARRED ONIONS.

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Farro with Cuc.u.mbers

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Cherry Tomatoes WITH CReME FRAiCHE & CHIVES.

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Roasted Peppers with Capers [image]

Hot & Cold Summer Squash [image]

Fregula with Corn

Green Beans with Charred Onions SERVES 6 PHOTO VEGETABLE ANTIPASTI.

Kosher salt 1 pound young green beans or haricots verts 2 medium sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla 1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoons orange juice 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Maldon or other flaky sea salt Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Add the beans and blanch until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and cool under cold running water; drain well.

Halve the onions lengthwise and trim off the ends. Cut lengthwise into -inch-wide slices.

Heat a dry 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the onions and saute until charred in spots but still crunchy, 4 to 6 minutes. During the last minute or so, add the beans, stirring and tossing to warm them through. Transfer the beans and onions to a large bowl.