CookTeaser

Serves 2

A CookTale

Before there were celebrity chefs with celebrity cookbooks, there were marvelous Italian food writers like Giuliano Bugialli, Ada Boni, Marcella Hazan, as well as a host of others. Years ago I came upon a recipe in one of their books that called for Tomatoes, Anchovies, EVOO and Chiles roasted in a hot oven until they all melted together. In hindsight it was everything a roasted pasta dish should be, and last evening I took aim at replicating it. Like that movie you thought was the greatest ever seen, until you re-saw it. The pasta was delicious, but was it worth carrying around in my head for years? You be the judge!

INGREDIENTS

1 to 2 lbs of fresh firm Tomatoes
1/3 to 1/2 cup EVOO
3 oz of Anchovy Fillets (a tin)
1 cup of coarsely chopped flat leaf Parsley
Kosher or Sea Salt & Fresh Black Pepper
4 oz of Spaghetti (cooked al dente)
Dried Red Pepper Flakes

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Slice the Tomatoes into very thick slabs

3. In a soufflé dish or similar baking dish with high sides, place a layer of Tomato slices. Top with some Anchovy fillets, a grind of Black Pepper, a sprinkling of Red Pepper Flakes & a pinch or two of Salt.

4. Continue building the layers. You’ll end up with three in total. On the top layer, do not use Anchovy fillets. You want them to melt into the sauce, not get crispy or charred.

5. Pour the EVOO over the Tomato layers.

6. Bake for an hour or an hour & fifteen minutes until the oil & the juices given off by the Tomatoes are bubbling, & the top layer takes on an appealing roasted appearance.

7. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the Spaghetti until al dente. Drain & place in a large bowl & carefully pour or ladle the hot sauce over it.

8. Right before serving, add the chopped Parsley & toss again. Check to see whether more seasoning is needed & plate.

Serves 1

A CookTale

Once upon a time, and not that long ago, I was a passionate fly fisherman, donning hip waders and stalking the wary Brook, Brown and Rainbow Trout in the legendary creeks and rivers of the Catskills. At my side was my friend, fishing companion and first class angler Bill Kronenberg . Over the past weekend, Bill called suggesting that he would like to stop by to drop off our holiday gift. In he came with three unusually large Smoked Trout. Two were at least 18″ long, and the third, 15″. Believe me that’s good size Trout. I vacuum packed two, and saved the third for a pasta dinner in the near future. The future arrived last evening.

INGREDIENTS

2 oz of Fettuccine (I used DeCecco egg pasta)
Sea or Kosher Salt & fresh Black Pepper
4 oz of Heavy Cream + 4 oz of Half & Half)
2 TB of EVOO
2 large Garlic Cloves (minced)
1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
2 TB of fresh Thyme or fresh Sage
1 Smoked Trout about 3/4 of a pound, (skin removed, meat flaked off with a fork)

METHOD

1. Bring a pot of well salted water to a boil & add the Fettuccine. Stir lightly until the noodles soften in the water.

2. Drizzle two TB of EVOO in a large skillet & place it over high heat until the oil is hot, but not smoking. Add the Garlic & reduce to medium-low heat for about 2 minutes.

2. When the Fettuccine has cooked for 7 minutes, DeCecco’s instructions, let them drain back into the pot momentarily & add them directly to the skillet. The clingy starchy water will help thicken the sauce. Toss with the Garlic & EVOO.

3. Add the two Creams to the skillet. Add the Parmesan Cheese. Add the Thyme or Sage & Black Pepper. Add the Trout meat & very gently bring it all together. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce slightly thickens.

Serves 1

A CookTale

Basil plucked from the garden is reason alone to miss the joys of Summer. In December it’s Basil plucked from the counter at Adam’s. Though this could very well be a mind thing, it can never smell or taste the same, or the Pesto be as bright a green. Oh well, be grateful for what you get. Not that it’s required, but for the sake of continuity here is my recipe for Basil Pesto.

INGREDIENTS

A large bunch of Basil (leaves removed)
3/4 of a cup of EVOO
2 TB of toasted Pine Nuts or Walnuts (popular in the North of Italy)
2 TB of fresh Parmesan Cheese
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper (sparingly)

METHOD

1. Combine the Basil, Garlic, & Pine Nuts to a food processor & pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the EVOO & process until fully incorporated to a smooth paste. Sparingly season with Salt & Pepper.

2. If you prefer a lighter version, add the remaining 1/4 cup of EVOO & pulse again until thoroughly blended.

3. Transfer to a serving bowl & mix in the Parmesan cheese.

A CookTale

The one thing that I do that’s as dependable as the morning sunrise is my daily perusal of the New York Times Diner’s Journal on the web. Every so often, I find a recipe that stops me in my tracks. The idea of oven baking the classic dish, Broccoli Rabe with Orecchiette, and melting Parmesan on top did just that. A simple idea, but that’s what Mark Bittman’s food is about. I knew that some evening, looking forward to an easy dinner, it would happen. Last evening was it. I spontaneously added a sweet Italian Sausage. Thanks MB.

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch of Broccoli Rabe (washed & trimmed – I go to the trouble of peeling each stem, it makes a difference)
2 Sweet Italian Sausage
2 TB of EVOO (plus 2 TB for sauteing )
5 Garlic Cloves (peeled & sliced)
3/4 of a cup of Parmesan Cheese (shredded)
4 oz. Orecchiette

METHOD

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Drop Broccoli Rabe into the boiling water & cook until bright green and tender, 6 minutes. Remove, and plunge into ice water. Drain.

3. In the same pot of water, cook the Orecchiette according to the package directions. The DeCecco package recommends 11 minutes. Drain.

4. Place 2 tablespoons of EVOO in a large saute pan, & turn heat to medium-high. Add the Sausages & cook until browned & tender. The internal temperature (if you want to bother, should be 140F). Set aside. Like all meat, the longer you cook it, the drier & less juicy it gets. When cool enough to handle, thinly slice.

5. With a paper towel, wipe out the saute pan. Add 1 TB of EVOO & toast the Garlic until golden. Chop the Broccoli Rabe into pieces, about an inch or two long, & add to the saute pan. Toss, saute for a few minutes. Then turn off heat. Add all the ingredients to a large bowl & gently toss together.

6. Transfer the mixture to an oven-proof baking dish. Generously top with the shredded Parmesan, drizzle on EVOO & bake until the Parmesan cheese melts & the mixture has completely heated through, about 10 minutes.

Serves 2

A CookTale

A four-ingredient Pasta that I love adapted from a Mario Batali recipe. Each ingredient stands on its own, but when combined they just detonate with flavor. If you’re a fan of Lemon Juice and its compatible partner, fresh Sage leaves, here’s a winner for a simple dinner. A side dish of salad greens works, or, as in our dinner, one or two three-ounce grilled Beef Sliders.

INGREDIENTS

4 oz of Spaghetti (or Linguine)
4 TB of Butter
12 Fresh Sage Leaves (sliced in half horizontally)
Juice of 1 Lemon + Lemon Zest
1/4 cup of Parmesan-Reggiano (shredded)
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper

METHOD

1. Add the pasta to a pot of boiling water & cook for the recommended time, about 8 minutes to al dente.

2. While the Pasta cooks, melt the Butter in a large deep-sided saute pan & cook until it just begins to brown. Add the prepared Sage Leaves & remove from the heat. Pour in the Lemon Juice & Zest & set aside.

3. Drain the Pasta, but save 1/4 cup of cooking water. Gently pour the Pasta and water into the saute pan & turn the heat back on. Add the Parmesan Cheese, add the Salt & Pepper, toss to coat & serve.

Serves 2

A CookTale

Summer is seven months and seven days away, when Northeastern gardens will be blooming with sweet Basil. Until then, it’s the supermarket or… there’s Olio Carli in Maryland, distributors for the Italian food company, Fratelli Carli. Their Basil Pesto in 4 ounce jars are a decent and available substitute when in a pinch. I added toasted Pine nuts to round out the flavor. The result, never as wonderful as homemade…But

INGREDIENTS

4 oz of Fusilli (imported DeCecco preferred)
4 oz jar of Basil Pesto
2 TB of Pine Nuts (lightly toasted)
1 tsp of Butter & 1 TB of Parmesan Cheese (optional)
1/4 cup of Italian Flat Leaf Parsley

METHOD

1. Set a pot of water to a boil. Add the Fusilli & cook following package directions, 10 minutes to al Dente.

2. Transfer the Basil Pesto to a large bowl. Toast the Pine Nuts, add the Fusilli & gently toss together. Toss in the 1/4 Cup of Italian Flat Leaf Parsley.

3. The (optional) Butter & Parmesan Cheese is up to you.

A CookTale

Last evening Cathie had a steamed Artichoke with Mayo and I had Peppers and Anchovies, with a starch. Cathie had a true diet dinner, while I was kidding myself. Intentionally! I can’t begin to describe what a starch can do to enhance Peppers and Anchovies, which starts out with a great taste and then detonates in your mouth. What does it is the sauce — melted Anchovies and Garlic in EVOO, the Red Pepper Flakes and Parsley, topped with slivers of the real thing. I turned an appetizer into an appetizing dinner.

INGREDIENTS

2 Ounces of Linguine
Sea or Kosher Salt
1/3 Cup of EVOO
4 Garlic Cloves (thinly sliced)
6 Anchovy fillets (chopped for the pan)
6 Anchovy fillets (whole for the top of the pasta)
1 large roasted Red Bell Pepper (stemmed, seeded & thinly sliced)
1/2 Cup of fresh Bread Crumbs+ 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese (there will be leftovers)
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes (about 1/8 teaspoon)
1/4 Cup plus 2 TB of chopped Italian Flat Leaf Parsley
1 Half a Lemon

METHOD

1 Bring a pot of water to a boil add 1 TB of Salt.

2. Toast the Bread Crumbs in a TB of EVOO until they start to color. Remove to a bowl & when cooled, add 1/4 cup of Parmesan Cheese. Set aside

3. Meanwhile, heat the 1/3 cup of EVOO in a wide, deep, saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced Garlic & the chopped Anchovies, cook for about 3 minutes, mashing the anchovies until they disintegrate. Add all but six of the sliced Red Pepper & cook for another 3 minutes, until they have softened. Add the Red Pepper Flakes, stir & remove the pan from the heat.

4. Cook the Linguine according to the package directions to al dente. When the Pasta is done, drain & add to the pan with the Anchovy & Pepper mixture. Add half of the the Bread Crumb mixture. Squeeze the Lemon Juice, (to taste) on the Pasta.

5. Plate & add the remaining Bread Crumb mixture & Parsley. Top with the six Anchovy fillets & the six Red Bell Pepper slices.