# July 2020 Challenge - Italy



## slayertplsko (Aug 19, 2010)

I was considering several possibilities, but then I looked and found out we haven't had Italy as monthly challenge yet. How's that even possible? So I am choosing this most beloved cuisine in the world. I think it needs no further explanations, so I'm looking forward to your entries. Enjoy! 

As usual, here are the traditional rules:


The challenge begins on the 1st of every month. The last entry must be made by the last day of the month.
You may post multiple entries.
All entries must be cooked during the month of the challenge.
If you use a documented recipe, please cite your source.
Entries should include the name of your dish and a picture of the final product. Sharing personal recipes and pictures of the process are not mandatory but extremely helpful.
The winner is chosen by the person who posted the challenge, and is announced after the last day of submissions. The decision is final and falls entirely at the discretion of the challenger.
Submitting an entry makes you eligible to win. If you do not wish to be considered for the win you may still participate in the challenge, but make your wishes known to the challenger.
The winner's bounty includes praise, virtual high-fives, and the responsibility of posting the next month's challenge. That entails choosing a theme, posting a Challenge thread that includes the guidelines, checking in on the submissions regularly during the month, and promptly choosing a winner at the end of the challenge.


----------



## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

Create theme!


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Thank you @nicko "Italy" in and of itself is a broad spectrum - maybe too broad for a short term challenge.


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Good choice, definitely a wide range of possibilities. This might be the incentive I need to try my hand at making an egg yolk ravioli.

mjb.


----------



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Should be good!


----------



## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

mike9 said:


> Thank you @nicko "Italy" in and of itself is a broad spectrum - maybe too broad for a short term challenge.


I think it is a good topic lets run with it.


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Love the theme... very open to a breadth of options! Does the quiseen of the “Italian diaspora” count as part of this theme? That opens the door for even more variety!


----------



## ShelteredBugg1 (May 1, 2019)

brianshaw said:


> Love the theme... very open to a breadth of options! Does the quiseen of it he "Italian diaspora" count as part of this theme? That opens the door for even more variety!


I am sure that follows under this category as long as the diaspora has traceable roots to I-talian cuisine.


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Feast your eyes on this, have a cup of coffee... and I'll tell you a story!










this is a sfinge, or sfince (pronounced suh-fin-gee in American-Italian dialect). It hails from Italy, the land of 25% of my ancestors. Actually, it's siciliano, I believe. My ancestors actually may not have been either since they came from islands 50 miles or more away from either.

The town I grew up in was full of people who came from the Aeolian Islands. There were only 4 or 5 surnames but many with the same name claimed to be unrelated. Unbelievable!

There was a baker in town that ran an Italian bakery. This was one of the treats we enjoyed on March 20, the feast of St Joseph. He only made then one day a year.

since moving away I never found a source so I started making them... one day a year.

puff pastry (either baked or fried, but I always bake) with a bit of lemon rind. Filled with Ricotta cannoli cream, spiked with a bit of chocolate and candied orange peel.

Made in March so might not be a qualified entry in this challenge


----------



## harpua (May 4, 2005)

brianshaw said:


> Feast your eyes on this, have a cup of coffee... and I'll tell you a story!
> 
> View attachment 68100
> 
> ...


Yummmm!!!!


----------



## harpua (May 4, 2005)

My favorite!!! Nice.


----------



## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Focaccia. This is pretty much from The Herbfarm Cookbook by Jerry Traunfeld



> Jerry Traunfeld recipe
> HERBED FOCACCIA
> Makes 1 large bread, 8 servings
> When you pull this handsome bread from the oven, you can't help
> ...


Deviations: I'm not mixing in herbs at the start. I mix in a food processor for speed and simplicity. My food processor lives on my counter, my stand mixer lives downstairs in my pantry storage.

Checking kneading in the food processor.








To rise in a 4L container.









More to come.


----------



## Innocuous Lemon (Apr 29, 2019)

classic spaghetti carbonara!

- guanciale
- parmagiano reggiano
- toothsome, al-dente spaghetti
- 3 eggs, 1 yolk


----------



## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

As this dough rises, the top dries a bit and the bottom gets wetter. So flipping the dough wet side up becomes useful.

For the second rise and forming, I like a 12 inch non stick skillet. Add some olive oil, arrange herbs, dried in this case and take the deflated dough wet side up into the skillet. Add any surplus olive oil from the first rise container. Cover.
















After about 2/3 of the second rise, invert onto the parchment prepped peel, being careful to not deflate. Cover let rise some more. I buy parchment in precut sheets. It tends to be a bit narrow so you'll notice I trimmed and widened the parchment layout to better fit the bread.








Uncover, lightly dimple with your finger tips, add olive oil, correct herb distribution, bake.







Timer dings, check it out.













Looks good. Dinner will be some leftover minestra from a cool snap at the end of June. Pic to come.


----------



## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Too finely crumbed, but everything else I've tried is even denser.














Tastes good and is good in microwaved leftover soup.


----------



## ShelteredBugg1 (May 1, 2019)

brianshaw said:


> Feast your eyes on this, have a cup of coffee... and I'll tell you a story!
> 
> View attachment 68100
> 
> ...


----------



## ShelteredBugg1 (May 1, 2019)

brianshaw said:


> Feast your eyes on this, have a cup of coffee... and I'll tell you a story!
> 
> View attachment 68100
> 
> ...


Its a zepolli with a story a damn delicious one.


----------



## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

Looks like we are off to a good start!


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

ShelteredBugg1 said:


> Its a zepolli with a story a damn delicious one.


Oh no... I think we're about to have a verbal fistfight over regional naming. Ha ha ha.

Thanks for the detail on the homage to St Joseph... I never knew that detail.


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

Perhaps some clarification on what constitutes "Italian." Are Italian American dishes acceptable that are not from Italy such as spaghetti and meatballs or Chicken Parm etc? My $.02 is they should not be.


----------



## slayertplsko (Aug 19, 2010)

sgsvirgil said:


> Perhaps some clarification on what constitutes "Italian." Are Italian American dishes acceptable that are not from Italy such as spaghetti and meatballs or Chicken Parm etc? My $.02 is they should not be.


They can be included here, but I definitely prefer dishes from Italy. So to be honest, I am more likely to pick an Italian entry over an Italian-American one.

I think we're off to a really good start already!


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

*Chicken parmigiana*
_From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia_

​
[JUSTIFY]*Chicken parmigiana*, or *chicken parmesan* (Italian _pollo alla parmigiana_), is a dish that consists of breaded chicken breast covered in tomato sauce and mozzarella, parmesan, or provolone cheese. A slice of ham or bacon is sometimes added. It is also known colloquially in the United States as *chicken parm *and in Australia as a *parma*, *parmi*, or *parmy*.[/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY]The dish originated from 20th-century Italian diaspora. It has been speculated that the dish is based on a combination of the Italian _melanzane alla Parmigiana_, a dish using breaded eggplant slices instead of chicken, with a _cotoletta_, a breaded veal cutlet generally served without sauce or cheese in Italy.[/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY]Chicken parmigiana is included as the base of a number of different meals, including sandwiches and pies, and the meal is used as the subject of eating contests at some restaurants.[/JUSTIFY]

** St.Joseph's day is March 19.*


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

** St.Joseph's day is March 19.*

Oh no... yes, you're correct... how did I make such a goof. I may have committed a sacrilege... I might have to forfeit my baptism.


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

Iceman said:


> *Chicken parmigiana*
> _From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia_
> 
> ​
> ...


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

_Still ... brought by_ and _created by_ Italians.


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Let's hope nobody mentions or cooks chicken riggies. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_riggies


----------



## morning glory (May 28, 2015)

Hmmm... my problem here is nor whether its 'authentic' Italian or diaspora Italian (please don't fight over that). I'm a creative cook - or a least, all I can say is that is _why_ I cook. So that means that what I make won't follow a 'classic' Italian recipe. I will probably riff on one. It doesn't really matter though because I really don't plan on winning given the difficulty of judging the last round.


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

brianshaw said:


> Let's hope nobody mentions or cooks chicken riggies.
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_riggies


Careful....you're gonna give away where you live you keep talkin like that......lol.


----------



## harpua (May 4, 2005)

I mean, if we are restricted to "authentic" Italian dishes, what about the fresh pasta I make with a sauce thrown together with what I already have. Is that not Italian? Is that not the Italian way?

Spaghetti with meatballs and chicken parm should most definitely be allowed 😚


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Iceman said:


> _Still ... brought by_ and _created by_ Italians.


Yes, but what jamoke decided it was Ok to put mozzarella on a cutlet instead of parmigiana??? Phooey on that - if you are making parmigianaa then God's sake put Parmigiano-Reggiano on the damned thing and not just "pizza cheese".


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

You're comparing apples and oranges my friend. 

_"We work in kitchens. ... It __ain'te rocket surgery."._​


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Iceman said:


> You're comparing apples and oranges my friend.


Mmmm - I don't know - maybe more like a Northern Spy and a Golden Delicious. I mean if the OP is looking for "authentic" Italian why not educate ourselves beyond what we think we know? Get out of our comfort zones so to speak. I've been looking into this and frankly there are some things I've been doing - not wrong, but not right either - like paring pastas with sauces.


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)




----------



## ShelteredBugg1 (May 1, 2019)

sgsvirgil said:


> Careful....you're gonna give away where you live you keep talkin like that......lol.


New york..


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

[JUSTIFY]This is cooking. There are _NO rules_. If you make something and people are happy to eat it ... it's fine. It's 2020. _"Authentic"_ is a term of ancient history. If you go in a radius of 2-clicks of any neighborhood of any cuisine you will find 741,263 different "authentic" recipes of any given dish. "Authentic" recipes are only found in dusty old cookbooks archived in dustier older vaults. [/JUSTIFY]


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

If it was your challenge that might be fine, however it is not so, so as usual there will be an attempt at a consensus, but at the end of the day it comes down to what @slayertplsko had in mind for his challenge. The last word is yours if you want - I'm going to work on my "Italian".


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

Right now I'm just working on conversation. You're taking this way too personal. It's not personal it's strictly business.

_* NO bonus points. The movie reference is way too easy. ... I've set you up for the absolute best comeback too._


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

ShelteredBugg1 said:


> New york..


There's a specific place or region of New York where this dish is a big thing.


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

_Just a guess._​


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Even that's too broad of a brushstroke.





Iceman said:


> Iceman said:
> 
> 
> > View attachment 68116​_Just a guess._​


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

_UTICA ... (Bleaker Street)._

_Small enough brush? _​


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

harpua said:


> I mean, if we are restricted to "authentic" Italian dishes, what about the fresh pasta I make with a sauce thrown together with what I already have. Is that not Italian? Is that not the Italian way?
> 
> Spaghetti with meatballs and chicken parm should most definitely be allowed 😚


Pasta served with a thick and meaty tomato based sauce is not something you're going to find outside of the tourist areas in Italy. To put it simply, Italians really don't eat pasta topped with heavy sauces. That's an American thing. Italians eat their pasta with light sauces, typically herb and butter based. Meatballs are never served with pasta in Italy nor is pasta eaten with bread the way its eaten here in America. Since pasta and bread are both starches, Italians look at the two eaten together as redundant.

Yes, fresh pasta and one pot sauce is part of the "Cucina Povera" tradition in authentic Italian cooking. However, the two are not going to be found on the same plate.

As a fun fact, you would probably be surprised to know that the most common way Italians eat pasta is aglio e olio (garlic and butter) and its usually eaten as a snack by itself in between the main noonday meal and "cena" (the evening supper) or as a late night snack.

Just some food for thought. 

Cheers!


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

I brought Chicken Riggis and Utica Greens with me to the Midwest and they were some of my most popular dishes. ;-)


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Same place "tomato pie" comes from I believe.


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Italian breakfast


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Another Italian dessert: Espresso Granita:

First we brew some Italian coffee:









3 cups brewed; 1/2 cup sugar; a small splash of vanilla:









Mix with sad egg whisk while blue troll chef glares in a smarmy way:









Freeze for hours... scraping into crystals every hour or so.









I don't need a recipe but from Food Magazine and here was my immediate inspiration (it's one of the few fantasies my wife allows because she (1) knows it will never happen... I'm DEFINITELY not her type, and (2) if it ever happened it wouldn't last long. A bit mean spirited but true. She says the same about me and Taylor Swift too!)


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

OK ... Here's my first offering: _Penne al Limone._
































There are only four(4) ingredients; none of which is cream or oil. _Pasta al Limone_ is basically _Alfredo_ plus lemon zest/juice. I wanted so much to add pepper ... but NO. I stayed true. Again, I went with a shape instead of a long pasta. That's me. There is NO added salt outside of the pasta water and the butter. The cheese is a main flavor player in this dish. It's important to use real Parmigiano Reggiano. I was very disappointed in the chunk I bought because it was young and soft. While the pasta was boiling I melted the butter and added the lemon zest. I mixed the bageebies out of it after including the pasta and adding pasta water and the lemon juice. This all starts to make the creamy sauce. I added the cheese and continued to mix. After this I had a rich creamy sauce wrapped around the penne. 
I dressed it at the table with more cheese and zest. It was served with a nice Sangiovese. _There were NO leftovers. _

_"We work in kitchens. ... It ain'te rocket surgery."._​


----------



## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

That's funny Iceman.
I started going through "the essentials of classic Italian cooking" and my eye fell on exactly that recipe


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

[JUSTIFY]_Thank You my friend_. ... I chose this dish after *sgsvirgil *told us all about pasta dishes in Italy and all about _"light sauces"_. He pointed out _aglio e olio_. I wasn't gonna make that. I figured that a 4-ingredient dish would work. ... Just wait ... tomorrow I'm giving up a 3-ingredient dish; _cacio e pepe_. I've got a good feeling that today's dish and tomorrow's dish both have the _"authentic"_ idea covered. [/JUSTIFY]


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Gosh, some animated discussion about "authentic' Italian food! Lighten up folks, relax. Leave the gun.

And I hear that a few miles to the west that chicken riggies are served with boiled potatoes.

mjb.


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)




----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Thawing squid for tomorrow . . .

Also making something with Swiss Chard this week.


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

_Cacio e Pepe ... (cheese and pepper) _

Brutally easy/simple. Three(3) ingredients. The trick is really good cheese and pepper ... and don't stop mixing.



















































[JUSTIFY]Toast up the pepper. I would have liked to use whole peppercorns but my wife threw out the empty grinder that I saved for this. Your pepper pan needs to be hot. Add some pasta water and stir to reduce. You're making a sauce here so just keep adding and reducing until you have as much as you like. Lower the heat. Next add some pasta water to the cheese to melt it into a sauce. Add the pasta to the pepper and mix. Add the cheese to the pasta and mix. Keep adding pasta water so that everything doesn't seize up. When everything has reduced and has become deliciously creamy ... plate up your dish. I dressed it with a sprinkle of cheese, a grind of pepper and a few curls of cheese. Served with a $5 Primativo. ... _There were NO leftovers. _[/JUSTIFY]

_"We work in kitchens. ... It ain'te rocket surgery."._​


----------



## loomchick (Jun 11, 2013)

teamfat said:


> Gosh, some animated discussion about "authentic' Italian food! Lighten up folks, relax. Leave the gun.


Actually, I'm quite enjoying the discussion . . . but, you are right about lightening up.

However, leave the gun AND the cannoli if you happen to be Don Altobello and your goddaughter gives you some before the opera.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

*Bigoli en Salsa* - a whole grain "long" pasta in a sauce made with finely minced onion and anchovies.


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Certainly the wrong time of year for it, but I wonder if we'll see anyone doing something based on 'Festa dei sette pesci' in this challenge?

mjb.


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

The sharing of knowledge by those with experience to those without was once upon a time a positive transaction that formed the backbone of our industry. Today, not so much. It would seem that someone who freely shares information with those with less experience and less knowledge has to "lighten up." 

What a sad time we live in.


----------



## ShelteredBugg1 (May 1, 2019)

sgsvirgil said:


> The sharing of knowledge by those with experience to those without was once upon a time a positive transaction that formed the backbone of our industry. Today, not so much. It would seem that someone who freely shares information with those with less experience and less knowledge has to "lighten up."
> 
> What a sad time we live in.


That is big FACTS no one enjoys learning anymore you just have to suck it now a days when you see someone do something incorrectly or misinform one another. What a time, to be alive!


----------



## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

Nothing wrong with sharing info. In fact it is very much appreciated!
I just think that teamfat meant that the discussion (authentic or not and allowed or not) should be done (held) respectfully.
With which I fully agree


----------



## ShelteredBugg1 (May 1, 2019)

I cannot lie I love the ads on this website once I think I'm forgetting something that ad pops up to remind me.


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

butzy said:


> Nothing wrong with sharing info. In fact it is very much appreciated!
> I just think that teamfat meant that the discussion (authentic or not and allowed or not) should be done (held) respectfully.
> With which I fully agree


Indeed. And it was. 

I'm familiar with @teamfat. I don't think he meant to be offensive or disrespectful.


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

"Lightening it up"... a summer pasta.

Despite my American and ancestral propensity for heavier southern Italian and Sicilian dishes, here's my nod to the north!

Short tubular pasta with freshly made sweet I-talian sausage, grilled summer squashes and arugula (rocket to some) in a sauce of virgin olive oil and Parmesano Reggiano.

















.... and a sprinkle of oregano from the garden.



















Stay tuned for the conclusion!


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

sgsvirgil said:


> I'm familiar with @teamfat. I don't think he meant to be offensive or disrespectful.


True, I was just trying to come up with some clever way to work the 'leave the gun, take the cannoli' scene into this thread. I could have done better I guess.

O bought most of what I need for chicken piccata, a favorite of mine. While browsing Youtube I came across a series of videos from  Buon-A-Petitti where an Italian grandmother, Gina, makes various dishes. Good stuff. Might do her chicken francese instead of piccata.

mjb.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Quickie meal tonight - spinach/ricotta ravioli with creamy garlic scape pesto with crispy prosciutto and roasted red peppers. Very nice combo and hit all the bases.


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Some years ago my wife Karen and I went to an Italian restaurant a few blocks away. I ordered one of my favorites, chicken piccata. What was set in front of me was chicken, I think, but piccata? No way.

There were two little capers on the plate. If lemon juice was involved it was rationed out with an eyedropper. Or maybe the sauce was not made in house, but just ladled out of a 55 gallon drum of Chef Boyardee's finest. It was one of those meals I'll remember for a lifetime, but not for good reasons.

*The Players*










Chicken, of course. I actually bought a whole chicken, cut out the backbone and split it. Did a leg quarter in the air fryer for dinner the night before. Tasty. Got a nice slice off the breast for this meal. When I buy a chicken there's at least three meals in it. The supporting cast included capers and lemon, of course, as well as a couple of anchovy filets. And some nice white wine, a New Zealand sauvignon blanc from Monkey Bay. And the usual pantry staples like salt, pepper, flour, butter and olive oil.

*The Procedure*

The chicken was seasoned with salt and pepper, dredged lightly in flour. Olive oil and butter in a pan, medium heat, chicken added when hot.










I might have let the butter get a bit too brown, but it didn't have any effect on the final flavors. After couple of minutes on each side the chicken was removed to a plate. Heat cranked up a bit, about half a cup of the wine went in, reduced for maybe 6 - 7 minutes. Pasta water put on to boil earlier, getting close. After the wine reduced about half a cup of chicken stock was added. It was a very nice batch of homemade stuff, very gelatinous, sort of a chicken demi. Capers, anchovies and the juice from half of the lemon.










Got it reducing, put the angel hair in the water.










You know, if you get the camera too close to the steam coming off the boiling water, picture quality might suffer.

Chicken put back in the pan, splashed with the sauce, heat turned off. A couple tablespoons of butter stirred in slowly. Chicken put back on the plate, the pasta drained then stirred into the sauce.

*The product*

Pasta and sauce laid down on the plate, chicken on top, some more sauce spooned over, parsley to garnish.










Maybe I overdid it a bit on the sauce. But wow, this had flavor, brightness, acidity, everything that bland, limp and lifeless sludge I got at the restaurant years ago did not have.

And of course, there was still most of the wine left in the bottle.

mjb.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

I made "Pasta al Pesce Spada" today - pasta (whole grain rotini) with swordfish. The sauce was cherry tomatoes, parsley, capers, olives, garlic and olive oil. The rotini really held the sauce such as it was. The sword fish was cubed then sauteed in evoo and garlic with peperoncino, salt and pepper. I removed the fish then added the other ingredients to the same pan then added the fish back right before the pasta went in with a ladle of pasta water. Finished with a grating of Pecorino-Romano, parsley and fried breadcrumbs. Simple, light and fast - perfect for summer!


----------



## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

I've been making this dish from The Frugal Gourmet for many years. When I get the texture of the zucchini just right along with the pasta, which I prefer to cook in this case slightly more than al dente, the simple combination of ingredients is quite remarkable. It may be Mrs Hanks favorite pasta dish.










Zuchinni, pancetta, Parmesan, garlic and cream. And pasta and olive oil.


----------



## slayertplsko (Aug 19, 2010)

I am delighted to see that the challenge has caught off well. I also see that the theme I've chosen has provoked quite some heated debate about what should or should not be included, whether authenticity is a meaningful pursuit, what constitutes authentic Italian cuisine, etc.

I was thinking when deciding on the theme and gravitating towards Italy whether I should allow Italo-American dishes, as I expected that since many members are from the U.S., they would be most familiar with the latter and therefore likely to post those dishes. Primarily, of course, I had Italy proper in mind, but I just didn't want to exclude any diaspora, as interesting novelties and stories might come from there, too. And I love stories about food.

Plus, what's the point of ''disqualifying'' Italo-American dishes? First, I don't know much about them, and there might be something interesting for me to learn. Second, I get to choose the winner anyway. So yes, all diaspora counts.

I believe it was Iceman who rightly pointed out that there are many ''authentic'' versions of any one dish in its place of origin. However, I disagree with the flat-out dismissal of the pursuit of authenticity. Yes, there are variations on, say, pasta all'amatriciana around Amatrice - some put in onions, others believe they have no place in the dish; some insist on guanciale, others allow pancetta; some insist on a specific pecorino, others allow any pecorino, maybe even parmesan or other similar (possibly non-sheep) cheese; fresh or canned tomatoes, you get the point. But there are limits. Using ketchup instead of tomatoes might occur in some household, but it'll surely considered bad cooking, and rightly so.

At the same time, we shouldn't perhaps be ''too'' authentic. As Coleman Andrews put it in his Flavours of the Riviera:
_"Take that plate of ravioli, for instance. The old-fashioned Genoese recipe for this popular dish includes, in the filling, not only lean veal, sweetbreads, and calf's brains but also spinal marrow and heifer's udder. Now, if we leave out these specific ingredients (the last of which is considered particularly important to the flavour and texture of the dish in Genoa), we are obviously not being authentic. But let's say, for the sake of argument, that we are able to find calf's spinal marrow and heifer's udder - the latter, at least, is sold in this country, in various kinds of ethnic markets, but is hardly common - and do include them in the dish. Sorry, but we're still not being authentic. Why? Because these are, for us, speciality ingredients, unfamiliar, even exotic; the whole point of ravioli is that is uses bits and pieces of commonly available raw materials, which udder and spinal marrow are, or at least were, to the Genoese. If we track them down and use them, we might echo the flavour of the original - but we will alter its whole spirit.

Does this mean we shouldn't try to make Genoese ravioli? Of course not. We just have to adapt the recipe to our own circumstances - just as a Genoese cook would do if he or she were suddenly set down in a kitchen in Blackburn or Brighton and invited to prepare the dish. Adapting doesn't mean making it with minced turkey and low-fat ricotta, but it might mean leaving a few things our, or making a few educated substitutions."_

I believe it worthwhile to attempt authenticity in a dish, without going into extremes such as tracking down heifer's udder to make ravioli. Cooking, like all arts, is subjective to a large extent, but not completely so. There is a measure of objectivity to it, just like there is a measure of objectivity to music, literature, sculpture, etc. In short, I don't believe in postmodernism.

My personal approach is to try to understand the ''spirit'' of a dish, the place it comes from, what kind of people created it and why, and then go for the spirit, not necessarily 100 % replica of a stone-set recipe. And can we try to improve it? Or improvise something entirely ''new'' in that spirit? Certainly. Massimo Bottura was right when he said that we should look at the tradition not in a nostalgic way, but in a critical way. But we should first look at it, learn the ''rules'', and only then start breaking them. You might disagree, that's my approach.

Anyway, sorry for this detour, I'm looking forward to many more of your entries. Keep cooking!


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

_Eggplant Parm_ ... Casserole Style














I've got a 3-year-old helping me so the ingredients of the second pic didn't make it into the first pic. The herbs, oregano, thyme and basil all came from my garden. 



























[JUSTIFY]Rough chopped sun-dried tomatoes, a good sized shallot and 3 smashed garlic will all go into a sauce-pot of screaming hot oil _(1/4+ cup)_ for sizzling. The canned tomatoes get sautéed just to cook out the liquid. Everything including some shakes of woosty-sauce goes into the food-pro for serious blitzing. The end product is my _"tomato-jam"_. I will be using this for my next 2 dishes. It's my home-made tomato paste.[/JUSTIFY]

[JUSTIFY]












[/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY]Everyone into the pool. Mix the bageebies out of it and then into the casserole. It's topped with some melty cheese, some sprinkle cheese and a few grinds of pepper ... then into the oven. [/JUSTIFY]

[JUSTIFY]












[/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY]Out of the oven ... it's gotta rest a bit ... then served up. [/JUSTIFY]

_"We work in kitchens. ... It ain'te rocket surgery."._​


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

_Eggplant Parm ... _Main-Dish Style









Pealed the eggplant maybe 70%. Sliced it long-ways. Breaded it standard 3-bowl style, but I use a bag for the first flour step. It works nicely.




















Fried it up nice.








[JUSTIFY]Mixed up and heated some tomato sauce. A big glob of the paste I made for the last dish and a can of chopped Italian-style tomatoes _(they were out of the fire-roasted that I usually use)_. I threw in the minced herbs too; basil, thyme and oregano. Pretty much unnecessary but they come from my garden and I got that 3-yo kid involved. [/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY]












[/JUSTIFY]

[JUSTIFY]I stacked it up in layers. I used a cast-iron skillet. NO real purpose for that, I just didn't have a small casserole handy. As it turns out you will see that it was a nice situation. Six(6) stacks high. LOL. Into the oven it goes.[/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY]












[/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY]






[/JUSTIFY]

[JUSTIFY]_OK ... Gotta go to page (2). ... Only (10) pics per page._[/JUSTIFY]


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

_page )2)_​_Out of the oven ..._

In the skillet ...









... On a plate.









In the end ... this should been two(2) stacks of three(3). ... I just wanted the drama. The dish is enough for (2) plates.

_"We work in kitchens. ... It ain'te rocket surgery."._​


----------



## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

I have no idea how Italian ricotta cheese cake is but I had some leftover cheese and ripe peaches so I made this mini desert for two.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

The other night I made a squid and shrimp stew/gumbo thing. No roux just leeks, jalapeno peppers, celery, garlic, parsley, bay leaf, white wine, tomato paste and tomatoes + seasoning. It hit all the right notes (I think). I made jasmine rice with onion, turmeric, parsley and apple juice for 1/4 of my cooking liquid (I wanted a sweet rice with color). Worked out pretty good.

Tonight I took enough rice to pack two 4oz. ramekins then mixed a small egg, some grated parm, seasoned panko breadcrumbs and seasoned well. I microwaved those to set the egg then turned them out in a hot buttered pan to brown then turned while I reheated the squid/shrimp stew. The results were so much better than the first night (after so much work) and I would serve this to anyone, or even put it on a menu.










Soakin' up that liquid -


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

_Pasta Bolognese_







You could pretty much use any pasta you like. I used what I had. I really love the sauce grabbing texture of this _"bronze die cut"_ stuff. Bolognese is a _"meat" sauce_. There is a tomato component but authentically _NO_ fresh or cans of tomatoes. _YES_ ... you can use them if you like. 












​Ruff-chop the veggies and blitz them up in the food-pro util they are the consistency of the meat _(85/15 ground beef as usual)_. I used to grate the veggies but I learned from a chili competition that by blitzing everything they kinda disappear when everything is cooked. I like this idea. The green in the onions are the herbs oregano and thyme; from my garden prepped by my 3-yo great grand-daughter; the _"kitchen sniper"_. 












​Cook out the veggies until they are dry in the pan. Add the meat and garlic. The idea is layering and building the flavors as you go. An enameled cast pot is very nice here for building fond on the bottom. I'm kinda poor so I'm using a non-stick pot. Trust me that fond and brown-bits are what you are going for. Funny thing ... but you're just cooking the meat. You're really not looking for color. When everything is cooked, add the tomato paste and a few good heavy shakes of woosty sauce This is the tomato jam I made 2 recipes ago. Stir the bageebies outta everything and cook. 












​Add the wine and reduce on simmer for at least 20-minutes. I added the chopped basil here too. Add water along the way if you need to. We're developing flavors here which makes the simmering important. When all the liquid has generally reduced out, add the cream or milk. Stir and simmer for maybe 5 more minutes until you get a beautifully silky texture. 







Served up two(2) different ways on two(2) different pastas. Same wine in both glasses though; the same sturdy delicious Chianti used in the sauce; <$5 bottle. Dressed with Romano curls and Parm sprinkles and a drizzle of oil. That green stuff should be parsley, but I didn't have any and I didn't want to go get any. I use some minced basil. 

_"We work in kitchens. ... It ain'te rocket surgery."._​


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Over halfway through the month, and some really nice looking entries. I was expecting more pizza, chicken alfredo and spaghetti with meatballs 

I picked up some nice veal shanks yesterday, should have an osso buco done soon. Didn't get another pork belly yet, will pass on making pancetta for this challenge, not really enough time. Might still do some, post in the Slow Food Challenge.

Keep up the good work folks!

mjb.


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

... just for you: look at tonight's supper... unabashedly Italian-American!



















... wait for it... Buon appettito!


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Boxed pasta, canned sauce, mass market sausage. I bet it was delicious!

mjb.


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

teamfat said:


> Boxed pasta, canned sauce, mass market sausage. I bet it was delicious!
> 
> mjb.


There were no leftovers!


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Did someone say PIZZA? Here it is - down and dirty in thirty. Dough as stretched as it was, simple tomato sauce, garden basil, freshly grated Swiss and Romano, anchovies and shiitake mushrooms. I have to say it was really, really tasty.


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

So the final week of the challenge. Glad I'm not judging this one, some great looking stuff so far!

My plan was to do a four course meal: appetizer, pasta, meat, dessert.

Two of them are done and documented. The first is the appetizer, carpaccio of beef. I had thought the dish was around for a long time, surprised to discover the recipe is only about as old as I am. And I do like how it was named.

*The Players*

Obviously, beef.










This rather unappetizing looking blob is 3.5 pounds of beef tenderloin (?) of some sort.










Some fresh arugula.










And stuff for dressing the beef - lemon, olive oil and parm reg.

*The Process*

First off the beef was trimmed up, peeled of silver skin and a nice hunk cut out of the middle.










This looks more like what you think of when you hear beef tenderloin. It was wrapped in plastic wrap and stashed in the freezer for about 2 hours. Taken out, and cut into thin slices, so much easier when nearly frozen, and slicing with the plastic on helps.










I had been having a discussion about knives with a friend, and felt like digging out my trusty old Chicago Cutlery 66S slicer for this task. Lovely tool.

The slices were then pounded between parchment paper to get them even thinner.










The beef was arranged in a circle on a plate, sprinkled with salt and pepper. Arugula piled in the center. Some olive oil and lemon juice drizzled over both the greens and the beef. Some more fresh ground black pepper on the arugula, shavings of the parmesanio reggiano atop.

*The Product*










It was typical Italian fare. A few fresh, quality ingredients combined with simple preparation resulted in a very delicious food experience.

mjb.

ps: and I had 3 pounds of filet mignon left over to devour as I saw fit!


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

_Steak_ _Braciole_

_







_​[JUSTIFY]I'm lately working with a young Community College student as my assistant. She was in charge of the set-up and pics for this dish. Now not at all her fault, but mine for not checking the set up for this pic. We did not use _"seasoned"_ panko crumbs for this but _"plain"_. We also didn't use the _Weber Seasonings_. Again this was _My_ fault because that since she's heard me say ad nauseam that I love these and use them for everything she thought this time too. I take all credit for these glitches. We've got evoo, woosty sauce, a nice slice of top-round steak-sammich meat that's gone through the tenderizer, provolone and mozzarella cheeses, sun-dried tomatoes, a shallot, prosciutto, fresh spinach, parsley, oregano, basil and garlic _(greens all from my garden)_. _This pic is missing a stick of butter and cup of roughly grated romano cheese. ... AGAIN ... MY fault. _[/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY][/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY]






[/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY]This is the tomato-jam that I've used before _(a new batch ... DUH)_, the crumbs and cheese and the spinach nicely sautéed ... _a full plate fresh turned into a cup sautéed_. The garlic and half of the herbs went into the jam the other half in the cheese-crumb mix. [/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY][/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY]


















[/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY]The meat gets painted with the tomato-jam and the prosciutto is added. Next comes the cheeses and spinach. Last is the crumb-cheese mix glued together with the evoo. After assembly a wax-paper covers everything and it is gently pressed. [/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY][/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY]






[/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY]It goes into the skillet seam down relieving any need for tying. I painted the roll with room-temp butter and covered it all around with crumbs. I did not sear the meat nor will this be cooked in any sauce. I joke that every Italian dish does not need tomato sauce. The tomato-jam inside does not at all count as a sauce. After making the eggplant in a skillet I have found it to be a nice alternative to a casserole. ... It goes into the oven for a while. [/JUSTIFY]
[JUSTIFY][/JUSTIFY]








​Out of the oven ...









​Plated ...









​Served. ... _(2-servings)_

_This dish was served with an egg-noodle alfredo w/ minced red sweet-pepper and scallions. The wine served is a <$5 Primativo. The label is Grifone. Look it up. It's over the top for the price._

_






_​
_"We work in kitchens. ... It ain'te rocket surgery."._​


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Very hot today so a cool to room temp meal was in order. Room temperature tortellini with sauteed marinated shrimp (16-20 sliced in half), grilled zucchini, cherry tomatoes (left to cool) and torn basil from the garden with shaved sheep's milk Pecorino. Dressed simply with more evoo and some 15yr. old Sicilian Lemon Balsamic.










Perfect for a hot summer day.


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Unlike Mike9, I made something perfect for a cold winter day, even though it will be close to 100F in a few hours. I've done beef shanks before, I wanted to try a more 'authentic' osso buco using veal shanks.

*The Players*

First off, got some veal shanks.










18 bucks a pound, ouch!










Partners in crime are onion, celery, carrot, rosemary from the garden, pancetta from the deli counter and white wine from Italy and home made chicken stock.

*The Process*

First off the veal was seasoned generously, lightly dredged in flour. Pancetta diced and put in the pot to render down over low heat. Shanks got a piece of butcher's twine tied around them to help hold their shape. Once the pancetta was browned and there was some fat in the pan, heat turned up and the shanks went in to brown.










Once they looked good, they were pulled out, heat back to medium low

When and the diced veggies, along with an extra splash of olive oil added.










When veggies were softened, in went the rosemary and about half a cup of wine and the diced pancetta. Shanks back in and enough chicken stock added to reach a little over halfway up the sides of the shanks.










Heat back up, cooked off the wine some. Pot covered, low heat. Checked about an hour later.










Yep, that string really helped! Added more chicken stock, left another hour. Getting close. Started checking the meat every 15, 20 minutes until fork tender. Shanks pulled out, raised heat, reduced sauce a bit.

*The Product*










Wow! The veal shanks definitely give a richer, more gelatinous sauce than beef. It was delicious!

You might have noticed some arborio rice in one of the ingredient pics. I had intended to make a risotto to put under the shank, but some how it didn't happen. Oh well. But with just a little fresh parsley put on what was in the pot it turned out to be a most satisfying meal.

mjb.


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

5 days to go. I said I had planned on 4, have posted 2 of them so far. Still want to do a pasta and a dessert.

Thinking of a stuffed pasta, perhaps egg yolk or lobster ravioli. Not sure about dessert yet. But some possibilities for both dishes could involve ricotta cheese, so I made some.










Pretty simple ingredient list: whole milk, cream, vinegar. And a bit of salt.

The dairy goes into a pot, along with a good pinch of salt.










Medium heat, stirring frequently, don't want to scorch it. Eventually it comes to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat and add a few tablespoons of the vinegar.










You can sort of see it starting to curdle right away.

While waiting for the milk to come to a boil, I cut a piece of cheesecloth big enough to fold over and fit into a large strainer. Dampened the cheesecloth, arranged it in the strainer, set it over a big bowl and waited. Once the milk had started to get a good curdle, slowly poured it into the strainer.










This is what it looked like after about 25 - 30 minutes.










Looks like fresh, home made ricotta to me!

Into the fridge it will go, once I find a properly sized container and a matching lid. Then we will see when, if and how it will be used in the next few days.

mjb.

ps:


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

Focaccia. What a delicious, simple and wholly overlooked bread. Despite the fact that its cheap, simple to make and a crowd pleaser, I rarely see it offered in restaurants this side of the Atlantic.

I had a lot of fun making this bread with my 11 year old granddaughter. She's the artist who made the designs on the bread out of veggies and basil leaves. 

So, here's the recipe. You're basically making pizza dough but, the difference is in the proofing and the amount of olive oil used.

What you will need:

- 4 to 5 cups all purpose or bread flour - dealer's choice;
- 1/4 cup good olive oil plus another 1/4 cup or so for basting;
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt plus 1 - 2 pinches to sprinkle on the dough;
- 2 cups warm water;
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp yeast
- Assorted herbs and veggies for decoration such as red/green onion, shaved carrots, basil leaves, sliced radishes, julienne colored peppers

In a bowl, combine 1 cup warm water, the yeast and sugar until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the second cup of warm water and salt. Stir thoroughly. Combine flour 1 cup at a time until a loose, shaggy dough forms, about 3 to 4 cups. Remove from the mixing bowl to a well floured surface. Add the remaining dough and kneed until the dough is smooth and elastic. By hand, this will take at least 10 to 15 minutes. With a mixer and a dough attachment, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Test the dough by pressing in with your finger. The indentation should slowly return to its shape. When the dough reaches this point, shape into a ball and brush with olive oil. Return the dough to a clean bowl that has been brushed with olive oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 2 to 3 hours in a warm place. The oven with the light on is always a good place.

After 2 to 3 hours, punch down the dough and reshape it into a ball. Baste with olive oil once again and return the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours. The longer the more flavor you will have.

After 12 to 24 hours, remove the cold dough from the fridge and bring it to room temperature. With your hands, press the dough onto a medium sized cookie sheet so that it fills in evenly. Make indentations with your finger evenly over the entire surface of the dough.

You are now ready to decorate your dough or bake it as is.

Preheat the oven to 425'f and bake for 15 minutes or until the surface is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Enjoy!


----------



## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

Very well done sgsvirgil!


----------



## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

I came up with this because I really wanted a version of eggplant parmigiana where the flavor of the eggplant really came through. I use thick slices of grilled eggplant topped with parmisean and mozorella, fresh ripe tomato, more parmisan, and broil until hot.










First I used the trimmings from slicing the eggplant to start a sauce. I sauted it in olive oil until very soft, adding water as necessary to keep it from burning. Then a added an anchovy fillet and about half a clove of sliced garlic before combining with marinara sauce.









I grilled the eggplant and then double breaded the bottom and fried.


----------



## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

Hey these count too! Biscotti. I made these this morning. I often make them with dried cranberry but this time I used apricot and almonds. I started making them myself because they are kind of expensive to buy. But now I eat one on a lot more mornings so ... maybe not cheaper overall plus not great for the middle age man belly.


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

hank said:


> Very well done sgsvirgil!
> [/QUOTE
> 
> Grazie mille


----------



## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

This is going to be a tricky chalkenge to judge!
So many great entries


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

butzy said:


> This is going to be a tricky chalkenge to judge!
> So many great entries


I know! It is good to see the level of interest in this one. And I'm still hoping to get in two more myself.

I forgot I had this:










I am planning on ravioli of some sort later today. Maybe I'll use this, maybe not. A lot depends on how well it goes with a sprinkler system repair I need to do first, before it gets too hot outside.

We shall see.

mjb.


----------



## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

Last night we had risotto with zucchini flowers, a recipe that Mrs. Hanks cousin from Lucca happened to send to me early in the summer.

Nothing special about the process. The the cubbed zucchini went in about half way through the cooking, the chopped flowers near the end. I also did some Tuscan grilled meat. Sausage and thinly sliced pork chops marinated all day in olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper.










We have no idea how the wine was mostly gone by the time we sat down.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

The garden is coming in and it's hot so here is a Caprese salad done my way - fresh tomato, mozzarella, basil, some anchovy fillet, kalamata olives, a little prosciutto, some shaved Pecorino, some shaved fresh garlic, a drizzle of olive oil, a splash of 15yr. old Sicilian grapefruit balsamic and sprinkling of Cypress flake salt. We had this with some leftover tortellini, and shrimp from the other night . . . and now I'm full. No wait I have room for more wine.


----------



## harpua (May 4, 2005)

So I made an "Italian fried rice." Don't kill me. It was like a reverse pilaf because I had a bunch of cooked rice. It was DELICIOUS. Meatballs in the middle. It was a damn good meal.


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Getting closer to an actual dish. Made some pasta dough.










All purpose flour, eggs and salt. I do have some semolina, not sure if it is an 00 grind, I just went with the AP. Thought about doing it in the food processor, but decided for a ChefTalk challenge I should go old school by hand, with the well in the pile of flour.










Dam failure, an engineering mistake, next time food processor!

I did manage to actually end up getting all the egg and flour gathered up and eventually made into a dough. I kneaded and kneaded and kneaded, it finally came together as a smooth, soft dough, but not too soft.










Wrapped in plastic to rest for a while. And I'll rest my weary arms, do some quality control on the wine selected for dinner.

Stay tuned, more to come.

mjb.


----------



## retiredbaker (Dec 29, 2019)

howabout a biscuit tortoni, made with leftover dried macaron.

4 separated eggs, 8 oz sugar
1 pint heavy whipped stiff.

Whip yolks with 4 oz sugar to ribbon stage.
Whip cream stiff
whip whites with 4 suaar , add dried cookies and fold it all, add rose water or grand marnier whatever.
think ice cream but very light and simpler to throw together.


----------



## retiredbaker (Dec 29, 2019)

cappicola, covered with paprika and nutmeg.
It needs to hang in the basement now for 6 weeks.


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

[JUSTIFY]*[SIZE=18px]retiredbaker[/SIZE] ... **NICE VID.* ... I like _"real people"_ vids with all the regular every-day stuff in the background. I think of all the time and effort I took organizing my kitchen only to see it was still loaded with all sorts of every-day kinda stuff. ... _Good job._[/JUSTIFY]

_"We work in kitchens. ... It ain'te rocket surgery."._​


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

mike9 said:


> The garden is coming in and it's hot so here is a Caprese salad done my way - fresh tomato, mozzarella, basil, some anchovy fillet, kalamata olives, a little prosciutto, some shaved Pecorino, some shaved fresh garlic, a drizzle of olive oil, a splash of 15yr. old Sicilian grapefruit balsamic and sprinkling of Cypress flake salt. We had this with some leftover tortellini, and shrimp from the other night . . . and now I'm full. No wait I have room for more wine.


That's pretty dish!


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

retiredbaker said:


> cappicola, covered with paprika and nutmeg.
> It needs to hang in the basement now for 6 weeks.


Looks like a good candidate for the 2020 Slow Food Challenge,

mjb.


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

Pasta Aglio e Olio is the most common way Italians in Italy eat their pasta. It was a staple in my house growing up and one of my favorite after school snacks. When I came home from school, I could smell the garlic before I stepped foot in the driveway and that's how I knew my mother was making this for me.

I haven't made this dish in years. The smell of the fresh parsley and garlic really brought me back. It was almost as if my mother was there in the kitchen with me and she's been gone now for nigh three decades.

Its truly wonderful how food, especially the delicious smells of the foods we love, can instantly transport us to times and places we shared with the people we love.

Is there a better job in the world?

What you will need:

1 lb pasta such as spaghetti, thin spaghetti or angel hair (larger pasta works better);
2 cups chopped, picked flat leaf parsley;
1.5 cups extra virgin olive oil;
1 bulb garlic, thinly sliced;
1/2 cup pepper flakes;
Kosher salt;
Fresh ground black pepper

Bring a pot of salted hot water to a boil. Since salt is not used in the oil, don't be bashful when salting the pasta water. While waiting for the pasta water to boil, heat the olive oil and garlic in large pan just to the point where the garlic begins to sizzle, Reduce heat and add the pepper flakes.

When the pasta water boils, add the pasta and cook until the pasta just reaches al dente. Using tongs, place 1 to 2 portions of pasta into the olive oil over low to medium heat. Continuously toss the pasta in the olive oil until it absorbs the oil and softens a bit more taking care not to let the pasta sizzle.

Once the pasta reaches the desired level of doneness, add the chopped parsley and toss until the parsley is evenly distributed. Salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

I garnished with prosciutto and pepperoncini.

Enjoy!


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

This pasta dish is a recipe I picked up while I was in Rome. Its called "Pasta alla Gricia." Like many Italian dishes, this one varies from region to region. However, traditionally, the sauce in the dish is made up of three ingredients: guanciale, Pecorino Romano and freshly ground black pepper. Its common, however, for Parmesan to substitute for the Romano as the Parmesan has milder flavors. The better quality cheese used, the better the end result.

Long pasta such as spaghetti, fettucine and even pappardelle are typically used. However, other pastas such rigatoni, farfalle, shells, orecchiette and penne' are also used.

Since guanciale is not widely available, ham or bacon can be substituted. For this recipe, however, I used a combination of guanciale, pancetta and prosciutto to garnish.

Note: since the guanciale or cured meat have plenty of salt, use a bit less salt in the pasta water.

What you will need:

2 cups guanciale, cut into cubes or strips (dealer's choice)
1 lb pasta
2 cups finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for garnish;
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Up to 4 cups of pasta water reserved

Bring lightly salted pasta water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until it just reaches al dente. Meanwhile, over gentle heat, fry the guanciale to render out as much fat as possible. When the guanciale turns golden and begins to create a fond, remove from the heat and spoon out all but two or three tablespoons of the fat and reserve.

Over low to medium heat, Deglaze the pan with 1 - 2 ladles of the pasta water. Add 1 - 2 servings of pasta to the deglazed pan and toss until the water is absorbed. Add the reserved guanciale fat along with another cup of pasta water and remove from the heat. Let stand for about 30 seconds to cool the pan slightly. Add half of the cheese and toss. If the water is absorbed, add another 1/2 cup of pasta water and continue to toss adding the pasta water in 1/2 cup increments. The water and the cheese will emulsify and form a creamy sauce. If the cheese melts and sticks to the wooden spoon, the heat in the pan is too high. Repeat the process of adding 1/2 cup at a time of pasta water and tossing until the pasta stops absorbing the water and a creamy sauce forms. The sauce will thicken as the pasta cools.

Serve in warm bowls and garnish with extra cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

I added prosciutto and pepperoncini even though they are not traditionally part of the dish.


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Boy, that seemed like a lot of work. Not the Feast of Seven Fishes, but 3 seafood items are involved. Actually 4, given the anchovies.

*The Players*

You've already seen what went into the ricotta and the pasta dough.










Shrimp, scallops and snow crab clusters.










Anchovies, scallions, lemon, shallot, capers, some amazing pancetta and some excellent parm.

*The Process*

While the dough was resting I worked on the filling. Those crab legs sure make for an appetizing picture. But given the effort it takes to pick the meat, I think next time I'll buy a tub or prepared crab meat. Or maybe not, depends on the dish. I really want to do something with a whole, live, Dungeness some day, of of my all time favorites.

To start the filling, I dice up some of that pancetta and get it rendering in a small pan. Cut up a couple of scallions fairly finely. Once the pork has released a lot of the fat and started to brown, in go the scallions.










That pan in the back, off the heat, is some melted butter, olive oil, finely sliced garlic and crushed red pepper, rehydrating a bit as it awaits the shrimp. Once the scallions have softened up, the heat is turned off, the pan left to cool a bit. Then the extracted crab meat, maybe half a cup,is added along with a similar amount of home made ricotta. A quick splash of lemon juice, a good stir and it sits, awaiting its turn to shine.

The pasta dough is next on the schedule.










One can save time and effort by buying tubs of picked crab meat. And if one has a nice Kitchenaid stand mixer, one could buy a pasta rolling attachment for it that does not require 3 or 4 hands to keep it from flopping around and spitting out the cranking handle every few seconds. But I persevered.










I saw this on some cooking show, where basil leaves were laid on the pasta, covered with another sheet of pasta and run through the machine a couple more times. Good in theory, real world results might not be that spectacular. Anyway, got the pasta done, laid it out.










Spooned some filling onto it, brushed the edges with water, put on the top sheet and worked on pressing out any air pockets and forming the individual raviolo. Meanwhile had a pot of salted water on to boil, and a skillet with more of the diced pancetta rendering down with the diced shallots..










No pictures of some of the next steps. Put the anchovies in the skillet with the panchetta and shallot, put that pan with the garlic and red pepper on the heat. Once bubbling got the shrimp 90% cooked, set them aside, poured the garlic pepper butter into the pan with the ravioli sauce. Got a little cast iron skillet hot for the scallops, got those seared off.

Put about half a cup of wine in the skillet with the sauce, reduced that down. Added a cup or so of chicken stock and the capers. Put the ravioli into the boiling water, cooked a few minutes,










Not very impressive looking, are they?

Put the shrimp and ravioli into the skillet with the sauce for a few minutes, lemon juice drizzled.

*The Product*










My pasta making skill needs improvement. The edges of the ravioli were a little thick and chewy. The crab and ricotta filling was quite tasty. The cook on the shrimp and scallops was not perfect, but close enough. I could have done something to thicken up the sauce a bit, though flavor was spot on.

It took more effort than I first expected to produce that plate, and sometime in the future I'll probably do it again.

mjb.


----------



## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

Mrs. Hank's great grandfather immigrated from Lucca where her family has lived for 700 years when they were chased out of Florence by the Medici. Her cousin Daniele shared his recipe for Pasta alla Melanzane when we visited in 2015.

He used the small (approx. 5 or 6 inch long, 1 1/2 inch diameter) eggplant, unpeeled, and chopped into fine dice. First saute chopped garlic over medium heat until it begins to brown. Add the eggplant, increase the heat to medium high and cook, repeatedly adding small amounts of water as necessary to prevent burning, until the eggplant is very soft. About 10 to 15 minutes.









Yes it's ugly, but fear not. Add cherry tomatoes cut only in half and herbes de provence and cook about 10 minutes more to soften the tomatoes.









Meanwhile cook the pasta three minutes less than done and reserve some pasta water. Add the pasta and cook until done with some of the pasta water.









Garnish with Parmesan and fresh basil. ( Daniele did not add the basil.) Proportion 1 each small eggplant, clove garlic, cup tomatoes, teaspoon herbes de provence, and half a pound of pasta per two people.


----------



## retiredbaker (Dec 29, 2019)

teamfat said:


> Boy, that seemed like a lot of work. Not the Feast of Seven Fishes, but 3 seafood items are involved. Actually 4, given the anchovies.
> 
> *The Players*
> 
> ...


You did good, its ambitious. Maybe roll the dough thinner.
I have the same roller, they sell a motor for it, cheap on amazon.
Even with the hand crank you can get the dough paper thin such that it will cook ravioli in 60 seconds.


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

_OK ... Closing up the month of CHALLENGE with a desert ...

TIRAMISU _

_







_​That dish-towel is hiding my hack ... _the special ingredient_._ ... _Here's a hint_ ... NO eggs._

_







_​[JUSTIFY]The mascarpone, most of the whipped cream, the powdered sugar ... and a tub of _carmel-cream yogurt_ all go into the stand-mixer and blitzed for a while; scraping the sides and cleaning the whisk a few times. [/JUSTIFY]









​[JUSTIFY]The coffee mix starts with 50% _Cold-Brew_ concentrate adding 25% each _butterscotch schnapps _and _amaretto_. The plastic squirt bottle costs less than $1 and is very well the effort. [/JUSTIFY]







The trick here is to swipe a glob of cheese-mix down the center of the plate to hold the ladyfingers.

















​[JUSTIFY]Squirt the coffee-mix over the cookies. It's kinda fun. After doing it a few times you get into a rhythm Any mistakes just get eaten and are never heard from again. The cheese-mix gets piped over the cookies. It doesn't have to be perfect because more cookies are gonna be added. [/JUSTIFY]









​[JUSTIFY]I like 3 layers. More coffee and cheese goes on top. The cheese is smoothed out and then a layer of whipped cream tops the dish. [/JUSTIFY]









​The top gets dusted with the cocoa powder _and away it goes ..._

_***_ _I'll share with everyone a slice pic later after it's been served up.

*HERE IT IS ... A DOUBLE ROW FOR ALL MY FRIENDS ...*








_
​_"We work in kitchens. ... It ain'te rocket surgery."._​


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Iceman said:


> _***_ _I'll share with everyone a slice later after it's been served up_


How generous you are. I can't wait.


----------



## slayertplsko (Aug 19, 2010)

WOOOW!! I just returned from my vacation and what do I see? That it's going to be impossible to choose the winner tomorrow morning. Excellent job everyone so far!


----------



## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

One last go. Stromboli alla Papa Tarantino.

In the late 80's we were regulars at a place called Tarantinos in Pasadena, CA. They had nightly all you can eat specials. My favorite night was stromboli, but it wasn't typical of that term today. It was rolled and then cut before baking forming what is best described as a large (a strapping young 20 something could not really eat two!) savory cinnamon roll shape but with the dough closer to pizza crust than bread. I got it in my head to make it once the lockdown started, I think, and here is my 5th try. It's not quite right yet, but all attempts have been good as in the end its some sort of bread, cheese, veg, and meat, and a marinara sauce 










It was a fun place. Small, with a continuous long table down the middle and two tops on one side and four tops on the other. If you were lucky Papa Tarantino would come out and sing near the end of the night. I visited again when on a college hunting trip with my daughter several years ago. I understand he passed in his late 90's and his grandson has the place now, but his son still is around the kitchen as well.


----------



## harpua (May 4, 2005)

hank said:


> One last go. Stromboli alla Papa Tarantino.
> 
> In the late 80's we were regulars at a place called Tarantinos in Pasadena, CA. They had nightly all you can eat specials. My favorite night was stromboli, but it wasn't typical of that term today. It was rolled and then cut before baking forming what is best described as a large (a strapping young 20 something could not really eat two!) savory cinnamon roll shape but with the dough closer to pizza crust than bread. I got it in my head to make it once the lockdown started, I think, and here is my 5th try. It's not quite right yet, but all attempts have been good as in the end its some sort of bread, cheese, veg, and meat, and a marinara sauce
> 
> ...


I live in Pasadena but haven't tried the place. I almost got take out from there recently but opted for peruvian instead. I will try it soon and report back!


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

I ran through the pages and noticed no one made soup . . . so I made this . . .










And oh my was it good - EVOO, leek, garlic, peperoncino, zucchini, white wine (I boil mine off), tomatoes, parsley, salt and little neck clams. Served with a crisp toasted sourdough bread - a heavenly sopping tool.










Funny story - when I was at the store to buy the clams I was talking to the fish guy and we get along well talking about cooking this and that. I asked for two dozen, but he bagged one because you know we were shooting the breeze so I mention I wanted two so he puts another dozen in the same bag and hands it to me. Turns out he gave me 26 little necks for the price of 12 - it pays to be nice to people.


----------



## slayertplsko (Aug 19, 2010)

And so we're at the end, I think it's August now everywhere around the globe. A big thanks to everyone who took part in this challenge, you did an amazing job! 

I kept checking on the thread on my vacation and I dreaded and looked forward to this moment at the same time - it's just really difficult to pick the winner. I liked many dishes that Iceman and teamfat prepared, I loved brainshaw's courgette and sausage pasta, of course, sgsvirgil's focaccia (plus the carbonara), several of hank's dishes (especially loved the biscotti, that was unexpected). The winner could be anyone, really.

In the end, however, I need to pick someone and I'll go with my gut (heart? stomach?) feeling - for the swordfish pasta, prawn and courgette pasta, several other dishes, but especially, because Veneto cooking brings back good memories for me, the bigoli in salsa, I choose mike9 as the winner.

So it's on you now, mike9, congratulations!


----------



## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

Good job Mike9 !

I was impressed with the number of entries we had this month, nice to see a higher level of participation. Oddly enough, there some things I didn't see, like more soups - lemon and egg, Italian wedding, minestrone. Veal or chicken scallopini. Maybe @mike9 will be in a fowl mood and pick poultry for August. Also I was thinking we'd see more hand made pasta, and an egg yolk ravioli. Since I have some leftover pasta dough, I'll be making a couple more dishes, maybe the egg yolk one.

But the last week or so of browsing through the picture gallery for this thread always made me hungry!

And thanks to @slayertplsko for hosting a good one!

mjb.


----------



## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

teamfat said:


> Good job Mike9 !
> 
> I was impressed with the number of entries we had this month, nice to see a higher level of participation. Oddly enough, there some things I didn't see, like more soups - lemon and egg, Italian wedding, minestrone. Veal or chicken scallopini. Maybe @mike9 will be in a fowl mood and pick poultry for August. Also I was thinking we'd see more hand made pasta, and an egg yolk ravioli. Since I have some leftover pasta dough, I'll be making a couple more dishes, maybe the egg yolk one.
> 
> ...


Soups are my favorite. Summer is always a tough time for soups. But, never fear! Fall is rapidly approaching and with it soup season!! 

Congratulations, @mike9 ! Your entries were outstanding!

Cheers!


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Oh my I didn't expect this thank you and really great entries from more folks than usual. I'll post the August challenge later today.


----------



## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Congratulations Mike!!!!!!!!!


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

@Iceman thanks for the heads up on the pics - I corrected that.


----------



## harpua (May 4, 2005)

Congrats Mike9!!

I wanted so bad to embrace this challenge. I love to make fresh pasta and all things Italian. Time sure got away from me thanks to trying to start a business and a 4 month old baby. I hope to participate more in the next challenge.


----------



## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

_Good Job_ *mike9**. *... Lots of work going on this month. You did a great job pulling out the win. ... Give us another big challenge for August.


----------



## butzy (Jan 8, 2010)

Awesome entries everyone!


----------



## Hank (Sep 8, 2015)

Great job Mike! And great choice of a challenge slayertplsko. Well done all.


----------



## loomchick (Jun 11, 2013)

butzy said:


> Awesome entries everyone!


I agree! I really enjoyed seeing what people posted. Very inspiring! And as Winnie the Pooh would say, I was left with a 'rumbling in my tummy'


----------



## harpua (May 4, 2005)

hank said:


> One last go. Stromboli alla Papa Tarantino.
> 
> In the late 80's we were regulars at a place called Tarantinos in Pasadena, CA. They had nightly all you can eat specials. My favorite night was stromboli, but it wasn't typical of that term today. It was rolled and then cut before baking forming what is best described as a large (a strapping young 20 something could not really eat two!) savory cinnamon roll shape but with the dough closer to pizza crust than bread. I got it in my head to make it once the lockdown started, I think, and here is my 5th try. It's not quite right yet, but all attempts have been good as in the end its some sort of bread, cheese, veg, and meat, and a marinara sauce
> 
> ...


We picked up a Stromboli tonight from Tarantino's. It was not as bready I was expecting; thin pizza dough studded with goodies. It may have been a little raw but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The dining room looks so welcoming. Made me want to sit down and eat there with my family.







I'll definitely order again.


----------

