Spaghetti with Shrimps and Black
Olives
Spaghetti con Gamberoni e Olive Nere
[Serves 6 to 8 as a first course, 4 to 6 as a main dish]
3 cups Poultry/Meat Stock or Quick Stock
1½ pounds jumbo shrimps (about 12 to the pound), shelled and cut into thirds or quarters (reserve the shells)
2/3 cup dry white wine
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1 medium to large onion, minced
¼ cup minced Italian parsley
1 sprig (about 3 to 4 inches) fresh rosemary, or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
2 fresh sage leaves, or 2 dried whole sage leaves
1 teaspoon fresh marjoram leaves, or ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
6 to 8 quarts salted water
1 pound imported spaghetti or freshly made stringhetti
Generous pinch of red pepper flakes
4 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded, cored, and chopped, or 6 canned plum tomatoes, crushed, with a little of their juice
30 Italian oil-cured black olives, pitted and chopped
Generous amount of freshly ground black pepper
Juice of ½ to 1 lemon
Salt to taste
Method Working Ahead: The sauce can be made early in the day to the point of cooking the shrimps. Cover and refrigerate until 20 minutes before serving. Cook the spaghetti and shrimps at the last moment, and serve.
Making the Sauce: Combine the stock, shrimp shells, and wine in a saucepan. Boil, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes, or until reduced to about 1 cup. Strain, cover, and chill until needed. Heat the oil in a 12-inch heavy sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the garlic, rubbing the cloves over the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula, until they begin to color. Discard the garlic. Turn the heat up to medium-high to high, and quickly cook the onion, parsley, and herbs 5 minutes, or until the onion is pale gold. Remove the pan from the heat, and discard the rosemary and sage. Cover and set aside.
Cooking the Pasta and Shrimps: Slip a serving bowl and shallow soup dishes into a warm oven to heat. Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop in the spaghetti, let it soften a few moments, and then stir to separate the strands. Cook at a vigorous boil, stirring frequently, 7 to 8 minutes, or until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain in a colander. As soon as the pasta is in the colander, place the sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimps and red pepper flakes, and toss quickly until the shrimps begin to turn pink, about 30 seconds. Add the reserved shrimp stock, and cook 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, olives, and black pepper, and cook over high heat another 30 seconds. Watch the shrimps carefully; they should be tender and succulent, not rubbery. If you have any doubt, stop the cooking by quickly adding the pasta. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the drained hot pasta to the skillet, and toss with lemon juice to taste. Add salt as needed. Turn the pasta into the warmed bowl, and serve in heated soup dishes. (Cheese is not used with seafood sauces.)
Suggestions Wine: Pour a dry Albana or Trebbiano from Emilia-Romagna. From outside the region, drink a Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay from the Veneto or Friuli regions.
Menu: Serve Garlic Crostini with Pancetta as an antipasto, then the pasta as a light supper dish; or follow the pasta with Giovanna’s Wine-Basted Rabbit and Caramelized Almond Tart.
Cook’s Notes Olive Oil: A delicate, flowery oil from Liguria blends well with the sauce. See A guide to Ingredients for more information.
Using Stock: Using a poultry-based stock is an old trick to bring out the natural sweetness of shrimps and other shellfish.
Bolognese tavern sign, “The Two Crayfish,” 17th century, by Giuseppe Maria Mitelli
Casa di Risparmio, Bologna
Tortellini in Broth Villa Gaidello
Tortellini in Brodo Villa Gaidello
Today in America commercially produced tortellini are so commonplace, you might think I exaggerate in telling you how marvelous homemade ones can be. But pure ambrosia is a bowl of your own handmade tortellini floating in homemade broth.
This recipe from the farm women of Villa Gaidello is especially fine. The filling is simple and exceptionally flavorful. Enveloping it in Villa Gaidello’s pasta, flavored with Parmigiano-Reggiano, nutmeg, and pepper, makes these tortellini even more distinctive. Serve them in the classic manner, in broth, as described below, or tossed with a little butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Tortellini are overwhelmed by complicated sauces and heavy seasonings. This recipe can be halved.
[Makes about 140 pieces; serves 8 to 10 as a first course]
Filling
5 to 6 ounces boneless top loin beef steak, trimmed of fat
4 ounces mortadella
4 ounces Prosciutto di Parma, thinly sliced
1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Pasta and Broth
1 recipe Egg Pasta Villa Gaidello
5 quarts Poultry/Meat Stock or Quick Stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 to 3 cups (8 to 12 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Method Working Ahead: The filling can be made a day ahead; cover and refrigerate. Filled tortellini can be refrigerated, covered with a towel, up to 12 hours. They freeze successfully up to 3 months. Freeze the pastas spread out on baking sheets. Then turn them into rigid plastic storage containers and return to the freezer. Boil them while still frozen, allowing a few extra moments of cooking.
Making the Filling: In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, grind the steak very fine. Transfer it to a medium-size glass or stainless steel bowl. Place the mortadella and prosciutto in the processor, and grind very fine. Add to the bowl along with the 1 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Blend the ingredients into a stiff paste, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
If working by hand, finely chop the meats until they are almost a paste. Blend in the cheese, cover, and refrigerate.
Shaping the Tortellini: Work with a quarter of the dough at a time, keeping the remainder loosely wrapped in plastic. Stretch and thin, by hand or by machine, until you can detect the color of a ball of the filling through the dough (see Pastas). Divide the sheet in half, and cover both halves with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out.
Cut one sheet into 1¾-inch rounds, using a small glass or a biscuit cutter. Cover the rounds to keep them from drying out. Make little crescents with ¼ teaspoon of the filling. Place a crescent in the center of each round, fold the dough over, and tightly pinch the edges together to seal thoroughly. Then bring the tails of the crescent together, overlapping them, and twist one over the other. Seal well so that you have tiny doughnut shapes, with the sealed edges curving over the filling. Spread the finished tortellini on flat baskets or baking sheets covered with kitchen towels, taking care to not let them touch. Continue working until the sheets of dough are used up. Leave the tortellini uncovered as you work. Turn them over after an hour or so to keep them from getting soggy. Dry any dough scraps to use in soups, and where maltgliati are called for.
Roll out the remaining dough (still working with only a quarter at a time), and repeat the process until all the dough is used up. Any leftover filling could be frozen for future use and is delicious stuffed into flattened chicken breasts.
Cooking and Serving: Have a tureen and soup dishes warming in a low oven. Turn the stock into an 8- to 10-quart pot and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Drop in the tortellini and cook a minute or two. Then taste one. Fresh tortellini will cook in 2 to 5 minutes. They should be tender but still have some “bite,” or firmness. Drier or frozen tortellini will take a little longer. Ladle the broth and tortellini into the warmed tureen. Pass the extra Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for sprinkling over the soup as a final and vital seasoning.
Suggestions Wine: The meaty flavors of Tortellini in Broth are too complex for anything but a fresh, bright, grapy red. In Emilia-Romagna, Lambrusco is the wine of choice for tortellini. Here, seek out a dry red Freisa d’Asti or “La Monella” of Braida di Giacomo Bologna from Piemonte, a fruity white Piemontese Arneis, or Sicily’s white Rapitalà.
Menu: In Romagna and southern Emilia, Christmas, weddings, and feast days begin with Tortellini in Broth; then two or three other pastas are served in progression. After a pause, Christmas Capon and vegetables come to the table. Desserts are likely to be Paola Bini’s Sweet Ravioli or an assortment of baked tartlets, Home-Style Jam Cake, turnovers, and “Keeping Cakes” like the ones found in Second Courses. For a simpler elegant menu have the tortellini, then Balsamic Roast Chicken, Sweet Fennel Jewish Style, and Torta Barozzi for dessert.
Cook’s Notes Beef: Steaks cut from the top loin blithely change names from one part of the United States to another. New York steak, Delmonico steak, club steak, Kansas City strip, and shell steak all come from the tender top loin and are ideal for this recipe.
Prosciutto: Taste prosciutto before buying. If it is salty, reduce the quantity in half and increase the beef by 2 ounces.
Stock: For the most authentic flavor, cook the tortellini in Poultry/Meat Stock. Quick Stock comes together more quickly, but it lacks the depth and fullness of flavor that sets apart Poultry/Meat Stock.
Variation with Butter and Cheese: This is the other classic presentation of tortellini. Cook the tortellini in stock if possible (it could be saved and frozen for later use) drain, and toss with a little butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Serve in heated soup dishes.
Variation with Leftovers (La Tardura): In Emilia, leftover Tortellini in Broth from Sunday dinner is made into a Monday night supper, or la tardura (meaning late, belated or left back), by beating 1 egg into about 1¼ cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for every 10 cups of leftovers. Reheat the soup to a simmer and stir in the egg mixture. Keep stirring until the cheese and egg firms, forming threads. Serve hot. These measurements are flexible.
Regional Tortellini Variations
Travel from one small province to the next within Emilia-Romagna, and you will discover tortellini-type pastas taking on different names, varied fillings, and even slightly different shapes.
To compound the geographic variations, no two cooks in any one place will make tortellini/cappelletti exactly the same way. So even though these recipes are etched by tradition, their color and verve are determined by the cooks who make them.
Each filling recipe uses 1 recipe Egg Pasta.
Cappelletti Faentini
[Makes about 85 pieces]
¾ cup (6 ounces) creamy fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese (see Note)
½ cup Fresh Squaquerone Cheese
1¾ cups (7 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
½ teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt to taste
1 egg yolk
Blend all the ingredients together except the egg. Taste for salt, stir in the egg yolk, cover, and chill 2 hours or overnight before using.
Fill, shape, and cook in broth as described in the main recipe.
Cook’s Notes Ricotta Cheese: If creamy, sweet ricotta is unavailable, make your own from the recipe in Desserts.
Folklore: Honoring the oldest in the family with a single giant cappelletti in broth is an old Faenza custom. In dialect the big pasta was caplett d’e nunen or caplett a e vecc d’la ca’ (cappelletti of nonno, or grandfather; or cappelletti for the old one of the house).
Cappelletti Ferraresi
[Makes about 150 pieces]
6 ounces boneless pork loin
4 ounces very lean salt pork, cooked 5 minutes in boiling water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces boneless turkey breast
¼ cup dry white wine
2 ounces salami (made without fennel and hot pepper)
About ¼ cup water
1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg, beaten
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the pork and salt pork in a shallow pan, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and roast about 20 minutes. Add the turkey breast and white wine, and roast another 20 minutes, or until the breast is firm. Baste the meats often with the pan juices. Remove the meats with a slotted spoon, cool, and cut into cubes. Grind the meats, including the salami, in a food processor or meat grinder until finely ground but not puréed. Turn into a bowl.
Spoon off all but about 1 tablespoon fat from the pan juices. Liquefy the delicious brown glaze on the pan bottom by swishing in the water and simmering over medium heat, scraping up any brown bits clinging to the pan. Boil down to about 2 tablespoons and add to the meats. Fold in the cheese, spices, and egg. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
Fill, shape, and cook as described in the main recipe.
Cappelletti Imolesi
[Makes about 150 pieces]
2 ounces mild Italian sausage (made without fennel), cooked
6 ounces roasted pork loin
4 ounces mortadella
1½ cups (6 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
¼ cup creamy fresh ricotta cheese (see Note)
Large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg
In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, blend all the ingredients until finely ground but not puréed. Turn into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate 3 hours to overnight.
Fill, shape, and cook as described in the main recipe.
Cook’s Notes Ricotta Cheese: If creamy ricotta is not available, make your own from the recipe in Desserts.
Tortellini alla Bolognese
[Makes about 140 pieces]
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 ounces boneless pork loin
3 ounces boneless turkey breast
1 large California bay laurel leaf, broken
4 ounces mortadella
4 ounces Prosciutto di Parma
½ cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg, beaten
Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. While the butter is melting, thinly slice the pork and turkey breast. Add the pork, turkey, and bay laurel to the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, turning often, until the turkey pieces and pork pick up color. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 15 minutes, or until both meats are firm when pressed with the finger. Discard the bay leaf and cool the meats in the skillet about 10 minutes.
Scrape the contents of the pan into a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the mortadella and prosciutto, and process until finely ground but not puréed. Turn into a bowl, and fold in the cheese, nutmeg, and egg. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
Fill, shape, and cook as described in the main recipe.
Liberty-style advertisement for Bolognese maker’s Tortellini and Zuppa Imperiale, circa 1900. The Atti shop still hand-makes and sells Tortellini and Zuppa Imperiale today.
Il Collectionista, Milan
Tortelloni of Artichokes and Mascarpone
Tortelloni di Carciofi e Mascarpone
[Makes about 45 pieces; serves 4 to 6]
Filling
3 large lemons
2 cups water
7 medium or 6 large artichokes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons minced onion
1 tablespoon minced carrot
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves, or 2 teaspoons dried basil
½ cup Poultry/Meat Stock or Quick Stock
8 ounces mascarpone cheese (see Note)
¼ cup (1 ounce) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Pasta and Sauce
¾ recipe Wine Pasta (1 jumbo egg, 1/3 cup wine, and about 11 ounces flour; Pastas)
1½ cups Poultry/Meat Stock or Quick Stock, reduced to ½ cup
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 quarts salted water
1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Method Working Ahead: This is not the sort of dish you whip together after coming home from work. The stuffing can be made a day ahead. The finished tortelloni will hold, lightly covered, 12 hours in the refrigerator; turn twice to keep them from getting soggy. They do not freeze well.
Preparing the Artichokes: Remove the zest from 1½ lemons using a zester that cuts it into thin strips. Set it aside. Halve the remaining lemon and squeeze the juice from 5 halves into a medium-size stainless steel or glass bowl. Add the 2 cups water, and set aside.
Create artichoke bottoms by cutting away the stem of each artichoke. Then, with a sharp, narrow-bladed knife trim away all the dark green leaves from the bottom of the artichoke and from the sides around its base. As the side leaves are cut away, the solid pale green bottom will be revealed. Frequently rub the cut areas with the remaining lemon half to keep them from darkening. Lay the artichoke on its side and slice away the top two thirds with all the leaves. Now you have the bottom with its fuzzy choke. Scrape out the choke with a spoon. Immediately immerse the finished bottom in the prepared lemon water. Repeat with the remaining artichokes.
Making the Filling: Drain the artichoke bottoms, pat dry, and cut into eighths. Heat the butter and oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add the artichoke bottoms and cook until they begin to color. Add the onion, carrot, and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high to high heat, stirring frequently, 8 minutes, or until the onion is browned and the artichokes are golden. Turn the heat down to medium, add the garlic, basil, and the reserved lemon zest, and cook 30 seconds. Add the stock and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.
Cover and simmer over low heat 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottoms are still a bit firm when pierced with the tip of a knife. Uncover, and take a minute or two to cook down the juices to a moist glaze on the bottom of the skillet. The artichokes should be cooked through but still have some crispness. Cool to room temperature, and transfer to a food processor. Use the on/off pulse until finely chopped; do not purée. Turn into a bowl and blend with the cheeses. Cover and chill until ready to use.
Preparing the Tortelloni: Prepare the dough as directed in Pastas, and roll out about a third at a time. Cut it into rounds with a 3½-inch biscuit cutter or glass. Moisten the edges of each round with water, and place a generous teaspoon of the filling in the center of each round. Fold in half, sealing the edges well. Then bring both ends of the half-moon pasta together, overlapping them, and twist one over the other. Seal together by pinching. Lay the tortelloni on flat baskets lined with kitchen towels, making sure they do not touch. Refrigerate if holding more than 1 hour.
Cooking and Saucing the Tortelloni: Warm a serving bowl and shallow soup dishes in a low oven. Bring the reduced stock to a simmer, and whisk in the butter until it is creamy but not entirely melted. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm. Bring the salted water to a vigorous boil. Drop in the tortelloni. If very fresh they will be ready after boiling no more than 1 minute or so. If they have waited several hours, they could boil up to 4 minutes. Taste one to be sure that their edges still have a little resistance or “bite.” Lift the pastas from the water with a large skimmer, and place them in the heated serving bowl or individual dishes. Sprinkle each layer or serving with a little sauce and about 2 tablespoons cheese. Serve at once.
Suggestions Wine: A dry Albana di Romagna Secco, or a Tocai from Friuli.
Menu: Follow the tortelloni with a simple but equally festive main course, such as Giovanna’s Wine-Basted Rabbit, Porcini Veal Chops, or Erminia’s Pan-Crisped Chicken.
Cook’s Notes Mascarpone: This creamy fresh cheese is made in two styles: as a compressed, sliceable loaf and as a spoonable cheese with the consistency of thick whipped cream. The tortellini filling needs the thick cream type. Mascarpone spoils quickly, so always taste before buying, and do not plan on keeping it more than a few days.
An Unorthodox Variation: Thin the filling with a little broth for an excellent sauce for tagliatelle.
A Bolognese Fantasy
In Italy, an improvised dish not following any established tradition is called a fantasia, or fantasy. These tortelloni were the fantasy of Tamburini, Bologna’s fancy food emporium. Tamburini’s windows are always crammed with the kind of home-style dishes that make you consider giving up on your own cooking altogether. While walking past the shop one autumn morning, I eyed a platter of big tortelloni stuffed with artichokes, mascarpone, and fresh white truffles. It looked too good to resist. I bought several and carefully peeled back the fresh pasta to taste the filling. It was splendid. Italy’s white truffles are pungent with scents of garlic and earth. Combining them with artichokes, creamy mascarpone, the flintiness of Parmigiano, and a hint of lemon was pure genius. The combination stayed with me. After toying with all sorts of formulas, I finally came close to reproducing the one I tasted from Tamburini. Some adjustments were necessary. Fresh white truffles are not easy to come by on this side of the Atlantic, hence the hint of garlic. Basil softens the garlic’s edge, sparks the artichokes, and accentuates the mascarpone’s natural sweetness.
Cappellacci con la Zucca
[Makes about 80 pieces; serves 6 to 8]
Filling
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1½ pounds butternut squash
12 ounces sweet potatoes or yams
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Pasta and Sauce
1¼ recipes Egg Pasta
5 to 7 tablespoons (2½ to 3½ ounces) unsalted butter
5 large fresh sage leaves, or 5 whole dried sage leaves
8 to 10 quarts salted water
2/3 to 1 cup freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Method Working Ahead: The filling will hold 24 hours, covered, in the refrigerator. The cappellacci can be filled and shaped up to 1 day ahead. Once shaped, cover them with a cloth and refrigerate; turn them several times to protect the pasta from becoming gummy. Cook straight from the refrigerator. These do not freeze well.
Making the Filling: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover a baking sheet with foil, and lightly oil the foil. Cut the squash in half vertically, scoop out the seeds, and turn them cut side down on the foil. Scrub the potatoes, and make a 2-inch slit in the skin. Bake the squash and the potatoes 1 hour, or until the potatoes feel soft when squeezed and the squash are easily pierced with a knife. Allow to cool.
Scoop out the flesh of both vegetables. Put it through a food mill, or purée for a few seconds in a food processor. Taste for sweetness. The squash/potato mixture should be quite sweet but not sugary. If necessary, add the tablespoon of sugar. Then stir in the cheese. Grate in enough nutmeg to give just a soft taste of it to the filling. Add enough pepper to give sparkle, but do not overwhelm the filling.
Shaping the Cappellacci: Follow the directions for rolling out the pasta dough, making it thin enough to detect color through the sheet. Once it is rolled out, keep all but about one third of the sheet covered with plastic wrap. Using a knife, cut 3½- to 4-inch squares. Cut no more than about five at a time to keep the dough from drying out.
Place a generous spoonful of filling (a ball about 1¼ to 1½ inches in diameter) in the center of each square. Fold the squares in half, forming triangles, and forcing out the air as you seal the edges together (moisten the edges with a little water if necessary). Then form an oversize tortellino by bringing the two ends together, folding one over the other, and sealing them. Place them on towel-lined baskets or baking sheets without touching. Pull back the plastic wrap on another third of the pasta, and cut more squares. Continue filling and shaping until done.
Cooking and Serving: Melt the butter with the sage leaves in a small saucepan. Set aside and keep warm. Warm a serving bowl and shallow soup dishes in a low oven. Bring the salted water to a vigorous boil. Drop in the cappellacci, and cook about 3 minutes at a full boil, or until the edges of the pasta are tender but still firm to the bite. These are too fragile to drain in a colander. Instead, turn off the heat, and use a big skimmer or large flat slotted spoon to gently scoop out the cappellacci, pulling about a third from the water. Work quickly so as not to overcook the pasta. Drain the water from the pastas by holding the skimmer over the pot a few seconds. Then slip them into the warmed serving bowl. Quickly sprinkle with about a third of the melted butter and a third of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat the process, making another two layers. Season lightly with pepper if desired, and serve immediately. (The dish could be garnished with a few fresh sage leaves.)
Suggestions Wine: From the region, a soft, fruity white wine like Bianco del Bosco, or an Albana Secco. From other parts of Italy drink a Tocai from Friuli, or a Müller-Thurgau from Terlano or Valle Isarco, both in the Trentino—Alto Adige region.
Menu: Serve before January Pork, Erminia’s Pan-Crisped Chicken, Basil and Balsamic Veal Scallops, a Thanksgiving turkey, or glazed American-style baked ham.
Cook’s Notes The Parma Version: Make Parma’s tortelli di zucca by trimming sheets of rolled-out dough to about 5 inches wide and 18 inches long. Dot with two rows of small dabs of filling, 1½ inches in from the long edges. Fold over the edges and seal around the filling. Using a crenelated pastry cutter, cut into rectangles about 2 inches by 1½ inches. Serve with melted butter (not flavored with sage) and cheese.
Being There
Butternut squash (or fresh pumpkin) blended with sweet potato approximates the flavor of the squashes from Ferrara and Parma, which have a spicy sweetness and a moist texture. When exploring the open markets in either city, you will often see bright orange slices of these big squashes, whose shape resembles a violin or an elongated figure eight. Take a moment to inhale their bouquet; it suggests flowers, cinnamon, and sugar all at the same time.
One True Recipe?
The word cappellacci comes from cappello (hat), supposedly inspired by the tricornered hats of Napoleon’s time. I think they more closely resemble men’s hats of the 15th and 16th centuries, when plumped crowns and soft-turned brims were fashionable. Certainly their play of sweet against savory is straight out of that time—such a perfect dish for Ferrara, where it often feels as if the town clock stopped somewhere in the mid-1500s. The first written recipe for cappellacci with sweet squash appeared around 1584, but historians think the dish had already existed for many years. Possibly true, as illustrations of squashes resembling the ones used today are found in northern Italian medical handbooks of the 14th century.
The idea of a sweet/savory squash filling spread from Ferrara to her neighbors. Just across the Po River, squash-filled pastas are eaten in the city of Mantua. There, square-shaped pastas served as a first course are stuffed with squash, Parmigiano-Reggiano, crumbled amaretti cookies, and sometimes mostarda di Cremona (whole candied fruits in spiced syrup). Modena, Ferrara’s Emilian neighbor to the west and long under her rule, eats squash-filled pastas only on Christmas Eve. Parma has almost the same filling as Ferrara, but in a tamer casing—rectangular tortelli di zucca. Reggio’s filling resembles Parma’s, sometimes adding amaretti—an ingredient not worried over in Mantua, but whose validity is heatedly debated by Emilians. As you roam Emilia and Romagna, you will find raisins added here, pine nuts there, and even tart/sweet grape syrup stirred into some renditions. Only two constants prevail: the pastas are always served as a first course, and dispute never ceases over the one “true” recipe.
Anolini di Parma in Brodo
But the stuffing of these little pastas is not as extravagant as it might seem. A pot roast (stracotto) is cooked from 12 hours to 3 days, giving its all to a braising liquid of wine, broth, and vegetables. Every bit of flavor is pressed from the meat before its concentrated sauce is blended with toasted bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and nutmeg, and then stuffed into small discs of fresh pasta. Anolini are always served in homemade broth. Considering that the filling is almost a meal in itself, even butter and cheese seem excessive.
This recipe is based on one by Professor Guglielmo Capacchi, from his book, The Home Cooking of Parma (La Cucina Popolare Parmigiana).
[Makes about 120 pieces; serves 8 to 12]
Filling
7 tablespoons (3½ ounces) unsalted butter
1 small to medium onion, minced
1 small carrot, minced
1 small stalk celery with leaves, minced
2-pound beef rump roast, trimmed of fat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 whole cloves
2 teaspoons imported Italian tomato paste
2 tablespoons water
7 to 9 cups Poultry/Meat Stock or Quick Stock
2 cups dry red wine (see Note)
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1½ cups (6 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg, beaten
Pasta and Broth
1½ recipes Egg Pasta
2½ quarts Poultry/Meat Stock
2 cups (8 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Method Working Ahead: The pot roast (stracotto) can be cooked up to 3 days before you make the pastas. I usually cook it on a weekend when I am working around the house and can occasionally check its progress. Cover and refrigerate the resulting sauce. The toasted bread crumbs hold well in the refrigerator, in a sealed container, 2 days.
Of course, shaping the filled pastas is speeded up when done with friends. They can be filled up to 12 hours before cooking. Store, covered with a cloth, in the refrigerator. Because of the pot roast’s long cooking time, the filling must be started at least 20 hours before serving the anolini.
Cooking the Stracotto: Please see “The Old Way” in the Cook’s Notes before beginning.
Melt the 7 tablespoons butter in a heavy 3½- to 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, and then the beef. Lightly salt and pepper the meat. Slowly brown the beef on all sides over medium to medium-low heat about 30 minutes, building a foundation of deep flavors. The meat should be a deep, crusty brown. Add the cloves, the tomato paste, water, and enough stock to barely cover the meat (more will be needed later). Heat until the broth bubbles very, very slowly. Cover with a doubled piece of parchment paper that has a slit about 3 inches long cut in the center. Then partially cover the pan with the lid.
Pour ¼ cup of the wine over the slit every hour or so until the 2 cups are used up. Keep the heat low so the liquids bubble very slowly. Cook about 9 hours, turning the meat two or three times. Then remove the lid, but leave the parchment, and simmer another 3 hours, spooning in more stock to keep the meat barely covered with liquid. At this point the meat can be refrigerated overnight. The next day, continue cooking with only the slitted parchment on top 4 to 6 hours, or until the meat literally falls apart when touched with a fork.
Turn the contents of the pan into a strainer, and press on the meat with the back of a large spoon, extracting as much of its juices as possible. Then discard the meat, as all its flavor is now in the cooking juices. Turn the juices back into the saucepan and boil down, 10 to 15 minutes, to about 1 to 1¼ cups. This sauce should be richly flavored. Turn it into a bowl and allow to cool.
Toasting the Bread Crumbs: While the beef is cooking, dot a baking sheet with thin slices of the 1½ tablespoons butter. Spread the crumbs over the sheet, and bake at 350°F, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden. Cool.
Finishing the Filling: Combine the sauce, crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and nutmeg. Taste for salt. Add the egg, blend well, cover, and refrigerate until needed.
Preparing the Pasta: Have handy several large flat baskets or baking sheets covered with kitchen towels. Working with a quarter of the dough at a time, use a pasta machine or rolling pin to thin and stretch the dough until it is so sheer that you can see color through it (see Pastas).
Cut the dough into strips about 3½ inches wide. Protect the strips from drying by covering them with plastic wrap. Pull back the wrap on about 6 to 8 inches of a strip, and dot the dough about 1 inch in from the edge with a row of ½-teaspoon mounds of filling. Space them about 1 inch apart. Fold the dough over and seal around each mound, pressing out air pockets as you go. If the dough seems dry, dip your finger in water and moisten around each mound before folding the pasta over. Use a 1½-inch diameter glass or round cutter to cut out each anolino. (They can also be cut as half moons.) Spread them out on the baskets without touching. Repeat the process until the pasta and filling are used up.
Cooking and Serving: Have a tureen and shallow soup dishes heating in a low oven. Bring the 2½ quarts stock to a vigorous boil, tasting to see if it needs salt and pepper. Add the anolini to the broth and boil 3 to 10 minutes, depending upon how dry they are. Taste for doneness; the edges should be a little chewy. Serve in the warmed tureen or ladle into soup dishes. Pass the remaining cheese as the final and vital seasoning—a generous teaspoon should be sprinkled over each serving.
Suggestions Wine: In Parma drink a fresh fizzy red Rosso di Colli di Parma. From other parts of Italy try a full white Chardonnay from Trentino-Alto Adige, or a Pinot Bianco from Friuli.
Menu: Before anolini serve Prosciutto di Parma. Christmas Capon is the traditional holiday main dish after anolini. Less festive second courses are Pan-Roasted Quail, Maria Bertuzzi’s Lemon Chicken, or Porcini Veal Chops.
Cook’s Notes The Old Way: In Parma stracotto is cooked in a terracotta stracottiera, a pot whose form has not changed in several hundred years. Just large enough to hold the pot roast snugly, it has a porous concave lid where the wine is placed so that it may slowly seep over the meat. Professor Capacchi describes his mother covering the meat with a cracked plate that served the same purpose, allowing wine to seep through the crack, slowly basting the meat. If you have a plate that has a crack in the middle, do wash it well and use it.
My improvised stracottiera is done with a heavy saucepan large enough to hold the meat snugly and a double thickness of parchment paper with a slit in the middle. This may be fanaticism on my part, but the fragrance of the wine slowly evaporating on the warm paper and over the meat, mixed with the meat’s aromas, fills the house with such wonderful smells that the little extra effort is highly worthwhile—a lovely bonus from an exceptional dish.
Red Wine: Cook the stracotto in a Barolo, Barbaresco, or a big Zinfandel.
Piacenza Variation: Marubei: Make a quarter of the stracotto recipe, cooking it only 4 hours. Grind the meat along with 8 ounces each roasted veal and pork. Finely chop 8 ounces calf’s or lamb’s brains that have been gently poached until firm. Boil down the stracotto sauce until rich (about 1/3 cup) and blend with the meats, brains, bread crumbs, Parmigiano, and 2 eggs. Fill pastas as described above.
A Little History
It is intriguing to think that this luxurious pasta may have been born of crusts of bread discarded after Medieval banquets. Once the trenchers, or “plates,” of crisp bread were soaked with meat juices, they were thrown away, to be gathered by peasants who waited eagerly for any leftovers. Imagine an economical housewife stretching the discarded trenchers by using them to fill pastas, making a one-dish meal for her family. It is a logical explanation, if a little too tidy.
According to Guglielmo Capacchi, authority on all things Parmesan, the first mention of anolini was in 1570. That year Bartolomeo Scappi, Bolognese cook to Pope Pius V, published a recipe, “To make Tortelletti with Pork Belly or Other Material that in (Common or) Vulgar Language are Called Annolini.” The dish contained spices, raisins, and meats and had a sauce of cheese, sugar, and cinnamon.
By the early 19th century anolini had lost their sweet ingredients and were firmly ensconced in Parma’s culinary repertoire as a first course. Every family had special cutters for the round or half-moon-shaped pastas. Smooth discs are typical of Parma province. Along the Po River in neighboring Piacenza, crenelated cutters are used, actual meats (not only cooking juices) are added to the filling, and anolini become marubei. To the south of Parma in Reggio, anolini remain round, are called cappelletti, and have chicken giblets added to Piacenza’s recipe. In Parma, almost everyone agrees that anolini are made with beef—although some old-timers insist that donkey, which was popular for many years, gives even better flavor. There are two different forms of the pasta, depending upon who is the cook. Half moons are less wasteful and appear often, but coin-size discs are more traditional. Anolini’s coin shape actually comes from a coin, the Marie Louise silver piece of over 150 years ago. The 1½-inch size fits nicely into a large soup spoon and is easily cut out with a liqueur or shot glass.
Tortelli of Ricotta and Fresh Greens
Tortelli d’Erbette
There is a trick to the pasta. It has to be substantial enough to hold the soft, moist filling, yet sheer enough to make light tortelli. Many old recipes suggest decreasing the number of eggs and adding more water for a lighter, more resilient pasta. Tortelli d’Erbette are always dressed with nothing more than butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
[Makes 120 pieces; serves 10 to 12 as a first course, 8 as a main dish]
Filling
1½ cups water
1½ pounds Swiss chard
1 pound fresh whole-milk or homemade ricotta cheese (see Note)
2 cups (8 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
Pasta and Sauce
1 recipe Wine Pasta, using 3 jumbo eggs, ½ cup water instead of wine, and 4¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons flour (17 ounces)
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter
12 quarts salted water
About 1½ cups freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Method Working Ahead: The filling can be made the day before you fill the pasta. You can fill and shape the tortelli up to 12 hours before serving, though they are best eaten within about 4 hours. Store them in the refrigerator on towel-lined baskets or baking sheets, making sure the pieces do not touch; cover with another towel, and turn every 2 hours to ensure even drying. These do not freeze well.
Making the Filling: Bring the 1½ cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. While it is heating, trim away the Swiss chard’s stalks (reserve them for another use). Wash the leaves under cold running water. Drop them into the boiling water and cook, covered, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Drain in a sieve, let cool briefly, and then squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Chop the leaves very fine.
In a medium-size bowl, blend the chard with the ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a generous pinch of nutmeg. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the eggs until thoroughly blended. Turn the mixture into a stainless steel or glass container, cover, and chill until ready to use.
Shaping the Tortelli: Have handy several large flat baskets or baking sheets covered with kitchen towels. Stretch and thin the pasta as directed in Pastas, working a quarter of the dough at a time. You should be able to see color and form through the dough. Cut it into sheets 5½ inches wide, covering them with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out.
Make a row of small spoonfuls of filling along each of the two long edges of a pasta strip. Place the filling about 1 inch in from the edge, and space the spoonfuls about 1½ inches apart. Fold the two long edges over, toward the strip’s center, so they cover the filling. Seal the dough around the filling, eliminating air pockets as you work. Then, using a pasta wheel, cut rectangular tortelli, about 1½ by 2 inches, around each mound of filling. Arrange in single layers, without touching, on the baskets.
Cooking and Serving the Tortelli: Warm a serving bowl and shallow soup dishes in a low oven. Melt the butter in a small pan and keep warm. Bring the pasta water to a fierce boil (in two pots if necessary). Slip the tortelli into the boiling water and cook 4 to 10 minutes, depending upon how dry they are. If very fresh, they’ll cook in even less time. Taste for doneness, testing sooner rather than later. The edges should be tender but still have some resistance or “bite.”
Lift about half the tortelli from the boiling water with a large skimmer, letting the water drain back into the pot. Spread the pastas in a layer in the heated serving bowl. Quickly spoon some of the butter and a generous sprinkling of Parmigiano-Reggiano over the tortelli. Skim out the rest of the pastas, moisten them with butter, and sprinkle with cheese. Serve at once. Pass the rest of the Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Suggestions Wine: In Parma white Sauvignon Blanc of Parma’s hill country is served with Tortelli d’Erbette. It echoes the soft herbal quality of the filling’s greens. More available in the United States are Sauvignon dei Colli Berici of the Veneto, and from the Friuli region, Sauvignon del Collio or Sauvignon dei Colli Orientali del Friuli.
Menu: A light menu with the tortelli as its main dish could begin with Spring Salad with Hazelnuts and end with Frozen Chocolate Pistachio Cream with Hot Chocolate Marsala Sauce. More traditionally the tortelli are served after a few slices of Prosciutto di Parma or fine salami, and before simple grilled or roasted meats like Lemon Roast Veal with Rosemary, January Pork, or Maria Bertuzzi’s Lemon Chicken.
Cook’s Notes Fresh Ricotta: Ricotta with a fresh, sweet character gives the filling authenticity and sets off its flavors. Buy it at cheese shops, specialty food stores, and Italian groceries. Or make your own.
Tortelli di Mostarda e Castagne
In the farm kitchens of Parma’s hills, bathing them with extra grape syrup instead of butter and cheese transformed the tortelli into an old-style dessert.
The tortelli deserve revival. Their filling satisfies as few do, tasting of good country food with lots of chunk and bite. Save this recipe for when the first fresh chestnuts appear during November and December. Then build a dinner around the unusual pastas, using the menu suggestions below. This recipe is adapted from The Home Cooking of Parma (La Cucina Popolare Parmigiana) by Guglielmo Capacchi.
[Makes 144 pieces; serves 12 as a first course, 8 as a main dish]
Filling
½ cup raisins
½ cup dry white wine
1½ pounds fresh chestnuts, rinsed
½ small Granny Smith apple
½ small underripe Bosc pear
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
Grated zest of 1 large lemon
Generous ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 generous pinches of freshly ground black pepper
½ cup Fresh Grape Syrup (recipe follows)
¼ cup water
Pasta and Sauce
1 recipe Wine Pasta, using 21 ounces flour (5¼ cups spooned and leveled), 4 jumbo eggs, and ½ cup dry white wine or water
2 cups Poultry/Meat Stock or Quick Stock
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter
12 quarts salted water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups (8 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Method Working Ahead: The filling can be made a day ahead; cover and refrigerate. Filled tortelli hold well in the refrigerator about 12 hours; spread them on a towel-lined basket or baking sheet, and cover with a towel. You can freeze the tortelli up to 3 months.
Soaking the Raisins: Combine the raisins and wine in a small bowl and soak, uncovered, about 2 hours.
Roasting the Chestnuts: While the raisins are soaking, prepare the chestnuts. Cut a slit two thirds of the way around each nut with a small sharp knife. To cook the chestnuts over an open fire (which gives them a fine smokey flavor and was the method used in Italy until about 40 years ago), use a long-handled perforated skillet or chestnut roaster. Set the pan on a rack about 6 inches above the hot coals. Roast 30 to 45 minutes, or until the chestnuts’ interior is mealy and tender. Shake and stir the nuts often.
To cook the chestnuts in the oven, preheat to 400°F. Spread the chestnuts in a large shallow baking pan, and roast them 1 hour, or until the interior of the chestnuts is mealy and tender. Cool the roasted chestnuts about 15 minutes. Then pull away their shells and inner skin. (Pull away all the inner skin, as it can be bitter.) Pass through the coarsest blade of a food mill, or finely chop them in a food processor (do not purée). Transfer them to a medium-size bowl.
Making the Filling: Peel and core both the apple and the pear. Cut the fruit into ¼- to ½-inch dice. Heat the 1½ tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over high heat, taking care that it does not burn. Add the pear, apple, and lemon zest. Cook quickly, scooping the fruits up with a wooden spatula and turning them so they brown evenly. This takes 3 to 5 minutes. Watch carefully; their sugar content encourages burning.
Once the pieces are a rich golden brown, add the cinnamon and pepper and cook for a few seconds or until you can smell the cinnamon. Add the raisins and their liquid, and continue cooking over high heat, about 3 minutes, while scraping up the brown glaze in the bottom of the skillet. Add 6 tablespoons of the grape syrup, and boil for a few seconds until thick. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Using a spatula, fold the sautéed fruit, the remaining 2 tablespoons grape syrup, and the ¼ cup water into the chestnuts. Blend well.
Preparing the Tortelli: Have handy several large flat baskets covered with kitchen towels. Stretch and thin the pasta as directed in the recipe, working with about a quarter of the dough at a time. Cut it into sheets about 5½ inches wide, keeping them covered with plastic wrap to prevent their drying out.
Dot a row of small spoonfuls of filling along the two long edges of the strips, spacing the spoonfuls about 1½ inches apart and 1 inch in from the edge. Fold the edges over the filling and toward the strip’s center. Seal the dough around the fillings, eliminating air pockets as you work. Then, using a pasta wheel, cut rectangular tortelli (about 1½ by 2 inches) around each mound of filling. Arrange the tortelli in single layers, without touching, on the baskets.
Cooking and Serving: Have a serving bowl and shallow soup dishes warming in a low oven. Take about 8 minutes to boil the stock down to about ¾ cup. Then whisk in the 4 tablespoons butter, not letting it melt entirely. Keep warm.
Bring the salted water to a fierce boil (use two pots if necessary). Slip the tortelli into the water and cook 3 to 10 minutes, depending upon how dry they are. Taste the edge of one for doneness. It should be tender but still have some resistance or “bite.” Turn off the heat and, using a big skimmer, quickly lift batches of tortelli from the pot, let them drain a few seconds, and then transfer them to the warm serving bowl. Moisten each batch with the butter sauce. Season with a little salt and pepper, and sprinkle generously with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pass the rest of the cheese separately.
Suggestions Wine: Pour a young red Sangue di Giuda from Lombardy, a young Freisa d’Asti from Piedmont, or a Valpolicella Classico from the Veneto.
Menu: The tortelli are substantial enough to be a main dish. Have a few slices of salami and coppa before, or a Salad of Mixed Greens and Fennel. For dessert serve Riccardo Rimondi’s Spanish Sponge Cake. If you are serving them as a first course, make the portions small and follow with a simple dish like Grilled Beef with Balsamic Glaze, Balsamic Roast Chicken, or Erminia’s Pan-Crisped Chicken. Even though balsamic-flavored dishes are not eaten in Parma, the vinegar’s sweet/tart quality is a good complement to the fruit-and-chestnut-filled tortelli.
Cook’s Notes Fruits: The sautéed and spiced fruits here are a substitute for the preserve called mostarda, in which autumn fruits cook with spices and one of the oldest of sugar substitutes, reduced grape juice.
Sweet Variation: To make the dessert version, heat 2 to 3 cups Fresh Grape Syrup and keep it warm while the tortelli cook. Drain the tortelli, and moisten them with the grape syrup instead of the butter and cheese. Serve hot.
Sapa
Today Sapa is either stored in sterilized bottles or cooked into fruit conserves called by many names, among them savor and mostarda. The plain syrup becomes a sweet/tart dessert known as mosto once it is cooked down even more, thickened with arrowroot, cooled, and cut into squares about the size of a brownie. On Emilia-Romagna farms, the syrup becomes a winter treat for children when it is mixed with new snow.
For those seeking a natural sugar-free sweetener, Sapa is an answer. Use it instead of sweetened fruit purées in saucing desserts, spoon it, instead of jam, onto muffins and breads, pour it over pancakes, or bake fruits with it.
Ideally, red wine grapes are used. But table grapes work too, whether they be Flame Tokay, Red Malaga, Exotic, Ribier, Red Emperor, Muscadine, Catawba, Concord, or described simply as “red.” Taste for those that are not only sweet but complex in flavor. Adding a little red wine to the syrup gives depth to American table grapes.
Start making the Sapa 2 days before you want to use it. This recipe doubles easily.
[Makes 2½ to 2¾ cups]
4½ pounds flavorful red grapes, with or without seeds
1 cup dry red wine
Method Working Ahead: Fresh Grape Syrup keeps 5 days in the refrigerator, or several months if stored in sterilized bottles or frozen.
Crushing the Grapes: Wash and stem the grapes. Fit a food processor with the steel blade and process the grapes in a couple of batches until finely chopped. Turn the crushed grapes into a glass or stainless steel container, cover, and refrigerate 48 hours.
Strain the grapes through a sieve set over a heavy 5-quart casserole. Press as much liquid as possible out of the grapes, and allow some of the pulp to be blended into the liquid by scraping the underside of the strainer.
Cooking the Grapes: Boil the strained grape juice, uncovered, over medium-high heat 20 to 30 minutes, or until thickened and reduced to about 2¼ to 2¾ cups. The syrup will foam with large bubbles as it approaches proper thickness. Stir occasionally and check for burning. Blend in the wine, boil 1 minute, and allow to cool.
Cook’s Notes In addition to Chestnut Tortelli, use Fresh Grape Syrup in Paola Bini’s Sweet Ravioli, with Baked Pears with Fresh Grape Syrup, or over Cinnamon and Clove Custard.
Tortelli of Cabbage and Potato
Tortelli di Verza e Patate
[Makes 70 pieces; serves 6 to 8 as a first course, 4 to 6 as a main dish]
Filling
2½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces pancetta, minced
8 to 10 ounces green cabbage, chopped into ½-inch dice (4 cups)
1 medium to large onion, minced
1 large clove garlic, minced
About ½ cup chicken stock or water
2½ pounds small red-skinned potatoes, baked until tender
1/3 to ½ cup (about 2 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
Pasta
1 recipe Wine Pasta, made with water instead of wine
10 quarts salted water
Sauce
3½ cups Poultry/Meat Stock or Quick Stock
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter
1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Method Working Ahead: The filling holds well 24 hours; cover and refrigerate. The filled pastas can be refrigerated, covered with a cloth, up to 12 hours before cooking and serving; turn three or four times to keep them from becoming gummy.
Making the Filling: In a 12-inch sauté pan, heat the olive oil and pancetta over medium-high heat. Cook 3 minutes, or until the pancetta begins to melt and looks transparent. Turn the heat to high. Add the cabbage and sauté, stirring frequently, 5 minutes or until it begins to brown. Add the onion and continue stirring frequently over high heat another 5 minutes or until the onion and cabbage are deep golden brown. Lower the heat if the brown glaze at the bottom of the pan threatens to burn. That glaze is the key to the filling’s big flavors. Stir in the garlic, and cook just a few seconds.
Turn the cabbage and onion into a bowl. Put the sauté pan back over high heat, and immediately add the ½ cup stock or water. Boil it down as you scrape up the brown glaze with a wooden spatula. When nearly all the liquid has evaporated, add it to the cabbage mixture. If the potatoes are still hot, cool them about 20 minutes. Then split them and spoon the pulp into the bowl with the cabbage. Toss the cabbage mixture with the 1/3 to ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, salt and pepper, and nutmeg. Avoid mashing the potatoes. Instead crush them, keeping the mixture chunky. There should be more than a suggestion of nutmeg and pepper.
Preparing the Tortelli: Follow the directions in Pastas. Fill the pasta as for Tortelli of Ricotta and Fresh Greens, being a little more generous with the stuffing, resulting in tortelli about 2½ by 2½ inches. Spread them on flat cloth-lined baskets, making sure the pieces do not touch.
Cooking the Tortelli and Sauce: Have a serving bowl and shallow soup dishes warming in a low oven. Bring the salted water to a fierce boil. While the water is heating, take about 5 minutes to boil down the stock to about 1¼ cups. Stir in the butter, and heat until creamy but not totally melted. Keep warm.
Drop the tortelli into the boiling water and boil 3 to 10 minutes, depending upon how dry they are. Taste for doneness; the edges should be tender but still have some resistance or “bite.” Quickly lift half the pastas from the water with a large skimmer. Drain them for a few seconds over the pot, and slip them into the heated serving bowl. Spoon some of the sauce and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over them. Lift out the remaining tortelli, and top with the remaining sauce and cheese.
Suggestions Wine: Serve a young red, a Sangiovese di Romagna, or a Merlot from the Veneto or Friuli.
Menu: The tortelli are substantial enough to be a main course, preceded by Garlic Crostini with Pancetta or a simple salad. A more traditional menu has the pasta as a first course before Rabbit Roasted with Sweet Fennel, Lamb with Black Olives, or January Pork.
Cook’s Notes Variation with Tomatoes: Use 1 recipe Piacenza’s Porcini Tomato Sauce instead of the stock and butter sauce.
Baked Variation: Serve the filling without its pasta casing as a first course or side dish. Spread it in a lightly oiled baking dish, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F 30 minutes, or until heated through. Uncover, sprinkle with another few tablespoons of cheese, and serve hot.
Piacenza’s Tortelli with Tails
Tortelli con la Coda alla Piacentina
My favorite Piacenza cook happens also to be my step-aunt, Delphina Fulvini Ozera. Her turtei are legendary—sweet with the freshest ricotta and young chard, and so light they levitate off the plate. Sitting in Delphina’s kitchen, watching her rhythmically fold, pleat, and twist piece after piece, is both mesmerizing and intimidating. Would that I could equal her skill. Some comfort comes from knowing that Delphina was making turtei before I was ever dreamt of. In her girlhood no Piacenza woman was considered properly brought up unless she could make perfect turtei.
Although you may lack a Piacenza childhood, a little practice and patience produce reasonable facsimiles of Delphina’s elegant pastas. Count on the first ten or so being “for the family,” as is said in Italy. After that they will start to look quite good. Serve to friends who truly love pasta, and who will applaud your accomplishment.
[Makes about 85 pieces; serves 6 to 8 as a first course, 4 to 6 as a main dish]
Filling
10 to 12 ounces Swiss chard, or 5 ounces fresh spinach leaves
1/3 cup water
1½ cups (12 ounces) creamy fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese (see Note)
¾ cup (3 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
1 egg, beaten
Pasta
1 recipe Wine Pasta, made with water instead of wine
10 quarts salted water
Sauce
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter
1½ cups (6 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Method Working Ahead: The filling will hold, covered, in the refrigerator 24 hours before stuffing the tortelli. The pastas can then be filled 24 hours ahead and stored, covered with a kitchen towel, in the refrigerator. Turn them three or four times. They do not freeze well.
Making the Filling: Trim away the Swiss chard’s white stalks and reserve them for another use. (If you are using spinach, trim away the tough stems.) Wash the leaves well, and without shaking off the water clinging to them, tuck the leaves into a 4-quart saucepan. Add the 1/3 cup water, cover, and cook over medium heat until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and allow to cool. Squeeze the leaves as dry as possible, finely chop, and transfer to a medium-size bowl.
Push the ricotta through a strainer, or purée it in a food processor. Stir it into the chard or spinach. Blend in the ¾ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt and pepper, and nutmeg. Taste for balance; the nutmeg should be only a whisper of flavor. Then beat in the egg. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Filling the Pasta: Stretch and thin the pasta until you can see color through it, as described in Pastas. Work with only a quarter of the dough at a time, thinning and filling before going on to the next portion.
Now the fun begins. Settle back and enjoy making these tortelli. Don’t try to rush the experience. Sharing the adventure with like-minded friends makes shorter work of it. Have handy several large flat baskets covered with kitchen towels.
Cut the pasta into long strips about 4½ inches wide. Cut each strip in half lengthwise. Keep the strips of pasta covered with plastic wrap until you are ready to work with them. Create diamond shapes by cutting each of the strips on the diagonal, spacing the cuts every 2¼ inches, so that each diamond’s sides measure about 2¼ inches. Keep the cut pieces covered while you work with one or two. Put a narrow row (about 1 teaspoon) of filling in the center of a diamond.
Place the pasta with the long strip of filling perpendicular to you. Fold the two points of the diamond on the left and right of the row of filling over each other, covering the filling. Pinch together the two overlapping pieces of pasta, using your thumb and forefinger to make a row of pinched closures down the length of the pasta. As you pinch together the pasta, twist it slightly to create an undulating ridge. This pleating will form a rippling scalloped appearance.
Twist and seal the ends, creating the “tails.” Place them in a single layer, without touching, on the towel-lined baskets. Uncover more of the cut pasta and repeat the process. Once the first batch is done, stretch and thin the next portion of the dough, and continue.
Cooking and Serving the Turtei: Have a serving bowl and soup dishes warming in a low oven. Have a large colander ready for draining the tortelli. Bring the salted water to a strong boil. Drop in the pastas and cook until their tails are pleasingly firm to the bite yet tender enough to eat. If freshly made, they will take about 3 to 4 minutes. If they have been done up to 24 hours ahead, they may need 8 or 10 minutes. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a small saucepan.
Gently pour the cooked tortelli into the colander, taking care not to break them. Carefully pour about one third of the pastas into the heated serving bowl. Spoon a third of the butter over them, and then a generous sprinkling of the cheese. Top with another third, and more butter and cheese. Finally pour in the last portion, top it with the remaining butter and some more cheese, and serve immediately. Pass any leftover cheese separately.
Suggestions Wine: A white Pinot Grigio dei Colli Piacentini from the region, a Pinot Grigio from Friuli or the Veneto, or a young fresh white Lugana from Lombardy.
Menu: Tortelli with Tails are excellent before roasted meats or poultry, as well as Maria Bertuzzi’s Lemon Chicken or Porcini Veal Chops. I often hold back a few servings of turtei for a light supper the next day. A salad, some fruit, and white wine makes a fine meal.
Cook’s Notes Ricotta: A creamy ricotta with sweet flavor makes an important difference here. If high-quality ricotta is not available, consider making your own.
Variation: Tortelli with Tails are often served with Piacenza’s Porcini Tomato Sauce
Early 20th-century advertisement for Parma’s Barilla pasta
Il Collectionista, Milan
Lasagne Verdi al Forno
This is one of the most sumptuous yet restrained dishes found in Emilia-Romagna’s repertoire. Yes, the lasagne is rich. But for all its richness, the dish maintains an elegance rarely surpassed by any other lasagne in Italy.
Although strongly identified with Bologna, this lasagne is found throughout the region. Its ragù sauce may change slightly from one area to another, but the dish is always a vivid expression of the “less is more” philosophy of cooking. Mere films of béchamel sauce and meat ragù coat the sheerest spinach pasta. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese dusts each layer. There is nothing more; no ricotta, no piling on of meats, vegetables, or cheeses; little tomato, and no hot spice. Baking performs the final marriage of flavors. The results are splendid.
[Serves 8 to 10 as a first course, 6 to 8 as a main dish]
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour (organic stone-ground preferred)
22/3 cups milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
10 quarts salted water
1 recipe Spinach Pasta cut for lasagne, or 1 pound imported dried lasagne
1 recipe Country-Style Ragù
1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Method Working Ahead: The ragù and béchamel sauces can be made 3 days ahead; cover and refrigerate. The ragù also freezes well up to 1 month. The pasta can be rolled out, cut, and dried up to 24 hours before cooking. The assembled lasagne can wait at room temperature about 1 hour before baking. Do not refrigerate it before baking, as the topping of béchamel and cheese will overcook by the time the center is hot.
Making the Béchamel: Melt the butter in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Sprinkle with the flour and whisk until smooth. Stir without stopping about 3 minutes. Then whisk in the milk a little at a time, keeping the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow bubble, and stir 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes, or until all raw flour taste has disappeared. Season with salt, pepper, and a hint of nutmeg.
Assembling the Ingredients: Have the pasta, ragù sauce, béchamel, and cheese at hand. Have a large perforated skimmer and a large bowl of cold water next to the stove. Spread a double thickness of paper towels over a large counter space. Rewarm the sauces gently over medium heat. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil or butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish.
Cooking the Pasta: Bring the salted water to boil. Drop about four pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes. If you are using dried pasta, cook about 4 minutes, taste, and cook longer if necessary. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagne from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cool, lift out and dry on the paper towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.
Assembling the Lasagne: Spread a thin film of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of about four overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin film of béchamel (about 3 or 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin film of the Ragù. Sprinkle with about 1½ tablespoons of the cheese. Top with another layer and repeat the process. Reserve about 1/3 cup of the béchamel and about 1/3 cup of the cheese for the top of the lasagne. Spread the sauce to completely cover the last layer of pasta. Then top with a generous dusting of cheese.
Baking and Serving the Lasagne: Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center. Test by inserting a knife in the center. If it comes out very warm, the dish is ready. Take care not to brown the cheese topping. It should be melted, creamy-looking, and barely tinged with a little gold. Let the lasagne rest in the turned-off oven with the door ajar about 10 minutes. Then serve. This is not a solid lasagne, but a moist one that slips a bit when it is cut and placed on a dinner plate.
Suggestions Wine: From Emilia-Romagna, a full and generous red Cabernet Sauvignon Colli Bolognesi, a Sangiovese di Romagna Riserva, or a Barbarossa. From other parts of Italy, drink a round and rich Piemontese Barbera d’Alba, or a Tuscan Chianti Classico.
Menu: In Emilia-Romagna it is offered in small portions as a first course. I find it complex and interesting enough to also hold its own as a main dish. Keep the other dishes simple and direct. Everything should be a prelude or aftermath to the lasagne. Start with a few slices of salami or coppa and Balsamic Vegetables, or Spring Salad with Hazelnuts. Finish the meal with Baked Pears with Fresh Grape Syrup and Sweet Cornmeal Biscuits.
Variations: Other ragùs are also excellent in the lasagne. Try The Cardinal’s Ragù, A Lighter Contemporary Ragù Bolognese, or Baroque Ragù. For a meatless lasagne, Winter Tomato Sauce or Piacenza’s Porcini Tomato Sauce can stand in for the meat ragùs. Egg Pasta can be substituted for Spinach Pasta.
Cook’s Notes Dried Pasta: Boxed lasagne pasta should be as sheer as possible. See Pastas for guidelines.
It’s a Girl!
According to Emilia-Romagna folklorist Piero Camporesi, for many families in Emilia-Romagna a lasagne celebrated the birth of a girl.
Lasagne Duchi di Ferrara
Inspired by a 16th-century banquet dish, sheets of sheer pasta are layered with a ragù of chicken and sprinklings of nuts, raisins, spices, cheese, and a touch of cream. What emerges is a lasagne hinting at the extravagance and exotica of The Arabian Nights. Serve it whenever you want an uncommon dish that pasta lovers will applaud, yet one easily done in advance.
[Serves 6 to 8 as a first course, 4 to 6 as a main dish]
6 tablespoons golden raisins
1 cup hot water
10 quarts salted water
1 recipe Rosewater Maccheroni Romanesca cut for lasagne, or 1 pound imported dried lasagne
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 recipe Baroque Ragù
¾ cup heavy cream
6 thin slices Prosciutto di Parma, cut into finger-size strips
1¼ cups (5 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
6 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Ground cinnamon
Method Working Ahead: The ragù can be made up to 3 days ahead; cover and refrigerate. Or it can be frozen up to 1 month. The fresh pasta can be made early in the day and dried at room temperature. The lasagne can be assembled hours before baking. I prefer not to refrigerate lasagne before baking as the topping usually dries out before the interior is heated through.
Soaking the Raisins: Soak the raisins in the hot water about 30 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
Cooking the Pasta: Spread a double thickness of paper towels over a large counter space. Have a large perforated skimmer handy, and a large bowl of cold water near the pasta cooking pot. Bring the salted water to a fierce boil. Drop in about four pieces of pasta. Cook fresh pasta about 2 minutes, and dried pasta a bit longer. Taste the pasta, making sure it is only barely tender, as it will cook again in baking. Lift the sheets from the water with the skimmer, and drop them into the cold water to stop cooking. Lift out the cooled pasta sheets and dry them on paper towels. Keep repeating the process until all the pasta is cooked.
Assembling the Lasagne: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Use the 2 tablespoons butter to slather a shallow 3-quart baking dish. Drain the raisins, discarding their liquid. Spread 3 or 4 tablespoons of ragù over the bottom of the baking dish. Cover the ragù with sheets of cooked pasta, butting them side by side. Spread about a third of the ragù over the pasta. Top with another layer of pasta. Spread the sheets with 3 tablespoons of the cream. Sprinkle with half the prosciutto, 6 tablespoons of the cheese, 2 tablespoons of the raisins, and 3 tablespoons of the pine nuts. Sprinkle very lightly with a pinch of cinnamon.
Cover with another layer of pasta. Spread another third of the ragù over the pasta sheets, and cover the ragù with pasta. Again spread on 3 tablespoons cream, the rest of the prosciutto, 6 tablespoons cheese, 2 tablespoons raisins, and the rest of the pine nuts. Dust with a pinch of cinnamon. Cover with a final layer of pasta, and cover it with the remaining Ragù. (Do not be concerned if there are some pasta sheets left over. Cut them up into bite-size pieces and use them in soup or bean dishes.) In a medium bowl blend together the remaining cream, cheese, and raisins. Stir in a pinch of cinnamon. Spoon this sauce over the ragù, making parallel diagonal stripes atop the lasagne.
Baking and Serving: Cover the dish with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Slip it into the oven and bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out very warm or hot. Uncover and bake another 5 minutes. The top should be bubbly and creamy, not dried out or browned. Let the lasagne rest in the turned-off oven with the door ajar about 10 minutes. Serve it cut in squares, lifting the pieces out with a spatula. This is not a solid lasagne; it slips a bit as it is cut and placed on a dinner plate.
Suggestions Wine: A soft fruity red: the Piedmont’s Barbera d’Asti, Tuscany’s Rosso di Montalcino, or an elegant Chianti Classico Riserva.
Menu: Serve in small portions before Giovanna’s Wine-Basted Rabbit, Lemon Roast Veal with Rosemary, or Balsamic Roast Chicken. End the meal with Meringues of the Dark Lake, served with espresso. Offer as a main dish after Fresh Pears with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Balsamic Vinegar. Follow the lasagne with a simple green salad. Have the Strawberries in Red Wine for dessert.
Cook’s Notes Dried Pasta: Dried boxed lasagne should be as sheer as possible. See Pastas for guidelines.
Bolognese tavern sign, “The Rooster,” 17th century, by Giuseppe Maria Mitelli
Casa di Risparmio, Bologna
Maccheroni al Forno Cardinale Chiaramonti
It was the end of the 18th century when Imola’s Cardinal Chiaramonti enjoyed this meat ragù seasoned with cinnamon and pepper. Serve the penne at the start of a special dinner or as a main dish. This is a rare example of a meat and pasta dish that is not complemented by Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
[Serves 6 to 8 as a first course, 4 to 6 as a main dish]
1 recipe The Cardinal’s Ragù
6 quarts salted water
1 pound imported dried penne maccheroni, or 1 recipe Rosewater Maccheroni Romanesca
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Method Working Ahead: The ragù and pasta can be combined and put in the baking dish 24 hours before serving. Keep the dish covered and refrigerated. Remove it from the refrigerator about 1 hour before baking.
Cooking the Pasta: Have the ragù ready. Set a large colander in the sink. Bring the salted water to a vigorous boil. Cook the penne until it is just tender enough to be edible. It should be slightly undercooked, as it still has to be baked. Drain immediately.
Assembling and Baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Use the tablespoon of butter to grease a 2½-quart shallow baking dish. Taste the ragù for seasoning; it may need a pinch more cinnamon and/or pepper. Turn the pasta and ragù into a deep bowl, and toss to combine. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and cover with foil. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the casserole comes out warm.
Serving: Spoon the maccheroni into preheated soup dishes, and serve hot.
Suggestions Wine: A red Barbera from Emilia-Romagna, a Barbera d’Asti from the Piedmont, or a soft red Merlot of Friuli.
Menu: Serve the casserole, as either a first course or a main dish, after Spring Salad with Hazelnuts or Fresh Pears with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Balsamic Vinegar. If it is a first course, hold to the 18th-century theme with Christmas Capon. Make dessert Frozen Zuppa Inglese.
Lasagne of Wild and Fresh Mushrooms
Lasagne ai Funghi
During wild mushroom season in Emilia-Romagna, fresh porcini are sautéed, cooked with herbs and tomato or cream, and baked between hand-size sheets of fresh pasta. They make the simplest of lasagnes. Most contain very little meat. This is a melding of three recipes from the Bologna area, with dried porcini and fresh cultivated mushrooms replacing hard-to-find fresh porcini.
[Serves 8 to 10 as a first course, 6 to 8 as a main dish]
Porcini
1½ cups (1½ ounces) dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups hot water
Sauce
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, minced
1 ounce Prosciutto di Parma, finely chopped (optional)
¼ cup minced Italian parsley
1 pound fresh button mushrooms, sliced
1 large clove garlic, minced
2-inch branch fresh rosemary, or ½ teaspoon dried whole-leaf rosemary
4 fresh sage leaves, or 4 dried whole sage leaves
2/3 cup dry white wine
1½ to 2 pounds canned tomatoes, drained of most of their liquid and crushed
Pasta and Topping
6 quarts salted water
¾ recipe Egg Pasta cut for lasagne, or 12 ounces imported dried lasagne
1½ cups (6 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
½ cup heavy cream blended with ¼ cup milk
Method Working Ahead: The sauce can be made 2 days ahead; cover and refrigerate. The lasagne can be assembled several hours before baking. I prefer not to refrigerate lasagne before cooking, as the topping usually overcooks before the interior is heated through.
Preparing the Porcini: Rinse the dried mushroom pieces under cold running water to rid them of sand and particles. If mushroom pieces are small, rid them of sand by swishing them in a bowl of cold water. Pause for a moment, allowing the sand and particles to settle to the bottom of the bowl, then quickly scoop out the mushrooms with your hands. Repeat if necessary. Then place them in a medium-size bowl and cover with the hot water. Let stand 30 minutes, or until softened. Lift the mushrooms from the soaking liquid, squeeze out excess moisture, and coarsely chop. Line a small sieve with a paper towel for straining the liquid into the mushroom sauce.
Making the Sauce: Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, prosciutto, and parsley. Sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently, 5 minutes, or until the onion is barely tinged with gold. Add the fresh mushrooms and cook over high heat 10 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Stir in the chopped porcini, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook 2 minutes. Cook in the garlic and herbs 1 minute.
Strain the mushroom soaking liquid into the skillet. Let it bubble down over medium heat, 5 minutes, or until it forms a thin film on the bottom of the skillet. As the liquid simmers, use a wooden spatula to scrape up the brown glaze on the bottom of the pan. Add the wine and reduce it in the same manner, about 3 minutes. Once the wine has cooked down to a sheer film, add the tomatoes. Cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat 10 minutes, or until the sauce is richly flavored. If it is at all watery or lacking body, keep it bubbling over medium-high heat until reduced and intensified.
Cooking the Pasta and Assembling the Lasagne: Spread a double thickness of paper towels on a large counter space. Have a large bowl of cold water handy. Bring the salted water to a vigorous boil. Drop three or four sheets of lasagne into the boiling water, and cook until tender but still pleasingly firm to the bite. This will take about 2 minutes for fresh pasta, 4 or more for dried. Remove the sheets with a large skimmer or flat slotted spoon, and drop them in the cold water to stop the cooking. Then lift the sheets from the water and drain on the paper towels. Repeat with all the lasagne sheets. Lightly oil or butter a shallow 2½- to 3-quart baking dish. Have the sauce, cheese, pasta, and cream mixture close at hand. Film the bottom of the baking dish with a little of the sauce. Cover the sauce with overlapping sheets of pasta. Spread about ¼ to 1/3 cup of the sauce over the pasta, just enough to moisten the sheets. Sprinkle the sauce with 2 to 3 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat the layering, saucing, and sprinkling with cheese until you reach the top of the dish. All the mushroom sauce should be used up, and about 8 tablespoons of cheese will be left over. Blend the remaining cheese with the cream mixture, and spread it over the last layer of pasta. Lightly cover the lasagne with foil.
Baking and Serving: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the lasagne 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until bubbly. Turn off the oven, leave the door slightly ajar, and let the lasagne rest about 10 minutes. Cut the lasagne into squares, slipping a spatula under each portion to lift it to a dinner plate.
Suggestions Wine: A young Sangiovese di Romagna, a red Corvo of Sicily, or a light-bodied Chianti from Colline Pisane.
Menu: Serve the lasagne in small portions before Balsamic Roast Chicken, Giovanna’s Wine-Basted Rabbit, or Lemon Roast Veal with Rosemary. Serve as a main dish after “Little” Spring Soup from the 17th Century or Modena’s Spiced Soup of Spinach and Cheese. Have fresh fruit and Sweet Cornmeal Biscuits for dessert.
Cook’s Notes Fresh Wild Mushrooms: Fresh wild mushrooms are appearing frequently in American markets. Substitute one or a blend of the following for all or part of the 1 pound button mushrooms: porcini, cremini, parasol, grisette, Portobello, oyster, angel trumpets, lobster, or butter mushrooms. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth, and trim away stems. Oriental mushrooms, such as straw, shiitake, wood-ear, and enoki, are not appropriate in this dish.
Baked Maccheroni with Winter Tomato Sauce
Maccheroni al Forno
This is typical of baked maccheroni casseroles found throughout Emilia-Romagna, where each cook creates his or her own personal recipe. Mine improvises on several versions of the dish tasted in Ferrara and Correggio. Layers of sautéed mushrooms, tomato sauce, and sweet peas are sprinkled with nutty sheep cheese. Keep a few batches of Winter Tomato Sauce in the freezer to make quick work of putting this dish together. Assemble it one evening, and serve it the next as a one-dish dinner. The casserole is ideal for those seeking robust and satisfying dining without meat.
[Serves 6 to 8 as a first course, 4 to 6 as a main dish]
Mushrooms
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound small fresh button mushrooms, halved or quartered
3 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large clove garlic, minced
Sauce and Pasta
1 recipe Winter Tomato Sauce
½ cup heavy cream
11/3 cups fresh peas, cooked, or tiny frozen peas, defrosted
6 quarts salted water
1 pound dried imported penne, sedani, or fusilli maccheroni
½ cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces mild Italian sheep cheese (Lago Monate Pecorino, Fiore Sardo, Pecorino Crotonese)
Method Working Ahead: The casserole can be assembled up to 24 hours before serving. Cover it and refrigerate. Let the casserole stand 1 hour at room temperature before baking.
Sautéeing the Mushrooms: Heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat. Add the mushrooms and parsley, and cook over high heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, 3 minutes, or until they start giving off a little liquid. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, then add the garlic. Continue sautéing, turning often 8 minutes, or until the mushrooms are golden brown and all their liquid has evaporated. Allow to cool, and taste for seasoning.
Preparing the Sauce and Pasta: In a large bowl, combine the Winter Tomato Sauce, cream, and peas. Bring the salted water to a hard rolling boil. Drop in maccheroni and stir to separate the pieces. Cook at a fierce boil 12 minutes, or until the pasta is barely tender enough to eat, still a little underdone. Drain thoroughly in a colander. Fold the pasta into the sauce, along with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Assembling and Baking: Use the 1 tablespoon olive oil to grease a 2½-quart shallow baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread half the pasta in the baking dish. Spoon all of the mushrooms over the pasta. Using a vegetable peeler, shave half the sheep cheese over the mushrooms. Cover with the remaining pasta, then top with shavings of the rest of the cheese.
Cover the dish lightly with foil, and bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out warm. Uncover the dish and bake another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted but not browned. Serve hot in warmed soup dishes.
Suggestions Wine: An uncomplicated Sangiovese di Romagna, a young Dolcetto d’Alba or Barbera d’Asti from the Piedmont, or a young Merlot from Friuli.
Menu: Have a few slices of coppa and salami with Balsamic Vegetables, or Spring Salad with Hazelnuts, before serving the maccheroni as a main dish. If you are serving it as a first course, follow with the Herbed Seafood Grill, Grilled Winter Endives, or Balsamic Roast Chicken.
Cook’s Notes Variation: Bring another dimension to the mushrooms by substituting Piacenza’s Porcini Tomato Sauce for the Winter Tomato Sauce.
It’s a Boy!
According to Emilia-Romagna folklorist Piero Camporesi, hollow maccheroni like penne were served to celebrate the birth of a male child.
Pasticcio di Tortellini con Crema di
Cannella
A lavish piece of the past, this tall pie with its sweet crust and layering of tortellini, ragù, and tiny meatballs is well-known feasting food in Emilia-Romagna, especially in Bologna and Romagna. What sets this recipe apart is the sweet, cinnamon-scented custard that is added just before the top crust is put in place. It accents the meaty flavors of the pie’s filling.
Save tortellini pie for the most important of occasions. Although time-consuming to make, it is fully worth the effort. Prepare in easy stages. Each component can be done days ahead, and the pie is assembled and in the oven before guests arrive. The meatballs, ragù, and custard also stand on their own, as a fine antipasto, a dressing for pasta, and a sauce for desserts.
[Serves 12 as a first course, 8 to 10 as a main dish]
Pastry
3½ cups (14 ounces) all-purpose unbleached flour (organic stone-ground preferred)
1 cup (4 ounces) cake flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (5 ounces) sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
11 tablespoons (5½ ounces) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into chunks
3 large egg yolks
5 to 8 tablespoons dry white wine
Method Working Ahead: The pastry can be made 2 days ahead; wrap and refrigerate. Or freeze it up to 3 months. The custard keeps, covered, in the refrigerator 3 days, but it cannot be frozen. The meatballs can be made a day ahead and refrigerated overnight. Do not freeze them. The Baroque Ragù can be refrigerated, covered, up to 3 days, and frozen up to 1 month. Skim the fat from it before using.
Food Processor Method: Combine the dry ingredients and the lemon zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Blend 10 seconds. Add the butter, and process with the on/off pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Turn off the machine. In a small bowl, beat together the yolks and 5 tablespoons of the wine. Add the mixture to the processor. Process with the on/off pulse until the dry ingredients are moistened and the dough begins to collect in clumps. If the dough seems dry, sprinkle with 2 or more tablespoons of wine, and process a second or two. Turn the pastry out onto a counter, gather it into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill at least 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before rolling it out.
Hand Method: Using a fork, mix together the dry ingredients and the lemon zest in a large bowl. Add the butter. Use your fingertips to rub together the flour and butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Do not worry if there are a few larger pieces of butter. Make a well in the center; add the yolks and 5 tablespoons of wine. Beat the liquids with the fork to thoroughly blend. Toss with the dry ingredients. Avoid stirring or beating, which toughens the dough. If the dough is dry, sprinkle with another 2 or more tablespoons of wine, and toss to moisten. Once the dough is moist enough to be gathered into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before rolling it out.
Cinnamon Custard
4 egg yolks
5 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons plus 2½ teaspoons all-purpose unbleached flour (organic stone-ground preferred)
Dash of salt
2 cups milk, scalded
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 generous pinches of ground cinnamon
Cooking the Custard: In a heavy nonaluminum 3- to 4-quart saucepan, whisk together the yolks and sugar until light in color. Beat in the flour and salt. Slowly whisk in the hot milk until the custard is smooth. Set the saucepan over medium heat, and stir constantly with a wooden spatula to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Cook 3 minutes, or until the custard comes to a bubble. Then stir continuously at a slow bubble another 5 minutes, or until the custard is thick enough to coat the spatula with a sheet of custard that does not slip off easily. Check for doneness by tasting and making sure there is no flavor of raw flour. Pour the custard through a strainer into a bowl, stir in the butter and cinnamon, and cool. Lay a film of plastic wrap over the surface of the custard, and refrigerate it.
Meatballs
2 to 3 ounces Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, cut in chunks
7 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
1 large clove garlic
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
10 ounces chicken thighs, boned, skinned, and cut into chunks
6 ounces pancetta, chopped
10 ounces ground lean beef round
1 tablespoon imported Italian tomato paste
¼ cup dried bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
About ½ cup water
Preparing the Meatballs: Grate the cheese in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the parsley, garlic, and onion. Run the processor about 3 seconds to mince but not purée the ingredients. Drop in the chicken pieces and pancetta. Use the on/off pulse to grind quite fine. Add the beef and process only a second or two. Turn everything into a bowl, and blend in the tomato paste, bread crumbs, egg, salt, and pepper. Shape into 1-inch balls.
Cooking the Meatballs: Line a baking sheet with a triple thickness of paper towels. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook half the meatballs 7 to 8 minutes, or until dark brown and crusty on all sides. Lift out the browned meatballs with a slotted spoon, and drain on the paper towels. Repeat with the second batch. Once they are cooked and drained, place in a bowl. Pour all the fat out of the pan, and add the water. Bring to a boil, scraping up the brown bits in the pan, and boil down to about 4 tablespoons. Pour this over the meatballs, and cool. Cover and refrigerate.
Assembling and Baking the Pie
Unsalted butter
Sweet Pastry
1 recipe Tortellini, or 2½ pounds store-bought meat-filled tortellini
8 quarts Quick Stock or water
Salt
Double recipe Baroque Ragù
1½ cups (6 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 eggs, beaten
Meatballs
Cinnamon Custard
Lemon leaves, spruce sprigs, grapes, or sprigs of bay leaves for garnish
Method Working Ahead: The pastry dough must be rolled out 1 hour before assembling the pie. Although the pie cannot be assembled far in advance, it requires about 1½ hours of unattended baking and resting before serving. This allows plenty of time for conversation, drinks, and a first course.
Preparing the Pastry: Butter the bottom, sides, and rim of a 10½- to 11-inch springform pan. On a floured surface, roll out two thirds of the pastry to form a 1/8-inch-thick round. Fit it into the springform pan, covering the bottom and sides. Trim the edges at the rim so there is a 1-inch overhang. Save the scraps for decorations. Roll out the remaining dough to about 1/8 inch thick, and trim it to form a 13-inch round. Cover a cookie sheet with foil, and lift the pastry onto it. Arrange the scraps around the pastry. Chill both pastries about 30 minutes.
Cooking the Tortellini: Stock is the traditional cooking medium here. It can be saved for future use once the tortellini are drained. If you are using water instead of stock, add 2 tablespoons salt. Bring the stock or water to a fierce boil. Drop in the tortellini and cook 3 to 8 minutes, or until tender but firm enough to have resilience or “bite.” Drain well and turn into a large bowl.
Assembling: Gently warm the ragù. Wrap the meatballs in foil and warm them 10 minutes in a 350°F oven. Remove the meatballs and turn the heat to 400°F. Add two thirds of the ragù (save the rest for another use) to the tortellini, along with half the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and about two thirds of the beaten egg. Gently fold together until well blended.
Take the springform pan and cookie sheet out of the refrigerator. Spoon half the meatballs over the bottom of the crust, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of cheese. Spread half the tortellini over the meatballs pressing them down gently with the back of a large spoon. Top with the remaining meatballs and another spoonful of cheese. Add the remaining tortellini, gently pressing them into the filling with the back of the large spoon. Dust with the rest of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Spread the cinnamon custard over all. Brush the overhanging crust with beaten egg. Seal the reserved pastry round to the rim of the pie by pinching the two pieces together. Form a thick upstanding rim by rolling the edge in toward the center of the pie. Crimp or flute all around the crust. Brush the entire surface with more beaten egg.
Decorating the Crust: Roll out the leftover dough. Cut 4-inch-long ovals of dough to resemble long California bay leaves. Cut a 1-inch-diameter steam hole in the center of the crust, and arrange the leaves in a sunburst pattern around it, overlapping them slightly toward the center. Small leaves could be arranged in clusters around the pie’s rim. Brush all the decorations with beaten egg, and set the pie on a baking sheet.
Baking: Place the baking sheet in the lower third of the oven, and bake 40 minutes. Lower the heat to 350°F and bake another 40 minutes. Let the pie stand in the turned-off oven with the door open halfway 10 to 20 minutes before serving.
The Presentation: Unmold by setting the springform pan on three large cans. Release the springform and let it drop down to the counter. Place the pie on a large silver tray or china platter garnished with clusters of lemon leaves, spruce sprigs, grapes, or bouquets of fresh bay leaves. Cut the pie at the table.
Suggestions Wine: The sweet undertones of this dish present challenges in selecting a wine. An aged red Recioto della Valpolicella Amarone from the Veneto is ideal with the pie.
Menu: Although traditionally a first course at festive meals, the pie is a spectacular main dish for buffets and special dinners. In keeping with the pie’s lineage, start with Almond Spice Broth. Afterward pass platters of fresh fennel and chunks of Parmigiano-Reggiano to eat with the last of the red wine. Dessert could be Strawberries in Red Wine or Meringues of the Dark Lake.
Cook’s Notes Store-Bought Tortellini: Look for fresh or frozen tortellini made with pasta sheer enough to detect the filling through it. Dried tortellini sold in boxes and needing no refrigeration are unacceptable.
A Little Renaissance Dinner
It was a cold afternoon in January, 1529. The turreted Este Castle in Ferrara’s main square appeared and disappeared in billows of fog. Outside all was gray and icy. Inside, one of Ferrara’s state banquets was about to begin. On the surface it was Don Ercole d’Este honoring his father, Alfonso, the Duke of Ferrara. But the banquet was really about the power of the Este family, about displaying Ferrara’s wealth to the important guests—ambassadors of the Venetian Senate and the Archbishop of Milan among them. One hundred and four sat down to a dinner that expressed every bit of the magnificence the Este court was famous for. Leonardo da Vinci had stated that Ferrara possessed “the most brilliant and enlightened court in Europe.”
Over 120 dishes were served in ten courses. Specially composed music marked each service. Ariosto, the poet and playwright of the day, presented a new comedy. The main table was decorated with tall-sided pies, whose fancy crusts were gilded in golden egg yolk. Few dishes surviving today so vividly express the grandeur and glamour of those times. Records of Italian court life during the Medieval and Renaissance eras tell of many types of elaborate and savory pies. The legacy of pastry, sugar, and spice from the Arab world gave birth to these fantastical creations. Sugar was a status symbol. It was used with abandon. Sweet crusts enclosing savory/sweet fillings were the fashion of the day. Many were designed to be show-stoppers: when their lids were lifted, flocks of live birds flew out. Some fillings contained 3 pounds each of butter and salt pork, four roast pigeons, juice of sour grapes, saffron, nutmeg, cloves, and handfuls of cinnamon and pepper. Others still sound feasible to modern palates, like the simplicity of veal sautéed with lemon and pistachios.
Savory pies still mark important occasions in Emilia-Romagna. Sweet crusts have survived, but the fillings generally center on pasta; stuffed ones in Bologna and Romagna; hollow maccheroni in the rest of the region. The recipe for this Unusual Tortellini Pie is adapted from one handed down through a Bolognese family. The pie illustrates the evolution of these dishes from the Renaissance to today. The custard’s sweetness and spice keeps that Arab legacy intact, while the meat ragù reflects the 18th and 19th centuries, with its wine, broth, and tomato instead of sour grape juice and spices. The cream in the ragù sauce marks the 20th century by replacing the traditional béchamel.
Domed Maccheroni Pie of Ferrara
Pasticcio di Maccheroni
From the tables of Ferrara’s 18th-century nobility, this domed pie is still popular today. Under a sweet crust is maccheroni in a creamy sauce, studded with porcini mushrooms and a chunky ragù.
The pie was created in 1700, when a papal legation arrived in Ferrara with much pomp and feasting. Its dome shape, inspired by the priests’ hats, was a tribute to the churchmen. It is still the traditional first course of Ferrara’s weddings and holiday dinners, and Pasticcio di Maccheroni always marks Fat Tuesday and the last Sunday of Carnival before Lent. Some cooks use fresh local white truffles instead of the wild mushrooms. This particular recipe is a melding of two family versions shared by Ferrarese linguist Riccardo Rimondi.
[Serves 10 as a first course, 6 to 8 as a main dish]
Mushrooms
2 cups (2 ounces) dried porcini mushrooms
1½ cups hot water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Béchamel
3 cups milk
1 medium onion, sliced
½ teaspoon white peppercorns, crushed
½ teaspoon whole cloves, crushed
2 California bay laurel leaves
5 tablespoons (2½ ounces) unsalted butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour (organic stone-ground preferred)
Salt and freshly grated white pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
Pastry
3½ cups (14 ounces) all-purpose unbleached flour (organic stone-ground preferred)
1 cup (4 ounces) cake flour
½ cup (3½ ounces) sugar
Pinch of salt
10 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, chilled
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
Pasta, Ragù, and Cheese
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 quarts salted water
1 pound dried imported penne rigate (ribbed narrow tubular maccheroni)
1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 recipe Meat Ragù with Marsala
Garnish
1 egg, beaten
Fresh lemon leaves, bay leaves, laurel leaves, or ivy
Method Working Ahead: Prepare each part of the dish well ahead, and then assemble it shortly before baking. The mushrooms, béchamel, and ragù will hold, covered, in the refrigerator up to 3 days. (The ragù can be frozen up to 1 month.) The pastry dough can be made 3 days ahead; wrap and refrigerate.
Preparing the Mushrooms: Porcini can be sandy, so first swish them in a bowl of cold water. Pause for a moment, allowing the particles to settle to the bottom of the bowl, then quickly scoop out the mushrooms with your hands. Repeat two times. Put the mushrooms in another bowl and cover with the hot water. Soak 30 minutes, or until softened. Lift out the mushrooms, squeezing them to release as much liquid as possible. Reserve the soaking water. Coarsely chop. Heat the 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and small onion, and sauté 3 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Strain the soaking liquid through a paper-towel-lined sieve, measuring out the 2/3 cup needed for the ragù.
Making the Béchamel: This old-style recipe produces an especially aromatic version of béchamel. Combine the milk with the onion, white peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaves in a 4-quart pot. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, and remove from the heat. In another 3- to 4-quart pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour and cook about 5 minutes, stirring, adjusting the heat so the flour does not color. Strain the milk into the flour mixture and raise the heat to medium. Whisk continuously, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce comes to a gentle bubble. Keep whisking as the sauce bubbles, 5 to 8 minutes. The béchamel is ready when any raw flour taste has disappeared and the sauce is thick enough to generously coat a spoon. Season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. If you are not using the béchamel soon, allow it to cool, cover the surface with a sheet of plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
Making the Dough by Hand: Stir the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Using only your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal with occasional shales of flour-coated butter. Hollow out a well in the flour, and add the eggs and yolks. Beat the eggs with a fork to blend them. Then gradually toss them with the flour/butter mixture until the dough is moistened. Do not stir or beat, and don’t worry if the dough looks rough. Gather it into a ball, wrap, and chill at least 30 minutes.
Making the Dough in a Food Processor: Combine the dry ingredients in the processor, add the butter, and process with the on/off pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Add the eggs and yolks, and blend with the on/off pulse until the mixture starts to gather in clumps. Turn it out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, gather into a ball, wrap, and chill at least 30 minutes.
Assembling the Pie: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Allow the mushrooms, ragù and béchamel to come to room temperature if they were chilled. Grease the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan with the tablespoon of butter. Roll out one third of the pastry to form a round about ¼ to 1/8 inch thick. Trim it to a 13-inch circle. Fit it into the bottom of the pan, forming a 1½-inch border up the sides (the dough is fragile, so do not hesitate to press it into the pan if it breaks). Chill about 30 minutes. Line the chilled pastry with foil, weight it with dried beans or rice, and bake 10 minutes. Remove the liner and weights, prick the crust with a fork, and bake 5 more minutes. Allow it to cool. Leave the oven on.
Bring the salted water to a fierce boil. Drop in the pasta and cook, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes, or until barely tender (it still has to bake inside the pie). Drain thoroughly in a colander, and turn into a large bowl. Blend the béchamel and half the cheese into the pasta. Fold in the mushrooms, but do not blend them in totally. Spread half the pasta mixture over the bottom crust (still in the springform pan). Top it with half the ragù, and sprinkle with half the remaining cheese. Top the ragù with half the remaining pasta, forming a domed mound. Spread the rest of the ragù and cheese over the pasta. Then top everything with the pasta that is left. Use the back of a large spoon to gently compress the layers into a tall dome shape.
Roll out the remaining pastry to form a large round. Set the springform pan on several large cans. Release and slip off the sides. Then transfer the pasticcio, still on the springform bottom, to a baking sheet. Brush the outside of the pastry base with beaten egg. Lay the rolled-out pastry over the mound, sealing it to the egg-covered base. Trim the top pastry so there is a 1-inch border around the pie. Roll it up to form a crimped rim around the base of the dome. This decorative rim should almost entirely cover any sign of the springform pan base.
Brush the crust with beaten egg. Using a fluted biscuit cutter, cut out several different-size rounds from leftover dough, and arrange them in a geometric pattern over the top of the pie (if the dough broke while it was being laid over the pie, pinch the breaks together and cover them with decoration). Make four slits near the top of the pie, and brush it again with egg. Slip the baking sheet onto the middle rack of the oven.
Bake 20 minutes at 425°F. Lower the heat to 375°F and bake 35 to 40 minutes more, or until the pastry is deep golden brown. Turn the oven off, leave the door ajar, and let the pie rest in the oven 10 minutes (not much longer, as it will dry out). Set it on a large round platter, and garnish with clusters of fresh lemon leaves, bay leaves, laurel leaves, or ivy. Serve hot.
Suggestions Wine: From Emilia-Romagna, pour a white Albana di Romagna Secco or a red Sangiovese di Romagna Riserva. From other parts of Italy, drink a white Tocai from Friuli, or a soft red Merlot from Friuli or the Veneto’s Colli Berici.
Menu: Serve the pasticcio after Modena’s Spiced Soup of Spinach and Cheese, following it with a green salad of lettuces and fresh herbs, and a dessert of Meringues of the Dark Lake, served with fresh fruit. The pie also is an attractive buffet centerpiece. Instead of soup, offer Marinated Baby Onions, Mousse of Mortadella, and Salad of Tart Greens with Prosciutto and Warm Balsamic Dressing.
Banquet tables arranged around a free-standing centerpiece
Il Collectionista, Milan