Harry’s Bar Cookbook

The simplest—and some say the best—way to prepare egg pasta. It should go without saying that the pasta, butter, and cheese must all be nothing less than perfect.

¾ pound dried tagliolini or tagliatelle (egg pasta) (330 g)

¾ cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened (170 g)

6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (45 g), plus extra to pass at the table

freshly ground pepper (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the boiling water, add the pasta and cook for 2 minutes or until al dente. Drain the pasta. Put the softened butter and the grated cheese into the hot pot, return the pasta to the pot, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or a fork for 2 or 3 minutes, until everything is creamy and well combined. Season with a little salt and a grind or 2 of pepper if you wish.

Put the pasta in a heated serving dish. Serve immediately, passing around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

Italian: Arneis “Blange”—Ceretto

American: Chardonnay—Mondavi

TAGLIOLINI ALLE ERBE

Egg Pasta with Olive Oil and Herbs

Almost any combination of fresh herbs is suitable in this dish—it’s even good with parsley alone. Angelo, a waiter at Harry’s Bar for many years and a special favorite with Truman Capote, had very strong opinions about food and always liked to tell the customers what they should eat. Since he was usually on a diet, he strongly recommended noodles with oil and parsley—and that’s what everyone ordered!

¼ cup olive oil (60 ml)

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 fresh thyme sprig, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves

¼ cup peeled, seeded, and finely diced plum tomato (60 ml)

¾ pound dried tagliolini or tagliatelle (egg pasta) (330 g) or 1 pound spaghetti (450 g)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (30 g)

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (30 g) plus extra to pass at the table

Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you assemble the ingredients and chop the herbs and tomatoes. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the parsley, the thyme, oregano, rosemary, basil, tomato, and some salt and pepper and cook for a minute or so.

Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta—egg pasta for 2 minutes, spaghetti for about 8 minutes, or until al dente—and drain well in a colander.

Add the pasta, the softened butter, and the Parmesan to the sauce in the skillet and toss well. Transfer to a heated platter and garnish with the remaining parsley. Serve immediately and pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

Italian: Arneis—Giacosa

American: Chardonnay—Vichon

TAGLIOLINI GRATINATI AL PROSCIUTTO

Egg Pasta with Ham au Gratin

This dish is one of the few combinations of French and Italian cuisines on our menu. The pasta and the ham are Italian; the sauce and the cooking method are French. It has become a classic of Harry’s Bar because everybody likes it so much.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter (45 g)

½ cup (about 2 ounces) prosciutto, cut into julienne strips (60 g)

¾ pound dried tagliolini or tagliatelle (egg pasta) (330 g)

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (65 g) plus extra to pass at the table

½ cup Béchamel Sauce (125 ml)

Preheat the broiler.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a tablespoon of salt.

Melt 1 tablespoon (15 g) of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ham and cook it for a minute or 2, stirring constantly. Cook the pasta in the boiling water for 2 minutes or until al dente. Drain it well in a colander, and put it in the skillet. Toss it with the ham, add another tablespoon (15 g) of the butter, sprinkle with half the Parmesan, and toss well.

Spread the pasta evenly in a 2-quart (2 liter) ovenproof casserole. Spoon the sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Cut the remaining butter into bits and scatter over the top. Broil as close as possible to the heat source until golden and bubbly, about 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately and pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

WINE NOTES

Italian: Tocai—Livio Felluga

American: Chardonnay—Bel Arbors

Talking About Olive Oil

Olive oil is to Italy what Scotch whiskey is to Scotland. It is strong and comes in countless varieties; everyone has his favorite. North, south, east, and west, olive oil is produced all over Italy. The oil of Puglia is heavy. They say that’s because they let the very ripe olives fall to the ground before they’re harvested. The oil of Tuscany is lighter; that of Lake Garda is also light and very green. The lightest of all is the oil from Genoa and the Italian Riviera. This olive oil is the one we use in Harry’s Bar.

The choice of olive oil is completely a matter of taste. Recently, extra-virgin olive oil has been “discovered,” and some people think you have to use it for everything. But it has a very strong flavor, and I think it should be used judiciously, usually mixed with regular olive oil, especially for salad or in dishes where the flavor of the oil might overpower the flavors of the food it is intended to season.

Olive oil not only tastes good; it is good for you, and it is an ideal cooking oil. It’s the only oil that doesn’t change its molecular structure at high temperatures, which means that foods fried in olive oil are much lighter than those fried in other oils.

At Harry’s Bar, when we think the flavor of olive oil might be too dominant, we will cook a dish with olive oil but add some butter at the end to bring out the flavor. Fegato alla Veneziana is a case in point.

TAGLIOLINI ALLA PRIMAVERA

Egg Pasta Primavera

There is a feud going on between two New York restaurateurs over which of them invented this famous dish. One insists that the recipe appeared on the other’s menu only after the latter had dined at his restaurant and eaten the dish. Like many gastronomic disputes, this one will never be resolved. All I can say is that at Harry’s Bar Risotto alla Primavera has been on our menu for more than 30 years; the substitution of pasta for rice would seem to indicate that his recipe is a variation on ours!

3 cups cooked Vegetables Primavera (750 ml)

½ cup Tomato Sauce (125 ml)

¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves (3 g)

¾ pound dried white tagliolini or tagliatelle (egg pasta) (330 g) or I pound spaghetti (450 g)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (30 g)

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (30 g) plus extra to pass at the table

¼ teaspoon curry powder

salt

freshly ground pepper

Heat the vegetables with the tomato sauce in a large skillet and stir in half the basil. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Add salt to the boiling water and cook the pasta for 2 minutes (8 minutes for spaghetti) or until al dente. Drain well in a colander. Add the cooked pasta, softened butter, Parmesan, and curry powder to the vegetables and toss well. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with the remaining chopped basil, and pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

WINE NOTES

Italian: Pinot Grigio—Livio Felluga

American: Chardonnay Reserve—Fetzer

TAGLIOLINI ALLA SBIRAGLIA

Egg Pasta with Chicken and Vegetable Sauce

In Venice it is against the law for children to play football in the streets, so the players are constantly on the lookout for the police. When they see them coming, they shout “Sbiraglia!” as they scatter in all directions. I have no idea why this Venetian slang word has been given to this dish.

For the chicken and vegetable sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound/450 g)

½ teaspoon curry powder

¼ cup brandy (60 ml)

2 to 3 cups cooked Vegetables Primavera (500 to 750 ml)

¾ pound dried white tagliolini or tagliatelle (egg pasta) (330 g)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened (15 g)

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (30 g) plus extra to pass at the table

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil and cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until it is golden and cooked through. Remove it from the pan and cut it into small dice. Return the chicken to the pan and add the curry powder and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for a minute or so, pour on the brandy, warm it, and carefully ignite it. Cook until the flames die out. Add the vegetables and toss well. Set aside ½ cup (125 ml) of the sauce for garnish.

Salt the boiling water, add the pasta, and cook for 2 minutes or until al dente. Drain well in a colander and add it to the skillet with the butter and Parmesan. Toss well, transfer to a heated platter, and garnish with the reserved sauce. Pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

WINE NOTES

Italian: Soave—Pieropan

American: Chardonnay—“Wildwood Hill” Sebastiani Estates

TAGLIARDI COL PESTO

Egg Pasta with Basil Sauce

This sauce comes from Genoa, which is famous for its basil. The gentle climate of the Italian Riviera gives Genoese basil a particular flavor that is different from all other basil, but this sauce is very good made with any fresh basil you can get.

Although it keeps well in the refrigerator and freezes successfully, pesto is best when made 24 hours before using it.

4 cups fresh basil leaves (about 60 g)

1 garlic clove

2 cups flat-leaf parsley (about 30 g)

2 tablespoons pignoli (pine nuts)

freshly ground black pepper

Egg Pasta with Wild Mushrooms

1 recipe white tagliardi, fresh or dried

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (130 g) plus extra to pass at the table

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Place the basil leaves, garlic, parsley, pignoli, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process, scraping down the sides of the container with a rubber spatula. Gradually add the oil and process until the pesto is well blended. Transfer the puree to a bowl.

Add salt to the boiling water and cook the pasta for 4 minutes or until al dente. Drain well in a colander.

Put half the pesto in a warmed large serving bowl; add the pasta and sprinkle on the Parmesan. Mix gently, taste, and add more pesto if you wish. Pass the remaining pesto separately. Serve immediately, passing around a small bowl of Parmesan cheese.

WINE NOTES

Italian: Vernaccia di San Gimignano—Pietrafitta

American: Chardonnay—Acacia

TAGLIOLINI CON FUNGHI

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 g)

2 cups (about ½ pound) thinly sliced shütake or other wild mushrooms (225 g)

1 small garlic clove, chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

½ cup heavy cream (125 ml)

½ cup Tomato Sauce (125 ml)

salt

freshly ground black pepper

¾ pound dried tagliolini or tagliatelle (egg pasta) (330 g)

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (20 g) plus extra to pass at the table

1 cup Béchamel Sauce (250 ml)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are tender and the mushroom liquid has evaporated—about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for 30 seconds. Add the white wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the tomato sauce, and simmer for 2 minutes more. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Preheat the broiler.

Add a tablespoon of salt to the boiling water, cook the pasta for 2 minutes or until al dente, and drain well in a colander.

Toss the pasta with the mushroom mixture, add 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, and toss well. Spread the pasta evenly in a warmed shallow baking dish, spread on the béchamel, and top with the remaining Parmesan. Broil 3 inches (8 cm) from the heat source for 2 to 3 minutes, turning the pan as necessary to brown it evenly. Serve immediately, passing around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

WINE NOTES

Italian: Dolcetto—Ratti

American: Merlot—Clos du Val

Talking About Truffles

One day in Harry’s Bar a lady sat at the bar looking at a bowl of exotic crudités just behind her. She stepped down from the bar, picked one up, and casually crunched it with her drink. I asked her if she liked it. “Not really,” she said. I replied, “You’ve just eaten one hundred dollars’ worth of truffles.”

In a way you can compare white truffles with all the best things in life. Like whiskey or caviar, great music or poetry, you may not appreciate them the first time you taste them. The characteristic aroma of white truffles is very pungent; it’s an experience you have to grow into. But once you have cultivated a taste for truffles, you will join those who look forward all year to their brief season—mid-September through December.

In Italy we usually know if it’s going to be a good season for truffles when we see the first wild mushrooms late in August. If they are good and plentiful, then the truffles will be too, and they’ll be relatively less expensive. They are weighed like jewels at the truffle market. The price varies from year to year, although it tends to go higher and higher. There is a limit, though, that one should keep in mind: Truffles should never cost more than silver.

Since truffles are so rare and expensive, you must be sure to choose only the best when you buy them. Good truffles are pale beige, the paler the better. They should feel very firm; never buy a truffle that is even a little soft. Good truffles might have worms. Leave the truffles at room temperature for a few minutes, and the worms will come crawling out. Don’t worry—they’re harmless. Each truffle should be about the size of an egg and should weigh at least 50 grams (a little less than 2 ounces).

Try to serve truffles as soon as possible after you get them—they don’t keep very well. When a truffle has gone bad, it smells like a leaking gas pipe. One night at Harry’s Bar we threw out some spoiled truffles; a customer with a very sensitive nose insisted there was a gas leak and left the restaurant. If you have to keep truffles for a while, wrap them in newspaper, then in foil. Put the wrapped truffles in a covered jar half filled with sea salt, in the coldest part of the refrigerator, and change the salt every other day.

If you go to the expense of buying truffles, buy a truffle slicer at the same time. The slicer is inexpensive and is the only tool that can slice a truffle as it should be sliced—paper-thin.

White truffles are equally delicious with tagliolini and risotto.

TAGLIOLINI CON TARTUFI

Egg Pasta with White Truffles

This is an exceptionally luxurious dish—the more truffles you have, the more wonderful it will be. Commercially produced truffle butter is a nice addition, but don’t worry if you can’t find it.

at least ¼ pound white truffles (110 g)

¾ pound dried white tagliolini or tagliatelle (egg pasta) (330 g)

¾ cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, softened (170 g)

½ teaspoon truffle butter (optional)

6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (45 g)

Clean the truffles by carefully brushing away all dirt and small stones clinging to them. Do not use water.

Put 6 plates in a 200° (95/ ¼) oven to warm.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the boiling water, add the pasta, and cook for 2 minutes or until al dente. Drain the pasta. Put the softened butter, truffle butter, and cheese in the hot pot, return the pasta to the pot, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or fork for 2 or 3 minutes, until everything is creamy and well combined. Season the pasta with a little salt.

Serve the pasta on the heated plates and, using a truffle slicer, shave about 20 slices of truffle over each portion. Reserve the remaining truffles until half of each portion has been eaten, then shave a little more truffle over each plate to renew the flavor.

If you are lucky enough to have a few small truffles in addition to those large enough for slicing, prepare the pasta as follows, using the same quantities of ingredients.

Clean all the truffles. Using a very sharp knife, chop the small truffles very fine. Put the chopped truffles, the butter, and the truffle butter in a flameproof serving dish. While the pasta is cooking, heat the butter just until it foams. Drain the pasta, put it in the serving dish, sprinkle on a little grated Parmesan, and toss to combine well. Serve the pasta on the heated plates and shave the large truffles over all.

Italian: Barolo “Zonchera”—Ceretto

American: Cabernet—Clos du Val

TAGLIOLINI CON SCAMPI E ZUCCHINI

Egg Pasta with Shrimp and Zucchini

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ pound fresh young zucchini, cut into 1-inch by ¼-inch (2½ cm by ⅔ cm) strips (225 g)

1 pound (about 30) medium shrimps, shelled, deveined, and cut in half (450 g)

⅛ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

¾ pound dried white tagliolini or tagliatelle (egg pasta) (330 g)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (30 g)

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (30 g) plus extra to pass at the table

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, let it cook until golden, about 30 seconds, and discard it. Add the zucchini and cook for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp, pepper flakes, and some salt and cook for 3 minutes, tossing constantly, until the shrimp are bright pink and firm to the touch. Reserve ¼ cup of the mixture for garnish. Set aside.

Salt the boiling water, add the pasta, and cook for 2 minutes or until al dente. Drain well in a colander.

Toss the pasta with the zucchini-and-shrimp mixture, add the butter and the Parmesan, and toss well. Transfer to a heated serving platter and garnish with the reserved shrimp-and-zucchini mixture. Pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

TAGLIOLINI CON SCAMPI E CARDI

Egg Noodles with Shrimp and Cardoons

Substitute 1½ pounds (675 g) cardoons for the zucchini. Trim and blanch the cardoons as directed on in the recipe for Cardoon Soup. Cut the pieces of cardoon into ¼-inch (⅔ cm) strips and cook them in the garlic-flavored oil for 2 or 3 minutes. Then add ¼ cup (60 ml) hot fish stock or water, cover the pan, and cook for a few minutes more, until the cardoons are very tender. Add the shrimp and proceed with the recipe.

WINE NOTES

Italian: Pinot Grigio—Marco Felluga

American: Chardonnay—Carneros Creek

TAGLIOLINI CON ASTICE ARMORICAINE

Pasta with Lobster Armoricaine

⅛ teaspoon powdered saffron

Make this dish when you have some pieces of lobster and some leftover sauce from Astice Armoricaine. Be sure you have at least ½ cup (125 ml) of lobster meat—but the more the better. If you have leftover lobster but no sauce, make the shrimp sauce for seafood ravioli using shrimp shells instead of lobster shells.

½ to 2 cups lobster meat

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 g)

2 tablespoons brandy

1½ cups Armoricaine Sauce (375 ml)

salt

¾ pound dried tagliolini or tagliatelle (egg pasta) (330 g)

freshly ground pepper

chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

In a large skillet, heat the lobster meat gently in the butter. Pour on the brandy, heat it, and carefully ignite it. When the flames die out, add the Armoricaine Sauce to the pan and warm it gently.

Salt the water and cook the pasta for 2 minutes or until al dente. Drain well in a colander.

Add the pasta to the lobster and sauce and toss well. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a heated platter and sprinkle with chopped parsley. This pasta should be served without grated cheese.

WINE NOTES

Italian: Chardonnay—Gaja

American: Chardonnay—Far Niente

TAGLIOLINI CON CAPE SANTE

Egg Pasta with Bay Scallops

SERVES 6 AS A FIRST COURSE OR 4 AS A MAIN COURSE

1 pound bay scallops, rinsed and patted dry (450 g)

2 tablespoons flour for dredging

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons, softened (60 g)

salt

freshly ground pepper

¼ cup brandy (60 ml)

½ cup fish stock (125 ml)

¾ pound dried green tagliolini or tagliatelle (egg pasta) (330 g)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Dredge the scallops in the flour, shaking off the excess. Heat 2 tablespoons (30 g) of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the scallops and some salt and pepper and cook until the scallops are just firm to the touch, 3 or 4 minutes. Pour the brandy into the skillet, heat it, and carefully ignite it. Tilt and rotate the skillet and let it cook until the flames die out. Add the saffron to the fish stock, pour the stock into the pan, stir well, and cook for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, salt the boiling water and cook the pasta for 2 minutes or until al dente. Drain well in a colander.

Add the pasta and softened butter to the scallops and toss gently but well. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately.

WINE NOTES

Italian: Vintage Tunina—Jermann

American: Sauvignon Blanc—Beaulieu

TAGLIOLINI CON FRUTTI DI MARE

Pasta with Shellfish

SERVES 6 AS A FIRST COURSE OR 4 AS A MAIN COURSE

The many different creatures wearing shells—the shrimp and scampi, the cicale looking cross-eyed at you from the spots on their tails, the crabs, the lobsters and crayfish, the scallops with their rich orange roe, the clams and mussels that are called frutti di mar (fruits of the sea)—all go very well with tagliolini. The best way to cook them is as quickly and simply as possible, with only a touch of wine, garlic, tomato, and parsley to bring out their fresh flavor.

36 mussels

36 small clams

½ cup dry white wine (125 ml)

6 tablespoons olive oil (100 ml)

2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (about 7 g)

3 medium tomatoes or 6 to 8 plum tomatoes, very ripe, peeled, seeded, and diced

salt

freshly ground pepper

¾ pound dried tagliolini or tagliatelle (egg pasta) (330 g) or 1 pound spaghetti (450 g)

Scrub the mussels and clams well, rinsing them several times under cold water. Place them in a large pot with the wine, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and half the garlic and parsley. Cover the pot and steam over high heat, tossing the mussels and clams from time to time to move those on top to the bottom of the pot, until all are opened—about 8 minutes. Discard those that have not opened. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mussels and clams to a bowl and set them aside to cool a bit. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl. Reserve 6 mussels and 6 clams in their shells and remove the rest from the shells, debearding the mussels.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and cook for a minute or 2, being careful not to let it burn. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes, then add the remaining parsley, some salt and pepper, and 1 cup (250 ml) of the reserved mussel and clam juice. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Add the shelled mussels and clams and turn off the heat until you are ready to serve. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. If the sauce is too thick, add some more of the mussel and clam juice.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta for 2 minutes (about 8 minutes for spaghetti) or until al dente. Drain well in a colander.

At the last minute, add the mussels and clams in their shells and gently heat through. Remove the sauce from the stove as soon as it is hot; the mussels and clams will be tough and inedible if they are overcooked.

Add the pasta to the seafood sauce and toss well. Transfer to a serving platter, arrange the mussels and clams decoratively over all, and drizzle on the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. This dish should be served without grated cheese.

Italian: Pinot Grigio—Livio Felluga

American: Chardonnay—Stags Leap Wine Cellars

RIGATONI ALL’AMATRICIANA

Rigatoni with Bacon and Ham

Amatrice is a very small region, tucked between Lazio and Abruzzi, which is where all the best Italian chefs come from. Amatrice is also the feminine word for lover, and the dish is good enough for a woman to make for her lover.

There are two schools of thought on whether to add tomatoes to this recipe. At Harry’s Bar we always use a little bit of tomato sauce. Rigatoni, a hollow, curved spaghetti with ridges, goes particularly well with this flavorful sauce.

¼ cup olive oil (60 ml)

3 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced

1 pound lean bacon, cut into ½-inch (1½ cm) pieces (450 g)

1 bay leaf

6 slices (3 to 4 ounces) smoked boiled ham, cut into julienne strips (100 to 110 g)

½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ cup tomato sauce or canned crushed tomatoes (125 ml)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook the pasta for about 10 to 13 minutes for rigatoni, 8 minutes for spaghetti, and 4 minutes for tagliardi, or until al dente. Drain well in a colander.

½ cup chicken stock, if needed (125 ml)

1 pound rigatoni or mezz’ rigatoni (medium-size) or spaghetti (450 g) or 1 recipe tagliardi

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened (15 g)

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (65 g) plus extra to pass at the table

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until golden, stirring frequently about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon with a bay leaf in a separate large skillet over medium-low heat, turning it until it is browned but not crisp—about 15 minutes. Pour off the fat, add the ham, and cook for another minute. Stir in the onions and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes. Add the wine and stir well. Reduce the heat to low and add the oregano, pepper flakes, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, then cover the skillet and keep warm over low heat while you cook the pasta. If the sauce becomes too dry, stir in a little chicken stock.

Add the pasta, the softened butter, and the Parmesan cheese to the sauce and toss well. Transfer to a serving platter and pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

Italian: Chianti—Monsanto Riserva

American: Cabernet Sauvignon—B.V. Rutherford

FUSILLI ALLA BOLOGNESE

Fusilli with Meat Sauce

In the old days fusilli, a corkscrew-shaped spaghetti, was always made by hand. Like its ancestor, the modern machine-made version is especially good with a Ragù (meat sauce), which gets trapped in the curves of the pasta.

1 recipe Bolognese Meat Sauce

salt

1 pound fusilli or other dried pasta (450 g) or ¾ pound dried tagliolini or tagliatelle (egg pasta) (330 g)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (30 g)

⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (40 g) plus extra to pass at the table freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Gently heat the Bolognese Meat Sauce in a large skillet.

Salt the boiling water and cook the fusilli for about 8 minutes (about 2 minutes for egg pasta) or until al dente. Drain the fusilli and add it to the sauce along with the softened butter and cheese. Toss to combine well, taste, and season with salt and pepper.

Serve hot and pass around a small bowl of Parmesan cheese.

Italian: Valpolicella—Masi

American: Cabernet—“Barrel Select” Fetzer Vineyards

RAGÙ BOLOGNESE

Bolognese Meat Sauce

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS (500 ML)

A Ragù is a meat sauce that is usually made with beef or veal, but can also be made from chicken, duckling, turkey, rabbit, or lamb. Traditionally Ragù was made only at home, and every self-respecting Italian housewife would start cooking her Ragù early in the morning and let it cook very slowly for at least 4 hours. Naples is particularly famous for its Ragù.

It is very rare to find a restaurant that serves a good Ragù. The Ragù takes a long time to make, but it should be eaten within a few hours. Unfortunately many restaurants like to keep their Ragù on hand for days at a time. At Harry’s Bar we always make the sauce the day we serve it.

Ragù—sometimes called Bolognese sauce—is good with any pasta, but I think fusilli are best.

1 carrot, peeled

1 celery rib

1 small onion

1 pound ground veal (450 g)

½ cup tomato paste (125 ml)

2 tablespoons flour

Add the tomato paste, stirring until blended, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for another 2 minutes. Then raise the heat, add the white wine, let it boil until it is almost all evaporated, and stir in the stock, salt, pepper, and bouquet garni, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring from time to time. If the sauce reduces too fast, lower the heat and add a few spoonfuls of stock or water. The sauce should not be too thick; it should pour from the spoon when it’s done. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

1 quart chicken stock or veal stock (1 liter)

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground pepper

bouquet garni: 1 fresh rosemary sprig, 1 fresh thyme sprig, and 2 flat-leaf parsley sprigs tied in cheesecloth

Chop the carrot, celery, and onion in a food processor fitted with the steel blade or by hand. Heat half the oil in a skillet, add the chopped vegetables, and sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate large skillet heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, let it cook until golden, about 30 seconds, and discard it. Add the ground veal and stir to break up the meat. Cook the meat, stirring frequently, until it is evenly browned—about 10 minutes.

Substitute ground chicken, turkey, lamb, or beef for the veal.

Italian: Chianti—Monte Vertine

American: Zinfandel “Reserve”—Fetzer Vineyards

SPAGHETTI AL POMODORO

Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce

Spaghetti al Pomodoro is one of those basic recipes that every Italian restaurant should be able to do well. In fact, you can use the dish to judge a restaurant: Do they use a good brand of pasta? Do they cook it well—neither undercooked nor overcooked? Do they cook it to order? Is the tomato sauce fresh? Are the butter, oil, and cheese good? Unless all the answers are yes, forget about the restaurant!

For this dish you can use any pasta, any shape, white or green, with or without egg. If you’re using dried egg pasta, you will need ¾ pound (330 g).

1 recipe Fresh Tomato Sauce with Basil

1 pound spaghetti (450 g)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened (15 g)

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (65 g) plus extra to pass at the table

6 fresh basil leaves for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Prepare the tomato sauce in a large skillet and keep it warm over low heat.

Salt the boiling water, add the spaghetti, and cook for about 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain well in a colander and add the spaghetti to the skillet along with the softened butter and Parmesan cheese. Toss well to combine. Put the spaghetti on a heated platter and garnish with the whole basil leaves. Pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

Italian: Gattinara—Brugo

American: Zinfandel—Kendall-Jackson

SPAGHETTI CON CIME DI RAPA

Spaghetti with Broccoli Rabe

You can make this sauce with any slightly bitter greens, such as turnip greens or escarole, but broccoli rabe is best.

1 pound broccoli rabe (450 g)

¼ cup olive oil (60 ml)

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons minced onion

2 or 3 anchovy fillets, cut into pieces

¼ cup dry white wine (optional) (60 ml)

¼ to ½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes or to taste

3 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch (⅔ cm) dice

¼ cup light cream (60 ml)

1 pound spaghetti, penne, or rotelle (450 g)

freshly grated Parmesan cheese to pass at the table

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Trim the broccoli rabe of tough stems and wilted leaves, cut it into 1-inch (2½ cm) pieces, and put it in the boiling water. Cover the pot. When the water returns to a boil, drain the broccoli, rinse it well with cold water, and turn it onto a kitchen towel to drain.

Bring a large pot of water to boil for the spaghetti.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until it just begins to turn golden. Remove and discard the garlic. Add the onion and sauté it until it is soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the anchovies to the pan and stir until they dissolve. Add the wine if you are using it and boil until it is almost all evaporated. Sprinkle in the pepper flakes, stir in the tomatoes, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 or 4 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened but have not fallen apart. Add the cream, turn up the heat, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce boils. Turn off the heat, add the broccoli to the pan, and toss to coat it well with the sauce. Taste and correct the seasoning.

Salt the boiling water and cook the spaghetti for about 8 minutes or until it is al dente. While the spaghetti is cooking, gently reheat the sauce if necessary. Drain the spaghetti in a colander and add it to the sauce. Toss well and serve, passing around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

Italian: Greco di Tufo—Mastroberardino

American: Chardonnay—Merry Vintners

SPAGHETTI ALLA SICILIANA

Spaghetti with Eggplant Sauce

6 to 7 small eggplants or 2 medium (about 1½ pounds), trimmed, peeled, and cut into ½-inch (1½ cm) dice (675 g)

½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (about 7 g)

2 garlic cloves, chopped

¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves (about 3 g)

1 pound spaghetti (450 g)

2 cups Tomato Sauce (500 ml)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened (15 g)

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (30 g) plus extra to pass at the table

1 cup whole-milk mozzarella, cut into ¼-inch (⅔ cm) dice (about 110 g)

Put the diced eggplant in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and place the colander over a bowl or basin. Allow the eggplant to rest for at least 30 minutes, then turn it out onto paper towels and blot it dry.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the eggplant and cook it for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Push the eggplant to the sides of the pan, let the oil in the middle get hot, and add the garlic, parsley, and basil. Let them cook for a minute or 2, then gently toss them with the eggplant. Season with some salt and pepper, reduce the heat, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the eggplant is soft but not falling apart, about 10 minutes. Set the eggplant aside in the pan. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Add salt to the boiling water and cook the spaghetti for 7 or 8 minutes or until al dente.

Meanwhile, stir the tomato sauce into the eggplant and heat over medium heat until the mixture is very hot. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. When the spaghetti is done, drain it in a colander, add it to the skillet, and mix well. Add the butter, Parmesan, and diced mozzarella, toss over medium heat for a minute, and put the spaghetti on a heated platter. Pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

Italian: Rosso—Regaleali

American: Zinfandel—Greenwood Ridge

SPAGHETTI CON OLIO E PEPERONCINO

Spaghetti with Oil and Hot Pepper

1 pound spaghetti (450 g)

2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes or to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook the spaghetti until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain well in a colander.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the garlic, cook until golden, about 30 seconds, and discard it. Add the drained spaghetti, the pepper flakes, and some salt and toss well. Serve immediately. This pasta is served without grated cheese.

Italian: Orvieto—Antinori

American: Sauvignon—Bel Arbors

DOUGH FOR EGG PASTA

Here is the recipe for basic dough for egg pasta. The same dough is used for ravioli and cannelloni. If you want to make your own fresh pasta for tagliolini, tagliardi, or tagliatelle, see the directions at the end of this recipe.

At Harry’s Bar all the pasta is mixed in a giant electric pasta mixer and kneaded and rolled in a giant electric pasta machine. In this recipe instructions are given for pasta dough that is mixed in a food processor and kneaded and rolled in a small, hand-cranked pasta machine.

This recipe yields ¾ pound (330 g) of dough, enough for 6 first-course servings of tagliolini (fine noodles), tagliatelle (wide noodles), or tagliardi (rectangular noodles), about 4 to 5 dozen ravioli, or about 24 cannelloni. If you want to make more pasta, double the recipe. Make two separate batches; it is difficult to work with one large mass of pasta dough. Since ravioli and cannelloni freeze very well, you may wish to make some extra to be frozen.

For ¾ pound (330 g) white pasta:

¾ cup unbleached white flour (105 g)

¾ cup durum wheat flour (105 g)

2 large eggs

For ¾ pound green pasta:

¾ cup unbleached white flour (105 g)

¾ cup durum wheat flour (105 g)

½ cup fresh or frozen spinach, cooked, drained, squeezed (until very dry) and chopped (60 ml)

1 large egg

Pour the 2 flours into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Turn on the motor.

For white pasta: With the motor running, break the eggs one at a time into the flour and let the motor run for about 2 minutes. The mixture will look grainy and will stick together when pressed between the fingers.

For green pasta: Add the spinach to the flour and process until it is evenly distributed. Then add the egg and process for another minute or so. The mixture will look grainy and will stick together when pressed between the fingers.

Pour the mixture into a bowl and press it down to make a solid mass. Gather it up and knead it by hand for a minute or 2. Form a cylinder of dough and cut it into 6 equal pieces. Put the dough in a plastic bag and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Have ready several sheets—at least 2 feet (61 cm) long—of lightly floured wax paper. Set the smooth rollers of a pasta machine as far apart as possible, at the highest or lowest number, depending on your machine. Put a little pile of flour on the work surface. Take a piece of dough out of the bag, knead it by hand for a minute or so, and flatten it into a rough rectangle. (The green dough will be a little moister than the white.) Dip the dough into the flour and knead in a little extra flour if it is at all sticky. Feed the dough through the roller 9 or 10 times to knead it very thoroughly, folding it in half each time and dusting it lightly with flour if it’s sticky.

When the dough has been well-kneaded and feels firm and satiny, turn the dial up or down one notch and feed it through the rollers without folding. If the dough is at all sticky, dust it very lightly with flour. Continue to feed the dough through the rollers without folding, turning the dial one notch higher or lower each time, until you reach the next-to-last setting. The dough will be a smooth, long sheet, 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 cm) wide and about 2 feet (61 cm) long. Lay the finished strip on the floured wax paper while you knead and roll the remaining pasta dough. Cover the sheets of dough with wax paper to keep them from drying out.

To make tagliolini or tagliatelle: Feed the sheets of dough through the cutting roller to make tagliolini (narrow) or tagliatelle (wide). Lay the pasta over racks or on lightly floured wax paper to dry slightly before cooking or let it dry completely and store it in an airtight container or a paper bag.

To make tagliardi: Cut sheets of pasta dough into rectangles 1 inch by 2 inches. Dry and store as above.

RAVIOLI

MAKES 4 TO 5 DOZEN

A serving of caviar followed by ravioli was the favorite meal of the late Aga Khan III. When he was an old man and confined to a wheelchair, he no longer stayed at the Grand Hotel (now closed) as he always had during his month-long annual visit to Venice but at the Bauer Grunwald. From there he could get to lunch at Harry’s Bar in his wheelchair without having to cross any bridges. Lunch began with a large helping of caviar, which he would eat straight from the tin. This would be followed by Ravioli di Vitello alla Piemontese. He ordered the same menu every single day for the entire month.

The pasta used for ravioli is the same as that used for tagliolini. Since ravioli is composed of two layers of pasta, each layer should be quite thin. Unlike spaghetti, which should be eaten firm and even a little undercooked (al dente), ravioli should not be served too firm or it will taste rubbery—but it must not be mushy either. All the garnishes used for cannelloni, can be used on ravioli.

To make ravioli:

1 egg

1 recipe dough for egg pasta, kneaded and rolled into strips

2 cups filling, such as spinach and cheese, veal and sweetbreads, or halibut and shrimp (500 ml)

Beat the egg in a small bowl.

Lay a strip of pasta dough on a lightly floured surface. Trim off any uneven ends of the dough and cut it in half to make 2 strips approximately 4½ by 12 inches (11½ by 30 cm) each. Using a pastry brush, paint the entire surface of one of the strips with beaten egg.

Place very small mounds of filling—no more than a rounded ½ teaspoon each—on the dough. Make 2 rows of mounds approximately 1 inch (2½ cm) apart and leave at least ½ inch (1½ cm) of pasta around all the edges. Cover this with the second half of the strip. Press the dough very firmly around all the edges and between the mounds of filling to seal the ravioli. Using a pastry wheel or ravioli cutter, cut all around the outside edge of the filled strip to seal it; then cut the strip into 2-inch (5 cm) squares and place them on a lightly floured surface. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

If you are not going to cook the ravioli right away, place them in one layer on well-floured baking sheets, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. To freeze ravioli, place the baking sheet in the freezer until the ravioli are frozen. Put the frozen ravioli in plastic bags and seal tightly.

RIPIENI PER RAVIOLI E CANNELLONI

Fillings for Ravioli and Cannelloni

SPINACH AND CHEESE FILLING

MAKES ABOUT 2½ CUPS (625 ML)

½ 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (150 g)

½ cup whole-milk ricotta (110 g)

½ cup (about 2 ounces) grated Swiss cheese (60 g)

¼ pound whole-milk mozzarella, diced (110 g)

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (30 g)

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground pepper

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 egg yolks

Place the spinach, ricotta, Swiss cheese, mozzarella, and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until just combined. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and blend in the salt, pepper, cayenne, and egg yolks. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to use it.

VEAL AND SWEETBREADS FILLING

MAKES ABOUT 2½ CUPS (625 ML)

½ cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 25 g)

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

6 ounces sweetbreads, trimmed (170 g)

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ pound boneless veal, cut into 1-inch (2½ cm) cubes (225 g)

1 carrot, coarsely chopped

2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

1 bay leaf

1 large fresh thyme sprig or ¼ teaspoon dried

1 large fresh rosemary sprig or ½ teaspoon dried, crumbled

2 tablespoons flour

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (30 g)

2 egg yolks

½ cup chicken stock, heavy cream, or Béchamel Sauce (optional) (125 ml)

Soak the porcini in warm water to cover for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking water, and chop the mushrooms.

Put the vinegar, some salt, and enough water to cover the sweetbreads in a small pot and bring it to a boil. Simmer the sweetbreads for 15 or 20 minutes and drain them. Cool briefly and cut into 1-inch (2½ cm) cubes.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Add the veal and brown it well on all sides for about 10 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, onion, and bay leaf. Lower the heat to medium-high and cook for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the sweetbreads, porcini, thyme, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt, and some pepper. Sprinkle on the flour, stir it in, and continue to cook for a minute or 2. Stir in the wine and porcini liquid and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook the mixture, covered, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes or until the meat is very tender. Uncover the pan and let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Remove the thyme and rosemary sprigs and place the meat mixture in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the egg yolks and Parmesan and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Scrape the filling into a bowl; it will be very stiff. If you wish to lighten it, stir in about ½ cup (125 ml) of stock, heavy cream, or béchamel sauce. Cover the filling with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to use it.

HALIBUT AND SHRIMP FILLING

MAKES ABOUT 2½ CUPS (625 ML)

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons minced onion

½ pound halibut fillet, cut into 1-inch (2½ cm) chunks (225 g)

½ pound (about 15) medium shrimps, shelled and deveined (225 g)

3 tablespoons brandy

½ cup heavy cream (125 ml)

¼ pound (about one cup) whole-milk mozzarella, diced (110 g)

¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves (about 3 g)

juice of ½ lemon

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (15 g)

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onions, stirring constantly, until they are translucent—3 or 4 minutes. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon and put them in a bowl to cool. Raise the heat and, when the oil is hot, add the fish and shrimps and cook, stirring constantly, until the shrimps are pink and opaque and the fish just breaks apart easily—3 to 4 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the fish. Pour the brandy into the skillet, warm it, and carefully ignite it. Tilt and rotate the skillet until the flames die out. Spread the fish, shrimps, and pan juices on a baking sheet and let them cool completely—15 minutes or so.

Pour the cream into the skillet and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, scraping the edges of the pan with a spatula from time to time, until the cream is reduced and thickened. Put it in the bowl with the onions.

When all the ingredients have cooled, place the fish, onions, cream, mozzarella, basil, lemon juice, egg yolks, salt, pepper, cayenne, and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until the mixture is just combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Scrape the filling into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you are ready to use it.

RAVIOLI DI MAGRO ALLA GUARDI

Spinach and Cheese Ravioli Guardi

Once in a while the colors of a dish will remind me so strongly of the colors used by a great painter that I decide to name that dish for the artist. Ravioli alla Guardi, with its pastel reds and greens, is such a dish.

Spinach and Cheese Ravioli Guardi is one of the few pasta recipes served at Harry’s Bar that uses cream. But even here the cream is used judiciously. Sometimes, just before the dish is served, I like to take a tomato, cut it up into very small pieces, and sprinkle it on top of the sauce, which has already begun to melt on the ravioli.

1 cup heavy cream (250 ml)

1¼ cups Tomato Sauce (300 ml)

salt

freshly ground pepper

1 recipe ravioli with spinach and cheese filling

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (30 g)

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (15 g) plus extra to pass at the table

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves

1 medium tomato or 2 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch (⅔ cm) dice (optional)

To make the sauce, pour the cream into a large skillet. Heat it to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil until the cream is thickened and reduced by half—about 10 minutes. Add 1 cup (250 ml) of the tomato sauce and stir to combine well. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve and return to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Add salt to the boiling water and cook the ravioli for 5 to 8 minutes. Drain them well in a colander.

Add the ravioli, softened butter, Parmesan, and basil to the tomato sauce and toss well. Transfer the mixture to a serving platter and drizzle the remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) of tomato sauce decoratively over the top. Sprinkle the ravioli with diced fresh tomato if you wish. Pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

WINE NOTES

Italian: Gavi—Soldati

American: Chardonnay—Sanford

RAVIOLI DI MAGRO ALLA SALVIA

Spinach and Cheese Ravioli with Sage

Of course there are countless ways to prepare ravioli, but I think one of the best is this very simple dish from a restaurant in the little town of Valeggio sul Mincio near Lake Garda, where I often went with my father. We would go back to this restaurant again and again just to have the homemade ravioli with butter and sage. Make this dish only if you can get fresh sage.

1 tablespoon salt

1 recipe ravioli with spinach and cheese filling

18 fresh sage leaves

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (45 g) plus extra to pass at the table

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the salt. Drop in the ravioli and cook them for 6 to 8 minutes—the ravioli should not be al dente; they should be quite tender. Drain them well in a colander.

While the ravioli are cooking, chop 12 of the sage leaves. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet and sauté the chopped sage over medium-high heat until the foam starts to subside. Remove the skillet from the heat. Drain the ravioli and put them in the skillet with half the Parmesan. Toss well and transfer the mixture to a heated serving platter.

To the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the 6 whole sage leaves and cook over high heat for 30 seconds. Sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan on the ravioli, pour on the butter and sage mixture, and serve immediately. Pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

Variation:

RAVIOLI DI MAGRO ALLE ERBE

Spinach and Cheese Ravioli with Mixed Herbs

SUGGESTED HERBS:

This is the same spinach ravioli as in the preceding recipe, but here I suggest a mixture of herbs instead of just sage. Remember, this is only a suggestion. As a cook you must use your imagination. There are many different combinations of herbs that work well. Make your own mixture from whatever fresh herbs are available.

2 fresh sage leaves

leaves from 2 large fresh rosemary sprigs

2 large fresh thyme sprigs

4 flat-leaf parsley sprigs

Chop the herbs together and use in place of the sage.

RAVIOLI DI MAGRO CON PEPERONI

Spinach and Cheese Ravioli with Red, Yellow, and Green Peppers

Why ravioli with red, yellow, and green peppers? Once a customer asked my father why he put white pepper in his mayonnaise, and he replied that if black pepper is used you can see disturbing specks of it in the mayonnaise. That was one of the few times when my father felt the look of a dish was as important as its taste. This recipe is another example. You could, of course, use only green peppers or only red, and the dish would probably taste almost the same, but it would not look as good.

½ cup finely diced yellow bell pepper (125 ml)

½ cup finely diced green bell pepper (125 ml)

½ cup finely diced red bell pepper (125 ml)

Substitute the peppers for the sage. Decrease the butter to 3 tablespoons (45 g) and the Parmesan to ¼ cup (30 g).

Italian: Arneis—Giocosa

American: Chardonnay—Kistler

RAVIOLI DI MAGRO CON CARCIOFI

Spinach and Cheese Ravioli with Artichokes

RAVIOLI DI VITELLO ALLA PIEMONTESE

The best artichokes to use in this dish are castraure, the tiny artichokes we get in Venice in early spring. But if you don’t happen to be in Venice, I think you will like this dish prepared with the freshest and smallest artichokes you can find.

¼ cup olive oil (60 ml)

1 garlic clove, crushed

24 baby artichokes or 6 large, trimmed and sliced

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

salt

freshly ground pepper

½ cup dry white wine (125 ml)

1 recipe ravioli with spinach and cheese filling

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 g)

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (15 g) plus extra to pass at the table

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, let it cook until it’s golden, about 30 seconds, and discard it. Reduce the heat to low. Add the sliced artichokes and cook until tender, stirring frequently—about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the parsley, season with salt and pepper, and toss well. Raise the heat, add the wine, and boil for 2 minutes. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Add salt to the boiling water and cook the ravioli for 5 to 8 minutes. Drain them well in a colander.

While the ravioli are cooking, melt the butter in a separate skillet over medium heat. Add the ravioli, toss well, and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Pour on the artichokes and serve immediately. Pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

WINE NOTES

Italian: Greco di Tufo—Mastroberardino

American: Sauvignon Blanc—B.V.

Veal Ravioli Piemontese

I have no idea of the origin of the name of this recipe, the favorite dish of the late Aga Khan III.

MAKES 4 TO 5 CUPS (1 LITER TO 1.250 ML)

1 recipe ravioli with veal and sweetbreads filling

1 cup Piemontese Sauce (recipe follows) (250 ml)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 g)

6 tablespoons freshly ground Parmesan cheese (45 g) plus extra to pass at the table

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook the ravioli for 5 to 8 minutes. Drain them well in a colander.

While the ravioli are cooking, heat the Piemontese sauce in a small saucepan over low heat. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ravioli, half the Piemontese sauce, and ¼ cup (30 g) of the Parmesan and toss well. Transfer the ravioli to a serving platter, spoon the remaining Piemontese sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

WINE NOTES

Italian: Barbaresco—B. Giacosa

American: Cabernet Sauvignon—Cakebread Cellars

SALSA PIEMONTESE

Piemontese Sauce

Although no recipe in this book calls for the full amount of this sauce, there’s no sense making only 2 cups (500 ml) of it at a time. Make the full recipe and freeze any extra in small containers. This sublimely flavorful rich brown sauce is good on rice or any kind of pasta and makes a good substitute for brown sauce in gravies. A touch of this sauce can enhance the flavor of a soup or a stew.

½ cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 22 g)

5 pounds veal bones (2.250 g)

2 carrots, coarsely chopped

2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

½ cup flour (75 g)

2 cups dry red wine (500 ml)

bouquet garni: 1 fresh rosemary sprig, 1 fresh thyme sprig, and 2 flat-leaf parsley sprigs tied in cheesecloth

RAVIOLI DI PESCE CON SALSA ARMORICAINE

chicken stock, veal stock, or water if needed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 g)

2 cups (about ½ pound) thinly sliced mushrooms (225 g)

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

½ cup dry white wine (125 ml)

freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 450° (230/8).

Soak the porcini in warm water to cover for 15 minutes.

Place the veal bones in a shallow roasting pan large enough to hold them in one layer and roast them until they are good and brown, about 15 minutes on each side. Lower the heat to 375° (190/5), add the carrots, celery, onion, and half the garlic to the roasting pan, and continue to bake for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables have begun to brown. Sprinkle the flour over the bones and vegetables, roughly mix it in, and continue to bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven and put the bones and vegetables in a large soup pot. Pour off any fat from the pan, add the red wine to the roasting pan, and scrape up any brown bits with a spatula. Put this wine into the soup pot along with the bouquet garni, the porcini and their liquid, and enough water barely to cover the bones. Bring it all to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt, turn down the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours.

Strain the sauce through a fine sieve. If the sauce is too thin, pour it into a heavy saucepan and simmer it over medium heat until it coats the back of a spoon. If it’s too thick, add stock or water.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, turn up the heat, and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown—about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the pan, chop them fine, and return them to the pan over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and the parsley, toss well, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the white wine and boil it for a minute. Add this mixture to the strained sauce, season with salt and pepper, and stir well.

Seafood Ravioli with Armoricaine Sauce

Ravioli filled with seafood is yet another proof of the versatility of ravioli. The ravioli should taste very light, very delicate, and not too fishy. At Harry’s Bar this dish is served with Armoricaine Sauce because its distinct flavor balances the delicacy of the ravioli.

Making Armoricaine Sauce is a rather elaborate and lengthy process. We often substitute a simpler sauce (below) made with shrimp shells reserved when you make the ravioli filling or from a supply kept in your freezer.

Sauté the shrimp shells in butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle them with the curry powder, saffron, and flour and mix well. Cook, stirring, for a minute or 2. Add the wine and stock and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When the sauce has thickened, turn down the heat and simmer it, uncovered, for 15 or 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Strain the sauce and serve with seafood ravioli.

1 recipe green ravioli with halibut and shrimp filling

1 cup Armoricaine Sauce or Shrimp Sauce (250 ml)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (30 g)

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (30 g) plus extra to pass at the table

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook the ravioli for 5 to 8 minutes. Drain them well in a colander.

Meanwhile, heat the Armoricaine sauce in a small saucepan over low heat. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ½ cup (125 ml) of the Armoricaine sauce. When the sauce is hot, remove the skillet from the heat, add the cooked ravioli and Parmesan cheese, and toss well. Transfer to a heated serving platter and pour on the remaining sauce. Serve immediately and pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

SALSA DI GAMBERI

Shrimp Sauce

MAKES 2½ CUPS (625 ML)

Shrimp tails and shells (saved from the shrimps used in the filling, plus extras if you have them), chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter (45 g)

pinch of curry powder

pinch of powdered saffron

5 tablespoons flour (45 g)

1 cup dry white wine (250 ml)

2 cups fish stock (500 ml)

salt

freshly ground pepper

RAVIOLI DI VITELLO GRATINATI AL PROSCIUTTO

Veal Ravioli with Ham Au Gratin

CANNELLONI DI MAGRO CON ZUCCHINI

1 recipe ravioli with veal and sweetbreads filling

3 tablespoons unsalted butter (45 g)

½ cup (about 2 ounces) smoked boiled ham, cut into julienne strips (60 g)

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (65 g) plus extra to pass at the table

1 cup Béchamel Sauce (250 ml)

Preheat the broiler. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Add salt to the boiling water and cook the ravioli for 5 to 8 minutes. Drain them well in a colander.

While the ravioli are cooking, melt 1 tablespoon (15 g) of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ham and cook, without browning and stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.

Add the ravioli and 1 more tablespoon (15 g) of butter to the ham, sprinkle with half the Parmesan, and toss well.

Spread half the béchamel sauce over the bottom of a shallow flameproof 2-quart (2 liter) casserole. Spoon in the ravioli mixture and spread it evenly. Spoon the remaining béchamel over the top and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Cut the remaining butter into bits and scatter over the top. Broil the dish as close to the heat source as possible until golden and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately. Pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

WINE NOTES

Italian: Rosso di Montalcino—Caparzo

American: Cabernet “Dry Creek Valley”—A. Rafanelli

CANNELLONI

MAKES ABOUT 24

Cannelloni, a specialty of Piedmont, are large flat noodles filled with a stuffing, rolled into tubes, and baked. Recipes are given for three fillings: zucchini or mushroom, with Bolognese or Piemontese sauce, or with veal and eggplant. Several garnishes for cannelloni are given in the recipes that follow, and you can easily devise any number of different garnishes once you see how it’s done. At Harry’s Bar we create special cannelloni dishes using all the seasonal vegetables. All the garnishes used on ravioli, are also good on cannelloni.

Cannelloni can be prepared 24 hours in advance, and they freeze very well. Always add the sauce and garnish just before serving.

If you don’t want to make pasta dough, you can make cannelloni using crêpes. For 18 crêpes you will need 2 cups (500 ml) of filling. Put a heaped tablespoonful of filling on one half of each crêpes and roll it up, starting with the filled side.

To make cannelloni:

1 recipe white or green dough for egg pasta, kneaded and rolled into strips

salt

2 cups filling (zucchini or mushroom, with Bolognese or Piemontese sauce, or with veal and eggplant) (500 ml)

olive oil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and set a large bowl of ice water next to the stove.

Cut the strips of dough into 4-inch (10 cm) squares and let dry on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes. Add a spoonful of salt to the boiling water, boil the pasta squares 6 at a time, remove them from the water with a slotted spoon, and put them in the bowl of ice water. Spread 2 clean kitchen towels on the counter, drain the pasta squares, and lay them out on the towels to dry. Pat the tops dry with paper towels.

Mound about 1½ tablespoons of filling along one edge of each square and roll the squares up jelly-roll fashion to enclose the filling. Place the cannelloni seam side down on an oiled baking sheet, brush the tops with olive oil, cover them with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you are ready to use them. The cannelloni can be made up to 24 hours in advance. To freeze cannelloni, place them on a double layer of oiled foil instead of on a baking sheet, brush the tops with oil, and wrap well with foil. Seal in a plastic bag and freeze.

Cannelloni with Zucchini

2 zucchini (about ½ pound) cut lengthwise into 1-inch wedges and then into ¼-inch julienne strips (2½ cm by ⅔ cm) (225 g)

3 tablespoons olive oil

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and boil for 2 minutes. Proceed as directed.

18 cannelloni with spinach and cheese filling

¼ cup Tomato Sauce (60 ml)

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (15 g) plus extra to pass at the table

Preheat the oven to 375° (190/5).

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender—about 5 minutes.

Bake the cannelloni for 5 to 10 minutes, until they are golden and bubbly. Then reset the oven to broil and broil the cannelloni 3 inches (8 cm) from the heat source for 1 to 2 minutes, turning the pan as necessary to brown them evenly. Serve immediately, passing around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

Variation:

CANNELLONI DI MAGRO CON FUNGHI

Cannelloni with Mushrooms

SERVES 6 AS A FIRST COURSE OR 4 AS A MAIN COURSE

Substitute mushrooms for the zucchini as follows:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 g)

4 cups thinly sliced shiitake or other mushrooms (about 450 g)

1 garlic clove, finely minced

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

½ cup dry white wine (125 ml)

Italian: Nebbioro d’Alba “Lantasco”—Ceretto

American: Zinfandel—“Vintners Reserve”, Kendall Jackson

CANNELLONI DI VITELLO ALLA BOLOGNESE O PIEMONTESE

Cannelloni with Bolognese or Piemontese Sauce

CANNELLONI DI VITELLO CON MELANZANE

18 green cannelloni with veal and sweetbreads filling

2 cups Bolognese Meat Sauce or Piemontese Sauce (500 ml)

up to 8 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra to pass at the table

Preheat the oven to 375° (190/5).

Spread a third of the béchamel sauce over the bottom of an oiled baking dish large enough to hold the cannelloni in a single layer, about 9 by 13 inches (23 by 33 cm). Arrange the cannelloni seam side down and spread with the remaining béchamel. Spoon the sauce over the cannelloni. If you are using Bolognese meat sauce, sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. If you are using Piemontese sauce, sprinkle on ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake the cannelloni for 5 to 10 minutes, until they are golden and bubbling. Then reset the oven to broil and broil the cannelloni as close as possible to the heat source for 1 to 2 minutes, turning the pan as necessary to brown the cannelloni evenly. Serve immediately and pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

WINE NOTES

Italian: Barbaresco, “Asij”—Ceretto

American: Zinfandel—Howell Mountain Ridge

Veal Cannelloni with Eggplant

2 medium eggplants, peeled and cut lengthwise into ¼-inch (⅔ cm) slices

⅓ cup olive oil (80 ml)

½ cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped (about 7 g)

CANNELLONI DI PESCE CON SALSA ARMORICAINE

18 cannelloni with veal and sweetbreads filling

½ cup Tomato Sauce (125 ml)

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (15 g) plus extra to pass at the table

1 cup (about ¼ pound) finely diced whole-milk mozzarella (110 g)

Set the eggplant slices in a colander, sprinkle them with salt, and place the colander over a bowl or basin. Allow the eggplant slices to rest for at least 30 minutes, then turn them out onto paper towels and blot them dry.

Preheat the oven to 375° (190/5).

Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, let it cook until golden, about 30 seconds, and discard it. Add the eggplant slices in batches and cook until they are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes, turning them once and adding more oil as needed. Stir in the basil and set the mixture aside.

Spread a third of the béchamel sauce over the bottom of an oiled baking dish large enough to hold the cannelloni in a single layer, about 9 by 13 inches (23 by 33 cm). Arrange the cannelloni seam side down and spread with the remaining béchamel. Pour on the tomato sauce, arrange the eggplant slices on top, sprinkle with the Parmesan, and sprinkle the mozzarella over all.

Bake the cannelloni for 5 to 10 minutes, until they are golden and bubbly. Then reset the oven to broil and broil the cannelloni as close as possible to the heat source for 1 to 2 minutes, turning the pan as necessary to brown them evenly. Serve immediately, passing around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

WINE NOTES

Italian: Barolo—B. Giacosa

American: Cabernet—Reserve, Lebastiani

Seafood Cannelloni Armoricaine

Gnocchi aficionados are very particular about the texture, size, ingredients, and flavor of these little dumplings. In my opinion what brings good gnocchi to life is butter, cheese, and sage. Gnocchi can be made from semolina, potatoes (use only mealy baking potatoes), or flour and eggs.

18 green cannelloni with halibut and shrimp filling

1½ cups Armoricaine Sauce or Shrimp Sauce (375 ml)

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (65 g) plus extra to pass at the table

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375° (190/5).

Bake the cannelloni for 5 to 10 minutes, until they are golden and bubbly. Then reset the oven to broil and broil the cannelloni as close as possible to the heat source for 1 to 2 minutes, turning the pan as necessary to brown the cannelloni evenly. Garnish with the parsley if you wish and pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

WINE NOTES

Italian: Gavi—La Chiara

American: Chardonnay—Hargrave

GNOCCHI

GNOCCHI DI SEMOLINO ALLA ROMANA

Semolina Gnocchi

¼ cup unsalted butter (60 g)

1 quart milk (1 liter)

1 cup semolina (150 g)

½ cup (about 2 ounces) finely chopped smoked boiled ham (60 g)

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (65 g) plus extra to pass at the table

2 egg yolks

2 cups Tomato Sauce (500 ml)

Heat the milk in a heavy-bottomed pot. When it is almost boiling, add the butter and bring it to a boil. While whisking vigorously, add the semolina and continue to whisk constantly until the mixture thickens—about 3 to 5 minutes. Add some salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the ham and ¼ cup (30 g) of the Parmesan, stir vigorously to combine thoroughly, and beat in the egg yolks. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Spread the mixture in a greased 9- by 13-inch (23 by 33 cm) pan. Wet your hands with cold water and pat down the semolina until it is smooth on top. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375° (190/5). Using a round cookie cutter 1½ inches (4 cm) in diameter, cut out the gnocchi. Place them on an oiled baking sheet and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup (35 g) Parmesan over them. Bake for about 5 to 10 minutes, until the gnocchi are hot and the cheese has melted. Meanwhile, heat the tomato sauce.

Preheat the broiler.

Broil the gnocchi as close as possible to the heat source for a minute or 2, turning the pan as necessary to brown them evenly. Serve immediately, passing the tomato sauce and a small bowl of grated Parmesan cheese.

Italian: Pinot Grigio—Kettmeir

American: Chardonnay—Lolonis

GNOCCHI DI PATATE AL POMODORO E BASILICO

Potato Gnocchi with Tomato and Basil Sauce

2 pounds mealy baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (900 g)

3 cups flour (400 g)

6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese (45 g) plus extra to pass at the table

1 teaspoon salt, approximately freshly ground pepper

6 large egg yolks

1 recipe Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (30 g)

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover them by 2 inches (5 cm) with cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes or until they are tender but not falling apart. Drain the potatoes well in a colander. Return them to the saucepan and shake them over moderate heat, uncovered, for a few seconds, until they are dry. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or pass them through a food mill or ricer.

Put the pureed potatoes in a large bowl. Add 2 cups (275 g) of the flour, ¼ cup (30 g) of the grated cheese, about a teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Mix with your fingertips until well combined. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the egg yolks. Work the yolks into the mixture to form a soft and slightly sticky dough. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Put the remaining cup of flour in a pile on the work surface. Gather some of the potato dough into a lemon-size ball and dip it on all sides into the pile of flour. Knead it a bit to incorporate the flour and form the dough into a long, thin cylinder about the thickness of a finger. Cut the cylinder into ½-inch (1½ cm) pieces. Repeat until all the dough is used. As you work, put the gnocchi on a baking sheet, sprinkle them lightly with flour, and toss gently to coat them evenly.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put the tomato and basil sauce in a pan large enough to hold the gnocchi and keep it warm over low heat.

Salt the water and drop in the gnocchi about 20 at a time. Simmer until they float to the top. Let them cook for about 3 minutes on the surface of the water. Remove the gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon and add them to the tomato sauce as they are done. Add the softened butter to the sauce and stir gently to combine everything thoroughly. Carefully stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons (15 g) of Parmesan and spoon the gnocchi into a heated serving dish. Pass a bowl of Parmesan cheese at the table.

Italian: Rubesco—Lungarotti

American: Zinfandel—Kendall-Jackson

GNOCCHI DI PATATE E SPINACI

Potato and Spinach Gnocchi

2 pounds mealy baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (900 g)

3 cups flour (100 g)

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (30 g)

¼ cup packed finely chopped cooked spinach, squeezed dry (60 ml)

5 large egg yolks

Follow the directions for potato gnocchi, adding the spinach with the egg yolks.

Variation:

GNOCCHI ALLA SALVIA

Gnocchi with Butter and Sage

1 recipe Potato Gnocchi

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (90 g)

12 fresh sage leaves

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (65 g) plus extra to pass at the table

Make and cook the gnocchi as directed. Add the cooked gnocchi, A tablespoons of the butter, 6 of the sage leaves, and the ½ cup (65 g) of grated cheese to a large skillet over medium heat. Toss well for a minute or so and transfer the mixture to a heated platter. Return the skillet to the stove, add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 g) of butter and 6 sage leaves, and cook until the butter is melted. Pour the butter over the gnocchi and serve immediately. Pass a bowl of Parmesan cheese at the table.

WINE NOTES

Italian: Torgiano—Lungarotti

American: Chardonnay—Estancia

GNOCCHI ALLA PARIGINA

Parisian-style Gnocci