BUON APPETITO!
Round up la famiglia for an Italianstyle lunch or dinner. These six recipes from well-known Australian chefs are guaranteed to impress.
GNOCCO FRITTO WITH PROSCIUTTO DI SAN DANIELE
Prep: 45 mins. Cooking: 25 mins + proving + resting. Serves 10-12.
155ml milk
5g dried yeast
2¼ cups (340g) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
30g softened butter, coarsely chopped Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
200g thinly sliced San Daniele prosciutto
1 Heat milk in a small saucepan until just lukewarm, add yeast and stir until dissolved; set aside.
2 Place flour, butter and a large pinch of salt in a food processor and pulse until just combined, about 30 secs. Add milk mixture and pulse until a soft dough forms, a further 30 secs. Turn dough onto a lightly floured bench and knead lightly until smooth, about 5 mins. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and set aside until doubled in size, 45 mins-1 hr.
3 Turn dough out onto a very lightly floured surface, divide in half and, working with a piece at a time, roll to 5mm thick with a rolling pin. Roll through a pasta machine on widest setting, then fold over and feed through again. Continue to feed dough through rollers, reducing settings 1 notch at a time, until dough is about 2mm thick. Using a crinkle cutter or knife, cut dough into 8cm squares and set aside on baking paper-lined trays that have been lightly dusted with flour. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hr.
4 Place vegetable oil in a frypan and heat to 180˚C. Gently add gnocco fritto to oil in batches (take care as hot oil will spit) and cook, turning a few times, until just beginning to colour, about 3 mins. Drain well on absorbent paper and repeat with remaining dough. Serve warm with prosciutto or other Italian cured meat.
MINESTRA
Prep: 20 mins. Cooking: 1 hr 25 mins. Serves 6.
¼ cup (60ml) olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 desiree potatoes, cut into 5mm dice 300g canned crushed tomatoes
420g podded fresh borlotti beans (about 1kg unpodded; see notes) 1 small sprig rosemary
120g dried ditalini (see notes)
1 curly endive, trimmed
Finely grated parmesan, to serve
Crusty bread, to serve
1 Heat 40ml olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add onion and garlic and sauté until beginning to soften, about 6 mins. Add potato and sauté until starting to soften, a further 5-7 mins. Add tomato, simmer to reduce slightly, then add beans, rosemary and 2L water. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until potato and beans are very tender, about 55 mins. Remove lid, add ditalini and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, a further 6-8 mins. Add endive, stirring until wilted; season to taste. Scatter with parmesan and serve hot with crusty bread on the side.
Notes
✚ If fresh borlotti beans aren’t available, dried ones are good alternative. Before using, soak dried beans overnight in cold water, then drain, combine in a large saucepan with cold water and cook until tender, 25-30 mins.
✚ Ditalini is a small tubular pasta available from select delicatessens. If unavailable, substitute another small pasta.
RIGATONI WITH BRAISED PORK, TOMATO & OLIVES
Prep: 25 mins. Cooking: 3 hrs 30 mins. Serves 8.
1½ tbsp olive oil
1 onion, 1 leek and 1 stalk celery, all finely chopped
350g mild pancetta, finely chopped 150ml madeira
800g canned crushed tomatoes
1kg boneless pork shoulder, cut in half 200g black Ligurian olives, pitted
30g butter, coarsely chopped
1½ tbsp firmly packed marjoram leaves, plus extra to serve
750g dried rigatoni
Finely grated parmesan, to serve
1 Preheat oven to 120˚C (100˚C fan).
On the stovetop, heat olive oil in a large casserole over medium heat. Add onion, leek and celery and stir occasionally until tender, about 8 mins. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, a further 6-7 mins. Add madeira, simmer until reduced by half (about 2 mins), then add crushed tomatoes, bring to a simmer and season to taste. Add pork shoulder, cover and place in oven to braise, turning pork once, for 3 hrs or until very tender. Remove pork to a plate and, when cool enough to handle, coarsely shred and set aside. Retain cooking liquid.
2 Puree cooking liquid in a food processor or mouli, then transfer to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced to a thick sauce, about 10 mins. Stir in shredded pork, olives, butter and marjoram, season and keep warm.
3 Cook rigatoni in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente (6-8 mins), then drain, toss through pork mixture and serve hot, scattered with parmesan. Garnish with extra marjoram leaves.
FENNEL COOKED IN MILK
Prep: 20 mins. Cooking 1 hr + standing. Serves 4.
¼ cup (60ml) olive oil
4 fennel bulbs (about 350g each), cut into 5mm slices
600ml pouring cream
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 sprigs sage
50g parmesan, finely grated
60g fresh sourdough breadcrumbs
1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp lemon juice
1 Heat 20ml oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat. Add fennel in batches, season to taste and cook, turning occasionally, until golden, about 7 mins.
2 Preheat oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan).
Place cream, garlic and sage in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add fennel, return to the simmer, then use a slotted spoon to transfer to a 2.5L baking dish. Pour cream mixture over until dish is ¾ full. Scatter with ⅔ of the parmesan and bake until fennel is tender, 30-35 mins.
3 Preheat grill to high heat. Combine remaining oil and parmesan with breadcrumbs, parsley and lemon juice in a small bowl. Scatter breadcrumbs over fennel and grill until golden, about 7 mins. Stand for 5 mins, then serve hot.
BRAISED BEEF CHEEKS, BABY CARROTS & CAVOLO NERO
Prep: 40 mins. Cooking: 5 hrs 15 mins. Serves 6.
⅓ cup (80ml) olive oil
6 beef cheeks (280g each), trimmed 2 golden shallots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
5 sprigs thyme
1 cinnamon quill
1 fresh bay leaf
3 juniper berries
1 clove
200ml dry white wine
200ml port
6 cups (1.5L) chicken stock
2 bunches baby carrots, trimmed
120g butter, coarsely chopped
2 bunches cavolo nero (kale), trimmed
1 Preheat oven to 160˚C (140˚C fan). Heat 40ml olive oil in a frypan over high heat. Add beef cheeks and cook, turning once, until browned. Set aside.
2 Heat remaining oil in a large casserole over high heat. Add vegetables and garlic and stir occasionally until tender, 10 mins. Add herbs and spices, deglaze with wine and port; reduce until almost evaporated, 6 mins. Add stock, bring to a simmer, add cheeks, cover, and roast in oven until very tender, 3-4 hrs. Remove cheeks and keep warm. Return casserole to stove at medium-high heat and reduce braising liquid to a sauce consistency, 25-35 mins; set aside and keep warm.
3 Place carrots, 80g butter and 1L water in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until tender, 10-15 mins; remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Reduce cooking liquid until a light caramel colour, 15-20 mins. Toss sauce through carrots to serve.
4 Combine cavolo nero and 50ml water in a saucepan over low heat, season, cover, cook until wilted; toss remaining butter through. Serve beef cheeks, carrots and cavolo nero with reserved sauce and polenta, if you like.
TIRAMISU
Prep: 15 mins. Cooking: 10 mins + refrigeration. Serves 6-8.
200ml freshly brewed espresso
125g caster sugar
3 egg yolks
40ml good-quality marsala
1 cup (250ml) pouring cream
350ml mascarpone
18 savoiardi (ladyfinger) biscuits Dutch-process cocoa, sieved, to serve
1 Pour hot coffee into a shallow bowl with 50g caster sugar, stirring to dissolve. Set aside to cool.
2 Place egg yolks, marsala and 25g sugar in a heatproof bowl over low heat and whisk until thick and mixture holds a thick ribbon, about 6 mins. Set aside. Place cream and remaining sugar in a bowl and use an electric mixer to whisk to soft-medium peaks; set aside. Place mascarpone in a separate bowl and whisk until smooth. Add egg yolk mixture to mascarpone, gently whisk to combine, then add whipped cream and whisk to soft peaks. 3 Soak 9 savoiardi biscuits in cooled coffee mixture, arranging them in a single layer in the base of a 24cm baking dish as you go. Cover with half the cream mixture. Soak remaining savoiardi in coffee and layer on top of cream mixture. Spread remaining cream over. Refrigerate for 2 hrs or until firm. Serve chilled, dusted with cocoa.