Antipasti ~ Appetizers
Porcini Croccanti in Zuppa di Borlotti al Rosmarino ~ Crispy Porcini Mushroom and Rosemary Soup with Borlotti Beans
Number of servings: 6
Ingredients
- For the soffritto:
- 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Garlic clove
- About 5 sprigs of Parsley
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- Salt, to taste
- For the soup:
- 9 cups Water
- 10 oz. Fresh Borlotti Beans (dried can be substituted if fresh in unavailable)
- 1 ½ cup Potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 small Carrot
- 1 Celery Stalk
- ¼ medium Onion
- 1 fresh Rosemary sprig, about 10cm
- For the porcini crisps:
- 9 oz. fresh Porcini mushrooms
- Flour, for coating
- Olive oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a large pan, heat olive oil and add the garlic clove, parsley and tomato paste with a sprinkle of salt
- Sauté for a few minutes, until cooked thoroughly, then turn heat off
- In a separate pot, add the water, beans, potatoes, carrot, celery stalk, and onion
- Once the soup comes to a boil, lower the heat and allow to simmer for a minimum of 2 hours
- In the meantime, cut the procini mushrooms in slices of about ½ cm thick
- Coat in flour and in a pan with hot oil, fry procini slices until crispy
- Towards the end of the soup’s cooking time add the soffritto mixture and rosemary sprig to the soup
- Mix well and allow to continue simmering for 10 minutes
- Transfer the soup to a food mill or processor and puree the soup until smooth
- Serve soup hot in individual bowls placing a few “floating” porcini crisps with an addition swirl of extra virgin olive oil and fresh rosemary bundle for garnish
Borlengo Con Ragu’ Bianco, Parmigiano e Tartufo Scorzone ~ Borlengo (thin flatbread) with Pork Ragú, Parmesan Cheese, and Black Scorzone Truffles
Number of servings: 6
Ingredients
- For the borlengo:
- 1 ½ cups Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 ½ cup Water
- For the ragú:
- 3 ½ tbsp. Butter
- ¼ cup Celery, finely diced
- ¼ cup Carrots, finely diced
- ¼ cup White Onion, finely diced
- ¼ lb. Culatello – pork, upper thigh
- 1 Sage leaf
- 2 tbsp Salt
- ¼ cup White Wine
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
- 3 oz Scorzone or other Black Truffle variety
Instructions
- For the borlengo:
- In a bowl, whisk the flour, salt, beaten egg, and oil
- While still whisking add the water a little at a time. Continue mixing for 10 minutes and then let dough rest for half hour
- It should be a thick but liquidy batter
- Heat a 24cm diameter pan, pour a few drops of oil in the center of the pan and with a paper towel spread it evenly on the bottom and sides
- Spoon just enough batter and to turn the pan immediately to coat a thin veil over the entire surface
- Flip the borlengo over after a few seconds
- Repeat until you’ve used all the batter, should make about 18 borlenghi.
- For the ragù:
- In a pan, warm the butter and sauté the celery, carrot, and onion
- As the soffritto cooks, dice the Culatello and add it to the pan with the sage leaf. Sautee on high heat until the moisture from the pork is evaporated
- Add the salt and wine and continue on high heat until the wine evaporates as well
- Serve the borlengo in three layers; lay one borlengo and then spoon the ragù, sprinkle Parmesan cheese and thin slices of the truffle
- Repeat three more times for each serving
Primi~ First Courses
Ravioli di Ricotta al Parmigiano, Scalogno e Balsamico ~ Ricotta Ravioli with Parmesan Cheese, Shallots, and Balsamic Reduction
Number of servings: 6
Ingredients
- For the pasta:
- 5 cup Flour
- 5 Eggs
- For the filling :
- 1 cup Sheep’s milk Ricotta
- 1 cup Cow’s milk Ricotta
- 1/3 cup of cooked Swiss Chard, squeeze to drain well and coarsely cut
- 1/3 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese (preferably aged 24 months)
- Nutmeg and Salt, to taste
- For the sauce :
- 4 tbsp Butter
- 1 large Scallion, diced finely
- 12 tbsp of medium thickness and acidity balsamic vinegar, or refined traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, which is not too sweet but with a modest amount of acidity. Otherwise the dish would not have enough freshness
- Salt, to taste
- 1/3 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese (aged 24 months)
- 1/3 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese (aged 4 years)
Instructions
- For the pasta:
- Mound the flour on a wooden board forming a hole in the middle
- Break the eggs into the hole, beat the eggs while adding the flour from the sides
- Mix all together until the dough is smooth
- Wrap the dough in plastic and set aside to rest for at least one hour.
- For the filling:
- Mix all the ingredients together until well incorporated
- Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until reasonably thin and then with a knife cut into squares of about 5 cm per side
- Spoon a small amount of filling on the center of each square
- Fold one side of the square over, forming a triangle
- For the sauce:
- Heat the butter in a large pan and sauté the scallion. When caramelized remove the pan from the heat and add the Balsamic vinegar, pinch of salt and thin slices of the 24 month old cheese
- Cook the ravioli in a large boil pot of water
- Once cooked, drain and transfer to the pan with balsamic sauce
- Put the pan back on the high heat and mix well so flavors blend well with the pasta
- Serve on hot plates and garnish with thin slices of the 24-month Parmigiano cheese
Secondi ~ Second Courses
Polenta Fluida All’olio Extra Vergine di Oliva, Parmigiano e Tartufo Bianco ~ Soft Stone Ground Polenta with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Parmesan and White Truffle
Number of servings: 8
Ingredients
- 12 ½ cup Water
- 2 tbsp Salt
- ¾ cup + 2 tbsp of Polenta flour
- ¾ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- ½ cup + 2 ½ tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1.7 oz. Fresh White Truffle
Instructions
- Bring the water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Slowly pour in the polenta, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
- Stir continuously for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Cook over a very low flame for another 40 minutes. Remember to stir often to prevent the polenta from sticking to the pan.
- When polenta is cooked, divide among ten plates, topping each serving with the Parmesan, olive oil and fresh white truffle.
- Serve hot.
Vitella Brasata al Vino Rosso con Purè e Cipolla Croccante ~ Braised Veal in Red Wine with Mashed Potatoes and Crispy Onions
Number of servings: 6
Ingredients
- braised veal:
- Six 1/2lb 14-16 month Veal Cheeks
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Kitchen twine
- Flour, as needed
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 1 Celery stalk, large dices
- 1 Carrot, large dices
- 1 medium Onion, large dices
- 1 Garlic clove
- 1 small Rosemary sprig
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 2 Sage leaves
- 1 bottle of Barbera wine or a full-bodied young red
- mashed potatoes:
- ½ lb. Potatoes
- 3 tbsp Butter
- ½ cup fresh Milk
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt
- onions crisps:
- 2 medium Red Onions
- ½ cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Flour, as needed
Instructions
- Season the veal with salt and pepper.
- Roll and securing tie with kitchen twine.
- Dust each cheek with a little flour.
- In a pan, melt butter and brown the meat well.
- Once cooked add all the vegetables and herbs. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes and then add the red wine.
- Cover the pan and cook on a low heat for about 3 hours.
- Sieve the pan juices and set aside.
- For the potatoes:
- Place the potatoes in a saucepan with cold water and cook until reasonably soft; add salt, peel, and chop into small pieces and place in a pre-heated oven at about 100°C or 210°F for 10 minutes.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter with the milk.
- Mash the potatoes and add them to butter-milk mixture, add the Parmesan cheese and salt.
- Whisk until you have the desire consistency.
- For the onions:
- Slice onions into circles and place into a bowl of water.
- Drain and drench with flour and fry in hot oil.
- Remove the veal from the pan and discard the string.
- Place on a serving plate and decorate with piped mashed potatoes, pour the veal drippings on the veal and potatoes.
- Place the fried onions on the veal and serve.
Dolci ~ Desserts
Tegola di Cioccolato e Maltritato di Caffè con la sua Riduzione ~ Layered Dark Chocolate and Coffee Cake with Coffee Reduction
Number of servings: 8
Ingredients
- For the filling:
- 3 Eggs
- ½ cup Sugar
- ½ cup Single Cream (about 35% fat)
- 7 oz. Dark Chocolate 70%, chopped into pieces
- 1/3 cup Coffee Beans, coarsely chopped or smashed with a meat pounder
- Plain Sponge Cake, 2 slices of 3cm thick
- ½ cup Milk
- 4 tsp Espresso Coffee
- ¼ Brown Sugar
- For the coffee sugar wafers:
- 1 cup Sugar
- 4 tsp Water
- 3 ½ tbsp Coffee beans
- For the coffee reduction:
- 1/3 cup Espresso Coffee
- 4 tbsp Sugar
Instructions
- One day in advance:
- Separate the egg yolk from the white.
- Whisk the egg whites to soft peak and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
- In a bowl, beat the yolks with the sugar until the mixture is frothy.
- Add the cream and continue to mix.
- Melt the chocolate in “bain marie,” when the chocolate has melted add the yolk mixture and mix over the boiling water until fully incorporated and begins to thicken.
- Add 2/3 of the ground coffee beans.
- Cool slightly and fold in the egg whites.
- Line loaf pan with plastic wrap and press a layer of the sponge cake.
- In a small bowl mix the milk and 4 tsp of espresso coffee.
- With a brush lightly soak the cake with the coffee-milk mixture.
- Pour the chocolate-egg custard into the pan and cover with the second layer of sponge cake.
- Place in the fridge overnight.
- The following day:
- In a saucepan heat 1 cup of sugar and water and when light brown add the remaining smashed coffee beans.
- Pour on a sheet of parchment paper in 15cm diameter wafers.
- Allow to cool and harden.
- For the coffee reduction:
- Reduce 1/3 cup of espresso coffee on low heat and add 4 tbsp of sugar.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator and unmold on a serving platter.
- Remove the plastic wrap and cut into slices.
- Layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle with brown sugar.
- Places slices under the broiler until sugar caramelizes.
- Place a wafer in the middle of the serving plate. Transfer a slice on the wafer and garnish with the coffee reduction and additional coffee beans.