Risotto Milan style

This is a classic Italian dish that is quite versatile. You can use it on its own for an entree course or light meal or you can serve it as an accompaniment to osso buco.

Rice is grown extensively in the plains of Northern Italy, and risotto competes with pasta as a major source of carbohydrate in traditional regional cuisine.

Ingredients

350g oz aborio or short grain rice
60g butter
1 diced onion
100 ml dry white wine
3 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock
Small pinch saffron
Extra 30g butter
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste

Method

Saute the onion in the 60g of butter, till it is soft, not browned
Add rice and saffron and stir well so that each grain is covered with butter
Add the wine and stir well over low-moderate heat. As the liquid is absorbed and evaporates add the stock about a half a cup at a time, stirring constantly. It will take about 20 minutes to cook. You may need a little more water to make sure the rice is fully cooked. When the rice is cooked stir through the extra butter, salt and cheese. Remove from heat and cover for a few minutes before serving.

Wine pairing for Risotto Milanese

If you are serving it as a stand alone dish I would suggest an Arneis. The distinct flavours of this wine wine would not be overwhelmed by the moderate flavours of the saffron and cheese. If you are serving this with a meaty dish such as osso buco you would match the wine to the meat.

Pierino

Will Rafuse

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Pasta is an important component of a healthy Mediterranean diet. As it contains flour and eggs it contains proteins, vitamins and energy… and that’s before you add the sauce.

Pasta Machine available from Amazon

Making your own pasta seems like a lot of trouble, but it can be well worthwhile. It is much easier if you have one of the pasta machines that clamp onto the table. In fact you can have your fresh pasta made and ready to eat in a similar time it takes you to cook dried pasta.

Ingredients for 4 people

400g plain white flour
4 eggs
good pinch salt
extra flour for workbench

Method

Mix flour and salt and place it on a clean workbench. Make a well in the heap of flour and break the eggs int the well. Stir the flour into the eggs with a knife, then knead the mixture with your hands. Use some of the extra flour if the mixture is sticky. Divide the dough into three or four pieces and flatten them with the ball of your hand.

Pass the piece of the dough through the machine with it opened at its maximum, fold over and repeat until the dough is smooth. Then gradually move the rollers closer until they are on the narrowest, or second narrowest setting. If the pieces become too long for easy handling just cut them in half. Dust with a little more flour if your dough becomes sticky.

You now have sheets of fresh pasta that you can use to make lasagna, or you can use then to make filled pasta such as ravioli or tortellini, or you can use the cutting rollers to make wide or thin strips.

To store your pasta toss through some flour to prevent it sticking. Or you can use it immediately.

To cook pasta bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and check after 2 minutes. It won’t take more than 3 -4 minutes to cook, so have your sauce ready.

Maintaining your pasta machine

Don’t immerse your pasta machine in water or you will damage the rollers. After using your machine just brush away any flour and dough with a dry cloth or brush.

Food and wine pairing for pasta really depends on the sauce. There are some wine suggestions on each of the sauce recipes.

My good friend Matt has learnt all about making pasta from his Italian in-laws. He has made an excellent home made video on how to make home made pasta

Papoutsakia means “little shoes” in Greek. The finished dish resembles shoes or boats. This recipe is vegetarian, but you could use some minced lamb as well in the stuffing mixture.

Ingredients for 4.

* 2 medium eggplants
* 4 spring onions (including green tops), chopped
* 6 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 cup chopped celery, including some leaves
* 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
* 1 green capsicum, seeded and chopped
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon dried mint
* 1 half cup chopped fresh parsley
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 cup chicken stock, or tomato juice
* Freshly ground black pepper
* Kalamata olives (optional)
* Feta cheese (optional)

Method

Halve eggplants lengthwise. Scoop out centers to make boats. Chop scooped-out eggplant pulp.

Saute the chopped eggplant with the onions and garlic in some of the oil for a couple of minutes. Stir in the celery, tomatoes, capsicum, oregano, mint and parsley; mix well.

Stuff eggplant “shoes” with mixture. Sprinkle with a little olive oil. Place shoes into a baking dish. Pour chicken stock or tomato juice and remaining olive oil into dish, around the shoes. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated moderate oven for 45 minutes, or until eggplant is tender.

Garnish with freshly ground black pepper, Kalamata olives and feta cheese.

This dish can be served as an entree, or as a side dish to souvlakia or greek style roast lamb.

Food pairing ideas

You could enjoy this dish with a full bodied Viognier, or perhaps a lighter style Petit Verdot.

Trippa Romana or Roman style tripe is a classic Italian dish, reminding us that in less affluent times nothing was wasted from meat animals.

Use Honeycomb beef tripe for this classic Italian dish. You should buy it cleaned and parboiled from the butcher. Simmering the tripe again will ensure that it is tender before you bake it slowly in the tomato sauce to integrate the flavours.

Ingredients for 4 people, 6 as an entree.

1 kg tripe
2 cloves
A few whole peppercorns
1 walnut sized piece of butter
2 tablespoons of oil
1 carrot
1 onion
1 stick of celery
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons of chopped herbs, parsley, basil or marjoram
600ml tomato passata
Salt and pepper
Half cup of grated parmesan cheese

Method

Cover the tripe in water and add the cloves and peppercorns.
Simmer for a hour or so until the tripe is tender. Drain.
Meanwhile in another saucepan saute the chopped vegetables and garlic in the butter and oil until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato passata and simmer for a few minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Cut the tripe into 2cm strips and put into oven-proof dish. Cover with the herbs and tomato sauce.
Cover and bake in a slow oven for an hour and a half.
Serve with noodles accompanied by the cheese in a separate bowl. For a main course you could add a garden salad and some rustic Italian bread.

This dish would be ideally paired with a Sangiovese red wine.

A free cookbook for food pairing with Sangiovese

More about Sangiovese

Some more tripe recipes

This simple recipe for gnocchi uses a freshly cooked tomato sauce. It is provided by Wendy Parsons of Catherine Vale who recommends it as ideal dish to accompany Catherine Vale Dolcetto

Ingredients:
6 tomatoes peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
1 shallot finely chopped
1 clove of garlic shopped
30 ml of olive oil
1 bouquet garni made up with parsley, thyme and 1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
Packet of gnocchi - follow packet instructions

Method: (serves 4)
Heat oil in frying pan and gently fry shallot and garlic
Add tomato, bouquet garni, salt and pepper
Simmer for approximately 15 minutes
Remove bouquet garni and lace sauce in a liquidizer after removing bouquet garni
Meanwhile cook and drain gnocchi
Put Gnocchi and sauce into an ovenproof dish and top with Parmesan cheese
Brown under grill and serve

‘Panzanella‘ is a traditional Italian Bread and Tomato Salad. It is an ideal accompaniment to Sangiovese which will marry well with the savouriness of the tomato, garlic and basil.

This recipe is by Manuela Darling-Gansser, Author of Under the Olive Tree.
Australian readers can buy Under the Olive Tree via this link

Other readers can order the book from Amazon by clicking the image at left.

Panzanella

Serves 4

Ingredients:

approx 500g ciabatta bread
600g very ripe tomatoes
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 chilli, chopped
10-15 chopped basil leaves
salt and pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Method:

For this recipe you should use two day old ciabatta bread.

Cut bread into small cubes. Put tomatoes in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, drain and then peel. Chop finely.

Put all ingredients except oil in a bowl and mix well. Squash mixture with your hands so it becomes a paste. Then add some virgin olive oil - about 1/2 cup.

Leave in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Eat as antipasto.

Variation: you can add a few chopped olives and chopped anchovy fillets to the panzanella.

Food Pairing: You might like to try this Italian dish with a Sangiovese

Three Tomatoes Will Rafuse Buy From Art.com

Olive Garden Spaghetti Delle Rocca

Here is a simple pasta dish that you should be able to whip up in a just 20 minutes or so. I like to use grated Parmesan or Remano Cheese on vegetarian pasta dishes. As there is no meat it would go well with a crisp cool Pinot grigio.
Ingredients

1 oz. extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz. diced red onions
2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
2 oz. quartered button mushrooms
2 lb. cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata black olives
1/2 cup pitted green olives
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed
1/4 cup torn basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
Some freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Dry pasta, cooked according to package directions
Grated Parmesan cheese to taste
Method

Start cooking the pasta according to the packet directions
Heat oil in sauce pot.
Add garlic, onions and mushrooms.
Cook for one minute; do not brown.
Add cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, basil, parsley, salt and pepper
Saute for about 10 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
Drain the pasta when ready.
Combine sauce and drained pasta in a large serving dish while
both are hot.
Top with grated Parmesan cheese; garnish with fresh
basil leaves.

Wine suggestion:
An Italian white, say a Pinot grigio or Arneis.

Recipe modified from e-cookbook library

Browse for some Italian Cookbooks at Amazon

Quail have been enjoyed as game birds for centuries. The dark rich breast meat of quail can be paired with white or red wine. In this recipe a red wine is suggested.

Sangiovese and sangiovese dominant blends can be successfully paired with gamey meats. In this recipe from Hollick Wines the strong natural flavours of the bird are enhanced with sage and prosciutto. The pepperoni and polenta both remind us of the peasant origins of this cuisine.

Q is for Quail Buy From Art.com

The wine suggestion is to use Hollick “Hollaia” a blend of 60% Sangiovese with 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. The blend is inspired by the ‘Super Tuscan” use of these two varieties.

Ingredients

• 4 jumbo quail, halved and boned except drumstick
• 8 thin slices prosciutto
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• sunflower oil
• 1 x soft buckwheat recipe
• 1 x peperonata recipe
• Chopped flat leaf parsley
• 50g shaved parmesan

Method

• Wrap half a quail and sage leaf in a slice of proscuitto, then allow to chill for 30 mins.
• Preheat oven to 180ºC.
• Heat a heavy frying pan with a little oil and seal the quail for one minute on each side, then bake quail in the oven on a tray for 4-5 mins.
• Place a spoon of the hot polenta onto 4 soup plates.
• Rest 2 halves of quail on the polenta and top with peporanata, parsley and parmesan.

Peperonata for quail
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1 each red and yellow capsicum, de-seeded and sliced
3 lge ripe tomatoes, halved, pulp removed and sliced
2-3 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 anchovy, chopped (optional)

Method

• Gently soften the onion in a large heavy bottom pan with the olive oil.
• Add the capsicum, garlic and anchovy and cook slowly until the capsicums are wilted.
• Add the tomato and sherry vinegar, simmer for 5 mins to melt the ingredients together.

Soft buckwheat polenta

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup buckwheat polenta
• 50g butter
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt

Method

• Bring the milk and water to the boil and stir in the polenta on a low heat.
• Stir with a wooden spoon for 10 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in butter and oil. Season to taste.

More about Sangiovese