Biba's Northern Italian Cooking Part 3

Place beans in a large bowl. Add enough cold water to cover and let stand overnight. Drain and rinse beans thoroughly.

Prepare Meat Broth. Place beans in a large saucepan. Add water, broth, 2 tablespoons oil, prosciutto rind or salt pork, carrot, celery and onion. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a small saucepan. Add rosemary. Cook over medium heat until lightly browned. Discard rosemary. Add parsley and garlic; saute. When garlic changes color, stir in flour. Cook and stir about 1 minute. Remove 1 cup cooking liquid from bean mixture. Stir in tomato paste. Stir into flour mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add to bean mixture.

With a slotted spoon, place a third of bean mixture in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Return to saucepan. Bring soup to a boil. Add pasta or rice and cook over high heat 8 to 10 minutes. Stir several times during cooking. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Stir 1 tablespoon oil and cup Parmesan cheese into soup. Serve hot with additional Parmesan cheese.

CREAM OF POTATO AND LEEK SOUP.

Crema di Patate e Porri Leeks are closely related to onions but have a flavor all their own.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS MAKES 6 SERVINGS 6 to 8 cups Meat Broth, page 22 6 to 8 cups Meat Broth, page 22 2 pounds potatoes 2 pounds potatoes 1 pound leeks 1 pound leeks 2 egg yolks 2 egg yolks cup whipping cream cup whipping cream 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1 tablespoon chopped parsley Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Toasted bread Toasted bread

Prepare Meat Broth.

Peel and chop potatoes. Trim ends and tough outside leaves from leeks. Cut leeks lengthwise through to center. Wash under cold running water, pulling layers apart so grit is removed. Slice into rounds. Put potatoes and leeks into a medium saucepan. Add enough broth to cover. Cook uncovered over medium heat until vegetables are tender.

With a slotted spoon, place vegetables in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Return puree to broth. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat. Beat together egg yolks and cream in a small bowl. Quickly beat egg yolk mixture into hot soup. Stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with Parmesan cheese and toasted bread.

ONION SOUP ITALIAN STYLE.

Zuppa di Cipolle all'Italiana Homemade Meat Broth and top-quality Parmesan cheese are vital to the success of this soup.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS MAKES 6 SERVINGS 10 to 12 cups Meat Broth, page 22 10 to 12 cups Meat Broth, page 22 6 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 6 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 8 large onions, thinly sliced 8 large onions, thinly sliced cup brandy cup brandy cup all-purpose flour cup all-purpose flour 12 thick slices Italian bread 12 thick slices Italian bread 1 to 1 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 to 1 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare Meat Broth. Simmer broth in a large saucepan.

Melt b.u.t.ter in another large saucepan.When b.u.t.ter foams, add onions. Saute over medium heat until pale yellow. Stir in brandy. When brandy is three-quarters evaporated, stir in flour. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in hot broth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 30 to 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Toast bread until golden on both sides. Place 2 slices toasted bread in each of 6 ovenproof soup bowls. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle each serving with a generous tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Place briefly under preheated broiler for a golden crust. Serve immediately.

Pasta

Pasta, which has been basic to the Italian diet for centuries, is synonymous with Italy. Of course pasta is also indigenous to other countries, but nowhere in the world is the image of pasta as exciting, tempting and glorious as it is in Italy. Pasta is undoubtedly Italy's greatest culinary a.s.set.

I was born and raised in Bologna, a city famous for its superlative fresh pasta, and was fed a daily dose of tagliatelle, tagliolini, cappelletti, tortellini and lasagne. My mother, a superlative cook, would prepare her daily homemade pasta with the speed of sound. She would put the flour on the wooden board, make a well in the center and crack the eggs into the well. Then, with fast, experienced hands, she would mix eggs and flour and in no time at all she would produce a beautiful, soft yellow dough. She would roll the dough out with a long rolling pin into a large circular, transparent sheet, then she would cut the sheet into the chosen shape. It was a miracle, or so I thought, that with a bunch of flour and only a few eggs, something so incredibly delicious could be accomplished. By the time I was fifteen, I too knew how to make pasta by hand, even though mine lacked the silkiness and smoothness of my mother's pasta.

On occasions we were served a dish of factory-made pasta, such as spaghetti or maccheroni, which my father would barely tolerate, having been fed all his life the homemade product. Today, he would be shocked to know that 55 million Italians use factory-made pasta on a daily basis, even in the north, since the majority of the women work outside the home and have much less time to devote to pasta making.

In this country, the image of pasta has changed drastically in the last ten years. Once a poor man's staple, pasta has become today a very "in" food. Now that nutritionists have told us we should eat more pasta, much emphasis is spent on learning the art of pasta making. Pasta is a highly satisfying food. It is comfort food at its best. Colorful, ebullient, a.s.sertive or delicate, a few ounces of pasta with a moderate amount of sauce can generally satisfy hunger and leave you in a happy, satisfied mood.We can finally indulge in a diet of pasta, without too much guilt.

Homemade pasta and factory-made pasta are two completely different products, both delicious in their own way. Homemade pasta, which uses white, unbleached all-purpose flour, is light and delicate, perfect for stuffed preparations, such as ravioli, tortellini, lasagne, tagliatelle and tagliolini.The sauces for homemade pasta are somewhat refined, light and mildly seasoned. Factory-made pasta, which is made with durum wheat flour (semolina), comes in a myriad of shapes, such as spaghetti, linguine, penne, sh.e.l.ls and rigatoni. It is best suited for more a.s.sertive, ebullient and colorful sauces and is a favorite of Southern Italians.

Faithful to the Northern Italian tradition, most of the pasta in this chapter is homemade. You will find the "Cla.s.sic Method for Making Pasta Dough" rolled out with a rolling pin, on page 42, as well as the "Basic Egg Pasta Dough" rolled out with a hand-cranked pasta machine, on page 40.

Ingredients Use unbleached all-purpose flour.This flour has a moderate amount of gluten, which will make the dough soft and pliable. Semolina flour (durum wheat flour) is almost never used in Northern Italy to make homemade pasta. Semolina flour is used for factory-made pasta.

Use large eggs brought to room temperature. If you can find eggs with a really orange yolk, your pasta will have the golden color that egg pasta should have. In Tuscany a drop of oil and a pinch of salt are added to the dough. In all the other Northern Italian regions, only flour and eggs are used.

Equipment Needed to Make Pasta Dough by Hand The best surface for kneading pasta is wood.The warmth and grain of wood will give your pasta a special texture. Formica or marble can also be used. A dough or pastry sc.r.a.per will clean the sticky pieces of dough attached to the board.

Use a fork to mix the flour with the eggs.

Equipment Needed to Roll Pasta Dough If you are planning to roll out pasta dough by hand, a long Italian rolling pin, 32 inches long and 1 inches in diameter, would be ideal. If your local gourmet cooking store does not carry it, use a regular rolling pin.

If you are planning to roll out the pasta dough by machine, look for a little hand-cranked pasta machine, which can be found in most department stores at a very reasonable price. The main part of the pasta machine is for kneading and rolling the dough through its two steel rollers.This machine comes with two attachments to cut the sheet of dough into wide and thin noodles.

Cutting, Storing and Cooking Noodles After you have made your pasta and rolled it out by hand, page 42, or by machine, page 41, you need to dry the pasta sheets 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the heat of your room.When the pasta is no longer sticky, put it through the cutting blades of the pasta machine, according to the width you wish to make. Arrange noodles in soft bundles on a wooden board or a tablecloth. They can be cooked immediately or they can be allowed to dry and cooked later on. If you plan to store the noodles, let them dry at least 24 hours. At this point the noodles are brittle. Place them gently in plastic bags or in a plastic container. Seal tightly and store at room temperature. They will keep well for two to three weeks.

To cook fresh noodles, follow these simple, basic rules.

Use 4 to 5 quarts of water for 1 pound of pasta.

Bring the water to a boil. Add salt and pasta. Cover the pot and bring the water back to a boil, then remove the lid. Stir a few times during cooking.

The cooking of the noodles will depend on their freshness. Freshly made noodles will cook quickly.The longer they dry, the longer they need to cook.

Never overcook pasta. It should always be firm to the bite.

Never rinse pasta, unless specifically indicated in a recipe.

Never precook pasta unless you are making lasagne or cannelloni.

Cutting, Storing and Cooking Stuffed Pasta For stuffed pasta, such as tortellini and agnolotti, each sheet of dough must be cut and stuffed immediately immediately so the moistness of the dough can give a tight seal. Stuffed pasta should not be made more than one day ahead of cooking time. Many stuffings are very moist and if left to stand will make the dough sticky. Specific instructions on cutting and stuffing are given with the recipes. The principle for cooking stuffed pasta is the same as that for noodles. The fresher the pasta the shorter the cooking time. so the moistness of the dough can give a tight seal. Stuffed pasta should not be made more than one day ahead of cooking time. Many stuffings are very moist and if left to stand will make the dough sticky. Specific instructions on cutting and stuffing are given with the recipes. The principle for cooking stuffed pasta is the same as that for noodles. The fresher the pasta the shorter the cooking time.

Factory-Made Pasta Factory-made pasta comes in myriads of shapes and sizes.Years ago the only factory-made pasta available in this country were spaghetti, linguine and macaroni. Today we have many choices. Good factory-made pasta, imported from Italy and made with 100 percent semolina flour, is available all over the country.This pasta has the gold coloring of wheat and when properly cooked, it almost doubles in volume. The cooking time of dried pasta varies depending on the size, shape and brand you choose. Read the instructions on the label and taste it as it cooks. Leave the pasta slightly undercooked, so by the time you toss it with the sauce and bring it to the table, it will be simply perfect.

BASIC EGG PASTA DOUGH.

Pasta all'Uovo Alt.i.tude, humidity and the size of the eggs will influence the amount of flour needed to make pasta.

Put flour on a pastry board and make a well in the center. Break eggs into well; beat with a fork. Draw some flour from inner rim of well over eggs, beating constantly. Keep adding flour a little at a time until you have a soft dough. Put dough aside.

With a pastry sc.r.a.per, remove bits and pieces of dough attached to board. Lightly flour board and your hands. Knead dough 10 to 12 minutes, adding flour a little at a time until dough is smooth and pliable. Insert a finger into center of dough. If it comes out almost dry, dough is ready for pasta machine. If dough is sticky, knead it a little longer adding more flour.

Set rollers of pasta machine at their widest opening. Cut an egg-size piece from dough. Wrap remaining dough in a cloth towel to prevent it from drying. Flatten small piece of dough, dust with flour and fold in half. Run it through pasta machine. Repeat this step 5 to 8 times or until dough is smooth and not sticky. Change notch of pasta machine to the next setting and run dough through once without folding it. Keep changing setting and working pasta sheet through machine until pasta reaches desired thickness. A good thickness for general use is about 1 116 inch. Sprinkle dough with flour between rollings if it is sticky.

BASIC SPINACH PASTA DOUGH.

Pasta Verde Once you have tasted homemade pasta, no subst.i.tute will do!

Cook spinach according to package instructions. Drain thoroughly. Squeeze spinach to remove as much moisture as possible. Chop spinach very fine. Put flour on a pastry board and make a well in the center. Break eggs into well; beat with a fork. Add chopped spinach and beat to combine. Continue as for Basic Egg Pasta Dough, page 40.

Cla.s.sic Method for Making Pasta Dough Cla.s.sic Method for Making Pasta Dough Prepare dough as directed on page 40. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Flatten ball of dough with a rolling pin or the palms of your hands. The ideal rolling pin should be 32 inches long and 1 inches in diameter. Roll out dough, starting from center and moving toward edges. Rotate dough slightly and roll out again from center toward edges. Repeat several times. Dough should be rolled into a wide circle. Dust surface lightly if sticking. To roll out pasta to an even thinness, wrap the far edge of pasta sheet around rolling pin. Roll less than half of pasta sheet toward you. With the palms of your hands, gently press against center of rolling pin. Roll pin forward while the palms of your hands move toward ends of rolling pin. With this motion, pasta will be stretched forward as well as sideways. Rotate sheet of pasta slightly and repeat the motion. Dust lightly with flour if dough is sticky. Repeat this step until dough is thin and almost transparent. Try to work as quickly as possible to avoid dough drying. Prepare dough as directed on page 40. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Flatten ball of dough with a rolling pin or the palms of your hands. The ideal rolling pin should be 32 inches long and 1 inches in diameter. Roll out dough, starting from center and moving toward edges. Rotate dough slightly and roll out again from center toward edges. Repeat several times. Dough should be rolled into a wide circle. Dust surface lightly if sticking. To roll out pasta to an even thinness, wrap the far edge of pasta sheet around rolling pin. Roll less than half of pasta sheet toward you. With the palms of your hands, gently press against center of rolling pin. Roll pin forward while the palms of your hands move toward ends of rolling pin. With this motion, pasta will be stretched forward as well as sideways. Rotate sheet of pasta slightly and repeat the motion. Dust lightly with flour if dough is sticky. Repeat this step until dough is thin and almost transparent. Try to work as quickly as possible to avoid dough drying. For stuffed pasta, cut into desired shapes and stuff immediately. For noodles, let pasta circle dry on a wooden surface or tablecloth, 15 to 20 minutes. Fold pasta loosely into a flat roll, not wider than 3 inches. With a large sharp knife, cut pasta into desired width. Open out noodles. Place in soft bundles on a wooden surface or tablecloth. Dry noodles 10 to 15 minutes longer before cooking. Dry completely for 24 hours if you intend to store them. For stuffed pasta, cut into desired shapes and stuff immediately. For noodles, let pasta circle dry on a wooden surface or tablecloth, 15 to 20 minutes. Fold pasta loosely into a flat roll, not wider than 3 inches. With a large sharp knife, cut pasta into desired width. Open out noodles. Place in soft bundles on a wooden surface or tablecloth. Dry noodles 10 to 15 minutes longer before cooking. Dry completely for 24 hours if you intend to store them.

PASTA WITH ALMONDS AND CREAM.

Pasta con Mandorle e Panna Almonds and cream are combined to make a simple dish with a delightful flavor.

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS 3 ounces blanched almonds 3 ounces blanched almonds cup b.u.t.ter cup b.u.t.ter 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup Chicken Broth, page 23, or canned chicken broth 1 cup Chicken Broth, page 23, or canned chicken broth 2 cups whipping cream 2 cups whipping cream Salt and white pepper to taste Salt and white pepper to taste 1 pound penne or pasta sh.e.l.ls 1 pound penne or pasta sh.e.l.ls 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves, finely shredded or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves, finely shredded or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Put almonds on a baking sheet and bake until light golden.

Melt b.u.t.ter in a large skillet. When b.u.t.ter foams, add garlic and almonds. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the garlic begins to color, less than 1 minute. Add broth and cream; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is reduced almost by half and has a medium-thick consistency.

While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook uncovered until the pasta is tender but firm to the bite, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Stir in the basil or the parsley and cup of Parmesan cheese. Mix quickly over very low heat until the pasta is well coated with the sauce, 20 to 30 seconds. Serve at once with remaining Parmesan cheese if you wish.

RODRIGO'S PENNE WITH PROSCIUTTO, PEAS AND CREAM Le Penne di Rodrigo con Prosciutto, Piselli e Panna One night at Rodrigo, one of my favorite restaurants of Bologna, I ordered a pasta dish that had a luscious sauce of prosciutto, peas and cream. The sauce, which barely coated the pasta, was very light and absolutely delicious, because cream had been kept to a minimum and a small amount of broth had been added in its place.

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS 1 cup sh.e.l.led fresh green peas or thawed frozen peas 1 cup sh.e.l.led fresh green peas or thawed frozen peas 3 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 3 tablespoons b.u.t.ter cup very finely minced shallot or yellow onion cup very finely minced shallot or yellow onion 2 or 3 thick slices ( pound) prosciutto, cut into strips and diced 2 or 3 thick slices ( pound) prosciutto, cut into strips and diced cup heavy cream cup heavy cream cup Chicken Broth, page 23, or low-sodium canned cup Chicken Broth, page 23, or low-sodium canned Salt to taste Salt to taste 1 pound penne or garganelli 1 pound penne or garganelli to cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

If using fresh peas, drop them into a small saucepan of salted boiling water, and cook until peas are tender but still a bit firm. Drain and set aside.

Melt b.u.t.ter in a large skillet over medium heat. When b.u.t.ter foams, add shallot or onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is light golden and soft, about 5 minutes. Add prosciutto and stir 1 to 2 minutes. Add peas, stir once or twice, then add cream and broth. Season with salt. As soon as cream comes to a boil, reduce heat and let sauce bubble gently until it has a medium-thick consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste, adjust seasoning and turn heat off.

Meanwhile, cook pasta, uncovered, in plenty of boiling salted water, until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain pasta and place in skillet with sauce. Add a small handful of Parmigiano and mix over medium heat until pasta and sauce are well combined. Add some more broth or cream if sauce seems a bit dry. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve with remaining Parmigiano.

BAKED PASTA WITH BOLOGNESE MEAT RAGu.

Pasta al Forno con Ragu alla Bolognese Some dishes, made with leftover sauces or meat ragus, are even better the second time around. My mother would combine leftover Bolognese meat ragu with Salsa Balsamella (bechamel sauce or white sauce) and rigatoni or penne. She would dust them generously with Parmigiano and bake them until cheese melted and top of pasta was golden and crisp. The baking dish went from oven to table where pasta was spooned onto our plates.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS MAKES 6 SERVINGS 1 recipe Bolognese Meat Sauce, page 206 1 recipe Bolognese Meat Sauce, page 206 White Sauce 1 cups milk 1 cups milk 3 tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.ter 3 tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.ter 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour Pinch of salt Pinch of salt 1 pound penne cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 1 tablespoon b.u.t.ter 1 tablespoon b.u.t.ter

Prepare meat sauce and set aside until ready to use.

Prepare White Sauce as instructed on page 205, using proportions listed above.

Preheat oven to 400F (205C). Generously b.u.t.ter bottom and sides of a baking dish.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.Add pasta and cook uncovered over high heat until pasta is cooked only halfway through and has a firm consistency. Drain pasta and place in a large bowl.

Add 2 cups of meat sauce, cup of white sauce and about half of Parmigiano. Mix until pasta and sauces are well combined. Put pasta in prepared baking dish, sprinkle top with remaining Parmigiano and dot with b.u.t.ter. Place dish in middle rack of oven and bake until top has a nice golden color, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove dish from oven and let it settle a few minutes. Bring dish to table and serve.

GARGANELLI WITH DRIED PORCINI AND SMOKED HAM.