Google helps you cook

It wasn't too long ago, maybe two weeks, that I observed (not too originally) that Google was planning to take over the world. This was in conjunction with their newish museum tour function. Now they're planning to conquer your kitchen.

In the last few days I have noticed that when I google a recipe name, on the left of the screen there is a list of boxes with ingredients to check, time frame, calorie range. This will give you results according to these specifications. This is obviously an expansion of their fairly recently revised search criteria.

An example. I google chicken piccata. Automatically, on the left of the search results there are boxes with "lemon" "capers" "white wine" etcetera. You choose the ones you want to include, and the results change as you refine your choices. Then you can choose, say, less than 30 minutes. If you like, you can choose a lower calorie option. In the end you should easily be able to find a chicken piccata recipe with lemon and capers (of course), white wine, that takes less than 30 minutes. I haven't tried it yet, but I think I will.

I was curious to see if Italian Google (www.google.it) had it. No. Neither did French or British Google, as of this writing.

Some minimal Italian recipes

Mark Bittman, aka The Minimalist, is leaving his regular Wednesday column at The New York Times. As a parting gift, he wrote up this compilation of his 25 favorites, which naturally include a number of Italian recipes.

Among others, you'll find his columns on pollo al mattone, pasta alla gricia, socca/farinata (in the photo), and pumpkin panna cotta. Check it out here.

Spaghetti frittata

Here's another one of my what-I-had for lunch posts. Since today is a cleaning day, I decided to minimize the cooking, and went with a spaghetti frittata. This is not something I just made up; it is actually part of the Neapolitan tradition.

I had cold, leftover spaghetti in the fridge (other pasta may also be used). Some people actually use leftover pasta with sauce for this e.g. spaghetti with ragu', but this sounds very unappealing to me. So. I used four eggs (ideally, for frittate and omelettes, they should be at room temperature). I beat the eggs and added a generous amount of parmigiano-reggiano, salt and freshly ground pepper. I heated a few tablespoonfuls of olive oil in a 10" teflon pan, then placed enough spaghetti to almost cover the bottom of same. I sauteed the spaghetti just enough to warm it. In the meantime I turned on my broiler to high. I added the egg mixture and allowed to set a bit, then added some capers and a pinch each of dried oregano and marjoram. To finish, I passed the pan quite close to the broiler to cook the top. This is actually rather quick, and is an alternative to flipping and cooking the other side of the frittata in the pan. Be careful not to overcook.

There, all done. Quite filling and tasty, although humble. Like most frittate, it can be eaten warm or cold. You don't have to use parmigiano, which is expensive. You can use things you have on hand: bits of mozzarella or other cheese, onions, bacon, herbs you fancy.

Tramezzini with smoked salmon, mascarpone and Meyer lemon

You may now benefit from my vast experience with Meyer lemons. Going back about 24 hours.

Well, I was at my local Shaw's a few days ago and they had Meyer lemons as a new item. Not very well known in our frigid Massachusetts, I can tell you that. They are a slightly smaller version of my beloved lemon; juicier, with fewer seeds and a thinner, edible rind of a more intense yellow. Less tart. They also taste a bit like tangerines, and are very fragrant.

Here goes:

Take your sliced white bread, preferably bought that very day. Italians do not use whole wheat or crusty bread for tramezzini. Carefully cut the crust to avoid jagged edges. Spread both sides with mascarpone. Cover one side with smoked salmon. Very thinly slice the Meyer lemon, rind and all. Cover half of the salmon with lemon slices. Place capers on other slice (I used non pareil). Carefully close without having everything fall out and roll all over the place. Cut in half (no jagged edges!), either in half or diagonally. I did not add salt or pepper.

I intend to use my new Chinese lemons in other things. So far, I've made a vinaigrette for my salad (yesterday) and put a slice in my gunpowder green tea (this morning). Stay posted.

(in the photo, typical tramezzini in an Italian bar)

Steak, arugula and Parmesan sandwich

Like arugula? While grocery shopping after my yoga class this morning I had a hankering for steak. Not very yogic, but I believe some good red meat from time to time never hurt anyone.

Inspired by the Italian semi-classic dish tagliata alla rucola, I decided to make a sandwich based on this. Or rather the variant that also calls for Parmesan cheese.

So I bought crusty bread (a baguette, in my case) and shaved steak. The other stuff I already had.

At home, I cut off about a third or a fourth of the baguette at one end. Halved it lengthwise, and warmed in toaster oven. I sauteed a clove of garlic in olive oil, added a smidgen of Dijon mustard (optional). I quickly sauteed the shaved steak in the oil till medium-rare, salted and added freshly ground pepper. I removed my bread halves from the oven and liberally sprinkled with Parmesan. I covered both sides with the steak, covered the steak with arugula, and then (important) poured the pan drippings onto the arugula.

I closed the sandwich carefully and ate. Yum yum yum. I had the sandwich with a glass of Cabernet. Yum yum yum yum yum yum. The yogis don't know what they're missing.

Pane cunzato- for anchovy lovers

It doesn't get any more Mediterranean than this. I just made it for lunch and it was so good I ended up eating twice as much as I had planned. It is a good summertime pizza-substitute for when you're craving pizza but can't stand the idea of heat. It also uses up your flavorful August tomatoes.

Pane cunzato (in standard Italian, pane conciato- dressed bread) is fresh (not day-old or stale bread) with the addition of olive oil, salt and pepper, fresh tomatoes, oregano and anchovies. Some versions use a cheese called primosale. And of course there are other variants.

This is what I did. Right after gym this morning I went to the nearby supermarket and bought the crusty bread, cherry tomatoes, anchovies and fresh mozzarella. Among other things. I hurried home, warmed the bread lightly in a toaster oven. In the meantime I halved the cherry tomatoes and diced the mozzarella. I opened the bread, drizzled generously with extra-virgin olive oil, then pressed the tomatoes open side down into the bread. Salted lightly (remember the anchovies!) and added freshly ground pepper. Topped with cheese, oregano and anchovies. I closed the bread, sandwich-like. At this point some real, live Sicilians will slice the bread into strips, but I didn't. Others leave it open-faced.

Variants: substitute olives for anchovies if you dislike the latter or are a vegetarian. Substitute white anchovies and marjoram and leave open for a refined touch. Leave out cheese, limit olive oil (but don't omit!) and serve open-faced for a lighter version. I do not advise the use of very savory cheeses such as feta.

Guerrino makes sole with capers and raisins

We already met the charming and modest Guerrino in a former post. I'm a fan of his, he's a sort of anti-celebrity chef.

Let's cook along with Guerrino in one of his hallmark simple recipes. I'll help you out with Italian words and phrases- he's a talented guy, but he is not known for his perfect enunciation.

Surgelati- frozen. You can either use sole fillets or, as in his case, frozen (European) plaice (platessa,) another flatfish.

Abbondante- the oil (olive oil of course) is described as un po' abbondante- a rather generous amount. The oil must be quite hot.

Farina- flour. He dredges the fish in flour.

Sale- salt. He adds salt.

Girare- turn. He says they should be turned only once as they are delicate and should not fall apart.

Una noce di burro- a common expression in Italian recipes. Literally, a nut (-sized amount of) butter. About a tablespoonful. He adds this to the fish after draining the excess oil.

Capperi, uvetta- he adds approximately equal amounts of capers and raisins.

Bagnare- literally, to wet. He douses the fish with some white wine.

Un goccio- literally, a drop. A small amount of liquid (here, the white wine.)

Scivolare- to slide. He carefully slides the fish to the plate to avoid breaking it up.

Toast farcito

This was one of my favorites for a light meal or snack when I was in Italy. Toast in Italian is not toast (which is pane tostato) but quite simply a grilled cheese sandwich, on commercial white bread (pan carre'.) The toast can almost always be found in a bar, but a toast farcito (farcito means "stuffed") is a little harder to find.

It is basically a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with a thin filling of sottaceti (soet-tah-CHEH-tee,) or pickled vegetables. If you'd like to make your own, you should obtain a jar of giardiniera, then drain (but do not rinse) the veggies. You may pick and choose what veggies to include and in what proportion: for example, in the pictured jar, I find the amount of cauliflower rather alarming. Mince them coarsely. Prepare your usual grilled ham and cheese, but about midway, re-open the sandwich and spread filling on one side. Continue to cook until done to your liking.

Italians generally do not make this either with prosciutto or with crusty bread.

Trader Joe's peach and blueberry panna cotta

Although I have been and, alas alack, continue to be, on a diet, I finally gave in a few weeks ago at my local (Brookline, Massachusetts) Trader Joe's and bought their sinful peach and blueberry panna cotta (Italian for cooked cream). I had already noticed it long before, but held out, rather heroically. Then, upon a close examination of its not prohibitive calorie count or price, I took the bold step of purchasing a package. About three dollars for two servings, and 270 calories per portion.

I coldly calculated that I could have one (just one, and nothing else) for breakfast, having defrosted it overnight in the fridge. What happened is that I woke (I wonder why) at four am that morning, and remembered (I wonder how) that there was a now-defrosted peach and blueberry panna cotta in the refrigerator. I proceeded (in my jammies) to remove it from its container by turning it upside down and squishing the bottom a bit. Delectable.

Since then, diet or no diet, I have brazenly purchased it again. Once, I must confess, I got home from Brookline in the evening and did not even wait to defrost it. I hurriedly boiled some water in a small pot and dunked the container in, an impromptu bain marie. It's that good.

Yes, folks. This will suit a) you b) your guests, if you are that altruistic (which I doubt.) If you are indeed so noble as to leave it for others, properly defrost, carefully run a wet, sharp knife along the interior edge, then upturn and gingerly place on small plate. Some of the yummy topping will cling to the bottom. Resist the urge to eat it yourself; spoon carefully on top of dessert, in its proper blueberry or peach place.

Now I know that many, even most of you who are reading this are not within easy reach of a Trader Joe's. You are probably feeling frustrated and angry by now. Do not despair. You can make your own panna cotta. It's not that hard! But it's harder than buying two of them at the store for three dollars!

A recipe can be found here. I advise use of the gelatin sheet alternative he proposes. There are many other recipes on the Web. I myself am a purist, and like to keep the panna cotta portion unflavored (not counting the vanilla), with a fruity, seasonal topping of my choice. Berries are excellent.

Viva la pappa col pomodoro!

Incredible to me that although I've had this blog for almost three years, I have yet to feature Rita Pavone, one of the delights of my childhood. When I got to Italy as a little kid in 1962, she was just coming onto the scene, with enormous (and justified success.) The petite redhead, who was still a teen, was nothing short of phenomenal: personality, talent, and a voice bigger than she was.

The clip is from the TV series adaptation of the story of Gian Burrasca (Stormy Jack), the supposed diary of a mischievous boy in an oppressive boarding school (apparently the Italian grandpa of Harry Potter.) In the song, Gianni is rebelling against the poor school food, and singing the praises of la pappa col pomodoro. Surprisingly, the show was directed by famed filmmaker Lina Wertmuller, who later went on to make some very different sorts of things- to put it mildly. Although it may not be so surprising, as Lina was herself a little hell-raiser who got repeatedly expelled from school. And in the seventies, her films reflected the same political and social issues comically addressed in Gian Burrasca. She worked on this along with equally famed composer Nino Rota, who wrote scores for Fellini movies and for the first two films of The Godfather trilogy.

Little did I know when I first heard this song at the age of nine that it was an actual dish, and a yummy one, too. I had very little interest in food at the time, apart from chocolate and Nutella.It's basically a simple bread and tomato soup, which can be eaten warm or cold. The Tuscans will insist that you use Tuscan (unsalted) bread for it, but it's not really necessary. However, don't even think of using soft, commercial bread. There are very many versions, but I'll refer you to the one by the knowledgeable Kyle Phillips, an American who lives in Tuscany. You can find it here.

Lyrics to the song are here.

Little eggplant and tomato towers

Italy has only had so-called celebrity chefs for about a generation. Here is one I've just now discovered, and intend to follow.

His name is Guerrino (isn't that cute?) Maculan, and he has a world of experience, being a gentleman of a certain age, who started cooking very young and comes from a family of cooks. Although he is from the Veneto in Northern Italy, he has convincingly embraced national and even international influences. He has a TV show called Guerrino consiglia (Guerrino recommends.) Many videos from the show are on YouTube.

You can probably follow this recipe even if you don't know Italian. But here are a few pointers, just in case.

Ungere- literally, anoint. He says to barely cover the pan bottom with olive oil.

Extra-vergine- he uses extra-virgin olive oil.

Salare- Guerrino pre-salted the eggplant to remove the amaro (bitterness), but he reminds us that very fresh eggplant need not be pre-treated (there is considerable controversy on this important matter.)

Spessore- thickness. The eggplant slices should be a little over one centimeter (half an inch).

Girare- turn.

Sciogliere- to melt- the towers are grilled only long enough for the mozzarella to melt.

Also look for these food-related words as he's speaking:

padella, cuocere, tagliare, antipasto, vegetariano, primo, secondo, stuzzichino, fette, piatto, forno, goccino, sale, pepe, forno, grill.

I'll be featuring other videos from Guerrino, which I'll comment on and for which I'll provide some help for your Italian comprehension.

The real, live Guerrino can be found cooking at his restaurant near Vicenza, which you can virtually visit here. Ah, I'd like to be there right now (even though I just had lunch.)

Bresaola roll-ups

Bresaola is not nearly as well-known as prosciutto, but it is also good. It has the additional virtues of being somewhat less expensive and much leaner. Thus, it is often used in dieting in Italy.

Another characteristic is that even the thin slices of this cured beef are less fragile than other cold cuts, making them ideal for appetizers such as roll-ups or bundles. Here is an idea adapted from the Italian site for Philadelphia brand cream cheese.

Yes, the Italians like cream cheese, which they call "il philadelphia" after Kraft's brand name. In the photo (courtesy of the above site), rotolini di bresaola are shown. I used the pre-sliced Citterio in the package. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on meat slices, sprinkle with freshly-ground pepper. Spread soft cream cheese (the kind found in the little plastic vat) over slices. Tie with parboiled strands of fresh chives for an elegant touch, or close with toothpicks. Add chopped, fresh rucola to the cream cheese if desired. For a low-calorie, low-fat light meal, replace cream cheese with no-fat Greek yogurt, over a bed of spring mix, or rucola and shredded carrots.

The Italian Made site

There are oodles of Italian recipes and food writing on the Web and elsewhere. The problem is that most of the best and most authentic stuff is in Italian, written for Italians.

Now here is a site about Italian food and wine that comes to you from the horse's mouth. It's from a part of the Italian Government called the Italian Trade Commission, and a large part of its mission is to promote and safeguard real Italian gastronomy.

The Italian Made site is unusually rich and useful, as good as any expensive book you might buy. Probably more, as in its Library section it includes entire e-books for you to download, free of cost. It features authoritative folk such as wine expert Burton Anderson, who has lived in Tuscany for decades (beato lui.) The recipe section is very extensive, and is based on regional fare as eaten in Italy. There is also a glossary with very many terms, some of which you won't easily find elsewhere, and a fun quiz section to test your knowledge.

This is a must for lovers of real Italian food and wine. Check it out, you might even want to bookmark it.

(in the photo, the Monferrato area of Piedmont)

Trader Joe's lemon pepper pappardelle with shrimp and asparagus

I made it today for lunch, but it's good enough for company.

I was just going to make the pappardelle with shrimp when I came home from my thrice-weekly swim (famished). I had in fact the frozen, ready-to-eat shrimp, also from Trader Joe's. But I remembered some fresh asparagus in the fridge, of which I had only used the tips. Having tasted the shrimp and asparagus combination in Asian restaurants, I decided on using both.

I put water on to boil for the pasta. I started by sauteeing one clove fresh garlic in several tablespoonfuls of butter and extra-virgin olive oil (about two or three Tbsp. of each.) I cut the most tender parts of the asparagus spears in 1/4 inch diagonal bites, while thawing the shrimp in the colander. I removed the garlic, set pan aside. Salted the water; when it was boiling, threw in the pappardelle. Returned pan to fire, cooked asparagus pieces al dente, added salt and freshly ground pepper, minced fresh parsley (optional), then added shrimp and cooked briefly till translucent.

In the meantime, the pasta cooked (in less time than the 8-10 minutes indicated on the package.) I quickly drained it and threw it in the pan with the shrimp and asparagus. Mixed quickly, salted to taste. Do not add cheese.

It was not only good, it was booful. So springy, with the pink and the green.

I made spaghetti risottati

I blush with shame to admit that despite two decades in Italy and being a big food lover, I had never heard about pasta risottata until Friday, when I was informed of its existence by a (gasp!) American. Namely, Mark Bittman in The New York Times. As you may infer from the name, it is pasta cooked as if it were risotto. And I doubt that you should try your hand at this unless you are already proficient with risotto.

Naturally, I was skeptical that this impertinent americano would know something about Italian food that I didn't. So of course I did a Web search of Italian sites only (which you can do by going to google.it and choosing pagine provenienti da: Italia). To my dismay, he was right. There were references to this dish, and recipes. Not a whole lot, but it's there and it's Italian.

So I decided to make my own today for lunch. I had some Trader Joe's frozen bay scallops and De Cecco spaghetti. Bittman said that you can even make spaghetti this way if you break it into pieces. Which just goes to show that he is indeed American. I'll be damned if I'll ever break spaghetti.

An Italian recipe I saw called for parboiling (sbollentare) the spaghetti beforehand for a few minutes. Like I'm going to boil all that water to parboil the spaghetti in order to later make it in the pan.

What I did was to courageously try to make the raw spaghetti in the pan. And it worked. Mind you, the pan was not quite as long as the spaghetti. So the pasta did not initially fit.

I sauteed one clove garlic, chopped parsley, and dry thyme, in several tablespoons of olive oil. In the meantime I had heated water in another pan to add to spaghetti. I threw in a multitude of the still frozen scallops (if thawed, they would have overcooked). I added the raw spaghetti to the mixture, and added some water (did not cover with water). After a few minutes the uncut spaghetti miraculously fit in the pan, whereupon I continued to add water and some white wine. I seasoned with salt and freshly-milled pepper. I continued to stir until done.

The results, as others have noted, are that the pasta is creamier and thicker. It was good but not really better than regular pasta. Of course I have made regular pasta a hundred thousand times, and pasta risottata once. But its rarity in Italy shows that this must be a common reaction. Would I make it again? I might, with some short pasta such as gemelli, and just to make one portion.

But it was fun to try.

Mozzarella in carrozza

There is nothing in life that can't be solved with good food and a bottle of wine. Or at least the Italians think so, as you can see in this memorable scene from The Bicycle Thief, one of my favorites. In this case, the food in question is mozzarella in carrozza, or mozzarella in a carriage- the inspiration for the popular mozzarella sticks. I used to have it as a child in Naples, so I'm giving the version I had there, which has a savoriness to counteract the blandness of the bread and cheese.

12 slices fresh bread

1 large fresh mozzarella ball (Belgioioso is good)

2 eggs

6 anchovy fillets

Bread crumbs

Pinch of oregano

Oil (olive oil is optional)

Cut off crusts from bread, cut mozzarella in slices that are somewhat smaller than bread slices. Drain cheese slices on paper towel; they must not be watery. Place cheese slices on bread, place anchovies and oregano on cheese, top with another slice of bread. Carefully seal borders of bread slices. Beat eggs with some salt, dip slices thoroughly in egg, coat with bread crumbs. Fry in small batches in hot oil, keep warm. Eat promptly to avoid hardened mozzarella.

Eggplant parm!

Despite the fact, or because of the fact, that I am myself an eggplant, I have yet to feature a recipe for this well-beloved Italian dish. It offends my sensibilities to think of my fellow veggies cut, salted, fried, smothered, and placed in a hot oven. Then, finishing up in someone's tummy. Maybe a vegetarian tummy.

So I'll let someone else do the dirty work. Here is a recipe I can approve (to the extent I can approve of such cruelty) from the long-time site Cooking with Patty. It is kept by an Italian woman living in Verona, but is in English. Although eggplant parmesan (melanzane alla parmigiana, or more snobbishly, parmigiana di melanzane) is a Southern dish, I think we can allow this Northern lady to provide her input on what has become a national and international favorite.

Another recipe (in Italian only) can be found at the popular Giallo Zafferano site- the complete video and step-by-step photos may be helpful even if you are not proficient in the language.

Pasta with vegetarian ragu'

Here is a very healthy, tasty vegan "alternative" to ragu' that I have been making for years. In fact I made it last Sunday.

1 lb. spaghetti or bucatini (I use De Cecco)

1 medium eggplant

1 red or yellow pepper

2 small zucchini

1 onion or 3-4 shallots

1 clove garlic

1 large tomato

abundant extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. soy sauce (optional)

1 Tbsp. each fresh basil and fresh-leaf parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Now, right off, the hardest part. You must julienne all the vegetables except for the tomato and of course the garlic. The tomato should be diced. If you are strongly opposed to the julienne technique, you can finely dice the other veggies. If you do, you can use short pasta.

Having done this, saute' the garlic in the olive oil until the garlic is a pale yellow. Remove. Over moderate heat, add the peppers, then the eggplant, onion, zucchini. Add basil and parsley. Cook until veggies are well done, they should not be al dente. Add soy sauce (there will be no final soy sauce taste, it will enhance the veggies). Add salt and pepper to taste.

In the meantime, you will have cooked your pasta al dente. As soon as it is done, drain, and quickly mix the veggie ragu' with the pasta and serve promptly.

Peperonata

This is a simple, classic and healthy dish for those who love bell peppers. The latter are called peperoni in Italian, making this a sort of false friend. Our pepperoni is salamino piccante in Italy. If you order a pizza ai peperoni in Italy, you'll get a pizza with peppers and no meat. I've seen this happen.

First of all, I personally only use red and/or yellow peppers, not green, although some Italian recipes will include green peppers. I also choose the long, rather misshapen fellows over the perfect bell-shaped ones, which tend to be less tasty. See photo.

So. Take 6 red and yellow peppers. Clean and cut into strips that are about half an inch thick and two-three inches long. Put about four Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in large pan, saute' a garlic clove until golden, remove. Add 1 large onion (Vidalia would be nice) cut into thin slices, saute' briefly while stirring. Add pepper strips. At this point you can either add one cup of diced tomatoes, or (and this is what I do) add an 8-oz. can of the ole Hunt's tomato sauce. Cook until peppers are limp; they should not be al dente. Stir from time to time and keep a cup of water on hand to regulate liquidity. Season to taste. Add one Tbsp. of vinegar at the end (optional).

This is good as a side with chicken or even hard-boiled eggs. It can also be used as a pasta or crusty bread topping.

The real Italian panino

What you see here are two typical Italian panini. Notice that they don't look much like what Americans mean by that term.

First of all. Please do not say "a panini." The word, like many other food words in Italian ending with -i, is a masculine plural. I get cross when I hear this. Please say panino.

The word panino, strictly speaking, refers only to the roll of bread itself, whereas panino imbottito (stuffed roll) is technically speaking the sandwich. Italians will not use the latter unless there is some possibility of confusion.

Your run-of-the-mill Italian panino is not grilled. I may be cynical- no, I am cynical- but I think that in the US our panini are always grilled because the crusty bread is not that good or fresh. The grilling hides a multitude of sins. Your average Italian panino, which I much prefer, is fresh, has one or two ingredients, and usually no condiments. In fancy bars and Autogrill (those places on the autostrada that serve food and drink and have gifts), you will have more complicated panini.

Here are some standards: thinly sliced mortadella; mortadella and provolone (or other bland semi-soft cheese); ham; prosciutto; ham and artichoke hearts (love it); cheese alone; salami or other cold cuts. If the bread and the filling are very good quality, you don't need anything else.

Yet another reason why the Italians are slimmer.