Sunday night supper club: Italy

Jack and Sanford making biscotti

This is the biscotti.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Toast 1 cup slivered blanched almonds for 8-10 min.  Cool.
Reduce heat to 300 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In electric mixer combine:  2 cups flower, 1/8 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder and 3/4 cup sugar.  In another bowel beat 3 eggs with 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp almond extract.  Slowly add beaten egg mixture to flour mixture, adding almonds halfway though.  Roll out to about 14 inches long and 3-4 inches wide.  Bake for 30-40 min.  Let cool on wire rack 10 min.

Slice 1/2 inch thick slices on the diagonal.  Lay flat on baking sheet.  Bake 10 min.  Flip and bake another 10 min.  Melt chocolate and drizzle on top.

Dri's polenta topped with mushroom ragu.

Asparagus salad (Sanford)  (from Molto Gusto, Mario Batalli)  Using a vegetable peeler, shave one pound asparagus.  Transfer to a bowl.  Shave 2-3 oz pecorina and toss with 1/2  of the lemon vinaigrette and salt and pepper.  Serve with remaining vinaigrette on the side.  Lemon vinaigrette:  Mix together 1/4 cup lemon juice, generous pinch lemon zest, and 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil. 

Sanford's chickpeas with leeks.  (Also from Mario)  Combine 3 cups chick peas, cooked and 1 cup leek ragu in a large bowl.  Add 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, salt to taste and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes.  Let stand for 1 hour at room temperature.  Leek Ragu:  Heat 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.  Add 5 coarsely chopped garlic cloves.  Saute 1-2 min.  Add leeks ( 1 pound, washed, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices).  Saute until soft, but not browned.  (8-10 min)  Add 1/3 cup water, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for about 15 minutes.  If necessary, increase heat and cook until liquid evaporates.  Salt and pepper to taste.

I made the Cannelloni ripieni:  Make one pound fresh pasta (1 1/4 cup flour, 1/8 tsp salt.  Mix.  Make a well - add 2 eggs and 1/2 tsp olive oil.  Stir.  Then put in kitchenaid and using dough hook, mix for about 8 minutes, adding more flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to the side.  Roll out with pasta roller)  Cut out 12 3inx3in squares.  Boil 4 minutes and carefuuly remove and drain.  Set aside.  For the sauce/filling:  Saute 1 chopped onion and 2 chopped garlic cloves in 3 tbsp olive oil.  Add 1 pound ground veal or pork (No veal at Hyvee, so I used pork).  Fry lightly.  Season with salt and pepper and 1 tsp dried oregano.  Chop 8 oz cooked ham into small cubes.  Add them along with 1 1/4 lb peeled and diced tomatoes.  Braise for 20 minutes.  Let cool.  Add 2 eggs to the meat and 2 oz grated parmesan.  Stir.  To assemble:  Spread some filling along one edge of pasta squares.  Roll to for cannelloni.  Put in a buttered dish.  Repeat.  Then pour the remaining sauce over the top.  Sprinkle with more parmesan.  Dot with butter and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  (I like this, but I would use a different filling from the sauce the next time I make cannelloni.  Seems like I could have just layered it like a lasagna.)

The Werth's beautiful ravioli.

Kurt Kingsley's risotto.

              PAM'S BRACIOLA                                                                                                                                                            1/2 cup raisins
5 tbsp. chopped parsley
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 pound beef top round steak
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
½ cup red wine
½ tsp. red chile flakes
2 (28-oz.) cans whole, peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed by hand
1 bay leaf, 6 cloves, 1/2 cup chopped proscuitto, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp dry basil, and 2/3 cup olive oil to bind

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make the filling, mix together raisins, 4 tbsp. parsley, pine nuts, Parmesan, and garlic in a bowl; set aside. Place a slice of beef on a work surface perpendicular to you, season with salt and pepper, and place about 1 tbsp. filling on the bottom half; starting with the filled half, roll beef up around the filling into a tight cylinder. Secure roll with toothpicks, and repeat with remaining beef and filling.

2. Heat oil in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add beef rolls, and cook, turning as needed, until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add onion to pot, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add wine, and cook, stirring to scrape bottom of pot, until almost evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in chile flakes, tomatoes, and bay leaf, and then return beef rolls to pot. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered partially and gently stirring occasionally, until meat is cooked through and tender, about 2 hours.

3. Remove meat rolls from sauce, remove toothpicks, and transfer to a serving platter; continue cooking sauce until reduced and thickened, about 20 minutes. Pour sauce over meat rolls, and sprinkle with remaining parsley. 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, I did not try this soup and I cannot remember what type it was.  I do know that the Hogerty's brought it.

This is Kurt's ravioli.  I know that one of raviolis was butternut squash, the other pumpkin.  Both, delicious.

Apple dessert by the Hogerty's

Kurt Kingsley's

Connie

Hogertys

Finn

Football

Football break

Ellen's olives...

A variety of Italian wines.

Svedka?

Porchetta by Mike Odette.

Italy was hosted by Katie, Andy, Charlie and Olive Werth.  It seems that it was everyone's favorite country so far.  Lots and lots of delicious food.  It is painfully clear to me that I either need to put this in the blog the next day or people need to get me their recipes....

Oh, I have one more recipe from Jennifer Erikson, but I have no picture:

Italian Lemon Verbena Sugar Cookies (Befanini)

MAKES APPROXIMATELY 4 DOZEN COOKIES  

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon verbena, chopped (I take out the mid-rib of each leaf before chopping it.)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar  
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla           
• Extra sugar for rolling         

1. Combine dry ingredients, leaves and zest. Set aside.

2. Beat butter; add sugar, eggs and vanilla; beat until combined. Add half flour mixture, beat. Stir in remaining flour mixture with wooden spoon. 

3. Make rounded teaspoons full of dough into rounded shapes, roll in extra sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes until edges lightly browned. Cool.

Next month to southeast Asia for Thai food at Connie's.