Preparing Genovese-style Italian food

Chef Paolo Laboa and Ivano Centemeri

Once again I had the opportunity to attend a cooking demonstration at Arte Italia. Returning chef Paolo Laboa, ably aided by Reno's Ivano Centemeri, cooked and served four fabulous courses and this week I’ll share the Antipasti and Primo Piatto courses.

The mission of Arte Italia is to bring Italian art, food and culture to Reno and I feel they are succeeding. I also love the fact that all the proceeds from the classes are donated to St. Vincent’s right here in Reno.

My mother and sister attended the class with me and we enjoyed a fun night out. Chef Laboa has a restaurant in San Francisco called Farina that we hope to visit soon. If it is half as good as the dishes he prepared for us, we can’t go wrong.

Antipasti

Brandata di baccala con panissa alla savonese

Dry cod served in Savonese style fried chick pea polenta

300gr/10.5oz dry salt Cod

50gr/1.75oz white onion

1 Tbls Pinenuts

1 potato

1 bay leaf

approx. 1 C white wine

olive oil

Put a pot on the stove with water and bring to a simmer.

Rinse the salt cod in water.

Add the rinsed cod to the simmering water till softened.

In sauté pan on med high heat drizzle olive oil, add pine nuts, bay leaves, thinly sliced potato, white onion.

Once hot, deglaze with white wine, add the salt cod to the sauce pan cook low and slow 20 to 25 minutes (potato cooked till almost melted) covered.

Remove bay leaf, mix all in Quisinart until consistency of mashed potatoes, may need to add water if to dry to puree.

250gr/8.75oz chickpea flour

1 ltr water

pinch of salt

oil for frying

Bring water and salt to a boil, whisk in chickpea flour, cook 20/25 minutes medium high heat cooked to a consistency of polenta.

Swirl a little water around a bowl add cooked chickpea mixture, cover with plastic wrap place in refrigerator to cool.

Once cool, cut into “steakcut size French fries” approx. 2 ½” long ¼” thick.

Deep fry in oil, till crisp on outside and still soft inside.

Salt

To plate:

Form the Cod mixture into quenelles (football shaped) using two spoons.

Put 2 to 3 chickpea fries on a plate, place quenelle on top drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with fresh ground pepper garnish with a parsley leaf.

Primo Piatto

Testaroli della lunigina con fungi porcini

Genovese style crepe served with sautéed porcini mushrooms

Semolina flour 35%

OO flour 65%

Water (enough to make a crepe batter/thin pancake batter)

2 Tbls extra virgin olive oil

mix thoroughly in blender

Use 8” to 10” non-stick, oven safe pan.

Heat pan on stove top till very hot.

Pour batter into middle of pan, swirl around to create a thin crepe. It will be holey.

Once it begins to brown, finish in oven.

Crepes may be made in advance, just cover and refrigerate. To reheat, cut crepes into rustic shapes, 6 to 8 pieces per crepe, warm again by dipping in boiling salted water for a few seconds, do not try to re-warm with a dry heat.

fresh porcinis (if not available chantrelles work well also) thinly sliced approx. 4C

porcini powder 1 to 2 Tbls

whole garlic cloves 2 to 3

salt pinch

extra virgin olive oil

white wine approx.1 C

pepper

parsley  approx. 4 Tbls 

butter

parmesan cheese

In a sauté pan warm olive oil and garlic cloves.

Add mushrooms.

After mushrooms cook about halfway, add white wine, finely chopped parsley and porcini powder.

Remove garlic.

Warm sauté pan with olive oil and a bit of butter.

Drop rustic cut crepes to warm, sprinkle with parmesan cheese

To plate:

Place a couple pieces of crepe in bowl, add mushroom mixture on top.

Next week: Secondo Piatto and Dessert

Cannoli with pistachio mascarpone

These Pistachio cannoli are fabulous! Very impressive looking and not hard to make. Don’t be afraid to get creative with the filling, just substitute the pistachio paste for another flavor. I love a walnut filling with ends dipped in chocolate shavings or vanilla hazelnut.

As you get invited to holiday parties, keep these in mind. You can make the shells in advance, cool, wrap really well and freeze. To thaw, unwrap and lay out on paper towel (prevents condensation and helps to keep crisp), once thawed seal in airtight container till ready to be used. Your treat will be the hit of the party!

Cannoli croccanti con mascarpone e pistachio

Cannoli with pistachio mascarpone

For the cannoli shells:

Forms - copper piping works well 1 inch diameter approximately 5 inches long

Flour double oo (fine) 600 grams / 1.32 #

Sugar 100 grams / 3.52 oz

Butter 100 grams / 3.52 oz @ room temperature

White wine 15 ml / 1 Tbls

Marsala sweet wine 15 ml / 1 Tbls

Lemon rind of two lemons microplained

Mix ingredients together; soft cookie dough consistency. Do not over mix. Cover and put in refrigerator for at least one hour to allow dough to “relax”.

For the filling:

Marscapone 1 kilo / 2.2 #

Confectioners sugar 100 gr / 3.52 oz

Pistachio paste 200 gr / 7.05 oz (available in specialty stores, ice cream ingredient or make your own by pureeing till paste)

Whipping cream 200 gr / 7.05 oz

Gelatin leaves 4 - soak in water

Mix;

Marscapone, sugar, pistachio paste and whipping cream (reserve approximately ¼ cup). Once all ingredients are well mixed together take gelatin leaves out of water, squeeze excess water out, warm reserved cream in sauce pot add gelatin leaves till dissolved, then mix into filling.

You can add nuts, dried fruit etc.. to mix if you desire.

To make the cannoli shells using a pasta machine, work the dough through the machine till it is on number one.  Lay out on a lightly floured surface cut out rectangles that leave approximately ½ an inch on each end of form and just overlap by approximately a ¼ inch seal with an egg wash.

Cook in an oil with a high smoke point - peanut or lard (the best). Cook till golden brown. Remove from oil place on paper towel lined sheet tray and slide off of forms.

To assemble:

Fill a wide tipped pastry bag with filling. Pipe into cannoli shell from each end.

Set on sheet tray, dust with confectioners sugar

To plate: place red raspberries on plate 3, put a cannoli in center of plate   

Multi-Layer Chocolate Cake

Do you have some extra time on your hands? If you spend it making this cake you will not be sorry. Now the question, how many layers can you make? 12, 14, 16? To make the process a bit easier, gather at least 6 9-inch cake pans. 

This is a sweet dessert so one cake serves 15 to 20. Good luck and have fun!

Chocolate layer cake

1 ¾ C butter (3 ½ sticks), 1 C @ room temperature

5 oz (5 squares) unsweetened chocolate melted

7 C sugar

2 ¼ C (18 oz) evaporated milk

3 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbls instant French roast coffee granules

6 large eggs, room temperature

2 C plus 1 Tbls milk

4 C self-rising flour

Non-stick baking spray

Make the cake glaze first.  In a large saucepan, melt ¾ C of the butter and mix it with the melted chocolate and 4 ½ C of the sugar.
Stir in the evaporated milk, 2 tsp of the vanilla, and the instant coffee.
Cook the glaze over medium-high heat until it boils.
Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 20 minutes. Remove the glaze from the heat.
When cooled a bit, return to low heat as needed, as the glaze must be warm to spread on the cake layers.

Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray using non-stick baking spray or grease and flour at least four 9-inch cake pans.
Cream the remaining 1 C butter and remaining 2 ½ C sugar until smooth.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition just until blended.
Mix the remaining 1 tsp vanilla with the milk (2 C plus 1Tbls) and add alternately with the flour, beginning and ending with flour.

Put a very thin layer of batter -about 7 Tbls- in each pan, shaking the pans to distribute the batter to the edges.
Bake the layers for 11 to 13 minutes.
Remove the layers from the pans and frost (a combination of drizzle and lightly spreading works) immediately with the warm icing. Continue baking layers with remaining batter at least twelve!

Hopefully this will become a family favorite.

Savoring Late Summer's Tomato Bounty

Well they are finally here. After wind storms, drought, extreme heat, and even a little plague, the extremely desirable ripe-off-the-vine garden tomato is ready for the picking.
So how does one enjoy these beauties? Well, if you don’t eat them right of the plant standing in your garden, there is a multitude of ways to enjoy this summer harvest. Here are a few of my favorite summer tomato recipes:

Caprese Salad
(Figure 3 to 4 slices of tomato per person)
Fresh tomato
Fresh basil
*Balsamic vinegar
Fresh mozzarella (buffalo is best)
Sea salt

Slice your tomatoes and mozzarella about ¼ inch thick.
Layer tomato slices, mozzarella then basil drizzle balsamic over them.
I like to serve the salt on the side
*You can buy a really expensive balsamic or reduce down a decent one to make it thicker and concentrate the flavors. Simply put 4 cups in a sauce pot on medium high heat. Cook until it is reduced down to 1 to 2 cups depending upon how thick you like it. If you like a sweeter balsamic add a little sugar or better yet some honey as it reduces.

Tomato Tarte
Puff pastry (one 17.3 oz package thawed or feel free to make if you have the time)
Fresh tomato
Parmesan cheese
Egg (beaten)
Fresh mozzarella
Fresh basil
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 400º.
Lay out one sheet of pastry, brush with egg wash.
Cut other pastry into thirds, attach one section to end of pastry sheet, brush with egg wash.
Cut remaining 2 sections length wise into 1-inch strips, lay them along edges of long pastry sheet creating a crust, brush with egg wash and then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake in oven till golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
(This step may be done 2 to 3 days in advanced then wrapped tightly and stored till needed.)
Reduce heat to 325º

Take sliced tomatoes and lay them on the cooked tarte, then layer sliced fresh mozzarella drizzle olive oil put in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes till mozzarella is melted before slicing tear basil and drop all over the tarte, serve warm or at room temperature.

Another twist on fish - Shredded Sweet Potato Crust

Fry it, broil it, encrust it, sauce it up - the possibilities for fish are endless.
A couple basic rules for any fish dish:

1) When buying fresh fish, DO NOT be afraid to ask to smell the fish, if it smells “fishy” it is.  Look for clear eyes (when available) not slimy, mushy, dried up.  Now a days many fish are being frozen with great results. Please try to be aware of “over fished” and "at risk" fish when making your  purchase. There is generally a good substitute available with less moral baggage.

2) Breading station requires 3 pans: pan 1) flour (wheat, white, rice)  pan 2) liquid (egg mixture, milk, juice) pan 3) topping (bread crumbs, nuts, fruit) 

3) Play with your food and don’t be afraid to change up the way things are cooked, I will often give a healthy method of cooking (variation on the original) for the recipe.

This full flavored topping is good on many types of fish. Because of the strong flavors of the topping, a stronger, oilier fish can even be used.

Sweet Potato Encrusted White Fish

Fish

Any white fish  - cod or orange roughy (4 oz to 6 oz filets)

Topping 

½ cup peeled and shredded sweet potato per piece of fish

per ½ cup sweet potato:

pinch cumin

pinch tumeric

lemon curd jam (if you can not find raspberry, blackberry, orange jams/marmalades may be substituted)

1/3 egg whisked (approx, binding agent)

Mix; potato, cumin, tumeric, jam and egg together, form into balls which will then be flattened on top of fish

Heat a nonstick sauté pan on high heat with a little bit of olive oil in it

Salt and pepper your fish filets

Press the balls down on to each filet

Carefully lay the filet in the pan topping side down and reduce heat to medium. 

The topping should get a nice crisp crunch to it and cook through approximately 5 minutes. 

Using a spatula carefully slide it under the fish and topping flipping the fish over to finish cooking. For extra thick pieces of fish you may want to finish in a hot oven (approx. 450°)

If have been known to substitute fresh fruit (lemon, orange, lime) segments with a pinch of flour instead of the jam to cut down on the sugar.

In this photo we've served the fish with sauteéd beet greens. I also love it with steamed cauliflower  tossed with some finely chopped mint.

Coconut encrusted fish

This recipe could actually be entitled, coconut encrusted fish, chicken or shrimp. No matter how I make it, my 6-year old nephew goobles it up.

For the topping I will use ratios since the amounts will vary depending upon the protein you use. 

Set up a breading station:

Pan 1 - flour

Pan 2 - egg, cayenne pepper (optional)

Pan 3 - 1 part toasted coconut (unsweetened if available)

            1 part panko bread crumbs

            1 part toasted pecans (optional)

            mix together well

Preheat oven to 425°.

Put a cooling rack on a cookie sheet.

Bread your protein, dust with the flour, dip in the egg then coat with the topping (pan 3).

Spray with a “Pam” style cooking spray (I like the canola brand or olive oil brand from Trader Joes).

Place protein on the cooling rack, or you can get cooking misters in which you put your own olive oil.  Place cookie sheet in oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove, turn protein over, spray the second side, return to oven and cook till finished.

Sauce

2 Tbls orange marmalade

1 Tbls stone ground mustard

½ Tbls horseradish

orange juice to thin

Combine first three ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium heat, whisk until mixed together.  Remove from heat, thin with orange juice, if desired. As it cools it may thicken more and you may want to add orange juice then.

Serve and enjoy.

Dad's Bacon Stuffed Fish

My Dad is a bacon lover. So when he asked for a fish recipe, this one came to mind as having natural appeal.

This is best prepared with a firm thick* white fish like halibut, sea bass or cod as we will be making a pocket inside the fish. (*If you can not find a piece of fish thick enough to make a pocket, you can use to thin filets and put the stuffing in between.)

Per each piece of fish

1 heaping Tbls of cooked and finely chopped bacon plus ½ Tbls–reserve some of the fat from cooking (yes Dad you can add more)

1 Tbls finely chopped chives–I really like garlic chives

½ clove garlic finely chopped and lightly sautéed (till just golden)

1½  Tbls pecorino cheese

Mix together;

1 heaping Tbls bacon

1 Tbls chives

½ clove garlic

1 ½ Tbls pecorino shredded

Using a sharp knife make a pocket in the side of the fish filet and stuff the mixture inside pinch the edge back together lightly salt and pepper outside

 

Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat with a little of the reserved bacon grease. Carefully lay fish filets in pan, cook till golden brown, flip over, reduce heat to medium and continue to cook till done. Remove fish from pan set aside, increase heat to medium high, and deglaze pan with a dry white wine, reduce down add remaining bacon then pour over fish.

Healthy version; substitute turkey bacon, cook in light olive oil