Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Knock Off's

Here is a comparative snapshot of 5 of my favorite Italian recipes and the knock off's I have made since returning. Try to guess which is which...

Ribollita: A peasant stew from Tuscany



Day old minestrone brought back to life with hardened bread in a Vegetable broth. At the Restaurant I worked in Tuscany it was made two ways; baked with layers of Pecorino and Bread till golden and bubbly or blended into the consistency of the perfect Risotto. This is a great alternative to Polenta or Pasta!

Spaghetti Bolognese from Bologna

This traditional Bolognese is defined by its density and acidity. It is made with considerably more Tomato Paste than one would expect and simmers for a full afternoon. A single Bay Leaf perfumes the dish and its oil is the sauce.
Eggplant Parmesan: Rosa’s Recipe from Roma



Of all the Parmesan’s I ate throughout Italy (there were many!), none were as delectable as Rosa’s. These individual portioned treats are as soft as a pillow; bursting with fresh Mozzarella. The trick is to deep fry the eggplant and to use a thick tomato sauce to bind the layers.

Chicken and Butter: A Florentine favorite from Sostanza

A dish served bubbling hot and sizzling. I often veer away from Butter fearing its addition to be too omnipresent and heavy, cancelling other flavors and giving a coagulative outer layer. I prefer to use Butter as an actual ingredient. I have never tasted Chicken so juicy and tender.

Pasta Al Forno: Baked Zitti Napolitano





A scandalous assemblage of mini Meatballs, hard boiled Eggs, Sopressata, Mozzarella, Tomato Sauce & Parmesan.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

mmmm - that's some good lookin food - brings back lovely memories!

-M