Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!

Lasagna-Style Baked Pennette with Meat Sauce

a gratuitous self-promotion . . .

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Last week (I think it was last week, my lord how the time flies when you are being a complete slug) I was flipping through the December edition of Food and Wine magazine looking for something warm and hearty to make. This recipe seemed to fit the bill.

It was easy to prepare and packed a pleasing flavour. This dish is typical of the subtlety of Italian cooking - not the in-your-face Olive Garden style of over-spiced over-cheesed crap. Hmm, Jerry, tell us how you really feel! *smile*

The article that accompanied the recipe assured us that it was even better the second day - and it was!

1 pound pennette or ditali

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 pound ground lamb

1 pound ground veal

One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 teaspoons chopped marjoram

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 stick unsalted butter

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 quart whole milk

2 large egg yolks

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain well.

In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the ground lamb and veal and cook, stirring to break up the lumps, until the meat is beginning to brown, 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, marjoram and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over moderate heat, whisking, for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook over moderately high heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce is very thick and boiling, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the egg yolks and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir all but 1 1/2 cups of the sauce into the meat mixture along with the pasta and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the pasta into a 3-quart baking dish. Spread the reserved 1 1/2 cups of sauce on top.

Bake the pasta in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, until bubbling. Preheat the broiler. Broil the pasta 8 inches from the heat for about 2 minutes, until the top is browned and bubbling. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving

Osso Bucco

Tonight we made Osso Buco following a recipe posted by Jane (a pal from the slow travel) message board. I've always wanted to try it but for one reason or another have not. WOW I can't believe what I have been missing. We served it on a bed of risotto Milanese with a side of rapini with garlic and pecorino.

Remember that this is a stew and it is absolutely imperative to cook this until it is almost falling off the bone. It needs to be super, super tender. This is often the problem in restaurants—not cooked long enough.

VEAL
4 tbls. unsalted butter
2 ounces pancetta, diced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 whole veal shanks, cut into 2 inch-thick pieces and tied with string (about 6-8 pieces)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbls. vegetable oil
1 cup dry white wine

BROTH
2 cups canned Italian tomatoes, coarsely chopped with juice
½ tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
3 fresh parsley sprigs
2 cups broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

GREMOLADA
1 garlic clove very finely minced
1 tbls. minced lemon rind
2 tbls. chopped fresh parsley
1 or 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Use a heavy broad casserole, 8 – 10 quart, large enough to hold all the veal pieces flat-side down in one layer (or use 2 casseroles, but do not stack shank pieces on top of one another). Heat the butter over moderate heat. When it begins to foam, add the pancetta, onion, carrot, and celery and sauté for about 5 minutes, until carrot and celery begin to soften.

3. Dredge each piece of veal shank with flour, brushing off the excess. Heat the oil until it is very hot in a large skillet over moderate-high heat and place the floured shanks in the pan. Turn the shanks until they are browned on all sides, then place them flat-side down in the casserole with the pancetta and vegetables.

4. Skim all but about 1 tbls. fat from the skillet. Pour in the wine and boil for 2 -3 minutes while scraping the sides and bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Pour the wine and the deglazing over the shanks in the casserole.

5. Add the tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf and parsley to the casserole with enough meat both so that the liquid just covers the shanks. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat to moderate.

6. When the broth begins to simmer, cover the casserole and place it in the preheated oven. Cook for 2 – 3 hours. Every ½ hour baste the shanks to keep them moist.

6. Just before serving, make the gremolada: Combine the garlic, lemon rind, parsley and anchovy.
7. To serve, remove shanks from the casserole and place on individual plates. Cut the strings. Spoon some of the sauce over each piece and top each serving with a sprinkling of gremolada.
Serves 6

Notes: Each shank piece should be tied with string to prevent the meat from falling away from the bone and into the broth. When the veal shanks have finished cooking, the sauce around them should be rich and thick. If it is thin and watery, remove the pieces of veal and place the uncovered casserole over moderate-high heat on the stove. Cook until the sauce has thickened, stirring frequently so that it doesn’t stick or burn on the bottom.

Osso Buco can be eaten as soon as it is taken from the oven. However, like other stews, it improves with a day’s wait.

Here is dinner - all I can say is YUM!

Broiled Veal Chops ala Valdostana

Broiled veal Chops ala Valdostana

Val d'Aosta is a mountainous area that borders the Piedmont area of northern Italy.

6 large bone-in veal chops, each about 1 inch thick
6 slices prosciutto
6 pieces of fontina (sliced thin if you can)
18 fresh sage leaves
olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups simple tomato sauce (I use done I had made previously with chunks of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs)

Cut a horizontal pocket in each veal chop. Insert 1 prosciutto piece, 1 piece cheese, and 3 sage leaves in the pocket (I placed the cheese and sage on the prosciutto and rolled the prosciutto up 'jelly roll' style prior to inserting it int he pocket). Push the edges of the chop together to 'seal' around the pocket.

Preheat the broiler (or grill). Brush the chops with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Broil or grill, turning once, about 4 minutes per side for rare, or done to your liking.

Meanwhile, heat the tomato sauce.

I served the chops over a 'puddle' of creamy polenta and spooned the hot tomato sauce over top.