Pontormo

Mottmott: The switcharoo from packing tomatoes in light tomato juice to filling the can with heavy purée has been one of my bugbears for quite some time. The company increases profit and sells you fewer tomatoes per can, sometimes 5 1/2 in the large. 28 oz size. It used to be that you got better deals buying the 14 oz. (formerly 16 oz.) cans of Italian plum tomatoes, but no longer, thanks to the purée factor. HOWEVER, I find the purée useful in the 4 1/2 hour process of simmering ragu, even when I raise my pot on high, stacking one burner plate* on top of the other. I just pour the purée into the pot at the beginning, along with the tomatoes, so it cooks down. (Not the whole can's worth.) *Foodman and Little Ms. Foodie, feel free to edit my language for clarity or to correct terminology used for that wrought-iron looking square or circle that fits into the recessed space surrounding the burner; it is designed so that you can securely place a pot above the gas flame of the burner and I don't know what else to call it. As for those of you ragging on Marcella's tomato-rich recipe, I find it results in unpretentious comfort food, different from what I've had in Italian-American restaurants. The ragu is very sweet, though, and I do like to add pancetta sometimes. Anna del Conte prefers a little tomato paste to adding lots of tomatoes. Marcella seems to stand alone on this matter, but she's also from this region, so.... I also plan on making a different version of Bolognese.

Thank you, Jennahan & Gethin, especially. Perhaps I could be enlightened, but I'm not sure Ramsay's for lunch would be their cup of tea. They've rented a flat, so will probably be cooking some evenings and popping in for pub food, soup or a quick sandwich for lunch wherever they happen to be during the day. Just wanted options besides Pret a Manger at lunch and good places to unwind in the evening.

Very ecologically sensitive substitution, Kevin, and the polenta looks great. If you've tired of braises and now chicken, you can look forward to Christmas Eve--or go hunting for free-range pork. Here's to turning to other resources, too! I checked Batali's Simple Food out of the library and still have not done Ada Boni justice. * * * I thought "sugo" to be a more liquid sauce in which meat sometimes serves as a flavoring agent whereas ragus are denser stews featuring long-cooked meats, all other ingredients playing supporting roles. Ragu Bolognese kind of teeters between the two categories, especially when tomatoes dominate as they do in Hazan's beloved version. Didn't Divina once call Bolognese a sugo for that reason? Not sure. ETA: More complicated than that. "Sugo di carne" is sometimes used to define "ragu." Is "sugo" to "ragu" what "mammal" is to "lion"? How do you classify a Genovese when the meat's served as one course and the sauce from the braise tops pasta as the primo?

It's purely a matter of personal taste, but I'd be inclined to eliminate the white chocolate. While I've read with interest the recent comments about this ingredient in the thread devoted to Dorie Greenspan's new book, I have yet to get over my prejudice about the cloyingly sweet nature of this ingredient. The juice of the clementines would provide a nice counterbalance, though I wonder if the white chocolate would transform the tart edge of the citrus to a more sour taste. BTW: Do you have red currants, loganberries or some other beady, red fruit to complement the two pinks?

What are these? I know what I wish I had had for breakfast. The clotted cream and pistachio are stunning atop the quinces! The fruit is a new discovery for me--I only wish ours were so plump and pristine. Anything you can show or tell us about preparing quinces would be welcome. More eggplants, too, please. I love the way the round ends were skewered on the grill upthread.

Beautiful, Patrick! Minus the dates (or not), but with the dark chocolate, I bet this would be wonderful with pistachio paste, too.

Oh, yes!!!! I make Marcella Hazan's version of stuffed polenta at least once every year, my go-to company dish in the dead of winter. Basically: butter lasagna pan, a little ragu first (? ), then layer of polenta, ragu, bechamel, Parm, repeat, topping with lots of cheese. Polenta is poured on a wooden board in desired shape and when cooled and solid, cut into layers with thread (or dental floss) wrapped tightly around fingers of each hand. MH says three layers, though I usually do just two. Tend to add porcini to the ragu for this particular dish. Klary: how pretty! Might I also recommend making risotto with ragu? Especially good if you've been scooping bits from the fridge all day long and only have a little left. P.S. Hope the family's doing better and not passing on anything to the cook.

That's absolute testicles Andy. Heinz tomato ketchup is an absolute must. Agree about the white bread though- wholemeal bread is like sawdust. ← Hmmm. I am bumping this thread up with some trepidation since I know how many times these regional forums receive the same kind of request. Since the posts above are a mixed bag, I am hoping readers might be willing to link more useful threads I've overlooked, or make new suggestions. I have found a couple of threads on fish & chips and will look for Indian, too. Meanwhile: I have friends heading off to London to meet their son who's finishing his first year of grad school in Africa. They're very good, unpretentious home cooks and diners, adventurous, even will eat testicles if prepared well. They've spent a few summers living in Paris. Husband's favorite food is French cheese, but also into sausage; wife's is bread, then arugula. They're also a bit nervous about how expensive London is for U.S. citizens on a budget. They'll be there for two weeks, starting the 17th. Thanks!

Thanks for the information, Wendy. That sounds really good and since I have everything at home, I might just make a small batch with the dough I froze even if it's not as rich. Elie & Kevin: Interesting about Texan feral pigs.* I am serious about the ragu, though. There's a recipe in LRK's book and it sounds a lot more doable than Judith's mortadella di cinghiale. I am going to start checking out meat departments and butchers around here. I'm pretty sure I've seen bacon, at least. The over-the-top dinner at your in-laws also sounds great and adds to the list the different ways that Italian dishes change in other countries. Batali serves ricotta gnocchi (or gnudi) with braised fennel and a sausage-based sauce. I made the dish once and it was so good, I returned the library book and bought my own copy. *The report also said the spinach catastrophe this summer was traced to the fecal matter of California's population of roaming, wild hogs. I hadn't caught that part of the story.

Nightline ran a story on feral pigs last night. Granted it was on a new dumbed-down version of the program and therefore a bit overwrought, but there were claims that Texas has a real problem. The chef Jon Bonnell (Fort Worth) promoted the healthfulness and flavor of the meat. Any plans to make ragu with the wild "boar" of Texas?

Wendy: Your tortelli are glorious, just like the golden ones on the book jacket! How many yolks in that dough? I'd really like to know what's in the filling besides the savoy. I bought a huge cabbage this week and do not plan to sauté all of it with garlic.

Google says there's at least 177 references, though this might be best for your purposes. Since they're often called "ricotta gnocchi" instead, you're bound to find more, including in the pasta cook-off and the thread on Tuscan cooking. Judy Rodgers provides a photo doc of process in The Zuni Cafe Cookbook, though all you'll probably need is Moby's as linked here.

Bob, great sense of humor! This is fascinating. Thank you. I wish our leeks were more like that--since we pay by weight, a lot of money gets forked over for greens that get thrown out or frozen to flavor stock. At Thanksgiving, I brought some poached quinces to garnish pies. No one else had ever tried them. I gave them the spiel about the golden apples of the Hesperides, the fruit Paris awarded Aphrodite, the possibility that they were the apple in the Garden of Eden... The host interrupted, "But you say you have to boil them a long time until they become soft enough to eat." Now the fact that you can eat them uncooked and if you do, you're screwed... Well, that explains a lot!

A new thread for 2007 has been started here by Sazji.

Seeing the minaret in the first tease photo, I was hoping.... So glad to see this blog unfold! The glistening white yogurt sauce in a picture you post looks wonderful. Is it drained yogurt, thinned, then mixed with the olive oil? More information, please. I also love the glimpses of shops and look forward to as many market shots* as you can bear taking and even more fish if thus inspired. Good friends in high school were twins whose Turkish parents came to the U.S. when their father accepted an academic positon. One of the two eventually moved back to Istanbul to practice law. They would describe family visits where they'd go out in a boat to scoop shrimp out of the sea for dinner. Any excuses for slipping in shots of mosques or Hagia Sophia... *I'm especially intrigued by produce that may seem exotic to most of us.

Shaya, how did you make the raised poofs on your round tortellini? I've never seen them made that way. Gorgeous! Judith, there's a bit of musing about flour here. Cake flour's more highly processed, in addition to the crucial info Mottmott provides and always made from a soft wheat. I keep my ragu going at a low simmer on a gas stove by stacking one burner on top of the other once it's ready. Marcella does recommend cooking dried beans in the oven to avoid splitting skins, etc. I obey. And Elie, while you were happy with all but the domed rice, you really do owe yourself something you were toying with making: Lasagne Duchi di Ferrara. LRK's recipe is based on a 16th-century dish from Cristoforo da Messisbugo who is credited with publishing the first recipe for mortadella. He served the household of the Cardinal Ippolito d'Este, an important patron of music and the visual arts in keeping with family tradition. (Isabella d'Este may be the most famous of the family, taking after her mother in many respects more than her father who paid artists at his court in Ferrara by the amount of wall they covered with paint and not the quality of their work or their fame.) I made two different lasagne, using up the rest of the chicken-based ragu I mentioned up thread. One followed the recipe closely, layering noodles with the ragu, Parmesan, slivers of Prosciutto di Parma, plumped golden raisins, toasted pine nuts, a drizzle of heavy cream and a pinch of cinnamon. Since I didn't care for the amaretto & chocolate pastas I stuffed back in Lombardia, I made a second one without the nuts, cinnamon and raisins. The scent as they reached the final minutes of baking was nearly unbearable. It was so hard to let them rest. I tried both, of course, and have to say that the Renaissance-sweetness is not at all cloying. I actually preferred the more authentic version, though I am very glad I did NOT make my pasta from bread and rosewater, using poor man's sfoglia in this courtly dish. One of the best things I have made this year. Luxurious, close enough to the familiar to be not scary, and with thin sheets of lasagna, a small amount of cream instead of bechamel, not at all heavy.

Klary, that photo of lasagna is absolutely too gorgeous and I reacted the way mrbigjas did, only used it as a kick-start to make the lasagna I didn't this weekend. The noodles are now in an ice bath or draining on a towel. And Judith, wow. That one's bigger than Andrew's in Rome. Must be the country air! Since, yes, I know, I try to compensate for the lack of photos by supplying more than a thousand words, I am going to break up my report by quickly reporting the following: PASTA EXPERIMENT #2 Kevin and Lidia saved the day for me. Back to good sfoglia again. Maybe there was just something off about the gram-equivalents and/or my kitchen scale or perhaps it's just a whole lot easier working dough when there's more than egg and flour in it. Whatever the reasons, here's what really worked for me: 2 extra-large eggs 1 2/3 cups KA AP flour 1/3 cup cake flour < 1/4 cup olive oil 2 T water This is what Ms. Bastianich calls Poor Man's Pasta. Maybe it speaks to the Irish and Swedish roots on one side of the family, but this made the most malleable dough I've produced yet during this year of renewed pasta-making. Beautifully thin and transparent, good texture, no tears. I also confess that I'm not a fan of those ribbons of egg that escape from well-walls on counter tops. Followed pictures in LMB's family cookbook and just used my mega metal bread-making bowl until it was time to knead. Now I am psyched. I can't remember the last time I made lasagna from scratch since I am partial to Marcella Hazan's layered polenta with ragu. However, Shaya, it was back in the day when it did not cost a fortune to buy a dozen artichokes. I remember peeling off hundreds of leaves and throwing them away to stack the lasagna with nothing but artichoke, bechamel and cheese. Well, it seemed like a dozen; just found recipe: 4-5. Well, it was amazing. (Marcella, Classic II, p 184). Back to the kitchen.

Klary: stunning lasagna and a brand-new dessert all in the same week! This post is primarily here to express support and enthusiasm. However, I'd like to pipe up about your fruit, too. I can't get those beautiful Dutch pears that turn pink out my mind. How does the flavor compare to quinces? The reason I ask is that I think both could be incorporated if there is some way to make sure the flavors remain distinct. If they look similar, it might be a nice surprise.

What a weekend! Since I was preoccupied with batches of World Peace cookies, all I managed to do was find a glorious head of cabbage at the farmers market while securing the future of local cardoons, and then pick up prosciutto along with other supplies for another round of rolling dough (without the rosewater so it can be put to multiple uses). Elie: I am especially impressed with all your efforts, from rabbit to duck to dessert. You certainly are a great advocate for bread, so I will look at that chapter. Meanwhile, the tortellini are so meticulously cut and formed and seem meltingly tender when cooked. As for the elaborate dome of rice, I wonder if the disappointment comes not only from the amount of work it requires, but the fact that there are so many timbales or other rice dishes like sartu in which the grains are flavored and form a solid, golden crust. The stewed duck looks really, really good... Daniel should see this recipe since he's been cooking pigeons in the Dinner Thread. Kevin: I am pretty sure I once made the same soup with red onions and chicken stock and thought it was delicious and perfect for the kind of chilly weather that came last week and disappeared. I am looking forward to hearing about your lasagna should self-restraint kick in, Klary, and to finding out what your first choices are, Abra. I agree with Kevin and Shaya that this region and book deserve more attention than we may be able to give in December. It's something to come back to each time a cold spell lingers.

Yeah, Kevin, I just read through most of your posts on Emilia-Romagna from last year (wow!) and noticed what you had to say about cake flour. I'll try that, of course, but if the Three Sopranos believe in good ol' unbleached AP flour, I'm inclined to keep trying. * * * Elie: your mortadella is beautiful! The green and red are perfect for this time of year. According to LRK, in Bologna, mortadella is traditionally made without pistachios, though I can't imagine passing up an opportunity to eat pistachios. It can't be a matter of a uniform texture since the peppercorns crunch, too. I suppose the logs are also speckled with lardo you made yourself.

Emilia-Romagna inspires. I decided to try the most unusual recipe in The Splendid Table for the kind of sauce that pits the region against Naples: Ragu de Nobili since I had some giblets in the freezer with no place to go. I am finally overcoming an aversion to organs not ground into paté (including the wretched musical instrument). For those reading this thread who don't have access to the book, the ragu features diced boneless chicken thighs that one sautés with minced pancetta, Italian sausage, giblets, a little ground beef and the customary battuto (mirepoix). White wine, a pinch of cloves, bay leaf, crushed garlic and a generous dab of tomato paste are gradually added with small amounts of stock. Once everything is incorporated, including more stock, the ragu simmers for less than an hour since small, browned bits of chicken dominate the mixture. This is a welcome change from other ragus. Instead of adding milk early in the procedure, a little heavy cream finishes the sauce. That last step is the sweep of the Fairy Godmother's wand: the giblets are transformed from something funky to an assertive, sweet element. I prepared the ragu the night before so I could spend time making tagliatelle. Cf. the thread on home-made pasta in the Cooking forum for musings about different kinds of flours. I decided to trust not only Lynne Rossetto Kasper, but Hazan and Lidia M Bastianich and use KA all-purpose flour instead of buying another bag of the Tipo 00 used up when we were preparing Sardinian meals. LRK recommends mixing only 2 Jumbo eggs with 12 oz. of AP flour, and nothing else. Well, my 3 Large eggs were insufficient. I ended up using 5 eggs (full, not just the yolks, I know...) and while this made a supple, soft, easy-to-manage dough, golden strands that looked beautiful draped over the wooden dowels of the drying rack for hand laundry that I set up in the dining room, cooked, they lacked the slippery tenderness I've achieved with Tipo 00. It may be that dough toughened when I was incrementally adding more egg, but I suspect that egg whites might have been a culprit since recipes for luxurious sfoglia require separating eggs and adding a large number of yolks. When I first cooked from Hazan's book, I'm pretty sure I used regular Pillsbury or Gold Metal bleached flour from the supermarket, so I am not sure what is to blame. I let the dough rest for almost an hour before I sent it through the pasta machine to thin and cut. KA's protein content is 11.7 % and LRK says the wheat of Emilia-Romagna contains 11-14%. Any feedback would be appreciated. I'll buy larger eggs this weekend, but I'm determined to make a superior dough with ordinary A-P flour. * * * Ragu bolognese is something I could eat every single night the week I make it, feeling pangs when it is all gone. This? It's not as addictive and I suspect it's simply because it doesn't have the depth of flavor that meat acquires when cooked slowly for a long period of time. If you get over that expectation, it's really quite nice and indeed different. The sauce is traditionally used to make an elaborate tortellini pie that I will skip. However, I will be making lasagna this weekend. Finally, let me add that everything Kevin said about these pears is true! My oh my ! Ignore Mario's instructions for time and I'm inclined to say that I prefer Bosc pears. Between Hathor's gorgeous photograph of a roasted pear salad up in the Dinner thread and Kevin's eloquence, I had to try them. I let mine roast for over an hour, basting them until the sides were coated red and the tips as wrinkled as your fingers when you've been swimming for hours. The skin of the pears served as an organic sous vide bag, creating a luscious, rich creaminess distinct from the qualities of a simple wine-poached pear. Since Batali introduces this quick, easy recipe in an episode on lasagna, I'd say now's the time to try this at home.

While Kristin links a much more comprehensive thread than this, and my question is about desserts rather than something savory, nonetheless, I figure this thread has more chances of being read than others. I have to confess that I've never made anything with persimmons before and have only vague recollections of tasting them. I have three small Fuyu persimmons that weigh less than half a pound and are headed towards the very ripe state in spots. I know they could have been eaten earlier, but I was saving them to purée and bake into either a traditional persimmon pudding or perhaps as some other type of flan or custard. In any case, since there is so little of the fruit, and I plan to sample some raw, I would like to use individual custard cups instead of steaming one large pudding. A few questions: 1) This recipe instructs you to purée the fruit unpeeled. It's not advice I've seen in other recipes, and in fact, is a step included in a recipe for the larger Hachiya persimmons vs. the type I have. I thought that if it works, it would intensify flavor. If it doesn't it might mix in an unpleasant flavor and ruin the dessert. 2) I have also read elsewhere how good persimmons are to scoop out, frozen, like sorbet. they become an instant purée. Would this be a way to avoid cleaning the blender, or just not appropriate if you're planning to cook the fruit? Any feedback based on experience would be welcome. 3) If you have an absolute favorite recipe for a creamy persimmon dessert, please let me know since I am going to wait a day to make it. The post right before this gives me pause since I don't want spices to drown out the taste of this novel fruit. Then again, pumpkin pie sets the standard for all desserts that don't contain chocolate or peaches as far as I'm concerned.

Klary, by all means, why don't you start a new thread for 2007?

Marlene, read the related thread (begun by same person who started this one) if this thread isn't sufficient. Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone gets my vote. It's Bittman, Joy of, Gourmet, NYTimes, Waters, Beard all rolled into one except without the meat. Designed to be the only thing you'll need. I've made at least 50 dishes over the years from this to buttermilk pancakes. If you're more inclined to introduce possibilities from "non-Western" cuisines, cf. Miz Ducky on Madhur Jaffrey.

Cappuccino Parmigiano * * * Beets, broccoli, turnips, cauliflower, horseradish, cabbage, etc. should not go in a stockpot with chicken, water, onion, carrots, salt and celery. When preparing spinach with anchovies and garlic, sautéing broccoli rabe, braising or just sweating vegetables, it's customary to add water to oil, safety tip about avoiding accidents aside. Sicilians combine fish and cheese. So does McDonald's, though an Aretine might sneer. Chocolate goes with rabbit in main courses and eggplant or ground meats in sweet pastries. Speaking of eggplant, some people actually like it baked into eggy custards. Same with seafood. There are plenty of menus and recipes that demonstrate how dishes that repulse me delight others. Let your friend experiment and use common sense. Many people don't care much for recipes or cookbooks. If it's only a matter of not wishing to "paint by numbers" in the kitchen, there are quite a few books out there that provide a foundation in basic techniques. There are also books like Donna Hay's Flavours which demonstrate how to build a dish from one basic flavor, such as vanilla or lime. Who knows if s/he'd want to read them? Your friend may prefer to learn by going to a variety of restaurants or being inspired by a meal at someone else's table.