Pontormo

The end is near. How's it going?

PS. Since the initial post was mostly a question about ridding a diet of onions, etc., a quick search revealed: these guys. Milagi has already posted, but do keep in mind the practices of some strict vegetarians in India who do not eat lust-producing alliums. There's bound to be more in good cookbooks than the suggestion to use ASAFETIDA. ETA: Since I had no idea final statement would be construed as an insult to a favorite ingredient, I LOVE asafetida and acquired a taste via vegetarian cookbooks even before I started to prepare Indian food. Dirty socks, hogwash: the fragrance is wonderful.

Lori, you'll find a few established threads in the general forum & media about food allergies and children. One thing that I'd recommend is finding out exactly what this child cannot eat and why. Docsconz and Kerry Beal, of course, demonstrate how sophisticated the palates of medical doctors can be and how skilled they are in the kitchen. Nonetheless, those inspired to publish books on nutrition or make recommendations for the diets of their patients aren't always the most imaginative souls. There are probably overlooked foods you could include such as Red kuri squash, fresh herbs, chestnut flour, almond meal, walnut oil, etc. that would introduce a wider range of flavors into the family's diet. If you can get your hands on teff, you could make Ethiopia bread, as long as different types of grains are okay. If they're adventurous, it could be fun for the whole family to pull off pieces of injera to fill with stews and lentils, using their fingers instead of utensils. It also would be useful to know why Parmesan (cow's cheese) and goat's milk are okay, but fresh cow milk or ricotta made from sheep are not on the list. While I used to be allergic to dairy and wheat products (maybe; I won't go into that for now, but cf. Docsconz's comments on other threads) and find those to be two of the most common childhood allergies, I had a friend who was told she could eat yogurt made from cow's milk because of the effect the bacteria had on enzymes (? not sure). Your options might be wider than you think. This book is supposed to be an exception to the general rule, offering creative ways to bake without wheat flours and many recipes that would appeal to the non-afflicted. I think it's won awards, or at least one book in the genre has. The fact that most nuts are permitted helps a lot, since they'll help in making pastry. I don't know about flourless cakes or torts that require only two eggs; usually stiff egg whites are necessary. There is bound to be something along those lines. Nut meals & flours also make kid-friendly foods possible, such as "breaded" chicken fingers. Then, there's chickpea flour to use in making a tempura-like batter, etc. Asian rice noodles can also make spaghetti and meatballs possible, not just the wonderful things they were intended to produce, though different cuisines supply lots of good ideas. Two recommended dishes: Risotto. Make a big deal out of it, with homemade stock (minus the onion). Serve it as Italians do, as a first course all by itself, and not as a side dish, plated with meat. Shepherd's Pie: Mashed (white or sweet) potatoes instead of a pastry crust on a filling dish for winter. FYI: Just read in Gourmet that tamari comes from the dregs found in the bottom of vessels used in making soy sauce.

Beautiful, Pille. There's a Lebanese restaurant in my neighborhood. When in season, is served with pomegranate seeds sprinkled over the top instead of pine nuts. The color against the white yogurt is stunning.

Great looking meals so far, guys! Elie, we seem to have purchased similar groceries for different reasons. I'll be posting later in the week. Lynne Rossetto Kasper is a lot of fun to read. Love the information about lasagna as the traditional dish after the birth of a girl (no word about sons, yet) and erotic properties of different shapes of bread. In answer to the question about cakes in LRK's book, the recipe that caught my eye is the lemony apple torta in which the caramelized fruit is topped with a custard before baking. Pears would work, too, if the point is to evoke Christmas. I know Mrbigjas has DiBruno's and Judith, NYC, but do others have a good source for mortadella? I'm looking for ways to go beyond the familiar dishes of this region, or at least versions I've never prepared before. After all those years of baloney in lunchboxes, it makes sense to chop up and cook the real thing.

There are a number of Italian regions that braise meat in milk as original post suggests. The method produces a wonderful, silky texture even without a marinade. Moist, tender with a very interesting sauce. Here's one from Emilia-Romagna. I wonder if soaking does some of the same things to raw meat that is destined for a shorter cooking period, e.g. buttermilk bath for fried chicken with an outer coating of bread that seals in the moisture. I have no idea how this compares to salted water in brining, an olive oil or wine marinade.....

Sure, Chris, there are different factors to consider such as gluten and coarseness of grain. I was focusing primarily on distinctions between protein content in the hard wheats used for making dried pasta in Southern Italy, and the softer wheats in the North where eggs are incorporated into the dough (sfoligia). I wondered how they compared to the hard wheats found in many stone-milled AP flours vs. the softer wheats used for White Lily and other highly processed Southern brands of flour. Just dropped by the library, and after Shaya's post, found further justification for sticking with KA AP flour. That's the type and brand Marcella Hazan prefers, saying flours made for making pasta are no good. Off the top of my head, I can't remember what she said to justify her pronouncement, or if she did, but her word's good enough for me. I picked up a new bag and skipped the Tipo 0/00.

First, welcome to eGullet, Txacoli. Good to see your first post. Since you're new, here's a direct link to a thread (or discussion) in the Italian forum that should be of interest to you. The topic is the regional cooking of Umbria, but farro is addressed quite a bit. What you received is optimal. You shouldn't need to soak it even if the package tells you to. If it is semi-pearled or hulled, it ought to cook rather quickly. At least, mine brought back from the supermarket in Italy cooked in a little over 20 minutes, tops. Al Dente is not desirable. It should be somewhat chewy, but soft. Not at all chalky. Effortless and comforting, like barley. There are lots of excellent things to do with farro at this time of year, you're right. I'd explore the cuisines of Umbria and Tuscany, especially, looking for inspiration for hearty soups. Farro is also cooked like risotto and in the summer, made into cooling drinks and refreshing salads. It's even baked into desserts. Online sources offer much. However, look through the threads in the Italian forum, including the internet links for recipes, too. Also see recommendations for cookbooks there. You might wish to post further questions or comments in the Italian cooking thread I linked here.

Patrick, in my experience, 1 large egg usually measures very close to 1/4 cup if not always touching the red line on the glass. I suspect the approximation is fine for pancakes and pasta dough, but precision best for pastry. Thanks for the primer and the answer I sought.

Ahhhh! Just as this Yankee was justifying the purchase of a highly processed, Southern flour! Hmmm. Now I gotta wonder what distinguishes my KA AP flour made from hard red wheat from the soft wheat of Emilia-Romagna. I haven't read the part of LRK's book yet that provides numbers; now I understand why she advocates AP stone-ground. Still curious since I've worked with Tipo 00 and it is so much finer than KA AP. Latter must have higher gluten level, too.

Never mind. Found the recipe for pears on Foodnetwork. They've been haunting me...

A large egg = 1/4 cup. What about a jumbo egg? I can't find the information and I am using a cookbook that calls for jumbo eggs.

First, Megan, gorgeous! Nice documentation and a belated congratulations. Here are two related threads on the topic: Juanita's & the Cook-Off. Now, this is the reason I am posting: FLOUR TYPES FOR MAKING EGG PASTA Context: Throughout December, we are contributing to a new cooking thread in the Italian forum where the focus is Emilia-Romagna. This region is famous for Parmigiano-Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, Balsamic vinegar, ragu in Bologna, and in Ferrara, bread. Then, of course, there are lasagne, tortellini, cappelletti, tagliatelli and thick pasticcie: pies stuffed like a Russian doll with more stuffed pasta. All depend on an egg-based dough. In The Splendid Table, Lynne Rossetto Kasper explains that egg pastas developed out of necessity. While the hard wheats of the South produced pasta that stored well, due to the low protein content of the softer local wheat of Emilia-Romagna, pasta made exclusively with flour and water did not fare well. The addition of egg resulted in a softer, pliant dough that performs exceptionally when stuffed, layered or simply allowed to absorb butter, broth or sauce. Just how soft the flour of Emilia-Romagna is is something I'll explore later. If you know, please pipe up. However, someone recently asked about the soft Italian tipo 0 and 00 flours and what ought to be used outside of the country, especially in North American cities where it's not available. While I have a neighborhood store that carries Italian flour, the bags are small and probably stay on shelves for long periods of time. Therefore, I thought I'd provide the following information and see if anyone has something further to add: Protein Content KA [King Arthur] KA makes a Tipo 00 equivalent with 8.5 % protein. Its AP flours are made with hard red wheat. 11.7 % protein in AP, unbleached. The bread flour has 12.7 % protein. Select Artisan 11.3 % Mellow pastry 10.3 % Pastry: soft wheat, 9.2 % White Lily flour: 8% protein. I have not looked into other brands simply because both KA & WL stress consistency. I know many home cooks add semolina/durham flour to their egg pastas, but since these are hard wheat flours, I plan to rely exclusively on WL to see how it performs. In the past, I've simply pulled out KA's AP flour when there's nothing Italian at home.

Thank you for replying. I've followed the rule of thumb, and with my batch made with WW flour, saw absolutely no collapse or wrinkling when I returned home 19-19 1/2 hours after mixing the dough. That said, the dough rose rapidly in a 77 F-overheated kitchen, attaining its ultimate height in about 3 hours. So, I find your information about accelerated fermentation interesting. Overnight temperature went down to 64-67 (I am going by Polder's reading [digtal probe thermometer] kept on counter). 12 hours later, bubbles speckled surface, so I probably did not need to wait any longer to begin the second rise.

Dinner Thread-style owws and ahhs, John, Weenie and other for recent posts, first. Bran only added since it was sprinkled on counter after over-proofing. Interesting information, though, Abra. Thanks. I have to stop this 19 hour biz of an initial rise and I should be fine. Since I invested in supermarket brand Rapid Rise/Instant Yeast for the first time just for this recipe, I'm not prepared to track down or order a professional (?) type of yeast. I've got enough to keep me in this kind of loaf for a long, long time. I am going to PM Sam Fromartz in a second to ask him to weigh in on the starter he used and reasons he's been cutting back on time for WW mixture. I have a copy of Bread Alone at home and no need to bake more than one loaf a week, so plenty of opportunity to follow the book's instructions and turn some of my WW flour into sourdough starter before Friday when this loaf is through. I'll simply go back to 3 cups of flour, total, 1 1/2 c of water, etc. and see what happens. I note that RLB uses only 8% whole meal for her loaves. We'll see.

Tammy, little bubbles should blanket the surface of the dough at the end of the first rise. Watch the video if it's still accessible. With 100% unbleached A/P or bread flour, I think the dough is more forgiving of long durations, but less co-operative with a high percentage of heavier flours. I'd err on the side of conservative time periods during initial attempt(s). Don't wait too long. The loaf will probably still thrill after over-proofing, but it will be extremely runny when poured on the counter, suck up a lot of the flour that you use for dusting while preparing it for the second rise, and will not spring very high in the oven. * * * For my second try, I decided to bake a larger loaf, maintaining the same amount of bread flour, yeast and water as specified in the original recipe, but increasing the size by 50% with 1 1/2 cups of WW flour, and so on. I used 1 T of sea salt and an additional 1/3 c of water to reproduce the texture I recalled of the dough I mixed when following the published recipe. This was destined for a 4-quart enameled Dutch oven. (#26 inside French lid.) I wish I had started this dough after Sam Fromartz's most recent report. Next time I will aim for: a) a 12-hour rise rather than the long time I left the dough while out running errands. It over-proofed in a hot kitchen (77 F) and ended up with concrete boots when trying to spring in the oven. (Abra gives different advice in answering Tammy, but I need to see how I feel about a 12-15 hour rise.) b) less water. Even though WW flour absorbs water rapidly, it would be better were I to cut back the amount. The soggy dough slurped down an additional cup or two of wheat bran, some flour and corn meal while resting on the counter and being "shaped" into a loaf. No need to discuss what happened to the waxed paper I naively put down on the counter and floured for the 15-minute rest. c) 475 F I tried using a slower oven (450) and it took forever to creep from an internal temperature of 203 to 204 to 206 dark bottom crust to 206 darker to 206 too dark on the bottom, enough already. The new steps I plan to retain: a) WW flour and bran More flavor. Nice crumb even despite lack of height. b) Lid off after 20-25 minutes for perfect top crust, not too thick c) checking the internal temperature as per Abra's advice d) using buttered bowl instead of floured towel I used a squat Depression glass salad bowl so that the dough rose slightly over the top and there wasn't a long drop into the hot pan. Next time I may dust bottom of Dutch oven with wheat bran before upsiding bowl, but otherwise all was well. For a second it looked as if I might have a disastrous sticking problem, but when lid was lifted, all dough had shrunk from sides. e) removing loaf from pot during last minutes While the practice used to brown traditional loaves isn't necessary, it does prevent the bottom crust from scorching. I'd like to experiment with shorter durations in the pot since my jaw's getting tired. f) lots of salt I kept a little dough scraped from waxed paper. Left it on counter overnight by accident. It's now fed and in fridge.

Hear, hear! To be honest, I was introduced to the author while listening to NPR. The book is amazing and the force that shaped my shopping list this week. You mention the chapter I turned to first. I will even drag a chair into the kitchen to fetch the pasta machine from the cabinet high above the fridge. * * * I second the desire to continue next year, starting with the wintery region of Trentino-Alto Adige in January. Since the list is short and several regions best represented by fresh local produce, I would recommend a lull, reviving the threads when tender little lettuces resurface in the markets of the UK and Northern parts of the Americas, perhaps filling in the gap with Italian food of the diaspera (Italian-American, etc.). I couldn't see doing some of the Southern regions justice in February, though Basilicata is one place that would be appropriate. The one disadvantage would be a loss of momentum, but some of us might like the reprieve and absence makes the heart grow fonder. Just announce a schedule with assigned months at the end of January if this alternative makes sense. If not, that's fine, too. Again, these threads will serve us well as long as eGullet is around, so why not do it all, including regions you were not able to cover in 2005? Addressing two regions simultaneously makes sense with many of the remaining regions. I would defer to others, though, to ask if the reason we group them together nowadays is because the political division of the pair is arbitrary and the food really, truly is identical (Abruzzo & Molise?), or if it's a matter of inadequate resources for information and recipes, circumstances that may change in the future. Cf. your exclamation about Fabbio Trabocchi's new book on Le Marche, a region previously introduced by M Esposito and very well represented in Carol Field's book on nonne and (I think) LRK's book on the country table. I don't think it would be too confusing to offer two discrete threads and contribute to both during a single month.

JMG: I hear you on running around town, especially with a young child, soon with two. However, I do think you should read the very long, detailed thread on cutting down costs for groceries if you have not. It has good links to lots of relevant threads. Your friend might spend some time online here herself if she has help with child care, either at your house or the public library. You seem to have a smaller range of options in Wichita and among most families who have lived there for generations, probably a more limited repertoire of foods bought and prepared than you'll find in coastal locations, large metropoli or certain college towns. Yet I can't help but notice that there are Latino and Asian grocers in addition to Dillon which I am guessing is the major supermarket chain. Many eG members find lower prices in these stores, useful when it comes to meat, poultry, fish, grains and produce should you find a good, nearby store whose line turns over frequently. * * * Minor issue: Don't make Alfredo with bechamel. Ugh. (Lasagna without ricotta and mozzarella, yes.) Your new friend is probably thinking about the Alfredo made at Olive Garden or sold frozen, pre-made. You'll get that rich taste with domestic cheese (Grana Padana is less expensive than Parm-Reg, but not by much), but you'll need to use egg yolks and cream. A half-pint of organic heavy cream here in the land of High Costs is $1.69. I buy a carton and use it for about 3-5 meals for myself. Free-range eggs: $1.89. Supermarket eggs: 99 cents a dozen. Butter: $2 a lb on sale. Parm-Reg: extremely expensive, so avoid.* Yet I spend about $8 every other month on it and compensate by rarely buying expensive cuts of meat. I get a lot of quick, simple, inexpensive meals out of pasta served as a main dish instead of a first course, e.g. penne with sautéed broccoli rabe, garlic, red chili flakes, olive oil and P-R. That rabe could easily be broccoli crowns on sale for 99 cents a lb. or broccoli, regular price of $1.29 a lb. Half of a roasted butternut squash or oven-roasted carrots and red onions. No-knead bread. White beans (bought dried) with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil on the side for protein.** An apple, pear or cranberry crisp with oatmeal topping for filling dessert with a dollop of vanilla ice cream (on sale all winter long somewhere) or strained, plain yogurt. I'm with Mottmott and everyone else on empty-calorie drinks. Cheerios can be a real bargain on sale with coupons, but oatmeal on sale can be $2 for 3 lbs. or even less scooped in bulk store or Super Sam's perhaps. A bowl of cream of wheat requires 1/4 cup per serving vs. 1/2 c for oatmeal. Make your own soup instead of buying cans that seem cheap. Lentil or split pea soups made with water vs. broth cost hardly anything, supply lots of protein and are so much better. Bags of potato chips, infrequent treat vs. regular purchase. Popcorn kernels and canola oil on sale vs. individual microwave bags with fake butter powder. Change diet gradually. *Some staples cost a lot to buy and replenish. However, switching from lots of butter to a decent olive oil (not light) if a bargain anywhere in town is good for health and budget. **Phlawless said this early on: meat does not have to be served every single day. Early diets used to treat meals as bread and everything else was a condiment; the starch could be rice or noodles instead. Use meats or fish as a flavoring agent. A lot of cultures do this for what Italians call "cucina povera", or the traditional food of the poor which many well-off families treasure. When the center of a meal, stick with poultry ($1.69 a lb. not on sale as parts in the expensive Whole Foods, here; probably less than half that price at the right place in KS) as in the excellent first example you provide, beef chuck for pot roast vs. steak... * * * Finally, you should perhaps solicit ideas for inexpensive menus here or start creating your own. However, past threads offer more than enough advice on these matters. I believe the forementioned thread on cutting grocery bills has links to Old Foodie's Pantry thread, Carrot Top's challenge on creating tasty meals for for families with kids when the cupboard is bare and wallet thin...

Yes, use as you would celery stalks in flavoring dishes. Ditto on leaves.

Yes, Elie. I always peel, too, whether for simple poached pears served in a bowl or on a gingery tart (with blue cheese crust ); I agree about the beauty of the color. That's why I am in love with quinces at the moment. I'm waiting for Kevin to confirm or deny my suspicions. BTW: I looked at Jamie Oliver's book this weekend which Klary has cited as well. It looks great, especially in its treatment of Franci's Puglia. Beautifully designed and presented. Interesting recipes and discussion of regionality.

Does everyone have clay pots except me? Tempting crespelle, Elie. I didn't realize they were a Tuscan specialty, though I've seen them often enough at lunch, filled with something from the day before. I have to wonder about wives and chicken livers, though. Kevin said the same thing. I'm still wearing my training wheels in cooking them, slowly getting to like them a little more each time. Very assertive taste, but kind of sweet. Girl thing? Hope not. * * * I'm a sucker for pears cooked in red wine at Christmas. What I like especially about Kevin's is the fact that the fruit is unpeeled, or so I am guessing from the photograph: a bit like baked apples. It's actually a method James Beard recommends, too, surprisingly, or so I learned while searching for interesting things to do with persimmons. Lovely description, too, Kevin, especially regarding the bundling of different flavors. I can imagine a platter of small Seckel pears roasted and presented this way.

Thanks for the information, Lisa. I knew about the problem with guanciale, but naively thought that the item wasn't imported since it wasn't as familiar to Americans as pancetta is.

And on a somewhat related note, the son compares writing poetry to his father's manual labor as he plants potatoes, and the hard work of his grandfather before him: Digging by Seamus Heaney And since the imagery reminds me of Roethke and it is that time of year: Root Cellar.

Credit goes to Lori in PA for proposing an egg-based curriculum, but the following excerpt is from one of my favorite contributions: The entire lesson plan sounds like that of a true teacher. Something else to consider is how to plan an entire menu for family meals, a skill that often intimidates novice cooks. Just to reinforce a point made several times, I'd advocate finding alternatives to making a large piece of meat the central focus of the plate. Of course, Parmigiano-Reggiano is much more expensive than most cuts of meat, but strictly speaking Fettuccine Alfredo is not made with cream at all: it's just fresh egg pasta, lots of butter, salt and freshly grated cheese. (Learning how to make fresh pasta is not something I'd tackle at this point.) I agree with C. Sapidus that you could substitute a different, less costly cheese for P-R in this case, but something better than the can of Kraft and not something that comes pre-grated. A hunk, even if it comes from Wisconsin instead of Italy would be better. If you can't find a reasonable price on the egg-yellow nests of dried pasta that De Cecco imports, or the ones from Al Dente (Ann Arbor?), why not go with some of the twisty American egg noodles sold to make Strogonoff and turkey noodle soup? Just don't get the "improved" kind without egg yolks. The less authentic version that Anna Thomas taught to vegetarian hippies long ago involves melting butter in heavy cream, then letting it simmer with lots of freshly grated cheese until it starts to thicken. 10 mins. or so. Some of the cream is then stirred into beaten egg yolks before the two are whisked back into the sauce off the burner, then just returned just to heat up, making the sauce even richer. Taste to see if it needs salt since it may not. This method would compensate for the lack of fresh pasta. Toss with peas if you'd like.

Today's Chocolate & Zucchini furthers the burgeoning discussion of this recipe in the entry for November 30, 2006, Le Pain qu'on ne pétrit pas. Clotilde Dusoulier links this thread and singles out Sam Fromartz.