The Cooking and Cuisine of Campania

[Kevin72]

And, people, the month's almost up and no one has tried the deep-fried calzone recipe yet. I let Puglia slide without someone besides me trying 'ncapriatta, but this will not stand. Bigjas, Andrew, step up!

[mrbigjas]

The contorno was stuffed escarole? chicory?  I can never tell the difference.

as usual this piques my predilection for greens.... looks great; what was it stuffed with?

[Kevin72]

Anchovies, currants, pine nuts, pecorino, bread crumbs.

And, just to keep beating this drum, the fried calzone I'm promoting? Has greens in it.

[mrbigjas]

And, people, the month's almost up and no one has tried the deep-fried calzone recipe yet.  I let Puglia slide without someone besides me trying 'ncapriatta, but this will not stand.  Bigjas, Andrew, step up!

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yesterday, i fried the eggplant and made the sauce for this pasta 'ncasciata recipe. i will be boiling the pasta, assembling and baking the dish tonight.

looking at that recipe i have to wonder if the sauce is a quick-cook imitation of a full-on ragu, or what. but i press on regardless.

anyway, perhaps in the cooking process this evening i'll make some dough for fried calzones as well. can't hurt. there are still tomatoes left...

[FoodMan]

Where's your timballo? 

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It's a-coming, don't worry. I have to at least make that.

[mrbigjas]

Anchovies, currants, pine nuts, pecorino, bread crumbs. 

And, just to keep beating this drum, the fried calzone I'm promoting?  Has greens in it.

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ok wait then, do you have a recipe? is this an on-line or a book recipe? oh the possibilities. deep fried wonderment.

[Andrew Fenton]

And, people, the month's almost up and no one has tried the deep-fried calzone recipe yet.  I let Puglia slide without someone besides me trying 'ncapriatta, but this will not stand.  Bigjas, Andrew, step up!

Sorry, Kevin; I have a basement kitchen with poor ventilation. I don't deep-fry. (That "HOORAY" you just heard was from my arteries.) But I do have fond memories of deep fried escarole calzones from Naples...

Anyway, the genovese had another four hours or so on the stove yesterday afternoon, then I removed the meat and let the sauce reduce. The long-sought onion goo was well-represented. It was like ectoplasm, only a whole lot tastier.

The sauce went on gemelli as a first course (why gemelli? Because I had them in my cupboard, that's why), and the roast as a second. Both were tasty as could be.

looking at that recipe i have to wonder if the sauce is a quick-cook imitation of a full-on ragu, or what.  but i press on regardless.

I think quick-cook is what you want. If it's like the 'ncasciata I did in July, you don't have a ton of sauce (that would get goopy and messy). It's there to keep the whole thing moist, and add flavor of course, but it's not the star of the show.

[Kevin72]

Anchovies, currants, pine nuts, pecorino, bread crumbs. 

And, just to keep beating this drum, the fried calzone I'm promoting?  Has greens in it.

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ok wait then, do you have a recipe? is this an on-line or a book recipe? oh the possibilities. deep fried wonderment.

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It's a Mario recipe; available both on the FTV site and for sure in his Holiday Cooking book. But briefly: saute a head of escarole or chicory with garlic, anchovies, and chilies. Mix with ricotta, olives, capers, and pine nuts. Make a simple pizza dough with 3 cups flour, 1 cup water, packet of yeast, etc. Divide in half, roll each into a circle, spoon the filling onto it, fold it up and seal it good, toss it into ample oil and brown it on both sides. Take a bite and behold the glory of the angels.

[mrbigjas]

It's a Mario recipe; available both on the FTV site and for sure in his Holiday Cooking book.  But briefly: saute a head of escarole or chicory with garlic, anchovies, and chilies.  Mix with ricotta, olives, capers, and pine nuts.  Make a simple pizza dough with 3 cups flour, 1 cup water, packet of yeast, etc. Divide in half, roll each into a circle, spoon the filling onto it, fold it up and seal it good, toss it into ample oil and brown it on both sides.  Take a bite and behold the glory of the angels.

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sweet. i'll check it out.

i did find this one on foodtv's site, but that's baked. and who has time for that when fry calls?

Edited September 25, 2006 by mrbigjas (log)

[Kevin72]

sweet.  i'll check it out.

i did find this one on foodtv's site, but that's baked.  and who has time for that when fry calls?

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That's the one. He must've mentioned frying it when I saw it on the show and then I tried it that way.

[Pontormo]

For all the moaning about how the end of the month is near, there certainly was a flurry of activity this past weekend everywhere except my home.

Franci, those calamari-shaped pasta rings are quite adorable. Never met anyone who didn't like squid, though I confess I am not crazy about squid-ink risotto.

Elie, we trust you since you're a man of your word. Looking forward to seeing what you make next. While running errands, I decided to step into a bookstore to check out the cookbook section. Ended up fascinated by Schwartz's book, too, and having index cards in my bag , I ended writing down a recipe to try some time this week.

Thanks for the details on the escarole, Kevin! Wonder why it was assumed I wouldn't make the calzones --though it is true that I avoid deep-frying. It can hurt, Mrbigjas, like Andrew said.

And A, love the ectoplasm simile--or was it a metaphor?

* * *

There are a number of relevant recipes in Carol Field's book, In Nonna's Kitchen; Naples seems to be the place to find grandmothers. Also borrowed Lynne Rossetto Kasper's The Italian Country Table, hoping to find a few things for months ahead.

* * *

Just made a huge batch of a simple tomato sauce last night with a ton of tomatoes brought back from the market. (No more Romas; these are just standards and definitely not as good as they were last week since we've had a few very cold nights.) It will end up in at least one Campanian dish, though there are several I have in mind.

QUESTION: Because the tomatoes were just so-so is there anything to do to perk the sauce up post factum? It's supposed to be a foil, so I am not looking to add herbs. It definitely does taste fresh which I appreciate, but. Cook a little some more with tomato paste and then blend it all together? A drop of vinegar? Accept life as it comes?

[FoodMan]

Man, I've printed this calzone recipe a couple of years ago if not more and never tried it. Thanks for the reminder.

[Kevin72]

Thanks for the details on the escarole, Kevin!  Wonder why it was assumed I wouldn't make the calzones --though it is true that I avoid deep-frying.  It can hurt, Mrbigjas, like Andrew said.

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No offense meant. I figured two pizza loving Philly boys would be naturals for it, is all. And I know bigjas was taken by it last year, and he likes greens, so . . .

[Pontormo]

Okay, we're good, Kevin. I shouldn't expect someone from Texas to know about the superiority of pizza in New Haven, Connecticut, let alone the tradition of street fairs in the state's many Italian-American communities.

[Kevin72]

Now it's my turn:

[Franci]

Franci, those calamari-shaped pasta rings are quite adorable.  Never met anyone who didn't like squid, though I confess I am not crazy about squid-ink risotto.

In fact, he loves calamari, but not in umido. Or fish with pasta , or many other things... like the great danubio I baked tonight and I had to freeze to eat in solitude

It's filled with some provoletta and prosciutto cotto

[Shaya]

Beautiful food, Franci.

Kevin, why didn't you say those calzones had escarole from the very beginning? I've had a beautiful head of the stuff begging for my attention from the depths of my fridge for almost 2 weeks now!

I just read your post about the ingredients tonight, after putting the kids to bed. Quickly got out the head of greens, salvaged as much as I could, and supplemented with farmer's market spinach. My 5-year-old popped out of bed just as I was whirring up a batch of dough (I used Mario's version with wine and honey, I figured, why not give it a try?)

So my little guy sauteed the greens with all the various goodies, the dough is rising and I shall put the whole thing together tomorrow.

Thanks for the inspiration. Now if only I'd known about the greens earlier

So my question is this: do I deep fry or just coat in oil and fry - your posting is ambiguous on this point.

Another question for you all: I got some - I should say MANY - gorgeous baby eggplants from the farmer's market on Saturday. I also have some gorgeous basil. My resources on the region are very weak. Any ideas for what I can do with these glorious ingredients?

Here is a photo of the eggplants from last week's market - I used these to make a Thai curry, and they were incredibly creamy. Delicious.

Oh, and I'm about to order Naples at Table from a Canadian discounter - too late for this thread, but I'm psyched nonetheless.

[Shaya]

In case I can inspire someone else to try Kevin's calzone, here is the filling awaiting its jacket. I left out the capers - can't hang with capers.

[Kevin72]

Deep fry in olive oil.

[Franci]

Another question for you all:  I got some - I should say MANY - gorgeous baby eggplants from the farmer's market on Saturday.  I also have some gorgeous basil.  My resources on the region are very weak.  Any ideas for what I can do with these glorious ingredients?

Shaya, can I suggest you a recipe? I tried it last year and come out very good. It's from Elisabetta Cuomo (forum of Cucina Italiana)

I wanted a cleaner look on the plate so instead of baking the all thing I cooked the pasta almost all the way through, I stuffed it and I assemled already in the plates and put under the broiler to gratinee'. But if you prefer can stick to Elisabetta version

Stuffed paccheri with eggplants

300 g paccheri De Cecco or Setaro

1 kg eggplants

150 g fiordilatte

200 g provola affumicata (NOTE: if you like, I hate smoked provola or mozzarella)

75 g grated parmigiano

150 bechamelle

10 basil leaves

750 g of cherry tomatoes (or 1 and half can of the cherry, one can 400 g)

200 g passata

evo and garlic

Cut 750 g of the eggplant in long slices 1 cm thick, the rest cut in cubes and put under salt. Rinse, dry. Flour the long slices and deep fry. Fry the eggplants cubes. Dry well on kitchen paper. In the mixer pulse the eggplant slices with the bechamelle and the basil. Transfer to a bowl, add the cheeses in very small cubes, the parmigiano, add the cubed fried eggplants. Cook the pasta 4-5 minutes. Fill it with the eggplant stuffing. Make a sauce with the garlic, oil cherry tomatoes and passata and pour on the paccheri in oiled baking pan, sprinkle with a lot of parmigiano and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. More basil at time of serving.

[Franci]

Lunch: zuppa di patate e baccala'

[Pizza Napoletana]

paccheri De Cecco or Setaro

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Setaro great pasta! I would have rather said Setaro, Faella or Pastai Gragnagnesi and if not available, De Cecco (which is a good, but still commercial pasta, while the others are artisan products)

Good anyway.

Edited September 26, 2006 by Pizza Napoletana (log)

[Pontormo]

Franci: That soup looks great now that it's lunchtime.

Shaya: How about this?

Too much stuff with dough? Cf. this tiella from Il Forno, too.

Since we're talking about eggplant, I have to say I am too cowardly to try making the chocolate-covered dish I seriously was contemplating months ago. Where's Ling? Would she consider rejoining us for that?

Or Shaya, just how open-minded are your children? Most kids are not obsessed with chocolate per se; they just like candy, ice cream and desserts, period...at least that's what I am guessing based purely on observation and memory. It isn't until you get into the double-digit ages that the chocolate fiends emerge, right?

ETA: Oops. The first link's to a regional dish of E-R vs. C. However, merge it with Alberto's description of tiella for an appropriate dish.

Edited September 26, 2006 by Pontormo (log)

[Nina C.]

Franci:  That soup looks great now that it's lunchtime.

Shaya: How about this?

Too much stuff with dough?  Cf. this tiella from Il Forno, too. 

Since we're talking about eggplant, I have to say I am too cowardly to try making the chocolate-covered dish I seriously was contemplating months ago.  Where's Ling?  Would she consider rejoining us for that? 

Or Shaya, just how open-minded are your children?  Most kids are not obsessed with chocolate per se; they just like candy, ice cream and desserts, period...at least that's what I am guessing based purely on observation and memory.  It isn't until you get into the double-digit ages that the chocolate fiends emerge, right?

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This girl with a sweettooth would strongly consider making that if someone could send me a recipe. I really like fried eggplant with confectioners sugar (sounds strange but when you try it it's like crack.) Eggplant has a sweetness to it that works. (One caveat is that it will probably be this weekend before I have a chance to make it).

[albiston]

A rather simple version of the eggplants with chocolate dish from Amalfi can be found here.

Not sure how authentic it is; never made the dish myself. On the other hand, I've eaten a few eggplants with chocolate and the varied quite a bit, from extremely simple (like this recipe) to rather baroque desserts. Probably the recipe above is a pretty good starting point.