The Cooking and Cuisine of Emilia-Romagna

[Pan]

Nice stuff, Elie.

What does "sponge" mean in the context of bread?

[Shaya]

Thanks Abra. The recipe is not posted but I can pm it to you.

Very nice cooking, Elie. I have been trying to get to make my tortellini since Friday, but the weekend was really busy. Hopefully today. Isn't stuffed pasta so satisfying?

Your bread looks great too, really soft. And that bunny looks really flavorful.

I wonder about dishes that involve baking layers of meats with rice. We have a Persian dish called Ta'cheen that I've made a few times, in which chicken is layered in between basmati, and I also find it to be a bit bland and on the dry side. I think I would go instead for some of LRK's recipes that involve making a risotto and toppping or layering with a wet ragu, and no baking.

[Kevin72]

Way to go, Elie! I love that mountain bread as well. So much going on in it.

Wonderful use and combination of dishes; loved the touch of using the rabbit innards to make bruschetta topping. I take it those were just for you, though?

As for the bomba, when I made it last year I augmented it with a second filling of peas, ham, and mushrooms in a bechamel kinda sauce. That made it a little wetter and counteracted some of the rice. But making the layer of rice thinner may just make the whole thing collapse; I think you need all that to make it hold up.

[Kevin72]

Right! I forgot you do not like the cooked onion flavor much BTW.

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Here's an abrupt and inexplicable about face.

So, for Friday's meal I was going to make balsamic-glazed chicken. I didn't want the production of a pasta or risotto primo and fell back on soup, and for some reason, the Emilia-Romagna version of onion soup, la cipollata, sounded really appealing. I don't recall if there's a recipe in Splendid Table; I went with the version Mario's made on his shows.

I started the soup the night before and used several different kinds of onions and their kin: leeks, spring onions, and plain yellow onions. After and hour of cooking in butter and a little bit of lard they had collapsed but weren't to the caramelizing stage. It was already after 10 pm at this point and I didn't want to wait up for them to turn brown, nor did I want to try to start them up again the next morning. So, into a 220 F oven overnight. The next morning I awoke to the smell of those caramelized onions and was pleased with the overnight results. Poured in some white wine, cooked it off, then milk, and cooked it off as well. Now, here again, I needed to leave for work and I hadn't even added the broth yet. So, I tossed in the frozen block of homemade broth and put it back in the oven again to cook all day.

When I pulled into the garage that night, I could smell the soup from outside. I was instantly ravenous (hey, even I won't deny that onions still at least smell good when they cook!). Pulled the pot out of the oven; everything had cooked down and concentrated. I put it on the back burner on the lowest possible heat to cook down even some more while I made the rest of dinner.

The end result was something like ragu Bolognese, as my wife astutely put it: another synergistic dish that had transformed into something more than the some of its parts. I'd imagine that those of you who made Genovese and liked it when we did Campania will be able to relate. The touch I like in this dish, also, is the emulsion of eggs and soft pecornio that gets stirred in at the last minute, making it even more decadent and softening some of the sharper onion edges:

So, given that writeup, you can see that it was pretty much the star of the show that night. Didn't help that I botched the balsamic glazed chicken, normally one of my standbys. Even though I though I had seasoned the hell out of it, it still came out kinda flabby and bland tasting.

As a contorno, mashed potatoes "alla Montegrappa DaNello"; a great little place in Bologna that we went to and had several revelatory dishes at. Their mashed potatoes were very thin and creamy, but also plumped with ample olive oil which really added a new twist. I tried it unsuccessfully this time and the potatoes were still too lumpy with too much liquid used to thin them out. Eh.

[Chufi]

Beautiful dinner Elie, especially the tortelli. Is the filling just chive-mash, or anything else? cheese?

Ragu bolognese is something I could eat every single night the week I make it, feeling pangs when it is all gone.

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Oh so true. Now my problem with ragu is that I can't stop eating it while it's cooking.. I have a pot on the stove right now, cooking at "the laziest of simmers" just like Marcella stipulates. And every time I pass the stove I have to eat a spoonful, telling myself it's just an experiment to see how the flavor changes over the course of 4 hours.. but if I keep going, there'll be nothing left for my lasagne tonight.. what is it about that stuff that makes it so addicitive? After all it's nothing but meat and a couple of vegetables..

[Pontormo]

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.

[FoodMan]

Nice stuff, Elie.

What does "sponge" mean in the context of bread?

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Michael-

Sponge is basically a flour, water and yeast mixture left to ferment at room temperature for several hours or sometimes a couple of days. This is then added to the rest of the flour and water to make bread dough. The long slow yeast action adds lot of flavor to the bread.

loved the touch of using the rabbit innards to make bruschetta topping. I take it those were just for you, though?

Kevin-

You would think my wife wouldn't eat this, right! She actually liked the liver toast. she even surprised herself. That is why I keep saying these rabbit parts sure taste much better than chicken.

Glad to read your onion soup report. It really looks and sounds great, I can almost smell it. I can certainly see how that bomba can benefit form a good bechamel but like Pontormo said, there are far too many elaborate dishes that use a mold and are very very tasty (see my Timpano in the Campania thread for anb example) to bother with this again. the duck braise was very tasty BTW.

Klary-

the filling for the tortelli also had a couple of eggs, salt and pepper and of course Parmeggiano cheese.

[mrbigjas]

Oh so true. Now my problem with ragu is that I can't stop eating it while it's cooking.. I have a pot on the stove right now, cooking at "the laziest of simmers" just like Marcella stipulates. And every time I pass the stove I have to eat a spoonful, telling myself it's just an experiment to see how the flavor changes over the course of 4 hours.. but if I keep going, there'll be nothing left for my lasagne tonight.. what is it about that stuff that makes it so addicitive? After all it's nothing but meat and a couple of vegetables..

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ok, a quick question for all of you:

1. are you generally making a ragu bolognese like this one, which is supposedly out of the splendid table? (i don't have the book yet)

2. the reason i'm asking is that it seems like that recipe doesn't make that much, for several hours work. so when you make it, do you usually double/triple the recipe?

Edited December 11, 2006 by mrbigjas (log)

[Kevin72]

I noticed the small yield the first few times I made it myself as well; it is perfectly suited for a single batch of pasta. So pretty soon I started making super batches to freeze whenever I made it. Which brings me to the point now where there's numerous containers of indeterminate origin of different batches of ragu in my freezer . . .

I'm not sure if it was discussed on my thread or the Italian Ragu thread offshoot, but I go with the Marcella Hazan version that uses canned tomato, not tomato paste. While most other recipes do call for the paste, I like the interplay the whole tomatoes give. And again, after so many hours of cooking, they completely collapse into the sauce, and there's much less proportion of tomato to meat.

[Mottmott]

Oh so true. Now my problem with ragu is that I can't stop eating it while it's cooking.. I have a pot on the stove right now, cooking at "the laziest of simmers" just like Marcella stipulates. And every time I pass the stove I have to eat a spoonful, telling myself it's just an experiment to see how the flavor changes over the course of 4 hours.. but if I keep going, there'll be nothing left for my lasagne tonight.. what is it about that stuff that makes it so addicitive? After all it's nothing but meat and a couple of vegetables..

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ok, a quick question for all of you:

1. are you generally making a ragu bolognese like this one, which is supposedly out of the splendid table? (i don't have the book yet)

2. the reason i'm asking is that it seems like that recipe doesn't make that much, for several hours work. so when you make it, do you usually double/triple the recipe?

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Per ST: the ingredients online are correct and scaled for either 1 lb of Kasper's fresh pasta or dried. I see no reason not to scale the recipe up, particularly for a single meal. Kasper does suggest, however, that it's best to keep the ragu warm and eat within about 30 minutes of finishing. On the other hand she does not specify that it does not freeze well as she does on some other recipes.

My suggestion would be to check it out. Make a little bit extra to freeze and see what happens. It might be convenient to have a dinner ready in the freezer, but it won't actually save that much work time for you. Most of the time is passive cooking.

I've used Hazan's recipe which stipulates it can be frozen or reheated. Perhaps that would suit you better, though she simmers it in the oven even longer. It uses less meat and more tomato and yields enough for 6 servings.

[Chufi]

I've used Hazan's recipe which stipulates it can be frozen or reheated. Perhaps that would suit you better, though she simmers it in the oven even longer. It uses less meat and more tomato and yields enough for 6 servings.

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Mottmott, in which book does she simmer the ragu in the oven? I ask because I always thought she doesn't really use the oven except for baking.

So, I made Marcella's ragu today. I ate many spoonfulls over the course of the 4-hours it was simmering, but still had enough for my lasagne and some extra to put in the freezer for another day. Then I made spinach lasagne. I had some problems with this. Used Marcella Haza's recipe, but had to use a LOT more flour and still the dough was really sticky, fragile and hard to work with. And yes, I made sure my spinach was really dry before adding it. Anyway, after boiling the sheets they seemed to firm up, and the final dish was absolutely fantastic. Such an amazing marriage of flavors. So mellow and sweet and comforting and rich.

[mrbigjas]

ok that picture pretty much does it. i'm making ragu tonight for dinner tomorrow.

[little ms foodie]

a quick question for FoodMan and/or others- tortelli.... in my Parma book it shows tortelli as raviolli but I see yours are shaped like tortellini. We plan to make some tomorrow so I needed a bit of clarity

[Shaya]

Chufi, that lasagna is sheer perfection. I would like a bowl of that right now, please.

[little ms foodie]

Oh so true. Now my problem with ragu is that I can't stop eating it while it's cooking.. I have a pot on the stove right now, cooking at "the laziest of simmers" just like Marcella stipulates. And every time I pass the stove I have to eat a spoonful, telling myself it's just an experiment to see how the flavor changes over the course of 4 hours.. but if I keep going, there'll be nothing left for my lasagne tonight.. what is it about that stuff that makes it so addicitive? After all it's nothing but meat and a couple of vegetables..

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ok, a quick question for all of you:

1. are you generally making a ragu bolognese like this one, which is supposedly out of the splendid table? (i don't have the book yet)

2. the reason i'm asking is that it seems like that recipe doesn't make that much, for several hours work. so when you make it, do you usually double/triple the recipe?

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I use the Martha Stewart Ragu recipe- it seems pretty similar to the one you are linking but definately has some differences

Ragu

[little ms foodie]

damn Chufi! I just finished lunch but now I'm hungry for that lasagne!! nice work.

[Shaya]

a quick question for FoodMan and/or others- tortelli.... in my Parma book it shows tortelli as raviolli but I see yours are shaped like tortellini. We plan to make some tomorrow so I needed a bit of clarity

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From a brief stufy of The Splendid Table, Here is how I understand the different shapes:

Tortelli - rectangles

Tortellini - little hats made from circles (legend has it they are in the shape of the belly button of a beautiful lady)

Tortelloni - larger version of tortellini

Cappellacci - in Ferrara, these are big hats still

Cappelletti - in Romagna, these are like tortellini but formed from a square rather than a circle "little hats; or, in Reggio, these are disk shapes

[little ms foodie]

Thanks Shaya that is how I was reading my pasta shapes too but I am learning so thought it best to ask!

now how does plin and tortelli differ?

[Shaya]

Thanks Shaya that is how I was reading my pasta shapes too but I am learning so thought it best to ask!

now how does plin and tortelli differ?

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These are the little Piemontese ravioli that Keller describes in his FL cookbook. Here is a link to show how to make them:

Click

[Mottmott]

I've used Hazan's recipe which stipulates it can be frozen or reheated. Perhaps that would suit you better, though she simmers it in the oven even longer. It uses less meat and more tomato and yields enough for 6 servings.

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Mottmott, in which book does she simmer the ragu in the oven? I ask because I always thought she doesn't really use the oven except for baking.

So, I made Marcella's ragu today. I ate many spoonfulls over the course of the 4-hours it was simmering, but still had enough for my lasagne and some extra to put in the freezer for another day. Then I made spinach lasagne. I had some problems with this. Used Marcella Haza's recipe, but had to use a LOT more flour and still the dough was really sticky, fragile and hard to work with. And yes, I made sure my spinach was really dry before adding it. Anyway, after boiling the sheets they seemed to firm up, and the final dish was absolutely fantastic. Such an amazing marriage of flavors. So mellow and sweet and comforting and rich.

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OOps, sorry. I shopuld have said I simmer it in the oven.

edited to add: I use The Classic Italian Cookbook

Edited December 11, 2006 by Mottmott (log)

[hathor]

Good lord, a weekend away from the computer...and look what has gone on!

Elie, you are just amazing! That tortellini looks divine. Chive and potato...what could be better? Shaya is the Official Gnocchi Queen...or "OGC". Pontormo, your nice, long post about ragu was just delicious.!!! But Kevin...that onion 'soup'....oh, my, my, my. I think the cooking in stages bit does amazing things in terms of 'maturing' the flavors.

Here's one of my mortadella pictures. Its cut off, but this was a cinghiale mortadella. What is it about mortadellas that just stop you in your tracks?? All about size...I suppose...! Elie, what could they possibly be using that would be a natural mortadella casing? Elephant intestines? No, seriously, what are they using for those giant mortadellas?

Well, the brasato was good. But Kevin, you may be right, it does sort of wind up tasting like mystery meat. I used a lot of juniper, allspice, cinnamon, cardamon so it tasted very rich , but when all is said and done, it's a pot roast. Here it is on a bed of creamy polenta.

Desert was another variation on the roast pear...this one has a vanilla ricotta stuffing, and candied ginger ice cream.

Meanwhile, I'm making some osso bucco...which I thought was from E-R, but its from Lombardia. Oh well.

[Pontormo]

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.

[hathor]

What exactly is "cake flour"? I'm following along on all of these flour experiments...I keep schlepping over to an Italian Market to get Tipo 0/00 'cause I'm too lazy and too chicken to figure out the US flours.

Who asked about cooking the ragu in the oven? Chufi? I always cook my ragus in the oven...I can control the heat better. Oh, but I also use earthenware. And Chufi, I'm worse than you. Tasting while cooking, ok, that's a given. But I've been known to go to the refrigerator and scoop out a cold spoonful or two, you know, just to be sure its still ok.

[Shaya]

Today I made Pamela Sheldon John's veal tortellini - they are filled with veal, parmigiano and proscuitto

I served them two ways; con burro e formaggio, and "in brodo" or my homemade consomme.

[Mottmott]

What exactly is "cake flour"?  I'm following along on all of these flour experiments...I keep schlepping over to an Italian Market to get Tipo 0/00 'cause I'm too lazy and too chicken to figure out the US flours.

Who asked about cooking the ragu in the oven? Chufi? I always cook my ragus in the oven...I can control the heat better. Oh, but I also use earthenware.  And Chufi, I'm worse than you. Tasting while cooking, ok, that's a given.    But I've been known to go to the refrigerator and scoop out a cold spoonful or two, you know, just to be sure its still ok. 

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Cake flour is a low protein flour. About 8%, I believe. King Arthur all purpose is about 12-13% for comparison (all per my approximating memory here). I think bread flour is 1-2% higher than a-p.

Hathor, I'm with you on the oven for braising. Whatever Hazan may say, 4 hours of stovetop braising in my kitchen of negligence is high hazard.