Eatentions

Organic * Local * Sustainable

Pasta, Pizza, and Polenta

Filled Focaccia with Pesto, Mortadella, and Burrata

by

Ever  need a comfort food fix? I do.

When I make filled focaccia with fresh pesto, burrata and mortadella it is the ultimate comfort satisfaction, nothing competes when it emerges from the hot oven and the burrata has melted perfectly, the mortadella is warm, and the bite of fresh pesto creates the ultimate flavor combination and brings me to one of my fondest memories.

I experienced filled focaccia when I visited a dear friend in Milan. It was a damp, chilly autumn afternoon and we had just returned from seeing DaVinci’s Last Supper.

We arrived in her sweet apartment (not much bigger than my living room back in the US) and I was immediately engulfed with the delicious smell of warm bread, fresh basil, and gooey cheese. As the aroma saturated the room, it was the most amazing sensation, so very unexpected yet incredibly welcomed.

She quickly answered my thoughts and explained she had decided to make us her mom’s filled focaccia recipe. With a slight smile and an air of pride, she announced it was created with her fresh garden pesto,  her nonno’s cured mortadella, and her mom’s homemade burrata. My mouth was watering and my senses were dancing…..

As she cut the focaccia, the ingredients, oozed out of the center and teased us with the beautiful colors and enticing flavors. I set the table and poured the house wine from her uncle’s vineyard.  She tossed together a simple salad which came from her window box garden.  We sat, giggling and chatting as the hours passed during the gloomy afternoon.

As I reminisce, I never knew such a simple dish could entice me at such a deep level but now I realize each recipe, each dish created with such love and intent is forever it’s own work of art.

Filled Focaccia with Pesto, Mortadella, and Burrata
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • FOCACCIA DOUGH:
  • 5 Cups All-purpose Unbleached Flour
  • 2 Teaspoons Instant Active Dry Yeast
  • 2 – 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Plus 2 Additional Tablespoons To Oil Bowl)
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 2+ Cups Warm Water
  • STUFFING:
  • 12 Thin Slices Mortadella
  • 2 Burrata Balls, torn in pieces
  • Pesto:
  • 1 Cup Basil
  • 1 Garlic Cloves,
  • Pine Nuts
  • Parmigiano Cheese
  • Salt & Pepper
  • ⅓ Cup Olive Oil
  • TO FINISH:
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Coarse Sea Salt
Instructions
  1. Measure and assemble your flour, oil, salt, yeast, and water.
  2. Add everything but the water into a large bowl and stir.
  3. Add half the water and stir.
  4. Continue to add water until the dough begins to come together into a shaggy ball.
  5. Dump the dough mixture onto a lightly floured surface and begin to knead with the heels of your hand.
  6. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and pliant.
  7. Add a little oil (2 tablespoons) to the bottom of a large bowl and place your ball of dough inside.
  8. Roll the ball of dough around in the oil ensuring the sides of the bowl and ball of dough are both lightly oiled.
  9. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise. (I cover mine with a kitchen towel on top of the plastic wrap and sit it on a large sunny windowsill.)
  10. Let the dough rise until it is doubled in size, about an hour or an hour and a half depending on ambient temperature.
  11. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  12. While the dough is rising, place all of the pesto ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
  13. Divide the dough into two equal halves.
  14. Oil a 13 x 9 Inch baking sheet.
  15. Place one half of the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it with a rolling pin until it fits the bottom of the prepared pan.
  16. Place the dough in the pan, stretching it with your fingers to fit.
  17. Spread the tomato pesto over the dough.
  18. Lay the ham slices, slightly overlapping on top of the pesto.
  19. Lay the provolone cheese slices on top of the ham, overlapping to fit.
  20. Roll out the remaining dough to fit the pan, then stretch it out with your fingers as you lay it on top of the stuffing mixture.
  21. Use your fingers to pinch the two dough halves together to seal.
  22. Use your fingers to press dimples into the top of the dough.
  23. Drizzle a little of the oil over the top of the dough.
  24. Sprinkle the top with some salt and then bake until puffed and golden brown, about 25 minutes.
  25. Cool 10 minutes, then cut into 4-inch squares and serve.

 

Lemon Pasta with Broiled Salmon and Charred Lemon

by

Lemon Pasta with Broiled Salmon and Charred Lemon|eatentions

Lemon Pasta with Broiled Salmon and Charred Lemon|eatentions

Lemon Pasta with Broiled Salmon and Charred Lemon|eatentions

It’s hot. 100 degrees plus, to be exact, and we are scheduled for an outdoor lunch party. What sounds good in 100-degree weather other than a siesta and a glass of rose? Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option, the afternoon was committed to viewing 2 Italian films where siesta’s and rose are what we watch, not what we do.

As I pondered, I began to pull from my travel memory bank and back to Capri, Italy on a hot summer afternoon. While sitting on our terrace made of white stucco and trimmed in bright blue we watched the sailboats dance on the ocean water. As I fell into a semi-hypnotic state, I stared as the ocean became the canvas for the vast array of colors from the individual sails. As the moments slipped by, I sipped on my chilled glass of rose and pondered what beautiful dish would satisfy my quench of hunger.

I don’t know how much time went by before I heard the gentle knock at our crooked wooden door, which was carefully etched into the architecture of the wall and pulled me back into the realization of the moment.

Gabrielle, son of the proprietor, must have read my mind as he stood in the doorway holding 2 antique ceramic pasta bowls that coddled a nest of freshly made pasta tossed in a light white wine sauce and topped with butter braised sea bass caught earlier that morning. He spoke to me with his beautiful Italian accent, “Signora, may I offer you something light to eat while you enjoy your view?” I quickly stepped aside as I responded, “per favore, grazie Gabrielle e grazie alla tua mamma”. He looked down at the wooden floor and smiled.

We positioned ourselves underneath the small, sun-bleached umbrella as a light breeze relieved us from the afternoon sun. We both glanced at the masterpiece in front of us and admired the simple elegance of the dish. We swirled our forks in unison as the aromas of lemon, dill, and garlic filled our senses and tempted our pallets. One bite was all it took as we savored delicious flavors and the perfect texture of the pasta. We breathed a sigh of culinary joy and realized the mastery we had both just experienced. We remained silent as we solely communicated through the pleasure on our faces…..surely there couldn’t be a more perfect culinary culmination…..

Here’s to my best afternoon on Capri and my best effort at recreation…Lemon Pasta with Broiled Salmon and Charred Lemon

Buon Appetito!

 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • For Pasta, (Can use store bought lemon pasta or regular pasta):
  • 3 cups pasta flour
  • 5 eggs
  • salt
  • lemon oil, to taste
  • For Salmon:
  • 6 pieces of center cut salmon
  • 2 lemon
  • butter for brushing
  • salt and pepper
  • For Sauce:
  • 1 stick butter
  • ⅛ cup olive oil
  • 8-10 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 cup white wine
  • chicken broth, if needed
  • red pepper flake
  • juice of 1 lemon and zest
  • salt and pepper
  • dill, for garnish
  • ½ cup parmigiano-reggiano plus more for serving
Instructions
  1. For Pasta:
  2. Make a well inside the flour, add a dash of salt, the eggs, and ¼ tsp lemon oil (more if needed). Mix together until combined. Knead dough for 10 minutes and set aside.
  3. With a kitchen aide attachment or hand crank, start with widest setting. Cut pasta into quarters. Cover the other pieces with saran wrap. Run the dough through and fold and run through (do this 3 times). Run through 4 times on widest setting. Change setting and run through 2 times, change setting and run through 2 times, change setting and run through 2 times, change setting (should be #5 or 3rd from last setting) and run through once. Repeat with remaining dough.
  4. With wide cutter, cut each sheet and place on a cookie sheet lined with semolina flour and dry a bit.
  5. For Sauce:
  6. On stove in large sauté pan, add oil and butter and melt. Add all ingredients, garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes. Add wine and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon, red pepper, salt, and pepper and a little chicken broth. Turn heat down and set it simmer, covered. Adjust seasonings and add a little more butter, if out of balance.
  7. For Salmon:
  8. Turn oven on broil on low. On a broiler sheet, line with foil. Put pieces of salmon and season with butter, salt, and pepper. Place 2 pieces of lemon on each piece.
  9. Broil for 13-14 minutes or until done. Break into large pieces.
  10. When ready to cook, boil a large pot and salt water. Put in pasta and cook 2-3 minutes, or until al dente (or by package instructions). Drain and add to sauce with ½ cup of reserved pasta water, toss with ½ cup parmigiano cheese. Put in a bowl, add dill and arrange salmon and lemon pieces.

Lemon Pasta with Broiled Salmon and Charred Lemon|eatentions

 

 

 

Ricotta Filled Hankerchief Pasta with Pesto and Marinara

by

Ricotta Filled Hankerchief Pasta with Pesto and MarinaraIf you have read ANY of my other posts, you clearly see that homemade ricotta + pasta = HEAVEN in my book, absolute HEAVEN.

That simple combination is EXACTLY what makes this recipe a serious delight….top it off with dipping into pesto and a beautiful marinara sauce and I am not sure there is much more in the world better than that single bite of yumminess to satisfy ALL the senses. In fact, I am fairly convinced there isn’t, at least when it comes to comfort food bliss.

I became inspired to create this recipe because of my sheer obsession with ravioli. I wanted to do something “ravioli like” but more carefree and not too structured but also not too close to lasagna. Sounds like a LOT of “not too this” and “not too that” (really carefree right?). Well, such is the life of a pasta maker.

Okay, back to the post…..it doesn’t seem to matter the time of year for me as I find that I love pesto married with marinara ANYTIME. It can be pizza, it can be pasta, I honestly don’t care, my taste buds just simply love the two whenever I can get them.

Since I am a girl who cherishes seasonal goods, this love affair means I have to prepare at harvest time to satisfy these cravings during winter. I put up pesto in my freezer and marinara in my jars for those winter days when I desire these tastes and want to make a really colorful and pretty dish. Besides, half the work is done and all that is left is to make some yummy ricotta (which is never a BAD thing) and roll out some pasta. I know that some of you might think these last 2 items sound like some serious work but I promise the extra effort is well worth it.

So here is to the venture of “not too this” and “not too that”……. I think it turned out “just right”.

5.0 from 2 reviews
Ricotta-Filled Handkerchief Pasta with Pesto and Marinara
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • For the Pasta:
  • 3 ½ cups of all-purpose flour or “00” flour (found in specialty markets or on-line)
  • 4-5 large eggs
  • 2 T water (more, if needed)
  • For the Marinara:
  • 2 - 28 ounces cans of peeled whole tomato, preferably San Marzano
  • 1 big onion, slice
  • 1 head of garlic, peeled but whole
  • fresh basil, big handful
  • pepper
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • For the Pesto:
  • 1½ cups blanched almonds
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1¼ cups extra-virgin olive oil, more if needed
  • 4 cups basil leaves
  • 1 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (6 ounces), plus more for garnish
  • ⅓ cup mascarpone cheese
  • kosher salt
Instructions
  1. For the Pasta:
  2. Make a well in center of flour and put eggs, basil, and 2 T of water. With a fork, whisk together and then begin to move around the rim of the well, scooping a thin layer of flour to the egg mixture and whisk together. Continue this until you have a thick mixture and then fold in the rest of the flour.
  3. Once the flour is roughly mixed with the eggs, begin to knead the dough. Work with the palm of your hands and if the dough feels dry, make a small well again and add water, 1 T at a time, and work through. The dough should be slightly sticky.
  4. Lightly flour the surface and continue to knead the dough 5-10 minutes or until the dough feels “silky and smooth”. It should be very elastic in texture. Cover the dough with plastic wrap than let rest for 30 minutes.
  5. When ready to roll out, cut dough in 4 pieces and cover the other 3 with damp cloth or plastic wrap. Flatten the piece you are working with into a ½ inch burger shape. Using the machine, start with the roller on the largest setting and pass through the machine. Fold in thirds, turn direction, pass through again. Do this 3 more times then pass through 5 more times. Move to the next setting and pass through 3 times. Move to next setting and pass through 2 times. Move to next setting and pass through 2 times. Move to next setting and pass through 2 times. Move to next setting (should be #6 on roller) and pass through 1 time. LIGHTLY FLOUR each side of the sheet and set aside to dry. Repeat process with remaining dough.
  6. When ready to cook, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 3 T of sea salt (salty as the sea!). Add pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes or until al-dente.
  7. For the Marinara:
  8. Put all the ingredients above in a big dutch oven. Cook for about 1 ½ hours or until you press garlic along side pan and it smashes.
  9. Put through food mill to combine.
  10. Keep warm
  11. For the Pesto:
  12. In a food processor, pulse the almonds with the garlic until smooth. Add the basil and pulse until finely chopped. Add the parmigiano and the mascarpone and pulse until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil. Season the pesto with salt and scrape into a large bowl.
  13. To Assemble:
  14. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. In a very large pot of salted boiling water, cook 2 pasta sheets until al dente, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, lift out the pasta sheets and let them drain slightly, then turn gently in the pesto to coat. Lay one of the pasta sheets on a prepared baking sheet and dollop ¼ cup of the ricotta near one end. Fold one-third of the pasta sheet over the ricotta, then fold the rest of the sheet over onto itself. Repeat to fill the second pesto-coated sheet, then repeat the entire process with the remaining pasta sheets, pesto and ricotta. Cover the folded handkerchief pasta with foil and bake for 10 minutes, until hot throughout.
  15. Spoon the marinara sauce into shallow bowls. Top with the stuffed pasta handkerchiefs, garnish with parmigiano and serve.

Ricotta Filled Hankerchief Pasta with Pesto and Marinara

Sweet Potato-Ricotta Cavatelli with White Wine Braised Chicken Sauce

by 2 Comments

Did someone say, Sweet Potato-Ricotta Cavatelli?

White Wine Demi-Glace Rabbit with Sweet Potato Cavatelli

White Wine Demi-Glace Rabbit with Sweet Potato Cavatelli

Yes, yes, that someone is ME! Something in my being simply calls me to make pasta and to make it often, in fact, to make it as often as possible.

A BIG obsession for me is ricotta cavatelli, its texture and shape just work with my taste buds….now go and mix it up with some seasonal yummies and it easily becomes the perfect food in my world, easily.

Ricotta Cavatelli was a staple when I was growing up. My Nonna would make it at least every Sunday and sometimes during the week if any of us did something extraordinary or just asked (isn’t that how it works with grandbabies?). I’m thinking the latter happened much more often than the former….

Now back to the cavatelli story. For her, she kept the sauces simple, Bolognese or butter, it just didn’t get much fancier than that and it didn’t need to. Honestly, any pasta she made was sensational and frankly, I ate more of it raw than anything (which completely made her crazy but secretly, she really loved it).

Nonna always started with making the ricotta, I am sure it had a lot to do with hovering grandkids waiting impatiently to be fed and acting completely starved to death…..Solution? Easy, triple the batch, make crostini, and let us go to town (and out from under her feet, literally) so she could crank out her cavatelli treasures.

I loved that the air was always filled with fresh cheese and the aroma of her infamous Bolognese sauce, which conveniently simmered all day and comatosed us while we waited for the feast of deliciousness!

Finally, I was old enough to make pasta in my own house and when I first branched out from the traditional and into the “variations”, I was sure I would need a pasta confessional and ask my Nonna for continuous forgiveness but, when I was able to create one I knew she would approve of, I felt redeemed!

I never got the opportunity to make her my sweet potato – ricotta cavatelli but the memory of those days comes to me every time I venture out and make them or any variation……and I never forget to start with the ricotta and crostini…….here’s to you Nonna….

Sweet-Potato-Cavatelli

Print Recipe
 Sweet Potato-Ricotta Cavatelli with White Wine Braised Chicken Sauce
This recipe was inspired by my love for ricotta cavatelli. Cavatelli are similar to gnocchi but a bit smaller in size. This recipe birthed from my love of sweet potatoes and ricotta cheese!
White Wine Demi-Glace Rabbit with Sweet Potato Cavatelli
Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Passive Time 10 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Cavatelli
Fresh Ricotta
White Wine Braised Chicken Sauce
Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Passive Time 10 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Cavatelli
Fresh Ricotta
White Wine Braised Chicken Sauce
White Wine Demi-Glace Rabbit with Sweet Potato Cavatelli
Instructions
Sweet Potato Cavatelli
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Pearce sweet potatoes all over and place on a baking sheet. Cook for 30-40 min or until soft. Pull out of oven and peel and pass through a food mill or ricer into a bowl. Cool completely.
  2. Combine cooled sweet potatoes, ricotta, egg, and salt
  3. Place flour on kneading board. Make a well and add the above ingredients. Mix to combine
  4. Keep kneading until the dough comes together and has a smooth consistency. If sticky, add some flour. Don't over knead dough or it will become too tough.
  5. Cut off a small chunk and roll it into a rope about ½″ thick.
  6. Roll rope in some flour before cutting in 1 inch pieces. With a gnocchi board, start at the top and press each piece to make and indentation and then roll down the board. (If you want, you can go one step easier and forget the gnocchi board, just roll out some dough into a ½ inch thick rope, indent a line down the middle and cut in 1 inch segments).
  7. Toss with flour and put on cookie sheets. Apply more flour if they are a bit "sticky". Let rest and dry about 2 hours.
Fresh Ricotta
  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, add all ingredients and let come to a light boil. Cook for 15 minutes as the liquid and solid separate. Remove from heat and pour into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and let drain until all liquid is gone.
White Wine Braised Chicken Sauce
  1. Season the chicken legs on both sides with salt and pepper and in a very large saute pan on high heat with olive oil sear them until they are brown on all sides.
  2. Once they are brown remove them from the pan and place in a cassoulet baking dish.
  3. Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic into the hot pan where the chicken legs were and caramelize.
  4. Once they are brown, add in the flour
  5. Next, pour in the wine and reduce it by ½, then add in the the rand chicken stock and cook for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Pour the entire mixture into the dish with the legs and add the thyme bundle and bake on 300° for 2-3 hours.
  7. After they are cooked, remove the chicken and strain the sauce into a pot and cook until it is reduced by ½ and keep warm. Shred chicken and put back into sauce.
  8. In a bowl combined the chopped herbs and set aside.
  9. Cook pasta in large pot with salted water for 7-8 minutes or until al dente. Drain and reserve 1 cup pasta water. Toss pasta with sauce, herbs, and pasta water, if needed. Top with parmigano reggiano and serve immediately.
  10. Buon Appetito!
Share this Recipe