ITALIAN VEGETABLE RECIPES
Mushroom Risotto
6 to 8 cups chicken stock5 ounces dried mushrooms
(porcini or other wild dried mushrooms)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 shallots, minced
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white vermouth
2/3 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
Salt and pepper
Heat the stock and ladle 2 cups into a medium bowl. Add dried mushrooms
and let soak for 20 minutes, then drain, reserving the liquid. Pour liquid
through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth or paper towels to catch any grit.
Add mushroom liquid back to warm stock. Keep stock heated over medium
heat. Pat soaked mushrooms dry and saute in a large skillet with 1 tablespoon
olive oil. Heat remaining olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium
heat. Add shallots and cook until softened. Add rice and cook, stirring,
until the rice becomes translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add vermouth and
stir until absorbed by rice. Add warm mushroom stock to rice, 1 cup at a time,
stirring constantly. All stock must be fully absorbed before the next cup of
stock is added. After about 20 minutes, the rice should be tender but not
mushy, it should have a creamy texture. Add more stock if needed. Fold in
sauteed mushrooms, Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper. Let stand
for a minute before serving. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Potato Tortelli
4 russet potatoes, peeled1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano plus 1/4 cup
1/2 cup chopped chives plus 4 tablespoons
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 recipe basic pasta, recipe follows
4 tablespoons butter
8 sage leaves
1/2 lemon, juiced
Boil potatoes for about 40 minutes. Drain and peel.
In a mixing bowl, crush the potatoes with a masher until smooth.
Add 1/2 cup of the cheese, 1/2 cup chives, eggs, and nutmeg, and
mix well. Bring 6 quarts water to boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.
Using a pasta roller, roll out the pasta to thinnest setting and cut into
4-inch squares. Place 1 tablespoon potato mixture in center of each square.
Fold opposite corners of each square together and press firmly to seal and
form a triangle. Bring the opposite points of the triangle together and press
firmly to meld. Continue until all the pasta is stuffed and formed into tortelli.
Drop pasta into boiling water and cook until tender, about 6 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 12 to 14-inch saute pan and continue cooking
until you begin to see hints of a golden brown color (noisette), appearing in
the thinnest liquid of the butter. Add the sage leaves and remove from heat.
Add the lemon juice and set aside. Drain the tortelli well, gently pour into
saute pan and return to heat. Add the remaining chives and cheese, toss to
coat and serve immediately.
Basic pasta dough:
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more, as needed
4 extra-large eggs
Mound 3 cups of flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board.
Make a
well in the middle of the flour, add the eggs. Using a fork, beat
together
the eggs and begin to incorporate the flour starting with the inner
rim of
the well. As you incorporate the eggs, keep pushing the flour up to
retain the well shape (do not worry if it looks messy). The dough will come
together in a shaggy mass when about half of the flour is incorporated.
Start kneading the dough with both hands, primarily using the palms of your
hands. Add more flour, in 1/2-cup increments, if the dough is too sticky.
Once the dough is a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and
scrape up any left over dry bits. Lightly flour the board and continue kneading for
3 more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Continue to
knead for another 3 minutes, remembering to dust your board with flour when
necessary. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes at
room temperature. Roll and form as desired.
Note: Do not skip the kneading or resting portion of this recipe,
they are essential for a light pasta.
Yield: 1 pound of pasta, about 4 servings
Maintained by Lady Lynda