Pasta Sauce with Peas, Ham, and Cream, in the style of Emilia-Romagna

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This Easter I made an All-American holiday brunch for my sister, nephew (the creator of this website), and his lovely new wife Liz.  We feasted on ham with an orange-Dijon glaze, scalloped potatoes, fresh fruit drowned in Moscato, and gargantuan homemade cinnamon rolls.

Of course we had lots of leftovers, especially ham.  With fresh early peas now finding their way into farmers’ markets, what better way to enjoy leftover ham than Sugo di Piselli, Prosciutto Cotto, e Panna [Pasta Sauce with Peas, Ham, and Cream]?

One glance at the ingredients and you quickly surmise this pasta dish is from Emilia-Romagna.  Very rich and bursting with flavor, the sauce traditionally welcomes the spring season.  And it’s easy to make!

If you’re not able to find fresh peas, you can always substitute frozen early peas.  You can use either fresh or dried pasta — see the suggested shapes below.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh early peas (in their pods) OR 1 cup frozen early peas (thawed)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter plus additional 1 tablespoon to mix with the pasta
• ½ cup onion, chopped
• ¼ cup ham, chopped into matchsticks ¼ inch wide
• ½ cup heavy cream
• Salt
• Black pepper, freshly grinded
• ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated

Making the Sauce

1. If you’re using fresh peas, shell from their pods; soak in cold water for five minutes, then drain.
2. Heat two tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan on medium high heat, add the peas and ¼ cup of water.  When it reaches the boiling point, lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
3. Simmer for 10 minutes then add salt.  Continue cooking until the peas are tender.  The time needed to reach tenderness can vary wildly, depending on the freshness of the peas, and how young they are.
4. Meanwhile, heat two tablespoons of the butter on medium in a large skillet and sauté the onion until it becomes lightly golden. (If you are using frozen peas, begin the recipe at this point, using four tablespoons of butter to sauté the onion).  Add the ham and stir for about a minute.
5. If using frozen peas, add them to the skillet after the onion is golden and the ham has been added.  If using fresh peas, add to the sautéed onion and ham, then cook an additional five minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add the cream and grind fresh black pepper liberally.  Turn the heat up to high (don’t worry, if the cream is fresh it will never curdle), stir frequently and let reduce to a fairly dense consistency.
7. Boil and drain the pasta.  Swirl a tablespoon of butter into the pasta, then toss with the sauce and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Suggested Pasta

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• The most traditional pasta for this sauce is fresh garganelli, although dried garganelli also works well
• Other fresh pasta suitable for this sauce include fettuccine or tagliatelle
• Dried pastas for this sauce include conchiglie [shells], penne, or maccheroncini

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Related:

Pasta all’Uova Fatta in Casa: The Joy and Satisfaction of Making Homemade Egg Pasta

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The post What to do with Leftover Easter Ham? Try this Amazing Pasta Sauce appeared first on BELLAVITÆ.

Italy’s most famous baked pasta is lasagne!  Historians have traced the dish back to at least Roman times, believing its name derives from the Latin lasania [cooking pot], and possibly to ancient Greece.

Lasagne has been widely adopted throughout Italy, with each region placing its own imprimatur on the dish.  In Bologna, lasagne is made with fresh spinach pasta and layered with classic ragù alla Bolognese.  In Liguria, lasagne is made with pesto (although sometimes the boiled pasta sheets are simply tossed with pesto [Genoa’s mandilli de sæa al pesto]).  Neapolitans layer tomato sauce and mozzarella between the pasta sheets, and Calabrians prefer ricotta salata. In Piedmont, I’ve had lasagne with mushrooms and ham; and lasagne with artichokes is, well, sublime.

This dish takes quite a bit of time to prepare, but in our view it’s worth the effort.  You can make the ragù alla Bolognese ahead of time.  Also, once fully assembled, you can hold lasagne verdi al forno in the refrigerator for two full days if tightly sealed with plastic wrap.  Just allow it to return to room temperature before baking.

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Ingredients:

Lasagne Verdi al Forno is the culmination of several recipes used in Emilia-Romagna that we have previously featured on this site.  You will need them in order to prepare this dish.  Refer to the recipes by clicking on the associated links below (each has a “Print Friendly” button at the bottom if you wish to print in an easier-to-read format):

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or cooking spray
• Sea salt
• 1 recipe of 2-egg spinach pasta.  Roll the pasta as thin as you can and keep the pasta sheets as wide as they come from the pasta machine rollers.  Cut into 10” lengths.  If rolling by hand, cut into sheets 4 ½” by 10” (see Pasta Verde:  Making Your Own Spinach Pasta and Pasta all’Uova Fatta in Casa:  The Joy and Satisfaction of Making Homemade Egg Pasta)
• 1 recipe ragù alla Bolognese (see Ricette Classiche:  Ragù alla Bolognese)
• 1 recipe salsa balsamella, made to the consistency of sour cream (see You say Béchamel, I say Balsamella)
• 1 cup freshly-grated parmigiano-reggiano (or more to taste)

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Making Lasagne Verdi al Forno:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Lightly oil or spray a 9” x 12” glass or ceramic baking dish and set aside.
2. Set a large bowl of salted ice water near the stove, and lay some clean dry towels on the counter.  Bring 4 quarts of water to a rapid boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt.
3. When the water returns to a boil, slip in two pasta sheets at a time until they float to the surface, about 10 seconds.  Immediately remove the pasta sheets with a slotted spoon and plunge into the bowl of ice water in order to stop further cooking.  When cooled, remove the pasta sheets from the ice water and rinse under cold running water, rubbing them delicately.  Squeeze each pasta sheet gently, and then spread it flat on the towel.
4. Assemble the lasagne
   1. Line the bottom of the glass baking pan with a single layer of pasta sheets, trimming any excess with a paring knife.  Patch where necessary, but do not overlap more than ¼ of an inch.
   2. Spread evenly 1 cup of the ragù over the pasta
   3. Sprinkle lightly with grated parmigiano-reggiano
   4. Add another layer of pasta
   5. Spread evenly 1 cup of the salsa balsamella, then sprinkle lightly with grated parmigiano-reggiano
   6. Repeat these layers so that you end up with 3 layers of ragù and 2 of salsa balsamella, topping with the ragù
   7. Sprinkle remaining parmigiano-reggiano on top
5. Cover dish with oiled or sprayed foil and place on the upper middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes.
6. Adjust the oven temperature to 500°F, remove the foil, and bake for another 5 – 7 minutes, or until the lasagne is bubbling around the edges and browned on top.  Do not overcook.
7. Allow the lasagne to rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

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Tips for success:

• The layers, if taking a side-view of the dish, should be as follows:
  • TOP
  • Parmigiano-reggiano
  • Ragù
  • Salsa balsamella
  • Pasta
  • Parmigiano-reggiano
  • Ragù
  • Pasta
  • Parmigiano-reggiano
  • Salsa balsamella
  • Pasta
  • Parmigiano-reggiano
  • Ragù
  • Pasta
  • BOTTOM

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Understanding:

• The washing, wringing, and drying of the pasta sheets is a bit of trouble, but is necessary.
  • You only slightly pre-cook the pasta before assembling.  If the pasta is over-boiled (or not plunged into ice water to prevent further cooking), it will become mushy when baked.
  • Rinsing the pasta after the cold plunge washes away any excess starch that otherwise will act as glue when you lay the sheets on the towels, preventing their clean removal when ready to assemble the dish.
• This recipe calls for baking at two different temperatures.  The lower-temperature with a foil cover ensures the entire dish warms thoroughly.  The higher-temperature uncovered baking period promotes a crispy topping.

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Related:

• Pasta Verde: Making Your Own Spinach Pasta
• Pasta all’Uova Fatta in Casa:  The Joy and Satisfaction of Making Homemade Egg Pasta
• Ricette Classiche: Ragù alla Bolognese
• You say Béchamel, I say Balsamella

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The post Ricette Classiche: Lasagne Verdi al Forno appeared first on BELLAVITÆ.

Tagliatelle al Ragù alla Bolognese [Fresh Egg Pasta Ribbons with Meat Sauce in the style of Bologna] was our most popular pasta dish at Bellavitae.  It appeared on the menu when we opened the brick oven every autumn, and lasted into the cold winter months when the oven’s open fire was roaring to keep everything in the restaurant toasty.  There is nothing more satisfying in the dead of winter than a comforting bowl of homemade egg pasta with beef ragù.

Ragù alla Bolognese is a centuries-old recipe, where beef is combined with a perfect balance of chopped vegetables and left to sputter for hours over low heat, rendering it succulent and deeply flavored.  I know of nothing that so easily warms the soul.

This ragù is very easy to make; the only challenge is that of time.  It freezes beautifully or you can hold it in the refrigerator for at least three days.  Ours is a most authentic recipe and once you try it you’ll understand why any imitation or variation (some say bastardization) is simply not acceptable – and why the original became so famous.

Emilia-Romagna – The Richest Gastronomic Region in Italy

Ragù alla Bolognese traces its beginnings to Bologna, where Europe’s first law university was founded in 1119; hence the city’s nickname La Dotta [the Learned].  Bologna lies in the middle of Emilia-Romagna, through which three ancient throughways converge:  The via Romanea Francigena, the via Pedemontana, and the via Emilia.  Throughout history these roads attracted settlers and rulers from afar – Etruscans, Romans, Lombards, and Byzantines; pilgrims from the north, the Farnese from Rome; and Bourbons from Naples and Austria.  During the 16^th Century, Pope Paul III established his nephew in Parma and the region became the site of frequent ceremonial visits that included banquets and festivities overseen by cooks of international reputation.

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The land of Emilia-Romagna is well-suited to cultivation, and the region is a great producer of tomatoes, sugar beets, peas, and beans.  But the region is best known for its famous cured pork – the prosciutto of Parma and culatello of Zibello.  The most renowned aged cheese on earth, of course, is Parmigiano-Reggiano.  And the world’s most luxurious vinegar comes from Modena – balsamico [balsamic].  This abundance of gastronomic delights has earned Bologna its other Italian nickname:  La Grassa [the Fat].  Pavel Muratov, the Russian art historian explains:

“In Bologna there is something light that cheers the eye, agreeably not too complicated.  It is a city of contented, healthy people.  The fattest granaries [grain storehouses] and vineyards of Italy surround it, producing a renowned wine.  No other place can compare with Bologna for the abundance, variety, and good price of every possible and imaginable foodstuff, and it is no accident that the Italians call it ‘Bologna la Grassa.’”

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The History of Ragù alla Bolognese

Ragù in Emilia-Romagna has been traced back to the 16^th century, when it was enjoyed by wealthy courts of noble families.  The origins are related to the French ragôut, a noun derived from the verb ragôuter, which means to “wake up”, “whet the appetite”, or “give more taste”.  Ragôut, of course, is a hearty French stew of meat, fish, game, or vegetables, cut into small pieces and cooked very slowly in some fat over low heat.

Ragù alla Bolognese has evolved – like all classic dishes – not just over decades or generations, but over the centuries.  For example, original versions of the dish didn’t include tomatoes.  Tomatoes weren’t known or used in Italy until later in the 16^th century.  Pork is included in some recipes, but the common usage of it likely occurred after World War II, when the meat became more affordable.  Likewise, butter was likely a latter addition.  There are no herbs or spices in Ragù alla Bolognese (and certainly never garlic!), although you frequently see the addition of Bay leaves.

The Accademia Italiana della Cucina [Italian Academy of Cuisine] was formed in 1953 to record and declare official the classic recipes of regional Italian cooking.  In its encyclopedia of over 2,000 dishes is Ragù alla Bolognese.  The challenge of reducing a classic recipe to one official version is exceedingly difficult.  Can you imagine if someone asked you to describe the authentic recipe for American fried chicken?  Or apple pie?  It’s no wonder the Accademia took 38 years to agree on the official recipe for Ragù alla Bolognese.  There are many recipes for the dish in and around Bologna.  Ask ten different cooks in the area what the authentic recipe is and you’ll get ten different answers – all of them, of course, are authentic.

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Bellavitae’s Recipe

We base our recipe largely on that of the Simili sisters, who have published three Italian cookbooks (alas, none has been translated into English).  They began working at the family bakery, located in Bologna, in 1946.  Stefano Bonilli, the Bolognese-born director and founder of Gambero Rosso, had this to say about the bakery:

“More than a business, the bakery that the Simili Sisters ran in Via San Felice and then in Via Frassinago was a meeting point for all of Bologna’s gourmets.”

In 1986 the sisters held cooking courses at the Hotel Milano Excelsior di Bologna and three years later they opened the Scuola di Cucina della Sorelle Simili [The Simili Sisters’ School of Cooking], which acquired worldwide acclaim.  The school was closed during the summer of 2001.

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Ragù alla Bolognese Dishes

The most popular dishes that use this ragù include:

• Fresh egg pasta
  • The most perfect is, of course, Tagliatelle
  • Tortellini is also well-suited
• Dried pasta
  • Rigatoni
  • Conchiglie
  • Fusilli
  • With all due respect to my friends in the United Kingdom, spaghetti is not appropriate with this meat sauce!
• Lasagne Verdi al Forno [Baked Spinach Lasagne]
• Polenta alla Bolognese [Baked Polenta with Bolognese Meat Sauce]
• Crespelle alla Bolognese [Italian-style Crêpes with Bolognese Meat Sauce]
• Risotto alla Bolognese [Risotto with Bolognese Meat Sauce]

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The Ingredients (for six servings)

For the soffritto:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 – 3 slices of Prosciutto di Parma or Pancetta, finely chopped (approx 3 oz)
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 2 – 3 Bay leaves – optional
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 chicken livers, finely chopped (approx 3 oz) – optional

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For the meat sauce:

• 1 ½ lbs ground chuck
• 1 cup milk, hot
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 cup brodo di carne [beef broth]
• 1 28-oz can puréed Italian plum tomatoes
• ¼ teaspoon (or to taste) nutmeg, preferably freshly-grated
• Sea salt
• Freshly-ground black pepper

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A note on the ingredients:

• Butter and olive oil.  Use enough to coat the bottom of the skillet, keeping the 3-to-1 ratio
• Bay leaves.  Most traditional recipes call for no herbs (or spices or garlic, for that matter), but I like the richness and depth Bay leaves impart in this recipe.  I prefer imported Bay leaves to the stronger-flavored and oilier California herb.
• Chicken livers.  This is marked optional in the recipe, but I would encourage you to use it.  After a long braise, the sauce will not take on a chicken liver flavor, but rather will produce an additional layer of flavor complexity, or as some would say, umami.  In their classic Italian cookbook, Sfida al Matterello, the Simili sisters, Valeria and Margherita, say this:

“In the past, chicken giblets were included in ragù as well:  heart, kidney, and liver; ingredients with a strong flavor that are no longer liked by the modern palate – what a pity!  Of these ingredients only the liver has survived; please don’t eliminate it.  If you don’t like it, use less, just a half, but include it because in such a small quantity you will not detect it but it really fills out the flavor by giving it more body.”

It should be no surprise that giblets are frequently used in this recipe; it is also common to do so in French ragoûts, such as the financière.  It’s usually impossible to buy only two chicken livers at the supermarket, but you can always take the giblets from a whole chicken and freeze them, or alternatively, buy a carton of chicken livers, divide and freeze them in sealable plastic bags.

• Ground Chuck.  Use 80 / 20% ground chuck, which will provide the optimum flavor and texture profile for this recipe.  Many recipes call for the use of shredded beef, but over the years ground beef has become much more common.  For you traditionalists, you can use shredded braised beef.  In the recipe registered by the Accademia, thin skirt [cartella] is specified, which is the muscle that separates the lungs from the stomach.  However, a more suitable cut is the flank brisket [finta cartella (pancia)], which has more fat and requires longer cooking.
• Milk.  Use whole milk for this recipe, not reduced fat or skim.  You will be disappointed with the results, otherwise.
• Beef broth.  Don’t use beef stock in this recipe.  I prefer to use organic beef broth.
• Canned tomatoes.  I prefer Italian San Marzano, which have an amazingly fresh flavor.  The recipe calls for pureed, but you can use crushed tomatoes, or whole tomatoes and dice them yourself (or run them through a food mill).  This is a texture issue – use your personal preference.

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Preparing Ragù alla Bolognese

For the soffritto:

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large, deep, heavy pot over medium heat.  When hot, add the chopped onions and prosciutto, sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, but not browned, about five minutes.
2. When the onion has clarified, add the celery and Bay leaves.  About a minute later, add the carrot and cook for three minutes more, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, clean and prepare the chicken livers.  Remove any trace of the bitter-tasting green bile.  Crush the livers using the fat end of the knife blade in order to separate the nerve fibers from the flesh.  After the nerve fibers have been separated, chop the livers fine.
4. Push the soffritto to the perimeter of the pan with a wooden spoon.  Place the chopped chicken livers in the center of the pan and cook, flattening and stirring continuously until the meat begins to change color.  As it darkens, bring the soffritto back to the middle of the pan and stir everything together for a moment.

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For the meat sauce:

1. Combine the tomatoes and beef broth in a sauce pan and heat over medium heat for later use.
2. Separate the ground chuck into thirds.  Again, push the soffritto and livers to the perimeter of the pan.  Add one third of the ground chuck to the center of the pan and cook, flattening and stirring continuously until the meat begins to change color.  While still somewhat pink, push this third of the ground chuck to the perimeter.  Repeat this procedure with the second and third portions of the ground chuck.  Bring the soffritto back to the middle of the pan and stir everything together for a moment.
3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in the microwave or a small saucepan.  Don’t let it reach the boiling point, but heat until small bubbles appear around the perimeter of the container.
4. Add the hot milk in two or three doses and let it simmer while stirring consistently until it has completely bubbled away, about 10 – 15 minutes.  Stir in the nutmeg.
5. Bring the meat mixture into the center of the pan, leaving the perimeter clear.  Slowly add a third of the wine to the cleared perimeter of the pan.  When the wine has fully heated, repeat with the second portion and then the third.  Stir the mixture together in the pan and let simmer until the wine has fully evaporated; i.e., when you can no longer detect its aroma, about 10 – 15 minutes.
6. Season with salt and freshly-ground pepper.
7. Add the hot tomatoes and beef broth.
8. After the sauce begins to boil, reduce heat to the laziest of simmers – a bubble or two periodically should reach the surface.  Simmer at this temperature with the pot uncovered for at least three hours, stirring occasionally.  Taste for salt and pepper, adjust accordingly.
9. Combine with the pasta, sprinkle with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve immediately.

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Tips for Success

• Use gentle heat when preparing the ingredients.  Anything over medium will tend to over-brown the surface, which will be magnified after the long simmering.
• Don’t sauté the chicken livers or beef too long or they will dry out.  No amount of simmering in the sauce will revive the dried meat.
• If you find the moving of ingredients around in the pot is too burdensome, complete these steps in a separate pan.  I do this to save on dishwashing!  Just be sure to complete the final simmer in a tall pot in order to reduce evaporation.
• The secret to this ragù is to have an optimal amount of liquid left in the sauce at the end of the long simmering period; i.e., not too runny, but not too dry.  Many recipes suggest that if the sauce becomes too dry before its allotted simmering time to add more beef broth.  I prefer to simply place a cover on the pot at this point rather than dilute the sauce.

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Understanding

• Sauté the chicken liver away from the other vegetables because it coagulates immediately when heated.  If it touches a hot vegetable, it will cling to it, rather than later dispersing throughout the sauce.  Care is taken while separating the livers’ nerve fibers so the ingredient will integrate well with the others.
• Italian cooking utilizes beef broth, which is typically made by braising meat, bones, and vegetables.  It is not stock, as is used in French and American cooking.  Thus it imparts a softer flavor to dishes, adding hints of flavor, but always taking a back seat to the other ingredients.
• Using a leaner cut of beef will render the sauce less sweet and succulent, creating disappointment in both flavor and texture.
• Salt is added to the meat after it is browned, so as not to encourage release of liquid before it cooks, which would render the meat dry.
• The meat is sautéd briefly only to enhance flavor, it should not be browned.  It’s cooked at a relatively low temperature to prevent drying (see Mastering the Techniques of Sautéing and Browning).  Once too much liquid is released from the meat, the texture will become rubbery, a process that cannot be reversed.
• Milk is added to the meat before the acidic ingredients (white wine and tomatoes) to protect them from “cooking” the meat and inflicting a inferior texture.  The milk also helps to tenderize the meat and adds a sweet, appealing flavor.
• Liquids that are added to the meat are first brought to a hot temperature.  Dramatically changing the meat’s temperature by adding cold liquids will alter the proteins’ structure, to the detriment of both flavor and texture.

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Related:

• Pasta all’Uova Fatta in Casa: The Joy and Satisfaction of Making Homemade Egg Pasta
• The Italian Flavor Base: Battuto, Soffritto, Trito
• Mastering the Techniques of Sautéing and Browning
• Ricette Classiche:  Lasagne Verdi al Forno

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Further Reading:

• The Official Dish of the IDIC 2010: Tagliatelle al ragù Bolognese
• The Italian Academy of Cuisine:  La Cucina, The Regional Cooking of Italy
• Official Site:  Bologna
• Official Site:  Emilia-Romagna

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The post Ricette Classiche: Ragù alla Bolognese appeared first on BELLAVITÆ.

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Mashed potatoes may be the ultimate American comfort food, but Italians enjoy them, too!  The dish isn’t as popular as it is on this side of the Atlantic, but the recipe is similar to the American version.  We rarely made mashed potatoes at Bellavitae because the freshness and quality is very challenging in a restaurant environment.  However, they’re easy to make at home and wonderful to eat!

This simple recipe for purè di patate [purée of potatoes] is from Bologna, hence the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and pinch of nutmeg.

• 1 pound of potatoes, scrubbed
• 4 tablespoons of butter, melted
• ½ cup half-and-half (¼ cup cream, ¼ cup whole milk), warmed
• ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Salt
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg (preferably fresh grated)

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1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by about an inch. Over high heat, bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes.
2. Warm the half-and-half either in a small saucepan on the stove or an oven-proof glass measuring cup in the microwave. Heat until tiny bubbles begin to form but before it breaks into a boil.
3. Set a food mill over the still warm saucepan in which you boiled the potatoes.  Spear a potato with a fork and peel the skin with a paring knife. Repeat with the other potatoes. Cut the peeled potatoes into chunks and drop into the food mill. Process the potatoes into the warm saucepan.
4. Stir in the melted butter until fully incorporated.
5. Stir in the half-and-half a few tablespoons at a time.  Remember that some potatoes will absorb less liquid than others, so add enough to arrive at the consistency you desire.  When about half of the half-and-half has been added, blend in the grated cheese.
6. When no more half-and-half can be absorbed by the potatoes, add salt to taste and grind a small amount (1/8 teaspoon) of nutmeg and swirl in.
7. Serve immediately!

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Tips for Success:

• Mashed potatoes are best served piping hot.  It’s best to make this dish last.
• Make sure the half-and-half is heated thoroughly in order to retain heat in the potatoes.
• You can also purée the potatoes into a double boiler if you’re worried they will get cold.

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Understanding:

I don’t believe they use russet potatoes in Italy; the less starchy, more watery new potatoes are the most common.  These smaller red potatoes hold their shape much better after cooking, unlike the starchier russet, which tends to flake apart.  I have to confess, though:  I prefer russets for both mashed and baked potatoes and leave the red potatoes for when we roast them, cook gnocchi, or make potato salad (Italian potato salad is delicious!).

Peeling the potatoes before boiling will render them rubbery.  Boiling with the skin on helps prevent the potatoes from becoming water-logged and precludes starch and protein (the flavor) from dissolving into the boiling water.  And peeling them after they’re boiled is easier – once you get the hang of it.  Just stab a potato with a fork and peel back the skin with a paring knife.

Melting the butter – rather than throwing chunks of it into the potatoes and letting them melt – does make a difference.  Not only does melted butter keep the potatoes warm, but it distributes more evenly and creates a creamier texture.

Adding the butter before the half-and-half also promotes optimal consistency.  Water within half-and-half reacts chemically with the potato’s starch, and creates a pasty, gluey texture.  If the starch is first coated with fat in the butter, this reaction is reduced significantly, resulting in a much creamier, silkier texture.

Nothing creates better mashed potatoes than a food mill.  A potato ricer works well, but requires processing in batches.  You can also use a potato masher, but the result is usually lumpy and heavy.  A hand mixer can also result in lumps and you can easily over-process the potatoes.  A mixer – like a food processor – aerates the food as it processes; something that’s not always desirable.

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Related: Purè di Patate – Mashed Potatoes with Olive Oil and Garlic

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Eating your own homemade fresh egg pasta is one of the most satisfying and enjoyable experiences of Italian cuisine.  Making your own fresh pasta is surprisingly easy and the result will likely exceed that which most Italian restaurants prepare.  Using the right ingredients and adhering to simple techniques will ensure perfect fresh pasta – at a fraction of the cost your supermarket charges.

Fresh Pasta vs. Factory-Made Pasta

Pasta dishes can be made using either pasta fresca [fresh pasta] or pasta secca [dried pasta or sometimes called factory-made pasta].  Italians don’t necessarily prefer one type over the other; each has its own purpose and is best suited for specific sauces.

Factory-made pasta transports sauce while fresh pasta absorbs it.  Factory-made pasta is made with hard-wheat semolina flour, which stands up to and balances strong flavors and textures in the sauce, including olive oil.  Delicate homemade egg pasta is made with soft-wheat, highly refined flour, which can be easily overpowered by some sauces – and olive oil will render it impermeable, unable to soak in flavor from the sauce.  Factory-made pasta is typically served with olive-oil-based sauces, while fresh pasta is better suited to butter- and cream-based sauces.

The word “fresh” [fresca] is really a misnomer when used to describe pasta made at home.  The word implies “just made” or “moist”.  In America, we have unfortunately associated “fresh pasta” with a product that is kept artificially soft through additives or refrigeration.  Homemade fresh egg pasta in Italy (yes, they call it pasta fresca) is dried thoroughly and stored at room temperature for months.  When it is eventually boiled, the pasta retains its soft absorbent texture.  Once you taste authentic egg pasta you’ll never buy “fresh pasta” at the supermarket again.

Fresh pasta is usually associated with the northern regions, in particular Emilia-Romagna and, to a lesser extent, Abruzzo, Lazio, Marche, Tuscany, and Umbria.  In these regions, it is traditionally made with eggs and flour but without water or salt.  The other northern regions – Liguria, Piedmont, and Veneto, fresh pasta is made with flour, water, and fewer eggs (one exception being Piedmont’s rich tajarin, which is made with a lot of egg yolks).  In the South, fresh pasta is made from a dough of semola [semolina – ground durum wheat] and water, but no eggs.

There are two types of fresh pasta:  pasta liscia [smooth pasta] and pasta ripiena (stuffed pasta), made by shaping the dough into pockets of various shapes and filling them with a variety of ingredients.

Typical types of pasta liscia include pappardelle, fettuccine, orecchiette, trenette, tagliatelle, and taglierini, the latter two derivatives of the Italian verb tagliare [to cut].  It is also cut into square shapes, like Liguria’s lasagne.  The first time I made pasta was in Abruzzo, at Rustichella d’Aburuzzo, where we mixed the dough, rolled it out by hand, and cut it by laying a sheet of dough over a device called a chitarra [guitar], pressing it over the strings, much like a guitar, creating the region’s famous maccheroni alla chitarra.

Pasta ripiena allows for a cook’s special creativity and there are multitudes of fillings for every shape imaginable of pasta.  Found throughout northern and central Italy, stuffed pasta is virtually unheard of in the South.  Pasta made for stuffing needs eggs for strength and structure.  Historically, there were never a lot of eggs in the poorer southern regions of Italy, so pasta ripiena never caught on until recent times.

Some well-known paste ripiene include agnolotti from Piedmont – squares with ruffled edges, stuffed with meat and cabbage, agnolini from Emilia-Romagna are halfmoons stuffed with meat and vegetables, and Liguria’s pansoti, filled with wild greens and fresh sour cheeses.  Central Italy has tortelli – large squares filled with spinach and ricotta.  And, of course, Bologna has its cappelletti, small rings of pasta filled with a rich meat mixture, parmigiano-reggiano, and nutmeg.

My favorite pasta fresca is from Emilia-Romagna: a yellow delicacy that consists of nothing more than fresh eggs and flour.  But with “fresh pasta” now conveniently available in the refrigerator section of the local supermarket, why make your own?

• It’s easy.  Really.  Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to make pasta in your sleep (instead of just dreaming about eating it).
• It’s cheaper.  Nothing more than flour and eggs – staples most households typically have on hand – and there’s no packaging, marketing, or superfluous ingredients to pay for.
• It’s fun.  Who doesn’t like to get their hands in dough?  A great family activity or something to enjoy alone or with your significant other, there is great satisfaction in eating your own homemade pasta.  And with countless combinations of shapes and fillings, making your own provides a creative outlet.
• It lasts longer.  I’m not sure where the notion of the need to boil pasta immediately after making it comes from, but here’s what Italians know:  egg pasta, properly dried and stored, will last for several months (more on that later).
• It tastes better.  Much, much better.  I can’t say it any better than Marcella Hazan does in her book, Marcella Says . . .:

“Factory-made dried pasta and homemade egg pasta are two distinct products, gloriously equal in their goodness, but conspicuously different in how they express it.  What one responds to in homemade pasta is its lightness, its buttery texture, its suave entry into the mouth, a deeply satisfying cohesion of pasta and sauce, and a buoyant, palate-caressing richness of taste.  The only egg pasta that delivers such sensations is one that you make at home, using low-gluten white flour for your dough and thinning it with gradually applied low pressure.  Take into account, moreover, that when you make your own pasta you can produce noodle shapes that are usually unavailable commercially, such as tonnarelli, pappardelle, and maltagliati.  You can fill your homemade tortelli and ravioli with stuffings whose quality and freshness no store-bought version can equal.”

Machine vs. Rolling-Pin

It’s true that pasta made using a rolling-pin is of higher quality than that which has been run through a pasta machine.  The former is made using quick motions of a three-foot long wooden rolling-pin, which stretches the dough (rather than compressing it between two rollers) and leaves small ridges in the dough, rendering it the softest, most delicate palate sensation one can imagine.  However, rolling out dough by hand is a hard-learned skill – a craft really – that can take a frustratingly long time to master.  If the dough is rolled out unevenly, it can create disappointment through uneven cooking.

My advice is to invest in a pasta machine.  They’re not terribly expensive and are fun to use!  My favorites are probably from Imperia, which, if you’re unable to find at your local kitchen store, you can order here.

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One of the world’s most prestigious and influential independent wine competitions, the International Wine Challenge (IWC), unveiled the results of the 2010 Trophy and Great Value Wine Awards at the Lords Nursery Pavilion this summer.  Over 100 wines were awarded this year, along with 14 Great Value Wines judged for their style, availability and price.

World-class Italian wines included:

Champion Red Wine:  Castello Romitoro, Brunello Di Montalcino DOCG, Riserva, 2004

Great Value Champion, Sparkling:  Medici Ermete, Lambrusco Reggiano DOC, Concerto, 2009

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Local trophies included:

Amarone Trophy:  Cantine Riondo, Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico DOC, Trionfo, 2006

Edmund Penning Rowsell Trophy, Bolgheri Trophy:  Grattamacco, Bolgheri Superiore DOC, L’Alberello, 2007

Italian Botrytis Trophy:  Moncaro Terre Cortesi, Verdicchio Dei Castelli Di Jesi DOC, Tordiruta, 2006

Italian Red Trophy:  Castello Romitoro, Brunello Di Montalcino DOCG, Riserva, 2004

Italian Sweet Trophy:  Cavit, Vino Santo Trentino DOC, Aréle, 1998

Lambrusco Trophy:  Albinea Canali (Cantine Riunite & Civ), Lambrusco Emilia IGT, Ottocentonero, NV

Marche Red Trophy:  Vico Vicari, Lacrima di Morro D’Alba DOC, Lacrima Del Pozzo Buono, 2008

Soave Trophy:  Pieropan, Soave Classico DOC, La Rocca, 2007

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I love Carmelita’s cooking mantras:

• Local, seasonal and rooted in history.  Eat everything, in moderation.  And cook it yourself.
• Simplicity: less is more.
• Flavour, colour, texture: When you eat an apple, eat an apple.  When you drink tea, drink tea.  Savour the moment.
• I also often say, “First you shop, then you cook, then you play.”  The “play” part is about presentation, making the dish look as attractive as possible.  I often think about colour when planning a meal.  Great colour combinations can really whet the appetite and make the meal that much more enjoyable, because in the end, eating a good dish is sheer pleasure.

Her blog is full of wonderful recipes and beautiful food photography (click on the photos for recipes):

This is a great blog to follow, and if you’re planning to be in Italy, check out her cooking school!

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