Pasta E Fagioli Con Salsicce

Pasta e Fagioli con Salsicce (Pasta and Beans with Sausage)

yield: Makes 6 servings If you're pressed for time, you can sub 1 1/2 cups canned beans for the dried. There's no need to precook the canned beans—just drain and rinse...

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • •

1 cup (8 ounces) dried cannellini (white kidney) beans, picked over and rinsed 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional for boiling pasta 4 tablespoons olive oil 8 ounces sweet Italian sausages, casings removed 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/3 cups) 10 cloves garlic, minced (about 1/4 cup) 1 sprig fresh rosemary 4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces tubetti, ditalini, or other small tubular pasta

Preparation In medium bowl, combine beans and cold water to cover by 2 inches. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain beans. In medium saucepan over moderately high heat, combine beans, cold water to cover by 1 inch, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until tender, about 90 minutes. Drain and set aside. In large pot over moderately high heat, bring 6 cups salted water to boil. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan over moderate heat, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add sausage and sauté, breaking up with wooden spoon, until brown, about 6 minutes. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, rosemary, beans, stock, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, uncovered, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Cook pasta in boiling water until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain well, stir into soup, and serve.

Pizza Margherita yield: Makes 4 individual pizzas or 1 large pizza Avoid the temptation to add too many toppings; a pizza should be more bread than topping. In fact, the basic dough in this recipe may be used to... more Ingredients • • • • • • • •

3/4 cup warm (105-115°F) water 2 1/2 tsp (1 package) dry yeast 1 tsp honey 1 1/3 cups bread flour 1 cup semolina flour 1/4 tsp salt Vegetable oil for coating Cornmeal for sprinkling (optional) Topping:

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1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano 1 clove garlic, minced Freshly ground pepper 1 cup tomato purée 4 plum (Roma) tomatoes, sliced 4 1/4 oz part-skim mozzarella, thinly sliced 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Preparation Combine the water, yeast, and honey in a large bowl. Stir in just enough of the bread flour to make a batter about the consistency of buttermilk. Cover and let proof in a warm place until the surface is puffy, about 1 hour. Add the remaining bread flour, the semolina flour, and the salt. Knead in a stand mixer fitted with dough hook on medium speed, or by hand, until the dough is smooth, springy, and elastic, 4 minutes with the mixer or 10 minutes by hand. Rub the dough lightly with oil, place in a clean bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise at warm room temperature until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down the dough, sinking your fist into it to deflate it, and divide into 4 equal pieces for individual pizzas or leave it whole for a large pizza. Form the dough into smooth ball(s), cover, and let rise again until doubled in volume, 45-60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly oil a 16-inch pizza pan or large baking sheet with vegetable oil or scatter with cornmeal. On a lightly floured surface, roll and stretch out the ball(s) of dough to an even 1/4inch thickness. If the dough has not relaxed properly, it may spring back as you stretch it; simultaneously spinning and stretching the dough will help. (This may be accomplished flat on a work surface or by spinning and tossing it into the air, then catching the disk on the back of your hands. Avoid tearing the dough or creating very thin patches.) Transfer the dough round to the prepared pan. For the topping, mix together the olive oil, basil, oregano, garlic, and pepper to taste. Spread this mixture evenly over the pizza dough. Spread evenly with the tomato purée and top with the sliced tomatoes and mozzarella. Scatter the Parmesan over the top. Bake until the dough is golden brown and the toppings are very hot, 20-30 minutes for 1 large pizza or 10-12 minutes for individual rounds. Cut into wedges and serve at once, or let cool for 5-10 minutes and serve warm.

Cheese-Filled Risotto Croquettes with Tomato Sauce

yield: Makes 8 appetizer servings Known as arancini, or "little oranges," in Italian, these little balls, with their surprise melted cheese filling, are an excellent way to turn... more ›

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • •

3 cups leftover cooked risotto 1/2 cup grated Parmesan 2 Tbsp heavy cream 2 Tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, chives, oregano, or basil 1 large egg yolk Salt and freshly ground pepper 5 oz mozzarella or Fontina cheese All-purpose flour for dredging Egg wash: 1 large egg whisked with 2 Tbsp cold milk or water 1 cup fresh white bread crumbs Vegetable oil for deep-frying

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2 cups tomato sauce

Preparation In a large bowl, combine the risotto with the Parmesan, cream, herbs, and egg yolk. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the cheese into 16 cubes. Scoop up about 3 Tbsp of the risotto mixture and pack it around a cube of cheese to make a croquette, a ball the size of a Ping-Pong ball. Repeat to form 16 croquettes. Put the flour, egg wash, and bread crumbs in 3 separate bowls. Dredge the croquettes in the flour, dip in the egg wash, and roll in the bread crumbs. Chill thoroughly, 2-24 hours. Pour oil into a tall pot to a depth of 5 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it registers 375°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Deep-fry the croquettes in batches, without crowding, until they are evenly browned, 4-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain briefly. Serve on a pool of warmed tomato sauce.

Roasted Pepper, Cucumber, and Tomato Salad ingredients • • • • • • • •

1 large green bell pepper 3 (6-to 8-ounce) tomatoes, halved, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 large English hothouse cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes 3/4 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted, quartered 2/3 cup chopped red onion 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley 5 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation Char pepper over gas flame or in broiler until blackened. Enclose in plastic bag 15 minutes. Peel, seed, and cut pepper into 1/3-inch cubes. Place in large bowl. Add tomatoes, cucumber, olives, onion, and parsley. Whisk oil and lemon juice in small bowl to blend; season with salt and pepper, then mix into vegetables. Let vegetables marinate at least 15 minutes before serving. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Classic Coq au Vin

yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings Marinating the chicken in the wine mixture adds flavor. Starting two days ahead and rewarming the dish improves that flavor.

ingredients Marinating chicken • • • • • • • •

1 750-ml bottle French Burgundy or California Pinot Noir 1 large onion, sliced 2 celery stalks, sliced 1 large carrot, peeled, sliced 1 large garlic clove, peeled, flattened 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 6-pound roasting chicken, backbone removed, cut into 8 pieces (2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings with top quarter of adjoining breast, 2 breasts)

Cooking chicken • • • • • • • • •

1 tablespoon olive oil 6 ounces thick-cut bacon slices, cut crosswise into strips 3 tablespoons all purpose flour 2 large shallots, chopped 2 large garlic cloves, chopped 4 large fresh thyme sprigs 4 large fresh parsley sprigs 2 small bay leaves 2 cups low-salt chicken broth

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4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter 1 pound assorted fresh wild mushrooms (such as crimini and stemmed shiitake) 20 1-inch-diameter pearl onions, or boiling onions, peeled Chopped fresh parsley

Preparation For marinating chicken: Combine wine, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and peppercorns in large pot. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Cool completely; mix in oil. Place chicken pieces in large glass bowl. Pour wine mixture over chicken; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 day and up to 2 days, turning chicken occasionally. For cooking chicken: Using tongs, transfer chicken pieces from marinade to paper towels to drain; pat dry. Strain marinade; reserve vegetables and liquid separately. Heat oil in heavy large pot (wide enough to hold chicken in single layer) over medium-high heat. Add bacon and sauté until crisp and brown. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to small bowl. Add chicken, skin side down, to drippings in pot. Sauté until brown, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to large bowl. Add vegetables reserved from marinade to pot. Sauté until brown, about 10 minutes. Mix in flour; stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in reserved marinade liquid. Bring to boil, whisking frequently. Cook until sauce thickens, whisking occasionally, about 2 minutes. Mix in shallots, garlic, herb sprigs, and bay leaves, then broth. Return chicken to pot, arranging skin side up in single layer. Bring to simmer; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover pot and simmer chicken 30 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken over. Cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes longer. Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to plate. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in same skillet. Add onions and sauté until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer onions to plate alongside mushrooms; reserve skillet. Using tongs, transfer chicken to plate. Strain sauce from pot into reserved skillet, pressing on solids in strainer to extract all sauce; discard solids. Bring sauce to simmer, scraping up browned bits. Return sauce to pot. Add onions to pot and bring to simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook until onions are almost tender, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and bacon. Simmer uncovered until onions are very tender and sauce is slightly reduced, about 12 minutes. Tilt pot and spoon off excess fat from top of sauce. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Return chicken to sauce. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.) Rewarm over low heat. Arrange chicken on large rimmed platter. Spoon sauce and vegetables over. Sprinkle with parsley.

German Potato Salad

yield: Makes 8 servings This hearty potato salad is typically made from sliced potatoes, bacon, onions, and celery. A small amount of bacon fat is used to flavor the... more ›

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • •

2 1/4 pounds potatoes (waxy variety, such as Yukon Gold 4 slices bacon 2 1/2 cups chicken broth 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1 cup onions, diced 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 tablespoons mild brown mustard 1/2 bunch chives, snipped

Preparation Cook the potatoes in simmering salted water until just tender, about 15-18 minutes. Drain and dry. While the potatoes are still hot, remove the skins and slice the potatoes 1/2-inch thick. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the dressing. Cook the bacon over mediumhigh heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon, reserving the bacon fat in the pan; crumble the bacon into small pieces, and reserve. Bring the chicken broth, vinegar, onions, salt, sugar, and pepper to a boil. Combine the oil, rendered bacon fat, and mustard with the warm potatoes. Pour the boiling broth-vinegar mixture over the potatoes. Toss in the crumbled bacon and chives.

Ceviche of Red Snapper

yield: Makes 4 appetizer servings Other seafood may be used in this dish, including scallops, tuna, swordfish, squid, or monkfish. Fish with a relatively firm texture, like that... more › Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • •

1/2 lb snapper fillet 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 tsp minced jalapeño, seeded 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 tsp salt 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper 2 plum (Roma) tomatoes 1/2 small red onion 1 green onion 4 tsp chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley

Preparation Cut the snapper into small dice or strips. Combine the lime juice, olive oil, jalapeño, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl and whisk to blend well. Add the snapper and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight. As close as possible to the time you wish to serve the ceviche, prepare the other vegetables. Peel and seed the tomatoes and cut into neat dice or julienne. Cut the red onion into very thin slices and separate the slices into rings. Cut the green onion, white and green parts, very thinly on the bias. Fold the cilantro into the ceviche and mound it on a chilled platter or individual plates. Scatter the tomato, red onion, and green onion on top of the ceviche.

Crab Cakes ingredients • • • • • • • • •

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled 4 large eggs, beaten lightly 6 tablespoons sour cream 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves (preferably flat-leafed) 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

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2 pounds lump crab meat, picked over 2 cups fine fresh bread crumbs 1/3 cup cornmeal 1/2 cup vegetable oil Tarragon Tartar Sauce as an accompaniment lemon wedges as an accompaniment

Preparation In a bowl whisk together the butter, the eggs, the sour cream, the parsley, the lemon juice, the Worcestershire sauce, the paprika, the salt, and the cayenne and stir in the crab meat and the bread crumbs gently. Form 1/2-cup measures of the mixture into twelve 3/4-inch-thick cakes and transfer the crab cakes as they are formed to a baking sheet sprinkled with half the cornmeal. Sprinkle the crab cakes with the remaining cornmeal and chill them, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour or overnight. In a large heavy skillet heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it sauté the crab cakes in batches, turning them once, for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until they are golden, transferring them as they are cooked to paper towels to drain. Keep the crab cakes warm on another baking sheet in a 200°F. oven. Serve the crab cakes with the tarragon tartar sauce and the lemon wedges.