Recipe of the Month

The bagna cauda (hot bath, or sauce) can be found in all parts of Italy, and is usually based on a hot sauce made of olive oil, garlic, and anchovies. This version from Italy's northernmost and westernmost region of Piedmont uses cream instead of olive oil. It is usually served as an appetizer in restaurants, although it does duty as a main course in many Italian homes.

Bagna Cauda

2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
4 Tbs (60 ml) butter
8 anchovy fillets, rinsed and finely chopped
1 tsp (5 ml) finely chopped garlic
Fresh vegetables of your choice, such as cucumbers, carrots, fennel, sweet bell peppers, celery, scallions, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and mushrooms, cut into a size and shape suitable for dipping
Italian bread sticks or Italian bread

Simmer the cream over a low flame, uncovered, in a small saucepan for about 20 minutes, or until reduced to about half its original volume. In a fondue pot, or other flame proof enameled or earthenware casserole that fits over a candle warmer or electric hot tray, melt the butter over low heat. Add the anchovies and the garlic and stir for about 1 minute. Add the reduced cream and bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Do not let the sauce boil. Serve immediately with the cold raw vegetables and the bread sticks or Italian bread for dipping. If the butter and the cream separate at the table, recombine them using a wire whisk. Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer, 3 to 4 as a main dish.

Although this soup is well know throughout Italy, it originated in Lombardy, whose capital city is Milan, and is peasant cooking at its best: simple and delicious.

Zuppa alla Pavese

4 Tbs (60 ml) butter
4 slices Italian bread, about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick
4 cups (1 L) chicken stock, fresh or canned
4 eggs (as fresh as possible)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the butter in a large skillet over moderate heat and fry the bread, turning it, until it is golden brown on both sides. Place a slice of bread in each of four soup bowls. Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring 2 inches (5 cm) of water to a simmer in a large skillet, and gently put the eggs into the water by first breaking the eggs, one at a time, into a cup or saucer, and then letting them slide into the water, disturbing the water as little as possible. Do not let the water boil. Poach the eggs for 3 to five minutes, depending on the firmness you prefer, and then remove them from the water with a slotted spoon, allowing them to drain on a paper towel for a few seconds before placing them on the slices of bread. Sprinkle the eggs and bread with Parmesan cheese and pour the stock around the bread. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

My family first discovered gnocchi (pronounced NYO-key) when we lived in South America, where our housekeeper was also an expert cook. I remember the excitement of learning to make these myself, never imagining that I could equal Pocha's mastery of the dish. Mine are really very good, and probably only fail in my not being able to thank Pocha after the meal.

Gnocchi di Patate

1 1/2 lbs (680 g) boiling potatoes (not Idaho or new potatoes)
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour

Boil the potatoes UNPEELED in a generous amount of water until they are tender. Do not test them too often, as piercing them will allow them to absorb more water. Drain and cool the potatoes until you can handle them, and peel. Puree them through a food mill or potato ricer. Add most of the flour to the mashed potatoes and knead it until it is smooth. Stop adding flour when the mixture is soft, smooth, and still a little bit sticky. Roll out into sausage-like rolls about the thickness of your thumb, and cut these into 3/4 inch (2 cm) pieces. This next part is more difficult to describe than to do. Holding a fork in one hand, and using the thumb of the other hand, roll the individual pieces of dough over the tines of the fork and allow them to fall onto the counter. The gnocchi should be roughly cylindrical in shape and have ridges formed by the tines of the fork on about ¾ of its circumference, and there should be a dimple left by your thumb on the remaining circumference. This takes a little practice, so try a few, and then roll the failures into balls and try again.

Drop the gnocchi a couple of dozen at a time into 5 quarts (5 L) or more of boiling water. When they rise to the surface they are almost done, so allow them to float for about 10 seconds and then scoop them out using a slotted spoon. Place on a heated platter and sauce with the sauce of your choice. Serves 4 to 6.

Here is my favorite sauce for gnocchi:

Gorgonzola Sauce

1 cup heavy cream or half & half
4 oz (100 g) Gorgonzola cheese, or other good quality blue cheese
Salt to taste
2 Tbs (30 ml) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring the cream to a low boil in a saucepan large enough to hold the cooked pasta. Boil gently, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until reduced in volume by about half. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until the sauce has thickened slightly. Add the cooked pasta to the pot and stir to coat with the sauce. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.

If there is a parcel of land that has contributed more to the gastronomic lexicon than the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, I would like to know about it. The capital city of Bologna is the home of many unique and delicious sausages, including mortadella, which is the ancestor of our American "baloney." The region also contains the city of Parma, whose "parmesano" is perhaps the best known of all the world's cheeses, and the surrounding area produces prosciutto ham. As if that weren't enough, the city of Modena contributed balsamic vinegar to the food lovers of the world. Today's Northern Italian Classic makes good use of the cheese and ham that Emilia-Romagna is justifiably famous for.

Petti di Pollo alla Bolognese

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, about 1/2 lb (250 g) each
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Flour for dredging
3 Tbs (45 ml) butter
2 Tbs (30 ml) olive oil
8 thin slices prosciutto ham, about 2x4 inches (5x10 cm)
8 thin slices Fontina or Bel Paese cheese, about 2x4 inches (5x10 cm)
4 tsp (20 ml) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Using a very sharp knife, carefully slice each chicken breast in half horizontally, to make 8 pieces. Place between layers of wax paper or plastic wrap and pound with the flat side of a cleaver or the bottom of a heavy saucepan to flatten slightly. Season with salt and pepper and dust lightly with flour, shaking off the excess. Heat the butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet over moderate heat, and brown the chicken to a light golden color, 3 or 4 slices at a time. Do not overcook. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish large enough to hold them comfortably. Place a slice of prosciutto and then a slice of cheese on top of each. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and bake uncovered in a preheated 350F (180C) for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and slightly brown. Serves 4.

OK, so I cheated a little with today's recipe. Granite (singular: granita) are found all over Italy, and not only in the north. They are so typically Italian (in the USA they are usually called 'Italian ices'), and so good, not to mention fat-free, that I just had to publish them. So, without further discussion and very little apology, here are some more "Northern Italian Classics".

Granite

For lemon flavored:
2 cups (500 ml) water
1 cup (250 ml) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) lemon juice

For orange flavored:
2 cups (500 ml) water
3/4 cup (180 ml) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) orange juice

For coffee flavored:
1 cup (250 ml) water
½ cup (125 ml) sugar
2 cups (500 ml) extra strong espresso coffee

For cappuccino flavored:
1 cup (250 ml) water
1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) extra strong espresso coffee
1/2 cup (125 ml) non-fat milk

For strawberry flavored:
1 cup (250 ml) water
1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
2 cups fresh strawberries, pureed in an electric blender or food processor
2 Tbs (30 ml) lemon juice
(If using frozen strawberries, reduce the amount of sugar to 1/4 cup, 60 ml)

Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring just until the sugar is dissolved. Boil uncovered for exactly 5 minutes, remove from the heat immediately, and allow to cool to room temperature. Add the remaining ingredients, stir, and pour into a metal pan, such as a cake pan. Freeze for 3 to 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes with a fork and scraping the ice crystals that form around the edge of the pan. When finished, the granita should have a fine, crumbly texture, like coarse snow. For a coarser texture that is preferred by some, freeze the liquid in ice cube trays, and then crush the cubes in an ice crusher or food processor immediately prior to serving. Each recipe makes about 3 cups (750 ml).

Reproduced by permission of Worldwide Recipes.

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