Italy (2/6/12)
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Recipes contributed by Rudy Litwin and Kathy Occhipinti.
Rudy's Italian family is from the mountainous region of Abruzzo, located in the middle of the “boot." Abruzzo is one of 20 regions in Italy and is famous for its pasta, especially Maccheroni alla Chitarra (pasta made using a tool that resembles a guitar). This pasta is famous not only to the Abruzzesi, but throughout Italy and beyond. Many different sauces may be used to compliment this pasta, including those in the recipes below: a meat sauce and a very special sauce made from L’Aquila Saffron. This saffron is quite rare and is one of the best in the world. Rudy generously shared with us some Saffron from L’Aquila sent to him by his cousin, Arnaldo Mariani, who lives in Pescocanale, a small village in Abruzzo. Click here to download these recipes. Want to try more Italian recipes? Click here for the archive from our program in 2013. Click here for the archive from our program in 2014. Click here for the archive from our program in 2015. Click here for the archive from our program in 2022. Click here for the archive from our program in 2023. |
Homemade Maccheroni Alla Chitarra
Makes about one pund of Maccheroni
Ingredients:
2 cups (10 oz.) all-purpose flour plus more for
adjusting dough
4 large eggs
1/3 teaspoon of Kosher Salt plus more for the pot
of boiling water
Method:
The pasta dough*
Place the flour in a food processer and pulse a couple of times to aerate the flour.
Place the eggs and salt in a medium measuring cup and beat to combine.
Turn on the food processor and pour the egg mixture into the bowl in a steady stream. The flour should combine and start to gather on one side of the food processer bowl in about 25 to 30 seconds. If it does not, stop the processer, add a couple spoons of flour and process the dough again to get fairly firm ball of dough. Do not over-mix.
Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead a few times, checking consistency. Form the dough into a thick disc, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
*Note: This whole process can be done by hand, rather than in a food processor, if you desire.
Rolling and cutting the Maccheroni
Take one fourth of the pasta dough and start rolling it out on the pasta board. (When working with the pasta dough, it is important to understand that you are stretching the dough more than pressing the dough when working with your rolling pin and pasta board.)
Ingredients:
2 cups (10 oz.) all-purpose flour plus more for
adjusting dough
4 large eggs
1/3 teaspoon of Kosher Salt plus more for the pot
of boiling water
Method:
The pasta dough*
Place the flour in a food processer and pulse a couple of times to aerate the flour.
Place the eggs and salt in a medium measuring cup and beat to combine.
Turn on the food processor and pour the egg mixture into the bowl in a steady stream. The flour should combine and start to gather on one side of the food processer bowl in about 25 to 30 seconds. If it does not, stop the processer, add a couple spoons of flour and process the dough again to get fairly firm ball of dough. Do not over-mix.
Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead a few times, checking consistency. Form the dough into a thick disc, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
*Note: This whole process can be done by hand, rather than in a food processor, if you desire.
Rolling and cutting the Maccheroni
Take one fourth of the pasta dough and start rolling it out on the pasta board. (When working with the pasta dough, it is important to understand that you are stretching the dough more than pressing the dough when working with your rolling pin and pasta board.)
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Roll the pasta dough until you reached a consistent flatness of about 1/8th of an inch thick.
With a bench knife, cut the pasta dough to fit the area on the strings of the Chitarra (pictured at left). Using your rolling pin, press down lightly and roll back in forth on the pasta dough until it has been cut through and has dropped to the collection board in the middle of the Chitarra. (See video at left of Rudy cutting pasta with the chitarra.) Lightly flour and place in "nest" until ready to use. (At this point, you can freeze the pasta.) Cooking the Maccheroni Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a small palmful of salt (2-3 Tbsp). If you are using frozen pasta, do not allow it to thaw before dropping it in. Once the pasta has been added, bring the water back to a boil as quickly as possible. The pasta will cook quickly, so keep an eye on it (or perform frequent taste tests). It is ready when it is still slightly chewy, or, as the Italians say: al dente. Don't let it get mushy. Toss immediately with a bit of the sauce you plan to serve with it. This will help keep the pasta from sticking together. |
Meat Sauce for Maccheroni
Ingredients
1 cup each: chopped onion, carrot, & celery (known in Italy as pestate)
2 lb. freshly ground pork butt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. pepperoncino flakes (Red Pepper flakes)
2 bay leaves
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups Italian plum tomatoes (San Marzano tomatoes, preferably)
4 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Method
Put the onions, carrots, and celery (pestate) in a food processor and chop finely.
Put the olive oil in a hot, large heavy frying pan. Add the pestate and cook until it is dry and starts to brown slightly. Add the pepperoncino to a bare spot in the middle of the frying pan for a couple of seconds and then stir into the pestate.
Place the ground pork and salt into the pan. Cook over medium heat, breaking up the pork into small bits, and cook until dry.
Add the wine, raise the heat a little, and cook a few seconds to dissipate the alcohol.
Add the bay leaves, tomatoes, and then the broth one cup at a time. Stir and cook over low heat until the broth is absorbed. Repeat with the remaining broth.
Continue to cook until desired thickness. Add the fresh chopped basil last.
1 cup each: chopped onion, carrot, & celery (known in Italy as pestate)
2 lb. freshly ground pork butt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. pepperoncino flakes (Red Pepper flakes)
2 bay leaves
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups Italian plum tomatoes (San Marzano tomatoes, preferably)
4 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Method
Put the onions, carrots, and celery (pestate) in a food processor and chop finely.
Put the olive oil in a hot, large heavy frying pan. Add the pestate and cook until it is dry and starts to brown slightly. Add the pepperoncino to a bare spot in the middle of the frying pan for a couple of seconds and then stir into the pestate.
Place the ground pork and salt into the pan. Cook over medium heat, breaking up the pork into small bits, and cook until dry.
Add the wine, raise the heat a little, and cook a few seconds to dissipate the alcohol.
Add the bay leaves, tomatoes, and then the broth one cup at a time. Stir and cook over low heat until the broth is absorbed. Repeat with the remaining broth.
Continue to cook until desired thickness. Add the fresh chopped basil last.
Saffron Infused Olive Oil
Ingredients
1 tsp. Loosely packed toasted saffron threads*
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
3 Tbsp. freshly chopped Italian parsley
1 cup freshly grated pecorino, Grana Padano or
Parmigiano-Riggiano cheese
Method
Grind the toasted saffron threads in a mortar & pestle.
Put the olive oil and salt in small mixing bowl, add toasted saffron, and mix. Add a tablespoon of hot water to the mortar to remove the remaining saffron dust and add to mixing bowl. Whisk to mix the ingredients together.
Add the Italian parsley to the saffron oil mixture just before mixing with the pasta.
To mix with the Maccheroni alla Chitarra, dropped the al dente pasta in large warm bowl, drizzle the Saffron Oil quickly over the pasta and toss. This will turn the Maccheroni golden. Sprinkle with the fresh grated cheese of your choice and serve right away.
*Lightly toast the Saffron Threads by placing them on a metal spoon. Hold the spoon over an open flame for a few seconds. Remove to steep or grind immediately. Do not overheat.
1 tsp. Loosely packed toasted saffron threads*
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
3 Tbsp. freshly chopped Italian parsley
1 cup freshly grated pecorino, Grana Padano or
Parmigiano-Riggiano cheese
Method
Grind the toasted saffron threads in a mortar & pestle.
Put the olive oil and salt in small mixing bowl, add toasted saffron, and mix. Add a tablespoon of hot water to the mortar to remove the remaining saffron dust and add to mixing bowl. Whisk to mix the ingredients together.
Add the Italian parsley to the saffron oil mixture just before mixing with the pasta.
To mix with the Maccheroni alla Chitarra, dropped the al dente pasta in large warm bowl, drizzle the Saffron Oil quickly over the pasta and toss. This will turn the Maccheroni golden. Sprinkle with the fresh grated cheese of your choice and serve right away.
*Lightly toast the Saffron Threads by placing them on a metal spoon. Hold the spoon over an open flame for a few seconds. Remove to steep or grind immediately. Do not overheat.