Arancini alla Siciliana

"To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything."

— Goethe, Italian Journey

Sicilian cuisine shows traces of all the cultures which established themselves on the island over the last two millennia. Although its cuisine undoubtably has a predominantly Italian base, Sicilian food also has Spanish, Greek and Arab influences.

Known as arancini, or "little oranges," in Italian, these little rice balls coated with breadcrumbs are said to have originated in Sicily in the 10th century during the Kalbid rule. The main type of arancini sold in Sicilian cafes are arancini con ragù, filled with meat, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and/or peas.

Suggested Pairing:
Corvina, California Zinfandel, Argentinian Malbec

Optional Accompaniments:
Tomato Sauce (for dipping)
Escarole Salad with Lemon Viniagrette

Serving Size: 4 servings

• 1½ cups long-grain rice
• 1/4 cup butter
  
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• scant 1/2 cup ground lean beef
• scant 1/2 cup dry, white wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3½ ounces mozzarella cheese, diced
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• salt
  

Preparation:

• Cook the rice in plenty of salted, boiling water for 15-18 minutes until tender.
• Drain, tip into a bowl, and stir in half the butter and the parmesan, then spread the rice out on the counter and let cool.
• Melt the remaining butter in a pan, add the beef and cook, stirring frequently, until browned all over.
• Sprinkle with the wine and cook until it has evaporated.
• Stir in the tomato paste, cover, and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, then season with salt and remove from the heat.
• Shape the cooled rice into croquettes as large as small oranges and hollow out the centers.
• Fill with a little meat sauce and a cube of mozzarella and seal with more rice.
• Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt in a shallow dish and spread out the flour in another shallow dish.
• Dip the croquettes in the beaten eggs, then in the flour and shake off any excess.
• Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or pan to 350-375°F or until a cube of day-old bread browns in 30 seconds.
• Deep-fry the croquettes in the hot oil until golden brown all over.
• Drain on paper towels and serve.
  

Preparation Notes:

• Use a dry, un-oaked white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
• It takes some time for the oil to get up to temperature, so make sure you start heating it before you begin breading the arancini. And don’t start frying until all your arancini are breaded.
• Arancini can be formed and chilled up to 12 hours ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to finish them, bread and fry them.

Recipe Source:
The Silver Spoon, by Phaidon Press

Additional Resources:

• Regional Italian Cuisine, Rustico Cooking
• Spaghetti with Fried Eggs, NY Times. Aka our latest, late-night standby dish, aka "poor man's spaghetti"
  

Bucatini con Finferle E Proscuitto (2nd course)

(Bucatini with Chanterelles, Spring Peas, and Prosciutto)

serves: 6 servings

1 cup shelled fresh peas or frozen peas, defrosted and drained
salt
1 pound fresh chanterelle mushrooms
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 ounces Prosciutto di Parma, thinly sliced and chopped
freshly ground pepper
1½ pounds ripe fresh plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and crushed
¼ cup fresh Italian Parsely, chopped
1 pound bucatini
½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated

If using fresh peas, parboil them in a small saucepan of boiling salted water until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain them and set aside. Trim the tough ends and wilted spots from the mushrooms. Wipe them clean with a damp paper towel or wash them quickly and dry them well. Slice them thin and set aside.

Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Whack the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife and add them along with the prosciutto to the oil. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, season them lightly with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until they are lightly browned and wilted, about 7 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, season them lightly with salt and pepper and bring the sauce to a boil. Lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer and cook 5 minutes. Stir the peas and chopped parsley into the sauce and cook until the peas are tender, about 3 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, stir the bucatini into the boiling water. Return to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until done, about 10 minutes.

Drain the pasta, return it to the pot and pour in about three-quarters of the sauce. Bring the sauce and pasta t0 a boil, tossing to coat the pasta with sauce. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the grated cheese. Transfer the pasta to a warm platter, top with the remaining sauce and serve immediately.


From my favorite Italian cooking show.. Lidia's Italy

http://www.lidiasitaly.com/recipes/detail/308

Italian (Course 3): Veal Osso Buco

Ingredients:

Four 12-ounce veal shanks

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery ribs, diced

1 yellow onion, diced

6 garlic cloves, sliced

1 cup dry red wine

4 cups veal stock or chicken stock

3 cups chicken stock

3 cups canned plum tomatoes, drained and crushed

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon grated fresh horseradish (see Note)

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation:

1. Lay the veal shanks in a shallow baking pan and sprinkle liberally on both sides with salt. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

2. Rinse the veal shanks of their salt and pat dry with paper towels. Wrap each veal shank once around the circumference so that it holds the bone and meat together in the center. Tie the twine with a good knot. Season the veal shanks with pepper.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

4. Heat a large, ovenproof casserole over high heat. Put the oil into the casserole and let it heat.

5. Meanwhile, put the flour in a shallow bowl, dredge the veal shanks in it, and pat off the excess. Brown the veal shanks in the hot oil for about 5 minutes on each side, or until browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. If the oil turns dark during the process, discard it and heat a fresh cup of oil.

6. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to the pan and cook over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine, bring to a boil, and cook for about 2 minutes, or until reduced by half.

7. Add the stocks, tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf to the pan. Return the veal shanks to the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the liquid boils, cover, transfer to the oven, and cook for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork tender and falling off the bones.

8. Remove the herbs from the braising liquid and discard. Let the veal shanks come to room temperature in the braising liquid. Remove the veal shanks and set aside. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until reduced by a quarter. Using a skimmer or large spoon, skim off any grease or foam that rises to the surface. Return the strained vegetables to the liquid and taste for seasoning.

9. To serve, cut and discard the twine, put a single osso buco (veal shank) in a bowl, and ladle about 3/4 cup of the sauce and vegetables over it. (If the sauce and the meat are not still warm, heat them together very gently over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes.)

10. Garnish each osso buco with the fresh horseradish, lemon zest, and chopped parsley and season with pepper.

Note: If you cannot find fresh horseradish, you can use prepared. It will taste stronger, so it’s a good idea to wrap the horseradish in a double thickness of cheesecloth and squeeze out the excess liquid.

Source:

Epicurious | April 2010

by Rick Tramonto

Osteria ( http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Veal-Osso-Buco-358371)