Hi Sara,

My last wife's Dad was Italian to very core and simply would not eat regular store-bought noodles, so as my wife made the homemade noodles, I watched & learned. I agree that it's a lot of trouble, but the taste does make it worth it, sometimes, at least.

Although I have some friends who are Japanese and who also run a wonderful Restaurant over in Winston Salem, I must say that I'm not a big fan of Buckwheat, so therefore the Soba Noodles are not one of my favorites. I have eaten several dishes which I really liked however, such as Soki soba, an Okinawan specialty, topped with soki or stewed pork, Tempura soba, which is topped with tempura, usually a large shrimp, and my favorite, Tsukimi soba or "moon-viewing soba" which is topped with raw egg, which then poaches in the hot soup. As far as noodles in general though, I must admit that I almost always prefer the whole wheat variety, whether store-bought or homemade.

I thought that we might finish this up with my old favorite standby. In Italy, this dish is known as Ragù di Manzo e Funghi Porcini. The dried porcini mushrooms lend a lusty earthiness, and pancetta tossed in with the aromatics adds a little flavor punch. As you know, as a general rule, I don't eat any Beef whenever possible, however I must admit that I make this a lot and I make a lot each time I do. Just can't help myself!

1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 cup)
2 28-oz. cans imported Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 lb. bone-in beef short ribs, trimmed of excess fat
1 lb. boneless beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 small carrot, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 small celery stalk, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium clove garlic, finely chopped
2 oz. thickly sliced pancetta, finely chopped
1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cup dry white wine

Directions

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F.

Soak the mushrooms in 2 cups of warm water for 20 to 30 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the mushrooms to a cutting board and chop them finely. Line a strainer with a coffee filter or two layers of paper towels and strain the mushroom-soaking water into a bowl to get rid of any grit. Set aside both mushrooms and liquid.

Put one can of tomatoes and their juices in a food processor and process until puréed. Using a spatula or the back of a ladle, press the purée through a medium-mesh sieve set over a bowl to remove the seeds. Purée and strain the other can of tomatoes.
Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a 7- to 8-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the ribs and beef chuck with kosher salt and pepper and add them to the hot oil. Cook, turning as necessary, until the meat is golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large plate, discard the fat, and clean the pan with paper towels.
Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are lightly golden and soft, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and parsley and stir for about 1 minute to blend the ingredients.

Return the meat to the pan and stir to coat with the savory base. Raise the heat to high and add the wine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine is reduced approximately by half, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1/2 cup of the reserved mushroom-soaking water. Season with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Stir until the liquid begins to simmer.
Turn off the heat, cover the pan tightly with a lid or heavy-duty aluminum foil, and put it in the oven. Cook, turning the meat every half hour, until the meat is fork tender and the ribs begin to fall off the bone, about 2-1/2 hours.
Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the meat (including any that has fallen off the bone) to a cutting board. Use a ladle to skim the fat off the surface of the sauce. When the meat is cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the ribs. Discard the bones and any fat and connective tissue. Finely chop all the meat. Stir the meat back into the sauce and simmer on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly, about 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

The last step--toss it with pasta:

Once you've made your rich ragù, all that's left is to combine it with pasta. To serve four to six people, you'll need 4 cups ragu, 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, 1 lb. dried or fresh pasta (cooked and drained), and 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano.

Heat the ragù (either in the Dutch oven you used to cook it or in a 12-inch skillet, if reheating) over medium-high heat. Add the butter and then pour in the pasta and Parmigiano or pecorino. Toss over medium-high heat until the pasta and sauce are well combined. Serve immediately. Makes approx. 8 Cups of Ragu.

Serving Suggestions

Short, full-bodied dried pastas like rigatoni and orecchiette work great with ragù, because their nooks and ridges capture the sauce. If you want to use fresh pasta, a wide shape like papperdelle can stand up to a hearty sauce. And a Ragù is always a good excuse to cook gnocci, too.

Have A Terrific Tuesday my Friends,

Phil

Hello My Friends,

Here's one that I've always liked, not Ragu, but definitely still Italian! On a cool autumn evening, this hearty pasta dish really hits the spot. Sweet beet roots are complemented by salty prosciutto and rich Parmigiano-Reggiano; beet greens add great texture. If golden beets are unavailable, you can use red beets, but your pasta will turn pink.

Hi Pat,

That sounds absolutely delicious and so simple to put together. As I said before, I prefer the simpler the better. My last wife was a terrific cook, when it came to Italian dishes, but every meal was often a production, if you know what I mean.

For example, take one of my favorites, Eggplant Parmesan. Yes, I'm aware that Eggplant Parmesan is not the real name for this dish: In Neapolitan dialect it's called A Parmiggiana E Muligniane which translates into the Parma manner of making eggplant. I think that's really ridiculous since I've had Eggplant Parmesan all over the Parma area in Northern Italy, and nothing compares to this traditional, truly Neapolitan Eggplant Parmesan recipe.

Unlike Zucchini A Scapece which you can stuff yourself with and still stay on your diet, no matter how strict, Eggplant Parmesan may contain more calories per ounce than any other recipe in Italy, and probably the world. Howevr, diet killer or not, this Eggplant Parmesan is certainly one of the great dishes to issue from any Neapolitan kitchen, at least in my opinion. This recipe will likely vary from some you've seen, and again, that's because it's the original recipe which has been passed down through the generations.

Eggplant Parmesan

8 large Italian eggplant
4 ounces grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
24 Bocconcini di mozzarella di bufala cheese
2 large cans of San Marzano tomatoes
1 small can of Italian tomato paste
Basil chiffonade and whole leaves
Egg wash
Fresh bread crumbs
E V Olive Oil

Take 8 large Italian eggplant, not those bluish skinny Asian ones. Cut off the top and bottom and cut into just under half inch slices. Don't think they're too thick.

Now dredge each slice first in an egg wash and then in fresh bread crumbs and then toss into a very hot oil which covers the slices. You want to fry them until they are just a tiny bit past golden brown and almost tending to a darkish brown.

Put them out to dry on multiple paper towels. Try to pat some of the excess oil off. When they're all cool enough to be able to handle with your bare hands, place a single layer at the bottom of a large roasting pan. Cover with a couple of ladles of a fresh tomato sauce you've just made with two large cans of San Marzano tomatoes (no substitutes acceptable), a small can of Italian tomato paste, a few leaves of basil chiffonade (sliced into thin stripes) and salt and pepper to taste.

Take at least a dozen large leaves of basil and distribute them equally over the layer. Two dozen is even better. Now grab some bocconcini di mozzarella di bufala you've sliced into quarters and spread all over the layer. Give it a shot of salt and pepper.

Repeat this process until you have at least three and preferably more layers of eggplant, sauce, mozzarella and basil. Plunk the rest of the sauce all over the top and throw into a medium oven of around 350 F / 175 C. Bake for an absolute minimum of one hour. You'll find that an hour and a half is even better as it makes for a drier, plumper dish. About five minutes before you want to pull it out of the oven sprinkle freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano all over the top to effectively cover it. Those five minutes will be more than enough to gently melt the Parmigiano Reggiano into a golden gooey goodness.

If your diet can take it, I think that you'll find that this Eggplant Parmesan will hands down beat any other version you've ever had in even the finest Italian restaurant. Buon Appetito!

Have A Peaceful Evening

Phil

Hello My Friends,

I never knew how good meatballs could really taste, until I found this recipe. I normally make mine with just ground beef and they still taste great, however, I've also used the combination of pork, beef and veal and they are equally good. I definitely use fresh bread crumbs and freshly grate your cheese instead of using the canned variety, it really does make a difference.

The Best Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground veal
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cups stale Italian bread, crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
• 1 cup olive oil

Directions

1. Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.
2. Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape if rolled into meatballs. (I usually use about 1 1/4 cups of water). Shape into meatballs.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Fry meatballs in batches. When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. (If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better.) Serves 8.

And for Dessert, try these Biscotti. These are absolutely delicious with coffee and they smell wonderful.

Cinnamon Hazelnut Biscotti

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons butter
• 3/4 cup and 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1-1/2 eggs
• 1-1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup and 2 teaspoons hazelnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt; mix into the egg mixture. Stir in the hazelnuts. Shape dough into two equal logs approximately 12 inches long. Place logs on baking sheet, and flatten out to about 1/2 inch thickness.
3. Bake for about 30 minutes in preheated oven, or until edges are golden and the center is firm. Remove from oven to cool on the pans. When loaves are cool enough to handle, use a serrated knife to slice the loaves diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Return the slices to the baking sheet.
4. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, turning over once. Cool completely, and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Makes 2 Dozen.

Have A Terrific Week,

Phil