Biba's Northern Italian Cooking - Biba Caggiano [30]
Transfer mixture to a wooden board and knead lightly, gradually adding remaining flour if dough sticks heavily to board and to your hands. Knead dough 2 to 3 minutes, dusting it lightly with flour if needed, until dough is smooth, pliable and just a bit sticky.
Cut off a piece of dough, about size of an orange. Flour your hands lightly. (Do not flour working area or dough will not slide smoothly.) Using both hands, roll out piece of dough with a light back-and-forth motion into a roll of about the thickness of your index finger. Cut roll into 1-inch pieces.
Hold a fork with its tines against a work board, curved part of fork facing away from you. Starting from curved outside bottom of fork, press each piece of dough with your index finger firmly upward along length of tines. Let gnocchi fall back onto work surface. Repeat with remaining dough until all gnocchi have been formed.
Line a large tray with a clean kitchen towel and flour towel lightly. Arrange gnocchi on towel without crowding them.They can be cooked immediately or kept in refrigerator for several hours.
Bring a large pot of boiling water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and gnocchi. Cook uncovered over high heat until gnocchi rise to surface of the water, 1 to 2 minutes.
BASIC POLENTA
Polenta
An ancient dish that was and still is a staple in the Northern Italian diet.
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
9 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups coarse-grain cornmeal
Bring water to a boil in a large heavy pot. Add salt and reduce heat until water is simmering. Take cornmeal by the handful and add to water very slowly, controlling the flow to a thin stream through your fingers. To avoid lumps, stir quickly with a long-handled wooden spoon while adding cornmeal. If necessary, stop adding cornmeal from time to time and beat mixture vigorously. Cook, stirring constantly, 20 to 30 minutes. Polenta will become very thick while cooking. It is done when it comes away cleanly from sides of pot.
Pour polenta onto a large wooden board or a large platter.Wet your hands and smooth out polenta evenly about 2 inches thick. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes or until polenta solidifies. Cut cooled polenta into slices 1 inch wide and 6 inches long. Place slices in individual dishes. Serve hot, covered with your favorite sauce.
Variation
Fried Polenta (Polenta Fritta)
Prepare Basic Polenta and let cool completely. Cut cooled polenta into slices 2 inches wide and 6 inches long. Pour oil about 1 inch deep in a large skillet. Heat oil until a 1-inch cube of bread turns golden almost immediately. Fry polenta slices on both sides until light golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.
BAKED POLENTA WITH BOLOGNESE MEAT SAUCE
Polenta Pasticciata
A satisfying dish for robust appetites on a cold night with good company.
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
Basic Polenta, page 86
3 to 4 cups Bolognese Meat Sauce, page 206
5 to 6 tablespoons butter
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Prepare Basic Polenta and let cool completely. Prepare Bolognese Meat Sauce.
Preheat oven to 400F (205C). Butter a 13 × 9-inch baking dish. Cut cooled polenta into slices 2 inches wide and 6 inches long. Put a third of the sliced polenta in buttered baking dish. Spoon about 1 cup meat sauce over polenta. Dot with about 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with 4 to 5 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Repeat with two more layers of polenta, meat sauce, butter and Parmesan cheese, making three layers.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
POLENTA WITH SKEWERED MEAT
Polenta con gli Spiedini
In some Italian towns very small birds are used as a delicacy instead of meat in this recipe.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
½ pound lean veal shoulder
½ pound pork loin
4 or 5 thick slices (½ pound) pancetta, page 4
10 to 12 fresh or dried sage leaves
2 to 3 medium onions, cut into large pieces
Basic Polenta, page 86
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly