Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - Marcella Hazan [238]
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil Salt
1. Cut the finocchio tops where they meet the bulb and discard them. Detach and discard any of the bulb’s outer parts that may be bruised or discolored. Slice off about ⅛ inch from the butt end. Cut the bulb vertically into slices somewhat less than ½ inch thick. Wash the slices in several changes of cold water.
2. Put the finocchio and the olive oil in a large saucepan, add just enough water to cover, and turn on the heat to medium. Do not put a lid on the pot. Cook, turning the slices over from time to time, until the finocchio becomes colored a glossy, pale gold and feels tender when prodded with a fork. Bear in mind that the butt end of the slice should be firm compared with the softer upper part of the slice. It should take between 25 and 40 minutes, depending on the freshness of the finocchio. If while cooking you find the liquid in the pan becoming insufficient, add up to ⅓ cup water. By the time the finocchio is done, all the water must be absorbed. Add salt, toss the slices once or twice, then transfer the contents of the pan to a warm platter and serve at once.
Variation with Butter and Parmesan
Omit the olive oil in the ingredients list of the preceding recipe, and add ¼ cup butter and 3 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Follow the cooking procedure described in the recipe above, substituting butter for the olive oil. When the finocchio is done, sprinkle with salt, add the grated Parmesan, toss three or four times, then serve at once.
Breaded Fried Finocchio
For 4 to 6 servings
3 finocchi
2 eggs
1½ cups unflavored bread crumbs, lightly toasted, spread on a plate
Vegetable oil
Salt
1. Trim, slice, and wash the finocchio as described in Braised Finocchio with Olive Oil.
2. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, then drop in the sliced finocchio. Cook at a moderate boil until the butt end of the slice feels tender, but firm when prodded with a fork. Drain, and set aside to cool.
3. Beat the eggs with a fork in a deep dish or small bowl.
4. Dip the cooled, parboiled finocchio slices in the beaten egg, letting excess egg flow back into the dish, then turn it in the bread crumbs, coating both sides. Press the bread crumbs onto each slice with the palm of your hand until your hand feels dry and the crumbs are sticking firmly to the finocchio.
5. Pour enough oil into a frying pan to come ½ inch up the sides. When you think the oil is quite hot, test it by dipping into it the end of one of the slices. If it sizzles, the oil is ready for frying. Slip as many slices of finocchio into the pan as will fit loosely without overlapping. Cook until they form a crisp, golden brown crust on one side, then turn them and do the other side. When both sides are done, use a slotted spoon or spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack to drain or to a platter lined with paper towels. Repeat the procedure until all the finocchio is done. Sprinkle with salt and serve at once.
Sautéed Mixed Greens with Olive Oil and Garlic
THIS SOFT MIXTURE of greens is meant to be spread over wedges of piadina, the flat griddle bread, but it is so immensely satisfying that you should try it as a side dish on its own or with sausages or alongside any roast of pork.
A combination of both mild and slightly bitter greens is necessary to the successful balance of the mixture. Savoy cabbage and spinach are the mild components, cime di rapa, the bitter. For the spinach you can substitute Swiss chard. For cime di rapa—the long clusters of stalks with skinny leaves, topped with pale yellow buds, available from fall to spring—substitute Catalonia chicory or dandelion greens or other bitter field greens with which you may be acquainted.
For 6 servings
1 pound fresh spinach OR Swiss chard
½ pound cime di rapa, also called rapini or broccoletti di rapa
1-pound head Savoy cabbage
Salt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1. Snap off the thicker, older stems from the spinach leaves, or detach