Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - Marcella Hazan [38]
8 fresh, ripe plum tomatoes
8 to 12 fresh basil leaves OR a few pinches oregano
1. Wash the tomatoes, split them in half lengthwise, and with the tip of a paring knife pick out all the seeds you can. Dice the tomatoes into ½-inch cubes.
2. Wash the basil leaves, shake them thoroughly dry, and tear them into small pieces. (Omit this step if using oregano.)
3. After rubbing the hot grilled bread with garlic as directed in recipe above, top it with diced tomato, sprinkle with basil or oregano, add salt and pepper, and lightly drizzle each slice with olive oil. Serve while still warm.
Carciofi alla Giudia—Crisp-Fried Whole Artichokes
OF THE SUBSTANTIAL achievements of Jewish cooks in Italy, none is more justly celebrated than the fried artichokes of Rome, whose crisp outer leaves, looking like those of a dried chrysanthemum, curl around the tender, succulent interior.
The cooking is done in two stages. The first more slowly, at a lower temperature, giving the heat time to cook the artichokes thoroughly. The second with hotter oil, which is then excited by a sprinkling of cold water, to give the outer leaves their crisp finish.
For 6 servings
6 medium artichokes, as young and fresh as possible
½ lemon
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
Vegetable oil
1. Trim the artichokes exactly as directed in Step 1 of Artichokes, Roman Style, except that here you will cut off the stem, all but for a short stump. As you snap off the hard outer leaves, keep them progressively longer at the base, giving the artichoke’s core the look of a thick, fleshy rosebud. Remember to cut off the inedible, tough tops, and to rub all cut parts with juice squeezed from the half lemon to keep them from turning black.
2. Turn the artichokes bottoms up, gently spread their leaves outward, and press them against a board or other work surface, flattening them as much as possible without going so far as to crack them. Turn right side up and sprinkle with salt and a few grindings of pepper.
3. Choose a deep skillet or sauté pan and pour enough oil into it to come 1½ inches up the sides of the pan. Turn the heat on to medium, and when the oil is hot slip in the artichokes, their bottoms facing up. Cook for 5 minutes or so, then turn them over. Turn them again, from time to time, as they cook. They are done when the thick part of the bottom feels tender at the pricking of a fork. It may take 15 minutes or longer, depending on how young and fresh the artichokes are. Regulate the heat to make sure the oil is not overheating and frying the artichokes too quickly.
4. When the artichokes are done, transfer them to a board or other work surface, their bottoms facing up, and press them with a wooden spoon or a spatula to flatten them some more.
5. Turn on the heat to high under the pan. Have a bowl with cold water near you by the stove. As soon as the oil is very hot, slip in the artichokes, their bottoms facing up. After frying them for just a few minutes, turn them over, dip your hand in the bowl of water, and sprinkle the artichokes. Stay at arm’s length from the pan because the oil will sizzle and spatter.
6. As soon as the oil stops sputtering, transfer the artichokes face down to paper towels or to a cooling rack to drain. Serve with the leaves facing up. They are at their best when piping hot, but they are quite nice even a little later, at room temperature. Do not refrigerate or reheat.
Baked Stuffed Mushroom Caps
A KEY INGREDIENT in the stuffing of these mushrooms—which also has pancetta, garlic, egg, and marjoram—is reconstituted dried porcini mushrooms. As in many other recipes, their presence helps to transform the shy flavor of cultivated mushrooms into the effusive, dense one of the wild boletus edulis.
For 6 servings
A packet dried porcini mushrooms OR, if bought loose, about 1 ounce
¼ heaping cup crumb (the fresh, soft, crustless part of bread)
¼ cup milk
1 pound fresh, stuffing (large) mushrooms
¼ pound pancetta
4 flat anchovy fillets (preferably the ones prepared at home)
4 fresh basil leaves,