Italian Grill - Mario Batali [14]
SALT There are now dozens of brands of great salt on the market. I use sea salt from Sicily, both fine and coarse. I like the coarse salt, with its large, chunky grains, for finishing meat and fish, as well as for sprinking on focaccia and other flatbreads.
SCAMORZA Scamorza is a cow’s-milk cheese that is similar to mozzarella, with a slightly chewier texture; it is available both smoked and unsmoked. Look for it at specialty cheese shops or Italian markets (or see Sources, page 232).
SEMOLINA Semolina is ground from durum wheat, a hard wheat high in protein. It comes in both coarse and fine grinds; fine semolina is sometimes referred to as semolina flour. Semolina is used to make pasta and a version of gnocchi; it is also used in some tortas and other desserts.
SHRIMP SIZES Shrimp are categorized by weight, using a system based on number of shrimp per pound: “U-12 shrimp,” for example, means that it takes 12 at most of these huge shrimp to make a pound. However, the signs you see at the market do not always reflect this system, and one store’s large shrimp is another one’s medium. But the fish-monger should know the “count,” shrimp per pound, so you can always ask him or her about their size. In general, the larger the shrimp, the more expensive they are. Peeled shrimp, of course, are always more expensive than unpeeled.
Super-colossal (U-12): 12 or fewer shrimp per pound
Colossal (U-15): 11 to 15 per pound
Extra-large: 16 to 20 per pound
Large: 21 to 30 per pound
Small: 36 to 40 per pound
Cocktail or salad: 41 or more per pound
TOMATOES A perfectly ripe tomato is a beautiful thing. Unfortunately, tomatoes need to ripen slowly under a hot sun, and they have a short season. So, although a fresh tomato sauce made with ripe tomatoes may be perfect in the summer, it is always better to use high-quality canned or packaged tomatoes during the off-season. I like two types: canned San Marzano tomatoes and Pomì, packaged in shelf-stable pint containers.
Pear-shaped San Marzano tomatoes are a type of Roma, or plum, tomato. The real thing is grown only in San Marzano, near Mount Vesuvius, outside Naples. They are available here in specialty markets and some supermarkets (check the label carefully to make sure they are real San Marzanos from Italy) or can be ordered through www.sanmarzano-imports.com. I recommend buying these canned tomatoes and crushing them by hand for sauces, rather than buying canned crushed tomatoes. If you can’t find plain San Marzano tomatoes, buy the cans that include a basil leaf or two and discard the basil. Pomì tomatoes, sold in most grocery stores, are simply delicious. You can buy them either chopped or strained (pureed); I often use the strained tomatoes for topping a pizza when I don’t have a homemade sauce on hand.
VIN COTTO Vin cotto translates as “cooked wine,” and it is the cooked must of wine grapes; it is also known as mosto cotto. Its consistency falls somewhere between that of an aged balsamic vinegar and a syrup. The must is boiled and reduced to about one-fifth of its original volume. The syrup can be used at that point, or it may be aged in oak barrels, like wine, to develop more complexity. The result is a rich, smooth, syrupy liquid that can be enjoyed with both sweet and savory foods and used in a variety of dishes.
ANTIPASTI
The antipasto course sets the tone of the meal to follow, and an antipasto prepared on the grill is a great way to start a relaxed summer meal. (FYI, antipasto means “before the meal”—il pasto—not “before the pasta,” as many people