Molto Gusto_ Easy Italian Cooking - Mario Batali [56]
OLIVES The fruit of the olive tree must be cured—and, in the process, preserved—using salt, water, lye, or oil, or a combination before it is edible. Uncured olives contain a bitter component called glycoside that is leached out during the cure. All olives start green and eventually ripen to purple or black. Every olive-producing area in the world has its own variety of olives and seasoning profile, and I love them all. My favorites include Gaeta, Kalamata, and Alfonso, but I am happy to try any I encounter. I cure my own each year for gifts to fellow olive appassionati and for the restaurants.
PANCETTA Pancetta, Italian bacon, is cured pork belly. In Italy it is available both rolled (rotolata) up into cylinders and unrolled, or flat (stesa). Here you are most likely to find the rolled version, which the butcher will slice for you. If you are unable to find pancetta, artisanal-style American bacon, available in gourmet markets and some better supermarkets, makes an excellent substitute; www.gratefulpalate.com is a great online source for good bacon.
PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO Parmigiano-Reggiano is the undisputed king of cheeses, and its production is strictly regulated under D.O.C. laws. In order to be considered true Parmigiano, the cheese must have been made entirely in a restricted area that includes only the provinces of Parma, Modena, and Reggio-Emilia and parts of Bologna and Mantova. And the cheese is produced only from April to early November. The rind of true Parmigiano is always imprinted all over with the term “Parmigiano-Reggiano,” verifying its authenticity. There are just six hundred or so dairies authorized to make it, following the traditional method: Two milkings from the dairy’s cows (and/or those from nearby farms) are used for each batch, and it requires about 160 gallons of milk for each huge wheel of cheese; the average weight of a wheel of Parmigiano is 80 pounds. The milk from the evening milking is left to stand overnight before it is turned into curds; the morning milk is allowed to sit only briefly before it is turned into curd, and then the two are combined. The milk used for the cheese is partially skimmed, as much of the cream is removed (and used for butter or another dairy product) before it is heated, fermented with some of the whey saved from the previous batch, and coagulated. The curd is then cut into tiny pieces and heated before it is finally wrapped in cloth and placed in large wooden molds. The cheese is left in the molds for several days, then it is soaked in a salty brine for about three weeks. Finally, it is aged for at least a year, and for up to 3, even 4, years, before it is marketed.
PEPERONCINI Hot peppers are used mostly in southern Italy. The type varies from town to town, but the word peperoncini generally refers to the same crushed red chile flakes we find at the pizzeria. Most of us know our own preference for heat levels—I like a lot. I also like to use fresh chile peppers, especially the Mexican varieties like jalapeños, serranos, and sometimes even super-hot habaneros, in many Italian dishes.
PIMENTÓN Pimentón is smoked Spanish paprika, and it’s incredibly aromatic. The best comes from La Vera in Extramadura, and pimentón de la Vera is labeled denominación de origen (D.O.C.), signaling its unique status. There are three types of pimentón: picante (hot), dulce (sweet), and agridulce (bittersweet). Pimentón is available in many gourmet shops, or order it online (see Sources); La Chinata is one of the best brands.
PINE NUTS Pine nuts are the seeds from the