Molto Gusto_ Easy Italian Cooking - Mario Batali [57]
PIQUILLO PEPPERS Piquillos are triangular-shaped small peppers from Spain’s Navarra region (although they are now grown in other countries, including Peru). They are roasted over hardwood fires, then jarred or canned in their juices, and the subtle smokiness of the roasted sweet peppers elevates them far above ordinary jarred roasted peppers. You can find them in gourmet markets or order them online; see Sources.
PORCINI POWDER Porcini powder imparts a deep, earthy fragrance to meats, stews, and other dishes. You can buy porcini powder at some gourmet markets and online, but we make our own at the restaurants by grinding dried porcini mushrooms very fine in a spice or coffee grinder. An ounce of dried porcini will yield about ¼ cup powder. Stored in a tightly sealed jar in a cool, dark place, porcini powder keeps almost indefinitely.
PROSCIUTTO Prosciutto is salt-cured, air-dried aged Italian ham. Until fairly recently, prosciutto di Parma, sometimes called Parma ham, was the only type known here, but now several other excellent types are also imported. Prosciutto di Parma comes from Emilia-Romagna and is succulent and delicious. Prosciutto di San Daniele, from Friuli-Venezia, has a slightly sweeter taste. Prosciutto de Carpegna, from a small mountain town in Le Marche, is especially fragrant and delicate. Domestic prosciutto is an unacceptable substitute, so bite the bullet and splurge.
The most important tip is to buy your prosciutto from a shop that sells a lot of it—the less time that elapses after a ham is first cut into, the less chance it has to oxidize or dry out. The second most important tip is to have it sliced on a good machine and to have the butcher lay it carefully, not overlapping, on wax-coated paper, not parchment. Prosciutto does not hold well once it is sliced, even if done the right way, so buy just enough for a day or two—and return often to the shop, to help the prosciutto itself.
PROVOLONE Provolone, originally from southern Italy, is the Italian cheese with the greatest variety of shapes and weights, reflecting its ancient origins and deep roots. Each community that produces it has its own characteristic shape. The flavor becomes tangier and the texture flakier as the cheese ages. An excellent table cheese, provolone can be found in smoked versions as well. It is also a good cooking cheese because of its ability to stretch, melt, and flirt with other flavors in a dish. Be sure to buy Italian provolone, not the bland domestic version they slice at the deli.
RICOTTA Fresh ricotta is not really a cheese, but a product of the cheese-making process. Its name means “recooked,” and it refers to the fact that it is made from whey that is heated twice. The whey left over from the daily cheese making is heated until it forms curds that separate out and rise to the surface of the liquid. The curds are then drained, traditionally in rush baskets, and the result is ricotta. Italian ricotta is usually made from whey from sheep’s or water buffalo milk (most American ricotta is made from cow’s-milk whey). It has a mild, nutty, sweet flavor and a drier texture than typical American ricotta.
In Italy, fresh ricotta is sold by weight and comes wrapped in wax-coated paper. If possible, ask to taste fresh ricotta before purchasing it to make sure it’s fresh. If it feels prickly on your tongue or tastes sharp and/or fruity, it’s not.
Ricotta salata, which originally came from Sicily but today is also produced in Sardinia and elsewhere in Italy, is sheep’s-milk ricotta that is salted, pressed, and aged for at least 3 months. It has a mild, sweet, slightly nutty flavor. It can be used in salads and pasta dishes or shaved or grated over bruschetta toppings, such as the broccoli