Cheese and Egg Balls

Cheese And Egg Balls

Pallotte Cacio E Uova

This dish is a rustic specialty born in the mountain villages of Italy’s Abruzzo region. Shepherds and farmers created them with simple, inexpensive ingredients they always had on hand. Today, this humble dish is celebrated as classic comfort food, especially in the highlands, where it is enjoyed with crusty bread to soak up the flavorful sauce.

Ingredients:

Pallotte or Egg Balls:
3 cups (750 mL) coarse fresh bread crumbs (see TIP)
2 large eggs
1 cup (250 mL) finely grated Pecorino Romano
1/2 cup (125 mL) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more to garnish
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup (80 mL) finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground pepper
Olive oil for frying
Tomato Sauce
1/2 cup (125 mL) onion, finely chopped
2 medium-size garlic cloves, finely minced
2 cups (500 g) tomato polpa, such as Mutti
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup (60 mL) small or torn basil leaves
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs, eggs, cheeses, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix everything together with your hands until you get a dough-like consistency. (It should be moist but firm enough to shape into balls. If it feels too wet, add a little more bread crumbs.) Form into balls about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. You should get 10 to 12 balls.

Fill a large sauté pan about one third of the way with olive oil. Place over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully add balls to pan. Cook, gently turning them occasionally, until golden brown and crispy on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Pour off and strain all but 3 tbsp (45 mL) oil into a heatproof container to save for another use. Place pan over medium heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Carefully add tomato polpa—it will splatter—and season with salt and pepper. Simmer sauce for 15 minutes.

Place pallotte (balls) into sauce and simmer for 10 minutes, very gently turning occasionally so they absorb flavours of sauce. Gently transfer to a large shallow bowl. Sprinkle with Parmigiano and basil.
Serves 4

TIP Fresh bread crumbs are made by crumbling stale rustic bread, crusts and all. If bread is hard, soak it in warm water for 5 minutes then squeeze out excess moisture before crumbling.

Barbaresco-Braised Beef With Cacao e Pepe Polenta

Barbaresco-Braised Beef With Cacao e Pepe Polenta

Give short ribs the luxury treatment by braising in a mix of savory vegetables and wine with strong character. When you want to go all out, we call for Barbaresco—its acidity and tannins are good at cutting through the richness of the ribs—but another full-flavored Italian red will also do.

Ingredients:
Braised Beef
5 lbs (2.27 kg) beef short ribs, for six pieces, each 2 × 4-inch
  (5 x 10-cm), or 12 pieces, each 1 × 4-inch (2.5 x 10-cm)
1 tbsp (15 mL) Diamond Crystal sea salt
2 tsp (10 mL) ground black pepper
1 tbsp (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil
3 carrots
3 leeks, white parts only, thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 tbsp (30 mL) tomato paste
2 cups (500 mL) Barbaresco red wine or medium- to full-bodied red 

   wine   

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) homemade or store-bought beef broth

6 fresh thyme sprigs, plus more to garnish
Cacio E Pepe Polenta
3 2/3 cups (900 mL) chicken broth
2 1/4 cups (560 mL) water
1 cup (250 mL) stone-ground cornmeal or polenta (not instant)
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
1 cup (250 mL) freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1 tbsp (15 mL) freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).

Pat short ribs dry with a paper towel. Place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp (15 mL) salt and 2 tsp (10 mL) pepper and rub to coat.

Heat oil in a very large, heavy-bottom oven-safe pot or Dutchoven set over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, brown the short ribs on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes per batch.

When first batch is done, use tongs to remove beef to one side of bowl with salt and pepper. Add uncooked beef to pan and repeat with second batch.

Meanwhile, cut carrots in half crosswise then lengthwise so you have six long pieces from each carrot. When beef-browning is done, remove pot from heat. Pour off fat, leaving about 3 tbsp (45 mL) in the pan.

Set pot over medium-low heat. Immediately add leeks and celery. Scrape up and stir in any brown bits from pot bottom. Sauté vegetables, stirring occasionally and incorporating brown bits as moisture releases from vegetables, until leeks and celery are softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in tomato paste.

Cook, stirring for 2 minutes, being careful not to burn. Stir in wine 

and broth. Add carrots and thyme.  Increase heat to medium-high and bring liquid to a boil.

Submerge short ribs in this mixture, placing them bone up if needed. Slowly braise in centre of preheated oven until very tender, about 

2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove and discard thyme stems. If preparing this the same day you’re serving it, periodically use a spoon to skim off and discard fat from the broth as it braises (as the meat cooks, more 

fat will continue to.rise to the surface).

To prepare polenta, pour broth and water into a large saucepan or pot. Bring to a boil. Slowly stir in cornmeal. Reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk occasionally until polenta is thickened, about 55 to 65 minutes. Whisk more frequently toward the end, making sure to scrape bottom of pan. Stir in butter, Pecorino Romano, freshly ground black pepper and salt until evenly mixed.

Taste and season short ribs and polenta, if you like. Divide polenta, carrots and short ribs between six plates, spooning sauce overtop. Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. Serve warm.  Serves 6

Cacio e Pepe Rolls

 

Cacio e Pepe Rolls

The popular cheesy, peppery pasta provides inspiration for these flaky, savoury rolls. For the best results, use a scale to measure flour, and ensure everything is chilled (except the cream cheese). The rolls can be frozen and baked straight from the freezer for an impromptu cinq à sept celebration.   Makes 12 rolls.  

Ingredients:

Toasted Pepper Cream

1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter

1 tsp (5 mL) freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup (60 mL) soft cream cheese, at room temperature

Dough
3 cups (750 mL) all-purpose flour (390 g), plus more for dusting surface
1 tbsp (15 mL) baking powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) baking soda
2 tsp (10 mL) granulated sugar
2 tsp (10 mL) Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 tsp (5 mL) fine sea salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground pepper
8 oz (225 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch (1-cm) pieces
1 cup (250 mL) chilled buttermilk, plus more as needed for dough and brushing
1 1/4 cups (310 mL) finely grated Pecorino Romano, chilled

Directions:
For the toasted pepper cream, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add pepper and stir until fragrant, about 15 
seconds. Remove from heat and set aside for a few minutes to cool.

Place cream cheese in a medium bowl. Stir until a smooth paste forms. Stir in butter mixture until well combined. Set aside.

To make dough, in a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt and pepper. Scatter in butter. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, work butter into flour until no piece of butter is bigger than a pea. Pour in buttermilk and stir with a fork to combine. When dough is close to coming together, use your hands to mix in the final bits of flour. If the mixture still seems a bit dry, add 1 tsp (5 mL) buttermilk at a time, just until the dough comes together.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and gently pat into a rectangle. Fold into thirds, as you would a letter. Rotate so long side is facing you. Cut in half crosswise and stack the two pieces on top of each other.

Using a rolling pin, gently roll dough into a rectangle and repeat process above.

Roll into a 9 x 12-inch (23 x 30-cm) rectangle with long side facing you. Spread toasted pepper cream to edges of dough. Sprinkle Pecorino Romano evenly overtop. Roll dough onto itself, lengthwise, into a tight coil. Cut log into 12 even rounds. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet at least 2 inches (5 cm) apart, tucking tail of each 
roll underneath. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Place rack in centre of oven and preheat to 400°F (204°C).

Brush biscuit tops with buttermilk. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool a few minutes before serving. (Rolls are best served on the day they are baked. The unbaked rolls can be frozen fully on the tray then transferred to a freezer bag and stored in freezer for up to 1 month. 

Bake from frozen and add a few minutes to the baking time.)

Pasta Cacio e Uova (Neapolitan Pasta With Eggs and Cheese)

Pasta Cacio e Uova 

Neopolitan Pasta With Eggs And Cheese

Why It Works:  Throwing an additional yolk in with the whole eggs increases the overall creaminess without exaggerating the egginess.

The hot pasta cooking water and the residual heat from the toasted pasta indirectly and gently cooks the eggs without scrambling them. Just a little garlic gives flavor depth to this quick and simple dish.With constant stirring and tossing, the eggs tighten up just enough to form a silky sauce. I like to finish the dish with a handful of chopped parsley for a little freshness to cut through the richness of the eggs and cheese. Next time you're out of guanciale or pancetta, but in the mood for carbonara, don't despair! Make cas' e ova instead.

Ingredients:

2 large eggs (110g), plus 1 large egg yolk (15g)
2 ounces (60g) finely grated Pecorino Romano
2 ounces (60g) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter, extra-virgin olive oil, or lard 
2 medium garlic cloves (10g), lightly crushed
Kosher salt
12 ounces (340g) dried small tubular pasta such as tubetti, mezze maniche, maccheroncini, or mezzi rigatoni (see note)
1 loosely packed cup (1/2 ounce; 15g) fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, finely chopped (optional)

Directions:
In a large heatproof mixing bowl, whisk together whole eggs and yolk, Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and black pepper. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring and turning cloves occasionally, until garlic begins to soften and turn pale golden, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat.

Meanwhile, in a pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente. Right before pasta finishes cooking, remove garlic cloves from skillet and discard. Using a spider skimmer, transfer pasta to skillet; be sure not to drain boiling pasta cooking water, and reduce heat to a simmer.

Stir and toss pasta rapidly in skillet to evenly coat with butter, then transfer to bowl with egg-cheese mixture, using a rubber spatula to scrape all of the butter into the bowl. Add 3/4 cup (180ml) of reserved pasta cooking water to bowl, and stir to thoroughly combine.

Set bowl over pot of simmering pasta cooking water (making sure bottom of bowl does not touch water) and cook, stirring and scraping down sides of bowl constantly with a rubber spatula, until sauce thickens to a creamy, silky consistency and leaves trails as you stir, about 1 minute, adding more pasta cooking water in 1 tablespoon (15ml) increments as needed to adjust consistency of the sauce.

Remove bowl from heat, add parsley (if using), and stir to combine. Season with salt to taste. Divide between warmed serving bowls, and serve.