Fabio's Penne, Stuffed Rabbit & Botromagno
As of this writing (mid-August) it has gotten tremendously hot -- the sort of weather that makes one pack up and head for the coast in search of relief; the normally placid commute from Florence to Versilia has suddenly become exciting, in part because traffic is several times heavier than normal and most of the people on the highway are in a tremendous hurry, and in part because it hasn't rained for months and there are wildfires blazing in the mountains and along the roads.
It's the sort of weather that's perfect for reading Newsgroups -- where I found Francesco's "Le Penne alla Panna di Fabio," a wonderfully nostalgic recipe he's been kind enough to let me share:
Penne alla Panna di Fabio -- Fabio's Penne in Cream Sauce
"I've got to think back 20 years to when Fabio, who was then the Chef at Paraggi's Carillion, "performed" this easy dish that manages to be both everyday fare and quite distinct from other dishes like it. He made it clear from the outset that the penne had to be smooth-sided: because their slippery sides will form a perfect bond with the cream and Parmigiano of the sauce.
"The unsalted water was already on the fire, and close to boiling.
"In a large skillet, he melted a generous chunk of sweet butter, together with a little oil, which he said would keep the butter from browning. In the meantime he finely sliced a small onion, using a knife rather than a mezzaluna, to produce the slenderest strips of onion, and then cut several slices of prosciutto (about a half pound or thereabouts) by stacking the slices, rolling them up the way one might a salami, and cutting across them; he'd separate the individual slices by tossing what he'd cut in the palm of his hand, letting the slices run gently through his fingers the way my mother used to when she was cutting tagliatelle (pasta similar to fettuccine).
"He already had ready a handful (not just a pinch) of finely minced lean beef; one of the restaurant's most popular entrées was filet in a green peppercorn sauce and he would use the lean trimmings to make his minced meat. He salted the meat but didn't add pepper.
"In the meantime the water came to a boil, and he added the salt, saying it should only be added once the water is already boiling.
"To the butter he added the prosciutto, whose rendered fat added to the grease already in the skillet, and the onion. All over the lowest of flames, so that the ingredients would color without burning. Almost immediately thereafter he added the ground beef, and while it was browning he stirred in a half a ladle-full of cooked peas, which must have been canned, as frozen peas would have been too sweet to go well with the other ingredients.
"And then the pasta went into the water! And at the same time the first addition of fresh cream to the skillet, which began to bind with the other ingredients, making a liquid sauce that thickened but not completely.
"I realized that this was like one of those old precision timing competitions, with the goal being to have the sauce just ready when the pasta was done. The penne were drained al dente and finished cooking tossed in the skillet with the sauce, to which he added a bit more cream and a healthy handful of grated cheese. When he raised the skillet from the fire I remember there was still some liquid between the penne, which thickened as he crossed the restaurant to serve the pasta directly from the skillet.
"Fabio left the Carillon in the early 80s, to open a restaurant on Sardegna's Costa Smeralda, which was a glorious success. Alas, he wasn't yet 40 when the aromas from his kitchen reached paradise, and the hungry angels called him home."
Like most cooks, Fabio worked by eye and didn't give quantities -- however, 1/2 pound of prosciutto would probably be sufficient, as an ingredient in a sauce, to serve 4-6 people. I would also figure about a quarter pound of ground beef, since this is not a meat sauce per se. How much butter at the beginning? About 3 tablespoons, with a tablespoon of oil as well. How much cream? I'd want to have a pint on hand (500 ml), though I'd not expect to use it all. The first addition to the skillet would probably be about 3/4 cup (200 ml), and I'd add more as necessary, keeping in mind that the pasta shouldn't be dry, nor should it be swimming in a soup. How much cheese? 3/4 of a cup to a cup to stir into the pasta as it's cooking in the skillet, and more at the table. Finally, how much pasta? A pound.
Comparing Fabio's sauce and Alfredo
If you look at the list of ingredients Fabio used -- butter, cream, olive oil, prosciutto, ground beef, peas -- you'll realize that this is quite similar to what's known in the US as an Alfredo sauce, albeit more elaborate. It will also be much more interesting: If you think about it, an Alfredo sauce made with butter, cream and grated cheese may be rich, but it is also remarkably bland unless there's a lot of cheese and quite a bit of grated pepper (and perhaps a pinch of nutmeg). As such, though it can work well with stuffed pasta, assuming it doesn't clash with the ingredients of the filling, it won't be very exciting on plain pasta. Indeed, in Italy one would never serve it to company, even if they appear unexpectedly -- the standard whipped-together-pasta-sauce is spaghetti aglio e olio, pasta with olive oil, garlic and hot pepper, which is also the one pasta sauce that almost all Italian men know how to make.
The addition of prosciutto to the cream sauce, with or without peas, works wonders and makes for a much more interesting dish worthy of a restaurant. I had never encountered the use of ground beef before discovering Fabio's recipe, but think it could work well, especially if the pasta is a one-course meal to be served with a tossed salad. The other substitution that will work well is cooked ham (diced or finely sliced) instead of prosciutto -- the dish will still be tasty, but considerably less expensive. The peas add a pleasant note of color, assuming you like green and peas. Though Fabio used the canned variety, if fresh peas are available they will be much better -- cook a cup until tender in a little water, with a small bunch of parsley and half a small onion, seasoning them to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the onion and the parsley sprigs before stirring the peas into the sauce. Finally, this cream sauce, without the ground beef, will also work quite well with tortellini and other types of meat-filled pasta.
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Graziella's Stuffed Rabbit
The arrival at the coast was occasion for wonderment of many kinds -- the joy of diving into bracingly cool water, and also of enjoying boned stuffed rabbit afterwards. This is my mother-in-law's recipe, which will also work well with boned chicken, and (we think) with turkey breast. In summer it's excellent served cool, whereas it's nice hot when it's cold outside. To serve 4-6, you'll need:
- 1 cleaned, skinned rabbit, weighing about 2 1/2 pounds, boned (discard the head too)
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- The leaves of a sprig of rosemary
- A quarter pound (or perhaps a little more) sliced ham
- A carrot
- 7 or 8 pitted black olives, minced
- Salt & pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Boiling water
- The juice of a lemon, or 1/4 cup dry white wine
Soak the rabbit for several hours in a couple of quarts of water acidulated with the vinegar. Pat the rabbit dry, flatten it out, and season it with salt, pepper, and the rosemary leaves. Lay the ham over the meat, sprinkle it with the olives, place the carrot along one edge, and roll the meat up around the carrot. Tie it with string, season it with salt and pepper, and brown it on all sides in the olive oil. Add enough boiling water to come half way up the meat and simmer, uncovered, turning occasionally. When the water has evaporated almost entirely turn it this way and that to brown it on all sides. Then sprinkle it with the lemon juice or wine and transfer it to a serving dish. Whisk the drippings left in the bottom of the pan, slice the meat, and pour the drippings over the slices. Serve with a zesty red wine, for example a Bardolino or a Chianti d'annata, or a fruity white wine, for example a Vernaccia di San Gimignano, a Fiano, or the Gravina discussed below.
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Botromagno's 1997 Vintages
When I went to Vinitaly in 1997, one of my most interesting discoveries was Botromagno. This year's wines are easily as good as last year's and things look rosy indeed for them: they've signed a contract with Winebeau, one of the major American importers.
Gravina DOC is a blend of Greco di Tufo, which is locally known as Reico, Malvasia Lunga and Bianco di Alesano; Botromagno is in the enviable position of being the only people who produce it. The 1997 vintage is a pale gold with gold highlights, and has an elegant, very clean bouquet laced with honeysuckle, floral notes and peach flowers. On the palate it is full, rather languid, and with nice fruit and a very clean, mild, slightly acidic fruit finish. It will go quite nicely with delicate fish dishes, steamed fish, and mild fish-based antipasti; it could also work nicely as an aperitif.
Silvium is a Rosato delle Murge, a pale salmon-colored rosé. It has a delicate bouquet lightly laced with honeysuckle, and on the palate is quite gentle, with nice fruit and some smooth well rounded tannins. It's well balanced, warm on the finish, and extremely clean; it will work nicely as an aperitif, or with fish or white meats, going a little further afield it will be quite nice with tandoori and other Indian dishes, and possibly Thai as well.
Pier di Vigne is 70% Aglianico and 30% Montepulciano d'Abruzzo; the 1993 vintage, which was recently bottled, is a deep purple with a pale pink rim, and has a clean vinous bouquet with floral notes; the cranberry notes typical of Aglianico are not as marked as one might expect, in part because the wine has spent little time in bottle and they are still overshadowed by wood and spice from the barriques. On the palate the wine is rich and full, with good fruit and a pleasing mild acidity; the tannins are smooth and quite round, and become more evident on the finish, which is clean and moderately persistent. It will go nicely with roasts, red meats, grilled salmon, and stews.
The grapes used to make Gravisano, a Passito di Malvasia, spent a month on racks, after which they were soft pressed (the yield is 20%), barrel fermented, and aged in steel. The wine that emerges is a rich gold and well worth seeking out, though it may not be easy to find: The last vintage produced was 1992, which was good last year and has held up impressively: it has an extremely complex, delicate bouquet, with elegant floral notes and dried fruit laced with honey. On the palate it's full, quite sweet, and buttery on the lips; there's lots of concentrated fruit as well. The finish is a little less persistent than it was last year: it simply tapers off, without being cloying, and again leaves you wanting another sip.
Good Food &
Drink,
Kyle Phillips
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