RECIPES FROM NOVEMBER 8 COOKING CLASS AT WHOLE FOODS


Darin and me in the culinary center at Whole Foods.
 

Menu

Passatelli
Roasted Turkey Breast with Rosemary and Moscato
Parmesan Mashed Potatoes with Sage Butter
Green Beans with Walnuts and Nocino
Panettone Cake with Marsala Cream


PASSATELLI  (Spiced holiday soup from Romagna)
Serves 12

In my family we make passatelli every year on Christmas day and sometimes at Easter. This recipe came from my great-grandmother Eva Candelari. “Passatelli” refers to the way the noodles are made; the dough is pressed through holes in a special disc to form little dumplings similar to spaetzle. Use a fresh loaf of plain white Italian or French bread for this recipe and not dried or commercially made bread crumbs, so that the dough will be moist enough to work with easily. The bread can be torn into pieces and chopped in a food processor until it is very finely crumbled.

TOOLS NEEDED: A passatelli iron or a food mill fitted with largest disc (1/4” holes, no smaller), or an enamel colander with large holes
                         A large hand-held grater OR a food processor
                         A microplaner, fine-holed grater or lemon zester
 
BROTH
1 or 2 chickens (or substitute 3 quarts of organic chicken broth mixed with 1 quart water)
1 piece of beef such as round steak, oxtail, etc. (about a pound)
½ stalk celery
3 or 4 carrots
1 onion
 
Cook beef in a large stockpot with some water, salt and pepper. Add the chicken (or broth) and vegetables and more water if needed to just cover the chicken. Simmer for 1 hour or longer. Strain the broth and reserve 1 quart for another use.
Chickens can be deboned and saved or frozen for another use. Keep the broth hot while you prepare the passatelli.
 
PASSATELLI
3 cups fresh bread crumbs (1 large loaf of Italian or French bread will yield 3 cups or more)
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (not shredded)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
½ t. allspice
6 eggs
1 lemon, zested
 salt if needed
 
Combine the dry ingredients and the lemon zest together in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add the eggs. Work the dry ingredients into the eggs with your hands. Stop mixing as soon as all the dry ingredients have been incorporated; the dough should resemble the texture of cooked soft polenta or grits.  Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel while you make the noodles: Break off a bit of the dough and using a passatelli iron or a food mill, press the dough through the holes to form noodles that resemble spaetzle.** Drop them into simmering strained broth and cook briefly until they rise to the top of the soup. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and pass additional cheese at the table.
 
** Note: Extra eggs or a bit of water can be added to the dough if it is too stiff for the food mill.



ROASTED TURKEY BREAST WITH ROSEMARY AND MOSCATO
Serves 6-8

My grandmother always “fried” her chickens in a sweet white wine, which gave me the inspiration for this recipe, and I’ve never tasted anything anywhere as good. You can use an inexpensive moscato, or splurge on a split of very good Sauterne. I can taste the difference in the final result, but my grandmother never would have used anything fancier than jug wine. The seasonings here are simple, but they combine and disappear into an absolutely seductive flavor.
 
1 natural turkey breast with breastbone in, 6 to 7 pounds
meat thermometer for roasting
turkey baster for basting
¼ cup olive oil
2 large sprigs fresh rosemary (do not substitute dried)
6 pieces of garlic, peeled but left whole
1 cup moscato, sauterne, or other sweet white wine
2 cups water or chicken broth
1 tablespoon cognac
2 whole cloves
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon butter
pepper and salt
 
Preheat the oven to 325F. Choose a roasting pan large enough for the turkey breast that will also catch and reserve pan juices. Use a roasting rack set into the pan, if you have one. Rub the turkey breast with some of the olive oil and season generously with pepper and salt. Add the rest of the olive oil to the bottom of the roasting pan along with the garlic and the rosemary. Place the turkey breast on top. Insert the thermometer into the thickest section of the turkey breast, away from the bone. Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. When the oil and garlic have begun to sizzle, pour in the moscato and 1 cup of water or broth. Continue roasting, basting frequently with pan juices, for another 1-1/2 to 2 hours.  Temperature should read from 165 to no more than 170 F. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.
 
While the turkey is resting, place the roasting pan over medium heat. Remove the rosemary and garlic from the pan and discard. Whisk together the flour, cognac and remaining 1 cup of water and stir into pan drippings. Drop in the whole cloves. Continue stirring until the pan is deglazed and the sauce begins to simmer and thicken. Swirl in the butter. Remove the cloves, transfer to a serving dish, and serve with the sliced turkey.



PARMESAN MASHED POTATOES WITH SAGE BUTTER
Serves 6-8
 
 
5 large baking (russet) potatoes, peeled*
1 cup whole milk, warmed
½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup unsalted butter
6 or more fresh sage leaves (do NOT substitute dried sage)
pepper and salt
 
Set a cup of milk on the stovetop to warm while you make the potatoes. Cut the potatoes up into rough 1-1/2 inch chunks. Place them in a large pot of cold water. Bring the water to a boil and add a handful of coarse salt. Cook the potatoes until they pierce easily without crumbling or breaking. Drain them immediately, return them to the empty pot, and cover them, with a layer of folded paper towels under the cover. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan. When it is hot and the solids have risen to the top, add the sage leaves and cook them gently in the butter until they turn brown and crisp. Remove them and set them aside to cool. Mash the potatoes in their pot by hand, adding milk as needed to keep them creamy. Drizzle in half  of the butter and stir in the grated cheese.  Add the nutmeg, then taste and correct for pepper and salt. Add more butter if desired. Garnish each serving with a crispy sage leaf, and pass any remaining butter at the table.

* Try this recipe using 5 cups of cooked polenta instead of the potatoes. Polenta is also fantastic as a side dish with roast pork or beef goulash.



GREEN BEANS WITH WALNUTS AND NOCINO
Serves 4

Nocino is a liqueur made from green walnuts. The liqueur is scented with holiday spices and has a nice aromatic effect here. If you can’t find nocino you could substitute amaretto, but use only half the amount called for.  

1 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed
1 cup water
8 ounces sliced mushrooms, if desired
½ cup walnut halves
2 tablespoons thinly sliced shallots
3 tablespoons walnut oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons nocino liqueur
2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)
pepper and salt
 
 
Cut the beans into bite-size pieces if desired, or split them lengthwise, French-style. Add them to a skillet with the water. Bring to a simmer and let them cook for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the walnut halves and shallots in the walnut oil over medium heat until the onions begin to crisp and the nuts begin to turn dark brown. Remove them, then add the butter and the mushroom slices (if using). Cook over medium-high heat until the mushrooms are well-browned. Sprinkle with pepper and salt.
 
Drain the green beans and return them to the skillet. Add the mushroom mixture and toss over medium-low heat to combine. Add the nocino and simmer gently for a few minutes. Add the cream, stir well, and season again with pepper and salt. Allow the beans to return to a simmer, then transfer them to a serving dish. Scatter the walnuts over the beans and serve hot.


PANETTONE CAKE WITH MARSALA CREAM

PREPARATION: Preheat oven to 325F. Fold down the top of a paper bag (one that measures 3 1/2 x 6 inches on the bottom) to form a cuff so bag stands about 4 inches high. Butter inside of bag generously, or spray with cooking spray.

1 egg
2 egg yolks
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil  
1 tbsp. grated orange peel
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. each: raisins, chocolate morsels, and chopped dark sweet cherries
2 2/3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. mace
1/2 tsp. salt
½ cup sherry
1/2 c. milk
 
In large bowl, beat egg, egg yolks and sugar together until thick and pale yellow. Beat in oil; then add orange peel, vanilla, raisins, chocolate and cherries.
In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, mace and salt. Blend half the dry ingredients into egg mixture. Stir in half the milk and half the sherry, add remaining dry ingredients and mix well. Add remaining liquids and blend. Pour the batter into the prepared paper bag. Place the bag onto a baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour or until well browned and a wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool before gently peeling the paper bag away from the cake. Slice as you would a loaf of bread, and serve with a dollop of the marsala cream.
 
Marsala Cream:
4 ounces mascarpone
½ cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Marsala
½ teaspoon almond extract

The cake bakes in a paper bag – HA!

 

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