tag:www.delaurenti.com,2009:/recipes//1 2009-05-14T07:37:47Z Movable Type 3.33 tag:www.delaurenti.com,2009:/recipes//1.239 2009-05-14T07:34:07Z 2009-05-14T07:37:47Z

Winning recipe for this year's Seattle Cheese Festival Grilled Cheese Sandwich Contest!

Pat Winning recipe for this year's Seattle Cheese Festival Grilled Cheese Sandwich Contest! Peel the onion and cut it in half. Slice each into thin half rings. Melt 2 tbsp. of the butter in a skillet. Add the onion and stir to combine. Pour all but about 2 ounces of the beer over the onions in the skillet and cook them down over medium heat stirring occasionally until all the beer evaporates and the onions are soft. Mix the last 2 ounces of the beer with the softened butter until combined. This is best done by "smooshing" the butter into the beer with the back of a spoon over and over again in a small ceramic bowl. Butter each slice of bread liberally. Place the buttered (side) of the bread into a skillet over medium heat and top with 1 ounce of each of the two kinds of shredded cheese. Put a generous spoonful of the softened onions on top of the cheese. Cook for about 4 minutes on the first side, then flip it and cook about 2 minutes on the second side until the onions melt into the cheese and the bread is brown and crusty. tag:www.delaurenti.com,2009:/recipes//1.237 2009-03-05T18:56:45Z 2009-03-05T19:05:26Z

My wife's family calls the soupy remains at the bottom of any dish "mogi-mogi" (pronounced "mo-gee, mo-gee"). I'm not sure why but it's probably Italian dialect or slang for "eat-it, eat-it". In any event, it's what they fight over at the end of the meal. I've only been around for about 20 years but I'm getting pretty good at the mogi-mogi grab. When you want to force the mogi-mogi, make bagna cauda.

Pat My wife's family calls the soupy remains at the bottom of any dish "mogi-mogi" (pronounced "mo-gee, mo-gee"). I'm not sure why but it's probably Italian dialect or slang for "eat-it, eat-it". In any event, it's what they fight over at the end of the meal. I've only been around for about 20 years but I'm getting pretty good at the mogi-mogi grab. When you want to force the mogi-mogi, make bagna cauda. Heat butter and EVOO on low until melted. Add garlic and saute gently a few minutes. Add anchovies and let them break down gently. Serve in a heated ramekin or bowl with veggies/bread surrounding. Dive in. Prosecco is perfect with this appetizer. For that matter, Prosecco is great with almost every appetizer! tag:www.delaurenti.com,2009:/recipes//1.234 2009-02-12T22:19:01Z 2009-02-12T22:26:19Z

Since we have wonderful fresh buckwheat pasta in the shop now, you have to try this recipe.

Pat Since we have wonderful fresh buckwheat pasta in the shop now, you have to try this recipe. In a medium pot of boiling salted water, cook the eggs for 5 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water. This is important, as you want the eggs to be soft-boiled. In another pot of boiling salted water, boil the pasta until it's done and drain. In a medium skillet, heat the rest of the olive oil, add the leek then cook over medium heat until translucent. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the mascarpone, then the cream and finally the butter. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Add the roasted mushrooms, cooked pasta and spinach to the skillet and toss. Plate the pasta. Peel and halve the eggs lengthwise, adding one to each bowl. Finish the pasta with the Reggiano and serve. ]]> tag:www.delaurenti.com,2008:/recipes//1.226 2008-11-22T17:19:09Z 2008-11-22T17:23:25Z

Pat Boil the pasta in salted water for about 2 minutes (for fresh; 10-15 for dried). Drain the pasta, pour it back into the pot over the pat of butter. Salt lightly and plate. For showmanship, say the following, "Allora. Mia creazione!". Barbera d'Alba was created for this dish. tag:www.delaurenti.com,2008:/recipes//1.225 2008-11-22T17:14:31Z 2008-11-22T17:17:22Z

Pat Boil the pasta in salted water for about 2 minutes (for fresh; 10-15 for dried). Drain the pasta, pour it back into the pot over the pat of butter. Salt lightly and plate. Shave the truffle over the pasta AT THE TABLE. Showmanship is not overrated. Barbera D'Alba, of course. tag:www.delaurenti.com,2008:/recipes//1.218 2008-10-11T00:36:25Z 2008-10-11T00:42:15Z

Michele and I had this the other night at a restaurant out of town and thought it would be great as a spread on a sandwich (rosemary cotto, cannellini bean spread, arugula) or as just a nice addition to your antipasto plate atop toasted bread.

Pat Michele and I had this the other night at a restaurant out of town and thought it would be great as a spread on a sandwich (rosemary cotto, cannellini bean spread, arugula) or as just a nice addition to your antipasto plate atop toasted bread. Toss all the ingredients into a food processor and blend to your desired consistency. As noted above, this spread with toasted bread should be enough to keep your guests at bay while you slave over their next meal. tag:www.delaurenti.com,2008:/recipes//1.214 2008-08-27T17:40:33Z 2008-08-27T19:59:04Z

We just tasted about a dozen BLTs (and PLTs - "P" as in Pancetta) to include on our menu for the cafe so we have bacon on our mind. We tossed around a few ideas, and this one came up as an amalgamation of a couple of recipes: the BLT with a fried egg and the BLT as a salad. I think you'll like what came out of this brainstorming session....

Pat We just tasted about a dozen BLTs (and PLTs - "P" as in Pancetta) to include on our menu for the cafe so we have bacon on our mind. We tossed around a few ideas, and this one came up as an amalgamation of a couple of recipes: the BLT with a fried egg and the BLT as a salad. I think you'll like what came out of this brainstorming session.... One egg = one salad. This recipe assumes you're eating alone. Mix the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, and dress the salad. Wrap the tomato wedges with 1/2 slice of bacon and fry them on all sides. Fry the egg in the bacon fat! Set the wedges and fried egg on the dressed greens, drop in the croutons and go at it. tag:www.delaurenti.com,2008:/recipes//1.210 2008-07-01T18:18:59Z 2008-07-01T18:26:11Z

Get a vine ripened tomato and have this for dinner tonight.

Pat Get a vine ripened tomato and have this for dinner tonight. Assemble the sandwich. tag:www.delaurenti.com,2008:/recipes//1.201 2008-04-23T19:30:25Z 2008-04-23T19:35:16Z

Pat tag:www.delaurenti.com,2007:/recipes//1.188 2007-12-07T18:56:36Z 2007-12-07T18:58:30Z

Pasta making is simple, messy and rewarding. In the time it takes to watch the good part of 60 Minutes, you and yours can make delicate, tasty pasta. Once you figure out how to make the pasta, of course the opportunities are endless. Master the pasta part of this recipe then get creative (but whatever you do, do not make chocolate ravioli - that's sacrilegious).

Pat Pasta making is simple, messy and rewarding. In the time it takes to watch the good part of 60 Minutes, you and yours can make delicate, tasty pasta. Once you figure out how to make the pasta, of course the opportunities are endless. Master the pasta part of this recipe then get creative (but whatever you do, do not make chocolate ravioli - that's sacrilegious). Saute the sausage in the oil, breaking it up with a wooden spoon while it browns. Sauté until you don't see pink. Add the tomatoes and the Ariost. Crush the tomatoes as you did with the sausage. Reduce over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Boil the pasta (should take about 2-3 minutes) then add it to the sauce in the pan. Toss in the pan and serve warm. You could grate some Reggiano, but that's gilding the lily, frankly. tag:www.delaurenti.com,2007:/recipes//1.187 2007-12-07T18:54:26Z 2007-12-07T18:56:01Z

Master the pasta part of this recipe then get creative (but whatever you do, do not make chocolate ravioli - that's sacrilegious).

Pat Master the pasta part of this recipe then get creative (but whatever you do, do not make chocolate ravioli - that's sacrilegious). Make a well on a wood or marble surface (wood tends to be better because it stays warmer). Crack the eggs in the well and start whisking the flour into the eggs gently until the flour is absorbed by the eggs. With your hands, fold the dough into a ball then start kneading it. Don't be gentle but be consistent. Kneed firmly with the heel of your palm, folding the dough over itself, then turn it counterclockwise (or clockwise, whatever you prefer - just do it the same way each time). You're finished kneading the dough (about 5 minutes) when the ball barely holds its shape. This is a subjective thing. There's no exact right time when it's done so be open to experimenting with this recipe. If you have any questions, please email me any time: pat@delaurenti.com. Wrap your dough ball in plastic and let it set for about 30 minutes before rolling it out for pasta. Roll it as thin as you want your pasta, remembering that thinner is often better, especially when doing filled pasta. Cut it with a knife and let stand for 5 minutes before cooking. If you do a filled pasta (ravioli, tortellini, etc.), fill the squares immediately, then line the edges of the pasta squares with warm water (this will be your glue), drop in some filling (fresh ricotta and fresh parsley is great) and press the edges together firmly. tag:www.delaurenti.com,2007:/recipes//1.185 2007-11-07T23:08:33Z 2007-11-07T23:10:29Z

I saw fresh porcini mushrooms in the Market yesterday (Sossio's) and despite their cost, the weather demanded their inclusion with prosciutto in this newsletter's recipe.

Pat I saw fresh porcini mushrooms in the Market yesterday (Sossio's) and despite their cost, the weather demanded their inclusion with prosciutto in this newsletter's recipe. This goes great with a simply prepared steak or pork tenderloin - oh and a wine that begins with the letter "B" (Barbera, Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello).]]> tag:www.delaurenti.com,2007:/recipes//1.181 2007-08-30T19:11:52Z 2007-08-30T19:18:29Z

Verdicchio sounds good with this little dish, don't you think?

Pat Verdicchio sounds good with this little dish, don't you think? tag:www.delaurenti.com,2007:/recipes//1.175 2007-06-28T19:16:58Z 2007-06-28T19:21:38Z

This is another version of asparagus wrapped in prosciutto but it's the best one and the easiest.

Pat This is another version of asparagus wrapped in prosciutto but it's the best one and the easiest. (OK, a quick side-note on Prosciutto thickness: Prosciutto should be sliced thin, but not too thin. If you have to ask your wife to scrape it off the paper because she has longer finger nails, it's too thin. If you can stack it like drywall, it's too thick. Perfectly sliced prosciutto is opaque, not see-through -- as thick as two pieces of paper, not one.) Cut the firm ends off the asparagus. A good way to do this is to take one spear and bend it until it snaps. Wherever it snaps along its length is where you cut the other spears. Wrap each spear with prosciutto. A well wrapped spear is one where you can see about an inch of asparagus on each end and you have two layers of prosciutto around the spear. Heat the olive oil and drop half the spears into the pan. Sauté the spears for about 3 minutes over medium heat or until the prosciutto smells good and starts to crisp. Place spears on a platter and sprinkle the Reggiano over it all. Serve warm. Repeat when needed. Pinot Grigio or Vernaccia di San Giminano would be great with this! tag:www.delaurenti.com,2007:/recipes//1.172 2007-06-06T06:14:51Z 2007-06-06T06:21:10Z

Seems weird but very easy to make and endless in its possibilities. You could buy our frozen dough balls, roll them out and cut mini pizzas out of it if you're in a hurry, but you'll be more satisfied if you make the dough yourself.

Pat Seems weird but very easy to make and endless in its possibilities. You could buy our frozen dough balls, roll them out and cut mini pizzas out of it if you're in a hurry, but you'll be more satisfied if you make the dough yourself. Dilute the yeast in the water for about 20 minutes. Sift the flour in a large bowl or onto a dusted board/counter. Make a puddle with the yeasted water, adding the salt and oil, too. Knead dough until it no longer sticks to your hands. In a lightly oiled bowl, place the dough ball and cover with a dish towel for about 90 minutes. The dough will double in size - when it does, punch it down then take it out, cutting it into small pieces. From here, you will make your pizza crusts. Make them any size you want. Smaller (4"-6") is better as they are easier to control on the grill and you can try lots of different topping this way. Toppings Anything you want. My favorite ingredients are mushrooms, capers, fontina cheese, prosciutto - whatever you like. Grilling Grill the pizza crusts without the toppings for about 2 minutes over a hot flame (you are basically pre-baking the crust). Take them off, top them, then throw them back on for another 3-4 minutes. If you burn the edges, you've succeeded!