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A glass of Chianti and ...

ANITRA SELVATICA CON PAPPARDELLE
(Wild Duck with Broad Noodles)
Ingredients:
1 wild duck
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
4 tbs. oil
2 tbs. butter
3 oz. prosciutto, cut into strips
1 oz. white wine
1 lb. ripe tomatoes
salt and pepper
1 pinch of fennel seeds
1 lb. fresh pappardelle

Preparation:
Wash and dry the bird and cut into equal pieces. Chop the celery, carrot, and onion and brown in oil, butter and prosciutto in a saucepan. Add the duck and brown well, then splash with wine.

When the wine has evaporated, add the tomatoes seeded, peeled and chopped. Add salt and pepper and cook slowly for l 1/2 hours. Add the fennel seeds and cook for another 20 mins. Remove the pieces of duck and keep them warm.
Strain the sauce, return it to the pan and add the duck. Heat through.

Cook the pappardelle in boiling water, drain and serve with the sauce. Duck can be served on top of the pasta or as a second course, in which case it is better cooked whole so that it can be served more attractively.

PAPPA AL POMODORO
(Tomato and Bread Soup)
Ingredients:
6 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bunches basil, chopped
1 pt. beef or chicken broth
3 lbs. ripe, peeled and seeded tomatoes, cut into large pieces
2 loaves day-old country bread, cubed
salt, black pepper, freshly ground

Preparation:
Heat 4 tbs. olive oil, 3 cloves of garlic and half the chopped basil in a saucepan over a low heat. Do not brown the garlic. Add the tomatoes, cook for 20 mins. and set aside.

Mix 1 tbs. oil, the rest of the garlic with the bread cubes in a baking pan. Add salt and pepper to taste, and bake until golden. Add stewed tomatoes to the bread and the broth; cook for 10 more mins.
Serve into single soup bowls adding the rest of the basil and a dash of extra-virgin olive oil.

BISTECCA ALLA FIORENTINA
(Broiled T-bone Steak)
Ingredients:
2 T-bone steaks, 2 lbs. each
olive oil
rosemary
salt and pepper

Preparation:
Bush the meat with oil, salt, pepper and rosemary and marinade the meat for one hour.
Broil the meat on aromatic wood, including olive tree wood if possible. Broil 12 mins. on each side (turn it only once). Remove from heat, slice and serve. Each T-bone steak serves 2-3 people.

Tips: the meat may also be grilled without marinating. Simply brush with oil before grilling.
The meat may also be broiled in a kitchen broiler.
The T-bone may be seared on both sides in an iron pan and the roasting finished in the oven at 550lF.

ARROSTO DI VITELLONE BIANCO
(White Veal Roast Cooked in Milk)
Ingredients:
2 lbs. Vitellone Bianco dell’Appenino Centrale(white veal roast)
1/4 lb. sweet ham, in a single slice
1 medium onion
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
Aprutino Pescarese Dop extra virgin olive oil
nutmeg
salt and pepper

Preparation:
Cut the sweet ham into thin strips. Make small incisions in the roast and insert them in. Tie the roast with cooking string. Chop the celery, carrot and onion and brown in a deep casserole with some Aprutino Pescarese extra virgin olive oil.
When translucent place the roast in the pan and brown on all sides. Salt and pepper the roast.

Cover with the milk (use more if necessary). Place a lid on the casserole and cook over a low flame for an hour. The cooking juice should be thick and lumpy. Remove the veal, slice and arrange on a pre-heated dish.

Remove the juice from the casserole sauce and smooth it in a blender adding the heavy cream.
Add the nutmeg. Heat quickly in a small pot. Pour over the sliced veal and serve.

ZUCCHINE AL FORNO CON PECORINO
(Baked Zucchini with Pecorino Cheese)
Ingredients:
For the zucchini:
2 lbs. zucchini
juice of 1 lemon
1 medium chopped onion
4 tbsp. butter
4 oz. grated Pecorino Toscano cheese
4 oz. sliced Pecorino Toscano cheese
For the bechamel:
2 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. butter
3/4 cup milk
salt and white pepper
nutmeg

Preparation:
Wash and remove the ends of the zucchini and cut them into slices. In a pan brown the chopped onion in butter and then add the sliced zucchini. Cook until almost tender.
Prepare the bechamel sauce in a double boiler. First melt the butter, then add the flour, always stirring with a wooden spoon. When you have a paste add the warm milk.

Keep on stirring until you have a homogeneous cream. Add salt, peper and nutmeg to taste.
In a buttered baking dish layer the zucchini, the bechamel sauce and grated Pecorino Toscano cheese.
Cover the top with the sliced cheese. Bake in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes or until the top is well browned.

Buon appetito!

 

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