Pears Baked in Wine
This recipe calls for the prized Martina pears from the Valle d’Aosta, but use ripe Boscs if you can’t find those. From “Italy for the Gourmet Traveler,” by Fred Plotkin, serves 4-6.
Ingredients
Directions
Wash but do not peel the pears. Place them in a heavy-bottomed pot and pour in the wine to cover the pears completely. (Use a deep, rather than broad, pot so the pears will be submerged in the wine.) Add optional sugar, cover pot, and cook over lowest possible heat 5-6 hours.
When the pears are cooked, the wine will be like a syrup and the flesh of the pear will be guava-
colored. If you use Moscato d’Asti, the flesh of the pear will be golden. Serve at slightly cooler than room temperature.
Wine ideas: If you cook the pears in Moscato d’Asti, pair them with it, too. If you opt for red wine, then you might want to try a sweet red, like a sparkling brachetto. This dessert is also a good excuse to search out Barolo Chinato, an aromatized wine made from Barolo aged with quinine bark, herbs and spices. Not only are its bittersweet flavors fascinating, but it’s also said to be good for digestion. Michele Chiarlo makes a well-distributed version. -Tara Q. Thomas
Nutella Hot Chocolate
This hazelnut hot cocoa rates five stars on recipezaar.com. Posted by “GoKittenGo,” who says it’s a nightly ritual. Makes 1 serving.
Ingredients
Directions
Put Nutella and 1/3 cup milk in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until blended. Add remaining milk, increase heat to medium-high, and whisk until hot and frothy.
Nutella Mousse
Members of recipezaar.com give this easy hazelnut mousse five stars. Posted by “rsarahl,” this recipe makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine heavy cream and coffee granules in a small mixing bowl. Stir until dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add Nutella. Beat with electric mixer on medium for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl, and continue beating for about 1 minute until very soft peaks form.
(Note: Mousse mixture is very soft/loose at this point, but will firm up when chilled.) Divide evenly into individual serving dishes, and chill at least 4 hours.
If desired, top with whipped cream just before serving.
Wine ideas: Brachetto’s lightly sweet strawberry flavors seem made for chocolate, and its gentle bubbles will make a pleasant contrast against the smoothness of this mousse. Banfi’s Rosa Regale and Marenco’s Pineto are two excellent examples. -Tara Q. Thomas
Bagna Cauda
The name comes from bagno caldo which means “hot bath.” It is made by combining butter, olive oil, garlic and anchovies. The mixture is heated and guests use wooden skewers or fondue forks to spear a variety of fresh vegetables which are dipped and warmed. From gourmetsleuth.com, makes about 1 1/2 cups of sauce for 10-12 servings.
Ingredients
Combination of carrots, cauliflower, green beans, cherry tomatoes, green or red peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, washed, dried and cut into bite-sized pieces
Directions
Combine the first 4 ingredients in the blender, whirl just until anchovies and garlic pieces are finely chopped. Pour into a metal or ceramic fondue pot with a very sturdy base. Heat slowly over a direct flame or medium heat just until mixture is bubbly. Then turn down to low just to keep the mixture hot enough to lightly brown the vegetables without burning.
To serve, spear a vegetable and swirl in oil until browned. Hold a piece of bread under vegetable to catch the flavorful drippings.
Wine ideas: Piedmont’s nutty, crisp whites are made for dishes like bagna cauda. Vietti, Valdinera and Tenimenti Fontanafredda make whites from arneis that run $20 or less. -Tara Q. Thomas
Braised Beef Shortribs with Balsamic Shallots and Polenta
Brasato (“braised”) beef is a popular dish by chef Brian Laird of Barolo Grill. Serves 6.
Ingredients
Shortribs:
Balsamic shallots:
Polenta:
Directions
Shortribs: In a deep skillet, brown seasoned shortribs on all sides. Remove from pan. Add vegetables to skillet and sauté 8 minutes. Add ribs back to skillet. Add wine, simmer for 1 hour. Add beef stock, cover and simmer for 2 hours or until meat is falling apart.
Remove meat from pan, strain liquid, return liquid to pan and reduce by one-third (sauce should be thick enough to stick to spoon).
Shallots: Sauté until caramelized to a golden brown. Add balsamic vinegar and red wine. On very low heat, reduce until liquid completely evaporated.
Polenta: Bring water (or milk) to boil. Slowly stir in polenta, reduce heat and cook 40 minutes, constantly stirring. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a shallow pan and allow to set. When set, you can cut it into triangles as shown.
To serve: Cut polenta into triangles and warm in oven. Pool reduced sauce in a shallow bowl, place shortribs and polenta triangles into sauce. Garnish with rosemary sprig.
Wine ideas: An old Barolo would be excellent with this dish, but if you don’t happen to have a bottle aging in your wine cellar, don’t fret. Look for a wine made from the same grape (nebbiolo) but from a less exalted appellation, such as Langhe or Alba. A couple choices: Bruno Giacosa 2003 Nebbiolo d’Alba or Prinsi 2001 Langhe Vigneto Sandrina. -Tara Q. Thomas
Tonnato (Tuna) Sauce
Tonnato sauce is a traditional accompaniment to many dishes in Piedmont, including roasted veal, tomatoes and tartare, says Barolo Grill chef Brian Laird. In this photo, an oven-roasted tomato is filled with a poached egg and placed over the sauce.
Ingredients
3 1/2 to 4 cans high-quality canned tuna (or fresh tuna cooked medium)
Directions
Add all ingredients, except olive oil, to food processor. Purée for 30 seconds. Slowly add olive oil until well-combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Wine ideas: You’re going to want a white wine with this dish, as reds have a tendency to go tinny against fish. Arneis has both the body and the acidity to match the sauce. – Tara Q. Thomas
Il Bicerin
Native to Turin, this chocolate-coffee drink, pronounced bee-cheh-REEN, is hard to find in this country. Venchi’s Cacao Due Vecchi cocoa, produced in the Piedmont region of Italy and sold at DiPalo Fine Foods (200 Grand St., New York City, 212-226-
1033), yields thick, rich hot chocolate that can be sweetened to taste. The cost is $8.99 for 250 grams, or about 9 ounces. From The New York Times, makes 2 drinks.
Ingredients
Water
Directions
At least 15 minutes before making bicerin, place stainless steel cocktail shaker or jar in freezer. Fill 2 water goblets or Irish coffee mugs with hot tap water.
In small saucepan combine chocolate with about 2/3 cup water and set over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes until chocolate coats spoon. Add sugar. Shut off heat.
Empty glasses and wipe dry. Remove shaker or jar from freezer, add cream and shake vigorously 1 minute. Make espresso. To each glass or mug add a shot of espresso and 1/3 cup chocolate, and carefully spoon 1/3 cup cream over top. Serve immediately. Makes 2 drinks.
Ossi di Morti
Almond Meringue Cookies
These brittle treats owe their morbid-sounding name, which means “bones of the dead,” to the fact that they are made every Nov. 2 to celebrate All Souls’ Day. Some versions are formed into the shape of shank bones or whole skeletons. From “Saveur Cooks Authentic Italian,” makes about 20 cookies.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 325.
Sift sugar, flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add egg whites and beat with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. Stir in almonds. Dough will be quite loose. Spoon dough by tablespoonful onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 2-3 inches apart. Bake until light golden brown, 16-18 minutes.
Remove cookies from oven and set aside on racks to let cool completely before peeling off parchment.
Wine ideas: Light and crunchy, these cookies are best enjoyed with a cup of hot chocolate-like the Nutella- enriched version in this section. – Tara Q. Thomas
Tajarin with Gorgonzola e Noci
Tagliolini Pasta with Gorgonzola and Walnuts
“Tajarin” is a Piedmontese name for tagliolini, a thin pasta made with 20 eggs per 2 pounds of flour, and usually served with white truffles. The area is also the home of Gorgonzola, star of this rich, tangy dish from “Italy for the Gourmet Traveler,” by Fred Plotkin. Serves 4 as a main course; 6 as a primo.
Ingredients
Directions
Set a large pot of water to boil. When the water reaches a boil, add a pinch of salt. While the water for the pasta is coming to a boil, separately heat Gogonzola, cream and butter in a double boiler so that it forms a velvety sauce. Do not bring the sauce to a boil or let it scorch the pot. Cook the pasta briefly in the boiling water until al dente. Drain it in a colander, then add the pasta to the sauce in the double boiler. Toss in the walnut pieces, stir so that the ingredients combine thoroughly, and serve immediately.
Wine ideas: Plotkin suggests a red wine from Gattinara or Carema, or a dolcetto, and I’d trust him on this. Dolcetto will be the easiest to find in Denver; some more affordable names to look for are Marcarini, Podere Colla and Marchese di Barolo. -Tara Q. Thomas
