Antipasti: fabulous appetizers and small plates

169 Pages·2006·23.93 MB·English

by  Joyce Goldstein

antipasti
Fabulous Appetizers and Small Plates
by Joyce Goldstein
Wine Recommendations by Jeffrey Meisel
Photographs by Paolo Nobile
Text copyright © 2006 by Joyce Goldstein.
Photographs copyright © 2006 by Paolo Nobile.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
in any form without written permission from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available.
ISBN978-1-4521-2651-7
Designed by Vanessa Dina
Food stylist: Marco Melissari
Props stylist: Federica Bianco di San Secondo
Typesetting by Janis Reed
The photographer wishes to thank the following for their contributions to the book: ABITO QUI; Milan, Italy; Tel [phone] ::
ARMANI CASA; Milan, Italy; Tel [phone]; www.armanicasa.it :: ARMANI CASA; New York, NY; Tel [phone] :: BORMIOLI ROCCO &
FIGLIO S.P.A.; Fidenza, Italy; Tel [phone], www.bormiolirocco.com :: BORMIOLI ROCCO GLASS CO. INC.; New York, NY; Tel [phone] ::
CHRISTIANE PERROCHON; Capannole, Italy; Tel [phone]; www.christianeperrochon.com :: GIUSEPPINA BARANGIOLA; Lurate Caccivio,
Italy; Tel [phone] :: LA CHIAVE DI VOLTA; Milan, Italy; Tel [phone] :: MACELLERIA MASSERONI; Milan, Italy; Tel [phone] ::
RINA MENARDI; Gruaro, Italy; Tel [phone] :: SAMBONET; Orfengo, Italy; Tel [phone]; www.sambonet.com:: SAMBONET Inc.;
Elizabeth, NJ; Tel [phone] :: SILVA; Milan, Italy; Tel [phone] :: TESSUTI MIMMA GINI; Milan, Italy; Tel [phone] :: VINICIO
ZACCHETTI :: Milan, Italy; Tel [phone]
Chronicle Books LLC
680 Second Street
San Francisco, California 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com
Dedication
For my grandchildren, Elena, Adam, and Antonio.
Acknowledgments
MILLE GRAZIE to:
Bill LeBlond for saying it was time to revisit antipasti and for his loving support of my work.
Sharon Silva, the editing goddess, the best in the business, who pushes for accuracy in many languages.
Jeff Meisel for his wine expertise, excellent palate, and passion for Italy.
Vanessa Dina, a superb designer, and Paolo Nobile, whose photographs are enticing and look good
enough to eat. It was a pleasure to be working with you again. You make beautiful books.
Food stylist Marco Melissari and prop stylist Federica Bianco di San Secondo. You make the dishes
look as appealing as they taste.
Jan Hughes and Doug Ogan, managing editors with eagle eyes, who proofread and catch all the
little errors.
Janis Reed for typesetting and Tera Killip, production manager, who makes sure the printing of the
book is perfect.
Amy Treadwell, bravo for organizing all of us!
Gary Woo for testing recipes and tasting food with me for over twenty years. Long may this continue.
Paul Ferrari and Carlo Lavuri, for arranging visits to fabulous food purveyors.
Slow Food and the Salone del Gusto for the opportunity to taste Italy’s best artisanal food products.
Dave, Bill, Bob, Pat, Phyllis, and Mark, an intrepid band of traveling companions, you get the awards
for enthusiastic eating.
My family, who once again stepped up to the table and cleaned their plates.
Table of Contents
Introduction 11
Antipasto Today 12
Antipasto Styles 14
Shop-and-Serve Antipasti 17
567
Uova e formaggi
Eggs and Cheese
27
Uova ripieneStuffed Eggs 28, Rotolone d’uovoMeat-Filled Omelet Roll 29,
Frittata di asparagiAsparagus Frittata 32, Caprino alla salsa rossaGoat Cheese with Spicy Tomato Sauce 35,
Sformato di gorgonzola e pere Gorgonzola Custards with Pears 36, TartràCheese and Onion Custard
with Tomato Sauce 39, Fiori di zucchini fritti Fried Zucchini Blossoms 43
Torte Salate
Savory Pastries
47
Torta di zuccaButternut Squash Pie 48, ErbazzoneSpinach Pie from Emilia-Romagna 51,
Torta di peperoni alla salsa di acciugheSweet Red Pepper Tart with Anchovy Cream 53,
SchiacciataDouble-Crusted Pizza 56, PanzerottiFried Stuffed Pastries 59,
Biscotti di parmigianoParmesan Crackers 61
Farinaci
Grains
65
Crocchetti di risoRice Croquettes 66, Crocchetti di riso al tartufo neroTruffled Rice Croquettes
from Umbria 70, Polenta fritta con crema di formaggioFried Polenta with Cheese Spread 72,
Pizza di granturcoCrisp Polenta Cake 75, Insalata di risoRice Salad 77,
Insalata di farro al profumo dell’ortoWheat Salad with Garden Vegetables 80
Verdure
Vegetables
83
Carciofi sott’olioPreserved Artichokes 84, Involtini di melanzaneStuffed Eggplant Rolls 86,
CaponataSicilian Sweet-and-Sour Eggplant 89, Peperonata con patateSweet Pepper and Potato Stew
from Tuscany 90, Insalata di peperoni verdiGreen Pepper Salad 91, Funghi marinatiMarinated Mushrooms 93,
Insalata tiepida di funghiWarm Mushroom Salad 94, Insalata di campo con bruciatini di prosciuttoSalad of
Field Greens with Crunchy Prosciutto 95, I ripieniStuffed Vegetables 96, Funghi ripieni al fornoBaked Stuffed
Mushrooms 100, Pomodori farciti al formaggio squaquarone e basilicoTomatoes Filled with Creamy Cheese
and Basil 101, Fagiolini alle noccioleGreen Beans with Hazelnuts 103, Asparagi al forno e fondutaRoasted
Asparagus and Creamy Cheese Sauce 105, Sformato di cavolfioreCauliflower Pudding 106
Pesce e frutti di mare
Fish and Shellfish
109
Insalata di mareSeafood Salad 110, Insalata di frutti di mare, arancie e finocchioShellfish
Salad with Oranges and Fennel 113, Insalata di aragosta al pestoLobster Salad with Pesto 115,
Insalata di calamari e carciofiSquid and Artichoke Salad 118, Gamberi alla crema di piselliShrimp with
n
o
cti Pea Purée 121, Scampi al pompelmoShrimp with Grapefruit 122, Insalata di fagioli e gamberiWhite Bean
u
d
ntro Salad with Shrimp 124, Involtini di gamberi rossi in umido di ceciProsciutto-Wrapped Shrimp with
asti 8I CapWeasramn tCeh aicllkap efoan Sdaulatda 1d2i 6c, iCpoipllooltlatit an odvi etlolin en otaTrutnuaf ii nn ae rSiwSeceatl-laonpds- Swoituhr SOpnriionng MOnarioinna Pdue r1é2e7 a, nd
p
nti Black Truffles 128, Insalata di capesante e funghi porciniWarm Salad of Scallops and Porcini 130,
A
Sarde a beccaficcuSicilian Stuffed Sardines 131, Calamari ripieniStuffed Squid 132,
Baccalà mantecatoWhipped Salt Cod Spread 134, Cozze al fornoBaked Mussels 136,
Tartine di patate con pesce affumicato e cavialePotato Cakes with Smoked Fish and Caviar 139,
Insalata di polpo e patateOctopus and Potato Salad 140
Carne e pollame
Meat and Poultry
143
Tonno di gallina sott’olioChicken Treated as Tuna, Preserved in Oil 144, Olive alla marchigianaMeat-Stuffed
Fried Olives 146, Crostini di fegatini di pollo alla peruginaChicken Liver Crostini from Perugia 149,
Gâteau di fegatini chiariBaked Chicken Liver Pâté 150, Lingua di manzo con salsa verde Tongue with
A
Green Sauce 153, Vitello tonnatoVeal with Tuna Sauce 154, Insalata d’anatraDuck Breast Salad 157, n
tip
Insalata di coniglio con vinaigrette al tartufoRabbit Salad with Truffle Vinaigrette 161 as
567 ti In9
tro
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Index 163 tio
n
Table of Equivalents 168

Introduction
In 1987, I was asked to organize an antipasto luncheon for But why the melodrama? Pesce crudo(raw fish) is a
the first Mediterranean Food Conference, which was to preparation of long standing in the Italian south.Carpaccio
be held in New York. The American Institute of Wine and (raw beef fillet) has been served at Harry’s Bar in Venice
Food was the event sponsor, and chefs and winemakers since the fifties, and carne cruda(chopped raw veal) is a
from all over the Mediterranean had been invited. As classic of Piedmontese cuisine. So our dishes were hardly
coordinating chef, I contacted American chefs specializ- radical; in fact, they were based on tradition. The presen-
ing in Italian food and asked them to prepare a signature tations, however, were contemporary, and the Italians
dish for this prestigious lunch, which was to take place were offended at the so-called liberties we upstart chefs
at the then Parker Meridien Hotel. The hotel was to pro- had taken with their antipasti. After a few hours of
vide a few antipasti, but the main plates were to come uproar, Atlantic Monthlyeditor Corby Kummer solicited
from this country’s culinary stars. a public apology from the Italians to the American chefs
and the meeting continued without controversy.
On the day of the event, chef Todd English, who then
headed up the kitchen at Michela’s in Cambridge, had We’ve come a long way since those days. Over the past
to cancel because of a family emergency, and restaura- twenty years, an antipasto revolution has taken place.
teur Michela Larsen came and executed his dish, an It is not that the traditional antipasti have gone away.
exquisite stuffed calamari. Evan Kleiman of Caffè Angeli Instead, the menu category has been expanded to include
in Los Angeles prepared her wonderful eggplant rollatini dishes that previously have not been considered part of
stuffed with fresh mozzarella. I served an updated ver- this opening course. If the same conference were held A
n
sion of carne salata,spiced, cured beef fillet seared rare today, there would be no walkouts, and the Italian guest tip
a
s
MaPnaadrnm ahicagctitaoanmno’ps-Ra Unenigeigdoi naw nSiotqh uc shalreiceee sCdea .af Térth,i ceAh loio pBkeeansrik naegnr, d cs hseehrvfa eovdef dhis tchhienfgs wthoeu Aldm beer sicearnvi ncgh edfiss hperse sfaern mteodr ein r athdeic mal itdh-a enig ahntiye-s. 11ti Intro11
contemporary interpretation of vitello tonnato. Instead du
c
of covering braised veal with tuna sauce, he seared tio
n
fresh tuna fillet and served it with the classic tuna
mayonnaise. To our great surprise, some of the visiting
Italians were outraged by the carne salataand tonno
tonnatoand staged a walkout at the lunch. Rare tuna!
Almost raw meat! They claimed they could become sick
from eating these barely cooked items.