After a long break - another Last Supper: #19 Mario Batali

Four months until Christmas and I already have one thing on my list. Melanie Dunea is publishing a sequel to My Last Supper. A few years ago, my boss gave me a copy for Christmas which inspired me to start Project Last Supper. Sadly, it went by the wayside. But recently, my husband asked me what ever happened to my little pet project. An innocent question turned into my new personal challenge: bring life back to project last supper... and maybe, just maybe, start a sequel when the new book comes out.

I flipped though my notes from what I'd done and what chefs I had left. Could it be that I had neglected to prepare the last supper of Mario Batali?? His wish list numbered 8 items - I chose 3 to make it a reasonable meal. I did his very own recipe for mozzarella en carozza, his grilled lobster with limoncello vinaigrette and this one: Flat pasta with shrimp and zucchini. It's as pretty as it is tasty. I took advantage of the season and used yellow zucchini from my local farmer's market and purple basil from my own yard. Add the green of the basil in the pasta and the gorgeous pink shrimp and this dish is a beauty.

We'll see if I can keep making progress. If I do, perhaps a copy of Dunea's new book should be my reward (smile!)





Flat pasta with shrimp and zucchini
Adapted from Molto Italiano by Mario Batali

DOUGH
2 bunches basil
4 cups cake flour
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese

CONDIMENT
Salt
10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch thick half-moons (about 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
2 cups dry white wine
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound rock shrimp, or medium shrimp, peeled
1/4 cup fresh basil, cut into chiffonade
Freshly ground black pepper


MAKE THE DOUGH
Bring a pot of water to a boil and fill a bowl with ice cubes and water. Blanch the basil in the boiling water for 10 seconds, then refresh in the ice water. Drain and chop finely; you should have 1/4 cup. Make a mound of the flour, then make a well in the center. Crack the eggs into the well, pour the milk over and add the basil. Using a fork, stir the egg mixture slowly into the four ingredients to form a wet dough. Add the grated cheese and, working now with your hands, bring the dough together and knead for 8 to 10 minutes to form a smooth dough. Allow to rest for 15 minutes covered with plastic wrap.

Set up a pasta rolling machine and cut off a piece of pasta dough the size of a tennis ball. Roll the pasta through the rollers on the widest setting, then fold it in thirds and run it through again on the same setting. Repeat this three times, being careful to add very little flour, as it will dry out the pasta. Run the pasta through the next two thinner settings. It should be quite thick.

Lay a sheet of pasta onto a floured cutting board and use a knife to cut crosswise into 1/3-inch strips. Lay the cut noodles on a kitchen towel and cover with another towel. Roll and cut the remaining pasta the same way.

MAKE THE CONDIMENT
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt. In a 12- to 14-inch sauté pan, heat 6 tablespoons of the oil and the garlic over medium heat until the garlic is light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the zucchini pieces and cook until just soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pepper flakes, wine and butter, then bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and remove from the heat.
Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until tender, yet al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain and toss into the pan with the shrimp and cook over high heat until the shrimp are just done, about 1 minute, and pasta and sauce are well combined. Add the parsley and toss in the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil. Pour into a heated bowl and serve with plenty of freshly ground pepper.

Basil-prosciutto risotto

The 2010 March Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Eleanor of MelbournefoodGeek and Jess of Jessthebaker. They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make risotto. The various components of their challenge recipe are based on input from the Australian Masterchef cookbook and the cookbook Moorish by Greg Malouf.

Before I get to the recipe, let me tell you about yesterday. It rained. Not just a little, but lets-go-build-an-ark rain. The weather channel said we got 4-6 inches of rain - and it's still raining as I write this. I now have waterfront property and a small indoor pool in my basement which my husband battled until the wee hours. So, with a very wet image in mind, I tell you I bought veal chops to accompany my risotto and Jeff insisted on grilling them. Each time he came in after turning them, his jacket left a puddle on the floor and he had to dry his hair with a towel. But boy were they good. Almost 2 inches thick, I marinated them in garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon zest.

I used the risotto base recipe below and added prosciutto, basil, and paremsan cheese. The creamy texture of the risotto was excellent with the grilled chops. One of the beauties of risotto is its adapatability to different flavors. I happened to have a big bunch of fresh basil, but you can add whatever flavors you have on hand: mushrooms, pumpkin, pancetta, asparagus, peas... the possibilties are endless. I'm always looking for new combinations, so leave a comment with your favorite flavors for risotto!

To complete the meal, I served a salad of romaine and radicchio with celery, baby tomatoes, shaved parmesan, and a dressing I made with garlic, olive oil, sea salt, a few basil leaves, and lemon juice. Light and crunchy, it rounded out the meal nicely.



All in all, a fun and not-too-stressful challenge from the Daring Cooks. (We had enough stress with the weather!)

Basil -prosciutto Risotto

olive oil 2 fluid oz 60 ml
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
rice 14 oz 400g (Any type of risotto rice will do. I use Arborio but the recipe itself says Vialone Nano. Another to look for is Carnaroli.)
white wine 2 fl oz 60 ml
chicken or vegetable stock , simmering 2 pints 1 L
NOTE: Ingredients above make the base - modify as you like from here
6 slices prosciutto, cut into thin strips
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
bunch of fresh basil, larger leaves torn



1.Heat oil in a pan and add onion. Saute until softened.

2.Add the rice and garlic and stir for a few minutes to coat each grain of rice with oil and toast slightly.

3.Add the wine and let it bubble away until evaporated.

4.Add enough stock to cover the rice by about an inch or two.
5.Cook on medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon from time to time, until most of the stock has been absorbed.

6.Repeat Step 5 making sure to leave aside approximately 100 ml. of stock for the final step. .

7.Repeat, save 100ml for the final stage. Once you are at this point, the base is made. You now get to add your own variation.

8. Stir in the prosciutto and cheese.

9. Just before serving, stir in the basil.



Chicken Stock

1 large chicken about 4 pounds
2 onions, halved
2 sticks celery
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp. peppercorns
2 bay leaves
peel of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp. allspice

1.Wash the chicken and place in a 5 Litre pot, cover completely with water and bring to a boil

2.Skim away any scum as it comes to the surface

3.Add the vegetables and bring back to a boil

4.Add the rest remaining ingredients and simmer very gently, uncovered for 1.5 hours

5.Carefully lift out the chicken, set aside. The chicken meat can be removed from the chicken, shredded off and used for other things like soup!

6.Simmer the stock gently for another hour. At , at the end you should have around 2 Liters

7.Carefully ladle the liquid into a fine sieve, the less the bones and vegetables are disturbed in this process the clearer the stock will be. 
The stock is now ready for use. Freeze what you don't need for later use.