Extra Virgin (7 page)
Authors: Gabriele Corcos
Drag the flowers through the batter, making sure the batter does not get inside the flower, then slide into the hot oil. Fry for 2 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the blossom is golden and crisp. Then place them in a large dish on a couple of layers of paper towel to drain the excess oil. Salt to taste while the oil is still hot. Serve immediately.
BRUSCHETTA
We love the history that comes with this beloved antipasto. Born in the Middle Ages, it grew out of a peasant’s need, rather than a cook’s creativity. When the master of the house was finished eating—and that meant feeding his dog, too—then the servants would get to eat. They’d scrape the pans to collect the meal scraps, but they didn’t have dishware or flatware. They would have to use stale bread, which was their plate and their utensil all in one. There’s wonderful irony in what is now so versatile and civilized an appetizer having such poor, born-of-need origins. Leftovers on old bread may not sound like much, but it’s lasted centuries for a reason. Nowadays you’ll see restaurant bruschetta so unwieldy you need a fork to eat it, otherwise it’ll fall apart. But ideally you should be able to pick it up and eat it.
Crostini are a form of bruschetta, a “little toast” designed to be held between two fingers and consumed in only one or two bites. It’s that perfect party tray appetizer. You can also think of the difference between bruschetta and crostini this way: with the former, you spoon on the topping since your bread base is larger and possibly thicker, and with the latter’s tinier real estate, you spread. With that in mind, we’ve chosen bruschetta and crostini recipes that highlight that difference in what can go on top.
WHITE BEAN AND PANCETTA BRUSCHETTA
BRUSCHETTA DI FAGIOLI E PANCETTA
SERVES 8–10
D:
Tuscans have historically been called Bean Eaters, because they have often clung to staples that last longer, like dried beans. In Tuscan culture, nothing gets tossed out. Tuscans have been known to eat beans every day of the week if they need to. And if it means more indulging in the round, buttery feel of cannellini beans when they’re soft and lightly mashed, count us as Bean Eaters, too. We love these beans, especially with rosemary and olive oil.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
¼ pound pancetta, diced
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed
2 garlic cloves, thickly sliced
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Squeeze of lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 day-old baguette, cut into ¾-inch-thick slices
Heat a fireplace grill to a medium heat. Adjust grill racks over the flame and place a heavy Dutch oven or medium saucepan on the rack. Once hot, add the 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Then add the pancetta and render some of its fat. Add the rosemary and garlic and sauté until fragrant. Stir in the beans, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Mash the beans with the back of the wooden spoon, but don’t mash until smooth—you want some texture.
Toast the sliced baguette. Serve the beans on top of the toasted bread. Drizzle with olive oil, if desired.
LARDO CROSTINI
CROSTINI DI LARDO
SERVES 10–12
G:
I love getting my hands into this appetizer, mashing the chunks of lardo with the herbs, until it’s this perfectly spreadable paste.
D:
This is what happens at our house when people pop these crostini into their mouths: Eyes roll back, lips part slightly, and you hear moaning. “Hmmmm …” “Ohhhh …” It’s like we’re hosting a swinging singles party. Suddenly there’s a very orgasmic vibe wafting through our home.
G:
Sex noises are good, no?
D:
Well, as long as there are multiple climaxes, meaning you’ve got room for a pasta or an entree that’s just as delicious! Nobody wants premature … um … meal satisfaction, let’s say.
G:
In all seriousness, lardo is naturally heavy, so it’s very important that you have a later course that balances the richness of cured pork fat with something lighter, like
Pici all’Aglione
.
½ pound lardo, at room temperature
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
4 or 5 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
Grated zest of 1 small lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette, thinly sliced
Using a sharp knife, very finely chop the lardo. Add the rosemary, sage, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix well with the back of your knife or your hands.
Spread on the baguette slices.
FRESH CHEESE CURD CROSTINI
CROSTINI DI CAGLIATA FRESCA
SERVES 8–10
In making the soft, pillowy cheese known as ricotta, there are two steps. (That’s why ricotta means “recooked” in Italian.) The first step, when you add citric acid or rennet to whole milk, yields cagliata, which is the first separation of curds from whey, and it makes for a delicious crostini spread all on its own. It’s creamier and richer than ricotta, since the second step is a further cooking of the whey that gets you the lighter, airier taste associated with ricotta. We’re putting on the brakes at the cagliata stage, however, because we think it deserves a spotlight of its own!
4 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 baguette, thinly sliced and toasted
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Extra virgin olive oil, for serving
Line a colander with 3 layers of cheesecloth.
In a large, heavy pot, bring the milk to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in the lemon juice and salt and heat until an instant-read thermometer reaches 175ºF. The milk will begin to just bubble and start to steam. At this temperature you’ll begin to see the curds separate from the whey.
Remove from the heat and stir for up to 5 minutes. Be mindful of overstirring while the curds are forming—you don’t want to make your cheese tough. Let sit for 5 minutes undisturbed and you will be left with a pleasantly creamy result.
Gently pour the curds into the colander, and very gently release some of the liquid. Tie the cheesecloth in a sack using butcher’s twine, lift the sack from the colander, and let drain without squeezing for 5 to 10 minutes, or until liquid stops seeping out. Remove the curds from the cheesecloth and place in a bowl.
Spread warm on toasted bread with a sprinkling of lemon zest and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
IMPORTANTE!
You can refrigerate leftover cagliata in a covered container for up to 5 days.
STRIPED BASS CRUDO TRIO
TRIO DI BRANZINO CRUDO
SERVES 4
G:
For me, summer with my parents on the coast of Tuscany in Castiglioncello was about the fishing I got to do, three to six hours every day in the water with spears and a snorkel. I typically caught our dinner: sole, cuttlefish, sea bass, whatever was in my line of sight. I’d gut the fish, scale it, then cook it. But I would often try it raw, too, and I have to say, there’s a primal enjoyment to eating something from the sea that was only alive mere moments before. This recipe comes from my time designing a menu for the Montauk Yacht Club, when I did my first deep-sea fishing in the Atlantic and caught a 38-pound striped bass. It was big enough to slice very thin and I turned it into a trio of raw, ocean goodness, complemented by flavors like lemon, orange, red pepper flakes, and shallots. It was an immediate hit, and goes very nicely before a pasta like
l’Aragosta Arrabbiata
. Remember that the slicing can be done well in advance, up to 4 hours, as long as it’s refrigerated.