There's No Place Like Rome! There's No Place Like Rome!

This recipe is not named after Dorothy's dog, but rather a trattoria in the center of Rome. This is a great pasta recipe to have up your sleeve, especially around the holidays. I find that when preparing for a full blown holiday meal (e.g., Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.), I often overlook the fact that I need to feed my company the night before. What to do? Nothing is easier than pasta, right? Only one problem: the men in my family find pasta dishes unsubstantial. The solution: add Italian sausage! Don't let the ingredients fool you. They may seem simple, but the result is divine! This recipe is easily doubled, to suit your needs, and served with a big green salad, wine, and crusty bread, and the result is a surprisingly quick, satisfying and elegant meal.

*Because it is a cream sauce, you need to serve it right away! Also, don't skip the addition of the fennel seeds!

Rigatoni alla Toto

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed (if necessary)

1 cup dry white wine

6-8 whole fresh basil leaves

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1/8 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds, or ground fennel (but freshly crushed is better)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Kosher salt

1 pound rigatoni

1/2 cup freshly grated or shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving (this dish really needs real Parmigiano-Reggiano)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sausage and red pepper (if using) and brown on all sides, breaking up the sausage as you stir. Add the wine and cook for 1 minute. Add the basil, crushed fennel, and cream and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the sausage is cooked through.

While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni in the boiling water until al dente. Drain well and add to the sauce and toss. Add the 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and toss well. Serve immediately with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano sprinkled on top. 

Adapted from Rome, at Home, by Suzanne Dunaway.

Fall for Cashmere Potatoes

The first frost of the season is predicted for tomorrow. Brr! Fall is officially here. It's time to resuscitate my beloved cashmere sweaters that have been whimpering in my closet all summer long. Hooray! In honor of the occasion, I want to share a wonderful recipe for "Roasted Rosemary Potatoes" from the king of Italian cashmere, Brunello Cucinelli. 

Brunello Cucinelli headquarters in Solomeo, Italy.

Cucinelli began his luxury brand in 1978, which now consists of the finest Mongolian cashmere, silk, suede, and shearling. His headquarters are located in a completely restored medieval hilltop villa in Solomeo, Italy. Complete with a castle, church, piazza, and amphitheater, it also contains what can only be described as the world's most historic and, of course, luxurious cafeteria. The cafeteria is decked out with crest-bearing china, bottles of local wine, and Cucinelli's own olive oil. However, the food is not created by world-famous chefs, rather three Umbrian women who make everything from scratch and traditional, like these potatoes. 

This recipe caught my eye because the potatoes are parcooked in vinegar water, which sets the starches prior to baking. They are then tossed with garlic, rosemary, olive oil, salt, pepper, and white wine. The result is a more refined and elegant dish that has become a favorite in my household. I make them whenever I roast pork, and always with Arista (Tuscan Roast Pork Loin). While the Cucinelli brand is far beyond my means (Thank God for JCrew), I can always make this luxurious recipe and dream.

Roasted Rosemary Potatoes (aka., Cashmere Potatoes)

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 cup distilled white vinegar

1/4 cup Kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

3 pounds waxy potatoes (such as Yukon Gold; about 5), peeled, cut into 3/4" wedges

4 garlic cloves, smashed

6 small sprigs of rosemary

1/4 cup dry white wine (*Cooking Tip: You can always use shelf-stable Vermouth, which I always have tucked away in my kitchen.)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring vinegar, 1/4 cup salt, and 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add potatoes and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes; drain.

Transfer potatoes to a large rimmed baking sheet and toss with garlic, rosemary, wine, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast potatoes, tossing occasionally, until completely tender and just beginning to brown, 35-45 minutes. 

Recipe from the June 2013 Bon Appetit.

Fungi-Fanatic!

If you are not aware, I am crazy about mushrooms! I love their earthy flavor, tender flesh, and down right adorable appearance! I eagerly make any recipe with mushrooms as the star ingredient! I am such a fungi-fanatic that my kitchen is nicknamed "Mushroom's Cafe!" I am aware that there are a lot of people who claim they don't like mushrooms; however, I have changed a lot of minds by serving them Beef Bourguignon! 

Another absolutely stellar recipe featuring mushrooms, comes from The Inn at Little Washington Cookbook, by Patrick O'Connell. (If you missed my previous post regarding this magical place, please refer to Dreaming in Dalmation.) This recipe for "Fettuccine with Morel Mushrooms and Country Ham" exemplifies the rich indulgences offered at The Inn at Little Washington. Unfortunately, morel mushrooms are not available now, so I used Shiitake (stems discarded), but any fresh wild mushrooms will produce excellent results! One more thing, NEVER wash your mushrooms! Clean them with a soft brush or gently wipe them off with paper towels.

Fettuccine with Morel Mushrooms and Country Ham

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon salt

9 ounces fresh fettuccine (or 5 ounces dried)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup fresh morel mushrooms (or another wild variety)

1/2 teaspoon minced shallot

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

3 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste (I used white pepper)

1 cup very thin slices well-trimmed country ham, cut into ribbons the same width as the fettuccine

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (Don't skip the chives, they are essential!)

Directions:

Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil and add the 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook the fettuccine until just barely al dente. Drain in a colander and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Keep warm.

In a 10" saute pan, melt the butter and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add the morels just as the butter begins to color. Saute rapidly until the mushrooms begin to crisp around the edges. Add the shallot and garlic and saute for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat.

In a 4-quart saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Reduce the heat and add half of the sauteed mushrooms/shallot/garlic mixture. Reserve the other half for garnish. Cook until the cream thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese. Add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Add the fettuccine to the sauce and toss well to combine.

To serve: Using tongs, place a mound of fettuccine in each of four warm serving bowls and pour a bit of the remaining sauce over the noodles. Place the reserved mushrooms on top of the fettuccine and divide the ham evenly among the bowls. Garnish with the chives. You'll love it!

Recipe adapted from The Inn at Little Washington Cookbook, by Patrick O'Connell.