Gruppo

GRI Restaurant Members' Cookbook

Welcome to the Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani Cookbook!

Featured are specialty recipes directly from GRI Members. Be sure to visit often for new updates!

Buon Appetito!

Ristorante Amarone
• Jasper's
• Il Gattopardo
• SD26 Restaurant & WineBar

Italian Village
• Vera Pizza Napoletana
• Averna

from Ristorante Amarone

Sauteed Filet Mignon with Porcini Mushrooms and Gorgonzola Cream

Ingredients:
• 2 - 8oz. Filet Mignon steaks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 oz. Porcini Mushroom (sliced)
• 3 oz. Gorgonzola Cheese
• 1 small clove minced garlic
• 6 oz. Heavy Cream
• 2 oz. Brandy
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Truffle Oil

Preparation:
Season the Filet Mignon steaks generously with salt and pepper. Lightly coat with Olive Oil.

In a sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Place the filet mignon steaks in the pan and sear all the sides. Place the pan in a 350 degree oven and cook the Filets to your desired temperature. Remove from oven and let the meat rest on the side for two minutes.

In the same pan, sauté the sliced, porcini mushrooms until golden crisp, adding the minced garlic for the last few moment of cooking. Place the filets back in the pan and deglaze with the Brandy. Crumble the Gorgonzola into the pan and add the Heavy cream, letting the ingredients simmer for for about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes, flipping the meat a few times.

Serve with Rosemary Roast Potatoes, Sauteed Spinach and Baby Carrots

Yield: 2 servings

Fusilli Norcia

Ingredients:
• 8 oz. Fusilli (cooked in lightly salted water)
• 3 oz. Sweet Italian Sausage
• 3 oz. Hot Italian Sausage
• 8 oz. Tomato Sauce
• 4 oz. Heavy Cream
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 2 oz Dry White Wine
• 1/4t Chopped Rosemary
• 1 T Oil
• 1 oz. Parmesan Cheese
• 1 t Parsley

Preparation:
Cook Fusilli in lightly salted water.

In a sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat and crumble in the Sweet and Hot Italian Sausage. Break it up as it cooks and brown well. Deglaze the pan with White Wine and add the minced garlic and Chopped Rosemary, allowing the garlic to slightly color for a quick moment.

In the same pan, add your Heavy Cream and Tomato Sauce and let reduce for about 2 minutes. Finish the dish with Parmesan Cheese and Parsley, Salt and Pepper to taste.

from Jasper's, Kansas City, Missouri

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA: AN AUTHENTIC RECIPE

• 1/2 lb Spaghetti, freshly cooked al dente
• 1 tblsp. Extra Virgin olive oil
• 4 oz. flat Pancetta or Quanciale
• 1 or 2 eggs
• 2 tblsp. freshly grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
• Freshly grounded black pepper, to taste

Mix the beaten egg, with grated cheese and grounded black pepper.
Slice the pancetta and cut in 2 cm. rectangular bites.
Slowly fry the pancetta in the extra virgin olive oil, in a non-stick pan, until crispy. If the pancetta has enough fat you will not need to add oil.
Add the spaghetti with some of the cooking water. Do not fry the spaghetti, but rather, just let it absorb the flavour of the pancetta.
Simmer gently, until the water is almost gone.
Remove the pan from the stove.

Add the egg, cheese and pepper mixture to the pasta and stir quickly, making sure the egg does not overcook, but remains creamy. It shouldn’t pass the 158-162°F temperature, which is the point at which coagulation starts.
Place in a hot pasta bowl. Season with ground black pepper.
Serve immediately. Offer more black pepper and more grated cheese, tableside.

REMARKS:
1. You cannot make a Carbonara with pre-cooked pasta
2. Cream is not an option but a gimmick, avoid it
3. If you like, you can mix the Romano & Parmigiano Reggiano
4. Timing is important when you serve this dish
5. Make sure the plate or bowl is hot
6. Do not overcook the egg, otherwise you will make spaghetti with scrambled egg.

TUSCAN PORK RAGU

• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 12 ounce can Italian plum tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• 1/2 cup red wine
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt

Finely chop the carrot, onion, and celery. This combination in Florence is called soffritto, and is used frequently as a base for sauces and soups.

Place in a pot and sautè in extra virgin olive oil until it starts to almost burn. This trick will make it taste like Mamma made it! It sweetens the carrots and onions and gives the sauce a really special flavor. Take your time and do this step slowly

ESPRESSO & CHOCOLATE TORTE

• 5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 lb butter
• 4 eggs at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brewed espresso, cooled to room temperature
• 1 tablespoon sifted finely ground espresso beans
• 1/4 cup flour plus more for the pan
• pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350°F Butter an 8-inch cake pan (I used a springform pan) and line bottom with parchment paper.
Butter the parchment and lightly flour (or use cocoa) the pan, shaking out excess.
In a small, heavy-based saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over medium heat, stirring frequently. Set aside.
Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the eggs, sugar, brewed espresso, ground espresso beans, and salt on medium-high speed until thick and voluminous, at least 8 minutes (I mixed about 10 minutes).
Turn the mixer to low and mix in the chocolate- butter mixture.
Turn off mixer and sift the flour over the batter and fold until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.
Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.
Set a plate over the torte and carefully invert the torte onto the plate; peel off the parchment.
Flip the torte back onto the rack to cool completely before slicing.

Jasper's Notes:
Since I used a springform pan, I let it cool completely in the pan.
I also serve this with white chocolate gelato, DELICIOUS!!!

from Il Gattopardo, New York City

MEATBALL WRAPPED IN A CABBAGE LEAF

Serving 4 people (3 meatballs per person)

• 18 oz. grounded beef
• 6 oz grounded veal
• 1 egg
• 2 oz bread crumb soaked in milk
• 1 small red onion
• 1 garlic glove
• 1 small bunch of Italian parsley
• 1 oz Parmigiano grated
• 1 oz pecorino Romano grated
• 12 leaves of blanched Savoy cabbage

For the sauce:
• 1 oz. of white wine
• 2 oz. of veal stock
• 1 bunch of fresh thyme
• 2 oz of olive oil

Chop the onions, garlic, and parsley very fine
Put the meat in a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients
Mix until smooth
Make little patties with your hand
Blanch the cabbage leaves
Wrap the meat balls with the cabbage leaf
Fry them in hot olive oil for one minute each side
Put them in the oven for about 5 minutes (at 375°F)
Eliminate the oil
Add the white wine, veal stock, the thyme and the olive oil
Cook for another minute
Add salt and pepper at your taste
Serve them with baby greens

POLPETTE DI MELANZANE E RICOTTA DI BUFALA (EGGPLANT CAKES)

Makes about 24, serving 8 guests as antipasto

• 2 Pounds of Italian Eggplant peeled
• 1/4 Pound of Italian Buffalo Ricotta Cheese
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 1 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano
• 1 tablespon of fresh basile finely chopped
• pinch of black pepper
• half cup of breadcrumb
• salt
• spicy tomato sauce

Cut the eggplants in cubes and cook in salted boiling water for about ten minutes
Drain the eggplant and when cool press them lightly to expel excess water
Puree the eggplant
Add the beaten eggs to the eggplant and add the ricotta, parmesan cheese, basil, pepper and mix them
Shape into small patties, 2 inch in diameter and about half inch thick
Dredge in breadcrumbs
Fry the cakes in heated olive oil until browned both sides for about 3 minutes

For the spicy tomato sauce:
• 1 large clove of garlic smashed
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound can of cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup basil
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1/2 tablespoon hot red pepper

Warm oil and add garlic and press with fork to release the flavor until brown
Add the tomatoes and stir
Cook for about 20 minutes at medium heat
Add basil, salt and red pepper and cook for another 5 minutes
Place the tomato sauce in the plate and eggplant cakes on top

from SD26 Restaurant & WineBar, New York City

AGNOLOTTI ALLA PIEMONTESE

Veal Stuffed Agnolotti

Serves 4

STUFFING:
• 14 oz Lean veal meat
• 3.5 oz pork sausage
• 1 bunch of escarole
• 3 eggs
• Grated parmesan
• Salt
• Oil
• Rosemary
• White wine

The Agnolotti:
Roast the veal in oil, rosemary and white wine.
Place sausage in boiling water for a couple of minutes, remove and let it cool.
Squeeze the sausage with a fork and place the meat in a bowl.
One the veal is ready, ground it and mix with the sausage meat.
Briefly boil the escarole till tender, then chop and add to the meat mix.
Add eggs and parmesan, mix well to a soft consistency.
Prepare the dumplings with salt, flour and eggs (one egg per 3 oz of flour).
Flatten and cut in squares to form the dumplings.
Place the mix in the middle of each square, roll over and press edges to form the agnolotto.
In a pan with boiling water and a handful of salt, place the dumplings till they come to the surface.
Remove and strain in a sieve.
Serve with sauce obtained for roasting the veal adding some freshly grated parmesan on top or with tomato sauce.

Note:
In the traditional recipe the dumplings are filled with braised beef, pork roast and veal brains. They are served with meat ragout. In this version by “Rododendro di Boves” the heavier ingredients have been eliminated.

Non sono dumplings in inglese I dumplings sono gnocchi, questo e una pasta fancita, ed agnolotti, non si dovrebbe (puo`) tradiore.

Le altre ricette non le ho guardate bene una….sono piu` o memo uguali in traduzione e terminologia culinaria.

BORLOTTI BEAN SOUP WITH FARRO

serves 10

Farro, goes fantastically well with borlotti. It is sort of a very hard whole wheat kernel, and grows at least 1500 feet above sea level. It was almost extinguished for many years and it is now being brought back on the market by Tuscan Farmers and becoming very fashionable.

Ingredients:
• 2 lbs borlotti beans
• 1 cup farro
• 1 cup olive oil extra virgin
• 1 carrot medium, chopped
• 1 onion medium, chopped
• 2 celery stalks chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic chopped
• 3 oz prosciutto skin (or regular lean bacon)
• 1 cup plum tomatoes peeled
• 3 bunches rosemary
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Step 1:
In a separate container, soak the beans and the farro overnight, in enough water to cover the two legumes.
Step 2:
Heat 2oz of olive oil in a medium size pot.
Add carrot, onion, celery, garlic, and the prosciutto skin.
Cook on medium heat until the mixture becomes golden brown.
Add tomatoes, and sauté for three minutes, then add borlotti beans with their water, add two bunches of rosemary and cook for one hour.
Step 3:
Remove from the stove, pass the beans through a food mill to achieve a creamy consistency.
Step 4:
While the beans are cooking, also cook the farro in plenty of boiling water (no salt) for 30 minutes.
Step 5:
Return the passed beans to the stove bringing them to a boiling point, add salt and pepper to taste, then add the unshelled wheat kernels, and let it simmer for five minutes.
Top each serving with a swirl of extra virgin olive oil, and chopped parsley and serve.

RISOTTO WITH BEETS

• 1 qt. beef broth
• 12 oz. rice (arborio)
• 3 oz. beets
• 4 oz. butter
• 4 tbs. grated parmesan

Prepare the broth.
Boil the beets till tender.
Cool, dice and liquefy the beets and set aside.

Prepare the risotto in usual way.
When almost ready, add the beets liquid, cook for two more minutes, and remove from fire.
Mix in the butter and parmesan.
Stir well and serve.

SHRIMPS AND CANNELLINI BEANS

Serves 4

Simplicity itself-- very much in the Tuscan tradition--but without that fresh sprig of rosemary, the dish won’t come alive as it should.

Ingredients:
• 1 pound dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (20 count or larger)
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 1/2 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:

Cook soaked beans in lightly salted cold water for 1 hour, or until tender, reserving 1 cup of the water.
Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a casserole.
Brown the garlic and remove it.
Add the shrimps and cook on each side for 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and keep warm on the side.
In a separate casserole, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 sprig of rosemary needles, the tomatoes, cannellini beans, the reserved water, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for 6 minutes over medium heat.
Remove from heat.
Place on a serving platter, with shrimp on top.
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, add a sprig of rosemary, and serve.
The final dish should be moist, not soupy.

from Italian Village, Chicago

CHICKEN ALFREDO ALLA ITALIAN VILLAGE

serves 2

Preheat oven to 450°F

• 1 – Whole 3lb chicken cut in 12 pieces
• 6 – garlic cloves peeled
• 1/8 tsp each – dry rosemary, salt, pepper
• 4 each – large mushroom caps
• 4 each – links mild Italian sausage
• 1 C – olive oil
• 1/2 C – white wine
• 6 each small potatoes peeled

Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towel
In a large heavy bottomed skillet, heat 1 cup olive oil to 350°F.
Carefully add potatoes and cook until light brown on all sides.
Remove potatoes to drain on paper towel.
Drain off all but 1/4 cup of oil and return skillet to stove.
Carefully add chicken skin side down and cook 4 minutes until brown, turn, brown again for 4 minutes remove to plate.
Add sausage pieces and brown on all sides.
Return chicken to skillet.
Add garlic cloves, seasonings, mushrooms, cooked sausage and browned potatoes.
Toss gently to coat and distribute seasonings, place in preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes until temperature of chicken in 175°F.
Remove skillet from oven, drain oil from skillet.
Using medium heat add white wine and let simmer 2-3 minutes.
Remove chicken to serving platter, arrange potatoes and sausage.
Pour juices in skillet over all.

Pizza

from the Association of VERA PIZZA NAPOLETANA

THE RULES OF NEAPOLITAN PIZZA MAKING

The denomination of VERA PIZZA NAPOLETANA (True Neapolitan Pizza) is reserved exclusively to Pizza made according to the following rules:

It must be made only with flour, natural yeast or brewers yeast, salt to taste, and water as needed. All types of fat are absolutely forbidden from inclusion in the pizza dough.
The diameter of the Pizza should never exceed 30 centimeters (10 to 12 inches).
Dough must be kneaded by hand or by approved mixers which do not cause the dough to overheat. (If the dough overheats it speeds up the fermentation process.)
The pizza dough must be punched down by hand and not by mechanical means (never use a rolling pin, etc.)
The cooking is done directly on the floor of the oven (the use of sheet pans or other containers is not allowed.)
The oven must be of brick and materiale refrattario (refractory material similar to volcanic stone) and must be fired with wood. (The selection of the wood is the operators choice.)
The oven temperature must be at least 400 degrees Centigrade or 750-800 degrees Fahrenheit.
The classic pizza ingredients are:
- Marinara: tomato, oregano, garlic, olive oil, salt
- Margherita: tomato, mozzarella, olive oil, basil, salt
- Al Formaggio: grated Parmigiano, lard, garlic, basil, salt, (tomato optional)
- Calzone: stuffed with ricotta, salami, olive oil, salt
Variations on the classics, which are inspired by tradition and fantasy, are accepted, provided they are not in conflict with the rules of good taste and culinary laws.
The Pizza must have the following characteristics: not crusty, well done and fragrant, with the border (cornicone) high and soft.

The above rules are set by the Association of “VERA PIZZA NAPOLETANA” which is part of the Association of Pizzaioli Europei and Sustaining members.

Cocktails

from Averna

Vertigo

Build in a highball glass:
· 0.5 oz lemon juice
Pour ginger ale to near top of glass
Add:
· 2 oz Averna
Garnish with a lime wedge. Serve.

Mojito Italiano

Muddle with a pestile:
· 10 mint leaves, torn
· 0.5 oz simple syrup
Pour into a highball glass, add:
· 2 oz Averna
· 1 oz lemon juice
Fill to near top with ginger ale
Stir thoroughly. Garnish with a mint sprig and lemon wheel. Serve.

The Beatnik

Rinse cocktail glass with:
· 1 oz Tawny Port
Pour into a cocktail glass, add:
· 1.5oz Averna
· 1 oz bourbon
Add ice. Stir 30 times. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist. Serve.

Midnight Smash

In a glass mixing pint, muddle:
· 3 ripe blackberries
Add:
· 1 oz Meyer lemon juice, hand-squeezed
· 1 oz Averna
· 1 oz Cointreau
Add ice. Shake vigorously. Strain over ice into a highball glass, add:
· 2 oz ginger beer
Garnish with an orange wheel. Serve.

Sicilian Triangle

In a glass mixing pint, pour:
· 2 oz Averna
· 1 oz white rum
· 1 oz pomegranate juice
· 0.5 oz orange juice
· 0.5 oz lemon juice
Splash pineapple juice
Add ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge. Serve.

Island Voodoo

In a glass mixing pint, pour:
· 1.5 oz rye whiskey
· 1 oz Averna
· 0.5 oz limoncello
Add ice. Stir 30 times. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist. Serve.

InterContinental

In a glass mixing pint, pour:
· 1 oz Averna
· 1 oz cognac
· 0.5 oz maraschino liqueur
Add ice. Stir 30 times. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist. Serve.

The Dolce Amaro

In a glass mixing pint, pour:
· 1.5 oz Averna
· 1 oz orange liqueur (Countreau or Triple Sec)
· 1 oz espresso
· Dash of simple syrup
Add ice, cap with a shaker. Shake vigorously. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist. Serve.