Culinary Roundtable #16: Roman Cuisine

A Demonstration by Chef Andrea Fusco of Giuda Ballerino Restaurant in Rome, translated by Ian D’Agata, Roman wine and Food expert. Introduced by New York Restauratuer Tony May. The weeklong series of events was sponsored by the Comune di Roma and Publica, to celebrate the foods of the Eternal City here in the United States.

Music: “Byron’s Got the Time” by Family Groove Company. Find it on the Podsafe Music Network at music.podshow.com

The Culinary Roundtable is a production of the Culinary Podcast Network. www.culinarypodcastnetwork.com

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All You can Eat #28: Christmas in Rome and Ingredient Outlook 2007

Hear what I ate in Rome over the Christmas holidays and get some advice from top foodies and what you should be cooking in 2007.

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Saltimbocca, which means “to jump in the mouth,” is a familiar dish from the city of Rome that combines salty and savory elements for a little flavor explosion. Tender, thin veal cutlets are the perfect foundation for the savory layers of crushed garlic and sage, paper-thin prosciutto and rich, fresh mozzarella cheese. A dry Pinot Grigio or Orvieto Bianco are perfect pairings for this deliciously easy-to-prepare dish.

4 servings

Ingredients

8 thin veal cutlets
1/3 cup flour
salt
freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
8 sage leaves, for garnish
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 thin slices of prosciutto, trimmed to fit size of cutlets
8 thin slices of fresh mozzerella, trimmed to fit size of cutlets
3/4 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc or Orvieto Bianco

Equipment

Meat mallet
Plastic wrap
Large sauté pan
Cookie sheet
Aluminum foil
Shallow dish
Serving platter

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Inspect the veal cutlets to be sure they are of even thickness. If not, place them between two sheets of plastic wrap and lightly pound them with a meat mallet until they are about 1/8” to ¼” thick. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper and then dredge each cutlet in the flour. Shake off excess flour. Set aside.

Mix the chopped sage, garlic and a small bit of olive oil to make a paste.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt one tablespoon of the butter with the remaining olive oil. When the oil is hot and the butter foam subsides, add the veal cutlets, 2 or 3 at a time, and cook for 1 – 2 minutes until lightly brown on each side.

[Chef’s Note: It is very important that you watch the cutlets while they are cooking, as veal cooks very quickly.] As they are cooked, remove from the pan and place on a cookie sheet.

When all the cutlets are browned, sprinkle the sage and garlic mixture over each cutlet. Top each cutlet with a piece of prosciutto and then a piece of fresh mozzarella to cover completely. Tent a piece of aluminum foil over the cookie sheet, careful not to allow the foil to touch the cheese on the cutlets.

Place the cutlets in the oven for about 5 minutes. While they are cooking, add the wine to the hot sauté pan to deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits stuck on the bottom. Boil the wine until reduced to about ¼ cup. This should take about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to thicken.

[Chef’s Note: When a recipe calls for a quantity of fresh herbs chopped, such as this recipe, chop the herbs first, then measure to get the accurate amount of required herbs.]

Service

Place two cutlets on each plate, drizzle with the wine and butter sauce and garnish with a sage leaf. Serve immediately.

Variations

Serve over rich, freshly made marinara sauce with a side of pasta. You can also use thin chicken or turkey cutlets in place of the veal in this recipe, if desired.
Recipe and photo by Lia Soscia

While we love to create new recipes to showcase our featured ingredients, there are certain classic preparations that bring our taste buds to life.  This is a classic roast leg of lamb with an Italian twist.  The lamb is roasted with garlic, anchovies, fennel onions and tomatoes, and while the lamb sits, orzo is baked in the pan juices.  Che buon gusto!

6 servings

Ingredients

1 5-6 pound leg of lamb, bone in
4 cloves of garlic, cut into slivers
8 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 bunch rosemary sprigs
3 tablespoon3 extra virgin olive oil
4 cups plum tomatoes, diced (you may substitute high quality canned San Marzano tomatoes if tomatoes are not vine ripened and naturally red through and through)
4 cups rich chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup thinly sliced onions
1 cup thinly sliced fennel bulb
1 cup water
2 ½ cups orzo
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Equipment

Large roasting pan (12 x 15 inches)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Using a paring knife, Cut away most of the surface fat from the lamb. Cut slits into the lamb all over with a paring knife and insert a sliver of garlic and a small piece of anchovy into each slit. Rub the lamb all over with olive oil then season with thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper to taste.

[Chef’s Note: If you prefer, you may omit the anchovies and stuff sprigs of rosemary into the slits along with the garlic.]

Place the lamb in a shallow roasting pan and scatter slices of onion and fennel around it; bake for around 20 minutes or until well browned on top.

Lower the oven temperature to 350° F. Add the tomatoes and water and cook, basting often, for about one and one half hours or until cooked to the desired degree of doneness.

[Chef’s Note: Lamb is best served medium-rare. Spring lamb is young, which makes the meat very tender on its own, and it would best be enjoyed pink. For a lamb roast, a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the lamb should read 140° F for medium-rare, and 155° F for medium.]

Remove the lamb to a heated platter and cover loosely with foil.

Prepare the orzo:
Add the chicken broth, wine and orzo to the roasting pan and stir. Continue baking until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the oven and mix in the basil.

Service

Carve the lamb and serve with orzo, passing grated Parmesan to sprinkle over the orzo.

Recipe by Jennifer Urda