Real Meatballs and Spaghetti

February 12, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Each week I follow along with Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) and attempt to recreate one of her dishes in my tiny New York City kitchen. The catch? This is my version of cooking school and I’m making these recipes for the first time. I’ll share both my successes and um, challenges, along the way and we’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Boss for Dinner”

The Set-up: The “top brass” from House Beautiful magazine are coming to Ina’s for dinner, including her “dear friend” and editor in chief, Stephen Drucker.

The Menu: Real Meatballs and Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Ice Cream Sodas

0:38 – Ina says she want’s to “dazzle” her guests, but most of all she wants them to go home saying, “wasn’t that fun?” These are good goals.

1:29 – Contrary to expectations of a fancy dessert, Ina is serving Ice Cream Sodas with chocolate and raspberry sauces.

2:15 – There really is something about childhood desserts – don’t get me wrong I love elegant recipes like crème brulee, but sometimes a brownie sundae just hits the spot.

3:22 – Of course Ina is making her own sauces, no Hershey’s Syrup here!

4:10 – I’m a little surprised that the chocolate sauce uses cocoa powder and not melted bar chocolate. Maybe it would harden?

5:23 – Interesting. I thought the raspberry sauce would include the whole fruit, but instead Ina has pressed the sauce through a sieve to just get the juice.

6:35 – Quick field trip to Villa Italian Specialties in East Hampton to pick up some antipasti for a platter and adhere to Ina’s Rules for Easy Entertaining: never make more than two things. Works for me!

10:47 - The unofficial theme of “Surprise! This Fancy Dinner Isn’t Fancy” continues with the main course - Real Meatballs and Spaghetti.

11:13 – Pro Tip #1: A combination of fresh breadcrumbs and dry breadcrumbs will keep the meatballs tender while also helping them to bind together.

12:06 – Ina has an interesting way of thinking about meatballs – the ingredients fall into two camps: flavoring and binding.

12:52 – Remember when I said I wanted to make Rao’s meatballs? Well, one of Ina’s tricks is from their playbook: warm water!

13:45 – Meatball sautéing montage. What a delicious turn of events…

14:27 – Now onto the tomato sauce montage, which appropriately includes a lot of onion and garlic chopping.

15:33 – Ina’s recipe also calls for red wine, which I’ve seen in things like boeuf bourgignon but not in a pasta sauce.

19:10 – Onward to the Garlic Bread made with fresh oregano and ciabatta!

20:25 – The garlic bread involves an olive oil and herb sauce that almost seems like a really loose pesto, without the parmesan and pine nuts.

21:51 – Ina says that once the bread goes in the oven that the whole house will smell like garlic. Sounds like heaven. Sigh.

22:48 – Out into the garden where Ina is setting the dinner table with a green striped cloth, beautiful bunches of fresh herbs, and white tulips. Again, heaven.

23:20 – Ina leaves the guests speculating on what dinner will be. Their hints are "Italian" and "oregano."

24:49 – Final assembly montage as Ina cooks the pasta, slices the garlic bread, and lifts the lid on a bubbling pan of meatballs and sauce. I am officially hungry.

27:27 – Ina arrives in the backyard with the most enormous footed serving bowl I’ve ever seen full of Real Meatballs and Spaghetti. If these people aren’t excited they must be dead inside.

28:36 – Back inside to set a tray with the ice cream soda makings. Note to self: anything looks elegant in silver bowls and parfait glasses.

29:14 – Guest Barbara goes first and chooses a chocolate soda with espresso ice cream. Well done Barbara, a woman after my own heart!

Final Thoughts:
My fate is sealed. It’s time to make meatballs!

I am absolutely on board with doing simple “home cooking” for important guests – it’s so much more relaxed that way.

At the close of the episode Ina asks for a raise and Stephen tells her she can have a meatball. Which actually sounds like a pretty good deal to me…

Lessons Learned:
It seems like meatballs are every where all of a sudden, so it was time to tackle them for myself. Here's what I learned from Real Meatballs and Spaghetti. Meatball Assembly – I’m a little meh about veal, so I used equal parts ground pork and lean ground beef (90/10). I also didn’t have seasoned dry bread crumbs, so I added 1 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano, and garlic powder to compensate. Other than that I followed the recipe exactly, including the nutmeg. It’s tough to roll them all exactly the same size, but it’s worth it to try. I’d also recommend the “PlayDoh” technique – slightly rounded palms, gentle pressure when forming them.

Meatball Cooking – This is another time to practice your oil heating. Remember that shimmer from the Chicken Piccata recipe? Same deal here – you want the oil good and hot before adding the first batch of meatballs. Resist the urge to crowd the pan – too many meatballs and the oil temperature will drop making them greasy. A baking sheet alternately lined with aluminum foil and paper towels was super helpful during the rolling and sautéing processes.

Sauce Cooking – They say necessity is the mother of invention; well, the timeframe for the final 30 minute cook of the meatballs and sauce coincided with Maddie’s late-afternoon walk. Luckily, or was it by design?, I was using my enameled cast iron French oven. Covered and put in a 350 degree oven it took about 35-40 minutes for the meatballs to braise and cook through – thank you meat thermometer – plenty of time for a spin around the block with the dog. Honestly, with no bubbling, spattering pan on the stove top to worry about I’d do it that way again in a heartbeat.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Fairly, more so than I’d expected. I don’t have a sauté pan large enough for 16 meatballs AND sauce, so I used my trusty 5.5 qt French oven for the meatball sautéing, sauce preparation, and final cook. I also needed a second large pot for the pasta, a colander, medium mixing bowl, a baking sheet (useful during the meatball rolling & sautéing process) and medium cutting board. For utensils, a dinner fork, wooden spatula, two rubber spatulas (gentler than tongs) a liquid measuring cup & measuring spoons, a microplane grater, and an instant read meat thermometer.

The Verdict:
OMG. Real Meatballs and Spaghetti are so, so good. The meatballs are tender and the accompanying sauce has incredible depth thanks to the Chianti. Mike rarely is interested in having the same meal multiple days in a row – but in this case he was more than willing to revisit this dinner. I think it’s because they seem to grow in power – Day 2 and Day 3 might even be better than Day 1. Please set aside a lazy weekend afternoon to make this recipe – you will not be sorry and whoever you choose to share with will be eternally grateful. Trust.

Scouting: Salumeria Rosi

October 17, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Scouting

Salumeria Rosi | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Salumeria Rosi** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

We’ve lived in our neighborhood for more than a year and I’m still surprised by the hidden gems I’m just discovering. My excuse for missing Salumeria Rosi all this time is one that might only make sense to other city dwellers: I’ve literally passed its burgundy awnings and fragrant rosemary bushes hundreds of times, but on the subway headed to some other destination. It’s a ridiculous reason, I know, but I never knew it was there!

I finally got my act together earlier this week and stopped by the restaurant/market hybrid, which specializes in imported Italian products. The shop is named for the Rosi family and the preserved meats the family’s Parma-based company, Parmacotto, produces. I learned that salumi is a broad term for – essentially the Italian counterpart to French charcuterie - and can refer to everything from prosciutto and pancetta, to cappicola, salami, and mortadella.

As a start in my education I took home a small sampling of aged Prosciutto di Parma, soppressata dolce, and salame calabrese. I paired the slices of salty, sweet, and spicy salumi with creamy goat cheese, roasted red peppers, and of course some great semolina Italian bread I picked up from the bakery. Maybe next time with a slice or two of melon, if I can find a good one in the produce section?

Salumeria Rosi reminds me why New York is such a great city for food lovers. In addition to the variety of salumi options, the market also carries small plate accompaniments and garnishes like caponata, marinated artichoke hearts, and delicate breadsticks – one stop shopping for a gorgeous spread. An authentic slice of Parma right in my backyard anytime an Italian feast is called for.

Salumeria Rosi | 283 Amsterdam Avenue; New York, NY | Deli: Mon - Sun 11:00 am - close; Restaurant: Mon - Fri 12:00 pm - close, Sat & Sun 11:00 am - close

Roasted Sausages and Grapes

September 24, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

As inspiration for more adventurous culinary efforts I’m following along with Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, in my tiny New York kitchen. Let’s see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Buon Appetito”

The Set-up: Ina is making Italian dishes that take almost no time or effort.

The Menu: Weeknight Bolognese, Roasted Sausage and Grapes, Parmesan Crisps

0:55 – We’re beginning with Weeknight Bolognese, which according to Ina takes “foreeever to make” and if this recipe from another TV cooking show is anything go on I agree!

1:22 – In a turn of events that surprises no one this recipe calls for garlic, oregano, and San Marzano tomatoes.

3:03 – Ina is also adding a few tablespoons of tomato paste and I have to give a shout out to one of my favorite ingredients – such an awesome way to add more flavor without adding more liquid.

4:35 – Now that Ina has finished hating on “boring” spaghetti and has started boiling the more interesting orecchiette it’s time to wrap up the Bolognese sauce.

5:41 – Parmesan has been ground, pasta is cooked, sauce is sauced and now I’m hungry.

6:50 – I have to give Ina credit, that looks really good and didn’t take all that long either. Buon appetito indeed.

10:07 – Now we’re cooking Roasted Sausages and Grapes with Joanne Killeen, owner of Al Forno restaurant in Providence, RI.

11:23 – First step, par-boil the hot and sweet Italian sausages to remove some of the fat.

12:36 – Interesting, Joanne recommends using both red and green grapes because “We start beautiful,” even though the final result will be that both look kinda brown.

13:18 – According to Joanne this is a peasant dish from Tuscany that would have been made around harvest time. File that one away for the next trivia night!

14:09 – Ina is in charge of finishing the sauce, which seems to consist of de-glazing the pan with balsamic vinegar while Joanne does the heavy lifting by slicing focaccia.

15:54 – Serving suggestion is mashed potatoes, but I think a creamy polenta might be better or potatoes roasted with herbs… yum.

16:26 – I love dishes that combine savory or spicy with something sweet – this looks like a great fall dinner.

19:35 – We’re back and taking a field trip to Cavaniola’s to learn about parmesan cheese. Ina is showing us whole wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano and what shavings look like.

20:11 – FYI, for cheese lovers on a budget (aren’t we all?) Grana Padano is a good, less expensive option.

21:20 – I feel like this a lesson for 12-year old me who tried to make fettuccine alfredo with the pre-ground kind in the canister, aka “shaker cheese.” Spoiler alert: it did not turn out well.

22:03 – We’re learning a little about Ina’s cheese handling preferences – mainly that she buys the world’s largest wedges of Parmigiano Reggiano and two that she wouldn’t touch the pre-shredded kind with a 39.5 foot pole (who knows where it’s been?!)

23:45 – Ina offers us two parmesan-related appetizers Parmesan Shards and Parmesan Crisps. The snarky side of me has thoughts that I’m trying to restrain…

26:17 – Time for Ask Ina! Question 1: How to fix meatballs that are too squishy. (Eww.) Ina recommends a combination of fresh and dry seasoned breadcrumbs.

27:32 – Question 2: How long should it take to cook risotto? Ina says risotto should cook at a gentle simmer and take 30 – 35 minutes to reach an al dente texture.

28:12 – Question 3: How do I pick the right balsamic vinegar? Ina says that like parmesan the more aged the balsamic is, the more expensive it is. She suggests selecting a few in your budget range, tasting them all and then choosing the one you like best.

29:28 – Question 4: Why is my pasta all clumped together in a solid mass? Ina explains that the starch released from the pasta as it cooks will make it stick unless you add a little oil to the water or put the pasta directly into the sauce after it drains.

Final Thoughts:

All of the recipes Ina made were really fast – perfect for weeknight cooking!

I learned my lesson about parmesan at a young age. The raw ingredients make such a difference in the outcome.

I dare some one to serve pieces of parmesan with toothpicks in them at their next party.

Lessons Learned:

I love recipes that balance savory with sweet, so the Roasted Sausages and Grapes was really intriguing to me. It also looked fairly uncomplicated to make so I decided to give it a shot. The steps are very simple and requires minimal prep, so this is a great recipe if energy and/or time are short.

Remember with roasting that allowing space between the grapes and sausages will allow them to caramelize – too little space results in steam and not much texture will develop.

One Important Note: I think the sausage I bought must have been fairly lean because after par-boiling and roasting they turned out almost dry – something that has probably never been said about a sausage before.

Unless you’re sure the sausages your using are high in fat content I’d err on the side of skipping the par-boiling step since any excess fat that renders out of the sausages during the roasting process can be skimmed off or left in the pan to help flavor the grapes and create the sauce.

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Yes, surprisingly. I used metal roasting pan, a medium pot, tongs, a wooden spatula, and measuring cups/spoons. That’s it!

The Verdict:

I had high hopes for Roasted Sausages and Grapes after all it’s been on Al Forno’s menu for 30 years(!), but I’m sorry to say that both Mike and I were a little underwhelmed. The flavors melded well together and delivered on the salty/sweet/vinegar combination, but the dryness of the sausage was a disappointment. I think with a few adjustments - mainly skipping the par-boiling step - this could be a great dish. I could even see making it for brunch alongside grits or herbed potatoes. A lukewarm endorsement, I know but I think there’s potential!

Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola

April 02, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa, and her cookbooks are already my go-to for basic cooking guidance, but her show serves as my inspiration for more adventurous culinary efforts. I’ll follow along with an episode of the Barefoot Contessa, and then choose a recipe to try in my tiny New York kitchen. We’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Italian Restaurant Food”

The Set-up: Ina is cooking recipes inspired by Italian restaurants at home.

The Menu: Nick and Toni’s Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola, Rum Raisin Tiramisu, No-Cook Antipasto Platter (Prosciutto Wrapped Melon, Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella and Pesto Salad, Salami Wrapped Breadsticks)

0:45 – Ina has a special guest - Joe Realmuto, Executive Chef at Nick & Toni’s in East Hampton – to demonstrate the first recipe: Nick and Toni’s Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola

0:54 – The sauce is roasted in the oven and has all the usual suspects – garlic, oregano, onions, olive oil and “a lot of vodka.” Joe’s influence seems to be upping the alcohol factor in our cooking game.

0:59 – Joe’s Pro Tip #1: when using dry herbs (in this case oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper) put them into the oil before you add the tomatoes and ‘sweat’ them out to get the best flavor.

1:06 – While the onions, garlic, and herbs sauté we head off to Nick & Toni’s via hand-held camera with commentary from budding film auteur, Joe R.

1:45 – He shows us around the kitchens, prep areas, and dishwashing station making every single employee super uncomfortable. They all look like they wish they had the day off or could hide behind a large pot…

2:03 – Ina teases him a little about “quitting his day job.” They have an easy rapport, so I don’t think he’ll be storming out and telling her to finish the sauce herself, although that would be super dramatic and hilarious.

3:17 – Apparently this recipe has been on Nick & Toni’s menu for 22+ years ever since the owners discovered the dish on a trip to Italy and convinced the chef to share it with them. I feel like not many restaurants have a ‘signature’ dish any more – all seasonal, farm to table, etc.

5:29 – The process for Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola is pretty intense – canned, whole, peeled San Marzano tomatoes are squished by hand into the softened vegetables, then the sauce roasts for 1 ½ hours. After it cools for a few minutes the entire batch is pureed in a blender, then reheated with a little heavy cream, fresh oregano and parmesan cheese. Nothing hard here, but a lot of different stages.

5:55 – PS: I have no idea how Joe has managed to keep his pristine white chef’s coat tomato-free. He must have some sort of chef force field in effect.

6:43 – The penne is cooked al dente in hot, salted water; then drained and added to the sauce to cook just a little longer. A final sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and fresh oregano and we’re done!

6:49 – Ina mentions that the vodka is doing “it’s thing.” I have no idea what she means, so pause for a quick Google. FYI, chowhound says (food + alcohol = flavor extraction) and because vodka is flavorless (unlike wine) the effect is heightened impact of the tomatoes, without the introduction of a new flavor.

7:05 – Ina and Joe are heading out to the patio with bowls of pasta, which sounds lovely. #jealous

10:16 – Ina is flying solo for the next recipe: Rum Raisin Tiramisu. She claims that all Italian restaurants have tiramisu on their menus, but that it’s very easy to make at home. It is also the dessert that launched 1,000 Sleepless in Seattle jokes. So there’s that.

11:42 – Pro Tip #2: when making an egg-based custard, beat room temperature egg yolks until they are pale yellow and drizzle off the beater in a ribbon.

12:39 – I see Joe’s boozy influence in this recipe… Ina’s making a twist on the classic by adding rum to the custard, dipping the ladyfinger cookies in rum, and soaking the raisins in rum. So what I’m saying is: RUM is the name of the game.

13:14 – Pro Tip #3: Adding a little orange juice, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds will help balance out the ‘edge’ in the rum.

15:27 – I’m fascinated by the logistics of finding the right size dish to fit exactly twelve ladyfingers. I always end up with too few of something or too many – TV magic, I suppose.

15:43 – Ina advises us to let the assembled tiramisu chill overnight to let the custard set. Now I know that TV magic is at work here, because she doesn’t have to re-arrange 1,500 things in her refrigerator to make space for a 9x13 pan.

20:11 – We’re back with Ina to make restaurant-style antipasto. First – Prosciutto Wrapped Melon wedges. I love when the name of the dish and the recipe are the literally the same thing. She’s using cantaloupe, but says we can use any type of ripe melon.

21:45 – Ina references our patron saint, Julia Child, who apparently didn’t consider Italian food “cooking.” Love you Julia, but I’m glad Ina’s on our side – she says that this is “good news” because it’s so easy.

22:09 – Next up, Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella and Pesto. Ina claims that she made her own pesto (recipe here), but says we can use store bought “as long as it has great flavor.” She really is taking it easy on us today.

22:34 – Last item, Breadsticks Wrapped in Salami. I think she may be teasing us, but I’m going to take these at face value. She did say that these were easy and I’m fairly sure that small children could do this.

26:12 – Ask Ina time! First question: should cooked pasta be rinsed under cold water? Ina manages not to look horrified and says no, that this cools the pasta too much. Pro Tip #4: the small amount of starch coating the pasta helps thicken the sauce and you may actually want to reserve a little pasta water before draining for this purpose.

27:23 – Second question: why do chefs put salt in the pasta water, and is this necessary? Ina again refrains from throwing up her hands in dismay and says yes, this is a necessary step. Pro Tip #5: Salting the water helps flavor the pasta from the inside. Salting it later just leaves the salt on top.

28:34 –Third question: does Ina have a great recipe for garlic bread? Oh, boy does she! We get a quick demo of Garlic Herb Ciabatta, which involves sautéing a spread of garlic, parsley and oregano. Yum. Carbs.

29:22 – Last question: Help, it’s pasta night and I don’t have any marinara! Ina offers up a quick “cheat.” She suggests adding some sautéed onion and garlic to a store bought sauce and promises not to tell anyone. Our secret!

Final Thoughts:

Ina + professionally trained chef is always interesting to see. I wonder if this is like sports where playing with someone better helps improve your game?

Ina was really focused on making easy, minimal ingredient recipes in this episode – definitely more preparation and assembly than cooking.

I’d love an April Fools-style Ask Ina where she’s all dramatically aghast over the questions. “Rinsing pasta!? Have I taught you NOTHING?!”

Lessons Learned: I was a little intimidated by the knowledge that Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola was a recipe served in an actual restaurant, but the ingredients are really approachable (99% I already had in the fridge or pantry, I bet you do too) with one exception - the fresh oregano. I hit some minor snags, but nothing a little practice and some thinking on the fly couldn’t solve.

Number one – normally recipes direct you to sauté the onion first and then add the more delicate garlic, but this recipe calls for the onion and garlic to sauté at the same time. That’s all well and good if you keep the heat quite low – I came thisclose to burning the garlic, so watch carefully.

Number two – the whole San Marzano tomatoes I had (Cento brand) were packed in a lot of pureed tomato. I strained the two cans which did yield some watery liquid and added both the squished whole tomatoes and the puree. I ended up with slightly more sauce, but the seasoning still tasted right to me. Just something to keep in mind.

I can’t honestly say that this is small kitchen friendly, but it is do-able. I used one large, covered oven-safe sauté pan, a large sauce pan for the pasta, one medium bowl, a blender, a sieve/strainer, a colander, and a box grater in addition to the basic items like spatulas, cutting board, etc. A very large spoon or ladle will be particularly useful for the pot-to-blender step.

The Verdict:
I had never eaten a vodka sauce before or cooked one for that matter, but Mike and I both really liked the way the Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola turned out. Very creamy, but not too heavy and with a nice subtle heat from the red pepper flakes. It’s a little more work to make than my standard tomato sauce (which is essentially the ‘cheat’ Ina suggested), but I think the effort is worth it. A nice Sunday afternoon, no stress type of dish since there’s more than an hour of ‘down time’ while the sauce roasts in the oven. If you’ve got the equipment and the time, definitely give this one a shot!