Short Rib Ragu Recipe

Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 3 hours | Total time: 3 hours and 15 min

Serves 4-6

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
1 stalk celerey, chopped fine
1 carrot, chopped fine
4 ounces pancetta, diced
4 pounds beef short ribs, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 35-ounce cans imported Italian peeled tomatoes
1 cup beef broth
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 leaves of basil, chopped
1 pound mezze rigatoni
freshly ground ricotta salata cheese for serving

1. In a large deep sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery, cook stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the short ribs and pancetta and brown the ribs on all sides.
3. Crush the tomatoes with your hands, and add to the pot. Then add the beef broth, season with salt and pepper to taste, and let simmer, stirring occasionally for 2-1/2 hours. Add the chopped basil in for the last 10 minutes of cooking.
4. Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil, add the mezze rigatoni and cook until al dente. Toss the pasta with some of the sauce, sprinkle with grated ricotta salata cheese and serve as first course. Transfer the ribs from the sauce to a serving platter and serve as the second course.

Roasted Rabbit with Sausage and Potatoes

Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 1 hour | Total time: 1 hour and 15 min

Serves 4

1 pound yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
8 ounces pancetta, diced
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1 3-4 pound rabbit cut into serving pieces
1 pound italian sausage
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400° F. In large bowl, toss together the potatoes, rosemary, thyme, garlic, pancetta and two tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt & pepper. Transfer into a roasting pan, pour in the white wine and place in the oven. Cook the potatoes by themselves for 40 minutes.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, season the rabbit with salt & pepper, and heat the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the rabbit, brown on all sides and transfer to a plate. When done browning the rabbit, do the same with the sausage, then cut the sausage into one inch pieces.
3. After the potatoes have been cooking for 40 minutes, add the browned rabbit and sausage to the pan and cook for 20 more minutes, until potatoes are tender. Transfer to warm serving plates and serve.

Porchetta Recipe

Serves 8

4 lb boneless pork belly, with the skin on
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Lay the pork skin side down on a work surface, and with a sharp knife, make a few slits in the flesh.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the sage, rosemary, garlic, 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Spread the mixture all over the exposed surface of the belly, working it into the cuts in the flesh. Roll up the pork belly and tie tightly with butcher’s twine.
4. Place rolled and tied belly in a roasting pan. Make some cuts in the skin with a sharp knife, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
5. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 2 1/2 hours. The juices should run clear when pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes, loosely tented with foil. Slice and serve.

The Veal Cutlets of Trattoria Battibecco is a variation on Bolognese Style Veal Cutlets that we got permission to reprint from the excellent cookbook Biba’s Italy by Biba Caggiano. The cutlets are coated in Parmagianno-Reggiano cheese before being breaded and fried, topped with Prosciutto di Parma and Fontina cheese, then finished in a reduction of cream, butter and broth. The last time I made this I served it with some asparagus tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper then baked in the oven at 350 degrees until tender (about 10 to 15 minutes).

Recipe:
The Veal Cutlets of Trattoria Battibecco

The weekend is almost upon us, so I thought I would reach down into the Italian Chef archives and recommend something for a nice traditional Italian Sunday dinner. The weather forecast here in the Northeast this week is pretty miserable, with snow and ice predicted for the next few days, so I find myself thinking about good old fashioned comfort food. The classic combination of Ossoboco with Risotto Milanese from the Lombardy region of Italy fits the bill perfectly.

Recipes:
Ossobuco
Risotto Milanese