Melanzane Ripiene

Dose per sei o sette persone

Ingredienti

• 1 kg di melanzane  (4-7 dipende dalla grandezza)
• 2 uova
• 400gr di vitello macinato
• 100gr di parmigiano grattugiato
• 15mL d’olio d’oliva
• uno spicchio tritato d’aglio
• basilico tritato
• 100gr pane grattugiato
• sale e un po’ di pepe nero macinato
• [sugo già preparato]

Preparazione

1. Lavare le melanzane e tagliarle a metà.  Incavarle, e la parte che si toglie, deve essere tagliata a cubetti (app. 1cm3)
2. Prendere una pentola grande  e riempirla con 2 litri d’acqua e portarla ad ebollizione, aggiungere un cucchiaio di sale.
3. Quando l’acqua bolle, mettere nelle pentola le melanzane (tagliata a metà e anche la parte incavata), e bollire per 10 minuti.
4. Scolare il tutto e lasciare raffreddare le barchette e unire i cubetti agli altri ingredienti in una scodella.
5. Infine, amalgamare tutti i ingredienti e riempire le barchette. [Poi per cucinarle, bisogna preparare un sugo.] Mettere le barchette riempite in una pentola e aggiungere il sugo a metà.
6. Cucinare per 30 minuti a 140°C.  Togliere dal forno e servire con sugo.

Fusilli

I spent six weeks in San Demetrio di Corone in Calabria one summer back in 2002... I wrote this up when I was there.

Dose per sei o sette persone

Ingredienti

• 3 uova
• 1 kg farina tenero “00”
• 15 mL d’ olio d’ oliva
• sale (a gusto)
• acqua

Preparazione

1. Mescolate tutti gli ingredienti in una scodella, aggiungete l’acqua necessaria per la consistenza della pasta.
2. Quando l’impasto è pronto, arrotolate la pasta tagliata a pezzi della grandezza di una penna, più o meno lungo cm 6.
3. A questo punto, avvolgete ogni pezzo intorno ad un ferro usando il palmo della mano e allungate il pezzo di pasta.
4. Velocemente, togliete la pasta dal ferro e mettete sulla tavola per seccare.
5. Quando la pasta è secca, bollite una pentola d’acqua.  Quando l’acqua bolle, aggiungete 15mL d’olio d’oliva, un po’ di sale; infine, aggiungete la pasta facendo a cuocere per 7 o 10 minuti.
6. Scolate la pasta e servirtela con il vostro sugo preferito.

Sugo

Ci sono due tipi di sugo che si può usare per fusilli di solito.  Questo sugo sarà usato con le melanzane nella prossima ricetta.

Ingredienti 

• 1 litro di salsa di pomodoro O 1 kg di pomodori frullati 
• 15 mL d’olio d’oliva
• uno spicchio d’aglio
• sale 
• (vitello)

Preparazione

Pomodori e Basilico

1. In una padella, soffriggete una tazzina d’olio d’oliva (15 mL) e uno spicchio d’aglio per un minuto.
2. Aggiungete un litro di salsa di pomodoro (o 1 kg di pomodori frullati) e un cucchiaio (5gr) di sale.
3. Bollite per 30 minuti almeno.
4. Infine, aggiungete basilico per 5 minuti e servite.

Pomodori e Carne

1. In una padella, soffriggete una tazzina d’olio d’oliva (15 mL), uno spicchio d’aglio, i vostri pezzi di carne, 2 cucchiai di sale.  Non cucinate le carni completamente ma a metà cottura.
2. Aggiungete un litro di salsa di pomodoro (o 1 kg di pomodori frullati) e un cucchiaio (5gr) di sale.
3. Bollite per 45 minuti almeno.
4. Servitelo 

Verdure Gratinate al Forno

Baked Vegetables with Bread Crumbs

Ingredients:

• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 white onions cut into 1/2" rings
• 2 zucchini cut lengthwise about 1/4" thick
• 1 eggplant cut crosswise about 1/4" thick
• Sea salt 
• 1/2 c. e.v.o.o.
• 2 c. seasoned bread crumb (2 tsp dry oregano or chopped flat-leaf parsle, 2 Tbsp grated pecorino romano, reggiano, or grana padano)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Place slices on parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
3. Toss the vegetables in the slat, then in half of the olive oil.
4. Layer bread crumbs on top--at least 1/4" thick.
5. Drizzle remaining e.v.o.o. over the top. 
6. Bake, covered in aluminum foil for 30-40 mins.
7. Uncover and bake 20-30 mins more. 

Slow-smoked Beef Brisket

I got an offset smoker a couple of months ago, and I've been loving it. So far the ribs and the brisket that I have made have turned out great. More for memory than anything else, I've been tweaking this recipe from the NYTimes (which sounds about as blasphemous a source as any one could imagine for Texas barbecue.)

Ingredients

• 1 whole beef brisket, both point and flat cuts, 10 to 14 pounds (see note)
• ⅔ cup black peppercorns
• ½ to ⅔ cup coarse salt, preferably Morton’s kosher salt
•  Hardwood charcoal
• 3 cups wood chips, preferably oak, soaked at least 1 hour or overnight

1. Remove brisket from any packaging and dry with paper towels. Place fat side up (with the thicker point cut on top) and use a sharp knife to trim the fat on the top to an even sheath about 1/2-inch thick. (Most of the ones that I have bought have come more or less with this amount of fat. I've also been cooking with smaller briskets if I only have about 4-6 people over. The cooking time is far lower; 3-4 hours.)
2. Put a good amount of pepper and salt on the brisket and then rub it whatever spice mixture you would like. (I have been experimenting, but honestly Weber makes a great one already mixed up.)  Cook immediately, or set on a rack in a sheet pan, cover loosely, and refrigerate for at least 8 or up to 36 hours. This will develop a crustier “bark” on the finished brisket.
3. Remove and clean the grates of a charcoal grill or smoker, preferably one with a temperature gauge. 3/4-fill a chimney starter with charcoal, light it and let burn down until gray with ashes. Dump the charcoal in the offset smoker and close lid. When temperature settles at 225 to 250 degrees, put wood chucks (I have been using mostly hickory and some mesquite) over the coals. Lay brisket on the grate of the smoking drum, fat side up. Cover.
4. Cook at about 225 degrees, maintaining the temperature with additional charcoal and wood chips, for 4 to 6 hours, or until the internal temperature of the meat’s thickest part reaches 170 to 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. At this point, you can continue cooking it on the grill, or in a 225-degree oven. In either case, remove brisket from grill and wrap in unwaxed parchment or butcher paper. Then wrap well in foil. Return to grill or place in oven. (Although the internal temperature will remain steady at about 180 degrees during this final cooking, it will take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours more for the meat, fat and collagen to soften completely. Start testing after 1 1/2 hours, prodding brisket with your finger to see how it responds: the meat should become soft and balloon-like, almost jiggly.)
5. When meat is done, set aside for at least 30 minutes to let juices settle. (In a cooler, well wrapped, the meat will stay hot for at least 4 hours.) Remove foil and paper. Separate the point from the flat cut; trim off any remaining fat and membrane, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016755-slow-smoked-brisket

I also used this CharBroil article for some ideas, too:
https://www.charbroil.com/community/smoke-beef-brisket-charcoal-grill/

Pioneer Chicken Rub

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Ground Thyme
• 3/4 teaspoons Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Pepper

Here's how the Pioneer Woman recommends preparing it:

1. Preheat grill to medium high heat. Lightly brush grill with oil.
2. In a small bowl, stir together paprika, chili powder, cumin, thyme, salt, garlic powder and pepper.
3. Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl, sprinkle the spice mixture over the chicken and toss to coat.
4. Grill the chicken until it is just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 Tbsp of red wine vinegar and 1 Tbsp of honey. Brush mixture over grilled chicken. Serve.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/food-and-friends/spice-rubbed-grilled-chicken/