About Pancetta with Recipes for Pasta with Squash, Arugula, and Pancetta & Pasta with Pork in Garlic-Wine Sauce (Ιταλική Πανσέτα με Ζυμαρικά)

Alaska has been having a cold snap.

I imagine many of you thinking, “So what else is new?” Even though Alaskans expect and are used to cold weather, the last couple weeks really have been colder than usual. To see what cold weather looks like, check out Marc Lester's lovely photo-essay showing Southcentral Alaska’s chilly wonderland.

Hearty food, including pasta, is a good antidote for cold weather blues. One of my favorite ways to boost the flavor of winter pasta sauces is adding pancetta (cured Italian pork belly). Only a small amount of pancetta is needed improve the taste of savory sauces (a corollary to the principle that everything tastes better with bacon).

Salumi's hand-crafted pancetta

Pancetta is often sold in packages of very thinly cut pre-sliced meat. Although I use pre-sliced pancetta in a pinch, I mostly buy pancetta direct from the deli counter. I ask for either a chunk of pancetta, which I hand slice and dice at home, or have the deli staff cut the pancetta into slices the thickness of regular bacon. With thicker slices, eaters enjoy bursts of pancetta flavor when devouring the sauce; thinner slices tend to melt into the other flavors.

I was recently at Seattle’s Metropolitan Market where I bought several pounds of hand-crafted pancetta from Salumi Artisan-Cured Meats. This is far and away the best pancetta I’ve ever eaten; Salumi’s hand-rolled pancetta is meaty, with superior texture and flavor. Although more expensive than pre-sliced pancetta, Salumi’s product is well worth the price, and may be ordered online.

Two delicious pasta sauces that benefit from pancetta are Pasta with Squash, Arugula, and Pancetta and Pasta with Pork in Garlic-Wine Sauce. Either is just right for even the coldest winter day.

Pasta with Squash, Arugula, and Pancetta
Serves 4
Inspired by Cookthink
If using artisan-cured pancetta, it may be quite salty, so be careful not to over-salt the other components of the dish.

Squash:
1 small Kabocha, butternut, or other winter squash, peeled and cut into 3/4” chunks (4 cups)
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Pancetta and Onions:
3 thick slices pancetta, cut in 1/2” dice (1/2 cup)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cups diced onion, 1/2” dice
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic
2 Tbsp. minced fresh sage

Pasta:
1/2 pound casarecci or similarly shaped pasta
4 cups arugula, cleaned and roughly chopped
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Make the Squash: Preheat the oven to 515°F. On a baking sheet with rims, toss the squash cubes with olive oil, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Put the squash in the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 475°F. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning the squash cubes halfway though, until the squash is cooked through and lightly browned.

Put a large pot of salted water on a burner over high heat.

Make the Onions and Pancetta: Sauté the pancetta in olive oil until it begins to brown. Stir in the onions and freshly ground black pepper, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and sauté until the onions soften. If the onions start sticking to the bottom of the pan, add 1/4 – 1/2 cup water. When the onions are lightly browned, stir in the garlic and sage and keep warm over very low heat.

Make the Pasta: Add the pasta to the boiling salted water and cook until it is al dente. While the pasta is cooking, put the arugula in a large bowl. When the pasta is done, remove 1 cup of pasta cooking water, drain the pasta well, and put the drained pasta on top of the arugula in the bowl. Add the roasted squash and cooked onions to the bowl and toss all the ingredients well. If the dish is too dry, add as much of the pasta cooking water as necessary (usually 1/4 - 1/2 cup). Taste and add freshly ground black pepper or salt, as needed.

Serve sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Pasta with Pork in Garlic-Wine Sauce
Serves 4
Spruce vinegar and salt-cured spruce buds add interesting highlights to the sauce, but aren’t necessary to the success of the dish. If you’re among the 99.99% of people who don’t have either ingredient, red wine vinegar and capers work equally well. For capers, I prefer the taste of salt-cured; when I can’t find salt-cured, I use capers in brine. If using artisan-cured pancetta or salt-cured capers, they may be quite salty, so be careful not to over-salt. Bacon may be substituted for pancetta; it adds a pleasant smoky flavor.

Sauce:
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound), cut in 3/4” dice
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, crushed
1 Tbsp. spruce vinegar or red wine vinegar
3 thick slices pancetta, cut in 1/4” dice (1/2 cup)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup finely diced onion, 1/8” dice
1/4 cup sun-dried or regular tomato paste
1 Tbsp. salt-cured spruce buds or capers, well-rinsed and minced
3/4 cup dry red wine
2 cups chicken stock

Pasta:
1/2 pound gemelli or similarly shaped pasta
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Mix the pork, garlic, peppercorns, and vinegar and let marinate at least 1 hour (overnight is fine).

Sauté the pancetta in olive oil until it begins to brown. Add the pork mixture and cook until the pork is browned on all sides. Stir in the onion, using the moisture in the onions to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until the onions soften and begin to turn golden. Stir in the tomato paste until it is thoroughly combined. Mix in the wine and cook until it is reduced by half. Stir in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 40 - 45 minutes, until the sauce slightly thickens. Taste and add salt or freshly ground black pepper, as needed.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until it is al dente. Drain the pasta and toss it with the pork sauce. Serve sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

The road we live on

Recipes: Tajarin (Fresh Egg Yolk Tagliarini), Tajarin with White Truffles, Olive Oil, and Parmesan, & Tajarin with Sage Butter

Thinly sliced Oregon white truffles

I'm celebrating my 100th article on Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska with white truffles, a food worthy of any special occasion.

The first time I had white truffles was in La Morra, a small town in the heart of Piemonte’s Barolo wine country. Their flavor was seductively good, amazingly good, good like nothing I’d savored before.

Ever since, I’ve had white truffles as often as possible; in other words, rarely. Fresh white truffles are few and far between.

We arrived at an agriturismo on the outskirts of La Morra on a sunny fall afternoon. To check into Agriturismo Il Gelso, we sat at an outdoor stone table with then owner, Egidio Oberto. He welcomed us with glasses of excellent wine he’d made on-site. Basking in the autumn sun, our tired shoulders relaxed; the day of travelling already forgotten.

The wine whetted our appetites. Despite the early hour, we drove into La Morra looking for the Belvedere, a restaurant my father highly recommended. We parked, intending to roam the streets until we saw a Belvedere sign. When we got out of the car, we noticed the restaurant was directly across the street. That was a very good omen.

We opened the restaurant's door and discovered it was more formal than we’d thought. Despite the white tablecloths and old-world atmosphere, the staff couldn’t have been more welcoming. No reservation? Not a problem. Casually dressed? Come right in. We were comforably seated at a window table with a vineyard view.

The menu that evening featured white truffles (Tuber magnatum) and porcini (Boletus edulis), two local delicacies that had just come into season. We ordered one or the other or both for every course.

One of my favorite dishes was tajarin tossed in butter and parmesan, over which our waitress showered a flurry of white truffle shavings. Tajarin is a thinly cut fresh pasta unique to Piemonte and made with large amounts of egg yolks.

By the end of the evening, we were intoxicated with white truffles. I remember vividly how happy we were on leaving the Belvedere for a post-dinner stroll around La Morra.

I also remember the truffles’ better-than-expected flavor. I doubt it's possible to eat my fill of fresh Piemontese white truffles, but we spent the rest of our time in the environs of La Morra trying.

Recently, we arrived at our friends' house for dinner and were excited to find Bill making risotto with Oregon white truffles. Cindy brought the truffles home from a trip to Portland.

I’d read about Oregon white truffles, but this was the first time I’d tried them. They were smaller and much milder than their Italian cousins, but tasted distinctively and unmistakably of truffles. The risotto was a treat.

After dinner, as we bundled up to leave, Cindy generously gave us a handful of pungent Oregon truffles, carefully packed in dry Arborio rice. I lay in bed that night happily thinking about truffles.

Truffles, like mushrooms, are the annual fruit of underground fungi. The perennial part of truffles and mushrooms exists as a web of thread-like filaments in the soil called a mycelium.

In France and Italy, truffles have long been a gourmet treat. It’s only in recent years that commercial harvesters discovered two varieties of white truffles (Tuber oregonense and Tuber gibbosum) growing in the Douglas fir forests that run up the Pacific coast from Northern California to British Columbia.

We learned at La Morra’s Belvedere that the heady, earthy taste of truffles shines when paired with simple pasta, rice, or egg dishes. Because their flavor dissipates under heat, truffles shouldn’t be cooked. They are best when shaved over food at the time of serving.

I decided to pair the Oregon truffles with tajarin, the Piemontese pasta we ate in La Morra. Luckily, there was a new carton of organic eggs in the refrigerator, so I could make the egg-rich dough.

While making dinner, I thought about the best way to cut the truffles thin enough to release their maximum flavor. I'd settled on a mandoline when I suddenly remembered we owned a truffle shaver, unused since we’d received it for Christmas several years ago.

I laughed at myself for owning a truffle shaver, but it was the precise tool needed. The truffle shaver worked perfectly on its inaugural appearance; I hope to put it to good use many times in the future.

Or so I’m dreaming.

NOTE: The Belvedere closed this year. Its owners, the Bovio family, will soon open a new restaurant just outside La Morra called Bovio Ristorante.

Tajarin (Fresh Egg Yolk Tagliarini)
Makes enough pasta for 4 servings
Tajarin made with a food processor and pasta machine is quite easy. If you use farm fresh eggs, with their deep yellow yolks, the tajarin will have better flavor and more pronounced color. Use the extra egg whites to make Pistachio Biscotti.

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 whole eggs
6 egg yolks

Put all the ingredients in a food processor. Process until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed and the dough starts forming clumps. Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 1 minute, adding a small amount of flour if the dough is sticky. When you’re done, the dough should be smooth and firm. Divide the dough into three portions, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature for one hour. (Dough can be made ahead to this point.)

Run each portion of dough through the rollers of a pasta machine, starting with the thickest setting. Lightly dust the pasta dough with flour so it runs smoothly through the rollers. Fold the dough in thirds as if folding a letter, turn it 45 degrees, and again run it through the thickest setting. Repeat the folding, turning, and rolling at least three more times, or until the dough is smooth and shiny.

Set the pasta machine at the next thinnest setting. Run the sheet of pasta through, dusting with flour as necessary. Continue reducing the setting of the pasta machine and running the pasta through until you reach the machine’s second lowest setting. When the sheets of pasta become too long to comfortably handle, cut them into manageable lengths. When each sheet is done, lay it out to rest on a floured surface for 30 minutes.

Using the small (2mm) cutter on the pasta machine, cut the pasta into long lengths. Lay out the cut pasta on a floured cloth, or shape it into loose nests. Let dry for 30 – 60 minutes.

The tajarin is now ready to use.

Tajarin with White Truffles, Olive Oil, and Parmesan
Serves 4
If you don’t have access to fresh truffles, use white truffle oil instead. Be careful not to overdo; a little truffle oil goes a long ways.

Pasta:
1 recipe Tajarin (see above)
2 Tbsp. coarse salt

Sauce:
2 – 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Freshly shaved white truffles or white truffle oil

Fill a large pot with water, bring it to a boil, add the salt, and stir in the pasta. Cook for 1 minute. Drain.

Return the pasta to the pan, toss with 2 Tbsp. olive oil, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and 2 Tbsp. parmesan. If the pasta is too dry, add the remaining olive oil. Divide the pasta between four serving plates; top each plate with 1 Tbsp. parmesan. Shave truffles over the pasta (or drizzle with a small amount of truffle oil) and serve immediately.

Tajarin with Sage Butter
Serves 4
To perfect the tajarin recipe, I had to make it several times. This is the simplest and most recent version. Be sure to use good butter and fresh sage leaves; in a dish with so few ingredients, their quality matters.

Pasta:
1 recipe Tajarin (see above)
2 Tbsp. coarse salt

Sauce:
4 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. minced sage
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Melt the butter over low heat, stir in the sage, and season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Fill a large pot with water, bring it to a boil, add the salt, and stir in the pasta. Cook for 1 minute. Drain.

Return the pasta to the pan, toss with the sage butter and 2 Tbsp. parmesan. Divide the pasta between four serving plates; top each plate with 1 Tbsp. parmesan. Serve immediately.

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Thie is my entry for the Second Annual Pullet Surprise: Eggs hosted by Peanut Butter Etoufee.

Recipe: Pork and Chickpea Stew (Χοιρινό με Ρεβίθια)

Viewed from mountaintop pastures, the sun sparkles off achingly blue Aegean waters. Boats travel lazily in and out of the island’s many natural harbors. Hulking shapes of nearby islands grace the horizon.

In spring, wild plants, both edible and inedible, paint the pastures green, briefly disguising rocky earth and thin soil. Bursts of color from showy displays of wild flowers punctuate the bright green vistas. A small valley divides the pastures. Topsoil, deposited over the centuries, supports the valley’s lush plant communities.

By August, the hillsides are painted again, but this time in shades of gold and ochre and rust. The plants, once so green and inviting, are sharp and prickly, attacking the legs of those who venture to cross the land. Rocks are everywhere. Small lizards dart to and fro, hunting for food on the parched hillsides.

Uncle Dimitris used to grow chickpeas in the valley, the only place on the rocky mountaintop capable of sustaining a cultivated crop. He reached the remote area by donkey, and tilled the hard soil by hand. He let the chickpeas dry on the vine, then brought them down to the village for Aunt Stavroula to clean and cook.

During years of poverty, through occupations, wars, inflation, and unemployment, garbanzo beans were an important winter food on the island. They are rich in protein and nutrients, and were particularly valued on the many fasting days that fill the Greek Orthodox calendar.

In this recipe, chickpeas are paired with pork to produce a flavorful and filling winter stew. I’ve made the stew with only chickpeas, leaving out the pork, and it is very tasty - though not as appealing for meat-eaters. When it’s just the two of us, my husband’s serving is heavy on the meat, and my serving is heavy on the chickpeas, a state of affairs that pleases us both.


Pork and Chickpea Stew (Χοιρινό με Ρεβίθια)
Serves 4 – 6
When made with canned chickpeas and tomatoes, both of which work well in this dish, the stew is particularly easy to make. I like the extra flavor boost from oil-cured olives, but the stew is wonderful without them.

1 1/2 pounds pork steak (bone-in) or 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 to 1 1/4 pounds)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 1/2 cups diced yellow onions (1/2” dice)
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. dried thyme, crushed
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups cooked chickpeas (2 14.5 ounce cans)
2 cups (1 14.5 ounce can) diced tomatoes
1 cup crushed tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
3 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. minced fresh sage
1/3 cup chopped oil-cured or salt-cured black olives (optional)

Wash and dry the pork well. Cut into 1” cubes, reserving any bones. Season the pork and bones with salt and freshly ground black pepper and, in a large pot, brown on all sides in olive oil. Stir in the onions, lightly season again with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and sauté until the onions begin to turn golden. Add the garlic and dried thyme and cook for 1 minute.

Add the wine, bring to a boil, and cook until the wine is reduced by half. Stir in the chickpeas, diced and crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, cover, turn down the heat to low, and simmer for 45 – 60 minutes, or until the pork is tender.

Remove the cover, stir in the sage and black olives, and bring to a medium boil. Cook the stew, stirring as necessary to prevent it from sticking to the pan, until the liquid is the consistency you desire, about 10 – 15 minutes.

Serve with feta cheese, crusty bread, and a crisp green salad.
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This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted this week by Claudia from Fool for Food.

Recipe: Pork and Sage Bites (Χοιρινό και Φασκόμηλο Μεζές)

“We’re having pork for dinner,” I announced last week. “Do you want it with sage or rosemary?”

The answer was sage. It continues to thrive in our bedroom herb garden, and needed a haircut, so I was happy to pair it with the pork.

I didn’t have a plan for what to make, but wanted something with simple flavors that could be put together at the last minute. Since it’s January, and we’re still not shopping, whatever I made had to use on-hand ingredients.

For years, one of our favorite treats has been a sauceless version of saltimbocca (an Italian dish whose name means “jumps in the mouth”). My saltimbocca is made with chicken pounded thin and layered with prosciutto and sage.

I decided to make something similar with the pork. We’re out of prosciutto, but pork is flavorful meat and doesn’t need the flavor boost prosciutto gives chicken.

Thinly pounded pork, browned quickly in butter and liberally seasoned with freshly ground black pepper, pairs beautifully with fresh sage leaves. Like its Italian cousin, the Pork and Sage Bites jumped in our mouths as fast as we could open them.

Although we ate the Pork and Sage Bites for dinner, they make an easy and flavorful appetizer. For those who enjoy ouzo, Pork and Sage Bites would be a tasty accompaniment.

Pork and Sage Bites (Χοιρινό και Φασκόμηλο Μεζές)
Makes about 60 pieces
Pork and Sage Bites can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance. They cook very quickly and make a wonderful hot appetizer or main course. I recently served them to complement Red Cabbage with Mushrooms and Blueberries. The leftovers, and there were plenty since only two of us were eating, disappeared in less than a day.

1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh sage
2 – 4 Tbsp. butter

Wash and dry the pork. Slice the tenderloin at an angle into 1/2” thick medallions. Place the medallions between two sheets of plastic wrap. Working from the center to the edges, lightly pound the medallions with the flat side of a meat pounder until they are 1/8” thick.

Cut the thinly pounded pork into 2” – 3” pieces (it doesn’t matter if they are slightly larger or smaller than this). Salt the pork and season it with plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Place one fresh sage leaf, attractive side up, on top of each pork piece. Secure the sage leaf to the pork with a wooden toothpick.

Preheat a heavy plate (this is easiest to do by putting the clean dry plate in a microwave on high for 60 – 90 seconds).

Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a frying pan until it is hot, but not brown or smoking. Add as many pork pieces to the pan, sage leaf side up, as will fit comfortably; do not crowd them or the pork will steam rather than brown. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes, or until the meat starts to brown. Turn over and cook for 1 – 2 minutes more. Place cooked Pork Bites on the preheated plate. Cook the remainder of the Pork Bites, adding butter to the pan as necessary.

Serve immediately.
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This is my entry to the "Grow Your Own" event hosted by Andrea's Recipes.
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For Jack, who wants to know five odd, random, or weird things about me:
I didn’t eat a raw tomato until I was 24.
The first sentence I learned in Greek was, “I’m sorry, I can’t eat anymore.”
I watched Eskimo villagers pull a beluga whale to shore and ate fresh muktuk.
I’ve only been to McDonalds one time and that was in Bed-Stuy.
I like emptying mini-bars and filling them with cheese.

Recipe: Baked White Beans with Tuna and Sage (Φασόλια με Τόννο και Φασκόμηλο)

We all have kitchen standbys: recipes we’ve cooked a hundred times and can throw together without thinking. Standbys are delicious and turn out well even when we’re tired or inattentive.

One of my standbys is white beans, baked with olive oil, garlic, sage, tuna, and lemon juice. I’ve never been disappointed by baked tuna and beans, and rely on it when refrigerator shelves are bare. It is made entirely with pantry staples and takes 10 minutes to put together and less than an hour to bake.

I usually make Baked White Beans with Tuna and Sage using canned cannellini beans, but have also made it with Great Northern or navy beans. For tuna, I prefer canned albacore packed in water, but any kind of tuna will do. The only ingredients I use each and every time are fresh lemons and fresh garlic; their bright flavors are necessary to the recipe’s success.

During winters past, I’ve relied on dried rubbed sage to enhance the tuna and beans, but this year we brought sage in from the garden. It’s growing in the bedroom along with parsley, rosemary, thyme, and the geraniums that have been blooming since late May.

When people hear we live in Alaska, they want to know how we survive the cold. For me, the cold is a minor inconvenience; short winter days and too much darkness take more of a toll.

To combat winter blues, I moved live herbs and flowers into the bedroom. They reside on stainless shelves, with grow lights on a timer set for 6:30 in the morning. I wake up to bright lights and green plants, starting my day in a better mood than when I used to wake in a pitch black room. The bonus is having fresh herbs for cooking. It’s well worth the extra electricity.

Baked White Beans with Tuna and Sage (Φασόλια με Τόννο και Φασκόμηλο)
Serves 3 – 4

2 15.5-ounce cans cannellini or other white beans
2 6-ounce cans albacore or other tuna
2/3 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
3 - 4 Tbsp. minced fresh sage, or 1 – 2 Tbsp. dried rubbed sage
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Drain the beans into a strainer and rinse them well. Drain any oil or water from the tuna.

In a 10” x 10” glass baking pan, mix the beans, olive oil, garlic, half the sage, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Cover the pan with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans from the oven.

Stir the tuna, lemon juice, and remaining sage into the hot beans; break the tuna into bite-sized pieces as you stir. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Taste, and add sage, lemon juice, salt, or freshly ground black pepper, as needed. Bake for 5 more minutes.

Serve with olives, feta cheese, pickled peppers, and crusty bread.

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This is my entry to the "Grow Your Own" event hosted by Andrea's Recipes.