KnowYourOnions » pecorino

Bucatini All’Amatriciana

the chefs — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Make superficial cross cuts on one end of the tomatoes. In a saucepan with boiling water, plunge them for 30 seconds and transfer them to a bowl with iced water. Peel. Quarter, discard the seeds and cut into cubes. Cut the guanciale into little cubes and fry them in a pan over medium heat until golden. Transfer them to a bowl, but keep the fat in the pan, into which you can add the chopped onion. Sweat until soft and add the tomatoes, chopped hot pepper and cook for 10 min. Season with salt and pepper. Boil the bucatini in heavily salted water (500ml/100g pasta). Just before serving, add the bacon to the sauce. Strain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Add the pecorino, toss to coat and serve. Drizzle with olive oil.

Maccheroncini al Nero di Sepia

the chefs — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Clean the cuttlefish: separate the head from its body. Remove the guts, but keep the little ink bag. Cut the tentacles just below the eyes and discard the latter. Remove the skin from the head and the spine. Cut it into rings and the tentacles in pieces. In a saucepan, stir fry the chopped onions and crushed garlic in olive oil until softened. Add the cuttlefish and season with salt and pepper. Put the lid on and lower the heat, letting it cook until the meat is tender (about 30-40min). Stir from time to time. After 20min, press the ink bag through a sieve and mix 1/2 cup water with the ink (add the content of the ink envelope, if using). Add this to the pan and adjust the seasoning. Cook the pasta in abundant salted water until al dente, drain and toss it into the sauce to coat. Serve with the pecorino and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.

Basic Basil Pesto (Genovese)

the chefs — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Wash and dry the basil well with a tea towel. Add all the ingredients in a food processor and mix until you have a fine crumbly texture. If you have a pestle and mortar and want to do it the traditional way, bruise the basil and salt into a paste (do not bash the leaves, instead, make a continuous circular motion with the pestle). Add the chopped garlic and, when smooth, add the pine nuts. Keep mashing everything and finally add the grated cheeses. When it gets really thick, add the oil, a bit at a time. The paste will keep for several days if stored in the refrigerator, covered with a layer of olive oil.

Before serving, cook your pasta of choice in abundant salted boiling water until al dente. When ready, mix some of the pasta water with the basil paste to give it a creamy texture. Drain the pasta and mix in the sauce.

Baked Stuffed Courgettes

the chefs — Fri, 01 May 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Remove and reserve the stem ends. With the thin blade of a knife, remove the centre pulp from each courgette, starting from the cut end, leaving a 5mm thick unbroken shell. Dice the salami slices and provolone and chop the parsley. Skin, seed and chop the tomatoes. Slice the onion thinly. In a large bowl, add the breadcrumbs, Parma ham, salami, provolone, parmesan, pecorino, parsley, pine nuts and tomatoes. Mix in enough olive oil and water to hold the stuffing together. Pack the stuffing inside the courgettes and cover them with the reserved stem ends, securing them with wooden toothpicks. Coat the bottom of a frying pan with olive oil and, turning occasionally, gently sauté the courgettes until golden brown. Transfer to a baking tray. In the same pan, cook the onion until soft, then add the wine and finish with the butter, salt and pepper. Pour this sauce over the courgettes and bake in a 150C/300C oven for 45 minutes. Leave to cool then cut into slices and serve on a platter, with the sauce drizzled over.

Braised Fennel with pecorino

the chefs — Fri, 01 May 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Trim, wash and slice each fennel bulb vertically in half. Blanch in boiling salted water for 5min and drain well. In a heavy-based pan over medium heat, melt butter and olive oil, and braise the fennel for 10min, turning them over until both sides are brown. Season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with pecorino shavings.

Linguini al Pesto Genovese

the chefs — Fri, 01 May 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Wash and dry the basil well with a tea towel. In a pestle and mortar bruise the basil and salt to a paste (do not bash the leaves, instead, make a continuous circular motion with the pestle). Add the garlic and, when smooth, add the pine nuts. Keep mashing everything to a paste, and finally add the grated cheeses. Once the mixture becomes very dense, add the oil, a little at a time. The paste will keep for several days if stored in the refrigerator, covered with a layer of olive oil. Before serving, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. When it’s ready, mix some of the pasta water with the basil paste to dilute and give it a creamy texture. Drain the pasta and mix in the sauce.