Nut Free

As à la meunière means “in the manner of the miller’s wife” in French, it’s no surprise that this preparation often calls for the fish to be coated with flour before being sautéed, to promote browning.

In Italy, lasagne is usually made with fresh pasta, either made at home or bought at the local shop (practically every town has one). The quality of the pasta is in fact the key to the dish, since the ratio of noodles to sauce should be fairly equal. The other components should also be of top quality, as they will contribute to the overall dish; buy fresh ricotta and mozzarella if possible—both will lend wonderful flavor and creaminess. This vegetarian lasagne evokes the Italian flag, with its layers of red (marinara sauce), white (cheese), and green (fresh spinach pasta). If you would like to incorporate some meat, brown a pound of sweet Italian sausage (casings removed), crumbling with a spoon as it cooks, then halve the sausage and sprinkle evenly among the cheese in two layers. The pasta dough should be made as close to assembling the lasagne as possible, so plan accordingly. There is no need to pre-boil these noodles. Once rolled out to the thinnest setting on your pasta machine, stack the noodles (they should measure 5 inches wide and 26 inches long) on a baking sheet with plenty of semolina in between to keep them from sticking together. The lasagne can be assembled on one day and then baked on the next; cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake.

You might imagine that this dish was a modern creation, but its history dates back to the 1700s, when dried macaroni—one of the few staples that could survive a year aboard ship—was brought from Italy to Britain and to the American colonies. Because there was a lack of other (Italian) ingredients, the imported pasta would often be served with a simple white sauce—milk thickened with flour and butter; sometimes it was baked in a casserole with bread crumbs on top. The earliest recorded recipe was in the Boston Cooking School Cookbook in 1896. This recipe uses a classic variation of béchamel known as sauce Mornay, made by whisking the flour into sautéed onions to form the roux (which is what thickens the sauce; see page 62 for more); then milk is added and the sauce is left to simmer until thick and creamy. Grated cheese is the final touch. Béchamel—and any sauce where flour is used as a thickener—is typically cooked for about 30 minutes to give the starch molecules in the flour enough time to absorb as much liquid as possible (so the flour goes from being granular to smooth, or gelatinized). In this recipe, the sauce is simmered for a much shorter time, since it will continue to cook in the oven after being stirred into the dish. For variety, top some or all of the servings with thin slices of roasted tomato and fresh thyme.

Tortellini are traditionally served in broth; Basic Chicken Stock (page 41) or Basic Brown Stock (page 50) would be equally delicious.

Duck confit is just one example of how leftover meat can be used to make savory fillings. Short ribs, osso bucco, or lamb shanks are other good options. Just make sure to chop the meat finely enough to be wrapped neatly within tender pasta (without tearing the dough). You can alter the flavorings to suit your palate or the type of meat, but the egg yolks are always required for binding. This filling is especially good with the spinach pasta (page 368), as shown for the agnolotti on page 370.

Bologna, the capital of the northern region of Emilia-Romagna, is considered by many to be the food capital of Italy. Besides being the birthplace of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, balsamic vinegar, and Prosciutto di Parma, Emilia-Romagna differs from the rest of the country in the richness and complexity of its cuisine; Bolognese Sauce, with its delicate aroma and balanced flavors, is no exception. The sauce is hearty but also profoundly elegant, and is especially delicious when tossed with fresh pappardelle (see page 367 for how to roll and cut fresh pasta dough into these flat, long, wide strands). You’ll need about 3 cups for 12 ounces of pappardelle. The sauce can also be baked into lasagne (using spinach noodles as the Bolognese do; page 386) or served over gnocchi (page 376). For the meat sauce to have its characteristic richness and complexity, it must be cooked slowly over low temperature (what many cooks call “slow and low”). You simply cannot rush it, but know that your patience will be rewarded.

Marinara is the most basic tomato sauce for pasta and pizza, consisting only of tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and minimal seasonings. With so few ingredients, the quality of the tomatoes and olive oil is critical. The recipe below calls for fresh tomatoes. A combination of very ripe plum and beefsteak is best; plum tomatoes are fleshier with fewer seeds, while beefsteaks have a balanced, delicious flavor. If fresh tomatoes are not in season, by all means substitute canned whole tomatoes, preferably the imported variety from Italy (or other high-quality tomatoes). It is imperative that the garlic doesn’t color at all in the beginning, as this will give the sauce an unpleasant bitterness. That’s why the garlic and the oil are heated together briefly over moderate heat. Then the tomatoes are quickly added (after only 30 to 45 seconds), which will help keep the garlic from browning. This sauce is used in the lasagne on page 386, but it’s also perfect over ricotta-filled ravioli (page 369) or tossed with spaghetti and sprinkled with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano cheese.

With its light taste and texture, this sauce is best paired with slender strands, such as cappellini, spaghetti, or linguine; to serve, toss sauce with freshly boiled and drained pasta, adding a generous handful of fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces. And keep in mind that although the sauce is extremely easy, it does need an hour or two to allow the flavors to meld, so plan accordingly.

This recipe is for borlotti beans flavored with pancetta and sage, but you can apply the technique to most of the beans on page 397, except for lentils and split peas, neither of which need to be presoaked. (See opposite for a basic lentil recipe, and page 401 for split pea soup.) The cooking time depends on the variety and age of bean, so check the consistency often as they cook. The sage and pancetta used below would also work well for white beans, but omit them if making other types of beans, or substitute with other fresh herbs or meats (such as ham hocks or slab bacon). To serve, finish the beans with extra-virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, coarse salt, and freshly ground pepper. Or simply leave them as is to use in a salad or as part of another recipe.

When poaching delicate fruit, such as apricots and peaches, use a large shallow pan so the fruit can be in a single layer, rather than piled on top of each other. Also, keep the fruit submerged in poaching liquid with a round of parchment paper to prevent it from turning brown. After you serve the fruit, mix the poaching liquid with seltzer water to make a refreshing apricot fizz.

Beans are wonderful for making dishes that are hearty enough to serve as the main part of a meal or, in smaller portions, as an accompaniment to meat, fish, or chicken. Besides protein, they lend chewy texture that holds up well when tossed with vinaigrette. This dressing is made by deglazing the pan that was used to sauté the mushrooms and aromatics with vinegar, then whisking in oil. You may find that you have some left over; if you like, toss it with frisée or other salad greens, then serve the lentils over the greens. The lentils are also delicious with sausages, pan-seared tuna or roasted salmon, and duck confit.

This colorful dough should be made in a food processor, which ensures that the vegetable puree is distributed evenly throughout.

Settings on pasta makers vary (some have as many as ten settings, others only six); this recipe was developed using a hand-cranked pasta machine, but you can use any machine as long as you change the settings incrementally.

Fresh citrus juice is ideal for making granita; it is easy to extract and it freezes particularly well. For variety, use an equal amount of any type of citrus juice in place of grapefruit. Campari lends a pleasant bitterness and dash of color to grapefruit granita; add 3 tablespoons to the proportions below. To make apple granita, puree four peeled and cored apples in a food processor with 1/2 cup water and the juice of one lemon (to preserve the color); strain, and you should have 2 cups juice. For watermelon granita, puree about 3 cups cubed melon in a processor; strain.

Vegetables such as potatoes and fennel are often parboiled before grilling, for the best texture; you can add additional flavors by tossing them with spice blends between boiling and grilling. Increase the amounts given below if you wish to keep the mixes on hand for convenience. The spice mixes are best stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark spot for up to 6 months.

Simple syrup has countless uses—here it is combined with fruit to make frozen desserts, but it can also be used to poach fruits (see page 489) and to sweeten iced tea, lemonade, and cocktails.