Pizza Today - August 2021 - 41

semolina, spelt and even edamame can adorn
a plate, pizza or side dish with amazing results.
This category has the most creative uses in the
past centuries to produce ravioli, cannelloni,
tofu, soups, focaccia, stews and tortillas.
Charcuterie: pancetta, capicola, Mortadella,
Loma, Merguez sausage, Prosciutto di Parma,
guanciale, Cotechino sausage, Luganega
sausage and Tripe represent all the cuts from
snout to tail and fish like Baccala, Stoccafisso
and Bottarga exhibit the curing techniques to
make fish last into the winter months.
Prevailing Winds
Some fall and winter items that are trending
now are the result of the pandemic and
people re-thinking their priorities and lifestyle
choices. Others are due to the power of social
media or just retreads from the 80s and 90s.
Here are some trending menu ideas: vegan
and vegetarianism; mushrooms and roots;
chickpeas; cooking oils like avocado, pumpkin
seed, sunflower seed; milk alternatives like
rice, hemp and oat milk; carbohydrate alternatives
like cauliflower crust and gnocchi; lamb
shank, tamales, beet slaw, crunchy Brussels
sprouts, Collard greens with nut pestos; Grain
bowls; pistachios, almond milk, fermenting,
fermented locust bean; charcuterie boards;
kombucha; ancient grains; New Zealand
venison; Berkshire pork, fennel, Chicory, Butternut
squash; figs, Farro; pomegranates; poke;
and even hemp smoothies.
Here are a few delicious trendy Italian fall
and winter menu items to consider:
* Cazzimperio, raw carrot, celery, radish,
fennel, chickory with a great extra virgin olive
oil mixed with and lots of pepper.
* Gnocci di Zucca, butternut squash
gnocci with a sage cream sauce, grated cheese
and nutmeg.
* Fagioli con erb spontanee, cooked beans
with mustard, fennel, chickory greens on toast.
* Spaghetti with dandelion greens and and
bottarga, simple tossed greens topped with
shavings of the sea.
* Pollo alla Romana, chicken cooked with
a ragu of onions spicy peppers, garlic and
tomato and simmered to perfection.
* Grilled Polenta, with chicken broth,
chives, Parmigiano, cooled and served with
chickpeas.
* Involtini di Vitello, Sauteed veal, sage,
prosciutto and Parmigiano packets.
* Budino di Castagne, chestnut pudding
with eggs, milk, vanilla and rum.
* Cicoria Saltata, chickory sauteed with
garlic, chili pepper and extra virgin olive oil.
Timballo di Orecchiette al Forno
This pasta dish is an all-time favorite
championed by my chef friend Giovanni di
Negris while we both worked at La Primavera
Restaurant in Chicago. The beauty of this
dish is all in the preparation - the assembly
and baking are amazingly fast and straightforward.
This traditional Puglian pasta with
meat sauce sits perfectly in between the
cooked rounds of eggplant with Pecorino
Romano and is topped with another nod to
Puglian cheese - fresh burrata.
14 ounces dried orecchiette pasta
Heat 3.5 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons
of sea salt in a pot to boiling. Add
the pasta and cook for 10 minutes making
sure the pasta is al dente. (The pasta will be
cooked later also.)
Reserve one cup of the pasta water to add
to the sauce and drain pasta in a colander.
Reserve for later.
For the Sauce:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup onions
3 tablespoons minced carrot
3 tablespoons minced celery
6 ounces ground pork sausage
6 ounces ground beef
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
12 ounces chopped tomato in puree (do
not use tomatoes in water)
¼ teaspoon fennel pollen or ground fennel
seed
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
½ cup Pecorino Romano
½ ball Burrata cheese
Heat the olive oil on medium-high heat
and place the onions in the pan. Once they
start to simmer, place the carrot and celery in
the pan. Turn heat to medium low and sweat
the vegetables for 12 minutes.
Turn heat to medium high again and add
the beef and pork sausage to the pan in
small amounts, chopping the chunks as they
brown. Add the tablespoon of salt to mea,
then add the red wine, red pepper flakes,
pollen, oregano to simmer for 3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and ½ cup of the
reserved pasta water and simmer on
medium low for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring
occasionally. (If the meat is too chunky, use
a metal spatula to break it up.) The sauce
should have thickened considerably. Turn
the heat off and reserve.
For the Eggplant:
One medium, less bulbous, eggplant with
straight sides
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Cut 4 slices from the center of the eggplant
measuring just over ¼ inch thick.
Lay the slices down and lightly sprinkle
them with the see salt on both sides for 5
minutes to bleed moisture.
Using a paper towel, soak up the eggplant
moisture from each side.
Place the flour on a small plate and dredge
each eggplant slice into the flour by pressing
down.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large
sauté pan on high heat.
Just before the olive oil begins smoking,
place the eggplant in the oil and fry for 3
minutes on each side to just browned.
Remove and reserve.
Final assembly and bake:
Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
Mix 1 cup of the now-cooled pasta with
1 cup of the now-warm pasta sauce and ½
cup of the Pecorino Romano and
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil in a bowl
and toss together.
On a baking parchment-lined tray, place
a 3 ¾ inch diameter round mold (also called
cutters) Then place the first slice of eggplant
inside. (if your slices are too big or small
use one size up or down in mold. This mold
is to just keep the chunky sauce and pasta
from falling out.) Top the first slice with 2-3
tablespoons of the pasta mix making ¾ of an
inch in between the slices.
Continue with other slices until the fourth
slice. You may raise the ring mold up as you
finish the last filling. Leave the last slice as the
top or lid.
Carefully remove the ring and place the
tray into the oven for 15 minutes.
Heat up some tomato sauce for the plate.
Pick some basil buds for garnish.
After the bake, remove the Timballe and
place on the warmed pasta sauce. Rip the
burrata in half with your fingers and place
strips (Stracciatella) from half of the ball on
top of the eggplant.
Garnish with coarse sea salt, grated
Pecorino and basil buds. n
JOHN GUTEKANST owns Avalanche
Pizza in Athens, Ohio.
AUGUST 2021 / PIZZATODAY.COM / 41
http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM

Pizza Today - August 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today - August 2021

Commentary
Digital
Conversation
Mike's Monthly Tip
Man on the Street
Building Blocks
Tony's Trending Recipe
Knead to Know
Destinations
Drivers Safety a Top Concern
Launching a Mobile Biz
Small Market Marketing
Fall/Winter Menu Preview
Sweet and Savory Combinations
A Frozen Pizza Line
Pizza Expo 2021 Preview
Return to Indoor Dining
A Guide to Lease Agreements
Catering's Comeback
Contract Best Practices
Preferred Supplier
Pizza Today Yellow Pages
The Marketplace
Expo Spotlight
Pizza Today - August 2021 - CT1
Pizza Today - August 2021 - CT2
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Cover1
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Cover2
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Commentary
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 4
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 5
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 6
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 7
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Digital
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 9
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Conversation
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 11
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Mike's Monthly Tip
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 13
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Man on the Street
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 15
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Building Blocks
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 17
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Tony's Trending Recipe
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 19
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Knead to Know
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 21
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 22
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 23
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Destinations
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 25
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Drivers Safety a Top Concern
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 27
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 28
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 29
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Launching a Mobile Biz
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 31
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 32
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 33
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Small Market Marketing
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 35
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 36
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 37
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 38
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 39
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Fall/Winter Menu Preview
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 41
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 42
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 43
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Sweet and Savory Combinations
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 45
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 46
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 47
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 48
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 49
Pizza Today - August 2021 - A Frozen Pizza Line
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 51
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 52
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 53
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Pizza Expo 2021 Preview
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 55
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 56
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 57
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Return to Indoor Dining
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 59
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 60
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 61
Pizza Today - August 2021 - A Guide to Lease Agreements
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 63
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 64
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 65
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Catering's Comeback
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 67
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 68
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 69
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Contract Best Practices
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 71
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Preferred Supplier
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 73
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 74
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 75
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 76
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 77
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 78
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 79
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Pizza Today Yellow Pages
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 81
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 82
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 83
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 84
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 85
Pizza Today - August 2021 - The Marketplace
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 87
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 88
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 89
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 90
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 91
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 92
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 93
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 94
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 95
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 96
Pizza Today - August 2021 - 97
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Expo Spotlight
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Cover3
Pizza Today - August 2021 - Cover4
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