Italian Cooking, Southern Style

Star Chef Frank Stitt, Of Birmingham, Ala., Shares Recipes Mixing Both, On The Early Show

(CBS) 

Parsley and Orange Zest Gremolata

Makes about 1/4 cup

Traditionally, gremolata is a mixture of chopped parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. Here, we make a very small variation and add orange zest. Be careful not to let the garlic dominate-this should be more about the citrus aroma and green parsley, with a hint of garlic.

The aromatic oils are more intense if you combine the ingredients just before serving. It's the just-prepared flavor and aroma of the fresh zest and chopped herbs that make this preparation so wonderful.

Gremolata is classic with osso buco and adds bright flavor to other rich, meaty braises like our Short Ribs and Oxtail with Gremolata and Green Olives.

1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
Zest of 1/2 orange-removed with a zester and chopped
Zest of 1 lemon-removed with a zester and chopped
1 small garlic clove, crushed and very finely chopped

Combine the parsley, zests, and garlic on a cutting board and finely chop them together. Scrape into a small bowl. Use as soon as possible.

Fennel with Blood Oranges, Pistachios, Endive, and Gorgonzola

Serves 4

The tart-sweetness of the citrus mellows the bitter bite of the crisp endive and the earthiness of Gorgonzola. Green pistachios and plump red pomegranate seeds are like little gemstones garnishing this salad of Moorish-influenced Sicilian flavors.

To extract pomegranate seeds, cut the pomegranate in half gently and pry the pulp-coated seeds from the surrounding bitter membrane. Be careful -- don't stain your shirt!

1/2 fennel bulb, halved lengthwise and very thinly sliced crosswise
1 Belgian endive, halved crosswise, bottom half trimmed and thinly sliced, top separated into leaves
1 head frisée, torn into pieces
1/2 head radicchio, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Scant 1/4 cup Balsamic-Sherry Vinaigrette (recipe below)
2 blood oranges, peeled, pith cut away, and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 heaping tablespoon pomegranate seeds
1 heaping tablespoon pistachios, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
1/4 pound mountain (naturale) Gorgonzola, cut into little pieces

Combine the fennel, sliced endive, frisée, and radicchio in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette.
Artfully arrange the greens on serving plates, distributing them evenly, and placing the endive leaves decoratively around the other greens. Tuck in the slices of blood orange, letting them peek out. Scatter the pomegranate seeds, pistachios, and Gorgonzola evenly over the salads. Drizzle a little more vinaigrette around the edges of the plates and serve.

To Drink: Gewürztraminer (Tramin)

Balsamic-Sherry Vinaigrette

Makes about 1/2 cup
I sometimes like to lighten a balsamic vinaigrette with some sherry vinegar-it's less sweet and less intense, and adds complexity of flavor from the Spanish sherry vinegar.
1 shallot, finely minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine the shallot, vinegars, and salt and pepper in a small bowl and let macerate for 5 to 10 minutes. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasonings. The vinaigrette will keep for several days in a jar in the refrigerator.

Ravioli with Pumpkin and Sage Butter

Serves 4 as an appetizer

Pumpkin-zucca-is a classic filling for pasta in the Emilia-Romagna region around Bologna. To me butternut squash is more flavorful than our pumpkin, so I usually use it, but if you can find flavorful pumpkins or Hubbard or Delicata squash, don't hesitate to use them. Although some recipes include crumbled almond biscotti in the filling for added texture and sweetness, I prefer this version, which enables you to savor the simplicity of the pasta and the autumn flavor of the filling with just a bit of sage and melted butter.

You can freeze the extra ravioli this recipe makes in batches to pull out as needed. Drop the still-frozen pasta into boiling salted water, and you'll have a delicious meal in less than five minutes.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Balsamico, made without the balsamic (recipe follows)
1/2 cup ricotta
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pasta Dough (recipe below), rolled out as directed on
page 109 and cut into 24-inch lengths
Cornmeal for dusting
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large sage leaves, torn into pieces
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Cracked black pepper

To prepare the filling, combine the squash, ricotta, nutmeg, and salt and pepper in a bowl, mixing well. Refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up the filling.

Remove the filling from the refrigerator and spoon it into a pastry bag without a tip, or a plastic bag with a 1/2-inch opening cut in one corner.

Fold one pasta sheet in half so that the two short ends meet, to mark the center, then unfold the sheet so that it rests lengthwise in front of you. Working on one side of the crease, starting 2 inches from the end, arrange tablespoonfuls of filling down the sheet at 4-inch intervals. Fold the other side of the pasta back over so that the edges again line up, and press the dough around the mounds of filling to seal. Center a three-inch scalloped cutter around each mound of filling and cut circles. Press the edges together firmly to seal, without losing the pretty scallop. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal, and repeat with the remaining dough and filling. (You need only 12 ravioli for this recipe. Arrange the remaining ravioli on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until firm. Then transfer to heavy-duty freezer bags and freeze for up to 2 months.)

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Drop the 12 ravioli into the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until just tender.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When it is foamy, drop in the sage leaves and cook for 1 minute, or until lightly toasted but not brown.

Lift the ravioli out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon and place in the sauté pan with the sage. Add a small splash of the pasta water and gently toss to coat the ravioli with the butter. Serve in warm pasta bowls, sprinkled with a little grated Parmigiano and cracked pepper.

To Drink: Refosco from Friuli or Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna

Roasted Butternut Squash and Balsamico and other recipes on Page 3