ASPARAGUS À L'ANVERS

ASPARAGUS À L'ANVERS
Clean a bunch of asparagus and cook it in salt water for fifteen minutes. To do this successfully, tie the bunch
round with some tape and place it upright in a pan of boiling water. Let the heads be above the water so that
they will get cooked by the steam and will not be broken. Simmer in this way to prevent them moving much.
Meanwhile, hard−boil three eggs and chop some parsley. Lay the asparagus on a dish and sprinkle parsley
over it, place round the sides the eggs cut in halves long−ways, and serve as well a sauce−boat of melted
butter.

RED CABBAGE

RED CABBAGE
Take half a red cabbage of medium size, chop it very finely and put it in a pan; add a little water, salt, and
pepper, three or four potatoes cut in fine slices and five lumps of sugar. Let it all simmer for two hours with
the lid on. Then take off the cover and let it reduce. Before serving it, add either a bit of fat pork or some
gravy, with a dessert− spoonful of vinegar. Stir it well before sending it to table.

POTATOES AND CHEESE

POTATOES AND CHEESE
Every one likes this nourishing dish, and it is a cheap one. Peel some potatoes and cut them in rounds. In a
fireproof dish put a layer of these, sprinkle them with flour, grated cheese, pepper, salt, a few pats of butter.
Then some more potatoes, and so on till the dish is full. Beat the yolks of two eggs in a pint of milk, add
pepper and salt and pour it over the dish. Leave it on the top of the stove for five minutes, then cook it for
half−an−hour in a moderate oven. Less time may be required if the dish is small, but the potatoes must be
thoroughly cooked. The original recipe directs Gruyère cheese, but red or pale Canadian Cheddar could be
used.

FRIDAY'S FEAST

FRIDAY'S FEAST
Cook a medium cabbage till it is tender, and all the better if you can cook it in some soup. When tender,
mince it and rub it through a sieve. Boil at the same time three pounds of chestnuts, skin them, keep ten
whole, and rub the others through the sieve, adding a little milk to make a purée. Mix the purée with the
cabbage, adding salt, pepper, and a lump of butter the size of a chestnut. Press it into a mold and cook it in a
double saucepan for quarter of an hour. Take it out and decorate with the whole chestnuts.

A SALAD OF TOMATOES

A SALAD OF TOMATOES
To make a tomato salad you must not slice the fruit in a dish and then pour on it a little vinegar and then a
little oil; that is not salad −−that is ignorance.
Take some red tomatoes, and, if you can procure them, some golden ones also. Plunge each for a moment in
boiling water, peel off the skin, but carefully, so as not to cut through the flesh with the juice. Take some raw
onion cut in slices; if you do not like the strong taste, use shallot; and lay four or five flat slices on the bottom
of the salad dish. Put the tomato slices over them, sprinkle with salt and just a dust of castor sugar. In four
hours lift the tomatoes and remove the onions altogether. Make in a cup the following sauce: Dissolve a
salt−spoonful of salt in a teaspoonful of tarragon vinegar. Stir in a dessert−spoonful of oil, dropping it slowly
in, add a very little mustard, some pepper and a sprinkle of chopped chervil. Some people like chopped
chives. Pour this over the tomato salad and leave it for an hour at least before serving it.

Kadu Roast pumpkin paste

Serves 6–8
1 sweet, firm-fleshed pumpkin or butternut
squash, about 2¼lb (1kg)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1Roast the pumpkin whole on a baking sheet in a preheated 400°F (200°C)
oven until soft and caramelized, about 40 minutes to an hour, depending on
the size. Do not make any cuts or incisions in the flesh because you will lose juice
and flavor. Let the pumpkin cool, then cut in half. Scoop out the seeds and
discard, then remove the soft cooked flesh and mash. Cut up about one-third of
the cooked pumpkin skin. Chop finely, and mix with the pumpkin flesh.
2Mix the garlic with the ground coriander. Heat a heavy frying pan and add
the olive oil. Cook the garlic and coriander until fragrant. Add the cooked
pumpkin mixture and season well with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice and
taste. Adjust the seasoning as necessary. The flavors will be sweet and nutty,
with a background of heat from the pepper, garlic, and coriander. The lemon
juice provides the mixture with an edge and definition. The pumpkin flesh will
be sweet and bland, and can take a lot of seasoning.

Kofte samak Harissa mini fish cakes with preserved lemon

Serves 4–6
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed
1 tsp paprika
1lb (450g) firm white fish fillets (such as
hake, snapper, sea bream (porgy), or
cod), skin and bones removed
rind of ½ preserved lemon, any white pith
removed and rind finely diced (see below)
4 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced
½ bunch of fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
2 tsp harissa sauce (available in cans or jars
in Middle Eastern markets)
1 egg
juice of ½ lemon
vegetable oil for frying
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1In a small pan, heat the olive oil and cook the garlic and coriander seeds until
golden brown and fragrant. Stir in the paprika and remove from the heat.
2Put the fish in a food processor with the aromatic cooked spice mixture, the
preserved lemon rind, scallions, and cilantro. Add in the harissa and egg, and
season with salt and pepper. Add half of the lemon juice and process until smooth.
3Heat the vegetable oil in large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook a
small piece of the mixture and taste to check the seasoning. Adjust with
salt and pepper, and an extra squeeze of fresh lemon juice if needed. Roll the
fish cakes into 16 equal portions. Cook in small batches until golden brown on
all sides. Drain on paper towels.
4Serve with a cucumber salad dressed with ground cinnamon and a little
orange juice, or as a canapé with drinks before a meal.
Preserved lemons Place 2 lemons in a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.
Cover with cold water. Add 3 heaping tablespoons sea salt (the salt removes the
bitterness from the skin). Bring the water to a boil, and simmer for 10–12 minutes
or until the lemons are soft when pierced with the tip of a knife. Remove with a
slotted spoon and refresh under cold running water. When cool, cut in half. Using
a sharp knife, remove all the flesh and white pith. Trim down the lemon skin from
the inside, so only the lemon zest remains. Cover the lemon zest with olive oil and
you have preserved lemon; it keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.

Bolani Afghani flat bread

Makes 6–8
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2⁄3 cup olive oil plus extra for cooking
1Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the center, and add the
eggs, olive oil, and 1 cup water. Bring together to make a ball of dough.
Knead on a floured work surface for 10–15 minutes until very soft and elastic.
Roll the dough into balls each roughly the size of a tennis ball. Cover with a
damp cloth, and let rest for 30 minutes.
2Oil the work surface and spread out one of the balls of dough, gently pulling
the edges to stretch it as thin and wide as possible, as if you are making
a strudel. Dust the surface with a little flour, and fold the pastry over and over to
make a pleated fan. Roll up this pleated piece of dough to make a curled ball.
Repeat with the remaining balls of dough. Let rest, covered with a damp cloth,
for another 15 minutes.
3Heat a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Use your hands to pat
a curled ball of dough into a circle about 8in (20cm) in diameter. Add a little
oil to the pan, and cook the flat disc of dough, turning once, so it is golden
brown on each side. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough. Serve warm,
accompanied by Roast Pumpkin Paste (p154) and Carrot Pickle

Shourba corbasi Chard soup with rice and turmeric

Serves 4–6
1lb (450g) chard or spinach leaves, or beet
leaves (stalks removed), or a combination
of all three
1 quart good-quality vegetable or
chicken stock
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 leeks, trimmed and rinsed, halved
lengthwise, and thinly sliced
½ cup long-grain white rice
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1½ cups plain Greek-style yogurt
large pinch of ground turmeric
juice of 1 lemon
½ bunch of fresh mint leaves, coarsely
chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1Finely dice the stalks of the chard leaves. Rinse the leaves and finely shred.
Bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan.
2Heat the oil in a heavy pan or casserole over medium-high heat. Add the
onion, leek, and chard stems, and cook over low heat for 4–5 minutes until
slightly colored. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes, to
coat. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the hot stock and vinegar, and bring
to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 12–15 minutes or until
the rice is tender. While the soup is simmering, mince the garlic with a little salt.
Stir into the yogurt with the turmeric and half the lemon juice. Mix together,
then taste and season with salt and pepper.
3When the rice is tender, add the shredded chard leaves to the soup.
Simmer for about 3 minutes until the leaves are tender. Remove from the
heat and whisk in the yogurt mixture, then add the mint. Check the seasoning,
adding a little extra lemon juice or cracked black pepper if needed. Serve warm
or at room temperature, to best appreciate the flavors.
Beet tops Beet leaves, or tops, make a great extra vegetable, which you often
get for free when you buy beets. They are delicious when blanched and sautéed,
providing a delicious sweetness combined with an irony earthiness. The Italians
use beet tops a lot; they make a wonderful addition to a ravioli filling.

Kibbeh samak Stuffed fish balls

Serves 4–6
1lb (450g) bulghur (cracked wheat)
1 onion, finely chopped
1½lb (700g) boneless firm white fish
juice of ½ lemon
vegetable oil for frying
salt and freshly ground black pepper
lemon wedges for serving
fresh cilantro for garnish
For the filling
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1⁄3 cup dried apricots (about 7), finely
chopped
¼ cup pitted dates (about 4), finely chopped
small handful of chopped cilantro leaves
1In a large bowl, cover the bulghur wheat with cold water, and let soak for
10 minutes. Put the onion into a food processor and process until smooth.
Add the fish and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.
2Line a sieve with a clean fine dish towel or a piece of cheesecloth, and drain
the soaked bulghur. Pick up the ends of the cloth and squeeze tightly to
remove any excess liquid. Working in batches, add the bulghur to the fish purée,
processing between each addition to form a workable dough. If it needs to be a
bit more malleable, add a little ice water.
3To make the filling, heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Sauté
the onion for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the apricots, dates, and
cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool.
4With moistened hands, divide the fish mixture into 20 or so pieces, and roll
into even-sized balls. Using your index finger, make a hole in each ball and
fill it with a little of the fruit stuffing. Re-form the ball around the stuffing to enclose
completely, and pat into shape. Heat the oil for deep-frying. Cook the fish balls in
batches until they are golden brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels.
5Garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve warm with lemon wedges. You can
easily vary the filling given here slightly, using some chopped nuts, spices,
or chopped fresh chilies, or more chopped herbs to suit your taste. Serve as
an appetizer or as part of a larger selection of dishes, or as a snack or canapé.

Fetta Stuffed eggplant with yogurt and pine nuts

Serves 4–6
2 eggplants, about 2¼lb (1kg) in total
olive oil for frying
7 pita breads, broken into small triangles,
plus extra for serving
¾ cup pine nuts
1¼lb (550g) minced or ground lamb
1 tsp ground allspice, plus a little extra
1 cup tomato juice
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves
1 cup Greek-style yogurt
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1Cut the tops off the eggplants and scoop out half of the flesh. Soak the
eggplants in salted water while you prepare the other ingredients.
2Heat some olive oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Cook the triangles
of pita bread in batches, turning, until crisp and golden brown. Remove from
the oil using tongs, and drain on paper towels. Using the same pan, cook the pine
nuts in the oil until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
3Add a little oil to another frying pan. Cook the meat with the 1 tsp allspice
until the meat is cooked throughout. Season with salt and pepper, and stir
in half the pine nuts. Remove the eggplant shells from the water and drain well.
Stuff the scooped-out cavities with the meat mixture. Cook the stuffed eggplants
in the oil, filling-side up, until lightly browned on the bottom, being careful not
to disturb the filling.
4Heat the tomato juice with the cinnamon stick and bay leaves in a large
shallow pan. Season with salt and pepper. When the tomato juice is
simmering, add the stuffed eggplants and cook gently until the sauce
thickens. Meanwhile, heat a broiler until hot.
5Crush the garlic and add to the yogurt. Cover the bottom of an ovenproof
dish with fried pita bread, then arrange the stuffed eggplants and pour the
yogurt over the top. Drizzle with the tomato sauce and then the yogurt mixture.
Sprinkle with a little extra allspice. Place the dish under the broiler. Cook for a few
minutes until heated through and the yogurt is hot and sizzling in places. Garnish
with the remaining toasted pine nuts, and serve hot with lots of warm pita bread.

Samak a-sardeen mi’l’aaq Grilled sardines

Serves 4–6
6 bay leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp salt
4 green cardamom pods
2 garlic cloves
2 small dried red chilies
1 tsp ground allspice
2 tbsp olive oil
12 fresh sardines, cleaned inside and out
(you can ask your fishmonger to do this)
1 lemon, cut into quarters lengthwise, then
cut crosswise into triangular slices
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper
1 Preheat a charcoal grill, barbecue, or grill pan until white-hot. Using a pestle
and mortar, grind the bay leaves with the salt until you are left with a bright
green powder. (This bay leaf salt is delicious on its own and can be used to
season roast potatoes or grilled meats or fish.) Add the cardamom pods and
continue to grind until fine. Sift the mixture through a sieve into a bowl, and
discard any husks or pieces of stalk.
2Crush the garlic, dried chilies, and allspice, again using a pestle and mortar,
and mix with the other spices in a bowl. Add the olive oil.
3Pat the inside of the sardines dry with paper towels, then rub some of
the spice marinade over the inside and outside of each fish. Mix the lemon
slices with the remaining spice marinade. Season with lots of pepper. Mix in
the parsley. Stuff the sardines with the lemon and parsley mixture.
4Grill the sardines for 3–4 minutes on each side or until golden brown
and crispy on both sides. With small fish such as this, it is important not
to overcook the fish—otherwise it will dry out. As the sardines are small and
the grill or pan is hot, remember that the sardines will continue cooking when
removed from the heat.
5Serve these fantastic little fish hot with wedges of lemon, a selection of
salads, and lots of fresh bread. The salt, sourness, and heat of the spice
marinade and the lemon slices cut the richness of the fish.

CABBAGE WITH SAUSAGES

Cut a large cabbage in two, slice and wash, put it into boiling water with salt, and when partly cooked, add
some potatoes cut into smallish pieces. Cook all together for about an hour; then drain. Put some fat in a
saucepan, slice an onion, brown it in the fat, add the cabbage and potato, and stew all together for ten minutes;
then dish. Bake some sausages in the oven and dish them round the cabbage; serve hot.
_Another way (easier)_
Stew the cabbages, potato and sausages all together and dish up neatly.

LEEK SOUP

Cut up two onions and fry them till they are brown; you need not use butter, clarified fat will do very well.
Clean your leeks, washing them well; cut them in pieces and fry them also; add any other vegetables that you
have, two medium−sized potatoes, pepper, salt, and a little water. Let all simmer for three hours, and pass it
through a fine sieve. Let there be more leeks than other vegetables, so that their flavor predominates.

CELERIS AU LARD

Take one pound of celery, cut off the green tops, cut the stems into pieces two−thirds of an inch long; put into
boiling salted water, and cook till tender. Take one−half pound potatoes, peel and slice, and add to the celery,
so that both will be cooked at the same moment. Strain and place on a flat fire−proof dish. Prepare some fat
slices of bacon, toast them till crisp in the oven; pour the melted bacon−fat over the celery and potato, adding
a dash of vinegar, and place the rashers on top. Serve hot.
Leeks may be prepared in the same way.

MUSHROOM CREAM SOUP

On a good white stock foundation, for which you have used milk and a bone of veal, sprinkle in some ground
rice till it thickens, stirring it well for twenty minutes. Wash and chop your mushrooms, and fry them in
butter. Add the yolk of an egg and bind it. This is a delicious soup.

THE SOLDIER'S VEGETABLE SOUP

(Eight to ten persons)
Peel three pounds of vegetables. Put them in a large pot with all the vegetables that you can find, according to
the season. In the winter you will take four celeries, four leeks, two turnips, a cabbage, two onions, pepper and
salt, two−penny−worth of bones, and about five and one−half quarts of water. Let it all boil for three hours,
taking care to add water so as to keep the quantity at five quarts. Rub all the vegetables through a tammy,
crushing them well, and then let them boil up again for at least another hour. The time allotted for the first and
second cooking is of the greatest importance.

Imqaret Date pastries

Makes about 30
For the pastry
4 cups all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
1⁄3 cup sugar
4 tbsp (½ stick) unsalted butter,
cut into pieces
5 tbsp dry red wine
¼ cup orange juice
For the filling
1lb (450g) pitted dates
juice and grated zest of 1 orange
juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
2⁄3 cup dry red wine
pinch of ground cloves
1 bay leaf
4 star anise
vegetable oil for frying
1To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the sugar
and butter, and rub into the flour between your fingertips to form the texture
of breadcrumbs. Using a spoon, mix in the wine and orange juice to make a
smooth dough, adding a little extra flour if necessary. Turn the dough out onto
a floured work surface, and knead as you would bread dough, until it is soft but
not sticky. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes until needed.
2Combine all the ingredients for the filling in a heavy saucepan. Simmer
gently over medium heat for 20 minutes until the dates are soft and the wine
has reduced. Discard the star anise and the bay leaf. Transfer the filling to a food
processor or blender, and process until smooth. Let cool completely.
3Cut the pastry into 4 equal pieces. Working one piece at a time on a floured
work surface, roll it out as thinly as possible, into a strip about 4in (10cm)
wide. Using a pastry brush, moisten the edges with a little water, and spoon
some of the filling down the center of the pastry. Fold the pastry in half
lengthwise, covering the filling. Flatten slightly, and press the edges together to
seal. You will end up with a long roll. Cut diagonally across the pastry with a
sharp knife, making diamond-shaped pieces that are about 2in (5cm) long.
Repeat with the remaining pastry and date filling.
4 In a heavy pan over medium-high heat, heat about ¾in (2cm) of oil until hot.
Break off a small piece of pastry and add to the oil—it should sizzle slightly,
but not brown too fast. When ready, shallow-fry the pastries in small batches for
4–5 minutes or until golden brown all over. Serve at once.

GREEN PEA SOUP

Put half a pound of dry green peas to soak overnight in water, with a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda in it.
In the morning take out the peas and put them on the fire in about three−and−a−half pints of water. When the
peas are nearly cooked, add five big potatoes. When all is cooked enough for the skins to come off easily, rub
all through a sieve. Fry in some butter four or five onions and five or six leeks till they are brown, or, failing
butter, use some fat of beef; add these to the peas and boil together a good half−hour. If possible, add a pig's
trotter cut into four, which makes the soup most excellent. When ready to serve, remove the four pieces of
trotter. Little dice of fried bread should be handed with the soup.

VEGETABLE SOUP

Fry four onions till they are brown. Add them to three pints of water, with four carrots, a slice of white crumb
of bread, five potatoes, a celery and a bunch of parsley, which you must take out before passing the soup
through the sieve. A few tomatoes make the soup better; if they are tinned, do not add them till after the soup
has been passed through the tammy; if they are fresh, put them in with the other vegetables. Simmer for an
hour, add pepper and salt before serving.

SOUP, CREAM OF ASPARAGUS

Boil some potatoes and pass them through the sieve, add the asparagus− tops, with a pat of butter for each
four tops; thin the soup with extract of meat and water, and at the last moment stir in the raw yolks of two
eggs, and a little chopped parsley.

Cudduruni con patate, salsiccie e pomodori secchi Potato, spiced sausage, and sun-dried tomato pizza

Makes 6–8 small pizzas or 2 large ones
8oz (225g) new potatoes, scrubbed and
thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled
¼ cup olive oil
1 recipe cudduruni dough (see p134)
4oz (115g) spicy Italian salami or other dried
pork sausage such as chorizo, sliced
¼ cup chopped drained, oil-packed
sun-dried tomatoes
4 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Cook the potato slices in a pot of boiling
water for 5 minutes, then drain in a colander and let dry. Crush the garlic with
a little salt, then mix with the olive oil.
2Once it has rested, punch down the center of the cudduruni dough to
remove any air from it. Knead in the bowl for a couple of minutes. This can
be made as either small individual pizzas or two larger ones. The large pizzas
do not have to have an even shape; you can even make a large square slab if
you wish. If making individual pizzas, break off 6–8 even-sized balls of dough,
a little smaller than a tennis ball. Roll the dough out on a floured work surface
until about ¼in (½cm) thick.
3Brush the dough with the crushed garlic and olive oil mixture, then scatter
the potato slices over the top. Next scatter over the sausage and sun-dried
tomatoes. Sprinkle with the rosemary and finally the pecorino. Drizzle with some
more of the olive oil and garlic mixture, and season well with pepper and some
sea salt. (Remember that the sausage and cheese will be quite salty.)
4Bake in the oven for 10–12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown on
the bottom. Serve at once, cut into slices as needed.

Calzone con tonne, broccoli e ricotta Grilled tuna, sprouting broccoli, and ricotta calzone

Makes 6 medium calzone
1 fresh tuna steak, about 10oz (300g), cut
¾in (2cm) thick
8oz (225g) purple sprouting broccoli, cut
into equal-sized florets
¼ cup good-quality olive oil
30 fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
juice of 1 lemon
2 small dried chilies
2 garlic cloves, peeled
8oz (225g) ricotta cheese
1 recipe cudduruni dough (see p134)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1Preheat the oven to 400°–425°F (200°–220°C). Heat a charcoal grill or grill
pan until very hot. Season the tuna well with salt and pepper, and add the
olive oil. Grill for about 2 minutes on each side (3–4 minutes total) until medium
rare. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2Place the broccoli in a bowl and add a little olive oil. Season with salt and
pepper and mix to coat. Grill the broccoli, turning, for 3 minutes. Break the
tuna into smaller pieces, and combine with the grilled broccoli in a bowl. Add
the basil and lemon juice.
3Crush the dried chilies with the garlic and a pinch of salt to make a smooth
paste. Using a fork, mix the garlic paste into the ricotta. Do not overbeat
the ricotta, as you want it to still have some texture. Season well with lots of
black pepper.
4Roll the dough into a circle ¼in (½cm) thick. Spread the ricotta over the
dough, leaving a ¾in (2cm) border around the edge. Scatter the tunabroccoli
mixture over half of the dough. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Fold the top
edge down and, using your finger and thumb, pinch the edges together to seal.
Brush the outside with a little oil, and bake in the oven for 10–12 minutes until
golden brown and crisp.

Cudduruni Sicilian focaccia-style bread

Makes 2 large breads or 8 smaller ones
For the biga
½ small cake (0.6oz) fresh yeast
½ cup warm water
1 cup bread flour
For the dough
1 small cake (0.6oz) fresh yeast
1 tsp sugar
1½ cups warm water
7 tbsp biga (see below)
3 tbsp olive oil
4 cups bread flo
1To make the biga, or starter, crumble the yeast into the warm water and
add the flour. Mix together until you have a thick batter. Cover with a damp
cloth, and leave at room temperature to ferment for at least 6 hours or overnight.
The biga may separate in this period of time; simply stir it back together. (To keep
your biga going, feed with a bit of warm water and flour each day, and mix
together, or simply mix in a small offcut from the fresh dough.)
2To make the dough, mix the yeast and the sugar, and break up with a
teaspoon until you have a smooth paste. Whisk this into the warm water
with the biga and the olive oil. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, and mix in the
yeast liquid. Mix together until you form a dough. Turn onto a floured board, and
knead vigorously for 12–15 minutes until the dough is shiny and elastic. It should
be springy to the touch.
3Lightly flour a bowl and place the ball of dough in it. Cover and leave in a
warm place until it has doubled in size, about 1½ hours.
Two types of bread To make a simple loaf, flour a baking tray and shape the
dough on the tray. Allow to prove for 10 minutes. Bake in a preheated 425°F
(220°C) oven for 25–35 minutes until golden, depending on the size and depth
of the loaf. It is ready when the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Alternatively, take pieces of dough about the size of tennis balls and flatten until
½in (1cm) thick. Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat.
Cook the rounds one at a time for 2–3 minutes on one side until golden. Turn
over and cook for 2 more minutes on the other side. Sprinkle with salt and
drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil. Eat piping hot.

TOMATO SOUP

Boil together six medium potatoes, a celery, two leeks, two carrots, and a pound of fresh tomatoes, with
pepper, salt and a leaf of bay. Pass all through the sieve. Fry two or three chopped onions in some butter and
add the soup to them. Boil up again for twenty minutes before serving. If you have no fresh tomatoes, the
tinned ones can be used, removing the skin, at the same time that you add the fried onions.

Quaglie marinate con salsa di capperi Marinated quail with caper sauce

Serves 2–4 as a starter
2 quail
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small dried red chili, finely crushed
pinch of salt
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh marjoram,
thyme, or oregano leaves
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
½ cup dry white wine
2 tbsp coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp pine nuts or blanched almonds,
dry-roasted until pale golden
freshly ground black pepper
For the caper sauce
1 preserved lemon (see p124), chopped
1 tbsp salt-packed capers, rinsed, drained,
squeezed dry, and chopped
2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh marjoram
or basil leaves
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1Soak 4 bamboo skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Place 1 quail
breast-side down on a clean work surface. Using kitchen shears, carefully
cut around and remove the triangular piece of the backbone with the wishbone
attached. Use the side of a heavy knife to flatten the bird. Insert a bamboo
skewer through a wing, then through the leg meat. Repeat on the other side so
that the bird is pinned flat. Repeat this process with the other quail.
2Mince the garlic and chili with a pinch of salt to make a paste. Combine with
the remaining marinade ingredients except for the parsley and pine nuts in a
shallow glass or ceramic dish. Add the quail and season with pepper. Marinate in
the refrigerator, covered, for at least 2 hours. Combine all the ingredients for the
caper sauce. Check the seasoning—it should be salty and sour.
3Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Heat an ovenproof grill pan until very hot.
Remove the birds from the marinade, and season. Grill skin-side down for 3–4
minutes or until the skin is a deep, rich brown. Turn over and transfer the whole pan
to the oven for 5 minutes. (The juices should run rose pink when a knife is inserted
close to the leg bone.) Pour the remaining marinade into a small saucepan and
reduce by half, for 3–4 minutes. Serve with the hot marinade poured over the birds,
a spoonful of caper sauce, and a scattering of pine nuts and parsley over the top.

Croquetas de bacalao Salt cod croquettes

Serves 4–6
8oz (225g) salt cod, soaked in several
changes of cold water in the refrigerator
for 24 hours (or use skinless, boneless
cod fillet)
2 cups milk
2 bay leaves
1 large, all-purpose potato, about 10oz
(300g), peeled and cut into large chunks
1 shallot, peeled and finely grated
1 tbsp flour
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
½ tsp pimentón or good-quality paprika
sunflower oil for deep frying
salt and freshly ground black pepper
tomato sauce or salsa for serving
1Drain the salt cod and rinse well. Place in a saucepan with the milk and
bay leaves. Slowly bring to a boil, and simmer gently for 4–5 minutes. Using
a slotted spoon, transfer the cod from the pan to a large bowl, then put the
potato chunks into the same saucepan. Add water to cover if necessary, and
simmer for 15–20 minutes or until tender.
2Meanwhile, shred the cooked salt cod with your fingers, and add to a bowl
with the shallot, flour, three-quarters of the parsley, and pimentón. Drain the
potatoes well, and add to the cod mixture. Toss to mix. Use a potato masher to
mash everything together; the mixture can be quite coarse. Taste and season
with salt and pepper if necessary. The mixture should be salty and sweet, with a
warmth from the pimentón and black pepper. Scoop out spoonfuls of the mixture,
form roughly into bite-size oval shapes, and place on a floured baking sheet.
3In a large, heavy saucepan, heat oil to a depth of about 1½in (3cm) over
medium-high heat for 5 minutes until shimmering, or until a small amount
of the croquette mixture turns golden in about 45 seconds. Working in batches
as needed, carefully lower 6 croquettes into the oil, one by one, using a slotted
spoon. As soon as they turn golden on all sides (3–4 minutes), remove with the
slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, keeping them warm while you fry the
remaining croquettes in the same manner. Serve at once with generous spoonfuls
of tomato dipping sauce or salsa.

Carciofi ripieni alla griglia Grilled artichokes with garlic, chilies, and pine nuts

Serves 4–6
2⁄3 cup pine nuts
4 garlic cloves, halved and any green inner
shoot removed
2 small dried red chilies
1 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley leaves,
finely chopped
3 tbsp good-quality extra virgin olive
oil plus extra for serving
juice of 2 lemons
18 baby artichokes (in season in spring and
early summer)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
lemon wedges for serving
1Heat a charcoal grill until the coals are white-hot. Toast the pine nuts in a
dry frying pan over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes until golden brown.
Watch carefully as they burn very easily. Finely chop the garlic, and finely crush
the dried chilies with a pinch of salt. Mix together the pine nuts, garlic, chilies,
parsley, olive oil, and lemon juice. Season well with salt and pepper.
2Take an artichoke and trim down the stem. Pull the leaves apart, without
pulling them off. Work your way to the center of the artichoke. Using a
teaspoon, remove the hairy choke by scraping in a circular motion. Take a tsp
of pine nut mixture and push it down toward the base. Add another spoonful of
filling and spread it among the central inner leaves. Repeat with the remaining
artichokes. Season the inside of the artichokes with salt and pepper.
3Carefully place the artichokes among the white-hot coals, keeping them
upright. Grill for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally and cooking in batches if
necessary. To test whether they are cooked, hold an artichoke with a pair of tongs.
Insert the tip of small sharp knife into the base just above the stem. It should be
soft. If not, cook for a few more minutes. Remove from the heat. Cool slightly.
4Have some extra virgin olive oil and the lemon wedges ready. Pull off and
discard the blackened outside leaves. Pour a little extra virgin olive oil into
the center and squeeze with lemon. Peel off and eat the inner leaves. The soft,
pale center can be eaten in a couple of mouthfuls, stalks and all.

Mustazzoli Honey and nut pastries

Serves 4–6
For the pastry
3 cups all-purpose flour
6–8 tbsp lard or unsalted butter
3¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
2–4 tbsp milk
For the filling
12oz (350g) assorted shelled nuts, such as
fresh walnuts, almonds, and pine nuts
½ cup honey
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
grated zest of 1 orange
1 tsp almond extract
confectioners’ (powdered) sugar for dusting
1To make the pastry dough, sift the flour into a bowl. Rub 6 tbsp of the
lard into the flour between your fingers, until it resembles the texture of
breadcrumbs. Mix in the sugar, then add the eggs and milk, mixing until you
have a soft dough. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Make the filling
while the pastry dough is resting.
2Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Place the nuts on a baking sheet, and
roast for 3–5 minutes until golden brown all over, shaking halfway through
to make sure they do not burn. Remove the nuts from the oven, and increase
the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C).
3In a small saucepan, combine the honey with ¼ cup water. Bring the liquid
to a boil. Stir in the 2 tbsp flour, little by little, until you have a smooth paste.
Add the orange zest and almond extract. Coarsely chop the toasted nuts and stir
them in. Remove from the heat, and let cool completely.
4To make the pastries, divide the dough into two equal pieces. Roll out one
piece to form a rectangle approximately 2 x 4in (5 x 10cm) and ¼in (½cm)
thick. Spoon half the nut mixture onto the long side of the pastry rectangles, and
roll the pastry over a couple of times to make a long nut swirl. Repeat with the
second half of the pastry. Use the remaining lard to grease a length of baking
parchment as long as the pastry rolls. Place the baking parchment on a baking
sheet, then place the rolls onto the baking parchment. Cut the rolls into small
squares of roughly ¾in (2cm)—the shapes can be a little irregular. Bake in the
oven for 15–20 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool. Dust
the finished pastries with confectioners’ sugar and serve.

Triglie de scoglio Pan-fried red mullet with preserved lemon, olives, and parsley

Serves 4
2 lemons
3 tbsp rock salt
1 garlic clove, halved and any green inner
shoot discarded
30 black olives, pitted and coarsely
chopped
½–1 fresh red jalapeño or serrano chili,
seeded and finely chopped
20 fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
20 flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
a little light olive oil
4 fresh red mullet or other small firm, lean
fish, 9–14oz (250–400g) each, gutted,
scaled, and cleaned
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1To make the preserved lemon, put the lemons into a small, tight-fitting pan.
Cover with water and add the rock salt. Place a small lid or saucer on top
of the lemons to keep them submerged. Bring to a boil, and simmer until tender
when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 8–10 minutes. Refresh under cold
running water. When the lemons are cool, cut in half, remove all the flesh and pith,
and discard. Using a thin sharp knife, trim the inside of the skin, removing any
remaining traces of the bitter white pith. Finely chop the lemon skin and set aside.
2Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Using the back of a knife, crush the
garlic with a little sea salt, until a smooth paste forms. Mix together the
garlic, olives, chili, basil, parsley, and preserved lemon. Add the lemon juice
and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
3Take one of the red mullet and pat dry with paper towels. Stuff the cavity
with some of the olive and lemon mixture. Repeat the process with the
remaining mullet. Season the fish inside and out with salt and pepper. Heat a little
oil in an frying pan over medium-high heat. Pan-fry the mullet for 3 minutes. Turn
gently and cook the other side for 2 minutes. Transfer the mullet to a baking dish,
and bake in the oven for 5 minutes or until cooked through. (Alternatively, either
grill the fish or bake entirely in the oven.) Serve at once with some mixed greens
or braised spinach. The smoky roasted mullet and the stuffing combine brilliantly.