With the help of Paul Lang (our chef) and Ippolita Rostagno (our gorgeous hostess), bene threw an authentic Piedmont dinner party--in the heart of Brooklyn.
"What I like about Piedmontese food is the homeyness of it," says New York-based chef/sommelier Paul Lang. He should know; this is the cuisine that buoyed him through four winter months in the small town of Mondovi, where he worked in a restaurant with a staff of three. "When I came home from work, my friend's mother would have a crock-pot of pasta or gnocchi waiting, always with butter, cream or some kind of cheese. It was very warming."
Lang trained as a chef in Italy before becoming a sommelier at New York's Michelin-starred Babbo restaurant in 2003. During his time there, the restaurant won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine Service. "I learned my trade working my way through Italy's kitchens--cooking, cleaning, preparing desserts and picking wines," he explains. Today, Lang runs his own company, A Casa, which cooks private dinners around New York--you provide the guests and your kitchen, and he provides the food, wine pairings and fascinating stories behind each dish. (Costs range from $150 to $600 per person, depending on the menu and wines.)
For our Piedmont issue, we asked Paul to prepare a regional dinner for ten at the Brooklyn home of Italian jewelry designer Ippolita Rostagno. Rostagno provided the Italian ambience (from the Venetian glass chandelier to the terra-cotta floors) and Lang provided a menu of comfort food--Piedmont style.
THE MENU
Lang chose his favorite dishes from Piedmont and carefully paired them with wines. "Piedmontese wines are refined and elegant, like the people of the region," he said.
Roasted Red Pepper with Anchovy Butter and Parsley Salad
Wine: Brovia Arneis (Castiglione Falletto) 2006
Lang: "This is a rendition of a dish I had during one of my first dinners in Piedmont. There are lots of flavors, so for contrast I chose a lighter, leaner white wine. The Arneis is green and herbal, with a little citrus quality to match the lemon and parsley."
Guest Feedback: "I absolutely loved the peppers. The flavor, even with the anchovies and garlic, was very tender."--Sydney Price
"This was my favorite dish because each component was strong, yet clearly discernable. Simplicity is a key ingredient of Italian cuisine."--Ippolita Rostagno
Risotto with Barbera
Wine: Gianni Voerzio Barbera d'Alba (Alba) 2004
Lang: "I thought it would be fun to cook risotto using the wine we'd be drinking. This rich Barbera has a wonderful sweetness that comes from oak aging, so it adds a hint of sweetness to the savory risotto and Parmesan. In Italy, we made lots of savory things with sweet ingredients. When the grape harvest rolled around, sweet grapes were used in everything from cookies to roasted eel."
Guest Feedback: "The risotto was cooked exactly the right way--not too soft. It reminded me of the way my mother prepares it."--Sarah Gobbo
Pork Roast with Polenta ai Gigi
Wine: Ferrando Carema (Ivrea) 2002
Lang: "This dish was inspired by Gigi, the lifelong friend of a family I stayed with in Italy. Every Sunday twenty friends would feast together at the foothills of the Alps. Gigi was the polenta guy. He had a jet-black cauldron, which he never cleaned, and he'd stir the polenta with a stick he found outside. He would add so much stuff--black pepper, animal parts, garlic, cheese--that the polenta would turn black. Then he'd put it on the table and place a whole stinko--leg of pork--on top. Everyone would sit down and dig in."
Guest Feedback: "I'm a carnivorous guy, so I thought the pork was incredible. It paired with the wine beautifully."-- Eric Munson
Robiola with Salsa Etrusca
Wine: Ciabot Berton Dolcetto (La Morra) 2004
Lang: "One Italian family I lived with would take a block of Robiola cheese per person, put a little oil in the pan, fry it on both sides and just eat it with forks. I topped the Robiola with a honey-olive-oil preserve mixed with fresh herbs--sage, rosemary and thyme. Again, savory with sweet."
Guest Feedback: "The herbs complement the wine's perfume, and the acidity and creaminess play off each other. A beautiful juxtaposition of texture, flavor and aroma."--Eric Munson
Nutella with Strawberries, Raisins, Hazelnuts and Almonds
Taliano Birbet Brachetto d'Acqui (Acqui) 2004
Lang: "Piedmont's Nutella [hazelnut-chocolate spread] goes perfectly with the Brachetto, which tastes like strawberries and rose petals. Place a dollop of Nutella on each plate--dip the nuts and fruits into it, but also scoop a bit onto your tongue and then sip the wine."
Guest Feedback: "Nutella works perfectly with the fruits and nuts. Then again, I think it goes with everything!"--Anna Stump
Wine Tasting
To try the wines served with this Piedmontese dinner, contact Rosenthal Wine Merchant (212-249-6650).
THE RECIPES
Roasted Red Pepper with Anchovy Butter and Parsley Salad
Makes 4 servings
4 medium red bell peppers
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup olive oil
One 2-ounce can anchovy fillets packed in olive oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
1. Place the whole peppers directly on the flame of a gas burner or grill and turn frequently with tongs until the skin is blistered and well charred on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove peppers from the flame. Wrap each pepper in a wet paper towel and let cool to room temperature, about 25 minutes. Rub the peppers with the paper towel to remove the charred skin. Using a paring knife, cut the core out of each pepper and wash under cold running water to remove any seeds or excess charred skin. Cut each pepper into 1-inch strips. Place on more paper towel and pat dry.
2. In a small sauté pan, heat the butter and olive oil and add 4 chopped anchovy fillets. Cook over medium heat until the anchovies dissolve, 5 to 6 minutes. Set aside.
3. Mix the lemon juice and parsley together.
4. Divide pepper slices onto four plates, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the anchovy butter. Drizzle the lemon-parsley mixture over the peppers and garnish each plate with a whole anchovy fillet.
Risotto with Barbera Wine
Makes 6 to 8 servings
3 cups vegetable stock
1 medium onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups Arborio rice
2 cups Barbera wine
1 cup fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for the table
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1. Heat the vegetable stock in a small saucepan, keeping it simmering.
2. In a large casserole or heavy sauté pan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter with the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the rice and stir until it is thoroughly coated. Continue stirring until the rice turns white and a little chalky, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Add 1 cup of the wine, stirring constantly until it is fully absorbed by the rice. Add the remaining 1 cup wine, stirring the risotto constantly to keep it from sticking. Continue this process with the vegetable stock, adding 1 cup at a time. It is important to allow the stock to be completely absorbed into the rice each time before adding more. Continue until you have used all the stock and the rice is cooked al dente. This will take 25 to 35 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately in warm bowls with extra cheese for the table. Risotto waits for no one!
Pork Roast with Polenta ai Gigi
Makes 6 servings
One 5-pound bone-in pork roast
RUB:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary, divided
1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, mix well and set aside.
ROAST:
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig rosemary
2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 bottle good red wine
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Dry the pork well and coat with the olive oil. Rub the sage, thyme, some of the rosemary and salt and pepper generously over the entire surface of the pork. Make deep incisions in the meat and stuff with slivers of garlic and the rest of the rosemary leaves.
2. In an enamel Dutch oven or roasting pan, place the carrot, onion, celery, thyme, rosemary and garlic cloves. Toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Place roast on top of the vegetables and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Reduce oven to 250° and roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat registers 155° to 160°, about 90 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and let stand for 12 minutes before carving.
4. Serve the pork and vegetables with the polenta.
POLENTA:
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 cups cold water
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon butter
Black pepper to taste
1 cup water
3 cups milk
1 or 2 bay leaves
Fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1. In a small bowl, combine the cornmeal, the 2 cups cold water and salt. Mix and set aside.
2. In a large pot, mix the olive oil, garlic and butter, and cook until the garlic starts to turn brown. Be careful not to burn it.
3. Add the 1 cup water and the milk and bring to a boil. Stir in the cornmeal mixture. With an electric or hand beater, beat the cornmeal until it starts to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. This will keep the polenta smooth and free of lumps.
4. Add the bay leaf and ground pepper to taste. Cook the polenta over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for about 20 minutes. Cover the pot and leave it on the heat for 3 minutes without stirring. Shake the pot a little, allowing some steam to get under the polenta so it will detach from the bottom easily. Remove from the heat, uncover the pan, remove the bay leaf and stir in the butter and cheese.
Nutella with Strawberries, Raisins, Hazelnuts and Almonds
Jar of Nutella
Strawberries
Raisins
Hazelnuts and Almonds
Place a dollop of Nutella on each plate, and dip nuts and fruits into it.
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