Gorgeous & Delicious: Prosciutto con Melone

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For the past two weeks, our local grocery store (Southgate Hornbacher’s), has been featuring large displays of cantaloupe melons from Guatemala. Tony mentioned them to me several times before I pointed out that we still had a package of prosciutto ham at home in our refrigerator, left over from our Easter feast.

Prosciutto and melon is a classic food pairing in Italy, and is commonly featured as an appetizer, or antipasto. Traditionally, the melon is sliced into long, crescent-shaped pieces and served with a slice of prosciutto wrapped around it.

When Tony first made this dish for me many years ago, I balked at the use of cantaloupe, and tried to reason with him that the sweeter, and firmer, honeydew melon would be much better.

“But then it wouldn’t be prosciutto con melone,” he said. His response was so simple, and typically Italian, that it left little room for argument. Tony assured me that, when paired with prosciutto, the balance of savory and sweet flavors would bring out the best in the cantaloupe.  And he was right.

Prosciutto, or Parma ham, is a cured Italian meat made from the hind leg or thigh of the pig. The meat is cured in salt for two months, and then air-dried for at least eight more months before serving.  Tony recalls that, in Etobicoke, the Toronto neighborhood where he was raised, there were several Italian families who made their own prosciutto, curing it on hooks attached to the ceiling of their basements.

Prosciutto is Tony’s favorite deli meat, and was a staple in his family’s home. One of his fondest memories of this Italian specialty comes from accompanying his mother on trips to their local butcher, the Savoia Meat Market. While they would wait for the butcher to prepare their order, Mr. Savoia would always make Tony a Panini of fresh Italian bread with a generous portion of his prosciutto.

Prosciutto is served in paper-thin slices, and has a silky, almost buttery texture. A delicious blend of salty and sweet, it’s so good you might be tempted to eat it by itself. But, when paired with the cantaloupe, this simple peasant creation assumes an air of casual elegance.

There are a few helpful tips to follow when buying cantaloupe. Look for a melon that is light tan in color with green lines running across it, and avoid any fruit with dents or bruises. Next, feel the melon: it should be firm, but not rock hard. If you’re planning to eat it within a day or two after purchasing, you’ll want a melon that has a little give when you press your thumb into it.

And finally, don’t be afraid to smell the melon. Give it a good sniff – a ripe cantaloupe should smell similar to a freshly cut one. If there is no smell, it’s under-ripe. If your nose picks up a very strong, fruity scent, or an unpleasant aroma, it’s probably overripe.

For this recipe, Tony is departing from the traditional presentation, opting instead to serve the sliced cantaloupe over a layer of prosciutto. He then drizzles the platter with a reduction of balsamic vinegar. This simple ingredient is made by cooking regular balsamic vinegar until it is reduced by half, and achieves a syrupy consistency. This final touch enhances the dish with its tart, tangy sweetness, and adds a dramatic contrast to the lovely pink and melon colors on the platter. Buon appetito!

Tiramisu: An Instant “Pick Me Up”

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Tiramisu. Just saying that word aloud makes me feel better, and it’s no wonder:  when literally translated from Italian to English, tiramisu means “pick me up.”

My first experience with this heavenly dessert was back in 1992, shortly after I joined the crew of the cruise ship, M/V World Discoverer. We had a wonderful pastry chef, a Filipino gentleman named Nick, who made the most delectable desserts. Nick was a true artist when it came to his pastries, and he had a flair for dramatic presentations. Regardless of how much the ship was moving, his creations were flawless, and included sky-high Chocolate Soufflés, perfectly layered Napoleons, and individual, flaming Baked Alaska.

Visually, Nick’s tiramisu paled in comparison. But in terms of flavor, this sweet creation had no rival. In fairness, my high regard may have been influenced by another factor. I’d just met a handsome young Italian named Tony who was quickly sweeping me off my feet, and he loved tiramisu. But, honestly, I’d never tasted anything like it.

Fortunately, I married that cute Italian. And, even better, he knows how to make tiramisu.

Tiramisu is a popular Italian dessert with somewhat ambiguous origins, which vary depending on the part of Italy you visit. The Savoy region of Piedmont claims to have invented it, and points to the use of ladyfingers, or savoiardi, as proof. However, the people of Lombardia will argue that the honor should be theirs, based on the mascarpone cheese, as it is a Lombardian creation. Tuscans and Venetians will happily jump into the debate, but their reasons for doing so aren’t as clear. And the Romans will put forth that any dessert so typically Italian could only be Roman.

Similar to a trifle, Tiramisu is a creamy, layered dessert consisting of ladyfinger cookies and a mixture of whipped mascarpone cheese, sugar, egg yolks and egg whites. Many recipes use heavy cream, but Tony prefers to use egg whites instead, which make the filling lighter and extend its shelf life in the refrigerator. This step also ensures that the entire egg is used, which is great since the recipe calls for ten eggs.

Traditionally, the ladyfingers are soaked in a mixture of espresso and liquor – we use brandy, but you can also use Marsala wine, Amaretto, rum, or just go without. Be careful not to oversoak the ladyfingers, or they will become soggy once layered. A quick dip for about five seconds should suffice, just before layering.

Tiramisu can be shaped to whatever dish you choose. In our recipe, we use an 8×12 inch glass baking dish, but at Sarello’s we prepare our Tiramisu in small bowls, for individual servings. You may begin layering with either the cheese mixture, or the ladyfingers, but the top layer should always be the cheese.

To finish, dust the top with a layer of cocoa powder, and refrigerate for at least twenty-four hours before serving. If planning to freeze, hold off on the cocoa powder and wrap the dish in two layers of plastic wrap, then top it with one layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw for twenty-four hours, and dust with cocoa powder before serving.

The end result is delicate, fluffy, light, and delicious. Some people claim that Tiramisu was given the name “pick me up” due to its high egg and sugar content, or its blend of espresso and liquor. While those ingredients are important, their effects are only temporary. It is the perfect combination of all the ingredients, coming  together to create an unforgettable taste experience, which makes this dessert truly worthy of its name.

Raw Egg Warning: While we have never found this to be an issue, there can be concern in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness.

To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell. You may also choose to use pasteurized eggs, in whole or liquid form. 

Tiramisu RECIPE

Watch Tony MAKE TIRAMISU

Savoring Springtime with Pasta Primavera

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Pasta Primavera is one of our favorite springtime recipes. Primavera means spring in Italian, and this dish is a wonderful example of nature’s influence in the art of food. It’s light and fresh, a perfect blend of pasta, vegetables, colors and aromatics. It’s a dish that caters to the creative cook as you can vary the vegetables, pasta noodles, and even the sauce to reflect your mood and make the dish your own.

It also comes with an interesting back story. Pasta Primavera was created in the late 1970s at the famed New York City French restaurant, Le Cirque, and was promptly hailed by the New York Times as “by far, the most talked-about dish in Manhattan.” This much we know, but dig a little deeper and it becomes difficult to find a definitive story about the origins of this dish.

Some sources attribute its creation to a collaboration of Sirio Maccioni, Le Cirque’s owner, Ed Giobbi, an American artist and cook, and Jean Vergnes, Le Cirque’s then-head chef. Other reports credit Mr. Maccioni’s wife, Egidiana, with the idea. Some foodies muse that the mystery of its origin speaks to a larger story about a culinary culture war between Italy (Mr. Maccioni) vs. France (Chef Vergne).

Oddly, though wildly popular at Le Cirque, this dish was never featured on the restaurant’s menu, a fact which may lend credence to the legend that Chef Vergnes so disliked this dish, he insisted his cooks prepare it in the hallway. Even Mr. Maccioni’s own story has changed over the years. What is not disputed is the fact that this humble dish left its mark on the American culinary world in a big way.

Our recipe differs from the original dish as we lean toward an Italian culinary point-of-view (go Italy!), embracing olive oil over cream, penne noodles over spaghetti, and a different combination of vegetables.

We recommend taking a simple and consistent approach to this dish. While you may vary the type of pasta noodles, it’s important to match the cut of the vegetables to the shape of the pasta. For long noodles like spaghetti, linguini and fettuccine, cut the vegetables in long, thin strips, julienne style. For shorter, fatter noodles, cut the vegetables in smaller pieces to better complement the pasta.

Tony cannot stress enough the importance of seasoning the pasta water with salt, a step often overlooked by home cooks. Add at least one to two tablespoons of kosher salt to the water before it reaches a boiling point. Throw in the pasta and cook until al dente, an Italian term which means “to the tooth,” and is described as “having a firm bite.”

Olive oil is a key component of this dish, so use a good quality, extra-virgin variety. A good rule of thumb when cooking the vegetables is to begin with those that will require more cooking time, such as carrots and onions. Add other vegetables, like mushrooms, peas, and tomatoes later, after deglazing the pan with white wine. Leafy items, like spinach, should be held until the end, as they wilt quickly. And always use fresh parmesan cheese to garnish.

We’re sharing our own version of pasta primavera today, but encourage you to play around with it and get creative at home. Who knows? You just might create a dish great enough to inspire a legend, or two.

Pasta Primavera RECIPE
WATCH Tony make Pasta Primavera

Rack of Lamb adds WOW Factor to Easter Table

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Ten years ago, Tony and I traveled to Sicily on Easter Sunday to attend his sister’s wedding later that week. Even though we arrived on the morning of Easter Monday, the signs of Easter were still everywhere. I will never forget the beautiful displays of colorfully-wrapped chocolate Easter eggs, small, large, and some even extra-large, splendidly showcased in huge towers, everywhere –  at the airport, in shop windows, on street kiosks, even gas stations. Combined with streets heavily decorated with flowers and crosses, it soon became apparent that Easter is a very big deal in Italy.

It’s also Tony’s favorite holiday. To him, Easter symbolizes new life, new beginnings, the end of winter, and new clothes (he is Italian, after all). But his favorite holiday memories are centered on the feast prepared by his mother, featuring a vast array of specialties which might include pasta, salad, roasted potatoes, stuffed artichokes, green beans, roasted red peppers, homemade ravioli, or all of the above.

While the side dishes may have varied from year to year, the main course never did. True to Italian custom, roast leg of lamb was the order of the day. Listening to Tony talk about Marianna’s Easter table is more than mouth-watering. His voice grows softer, more tender, filled with the sweet memories of a childhood defined by his mother’s love. Needless to say, Tony has had lamb on his mind quite a bit this week.

One of Tony’s favorite ways to showcase lamb is with his recipe for Honey Mustard Crusted Rack of Lamb. When I asked Tony why he loves rack of lamb so much, he laughed and replied, “What’s not to love? It’s juicy, tender, and loaded with flavor. The rack is the Ferrari of lamb – it has an elegance, a certain luxury to it.”

You can find quality rack of lamb at your local butcher’s department or store, or even at the large, super-sized warehouse stores. When buying rack of lamb, you want to make sure that it is already “Frenched,” which means that the meat has been trimmed away from the rib bone, giving each chop the appearance of a lamb lollipop. This preparation creates a built-in, beautiful presentation which is sure to generate a “wow” factor at your own Easter table. And your guests will think you slaved away in the kitchen for hours.

There are eight chops to a rack, and a standard serving portion is three to four chops. Tony brushes the rack with a blend of honey and Dijon mustard, and then dredges it in a mixture of breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and rosemary, without covering the bones (omit the cheese if serving a kosher meal). The ingredients in the breading are the perfect complement to lamb, adding not only flavor, but texture, to the meat.

The racks are then baked in the oven to a perfect medium-rare, the ideal serving temperature for lamb, (130 to 140 degrees). When cooking meat, always use a meat thermometer to check for doneness, as oven temperatures can vary. Our commercial convetion oven at Sarello’s takes about 10 minutes, while our home oven takes 15 to 20 minutes.

Green Beans Nasello, a recipe straight from Marianna’s table, is a great side dish to serve with the lamb. A simple dish of fresh green beans tossed with garlic, olive oil and red wine vinegar, Tony says the key to this family-favorite is to toss the beans with the other ingredients while they’re still hot, as the heat will help release their flavor.

We recommend pairing this meal with a Pinot Noir, Zinfandel or Syrah, and wish you Happy Eating this holiday week.

Honey Mustard Crusted Rack of Lamb RECIPE

Watch Tony’s VIDEO DEMONSTRATION for Honey Mustard Crusted Rack of Lamb