Featured Wines
- Piccini Memoro Rosso D’Italia
- Piccini Prosecco DOC Venetian Dress
- Piccini Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie DOCG
- Piccini Chianti DOCG Orange Fiasco
- Piccini Brunello Di Montalcino DOCG
Featured Pairing
Agnolotti
Ingredients:
- 2 large beets
- 1/2 cup of crumbled gorgonzola dolce
- 1/2 cup of hazelnuts, chopped
- 1 egg
- EVOO
- 3/4 cup of grated Parmesan
- 1 table spoon of butter
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
- Required: Fresh pasta sheets and a ravioli press or wonton wrappers
Instructions:
1. Peel the beets and dice into half-inch squares; toss with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.
2. Roast in a 400-degree oven for twenty minutes or until soft.
3. While warm, place in a blender or processor and blend, but leave some texture. Do not puree.
4. In a bowl, add the beets and mix in the gorgonzola and chopped hazelnuts.
5. Lay out the pasta sheets or wontons. If you are using pasta sheets, use the back of the ravioli press and cut out circles.
6. Spoon a tablespoon of the mixture into the center of each circle, then coat the edges with egg. Press into shape or fold the wonton wrapper, pressing the edges tight; cook in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente.
7. Add the butter to the cream, brought to a simmer.
8. Add the cheese and stir until thick.
9. Season with salt and black pepper.
10. Serve the agnolotti over the sauce, garnished with the chopped parsley.
Cannoli
Ingredients:
- 4 cannoli shells
- 1 can of cannellini or navy beans (made from dry preferred)
- 1 cup of frozen corn (try fresh from the cob is it’s still in season)
- 1/2 cup of farmer’s cheese
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 vine-ripe tomatoes
- EVOO
- Chopped parsley
- Kosher salt; Fresh ground black pepper
Instructions:
1. Sauté the onions and pepper until the onions turn light brown, then add the beans, corn, and cayenne pepper.
2. Once combined, place half the mixture in a blender and blend until smooth.
3. Add to the remaining beans and corn mixture.
4. Fold in the cheese and parsley and, with either a spoon or pastry bag, fill each cannoli shell.
5. Cut a small cross on the top of each tomato, and place in a pot of boiling salted water until the skin pulls back; then let cool in a bowl of ice water.
6. Remove the tomato skin, cut the tomato in half and squeeze out the seeds, then roughly chop.
7. Season with EVOO, salt, pepper, and parsley, and serve with the cannoli.
Osso Bucco w/ Parmesan Polenta
Ingredients:
- Five pounds of beef shanks: (For most shops, this is a seasonal item. It is usually available at any local farm that raises beef cows.)
- 1 large onion
- 1 large carrot
- 1 red pepper
- 1 stalk of celery
- 4 cups of beef broth
- 2 cups of vegetable broth
- 2 cups of red wine
- 1 small can of tomato paste
- 2 cups of tomato puree (or homemade sauce)
- 1 cup of instant polenta
- 1 cup of grated parmesan
- 1/2 cup of chopped parsley
- Oil for frying
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Instructions:
1. Season the shanks liberally with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a deep baking pan large enough for all the shanks and sear them.
3. Remove the shanks and deglaze the pan with the wine.
4. Roughly chop the vegetables and place them in the bottom of the pan.
5. Arrange the shanks over the vegetables and coat with the tomato paste.
6. Add the tomato puree and beef broth; make sure the liquid fully covers the shanks.
7. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 3.5 hours.
8. When the meat is fork-tender, remove the shanks, and pull the meat from the bone and any remaining fat cap.
9. Strain the liquid, then transfer it to a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
10. Pull the meat from the shanks, add any remaining marrow, place it in a bowl, and re-season.
11. In a high-sided pot (this is key; molten polenta burns), bring the vegetable broth to a boil and slowly add the polenta. Turn down to a simmer, stirring as you go to avoid lumps.
12. Then add Parmesan cheese and parsley, and stir.
13. Re-season and scoop a portion into a bowl. Place some of the meat over the polenta and pour the sauce around the bowl.
