Baked Ravioli Bolognese "Parmigiano" with Borgatti's Ravioli

 There are so many companies that make pasta and ravioli...
 and they all have their fans.
That said, I can only tell you which ones are my favorites.
 Piemonte in New York City's Little Italy makes a wonderful ravioli, although I have to say I've never had their home made egg noodle pasta. Pastosa on Long Island is another great source for ravioli, and again I have never tasted their egg noodle pasta. Raffetto's on Houston Street in Manhattan is another great choice. I recently discovered their artichoke ravioli. WOW! So good!
This particular entry is all about ravioli and my absolute hands down favorite for both ravioli and egg noodle pasta (and the one that made me a big fat ravioli fan) is Borgatti's on East 187th Street by Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.
 Just ask any chef!
 On March 15th, 2011 I wrote about the virtues of Arthur Avenue, however until I developed this recent recipe (inspired by a ravioli dish suggested by Ciro at Tony's DiNapoli in NYC) that brought out the best in a cheese ravioli, Borgatti's was simply a source for fabulous fresh egg noodle pasta in all cuts, shapes and flavors...and NOT Ravioli. So strange.
There are no quantities or measurements to speak of in this particular entry
 because it all depends on how many ravioli you will be serving. You will, however, need at least 6 cups of sauce and at least 8 oz. of cheese for grating
if you serve 24 large ravioli's in two layers as described below.
Additionally, I feel that by using your favorite meat sauce, bolognese or ragu, it
 may give you the incentive to try this recipe sooner rather than later
because of the potentially shorter preparation time.
If you do have the time, you can try my Flank Steak Ragu recipe from November 2, 2010 in this blog's "archive". Simply click on the 2010 entries to the right on this screen
 and scroll till you're there.

Are you ready?

*Coat the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil and then evenly spread sauce across the bottom of the dish
*Boil Borgatti's large cheese ravioli per instructions and reserve some of the starched water after draining
*Immediately place one complete layer of  cooked ravioli in baking dish, cover with a layer of sauce and grate a heavy coat of Parmigiano Reggiano (my preference) or Grana Padana on top
*Add a second layer of ravioli on top of the first layer in the same order so each ravioli is
covering the one below it
*Repeat the sauce and grated cheese process with more of an emphasis on the amount of sauce
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and add starched water around the edges of the dish. This will add some flavor and help keep the  ravioli from drying out. The starched water formula is about 1/3 cup for every 24 pieces of large ravioli (2 layers of 12)
*In a 400 degree preheated oven, bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown on top.
*Remove from oven, wait about 5 minutes and then serve with fresh artisan bread (see blog pic). When serving, make sure to serve a double layer of ravioli...meaning top and bottom intact...ie 2 pieces, 4 pieces, etc.


Note: This is not a typical "Parmesan" recipe using Mozzarella cheese. The use of Reggiano or Grana provides for a different take on the typical cheesy "Parmesan" recipes and compliments the cheese ricotta inside the ravioli.
Don't let me stop you from using Mozzarella. I added some to this recipe (a very little on each layer) on one occasion and it was still great. I just think, however, that it gets to be too much cheese and gets in the way of the ricotta/parmigiano marriage.



Mangia Baby
Bert




Borgatti's Ravioli & Egg Noodle Menu 

 

Baked Ravioli 

 

Madonia Brothers or Addeo's Bread


Classic Caesar Salad recipe according to Bert
Recipe forthcoming very very soon...stay tuned...and as always...
Feel free to comment

Simple & Successful 6 Ingredient Mashed Potatoes

I'm not a big fan of mashed potatoes. I'd much rather have spaghetti or rice (in that order).
In order for a chef to create new dishes, he or she must to some degree concoct. When I concoct (invent, construct, contrive, devise) a recipe where the results are WHOA!, it's then I must sit in front of the computer in order to duplicate the technique without forgetting any part of the process.
There are many recipes similar to this one. Like any recipe...you give it to ten people and whether it's flavor, consistency or texture, it's going to turn out different in each case. That is, of course, if you don't follow the technique.
 Technique IS what makes recipes differ...and this method of making mashed potatoes is the best one I have ever assembled.
So good, in fact, that I may put it in front of the rice.
It goes like this:

2 lbs. red potatoes with skin
3 Tbsp. sweet butter (again, I like Plugra or Land O Lakes)
A heavy 1/2 cup of milk
1/4 cup sour cream
App. 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
Ground white or black pepper...or both to taste

The Simple and Successful Technique
*Cut Potatoes into 1" to 1.5" pieces (squares are not possible, so estimate size no matter what shape)
*In at least 3 quarts boiling of water, add potatoes and  2 1/2 tsp. salt
*After the water starts to boil again, reduce heat to medium for about 20 minutes or until a fork pierces through a potato piece easily
*Meanwhile, warm milk separately on lowest heat possible and get butter to room temperature
*When potatoes are done, put them through a potato ricer and back into the pot in which they were cooked.(a potato masher will do if you do not have a ricer, but mash thoroughly to avoid lumps)
*Immediately add the butter to the warm milk to melt and immediately pour mixture onto the potatoes
*Stir fast to incorporate and then stir in the sour cream, the rest of the salt (1/2 tsp.) and fresh pepper
*Cover pot and let sit on low heat for 2-3 minutes to let flavors fuse and to be able to serve hot
*Mix again and serve

Serve with meat loaf or your favorite chicken dish.
Heck, serve with whatever you think your new favorite mashed potatoes will compliment.


Mangia Baby!
Bert

Note: Everyone's taste buds are different...so, as with any recipe, feel comfortable in adjusting  proportions to suit your taste & texture.

Coming Attractions
 Baked Ravioli Bolognese Parmigiiano & Bert's Classic...yes classic, Caesar Salad
using the same technique I learned from Bosso at the Piccadilly Restaurant on La Cienega Boulevard's famed restaurant row in Los Angeles, California, USA. 56 years ago.

***As usual, please feel free to comment. By clicking "no comments", you will be able to access the comment box.

In L.A., California...Du-par's...True Pancake Heaven!

Bert with his 5-Stack

Fabulous Betty with Bert's 5-Stack

 

T.H.E. 5 Stack

Dupar's  pancakes in Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USA! They recently opened in Las Vegas, and I can guarantee you it's a sure bet in either location...or any of their locations... that you will be treated to the best stack ever!
 On my latest trip to L.A., my friend Mark Meshekow...of  Meshekow's of Los Angeles photography fame, and directly related to the Beadie from the Bronx...met me for brunch.
My fabulous waitress Betty was gracious enough to let me take her pic while delivering a 5 stack with melted butter on top and served with both maple syrup and boysenberry syrup. For many years, the boysenberry syrup is what they were known for, however they changed the recipe of this syrup and I now stick with the maple. Boysenberry is now optional depending on my mood.
 Please don't forget the extra melted butter to put in between each flapjack. It brings a tear to my eye.
To re-affirm, I don't review restaurants as a whole. I simply espouse the virtues of individual food finds  everywhere. There are many exceptional treats in any of the Du-pars...and as one of my favorite songwriters says "Every man has his opinion". In this case, it's all about the pancakes with the melted butter that I have been eating since 1954 while growing up as a kid in Studio City, Californ-i-a.
Whenever I'm in L.A., this stop is a must for me...and for you if you ever get to L.A. or Las Vegas. Trust me. Have I ever lead you astray?
A little history: The restaurant was founded in 1938 at the Farmer's Market by James Dunn and Edward Parsons...ie DuPars. It grew to several locations in the Los Angeles area, however my heart and soul  always brings me back to the Studio City location.
It changed hands in the 1970's and was most recently bought by a restaurateur named Biff Naylor because, according to Biff,
 he didn't want to see this restaurant "become a footnote in the history books of Los Angeles".
 Thank you Biff Naylor for keeping the Du-pars tradition...and my memories alive.
Thank you again Betty for wrapping up my leftover pancakes with boysenberry syrup on the side, thanks to Maria for wrapping up my Bear Claw...all to take home to NY, and thanks to you both for wearing your traditional Du-par's uniform with pride and a smile.


An aside...I have received many comments from readers and I thank you for them. To the reader who wanted the stories to be longer, long is relative but I'll work on it. Although this Du-par's entry was short and sweet, the stack was long and sweet. To the reader who appreciated the color in the blog format because it was good for their eyes, thanks for your input...or should I say, insight?
Keep the comments coming...and...

Mangia Baby!

Bert

Spaghetti with Sweet Butter and Heinz Ketchup Circa 1953... YUM!

Spaghetti with sweet butter and ketchup. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. As far back as I can remember....ohhhhh somewhere around 1953 in Brooklyn, N.Y., this was a dish my grandmother Hazel and my "Aunt" Sadie would make for me, my brother Paul and everyone else.

My granddaughter Emma's favorite since is...hmmmmm...guess what?

To this day, some people just can't imagine the taste...and when I ask if anyone wants some, I get the age old response of "Ewwwww" or "Arrgghhhh".

"Did you ever taste it" I ask?

No!

So how do you know you won't like it?

I was in Los Angeles last week and whipped up a quick batch of my famous sweet butter and ketchup for Alan and his son, Cooper. You never saw 2/3 of a pound of spaghetti, 5 Tbsp of butter and ohhh, about 8 ounces of ketchup disappear so fast.
Alan asked why do they even bottle spaghetti sauce while Cooper was in non stop sweet butter and ketchup heaven, as the pics above will attest.
Two more converts.
While getting a haircut recently by my buddy Eddie, he proceeds to tell me about how he and his 3 brothers were brought up on elbow macaroni made with Velveeta cheese and Campbells tomato soup. An hour later, my waiter Ben at Vincent's in Carle Place proceeds to tell me about his father who thrived on spaghetti with Velveeta cheese and Ketchup.
I  even remember many years ago...while raving about my butter and ketchup recipe, my dentist Artie raved right back about his spaghetti with cream cheese and ketchup.
We'll call her Nancy P. After reading this entry, she confessed for her love of spaghetti with sauce and Velveeta cheese...AND... placing dollops of cream cheese in her tomato soup.
Sounding familiar?
I guess as strange as it sounds, these recipes to some degree, were borne out of necessity long ago. They thrived for many years and it is now my pleasure to share them with you. Remember...if you never tasted it, you can't knock it. 
Wanna see unusaul, wierd and strange recipes...just Google them.

Not everyone has the technique...so here it is. Follow it explicitly and you will become a convert.

*About 10 oz of thin spahgetti or vermicelli...or really any shape you like

*About 5 Tbsp sweet butter (I love Plugra or Land O Lakes)

*About 8-10 ounces of Heinz Ketchup

* 2 tsp kosher salt

* slice butter into pats so it can melt quickly when added to pot in last step

*Boil at least 4 quarts of water and when water starts to boil add 2 tsp kosher salt

*Immediately add pasta & cook until soft..not mushy and not, in this case, al dente...which is the way one MUST cook their pasta normally

*Drain pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup of pasta water

*Immediately add butter and reserved water to pot to melt butter...add pasta immediately and cook over medium heat stirring quickly for about 30 seconds
*Remove from heat, add room temperature ketchup, stir quickly for another 30 seconds and serve. Wanna add more ketchup on top, be my guest 

*Thats it...Yum City

 An aside: Ketchup does not need to be refrigerated. For everyday use, it will also taste much better at room temperature. .

One more thing...

There are sooooooooo many strange recipes in this world. Strange or unusual, however, is relative.
If you have any doubts at all, GOOGLE "Strange Recipes"!

Check out the tomato bread below made with butter. Sound familiar?
Moral of the story...and you've heard it before...
Don't knock it until you've tried it.

Mangia Baby!

Bert


Please feel free to comment.

   

You must have come across innumerable types of breads like garlic bread, brown bread, milk bread, fruit bread and so on but you might not have heard about the tomato bread.

This bread retains the tangy flavor of tomato and deeply reminds you of your favorite tomato soup that you had always ordered first in the starters. Besides tomato, you can also savor the excellent taste of cloves, butter and brown sugar.

  

Balsamic Glazed Meat Loaf with Roasted Potatoes & Purple Broccoli

I'm not one prone to abusing balsamic vinegar. The main reason is that I am quite aware of the differences that exist in the market and I choose to
use my favorite balsamic sparingly and strategically. If you are a fan of this blog, you are familiar the vinegar to which I refer...namely Chef Massimo Bottura's Manodori.
For those of you who read my blog, you are the recipients of this vinegar at wholesale cost...another good reason for being a fan.
Although some may say mixing this vinegar with ketchup is a sin, the end result is not.
7 simple ingredients plus salt and pepper will net you a fabulous dish, especially when paired with roasted potatoes (I like to use sweet and Yukon gold for this recipe) or mashed potatoes. Although I prefer green, almost any veggie you like will compliment this meat loaf. I was hoping to maintain the purple color of the broccoli, however it was lost in the steam process. Either way, a social success.

Meat Loaf Ingredients:

2 lbs. chopped beef (80-20) preferably from a butcher
Heavy 1/2 cup of ketchup
3 Tbsp GOOD balsamic vinegar OR 2 Tbsp Manodori + 1 Tbsp. water)
1 cup unseasoned or seasoned (your choice) bread crumbs (try to use crumbs from the local bakery)
2 eggs (beaten)
1 medium onion (chopped coarse)
1 Tbsp. ***Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for sauteing onion & garlic clove)
1 large clove garlic (pressed & sauteed with the onion)
3/4 cup fresh Italian style flat leaf parsley (chopped)
1 tsp. Kosher salt
Fresh Mill pepper (app.10 turns fine grind)


*Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
*Saute onions in frying pan with *EVOO until transparent
*Use a baking pan lined with foil and rub a little oil on the center part of the foil where the loaf will sit or use a non stick baking pan
*Blend with a fork the balsamic vinegar, ketchup & water
*Add to the beef...half of the balsamic and ketchup blend, eggs, parsley, salt, pepper, sauteed onions & garlic clove, bread crumbs. Mix with hands until all liquid is absorbed into the beef and place loaf shape in the center of  the pan
  *Coat evenly  the top and sides of the loaf with the rest of the balsamic ketchup mix
 *Bake for 50-60 minutes
*Let sit for at least 5 minutes before slicing to serve

Roasted Potatoes
1.5 lbs potatoes sliced 1/4" thick maximum
1/2 ounce sweet unsalted butter (melted)
1 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp.Kosher Salt
Fresh Mill Pepper
*Toss potatoes in butter, paprika, salt and pepper being careful to cost all side of potatoes
*Bake at 375 degrees in same oven as meat loaf for 20-25 minutes, flipping the potatoes once in the cooking process
*Make sure you place potatoes in the oven for the last 20-25 minutes of the cooking time for the meatloaf
so they finish at the same time

Mashed Potatoes
See 10.23.13 entry for mashed potatoes

1 large head of Purple Broccoli (florets only) or Veggie of your choice
*Steam until cooked through (al dente is fine also)
*Place steamed veggie in baking dish topped with a sprinkle of  salt and strategically placed bits of sweet butter. This will add a nice texture, light brown color and roasted flavor to the veggies
*Bake for the last 15 minutes of the cooking time for the meat loaf and prepare to finish at the same time as the meat loaf & potatoes

***Extra virgin olive oil




Serves 6

Mangia Baby!
Bert

As usual, please feel free to comment or make suggestions

BetsaPasta Crispy Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan is one of my favorite Italian dishes. It's also a dish that takes a certain technique to prepare with a crispy texture. Very simply put, the preparation does not include layering with sauce.
Once you have tried this preparation, you may find it hard to go back to the traditional method of layering with sauce and then topping off with sauce.

Are you ready?


Ingredients: Serves 6 with a side pasta
- Flavored Panko Bread Crumbs
-1 LARGE Fresh Eggplant (ends removed)...Sliced rounds 3/8 thick...yield about 12-14 pieces
-1 cup Flour (I like unbromated/unbleached healthier King Arthur flour)
-2 beaten eggs w. 1 Tbsp 1/2 & 1/2...add some salt and pepper to egg mixture
   **EVOO (healthier) or Vegetable Oil for frying. If a second frying process is required, remove oil from first fried batch and use new oil
-Fresh Mill Pepper
-Kosher Salt
-Parmigiano Reggiano Parmesan cheese
-1/2 to 3/4 lb. Whole Milk Mozzarella
-Your Favorite Tomato or Marinara Sauce


Preparation:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees
*Slice eggplant in rounds

 *Dip in flour, then eggs, then bread crumbs (place all of these prepared slices in a single layer on a plate or baking sheet in order to be able to place in hot oil at the same time). This process should take app 6-7 minutes
*Heat oil on medium high
*In the hot oil, place all rounds in fryer at the same time (if possible) and cook until golden brown on both sides. It's ok to turn more than once if you have to
*Remove from frying pan and place on paper towels to drain off excess oil.
Salt & Pepper at this time
*Repeat process for more rounds of eggplant if necessary with new oil (I place the used oil in a DRY used can of tomatoes to toss away after it has cooled)
 *In a baking tray, place the rounds on the bottom in a single layer...top with mozzarella and some fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano...and repeat once more so there are two layers
*Place just one or two (to suite your taste) Tbsp of your favorite marinara or tomato sauce on top of stack and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until cheese on top is melted and turning golden...then broil for about 3 more minutes until just starting to turn brown
*Remove from oven. You can then add more sauce sparingly on top or place sauce on a plate and sit the stack on top of the sauce.
Serve with fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano
**EVOO=Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The use of salt and pepper is to suit your taste, thus there is no instruction for it's use.


Mangia Baby!
Bert


As usual, please feel free to comment with ideas or suggestions...or to share your own recipe...
bs

Flora's Santorini Tomatoes, Oh My!

I love this place!
It's stunning how the North Fork of Long Island has gripped Sandy and me. You would think by making such a claim that we were in love with all of the same things...but not really. Sure...we can appreciate the same things. For me, however it is simply the food and wine...and in all seasons.
For Sandy, it's a lot more. As I just said, she can appreciate the food and wine...but it's the flowers, the gardens, the vintage and antiques (although nowadays it's quite hard to find a real bargain), and, of course, the horse community that draw us constantly to this part of our Long Island.
Getting back to "I love this place!" It's the end of August and peak tomato time...a highlight every year in my life for as long as I can remember. I just can't get enough of the selection available from all of my tomato girls.

 Flora's Heirlooms

 In 2010 I wrote about Cheryl's on River Road in Calverton and her fabulous cherry tomatoes ...in 2011 I wrote about Joanne Zelnicki on Sound Avenue and her brilliant "Champion" tomatoes. For 2012, even though I want her all for myself, I have to share with all of you Flora The Santorini Tomato Maven.
The selection here is astounding!
If you travel too fast on Route 48, you will miss her. Take a look at the pictures I post and they will be your guide as it sits on the south side of the road heading east. Look for the buoy...that's all I can say.

Flora, with the help of  her son Tony, stands ready to guide you through a hearty selection of tomatoes....and many planted with the seeds from her homeland in Santorini, Greece. They grow and sell their peppers, zucchini, squash, eggplants and other veggies...but the stars here are Flora's tomatoes.

We were there yesterday and walked away with about 5+ pounds of heirloom tomatoes for $10.00...not to mention beefsteaks (which were made into sauce a few hours later), red and yellow cherry, and other tomato shapes and flavors so varied, it's kind of mind boggling.

 Flora...someway...somehow...I'm wondering if it's possible to make you a stop along the North Fork Foodie Tour. We shall see...We shall see.


Oh yes!...One more important tidbit. If we really and truly love our tomatoes, we save the seeds and plant them in our garden (I'm still waiting for Joanne's Champions to ripen on the vine as we speak) and perpetuate the crop.
Saving the seeds is easy to do...and for the home grower here's how!

Squeeze approximately 30-40 seeds from any tomato that you LOVE...place in a cup with two tablespoons of water...cover with plastic wrap and punch a hole in the top. Stir daily for 3 days. After that time, the seeds will have separated from the gelatinous goop that surrounded it as it came out of the tomato.
Place the seeds on paper towels or a coffee filter and let dry in an airy space for at least another 3 days...depending on humidity levels (rainy or dry days). Move the seeds around after a couple of days to insure they don't stick to the paper.

                                         Store the seeds in your own home made seed package.
                                  All you have to do is go to: www.countryliving.com/seedpacket


                                                                      Mangia Baby!
                                                                              Bert



"Sharing your garden bounty can mean more than handing out juicy tomatoes. Why not also pass along homegrown vegetable seeds? Learn how to harvest them at seedsave.org—then package those future plans in our sweet little DIY envelopes. Simply download the free PDF (plus instructions), then print on earthy paper, fold, and give the gift of gardening for mere pennies".

                                                      Country Living Magazine

                                               As usual, please feel free to comment
                                                                         B