Summertime Stuzzicare

stuzzicare:

1. To poke or prod (at)
2. To tease
3. To whet (the appetite)
4. To stimulate

(Courtesy of Wikipedia)

“Stuzzicare” is one of my favorite Italian food words.  It’s a playful verb, one that reminds me of eating cicchetti in a canal-side bar in Venice, crostini in an enoteca off a piazza in Florence or hand-cut prosciutto before a garden feast overlooking the mountains in Abruzzo.  Stuzzichini are snacks that whet your appetite before a meal and Italians have a gift with these little morsels.

Frittelle di Zucchine e Ricotta – zucchini and ricotta fritters flavored with lemon zest and mint

When I entertain guests, I always serve a wide variety of stuzzichini before a big lunch or dinner.   They are inevitably everyone’s favorite part of the meal and the line-up always includes some tasty fritti.  On Christmas Day, my mother (who is Sicilian) and I prepare fried cauliflower and cardoons, panelle – fritters made of chickpea flour – and cazzilli – fried potato and herb fingers.  However, in the summertime, two of my favorite savory fried bites are frittelle di zucchine e ricotta – zucchini and ricotta fritters scented with lemon zest and fresh mint – and polpette di melanzane – eggplant balls flavored with Parmigiano and basil.  They’re easy to prepare and unlike most fried foods, can be made a few hours ahead of time and reheated without compromising their quality too much (although, naturally, they’re best right out of the skillet).  Accompanied by a chilled glass of vino rosato, they’re perfect pre-grilling appetizers.

Polpette di Melanzane – fried eggplant balls flavored with Parmigiano and basil

A word of caution, however – as with any stuzzichini, these little bites are highly addictive so don’t prepare too many or your guests won’t have any room left for the main course!  Buon appetito!

Frittelle di Zucchine e Ricotta

Recipe by Majella Home Cooking © 

Makes approx. 20 fritters

• 3/4 lbs zucchini, coarsely shredded
• 2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
• 3 scallions, very thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup cow’s milk (full fat) ricotta cheese
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Zest of one lemon (preferably a Meyer lemon)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
• 1 tsp each of sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges, for serving

In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, garlic, scallions, ricotta, eggs, lemon zest, mint, salt and pepper.  Combine well and then stir in the flour just until incorporated. (You may make the fritters at this point or refrigerate the batter for up to an hour.)

Line a large baking sheet with paper towels. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of extra virgin olive oil until shimmering.  Working in batches, add heaping tablespoons of the zucchini batter to the hot oil in a single layer (don’t overcrowd). Fry over medium heat, turning once, until browned and crisp on each side, about 3 minutes total. Drain the fritters on the paper towels and serve immediately, with lemon wedges.

Polpette di Melanzane

Recipe by Majella Home Cooking ©

Makes approx. 25-30 polpette

• 2 lbs eggplant
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup fine breadcrumbs, plus ½ cup for rolling the polpette prior to frying
• ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp of salt and several grindings of freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying

Preheat the oven to 400°.  Wash, dry and trim the eggplant and place whole on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up.  Bake for approximately 45 minutes, turning once, until very soft , and remove from the oven.  When the eggplant cools enough to handle without burning your fingers, remove and discard the skin and any large segments of seeds.  In a fine mesh strainer or colander set over a large bowl, drain the remaining eggplant pulp of its excess liquid, pressing down on it gently with the back of a wooden spoon.  Transfer the eggplant to a large bowl and add the eggs, 1 cup of breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, salt, pepper and basil.  Stir the ingredients together until well-combined.   Form the mixture into little balls the size of walnuts and roll them in the remaining ½ cup of breadcrumbs.  Set aside the finished polpette on a baking sheet while you continue to form and roll the remainder of the eggplant mixture.   (You may fry the polpette at this point or refrigerate them for up to an hour.)

Line a large baking sheet with paper towels. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of extra virgin olive oil until shimmering. Working in batches, add the polpette to the hot oil in a single layer (don’t overcrowd). Fry over medium heat, turning once, until browned and crisp on each side, about 3 minutes total. Drain the polpette on the paper towels and serve immediately.

Make-ahead Notes:   The frittelle and the polpette may be fried up to two hours prior to serving and re-crisped in a 350° oven.  The polpette may also be frozen in a plastic bag with a zipper for up to three months.

A Spring Secret Revealed

Polpette di Asparagi – a micro-regional specialty from my mom’s town of Caltabellotta, Sicily

There are certain recipes that I’m simply unwilling to share  – my family’s large-batch jarred tomato sauce (my mother would kill me and besides, anyone crazy enough to do all that work in the late-summer heat has their own way of making sauce); family heirloom recipes for pizzelle (Nonna Irma’s waffle cookies from Abruzzo) and pasticciotti (Nani’s Sicilian jam or custard-filled pastries); my crostata di pignoli e miele and sticky balsamic ribs (best-sellers for my catering business – my clients might not call me for them anymore!); and my caponata and zuppa di farro e fagioli (I’m saving these for my cookbook one day!).   I think my reasons for withholding these personal treasures are pretty legitimate, but there are a few recipes of which I am unreasonably protective, among them, my mother’s polpette di asparagi.   The thought of others preparing these asparagus fritters honestly unsettles me a bit.  There is nothing magical or transformative about them, but they are unique and unexpected.   A specialty of my mother’s hometown of Caltabellotta, Sicily, where they’re made with the bountiful wild asparagus that grows in nearby meadows, most people who’ve tasted them tell us they’ve never had anything like it.  Asparagus, eggs and breadcrumbs formed into patties, then  pan-fried and simmered in tomato sauce, these incredibly moist polpette are yet another example of the simple genius of Southern Italy’s cucina povera.  So in the spirit of Easter and in celebration of spring finally peeking through, I’m sharing with you (albeit with some hesitation) one of my most treasured and beloved family recipes.  Buon appetito!

Polpette di Asparagi

Recipe by Majella Home Cooking ©

Makes approx. 16 polpette

• 2 cups of thin asparagus (tough ends trimmed) cut into ¼ inch pieces
• 1½ cups breadcrumbs seasoned with a clove of minced garlic and a handful of fresh herbs of your choice (i.e., basil, parsley, mint)
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons of salt and several grindings of freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil for pan-frying
• 3 cups of homemade tomato sauce (I obviously use the aforementioned jarred sauce that we make every August)

Bring  the tomato sauce to a gentle boil in a wide pot or deep sauté pan and maintain it at a low simmer.  In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, breadcrumbs, eggs, salt and pepper until you have a wet mixture that is firm enough to stay together when you form the polpette.   Heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat until shimmering.   Scoop up two tablespoons of the asparagus mixture into your hand and form an oval, slightly flattened patty.  If the patty is too soft and won’t hold together, add another tablespoon or two of breadcrumbs to the mixture; if it feels too dense, add a few drops of milk.  (You may want to fry your first polpetta before forming the others to make sure it holds.)  Without overcrowding, add the patties to the shimmering oil and fry for about 2-3 minutes on each side (they should be nicely browned).  Carefully remove each polpetta from the oil with a spatula and transfer them into the simmering tomato sauce.  Repeat with the remaining mixture until all of the patties are in the sauce.  Allow to simmer for 15 minutes, turn off the heat and allow the polpette to “rest” for a few minutes prior to serving.  The polpette are just as good (if not better) the following day.  Buon appetito!

Note: My mother and grandmother always made these polpette with these few simple ingredients.  However, I imagine that the addition of chopped scallions or chives and grated Parmigiano would be delicious as well.