Pan Haggerty

[soleta]

Gordon Ramsey & Mark Sargeant
Great British Pub Food

600g firm, waxy potatoes, such as Desirée
3 large onions
100g strong cheddar
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
20g butter, melted
sea salt
black pepper

A pan haggerty consists of potatoes, onions and cheese - simple comforting flavours you'd expect from a local bar. For a more intense flavour, use dripping from the weekend roast in place of butter. We also use gutsy, mature cheese, such as Montgomery or Westcombe cheddar from Somerset.

Peel and thinly slice the potatoes and onions, preferably using a mandoline for the potatoes. Coarsely grate the cheese and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas 5. Heat the olive oil in a fairly small, ovenproof frying pan, about 20cm in diameter. Add the onions and sweat, stirring frequently, for 6-8 minutes until just softened. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Arrange a layer of potatoes over the base of the pan. Brush with some melted butter and season lightly with salt and pepper, then scatter over a thin later of onions and cheese. Repeat layering the ingredients, making sure that you end up with a layer of cheese-topped potatoes.

Put the pan over a medium-high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes until the bottom layer of potatoes is golden brown. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a small, sharp knife. The cheese topping should be golden; if not, increase the heat to 220°C/Gas 7 and bake for an extra 5 minutes or so.

Leave the pan haggerty to cool slightly for 5 minutes or so. Carefully slide it onto a warm plate, cut into slices, and serve.

Prosciutto di Parma with Baked Stuffed Figs

[soleta]

Mario Batali
Simple Italian Food

serves 4
Figs stuffed with Gorgonzola create an almost sweet and sour sensation in my mouth that can challenge the prosciutto. To achieve the perfect balance of flavors in each bite I generally cut the figs into quarters and wrap each quarter in a slice of prosciutto.

12 fresh black mission of Kadota figs
6 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
2 bunches Italian parsley, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
8 ounces Prosciutto di Palma, sliced paper-thin

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Quarter the figs length-wise, cutting down from the stem but leaving the segments attached at the base. Place on an ungreased baking sheet.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the Gorgonzola, walnuts, and parsley until well mixed. Using a tablespoon, stuff 1 tablespoon of the filling onto each opened fig. Bake the figs 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese filling is bubbling.

Arrange 3 or 4 slices of prosciutto on each of 4 plates. Remove the figs from the oven, place 3 in center of each plate, and serve immediately.

Old-Fashioned Pork Pies

[soleta]

Gordon Ramsey & Mark Sargeant
Great British Pub Food

Enjoy these adorable little pies warm or cold with piccalilli or pickled onions and a pint of ale.

makes 8

Hot water crust pastry
250g plain flour
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 large egg
50g unsalted butter
50g lard
85ml water
1 medium egg yolk, lightly beaten with 1 tbsp water, to glaze

Filling
400g minced pork (roughly equal quantities of belly and shoulder meat)
250g sausagemeat
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped sage
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
5 juniper berries, ground with a pinch of salt
pinch of allspice
sea salt
black pepper

To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Crack the egg into the well and sprinkle over some of the flour. Put the butter, lard and water into a small pan and heat gently until melted, then bring to the boil. Immediately pour around the edge of the flour and quickly stir together, using a butter knife, to combine. Knead the dough lightly until smooth; it will be quite soft at this stage. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least an hour until firm.

Meanwhile, for the filling, mix all the ingredients together, seasoning well. Divide into 8 portions, about 80g each, and roll into balls. Cut off one-third of the pastry for the pie lids, re-wrap and chill. Roll out the remaining pastry on a lightly floured work surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Using a saucer, about 11cm in diameter, as a template, cut out 8 circles. Roll out the reserved pastry to the same thickness and cut out 7cm rounds for the lids, using a pastry cutter.

To assemble each pie, places a stuffing ball in the middle of a pastry base and flatten it slightly to get a flat base and straighter sides. Put a pastry lid on top. Brush the pastry base border with egg glaze, then draw up it up around the filling to meet the lid. Curl the edge of the lid up to meet the top inside edge of the pie case and pinch together to seal. Repeat with the other pies, then crimp the edges. Chill until firm.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas 5. Place the pies on a baking sheet and make a hole in the centre of each lid with a skewer. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the setting to 170°C/Gas 3. Brush the pies evenly with egg glaze and bake for a further 10 minutes until cooked. To test, insert a skewer into the centre of a pie for a few seconds; it should feel hot to the touch as you remove it. Transfer the pies to a wire rack to cool.

Wild Boar Sausage Rolls

[soleta]

Gordon Ramsey & Mark Sargeant
Great British Pub Food

Sausage rolls are a great bar snack when you're after something a little more substantial with a drink, but not a full meal. This recipe is one of several versions we serve at the pubs, using fantastic wild boar sausagemeat and good-quality puff pastry. You can substitute any kind fo sausage for the filling, but do try to get one with a higher meat/lower fat content, preferably from a good butcher.

serves 6

500g good-quality butter puff pastry
1 1/2-2 tsp English mustard
6 thick good-quality wild boar sausages, about 450g (or use sausagemeat)
1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1 tsp water, to glaze
sesame seeds, to sprinkle

Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to a large rectangle, about 3mm in thickness. Cut out 6 rectangles, about 10cm x 12cm (they should be just large enough to wrap around a sausage, so use one as a guide). Brush the pastry rectangles with a light coating of mustard.

Peel off the skins from the sausages. Lay a sausage along one longer side of a pastry rectangle and roll the pastry around it, overlapping the ends slightly and pressing them lightly to seal. Put the sausage roll, seam side down, on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. Repeat to make the rest of the sausage rolls, leaving some space between them to allow for expansion on cooking. Brush the tops with some of the beaten egg and rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Brush the sausage rolls once again with sesame seeds. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the sausages are cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool slightly before serving. Although you can enjoy them cold, these sausage rolls are best served warm and freshly baked.

Basic Pasta Dough

[kate]

Mario Batali
Simple Italian Food

makes 1 pound

This yields enough fresh pasta to serve four as a first course pasta dish or two as a main course. Divided into four portions and rolled to the thinnest setting on a pasta machine, it can be used to make ravioli and other stuffed pastas. Rolled slightly thicker the sheets can be cut into varying widths, as follows:

Tagliolini: 1/4 inch
Fettucine: 1/2 inch
Tagliatelle 3/4 inch
Pappardelle: 1 1/2 inches

3 1/2 to 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
4 extra large eggs
1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Mound 3 1/2 cups of the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the eggs and olive oil. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and oil and begin to incorporate the flour starting with the inner rim of the well.

As you expnd the well, keep pushing the flour up from the base of the mound to retain the well shape. Do not worry that this initial phase looks messy. The dough will come together when half of the flour is incorporated.

Start kneading the dough with both hands, using the palms of your hands. Once you have a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and scrape up and discard any leftover crusty bits. Lightly reflour the board and continue kneading for 6 more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Roll or shape as desired.

Note: Do not skip the kneading or resting portions for the dough. They are essential for a light pasta.

Pappardelle with Crawfish, Tomatoes, and Lemon Basil

[kate]

Mario Batali
Simple Italian Food

serves 4

Cleaned cooked crawfished meat is available in fancy fish stores throughout the summer, but it is definitely better if you boil and peel the crawfish yourself. For this dish I prefer lemon basil, which adds an almost Southeast Asian shrimp or lobster meat can also stand in for the crawfish meat.

5 pounds crawfish, boiled, cooled, and tail meat removed (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 jalapeno peppers, cored, seeded, and julienned
1 pound very ripe plum tomatoes
1 pound fresh pappardelle
1/4 fresh lemon basil leaves, lightly packed
zest of 1 lemon
salt and pepper

Pick through the crawfish and discard any shell bits

Bring about 6 quarts of water to a boil and add about 2 tablespoons salt.

In a 12 to 14 inch sate pan, heat the olive oil until almost smoking over medium heat. Add the garlic and jalapenos and cook until the garlic is light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, trim off the stem ends from the tomatoes and cut into 3/4 inch cubes. Add the tomatoes to the pan with garlic and chiles and cook until soft and beginning to get saucy, 8 to 10 minutes. Lower the heat to a simmer while you cook the pasta.

Drop the pappardelle into the boiling water and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain the pasta. Toss the crawfish meat into the tomato sauce, add the pappardelle, and toss to coat well over low heat. Add the lemon basil and lemon zest, season to taste with salt and pepper, toss again, and serve immediately.

White Bean Ravioli with Balsamic Brown Butter

[kate]

Mario Batali
Simple Italian Food

serves 6

The syrupy flavor of the balsamic brown butter makes it an easy sell to children and sweet tooths alike.

Ravioli
1 recipe Basic Pasta Dough

Filling
2 cups cooked white beans
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 egg
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
salt and pepper

Sauce
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley

Make the filling. Set aside 1 cup of the cooked white beans. Combine the remaining filling ingredients in a food processer and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the puree to a medium mixing bowl and stir in the reserved white beans. Season to taste.

Divide the pasta dough into 4 equal portions and roll each in a pasta machine on the thinnest setting. Lay out 1 sheet of pasta and cut into 8 pieces 3 1/2 inches square. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each square and fold in half diagonally to form a triangle. Press firmly around the edges to seal. Continue with the remaining pasta and filling; you should have 32 ravioli. These can be set aside on a baking tray, the layers separated by a dish towel, in the refrigerator for 6 hours.

Bring about 6 quarts of water to a boil and add about 2 tablespoons salt. Drop the ravioli into the water and cook just below boiling for 3 minutes.

Place the butter in a 10 to 12 inch saute pan and heat until the foam subsides and the butter begins to brown. Turn off the heat and add the balsamic vinegar (careful - it will wpatter).

Remove the ravioli from the cooking liquid with a slotted spoon or strainer and add to the ban with the butter and vinegar. Toss over medium heat and sprinkle with the grated cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.

Crab Tortelloni with Scallions and Poppy Seeds

[kate]

Mario Batali
Simple Italian Food

serves 4

Each Valentine's Day, Po offers a special menu highlighting the food and wine of Venice, perhaps the most romantic city in the world. This pasta is a consistent winner and, from what I understand, quite an aphrodisiac.

1 pound fresh lump crab meat (not pasteurized)
8 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup basic tomato sauce
1 recipe basic pasta dough, rolled out to thinnest setting on pasta machine
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Bring about 6 quarts of water to a boil and add about 2 tablespoons salt.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the crab, half the scallions, and the tomato sauce until well blended.

Cut the pasta into 4 inch squares and place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each square. Fold into triangles, press out any air around the filling, and press to seal the edges. Bring the points of the long side together to form a ring (or a hat) and seal between your fingers.

Drop the tortelloni in the boiling water and cook for 8 to 10 minutes at a high simmer. Meanwhile, in a 10 to 12 inch saute pan, melt the butter with the poppy seeds. Drain the cooked tortelloni carefully and gently place in the pan. Add the remaining scallions and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Basic Tomato Sauce

[kate]

Mario Batali
Simple Italian Food

makes 4 cups

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, chopped in a 1/4 inch dice
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 tablespoon dried
1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
2 28 ounce cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved
salt to tastes

In a 3 quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the thyme and the carrot and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until as thick as hot cereal. Season with salt and serve. This sauce holds one week in the refrigerator or up to six months in the freezer.

Goat Cheese and Scallion Ravioli with Black Olive-Tomato Butter

[kate]

Mario Batali
Simple Italian Food

serves 6

I first made this dish for a demonstration at a great supermarket in Short Hills, New Jersey, called Kings. Since then I've used it whenever I want to plug Coach Farm's amazing fresh goat cheese.

Filling
3 cups soft goat cheese, preferably Coach Farm
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 extra large egg, lightly beaten
6 scallions, thinly sliced
pinch of grated nutmeg
salt and pepper

1 recipe basic pasta dough

Sauce
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons black olive paste
4 tablespoons slivered oil-packed sundried tomatoes

1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese

Make the filling. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix until well incorporated. Set aside.

Divide the pasta dough into 4 portions and roll out to a 9x12 inch rectangle on the thinnest setting of the pasta machine. Place 1 sheet of the dough on a lightly floured cutting board. Cut the sheet into thirds lengthwise, then score each length in half and in half again, yielding four 3 inch squares per length of pasta. Cover with a towel.

Place 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling onto each square. Fold opposing corners together to form a triangle, gently pressing out any air between the filling and the pasta dough. If the pasta is a little dry, moisten the edges with a little water to help them adhere. Be certain to seal the ravioli well on both flat sides or they will burst while cooking. Repeat with the remaining sheets of pasta and filling. At the halfway point, check to be sure that you've used half the filling. If not, adjust the quantity of tilling accordingly for the remaining ravioli.

Bring about 6 quarts of water to a boil and add about 2 tablespoons salt.

Make the sauce. Melt the butter with the black olive paste in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. When it is just starting to bubble, add the tomatoes and remove from the heat.

Gently drop the ravioli into the boiling water and cook 3 to 4 minutes on a low boil, until the pasta is cooked through. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and add to the skillet with the sauce. Simmer together for 1 minute over low heat; then sprinkle with the grated cheese and place on a warm serving platter.