Yes, that's the slogan of a famous national restaurant chain (you know which one, we're not saying it!) But it's also a frame of mind when cooking big, festive Italian dinners. If you're thinking about doing one of those soon, there's a book you need to read. Elizabeth Minchilli, who wrote the new cookbook, The Italian Table stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about the reasons behind the book (among them, cooking a big, festive dinner) And there's not much more festive than traditional parmigiana. Elizabeth says her version of this classic eggplant dish is fresher and lighter than you otherwise might find. It's perfect for summer!
Rotolini di Zucchini
con Ricotta
RICOTTA-STUFFED ZUCCHINI
This elegant little
antipasto couldn’t
be easier. Although Maria Grazia uses ricotta, I’ve made it often with goat
cheese. It’s the perfect starter during summer, when zucchini are at their
best, and the addition of mint and poppy seeds not only adds texture and
flavor, but also creates a pretty contrast to the whiteness of the ricotta. SERVES 4 TO 6
4 medium zucchini, trimmed
2 tablespoons of
extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch of fresh mint,
leaves only
Sea salt
11/2 cups of fresh ricotta
1/2 cup of poppy seeds
Fresh sage or basil leaves,
for garnish
Extra-virgin olive oil, for
drizzling (preferably your best variety)
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Using a sharp knife or mandoline, cut
the zucchini lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick ribbons. (You should end up with at
least 12 full-length, unbroken ribbons.) Place the zucchini in one layer on one
or two baking sheets. Season them with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, half of
the mint, and salt to taste and bake them for about 10 minutes, until just
tender. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
In the meantime, place the ricotta in a
medium bowl with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the rest of the
mint, roughly chopped. Using a fork, whip it until smooth and creamy.
Place about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta
mixture on each strip of zucchini and roll it up. Place the poppy seeds in a
shallow bowl. Dip both flat ends of the rolls in the poppy seeds, coating
the ricotta.
To serve, place two or three rolls on
individual plates. Garnish each roll by placing a sage or basil leaf on top and
tucking the ends in so that it follows the curve of the roll. Drizzle with your
best extra-virgin olive oil and serve.
Credit for
the book: © The Italian Table: Creating
Festive Meals for Family and Friends, by Elizabeth
Minchilli, Rizzoli, 2019. All images credited © Elizabeth Minchilli.
