Truly authentic Italian recipes - northern or southern?

Answer 1

Risotto con gli asparagi
Risotto with asparagus
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups rice*
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
1 lbs. fresh green asparagus
extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly ground parmesan
unsalted butter
about 6-7 cups vegetable broth if you can find it otherwise use chicken broth


Instructions:
1. Wash and trim off the tough end of the asparagus, leaving the tips and the tender part of the stalk.
2. Put the stalks in a pan of water leaving the tips out. When the water starts to boil add salt.
3. Cook the asparagus until tender. Cook the tips only for the last few minutes since they are more tender and cook quickly.
4. Remove the asparagus tips and chop the stalks in small pieces and cook them for a few minutes in 1-1/2 Tbsp. butter. Cook the tips apart in 1 Tbsp. butter (don't brown them!).
5. Put the asparagus stalks through a vegetable ricer and then blend them in a food processor to make a smooth sauce. Just set the tips aside for now.
6. In the meantime heat up a pan with 1 1/2 Tbsp butter + 1 Tbsp. olive oil and add the chopped onions. Cook them until soft and translucent. If they get too dry add few spoons of water or broth.
7. When the onions are ready add the rice, combine it well with the onions and butter, and toast it for about 2-3 minutes at high heat.
8. Then add the asparagus sauce and a cup of broth to the rice and mix it in well.
9. Once the rice has absorbed the sauce add about 2 cups hot broth and reduce the heat to medium (canned broth should work well). Mix it frequently.
10. Continue adding broth a bit at a time until the rice is nearly cooked. This will take practice since every rice cooks differently.
11. When the rice is a few minutes from finished add the asparagus tips
and mix well.
12. After a minute or so add 2 Tbsp. butter and the Parmesan. Remove
from the stove, cover the pan with the lid and let it stand for few minutes.


Notes:
Check the rice for to be sure it is salty enough as you go. It is better to add salt, if necessary, while it is cooking rather than when it is already on the table.

Risotto should be creamy, not too dry and certainly not soupy. It may take a little practice to get it right, but once you do it is well worth the effort.


Spaghetti alla puttanesca
Spaghetti alla puttanesca
Serves: 4 to 6
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Origin: Naples
Ingredients:

1 lb. spaghetti
3-1/2 oz. anchovies packed in salt
3-1/ oz. black olives
1-3/4 oz. capers packed in salt
2 cups tomato sauce
1 clove garlic
1 fresh red hot pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
salt to taste


Instructions:
1. In a large fry pan sauté the garlic cut into thin slices along with the red hot pepper sliced too in the olive oil.
2. Meanwhile clean the anchovies by removing the spine the tail and washing them well. You should rinse the excess slat away from the capers as well.
3. After the garlic and red hot pepper have cooked for few minutes add the anchovies, capes, olives and tomato sauce.
4. Cook for another ten minutes.
5. Meanwhile prepare the spaghetti as directed.
6. Once the spaghetti are ready, drain and add to the sauce.
7. Mix well and serve hot.


Notes:

If you can't find anchovies packed in salt then you can use anchovies in oil, they aren't as good but they'll do.

If you don't have a fresh red hot pepper you can use a dry one, just break it up into pieces.

Pollo alla cacciatora
Chicken Cacciatora
Serves: 4 to 6
Preparation time: 2 hours
Ingredients:

1 chicken
2 medium onions chopped
one carrot chopped
one stalk celery chopped
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
3 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 cup tomato sauce
3/4 cup dry white wine
salt pepper to taste
flour


Instructions:
1. Cut the chicken in pieces and eliminate all the excess fat.
2. Rinse the chicken under running water and then dry it with paper towel.
3. Roll the chicken in flour and shake of the excess.
4. In a large pan brown the chicken in 2 Tbsp. of olive oil.
5. Once browned remove the chicken from the pan.
6. Now, in the same pan, cook the onion, celery and carrot with the remaining 2 Tbsp. of oil and a pinch of salt on a low heat for 20-30 minutes or until they are soft. If they get too dry add a little bit of water.
7. Put the chicken back into the pan, mix and add 3/4 cup dry white wine.
8. Once the wine has evaporated add the tomato sauce, the bay leaves, rosemary and parsley.
9. Simmer covered for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. As it cooks check the salt and add it if necessary.
10. Serve hot.

Scaloppine al Marsala
Veal Scaloppine with Marsala
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:

1 lb. veal - 1/8 inch thick slices
flour
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. butter
salt to taste
Dry Marsala Wine


Instructions:
1. Pound the veal slices then coat them with flour and shake off the excess.
2. Put the butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet and place over high heat be careful not to burn the butter.
3. When the butter is melted add the veal and cook the first side until lightly brown.
4. Turn the veal over and sprinkle with Marsala placing your thumb over the top of the bottle to control the flow, approximately 1/4 cup.
5. Salt the veal to taste and cook until lightly brown and keep an eye on them since the Marsala thickens quickly and can burn easily.
6. Remove from the pan and serve them immediately.


Notes:
If you don't want to use veal you can substitute it with turkey or chicken breast.

Answer 2

Rica and red gravy, my great grandpa was an old dego ( that's what my grandma used to call him) And he taught my Mom how to make it. It's a long recipie i'll try to e-mail it to you later.