Rustic Italian

Rustic Italian

Ciao Home Chef, Italian cuisine is best described as wholesome, perhaps because it is cooked with a lot of heart! We absolutely loved curating this box for you. From Antipasto to Digestivo, we have incorporated each course into our recipes so you can put together a beautiful, well-thought-out menu for friends and family and truly experience a meal the Italian way.

Keeping with the change in season, we’re featuring fresh fall vegetables such as sweet potatoes and beets and showing you how to make them into gnocchi using a nifty Gnocchi Rolling board! Make Bruschetta with the famed porcini mushrooms from Urbani, known for their earthy, nutty flavor or use them in pastas and chicken cacciatore. We also fell in love with the natural sweetness in this Cherry Tomato Pianogrillo sauce- it’s just the thing to have in your pantry at all times!

Toss some over Marella’s award winning Zucchette pasta or, use it like we did, as a base to create more complex sauces like Salsa Ortolana, or Gardener’s sauce!

Finally, we bring you a traditional Italian tool that will likely become your go-to for meal prep- a sturdy, high quality Mezzaluna. Use it to finely chop fresh herbs and garlic the traditional (and faster!) way. We promise that once you’ve used this, you’ll think twice about pulling out the food processor!

We also have included exclusive recipes from the chefs at Spannocchia and Pianogrillo, and others passed down to us from our nonne!

Cominciamo! We can’t wait to see what you make!

Welcome to your Italian Kitchen.

Buon Appetito!

Hamptons Lane

Marella Puglia, Italy Marella Pasta is located in the heart of Puglia (the old Magna Grecia) in the province of Bari in the "heel" of Italy. The family-oriented artisanal factory uses dough made of a blend of organic, ancient, and heirloom wheats that are IGP certified in Altamura, a town famous for its grain and flour. Pastas produced at the Marella Factory, or "Pastificio Marella," are extruded through a bronze die, giving the pasta a rough texture to better hold sauce. The pasta is then dried at a very low temperature for three to four days in order to reduce moisture evenly

Meet Our Artisans Pianogrillo Farm Ragusa, Sicily Our Cherry Tomato Sauce is made

by Lorenzo Piccione, a wonderful farmer in Ragusa, Sicily. Lorenzo has transformed his historic property into a modern farm, where he preserves the flavors and traditions his Sicilian family has handed down for generations. Lorenzo’s sauce is naturally sweet, with no added sugar. Made with nothing but Sicilian cherry tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and basil, this sauce is bottled without preservatives.

In addition to his Cherry Tomato Sauce, Lorenzo also produces our Pianogrillo extra virgin olive oil you can find in our online shop.

1. Fante’s Cousin Liana’s Wooden Gnocchi Board Make authentic Italian gnocchi or cavatelli at home! The ridges in the board give the gnocchi texture and their traditional shape so they hold more sauce. Made in Italy from natural beechwood, this hand held board is easy to use and won’t flatten delicate dough as a fork would. Fresh pasta tastes best and will look even better after a roll down this Italian kitchen essential tool.

1.

2. Fox Run Stainless Steel Double Blade Mezzaluna Chop fresh herbs, garlic, and onions the traditional way with this stainless steel double blade mezzaluna. In Italian, the word mezzaluna means “half moon” and the rounded knife blade makes finely chopping herbs easier, quicker, and safer! Great for quick garnishes and simple pestos, a mezzaluna is the best kitchen staple you never knew you needed.

3. Marella Organic Zucchette Pasta

2.

Known in Italy as “zucche,” this pumpkin shaped pasta somehow manages to taste even better than it looks! The Sofi awardwinning Southern Italian pasta factory run by the Marella family makes pasta the way it was made hundreds of years ago: by hand. While industrial pasta factories use a more resistant Teflon-coated steel die, pastas produced at Marella, or "Pastificio Marella" are extruded through a bronze die, giving the pasta a rough texture to better hold sauce. The pasta is dried at a low temperature for three to four days, yielding a uniquely flavored pasta that expands when cooked. Zucchette is a great vessel for a hearty ragu or rustic gardener’s sauce.

4. Pianogrillo Cherry Tomato Sauce Winner of the 2016 Sofi for best new sauce, this “salsa pronta” or ready to eat sauce from Pianogrillo is the freshest, most vibrant tomato sauce we’ve tasted. Its ingredients are simply fresh Sicilian tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and basil.

Toss with fresh gnocchi for an easy, yet delicious meal or use as a base to make an authentic and rich chicken cacciatore.

Cherry tomatoes have an extraordinary natural sweetness and there is no added sugar and no preservatives in this sauce. It’s a classic sauce for pasta al Pomodoro and also makes a mean Bloody Mary!

5. Urbani Dried Porcini Mushrooms These much sought-after mushrooms are grown in the Umbria’s Apennine Mountains. With a nutty and meaty flavor, they are perfect for risotto, rich sauces, and stews. Urbani's porcini mushrooms are still dried in the old traditional Italian way.

To bring out the aroma of the porcini mushrooms, you need only to soak them in milk or warm water for a tasty addition to any dish.

3.

5.

4.

Bruschetta

Serves 6-10

1 sourdough, ciabatta or French baguette, sliced on a diagonal ½” thick Preheat an oven to 350F. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil. Toast until golden, about 10 minutes.

Fig, Warm Pecorino, & Proscuitto Bruschetta

1 cup ricotta cheese 6 fresh figs 2 oz Pecorino Romano cheese Preheat broiler. Thinly slice pecorino and figs. Lay pecorino on top of bread slices and place slices in broiler for 1 minute or until pecorino melts slightly. Remove from oven, top with prosciutto and 1-2 fig slices. Season with fresh black pepper, serve right away.

Roasted Garlic & Tomato Basil Bruschetta

4 Roma or plum tomatoes, diced 1 head of garlic 3 tbsp olive oil, divided 4 tbsp fresh basil Preheat the oven to 400F. Slice off the top ¼” of a head of garlic. Place head on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and wrap. Roast until golden brown and soft, about 30 minutes. While garlic roasts, place tomatoes in a bowl, toss with olive oil, and let sit for 20 minutes at room temperature. Chop basil with mezzaluna. Rub roasted garlic cloves on bread slices, top with tomato and basil, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.

Ricotta with Porcini Mushrooms, Honey, & Rosemary Bruschetta 1 cup ricotta cheese 2 tbsp honey 2 sprigs fresh rosemary ½ cup Urbani porcini mushrooms (rehydrated)

Using the mezzaluna, finely mince rosemary and roughly chop the mushrooms. Spread ricotta on bread slices and sprinkle on rosemary and mushroom mixture. Drizzle with honey and finish with freshly ground black pepper.

Tip: Gnocchi can be made up to 1 month ahead & stored frozen in an airtight container. Be sure to separate to prevent clumping!

To cook, boil in salted water as you would if made fresh until they rise (2-5minutes)!

Beet Gnocchi Serves 6-8

2-1/2 lb red beets salt & pepper 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup water 1 egg 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese freshly grated nutmeg 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting Preheat the oven to 375F. Spear the beets with a fork and place in a baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer. Season lightly with salt and pepper, drizzle with the olive oil, and add the water. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and roast until the beets can be easily pierced with a skewer, 40 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover, and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove skin from beets. Cut the beets into large chunks. In a blender or the bowl of a food processor, combine the beets and egg and process until very smooth.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 1-1/2 cups of the beet purĂŠe, the ricotta cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, a few swipes of nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Mix with your hands or on medium speed until fully combined.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the all-purpose flour and knead with your hands or on low speed just until combined. Do not overmix, as this will make the gnocchi tough. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Dust 1/2 cup all-purpose flour on the work surface, then scrape the dough from the bowl directly on top of the flour. Lightly dust the top of the dough with more all-purpose flour and shape dough into a log. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Use a bench scraper to cut off a slice of about 2 fingers thick. Rolling between palms and a floured work surface, form each piece into a rope (about 1/2 inch in diameter), sprinkling with flour as needed if sticky.

(However, don't add too much additional flour, as too much will make for heavy gnocchi.)

Then, cut each rope crosswise into ½ inch gnocchi pieces. Dust gnocchi board with flour and hold so that board is tilted towards your work surface. Using the side of your thumb, push the gnoccho down and forward, rolling it once along the board to create a crease. Transfer to a towel-covered or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Separate gnocchi to prevent sticking. Bring a large pot of wellsalted water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook gnocchi until they float, about 2-3 minutes.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi Serves 8

1-1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, halved lengthwise 1/2 pound russet potatoes, halved lengthwise 1 cup All-Purpose Flour 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese plus more for garnish 1 large egg - lightly beaten Heat oven to 425F. On a rimmed baking sheet, lay potatoes cut-side down and drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle few good pinches of salt and some of the fresh pepper. Roast until fork tender, about 30 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the skin and press the flesh through a potato ricer (or mash with back of a fork) and stir in cheese, egg, and the 2 teaspoons of salt. Mix in flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, until soft dough forms. Taste and add additional salt, as needed. You've added enough flour when you touch the back of the dough and it is damp, but not sticking to your hand.

Turn dough out onto floured surface and shape into a log. Use a bench scraper to cut off a slice of about 2 fingers thick. Rolling between palms and a floured work surface, form each piece into a rope (about 1/2 inch in diameter), sprinkling with flour as needed if sticky.

(However, don't add too much additional flour, as too much will make for heavy gnocchi.)

Then, cut each rope crosswise into ½ inch gnocchi pieces. Dust gnocchi board with flour and hold so that board is tilted towards your work surface. Using the side of your thumb, push the gnoccho down and forward, rolling it once along the board to create a crease. Transfer to a towel-covered or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Separate gnocchi to prevent sticking. Bring a large pot of well salted water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook gnocchi until they float, about 2-3 minutes.

Potato Gnocchi Serves 4 1 Lb russet potatoes ¾ cup flour 1 egg Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake potatoes for 30 minutes, until soft. Remove from the oven, set aside to cool. Once the potatoes are cool enough to work with, remove the peels, and mash potatoes or press through a ricer into a large bowl. Blend in the egg. Mix in the flour a little at a time until you have soft dough. Use more or less flour as needed. Form dough into a thick log shape (about 5-6 inches wide). Use a bench knife to cut off a slice of about 2 fingers thick. Rolling between palms and a floured work surface, form each piece into a rope (about 1/2 inch in diameter), sprinkling with flour as needed if sticky.

(However, don't add too much additional flour, as too much will make for heavy gnocchi.)

Then, cut each rope crosswise into ½ inch gnocchi pieces. Dust gnocchi board with flour and hold so that board is tilted towards your work surface. Using the side of your thumb, push the gnoccho down and forward, rolling it once along the board to create a crease. Transfer to a towel-covered or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Separate gnocchi to prevent sticking. Bring a large pot of wellsalted water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook gnocchi until they float, about 20 seconds.

Potato Gnocchi with Pianogrillo Cherry Tomato Sauce Recipe from the chefs at Pianogrillo in Sicily, Italy 1 bottle Pianogrillo Cherry Tomato Sauce 1 handful capers Extra virgin olive oil Sea Salt Flakes Pour the bottle of Pianogrillo sauce into a saucepan and slightly warm until it thickens slightly. Transfer into blender and add a drizzle of olive oil.

Blend until it becomes full of air and almost foamy. Remove from blender and in stir in capers. Add cooked potato gnocchi, generously covering the gnocchi with sauce.

Sprinkle with sea salt flakes to taste and serve.

Hamptons Lane Exclusive Recipe

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Brown Butter Sage Sauce 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) 15-20 fresh sage leaves 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ tsp nutmeg 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1 teaspoon salt Melt the butter in a large sautÊ pan over medium heat.

When the butter has melted, add the sage leaves. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the foam subsides and the milk solids begin to brown and sage is crispy. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup, and salt. Gently stir as the sauce will begin to bubble.

When bubbling subsides, toss the cooked gnocchi in the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish, top with freshly ground black pepper and parmesan.

Serve immediately.

Toasted Potato Gnocchi with Walnut Chive Sauce 1/2 cup Urbani porcini mushrooms ¼ cup chopped walnuts 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided 3 tablespoons heavy cream 2 tbsp olive oil 1/4 tsp Salt 2 tbsp chopped chives Grated parmesan cheese Soak the dry mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes and drain, reserving the water. Add garlic to heated oil sauté pan and cook until lightly golden. Add the mushrooms. When the cooking liquid from the mushrooms is well reduced, add the water from the dry porcini mushrooms (filter it through a sieve) and reduce. Add salt, cream, walnuts, and 1 tbsp butter and stir to combine.

In a nonstick pan, heat 2 tbsp butter over med-high heat. Toss gnocchi in the butter and allow to cook for about 4 minutes, untouched. A brown crust will form and gnocchi with unstick from the pan. Add sauce to the gnocchi and season with pepper. Serve with grated parmesan and garnish with chives.

Beet Gnocchi with Pesto Sauce 1 large bunch of basil, leaves only, washed and dried 3 cloves of garlic ¼ cup of pine nuts 3/4 cup Parmesan, freshly grated 3 tbsp olive oil Salt & Pepper Begin chopping garlic and some basil with the mezzaluna.

Loosely chop, then add more basil. Incorporate pine nuts and parmesan. Continue scraping and chopping ingredients until very fine and almost paste-like. Transfer to a small bowl, stir in the olive oil, serve immediately over gnocchi.

Zucchette with Gardener’s Sauce Serves 6 28 oz can of tomato puree 1 Celery Stalk, roughly chopped 1 large Carrot, roughly chopped 1 medium onion, roughly chopped 1 small zucchini, deseeded, roughly chopped 1/3 cup Urbani porcini mushrooms (rehydrated) 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped 2 cloves of garlic, chopped

¼ cup parsley ¼-½ cup heavy cream 1 cup Pianogrillo Cherry Tomato Sauce 2 tbsp olive oil ¾ lb Marella Zucchette Salt & pepper Basil leaves for garnish

Heat olive oil in a large pot or saucepan on a medium-low heat. Add garlic, parsley, all vegetables and cook for 7-8 minutes so they begin to soften. Add tomato puree and Pianogrillo sauce. Stir everything together and keep on a low simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Vegetables should be tender enough to fork, but not too soft.

Using a blender or immersion blender, puree sauce until very smooth. Sauce will become an orange color. Reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cream, season with black pepper and simmer on low 5-10 minutes. Cook zucchette according to package directions and toss with sauce, serve garnished with basil leaves.

Duck Ragu over Zucchette Serves 6 4 duck legs and thighs, skin removed 4 tablespoons virgin olive oil 1 medium Spanish onion, diced into 1/4-inch pieces 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, peeled, and thinly sliced 1 stalk celery, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces ½ cup dry red wine 1 pound canned tomatoes, peeled whole 1 cup chicken stock 1 ounce Urbani porcini mushrooms ¾ lb Marella Zucchette Wash duck legs and remove all fat. Pat dry. In a thick-bottomed casserole or Dutch oven, heat olive oil until smoking. Add duck legs and cook until brown on all sides and remove, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add onion, carrot, garlic, and celery and cook until softened, about 7 to 9 minutes. Add wine, tomatoes, chicken stock and dried mushrooms and bring to a boil. Add duck legs and return to boil, lower heat, cover, and allow to simmer for 1 hour. Remove duck legs and allow to cool. Pull all meat off the bones and return to pot, without the bones. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, or until quite thick. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Cook zucchette according to package instructions. Drain and toss with ragu, serve.

Hamptons Lane Exclusive Recipe

Arista all’ Arancia (Pork with Orange) ­Serves 6 Recipe from the chefs at Tenuta di Spannocchia, Tuscany, Italy

2 lb pork loin roast 4 oranges 2 red onions, quartered 4 bay leaves ½ cup dry white wine 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Salt & Pepper Heat olive oil in a deep pot for several minutes, then add pork loin. Season with salt & pepper and sear until golden brown on all sides, turning. Add wine and cook until it evaporates. Take 2 of the oranges and cut them (leaving the rinds on) into 8 wedges each. Juice the other two oranges, removing pulp and seeds.

Add the wedges, orange juice, and onions to the meat. Stir to make sure meat is well coated. Add bay leaves and more pepper. If the meat becomes dry while cooking, add water or broth. Once cooked, set aside for 10 minutes before slicing.

Drizzle pan drippings onto the meat and serve garnished with oranges and onions.

Hamptons Lane Exclusive Recipe

Schiacciata con l’uva (Grape Foccacia) Recipe from the chefs at Tenuta di Spannocchia, Tuscany, Italy ¾ lb Black Seedless Grapes ½ cup coarsely chopped Walnuts 1 ¾ cups lukewarm water 4 cups type 00 or all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

2 tbsp sugar 1 teaspoon of active dried yeast Powdered Sugar for dusting 3 tbsp Olive oil, divided

Dissolve the yeast in a few tablespoons of the lukewarm water with a tablespoon of the flour. In a large bowl, sift the flour and add the yeast mixture. Add the rest of the water a little at a time, working the dough well after each addition. Make sure the flour absorbs all the water. If while adding the water, the dough becomes more like batter, add a little more flour until it returns to a dough. Add one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

On a well floured surface, knead the dough for about 5-10 minutes until it bounces back when poked. Roll into a ball and place it back into the bowl. Cover with a damp cloth, set it in a warm place and let it rise for one hour. You can also leave the dough in the bowl to rise in the fridge slowly overnight and bake the next day. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Oil a rectangular pan well with olive oil. With wellfloured hands, take the dough out and divide into two balls, one slightly larger than the other. Roll out the larger ball on a well-floured surface roughly to the size of your pan, no more than ½ inch thick. Spread the dough in the pan and scatter half of the grapes over top and sprinkle with sugar.

Roll out the second ball of dough and cover the grapes, rolling up the edges to close the schiacciata. Top with remaining grapes and walnuts and sprinkle over the remaining sugar and olive oil. Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until the dough becomes golden and the grapes are soft. Cool completely. Serve cut into squares, dust with powdered sugar.

Rustic Chicken Cacciatore Serves 6 4 1 1 1 1 1 1

lbs chicken legs & thighs oz Urbani dried porcini mushrooms cup Pianogrillo cherry tomato sauce leek cup dry red wine carrot, chopped red bell pepper, sliced

2 6 1 1 3 1 5

bay leaves garlic cloves, whole tsp red pepper flakes 28oz can whole peeled tomatoes tbsp olive oil sprig rosemary sprigs thyme

Preheat oven to 375F. Fill a bowl with water and soak porcini mushrooms for 20 minutes to re-hydrate. Strain and set aside. Cut leek in half lengthwise, then slice crosswise. Rinse well in a bowl of cold water, dirt will sink to the bottom of the bowl. Scoop out all the leeks and lightly dry. Heat a large Dutch Oven over medium flame. Add olive oil and garlic cloves and sear until golden. Add the chopped leek with a pinch of sea salt. SautĂŠ for 8 minutes, then stir in the porcini mushrooms and carrots. Toss to coat and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken to the pot and generously season with salt, then toss to coat. Pour in the red wine and bring to a simmer. Reduce for about 5 minutes. Add the Pianogrillo sauce, bell pepper, bay leaves, thyme, and red pepper to the pot. Add the tomatoes, lightly crushing them by hand before dropping them in. Bring to a simmer and cover with a tight lid. Transfer to preheated oven and cook for one hour. Remove from oven, remove lid, and season to taste.

Cook uncovered on the stove for an additional 20 minutes uncovered, until sauce has reduced to your liking and the chicken falls off the bone. Remove bay leaves, thyme, & rosemary stems and serve over a bed of polenta, or alongside crostini to dip into the sauce.