My Frond-ness for Fennel - Linguine con le Sarde

I figured, since I just finished touting the healthy deliciousness that is Fennel, I should probably post a recipe that uses something other than the bulb.  I mean, there ARE other parts to the plant, and as I stated in Risotto al Finoccho, they are all edible.   This particular recipe utilizes the feathery leaves.

Normally, when I cook Italian cuisine, I tend to stay in the northern area of the country.  True, I venture down to Lazio, on occasion, and delve into Campania for San Marzano Tomatoes and Mozarella di Bufala.  I even dip my toe in Abruzzo for Montepulciano. (which is awesome with lamb by the way) Most of the time, however, I tend to stay around Emilia-Romagna and it's northern neighbors Liguria, Piemonte, Aosta, Lombardia, Trentino, Veneto, and Friuli.  Heck, my last Fennel recipe was a risotto and risotto is a Northern Italian dish, at least for the most part.  But today, I wanna take a trip south.... WAY south.  Across the water.  Though it's really not all that much water.  The Destination?  Sicilia (Sicily).  In particular, Palermo.   For that is where this dish hails from. Though I have heard it said that the invading Moors are actually responsible for this dish, which is why it contains Currants.

I know this will not be everyone's cup of tea, but I cannot help myself.  I LOVE Sardines.  They are simply delicious and they're amazingly good for you.  Besides being virtually mercury-less, unlike some other long lived fish, sardines are chock-full of Omega-3 fatty acids and loaded with calcium. They're really like health food in a can, I swear.  But we aren't done yet.  This dish contains Pine nuts as well.  Those little nuggets of cholesterol lowering yumminess.  Pine nuts are high in Oleic acid (a mono-unsaturated fat which helps reduce LDL and increase HDL production) and rife with Vitamin E (a fat soluble antioxidant).  Now once we add in the cancer fighting, anti-inflammatory power for Anethole, from the Fennel, and you have a pasta dish of such healthy proportions, it is truly a fearsome thing to behold.

So this one is for the fish lovers out there.

Linguine con le Sarde

1/2 cup dried Currants (those would be Zante Currants, black currants are hard to find)
2 oz Fennel leaves (about 3 bulbs worth of fronds, depending on how they are trimmed up)
3/4 cup Olive Oil
1 cup Panko
1/2 cup Pine Nuts
3.5 oz Shallot, minced
5 Anchovy Fillets
3 4-oz cans Sardines (they are about 3 oz after draining)
pinch of Saffron
Salt and Pepper to to taste
1 lb Linguine (or more appropriately Bucatini)

Begin by soaking the Currants in enough hot water to cover them for 15 minutes.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and drop in the fennel "feathers" and blanch for 2 minutes.

Remove them with a slotted spoon to a cutting board and chop them roughly.

2 TB Olive oil in a skillet set over medium heat.

Toast Panko in the hot oil, tossing frequently, until all crispy and golden.

Remove from the pan and set aside.

Wipe the pan and toast the pine nuts too.

Set them aside as well.

Add 1/2 cup Olive oil to the pan.

When heated, saute the shallot until soft. (about 5 minutes)

Add Anchovy fillets and cook, stirring, until they break apart. (about 3 minutes more)

Add the Sardines and stir them in carefully, you don't want to break them up too much.

Add the Currants and Fennel, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, drop the Linguine into the same water you blanched the Fennel fronds in.

Remove the skillet from the heat and add the Pine Nuts.

When the pasta is done, quickly remove 1 cup of the pasta water and set aside.

Drain the Linguine well.

Pour the Linguine back into the pot and toss with 2 TB Olive oil. (this will help the sauce cling to the pasta)

Pour the Sardine mixture over the Linguine and toss gently.......

adding pasta water as necessary until everything becomes well blended and moderately "saucy".

(I only needed 3/4 cup of the pasta water this time)

Pour into a warm serving bowl

Then sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of the toasted Panko.

Serve with remaining Panko to be used at the diner's discretion.

And here is the gratuitous extreme close up shot....  :)

Mangia!!
~~

For Nuts Who Are Nuts About Nuts - Pesto di Panna Noci

Most Americans are familiar with Pesto Genovese these days. That delightful combination of Sweet Basil leaves, Garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano and Pine Nuts with REALLY good olive oil. But there are many other Pesti (pastes made in a mortar and pestle) out there. Some made with Sundried Tomatoes, or Cilantro and Lime, even Stinging Nettle and Walnut.

But one of my favorites, that I don't really make often enough, come to think of it, is Walnut Milk Pesto. Then again, maybe this qualifies as a Sugo (sauce). Either way, if you are crazy about nuts and love "white" sauced pasta, I urge you to give this a whacky whirl. You won't be disappointed.

The milk tones down the tannic walnuts while the basil brightens the finish, it's rich and creamy without being heavy. My suggestion for this is always a nice Parmigiano-Reggiano stuffed Tortellini and a good Orvieto (lightly sweet white wine) though I have discovered that even a light (not White) Zinfandel is quite nice as well.

Pesto di Panna Noci

7 oz (199g) Walnuts (toasted)
2 oz (57g) Pine nuts
2 cloves Garlic
4 Basil Leaves
2 TB Panko
8 oz Whole Milk (that is about 250 ml) though you may need a little more.
3 TB Olive oil
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper

Lay your walnuts out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven at 350 degrees for about 6-8 minutes; until fragrant.

Allow them to cool before placing them in the food processor (normally I am an advocate for hand chopping pesto with a mezzaluna to create a more complex texture, but with the addition of the milk, this will just be to wet, so a food processor it is.)

Gently pulse the walnuts until they are broken into small pieces but not ground up yet. (you are trying to achieve the size of a pine nut)

Now add the pine Nuts, Garlic cloves, Basil Leaves, and Bread Crumbs.

Pulse this until it is nice and uniform in size.

Begin pouring the milk into the feeder tube, while pulsing the food processor.

Until the pesto has the consistency of partially beaten heavy cream. (or the thickness of a runny egg yolk)

Pour into a bowl and hit it with the olive oil, stirring it in, to combine.

Boil up some Parmigiano-Reggiano stuffed tortellini.

Chiffonade some Basil.

Place the tortellini in a bowl.

Spoon the Walnut deliciousness over the pasta.

Top with the Basil Chiffonade, and serve.



Mangia!!
~~

It's The Bees Knees - Honeyed Lemon Pine Nut Tart

For the final pastry in my refrigerator, I had decided to revisit one of my favorite Tarts. Lemon Honey and Pine nuts make a fantastic combination. I usually make this with a sweet Pâte Brisée, but figured it was time to expand my horizons a little and become a little more flexible.

This whole Pâte Sablée experience has been particularly challenging... I forgot that I should not blind bake it ahead of time, like Pâte Brisée, so my first batch of dough turned into a cookie before I could finish toasting the pine nuts on the stove... oops...

I quickly threw together another batch of Pâte Sablée, but since I was now out of Chestnut flour, I used the Hazelnut meal in my freezer. This is really nothing more than a large Lemon bar with Pine Nuts added...

Honeyed Lemon Pine Nut Tart

1 recipe Pâte Sablée
6 Large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Honey (Orange Blossom or Fig)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 lemons, juice and zest (about 1/2 cup)
pinch of kosher salt
1 1/2 cup Toasted pine nuts

Press pastry dough into a 9 - 10 inch tart pan.

Return to refrigerator to chill.
Meanwhile toast the pine nuts in a shallow skillet over medium-low flame.

Place eggs, sugar, honey and butter into a pan over low heat stir constantly until sugar dissolves.

Add lemon juice and zest; continue stirring and cooking over low heat until mixture thickens. (If it looks lumpy, run it through a mesh strainer)

Fold in Pine nuts and allow mixture to cool while preheating the oven to 400 degrees.

Transfer to your chilled shell.

Bake for 20 minutes. (it will be slightly puffed, but will sink as it cools)

Cool on a wire rack to room temperature then chill in the refrigerator.
Dust with powdered sugar

and serve with a dollop of Crème Fraîche.


Mangia!!
~~