Everyone Is Italian on Sunday

THE RECIPES SHOWN ON THE FRONT COVER!

1. Caponata, 2. Spaghetti with Pomodoro Sauce, 3. Giardiniera, 4. Roast Chicken in the Style of Porchetta with Roast Lemon, Fennel, and Potatoes, 5. Classic Arancini

THE RECIPES SHOWN ON THE BACK COVER!

6. Shrimp Scampi, 7. Baked Stuffed Artichokes, 8. Veal Milanese

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To my family, thank you for making me an Italian from my heart to my stomach.

Aglio e Olio

INTRODUCTION

For me, this book is the single most important work of my life. It represents decades of enjoying and working with food and the people I love most in this world. Inside, you’ll find meals like the dandelion greens and fried eggs my husband and I were obsessed with for months, assorted primi piatti like baked ricotta with pistachios, instructions for how to bake pizza and calzones with or without a wood-burning oven, a recipe for the ultimate game day pulled pork sandwiches, and many more Italian goodies. The book even includes my sister Maria’s favorite Italian desserts and my husband John’s Italian ingredient–inspired cocktails. This book was written with one very important message in mind: Everyone is Italian on Sunday.

My grandfather was Sicilian, one of fourteen children, and one of the four that came to America. He settled in upstate New York and eventually became a wonderful stonemason who worked on the rebuilding of a historical site, Fort Ticonderoga. He was a strong man with lots of energy and a great sense of humor. He was a wonderful gardener and cook as well, played the concertina, and told great stories.

My mom was the eldest of my grandfather’s ten children. She grew up in a modest home on a tiny peninsula on Lake George, but to hear her talk about her childhood, you might think she was born a princess who lived in a castle with all the riches and benefits of privilege. You never would have guessed she was the daughter of an immigrant stonemason who had to work eighty or more hours a week while growing and harvesting enough food for so many mouths. My mother’s recollection of her childhood has always been my favorite bedtime story. Even now, all grown up, I conjure her memories like a treasured fairy tale.

Once upon a time, everyone would gather at my grandfather’s house at the edge of the majestic Lake George on Sundays. From fellow Italian stoneworkers to neighbors from all around, all were welcome and none were turned away. The kitchen table was often moved outside to the lawn, because more people came to eat than any room in the house could hold.

Grandpa would cook all sorts of meats and sausages in a big pot of tomato sauce. Then he would serve them on a large platter and toss lots of spaghetti into the sauce. He would serve a huge salad of vegetables from his own garden, and down at the end of the table he would put out two big, five-gallon tubs of ice cream beside a wheelbarrow filled with ripe melons. With the garden machete—which hung from a string tied to his belt and was like an extension of his arm—Grandpa would slice through the melons, scoop out the seeds with his hand, and fill the sweet melon centers with vanilla ice cream. No matter how many came, there was always enough food for everyone. After the meal, the men would play their instruments and sing, and Zia (Aunt) Patrina would swirl her moppina (slang for dish towel) up in the air over her head and lead the kids in a dance around the fire.

Anyone can be an Italian on Sundays, and any day can be made to feel like a Sunday. The magic of an Italian Sunday is in human connections. Food is the great communicator, connecting generations and helping build memories and friendships. It gathers us together and teaches us the importance of sharing not just food, but the best of ourselves.

Italian food makes us smile. Think of the first time you successfully twirled spaghetti around the tines of your fork or saw lasagna piled high just waiting for that first bite. How many times have you taken a cheesy, gooey, or crispy bite of any Italian treat and it made you close your eyes in utter delight that anything could be so good? Even something as simple as a big, buttery bite of nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano followed by a large sip of red wine—wow!

The meaning of being Italian on Sunday is to prepare food with love, to savor it, and to share it with others, sometimes loudly, always with gusto. Being Italian on Sunday is about bringing out your lust for life and passion for all things: food, storytelling, wine, music, and each other. Being Italian on Sunday is about emotion and finding beauty in every delicious moment of our lives.

Clockwise from upper left: Rum French Toast; Bloody Johnnys, Golden Beets with Lemon-Dijon Dressing and Radishes; Frittata Soufflé with Tomatoes, Pancetta, and Leeks.

CHAPTER 1

BRUNCH

The Italians may not have a meal they call brunch, but every day, around midday, they have a heavy meal, followed by a nap or rest, and then their second day begins around 3 p.m. or so. (The day ends with a light supper sometime between 9 p.m. and midnight.) So in a sense, Italians have brunch every single day, and every single recipe in this book could be part of an endless brunch buffet.

For me, on the other hand, brunch is a luxury specific to weekends, especially those I can spend up in the country, in the mountains where I grew up. I love to cook special late-morning and midday meals for visiting friends (who refer to our house as The Inn). But even if I don’t have a crowd to feed, I wake up early, take a run to menu-plan and burn off a few calories, and then I hit the kitchen. While I’m cooking, John mixes up his Bloody Johnnys or some new concoction, or pops some champagne (I’ll have bitters and a twist, please), and the day just gets better from there.

PROSCIUTTO AND EGG ROLLS

SERVES 4 TO 6

It’s more the New Yorker in me than the Italian in me that loves an egg sandwich. This baked egg roll (just a stuffed kaiser roll) is a favorite among our houseguests running out to sled or ski in the winter. It always gets a big reaction, so the next time you work hard entertaining overnight, go easy on yourself the next morning with this recipe.

3 tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic, smashed

1 small sprig fresh rosemary

4 to 6 sesame-topped white rolls

4 to 6 slices prosciutto or prosciutto cotto (cooked ham)

1 1/2 cups shredded Fontina, young pecorino, or young provolone cheese (easy melting cheeses)

4 to 6 large free-range organic eggs

Salt and pepper

Minced fresh chives and thyme

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and rosemary to infuse. When the foam subsides, remove from the heat and stir well with a pastry brush.

Use a knife to cut a circle 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter into each roll top, cutting about 3/4 inch into the roll (not all the way through). Pull the round piece of bread off the roll (it will be the cap) and hollow out the inside of the roll. You want to make the roll into a nest for the ham and egg. Brush the insides of the nest and the underside (noncrust side) of the cap with the garlic-rosemary butter. Line the nest with ham, allowing the ham to come up over the edges of the nest a bit like flower petals. Fill each nest with cheese, then crack an egg on top and season with salt and pepper.

Place the rolls and caps (crust side down) on a baking sheet and bake until the eggs have set to soft-medium centers, the ham is crisp at the edges, and the bread is toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. Garnish with chives and thyme and serve with the caps set alongside. When the cap is set into place, it will burst the yolk—yum!

BLOODY JOHNNYS

Prep a pitcher of Bloody Johnny mix, put out a bottle of vodka, glasses, a bucket of ice, and a bar spoon, and your guests can mix their drinks to taste. Garnish the bloodies with any or all of the following: a celery stalk, olives, lemon and lime wedges, pickled veggies, fresh cilantro sprigs, etc. Go crazy . . .

1 (48-ounce) bottle Spicy Hot V8 vegetable juice

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons horseradish, or to taste

13 dashes of Tabasco sauce, or to taste

2 ounces Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a sealable pitcher or container. Shake well and refrigerate until cold.

To make one cocktail, pour 1 1/2 ounces vodka into an ice-filled Collins glass and add the Bloody Johnny mix. Stir and garnish as you like.

DANDELION GREENS AND FRIED EGGS

SERVES 4

John and I love this meal so much that we made it every Sunday for a couple of months straight when the dandelion greens were growing, well, like the weeds they are. Like a great song that gets overplayed on the radio, this had to come off the brunch menu for a while but it’s back on and we’re trying not to wear it out. You could also make this with Basted Eggs instead of fried eggs.

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil

6 to 8 flat anchovy fillets, or to taste

4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or 2 small fresh red chiles, halved

1 large bunch dandelion greens, stemmed and coarsely chopped (6 to 8 cups)

Freshly grated nutmeg

Juice of 1/2 lemon, or a splash of dry vermouth

4 large free-range organic eggs

Salt and black pepper

Minced fresh chives

Crusty bread (see Tip)

In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the oil (4 turns of the pan) over medium heat. Add the anchovies, cover the pan with a splatter screen or lid, and shake until the anchovies begin to break up. Reduce the heat a bit, uncover, and stir until the anchovies melt into the oil. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the greens and cook until tender-crisp, tossing for a couple of minutes in the garlicky oil. Season with nutmeg and douse with the lemon juice.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil (2 turns of the pan) over medium heat. Add the eggs and cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for 1 minute more; season with salt and black pepper.

Top the greens with the eggs. Sprinkle with chives. Serve with crusty bread.

TIP

SOMETIMES I serve this brunch with charred bread rubbed with garlic, dressed with oil and sea salt, or with thinly sliced browned baby potatoes. A hunk of crusty bread works just fine as well. The point is, serve it with something you can use to mop up the yolks.

GRILLED CAESAR SALAD WITH POACHED EGGS

SERVES 4

Who doesn’t love a good Caesar salad? This version makes a fun summer lunch or brunch with chilled rosato (rosé).

1 rounded teaspoon anchovy paste, or 4 flat anchovy fillets, pasted

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 rounded teaspoon Dijon mustard

Juice of 1 lemon

3 large cloves garlic: 1 pasted or grated, 2 halved

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup EVOO, plus more for drizzling

A handful of freshly grated pecorino cheese, plus more for serving

4 slices ciabatta bread

2 large romaine lettuce hearts, halved lengthwise, cleaned, and dried

Olive oil cooking spray

4 Poached Eggs (see box)

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

In a large bowl, whisk the anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, lemon juice, garlic paste, and pepper. While whisking, stream in the 1/3 cup EVOO to emulsify. Stir in the pecorino.

Char the bread on the grill. Rub with the cut garlic, drizzle with some EVOO, and season with salt. Set the garlic croutons aside.

Coat the lettuce lightly with olive oil spray and season with salt and pepper. Grill on both sides to mark and char.

Make the Poached Eggs.

Serve the charred romaine on plates topped with dressing, a garlic crouton, a poached egg, and a little extra grated cheese.

BASICS

POACHED EGGS

SERVES 4 TO 6

A splash of white vinegar

4 to 6 large free-range organic eggs

In a deep skillet, heat a couple inches of water with the vinegar to a low rolling boil. Crack the eggs into individual ramekins or custard cups. Whisk the water in circles to create swirls, slide the eggs into the simmering water one at a time, and poach for 3 to 4 minutes for soft to medium eggs.

SCAFATA AND POACHED EGGS WITH BRUSCHETTA

SERVES 4

Scafata is fava beans cooked with escarole. I like to serve it in late spring and early summer to celebrate a bounty of great produce. All you really need are the favas, escarole, and garlic, but I use a half dozen more ingredients when they’re available. Use as many of the green ingredients as you can find.

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 pound purple or green asparagus, thinly sliced on an angle

1 small fresh or dried red chile, halved lengthwise

1 small bunch ramps (wild leeks), whites finely chopped and green tops cut into 1-inch pieces (see Tip)

5 or 6 garlic scapes, chopped (see Tip)

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen peeled fava beans or edamame

1 cup shelled fresh peas

Salt and black pepper

1 head escarole, washed and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock

4 Poached Eggs

4 slices ciabatta or white peasant bread

1 clove garlic, halved

EVOO, for drizzling

Flaky sea salt

1 cup loosely packed chopped mixed fresh herbs: flat-leaf parsley, basil or tarragon, and mint

Juice of 1 lemon

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil (4 turns of the pan) over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and toss for 2 minutes. Add the chile, ramp whites, and garlic scapes and toss to combine. Add the fava beans and peas, season with salt and black pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes. Wilt the escarole in the pan, add the stock, and reduce the heat to low.

Make the Poached Eggs.

Toast the bread or char on both sides under the broiler, then rub the bruschetta with the cut garlic, drizzle with EVOO, and season with flaky sea salt.

Stir the ramp greens and herbs into the scafata and douse the mixture with the lemon juice. Serve in shallow bowls topped with poached eggs, with the bruschetta alongside.

TIP

Instead of the ramps, you can use small spring onions or scallions, whites finely chopped and light green parts sliced on an angle. If you don’t have garlic scapes, substitute 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced.

FRITTATA SOUFFLÉ WITH TOMATOES, PANCETTA, AND LEEKS

SERVES 4 TO 6

This is my equivalent of a BLT in a frittata. The technique can be used with any filling ingredients but be careful not to make the fillings or toppings too heavy. For example, you can stir some potato into your frittata, but it should be very finely chopped and browned or shredded. And heavier ingredients, by weight, should be used sparingly. By folding in the egg whites, the frittata reaches new heights—literally.

8 large free-range organic eggs

1 teaspoon dry mustard

3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/3 cup grated Fontina Val d’Aosta or Gruyère cheese

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon good olive oil

1/4 pound sliced pancetta, chopped

2 leeks, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1-inch half-moons, washed well and dried

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons butter

12 cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Separate the eggs, placing the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another. Whisk the whites until medium-firm peaks form. Whisk the yolks with the mustard, cheeses, salt, and pepper.

In an 8- or 9-inch ovenproof skillet, heat the oil (1 turn of the pan) over medium to medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and brown lightly, about 2 minutes. Add the leeks, garlic, and thyme and cook until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the leek mixture to a plate.

Add the butter to the skillet and melt over medium to medium-high heat. When the foam subsides, fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture and pour the mixture into the skillet. Scatter the leek mixture over the eggs as they begin to set and the edges firm up. Dot the frittata with the tomatoes and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until golden and puffed, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.

RATATOUILLE FRITTATA

SERVES 4

Yes, ratatouille is French, not Italian, but who cares? The combination of zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes is meant to be, and this frittata is spectacular.

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 pound thinly sliced speck (smoky ham) or prosciutto

3 to 4 cups Ratatouille

8 large free-range organic eggs

1/3 cup milk

1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Pepper

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.

Rub an 8- to 9-inch ovenproof skillet with the butter. Line the pan with overlapping slices of speck, letting it hang slightly over the edges.

Spread half the ratatouille in the bottom of the pan. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and Parm. Season with pepper. Stir the remaining ratatouille into the eggs and pour the mixture into the skillet. Fold the edges of the ham in. Bake until set, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.

VARIATION

Caponata Frittata

Swap in the same amount of Caponata for the ratatouille.

TRUFFLE EGGS AND GRILLED BRIOCHE WITH WARM TALEGGIO AND HONEY

SERVES 4

The Best Breakfast EVER: This meal should be illegal, it is so sinful and rich, but thankfully they will not lock you up if you decide to give it a try.

8 large Araucana (pale green shelled eggs) or other free-range organic eggs

1 white or black truffle

4 slices (about 3/4 inch thick) brioche bread

1/3 pound ripe Taleggio cheese

Acacia or truffle honey

3 tablespoons good-quality butter, cut into small pieces

Sea salt and pepper

3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Store the eggs and the truffle in the same plastic food storage bag overnight. The truffle will perfume the eggs through their porous shells.

Heat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat and grill the bread until deep golden on both sides. In a small saucepan, melt the Taleggio over medium-low heat, or put the cheese in a bowl and microwave until melted. Slather the bread with the cheese and drizzle with honey. Cut the bread from corner to corner on an angle.

In a bowl, beat the eggs. Beat in the bits of butter and season with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Shave or grate in some truffle (I usually put in 1 to 2 tablespoons).

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour in the eggs and scramble them, constantly moving the spoon or spatula in small circles to develop lots of curds. Add the chives and adjust the seasonings.

Top the buttery eggs with more shaved truffle and serve with the Taleggio toast alongside.

FLATBREAD PIZZAS WITH GREENS, RICOTTA, AND EGGS

SERVES 4

The idea of having pizza for breakfast is fun. I must admit that there has been more than a morning or two in my life when cold pizza was not only breakfast, but somehow seemed like the most delicious breakfast choice, period. This is an easy, but elegant, means to that end.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 or 3 flat anchovy fillets (to taste)

1 leek, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into half-moons, washed well and dried

2 or 3 large cloves garlic (to taste), sliced

1 large bunch dandelion greens or flat kale, stemmed and sliced

Freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and pepper

1 cup fresh ricotta cheese, homemade (see box) or store-bought, drained and crumbled

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (from an organic lemon)

4 large flatbreads or pocketless pitas

Olive oil cooking spray

1 ball (about 8 ounces) fior di latte cheese (fresh mozzarella), excess moisture pressed out, diced or shredded

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 tablespoon butter

4 large free-range organic eggs

Heat a grill to medium-high heat.

In a large skillet, heat the oil (2 turns of the pan) over medium heat. Add the anchovies, cover the pan with a splatter screen or lid, and shake until the anchovies begin to break up. Reduce the heat a bit, uncover, and stir until the anchovies melt into the oil. Add the leek and garlic and stir for 2 minutes. Wilt in the greens and season with a little nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

In a bowl, mix the ricotta, thyme, and lemon zest.

Spray the bread lightly with olive oil. Working in batches if necessary, grill the bread until crisp on one side, flip, then top with dollops of the ricotta and some of the greens, mozzarella, and Parm. Cover the grill and cook for 5 minutes to melt the cheeses.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Crack in the eggs and cook over-easy. Season with salt and pepper.

Top each pizza with an egg.

CROQUE MADAME, ITALIAN-STYLE

SERVES 4

What’s not to love? Bread layered with besciamella sauce, ham, and cheese, then baked and topped with a basted egg? Si. Yes. Please.

2 1/2 cups milk

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

3 tablespoons flour

Salt and pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg

1 rounded tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

4 large slices (1/2 inch thick) rustic peasant-style bread (long oval slices)

8 thin slices prosciutto cotto (cooked ham)

About 2 cups loosely packed shredded Fontina Val d’Aosta or Gruyère cheese (shred on the large holes of a box grater)

4 Basted Eggs (see Basics box)

Minced fresh chives, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a small saucepan, warm the milk over low heat.

Heat a deep medium skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. When it foams, add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Add the warm milk and cook until just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the mustard and Parm and remove from the heat.

Arrange the bread slices on a nonstick or parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Cover the bread with the white sauce and arrange the ham in a thin layer lightly piled on top. Top with cheese and bake until golden, 15 to 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the Basted Eggs.

Serve the eggs on the baked toasts. Garnish with chives.

VARIATIONS

Variations abound with this meal. Sometimes I layer a half dozen thin spears of blanched asparagus between the ham and cheese. Or sometimes a bed of sherry-sautéed mushrooms, or garlicky wilted spinach or wilted greens on top of the croque and under the egg. For something entirely special, I add shaved truffle to the white sauce and a couple extra shaves atop the egg.

DEVILED HAM AND ASPARAGUS MELTS WITH BASTED EGGS

SERVES 4

Deviled Cotto Ham

4 large slices (1/2 inch thick) rustic peasant-style bread (long oval slices)

32 to 40 pencil-thin asparagus spears

3/4 pound Fontina Val d’Aosta cheese, shredded on the large holes of a box grater

4 Basted Eggs (see Basics box)

Salt and pepper

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.

Make the Deviled Cotto Ham. Evenly spread each slice of bread with a 1/4-inch-thick layer of deviled ham and place the bread on a baking sheet.

Fill a bowl with ice and water. In a skillet, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook for 3 minutes. Cold-shock in the ice bath, then remove and dry the spears on a kitchen towel or paper towels.

Arrange 8 to 10 spears on each slice of ham-topped bread and top the body of the asparagus and most of the ham with shredded Fontina, leaving the tips and ends of the asparagus exposed. Bake until the bread is toasted on the bottom and the cheese is melted and lightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the Basted Eggs.

Serve a basted egg on each toast and season with salt and pepper.

BASICS

BASTED EGGS

SERVES 4

3 tablespoons butter

4 large free-range organic eggs

Salt and pepper

In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. When it foams, add the eggs, leaving a little room around each. When each egg white has set, baste with butter by tipping the pan and spooning the butter over the top of the yolks. Season with salt and pepper, cover the pan, and cook for 2 minutes.

QUICK POLENTA WITH ASPARAGUS, LEEKS, AND POACHED EGGS

SERVES 4

A friend of mine was visiting for the weekend and she had fairly recently gone gluten-free due to a health issue. This was one of our brunch creations, and given how much she used to enjoy a big bowl of pasta, I loved seeing how pleased she was with this creamy, cheesy bowl of polenta topped with asparagus and perfectly poached eggs. This is a bowl of comfort that is so pretty you almost don’t want to eat it . . . almost.

3 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 pound mixed mushrooms, coarsely chopped (tiny mushrooms can just be stemmed)

1 bunch asparagus, thinly sliced on an angle

1 large or 2 medium leeks (white and light green parts), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise into half-moons, washed well and dried

3 cloves garlic, sliced

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup dry sherry

3 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 cups stone-ground cornmeal (I like Indian Head brand)

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (to taste)

4 Poached Eggs

In a large skillet, heat the oil (3 turns of the pan) over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and brown well, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the asparagus, leeks, garlic, and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Stir for 5 minutes more, then add the sherry and cook until it has evaporated.

In a small saucepan, bring the stock and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, whisk in the cornmeal, and cook until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the butter, Parm, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Remove from the heat. If the polenta gets too thick, add more hot water.

Make the Poached Eggs.

Spoon the polenta into shallow bowls, make a well in the center, and fill the well with the mushroom and asparagus mixture. Top with a poached egg.

POLENTA WITH TIPSY MUSHROOMS, POACHED EGGS, AND GREEN SALAD

SERVES 6

Serve this all on the same plate to encourage the diners to eat the meal in unison: The creamy yolks running into the soft polenta mixed with the earthy mushrooms and the bright bite of lemon-dressed greens. Please do not confine this menu to brunches as it makes a delicious warm, comforting dinner as well. I really love having breakfast-style foods and/or eggs for dinner.

Rachael’s Polenta

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds mixed mushrooms: a combination of cremini plus hen-of-the-woods (maitake) or shiitake, sliced

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

Salt and pepper

About 3/4 cup sherry or Marsala

6 Poached Eggs

Mixed Greens Salad

Make Rachael’s Polenta and keep warm.

In a large skillet, melt the butter into the oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and brown. Add the thyme, shallot, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the sherry and reduce until almost evaporated.

Make the Poached Eggs and Mixed Greens Salad.

To serve, pour puddles of the creamy, thick polenta into shallow bowls. Nest the poached eggs in the polenta, scatter the mushrooms around the edges, and pile the greens along one side to leave the other elements of the dish partially exposed.

PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO FRENCH TOAST WITH SAUSAGE PATTIES AND WARM HONEY

SERVES 4

I love dishes that are salty and sweet at the same time. This meal is unexpected for diners who think they know what French toast tastes like. Not so fast. This French toast has an Italian twist: Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

1 1/2 pounds ground pork

1/4 cup dry white or red wine

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 teaspoon granulated onion

1 teaspoon ground sage

2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons EVOO

5 large free-range organic eggs

1 cup milk

Freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

8 slices (3/4 inch thick) good-quality Italian or white bread

3 to 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Warm honey, for drizzling

Fresh berries of any type, for garnish

Preheat the oven on its lowest setting. Heat a griddle pan over medium-high heat.

In a large bowl, mix the pork, wine, fennel seeds, garlic, onion, sage, 1 teaspoon of the pepper, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the EVOO. Form the pork mixture into 8 small, thin patties. Place the patties on the griddle pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a baking sheet to keep warm in the oven.

Reduce the heat under the griddle to medium for the French toast.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, a little nutmeg, the Parm, and the remaining 1 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Coat the bread slices in the egg batter.

Coat the griddle pan with some melted butter and add the soaked bread. Cook until golden and cooked through. Add more butter to the pan as needed.

Serve the Parmesan French toast with the sausage patties. Drizzle with warm honey and garnish with a few fresh berries.

PANETTONE FRENCH TOAST

SERVES 6

Panettone (brioche-style golden bread spiked with citrus and dried fruit) is delicious as is, but it’s even better when toasted or griddled. To make it even richer than that, soak the bread in custard and slow-cook it in melted butter to a deep golden brown. This is what we have for brunch every Christmas Day. I always buy two or three panettone so we can keep making this dish well into January. The custard makes a nice coating for French toast made with brioche, cinnamon bread, or cinnamon-raisin bread the rest of the year.

3 large free-range organic eggs

1 cup half-and-half

1 teaspoon almond extract

Freshly grated nutmeg

6 slices (about 1 1/2 inches thick) panettone (from a loaf about 5 inches wide)

5 tablespoons butter, melted

TOPPING SUGGESTIONS:

Warm honey

Warm maple syrup

Warm fruit syrup

Ricotta or mascarpone cheese sweetened with powdered sugar

Mixed berries doused with Grand Marnier or amaretto

Preheat the oven to its lowest setting.

In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, half-and-half, and almond extract. Add a little nutmeg.

Heat a large nonstick griddle over medium heat. Coat the panettone 2 slices at a time in the custard. Liberally grease the griddle with melted butter. Add the bread and cook until deeply golden, puffed, and cooked through. Transfer the cooked toast slices to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Brush the griddle with more butter and repeat.

Serve with the toppings of your choice.

VARIATIONS

Brioche French Toast

Substitute 6 thick slices of brioche for the panettone. Stale bread is fine and, in fact, preferred.

Almond French Toast

Dip one side of the custard-soaked bread in sliced almonds for added crunch.

Rum French Toast

Use rum extract instead of almond extract in the custard recipe, or use both extracts together.

MEATBALLS AND OATMEAL FOR BRUNCH

WOW. This meal may sound odd—meatballs for breakfast—and unusual, yes, but once you’ve had this combo, you’ll be hooked. You will long for it to be cold enough outside to make it again. Here’s how you serve this brunch: Make a bed of the oatmeal in shallow bowls and top with the meatballs. You will be surprised how the presentation will lift this from odd to almost elegant.

Breakfast Sausage Meatballs

SERVES 4

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon very hot water

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 to 1 1/2 cups homemade coarse dry bread crumbs

Milk, for moistening the bread

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds ground pork, chicken, or turkey

2 tablespoons dry white wine

1 large free-range organic egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons EVOO

2 cloves garlic, grated or minced

1 1/2 teaspoons granulated onion

1 1/2 teaspoons ground sage (if using pork) or poultry seasoning (if using chicken or turkey)

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Black pepper

1/3 to 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine the baking soda, hot water, and salt and stir to dissolve.

In another bowl, moisten the bread crumbs with milk, then squeeze out the excess liquid.

In a large bowl, combine the meat, wine, and baking soda mixture. Add the bread crumbs, egg, EVOO, garlic, onion, sage, coriander, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, black pepper, and Parm and stir to combine with a spatula.

Roll meatballs about the size of large walnuts (I use a small scoop to roll faster) and arrange them on the baking sheet. Bake until cooked through and light golden, 18 to 20 minutes.

TIP

To make bread crumbs, pulse crustless stale white or peasant bread in a food processor into large flakes.

Savory Fennel, Rosemary, and Honey Oatmeal

SERVES 4

1/4 cup pignoli (pine nuts)

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

2 cups milk

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 2/3 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup golden raisins

Leaves from 3 or 4 small sprigs fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons acacia honey, or more to taste

In a medium pot, toast the pine nuts and fennel seeds over medium heat. Add 4 cups water, the milk, butter, salt, oats, raisins, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer, but do not boil. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in honey to taste.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH GALETTE

SERVES 6

I serve this often as a brunch item, but with a simple salad it’s a terrific light supper perfect for early fall. Sometimes I add pepper to the crust dough for an extra spicy twist. If I prepare the dish for a guest with egg allergies, I brush the dough with buttermilk instead of egg wash to brown the crust.

DOUGH:

6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) very cold butter, cut into cubes

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

9 tablespoons ice water (see Tip)

FILLING:

3 tablespoons butter

2 Honeycrisp or Gala apples, peeled and thinly sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

8 fresh sage leaves, very thinly sliced

Salt and pepper