Italian Wine Club
May Wine Club
Our grand tour of Italy's wine regions is complete; we have sampled
wines from 16 of the 20 designated regions (and quite frankly, there's
not much going on in the other four to warrant separate monthly
allotments). For the foreseeable future, the Italian Wine Club will
focus on interesting wines and winemakers from throughout the
peninsula.
This month, we're focusing on the wines of Joe Bastianich, the son of famed chef Lydia Bastianich and partner to Mario Batali in his restaurant ventures. In addition to being a restaurateur, wine shop owner, author, and Iron Chef judge, Joe has embarked on a wine project that focuses of great vineyards in Italy and Argentina.
When Carol and I were at Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles last month (if you get the chance, just go!), we were amazed by the purity and essence of Joe's wines.
This month, we present three of Joe's wines, from Azienda Agricola Bastianich in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia:
Tocai, Rosado and Joe's Rosso.
2007 Batianich Tocai is typical Tocai Friulano, expressing the history and terroir of Friuli. Medium bodied, with ripe, luscious pear flavors carried by a refreshing mineral flavor and zesty mouth watering acidity that mixed together create a perfect wine to enhance food. The Tocai Friulano grape is also characterized by a slight almond edge.
2008 Bastianich Rosado is 100% Refosco 40% of the grapes are de-stemmed, soft pressed, then fermented in stainless steel. 50% of the grapes are de-stemmed, soft pressed and fermented using some whole grape clusters and brief skin contact. These whole clusters contribute to added aromas. 10% of juice derives from the Salasso method (italian for the saignée method). This concentrated and complex must imparts additional complexity. An intensely colored rosato filled with plums, rose petals, white plums, violets and orange peel. Medium weight on the palate with fresh, clean, mouth-watering acidity. This rosato is actually closer to a light red wine than most other rose wines.
2005 Joe's Rosso is a blend of Merlot, Refosco Cabernet Sauvignon, and Schioppettino that's only supposed to available to restaurant clients (don't tell anyone!). But, this isn't any old dago red, it's cool weather, high altitude red that's a perfect match for food, especially lamb. Tank fermented, cherry notes. Selected from younger estate vines. Medium-bodied, rich, but balanced with aromas and flavors of ripe red berries and spices. Velvety tannins give it a soft structure that matches well with food and is enjoyable on its own.
Recipes provided by Michael Lemaire
Spaghetti Alla Rosinella (Spaghetti with Shrimp, Squid, and Clams) Serves 4
Here is a simple dish of spaghetti, seafood, and garlic. This is quick to prepare and very satisfying. This month's Tocai from Bastinich would taste good with this dish.
2. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pan of slightly salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and add to the sauce with a tiny amount of the cooking water (just enough to keep the pasta moist). Stir well, transfer to a large serving bowl or individual pasta bowls, and sprinkle with lots of chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Preparing clams Tap the clams on the work surface and discard any that do not close. Scrub the clams well under cold running water to wash away any grit. If you are not using farmed clams, you may need to purge them of sand or grit, but a good scrub on the outside and proper rinsing should do the trick. Otherwise, put the clams in a large bowl of salted water, making sure they are well covered (but do not cover the bowl). Soak in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or even overnight - any grit or sand will be left behind in the bottom of the bowl when you remove the clams. Rinse in plenty of fresh cold water, then strain the water through a fine cloth such as muslin or a clean dishcloth. You then pick out your clams and discard the grit. (Or you could simply rinse under cold running water.)
Rabbit Braised with Wine, Olives and Sage Serves 6
Here is another wonderful braised dish that makes it own tasty sauce as it cooks. If you have issues with rabbit, this dish is also nice with chicken. Serve this with some polenta, mashed potatoes, or rice for a complete meal. Try this recipe with this month's full bodied rosado - it'll stand up nicely to this dish, and offer a nice quencher to the chef.
2. Discard the oil and place the skillet back over medium heat. Add the remaining oil. When it is hot but not yet smoking, add the onion. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to pick up the browned bits, until the onion is lightly golden and soft, 6 to 7 minutes.
3. Return the rabbit to the pan, raise the heat to high, and add the wine. As soon as the wine begins to bubble, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring from time to time and turning the rabbit once, until the wine is almost all evaporated and the rabbit is tender when pierced with a fork, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer the rabbit to a platter, cover loosely with foil, and keep warm in a low oven.
4. Add the olives, sage, and garlic to the pan, and stir over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the vinegar and stir quickly until the pan juices have thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spoon the pan juices over the rabbit and serve hot.
Lamb and Ricotta Crespelle with Tomato and Pecorino Serves 6
Here's a great recipe from Nat Appleman at A16 who just brought home a James Beard award. While this recipe does take some advance planning and time to cook, it is actually really easy and does not require any tricky techniques. Plus it yields a meal worthy of the Italian grandmother we all wish we had! Enjoy this dish with the Joe's Rosso from Bastinich.
CRESPELLE
LAMB AND RICOTTA FILLING
LAMB SAUCE
1. To make the batter for the crespelle, in a bowl, whisk together the milk, flour, eggs, butter, and salt until well combined. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
2. To make the filling, in a small bowl, combine the garlic, rosemary, and olive oil. Place the lamb shanks in a shallow dish, season them with about 2 teaspoons salt, and thencoat them with the olive oil mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 250°F.
4. Transfer the shanks to a roasting pan or Dutch oven and pour in the water. Cover, transfer the pot to the oven, and roast for about 4 hours, or until the meat is completely tender and beginning to fall off the bone.
5. Remove the pot from the oven. Place a colander over a bowl, and transfer the shanks to the colander to rest. Let the braising liquid rest in the pot for 30 minutes to allow the fat to rise to the surface. Skim off most of the fat with a large spoon. Taste the liquid for seasoning and add salt if needed. Stir in any liquid that has drained from the resting shanks, and set the braising liquid aside. You should have about 1 cup.
6. Once the meat is cool enough to handle, pull away the meat from the bones and shred it into bite-sized pieces with your fingers. In a bowl, combine the lamb, ricotta, mint, and chile flakes and mix well. Set the filling aside.
7. To make each crespella, heat an 8-inch nonstick saute pan or crepe pan over medium heat. Brush the pan with butter, then ladle about 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan. Swirl the batter in the pan until evenly distributed. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the bottom is golden and the top is almost dry. Using a spatula and a flick of the wrist, flip the crespella carefully and cook for 30 seconds on the second side, or until the bottom is lightly browned. Slide the crespella onto a plate and repeat until all of the batter has been used, brushing the pan with butter as needed and stacking the crespella as you work. You should have 16 to 20 crespella.
8. To make the lamb sauce, heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and chile flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until the garlic softens and starts to turn golden. Remove from the heat and gradually pour in the wine. Return to the stove, increase the heat to medium-high, and reduce for 3 minutes, or until the wine has evaporated. Add the braising liquid and cook for about 3 minutes more, or until reduced by three-fourths.
9. Meanwhile, place the canned tomatoes and their juices in a bowl and crush with your hands or the back of a wooden spoon. Once the sauce has reduced, stir in the tomatoes and bring the sauce to a boil. Remove from the heat and reserve.
10. To assemble the crespella, lay a crespella flat on a work surface. Spread 1/3 cup of the filling horizontally along the center, fold the edge of the crespella closest to you over the filling, and then roll it up, securing the filling firmly inside. Place the crespella, seam side down, in the roasting pan. Repeat until all of the crespella have been filled.
11. Place the pan in the oven and heat the crespella, rotating the pan front to back after a couple of minutes, for about 5 minutes, or until evenly browned.
12. Meanwhile, reheat the sauce until hot. When the crespella are ready, remove them from the oven. To serve, spoon the sauce into warmed bowls, dividing it evenly, and place the crespella on top. Grate pecorino over the top of each serving, and then drizzle with olive oil to finish. Serve immediately.
This month, we're focusing on the wines of Joe Bastianich, the son of famed chef Lydia Bastianich and partner to Mario Batali in his restaurant ventures. In addition to being a restaurateur, wine shop owner, author, and Iron Chef judge, Joe has embarked on a wine project that focuses of great vineyards in Italy and Argentina.
When Carol and I were at Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles last month (if you get the chance, just go!), we were amazed by the purity and essence of Joe's wines.
This month, we present three of Joe's wines, from Azienda Agricola Bastianich in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia:
Tocai, Rosado and Joe's Rosso.
2007 Batianich Tocai is typical Tocai Friulano, expressing the history and terroir of Friuli. Medium bodied, with ripe, luscious pear flavors carried by a refreshing mineral flavor and zesty mouth watering acidity that mixed together create a perfect wine to enhance food. The Tocai Friulano grape is also characterized by a slight almond edge.
2008 Bastianich Rosado is 100% Refosco 40% of the grapes are de-stemmed, soft pressed, then fermented in stainless steel. 50% of the grapes are de-stemmed, soft pressed and fermented using some whole grape clusters and brief skin contact. These whole clusters contribute to added aromas. 10% of juice derives from the Salasso method (italian for the saignée method). This concentrated and complex must imparts additional complexity. An intensely colored rosato filled with plums, rose petals, white plums, violets and orange peel. Medium weight on the palate with fresh, clean, mouth-watering acidity. This rosato is actually closer to a light red wine than most other rose wines.
2005 Joe's Rosso is a blend of Merlot, Refosco Cabernet Sauvignon, and Schioppettino that's only supposed to available to restaurant clients (don't tell anyone!). But, this isn't any old dago red, it's cool weather, high altitude red that's a perfect match for food, especially lamb. Tank fermented, cherry notes. Selected from younger estate vines. Medium-bodied, rich, but balanced with aromas and flavors of ripe red berries and spices. Velvety tannins give it a soft structure that matches well with food and is enjoyable on its own.
Recipes provided by Michael Lemaire
Spaghetti Alla Rosinella (Spaghetti with Shrimp, Squid, and Clams) Serves 4
Here is a simple dish of spaghetti, seafood, and garlic. This is quick to prepare and very satisfying. This month's Tocai from Bastinich would taste good with this dish.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 fresh red chili, seeded and finely chopped
- 10 oz fresh clams, scrubbed and rinsed well (see note)
- 2 fresh squid, cleaned and prepared, cut into rings or small squares
- 7-8 oz fresh raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 14 oz spaghetti
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to serve
2. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pan of slightly salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and add to the sauce with a tiny amount of the cooking water (just enough to keep the pasta moist). Stir well, transfer to a large serving bowl or individual pasta bowls, and sprinkle with lots of chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Preparing clams Tap the clams on the work surface and discard any that do not close. Scrub the clams well under cold running water to wash away any grit. If you are not using farmed clams, you may need to purge them of sand or grit, but a good scrub on the outside and proper rinsing should do the trick. Otherwise, put the clams in a large bowl of salted water, making sure they are well covered (but do not cover the bowl). Soak in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or even overnight - any grit or sand will be left behind in the bottom of the bowl when you remove the clams. Rinse in plenty of fresh cold water, then strain the water through a fine cloth such as muslin or a clean dishcloth. You then pick out your clams and discard the grit. (Or you could simply rinse under cold running water.)
Rabbit Braised with Wine, Olives and Sage Serves 6
Here is another wonderful braised dish that makes it own tasty sauce as it cooks. If you have issues with rabbit, this dish is also nice with chicken. Serve this with some polenta, mashed potatoes, or rice for a complete meal. Try this recipe with this month's full bodied rosado - it'll stand up nicely to this dish, and offer a nice quencher to the chef.
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 (3-pound) rabbits, cut into serving pieces, washed and patted dry
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large onion, minced (about 1 to 1-1/2 cups)
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 10 to 12 black Gaeta or Nicoise olives, pitted and quartered
- 10 fresh sage leaves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
2. Discard the oil and place the skillet back over medium heat. Add the remaining oil. When it is hot but not yet smoking, add the onion. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to pick up the browned bits, until the onion is lightly golden and soft, 6 to 7 minutes.
3. Return the rabbit to the pan, raise the heat to high, and add the wine. As soon as the wine begins to bubble, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring from time to time and turning the rabbit once, until the wine is almost all evaporated and the rabbit is tender when pierced with a fork, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer the rabbit to a platter, cover loosely with foil, and keep warm in a low oven.
4. Add the olives, sage, and garlic to the pan, and stir over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the vinegar and stir quickly until the pan juices have thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spoon the pan juices over the rabbit and serve hot.
Lamb and Ricotta Crespelle with Tomato and Pecorino Serves 6
Here's a great recipe from Nat Appleman at A16 who just brought home a James Beard award. While this recipe does take some advance planning and time to cook, it is actually really easy and does not require any tricky techniques. Plus it yields a meal worthy of the Italian grandmother we all wish we had! Enjoy this dish with the Joe's Rosso from Bastinich.
CRESPELLE
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1-1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
LAMB AND RICOTTA FILLING
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 sprig rosemary, leaves picked and coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds lamb shanks
- Kosher salt
- 1 cup water
- 1 pound (about 2 cups) fresh ricotta, drained if very moist
- Leaves from 2 sprigs mint, torn into pieces 1/4 teaspoon dried chile flakes
LAMB SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife
- 1/4 teaspoon dried chile flakes
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes with juices
- Block of aged pecorino for grating
- Extra virgin olive oil for finishing
1. To make the batter for the crespelle, in a bowl, whisk together the milk, flour, eggs, butter, and salt until well combined. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
2. To make the filling, in a small bowl, combine the garlic, rosemary, and olive oil. Place the lamb shanks in a shallow dish, season them with about 2 teaspoons salt, and thencoat them with the olive oil mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 250°F.
4. Transfer the shanks to a roasting pan or Dutch oven and pour in the water. Cover, transfer the pot to the oven, and roast for about 4 hours, or until the meat is completely tender and beginning to fall off the bone.
5. Remove the pot from the oven. Place a colander over a bowl, and transfer the shanks to the colander to rest. Let the braising liquid rest in the pot for 30 minutes to allow the fat to rise to the surface. Skim off most of the fat with a large spoon. Taste the liquid for seasoning and add salt if needed. Stir in any liquid that has drained from the resting shanks, and set the braising liquid aside. You should have about 1 cup.
6. Once the meat is cool enough to handle, pull away the meat from the bones and shred it into bite-sized pieces with your fingers. In a bowl, combine the lamb, ricotta, mint, and chile flakes and mix well. Set the filling aside.
7. To make each crespella, heat an 8-inch nonstick saute pan or crepe pan over medium heat. Brush the pan with butter, then ladle about 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan. Swirl the batter in the pan until evenly distributed. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the bottom is golden and the top is almost dry. Using a spatula and a flick of the wrist, flip the crespella carefully and cook for 30 seconds on the second side, or until the bottom is lightly browned. Slide the crespella onto a plate and repeat until all of the batter has been used, brushing the pan with butter as needed and stacking the crespella as you work. You should have 16 to 20 crespella.
8. To make the lamb sauce, heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and chile flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until the garlic softens and starts to turn golden. Remove from the heat and gradually pour in the wine. Return to the stove, increase the heat to medium-high, and reduce for 3 minutes, or until the wine has evaporated. Add the braising liquid and cook for about 3 minutes more, or until reduced by three-fourths.
9. Meanwhile, place the canned tomatoes and their juices in a bowl and crush with your hands or the back of a wooden spoon. Once the sauce has reduced, stir in the tomatoes and bring the sauce to a boil. Remove from the heat and reserve.
10. To assemble the crespella, lay a crespella flat on a work surface. Spread 1/3 cup of the filling horizontally along the center, fold the edge of the crespella closest to you over the filling, and then roll it up, securing the filling firmly inside. Place the crespella, seam side down, in the roasting pan. Repeat until all of the crespella have been filled.
11. Place the pan in the oven and heat the crespella, rotating the pan front to back after a couple of minutes, for about 5 minutes, or until evenly browned.
12. Meanwhile, reheat the sauce until hot. When the crespella are ready, remove them from the oven. To serve, spoon the sauce into warmed bowls, dividing it evenly, and place the crespella on top. Grate pecorino over the top of each serving, and then drizzle with olive oil to finish. Serve immediately.