L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.com 12 THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 L'Italo-Americano The old adage is true, and truer still when brown butter is invol- ved. Known as burro nocciola, after the hazelnuts it so resembles, this kitchen miracle will imbue your food with sweet, nutty flavor. Burro nocciola is butter that has been heated to the point where all the water has cooked off and the milk solids have browned, thus amplifying the butter's inherent flavor. Master this kitchen skill and you will preside over a world of subtle, yet rich flavor. The but- ter will first foam as the milk solids separate, then begin to bub- ble and boil as the water evapora- tes. As the milk solids brown the butter will quietly deepen in color. Once it has taken on an amber cast, remove it from the heat. Your kitchen will have filled with the exquisite perfume of perfectly browned butter. Left too long over the flame, it will burn and take on a distinctly bitter flavor, so this is a time when your eyes are just as important as your nose and ears. Use it immediately or pour it into another container to stop the cooking. The deeply flavored butter will enrich any dish. Pour it over vege- tables. Toss gnocchi in burro noc- ciola and Parmigiano for an ele- gant twist on a homey classic. Or chill it and use it in cookies, cakes, or frostings for a depth of flavor you never thought possible. Dress up your next oven-roasted Branzino with this golden flecked elixir and a bit of lemon juice. This is butter brought to new hei- ghts, made even more of a wonder by its ease of preparation. Brown Butter Crostata makes 1 9-inch crostata Crust • 1⅓ cups tipo 00 flour • 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½-inch pieces • 1 large egg • ¼ teaspoon fine salt Place the 00 flour, confectio- ner's sugar, and sea salt in the workbowl of a food processor fit- ted with the metal knife. Remove the cover of the food processor and distribute the butter over the flour mixture. Replace the cover, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg, proces- sing until the dough forms clumps. Turn the dough onto the counter and press into a ball. Flatten it into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours before rolling it out. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to rest on the counter for 10 minutes before rolling. Roll the dough into a 12- inch circle and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough against the sides of the pan. Trim the edges by pas- sing the rolling pin over the top of the pan. Remove and discard the excess dough. Place the tart pan on a 9-inch cake board or other flat It's Better With Butter ADRI BARR CROCETTI surface. (Placing it on a cake board or other surface will pre- vent the removable bottom from pressing up and releasing, particu- larly important for long storage.) Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours. The pastry shell can be frozen in the tart pan at this point, wrapped in 4 layers of plastic to keep out any freezer smell. Secure the plastic with stri- ps of tape. Freeze for up to 2 weeks. Nocciola Filling It is crucial that the ingredients be combined in the order and manner specified. ¾ cup of the blueberries are baked into the fil- ling, with the remaining berries used as garnish, either raw or ligh- tly cooked. • 3 large eggs • 1 cup granulated sugar • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon 00 flour • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract • Pinch of fine sea salt • ¾ cup unsalted butter • 1½ cups fresh blueberries, divided • Confectioner's sugar and mascarpone to serve Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven, and set a pizza stone on it. Preheat to 350 degrees F. 30 minutes prior to assembling and baking the crosta- ta. Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a medium bowl. Whisk in the flour. Pour in the vanilla and salt. Whisk to combi- ne. Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until it has a rich amber hue. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and whisk the burro nocciola into the egg mixture. Remove the prepa- red pastry shell from the freezer, and unwrap. Discard the cake board. Distribute ¾ cup of fresh blueberries over the bottom of the frozen pastry. Pour the filling into the pastry shell. Transfer the unbaked crostata, still on the pastry sheet, to the pizza stone and bake 1 hour or until set. Meanwhile, if desired, combi- ne the remaining ¾ cup of blue- berries with ¼ cup of granulated sugar and cook over a medium- high flame until the sugar has completely dissolved and the blueberries are slightly softened. Set aside. Remove the sheet pan from the oven, and slide the baked crostata onto a rack to cool for about 20 minutes. Remove the outer ring and transfer the crostata to a ser- ving platter. Sift confectioner's sugar over. Serve accompanied by a dollop of lightly whipped mascarpone and either fresh or cooked blueberries. Questions? Email me at adri@AdriBarrCrocetti.com or visit AdriBarrCrocetti.com Brown butter crostata MAESTRO BRAND ITALIAN SAUSAGE Also served at many of your favorite restaurants! www.maestrosausage.com Find us exclusively at the following retailers: Sorrento Italian Market 5518 Sepulveda Blvd. Culver City, CA 90230 Beef Palace Butcher Shop 5895 Warner & Springdale HunƟngton Beach, CA 92649 The Butchery 415 South Associated Rd Brea, CA 92821 The Butchery 103 E. 17th Street Costa Mesa, CA 92627 The Meat House 23982 Alicia Parkway Mission Viejo, CA 92691 Vicente Foods 12027 San Vicente Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049 Roma Italian Deli & Grocery 918 North Lake Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91104 Bay CiƟes Imports 1517 Lincoln Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90401 Eastside Market Italian Deli 1013 Alpine St. Los Angeles, CA 90012 Eagle Rock Italian Bakery 1726 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041 CavareƩa's Italian Deli 22045 Sherman Way Canoga Park, CA 91303 Mickey's Deli 101 Hermosa Beach Ave. Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 Grand View Market 12210 Venice Blvd Mar Vista, CA 90291 Venice Ranch Market 425 Rose Ave Venice, CA 90291

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