L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 38 L'Italo-Americano LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES A s spring turns to summer and the days grow longer, life starts to move out- doors to take advantage of the glorious summer season. We here in America love grilling outdoors and for many of us that love for grilling originated with our Italian ancestors, who just like us here in America spent long evenings cooking al fresco over a simple fire. Spiedini are Italy's version of a kebab. On warm days, you can smell the aroma of fresh meat and fish being grilled every- where in the Italian countryside. They are usually made with sim- ple ingredients, sometimes com- bining both meat and vegetables, n e a t l y t u c k e d o n t o a s i n g l e skewer. The meat is typically not fussy, perhaps drizzled at the end with the juice of a fresh lemon or the bite of extra virgin olive oil, allowing for the pure f l a v o r s o f t h e m e a t t o s h i n e through. Regional influences abound – whether juicy sword- fish pulled from the sea in Sicily o r s u c c u l e n t b e e f f r o m t h e prized cattle in Tuscany. The spiedini in this recipe are influenced by my days in Sicily and the flavors of the island – a bit of lemon, pine nuts and mint a r e a d d e d t o t h e m e a t , t h e n formed into little meatballs. Be sure your meat is not too wet so it does not fall from the skewer. Add additional breadcrumbs or cheese if so. T h e m e a t b a l l s a r e t h e n threaded onto skewers inter- spersed with lemon leaves and lemon slices. The spiedini are then simply grilled and drizzled with a bit of lemon and olive oil at the end. If you do not have a source for lemon leaves, dried MICHELE BECCI bay leaves are an easy substitute. Be sure to toss the lemon leaves – they are there to offer a hint of lemony essence but not edible. Here I have paired them with a simple potato and tomato salad that I ate on the sunny island of Pantelleria and is a regular part of my kitchen repertoire today. Potatoes are first boiled, and then tossed with fresh tomatoes, olives, capers and onion. This delightful combination is fin- ished with a simple vinaigrette a n d a n d a s p r i n k l e o f f r e s h oregano. Let the grilling begin – buona primavera! Michele S p i e d i n i a l l a S i c i l i a n a (Sicilian Meatball Skewers) Ingredients: • Wooden or metal skewers • 1 pound ground chuck • ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs • 1 egg, lightly beaten • ½ cup grated Parmesan • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • 2 tablespoons pine nuts • A b o u t 1 t a b l e s p o o n chopped fresh parsley • A b o u t 1 t a b l e s p o o n Sicilian Meatball Skewers Grilling Italian Style: Spiedini alla Siciliana THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017 chopped fresh mint • Grated rind from 1 lemon • ½ teaspoon salt • Freshly ground black pep- per • Fresh lemon or bay leaves • 4 l a r g e l e m o n s , s l i c e d crosswise into ¼ inch slices • Extra virgin olive oil • Extra lemons for finishing Directions: 1. Soak any wooden skewers in a bowl of cold water for a minimum of 30 minutes. 2 . I n a l a r g e b o w l , m i x t o g e t h e r t h e g r o u n d c h u c k , breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, garlic, pine nuts, parsley, mint, lemon rind and salt. Mix togeth- er with hands until incorporated. A d d i n p e p p e r t o t a s t e . (Suggestion: Make a little test meatball and fry in a small skil- let over medium heat. Taste and adjust seasonings.) Remember that you want the mixture to be fairly dry so they hold together o n t h e s k e w e r s . A d d m o r e breadcrumbs or cheese if too wet.) 3. Form the meat into little meatballs about the size of golf balls. On a wooden skewer, alternate the meatballs with a lemon or bay leaf and a slice of lemon. 4. Prepare grill. Place each skewer on the grill and grill until t h e m e a t b a l l s a r e c o o k e d through. Remove to a serving platter. Drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Serve with plenty of extra lemons. Insalata Pantesca Ingredients: • 5 medium red potatoes • 6 medium tomatoes, quar- tered • 1 small red onion • G r e e n o r b l a c k o l i v e s , about 1/2 cup • A few tablespoons capers For the dressing: • Extra virgin olive oil • Red wine vinegar • Salt • Freshly ground black pep- per • Fresh oregano Directions: 1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Halve and quarter the potatoes. Add to pot and cook until tender. Drain and allow to cool. Transfer the potatoes to a dish large enough to hold the salad. 1. Add the tomatoes to the bowl. 2. Peel the onion. Quarter the onion then slice each quarter into t h i n s l i c e s . A d d t o t h e b o w l along with a few handfuls of olives and capers. Use as much as suits your taste. 3 . D r i z z l e t h e s a l a d w i t h about 1/3 cup olive oil and about 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar. Stir to combine. Season with salt, pepper and fresh oregano leaves. Taste and adjust season- ings. Joe and Michele Becci are a brother and sister team who love all things Italian. Together, from opposite coasts, they co-author the blog OurItalianTable.com.

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