Tortino with Dandelions or Chicory (tortino con cicoria)
for 4 people as an appetizer or 2 people for lunch
copyright Julia della Croce 2002

- 1 pound young wild dandelion greens, escarole, or curly endive
- 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 large cloves garlic, very thinly sliced lengthwise

Core and wash the greens thoroughly, picking out any yellow or brown leaves and cutting off any roots. Chop coarsely. Allow the water that clings to the leaves to remain; set aside. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs flour, salt and pepper to taste.

In a skillet with a tight-fitting lid, combine the garlic and 2 tablespoons of the oil and warm over medium-low heat until the garlic is softened and lightly colored but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add the greens and toss to coat in the oil. Raise the heat to medium, cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally and always returning the cover to the pan, until the greens are wilted and sweet, about 8 minutes. Drain and let cool.

Preheat a broiler. Add the cooled greens to the egg mixture and mix well. In a 10- or 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet or omelet pan, warm the remaining olive oil over medium heat. When it is hot enough to make the eggs sizzle, pour the mixture into the pan, and use the back of wooden spoon to even it out the mixture in the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook very gently on bottom, moving the pan around on the surface of the burner to ensure even cooking. It is important that the heat not be too high, or the tortino will dry out on the bottom and remain raw in the center. When it is set and cooked on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes, remove it from the stove top. Slide the pan onto a rack about 9 inches from the broiler element. Leave the oven door ajar and remain with the tortino, watching over it until it is cooked through and golden on the surface, about 5 to 7 minutes, depending upon the width of the pan. To test for doneness, press with a finger in the center of the tortino to see if it is firm. If it is runny, slide it back onto the rack to continue cooking, always watching over it.

Remove the tortino from the broiler and let it cool somewhat, the carefully transfer it to a platter. Allow it to cool to room temperature before serving.

Bucatini with Sausage, Lemon and Nutmeg Sauce (bucatini di Cascia)
for 2 to 4 people
copyright Julia della Croce 2002

- 1 egg
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- juice of ½ lemon
- grated zest of 1 small lemon
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 ounces lean pancetta, diced
- 2 fresh sweet lean Italian pork sausages, casings removed and crumbled
- ½ pound bucatini
- grated pecorino cheese for serving
- 4 quarts water
- 2 tablespoons coarse salt

In a bowl, lightly beat together the egg, pepper, nutmeg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cream. Set aside.

In a large, deep, heavy-bottomed skillet, warm 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and sautè until it colors nicely, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta and transfer it to a bowl; set aside.

Return the skillet to medium heat and reheat the oil. Add the sausage and sauté until colored nicely, about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and, using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the bowl with the pancetta. Drain off all excess fat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet. If there is not much excess fat, draining is not necessary. Set the skillet aside

Bring the water to a rapid boil in a large pot. Add the pasta and the salt and stir well. If you are using bucatini, follow package instructions, about 8 minutes to cook al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water.

Just before the pasta is ready, return the skillet to medium heat and warm the oil in it. Have ready a warmed large, shallow bowl. Add the pancetta and sausage to the skillet. At the moment the pasta is drained, add it to the skillet and toss it with the sausage and pancetta. Remove from the heat and add the egg mixture. Stir quickly until the egg coats the pasta; the egg will continue to cook from the heat of the pasta. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the warmed bowl, adding some of the reserved water to the pasta to thin out the sauce if necessary.

Serve the pasta piping hot. Pass the pecorino at the table.

Donatella'sAngry Chicken (pollo all'arrabbiata di Donatella Platoni)
for 2- to 4 people
copyright Julia della Croce/Donatella Platoni 2003

- 2 young free-range or organic chickens with giblets, each approximately 1½ to 2 pounds each, cut into serving pieces, or 1 larger free-range or organic chicken with giblets, about 3 pounds, cut into serving pieces
-1 small bunch fresh rosemary, tied in a bundle with kitchen string, or ½ teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 large cloves garlic, crushed but left whole
- 1 small whole red pepper or pinch red hot pepper flakes
- half a small onion, cut into wedges with cored still attached
- ¾ cup dry white wine
- ¾ cup peeled, seeded, and chopped plum tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

Rinse the chicken pieces and dry well. Trim any dark spots, fat, and membrane from the liver(s) and heart(s) and cut the into quarters. Trim the tough outer layer from the gizzard(s) and chop.

In a cold skillet large enough to accommodate the chicken without crowding, (or use two smaller skillets) combine the olive oil, garlic, and chile hot red pepper flakes and warm over medium-low heat. When the oil is hot enough to make the onion sizzle, add it the onion and rosemary bundle or dried rosemary and sautè gently until the mixture is aromatic and the garlic and onion are nicely softened but not browned, about 8 minutes. At this point, add the chicken, giblets, raise the heat to medium, and sautè to brown nicely on all sides, about 20 minutes.

Pour in the wine and use a wooden spoon to stir all the ingredients together, taking care not to puncture the chicken pieces nor to break them up. Use gentle motions to detach any piece that may stick to the bottom of the pan so as to leave each pieces nicely intact. When the alcohol has evaporated, after about 3 minutes, add the tomato, distributing it evenly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the chicken is tender, about another 20 minutes longer.

Season with the salt and transfer to a warmed platter. Serve the chicken very hot.

Almond Biscotti (tozzetti)
makes about 40 cookies
copyright Julia della Croce 2003

- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into small pieces
- 1 whole large egg, plus 3 large egg yolks
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup anise-flavored liqueur
- zest of ½ lemon
- 1 cup (5 ounces) blanched almonds

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment or grease it with butter.

In a bowl, combine the sugar and butter. Beat in the whole egg until blended, followed by the egg yolks, 1 at a time, until creamy and lightened in color. Stir in the liqueur and lemon zest. In another bowl, stir together the flour and the baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix just until blended and a dough consistency forms. Mix in the almonds.

Shape the dough into 2 loaves, each about 3 inches wide by ½ inch thick. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.

Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake until the dough is expanded and firm, about 30 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and slide the loaves onto a work surface. Permit them to cool for a few minutes, the, using a serrated knife, cut each loaf into slices approximately ¾ inch thick. Place the slices once again on the baking sheet, cut side down.

Reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees F. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake the biscotti until they are dry and lightly colored, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the biscotti to a rack to cool. Serve.

Note: Once thoroughly cool, tozzetti can be placed in air-tight tins and stored for several months.