Rustic Italian Food

by Marc Vetri

  1½ tablespoons chopped mixed fresh herbs (rosemary, parsley, thyme, chives)

  1¼ teaspoons fennel seeds, toasted and ground (see Prep Ahead)

  ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

  2 recipes Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

  Put the brine in a clean cooler or tub just large enough to hold the pig (at least an 8-gallon cooler or tub). Submerge the pig in the brine. If you’re using a cooler, put a sealed bag of ice on top of the brined pig to keep it down and cold. If you have a refrigerator big enough to hold an 8-gallon tub, stick the tub in the fridge. Brine the pig for 4 days, replenishing the ice as necessary if using a cooler.

  Start a high-burning wood fire. I like to use a mixture of red and white oak, but apple and cherry woods—even a little hickory—all work well. If you can’t get wood, use charcoal briquettes (they last longer than lump charcoal) and toss on some soaked wood chunks now and then for smoke. Let the fire burn down until medium-hot, at least 30 minutes. To test the temperature, hold your hand 6 inches over the fire and start counting, “1 one thousand, 2 one thousand …” You should only make it to 4 or 5.

  Meanwhile, put the pig on a large, clean work surface, like a picnic table covered with aluminum foil, and pat it dry. Insert a spit through the mouth or chest of the pig and out under the tail. Tie, wire, or pin the backbone of the pig to the spit (see “Trussing a Pig to a Spit,” opposite). Once the backbone is secured to the spit, slide a pronged skewer (if your spit has one) onto the rear of the pig, pushing it firmly into the hams of the pig and tightening it to the spit. Position the hind legs under the belly and the forelegs under the chin, then tie butcher’s twine or wire very tightly around the pig in several places from head to tail to ensure that all parts are firmly secured to the spit. You don’t want anything to slip or rotate unevenly.

  Rake the coals of the fire to a length just a few inches longer than the pig. Put your spit set-up near the fire, positioning the pig along the length of the fire, just behind the fire instead of directly over it (to prevent flare-ups). The pig should be fairly close to the fire, no more than 2 feet away. Put drip pans beneath the pig to catch any drippings. Spit-roast the animal, turning constantly, until an instant-read thermometer registers 140°F in the hams and shoulders. Maintain a relatively hot fire, about 375°F ambient temperature, to crisp the skin, replenishing the wood and/or coals as necessary. A 20-pound pig will take anywhere from 2½ to 3½ hours to reach 140°F. It could take up to 4 hours, but start checking it after 2½ in case your fire is hot, the wind is making it hotter, or the air is cool.

  Transfer the spitted pig to a large clean work surface and let rest for 20 minutes. Remove the skewers, spit pins, and/or string and pull out the spit.

  Just before you’re ready to carve, preheat the oven to 375°F. If you have convection, turn it on. If not, preheat the oven to 400°F.

  Starting at the belly of the beast, use a boning knife to remove the skin, leaving as much meat on the animal as possible. The skin should be crisped enough to come off in large sheets. Place the skin on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F with convection (400°F without convection) until very crisp, 15 to 20 minutes (5 to 10 minutes longer without convection). Remove the crisp cracklings and break into 2-inch pieces.

  Butcher the pig by removing the head first with a heavy cleaver. A few strong blows across the neck should sever the head. Then remove the hind legs/hams and forelegs/shoulders by driving the cleaver straight through the primary joints. It’s easiest to put the pig on its back, lift the leg away from the body, then drive the cleaver through the hip joint or shoulder joint to remove the hind legs and forelegs. Carve the meat from the leg and shoulder bones, keeping the sections of meat in fist-size portions as much as possible. Remove the ribs from the backbone by cutting through the rib bones on either side of the backbone. Carve the tenderloins (the lean meat along the length of the backbone on either side), keeping them as whole as possible. Separate each rib by cutting between them (they will be small).

  Heat a grill or griddle to medium-high heat. Combine the grapeseed oil, olive oil, mixed herbs, fennel seeds, and black pepper in a shallow dish. Dip the pieces of meat in the seasoned oil and sear all sides on the grill or griddle until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Depending on the size of your grill or griddle, you’ll probably have to work in batches to avoid crowding. Divide the meat among plates, including at least one rib and a piece of loin, shoulder, or leg in each serving. Each serving should weigh 6 to 7 ounces, the size of an average half chicken breast. Serve with a crackling or two, a drizzle of the seasoned oil, and the crispy potatoes.

  PREP AHEAD

  Toast the fennel seeds up to a few hours serving the pork. Put them in a dry skillet over medium heat and toast until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan.

  BEVERAGE—Tenuta San Nicola, Primitivo 2008 (Puglia): Purportedly the granddaddy of what we have come to know as Zinfandel, this Primitivo adds a hint of spice to the pig. But unlike many Zins, its assertive flavor complements the dish instead of overpowering it.

  Procuring a Spit and a Suckling Pig

  If you can borrow a friend’s spit, that’s the easiest way to go. You can also rent one from a local all-purpose renter. If you plan to spit-roast often, it pays to buy one. We tested this recipe on a SpitJack with internal spit forks and spit pins for pinning the backbone to the spit (see Sources). It worked great. Don’t forget the fuel: you’ll need about a fourth of a cord of wood or 60 pounds of charcoal and 4 quarts of wood chunks like oak, apple, or cherry. As for the pig, I order my sucklers from D’Artagnan (see Sources). You could do the same, or find a good country butcher or farmer who sells pork at farmers’ markets. He or she should be able to get you a suckling pig. Order one in the A weight range (12 to 24 pounds), dressed for spit-roasting. Be sure to order the pig at least 2 weeks ahead of time to make sure you can get it in time for brining and cooking. Remember: it brines for 4 days.

  Trussing a Pig to a Spit

  Most spit rods are round, so it’s not enough to just wrap butcher’s string around the outside of the pig once it’s on the spit. The round spit will just spin inside the animal, and the pig won’t turn. The best way to prevent spinning is to secure the animal’s backbone to the spit. Secure trussing can take an hour or more, but it goes much faster if you have someone to help you.

  Option 1: Tie or wire the backbone. Use this method if your spit rod is not drilled with holes to accommodate spit pins. Push the spit rod through the pig, along the backbone. Lay the pig on its side, with the cavity facing you so that you can wire the backbone to the spit. Using a trussing needle and a double thickness of butcher’s string or 18-gauge wire and pliers, insert the string or wire through the inside of the pig near the backbone and spit. When the string or wire pokes through the back of the pig, bend the string or wire around the outside of the backbone and push it back through the pig. The entire length of string or wire should be wrapped around the backbone and spit. Tie the string tightly, or use pliers to twist the two ends of the wire together, securing the string or wire very tightly around the spit. Repeat this process at roughly 4-inch intervals toward the rear and front of the pig until the backbone is securely fastened to the spit.

  Option 2: Pin the backbone. Some spits are drilled with holes so you can insert pins through both animal and the spit to easily secure the backbone to the spit. In that case, insert the pins or internal forks as directed by your spit manufacturer, tightening them as much as possible to fasten the backbone to the spit.

  Shaved Pork with Summer Fruit

  Shaved Pork WITH SUMMER FRUIT

  In 2005, my wife, Megan, and I tied the knot in sunny Boulder, Colorado, at the Flagstaff House. Instead of a big reception, we had a casual after-party at Frasca with our good friends Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson (the chef) and Bobby Stuckey (the wine director). These guys are serious about food. They even have a winery in Fruili called Scarpetta. We drink their wines all the time. Anyway, they surprised Megan and me on o
ur wedding day with a dish of shaved pork and ripe plums. I was blown away by its simple beauty. Megan and I both fell in love with the dish, and when I got home, of course I had to re-create it. This is a little different from Lachlan’s version, but it carries all the tender memories of that day.

  MAKES 8 SERVINGS

  Peppercorn Brine

  2 pounds boneless pork butt (shoulder)

  1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

  1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

  ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

  ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  Salt and freshly ground pepper

  4 ounces arugula

  2 red plums, pitted and thinly sliced

  1 cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch cubes

  Maldon sea salt, for garnish

  Put a gallon-size ziplock plastic bag in a large bowl and carefully pour in the brine. Add the pork, squeeze out any excess air, and seal the bag. Refrigerate for 2 days.

  Preheat the oven to 300°F. Remove the pork from the brine and discard the brine. Put the pork in a shallow roasting pan and roast to an internal temperature of 145°F, about 55 minutes. It won’t brown much and will still be red in the center when sliced. Remove the pork from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes.

  Whisk together the vinegar and mustard in a small bowl until blended. Whisk in the ½ cup olive oil in a slow, steady stream until incorporated. Stir in the parsley, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

  Cut the pork into thin shavings or slices, using a meat slicer if you have one, or a sharp knife. Toss the pork shavings in the dressing, then put them in a skillet and cook over medium heat until heated through, about 5 minutes.

  Arrange the pork on a platter or plates and top with the arugula, plums, and cantaloupe. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with Maldon salt and pepper to taste.

  PREP AHEAD

  You can make the brine up to 2 days ahead. You need another 2 days to brine the pork. And you can refrigerate the roasted pork for up to 2 days after shaving it. Bring the shavings almost to room temperature, then toss them in the dressing and heat them in a pan as directed.

  BEVERAGE—Ferrando, Erbaluce di Caluso 2008 “La Torrazza” (Piemonte): Lush flavors of baked stone fruits characterize this lesser-known varietal from the north. It makes a well-balanced match for the summer fruits with the pork.

  Chicken Halves ON THE GRILL

  The only dish that Jeff Michaud and I argued about when we opened Osteria was the chicken. I wanted to put chicken on the menu and he didn’t. I had in mind a beautifully brined chicken cooked over a wood fire—a simple crowd-pleaser. I would butcher it in a way that kept it intact but took out all of the bones (see the photos in the textbox at the end of the recipe). Jeff kicked and frowned and scratched his head until the day we opened. I’m happy to say that this chicken was, is, and will always be the best seller on the menu. Serve with almost any of the vegetables or sides from Chapter 6.

  MAKES 4 SERVINGS

  Thyme Brine

  1 chicken, about 3½ pounds

  ½ cup olive oil

  1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

  1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

  1 clove garlic, chopped

  Put the cooled brine in a 2-gallon ziplock plastic bag or a clean plastic container big enough to hold the chicken (and fit in your fridge). Add the chicken, submerging it completely, squeeze out the air (if using a bag), seal, and refrigerate for 12 to 18 hours. Remove the chicken and discard the brine.

  Using kitchen shears, cut the bird in half lengthwise, starting at the bottom of the breast (between the legs) and cutting right through the center of the breastbone. Open up the bird like a book and remove the backbone and ribs by cutting straight through the ribs along the backbone. This will give you 2 bone-in chicken halves. If you want them completely boneless, which is a bit more work, see the box opposite for how to do it.

  When you’re done cutting the bird, combine the oil, rosemary, thyme, and garlic in a 1-gallon ziplock plastic bag. Add the chicken halves, massage to coat, and squeeze out any excess air. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

  Meanwhile, light a grill for medium heat. Let the chicken sit at room temperature to take the chill off while the grill heats up. When the grill is hot, scrape the grill rack clean and oil it with an oily paper towel. Grill the chicken, skin side down, until nicely grill-marked on both sides and the thigh meat registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes per side. If you’re grilling boneless chicken halves, they will cook faster, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Cut into pieces and serve.

  PREP AHEAD

  The chicken can be brined overnight, then prepped, seasoned, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before grilling.

  BEVERAGE—Falesco, Roscetto 2007 “Ferentano,” or Paitin, Dolcetto d’Alba 2008 “Serra” (Piedmont): The chicken brine calls out for the weight and slightly oaked finish of the Roscetto; however, I cannot pass up the Dolcetto. Its tobacco and chocolate nose makes it my go-to wine for meats with a hint of smoke.

  Preparing a Chicken for Grilling

  There are lots of ways to grill a whole chicken. You can spatchcock it by removing the backbone and keeping the rest of the bird intact, kind of like an opened book. You can cut it in half and remove the backbone. Or you can cut it in half and remove all the bones. Boning a bird is a little more work, but that’s how I like to grill my chicken.

  a-b. Put the bird on its back on a work surface with the legs facing away from you. Using a boning knife, slice down through the center of the bird to the breast bone, always keeping the knife against bone. Put the knife just to one side of the breast bone and slice down around the bone to remove the breast meat from the bone.

  c-d. Cut down through the soft bone near the neck (the end nearest you). Pull the released half of the bird from the carcass and continue cutting around the rib cage to the back of the bird.

  e-f. Hold the thigh in one hand and push up from the bottom to pop the hip bone. Cut through the center of the hip bone to remove that side. Repeat on the other side to remove the other half of the bird from the carcass. You will be left with two chicken halves with the wing and leg bones still attached.

  g-h. For each half, remove the wing by cutting through the second joint (the remaining “drummette” bone is the only bone that will be left in the bird). Put the bird-half skin side down with the breast meat facing up. Put the tip of the knife in the center of the leg and cut down to the bone.

  i-j. Holding the knife against bone at all times, cut along the leg bone up toward and along the thigh bone to remove the leg and thigh meat from the bone on one side. Cut through the knee joint to separate the thigh bone from the leg bone, then release the meat from the thigh bone by cutting around the bone and pulling the bone from the meat. Repeat with the other leg bone to remove the leg bone from the meat. Save the chicken carcass and bones to make stock.

  Sal’s Old-School Meatballs

  SAL’S OLD-SCHOOL Meatballs

  My father instilled three things in me: (1) Always work for yourself—no matter what, be the boss; (2) Always have integrity—you are only as good as your word; (3) Always use veal, pork, and beef in meatballs. Life really is that simple!

  MAKES ABOUT SIXTY 1-OUNCE MEATBALLS (THIRTY 2-OUNCE BALLS OR TWENTY 3-OUNCE BALLS)

  1 pound ground veal

  1 pound ground pork

  1 pound ground beef

  4 slices white sandwich bread, torn

  1½ cups milk

  3 eggs

  2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

  1 cup grated pecorino cheese

  6 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish

  2 tablespoons kosher salt

  ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

  1 clove garlic, minced

  1½ cups tipo 00 flour or all-purpose flour

  ¼ cup grapeseed oil

 
Combine the veal, pork, beef, bread, milk, eggs, 2 cups Parmesan, pecorino, 6 tablespoons parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic in a stand mixer fitted with the flat blade. Mix on medium-low speed for 1 minute.

  Scoop out ⅛-cup pieces of meat and gently roll them between your hands into balls about the size of a golf ball. The meat will be soft, so don’t compress it too much. Put the flour in a bowl and toss the meatballs in the flour as you work.

  Heat the grapeseed oil over medium heat in a large skillet and, working in batches, add the floured balls, cooking them until golden brown all over, 8 to 10 minutes total. The internal temperature should be about 155°F.

  Divide the meatballs among plates; sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley.

  BRAISED MEATBALLS

  If you like, braise the browned meatballs in Pizza Sauce. Add the sauce directly to the pan you’re browning the meatballs in, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. You can also serve the braised meatballs over cooked pasta.

  SWORDFISH MEATBALLS

  Freeze 4½ pounds cubed swordfish and 1½ pounds cubed fatback until firm but not solid, about 45 minutes. Freeze all parts to a meat grinder too. Grind the fish and fatback through the small die of a meat grinder along with ½ cup golden raisins and ½ cup toasted pine nuts. Soak 9 slices of white bread in 2 cups milk for 5 minutes, then squeeze out the excess milk and add the soaked bread to the meatball mixture. Put the meatball mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer and add 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, 2 cups grated pecorino cheese, ¼ cup kosher salt, 4 eggs, 5 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 2 minced cloves garlic, and pepper to taste. Mix with the paddle attachment for 1 minute, then scoop out ⅛-cup pieces of meat and roll into meatballs the size of a golf ball. Dust the meatballs in flour and sear in oil as directed, cooking to an internal temperature of 125°F. I like to braise the swordfish meatballs in Pizza Sauce for a few minutes, then serve them over Polenta Squares and garnish with Parmesan, parsley, and olive oil.