Patsy's Italian Family Cookbook (38 page)

Easter is the time to make this cross between cheesecake and pie with cooked wheat berries in the filling. (Wheat is a vital symbol in Catholic religion, and some families plant wheat berries at the beginning of Lent to decorate the Easter Dinner table with the small white blossoms.) The dessert is not too sweet; with a distinctive lattice topping, it’s the perfect ending to the holiday feast. This must be made a day ahead to cool and set completely, so do not rush it.

½ cup soft white wheat berries (see Note)

CRUST

2⅓ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 tablespoons, at room temperature

2 large eggs, beaten to blend

¼ cup whole milk

Pinch of salt

FILLING

3 pounds whole-milk ricotta cheese, preferably fresh ricotta

1 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

2 tablespoons (¼-inch) diced candied citron

Finely grated zest of ½ orange

Confectioners’ sugar, for serving

1.
The day before serving, put the wheat berries in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover tightly. Simmer, adding boiling water as needed to keep the wheat berries covered, until they are tender, about 1 hour. Drain, rinse under cold running water, and drain again. Pat dry with paper towels and transfer to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. (The wheat berries can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.)

2.
To make the crust: Combine the flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and milk together in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer. Mix on low-speed to form a soft dough that cleans the sides of the bowl. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Knead until the dough is smooth, about 1 minute. Shape the dough into a thick disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until the dough is lightly chilled, 30 minutes to 1 hour.

3.
To make the filling: Line a large wire sieve with paper towels and place the sieve over a large bowl. Put the ricotta into the sieve and top with more paper towels. Place a plate on top of the ricotta to lightly weigh it. Let stand to drain off some of the whey, about 1 hour.

4.
Whisk the sugar and eggs together in a large bowl until thick and pale
yellow, about 2 minutes. Add the drained ricotta (discard the paper towels), the cooled wheat berries, citron, and orange zest and whisk together to combine.

5.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly butter the inside of a 9½-inch-diameter springform pan with 3 inch sides. Dust the inside of the pan with flour and tap out the excess.

6.
Divide the dough for the crust into two pieces, two-thirds for the bottom of the cheesecake and one-third for the top. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the larger piece of dough into a 17-inch-diameter round. Fit into the pan, being sure the dough fits snugly in the corners. Spread the ricotta filling in the pan. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the smaller piece of dough into a ⅛-inch-thick round. Using a large knife, cut the dough into ¾-inch-wide strips. Arrange the strips over the filling in a lattice pattern. Trim the bottom dough and fold over the filling. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet.

7.
Bake until the filling is golden brown and looks set in the center when the pie is gently shaken, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool until tepid. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 8 hours.

8.
Remove the sides of the pan. Cut into wedges and serve.

NOTE:
Wheat berries, the whole grains of the wheat before it is ground into flour, are sold at natural food stores and many supermarkets. A relatively new variety, soft white wheat berries, are preferred because they take less time to cook than the typical hard red or brown wheat berries. If you can only find hard wheat berries, they will take about 30 minutes longer to simmer to tenderness.

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Thanksgiving
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Thanksgiving Italian Style

Even our friend and fan, the well-fed comedian Dom DeLuise, always admitted that there was too much food at Thanksgiving. His family had an enormous spread of Italian dishes—lasagna, braciole, ravioli, and the like—in addition to the full contingent of American standards. “Everyone ate the Italian food first, and were too full for the turkey. So we stuck candles in the turkey and used it as the centerpiece.”

At my grandparents’ home, we stuck with the all-American menu. There wasn’t anything Italian about the meal. Patsy or Joe would make a roast turkey like the one
here
. The only nod to our heritage was the
stuffing
made with lots of Italian sausage. Other than that, we could have been Pilgrims. Even dessert was pumpkin pie. I don’t think that pumpkin cannoli would be very good.

Roast Turkey with Rosemary Gravy

MAKES 12 TO 16 SERVINGS

My dad Joe makes the Thanksgiving turkey every year. There are a few easy tips to make a great holiday bird. First, fresh turkeys are best. Make a turkey stock from the giblets, and chicken stock to help make a rich and delicious gravy. Cover the breast area with aluminum foil so it doesn’t dry out, and remove the foil towards the end of roasting so the skin can brown. Put a little wine and some fresh herbs into your gravy. Be sure to let the roasted turkey stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes so the juices can redistribute themselves before carving. Do these few little things, and you will have a turkey for the gods.

1 whole turkey with giblets, about 18 pounds

TURKEY STOCK

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 medium celery rib, chopped

2½ quarts
Chicken Stock
or reduced-sodium store-bought chicken or turkey broth

4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 bay leaf

Scognamillo Italian Sausage and Bacon Stuffing

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more if needed, and softened butter for the baking dish

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1.
Remove the giblets from the turkey and set aside, reserve the liver for another use. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Chop the turkey neck into 2-inch chunks. Pull off the yellow pads of fat from near the tail, cover, and refrigerate. Remove it about 1 hour before roasting.

2.
To make the turkey stock: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the turkey neck, heart, and gizzard and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned, about 10 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened, about 3 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil, skimming off the foam that rises to the surface. Add the parsley and bay leaf. Simmer (but do not boil), skimming off any foam on the surface of the broth, until well flavored, 1½ to 2 hours. Strain the turkey stock, discarding the solids. (The stock can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

3.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

4.
Put the turkey on the work surface, breast side down. Fill the neck cavity with stuffing (do not pack in the stuffing). Using a thin metal skewer, pin the turkey’s neck skin to the back. Turn the turkey breast side up. Tie
the turkey wings to the sides with a loop of kitchen twine. Fill the body cavity with stuffing; do not pack. Cover the exposed stuffing with a piece of aluminum foil. Place the drumsticks in the plastic or metal “hock lock” at the turkey’s tail, or tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine. Place any remaining stuffing in the baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and refrigerate.

5.
Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large metal pan. Rub all over with the softened butter, and season all over with the salt and pepper. Tightly cover the breast area with aluminum foil. Pour 2 cups of the turkey stock into the bottom of the pan and add the reserved turkey fat.

6.
Roast the turkey, basting all over every 45 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan (lift up the foil to reach the breast area), until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh (but not touching a bone) reads 180°F degrees and the stuffing is at least 160°F, about 4¼ hours. (See
Estimated Roasting Times
.) Remove the foil during the last hour to allow the skin to brown. When the pan drippings evaporate and form a brown film in the bottom of the pan, add 1 cup water, adding more water as needed throughout the roasting period.

7.
Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter and let it stand for 30 to 45 minutes before carving. Increase the oven temperature to 350°F. Drizzle ½ cup of turkey stock over the stuffing in the casserole, cover, and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.