Scott Conants Italian Cheesecake Recipes

SPAGHETTI WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil with about 3 teaspoons of salt.
• Meanwhile, put the tomato sauce in a large saute pan and cook over medium heat to further concentrate the sauce's flavors.
• Cook the spaghetti until just shy of tender. Reserve some of the pasta cooking water and gently drain the spaghetti. Add the spaghetti and a little of the pasta cooking water to the pan with the sauce; the starch and salt in that water will help the sauce adhere to the pasta. Add the basil, give the pan a good shake, increase the heat to medium-high, and let the pasta finish cooking in the sauce. The sauce should coat the pasta and look cohesive, and when you shake the pan, the sauce and pasta should move together.
• Take the pan off the heat and add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and butter. Using two wooden spoons (tongs can tear the fresh pasta), toss everything together well.
• Divide the pasta among serving bowls. Finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and serve.
• To peel the tomatoes, use a paring knife to cut a small x on each tomato. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, and have ready a bowl of ice water. Boil the tomatoes for about 10 seconds, then plunge them into the ice bath. The shock of going from hot to cold should cause the skin to contract, making it easier to peel. Use your fingers or a small paring knife to pull the skin off. If the skin is stubborn, try boiling and shocking the tomato again.
• In a wide saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes; be careful, as the oil may spurt. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and, using a potato masher, smash the tomatoes, really working the masher to break them up. If the consistency is thick or if they get too dry, add the tomato boiling water or reserved tomato juice to the pan. Cook, occasionally mashing and stirring, for 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the oil from the heat and let the ingredients steep for 5 minutes.
• Strain the oil into the cooked tomatoes. Stir to combine. Remove the sauce from the heat. Taste and add additional salt, if needed. The sauce may taste spicy on its own, but it gets balanced when used with other ingredients, especially the pasta, butter, and cheese. The sauce will keep, covered and refrigerated, for 2 days. Reheat gently before serving.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the "00" flour, semolina flour, and salt on low speed. Add the egg yolks, olive oil, and up to 1 1/3 cups water, adding the water a little at a time, and continue to mix on low speed. Once the flour is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-low and mix/knead the dough for 5 minutes.
• Lightly dust a work surface with a mix of "00" flour and semolina.
• Dump the dough out onto the work surface and knead by hand for a few minutes. Shape the dough into a rectangle, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest for 1 hour.
• To roll and shape the dough, set the pasta machine on its widest setting. Lightly flour a rimmed baking sheet. Cut the pasta dough into 4 pieces. Work with one piece at a time and wrap the others in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. Very lightly flour the dough and stretch it by hand, then put it on the pasta roller. Run it through the pasta machine twice, starting at the longest setting. Fold it in half and run it through again, so the dough gets thinner each time and wipe the surface of the pasta for excess flour as you go. Run the dough through the machine a couple more times; this serves as a final kneading.
• Set the machine to the next level of thickness and run the piece of dough through again. Keep running the dough through the machine, adjusting the rollers to a thinner setting each time, until the sheet is 1/8-inch-thick; on most machines this means stopping at the 3.5 or 4 setting. Cut the sheet to lengths of about 12 inches. Then, using the linguine cutter, cut the sheet into strands. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces.
• Dust the strands with a little flour (preferably a mix of the "00" and the semolina), and gather the strands into nests by wrapping them around your hand. (At the restaurant, we portion the spaghetti into 4-ounce nests.) Dust the nests with a little more flour, place on the baking sheet, and freeze until hard. (Once the spaghetti is rock-hard, it can be transferred to a freezer bag or other airtight container and kept frozen for up to 1 month.)
• You can also layer the sheets of pasta with semolina flour and cover them with plastic wrap while you get set up to cook them.

AMATRICIANA PASTA

Steps:

• Place the guanciale in a 1-quart saucepot with 2 tablespoons of the oil and render the fat out on low heat (you don't want too much heat, or you'll scorch the guanciale), 15 to 20 minutes. When the fat is rendered out, place the guanciale on paper towels, reserve the fat and put aside.
• If your tomato sauce isn't silky smooth, put it in a blender for about a minute. Add 2 tablespoons of the guanciale fat, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the garlic to an 8-inch saute pan. Heat it over medium-high heat to infuse the oil with garlic flavor, about 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, season the pasta water with salt and add the pasta. Cook it for 80 percent of the way (if the directions say boil for 10 minutes, boil for 8 minutes, as you will finish cooking it in the sauce).
• Add the tomatoes, 1/4 cup pasta water and red pepper flakes. Remove the garlic and add a pinch of salt. Reduce for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the pasta (once it's ready) and half of the guanciale. Toss and stir for about 2 minutes (the sauce should reduce a little and the pasta should be al dente). Toss to combine and cook to bring the flavors together, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and finely grate about 1/4 cup cheese over top.
• Place the pasta onto plates. Place the remainder of the crispy guanciale on top as garnish, more cheese if necessary and a drizzle of oil. Serve immediately.

BUCATINI WITH TUNA, OLIVES, AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil in a saute pan. Add 1/2 cup of the chopped tomatoes, torn basil, a pinch of crushed red pepper, and a small handful of pitted, coarsely chopped olives to the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the tomatoes start to break down, then add the tuna, breaking it up.
• Meanwhile, cook the linguine in boiling salted water until three-quarters of the way cooked, about 10 minutes. Reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Toss the drained pasta with the olives and tomatoes.
• Add a few more pieces chopped fresh basil or parsley. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook, tossing, until the pasta is al dente. Add some of the pasta cooking liquid to moisten the pasta, if necessary. Divide the pasta among bowls and serve.

ROASTED CLAMS CASINO

Steps:

• For the clams: Add the clams to a large pot or large saute pan with a lid. Add 1/2 cup water and cover the pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and steam until the clams open, 6 to 10 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open. Reserve 1/4 cup clam juice.
• When they are cool enough to handle, remove the empty top shells of each clam and use your fingers to gently pull the clams from the bottom shell; reserve the bottom shells. Finely chop the clams and reserve.
• Cook the bacon in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until well crisp and rendered, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan (if the pan seems dry, add a touch of oil). Add the shallots, peppers, a pinch of salt and the crushed red pepper flakes and cook until soft and starting to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme to the pan and cook until the raw-garlic flavor is gone and the shallots are sweet, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add the oregano leaves to bloom, then deglaze with the wine and 1/4 cup reserved clam juice and cook until the mixture is reduced by about 80 percent, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the bacon and parsley to combine. Place the bacon mixture in a bowl over an ice bath, stir in the butter and clams and cool slightly until just warm. Taste the mixture and season with salt.
• For the breadcrumbs: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Put the panko, crushed garlic clove and a pinch of salt in dry skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring and tossing constantly till lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the panko mixture to a bowl and stir in the extra-virgin olive oil, pepper flakes and parsley with a fork. Discard the crushed garlic clove.
• Stuff each clam shell generously with about 1 tablespoon of the clam mixture and sprinkle with enough breadcrumbs to coat, pressing lightly so the breadcrumbs stick. Place the stuffed clams on a metal tray or cast-iron pan. Bake until hot and golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

PASTA ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Bring a 2-quart pot of water to a boil. Heat 4 inches of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until it reaches 300 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Line a plate with paper towels.
• Using a peeler, peel the eggplant lengthwise skipping every other stripe so the eggplant looks like a zebra pattern. Dice the eggplant into 1-inch cubes, place in a strainer and lightly sprinkle with salt. Let the water drain from the eggplant in the strainer to get rid of any bitterness, about 15 minutes. Discard the water and pat down the eggplant with paper towels.
• Blanch the eggplant in the hot oil for 7 to 8 minutes (you only want the eggplant to get soft). Take the eggplant out of the oil to the prepared plate, and then turn up the temperature to 350 degrees F.
• Once the temperature reaches 360 degrees F, shut off the heat. Then add the eggplant and turn the heat back on (this will help if the oil spills over a little bit). Deep fry the eggplant until deep golden brown in color, 2 to 3 minutes (the eggplant should look a little wrinkly and have a firm texture on the outside and be soft and silky on the inside). Place the eggplant on fresh paper towels to drain the oil and put aside.
• Add the olive oil to an 8-inch saute pan over medium-low heat. Season the pasta water with salt, place the pasta in the boiling water and cook it 75 percent of the way (about 12 minutes).
• Once the oil is warm, add the garlic and infuse the oil, about 2 minutes (the garlic should not sizzle or brown). Add the dried oregano, cook 1 more minute, and then add the tomato sauce and 1/4 cup pasta water. Reduce while the pasta finishes cooking. If it gets too dry, add more pasta water. Remove the garlic and add a pinch of salt and the torn basil.
• Transfer the pasta to the tomato sauce along with some of the pasta cooking water (1/3 to 1/2 cup). Add the fried eggplant to the pan and toss to combine. Turn off the heat and add the Parmesan; toss again. Finish with the butter and toss a final time.
• Place the pasta into plates and grate the ricotta salata with a large grater over top. Top with a basil leaf or two and serve immediately.

CREAMY POLENTA BRAMATA

Steps:

• Combine the cream, milk and salt in a heavy-bottomed stainless pot. Slowly bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring often with a heat-resistant rubber spatula so the milk/cream doesn't burn the bottom.
• Reduce the heat to medium and slowly rain in the polenta - use a wire whisk to stir the polenta to make sure there are no lumps. Switch out the whisk and stir with a wooden spoon, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting on your stove (barely simmering) and cook, covered, for 1 hour, stirring every 10 or 15 minutes so the bottom doesn't burn. If you don't have time to babysit the polenta, you can at this point transfer the mixture to a slow cooker and place the setting on the lowest temperature for 3 hours.
• If the polenta seems dry, boil 1/2 to 1 cup more milk and stir it into the polenta until it's loose and creamy. Turn off the heat and add the butter and cheese. Mix just before serving and add an extra sprinkle of cheese on the plate if desired.

PASTIERA

Steps:

• Make the crust: Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, eggs, melted butter and milk in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Lightly butter a 10-by-15-inch baking dish. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan in an even layer; set aside.
• Make the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ricotta, heavy cream, eggs and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Fold in the rice and orange zest with the rubber spatula.
• Pour the filling over the prepared crust. Bake until the edges are golden brown and set but the center is still slightly jiggly, 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes. Let cool before slicing.

ITALIAN ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the sugar in a food processor and process until it is finely ground. Divide the sugar in half. Combine one half with the flour, leavening agent and salt and place in a sifter.
• Combine the egg whites, 1/3 cup room temperature water, cream of tartar and vanilla. Place in the bowl of the standing mixer. Start on slow for 2 minutes, and then increase the speed to medium. Slowly add the remaining sugar to the egg whites and continue to mix.
• Once the egg whites are at medium peaks, remove the bowl from the mixer and sift over the flour mixture a little at a time as you fold it together. When completely combined, transfer to a 10-inch ungreased angel food cake pan. Transfer to the oven and bake for 35 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and invert while still in the pan. Let cool for at least an hour upside down.
• Insert a knife around the edges and remove from the pan. Serve.

SCOTT CONANT'S ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, eggs, melted butter and milk in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, 4 - 5 minutes.
• Lightly butter a 10-by-15-inch baking dish. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan in an even layer; set aside.
• Make the filling: Preheat the oven to 350*. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until combined, 2-3 minutes. Add the ricotta, heavy cream, eggs and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Fold in the rice and orange zest with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the filling over the prepared crust. Bake until the edges are golden brown and set but the center is still slightly jiggly, 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes.
• Let cool before slicing into squares.