The Cafe Cook Book: Italian Recipes from London's River Cafe

Book by Rogers Ruth

Peperoni al forno con pomodoro e acciughe (Baked peppers with tomatoes and anchovies)

For 6

3 red and 3 yellow peppers
5 tablespoons olive oil
36 cherry tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into slivers
24 salted anchovy fillets, prepared (see page 346)
1 bunch fresh basil or marjoram
1/2 cup salted capers, prepared (see page 346)
coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Halve each pepper lengthways and remove the core and seeds. Place the peppers in a lightly oiled baking dish, cut side up. Into each half pepper put 3 tomatoes, 2 slivers of garlic, 2 anchovy fillets, a few basil or marjoram leaves, and 3-4 capers. Lightly drizzle the peppers with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Pour about 1 1/3 cups water into the base of the baking dish to prevent the peppers from sticking. Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven. Remove the foil, and reduce the oven temperature to 250-300 degress F, and bake for a further 40 minutes or until the peppers are soft.
Prosciutto con radicchio e aceto balsamico (Prosciutto and radicchio with balsamic vinegar)

For 6

24 slices prosciutto
3 heads radicchio
10-14-ounce piece Parmesan
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup aged balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

Remove and discard the outer leaves from the radicchio. Cut each head in half, then, using a large, sharp, and wide-bladed knife, shave into the finest possible shreds. Wash these shreds, then spin dry.

Using a vegetable peeler, or a small sharp knife, shave the Parmesan into slivers.

Mix the olive oil with the balsamic vinegar and mustard, and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Toss the radicchio shreds with the balsamic dressing.

Arrange the slices of prosciutto over each plate and cover with 2-3 tablespoons of the radicchio. Sprinkle with the Parmesan shavings. Drizzle a little extra virgin oil over each plate. Serve immediately.
Penne con zucchini e ricotta (Penne with zucchini and ricotta)

For 6 as a starter

2 pounds small young zucchini
coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 pound penne
12 ounces ricotta cheese
1 bunch fresh basil, shredded
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Trim the zucchini, then blanch whole in boiling salted water for about 2 minutes. Drain, cool, and slice at an angle, about 1/2 inch thick.

In a large heavy saucepan heat the olive oil and cook the garlic until very soft but not brown. Add the zucchini slices and toss over a low heat for 4-5 minutes.

Cook the penne in plenty of boiling salted water, then drain well. Add to the zucchini, then crumble in the ricotta. Season, toss together, and add the basil and Parmesan.
Faraona con latte e maggiorana (Guinea fowl pan-roasted with milk and marjoram)

For 6

3 guinea fowl or small free-range chickens
1 bunch fresh marjoram
5 garlic cloves, peeled
coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup vermouth
1 quart milk
peel of 2 lemons

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Chop half the marjoram and 2 of the garlic cloves finely. Add the rest of the marjoram leaves, and season with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to hold it together.

With your hand gently separate the skin of the guinea fowl from the meat, and push a generous amount of herbs into the pocket between skin and meat of the breasts and legs. Put the rest of the garlic inside the birds. Place in a roasting pan.

Roast the guinea fowl in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then add the vermouth to the dish, lower the heat to 340 degrees F, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the milk and lemon peel, and cook for another 30 minutes.

Remove the guinea fowl from the oven and dish, and place on a heated plate. Put the roasting pan over a medium heat and bring to a gentle boil, scraping the juices. Let the liquid boil until you have a dark sauce. Pour over the guinea fowl and serve.
Costate di maiale marinate alla griglia (Grilled marinated pork chops)

For 6

Make sure the chops are cut from the center loin which includes the fillet.

6 pork chops, about 1 inch thick, fat removed
4 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons black peppercorns, coarsely ground
6 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked from the stalks, roughly chopped
juice of 3 lemons
6 tablespoons olive oil
6 lemon wedges

Place each chop on a piece of plastic wrap at least 10 inches square, and cover with a second piece of plastic wrap. Using a wooden mallet, gently beat the chops to flatten them out until doubled in size. This takes time and patience. The beaten chops should be about 1/2 inch thick. Place in a container large enough to hold them in one layer.

In a mortar, roughly pound the garlic with the salt, pepper, and rosemary. Add the lemon juice and olive oil to liquefy the mixture. Spread this marinade over both sides of each chop, and leave in a cool place, covered, for about 1/2 hour.

Preheat the grill, and grill each chop for 5-6 minutes on each side. Serve with lemon.
Torta di mandorle, limone e ricotta (Almond, lemon, and ricotta cake)

Makes 10-12 servings

1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) sliced, blanched almonds
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (3 lemons)
3 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (7 lemons)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
6 large organic eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) fresh ricotta cheese

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter a 10-inch springform round cake pan, and line with waxed paper.

Coarsely chop the almonds in a food processor. Combine with the flour and lemon zest. Beat the butter and sugar together in a mixer until pale and light. Add the egg yolks one by one, then add the almond mixture.

Put the ricotta in a bowl and lightly beat with a fork. Add the lemon juice. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Fold the egg whites into the almond mixture and finally stir in the ricotta.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes until lightly browned. Test by inserting a skewer in the center, which should come out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Carefully invert onto a plate, remove waxed paper. Turn right side up, and cool on a cake rack.