Today, to conclude this year’s “ingredient and recipe of the month” series of blog articles, we propose you a recipe for preparing an authentic Panettone alla Milanese (Milan-style panettone). We found the recipe browsing the Academia Barilla Gastronomic Library, from the Italian cookbook “Il panettone milanese” (publisher: La Spiga). Since one panettone is never enough, we give you a recipe to bake three panettone cakes!

One note before going to the kitchen: it is important to understand that the preparation of Panettone requires a great deal of time and effort, as is the case for recipes made with sourdough bread. Don’t be discouraged if your home-made Panettone does not look as beautiful as the ones you can buy in the supermarket, because yours will surely be genuine and comparable to the original recipe.

PANETTONE ALLA MILANESE
A classic Italian Christmas recipe
(for 3 panettone cakes)

INGREDIENTS

- all-purpose flour, 2.8 pound
- butter, 14.1 oz.
- sugar, 10.5 oz.
- sourdough bread, 8.8 oz.
- sultana raisins, 7.05 oz.
- candied orange, 1.7 oz.
- candied cedar, 1.07 oz.
- eggs, 15
- salt, to taste

PREPARATION

To begin, wrap the sourdough bread in a towel lightly dusted with flour and set it aside in a warm place for at least 2 hours, allowing the dough to rise to twice its original volume.

Crumble the sourdough and dissolve it in a small amount of tepid water.

Pour 5.2 oz of flour onto a pastry board. Make a well with the flour and add the dissolved sourdough in the middle. Slowing begin mixing the ingredients together, kneading the dough by hand.

Work the dough into a ball, and place in a lightly sprinkled mixing bowl. Let it stand for approximately 3 hours.

In order to obtain perfectly leavened dough, heat the oven to 302 F, switch it off, and place the mixing bowl with the dough on the opened door. Once the dough has fully risen, place the dough on a pastry board and gradually mix in 4.5 oz of flour and some warm water, kneading the dough by hand until smooth. Allow the ball of dough to stand for approximately 2 hours, until it doubles in volume.

In the meantime, cut the candied cedar and orange pieces into small cubes and soak the sultana raisins in warm water.

In a saucepan, add the sugar in an inch of water. Heat and stir until completely dissolved. Once the syrup is lukewarm, remove from direct heat and place the saucepan on warm water bath (Bain-Marie).

Add 3 eggs and 12 yolks, and lightly cook the mixture. In a separate saucepan, melt 10.5 oz of butter on low heat, making sure that the butter does not burn.

Mix 2.2 pounds of flour with 2 tablespoons of salt and place on a pastry board, making a well in the middle. Gradually incorporate the leavened dough, the melted butter, and the sugar and egg mixture.

Knead the dough by hand for 20 minutes, until the dough is tough enough that it can be beat onto the board. This procedure ensures smooth, elastic and homogeneous dough. 

Drain the raising and dry in a clean kitchen towel. Add the candied cedar and orange bits, as well as the raisins, into the dough, kneading the dough for 2-3 minutes until well combined.

Divide the dough into 3 equal parts, rolling each third into a ball. Place the ball of Panettone onto a piece of parchment paper, buttered and dusted with flour.

Using a strip of thin cardboard, surround each Panettone with the parchment paper, creating a mould. Let the Panettone leaven in a warm place for at least 6 hours, until it has doubled in volume. After 6 hours, let the Panettone rest in a cool place for 10 minutes.

Place the Panettone on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper, and score the top of the dough with a cross.

Cook at 390 F for 5 minutes, then place the remaining butter slices on the score lines. Leave in the oven for 1 hour - 1 1/4 hour, slowly diminishing the temperature as the Panettoni begin to darken.

Enjoy your panettone! Merry Christmas from Academia Barilla and Italian Food Lovers!!!

The recipe is included in Tony and Cathy Mantuano’s cookbook “The Spiaggia Cookbook – Eleganza Italiana in Cucina“, which is available online at Amazon and Barnes&Noble. Chef Mantuano customized this recipe for us adding a few gourmet products from the Academia Barilla Italian food specialty collection, as you can see from the ingredients’ list below.

As described by Chef Mantuano in the Spiaggia cookbook:

This dish may well become a family favorite, especially at Thanksgiving, when pumpkins are in season. The filling has a sweet-and-savory flavor that pairs well with turkey, goose, or duck. Whenever we serve this dish to customers and friends who have never tried it, the raves are loud and clear. This stuffed pasta yields hearty portions, and we suggest serving it with a robust red wine.

CAPPELLACCI DI ZUCCA CON SALVIA – PASTA HATS WITH PUMPKIN AND SAGE
A recipe by Chef Tony Mantuano
(serves 6 to 8)

INGREDIENTS

- 1 pie pumpkin, about 2 pounds (about 2 cups purée after roasting)
- 1/3 cup mostarda, coarsely chopped (see notes)
- 1 1/4 cups dried bread crumbs
- 1 1/4 cups grated Academia Barilla Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 cup amaretti cookies, finely ground
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Academia Barilla Natural Sicilian Sea Salt with Orange Zest and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- basic pasta dough (you can also use premade pasta sheets from your local grocery store)
- 2 cups unsalted butter
- 16 fresh sage leaves
- more grated Academia Barilla Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. To make the filling: Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds.

Arrange, cut sides down, on an aluminum foil-lined or nonstick baking sheet roast until very tender, 20 to 30 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and place in a blender or food processor. Add the mostarda and process to a purée.

Transfer to a bowl and add the bread crumbs, cheese, cookie crumbs, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Roll out the pasta dough into thin sheets. Working with one sheet at a time, cut the pasta into 3-inch squares. Place each square on a lightly floured board or cloth and let dry 5 minutes.

To fill, place a dough square in front of you on the diagonal, so you are facing a diamond shape. Place a teaspoon of filling in the middle of the diamond. Lightly spray the pasta with water and bring the bottom point of the diamond to the top point.

Press the pasta together to form a triangle, working out from the filling. Trim the 2 unfolded sides of the pasta triangle with a crimped pastry wheel, and then fold the side points of the pasta forward and press to join them together in a “bishop’s hat” shape. Repeat with the remaining dough and filing.

Stand the finished cappellacci to dry for about 5 minutes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and dusted with flour.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat; do not let the butter brown. Stir in the sage leaves. Set aside and keep warm over very low heat.

Add the cappellacci to the boiling water and cook until al dente (tender but firm to the bite), 3 to 5 minutes after they rise to the top.

Remove with a slotted spoon and carefully transfer to the warm butter and sage sauce. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the pasta to marry with the sauce and absorb some of it.

To serve, divide the cappellacci among 8 warmed plates and top with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve immediately.

CHEF TIPS

Mostarda is a candied fruit, such as pears, apricots, and cherries, mixed with white mustard and sugar syrup. More sweet than piquant, mostarda adds dimension to the pumpkin filling. It is also used with boiled meats and in confections. You can find mostarda in Italian specialty stores or online.

The cappellacci can be assembled in advance and frozen. Arrange them, not touching, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and dusted with flour. Freeze until hard, about 20 minutes. Transfer to zippered plastic bag and freeze for up to 1 month.

Thank you Chef Mantuano for your delicious recipe and for the precious Chef tips. We know Chef Tony Mantuano is getting a Christmas recipe ready to be served to our Italian food lovers next month, and we look forward to it!

Don’t forget to stay with us all week for daily gourmet Thanksgiving recipes from our Chef Network!

The cookbook is written by Chef James McNair for San Francisco’s Chronicle Books and the images in this post, as in the previous post, are by photographer Patricia Brabant.

Today’s recipe is Chicken Scaloppine with Lemon and Capers Sauce, a poultry variation on a traditional Italian veal preparation.

Ready? Let’s cook it!

CHICKEN SCALOPPINE WITH LEMON AND CAPERS SAUCE
A recipe by Chef James McNair
(serves 4-6)

INGREDIENTS

- 6 boned and skinned chicken breast halves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 to 2 teaspoons drained capers
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- thin lemon slices for gamish
- parsley leaflets, preferably flat-leaf Italian type, for gamish

PREPARATION

Discard the tendons and any connecting tissue or fat from the chicken breasts; separate the little fillet and use it for another purpose or leave it attached and tuck it under the larger muscle. Leave small breasts whole; slice thicker ones in half horizontally.

Place breast pieces between 2 sheets of waxed paper and pound with a mallet or other flat instrument to a uniform thickness of about 1/8 inch. Set aside.

Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken scallops and sauté, turning once, until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes total cooking time. Remove chicken to a warm platter, season to taste with salt and pepper, and reserve.

Add the lemon juice and capers to the pan and heat, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and stir until melted. Stir in the minced parsley and pour the sauce over the scallops.

Garnish with lemon slices and parsley leaflets.

Thank you again BIGAB, and of course thank you also to celebrity Chef James McNair for this gourmet recipe.

The recipe is taken by the cookbook “Chicken” by celebrity Chef and cookbook writer James McNair, published by San Francisco publisher Chronicle Books.

The pictures in this blog post are taken from the same book, and are by photographer Patricia Brabant.

Ready? Let’s go to the kitchen!

CHICKEN BREAST STUFFED WITH HERBS AND CHEESE
A recipe by Chef James McNair
(serves 4 to 6)

INGREDIENTS

- 8 boned and skinned chicken breast halves
- 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, preferably flat-leaf Italian type
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried oregano, finely crumbled
- 1-1/2 tablespoons minced fresh marjoram, or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram, finely crumbled
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
- 1/4 pound Fontina or Bel Paese cheese
- flour for dredging
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup unseasoned fine dry bread crumbs, preferably made from Italian or French bread
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 cup dry white wine

PREPARATION

Discard the tendons and any connecting tissue or fat from the chicken breasts; tuck the little fillet under the larger muscle.

Place breasts between 2 sheets of waxed paper and pound with a mallet or other flat instrument to a uniform thickness of about 1/8 inch. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve.

Place butter in a food processor or blender and whip until light and fluffy. Add parsley, oregano, marjoram, and nutmeg and blend well. Reserve.

Cut the cheese lengthwise into 8 equal-sized pieces and place 1 piece crosswide on each reserved chicken piece. Equally distribute about half of the reserved herb butter among the chicken pieces, spreading it over the cheese.

Roll the breasts tightly around the cheese. Place the flour, eggs, and crumbs in 3 separate bowls. Dredge the chicken rolls lightly in flour, then dip into beaten e6gs, and finally roll in the bread crumbs.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Pour vegetable oil to a depth of 1/8 inch in a heavy skillet, heat over medium heat, add the chicken rolls, and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken rolls, seam side down, to a flat, ovenproof baking dish.

Melt the remaining herbed butter in a small saucepan, stir in the wine, and pour the mixture over the chicken. Bake, basting occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown and tender, about 15 minutes. Spoon pan drippings over chicken before serving.

Thank you to the BIGAB team, our colleagues from the Academia Barilla Gastronomic Library, for providing us with this traditional Bologna gourmet recipe. We actually got two chicken recipes from BIGAB, and we will publish the second one soon this week, so stay tuned!

After touring the entire United States with a number of book signing events at several book stores and gourmet stores across the country, Giada De Laurentiis will be available this week in California to sign copies of her new cookbook at two Williams-Sonoma stores in Costa Mesa and San Francisco - save the dates and locations if you live in California!

October 15 - 1pm-3pm
Williams Sonoma - Costa Mesa, CA
South Coast Plaza
, 3333 South Bristol Street

Costa Mesa, CA 92626 

(714) 751-1166

October 20 12pm-2pm
Williams Sonoma - San Francisco, CA
Union Square, 340 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 362-9450

While signing her new cookbook at the California William Sonoma shops, Giada De Laurentiis will also be promoting her new Giada De Laurentiis Selected by Academia Barilla Italian gourmet product line.

Giada’s Italian food specialties are also all available at the Academia Barilla online shop: just follow the next links to purchase the products: Giada’s Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, Giada’s 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Giada’s Tuscan Herb Mix, and Giada’s Natural Sea Salt with Lemon Zest.