• Index;
• Polenta/Rabbit Stew
• gnocchi
• ravioli filling

Polenta w/Rabbit Stew

One of the best things about the Scalcini family was the FOOD. One of those favorites was polenta with rabbit stew and red gravy. (Yes, Italians call it gravy not sauce and it starts with a beef stock base and not marinara sauce.) Nonno however liked his polenta best plain out of the pot and then he would slice it and put a thick slab of Sonoma Jack cheese between the slices and it would melt and get all gooey good. I liked it when there would be some left over for morning and Nonni would slice it and fry it in browned butter and serve it all smothered in REAL (Log Cabin) maple syrup.

Polenta and Rabbit Stew with Red Gravy Recipe:


POLENTA (Cooked the traditional way)
1 lb. yellow polenta, coarsely ground 
2 qts. water ; 1/4 oz. salt 
8 oz. fresh butter
Bring the proper quantity of water to a boil, adequately salted, then lower the heat and add the coarsely ground cornmeal, little by little, stirring constantly. Do not pour directly from the container, but use your hands, pouring a handful at time. After adding all the cornmeal, turn up the heat and cook for 40-50 mins. stirring constantly. While cooking, the heat should be high enough to cause bubbles to rise and burst on the surface. While stirring, pull the cornmeal off the sides of the pot and from the bottom up. After it has cooked for half an hour, add the butter, cut into small pieces. When ready, the polenta should come off a wooden spoon ( tarello ) and the sides of the pot. Leave to stand for several minutes, and then turn it on a wooden board, cut with a wooden knife and serve

RABBIT STEW WITH RED GRAVY Finely chop onions, celery, carrots and garlic and saute in olive oil until limp. Add half a can of Tomato Paste and caramelize (paste should be slightly browned. Add 1-2 cups of crushed fresh tomatoes (roma are the best) If you don’t have fresh tomatoes one large can of crushed tomatoes will do. Add to pot and sauté several minutes. Add some oregano and a small amount of rosemary. Cook several minutes then add 1 1/2 cups hearty red wine. Simmer for five minutes. Add 2 cups of beef stock. Simmer for 3 hours and then add the cut up rabbit and cook until tender (About 20 minutes) If you do not have rabbit you can make the gravy with shredded pot roast. If you use pot roast add with the beef stock and simmer 3 hours. (This red gravy recipe can be used on any type of pasta.)

• NOTE If you want to serve the polenta without gravy stir in 1-2 cups of shredded cheese at the end of the cooking process and let stand 5 minutes before turning out. Jack or Fontina cheese work very well. For a real creamy texture use mascarpone cheese.

Another favorite, especially on Friday’s, was Nonni’s gnocchi’s. She made the simple peasant style flour gnocchi’s covered in garlic butter and plenty of cheese. Below is the traditional potato gnocchi recipe and Nonni’s simple version.

Gnocchi Recipe

Potato Gnocchi (Basic Recipe) 1 lb. baking potatoes ; white flour, salt  Wash 1 lb. baking potatoes  and cook in lightly salted water (without peeling). When ready, drain, peel and mash them through a potato ricer, and place on a pastry board or marble surface. Add a small amount of salt and as much white flour as necessary to make the dough soft enough not to stick to your fingers.  You don‘t have to knead the dough too much, just long enough blend all the ingredients. Cut a piece of the dough and, coating your hands with flour, roll the dough into a long cylinder about the thickness of your index finger.  Then cut the cylinder into pieces about l-in. long. Shape into shells  Repeat until all the dough is used, trying to handle the dumplings as little as possible.  Finally, place the gnocchi on a flat surface sprinkled with flour without overcrowding.  (Nonni usually used the peasant recipe: Flour gnocchi: Flour water salt and a little olive oil.) Drop the dumpling gently into a large pot of boiling water. (Don’t overcrowd) boil until dumplings rise to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a colander to drain.

Slice 10 gloves of garlic (or more) and brown in butter until crisp and butter has taken on a nutty brown color. Plate the gnocchi and pour on  the garlic butter and gently toss. Top with an ample amount of grated parmesan cheese.

Ravioli filling

One of the best things about family gatherings were Nonni’s home made raviolis which she made on large boards and let dry in the back bedroom.

Nonni’s raviolis drying in the back bedroom

Ravioli filling recipe: 2 lbs hamburger ….3 cups chopped spinach…1 medium/large onion…3 large egg…1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese