An adventure in Italian cuisine

The first stop on her U.S. book tour will be Hamilton’s Grill Room in Lambertville on Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m.

By: Pat Tanner

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Join Faith Heller Willinger in Lambertville for ‘Adventures of an Italian Food Lover.’


   "Adventures of an Italian Food Lover" — and really, aren’t we all? — is the perfect title for the cookbook just out from Faith Heller Willinger, the American chef, cooking teacher and author of Italian cookbooks and culinary travel guides who has resided in Florence, Italy, for more than 30 years.
   The first stop on her U.S. book tour will be Hamilton’s Grill Room in Lambertville on Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m.
   Ms. Willinger’s "Eating in Italy" was my bible on my first trip to Tuscany and Piemonte, and her cookbook "Red, White, and Greens" is the go-to resource for my colleague Faith Bahadurian.
   Ms. Willinger’s new work, subtitled "With Recipes from 254 of My Very Best Friends," comprises not only recipes from the interesting and accomplished friends she has accumulated — many of whom are chefs, restaurateurs, winemakers, shopkeepers and innkeepers — but personal descriptions of them and their establishments, which makes this book as much insider travel guide as cookbook. She incorporates complete contact information, including Web sites, and provides tips such as this, in describing her friend Peter Dipoli’s winery in Alto Adige: "Tell him you’re a friend, and he’ll help with accommodations."
   I was delighted to encounter a recipe from an Italian acquaintance of my own in the book. In 2004, for a broadcast of the radio show I then hosted, I interviewed Paola and Armando di Mauro, live, from their winery, Colle Picchioni, in the hills outside Rome. Paola is a renowned cook, and I look forward to trying her Potato and Pasta Soup soon.
   
All recipes below are from "Adventures of an Italian Food Lover" by Faith Heller Willinger (Clarkson Potter, $32.50). Hamilton’s Grill Room is located at 8 Coryell St., Lambertville. Complimentary Italian wines and nibbles will be served. For more information, call (609) 397-4343.
SMOKED MOZZARELLA CUTLETS
   3 eggs
   1½ to 2 cups dried breadcrumbs
   ½ pound smoked mozzarella, sliced 1/2-inch thick
   1½ cups extra virgin olive oil
   Beat the eggs with 2 tablespoons water until well combined on a plate. Put the breadcrumbs on a flat dinner plate. Dip the mozzarella into the beaten egg, letting the excess egg drip off. Dredge each side in the breadcrumbs, and then shake to remove excess. Then re-dip slices into the egg, coating both sides, letting the excess drip off. Then dredge in breadcrumbs again, pressing on both sides so that the cheese is enclosed in an even layer of breading, which will seal in the cheese when it’s fried. Chill, covered with a paper towel or cloth, for at least 30 minutes.
   Heat the olive oil in an 8-inch saucepan until hot (365 degrees for those who measure). Fry two slices at a time until the breadcrumbs are brown. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.
   Serves 2.
LEEK AND SAUSAGE ORZOTTO
(Barley Risotto)
   1 cup pearl barley
   4 leeks
   Sea salt
   6 to 8 ounces fresh sausage, casing removed
   ¼ cup unsalted butter (or extra virgin olive oil, if preferred)
   2 tablespoons dry white wine
   ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
   2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
   Freshly ground black pepper
   In a bowl, cover the barley with about 4 cups of cold water and soak for 3 to 6 hours. Drain in a colander.
   Clean the leeks, saving the tough ends and outer leaves for the vegetable stock. Chop the tender parts of the leeks. Combine the leek trimmings with 8 cups water and 2 tablespoons sea salt, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
   Sauté the sausage in a nonstick skillet, breaking it up, until it loses its pink color and renders its fat. Drain the fat and reserve the sausage.
   In a 5-quart saucepan, sauté the chopped leeks with 2 tablespoons butter or oil over low heat until wilted. Add the white wine, raise the heat to evaporate the wine, then add the barley and 2 cups simmering broth. Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until thickened and most broth has been absorbed. Add more simmering broth, 1 cup at a time, until the broth is absorbed.
   When barley is almost done, in around 10 minutes, add the drained sausage and begin adding broth ½ cup at a time. Cook until the barley is tender, probably an additional 10 minutes. You may not need all the broth. Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter (or oil), the parsley, and pepper until well mixed, and remove from heat.
   Barley should be slightly soupy, a consistency that will slip across a plate. Let the orzotto stand for 5 minutes before serving.
   Serves 4 to 6.
   
LUCIA’S WALNUT CAKE
   Author’s note: … when I asked Lucia for the recipe, I discovered it was like no other cake recipe I’ve ever encountered: no flour, no fat, only three ingredients, and a pinch of salt … Superior walnuts are imperative for this recipe, so substitute pecans, hazelnuts, or almonds if their quality is better."
   Oil for greasing the pan
   6 egg whites, at room temperature
   1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
   Pinch of sea salt
   2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. (Do not use a convection oven.) Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Lightly oil the paper and sides of the pan.
   Combine 3 egg whites and 1/3 cup sugar in a heavy saucepan and stir over low heat with a wooden spoon until the mixture looks like white slush — like melting marshmallows. This may take 10 minutes or more.
   Beat the remaining 3 egg whites with a pinch of salt in a large bowl until stiff. Combine the cooked egg whites with the chopped walnuts. Stir some of the beaten egg whites into the walnut mixture and fold the remaining whites in carefully. Transfer the batter to the pan, sprinkle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out dry.
   Serves 6 to 8.