Trattoria Dishes
Hearty Minestrone Soup
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Chicken alla Diavola
Salvatore Denaro's pollo alla diavola ("devil's-style chicken") is intensely seasoned. Two days prior to cooking, Denaro infuses white wine vinegar with a big bunch of dried Sicilian oregano for a marinade. Then he seasons the marinated chicken with an exotic herb mixture, or condimento, that includes Turkish bay laurel ("the only kind to use," Denaro says) and myrtle leaves. Feel free to experiment with a variety of herbs for the condimento. Pollo alla diavola is traditionally grilled over wood embers, but the chicken may also be grilled over a charcoal or gas fire, or broiled in an oven.
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Penne Arrabbiata with Flaked Cod
Arrabbiata means angry and is often used to describe a spicy tomato sauce. Cook the cod directly in the sauce and then break it into flakes. If you prefer, you can use another fish with large flakes, such as orange roughy or haddock, instead of the cod.
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Meyer Lemon Risotto with Basil
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Spicy Chicken Cacciatore
Although this Italian standard has suffered at the hands of lesser chefs, Barbara Lynch redeems it. She ably deconstructs what is often a heavy sauce into its vivid components: bright red strips of bell pepper, sweet slices of onion, hot pickled peppers and fresh chopped tomatoes.
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Pork Loin Roast with Herbs and Garlic
Taylor Boetticher, founder of the Napa charcuterie company Fatted Calf, roasts this bone-in pork loin the best way possible: by cutting the loin off the rib bones (which any butcher should be able to do), rubbing the meat with a bright mix of fresh herbs and garlic, then tying the bones back on. The ribs themselves help to keep the meat moist in the oven. They also become especially crisp and succulent; pass them alongside the roast for guests to eat with their hands.
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Milanese Risotto
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Swordfish Sicilian-Style
From cookbook genius Marcella Hazan, a little herb-infused dressing transforms just-grilled swordfish steaks.