Stefano D’Onghia Archives | Saveur

Ricotta-Stuffed Squash Blossoms with Fried Zucchini Coins

Stefano D’Onghia — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 19:22:17 +0000

Clay Williams. Clay Williams

Chef Stefano D’Onghia opened Botteghe Antiche on a storybook square in the town of Putignano after apprenticing at several high-end restaurants around Southern Italy. “You have to walk a careful line between respecting tradition and innovating,” he says of his constantly changing menu, which leans toward cheeky takes on Pugliese classics. This dish seems designed to foreground versatility: a single plant, torn asunder to build two very different experiences. The lightness of airy, minty ricotta nestled in delicate zucchini flowers provides a bite-by-bite counterpoint to the heartier fried zucchini coins.

Featured in “The Cuisine of Puglia Defies Definition,” by Sebastian Modak.

Yield: 4

Time: 50 minutes

2 medium zucchinis
8 zucchini flowers, with stems
¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¼ cup vegetable broth
3 scallions, ends discarded, cut into 3-in. lengths
Kosher salt
2 cups sheep’s milk ricotta
1 mint sprig, finely chopped
¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano

Instructions

Cut the zucchinis into ¼-inch coins, place on a clean kitchen towel, and leave to dry at room temperature for 24 hours.
Gently rinse the zucchini flowers. Remove the stems and coarsely chop them. (Set the flowers aside.) Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
To a medium skillet set over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the oil, the vegetable broth, and the chopped stems and cook until the stems are tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a blender, add the scallions and 2 more tablespoons of the oil, blend until smooth, and season to taste with salt.
In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta and mint and season to taste with salt. Fill the zucchini flowers evenly with the ricotta mixture and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the pecorino evenly over the flowers and bake until the flowers are light golden brown, about 8 minutes.
To a medium skillet set over medium-high heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. When it is hot, working in batches, add the zucchini coins and cook, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per batch.
To serve, dollop the zucchini-stem cream evenly onto four plates, using the back of a spoon to spread slightly. Divide the zucchini flowers and coins among the plates and serve warm.

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Orecchiette with Octopus Ragù and Chickpea Purée

Stefano D’Onghia — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 19:22:07 +0000

Clay Williams. Clay Williams

At Botteghe Antiche, Chef Stefano D’Onghia makes orecchiette with grano arso flour. Literally translating to “burnt grain,” grano arso is thought to refer to what was left behind after the stubble of harvested wheat fields had been burnt off, often gathered by poor farmers before the next crop was planted. Store-bought pasta will suffice, and you can find dried grano arso orecchiette in specialty Italian food shops. D’Onghia pairs the pasta with indulgent chunks of octopus instead of the traditional broccoli rabe.

Featured in “The Cuisine of Puglia Defies Definition,” by Sebastian Modak.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the chickpea purée:

2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water for 24 hours, then drained
1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
1 medium celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt

For the octopus ragù:

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 medium celery stalk, finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
10 oz. octopus tentacles, cut into 1⁄2-in. pieces
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 cup fish stock

For the pasta:

Kosher salt
1 lb. uncooked orecchiette, preferably grano arso

Instructions

Make the chickpea purée: To a medium pot, add the chickpeas, carrot, celery, and onion and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Turn the heat to high to bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer until the chickpeas are very soft, about 2 hours.
Meanwhile, make the octopus ragù: To a large pot over medium heat, add the oil, carrot, celery, and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the octopus, tomatoes, and fish stock, turn the heat to simmer, cover, and cook until the octopus is tender, about 1 hour.
Transfer the chickpeas along with their cooking liquid to a food processor. Add the oil and pulse until smooth. Season to taste with salt.
Make the pasta: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the orecchiette, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 8–10 minutes. Strain the pasta, then transfer to the pot of ragù. Stir to coat and remove from the heat.
Divide the chickpea purée evenly among 4–6 pasta bowls, top with the orecchiette, and serve warm.

The post Orecchiette with Octopus Ragù and Chickpea Purée appeared first on Saveur.