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18th century: also Swiss people ate pasta with cream sauce! |
The Mozart Pasta Series No. 5 1. Timballo of Fettucce in the Swiss Manner (1790) with 2 derived Trick Recipes |
The famous recipes from the 18th century most famous kitchens of the Italian aristocracy of Rome and Naples and other cities, at whose salons Mozart & Leopold often spent their time in 1770s. |
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DIFFICULTY: Italian Fettucce in Swiss Timballo!!! |
1. TIMBALLO OF FETTUCCE IN THE SWISS MANNER (1790) The Fettucce are a special long type of Pasta, similar or identical to Tagliatelle. The difference between the two types may be that the Tagliatelle are usually Pasta all'Uovo (Pasta made with Eggs: typically 1 fresh entire egg for each 100gr of flour or semola di grano duro [durum wheat flour]). Fettucce are usually simply made with durum wheat flour and water (without eggs) and then dried, and sold dried. The typical dimension of Fettucce are: L 260mm, W 5.8 mm, T 1.3 mm. INGREDIENTS: Fettucce (500gr; of semola di grano duro, i.e. durum wheat flour; serving 5 persons) black truffle (100gr; cut finely chopped) St. George mushrooms or Portobello mushrooms (15gr.) ham (cut into little cubes or julienne or just shredded; consistency depends on the flavour and your own taste) ham (thin slices to cover the entire casserole) butter (ca 120gr; fresh, unsalted) cream (250ml/350ml; Italian type da cucina, i.e. for cooking = with fat 20-25%) salt (2 tablespoons for 500gr of pasta) pepper (crushed) salt (a pinch) gravy (some gravy to your taste; of pork or beef) real Parmigiano Reggiano (or real Grana Padano abundantly grated ca 400gr; remember that this type of cheese, in part, increases the taste of salt; so be careful and properly adjust salt to your taste) 6 egg yolks (fresh; the yolks beaten, with some cream) FOR GRATINATURA bread slices (better from the softest part of the bread) bread crumbles (better from the softest part of the bread) METHOD: 1. Fill a deep pot with water. When the water starts boiling, pour the 2 tablespoons of salt into the boiling water and some oil, so that the Fettucce will remain easy to stir afterwards. 2. Immediately pour the 500gr of pasta into the salted boiling water, maintaining the flame very vivid for ca. 8-10 minutes, until the pasta is al dente... Otherwise, if you lower the flame, you may get a wrong too soft consistency, almost mashy, as if overcooked. You recognize al dente pasta consistency (i.e. you understand the consistency with your teeth in your mouth), when the exterior part of pasta is sufficiently soft, but the thin interior part is still hard. Usually, each different type of pasta has a different cooking time: always check on the package of the pasta you have purchased. Fettucce (dried) typical cooking time: 10 minutes. 3. Now prepare the sauce. Put, into a large pan, the truffles, the mushrooms and the ham all chopped (or the ham can be also diced or in oblong pieces) with 100gr of butter and some gravy sauce (of pork or beef, to your taste). Sautée them for 15 minutes. 4. MANTECATURA. Remove the Fettucce al dente from the deep pot, by draining, and pour them into the large pan with the mushrooms and the pieces of ham. Then sautée the pasta with 250ml/270ml of cream, a pinch of salt, crushed pepper, and ca. 400gr Parmigiano. Stir the pasta and the sauce well (i.e. mantecatura; mixing a sauce or ingredients for a creamy and full-bodied consistency). Let it cool down. 5. When the pasta mantecata is cold, add the 6 egg yolks beaten with the remnant of the cream. Stir very well. 6. Now prepare the casserole. Grease the casserole with butter. Then add some thin slices of bread over the butter to cover the whole casserole. Now create another layer of slices of ham, to cover the thin bread slices. 7. You can pour the pasta mantecata into the casserole. With a knife or a tablespoon, press the surface of the Fettucce so that it appears flat and regular. Now distribute bread crumbles all onto the Fettucce, so to cover the whole surface. 8a. GRATINATURA Now the casserole of Fettucce is ready for the Oven. 8b. The original 18thc recipe method of cooking in the oven is: a mild oven (ca. 190° C) until the bread crumbs are golden. 8c. In general, the Pasta Gratinatura Rules require: a-the pasta is ready when the superficial level with the bread crumbles has a golden colour; b-pay attention that under the surface the sauce must remain creamy, thick, and viscous, and never dry. 8d. When the Timballo (Timbale) is ready, let it cool down for a while. It must not be served too hot. 8e. Then carefully turn the Timbale upside down on a serving plate. _________________________ 2 TRICK RECIPES FROM THIS RECIPE In the 18th century Gratinatura passage was practically always required for noble and rich families. But it could be omitted and the Fettucce could be served directly after the Mantecatura. 1st TRICK RECIPE: ONLY MANTECATURA During the Mantecatura almost double the quantity of cream (ca500ml), stir all on the fire and immediately serve hot with some grated Parmigiano on the top (do not add the 400gr of Parmigiano). This type of serving existed in the 18th century and became very common in the 19th and 20th century, and is still very common today. 2nd TRICK RECIPE: EARLY CARBONARA During the Mantecatura use only 250ml/270ml of cream, stir all on the fire. Then do not let it cool down, but add the 400gr of grated Parmigiano Reggiano and the 6 well-beaten yolks with the remnant of the cream and well stir on mild fire. With this 18th-century technique, you get an early version of the famous modern dish Carbonara (probably invented or introduced by the Italian cook Renato Gualandi in 1944, by reusing various Italian cooking techniques, like that for the Umbria Strascinati, a dish made popular in Italy in 1931). |
TIMBALLO DI FITTUCCIE ALLA SVIZZERA Passate sopra il fuoco in una Cazzarola grande con un grosso pezzo di butirro tre oncie di tartufi in fette, e mezz’oncia di prugnoli secchi bene ammollati e capati indi qualche fettina di prosciutto, bagnate con un poco di Culì; fate bollire dolcemente un quarto d’ora; metteteci poscia quella quantità di fittuccie che credete a proposito cotte con acqua e sale. Vedetele all'Articolo delle Terrine pag. 240, mescolate sopra il fuoco, aggiungeteci più di mezza foglietta di fiore di latte, poco sale, pepe schiacciato, mescolate ancora, condite con circa una libbra di parmigiano grattato, seguitate a mescolare fuori del fuoco; lasciate raffreddare; quindi legate con cinque, o sei rossi d'uova, stemperati con un poco di fiore di latte, mescolate acciò l'uova s’incorporino colla composizione. Abbiate una cazzarola imbutirrata bene, e spolverizzata di mollica di pane grattato, guarnitela sì nel fondo, che all'intorno di striscie di mollica di pane tagliate assai fine, e striscie di fettine di prosciutto aggiustate con molta simetria; poneteci dentro le fittuccie, che la cazzarola sia piena, spolverizzate sopra con mollica di pane, fate predere un bel color d'oro ad un forno temperato, indi rivoltate sopra il piatto, e servite subito senza Salsa. |