This is a two-for-one special: two of my most classic dishes in one meal. And they cook together beautifully. The Caesar salad is a family recipe that is a twist on the original. The pasta–known as, “telephone wires” in my house for obvious reasons–is super simple and very kid-friendly. The connecting link between the two is an easy ingredient: extra virgin olive oil that’s been infused with fresh garlic that flavors everything. This meal offers something for everyone and will leave them begging for more…
Caesar Salad with Fresh Croutons & Parmesan Fricos
To begin, make the Garlic Infused Oil: remove the root end from 6 to 7 cloves of garlic. Using the side of a chef’s knife, smash the cloves and remove the paper skin. Place in a glass measuring cup and add 1 cup of good quality extra virgin olive oil. Let stand for several hours at room temperature so that the oil becomes flavored by the garlic.
For the Salad, chop either one large Romaine head or two Romaine hearts into bite size pieces. Rinse the lettuce and dry well in a salad spinner. Place in the refrigerator to crisp.
To make Parmesan Fricos: preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grate 1 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano on the larger holes of a box grater, and mix with 1 tablespoon flour and some freshly ground black pepper. Line a baking sheet with wax paper or a silpat liner and lay out spoonfuls of the grated cheese mixture. Spread with the back of a spoon to make 3 inch rounds. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. If using the wax paper as a liner, be sure to remove the fricos with a spatula while they’re still warm, or they’ll stick to the paper!
Fresh Croutons are easy to make and so much better than the store-bought version. Here, instead of frying them in a pan as my family has always done, I’ve opted to make them healthier by baking them. Remove the crust from a baguette and dice the bread into cubes. Toss with a few tablespoons of the garlic infused oil, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Lay on a baking sheet and bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes, tossing once during the cooking.
As in the original Caesar, I like to put a raw egg yolk in my dressing for the wonderful creaminess it lends. To be sure there are no health issues, I always make sure to use an organic egg that is extremely fresh. If you have any qualms about this, you can always substitute an egg that’s been coddled–that is, an egg that’s been gently boiled in its shell for 1 to 3 minutes. Rinse immediately in cold water to halt the cooking and use just the yolk.
To make the Caesar Dressing: in a blender, mix 2 garlic cloves that have been marinating in the oil, 1 anchovy, 1 fresh egg yolk, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 4-5 drops of Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, salt and freshly ground pepper. Slowly add 1/2 cup of the garlic infused olive oil, until the dressing is emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Toss romaine, croutons and dressing until salad is well coated. Add the Parmesan Fricos on top and serve.
Serves 4:
Garlic Infused Oil:
6 to 7 cloves of garlic
1 cup of good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 large romaine head, or 2 romaine hearts
Parmesan Fricos:
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 tablespoon flour
freshly ground black pepper
Croutons:
1 large baguette, crusted and diced
garlic infused oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Caesar Dressing:
2 garlic cloves from garlic infused olive oil
1 anchovy
1 fresh raw egg yolk, or 1 coddled egg yolk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4-5 drops of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup garlic infused olive oil
Fusilli al Telefono
In a large sauté pan–I like to use my 6 quart saute–heat 2 tablespoons of the garlic infused oil over medium heat. Add 4 of the smashed garlic cloves from the oil and cook until golden.
In a blender, whir 2-28 ounce cans of peeled tomatoes until just pureed. My favorite tomatoes to use are Muir Glen Organic because they’re minimally processed and have the freshest flavor. Carefully add the tomato puree to the pan and stir. Mix in 1 teaspoon each of dried oregano and thyme. Whenever I use dried herbs in a dish, I make sure to crumble them in the heat of my hand to release their essential oils before mixing them in. Add kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of sugar. Bring the sauce to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Bring a large pot of water to a full boil and add a handful of salt. Pasta water should taste like the sea to ensure that the pasta will be well-seasoned. Add the fusilli to the pot, stir, and bring back to the boil. Reduce the heat so that the pasta continues to cook at a low boil. Time the pasta according to package directions, being careful not to overcook.
To my taste, buffalo mozzarella is creamier and more flavorful than the traditional cow’s milk. Amazingly, for a little more than the price of one ball of buffalo mozzarella at the grocery store, Costco sells a large container of 4 mozzarella balls, imported from Italy.
Turn the heat off under the tomato sauce and add 2 balls of mozzarella that have been diced, and a bunch of fresh basil leaves that have been hand-torn. Immediately toss in the cooked pasta, and a bit of pasta water, if necessary to loosen up the sauce.
Serve pasta in bowls and top with more fresh basil. Buon Appetito!
Serves 4:
2 tablespoons garlic infused oil
4 smashed marinated garlic cloves
2-28 ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 teaspoon each dried oregano and dried thyme
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
a pinch of sugar
1 pound fusilli
2 balls buffalo mozzarella
2 tablespoons basil leaves, torn
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I haven’t had that problem, but parchment paper works well too. Of course, the best thing to use for the Fricos is a silpat liner, if you have one! Thanks for your suggestion.
Just a quick heads up; wax paper will burn in the oven (as I’ve learned the hard way). Perhaps substituting it for parchment in this recipe (Parmesan Fricos) would be better?