Lidia's Family Recipes

Lidia Bastianich is one of the most beloved and admired women in the American food world. Her goal is teach the joys of cooking and sharing food with loved ones.

In her latest cookbook, "Lidia's Family Table," she shares this passion, as well as her family's favorite recipes.

Her book focuses on particular techniques, not just ingredients. The photos and the directions are very clear, so that the home cook can really try these recipes and not be afraid.

The following are the recipes (as they appear on her book) of the dishes she demonstrates how to make on The Early Show.

Strudel Purse with Prune and Ricotta Filling

A 9- or 10-inch cake, serving 8 or more

For The Filling
1 cup (about 12) large pitted prunes
1/2 cup or so best-quality dark rum
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
Reserved prune-soaking liquid
2 pounds ricotta cheese, preferably fresh, drained in a sieve for 3 to 4 hours
Zest of a medium lemon (about 1 teaspoon)
Zest of a medium orange (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon or so all-purpose flour, for dusting the prunes
2 tablespoons pine nuts, dry toasted in a skillet

For The Crust, Assembly, And Glazing
2 tablespoons melted butter, or more if needed
8 ounces (1/2 batch) Homemade Strudel Dough
Flour, for rolling
1 teaspoon zucchero di canna or white sugar, or 1 tablespoon apricot jam, for glazing the crust

Making the Prune and Ricotta Filling

1. The night before making the dessert (or at least 3 hours ahead), cut the prunes into 1/2-inch pieces; pile them in a cup or bowl, and pour in enough rum to reach the top of the fruit. Cover, and let them soak at room temperature. Just before mixing the filling, pour off and save any liquid that the prunes haven't absorbed.
2. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl (the one for your standing mixer, if using), add the sugar, and start mixing at low speed with the whisk attachment. As the sugar dissolves, add the heavy cream, salt, vanilla, and reserved prune-soaking liquid. Raise the speed to medium and whisk until the batter is smooth, about 2 minutes.
3. Scrape the ricotta into the bowl, and break up any big curds with a spoon or spatula (fresh ricotta can be lumpier than packaged varieties). Drop in the fresh citrus zests, and resume whisking with the machine. When the cheese is well incorporated, raise the speed to high and whisk for 4 to 5 minutes, until the filling is light and smooth.
4. Spread out the cut prunes on a piece of wax paper, sprinkle the spoonful of flour over, and toss to separate the pieces. Scatter the prunes and toasted pine nuts over the filling, and fold them in.

• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 375. Brush a bit of the melted butter on the inside of the skillet.
• On a large, lightly floured work surface, roll and stretch the strudel dough into a circle 2 feet in diameter or slightly larger. Follow the strudel-stretching procedures detailed on pages 384 to 385: start by rolling the dough into a round, then gradually stretch it with your hands until it reaches the size you want.
• Lift the dough circle and hold it over the buttered skillet. If you have someone to help you, hold the circle out flat (like a trampoline) and lower it to rest, centered, in the bottom of the pan, covering the sides, and with a wide band of dough hanging outside the pan too. If you're alone, flop the dough down gently so it lines and covers the skillet completely and drapes over the rim. Make sure the dough is flat, not stretched in the pan with air bubbles underneath. If necessary, lift the overhanging edges and drape more dough into the pan, so it's comfortably settled.
• Now pour and scrape the prune-ricotta filling into the dough-lined pan; smooth it flat with a spatula. Now comes the fun part.

• Have a sharp, thin-bladed knife or sharp scissors close by.
• Lift one edge of the overhanging dough and hold it in one hand over the center of the pan, well above the filling. With your other hand, lift another section of overhanging dough and draw it up to the first hand. In this manner, gather all the excess dough together, so it forms a closed cone-shaped tent over the filling.
• Now twist your hand--and all the dough it's holding--in one direction. This will tighten the dough on the sides and top of the filling and form a pattern of spiral pleats. It should also form a big knot of twisted dough just above the filling. With a sharp knife, carefully cut beneath the knot of dough parallel to the work surface, straight across, slicing through all the folds. Don't let go of your twist while cutting the dough: when the topknot is removed, the spiral pleats will fall onto the surface of the filling covering it with ridges except for the hole in the center, where filling is exposed. If your hole is too small or too large, is off center, trim or stretch the dough to get a satisfactory opening, but that's only a matter of aesthetics.
• Before baking, brush the top of the dough with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with zucchero di canna or white sugar. Set the skillet in the oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes, then rotate the pan for even baking (remember that the handle is very hot).
• Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the strudel dough on top is deep golden brown and the filling is tinged with brown as well. Remove the skillet from the oven, and let it cool on a rack for about 15 minutes.
• To remove the torta from the pan, cover the skillet with another rack or large plate, and invert. Then cover the crusted bottom with a serving platter and invert again, so the torta is right side up. Now brush the top with softened apricot jam, if it isn't already sprinkled with sugar. (you can also skip the inverting steps and serve the dessert right in the pan.)

Hearty Minestra Base with Cranberry Beans, Potatoes, and Pork

I can still hear the staccato clack-clack-clack of my grandmother's cleaver on a wooden board as she chopped the pestata, the fine paste of pork fat, garlic, and rosemary, that gave so much flavor to her rich minestra. Occasionally, she would pause and hand me the cleaver: I'd dip it in the boiling soup pot, already full of beans and potatoes, and watch the tiny specks of fat whirl into the broth. After a few moments I'd hand the cleaver back to my nonna, and instantly she'd be chopping again, the hot blade literally melting the thick fat, while the aroma of garlic and pork and beans and rosemary filled the kitchen....

Precious memories! But today I make pestata in the food processor in about 10 seconds!

In most ways, however, this minestra is just like my grandmother's. It cooks for a long time -- give it 3 full hours if you can -- steadily drawing flavor from pork bones and a soffritto of onion and tomato, and slowly reducing in the soup pot.

You'll have 4 quarts of minestra base, to finish with any of the additions I suggest here, or with other vegetables or grains. Long-grain white rice or small pasta can be added to almost any variation for a denser minestra. For a thicker, smooth consistancy, remove some of the beans (a third to a half) before adding the finishing vegetables; puree them, and stir back into the pot for the final cooking.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups dried cranberry beans, soaked overnight or quick-soaked
5 quarts cold water
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
3 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon dried peperoncino (hot red pepper flakes), or to taste

For The Pestata
3 ounces smoked bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces (about 1/2 cup packed)
1 tablespoon (packed) fresh rosemary leaves, stripped from the stem
8 plump garlic cloves, peeled (about 1/4 cup)

Meat For Flavoring
1 pound bony fresh pork: a small slab of spare ribs, pork hock, or pork neck

For The Soffritto
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup canned San Marzano tomatoes and juices
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

Recommended Equipment
A heavy-bottomed soup pot, 8-quart capacity, with a cover
A food processor for the pestata

1. Drain the soaked beans and put them in the pot with the water, potatoes, bay leaves, and peperoncino. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally so nothing scorches on the bottom of the pot.
2. While the water is heating, make the pestata in the food processor, chopping the bacon, rosemary, and garlic to a fine paste. Scrape every bit into the soup pot. Rinse in hot water the spare ribs, pork hock, or other bony pork, and add it to the pot too.
3. When the water is at a full boil, set the cover on ajar; adjust the heat to maintain a steady gentle boiling, and cook for an hour to 1 1/2 hours, until the beans and the potatoes are tender and are beginning to break apart. Skim the fat or residue from the pork now and then, as it collects on the surface.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the soffritto. Pour the oil into a small skillet, stir in the onion, and set over medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring, until wilted, about 6 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into bits with your hands, and pour them with all the juices into the skillet. Stir in the 2 teaspoons salt, and simmer rapidly for about 5 minutes, until the juices have reduced a bit. When the beans are tender, pour the tomato mixture into them, dipping the skillet into the soup pot to slosh out every bit, and keep the minestra boiling.
5. Cook the minestra for another hour or more, 2 1/2 to 3 hours total, until the volume has reduced to about 4 quarts (about midway up an 8-quart pot, when you take out any bones and meat). If there's too much broth, raise the heat and cook uncovered, but stir frequently to prevent burning. Taste the soup when reduced, and correct seasoning.
6. Take some of the base for a finished soup now if you want, or let the whole pot cool. Before using or storing, lift out the pork bones, pick off all the meat, shred it, and stir into the base; pick out the bay leaves and discard. Keep the soup refrigerated for 3 or 4 days, or freeze, in filled and tightly sealed containers, for 4 to 6 months.

I will often add extra pork pieces to the big minestra pot for an hour or so of cooking, then serve the meat as a separate course. If your pot is big enough, you should be able to drop in a pound or more of meat, either bony spare ribs or hocks, or meatier cuts, such as pork butt or country-style ribs, in addition to the ones already cooking with the soup. Italian sausages and kielbasa are also great cooked this way. Wash meat well with hot water before, or you might give it a quick boil before adding to the pot.

You can cook such main-course meat anytime the minestra is perking away, though it will take on the best flavor after you've added the tomato-onion soffritto and salt. Remove the meat when tender, keep warm until ready, slice, and serve on a platter--moistened with a ladle of delicious minestra broth.

For A Hearty No-Meat Minestra

If you prefer a vegetarian minestra, flavor it during the long cooking with an herb pesto instead of the bacon pestata: in the food processor, chop the garlic and rosemary in 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil, and scrape this into the soup pot as it comes to the boil. Then just follow the recipes for the base and any of the finished minestre.

Hearty Minestra with Rice

Cook rice just before serving to get the consistency of soup you like: 1/4 cup of rice per quart of base for a lighter minestra, and up to 1/2 cup of rice for a hefty and hearty minestra.

For 1 quart, serving 3 to 4

4 cups Minestra Base (preceding recipe)
1/4 to 1/2 cup long-grain white rice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the base to a gentle boil; stir in rice and salt (more salt for more rice) and grinds of pepper. Return to a boil, stir, and cover tightly. Cook over low heat for 12 minutes or so, until the rice is tender. Add the pepper, and more salt if needed, and serve right away in warm bowls, with freshly grated cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, and other garnishes.

Hearty Minestra with Corn

Corn is a nice addition to minestra. It adds texture and sweetness. It is also a good addition to other vegetable soups, such as fresh fennel, zucchini, or chicory and white bean.

For 2 quarts of soup, serving 6 or more

8 cups Minestra Base
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
4 cups frozen or fresh corn kernels
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the broth to a boil, stir in the salt, corn kernals, and grinds of pepper, and return to a steady gentle boil. Cook, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the corn is tender to the bite. Taste, and adjust the seasonings. Serve hot in warm bowls with freshly grated cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, and other garnishes.

Hearty Minestra with Butternut Squash

For 2 quarts of soup, serving 6 or more

8 cups of Minestra Base
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1 pound butternut or other winter squash, peeled and cut in 1/3-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the broth to a boil, stir in the salt, squash pieces, and grinds of pepper, and return to a steady gentle boil. Cook, covered, for 35 to 40 minutes, until the squash is tender and breaking apart in the soup. Taste, and adjust the seasonings. Serve hot in warm bowls, with freshly grated cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, and other garnishes.

Hearty Minestra with Fennel

For 2 quarts of soup, serving 6 or more

8 cups Minestra Base
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
2 pounds or more fresh fennel, chopped in 1/4-inch pieces, both bulb and tender stalks (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons minced freah fennel fronds, for garnish

Heat the broth to a boil, stir in the salt and chopped fennel, and return to a steady gentle boil. Cook covered for 15 to 20 minutes, until the fennel is tender. If you want, cook uncovered for a thicker consistancy. Stir in the fennel fronds just before serving in warm bowls, with freshly grated cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, and other garnishes.

Sweet Onion Gratinate

The inspiration for this recipe came on a recent visit to France. In a small bistro, I was served an elegant but amazingly simple gratin, just a thin layer of sauteed onions with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano on top, baked in a hot oven to form a crisp, fragile delicacy. When I got home, I decided to replicate it -- but with a base of thin bread slices underneath the onions, to make it easier to assemble and serve. To my great delight, the bread became wonderfully crisp in the oven, adding more texture, and at the same time captured the delicious onion juices.

The key to wonderful flavor here is slowly cooking the onions in a big skillet. They should be meltingly soft without any browning, and moist without excess liquid. Sweet onions are the best: large Vidalia, Maui, Walla Walla, or any other of the fine varieties now available. A gratinate (the Italian term for a baking dish encrusted with cheese or other crisp topping) fills a big sheet pan. It will serve a large group as an appetizer or a lunch dish, or make a great hors d'oeuvre for a crowd, cut in small pieces. You can bake it ahead for convenience, and serve it at room temperature or briefly warmed in the oven.

Makes 15 or more appetizer slices, or several dozen hors d'oeuvre pieces

For The Onion Topping
3 1/2 pounds large sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
4 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt

For The Base And The Gratin
8 tablespoons (1 stick) soft butter
9 or more thick slices (about 3/4 pound) hearty white bread. Note: A hearty home-baked or home-style white bread, in sandwich-loaf shape, is best here. A day-old or 2-day-old unsliced loaf from the bakery is perfect; cut 1/2-inch-thick slices yourself. Otherwise, a good quality packaged white bread is satisfactory.
2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano (about 12 ounces)

Recommended Equipment
A 12-or 14-inch skillet with a cover, for sauteing the onions
A 12-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet

Cooking the Onions

1. Peel the onions and cut in half through the stem ends. Rinse the halves in cold water for a moment. Slice the halves crosswise into very thin half-moon shapes; you should have over 12 cups of onions.
2. Preheat the oven to 425.
3. Put the oil and butter in the skillet, set over medium heat, and before the butter is all melted, dump in all the onions and turn them over to coat. Drop in the bay leaves, sprinkle with the salt, turn, and stir the onions a bit more, then cover the pan. Let the onions sweat and soften for about 10 minutes, stirring just once or twice, but otherwise keeping them covered.
4. Uncover the pan, and continue to cook the onions and to evaporate the juices gradually. Adjust the heat to keep the juices bubbling without risking burning the onions, and stir frequently. After 10 minutes or so, the onions should be very soft, wet, and glassy, but with hardly any liquid left in the pan. If there's a lot of liquid, raise the heat slightly and cook longer, stirring as the juices evaporate. But don't let the onions or the pan get completely dry. Remove it from the heat while the onions are still moist, and let them cool off just a bit.

1. Butter the baking sheet generously, using 3 to 4 tablespoons of the soft butter. Trim off the crusts of the bread slices, and lay the slices in one layer in the baking sheet, sides touching, to cover the bottom completely. Fill any empty spaces with pieces of bread cut to shape. Now press down gently over all the bread with your hand, to compress the layer slightly and close any gaps. Spread the remaining soft butter all over the bread with a rubber spatula or big spoon.
2. While the onions are still warm, spoon them onto the bread and spread in an even layer; scrape the flavorful cooking juices from the pan too. Sprinkle all the cheese evenly over the onions, covering the entire surface, but don't press the cheese down at all.
3. Bake for 10 minutes or so; rotate the pan for even cooking and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is a deep-brown-gold crust and the edges of the bread are also crisp and dark (but not burned).
4. Let the gratin cool for at least a few minutes (the pan will be very hot!). Serve it warm or at room temperature, cut in pieces of any size.