Al di là Trattoria

If anyone would ask me what's a good neighborhood-style Italian restaurant, I would unhesitatingly answer Al di là. If only I lived in Brooklyn then I could enjoy this gem even more. Many of my food-loving friends and former co-workers have been trying to convince me to give Al di là a try, but going all the way to Brooklyn seemed like such a hike until my friend and fellow blogger Caroline suggested we catch up and go there for for lunch.

I had completely forgotten that it was Brooklyn restaurant week and that Al di là was participating. So it was a pleasant surprise to find that a $20.10 prix fixe menu was offered to us. It included all the restaurant’s specialties from the regular menu, which meant we weren't going to be cheated and given lackluster dishes like some other restaurants like to do during restaurant week. I was very excited to dive right in to a multi-course sampling of comforting northern Italian dishes.

The restaurant truly has an unassuming air about it, from the outside to the eclectic interior. The folks are friendly and helpful. The space is constantly crowded so you know it must be good. Luckily we were practically the first diners there for lunch this past Friday. As time went on it became more and more crowded so much so that a line had formed by the entrance. Maybe restaurant week had made it so busy, but as I hear it's almost always this busy. The restaurant hasn’t accepted reservations long before restaurants like The Spotted Pig made it trendy in Manhattan.

The wonderful offerings on the menu made it tough to choose our dishes. For a first course, I was torn between choosing the warm farro salad or the mixed green salad. Since I was choosing meat for my main, I decided not to choose grains for a starter. The mixed greens salad was as simple as simple can get: a variety of spring greens tossed in a red-wine mustard vinaigrette. That little something extra came in the form of paper-thin slices of sweet and nutty sunchokes, a very seasonal ingredient. Caroline ordered the soup of the day, seafood broth with fregola and little neck clams. The tomato broth was full of salty and briny flavors. It was perfect for dipping bread into, which both of us indeed did.

An unusual thing happened at the restaurant that I must mention. Before we even had our first course, we were almost served our main course. Just as the server was placing the two main dishes down before us, I remarked that we hadn't had our appetizers and she immediately returned the dishes to the kitchen. I’ll attribute this hastiness to the busy dining room. I just hope they don't confuse orders like this too often. I also noticed that the people sitting right next to us had shown up much later, but were eating long before us. They had chosen the same appetizers we ordered.

Caroline and I had kept going back and forth on what to select for our main course. All the possibilities looked appealing. I thought I would order the fish and Caroline thought strongly about the meatballs, but we changed our minds at the last minute. I typically order on the fly, because I can never make up my mind completely. For my main course I chose the pork dish or saltinbocca alla Romana. The pork was pounded thin like a scaloppine and had prosciutto and sage breaded to it. Served alongside crispy potatoes, it was a true Italian comfort meal. It was moist and very flavorful. Caroline had the baked hake with mushrooms, basil, and fingerling potatoes. The fish was truly meaty and had a very savory breadcrumb topping. Caroline commented that the sauce was just on the border of being too salty for a person who loves salt. I tasted it and concurred. Luckily both of us are salt lovers, because someone else might not have found it to their liking.

The meal was very much reminiscent of fall as is the case right now as we are between the seasons of winter and spring. The desserts to follow also seemed to make use of fall favorites. I had the pear and chocolate torte: a layer of lava-like chocolate and tender pears sandwiched in a cake with great texture and crust. Caroline enjoyed the panna cotta with cherry compote. Though the panna cotta was a bit too stiff for our liking, it still was spot on in flavor. Her biscotti, split in two, made a nice accompaniment to our coffees.

This week marks the end of restaurant week in Brooklyn, but that doesn't mean these wonderful Italian meals can't be enjoyed ever again. The menu adapts to the season, but always features the tried-and-true neighborhood favorites. I can't wait to see what will change on the menu once the bounty of spring is fully available. I know that I've found my neighborhood gathering place even though it's far from where I live currently. But the next time I'm in the city I will now have a reason to convince my Manhattan friends to take a visit to Brooklyn. I know if I lived right around the corner from Al di là, as Caroline does, I would never want to move away.

Al di là Trattoria
248 Fifth Avenue, at Carroll Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
718-783-4565
Open daily except Tuesday for dinner, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 6 to 10:30 p.m., Friday 6 to 11 p.m., Saturday 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., and Sunday 5 to 10 p.m.; and for lunch, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 12 to 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 12 to 3:30 p.m.
Prices range from $11 to $22.

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Salad Lyonnaise

This is the perfect recipe to welcome spring, which just made its grand entrance this past weekend. Salade Lyonnaise is one of the most popular salads in small French restaurants and bistros. In Lyon, from where the salad originates, it is typically found on the menus of tiny eateries called Bouchons, which specialize in comfort foods such as soups, stews, sausages, cheeses, etc. You can most certainly also find this salad served at Thomas Keller's Bouchon and at many of the restaurants of Lyon native Daniel Boulud. Comfort food knows no boundaries of class. It is simply just that popular that both high and low places offer it. And why wouldn't this salad be comforting? It is made of lettuce, croutons, bacon, and a poached egg perched on top.

Inspired by all the gorgeous lettuces I saw at the Greenmarket on a sunny and warm last Friday, I knew this salad would be the one to make. Not only can it be put together in minutes, but it also features ingredients that most people have in their refrigerator or pantry at all times. Of course not including the fresh frisée, which is traditionally used in this recipe for it's unique texture, crunch, and slight bitterness. This salad makes such an impressive presentation: With the lettuce piled up just right, and the egg set in the center, it looks like a bird's nest. It's a lunch that presses all the comfort buttons, and it also can be a pleasing appetizer at an Easter dinner party.

Salad Lyonnaise

olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 baguette, cut into cubes
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 strips bacon
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon white vinegar
8 ounces frisée, torn into pieces.

To make croutons, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil and butter in a sauté pan set over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add cubed bread and toast, tossing often, until brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Wipe out pan and return to medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until all fat has rendered and bacon is crisp. Remove bacon to plate. Reserve remaining fat in the pan.

Crack each egg into an individual ramekin. Prepare a bowl of ice water.

Bring a shallow saucepan with 3 inches of water and white vinegar to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Once large bubbles have subsided and only small bubbles remain, carefully slide each egg into pan with ramekin placed close to the surface of the water. Poach 2 eggs at a time for 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove eggs to ice water.

In large bowl make the vinaigrette by whisking together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon reserved bacon fat, white-wine vinegar, and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Add frisée and toss to coat.

Divide the greens among four plates. Top each salad with croutons. Crumble 1 strip bacon per plate. Carefully remove eggs from water bath and blot with a paper towel. Remove any lacy edges. Place 1 egg on top of each salad and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 appetizer servings.

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Quinoa Pilaf

The name may sound new and foreign, but quinoa, pronounced keen-wa, has been around for a very long time. Grown like grain for its edible seed, quinoa has been harvested in the Andes since the time of the Inca. In the region it has been considered a nutritionally important food along with potatoes and corn. What makes quinoa special is that it is high in protein and dietary fiber. It is suitable for vegetarian and gluten-free diets. Lately it has been gaining in popularity, partly due to magazine coverage, a renewed interest in health foods, and because it fits into the gluten-free diet as more and more people are diagnosed with celiac disease every year.

I first learned about quinoa four years ago from a coworker who had been diagnosed with gluten sensitivity. I immediately took an interest in it and began cooking and baking with it. Quinoa is wonderful served just like rice or couscous as in this recipe for quinoa pilaf. It can also be found sold as flakes for breakfast use and flour for use in gluten-free baking. I really enjoy quinoa as a breakfast cereal instead of oatmeal, in pancakes, muffins, and quick breads such as this banana bread. Quinoa's nutty flavor and slight al dente bite make it much more interesting than the usual and oftentimes boring rice or potato side dish.

Quinoa Pilaf

olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
1 cup quinoa, rinsed under cold water
fine sea salt
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

Warm 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add rinsed quinoa to saucepan and stir until any residual water is evaporated. Toast for 2 minutes. Pour in 1-1/2 cups water and add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and lower to a simmer. Cook until quinoa is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Let any remaining liquid evaporate on low heat. Add chopped parsley and cilantro. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Mix together with a fork. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

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Beef and Guinness Pie

I love all types of savory pies, but one in particular is very special to me. The first time I ever heard of beef and Guinness pie was during my time studying abroad in London. I was so intrigued that I ordered it at a quaint, tiny restaurant that specialized in pies aptly named the Pie Room. It became the hang-out spot for my group of friends. Over the course of our studies we could not keep away. I had the opportunity to try all of their pies. Beef and Guinness pie made the biggest impression on me and it still remains among my top favorite British foods. I can clearly remember my first bite: a tender cube of meat, a luscious sauce, and a crispy crust. So as St. Patrick's Day neared this month, I decided I wanted to cook something other than corned beef and cabbage.

When I think of Ireland, the first thing that comes to mind is the drinking culture. What surprised me the most about my time in London was seeing everybody on a Friday night drinking in hoards out in the streets around the pubs. Stereotypically everyone seems to think negatively about the drinking culture. But as someone who lived in Great Britain, I can say that it is a very enjoyable and communal way of meeting people, getting people together, celebrating life's events, or just for talking about the day over a few pints of stout or ale. I've not yet had the chance to visit Ireland, but if I do, I will make sure to visit the many pubs and make a pilgrimage to the temple of my favorite beer, the Guinness factory.

It just seems so natural to pair beef with Guinness. The slightly bitter, almost chocolaty, toasted barley flavor of the beer goes hand in hand with the earthy flavor of beef. When combined in a stew or pie such as this recipe, it creates a very robustly flavored meal that just sings of comfort food. Once all the beef is seared, it is combined with vegetables, a bottle of Guinness, and some water. It's all cooked until the beef is fork tender. After the sauce reduces, the entire contents go into a casserole that is topped with puff pastry and baked until golden brown. This dish is truly a communal dish, as everyone can just dig in and spoon out savory bowlfuls of stew. Enjoy with a tall pint of Guinness, of course.

Beef and Guinness Pie

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds good-quality stewing beef, cut into 1-1/2-inch cubes
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 large red onions, cubed
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large carrots, thickly sliced
2 ribs celery, thickly sliced
6 ounces cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 tablespoons flour
1 12-ounce bottle Guinness
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh rosemary
1 sheet store-bought puff pastry
1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Warm oil and butter in a heavy bottomed 6-quart saucepan or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Pat beef dry and season with salt and pepper all over. Add beef in batches to pan and sear all sides. Remove beef to a bowl.

To the hot pan add onions and cook until soft; add garlic. Add carrots, celery, and mushrooms; cook for about 5 minutes. Add a splash of water and scrape up brown bits from bottom of pan.

Return beef to pan. Stir in flour. Add rosemary. Pour in Guinness and just enough water to cover. Bring to a gentle boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce to a low simmer, and cook for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until beef is tender.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Using a slotted spoon, remove beef and vegetables to a bowl. Reduce sauce by half on medium-high heat, about 10 to 20 minutes. Check seasoning of sauce. Spread beef and vegetables in a 3-quart baking dish. Pour over with reduced sauce.

Roll out puff pastry to fit baking dish. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, trim edges to uniform size. Cut a few slits into dough. Brush edges of dish with egg wash. Place pastry over baking dish and brush top with egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 35 to 45 minutes. Serve with boiled potatoes and steamed peas. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

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Grilled Lamb Loin Chops with Baby Spinach, Crumbled Feta, and Cherry Tomato Salad

The flavors of the Mediterranean are an ideal match for preparing lamb. Rosemary and garlic are traditionally used in Greek and Italian cooking. I can't imagine not using them both when marinating meats, particularly lamb. It's great for either a leg of lamb for roasting or chops for grilling. The woody perfume of the rosemary permeates the meat, creating earthy flavor. Greek cuisine also utilizes lemons to add brightness to dishes. Here the lemon juice tenderizes the meat and brightens the flavor. Rosemary, garlic, and lemon are the triumvirate of Mediterranean cooking.

For grilling the lamb, I like loin chops, which look like little T-bones. Rib chops also work well for this recipe, but the loin chops offer more meaty flavor. For a healthy side, I pair the chops with a spinach salad that includes cherry tomatoes, salty Greek feta, and toasted pine nuts along with a simple vinaigrette. It's a great combination of flavors to pair with grilled lamb and it's perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner. With spring just around the corner, there's no better way to welcome it than with the bright flavors of the warm Mediterranean.

Grilled Lamb Loin Chops

6 lamb loin chops, trimmed of fat
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 sprig fresh rosemary, stripped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil

To a large resealable plastic bag, add lamb, lemon juice, rosemary leaves, and garlic. Seal, place on a plate to capture any leaks, and let marinate in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

When ready to cook, remove the chops from the bag, scraping off all bits of rosemary and garlic. Pat chops dry with paper towels. Discard marinade.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high to high heat. Season lamb with salt and pepper, and brush with oil. Sear the chops for 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Let the lamb chops rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 2 servings.

Baby Spinach, Crumbled Feta, and Cherry Tomato Salad

1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces baby spinach
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 ounces feta, crumbled
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add spinach and tomatoes; toss to coat. Top with feta and pine nuts; toss lightly. Yield: 2 servings.

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Tarte Flambée

I am very much intrigued by the unique food of Alsace, the tiny region that shares a border and many culinary similarities with Germany. My love for Alsatian food stems from my visit a few years ago to The Modern, which is run by Alsatian chef Gabriel Kruether. There I enjoyed many traditional Alsation dishes, among them a tarte flambée, a simple pizza-like tart. It is also known as flammekueche in Alsatian or flammkuchen in German. It's fundamentally a very simple combination of smoky bacon, sautéed onions, and rich cream on a crispy bread that forms a most amazing salivatingly savory meal.

The flavors I experienced that day still linger in my memory. I knew then that I would try and re-create this Alsatian tart at home. But it wasn't until last week that the thought crossed my mind once I discovered my local supermarket sold crème fraîche, the French sour cream, which is a necessary ingredient for this recipe. To recreate the flavor profiles of the tart I enjoyed at the restaurant, I also searched for applewood-smoked bacon, which I was also luckily able to procure. With all the ingredients in hand, I was now absolutely ready to bake and devour a traditional tarte flambée.

I find the process of making my own pizza dough at home, or in this case a simple bread dough, very rewarding. Pizza making is not limited to the Italians, the French love to use leftover dough to make such easy meals as this tart. The recipe for the dough can make two large rectangular tarts or four mini round pizzas. It's also great for other recipes, such as focaccia. Be sure to use a pizza stone for this recipe, as high heat is necessary for achieving a crisp crust. Though a store-bought pizza dough would work for this recipe, I highly recommend making the dough at home.

Tarte Flambée

Note: If you cannot find crème fraîche, sour cream can be substituted.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablepsoon butter
1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced lengthwise
4 ounces thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon (about 4 slices), diced
8 ounces crème fraîche (1 cup)
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 portion pizza bread, recipe follows

Preheat oven with pizza stone to 450 degrees F.

Warm oil and butter in a large sauté pan set over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer onion to a bowl. Add bacon to same pan and cook until crisp and most of the fat has rendered, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a second bowl.

To onion, add crème fraîche; mix until combined. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Pull dough into a small rectangle. Transfer to an 12-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Work edges of dough with fingers, pressing and stretching dough into corners and sides of pan, making sure dough is even 1/4-inch thickness throughout.

Spread dough with onion and crème fraîche mixture almost to edges. Top with crisped bacon. Bake until edges are golden brown and mixture is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Pizza Bread

Recipe for "fougasse" adapted from Richard Bertinet's Dough: Simple Contemporary Breads.

18 ounces bread flour (4 cups)
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 ounce dry yeast (2 1/4-ounce packets or 1-1/2 tablespoons)
1-1/2 cups warm water

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Proof yeast in warm water. Once yeast foams, pour liquid into dry ingredients. Using a scarper, incorporate liquid into flour until completely absorbed and a sticky dough forms.

Scrape dough out onto work surface. Knead dough vigorously for 10 minutes: picking it up, slapping it against the work surface, and folding it over itself. After 10 minutes, dough should form a mass and stick less to the work surface. Form dough into a ball and dust all over with flour. Transfer to large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled for 1 hour.

Scrape dough out of bowl without deflating and turn out onto a well-floured work surface. Dust dough with flour. Let rest for 5 minutes. Then divide into 2 to 4 portions. Use for tarte flambée, fougasse, pizza, focaccia, etc.

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Arugula Salad with Shaved Fennel, Blood Oranges, and Crumbled Feta

Blood oranges are all over the markets right now. It's actually very surprising, because a few years ago I could not find a blood orange anywhere but in the city. In my local supermarket they've even started selling them in bulk bags. Last week I saw packages upon packages of blood oranges in the reduced-price produce bin and of course I bought them, because there was nothing wrong with them. That tells me that people don't buy them because they don't know what to do with them. I've made this Valentine's dessert with them. I eat blood oranges throughout the season just as I do regular oranges. I enjoy the unique taste: very citrusy but more mellow with the flavor of dark fruits like raspberries or blackberries. Plus blood oranges share the same beneficial antioxidants as dark fruits.

This year blood oranges haven't been as sweet as in the past, but they are great for use in savory dishes, such as this salad. I start with a base of peppery arugula and thinly shaved fennel. The final touches are slices of blood orange, crumbled feta, and toasted walnuts. The anise flavors of the fennel, the peppery arugula, and the salty feta are a very nice match for the blood oranges. I also use the blood orange juice, squeezed from the core, for the vinaigrette. I'm making use of every part. The salad makes a great main meal, perhaps for lunch, but it also works very well as an appetizer salad at dinnertime. Why not try blood oranges for a change? I promise you will see what you're missing.

Arugula Salad with Shaved Fennel, Blood Oranges, and Crumbled Feta

Note: After supreming the oranges, squeeze the juice from the remaining core and use it to make the vinaigrette.

2 tablespoon blood orange juice
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces baby arugula
1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 blood oranges, supremed
2 ounces feta, crumbled
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

In a large bowl, whisk together blood orange juice, vinegar, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add arugula and sliced fennel. Toss to coat. Transfer salad to serving bowl or divide among plates. Nestle blood orange slices into salad. Top with crumbled feta and chopped walnuts. Yield: 2 main-course servings or 4 appetizer servings.

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Cold Soba Noodles with Tofu, Shitakes, and Miso Dressing

I love soba, the thin earthy Japanese buckwheat noodles that are still made by hand. They are among Japan's most popular noodles, especially in Tokyo where they can be found in fast food places, sold by street vendors, and featured in specialty restaurants. Soba are traditionally eaten either hot in broths or cold and accompanied by a dipping sauce. A more modern way to eat cold soba is to combine the dipping sauce with the pasta and add additional ingredients such as vegetables and tofu. Then it really it becomes a Japanese pasta salad.

Soba are made from buckwheat, which is neither a cereal nor a grain, but a flower with seeds used to make flour. Products made from it, such as pasta, are very healthy, since the seeds contain good levels of starch, protein, minerals, and antioxidants. Buckwheat is safe to eat for those who adhere to gluten-free or diabetic diets. And it is also known to lower cholesterol and treat high blood pressure. Add tofu to this recipe and you have a protein-packed meal. Soba is a dish that I enjoy eating over and over again. I love to make a large batch at home and enjoy it as a healthy lunch all week. There's no reheating necessary, just eat it straight from the office fridge.

Cold soba is very fast and easy to put together. The only cooking involved is boiling the noodles. Besides preparing the dressing and soaking the dried shitakes, all the other ingredients are fresh and only need to be cut, chopped, or sliced. For bright and peppery flavor, I combine half parsley and half cilantro. And for color and crunch I add a red bell pepper and a carrot. All the salty, tangy, sour, and umami flavors come from the miso-based dressing, which the noodles thirstily absorb.

Cold Soba Noodles with Tofu, Shitakes, and Miso Dressing

for the soba, tofu, and vegetables:
1 8-ounce package firm tofu
1 1-ounce package dried sliced shitake mushrooms
10 ounces soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
4 scallions, sliced on the bias
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 medium carrot, julienned

for the dressing:
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon yellow miso paste
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 red Thai bird chile, minced
1 tablespoon grated garlic (about 2 cloves)
1 tablespoon grated ginger (about 1/2-inch piece)

Cut tofu into slices. Place on a plate lined with paper towels. Top with paper towels and another plate. Press down with hands or weigh down with additional plates. Repeat pressings two more times with fresh paper towels until tofu releases almost no liquid. Crumble tofu.

Add dried mushrooms to a bowl and cover with 2 cups of boiling water. Soak, submerged with a small plate, for 20 minutes. Squeeze liquid from mushrooms and reserve liquid for another use. Coarsely chop the mushrooms.

Bring a large pot of liberally salted water to a boil. Add soba and cook until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse soba under cold water.

In a large bowl, combine soba, crumbled tofu, shitakes, parsley, cilantro, scallions, bell pepper, and carrot.

To make dressing, whisk together vinegar, mirin, lime juice, sugar, miso, sesame oil, chile, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl or measuring cup.

Pour dressing over the soba, tofu, and vegetable mixture. Toss well to combine. Serve at room temperature or chill for 1 hour. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

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