Australian_Gourmet_Traveller_2017

Recipe index

Fare exchange

1 kg peas, podded,

shells reserved

80 ml (⅓ cup) olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

100 gm carnaroli rice

150 ml dry white wine

600 ml mozzarella whey

(see note), heated

40 gm chilled butter, diced

40 gm Parmigiano-Reggiano

(preferably 36 months old),

finely grated plus extra

to serve

⅓ buffalo mozzarella ball,

blended until smooth, plus

extra torn to serve (optional)

2 tsp Champagne vinegar,

or to taste

1 cup mixed spring herbs,

such as thinly sliced sorrel,

fennel fronds, flowering

chives, flat-leaf parsley,

chervil and pea shoots

Finely grated lemon rind

and extra-virgin olive oil,

to serve

Fennel pollen (optional;

see note), for dusting

1 Juice pea shells (see note)

and refrigerate juice to chill.

Heat half the olive oil in a large

frying pan over high heat and

sauté peas and garlic until

tender (2-3 minutes). Cool,

refrigerate to chill, then blend

pea mixture with 100ml pea

juice to a loose purée in a

blender. Reserve remaining

juice to serve.

2 Heat remaining oil in a

casserole over medium-high

heat. Add rice and a pinch of

salt, and stir occasionally until

translucent and only just too

hot to touch (1-1½ minutes).

Add wine and simmer until

you no longer smell alcohol

(1-2 minutes). Add hot whey

a ladle at a time, stirring

continuously until stock is

absorbed before adding the

next, until risotto is al dente but

still wet (10-12 minutes; add

extra water if necessary). Stir in

butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano

Pea risotto with

buffalo mozzarella

and spring herbs

SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 40 MINS //

COOK 20 MINS

Use the best herbs you can

find – the key to success here is

variety and freshness. At Fico, the

chefs use a beer vinegar from

Emilia-Romagna; we’ve used

Champagne vinegar.

Pictured p178.

and pea purée. Add mozzarella

cream and stir vigorously to

until creamy (1 minute), then

season to taste with vinegar,

salt and pepper.

3 To serve, spread a generous

spoonful of risotto on plates,

scatter with herbs, lemon rind,

extra Parmigiano-Reggiano

and torn mozzarella, drizzle

with extra pea juice and

extra-virgin olive oil and dust

with fennel pollen.

Note Buy mozzarella from

a delicatessen and ask for as

much whey as they can give

you; if necessary top up with

extra water. Fennel pollen is

available from Herbie’s Spices

(herbies.com.au). If you don’t

have a juicer, blend the pea

shells with a little water, then

strain the juice. ●

SOUPS, STARTERS,

SNACKS AND SIDES

Asparagus and egg tramezzini

with lemon aïoli ●● ..................... 117

Asparagus and ricotta

pizze bianche ●● ...................... 102

Broccoli, lemon, anchovy and

stracchino ciabatta rolls ● ........ 118

Corn and broccolini ●●● ............. 127

Grilled fennel and asparagus

salad ●●● .................................... 124

Insalata primavera ●●● ................ 43

Mackerel tartare, pickled cucumber

and crème fraîche ●.................. 128

Mozzarella in carrozza ●● .......... 120

Pea and ricotta frittelle ●● .......... 103

Pea risotto with buffalo mozzarella

and spring herbs ●●● .............. 175

Sage frittata and fried

sopressa panini ● ........................ 70

Swiss chard and

egg soup ●● ............................... 136

Tomato, ricotta and fregola

salad ●● ....................................... 101

Zucchini and tomato ragù ●●● ... 136

Zucchini flowers stuffed with

almond purée and aïoli ● ........ 125

PASTA

Bucatini with prawn fra diavolo ● ... 111

Busiate with crab, ginger,

and pangrattato ● ...................... 109

Casarecce with artichokes,

capers, dill, lemon and

mozzarella ●● ............................. 110

Conchiglione with ragù bianco,

anchovies and wilted kale ● .... 112

Farfalle with Gorgonzola

fonduta, zucchini, basil

and toasted nuts ● ..................... 110

Fresh pasta dough ●● .................. 133

Gigli with borlotti beans and

pancetta in mint salsa ● ............. 113

Kale and ricotta gnocchi in

sage and bacon butter ● .......... 134

Orecchiette with cauliflower

and walnut brown-butter

pesto ●● ........................................ 67

PHOTOGRAPHY BEN HANSEN. GLUTEN-FREE ADVICE ACCREDITED DIETITIAN & NUTRITIONIST NICOLE SALIBA (EAT-SENSE.COM.AU)SIMPLE GLUTEN-FREE VEGETARIAN CAN BE PREPARED AHEAD

SEAFOOD

Baby octopus with ’nduja

dressing ● .................................... 126

Charred prawns, eggplant and

chickpeas with roast tomato

vinaigrette ●● .............................. 70

Kingfish crudo with white beans,

fennel and blood-orange

dressing ●● .................................. 42

Preserved tuna and tomato

open-faced panini ●● ............... 118

Sicilian snapper with zucchini,

mint and pistachio nuts ●● ....... 68

DESSERTS AND SWEETS

Almond and muscovado

tiramisù ●●● ................................. 71

Cassata ●● ..................................... 100

Chocolate cannoli ● ...................... 102

Florentine cake ●●● ..................... 137

Mascarpone mousse, berries

and caramelised white

chocolate ● ................................. 129

Ricotta gelato with espresso

praline ●● ................................... 105

Ricotta-polenta cake with lemon-

rosemary syrup ●●●● ............ 104

Pici with anchovy

breadcrumbs ● ............................ 132

Prosciutto and parmesan

cappellacci with brown

butter and asparagus ● ........... 108

Ravioli filled with tomato

and bread in a mozzarella

cream ● ......................................... 134

Spaghettini con colatura

di alici ● .......................................... 46

MEAT AND POULTRY

Bistecca with asparagus and

salsa dragoncello ●..................... 69

Chicken cotoletta panini ●● ........ 118

Grilled pork sausages with fennel,

radicchio and roasted

capsicum ● .................................... 66

Porchetta panini with fennel

and mustard fruits ....................... 121

Prosciutto, peperonata

and provolone rolls ● ................ 116

Roast chicken thighs with

sourdough panzanella ●............ 66

Roast duck breast with

hazelnut sauce ............................ 128

Wild boar stew ................................. 133

GOURMET TRAVELLER 177