From Argentina With Love

Ñoquis del 29; A Family Tradition--Una Tradicion Familiar

Recently, I read an article entitled 'Helpful Hints for Successful Parenting'. Among the suggestions: "Share the things you love with your children...Teach him that his environment is filled with things that have meaning to you.  As he grows, give him a part in family traditions."

I think this happens naturally, in some ways, as we go about our daily routine. But sometimes, it takes a little effort.  Guillermo and I try to give importance to honoring both our cultures, and especially remembering Argentina's special traditions.  We want our kids to be proud of both sides of their heritage.  But honestly, sometimes it feels like a huge effort even to get dinner on the table. With a new little one in the mix, we are busier than ever.  There's always someplace to be and an excuse to skip the special stuff.

This post was supposed to be part of a group post on the wonderful tradition of eating gnocchi in Argentina on the 29th of every month.  To be posted yesterday.  Alas, spread thin as I am, I was ready to pitch the whole thing and order a pizza.  But I also felt obligated to participate, so I started making the gnocchi.  

The group that made regional alfajores was about to tackle another ubiquitous Argentinean dish.  And post all the lucious photos to Flickr.  Alas, again.  Five pm, lousy kitchen lighting and 70s goldenrod countertop--with one adorable kid rolling out gnocchi.  It may not be food-photography worthy, but it's my life right now.

Right away I had my 'sous chef' jump in, insisting, this time, in his ever-growing desire for independence, that he cut the gnocchi and also be allowed to drop them into the boiling water. Carefully supervised, he got to do both.  But as I felt the deadline of this group blog event looming, I tried to shoo him to the table to eat.  Newly five, he is small but mighty and he refused.  

I mean, he REALLY wanted to make the gnocchi, and took great pleasure in rolling them out.  So I gave up.  I knew this was a battle I could stand to lose, so I let go of my stress, my need to control the situation and 'get it done'--and enjoyed the moment so much more.  I let myself have fun--something I've been a little short on lately. It was a great lesson in being present, in going with the flow, and also in realizing that we have done something to carry on traditions that are important to us.  Maybe he doesn't quite understand the meaning behind 'gnocchi day' yet, but he will, in time.

Finally, as the gnocchi were on plates, I found myself upstairs at the changing table instead of the dinner table.  I overheard something that made my heart melt. Esteban, said, "Aren't these gnocchi the best things in the WORLD?"   And to him, with his ownership of making dinner, they absolutely were.  And they really were!

Photos: Top--Esteban rolling the gnocchi at age five.  Center--In Argentina with 'Bula' making gnocchi at age four.  Bottom two--first gnocchi, at around fifteen months, and rolling them out, in 2008.

 

 

The other ladies that joined this group blog post made some sumptuous gnocchi indeed.  Many talked about the reason behind the tradition of serving gnocchi on this day. And so around the world, the gnocchi day tradition is being carried on, in all its delectable forms:

Aledys of From Argentina to the Netherlands for Love posted Gnocchi a la Romana

Katie of Seashells and Sunflowers posted Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Walnut Cream Sauce

Ana of Ana Travels posted Arugula Gnocchi with Tomato and Tarragon Vinagrette

Paula of Bee My Chef posted Spinach Gnocchi

Meag of A Domestic Disturbance posted Roasted Beet Malfatti with Creamy Roquefort Sauce

and Mine, which of course is Plain Old Potato Gnocchi, Prepared by a Five Year Old

But seriously,wouldn't you love to sit down to dinner at their tables?  

Without further ado, though, here is a tried and true recipe for a simple, traditional potato gnocchi. Even the kids like it.

Receta de Ñoquis del 29

Recipe for 29th-of-the-month Gnocchi

2 lbs. baking potatoes (about 6)

salt

2 eggs

1 cup fresh, good quality ricotta cheese

2-3 cups flour, plus more for dusting

Peel and quarter the potatoes, putting them in a medium stock pot with enough water to cover the potatoes with one inch of water. Add a scant handful of salt. Put the potatoes to boil until they are tender when pierced with a fork , but not mushy. Drain the potatoes.

Put the potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, and ricotta, and mix well using your hands or a fork until a consistent dough is formed. Be careful not to overmix.

Add the flour a half cup at a time, mixing each time by hand until there is a soft, pliable dough. The dough should not be sticky, and it should not be hard. If it's too sticky or soft, the gnocchi will be mushy, but if there's too much flour, the gnocchi will be chewy and tough. (This is the challenging part!)

Knead the dough a few times until uniform, and divide the dough in half . Flour a work area, and roll the dough out into a long thin roll about 3/4 inch thick. Cut these tubes of dough into sections about 1 inch long. Meanwhile, bring a stock pot of water to a boil.

There are a variety of ways to 'mark' the gnocchi-all just a style choice, since at this point, they are more or less done. Here are some suggestions: Mark an indentation in the center of each gnocchi with your index finger; or roll over the side of a cheese grater to make patterned indentations; or roll over the backside of a fork, or roll over the center of a wooden gnocchi tool.

At this point, the gnocchi can be frozen laid out on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. After they are frozen, they can be stored in a freezer bag. Frozen gnocchi are just put into the boiling water like the unfrozen ones.

Drop the gnocchi one at a time into the boiling water. They are cooked when they rise to the top. Collect with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Serve with the sauce of your choice. (Some nice choices are walnut Gorgonzola, tomato or white sauce.)

 

 

Fresh Herb Gnocchi--Ñoquis de Hierbas Frescas

Today in Argentina people from coast to coast are meeting friends and family over plates of gnocchi (or ñoquis, if you're in Argentina) to celebrate one of my most favorite time-honored Argentinean food traditions--the habit of eating gnocchi on the 29th day of each month.

I recently got an email from reader Socorro in Miami, who reminded me that it's been a long while since I wrote about the traditions of this holiday.

While gnocchi came to Argentina along with the influx of Italians who immigrated to their new home in the early 20th century, the tradition of eating this dish is distinctly Argentinean.  Newly arrived Italians ate gnocchi on the 29th of each month to honor the saint day of San Pantaleon, a Venetian patron saint who healed the ailing and would only take a simple meal (such as gnocchi) for payment.  

Pionono de Atun y Morrones--Pionono with Tuna and Roasted Red Peppers

 

If there were ever a quality that would make a food lovable, for me that quality would be versatility. Take the humble Pionono--a handful of basic ingredients (above) blended together to create a spongy cake that has just about as many filling options as you can dream up.

In the mood for something sweet?  Spread your Pionono with Dulce de Leche, or maybe Nutella and crumbled nuts.  Or spread it with a soft gelato, then roll and freeze to make an ice cream cake.  Looking for a brunch option?  Whipped cream and strawberry-filled Pionono make a great  brunch dish.

In the mood for something savory? Fill your Pionono like a sandwich--with layers of ham or salami or turkey, provolone cheese, sliced olives, roasted red peppers and hard boiled egg.  Or whipped cream cheese with Roquefort crumbles mixed in.  Or like this version, it can be filled with tuna salad spiked with fresh herbs and roasted red peppers.

The humble Pionono, a staple in Argentina's kitchens, makes a great party appetizer or something different to bring to a potluck.  And last week we had it paired with a hearty quinoa salad--it was the perfect small plate to go with a grain, both playing an equal part as main dishes on the plate.

What are your favorite filling  ideas?

Pionono

Pionono (Jelly Roll)

5 eggs

5 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon honey

5 tablespoons flour

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a stand mixer, put the eggs,sugar, and honey, and beat on high speed for 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper and grease with butter or spray with cooking spray.

After 8 minutes, you should have a fluffy batter. Add the flour in all at once and beat for one minute more, until incorporated. Pour the batter onto the cookie sheet and spread gently with a spatula (you don't want to de-fluff the batter!) Make an even layer covering the cookie sheet. Place in the oven for 6 minutes.

Wet a cotton (not terry-cloth) towel and put it flat on the counter. Sprinkle it lightly with sugar. Lift the parchment paper off of the cookie sheet, and lay the pionono face down on the wet towel, paper-side up. Carefully peel the corner of the paper off, and continue, careful not to rip the pionono, until the paper has been removed. Fill with filling as below or as desired by spreading the chosen filling evenly across the pionono.   Roll carefully (too long on the wet towel is not good) and slice. Arrange on a plate to serve.

Relleno de Atun con Morrones

Tuna and Roasted Red Pepper Filling

Salmon would also be a nice option here, just substitute the 2 cans of tuna for 2 cans of skinless, boneless salmon. 

2 cans tuna, drained

2 tablespoons (or more, to taste) mayonnaise

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (tarragon or basil would also be nice)

1 egg, hard-boiled, peeled and chopped (optional)

2 roasted red peppers, chopped

Place the tuna in a medium mixing bowl, and flake with a fork.  Stir in the mayonnaise and mix well until combined.  Add in the lemon juice, and then fold in the parsley, hard-boiled egg, and roasted peppers.  Spread the mixture across the pionono as described above, before rolling and slicing.

 

Asian Dumplings Book Giveaway! (And Empanada Recipe)

 
 
Andrea Nguyen's family fled Vietnam in the early 1970s with little more than a tattered orange notebook full of family recipes that her mom rescued from their home. The notebook later became the inspiration for Nguyen's James Beard Award-nominated tour de force, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen--the first Vietnamese cookbook published in English.

She followed with the book I'm giving away here today--Asian Dumplings, and has since become a contributing editor at the venerable Saveur magazine, launched the amazing Asian Market Shopper app (which assists shoppers in learning about and preparing Asian ingredients) and authored another book--about tofu--that will be published next year.

But what, you may ask, does this have to do with the food of Argentina? In a word, EMPANADAS.

While I was reading through Asian Dumplings (which is full of all types of delicious filled pockets, dumplings, gyoza, and samosas from all across Asia), I came across Andrea's recipe for Beef, Sweet Potato, and Raisin Turnovers--Empanadas from the Philippines!

The Spanish, with their ever-reaching colonial scope, influenced not just the lands of South and Central America, but the islands of Asia, too, where recipes like this one are popular. This delectable treat would be right at home in Argentina. It's another example of the fusion that happens when people immigrate to a new place and bring their traditions with them. In the case of cooking, it's usually the best recipes that survive and get adopted as local favorites.

Another thing I love about Andrea's work is that she is dedicated to sharing the emotional connection between food and the people eating it, which I hope is one of the most significant elements of From Argentina With Love. So many of my eating experiences in Argentina have been special--and different from those at home--because of that heartfelt connection from kibble to kisser. It's what I think is the thing most worth celebrating, whatever cuisine.

Andrea was kind enough to send me a copy of Asian Dumplings book to share with my readers, and to the winner of today's giveaway, she'll be including a personal message along with the book. Just enter your comment in the comments section below, the winner will be chosen at random on Wednesday, July 13th at 12:00om EST. Us residents only. Good luck!

A note about these wonderful empanadas--the short pastry used here is divine and well worth the effort! It is flakier than the baking pastry used in Mendoza and other regions for baked empanadas, and of course different from the pastry used in fried empanadas.

The fine print: Cover image and recipe from Asian Dumplings by Andrea Nguyen copyright 2009 used with permission, thanks from Ten Speed Press. Thanks also to Andrea Nguyen and Kristen Casemore.

 

Beef, Sweet Potato and Raisin Turnovers

Empanadas

Dough: (You can also use pre-made dough or cut rounds from pie crust if you are short on time)

8 3/4 ounces (1 3/4 cups) bleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon sugar (use 1 tablespoon for a stronger savory-sweet contrast)

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons shortening

1/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/4 inch pieces

one large egg yolk combined with 5 tablespoons water

Filling:

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion

1 clove garlic, minced

3 ounces ground beef (preferably chuck)

1/3 cup diced sweet potato (orange-flesh variety preferred)

1/4 cup water 2 teaspoons light (regular) soy sauce

1 pinch of salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons raisins

 

1 large egg, separated

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1. To make the dough in a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt in a the work bowl and pulse 2 or 3 times to combine. Add the shortening and process for 10 seconds to combine. Sprinkle in the butter pieces and pulse 10 to 15 times, until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse crumbs. Break apart pieces larger than a pea. Transfer to a bowl. (Alternatively, put the ingredients in a bowl and use a pastry blender or your fingers in a quick rubbing motion to combine the ingredients.)

Work in the egg mixture, one-third at a time, using a rubber spatula to fold, mash, and press the ingredients together after each addition. When all the liquid has been incorporated, you should be able to press the dough into a ragged mass with the spatula. If not, work in additional ice water by the teaspoon. Transfer the dough to a work surface (no flouring is needed) and very gently knead the dough into a ball. Pat the dough ball into a 5-inch disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

2. Meanwhile, to make the filling, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion is translucent and sweet smelling and the garlic begins to turn blond. Add the beef, and use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir and mash the meat into small pieces. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds, until most of it has begun to brown. Add the sweet potato, water, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir, lower the heat slightly, and cover. Cook for about 4 minutes, or until the potato is nearly tender; there should still be some liquid remaining.

Uncover, add the raisins, and continue cooking, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, or until the potato is tender and there is very little liquid left. Remove from the heat and use the spoon or spatula to mash half of the potato and make the mixture cohere a bit. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside to cool completely before using. You should have about 3/4 cup. (The filling can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated. Return it to room temperature before using.)

3. If the dough was refrigerated for longer than 1 hour, let it sit at room temperature until malleable. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly beat the egg white and keep it nearby.

4. Unwrap the dough and put it on a lightly floured work surface. Gently squeeze on the dough to elongate it. Roll it into a 12-inch log. Use a knife to cut the log into 12 pieces. (Halve the log first to easily cut even-size pieces. The tapered end pieces should be cut a little longer than the rest.) Loosely cover the dough pieces with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel to prevent drying.

5. Work with half of the dough pieces at a time, keeping the others loosely covered. Use an Asian-style wooden rolling pin to roll each piece of dough into a circle 3 1/2 inches in diameter and just a bit thicker in the center than at the rim. Use a minimum amount of flour to dust your work surface and rotate the circle. Roll from the center outward as you would a basic dumpling wrapper.

Holding a wrapper in one hand, use a spoon to position about 1 tablespoon of filling slightly off-center on the wrapper, pressing down very gently and keeping about 1/2 to 3/4 inch of wrapper clear on all sides. Brush egg white on half of the rim and then bring up the other half to meet it and close. Press with your fingers to create a half-moon, sealing the rim well and creating a half-inch brim. For extra security, use your thumb and index fingers to form a rope edge or press with the tines of a fork. Place the turnover, pretty rope edge facing up, on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wrappers, spacing them about 2 inches apart, before working on the second half of the dough. Assembled empanadas can be frozen on the baking sheet until hard (about 2 hours), transferred to a zip-top freezer bag, and kept frozen for up to 1 month; partially thaw before brushing with egg and baking.

6. Lightly beat the egg yolk and brush it on the turnovers, taking care to cover the spine. Bake 1 baking sheet at a time for 20 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Put the baking sheet on a rack and cool for about 10 minutes before eating. Empanadas are great at room temperature, too.

Ñoquis del 29--Gnocchi for the 29th

 

This is why we pinch pennies all year long, spend our limited vacation time from work to visit family on the other side of the planet instead of go to Disney World, and travel from Denver to Dallas to Santiago to Mendoza and then drive three hours to Bowen; transit time: about 24 hours each way.

It's so Esteban can make gnocchi with his abuela, and it's totally worth every sacrifice we make the other 364 days of the year.  Those moments are priceless to us.

On our last visit, we happened to be at my in-laws' house on the 29th--which Argentinaphiles will recognize as 'Ñoqui Day'--the day each month in Argentina that everyone eats gnocchi. 

Florencia, my mother-in-law, cooks in a humble kitchen--no high-tech gadgets (not even a microwave), the same pots and pans and dishes--featuring a ring of interlocking pink roses around the rim--they've always used.  It's not fancy or glamorous, (in fact, I'm always reminded of how well we can live while 'doing without') but the best tasting food is created in that kitchen.  Is love the secret ingredient? 

Maybe.  And a good measure of simplicity--wholesome ingredients, food mixed and made by hand, the recipes made from memory--from years of cooking every day.  But the essence of what makes the meals we eat at my inlaws' house taste so different--tastier--is conviviality--that spirit of sharing a meal--that we miss when we eat a breakfast burrito behind the wheel of our car.  What makes the meals we eat together so special is the time taken, with hands weathered alongside hands small, to make that meal.

And to sit down around the table--Ñoquis, a carafe of table wine, a siphon of seltzer, and literally break bread. 

There's a proverb in Argentina that goes "Panza llena, corazón contento." Or, 'a full belly makes a happy heart'--which to me encompasses just what it is to see my son rolling out gnocchi dough with his grandma, and then sit down, family style--to enjoy the delicious results.  My heart sings, and my belly is full.

 

Make some gnocchi on Sunday the 29th!  Following is the recipe I posted some time ago (at the link above) and here is a link to a recipe for both tomato and pesto sauce.  This recipe makes a plenty of gnocchi--enough for a group (we served 3 hungry men, plus myself last week and still had leftovers) or to freeze.  The freezing process will change the texture of the gnocchi slightly, it's a bit mushier.  The dough can also be frozen, defrosted and rolled out; if you do this, err on the side of less flour in the dough so you can add some more to firm up the texture when you are rolling it out.

(And I'm still working on the facebook icon to go with the twitter one above.  If you haven't already, please join our group From Argentina With Love--get updates, events, and giveaways. Thanks as always for your support!)

Ñoquis del 29

Gnocchi for the 29th

2 lbs. baking potatoes (about 6)

salt

2 eggs

1 cup fresh, good quality ricotta cheese

2-3 cups flour, plus more for dusting

Peel and quarter the potatoes, putting them in a medium stock pot with enough water to cover the potatoes with one inch of water.  Add a scant handful of salt.  Put the potatoes to boil until they are tender when pierced with a fork , but not mushy. Drain the potatoes.

Put the potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer.  In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, and ricotta, and mix well using your hands or a fork until a consistent dough is formed.  Be careful not to overmix. 

Add the flour a half cup at a time, mixing each time by hand until there is a soft, pliable dough.  The dough should not be sticky, and it should not be hard.  If it's too sticky or soft, the gnocchi will be mushy, but if there's too much flour, the gnocchi will be chewy and tough.  (This is the challenging part!)

Knead the dough a few times until uniform, and divide the dough in half .  Flour a work area, and roll the dough out into a long thin roll about 3/4 inch thick.  Cut these tubes of dough into sections about 1 inch long.  Meanwhile, bring a stock pot of water to a boil. 

There are a variety of ways to 'mark' the gnocchi-all just a style choice, since at this point, they are more or less done.  Here are some suggestions:  Mark an indentation in the center of each gnocchi with your index finger; or roll over the side of a cheese grater to make patterned indentations; or roll over the backside of a fork, or roll over the center of a wooden gnocchi tool.

At this point, the gnocchi can be frozen laid out on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  After they are frozen, they can be stored in a freezer bag.   Frozen gnocchi are just put into the boiling water like the unfrozen ones.

Drop the gnocchi one at a time into the boiling water. They are cooked when they rise to the top.  Collect with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.  Serve with the sauce of your choice.  (Some nice choices are walnut Gorgonzola, tomato or white sauce.)