Kitchen classics: Viva Italia!

Recipes by: Gladwin Anton, Executive Chef, Per Te
GNOCCHI WITH LAMB RAGU
Serves: 6
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 2.5 hrs
Ingredients
For the lamb ragu:
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 6-inch fresh rosemary sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 small white onion, peeled, finely sliced
1 carrot, peeled, finely cubed
1/2 celery stalk, finely cubed
1 kg shoulder of lamb, cut into small cubes
Salt to taste
Crushed black pepper to taste
500 gm plum tomato, cored, coarsely chopped
1 cup water, or as needed 
For the gnocchi dough:
600 gm La Ratte potatoes, boiled
Salt water, as needed
132 gm "00" flour
60 gm corn flour
1 egg, whole
1 egg yolk
8 gm salt
36 ml double cream
24 gm Parmesan cheese 
Method
For the ragu, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the peeled garlic, rosemary, and bay leaf, and cook for 1 minute.
Add all the vegetables and cook for 6 minutes.
Add the lamb cubes, seasoned with salt and pepper, and cook until the meat is coated well. 
Add the tomato pulp and water, and cook on medium heat for 2 hours, stirring every 10 minutes, until lamb is tender.
For the gnocchi, cook the potatoes in a large saucepan with boiling salt water. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, strain, peel and mash, leaving no lumps.
Add the flour, corn flour, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and salt to the mashed potatoes; mix together until it forms a dough.
Cut the dough into six and, on a floured surface, roll each piece into a ¾-inch diameter rope.
Cut the dough into small pieces equally, and dust them with flour to keep them from becoming sticky.
When the ragu is ready, boil the gnocchi in a large saucepan with salted boiling water, and cook until the gnocchi floats to the surface. Season to taste.
Scoop them out with a strainer ladle and add into the ragu. Toss the pan - but don't overcook, else the gnocchi will get mashed.
Garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese, and serve.  
ZUPPA ALLA PAVESE (Clear Chicken Broth with Quail Egg and Ciabatta Toast)

Serves: 6
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 35 minutes 
Ingredients
300 gm chicken breast, skinned
1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
1 stick celery, roughly chopped
18 quail eggs
6 slices ciabatta toast
6 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
6 tsp parsley, chopped
Salt and crushed black pepper to taste 
Method
In a large saucepan, boil the water, add the vegetables and chicken breast, and boil for 30 mins. Remove the froth that collects at the top.
Boil the quail eggs for 2-3 mins, remove the shells and cut each egg into halves.
Place the ciabatta toast into six soup bowls, pour the broth into the bowls, then place the six quail egg halves in each.
Add the grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Serve hot. 
RIGATONI ALL'AMATRICIANA (Rigatoni with Spicy Turkey Bacon Tomato Sauce)

Serves: 6
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 20 mins 
Ingredients
500 gm rigatoni
100 ml extra virgin olive oil
400 gm turkey bacon, thinly sliced julienne
1 medium red onion, halved, thinly sliced
500 gm cooked tomato, peeled
2 tsp crushed red pepper
120 gm cherry tomato
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste 
Method
In a large saucepan, boil salt water and add the rigatoni pasta. Cook until al dente, about 11-12 minutes.
In another saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the turkey bacon and onion. Cook over medium heat for 4 minutes.
Add the tomato, red pepper, and 60 gm of cherry tomatoes, seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 more minutes.
Reduce the fire to low once the pasta is ready; strain the pasta and add it to the sauce together with the remaining cherry tomatoes, Parmesan and parsley.
Plate it for six people, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese on top. 
VEAL CHOPS WITH ROASTED POTATO

Serves: 2
Prep time: 35 minutes
Cook time: 25 mins 
Ingredients
For the roasted potato:
6 medium La Ratte potato, peeled
15 gm garlic, peeled
2 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped
70 ml extra virgin olive oil
Rock salt to taste
Crushed black pepper to taste
For the veal chops:
2 veal chops (approx. 300 gm each with bones)
12 gm garlic, peeled
1 tbsp rosemary, fresh, finely chopped
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra
Rock salt to taste
Crushed black pepper to taste 
For the oyster mushroom mixture:
100 gm oyster mushroom
20 gm butter
5 ml olive oil
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
Salt and crushed black pepper to taste 
Method
Boil the potato for a few minutes (do not cook completely), and cut into small cubes.
Marinate the potato with garlic, rosemary, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.
Place the potato in a roasting tray and roast in an oven at 200°C for 23 minutes.
For the veal chops, marinate the meat with garlic, rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan, and add the marinated veal chops. Cook until the chops are golden brown (approx. 7-8 minutes over medium heat), turning the meat around to ensure it is evenly cooked on all sides.
For the mushroom mixture, heat the butter and olive oil in a frying pan, add the oyster mushroom and cook until crisp and golden brown in colour. Season to taste.
Place the roasted potato in the centre of the serving dish, followed by the veal chops and the oyster mushroom mixture on top. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle some fresh chopped rosemary and rock salt on top. Serve. 
PANNA COTTA CON LAMPONI E AMARETTI

Serves: 12
Prep time: 20-25 minutes
Chilling time: 1.5 hrs 
Ingredients
4 gelatin leaves
1 L whipping cream
300 gm sugar
2 pc lemon peel
1 vanilla bean
500 gm full fat yoghurt
50 gm Amaretti biscuits 
For the raspberry coulis:
500 gm fresh raspberry
200 gm sugar
50 ml cup of water 
Method
Place the gelatin leaves into ice water and set aside.
In a large saucepan, add the whipping cream, sugar and lemon skins and keep on medium heat (don't let the cream boil). Once the gelatin leaves become soft, add it to the hot cream mix, followed by the vanilla bean.
Stir with a whisk until well dissolved, then strain the mixture and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Add the yoghurt and crushed amaretto.
Pour the panna cotta mix into a mould and place in the freezer for 80 minutes to set.
For the raspberry coulis, add the fresh raspberry, sugar and water to a saucepan, and heat through for 10-12 minutes.
Remove and blend to make it cold.
Place the pannacotta in the middle of a platter, served with raspberry coulis and garnished with fresh mint, raspberry, and amaretti crumbles.