Tagliatelle con Scamorza, Speck e Spinaci

Sunday is Father’s Day! 

It’s Dad’s special day so I decided to treat him to this inviting and flavorful dish that will be easy for me to make and enjoyable for him to eat.

Smoked scamorza

If speck (smoked prosciutto) and smoked scamorza are not available, prosciutto can be substituted for the speck and a good quality dry mozzarella can be substituted for the scamorza.

All photos - Copyright - ©2012-La Casa e Il Giardino

Egg Noodles with Smoked Prosciutto and Smoked Mozzarella

Ingredients

1 lb. tagliatelle or egg noodles
1/4 lb. smoked scamorza (alternate dry mozzarella)
1/4 speck or prosciutto sliced thin
1 tb. butter
1/2 lb. fresh spinach
1 shallot, minced
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup parmigiano
Salt and pepper

Wash the spinach and briefly cook them over high heat.
In a pan, add the butter and brown the speck.
Add the spinach, shallot and the vegetable broth and cook for 5 minutes.
Cut the scamorza in cubes.
Cook the pasta in salted water.
Drain and mix with the spinach, the scamorza and grated parmigiano.

Hoping your Father's Day is enjoyable.

SKEWERS OF GRILLED SCAMORZA - Spiedini di Scamorza

It’s grilling time and what can be more delicious than grilled scamorza.  Not just any scamorza but Scamorza Abruzzese , the one shaped like a pear and made from cow’s milk.  We like it fried as in scamorza impanata (breaded scamorza) and grilled.

Spiedini di scamorza make a wonderful starter (antipasto) and will add the WOW factor to any gathering. 

       All photos - Copyright - ©2011 - La Casa e Il Giardino – picasaweb

Ingredients for 4 people

1 lb. smoked Scamorza
(alternate non-smoked or good quality dry mozzarella)
3 baguettes rustic bread

extra-virgin olive oil

Clean the crust of the smoked cheese with a dampened cloth, then cut the cheese into thick slices.  Slice the loaves of bread.  Alternating, impale on moist, wooden skewers slices of smoked cheese and bread, then place the skewers on a baking tray and grease them lightly with oil. Preheat the grill and, when hot, cook the skewers 4-5 minutes per side, turning once or twice. Remove from grill and serve immediately.  Sliced prosciutto may also be added.

Scamorza Impanata (Breaded Scamorza)

Scamorza Abruzzese is a curd cheese, made by artisanal cheesemakers, shaped into a pear-like, tied with a string and hung to dry.

Scamorze Hung to Dry

The cheese is white unless it is smoked.

Smoked Scamorza

The scamorza can be substituted for mozzarella in most dishes. Using the smoked variety (scamorza affumicata) adds a nice background flavor in replacement of mozzarella.

Ingredients

2 Scamorze Abruzzese (Good quality dry mozzerella can be substituted)

1 cup bread crumbs

2 eggs

Fresh Black pepper

1 tablespoon of fresh chopped thyme

½ lb. Mixed lettuce (arugula, romaine, radicchio, frisée

8 slices artisanal bread (thick crusty bread)

1 cup of vegetable oil to fry

Remove the skin of the scamorze, cut into thick slices the size of a finger. Beat the eggs in a bowl with fresh black pepper. In another dish mix the breadcrumbs with chopped thyme leaves. Place the sliced scamorza in the egg mixture and then the bread mixture making sure it adheres well. Fry the sliced mozzarella few at a time, place on paper towels to remove the excess fat. Serve immediately with mixed lettuce and toasted bread.

Scamorza Impanata

I would combine this dish with a light white wine, preferably champagne to balance the remaining frying fat.

Images: ©2010 - picasaweb