99% Fat-Free Italian Cooking: All your favorite dishes with less than one gram of fat - Hardcover

Barry Bluestein and Kevin Morrissey are the bestselling authors of three earlier 99% fat-free cookbooks; The Complete Cookie; and several other cookbooks, including The Bountiful Kitchen, which was nominated for a 1998 Julia Child Cookbook Award. They live in Chicago, where for six years they were the owners of Seasoned to Taste, a store specializing in cookbooks.

Introduction

A creamy risotto brimming with mussels . . . a bowl of silky fresh spinach pasta dotted with salt cod and tomatoes . . . a skewer of veal threaded around baby spring vegetables . . . an ethereal roasted red pepper flan--such are the rewards of the 99% fat-free Italian kitchen.

Contrary to the misconceptions of Americans reeling from too many overdone pizzas, too many meatballs and sausages, and far, far too much sauce on dishes that would be unfamiliar in Italian homes, Italian cooking and healthful eating are a natural match. Fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, seafood, and minimal saucing are the hallmarks of the real Italian kitchen. Much like health-conscious diners everywhere, Italians have always used meat as an accent rather than as the main component of the meal, have eaten a variety of small courses rather than a huge portion of any single item, and have viewed rich, sugar-laden desserts as special-occasion treats rather than part of the everyday diet.

With the exceptions of tempering the Italian devotion to olive oil and substituting fat-free for full-fat dairy products--but allowing a finishing flourish of heavenly Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino cheese, which is well worth the fat grams--little sacrifice is necessary to adapt classic Italian cuisine to a fat-free regimen.

And little is more rewarding. Americans no longer need to be educated about the perils of our traditionally high-fat diet and now understand the role that lowering fat can play in controlling numerous preventable, diet-related health problems. But we nevertheless want real food, thoughtfully conceived and lovingly prepared.

We addressed the issue of paring fat in The 99% Fat-Free Cookbook and The 99% Fat-Free Book of Appetizers and Desserts. In 99% Fat-Free Meals in 30 Minutes we demonstrated how to make low-fat cooking quick and easy enough to fit into even the busiest schedule.

The 99% fat-free method is a comprehensive approach to low-fat cooking distinguished by its diner-friendly perspective. By breaking down traditional recipes and rebuilding them in ways that pare significant amounts of fat at the source, in the kitchen, we provide healthful eating without deprivation. Our simple techniques enable cooks to select ingredients judiciously, to prepare them innovatively, and to dispense with ingrained habits that add superfluous fat.

We now bring this approach to the bountiful Italian table, reducing the fat and indulging guiltlessly in what remains. Although we do need to eschew oil to cook fat-free, we have otherwise tried to be true to Italian flavor combinations, cooking techniques, and dining traditions. We hope you appreciate the Italian way as much as we do. Buon appetito!
Parmesan Risotto

This is one of the simplest and most basic risottos. The quality of the cheese is critical; this is not the time to substitute a lesser alternative for Parmigiano-Reggiano.

We like the dish with Veal Spiedini (page 154), but it really complements a wide range of main courses, as long as they don't contain any Parmesan themselves. For the ultimate luxury, top Parmesan Risotto with shaved or sliced truffles.

6 cups Beef Stock (see page 21), or 4 cups commercial beef broth plus 2 cups water
4 ounces leek (about 1 thin leek), trimmed, cleaned, quartered lengthwise, and thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons water
2 cups Vialone Nano, Carnaroli, or Arborio rice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer.

Meanwhile, preheat a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the leek and water. Sauté for about 3 minutes, until the leek is soft and most of the water has evaporated. Add the rice and continue to cook and stir for about 3 minutes more, until the rice is very lightly toasted.

Vigorously stir in 1 cup of the hot stock. Once the liquid has been absorbed and small craters dot the creamy surface, add 1 cup more. Stir and bring back to a simmer. When this addition has been absorbed, add the rest of the stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring after each addition. Continue to stir

until the risotto is creamy and tender. This should take 25 to 30 minutes from the first addition of stock.

Stir in the salt, black pepper, and Parmesan and serve 1 cup to each person.

Yield = 6 servings
Fat per serving = 0.73 g.
Calories per serving = 261.2
Veal Spiedini

Spiedini, the Italian version of brochettes, make a light yet filling meal. For a heartier meal, serve them with your favorite risotto. We particularly like to make spiedini in the summer, when the cooking can easily shift from the broiler to the outdoor grill. In this recipe, the veal first marinates in a flavorful Marsala wine mixture. You will need eight 8-inch skewers. If you use bamboo rather than metal skewers, be sure to soak them as directed to prevent charring. The addition of such baby vegetables as pattypan squash and teardrop or small cherry tomatoes in assorted colors lends a festive air.

Two 4-ounce veal scaloppine cutlets, each trimmed and cut into 4 long, thin strips
16 medium white button mushrooms (about 8 ounces), cleaned and halved
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs (see Pantry)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 1 hour.

Put the strips of veal and the mushrooms into a shallow bowl. Add the wine and pepper and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

Preheat the broiler.

Mix together the bread crumbs, parsley, and Parmesan.

Thread a strip of veal onto each skewer in a serpentine fashion, interspersing 4 mushroom chunks between the folds of veal, ending with a mushroom on top. Roll in the bread crumb mixture to coat.

Position 4 inches from the heat source and broil for 3 minutes, until well browned. Turn and broil until well browned on the other side, about 4 minutes more.

Yield = 8 skewers
Fat per skewer = 0.68 g.
Calories per skewer = 53.4
Spaghetti and Meatballs

We just couldn't resist the temptation to include a version of the first "Italian" dish to which most Americans of a certain age were exposed. We don't know if anyone is certain of the derivation of this combination, although Michele Scicolone reports one theory in A Fresh Taste of Italy--that it was invented early in the century by American dietitians who were trying to introduce more protein into the typical pasta diet of Italian immigrants.

By starting with turkey breast tenderloin rather than preground turkey, which may contain hidden fat, you keep fat content to a minimum. We chop it along with the seasonings in the food processor. The meatballs are then baked, not pan-fried in oil. Peppery arugula is a major flavor component in both the meatballs and the versatile sauce, which would work nicely in almost any recipe that calls for a tomato-based sauce.

4 sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup hot water
Olive oil cooking spray
6 ounces turkey breast tenderloin slices, cut into chunks
1/2 cup bread crumbs (see Pantry)
1/4 cup nonfat liquid egg substitute, or 2 large egg whites
1/4 cup chopped white onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped arugula
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons skim milk

Sauce:

1/4 cup diced white onion
2 tablespoons reserved sun-dried tomato soaking liquid
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped arugula
1 1/2 cups cut-up boxed or canned tomatoes with their juice, or 1 pound tomatoes (about 2 tomatoes), peeled, seeded, and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
6 ounces dried spaghetti

For the meatballs, combine the sun-dried tomatoes and water in a small bowl and set aside for 30 minutes for the tomatoes to reconstitute. Drain the tomatoes, reserving the soaking liquid, and chop (about 2 tablespoons).

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with the olive oil.

Combine the reconstituted tomatoes with the turkey, bread crumbs, egg substitute or egg whites, onion, garlic, arugula, salt, black pepper, red pepper, skim milk, and 2 tablespoons of the tomato soaking liquid in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is finely ground and has formed a large ball.

Using about 11/2 tablespoons for each, form 12 meatballs. Place them on the prepared sheet and bake for about 9 minutes, until crisp and brown, shaking the pan every 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

For the sauce, preheat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and the remaining 2 tablespoons of the tomato soaking liquid and cook for about 2 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the mixture is almost dry. Stir in the garlic and arugula. Add the tomatoes and red pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Add the meatballs and cook for about 5 minutes more, until the sauce is thick and dry. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, add the spaghetti, and cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain and toss with the sauce. For each portion, serve 1 cup pasta and 3 meatballs.

Yield = 4 servings
Fat per serving = 1.00 g.
Calories per serving = 270.8
Italian Potatoes with Onion and Rosemary

Slice the potatoes for this crisp pancake as thin as possible, and don't worry if they break up as you slice. Be sure to cook them until both sides are browned and as crusty as they can be without getting burned.

If the notion of flipping the whole pan...