It's a classic: the simpler a thing is, the easier it is to underestimate it. There are dishes that seem devoid of any possible catch. An example? See them in the oven: whisk in the pan, turn on the gas and ready! But no, there are 7 errors lurking … And what about tomato sauce? Six key passages must be respected … Easy, yes, but not discounted.
Here are six more dishes very good, fast and very accessible that can be a real specialty like a complete failure. And indeed, normally they are the litmus paper to understand if one (or one) in the kitchen really guesses.
The first rule is that of quality of the ingredients that, precisely because they are few and precisely because the workforce is limited, they become the real protagonists.
Garlic, oil and hot pepper
They are the dish of the improvised dinners par excellence and in this must of midnight spaghetti with friends there are basically two possible pitfalls: burning garlic and not getting the right humidity. Garlic should be put 'in shirt', ie the clove with the skin crushed at the bottom of the pan. Chili pepper, if dry, it is better to add it later. Humidity means that the spaghetti does not result too drowned in oil nor too dry. There hotness instead it is subjective and there is no rule. Finally, even if it seems superfluous to specify it, the spaghetti must be al dente, rigorously, even more than in other sauces or situations. Extra: you can enrich the spaghetti with col toasted breadcrumbs, which will give them an exquisite crunchy texture. In any case, it is highly recommendable scuffing spaghetti in the pan where the garlic has been passed with oil and chilli, so that they are well seasoned.
The boiled egg
It has the reputation of being the simplest recipe in the world: it is that of the boiled egg. And yet how many times you have happened to ruin it: olive yolk, crushing of the aforementioned, impossibility of peeling the egg or even too raw egg. In the meantime, freshness is essential and to verify it, simply immerse the egg in a basin filled with cold water: if it goes to the bottom lying down horizontally it is cool, if it is positioned vertically and part of the tip floats it means that it has so muchinner tubeand therefore it is less fresh. Finally, if it floats on the surface of the water it is certainly dated and it is better to avoid it. At this point, after filling the pan with plenty of water, a trick is to add a tablespoon of vinegar, which serves to ensure that the shell does not break with simmering. If you like, you can also add a pinch of salt. The egg must be immersed in cold water (there are also those who immerse it directly in boiling water, but this is not what we recommend), making sure it is completely covered by water. Remove it after 8-10 minutes from the moment of boiling (if it cooks 3 minutes it is the cocque, if it cooks 6 minutes it is barzotto). Attention: do not exceed the scheduled time! If cooking or immersion in boiling water proceeds indefinitely, the yolk turns green and is more difficult to peel. By the way: how to skin it without going crazy or ruining and taking away the outer part of the album? Tap the shell and then leave it to soak in the cold beautiful water, so that the water penetrates and the film is then easy to detach. And anyway remember: the fresher the egg, the harder it is to peel!
Fried egg
It all starts by doing melt a knob of butter (which is not all the same!) in a small non-stick pan, preferably in stone. When the butter becomes liquid, immediately break the egg, trying to move the yolk to the center as much as possible with the help of a spatula. The correct cooking must observe this protocol: it must be crunchy underneath, but not burnt, while the yolk must remain soft so as not to lose its taste and nutritional properties. To guarantee the result, you can do this: keep the red aside and add it to the pan only after the white is almost completely fried. Better a sprinkling of salt only on red and as soon as you remove from the pan even a handful of Parmesan can stand it. If instead times in red a little more compact and white super-well cooked, you can turn and quickly turn the fried egg with a spatula in the pan.
The cutlet
Small, large, available in a thousand variations: the cutlet is a must in the imagination of many adults and almost all children. The birthright belongs to the Milanese cuisine, even if the Austrians consider it a variant of their Wiener Schnitzel. The preparation provides for cream the eggs in a large bowl with a little salt added. Optional add grated cheese and a pinch of pepper. Beat the slices lightly and immediately pass them in the cream of eggs and then in the breadcrumbs that must be very fine (there are also those, first and foremost, le infarina). At this point, two options: oil (a lot) or butter (unparalleled). The pan must be wide and very hot, the cutlets must be added a few at a time. If you have used chicken meat, the secret is to remove the just golden breasts, to prevent them from hardening, it being understood that they must be well cooked.
Pasta with fresh tomatoes
This is also a recipe that is considered easy, fast and affordable for everyone. Yes, but bear in mind that tomatoes are right blanched for 30 seconds in lightly salted water and then drain them with a slotted spoon, peel them, cut them in half, remove the seeds and cut the pulp into cubes. Excellent a touch of oregano (even dry) or basil leaves (strictly fresh) and garlic should not be dried in the pan for more than 4-5 minutes, otherwise there is the risk of it burning. The linguine, this is the ideal pasta, should be strictly drained al dente and pour into the pan where there are garlic and tomatoes for at least a minute. Note: this sauce, especially if the tomatoes are organic or really genuine, is delicious even when we prepare it completely raw, with the whole chopped tomatoes quickly along with the other ingredients.
Beef steak
This is the last classic of good and easy dishes but it can be full of pitfalls and it is not so unusual to fall right on a steak. First of all it is fundamental to choose the right cut, the origin and ideal maturation, on which tenderness and taste obviously depend. Color red meat is important: it must be intense and the presence of clear and compact fat is a sign of quality. The smell is another important clue and the first mistake to avoid is to salt the meat when it is still raw, because the salt risks to make our steak dry, hard and stringy. Furthermore, it is fundamental that it be a room temperature before cooking, because if it is cold in the fridge – especially if it is thick – it will remain hot on the outside and cold inside. As a pot, the grill, the griddle or the grill are fine, the important thing is that they are hot and possibly of iron or cast iron. There cooking does not occur half on one side and half on the other. The steak is cooked well on one side and when the edges are already well roasted it turns: the residence time on the B side will be less. Finally, it is good not to eat the freshly cooked steak, but wait just as long as the juices can be redistributed between the fibers.
Emanuela Di Pasqua,
April 2017
updated by Carola Traverso Saibante
October 2019
photo credits: Wikipedia
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