Announcing: The Towpath Podcast! (and a couple recipes)
Did you know that one of our books has a podcast? It’s true! Authors Lori De Mori and Laura Jackson talk about their London-famous restaurant Towpath in their podcast of the same name. They share some of their favorite recipes too, giving aspiring cooks a chance to listen as they explain some of their trade secrets.
“The new podcast series from London’s iconic Towpath Café weaves the voices of the restaurant’s dearest friends, loyal regulars, and the team behind the scenes. Chef Laura Jackson discusses the evolution of her food, and the influences on Towpath’s classic dishes, while former food writer Lori De Mori reveals the importance of community and the duo’s commitment to fostering a warm and intimate space, where people can get to know one another. The series includes Towpath’s biggest fans, from Turner Prize-nominated artist Enrico David to celebrated chefs Rosie Sykes and Olia Hercules.”
The following recipes are from Towpath by Lori De Mori and Laura Jackson and our both featured on the podcast. They have been adapted for the web.
Ricotta Gnudi
To learn more about this recipe, listen to episode 2 of the Towpath Podcast!
This recipe is inspired by Lori’s Beaneaters & Bread Soup book. In our second year, when we finally had the kitchen on-site, we started occasionally hosting communal dinners. One of them had a Tuscan theme and these fresh, light, fluffy balls proved to be really popular. Ever since then they have appeared regularly on the menu, much to one of our regular customers, Susanne’s happiness. She could eat them every day – and let me tell you she does come every day!
Serves 4
Ingredients
500g / 1lb 2oz ricotta
170g / 6oz Parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve
2 eggs, lightly beaten
5 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
2 pinches of freshly grated
nutmeg
plain flour, for dusting
250g / 9oz unsalted butter
bunch of sage, picked
salt and pepper
(Note: Every time I make gnudi, they come out slightly differently. Until you feel confident, I suggest cooking one ball as a tester to see how it turns out. If it’s still wet, add some more breadcrumbs. Ideally you want as little flour on the outside as possible. However, if the gnudi are falling apart, add a bit more. The gnudi are also delicious served with a rich ragu or some roast pumpkin or squash.)
Procedure
- Start by placing the ricotta in a fine sieve and leave to drain for at least 40 minutes to remove any excess liquid – if it’s too liquidy, the gnudi will fall apart during the poaching. The longer you can leave the ricotta to drain, the better.
- Tip the ricotta, Parmesan, eggs and breadcrumbs into a bowl. Add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.
- Using a wooden spoon, very gently mix everything together until well combined, but do not overmix. The less you mix, the lighter your gnudi will be. The mixture should be thick, so if it seems at all wet, add some more breadcrumbs. Leave to rest in fridge for about 20 minutes.
- At Towpath I weigh the balls at 22g / 3/4oz but you can roll them by eye – they should be the size of a walnut in its shell and you are aiming for 30 balls. If the gnudi mix is a bit sticky, lightly flour your hands, but use as little flour as possible.
- Once shaped, rest again in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Melt the butter and sage on a low heat until the sage goes crispy and the butter starts to caramelise. Turn off the heat and keep in a warm place.
- Boil a medium saucepan of water and add salt. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower the gnudi into the water. You may need to do this in batches as you don’t want to overcrowd the pan. Turn the heat down and wait until the gnudi floats – about 3 minutes. Scoop out with a slotted spoon, making sure to drain all excess water and put each portion into a (warmed) bowl.
- Drizzle over the sage butter, sprinkle with Parmesan and finish with a grind of pepper.
- Serve immediately.
Toasted Cheese Sandwich
Prefer to listen? This recipe is featured on episode 4 of the Towpath Podcast!
Like most utterly simple things, this recipe is as good as the raw ingredients you begin with. Get your hands on the best artisan sourdough bread – we get ours from e5 Bakehouse. We’ve also experimented with different Cheddars, but even in blind tastings nothing compares to Montgomery Cheddar. If you can’t find it, use the best farmhouse Cheddar you can find.
Makes 2 sandwiches
Ingredients
2 spring onions, sliced
300g / 10 1/2oz Montgomery Cheddar, grated
4 slices day-old sourdough bread (fresh is fine but harder to cut),
buttered on the outside
Procedure
- Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron is good if you have one) over a medium heat.
- Mix the spring onions in with the cheese and heap half of this between two slices of bread that have been buttered on the outside. Do the same with the other two slices.
- Cook each sandwich on both sides until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden and crispy.