MAY/JUNE FOOD

GO TO ROME FOR JUST $9.99

OK. A couple of recipes I've developed that will get you closer to the
Eternal City than you ever bargained for, without even leaving your kitchen.
If you've ever been to Rome, then maybe you have the same memories of the
food as I do -- walking down the street, usually, eating a big square of
folded pizza resplendent with the most intense tomatoes you ever tasted. A
calzone the size of your hand, stuffed with something mysterious but so
delicious you never stopped trying to figure out what. Flat crunchy panini
stuffed with same. A little paper sack of roasted potatoes, salty and crunchy
and creamy all at once. So here you go -- try these and scream "take me
there!" to whoever gets it (or not).

THE TOMATOES
Preheat the oven to 425F. Take about three pounds of Roma tomatoes
(home-grown tomatoes are good, too), cut them in half and put them in a big
oblong casserole dish in a single layer. Pour 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil
on them, or more if you want. Sprinkle them with a tablespoon (yes, a lot) of
course, kosher salt, not table salt. Bake them uncovered for 30 to 45
minutes, until they're shriveled and just starting to brown slightly at the
edges of the pan, and most of their liquid is evaporated. At this point you
can use them whole on homemade pizza, or chop them roughly and pile them onto
bruschetta, or use them plain for a pasta sauce, with maybe a bit of extra
olive oil and some good grated cheese.

THE PANINO
You'll need these:
a round of crusty Italian bread (pagnotta is good)
some Italian cheese, maybe provolone or mozzarella
some olive oil
some proscuitto cotto, or try Boar's Head rosemary-tomato ham

Take a heavy cast-iron skillet or griddle and heat it over medium heat. Slice
the bread thinly and add a slice or two of the ham and some cheese. Drizzle
one side of the sandwich generously with olive oil. Place the oiled side down
in the skillet and press it down with the back of a spatula. Drizzle oil on
the top, and flip the sandwich when the first side is browned. When both
sides are browned, transfer the sandwich to a plate and slice it down the
middle. Eat outside for best results.

THE POTATOES
These are good by themselves or served with roasted chicken etc. You'll need:

3 or 4 medium-sized white potatoes (not russet)
some olive oil
some kosher salt
some fresh rosemary (not dried)

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Peel and cube the potatoes into roughly 1-1/2 inch
pieces. Place them in a bowl and coat them with about 1/4 cup of olive oil.
Sprinkle them with two teaspoons of kosher salt. Take a stalk of fresh
rosemary about six inches long and throw it in the bowl. Stir the potatoes
and rosemary together with a wooden spoon until the rosemary starts to
release its fragrance and some of its leaves have fallen off into the
potatoes. Transfer everything to a cookie sheet and roast the potatoes for
30-45 minutes, turning them occasionally until all the sides are browned.
Remove the rosemary and cool slightly before serving, or serve at room
temperature.

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