Chef Riccardo Aiachini
Osteria La Fermata
Alba, Italy

Salt-Baked Filled Onion, from Castellazzo.

Ingredients, Per Person:
Medium sized white or blond onion
Sea salt crystals to cover
Egg yolk per onion
Parmesan cheese, grated
Breadcrumbs as needed
Olive oil

Method: 

Cover the onion (s) with sea salt and bake for 40 minutes in 350˚ oven. Cool down onion, remove from salt and reserve. When onion is cool, remove from salt, and scoop out cold onion pulp. Combine egg yolk, grated cheese and bread crumbs with onion pulp. Fill onion skin with mixture and top with olive oil. Grill for 10 minutes in 400˚ oven and plate on bed of reserved salt.

Chef Cesare Giaccone
Villa Contessa Rosa
Fontanafredda Royal Villa, Serralunga d’Alba

Gnocchi (Potato Dumplings) With Asparagus Tips

Ingredients For 4 People:

2 ½ lbs potatoes
3 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs
½ lb. fresh, crisp, asparagus tips (peel if desired)
2 fresh, peeled and diced meaty (less seeds) tomatoes
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs of basil
2 tlbs butter
Chicken stock, water or white wine as required (about ½ to ¾ cup)
Extra virgin olive oil as required

Method:

Boil potatoes in their skins in salted water until soft. When cooked, peel the potatoes and process through potato masher. Mix in one egg yoke and one whole egg. Slowly mix in the flour, kneading well to form a smooth, elongated dough. DO NOT OVER HANDLE OR DOUGH WILL GET TOUGH. Cut dough into slices and roll each slice out into the shape of a thick breadstick. Cut each length into 1’ segments and press each segment against the prongs of a fork to indent. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. While water is coming to a boil make the asparagus dressing. Boil the asparagus tips and drain while they are still a little crunchy. Chop asparagus into bite sized pieces. Melt butter in a wide, deep frying pan and sauté asparagus with bay leaf, about 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Remove bay leaf. Add basil and salt and pepper to taste and glaze with olive oil. Add chicken stock, water or white wine as desired to generate sauce. Place gnocchi in water and when they float back to the surface (less than a minute), remove with slotted spoon and transfer directly into the pan with the asparagus tips, mix gently and serve immediately. Add olive oil as garnish to taste. Serve with grated parmesan cheese

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