Italian Grilling in Your Own Backyard

Italian Grilling in Your Own Backyard

Shrimp Rosemary - (Spiedini Alla Romagnola)

(Family Features) - Turn your next backyard barbecue into an Italian grill! It's easy with the simple addition of a Piastra (Italian for "plate" or "griddle") and a great recipe - both inspired by popular chef, Mario Batali.

Grilling alla piastra is a classic cooking technique that uses a flat griddle stone over a hot fire. It's perfect for flatbreads, scallops, shrimp, mussels, vegetables and more. Batali's Piastra (new this year from Mario Batali, The Italian Kitchen by Copco) is made from granite to ensure even heat. It's also double-sided, offering a choice of a griddle or grill. Simply preheat the Piastra on the grill, and you're ready to cook.

Shrimp Rosemary is from Batali's recent cookbook, "Mario Batali Italian Grill" (Harper Collins, 2007). This savory summer entrée features shrimp skewered on rosemary sprigs, accented with a parsley and basil crumb topping. Buon appetito!

For more information about Italian grilling this summer, visit the Grill Essentials section of www.italiankitchen.com.

Shrimp Rosemary - (Spiedini Alla Romagnola)

Description

The rosemary skewers, which are easy to make, impart an herbal fragrance to the shrimp, and they look both rustic and elegant at the same time. Alla romagnola means that these spiedini are a specialty of Romagna, the eastern part of the region Emilia-Romagna.

Ingredients

12 large sturdy rosemary sprigs

1 bunch Italian parsley, leaves only (about 2 cups loosely packed)

1 bunch basil, leaves only (about 2 cups packed)

2 cups fresh bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds large shrimp (21-30 per pound), peeled and deveined

2 lemons, cut into wedges

Preparation

Choose large sturdy sprigs that are about 8 inches long. Pull off most of the leaves from each sprig, leaving a nice tuft of leaves at the top (use the remaining leaves in the dish you are making, or reserve for another use). Using a sharp knife, cut the bottom of the sprig on a diagonal to create a sharp point. Soak in water for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Place parsley and basil leaves into bowl of food processor; add bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Process until the herbs are chopped and the bread crumbs look green. Transfer to a pie plate or wide shallow bowl; add the shrimp, and toss to coat well.
Skewer 4 or 5 shrimp on each rosemary sprig: line up 4 or 5 shrimp at a time on a work surface and run a rosemary sprig through them; separate them slightly so they will cook evenly. Dredge on both sides in the bread crumb mixture, place on a platter and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill. Place the Piastra on the grill to preheat. Brush the Piastra with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Place the skewers on the Piastra. Cook, turning once, just until the shrimp are opaque throughout and some of the crumbs are browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter; serve with the lemon wedges.

Serves

Serves 6

Notes, Tips & Suggestions

Copco Product:

Piastra - Italian Grilling Stone from Mario Batali® The Italian Kitchen by Copco

SOURCE:

Wilton Industries, Inc. - Copco