Zuppa di Farro e Fagioli

Farro and Cannellini Bean Soup

I first enjoyed a version of this dish in Umbria, where it was made with garbanzos instead of cannellini beans. The thick, rosemary scented soup warmed us on a cold night. The waiter brought a bottle of fresh-pressed olive oil to drizzle un filo (literally, a thread) on top. Wonderful! I've since seen various versions in other regions, including our area of Le Marche, and found that I prefer it with the delicate cannellini beans.

1 small onion, chopped
a clove or two of garlic, minced
one stalk celery, chopped
a carrot, minced
olive oil
a couple sprigs of fresh rosemary
a bay leaf
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup farro grain (or spelt)
3 cups water
2 cans cannellini beans
salt and pepper
peperoncino (chile powder or crushed chile) to taste

Saute the onion, garlic, celery and carrot in olive oil until soft. Toss in the herbs and add the broth. Bring to a boil and add the farro and water, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until the grain is tender, about 40 minutes. Add more water if necessary to maintain a good consistency but you don't want it too thin.

Drain and rinse the beans. Put one can of beans in the blender, adding a few ladlefuls of the soup stock to blender it to a smooth paste. Add the paste along with the other can of whole beans to the pot. Add the seasonings, partially cover and simmer about 10 minutes longer. Turn off the heat and let the soup rest about five minutes before serving. Remove the rosemary and bay leaf. At the table drizzle a thin stream of olive oil over the soup and enjoy.

Baked Olives

It's olive season over here. The trees are being stripped and the new oil is out. We went to the frantoio last week to watch the process and buy a healthy-sized jug. The gorgeous green color and fruity yet peppery flavor is unmatched. Is it any wonder I love autumn?

While many of the local olives are being pressed, a good portion are also being cured. Most of those are destined to become the local delicacy, Olive all'Ascolana. The local olive variety, the tenera ascolana, is a behometh in the olive category, perfect for stuffing with meat and deep-frying.

Despite my addiction to the fried critters, I still love a simple dish of baked olives, too. Warm and fragrant, they're irresistable and make a nice presentation when serving guests.

Baked Olives

Mixture of black and green olives, unpitted is best
a bit of lemon or orange peel, grated
a sprinkle of chile flakes
a grating of fresh-ground pepper
a sprig of thyme and/or rosemary (fresh)
2 TBSP red wine
about 2 TBSP olive oil

Combine everything and put in an oven-proof baking dish. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Bitter Bulbs

While visiting la famiglia in Basilicata, my cousin's wife broke open a jar of home-canned treats packed in olive oil. They had a slightly bitter bite, similar to radicchio but with a hint of orange peel. When we asked, "ma cos'e? Cipollini?" she smiled slyly and proudly replied, "no, they're not onions, they're lampascioni."

Lampascioni look deceivingly like baby onions, but they're actually the bulbs of a type of hyacinth. Melina forages for them in the countryside and then brings them home, soaks them in white wine and with orange peel to remove some of the bitterness, then packs them in jars sott'olio, literally, "under olive oil". They're actually somewhat addictive.

Lampascioni are common around southern Italy, but I've never seen them in the stores here in Le Marche. They are often served as part of the antipasto plate, but Melina gave me a quick and simple recipe that turns them into a delicious side dish, too.

Here it is, according to her verbal instructions:

-Peel and chop some potatoes. (It's always understood that you'll know how many you'll need.)

-Drain the jar of lampascioni, and quarter them all.

-Put the potatoes and lampascioni in a baking dish and mix together. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, then drizzle on a good deal of olive oil.

-Bake it for about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring it up occasionally., until the potatoes are tender.

If you happen to find these tasty tubers, grab a jar and give them a try.

Penne al Zucchine

We just returned from another foray in the motherland of Basilicata. As always, the simplicity and freshness of the food is just fantastic. We stayed at an agriturismo where la signora prepared a fabulous meal for us, on the one evening we were able to escape la famiglia. She made this dish with freshly-made cavatelli, but as I don't make my own pasta, I am substituting packaged penne. Feel free to use any shape of fresh or dried pasta you want, though. Variety is one of the beautiful things about Italian cuisine! Signora also laid gorgeous, sweet zucchini blossoms on top but I know those are really hard to come by if you don't have your own orto (garden).

This dish is very light but delicious.

Penne (or other shape of pasta)
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large or 2 small zucchini, grated (use the larger grate)
white wine
1/2 cup cooking water from the pasta
3 to 4 leaves of basil, chopped
1-2 TBSP cream

Set the water to boil and cook the pasta. Once the pasta is nearly cooked, take out about 1/2 cup of the cooking water for the sauce. Meanwhile...

In a large skillet saute the onion and garlic in extra virgin olive oil until soft. Add the zucchini shreds and saute about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toss in the wine (about 1/2 cup) and simmer a few minutes. Add the reserved cooking water a little at a time, you don't want the sauce to be too thin, but the starch in the water helps "bind" the sauce. Simmer a couple of minutes, add the basil and stir in the cream. Heat through, then toss with the pasta.
YuM!

Hummus

It's been hotter than Hades around these parts lately. Which means I don't want to cook. Without air-conditioning, lighting up the stove even to boil pasta makes the whole apartment feel like inferno. We've been eating a lot of piatti freddi (cold dishes). The typical ones around Italy are prosciutto e melone, la caprese (mozzerella di bufala, tomatoes, and basil drizzled with olive oil), and insalata dei fagioli. But really, after a few weeks I'm tired of that stuff. I like variety. I like spice!

Then...miracle of miracles, I found tahini in the health food store. In Italy! :hallelujiah chorus:
So now we're having hummus on crackers; spread on piadina bread, topped with veggies and rolled up; on crostini topped with feta crumbles and artichoke hearts. Relief has come for the piatti freddi rut.

Hummus
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
2 TBSP tahini
1 clove garlic, peeled
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. paprika
dash cayenne
salt and pepper to taste
2 TBSP water
1/4 C. olive oil

Combine all in a blender or food processer and whirl until smooth.

Vino Pescato

The heat has set in...the infamous summer sizzle is scorching the city and making everyone scurry for shade or hibernate inside until the sun sets. The shutters and windows get closed up tight from midmorning until evening in an attempt to keep the heat at bay.

It's too hot to cook, making cold plates de riguer. We're also clamouring for cold drinks. My local barista served us this refreshing Neapolitan speciality, learned from his father-in-law who is a true-blue Napolitano. Called vino peschato, it literally means "peached wine". Nothing could be simpler, or more refreshing, on a hot day like this.

Slice three or four fresh, ripe peaches into a pitcher. Pour a bottle of dry white wine over top. Cover and refrigerate several hours. The wine becomes infused with the fragrance and flavor of the fruit. Pour the wine into glasses, and then serve the peaches in a bowl with toothpicks to skewer them.

Buonissimo!

Spaghetti con gli Asparagi

It's asparagus season! Woohoo. I adore them, especially the thin and twiggy wild version that I found in the mercato this week. I frequently just parboil them, drizzle on a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt...basta. But I also like this go-to dish when I can find the truly thin babies. Too thick and this recipe just doesn't turn out right. (But if you can't find the thin ones, you can slice the thicker asparagus in half.) The best part (aside from the wonderful taste, of course) is that it is done in the time it takes to boil the spaghetti.

You'll Need
garlic
a bouquet of very thin asparagus
2 or 3 tomatoes
salt and pepper
basil
spaghetti

While the water is heating for the pasta, mince up 2 cloves of garlic. Rinse the asparagus in a colander. Chop the tomatoes.

In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil and saute the garlic over low heat until fragrant and soft. Up the heat a bit and throw in the asparagus, with the water still clinging to them. Stir, cover and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Toss in the tomatoes, stir well, cover and let cook another 3 minutes. Just before serving, stir in some minced up basil.

Quickly drain the spaghetti to leave some of the water clinging to them, toss them into the skillet, toss, drizzle on a little olive oil, and serve.

Cavatelli con Polpettine

Or, pasta with a meatball sauce. While the American version of spaghetti and meatballs doesn't really exist here in Italy, I did happen to see this down-home dish in a country restaurant in remote Basilicata, which is where my family came from. Cavatelli is one of the preferred regional pastas, along with orecchiette, widely used in that area. They are short little things, sort of like curled- up flower petals, and pick up delicate sauces pretty well. The meatballs are not the giant variety we're so familiar with, but instead little nubs...more like marbles than balls and it really is more like a meat sauce than pasta with meatballs. This is a nice, feel-good dish for the winter doldrums.

Polpettine
about 1/3 pound of ground beef or veal
1 Italian sausage link (spicy is preferred in Basilicata, but whichever variety you like)
about 1 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
a handful of breadcrumbs
1 small egg

You'll also need...
Extra virgin olive oil
about 1/4 cup chopped onion
a clove of garlic, minced
red wine
meat or vegetable broth
pecorino cheese

Mix everything together, combining well. Use a small amount to form into little marble-sized balls, setting aside until all the meatballs are formed.

In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Add the meatballs and brown them. This may have to be done in two batches. When all the meatballs are lightly browned, add a little more oil to the skillet if necessary and saute the onion and garlic, stirring well until softened but not too browned. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, then add the broth, returning all the meatballs to the pan. Partially cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil the cavatelli until cooked al dente (about 8 minutes). Drain and put in a serving bowl. Pour the meatballs and sauce over top, then gently combine.

Top with freshly grated pecorino cheese.

Here is another version (in Italian), this one from Puglia.

Peas with Prosciutto

This is the simplest of side dishes but with amazing flavor! I've served this several times when we've had company for dinner and they've raved about it, even those who normally aren't wild about peas. It's amazing what a little cured meat can do for the taste of the humble pea.


1 shallot
extra virgin olive oil
2 slices of prosciutto, cut into little pieces
Fresh or frozen peas

In a skillet, saute the shallot and prosciutto in the olive oil, until the shallot is tender. Toss in the peas and just a little bit of water, stir, cover and cook about 5 minutes, adding more water if needed to keep it from drying out.

I sometimes fry slices of prosciutto in olive oil first, then put them on paper towels to drain and cool. Then I crumble them on top for a little more pizzaz.

Enjoy!

Vin Brule`

What is otherwise known as a Hot Toddy in English, our neighborhood barista recently introduced me to the tastes of vin brule` when I complained about my cold. "This will fix you up," he promised. He must know my mom. She always recommends a hot toddy for such ailments. The Italian version tastes sort of like a cross between spiced cider and sweet wine.

1 cup port wine (some Ascolani substitute the local vino cotto)
a shaving of lemon peel
a couple of cloves
a cinnamon stick

Combine them all and heat. Let sit about five minutes for the spices to give off their flavors. Reheat if necessary, strain out the spices and sip. The fumes do as much good as the actual beverage in clearing up blocked noses and chest congestion!

Zuppa dei Fagiolini

Green Bean Soup

I have childhood memories of my nana making a soup of fresh green beans. Some tomato, basil and lots of sweet beans, that much I knew, but I couldn't find the recipe. My mom had never written it down and couldn't remember exactly how to make it. Never mind; I figured it out and I think it tastes pretty darn close to what I remember; at least, the aroma seemed very reminiscent. I found some beautiful long flat beans in the store so I used those, cut into smaller pieces, but any fresh green beans will work nicely.

1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Saute in olive oil in a large pot. Add clean, snapped beans and saute a couple of minutes.
Toss in:
2 tomatoes, chopped - with juices
salt and pepper
pinch of oregano
pinch of thyme
Stir, then add broth to cover. I use a mixture of vegetable and beef broth to taste like veal broth but you can use chicken, beef or vegetable broth, as you desire or have on hand.
Mince five or six basil leaves and add to the pot. Simmer until the beans are cooked. I also sometimes add a couple of handfuls of arborio rice or ditalini (little pasta tubes).

Perfect now that the weather is turning colder and rainy!

Peperoni Cruschi

On recent forays into the Motherland of Lucania (the region of Basilicata, which locals still refer to by its ancient name) I became quite enamored by the local delicacy of peperoni cruschi. The dialect name is paparul crushk, a word that sounds more German than Italian to my ears, but spells delicious whatever way they prefer to pronounce it. The strings of peppers that one sees hanging in the sun to dry are not as fiery as you might think. While they do like the piccanti variety, those are distinctly smaller and not revered as highly as these babies. The longer red peppers are, in fact, a variety of sweet peppers that are strung up much like the chile ristras so common around New Mexico, left to harden in the southern sun.


Once dry they are carefully removed from their stems and fried in extra virgin olive oil, tended to carefully so as not to scorch them. They are then served as an antipasto, and delicious they are, too! Sweet and smoky at the same time, the crunchy treats compliment the local cheese and prosciutto nicely.

Once they are fried, the peperoni cruschi are also crumbled and added to sautéed breadcrumbs then sprinkled over pasta, such as the locally-loved orecchiette.

Back to the hot chile, the slender pods are also dried, but are then preserved in a unique way. They, too, are fried in extra virgin olive oil and then crumbled. They are put in a jar and then the oil used to fry them is poured over the top. Simple, but it infuses the oil with spice as well as the unusual smoky-hot flavor. It is drizzled on cavatelli, on roasted potatoes, and on the local semolina bread.

We just returned from a trip to Basilicata; my cousin there went knocking on doors to rustle up some strings of peperoni for me to bring home. They are drying, but when they're ready I'll fry some up and add some photos.
c 2007 Valerie Schneider

Scampi

To say "shrimp scampi" is a repetition...in Italian, scampi means shrimp (though in this area, at least, gamberi is the word most commonly used). There are numerous ways to prepare the little critters; unfortunately, here in the bel paese most of those ways involve the entire creature...heads, peels and all. Not so hard if it's a plate of large shrimp simply prepared. When it's a sauce it's definitely more of a challenge, especially keeping your shirt clean while you're cleaning the shrimp. I really like the flavor of the pesce fritto here, but I don't see the point in keeping the shrimp whole and then frying it...you have to peel off all that good coating to eat the things!

In the summer when we want to keep the house cool and cook in hurry I like to make this shrimp dish. It's done in minutes and can be eaten as is or served over pasta or rice, making it versatile as well.

Large shrimp
extra virgin olive oil
a clove of garlic, minced
about 1/2 cup white wine
a couple good shakes of peperoncino (crushed red chile flakes)
salt and pepper
about a tablespoon of chopped parsley
about 1 teaspoon of prepared pesto sauce
a squeeze of lemon

In a skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the garlic until slightly softened. Add the shrimp and stir-fry a minute. Splash in the wine, then add the seasonings. Boil a minute longer until the flavors mingle and shrimp are cooked through.
Enjoy!

Spaghetti all'Ascolana

A local specialty pasta, this dish makes an appearance on just about every menu in town, especially this time of year when the weather heats up. I'm not sure what tuna has to do with Ascoli Piceno, but they are wild about the stuff around here. The aisles at the supermarket have more varieties of canned tuna than I knew could possibly exist!

Simple ingredients make for a tasty combination, and in the time it takes the spaghetti to cook, dinner is ready...doesn't get much better than that, especially in the summer when you don't want to be spending time in a hot kitchen.

1 pound spaghetti
olive oil
1/2 onion, minced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced (to your taste)
dash red chile flakes
1 C. white wine
1 1/2 C. chopped fresh tomatoes (about 3 tomatoes)
2 cans tuna, packed in olive oil*
a couple of handfuls of green olives (here they use the local Ascoli Tenera variety, which is a very large, mild and meat olive that is not heavily vinegary. But whatever type of green olive you prefer.
Chopped parsley
Pecorino cheese, grated

Put the pot of water to boil for cooking the spaghetti and proceed with the sauce.

Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until tender. Add the red chile flakes, a light sprinkling of salt and pepper, the wine and tomatoes and stir well. Add the tuna and simmer about 10 minutes. Toss in the olives, sprinkle with chopped parsley and add to the cooked spaghetti. Top with a grating of pecorino cheese.

Raviolini with Gorgonzola-Tomato Sauce

Raviolini al Gorgonzola-Pomodoro

I love ravioli when they are freshly made. The pasta all’uova shop in town has two varieties…the plump, crescent-shaped ricotta-filled “normal” ravioli, and the little square ones filled with a ground meat and pecorino mixture, known as raviolini. If you can find such a thing, snatch them up! They are delicious. But if not, don’t fret. This recipe works well with any fresh pasta as well as your run-of-the-mill rigatoni (albeit with a different resulting flavor).

It’s simple, too, but impressive enough for guests. Now that fresh tomatoes are in season, it’s perfect.

1 shallot, minced
3 ripe fresh tomatoes, cored and chopped
splash of white wine
salt and pepper
5 or 6 basil leaves
about 3 tbsp. crumbled gorgonzola
about ¼ fresh cream

Saute the shallot in about 1 tbsp. of olive oil until soft. Add the fresh tomatoes and sauté a few minutes until they are soft. Add the wine, basil and salt and pepper, stirring well. Cover and cook about 5 minutes. Add the gorgonzola, stirring until melted. Swirl in the cream and stir well. Pour over the freshly cooked ravioli or pasta.

Stuzzichini Party!

Lately we have become enamored with the aperitivo hour, not just for the nice glass of wine to unwind with, but the little snacks they serve alongside. Called stuzzichini, meaning little teasers, they are presented when you order a drink (including non-alcoholic beverages) in the late afternoon. They are tasty little things, and serve to tide you over until the later dinner hour. We’ve been on a quest to find the best in town.

The US equivalent would be hors d’oeuvres. If you’re planning a get-together, the stuzzichini make nice nibbles.

They can be as simple as a piece of salami or prosciutto on a round of bread and a variety of cheeses, but I like the jazzed-up bites better. For instance:

*Spread pesto on a cracker or bread; top with a marinated artichoke heart or a sun-dried tomato that was packed in oil.
*Hollow out cherry tomatoes and stuff with little mozzarella balls (called cigliegine)
*Hollow the cherry tomatoes and stuff with an anchovy and a piece of asiago cheese
*Spread cooked ham with cream cheese and then pesto, roll up and cut into little rounds
*Spread olive paste (available in little jars in most grocery stores) onto baguette rounds and top with an olive half.
*Top cucumber rounds with slices of tomato, topped with pecorino or casciotta cheese – held together with toothpicks
*Wrap small pieces of thinly-sliced prosciutto around small chunks of honeydew or cantaloupe melon.

Spaghetti alla Vongole

...or, linguini with clam sauce.
Forget about that $12 plate of overcooked noodles dripping with tomato-based sauce and a couple of canned clams floating about that may form your impression of linguini with clams. This dish is much lighter on the palate and very tasty. It's also a snap to prepare.

Here it is usually made with spaghetti rather than linguini. Today, though, I procured a nice helping of hand-cut linguini from pasta all'uovo shop and a nice sack of fresh baby clams at the pescheria. Dinner for less than 5 euro for 2 people!
It's easy to adjust for more servings, or smaller portions.

1/2 pound to 1 pound of fresh baby clams
1 clove garlic, minced
a dash or two of red chile flakes
1 cup white wine
a handful of parsley, minced
1/3 to 1/2 pound spaghetti or linguini

If the clams haven't already been cleaned you'll need to soak them in heavily-salted water for a couple of hours to clean out the grit. Drain and rinse them well.

In a pan large enough to hold the clams heat the olive oil and lightly saute the garlic, red chile flakes and about half the parsley until garlic begins to color. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the clams, cover, and cook until they open up, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the linguini or spaghetti until al dente. Drain and return to the pot. Add the clams and wine, drizzle on a bit of olive oil, and sprinkle in the parsley, tossing it all well. Serve.

*You can grate on some parmigiano if you want, but here in Italy that is strictly taboo. You may even be reprimanded for it as my step-dad was in a seafood restaurant in Nettuno!


Valerie Schneider 2007

From the "Small World" Files

Last week I received a nice email from a lady named Barbara Marx telling me how she’d found La Cucina and enjoyed the recipes. That brought a smile to my face. She mentioned that she made Nana’s Tomato Salad to accompany a recipe she had been given for a Sformato di Cappellini. Incredibly, she is from New Mexico and the dinner she was preparing was for our former neighbors in Corrales, of all people! Bill and Irene lived across the road from us and are sweet people. Receiving the email made us reminisce about our village and neighbors.

How funny that Barbara searched the internet, found my recipe, noted I’m from the same state, and that we have common friends. Kinda cool, huh?

She shared her recipe so I’ml passing it along to you. She said she obtained it from Italian-in-America friend, Daniela Ford.

Sformato di capellini 6-8 people

1 # capellini
2 eggs, beaten
1 # Edam, mozzarella or similar well-melting cheese, finely cubed
1/4 # butter, plus butter for the round casserole baking dish
3/4 C gratred parmesan
1/4 # finely cubed boiled ham
S & P to taste...freshly ground

Generously butter the oven-proof casserole & cover the butter fully with bread crumbs...shake out the excess crumbs. Boil pasta in 6 qts of water, for about 3 minutes, keeping it/molto al dente/ since it will also bake in the oven. Melt the butter in large pan. Mix beaten eggs & grated parmesan with S & P, to taste. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Drain the pasta. Toss the pasta well in the melted butter, so that it is all coated with the butter. Add egg/parmesan mixutre & toss again to cover. Place half the capellini in the casserole, spreading it well to the edges. Scatter cheese & ham cubes evenly over the first layer, then cover them with the second half of the pasta. Spread pasta evenly, dot with flakes of butter & more breadcrumbs. Bake 40-45 min. til top bubbles & turns crispy on the top. Place serving platter up-side down on the casserole & upturn the two together to remove the pasta from the cassserole. ( I simply cut & served it from the baking pan.) Serve with a butter-based tomato sauce or Valerie's fresh tomato "salsa" recipe.

Thanks, Barbara!

Lamb-Stuffed Artichoke Hearts

This dish is Greek-inspired, though it tastes very Middle Eastern with the spices and lamb. Though it dramatically raised my butcher's eyebrows when I requested the ground lamb, it is very delicious.

About 1/2 pound of ground lamb
2 TBSP minced parsley
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp. each coriander, cumin and cardamon
1 egg, beaten
Combine all together, mixing well. Set aside.

1 small onion, chopped
2 TBSP pine nuts
about 2 TBSP olive oil
Saute the onion until golden, then add the pine nuts. Stir until the nuts begin to color. Cool.
Add this to the meat mixture.

Clean 5 or 6 artichokes, pulling off all the tough outer leaves and cutting about 1/3 off the tops. Slice in half and scoop out the hairy choke. Fill each with the meat mixure, mounding it up. (Alternatively, if you are able to find frozen artichoke bottoms you can use those for a faster and easier dish!) Place in an oven-proof baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the juice of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and about one cup of water. Pour into the bottom of the baking dish, cover and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, until the artichokes are tender and the meat is cooked through.

Risotto Con i Funghi

Risotto with Mushrooms

Following on the heels of successfully getting my previously-mushroom shy hubby to eat the little critters, I quickly prepared another dish he enjoyed. This is amazing! He's never consumed mushrooms before; now he's actually enjoying them! They are in season and we are finding them on every menu and in every little vegetable market...big, plump and freshly harvested. Porcini are around but more difficult to find. Mostly we're seeing the champignon variety.

1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
mushrooms to taste , chopped (I used 2 but they were quite large and meaty)
1 C. arborio rice
white wine (about 1/3 cup)
beef or vegetable broth (about 2 1/2 cups)
salt and pepper to taste
pecorino or parmigiano cheese

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil. When they're softened, add the mushrooms and salt and pepper, sauteing until they're softening. Add the risotto and stir well, toasting them a few minutes. Splash in the wine, stirring. When it is absorbed, start adding the broth a ladelful at a time, stirring. Continue adding broth until the rice is cooked al dente and the broth is absorbed. Grate in some cheese, stir until melted and creamy. Top with additional cheese.