Making Wine at Home: Getting Started

Making your own wine at home might seem daunting at first, but once you have purchased all the equipment and have gained a firm understanding of the wine-making process you will quickly begin to embrace something that began almost 8000 years ago.

I will separate the process into 8 stages, today being the first.

 
The first critical step is to find a reputable supplier for all your wine-making needs. In Westchester County, New York, there’s a family run institution where everyone goes to for all their wine-making supplies…Prospero Winery!

Here’s a list of all the equipment you will need:

                

Above:
1. Table Top De-Stemmer

2. Fermentation Vat with Lid

 

I opted to NOT use the de-stemmer and chose to de-stem the grapes by hand. I will give a detailed explanation about that when we get there.

 

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Below:
4. Stainless Steel Puncher

5. Press

  

  

         

  

  

Here are the nutrients, chemicals & additives you will need:

                                  

Citric Acid and Sodium Carbonate are used for sanitizing EVERYTHING!

                                                 

 

You MUST use yeast…never rely on natural yeast!

Metabisulfate is used to:

1. Create sulfur dioxide gas

2. Inhibit bacteria and wild yeasts

3. Increase the aging

4. Protect color and flavor

5. Sterilize equipment

                                      

DAP (Dimaonium Phosphate) and Fermaid are foods which the yeast will feed on…It helps the wine to ferment.

                        

 

                                                 

MicrosEssentials Oenos and Viniflora are nutrients which contain a mixture of organic proteins that help induce Malolactic Fermentation.

 

 

This is a hydrometer. It’s used to measure the amount of sugar in the wine and it will tell you when you should press the grapes into juice.

 

                                       

 

 

You will need Demijohns (carboys) to store the wine while it ferments.
They come in different shapes and sizes but I recommend the standard 5 gallon water-cooler type…just make sure you use glass and not plastic.

 

You will also need additional bottle sizes for later in the wine-making process when you will have odd amounts of wine.

                     

You will need rubber corks (bungs) and airlocks for each bottle.

                                          

Get yourself a syphon kit for transferring wine from jar to jar.

                                      

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Other items:

     Pails / Buckets

Measuring Cups and Spoons

Strainer

Clear Packing Tape

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And of course…
Grapes!

 

Check back soon for the next stage in Wine-Making when we’ll discuss the grapes and how to choose the right one for you!

Thanks for stopping by!

Gio

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© Giovanni Cucullo 2010

Sweet Potato Gnocchi in Sage-Butter

For the Gnocchi:
1 cup whole milk ricotta
1 cup sweet potato, peeled, roughly chopped and cooked
2 eggs
2 cups Parmigiano Reggiano
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Making the Gnocchi:
See Recipe Here

For the Sauce:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
6 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves 
Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until butter solids are brown and have a toasty aroma, swirling pan occasionally, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add chopped sage (careful, mixture will bubble up). Turn off heat. Season sage butter generously with salt and pepper.
Add the warm gnocchi and gently toss to coat.
Finish with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve!

 

© Giovanni Cucullo 2010

Anolini in Brodo

Anolini is a small and round stuffed pasta, sometimes with crimped edges. The pasta is typically 1 to 2 inches in diameter and may also be called tortelli.

This recipe is centuries old and comes from Italy’s gastronomic capital – Parma.

• Beef, bones and vegetables are cooked very slowly in wine and stock for 8 to 10 hours (think overcooked pot roast). When the meat begins to fall apart push everything through a strainer, extracting as much juice as possible. Discard the meat since all its flavor is now in the cooking juices. Place the juice back into a small pot and boil for about 10 minutes. Allow the sauce to cool.
• Combine the cooled sauce with toasted breadcrumbs, lots of Parmigiano-Reggiano and a touch of nutmeg. Taste for salt. Add a few eggs to bind, blend well and refrigerate. If you feel the urge to splurge, add some chopped black truffles to the mixture.
• When you’re pasta dough is ready, dot the dough with a row of the filling and top with another sheet of dough.

  

  

Cut out the anolini shapes using a 1 to 2 inch round cutter and press all the air out. Spread them out on a baking sheet coated with flour and corn meal.

To serve:

Bring chicken stock to a boil, add the anolini and cook until tender. Cooking time will vary according to how dry your fresh pasta is. Ladle the pasta and broth into soup bowls and top with a generous amount of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

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© Giovanni Cucullo 2010

Pan Fried Dumpling / Gyoza 餃子 / Pot Sticker 鍋

From Beijing to Bali my pantry is always stocked with Asian items, so there’s a good chance that whatever I feel like cooking will often have a Far East twist.

The past week found me filling wontons, pan-frying pork gyoza, boiling lobster dumplings, simmering miso soup and using edamame in several ways; I even blended tofu with strawberries and sugar for a refreshing dessert.

 

Today…it’s all about the Dumpling!

 

 

Here’s the shopping list:

Ground Pork or Chicken or Chopped Shrimp
Bok Choy or Cabbage (chopped)
Ginger, Garlic, Scallions, Onions (chopped)
Dumpling Wrappers
Soy Sauce
Chicken Stock
Egg Wash
Vegetable oil

 

What kind of wrapper should i use? Square or round??
Buy them both and notice the difference.
Traditionally, the round wrappers are made from just flour and water. They are a little thicker and are best used with heavier meat fillings.
The square wrappers are also called wonton skins; they have egg added making them thinner and more delicate. They are best suited for fried wontons, chicken dumplings or shu-mei. I often use them to make lobster or shrimp ravioli…they melt in your mouth!

There are over 50 wrappers in a package so you will get plenty of practice making dumplings.  If there are any wrappers left over you can just wrap them in plastic and store them in the freezer.

      

Making the Filling & Filling the Wrapper

1. Cook the onions, ginger, garlic & bok choy in a pan until the onions begin to soften.
2. Add some chopped scallions and soy sauce and reduce soy sauce to half. Set aside mixture to cool.  
3. Add mixture to your ground meat of choice and mix well.  
4. Lay out the wonton wrappers and place a small spoonfull in the center.
5. Brush the edge of the wrapper with the egg wash, fold them over, pinch and seal.

Your dumplings are now ready for cooking.

You can boil them, steam them or pan fry them.

Pan Frying Technique:
Heat some oil in a wide, heavy frying pan over medium heat. Place 8 to 12 pot stickers in the pan and cook until the bottoms are brown. Pour in 1/3 cup of chicken stock or water and cover pan. Reduce heat to low and cook until all liquid is absorbed.

    

 

I like to add sesame seeds and chopped scallions right at the end. Transfer to plates and enjoy. For dipping you can use a classic mixture of soy, rice vinegar and chile. I added a little Sriracha to the dumplings at top of page.

          

As for all those extra dumplings you filled but never cooked…
Lay them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment and put them in the freezer. After they are frozen, transfer them to sealable containers and keep frozen until your next Asian craving!

“Old School” Stuffed Peppers

Recipe:

6 large bell peppers
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 cups soft bread crumbs
2 cups bread, softened in milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups tomato sauce
2 cups Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt & pepper to taste

 
Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the stems and seeds; set the peppers aside. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add the celery, onions and garlic. Add the ground beef and sauté together until the beef is completely cooked and the onions begin to soften. Add the bread crumbs, softened bread, 1/4 cup of the parmesan and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Work the eggs into the stuffing. If more moisture is needed, add a little milk or broth to the stuffing mixture. Spoon a tablespoon of tomato sauce into each pepper then fill with the stuffing. Place them in a shallow baking dish greased with olive oil and a touch of tomato sauce. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30 minutes or until the bell peppers are tender. Spoon more tomato sauce over each stuffed pepper and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake 8 to 10 minutes longer.  Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and finish with more parmesan cheese. Serve!