Prosciutto

Orrechiette With Broccoli Rabe . . . 2 Prosciutto and Onion Frittata . . . 2 Rigatoni a la Norma . . . 2 Pork Chops w/Cider and Apples . . . 3 Crustless Zucchini Pie . . . 4

Beans and ham go together like country cousins - pork and beans, as in bacon-spiked baked beans; navy bean soup with nuggets of ham; and one of my favorites from my grandmother's kitchen: steamed green beans, fresh-picked from her farm's garden, studded with morsels of salty ham. This dish plays with that dynamic duo, substituting pieces of crackly prosciutto - made so by rendering in a skillet - to pair with the plump green beans. Toasted pine nuts play their flavor off both green beans and the cured ham. Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil bring it all together.

Artichokes are available through the spring, and often again in the fall. But at the end of May, the plumpest, most perfect globes make a brief appearance in supermarkets. These artichokes aren't raised to be in a supporting role next to a chicken breast. These are the stars of a dinner menu. But with that build-up, there's no sense in putting a plain boiled artichoke on the plate. Even with melted butter, it can't reach its full glory. Instead, create a marvelous stuffing that enhances the vegetable's natural buttery taste.

I love this classic version of pasta and peas. The prosciutto adds not only protein, but also a salty savor that rounds out the dish.   Pasta and Peas Makes 6 first course or 4 main course servings 4 tablespoons butter One 4-ounce slice prosciutto (1/4-inch thick) cut into 1/4-inch dice 1 small onion, chopped One 10-ounce package frozen peas (or 10 ounces fresh baby peas) 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped Pepper 1 pound dried pasta, such as spaghetti or linguine (or 1 1/2 pounds fresh)

For Domenico Gagliano, it seems that one good turn deserves another. Gagliano, owner-chef of Positano in Springfield, has expanded his operation by creating a spectacular branch in Ardmore. The gorgeous Ristorante Positano Ardmore opened three months ago at the former site of Shooter's, and before that, Montana. In what clearly was a labor of love, Gagliano gutted the building and spent a year creating a remarkable Mediterranean-like setting faithful to the Amalfi coast of southern Italy.

ARLINGTON, VA. MARSHALS GRAB SEX OFFENDERS Federal officials said yesterday that 1,078 fugitives have been arrested nationwide in a six-week operation led by the U.S. Marshals Service that was aimed primarily at alleged sex offenders. "The targeted fugitives were those who used violence in committing sex crimes, who were armed during a sex crime or who committed violent sex crimes against children," Henry E. Hudson, head of the Marshals Service, said. Philadelphia was among 19 metropolitan areas targeted.

Stunning, ultra-modern decor and hearty Italian cuisine are the enviable hallmarks of the new Marcello restaurant in Chesterbrook. Marcello was opened four months ago by three brothers who operated two previous restaurants under the name Tre Fratelli - one in Newtown, the other just a few doors away from their new place in the Chesterbrook Village Center. Tre Fratelli in Chesterbrook was closed a couple of years ago and, while the Newtown place still operates under the same name, it has new owners, permitting the brothers to focus all their efforts on Marcello.

For the shrimp: 1 pound jumbo head-on shrimp (U-15 size, meaning roughly 15 shrimp per pound) 1/4 pound lomo, prosciutto or pancetta, thinly sliced Salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons vegetable oil For the grilled bread: Half a baguette, cut on the diagonal into 1/4 inch slices Extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper to taste For the pistou: 1 bunch parsley, picked and rinsed well ...

One of the biggest booby traps in Dining Land is the restaurant that hands customers menus with $14.95 entrees, then jacks up the tab with $20 specials and $6 desserts. The dishes always sound irresistible. No detail is omitted in the waiter's description - except the price. Now, along comes Ristorante Luca to take the worry out of paying up. This new Italian restaurant on South Street puts the price right up front: $21 for a multi-course meal that includes an appetizer, soup, salad, entree and coffee or tea. If there are specials, they are included in that price.

The statue of an Egyptian goddess greets customers in the dusty doorway. She is one of a roomful of antiques at Liberties, a restaurant and bar that duplicates one of this historic (Northern Liberties) neighborhood's early taverns. Liberties' ceiling is copper and tin. The floor is mostly mosaic tile, the sort you still find in the bathrooms of unrestored Victorian rowhouses. The mirror behind the long, curving wooden bar is clouded and, hence, kind to the reflections of aging customers.

SAL AURIEMMA, owner of Claudio King of Cheese in the Italian Market, knows a phony when he sees one. And as important as that may be when it comes to people, Auriemma really gets his dander up when the counterfeit is Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. "Saying cheese that's made in Hungary or Wisconsin is Parmigiano Reggiano should be illegal!" said Auriemma, clearly outraged. Parmigiano Reggiano - a strong and slightly salty Italian cheese prized for its distinctive texture, aroma and taste - can only come from the Parma region north of Milan, Italy, the same rich farmland that produces true Prosciutto di Parma ham and Lambrusco wine.

For the shrimp: 1 pound jumbo head-on shrimp (U-15 size, meaning roughly 15 shrimp per pound) 1/4 pound lomo, prosciutto or pancetta, thinly sliced Salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons vegetable oil For the grilled bread: Half a baguette, cut on the diagonal into 1/4 inch slices Extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper to taste For the pistou: 1 bunch parsley, picked and rinsed well ...

I love this classic version of pasta and peas. The prosciutto adds not only protein, but also a salty savor that rounds out the dish.   Pasta and Peas Makes 6 first course or 4 main course servings 4 tablespoons butter One 4-ounce slice prosciutto (1/4-inch thick) cut into 1/4-inch dice 1 small onion, chopped One 10-ounce package frozen peas (or 10 ounces fresh baby peas) 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped Pepper 1 pound dried pasta, such as spaghetti or linguine (or 1 1/2 pounds fresh)

Beans and ham go together like country cousins - pork and beans, as in bacon-spiked baked beans; navy bean soup with nuggets of ham; and one of my favorites from my grandmother's kitchen: steamed green beans, fresh-picked from her farm's garden, studded with morsels of salty ham. This dish plays with that dynamic duo, substituting pieces of crackly prosciutto - made so by rendering in a skillet - to pair with the plump green beans. Toasted pine nuts play their flavor off both green beans and the cured ham. Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil bring it all together.

Orrechiette With Broccoli Rabe . . . 2 Prosciutto and Onion Frittata . . . 2 Rigatoni a la Norma . . . 2 Pork Chops w/Cider and Apples . . . 3 Crustless Zucchini Pie . . . 4

WITH SO much talk about Pizzeria Stella, at Head House Square, it seemed time to head on over and find out if this upper-crust pizzeria was the real deal, or just blowing smoke from its wood-burning oven. In my mind, few starters stimulate the appetite better than prosciutto from the San Daniele region, so an order ($10) went in before we even made our pie choices. One of the characteristics for preferring this cured ham over Prosciutto di Parma is that it is slightly sweeter, less salty, and the texture is softer.

WITH SO much talk about Pizzeria Stella, at Head House Square, it seemed time to head on over and find out if this upper-crust pizzeria was the real deal, or just blowing smoke from its wood-burning oven. In my mind, few starters stimulate the appetite better than prosciutto from the San Daniele region, so an order ($10) went in before we even made our pie choices. One of the characteristics for preferring this cured ham over Prosciutto di Parma is that it is slightly sweeter, less salty, and the texture is softer.

EVER SINCE Food and Wine magazine named Marc Vetri one of the country's best new chefs in 1999, Philadelphia foodies have treated him as if he were captain of the high school football team - a local hero who can do no wrong, destined to bring the national spotlight to our community. I have to admit that I was one of the cheerleader wannabees in the booster club. I never left Vetri, a small, 35-seat restaurant on Spruce Street, thinking, "Wow, I just spent over a month's worth of groceries on one meal!"

As anyone who dines out can attest, the suburbs do not lack for Italian eateries or want of pasta. Ristorante La Locanda is classically typical, right down to its old-house location along a major road (Route 3) in an easily missed community (Edgmont). In atmosphere alone, La Locanda cultivates the old-school Italian dining scene, in which candlelight flickers in mirrors and widely spaced tables are arranged around statuary. The restaurant seats 250, but it comes across as much smaller, with dual fireplaces in one dining room and an arched doorway leading to another room, which has a chandelier hanging over a small fountain.

Marc Vetri loves his meat slicer. And, if you're into that kind of thing, it's hard to deny she's a beauty. With a gleaming steel blade and a body of burgundy enamel trimmed with gold, the old Berkel No. 21 (circa 1930s) sits like a queen at the center of the sunny yellow dining room beneath a window-paned mural of Tuscan mountains. At least four diners would have been sitting in this space two years ago when Vetri opened, and at less than 40 seats, there weren't many to spare.