Articles by: Michele Scicolone

  • Dining in & out: Articles & Reviews

    Puffy Little Balls in Honey. Struffoli for Christmas


                 Struffoli, puffy little balls of fried dough drenched in honey, are the quintessential Christmas sweet in Naples and other places in Italy, especially the Central and Southern regions. 

                When I was a little girl in Brooklyn, other kids would be helping their mothers to make gingerbread and spritz cookies, but in our house, it was always struffoli.  Mom would start with a 5-pound bag of flour and a couple of dozen eggs.  She would mix and knead the ingredients together until a smooth dough formed.  Then the dough was left to rest under a clean kitchen towel and she would fill a big pot with oil.  Then we would start slicing, rolling and cutting the dough until little bits. 

     

                making struffoliOnce the oil was hot enough, she would carefully slip the pieces of dough into the hot oil, making sure all the while that we kids stayed far away from the hot pot.  But I loved to watch as the struffoli turned from little pillow shaped pellets into crisp, brown puffs. 

    When she judged them sufficiently browned, she would scoop out the puffs and drain them on paper towels.  They were eggy and toasty tasting, but they really wouldn’t be at their best until they were thoroughly drenched in good honey. 

    My mom didn’t think much of the supermarket brands, preferring instead to drive to a private home on Staten Island where the owner kept bees and gathered several different types of honey.  My mom would ask for a blend of the light and dark honeys for a perfectly mellow flavor. 

     

                After tossing the struffoli with the warm honey came the fun part -- piling the sticky balls into heaps on platters and disposable pie plates to be given as gifts to friends and family. But before they could be given away, the struffoli needed to be decorated.  We used little multicolored confetti and by the time we kids were done with the task, there were sticky finger marks and confetti all over the kitchen table and floor.  Sometimes we added candied red and green cherries, or sliced almonds, or strips of candied orange and citron.  Of course, we couldn’t resist tasting them to make sure they were as good as last year’s.

     

                The big platter would go on the sideboard where we could pick off a few whenever we passed by throughout the holiday season.  The pie plates were wrapped in cellophane and tied with ribbons to bring to friends and family.  Of course, they would give us plates of their own struffoli, but in my house, we all knew that mom’s were superior.  They were crisp and light and never dense and hard like others we had tasted.

     

                A lot of Italian Americans have forgotten, or maybe they never knew, how to make struffoli, so I put them on the holiday entertaining menu I prepared at the cooking class I did at De Gustibus Cooking School at Macy’s on Thursday.  Sure enough, while I was getting ready for the class, I heard one of the assistants enter and exclaim, “Struffoli!  Hurray, we’re making struffoli!”  I felt just like a kid again, making struffoli with my mom.

     

                Here’s my recipe for struffoli which I published in my book 1,000 Italian Recipes.

    It makes a plateful, enough for 8 to 10.  If you want to make a big batch to give away, the recipe can easily be doubled. 

     

    **

      www.MicheleScicolone.com

    STRUFFOLI



    Makes 8 servings

    1 cup all-purpose flour plus more for kneading the dough

    1/4 teaspoon salt

    2 large eggs, beaten

    1/2 teaspoon grated lemon or orange zest

    Vegetable oil for frying

    1 cup honey (about 6 ounces

    Possible garnishes: multicolored sprinkles, chopped candied orange peel, citron or  cherries, toasted sliced almonds

    1. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour and the salt. Add the eggs and lemon zest and stir until well blended.

    2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Add a little more flour if the dough seems sticky. Shape the dough into a ball. Cover the dough with an overturned bowl. Let the dough rest 30 minutes.

    3. Cut the dough into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Roll one slice between your palms into a 1/2-inch-thick rope. Cut the rope into 1/2-inch nuggets. If the dough feels sticky, use a tiny bit of flour to dust the board or your hands. (Excess flour will cause the oil to foam up when you fry the struffoli.)

    4. Line a tray with paper towels. Pour about 2 inches of oil into a wide heavy saucepan. Heat the oil to 370°F on a frying thermometer, or until a small bit of the dough dropped into the oil sizzles and turns brown in 1 minute.

    5. Being careful not to splash the oil, slip just enough struffoli into the pan to fit without crowding. Cook, stirring once or twice with a slotted spoon, until the struffoli are crisp and evenly golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the struffoli with a slotted spoon or skimmer and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining dough.

    6. When all of the struffoli are fried, gently heat the honey just to a simmer in a large shallow saucepan. Remove from the heat. Add the drained struffoli and toss well. Pile the struffoli onto a serving plate. Decorate with the multicolored sprinkles, candied fruits, or nuts.

    7. To serve, break off a portion of the struffoli with two large spoons or a salad server.   Store covered with an overturned bowl at room temperature up to 3 days.
     Copyright 2004 1,000 ITALIAN RECIPES by Michele Scicolone

     

                If you have any questions or comments about this recipe, or others, I would love to hear from you at mailto:[email protected].

     

    ****

     

               
    My new book The Italian Slow Cooker has just been released.  If you would like to buy a copy for yourself or for Christmas gifts, go to Jessica's Biscuit Cookbooks.  The book is available there at 40% off.  Such a deal!

  • Dining in & out: Articles & Reviews

    Ciao Italia! A Conversation with Mary Anne Esposito

     Did you know that the longest-running cooking show on television is Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito?  Now in its 20th year, and broadcast nationally and internationally on PBS, the show is partially responsible for, and proof positive of America’s long-running affair with Italian cooking. 

    Mary Ann Esposito is both the show’s creator and host and she is as warm and generous in person as she seems on tv.  As Mario Batali, the TV chef and restaurateur so aptly put it when asked about Mary Ann's groundbreaking show, “She’s the one who put the wheels on the wagon.”

     Mary Ann Esposito (who I am proud to say is an old friend) grew up near Buffalo, New York where her Italian-born grandmothers, one Neapolitan and the other Sicilian, taught her how to cook.  Her love for her Italian heritage, the language, and culture spurred her to study in Italy.  The more she learned, the more she wanted to share her knowledge with others. 

    Back in the States, she began teaching Italian cooking classes at New HampshireUniversity.  The classes were so popular, she decided to create her own television show.  The pilot was shot in Mary Ann’s home kitchen and the show was soon picked up by New Hampshire Public Television. 

     Mary Ann has written 11 cookbooks and she was in town recently to promote her latest, Ciao Italia Five Ingredient Favorites.  Over dinner at Marea Restaurant, we talked about her current projects and plans for the future.

     
    Tell me about your new book...

      Less is more when it comes to Italian cooking.  The philosophy is that if you have quality ingredients to start with, like imported pasta, prosciutto, cheeses, olive oil, etc., you don’t have to do a lot to make a good meal.  So I did everything in the book from appetizers to desserts based on 5 ingredients.  Only salt and pepper don’t count.

    That’s fair!  What gave you the idea for this book?

     People today don’t have a lot of time to spend preparing food.  They tell me all the time “I can’t do this recipe because it has 12 ingredients.”  But with 5 ingredients, even with limited time, you can still do them.  I see this also in Italy:  the culture there is changing.  Mama is no longer in the kitchen and Grandma is gone.  Now the antipasto bar has taken over where they left off.  So I think this book appeals to a younger audience as well.  

    Was it difficult to find 5 ingredient recipes?

     I was able to come up with the 75 recipes with no trouble at all.  These are 5 ingredient favorites of mine that are Italian influenced, not necessarily what you would find in Italy.  Some are classics, like Spaghetti Carbonara, which is typical of Rome and never has more than 5 ingredients, while others are my improvisations, using typical ingredients in a new way.  For example, I thought about how pistachios and pork are both popular ingredients in Sicily.  So I came up with a recipe for breaded pork chops with a pistachio crust and I told the story of pistachios in Bronte and the use of pork in Italy.

    In New Jersey the other day, I did a cooking demo of a complete seasonal menu made up of 5 ingredient recipes from the book.  It consisted of Spaghetti Carbonara, Pistachio Pork Chops, Braised Fennel, Celery and Mushroom Salad, and for dessert, another improvisation: Mascarpone and Nutella Tart.  It is an easy meal and each dish had only 5 ingredients.

    Do you think people will ever get tired of Italian cooking?

    No, I think we still have a lot of work to do.  Even though I have been explaining about Italian ingredients for all of these years, people still ask me “What is extra virgin olive oil?  What is balsamic vinegar?”  I think there is a lot of misinformation out there, especially from places like the Olive Garden, who really should know better.  After all, they have a cooking school where they say they train their chefs about real Italian food, yet that is not what they serve in their restaurants. 

    So what is next for you?

    I have started to work on another book.  This one will be about Italian family classic recipes.  

    2009 is a milestone year for us.  We just finished filming our 20th season of Ciao Italia.  So it is one of the longest running shows of any kind on TV.  Me and Bonanza!  (laughing)  I don’t think I want anybody to know that! 

    The other thing I have done is I established The Mary Ann Esposito Charitable Foundation.  I did not want to see 20 years of my life to go down the drain.  I wanted my work to continue.  The Foundation will be a repository of all of the intellectual work that I have done, the books, the website, the tv shows.  It will be managed by a third party and my children, Beth and Chris, will be able to decide how it will be used in perpetuity.  Eventually we would like to give scholarships to students who are serious about studying Italian cooking. 

    I haven’t thought about designing the next series of shows yet because we are still working on the post-production for this season.  I might tie it to my next book, the family classic recipes, or something I have always wanted to do is a series about Italian American Festivals around the country, such as the St. Joseph’s tables in New Orleans, or the San Gennaro Feast in New York.  I have a whole list of festivals in San Francisco, St. Louis and so on around the country.  What got me interested in this idea was when I was in Boston in the summer I went to the Feast of the Three Saints.  They were 3 young brothers who lived in Ancient Rome.  They refused to give up their Christian faith and were tortured and finally killed.  I had never heard of these three saints, but there was such frenzy over them I wanted to learn more.   They are the only saints that I have ever seen who are depicted sitting. 

     How about travel plans?  You often take groups on culinary tours to Italy...

      Yes, this year we were in Campania and we did classes at the Hotel Luna in Amalfi and went to Naples to eat pizza and visit the Duomo. 

    Unfortunately, it was just a few days after the big celebration when San Gennaro’s blood liquefies and saves the city from Vesuvius for another year and San Gennaro’s chapel was closed for cleaning. 

    Next year, I am thinking of taking the group to Tuscany.  I have done 9 of these trips, but had been avoiding Tuscany because people think it is all there is to Italy.  But it is a destination many people are interested in, so we decided to do it.  Of course we will go to Florence, and I want to go to some smaller towns as well.

    It was great seeing Mary Ann and we enjoyed our dinner.  We said good-bye on the sidewalk and as she walked away, I think I heard her say, “Until I see you nella cucina again, I’m Mary Ann Esposito.”

     

  • Dining in & out: Articles & Reviews

    Le Marche Food and Wine Dinner at Felidia Restaurant


         “Wine is to the body what love is to the heart”, said the great composer Gioachino Rossini, who was born in the Marche region of Italy.  Those of us fortunate enough to taste the wines of the region at Felidia Ristorante on Thursday surely agreed.

     

                The dinner was hosted by Alberto Mazzoni, Director of the Istituto Marchigiano di Tutela, Giuseppe Cristini, a Marche wine expert, and Fabio Trabocchi, a Marche native who is the recently-named head chef of New York’s Four Seasons Restaurant.  


                Le Marche is a small region that borders on Umbria and Tuscany to the west and the Adriatic Sea to the east.  Using the natural ingredients from the region, including mushrooms, sheep's milk cheeses, seafood and truffles, 
    Chef Fabio prepared a menu to highlight Le Marche's extraordinary white and red wines.

     

                The evening began with a Fazi-Battaglia Verdicchio del Castelli di Jesi DOC 2008, the classic white wine of the region.  It was a perfect compliment to the baccala salad stuzzichino, served in little china spoons.   Once seated, we were treated to a salad of scampi on a bed of chunky mashed potatoes mixed with olive oil, basil, and tomato.  I loved the simplicity of the flavors and can’t wait to try to recreate this one at home.  The Boccadigabbia Le Grane Maceratesi Ribona DOC was a great match.  This wine is made with 100% ribona grapes, a variety unique to the Macerata area of Le Marche. 

     

                Handmade passatelli pasta tinted black with nero di seppia, and sauced with calamari, mussels and crab in a light tomato sauce was next, served with the La Monacesca Mirum Verdicchio di Matelica DOC made from 100% verdicchio grapes.  Risotto with Pecorino di Fossa, pears, and black pepper showcased the cheese, which is made from sheep’s milk and aged in specially dug caves where it matures and develops an assertive flavor.  The Luciano Landi Lacrima DOC 2008, a red wine made in the Morro d’Alba section of the Marche, was a daring but delicious match with the risotto.

     

                I really enjoyed Chef Fabio’s version of Steak Rossini.  Instead of the typical beef filet, the chef braised flat iron steak until it was fork-tender, then topped it with the customary foie gras (a favorite of the great composer’s) and a slice of black truffle from the Marche.  The foie gras melted onto the beef creating a rich, luscious sauce. Organic polenta on the side was earthy and full of flavor and the dish was paired with the robust Umano Ronchi San Lorenzo Rosso Conero DOC 2006. 

     

                Three different pecorino cheeses from the Marche were drizzled with honey and accompanied by the last wine of the evening, the Le Terrazze, Sassi Neri Conero DOCG 2004.  The evening ended on a sweet note with piconi, sweet ravioli filled with sheep’s milk ricotta served with tangy sheep milk ricotta ice cream. 

     

                The superb wines and foods were an inspiration for me to plan a return to this gorgeous region of Italy. 


    REMINDER:  Charles and I will be teaching an Italian wine and food class at De Gustibus at 

    Macy's on Thursday, December 3.  For more info, go to www.degustibusnyc.com.   Hope to see you there!

     


  • Dining in & out: Articles & Reviews

    Time for Tenerumi Soup


              Fresh sheep’s milk ricotta still warm from the dairy, artichokes so tender you can eat them whole, and tenerumi cooked into a soup -- my friend Salvatore, who comes from Sicily, was listing the foods he missed the most. I couldn’t help him with the first two, but, I told him, I had just seen tenerumi (also spelled tinirumi) in the market.

     

                Tenerumi are the leaves, buds, and vines of the cucuzza, a pale green squash that can grow as long as 6 feet.  The plants grow rapidly and produce an abundance of vegetables and vines.  The cucuzza itself doesn’t have much flavor and Sicilian cooks make it into ciambotta (a vegetable stew), or use it to make a sweet green preserve for pastries called zuccata.  The tenerumi are mild tasting, too, but they add a nice texture to a simple soup that Sicilians make this time of year.  My husband, 100% Sicilian, loved it.

     

                Look for tenerumi at produce stores in Italian neighborhoods, or at the Greenmarket.  I bought two big bunches at the Migliorelli Farm stand in Union Square.  If you can’t find tenerumi, Swiss chard would also be good in this simple soup.  


     

    MINESTRA DI TENERUMI

     

                The first cool nights of September are ideal this satisfying Sicilian soup.  It’s good with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, or if you prefer, some grated pecorino cheese.

     

    Serves 4 to 6

     

    2 large bunches tenerumi (about 2-1/2 pounds)

    Salt

    1 medium onion, finely chopped

    3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

    1/4 cup olive oil

    3 cups peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped tomatoes

    Freshly ground black pepper to taste

    6 ounces spaghetti, broken into bite-size pieces

    6 large fresh basil leaves, chopped

                Discard the tough vines, tendrils, and stems of the tenerumi and wash the leaves and tender buds.  Chop them into bite size pieces. 

     

                In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water to boiling.  Add the greens and salt to taste.  Return the water to boiling and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. 

               

                In a large skillet, cook the onion and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until tender and golden.  Stir in the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for 10 minutes.

     

                Pour the tomato sauce into the pot with the greens.  Stir in the pasta.  Cook 10 minutes more or until the pasta is tender.   Stir in the basil.  Serve hot or at room temperature.  



  • Dining in & out: Articles & Reviews

    Finding Peperone Friariello -- A Favorite Neapolitan Pepper


     Peperone friariello, also known as peperoncini verdiis the name of a small bright green pepper that grows in the Naples area in the spring and early summer.  (Don't confuse it with the similarly named, but not at all the same friarielli broccoli, a Neapolitan type of broccoli rabe, which is in season in the winter time and is eaten as a side dish or pizza topping.)  The peppers are long, cone shaped pods range from about 1 to 3-inches in length and typically are fried whole, seeds and all, until blistered and browned.  When fully ripe, they turn bright red and look like chilies, but they are mild and sweet.  You can eat the whole pepper in one or two bites.  I love their delicate flavor and find them much more appealing than green bell peppers.  

     

                I ate peperoni friarielli often when I was in Praiano on the Amalfi Coast earlier this summer.  I ordered them in restaurants and bought them in the markets whenever I saw them.  Back in our rental apartment kitchen, I fried them in olive oil to serve with grilled sausages, or tossed them with tomatoes to sauce linguine.   Like the view of Capri, or the scent of the sfusato lemons, I figured they would be one of the many things I would miss when we returned home. 

     

                Back in New York, I was shopping at the Union Square Greenmarket and stopped at Yuno’s farm stand.  Yuno’s has some of the brightest, freshest, and most unusual produce in the market and I often shop there for things like zucchini flowers, crisp greens and buttery avocado zucchini.  That day, samples of a small green Japanese pepper known as shishito were being fried and offered to shoppers.  They smelled great so I took one.  It tasted just like a friariello!  I took a closer look at the raw peppers and noticed that they were very similar except for a slightly ribbed surface.  I bought a bagful and brought them home. 

     

                I trimmed off the ends of the stems and I fried the shishitos just the way I did the peperoni friarielli in Praiano.  I added some tomato, and a handful of basil from my garden and simmered them a few minutes more.  I tossed them with linguine and they looked just right.  Charles was so delighted to see them that he popped a bottle of Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina, one of my favorite white wines from the Naples area.  It was a perfect quick summer meal and for a little while at least, we felt just like we were back on vacation. 

     

                I have bought shishitos several times since and notice that the latest ones are somewhat hot.  It was a nice surprise, and we enjoyed that little bit of a kick. Yuno’s farm stand is at the Union Square Greenmarket on Mondays and Fridays.

     

                Peperone friariello seeds are available here by mail order through websites that specialize in Italian culinary seeds.  You can be sure I will start them early next spring and grow them on my terracein the summer. 

    Linguine with Friarielli (or Shishitos) and Tomatoes          

    LINGUINE WITH PEPERONI FRIARIELLI (OR SHISHITOS) AND TOMATOES

     

    Serves 4

     

    1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

    8 ounces peperoni friarielli or shishito peppers, stems removed

    1 large garlic clove, smashed

    Kosher or sea salt

    2 cups canned Italian peeled tomatoes, chopped

    6 - 8 fresh basil leaves, torn

    8 ounces linguine

     

                In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.   Add the garlic and cook until golden, about 2 minutes.  Discard the garlic.  Add the peppers and cook, stirring often, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with salt.  Add the tomatoes and their juice and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes. 

     

                Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boiling on high heat.  Add salt and linguine and stir well.  Cook, stirring often until the pasta is slightly undercooked.  Drain the pasta reserving a little of the cooking water.  Pour the pasta into the skillet with the sauce.  Add the basil and cook, tossing and stirring, until the pasta is tender.  You don’t need cheese with this pasta, but a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil would be a nice finish.

    Serve hot.

     

                Charles recommends:  Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina

     

     

                

  • Dining in & out: Articles & Reviews

    The Perfect Summer Pasta


          Some years ago, Charles and I spent a month in Rome.  Every day, we would explore a different section of the city, but our favorite neighborhood was between the Piazza Navona and the Tiber.  Most days we would head there for lunch at a favorite trattoria, and most days we would order Pasta alla Checca.  It is the perfect pasta for a summer day, light and fresh, and the ideal way to celebrate the great flavors of juicy summer tomatoes, fresh basil, and milky mozzarella.  The sauce is not cooked, just marinated for a short time and warmed by the hot cooked pasta.   At the restaurant, the chef used tubetti or ditalini pasta, the ideal choice because the tomatoes and cheese were cut into the same size pieces.  


         When I stopped at Di Palo's the other day and saw the pile of still warm and freshly made mozzarella piled on the counter, I knew the time was right to make Pasta alla Checca.  I had some beautiful ripe beefsteak tomatoes from the Greenmarket, and my Sicilian basil has grown to the size of a bush.  There are many variations on  this pasta recipe, but I think the version we ate in Rome is still the very best.  Here is a recipe from my book 1,000 Italian Recipes:

    Pasta alla Checca

    Serves 4 to 6


    3 medium size ripe tomatoes

    1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

    1 small garlic clove, minced

    Salt and freshly ground pepper

    20 basil leaves

    1 pound tubetti or ditalini

    8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into small dice


    1. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the cores, Squeeze out the tomato seeds.  Chop the tomatoes and place them in a bowl large enough to hold all of the ingredients.


    2. Stir in the oil, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.  Stack the basil leaves and cut them crosswise into thin ribbons.  Stir the basil into the tomatoes.  Cover and leave at room temperature up to 1 hour.  


    3. Bring at least 4 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot.  Stir well.  Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente, tender yet still firm to the bite.  Drain the pasta and add it to the bowl with the pasta.  Add the mozzarella and toss again.  Serve immediately.



        This is not a pasta salad.  It should not be served chilled.  In Rome we often ordered grilled anchovies to follow it.  Sardines, or another grilled fish, would be just as good.  What's the ideal wine?  Charles recommends chilled Frascati.



  • Dining in & out: Articles & Reviews

    Back to Amalfi. Delightful Colatura



    This article is part of our Special Issue on the Fancy Food 2009

    The 55th annual New York Summer Fancy Food Show held from June 28 to 30 at the Javits Convention Center featured a vast variety of products from all over the world.  I focused my attention on the Italian section where I found everything from sublime 24-month-old Parmigiano Reggiano and buttery soft prosciutto di Parma, to peculiar gnocchi in a microwaveable cup.  A few new products stood out.   

    At the Agostino Recca booth, a small bottle of reddish brown liquid caught my eye.  It was colatura, the juice extracted from preserved anchovies.  Colatura is believed to be descended from the Roman garum, a fish sauce or condiment that the ancients prized more highly than caviar. Vincenzo Recca, director or the company, told me that his colatura is on its way to the United States, and should be in stores in about a month.  I opened the bottle and took a sniff:  the aroma was mellow and rich with anchovies.  Instantly I felt transported back to the Amalfi Coast as I remembered the sensational linguine with colatura I ate at the Restaurant La Cala delle Lampare at the Hotel Tritone in Praiano.  Though the town of Cetara on the Amalfi Coast is best known as the source of colatura today, the Recca brand colatura is being produced in Sciacca in Sicily where the company packages its line of preserved anchovies and sardines.  Their high quality products have always been favorites -- the little fish are always meaty and flavorful, not harsh and salty. In addition to pasta, colatura is good in a salad, on vegetables or cooked beans, in mayonnaise, devilled eggs, and so on.   
          At a nearby booth, I met Joe Cimino who offered me a sample of cuccidati, a traditional Sicilian-style fig cookie produced by Cosi Duci of Boca Raton, Florida.  Mr. Cimino said his sister Giovanna started the company because she wanted to raise funds to help find a cure for her son Giuseppe and others who are stricken with Multiple Sclerosis.  Her cookies have a tender pastry crust wrapped around a filling of dried figs, chocolate, nuts and spices and each one comes individually wrapped.  The cookies have an authentic flavor and I am glad to see that they can be purchased through the company's website. They would make a fine gift during the holiday season.  A portion of the proceeds benefits the Multiple Sclerosis Society.  


    Every time I passed the Panificio Biscottificio Colacchio booth, I could not resist trying a sample of their taralli or breadsticks.  They were crunchy and flavorful and perfect as a snack on their own or to accompany a meal.   This company also has an extensive line of frese and freselline, toasted whole grain breads that, after a light soaking in water, make a perfect base for a summer tomato salad or a hearty seafood stew. 


     
          After leaving the show, I stopped at Locanda Verde, where Anna Dente, one of Italy’s most famous chefs was appearing at a reception sponsored by Lotito Foods and Gabriella Cheese. Anna, who has been called the “Queen of Roman Cooking”, had been at show demonstrating Bucatini alla Matriciana.  
          Here is a quick recipe for linguine with colatura.  If you can’t find colatura, substitute a few finely chopped anchovies.  They are not as subtle as the liquid, but the flavor will still be good.


       








    Linguine with Colatura  
    Makes 4 to 6 servings 
    1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
    2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    Pinch of crushed red pepper
    1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
    3 or more tablespoons colatura (or substitute anchovy fillets)
    Salt
    1 pound linguine 

     
    In a skillet large enough to hold the pasta, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and crushed red pepper.  Cook, stirring often until the garlic is lightly golden.  Stir in the parsley and colatura.  Turn off the heat.  
    Bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil.  Add salt to taste.  Add the linguine and stir well pushing the pasta under the water.  Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is almost ready.   
    Drain the pasta reserving a little of the cooking water.  Add the pasta to the skillet.  Toss well over medium high heat.  If the pasta seems dry add a little of the cooking water.  Serve hot.


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