Scialatielli Pasta with Steamed Mussels - Pasta is a Girl's Best Friend!

Those of you who follow my blog know that I love to go out to eat at some of Campania's top restaurants.  Those who follow me on social media, however, know that I love to cook as well.  Can't eat out always!
Summer is one of my favorite times to cook because, let's be honest, I have more time.  More time to prepare an Italian staple - pasta.  I remember when I first moved to Italy over 25 years ago, I was surprised at how many different pasta formats there were and how many different ways it can be prepared. And because of that, pasta has basically become my best friend...
Recently friend and pasta maker Giovanni Assante  of Gerardo di Nola sent me a surprise package.  The postman did ring twice! A package full of pasta and tomatoes to last me quite awhile and maybe spark some creativity in my kitchen as summer starts to wind down.

One of the packages that caught my attention was his scialatielli al nero di seppia.  Scialiatelli is a thick pasta which looks a little like fettucine, just shorter.  This version includes black squid ink included during the pasta making proscess.
To stick with a seafood theme, I decided to prepare something simple but flavorful.  Steamed mussels!

After steaming the clean clams with a little garlic, chili peppers and just a small bit of extra virgin olive oil, I seperated the mussels from their shells, making sure to keep the water left behind which would basically be the pasta sauce.
In another pot,  I cooked the pasta for abour 7 or 8 minutes in lightly salted boiling water.  I then added the pasta to the steamed mussel water and stirred/tossed etc etc until the pasta was how we wanted it.  Al dente, of course - cooking time depends on many factors but I took about another 7  minutes or so.  Every now and then I added the water that I cooked the pasta in - make sure you don't throw that out!  It is full of starch that helps the pasta bond with the flavors from the mussels.  Oh, yeah, I added the cooked mussels right at the end with a bit of Italian parsley.

Buon pranzo!

Fantastic First, Enoteca La Torre, Roma (Rm)

Saturday in Rome.  Rome?  What's a Campania blogger doing in Rome,  Enoteca La Torre to be exact?  The answer is obvios - at least for many readers of my blog.  The Michelin starred restaurant has been undr the helm of young Campanian Chef Domenico Stile.  

One of the dishes that stood out for me that afternoon was this risotto.  I'm a pasta gal, but when rice is done right,  I just have to speak about it.  

This dish has it all! Amalfi lemons, smoked lemon powder, yogurt truffles with plankton and candied lemon zest.

Dip in your spoon and what do you find? Sea truffles, asparagus - all covered with gold (edible of course). 

Fantastic!

A is For Amicizia - A Friendly Four Hands Lunch at Ristorante La Galleria, Gragnano (Na)

Chef Giulio Coppola and Pasticcere Antonino Maresca

17 December, Karen.  Save the date.

A quick message from Chef Giulio Coppola via WhatsApp. 

An appointment for lunch.  Coppola had even invited his close friend, Pastry Chef Antonino Maresca, to share in the festivities.

No stress, just good food-good friends, just the type of event to kick off the Christmas season.

Coppola’s restaurant, La Galleria, is located in the heart of pasta land, Gragnano.  The streets of the town were dressed in Christmas red ready to host their annual mercatino di Natale/Christmas market.  Inside the restaurant, the spirit continued featuring Christmas lights and decorations winding up the staircase and spread throughout the dining room.

But I was curious as to what as going on in the kitchen of course! Preparations for lunch in progress!  Coppola, Maresca, and the small kitchen brigade were at work to set out a Christmas spread that was original, entertaining, but above all appetizing!

Here’s a look…

Aperitifs prepared by La Galleria; rice chips with beet cream and gorgonzola. Chicory stuffed with hollandaise sauce. Roulade of marinated meat with ricotta cheese...

Toasted panettone (made with olive oil and verbena) topped with butter, anchovy, lemon and truffles.

Topinambur (Jerusalem artichokes) chips.

In addition, a series of breads made by Maresca including an olive filled cornetto.

Then on to the appetizers;

A light, delicate chard ravioli alla marinara (shrimp, octopus, clams) with infused lemon.

Coppola’s prize winninggourmet pizza with "hot dogs" and potatoes with mayonnaise and "checiap".

First courses-

Spaghetti with spring onions, lemon, and smoked cerino, a fish from the mullet family.

Plin pasta stuffed with cauliflower and sea snails.  

Topped with purple cabbage and its fantastic broth.

Second course-

It would not be Natale without cod and Coppola did not disappoint. 

Still have room for dessert?  Of course!

Maresca presented a series of dolci like this predessert – cubo di Natale/Christmas cube.  Smoked grapefruit, corbezzolo (strawberry tree) and fresh pine nuts.

 A personal Christmas message from Maresca included.

Then “Mi Sembrano Mille”, Maresca’s take on a classic Italian dessert, the millefoglie.  A piece of appetizing artwork featuring a surprise.  Panettone ice cream!

The end of any Christmas meal includes picccoli pastries like these prepared with seasonal citrus fruits and yellow tomatoes stuffed with red ones.

And of course, panettone!  Maresca treated us all with two types – the classic version with candied fruits and nuts and one with annurca apples.  

Panettone prepared by Forno Guarino alongside Maresca himself.

At the end of the meal, alongside a chiacchierata and coffee the chefs finally filled us in on the mysterious A that had accompanied one of the spectacular desserts tasted. 

Antonino?

No, we were told – 

A is for Amicizia.

Friendship.

Stepping Out of the Kitchen – Pastificio Gentile, Gragnano (Na)

Only a few weeks have passed since my visit to Pastificio Gentile’s newly renovated location along Windmill Valley in Gragnano.  I wrote about it here.  It was during that visit that I made plans to come back during the day, maybe with a notebook to take a few notes, and maybe with a few friends to share the experience. 

That’s what happened last Saturday.  I returned with a few friends…chefs from restaurants that I’ve visited in the past.  I invited them to step out of the kitchen so to speak, so that they can look at here their products come from/ho they are made.

What do chefs notice when they enter a pasta factory?  The aromas, the heat/calore… They touch, taste, and ask questions, share experiences, ideas.

 In the company of five chefs and a 7 year old opened up my mind (and taste buds:-D). A full on five senses experience!