Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is another old, traditional pasta dish. It is simply spaghetti with garlic and olive oil. Although tasty, this is not something I would normally find "Blog Worthy." However, I recently learned a new way of preparing pasta which warrants mention.
While having drinks with a girlfriend and her Italian boyfriend last weekend, he mentioned that he had discovered a Roman restaurant cooking technique he was excited about. The conversation went something like this:
Him: You know how when you eat pasta in an Italian restaurant, it always has that nice creamy texture to it, even if it is not a cream sauce? Like the sauce is always nice and silky, absorbing into the pasta, even if it is just a basic tomato sauce?
Me: Um...yes. (drool wipe/stomach growl).
As it turns out, he explained, this has to do with one thing: Carbohydrates. When you boil pasta, a foam forms on the top of the pasta water. This is the result of carbs being released from the pasta during cooking. By changing the cooking method slightly, these carbs can help turn an average, boring pasta dish into a delicious, restaurant worthy plate.
Inevitably, after a few more glasses of wine, we ended up in the kitchen for a demonstration of this cooking method. I was amazed at how simple it was, how great the concept, and yes, how incredibly tasty the final product was. Here is the recipe:
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
2 Servings
1/3 standard sized box dried spaghetti or pasta of choice (about 2 cups)
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parmigiano cheese for grating
Boil a pot of water. While water is heating, peel the clove of garlic and place it (whole) in a large skillet or saucepan with the olive oil and red pepper flakes over low heat. When the garlic begins turn golden brown, (about 5 minutes) remove it from the pan and discard. Add pasta to boiling water and cook it for ONLY 3 MINUTES. After three minutes, use a slotted spoon to scoop all of the pasta from the water, transferring to into the skillet with olive oil. Reserve the pasta water. Add 2 ladels of pasta water into the skillet with pasta and turn heat up to medium-high. Cook pasta, stirring often, and adding a little more pasta water to the skillet if it becomes too dry. You should begin to see a light and creamy looking sauce forming in the pan and coating the pasta. When pasta is cooked to al dente and most of the pasta water has absorbed, the pasta is done. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with freshly grated parmigiano cheese before serving.
Note: This recipe is fun because it is very adaptable. I have thrown a few peeled and chopped cherry tomatoes in with the garlic to add a tomato flavor, or used lemon olive oil and lemon juice to give the pasta a fresh lemon flavor. A splash of white wine in with the simmering pasta is tasty, as are fresh herbs. The important thing about this recipe is not the ingredients but the method itself, so feel free to experiment!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
View From the Top
In search of new areas of Rome to explore, last weekend I discovered Rome's Gianicolo. The Gianicolo is a hill overlooking the city of Rome that boasts it's most beautiful and peaceful views. Although Rome is known as the proverbial City of Seven Hills, the Gianicolo is situated west of the Tiber River and thus outside of the city limits, so it is not counted as one of the city's famous hills. It is, however, known to have the most beautiful panoramic views of the city. And, in contrast to the rest of the bustling city, it is blissfully quiet.
The Gianicolo is located North of the Vatican, and I arrived there by means of a small, electric bus that was perfectly sized for navigating the narrow, winding road to the top of the hill. The views, as expected, were absolutely breathtaking. Looking out from my perch on the stone wall surrounding the hill, I could spot many of the city's major landmarks and buildings as the city stretched on into the horizon. Though a few people milled around, taking photographs and drinking in the scenery, I enjoyed the view in peace and quiet. The Gianicolo will definitely be added to our "Must-do" list for visitors from here on out, as I must agree it is now one of my favorite places to go to marvel at this beautiful city.
The Gianicolo is located North of the Vatican, and I arrived there by means of a small, electric bus that was perfectly sized for navigating the narrow, winding road to the top of the hill. The views, as expected, were absolutely breathtaking. Looking out from my perch on the stone wall surrounding the hill, I could spot many of the city's major landmarks and buildings as the city stretched on into the horizon. Though a few people milled around, taking photographs and drinking in the scenery, I enjoyed the view in peace and quiet. The Gianicolo will definitely be added to our "Must-do" list for visitors from here on out, as I must agree it is now one of my favorite places to go to marvel at this beautiful city.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Recipe Sunday: Bucatini all'Amatriciana
Living in Italy, I come across great new food and recipes all the time. Some of these are classic food prepared in a new or different way. Some dishes happen by accident as I experiment with new ingredients (or lack of familiar ones) or whatever happens to be in the fridge. Some of the best, however, have been recreations of classic, traditional Italian dishes. When it comes to perfect combinations of uncomplicated, delicious flavors, the Italians really know what they are doing. If you were to sit down in almost any restaurant here in Rome, there are at least a few standard, traditional Roman pastas you'd find on any menu. One of these is Bucatini all'Amatriciana. The Amatriciana originates from the town of Amatrice, in the mountains of the Lazio region of Italy. It dates back from the late 18th century and it is as delicious as it is old.
On Christmas Day, we wanted to serve an Italian primi, or first course, to begin the holiday meal. We decided to go as traditional as possible and tried our hand at preparing the Amatriciana. As it turns out, it was incredibly simple to make and it tasted fantastic. I've decided to start sharing some of the great recipes I stumble upon, here on my blog. So without further ado, here is the recipe.
Note: this recipe calls for guanciale, which is cured pork cheek. This isn't a standard supermarket find in the US or the UK. The authentic method is to use guanciale, and you can usually find it if you ask a Butcher or stop into an Italian imports shop. But you can easily substitute pancetta in this recipe and it still tastes great!
Also, the traditional pasta to use in this dish is Bucatini - which is basically a long, fat spaghetti with a hole in the middle. This can also be difficult to find, so feel free to substitute any long pasta.
Bucatini all'Amatriciana
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 oz guanciale or pancetta, diced
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (depending on spicy tolerance)
2 1/2 cups tomato passata (pureed tomato)
1/2 tsp salt
Black pepper
Fresh Parmigiano or Pecorino cheese for grating
1 pound (or 16 ounces, one standard size box) or Bucatini or other long pasta
Heat oil in large skillet. Add guanciale and cook, stirring constantly, until meat is golden brown and most of the fat has been rendered off (5-7 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, remove guanciale from the skillet to a plate lined with paper towels. Drain about half of the fat and return pan to heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook 30 seconds. Add tomato and salt, and pepper to taste, and return cooked pancetta to the skillet. Simmer 15-30 minutes while boiling pasta to al dente. Toss cooked pasta with sauce and grate Parmigiano or Pecorino cheese on top. Serves 4.
On Christmas Day, we wanted to serve an Italian primi, or first course, to begin the holiday meal. We decided to go as traditional as possible and tried our hand at preparing the Amatriciana. As it turns out, it was incredibly simple to make and it tasted fantastic. I've decided to start sharing some of the great recipes I stumble upon, here on my blog. So without further ado, here is the recipe.
Note: this recipe calls for guanciale, which is cured pork cheek. This isn't a standard supermarket find in the US or the UK. The authentic method is to use guanciale, and you can usually find it if you ask a Butcher or stop into an Italian imports shop. But you can easily substitute pancetta in this recipe and it still tastes great!
Also, the traditional pasta to use in this dish is Bucatini - which is basically a long, fat spaghetti with a hole in the middle. This can also be difficult to find, so feel free to substitute any long pasta.
Bucatini all'Amatriciana
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 oz guanciale or pancetta, diced
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (depending on spicy tolerance)
2 1/2 cups tomato passata (pureed tomato)
1/2 tsp salt
Black pepper
Fresh Parmigiano or Pecorino cheese for grating
1 pound (or 16 ounces, one standard size box) or Bucatini or other long pasta
Heat oil in large skillet. Add guanciale and cook, stirring constantly, until meat is golden brown and most of the fat has been rendered off (5-7 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, remove guanciale from the skillet to a plate lined with paper towels. Drain about half of the fat and return pan to heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook 30 seconds. Add tomato and salt, and pepper to taste, and return cooked pancetta to the skillet. Simmer 15-30 minutes while boiling pasta to al dente. Toss cooked pasta with sauce and grate Parmigiano or Pecorino cheese on top. Serves 4.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Roman Holidays
Hello, Blog. Nice to see you again.
For those who have noticed how quiet it has been around here, I apologize for my month-long absence. December was a whirlwind of travel and fesitivities that flew by in a - very fun, exciting - blink of an eye. The end of 2011 was filled with a trip to NYC and Chicago (photos to come), a wedding in London, hosting Christmas here in our flat, and celebrating New Year's Eve Roman-style. There was great company, food galore, and a brand new holiday experience for me.
When I was growing up, our Christmas holidays were steeped in tradition. For as long as I can remember, Christmas has always been the same: Christmas Eve dinner with one side of the family, Christmas Day with the other. Christmas morning cinnamon rolls after ripping open gifts on the living room floor of my mother's house. Even as young adults, my sister and I clung fast to our childhood traditions and insisted on dumping our Christmas stockings on the floor as we created a mountain of gift wrap and ribbons. Luckily, as the years went by, this stopped happening before dawn (sorry, Mom). In post-childhood years, these traditions became a warm bit of nostalgia, and a chance to re-live favorite memories. As adults, no matter where we were or what we were doing, my family has always come together for this time of year, and everything has always been comfortably and blissfully the same.
This year, for the first time in my 30 years, I broke with tradition and spent Christmas in Rome. Roland and I hosted the holidays here, with his family, in our flat. While the experience was completely different, the holidays still felt as warm, festive and full of love as they always have. I managed to slip some Christmas comforts from home into the day - a few Christmas tree ornaments taken from our childhood collection made the jouney over to Rome to adorn our new Italian tree, and the Charlie Brown Christmas album played during dinner. And, thanks to Skype, I still got to see the faces of all my loved ones on Christmas Day. Christmas Eve, we took a walk around Rome, enjoying the beautiful city decked out in lights, and dined on some Christmas Eve spaghetti (oh, the irony) with plenty of prosecco. Christmas day brought mulled wine and mince pies - great English Christmas tradtitions, which I loved - and, most importantly, my first-ever Christmas in charge of cooking the meal. Pre-Christmas, this brought on a fair amount of stress. I'd never cooked a holiday meal before, and would also be cooking for Roland's family for the first time. No pressure! Besides braving going into a butcher - by myself - to attempt ordering our Christmas turkey in Italian (not as scary as I thought), I racked my brain over how to manage to make a whole dinner in our tiny little ancient Italian oven. Boasting just one small shelf and no temperature knob, it was likely installed in the 30's and became the thorn in my meal-planning side. In the end, however, the planning paid off and the worry was unwarranted as everything turned out great. Roland was the pefect sous chef, and I managed to get through the meal stress-free. Note: I must also credit mulled wine for this!
We served up a mix of food for dinner, including a very tradtional Italian pasta, Bucatini all'Amatriciana, as a first course and roast turkey and vegetables with mashed potatoes for the main course. Everything turned out lovely, everyone ate too much, new traditions began and all in all, it was a wonderful Christmas.
As the rush of the Christmas festivities came to a close, we decided to have a low-key New Years Eve and celebrate in a typical Roman fashion. Along with thousands of other people, we made our way into the Center of the city in the late evening on the 31st. In Rome, much of the NYE festivities happen outdoors. People gather in piazzas for concerts, fireworks, singing, dancing and celebrating across the city. We took the Metro in and had a slow wander across the city, people-watching and stopping for an occasional glass of prosecco, taking everything in. Much of the festivity surrounding New Year's Eve in Rome involves fireworks. No matter that fireworks are illegal for anyone who is not a licensed professional - everyone from children on up gleefully sets them off, without abandon or without attention to their location, all day long. They exploded in the middle of streets, on pedestrian paths, next to cars and in pretty much any imaginable location. It gave the city an edgy feel - although it was all celebratory, it also had the affect of raising my blood pressure for most of the evening as the "BOOMS" kept me constantly jumping out of my skin. Roland had handed me a pair of earplugs before we left, which I jokingly mocked him for. All I can say is I was more then happy to have them as fireworks exploded loudly and suddenly at every turn. (As it turns out, feeling slightly nervous or cautious probably wasn't such a bad idea - I later read that due to the NYE fireworks, 2 people were killed, a building burned down, and another 500 ended up in the hospital).
We eventually ended up at our destination, which was Piazza del Popolo. This piazza is famous for hosting one of the biggest celebrations of New Year's Eve. Thousands gathered here, where music played and illegal fireworks galore exploded in the center of the piazza. We took a spot in a corner of the piazza to watch the revelers - men wandered through the crowds selling bottles of champagne and beer, and all matters of glowing and blinking headwear. The fireworks here were, actually, beautiful. People leaned out of the windows surrounding the piazza, waving sparklers and Italian flags. Children sang and danced anxiously awaited midnight. Everyone formed a massive ring around the center of the piazza, which remained empty for fireworks (and, interestingly, beer bottles - people kept throwing them over the crowd into the middle of the piazza, where they smashed. I am told this is one of their traditions). There was no official countdown, so everyone kept an eye on their watches and began celebrating as their clocks struck in 2012. It was a really cool experience, and I remember thinking in wonder as I took it all in...I am in Rome. Halfway across the world, celebrating New Year's Eve in one of it's most famous piazzas. Not a bad way to wrap up 2011. Looking forward to seeing what 2012 has in store. It certainly has some big shoes to fill.
For those who have noticed how quiet it has been around here, I apologize for my month-long absence. December was a whirlwind of travel and fesitivities that flew by in a - very fun, exciting - blink of an eye. The end of 2011 was filled with a trip to NYC and Chicago (photos to come), a wedding in London, hosting Christmas here in our flat, and celebrating New Year's Eve Roman-style. There was great company, food galore, and a brand new holiday experience for me.
When I was growing up, our Christmas holidays were steeped in tradition. For as long as I can remember, Christmas has always been the same: Christmas Eve dinner with one side of the family, Christmas Day with the other. Christmas morning cinnamon rolls after ripping open gifts on the living room floor of my mother's house. Even as young adults, my sister and I clung fast to our childhood traditions and insisted on dumping our Christmas stockings on the floor as we created a mountain of gift wrap and ribbons. Luckily, as the years went by, this stopped happening before dawn (sorry, Mom). In post-childhood years, these traditions became a warm bit of nostalgia, and a chance to re-live favorite memories. As adults, no matter where we were or what we were doing, my family has always come together for this time of year, and everything has always been comfortably and blissfully the same.
This year, for the first time in my 30 years, I broke with tradition and spent Christmas in Rome. Roland and I hosted the holidays here, with his family, in our flat. While the experience was completely different, the holidays still felt as warm, festive and full of love as they always have. I managed to slip some Christmas comforts from home into the day - a few Christmas tree ornaments taken from our childhood collection made the jouney over to Rome to adorn our new Italian tree, and the Charlie Brown Christmas album played during dinner. And, thanks to Skype, I still got to see the faces of all my loved ones on Christmas Day. Christmas Eve, we took a walk around Rome, enjoying the beautiful city decked out in lights, and dined on some Christmas Eve spaghetti (oh, the irony) with plenty of prosecco. Christmas day brought mulled wine and mince pies - great English Christmas tradtitions, which I loved - and, most importantly, my first-ever Christmas in charge of cooking the meal. Pre-Christmas, this brought on a fair amount of stress. I'd never cooked a holiday meal before, and would also be cooking for Roland's family for the first time. No pressure! Besides braving going into a butcher - by myself - to attempt ordering our Christmas turkey in Italian (not as scary as I thought), I racked my brain over how to manage to make a whole dinner in our tiny little ancient Italian oven. Boasting just one small shelf and no temperature knob, it was likely installed in the 30's and became the thorn in my meal-planning side. In the end, however, the planning paid off and the worry was unwarranted as everything turned out great. Roland was the pefect sous chef, and I managed to get through the meal stress-free. Note: I must also credit mulled wine for this!
We served up a mix of food for dinner, including a very tradtional Italian pasta, Bucatini all'Amatriciana, as a first course and roast turkey and vegetables with mashed potatoes for the main course. Everything turned out lovely, everyone ate too much, new traditions began and all in all, it was a wonderful Christmas.
As the rush of the Christmas festivities came to a close, we decided to have a low-key New Years Eve and celebrate in a typical Roman fashion. Along with thousands of other people, we made our way into the Center of the city in the late evening on the 31st. In Rome, much of the NYE festivities happen outdoors. People gather in piazzas for concerts, fireworks, singing, dancing and celebrating across the city. We took the Metro in and had a slow wander across the city, people-watching and stopping for an occasional glass of prosecco, taking everything in. Much of the festivity surrounding New Year's Eve in Rome involves fireworks. No matter that fireworks are illegal for anyone who is not a licensed professional - everyone from children on up gleefully sets them off, without abandon or without attention to their location, all day long. They exploded in the middle of streets, on pedestrian paths, next to cars and in pretty much any imaginable location. It gave the city an edgy feel - although it was all celebratory, it also had the affect of raising my blood pressure for most of the evening as the "BOOMS" kept me constantly jumping out of my skin. Roland had handed me a pair of earplugs before we left, which I jokingly mocked him for. All I can say is I was more then happy to have them as fireworks exploded loudly and suddenly at every turn. (As it turns out, feeling slightly nervous or cautious probably wasn't such a bad idea - I later read that due to the NYE fireworks, 2 people were killed, a building burned down, and another 500 ended up in the hospital).
We eventually ended up at our destination, which was Piazza del Popolo. This piazza is famous for hosting one of the biggest celebrations of New Year's Eve. Thousands gathered here, where music played and illegal fireworks galore exploded in the center of the piazza. We took a spot in a corner of the piazza to watch the revelers - men wandered through the crowds selling bottles of champagne and beer, and all matters of glowing and blinking headwear. The fireworks here were, actually, beautiful. People leaned out of the windows surrounding the piazza, waving sparklers and Italian flags. Children sang and danced anxiously awaited midnight. Everyone formed a massive ring around the center of the piazza, which remained empty for fireworks (and, interestingly, beer bottles - people kept throwing them over the crowd into the middle of the piazza, where they smashed. I am told this is one of their traditions). There was no official countdown, so everyone kept an eye on their watches and began celebrating as their clocks struck in 2012. It was a really cool experience, and I remember thinking in wonder as I took it all in...I am in Rome. Halfway across the world, celebrating New Year's Eve in one of it's most famous piazzas. Not a bad way to wrap up 2011. Looking forward to seeing what 2012 has in store. It certainly has some big shoes to fill.
Rols and I on Christmas Eve - Via del Corso
Via del Corso on Christmas Eve
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