Archive for June, 2011

Pizza.

A word that translates into any language that also transcends geography.  The styles of pizza range greatly from New York to California, not to mention the myriad interpretations the world over.  While the styles, methods of preparation and tastes vary, the simple ‘Pizza Margherita’ is the classic that never fails.  This staple of the pizza world dates back to 1889 when chef Raffaele Esposito from Naples made a pizza to honor the then Queen of Italy, Margherita of Savoy.  He used three basic ingredients to represent the Italian flag in pizza: Basil for the green, Mozzarella for the white and tomato sauce for the red.  Who knew that the ingredients Chef Raffele used for symbolism would endure time and a pizza evolution that has seen everything on a pizza from pineapple to caviar!

In many ways pizza has come full circle and simple is still typically better.  Journalist Melissa Clark‘s article in today’s New York Times about making pizzeria-quality pizza from scratch at home inspired us.  We figured today was as good a day as any to talk pizza.

Melissa’s video will guide you through the little – but important – details like the proper temperature to cook your pizza, how to stretch out your dough and get your pizza into the oven.  Since we can’t match this insight, we will turn our attention to the sauce and toppings.

First, the sauce.  You don’t need a ton of spices to make a good pizza sauce.  Grab some San Marzano tomatoes, some extra virgin olive oil, a little salt, a little pepper and some oregano.  That’s all you need.  Check out this video for an ultra simple how to on the sauce.

With the sauce in place, we can move to the cheese.  There’s no better way to top your pizza than with our fresh homemade mozzarella.  If you want to experiment, you can also try our homemade burrata.

Buon appetito!

 

The never ending beauty of Italy is truly how much there is to discover from one region to the next.  One can easily spend a lifetime getting to know all the subtle nuances that make any one region of Italy great.  That being said, we’d like to introduce you to, perhaps for the first time, one of Italy’s lesser-known regions, Le Marche.

Nestled between Abruzzo and Lazio to the South/Southeast, Emilia Romagna to the North and Umbria and Tuscany to the West, Le Marche boasts all the natural beauty we’ve come to expect in Italy; miles of coastline along the Adriatic, beautiful mountain views and gently rolling hills that dot the landscape.

Of course what better way to get to know a region than through the food!  Let’s start with one of Le Marche’s best known exports, the world renown egg noodle pasta from Campofilone.  This hilltop town in the province od Fermo still produces this local treasure much the same it has been done since the 1400s.

Campofilone’s long time pasta ambassador, Vincenzo Spinosi, has traveled the globe to raise awareness for his pasta but also for the prestige of all the pasta that originates in Campofilone.

But don’t take our word for it, try for yourself.  Pick up some Spinosi 2000 and give this simple recipe a whirl.

Spinosi Pasta with Prosciutto and Lemon

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Generous ½ cup prosciutto that has been cut into strips 1 to 1½-inches long
3 tablespoons white wine
About 5 ounces Spinosini pasta
½ to 1 cup pasta cooking liquid
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
Additional cheese and Italian parsley leaves for garnish

Directions:

Heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the prosciutto to the skillet and cook until heated through but not browned and crisp. Add the wine and keep warm.

When the water boils, drop in the pasta. Cook 2 minutes.  Lift out the pasta and place in the skillet with the prosciutto.

Measure 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Add ½ cup to the skillet, stir gently and cook 1 minute. Add the lemon zest, cheese and parsley. Toss gently and cook 1 minute longer. If the pasta seems dry, add more of the pasta cooking liquid and a dash of olive oil.

Divide between two heated plates. Garnish each serving with additional cheese and parsley leaves.

Makes 2 main dish servings or 4 appetizer servings.

Buon appetito!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

p.s.

If we didn’t convince you about the allure of Le Marche, maybe Dustin Hoffman can help!

Marche le scoprirai all\’infinito