Pasta con le Sarde

I had the pleasure of joining my cousin in Italy again, this time on a 9 day trip to Sicily.  We started in Palermo and made our way in a counter-clockwise tour of the island.  One of my favorite stops was the geological formation known as Scala dei Turchi just to the west of Agrigento.

It looks like a milky-white set of steps rising out of the Mediterranean Sea, and it's completely free to explore.  While I'm really glad I was able to climb it, I do hope that one day soon the government will decide to protect the area since it will likely become quite damaged from all the human activity.  For more pictures of the trip, check out my Instagram feed.

One of my other favorite stops was the UNESCO world heritage Baroque town of Ragusa.  Not only is it absolutely lovely, it has some of the best restaurants on the island including the 2 Michelin-starred Ristorante Duomo.  We were able to have a 7 course lunch there for only 45 euros (that's like $50 with the recent exchange rate)!

The pasta course was their take on a traditional Sicilian dish:  pasta con le sarde.  From what I remember the waiter saying, they used homemade saffron spaghetti with olive oil poached sardines and bread crumbs with wild fennel.  The version I made uses dry spaghetti from a box and canned sardines, but it's still pretty good, especially if you like sardines.

Pasta con le Sarde (adapted from The New York Times Cooking)
serves 2

1/4 cup raisins
A pinch of red pepper flakes
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup olive oil plus 3 tablespoons
1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped, fronds chopped and reserved
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
2 cans sardines in oil
1/2 pound spaghetti or bucatini
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Combine the raisins, red pepper flakes, and wine in a small bowl and set aside.

In a heavy skillet, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium-low heat.  When hot, add the fennel bulb, onion, and garlic.  Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel is tender, about 25 minutes.

In the meantime, melt the butter in a small pan and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add the bread crumbs and cook until golden brown.  Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

When the fennel mixture is ready, add the wine mixture and sardines, breaking them into pieces.  Bring to a boil and gently simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the instructions on the box until al dente.  Strain and return the pasta to the pot set over low heat.  Fold in the fennel-sardine mixture.  Toss in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Add 3/4 of the fennel fronts, the pine nuts, capers, and 1/4 of the bread crumbs.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide the pasta among two plates and sprinkle the remaining bread crumbs and fennel fronds over each.  Serve immediately.

Next:  Mini Homemade Pretzel Dogs
Previously:  Garlic Naan
Last Year:  Cleveland Cassata Cake (Bonus:  In a Jar!)
Two Years Ago:  Backyard Mint Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Freckles
Five Years Ago:  Coconut Lime Sorbet
Six Years Ago:  Curried Carrot Soup

Scoglio all'Andiamo (Saffron Fettuccine with Seafood in a Lemon Garlic White Wine Sauce)

Last year I was lucky enough to win two nights at a Marriott resort of my choosing in the Caribbean through an Instagram contest.  At first I considered going to St. Kitts & Nevis since I had never been before, but the airfare was outrageous, so I ended up choosing to go back to Grand Cayman.  I used my points to stay an extra two nights at the Ritz Carlton and brought along two girlfriends. 

I was sad to find out that the Periwinkle restaurant at the Ritz was gone because I had the best truffle fries of my life there a few years ago, but when I found out that the Italian restaurant that had replaced it, Andiamo, had the truffle parmesan fries on their menu, I insisted that we go there for our last dinner on the island.

The fries were as good--if not better--than I remember them being, but I was also really impressed with their version of pasta allo scoglio, also known as pasta ai frutti di mare.  Scoglio means "rocky seashore" in Italian, and all types of seafood can be used in this dish.  Shrimp and mussels were on sale, so that's what I used, but clams, scallops, and calamari would also work.

Unlike most recipes for pasta allo scoglio, there were no tomatoes in Andiamo's version; all I tasted was a clean white wine sauce with garlic and lemons spiked with the delicious juices from the clams and mussels.  The sauce was so good we asked for another basket of bread just so we could soak it all up.  The pasta they used was a saffron fettuccine, which I attempted to make from scratch.  Since I didn't have any saffron on hand, I added some saffron salt to the fresh pasta dough and finished the dish with more saffron salt.  If I were to make this again, I'd probably add a pinch of turmeric to the pasta dough to bring out the bright yellow coloring more.

Scoglio all'Andiamo (Saffron Fettuccine with Seafood in a Lemon Garlic White Wine Sauce)
serves 2-3

1/4 cup butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 lb. mussels and/or clams
1 lb. peeled raw shrimp and/or scallops
1/2 lb. dried fettuccine or 3/4 lb. fresh fettuccine
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
Saffron salt (if you have it, if not, regular sea salt is fine)
Freshly ground pepper
Lemon slices

Bring a pot of salted water to boil.  Cook the fettuccine to al dente (if using fresh pasta, wait until the after adding the shrimp to the pan to start cooking the pasta).

In the meantime, melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large skillet.  Add the garlic cloves and saute for a minute.  Add the white wine and the mussels and/or clams.  Cover and let steam until the shellfish have opened.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the shellfish from the skillet and set aside in a bowl.

Add the shrimp and/or scallops and cook until just opaque.  Add the cooked pasta, lemon juice, parsley, and shellfish back to the skillet and toss well.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately with lemon slices and crusty bread to soak up any leftover sauce.

Next:  Taiwanese Oyster Omelet (Without the Oysters)
Previously:  Gordon Ramsay's Sublime Scrambled Eggs - Two Ways
Last Year:  Candied Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Five Years Ago:  Passion Fruit Ice Cream
Six Years Ago:  Carrot Cake Ice Cream

Homemade Squid Ink Pasta

I've been wanting to make my own squid ink pasta ever since I first had it in Venice, so I was pretty excited when I finally found some squid ink at DiLaurenti on my last trip to Seattle.  It came in these little pricey packets, but a little goes a long way.

I pretty much followed my recipe for a better homemade pasta, but I substituted squid ink for one of the egg yolks.  Because this recipe produces a drier dough, you don't have to dust the pasta with any additional flour to keep it from sticking, and it also lets the color of the squid ink pasta shine through.

I found that I could really smell and taste the brininess of the squid ink compared to the dried squid ink pasta I had bought from Venice.  I ended up using this pasta to make the First Night in Florence Spaghetti, and it just made that already fantastic dish even better.

Homemade Squid Ink Pasta
makes 2 servings

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
8 grams (about 1 1/2 teaspoons) squid ink

On a large, rimmed baking sheet, make a pile with the flour and dig a well in the middle.  Crack the egg into the well and add the egg yolks and squid ink.

Using a fork, start stirring the liquids and slowly incorporating more and more of the flour into the well until you have a nice, thick paste.  Combine with the rest of the flour and start kneading with your hands.  If the dough is too dry, wet your hands as many times as you need just for it to all come together.

Continue kneading by hand or in a stand mixer (with the dough hook attachment) until you have a smooth, uniform dough.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 20 minutes.  At this point you can refrigerate the dough, well wrapped, overnight and bring it back to room temperature the next day before continuing.

Cut the dough in half.  Run one half through the pasta machine set at its widest setting.  Fold the dough in thirds and run through the machine again, repeating 3 times.  Then, run the dough halfway through and pinch the ends together so it forms a loop.  Adjust the setting to one notch thinner and roll through, continuing to adjust the setting one notch thinner each time the loop has gone all the way around.  When the dough looks almost transparent, stop and cut the dough out of the machine and then in half.  Repeat the whole process with the other half of the dough.

If your dough is feeling tacky at this point, let it dry a bit on some tea towels.  Otherwise, you can go ahead and fold the dough in half three times so you have a manageable width to cut.  Using a sharp knife, cut the noodles into the width you desire.  Shake out the noodles and let them dry some more on the tea towel.

Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil.  Add the pasta and stir occasionally so that the noodles don't stick to each other.  The pasta is done when they float to the surface.  Remove from the water immediately to preserve its perfect al dente texture.  Toss with the sauce of your choice.

Next:  Chocolate Mochi Snack Cake
Previously:  Cacio e Pepe for One
Last Year:  Dan Bing (Taiwanese Egg Crepe)
Five Years Ago:  Mama Huang's Secret Beer Duck Recipe
Six Years Ago:  Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cacio e Pepe for One

I love macaroni and cheese, but sometimes I just want to make enough for one serving.  Or I don't have any milk in the refrigerator.  Or I'm starving and and need something that only takes a few minutes to make.  Luckily, this recipe for cacio e pepe meets all those requirements!

Italian for "cheese and pepper", this dish comes together in a flash and uses ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and refrigerator.  Pecorino Romano is the traditional cheese used for cacio e pepe, but in a pinch, you could also use parmesan or another hard, grated cheese.

The first time I made this, I used the fresh pasta I had made in the previous post, but I've also since made this with regular dried spaghetti.  Obviously, the fresh pasta was better, but the version made with the dried pasta was still pretty decent, and much better than anything that comes out of a blue and orange box.  I like mine slightly gooey and with less pepper, but if you like it creamier, you can add more pasta water, and feel free to use as much pepper as you like!

Cacio e Pepe for One
serves one (duh) but can be easily doubled

Kosher salt
1 serving of uncooked pasta, dried or fresh
1 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
50 g (about 3/4 cup) freshly grated Pecorino Romano

Bring a pot of salted water to boil.

Add the butter and pepper to a skillet large enough to hold all the pasta.  If using fresh pasta, turn the heat on once you add the pasta to the boiling water.  If using dried pasta, wait until there is 1 minute left before the pasta is done to turn on the heat.  Toast the pepper over medium-low heat.

When the pasta is done, transfer it to the skillet using tongs or a pasta scooper.  Toss with the butter and pepper, then start adding the grated cheese, alternating with some of the pasta water.  Continue tossing until the cheese has melted and coated all the pasta.  Season to taste with additional pepper and salt.

Next:  Homemade Squid Ink Pasta
Previously:  A Better Homemade Pasta
Last Year:  Miso-Glazed Eggplant
Two Years Ago:  Happiness Cake
Five Years Ago:  Momofuku's Crack Pie
Six Years Ago:  Korean Pancake Face Off

A Better Homemade Pasta Recipe

I had three egg yolks left over from making the matcha financiers, so it was perfect timing that I came across this recipe which needed 3 egg yolks (plus 1 whole egg) for making homemade pasta.  I've posted about making pasta before, but even then I commented on how it didn't look like the homemade pasta I had eaten in Italy.  I had hopes that using more egg yolks would make a difference, giving me something closer in looks and taste.

I'm going to share two tips I use when making pasta:  one I came up with on my own, and one I learned from Lady and Pups.  First, instead of making the dough straight on your counter- or tabletop, make it in a rimmed baking sheet.  That way if the eggs accidentally spill over your flour well (like mine did), it won't run all over the place.

Second, I love this genius tip from Lady and Pups:  seal the ends of your dough together once you're ready to roll your pasta thinner in a pasta machine so that you don't have to refeed the dough in every time you change the setting.  It makes the dough so much easier to work with, especially once the dough gets super thin and long!

This dough is pretty dry, so you might want to wet your hands while kneading it just until everything comes together.  Then you can take the easy way out and throw it into your stand mixer (with the dough hook attachment) to continue kneading, if you have one.  If not, keep kneading until it's nice and glossy; it will take a while, but you'll get there eventually.

After you've rolled out the dough so that it's so thin it's almost transparent, you can cut it into any width you want:  super wide for pappardelle, wide for fettuccine, thin for tagliatelle, or super thin for bavettine.  This pasta is so good you'll just want to toss it with a really simple sauce so you can really appreciate the noodles.  Here I've made it aglio e olio, with just some garlic and olive oil, and a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes.  Buon appetito!

A Better Homemade Pasta Recipe (adapted from Food52)
makes 2 servings

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
3 large egg yolks
A pinch of salt

On a large, rimmed baking sheet, make a pile with the flour and dig a well in the middle.  Crack the egg into the well and add the egg yolks and salt.

Using a fork, start stirring the eggs and slowly incorporating more and more of the flour into the well until you have a nice, thick paste.  Combine with the rest of the flour and start kneading with your hands.  If the dough is too dry, wet your hands as many times as you need just for it to all come together.

Continue kneading by hand or in a stand mixer (with the dough hook attachment) until you have a smooth, uniform dough.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 20 minutes.  At this point you can refrigerate the dough, well wrapped, overnight and bring it back to room temperature the next day before continuing.

Cut the dough in half.  Run one half through the pasta machine set at its widest setting.  Fold the dough in thirds and run through the machine again, repeating 3 times.  Then, run the dough halfway through and pinch the ends together so it forms a loop.  Adjust the setting to one notch thinner and roll through, continuing to adjust the setting one notch thinner each time the loop has gone all the way around.  When the dough looks almost transparent, stop and cut the dough out of the machine and then in half.  Repeat the whole process with the other half of the dough.  You will end up with 4 sheets of pasta dough.

If your dough is feeling tacky at this point, let it dry a bit on some tea towels.  Otherwise, you can go ahead and fold the dough in half three times so you have a manageable width to cut.  Using a sharp knife, cut the noodles into the width you desire.  Shake out the noodles and let them dry some more on the tea towel.

Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil.  Add the pasta and stir occasionally so that the noodles don't stick to each other.  The pasta is done when they float to the surface.  Remove from the water immediately to preserve its perfect al dente texture.  Toss with the sauce of your choice.

A few suggestions for sauces:

• First Night in Florence Spaghetti (tuna, tomatoes, lemon, olive oil, and garlic)
• Aglio e Olio (garlic and olive oil)
• Cacio e Pepe (cheese and black pepper)
• Shaved Truffles and Butter
• Amatriciana (tomato and guanciale/pancetta/bacon)
• Carbonara (eggs and guanciale/pancetta/bacon)
• Marcella Hazan's Tomato Butter Sauce
• Slow Cooker Bolognese (tomato and ground meat)

Next:  Cacio e Pepe for One
Previously:  Matcha Financiers with White Chocolate Centers
Last Year:  Mushroom Marsala Pizza
Two Years Ago:  Peking Duck Pizza
Five Years Ago:  Bacon Fat Caramels
Six Years Ago:  Potato Leek Soup with Bacon

First Night in Florence Spaghetti

I have made this dish four times in as many days since I first discovered it.  Maybe it's because I'm feeling nostalgic for Italy and wanting to get out of this crazy New England snow.  Maybe it's the way the olive oil, tomatoes, and lemon juice come together like magic to make this unbelievably fresh tasting sauce.  Or maybe it's the way the tuna and garlic linger on the tongue and then in my dreams.  Whatever it is, you need to make this pasta stat.

This dish comes together quickly; while the pasta is cooking, you'll be starting the sauce so that by the time the pasta is almost al dente, you toss it into the pan that the sauce is in to finish cooking it.  So I usually start cutting up the tomatoes and mincing the garlic while I wait for the water to boil.

For this recipe, make sure you use the tuna that's packed in olive oil, not water.  And don't pour out the oil; add it to the sauce.  Speaking of olive oil, you'll want to use a good one, and lots of it.  I used the last of the olive oil I got from Tuscany for this, and it was worth it.  I also used the last of the squid ink pasta I got from Venice since I figured the brininess would go well with the tuna (and because it's photogenic).  All this just means I'll have to go back to Italy soon to stock up again!

First Night in Florence Spaghetti (adapted from The Solitary Cook by way of Food52)
serves 2

1/2 package of spaghetti
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Good olive oil, and lots of it
1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tin of tuna packed in olive oil
A few handfuls of spinach or Swiss chard leaves
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Get a large pot of salted water boiling.  Add the pasta and start a timer to cook for 3 minutes less than what the package calls for (i.e. if the package says to cook the spaghetti for 10 minutes, cook it for 7).

In a pan large enough to hold all the pasta, add 5-6 generous glugs of olive oil heat on medium-high (it should be at least twice what you think you'll need).  Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the tomatoes and a generous pinch of salt.  While the tomatoes soften, you may want to (carefully!) smoosh them to help release their juices.  When there are 2 minutes left on the pasta, add the minced garlic.  When there is 1 minute left on the pasta, add the tuna plus the oil it's packed in, breaking up any large chunks of fish.

When the timer is up on the pasta, use tongs or a pasta spoon to add the spaghetti to the pan.  Add some of the pasta cooking water to the pan too (the original recipe calls for a few ladlefuls, but I like a little less than that).  Add the greens and lemon juice and toss everything around, cooking until the leaves is just wilted.  Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper as needed. 

Next:  Hugo & Victor's Pink Grapefruit Tart
Previously:  Odile's Fresh Orange Cake
Last Year:  Okonomiyaki
Six Years Ago:  New England Clam Chowda with Homemade Oyster Crackers

Ribollita (Tuscan Bread Soup)

I was lucky enough to go back to Italy again for the third time in 15 months thanks to my cousin, Leslie.  Last time we did Rome and Venice; this time we explored Florence, northern Tuscany (pictured above) and Cinque Terre and were joined by my friend, Sarah Ruth.

My main purpose in Florence was to eat as much good gelato as I possibly could.  To that effect, our first stop after checking into our hotel was to go to Triangolo delle Bermuda to try their artisanal gelato.  Once we realized they also served food, I figured it would be better to eat lunch before getting our gelato, so I ordered the ribollita, a soup I'd heard was a Tuscan specialty.

Ribollita translates to "reboiled" and is a result of reheating leftover minestrone-like soup with stale bread to create a thick, hearty potage.  I've read there's actually a three day process where on the second day you layer the leftover soup with the bread and bake it with a layer of thinly sliced red onions on top and then reboil it on the third day.  For simplicity's sake, I skipped the second day and jumped straight to the reboiling.

Since ribollita is originally peasant food, there's a multitude of recipes for it (some even argue that since it was created before the advent of tomatoes in Italy, there shouldn't be any tomatoes in it), but traditionally the main ingredients are always cavolo nero (also called lacinato kale or Tuscan kale), cannellini beans, and stale Tuscan bread.  Since I had recently received collard greens in my Boston Organics delivery, I opted to use that instead of the cavolo nero, which I realize is taking great liberties with the dish, but it still ended up tasting really good, if with a slight Southern twist.   You can also another hearty green (like kale or Savoy cabbage) or a combination of a hearty green and a more delicate green (like Swiss chard or spinach).

I learned that Tuscan bread traditionally doesn't contain any salt because the city-state of Pisa used to control the salt trade in that region, and the Florentines hated the Pisans.  I found a loaf of bread labelled "Tuscan bread" at my local grocery store, but when I looked at the label, I wasn't surprised to see salt listed in the ingredients.  It'll probably be impossible to find a loaf of bread without salt in it outside of Tuscany, so just use a hearty, country-style bread.

Back to the ribollita at Triangolo delle Bermuda:  the owner, Vitullio, stopped by to talk to us and explained that the soup needed to be topped with some Tuscan olive oil.  He grabbed a green bottle and liberally poured some all over my bowl.  I took a bite, and and it was like the heavens had opened and I could hear harp music playing.  I had never, ever tasted olive oil like that.  It was bold and bright and fruity and really elevated the other flavors in the soup.  I asked Vitullio for the brand so I could buy that exact bottle, but I think he misunderstood because he just started telling us about the Toscano IGP designation for olive oils and how important it was to buy olive oils with that label.  Alas, I never did find out which brand of olive oil that was, but I was now on the hunt for official Toscano IGP olive oils.

A few days later, I went on a truffle hunting and wine tasting tour, which if you ever get the chance, you should definitely do!  We spent the first part of the tour following Ciocco (short for cioccolata), the truffle hunting puppy, around a hazelnut grove.  He managed to find 5 black summer truffles, which were used in our "light lunch" back at the farm.  The "light lunch" turned out to be a three course meal with a splendid antipasto plate, a main course of truffle pasta, dessert, and lots and lots of local wine.

Afterwards, we drove to Fattoria di San Michele a Torri, an organic farm and winery in the Chianti region, for the wine tasting.  We started off with one of their olive oils, which although beautifully bottled, was way too grassy and spicy for me.  I realized that not all olive oils made in Tuscany were going to taste the same and decided I was going to have to taste test the olive oil before I bought one.

Luckily, I had a chance to do so in the town of Vinci (Leonardo's birthplace).  I ended up picking up this Santini, which although fruity, was a little milder than I remember that first olive oil being.  All this is to say that not all olive oils are the same, and you should try to find one that you really like to use as a finishing oil.

Ribollita (Tuscan Bread Soup)
serves 6

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
28 oz. can of whole, peeled tomatoes
1 lb. cavolo nero, or a combination of kale, Savoy cabbage, collard greens, Swiss chard, and/or spinach, de-ribbed and sliced
16 oz. can of cannellini beans, drained
3 cups water

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
8 slices of day old Tuscan bread, crusts removed
Good quality extra virgin olive oil, to finish

Day 1:  In a large Dutch oven or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, and a pinch of salt and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 10-15 minutes.  If the vegetables start to brown, lower the heat.  Add the garlic, thyme, and another pinch of salt and cook for another minute or two, until fragrant.

Add the tomatoes and their juices and the sliced greens.  Bring to a boil and keep stirring until the greens are wilted and cooked down.  Add the beans and enough water to just cover all the vegetables, about 3 cups.  Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer until all the vegetables are tender.  Salt and pepper to taste.  You can serve the soup at this point with some fresh Tuscan bread.  Refrigerate the remaining soup.

Day 2:  Tear the bread into small pieces and add to the soup.  Bring to a boil again, and then simmer for 30 minutes, stirring to dissolve the bread into the soup. 

It should be thick enough that you can stand a wooden spoon in the soup.  Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle with a generous amount of your favorite finishing olive oil.

I've also read about Ribollita "Da Delfina" where they make a super thick ribollita and then form patties out of the soup and pan-fry them.  I tried doing that with my ribollita on day 3, but it was still a little too watery to keep its shape when I tried to flip the patties.  Still, it was an interesting experiment, distilling all the flavors of the soup into a solid form with the added dimension of the caramelization that occurs during the frying.

Previously:  Hokkaido Milk Bread Three Ways (Traditional, Braided, and Taro Swirl)
Last Year:  Salted Butter Caramel Apple Pie with Vodka Pie Crust
Two Years Ago:  Caramelized Onion and Swiss Chard Quiche

Melanzane alla Parmigiana (Eggplant Parmesan)

When I used to have to go to the Upper East Side for work, I loved going to this little sliver of an Italian restaurant called Tre Otto.  I always ordered the melanzane alla parmigiana, which was actually an appetizer, but quite filling with their awesome bread.  It wasn't the usual eggplant parmesan with fried, breaded eggplants cutlets (although an eggplant parm sub is my go to order at  pizza/deli joints); this was layers of delicate eggplant, fresh basil, and the most delicious tomato sauce topped with fresh mozzarella and baked to perfection.  Sadly, I no longer go to New York for work, and apparently Tre Otto is no more, but luckily, I've been able to recreate the dish at home!

Melanzane alla Parmigiana (Eggplant Parmesan)
serves 2 

1 medium eggplant (about 1 lb.)
Kosher salt
Extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
28-oz. can of San Marzano whole, peeled tomatoes
Small handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz. ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced thinly

Slice the eggplant into 1/4"-1/2"slices, either lengthwise or crosswise, whatever will best fit into your baking dish.  Place the slices on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet or on paper towels and lightly salt on both sides.  Set aside while you start the tomato sauce.

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large saucepan over medium heat.  When the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and cook for minute or two, until softened but not browned.  Add the tomatoes with their juices (I like to use kitchen shears to cut the tomatoes up in the can before adding them) and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer while you cook the eggplant, stirring occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

By now, the eggplant slices should have started to sweat.  Rinse under cold water and pat dry.  Add enough olive oil to lightly cover the bottom of a large skillet and heat on medium-high.  Add only enough eggplant slices to cover the bottom of the pan in a single layer.  Brush the top of the eggplant slices with olive oil while they are cooking.  Cook each side for a couple of minutes until soft and cooked through.

By now the tomato sauce should be almost done.  Stir and few times and mash any leftover big pieces of tomato.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Stir the chopped basil into the tomato sauce and remove from heat.

Lightly brush the bottom of a small baking dish or two individual sized ramekins with olive oil.  Start with a layer of tomato sauce, then add a layer of eggplant, a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese, and a layer of fresh mozzarella.

Repeat layers, finishing with a layer of tomato sauce and cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Let sit for 10 minutes before serving with some crusty bread.

You may have leftover sauce and/or mozzarella cheese, which would be perfect for making a margherita pizza!

Next:  Thomas Keller's Caramelized Scallops
Previously:  Salt and Pepper Tofu

Squid Ink Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Last year for Valentine's Day I celebrated by making jjajungmyeon (Korean black bean noodles).  This year, I stayed with the color scheme but went Italian and made squid ink spaghetti aglio e olio, inspired by my trip to Venice.

After our time in Rome, my cousin Leslie and I took the train up to La Serenissima.  Despite being colder and rainier than Rome, Venice was amazing.  At just about every bridge we crossed, I felt like I had to stop and take a picture; it was so picturesque! 

We spent the first half of our trip either using the complimentary hotel shuttle boat to St. Mark's Square or trudging through the rain on foot to get around.  The city wasn't that big, so we were able to see St. Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace, the Accademia, and Rialto Bridge pretty easily this way. 

It wasn't until we decided to get a pass for the vaporetto (the public water bus), though, that I really began to feel like more than just a tourist.  At last we were able to see Venice from the Grand Canal as it was meant to be seen.  It didn't hurt that we were usually surrounded by locals commuting back and forth from work, either.

While scouring the grocery store on the last day for edible souvenirs to bring home, I found a package of spaghetti al nero di seppia, or squid ink spaghetti.  I had ordered spaghetti with cuttlefish ink sauce a couple of times in Venice a couple of times and really enjoyed it, so I decided to buy the pasta and try to make it at home.  Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any actual squid or cuttlefish ink to make the sauce with, although in my search I did find squid ink pasta at a local Italian store, so you probably don't have to go all the way to Venice to find the pasta.  Without any ink, I decided to prepare the pasta simply, aglio e olio, with garlic and olive oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes.  This recipe is even easier than spaghetti carbonara and you're almost certain to already have all the ingredients (you can use regular spaghetti if you don't have any squid ink pasta).

Squid Ink Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
serves 1

A small fistful of squid ink spaghetti
A few glugs of olive oil
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
A pinch of red pepper flakes
Sea salt 
Chopped parsley or basil

Bring a pot of salted water boil.  Add the spaghetti to the pot and cook according to the packaging (mine says to cook for 10-12 minutes).

In the meantime, add the olive oil and sliced garlic to a small saucepan and set on low heat.  Once the garlic starts to sizzle, add the red pepper flakes and sea salt to taste.  Continue to heat while the spaghetti is cooking, but do not allow the garlic to brown.  If this starts to happen, remove the pan from heat.

When the spaghetti is done cooking, use a pasta scooper to add it to the saucepan.  You want a little bit of the pasta water to go along with it so don't worry about draining it first.  Toss the spaghetti with the olive oil until it is well coated.  Plate and garnish with some chopped parsley or basil.  Serve immediately.

Next:  Okonomiyaki
Previously:  Homemade Tagliatelle with Shaved Truffles
Last Year:  Jjajungmyeon (Korean Black Bean Noodles)
Four Years Ago:  Nutella Ice Cream
Five Years Ago:  Tomato and Eggs over Rice