Giusto Gusto

The moment I bit through today’s recipe, layered among thin slices of Sopressatta, Mortadella and milky mozzarella, I was no longer sitting at my dining room table. I was 8, curly black hair towering above my head, sitting at my Aunt Roe’s table biting thru the exact same sandwich surrounded by my cousins. We were laughing, teasing and shoving one another as we ate, taking a quick break from the day’s ruckus. Covered in semolina crumbs and olive oil, we cleared our plates, took a last sip of water, and ran back out the patio door into the yard.

One can never underestimate the memory-inducing power of food. It’s rewarding, or upsetting depending on the memory, to an incredible degree of detail and happens unexpectedly. For example, I called my pop’s for today’s recipe strictly because I was in the mood for roasting something low and slow. What I didn’t plan on was the trip down memory lane, North Chicot Ave – Long Island to be exact, but the string of unforgettable images, smells, and sounds made up for every lingering hour these tomatoes spent in the oven.

My pops used to make these all the time, tray after tray, and we enjoyed them most added to a mid-day sandwich piled high with cured meats, grilled veggies, and moist mozzarella. Now, I’m not sure if you’re going to be transported back to the exact same memories as me, but incase you do: if someone gets hurt, don’t tell the adults and for christ sake finish your sandwich!

Pop’s Oven-Roasted Tomatoes (Pomodori Secchi al Forno)
serves 4

6-8  Ripe Roma Tomatoes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Dried Oregano
Salt & Pepper

Preheat your oven to 225 F.

Slice the roma tomatoes in half length wise and arrange cut-side up on a baking sheet. Sprinkle each half with generous pinch of sea salt and allow to rest for 15 minutes. This will draw out some initial moisture and help the tomatoes caramelize better.

After 15 minutes, drizzle each tomato with a olive oil and top each with a sprinkle of dry oregano. Place in the oven and allow to cook uninterrupted for 4-8 hours depending on your oven.

You’ll know they’re done when the skin appears leathery and they’ve reduced in size by 75%, like Costanza’s infamous shrinkage. Eat as is or allow to cool, stack in a air-tight jar with whole garlic and extra oregano and cover completely with your best quality olive oil until completely covered. Cap and enjoy whenever you feel the urge. No idea how long they’ll last because I always eat them in a week or less, but I’d wager 2 weeks max.

SPARK NOTES: 1.CUT TOMATOES 2.ROAST FOR 6 HOURS 3.EAT OR WAIT TO EAT LATER

p.s. If you see this group of crazies, you’re in for a world of pain!

A mushroom poem:

Oh earthy shroom, with your amber gills and granite hood, you are a blank canvas for my gluttonous desires. A heady vessel willing and able to contain any terrifyingly delicious gastronomic combination I so desire. Born of the dirt and silt, you’re neither regal nor intimidating exhumed after a mornings mist and suns first warmth. Delicious zombie of spring, your fleeting existence on this wobbly rock will not be taken for granted, stuff you I must:

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms (Portobelli Ripieni)
serves 2

2 Large Portobello Mushrooms
1 Cup Fresh Breadcrumbs
1 Bunch Spring Onions (or one large onion)
1/2 Cup Artichoke Hearts
1/4 Cup Pecorino or Parmiggiano Cheese
2 1/4″ Thick Slices of Sopresatta or Hard Salami
1 Egg
Zest of 1 Lemon
Salt, Pepper, E.V. Olive Oil

It looks like a lot of ingredients, and maybe it is, but the cooking for this recipe is dead simple. First step is to deconstruct all of your stuffing items:

Dice your salami into 1/4″ cubes. Roughly dice your onion.  Roughly chop the artichokes and toss some crusty bread into a food pro to make your breadcrumbs.

For the mushrooms, simple remove the stem and gills with a spoon and chop roughly.

Next, sauté your onions on med-high heat with olive oil until soft and light browned. Add the artichokes and cook until soft. Add the chopped mushroom gills/stem and cook until soft. Finally, add the breadcrumbs and toast lightly with the onions, artichokes and mushrooms. Remove and allow to cool.

Once the mixture is cool, add your egg, cheese, lemon zest, salami and salt and pepper to taste.

Place your hollowed-out portobello tops in a baking pan and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Fill each portobello with a generous amount of the stuff, lightly pressing the mixture so it does not crumble out of the mushroom top. Top each stuffed mushroom with grated Pecorino or Parm and a last drizzle of olive oil.

Bake on 450 F for 5-10 minutes or until the portobellow is soft and the exterior of the stuffing is golden brown. Finish with chopped parsley or mint and serve either hot or room temperature, both are great.

Waxing poetic on the simple joy of stuffed mushrooms seemed appropriate for this stellar recipe I’ve been working on over the past few weeks. And, as I exclaimed so affectionately above, stuffed mushrooms are an exceptional vessel for any and all flavor combinations, just so long as your flavors and stuffing-to-mushroom ratio are balanced. Remember, our shroomy friend is the real hero, the stuffing is merely his bi-curious partner in justice. Happy grubbing!

SPARK NOTES: 1.DICE UP & COOK SOME STUFF 2.FILL YOUR MUSHROOMS 3.BAKE AND CONSUME

Pici pasta is a specialty of Tuscany and incredibly difficult to find in the States, but it only requires the hand-eye coordination of a 2 year old to make fresh at home. Lucky thing too, because my pops and I are not the nimblest of gents and we’ll take all the help we can get when it comes to rolling out pasta. All you need is some standard pasta dough, a dash of Play-Do experience, and an hour to kill.

On a related note, but certainly not advocating child labor, this is a great recipe to recruit your kids, grandkids, or any small people you may know.

Pici with Spinach Pesto (Pici al Pesto Spinaci)

Serves 6

2 lb Pasta Dough (double the link above)
1 lb Baby Spinach
3 Big Handfuls Basil
4 Garlic Cloves
3/4 Cup Pecorino
1/4 Cup Pine Nuts
Salt, Pepper, EV Olive Oil, Chile Flakes

To brush up on your pasta making, here are some Spark Notes:

Sift the flour and salt onto a large board. Make a well and add the eggs and olive oil. Begin mixing with a fork until the dough begins to form, adding enough water to keep the mixture moist. Once the dough has formed continue kneading for 10 minutes. Wrap in a kitchen towel and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Now, to make the Pici (site title image above):

Step 1 – Cut your dough in 4 pieces

Step 2 – Roll each quarter into a 1″ thick dowel (enter phallic joke here)

Step 3 – Cut the dowel into 1″ pieces (like big gnocchi)

Step 4 – Roll out each piece into a thick spaghetti, either between your hands or rolling on the board. They should be roughly 1/8″ thick, much thicker than your typical spaghetti.

Done, that’s Pici. Lay them out on a baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse Semolina Flour to keep them from sticking. Cover with a kitchen towel when complete. I filled 2 baking sheets with 10-12″ long Pici though they tend to shrink in the water (cough…).

The pesto is just as simple, but there’s one key step: Peel and cook your garlic in 1/4 cup of olive oil until soft and lightly golden. This helps the pesto from tasting of only raw garlic, spicy and terrible for anyone with loved ones near by.

When your garlic is ready, add to a food processor with the spinach, basil, cheese, and pine nuts. Add extra olive oil until a smooth paste forms. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to add to your pasta.

Bring a huge pot of heavily salted water up to a boil and add your Pici. Stir once or twice at the start to keep them from sticking, and then allow them to cook for 5-8 minutes. That’s crazy long for fresh pasta but these buggers are pretty thick and they can stand to be cooked a little longer.

Once cooked through but still a little rigid, add to a large bowl with the pesto, adding just enough of the hot pasta water to loosen and coat all of the Pici with the pesto. Finish with a sprinkle of Pecorino, chile flakes, and a small drizzle of good Olive Oil.

Pici is an under appreciated shape, with it’s thick profile and filling demeanor. It’s perfect for matching with rich, exciting pestos like today’s or even better smothered in an unctuous ragu of tomato and porky bits. Obviously this dish can be enjoyed with any other pasta shape, but finding the time to roll these babies out by hand makes all the difference. Note: I am not responsible for any other “rolling” habits your kids may pick up in years to follow.