Photo, 'our' Italians in their charming kitchen, left to right: Elisabetta, Maria, Andrea, Anna
When we tell folks that there are Italians in our village with a second home, they are surprised. Italy is a mighty pretty place, and the Italians don’t usually find their way up here. When we tell them they are from the south, in the heel of the boot, they are incredulous. After all, you have to drive through the magnifcant rolling hills of Umbria and Tuscany to get our magnificant rolling hills.
But drive they do, over 600 miles (1000 kilometers) with a family of five packed into a tiny Alpha Romeo, several times a year, to enjoy their beloved second home. When they first visited here several years ago, it was a coup de foudre--love at first sight---and they bought a house.
Which is our gain. They are a warm and charming family, and a family of fabulous passionate cooks. It’s the foodie event of the year when we’re invited over. For us, it beats anything with a Michelin star.
We received a coveted invite a couple of weeks ago, for what was billed as a ‘simple’ traditional Italian meal. Each family member contributed a course, except for papà, who declares that he is merely an Eater. We started on the terrace with homemade foccacia with various yummy toppings, by daughter Elisabetta. Then on to Pasta Puttanesca, that enigmatic 'Whore’s Pasta'. Another pasta followed, with very wide flat noodles and a bolognese sauce, a speciality of son Andrea. La madre, Maria, made the main dish, their favorite one for summer: rare sliced roast beef, served at room temperature, with a fresh sauce that is simple, sublime, and summery. This was served with a sautéed potato/red pepper ‘hash’. Then a platter of cheeses, melons, and grapes from their garden. To end the meal, an ultra-thin layered pastry filled with a house-made plum confiture and dusted with powdered sugar, by daughter Anna.
Over expresso and digestifs, Maria told us the story of Pasta Puttanesca, or 'Whore’s Pasta'. The ladies of the night in Rome made this for their meal after the night shift--which sometimes meant five or six in the morning. It was perhaps popular with the working girls because it's quick, easy, inexpensive, and filling. Delicious, too!
RECIPE: Pasta Puttanesca (Whore's Pasta)
For 4 people:
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté 2 cloves of chopped garlic in the oil until golden. Remove pan from heat, remove garlic and discard.
Reheat the oil and sauté 1 tablespoon of capers, 2 filets of anchovies, 2 tablespoons of good black olives, a drained can of tuna fish (6 oz., 170 grams), and a pinch of purée de piment* in the oil for about 2 minutes. Add a can of chopped tomatoes (16 oz, 450 grams) and simmer the mixture for about 20 minutes. When it’s done, taste first then add salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, cook some penne or rigatoni pasta. Spaghetti is often used, but Maria prefers a more substantial pasta. Here is a nice rule to know: Maria says in Italy they allow 80 grams (about 3 ounces) of pasta per person, so for four you’ll need 320 grams (12 ounces).
Drain the pasta, add it to the hot pan with the tuna mixture. Cook and stir for about 30 seconds. Dish it onto plates and top it with some chopped parsley and/or basil. I couldn’t resist putting a little grated Parmasan on top, though I got a litte eager and forgot the parsley, for the photo.
*purée de piment is a paste made from dried esplette peppers, skinny red peppers which are mildly hot, from the Basque region. You dip the tip of your knife in and use it sparingly. Look for it in gourmet stores, I hear it's the spice-du-jour in the states; I found Piment d'Espelette Powder on Amazon.com. Or you might substitute with a bit of chopped hot peppers, sautéed in with the other ingredients, or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes, to taste.
RECIPE: Maria’s Summer Main Dish
Simple and luscious. Serve rare, sliced roast beef or London broil at room temperature, napped with this fresh and simple sauce: Mix, with plenty of your best olive oil, lots of very finely chopped fresh mint and parsley (I used a healthy tablespoon of oil and the same of herbs, per person). She served this with coarsely chopped, pre-cooked potatoes, which she then sautéed in olive oil with sliced red peppers, which were quite wonderful. Buon appetito!
Favorite Reads: Got to get this book, as so many friends are recommending it: The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris
In the Comments: Wow, I learned a lot from this week's comments! Like 'toasted ravioli' is a specialty in Sicily and in St. Louis (Julie and Leslie); that you can stuff wontons with nutella (Melinda); how to make sweet potato fries (Frank); and all about French crullers (Anne). Plus my 'auntie' Marie has a deep fryer and Lillie might add one, after her rice cooker. Elizabeth has a wine question, too hard for me, can anyone help? And Natalia, I'll be blogging on cats soon!
Our Reader's Blogs: My American Market, selling American goodies to expats, has a new expat blog that's fun: American Community in France (I've got a guest post there, on shrimp and grits). Plus two design sites I absolutely adore: Libby's, An Eye for Detail, and she's posting from Provence this week! And Jessica's The Entertaining House, a site which is all over the map with design inspiration. Then one food site which never fails to inspire me: Maria's A Platter of Figs. I'll be making her lemon parsley gougeres this week.
