Category Archives: Roma
Look at the light!
Evenings in Rome have been some of the most vivid and colorful dusks I’ve ever seen.
Cavatelli con Ortica e Ricotta
This is one of my favorite pastas I’ve learned to make. I made the cavatelli with a little greens puree and then sauteed ortica (nettles), tossed the pasta with it and dotted ricotta into the mix. Just so simple and yummy.
Mint Julep at the Jerry Thomas Project
shhhh. it’s a secret. but look at the mint julep –> legit.
Giovedi GNOCCHI
In Rome, Giovedi e gnocchi. It’s not a joke. We decided to see what all the fuss was about…. except we’re broke and haven’t had a good gnocchi outside the AAR gates yet — so we just busted it out. This is gnocchi a la Miles Grande.
First we roasted about 12 of Giovanni Bernabei’s floury (dry and flaky — so you can use less flour) potatoes in a static 180°C oven for about 35 minutes until they were cooked through. Stick a knife in, if it goes in easily they’re ready. We roasted the potatoes on little beds of rock salt so they aren’t touching the metal pan directly. No pics for this, imagine it.
While the taters are roasting get your eggs and flour ready. We used two whole eggs and 00 flour. Use what you’ve got. Finer flour has more gluten and just affects the length of the gluten. Using other types of flour can affect the texture of the gnocchi. Semolina is a nice choice as well, according to Miles.
When the potatoes are done, peel them immediately into a ricer and rice them onto a tray. Rice means pass them through a thing that looks kind of like a garlic crusher but bigger and with larger holes.
When you’ve got them all riced, grab some egg and sprinkle it over the potatoes. For 12 potatoes we used about one and half eggs. We did not beat them first, just grabbed the yolks and whatever white came along for the ride.
Next, add flour little by little. The goal is to add as little as possible. As soon as it starts feeling like a dough, STOP adding. Knead it a little until you can press your finger into the dough ball and see a little rebound. That’s the gluten from the flour working its magic.
Cut off small chunks of dough and roll them out into half-inch rolls. Grab the roll on the eft and cut off 3/4 to 1 inch pieces. Throw them onto a flour-sprinkled tray.
Miles made a great sauce with some leftover pork chunks, carrot, onion, celery, parsley and chicken stock. He kept adding stock and reducing until it was a bit thick and super concentrated. And delicious.
Cook the little gnocci until they float in salted water. They should be toothy but shouldn’t taste like uncooked flour.
Pantheon sensa scaffolding
I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Pantheon without scaffolding. It’s actually quite a remarkable site. Go NOW to see it, who knows how long it will last.
an affogato after work is the best way to unwind
So not true. But so good. Two scoops of delicious latte di bufala gelato and a shot of espresso straight from Haiti. You may ask, wow, “I thought you couldn’t eat ice cream or drink coffee. What are you doing?” Shut it.
bowling in rome… oh how i’ve missed you
I have been craving some bowling. Finally, last week, it happened when I was least expecting it to. That’s the best. We went for a fellow’s birthday — happy birthday Stephen. So happy. It didn’t even matter that I bowled like crap. That rush, that feeling of completeness and just letting go was so refreshing. Yes, I’m talking about bowling.
Below, my team, Stephen showing off his form and the striker, Miles. Just throwin’ strikes all day. He brings a kitchen-like concentration to the lanes that’s just eerie to watch. The alley looked like it had been transplanted directly from America to Rome.
Bowling Roma
Viale Regina Margherita, 181
Michelangelo Pistoletti Opening at MAXXI
Went to the Pistoletti opening at MAXXI tonight. The crowd looked good and they all knew it as they gazed at their reflections in Pistoletti’s mirror pieces (see below). All in all, quite a huge show, definitely worth a look you’re passionate about Pistoletti.
Here’s a video of this strange performance that took place just after we arrived. The baby sounds are part of the music.
Making herbed maltagliati
Maria took some great pictures of me — more my hands — making maltagliati. Chris mixed some rosemary and sage into the dough. We made pasta fagioli with it. Came out deliciously.