It changed into with exceptional sadness that I learnt of the passing of Antonio Carluccio closing week. An unstoppable force within the international of meals, essential to bringing desirable Italian meals to us in the united kingdom, we've loads to thank him for. What Antonio didn’t recognize approximately Italian meals wasn’t definitely well worth knowing. i used to be so fortunate to have labored and cooked with him many time.
He changed into for all time attempting to persuade me attempt weird and fantastic meals, frequently supplying me intenstines, tripe, fermented fish (I handed on those, all a quite tough sell for a vegetarian) in addition to his flawlessly rolled pasta or mushrooms directly from his ultimate trip to the woods.
Antonio had such an infectious and total passion for what he became cooking and making, he wanted all and sundry to proportion that. To share in what he loved. I learnt plenty from him approximately how to roll pasta, one-of-a-kind methods with mushrooms and vegetables, how pasta and Italian food changes from area to location and metropolis to city. i used to be fortunate sufficient to paintings with him and Gennaro Contaldo too and see them make a laugh of each other and lark around like a couple of faculty boys became a total joy.
I need to have cooked greater then three hundred recipes with Antonio over the time I labored with him, that is hands down my favorite from his book on Pasta, I make it often, it a outstanding vegetarian pasta dish. clever little spinach polpette and toothsome pasta, so tough to beat.
thanks Antonio for the warm temperature, thought, understanding and the brilliant food you brought to the arena. i'm hoping you're fuelling up on pasta someplace earlier than your next adventure. I for one will think of you whenever I devour a bowl of pasta. Buon viaggio.
PENONNONI GARDINIERA
SERVES 4
300g dried giant penne pasta, known as pennoni
salt and pepper, to taste
40g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Spinach balls
600g young spinach leaves
2 medium eggs, beaten
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
tip of a knife of freshly grated nutmeg
50g fresh breadcrumbs (see page 00)
20g Parmesan, freshly grated
olive oil for shallow-frying
FOR THE SAUCE:
four tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 little fresh purple chilli, not too warm, finely chopped
300g grated courgette
prepare the spinach balls first through cooking the spinach leaves in salted water for a couple of minutes. Scoop out and go away to cool down. whilst cool, squeeze out maximum of the moisture and chop the leaves with a knife, but not too small. Then blend in a bowl with the egg, garlic, nutmeg, breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Make some balls the size of a huge walnut and fry in shallow oil till they begin to brown on all sides. Set apart.
cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water for 12-15 minutes or till al dente. Drain. (Pennoni are huge, so need lengthy cooking.)
meanwhile, for the sauce, heat the oil in a massive saucepan, and upload the garlic, chilli and courgette to the pan. prepare dinner fast in the oil, about 3-four minutes. add salt and pepper to flavor.
blend the cooked pasta into the sauce, then divide among warmed plates. Sprinkle the pinnacle of each component with Parmesan and area four or 5 spinach balls on top.