Here’s another delicious and simple dish from Europe. If you’re not able to travel to Rome these days – and not many people can – then you can at least create one of the city’s most famous – and most easy to make – dishes at home.
With just a few simple ingredients you can create this dish which is one of the most popular pasta dishes in the world – and certainly in Rome.
As a species, we are becoming more interested in the simple things in life. This is seen throughout so many aspects of our lives. In food especially though, many of us have become much more conscious about what we eat, where it comes from and what it’s made of. Additives, preservations and colouring agents go by the board as we choose organic, chemical-free, non-GMO and the rest of the malarkey.
If you can get hold of it, the best (and traditional) pasta to use is tonnarello – because it has the perfect porous quality that absorbs the sauce – but use spaghetti if you prefer. You’ll also need some pecorino cheese (parmesan at a pinch) and some black peppercorns. Yes, that’s all.
Don’t be tempted to add anything else. Truly. This is a deliciously creamy dish, filling too, but has no butter, no cream, nothing to clog arteries. And to make it even better, it’s a budget meal too. (This means that I tend to splash out on some Italian wine). See the video below and then scroll down for a few notes.
It’s difficult to give exact quantities for a dish like this. You may be a cheese-loving family. You may love lots of black pepper. Or you might be the complete opposite. Vary the quantities to suit your own taste.
Some chefs dry-roast the peppercorns prior to making this dish as they say that the roasting (simply toss in a dry frying pan over a medium heat, stirring, for a couple of minutes) brings out the ‘pepperiness’. I then crush the peppercorns by putting then in between two small sheets of greaseproof paper and crushing them with a rolling pin. But straight from the peppermill is fine too.
This dish needs nothing. Nothing. Not even a sprinkle of herbs. It’s perfect just as it is so don’t be tempted. In this respect, it’s like Spanish tortilla – scroll down for a link to the recipe. To accompany the meal, it depends on when you’re serving this dish.If we’re having a light meal a green salad is all you need – easy to whip up in a couple of minutes.
For something a little heartier, a loaf of crusty bread is even easier.
So you can make this recipe in a way that suits you!
HOW ABOUT A SPANISH EVENING?
Spanish Cuisine: Tortilla de Patatas
At the time I'm writing this, no-one really knows what's going to happen to the travel industry. Even before this virus confined us all largely to our homes, many people were avoiding flying, for instance, because of concerns for the planet. Will flying become a more unpopular way to travel?
ARTICLE BY:
Jackie
JJ is originally from the UK and has lived in South Florida since 1994. She is the founder and editor of JAQUO Magazine. You can connect with her using the social media icons below.