Impepata di cozze, sopra pane all'aglio! / Peppery mussels, over garlic bread!

L’impepata di cozze – ’A mpepata ’e cozze – è un piatto grandioso della tradizione partenopea. Diventa anche più grandioso nelle mani talentuose del mio carissimo amico, Carmine Trubiano, uno dei chef più dotati che io conosco. Lui scoprì questo piatto molti anni fa in un paesino nella provincia di Caserta. Ma ci dà il tocco magico proprio suo. Ingredienti 1 kg cozze, pulite 2 cucchiai di olio di oliva extravergine 2 spicchi d’aglio, interi dell’erba cipollina* fresca, tritata 1 foglia d’alloro 10 pomodorini ciliegini, tagliati a metà; oppure 1 gran pomodoro fresco, tagliato a pezzettini 1 bicchiere [c. 250 ml] di vino bianco 1 bicchierino [c. 60 ml] di cognac o di whiskey del prezzemolo fresco, tritato 1 ramoscello di rosmarino fresco 1 cucchiaio di pepe nero macinato Per il pane all’aglio 6 fette di pane “Scali” (pane italoamericano, famosissimo a Boston) 1 o 2 spicchi d’aglio olio di oliva extravergine Preparazione Riscaldate l’olio, e mettete gli spicchi d’aglio. Quando l’aglio comincia a colorarsi, mettete l’erba cipollina* e la foglia d’alloro. Fate cuocere per 30 secondi, poi mettete i pomodori. Fate bollire per un paio di minuti. Poi, mettete il vino e il cognac. Dopo, quando ha bollito un po’, che l’alcool s’è sfumato, allora mettete il prezzemolo e il rosmarino. Fate bollire un po’. Poi mettete il pepe. Dopo ha bollito due o tre minuti, mettete le cozze, agitate la pentola una o due volte, e quando sono aperte sono pronte. (Ci vuole pochissimo tempo.) Per il pane all’aglio: Fate tostare il pane. Poi prendete uno spicchio d’aglio e strofinatelo nel pane.  Poi versateci un filo d’olio.  Quando le cozze sono pronte, servitele sopra il pane. *=Carmine l’ha chiamato “erba cipollina.” Ma all’occhio mio, è stata più grande, tipo scalogno. [Mi pento di non aver notato se Carmine abbia coperto la pentola dopo di aggiungere le cozze. Immagino di sì, ma non lo ricordo!]

This recipe for peppery mussels (Impepata di cozze in Italian, ’A mpepata ’e cozze in Neapolitan) is a grand dish from the traditional cuisine of Naples.  It becomes even more grand in the talented hands of my very dear friend Carmine Trubiano, one of the most gifted chefs that I know.  He discovered this dish many years ago in a small town in the province of Caserta.  But he gives it his own magic touch. Ingredients 1 kg (2.2 lb) mussels, cleaned 2 TB extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, whole some fresh scallions,* chopped 1 bayleaf 10 cherry tomatoes, halved; or 1 large fresh tomato, chopped 1 glass [c. 8 oz.] white wine 1 small glass [c. 2 oz.] cognac or whiskey some fresh parsley, chopped 1 little branch of fresh rosemary 1 TB of ground black pepper For the garlic bread: 6 slices of Scali bread (a type of Italian-American bread very famous in Boston) 1 or 2 garlic cloves extra-virgin olive oil Preparation Heat the oil, and add the garlic cloves.  When the garlic begins to get some color, add the scallions* and bayleaf.  Cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes.  Cook for a couple of minutes. Then, add the wine and cognac. Then, after it boils for a little bit and the alcohol reduces, add the parsley and rosemary.  Let it boil for a little bit. Then add the pepper.  Cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the mussels, shake the pan once or twice, and as soon as they open they're done.  (It will take a very short amount of time.) For the garlic bread: Toast the bread.  Then take a garlic clove and rub it into the bread.  Then drizzle with oil.  When the mussels are done, serve them on top of the bread. *=Carmine called them "erba cipollina" (chives). But to my eye, they were larger, more like scalogno (scallions). [I regret not having recorded if Carmine covered the pan after adding the mussels.  I imagine so, but I can't remember!]

Foto: KingArthurFlour.com

Fettuccine Modica (English version)

(Cliccate qua per la versione italiana di questo post.)

Like the previous recipe, this dish would work well for a simple Good Friday dinner.

Today I received a message from my dear cousin, Anthony (Warning! You’re about to hear a very Sicilian name.) Modica.

What a majestic name, Modica! Even if the family came from Mineo (province of Catania), in ages past they must have originated from the beautiful town of Modica.

Cousin Anthony wrote to me asking if I knew of a Sicilian dish comprised of linguine, orange (the rind, I assume), cinnamon, and breadcrumbs.

This question struck me as a coincidence.  In the previous post, only a couple of days ago, I posted a recipe that paired these two flavors, utilizing a jar, from Sciacca, of Sicilian sea salt infused with orange and cinnamon.  Meanwhile, spaghetti al pangrattato (spaghetti with breadcrumbs) is a renowned Southern Italian peasant dish.  And tonight I was already in the mood to open my little can of anchovies rolled with capers.

With immense pleasure, I have created this recipe, affectionately dedicated to the Modica family.

Ingredients

500 gr fettuccine (or linguine), Poiatti brand if possible
Sicilian sea salt
a little piece of a cinnamon stick
orange rind
Sicilian extra-virgin olive oil
homemade breadcrumbs
2 or 3 garlic cloves, chopped (NOT pressed)
55 gr anchovies rolled with capers (7 or 8)
fresh-ground black pepper

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large frying pan on medium heat.  Add the breadcrumbs and toast them till golden.  (It won't take very long.) Ten seconds before shutting off the heat, add the garlic.  Remove the pan from the heat, add the anchovies, capers, and pepper, and put the pan aside.

Boil a large pan of water.  Add the sea salt, orange rind, and cinnamon.  When it reaches a boil, add the fettuccine.  Before straining the pasta, remove 1 C of the cooking liquid (fragrant with the orange and cinnamon) and add it to the frying pan.  Strain the pasta and add it to the frying pan.  Drizzle with oil.  (When you cook, always use the minimum oil that is necessary, and add more oil at the end.  Uncooked oil is healthier and more delicious.)

Don't add grated cheese, which you shouldn't use with fish.

The subtle flavor of the cinnamon will give a wonderful earthy taste. (Remember that cinnamon is a tree bark.) With the bright citrus taste, it will make a fabulous pair of flavors.  The taste of the rolled anchovies will also be subtle, once it is spread throughout a whole pound of pasta.

Serve with Insolia, one of the most marvelous white wines in Sicily, and in all of Italy.

ADDENDUM (3 June 2020):
Today, quite by accident, I discovered the recipe that my dear cousin was talking about seven years ago: Pasta co’ meli, a dish consisting of spaghetti, toasted almonds, toasted breadcrumbs, honey, cinnamon, and orange rind. The dish comes from Butera, a town in central-southern Sicily. It is a traditional dish on the Feast of St. Joseph (March 19). All the recipes I found call for spaghetti, not linguine.

European Sea Bass in Parchment

(Per la versione italiana di questo post, cliccate qua: http://losfiziogoloso.blogspot.com/2011/03/branzino-al-cartoccio.html)

Of the many Italian foodblogs that I read regularly, one of my favorites is the wonderfully titled Lo Sfizio Goloso ("The Gluttonous Whim") by Serena Comacchio.  This is a wonderful recipe, and it fills a void on Pensieri Meridionali, which at present contains very few seafood recipes.

Note that it is much easier to replicate a meat recipe than a fish recipe.  Invariably, sea creatures that are common in America are rare in Europe, and vice versa.  (Would you believe, for instance, that scallops are very rare in Italy?)

European sea bass (Latin Dicentrarchus labrax, Northern Italian branzino, Southern Italian spigola)
Photo: Wikipedia

The European sea bass (called branzino in Northern Italy, spigola in Southern Italy) does not exist in America.  On the Atlantic coast there is the Black sea bass (Centropristis striata), on the Pacific coast the White sea bass (Atractoscion nobilis).  Note, however, that these are different families of bass.

Branzino (Spigola) al Cartoccio

European Sea Bass in Parchment

by Serena Comacchio

I adore this recipe, which my mother passed onto me.  It was written in a little, old notebook with yellowed pages ... the typical personal cookbook that you save for years with much care and a little  jealousy.  

What do you say, shall we try it together?

Ingredients for 2 people:

• 2 sea bass
• 1 medium-size tomato
• 1 lemon
• extra-virgin olive oil
• white wine
• garlic
• rosemary
• bay leaves
• oregano
• salt

Preparation

Heat the oven to 350°.

Clean the fish, taking out the entrails (or, have the fish vendor do it for you and save time), and run water over the inside of the belly, to get rid of any residue.  

Open the belly of the fish and put a little salt, rosemary, bay leaves, and one garlic clove, halved (one half per fish).   

Grease two pieces of parchment paper with the olive oil, and carefully place the fish on top (one piece of paper per fish). Drizzle with a little olive oil, and add a pinch of salt.

Thinly slice the lemon and tomato, and arrange the slices over the fish.  (You decide the quantity.)  Put another bit of rosemary and some oregano, and pour white wine on top. 

Carefully seal the parchment paper, as in the photo, and bake the fish for 15-20 minutes. 

When the fish have finished cooking, take them out of the oven, bone them, and serve, perhaps accompanied by mashed potatoes or a mixed salad. 

Buon appetito!