misa en place

Details coming soon. Homemade ricotta makes a world of diffference.

I made this cake a few days after meeting Mr. Scharffenberger (who knew he made visits to Chapel Hill?). It’s supposed to be a two layer cake with thick, rich frosting, but I was short on time. With the help of a bundt pan, a sprinkling of powdered sugar, and a little bit of luck, I was able to produce this cake. The recipe is from The Essence of Chocolate. Rich, moist, and not too sweet, this cake is completely delicious.

Cari amici,
Ever since I was blessed by a gift from some wealthy relatives, I have been obsessed with Grenache. If I had been an astute wine scholar at the moment in which I first tasted that deliciously spicy first sip, I would have written down the pertinent info. All I know was that it was 100% Grenache and it was from Paso Robles, CA. It deserves some more research, but needless to say, it probably was out of my price range to begin with. So: personal project of past 6 months – to find a decently priced Californian Grenache or Spanish Grenacha. So far, I’ve only found it as a GSM blend under 10 bucks. What is GSM you might ask? In Australia, Grenache it is typically blended with Syrah and Mourvèdre. It is a GREAT blend – especially paired with red meat, due to its spice.

However, I am still in search of the pure Grenache. I ventured to Whole Foods last night and had a long conversation with the wine guy there – you can’t really find a Spanish Grenacha for under 12 bucks and DEFINITELY not a Californian wine under 25. I left defeated, but with a Petite Syrah under my arm – about which I will shortly report.

Question to all of you: anyone know of a pure Grenache for 10 bucks or less?

Pasta is my go-to weeknight meal. I fell in love with cooking while studying abroad in Italy as an undergraduate, and my experience there shaped my cooking style. Patiently mentored by my host parents in the kitchen, I learned that great food doesn’t have to be complicated, arduous, or require expensive, exotic ingredients. This simple pasta dish reflects my learnings that fateful summer, as well as my general philosophy on food: quality ingredients + simple preparation = delicious.

Spicy Roasted Tomato Pasta combines classic Italian ingredients – tomatoes, garlic, wine – and adds a kick of heat with red pepper flakes. High-quality canned tomatoes transform summer fruit into complex winter flavor. Infused with garlic and topped with grated parmesan, it’s a veritable Italy on a plate.

Simple, easy, and with the advent of whole wheat and multigrain pasta, healthy, Spicy Roasted Tomato Pasta delights the senses. As an added bonus, it requires only one cooking pot, making clean up easy. Pour yourself a glass wine and enjoy this hearty, robustly flavored meal.

Buon appetito!

Shopping notes:
Because tomatoes are so important to this dish, I think it’s worth paying a little more for a good quality can of roasted tomatoes. I like Muir Glen Organic. Also, I recommend NOT purchasing the cheese in a shaker-can.

Cooking tools: 1 large pot, large enough to boil pasta

Tip: The heat of the pepper flakes increases over time, so err on the side of caution when adding them during the cooking process!

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups penne or rotini pasta, preferably whole grain
1 15 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 ½ teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine, white wine, or chicken broth
½ teaspoon dried flat leaf parsley (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
1 medium clove of garlic, chopped fine or put through a garlic press
¼ – 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, depending on desired heat

Grated parmesan (look for “parmigiano reggiano” at the store) for topping
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Fill large pot with enough water to cook pasta. Add a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil.

While the water is coming to a boil, open can of tomatoes and chop garlic. If you’re too lazy to chop the garlic or don’t have a press, smash it and use as directed below, but remove before serving the pasta. Measure parsley and red pepper flakes, add to open can of tomatoes. Put a pinch of salt into the can as well. Don’t worry about mixing it at this point.

Cook pasta according to directions. Before draining, get a small measuring cup (or shot glass) and fill with cooking water. Set aside. Drain pasta and return pot to stove.

Turn down heat to medium. Add olive oil, tilt pot to distribute. Add entire can of tomatoes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently with a spatula/spoon. Add garlic, stir. When you can smell the garlic (about 15-30 seconds), add the wine/broth. Stir. Cook for another 2-4 minutes, until the mixture does not smell alcoholic and some of the liquid has evaporated.

Add pasta and pasta water. Stir to coat the pasta, and let cook for 1 more minute.

Scoop into bowls, top with parmesan, and enjoy!

Makes 2 servings

This wine is another great every day wine: slightly sweet without being cloying, with a brief fizziness on the tongue, hint of pear flavor, screw-on top (fresher longer, no cork chunks), and, of course, a decent price tag. It’s about $8 at Whole Foods. As a design freak, I have to say I also love the long bottle and simple, upbeat label. But that’s besides the point, other than to say I often choose wine by my affinity for its label. It’s a nice wine to have around and to enjoy on its own or with a snack. And it’s mellow enough to not merit the “it’s an acquired taste” disclaimer.
I’m drinking a glass right now with some nori-sprinkled popcorn. Yum!

Cari amici,
As already expressed to Ms. M. Misono, the vast range of Yellowtail wines can be overwhelming – mostly because they are usually on sale in regular supermarkets and carry a cheap price as always at Trader Joe’s. I have tried a number of the reds, including the combos – don’t bother buying them. Also, don’t buy the Shiraz Riserva – it costs 2 bucks more and is no different. Your best bet, you’ll have to believe me, is to buy the 1.5 Liter bottle of regular Yellowtail Shiraz IF (and only if) it is on sale for 8-9 dollars. It does happen – and if the 1.5 liter bottle is cheaper than the normal bottle, then buy 2 and keep it on hand. It’s a perfectly acceptable table wine to always have around – no need to pair it with specific foods, it’s good with everything (including nothing, for those days when only a glass of red wine and a bath will do).

This leads me to my other observation, which is that a Shiraz cannot go wrong. Nor can a Petite Syrah. If you’ve had a bad experience with either of these, please let me know because I still haven’t found one that is undrinkable. For sheer economy, try the Trader Joe’s “Chasing Clouds” Shiraz. Screw top (which doesn’t imply ‘bad’ anymore), 3 dollars, delicious.

Next posting – my obsession with Grenache.

Announcing a new addition to the misa en place blog, thanks to Ms. S. Carey, newly minted wine contributor. Check for her (and my) latest findings for Wining Women.

To all of my fabulous reader(s), I’ve made a few improvements to the blog. First, any column I write for Fuqua Times (my school’s weekly student newsletter) will be tagged with “ft fast food column”.

The premise of the column is to provide easy recipes for inexperienced cooks who are pressed for time. Any bizarre references can be attributed to school-related lingo. I aim to get people into the kitchen and learn that good food doesn’t have to be fancy or time consuming.

The podcast is a short review of a local (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill) restaurant. The scale is based on our grading system here and roughly translates to: SP = 4 stars, HP=3, P=2, LP=1 and F=Stay far far away. I’m not paid in any way nor do I have any hidden agenda in the restaurants I visit.