KERRY HOLISTIC

  DIRECTORY & GUIDE       

HOME PAGE/A-L LISTING/M-Z LISTING/EVENTS/CLASSES/CONTACT

Pasta Fantasta

Once upon a time I had a house in Northern Italy.

Every school holiday we would load up our big Toyota bus with kids and friends and head across the Swiss Alps to the Italian border crossing in Brissago. we would  take the ferry boat across the beautiful  Lago  Maggiori passing the palatial Isola Bella and countless resplendent lake side villas, all complete with exaggerated  sculptural architecture and over flowing with  vibrant exotic flora.

 We would then drive to the lesser known Lago d’Orta a precious  jewel nestling amongst chestnut forested foot hills and surrounded by  ancient stone built villages many with foundations dating back to the Roman Era.

 From there we spiralled upwards to the cul de sac village of Ameno which rested peacefully on a rich fertile plateau and this would be our home for the summer.

 In the evening we would look down across the picturesque lake with its lovely Isola san Giulio lit up and mirrored perfectly in still deep waters.  Far in to the West the majestic Monte Rosa was always snow peeked and glowed pink in the sultry sunsets. If we waited the fireflies would sparkle and dance mesmerising us until their wicked cousins, the mosquitoes buzzed and attacked.

 Sun burnt and weary from long swimming sessions in the lake or secret waterfalls and rock pools we would rush home to shower, don our glad rags and invade one of the delightful rural restaurants, my beautiful blond bambini the talk of the town.

Italian cooking is not only regional it is also totally personal and each of these mountain eateries offered a speciality which was worth repeat visits year after year.

Where to start. The Battle of Britain made a fabulous risotto con fungi, and in the overpowering heat of the summer evening you could smell The autumnal crisp days, nippy nights the Smokey fires and the deep damp earthy flavours of acrid chestnut leaves would coolly penetrate your senses.

 Risotto always took  nerve to order, you were compelled to order for more than one person and the wait could be up to one hour, so at least two starters of perhaps a sensual cappresse and a Borlotti (bean) salad with fresh onion would be necessary and of course the accompanying local Barollo wine.

Pasta was always so very simple and we would travel miles down mountain passes to the grand county town of Novara for a spaghetti ailio olio e pepperocini (garlic, oil and hot pepper).

 Once in my culinary ignorance I asked for parmesan to accompany this dish and the chef left his kitchen arms waving ‘Aspetto non non signora perfavore…’ I received a passionate lecture and was offered pepper by sheepishly apologetic waiter obviously wondering if chef had diminished his tip.

  For this dish the pasta would always be a particularly fine gage, shiny with oil, aldente, proud, erect and bouncy; never in huge quantities and served on a roasting plate with the black pepper hovering. My mouth would be watering and my hands cupping a restraining glass of wine in order not to seem too rude by stabbing the bearer of the pepper in my anxiety to eat.

For two people chunkily chop six to eight garlic cloves and two to four small hot peppers. Boil a large pan of water, salt and add 250 grams of the best quality and the thinnest gage spaghetti or fettuccini you can find.

 Slowly simmer the garlic and peppers in a generous dollop of good olive oil the garlic will become slightly golden the peppers will turn a deeper shade of orangey red. Season well with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat immediately the garlic starts to turn; remember they will continue to cook. Quickly drain the very aldente pasta and toss briefly in the oily mixture this latter part should take at the most three minutes as the pasta will still be cooking and absorbing the flavours. Serve in hot plates to salivating diners, hold the parmesan, bring on the pepper and praise the lord for the Roman conquest of culinary Europe.    

           HOME PAGE/A-L LISTING/M-Z LISTING/EVENTS/CLASSES/CONTACT