This week, our culinary expedition takes us to Italy, bringing our gastronomical journey through various hearty global cuisines this autumn to a fulfilling close. We’ve explored dishes from Ireland, China, India and now we’re closing with a visit to the sunny Amalfi Coast, just in time as the gloom of Halloween settles in. Ideally, the foods we’re unveiling should be enjoyed on a beachfront with a cool rosé matching the clams, or an indulgent barolo to accompany the meatballs. But, they’re just as suited to a rowdy weeknight meal with children, while it’s drizzling outside. That’s the bewitching charm of food, it really boils down to your approach.
We start our Italian food escapade with linguine vongole, a traditional dish that combines garlic, chilli, parsley, and clam fluid with white wine and lemon juice. It takes a short ten minutes to prepare this enchanting concoction – the real magic is in how the pasta water mingles with the seasoning and clam juice to yield a creamy sauce, a perfect complement to the pasta. Sounds exquisite, doesn’t it? However, crafting this tantalising delight isn’t as straightforward as it may seem, even expert chefs can falter here. To simplify the process, I’ve included a touch of cornflour to the sauce, a secret most professional chefs employ. It aids in the sauce’s emulsification process, improving its hold and lifespan, thereby extending the magical transformation window in the customary recipe. Resultantly, you’ll always end up with a generous helping of thick, flavourful sauce blanketing your pasta, complete with all the tastes of the Amalfi Coast.
Next on the menu is the common yet delectable meatballs in tomato sauce. It’s relatively easy to make, but we’re offering some clever tips to enhance the dish’s flavour. A blend of pork and beef mince is used to balance the fat content. Excessive fat can result in overly greasy meatballs, whereas too little can make them excessively firm. Traditional recipes often recommend veal mince, but in its absence, our suggestion works just fine. An inclusion of breadcrumbs soaked in milk achieves the ideal texture. To avoid any guesswork with the seasoning, I’ve added a specific measurement of salt. In my opinion, the perfect meatball includes 2% of salt by weight of the mixture. Garnishing with a bit of gremolata, served with perfectly cooked pasta, and you’ve got a meal fit for kings.
Recipe: Slow-cooked Meatballs with Tomato Sauce and Gremolata
Recipe: Linguine Alle Vongole