99 replies to this topic

[bague25]

The daughter's like you - but she's better now, since a few months, she eats spaghetti. Do you eat your spaghetti with a soup spoon to help you curl the pasta? Tip shown to me by an Italian friend in Bombay and which efficiently makes small dripless packages of pasta+sauce to shovel in the mouth...

[Suresh Hinduja]

Thanks bague,
I know but it's just too much trouble and not so elegant. As I said penne holds so much more sauce.
What's your favourite pasta recipe?

[bague25]

I like solid pasta & preferably homemade - like gnocchi (pumpkin), ravioli, tortellini, etc...

The best pasta I've eaten is made by my friend's mother (who is known as nona to everyone) - she makes a mean puttanseca sauce - chillis, olive oil, capers, garlic, anchovies and other ingredients - I've never been able to replicate, even though I've seen her make it (in my kitchen) - it's her haat ka kamal!

[Suresh Hinduja]

Today's lunch
Fusili con melanzane e pollo in pomodoro e salsa di mozzarella. Insalata di mango

[Suresh Hinduja]

Member Vikram Doctor writes on how we have welcomed Italian food.

Quote

Several reasons are given for this Indian passion for Italian food. A persuasive one, advanced by Vir Sanghvi, is that the cuisines of both countries are based on carbohydrates, rice or wheat here, rice or pasta there, seasoned with a highly flavoured sauce.

This contrasts with French cuisine which places protein (chicken, beef, fish) in the centre of the plate with carbs on the side, much valued in the form of bread, but still only a supporter. Italian food also has a particularly wide range of vegetarian options, thanks to the many meatless fasts of the Catholic Church.

From a larger perspective, Italian food has been a global success, due to its informal, relaxed style — few today have patience for the elaborate, multicourse dining rituals of classic French food. We have also realised that this Italian informality does not come at the cost of quality — initiatives like the Turin based Slow Foods movement have made us aware of the high quality of Italian artisanal food products.

Indo Italian connection

[anil]

Suresh Hinduja, on May 17 2008, 04:38 AM, said:

Today's lunch
Fusili con melanzane e pollo in pomodoro e salsa di mozzarella. Insalata di mango

"Too overpowering in flavours in one dish" say my italian friend...... mango competes with tomato.

[usha]

Gujarati dhokli is like pasta. It is rolled into thing rounds or diamond shapes and slipped into boiling toor dal, seasoned with garlic and ajwain OR given a baghar of mustard seeds and hing, curry leaves, adding finely chopped tomato for tste and colour.

It is also rolled thicker and added to dryish spiced vegetables like guvar, green chauli(long beans), any veggies you like, adding any spices you like.

Our Italian neighbour came over and looked at them with a jaundiced eye, hands on hips, and breathing in his puffing disapproving style!

I tried making the dough adding an egg Italian style, but the texture did not go with the Gujju dish.

Handmade pasta is available at an Italian restaurant near my daughter's home. Fat and long noodles, served with pesto, they are a texture experience. The Chinese Peking noodles are similar, served with pork or duck.

I like the pretty Italian shapes - bows, orecchiette(ears), fusilli, and those wide large squares you stuff. Ravioli is my very favourite.

[Suresh Hinduja]

Tonight's dinner

Home made thin crust Pizza

[SAUCY]

Awesome

[lady_on_recipe_hunt]

Suresh...all delicious and very tempting toppings...I never baked pizza at home but this pizza inspired me to bake one.

[Suresh Hinduja]

Thanks LORH,
Let us know how it turned out.

[Sindhirasoi]

Suresh Hinduja, on Jan 10 2009, 11:38 AM, said:

Thanks LORH,
Let us know how it turned out.

This looks tempting...looks like its asking me...Hungry kya??

[Sindhirasoi]

Suresh Hinduja, on Jan 3 2009, 09:46 PM, said:

Tonight's dinner

Home made thin crust Pizza

Unavailability of MW or OTG in my kitchen,did not deterred me to try my hand on Pizza, and moreover i wanted some healthy version for my son,so i tried Pan roasting brown bread(wholewheat bread) with toppings of fresh veggies and cheese,a sprinkle of salt and a dash of tomato ketchup...no marks for guessing how much my son loves this....

Edited by Sindhirasoi, 12 January 2009 - 11:49 PM.

[lady_on_recipe_hunt]

Alka....your pizza bites are looking so colorful and delicious...great way to make quick healthy pizza.

[Chetan]

Dinner - Last night at Olive Beach Restaurant in Bangalore - The food was simple amazing , I loved the tomato tartlet the most there . Incredible ambience (great Jazz music playing )and nice location. Anyone know the recipie for tomato tartlet?
The assortment of breads that they have were delicious too and I could have sworn thats all I needed for dinner!

Executive Chef Manu Chandra

Address :
No 16,Wood Street,Opposite Brigade Tower
Ashoknagar, Bangalore, 560025
080 41128400 / 41239483 / 412

[anil]

Chetan, on Jan 18 2009, 09:59 PM, said:

Dinner - Last night at Olive Beach Restaurant in Bangalore - The food was simple amazing , I loved the tomato tartlet the most there . Incredible ambience (great Jazz music playing )and nice location. Anyone know the recipie for tomato tartlet?
The assortment of breads that they have were delicious too and I could have sworn thats all I needed for dinner!

Executive Chef Manu Chandra

Address :
No 16,Wood Street,Opposite Brigade Tower
Ashoknagar, Bangalore, 560025
080 41128400 / 41239483 / 412

You mean BRUSCHETTA ? In absence of a photograph, dunno what your refer as tartlet ?

[anil]

Pasta My way

Inspired by Mark Bittman's cooking style, and his weekly NYT columns - Here is pasta my way

Cook Angel Hair Pasta, wash & drain in a large strainer. Flash Saute with hot olive oil and 1/2 spoon of crushed red pepper, and pinch of salt, pinch coarsely ground green pepper till the mixture is evenly coated in the pasta.

Here are three sauces I make in a jiffy to pour over the pasta.

1. In a saucepan melt grated cheese, enough of buttermilk (which I get from the local farmer's market), handful chopped black & green olives.

2. Heat chopped tomatoes, pinch of garam masala, pinch of cumin, pinch of dried oregano in olive oil. Add diced sausage, saute few minutes. Add 4-5 halved grapes towards the end.

3. Microwave for few minutes mixture of chopped brocolli rabe, diced tomato, onions, mango(or any fresh seasonal fruit) sprinkle of cooking wine. Take it out and mix with olive oil, pinch of sugar and squeeze half a lemon.

Mark Bittman inspires to try various combination of cured meats, fruits, and vegetables - So I sometimes throw in whatever is in the refrigerator.

[anil]

Meat Tariwala Marinara Sauce

Left over Meat Tari (whichever kind, Oh come on you dont say you dont have left overs)
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
1 Small can of tomato peeled.
1 Handful of Fresh Basil.
1 Handful of Parsley.
1 peg of {wine(red)/sherry/whatever-else}
1 pinch of place pepper
1 pinch sugar
1 pinch salt
1 stalk of celery
1 carrot
3 cloves of chopped garlic

Heat in the saucepan oil, add finely chopped celery and carrot (It could be any left over vegetable) when you see celery lose its color, add garlic, keep stirring. The increase flame and pour mashed peeled tomatos. Once the sizzle dies down, lower heat. Mix and stir in rest of the stuff. Keep stirring for few minutes. Lower the flame, and pour the leftover meat ki kari.

Keep stirring and tasting Add whatever you feel you like. Crushed red peppers ? Sure Why not ! When it is viscous sauce. Cover and turn off the flame.

Serve with linguini.

[Amherstclane]

Hi Everyone..

Well I am not a cook but i love Italian food and specially Italian pizza is my favourite. So If anyone post the perfect recipe then it will be grate help for me and also i have try at my home.
Thank you.

Edited by Amherstclane, 11 November 2009 - 03:17 PM.

[jazz]

Many people think that you can use any pasta shape with any random sauce. But selecting the appropriate pasta shape enhances the flavour and texture of that particular dish.
I've written a short blog post about this, check it out guys: