Wedlock and cheese

Back in 2007 we blogged about a novel twist on the wedding cake--which a couple of months later CheeseB had its own wedding to really show off --- a wedding cake layered in cheese.

The Saturday Toronto Star updates that story 2 years later where a novel idea has grown into a viable request. Check it out!

Cheese layered wedding cake

Egg Pasta Chronicles: Part II

Part I of these chronicles discussed a bit of background on Filotea dried egg-pastas. For this post, I get to taste for myself the Spaghetti alla chitarra, made from 30% egg and quality semolina wheat.

As a co-star for the pasta, Afrim recommended the Pecorino Toscano from Il Forteto Dairy --- in fact he was there himself, in person, just recently on a trip through Tuscany.

Here is the cheese:

The lovely Pecorino Toscano

To prepare this, add the pasta to plenty of boiling salted water and don't go anywhere, it is finished very quickly. After draining the water I added a good dollop of nice olive oil and plenty of the grated cheese. A few crumbled salt flakes and a dash of ground pepper, and it's ready to devour.

Such a unique pasta! Light and fluffy yet firm, yolky and hearty. Harmonizing with this is the elemental flavour of olive oil and the palate-satisfying complexity of the cheese. It was served with a summer salad that included ripe roma tomatoes, dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Completely delicious, to the very last twirl of the fork.

Egg-cellent Filotea pasta

Ingredients:
Filotea Spaghetti alla chitarra
Pecorino Toscano
Olive Oil
Salt/pepper
A salad heavy on the ripe tomatoes!

Egg Pasta Chronicles: Part I

A section of CheeseB's Pasta Room. Filotea on bottom right.

In order to truly appreciate this pasta, we must first have a little introduction to the unique geography of its origin, a region in Italy known as the Marche (mar-kay). Hilly and lush, here you would find the finest white truffles, or marchigiana beef, or ripest figs, cherries and peaches, or cave-aged formagio di fossa.



The tradition of pasta-making, most notably egg-pasta, is key to the Marche. In the coastal town of Ancona is Filotea, creators of premium dried egg-pasta pastas. To quote their website:

Filotea egg pasta is made using the ancient Campofilone recipe and following, to the letter, the same preparation methods that “grandma” once used. Choosing only the best eggs and flour helps to guarantee a genuine product. Furthermore, the pasta is dried naturally, without the use of artificial dryers. This natural drying process, which can last up to 70 hours, gives it the authentic flavour typical of homemade pasta.
This patient, artisan preparation guarantees a unique product that is extraordinarily light and easily digested, with an excellent ability to absorb sauce that exalts the flavour of all the ingredients.

The knowledgeable folk at Cheese Boutique determine that this is the best of the best, what Italians themselves buy when they want a good pasta and don't have time to make it themselves. CheeseB imports it directly, which means of course it is exclusive to the store. Lucky Torontonians, we can have a little taste of it here at home!

And lucky Oreagano,who shall have a hand at preparing, photographing and devouring their Spaghetti alla chitarra for this blog. That is coming up very soon.


Also, a reminder that Cheese B is CLOSED tomorrow -- Happy Canada Day to all!

The Pasta Chronicles: Part IV

La Fabbrica Della Pasta di Gragnano: the best pasta artisans from the world's top dried pasta producing region, Gragnano. Imported by, and exclusive to, Cheese Boutique!

As for the best fresh or egg pastas, we shall learn more about those in upcoming posts.


Today's recipe comes straight from CheeseB grand-mère Modesta Pristine. The question was this-- what is the best sauce to compliment the Scialatielli al Limone, pretty lengths of delicate, lemon-infused pasta?

Her instructions:
Begin with some garlic in olive oil, then add cherry tomatoes, but be careful as they are delicate. Add the jar of clams (in clam juice), then it can sit a little and let the flavours mingle. Cook pasta al dente (of course!) and simply top with the sauce. Nothing more complicated than that.

Cherry tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil

I also threw in a splash of white wine, a bit more olive oil, and freshly ground pepper and sea salt. Then a little of the Italian parsley. I hope Modesta would approve-- I suspect that she is a very good cook!

A perfect plate of Pasta

The lemony pasta was delicious and exactly what is needed for a seafood-based sauce such as this. Served with white wine, it was absolutely heavenly. Those jarred clams (from CheeseB) are nice meaty little things, and provide a rich liquid for the sauce. Good to the last drop.

Ingredients:

La Fabbrica Della Pasta di Gragnano Scialatielli al Limone
Jar of clams in their own juice
Cherry tomatoes
Italian Parsley
Garlic
Olive oil
Salt, Pepper

Roditori dal Duomo

Smokin' weekend snap-shots from O&B

O-reagano went on an excursion to Collingwood/Blue Mountain this weekend, and for your viewing pleasure, has brought back her pictures from Oliver & Bonacini Cafe Grill:

Ever-so-briefly seared Yellowfin Tuna with parsley potatoes and ratatoille. And half of a lemon.

Uber-moist half-chicken from the Smoker (pictured below), with cornbread and coleslaw.

The patio features a smoker (from whence above chicken came), as well as a picturesque view for warm spring evenings like this one.

The Pasta Chronicles: Part III

La Fabbrica Della Pasta di Gragnano l' Arrabiatella pennette al peperoncino (1 package)

2 voluptuous CheeseB chicken breasts

1 medium container of Chef Juan's triple cheese cream sauce

One bunch of broccoli rabe (rapini)

about 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

For part III of our pasta chronicles, we stay with the tried-and-true. Nothing complicated, just pasta, with chicken, and cream sauce. It's elemental.

This colourful pennette turns the water orange as it cooks, and becomes a flavourful base for the creamy sauce. It has a nice "bite" on two levels... piquante and al dente!

The chicken breast was sizzled in some olive oil until lightly browned, then the shallots, salt and pepper were added to the pan as it finished. Meanwhile, the noodles were boiled, the rapini pan-steamed, and the cheesy cream sauce warmed up.

Throw it all together, and there is your quick and delicious meal.