Dear Friends,
This is the fifth of the series of newsletters that we are sending every two weeks and…. I have a question today:
Do you know how to twirl spaghetti?
In the photo you see me super-happy.
It was my second day in San Diego, California and I was happy for the dish of spaghetti with clams in front of me and for other reasons.
I had spent the first day in bed with a strong “jet leg”: dizziness and various ailments. The second day I was fine and that was one of the reasons of the happiness.
Another reason was that I was spending some days of vacation at my friend Donna McLoughlin: she is the one who shot the pic.
Another reason was the sunny day.
A big reason was the surprise of finding such a typical dish at the other side of the world and, more, that it was made with good extra virgin olive oil, fresh ground parsley, with the pasta perfectly “al dente” and the clams fresh and tasteful.
Believe me: it was the best dish of spaghetti with clams of my life.
I have written an article on my blog about twirling spaghetti with clams.
You can read it by clicking on:
Today, I would also like to show you what I am going to set down in our online culinary program.
Being the Pasta the Queen of Italian Cooking, I think it is right to pay tribute to her.
In this first basic program the Pasta has a set of three lessons.
Lesson 1: Focusing on the method of kneading. Pasta with eggs.
Lesson 2: Types of flour, what to do with what. Ravioli.
Lesson 3: Pasta made with water. Pici, Fusilli, Gnocchetti Sardi.
Other topics of the basic program will be the following
Sauces
Lesson 1: Carbonara, Amatriciana, Aglio Olio e Peperoncino.
Lesson 2: Tomato sauces, Artichokes.
Lesson 3: Spaghetti with lemon sauce, Spaghetti with clams.
Rice and Risotto
Lesson 1: Risotto with mushrooms, Risotto with shrimps.
Lesson 2: Rice Salad, Risotto with Saffron, Beef Broth.
Lesson 3: The Recipe of San Giuseppe Fritters.
Focaccia
one lesson
Finger Foods
Lesson 1: Blinis with different toppings, Avocado Dip, Cauliflower Puree.
Lesson 2: Vegetable pies, Quiche Lorraine.
Meat
Lesson 1: Beef (of veal) roast, Stewed beef morsel in beer.
Lesson 2. Ida’s veal rools, Costolette alla Milanese, Pork fillet with mushrooms.
Lesson 3. Chicken breast scaloppines, Chicken breast rolls.
Fish
Lesson 1: Tuna fish sicilian style, Tuna fish with pistachios.
Lesson 2: Sword fish sicilian style, Sword fish with orange sauce.
Lesson 3: Sea bass with cherry tomatoes, Sea bream or sea bass with asparagus.
Sweet Pastry
Lesson 1: Italian meringue, Zabaione, Tiramisù.
Lesson 2: Choux pastry, Custard, Coffe cream dessert.
Lesson 3: Short bread and its variations. Crostata al limone, Lemon cookies.
Gigliocooking will send you a paper Certificate of Attendance for each topic.
You will find a video on “Spaghetti Aglio e Olio” on Facebook :
https://www.facebook.com/gigliocooking.school.florence/videos/277668120731324
Time to cook! And to eat spaghetti with clams! (recipe below)
Sincerely,
Marcella
SPAGHETTI WITH CLAMS
Ingredients for 4:
360 gr (12 oz) spaghetti pasta or fresh tagliolini
500 gr (1,1 Pd) fresh clams
80 dl (5tbs) extra virgin olive oil
White wine
garlic
parsley
salt
Soak the clams in salted cold water for 1 hour to clear off.
Rinse well and discard the ones which are open.
In a pan, pour 1 tbs of extra virgin olive oil, 2-3 tbs od dry white wine, 1 crushed garlic clove, a few stems of parsley, the clams. Put a lid and cook on medium heat until they are all open.
Drain and gather the liquid; filter it. Keep aside.
Mince the parsley leaves; chop one garlic clove.
In a hollowed large skillet, pour 3 tbs of extra virgin olive oil. Cook until the garlic arises. Take off from the heat. Put a tbs of chopped parsley. Add the filtered water of the clams and keep aside.
Bring to boil a pot of water. Salt.
Toss in the spaghetti. Cook “al dente”. Drain, reserving some of the cooking water.
Put the spaghetti in the skillet containing the sauce and cook, stirring on the fire until the liquid has been absorbed and the preparation gets creamier. Eventually add some of the cooking water.
Serve with some clams on top and sprinkle some more chopped parsley.
Marcella Ansaldo ©