so… perhaps fresh linguine is ‘wrong’ for this dish, i mean there are so many pastas and so little time to figure out exactly what goes with what or even more importantly – what doesn’t…. and perhaps the italian food gods are looking down on me and wondering what the hell i was thinking because spaghetti would have been sooooo much of a better choice… but honestly, i don’t really know or care – because dear readers, this pasta dish was truly one of my most favorite things of all time that i have ever made. (do i say that a lot? i may say that a lot.)
but it’s always TRUE!
this afternoon i stopped by to see tom at his store, lazzaroli’s. it’s a great little italian food market that sits just over on the other side of town from me, so i don’t go as often as i should. but it’s a nashville oasis – a jewel of a little store stocked by an all american-italian guy from philly who knows what the hell he’s doing. fregola, farro, baccala, volpi pancetta and salumis and tons of first rate oils and vinegars and much more. and they make pasta – all day, every day. and i bought some. because, sometimes you just don’t wanna roll your own. and on those days, tom is your man…
with no real plan in mind, i picked up a box of fresh linguine for tonight, some amazing looking local garlic (huge cloves), housemade ricotta and well, i left there with 2 big bags and now i have ravioli’s in my freezer for a rainy day to the tune of: roasted kale and pancetta (he let me sample the filling – unreal), spiced pumpkin with marscarpone, sweet potato with balsamic vinegar, parmigiano and a hint of grand marnier and goat cheese and pear sauteed in white wine. each of tom’s fillings are all serious recipes unto themselves.
one of the things i love about tom – besides that he uses the name ‘tommy noodles’ to comment on this blog – is his take on selling the pasta he makes. you either buy tom’s sauce and his pasta. or you buy his pasta and make your own sauce. but he would rather not even sell you a lb. of his fresh fettucine if you’re going to buy the ‘contadina alfredo light’ sauce from the supermarket. tom, i hear you man. and if only you’d been here tonight i think you would have been proud…
i grew up eating a lot of italian food in some of the best restaurants in nyc – mostly northern italian. my dad especially loved ‘filetto di pomodoro’ sauce and even if it wasn’t on the menu, the chef would always make it for him. as tends to happen to me while writing these posts, out of curiosity and an endless quest for any and all food knowledge, i googled the term ‘filetto di pomodoro’ and not much came up. which surprised the hell out of me until i found, arthur schwartz – the food maven. why, he’s a ny jew. and i’m a ny jew. he’s big into food – namely italian. i’m big into food – namely italian. and arthur? he knew just what i was talking about:
In the United States, the expression "filetto di pomodoro" has come to mean, through its use in stylish, supposedly "northern Italian" restaurants, a quickly cooked fresh tomato sauce. It should mean exactly what it says, a sauce made with discernible strips of tomato pulp, cooked so quickly they don’t turn to sauce. And it is certainly a southern Italian notion, not "northern.". One doesn’t hear or see the expression "filetto di pomodoro" used much these days in Campania, although most people know what it is, and at the height of summer one is likely to eat it. Instead, it might be called sciuè sciuè, sauce in a hurry, or just tomato sauce, sugo di pomodoro. I’ve also been told that filetto di pomodoro is a bit old-fashioned, that the vine-type cherry tomatoes, which are much easier to handle and even more delicious (certainly sweeter) to many, are being used where tomato fillets used to be.
By the way, good canned tomatoes can taste almost fresh when cooked as these are, in only five minutes in a wide pan that promotes evaporation. Keep that in mind some January when you see "fresh" filetto di pomodoro on the menu of a "northern Italian" restaurant.
arthur the food maven, that was awesome. you both vindicated my childhood experience and set me straight – in 200 words. i will never forget you.
anyway, this garlic was unlike any i’d ever seen. it was big, with a long neck and only had about 7 cloves in all, but they were fresh milky white megacloves. i peeled them without smashing and browned them slowly in olive oil. i roughly chopped whatever tomatoes i had, one big local bradley and some pretty good sized grape tomatoes and added them to the garlic. that got seasoned with salt and pepper and some dried sicilian oregano. i cooked it until the tomatoes released some of their juice and then took it off the heat.
the linguine was thrown into a big pot of salted water and after 3 minutes it was quickly drained, hit with some of the better olive oil, the tomato sauce and dressed with the fresh ricotta and some lemon lime basil from my friends garden, which gave it an interesting flavor that was a surprisingly good match for the dish.
it was really quite simple.
just like the best italian food should be…
48 responses so far ↓
1 evil chef mom // Sep 10, 2008 at 11:07 pm
first of all good for tommy noodles… there should be no way in hell someone should be able to buy beautiful fresh noodles and use a jarred sauce! that’s a culinary sin!
hands down, that’s dish is one of my favorite ways to eat pasta.
2 evil chef mom // Sep 10, 2008 at 11:08 pm
i mean i like to eat pasta the way you just made it… not fresh noodles with canned sauce.
3 Nate // Sep 10, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Those garlic really are huge! I did a double-take when I saw the first pic – I thought they were mussels!
When you cook Italian, do you normally leave the cloves big enough to pick out, or do you chop them fine?
4 claudia // Sep 10, 2008 at 11:25 pm
ECM – you just won’t eat canned sauce because if my tony ever saw you do that…
Nate – it so depends upon the dish. these were just such wonderful specimens that I felt they were the ‘meat’ of the dish and I wanted to showcase them. but i’d say that 9 out of 10 times I mince my garlic. another exception is in this post below where i also kept them whole
https://cookeatfret.com/pasta/2008/05/03/batalis-fettuccine-with-oyster-mushrooms/
and hey, thanks for reading
5 melissa // Sep 10, 2008 at 11:35 pm
“my tony” – Ha HA!
but he would rather not even sell you a lb. of his fresh fettucine if you�re going to buy the �contadina alfredo light� sauce from the supermarket.
Oh lord that would be horrid.
This is a great “cook with what you have and know and love” bought and fresh-made pasta. Just perfect.
6 [eatingclub] vancouver || js // Sep 11, 2008 at 12:10 am
Another day, another fabulous pasta dish from you. This makes me happy.
7 Donald // Sep 11, 2008 at 4:07 am
Tommy Noodles!!! Ask him if he remembers Frankie Flowers or Tony, Little Tony, and Big Tony. They’re all from 9th street; you know the market Rocky ran through.
A great weeknight meal. I’m always looking for those weeknight quickies! This one is going into the rotation. How do you feel about the addition of some hot Italian sausage?
Those are some ginormous garlic cloves!
8 Donald // Sep 11, 2008 at 4:11 am
Oh yeah, and what an excellent explanation from Mr. Schwartz, but Claudia, you need to make that font bigger! Even with my readers I was squinting!!! 🙂
9 maybelles mom (feeding maybelle) // Sep 11, 2008 at 7:55 am
lovely. you know I feel like that about the “right” pasta for a sauce.
10 The Italian Dish // Sep 11, 2008 at 8:34 am
Brava, ragazza!
11 Lynn // Sep 11, 2008 at 8:44 am
I may have to search out this Tony Noodles. I wonder if I can even stand not finding him today!?
I thought they were mussels, too! They’re hay-uge!
12 CeeElCee // Sep 11, 2008 at 9:13 am
I believe my keyboard just almost shorted out because I was drooling on it.
Luckily my whole office is scotchguarded as a precaution after several “incidents.”
13 Mari // Sep 11, 2008 at 9:49 am
That’s exactly the kind of pasta I love! The description of “fresh milky white megacloves” made my mouth water!!
14 Ethel // Sep 11, 2008 at 10:39 am
Say Fresh Tomato Sauce 3 times and then say in a little accent “filetto di pomodoro” only once and the latter gets your taste buds going. You sure have the know how to put things together. Loved every imagined forkful. Now why can’t I do cooking like that?
15 Julia // Sep 11, 2008 at 10:47 am
Mmm. Roasted Garlic, Fresh Tomatoes and Ricotta! Now that just screams summery goodness… and not much time left. 🙁 Did you make your own ricotta or buy fresh?
16 NOBLE PIG // Sep 11, 2008 at 1:05 pm
What an amazing dish, I mean really, but what a great store to have around, you are very lucky!
17 Julie // Sep 11, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Wow. Just wow.
This looks completely delicious — my favorite kind of pasta meal. I love almost all pasta meals but something made with fresh pasta and barely cooked tomatoes is so, so, soooo completely appealing to me. And that garlic! Unbelievable.
Lazzaroli�s sounds amazing. All of those raviolis sound delicious, one better than the next. Nice to have a place like that.
18 jim voorhies // Sep 11, 2008 at 1:36 pm
was that like one of those elephant garlic cloves that are milder or are vampires running from Brentwood the day after?
Looks wonderful, as usual. Which pasta you decorate with the sauce depends as much on personal preference as anything, though, for a simple sauce. It would have been wonderful with spaghetti, linguini or fettuccini.
19 jim voorhies // Sep 11, 2008 at 3:40 pm
according to lazzaroli’s site, the thinner the sauce, the thinner the pasta but that really doesn’t help here.
20 Lauren // Sep 11, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Looks great. I must admit there was a slight fear for a minute over the cheese, which looked like feta momentarily.
21 dan // Sep 11, 2008 at 4:22 pm
thank you ms. c. i miss cooking dearly. it’s so sad but there is NO food in my refrigerator right now. i think there’s pizza from lunch in the downstairs office. perhaps i will eat it.
i have committed to cooking dinner for the staff on sunday therapy for me. food for them. pasta is a good dish to cook for 20 or so. maybe i’ll make this one!
22 cookiecrumb // Sep 11, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Nice. Simple food = good food, and you did it beautifully.
Honkin’ garlic, too.
23 democommie // Sep 11, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Claudia;
I got up this morning and realized I had produce to deal with. I made ratatouille with some eggplants, ‘shrooms, garlic, onions, a decent canned tomato and some more garlic.
Then ,when I went to the Farmers Market (to photograph some Irish step dancers, I bought some fresh basil. I got home at 8:30 put some water on to boil, washed a little basil, warmed some ratatouille, Foreman’d a couple of small boneless pork chops, did the rigatoni–we boil the pasta we have, not the pasta we wish to have–drained the pasta, plated the chop and pasta with ratatouille and some shavings (okay more like minislabs) of romano, poured myself a glass of red and then another one, sat down to eat and opened my e-mail and had one saying you had come to visit my at my little blog. It was like eating in a really nice restaurant and having the owner pick up the check! Thanks for this wonderful food blog and for lifting my spirits!
24 evil chef mom // Sep 11, 2008 at 11:24 pm
ha! your tony…you mean ‘my’ tony.
25 Marc @ NoRecipes // Sep 11, 2008 at 11:45 pm
” just like the best italian food should be� ” amen to that one. This looks great!
26 chefectomy // Sep 12, 2008 at 12:52 am
Waiting…
27 lifeinrecipes // Sep 12, 2008 at 5:21 am
You are so fortunate to have a store like that so close to you – fresh in-house ricotta and all.
Oh my. The rav fillings sound incredible – especially the roasted kale.
Great post!
28 MangerLaVille // Sep 12, 2008 at 10:01 am
This looks amazing, I love ricotta and this one looks really good. FIY Saveur Magazine showed how to make ricotta at home. But with a purveyor this good, why bother?
29 Biz // Sep 12, 2008 at 10:16 am
That looks amazing and so fresh! This is definitely going on my menu next week.
Thanks!
30 Tommy Noodles // Sep 12, 2008 at 10:52 am
“Sometimes the spaghetti likes to be alone” Big Night..
Simple is the most elegant dressing with fresh noodles. Keep up the marvelous work, Claudia; a true learning tool for techno-foodies.
31 Jack // Sep 12, 2008 at 11:42 am
A feast for the eyes and i didn’t have to gain an ounce! I just saw Lazzaroli’s featured on channel 5’s Talk of The Town today! Looks like you scooped them on the place to get great pasta !
32 Lesley // Sep 14, 2008 at 6:00 pm
I need to go to his store and get some pasta. I’m really tiring of using grocery store pasta when I have so many other great ingredients.
33 Brittany // Sep 15, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I love garlic cooked like that- It’s like candy. And lemon lime basil!?? What the? I am so jealous. I want.
34 zenchef // Sep 18, 2008 at 11:25 pm
That head of garlic on the picture looks disturbing to me… Am i the only one?.. err nevermind!
That Tom sounds like he’s the guy! I can’t get over the ravioli fillings. Wow. And you’re pasta looks delicious!
35 Lamberto // Sep 22, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Yes, the Italian Food God is watching… and I forgive you for using linguine.
; )
I love reading your articles…
Just wanted to say,” hello” again in my usual mild mannered method and to remind you that I am “watching” and you do make some of the most scumptious disher ever (…every time) and that is the truth. For anyone willing to try this recipie, it’s important that when throwing the tomatoes, that you use mid-high heat vs. low or mid. Also, another recommendation would be to “ripassare” or to finish cooking the pasta tossing in the sauce for the last minute.
I’ve also heard the term “sugo finto” (fake sauce) incorrectly used to mean a quick light tomato sauce such as this… but generally sugo finto means a sauce that does not contain meat. I’m just full of usesless info…
You know, since you have shared so many nice recipies with me and all your readers I feel i owe you so much… and maybe… just maybe I can share soomething with you for once, such as “The best, most delicious, light, creamy, intense, original, that took 12 years to perfect best Tiramisu bar none recipie and if anyone disagrees they are obviously wrong” tiramisu recipie. Okay, the title downplays it a bit so there is no pressure on me!
Whaddayouthink?
L
PS. Alfredo sauce… huh… what is it?
36 Pasta e fagioli | Lesley Eats // Jun 5, 2011 at 7:26 pm
[…] “sauce.” And, hey wouldn’t you know it, but this sauce being cooked over at Claudia’s place recently as well. When life hands you […]
37 Golf Bookies Free bonus // Oct 15, 2015 at 2:12 pm
http://www.volleyballbookies.comVolleyball Bookies Free bonus
38 // Oct 16, 2015 at 3:29 am
lol I love Smithy and loved that video sketch and I’m sure that eveoryne was in on the joke but I still found myself cringing a little at their I’m going to kill you looks :/ seriously, am I the only who felt this?
39 Football free bet promotional code // Oct 16, 2015 at 3:12 pm
http://www.hockeyonlinebets.comHockey betting bonus
40 Golf Bookies promotional codes // Oct 16, 2015 at 3:19 pm
http://www.eeooz.comNBA free bet promotional codes
41 apple.com // Oct 17, 2015 at 4:41 am
.
Have a look at my blog post – apple.com
42 vk.com // Oct 17, 2015 at 4:43 am
. .
my website :: vk.com
43 Sports the best free bet code // Oct 19, 2015 at 11:53 am
http://www.swimmingbookies.comSwimming online Bookies site
44 Ice Hockey Online Free Bets // Oct 19, 2015 at 11:53 am
http://www.tabletennisonlinebet.comTable Tennis Online Bet
45 tabletki poronne // Dec 1, 2015 at 11:34 am
I loved as much as you’ll receive carried out right here.
The sketch is tasteful, your authored subject matter stylish.
nonetheless, you command get bought an edginess over that you wish
be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come further formerly again since exactly the same nearly very often inside case you shield this hike.
Here is my web page … tabletki poronne
46 creativecommons.org // Dec 1, 2015 at 2:40 pm
An excellent element is you don’t have to use your household or your vehicle for any kind
of collateral?
My web-site creativecommons.org
47 app to hack into facebook account // Dec 13, 2015 at 11:13 am
I have read large amount of blog pages and even completed some,but your job is in fact brilliant.Hats off on your perseverance together with loyalty.Do hold all of us prepared at a later date as well.
48 what does ctfu means into // Feb 26, 2016 at 11:10 am
The router uses NAT (Network Address Translation) to negotiate
the broadband connection. If somebody doesn’t return your
phone call over a period of time, there is likely an unexpressed objection. Ftw meaning?
But that is not to say that the inheritance of facial characteristics is not a good starting
block for understanding how genetics works.
Let’s not forget the attorneys, who fought like dogs and cats, drawing the ire of a judge that was no-nonsense.
This will be Sky’s first work for balance blogging but it has recently succeeded in avoiding probably the most obvious pitfalls associated with it.
what does ctfu means into what does hmu mean. Media is
extremely active nowadays to deliver virtually any
news within short period of your time.
Leave a Comment