What retail stores carry Martelli pasta in western Pennsylvinia area?

by Joylynn
(N. Cambria Pa. USA)

What retail stores carry Martelli pasta in western Pennsylvinia area?

The same question was submitted by Linda:
Where to buy Martelli pasta in metro Detroit, MI area?

Attilio's reply:
Dear Joylynn,
I'm Not quite sure about that because Martelli is a very small pasta producer, an artisan. Even though they sell their pasta all over the world in small quantities.

But certainly I can give a good recommendation by sending you at Amazon store where you can easily and securely buy Martelli's pasta here's the link:
Spaghetti by Martelli, Toscana.
Read customers reviews!

I hope that helps!

How to Make Baked Ricotta

Can you tell me how to make baked ricotta, to use for grating onto pasta?

Attilio's reply:
Yes of course, it's very easy to make baked ricotta, please just follow this link:

Italian Baked Ricotta
How to make baked ricotta to grate over pasta...



And if you like here's a lemon baked ricotta cake...

Ingredients:
1 lb (450g) ricotta cheese
4 eggs
1 large lemon
1/2 cup (110g) sugar
1 tablespoon (15g) potato starch
vanilla extract
Salt

Preparation: 1 hour
1. Grate well the peel of the lemon, only the yellow part of course.
2. Whip the egg yolks with sugar and add the grated lemon, sieved ricotta cheese, potato starch and a few drops of vanilla extract.
3. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt and gently add to the compound.
4. Butter a baking pan and sprinkle with sugar, fill with the mixture and sprinkle with a little sugar too.
5. Bake at 325°F (170°C) for about 1 hour.

The lemon baked ricotta cake is now ready to be served once cold.

Searched for years for a layered Italian recipe

I saw this recipe made on a TV show, but the show was not about the food. This looked very labor intensive and wonderful.

They had a large metal bowl, the outer layer looked to be pasta almost laid in like a pie crust. Then there was a meat layer, boiled egg layer, cheese layers and I am not sure what all went into this.

It had to back for many hours then when the bowl is turned upside down and you cut into this amazing dish you have all these lovely layers of food.

I have the bowl now I just need the recipe.

Thank you very much.
Michelle

Attilio's reply:
Hi Michelle,
It's an Italian holiday baked pasta dome named timballo di pasta (pasta timbale).

I found the recipe for you here:
Pasta Timbale Recipe

So take out that bowl now...
But mind that this recipe is not for beginners!

Enjoy!

Italian Meatloaf Stuffed with Spinach and Ricotta

by Ravenn
(Washington US)

My aunt used to make a meatloaf with spinach and ricotta which was fabulous. Unfortunately, I don't have this recipe. Was wondering if that was something you were familiar with?

Attilio's reply:
Hi there Raven,
I've got that recipe for you... What do you think about this?

Italian Meatloaf with Spinach and Ricotta Cheese.
Enjoy!


Submitted by: Anonymous
This looks like a wonderful (comfort food) dish and I will try it... All of your recipes that I have tried have been delicious.
Thank you!

Submitted by: Denise
This meatloaf looks wonderful and I can't wait to try it...

Italian Soft Biscotti Cookies

by Kat
(Thompson Ohio, USA)

I would like this recipe! I love these cookies that are soft with frosting and sprinkles on them. Here in the USA they are called soft biscotti. Thanks!

Attilio's Reply:
This is a basic recipe for Italian soft biscotti to which you can add frosting and/or sprinkels as you like or keep them simple as they are in the picture above.

Ingredients:
1 lb flour
8 oz soft butter
6 oz sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon baking powder

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients together, as little as possible and stop when an homogeneous ball is formed. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for a good half hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F

Form a large roll of dough of about 1 1/2 inch in diameter rolling it by hands on a working surface (such as to make Italian dumplings gnocchi). Cut the dough in pieces of about 1 inch long and roll to form balls.

Place them well apart (they swell during cooking) on a baking sheet covered with baking paper (they should serve a couple of trays), before baking flatten a little the balls by pressing with the palm of your hand.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until they show golden brown. Leave in a place to cool.

Freshly baked these Italian biscotti are a bit soft and they get harden by cooling, but the inside will remain always soft.

Attilio

Any Italian sub sandwich dressing?

by Michael
(Florida)

Looking for an Italian sub sandwich olive oil and vinegar dressing with herbs for my sandwich shop...

Attilio's reply:
Hi Michael,
well there are many kinds of aromatizing olive oils and it's hard to show you all of them.

The most famous here in Italy and widely spread is flavored with chili pepper. It's used to flavor pizza and give a spicy seasoning touch to pasta, then others are following:

Truffle olive oil
Garlic olive oil
Basil olive oil
Rosemary olive oil

If you are looking to buy them here's a great deal to look at:
Mantova Bruschetta/Truffle/Garlic/Basil, Set of 4 bottles, 8.5 oz each

And here's how to make it by your own!

Begin thinking about what kind of flavored olive oil you would like to create. You can make olive oil flavored with hot pepper, laurel, rosemary, cinnamon, juniper, garlic, and so on...

You can also choose to mix multiple flavors, but I advise you to diversify the various flavors, to avoid to pair flavors that don't go well between each other.

Lets take for example olive oil flavored with rosemary.

Take a sprig of very dry rosemary, wash it well, fix it inside a small glass bottle, and fill it with extra virgin olive oil up to the neck. Close well and let stand for at least 15 days before use.

After 15-20 days open the bottle and sample the olive oil with a piece of bread, if the taste is right you can use the flavored olive oil, otherwise leave it for another 4-5 days until you like the taste.

I hope it helps!
Attilio

Comment submitted by Michael:
Thanks for the reply. I was looking for something with a red wine vinegar to add to the olive oil like a Italian house dressing. What do you think? Thanks again, Mike

Attilio's reply:
Yes why Not, that's the very basic Italian dressing the one used every day among Italians and within restaurants. Diffrent option could be with balsamic vinegar. I suggest you to try with a few drops of good balsamic vinegar instead of the classic red wine vinegar. Anyway both are very nice...

Good luck!
Attilio

Comment submitted by Michael:
Attilio, thanks again... The garlic oil was great!

I would like to try the chili pepper olive oil. What type of pepper should I buy?
Sweet or hot, and type of chili pepper?
Do I cut it in quarters and add to the olive oil. Or leave it whole? Again a million thanks. Grazie!

Attilio's reply:
Hi Michael, this is a very basic way to make chili pepper olive oil.

Simple add 10/15 small, whole, hot and very dried chili peppers in 1qt. of extra virgin oilve oil. Then preserve for at least 2 months before serving.

Simple as that... Anyway taste it before you serve it over pasta, pizza and sandwiches. It must taste hot and spicy!

Ciao!

Where can we find the wooden box rotary cheese grater?

by Ann Kiener
(United States)

As this year's project, my husband and I are planning to make our own pasta and came across your site which we found very interesting and informative. As part of the table end of serving pasta, we have been looking for a cheese grater and you have a photo of just what we want in your Italian cooking equipment page.

Where can we find the wooden box rotary cheese grater?

Your assistance in finding this gem would be much appreciated! Best regards e forza Italia!
Ann

Attilio's reply:

Dear Ann, grazie!
This is the cheese grater that you are looking for:
Alessi Cheese Rolling Grater

Made by Alessi and designed by Davide Piazza in 1928. Yes, as you said indeed it is a real gem made in pear wood.

Either my wife and I would love to have one on our table. Ciao!
Attilio

Looking for Italian seafood pasta recipe

by Peta
(Australia)

Dear Attilio, I once went to an Italian restaurant on Bondi Beach (Sydney, Australia) I ordered seafood pasta. It Was Amazing. But try as hard as I might I never found a recipe for it.

There was no tomatoes, It seemed to be a mild olive oil, small amount of cream combination with a lot of cracked pepper and Italian Parsley. I have tried to duplicate it but with no success.

Have you ever heard of a similar recipe. Please help, I am sure your other readers would enjoy this recipe. Thanks Peta.

Attilio's Reply:
This is a basic seafood pasta recipe (spaghetti allo scoglio) with spaghetti and most often served in restaurants near Italian coasts. They are many versions, but this is the most similar to your description.

Ingredients: serves 4
1 lb spaghetti
1 lb clams
1 lb mussels
1 lb razor clams
2 cloves of garlic
1 glass of white wine
bit of chili
handful of parsley
extra-virgin olive oil
salt & pepper

Preparation: 45 minutes
Carefully clean the clams, mussels and razor clams, mince a clove of garlic and just crush the other, and finely chop the chili, chop the parsley.

Put in a frying pan the clams, mussels and razor clams, sprinkle with white wine, add the chopped garlic and place the pan on the fire so that the shellfishes can open by themselves.

Remove the pan from the heat, strain the liquid, shelled a few molluscs and leave someone with the shells. Put the crushed clove of garlic in the pan, add three tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, the chopped chili pepper, the clams, mussels and razor clams shelled.

Cook for a few minutes then pour the filtered liquid and let it partially evaporate. Add at this point the parsley removing the garlic from the pan. Add Salt and pepper and allow to the sauce thicken at low flame. Add mussels, clams and razor clams with shells and cook for a while.

Cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente and drain. Place in a serving dish and toss with the sauce. Serve!

I hope it helps you, and let me have your comments!
Attilio

Comment submitted by Peta:
Dear Attilio, Thank you so much. I have looked for this for years. I definitely think we are on a winner here. Not only does the recipe sound like it, the photo looks like it.

I hope all who see it, try it, because it really is fabulous, & from the recipe, simple to make. I will be going to the markets tomorrow & I will get back to you as to my success, because failure is not an option.

Once again, to everyone who attempts this enjoy! Thank you so very much Peta.

Attilio's reply:
You are welcome and I'm waiting for your respons here!

Comment submitted by Peta:
Hi to everyone. Well I finally got around to whipping up this gastronomic delight. Brought some neighbours in to test pilot the recipe.

Unless you are really brave of heart or a little insane this is not a good idea, I am probably a bit of both. First time recipe, old neighbours (a bit harrowing).

Everyone left with a copy of the recipe (they asked for them) & the address of this site. I'm fairly sure that's a YES. I personally loved it. Oh, it is also very easy to prepare. I will get back to you.
Peta (Australia)

P.S.
I will be trying out the new extra beefy (original) meat sauce recipe that is new to the site.

Attilio's reply:
Yeah, that really is a great cooking success! I'm glad to know that your neighbours loved how you cooked the recipe. My best compliments!

I'll be looking to hear from you again, and if you have any recipe you would like to share with us, we are here. I will be glad to publish it on this site.

Italian Butter Cookies

by Kat
(Thompson Ohio, USA)

I would also like another Italian cookie recipe I think they are called butter cookies. They are made with a spritz cookie maker, they also have sprinkles on them. Thank you Kat!

Attilio's Reply:
Well here is the homemade Italian butter cookies recipe you aked for...

Ingredients:
14 oz flour
8 oz butter
7 oz sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon yeast
2 eggs + 1 to brush the cookies
pinch of salt
colored sprinkles

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients quickly and form a dough. Let the dough ball rest for an hour in a cool place or refrigerator. Spread the dough with a rolling pin, giving a thickness of about 1/8 inch.

Cut with special moulds (or spritz cookie maker) in the shape of animals, hearts, stars, etc. After with 1 beaten egg brush the cookies and add the colored sprinkels.

First preheat oven to 350°F then cook for 7-8 minutes at 350°F monitoring the progress of cooking. Remember that not all ovens heat up in the same way, you might need to reduce the cooking time to 5 minutes, or reduce the oven temperature.

Hope it helps
Attilio

Can I use prosciutto instead of bacon?

by Marcelita
(Canada)

I watched this being made on a cooking channel the chef used salt pork (crisply fried) instead of bacon. Can I use prosciutto instead of bacon? Thank you Attilio!

Attilio's Reply:
I don't know about the salt pork the chef used, but bacon and prosciutto are two different parts of a pig and being made differently. Of course there are some Italian recipes which call for raw prosciutto as an ingredient, but then it might be diced instead of sliced.

Prosciutto is much less fat and sliced very thin and eaten raw, bacon can be sliced or diced then crisply fried and eaten.

In Italy prosciutto is often eaten alone or used as antipasto (starter) with grissini and other Italian deli meats such as salami and maybe stuffed olives, or wrapped around a slice of melon. Some Italians may have merenda (afternoon snack) with prosciutto a slice of bread and maybe a glass of wine.

Italian Homemade Pici Pasta Recipe

by Randy
(Chicago, IL)

Question:
I am looking for a recipe from Siena. It was pici with unsmoked bacon from Antica Trattoria Papei at Piazza del Mercato and it was delicious!

It was a tomato sauce with pancetta and was served over pici pasta. Can you find this recipe?
Thank you, Randy Chicago.

Attilio's Reply:
You are welcome Randy! I found the recipe you are looking for, of course this version is an homemade pici pasta recipe and not from the trattoria you mentioned above. Anyway it will not differ much from what you have eaten in Siena, as this recipe is very traditional.

The one basic thing you have to know is that you have to make the pici pasta yourself because it's fresh made.

Give a look, it's not difficult to do with my pictures. Enjoy!

Pici Pasta Ingredients: serves 6
1 lb wheat flour
water
salt

How to make pici: about 30 minutes
Mix the wheat flour with luckwarm water and a pinch of salt make the dough firm and smooth. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 1/4 inch and cut with a knife in many stripes. Roll and taper the strips between your fingers until you have many long and thick spaghetti a little less than a pencil. See picture!

How to cook pici: about 2 minutes
Cook pici, a few at a time, in plenty of boiling salted water. They are ready in a couple of minutes, As soon as they rise to the surface. Drain and jump them into the pan toghther with the sauce.
Serve immediately.

Sauce Ingredients:
- 10 oz Italian pancetta
- 2 lb fava beans
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 minced gralic clove
- minced parsley
- 1 galss of white wine
- 12 oz canned tomatoes or fresh
- extra-virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper

Sauce Preparation: 1 hour
With an Italian Clay Cooking Pot fry the chopped pancetta in a little oil and add all the chopped vegetables, stir with a wooden spoon and let it brown. Pour the fava beans peeled and coarsely chopped, add the white wine. When the wine is dry add the pieces of peeled tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste, cover the pan with a lid and continue cooking for at least an hour.

Serve immediately your pici with gratted parmesan or better Parmigiano Reggiano

I hope you'll enjoy preparing this dish, and please let me have your comments!
Attilio

P.S.
Enjoy many more pasta recipes here:
Italian Pasta Recipes.

Comment submitted by Randy:
Attilio, thank you for the pici recipe from Siena! I cannot wait to try it and, if my girlfriend likes it, I will be a very happy guy!
Sincerely, Randy from Chicago

Comment submitted by Randy:
Attilio, I tried this recipe and she liked it but it is not what we had in Siena. The one we had did not have fava beans in it, it was a tomato sauce. Any ideas?

Attilio's reply:
Dear Randy, they are many variations for pici sauce at least another 3 only from Tuscany. The one I found for you is the most similar to what you had in Siena, of course NOT the same.

So you can try the recipe without fava beans leaving just the diced pancetta. This variation could be very similar the one you had in Siena. I hope it helps!

Comment submitted by Anonymous:
Ironically, my family & I have just returned from Italy and looking for the same pasta, at the same restaurant in Siena. I came across your request & recipe. It was wonderful. It's the most similar...

Apple Fruit Mustard

by Steve
(UK)

A pasta recipe asks for apple or fruit mustard. I can't find this anywhere.

Any suggestions please...
Thanks!

Attilio's reply:
Hi Steve,
fruit mustard is a typical specialty of Cremonacity of Lombardy region North Italy.

The combination of strong and spicy taste of mustard with the sweet and delicate fruit creates a very particular taste, and very good as a condiment, in fact this type of food matches perfectly with almost any dish.

Its uniqueness lies in the fact that are used mostly whole fruit, or at least large pieces. So it's a product based on fruit and sugar with spicy mustard. The one from Cremona, is the most famous in Italy.

It's prepared with mixed fruits such as sour apples, pears, apricots, figs, plums, and consist in large candied fruits.

Of sure you'll find fruit mustard in an Italian supermarket but I'm NOT sure about UK.

I hope that helps!

Italian Baked Spaghetti Wheel

by Ginny Corson
(Moore, Oklahoma)

Many years ago I met a military wife who was fresh from Italy, her native land.

She invited me in for lunch one day and her offering was an amazing pan fried "spaghetti wheel" made with left-over pasta, parmesan, ham and other dilectables.

I remember trying to make the dish myself and failed. Has anyone ever heard of this scrumptious left-over treat?

Please respond! I would love to make this dish!

Attilio's reply:
Hi Ginny,
you can get that nice treat named "Timballo di Spaghetti" (Italian baked spaghetti wheel) here:


Baked Spaghetti Recipe.
Enjoy!

We are looking for a lasagna recipe and I think we found it...

by Kathi
(Shakopee, MN USA)

My husband and I just returned from Italy and we had such wonderful tasting, fresh, delicious food.

The pasta in Italy is completely different and so light compared to what we are so used to here in the USA.

We noticed too that everything isn't covered in cheese, like how we make our lasagna. We really enjoyed our time in Italy and want to get that taste here to share with our family and friends, they would enjoy it too.

We are having a party to share the wine we purchased in Italy and this recipe sounds very close to what we ate while we were there.

I really can't say enough about how authentic Italian food is so different from what we are used to eating back home here.

I want to go back...

I'll let you know how this recipe compares to what we had in Italy. Can't wait to try it. I'm very excited I found it.

Authentic Italian Lasagna Recipe


Attilio's Reply:
What a great post!

I'm pleased about what you wrote. Thanks Kathi!

If you are going to share this Authentic Italian Lasagna Recipe with your friends and family of course I will be glad to know how it compared to what you had here in Italy...

Pasta Carbonara and Roman Cooking

by April Miller
(Virginia USA)

Hey Attiliio,
great carbonara, went to Rome and fell in love with this recipe.

Everyone wants to add cream!

I’ll be in Rome again in May with my adult sons and a few friends, (yeepee can't wait) can you suggest a true Roman dish?

Can’t eat seafood. Or maybe an out of the tourist area place to eat?

Of course carbonara is on my list, I can’t get enough of it!




Thanks ever so much... I mean grazie Attilio!
From April!

Attilio's reply:
Hi April yes of course I can, so be ready to print this page!

Lets start with a nice dish from the Roman cooking tradition. You can see the picture above and it's called "coda alla vaccinara"

Then you can try Bucatini All' Amatriciana that is the recipe to make such spaghetti sauce.

And if you are looking for a restaurant where to eat these dishes out of the tourist area and if you love authentic Roman recipes try the historic "Checchino dal 1887".

Here's the address:
Checchino dal 1887 Via Monte Testaccio, 30 Rome (Phone 06 5746318)

Visualizza Ristorante Checchino dal 1887 - Roma in una mappa di dimensioni maggiori

Dynamite Sauce

by Edward
(Rockland, Me, USA)

I live on the east coast and when I was growing up I went to this dinner and had dynamite on a hot dog roll... Wow was it good!

I can tell you some of the ingredients they used:
tomato soup in a can, lots of celery, hamburg, green pepper, and hot peppers, but there is this spice in there that gives it a wonderful taste.

I knew some people who made this sauce but would not tell me the spice so this is my question...

What is this spice that makes it so great? Can you please help me I've been trying for years...

Can you help me?
Thank you! Ed

Attilio's reply:
Dear Edward,
I'm so sorry but I don't have this recipe. It's quit off topic for my expertise. I can't really help, but I can give you a good suggestion.

Why don't you try to type dynamite sauce in Google's or Yahoo's search box?

I strongly believe that will return you many dynamite sauce recipes and maybe find the secret spicy ingredient that you are looking for... Try enough and what a lucky man you might be.

Hope that helps!
Attilio

Comment submitted by Polish heritage:
This is a family recipe and I will get some variants of it for you but the original recipe/creator has been lost through the years.

Do you have any recipes from Abruzzo and Naples?

by Jeff
(United States)

Hello Attilio, my fathers family is from Abruzzo region and my mothers family is from Naples. Do you have any good recipes from each region you can recommend?

Mainly a pasta dish!

I know that my moms sauce always tasted different than my dads. My grandmothers sauce always tasted diff than my moms. I miss my grandmothers sauce and me nor my mom can duplicate it.

Attilio's reply:
For the moment I've just published a lamb sauce from Abruzzo region: Abruzzo Lamb Sauce. You can sauce some kind of pasta as maccheroni and better pappardelle!

From Naples I published an easy lasagna that you can find here:
Carnival Easy Lasagna

I will of course publish more recipes from both regions in future!

Updated new recipes:
From Abruzzo this yummy lasagna: Abruzzo Meaty Lasagna

From Naples this old traditional recipe: Egg Drop Soup

Is there any brand or style of canned tomatoes you would recommend?

by Jeff
(United States)

Hi Attilio, I do have a question for you.

Are you familiar with the canned tomatoes available to us in the US?

Is there any brand or style of tomatoes you would recommend?

I think that makes the biggest difference in the taste of a sauce. Thanks :-)



Attilio's reply:
Yes Jeff, without any doubt it makes the biggest difference. I recommend when possible San Marzano quality.

These are the world's best tomatoes, especially those cultivated in south Italy (Sarnese - Nocerino) area. But important is to look for the D.O.P. denomination on the label of these canned tomatoes.

Your pasta would love San Marzano tomatoes. In US there are a few brands available and I just published this page: Best San Marzano Tomatoes.

Comment submitted by Giovanni:
Outside of Marazano. Here in the US there's a tomato from California, Stanislaw Company owned by the Cortopassi Family. Very good tomatoes!

Mantecato alla Veneziana Venetian Creamed Cod

by Lynn Manos
(Tampa, Florida, USA)

When making Venetian Baccalà (Mantecato alla Veneziana) can I use the Cuisinart instead of a mortar and pestle to emulsify the cod and olive oil?
by Lynn Manos


Attilio's reply:
To get the best results avoid any kind of food prcessor, because like pesto or similar recipes the heat alters food's flavor.

At most you can use the kneading tool or a planetary mixer. So don't use the blades because the cod and olive oil is "mantecato" (creamed) NOT by blender.

So at the end you have to get a creamy, compact, shiny and smooth consisting with a few small pieces of fish.

I hope that helps!
Attilio

Lamb and Peas Recipe

by Linda
(Klamath Falls, OR)

I'm looking for a recipe for lamb & peas. My dear friend from Naples passed away and she never wrote down her recipes. She taught us by cooking with us... It would mean a lot to her children if we could come up with that dish.

Thank you,
Linda

Attilio's Reply:
Dear Linda, I came up with this authentic lamb & peas recipe from Naples. I hope it helps you and your friend's children.

Lamb and Peas Recipe

Ingredients: serves 6

- 3,3 lb (Kg 1.5) lamb, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup (ml 100) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup (ml 200) white wine
- 1 lb (g 500) peas, shelled
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp (g 30) grated Pecorino cheese
- juice of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper

Preparation:

In a PIRAL Italian Clay Cooking Pot, brown the onion with extra virgin olive oil add the pieces of lamb, salt, pepper and brown all.

After 10 minutes, pour the white wine in and once evaporated, add a ladle of water and proceed with slow cooking.

After 40 minutes (careful that doesn't stick) add the peas to the mixture and keep cooking.

Meanwhile beat the eggs with the Pecorino cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper. Once ready pour this compost over the lamb, and stir several times. Finally spray with lemon juice and bring to the table very hot.

That's all! Attilio
P.S.
Enjoy many more Italian recipes here:
Authentic Italian Recipes

Comment submitted by Linda:
Dear Attilio, thank you so much for your quick response. I am forwarding the recipe and picture to the kids to see if it is the one they remember their mother making. As soon as they try it, I will let you know. It appears to be the one I've been searching for. Sincerely Linda

How do I create black tagliatelle with squid ink?

by Linzi
(United Kingdom)

Just been to lake Como had super black squid ink tagilatelle in a creamy sauce. So i bought some of the pasta home how do i create the dish i had? Was it called "seppie" from looking at the bill?

Regards Linzi

Attilio's reply:
I have a very basic pasta recipe for tagliatelle or spaghetti with black squid ink, anyway spaghetti are more often used for this recipe.

If you have black pasta it's even more easy!

This recipe may differ a little from what you have eaten on lake Como.

Italian name:
"Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia"

Ingredients: serves 4
1 lb spaghetti
1 garlic clove
parsley
1/4 pt heavy cream
chilli pepper (flakes)
squid's ink (2 doses)
extra virgin olive oil
salt

Method:

1. Cook your pasta following package directions.

2. In a frying pan add a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add some minced parsley and the garlic clove, chilli flakes to your taste. Cook for 2 minutes then add a few tablespoons of pasta cooking water.

3. Pour the doses of squid ink and the heavy cream in the pan and stir.

4. Meanwhile your pasta might be ready or anyway cook until "al dente", drain and add the pasta to the frying pan, saute for 1 minute.

I hope that helps!

Comment submitted by Linzi:
Thank you so much for your prompt reply to my dilemma. Can not wait to try to recreate. Will not be the same without our Italian friends and Como in the background. Will I be able to buy squid ink in Sainsbury or Waitrose or do i need a specialist shop? Many thanks!

Attilio's reply:
I'm not sure if you can find squid ink in Sainsbury or Waitrose. Anyway better is a speciallist shop.

How to make hand made rolled noodles?

by Linda

What is the recipe for hand rolled noodles? I've seen it done by rolling a strip of noodle dough rolled on a wire. I need more information on the actual recipe for the dough.

Attilio's Reply:
Dear Linda you are talking about fusilli, here is the recipe:

Ingredients: serves 4
1 lb (450gr) flour
1/2 cup (120ml) water
salt

Preparation:
Pour the flour and salt on a pastry board. Add water preferably warm and knead for at least ten minutes. Let the dough rest for half an hour.

1. 2. Take a piece of dough and turn it into a string of thick pasta. Cut into long strands about 7 inches long and turn around a wire. It's important that the wire is perfectly clean and dry and the dough is very well floured, if not, the fusilli would stick to the wire.

3. Once you have rolled the dough, place the wire on the board and put the palm of your hand on using a light pressure.

4. Slide the wire back and forth until the dough has slightly flattened assuming the appearance of the one in the picture.

5. Remove the formed fusillo from the wire and put it to dry on a well floured pastry board, taking care of it.

After an hour of drying, the fusilli are ready to cook.