Spaghetti poll

[Luca Lazzari]

I grrew up in an Italian neighborhood. I was the only non-Italian. I watched all the Nonis' cooking and they taught me just enough gravy to keep the pasta from sticking. And that is the way I learned to eat it. The pasta in one big bowl, the meat on a big platter and the gravy in a big boat with a large ladle. And the Papa always got served first. The cook always sat down last. Mungia! Mungia!

When I was a child and we went on holidays in Puglia, we (foolish northerners) always laughed when the local mammas kept on yelling "mangia la mamma!" to their children, which literally means "eat the mother"!

 

[Kylie1969]

Oh my goodness, that is you, Fiona? I have been wondering if it was a wee family member of yours. Adorable!

I too didnt know if it was one of Fiona's grandkids or not...what a cute little girl you were Fi

 

[Kylie1969]

I cannot. My mamma always prepares pinkish pasta!

I bet your mum makes the best pasta Luca...and I am guessing you do do

Place two or three strands between the tines on your fork. Lift it up and start to twirl. When the last strand has only a short bit hanging, place in mouth. You will have just enough for a mouthful each time.

Thanks Addie, I will give it a try, as usually it just all falls off the fork

 

[Addie]

My middle son married a girl from Napoli. Her mother didn't speak English and the Father's English was understandable. When I went to meet them for the first time, they asked me if I spoke Italian. "Only the good words." They knew exactly what I meant.

Then when I met my in-laws, I used to call my youngest "My little Facia Brutta" Say it with the wrong tone and it means 'ugly face.' Say it with a smile and lilt in your voice and it means 'happy face.' I was saying Happy Face. Then if I was mad at him I would let out a string of swears in Italian at him. They thought it was wonderful that I was teaching him a second language. Little did they know. But my son knew the difference.

 

[Hoot]

for the twirlers: do you finish with a slurp or bite?

I am a post twirl biter

 

[buckytom]

I bet your mum makes the best pasta Luca...and I am guessing you do do

i really am sorry for this, kylie.

but i certainly hope he does, after all of that pasta...

 

[Luca Lazzari]

I bet your mum makes the best pasta Luca...and I am guessing you do do

My grandmas were the queens of polenta, gnocchi and risotto, but unfortunately my mother doesn't like to cook, because she doesn't like to eat, she just eat to survive...

But I had plenty of time, and plenty of belly, to learn cooking the best I can

 

[Addie]

I am a post twirl biter

I pull that last inch in with my tongue.

 

[Luca Lazzari]

And here is our immortal Totò showing you how to properly eat spaghetti!

TOTO' - MISERIA E NOBILTA' - scena spaghetti - YouTube

 

[danbuter]

I break the noodles up before putting them in the water. Works great. Much easier to eat.

 

[msmofet]

I can give you the ingredients, but not the recipe as I add a little, then let it cook in, and taste it. I do this with all of the ingrediants until it tastes right. Here's what goes in:

12 oz. diced tomatoes
12 oz. tomato puree
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh oregano, chiffonade
Fresh basil, chiffonade
crushed rosemary
fresh thyme, chiffonade
browned ground beef, or diced chicken

Heat the tomato ingredients in a pot over medium heat. Sweat the onion and add to the sauce. Add herbs and garlic. Stir, cover, and simmer for thirty minutes. Add meat. let cook another thirty minutes, no more. Adjust the herbs until it tastes great to you. Remove from the heat and cool in an ice bath. Refrigerate overnight to let the flavors distribute themselves evenly through the sauce. Reheat and serve with pasta.

I don't simmer mine for hours as my stove isn't up to the task without scorching the sauce. Also, I find that the meat becomes mushy that way. Refrigerating overnight is a gentler way to mature the sauce to perfection, IMHO.

I guess I add about a tsp. of each herb to start, and then end up adding a bit more oregano, and more basil (the most pronounced flavor in the sauce, but not by much). I want to be able to taste all of the ingredients in balance with each other, and use only a little salt, so as to let the fresh tomato flavor shine through. The thyme is essential, but must not sing too loudly. It accentuates, as does the rosemary. The stars are oregano, basil, and tomato. A little EVOO to dress the sauce is good as well, or a little truffle oil to finish it.

On occasion, I'll add a little fennel, or taragon, and black pepper, just to change things up, but only occasionally. That's how I make it.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

HMMMMMMM How do you chiffonade fresh thyme? Those little suckers go flying when I skin them off the stems.

My grandpa had to have meatballs and sauce with raisins and pine nuts in them served with homemade ravioli with sugar added to the cheese filling at least once every other month. Thats the way his mama made it. My mom would make it 2X a year and I HATED it. LOL

 

[Cerise]

Twirler - No spoon.

However....
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All bets are off on Girls Night Out.

 

[Kylie1969]

Great photo

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

HMMMMMMM How do you chiffonade fresh thyme? Those little suckers go flying when I skin them off the stems.

My grandpa had to have meatballs and sauce with raisins and pine nuts in them served with homemade ravioli with sugar added to the cheese filling at least once every other month. Thats the way his mama made it. My mom would make it 2X a year and I HATED it. LOL

Ok, and you can't chiffonade rosemary either. I got carried away in the little time I had to type in the list. I mince the thyme and rosemarry. No one likes little pine needles in their marinara, now do they.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Lognwind of the North

 

[taxlady]

Ok, and you can't chiffonade rosemary either. I got carried away in the little time I had to type in the list. I mince the thyme and rosemarry. No one likes little pine needles in their marinara, now do they.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Lognwind of the North

Little pine needles (fresh rosemary) are bad enough. But those horrible little sticks (dry rosemary) that poke your gums are really awful.

When I use dry rosemary I make it into a powder with my mortar and pestle.

 

[msmofet]

Little pine needles (fresh rosemary) are bad enough. But those horrible little sticks (dry rosemary) that poke your gums are really awful.

When I use dry rosemary I make it into a powder with my mortar and pestle.

I put fresh rosemary, sage and thyme in my mini chopper and pulse a couple times and it is perfect for mix in my soft butter for under bird skin or whatever.

 

[taxlady]

I put fresh rosemary, sage and thyme in my mini chopper and pulse a couple times and it is perfect for mix in my soft butter for under bird skin or whatever.

Mini chopppers are great for that kind of thing, but not good enough, I.M.O., for dry rosemary.

 

[msmofet]

Mini chopppers are great for that kind of thing, but not good enough, I.M.O., for dry rosemary.

NOPE I don't use much dry rosemary because of that.

 

[rocygolly]

Same here. Fork only twirler.

Seconded