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Fancy a quiet night in? Not always the best approach to celebrating
Valentines, but there is an alternative - why not entertain your
valentine with a night of Italian passion? For little more than the
price of a glass of wine and an appetiser, you can serve an authentic
Italian valentines dinner, using the best Italian ingredients. Escape
to romantic Italy and enjoy 'La Dolce Vita', in the comfort of your
own home.
The beauty of Italian cooking is in the quality and simplicity of the
ingredients and at the heart of this is the wonderful pasta from
Garofalo. Only available in the UK since last November, this first
class pasta from Gragnano near Naples, is a firm favourite with
Italians, who know a thing or two not just about cooking, but also
about romance, and is rapidly becoming a firm favourite with UK pasta
aficionados.
If you want to woo your valentine without breaking the bank, try one
of Garofalo's traditional Neapolitan cut pastas with a classic tomato
and basil gremolata and pair it with a wonderful Italian wine, add
candles and a romantic movie, and you have the perfect recipe for a
passionate valentines night.
We're suggesting a wonderfully tasty gremolata to accompany your
perfect Garofalo pasta, but we're not suggesting you spend all
evening in the kitchen. Why not cheat with the antipasti and head to
your local deli', most offer a good selection, and while you're there
pick up a fruity Italian red or zesty white, the perfect partners for
your valentines supper.
Penne with Tomatoes and Basil Gremolata
Serves 2
If you don't want to overpower your loved one with
garlic, just omit it. But remember that the Ancient Greeks knew a
thing or two about this highly prized pungent bulb and it's
aphrodisiac properties&ldots;&ldots;
2 plum or salad tomatoes
2 heaped tblsp basil leaves, torn
1 lemon, finely grated zest
1 clove garlic, peeled & finely chopped
large pinch Maldon or flaked sea salt
110g Garofalo penne rigate
extra virgin olive oil
1 level tblsp capers in vinegar, drained
salt & freshly ground black pepper
Method
Put a good-sized pan of salted water on to boil for
the pasta.
Place the tomatoes in a bowl, cover with boiling water
and leave for 20 seconds. Plunge into cold water, peel off the skins,
quarter, then remove and discard the seeds. Roughly chop the tomato flesh.
Next, mix the basil, lemon zest, garlic and flaked
salt together for the gremolata.
Cook the pasta for 11 minutes or until al-dente. Drain
in a colander, return to the pan, drizzle over enough olive oil to
coat. Season with salt and pepper and toss well.
Divide the pasta between 2 warmed bowls, then
scatter over the tomatoes and capers, top with the gremolata and
serve piping hot.
Perfect Pasta Preparation
Don't skimp on the water
Add a good pinch of salt
Once the water has reached boiling point lower the heat slightly
to create a rolling boil.
There is no need to add any oil to the water to prevent the pasta
from sticking - with enough water and a rolling boil the pasta will
not stick.
Pasta should be 'al dente' - firm but not hard, it should have a
bite and not be soggy.
Before draining the pasta, save a cup of the boiling liquid for
your sauce - the starches in the liquid will thicken the sauce and
help it cling to the pasta.
Don't rinse the pasta - washing the pasta after it has drained
will remove all of the starches that help the sauce adhere to the
pasta.
Garofalo Signature is the most delicious expression of Garofalo
pasta, created in the Neapolitan tradition in the birthplace of pasta
- Gragnano, Italy.
Garofalo Signature is created from only the finest durum wheat
sourced from across the globe by owner Massimo Menna. Durum wheat
used to create Garofalo Signature must meet the highest standards for
protein and gluten content and colour quality to guarantee a product
with superior looks and flavour that will perform consistently
whether prepared by a professional or home chef. The signature line
offers 21 traditional Neapolitan cuts, all of which are created using
traditional bronze dies to ensure that the integrity of each cut's
texture is preserved. The Triad Drying Process of adjusting drying
length and temperature for each cut is also applied during production
to ensure consistency and quality across all 21 Signature pasta
offerings. Following production, Garofalo performs over 25 quality
checks on each cut and runs all standard industry controls twice to
ensure the best quality.
Gragnano's heritage as Italy's birthplace of pasta dates back to at
least the 1500s. As is the case with most artisan products from
Italy, pasta produced in Gragnano is a confluence of history,
craftsmanship, ingenuity and geography. Nestled in the foothills of
the Monti Lattari, an extension of the Apennine Mountains, Gragnano
has harnessed over time the area's natural resources to create the
perfect pasta. Before the arrival of heaters, pasta makers utilized a
combination of a steady sea breeze and plentiful sunshine as a means
to dry pasta. Via Roma, the wide principal street that cuts
east-west, was designed to enable this breeze to flow unfettered.
Natural springs provided untainted water for blending the dough and
fast running streams powered the mills. In the 19th century a
railroad line was created that led directly to the port of Naples to
facilitate export. Even with today's advances in pasta making
technology, Gragnano still reigns as the home of Italian pasta in the
modern era producing 10 % of Italy's national pasta production.
The Garofalo Signature range has recently launched in the UK and is
available through Ocado, Costco and independent retailers and
Harrods. For more information please visit www.pastagarofalo.it |
