OK, What's For Lunch or Tea Today?

The last time I had them was in a wonderful restaurant in Italy as I felt sure they would be different there - they weren’t!!

As an aside, I don’t get the idea of a food being “just something to put sauce on”. To me, every individual food should stand on its own merit, regardless of whether it is improved by adding a sauce. Pasta is a perfect example - yes it’s improved no end by the sauce, but there’s nothing wrong with a nude length of tagliatelle!

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Originally Posted by Roy S

Parmesan's on the shopping list but I would have had as much of that as I had of the mature cheddar, I was in a cheesy mood..

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It would've been very salty though, particularly after it melted onto the pasta, as Parmesan is super-salty... Not for me mate, but each to his or her own:)

Marco.

The mention of cheese and quanitites used is interesting, as I have been reducing the amount I put in or on food that I make. Cheeses have a distinct flavour that permeates food easily and I find modest amounts suffice (unless I'm doing cheese on toast of course, then I pile it on :)).

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Originally Posted by Beobloke

The last time I had them was in a wonderful restaurant in Italy as I felt sure they would be different there - they weren’t!!

As an aside, I don’t get the idea of a food being “just something to put sauce on”. To me, every individual food should stand on its own merit, regardless of whether it is improved by adding a sauce. Pasta is a perfect example - yes it’s improved no end by the sauce, but there’s nothing wrong with a nude length of tagliatelle!

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No, especially just lightly coated with some good quality *real* butter, none of yer marge shite.

Italians often simply toss some pasta in a pan with butter (and sometimes fresh herbs, like sage) and then serve it simply with a little freshly ground pepper. It's lovely that way *if* the pasta itself is of really good quality. Fresh egg-tagliatelle work well, as does most fresh pasta. Just watch you don't overcook it, though.

In terms of the carrier thing, well you don't 'get' polenta either!:D And that works on the same principle... Some things just a need helping hand to be enjoyed properly. Ultimately, it's about combining textures and flavours [rather like the Chinese do with their steamed dumplings], and I get the feeling you're not a big fan of the texture of gnocchi.

One thing that may make them more palatable for you, is to make them from Mozzarella cheese, instead of potato, and serve them with a Pomarola (tomato) sauce, with fresh garlic and basil. They're tastier that way, but also heavier and more filling:)

Marco.

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Originally Posted by walpurgis

The mention of cheese and quanitites used is interesting, as I have been reducing the amount I put in or on food that I make. Cheeses have a distinct flavour that permeates food easily and I find modest amounts suffice (unless I'm doing cheese on toast of course, then I pile it on :)).

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Yeah, if you're doing a Welsh Rarebit, then it's all about the cheese, so that should be the 'star attraction', as it were (as well as using a good crusty bread, such as sourdough).

In general though, aside from in a fondue, I'm not a big fan of lashings of hot cheese on food, not because I dislike the flavour, but because it makes the dish very heavy/hard going and also fattening!

In that respect, the pizzas you often get in this country are the biggest culprits [stuffed crusts and all sorts of bollocks, creating stodgy, cheesy blobs, with WAY too much topping, and which have nothing whatsoever in common with real pizza]:doh:

And if it's a strong cheese, like mature cheddar, one of the blue varieties, or something like Parmesan, then the flavour tends to dominate and overpower everything else, and that's fundamentally NOT what Italian food, or indeed any good food is about.

It's about subtly marrying the right flavours and ingredients, to compliment the main ingredient, which could be meat, fish or vegetables. In that respect, you know you've got it wrong when the former completely overpowers the latter - and that includes when you're making pasta!;)

Marco.

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Originally Posted by Marco

Haha - no, you like what you like!

However.... If they're home-made and cooked properly, they should be firm, not sloppy, and simply act as a 'carrier' for the lovely tasty sauce (traditionally pesto), served with them, which should also be home-made.

Bought pesto in jars is a very poor relation of the real thing (just as indeed is all bought mashed or processed potato, which of course gnocchi are traditionally made from). For pesto, you need to use fresh basil and very good extra-virgin olive oil, to generate the right flavour.

Oh, and of course it goes without saying that if you've only ever had supermarket gnocchi (which ARE tasteless balls of soggy slop), then you *haven't* had gnocchi! ;)

Marco.

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Emma had some gnocchi with wild boar ragu a while back. Incredible flavours, very very rich, loads of sage, but I like that if the portion sizes are small, which this wasn’t, so I had half.

made it once. it was quite nice... i put cheese ham and herbs in it, and fried it in butter.... probably a sin in italy but i thought it good

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Originally Posted by Yomanze

Emma had some gnocchi with wild boar ragu a while back. Incredible flavours, very very rich, loads of sage, but I like that if the portion sizes are small, which this wasn’t, so I had half.

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Yeah, that's a classic, especially in the likes of Tuscany and Umbria, where wild boar is plentiful. You can also serve the same sauce with tagliatelle. It's arguably even better that way!:)

Marco.

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Originally Posted by struth

made it once. it was quite nice... i put cheese ham and herbs in it, and fried it in butter.... probably a sin in italy but i thought it good

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Made what once mate, gnocchi?:)

Marco.

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Originally Posted by Marco

Made what once mate, gnocchi?:)

Marco.

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yup. stuffed iit like ravioli. a quick dip in boiling water then in very hot butter/oil mix. then had it with extra herbs and parmasan on top. was going to add tomato sauce but forgot to make it lol.. think i spooned some melted butter on top. was years ago for wifes birthday.
Ive not tried it the trad way...