Pasta to the rescue – ideas

Pasta to the rescue

Pasta has been the go-to, staple product for many in recent times in allowing restaurants to continue to serve up traditional Italian fayre in takeaway and delivery formats, as well as proving to be an in demand, store cupboard staple for the wider population.

COMPETING DEMANDS

When the fi rst enforced lockdown was imposed, premium Italian pasta brand, Garofalo, reports that it continued to provide a vital service to its customers, by supporting businesses in keeping them supplied with pasta. That was only possible due to the commitment shown by all the people who work at Garofalo, both here in the UK and in their factory in Italy. “The challenges were unprecedented and at times logistically impossible. All non-essential employees at the factory in Gragnano, were working from home in ‘lockdown’ but still sourcing everything the factory needed to keep producing pasta. Overnight demand grew by 300%, all of our production team worked tirelessly to keep the factory producing as much pasta as possible, despite huge pressure from every customer globally,” says Sally Assinder, marketing manager at Garofalo UK. “Producing enough pasta was the fi rst challenge, but then we had to get it from the south of Italy to our UK warehouse and then to our customers. But with the support of Italian hauliers, shipping companies and our UK logistics provider we succeeded!”

Having come out of that period of huge demand, the company say that they gradually started to get back to a sensible level of trading, but still considerably higher than normal. However, with the threat of another partial, or full, lockdown, they have seen another huge spike in demand from their customers (the last week of September sales being one of their largest this year). “We still face challenges in keeping up with demand and unfortunately some of our more ‘specialised’ shapes of pasta (both long and short) have had to stop being produced in favour of allowing more production time for shapes such as fusilli and penne which have been in the most demand,” adds Sally Assinder.

“Whilst our retail customers are enjoying the benefi ts of more pasta being consumed at home, our customers in the restaurant and hospitality sector are not so fortunate. Many have diversifi ed and found novel ways to carry on trading and gradually most are getting back to some normality and seeing customers return to dining out. We all hope that this can continue as another closing of restaurants will be devastating to the sector.”

At the same time, the premium brand point out that they are now facing price increases in durum wheat, losses on the exchange rate and UK logistic increases. The uncertainty of Brexit (hard or soft) will surely result in Sterling devaluation, they feel, at least in the short period. It is also still not known if companies will face tariff s, and surely delays in clearing customs will add to further costs in delayed transport, they warn. As a result, they feel it is inevitable that retail prices will need to increase, as cost prices will surely move up.

Schiaff oni cacio e pepe with tuna tartare, white truff le and parsley oil.

INGREDIENTS FOR 2 PEOPLE

• 180g schiaff oni/pacchari Garofalo • 120g grated pecorino Romano • 30g grated Parmesan cheese • 100g tuna sushi grade • 50g butter • 1 lemon • 50g parsley leaves • White truffl e • Black pepper • Extra virgin olive oil

METHOD For the parsley oil:

• Wash and dry the parsley leaves and blend with the olive oil. • Put everything in a pot and cook until 90C. • Cool down, fi lter in a thin sieve.

For the tartare:

• Cut the tuna very thin with a knife, season with extra virgin olive oil and lemon zest. • Mix both cheeses and add four spoons of hot boiling water. Mix it until became creamy and silky. • In a boiling water pot, cook the pasta for 11 minutes. • While the pasta is cooking, in a pan cook gently the crushed black pepper. Add some pasta cooking water and switch off . • Once the pasta is ready, put in our black pepper sauce and cook gently until the sauce is absorbed. • Switch off the fi re and add the butter. • After, add the cheeses mix and mix until creamy. • Serve in a plate our pasta with the tuna tartare on top, parsley oil and fresh, some slice of white truffl e. Bu appetite!

PASTA AMBASSADOR

For the UK market, Garofalo have appointed Davide De Simone (pictured above) as their Ambassador for Pasta Garofalo.

“Since I was a kid, I already knew what to do in my life... be a great chef!” says Davide De Simone. “I started to work in the hospitality since I was 13, where after the school hours, in the weekends and in summers season, I started moving my fi rst steps in the kitchen. After the diploma in hotel management school, I started working around Italy... Sicily, Lombardia, Trentino, Tuscany.

“When I was 20, arrived the fi rst great opportunity - I found a position at the Rosewood hotel Castiglion del Bosco in Montalcino (Siena). The level and respect for the ingredients was crazy! My fi rst experience as head chef was at only 23 years old at the four star superior Hotel Isole del Sud in Lampedusa (Sicily).

“After a year at the Schloss Hotel Muenichau in Kitzbuehel (Austria), at the age of 26 I decided to move to London. In London - for me the best city in the world - my view of cooking is completely changed! After discovering new diff erent cultures and ingredients, I pushed forward. My background is always there, but living in London, just opened my mind giving me a diff erent knowledge and view of cooking.

“And now, at 34, I’m the executive chef of the 3 Cacciari’s restaurants, and also I’m the private chef of important families and VIP in London. As to what to from expect from the future, I don’t know. But s always, I’ll dedicate my work and passion to produce the best food.”

VERSATILE

Welsh chef, Kate Probert (pictured below), runs a cookery school in Gower, having previously won guidebook recognition for two much-loved Welsh restaurants, and now released her fi rst book (From Mountain to Sea). She started out cooking at the renowned Fairyhill in Gower in the 1980s and completed stages at both the Roux Brothers’ Le Gavroche and Marco Pierre White’s Harvey’s restaurant. She then went on to gain experience in Michelin-rated restaurants in France before returning to Wales to run her own award-winning restaurant, L’Amuse in Mumbles before opening her cookery school, L’Amuse Chez Kate. To date, she has run 165 day courses, as well as a number of residential courses in her Chamonix chalet.

“Pasta is so versatile and well loved by all – it’s always been a very popular addition to my menus in the restaurant and on my cookery courses. I love hearing how many people have converted to making their own after attending a course - realising that the taste, texture and fl avour of homemade pasta really is worth the extra eff ort. I think I’m responsible for pasta machine sales rising in Peppercorn, a fabulous little cookware specialist shop in the centre of Llandeilo, which is where I send all of my cookery course participants!” she says.

“The great thing about adding pasta to a menu is that you can prep ahead, freeze and limit any waste – which is so important for restaurants during these times of uncertainty. Delicious fillings and making your pasta more colourful are also ways of standing out from the crowd. For example, colour pasta with squid ink for black and use with fish fillings or sauces, and colour pasta with beetroot by passing raw beetroot through an extractor and adding a little to the dough.

“I would also suggest ensuring that you provide choice for vegetarians, vegans and gluten free. Guests are often impressed when you cater for special dietary requirements, especially if as much thought has gone into these dishes/fillings as for the standard menu.

“Offer a variety of sauces packaged individually with pairing suggestions so you have the opportunity to upsell sauces that your customers could use at home i.e. to go with chicken, tagliatelle or steak. ‘Eat now and Eat later’ are also popular options – a take away package ready to eat and also one to go straight in the freezer.

“And make sure you ask for feedback! It’s important to know what your guests are loving and what they would like to see more of on your menu. This can be done directly or via your social media.”

As Kate Probert has travelled a great deal over the past 30 years with her studies (including a degree in French and Italian) as well as researching restaurants and visiting friends who live abroad, she has picked up many ideas.

“I remember enjoying Casoncelli – a typical ravioli from Bergamo, combined with pork, prosciutto and sage served with sage and butter sauce,” she says. “We have a Michelin starred restaurant in Oxwich – our neighbouring village – called Beachhouse. Hywel Griffiths, the chef, starred on BBC’s The Great British Menu, and presents the most incredible menu. They are currently serving ravioli of Snowdonia cheese, Welsh truffle and egg yolk with a salad of runner beans, tomato and garlic crisps. We love to visit and enjoy the beautiful view as well as the delicious cuisine and impeccable service.” “I came across this recipe when I was spending a year in Bergamo. I saw it being prepared on Italian TV. Now, that was a challenge for me in my early days of speaking Italian! One can find this recipe throughout Italy and its diverse regions, each of which has its own slight variation which makes the recipe unique to that region,” says Kate Probert.

“This recipe is from Brescia in Lombardy, where they add Amoretti biscuits, but I found it a little too sweet - especially as butternut squash is quite a sweet vegetable in itself. I substitute the biscuits with breadcrumbs so as to absorb any excess moisture from the mixture. It works very well and the consistency is perfect.”

INGREDIENTS:

Makes about 21 ravioli

Pasta dough:

• 300 g flour type 00 • 3 eggs • drizzle of olive oil • salt

For the filling:

• 300g squash • sprig of rosemary/sage • 1 bay leaf • 1 large shallot, chopped • 1 garlic clove, crushed • 50g Parmesan, grated • 100g goats’ cheese • 50g fresh breadcrumbs • olive oil • 1 egg, beaten

For the sauce:

• large knob of butter • about 1 tablespoon capers and some of their juice • juice of a lemon • sliced almonds • grated Parmesan • chopped parsley

KATE PROBERT’S BUTTERNUT SQUASH RAVIOLI

METHOD:

• Make the dough by putting into the food processor and whizzing to a ball.

Cover with cling film and refrigerate. • Cut the squash into small chunks and fry off gently with chopped rosemary, shallots, bay leaf and seasoning. Add a small drop of water then cover and stew until tender. • Take off the lid and boil hard until all the liquid has evaporated. • When the mixture is cold, add the breadcrumbs, parmesan and goat’s cheese. Check for seasoning. • Cut the dough into eight segments and roll out each segment of dough in the pasta machine, starting on the widest setting and re-rolling until you have come to the finest setting.

Lay out on the table and egg wash 4 of the strips of pasta and then place a spoonful of the mixture, equally

spaced. Then place the pieces without egg wash on top. • Press around each mound in order for the pasta to stick and then cut out rounds with a cutter, or cut into squares. Go around each one again with your fingers and then place on a tray lined with a tea towel. • At this point, freeze them making sure they aren’t touching each other.

When frozen, remove from the tray and put into containers. • Melt the butter in a large frying pan and add the almonds to brown a little, then the capers and lemon. • Put a large pan of water on to heat and, before it comes to the boil, add the frozen ravioli, bring back to the boil and cook for about two minutes. • Drain and add to the frying pan to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.