Pastas Flashcards
Scallop Ravioli
The pasta is handmade classically using flour and egg. A scallop and shrimp farce is made by finely chopping the two proteins, freezing and blending with lemon zest, chive, shallot, egg, heavy cream and calabrese pepper. The paste is spread into a mold and then steamed until it reaches a similar texture to shumai. Cubes of scallop are folded into the mousse and then stuffed into pasta. Three ravioli are plated with a seared scallop in the middle and tossed in a parmesan sauce with heavy cream. To finish, the dish is dotted with a foam made of the sauce, a fried basil leaf and a little herb oil (dill, green onion and chive).
Context:
As a restaurant focused on the seven nations of Louisiana, this Italian dish fits right in. Ravioli is a filled pasta from Italy and comes from the word “riavvolgere” which means “to wrap”. Stuffed pastas first appear in Italian cooking in the 1500s in northern Italian courts, though over time preparations became popular and trickled down to humbler classes and even evolved into a holiday tradition for many families. Calabrian Chiles are, as the name would suggest, also an Italian pepper (from Calabria, in Southern Italy). The mild Mediterranean climate enclosed by mountainous regions is prime growing for the little peppers and they impart a range of warm spicy, smoky and fruity flavor. This is a simple dish utilizing Italian flavors in a simple French rustic approach, elevated with the sweet delicate flavor of scallop.
Allergens:
Gluten
Yes
Pasta
Dairy
Yes
Sauce- cream, parmesan
Fin Fish
No
Shellfish
Yes
Scallop and shrimp stuffing
Allium
Yes
Stuffing, sauce-shallot, chive
Pork
No
Nuts and Seeds
No
Alcohol
No
*Can be removed
Required Flatware:
Entrée fork, Dinner knife, Spoon
Service Notes
Steak Cavatelli
Our cavatelli is made in house with eggs, flour and milk. The cavatelli is then tossed in an herb puree which consists of cilantro, green onion, basil, red onion, garlic, lemon, cumin and coconut milk. Atop the bed of pasta is a quick seared and sliced hanger steak that has been dipped in a bourbon/soy sauce mixture, thrown on the grill for 30ish seconds and repeated twice so it gets almost a blackened crust on the outside and a rare/mid rare temp on the inside. There is a blue cheese crust bruleed on top of the steak (mixed with butter, bread crumbs and garlic) and some small heirloom tomatoes alongside the pasta.
Context:
Cavatelli are small pasta shells typical of the commune Teggiano in Campania and are a short pasta style with a thicker, more toothsome texture. This style of pasta was chosen for this dish as a more rustic base for a cold weather dish accompanied by steak. The puree it is tossed in may appear light and spring-ey but the addition of the more dense flavors of ginger, cumin and coconut milk (which complement the brighter herbs well) make for a heartier style. There are a few Asian influences with the meat marinade/quick sear cooking method along with the array of ingredients in the puree that meld with the Italian influence in the pasta base. Finally, the hanger steak is also known as the butcher’s cut, it is a singular muscle that is flat and “hangs” below the diaphragm in the cow, where the muscles do not develop and toughen. It was historically a prized cut for those in the know but wasn’t typically known or desired by the public as it is not large/plentiful (and was considered a crude cut) so butchers would take it home to enjoy (hence the name). Hanger steaks are fairly lean but can be iron rich and carry a darker color than other cuts (so still quite flavorful), the bunching of the grain in the muscle is strong and this cut can easily become quite chewy if it isn’t cut correctly (directly against the grain).
Allergens:
Gluten
Yes*
Pasta, blue cheese, soy in marinade (can be done over rice)
Dairy
Yes*
Pasta, blue cheese – milk (can be done over rice)
Fin Fish
No
Shellfish
No
Allium
Yes
Herb puree, blue cheese – green onion, red onion, garlic
Pork
No
Nuts and Seeds
No
Alcohol
Yes*
Bourbon in marinade
*Can be removed
(turns into veg/vegan dish with mushroom for steak sub and rice for pasta sub)
Required Flatware:
Entrée fork, Dinner knife, Spoon
Service Notes:
N/A
Vegetable Tagliatelle
Our pasta is made in house with eggs, many additional yolks, flour and olive oil. Its hand-cut and dried into tagliatelle ribbons. The sauce is made of diced mushrooms, carrots, onion, celery, tomato, red pepper and basil to make a hearty red sauce. Basil garnishes the top.
Context:
Tagliatelle (from the Italian word “tagliare” which means “to cut”) is a traditional type of pasta from North Central Italy that are long, flat ribbons. The shape of this pasta is quite similar to Fettuccine, though tends to be slightly wider and thinner than it’s more popularly available cousin. This dish is conceived of as a diced vegetable Bolognese, which is a classic dish with roots stemming from the 18th century in France and Italy (though is currently associated with Italian cooking and often dresses tagliatelle). A Ragu alla Bolognese is a slowly cooked meat and tomato based sauce with finely diced carrot, onion and celery. It is rich and hearty but not overly heavy with the brightness of the tomatoes and can be enhanced with added proteins if a guest should so choose (or whole roasted mushrooms should they want to stick with vegetarian) or done over rice should we have a vegan guest.
