Stop worrying and make your own traditions
David Rocco sees recipes as a mere guideline, believing in adapting food to taste
There’s a pinch, a scant and my favourite, “to taste” when it comes to recipes calling for a vague amount of a seasoning or garnish.
In David Rocco’s new book, David Rocco’s Dolce Famiglia ($40, Harper Collins), the acronym QB (short for Quanto Basta, or “as much as you need and no more”) appears throughout to allow home cooks to build confidence in their seasoning skills.
“It’s a reminder that you are the master of your own dish and that you should always adapt it to your tastes,” he writes in the opening of his Italian cookbook.
“If it’s the height of summer and your ingredients are luscious and fresh, you might naturally alter proportions slightly just because things taste different.
“Quanto Basta is also a great metaphor for living a balanced life: use what you need, no more and leave something for another person and another day.”
There’s a level of forgiveness to Rocco’s dishes.
The jet-lagged TV host was in Naples the night before his early morning arrival in the Toronto Star’s test kitchen.
He’s making a big bowl of soupy squid and chickpea pasta from Famiglia, which he says is still good if the cook accidentally reduced the sauce too much, smashed the chickpeas too much or too little, or forgot to put in the seafood altogether (“it’s fine, the chickpeas give enough protein,” he says).
The recipe is laid out in front of him with measuring cups and spoons at the ready, but Rocco decides to “wing it” for this cooking demo.
He pours the wine straight from the bottle rather than measuring the half cup, pinching the red chili flakes after asking if the newsroom likes it hot and pouring the pasta straight from the box, gauging how much to pour not by what’s written in the book but by asking me, “So, how hungry are you right now?”
The dishes in Rocco’s latest book are a mix of the ones he makes for his family and those he learned from others in his travels for his food and travel show, David Rocco’s Dolce Vita (Season 6 is coming out next year).
There are one-pot pasta meals such as a cauliflower puttanesca, a “lazy eggplant parmigiana” that’s baked rather than fried — so there’s room for dessert — and a zucchini flan he learned to make from a couple who runs a hostel in the northern city of Modena.
The recipes are generations old but slightly adapted to the realities of not always having fresh pasta or the best seafood. Some things are sacred, though — such as good olive oil and real parmesan.
“Part of the book is about honour- ing tradition. It’s not like Italians don’t like change; they’d sooner go out to have pad thai or dim sum,” he says, adding that he had some of the best sushi while in Naples from a Japanese-Neapolitan-Brazilian chef. “But when it comes to time-ho- noured tradition like ParmigianoReggiano or Prosciutto di Parma, they wouldn’t dare change anything about something that worked for 400 years.” Watch David Rocco in action in a video on thestar.com.
David Rocco’s Calamari and Chickpea Pasta
Star Tested Ditalini is pasta shaped like little tubes and is best for soups as it can fit on a spoon. Brands like Barilla and De Cecco make them, but you can also find them at bulk food stores or Italian grocers.
Mussels or clams can be substituted for squid, but can be omitted altogether to make the dish vegetarian (Rocco also likes to sub in lentils for chickpeas). Don’t worry about the wine when giving this to the kids as the alcohol will cook off, leaving just the wine’s sweet and tart aromatics that brings out the briny taste of the seafood (buy the cheap half-bottles at the LCBO’s checkout and save the good stuff in your rack for sipping). Finally, pesto adds an herbal, garlicky kick. Rocco has a recipe for pesto in his book, but I used the storebought kind and the world continues to turn.
2 cups (500 mL) dry ditalini pasta 1tbsp (15 mL) olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 finely chopped small yellow onion 1 tsp (5 mL) red chili flakes, plus more to taste 1 cup (250 mL) halved cherry tomatoes 2 cups (591-mL can) cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 small bunch flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, roughly chopped, plus more for garnish 1lb (450 g) fresh squid, cleaned and cut into small rings or bite-sized pieces 1/2 cup (125 mL) dry white wine such as Chardonnay 1 tbsp (15 mL) pesto, optional Black pepper, to taste Freshly grated parmesan, to taste
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving pasta water. Set aside.
While pasta is cooking, prepare sauce. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions. Stir for 1 minute. Add chili flakes. Continue to stir until onions begin to soften and become translucent.
Add tomatoes, chickpeas and parsley. Let cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until tomatoes begin to fall apart. Using back of spatula or spoon, mash some of chickpea mixture to create a creamy consistency. Add squid and wine. Turn heat up to medium-high. Stir until squid is opaque and no longer translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add cooked pasta to skillet with pesto, if using. Add 1/2 cup to 1 cup of reserved pasta water to skillet, depending on if you want a dry or soupy dish.
Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer pasta to serving plates. Garnish with parmesan, parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.
David Rocco’s Sweet Carrozza
Star Tested This easy breakfast/dessert is, in a nutshell, French toast sandwiched with Nutella, sliced banana and mascarpone. Rocco says the acidity of the cream cheese tempers the overly sweetness of the Nutella, and the banana adds, well, you need some sort of fruit for a balanced breakfast, right?
2 large eggs 4 thick-cut slices white sandwich bread 2 tbsp (30 mL) Nutella 2 tbsp (30 mL) mascarpone 1 ripe banana, sliced into rounds 1 tsp (5 mL) olive oil Icing/powdered sugar, for dusting
Beat eggs in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
Take two slices of bread and spread Nutella on one and mascarpone on the other. Place half of banana rounds on one bread slice and sandwich other one on top. Repeat with other bread and remaining spread. Cut off sandwich crusts if desired.
In a medium-sized skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Dip sandwiches into beaten eggs, coating both sides. Fry sandwiches on skillet until both sides are golden brown, about 1 minute per side.
Transfer sandwiches to serving plates. Cut in half diagonally and dust with icing sugar to finish. Serve immediately. Makes 2 sandwiches. karonliu@thestar.ca