With Grappa In His Carbonara

Pelagia Now Makes Its Pasta Fabrizio’s Way

by Marty Martindale

When 2008 was brand new, Chef Fabrizio, Pelagia Trattoria’s executive chef, announced: “We’ll make all our Ravoli, Pappardelle, Tagliatella Gnocci right here, and people will love it. They will come back and back,” he predicted. Today Americans eat close to 20 pounds of pasta each year, and doughs are fashioned into some 350 different shapes. The tomato didn’t meet up with pasta until the 16th century when Spanish explorers brought it to Europe from the New World. However, a recipe containing tomatoes and pasta did not go on record until 1839. The messiness of the mixture, some believe, caused the introduction of the fork, improving table manners greatly.

Here’s a recent Fabrizio pasta sampler, and the pasta scene changes frequently:

Much to Fabrizio’s supporters’ delight, Fabrizio frequently speaks in recipes. When it comes to his Carbonara, he wants grappa in it. “I like to use Speck and sautée it with a little bit of olive oil and black pepper, than I flambé with the grappa, let it evaporate for few seconds and add the mixture of eggs yolk, heavy cream and Pecorino cheese. I finish the dish with chopped parsley and a little bit of tarragon, because it goes well with grappa.”  Speck is a best-kept U.S. secret. It is produced in Northern Italy, cut from the rear leg of a hog, cured with juniper and salt and cold-smoked over beech and maple wood. Then the Spec is aged a minimum of 22 weeks.

“For Bolognese, I like the old school,” Fabrizio explains. “We cook three meats -- pork, veal and beef for about six hours, then we add tomato, red wine, garlic, carrot and bay leaf.” He serves it with Pappardelle, a long, wide pasta and tops it with shaved Pecorino. 

When it comes to his Ravioli, “First we cook a veal shoulder four or five hours, then we shred it by hand, we don’t buy it that way. Next we add a bit of Fontina cheese and just a couple of tomatoes to give it a taste,” he continues. “Then we stuff the ravioli and sauté them in a little bit of butter, with thyme and some wild mushrooms.” The Pelagia Trattoria’s kitchen makes about 600 to 700 of them per week.

Fabrizio stays with the traditional potato gnocci. “First we melt four cheeses – Gorgonzola, Provolone, Parmigiano and a bit of Caciocavallo -- we melt it together, like a fondue,” he smiles. This potion is then seasoned, and he adds a bit of traditional pesto. “Gnocchi is easy,” he explains, “It’s a mix of 90 percent cooked, peeled potatos, 10 percent flour, mix it with nutmeg, a couple of eggs and some flour. Work it really fast, roll it and cut it with a spatula.” He cooks them in boiling water. Once they float 30 to 40 seconds, they’re done. Every culture has its dumplings. Gnocchi is a German word and means “lump” or “knot.”

Schenardi explains two different pasta methods:  For instance, he doesn’t put any semolina in his ravioli. He uses “00” white flour with the eggs for a different texture. He doesn’t like a crunchy edge to his ravioli, for it needs to be softer, he feels. For his Tagliatella and Pappardelle, he likes to use semolina, “It makes better al dente.” He adds a bit of saffron and some white wine in his Tagliatella dough.

Pasta figures in Italian desserts, as well. Fabrizio describes Bugie, a dish he and his family ate at carnivals in Italy. “It is a pasta dough, with a little bit of butter, a glass of Marsalla, a little bit of sugar, mix it like pasta, open it up, cut it and fry them and put powdered sugar on top.” A second pasta-based dessert, he likes is, “A sweet Tortellini dough, and we put chocolate ganache and banana inside. We boil it in water and serve it with a coulis of strawberry and lemon. People love it!”

All satisfying meals should end well, and Fabrizio oversees his growing collection of fruit-cured grappas. These reside on the top shelf of his grappa table in Pelagia’s dining room. Each bottle has a chained sign around its neck denoting its flavor: coffee, orange, mint, raspberry and watermelon with key lime. On the lower table level, new flavors are developing: citrus with sage, kiwi, pomegranate/honey, also a cinnamon/grapefruit. “Our grappa is much smoother, because I cure it about two months by adding the sugar, honey, and different fresh flavorings. For pure, unflavored Grappa, I use Grappa di Barolo. Either way. People like it,” he smiles.  

 “Ciao!”

Marty Martindale’s site is:  FOOD SITE OF THE DAY

Stylishly located adjacent to the Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza, PELAGIA Trattoria offers breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.  Dinner reservations are recommended. Complimentary valet parking is available to all restaurant guests.