On the last #BUTTALAPASTA episode, Editor-in-Chief Maddalena Fossati chatted with Chef Stefano Secchi from his apartment in Manhattan. As he riffed on recipes, describing the favorite pastas he prepares for his wife and son, Chef Secchi admitted that it was his nonna who first ordered him to BUTTA LA PASTA!
For the young father, time is of the essence. When he’s not at Rezdôra, (his restaurant earned three stars from The New York Times and remains open for delivery), he’s finding time-saving shortcuts in the kitchen that work perfectly for the home-cook.
Chef Secchi recommends a quick pantry pasta, like aglio olio e peperoncino, anchovy butter pasta and a homemade pesto rigatoni. (He buys basil at the Farmer’s Market, turns it into a sauce with a bit of walnut, and freezes it in ice trays. Assolutamente buonissimo!)
Before ending the conversation, Chef Secchi indulged us with three more recipes:
Burro e Salvia. Chef Secchi cherishes this recipe from Emilia-Romagna. He slowly cooks rinds of Parmigiano cheese and butter until it’s the color of cappuccino. Then comes a bit of sage, pasta water and grated Parmigiano to top things off.
Anolini di Parma. This ravioli rendition reigns as Rezdôra’s most popular pasta. At home, Chef Secchi makes a white sauce with heavy cream, nutmeg, sea salt, and aged Parmigiano Reggiano. He warms the ingredients on low heat until they melt, then pops them into an immersion blender. Chef Secchi convinced us– it’s that simple.
Linguini Vongole. A surprising show-stopper for Chef Stecchi’s adorable toddler, who loves garlic. Combine olive oil, garlic, Italian parsley, white wine and clams. Butta la pasta. Then when almost ready, pour a bit of the salted pasta water into the pan with the pasta for an additional 30 seconds of cooking. (Note: Chef Secchi recommends one garlic clove per 20 clams, and says it should never turn golden.) Finish with fresh chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon.
Stay tuned for more Chef’s tips and recipes on the upcoming #BUTTALAPASTA Instagram Live Events on @LaCucinaItalianaUSA channel!