Inside the Arthur Avenue Retail Market, a covered food hall busy with grocers, specialty importers, and small restaurants, old folks come in the afternoon to munch on antipasti, read the paper, and watch soccer.
For Mike’s Deli’s owner, David Greco, the neighborhood traditions remain strong. “Some of our customers have been coming since before I was born,” he said.
David began working behind the counter of his father’s deli when he was 12 years old. His father, the late Mike Greco, known as the “Lion of Belmont,” ran the eponymous deli for decades before passing it on to David.
Every day, David molds fresh mozzarella by hand and takes customers’ orders from behind a dangling wall of cured sausage and aged cheese. David is an accomplished cook. He once showed audiences on the Food Network how to fry eggplants and turn them into eggplant parmesan. During the pandemic, he delivered meals to the healthcare staff at St. Barnabas Hospital just up the way.
David gave us his recipe for a farfalle pasta tossed in a rich mushroom sauce of mascarpone and cream, a favorite among customers.
The Recipe: Farfalle ai Funghi by Mike’s Deli
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1/2-ounce dry porcini mushrooms and 1/2ounce dry cremini mushrooms (2 ounces if you’re feeling extravagant)
1-pound farfalle
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 shallots, peeled and diced
10 button mushrooms, sliced
4 ounces’ mascarpone
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
In a small saucepan, bring 1 pint of water to a boil, then add the porcini and cremini mushrooms. Allow to boil for 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let mushrooms steep in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add the pasta, and cook it al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes.
In a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Then sauté the shallots, until lightly browned for about 5 to 8 minutes. Drain the mushrooms, saving the water. Chop them and add to the pan with the shallots. Sauté 4 to 5 minutes until the mushrooms are lightly golden.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the mascarpone and the cream. Stir slowly until everything blends. Add half the mushroom water and the parmesan cheese. Let this sauce reduce so it thickens a little, about 10 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from the heat and allow it to come to room temperature. Put the mushroom mixture into the blender and mix until the mushrooms are in tiny pieces. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the mushroom sauce, and the farfalle. Mix well until heated through and serve hot.