Spaghetti alla poraccia. The recipe for recycling that ‘makes do’ with lots of onion and beef broth. Not the biggest fan of onions? "12 shallots will do, if you want to be cool. Now that you're home, you can make a lot of recipes that require long cooking times,” laughs chef-patron Luca "Leone" Zampa from his restaurant Immorale in Milan, Italy. "We at Immorale prefer ‘spaghetto quadro,’ and we also like to make it in an exotic version with coriander and fresh ginger. But if you want to add something extra to your ‘spaghetti alla poraccia,’ remove the red pepper flakes and herbs; add a knob of butter and all the white or black truffle you can afford.”
Immorale in Milan
Irreverent, brazen and ironic: this is the chef's gastronomic ‘immorality’ (so some might say). The name is inspired by the text “Ricette Immorali” by the Spanish writer Manuel Vazquez Montalban; it’s a recipe book that tells you how to cook dishes full of flavor, with a slightly spicy tone and a touch of history that entices you to love yourself – and to love better in general. After his successful experience at the helm of the restaurant Sulle Nuvole in Milan, Luca Zampa inaugurated Immorale, bringing his concept of hospitality with him. Someone called it “a woman's cuisine prepared by a male” to underline its sensitivity. The concept develops around dishes that recall the tradition of the Marche region (also Zampa’s homeland) that venture out, deliberately breaking from tradition that divide appetizer, first and second courses. Here dishes are divided into macro-contemporary categories: cereals, vegetables and animals.
The Recipe: Spaghetti alla Poraccia
Iconic is Zampa’s very own dish, ‘Spaghetti alla Poraccia,’ a provocative and apparently simple name – with an authentically tantalizing charge of flavor.
Ingredients (for 4 people):
4 yellow onions, Extra-virgin olive oil, Red pepper flakes, Fresh herbs (i.e. rosemary, thyme, parsley, sage), Aged Parmigiano cheese, Roast Sauce, 1 lb long-form pasta (spaghetti, bucatini, etc.), Salt
Method:
Julienne the onion or shallots and heat a large frying pan. Grease the pan with extra virgin olive oil, add the onion and red pepper flakes. Fry together until golden brown and season with salt. The salt will extract some of the liquid from the onion and stop the frying. Wait for it to finish cooking and the onion has caramelized a bit. Lower heat to a minimum and add all the freshly chopped herbs. Season with salt and spices. Cook the pasta al dente and drain. Transfer to a pan and mix well with the stewed onions. Add the roast sauce or more extra virgin olive oil to coat the ingredients well. Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano cheese.