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’E Curti is a small, excellent osteria in a city known as Sant’Anastasia, which is perched on the slopes of Vesuvius about 13km north-east of Naples. We made a detour and stopped there two summers in the past, because of the trusty Gradual Meals osteria information (though no because of my navigating). One of many specialities at ’E Curti is spaghetti with dried nuts and fruit, capers, olives, herbs and a neighborhood number of tomatoes known as pomodori piennoli. The dish happened as a approach of utilizing up the dried fruit and nuts left over from Christmas, and its title, ’O sicchje ra munnezza, is a humorous nod to this resourcefulness – ’O sicchje which means “bin” and ra munnezza “garbage” in Neapolitan dialect.
Such joking is feasible solely in case you are assured of how good one thing is. And the mix of tomatoes collapsed in extra-virgin olive oil and the feel from the assorted nuts, the slight sweetness from the fruit and the defiantly savoury capers and olives, all held in a twisted internet of spaghetti, is extraordinarily good. Which is in no small half because of the native olive oil and flavour of the pomodori piennoli, significantly as a result of they are often hung and stored for months, wrinkling and growing in richness. That stated, it’s completely a dish that may be recreated with different tomatoes, particularly candy cherry or datterini tomatoes, and even tinned plum tomatoes (that you just just like the style of) drained of their juice. Having the ability to recreate that is additionally because of a recipe straight from ’E Curti itself that’s fantastic in its specificity, suggesting (amongst different elements): 16 pine nuts, 10 raisins, 18 capers, eight olives, half a kilo of tomatoes and 1kg spaghetti for eight folks.
Studying the recipe, I used to be reminded of a good friend and prepare dinner who as soon as gave me a recipe for doughnuts by which he specified the exact quantity, in grams, of jam to be syringed into each. Proportions for pleasure, he famous. I had by no means identified him to be something like so particular, so I knew it have to be vital. And he was proper – they had been proportions for pleasure. It’s the identical with this recipe for ’O sicchje ra munnezza: the elements might sound modest, however they work. And bear in mind, they don’t seem to be a lot an encompassing sauce, however a well-flavoured, well-balanced condiment to go together with spaghetti; search for a good-quality model of pasta, extruded by way of bronze, so it has the feel of best sandpaper.
After all, you may determine your proportions for pleasure are wildly completely different from these famous right here. You may want 15 raisins as a substitute of 5, say, or to measure your capers by the handful – you understand your elements and your individual style. Don’t, although, skimp on the extra-virgin olive oil: it’s the basis of the recipe. Use the most effective bottle you could have and ensure to maintain checking that the flame beneath the pan shouldn’t be too excessive. A gradual sizzle brings out the most effective in these elements, even when they’re garbage.
Garbage spaghetti – ’O sicchje ra munnezza
Prep 15 min
Prepare dinner 10 min
Serves 4
6-8 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed gently, so it’s cut up however nonetheless complete
1 tbsp raisins, soaked in heat water for 10 minutes
35g walnuts, roughly chopped
35g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
8 pine nuts
9 capers
250g cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
A pinch of dried oregano
4 stoned olives, roughly chopped
A small handful of parsley, minced
400g spaghetti
Convey a big pan of water to a boil for the spaghetti. In a big frying pan set over a medium-low warmth, heat the oil and garlic for a few minutes, then add the drained raisins, chopped nuts, pine nuts and capers, and let all the pieces prepare dinner gently for a couple of minutes.
Add the tomatoes, elevate the warmth in order that they sizzle for 4 to 5 minutes, then add the oregano, olives and parsley. Stir, then take the pan off the warmth and canopy.
Salt the pasta water, stir, add the spaghetti and boil till al dente. As soon as it’s prepared, drain the spaghetti or – higher nonetheless – use a spider sieve to elevate it straight into the sauce. Toss vigorously and serve instantly.
