Favorite Recipes
Italian Air Force Pilot Gabriele Pizzuti
(I first met Gabriele Pizzuti, an Italian Air Force Instructor Pilot, when a good friend and I were flying my Grumman American AA-5 on a cross-country from San Diego, California, to Panama City, Florida. Moments after I landed at Shreveport, Louisiana, Gabriele landed with a flight-of-four T-37’s, being flown by his Italian Air Force student-pilots who were receiving jet training at Wichita Falls, Texas. We talked briefly in flight operations---not about weather but about who had the best wine and extra virgin olive oil, Romans or Sicilians. Six months later when I happened to be in the area, Gabriele invited me to “The Best Italian Restaurant in Texas” … his house. The food, of course, was excellent, so too was the conversation.)
GABRIELE'S PASTA ALLA AMATRICIANA
2 ounces prosciutto, cut in 1/4" squares
2 Tablespoons diced white onion
1 Tablespoon butter
4 Tablespoons Cavallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Cups peeled and sliced tomatoes, undrained
Salt and black pepper to taste
Put prosciutto, onion, butter, and olive oil in a wide frying pan.
Fry the prosciutto-onion mixture at low heat, so that the
butter does not burn.
Do not cook too much because the prosciutto will get hard.
This process should take no more than 10 minutes.
Add tomatoes and undrained juice.
Cover and cook for one hour at medium heat.
Stir every 15 minutes.
Then remove the cover and continue to cook but just enough
to remove the excess water from the sauce.
Cook papperdelle pasta to taste.
Pairs with well Cavallo Nero d'Avola-Merlot and Rallo Alao
Serves 4-6