Recently, while reading “Amarcord,” the life story of the much-revered Italian cooking teacher Marcella Hazan, I suddenly felt a deep longing for good, proper Italian food. I guess that’s the same effect the book has on other readers, too, what with the way Hazan described Italian dishes.
There’s the cappelletti—tender, cap-shaped, freshly rolled dumpling stuffed with slices of capon, mortadella, ricotta, eggs, Parmigiano cheese and nutmeg and simmered in capon broth. Hazan also talked about the small Adriatic clams sautéed in olive oil, garlic and parsley, eaten with crusty bread, and the amazingly sweet fresh red beets cooked over wood fire then seasoned with salt, red wine vinegar and olive oil.
For Hazan, as it is for all true Italian cooks, Italian cooking is all about simplicity and freshness of ingredients.
Luckily, there are a few good Italian restaurants in Manila, one of them being Tosca in Dusit Thani Hotel.
The pasta dishes in Tosca are hearty. The sauce for the spaghetti Bolognese, for instance, is de-glazed with wine and simmered slowly for two hours. The ravioli has a stuffing of Parma ham and Taleggio cheese and is served with truffle on cherry tomatoes.
The steaks are equally sumptuous. At lunch one day we had the US Angus rib-eye, which was brought to us, still on the bone, lying on a cutting board then carved into pink, juicy slices tableside. Although the menu says it’s good for two persons, with 21 ounces of meat it can well serve three or four.
But it was the antipasti that really caught my attention. On weekdays an abundant buffet of antipasti comes with the lunch. Choices include Parma ham, Coppa ham, potato salad with oil and vinegar, Ligurian olives, salami Milano, Sicilian green olives in brine, sun-dried tomatoes, assorted Italian cheeses (including Taleggio, Grana Padano and Gorgonzola), mussels, octopus, mushrooms and salad greens.
A classic soup served in Tosca that isn’t often found in Manila’s Italian restaurants is Zuppa Pavese, a hearty, filling soup from the town of Pavia in southwestern Lombardy. Made with beef broth, the soup is ladled into a bowl where awaits a slice of bread that had been sprinkled with cheese and topped with a perfectly poached egg. As the liquid is being ladled, the bread and the egg rise to the top, adding a somewhat dramatic flair to the presentation of the dish.
Now that rainy days seem to outnumber the sunny ones, you may want to try cooking this classic, comforting Italian soup from a recipe provided by Dusit Thani Hotel.
(Tosca Italian Restaurant: Mezzanine Level, Dusit Thani Hotel, Ayala Center, Makati. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Call tel. 2388888.)
Zuppa Pavese
Makes four servings
For the eggs:
- 8 c water
- tsp vinegar
- 4 fresh eggs
For the beef broth:
- 6 c water
- 3 beef broth cubes
For the bread:
- 2 slices crusty Italian bread (such as ciabatta)
- ¼ c butter
- ½ c grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Poach the eggs: In a large, deep saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add vinegar. Lower heat so that the water simmers gently. Break an egg into a cup. With a heat-proof spatula, stir the water in the pan to create a “swirl.” This will help hold the egg. Carefully slide the egg into the swirling, simmering water. Immediately fold the egg white into the yolk so as to completely cover the yolk with the white. Cook just until the egg white is set and the yolk is still runny, around one to two minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a strainer with a handle, gently scoop the egg from the water and transfer to a clean plate. Repeat with remaining eggs (you can use the same water).
Toast the bread: Spread butter on each bread, then slice each bread into half lengthwise (you will have four pieces). Sprinkle each piece of bread with Parmesan cheese. Toast the bread until cheese melts and bread becomes crunchy. Set aside.
Prepare the broth: In a large saucepan or deep casserole, bring the 6 c water to a boil. Add beef broth cubes and simmer until broth cubes are completely dissolved. Note: You can also use your favorite homemade beef broth recipe or a good quality canned beef broth.
To serve: To serve four, you will need four separate soup bowls. Arrange a piece of the prepared toasted bread on each of the four soup bowls. Carefully layer a poached egg on each bread. Ladle some beef broth on each of the soup plates, dividing equally. Top each egg with a parsley leaf. Sprinkle with additional grated cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.
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Cook’s tips:
For best results, use eggs that are very fresh.
To make it easier to poach the eggs, buy an egg poacher that can be used in the microwave.
Follow manufacturer’s instructions for poaching the eggs.
Use good quality Parmesan cheese.