A Taste of Italy

September 2009

by Rebecca Falzano
Photography François Gagné

Our September Feast, “Little Italy,” tells the story of Bob and Laura Butler and their piece of Italy, Rachel’s L’Osteria, off the Portland peninsula on Woodford Street. The two-person show includes Laura as the one and only chef and Bob as the main server and sommelier. Their unique partnership is complemented by Italian dishes done right, including this one below which they’ve kindly shared the recipe for.

 

Manzo Tagliate e Pasta con Funghj e Formaggio
(Marinated Skirt Steak over Pasta with mushrooms and cheese)

Serves 4-6

SKIRT STEAK
1 lb skirt steak- marinated as follows
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp of good balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
1 clove fresh garlic- minced
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp tomato paste
Pinch of chopped fresh rosemary
½ cup of chopped Italian parsley

Whisk together. Coat the steak. Marinate for 6 hours or overnight


MUSHROOM PASTA
½ lb shittake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
½ lb Portobello mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 cup wilted Vidalia onions (slice and simmer covered over low heat in olive oil)
1 bulb roasted  garlic
olive oil
½ cup chicken stock
1 to ½ cups heavy cream
2 tbsp of chopped fresh rosemary
Black pepper
1 cup shredded Fontina val D’aosta cheese
½ cup pecorino romano cheese

1 lb Rigatoni Gigante Pasta cooked al dente


To make the sauce:

Coat a sauce pan with olive oil. Heat over medium heat. Add the roasted garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and cook until they begin to shrink. Add the onions along with the chicken broth and rosemary. Reduce for about 5 minutes. Add the 1 cup of cream and continue to reduce the cream for 5 more minutes, until it begins to thicken.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Keep the sauce warm and boil the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, cook the skirt steak strips to your liking. When done, keep warm on a plate.

When the pasta is nearly done, add the Fontina cheese. Melt the cheese into the sauce over low heat not allowing it to stick or burn. If too thick, add the remaining cream. Pour cooked pasta into a bowl and add the sauce. Mix together. When mixed well, add the pecorino cheese along with the chopped Italian parsley. Place the pasta on a large platter.
Slice the steak and place on top of the pasta and drizzle with the au jus.

Open a yummy Chianti Reserva from Italia and enjoy the party!