Fettuccine Vaniglia

Vanilla Fettuccine

Glorious.

 Ya, that’s right- handmade fettuccine in a vanilla-tomato-pecorino sauce. This is one of the pasta course served at the restaurant and everything about it is divine. At first I was unsure of the combination, vanilla in pasta sauce? But if you are half the fan of vanilla as I am, you will enjoy it.

The fettuccine is made in house of course and dried by the breeze that comes over the hills and through the valleys below Acuto. The vanilla sauce is a very simple 2-step process which captivates all of your senses- I follow the empty pan to the dishwasher every time. Sometimes chef yells at me for nearly licking the pan, but the flavours of this dish is worth the risk.

Step One: Small tomato’s – not quite as small as cherry tomato’s but smaller than your typical vine-ripened tomato- are sliced in half to expose the flesh and seeds and spread out on a sheet pan over parchment paper with the skin side down, seeds up. The parchment paper is important here to catch all of the juices that will be released; otherwise they will cook onto the pan and go to waste- you want every last drop! The tomatoes are sprinkled with salt and sugar and a generous dose of olive oil. Baked in the oven around 175°C/350°F for about 2 hours. The goal here is to somewhat caramelize the tomatoes, some of the smallest ones will blacken a bit- this is a good thing, and some of the juices will be lingering throughout the somewhat shrivelled tomatoes. But you do not want the tomatoes to dry out, not at all, they should still be nice and wet. Some of the water around the seeds will evaporate and the goodness will reduce along with the sugar, salt and olive oil. This can be done ahead of time and even stored in your fridge for a while.

Beginning Stages...

Step Two: Over medium heat a nice glug of olive oil is poured into the pan along with a clove of garlic- not minced, not even smashed or crushed, just whole. Simmered lightly then added to this is a whole vanilla bean that has been sliced lengthwise (about a half a vanilla bean per serving) followed by about a ¼ cup of the roasted tomatoes. Swivel this around in the pan for a few moments… the faint smell of garlic is soon overwhelmed by an intense waft of vanilla and cooked tomato. The smell of this dish alone is to die for. Add 4-5 torn fresh mint leaves. Boil the fettuccine in salted water until it is cooked al dente, bring the fettuccine to the pan of simmering tomatoes, garlic, mint and vanilla along with the dripping pasta water. Spike the pan with more olive oil and toss the whole together, being sure to coat every last crevice of pasta, the sauce will thicken as the fettuccine is strung through the sauce. Using a rasp (a fine grater) grate about 2-3 tablespoons of pecorino cheese over the fettuccine, toss one last time. Twirl the fettuccine in all of its glory into large warm bowls, top with a little more pecorino and serve immediately. Don’t toss the pan in the sink, if you have a chunk of bread, be sure to soak it up quickly and eat before you guests see- it is the moment you have been waiting for.

Simmering away..
just before adding mint and pasta

This dish is quite rich so I suggest serving it in small portions before a main course, or just as a decadent treat for yourself. It is the ultimate comfort food. Be sure to master it before you serve it to loved ones, this is what I plan on doing anyways.