Review: Spasso

Spasso is a superb little Italian restaurant deep in the West Village. We stumbled on this place back in the summertime and just managed to hit the end of brunch but oh, are we glad we made it.

Brunch anywhere in NYC wouldn't be brunch without eggs (ok, really it wouldn't be brunch without cocktails but seeing as how neither Jen or I drink, that's not in the cards). Though not prominent on the menu, Spasso is no different. What caught us by surprise is literally how perfect the poached eggs were. Being a cook, poached eggs are somewhat of a "holy grail" of dishes which take an enormous amount of work to perfect, and even at a high-end restaurant, I've seen botched terribly. 

I'd really like to make my way back there so we can try out the pasta. I'm not a big crab eater but this orecchiette looks delicious.

Of course for me I had to have a skirt steak. I neglected to take a photo of it but needless to say - perfect also.

The place is bright and charming, if not just slightly too cozy like any Village eatery, but a comfortable level of noise, atmosphere and attitude.

Spasso
551 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
212.858.3838
spassonyc.com

Images by Spasso & Gilt

Angel Hair with Pesto

Not much to it...basic angel hair pasta tossed in a spinach-based pesto with some crostini.  A little late afternoon snack.

Images by MadeForJen

Carrot Pappardelle

For vegetable lovers - a gluten-free alternative to pasta. This "pappardelle" is actually long, shaved strips of carrot that was steamed until just soft, then lightly sauteed in sun-dried tomato oil with a dash of coarse-grain grey sea salt.

The "noodles" are sitting on a bed of purple asparagus that was lightly coated with olive oil then pan-grilled with a few grains of sea salt for 2 minutes. Purple asparagus is sweeter and less fibrous than green or white versions, though the green will come out when cooked.

Images by MadeForJen

Tri-Color Penne

Another Jen mix ... tri-color penne with a mix of sauteed onions, fresh cherry tomato, capers, hearts of palm and steamed chicken breast.

One of the best things about pasta is, well, it can mix with just about anything and everything - even some of the strangest leftovers in the fridge. Here we used a relatively good amount of garlic and butter in the liquid, and tossed in a little of everything.

Images by MadeForJen

Comfort (Veggie) Mac N Cheese

I've never met anyone who doesn't love mac 'n cheese, and we're no exception.

For this one, however, we decided to add in a little extra velvety smooth with the addition of a fried egg. When cut open, the yolk adds to the texture of the cheese.

Being that Jen doesn't eat milk products, this one uses both gluten free macaroni (quinoa based) and block soy cheese, along with unflavored soy milk. Yes, I cheated a bit because I used real butter because the consistency and taste hold better when melted.

The garnish is a bit of julienned sundried tomato and some chopped basil for a little herb to offset the richness.


Enjoy!  Images by MadeForJen

Cupboard Essentials: Gnocchi

Stocking your pantry well is something of an art; being able to have enough things to whip a new creation out of a mixed bag of ingredients can be exciting but it starts with knowing what to keep on hand.

One item I highly recommend having is a couple bags of gnocchi.  I admit that fresh gnocchi is, despite its origin, an amazing delicacy. Nonetheless, a vacuum-sealed, store-bought bag can provide some amazing dishes (this brand, by the way, you can get at Walmart and many supermarkets).  Like any pasta, you can pair it with almost anything.  Guess I'll have to post some of those recipes soon :)

Image by MadeForJen

Jen's Pasta

Eating out can be detrimental to your waistline. I think everyone can agree on that. We love to eat out but we are almost always conscious of what we eat because (having worked in restaurants) most people have no idea what goes into making your food so delicious.

But another thing most people don't know is that you can often request the kitchen to make you your own creation - in fact a lot of cooks actually like it because it breaks up the monotony and gives them a chance to be a little creative.  Since Jen does not like traditional tomato-based pasta sauces and can't have milk, this was a dish she started to request at Italian places.

As nearly always, it's been simplified over time but the basic makeup is very easy and very quick.  Some of it can be pre-made (the chicken) and the rest of the ingredients we always keep in the fridge or pantry.

Ingredients:
2-3 servings of any cooked pasta (this is gluten-free penne made from quinoa and buckwheat)
1/2 lb chicken breast (or any other part if you prefer)
1/2 C julienned sundried tomato
1/2 C marinated artichoke hearts
1 small bunch of asparagus (or broccoli works well)
1 C sliced cremini mushrooms (not shown in photos - we were out)
1 C low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbs butter or margarine
1 tsp dry marjoram
1 tsp dry oregano or basil
1/4 tsp sea salt

In a hot pan, brown the salted chicken breasts in a small amount of oil.  Be careful to keep them juicy by not overcooking them.  At the same time, boil the pasta to just underdone and drain the water.

Remove the chicken from the pan and place on a plate to rest.  Put the butter and 1/2 of the chicken broth in the pan and bring to a boil. Rough chop the chicken breast. Once the broth starts to boil, add the remaining ingredients.  Bring it to a full boil, cooking the pasta to al dente and softening the asparagus. Add the remaining chicken stock and bring to a boil, reducing it by about half.  Serve and garnish.

The point to the extra broth is in fact to serve it slightly soupy, especially if you use gluten-free pasta which will soak up the extra liquid quickly.  Hope you enjoy!

Download recipe card
Images by MadeForJen

Cauliflower Alfredo

Searching for light dinners but want rich, creamy Alfredo? Try using...cauliflower!  It's true, cauliflower will give you a very smooth sauce that tastes just like Alfredo (with a few extra additions).

Recipe Card (PDF) Unbelievably, this is super easy to make as well and you don't have to watch it constantly.


Ingredients (serves 3-4)
Pasta (any type you like, prepared al dente)
1 head of cauliflower, cut into large chunks, greens removed
2 Tbs butter or alternative
1/4 C milk, soy milk or almond milk
1/2 tsp sea salt
Garnishes: bacon, sausage, mozzarella, sun-dried tomato (julienned), chopped basil, chopped arugula, capers, kalamata olives

Boil the cauliflower until very tender - about 8 minutes.  Put into a good blender or food processor along with the butter*, milk and salt.  Blend on a high setting for at 1-2 minutes until it is very smooth.  Serve on top of the pasta.

As always, the presentation and garnish is what turns the dish from blah to bling so take the time to think through the plating and use more garnish than you normally would (since the sauce is very plain, you can stack on extra).  Here's two possibilities - one with sausage and arugula, the other with bacon and sun-dried tomato - but use your imagination, and don't forget to add color (don't stick with just one, try to put in two to give it pop).

Hint - when serving pasta, it almost always looks best on a large plate instead of being crowded in a little bowl.  Make the dish stand out!