Bottega - Michael Chiarello [45]
Feed the dough into the pasta machine, and then gently take the dough from underneath the machine and fold it into thirds lengthwise, pressing it down with the heel of your hand. Feed the dough back into the machine so it presses the three layers together. Change the setting of the rollers, decreasing it by one setting. Lightly flour the dough and run it through the machine again. Change the machine’s setting again, lowering it by two settings, lightly flour the dough, and run the dough through again. Repeat three more times, decreasing the width of the roller setting and flouring the dough each time before rolling. (Altogether, you’ll pass the dough through the machine six times, adjusting the setting for pasta thickness each time. Lightly flour the dough after each pass; if the dough is sticky it can tear while going through the machine.) Gently lay the dough on a lightly floured surface and cover it with a barely damp, clean towel. Let rest for 10 minutes. Cut the pasta with the pasta machine, or roll it up and cut it by hand, into 1/4-inch-wide ribbons.
Lay the tomato slices on a large serving platter, overlapping them in concentric circles. Drizzle the olive oil over the tomato slices and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
FOR THE BREAD CRUMBS: Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. When it foams, add the garlic and sauté until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the bread crumbs and stir until well mixed. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (see Note). Add the pasta and cook for 3 minutes, or until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, bread crumbs, and chopped mint. Add ½ cup of the reserved pasta water, or more if needed. Using tongs, transfer the pasta to the platter on top of the seasoned tomato slices. Sprinkle with the shredded mint and pecorino. Serve, making sure each person gets tomato slices with his or her pasta.
A Yelp Star
The most entertaining part of reading about Bottega online is discovering what diners have to say about our staff. Joël Hoachuck, Bottega’s general manager, gets a lot of online commentary. Although many folks can’t resist discussing Joël’s moustache, eventually you’ll read words like welcoming, warm, and hospitable. I love these comments because that’s how I see Joël, too. He has embodied the spirit of hospitality since he walked onto the floor at Tra Vigne fifteen years ago.
Joël has managed Thomas Keller’s fantastic Bouchon, has been a key figure at Auberge du Soleil, and was general manager at Dean & Deluca. Each and every time we bumped into each other, he has embodied that warm, welcoming spirit. When Joël heard I was opening a restaurant, he opened up that wonderful heart of his for Bottega.
The quality of Joël’s work goes unmatched. He never complains and never argues. (And for a chef to not argue with his G.M. is almost unheard of.) Best of all, Joël truly welcomes the people who come to Bottega and extends to them a sincere interest that (judging from all those online comments) stays with them long after they’ve left the Napa Valley. Because of Joël, we have the best service of any restaurant that I’ve been involved with.
Tagliarini with Manila Clams and Calabrese Sausage
SERVES 6 TO 8
In different incarnations, this has been a part of my repertoire for twenty-five years. It’s one of my all-time favorites, and all it needs is a jet-cold glass of Pinot Grigio or a Bianco from Friuli to make it sing. Add some blanched rapini (broccoli rabe) to round out the meal.
Like many of my favorite dishes, this one began with fishermen. They brought dried sausages on their boats, caught clams, and cooked the two together for supper. You’ll find variations of this shellfish-and-cured-pork idea in China, Portugal, Spain