Week 51 - Vatican City and Yeman

We loved Rome when we visited 5 years ago, and ate some wonderful food. The Vatican city was an experience, we are religious, although not catholic, it was deeply moving. So I was surpised to learn that there was a meal that could be attributed to the Vatican city. Obviously, it was Pasta but as they say when in rome....

As for Yeman, well I know we had a dish from there, but I cannot for the life of remember what it was - let alone find it. I think it was a biryani, so I have gone 

The Pope's Fettuccine, Fettuccine alla papalina

 Serves 4

Ingredients

3Tbsp butter

1 onion, finely chopped

4oz proscuitto, diced

3large eggs

2Tbsp heavy cream

1 1/2cups Parmesan(Reggiano)

1lb fettuccine noodles

cracked black pepper, as desired but a lot 

Instructions

Whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese. Set the mixture aside. Boil your noodles, drain, and toss them with a bit of oil or butter to keep them from sticking.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, fry the onion in butter until totally soft. Typically, the onion in this pasta dish doesn’t take on colour. Be sure to adjust the heat lower so that the onion doesn’t take on colour as it cooks. Add in the proscuitto and heat it for a few moments until fragrant. Toss hot, drained noodles and turn off the heat.

Dump the egg mixture onto the hot noodles and toss thoroughly with fresh cracked pepper (or you can let your guests add their own). As you stir the ingredients together, the eggs will thicken and the cheese will melt, all thanks to the residual heat of the pasta. Be sure to add a lot of pepper. That’s half the fun of papalina.

Source: http://globaltableadventure.com/recipe/the-popes-fettuccine-fettuccine-alla-papalina/

Lamb Biryani

4 pounds of lamb–cut into medium sized pieces.
3 medium onions thinly sliced
5 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 tblsp of Oilive oil
1 tsp of minced garlic
1tsp of minced ginger
optional 1-2 green chilly peppers–cut lengthwise
2 medium tomatoes finely diced
3 tblsp of chopped cilantro, the more the merrier–for garnish
2 tbslp of yogurt [plain–whole or fat free]
Turmeric, Paprika, Red Chilli, Dill Seeds, Green Cardamom, Black Pepper, Clove, Brown Cardamom, Cumin, Allspice, Ginge a mixture of all these spices!
few threads of Saffron
3 cups of rice–half boiled.

Boil the meat in water–you can add a bay leaf to it if you like–until almost tender. In a deep pan add the oil, and once warn sautee the onions until golden brown. Then add the potatoes and let cook for 2 minutes. Add the lamb, 2 tblsp of the Shan mix spice, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, green chilly pepper, yogurt, and 1 tblsp of the cilantro. Let the flavors blend under medium heat for about 5 minutes. Then add a cup and a half of water, and let simmer for another 3 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Place in an  oven dish, big enough for the sauce and the rice. Place the sauce at the bottom, layer the rice on top, sprinkle with the saffron and about 1/4 cup of water.  Cover well with foil, and place in oven for 20-30 minutes when the rice is cooked through. Garnish with the rest of the cilantro and serve with yogurt and cucumber salad, chutney [blend a tomato, green chilly pepper, 3 tblsp of cilantro, lemon juice and salt] and a green salad.