This weekend I did some experimenting with ingredients.  One effort was built around two artisan flours from Italy, Pane Nero and Maiorca,  from Sicily.   Gustiamo is the source for these in the US.  I decided to try making ravioli, using the leftover filling of almond milk ricotta and cavolo nero from Barbara’s baked Eggplant Parmigiano.  I tried the dough with 20% Pane Nero and 80% Maiorca.

It was a challenge, since I had not used these before.  I tried my standard pasta-making recipe of 200 grams of flour, one large egg, salt, a little olive oil and a little water.  Unfortunately, I probably needed more water, because the dough was very hard and had difficulty staying together.  I persisted, and eventually was able to make 16 hand-cut ravioli.  I cooked them in a wide pan of salted water, and then finished with a sauce of fresh tomato, chopped onion, garlic, and ginger.  The final results were good, served with an outstanding Sauvignon Blanc from Italy.

My other experiment was with seitan — made from vital wheat gluten, whose texture is somewhat akin to that of meat.  Since sautéed veal cutlets and veal tidbits grilled over a wood fire were among my favorite meats in my omnivorous days past, I tried to get a bit of that feel in the dish.  I sliced the seitan like a few cutlets, and also cut some smaller pieces to resemble tidbits.  After dusting them with flour and salt, I sautéed them in olive oil in a good cast iron skillet.  Then I cooked some chopped red onions, and after that, some cubed potatoes.  Finally, they all went back in the pan to heat up and serve.  Results were tolerable.  It’s not veal, but they were close enough to conjure up the images.

Seitan with Red Onions and Potatoes

Lunch had been so good, it was challenging to find another place close, but new to me.  As I walked around that afternoon, I found a lovely art deco reminder of why I love the Gramercy Park area.

On the next block I found a small, neighborhood Italian restaurant that intrigued me, so I made a solo reservation for 7:00 PM.  Much to my delight, the restaurant (Novità) turned out to be the style of the intimate French restaurants I knew and loved in the city during the 1960’s and 70’s.  Family-owned, regular local customers, very good food and wine, visually delightful and warm, it was the perfect choice as the snow began to come down Tuesday night.  And it was one block from my apartment — my feet would stay dry that night.

Dinner was first, a grilled wild mushroom salad (light touch on the olive oil) with baby spinach, followed by pasta with black truffles.  I think I had a glass of Barbaresco, but honestly, I can not remember.  Dessert is not on my list of things to eat, but a glass of Amaro was greatly welcomed.

Wednesday arrived, with the gathering snow, as promised, although it was mixed with freezing rain during the morning.  That was enough for me to eat leftover guacamole and the smoothie I brought from home for breakfast, and I didn’t venture out until my stomach reminded me it was lunchtime.  The weather was beginning to get ugly, so I went with the nearest known quantity, namely Maialino, a Danny Meyer restaurant immediately across the street from me.  I had been there twice previously and was not impressed (almost all of his restaurant are outstanding), but I was ready for pasta and this was VERY close at hand.

Properly garbed with several layers underneath, I put on my baby Alpaca coat (light and very warm) and my Borsalino hat, opened my portable umbrella, and marched the 75 feet across the street to the restaurant.  I ordered the Cacio e Pepe and a side dish of Roasted Carrot, Anchovy, Garlic & Pickled Chili, accompanied by a glass of the house Bianco.  To my delight, the pasta was perfect, so it was a success.

Wednesday afternoon was dedicated to acquiring the right footwear, stopping briefly at the Union Square Greenmarket to buy microgreens from Two Guys from Woodbridge (CT), visiting another wine store (for a bottle of Cesanese), and planning my trek to Harlem.  Jan and Jennifer have a lovely apartment in Harlem, made a delicious dinner with pasta and lentils, and several side dishes of wonderful vegetables, plus a variety of wines.  They showed me the photos of the house being renovated in the Bronx, and then packed me up with more wine, olive oil, and warm wishes to send me back home.  Fortunately, the snow stopped late that night, so the drive home on Thursday was easy, and it took only 4 1/2 hours with stops along the way.

As I began to depart from the city, I stopped at Eataly Vino for my errant case of wine.  Lenny obligingly came out to the car and loaded it in the back.   I asked if I could quote him on “Living on the edge…”, and he graciously agreed, adding that it was not his line, but rather borrowed from his father-in-law, so I thanked them both and drove off.