food talk
Taste of Italy
Though not as popular as Chinese fare, Italian food is a gourmet’s delight. Pushpesh Pant on how to be both Penne-wise and pocket friendly

We have always been intrigued by the fact that while Indians have gladly adopted and adapted Chinese noodles as chow mien and myriad other manifestations, they have been reluctant to give a fair try to any other similar dish—spaghetti, fusily or penne. Well, to be honest, the Brits did try their best to gift us the baked macaroni as a continental delicacy suitable for the hard-core vegetarian but it failed miserably to win friends or influence people. It is seldom encountered outside recipe books in our land.

The Italians favour strongly spiced food, have a penchant for tomatoes and tomato sauce, are not inhibited about chilly peppers and really love cheese. Compared to other Europeans, they are not obsessive carnivores and yes, they do consume large quantities of risotto—a paler cousin of aromatic pulav. These affinities should have given Italian cuisine a head start in the subcontinent.

Part of the reason seems to be that till recently good quality pasta was difficult to get and somehow, good old pizza—pushed lustily by multinational fast food chains and their native clones—seemed to offer much better value for money. The pizza, unlike the pasta, did not present a challenge to handle with care. More than one diner can easily share a pizza topped with sundry goodies, and if you wish to splurge, extra toppings can be ordered. It is only now that Italian flavours have begun to tempt the Indian palate.

Trying out Sartoria, a new Italian eatery in Delhi, we were pleasantly surprised by the just-like-home quality of the penne served there. Freshly prepared tomato sauce redolent of herbs was what made it stand out. Freshly ground black peppercorns drizzled from the handy pepper mill enhanced the pleasure manifold reminding us that simplicity often holds the key to sublime sensory delights. Now that we recollect, maybe there was just a hint of grated Parmesan; the only jarring note was struck by the bill, this essentially rustic, robust fare came with a price tag of Rs 250 plus. If you prepare this one-dish meal for a family of four at home, it will cost you a little more than one tenth of this. Excellent imported penne and other varieties of pasta is available easily these days and a la dente pasta can be obtained by even the novice, if instructions on the packaging are followed. What is important is to resist the temptation to douse the penne in bottled ketchup. What lends it distinction is freshly made tomato sauce—much lighter, aromatic and flavourful. Herbs too are not hard to get in convenient miniature bottles.

Penne, contrary to popular misconception, is not made with difficult to digest maida but with nourishing suji. It is a lifesaver when guests drop in unexpectedly or you have to rustle up something in a jiffy for the kids. Great as a side dish for a party lending a touch of the exotic— effortlessly.

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