Scarpetta (NYC) recommendations for dinner

Here's a recent review:
LINK

Someone posted a review here, and I ended up Googling their spaghetti recipe. It was amazing. Best pasta I've ever made.

Supposedly they're known for it.

It's actually just whole tomatoes. Let me snag the recipe.

quote:

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Ingredients

3 ounces spaghetti, high-quality dried or fresh
Salt
6 ounces tomato sauce (recipe follows)
4 large leaves of basil
1/2 tablespoon butter, unsalted
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
8 ripe plum tomatoes
1/4 of a can San Marzano tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of red chili flakes
Pinch of kosher salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, whole
2 stems of basil, leaves on
Pinch of red chili flakes
Note: Vary the ratio of canned to fresh tomatoes according to the season. If fresh, flavorful tomatoes are available, use all fresh; if tomatoes lack some flavor, supplement with canned.
Procedures

1
Place a large pot of water on the stove. Heavily season with salt, until it tastes as salty as a broth would. Bring to a boil.

2
Roll basil leaves into a cylinder and thinly cut lengthwise into a chiffonade. Set aside.

3
Cook the spaghetti in the water and remove when it is just shy of al dente—depending on the pasta, 3 minutes for fresh, 10 minutes for dried.

4
While the pasta is cooking, place the sauce into a sauté pan and heat slowly. Allow the sauce to reduce slightly. Add the pasta to the sauté pan along with a bit of pasta water, to add starch and seasoning.

5
Add the pasta to the sauce, and allow to finish cooking, over medium high heat. The sauce should coat the pasta and look cohesive. When you shake the pan, the sauce and pasta should move together.

6
Remove from the heat and add the basil, cheese, butter, and extra virgin olive oil. Toss until well incorporated.

7
Adjust the seasoning and serve immediately.

8
Tomato Sauce

9
yields 2 cups

10
Place a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Prepare an ice bath by placing ice in a bowl and filling with cold water. Core tomatoes with a paring knife, and discard cores. Score the bottom of each tomato with an "X." When water has come to a boil, place tomatoes in water and leave for 15 seconds, until skin begins to split away. Transfer to ice bath. When cool, peel with paring knife.

11
Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Remove seeds with your thumb, and set seeded tomatoes aside. Reserve seeds and excess juices. If using canned tomatoes, seed in the same way.

12
In a new pot, place 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, carefully transfer tomatoes to the pot. Add a pinch of salt and chili flakes.

13
Allow the tomatoes to cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften, then smash them with a potato masher. If the consistency is particularly thick, strain excess tomato juices for seeds and add to pot. Allow tomatoes to cook 30 to 45 minutes over medium heat, smashing and stirring occasionally.

14
While the tomatoes are cooking, prepare the basil-garlic oil. Take a small saucepan and place the remaining 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil in the pan. Add garlic cloves, basil, and chili flakes. Slowly heat to allow the flavors to transfer to the oil. When the garlic is lightly browned, remove from the heat. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Strain the oil and combine with the tomato mixture.

15
Remove the sauce from the heat and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, as needed.

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Don't expect anything with red onions on the menu.

Gladly

There were four of us…the place was beautiful, and the staff was extremely pleasant and helpful.

We started off splitting the creamy polenta



I had the spaghetti. It was just absolutely amazing, far better than I ever could have imagined.



the lady had tagliolini.



here is the short rib and bone marrow agnolotti. it was rich but delicious. glad i only had a bite, not sure i could have had an entire meal of it, but the bite i had was great.



not pictured is the R2R recommendation, but it was also great. seriously excellent restaurant. not that i'm a fine dining expert by any means, but i can't imagine having much better than this.

it was.

that creamy polenta was like italian grits so damn good

the description on the menu said "fricassee of truffled mushrooms"

here's a link to the recipe, which i believe is the recipe they use

LINK

quote:

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About 1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
about 8 oz mixed domestic and wild mushrooms, sliced or cut into naturally occurring pieces, about 2 cups
1/2 cup homemade chicken reduction or purchased chicken reduction, diluted with water to liquid.
1 tbsp snipped chives
about 1/2 tsp white truffle oil
In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring until the shallots just begin to color on their edges. Add the mushrooms and cook until the liquid is released. Add the chicken reduction, bring to a boil, reduce to a bubbling simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. (You can prepare the mushrooms ahead up to this point; reheat them over medium-high heat just before serving)

Have the polenta portioned out into warm bowls. Just before serving, reheat the mushrooms if necessary. Toss the mushrooms with the chives and drizzle a little of the truffle oil over the mushrooms. Be careful not to cook the truffle oil more than a few seconds, because the flavor (and the "breathe") dissipates quickly. Spoon some mushrooms and some of the cooking juices over each serving of polenta.

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I want to. Put some duck confit up in dat bitch...would a little of that work?