SPQR: Modern Italian Food and Wine [A Cookbook]

by Shelley Lindgren, Matthew Accarrino, Kate Leahy

Overview

A cookbook and wine guide celebrating the regional traditions and exciting innovations of modern Italian cooking, from San Francisco's SPQR restaurant.

The Roman Empire was famous for its network of roads. By following the path of these thoroughfares, Shelley Lindgren, wine director and co-owner of the acclaimed San Francisco restaurants A16 and SPQR, and executive chef of SPQR, Matthew Accarrino, explore Central and Northern Italy’s local cuisines and artisanal wines.
 
Throughout each of the eight featured regions, Accarrino offers not only a modern version of Italian cooking, but also his own take on these constantly evolving regional specialties. Recipes like Fried Rabbit Livers with Pickled Vegetables and Spicy Mayonnaise and Fontina and Mushroom Tortelli with Black Truffle Fonduta are elevated and thoughtful, reflecting Accarrino’s extensive knowledge of traditional Italian food, but also his focus on precision and technique.  In addition to recipes, Accarrino elucidates basic kitchen skills like small animal butchery and pasta making, as well as newer techniques like sous vide—all of which are prodigiously illustrated with step-by-step photos.
 
Shelley Lindgren’s uniquely informed essays on the wines and winemakers of each region reveal the most interesting Italian wines, highlighting overlooked and little-known grapes and producers—and explaining how each reflects the region’s unique history, cultural influences, climate, and terrain. Lindgren, one of the foremost authorities on Italian wine, shares her deep and unparalleled knowledge of Italian wine and winemakers through producer profiles, wine recommendations, and personal observations, making this a necessary addition to any wine-lover’s library.
 
Brimming with both discovery and tradition, SPQR delivers the best of modern Italian food rooted in the regions, flavors, and history of Italy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781607743842
Publisher:	Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed
Publication date:	10/16/2012
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	799,762
File size:	34 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

SHELLEY LINDGREN is the wine director and co-owner of both A16 and SPQR. She has received two James Beard Foundation nominations for wine service and was named Best New Sommelier by Wine & Spirits.
 
MATTHEW ACCARRINO is the executive chef of SPQR. He was the chef de cuisine at Craft LA, and has worked with Charlie Palmer, Todd English, Rick Moonen, Thomas Keller, and Tom Colicchio. He has been featured in Saveur, Food Arts, and the San Francisco Chronicle.
 
KATE LEAHY is a freelance writer and the co-author of A16 Food + Wine (with Shelley Lindgren and Nate Appleman) and The Preservation Kitchen (with Paul Virant).

Read an Excerpt

Spaghetti with Shrimp and Tomato Passatina
 
This is a pasta born from my experience of con niente, a meal created from nothing more than the few ingredients we managed to find around us. With this pasta, I’ve striven to recreate the simplicity of the meal we made at Roberto’s casone on the lagoon. The shrimp—gamberetti—were simply cooked with tomato, then sent through a food mill, shells and all. This rich, pink sauce became the condimento for the store-bought spaghetti that Roberto had on hand.
 
serves 4 to 6
 
extra virgin olive oil
150 grams  / 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
12 grams  / 3 garlic cloves, minced
150 grams /  1 carrot, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
454 grams  / 1 pound shell-on raw baby shrimp
kosher salt and black pepper
a pinch of dried red pepper flakes
115 grams  / 1/2 cup white wine
240 grams /  11/2 cups canned tomatoes
50 grams  / 4 breadsticks, like grissini, broken up
2 grams  / 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
340 grams  / 12 ounces fresh spaghetti (page 264) or dried
 
Heat a thin film of olive oil in a large, wide pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and sweat until softened, 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sweat 1 to 2 minutes more until aromatic. Add the carrot and sweat until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

Turn up the heat to medium-high, stir in the shrimp, and season with salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. Pour in the wine and bring to a simmer. Stir in the tomato and return to a simmer. Pour in 1 cup of water, lower the heat, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the shrimp are soft enough to break up with a wooden spoon if pressed. Stir the broken grissini pieces into the pot, remove from the heat, and stir in the parsley.
Place a food mill fitted with a coarse plate over a clean pot. In batches, pass the shrimp and broth through the food mill. You will have a coarse paste. (If it’s too dry to go through the food mill, stir in more water). Taste the shrimp paste and season with salt and pepper.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti for 4 minutes if using fresh, and as directed on the package if using dry. Drain the spaghetti, reserving a cup of pasta water, and return the spaghetti to the pasta pot. Stir spoonfuls of the shrimp paste into the spaghetti until evenly coated, adding a few spoonfuls of water if the pasta looks dry, and simmer for one more minute before serving.

Table of Contents

Introduction  

Ancient Information Highways     
La Strada del Vino     
La Strada della Cucina     
 
Roman Roads
Via Appia—Lazio     
Via Salaria—Le Marche     
Via Flaminia—Umbria     
Via Postumia—Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia     
Via Claudia Augusta—Trentino–Alto Adige     
Via Aemilia—Emilia-Romagna and Lombardia     
Via Francigena—Piemonte and Valle d’Aosta     
Via Aurelia—Liguria and Toscana
   
Resources 
Kitchen Road Map: Fundamental Techniques     
Basic Recipes, and Ingredients     
 
Acknowledgments    

Index     
 
Recipes
 
Via Appia—Lazio  
 
Spiced Ricotta Fritters with Smoked Maple Syrup   
Fried Rabbit Livers with Pickled Vegetables and Spicy Mayonnaise   
Crispy Pig Ears with Pickled Green Tomatoes, Jalapeño, and Radish   
Spring Vegetable Vignarola Salad   
Bucatini with Nettles, Pancetta, and Black Pepper   
Whole Wheat Fettuccine with Funghi Trifolati and Spring Garlic   
Braised Oxtail in Cabbage Leaves with Cranberry Beans   
Goat Cheese and Ricotta Crespelle with Orange-Caramel Sauce   
Spring Lamb   
Lamb Ragù with Semolina Gnocchi and Pecorino Pepato   
Lamb Belly   
Lamb Loin and Rack with Gaeta Olive Sauce   
Leg of Lamb Wrapped in Lamb Mousse and Swiss Chard   
Steamed Artichokes   
Pickled Swiss Chard Stems   
 
Via Salaria—Le Marche   
 
Fluke Crudo, Sausage-Stuffed Olives, and Citrus   
Fried Surf Clams with Agrodolce and Onion, Fennel, and Cherry Pepper Salad  
Baked Anchovies   
Passatelli en Brodo   
Lasagna Vincisgrassi   
Rabbit a la Villa Bucci   
Dried Fruit and Nut Biscotti with Sweet Wine Granita   
  
Via Flaminia—Umbria     

Smoked Trout with Warm Potato Salad and Horseradish Gelatina   
Chopped Chicken Livers with Wine Gelatina, Carrot Marmellata, and Grilled Bread   
Fava Bean Agnolotti with Mashed Black Truffle   
Tagliatelle d’Oro with Chicken Livers, Mushrooms, and Black Truffle   
Linguine al Cocoa with Venison Ragù   
Farro-Stuffed Quail with Chestnuts, Persimmons, and Dandelion Greens   
Pistachio Torta with Meyer Lemon Curd, Pistachio Crema, and Brown Butter   
Suckling Pig   
Crocchette with Pickled Green Rhubarb and Apricots   
Legs and Belly with Thyme, Lemon, and Fennel Pollen  
Chops with Prosciutto Sauce   
Blécs with Suckling Pig Ragù and Rapini   
Pickled Rhubarb and Dried Apricots   
Prosciutto Sauce   
 
Via Postumia—Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia   
 
Spaghetti with Shrimp and Tomato Passatina   
Sardines in Saor with Peperonata Jam   
Asparagus with Lardo-Wrapped Rye Dumplings, Goat Cheese, and Sprouting Greens   
Squid Ink Linguine with Braised Squid, Sea Urchin, Broccoli Crema, and Pan Grattato   
Farro Pasta with Speck, Green Onions, and Poppy Seeds   
Duck Ravioli with Sour Cherries and Candied Pecans   
Chocolate Torta with Vanilla Mascarpone   
Via Claudia Augusta—Trentino–Alto Adige   
 
Chilled Asparagus Soup with Meyer Lemon Yogurt and Fish Roe   
Mustard Spaetzle with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Stridoli   
Rye Gnocchi with Savoy Cabbage, Potatoes, and Crispy Speck   
Mushroom Risotto   
Beer-Braised Pork Cheeks with Escarole   
Venison Loin with Parsnips and Huckleberry Vinaigrette   
Ricotta Bavarese with Verjus-Poached Rhubarb, Orange Confitura, and Powdered Olive Oil   
 
Via Aemilia—Emilia-Romagna and Lombardia   
 
Fritto Misto   
Chestnut-Filled Pasta with Broccoli di Cicco, Guanciale, and Burnt-Orange Sauce   
Squash Cappellacci with Medjool Dates, Rosemary Brown Butter, and Saba   
Ricotta and Quail Egg Ravioli with Wild Greens and Fontina   
Veal and Mortadella Tortellini en Consommé   
Bolognese with Egg Noodles   
Erbazzone Torta with Braised Greens, Prosciutto Cotto, and Eggs   
Pork Milanese, Pickled Cabbage Salad, Anchovy, and Lemon Brown Butter   
Buckwheat Polenta Taragna, Rabbit Stufato, Cherry Tomato, and Mimolette   
Fried Quince Pies with Truffle Honey and Aged Balsamic   
 
 Via Francigena—Piemonte and Valle d’Aosta   
 
Egg “in the Hole” with Mushrooms and Miner’s Lettuce   
Bone Marrow Sformato with Stuffed Baby Artichokes   
Fontina and Mushroom Tortelli with Black Truffle Fonduta   
Risotto with Crayfish and Sweetbreads   
Savoy Cabbage with Mushrooms, Lardo, and Crispy Prosciutto   
Chestnut-Stuffed Veal Breast with Orzotto   
Baked Polenta with Beef Cheek Ragù, Eggs, and Fontina   
Barolo Beef with Carrots and New Potatoes   
Chocolate Soufflés with Milk Chocolate Gelato   
 
Via Aurelia—Liguria and Toscana   
 
Baked Ricotta with Cherry Tomatoes, Saba, and Pignoli Granola   
Scallop Crudo with Sunchokes, Hibiscus Agrodolce, Almonds, and Cherries   
Albacore Tuna Confitura with Panzanella Salad and Anchovies   
Beet and Ricotta Pansotti with Walnuts and Ricotta Salata   
Tomato-Braised Abalone with Farinata   
Smoked Linguine with Clams, Cherry Tomatoes, and Basil Pesto   
Ramp Spaghetti with Crab and Sea Urchin Butter   
Saffron Trofie with Veal Ragù   
Passion Fruit Panna Cotta with Coconut Spuma

Editorial Reviews

This cookbook and wine guide is indeed like “a slow-paced passeggiata,” or stroll, along the ancient Roman roads of Lazio (Via Appia), Umbria (Via Flaminia), Emilia Romagna and Lombardia (Via Aemilia) and Liguria and Toscana (Via Aurelia). Lindgren, the wine director and co-owner of San Francisco restaurants A16 and SPQR, begins each chapter with a description of the regions’ wines, including grape types and producers. Accarrino, the executive chef of SPQR, provides authentic locally inspired recipes. SPQR, an acronym that stands for the Senate and the People of Rome, is a proclamation of Roman democracy. History and travel enthusiasts will be pleased with the wealth of information this book provides. Accarrino admits that his approach to cooking “uses techniques that may be somewhat unfamiliar to home cooks,” but explains, “only by challenging yourself to learn new techniques and methods do you become a better cook.” Smoked trout with warm potato salad and horseradish gelatina requires readers to fashion a stovetop smoker, then cook trout sous vide, in vacuum-sealed pouches. Ambitious and adventurous home chefs will be big fans. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Shelly Lindgren and Matthew Accarrino have composed a book filled with their inspirations based on Italian regional cuisine and wines. It gives us a powerful insight into what makes SPQR one of San Francisco’s favorite restaurants. It makes me wish I lived close by.”
—Thomas Keller, The French Laundry

“Shelley Lindgren has done it again. First, there was her restaurant A16 and a stunning cookbook emerged from that still-marvelous restaurant. Then came SPQR. With the remarkable talent of chef Matthew Accarrino, it has become one of San Francisco’s finest restaurants, bar none. If you haven’t yet heard of SPQR and Matthew Accarrino, trust me, you soon will. This book shows why.”
—Matt Kramer, author and Wine Spectator columnist
 
“Matthew brings a sense of elegance and refinement to Italian cooking that seems at once natural and yet revelatory. There is a humanistic element to the cooking at SPQR that in concert with Shelley’s wine service, creates a memorable and warm experience. I always look forward to returning.”
—Christopher Kostow, chef, The Restaurant at Meadowood
 
“I am a staunch traditionalist when it comes to Italian cuisine, yet I love Matthew Accarrino’s modern Italian cooking at SPQR.  His food is Italian in spirit but cooked in the region (paese) of California, using local ingredients, contemporary techniques, and infusing the food with soul and sophistication. Shelley Lindgren is my go-to goddess for Italian wine. A charming and delightful educator, she has extensive knowledge of Italian wine making and wine makers. But even more important, she seeks out little known wines from small regional producers. I learn and taste something new with every visit to SPQR.”
—Joyce Goldstein, chef, author, and culinary consultant
 
“With well-thought-out recipes and little known wine pairings, discover a perfect balance of contemporary flavor and technique with a soulfulness that is respectful of tradition. Through Matthew’s passion and experience, SPQR will challenge you to become a better cook!”
—Rick Moonen, executive chef and owner of rm Seafood

Praise for A16: Food + Wine:
“This is a cook’s cookbook; it deserves a quiet season filled with long chilly nights, the ideal time to enjoy its gutsy dishes.”
—Gourmet

From the Publisher

At San Francisco restaurant SPQR, executive chef Matthew Accarrino and wine director and co-owner Lindgren pair Italian-inspired cuisine with thoughtfully selected regional wines. With food writer Kate Leahy, they've organized sophisticated dishes—such as Fava Bean Agnolotti with Mashed Black Truffle and Chestnut-Stuffed Veal Breast with Orzotto—into chapters that provide an armchair-worthy look at Italian history, geography, and viticulture. This is a second collaboration for Lindgren and Leahy, whose debut, A16: Food + Wine, was IACP's 2009 Cookbook of the Year. VERDICT While the recipes are for the pros (ready your thermal-immersion circulator), the excellent wine guide makes this a must for oenophiles.

Library Journal