Zucchini Flower Pizza alla Romana

The 5 months I spent in Rome in my early twenties were some of the most delicious, indulgent and rewarding of my life.  This city is an unbelievable mishmash of modern and ancient, fabulous and bizarre, decadent and decayed.  Around every corner is a thousand year old secret, just waiting for me to happen upon unexpectedly.  The Pantheon is so hidden in a maze of cobblestone streets and a sea of tourists that you don't even realize you've found it until you've nearly smacked right into the front door.  All of the chaos surrounding that ancient temple melts away the moment you enter the inner sanctum, which is so humbling that anything more than a whisper seems disrespectful.  It is this juxtaposition between contemporary disorder and crumbling sanctity that sparked inspiration and wonderment in my young little mind.

The food in Rome continued this pattern of blending high and low, old and new.  If you knew where to go (blessedly I had plenty of time to make many many mistakes before finding the local gems), it was possible to have an outstanding Italian feast with few frills.  In fact, the more frills, the less likely you've found someplace traditional.  My absolute favorite was Pizzeria ai Marmi, named for the marble tabletops in the restaurant.  Just off the main street running through the Trastevere neighborhood, the interior of this pizzeria is absolutely barebones, the volume is loud and it is always crowded.  It has been many years since I was a frequent visitor, so it might not be as amazing/maybe everyone goes here now and is just for tourists, but I'll just keep picturing it as it was then: superb.  House wine in carafes, the simplest of pizzas, happy tradition.

My favorite of their pies involved a light red sauce, anchovies and zucchini blossoms.  Upon spying these gorgeous flowers at the farmer's market last week I recalled my ai Marmi meals and knew immediately what we were going to have for dinner that night.  Daniel maybe was a little skeptical, but as soon as I began waxing lyrical about the greatness of my inspiration, he happily let me get to work.  This pizza is utterly simplistic - the ingredients are scant but pungent, the crust is thin with a slight chewiness.  Zucchini blossoms, though very pretty, are not bringing a whole lot of flavor to the dish, which is why the red pepper flakes and anchovy are essential.  It doesn't need to look perfect and symmetrical, in fact I like it looking a little messy.

To drink: definitely a few glasses of an Italian red wine!  Our newest favorite is a light red from the Piedmont region in Northern Italy.  Produced by Marco Tintero, this "Rosso" is a blend of primarily Nebbiolo and Barbera with a touch of Dolcetto and Cabernet Franc for lightness and verve.  The Barbera tames the tannins of the Nebbiolo, creating a soft, vibrant and wholly drinkable wine.  The fruity acidity is reminiscent of just ripe cherries and raspberries, balanced by a touch of earthy herbal spice.  All of the ingredients of the pizza played very nicely with this exceptionally food-friendly wine, and at just over $10 a bottle, how could it get much better?

ZUCCHINI FLOWER PIZZA

1 ball pizza dough, see my recipe here
pizza sauce (recipe to follow)
6 - 8 zucchini flowers
6 - 8 anchovy fillets
mozzarella
basil

THE SAUCE
1 28oz can of whole, peeled tomatoes
pinch of sugar
a little more than a pinch of salt
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp dried oregano
red pepper flakes, to taste

Put tomatoes in a fine-meshed sieve over a bowl and let drain.  Mash the tomatoes with the back of a spoon to get out as much juice as possible.  Save tomato juice for dressings, bloody marys or stocks. 

In a bowl or blender, combine all ingredients and whizz until smooth.  I use an immersion blender, which works beautifully.  Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Preheat oven as hot as it will go - 550 degrees if possible. 

ROLL OUT THE DOUGH
Lay down some parchment paper and use semolina flour to keep the dough from sticking. Using a rolling pin or your hands, stretch the dough until it is quite thin, then lay it on the parchment paper.  

Spoon sauce over dough.  Top with anchovy fillets, zucchini blossoms, and torn mozzarella. Slide pizza (and parchment paper) onto your pizza stone and cook for 8 - 10 minutes, depending on your oven.  The crust should be browning and the cheese bubbly. 

Remove from oven.  Top with basil and more red pepper flakes.  Slice and serve. 

Saffrony Cauliflower, Parsley, Parsley, Parsley, and Orecchiette

Daniel swears that orecchiette is the most superior pasta shape.  I'm not entirely convinced.  Sometimes I am partial to classic spaghetti (because twirling it around my fork and slurping it up is extremely satisfying), but I have learned to appreciate and love the nooks and crannies offered by orecchiette.  Little nuggets of flavor hide away, providing each forkful with a tasty surprise.  With the right sauce, nothing beats those little pasta ears.  And there are few recipes that are more delightful to serve with orecchiette than this.  The saffron flavors the cauliflower, but also dyes it a beautiful yellow hue, which matches perfectly with the pasta.  Camouflaged cauliflower!  You can't quite tell what you have at the end of your fork.  Pasta?  Cauliflower?  Who cares.  Every bite of this adventure is incredibly delicious.  Dig in.

Saffrony Cauliflower with A Lot of Parsley and Orecchiette
adapted ever so slightly from Deborah Madison's Vegetable Literacy

Serves 2

1/2 cauliflower (about 3/4 pound), cut into small florets
olive oil
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 pinches of saffron threads
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
splash of dry white wine
salt
oriecchiette
grated parmesan cheese for serving

Blanch cauliflower in boiling water until just barely tender, about two minutes.  Drain and set aside. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and saffron and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft, 6 minutes or so.  The steam will activate the saffron so that it stains and flavors the onion.  Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and a pinch or two of the parsley.  Stir, then add the cauliflower.  Toss the cauliflower to coat it with the seasonings, add 1/4 water and a splash of white wine, and cook over medium heat until the cauliflower is tender. Just a few minutes - don't overcook or everything will be mushy.  Season with salt, toss with half the remaining parsley and keep warm. 

Cook your orecchiette and drain.  Transfer to a bowl and toss with a little olive oil and the remaining parsley.  Taste for salt and spoon cauliflower over the pasta.  And as Deborah says, wiggle some of it into the pasta crevices.  Serve with grated parmesan cheese and a fresh green salad.  

What to drink with such a charming weeknight meal?  How about something a tad adventurous and mightily foreign?

2012 Gomphof Sudtiroler Vernatsch.  ($24)  But of course!

Let's break that down.

Gomphof is the name of the producer.  Located in the Isarco Valley in the tippity top of Italy, this organic winery is run by a father and son team.  They plant their grapes on the sunny steep slopes of the valley at high elevation.  Pruning and picking must be a bitch.  These men are clearly dedicated.

Sudtiroler simply means South Tyrolean in German to indicate the Italian wine region of South Tyrol.  It is more commonly known by its Italian name, Alto Adige.

Vernatsch is the grape varietal.  It is the South Tyrolean name for the Italian grape Schiava or Trollinger (which is German), and is sometimes referred to as Black Hamburg (!).  It is very thin skinned and generally produces a light-bodied and high acid wine.

This particular bottle showcased the grape's natural fruitiness with enough bright acidity to keep it balanced.  I found it tasting of fresh strawberries, and when paired with the pasta dinner, it began whispering of cinnamon, cardamom, and a little clove.  Just complex enough to keep me interested, but simple enough to let the saffron and cauliflower dominate the palate, it was a lovely pairing.