Eating Italian Style - Region to Region
/Executive Chef & Founding Partner John Haas spent time in both Tuscany and Rome this year. After returning, I asked what he thought of the food from both places.
“I’m amazed at how different the food and cooking were in each place, even how the meals in Tuscany changed from one town to the next, even though the towns were only a few miles apart,” he said.
His comment speaks volumes about the concept of Italian cuisine, because for centuries there was no “Italian cuisine”, it was truly regional in every sense of the word with each city/state creating their own dishes based on what was available. Food on the table in Naples and Venice, which are separated by more than 400 miles, is markedly different. The favored plates in Bologna and Florence, which are only 60 miles apart, are significantly different, also.
Charcuterie Board, Caprese Classico and Frutti di Mare at M’tucci’s Moderno.
Industrialization and transportation has changed the way Italians (and Americans) eat today to some extent, with some Northern dishes and techniques showing up in Southern Italy and vice versa. However, for the most part, Italians still cling to their sense of place, and take great pride in the dishes of their region, truly embracing the mantra of “eat local”.
The menu at M’tucci’s draws on regional specialities from throughout the country, without calling attention to their origins. We’re more focused on the essence of what makes Italian food so good: choosing great ingredients and employing great technique.
While the entire country can feel like one large farm or garden, and the Mediterranean climate means that lemons and tomatoes are both grown in the North and South, regional specialities still exist.
Backyard garden in Ravello near the Amalfi Coast
Our pizza style is firmly rooted in the traditions of Naples, the birthplace of pizza. We make a crust leavened by a sourdough starter, which ferments for 48 hours (instead of commercial yeast). We use a very hot oven, and produce a pizza with slightly “blistered” crust (called leopard spots) on the bottom that enhances the slight bitterness of the sourdough crust. This balances with the sweetness of the tomato sauce and the sour flavor from the mozzarella.
Pastas are definitely regional in origin. Orecchiette (little ears) originates in Puglia and is the most common pasta throughout Southern Italy. It is the perfect pasta for the Italian Pork and Beans at M’tucci’s Moderno (a riff on orecchiette con cime di rapa e salsiccia the signature dish of Italy’s boot hell region).
Pappardelle, tortellini and tagliatelle are most commonly found in Emilia Romagna, the home of ragù, the slow cooked meat sauce now popular everywhere. This wealthy region claims many dishes with expensive ingredients, including truffles. Our take on Bolognese is to slowly cook five different cuts of pork and pair it with our house-made rigatoni.
Spaghetti is the favorite pasta of Rome, where the iconic cacio e pepe, spaghetti all carbonara and spaghetti all’amatriciana are the icons of the Roman table. These first two dishes are made of simple ingredients, but require exacting techniques that if not followed closely, can leave you with lumpy, congealed sauces. Guanciale, which we cure in-house, is important to the latter two dishes. The pork jowl is cured, not smoked, and has a more mellow flavor than pancetta, which many recipes substitute for guanciale.
Cured meats and complex cheeses are found throughout the country, but Tuscany claims wild boar sausage, red wine salami and lardo. We make our own version of lardo, called Colonnata Butter (since lardo originated in the small mining town of Colonnata). Those items are on Charcuterie Board C and show up from time to time in weekend specials.
Farro, which we use in the Farro & Beet Salad, is a staple in Umbria. It is an ancient grain that probably predates wheat. Umbrians use the grain whole in soups and salads and grind it into flour for pasta, gnocchi and even crepes. The nutty flavor of farro is great for salads and soups.
We at M’tucci’s (and in my kitchen at home) love polenta and offer it in a variety of forms at our restaurants. Polenta originated in the mountainous north, was considered peasant food and is most commonly cooked with butter and parmesan. It should be a stone-ground cornmeal, never a finely ground meal that looks like flour. Polenta is equally good as a creamy porridge or as a solid cake when it cools. We mix it with creamy mascarpone cheese as a side. We also grill the cooled polenta for our Grigliata Misto, served with seasonal grilled vegetables.
Like polenta, risotto is also a Northern dish, with two main types of rice being used. Arborio is the most common and is favored in Lombardy in simple risotto dishes such as risotto with saffron or with parmesan and white truffles. Carnaroli was developed by a Milanese rice grower who crossed the Italian Vialone with a Japanese strain of rice. There is less acreage of this rice and it’s more expensive than arborio, but it has a softer starch that dissolves more easily with cooking and has a deeper flavor. We use carnaroli in our Risotto Carnaroli di Pesce at M’tucci’s Italian at M’tucci’s Italian.
Ravioli is a weekly special at M’tucci’s Italian and a permanent menu item at M’tucci’s Moderno. We make all of our ravioli in house a couple of times a week. It’s a slow labor intensive process (see how long it takes you to make 1,200 ravioli!). Stuffed pastas are popular throughout the country and are typically served with a cream or tomato sauce or en brodo (broth). Ravioli is also commonly found on the table for Christmas dinner.
Thanks for reading, see you next Friday!
SPECIAL HOLIDAY EVENTS
M’tucci’s Bourbon Tasting - Today, 12/13, 4:00 - 6:00
M’tucci’s Maker’s Mark Bourbon Tasting: Maker’s Mark Private Select tasting at Jubilation Wine & Spirits. Both M’tucci’s Private Select and Two Fool’s Tavern Private Select will be available for tasting and purchase today. Don’t miss this special event.
ITALIAN CHRISTMAS MARKET 12/20 - 12/24
M’tucci’s Italian Cafe & Market will reopen for these dates only. Our holiday market will feature Fresh Mozzarella making demonstrations, Christmas Cookies, Pizza by the slice, cheeses and meats.
An Evening of Holiday Music by Delphia 12/23, 7:00 - 9:00
Voted Best of the City Vocalist, Delphia will perform in M’tucci’s Moderno lounge, but the music can be experienced throughout the restaurant. Space is limited for dinner reservations, so make your reservation today. As usual, there is no cover charge and tables in the lounge cannot be reserved.
NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S
M’tucci’s Provisions (formerly M’tucci’s Italian Cafe and Market)
Order your cookies and Panettone today. Don’t forget that our fresh bread is delivered Tuesdays and Fridays to Silver Street Market downtown. Watch this space and our Facebook and Instagram for updates on other products availability around the ABQ.
M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company
Some new menu items are coming soon, which we will announce when we get the printed menus. There are a few new beers on tap, Winter Lager, with a malt forward, unique style (6.2% & 17 IBU). I tried it the other night and it’s a complex lager, with flavors that evolve as the lager warms up a bit. Try and see if you can spot the unique flavor.
Head over to Lava Rock Brewing Company for Word of Mouth, a Brett Saison.
Also new is the collaboration with Bar Uno that produced a traditional English Bitter. Not as hoppy as an IPA, nor as malt-forward as an ESB, this terrific beer says, “bet you can’t drink just one.” Added this week is our first aged Brett beer, Word of Mouth. This French Farmhouse Saison fermented for six months and comes in a 9.2% ABV with 30 IBUs. Probably should take home a growler of this big boy!
A few new beers are coming. The first is an Italian lager, “Birra M’tucci’s” which will be available at LRBC, M’tucci’s Italian and M’tucci’s Moderno. Another that is in the works is a Red Ale, which will be aged in the bourbon barrel in which the M’tucci’s Maker’s Mark Private Select was aged.
Gift Certificates available for Holiday Gifts. A $20 Gift Certificate can buy a 64 oz. Growler and an Happy Hour Pint!Home Delivery now available through Door Dash
The “Two-Minute Warning” HAPPY HOUR & Monday Night Football!
HAPPY HOUR EVERY MONDAY UNTIL THE TWO-MINUTE WARNING!
Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30. $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.
$5 basket of Wings all day on Sunday
We are serious about Live Music at Lava Rock, we’ll have live music every Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 and Fridays from 8:00 - 10:00.
Music Schedule for December:
Thursday’s
12/19 - RJ Perez
12/26 - Oscar Butler
Friday’s
12/13 - Leah Leyva and The Band
12/20 - Melissa Rios
12/27 - BuddhaFunk
M’tucci’s Moderno
Weekend Specials
Salmon and Farro - Farro tossed with grilled zucchini, red onion and Alfredo Sauce topped with pan-seared salmon, grilled asparagus with a bright garnish of sweet tomato, basil, garlic and 10-year aged balsamic vinegar
Paired with - Bottega Vinaia, Pinot Grigio, Trentino, Italy . Refreshing flavors of peach, nectarine and Granny Smith Apples. Crisp acidity with a hint of herbs and a clean finish.
Pan-Seared Branzino, served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed organic baby arugula and our lemon caper butter sauce, finished with smoked prosciutto powder.
Branzino is an ocean fish native to Europe's western and southern coasts. It is a delicate, white flakey fish with an almost sweet flavor.
Paired with - Mimi Chardonnay, Washington. Balanced fruit flavors of pear and yellow apple, spiced aromas with a crisp finish.
Cut of the Day: Chianina Flat Iron Steak
Grilled to perfection and served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and our traditional Italian Salsa Verde
Chianina beef is an Italian cow, which is one of the oldest breeds in the world. It is highly prized for its quality, marbling and flavor. M’tucci’s is the only restaurant in New Mexico with Italian Chianina.
Paired with - Zinphomaniac, Zinfindel, Lodi, California. Complex and full bodied, aromas of dark cherry, blackberries and spice.
Live Music
Tonight: Cali Shaw @ 8:00
12/19: Amy Cliser @ 7:00
12/20: Lani Nash @ 8:00
M’tucci’s Italian
Weekend Specials
Cut of the Day - 24 oz Hand-Cut Porterhouse, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Balsamic Reduction
Pan-Seared Yellow Tail Tuna, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Lemon Caper Sauce w/Arugula
Braise - Chianina Beef, Butternut Squash, Spinach Cream Sauce, House Pappardelle Pasta
Ravioli - Chianina Beef, Artichoke, Ricotta Ravioli, Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Artichoke, Caramelized Onion, Light Lemon Cream Sauce
December Prix Fixe Menu
12/18/19
1st Course- Creamy Roasted Garlic Polenta, Roasted Eggplant Ragu
2nd Course- Grilled Chianina Rump Steak, Parsnip Puree, Roasted Baby Carrots, Chimichurri
3rd Course- Italian Cheesecake, Pomegranate, Ginger Mousse, Candied Rosemary
ONGOING NEWS
M’TUCCI’S AROUND TOWN
Our market items can be purchased at a couple of locations in Albuquerque. We deliver our fresh bread every Tuesday and Friday to Silver Street Market at 2nd and Silver. Choose from Sourdough, Fennel Rye, Wheat, Baguette, Ciabatta, and Raisin Rosemary Focaccia.
Drinking at Bosque in Nob Hill? You can order a M’tucci’s Charcuterie Board while there.
M’TUCCI’S TWENTY-FIVE JOB FAIR + ONLINE APPLICATIONS
Our Job Fair for our new location will be from 10:00am - 4:00pm pm on January 11 & 12 . We are looking for highly skilled and motivated servers, kitchen staff and bartenders. You can apply for a position at any of our locations online by clicking here. Applicants should come to the job fair with a resume and should have completed the online application.
SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT & DISCOUNTS
Area service industry workers can get a Service Industry card from us by showing proof of employment. With the card you receive 10% off your check every day and 20% off on Sundays from 6:00 - 9:00. Dine in only.
ONLINE ORDERING
Our food is available for delivery with Door Dash or for pick up. Pick up something for the weekend or on your way home from work. The links to ordering are on the Home page.
MTUCCI’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Videos about making cocktails and pasta and getting to know the M’tucci’s culture. Click here
See you next Friday - Ciao!
