Italian Christmas Eve

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M’tucci’s Holiday Hours

12/24: Close at 9:00

12/25, 1/1 & 1/2: Closed

The Southern Italian provinces of Calabria, Basilicata, Campania and Puglia are credited with bringing many fantastic foods to our shores: eggplant parmesan, pizza, arancini, gelato, San Marzano tomatoes, and buffalo mozzarella to name a few.

A tradition known in the South and in many Italian American families is the Feast of Seven Fishes. Like meatless Fridays created by the Catholic church, the day before an important date in the Church’s calendar also observed the meatless tradition. Know as "The Vigil” (La Vigilia), Christmas Eve would begin with a seafood feast before midnight mass and celebration of Christmas Day.

There is no general agreement on the reason for the number seven - perhaps it’s from the Church’s Seven Sacraments. Some families create seven different dishes for the meal, while some simply include seven different types of fish.

My wife’s family and I typically celebrate Christmas with our version of the Feast of Seven Fishes. This year’s menu consists of raw oysters, crab cakes, boiled shrimp and Dungeness crab. Not quite seven, but quite enough.

In Italy, the menu might begin with a plate of crudo (raw fish), followed by a plate of frito misto (fried seafood), then maybe a fish soup, then a course of pasta or risotto with seafood and finally a whole fish, roasted or grilled.

You can put together your own Feast of Seven Fishes at any M’tucci’s restaurant this weekend. All locations have Fried Calamari and Pan-Seared Fresh Atlantic Salmon on the menu.

At M’tucci’s Bar Roma, start with Polpo di Roma (octopus) or Amaro-Cured Salmon Belly. Second course could be Oceano Risotto (octopus, clams & Shrimp) or Blanco Aglio e Olio Pasta (clams, oysters, shrimp), then finish with the special Pan-Seared Ocean Trout.

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five can start you off with Smoked Salmon Tartare or Shrimp Diavolo. Follow it with White Clam Linguine or Wild Crab/Salmon Cakes or Lobster Ravioli. This weekend we are featuring Saffron Seafood Risotto and Pan-Seared Chilean Sea Bass.

M’tucci’s Moderno can start your feast with Smoked Salmon Tartare or Totten Inlet Mussels, then a cup or a bowl of New England Clam Chowder. Next order the Frutti Di Mare: a mix of shrimp, clams, scallops and mussels in a spicy marinara sauce over house made pasta, then finish with the weekend Pan-Seared Swordfish.

At M’tucci’s Italian begin with Clam Steamers or Calamari, then have the Pasta Giardino with Pink Patagonia Shrimp or the Risotto Carnaroli di Pesce with bay scallops, white clams, shrimp and fish. This Weekend’s fish special is Pan-Seared Ocean Trout.

Last Minute Gifts!

Cookie Boxes & Gift Cards Bonus until 12/31. M’tucci’s Bacon everyday!

Our Shrubs now come in 2 oz. Bottles. 4 bottles, one of each flavor for $15.

available in a four flavor gift pack. Now you can sample all four flavors.

Saturday, 12/24 at Steel Bender Brewyard

Don’t miss Chef Brianna’s Rocky Road Clusters with a special Brickie American Stout

M’tucci’s Voted Best Italian Restaurant for the 4th Year in a Row and Best Waitstaff for the 3rd time in the Last 4 Years!! Thank you!

Voted Top Five for Best Bloody Mary, Best Business Lunch Spot & Best Appetizer Menu

New Year’s Eve at M’tucci’s

All locations are doing something special. A special Charcuterie Board with Iberico Jamon and half price bottles of M’tucci’s Sparkling Wine all day on 12/31 at all M’tucci’s.

Make reservations so you can join us!

M’tucci’s Bar Roma

Open until 12:30am 

7pm-9pm: Live Music Stylings of Tracey Whitney and Sid Fendley from "The Art of Jazz"

9:30pm-12:30pm DJ BigHap(py)

Appetizer: Big Baller Board: Triple Cream Brie, Pata Negra Jamon Iberico, Artichoke Hearts, Onion Mostarda

Za’atar Spiced Cold Smoked 14oz Ribeye

Smoked Salmon/Crab Cakes: Broccolini, Roasted Red Pepper With Almond Caponata, Artichoke And Black Truffle Puree. 

Skate Wing: Garlic Whip Mash Potatoes, Braised Arugula With Garlic, Seared Stem On Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce. 

Porchetta Di Roma: Braised Sackett Farms Pork, Pecorino Risotto, Fresh Herbs, Colonnata Butter, Garlic, Escarole & Gigante Bean Brodo

Spinach Five Cheese Ravioli: Pecorino Brodo, Smoked Local Oyster Mushrooms, Marinated Red Peppers, Fried Spinach Leaves

Dessert - Strawberry & Passion Fruit Mille Feuille, Fresh Strawberries, Vanilla Cream, Strawberry and Passion Fruit Gelee

House Clarified Cocktail

Smoked Old Fashioned

Espresso Martini

Pink Rabbit

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Muni and Jared of Le Chat Lunatique play live music from 6:00 until 9:00

Surf and Turf - 6oz Grilled Beef Filet with Butter Amaro Sauce, Grilled Garlic Butter Prawns, Sweet Potato Puree, Grilled Asparagus

Double Bone Elk Ribeye served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Black Truffle Porcini Butter

Pan Seared Diver Sea Scallops - served with Garlic mashed potatoes, Roasted Artichoke Hearts, Sauteed Garlic Arugula and a lemon caper butter sauce

Ravioli special - House Black Truffle Wild Mushroom Ravioli, Roasted Cauliflower, Sherry Cream Sauce, Hazelnut Gremolata

App Special: Chianina Beef Carpaccio - Garlic Aioli, Capers, Shaved Pecorino Romano, Lemon, Micro Greens, Umbrian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Charcuterie - Iberico Board: Pata Negra Jamon Iberico, Onion Mostarda, Triple Cream Brie, Roasted Artichoke Hearts, House Sourdough

Dessert - Strawberry & Passion Fruit Mille Feuille, Fresh Strawberries, Vanilla Cream, Strawberry and Passion Fruit Gelee

Cocktail specials -

Blackberry Walnut Old Fashioned - Knob Creek 9 Year-Old, Cassis, Nux Alpina Walnut Liqueur, Walnut Bitters

Inner Flame -Sombra Mezcal, St. Germaine, Honey Simple, Ginger liquid Alchemist

M’tucci’s Moderno

Our Bar/Mezzanine will be open until 2023. Music is provided by DJ Primoswift until the ball drops!

Come for dinner and stay to party in the New Year!

App Specials: Beer Battered Fried Oysters with Spicy Garlic Aioli & Iberico Board with 100% Pata Negra Jamon Iberico, Triple Cream Brie, Seared Roman Artichoke Hearts & Caramelized Onion Mostarda.

Hand Cut 14oz Ribeye with Italian Salsa Verde, Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus.

Pan Seared Scallops with Roasted Artichokes, Braised Escarole, Mashed Potatoes, Caper Lemon Butter Sauce, Smoked Prosciutto Powder.

Surf & Turf: Hand Cut 14oz Ribeye & Half Lobster Tail with Red Potato Gratin, Roasted Pattypan Squash + Peppers & Onions, Tarragon Beurre Blanc

Dessert - Strawberry & Passion Fruit Mille Feuille, Fresh Strawberries, Vanilla Cream, Strawberry and Passion Fruit Gelee

Antinori ‘Antica’ Townsend Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2012 Napa Valley, California  Bottle - $90 / Glass - $18

Hibiscus 76: Hibiscus Infused Gin, Herbed Simple Syrup, Sparkling Wine

M’tucci’s Italian

Appetizer: Iberico Board: Pata Negra Jamon Iberico, Onion Mostarda, Triple Cream Brie, Roasted Artichoke Hearts, House Sourdough 

Pan-Seared California Halibut

Surf & Turf: Ribeye & Scallops

Dessert - Strawberry & Passion Fruit Mille Feuille, Fresh Strawberries, Vanilla Cream, Strawberry and Passion Fruit Gelee

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

Ravioli - Roasted Red Pepper/Garlic/Ricotta filling, Cotto Ham, Local Oyster Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, Turnip Greens, Tea Brown Butter Sauce, Dried Cranberries, Toasted Almonds, Pecorino $27

14 oz. NY Strip: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Lemon, Balsamic Reduction $39

Pan-Seared Ocean Trout - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Grilled Artichokes, Lemon Caper Sauce $33

Braise - Sackett Farms Pork Cheeks - Braised in White Wine and Herbs, Creamy Polenta, Haricot Vert, Braising Sauce & Parsley $29

Weekend Cocktail

Cranberry Martini - El Tesoro Blanco Tequila, Cointreau, Lime & Cranberry Juice, Agave Syrup


M’tucci’s Moderno

24 oz. Porterhouse - Traditional Italian Salsa Verde, Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, & Grilled Asparagus $43

Pan-Seared Swordfish - Roasted Artichoke, Braised Escarole, Mashed Potatoes, Caper Lemon Butter Sauce, & Smoked Prosciutto Powder $32

Pulpo Risotto - Octopus Confit, Pickled Fennel, Pomegranate Seeds, Blood Orange Reduction, Carrots, Onions Mushrooms, Cream, Brandy $29

Weekend Cocktail

Scratchin’ Your Noggin - Absolut Vanilla Vodka, Amaretto, Silk Nog, Brown Sugar, Topped with Whipped Cream & Cinnamon


M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

24 oz. Porterhouse - Grilled Broccolini, Whipped Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Smoked Blackberry bone Marrow Butter $43

Pan-Seared Chilean Sea Bass - Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Braised Greens, Stem on Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Butter Caper Sauce $41

Grilled Lamb Chops - Agave Braised Apple, Parsnips & Carrots, Crispy Potatoes, Whiskey Coffee Beurre Blanc $42

Saffron Seafood Risotto - Mussels, Clams, Baby Scallops, Shrimp Marinated Tomatoes, Saffron White Wine Creamy Risotto $31

Weekend Cocktail

Cranberry Claus - Tito’s Vodka, Carpano Antica Vermouth, Ginger Liquid Alchemist, Cranberry & Lime Juice, Simple Syrup


M’tucci’s Bar Roma

Sackett Farms Grilled Pork Tenderloin - Fig/Mustard Marinated, Tri Color Patata Bollente, Arugula, Butter Poached Tri Colored Carrots, Amalfi Lemon Oil $31

Pan-Seared Ocean Trout - Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Braised Arugula with Garlic, Seared Stem-on Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $33

Weekend Cocktail

Having a Güt Navidad - El Tesoro Reposado Tequila, German Egg Nog with a Cinnamon Cream

Live Music for December & January

M’tucci’s Bar Roma - Wed 6:30-8:30. Sunday noon-2pm

12/28 Shane Wallin

1/4 RJ Perez

1/8 Matt Jones

1/11 Alex Long

1/15 Javier Ortega

1/18 Jason Seel

1/22 Abby Deeter

1/25 Rob Martinez

1/29 Xandra

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five - Thursday 6:30-8:30 * Friday 7:30-9:30

12/23 Gilbert Uribe

12/29 Chessa Peak

12/30 RJ Perez

1/5 Marissa

1/6 John Martinez

1/12 Amy Faithe

1/13 Gilbert Uribe

1/19 RJ Perez

1/20 Javier Ortega

1/26 Amy Faithe

1/27 Lani Nash

M’tucci’s Moderno - Thursday 6:30-830 *Friday 7:30-9:30

12/23 Rob Martinez

12/29 Marissa

12/30 Javier Ortega

1/5 Xandra

1/6 Lani Nash

1/12 John Martinez

1/13 RJ Perez

1/19 Oscar Butler

1/20 Matt Jones

1/26 Chessa Peak

1/27 John Martinez

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!


Italy - Off the Beaten Path

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“I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost first published in 1915 in The Atlantic Monthly

A beautiful sentiment for those who love to explore the backroads and the lesser known places.

By all means, visitors to Italy should experience Rome, Venice & Florence. If you have time, or on your second visit, don’t miss the Cinque Terre, Siena, Orvieto or the Amalfi Coast.

Whether it’s your first visit or you’ve been several times to this enchanting country, you should make time for small towns - places off the beaten path, towns not heavily touristed. It’s not hard to escape the hoards of tourists who crowd the museums, piazzas and beaches every year.

Here are a few that I suggest for your next Italian vacation.

Pontessieve - This small town in Tuscany, east of Florence, is surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. It’s a crossroads town at the confluence of the Arno and Sieve rivers. It’s an easy train ride into Florence and has easy access to major highways for day trips to Arezzo or the Chianti region. With agriturismos, markets, restaurants and historic streets, it’s an easy place to stay for a few days or a week.

Isola d’Elba - The small island sits off the coast of Tuscany and is a short ferry ride from the port of Piombino. My first visit to Italy was in April and started in Milan. After a few rainy and chilly days in the Cinque Terre, we headed south in search of some sun and found it on Elba. The island features rugged terrain and equally rugged people. To say it was quiet in the off season is an understatement. The island has beautiful beaches, terrific obscure wine and is known as the place where Napoleon was exiled in 1814 after he was forced from the throne.

Avola & Noto, Sicily - The quiet seaside town of Avola and the nearby hill town of Noto are located in the Southeast corner of Sicily, far from the noise and hustle of Palermo. If you travel in the shoulder season, you’ll likely have the beach to yourself, walk into restaurants without a reservation, and share the towns with just the residents. You will find amazing architecture, incredibly fresh seafood and some of the best gelato anywhere.

Arezzo - South of Florence, Arezzo is a Tuscan hill town that feels smaller than its 100K inhabitants. This ancient Etruscan city dates back to the 9th century BC and is filled with museums and churches with world—class works of art. It’s a charming and easily walkable small city, featuring a cathedral with 15th-century frescoes by Piero della Francesca.

Castiglione del Lago - The small town on the western shore of Lago Trasimeno is in the northern part of Umbria. It is pretty busy in summer, but was quiet in October. The off season became apparent when we arrived by train and there were no taxis at the train station, a good mile from the town. The owner of the shop at the station actually called a friend to take us to the town. The lake is the fourth largest in Italy and has three islands in the lake and castles in each town surrounding the lake. Ancient olive trees dominate the small park and you can climb the ramparts of the castle. The lake is just south of the hill town of Cortona, made famous by the book and movie, “Under the Tuscan Sun.”

Regardless of where you travel in Italy, walk the neighborhoods, get slightly lost and soak up the architecture and atmosphere that is uniquely Italian.

Book and Prepay Online by Clicking on This Link

New Mexico United &

M’tucci’s Moderno

Celebrity Host Kalen Ryden

Monday, November 14, 5:30 -7:00

Stop by and meet one of our football club’s premier defenders.

Order Your Thanksgiving Pies Now!

Back by popular demand, Chef Brianna and team will make an Old Forester Bourbon Pecan Pie with Vanilla Whipped Cream ($20) and Pumpkin Pie with Ginger Whipped Cream and Pumpkin Seed Brittle ($18). ⁠

⁠Order your pies by calling the location where you want to pick up. Ordering deadline is 11/20 and pick up days are 11/22 after noon and 11/23 after we open.

Thanksgiving Matchup

Several area bakeries, including M’tucci’s, will be participating in the Thanksgiving Matchup this year. Nearly 50 local bakeries and restaurants are matched with a local family in need and will deliver their special desserts to that family for Thanksgiving week. Our guests can join in giving by buying a gift certificate equal to or greater than the cost of a pie and we’ll provide a pie to one of the families now on the waiting list for a Thanksgiving dessert. Just tell your server or manager that you want to contribute. You can also contact Kandi Ramsey, co-owner of ABQ Sweet Spot or email [email protected] to see how you can help.

Whiskey Flight at M’tucci’s Italian

Featuring Maker’s Mark Barrel Selects

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

Ravioli - Green Chile & Ricotta filling, Cockle Clams, Cotto Ham, Red Onions, Asparagus, Cherry Tomatoes, Roasted Poblano Cream Sauce, Pecorino, Micro Greens $27

14 oz Ribeye: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Lemon, Balsamic Reduction $39

Pan-Seared California Halibut - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Grilled Artichokes, Lemon Caper Sauce $33

Braise - Cold Smoked Half Chicken, Braised in White Wine, Lemon & Rosemary, Sweet Potatoes Mash, Sautéed Broccolini, Braising Sauce $25

Weekend Cocktail

A Night in Monte - Montenegro Amaro, Fresh Lemon Juice, Honey Simple Syrup


M’tucci’s Moderno

14 oz. Ribeye - Traditional Italian Salsa Verde, Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, & Grilled Asparagus $39

Pan-Seared Meagre - Roasted Artichoke, Braised Escarole, Mashed Potatoes, Caper Lemon Butter Sauce, & Smoked Prosciutto Powder $29

Chicken Portobello Spaghetti Pasta - Roasted Portobello Mushrooms, Mussels, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Spinach, Mozzarella & Roasted Garlic Demi-Glace $21

Weekend Cocktail

Mark Your Calendar! - Teremana Blanco Tequila, O3 Orange Liqueur, Pasubio Amaro , Fresh Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup


M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

12 oz. Veal Porterhouse - Grilled Broccolini, Whipped Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Smoked Blackberry bone Marrow Butter $37

Pan-Seared Icelandic Cod - Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Braised Greens, Stem on Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Butter Caper Sauce $33

Sackett Farms Pork Loin Marsala - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Roasted Bell Pepper, Caramelized Onions, Spinach and Marsala Sauce $24

Weekend Cocktail

Tangsgiving - Diplomatico Exclusiva Rum, Tripe Sec, Hot Water, Holidays Spices


M’tucci’s Bar Roma

Pan-Seared Icelandic Cod - Garlic Whipped Mashed Potatoes, Braised Arugula, Garlic, Pan-Seared Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $33

Cold Smoked Herb Roasted Game Hen - Smoked Gouda au Gratin, Za’tar Braised Carrots, M’tucci’s Pancetta, Escarole, Caramelized Onions, N’Duja Butter $27

Weekend Cocktail

Chai Me a River - Myers Rum, Kahlúa, Chai Mix, Ginger Bitters, Half & Half

Live Music for November

M’tucci’s Bar Roma - Wed 6:30-8:30. Sunday noon-2pm

11/13 Oscar Butler

11/16 Shane Wallin

11/20 John Martinez

11/23 Ron Martinez

11/27 Shane Wallin

11/30 Oscar Butler

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five - Thursday 6:30-8:30 * Friday 7:30-9:30

11/11 Lani Nash

11/17 Rj Perez

11/18 Matt Jones

11/25 Rob Martinez

M’tucci’s Moderno - Thursday 6:30-830 *Friday 7:30-9:30

11/11 Rj Perez

11/17 Matt Jones

11/18 Lani Nash

11/25 Alex Long

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Two Perfect Weeks in Tuscany

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If last week’s La Gazzetta inspired you to visit Tuscany and the Chianti region, here are some tips on how to do it right. September is a great month for travel and October is even better with cooler weather, wine and olive harvests and festivals throughout the region.

Begin your trip by flying into Rome, taking the Leonardo Express train to Rome’s Termini station, then booking the fast train to Florence. Book online with Trenitalia and choose the Freccia option for fast train (about two hours). If you have an hour or so at Termini, there is a large food court on the second level and next door to the station.

Day 1-3: Find an Airbnb or nice hotel in central Florence. Make sure to book your visit to the Uffizi gallery well in advance. Visit the Duomo, which dominates the main piazza, cross the Arno River on the Ponte Vecchio, and escape the crowds by visiting restaurants near Piazza San Spirito. Rent a bike or take a taxi to Piazzale Michelangiolo to watch sunrise over the city. Take an easy bus to the hill town of Fiesole to enjoy the restaurants and views looking over the entire city and the Arno Valley. Do make reservations at Buca Mario, one of the oldest restaurants in the city or try the bistecca alla Fiorentina at Regina Bistecca. The Central Market is the place for olive oils, dried porcini and quick bites for lunch.

Days 4 & 5: Take a taxi or bus to the airport to pick up a rental car. Driving in Italy is fun and easy, so don’t hesitate to get a car to visit hill towns not accessible by train. Book two nights in one of Chianti’s hill towns such as Panzano, Greve in Chianti or Castellini in Chianti. There are an overwhelming number of wineries, restaurants and cooking classes available. Near Castellini in Chianti is Azienda Agricola Casamonti, a farm (that breeds Cinta Sinese free-range pigs) and winery. They offer short tours and a large lunch. Antinori Winery with its modern visitors center, tasting room, gift shop and restaurant is a popular destination. TV celebrity chef Dario Cecchini holds forth nearly every day at his butcher shop/restaurant complex in the hill town of Panzano. There are three different restaurants from which to choose, based on your desired level of meat consumption.

Days 6 & 7: Drive to Siena for two nights. Explore the city with the grand Piazza del Campo, the home to the exciting Palio horse races and the majestic Duomo. The best views are gained by climbing the Torre del Mangia. Study the Google maps well, since there is little parking available in the center of the ancient city. You’ll park your car in lots that are located in the periphery, so book a room somewhat close to a parking lot.

Days 8 & 9: Drive west from Siena, stopping to see the towers of San Gimignano. Try to get there early to beat squadrons of buses and their passengers that descend upon the medieval city. On the main piazza here is a local gelato shop, Gelateria Dondoli, whose proprietor has won the world gelato competition twice - the perfect breakfast!

Continue on the town of Bolgheri in the wine growing region of Coastal Tuscany. The town, surrounded by vineyards, is walkable with several good restaurants and spots to taste the famed Super Tuscans. Visit the hill towns of Bibbona and Castagneto and Marina di Castagneto -Donoratico and San Vincenzo for views of the Tyrrehian Sea. Any of these towns would be good for base for two nights.

Days 10 & 11: Drive east through the countryside to my favorite Tuscan hill town, Montalcino. This town has it all, great restaurants, stunning views of the surrounding vineyards and lots of places to enjoy one of Italy’s finest wines, Brunello di Montalcino. La Fortezza is good for sampling many Brunellos and its less costly cousin, Rosso di Montalcino. Like Siena, you will have to park in one of the parking lots that surround the small town, so be prepared for a little walking to your hotel. Don’t make the same mistake I did and arrive on a Saturday without restaurant reservations. The small town is a popular weekend destination for Italians and travelers. The same goes for all of the restaurants that I have mentioned - make reservations.

Days 12 & 13: Here are two options, depending on your mood. If you have had enough of small towns and wine country and want some big city life, then return the car to Florence and return to Rome on the train. Two nights in a hotel/Airbnb near the Campo di Fiore or Piazza Navona could be the perfect end to your Tuscan travels. Or you could choose to continue east to the hill town of Cortona, made famous as the setting for the book and move, “Under the Tuscan Sun” by Frances Mayes. It has the same charms as Montalcino, with views that take in Umbria and Lake Trasimeno.

Last Day: Instead of sleeping in a disappointing hotel near Termini in Rome the night before your flight, consider staying in the town right by the airport. However, don’t stay at a drab chain hotel at the airport, instead go to the port city of Fiumicino, which has two terrific (according to the writer, Frances Mayes) hotels,. The Seccy and Hotel QC Terme Roma are both within walking distance of good restaurants and they both are only 10 minutes from the airport. Buon Viaggio!

September and October Festivals in Tuscany

Expo Chianti Classico of Greve, which gathers producers from all over the Chianti Classico territory, a chance to sample Chiantis in Chianti. It takes place on the second weekend of September, in the splendid square of Greve in Chianti with tastings, art exhibitions, and concerts. Which means it begins today, so unless you are already there, you’ll have to plan for next year.

Also for next year is the Fiera del Cacio Pienza, the fair that celebrates Tuscan pecorino and is held the first Sunday in September.

Castelnuovo Berardenga celebrates grapes with the Festa dell'uva in Vagliagli.

At the end of October, the 6 municipalities of Chianti adhere to the "Camminata Tra gli Olivi", in collaboration with the Associazione Città dell'Olio: a day dedicated to the discovery of the "green gold" at the time of the olive harvest and pressing.

Next Thursday at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five!

Don’t Miss it!

Click Here to Book Now on Open Table!

Stuffed Squash Blossom is the First Course for the Pairing Dinner with Ex Novo

Albuquerque Journal: Friday, September 9, 2022

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

Ravioli - Pesto Ricotta Ravioli: Mushrooms, Spicy Capicola, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Green Chile, Pesto Cream Sauce, Parmesan & micro Greens $25

12 oz Veal Chop: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Lemon, Balsamic Reduction $37

Pan-Seared Swordfish: Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Grilled Artichokes, Lemon Caper Sauce $33

Braise - Lamb, Gorgonzola Creamy Polenta, Haricot Vert $31

Weekend Cocktail

Berto’s Manhattan- Bullet Rye, Berto Vermouth, Grapefruit Bitters, Slap of Basil


M’tucci’s Moderno

14 oz. NY Strip - Traditional Italian Salsa Verde, Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, & Grilled Asparagus $36

Pan-Seared Rockfish- Roasted Artichoke, Braised Escarole, Mashed Potatoes, Caper Lemon Butter Sauce, & Smoked Prosciutto Powder $24

Sackett Farms Pork Piccata - Arugula, Tomatoes, Feta, Capers, Lemon Butter Sauce tossed with Spaghetti $19

Weekend Cocktail

Blueberry Spritz - Aperol, Pasubio Amaro, M’tucci’s Sparkling Wine, Cherry bitters


M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

12 oz. Veal Porterhouse - Grilled Broccolini, Whipped Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Smoked Blackberry bone Marrow Butter $37

Pan-Seared California White Sea Bass - Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Stem on Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Butter Caper Sauce $34

Calbrain Pork Shank Ragu - San Marzano Tomatoes, Red Bell, Carrots, Red Wine, Prosciutto and Calabrain Chile over House Made Pappardelle $19

Berry & Kiwi Shortcake - White Cake with Rosemary, Rum, Chantilly Cream, Berry Chutney and Fresh Fruit

Weekend Cocktail

The End of Summer - Effen Cucumber Vodka, Fresh Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Chamoy & Tajin Rim


M’tucci’s Bar Roma

Pan-Seared Butterfish - Garlic Whipped Mashed Potatoes, Braised Arugula, Garlic, Pan-Seared Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $39

14 oz Bone-In Ribeye - Herb Dusted Smashed Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Pancetta & Chanterelle Mushroom Au Poivre $39

Duck Pate - Citrus Dressed Cucumber & Arugula Salad, Butter Toasted Almonds $7

Weekend Cocktail

Gotta Lotta Mint - Espolon Tequila, Cassis, Simple Syrup, Fresh Lime Juice, Mint

Live Music for September

M’tucci’s Bar Roma - Wed 6:30-8:30. Sunday noon-2pm



9/11 Shane Wallin

9/14 Sloan Armitage

9/18 Amy Faithe

9/21 Chessa Peak

9/25 John Martinez

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five - Thursday 6:30-8:30 * Friday 7:30-9:30



9/9 Alex Maryol

9/15 Melissa Rios

9/16 RJ Perez

9/22 Amy Faithe

9/23 Lani Nash

9/29 Chessa Peak

9/30 Jacob Chavez

M’tucci’s Moderno - Thursday 6:30-830 *Friday 7:30-9:30

9/9 Russel Ash

9/15 Shane Wallin

9/16 Cali Shaw

9/22 Melissa Rios

9/23 Alex Maryol

9/29 Austin Van

9/30 Paul Hunton

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Rome Inspired M'tucci's Bar Roma

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As the opening day for M’tucci’s Bar Roma grows near, let’s revisit how Rome influenced our inspiration for creating a bit of Rome in Albuquerque.

Last September, Company President John Haas, Beverage Director Austin Leard, Company Chef Shawn Cronin and M’tucci’s Bar Roma General Manager Amanda Romero hit the ground running after the 10 hour flight from Dallas to Rome. Lots of meals, beverages, wild scooter rides, and fun were packed into five long days of cafes, street food stops, speakeasies, trattorias, gelato shops, a pasta making class and fine dining restaurants.

On the first day we discovered suppli at a small place called Mami, near Piazza Navona. Similar to the Sicilian snack called arancini, they are a little different and will be on the menu at M’tucci’s Bar Roma as Cacio e Pepe Arancini, creamy risotto that is lightly breaded, fried and topped with Cacio di Roma cheese, cracked pepper and olive oil. Earlier this month, guests at our five-course pairing dinner with La Cumbre Brewing sampled them and loved them.

Chef Damien Lucero, who will head the kitchen staff, was on the Tuscany trip in 2019 and spent hours talking with Shawn after the Rome visit. You will notice a few more Roman-influenced dishes on the menu when it’s released. Two of the dishes served at the La Cumbre dinner were influenced by our trip to Tuscany, but were created primarily because of Chef Damien’s love of pork.

The Amaro-Glazed Sackett Farms Ribs with Italian Olives and Roasted Bell Pepper was one of the most popular dishes at the LCB dinner. An Amaro (a bittersweet Italian liqueur) reduction with star anise and allspice sautéd with Italian olives, red bell and garlic is the glaze for the tender ribs.

Another Italian favorite using Sackett Farms pork is a Porchetta. This traditional Italian street food is found in stalls at markets, where a whole-pig is boned and slow-roasted with herb-spiced paste. Then it’s sliced and served in butcher paper or as a sandwich. Here is how Chef Damien will prepare it at M’tucci’s Bar Roma:

Don’t miss next week’s La Gazzetta when Chef Shawn and Damien talk about how they created the menu at M’tucci’s Bar Roma, which will open on May 4th. The menu will be posted on our website and on our Facebook page within the next week.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

Ravioli - Pickled Fennel & Ricotta Filling, Sautéed Pink Shrimp, House Capicolla, Sun Dried Tomatoe, Turnip Greens, Spring Onion, Pesto Cream Sauce $29

24 oz Hand Cut T-Bone: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Lemon, Balsamic Reduction $37

Pan-Seared Barramundi: Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Grilled Artichokes, Lemon Caper Sauce $29

Braise - Sackett Farms Red Wine & Porcini Braised Pork Shank, Creamy Mushroom/Spinach Risotto, Red Wine Braising Sauce $27

Weekend Cocktail

Up All Night: Slow & Low Coffee Old Fashioned Whiskey, Campari, Kahlúa, Chocolate bitters, Lemon Twist


M’tucci’s Moderno

14 oz. Hand Cut NY Strip- Traditional Italian Salsa Verde, Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, & Grilled Asparagus $31

Pan-Seared Rockfish - Roasted Artichoke, Sautéed Organic Arugula, Mashed Potatoes, Caper Lemon Butter Sauce, & Smoked Prosciutto Powder $27

Beef Tip Tortelloni - Beef Tips, Cajun Seasoning, Grape Tomatoes, Green Onions, Gorgonzola, Rosa Sauce $21

Weekend Cocktail

Tesorosso: M’tucci’s El Tesoro Reposado Tequila, Fresh Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Tonic Bitters, M’tucci’s Red Wine Float


M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Sackett Farms Milk-Braised Pork Shank - Mascarpone Creamy Polenta, Sautéed Spinach, Gigante Beans and Carrot Brodo $28

8 oz. Top Sirloin (Picanha) - Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $28

Pan-Seared Mexican Fluke - Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Stem on Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Butter Caper Sauce $29

Weekend Cocktail

Bruja- ha - M’tucci’s El Tesoro Reposado Tequila, Strega, Pilla Select, Fresh Lime Juice

Live Music for April & May at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five and M’tucci’s Moderno

Thursdays @ 6:30 & Fridays @ 7:00

M’tucci’s Italian has soft cello or violin dinner music every Thursday night beginning at 6:00.


MODERNO

4/22 Kirk Matthews

4/28 Austin Van

4/29 Cali Shaw

5/5 Eryn Bent

5/6 Nathan Fox

5/12 Sloan Armitage

5/13 Lani Nash

5/19 Alex Maryol

5/20 RJ Perez

5/26 Oscar Butler

5/27 Kirk Matthews



TWENTY-FIVE

4/28 Oscar Butler

5/5 Kirk Matthews

5/12 Amy Faithe

5/19 Austin Van

5/26 Alex Maryol

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Italian Festivals

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Italy has no shortage of food festivals and Saint’s days - all a great excuse to have a party and to eat well.

In the North, festivals celebrate everything from truffles to polenta to gnocchi. The Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo is held in Piedmont every October and November with truffle specialties in the restaurants, seminars on truffle hunting and truffle markets. The most well-known celebration is in Alba.

You can sample polenta pasticciata cooked in large copper kettles in Tossignano in Emila-Romagna on the last Tuesday of Carnival and sample gnocchi and pastissada sauce on the last Friday of Carnival in Verona. In Camogli, a seaside town east of Genoa, a community-wide fish fry using 12-foot frying pans is held on the main square on the second Sunday in May.

The Fiera Del Cacio is held on the first Sunday in September in Penza in Tuscany and features music, games, large wheels of pecorino and copious amounts of wine.

The Bravio delle Botti (barrel race)is held in Montepulciano in the last of August and is a competition between the eight districts of the town. The weeklong event culminates with a race where men roll large wine barrels up a hill in the historic center.

The Palio di Siena is held twice a year (the first one was last Friday) to celebrate the Madonna of Provenzano and the Assumption of Mary. The famous horse race began in 1633 and is held in the Piazza del Campo, with 10 horses and riders from 10 of Siena’s 17 neighborhoods (contrade). They race bareback for three laps around the square. Fours days of feasts surround the festival. The second race is August 16.

In the South, the Festa della Pasta di Gragano is held in early September in Gragnano, the town where the pasta industry began. The Gran Gala del Pesce Spada Bagnara celebrates the swordfish catch during early July with swordfish involtini (rolled and baked filets) served throughout the town. In late April, Sicily celebrates their ricotta and all the related products, especially cannoli in the town of Vizzini.

But, you don’t have to travel to Italy for cannoli, you can enjoy one every day at M’tucci’s Italian.

Pasta della Forma

Every Thursday through Sunday you can enjoy this special dish for two, only at M’tucci’s Italian. House made spaghettini is prepared table side in a wheel of Piave Vecchio, a cheese from the Veneto region near the Dolomite mountains. You have a choice of two toppings:

Mushroom Duxelle: Baby Portobello Mushrooms, Thyme, Garlic, White Wine

Roasted Red Bell Pepper/Sun-Dried Tomato Relish

Pasta Della Forma: Minimum of two people, Prepared Table side $38 Chef’s Condiments Add $3

M’tucci’s Chef/partner Cory Gray explains the process to our guests.

M’tucci’s Chef/partner Cory Gray explains the process to our guests.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

16 oz Hand Cut NY Strip: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Balsamic Reduction $38

Pan-Seared Ruby Trout - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $23

Pasta Della Forma: House Made Spaghettini & Piave Vecchio Cheese, Minimum of two orders, Prepared Table side - $38, Chef’s Condiments Add $3

Appetizers

Beer Battered Herbed Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms: Capers, Oil Pickled Zucchini $10

Clam Toasts & Pancetta with Fennel, Sun-Dried Tomato, White Wine Butter Broth $12

Weekend Cocktail

Twilight Hour: Caravedo Pisco, Aperol, Sherry, Lime & Simple Syrup

Sunday Only

Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18

M’tucci’s Moderno

12 oz. NY Strip: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $32

Pan-Seared Swordfish: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $27

Jumbo Shrimp Pasta: Patagonia Pink Shrimp, Shallots, Grape Tomatoes, Seafood Sauce and M’tucci’s House Made Spaghettini $19

Weekend Cocktail

Banana Hammock: Bacardi Rum, Fresh Juices and Blue Curacao

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

12 oz. Ribeye: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $32

Pan-Seared Ruby Trout: Seared Artichokes, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $21

Five Cheese Ravioli:Preserved Jalapeños with Mint and Smoked Sage Oil, Roasted Peppers, Artichokes, Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese Pomodoro Sauce $24

Weekend Cocktail

Royal Oak Celebration: Busker Irish Whiskey, Yellow Chartreuse, Honey Lemon & Bubbles

Great Italian Sausage at Albertsons Markets and M’tucci’s Restaurants

Great Italian Sausage at Albertsons Markets and M’tucci’s Restaurants

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

The Many Shapes of Pasta

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Charles de Gaulle, former WWII General and President of France, famously delcared “How can anyone govern a nation that has 246 different kinds of cheese?” There is no record of Mussolini (or any other Italian leader) exclaiming: how does one govern a country with more than 350 shapes of pasta!

The earliest shapes of pasta, found in reports from the 13th century, were macaroni, ravioli, gnocchi and vermicelli. Specific shapes were created for specific uses such as oil-based sauces, cream sauces, meat sauces and soups. There is long pasta, short pasta, tubular pasta, pasta for stuffing and creatively-shaped pasta. Here are a few shapes that are always in my pantry (clockwise from left): penne, linguine, ziti & fettuccine, (top to bottom in the center) strozzapreti, orecchiette and casarecce.

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Some of the names of pasta are easily translatable and some have stories behind the names. Here are some popular shapes with their Italian meanings:

Bucatini: little holes - the traditional pasta for all’ Amatriciana

Campanelle: little bells

Casarecce: From 'casereccio', meaning 'homemade'

Conchiglie: shells

Farfelle: butterflies

Fettuccine: little ribbons - forever connected to Alfredo

Gemelli: twins

Linguine: little tongues

Orecchiette: little ears - popular in Puglia where it is handmade and served with sausage and rapini

Penne: pens

Ravioli: possibly from 'rapa', meaning 'turnip', which was one of the original stuffings

Spaghetti: little twine

Strozzapreti: priest stranglers or priest chokers (more about this below)

Tortellini: small little pies

Ziti: from 'zito', meaning 'bridegroom' and is typically served at weddings

My favorite name is strozzapreti, which means priest strangler or priest choker. Several stories surround the origin of this name. The pasta was typical in Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and Umbria where anti-clerical sentiment was strong. Some said the name referred to the gluttonous ways of the clergy, who liked this pasta so much that they ate it so fast they would choke.

At M’tucci’s we use both fresh pasta that we make daily and dried pasta imported from Italy. We make ravioli, fettuccine, rigatoni, pappardelle, spaghettini, gnocchi and campanelle. Our dried pasta is tortelloni and fussiloni.

Despite the shape, or if the pasta is fresh or dried, there are a few simple things to remember when purchasing and cooking the pasta. Both types should be made with a rough bronze die (which produces a pasta with a rough surface that holds the sauce better) and it should be air-dried. I never buy fresh pasta, since I never know if it’s really fresh - I prefer to eat my fresh pasta at M’tucci’s. You can find good quality dried Italian pasta at Whole Foods, Keller’s Markets and Tully’s Market. Most grocery stores carry DeCecco. Although it is mass-produced, it is a good quality pasta. I think the Whole Foods brand is very good and very reasonably priced for organic pasta.

The main points for cooking (tips from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking and from Chef Cory Gray):

  1. Lots of water, at least 3 quarts and add another quart for every half pound.

  2. Salt the water with sea salt, so it tastes like the ocean. The water is boiling when you add the salt, so don’t taste it, but add at least 1.5 T for every pound of pasta when the water boils.

  3. Never put oil in the boiling water

  4. Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce immediately

“I really prefer rigatoni for Bolognese sauces, the pasta has a cavity to hold the rich, thick sauce. I also love ravioli since it is a vessel that can hold anything of you can imagine and then you can create a lovely sauce to accompany it,” said Chef/Partner Cory Gray.

Here is our hard-working Italian pasta machine, turning out fresh pappardelle and campanelle.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut Porterhouse: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Balsamic Reduction $38

Pan-Seared Ono - Sweet Potato Puree, Broccolini, Sweet Pea and Duck Prosciutto Succotash $27

Pasta Della Forma: House Made Spaghettini & Piave Vecchio Cheese, Minimum of two orders, Prepared Table side - $38, Chef’s Condiments Add $3

Appetizers

Beer Battered Herbed Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossoms: Capers, Oil Pickled Zucchini $10

Clam Toasts & Pancetta with Fennel, Sun-Dried Tomato, White Wine Butter Broth $12

Weekend Cocktail

Butterfly Effect: Hapenny Gin, Fresh Grapefruit & Lemon Juice, Vanilla Simple and Butterfly Pea Flower Ice Cubes - Watch it Change Colors!!

Sunday Only

Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18

M’tucci’s Moderno

10 oz. Flank Steak: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $27

Pan-Seared California Halibut: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $25

Shrimp & Goat Cheese Pasta: Pink Shrimp, Spicy Pepper Goat Cheese Suace, Hazelnuts and M’tucci’s House Made Spaghettini $19

Weekend Cocktail

Smoke & Mirrors: Vida Mezcal, Bigallet China China, Carpano Antica, Amaro Bilaro, Grapefruit Bitters


M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

24 oz. Porterhouse: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $38

Pan-Seared Ruby Trout: Seared Artichokes, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $23

Porcini Mushroom Risotto: Seared Beef Medallions, Sautéed Mushrooms with Kale and Balsamic Reduction $21

Gelato: Strawberry

Sorbetto: House Limoncello/Cherry

Weekend Cocktail

The Army Navy Cocktail: Empress 1908 Gin, Orgeat Syrup and Fresh Lemon Juice


Pasta Della Forma - only at M’tucci’s Italian and only on Friday, Saturday & Sunday

A popular restaurant pasta preparation in Italy and in California is now in Albuquerque - only at M’tucci’s Italian. Pasta Della Forma (from formaggio which is Italian for cheese) is finished table side in a cheese wheel. We use Fresh House Spaghettini and Piave Vecchio, a cheese from the Veneto region near the Dolomite mountains. You have a choice of two toppings:

Mushroom Duxelle: Baby Portobello Mushrooms, Thyme, Garlic, White Wine

Roasted Red Bell Pepper/Sun-Dried Tomato Relish

Pasta Della Forma: Minimum of two people, Prepared Table side $38 Chef’s Condiments Add $3

I recommend a healthy grinding of fresh pepper. A short video shows how it’s done.

M’tucci’s Hosts Fundraising Day to Benefit Road Rage Survivor

19-year old Christina Luchetti was the victim of road rage in March, leaving her paralyzed and facing tremendous medical bills and costs to make her home handicapped-accessible. When we heard about her situation, we immediately reached out to the family and offered to host a fundraising day. We will donate 20% of sales at all three restaurants on June 14. Their goal is to raise $30,000 for the family. 

“At M’tucci’s we’re a family, and we consider our community our extended family,” explained John Haas, M’tucci’s Restaurants Managing Partner. “When Christina’s situation was brought to our attention, we knew we wanted to help in any way possible. We encourage everyone to come out to any of our restaurants on June 14 in support of Christina and to give as they are able.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Christina.  In addition to their fundraiser, M’tucci’s is challenging other area businesses to join in to support Christina.

“Albuquerque is a community with a big heart, and we’re honored to call it home,” added Haas. “We invite you to join us in showing that love and generosity to one of our own.” 

To make a reservation for June 14 or to place an online order, visit https://www.mtuccis.com. 

Live Music Returns!!

M’tucci’s Moderno and M’tucci’s Twenty-Five will resume live music on Thursday, June 17 with your favorite local musicians. See the Events listing on our Facebook pages. Thursday performances are 7:00-9:00 and Friday performances are 8:00 - 10:00.

M’tucci’s Moderno

6/17 Kirk Matthews

6/18 RJ Perez

6/24 Eryn Bent

6/25 Kirk Matthews

7/1 Kirk Matthews

7/2Lani Nash

7/8 Melissa Rios

7/9 RJ Perez



M’tucci’s Twenty Five

6/17 Melissa Rios

6/24 Kirk Matthews

7/1Lani Nash

7/8 Kirk Matthews

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Aged Italian Cheese

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Cheese is an ancient food, possibly originating in Egypt and brought back to Italy by visitors (soldiers?) around 6,000 years ago. The center for cheese making was Rome, with many artisans experimenting with cheese made from sheep, goats and cows. The Roman artisans were credited with developing the techniques for aging and preserving cheese. While there are many cheeses made throughout Italy with familiar names like provolone, mozzarella, fontina, asiago and gorgonzola, today we focus on the three aged hard cheeses that are most important to our dishes at all three M’tucci’s locations: Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

These cheeses are only similar in the sense that they are made of only milk and rennet, and aged for a minimum amount of time: Parmigiano for 18 months (we buy only 24-month old parmesan), Grana for nine months and Pecorino for at least five months. Each is made in a different region of Italy and has a different flavor profile.

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Grana Padano - is similar to Parmigiano in flavor and is made from cow’s milk in the Po River Valley of northeastern Italy. All of the pastas and pizzas at M’tucci’s Italian Market & Pizzeria are made with Grana. “We like it because it has a bright, nutty flavor, akin to the best parmesan, but it also has little salt crystals that impart awesome bursts of flavor onto any dish,” said Chef/Partner Shawn Cronin. It is not quite as salty as Parmigiano and it is usually cheaper. I normally buy Grana for grating over pasta or making pesto.

Parmigiano-Reggiano - this cheese comes from partly-skimmed milk from pasture grazed cows in the Emilia Romagna region surrounding Bologna, Parma and Pisa. It is aged a minimum of 18 months in the form of a wheel which usually weighs around 80 pounds. We serve Parmagiano-Reggiano on our charcuterie boards at all three locations. I like to use a vegetable peeler to shave curls of it on my salads. When the wedge is finished, I keep the rinds in the freezer in a baggie and add them to minestrone or pasta e fagioli soup while it cooks. As a grated cheese over pasta, it usually pairs better with butter-based sauces. One notable exception is the use of it in pesto sauce, which is made with olive oil

Pecorino Romano - pecora means sheep in Italian and, when aged, this sheep’s milk cheese is distinctive. It has a bright, tangy, salty flavor that the late cookbook author, Marcella Hazan, says is perfect for stronger flavored pasta sauces containing broccoli, rapini, or those that are made with olive oil. Although it originated in the area around Rome, Pecorinos are also made in Tuscany and Sardinia and can be found as a young cheese, as well as one aged for grating.

Always look for the imprint of the cheese’s name on the rind. If there is no imprint, it’s not authentic. Usually, it’s best to buy as much as you think you will use in 2-3 weeks. Never grate an aged cheese ahead of time (they can dry out and lose their flavor). They are best stored wrapped in wax paper, then wrapped with foil or placed in a baggie in the refrigerator.

People who are lactose intolerant can digest sheep’s milk cheeses, since the lactose is set free in the whey.

I like the flavor of Pecorino and always combine some of it with Parmigiano when I make pesto. Our chef’s at M’tucci’s Italian and M’tucci’s Moderno use it grated or in ribbons on our pastas and pizzas.

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Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut Bone-In NY Strip: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction $33

Pan-Seared Branzino - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce $27

M’tucci’s Braised Sackett Farm Pork Shank Ricotta filled Ravioli: , Sautéed Artichokes, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Caramelized Onion, Roasted Orange Fennel Cream Sauce garnished with Pickled Fennel $23

Sunday Only: Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18

M’tucci’s Moderno

12 oz. Certified Black Angus Rib Eye: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $27

Pan-Seared Fresh Jumbo Diver Sea Scallops: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $36

Sackett Farm Pork Picatta: Spaghettini, Arugula, Caper, Diced Tomatoes, Feta Cheese, Lemon Butter Sauce $19

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

8 oz. Pan-Seared Alaskan Halibut: Seared Artichokes, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $24

Toasted House Made Rigatoni with Sun-Dried Tomatoe, Spinach, Cold Smoked Beef Tips, Pecorino Cream Sauce Garnished with Gorgonzola $19

Gelato: Stracciatella

Sorbetto: Cherry Limoncello

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Italian Trattorias

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Editor’s Note: I am on vacation this week, but we are honored and excited to feature an excerpt from an essay in Pasta, Pane, Vino by James Beard Award-Winning author Matt Goulding. Probably one of the best books written about Italian food and travel, Pasta, Pane, Vino takes the reader on a culinary adventure throughout the peninsula. A more detailed bio and a link to his books follow the essay.

In the chapter about Rome, he answers the question (with great examples): what is a trattoria? When I read his description, I thought, “he just described M’tucci’s.

We hope you enjoy it enough to buy the book, in addition to the other two in the series about Japan and Spain. Read on.

Rome

Rome

“Ristoranti, the most formal class of dining in Italy, have the prices and the worldly clientele to experiment, but the heart of Italian food culture, especially Roman food culture, is the trattoria, an institution historically built on an infallible formula: good product, unfussy technique, reasonable prices. According to my friend Alessandro, there are only a few true trattorie left in Rome, and he dispatches me to one with a friend, Andrea Sponzilli, another intrepid food writer. “He’ll know what to order.”

Among the pillars of Italian cuisine, pasta is the most sacred—the one that has inspired thousands of books, millions of journeys, and infinite debates about the way to do it right.

The rest of the world openly wonders what makes Italian pasta so good and theirs so mediocre, but the answer is right in front of their faces: the pasta itself. The bond between flour and water (and in some cases egg) is sacrosanct, and it must not be broken unnecessarily, compromised by sloppy cooking or aggressive saucing or tableware transgressions. That means cooking it properly, ignoring package or recipe instructions and instead relying on a system of vigilant testing until only the barest thread of raw pasta remains in the center of the noodle. That means saucing it sparingly, in the same way a French chef might dress a salad, carefully calibrating the heft and the intensity of the sauce to the noodle itself. That means refraining from unholy acts of aggression: throwing it against the wall, adding oil to the boiling water, spinning the pasta against your spoon, or for God’s sake cutting the noodles with a knife and a fork. Above all, that means thinking not addition but subtraction, not what else can I add, but what can I take away?

Italian cuisine, at its very best, is a math problem that doesn’t add up. A tangle of noodles, a few scraps of pork, a grating of cheese are transformed into something magical. 1 + 1 = 3: more alchemy than cooking.

No strain of regional Italian cooking expresses that more clearly than the iconic pastas of Rome: gricia, carbonara, amatriciana, and cacio e pepe. “They are the four kings,” says Andrea as we peruse the menu of Cesare al Casaletto, a trattoria in Monteverde. It’s ten minutes from the center of Rome, but for tourists who rarely cross the Tiber except to dip a toe in Trastevere, it might as well be in Florence. Our table of four decides to divide the royalty among us, and when the four dishes arrive, a silence falls over us. There’s a near-spiritual significance to having these four pastas on the table at once—each revered enough to have achieved canonical status among carb lovers the world over, but none containing more than a handful of ingredients.

Carbonara: The union of al dente noodles (traditionally spaghetti, but in this case rigatoni), crispy pork, and a cloak of lightly cooked egg and cheese is arguably the second most famous pasta in Italy, after Bologna’s tagliatelle al ragù. The key to an excellent carbonara lies in the strategic incorporation of the egg, which is added raw to the hot pasta just before serving: add it when the pasta is too hot, and it will scramble and clump around the noodles; add it too late, and you’ll have a viscous tide of raw egg dragging down your pasta.

Cacio e pepe: Said to have originated as a means of sustenance for shepherds on the road, who could bear to carry dried pasta, a hunk of cheese, and black pepper but little else. Cacio e pepe is the most magical and befuddling of all Italian dishes, something that reads like arithmetic on paper but plays out like calculus in the pan. With nothing more than these three ingredients (and perhaps a bit of oil or butter, depending on who’s cooking), plus a splash of pasta cooking water and a lot of movement in the pan to emulsify the fat from the cheese with the H2O, you end up with a sauce that clings to the noodles and to your taste memories in equal measure.

Amatriciana: The only red pasta of the bunch. It doesn’t come from Rome at all but from the town of Amatrice on the border of Lazio and Abruzzo (the influence of neighboring Abruzzo on Roman cuisine, especially in the pasta department, cannot be overstated). It’s made predominantly with bucatini—thick, tubular spaghetti—dressed in tomato sauce revved up with crispy guanciale and a touch of chili. It’s funky and sweet, with a mild bite—a rare study of opposing flavors in a cuisine that doesn’t typically go for contrasts.

Gricia: The least known of the four kings, especially outside Rome, but according to Andrea, gricia is the bridge between them all: the rendered pork fat that gooses a carbonara or amatriciana, the funky cheese and pepper punch at the heart of cacio e pepe. “It all starts with gricia.”

And that’s where I start, lifting the pasta from the big-bellied bowl and marveling at its humility: nearly naked, with only the faintest suggestion of human interference. To truly enjoy a pasta of this austere simplicity is to surrender yourself entirely to the scope of its achievement: How to extract so much from so little? How many ingredients in any other cuisine around the world would it take to create a dish as satisfying as this one? Why doesn’t my pasta taste like this?

You could argue that the two central ingredients at the heart of Rome’s pasta culture aren’t really ingredients at all: the first is water. Not just any water, but the water used to cook all those batches of pasta throughout service, each successive batch of noodles leaving behind a layer of starch that steadily transforms the water into an exquisite binding agent, perfect for adding to a pasta sauce to adjust the consistency and clinginess.

The other vital ingredient in the Roman pasta canon is a simple but vital technique: a flick of the wrist, the aggressive movement needed to emulsify the cooking water with the fat in a pan of pasta sauce. By swirling the pan with one hand and using a set of tongs with the other to keep the starch in constant motion, like a Cantonese chef taming the breath of the wok with a hand that never stops moving—what Italians call la mantecatura—a thirty-second mating ritual of intense amorous energy wherein pasta and condiment become one. Without water and without the wrist motion, cacio e pepe would be nothing more than pasta dressed with cheese and pepper, gricia would be noodles in a mess of rendered pork fat. (Of course, most non-Italian cooks don’t even attempt this delicate dance, opting instead to go the route of poor Nigella, adding cream to their carbonara and cacio e pepe.)

The Cesare specimens are among the finest I’ve tasted. Using rigatoni instead of spaghetti for carbonara would evoke an avalanche of angry Facebook posts from pasta purists, but there’s no doubt that the hollow shape makes a more generous home for the silky sauce. The gricia is deserving of its fame across the city, the toothsome strands of housemade tonnarelli robed in a soft blanket of warm pig fat and pecorino. And the cacio e pepe, well, let’s just say the cacio e pepe will follow me everywhere across this country in the months to come, a three-ingredient measuring stick for the greatness of Italy’s regional cuisine. Albert Einstein said he saw the possibility of a higher power in the harmony of the natural world; some find it in the magnificent complexity of the human body. I see it in the miracle of cacio e pepe.

Before the hushed reverence of our pasta moment threatens to turn lunch awkward, the sound of happy eaters snaps us out of our silence. “The story of Roman cuisine is the story of the neighborhood restaurant,” says Andrea. “Any real romano will always believe the best osteria is next door. Their loyalty is always to the neighborhood.” You can feel that loyalty in the room today: parents linger over dessert as their kids play under the table, old couples hold hands as they finish off the last few sips of wine. Maybe some have made the trip from other parts of Rome—it’s certainly worth it—but chances are that most live within strolling distance.”

If that doesn’t make you want to go to Rome and eat, I don’t know what will. Thanks Matt!

  • Used with permission From Pasta, Pane, Vino - Deep Travels Through Italy’s Food Culture by Matt Goulding, an Anthony Bourdain/HarperCollins book (2018)

  • Matt Goulding is an Emmy and James Beard Award-winning author and producer, now based in Barcelona. The former food editor at Men’s Health, he is the author of the very popular Eat This, Not That and the co-founder of Roads & Kingdoms, a digital publication that focuses on travel through food. He met Anthony Bourdain in 2010, who became a friend and a supporter of Roads & Kingdoms, and who then published Goulding’s three books about food and travel in Japan, Spain and Italy: Rice, Noodle, Fish; Grape, Olive, Fig; and Pasta, Pane, Vino. I highly recommend all three. Buy them by clicking this link.

  • Roads & Kingdoms was founded by Matt and Nathan Thormburg. Possibly one of the most valuable and comprehensive online travel and food publications available. Subscribe to Roads & Kingdoms by clicking here.

  • Follow Matt Goulding on Instagram: @mdgoulding

Burrata, Prosciutto & Artichoke Hearts at Obicá Campo di Fiori in Rome

Burrata, Prosciutto & Artichoke Hearts at Obicá Campo di Fiori in Rome

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24oz Hand Cut Porterhouse: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction $34

Pan-Seared California Halibut: Garlic Mash Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce $26

Ravioli: Crab Ricotta Ravioli, Sautéed Pink Shrimp, Sun-dried Tomatoes, Haricot Vert, tossed in a Brown Butter $23

Pasta: Harris Ranch Beef Tips, Wild Mushroom Gorgonzola Cream Sauce, Red Bell Pepper, Carrot, Sweet Peas, Crispy Shallot Garnish $21

Sunday Only: Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18

M’tucci’s Moderno

Coming soon.

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

8 oz Wagyu Tri-Tip: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $27

Pan-Seared Amberjack: Seared Artichokes, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Grilled Escarole, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $21

Salmon Fish and Chips: Green Apple, Golden Raisin, Fennel, Kale Slaw, Cajun fries, Remoulade Sauce $19

Gelato: Stracciatella

Sorbetto: Blueberry Blackberry (combined)

Thanks for reading. See you next week. Ciao!

Italian Easter

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Easter (Pasqua) in Italy is not only a religious holiday, it also marks the end of Winter and the time of year when Italians celebrate the beginning of Spring. There are several prominent dishes served at this time of year including Colomba, an Easter version of Pannettone. Eggs symbolize rebirth, so Italians make a variety of cakes and pastries with eggs (sometimes cooked whole inside the cake), and serve boiled eggs and salame for lunch. Chocolate Easter eggs are given as gifts.

Nothing is more ubiquitous on the Italian Easter table than lamb. Sheep are raised throughout the Central and Southern regions, and on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, producing a variety of meats. Their milk is used to make a wide variety of cheeses, the most well-known being Pecorino. Sheep are raised in the mountains, grazing in the hills in the summers and moving to the lower elevations during the winter, as they are in much of the Western U.S.

The cut of lamb used is determined by the family budget. Most of the recipes I have seen call for lamb shoulder, which is roasted whole, or which is cut into pieces and slow-cooked for ragù. Rack or leg of lamb would be considered a splurge.

Roasted Rack of Colorado Lamb

Roasted Rack of Colorado Lamb

Regional specialties vary for Easter preparations. In Emilia Romagna the shoulder is roasted with rosemary, garlic and white wine. In Rome and Lazio, they prepare abbacchio, which is a pan-roasted shoulder with sage, garlic, rosemary and anchovies. Another popular Roman dish is abbacchio con scotaditto (lamb ribs), which utilizes the famous Roman artichokes now in season.

To the east of Rome, in the mountainous regions of Abruzzo and Molise, sheep are predominate and lamb is typical at this time of year. Agnello cacio e uova, lamb with cacio (a semi-soft cheese) and eggs, unites two of the most symbolic ingredients of Easter. The sheep graze on high mountain grasses and flowers and are considered among the most flavorful in Italy. One of the staples of Abruzzo is ragù, slow cooked with mountain herbs (sometimes saffron), vegetables and maybe a bit of guanciale.

EASTER MEAL KIT - Dinner for 2 - Only $37

1st Course: M’tucci’s Spicy Tucumcari Feta Dip w/ Marinated Cucumber and Red Bell Pepper

2nd Course: Lamb Ragù - Lamb, Guanciale, Pancetta, Carrots, Onions, Celery, San Marzano Tomatoes over M’tucci’s Rigatoni

3rd Course: Strawberry Parfait - Lemon Lavender Sponge Cake, Vanilla Chantilly Cream & Macerated Strawberries

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut Porterhouse - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction $32

Pan-Seared California Halibut - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce $23

Pasta: Beef & Goat Cheese Ravioli with Pan-Seared Shrimp, House Bacon, Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions in a Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce $23

Cocktail: Kentucky Gold: Old Forester 86, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Pimento

Sunday Only: Half Rack of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, House Made Cole Slaw and House BBQ Sauce for $18

M’tucci’s Moderno

12 oz. Angus NY Strip: Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Salsa Verde $27

Pan-Seared Mahi Mahi: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $25

Lobster & Shrimp Pasta - Shrimp, Lobster, Grape Tomatoes in a Lobster Cream Sauce & Spaghettini $29

Cocktail: Beach Glass: Muddled Strawberry, Amaro Lucano, Orange Juice, Lime Juice, Prichard’s Crystal Rum Goslings Float

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

12oz. Harris Ranch NY Strip - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $24

6 oz. Pan-Seared Amberjack - Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Grilled Escarole, Seared Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $22

Honey Chicken Truffle Pasta - Lightly Breaded Chicken with Root Veggies, Snap Peas, Fresh Herbs in a Butter Mascarpone Sauce topped with Honey Truffle Oil over House Made Fettuccine $17

Cocktail: Golden Corduroy: Whiskey Jane Rye, Cardamaro, Roasted Lemon-Honey Simple Syrup, Grapefruit Bitters and a pinch of Salt.

Gelato: Whiskey Malted Milk Stracchiatella

Sorbetto: Lemon & Lime

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

La Cucina Povera

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La Cucina Povera is cooking simply, with the best ingredients available. Literally it translates to “the poor kitchen”, “cooking of the poor”, or “peasant cooking”. However, the building blocks of Italian cuisine originated with this concept, which is most commonly associated with Southern Italy. You could say that la cucina povera is Italian soul food.

The rigors of the feudal system, where the poor subsisted on what they grew or could forage, was a hard enough life. When the system collapsed, so did life in the South, which led to mass migration from the south with many leaving Italy for life in America in the mid to late 1800s. Italian-American cooking originated with these immigrants from Calabria, Basilicata, and Campania. However, the true art and concept of la cucina povera has little resemblance to much of today’s Italian-American cooking.

A vegetable market back in the days before the Euro.

A vegetable market back in the days before the Euro.

This weekend’s meal kit is firmly based on la cucina povera. Minestrone soup is ubiquitous in Italian restaurants in America, but very rare in a restaurant in Italy. In Italy it’s a dish that is created at home with the ingredients at hand. The word minestrone comes from the word minestrare, which means “to serve.” Italians use the word zuppa to describe lighter soups, while minestra or minestrone are used to describe heartier soups or stews. As with most Italian sauces and stews the flavors are built by adding the ingredients in stages, until a marriage of flavors is achieved. Italian Wedding Soup, is not typically served at Italian weddings, rather its Italian name, minestra maritata, refers to the blending or marriage of flavors.

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The main course, Chicken Cacciatora, also comes from la cucina povera, and translates to “hunter’s-style chicken”. Once again, the dish used what was available from the garden or foraged from the countryside, with wild rabbit the original meat in the recipe. Italians use a variety of vegetables, instead of the more common Italian-American cacciatora which often uses a heavy marinara sauce.

Chef Cory substituted chicken thighs (the most flavorful piece of chicken!), and uses several vegetables, added in stages (as shown below) in the recipe to make a hearty stew. Most cacciatora recipes call for white wine and chicken broth. Instead Cory used red wine for deglazing. This recipe also relies on the blending or “maritata” of flavors, which results in a richer sauce.

As usual, the meal comes with a detailed recipe card and a link to a video that shows you how to prepare your meal. The soup and creamy polenta are prepared for you, all you have to do is prepare the Cacciatora with the prepped and portioned ingredients. Tonight you can cook like an Italian and Chef Cory!

Available for pick up at all M’tucci’s Locations

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Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

7 oz Cajun-Rubbed Tender Roast Steak - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction $23

Pan-Seared Ruby Red Trout - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce $21

Sunday Only: Full Rack of Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach and House BBQ Sauce for $27

M’tucci’s Moderno

Sackett Farm Pork Shanks - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéd Spinach, Mirepoix Sauce $23

Beef Tip Tortellini - Cajun Seaonsing, Diced Tomatoes, Green Onions, Rosa Sauce & Gorgonzola Cheese $19

Pan-Seared Halibut - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $24

Sunday Only: House Made Lasagna with Herbed Ricotta, Five Pork Bolognese and Roasted Tomato Marinara. $16 (it’s large)

Drink Specials by Matt

Del Rio Punch: Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, Lime, Pineapple & Orange Juices, Red Chile & Club Soda

Violet Villa: Espolon Tequila, Lime Juice, Violet Liqueur

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

7 oz Chianina Flatiron Steak - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $22

Gelato: Raspberry/Cherry/Limoncello

Sorbetto: Citrus Apple

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Caffe d' Italia

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On the first morning of my first trip to Italy in 1994, I sat in a cafe and enjoyed a cappuccino. I had discovered this magical morning beverage in a small Italian cafe in the North Beach section of San Francisco nearly 20 years earlier. This was many years before the Starbucks-on-every-corner phenomenon and it was not easy to find a real cappuccino elsewhere in the U.S. for several years.

On my second night in Italy in the Cinque Terre village of Vernazza, I decided to end my meal with an espresso. I had read that espresso has less caffeine than drip coffee, primarily because of the roasting process and the amount of coffee used to produce a small cup. It was the perfect Italian way to end the meal. However, lying in bed wide awake, listening to the church bell toll twice for 2:00am, I decided that I should restrict my consumption of coffee to a morning cappuccino.

While coffee culture has boomed in America, Italy is still synonymous with espresso and cappuccino. Although there are no coffee beans grown in Italy, nor is Italy the largest worldwide consumer of coffee, there are few places where coffee plays a more important role in daily life.

Two baristas at a cafe in Rome. (notice the prices from 2008)

Two baristas at a cafe in Rome. (notice the prices from 2008)

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Coffee is an ancient drink, made from beans/seeds from a bush first discovered in Ethiopia. The first recorded coffee consumption was in Yemen in the 15th century. It spread throughout the Middle East, and eventually made its way to Europe through Venice. The earlier forms of preparation involved boiling the seeds, which evolved to roasting and then boiling the seeds of the Coffea bush. In 1600 it was called “Arabian Wine” and was not acceptable in Europe until Pope Clement VII declared it a “Christian beverage”.

After the Arab world conspired to control the production and distribution, Dutch forces stormed the shores of Al Mukha (anglicized as Mocha) in Yemen in 1690 and made away with a number of coffee trees. The Dutch East India company took the trees to Indonesia, which then provided Europe with a steady supply of coffee. The trees then were taken to the Caribbean and the Americas where they flourish, with Brazil now being the worlds leading producer of coffee (approximately 35%).

A small coffee farm in Chiapas, Mexico

There are two main strains of coffee beans, Robusta and Arabica. Robusta is native to Subsaharan Africa, while Arabica is native to Ethiopia and Kenya. Arabica is considered the higher quality of the two, but has lower yields, is more susceptible to rusts and is more expensive. The flavors are generally more mellow and rich. Robusta tends to be more bitter, but has more body than Arabica. High quality Robusta beans are used on most Italian blends for a bigger flavor and a richer crema (the caramel foam that results from a proper espresso).

Arguably, the greatest improvement to coffee was the invention of the espresso machine. The first version was created by a Neapolitan named Bezzera using a boiler that forced steam through the grounds. This concept was improved upon by Achille Gaggia in 1938. He invented a machine that used hydraulic pumps that created 9 bars of pressure. His machines are still sold today and are very popular (I’ve owned two). While espresso drinks are found around the world (one of the best lattes I have ever had was in a cafe in Guatemala run by a couple of Koreans), espresso drinks are uniquely Italian. Of course, there is espresso, latte and cappuccino, but also macchiato (espresso with a dollop of foamed milk) and a caffe correto (espresso with a shot of liqueur, grappa or cognac).

At M’tucci’s, we use Lavazza, which has been roasted and blended by the Lavazza family since Luigi opened a store in Turin in 1895. True to Italian style, Lavazza’s espresso blend, Super Crema, is a blend of 60% Arabica and 40% Robusta. We use it for our espresso and cappuccino, our house cocktails (Espresso Martini and Italian Iced Caffe) and our desserts (Tiramisu and Gelato). Here are a few videos showing the process of espresso and cappuccino, our Espresso Martini available at all M’tucci’s, and a Spanish Coffee, only at M’tucci’s Moderno.

Italian Iced Caffe only at M’tucci’s Italian

Italian Iced Caffe only at M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

Pesto Ricotta Ravioli - Sautéed Pink Shrimp, Sun-Dried Tomato, Artichokes, Caramelized Onions in a Lemon Cream Sauce $23

Hand Cut 24oz T-Bone, Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction $32

Pan-Seared Mahi-Mahi - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $29

Braise - Slow Braised Harris Ranch Angus Beef, Wild Mushrooms, Red Pepper, San Marzano Ragu & House Pappardelle Pasta $25

Gelato: Stracciatella

Sorbetto: Cherry Limoncello

Sunday Only: Full Rack of Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach and House BBQ Sauce for $27

M’tucci’s Moderno

24 oz Hand-Cut T-Bone - Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Italian Salsa Verde $32

Pan-Seared Ruby Red Trout - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $21

Lobster/Shrimp Pasta - Lobster, Pink Shrimp, Grape Tomatoes, Garlic, Chile Flakes, and a Lobster Cream Sauce over Spaghetti $24

Gelato: Stracciatella

Sorbetto: Raspberry Lemon

Sunday Only: House Made Lasagna with Herbed Ricotta, Five Pork Bolognese and Roasted Tomato Marinara. $16 (it’s large)

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Pan-Seared Fresh Monkfish - Grilled Escarole, Prosciutto Powder, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Seared Artichokes, Topped with Prosciutto Powder, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $28

Gelato: Chocolate Hazelnut, Strawberry Shrub

Sorbetto: Raspberry Lemon

Italy

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

M'tucci's Gelato

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You are going to love our new gelato! While we have always had gelato on our menus, the bar is being raised with the delivery of a new gelato machine and the partnership with a local dairy, Rasband, to supply all of the milk.

Gelato existed before ice cream, but it has less sugar and less cream than what we know as ice cream. Eggs are primarily used in gelato made in Northern Italy, but rarely used in Southern Italy or Sicily. Gelato relies on precise technique and the best ingredients such as: fresh fruit in season, and quality nuts and chocolate for the intense flavor and richness. Another factor in the richness of gelato is the lack of air, or emulsification, that is used in whipping the ingredients together.

Fresh Lemons and Strawberries for our Lemon Mascarpone and Strawberry Gelato.

Fresh Lemons and Strawberries for our Lemon Mascarpone and Strawberry Gelato.

Gelato was refined in Italy, but its roots are most likely in the Arab countries of North Africa and the Middle East, where flavored ices were created from snow and fresh fruit. The early concoctions were probably closer to a slushie than sorbetto or gelato. It eventually made its way to Sicily during some of the conflicts with the Moors. Even before the fall of the Roman Empire, Romans and Sicilians starting harvesting snow from Mt. Etna and Mt. Vesuvius to make what the Italians called sorbetto.

After learning to create a mixture in a container surrounded by ice, the result was something more refined than a “slushy”. The Arabs called their product “sherbet” which means “sweet snow” in Arabic.

In the early sixteenth century the De Medici court held a dessert competition, which was won by a man named Ruggheri. His sorbetto was praised by all and he accompanied Catherine de Medici to France (when she traveled there to marry the future King of France) where his sorbetto wowed the French cooks and became very popular in France. In the late 17th century a Sicilian fishermen who grew tired of the hard life at sea, discovered a machine that his grandfather acquired and started experimenting with recipes, eventually substituting sugar for honey and added milk. He also learned to mix salt with the ice to make the mixing vessel colder.

Armed with his recipes and new techniques, Francesco Procopio di Coltelli moved to Paris and opened Cafe Procope, which became the first successful Gelateria.

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Eventually, gelato came to the U.S. with an Italian immigrant in 1770 when Genoan Giovanni Bosio open the first gelateria in New York. Cone molds were soon invented, followed by the hand cranked machine. The electric machine made it feasible to make gelato at home and for small producers to sell it on the street, at this time the recipes and techniques evolved. Gelato became ice cream - not always an improvement, since lesser ingredients and powdered flavorings were often used (they still are today - look at the ingredients of a container of inexpensive ice cream and you might be shocked to find many ingredients that are chemicals and sound more like components for paint thinner than food!). Let’s just say that gelato is a healthier, more natural form of ice cream.

In addition to our local milk from Rasband Dairy, we will only use the freshest fruit in season, the best chocolate, and we’ll make our own caramel for our Salted Caramel Gelato. Pastry Chef Brianna at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five is in charge of the recipes and will keep the selections interesting. Our goal is to offer four different flavors at each of our locations. In the not-too-distant future, we will sell 8 oz containers of M’tucci’s Gelato at each restaurant.

Keep watching this space for news about flavors and the availability of take home gelato. For now, we have Strawberry, Lemon Mascarpone, Salted Caramel and Stracciatella Gelato.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

Three Cheese and Red Chile Ravioli, Roasted Red Peppers, Caramelized Onion, Butternut Squash, Arugula, Brown Butter Sauce

Hand Cut 16oz T-Bone, Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction, Grilled Lemon

Pan-Seared Bronzino - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce

Sunday Only: Full Rack of Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach and House BBQ Sauce for $27

M’tucci’s Moderno

Beef Tenderloin - Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Italian Salsa Verde $27

Pan-Seared Yellowtail - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $21

Crispy Chicken Risotto - Mushrooms, Celery, Carrots, Crispy Chicken, Alfredo Sauce $19

Sunday Only: House Made Lasagna with Herbed Ricotta, Five Pork Bolognese and Roasted Tomato Marinara. $16 (it’s large)

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Smoked Herb Roasted Pork Loin - Garlic Mash Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Spicy Buerre Blanc

Pan-Seared Yellowtail - Grilled Escarole, Prosciutto Powder, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Seared Artichokes, Topped with Prosciutto Powder, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce

Dessert Special: Chocolate Brownie, House Marshmallow, Chocolate Ganache, Topped with Chocolate Hazelnut Candy and Dolce De Leche Whip.

Kirk Matthews Live at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five Friday 7:30 - 9:30

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A Few from Italy

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Pasta, Maccheroni, Noodles

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“Nothing else, not opera or Renaissance art or Roman ruins or even pizza, so exemplifies Italy as pasta.” Burton Anderson, Treasures of the Italian Table (1994)

Call it pasta, macaroni, maccheroni, or noodles, most of us eat it at least once a week. It’s relatively inexpensive, easy to store and easy to cook, and can be served and sauced in a wide variety of ways. An Italian book on pasta names more the 350 shapes of pasta. Straightforward and simple as strands of spaghetti or tubes of rigatoni, it’s also available in whimsical shapes: little ears (orecchiette), priest stranglers (strozzapreti), and handbells (campanelle).

Speculation continues about the origin of pasta, but the common belief that Marco Polo brought it from China has been disproven. The first written account of pasta in Italy was found in a merchant’s records which mentioned a shipment of maccheroni arriving in Genoa from Sicily in the late 1200s. The Genoese were responsible for distributing it throughout Italy.

Italy’s first pasta industry was located in Campania near Naples in the fields surrounding Mt. Vesuvius. The area around Gragnano had large wheat fields with rich soil and pure mountain water. While locals claim to have invented pasta, early records show it was imported to Naples from Sicily and Sardinia until the early nineteenth century.

Dried pasta (pasta secca) is made with high protein durum wheat flour and water - nothing else. The dough is mixed by a machine and then pushed through a die to create the different shapes and sizes. Cheaper pastas use a teflon die which produces a smooth noodle, while more artisan pastas use a bronze die which creates rough edges for holding sauces. The Southern part of the country, known as the Mezzogiorno (midday), is known for pasta secca, such as penne, ziti, fusilli, spaghetti and conchiglie.

Fresh pastas are popular in the north, especially Emilia Romagna, where egg is used instead of water for their pastas. They are usually rolled flat instead of being forced through a machine, which gives them a smoother surface, perfect for stuffing (ravioli, tortellini). We make our pappardelle to go with M’tucci’s rich Five-Pork Bolognese sauce.

Italians always cook their pasta al dente (to the tooth). It’s a fine line between under-cooked and crunchy to over-cooked and mushy. Remember that the pasta continues to cook when you drain it, so when cooking at home, your timing is important. Italians prefer al dente because the minimal amount of cooking preserves the flavors of the pasta. Over-cooked pasta contains more water, which dilutes the flavor of the pasta and the sauce.

We make ravioli, pappardelle, campanelle and rigatoni in house. After making the fresh pasta, we slowly air dry the noodles for flavor and texture, just as it has been done for centuries by artisanal pastaficios in Italy.

Fun Facts: Italians consume so much pasta, that much of the flour is imported from the U.S. and Canada. In 2017 63% of Italians said they eat pasta daily. The U.S. is the largest market for pasta, consuming 2.7 million tons a year, but we are not the #1 country for annual per capita consumption. Italians consume 51 pounds annually, followed by Tunisia (37 lb.), Venezuela (26 lb.), Greece (24 lb.), Chile (20.6 lb.). The U.S. is #6 with each person eating nearly 20 pounds a year. We look forward to your visit and together we can become #5!

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

8 oz Hand Cut Filet Mignon - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Cherry Balsamic Reduction  $29

Pan-Seared California Halibut - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $27

Ravioli - Red Chile Three Cheese Ravioli, Roasted Butternut Squash, Sun Dried Tomato, Haricot Vert, Caramelized Onion, Brown Butter Sauce $21

Rotisserie - Herb Rubbed Roasted Half Chicken, Roasted Spaghetti Squash, Creamy Mushroom Risotto $25

House Made Sorbetto - Prickly Pear Sorbetto with a Lemon Ricotta Cookie $7

Sunday Only: Full Rack of Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach and House BBQ Sauce for $27

New Mexico Prickly Pears

A team collaboration created a new beverage and dessert, only at M’tucci’s Italian this weekend. Asst. Manager Arcy and Pastry Chef Michelle picked a lot of local prickly pears near one of the restaurants, added sweet basil from Partner Austin’s garden added a few secret ingredients and let them stew for a couple of weeks. Tonight try a Prickly Pear Shrub Cocktail with Tequila and a Prickly Pear Sorbet with a Lemon Ricotta Cookie.

Prickly Pear Sorbetto & Lemon Ricotta Cookie - only at M’tucci’s Italian this weekend.

Prickly Pear Sorbetto & Lemon Ricotta Cookie - only at M’tucci’s Italian this weekend.

Pair the Prickly Pair Sorbetto with our new Prickly Pear Sweet Basil Shrub made with Tequila and locally sourced fruit and herbs. Only at M’tucci’s Italian

Pair the Prickly Pair Sorbetto with our new Prickly Pear Sweet Basil Shrub made with Tequila and locally sourced fruit and herbs. Only at M’tucci’s Italian

M’tucci’s Moderno

6 oz Hand Cut Filet Mignon, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Italian Salsa Verde $27

Pan-Seared Scallops - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $29

Herb Roasted Pork Loin - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Lemon Butter Sauce $19

Sunday Only: House Made Lasagna with Herbed Ricotta, Five Pork Bolognese and Roasted Tomato Marinara. $16 (it’s large)

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Pan-Seared Rockfish, Grilled Escarole, Prosciutto Powder, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Seared Artichokes, Topped with Prosciutto Powder, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $22

Kirk Matthews Live at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five, September 25 7:30 - 9:30

Kirk Matthews Live at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five, September 25 7:30 - 9:30

Try a Shrub today! Available at all M’tucci’s locations in a creative cocktail, or by the bottle or in a cocktail kit.

Try a Shrub today! Available at all M’tucci’s locations in a creative cocktail, or by the bottle or in a cocktail kit.

More Italy - Sorrento, Amalfi Coast & Capri

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

M'tucci's Bread

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It’s pretty difficult to pick my favorite M’tucci’s House Made product, there are so many from which to choose. Mozzarella, Burrata, Shrubs, Pancetta, Bacon, Sausage, Mostarda, Pickles, and Pasta to name a few. I love all of them, but I think the bread is among the best I have ever had, which includes Acme, Tartine and Boudin in Berkley/San Francisco, Poilâne in Paris or Sage in Santa Fe.

Baguette, Whole Wheat, Sourdough, Rye and Ciabatta

Baguette, Whole Wheat, Sourdough, Rye and Ciabatta

The reasons why the bread is so good? Technique, time and quality ingredients pretty much sums it up. Start with great flour, use an excellent starter, take the time to mix it, let it rise slowly and bake it carefully. One of the most important of these is the starter, which is used instead of a commercial yeast. Several years ago, as Chefs/Partners Shawn and Cory were given the task of creating the menu and products for the Italian Market, Shawn came across a very old starter (or mother) that the Chef where he was working (a local restaurant which shall remain nameless) was going to discard. He nabbed it and our bakers have been feeding it since then.

Sourdough starters acquire yeast and bacteria from the air, and in doing so, become a product of their environment. A starter brought from San Francisco to Albuquerque may have all the characteristics of a San Francisco bread in the beginning, but after time, as local yeasts and bacterias are absorbed, the mother will no longer be a San Francisco mother, but will become an Albuquerque mother. Baking with sourdough is not easy, since it’s a delicate dance to balance.

“My favorite thing about bread in general is that it is never perfect. We have been baking loaves for 6 years and every time I try it, all I can think is that it can be better. Still though, everytime I toast up a piece of the wheat bread (my personal favorite), I remember why I got into bread baking in the first place,” said Chef/Partner Shawn Cronin.

“It isn’t easy to make good bread with sourdough cultures,” writes Harold McGee in his encyclopedic tome of food science, On Food and Cooking, first published in 1984. This is for a couple reasons, he explains. One is the balance of bacteria and yeast. Because the bacteria grow faster than the yeast, there is far more bacteria in any given starter, which can inhibit yeast’s production of carbon dioxide, which helps bread to rise. In addition, because a sourdough starter is acidic, it can weaken the structure of bread dough, resulting in a dense loaf.

Sourdough breads are challenging to make, but they have superior flavor and texture compared to mass-produced bread. They are also healthier according to many websites and sources. Here are some quotes from the website breadmatters.com, “Sourdough lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can modify the bits of gliadin and glutenin protein in wheat flour that are toxic to people with coeliac disease (CD) and non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. This doesn’t necessarily mean gluten-sensitive people can eat it, but the presence of LAB means it is more digestible and can contribute to good gut health, similar to probiotics.”

“LAB also produce anti-oxidants and peptide lunasin, an anti-allergenic substance. In addition, sourdough with unbleached flour is a significant source of dietary minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc.” People who are reducing carbs or are adhering to the Keto diet should know, " “sourdough LAB produce organic acids that, under the heat of baking, cause interactions that reduce starch availability. The lowest glycaemic index (GI) breads are whole-grain sourdoughs.” Translation: fewer calories and sugar than conventional bread.

All of this is good stuff, but I’m in it for the flavor and the texture, and M’tucci’s breads and pizza dough with sourdough starters are loaded with flavor. We should note that all traditional Napoletana pizzas in Italy use a starter - never commercial yeast. So authentic Napoletana pizza has a sourdough crust - as does M’tucci’s!

Our bread is available as an appetizer or with some small plates and as whole loaves at all of our locations. You can also find M’tucci’s loaves at area Albertsons Markets, Silver Street Market, and Humble Coffee.

If you want to give sourdough bread a try at home, Chef Cory is going to do a series of videos with some tips and pointers. In the first video, now on M’tucci’s YouTube Channel, he shows you how to make your own sourdough starter. So throw away those packets of yeast and tune in now! We’ll have the second video on bread making ready in a week or two.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

8 oz Hand Cut Herb-Rubbed Filet Mignon - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Cherry Balsamic Reduction  $29

Pan-Seared Sea Scallops - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $29

Ravioli - Bolognese Ricotta Ravioli tossed with Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes, Butternut Squash, Haricot Vert, Caramelized Onion, Spicy Herbed Cream Sauce $21

Sunday Only: Full Rack of Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach and House BBQ Sauce for $27

M’tucci’s Moderno

24 oz Hand Cut T-Bone, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Italian Salsa Verde $33

Pan-Seared Swordfish - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $27

Tortellini with Beef Tips, Cajun Seasoning, Diced Tomatoes, Green Onions, Rosa Sauce, Gorgonzola Cheese $21

Sunday Only: House Made Lasagna with Herbed Ricotta, Five Pork Bolognese and Roasted Tomato Marinara. $16 (it’s large)

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Pan-Seared Ling Cod, Grilled Escarole, Prosciutto Powder, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Seared Artichokes, Topped with Prosciutto Powder $24

Bone-In Seared Pork Chop with Crispy Camp Fire Potatoes, Sautéed Kale, Shrub Gastrique $18

President/Company Chef John Haas on Kitchen Conversations

John took part in a 30 minute conversation with Shamrock Foods on their Facebook page yesterday. He talked about several of the things M’tucci’s has done to thrive during difficult times. He also dropped a few hints about two exciting new programs on the horizon for M’tucci’s. If you missed it, you can watch it by clicking on this link here. The link takes you to their Facebook page, then scroll through the posts to Kitchen Conversations.

Weekend Brunch Returns to M’tucci’s Italian

New Dessert at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Dessert!!

Dessert!!

Mixology Guru Trey and Pastry Guru Brianna teamed up to bring you the Mocha Walnut Banana Bread Cocktail with a special Chocolate Bar on top. It’s pretty WOW!

Dreaming of Italy

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday, Ciao!

Italian Flavor

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Techniques for creating rich flavor are incorporated into everything we do at M’tucci’s. In Italy, these techniques are know as: battuto, soffritto and insaporire. These techniques and their ingredients are the base for pasta sauces, risotti, soups and stews.

A battuto traditionally consisted of lard and finely chopped onion and parsley. Depending on the dish; garlic, celery and carrot might be added. Recent cooking styles have replaced lard with olive oil or butter. A battuto is the beginning for most pasta sauces, risotti and countless meat and vegetable dishes such as our Five Pork Bolognese.

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A battuto becomes a soffritto when it is sautéed until the onion becomes translucent, and the garlic (if you use it) turns a pale gold. This step is always completed before adding the main ingredients. If you add your battuto ingredients all at once, you won’t create the deeper flavors achieved by cooking in steps. Also, you must add the onion first and allow it to cook before adding fresh garlic. Cooking the two together means the onion will be undercooked or the garlic will brown (worse, it could turn black) and give the entire dish a bitter, burnt flavor. If you are using pancetta with or instead of olive oil, you would add the pancetta first. Below are photos showing the steps of a soffritto for sautéed greens.

Insaporire follows the soffritto step and means “bestowing taste” in Italian. It can apply to the vegetables or the meat for the recipe. Quite simply, the ingredient(s) are added to the soffritto at a high heat and cooked briskly until they have become completed infused with the flavor of the battuto.

According to the late Italian cookbook author, Marcella Hazan, “One can often trace the unsatisfying taste, the lameness of dishes purporting to be Italian in style, to the reluctance of some cooks to execute this step thoroughly, to their failure to give it enough time over sufficient heat, or to their skipping it altogether.”

You can bet your K-95 face mask that we don’t skip this step at M’tucci’s.

Kentucky Derby & Kentucky Bourbon Weekend

To celebrate Saturday’s running of the Kentucky Derby, all M’tucci’s locations will offer special Mint Juleps made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon from Friday through Sunday. A refreshing beverage for our unseasonal September weather. Read about some Derby traditions and some bourbon recipes by clicking here.

Dinner, Drinks and Dancing at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five Friday night from 8:00 - 10:00.

All safety protocols will be enforced: masks, distancing and no drinks in the dance tent.

All safety protocols will be enforced: masks, distancing and no drinks in the dance tent.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

8 oz Hand Cut Herb-Rubbed Filet Mignon - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Cherry Balsamic Reduction  $29

Pan-Seared Ono - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $26

Sunday Only: Full Rack of Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach and House BBQ Sauce for $27

M’tucci’s Moderno

24 oz Hand Cut NY Strip, Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Italian Salsa Verde $31

Pan-Seared Rockfish - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $21

Pork Picatta - Spaghettini, Arugula, Diced Tomatoes, Capers, Lemon Butter Sauce $19

Sunday Only: House Made Lasagna with Herbed Ricotta, Five Pork Bolognese and Roasted Tomato Marinara. $16 (it’s large)

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Pan-Seared Amberjack, Grilled Escarole, Prosciutto Powder, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Seared Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $24

M’tucci’s @ Home

You will find our Artisan Bread and Ravioli Meals at your local Albertsons Market. Also, we have our Artisan Bread, Shrubs, cheese and cured meats in the deli counters at all M’tucci’s locations.

The deli case at M’tucci’s Italian holds Italian Salame and Parma Prosciutto, Imported Italian cheese, House Made Duck Prosciutto, Mozzarella, Mustard, and Pickles.

The deli case at M’tucci’s Italian holds Italian Salame and Parma Prosciutto, Imported Italian cheese, House Made Duck Prosciutto, Mozzarella, Mustard, and Pickles.

Missing Italy

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

The Art of Risotto

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There are so many Italian dishes that I love, but few of them match the rich flavor of a properly made risotto. There are probably as many recipes for risotto as there are for pasta, but a few classics stand out: Risotto alla Milanese (with saffron), Risotto with Porcini (my favorite) or Seafood Risotto at M’tucci’s Italian and M’tucci’s Twenty-Five.

In most countries, rice is boiled or steamed, but to make risotto the rice is braised in fat, then hot broth is slowly added and stirred constantly, a process that can take an hour. The initial step is usually to glaze chopped onion in butter and/or oil, then the rice is added for the critical step of tostatura, which pan roasts the rice to seal in the starch. After that, risotto can be made with a variety of ingredients, such as seafood, vegetables, or porcini. Cooking rice in this manner allows the rice to absorb the flavors and gives it a texture not possible with boiled rice.

At M’tucci’s we use use Carnaroli exclusively, which is the most expensive of the risotto varieties, but also the variety that most chefs prefer for flavor.

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Italy is Europe’s top rice producer and processes more than 1.3 million tons of rice each year, however they only consume about 100,000 tons, so they export 53% of their annual harvest (lucky for us). The risotto varieties of Arborio, Carnaroli, Baldo and Vialone Nano (grown near Venice where it’s used in soup), are classified as superfino and are the most popular. This year the pandemic has increased demand for rice and some risotto varieties have seen 20% price increases. (not lucky for us).

You can enjoy a risotto dinner this weekend with the Prep Kitchen meal kit. Chef Cory has created Risotto with Guanciale, Butternut Squash, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Mushrooms. It is paired with Prosciutto & Herbed-Ricotta Bruschetta for an appetizer, a Mista Salad and 4 Snickerdoodle Cookies. The rice is mostly cooked, so you won’t have to stand over the saucepan and stir for an hour. The finished dish is pictured below and, as always, there is a video where Cory gives you step - by - step instructions on putting your meal together. Call any location to order one. Only $42, it feeds four.

M’tucci’s Catering

As our dining rooms are now open, M’tucci’s Moderno’s and M’tucci’s Twenty-Five’s private dining rooms are available for groups for lunch and dinner (the size of the group will be determined by current NM Health Dept. orders). Our catering is also available for your office or party at home.

Meet our New Catering Manager Taña Martinez. Taña has been with M’tucci’s for more than six years, working in catering and as a bartender and server at M’tucci’s Italian. Quick with a smile and a “can do” attitude, she is the person to call for your catering needs. 505-350-0019 or email at: [email protected]

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Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut Porterhouse - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction  $35

Pan-Seared Rockfish - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $21

Sunday Only: Full Rack of Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach and House BBQ Sauce for $27

M’tucci’s Moderno

24 oz Hand Cut T-Bone, Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Italian Salsa Verde $33

Pan-Seared Yellowtail - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $21

Frutti di Mare Pasta with shrimp, mussels, white clams, baby clams, spicy marinara and a fettuccine pasta $19

Sunday Only: House Made Lasagna with Herbed Ricotta, Five Pork Bolognese and Roasted Tomato Marinara. $16 (it’s large)

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Pan-Seared Mexican Fluke, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Grilled Escarole, Seared Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce and Prosciutto Powder $24

Dry aged Beef Tenderloin, Mushroom Risotto al Salto, braised greens served with a house pancetta and vodka cream sauce $ 29

M’tucci’s @ Home

You will find our Artisan Bread and Ravioli Meals at your local Albertsons Market. Also, we have our Artisan Bread, Shrubs, cheese and cured meats in the deli counters at all M’tucci’s locations.

Just a Few More - Missing Italy

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Chianina - King of Beef

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Chianina are large white cattle, an ancient breed that is traced to pre-Roman times , raised by Etruscans in the Chiana Valley south of Florence. When fully grown, bulls can stand six feet tall at the shoulder and weigh more than 3,000 pounds. They were used as beasts of burden, plowing fields and pulling carts, until tractors were introduced in the 1960s. Now, their meat is prized by gourmets worldwide.

Typically the animals are processed before they are fully grown (14 - 18 months) and the Italians refer to the meat as “vitellone” which means big veal. The meat has a rosy, rather than red color, with low marbling (fat), which makes it lower in cholesterol and easier to digest than most beef. The flavor is mellow and distinctive.

The Chianina lost popularity in Italy in the 1980s, primarily due to cheaper foreign breeds that were imported. The Chianina have become popular in North America and Europe, but usually crossed with Charolais, Limousine or Angus. In recent years, Italian breeders have kept the bloodlines pure and Chianina is once again found in the butcher shops and restaurants in Italy.

Last year, M’tucci’s became the only restaurant to serve pure Chianina beef, which is raised on a ranch in Southern New Mexico. Due to the limited availability of the beef, we currently use it for our meatballs. However, this weekend, you can try it at home with our Prep Kitchen kit of Chianina Burgers with Smoked Cheddar and Hatch Green Chile. The kit also includes Salt Water Potato Salad with M’tucci’s House Bacon and four Red Chile Chocolate Chip cookies. The kit feeds 4 for $37.

This weekend, the best Green Chile Cheeseburger in Albuquerque & Rio Rancho could be at your house!

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut Porterhouse - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction  $32

Pan-Seared Swordfish - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $21

Duck Prosciutto, Local Oyster Mushrooms, San Marzano Tomato Ragu tossed with House Made Campanelle Pasta $17

Sunday Only: Full Rack of Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach and House BBQ Sauce for $27

M’tucci’s Moderno

24 oz Hand Cut T-Bone, Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Italian Salsa Verde $28

Roast Chicken (half), Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus & Cranberry Gastrique $19

Sunday Only: House Made Lasagna with Herbed Ricotta, Five Pork Bolognese and Roasted Tomato Marinara. Single portion for $16 (it’s large) and a double portion with a salad for $30.

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Pan-Seared Yellowfin Tuna, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Grilled Escarole, Seared Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce and Prosciutto Powder $25

Seared Bone-In Pork Chop - Caramelized Onion, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sauteéd Greens, Capers, Lemon Cajon Butter Sauce $21

M’tucci’s @ Home

You will find our Artisan Bread and Ravioli Meals at your local Albertsons Market. Also, we also have our Artisan Bread, Shrubs, cheese and cured meats in the deli counters at all M’tucci’s locations.

Just a Few More - Missing Italy

Thanks for reading, see you next Friday. Ciao!

Farro - Italy's Magic Grain

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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 they also grind it into flour for pasta, gnocchi, and even crepes. The nutty flavor and the chewy consistency of farro is perfect for salads and soups.

It’s often called emmer, which is a type of farro. There are actually three different types of farro: farro piccolo (einkorn), farro medio (emmer), and farro grande (spelt). Emmer is what you'll find sold most often in the U.S. 

The most flavorful farro is whole grain, which must be soaked overnight before cooking. The variety labeled "semiperlato” in Italy has had some of the bran removed and will cook more quickly than the whole grain. Usually the cooking times will be on the package that you purchase.

Click this link if you would like to read about the considerable health benefits of farro, which is loaded with fiber, protein and anti-oxidents.

Chef Shawn pairs Toasted Farro with the Duck Duck at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five: Seared Duck Breast, a Duck Confit, served with a Strawberry Shrub Butter Sauce, Grilled Zucchini and Fried Parsley (and it’s only $18).

Duck Duck (Duck two ways) at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Duck Duck (Duck two ways) at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

The Farro and Roasted Golden Beet Salad has been a popular item at M’tucci’s Italian for several years. Company Chef John Haas wanted to create a salad with grains and greens, almost a super salad with big flavors. We add candied pecans, roasted red onions, toss the baby greens with a garlic mustard vinaigrette and top it with Italian gorgonzola cheese.

The Farro/Roasted Beet Salad is also part of this weekend’s M’tucci’s @ Home Prep Kitchen kit, which features Smoked Baby Back Ribs that you’ll finish at home on the grill or in the oven. Each Kit comes with 1 1/2 slabs of baby backs, with M’tucci’s dry rub and BBQ sauce. Roasted Potatoes and Onions, plus 4 Brown Butter Sugar Cookies complete this meal. You can order one by calling any of our locations and reserving your kit.

We aren’t trying to compete with the local BBQ shops, we just love making great pork dishes for you!

Click below to follow the easy steps to completing this meal:

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut Bone-In Porterhouse - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction  $37

Pan-Seared Rockfish - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $21

Sunday Only: Full Rack of Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach and House BBQ Sauce for $27

M’tucci’s Moderno

Pan-Seared Yellowtail - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Sautéed Arugula with Lemon Butter Caper Sauce and Prosciutto Powder $21

Pesto Ravioli with Shallots, Grape Tomatoes, Roasted Artichokes in a Lemon Pesto Cream Sauce

Sunday Only: House Made Lasagna with Herbed Ricotta, Five Pork Bolognese and Roasted Tomato Marinara. Single portion for $16 (it’s large) and a double portion with a salad for $30.

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Pan-Seared Ono, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Grilled Escarole, Seared Artrichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce and Prosciutto Powder $24

M’tucci’s @ Home

Don’t forget to look for our Artisan Bread and Ravioli Meals at your local Albertsons Market. Also, we also have our Artisan Bread, Shrubs, cheese and cured meats in the deli counters at all M’tucci’s locations.

We would appreciate your vote in all restaurant categories that apply. Thank you. Click on Vote Now below.

We would appreciate your vote in all restaurant categories that apply. Thank you. Click on Vote Now below.

Vote Now for M’tucci’s Italian and M’tucci’s Twenty-Five.

Thinking About Italy

Hope you enjoy few photos from the Italy archives during this time of non-travel. Thanks for reading. See you next Friday, Ciao!

Marinara Sauce

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The classic Italian tomato sauce, Marinara, is one of most popular and one of the most abused sauces. Canned versions with sub-standard tomatoes and thick, cloying tomato paste have drenched over-cooked pasta on America’s tables for generations (my childhood kitchen table was no exception). However, in the right hands, Marinara is a thing of beauty, a rich simple sauce that showcases the quality of the tomato and a few other ingredients.

Stories claim that Neopolitan sailors (marinaio in Italian) were introduced to the tomato by Spanish sailors who brought the fruit back from the Americas (probably Mexico). Their wives may have created sauces from the tomatoes with the addition of garlic, onions, basil or oregano. Order a Marinara pizza in Naples and it will be topped with a tomato sauce, oregano, garlic and extra virgin olive oil. That’s right - no cheese. Sailors going to sea from Naples carried flatbread folded with this sauce inside.

M’tucci’s Roasted Marinara uses the best tomatoes and slow roasts the ingredients for a deeper, complex flavor.

Whether you dine on one of our patios, order take out or buy this week’s M’tucci’s @ Home Prep Kitchen Kit, you can have M’tucci’s Roasted Marinara with Spaghettini and Chianina Meatballs. The Prep Kit comes with the recipe for completing your dinner for four, and includes the Mista Salad, Garlic Bread and Mocha cookies. You can order it from any location for pick up or delivery. Feed a family of 4 for $43.

As always, Chef Cory takes you through the steps of making meatballs and finishing your meal on M’tucci’s YouTube Channel. There are nearly 30 videos on our channel from tips for cooking to making Shrub cocktails. You can access the channel by clicking here.

M’tucci’s is the only place in New Mexico to offer Chianina beef. Beef from this historic Italian breed has tons of flavor and is considered healthy due to the lower fat content. We make our meatballs from the Chianina raised on a ranch in Southern New Mexico. You can read more about Chianina in a past La Gazzeta post by clicking here.

Open Patios with Monday - Friday Happy Hours

The city has allowed for fast track permitting to expand patios. We have additional covered seating M’tucci’s Italian and we are awaiting city approval for the same at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five. We are not accepting reservations at the moment, so tables are available for walk in guests. Happy Hours are popular with reduced prices, special dishes only available at Happy Hour (formerly known as Patio Hour). Hope to see you soon!

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

24 oz Hand Cut Bone-In Porterhouse - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction  $37

Pan-Seared Sand Dabs Lightly Breaded - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce $21

Sunday Only: Full Rack of Baby Back Ribs, Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach and House BBQ Sauce for $27

M’tucci’s Moderno

6oz  Hand Cut Beef Tenderloin - Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and our Traditional Italian Salsa Verde Sauce $29

Pan-Seared Halibut - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Sautéed Arugula with Lemon Butter Caper Sauce and Prosciutto Powder $24

Grilled Northern Italian Style Spare Ribs - Garlic-Herb Sauce, Cabbage-Apple Slaw, Roasted Corn & Jalapeño. $17

Sunday Only: House Made Lasagna with Herbed Ricotta, Five Pork Bolognese and Roasted Tomato Marinara. Single portion for $16 (it’s large) and a double portion with a salad for $30.

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Pan-Seared Ruby Trout, Grilled Escarole, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce and Prosciutto Powder $24

M’tucci’s @ Home

Don’t forget to look for our Artisan Bread and Ravioli Meals at your local Albertsons Market. Also, we also have our Artisan Bread, Shrubs, cheese and cured meats in the deli counters at all M’tucci’s locations.

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Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Italian Seafood

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You could be forgiven for thinking of pizza and pasta when you think of Italian food. However, with more than 4,700 miles of coastline on the Adriatic, Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas, seafood plays a prominent roll on the Italian table. Seafood is even more ubiquitous during the 40 days of Lent. Italian fishermen work the seas from the Ligurian Coast, the island of Sicily, around the heel of Puglia and to the lagoons of Venice, filling the markets with an abundance of fish and shellfish.

Vernazza harbor in the Cinque Terre in Liguria

Vernazza harbor in the Cinque Terre in Liguria

Roman Catholics comprise 78% of Italy’s population and many avoid meat during lent, especially on Friday. Many Italian Catholics avoid meat on Friday throughout the year. While seafood is popular any time of year, from Ash Wednesday until Easter, seafood takes the main stage.

Gathering in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

Gathering in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

The different dishes and the styles of preparation are usually regional in character, but true to Italian cuisine, not complicated or fussy. Simple recipes with quality ingredients are the key.

In Liguria, whole roasted Branzino is popular (whole fish is more common for the Italian home cook than filets) and in Venice (and at M’tucci’s Italian & M’tucci’s Twenty-Five) you’ll find seafood risotto.

Along the coast of Tuscany by the Tyrrhenian Sea, the port town of Livorno is home to many simple, unassuming seafood restaurants, serving only seafood, crudo (raw) or cotto (cooked). Sunday dinner wouldn’t be a proper dinner without a plate of seafood crudo to start - essentially Italian sushi.

Further south in Campania, which includes Naples, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, pizza was invented as food for the men who went to sea, with one of the classic pizza Napoletana choices being marinara (sailor in Italian). Pasta with clams (spaghetti alle vongole) and mixed seafood and whole fish or fish steaks are simmered/poached to create fish poached in crazy water (pesce all’acqua pazza).

On Italy’s east coast with the Adriatic, in Puglia the port of Bari is known for fresh sea urchins and mussels. The mussels are so succulent, that a simple broth for steaming is all that is necessary. Don’t miss the Fresh Maine Mussels appetizer at M’tucci’s Italian tonight.

We receive fresh seafood several times a week, and buy sustainably-wild-caught fish and shellfish when we can. All three M’tucci’s locations and M’tuccis @ Lava Rock Brewing offer Calamari Fritti with spicy marinara and garlic aioli dipping sauces. Each restaurant has created a different way to prepare fresh Atlantic Salmon. M’tucci’s Italian and M’tucci’s Moderno have a rotating weekend special of pan-seared seafood (scroll down for this week’s specials). We create specials based on what our seafood purveyors have fresh. In the past we have served swordfish, branzino, mahi-mahi, scallops, Hawaiian Ono and Yellowtail tuna.

I love the Shrimp Campanelle and the Frutti di Mare (fresh mussels, white clams, bay scallops and shrimp in a tomato sauce over fettucine) at Moderno and the Risotto Carnaroli di Pesce at Italian and Twenty-Five (both have slightly different preparations - try both!). The new Lobster Ravioli at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five will make you swoon and protect your plate from your dining companions. The Calamari Fritti at M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company goes well with the Birra di M’tucci’s Italian lager.

NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24oz Hand-Cut T-Bone, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Lemon Balsamic Reduction 

Pan-Seared Seafood - California Halibut, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Lemon Caper Buerre Blanc

Ravioli - Lemon Basil Red Chile Three Cheese Ravioli,  Sautéed Asparagus, Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Caramelized Onion, Light Lemon Cream Sauce w/Arugula 

Braise - Wild Mushroom, San Marzano Tomato, Harris Ranch Beef Ragu, House Pappardelle Pasta

Appetizer - Maine Mussels, Saffron Dijon Sauce, Baguette

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M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

  • Flat iron Steak - Prepared with garlic mash potatoes, Grilled asparagus, and an Italian salsa verde $27

    • Intrinsic Cabernet Sauvignon - Sweet-tobacco and currant aromas and flavors. Medium to full body, round and juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Harmonious and perfect for steak. $8/$38

  • Shrimp & Lobster Pasta - Prepared with asparagus, grape tomatoes, lobster cream sauce, and spaghettini pasta $27

    • Imagery Pinot Noir - This wine is smooth, soft, and lovely. It's medium-bodied, ripe, has juicy fruit, red licorice, and cola flavors. $11/42

  • Icelandic Cod - Prepared with sautéed arugula, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted artichokes, caper lemon butter sauce, and finished with a smoked prosciutto powder - $21

    • Glass Mountain Chardonnay -  This wine features flavors of golden apples, crushed almonds and mineral highlights, Aromas of pineapple, apricot and toasty oak enhance the vanilla and butterscotch flavors. $7/$28

VOTE FOR M’TUCCI’S MODERNO TODAY!!

VOTE FOR M’TUCCI’S MODERNO TODAY!!

Click here to vote for M’tucci’s Moderno for the Best of Rio Rancho. Please vote for us in the following categories: Best Italian, Best Waitstaff, Best Appetizer Menu, Best Date Night Restaurant, Best Dessert, Best Lunch Spot, Best Bartender (Tyler or Shelly or Isaac), Best Chef (John Haas), Best Tap Beer Selection, Best Happy Hour - and, of course, Best Pizza!

March Music

Thursdays 7-9
3/12 - Stanlie Kee
3/19 - Oscar Butter
3/26 - Melissa Rios

Friday’s 8-10pm
3/6 - Kirk Matthews
3/13 - Lani Nash
3/20 - Kirk Matthews
3/27 - Leah Leyva  

M’tucci’s Catering

Don’t forget to make your bookings for Mother’s Day and Graduation Parties. We offer on-site catering at M’tucci’s Moderno (2 private dining rooms for 35 & 75 guests) and at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five (private dining room for 45 people). We also have a large screen for your presentations when you book the private dining room at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five for your lunch meeting. We can deliver off-site catering to your home for a buffet, dinner party or wedding reception. Click here to see a menu and contact us today!

Personal service for your wedding reception.

Personal service for your wedding reception.

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company

Happy Hour Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30

New beer:

The Vulkanland Vienna lager is a copper to reddish-brown beer with pale chocolate and Vienna malts. It’s balanced with aromas and flavors of sweet malt and floral hops. Low hop additions allow the German malts to truly shine though, making this darker lager a quaffable beer to drink any time of the year. 5.5% ABV and 24 IBU’s. 

Daily Specials

Sunday - Happy Hour all Day

Monday - Margherita Mondays - $5 small Margherita pizza, add a pint and it’s $10

Tuesday - $2 Tuesdays - All pints $2 (except seasonal beers) and $2 off all Appetizers

Wednesday - Wing Wednesday - 2 pounds of our special house brined wings in 3 flavors for $8

Thursday & Friday - Live Music and regular Happy Hour

2020 Lunch Special

Every 20th guest who comes in for lunch between 11:00 & 3:00 Monday - Friday gets lunch on M’tucci’s. Who said there’ no such thing as a free lunch??

Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, . $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

Live Music - Thursdays @ 6:00 and Fridays @ 8:00

3/6: Hat Trick

3/12: RJ Perez

3/13: Kirk Matthews

3/19: Amy Cliser

3/20: Lea Leyva

3/26: Austin Van

3/27: GB Duo

See you next week. Ciao!