The Wonders of Pork

One of our goals when we created a partnership with Sackett Farm in Iowa, was to serve pork with more flavor. The heritage breed of Duroc combined with the careful feeding and pasturing, means that our pork is now better than ever. The second goal was to increase the variety of products that we could offer to you. We are buying the entire pig, which is then processed to our specifications by another family-owned business. Of course, we have all of the popular cuts like chops, loins and ribs, but we also are using lesser-known parts for our cured meat program (bacon, pancetta & guanciale) and to create special cooked dishes.

Unless you visit a serious butcher counter, you are probably not going to find pork belly. However, it’s a wildly popular cut in many parts of the world (there is even a food series on Netflix dedicated to pork belly in Korea). Most Koreans claim to eat pork belly at least once a week and in a recent survey 85% claimed that it is their favorite meat.

In Latin American & Caribbean cuisine it is called chicharrón (not to be confused with fried pork skins) and is used in tacos as well as in braised dishes.

In France, the Alsace region is known for choucroute garnie, which is pork belly, sausages, potatoes and sauerkraut slow cooked together to create a hearty meal.

Italians use most of their pork belly for pancetta, which is similar to bacon. Pancetta is cured with salt, sugar and spices, but it is not smoked. The most common use for pork belly in North America is bacon or salt pork.

Pair this succulent cut (the flavor is in the fat baby!) with a cooking technique which originated in France and you’ve got something special. Confit is a method of cooking any type of meat slowly in grease, fat or syrup, and was originally used as a way of preserving meat . Most restaurants serve a confit of goose or duck, typically using the legs. The legs are salted, seasoned with herbs and slowly cooked in their own rendered fat, then cooled and preserved in the fat. Even people who don’t like duck, love this!

Chef Cory is using the confit technique with this week’s Meal Kit. Sackett Farm Pork Belly is slowly cooked in Apples, Fennel, Seasoning and Pork Fat for four hours. It comes portioned with instructions on finishing it for your dinner. Slice it and arrange it on top of the Creamy Risotto with Roasted Butternut Squash, Mushrooms and Sun-Dried Tomatoes. We’ve also prepared a salad with fresh Spring Greens, Shaved Fennel, Candied Pecans and Feta. Wait, there’s Chocolate Sorbetto for dessert. A generous dinner for two for only $32.

M’tucci’s @ Home - Cooking with Cory

- Salad- Shaved Fennel, Candied Pecans, Feta Cheese, Orange Honey Vinaigrette, Spring Mix -

- Sackett Farm Pan Seared Apple Fennel Pork Belly Confit with

Creamy Risotto, Mushrooms, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Haricot Vert, Roasted Butternut Squash -

- Chocolate Sorbetto -

Order online or call. Only $32 while supplies last.

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M’tucci’s Valentine’s Weekend

We will have several dine in specials for Valentine’s Weekend. They will be announced next week. Don’t miss the special meal kits for Valentine’s Weekend. Executive Pastry Chef Brianna Dennis has created a fondue kit loaded with house made sweet goodies and Chef/Partner Cory Gray has a special three course meal that includes all of the major Valentines food categories: lobster, steak and chocolate. The Fondue ToGo will be $25 and be available to pre-order next week.

Fondue Togo kits $25.00 Preorders Available.

Limited supplies at each M’tucci’s location starting 2/12-2/14
Kit includes:Caramel Chocolate Ganache
Chocolate Brownie pieces
Prosecco marshmallows
Strawberries
Palmier cookies
Pound cake

Meal prep kit for 2 people $49.00

Limited supplies at each M’tucci’s location starting 2/12-2/14

Appetizer: Buttered Lobster Cream Cheese Puff Pastry w/ Lemon Cream Caper Beurre Blanc

Entree: M’tucci’s Bacon Wrapped 6oz Filet Mignon, Roasted Asparagus, Salt Water Potatoes with a Creamy Tuscan Garlic Shrimp Sauce.

Dessert: Cannolis with Sweetened Ricotta filling and Chocolate Covered Strawberries.

Dessert Special $8.00

Limited supplies at each M’tucci’s location starting 2/12-2/14

Chocolate Covered Red Velvet Cake Roll filled with Chantilly Cream, topped with Raspberry Meringue and Chocolate Cake Pieces.

Valentine’s Day Gelato and Sorbetto special:

Limited supplies at each M’tucci’s location starting 2/12-2/14, $8.00 per pint

Cheesecake Gelato with Strawberry Swirl

Chocolate sorbet

Raspberry Prosecco Sorbetto

M’tucci’s Moderno will take reservations for the Love Pods for Valentine’s Weekend Thursday - Sunday. You must call to make a reservation - for February 11-14 only!

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M’tucci’s Italian

12 oz Herb-Rubbed NY Strip Steak - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction $27

Lightly Breaded Pan-Seared Rockfish - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce $19

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

M’tucci’s Moderno

Ricotta Pesto Ravioli - Roasted Artichokes, Grape Tomatoes in a Pesto Cream Sauce

Harris Ranch Flatiron Steak - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Italian Verde Sauce

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 Hanger Steak - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $21

14 oz Sackett Farm Cherrywood Smoked Bone In Pork Chop: Campfire Potatoes, Braised Spinach, Mango Coulis $18

Gelato: Dark Chocolate Brownie w/ Candied Bacon - Banana w/Fudge Swirl

Sorbetto: Vanilla/Lime/Blackberry

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M’tucci’s Wine

2019 Bianco – 100% Verdelho – Contra Costa County, CA

Peach, Green Apple, Honeydew, Balanced Acidity

Thanks to the acidity, this will pair really well with almost the whole spectrum of white wine pairings.  Most people will consider this to be similar to Sauvignon Blanc.  It’s a Portuguese grape native to the island of Madeira.  It’s one of the four “noble” grapes of Madeira.  It is very rarely planted in the US.

2019 Dolcetto – 100% Dolcetto – Russian River Valley (Sonoma County), CA

Black Cherry, Cranberry, Tobacco Leaf, Medium Tannin & Light Acidity.  

Perfect compliment for charcuterie but will stand up to other dishes where other bigger-bodied red wines would typically be paired because of the tannins.  (Editor’s Note: I had a glass with the Five Pork Bolognese yesterday and It was terrific). It would be considered similar to a Pinot Noir, but has a bit more depth and more tannin.  Dolcetto (little sweet one in Italian) is best known as a varietal from Piedmont in Italy and for being a bit drier, which this American version definitely shows.  Another rare varietal in American winemaking

2018 Rosso – 70% Carignan, 28% Grenache, 2% Charbono – Mendocino County, CA

Leather, Vanilla, Pomegranate, Balanced Tannin, Long Finish

This wine has really impressed us in all of our tastings.  Think of it as a bit of a merlot/cab/Syrah type blend.  It’s got big enough tannin to stand up to almost any red meat, but will also pair great with tomato sauces and even to charcuterie.  Carignan has Spanish origins, but is more common in French wines.  Grenache is used in many of the popular wines from the Rhone region in France. It is called Garnacha in Spain and is a common blending partner with Carignan, which results in a nice tannin and balance.  Charbono (also called Charbonneau) originated in the Savoi region of France. It was confused as Dolcetto in the early days of California winemaking, but is definitely a different grape. It commonly has high acidity and rich, fruity complexity. It is called Bonarda in Argentina, where it’s the second most planted grape behind Malbec.  This wine will continue to get better with each year in the bottle.   

Try a glass for $8 or a bottle for $32. Due to NM Liquor laws, you can’t buy an unopened bottle for take out, but you can grab a seat, order a bottle, have a taste, then we’ll package it for you to take home. Them’s the rules.

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Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

La Cucina Povera

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.

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.

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!

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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

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Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Holiday Meals - Italian Style

Best Italian Restaurant & Best Happy Hour

If you have been reading La Gazzeta for awhile, you know that “Italian Food” is a very broad term, for the food of Italy is, as in many places, very regional. The meals in the South have distinct differences with the favorite foods of the north. Cheeses, pastas, cooking ingredients, wines, vegetables and wines all have their distinctive regional characteristics.

In the early years of Italy’s unification, the South was poor and meat did not make a regular appearance on the dinner table. Meat dishes were much more common in the wealthier northern provinces. Those days have changed, but the styles and types of meat on the table are still somewhat distinct to each region. Cured meats and pork dishes are found throughout the country, but pork is the predominant meat found in the South. Beef is much more common in Central and Northern Italy. Bisteca di Fiorentina (from Chianina beef) from Tuscany and Osso Bucco (from veal) and Bolognese Ragu from the Piedmont are dishes associated with the North. The cuisine in the Northern provinces is influenced by their proximity to Switzerland, Austria and Germany.

Bisteca di Fiorentina

Chianina in Tuscany

Charcuterie Board

Guanciale & Pancetta Curing

M’tucci’s menus are inspired by all of the regions of Italy and we would be hard pressed to call ourselves Northern Italian or Southern Italian cuisine. Neither would be accurate. We love the prosciuttos, aged cheeses, risottos and polentas of the North as much as we love the cured salumi, fresh cheeses, bitter greens and chiles of the South. Our menus are inspired by regions throughout the country, sometimes blending the flavors of north and south into one dish.

Italian cuisine isn’t fussy with dozens of ingredients, rather it relies on the quality of the few ingredients that go into each dish. One of the reasons that our food succeeds is because of the quality of our ingredients. That philosophy is what drives our meat program, both fresh and cured.

Our beef products come from Harris Ranches in California, one of the early pioneers (since 1937) in sustainable, natural beef raised without hormones or antibiotics. Recently, we partnered with a family farm operation in Iowa and a family-owned processing facility near Kansas City for our pork. The Sackett family is working with us to raise a cross-breed of two heritage breeds, Duroc and Berkshire. Once again, raising animals humanely and sustainably are the hallmarks of their work. The same commitment to quality is the focus of the Fantasma family’s processing operations. The Chianina beef comes from a ranch near Deming, NM, that is one of the U.S. pioneers in raising this Italian breed of cattle.

These partnerships are behind several special Meal Kits that we are offering for the holidays, beginning with the M’tucci’s @ Home Prep Kitchen kit for this weekend. Chef Cory is in charge of creating these meals, which have been very popular during the health orders that have forced us to close our dining rooms. There is a new meal each weekend, all of the ingredients are packaged, portioned and mostly prepped for you. The meal kits come with a recipe card, that also links to a cooking video on our YouTube Channel. The three-course meals feed four people and are easy to complete at home.

This week is a carnivores delight: Chef Cory’s Green Chile Stew with Sackett Farm Pork, Pan-Seared Harris Ranch Hanger Steaks (a cut so good, that it was never widely sold since butchers kept the cut for themselves) with Salt Water Potatoes and Pan-Seared Asparagus. Finish with 4 M’tucci’s Biscochitos.. The Kit can be ordered from any location for $64 and is available until we are sold out. Watch the video below to see how easy the meals are to complete.

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Coming Next Week . . . .

More photos and details coming next week! Stay tuned.

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We have limited seating on our patios, which have been modified to make you as comfortable as possible. Our weekend specials are available for takeout or delivery.

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

12 oz Hand Cut NY Strip - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Lemon, Balsamic Reduction $29

Pan-Seared Rockfish - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce $19

Gelato (pints only $8): Strawberry & Salted Caramel

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

M’tucci’s Moderno

6 oz Hand Cut Beef Tenderloin - Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Italian Salsa Verde $26

Pan-Seared Mahi Mahi - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Roasted Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $23

Gelato (Pint only $8): Lemon Berry

Sorbetto: Strawberry Blend

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

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Hand Cut 8 oz Orange and Bay Leaf Brined Duck Breast - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $17

Gelatos (Pint only $8): Strawberry

Sorbetto: Lemon

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Buy a $100 Gift Card and get $20 for free. Spend $200 on Gift Certificates and receive 2 $20 Gift Cards.

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Thanks for reading. See you next week. Ciao!

We Make It Here, Pt. 1

When the first M’tucci’s restaurant opened in 2013, the phrase “If you ate it here, we made it here” was used on the menus and in marketing. Seven years later, the truth of that statement has gone way beyond a slogan and is the driving force behind the food and beverages at all M’tucci’s restaurants.

Company Chef & President, John Haas has led teams in boutique and corporate kitchens. He blended those experiences with his love of food to create menus that feature “House Made” products and that is also value driven. While there are many aspects to the success of M’tucci’s, if you had to choose one, it would be artisanal, craft-made products at a fair price.

Eggplant Parmesan with House Mozzarella

Charcuterie with House Bread & Mozzarella

Bread

The bread at M’tucci’s is legendary. Developed by Chef/Partners Cory Gray and Shawn Cronin, they started with a very old European starter and based all of the bread (and pizza dough) recipes on the concept of no commercial yeast. It’s a process that is time-consuming, but results in healthy and flavorful bread. You’ll find it on our menus and you will find loaves available for purchase in all of our restaurants, at Silver Street Market and area Albertson’s Markets. Choose from Sourdough, Rye, Whole Wheat, Ciabatta and Baguette.

Cured Meat

Chefs Shawn and Cory developed their interest in curing meat into a passion that is prominent on our menus. Our curing program was recently elevated by our partnership with Sackett Farms, producing a Heritage breed pork, and an Italian-owned processing plant which provides us with custom cuts. Capicola Carbonara (M’tucci’s Twenty-Five) features house smoked and cured pork shoulder, Five Pork Bolognese (all locations) uses pork shoulder, pancetta and sausage from our Sackett Farms pork. We also make our own Italian sausage which you can sample in pasta dishes and on our Neapolitan-style pizza.

Capicola Carbonara

Sausage & Pepperoni Pizza

The Curing Room

Spicy Capicola

Cheese

In Puglia, mozzarella and burrata are known as latticini, which are products made from milk and meant to be eaten fresh. You could end up in a serious argument with an Italian if you called mozzarella “cheese”. The quality of the milk is important, especially for the right balance of fat and acidity. Mozzarella is hand formed into balls and used fresh and smoked. You’ll find it on Charcuterie plates, Eggplant Parmesan and pizza. Burrata is mozzarella stretched around cream and bits of cheese (stracciatella). It’s more decadent and rich than mozzarella and adds another dimension to Chicken Milanese (served at all locations).

Mozzarella

Burrata

Eggplatn Parmesan at M'tucci's Moderno

Chicken Milanese at M'tucci's Twenty-Five

Pasta

The old argument between dried pasta and fresh pasta is a waste of time. Dried pasta made with good durum wheat, pressed through bronze dies and dried slowly will produce outstanding pasta. On the other hand, controlling the process from start to finish produces an exceptional pasta with texture and flavor. We use an Italian pasta machine with bronze dies (which produces a rough textured pasta, better for holding sauce), imported Italian durum wheat flour and filtered water. We make fresh ravioli, rigatoni, fettuccine, campanelle, pappardelle and spaghettini.

Campanelle

Pappardelle

Ravioli

Lobster Ravioli - M'tucci's Twenty-Five

Five Pork Bolognese - M'tucci's Italian

Shrimp Campanelle - M'tucci's Moderno

Salsiccia Affumicata - M'tucci's Twenty-Five

Gelato

The newest addition to our house-made lineup is creamy Italian Gelato. If you have ever had genuine Italian Gelato, then no explanation is necessary. The flavor and richness are supplied by fresh ingredients, not thick cream and lots of sugar. Our Executive Pastry Chef Brianna Dennis comes up with new flavors of Gelato and Sorbetto every week based on what is fresh and available (check out the weekend flavors by scrolling to the next section).

Strawberry

Salted Caramel

Straciatella

Part 2 next week is all about beverages: Shrubs & Wine.

Coming Soon!!

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Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

Hand Cut 24oz Bone-In NY Strip - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Lemon, Balsamic Reduction $32

Pan-Seared Yellowfin Tuna - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sauteéd Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce $21

Ravioli - Pesto Ricotta, Sautéed Pink Shrimp, Roasted Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion, Sun-Fried Tomato, Arugula, Light Lemon Cream Sauce $23

Rotisserie - Smoked 1/2 Chicken Herb Rubbed & Roasted - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction $23

Gelato: Double Chocolate

Sorbetto: Strawberry, Blood Orange

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

M’tucci’s Moderno

6 oz Hand Cut Beef Tenderloin - Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Italian Salsa Verde $26

Pan-Seared Rockfish - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce, Capers, Prosciutto Powder $21

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

Gelato: Lemongrass

Sorbetto: Pineapple

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 Ruby Trout - Grilled Escarole, Prosciutto Powder, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Seared Artichokes, Topped with Prosciutto Powder, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $23

Braised Lamb Shank - Mascarpone Polenta, Braised Italian Greens, Shallots, House Bacon, Red Wine Jus $23

Hand Cut 5 oz Beef Tenderloin - Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $23

Gelatos: Lemongrass, Chocolate

Sorbetto: Mango

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Thanksgiving Pies - 11/21 is the last day to order!

Pumpkin with Pumpkin Seed Brittle & Ginger Vanilla Chantilly Cream - $17

Apple with Oat Almond Streusel $15

Bourbon Pecan Pie with Vanilla Chantilly Cream $18

The toppings will come packaged separately, so you can add them when you are ready for dessert (or breakfast). Please call the restaurant closest to you to place your order and to arrange a pick up time ( online ordering is not available). Add a pint of House Made Salted Caramel Gelato for only $7.

Order no later than 11/21 and pick up no later than 11/25.

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Catering

We are offering alternatives to the Christmas Office party. Call Taña today for details. 505-350-0019

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Puglia & Southern Italy

This post was supposed to have started with the dateline: Locorotondo, Puglia, Italy, because that is where I planned to be this week. Instead, I’m sitting at home in the Near North Valley. I’ll do my best to write about what we planned on eating and seeing while taking a slow road trip through Southern Italy.

Much of what we consider to be “Italian” food are dishes that came from Southern Italy. Pizza was invented in Naples, Campania is the country’s breadbasket and pasta likely is from here, in addition to all of the other Southern charms: eggplant parmesan and insalata caprese.

The poorest region in the country, it was ruled by several cultures who left their mark on the cuisine of Puglia,Basilicata and Campania (the three regions we planned to visit). The Greeks and the Arabs probably had the most impact, as did the system of latifundium (basically a feudal system of large farms owned by absentee landlords and worked by slaves or indentured servants).

In Puglia the Greeks left distinctive architecture (trulli) and the pillars of Italian food: oil, wine and grains. The Arabs brought eggplants, bitter oranges and refined cane sugar.

From “Tasting Italy: A Culinary Journey” by National Geographic & America’s Test Kitchen

After flying into Bari from Rome, we were going to be based in a trulli house in Locorontondo, making side trips to some of the seaside and mountain towns in Puglia and Basilicata, such as Lecce and Taranto. We would expect meals starting with soppressata or carpaccio, pastas with bitter greens and pork, fresh seafood from the Adriatic and the Gulf of Taranto or pork for small mountain farms. We would wash it down with full-bodied reds such as Primitivo or Aglianico or crisp, chilled Greco di Tufo and, of course, finishing our meals with local Amari. I was looking forward to trying out some of the region’s rosé, since they are hard to find in ABQ.

I asked Amy Haas, who created the wine list at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five about her favorite Southern Italian wines:

The Sicilian Nero d’Avola at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

“When I think about southern Italy, my heart always goes to Sicily. Although the region doesn't host the popular grapes everyone loves, it does host in my opinion, some of the best. Sicilian wines are not on center stage and don't garner a huge demand in the U.S. This is just fine with me as I've never been one for trends and I cringe at the thought of popularity as any real indicator of quality. Anyway, back to Sicily and it's fairly unknown grapes. I will highlight two here, both red and both incredibly unique:

Nerello Mascalese - beautiful red berries and bright acidity fall into a surprisingly tannic backbone. The balance of fruit and acid with a tannic punch mid palate makes this wine incredibly versatile when pairing with food as well as incredibly complex on it's own. To me, it's like Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo had a really awesome baby. 

Nero d'Avola- dark fruits co-exist seamlessly with noticeable acidity and sweet, approachable tannins. Although most would describe it as a delicious full bodied red on its own, once it’s blended with Frappato (a light, floral grape also from Sicily) the result is something unparalleled on the palate. I don't have a baby making reference here.

There's just something about Sicily that makes the heart (and palate) sing. The song isn't a popular one, it's more like a B side masterpiece nobody knows about yet. Shhhhh, don't tell.”

An Aglianico from Campania, a Primitivo from Puglia and a white from Campania; all available at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five.

The ring-shaped cracker that is usually flavored with olive oil and rosemary, taralli, are found everywhere (and on the Charcuterie Boards at M’tucci’s Moderno and M’tucci’s Italian). I was planning on seeking out some of the more unusual flavors I have read about. Orrechiette is the favorite pasta in the area, sauced in different ways, but quite often with bitter greens called rapini here, but known as rapa in Puglia. Luckily, I have some in my garden nearly ready to pick. I’ll cook it with Italian sausage, a bit of white wine, garlic and a good dose of red pepper flakes. I suppose it will help me with my wanderlust for Italy.

Cima di Rapa or Rapini. Also known as turnip tops. A bitter green that goes well with Italian sausage.

The sea on either side of the Salento Peninsula (the heel of the boot) is rich with shellfish, notably mussels. In many places they are packed with seasoned bread crumbs and deep fried. We planned to go to Otranto to find the version stuffed with a mixture of tuna, eggs, bread crumbs and pecorino and simmered in a tomato broth. Perhaps we would have made it to the west side of the peninsula for cozze all tarantina at the port/harbor town of Taranto, known for their mussels. So tasty, they are usually simmered in a simple broth of olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, chile flakes and white wine.

Chef Shawn at M’tucci’s has created his own take on mussels by simmering them in a bourbon/jalapeño broth. Good enough to make me forget about Puglia’s version. However, the drive around the coast along the boot heel will have to wait.

Fresh Mussels for M’tucci’s Twenty-Five’s Bourbon Braised Mussels - only available Happy Hour M-F 3:00-6:00.

Continuing into Basilicata, we were going to visit Matera, which has become a tourist mecca for food and the ancient cave dwellings and frescoes. I wanted to visit to try the huge sourdough loaves called Pane di Matera. Famous, yes, but better than M’tucci’s??

After returning our car at the airport in Bari, we were going to zip across Italy to Naples (yes, to visit Pompeii), primarily to eat pizza - for three days!! It’s quite possible we would not have it for breakfast, since I’ve heard the cappuccino is stellar in Naples. We had three pizza places picked out, known for simple, high quality ingredients. Someday. If you get there before me, try out Sorbillo, Pizza La Notizia or Starita.

For now, I can eat the best pizza available outside of Italy at M’tucci’s. Quality ingredients and the best sourdough crust possible.

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Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

Goat Cheese Ravioli - Truffle, Wild Mushroom, Crispy House Pancetta, Roasted Butternut Squash, Carmelized Onion, Rappini, Light Porcini Cream Sauce $23

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

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

Braise - Slow Braised Harris Ranch Angus Beef, Three Cheese Spinach Artichoke Cream Sauce, House Pappardelle Pasta $25

Gelato: Berry Vanilla Shrub

Sorbetto: Mango

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 - Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Italian Salsa Verde $31

Pan-Seared Mahi Mahi - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Artichokes, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Cream Sauce, Capers, Prosciutto Powder $26

House Pesto Ravioli - Grape Tomatoes, Shallots, Roasted Artichoke, Pesto Cream Sauce $19

Gelato: Tiramisu

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 Ono - Grilled Escarole, Prosciutto Powder, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Seared Artichokes, Topped with Prosciutto Powder, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $24

Gelatos: Dark Chocolate & Strawberry Cheesecake

Sorbetto: Raspberry Lemon

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Tuesday, October 27 - 4:00

Halloween Costumes & ABQ Bartender Competition/Fundraiser

10% total restaurant sales for the day + proceeds from competition donated to CLN Kids

Call 505-554-2660 to reserve a 4 top VIP Table for $200 - includes prime seating for the Bartender Competition, 2 rounds Charcuterie/Cicchetti & specialty cocktail

10 local bartenders competing for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place - knock out style 3 rounds

We are auctioning drinks from competition to VIP tables

Door prices for best costume.

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New Desserts at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Tiramisu 2.0

Bougie Brownie

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2019 Trip to Italy

Bolgheri

Bolgheri

Carrera

Castagneto Carducci

Montenelli

Montenelli

Castagneto Carducci

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Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Caffe d' Italia

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)

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

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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

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Italy

Rome

Orvieto

San Gimignano

Montalcino

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Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

M'tucci's Gelato

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.

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.

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.

M'tucci's Salted Caramel Gelato

M'tucci's Stracciatella

M'tucci's Strawberry Gelato is loaded with Fresh Strawberries

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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.

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

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A Few from Italy

Bolgheri, Tuscany

Carrera Marble Mines

Carrera, Tuscany

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Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

M'tucci's Bread

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

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.

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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

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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.

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Weekend Brunch Returns to M’tucci’s Italian

Italian Sausage Hash

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New Dessert at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

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!

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Dreaming of Italy

Piazza Navona - Rome

Uffizi - Florence

Amalfi

Rome

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday, Ciao!

Italian Flavor

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.

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.

Porcini & Beef Tip Ravioli at M'tucci's Twenty-Five

Capicola Carbonara at M'tucci's Twenty-Five

Risotto Carnaroli di Pesce at M'tucci's Italian

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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Missing Italy

San Gimignano

Pontessieve

Siena

Siena

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

The Art of Risotto

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.

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).

Carnaroli Rice

Jasmine & Carnaroli Rice

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.

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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.

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Just a Few More - Missing Italy

Sorrento

Piazza Navona - Rome

Castellini in Chianti

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Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!

Chianina - King of Beef

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

Montepulciano

Rome

Chianti

Siena

Thanks for reading, see you next Friday. Ciao!

Pollo Italiano

When the discussion revolves around meat in Italy, it usually involves pork or beef. Considering the large variety of cured and cooked pork products from Italy, that’s not a big surprise. Meat means carpaccio, bistecca all fiorentina or porchetta. Italians love the combination of ground beef, veal and pork for meatballs or ragu. In a popularity contest, chicken, along with other poultry, is usually in third place. However, domesticated chickens have been around Italy since the 5th century BC, probably arriving from Greece or Egypt, but originating in Southeast Asia. All domestic chickens are descended from the Red Junglefowl, which still thrives today in SE Asia..

In the beginning, most chickens were used for fighting contests, but eventually their eggs and meat became more important. In Southern Italy, poverty dictated that meat, even chicken, was a special occasion meal. One of the more popular chicken dishes in Italy comes from the feast day for San Gerardo, the patron saint of Potenza in Basilicata. Now, Pollo alla Potentina is served throughout the country and at any time of year. You can find the recipe online for Potenza-style chicken which is braised with wine, and herbs.

Many of the popular breeds of chicken currently raised in the US by small growers originated in Italy, including Leghorn (Livorno), Ancona, Padovana (very showy plumage) and Siciliana (which probably came from North Africa and does well in warm climates, but not in cold climates).

Chef Cory adding BBQ sauce to this week’s Prep Kitchen Meal, Smoked BBQ Chicken

A popular dish in Umbria is Chicken Cacciatora. Cacciatora translates to hunter’s style, which is a braise, usually with onions, celery, carrot, garlic, tomatoes and white wine. Pollo al Mattone (Chicken Under a Brick) is a spatchcocked (backbone removed, bird is opened and flattened) that is common in Tuscany. This is a great way to cook a whole chicken on the grill. In Rome, you’ll find Chicken all Diavola, which is marinated in lemon and peppercorns for 24 hours then grilled.

You can find two Chicken dishes at all three M’tucci’s locations: Chipotle Chicken Pasta (Mexico meets Italy) and the Pollo alla Milanese, which features our house made burrata. One of my favorites is the chef-created Italian Fried Chicken at M’tucci’s Moderno: a crispy lemon herb crusted dark meat confit with truffle french fries (shown below left).

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M’tucci’s @ Home Prep Kitchen Meals

We apologize if some of you missed out on the Prep Kitchen Meal last week. We sold out of them at all locations by Saturday. Don’t let that happen to you this week. Below is a video with instructions for this weeks meal. We produce one for every M’tucci’s @ Home Prep Kitchen meal. Take a look to see how easy it is to finish your meal. This week, Chef Cory has taken advantage of the wood-fired oven at M’tucci’s Italian and has created a Smoked, Whole BBQ Chicken, House Made Campanelle Pasta Salad with Olives, Feta, Pepperoncini and Herbs and 4 Peanut Butter Cookies for only $34.

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Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

M’tucci’s Cajun-Rubbed 8 oz. Filet Mignon - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction  $29

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

Just a Few More - Missing Italy

Coastal Tuscany

Bolgheri - Charcuterie

Castegneto Carducci

Castagneto Carducci. Tuscany

Castegneto Carducci

Castegneto Carducci

Italian Inspiration

A week-long trip to Italy to eat in restaurants in Tuscany sounds like a vacation - right? However, when four of M’tucci’s chefs (and one lucky photographer/writer) made that trip last summer, it laid the groundwork for the menu at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five.

For John, Shawn, Cory and Damian it wasn’t a vacation, but it was a valuable Italian experience; eating, cooking, taking a couple of classes, and basically absorbing Italian food and culture for seven days. John Haas said that nearly every dish on one page of the menu (small plates, crostini, appetizers, cicchetti, charcuterie) was inspired by their experiences and meals. He remarked about the amazing simplicity of an appetizer plate with lightly pickled vegetables that we had for lunch in Colonatta (near the Carrara Marble Mines).

“It was not the most impressive mixture of vegetables, ones that we tend to overlook, but it was the way that they balanced it perfectly with flavor and texture. So thoughtful, so simple, but so good,” he said. “We all said Wow.”

I asked each chef to choose one dish on the new menu was inspired by their meals in Italy. First up, Executive Sous Chef at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five, Damian Lucero.

“Sitting on the coast in the town of San Vicenzo at Il Bucaniere, with the salty air and the view of the sea, there was a tuna appetizer with a green, pesto-like wine sauce with a cauliflower puree on top that I wanted to put our spin on it and make a tuna entree,” he said. “So we cure sushi-grade tuna, then pan-sear it, and serve it with a spinach pesto and our house oyster mushroom fermented arancini stuffed with mozzarella. It’s really good.”

Executive Chef Shawn Cronin was inspired by bitter Italian greens, which are used in a variety of ways throughout Italy.

“What struck me was how they use and celebrate things that we use as an afterthought. Escarole is used at the other restaurants, but we use it heavily here. The Grilled Escarole Caesar Salad is a little different to most people, but when they taste it, they like it and they say it works. It’s (escarole) such a small player, but it can take center stage when you sauté it, serve it fresh or preserve it. It’s really the star on the Chianina Beef Ravioli,” he said.

President/Company Chef John Haas was inspired by how the elements come together: the sea, the land and the weather.

“We incorporated those elements in the Seared Atlantic Sea Scallops, you’ve got the saltiness of the pancetta, the sweetness of scallops from the sea and the brightness of the peas. To me the salinity, the minerals and the freshness all work together. It’s very representative of the flavors and foods of Tuscany,” he said.

Seared Atlantic Sea Scallops, sautéed spinach, pickled escarole, red onion, M’tucci’s applewood smoked bacon, white beans and English pea puree.

Come explore the menu at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five. We think it’s as close as you can get to Italy and still be in New Mexico. Click here to see the menu.

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Weekend Specials

Seafood Special - Pan-Seared Ono w/Smoked Prosciutto Powder, Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Roasted Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Caper Lemon Butter Sauce - $24

Cut of the Day - Chianina Delmonico, Grilled Marinated Broccolini, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Herbed Salsa Verde - $25

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24oz Hand-Cut Porterhouse: Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Balsamic Reduction 

Pan-Seared Seafood - Sand Dabs, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Caper Lemon Beurre Blanc 

Ravioli - Pesto Ricotta Ravioli, Sautéed Pink Shrimp, Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Asparagus, Shallots, Light Lemon Cream Sauce

Braise - House Spicy Bacon, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Shallots, Candied Dates, White Wine Butter Sauce, Pappardelle Pasta 

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24oz Hand-Cut T-Bone - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, and an Italian Salsa Verde.

Featured Wine Pairing: Intrinsic Cabernet Sauvignon

Pan-Seared Seafood - Barramundi - Sautéed Arugula, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Artichokes, Caper Lemon Butter Sauce, Finished with a Smoked Prosciutto Powder.

Featured Wine Pairing: Glass Mountain Chardonnay

Pasta Special - Shrimp Diablo - Pink Patagonia Shrimp, Caramelized Onion, Celery, Capers, Crushed Red Pepper, Marinara Sauce, and Spaghettini Pasta.

Featured Wine Pairing: Imagery Pinot Noir

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
3/19 - 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!

Il Salone - Private Dining Room at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

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 Happy Hour - 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

3/13: Kirk Matthews

3/19: Amy Cliser

3/20: Lea Leyva

3/26: Austin Van

3/27: GB Duo

See you next week. Ciao!

Eating Italian Style - Region to Region

Executive Chef & Founding Partner John Haas spent time in both Tuscany and Rome this year. After returning, I asked what he thought of the food from both places.

“I’m amazed at how different the food and cooking were in each place, even how the meals in Tuscany changed from one town to the next, even though the towns were only a few miles apart,” he said.

His comment speaks volumes about the concept of Italian cuisine, because for centuries there was no “Italian cuisine”, it was truly regional in every sense of the word with each city/state creating their own dishes based on what was available. Food on the table in Naples and Venice, which are separated by more than 400 miles, is markedly different. The favored plates in Bologna and Florence, which are only 60 miles apart, are significantly different, also.

Charcuterie Board, Caprese Classico and Frutti di Mare at M’tucci’s Moderno.

Industrialization and transportation has changed the way Italians (and Americans) eat today to some extent, with some Northern dishes and techniques showing up in Southern Italy and vice versa. However, for the most part, Italians still cling to their sense of place, and take great pride in the dishes of their region, truly embracing the mantra of “eat local”.

The menu at M’tucci’s draws on regional specialities from throughout the country, without calling attention to their origins. We’re more focused on the essence of what makes Italian food so good: choosing great ingredients and employing great technique.

While the entire country can feel like one large farm or garden, and the Mediterranean climate means that lemons and tomatoes are both grown in the North and South, regional specialities still exist.

Backyard garden in Ravello near the Amalfi Coast

Our pizza style is firmly rooted in the traditions of Naples, the birthplace of pizza. We make a crust leavened by a sourdough starter, which ferments for 48 hours (instead of commercial yeast). We use a very hot oven, and produce a pizza with slightly “blistered” crust (called leopard spots) on the bottom that enhances the slight bitterness of the sourdough crust. This balances with the sweetness of the tomato sauce and the sour flavor from the mozzarella.

Pastas are definitely regional in origin. Orecchiette (little ears) originates in Puglia and is the most common pasta throughout Southern Italy. It is the perfect pasta for the Italian Pork and Beans at M’tucci’s Moderno (a riff on orecchiette con cime di rapa e salsiccia the signature dish of Italy’s boot hell region).

Pappardelle, tortellini and tagliatelle are most commonly found in Emilia Romagna, the home of ragù, the slow cooked meat sauce now popular everywhere. This wealthy region claims many dishes with expensive ingredients, including truffles. Our take on Bolognese is to slowly cook five different cuts of pork and pair it with our house-made rigatoni.

Spaghetti is the favorite pasta of Rome, where the iconic cacio e pepe, spaghetti all carbonara and spaghetti all’amatriciana are the icons of the Roman table. These first two dishes are made of simple ingredients, but require exacting techniques that if not followed closely, can leave you with lumpy, congealed sauces. Guanciale, which we cure in-house, is important to the latter two dishes. The pork jowl is cured, not smoked, and has a more mellow flavor than pancetta, which many recipes substitute for guanciale.

Cured meats and complex cheeses are found throughout the country, but Tuscany claims wild boar sausage, red wine salami and lardo. We make our own version of lardo, called Colonnata Butter (since lardo originated in the small mining town of Colonnata). Those items are on Charcuterie Board C and show up from time to time in weekend specials.

Farro, which we use in the Farro & Beet Salad, is a staple in Umbria. It is an ancient grain that probably predates wheat. Umbrians use the grain whole in soups and salads and grind it into flour for pasta, gnocchi and even crepes. The nutty flavor of farro is great for salads and soups.

We at M’tucci’s (and in my kitchen at home) love polenta and offer it in a variety of forms at our restaurants. Polenta originated in the mountainous north, was considered peasant food and is most commonly cooked with butter and parmesan. It should be a stone-ground cornmeal, never a finely ground meal that looks like flour. Polenta is equally good as a creamy porridge or as a solid cake when it cools. We mix it with creamy mascarpone cheese as a side. We also grill the cooled polenta for our Grigliata Misto, served with seasonal grilled vegetables.

Like polenta, risotto is also a Northern dish, with two main types of rice being used. Arborio is the most common and is favored in Lombardy in simple risotto dishes such as risotto with saffron or with parmesan and white truffles. Carnaroli was developed by a Milanese rice grower who crossed the Italian Vialone with a Japanese strain of rice. There is less acreage of this rice and it’s more expensive than arborio, but it has a softer starch that dissolves more easily with cooking and has a deeper flavor. We use carnaroli in our Risotto Carnaroli di Pesce at M’tucci’s Italian at M’tucci’s Italian.

Ravioli is a weekly special at M’tucci’s Italian and a permanent menu item at M’tucci’s Moderno. We make all of our ravioli in house a couple of times a week. It’s a slow labor intensive process (see how long it takes you to make 1,200 ravioli!). Stuffed pastas are popular throughout the country and are typically served with a cream or tomato sauce or en brodo (broth). Ravioli is also commonly found on the table for Christmas dinner.

Thanks for reading, see you next Friday!

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SPECIAL HOLIDAY EVENTS

M’tucci’s Bourbon Tasting - Today, 12/13, 4:00 - 6:00

M’tucci’s Maker’s Mark Bourbon Tasting: Maker’s Mark Private Select tasting at Jubilation Wine & Spirits. Both M’tucci’s Private Select and Two Fool’s Tavern Private Select will be available for tasting and purchase today. Don’t miss this special event.

ITALIAN CHRISTMAS MARKET 12/20 - 12/24

M’tucci’s Italian Cafe & Market will reopen for these dates only. Our holiday market will feature Fresh Mozzarella making demonstrations, Christmas Cookies, Pizza by the slice, cheeses and meats.

An Evening of Holiday Music by Delphia 12/23, 7:00 - 9:00

Voted Best of the City Vocalist, Delphia will perform in M’tucci’s Moderno lounge, but the music can be experienced throughout the restaurant. Space is limited for dinner reservations, so make your reservation today. As usual, there is no cover charge and tables in the lounge cannot be reserved.

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s Provisions (formerly M’tucci’s Italian Cafe and Market)

Order your cookies and Panettone today. Don’t forget that our fresh bread is delivered Tuesdays and Fridays to Silver Street Market downtown. Watch this space and our Facebook and Instagram for updates on other products availability around the ABQ.

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company

Some new menu items are coming soon, which we will announce when we get the printed menus. There are a few new beers on tap, Winter Lager, with a malt forward, unique style (6.2% & 17 IBU). I tried it the other night and it’s a complex lager, with flavors that evolve as the lager warms up a bit. Try and see if you can spot the unique flavor.

Head over to Lava Rock Brewing Company for Word of Mouth, a Brett Saison.

Also new is the collaboration with Bar Uno that produced a traditional English Bitter. Not as hoppy as an IPA, nor as malt-forward as an ESB, this terrific beer says, “bet you can’t drink just one.” Added this week is our first aged Brett beer, Word of Mouth. This French Farmhouse Saison fermented for six months and comes in a 9.2% ABV with 30 IBUs. Probably should take home a growler of this big boy!

A few new beers are coming. The first is an Italian lager, “Birra M’tucci’s” which will be available at LRBC, M’tucci’s Italian and M’tucci’s Moderno. Another that is in the works is a Red Ale, which will be aged in the bourbon barrel in which the M’tucci’s Maker’s Mark Private Select was aged.

Gift Certificates available for Holiday Gifts. A $20 Gift Certificate can buy a 64 oz. Growler and an Happy Hour Pint!Home Delivery now available through Door Dash

The “Two-Minute Warning” HAPPY HOUR & Monday Night Football!

HAPPY HOUR EVERY MONDAY UNTIL THE TWO-MINUTE WARNING!

Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30. $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

$5 basket of Wings all day on Sunday

We are serious about Live Music at Lava Rock, we’ll have live music every Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 and Fridays from 8:00 - 10:00.

Music Schedule for December:

Thursday’s

12/19 - RJ Perez

12/26 - Oscar Butler

Friday’s

12/13 - Leah Leyva and The Band

12/20 - Melissa Rios

12/27 - BuddhaFunk

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

Salmon and Farro - Farro tossed with grilled zucchini, red onion and Alfredo Sauce topped with pan-seared salmon, grilled asparagus with a bright garnish of sweet tomato, basil, garlic and 10-year aged balsamic vinegar

Paired with - Bottega Vinaia, Pinot Grigio, Trentino, Italy . Refreshing flavors of peach, nectarine and Granny Smith Apples. Crisp acidity with a hint of herbs and a clean finish.

Pan-Seared Branzino, served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed organic baby arugula and our lemon caper butter sauce, finished with smoked prosciutto powder.

Branzino is an ocean fish native to Europe's western and southern coasts. It is a delicate, white flakey fish with an almost sweet flavor.

Paired with - Mimi Chardonnay, Washington. Balanced fruit flavors of pear and yellow apple, spiced aromas with a crisp finish.

Cut of the Day: Chianina Flat Iron Steak

Grilled to perfection and served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and our traditional Italian Salsa Verde

Chianina beef is an Italian cow, which is one of the oldest breeds in the world. It is highly prized for its quality, marbling and flavor. M’tucci’s is the only restaurant in New Mexico with Italian Chianina.

Paired with - Zinphomaniac, Zinfindel, Lodi, California. Complex and full bodied, aromas of dark cherry, blackberries and spice.

Live Music

Tonight: Cali Shaw @ 8:00

12/19: Amy Cliser @ 7:00

12/20: Lani Nash @ 8:00

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24 oz Hand-Cut Porterhouse, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Balsamic Reduction

Pan-Seared Yellow Tail Tuna, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Lemon Caper Sauce w/Arugula

Braise - Chianina Beef, Butternut Squash, Spinach Cream Sauce, House Pappardelle Pasta

Ravioli - Chianina Beef, Artichoke, Ricotta Ravioli, Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Artichoke, Caramelized Onion, Light Lemon Cream Sauce

December Prix Fixe Menu

12/18/19

1st Course- Creamy Roasted Garlic Polenta, Roasted Eggplant Ragu

2nd Course- Grilled Chianina Rump Steak, Parsnip Puree, Roasted Baby Carrots, Chimichurri

3rd Course- Italian Cheesecake, Pomegranate, Ginger Mousse, Candied Rosemary

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ONGOING NEWS

M’TUCCI’S AROUND TOWN

Our market items can be purchased at a couple of locations in Albuquerque. We deliver our fresh bread every Tuesday and Friday to Silver Street Market at 2nd and Silver. Choose from Sourdough, Fennel Rye, Wheat, Baguette, Ciabatta, and Raisin Rosemary Focaccia.

Drinking at Bosque in Nob Hill? You can order a M’tucci’s Charcuterie Board while there.

M’TUCCI’S TWENTY-FIVE JOB FAIR + ONLINE APPLICATIONS

Our Job Fair for our new location will be from 10:00am - 4:00pm pm on January 11 & 12 . We are looking for highly skilled and motivated servers, kitchen staff and bartenders. You can apply for a position at any of our locations online by clicking here. Applicants should come to the job fair with a resume and should have completed the online application.

SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT & DISCOUNTS

Area service industry workers can get a Service Industry card from us by showing proof of employment. With the card you receive 10% off your check every day and 20% off on Sundays from 6:00 - 9:00. Dine in only.

ONLINE ORDERING

Our food is available for delivery with Door Dash or for pick up. Pick up something for the weekend or on your way home from work. The links to ordering are on the Home page.

MTUCCI’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Videos about making cocktails and pasta and getting to know the M’tucci’s culture. Click here

See you next Friday - Ciao!

Buon Natale (Merry Christmas)

Christmas in Italy has many traditions, and as one could expect, many of them revolve around food. Fish is usually the main course for Christmas Eve and meat is served on Christmas Day. Midnight mass is very popular with many families, who afterwards return home for a glass of spumante or prosecco and the opening of presents from Babbo Natale (Father Christmas/Santa Claus).

The Christmas day meal will likely last for hours, starting with seafood dishes, cured meat and olives; the primi might be tortellini in broth or lasagna or pasticcio (baked pasta), then roast meat or chicken. The main meal is usually followed by pandoro (a traditional Veronese yeast sweet bread) and panettone, chocolate or homemade cookies. 

Babbo Natale is gaining popularity in Italy, as is gift giving during the holiday season. In that spirit, here are some gift ideas to help you have an “Italian” holiday season. 

Food & Drink

M’tucci’s Provisions has created three holiday cookie boxes and two types of house-made panettone. Details and ordering information are listed just below.

Of course, who wouldn’t love getting a gift certificate from M’tucci’s? 

LaMarca Prosecco is perfect for holiday cocktail parties. At the moment, I’m really enjoying a red from Southern Italy, Appassimento by Bonari and Il Bruciato, Guada al Tasso from Antinori from Tuscany. Il Bruciato is on the wine list at M’tucci’s Italian and you can find both locally in wine shops. Splurge on that special someone and buy them a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino, a Barolo, or one of the Super Tuscans, such as Sassicaia or Tignanello. The liquid gift that won’t disappear during one dinner is an Amaro. One of the best being Quintessentia Amaro Nonino. There are cheaper Amari, but this one is well worth the extra money, with the perfect balance of herbal, sweet and bitter.

Tully’s Deli on San Mateo has a very good selection of dried pasta by DeCecco, canned tomatoes, and very good extra virgin olive oils/EVOO (the best selection I have seen in ABQ).

If it’s cured meat you want, definitely go to Molinari’s website (this San Francisco institution probably makes the best commercial U.S. salami you can buy).

Eataly has a good website with a large assortment of EVOO, truffle products, and gift baskets.

After my first trip to Italy, I was hooked on cappuccino. Upon returning, I bought an entry level espresso machine, but quickly outgrew it. I upgraded to a well-known Italian brand, Gaggia, and have been using their burr grinder (necessary for great espresso) and the Gaggia Classic for many years. You won’t find them locally, but the website Whole Latte Love has everything you will need for great espresso and cappuccino at home. I regularly buy the Hermes Espresso Blend from Red Rock Roasters and occasionally splurge on one of the espresso blends from Cutbow Coffee.

Coffee Table Books

Since I used to shoot assignments for National Geographic, I’m a bit biased when it comes to recommending photo books on Italy. A few stand out:

“Rome: Eternal City: Rome in the Photographs Collection of the Royal Institute of British Architects” - published this year

“National Geographic Inside the Vatican” by James Stanfield

“Italy” by Gray Malin

“One Hundred & One Beautiful Small Towns in Italy”  (Rizzoli Classics)

“Italy Seen through Magnum's Lens: From Henri Cartier-Bresson to Paolo Pellegrin”

Recipes, Food & Drink

If you only had one Italian cookbook, it should be “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking” by Marcella Hazan. As the title says, it is essential. I’m not that big of a fan of Ina, Giada or Lidia, so I don’t mention their books here:

“The Mozza Cookbook: Recipes from Los Angeles's Favorite Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria” by Nancy Silverton

“Amaro: The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas”

“Red, White, and Greens: The Italian Way with Vegetables” by Faith Willinger

“Italian Wines” by Gambero Rosso - An annual guide to the best of Italy.

“Treasures of the Italian Table” by Burton Anderson - one of my favorites. Hard to find and a bit expensive, but worth every penny.

Travel & Food (some with recipes)

“Pasta, Pane, Vino: Deep Travels Through Italy’s Food Culture” by Matt Goulding - great stories of traveling, eating and cooking from Piedmont to Sicily. The chapter about taking pizzaioli classes in Naples is great.

“Tasting Italy” by National Geographic & America’s Test Kitchen - Beautiful photos and really good recipes. My copy has red wine stains on some pages.

“See You in the Piazza” by Frances Mayes - she cares a little more about churches and Italian architecture than I do, but this is a terrific book for discovering the small towns in Italy, Sicily and Sardinia. The meals and recipes are worth the price!

From “Tasting Italy”

Photo Tour/Workshops

Want to give a really special gift? One of my colleagues is offering a Photography Workshop in Italy next year. Not only will you get photography tips from world-class photographers, but you’ll eat and drink well, too. 

Read about the workshop and contact Catherine Karnow here:  http://catherinekarnowphotoworkshop.com/home

Photos from Italy

Only for M’tucci’s guests and for a limited time, the prints below are on sale for the holidays. They are printed on 13” x 19” Luster Paper with archival ink with an approximate 1” border. Click on the photo to see it large. Each print is signed and is $150. Please contact me, Michael Lewis: [email protected]

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

The new M’tucci’s Maker’s Mark Private Select Bourbon is now available at M’tucci’s Moderno and M’tucci’s Italian.

Try some in an Old Fashioned for Happy Hour today.

There are only two Maker’s Mark Private Selects available in New Mexico: ours and Two Fool’s Tavern. Join us for a tasting of both at Jubilation Wine & Spirits: December 13 from 4:00 - 6:00pm.

Creative cocktails with M’tucci’s Maker’s Mark Private Select!

M’tucci’s Provisions (formerly M’tucci’s Italian Cafe and Market)

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Order your cookies and Panettone today. Don’t forget that our fresh bread is delivered Tuesdays and Fridays to Silver Street Market downtown. Watch this space and our Facebook and Instagram for updates on other products availability around the ABQ.

32 Bravo at Bar Uno

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Company

Fish n Chips with the Lava Rock/Uno Bully Bitter

Weekend Special: Fish & Chips -Lava Rock/ Bar Uno’s Bitter Battered Mahi Mahi, House Fries and Apple & Carrot Slaw.

Lot’s of good things happening at LRBC. Some new menu items are coming soon, which we will announce when we get the printed menus. There is a new beer on tap, Winter Lager, with a malt forward, unique style (6.2% & 17 IBU). I tried it the other night and it’s a complex lager, with flavors that evolve as the lager warms up a bit. Try and see if you can spot the unique flavor. We did a collaboration with Bar Uno and they now have the 32 Bravo Double IPA on tap.

A few new beers are coming. The first is an Italian lager, “Birra M’tucci’s” which will be available at LRBC, M’tucci’s Italian and M’tucci’s Moderno. Another that is in the works is a Red Ale, which will be aged in the bourbon barrel in which the M’tucci’s Maker’s Mark Private Select was aged.

Gift Certificates available for Holiday Gifts. A $20 Gift Certificate can buy a 64 oz. Growler and an Happy Hour Pint!

Home Delivery now available through Door Dash

The “Two-Minute Warning HAPPY HOUR & Monday Night Football!

HAPPY HOUR EVERY MONDAY UNTIL THE TWO-MINUTE WARNING!

Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30. Pair the food with a beer for $10.50 or $11, depending on the beer. Not eating (why not?), then $1 off all pints. You can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

$5 basket of Wings all day on Sunday

We are serious about Live Music at Lava Rock, we’ll have live music every Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 and Fridays from 8:00 - 10:00.

Music Schedule for December:

Thursday’s
12/12 - Kirk Matthews
12/19 - RJ Perez
12/26 - Oscar Butler

Friday’s
12/6 - BuddhaFunk
12/13 - Leah Leyva and The Band
12/20 - Melissa Rios
12/27 - BuddhaFunk

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24 oz Hand-Cut Porterhouse, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Balsamic Reduction

Ravioli - Artichoke, White Wine Braised Duroc Pork & Goat Cheese Ravioli: Sautéed Wild Mushroom, Caramelized Onion, Porcini Cream Sauce, Nduja Crumble, Arugula, Shaved Parmesan

Pan Seared Seafood - Hawaiian Ono, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Lemon Caper Sauce

Braised - Hand Cut Duroc Bone-in Pork Chop, White Wine Braised Greens, Roasted Parsnip, Shallot, White Cheddar Broccoli Sauce

  December Prix Fixe Menu

12/11/19

1st Course- Grilled Vegetable Medley, Herbed Lemon Browned Butter 

2nd Course- Chicken Limone, Grilled Asparagus, Crispy Potatoes, Preserved Lemon

3rd Course- Hazelnut-Mocha Panettone Bread Pudding, Vanilla Bourbon Gelato

12/18/19

1st Course- Creamy Roasted Garlic Polenta, Roasted Eggplant Ragu

2nd Course- Grilled Chianina Rump Steak, Parsnip Puree, Roasted Baby Carrots, Chimichurri

3rd Course- Italian Cheesecake, Pomegranate, Ginger Mousse, Candied Rosemary

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

Rotating Dinner Special : Center Cut Bone-In Pork Chop - Cold smoked Duroc Pork Chop, grilled to perfection and served with our Italian Succotash, Bourbon apple bacon sauce and organic arugula to garnish

Pairing - Conundrum, Red Blend, California - Complex yet approachable, flavors of cherries, baking chocolate with fine tannins and a silky smoothness

PanSeared Fish of the Day : Baramundi - Clean, buttery flavor and meaty texture Served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, roasted artichokes, topped with a lemon caper butter sauce and prosciutto powder

Pairing - Mimi by Ste. Michelle, Chardonnay, Washington - Balanced fruit flavors of pear and yellow apple, spiced aromas with crisp finish.

Cut of the Day : Hand Cut Porterhouse - Grilled to to order and served with crispy saltwater potatoes, grilled asparagus and our traditional Italian Salsa Verde
Pairing - Liberty School, Cabernet Sauvignon, California - Aromas of black cherry and plum followed by subtle notes of strawberry and spice, finishing with balanced tannins

Live Music

Tonight: Melissa Rios @ 8:00

Dec 12: RJ Perez @ 6:00

Dec 13: Cali Shaw @8:00

Holiday Special on December 23

“An Evening of Holiday Music by Delphia” 7:00. 

Reservations taken for the dining room, where her performances will be carried on the speaker system throughout the dining rooms. Enjoy the exquisite style of Delphia together with M’tucci’s special holiday drink and food specials.

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ONGOING NEWS

M’TUCCI’S AROUND TOWN

Our market items can be purchased at a couple of locations in Albuquerque. We deliver our fresh bread every Tuesday and Friday to Silver Street Market at 2nd and Silver. Choose from Sourdough, Fennel Rye, Wheat, Baguette, Ciabatta, and Raisin Rosemary Focaccia.

Drinking at Bosque in Nob Hill? You can order a M’tucci’s Charcuterie Board while there.

M’TUCCI’S TWENTY-FIVE JOB FAIR + ONLINE APPLICATIONS

Watch this space for the announcement of our January Job Fair for our new location. We are looking for highly skilled and motivated servers, kitchen workers, bartenders and managers. You can apply for a position at any of our locations online by clicking here.

SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT & DISCOUNTS

Area service industry workers can get a Service Industry card from us by showing proof of employment. With the card you receive 10% off your check every day and 20% off on Sundays from 6:00 - 9:00. Dine in only.

ONLINE ORDERING

Our food is available for delivery with Door Dash or for pick up. Pick up something for the weekend or on your way home from work. The links to ordering are on the Home page.

MTUCCI’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Videos about making cocktails and pasta and getting to know the M’tucci’s culture. Click here

See you next Friday - Ciao!

Bolognese

Italians love to argue about which region’s food is the best, especially when the same dish crosses regional borders, eggplant parmesan, spaghetti carbonara or linguine with clams. 

Within the region of Emilia-Romagna, few signature dishes cause more arguments than the local ragù: Bolognese Sauce (which really isn’t a sauce). What kind of meat - beef or pork or both? Ground meat or chopped meat? What kind of wine - red or white or vermouth? Add milk or leave it out? Fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes or tomato paste? Olive oil or lard or butter?

A few of the universally agreed upon ingredients and techniques are: no garlic, the meat shouldn’t be too lean, and the sauce should be cooked slowly over low heat. Every recipe or article I could find (and our style at M’tucci’s) says to begin with what Italians call a soffritto, a base of chopped celery, carrot and onion which is slowly sautéd.

Ingredients for Soffritto and the beginning of Five Pork Bolognese

In the wonderful book about Italian food, “Pasta, Pane, Vino: Deep Travels Through Italy’s Food Culture” by Matt Goulding, he visits a village in Emilia-Romagna to ask the grandmothers how they make ragù and the responses are as varied as possible. The ratio of beef to pork is argued about, but they all agree upon “piano piano” (slowly). As he was leaving, one of the outspoken nonne pulls him aside and says, “Forget about these arguments. Forget about the small details. Just remember that the most important ingredient for making ragù . . . is love.” One of the women overhears and quickly adds, “and pancetta!”

A ragù is essentially a slow-simmered meat sauce and can found throughout Italy made from wild boar (which we serve at M’tucci’s Italian), duck or even fish. However, the famous ragù (from the French word ragoût meaning stew) of Bologna, is a classic meat sauce that should be nearly devoid of liquid when served. Traditionally, it is served with fresh tagliatelle, but we use our house made fresh pappardelle, which is a flat pasta a bit wider than tagliatelle.

This dish has evolved over the years since WWII, when times were hard in post-war Italy and cucina povera (cooking of the poor) was a necessity. The current-day ragù of Emilia-Romanga reflects the wealth of the region, using the best and freshest ingredients. The area is one of the more affluent in Italy, so the ingredients today are quite good. 

Bolognese is made in-house a couple of times a week, with Dayan here doing the knife work.

If you happen to pass through Modena, see if you can get a reservation at Osteria Francescana, the 3-starred Michelin restaurant of the ubiquitous TV chef Massimo Bottura. At times it has been ranked as the best restaurant in the world. The tagliatelle al ragù takes almost 72 hours to make, is piled six inches high on your plate and will set you back more than $50. His take on ragù bolognese? NO tomato and no ground meat, rather slowly braising large pieces of meat that are then shredded when tender. Reportedly, it’s sublime.

However, so is the Five Pork Bolognese at M’tucci’s Moderno and at M’tucci’s Italian and the Wild Boar Ragù at Italian. We employ the same techniques as generations of Italian grandmothers, but our Bolognese does not have beef and the five different cuts of Duroc pork will have to remain our secret. 

Try a plate soon and see if you can name all five cuts. 

Wild Boar Ragù with Rigatoni

Five Pork Bolognese with Pappardelle

Wild Boar Ragù with tagliatelle in Tuscany

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

NOTICE: All locations will be closed on Thanksgiving. Enjoy the holiday with your friends and family.

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Co.

Here is an excerpt from the interview done by Franz Solo at New Mexico Dark Side Brew Crew. If you love NM craft beer and you don’t follow these guys, you are totally missing out. We’re lucky to have such a resource for beer news in NM and we are honored that they included us on their blog. Read the full post by clicking here.

Let’s join the interview midstream where head brewer Ram Khalsa and Chef/Manager Fred Gallegos are bringing Franz Solo up to speed:

Ram: Yeah, and once we kind of leveled out then Fred took over. We did one beer (and food) pairing and we are planning on doing quite a bit more because it went really well. 

Solo: I mean, it makes sense when you have great food and great beer. 

Fred: Exactly, and every time I do a menu I always pair it with our beer so that everything works well together. 

Solo: Complementing each other. 

Fred: Yeah, complementing, it’s the whole basis of my menu here at M’tuccis at Lava Rock. 

Solo: So making the malts and the hops stand out with the pizza or whatever they are going with?

Fred: Yeah, with the pizza, or the eggplant parmesan, or wings.

Solo: Hey, beer goes great with wings.

Ram: We had to bring the wings back. They’re delicious, too. What, you brine them for 24 hours and then … ?

Fred: And, slow roast them for four hours. 

Solo: Outstanding. 

Solo: So any interesting things on the horizon for this coming year?

Fred: So we just got our distribution license. We are going to be moving forward with that. We are going to be having a Birra a M’tucci’s.

Ram: Yeah, an Italian lager that will be served at all of the M’tucci’s locations.

Solo: Outstanding. (As a lover of lagers these days, getting to try a proper Italian style locally whets my palate, as the only examples we can typically find here are oxidized and less than fresh imports from overseas. Suffice to say, I’m really exited about this birra.)

“After our interview I stayed to try several of Ram’s beers, ranging in style from lager to IPA, Berliner Weisse, red ale, and brett sour, and found them all quite tasty and quaffable. In particular, his lagers really hit the spot for me, and rest assured I’ll be enjoying, oh, just a few pints with some delicious food at my neighborhood brewery.

It’s quite a rarity these days to have such great food married to some really lovely beers, and that alone to me makes M’tuccis at Lava Rock rather unique. If you haven’t been in a while, I highly recommend heading back over, and if you’ve never been, it is definitely worth checking out,” wrote Franz Solo.

Photos by Franz Solo - NM Dark Side Brew Crew

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Gift Certificates available for Holiday Gifts. A $20 Gift Certificate can buy a 64 oz. Growler and an Happy Hour Pint!

Home Delivery now available through Door Dash

HAPPY HOUR & NFL Football!

$7 Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30. Pair the food with a beer for $10.50 or $11, depending on the beer. Not eating (why not?), then $1 off all pints. The NFL is up and running and you can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

HAPPY HOUR EVERY MONDAY UNTIL THE END OF THE FIRST HALF OF MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL!

$5 basket of Wings all day on Sunday

RETURNING BEER - 32 Bravo DIPA (8% ABV and 100 IBU) will be available this weekend. Fall Fest, a German Fest Lager is on tap now (5.8% ABV and 20 IBU).

We’re getting serious about Live Music at Lava Rock, we’ll have live music every Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 and Fridays from 8:00 - 10:00.

November Live Music:

11/15: Cali Shaw

11/21: Oscar Butler

11/22: Rebecca Arscott

11/29: Dos Pendejos

M’tucci’s Moderno

Weekend Specials

Pasta Special: Shrimp & Lobster Spaghettini Diced Tomatoes, Asparagus, Green Onion, Basil tossed in a Lobster Cream Sauce and Lobster Butter

Suggested Pairing - Mimi St. Michelle, Chardonnay, Washington. Balanced tones of white fruits, butter and slight oak notes. Soft acidic and dry finish.

Pan Seared fish of the day: Diver Sea Scallops Jumbo, Fresh Scallops, seared to perfection buttery soft texture and clean sea flavor. Served with Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Organic Arugula, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce and Smoked Prosciutto Powder

Suggested Pairing - Whitehaven, Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand. Full flavored, medium bodied, juicy peach, tropical fruit, tart, crisp acidic with long clean finish

Cut of the Day: Hand-Cut Bone-In NY Strip
Grilled to order to perfection and served with our House Made Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and our Traditional Italian Salsa Verde

Suggested Pairing - Zin-Phomaniacs, Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi, California. Aromas of dark cherry, blackberry and spice, full bodied flavor with a kiss of vanilla and a long finish

Live Music

Tonight: Melissa Rios @ 8:00

11/21: Stanlie Kee @ 6:00

11/22: Cali Shaw @ 8:00

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24oz Hand-Cut Bone-in NY Strip, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Balsamic Reduction

Ravioli - Red Chile, Goat Cheese Ravioli, Sautéed Shallots, Roasted Chicken, Red Bell Pepper, Basil Cream Sauce

Pan Seared Seafood - Mediterranean Branzino, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Grilled Artichoke, Capers, Lemon Beurre Blanc

Braise - Grilled Duroc Bone-In Pork Chop, Creamy Polenta, Braised Greens, Green Chile Cream Sauce

  November Prix Fixe Menus

11/20/19

1st Course- Parsnip Bisque, Pecan-Crispy Prosciutto-Fresh Herb Gremolata

2nd Course- Pan Seared Duroc Pork Cutlet, Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Fresh Tomato-Caper Butter Sauce

3rd Course- Pear-Cranberry Crisp, House Made Honey-Thyme Gelato

11/27/19

1st Course- Chef’s Choice Charcuterie Board

2nd Course- “All’Arrabiata Ravioli” House Made Shrimp-Scallop Stuffed Ravioli, Roasted Grape Tomatoes, Fresh Pea Sprouts

3rd Course- Sweet Potato Pie, Red Chile Whipped Cream, Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

M’tucci’s Italian Café & Market

M’tucci’s Restaurants is expanding its wholesale fabrication of bread, meats and cheese. The M’tucci’s product lines will soon be found throughout Albuquerque at several locations. The M’tucci’s Shrubs line, which is now available at Jubilation Wine & Spirits, will soon be available at Total Wine & More.

Due to the expansion, M’tucci’s Italian Café and Market will be converted to wholesale operations in 2020. The space will close its retail operations November 30, 2019, but the space is available for private parties up to 25 people throughout the month of December.

“The demand for authentic Italian products has far exceeded our expectations,” explained John Haas, M’tucci’s Restaurants Managing Partner. “It’s very exciting to see an explosion in demand for our custom meats, cheeses, breads and shrubs. Expanding our manufacturing operations allows us to continue to innovate and bring more products to market.”

People interested in booking the M’tucci’s Italian Café & Market should call 505-503-7327 and ask for the Manager on Duty.

Don’t feel like cooking tonight, but you want to stay home? Pick up a M’tucci’s Pasta Kit: 1 lb. of House Made Pasta, choice of Bolognese or Carbonara Sauce, House Made Meat and an Italian Cheese for garnish.

Order your Holiday Pies Now.

Order deadline is Thursday, November 23

Choose from Classic Spiced Apple ($14), Classic Pumpkin ($14), Green Chile Apple with Piñon Nut Streusel ($16) or Pecan with Honey Bourbon Whipped Cream ($16). Deposit required at time of order. You may order from the Market, M’tucci’s Italian or M’tucci’s Moderno.

Pies must be picked up on November 25 or 27 at the M’tucci’s location where you placed your order.

Clockwise from top left: Pecan Pie with Honey Bourbon Whipped Cream, Green Chile Apple with Piñon Nut Streusel, Classic Pumpkin and Classic Spiced Apple.

M’tucci’s Catering

Book your holiday parties now. We offer off-site catering from dinner parties to wedding receptions. Reserve space for your holiday party at M’tucci’s Moderno’s private dining rooms. M’tucci’s Italian Café & Market is available for evening events in December for groups of 10-30.

Contact Ivy for your next event, large or small. We can handle it!

Click here to see our catering menu. 505.350.0019 or [email protected]

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Renovations are happening as we turn the former Chama River Brewing into the newest M’tucci’s. The new location will feature a large bar area, a private dining room and a relaxed dining room. We are planning a jog fair in January with an opening date sometime in February.

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ONGOING NEWS

M’TUCCI’S AROUND TOWN

Our market items can be purchased at a couple of locations in Albuquerque. We deliver our fresh bread every Tuesday and Friday to Silver Street Market at 2nd and Silver. Choose from Sourdough, Fennel Rye, Wheat, Baguette, Ciabatta, and Raisin Rosemary Focaccia.

Drinking at Bosque in Nob Hill? You can order a M’tucci’s Charcuterie Board while there.

M’TUCCI’S TWENTY-FIVE JOB FAIR + ONLINE APPLICATIONS

Watch this space for the announcement of our January Job Fair for our new location. We are looking for highly skilled and motivated servers, kitchen workers, bartenders and managers. You can apply for a position at any of our locations online by clicking here.

SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT & DISCOUNTS

Area service industry workers can get a Service Industry card from us by showing proof of employment. With the card you receive 10% off your check every day and 20% off on Sundays from 6:00 - 9:00. Dine in only.

ONLINE ORDERING

Our food is available for delivery with Door Dash or for pick up. Pick up something for the weekend or on your way home from work. The links to ordering are on the Home page.

MTUCCI’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Videos about making cocktails and pasta and getting to know the M’tucci’s culture. Click here

See you next Friday - Ciao!

Olives & Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The Italian table without olives or Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is unthinkable. You’ll find EVOO in every Italian home, and a small plate of olives will likely be placed in front of you when you order a drink in an Italian cafe.

The olive tree originated in the Middle East and has been cultivated for more than 6,000 years in the Mediterranean. The oil has had spiritual and medicinal uses in Ancient Greece, Ancient Israel and Ancient Rome. It’s a crop that requires patience since a tree might take 40 years to bear usable fruit - but that tree will produce olives for a few hundred years!

Cerignola, Castelvetrano, Gaeta, and Calabrese are just a few of the more than 700 varieties of olives grown worldwide. These are among Italy’s and Sicily’s most popular and flavorful olives. If you’re a fan, you probably love all of them, especially the large, meaty Cerignola from Puglia, which are available as green, black and even red.

The mildest is the Castelvetrano, grown primarily in Sicily. The small, green olive has a mild, buttery flavor, perfect for snacking. They are the perfect olive for people who have only had cheap salty olives and, consequently they don’t like olives.

Gaeta olives are a small, black olive, originally grown in Campania, south of Rome along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. They are very popular for appetizers and for making an olive tapenade.

Calabrese olives are commonly packed with chiles to give them a little heat. Small and green, but big in flavor, they are often marinated with garlic cloves and fennel.

Olives in Umbria in October a few weeks before harvest.

While many olive varietals and styles of curing and brining them are found on the table throughout Italy, they are primarily a product of the Central and Southern regions of the country. They play an important part in the Charcuterie Boards at all M’tucci’s locations. Try some of each type to see which you like. A few of my favorites are not Italian: the Picholine and Nicoise from France, and oil-cured Moroccan olives. Here is an easy recipe for Olive Tapenade, much tastier than what you can buy in a jar!

Olive Tapenade

1 C Pitted Green Olives

1 C. Pitted Black Olives

1/4 C sun-dried tomatoes

1-2 garlic cloves

1 T capers

1/4 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Optional: Pine nuts, fresh basil, fresh parsley, fresh oregano

Blend all ingredients in a food processor, except for the olive oil. Stir in oil after ingredients are a nice paste. Salt to taste (you may not need to add any)

Cerignola (red, black, green), Castelvetrano, Gaeta, Picholine, Calabrese (L-R) All available at the Market

The varieties of olives used for table olives are different from the varieties used for oil. The harvest methods are also different, with table olives most commonly harvested by hand to avoid bruising them. Approximately 90% of the world’s harvest is used for oil. Some of the common varietals for oil are: Frantoio, Moraiolo, and Correggiolo olives.

The importance of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) to the Italian table, can’t be overstated. EVOO is used for cooking, dressing salads, marinating foods, finishing grilled meat or pizza, and simply drizzling on a crusty piece of bread.

Italian EVOO is also the most commonly mislabeled or fraudulent Italian food product, with many lesser quality olive oils smuggled from countries with lower harvesting and labeling standards and then fraudulently labeled as Italian EVOO. There is so much money involved in the worldwide EVOO business, that some crime syndicates even blend cheap soy oil with olive oil and mislabel it. Italy goes to great lengths to ensure that what you are buying is authentic Italian EVOO. Their standards of testing and labeling are more stringent than the EU and certainly more stringent than the FDA.

Like good wine, learning how to read the label will ensure that you buy authentic EVOO. The key words on the label should be “First Cold Pressing”.

“Packed” or “Bottled in Italy” does not mean the oil you are buying is Italian. Look for a specific producer’s name, the date the olives were harvested, and some of the Italian certification labels, such as IOOC, DOP or IGP.

There are two kinds of EVOO in our pantry: one for cooking and a more expensive premium EVOO used for dressing salads, making pesto and for other dishes that are not heated. EVOO is defined by the amount of oleic acid in the oil after pressing (less than 1%). Lower acid means more flavor and higher quality. EVOO is made throughout the country, but the finest (and this statement could start an argument with any Italian) is probably from Lucca, in the northwestern corner of Tuscany. Like most imported food products, expect to pay at least $20 a liter for premium EVOO. Use lower priced EVOO for cooking, but always use EVOO (the Kirkland brand from Costco is great for cooking). Cooking with cheap EVOO is like cooking with cheap wine, it will affect the final flavor. Remember that olive oils are perishable and you should avoid buying more than you can use in a month, since the oil is sensitive to heat, light and air. Store it in a cool, dark place and keep it tightly sealed. Eataly’s online site is a good place to order authentic high quality EVOO. They classify their oils as delicate, medium, intense and infused.

A custom Charcuterie Board from our catering menu.

In Marcella Hazan’s “Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking”, she recommends seeking out EVOO from different parts of Italy to see which fits your style. Do you like smooth and buttery or peppery and spicy? She describes the regional oils better than I could possibly explain: the oils from the Veneto are “sweetly fragrant, nutty”, those from Liguria “have a thicker, more viscous feel”, oils from Tuscany and Umbria “are penetratingly fruity, and those of Tuscany in particular, even spicy and scratchy.”

Buying quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil is similar to buying quality wine: buy the best you can afford.

I haven’t mentioned the health aspects, but here is a link to a story about the benefits of olives and olive oil. Click here.

Olives in Tuscany in late August.

Olive trees and vineyards on the slopes around Panzano in Chianti.

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

NOTICE: All locations will be closed on Thanksgiving. Enjoy the holiday with your friends and family.

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Co.

Gift Certificates available for Holiday Gifts. A $20 Gift Certificate can buy a 64 oz. Growler and an Happy Hour Pint!

Home Delivery now available through Door Dash

HAPPY HOUR & NFL Football!

$7 Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30. Pair the food with a beer for $10.50 or $11, depending on the beer. Not eating (why not?), then $1 off all pints. The NFL is up and running and you can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

HAPPY HOUR EVERY MONDAY UNTIL THE END OF THE FIRST HALF OF MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL!

$5 basket of Wings all day on Sunday

RETURNING BEER - 32 Bravo DIPA (8% ABV and 100 IBU) will be available this weekend. Fall Fest, a German Fest Lager is on tap now (5.8% ABV and 20 IBU).

We’re getting serious about Live Music at Lava Rock, we’ll have live music every Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 and Fridays from 8:00 - 10:00.

November Live Music:

11/8: Dos Pendejos

11/14: Cliser, Cook and Jones

11/15: Cali Shaw

11/21: Oscar Butler

11/22: Rebecca Arscott

11/29: Dos Pendejos

M’tucci’s Moderno

Thanks to all our fans who voted our Servers the Best of Rio Rancho.

Weekend Specials

Shrimp & Baby Clams with Fettuccini and Salsa Rosa (Tomato Cream Sauce): Diced fresh tomatoes, crushed red pepper flakes, tossed with a roasted herb butter sauce, garnished with pesto bread crumbs and Pecorino Romano

Conundrum Red Blend, California Rich and complex yet approachable, flavors of cherries and semi-sweet chocolate, fine tannin's and a smooth finish

Pan Seared fish of the Day is Mahi-Mahi: Firm very lean fish with a clean earthy flavor. Served with our creamy garlic mashed potatoes, roasted artichokes, sautéed organic arugula, caper lemon butter sauce and smoked prosciutto powder

Michael David, Sauvignon Blanc, California Delicious apples and floral notes, aromas of honeysuckle and orange blossom, bright acids finish crisp on the palate.

Cut of the Day: Porterhouse Steak
Hand cut fresh daily and grilled to perfection as you like it, served with Traditional Italian Salsa Verde, Crispy Saltwater Potatoes and Grilled Asparagus


Zin-Phomaniacs, Old Vine Zin, Lodi Aromas of dark cherry, blackberry and spice, full bodied flavor with a kiss of vanilla and a long finish

NEW FALL MENU ITEMS - With the weather turning cold we added seasonal items to our menu! Visit us this weekend so you are the first to try it out!

Italian Pork & Beans: Orrechiette Pasta, House Veal+Pork Sausage, Roasted Italian White Beans, Pancetta, Roasted Carrot, Braised Italian Greens, Pecorino

Live Music

Tonight: Lani Nash @ 8:30

11/14: RJ Perez @ 7:00

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24oz hand cut bone in NY Strip, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and a Balsamic Reduction

Pan Seared Seafood- Alaskan Halibut, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula, Capers, Lemon Beurre Blanc

Ravioli - Pesto Ricotta Cheese Ravioli, House Spicy Bacon, Sautéed Artichoke, Caramelized Onion, Spinach, Tomato, Light Lemon Cream Sauce

Braise - Lightly Smoked Herb-Roasted Cornish Hen, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Cherry Gastrique

  November Prix Fixe Menu

11/13/19

1st Course- Crispy Brie, Strawberry Shrub Jam, Dressed Greens 

2nd Course- House Sausage, Roasted White Italian Beans, Orecchiette, Pecorino, Braised Greens

3rd Course- M’tucci’s World Famous Take Home For Thanksgiving Pecan Pie, Honey-Bourbon Whipped Cream

11/20/19

1st Course- Parsnip Bisque, Pecan-Crispy Prosciutto-Fresh Herb Gremolata

2nd Course- Pan Seared Duroc Pork Cutlet, Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Fresh Tomato-Caper Butter Sauce

3rd Course- Pear-Cranberry Crisp, House Made Honey-Thyme Gelato

11/27/19

1st Course- Chef’s Choice Charcuterie Board

2nd Course- “All’Arrabiata Ravioli” House Made Shrimp-Scallop Stuffed Ravioli, Roasted Grape Tomatoes, Fresh Pea Sprouts

3rd Course- Sweet Potato Pie, Red Chile Whipped Cream, Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

M’tucci’s Italian Café & Market

M’tucci’s Restaurants is expanding its wholesale fabrication of bread, meats and cheese. The M’tucci’s product lines will soon be found throughout Albuquerque at several locations. The M’tucci’s Shrubs line, which is now available at Jubilation Wine & Spirits, will soon be available at Total Wine & More.

Due to the expansion, M’tucci’s Italian Café and Market will be converted to wholesale operations in 2020. The space will close its retail operations November 30, 2019, but the space is available for private parties up to 25 people throughout the month of December.

“The demand for authentic Italian products has far exceeded our expectations,” explained John Haas, M’tucci’s Restaurants Managing Partner. “It’s very exciting to see an explosion in demand for our custom meats, cheeses, breads and shrubs. Expanding our manufacturing operations allows us to continue to innovate and bring more products to market.”

People interested in booking the M’tucci’s Italian Café & Market should call 505-503-7327 and ask for the Manager on Duty.

Don’t feel like cooking tonight, but you want to stay home? Pick up a M’tucci’s Pasta Kit: 1 lb. of House Made Pasta, choice of Bolognese or Carbonara Sauce, House Made Meat and an Italian Cheese for garnish.

Order your Holiday Pies now. Choose from Classic Spiced Apple ($14), Classic Pumpkin ($14), Green Chile Apple with Piñon Nut Streusel ($16) or Pecan with Honey Bourbon Whipped Cream ($16). Order deadline is November 23. Pies must be picked up on November 25 or 27 at any of the three M’tucci’s locations. Deposit required at time of order.

Classic Spiced Apple Pie

M’tucci’s Catering

Book your holiday parties now. We offer off-site catering from dinner parties to wedding receptions. Reserve space for your holiday party at M’tucci’s Moderno’s private dining rooms. M’tucci’s Italian Café & Market is available for evening events in December

Contact Ivy for your next event, large or small. We can handle it!

Click here to see our catering menu. 505.350.0019 or [email protected]

We’ve also been busy with fall weddings. Here’s a few photos from a Bernalillo wedding Photography by Maura Jane Photography.

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Partner Austin Leard and M’tucci’s Moderno Bartender Tyler Woodard were guest bartenders at Hollow Spirits Distillery last Monday Night. They created special drinks from the selection of Hollow Spirits whiskey, gin, rum and vodka. We provide bartending and beverage service for your event.

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ONGOING NEWS

M’TUCCI’S AROUND TOWN

Our market items can be purchased at a couple of locations in Albuquerque. We deliver our fresh bread every Tuesday and Friday to Silver Street Market at 2nd and Silver. Choose from Sourdough, Fennel Rye, Wheat, Baguette, Ciabatta, and Raisin Rosemary Focaccia.

Drinking at Bosque in Nob Hill? You can order a M’tucci’s Charcuterie Board while there.

M’TUCCI’S TWENTY-FIVE JOB FAIR

Watch this space for the announcement of our January Job Fair for our new location. We are looking for highly skilled and motivated servers, kitchen workers, bartenders and managers.

SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT & DISCOUNTS

Area service industry workers can get a Service Industry card from us by showing proof of employment. With the card you receive 10% off your check every day and 20% off on Sundays from 6:00 - 9:00. Dine in only.

ONLINE ORDERING

Our food is available for delivery with Door Dash or for pick up. Pick up something for the weekend or on your way home from work. The links to ordering are on the Home page.

MTUCCI’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Videos about making cocktails and pasta and getting to know the M’tucci’s culture. Click here

See you next Friday - Ciao!

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Essential Italian Herbs

There are fresh herbs that are essential to Italian cuisine. They include sage (salvia), parsley, rosemary (rosmarino), oregano (origano) and bay leaf (alloro), but none are more important or more useful than basil. Unlike the other herbs, basil (basilico) is best when it isn’t cooked. The flavor and fragrance are diminished when heat is applied. If you use basil in a sauce, add it at the last moment before serving. Dried basil, in my opinion, is worthless. If I don’t have fresh, I don’t use it.

Of course, basil is the key ingredient for pesto sauce and nothing but the freshest basil leaves should be used. Coastal Liguria is the home to pesto and as far as the coastal Italians are concerned there is only one true pesto and it’s pesto genovese. History books report that Genovese troops were discovered hiding under Jerusalem’s walls before a battle because of the basil scent on their breath. They then found their way home to the Ligurian ports by following the smell of wild basil on the hillsides. The Genovese Pesto Consortium, begun in 2011, standardized the recipe for pesto genovese and stipulates the types of pasta which should be used: trenette, trofie or potato gnocchi.

Another favorite use of basil is to pair it with fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and extra-virgin olive oil. You can slice the tomatoes, top them with a slice of cheese, a basil leaf and a drizzle of oil and maybe a splash of aged balsamic vinegar for the classic Insalata Caprese. If you don’t have a good slicing tomato, cut up cherry tomatoes and add pieces of mozzarella, torn basil leaves and a good olive oil and a bit of salt tossed together in a bowl. If the tomatoes throw off a lot of juice, add some croutons (a slice or two of M’tucci’s toasted sourdough bread works great) to soak up the juice. At M’tucci’s Moderno and M’tucci’s Italian we use basil as a garnish for pastas, add it as the main ingredient for pizza margherita, we make basil oil for our bread plate and we use it in our house made Strawberry-Basil Shrub.

When selecting basil seeds or plants for the garden, try to find basil genovese, and plant in a location where the plant won’t be exposed to eight hours of the hot Albuquerque sun, or their leaves will become thin and tough and won’t be as aromatic as the leaves show in the photo above. Read further for the classic pesto recipe at the end of this essay.

Rosemary is probably the most popular Italian herb after basil. It’s used to brighten the flavors of roast pork, chicken or rabbit. Pan-roast new potatoes with a few sprigs, salt, pepper and olive oil. Fresh rosemary is preferable to dried and it grows easily in the Albuquerque area. The tender shoots at the top are the best for cooking. Use it sparingly so it doesn’t overwhelm the flavors of your meat or potatoes. At M’tucci’s we use fresh rosemary for roast chicken and pork and in our brines.

Sage was considered a medicinal herb in ancient times, but is popular in Italian kitchens. It is often used with game birds, in Tuscan bean dishes, and in some Northern Italian soup and risotto recipes. The classic use of sage is in a brown butter sauce over butternut squash ravioli (which is an occasional special at M’tucci’s Italian). A popular risotto in Piedmont is beef, rosemary, sage and Barolo wine. Like rosemary, we add fresh sage to M’tucci’s roasts and brines.

Although I always grow oregano, I use it sparingly. Unlike the other herbs, the dried version is considered as good as fresh. It’s one of the key ingredients for the classic Neapolitan pizza marinara, which is a marinara sauce with oregano, no cheese. It was likely the first pizza made in Naples and named for the sailors (marineros) who took it to sea. Oregano is more common in Southern Italian cooking and is used with eggplant dishes, stews and with grilled seafood. M’tucci’s uses fresh oregano in our bolognese sauce and in some of our pickling sauces.

Pesto sauce has become popular over the years and has probably suffered from overuse and odd additions to what is a classic and pretty standard sauce. The late Italian cookbook author, Marcella Hazan is pretty adamant about making it according to the Genoese style. She strongly recommends making it with a large mortar and pestle, but says a food processor is acceptable.

I’ve had pesto genoese in Vernazza, one of the Cinque Terre villages in Liguria and remember it as the best example I’ve had anywhere. I’ve been trying to replicate it for years, but the basil grown on the hillsides above the sea, with sun, humidity and salt air, has a unique flavor that is nearly impossible to duplicate here. However, I try. Here is an adaptation of her recipe, which makes 6-8 servings.

In a food processor add:

2 C. tightly packed fresh basil leaves, 1/2 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (the best you can afford), 3 T. pine nuts, 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and a pinch of sea salt and process to a creamy consistency

If you are going to freeze the pesto, stop here and don’t add the cheese. I do this so I can have pesto during the winter. When you are ready to make the sauce for pasta, do this next step after thawing.

If using the entire paste, grate 1/2 C of parmesan and 2 T of pecorino romano and mix together. Blend the cheese and sauce by hand in a bowl. Mix in 3 T of softened butter.

When the pasta is nearly finished cooking, add 2-3 T of the pasta water to the bowl and blend the sauce by hand. Return the finished pasta to a large, warm bowl and toss with the pesto. Serve immediately.

Pesto Ravioli only at M’tucci’s Moderno - Homemade Ricotta & Pesto Ravioli, Roasted Artichoke, Shallots, Grape Tomato, Lemon + Pesto Cream Sauce, Shaved Parmesan

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Co.

HAPPY HOUR & NFL Football!

$7 Happy Hour Menu features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30. Pair the food with a beer for $10.50 or $11, depending on the beer. Not eating (why not?), then $1 off all pints. The NFL is up and running and you can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

HAPPY HOUR EVERY MONDAY UNTIL THE END OF THE FIRST HALF OF MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL!

$5 basket of Wings all day on Sunday

RETURNING BEER - A small batch Brut IPA is now on tap (5.8% ABV and 30 IBU). We should have the Coconut Hazy IPA ready to pour today.

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month and we are donating to the local Rio Grande Down Syndrome Network - 10% of Gross Food Sales and $1 from every pint of Petroglyph Wit will go to the Foundation all month long.

October 19: Color Me Beautiful - Create your fragrance flower. Space is limited. Call to reserve.

Upcoming Live Music:

October 11: Hatrick

M’tucci’s Moderno

Thanks to all our fans who voted our Servers the Best of Rio Rancho.

Weekend Specials

Braised Pork-belly Risotto - Braised in white wine, thyme, Italian oregano, fennel and bay leaves, seared to perfection, then served atop velvety house-made risotto

Kiona Riesling, Washington

Pan Seared Sea Scallops - Sea Scallops are delicate with a sweet and buttery flavor. Served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, grilled artichokes, sautéed arugula, topped with our lemon, caper, butter sauce and smoked prosciutto powder

Michael David Sauvignon Blanc, California,

Hand 24 oz Hand-Cut Porterhouse
Perfectly grilled to order and served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and our house-made traditional Italian Salsa Verde

Liberty School Cabernet, Paso Robles California

Tonight, 8:30 - Amy Cliser Live in the Bar

Thursday, 7:00 - Alex Maryol Live in the Bar

Weekend Brunch - 11:00 - 3:00

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of Day- 24oz hand cut Harris Ranch Porterhouse, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Lemon Balsamic Reduction

Pan Seared Seafood - Mediterranean Branzino, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula Lemon Capers Beurre Blanc Sauce

Ravioli - Local Oyster Mushroom Ricotta Ravioli - House Red Wine Salami, Local Oyster Mushrooms, Local Green Chile, White Wine Butter Sauce

Braised- Harris Ranch Slow Braised Beef Short Ribs, Creamy Polenta, Sautéed Spinach with Lemon Orange Rosemary Braising Sauce

Weekend Brunch 11:00 - 3:00

M’tucci’s Italian Café & Market

Voted Albuquerque’s Best Deli by the Albuquerque Journal’s Readers.

The Café & Market continues to offer amazing pastries in our display case every day and we’re busy planning for the holidays. We carry the same great Italian imports, all of our artisan breads, and a wide variety of imported, domestic, and house made cheese and meat. There is an expanded selection of coffee and pastries. We have charcuterie boards to eat in or take out with wine and beer by the glass. Click here to see our menu.

Holiday pies will be available for ordering soon!

M’tucci’s Catering

We cater events of all sizes and varieties. We are providing the food for The Whiskey Classic at San Cristobal Movie Ranch south of Santa Fe on October 12. The event will also feature 50 whiskeys, more than 20 distilled spirits, beer, wine and cider. A portion of event proceeds will go toward a scholarship for students enrolled in Central New Mexico Community College’s beverage and brewing management program. Click here for information and tickets.

Contact Ivy for your next event, large or small. We can handle it!

Click here to see our catering menu. 505.350.0019 or [email protected]

Randall and Trey at the recent March of Dimes fundraiser.

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ONGOING NEWS

M’TUCCI’S AROUND TOWN

Our market items can be purchased at a couple of locations in Albuquerque. We deliver our fresh bread every Tuesday and Friday to Silver Street Market at 2nd and Silver. Choose from Sourdough, Fennel Rye, Wheat, Baguette, Ciabatta, and Raisin Rosemary Focaccia.

Drinking at Bosque in Nob Hill? You can order a M’tucci’s Charcuterie Board while there.

M’TUCCI’S TWENTY-FIVE JOB FAIR

Watch this space for the announcement of our December Job Fair for our new location. We are looking for highly skilled and motivated servers, kitchen workers, bartenders and managers.

SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT & DISCOUNTS

Area service industry workers can get a Service Industry card from us by showing proof of employment. With the card you receive 10% off your check every day and 20% off on Sundays from 6:00 - 9:00. Dine in only.

ONLINE ORDERING

Our food is available for delivery with Door Dash or for pick up. Pick up something for the weekend or on your way home from work. The links to ordering are on the Home page.

MTUCCI’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Videos about making cocktails and pasta and getting to know the M’tucci’s culture. Click here

See you next Friday - Ciao!

Funghi & Tartufi

Mushrooms and truffles. The wild Italian food staples that are rarely eaten alone, but are essential ingredients for flavoring and elevating many dishes. People either love or hate their musky, earthy flavor. 

When speaking of mushrooms and Italian cooking, recipes are dominated by porcini, the wild boletus edulis, found throughout Italy for much of the year, but also found in the New Mexico and Colorado mountains in the late summer. 

To find porcini, you need a good understanding of their habitat, a good eye and the convergence of the right amount of sun and moisture. My wife and I have had several successful years of finding porcini in Southern Colorado near the headwaters of the Rio Grande, usually around 9,500 to 10,500 feet in elevation. The king boletus, as the deep burgundy porcini are known (light tan and orange are edible, but don’t have the flavor of the kings), likes a little sun, a little shade and is usually in pine forests. Quite often, chanterelles are found in the same area.

With the aid of a good mushroom book and a little experience, these two mushrooms are two of the most easily identifiable wild mushrooms in the Rocky Mountains. They are also two of the tastiest. The porcini flavor becomes more intense when it’s dried, while chanterelles are best cooked while fresh.

If you aren’t a mushroom hunter, fresh chanterelles are sometimes found  in the produce section of better markets. Dried porcini can be ordered online, purchased dried in most local markets, most notably at M’tucci’s Italian Café & Market. Look for packets with creamy colored mushrooms with large pieces. Avoid the dark and brown-black porcini.

Black summer truffles in Western Tuscany

Truffles are much more expensive than porcini for the simple reason that they are impossible to find without a good truffle dog (they use pigs in France). There are several varieties of truffles in Italy, but the most prized is the white, both for its rarity and its aroma (they sell for around $2,000 a pound). No one has really discovered why they are found where they are, but they are common in the forests of Northern and Central Italy. The white truffles from Alba in Piedmont and the Marches are usually found in the fall. Festivals are held in many towns, with behind the scenes wheeling and dealing for the best truffles. The best quality comes from frequent late summer and early fall rain, which ironically is bad for the grape harvest. There is an old Italian saying, “tartufo buono, vino cattivo” (good truffles, bad wine).

If you come across fresh truffles, they should be very firm and their fragrance should be overwhelming. 

The M’tucci’s team went on a truffle walk last June in Western Tuscany and marveled at Giotto, as the mixed breed truffle hound did his thing, finding them buried as deep as 8-12 inches underground. We were told we would only find black summer truffles at that time of year. As you can see in the photo above, we found several.

Part of the truffle experience at Savini Tartufi was a lunch with every product containing truffles: salami, cheese, pasta, and even ice cream. It was excellent, but a bit overwhelming. Most of the items were good because they followed the cardinal rule of truffle use: a little goes a long way. Fresh truffles are typically shaved thinly or grated over pasta, risotto or eggs. The Café & Market has an excellent Olive Oil with White Truffles.

We offer truffled french fries at M’tucci’s Italian and M’tucci’s Moderno, lightly dressing them with a truffle olive oil just before serving.

Both restaurants serve Pappardella all Crema di Porcini, but M’tucci’s Moderno also uses dried porcini with Braised Beef Short Ribs, Lemon Artichoke Fussiloni and Spaghettini Funghi.

Dried porcini have such an intense flavor, that the liquid you use to reconstitute them can be used in your risotto or pasta recipe. I learned this technique from Marcella Hazan’s cookbooks. Place an ounce of dried porcini in 16 oz. of lukewarm water for at least 30 minutes. Line a colander with a paper towel and drain the porcini with the liquid going into a bowl. Squeeze the paper towel to get all of the liquid into the bowl. Now you’re ready for cooking.

Try this recipe with dried porcini. 

Braised Pork Chops with Tomatoes, Cream and Porcini (serves 4-6)

1/4 C. vegetable oil

2 lbs. Center Cut Pork Chops 3/4” thick

1/2 C dry white wine

1/2 C drained & chopped plum tomatoes

1/2 C heavy whipping cream

Salt & fresh pepper

1 oz. dried porcini ) constituted as instructed above) SAVE THE LIQUID!!

1/2 lb. white button mushrooms

1. In a pan with lid, that will be large enough for the chops, sauté them over medium high until brown in 1 T of oil.

2. Add the white wine to deglaze for 15 seconds, then add tomatoes, cream, salt & Pepper, plus the chopped porcini. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover.

3. Cook 30-45 minutes test the chops. Meanwhile, reduce the porcini liquid to about 1/3 cup in a saucepan

4. Thinly slice the mushrooms. Heat 1 T. oil in a separate pan add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook until their liquid has evaporated. Then add the reduced porcini liquid and cook until the mushrooms absorb that liquid.

5. Remove them from the heat and add them to the pan with the chops cooking slowly for another 5-10 minutes. If the sauce is too thin, leave the lid off.

6. Serve immediately

Dried porcini

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Co.

HAPPY HOUR & NFL Football!

Lucky 7 Happy Hour features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30. Pair the food with a beer for $10.50 or $11, depending on the beer. Not eating (why not?), then $1 off all pints. The NFL is up and running and you can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

HAPPY HOUR EVERY MONDAY UNTIL THE END OF THE FIRST HALF OF MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL!

New this weekend, Pinche Pilz, a German-style kellerbier. It will go perfectly with a Chianina cheeseburger and weekend football.

$5 basket of Wings all day on Sunday

RETURNING BEER - Vacation Haze makes a return to our taps. A Coconut Hazy IPA (5.5% ABV and 30 IBU)

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month and we are donating to the local Rio Grande Down Syndrome Network - 10% of Gross Food Sales and $1 from every pint of Petroglyph Wit will go to the Foundation all month long.

October 19: Color Me Beautiful - Create your fragrance flower. Space is limited. Call to reserve.

M’tucci’s Moderno

Thanks to all our fans who voted our Servers the Best of Rio Rancho.

Weekend Specials

Beef Tortelloni - Fresh Cheese Tortelloni pasta tossed with a creamy Rosa Sauce, Cajun spiced beef tips, diced tomatoes and topped with scallions and feta cheese.

Casa Lapostolle Canto, Meritage, Chile - Aromas of cranberry & spices, notes of black pepper, balanced tannins w/ chocolate & coffee finish

Pan Seared Fish of the Day - Perfectly pan seared Diver Scallops are served with silky garlic mashed potatoes, roasted artichokes, sauteed arugula, topped with a caper lemon butter sauce and smoked prosciutto powder

Tomaresca Chardonnay, Italy - Aromas of peach & pineapple w/ balanced acidity w/ a fruity finish

House Cut of the Day:
Cut of the Day - Hand Cut 24 oz. T-bone, grilled on an open flame, served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, and a traditional Italian Salsa Verde

Barossa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia - Expressive dark plum with a seductive black currant richness

Tonight, 8:30 - Melissa Rios Live in the Bar

Thursday, 7:00 - Oscar Butler Live in the Bar

Weekend Brunch - 11:00 - 3:00

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

Cut of the Day - 24oz Hand Cut Harris Ranch Porterhouse, Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Lemon Balsamic Reduction

Pan Seared Seafood - Icelandic Cod, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Artichoke, Sautéed Arugula Lemon Caper Beurre Blanc

Ravioli - Red Chile Three Cheese Ravioli, House Spicy Bacon, Artichoke, Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Shallot Light Lemon Cream Sauce, Arugula, Shaved Parmesan

Braise - Slow Roasted Chianina Beef, Wild Mushroom Cream Ragu, House Rotatelli Pasta, Arugula, Shaved Parmesan

Weekend Brunch 11:00 - 3:00

M’tucci’s Italian Café & Market

Voted Albuquerque’s Best Deli by the Albuquerque Journal’s Readers.

The Café & Market continues to offer amazing pastries in our display case every day and we’re busy planning for the holidays. We carry the same great Italian imports, all of our artisan breads, and a wide variety of imported, domestic, and house made cheese and meat. There is an expanded selection of coffee and pastries. We have charcuterie boards to eat in or take out with wine and beer by the glass. Click here to see our menu.

Fall, balloon, and halloween cookies coming in October.

M’tucci’s Catering

We cater events of all sizes and varieties. Contact Ivy for your next event, large or small. We can handle it!

Click here to see our catering menu. 505.350.0019 or [email protected]

Chef/Partner Shawn and Managing Partner Austin setting up for a catering event.

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ONGOING NEWS

M’TUCCI’S AROUND TOWN

Our market items can be purchased at a couple of locations in Albuquerque. We deliver our fresh bread every Tuesday and Friday to Silver Street Market at 2nd and Silver. Choose from Sourdough, Fennel Rye, Wheat, Baguette, Ciabatta, and Raisin Rosemary Focaccia.

Drinking at Bosque in Nob Hill? You can order a M’tucci’s Charcuterie Board while there.

SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT & DISCOUNTS

Area service industry workers can get a Service Industry card from us by showing proof of employment. With the card you receive 10% off your check every day and 20% off on Sundays from 6:00 - 9:00. Dine in only.

ONLINE ORDERING

Our food is available for delivery with Door Dash or for pick up. Pick up something for the weekend or on your way home from work. The links to ordering are on the Home page.

MTUCCI’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Videos about making cocktails and pasta and getting to know the M’tucci’s culture. Click here

See you next Friday - Ciao!

A nice black summer truffle.

Focaccia

The only sound in the room was the soft chewing of Margherita Focaccia, punctuated by the occasional “mmmmm”. Only a few hours had passed since Chefs John Haas, Corey Gray, Shawn Cronin and Damian Lucero and I had finished another massive Italian lunch, but there was no way were passing up at least a taste of the focaccia pizza at L’Antico Mulino Pandolfo in Carrera, Italy.

Focaccia (fo katch ya) is a popular Italian flat bread that likely originated in ancient Rome. The name comes from the Latin word for hearth bread, panis focacius. While the ingredients are similar to pizza dough, focaccia is always cooked in a pan, instead of directly on the hearth, and the techniques for preparing the dough are definitely different from pizza.While the Etruscans are credited with inventing focaccia, it is closely associated with Liguria, the coastal area around Genoa. In most of Liguria, it’s not even referred to as focaccia, but as Pizza Genovese.

The most popular styles are made with rosemary and it’s used as a side dish or for sandwiches. Some parts of Italy add cheese to the dough, or layer it with cheese, some areas top it like a pizza. It’s normally thicker than a pizza crust. The northern regions of Italy close to France and Austria, make a sweet version of focaccia that is called focaccia dolce, that has honey and other sweet ingredients and is closer to cake than savory focaccia. 

Focaccia is popular throughout Italy, but like much of regional Italian cooking, the recipe or even the name changes from region to region. In Bologna you should ask for crescentina and in Florence and Rome it is called schiacciata.

When the M’tucci’s chefs were in Carerra in Western Tuscany working with Master Baker, Francesco at his artisan bakery, they watched as he used a slightly different technique for his focaccia, primarily because he makes it for different uses. 

“He does a few fundamentally different things that makes a light and airy focaccia with a crisp crust,” said Chef/Partner Shawn Cronin. “It was perfect for his focaccia pizza.”

“The great thing about bread, is that there are thousands of ways to make it, depending on your desired end result. We use golden raisins because they provide a little bit of sweetness and acidity. When we developed our recipe, we knew we were going to offer charcuterie which has salty cheeses, salty cured meats and copious amounts of olive oil. We figured the raisins would be a nice complement to these flavors,” he added.

After the 3-day fermentation, our dough starts wet, requiring Gabriel to slam it repeatedly on the table.

“Our recipe and technique make our focaccia chewier than Francesco’s, which means it can pair well with any cheese, oil or condiment. My favorite sandwich is our house capicolla and mozzarella, with a little onion mostarda and arugula,” he added. “We also don’t use commercial yeast and we rely on a three-day fermentation, which adds to the chewy texture.”

The focaccia made at M’tucci’s Italian Café & Market is made with golden raisins, rosemary and parmesan and is sold by the slice or the sheet pan. It’s perfect with a Charcuterie board or as a sandwich (two pieces or open-face). We also make a version with green chile for the roasted pork sandwich on the lunch menus at M’tucci’s Italian and M’tucci’s Moderno.

Fennel Crusted Pork Loin, Aged White Cheddar Cheese, Green Chile Aioli, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickled Red Onion, Green Chile Foccacia

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NEWS FROM M’TUCCI’S

M’tucci’s @ Lava Rock Brewing Co.

HAPPY HOUR & NFL Football!

Lucky 7 Happy Hour features The Burger, a 10” Margherita or Pepperoni Green Chile Pizza, Charcuterie Boards and Wings for $7, Monday - Friday 3:00 - 6:30. Pair the food with a beer for $10.50 or $11, depending on the beer. Not eating (why not?), then $1 off all pints. The NFL is up and running and you can catch your favorite team on one of our large five screens.

HAPPY HOUR EVERY MONDAY UNTIL THE END OF THE FIRST HALF OF MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL!

Wednesday, September 18: Cheeseburger Day (stay tuned for specials)

M’tucci’s Italian

Weekend Specials

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

Pan Sear Fish - Swordfish, Sautéed Arugula, Grilled Artichoke, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Capers Lemon Beurre Blanc

Braised - Wild Boar, San Marzano Tomato Wild Mushroom Ragu tossed with House Rototelli

Ravioli - Fennel Roasted Duroc Pork & Goat Cheese Ravioli, Roasted Local Oyster Mushrooms, Sias Farms Heirloom Tomato, Artichoke White Wine Butter Sauce

M’tucci’s Moderno

Thanks to all our fans who voted our Servers the Best of Rio Rancho.

Weekend Specials

Shrimp Diablo Wild Caught Patagonia Pink Shrimp, simmered with carrots, celery, capers, caramelized onions, white wine and red chile flakes and marinera, tossed with fresh arugula and spaghettini pasta

Pairing - Planet Oregon, Pinot Noir - Oregon
Bing Cherry, ripe cranberry and a hint of cinnamon spice with a mineral driven finish.

Pan Seared Fresh Swordfish and switching to Yellow Tail Amberjack - Seared to perfection and served with garlic roasted artichoke, sauteéd fresh arugula and creamy garlic mashed potatoes, topped with a caper lemon butter sauce and smoked prosciutto powder

Pairing - Tomaresca Chardonnay, Italy - Aromas of peach and pineapple with notes of jasmine flowers, balanced acidity and fruity finish

24 oz Porterhouse is our Cut of the Day
Hand cut and grilled to order on an open flame, served with Garlic mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and a traditional Italian salsa verde

Pairing - Lapostolle Canto, Meritage, Chile - Aromas of cranberry and spices, notes of black pepper, balanced tanins with chocolate and coffee finish

Tonight, 8:30 - Cali Shaw Live in the Bar

M’tucci’s Italian Café & Market

Voted Albuquerque’s Best Deli by the Albuquerque Journal’s Readers.

The Café & Market continues to offer amazing pastries in our display case every day. We carry the same great Italian imports, all of our artisan breads, and a wide variety of imported, domestic, and house made cheese and meat. There is an expanded selection of coffee and pastries. We’ll still have charcuterie boards to eat in or take out with wine and beer by the glass. Click here to see our new menu.

M’tucci’s Catering

MARCH OF DIMES FUNDRAISER

Chef/Partner Cory Gray and Pastry Chef Lauren Bell were part of our team at the 6th Annual March of Dimes Signature Chef Auction last night at Las Puertas. Guests sampled dishes created by 12 different local businesses. M’tucci’s donated the food for the event, in addition to providing bar service with Trey and Randall and Austin Leard on hand to pour Prosecco for the VIP tables. M’tucci’s will donate the food and our time for a private 5-course private dinner. The entire amount of our team’s winning bid of $1,700 will go to the March of Dimes.

Give us a call for your next event, wedding reception or party! Click here to see our catering menu. 505.350.0019 or [email protected]

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ONGOING NEWS

M’TUCCI’S AROUND TOWN

Our market items can be purchased at a couple of locations in Albuquerque. We deliver our fresh bread every Tuesday and Friday to Silver Street Market at 2nd and Silver. Choose from Sourdough, Fennel Rye, Wheat, Baguette, Ciabatta, and Raisin Rosemary Focaccia.

Drinking at Bosque in Nob Hill? You can order a M’tucci’s Charcuterie Board while there.

SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT & DISCOUNTS

Area service industry workers can get a Service Industry card from us by showing proof of employment. With the card you receive 10% off your check every day and 20% off on Sundays from 6:00 - 9:00. Dine in only.

ONLINE ORDERING

Our food is available for delivery with Door Dash or for pick up. Pick up something for the weekend or on your way home from work. The links to ordering are on the Home page.

MTUCCI’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Videos about making cocktails and pasta and getting to know the M’tucci’s culture. Click here

See you next Friday - Ciao!

Available - or is it??