For my inaugural SpagWednesday pop-up on February 23rd I lured Francesco Mazzei out of his comfort zone in the state-of-the-art kitchen at L'Anima, his posh Italian restaurant in the City of London, to prepare spaghetti alle vongole (with clams) at Andrews, a...
L’Anima
6th #vongole video – “emulsione” with “emozione”
In part 6 of linguine alle vongole – the finer points of a perfect pasta, Francesco Mazzei prepares a creamy emulsion by tossing the linguine with its starchy cooking water and the clam sauce.
5th #vongole video – the vongole “aperitivo” (dry white wine)
In part 5 of linguine alle vongole – the finer points of a perfect pasta, Francesco Mazzei of London's L'Anima says you should open the white wine BEFORE you open the clams. But should you pour 1 glass of wine into the pan and another, more slowly, into your mouth as...
4th #vongole video – extra virgin understatement
In part 4 of linguine alle vongole – the finer points of a perfect pasta, Francesco Mazzei stresses the importance of cooking with an understated extra virgin olive oil that won't overpower the vongole.
3rd #vongole video – bronze die pasta: the rough cut with the right grooves
In part 3 of linguine alle vongole – the finer points of a perfect pasta, Francesco Mazzei explains why he and his vongole sauce cling to a bronze-cut pasta that's been pushed through a bronze die.
2nd #vongole video – linguine or spaghetti: the necessity of long, slender & dry
In part 2 of linguine alle vongole – the finer points of a perfect pasta, Francesco Mazzei explains why it is essential to use a pasta that's long, slender and dry.
1st #vongole video – “spurgare le vongole”: the ritual of cleaning the clams
"linguine alle vongole – the finer points of a perfect pasta" is a series of eight short videos starring Francesco Mazzei, the chef at London's L'Anima. In part 1 of the series – spurgare le vongole – Francesco explains the ritual of cleaning the clams. In Italian,...
Will the real WORLD’S GREATEST RESTAURANT FESTIVAL please stand up?
For Taste of London to merit its self-bestowed title of WORLD’S GREATEST RESTAURANT FESTIVAL, two things need to happen: First, the annual food fest must prove itself superior to the nightly one in San Sebastian’s Parte Vieja. Second, the organizers, Taste Festivals...