While preparing this dish, the Rigatoni alla Gonzaga
seen in Easy with Taste March 2022, I remembered a wonderful trip with my family to Sabbioneta, a city near Mantua, which I recommend visiting for its many beautiful monuments. Among them, I have a vivid memory of the Teatro all’Antica, full of pathos and harmony!
The Gonzaga, the rulers of Mantua, have left traces in our historical gastronomy thanks to their chef Bartolomeo Stefani, who in the 17th century began transcribing the recipes he prepared at court in his manual “The Art of Cooking Well”.
It seems that this Gonzaga first course is indeed the result of his ingenuity, as he apparently had a passion for nutmeg and cinnamon, which he often added to his dishes!
I thank chef Stefani’s creativity, but as always, I invite you and myself, to dose the ingredients, especially the spices you find among the ingredients, because an extra gram could ruin the balance and sweet and savory taste of the first course!
If you’re not keen on Bartolomeo Stefani’s flair, I invite you to make a hazelnut, almond, raisin, grana, and basil pesto… they might not be Rigatoni alla Gonzaga, but you’ll still have a great pesto to spread on croutons or to dress pasta!
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTHHHH keep it between us, eh eh!
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I have opened a channel for recipes open to everyone for free on WhatsApp with no notifications and no sound, which you can subscribe to by clicking on the link here https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaHbGIn9cDDig7Cw2x0F and each day you can read a sweet recipe and a savory one!
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RIGATONI ALLA GONZAGA
The kitchen of ASI
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
Ingredients
- 11.3 oz rigatoni
- 1.8 oz almonds
- 1.8 oz hazelnuts
- 0.7 oz raisins
- 20 leaves basil
- 2.8 oz Grana Padano PDO
- 0.7 oz butter
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1/2 lemon zest (grated)
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
Tools
#adv
- Blender
- Casseroles
- Baking Pans
Steps
1) For the first step in preparing the historical recipe from the Gonzaga family’s chef, you need to toast (to highlight all possible aromas) the nuts by placing them on a baking sheet and baking for 5 minutes at 392°F.
2) Let cool hazelnuts and almonds and soak the raisins in warm water.
3) In a food processor, I then put the hazelnuts, almonds, squeezed raisins, and basil leaves.
4) Process and chop everything quite finely.
5) Place the pesto in a bowl and add half of the grated grana, the grated lemon zest, and the pinches of spices (nutmeg and cinnamon).
6) Pour in the extra virgin olive oil and add the quantity of melted butter.
7) Cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water, drain it al dente, and mix it, adding at least a small ladle of pasta cooking water.
8) Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and adjust for salt and pepper.
9) Serve the Rigatoni alla Gonzaga piping hot and …
Enjoy your meal!
Annalisa
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Annalisa recommends…
1) As mentioned above, dose the spices or add only those you like best to the pesto!
2) It’s a sauce for short pasta but not too short, so yes to macaroni, mezze maniche, penne, and pennette… no to gramigna, it would become a mess for me!
3) Keep a glass of hot water where the pasta was cooked and adjust the addition as you mix and blend the pasta with the just-made sauce.
4) SUBSCRIBE IF YOU WANT TO SHARE IDEAS AND RECIPES TO MY CHANNEL AND CHAT ON TELEGRAM search for LaCucinaDiASI!
