pasta Archives - Taste With The Eyes

A Passion for Pasta at Fontainebleau Las Vegas

A Passion for Pasta

Signature Series by Fontainebleau Las Vegas

In honor of National Pasta Day, Signature Series by Fontainebleau presented the “art of pasta” with detailed demonstrations of handmade and extruded styles which was led by acclaimed Italian-born Chef Stefano Chiarugi.

Attendees were able to learn more about pasta from the Chef and watch him demonstrate how to make the various pastas. We were able to then practice hand-rolling trofie, prepare the tortelli filling, and hand-form the tortelli by folding the dough over to form a half moon, then drawing the two corners together to form a rounded bonnet-shape.

A Passion for Pasta at Fontainebleau Las Vegas

A fabulous three-course pasta dinner followed the demonstration. The menu included the pasta shapes, pesto, and pumpkin filling learned in the class. The classic Italian wine pairing was courtesy of Fontainebleau Las Vegas Master Sommelier Kevin Reilly.

A Passion for Pasta at Fontainebleau Las Vegas

A PASSION FOR PASTA
with Executive Chef Stefano Chiarugi

ANTIPASTI

Saffron Arancini and Gorgonzola Cheese
Loaded Focaccia Pugliese
Caramelized Fresh Fig and Prosciutto di Parma
served with
Aperol Spritz

PASTA MENU

Trofie Pasta with Creamy Basil Pesto
Confit Cherry Tomatoes, Smoked Provola Cheese

Tortelli Filled with Roasted Pumpkin and Bufala Ricotta
in Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Chitarra Pasta with Black Truffle-Braised Duck Ragu
Aged Parmesan Cheese

Focaccia Romana for the Table

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Breaking All the Rules for Cacio e Pepe

Breaking all the Rules: Cacio e Pepe

Breaking all the Rules for Cacio e Pepe

This isn’t a traditional Cacio e Pepe recipe, nor does it claim to be authentically Italian. It’s not meant to be classic, but I created this spaghetti and shrimp dish with my nephew in mind…and boy oh boy is it good!

He had enjoyed a delightful Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe at Chef Roma’s Kitchen, a local Las Vegas restaurant. Being a cheese lover, he also adores shrimp, plenty of butter, and a hint of spice.

So I dedicate this dish to Jett. To which he said, “that shrimp dish looks AMAZING, it looks so flavorful and it looks like the best shrimp I would ever taste.” I ❤️ you, dear.

Cacio e Pepe is a classic Roman pasta dish that translates to “cheese and pepper.” Despite its simplicity, it delivers a remarkable depth of flavor and a comforting, creamy texture. The dish is traditionally made with just three main ingredients: pasta, Pecorino Romano cheese, and freshly ground black pepper.

Breaking all the Rules for Cacio e Pepe

Breaking the Rules

If you strive for an authentic dish, don’t make this one!

The beauty of Cacio e Pepe lies in its simplicity, achieved through the emulsion of cheese, pasta water, and pepper. Adding butter, cream, or oil can make the dish overly rich and detracts from its true flavor.

Similarly, adding extra cheese at the end can disrupt the balance. The emulsification should occur as the pasta is being mixed with the sauce, not as a final touch.

Cacio e Pepe is deeply rooted in Roman culinary tradition. Introducing ingredients like red chili flakes alters the dish’s character, steering it away from its classic origins.

While adding basil can bring a fresh, aromatic note that complements many Italian dishes, it’s still a departure from the traditional Roman recipe. Basil introduces a herbal, slightly sweet flavor that, while delicious, isn’t typically part of Cacio e Pepe.

In traditional Italian cuisine, pairing cheese with seafood, such as shrimp, is generally avoided. The reasoning is that the strong flavors of cheese can overwhelm the delicate taste of seafood.

It’s highly recommended to use finely hand-grated Pecorino Romano rather than pre-grated cheese. While pre-grated cheese worked fine here and is convenient, freshly grated Pecorino Romano can make a significant difference in a dish as simple and ingredient-focused as Cacio e Pepe.

Pronounce it CAH-choh eh PEH-peh, now that’s authentic.

Cacio e Pepe with Shrimp Recipe

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Pasta with Scallops, Lobster, Asparagus, Sage Truffle Butter

Restaurant Style
Pasta with Scallops, Lobster
Asparagus, Sage Truffle Butter

A most memorable meal at Ferraro’s inspired me to recreate one of their many fabulous menu items: the Pappardelle Mimmo. This seafood pasta, a favorite of the chef, was simply outstanding. We shared all our dishes at dinner and agreed that the pappardelle is now one of our favorites too.

Established in 1985, Ferraro’s Ristorante is located near the Las Vegas Strip. It is a family-owned business that prides itself on offering authentic Italian cuisine with a focus on traditional methods and recipes, high-quality seasonal ingredients, and homemade “everything” including sausage, meatballs, pastas, breads, desserts and more.

The restaurant is especially noted for its warm inviting atmosphere, superb service, and extensive wine list that features a wide selection of Italian and international wines. It’s no wonder that Ferraro’s has garnered a loyal following among Las Vegas locals and visitors alike…and that Gambero Rosso recently recognized them as one of the top Italian restaurants in the world.

Pasta with Scallops, Lobster, Asparagus, Sage Truffle Butter — Taste With The Eyes re-creation of Pappardelle Mimmo

Ferraro’s Ristorante Las Vegas

Ferraro's Antipasti — Ferraro’s Antipasti

Burrata con Zucchine
Burrata with grilled zucchini and herb oil

Carne Battuta
Prime beef tartare, Reggiano truffle reduction, black truffle crostini, hazelnuts

Vitello Tonnato – “A Must!”
Thinly sliced roasted veal, tuna sauce, caper berries, capers, lemon

Ferraro's Pasta, Pesce, Secondi — Ferraro’s Pasta, Pesce, Secondi

Pappardelle Mimmo
Long wide Pasta with scallops, lobster, asparagus, butter, sage, truffle

Lasagna alla Gino
Bolognese sauce, Béchamel sauce, ricotta cheese

Osso Buco – “House Specialty”
Veal shank in red wine reduction served with saffron risotto

Sogliola ai Capperi
Oven roasted Holland Dover Sole, lemon, butter, white wine, capers, deboned table side with roasted potato, grilled asparagus

Ferraro's Sogliola ai Capperi — Ferraro’s Sogliola ai Capperi

Ferraro's Pappardelle Mimmo — Ferraro’s Pappardelle Mimmo

Ferraro's Dessert — Ferraro’s Dessert and Happy Birthday Stone!

Passione Pistachio
Layered Pistachio cream, cream cheese custard, atop a rich walnut crust

How to Make Pasta with Scallops, Lobster,
Asparagus, and Sage Truffle Butter

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Truffled Mushroom Pappardelle

This mouthwatering Truffled Mushroom Pappardelle is a delightful pasta dish that features wide, flat, fresh pappardelle noodles paired with a savory-creamy-herby mushroom sauce where a drizzle of white truffle oil enhances the earthy mushroom flavors.

We are fortunate that our local Las Vegas Italian restaurant sells fresh house-made pasta to go, including pappardelle, fettuccine, spaghetti alla chitarra, and gnocchi. I am more than happy to promote Prosecco in Las Vegas for their imported cheeses including Burrata di Puglia and excellent fresh pasta.

Mushroom Pappardelle Recipe

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Creamy Gochujang Noodles

In the mid-2000s, Korean street food vendors took cues from the Italian pasta dish penne alla vodka by introducing heavy cream into their traditional tteokbokki.

Tteokbokki is a popular stir-fried rice cake snack that is simmered in a spicy-sweet gochujang sauce. Gochujang is a Korean red chili paste with sweet heat and a fermented umami richness. The addition of cream results in a distinctive rosy color, hence the moniker “rosé tteokbokki.”

My previous Korean-French fusion salmon dish, a Creamy Gochujang Braised Salmon, blended those same spicy and creamy elements. This Korean-Italian fusion noodle dish also wows with a delicious fruitiness, slight smokiness and depth of flavor from the sun-dried Korean red peppers in the paste.

Bucatini stands in as an interesting alternative for rice cakes because of its wonderfully chewy quality. Handmade bronze dies give the pasta a fabulous coarse, sauce-absorbing surface, perfect for soaking up all those spicy-sweet-creamy-umami flavors that rosé tteokbokki is famous for…

Creamy Gochujang Noodles