Stanley spent a few seasons exploring Italy in search of food – across 20 regions to be exact – so he’s picked up a few skills. What he found though was that Italian food wasn’t about fancy technique but rather the ingredients, and of course the love. These are his recipes for Spaghetti alla Nerano and Cacciucco alla livornese.
We didn’t have to hear much about Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy before we were sold. Everyone’s favorite foodie-actor, traipsing around some of the most beautiful parts of the world, eating great food? Now that’s a pitch.
Searching for Italy isn’t just a name– Stanley Tucci really is on a mission. Traveling across twenty different regions, Tucci finds one common denominator among these vastly different locations and cultures. The best food, in any part of Italy, has nothing to do with tricky techniques or sought-after reservations. Instead, he finds it to be the hard work, passion, and connection that’s felt in each bite, from Umbria to Milan. And after watching Stanley Tucci connect with some of Italy’s most committed and innovative farmers, hunters, chefs, and butchers– we think we’ve learned a thing or two. The show may be on pause after CNN’s cancellation, but Tucci is hopeful the project will continue elsewhere for its third season. And so are we. In the meantime, we’ve collected our favorite recipes from the show. From spaghetti alla Nerano, to cacciucco alla livornese, these are dishes that bring Italy to you.
Spaghetti alla Nerano
Out of all the takeaways we got from Searching For Italy, this might be our favorite. While watching Stanley Tucci make his way from region to region, we realized that Italian cuisine is split into two categories. Dishes you can get at an Italian restaurant, and dishes you can find being cooked up on someone’s home stove. Spaghetti alla Nerano feels like a perfect balance between these two– both impressive and comforting, authentic and familiar. It’s Italian food at its best: loaded with fresh produce and simple, bold flavors.
Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti
5 small/medium zucchini sliced into thin discs
1 ¼ cups parmesan cheese grated
4 cloves garlic
¼ cup parsley minced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup olive oil for frying zucchini
1 tablespoon salted butter
Salt to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
2 cups pasta water reserved
Directions
Using the largest saucepan you have, heat your oil over medium-low. Once the pan is hot, add your sliced zucchini. Cook until well browned, about three minutes on each side. You may need to work in batches to avoid overcrowding, depending on the size of your pan. Once cooked, remove from the pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Let chill in the fridge for at least thirty minutes, or overnight.
When you’re ready to bring it all together, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add your spaghetti and cook according to package directions.
In a large pan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low. Once hot, add your whole cloves of garlic. Let the garlic cook until just golden browned, then remove from the pan. Toss about half of your zucchini back into the pan, along with a tablespoon of butter. Let the butter cook down for a few minutes, then add a ladle of pasta water to the pan. Turn the heat off and, using a wooden spoon, begin to smash the zucchini until you have a loose sauce.
Once the pasta is al dente, place it directly in the pan with the zucchini, reserving a few cups of pasta water. Continue cooking the al dente pasta with the zucchini for about two minutes, tossing constantly to emulsify the sauce.
Next, turn the heat off and add the grated cheese. Continue to toss until you have a creamy sauce, adding pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then toss in the parsley and serve immediately. Top each plate with extra rounds of zucchini and extra cheese.
Cacciucco Alla Livornese
This seafood stew may seem like the epitome of opulence, using at least five different types of fish, but the history behind it is much more humble. It comes from Livorno, a port city where old-school Italians dreamed up dishes like this one to prevent fish scraps from going to waste. These days, you’re more likely to find it made with higher-quality fish, but its homey origin still comes through in the flavor. When we watched Stanley Tucci dig in during his trip to Tuscany, we knew we had to bring it to our home kitchens. Typically served over a crunchy piece of garlicky bread, we think it’s the seafood dish of the Summer.
Ingredients
1-liter fish stock
7 oz octopus, cleaned and sliced
7 oz clams, cleaned
6 garlic cloves, divided
7 oz mussels, cleaned
7 oz squid, cleaned and sliced into rings
2 sprigs of sage
7 oz shrimp, deveined, peeled, and cleaned
7 oz monkfish, cut into thick pieces
1 onion, minced
1 carrot, minced
A pinch of fennel seeds
1 celery stalk, minced
1 cup of white wine
3 tbsp of olive oil
A pinch of red chili flakes
2 lbs tomatoes, roughly chopped
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
6 slices of bread
1 bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
Directions
To begin, set a large pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil, along with the chili flakes and fennel seeds. Toast for a minute or so, then add the onion, 4 cloves of minced garlic, celery, carrots, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes, Remove from the pan and set aside.
Next, turn the heat to medium-high, and add the remaining tbsp of olive oil. Cook the octopus and squid for a few minutes, allowing the seafood to release and steam off its liquids. Add the vegetables back to the pan, along with the white wine and sage. Simmer until reduced by about half, then add the tomatoes and half of your fish stock. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, or until the octopus is tender.
Add the rest of your fish stock, along with the monkfish, mussels, and clams. Cover with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the shells have opened. Make sure to discard any shells that stay closed. Finally, add the shrimp and cook for another 5 minutes.
As the shrimp is cooking, toast your bread slices in butter or olive oil. While they’re still hot, rub the pieces with your remaining whole cloves of garlic. Make sure to cover both sides for an extra garlicky punch. Place one piece of bread in the bottom of each bowl.
Once all of your seafood is cooked, season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the stew over the garlic bread in bowls, and garnish with parsley.
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