New menu item: Fettuccine
New pasta on the menu: Fresh Fettuccine
We're adding a classic noodle to the menu this week that is an international favorite we're sure you'll be excited about: Fettuccine. This more dense noodle is incredibly fresh and filling when made with egg-dough like we do at Due'. We'll be making delicious fettuccine noodles from egg dough fresh every day to serve as a new, hearty base for your favorite sauces.
Where fettuccine comes from:
As with most of our favorite, signature dishes here at Due', fettuccine is a traditional Tuscan and Roman type of pasta. It's long noodles are characteristically flat and thick and normally made with an egg dough for a fresh, rich taste and texture. Because it's traditionally made with egg dough, fettuccine is best made fresh and prepared with your choice of sauce right away; like we do at Due'. Often times you'll see fettuccine noodles curled up in little nests waiting to be cooked fresh or dried. You may see artisanal versions of fettuccine made with spinach along with other various dough colors and additions. Because of fettuccine's thicker noodle shape, it makes it ideal for holding thick sauces that include meat.
How Italians eat fettuccine:
We have a few suggestions of our own, as Tuscans, for how to enjoy this super traditional, well-loved pasta shape. Take advantage of this hearty noodle and pair it with a Ragu' alla Bolognese sauce for a really filling meal. This is the traditional way! Another great option we recommend is lighter white sauces like our Mushroom and Truffle sauce and a simple option of fettuccine topped with smoked salmon for something a little lighter.
This is a noodle that serves as the perfect base for your favorite sauce for a rich meal or is also incredibly satisfying all on it's own with something more simple. It's versatile and when you've had it made fresh like we do at Due', you won't be able to have it any other way! Come in and enjoy a fresh plate this weekend.
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New menu item: Pasta alla Gricia
Previously on the Due’ blog, we spoke about our passion for cooking traditional dishes like carbonara and amatriciana the right, traditional way with guanciale. We explained how we make our own in house from an authentic blend of spices and WA sourced pork. We’re adding another menu item which uses this special ingredient for your to enjoy it’s rich flavor: pasta alla gricia.
Origins of Gricia:
This dish is another ancient dish from Roman cuisine, which is commonly considered the mother of all Roman pastas. There are different stories about the origin of the name gricia. The most widely known is that it is derived from the name of the village where the pasta is said to have originated, Grisciano. Another theory is that the word gricia is a bastardized version of grigio which means gray. This might be referring to the gray cast left on an iron skillet from frying guanciale.
Other theories range from the name grici,the inhabitants of the origin area.
Simple, quick, yet powerful in flavor:
One interesting story claims that Grigioni, a medieval name for the German and Swiss bakers who came to Rome and cured pork, is the origin of the word and dish. These bakers were quite hard working and this dish was a simple, fast favorite of their lifestyle. With an origin like this, pasta alla gricia should be a perfect fit for our hardworking American lifestyle as well! All of these old histories may hold a piece of the truth; we may never know.
What really matters is how this dish has captivated generations of Italians and now pasta lovers around the world for literally thousands of years. It’s simple, yet rich in flavor recipe has secured its place as a timeless classic. To make pasta alla gricia, it’s quite simple: pecorino romano cheese, black pepper, salt, and our guanciale. It’s incredibly short ingredient list is packed with powerful flavors that work beautifully in unison.
This simple, powerful dish is perfect for a satisfying lunch in the middle of your busy day; just like the origin stories suggest! Come in and join us this week for a perfectly crafted plate.
New to the Menu: Cacio e Pepe
A little taste of Roman history and cuisine is now at Due':
This week we're introducing a brand new dish to the Due' menu that is as unique as it is simple and powerful. This is a dish for you "foodies" who love the culture and intention behind cuisine.
Cacio e Pepe is a Roman dish that dates back to the Roman Empire as one of the most 'ancient' dishes of Italy. It's name simply translates to "cheese and pepper" but that doesn't mean it's taste is just simple. Yes, it's main ingredients really are just cheese and pepper. But because it's ingredient list is fairly short, that means the taste and experience of the dish relies on the quality of those ingredients. Here is where we've paid special attention to detail. When crafting this dish, we searched for a few months in search of the perfect cheese combination. We've decided on the flavorful combination of Pecorino Romano DOP aged for sixteen months and a Parmigiano Reggiano aged twenty-four months to create a rich, velvety and creamy sauce that is a wonderful based for our selection of peppers.
For our peppers, we were specific and intentional as well. The sauce is topped with freshly toasted and cracked black Tellicherry which is known for its woodsy and zesty notes and Sarawak pepper which brings in musky, and slightly liquorice aromas.
The resulting flavor of this combination is anything but simple. When you try it, you'll understand why this has been an Italian favorite for literally thousands of years.
Cacio e Pepe is now on the menu for you to enjoy!
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New to the menu: Italian classics done in a fresh, modern way
New to the menu: Italian classics done in a fresh, modern way
Everyone loves a bit of nostalgia...
There are plenty of traditional Italian dishes that hold memories and live-long comforts for people around the world. Eggplant Parmigiana is, arguably, one of those. It’s a staple but “staple” doesn’t mean stagnant.
At Due’, we’ve taken an authentic “Melanzane alla parmigiana” Sicilian recipe and served it to Seattle with modern style.
To appreciate something, know where it comes from:
Melanzane alla Parmigiana, or Eggplant Parmesan as we call it here, is a southern Italian classic. We take our inspiration from the Sicilian tradition (not picking sides on the original origin for you fellow Italians!). We stick pretty close to the original you’re likely familiar with, preferring to not fix what is absolutely not broken. Eggplants are sliced thin and pan fried in olive oil. We layer the slices with tomato sauce and cheese and bake it in the oven all together. We make a slight deviation here from the “norm”and throw in a Sicilian touch of Caciocavallo cheese.
It sounds simple but we promise, the result is nothing less than exceptional. As always, we rely on quality ingredients that speak for themselves for outstanding taste.
This is the perfect, crowd pleasing appetizer.
We’d like to think of it as a work of art but not for a “night out” price.
Our Eggplant Parmigiana is just $7.70 at Due’ Cucina starting this week.
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