Emporio

Good morning! It's a lovely day over here in Hyde Park and spring just might be on it's way. 

Spoil me Earth, with your mood swing weather, and alarmingly warm winter days. (you're kinda freakin me out big time with this global warming, wonky weather phase but that's totally our fault)

If I could, I would feed you this meal, Earth. Pizza, and pasta and a nice cold beer and just like that global warming would be done. You'd be chillin like no other. 

Gluten is everybody's favorite bad guy lately. When did everyone become so allergic!?

I think it's a bummer. 

Do you know gluten's greatest accomplishments are two foods I really frickin enjoy?

Yep, I'm talking about pizza and pasta. In the Italian influence, American bastardized style or even the true to the original, straight-out-of-italy-variety...both are so very delicious. 

Do you know what gluten is? It's a protein of sorts that makes doughs (made with wheat) chewy and elastic. It's that irresistibly thin, chewy pizza dough and that pasta that bites back. 

FOR THE RECORD: I am not bashing gluten allergies or celiac disease, or even grain-free diets. I'm no expert! I just know that culinarily speaking gluten is quite enjoyable and it blows that a lot of people can't eat it anymore.  

Looking for a spot to indulge in your gluten-ous ways? (ha! get it? gluttonous, gluten. bada bing. bada boom.) If you're in the city (the city of New York that is) you might consider checking out the brick walled, wooden tabled Emporio.

I love a nice crunchy/chewy crust. OK, whatever...yes! I love all bread, any day, any which way, especially when it's neighboring a nice dish of peppery olive oil.

Mom and I split everything. And we over did it...typical. 

First up:

Sicilian Tuna Salad roasted string beans and tomatoes, arugula, caramelized onions & bread crumbs

 The tuna was clearly having some sort of relationship with olive oil, dig it.

Roasted veg completed this salad. I could roll with this for lunch any/every day. Are roasted vegetables ever a bad idea? NEVER, nope.

This is when the over ordering comes in to play:

A classic dilemma: I wanted pizza and mum wanted pasta. There was no way to avoid getting both dishes, I suppose we embraced the idea rather quickly.

Broccoli Rabe & Sausage Pizza mozzarella, pecorino, hot pepper

My one complaint: I like my pizza a little more "well done" 

I just gotta have a solid bottom crust. Floppity (that's a high end culinary term by the way) pizza just will not do.

We got a (not so little) side of red sauce to add to the pizza. Sometimes you really shouldn't leave well enough alone. This was one of those times. 

    Before                                                                      After

Intermission

They had one of my new brewed favorites! I had to order it. Lunch, pizza, pasta, awesome beer...sounds good to me.

Ready for the next carb? 

The answer to that is "always" 

Always be ready for carbs, they are out there and you want them. 

Garganelli (one of my most loved pasta shapes) hand rolled, with spicy Calabrian peppers & heritage pork "sugo"

This pasta was so nice and chewy. Each bite was sublime, comforting, filling.

Oh lord, was I so very stuffed after this meal.

And there you have it, a feast far too large for the two of us, but we gave it an honest shot.

Now I'm hankering to cook up an Italian dinner, I have so many meals planned for my summer break and some great things for this upcoming weekend! 

Control your excitement, please!

Wait, no. Never do that. I want to see inappropriate levels of excitement always.