Franny'sSimple Seasonal Italian
Foreword by Alice Waters
Alice Waters says it best in her foreword: “This book captures the beating heart of what makes Franny’s so beautiful: its simplicity, its ability to make the ordinary surprising, and–above all–its celebration of honest everyday cooking.”
A Brooklyn favorite with a national following, Franny’s is known for its simple, seasonal Southern Italian dishes and exceptional pizza. Alice Waters says it best in her foreword: “This book captures the beating heart of what makes Franny’s so beautiful: its simplicity, its ability to make the ordinary surprising, and–above all–its celebration of honest everyday cooking.”
Franny’s is filled with recipes that are destined to become classics. Chef Andrew Feinberg plays with traditional Southern Italian cuisine and makes the dishes lighter and brighter. New favorites–including Roasted Romano Beans with Calabrese Olives, Clam Pizza, and Linguine with Meyer Lemon–sit side by side with perfect executions of timeless Italican dishes like Marinated Artichokes, Baked Sausage and Polenta, and Bucatini alla Puttanesca. Feinberg breaks down his techniques for the home cook, while offering cutting-edge food combinations, spinning the typical ingredients in unexpected directions. Teeming with irresistible full-color photographs, Franny’s shows how simple preparations of quality ingredients can create food that is much more than the sum of its parts.
Melissa Clark is a food columnist for The New York Times and a cookbook author.
Andrew Feinberg and Francine Stephens are the owners of Franny’s, Bklyn Larder, and the soon-to-open Marco’s in Park Slope, Brooklyn. They live in Brooklyn, New York, with their two children, Prue and Marco.
Bucatini Fra Diavolo
Bucatini Fra Diavolo
A gutsy, punchy “red sauce” pasta is just right for the beginning of summer—here the Pecorino Romano lends a salty bite, and the spicy chili flakes add a sharp kick that is especially welcome when the weather starts to warm. We make this dish just before fresh tomatoes start showing up at the market but while bunches of herbs are available in abundance.
Don’t imagine this as the fra diavolo (Italian for “brother devil,” because of the fiery seasoning) you might remember from Italian restaurant menus in the ’80s. This recipe was inspired by one in Fred Plotkin’s The Authentic Pasta Book. Aside from the aroma of the fresh herbs, the secret to this sauce is a copious hit of olive oil. It adds a fruity richness that plays beautifully off the chili and tomatoes.
Serves 4
3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
8 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 teaspoon chili flakes
2 cups San Marzano tomato puree
Kosher salt
1 pound bucatini
1⁄4 cup finely chopped basil
1⁄4 cup finely chopped mint
1⁄4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Scant 3 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Romano, plus more if desired
In a very large skillet (or a Dutch oven; see page 215 for tips), warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and golden, about 3 minutes. Add the chili flakes and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the tomato puree, season with salt to taste, and cook until the oil separates, the tomato solids start to fry, and the sauce has thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water to the pan. Remove from the heat.
In a large pot of well-salted boiling water, cook the pasta according to the package instructions until 2 minutes shy of al dente; drain.
Toss the bucatini into the skillet with the tomato sauce, herbs, and butter. Cook over medium heat until the pasta is just al dente, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano and pepper, adding more water if the sauce seems dry.
Divide the pasta among four individual serving plates or bowls and finish each with 2 teaspoons or more Pecorino Romano and a drizzle of olive oil.
Credit: “Excerpted from Franny’s Simple Seasonal Italian by Andrew Feinberg, Francine Stephens, and Melissa Clark (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2013.”
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