Talking Food with my Second Self
Raising in the ranks of Championship Dining, and I couldn’t be prouder.
Stef with an F
Stef Crowson General Manager for Championship Dining
This story was considered for the blog category of past restaurant recipes, but I wanted to introduce you to Stef and the new column that will feature UNITING with her. I've been food talking with Stef for many years now. Stef came to Broadstreet Cafe just out of culinary school, so that was like 2006 or so. She's is an amazingly hard worker and has by far the best palate I have ever encountered. I'll pull Stef in from time to time, and you'll learn more about her, but for now, my food talk with her lies in a request I had for Kids Pasta at ZZest.
A year or so ago, I was at Blue Duck Kitchen at their Saturday Market introducing Food Union. So often, I am remembered for ZZest Market and Cafe, and I am always so humbled when people tell me how they miss it. In this case, I was getting that conversation, but this guy was also requesting a recipe. I'm all about sharing and was ready with my pencil knowing I would be putting this kind of thing together for future blog posts. This grown man proceeded to tell me how much he missed the Kids Pasta. I laughed and said that it wasn't on the menu, but we did basically make buttered noodles for kids who came in and were leery of the menu. He said he knew that, but the kids pasta was so good he needed the recipe. I got the impression he actually ordered it for himself! I understand what seems so simple to me, and I make for my grandkids all the time; can still be a worthy recipe to share with others. I told him I meant to do that soon-(ish). Honestly though, at this point, it still didn't seem blog post-worthy.
After I thought about it for a bit, there was something special about the kids buttered noodles. Partially, it was because of the ingredients ZZest carried on the market side. But also because of the ZZest Cafe Kitchen staff. At the time, there were a minimum of 3 very qualified chefs working each day. As a result, nothing from the kitchen was mediocre or cut corners, even if it were just butter noodles for kids.
Basically, the chefs were making Cacio e Pepe hold the black pepper. In most cases, they used bucatini but would sometimes grab any of the other shapes the market carried. 99% of the time, it was the Rustichella Pasta brand because of the incredibly satisfying texture. Not to go down a rabbit hole, but cheaper pasta has the same ingredients, right? But, mass-produced dried pastas are cut with dies using Teflon. The Teflon allows the dough to be pushed through faster and produces more. The pasta is quickly dried and boxed. Rustichella (and other imported brands) are extruded through brass, bronze, and even gold dies. Producing a more roughed-up pasta. This allows even simple sauces to adhere and of course the taste is remarkable.
ZZest Market also carried a wide range of butter and always had Parmiganio Reggiano in the case and usually Pecorino, the latter the chefs preferred. So again that made for a delicious simple pasta dish, Kids Buttered Noddles.
ZZest Market and Cafe 2010. Stef is gonna kill me, but I love this photo of her!
I asked Stef for the recipe, and here's what she gave me.
"Bucatini pasta, butter, pecorino, salt, and a scant amount of pepper, then finished with more pecorino." But, of course, they didn't write that kind of stuff down; chefs just made it perfectly every time.
I also asked Stef what she would do to make the recipe more adult, maybe more interesting. The first response was to add pomodoraccios, fresh basil and finish the dish with strips of prosciutto. Adult Buttered Noodles with Pom Toms, Fresh Basil, and Prosciutto and Parm. There’s those yummy tomatoes again.
Stef later ran the lunch menu at ZZest Cafe on her own, and I was lucky enough to eat something remarkable daily. Most memorable was gazpacho with a breadstick wrapped with salty, fatty prosciutto. A Bahn Mi sandwich that was killer. Roasted Vegetable Salads, Moroccan BBQ Pork Sliders, Pot Roast Sammy with Truffled Aioli and Sweety Drop Peppers. Stef dominated fresh pulled mozzarella. We came up with so many fun variations revolving around what was seasonal. I desperately miss that.
Stef and I later, on our own, put together Lettuce Unite. I was so proud of that delicious menu, and I crave it almost daily.
There's no doubt these recipes from ZZest and even Lettuce Unite will show up in later blog posts, but if you have a favorite, let us know, we will move it up the list!
I compared the kids buttered noodles "recipe" Stef gave me to a Bon Appetite recipe, and it seems about right, so I am passing that one long.
KIDS BUTTERED NOODLES
1 serving
Ingredients;
Kosher salt
3 oz. Rustichella pasta (such as linguini, bucatini, or spaghetti)
2-3 Tbsp. butter, cubed, divided
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan Reggiano
1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino
Prep:
Bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Season heavily with salt; add pasta and cook, occasionally stirring, until about 1 minute before tender. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
Meanwhile, melt 2 Tbsp. Butter in a saute pan over medium heat.
Add 1/4 cup reserved pasta water to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Add pasta and remaining butter. Reduce heat to low and add parm, stirring and tossing with tongs until melted. Remove pan from heat; add Pecorino, stirring and tossing until cheese melts, sauce coats the pasta, and pasta is al dente. (Add more pasta water if the sauce seems dry.) Transfer pasta to warm bowls and serve.
While I perused the old ZZest menus, I ran into a Catering Menu binder put together by Chef Hillary. You will hear more about Hillary soon! There was Stef gracing the cover of the catering binder. Stef isn't a big fruit and vegetable eater (I know…), but she will always taste everything. Ask her about Capricious cheese some time.
Ask Stef about Capricious cheese.