Awhile ago I went to a fancy Italian restaurant in New York City. I cant remember what the name was, just that someone that worked there or owned the restuarant has been on TV for cooking or something. Anyone have any idea what Italian restaurant it could’ve been that fits this descrption?
But my main question was while i was at this restaurant I ate this white stuff in a dish/bowl. I can’t remember the texture or anything or taste other than that it was whitish and tasted horrible (in my opinion). I’ve been puzzled over what this white stuff I ate was. It must have been Italian because I was at an Italian restaurant, and I just remember people dipping crackers or spreading stuff on crackers and such. Is there anyone out there who may have an idea of what type of food this was or at least what Italian restaurant this could’ve been so I can google their menu or something? I am really desperate to find out what this "stuff" was.
Thanks
Bean dip made with canellini beans, garlic, olive oil, parsley, lemon juice – dipped or spread on crackers or bread? Or could it have been a baccala spread – made with dried salted cod, mashed potato, olive oil and garlic?
As for the restaurant, do you remember what neighborhood it was in?
maybe it sour cream
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I’ll bet it was gnocchi. It’s a 3-d somewhat flatter than an egg-shaped pasta about the size of the last digit on your middle finger, served in sauce like alfredo or marinara. I believe it’s made of potatoes. It’s white, pretty different tasting, has a gooey, little bit chewy texture, and can be gross. Sometimes.
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The ‘stuff’ was probably and unsweetened marscapone with ‘savory’ spices added. Marscapone is half ‘cheese’ and half ‘whipped cream’ and if it’s sweetened it is used in dishes like Tiramisu (cake or lady fingers, marscapone, coffee liqueur and coffee, very rich and delious). It could also have been a type of gorgonzola, a ‘blue’ cheese that many people find ‘nasty’ … or possibly a combination of marscapone and gorgonzola. It’s very unusual to see marscapone unsweetened in the US, but if you were at a ‘famous chef’s restaurant’ I can almost be ASSURED that there was marscapone in this dish, since it is ‘unusual’ in Italian dishes in the US, and would be then ‘cutting edge.’ I’m sorry you didn’t like it, but it is definitely an ‘acquired taste’ … so try some PROPERLY MADE tiramisu for the BEST flavors and try to FORGET this ‘dish’ that ‘tasted horrible’ … just be AWARE that if it is savory (made with things like oregano, basil, marjoram) and has marscapone in it, or has gorgonzola in it, that you may not like it so take only the smallest taste to be sure before you ‘dig in.’
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My mainly French husband was a professional chef who worked mainly in Italian kitchens for over 15 years. The last five years he was a ‘pastry chef’ and when I want really good tiramisu, he makes it from scratch in our kitchen … YUM!
If it was on the "dry" side could it have been Parmesan cheese, possibly with olive oil added?
If it was creamy it may have been a marscapone cheese. That is sort of like a cream cheese, very mild not much flavor unless you add some herbs-for savory- or sweet to it for a dessert.
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Bean dip made with canellini beans, garlic, olive oil, parsley, lemon juice – dipped or spread on crackers or bread? Or could it have been a baccala spread – made with dried salted cod, mashed potato, olive oil and garlic?
As for the restaurant, do you remember what neighborhood it was in?
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I think it was gnocchi.
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it could have been risotto, which is a special type of italian white rice, that is usually very wet and has a weird taste.
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Sorry to break this to you, because I don’t think you’re going to like it, but I guarantee that you were eating lardo. Lardo is cured white hog lard that is often used a spread on crackers or bread and is placed on the table (with bread) prior to the meal in great Italian restaurants.
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You ate caponata at Mario Batali’s restaurant Babbo? I’m jealous.
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