One Passion: Pasta con Rucola

by Charlene Campbell

Ten and a half years ago, Anna and Antonio Fevola opened a tiny restaurant in Squirrel Hill on Murray Avenue. If you weren't looking for it, you might whiz past the unassuming store front and miss one of the best Italian restaurants Pittsburgh has to offer, La Cucina Flegrea.

Anna, who hails from Campi Flegrei, outside of Naples, is a goddess of the kitchen. Although there are many ingredients that she is passionate about, arugula—or, as it's called in Italy, rucola or rughetta—tops her list.

Arugula can be found throughout the world. Much of it grows wild, having escaped the boundaries of the garden gate. Anna tells me that her neighborhood here is covered with the wide, leafy green, as is her hometown in Italy. Anna's parents used to warn her not to pick it if it grew too close to the street curb, as it would pick up carbon monoxide from passing cars. Otherwise, arugula can be picked in fields or anywhere else it grows, much like a dandelion. In Italy or growing wild, it tends to be more tangy and aromatic than the farm-raised versions we find at our grocery stores.

Arugula is rich in iron and calcium and in vitamin A and C. It was thought to be an aphrodisiac; one of the first mentions of this usage came from Pliny the Elder.

"Rucola is used in many southern Italian dishes, from simple salads like potato salads to octopus and other seafood salads," says Antonio. "There are restaurants in Italy which have a whole menu based on this plant." That's passionate.

Pasta con Rucola

• Extra virgin olive oil (generous amount)
• 2 cloves whole garlic
• Fresh hot pepper (or pepper flakes, depending on preference)
• 2-4 anchovies (optional)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts (for those who like a more bitter taste, use Italian walnuts)
• 1/3 cup sun-dried grapes (both white and red)
• 1/2 glass dry white wine
• Chopped parsley (as much as you like)
• Salt (to taste)
• 1/3 cup Romano cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
• Handful of coarsely chopped arugula
• 1/2 pound spaghetti

Directions:

In a frying pan, add olive oil, garlic, hot pepper and optional anchovies. Fry until garlic turns brown. Add nuts, mix well and let cook for about a minute, then add sun-dried grapes. As garlic darkens and sun-dried grapes pop, take garlic out and add wine. Let simmer for a little, then add half the parsley and the salt. Cover and lower heat. Simmer for 4-5 minutes.

In the meantime, add salt to boiling water and cook spaghetti, usually 11 minutes for al dente. Drain and mix in pan with sauce. Add remaining parsley and stir well. Some people like to add the Romano cheese at this point. When sauce and pasta are mixed thoroughly, transfer to serving dish and add arugula and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Serves 2