Mezzi Paccheri di Mare   (Squid Ink Pasta)   $24

 

When I was browsing the blgoTO magazine, I decided to do my culinary evaluation at Oretta which is located at 633 King Street West. The Squid Ink Paste suddenly caught my eyes, I couldn’t imagine what the dish look like and how it taste.

When  I first saw the Squid Ink Pasta, it was not familiar with any pasta that I ever ate. The shape of the pasta is handmade wide macaroni which totally different with macaroni that sell in the supermarket. The ingredients mainly chose to create this dish are seafood, such as bay scallops and shrimps. Some fresh cherry tomato and herbs  embellish some colors to this dull course.

I tried the squid ink macaroni first, the smell was a little bit too fishy and the texture was rubbery. However, when I eat with sauce and tomato, the mouth-feel and taste was more well-balanced because the lemon oil added to give the sour flavor. For me, this course is very interesting, I couldn’t image how chef made this very popular pasta by the squid ink which is the most unlikely ingredient.

After this amazing culinary adventure at Oretta, it is no doubt to deny Italian Cuisine is one of most elegance cuisine.  Italian chef use the squid ink which has slightly salty flavor of the sea breeze to create the such a poetic course, like the writer use the ink to create a poem.

Based on my personal experience, I highly recommend this Italian restaurant, because Oretta not only serve the delicious Italian foods, but also give you an elegant experience in a such a fascinating decorated place.

 

 

 

 

Oretta Italian Restaurant website link:

http://www.oretta.to/

Today, I’m gonna make one of my favorite soup which I learned from my mom. It is one of the most classic Chinese homemade dishes. This soup combing the natural flavor of tomato  and egg and produced an perfect aroma and fresh taste. I like this soup the most part is easy cooking and also rich in nutrition. Alright, done of talking, I’ll present you the recipe right away!

A. Ingredients Preparation

All we need are some fresh ingredients: 2 tomatoes; 1 bunch of scallion; 3 eggs; 2 glove of garlic; salt; corn starch and some sesame oil.

B. Peel the tomato

We cut a small slice on the tomato before we blanching it, then dip it into water immediately which helps us peel it easily.

C. Other preparation

Crushed the onion
Cut the scallion in small pieces
Mix the egg but not too much(it will help forming)

D. Fry 3mins

Adding some oil inside a pot and put the garlic to mix with medium heat, then, adding the tomato to mix.

E. Boil 5mins

After you saw some red sauce coming from the tomato, adding 1L hot water inside the pot. When the soup start boiling, adding the starch inside which already mix with some water. Turning off the fire, and you gently pouring the mix egg inside the pan.

F. Serve

Spreading some scallion and add few drops of sesame oil for serving. This soup is perfect with some cookies or i prefer to pair it with some noodles.

For tasting, it has the mixture flavour of egg and tomato, the natural egg umami makes the soup smell so good. If you don’t like the natural sour taste from tomato you can put some sugar inside it before your frying step.Also, if you prefer sip it by spoon you can also stew it little bit longer and mixing the egg well done. I’ll give 7/10 for the soup i made today, I need cut tomato into smaller pieces which help the tasting and reducing the cooking time.

My girlfriend tried it, and we eat it with my favorite noodles, so it becomes tomato egg noodle soup. Just one bowl of it will make your stomach not complain anymore.

Also, if i want to put some new idea in it, i might using the vegetable stock instead of water which could bring more flavour for the soup. I always using the tomatoes on the vine for making soup, i’ll try Roma tomato next time to make a thicker tasting soup.

When i learning cooking, i found out that if you don’t put effort and focus on it the result will turning well in the end. You have to bring your 100% patience and focus on the ingredients you are dealing with, and that’s the only way you can becoming a good chef!