It’s Italian week at Trissalicious!
That’s right a whole week of tried and tested classic Italian recipes. A number of these recipes I learned while attending classes at The CIRA Cooking School in Annandale. CIRA stands for the Council of Italian Restaurants in Australia and was formed by twelve restauranteurs to promote the values of Italian food in Australia. The founding members are a who’s who in Italian cuisine and include: Armando Percuoco, Lucio Galletto; Giovanni Pilu, Marilyn Annecchini; Beppi, Norma and Marc Polese; Peter Zuzza, Vanessa Martin; Elio Cordaro; John O’Riordan; George Pompei, David Cowdrill and Danny Russo.
I love the fact that CIRA is a non-profit organization – a lot of Sydney’s best chefs donate their time and effort to promote Italian cuisine as it should be and many of them sacrifice their Saturday mornings and evenings to teach at this school.
As you know, I love cooking classes. I am constantly trying to find classes to attend as I find it very rewarding when I learn something new that I never thought to make before. When my Mom, the Blog Monster, was here, I took her to CIRA for a few classes.
One class we attended was run by Chef and TV personality Darren Simpson from La Scala on Jersey. While Irish, his food is pure Italian inspired no doubt from his stint as head chef of the iconic restaurant the River Cafe. One of the dishes we learned to make was the classic Spaghetti alle Vongole. The key ingredient for this pasta dish are the clams (make sure to clean them properly as sometimes they can be gritty from the sand) which, when cooked, release a flavour that marries well with white wine, olive oil, garlic and parsley.
There are two reasons I love this dish. First, you can make it in less than 10 minutes flat – a great dish to serve during the week when you’re pinched for time. Second, the sauce is so versatile. While this is traditionally made with clams, we loved it so much that we made it many times after class once using marinara mix, once using prawns, another time just the sauce alone (Spaghetti Aglia Olio) and on the net I’ve even seen it made with mushrooms.
A word of caution – because this is an extremely simple dish to make, it works better using the best quality ingredients you can afford.
To kick off Italian week, how would you like to join me in a class with one of my favourite CIRA chefs?
Logan Campbell, from two hatted restaurant, Lucio’s in Sydney, is teaching a Christmas class on the 6th of November and Dani, CIRA’s manager has kindly offered to give one slot to a reader. The class is hands on AND we get to enjoy what we’ve cooked at the end of the class. I promise, it will be fun! All you have to do is leave a comment below and let me know what Italian dish you have always wanted to learn and if you are so inclined, I’d love you to follow me (this is only optional) on twitter. I’ll announce the winner on the 31st of October 2010.
I’ve attended two classes at CIRA taught by Logan and I always jump at the chance to learn from him. He doesn’t spoil his students – he teaches you things that you wouldn’t think of making on your own but with his guidance these things are easily mastered. His Eggplant Ravioli with taleggio cheese has become my staple go to dish for any vegetarian that comes to my house (and carnivores love it too!). I’ve also learned how to debone a spatchcock and a stuff a duck leg in his classes.
There are a number of other classes available at CIRA so please do have a look at their website. You can also contact Dani on 0405 286067 (business hours) or email cira@cira.com.au to reserve a place in one of the classes or for further information.
Spaghetti alle Vongole
(serves 4) Recipe from Darren Simpson, La Scala on Jersey
- 400 grams spaghetti (Barilla brand, spagettini no 3 is what we used)
- 60 clams, purged
- 6 tablespoons flat leaf parsley
- 6 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons red chilli
- 2 pinches dried chilli
- 300 ml dry white wine
- 200 ml best quality olive oil
- In boiling salted water cook the spaghetti until al dente
- Place the clams in a bowl with the chilli, garlic, parsley, olive oil and white wine.
- Heat a saucepan until hot and then add the clam mixture.
- Cover with the lid and cook until the clams open (around 3 to 4 minutes)
- The olive oil and white wine will form a sauce – toss the spaghetti in the sauce.
- Serve with crusty bread.
may favorite meals are always italian dishes because they are quite spicy and tasty.^
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I’d like to learn to make ravioli – or really anything, I feel like I don’t have the widest knowledge of what Italian food even includes. I tend to just think ‘spaghetti!’
Wonderful blog Trissa.
If I had to choose a class with Logan Campbell I would want to learn to make fresh egg pasta papardelle, with a traditional ragu of lamb (or veal), followed by ricotta-filled cannoli for dessert… yum!
What a great opportunity to learn from the master! Loving all your fantastic giveaways 🙂
Haha! I love it! I made this dish a while back and it was so good that I never got a chance to take photos … it works up so fast and we were so hungry that SB and I devoured it and then laughed because a perfectly wonderful post was kaput! Then, we soaked up the juices with bread …. so glad that you got down to it! So yum!
A true classic, simple and delicious! The stuffed duck leg looks and sounds interesting.
Mmm, an all time favorite of mine! Looks delicious 🙂
Ooh la la, your mum looks so elegant 🙂 I’d jump at the chance to go to a class with you Trissa, and I love Italian food. I want to know how to make Arancini properly. Also, I’d like to know what to do with those interesting ingredients I see at the deli – things like mostarda di frutta and those amarena cherries…
Your lovely mother should publish a book titled ‘Famous chefs I’ve had my photo taken with’!
A class with Logan Campbell would be awesome – I still remember your posts about your previous classes. One dish I’d love to cook well is pasta with cream sauce. Mine is always too watery. Creamy sauce should be … creamy and velvety!
Aw your mom looks adorable and this dish sounds like a dream. I will have to try it soon.
I love Darren Simpson! He was in that fun show on Foxtel call “Best in Australia”… don’t know why they stopped, it was really cool. Anyway, I usually do this dish with prawns, shall have to get some clams this weekend!
That photo of your mum with Darren is precious!
This is such a wonderful prize, Trissa. I adore good Italian food, and I would love to cook something like the eggplant ravioli you mentioned.
I’m actually hoping to get a pasta machine for my bday this week (I’ve been dropping the hubby enough hints) and I’d love to learn some dishes to use it with!
The perfect ravioli. While I would try anything twice (the Filipino in me), my bf is the pickiest eater! His repulsion at tomato makes eating Italian extremely difficult! So I would like to master the art of pasta, particularly his favourite ravioli, and a variety of white sauces for the tomato de-clined!
Wow that pasta dish looks delicious!! yum yum yum!!
OMG!!!
First of all – such a cute pic of you with the gorgeous man. I haven’t heard of him, but probably will..
This dish sounds deadly. And the other ones, too. YOu have the most amazing experiences, Trissa!
Cudos to you.
🙂
I get to learn so much reading your posts.
🙂
valerie
Haha Thanks Val but that’s my Mom! She would be flattered though! 🙂
This is truly an Italian classic Trissa…my dream has always been to learn to make light, and airy gnocchi.
While not a vongole person myself while we were in Italy Marc, one of the friends with whom we travelled, had spaghetti alla vongole at every opportunity he got! And it looks so good, I am almost tempted to try it myself. i keep thinking I’ve had bad luck in eating shellfish as I just think it tastes very fishy, but maybe I haven’t had really fresh ones. I don’t know. Whatever the case; I love how your dish looks! Exactly like the ones in italy!
Trissa, this is undoubtedly my favorite pasta dish. I have to be very careful when I go to an Italian restaurant because I can get unimaginative and order this every time! Once I get my hands on some clams, I will definitely make this!
That’s your mom? She looks like she’s my age (45). FABULOUS. I make this type of clam pasta too. So simple and delicious!
what a coincidence, Trissa,that you posted a dish that I’ve been thinking of all week! didn’t have a chance to go markets to get clams…but will definitely try this weekend! I’ll definitely try this recipe for i’m in the mood for italian!
Lucky blog monster! 🙂 What a great photo
delicious pasta dish but I think I like that duck leg over there…
I love the simplicity of some dishes, they are often the ones that knock your socks off and this dish definitely like one of them! CIRA does sound like a fantastic organisation (considering joining up), I love how the chefs involved are willing to donate their time and effort to help and share with us their knowledge.
As for the italian dish I’d love to learn, it has got to be cannoli! It seems to be always present at my bf’s family gatherings. I tried making them for Easter this year for them but I failed. So I would love to one day be able to learn how to make it so I can impress his family, you know how hard italians can be to impress when it comes to making their food.
Love the photo of the Blog Monster with Darren. Hehehehehe. Spaghetti alle Vongole is one of my favourite Italian dishes, but a dish that I have always wanted to master is the Arancini. I’ve tried to make it before but it never turns out like an Italian Mama’s Arancini does.
Those clams look so good mingled with the al dente spaghetti. I’d like to learn how to stuff duck Leg too, if I were living in Sydney.
Hi Trissa,
That looks really delicious, I love all the varieties of this dish that you’ve mentioned..yum,yum, yum!
Thanks for sharing what you’ve learned, I love Italian food, glad to pick up good recipes from you. 🙂
Adore spaghetti alle vongole, simple and good quality ingredients, bellissimo. Not a dish as such, but I have always wanted to learn how to make my own salami.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful version of this versatile dish. And the lovely link-up. 😉 Aside, could you do me a favour and ask Blog Monster how she gets her glowing skin? Please?
Thanks Ju! Mom would be flattered beyond belief!
One of my favorites. I can eat this everyday…hmm, actually, I’ve done just that on trips to Italy. Yours looks perfect–bright, perfectly cooked clams and tons of pasta. Your mom’s picture is adorable, too. Must have been fun to take the classes with her.
I was just thinking about making this again this week–sure would beat the simple chicken soup I’m planning to make. A good thing you’re so far away or you’d have an uninvited guest. 🙂