Annual trips to Italy inspire Barolo Grill chef Darrel Truett’s creations. Here, he translates the vibrant flavors of Italy into dishes you can savor in your own home.
“With sauce, it’s all about the beauty of simplicity. These three recipes are inspired by our annual staff trips to Italy—which began in 1995. We return with a deeper understanding of tradition and stories from the source that come to life in beautiful recipes like these.”—chef Darrel Truett, Barolo Grill
Castelvetrano, Tomato, Caper Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ c. olive oil
- 1 c. Castelvetrano olives (sliced)
- 1 c. heirloom cherry tomatoes
- ¼ c. capers
- ½ lemon zest
- 6 large basil leaves (torn)
- ½ c. Pecorino cheese
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
Directions
- Add ½ c. olive oil to pan on medium heat.
- Sauté 1 c. sliced Castelvetrano olives and 1 c. heirloom cherry tomatoes until they start to soften.
- Add ¼ c. capers and zest of a half lemon.
- Toss with your choice of noodle.
- Top with 6 large torn basil leaves and ½ c. Pecorino cheese.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Mushroom Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 c. seasonal mushrooms
- ¼ c. olive oil
- 1 tsp. garlic (chopped)
- 1 tsp. shallot (chopped)
- 1 tsp. thyme (chopped )
- ½ c. pasta water (water strained from the pot you cook the pasta in)
- pasta (your choice of noodles)
- ¼ c. butter
- ¼ c. Parmigiano cheese
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
Directions
- Sauté 2 c. seasonal mushrooms and ¼ c. olive oil.
- When mushrooms start to get color, add 1 tsp. chopped garlic, 1 tsp. chopped shallot, and 1 tsp. chopped thyme.
- Deglaze pan with ½ c. pasta water (water strained from the pot you cook the pasta in).
- Add your choice of pasta noodle, ¼ c. butter, and ¼ c. Parmigiano cheese.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss pasta in sauce until you reach desired thickness. You can always add more pasta water if sauce gets too thick.
Pistachio Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 c. basil
- ¼ c. pistachios
- ¼ c. Parmigiano cheese
- ¼ c. lemon juice
- ¾ c. olive oil
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste )
Directions
- Put these ingredients in a food processor until smooth: 2 c. basil, ¼ c. pistachios, ¼ c. Parmigiano cheese, ¼ c. lemon juice, ¾ c. olive oil, and salt and pepper.
- Toss with your choice of noodle, hot or chilled.
