While Edinburgh may be better known for its haggis and neeps than its pasta and parmesan, the Scottish capital has become home to some exceptional Italian cooking. Here, two of the city’s most talented chefs share recipes that showcase both regional Italian tradition and contemporary flair.
From Sotto, Francesco Ascrizzi brings us a dish straight from the heart of Emilia-Romagna with his Gramigna alla Salsiccia. This lesser-known pasta shape, named after witchgrass seeds, pairs beautifully with a traditional sausage ragu that uses just a whisper of tomato – letting the meat and saffron shine through in true Modenese style.
Meanwhile, Lloyd Morse of The Palmerston takes a more modern approach with his roasted tomato tagliatelle. By charring tomatoes at blistering temperatures, he coaxes out deep, caramelised flavours that elevate the humble tomato sauce into something special. The addition of crème fraîche and fresh mint adds a contemporary twist that feels both comforting and refined.
Whether you’re drawn to authentic regional Italian cooking or creative interpretations of classic dishes, these recipes prove that some of the best Italian food in Britain (must. not. say. ‘Britalian’) might just be found north of the border.
Gramigna Alla Salsiccia
By Francesco Ascrizzi, Head Chef At Sotto
A typical ragu from Emilia Romagna, with very little tomato. Gramigna is a lesser known pasta shape but again very typical of the region, particularly Modena and Bologna. Its name comes from the Italian word for ‘witchgrass’, referencing its resemblance to the seeds of that grass.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 400g gramigna pasta
- 300g sausage meat
- 1 small onion
- 250 ml white wine
- 200 ml passata di pomodoro
- 2g saffron
- Grated parmigiano reggiano
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Method:
- In a pot, gently sauté the minced onion with the olive oil until soft and translucent.
- Add the sausage and break up with a fork. Mix it with the onion and let it, too, sauté gently, breaking it up further, if need be, with a spatula as it cooks.
- When the sausage meat is just beginning to brown around the edges, pour in a splash of white wine and let it evaporate. Add the passata and simmer until reduced by half.
- Add the saffron.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt it well and add the gramigna. Cook until al dente.
- When the pasta has cooked, transfer it to sauce, along with a small ladleful of the pasta water, and toss. Simmer until the sauce coats the pasta well.
- Serve right away, with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Read: Tips for cooking well for less from the home of ‘cucina provera’
Tagliatelle, Roast Tomato Sauce, Crème Fraîche & Mint
By Lloyd Morse, Chef-Patron Of The Palmerston, Edinburgh
Spaghetti and a tomato sauce filled with oil and garlic will always be my favourite pasta sauce, says chef Morse. This is just a different way to cook the tomatoes that brings a bit more depth to the sauce, caramelisation always means flavour!
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1kg whole cherry or plum tomatoes
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- 100g crème fraîche
- Picked mint leaves
- 200g dried long pasta, tagliatelle or spaghetti
- Parmesan, to serve
Method
- Preheat your oven as hot as it will go, 250c-300c.
- Once hot, place a dry oven tray in the oven and allow it to heat up. The tray needs to be large enough to hold the tomatoes in one layer, if they’re piled on top of each other they’ll steam and you won’t get the desired roasted taste. Carefully add the dry tomatoes to the oven tray and return to the oven.
- After five minutes open the oven and give the tray and shake, the tomatoes should begin to blister and black marks on them. Continue to roast the tomatoes, shaking every five to ten minutes, until they have deep colour on them and have started to split open.
- Now, carefully, add a sprinkle of salt and a very generous glug of oil. Give the tomatoes a good stir and allow to sit for five minutes out of the oven.
- If you have a food mill or mouli, pour all the contents of the roasting tray into the mill and pass it over a pot. If you don’t have a mill, then pour all the tomatoes into a pot and go over it with a potato masher a few times to break all the tomatoes up.
- Put the pot on a medium heat, add pepper and a little red wine vinegar, have a taste and let the sauce cook and reduce, generally it’ll be a little wet and need to thicken. Once the sauce is looking thicker, add the crème fraîche, mix and have a last taste for seasoning.
- Cook your pasta, drain and add to the sauce. Cook the sauce and pasta together for a few minutes to allow the pasta to soak up some of the sauce, add some torn mint and then a good grating of parmesan
After more recipes? Check out these three from Liguria next.
