
YOTAM OTTOLENGHI’S NEW COOKBOOK FOCUSES ON COMFORT FOOD.

And where better to start than with a Northern Italian ‘Ragu” topping Rigatoni? Ottolenghi comes to Italian cooking with an advantage: the Israeli-born mega-chef is of Italian descent. Today’s recipe echoes one his Italian father made when Yotam was a child. (Our version, pictured above, is not as ‘bianco’ as it could be because we used dried Morel Mushrooms. Although “Comfort’s” version isn’t exactly white and substitutes Spirali for Rigatoni). Ottolenghi starts his chapter “Pasta Polenta Potatoes” with an observation. Italians don’t have a separate notion of “Comfort Food”. They believe “All Food is Comfort Food”. And for this non-Italian, there is nothing more comforting than a big bowl of pasta. And I am not alone in this by a long shot. My dear Italian ‘sister’ has tried to serve her husband salad for lunch. She is rebuked for doing so. “Where is the pasta?” Mario asks. I’m with Mario. Pasta combined with a great sauce is like a big hug from whoever cooked it.
‘COMFORT’ ARE PERSONAL TOURS OF COMFORT FOOD

Yotam was not alone in creating “Comfort”. Far from it. He assembled a team of members of his London-based business. Ottolenghi COMFORT was co-written by Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh, Verena Lochmuller and Tara Wigley. Helen Goh is a pastry chef and author, Verena Lochmuller is Head of Product Development at the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen and Tara Wigley is the co-author of “Ottolenghi SIMPLE” and “Falastin”. Each of the authors brings their personal idea of what comfort food is wherever they’ve eaten it. So “Comfort” is not a book about the comfort food universe. Instead, each one mirrors where they’ve lived or where their families are from and that’s pretty much everywhere. Yotam has family roots in Italy and Germany. From there he incorporates his days in Jerusalem, Amsterdam and ultimately London. Helen Goh taps into her Chinese roots, Malaysia and Melbourne where she was born. Verena roams from Germany to Scotland to New York. And Tara, a Londoner through and through has spent 20 years with the great man himself in his recreation of great Levantine food in London.
FEW POSTS ON CHEWING THE FAT ARE MORE POPULAR THAN THOSE OF YOTAM OTTOLENGHI.
Right after today’s recipe, we’ll link you to them– all four of them are among our 50 most popular recipes. And today’s will likely be no exception.
HERE’S TODAY’S RECIPE FOR RIGATONI AL RAGÙ BIANCO
An easy-to-make combination of beef, pork and wild mushrooms with a traditional 'battuta' of onions, carrots and celery, this is true Comfort Food Italian-style.RIGATONI AL RAGÙ BIANCO
Ingredients
Directions
HERE ARE YOTAM OTTOLENGHI’S MOST POPULAR RECIPES ON CHEWING THE FAT
Yotam Ottolenghi’s Splendid Blueberry, Almond and Lemon Cake
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE ARE MORE…GO TO https://chewingthefat.us.com/?s=Yotam+ottolenghi