Reno's Gift

We got to Salvatore's early in the evening, and John's first question was, "Where's Reno?"

Both Reno and Claudio came out to talk to us -- and they acted like they had all the time in the world (the place was full of customers).  They talked about Italy -- and their families -- and gardening.

After an hour, Reno insisted on going back to his house to bring some of his own homegrown produce.  His wonderful gift for John (besides the conversation!):

3 Scilian Eggplants,along with a medicine bottle with seeds for next year.

A Bohorad Tomato, an heirloom variety from his Italian garden.

A Roma tomato, with skin so soft you almost don't have to peel them...

Along with several lessons:

First:  THE TOMATOES:

To get the seeds out of the tomatoes to plant for NEXT YEAR -- do this:

Cut the tomato up...remove the seeds, put them in half a cup of water overnight.  You want to soak away the membrane surrounding the seeds.  Lay them on a paper towel and rub away the membrane until just the seeds are left.  Dry the seeds on paper towels for several days.  They must be completely dry before you put them in a medicine jar and label them.

The tomato seeds should also be started in the house, in February or March -- to be planted in the garden in the spring.  These tomatoes need a cage, as they will hang low, and be easy to pick. They are tender and sweet -- you won’t believe it.

Reno's Spaghetti is a signature dish at Salvatore's Ristorante...and IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BEST FRESH TOMATOES....and here's how you make it:

• Cook the spaghetti...until it is soft (he doesn't approve of al dente).  
• While that's happening, scald three tomatoes just enough to peel off the skin.  
• Cut them open, remove the white core (there won't be much of one) -- then squeeze them with your hands over a sieve.  You don't want all the water...
• Peel three cloves of garlic, and mash the fresh garlic with a bit of salt. (to make a paste).

To assemble the dish -- you drain the spaghetti, then put the pan back on the heat...add two tablespoons of really good olive oil to the still-hot-pan.  First, add the garlic paste, then the smashed tomatoes, and finally, the hot spaghetti.  Toss until the tomatoes are warmed through -- plate the dish and add freshly grated Parmasean cheese and fresh chopped basil.

Reno said you cannot make this dish with the Hybrid kind of American tomatoes.  (they are tasteless and tough, he is baffled aboutwhy anybody would grow them in the first place.)

I wish I'd taken a picture of Reno's Spaghetti.  IT IS A MASTERPIECE!!