Saturday Beefcake: Five Years Ago We Went to Capri

Tagliatelle alla Caprese

Tagliatelle, 400 grams, cooked al dente
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Unsalted Butter, two tablespoons
Shallots, finely chopped, one and a half tablespoons
Scallions, finely chopped, one and a half tablespoons
Grape Tomatoes, quartered
Vodka, one quarter cup
Basil, dried, one tablespoon
Green Peppercorns, dried, ground, one teaspoon
Broth, chicken, one cup
Egg Yolks, two
Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
Parsley, finely chopped, two tablespoons




1. In a large skillet heat a tablespoon of the olive oil with the butter. add the shallots and scallions. Cook them briefly. Stirring all the way.
2. Add the tomatoes and cook further for about three minutes.
3. Add the vodka. Ignite it.
4. Add the basil, peppercorns and broth. Simmer for five minutes.
5. Add the pasta to the sauce.
6. Stir in the egg yolks and about a 100 grams of the parmigiano. Toss the pasta in the sauce.
7. Simply barely simmer the sauce over low heat. Let it thicken, don't let it boil. No curdling, please. Only cuddling.
8. Stir in the parsley and use extra cheese for topping.



Capri is a destination for summertime fun and in these waning days of the season, this recipe from Capri is a mini-tribute to the beautiful isle. These pictures, too, are a tribute of sorts--to cuddling, not curdling.