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Stanley Tucci Inspired Bucatini all’Amatriciana

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A Stanley Tucci Inspired Bucatini all' Amatriciana sits in a blue bowl with four glasses of wine placed behind the pasta.

In honor and shameless infatuation, we’ve created four pasta dishes for TABLE readers inspired by the Stanley Tucci television travel series Searching for Italy. This week we bring you Stanley Tucci Inspired Bucatini all’ Amatriciana. This dish is very similar to our recipe for Penne all’ Arrabbiata with the exception of one key ingredient, guanciale, heavenly cured pork cheek that adds a smokey and crispy element to each bite. We recommend an inky Chianti Classico or Rosso di Montalcino to enjoy this beautifully simple and heartwarming dish.

What Makes Something all-Amatriciana? 

Bucatini all’Amatriciana originates in the town of Amatrice, hence its name. Amatrice is located in the Italian region of Lazio. While it gave us this delicious pasta dish, it’s seen some troubles in recent years. An earthquake devastated the town in 2016, destroying nearly three-quarters of the buildings. However, this hasn’t stopped the people of Amatrice from continuing to have intense pride in their food. But here’s a secret: according to one townsperson interviewed by CNN, ordering this dish in Amatrice makes you look like a tourist. People “in the know” order spaghetti alla gricia, a white sauce version of amatriciana.

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A Stanley Tucci Inspired Bucatini all' Amatriciana sits in a blue bowl with four glasses of wine placed behind the pasta.

Stanley Tucci Inspired Bucatini all’Amatriciana

  • Author: Keith Recker
Print Recipe

Description

A regional delight.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 ounces of guanciale, pancetta, or bacon, cut into strips
  • 2 tbsps olive oil
  • 1 tsp red pepper flake
  • 3/4 cup onion, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 canned whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano
  • 12 ounces of bucatini or spaghetti
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. In a sauté pan over medium-low heat, add olive oil, onion, garlic, and guanciale (or pancetta or bacon). Add the pepper flake when the guanciale lightly crisps and browns. Crush the tomatoes in a separate bowl before adding them and all their juices to the pan and simmer low until the sauce reduces slightly and thickens.
  2. Cook the dried pasta in nicely salted water, like the sea, until al dente. Add the pasta to the sauce directly from its water, adding a touch of the starchy salty water in the process to help the sauce stick to the pasta. Toss the sauce and pasta until covered evenly. Turn off the heat. Add the Pecorino Romano and gently fold it into the pasta.
  3. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Did you make this recipe?

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Check out our other Stanley Tucci Inspired Recipes:

Story by Gabe Gomez
Prop styling by Keith Recker
Photography by Dave Bryce
Food styling by Veda Sankaran
Fabric by Found and Foraged Fibers
Wine pairing by Adam Knoerzer

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Stanley Tucci Inspired Penne all’ Arrabbiata

By
Keith Recker
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Stanley Tucci Inspired Penne all’ Arrabbiata sits in a green ceramic bowl with two slices of french bread off to the right.

Behold, we bring you Penne all’ Arrabbiata, a “pantry dish” perfect for last-minute entertaining or a late-night craving. We’ve created four pasta dishes for TABLE readers inspired by Stanley Tucci’s television travel series Searching for Italy. We recommend that you enjoy this dish with a Rosato of Sangiovese, a pitch-perfect rosé from Toscana, or Bardolino, a delicate red that balances well with the heat of this version of the dish, which is made with chili-infused olive oil.

Cooking the Italian Way: A Mix of Old and New

As you prepare your dish, picture this: Imagine a young American arriving to start a job in Rome. He knows little Italian and has arrived completely unprepared for life outside the office. He steps into a mom-and-pop grocery shop hoping to find something edible and becomes an eyewitness to a conflagration of epic proportions.

The elderly proprietress is engaged in finger-pointing, chest-beating, top-of-the-lungs argument with a customer about whether one CAN or CANNOT eat penne all’arrabbiata at room temperature on a hot summer evening. The prim, pale rose housecoat of the lady behind the counter shakes with rage: NO! Absolutely not. It is incorrect. A sacrilege. 

The customer shifts the bags of wine and bread she’s bought at the neighboring bakery and enoteca so that she can signal her total dismissal of that prudish idea: NO! That is an old idea even for you. I’ve known you for 40 years and I didn’t think you were this old. Let’s hope the salami I need to buy from you is fresher.

This provokes a laugh from the other customers, but it does not settle the argument, which continues at lower volume but not calmer emotion over the slicing, weighing, wrapping, and checking out. And into the street afterward.

The young fellow realizes he is in an entirely new place, where food is not a matter of tradition or convenience. It is religion, to pursue with fervor and precision… even if it means that you have to defend what’s right. This is why Italian food is so good. It’s about commitment to what’s truly the best way to do things.

About Penne all’ Arrabbiata

Like the attitude of the shopkeeper above, penne all’arrabbiata is a dish of righteous anger. Penne all’arrabbiata gets its name from the Italian word “arrabbiata,” which means “angry.” The dish is known for its spicy tomato sauce, typically made with garlic, tomatoes, and red chili peppers. The heat from the chili peppers is said to evoke a sense of “anger” or intensity, hence the name.

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Stanley Tucci Inspired Penne all’ Arrabbiata sits in a green ceramic bowl with two slices of french bread off to the right.

Stanley Tucci Inspired Penne all’ Arrabbiata

  • Author: Keith Recker
Print Recipe

Description

Travel to Italy, Tucci style with this spicy, powerful penne.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cloves of fresh garlic
  • 1/3 cup chili-infused olive oil
  • 6 oz can of tomato paste
  • 4 pints fresh cherry tomatoes
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 lb box penne rigate pasta
  • Parsley

Instructions

  1. Crush and peel six large cloves of garlic. Tear them roughly into strips with your hands.
  2. Put 1/3 cup chili-infused olive oil into a 6 qt pan over medium heat. Patiently sautee garlic until slightly golden brown. Remove garlic from oil and set aside.
  3. Whisk 1 small can of tomato paste into the oil and stir on low heat for 5 minutes.
  4. Roughly chop 4 pints of cherry tomatoes and add to pot.
  5. Add 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
  6. Then, stirring very regularly, cook tomatoes until liquid is reduced by 25% and tomatoes are tender.
  7. Remove from heat and let cool to room temp.
  8. In a food processor, puree the tomato mixture and return to heat. Put the garlic cloves back in the pot. Keep warm while you cook the pasta. Stir frequently.
  9. Taste in case you need to add salt, black pepper, or Liokareas Chili Oil.
  10. Cook a box of penne rigate until very al dente. Before draining, add 1/8 cup pasta water to the sauce pot.
  11. Drain pasta and add to sauce pot with 1/4 cup chopped parsley. Turn heat to medium and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes until pasta is still al dente but tender enough to eat. Grated Romano cheese for the Penne all’ Arrabbiata is optional.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Check out our other Stanley Tucci Inspired Recipes:

Recipe by Keith Recker
Food Styling by Veda Sankaran
Photography by Dave Bryce
Fabric by Found and Foraged Fibers
Wine pairing by Adam Knoerzer

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Stanley Tucci Inspired Pasta alla Norma

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staff-author
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Stanley Tucci Inspired Pasta alla Norma sits in a bowl to the right with two glasses of red wine off to the back left.

In honor of Stanley Tucci’s television travel series Searching for Italy, we’ve created four pasta dishes for TABLE readers. This week we bring you Stanley Tucci Inspired Pasta alla Norma. This dish incorporates lightly fried eggplant, which adds a wonderful texture to the rigatoni pasta dressed in a very simple red sauce. We recommend a Cerasuolo di Vittoria, a dry Sicilian red, or a fruit-forward Etna Rosso to accompany this Stanley Tucci Inspired Pasta alla Norma recipe.

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Stanley Tucci Inspired Pasta alla Norma sits in a bowl to the right with two glasses of red wine off to the back left.

Stanley Tucci Inspired Pasta alla Norma

  • Author: Gabe Gomez
Print Recipe

Description

Much like your usual rigatoni with tomato sauce, but with the luscious addition of fried eggplant.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large eggplant
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 small bunch basil, chopped
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ cup grated ricotta salata
  • 1 lb dry rigatoni pasta
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Grated parmesan for serving

Instructions

    1. Prepare eggplant by washing and slicing into cubes. Salt eggplant and place in a bowl. Let sit at room temperature for two hours. Rinse away the salt. Pat dry. Add to pan with olive oil. Saute until golden brown. Remove from pan. Set aside.

    1. In the same pan, add olive oil, garlic, tomato, and oregano. Add half of the basil once the sauce thickens over medium heat.

    1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne al dente.

    1. Mix eggplant pieces into sauce. Simmer over low heat. Stir in ricotta and remaining basil. Add penne from its boiling water. Add a touch of salted water. Mix gently. Serve warm. Add grated parmesan for serving and enjoy your Stanley Tucci Inspired Pasta alla Norma.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Check Out Our Other Stanley Tucci Inspired Recipes:

Spaghetti alla Nerano
Bucatini all’Amatriciana
Penne all’ Arrabbiata
Stanley Tucci’s Martini

Recipe and Story by Gabe Gomez
Prop Styling by Keith Recker
Food Styling by Veda Sankaran
Photography by Dave Bryce
Fabric by @foundandforagedfibres
Wine Pairing by Adam Knoerzer

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Lamb Sloppy Joes

By
Keith Recker
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Lamb Sloppy Joes deconstructed on a white plate.

Lamb Fest 2021 was a delicious day for lamb lovers and connoisseurs of good flavor, including dishes of these special Lamb Sloppy Joes. Seven of our nine teams shared their recipes to try at home for TABLE readers.

The chef teams who competed for the top prize at TABLE Magazine’s Lamb Fest 2021 brought their experience, imagination, and talents to SouthSide Works in October. The results were the nine fantastic variations on deliciousness. Each entry was unique in its flavor profile, in its textures, and in its presentation. It was a tough choice, but hundreds of attendees voted for their taste buds. Guest Judge Hal B. Klein supervised the count and announced the verdict. And the rest is lamb history.

Team Average Joes at Our Lamb Fest

Speckled Egg founders Jacqueline and Nathan Schoedel met up with R.C. Carter and free agent Patrick Duffy to create a luscious mouthful of savory lamb sloppy joes finished perfectly with luxurious creme fraiche and served on a tiny bun from Mediterra. The team rounded out this delicious picture with the sharpness of homemade pickled vegetables. This is a dish anyone can try, and succeed with, at home.

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Lamb Sloppy Joes deconstructed on a white plate.

Lamb Sloppy Joes

  • Author: Kylie Thomas
Print Recipe

Description

A more decadent sloppy joe that you won’t mind getting messy for.

Ingredients

Scale

For the creme fraiche:

  • 1 pt heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp buttermilk

For the lamb mixture:

  • 1 lb ground lamb
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 cup Heinz ketchup
  • 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup yellow mustard
  • 5 dashes Tabasco
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp coriander
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Mix heavy cream and buttermilk in a non-reactive container (Tupperware works well).
  2. Cover and let sit overnight at room temperature for at least 12 hours. Refrigerate.
  3. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add ground lamb and season with salt and pepper. While the lamb is cooking, break up the lamb into smaller pieces.
  4. When fully cooked, remove the lamb from the pan and set aside.
  5. Return pan to heat; add onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for a few minutes until fragrant. Add garlic and when the garlic becomes fragrant, add tomato paste, and stir frequently. Cook until tomato paste starts to darken, about 3 minutes.
  6. Deglaze the pan with white wine scraping the bottom of the pan. Reduce the white wine by half.
  7. Return the lamb to the pan and add the remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Stir often, bring to a boil, and then down to a simmer. Cook on the lowest setting for a half hour. Taste and re-season if necessary.
  9. Assemble sandwiches by adding sloppy joe mix to a bun and top with creme fraiche.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Recipe by Jacqueline Schoedel, Nathan Schoedel, R.C. Carter, and Patrick Duffy
Story by Keith Recker
Photography by Laura Petrilla
Styling by Ana Kelly

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Veggie Forward Side Dishes

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ZAIN
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Veggie Forward Side Dishes: Cucumber salad, crispy sweet potatoes, and improv eggplant served in different plates

The crew at TABLE Magazine spent a wonderful day with Chef Jamilka Borges recently, learning so much from her light, bright, and flavorful way with veggies. She showed us how to make a gorgeous, lime-infused cucumber salad, and a deeply delicious crispy sweet potato dish. Along the way, she liked the look of some fresh Japanese eggplants we bought at a local farmstead, and invented a third dish on the spot!

Cucumber Salad Recipe

INGREDIENTS

4 mini cucumbers, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 tsp Aleppo pepper
1 cup Greek yogurt
½ cup lime juice
1 red onion, thinly shave
1 tsp fennel pollen
Basil
Mint
Cilantro
Pea tendrils
Nasturtiums
Olive Oil for drizzle
Candied pistachios for garnish

For the pistachios:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp kosher or fine sea salt
1/4 tsp paprika, smoked
1 1/2 cups pistachios, raw

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a small oven-safe sauté pan, heat oil on medium heat and cook pistachios for five minutes to release natural oils.
  2. While warm, toss with the sugar, place pan uncovered in a 325-degree oven. Roast for 20 minutes. Cool at room temperature.

For the salad:

  1. Toss the cucumbers with lime juice and a pinch of salt.
  2. Add the Aleppo to the yogurt and make a “pool” on the bottom of a plate, arrange the cucumbers, onions, herbs and dust with fennel pollen.
  3. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with the pistachios.

Crispy Sweet Potatoes Recipe

INGREDIENTS

4 Japanese sweet potatoes
3 Morita chilies
4 tbsp grapeseed oil
½ cup crème fraîche  (2 cups heavy cream + 2 tbsp cultured buttermilk, cover and let sit overnight)
Lime juice
Kosher salt
1 oz smoked trout roe or preferred roe
Canola or blended oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven at 375 degrees. After scrubbing sweet potatoes, place them in a rack and bake for 45 minutes or until soft. Do not add any fat or salt.
  2. In the meantime, heat a sauté pan and toast the chilies for 30 seconds, you’ll be able to smell them.  Add your oil and bring to 125 degrees then let sit for 30 minutes.
  3. Puree the mix in a Vitamix and strain through a chinois sieve or cheesecloth. Season with a pinch of kosher salt. Let cool.
  4. Once the sweet potatoes are done, tear them into 2-inch pieces making sure to keep the skin on. Let cool down in the fridge without covering. The idea is to let them dry as much as possible.
  5. For the cream simply mix ½ cup of fraîche with 2 tbsp of Morita oil, add a splash of limejuice, and a little salt.
  6. Get your frying oil hot 350 degrees, with slotted spoon drop your sweet potatoes in small batches until golden brown and crispy about 4 to 5 minutes.
    Season with salt and black pepper. Top with crème fraîche and generous spoonful of smoked trout roe.
  7. Garnish with sweet basil or cilantro.

Improv Eggplant Recipe

INGREDIENTS

Head of cabbage
Japanese eggplants
Squash
Olive oil
Salt
Sweet and spicy pepper
1 cup of yogurt
1-2 cloves of garlic
Onion, minced
Thyme
Black pepper
Lime juice
Greens
Lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Slice a fresh cabbage into 1/2” thick “steaks.” Slice eggplants 1/4” thick. Brush both sides of all slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Steam and mash your favorite squash. Season with olive oil, salt and that sweet and spicy pepper from France, pigment d’Espelette.
  3. Combine a cup of yogurt, a clove or two of garlic, some minced onion and thyme, salt, black pepper, lime juice and olive oil into a dressing.
  4. Grill the cabbage and eggplant.
  5. Place a cabbage slice on a plate, top with mashed squash and grilled eggplant, and slather with yogurt dressing. Garnish with fresh, young greens and a squeeze of lime or lemon.

Recipe by Chef Jamilka Borges / Styling by Rafe Vencio / Photography by Dave Bryce

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Tomato Gazpacho

By
Kylie Thomas
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A black bowl holds a red Tomato Gazpacho with vegetable and herb garnishes, surrounded by fresh vegetables and a sheet pan.

Justin Severino, the culinary creative of Morcilla and Salty Pork Bits, likes to share a meal with friends and family such as this Tomato Gazpacho. The magic in the cooking joins the magic of laughter and conversation…and that’s how memories are made.

What is Gazpacho?

Gazpacho is a refreshing and vibrant cold soup, perfect for beating the summer heat. It originates from the southern regions of Spain and Portugal, particularly Andalusia. Traditionally made with raw, blended ingredients, gazpacho boasts a base of ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, garlic, and olive oil. Some recipes incorporate bread for thickening, while others lean into unique ingredients like watermelon or tomatillos.

Tomato Gazpacho Recipe

Tomato Gazpacho Ingredients

  • 1 lb heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 medium cucumber, sliced thin
  • 8 oz roasted piquillo peppers
  • 1 shallot, peeled and sliced thin
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
  • 2 oz sherry vinegar
  • 1 cup croutons or crostini
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 4 oz olive oil

Gazpacho Preparation Instructions

  1. In a large bowl mix all ingredients together except for the olive oil and refrigerate for four hours.
  2. Blend on high until smooth and then slowly emulsify the olive oil into the blender.
  3. Adjust seasoning with salt. Serve chilled.

Great Gazpacho Garnishes

Tomato Gazpacho’s beauty lies in its simplicity, but a well-chosen garnish can elevate it from refreshing to truly unforgettable. For a classic touch, dice up some of the same ingredients used in the soup for a pop of color and freshness. Craving something creamy? A dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream adds a touch of richness that complements the tangy tomato base. Or, for a touch of indulgence, you can try crumbled feta cheese or diced avocado for a creamy and salty contrast. And, of course, fresh herbs like chopped basil, chives, or cilantro are another traditional garnish, adding a vibrant green touch.

Wrap Up

For those hot summer days, our Tomato Gazpacho by Justin Severino is the perfect soup to cool you down and leave a memorable taste on your tongue. Experiment with different garnishes to make this soup truly your own and add to the already delicious flavors.

Recipe by Justin Severino / Story by Kylie Thomas / Styling by Rafael Vencio / Photography by Dave Bryce

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Chocolate Tarts Recipe and Local Chocolates for Your Sweetheart

By
Keith Recker
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0
An overhead photograph of chocolate tarts and individual chocolates on a textured white surface with white sprinkles and lavender.

Americans spend nearly $2 billion on Valentine’s Day tributes: Keep your share of that spending local with these gorgeous treats from area businesses.

Early Catholic authorities, annoyed by the surprising popularity of Lupercalia, an ancient Roman fertility festival celebrated on February 15, displaced it with commemoration of the February 14 martyrdom of St. Valentine, a priest who had continued to marry soldiers and their wives in spite of a prohibition put in place by (probably) mad Emperor Claudius. The good saint, martyred in 269 CE, did not give out gifts, but he was pro-romance.

Valentine’s Day chocolates really get going in 1861 when Frye and Co., a British chocolatier, invented their heart-shaped “fancy box” of bonbons. Its message of sweet love took hold quickly, and now chocolate and love are entwined…like lovers.

Mediterra Café’s chocolate raspberry tart is pure deliciousness for young and old. Buy enough for everyone’s Valentine’s Day dessert because everyone will want in, or make the recipe below!

Mon Aimée in the Strip District is a chocoholic’s dream. We sampled pomegranate truffles, dark chocolate hearts, Pacari Dark Chocolate Chili Pepper bar, and Butler’s Honeycomb Crisp Milk Chocolate bar.

Casey Renee of Confections Pittsburgh explores dreaminess with lollies, candies, and heart-shaped chocolates laced with full-spectrum CBD oil. If your beloved tends to be a little tense, perhaps this is a gift for both of you?  Renee shares recipes for her CBD candies and heart-shaped chocolates recipes!

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An overhead photograph of chocolate tarts and individual chocolates on a textured white surface with white sprinkles and lavender.

I Heart Chocolate Tarts

  • Author: Mediterra Café
Print Recipe

Description

A decadent and deeply indulgent treat for your loved one.

Ingredients

Scale

For the crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups AP flour
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 4 1/2 oz (1 stick + 1 tbsp) very cold butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 large egg yolk

For the filling:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 10 oz semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs, room-temp preferred

For the ganache: (an optional topping, but will create a smooth finish)

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 18 oz semisweet chocolate

Instructions

For the crust:

  1. Put the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor, pulse to blend. Scatter in the butter, and pulse about a dozen times, until the butter is cut in. You’ll have pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and others the size of peas.
  2. Stir the yolk to break it up and add it in 3 additions, pulsing after each.
  3. Pulse until the dough has curds and clumps; it should hold together when you pinch it. Turn it out onto a counter, knead it into a ball and flatten it into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill.
  4. Roll the dough into an 11-inch circle between layers of parchment or wax paper. If you do not have either on hand, roll out onto a floured work surface.
  5. Fit the dough into a 9-to-9½-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, trimming the top evenly with the pan’s edges. Refrigerate the crust in the pan for at least 1 hour. If you need it in a hurry, you can put it in the freezer until firm.
  6. Heat the oven to 400. Place the pan on a baking sheet, and cover with a piece of buttered foil or parchment, pressing it lightly to cover the crust’s bottom and sides; fill with rice or dried beans. This will help the tart hold its shape.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and rice. If you’re going to bake the tart again with a filling, bake it uncovered for 5 minutes more. If you’ll be using a no-bake filling, bake the uncovered crust for an additional 8 to 10 minutes.
  8. Cool for at least 30 minutes before filling.

For the filling:

  1. Heat heavy cream and milk over medium until it simmers around the edges. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir until smooth. Whisk in sugar and salt. Beat eggs in a small bowl and add into the chocolate mixture until smooth.
  2. Pour filling into cooled tart shells and bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes until the surface is glossy.

For the ganache:

  1. Heat heavy cream over medium heat until it simmers around the edges. Do not overheat the heavy cream.
  2. Measure chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Once heavy cream is ready pour over chocolate chips, let sit for a minute. Whisk until completely combined.

Notes

  • If you start to see bubbles or cracks that means you are over-baking your tart.
  • If you add hot cream to the chocolate, it’s imperative to let it stand for a minute or so to let the chocolate melt a little on its own. This helps prevent tiny specks of chocolate in the finished product. Use any extra ganache to make hot chocolate.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Styling by Brittany Spinelli
Story by Keith Recker
Photography by Dave Bryce
Background sprinkles from River Road Sprinkle Co.

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Valentine’s Day Sweet Treats

By
Keith Recker
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0
Valentine's Day Sweet Treats: Clockwise from top left: Sinful Sweets’ chocolate-covered pretzel dusted with toffee crumbs. Tabbara Chocolate’s stylish bonbons. Lux Artisan Chocolates’ macadamia nut, almond, and coconut bar. Sarris Candies’ chocolate-covered pretzel sticks. More candies from Tabbara Chocolates. On the tray, from top: Toffee Taboo from All in Good Taste Productions. Chocolate-striped potato chips from Sarris Candies. Chocolate-covered s’mores from The Milkshake Factory.
Delicious Valentine's Day sweet treats to satisfy your cravings.

Wondering what sweet treats will impress this Valentine’s Day? We’ve compiled some of our favorites from local chocolatiers and confectioners to make Valentine’s a little sweeter from traditional european technique to modern american favorites, to an experiential Valentine’s celebrations featuring the Butler Sweet Tooth trail, this list has you covered.

Sinful Sweets

With everything made fresh daily in their downtown Liberty Avenue store since 2011, Sinful Sweets is a go-to for pecan turtles, salted caramels, and toffee. Founder Chris Weck comments, “My mom always said that there’s love in food,” and her sweet sentiment comes across in the chocolate, mixed in with a spark from Chris. “My family owns a traditional chocolate-making business in Chicago, and I’m always breaking the rules a little bit. I love making candy for kids and families, and supporting Pittsburghers with this business.” Sinful Sweets just added a second location at Ross Park Mall. sinfulsweetspgh.com

Tabbara Artisan Chocolate

Nancy Tabbara is reviving three generations of family tradition with her exquisitely crafted bonbons. Her offerings blend the sophistication of mid-century Beirut with a sharp, contemporary sense of flavor and design. Classics like chocolate-covered macadamia clusters and candied orange peel join modern fantasies like beautiful-to-behold chocolate bonbons filled with passion fruit or raspberry jelly and vanilla ganache. tabbarachocolates.com

Sarris Candies

Founded by Frank Sarris about 60 years ago, and now run by his son, Bill, and other family members, Sarris Candies is all about quality and generosity. Well-known for their philanthropy, and for empowering the fundraising efforts of schools and organizations around the country, the company is also a source of a vast variety of delicious sweets. The chocolate-covered pretzels and potato chips shown here are popular salty-and-sweet crowd pleasers. But the big picture is much broader, and best perceived with a visit to the flagship Sarris store in Canonsburg. sarriscandies.com

Toffee Taboo

All in Good Taste Productions founder Bob Sendall started this chocolate line in 2004 with his signature Toffee Taboo. The recipe? Start with toffee-encrusted almonds and cashews in dark Belgian chocolate. Top with kosher salt and drizzles of white and dark chocolate. Infuse the combo with Sendall’s always upbeat, always sunny energy, and you have one of Pittsburgh’s most delectable sweet treats. store.allingoodtasteproductions.com

Milkshake Factory

Edward Marc Chocolatier and The Milk Shake Factory, started by fourth-generation chocolatier siblings, spring from their family’s century-plus of gourmet confection legacy to elevate every dessert occasion. The Milk Shake Factory, a modern twist on the old-fashioned soda shop, features flavors including Peanut Butter Brownie, Bananas Foster, and Fried Ice Cream. Limited edition items appear every season, including creamy Hot Chocolate and festive shakes. Among the most popular chocolates are Dark Chocolate Salted Caramels, Chocolate Covered S’mores, Fresh Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, and fun seasonal gifting chocolates. themilkshakefactory.com

Lux Artisan Chocolates

Shelby Ortz began her exploration of tempting flavors and beautiful food compositions in the pastry kitchens of Eleven and Soba. She struck out on her own in 2013 with Lux Artisan Chocolates, her all-handmade, all-natural line of chocolate bars, bonbons, and more. We’re big fans of her chocolate bars, and there are several hidden in drawers around the office. Our favorites? Dark chocolate with macadamia, almond, and coconut. luxartisanchocolates.com

Beyond the Box of Chocolate

An Experimental Sweet Treat Trail

This Valentine’s day hit the road and explore the county through its sweets, from ice cream shops and local bakeries to candy stores. The trail, as they say, will make you “feel like a kid again…” as long as you keep your elbows off the dinner table.

Our advice? Break up the trail with lunch at the Chop Shop on Butler’s Main Street. Fend off the sugar crash with a Reuben or seitan shawarma! We also loved The Harmony Inn on Mercer Street in Harmony, whose sandwiches and diverse beer list are sure to please.

To get you started, here are the spots we visited on a trip down the trail:

Peace, Love, and Little Donuts

Pint-sized donuts are the shop’s specialty. Find them in flavors like apple pie, birthday cake, chocolate chip cookie dough, and much, much more.

Tin Man Sweets Bake Shoppe

Find everything you need (and more!) inside the pastry cases at Tin Man Sweets Bake Shoppe, from tartlets and eclairs to cakes, chocolates, and cupcakes. The bakery has one goal – make everything taste as good as it looks. We can assure you, it does!

Baldinger’s Candy

Take a step back in time at Baldinger’s, an old-school candy shop. Stop inside to see their famous, 19th-Century cash register and grab a bag of hard-to-find candies, like anise squares and wax lips.

Wendereusz’s Candy and More

Using recipes that have been passed through generations, Wendereusz’s crafts artisan, delicious chocolates. Find them in all kinds of shapes and flavors! We’re fans of their famous turtles, made with pecans and caramel, traditional cherry cordials, and long list of filled truffles.

Nothing Bundt Cakes

Bundt cakes are the stars of this Cranberry Township bakery. 10 flavors – red velvet and chocolate chocolate chip are two of the fan favorites – make up their menu of mini Bundtlets and bite-sized Bunitinis, every one finished off with their signature cream cheese icing.

Photography by Dave Bryce / Story and Styling by Keith Recker

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Granola and Coconut Chia Pudding

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Jordan Snowden
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A hand on the left digs into coconut chai pudding and granola. Next to that bowl sits plates of fruit and salad. Here we share the granola recipe and the recipe for the chia pudding.

Consider time in the kitchen an opportunity to connect with yourself, and to infuse the day with mindfulness and good feeling. Savor a healthy snack and recommit to the goals you’ve set. Fairmont Pittsburgh Sous Chef Caleb Allen shares his recipes for Coconut Chia Pudding and Fl.2 Granola as one way to enjoy your quiet time.

Fl. 2 Granola Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 vanilla bean
8 cups rolled oats
2 cups sliced almonds
2 cups pine nuts
3 cups coconut
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup vegetable oil
Pinch of sea salt
2 cups raisins

DIRECTIONS

Cut the vanilla beans and scrape out seeds into a bowl. Add dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Combine. Bake at 325° until golden brown. Add raisins to mix once cooled.

Coconut Chia Pudding Recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 cups coconut milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
¼ cup water
½ cup chia seeds

DIRECTIONS

Combine wet ingredients, then whisk in chia seeds. Transfer to airtight container and refrigerate overnight. Once set, layer it, starting with the pudding, then granola, then diced mango or any fruit you like!

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Forging Forward: Food from the Heart

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staff-author
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Tom Berna, Fishes and Loaves Cooperative Ministries’ operations manager, says that the organization serves 60 to 70 households five days a week. Photo by Jeff Swensen

Forging Forward 2022 is a series of six articles about organizations helping our region make progress on the significant issues challenging our friends and neighbors. The series is presented with the generous support of The Pittsburgh Foundation.  

The #ONEDAY Critical Needs Campaign, a day of online giving to organizations doing vital work, is on August 9: mark your calendars and plan to be part of something great!

One of the most famous parables of the Bible has Jesus, through faith and love, feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two fishes. This metaphor for multiplying goodness in the service of others is the backbone of Fishes & Loaves Cooperative Ministries. Based in the Hazelwood community of Pittsburgh, this nonprofit organization offers Meals on Wheels, congregate lunch, emergency food, and a buying club for residents of Hazelwood, Glenwood, Glen Hazel and most of Greenfield.

After the last grocery store closed in the Hazelwood community more than a decade ago, the community decided to start a buying club and shopping service to serve their neighbors and friends. “This was before Instacart,” said Tom Berna, operations manager. “We started shopping twice a month for about 15 to 20 families. When the pandemic hit, those numbers doubled. And we continue to serve 60 to 70 clients a day, five days a week,” he added.

The organization operates out of St. Stephen Catholic Church Pastoral Center and utilizes a commercial kitchen and pantry storage in the Spartan Community Center of Hazelwood.

While Meals on Wheels is the noprofit’s primary focus, serving more than 100 people a week, it also created a grab-and-go program where people have the option to dine and congregate with other community members. It also offers an emergency food program, which originated during the pandemic.

“In 2018, people would call and say, “I don’t have any food in my house.” We started to think about this: ‘Why don’t we deliver emergency food?’ We began giving out food and by 2021, we gave out 12,000 pounds of food to 100 families. We are one of the few food pantries that deliver. We get calls from people who can’t get to us, providing food once-a-month within a seven-mile radius,” said Tom, a former engineer-turned-deacon who, prior to coming to Pittsburgh worked around the country in hospitals and prisons.

Through this work, Tom and his team have also provided wellness checks, connecting community members to other resources and support systems. He and his team are often the first people who connect with those in need of help.

“I was bringing food to one home and the woman answered the door in a bedsheet. Her boyfriend had taken all of her clothes, and her children’s clothing, too. We were able to find her support so that she could send her children back to school, properly clothed, and so that she could get back to work, as well,” he said.

Never knowing what he may encounter, leading with compassion and an open heart has served him well over the years. Not only does Fishes & Loaves feed the body, but the work nourishes peoples’ souls, too.

“It gives people hope that there is help available and there are people doing it out of the kindness of their hearts,” said Tom. The organization currently has two part-time employees and 20 volunteers. During the pandemic all have worn masks and gloves and implemented contactless delivery service and grab-and-go lunches.

“When the government checks went out during Covid, we saw a decrease in need for emergency food. But once those checks ran out, the demand went right back up again,” he noted. Working with The Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank and 412 Food Rescue, the nonprofit has been able to provide fresh and shelf-stable foods that are nutritious and delicious. “Once in a while we get pastries from Giant Eagle, which is always a nice treat,” he said.

Groups like The Pittsburgh Foundation help provide Fishes & Loaveswith the funds it needs to continue its mission. “This work is why I get out of bed in the morning,” said Tom. “When we help our neighbors, we uplift everyone.”

Join The Pittsburgh Foundation’s ONE DAY campaign to provide support to Fishes & Loaves Community Ministry on Aug. 9. Together, we can create a healthy, more equitable world.

Get to know Fishes & Loaves Cooperative Ministries here, and support its work to address our neighbors in need.

Read about other organizations doing vital work to help our neighbors in Western Pennsylvania by reading more in our Forging Forward series, presented with the support of The Pittsburgh Foundation:

Tech 25: The Future is Now

Outreach Teen and Family Services

Neighborhood Legal Services

Fishes and Loaves

Build the Community Center

Healthy Start

Easing the food insecurity of our neighbors is the mission of Fishes and Loaves. Photo by Jeff Swensen

Tom Berna, operations manager for Fishes and Loaves, loads up supplies. Photo by Jeff Swensen

Fishes and Loaves delivers to residents of Hazelwood, Glenwood, Glen Hazel and most of Greenfield. Photo by Jeff Swensen

STORY BY NATALIE BENCIVENGAPHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTIN MERRIMAN

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