Dining in--Minneapolis/St. Paul cookbook

“Pronto’s not a suburban concept,” says Phil of its home in the sec- ond level of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. “It’s upbeat. We knew we wanted to be downtown.” The pasta kitchen’s tiled walls, floors, and glossy chairs in test-lab white face the glassed-in panorama of the courtyard promenade, which continues on past Pronto’s more formal dining area. This room is decorated in muted tones, with lights a soft apricot color, with mirrored walls forming a backdrop to the room’s centerpiece, an open oven filled with crusty loaves of bread. “In Italy, dining never will be separated from art,” Phil comments. “There’s a spirit that’s involved, and it’s a lifestyle we try to capture here.” They succeed on all counts in that effort. Hyatt Regency Hotel 1300 Nicollet Mall Minneapolis PRONTO RISTORANTE ANTIPASTO DI MARE RIVIERASCO Y2 cup white wine 6 ounces squid 12 littleneck clams, washed Ya pound sea scallops 6 mussels, scrubbed 1 cup MARINARA SAUCE and debearded Salt and pepper a2 large shrimp, shelled, 1 cup chopped parsley deveined, and heads 2 lemons, each cut in removed 6 wedges 1. Pour the wine into a sauté pan. Heat over medium heat until sim- mering. Add the clams and mussels; cover and poach until they open, approximately 2 minutes. Discard any that do not open. Add the shrimp, squid, and scallops and continue to poach until the shrimp start to turn opaque, approximately 1 minute. 2. Add the Marinara Sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer an additional 2 minutes to blend all the flavors. 3. To serve, place in a large serving bowl or in individual serving dishes. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and garnish with the lemon wedges. MARINARA SAUCE Y4 cup good-qualit 1 tablespoon chopped fresh virgin olive ot basil or pinch of 1 clove garlic, chopped dried basil 1 (2-pound) can whole Pinch of sugar Italian plum tomatoes, Salt and pepper to taste peeled 1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and brown lightly, approximately 1 to 2 minutes; do not burn. 2. Ina bowl, crush the tomatoes by hand. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the basil, sugar, and salt and pepper to the saucepan; lower heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced but still loose and runny. We’re dedicated to being absolutely authentic. Italian names precede the English ones on our menu. A language specialist led us through the pronun- ciation of the Italian alphabet. 139 — N OG > Ol PRONTO RISTORANTE PASTA PRIMAVERA 1 medium-size bunch 2 red bell peppers, cut broccoli, cut in florets vertically in 7" strips 1 medium-size head Y2 cup fresh peas (optional) cauliflower, cut in florets 1 teaspoon salt 1 large zucchini, halved and 1 pound fresh egg fettucine sliced into 4" 1 quart ALFREDO SAUCE julienne strips Ys cup freshly grated 2 medium-size carrots, Parmigiano Reggiano halved and sliced into cheese 44" julienne strips Y, pound green beans, cut in 1” pieces . Place the broccoli florets in a saucepan and add water to cover. Blanch over medium heat approximately 5 minutes. Drain, reserv- ing cooking liquid. Plunge into cold water to refresh. Using separate pans, repeat with the cauliflower florets, zucchini, carrots, green beans, pepper, and peas, again reserving the cooking liquid. . Inalarge bowl, thoroughly combine the blanched vegetables and re- frigerate at least 1 hour or overnight, if desired. . Inalarge stockpot, place the reserved vegetable liquid with water to obtain at least 5 quarts. Bring to a rapid boil. Add the salt and then the fettucine. Stir well with a fork to separate the noodles. Cook the pasta 2 to 3 minutes or until al dente. The fresh pasta will cook quick- ly and float to the top when it is al dente. Immediately remove from water with a pronged wooden spoon. Drain and keep warm. . Ina separate saucepan, warm the Alfredo Sauce over low heat for 2