Almost Italian

Actor Pino Ammendola as Fra Diavolo

In Little Italys all over America, the name Fra Diavolo is applied to dishes cooked with enough spicy heat to impress the devil himself.

But the literal translation of Fra Diavolo, ‘brother devil,’ refers to the legendary Italian brigand, Michele Pezza (1771-1806), who carried out highway robbery and sundry crimes along the Appian Way. His ‘success’ was attributed, in part, to his disguise—that of a Franciscan friar—which earned him the sobriquet ‘Fra Diavolo.’

Recognizing Pezza’s talents in eluding capture, the King of Naples offered him amnesty in exchange for his services to fight the French. Fra Diavolo earned accolades as a Neapolitan hero until he was captured by the French and subsequently sent to the gallows.

So, how does a highwayman’s nickname relate to a spicy feature of Italian-American cooking?

I can only imagine that when old Napolitani gathered to tell stories of Pezza’s exploits, someone in the crowd would shrug his shoulders (as only an Italian can), and say, “Beh, when you’re hot, you’re hot.”

But, once again, my editor has other ideas… She notes that “deviled” dishes as well as those with Escoffier’s sauce diable had a long tradition in British and French cuisines. Northern Italy, too, had dishes alla diavolo. The heat or bite in all of these came from mustard, black pepper, and, occasionally, horseradish. She suggests that the appearance of deviled dishes on French and American menus gave Italian-American restaurateurs aspiring to white-tablecloth status the idea of renaming their peppery red sauce.

Whatever its antecedents, we have to be honest: while the sauce is delicious, we would never use it on lobster. We both grew up on the shores of New England, where the convention is to eat lobster with drawn butter. One of us thinks that red sauce on lobster goes too far, and we both agree that the delicate taste of lobster, scallops, and most other seafood can be overwhelmed by the wrong proportions of sauce to shellfish.

Nonetheless, because we know there are many who relish this spicy sauce, we want to provide our readers with a good recipe for one of the most extravagant dishes in the entire Almost Italian repertoire. Lobster Fra Diavolo is a favorite addition to the table for La Vigilia (Christmas Eve), when Italian-Americans celebrate with the Feast of the Seven Fishes. And it doesn’t hurt that the dish is red and white, garnished with green—a veritable Almost Italian holiday proclamation.

Do not be tempted to buy a jar of red sauce, no matter how “gourmet” its label may appear to be. As any kitchen capo knows, lobsters deserve your respect.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

When lobster is involved, you might wish for a little of Fra Diavolo’s booty. In truth, we find that shrimp stand up to the Fra Diavolo treatment better than any other shellfish, and thus, we are presenting two recipes—one for scampi and one for lobster.

At restaurants like The Daily Catch in Boston’s North End and Umberto’s Clam Bar in New York’s Little Italy, you can watch as chefs in their open kitchens quickly sauté the shrimp, add the marinara, and bring everything together with the linguine.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo Photo © 2008, Skip Lombardi

Ingredients:

2 Lbs Raw shrimp (about 40 to the pound), peeled and deveined
2 Tbs. Olive oil
4 Garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Cup dry white wine
3 Cups of My Grandmother’s Tomato Sauce
½ tsp. (or more) Dried red-pepper flakes
2 Tbs Fresh basil, finely chopped
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 Lb. linguine
4 Tbs. Flat-leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped

Preparation:

Season the shrimp on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring a large pot of water (at least 6 quarts) to the boil for the pasta. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, then add the oil. Add the shrimp and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and sauté for an additional minute or until shrimp are just beginning to turn pink. (Do not crowd the pan; prepare shrimp in batches if necessary.) Remove the shrimp from the pan to a plate.

Return the pan to medium-high heat. Stir in the wine. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 – 2 minutes to evaporate the alcohol. Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir in the marinara and red pepper flakes, and cook for 15 minutes or until sauce has thickened slightly. Stir in the basil, and shrimp and cook for 3 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as necessary. While the sauce is cooking, add the pasta to the water, and cook until al dente. Drain in a colander and reserve.

To Serve:

Spread the pasta onto a warmed platter. Pour the shrimp and tomato sauce over the pasta, and garnish with the parsley. Serve family-style. If you prefer, divide the pasta equally among four dinner plates and spoon one-quarter of the shrimp and tomato sauce over each plate. Garnish with the parsley.

Serves four.

Lobster Fra Diavolo

Ingredients:

4 Tbs. Olive oil
2 Cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 Medium onion, finely chopped
1 Cup White wine
1 28 Oz Can Italian plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
½ tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
½ Cup flat-leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 Bay leaf
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 1 Lb. Lobsters, claws detached, bodies cut in half *
1 Lb. Spaghetti or Linguine
4 Tbs. Flat-leaf Italian parsley

Preparation:

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, then add the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute. Add the onion and sauté for 3 — 4 minutes, until it becomes translucent.

Raise the heat to high and add the wine. Boil for 1 — 2 minutes to evaporate the alcohol, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, parsley, and bay leaf.

Simmer for 15 — 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Bring a large pot of salted water (at least 6 quarts) to a boil to be ready for the pasta.

In the meantime, take the pre-cooked lobster parts and slide them into the sauce. Warm them through for about 5 — 10 minutes over medium-low heat.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook to the al dente state. Drain in a colander and spread onto a serving platter.

To Serve:

Arrange the lobster pieces and spoon the sauce over the pasta. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve family-style. Be sure each diner has a stack of napkins and a nutcracker to use on the claws.

Serves four.

Buon Appetito e Buon Natale

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