Lovard x Off the Menu: Misi

Misi x Lovard 

If there’s one thing we are dreaming about while stuck inside, it’s having a glass of wine and bite to eat outside on a patio in one of our favorite cities. Whether we're in New York, Texas or exploring around the world the Ladies of Lovard always have a new restaurant or cocktail bar on their radar. It’s no secret that the Coronavirus has impacted the hospitality industry. Thousands of kitchens have closed around the country with nearly a million restaurant professionals left without any source of income. The bartender who always gives you a free shot or the chef who makes the pasta you have to have every time you’re in a certain city is likely without a job. Over the next 6 weeks we'll be chatting with some of our favorite New York City chefs, sommeliers and bartenders on how to bring their favorite restaurant staples to life in the comforts of their own home. We will contribute 10% of every bag sold that week to the featured GoFundMe page, set up to help each restaurant's staff during this uncertain time. 

In New York City getting a table at Misi is its own rite of passage. If you’re walking by Domino Park around 5PM on any given day of the week you'll probably notice a steady line of people waiting outside trying their luck at a table. The food is that good. The second restaurant of Chef Missy Robbins happens to be around the corner from our studio in Williamsburg. Popping in for a spritz and a bowl of pasta has become a weekly ritual after a long day at the office. This week while brainstorming quarantine menus, we found ourselves craving some comfort food. While we haven’t hopped on the bread baking train just yet, the amount of time we’ve spent perched at Misi’s kitchen counter that overlooks an open kitchen, gave us the confidence to take a stab at making our own spaghetti. The best thing about spaghetti is the endless options to dress it up. Red sauce, pesto, the list goes on. We were lucky to chat with our friend Steven Tikelis, sommelier at Misi about what to pair with our favorite spaghetti staples.

For the Spaghetti

What You’ll Need 

⅔ cup of flour r)

⅔ cup of Semolina flour

2 eggs

Splash of your favorite olive oil.

Putting It All Together 

Mix together the flours on a flat surface and make a hole in the center. 

Crack both eggs into the middle and add the olive oil.

Using a fork, whisk together the eggs until light and fluffy. Slowly and carefully begin incorporating the flours into the center until you feel like you can bring together a nice dough.

Using the heel of your palms, begin to knead the dough until smooth and silky. 

Flatten the pasta into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

After the dough has refrigerated, cut the dough in half and shape into a ball. Begin rolling out the dough with a rolling pin (if you don’t have a rolling pin go full Italian grandma and use a wine bottle), shaping in the sides as you roll to make a nice long oval shape.

Continue rolling the dough until the dough is thin enough for you to see the shape of your hand through it. Fold the ends of the dough into the middle, then fold the folded ends in again toward the middle again. Do that one more time.

Trim the edges of the folded pasta, then begin cutting thin strips. Weave your knife through the folds of the pasta, shaking the knife to loosen the pasta threads.

Boil the pasta in heavily salted water for around 4 minutes until al-dente.

We’ve included three of our favorite ways to enjoy your homemade pasta along with Misi sommelier Steven Tikellis picks on what to drink. All of the wines listed below can be found at 

Dandy Wine & Spirits in Williamsburg (next-door to Misi!) If you’re in New York you can email or call them to order for pick-up or delivery 7 days a week. Not in New York? Call up your local wine shop and support a small business! 

Spaghetti with Pomodoro

What You’ll Need...

1 lb. spaghetti

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 medium tomatoes, chopped 

Salt (kosher works best)

Freshly ground black pepper

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

2 tbsp. thinly sliced basil, plus more for garnish

Freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish

Putting It All Together

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook your pasta for about 4 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain the rest. 

In another large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. 

Add tomatoes and cook until the pot looks juicy. 

Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. 

Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.

 Stir in basil. 

Add spaghetti and ¼ cup pasta water. Toss to combine. 

Add the rest of the pasta water to bring sauce together as needed. 

Garnish with more basil and Parmesan before serving.

What to Drink

Steven’s Pick: Oltretorrente, Colli Tortonesi Rosso 2018 (Piedmont, Italy). “It’s no secret that a bold red sauce calls for a bold red wine.  A hearty pomodoro is warming and familiar, but still bright and acidic, as is a great Barbera from Piedmont. If you’re looking to expand beyond your go-to Sangiovese, Barbera’s tart fruit and warm spice will make you feel right at home. Oltretorrente — an unbelievably sweet husband + wife team that revived old vines in very small area within Colli Tortonesi — makes the perfect Barbera with a splash of Dolcetto that’s got the soul to hold up to the rustic flavors of any pomodoro”

Spaghetti with Pesto

What You’ll Need…

1lb of spaghetti

½ cup pine nuts (optional for allergies) 

3 oz. Parmesan, grated (about ¾ cup)

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

6 cups basil leaves (about 3 bunches)

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook your pasta for about 4 minutes.

 Reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain the rest. 

Place pesto and 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces, in a large bowl. 

Add pasta and ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid.

 Using tongs, toss with enthusiasm, adding more pasta cooking liquid if needed, until pasta is glossy and well coated with sauce.

 Season with salt.

What To Drink

Steven’s Pick: Wine: Nikolaihof ‘Zwickl’ 2017, $30 (Wachau, Austria). “When I think of a classic basil pesto, I think green, vegetal, herbaceous, delicious— much like when I think of a killer Gruner Veltliner from Austria. Gruner brings a bright, refreshing acidity that makes it one of the most versatile wines to pair with any food. The pairing here of green with green can’t go wrong, and the softer, creamy character of Gruner from lees aging will round it out, playing the same role as the parmigiano in your sauce. Nikolaihof’s 2017 Gruner Veltliner from the Wachau region of Austria is a great example of how GV balances that lean, green character with the richness that a pesto calls for.” 

‘Midnight Pasta’: Spaghetti with AnchovyGarlic/Caper/Red Pepper

What You’ll Need...

1 pound spaghetti

 Salt

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

4 anchovy filets, rinsed and chopped

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

 Parmesan for grating 

Putting It All Together

Put the spaghetti in a large pot of well-salted rapidly boiling water and cook only until firmly al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, warm the olive oil in a skillet or saucepan at medium heat. 

Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, don’t let the garlic brown 

Stir in the anchovies, capers and red pepper and cook for about 30 seconds. 

Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. 

Pour in the garlic mixture, add the parsley, and toss until all of our pasta is coated. 

Grate Parmesan to finish

What To Drink

Steven’s Pick: Collecapretta ‘Vigna Vecchia’ 2016, $42 (Umbria, Italy). “This recipe reminds me of my favorite dish at Misi, which I would pair with Collecapretta’s ‘Vigna Vecchia’ every day of quarantine and never get bored. Ever. A skin-contact Trebbiano from Umbria, Collecapretta’s ‘Vigna Vecchia’ has an incredible salinity to it that is the perfect pairing for pasta with anchovy. Full disclosure: this is an “orange” wine, but don’t hesitate for a second. Collecapretta’s style is elegant, classic Umbrian, and brings the depth in texture and aromatics to hold up to the umami sensation from the anchovy/garlic/red chili combo.” 

Every meal we’ve had at Misi we leave feeling the warmth of the staff. We can imagine how badly they must want to get back to work after all of this and cannot wait to see them on the other side. Here’s the link to donate to the teams GoFundMe

Want the full experience? We’ve made a playlist for you to boogie down to while you cool. Show us your final product and stay safe!