Mike Isabella: D.C.’s celeb chef

Good food, yes. But fame has also hit Isabella head on with fans running up to him on sidewalks and at airports. “When you go on national television,” he said, “that opens a million doors. It’s hard for a chef to make money, but people believe him when they see it on television. That’s what really happened.” After all, 10-plus million viewers watched his, he says, and most of them remember his gnocchi and the chicken with pepperoni, both dishes he prepared on the show.

But Isabella’s celebrity has become only one outcome of his TV stint. The other, and obviously more important, has been his evolution as a top chef. “I grew a lot during the two years I was on Top Chef,” he said. “That person wasn’t who I was. My food grew and changed, and so did my attitude. I watched how others worked, and that changed me.”

Describing how he has become a more toned-down and reflective chef, Isabella speaks quite openly about his being a “blue-collar type of guy,” one who can proudly serve forth in the restaurant the rustic, family-style eats of his youth. “Growing up in New Jersey,” he said, “I went to diners that were open 24/7. I serve here a lot of the child flavors, like my cherry tomato sauce….It’s the food I grew up with in New Jersey.”

It’s also the food he learned to cook with his grandmother. “My mom was a single parent,” he said, “so my grandmother came to babysit and she cooked with me. I was about 5 to 7 years old when I started rolling meatballs. I was a hyper kid, making and cooking gnocchi. I loved food as a kid.” And, he says, he has always loved the bigger, bolder flavors Isabella has re-created in his Graffiato cooking.

Isabella also points out that like he himself, the restaurant is without pretensions, a real homey Italian place. “It’s my house,” he explained. “So you eat like you are at my house. Everyone gets treated the same.” Not surprisingly, Isabella says that his mother, sister, and brother are all proud of what he has accomplished. “I have worked really hard,” he says. “I have taken many risks.”

At 36, Isabella concludes by saying he has zero regrets about his career choice.

What is your comfort food?

It’s my favorite, spaghetti and red sauce. It is the food I ate growing up. My grandma cooked it for years.

What has been the greatest influence on your cooking career?

It’s been that I worked a lot for a lot of great chefs, and of course, Top Chef. Then chef Jos? Garces in Philadelphia

Which are your favorite ingredients?

Lemons, olive oil, and sea salt. That’s how I cook.

Which is your favorite city?

Chicago, because that’s where I got engaged. It’s a beautiful city with great restaurants.

What’s in your fridge?

A lot of food. We are testing lots of recipe for my book. Veal cutlets, lasagna, meat balls. All family-centered recipes from my childhood.

Recipe

Hand Cut Spaghetti With Olive Oil-Poached Cherry Tomato Sauce

Serves 4

Fresh Pasta Dough

Prep Time = 20-25 minutes

Inactive Prep Time = 1 hour

Ingredients

180 grams “00” flour (found in a specialty food store…if not, all purpose flour can be substituted) approximately 1 to 1 1/2 cup

3 large egg yolks

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

flour for dusting

Directions

Add the “oo” flour to a food processor with the dough hook blade. Whisk together the egg yolks, water and extra virgin olive oil. Turn on the food processor and slowly add the mixture. Continue to mix until tiny dough balls form, approximately 1 minute. If the dough is too wet, add a little flour…if the dough is too dry, add a little water.

Remove the dough ball and sprinkle with flour. Knead the dough for approximately 1 minute. Cover tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Remove from the refrigerator 10 minutes before use. Divide the pasta dough into 4 equal pieces. Using a pasta machine, roll out each piece on the widest setting and pass through 2 times. In between each time fold over the pasta sheet in thirds. Dust with the flour, as needed, to prevent sticking. Adjust the roller to the next setting, and pass through 2 times, folding the sheet in between each time. Continue this until you reach the fifth widest setting (or your desired thickness). Lay the pasta sheets on a lightly floured baking tray, and sprinkle lightly with flour while you finish the other pieces.

Hand-cut the pasta sheets into 1/8-inch-thick spaghetti strips lengthwise. Cover with a damp kitchen towel until you are ready to cook.

Olive Oil-Poached Cherry Tomato Sauce

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup small-diced shallots

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes

8 Thai basil stems (regular basil stems can be substituted)

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

8 fresh Thai basil leaves, thinly sliced for garnish (regular basil stems can be substituted)

drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Bring a large pot of water to the boil. To blanch and peel the cherry tomatoes, score the tomatoes on top with an “x”, and add the tomatoes to the boiling water. Blanch for 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer the tomatoes to a bowl of ice water, and shock them to stop the cooking. When they are cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skins.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and sweat for 3 to 4 minutes; add the garlic and continue to sweat for 2 minutes longer. Add the crushed tomatoes, Thai basil leaves, and red chili flakes and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the peeled cherry tomatoes, and continue to cook for 12 to 15 minutes longer. Once the sauce is done, remove from the heat and discard the basil stems. Stir in the salt and pepper. The sauce can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 hours.

To Assemble the Dish

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, and add the salt (recommend 3 tablespoons) to season the water.

Meanwhile, reheat the sauce over medium heat.

Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the spaghetti and stir to prevent sticking. Cook for 2 minutes, or just until tender.

Before draining the pasta, make sure to reserve the cooking water. Transfer the spaghetti to the sauce and toss all together. Add ? cup of the reserved pasta water, and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes longer (adding the pasta water will help thicken the sauce slightly).

Transfer to a large serving dish and garnish with the Thai basil leaves and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to finish. Serve family style on a platter, or serve the pasta in individual bowls.