With yesterday’s column on Aglianico fresh in my mind, I began thinking about food pairings that highlight this great grape. In the quest for something different, I turned of course to the intertubes. First hit certainly qualified: “Bistecca d’asino,” which is, of course … [level-members]
Moving right along, let’s shoot for something not quite that different.
Since there are so many great styles of Aglianico, you can go in many directions, depending on the wines you’re serving. By and large, though, these are big, bold wines. No point in pairing them with anything fussy or delicate. Fish and poultry are probably out, though if you’ve spiced something heavily, that could work. (Not spicy as in heat, spicy as in flavor.)
I’m going to pair our next Aglianico with a house favorite: spicy sausage with white beans, garlic and kale. We’ll tone down the vinegar-y dressing, but this is otherwise a very nice pairing.
Our dinner last night – a pasta with a hearty red meat sauce – is a nice fit, too.
If you’re sitting on an Aglianico with some age to it, it has probably softened to the point were it will pair well with veal or pork.
And if you’re looking for something different but not “Bistecca d’asino” different, there’s always goat. Very popular in Aglianico’s stomping grounds. Not feeling that adventurous? Italian stalwarts like eggplant parmigiana and even pizza will work. [/level-members]