lo sciopero

When I came to Italy years ago as an au pair, I had a wonderful book called "Teach Yourself Italian" which I used to do just that. The book is very practical so it begins with things you will surely need right away in Italy such as: how to ask what things cost, how to get directions, and how to ask for help when your mode of transportation is shut down due to a strike.

Striking is sort of an Italian way of life, so when prices on Pasta and Bread, things that everyone needs, were set to rise 20% the Italians called for a "Sciopero della Pasta" on September 13th. This was a "symbolic strike" because it was set to last only one day. As serious as Italians can be about their strikes when it means not working, they are less strong willed when it means forgoing gastronomic pleasures and even those planning the strike knew many could not hold out any longer than that. I was very enthusiastic to be able to participate on the striking end of the sciopero! I made Chris promise not to eat pasta for lunch and resolved also not to buy pasta.

I was planning on cooking Ragu alla Bolognese for dinner but I figured that was probably okay since I had already bought the pasta, right? At the last minute I decided I wanted to make some Bruschetta for dinner so I had to run to the store for tomatoes. Since I have already explained that such a trip is really an odyssey, I wanted to make it worth my while so I picked up some other things as well. As I was passing by the fish counter I saw a woman buy some fish and ask the guy to clean them. I am intimidated by the fish counter because the fish are almost all whole and there is a giant real swordfish head sticking out of the display, but if someone else cleans them for you, well, I thought, that must make it much easier. So after I got everything else I went back to the counter. The only name I understood on the signs was Branzino, which I saw on a restaurant menu once. I asked for one Branzino to be cleaned. As the guy weighed it I realized I had forgotten to do all the things that Alton Brown suggests when buying fish, ie. looking at the eye to see if it is clear and smelling it (hopefully with no success). Oh well, I'm a whole fish novice. Then the guy asked how I was planning on cooking it because apparently that makes a difference as to how you clean it. I realized I had no idea how I was going to cook it and how ridiculous it would sound to say so, so I pretended I didn't understand what he was asking. (This technique is only effective for those with obvious accents) He used gestures to indicate "covered" or "uncovered" so I said uncovered. I think this was the wrong choice. He took the fish over to this blood covered board and scraped the scales off. He then plunged a knife into the belly and drew it towards the mouth gutting the fish. He gave it to me in a plastic bag and then, shockingly enough, he complimented my Italian! I was slightly traumatized and dazed by this experience so when on my way to the checkout I saw a box of Parpardelle all'uova I snatched it up without thinking. It was only when I came home and got done examining my fish (which really, looks as intimidating as it did before it was cleaned) did I realize that I had bought pasta. I had missed my chance to participate in the strike in solidarity with the Italians. I am still deciding what to do with the Branzino which is in my freezer for now. Any suggestions? Comment with recipes (but only those in which the fish is cooked uncovered!)