Smoke has become a popular new ingredient in all kinds of cuisine outside of the barbecue realm. Chef Richard Gras of Oak in Dallas is pushing those limits. He is smoking pasta. Well, technically he is smoking flour over mesquite chunks, then using that flour for his house made pasta. The process was documented by Zagat in this video:
Last week, I went into Oak to get a taste of this pasta. The smoke flavor was ever-present, but not overdone. A cream sauce helped carry the flavors, and the pork belly didn’t hurt.
Chef Gras doesn’t stop at pasta either. There’s smoked tomato gazpacho on the menu, and even a barbecue beef short rib. I guess I’ll just have to go back for another meal.
