Elizabeth Taylor’s Splendid Spaghetti

At the Portofino hotel where the iconic actress found refuge, the pasta is still prepared just as she liked it: with tomatoes. A delightful new cookbook revives this and other recipes, celebrating the simple pleasures that nourish the fortunate few.

Winning an Oscar or playing Cleopatra may be significant accomplishments, but nothing quite compares to having a spaghetti dish named after you. This rare honor belongs to legends like Elizabeth Taylor. It is said that she relished the classic spaghetti with tomato sauce during her trips to Italy, indulging in a simple pleasure that perhaps offset the complexity of her life. Her fondness for this dish inspired a chef to name the recipe in her honor, a charming anecdote that harks back to the 1960s at the restaurant of the Splendido hotel. Since 1999, chef Corrado Corti has crafted the “Pasta all Elizabeth Taylor.” Be sure to order it if you are fortunate enough to visit the Splendido and dine in its elegant restaurant.

This unassuming yet prestigious establishment, which opened in 1901, hosted Taylor during her romantic escapades with Richard Burton, and even before that, while she strolled through Portofino with her then-husband, Eddie Fisher. During the filming of Cleopatra, the lovers reportedly stayed in room 472, where Burton famously proposed to Taylor on one of the hotel’s terraces. The Splendido, now part of the exquisite Belmond collection, belongs to a lineage of hotels steeped in stories as rich as their history. In fact, it would be easier to list the celebrities who haven’t stayed here than those who have: Steven Spielberg, Liza Minnelli, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Ava Gardner, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Madonna, Rihanna, and even Dua Lipa, the current pop sensation.

However, let us not stray too far; our focus today is on pasta, focaccia, pesto genovese, spritz, and all the delectable offerings from Liguria, the Italian region that encompasses Portofino. In collaboration with Apartamento, Belmond has released Liguria: Recipes & Wanderings Along the Italian Riviera, a culinary and photographic exploration—the first in a series titled Recipes & Wanderings, which aims to showcase cuisines from around the world. The tantalizing photographs by Laura Jane Coulson almost have a scent of their own, while the foreword by British chef Ruth Rogers, also known as Baroness Rogers of Riverside, adds a touch of elegance. Most recipes come from Corti, with contributions from Max Rocha and Fanny Singer, fellow contributors from Apartamento. This collaboration leaves us salivating in anticipation.

We can’t help but be enchanted by the image captured by Slim Aarons in 1985, depicting Beppe and Umberta Croce, then owners of the Splendido, seated beneath a palm tree on the terrace, enjoying a Portofino Spritz—a cocktail that complements the locale beautifully. This refreshing drink, whose recipe is included in the book, has become a signature of this Italian region. The Ligurian coast, dotted with quaint fishing villages, has attracted the elite since the late 19th century. Still, it was after World War II that it truly solidified its status as a jet-set destination, joining the ranks of Marbella, Saint-Tropez, Gstaad, Palm Springs, and now, Jackson Hole. We can easily imagine this vibrant cocktail gracing the table of a celebrity, a traitor king, or a pair of lovers evading the paparazzi—all of whom have sought refuge in this enchanting corner of Liguria, where everyone is someone.

Rest assured, this is not a nostalgic book, nor does it suggest that stars have faded from the Italian Riviera. Portofino, famously celebrated by Tom Ford in a perfume, continues to allure those in search of decadent hedonism. Liguria: Recipes & Wanderings Along the Italian Riviera meanders through the region, featuring recipes from the charming village of Camogli. Once a discreet hideaway for Milanese elites, it has also welcomed personalities like Greta Garbo, who knew how to balance seclusion and visibility. This cookbook isn’t merely a historical tome; the recipes continue to be prepared in both the Splendido and its younger sibling, the Splendido Mare, just a 14-minute stroll away. Within these pages, readers will discover how to prepare authentic pesto alla genovese—can you almost smell the basil through the screen? According to Ruth Rogers, the finest pesto can be savored at Trattoria Gianni Franza, the oldest tavern in Vernazza. Ligurian cuisine embodies a refined simplicity, a quality that guests at the Splendido have long sought: a luscious burrata, fresh grilled fish, and the home-cooked dishes of local grandmothers. As it turns out, the more opulent the celebrity, the more straightforward their culinary desires.

Complete Recipe for Pasta Alla Elizabeth Taylor

Ingredients

• 800 g bronze spaghetti
• 1 kg cherry tomatoes (400 g for sauce, 600 g for confit)
• 500 g plum tomatoes
• 225 ml olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 100 g basil
• 5 g dried oregano
• 5 g thyme
• 20 g brown sugar
• Zest of half a lemon
• A pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Prepare the Tomato Confit: Halve 600 g of cherry tomatoes and season with thyme, salt, brown sugar, and lemon zest. Roast in the oven at 80°C (175°F) for 3 hours.
2. Blanch the Plum Tomatoes: Boil the plum tomatoes in hot water until the skins peel off, then slice them horizontally.
3. Cook the Spaghetti: Boil the spaghetti in salted water until al dente.
4. Make the Sauce: In a separate pot, heat some olive oil with garlic and basil, then add the remaining cherry tomatoes. When the pasta is ready, incorporate it into the pot, followed by the sliced plum tomatoes, and finally the confit tomatoes.
5. Finish the Dish: Garnish with a sprinkle of oregano and fresh basil leaves.

Indulge in this dish, celebrating not just a recipe but a piece of culinary history associated with one of Hollywood’s greatest legends.

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