Pasta alla Gricia

I got the new Delish magazine in the mail. It is put out by the same people who have the Delish site.

The latest issue is the pasta issue. I find a perfect recipe for a Friday night and begin preparing the recipe. I go to look at the next instruction and this is what I see. A cat, but not the recipe.

Back to the recipe. I was at T & J's today, a local grocery store that has an amazing deli and meat department. Did I look for guanciale? No, of course not!

I had bacon so I used that instead. But next time I will get the guanciale.

This was easy to put together, even while enjoying a well-deserved Martini.

Ingredients-

4 oz. guanciale (bacon), diced into ¼" pieces

3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

4 c. water

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

8 oz. tagliatelle

1 1/2 c. freshly grated Pecorino, divided, plus more for serving

Method-

In a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat, cook the guanciale (bacon),  stirring frequently, until deeply golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and, using a slotted spoon, transfer the guanciale (bacon) to a paper towel-lined plate, keeping the fat in the skillet. Add pepper and stir until fragrant.

Meanwhile, add water and salt to a medium-large pot and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring to prevent sticking, until pliable but not al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Return skillet to medium-low heat. Add 1¾ cups pasta water to the pan and swirl to combine. Add par-cooked pasta and ½ cup Pecorino and stir to coat evenly. Once Pecorino is mostly melted, gradually stir in the remaining 1 cup of Pecorino in 2 batches, adding more pasta water as necessary to keep the sauce silky. Once pasta is al dente, remove from heat and continue stirring gently until sauce is smooth. 

Fold in cooked guanciale (bacon) and serve with more Pecorino.

 

My Mom's Fish Sauce

1996. The year my Mom started to forget things. That was the year I asked her for her recipe for Fish Sauce. The one she made every Christmas Eve. Have you ever asked an Italian Mom for a recipe? They measure nothing! Timing, forget about it. You just know when and what to do.

Well, I had a list of ingredients. I had the memory of what she did. And with the help of the internet,
I had confirmation from a couple of different recipes that I was on the right track.

I knew my Mom did not pre-cook the lobster tails. She cooked them in the sauce. I found a recipe that confirmed my thought. Lobster Tail Tomato Sauce from All-Recipes.

Next, I found a recipe from Memorie di Angelina for Zuppa di Pesce alla Napoletana that explained the cooking time for the other fish.

I made a simple Marinara Sauce. I simmered it for about an hour. I put the lobster tails in and let them simmer for almost 45 minutes. I dropped the Cod and Scallops in the sauce.  That simmered for 10 more minutes.

I had not experienced that aroma since I was in my Mom's kitchen on Lettney Place.

My Mom's Fish Sauce

Ingredients-
1 clove of garlic. Yes I used a clove of garlic!
1 tbsp olive oil
2 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes, quantity is determined by how many people you are serving.
1/4 cup white wine, quantity is determined by how many people you are serving.
Lobster Tails, quantity is determined by how many people you are serving.
Cod Filets, quantity is determined by how many people you are serving.
Sea Scallops, quantity is determined by how many people you are serving.

Method-
Make the marinara sauce. Brown one clove of garlic in olive oil. Remove clove when it starts to brown. Add tomatoes and wine, let simmer for an hour.
Drop the lobster tails into the sauce, simmer on low for 45 minutes. Add Cod and Scallops. Simmer for 10 minutes.
 

 I had to serve the pasta with homemade Fettuccini. The usual recipe from Tide and Thyme.

And yes I had to make homemade Italian Bread too! Usual recipe from Noshtalgia.

End of the Week Pasta

Tonight for dinner I used up a few things that we had leftover and made a most delicious dinner. Chris commented that it was quite good.

I started off sauteeing some sausage. When that was cooked I added zucchini, sliced in 1/2 moons. Next, I added a little white wine and cooked that down. I had leftover sausage and peppers in that delicious Marcella Hazan sauce. That was stirred into the pan. The seasonings were adjusted, a little salt and pepper. 

Meanwhile, the pasta was boiling...

When the pasta was done I added it to the saute pan along with a knob of butter and a little pasta water. I served the pasta with a little bit of burrata cheese on top.

Just delicious! And only 2 pans to wash! Perfect start to the weekend.

Pasta with Onions, Leeks, Zucchini, and Pancetta

Tonight's recipe was inspired by a recipe by Marcella Hazan. She has a recipe for Smothered Onion Sauce. I made a couple of changes to fit my pantry.

I used red onion and leeks. I added the zucchini because, unlike our God Daughter Elenora, we like zucchini. And the pancetta was added because it was in the fridge. I was going to use white wine in the sauce but I had no white wine. I know I was as shocked as you are. I had cooking sherry. So in the recipe feel free to use sherry where wine is listed.

Ingredients-

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 red onion, sliced very thin

1 leek, sliced thin

1 zucchini, sliced thin

4 oz. diced pancetta

salt

black pepper

1⁄2 cup dry white wine (I did not have white wine, what the heck!!! I used cooking sherry)

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1⁄3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/2 lb. linguine

Method-

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan Add the pancetta. Cook the pancetta until it begins to crisp. Add the onions to the pan. Cook until the onions become soft. 

Add the leeks and zucchini. Saute until the zucchini begins to soften. Add liberal grindings of pepper. Taste and correct for salt. 

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package and save the pasta water!

Add the wine, turn the heat up, and stir frequently while the wine bubbles away. Add the parsley, stir thoroughly. Add the cooked drained pasta to the saute pan along with some of the grated Parmesan. Add pasta water to the pan to make a sauce. Add a 1/4 cup at a time as needed. Add the rest of the cheese. As you toss, separate the onion strands somewhat to distribute them as much as possible throughout the pasta. Serve immediately.

Ziti with Pork Rib Guazzetto

New cookbook time! Lidia's Celebrate Like an Italian. Chris does know what to get me for Christmas. There are a number of recipes that will be appearing on this blog. We started with Ziti with Pork Rib Guazzetto. Let me start by saying I made only 1/2 of the recipe. We had enough leftovers to make a Baked Macaroni casserole, added some Ricotta to the pasta and sauce. Also was able to freeze 1/2 of the ribs.

While I had this on the stove today I also made 2 large pans of Chicken Stock. I picked up 2 Fowl yesterday and made my sister's stock recipe. I ended up with 24 cups of chicken broth. Yes, I froze it.

Adult "SpaghettiOs"

Neither Chris nor I have ever had "SpaghettiOs" from the can. Even without having something to compare it to we love this dinner. The recipe is from Bon Appetit. The sauce used ingredients that I never add to a sauce. Paprika and sugar. I know some sauce recipes call for sugar but my Mom never added it. It was quite delicious. And the meatballs were fried. Another thing I don't do. This is something I may start to do. How often do we have meatballs? Frying them once in a while should be okay...

Ingredients-
2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
¼ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon coarsely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
½ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more
Kosher salt
1 large egg, beaten to blend
5 tablespoons heavy cream
1 pound
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ medium onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely grated
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon sugar
4 large sprigs basil
12 ounces anelletti, ditalini, or other short tubular pasta

Method-

Purée tomatoes in a food processor until mostly smooth; there should still be some dime-sized pieces remaining. Set aside.

Whisk panko, cheese, oregano, garlic powder, ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes, and 1½ tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in egg and cream. Add beef and mix with your hands until just combined, being careful not to overwork (if packed too firmly, meatballs will be dense). Form into 1"-diameter balls (you should have about 24); transfer to a plate.

Heat oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Cook meatballs, turning occasionally until lightly browned on all sides but not fully cooked through about 5 minutes. Transfer to another plate.

Cook onion and garlic in the same skillet, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and begins to soften, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add tomato paste and cook until brick red, about 1 minute. Add paprika and a pinch of red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add sugar, basil, and reserved tomato purée. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is slightly reduced and flavors have melded about 20 minutes. Add meatballs and any accumulated juices; continue to cook until meatballs are cooked through, 5–10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain and return to pasta pot. Pour sauce and meatballs over pasta and stir to combine. Transfer to a platter and top with cheese.

Pasta Primavera

I love when I have homemade pasta that was in the freezer. Tonight I sauteed zucchini, yellow squash, orange pepper, and sweet onion in some olive oil and a knob of butter. The vegetables were seasoned with salt and pepper, thyme, parsley, oregano, and crushed red pepper. I added a little white wine and let that cook down a bit.

Once the pasta was just about done I added the pasta along with a little pasta water to the saute pan. At this point I added about a tablespoon of butter. That was stirred and simmered for a few minutes. Feta and parmesan cheese were sprinkled on top.

And we finished up our leftovers from Luciano's.

Radiatori with Chicken Sausage and Arugula and Spinach

I made this recipe for the first time back in 2013. I should make this more often. It is delicious. I had to force myself to stop eating. It was a "just one more spoonful" type of dinner. Easy? Yes. Fast? Yes. And the sauce was perfect. I was glad I made bread this morning. More on that later.

Radiatori with Chicken Sausage and Arugula and Spinach

Ingredients
1 pound radiatori
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound Al Fresco Chicken Sausage with Red and Green Peppers
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 lb baby spinach, coarsely chopped and washed
1/2 lb arugula, coarsely chopped and washed
1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1/4 cup grated pecorino, plus more for serving

Method -
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain well.

Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the sausage and cook over moderately high heat,  until browned, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate.

Add the crushed red pepper and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the spinach and arugula with any water clinging to the leaves and season with salt. Cover and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Uncover and cook until the greens are tender and the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes longer.

Add the pasta to the skillet along with the sausage, chicken stock and pecorino and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the liquid is slightly reduced and creamy, about 3 minutes. Serve right away, passing extra cheese at the table.

Today I worked from home and this morning I realized I did not have Italian bread for tonight's dinner. I did not want run to the store at lunchtime as I was planning on working through lunch. So I made bread. Not the Jim Lahey No Knead Bread. This recipe takes a lot less time! I made 3 loaves of bread which I started at 7AM and had in the oven by 12PM. The recipe can be found on Noshtalgia.

No Knead French Bread

Ingredients-
1 pkg. dry yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water
1 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. soft shortening
4 c. sifted all purpose flour

Method-
Measure flour into bowl, add water, then yeast. Let yeast dissolve thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Let set 10 minutes. Knead the dough 5 times letting it rest for 10 minutes each time. Turn dough out on floured board and divide in half. Let rest for 10 minutes, then roll each ball into a loaf. Make several diagonal slashes across each loaf. Let rise double. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Handmade Pasta with Pancetta, Cherry Tomatoes and Herbs

When I saw that this recipe, in Bon Appetit, was from a chef from Compania I had to tear it out of the magazine. That was back in September of 2006. The other day I was flipping through a cookbook and found the recipe tucked in between the pages.  

The pasta was so easy to make. No machine to clean and it was a light pasta. The sauce, well Fuhgettaboutit! Onions, Pancetta and Cherry Tomatoes. Oh this was delightful! 

I made a video of how to shape the pasta with by hand.

The recipe serves 6. I cut it in half and there was just enough for the 2 of us.

From Bon Appetit, Handmade Pasta With Pancetta, Cherry Tomatoes And Herbs

Ingredients-
2 cups (or more) 00 flour
1 cup hot water, divided
4 teaspoons plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil Pinch of salt
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup chopped pancetta (Italian bacon)
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
3 cups small cherry tomatoes, halved
16 fresh basil leaves plus fresh sprigs for garnish 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese plus additional Romano cheese, shaved

Method-
Place 2 cups flour in large bowl. Make well in center. Add 1/2 cup hot water, 4 teaspoons oil, and pinch of salt to well and stir to combine. Gradually mix flour into wet ingredients, adding remaining 1/2 cup water to form soft dough. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth, adding more flour if sticky, about 5 minutes. Gather dough into ball. Transfer dough to bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest 1 hour at room temperature.

Lightly dust large baking sheet with flour. Place dough on work surface and cut off 1/2-inch-thick slice. Roll dough between palms of hands and lightly floured work surface to 1/3-inch-thick rope. Repeat with 5 more dough slices, rolling each into rope. Cut ropes into 1-inch lengths. Using 2 fingers, push fingertips into dough as you pull it toward you to form horizontal imprints. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough in batches. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover with dry kitchen towel, then plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature.

Heat remaining 1/2 cup oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, pancetta, and pepper and sauté until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes with any juices and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Mix in 16 basil leaves and oregano. Season to taste with salt.

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and boil until tender but still slightly firm to bite, about 10 minutes. Drain well; return to pot. Add half of sauce and 1/2 cup grated cheese and toss over medium heat until warm, about 2 minutes. Divide pasta among bowls. Spoon remaining sauce over. Garnish with basil sprigs. Serve, passing shaved cheese separately. 

When Chris came upstairs he said it smelled like a pizzaria. That was because I had a Focaccia di Recco in the oven. I had some of the dough in the freezer. Yes it does freeze very nicely! I put Fontina, Mozzarella and a little Provolone in for the cheese.

Focaccio di Recco, by Emiko on Food 52. Makes 3-4 focacce

Ingredients-
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for greasing and drizzling
2 teaspoons salt, plus more for sprinkling
3 cups bread flour
1 pound stracchino or Crescenza cheese or marscapone cheese

Method-
Using a wooden spoon, mix the water, olive oil, salt, and 1 cup of flour in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the remaining 2 cups of flour little by little, mixing with the spoon until thoroughly combined. Knead by hand in the bowl for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic (poke it; it should bounce back easily). Let rest, wrapped in plastic, in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 480º F, and grease a baking sheet or a round pizza tray with olive oil.

Divide the dough into 4 even pieces and keep them under a tea towel or wrapped in plastic wrap when not in use. Roll out the dough ball initially with a rolling pin on a floured work surface, then begin stretching it carefully with your hands, using the weight of the dough to help stretch it. Get the dough as thin as you can, then transfer it to the prepared baking tray. Lay spoonfuls of the cheese over the dough. Take another piece of dough and roll and stretch again as before. Lay this layer over the cheese. With a knife, a rolling pin, or your hands, tap the edges of the dough together all along the border of the tray to trim the dough to exactly the size of the tray (see pictures for reference). Go over the edges of the focaccia again with your thumb, pressing down to seal the edges of the two layers of dough (again, see the pictures on this link). Gather the excess dough, and roll into a ball to use for the next focaccia.

Pinch the top of the dough in 5 or 6 places to create holes for steam to escape. Drizzle the top of the focaccia with a bit of oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Bake for 7 minutes, until lightly golden brown and the cheese has melted.

While the first focaccia is in the oven, prepare the second with the remaining dough (adding the scraps from the first to the balls of dough) and bake when the first is out of the oven; it is recommended to only baking one at a time as the distribution of heat will be compromised with more than one in the oven.

The dough can also be frozen (wrap it tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and then freeze.) Before using the dough, defrost overnight in the fridge or for a few hours on the counter. The dough will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Parmesan Pasta With Chicken and Rosemary

I am back! Finally feeling well enough to get back to blogging. Not that blogging is exhausting but... Enough excuses for my absence. What did I make for dinner?  Parmesan Pasta With Chicken and Rosemary from RealSimple.com. This was a perfect work night dinner. It came together in 15 minutes, did not fill the sink with too many dishes and was delicious!

From RealSimple.com, Parmesan Pasta With Chicken and Rosemary

Ingredients -
12 ounces orecchiette (about 3 cups)
1 2- to 2 1/2-pound rotisserie chicken
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces)
kosher salt and black pepper

Method -
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 ¼ cups of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Meanwhile, using a fork or your fingers, shred the chicken, discarding the skin and bones.

Toss the pasta with the chicken, rosemary, reserved pasta water, ½ cup of the Parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan.

Pasta with Calamari

I only need one word to describe tonight's dinner - Amazing! I found the recipe on the Napoli Unplugged blog. The recipes on this blog are so similar to my mom's cooking.

I only used Calamari in our sauce, I was going to add Cod but decided to save that for another meal. The whole meal came together in about an hour.

For the sauce I used the few San Marzano tomatoes I had purchased last Saturday, they were perfectly ripe. I peeled and seeded the tomatoes, chopped them up and added them along with a can of diced tomatoes to a saute pan that was heated up with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. I chopped up a hot cherry pepper and added it to the pan, we do like spicy food. Seasoned the pan with fresh chopped parsley, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. And I added a little white wine. That cooked down for about 20 minutes. Then I added the Calamari. I set the temperature on the pan to low and let it cook for another 20 minutes, stirring it frequently and watching it carefully, Calamari can get rubbery if not watched.

It was just perfect!

 

And the wine we picked was Mastro Aglianico Campania. Loved it. Really nice for the price.

Spaghetti with Capicola, Olives and Bread Crumbs

This is the second time I have made this for dinner. The recipe is from La Cucina Italiana. It calls for Speck which I hope someday to find at the deli counter. Again I used Capicola. Sweet and hot this time. I picked up some olives from the salad bar to add to the dish. The only thing the recipe does not mention is to save some of the pasta water before you drain it. You will need it so the dish is not too dry. And just like the last time I will be using the leftovers for a frittatta later in the week.



Ingredients -
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
2 ounces Sweet Capicola, cut into small cubes
2 ounces Hot Capicola, cut into small cubes
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, chopped (I used dried)
6 tablespoons fine plain bread crumbs
1/2 pound spaghetti
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Method -
In a large skillet, heat half of the butter and oil over medium heat until butter is melted. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 7 minutes. Add speck and marjoram:  cook, stirring, 3 minutes more.
Transfer onion mixture to a plate. In the same skillet, lightly brown bread crumbs in the remaining butter; add onion mixture and stir to combine. Remove from heat, and cover to keep warm.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Add spaghetti and cook to al dente, reserve some of the pasta water; drain. Transfer spaghetti to skillet with onion mixture, toss to combine, adding some pasta water if necessary and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spaghetti Con Capicola E Pangrattato

Spaghetti Con Capicola E Pangrattato was suppose to be Spaghetti with Speck and Bread Crumbs. I was searching the deli counter for Speck. That is what the recipe from La Cucina called for. The deli person said maybe Capicola would work... And it did!
This had a nice spicy bite to it.

Ingredients -
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
2 ounces Capicola, cut into small cubes
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, chopped
6 tablespoons fine plain bread crumbs
1/2 pound spaghetti
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Method -
In a large skillet, heat half of the butter and oil over medium heat until butter is melted. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 7 minutes.
Add Capicola and marjoram: cook, stirring, 3 minutes more. Transfer onion mixture to a plate. In the same skillet, lightly brown bread crumbs in the remaining butter; add onion mixture and stir to combine.
Remove from heat, and cover to keep warm.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Add spaghetti and cook to al dente; drain. Transfer spaghetti to skillet with onion mixture, toss to combine, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Best part about this dinner are the leftovers. What shall we do with them? Stay tuned...

Almost forgot to mention what we had as a starter. Stuffed Scallops. I purchased them at Robert's Food Center. They had the sale where you get 20% off your entire meat purchase with a coupon that was in our local paper. I love this sale. We stock up with usually enough meat to last us until the next sale.

 

Rigatoni Con Crema di Melanzane

"Yeah this is good."

And I am back! Sorry about the lack of posts, just a bit of adjusting going on. But all is good so let's have dinner.

I found this recipe on La Cucina Italiana. Rigatoni with Roasted Eggplant Puree. This was delicious. Okay I did not add the garlic but I did add crushed red pepper and a bit of white wine to the eggplant and parsley before I added it to the pasta. Loved the pine nuts, what's not to like. Will we have this again? Yes!

Ingredients -
2 1/4  to 2 1/2 pounds eggplant 
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound rigatoni
Freshly grated Grana Padano or Pecorino Toscano cheese

Method - 
Heat oven to 400º with rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut eggplants in half lengthwise; score flesh-sides in a crosshatch pattern with a small sharp knife. Brush with 1 tablespoon oil and season with generous pinch salt and pepper. Arrange eggplant cut-side down on prepared baking sheet and bake, rotating pan once halfway through, until tender, 45 to 50 minutes.

Transfer baking sheet with roasted eggplant to wire rack. Turn eggplant halves cut-side up; let cool 5 minutes, then scrape eggplant flesh from skins; discard skins. Place flesh in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl; let drain 10 minutes. Discard liquid.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In center of cutting board, mound parsley, pine nuts, garlic and oregano; finely chop together mixture.

In a large skillet, heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add parsley mixture, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes. Stir in eggplant and cook 1 minute more. Remove skillet from heat.

Cook pasta in the boiling water until al dente; drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add eggplant mixture and cheese; toss to combine well. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately.

What did we have for dinner a year ago?
Leftovers and

What did we have for dinner 2 years ago?
Pasta with Meat Sauce

What did we have for dinner 3 years ago? 

Spicy Split Pea Soup

Spaghetti Vesuviana

Move over Fettuccine Alfredo there is a new favorite pasta dish in town. This recipe is from Cooking with Chef Silvio, Stories and Authentic Recipes from Campania. Chris got me an autographed copy for Christmas a year ago. And there is a Madison connection. Chef Silvio operates Cafe Allegra and the Woodwinds in Branford. And his jarred tomato sauces are excellent.

 

Now some of you may know that my grandparents were from Campania. So I love finding authentic recipes. I remember my grandparents on my mom's but I was pretty young when they passed (both of my dad's parents had passed before I was born). So my cooking memories are more from my parent's stories. I do remember my grandmother telling me that eating the fat on a steak was not a good idea.

My grandmother (she's the pretty on on the right) with 2 of her sisters.

So back to dinner. The flavors were spicy and salty. And I almost made Fettuccine Alfredo but luckily found this recipe. And it only took 20 minutes!

Spaghetti Vesuviana

Serves 4 (or 2 with leftovers!)

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves of garlic (No I did not use garlic, sorry it does not agree with me!)
2 bell peppers (I used red), seeded and cut into strips
14 oz can Vesuvian cherry tomatoes, or canned San Marzano Tomatoes, undrained & crushed by hand
1 cup fresh Basil leaves, torn
15 to 20 pitted Calamata olives, halved
1 tablespoon capers
pinch dried or chopped fresh oregano
salt and pepper
1 pound spaghetti
1 1/3 cups grated parmigiano cheese
Additional fresh basil or Italian parsley for garnish, optional

In a large frying pan heat the oil, add the garlic and cook until golden. Add the peppers and, stirring frequently, cook until slightly softened, approximately 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, olives, capers, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the peppers and tomatoes are soft but still retain their shape. Give it a final taste for salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a pot with salted water, cook spaghetti according to the directions on the package. Drain, reserving some cooking water. Add the sauce to the pasta along with half of the grated cheese and toss well. If too dry, adjust using pasta water to moisten. Serve in pasta bowls, sprinkled with the rest of the cheese and garnished with fresh basil or parsley if you wish.

And I can submit this post on Cookbook Sundays!

  

Orecchiette with Cauliflower, Sausage and Cheese

Do you read Food Lover's Odyssey? That is were I found this recipe. For it being a busy Saturday this was easy to prepare. And the flavors that came out of the ingredients (cauliflower, pasta, sausage, olive oil, pepper and cheese) were amazing. It was not easy not to go back for seconds!

Baked Pastina Casserole

This recipe is a favorite of ours. It is from Giada De Laurentiis Everyday Pasta.

Chris and I love this recipe and my dad likes it too.  As I was getting ready to type the recipe I thought... perhaps it's online. And it was! At the FoodNetwork site. Here is the link. And there is a video for the recipe on the FoodNetwork site! And I can submit this for Cookbook Sunday.

  

Happy Feast of St Joseph! Did you have a Zeppole today?

Baked Penne with Tiny Meatballs

Have you checked out the site Cookstr yet?  It is a site that is a collection of cookbook recipes. Between that site and Pinterest I could easily get lost for a few hours! So I found this amazing recipe on Cookstr. Baked Rigatoni with Tiny Meatballs. This recipe is from Marcella Hazan.
The changes I made were using Penne instead of Rigatoni, not a big change. This was a rib sticking meal. Very filling. Perfect for a cold winter's night in front of the TV watching the Giants beat Green Bay (but sadly I had to say, "Maybe next year for the Saint...").

Go Giants!

Two Tomato Pasta with Mozzarella, Basil & Toasted Almonds

This recipe is a twist on a recipe that I saw online last week. The blog The Italian Dish has a lot of amazing recipes. This one was suppose to be Two Tomato Pasta with Mozzarella, Basil & Pine Nuts. Never mind that on the blog the dish is presented in a beautiful bowl, the pasta looked delicious.
My variation started with not roasting the tomatoes. I sauteed them in a little olive oil and salt to make a quick sauce. I also opted for the orrecchiete because, well I had it in the cabinet!
Oh there was one other change I made... the pine nuts. $9.00 for a small container of pine nuts! Seriously! No way was I going to make that purchase. So I went to Food52 and visited the FoodPickle and typed in substitution for pine nuts... toasted skinless almond, which I had in the cupboard!
We both enjoyed this. The tomatoes were so nice ripe and the basil was from my plant on the deck.

Quick Marinara Sauce

If you read the earlier post you'll know I was away this weekend so I did not have anything planned for dinner. But the weather has cooled off and the first thing that came to my mind was of course Pasta!



I opened a can of San Marzano Tomatoes and diced some Vidalia and Red Onions. I then sauteed the onions in extra virgin olive oil. Next I added the tomatoes and seasoned with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and fresh basil, parsley and thyme (all from the deck!). That cooked down a bit and then I added the cooked pasta.
A nice welcome home dinner!