Pasta with Broccoli Rabe

This recipe is easy, tasty and a perfect example of how traditional Italian food can be healthy too: you have your greens, your complex carbs ( just watch how much pasta you throw in!), your fish oil and the spices to keep you satisfied. It is traditionally made in the Apulia region ( think the heel of the boot) and it is made with Orecchiette pasta, literally "little ears". If you can't find Orecchiette, use another kind of short pasta, like Pipette from Barilla.

INGREDIENTS

2 Bunches of broccoli rabe

2 cups of short pasta

4 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 anchovies or 1 teaspoon of anchovy paste

2 tablespoons of plain bread crumbs

red pepper flakes 

salt

Pecorino Romano

PREPARATION

Cut away all the stems from the broccoli rabe then cut the leaves in 1 inch thick strips.

In a large pot of boiling water throw in a fistful of salt. 

Once the water boils again throw in the pasta and the broccoli rabe.

In the meantime in a skillet warm up the oil and throw in the chopped garlic, the anchovies or the anchovy paste and the red pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic is cooked but not burnt.

Add the breadcrumbs and cook until browned.

Once the pasta is "al dente" drain the pasta and the broccoli.

Throw the pasta and broccoli in the skillet with the oil-garlic mixture and cook with the fire on high for 2 minutes or until the pasta is thoroughly coated with green.

Serve with grated Pecorino to taste.

Minestrone

This is a vegetarian version of minestrone, which traditionally includes some pancetta or bacon. The great trick that makes this minestrone super tasty is the Parmesan rind, and it is one of those grandma's tricks that I love because they were invented at a time when throwing out something that could still be edible was considered a shame and so people found a use for all kinds of leftovers in the kitchen. So, if you have bought a piece of Parmesan cheese and you are left with that dry piece of rind in the fridge, or even if you have a piece of Asiago or Romano that dried out in your cheese box, do not throw it out! Throw it in your soup instead! Then of course discard it before serving the soup, but the rind will add creaminess and flavor and "bring together" your soup so to speak. I used the vegetables that I had at home in that moment but there is a number of variations you can do, according to season and taste. If you want to add pasta, choose the kind called "ditalini" and add at the end of the cooking process.

INGREDIENTS

1 leek (white and light green part, chopped)

2 stalks of celery

2 large carrots scrubbed and chopped

1 parsnip

1 medium yellow onion

2 garlic cloves

4 Roma tomatoes

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 bunch of rainbow chard, stems and leaves separated

1 can of Cannellini beans, drained

2 cups of vegetable broth ( or more)

the rind of a hard cheese (preferably Parmesan Cheese)

1 Turkey bay leaf

salt

pepper

PREPARATION

For this recipe it is important to chop the ingredients quite small and all at about the same size. Chop the first 6 ingredients and the stems of the rainbow chard and toss in a large pot with oil.

Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are soft, stirring to avoid sticking (about 20 minutes).

Add broth and bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low.

Add beans, chard leaves, cheese rind and bay leaf and simmer over medium heat until leaves are cooked through.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Discard rind and bay leaf before serving. It can be served with a splash of extra virgin olive oil.

Pasta with Tuna

This is a dish I could make with my eyes closed. It is a sort of comfort food in my family, and it is made with ingredients that are always available in an Italian pantry, so you could make it when there is "nothing" in the fridge. The same maybe is not true of an American pantry, since anchovies have a very bad reputation around here and I don't think many people has even ever tasted capers. You can use any kind of canned tuna, or, if you want to have an Italian experience, go to an Italian supermarket and find Mediterranean Tuna in a jar, like Callipo, but at about 10$ a can I don't know that I would recommend it for such a simple recipe. As for the tomato sauce, I like the sauce that comes in a glass bottle, when I find it, and that is just tomatoes, no onions, no herbs, no other aromas. Otherwise I just buy a tomato puree, like Defratelli or any other regular brand. I did not indicate the exact amount of tomato sauce because it depends on your taste: some people like it more "white" others like it swimming in sauce, I am for something in between. As for the pasta, the rule in Italy is about 3.5 oz per person. I like using spaghetti grossi from Barilla, which is a kind of spaghetti that are slightly thicker than the average, but of course any spaghetti would work.

INGREDIENTS

(for 4 people)

14 oz of Tuna packed in water

Tomato Puree

1 big head of garlic

2 anchovies

2 teaspoons of small capers

1 tablespoon of fresh Italian parsley

salt

red pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 teaspoon of paprika 

about 1 lb of spaghetti grossi

1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil

PREPARATION

Fill a large pot with water and start boiling.

While the water is warming up, in a medium skillet heat up the olive oil and the peeled garlic clove.

Add the anchovies and smash them with a wooden spoon while cooking so that a sort of anchovy paste is created.

Add the drained tuna and keep stirring with the spoon for about 3 minutes.

Add the tomato sauce, the paprika, the red pepper flakes ( to taste) and a pinch of salt.

Bring to boil then reduce the heat to medium and let simmer until the sauce is thickened ( about 10 minutes, it depends on the amount of sauce you added).

Add the capers, stir to warm up about 1 minute. Turn off the heat. Discard the garlic clove.

When the water is boiling add a fistful ( yes a fistful is the right technical italian measurement for salt when it comes to pasta!) of salt then stir and wait for the water to boil again.

Add the pasta and cook until al dente (follow instructions on the package).

Drain the pasta, shake the excess water away then immediately toss the pasta in the sauce.

Turn the heat back on and toss the pasta for about 3 minutes.

Add the parsley and toss the pasta, reserving some parsley as a garnish.

DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT SERVE WITH PARMESAN CHEESE.

IN ITALY IT IS CONSIDERED A CAPITAL OFFENSE.

Honey-Orange Pork Chops

I created this recipe today on a whim. I had some oranges that were getting old and that were not very good to eat like a fruit, they were juicy but very small, so basically to get a glass of juice I had to squeeze at least four of them and found myself too lazy to do all that work for a glass of juice. Plus, I like pork chops and I think that if they are good pork chops, like the organic ones I buy in the summer at the Woodstock Farmers Market, they don't need much fancy addition to it: just grill them or pan fry them with salt and pepper and maybe some rosemary. The problem is that the store bought pork chops instead have almost no flavor at all, I can't even imagine the miserable life those porks live and the amount of antibiotics and hormones they go through. That being said, in the winter there is no Farmers' Market, I live too far from a Whole Foods, I can't purchase a whole or half organic hog because I wouldn't know where to put it, so I have to buy regular meat. And pork chops are usually pretty inexpensive too, plus, if you don't eat the fat ( which, alas, I always do) they are quite lean and can even fit into a diet.

If you want to sound fancy you could call this a "honey marinated pork chop with orange gremolata". Gremolata is a word adapted from Italian ( I never heard it in Italy, but I think it's from the Milan region) and it means a condiment that traditionally include lemon zest, garlic and parsley. In America they use it to refer to any mixture of herbs and fruit zest though. I think the reason they use it is that is sounds fancier than saying with "grated orange zest and rosemary" for example, plus it is shorter, but that's really what it is.

INGREDIENTS (for 2 people)

2 small oranges or 1 regular one

2 pork chops

2 teaspoons of honey

1 teaspoon of fresh chopped rosemary

1/4 cup of white wine

salt

pepper

olive oil

PREPARATION

Grate the zest of one of the oranges and reserve.

In a bowl combine the juice of the oranges and the honey. Immerse the pork chops in the liquid and let marinate for 1 to 2 hours covered in the fridge.

Heat up in a pan enough olive oil to coat the pan (about 1 teaspoon).

Take the pork chops out of the marinade ( do not discard the marinade) and season with salt and pepper.

Cook the pork chops about 5 minutes on one side, then turn and cover and cook at medium heat until cooked through ( you can use a meat thermometer to see if they reach the temperature of 160 degrees), about 8 minutes.

Remove the pork chops from the pan and keep them covered.

Add the reserved marinade and the wine to the pan, scraping any browned bits. 

Cook for about 3-5 minutes, until the sauce becomes thick and brown, like a syrup.

In a little bowl combine the grated zest with the finely chopped rosemary.

Plate the pork chops, cover with the syrup and then sprinkle with the gremolata.

Potato Gratin with Mushroom and Aged Cheese

This recipe takes time, but it doesn't take much skill and it has a very tasty result that can satisfy even the most hardcore meat eaters. It is not a "light" recipe, but eating less meat makes sense for many reasons besides health, one of which is protecting the environment. With Meatless Mondays becoming a global movement supported by VIPs like Oprah and by awesome people like me, this recipe it's a great way to skip the beef with happiness. Let's face it, whenever you combine potatoes with cheese and cream you get something comforting and satisfying that makes you feel warm and happy inside. This recipe moreover has mushrooms: mushrooms are among the foods rich in "umami", one of the five flavors, a japanese word used to describe the earthy, savory quality of foods like smoked meats ( think bacon and smoked salmon!), truffles and aged cheeses. So think of mushrooms and aged cheeses ( like the Gruyere in this recipe) as a wonderful substitute for bacon and that meaty flavor that your meat-eaters family members crave.

INGREDIENTS

6 large potatoes

3 large leeks

1 pint of heavy whipping cream

1.5 pound of mixed mushrooms ( I used pre-cut  Portabella and white mushrooms)

1 cup of grated aged cheese (I used Gruyere if you want to save some money use an aged cheddar )

2 garlic cloves

salt

pepper

PREPARATION

Peel and cut the potatoes into thin slices ( about 1/8 of an inch thick). You can use a slicer if you have one.

In a large pot pour the whipping cream and add the potatoes. Bring to boil and then simmer on medium heat for about 15 minutes.

Turn on the oven at 375 degrees.

While the potatoes cook, cut the white and light green part of the leeks and add to a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, cook until softened.

Add the pre-cut mushrooms , add salt and cook for about 15 minutes, until soft.

Add the garlic to the mushrooms and cook for another minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Uncover the potatoes and cook an extra 3 minutes stirring to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom.

Brush a large baking dish with oil.

Put half the potato mixture on the bottom of the baking dish, then add a layer of the mushrooms, than top with the other half of the mixture.

Top with the cheese.

Cook covered with tinfoil for 30 minutes, then uncover and cook for another 20 minutes or until the top is brown.

Rest 10 minutes before serving.

Pork Roast with Hard Cider

I have found this recipe on an old edition of BonAppetit ( pretty much my food bible these days, I know..) and it turned out very good. I followed the recipe exactly, but I do think that there might have been a simpler way to achieve the same result, so for those of you who don't want to dirty a million different bowls and plates to do one single recipe and that don't want to spend 1 hour just doing prep work, here is my shortened and simplified version of it! The result is really worth it, if you want a slightly leaner version don't use the bacon and just cook the vegetables in a tablespoon of olive oil instead. Also choose a lean cut of pork. I used pork shoulder ribs and it was way too greasy, I think I would have preferred something leaner, like a pork loin diced into 1 inch cubes. I used Woodchuck regular Hard Apple Cider but I would like to try it also with their Granny Smith Cider, which should be more tangy.

INGREDIENTS

30 frozen pearl onions,  slightly thawed

5 slices of bacon cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick strips

3 and 1/2 pound of pork stew meat (pre-diced)

1 medium onion

1 medium parsnip

1 box of fresh sage

2 cups of low salt chicken broth

1 12oz bottle of hard apple cider

1 and 1/2 pound of baby red potatoes

2 large Granny Smith Apples

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of flour

1 tablespoon of Dijon Mustard

PREPARATION

Take the pearl onions out of the freezer, put them under running  cold water to thaw.

Put the bacon in a large pot and cook until slightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and put on some paper towels to dry.

In the bacon grease, pour the onion and the parsnip and cook covered for about 15 minutes ( until the vegetables are softened)

Add the meat and stir until the meat is browned.

Add the broth and the hard cider and return the bacon to the pot, then cook covered for about 1 hour, until the meat is soft.

While the meat is cooking, wash and brush the potatoes and cut them in half.

Add the pearl onions and the potatoes. Cook covered for another 30 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, wash the apples, peel them, core them and dice them.

Add the apples to the mix and cook another 20 minutes, until the potatoes are completely cooked.

In a small bowl mix the butter and the flour creating a paste.

Add the flour paste and the mustard to the pot and simmer uncovered until thickened.

Serve with your favorite hard cider!

Ravioli di Spinaci e Ricotta - Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli

My friend Ruth asked me for a recipe for homemade ravioli. To be honest I haven't tried making my own ravioli yet. I have tried making homemade pasta before and my problem usually is that it turns out too thick, which can be fine if you are making fettuccine to be served on a hearty meat sauce, but it's not acceptable when it comes to ravioli or tortellini. So, dear Ruth, here is a recipe that I took from a wonderful Italian book of traditional recipes:  "Ricette di Osterie d'Italia" by Slow Food, a collection of 600 of the best pasta recipes taken from the best Italian Osterie. Be warned though: you will need to work your dough pretty hard and well and get it to be as thin as possible. Italian grandmas do it without a sweat, but then again if you were ever slapped by an Italian grandma you would understand why! You could also resort to a pasta machine, but that just wouldn't be as cool, so if you do, just don't tell anyone! I have translated the recipe and tried to make it look as simple as possible. For the sake of my American blog readers I have also converted the quantities in cups and tablespoons, according to the conversion chart I found here, hopefully it is accurate!
This recipe comes from the Abruzzo region ( in central Italy, south-east of Lazio, which is the Rome region) where this ravioli are prepared with a kind of wild spinach called "orapi", but they can be made with regular spinach. The quality of the ricotta is very important, so try to find the freshest ricotta possible as well as a good piece of fresh Parmesan cheese (grate it yourself, it will taste so much better!)

INGREDIENTS
(for 4 people)

Dough:
3 and 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
4 eggs
1 tablespoon of extravirgin olive oil
salt

Filling:
2 lbs of spinach
2 eggs
1 and 1/2 cups of Ricotta
1 tablespoon of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
salt
pepper
nutmeg

Sauce:
butter
sage
Parmesan Cheese
salt

PREPARATION

Mix the ingredients for the dough and work the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 15 minutes.
Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
With a rolling pin, roll the dough in a thin layer ( not too thin or it will break while cooking but not too thick or it won't taste good!) then divide it in two layers and let rest.

Wash and cook the spinach in boiling water with a pinch of salt for a few minutes, until completely wilted.
Drain the spinach, run under cold water and then squeeze well to let all the excess water out.
Put the spinach in a food processor or cut very finely.
In a medium bowl, mix the spinach with the eggs, the ricotta, the parmesan cheese and the nutmeg ( to taste) then season with salt and pepper.

Form little balls of filling and space them evenly on one of the dough layers.
Put the second layer on top of the first one and press with your fingers in between the layers to make them adhere well.
Cut the ravioli squares with a knife, or, better, with a ravioli cutter ( it looks a little like a pizza cutter but with irregular edges).

Cook the ravioli in boiling salted water until done then season with melted butter, fresh sage leaves and salt. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.