Tag Archives: Italian cooking

Tuscan-Style White Bean Soup

This full-flavored and nutritious soup is so easy to make and hearty enough to be a full meal (with some good bread, of course). In fact, it is so hearty if you add pasta to it (especially ditalini) and some Parmesan cheese you’ll have a sort of Pasta e Fagioli. Here it is in pictures;Continue reading “Tuscan-Style White Bean Soup”

Things That Can Be Carried on a Bike (#346)…and a quick recipe

Things on the bike; all the ingredients for tomato sauce: 4 quarts fresh tomatoes (click here to see them)1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 small onions4 cloves of garlic1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons sea salt 1 teaspoon fennel seeds1 teaspoon crushed hot pepper2 cups chicken broth1 bunch fresh basil (This is a simple butContinue reading “Things That Can Be Carried on a Bike (#346)…and a quick recipe”

Comfort Food

I really believe I can–and have–eaten nearly any vegetable cooked in olive oil and garlic (and chicken broth) and tossed with pasta. This is one of my favorite comfort foods. Below is the classic recipe with broccoli, but tonight I made it with fresh fava beans, caramelized cauliflower, and whole grain penne; I also addedContinue reading “Comfort Food”

Frittata di Verdure Primavera

This is a variation (one of many) of something I love to fix myself when I’m home alone…an egg dish loaded with vegetables. It’s really nothing more than  a stove-top open-faced omelet, but with the caramelized vegetables it–I think–is more closely related to an Italian Frittata or Spanish Torta. I refer to this as primaveraContinue reading “Frittata di Verdure Primavera”

Employee Meal 3.30.11

I and another cook made a bunch of pizzas for staff lunch yesterday and today. I made a whole wheat barley crust and the other cook added a variety of topping; some with meat, some without meat, and one vegan. Anyhow they were so beautiful I thought I’d share a few photos. If you’d likeContinue reading “Employee Meal 3.30.11”

Più Aglio e Olio

Tonight as a side dish for dinner I sauteed sliced Brussels sprouts aglio e olio style (in olive oil with lots of garlic and crushed hot pepper). I am convinced that all foods will taste great cooked like this (OK, maybe not all…but most). It’s so simple, yet healthy and super flavorful. Below is aContinue reading “Più Aglio e Olio”

Cannellini Bean Soup

Cannellini Bean Soup Yield: 6 quarts 2 pounds dried cannellini beans 3 tablespoons olive oil 4 ounces diced pancetta 2 cups diced onion 1 cup diced celery 1 cup diced carrots 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon crushed hot pepper 2 teaspoons minced rosemary 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 cups dicedContinue reading “Cannellini Bean Soup”

Bay Scallops "Brother Devil Style"

Pasta, as many of you know, is one of my favorite foods to cook and eat. The ingredients and styles are seemingly endless, but I can narrow down the way I usually prepare it to three styles: With homemade tomato sauce, aglio e olio (oil and garlic), or fra diavolo (brother devil); for this particularContinue reading “Bay Scallops "Brother Devil Style"”

My Frozen Tomato Experiment

It may seem odd to be writing about tomatoes in mid-November but this is the outcome of a successful experiment. Last summer is a memory as I sit next to the wood-burning stove as I type, but it was sultry none-the-less. And the steamy heat brought not only multitude of tomatoes in my garden butContinue reading “My Frozen Tomato Experiment”

Tomato, Pepper, and Potato Stove-Top Frittata

  I’ve posted recipes for this classic Italian egg dish before (click here, here, or here for additional recipes and pictures) but what’s interesting about this, I think, is that I’m still using vegetables from the garden (fresh, not fermented). The tomatoes have been ripening on a shelf in my kitchen for the past 9Continue reading “Tomato, Pepper, and Potato Stove-Top Frittata”

Pasta Autunno

The title of this post and recipe is a play on words, or rather the name of the famous dish Pasta Primavera (click here for a recipe and the history of Pasta Primavera; click here to read about the chef who first created it). Why I say this is that the dish Pasta Primavera translatesContinue reading “Pasta Autunno”

Whole Wheat Penne Rigate with Pork Ragu

This is a really simple variation of classic Ragu alla Bolognese. And, of course, by ragu I mean stew (ragout in French) not the tomato sauce by the same name. Pork is the best meat for this dish but it can easily be substituted with beef, chicken, or even lamb. I tossed the sauce withContinue reading “Whole Wheat Penne Rigate with Pork Ragu”

Fresh and Super-Delicious Tomato Sauce in 10 Minutes Using Four Easy Steps

This is a basic tomato sauce recipe that I make all summer long with fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden. At the end of the season I usually make a larger batch and freeze it in increments (click here to see a previous post regarding a large batch). This is so easy to makeContinue reading “Fresh and Super-Delicious Tomato Sauce in 10 Minutes Using Four Easy Steps”

Tortellini alla Giardino

This is a simple recipe that is only partially true to it’s title..it is not entirely alla giardino (from my garden), but there are a few things. Mainly, I’ve had a Swiss chard plant that grows back almost as fast as I eat it (there are worse problems), and the basil is already in fullContinue reading “Tortellini alla Giardino”

Seafood Penne Rigate Fra Diavolo

This is one of my favorite pasta preparations. I could eat this, or a variation of it, three times a week and not tire of it. Not surprisingly I had it for dinner the other night (made with tilapia). To see an earlier post, complete with the recipe’s history, etymology, pictures, directions, and recipe, clickContinue reading “Seafood Penne Rigate Fra Diavolo”

Staff Meal 6.2.10

Spaghetti alla Aglio e Olio con Broccoli in Brodo (Spaghetti with Garlic, Oil, Broccoli, and Chicken Broth)                                         Yield: 4 servings 3/4 pounds spaghetti 1/2 cup virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon crushed hot pepper 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 2 cups chopped broccoli florets  2 tablespoons grated PecorinoContinue reading “Staff Meal 6.2.10”

Penne with Asparagus, Garlic, and Olive Oil

This is/was delicious…and so simple to make. It’s a variation of one of my favorite pasta dishes Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil). Click here for an earlier post with instructions and pictures on how to make this dish.