Fagioli Soup

This is another recipe that I used my new slow cooker to make.  It is also based on a recipe from Italian Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone.  I love eating soups in winter, and I hope to have more time to experiment with the slow cooker and the soup recipes.  Since this also has pasta it was a good compromise and encouragement for my husband to give it a try as he is not that big on soups.  It is a bit thicker than a regular soup and very satisfying.

Fagioli Soup
1 celery rib, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small can (10 oz) chopped canned tomatoes (you can use fresh too if peeled and seeded)
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 1/2 cups water
2 cans white beans (I used cannellini and great northern.)
salt
crushed red pepper
8 ounces spaghetti, broken into pieces or soup pasta

In braise mode or in a pan on the stove, cook the celery and garlic over medium heat until the garlic is golden.  Pour mixture into the slow cooker.  Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and water and stir together.  Add the white beans, salt to taste and a couple of pinches of red peppers flakes and stir.  Cook on low for 4 hours.   Add the pasta and cook until done, about 20-30 minutes depending on the pasta.  Serve and enjoy!

Zucchini Carbonara Pasta

Zucchini Carbonara Pasta

Fresh zucchini simply cannot compare to the ones you find in the grocery store.  Fortunately, a couple of fresh granted me zucchini from a part of farm share.  Ironically, both people that gave me zucchini gave it to me the same week and I ended up with three different kinds of it.  So I started reading and trying to find some recipe or ideas which would work with this lovely fresh zucchini.  Some got grilled with another meal, and some parts were used in a lovely mint, zucchini and farro salad.

The last of my zucchini was used in this recipe for a carbonara pasta with zucchini.  As I had never made carbonara before, I was a little concerned about cooking the eggs and turning the whole thing into a mess, but alas it did not happen.  Not only did it not happen, but it also did not happen upon reheating the pasta for leftovers.  Also, it did reheat well and was just about as good as the first time.  Not quite only because there is just something wonderful about the smell of cooking bacon which sets the expectations that much higher.

This recipe is adapted from Jamie At Home by Jamie Oliver. I was given a couple of his cookbooks and though I wasn't thrilled with others that he has written, a few of them have stuck me as great ideas for cooking.

Zucchini Carbonara
1 yellow squash, cut into smaller square pieces
1 green zucchini, cut into smaller square pieces
1 multicolored green striped zucchini, cut into smaller square pieces
1 pound penne pasta
2 large eggs yolks (best you can get)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
freshly grated good quality Parmesan cheese
olive oil
bacon - 1 pound cut into smaller strips
4-6 smaller pieces of fresh thyme (depending on your taste)
salt and pepper

Boil the pasta.  While water is heating and the pasta is boiling...you will make the carbonara sauce.  Put the two egg yolks into a small bowl.  Add the cream and 3-4 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Mix together with a fork.  Season a little with salt and pepper.

In a large frying pan, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Fry the bacon until crisp.  Add the squash and zucchini.  Sprinkle in the thyme leaves, salt and pepper (though you probably don't need much salt due to the bacon).  Stir well until everything is coated in the bacon grease and olive oil.  Fry until everything is lightly golden brown.

When the pasta is done, drain it, but reserve some of the water (a cup is plenty).  Immediately toss with the bacon zucchini squash mixture.  Remove from heat.  At this point you may need a little of the pasta water to add with your carbonara sauce.  Be sure everything isn't too hot or else you will cook the egg yolks.  The pasta water it to help give a shine to the pasta, but you may not need to use it or choose not to use it.  Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.  Serve immediate with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4-6 depending on portion sizes

Timballo Pasta with Fresh Ricotta

Timballo Pasta with fresh Ricotta

Like the chilaquiles, this recipe is based off of heart of the artichoke by David Tanis.  I was intrigued by the pasta bake and started to read about it.  Then I discovered even the tomato sauce was homemade for this recipe.  I took it one step further and made my own ricotta cheese as well as it is quick to make and tastes so good when made at home.  Plus, it is much cheaper than buying a pound of ricotta which has been in the store for who knows how long.  This dish also reheats very well, so leftovers are great for lunch the next day.  It does make a lot given that it is based on a pound of pasta.  I used elbows, but the original recipe states anelli which are rings, but I could not find them.  Once you have the sauce and the ricotta, this dish is quick to assemble and bake, so makes a good weeknight meal also.

Timballo Pasta with fresh Ricotta

1 pound pasta
olive oil
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes
4 cups tomato sauce
1 pound fresh ricotta, room temperature
pecorino, grated
basil leaves, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and boil your pasta for 12 minutes or as needed to reach al dente.  Drain and put in a large bowl.  Add some olive oil and season with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Heat the tomato sauce.  In a large oven-proof cake pan, spoon half the tomato sauce and half the ricotta.  Pour in all the pasta.  Then pour the rest of the tomato sauce and ricotta on top of the pasta.  Sprinkle with the grated pecorino.  Heat in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until hot all the way through.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with more pecorino and fresh chopped basil.

Tomato Sauce
1/8 cup olive oil
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
salt and pepper
4 pounds ripe tomatoes (peeled, seeded, and chopped)
basil (a spring or small hand full of leaves)

Heat the oil in a heavy pot.  Saute the onion until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic, salt, pepper and cook for about a minute.  Add the tomatoes and basil and let the sauce come to a boil for about 5 minutes.  Reduce heat and cook for 75 - 90 miuntes.  The sauce will be done when it is not too thin, nor too thick.  Remove from heat.  Puree with a hand blender until appropriate smoothness.  This sauce is able to be frozen for later use.  (Makes about 4 cups)

Tortellini Salad

I am always trying to find more ways to get my husband to eat more vegetables.  It isn't that he doesn't like them, but it is easier to eat crackers or just a hamburger without any sides than to go to the troubles of adding vegetables to the mix.  I was reading through super natural every day by Heidi Swanson.  (Her 101cookbooks blog is excellent.)  I tried to pick out a couple of recipes which I could try out and even have my husband request again.  This recipe for Tortellini Salad was one of the recipes I made, and which he requested to eat again.  Fortunately, both broccoli and asparagus were fresh in the grocery store and so I happily got both.  I had been thinking about what to do with them both when I read this recipe again which contained both of the chosen ingredients.

This is a super simple recipe to prepare, and particularly when I am being a little lazy or don't have much time during the week.  I even went through some of the steps with my husband as I am always trying to find recipes which he will take up cooking so I can continue to experiment with more.

Tortellini Salad: adapted from super natural every day
about 16 oz fresh tortellini filled with cheese
12 thin asparagus spears (cut into 1.5-2 inch pieces)
1 small crown of broccoli (more if you really like broccoli)
1-2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh squeezed is best)
1/4 cup good quality olive oil

fresh parsley (equivalent to about 1/4-1/2 cup finely chopped)
1/3 cup pine nuts - roasted
1 medium avocado

Method:
Bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook tortellini according to package directions.  About a minute before the tortellini is done, add the broccoli and asparagus to quick cook them.  Drain everything and place under cold water to stop the cooking.  Make the dressing: press the garlic and mix with a little salt,  add lemon juice and olive oil.  Whisk together.

When ready to serve, toss the tortellini, broccoli, asparagus, and parsley with the dressing.  Add the pine nuts and avocado.  Toss gently to mix ingredients.

Serves: about 4

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Ricotta Gnocchi

One of the things I have been experimenting in this year is cooking more Italian food.  So this lead me to find a lovely Italian immigrant cookbook with tasty recipes which are easy to make, other than sometimes being time-consuming.  This was my second attempt at the ricotta gnocchi and both time it turned out lovely.  Added to that the pesto made from my own basil and you have a simple, yet filling dinner.  The book this recipe came from is called Italian Immigrant Cooking by Elodia Rigante.  Unfortunately, it is no longer published, but you can find it in the used book stores.

Ricotta Gnocchi

1 pound freshly made Ricotta cheese

1 egg

2 cups flour (maybe a little more if your ricotta is really wet)

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta and the egg.  Add the salt and pepper.  Gradually add the flour.  Knead on a floured counter.  Roll into finger-sized logs and then cut into equal length pieces (mine are usually about 3/4 inch each).

To cook: bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the gnocchi and stir to be sure they don't stick.  Cook for about 10 minutes or until the gnocchi is floating.  You can serve immediately with whatever sauce you like or just some grated Parmesan cheese.  The above photo is made with homemade pesto.

These freeze well.  Or if you prefer to cook them all and not eat them all, you can reheat them in the oven with some Parmesan cheese grated over them.