Tag: Italian food

Spaghetti With Puttanesca / Spaghetti alla puttanesca

How about a treat?

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca has its beginnings in southern Italy, in the regions called Campania and Lazio particularly. The key element of this bright, cheerful, spicy meal is the Puttanesca sauce. It’s sensual, fragrant flavours, married perfectly in the sauce, make it an excellent meal for a weeknight. Puttanesca sauce is easy and quick to make. Exploding with flavour and so easy to prepare.

Spaghetti with PuttanescaDownload the recipe – MS Word

Spaghetti with Puttanesca

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

A recipe from the region of Campania, Italy.

Adapted from a recipe by Silvana Lanzetta.

“Puttanesca sauce is one of the pillars of traditional Italian cuisine, with two cities that claim to be its birthplace: Rome and Naples. The difference between the two recipes is that the Roman version contains anchovies, whereas in Naples it’s made with olives and capers without anchovies.” Silvana Lanzetta

This is the Neapolitan vegetarian version, without anchovies.

Ingredients: Serves 4 either on 1 serving platter or on 4 bowls

  • 360 g dried spaghetti; alternatively use linguine or bucatini
  • Good olive oil for cooking
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled, and sliced
  • 1 tiny pinch of crushed chilli flakes
  • 80g of pitted black olives, half chopped, half left whole
  • 80g of pitted green olives, half chopped, half left whole
  • 2 tbsp of brined capers, rinsed if packed in salt, roughly chopped
  • 30 cherry tomatoes, cut in half. Use a 400g tin of Italian peeled plum tomatoes instead if you prefer.
  • ½ a glass dry white wine
  • 1 small bunch of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Ground sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

  1. To begin, place the oil in a large deep pan over a medium heat. Once hot, cook the garlic, capers and chilli, if using, gently in the oil for 2 minutes. Stir often.
  2. To make your sauce even tastier, start to flavour the oil an hour before serving the pasta. Follow the recipe until step 2, then take the pan off the heat, cover, and set aside. By allowing it to rest for an hour, the oil will absorb all the flavours from the garlic and capers, resulting in an amazingly flavourful sauce.
  3. Add the oregano, cherry tomatoes, or the tinned tomatoes if using, and white wine to the pan, bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Stir frequently
  4. Taste the sauce to check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if required.
  5. Meanwhile, in a large stock pot, bring 3 litres of salted water to the boil add the pasta and cook the according to packet instructions. Once cooked, drain the spaghetti, reserving 3 ladlesful of the pasta water.
  6. Add some of the pasta water to the sauce to loosen it slightly and add the olives and flat leaf parsley. Mix thoroughly and sauté for a few minutes.
  7. Stir the spaghetti into the sauce and toss well to combine everything with the sauce for 4 to 5 minutes.
  8. Serve immediately into warmed bowls.

Produced by John Fletcher at http://www.johnstastesofitaly.com

gabrieloak32gmailcomLeave a comment

Valdostana Cabbage and Onion Soup / Zuppa di cavolo valdostana, cipolla e pane

“Cabbage and Onion Soup” – doesn’t sound very exciting does it? I found this recipe recently and was intrigued by the text which preceded it:

“Are you looking after yourself? What’s your health life plan? Does the plan include healthy eating, a balanced diet and a prudent lifestyle which will nurture the bacteria in your gut? Not all bacteria are bad and many of them are beneficial and essential to our well-being. Some live on the surface of your skin, inside the mouth or the nose – but the biggest numbers are living inside your gut. The gut is the long tube that starts at the mouth and ends at the bowel. Can my gut flora really help to keep me healthy? Yes, it keeps your gut bacteria healthy. Add this recipe into your regular meal schedule, it will support your gut bacteria and you will be looking after your long-term health.”

Valdostana Cabbage and Onion Soup

Zuppa di cavolo valdostana, cipolla e pane

Cabbage & onion soup from the Valle d’Aosta region of Northern Italy.

Valdostana Cabbage and Onion SoupDownload recipe – MS Word

Adapted from a recipe by Antonio Carluccio in his book “Vegetables”.

“If you are in the Aosta Valley in the winter and visit a local restaurant or osteria, you may find this heart-warming and delicious soup or pasticcio on the menu.” Antonio Carluccio

This soup is best eaten as soon as you’ve made it. If you’re cooking for fewer people, it’s easy to reduce the quantities; you won’t need to adjust the cooking time.

“Certain types of fibre and carbohydrates have been found to particularly encourage the growth of friendly bacteria in the gut. A plentiful and assorted group of helpful bacteria living in your gut can help your body improve immune function, create nutrients, control appetite and improve your mental wellbeing. Known as pre-biotic foods, these everyday ingredients are a cheap and easy addition to your diet. Bananas, spring onions, onions, garlic, cabbage, leeks, oats, asparagus, nectarines, blueberries and grapefruit are all pre-biotic foods. Following a diverse Mediterranean (includes Italian) diet will ensure you eat plenty of these foods.” https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/improving_gut_health

Ingredients: Serves 4

  • 800g to 1kg savoy cabbage, stems removed from the leaves and leaves cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1.5 litres vegetable stock
  • 6 tbsp good olive oil for cooking
  • 2 large thick slices of wholegrain bread, cut into large cubes
  • 12 sage leaves, most shredded (leave a few whole for garnishing)
  • 1 large white onion, finely sliced
  • 200g vegetarian soft cheese, (use vegetarian soft taleggio, goat’s cheese or cheddar, cut into small cubes)
  • Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper
  • To finish:
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
  • 50g unsalted butter

Method:

  1.  Bring the vegetable stock to the boil in a large saucepan. Blanch the cut cabbage leaves in the stock for 5 minutes, then remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  2. Keep the stock hot in the pan.
  3. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/gas mark 4.
  4. Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the onion and sliced sage leaves to the pan. Sauté for 10 minutes on a low heat, until the onion is soft and sticky but not coloured. Stir frequently.
  5. Add the reserved cabbage to the pan, lightly season well with salt and pepper and mix everything together. Turn off the heat and transfer the mix to a warm dish and cover.
  6. Heat the bread cubes in 3 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan, and fry for a few minutes on a low heat, until golden in colour. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
  7. Get a wide, deep ovenproof dish (about 25cm across) and start layering up the soup. Start with the bread cubes, to create an even layer on the bottom.
  8. Top with half of the cabbage and onion mixture, and sprinkle over a third of the cheese cubes. Layer with the remaining cabbage and onion mixture and a third more cheese.
  9. Ladle over the stock until the dish is almost full. Scatter over the remaining cheese cubes and sage leaves.
  10. Fry the garlic in a small frying pan in the butter until foaming, then pour over the top of the cabbage.
  11. When ready to bake cover the dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes until the soup is golden and bubbling up.
  12. Tips and serving suggestions: Serve immediately. As an alternative to using the bread cubes in the bottom of the ovenproof dish, use them to spread over the soup when it’s served into your bowl.

Produced by John Fletcher at http://www.johnstastesofitaly.com

gabrieloak32gmailcom2 Comments

Pasta with Brocolli and Sultanas / Pasta con broccoli e uva sultanina

This is a typical recipe made in many regions of Southern Italy; Puglia, Calabria, Basilicata and Sicily. The regions have been for a long period in Italy’s history, the poorest part of the country; in the past, much of the population subsisted on an almost exclusively vegetarian diet, eating greens and bread or pasta.

Pasta with Broccoli and Sultanas

Pasta con broccoli e uva sultanina

Adapted from recipes by The Good Housekeeping Institute in their book: “Good Housekeeping Step-By-Step Vegetarian Cookbook”– published on 4 Sep 1997, and from the blog by Jacqueline Debono at https://www.the-pasta-project.com/ 

“Broccoli pasta is very traditional in Southern Italy. You can find different versions of it in most of the South Italian regions particularly Sicily, Puglia, Calabria and Campania. It is most often made without meat.” Jacqueline Debono

Pasta with Broccoli and SultanasDownload the recipe – MS Word

Ingredients: Serves 4

  • 50 g sultanas
  • 200 g broccoli spears
  • 300-350 g dried pasta penne, rigatoni, fusilloni or spaghetti
  • Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper
  • 100 ml good olive oil for cooking
  • 75 g white breadcrumbs
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely crushed with tines of a fork
  • 25 g pine nuts
  • 40 g hard vegetarian pecorino cheese, finely grated
  • A handful of finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
  • 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

Method:

  1. Put the sultanas in a bowl; pour on a little boiling water to cover and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, trim the tough, fibrous ends off the broccoli and then slice the stems into short, ½ inch (1 cm) lengths. Break the broccoli into small florets. Transfer the broccoli to a steamer, sprinkle with salt and cover and steam for 7 minutes. Then remove the pan from the steamer and hold under running tap water for 2 seconds and set aside, covered.
  3. In the meantime, heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a frying pan on a low heat; add the garlic and fry, stirring to coat with oil for 1-2 minutes. Add the breadcrumbs to the garlic and stir to mix. Cook, stirring constantly, until the crumbs are golden brown and crunchy, about 5 minutes, until they begin to crisp. Add the pine nuts and continue to fry, stirring, until the pine nuts begin to colour. Add the broccoli and sultanas, a pinch of salt and gently stir over the heat until it is thoroughly heated, and everything is mixed through. Transfer to a bowl, cover and set aside.
  4. Cook the pasta in the large stock pot of boiling salted water until al dente or follow packet instructions.
  5. Drain the pasta in a colander, return it to the hot, dry pan you cooked it in and add the broccoli mixture. Gently stir to mix thoroughly.
  6. Tips and serving suggestions: Serve into warmed bowls, add the grated cheese over the bowl, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and garnish with flat leaf parsley.

Produced by John Fletcher at http://www.johnstastesofitaly.com

Pasta with Broccoli and Sultanas

gabrieloak32gmailcomLeave a comment

Penne Pasta with Aubergine and Tomato Sauce / Penne  con Melanzane e Salsa di Pomodoro

Penne Pasta with Aubergine and Tomato Sauce

Penne  con Melanzane e Salsa di Pomodoro

This recipe has been created in Umbria, the fifth smallest region in Italy. The region has no coastline but has borders with three other Italian regions; Tuscany, Marche and Lazio.

penne pasta with aubergine and tomato sauceDownload recipe – MS Word

Adapted from a recipe by Ursula Ferrigno in her book “Truly Italian – quick and simple vegetarian cooking”.

Penne are tubes of pasta that resemble small quill pens. They are either ridged or smooth and can vary in length (pennette are slightly smaller than penne). This recipe was devised by the Lungarotti family who own a charming vineyard and wine museum in Torgiano, Umbria, very near where I teach. Many people believe that it isn’t necessary these days to salt or ‘degorge’ aubergines, but I think it’s still vital. The aubergines are tenderer, have more flavour and do not absorb so much of the cooking oil.” Ursula Ferrigno

Ingredients: Serves 4

  • 1 medium, firm and ripe aubergine
  • freshly ground fine sea salt and black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons best-quality olive oil for cooking
  • 3 tablespoons red wine, good enough to drink
  • 1 small white onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
  • I x 400g can Italian chopped tomatoes
  • 200 g Italian passata
  • 275g Italian dried pennette or penne (quills)
  • 2 tablespoons double cream
  • I tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated vegetarian pecorino sheep’s cheese

Method:

  1. Cut the aubergine into small cubes, spread out on a kitchen paper lined tray, sprinkle with fine salt and cover with more paper. Leave for 15 minutes. Rinse the aubergine cubes to remove the salt, and pat dry with fresh kitchen paper.
  • Heat half of the olive oil in a frying pan, add the aubergine and fry for 5 minutes until golden. Add the wine and simmer for 5 minutes, then season with salt and pepper.
  • In a separate frying pan, over a medium heat warm the rest of the olive oil and add then add the onion and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes until the onion is translucent but not burnt. Stir frequently.
  • Add the aubergine to the onion and garlic and mix together. Add the tomatoes and passata to the frying pan, stir to mix and bring up to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes (add a little water if necessary). Stir occasionally.
  • Add the pasta to a large pot of boiling salted water, bring back to the boil and cook for about 12 minutes or according to the packet instructions, stirring occasionally.
  • Just before serving the sauce, stir in the cream, oregano and parsley (leave some for a garnish) to the sauce, and taste to check the seasoning.
  • Turn the heat off under the pasta. Use a perforated spoon and transfer the drained pasta into the sauce and mix it into the sauce thoroughly.
  • Serve immediately into warm dishes. Drizzle over some extra virgin olive oil, grate the pecorino cheese over the top and garnish with the rest of the parsley.

Produced by John Fletcher at http://www.johnstastesofitaly.com

This is a panoramic view of Perugia in the north of Umbria. It is the regional capital city. 

gabrieloak32gmailcomLeave a comment

Casarecce Pasta with Peperonata / Casarecce Pasta alla Peperonata

Casarecce Pasta with Peperonata / Casarecce pasta alla peperonata

“Casarecce is also known as ‘casareccia’ in certain areas of Italy. Casarecce is short pasta noodles with curled edges and a groove down the middle. Casarecce is originally from Sicily, but it is also a very popular pasta in other regions of Southern Italy such as Calabria and Campania. Dried casarecce can be found in many countries outside of Italy. In fact, a number of UK and US supermarket chains sell it. Jacqueline De Bono

Credit: Adapted from a recipe by Jacqueline De Bono at her website: https://www.the-pasta-project.com/casarecce/

Ingredients

    Ingredients: Serves 4
  • 400 g casarecce pasta (14oz)
  • 2 red sweet peppers (bell peppers/capsicums)
  • 2 yellow sweet peppers
  • 2 orange sweet peppers
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled and cut in half
  • 2 red onions, peeled and sliced
  • 1 handful cherry tomatoes cut in half
  • 300 g Italian tomato passata (10 oz)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • salt for pasta and to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • fresh basil or flat leaf parsley as required
  • grated hard vegetarian pecorino as required

Method

    Method:
  1. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the stalk, seeds and internal white filaments. Cut the peppers into smallish strips. Wash and dry the peppers well.
  2. Wash the cherry tomatoes, dry them and cut them in half.
  3. Peel the onions and slice (not too finely).
  4. Peel the garlic and cut in half.
  5. Put the extra virgin olive oil into a deep frying pan, add the onions, garlic cloves and peppers. Cook over a medium heat until all the ingredients start to soften. Stir often.
  6. Add the tomato passata, the cherry tomatoes, the bay leaf and wine vinegar, plus salt to taste. Mix everything together well and cook covered for 30-40 minutes over a low heat. Stir occasionally.
  7. Just before the pepper sauce is cooked, fill a large deep pan with 3 litres of water and bring to the boil for the pasta. Add 1 tps salt once it starts to boil and bring back the boil again. Carefully add the pasta to the boiling water and cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. Stir occasionally. Before draining the pasta save a cup of the cooking water.
  8. Remove the bay leaf from the sauce. Add the drained pasta to the peperonata and mix well. If the sauce seems dry add some of the pasta cooking water.
  9. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of ground black pepper, chopped basil or parsley and grated cheese (if required)
  10. NOTES: If you make a larger quantity, you can save some peperonata to eat as a side dish or on bruschetta. You can also bake the pasta and sauce before serving. Before putting it in the oven, add some grated vegetarian pecorino or mozzarella on top.
Produced by John Fletcher @ http://www.johnstastesofitaly.com
You can download a copy of the Casarecce Pasta With Peperonata recipe by clicking on …. Download Recipe – MS Word

gabrieloak32gmailcom2 Comments

Rich Tomato Pasta Sauce / Salsa Di Pasta Al Pomodoro Ricco

“A true classic of Italian cuisine, it is perfect for pasta, pizzas and more. A good tomato sauce is one of the first things that any cook should learn to make. There is a multitude of ways to make a tomato sauce but this one is northern Italian in style. I like it because it’s very nutritious, full of flavours and you can choose to make it smooth or chunky in texture.” John

I’ve adapted a recipe by Anna Del Conte in her book “Italian Kitchen”. Click picture to see the recipe.

gabrieloak32gmailcom1 Comment
Create a website or blog at WordPress.com
%d bloggers like this: