Tag: pecorino cheese
Garlicky Pasta with Broccoli Rabe
This is one of my favorite pastas to eat- I love the earthy, slightly bitter broccoli rabe and lots of garlic… plus it is a perfect Meatless Monday dish!!
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 8 to 10 garlic cloves, sliced thin
- ½ cup pine nuts
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe, chopped with stems off
- 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ pound pasta of choice, cooked al dente with 1 cup pasta water
- ½ cup cheese, a variety is ideal- I used a combination of Parmigiano, Asiago and Pecorino
Heat a wide frying pan with the olive oil. Add the garlic and nuts and cook on a low heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe and cook on medium high heat till the greens wilt down. Add the cooked pasta and ½ cup pasta water. Mix well and add the cheese. Stir and check for seasonings. Add more salt and pasta water if needed. Serve warm.
Roasted Cauliflower and Sausage Pasta with Pecorino & Thyme Breadcrumbs
I decided to go with the pasta theme from yesterday and post this delicious dish. As a lot of you know, I work with cauliflower a lot- mostly in Indian dishes. I decided to make a change and use the veggie in another cuisine.. how about pasta, I thought??? Well, why not?
I decided to roast cauliflower florets in a hot oven to bring out the nutty, sweetness. I then took off the casings off some delicious chicken sausages and sautéed them with garlic, shallots, white wine and diced tomatoes. The mixture made a delicious sauce- especially after I added some leftover pasta water to it… it thickens the sauce and makes it yummier.
If that was not enough- I decided to add a topping. I slow cooked a delicious combination of garlic, breadcrumbs, thyme and Romano cheese. The topping gives a delicious crunch and flavor to the pasta dish.
This is a great option for a quick, healthy weeknight meal.. try this with a delicious salad and a glass of wine.
read more …
Chilean Sea Bass with Sweet Pepper and Spinach Risotto
It is nice to start the New Year off in a healthy way. You can’t get any better than Chilean sea bass- can you? It is one of my husband’s favorite fish. My daughter and I like it too. I don’t end up making it too often- I think because I tend to forget it is there and also because it is kind of pricey- but it is still a lot cheaper than eating it in a restaurant.
I simply sauteed the fish with salt and pepper and a squirt of lemon juice. I wanted for the fish flavor to come through loud and clear. For the accompaniment- I decided on a risotto. I used a red pepper pesto I had in my fridge. I also added baby spinach at the end to make it a complete meal.
It was fabulous- healthy and delicious. If I could eat like this everyday, I would be really thin and really healthy…
read more …
A Visit To Assisi
The second day started kind of late. We assembled out in the garden with a big tray of toasted bread, cheese, jam and of course- coffee. This is the first place in a long time where I have not brought my own coffee contraption- they have it in the apartment, three of them. They also have the yummiest ground coffee. The breakfast was very enjoyable and we lingered for a while.
We then strolled around Spello and landed at a Gelateria for a snack. We had delicious hazelnut and coffee gelato and a few paninis (fish, proscuitto and eggs) and of course a cappucinno- I have to have at least one if not two everyday.
It was quite hot and we decided to get in the car and drive around. We ended up in Assisi– another small old town. It was nice to walk around and have gelato again- it really is all about the food. We also bought delicious marzipan and pistachio cookies- yum!
Dinner was back in Spello at a tiny wine bar. We started with fabulous glasses of red and white wine. We were served a platter of brushchetta- very different than what we know in the US- the toasted pieces of bread had a smear of the different pastes. These were 5 or 6 different kinds- two were doused with different olive oils. The rest were with black truffles, white truffles, sundried tomatoes and my favorite- arugula and capers. It was like a pesto- I asked the lady for thean ingredients and she told me arugula, almonds and capers- I will make this when I get home- it was delicious!
Dinner continued with a plate of ham and salami and a platter of 5 different kinds of pecorino cheese served with honey. I had no idea there were so many different kinds! Well, needless to say- we all had a wonderful time sitting outside in the late evening enjoying the local food and wine and listening to our neighbors speak Italian.
Today – it is Perugia- famous for it’s chocolates. Will report back tomorrow, as, right now I need to go in the kitchen and make my fabulous coffee. Ciao!
Baked Omelet with Fresh Herbs
Fresh Herbs and Pistachio Pesto served with Zucchini Pasta
Pesto (basil) symbolizes summer for me- the color, taste and smell is all warm weather goodness. I usually grow a lot of basil in the back yard to make abundant pesto and freeze for the winter. I am then able to use it year round- although it tastes best in the summer.
I love using basil pesto in pastas, salads and on meats. Of course, I also use it to make my super easy and fast meatballs. It is instant boost of flavor in any dish. It is definitely a staple in my fridge. I think my favorite way is to pair it with shrimp and pasta- the flavor of pesto and the crustaceans go fabulously well.
The other day my friend Nancy, called to tell me about a pistachio pesto she made for her family. She served it with pasta and zucchini. I had just been to the farmers market and bought some fabulous looking summer squash. I decided to make the pesto for a get together- I was planning on making a boneless leg of lamb. I thought I could make the pasta with grated zucchini and serve it to the kids- the rest I would add the pesto for the adults- perfect! I love when I come up with a fabulous menu.
Nancy emailed me the recipe and I made it with the fresh herbs growing in my backyard. I tweaked the recipe a bit- the original asked for parsley and mint- I added tarragon to the mix. I also switched the parmesan cheese with pecorino since it (pecorino) has a stronger flavor and I like it better. The last thing I added was lemon juice and zest- to give it an extra boost of goodness. The pesto was absolutely delicious! I used it all up in the pasta- I will definitely be making more soon to serve on top of salmon.
There are so many different ingredients to make pestos these days. I think the pistachio one is definitely going to be part of my repertoire. I am now motivated to research some other ones- possibly with sun dried tomatoes!