Tag: pepper
Pizza Carbonara
We love eating pizza at home. I usually buy a pizzeria dough and divide it into 4 pieces to make four individual pizzas. I am always looking to make something new or at least try some new toppings for the pizza.
My daughter likes her usual- tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese and either sauteed mushrooms or black olives. She doesn’t like to mess with perfection and likes to stick to her usual. My husband is very similar- well, he is a bit more adventurous- as long as the pizza has red sauce on it. I love white pizza but am the only one in our family. My favorite is a white pizza with ricotta, spinach and lots of garlic- hmm- that sounds delicious- I could use some right now.
While picking up the pizza dough, I also stopped at the wine store. I couldn’t believe I had run out of wine- completely. As I was running my errands I was thinking what pizza to make for myself. I wanted something white and different. Pasta carbonara came to mind- I love eating it. The problem is that it is full of cream, bacon and eggs- definitely not an option for me these days. I guess once in a while it is okay to eat this stuff- right?. So, I decided to make a pizza carbonara for myself.
I sauteed some pancetta and turned the heat off. I stirred in eggs beaten with half and half (instead of cream). I then poured it all over my already rolled out pizza. Just in a few minutes the pizza crust turned golden brown and the topping rose way high. It looked beautiful. I added a lot of black pepper- that is what comes to mind when I think of carbonara. It was delicious. This would be great for breakfast, lunch or dinner- anytime, really.
Try pizza carbonara next time you want to change it up a bit.
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Garlicky Broccolini
I really like this vegetable. This is the first time I cooked with it and I have to say the results were wonderful. I used to think it is young broccoli but it more of a cross between chinese broccoli and mustard greens- that is how it tastes. There are some notes of asparagus as well.
I saw broccolini at Trader Joes and picked it up- not knowing what I will do with it.
The stalks reminded me of asparagus, so I peeled the outer skin. I then made a paste out of garlic, salt, olive oil and pepper- really simple. I slathered it all over the broccolini and roasted it on a lined cookie sheet- till golden brown and soft.
My daughter was quite skeptical when I served it to her. I asked her to try a little bit- she did and thought it was not bad. I thought it was delicious. I think this will be wonderful in a stir fry but I also think this would be perfect for a holiday dinner. It is easy to make and will complement any menu. Definitely give this one a try…
- 1 pound broccolini, ends trimmed
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Pound the garlic, salt, olive oil and pepper in a mortar and pestle till smooth. Place the broccollini on a lined cookie sheet. Slather the garlic mixture all over the vegetable and roast till golden brown and tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Zucchini Pesto Pizzas with Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
Okay, so this is a delicious concoction. While we were in Umbria at a very small yet great restaurant- we were served a variety bruschetta. One of them was green and tasted like heaven. We asked about it and found out it was made out of freshly picked zucchini. It was processed simply with extra virgin olive oil and salt.
So, that is what I did. I bought some lovely looking zucchini from the farmer’s market. This pesto is so simple yet delicious. I made it and wasn’t sure what to do with it. My daughter had been complaining about me not making pizza at home. That is what gave me the idea to use the pesto for the pizza.
As usual I bought pizza dough from our local pizzeria and decided to make individual ones. I had leftover chicken which I decided to use for the topping. I spread the pesto on the rolled out dough and topped it with fresh mozzarella cheese and chicken pieces.
The pizzas were delicious! My neighbors were outside and I decided to give them a taste. Even the kids loved it! I told the parents that the pesto was made out of zucchini and that they should keep the main ingredient to themselves! All in all it was a great experiment. Try it, I bet your kids will love it too…
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A Rustic Panzanella Salad Recipe
This salad is delicious. I have watched people on food television in the past making many different versions of it.Panzanella salad is essentially a way to use up day old or even up to a week old bread and any other things you may have in the fridge. Italian cuisine is well known for using leftovers and coming up with new, innovative dishes- I love it!
I had it first in Umbria last month when Paola made it for us. She made a 6 course meal for us- which was delicious. We started with this salad which she put together in a matter of minutes. We bought a big loaf of rustic bread earlier that day. She sliced it and topped it with a combination of greens, cucumbers, fresh extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. I have seen different versions of this – but never this particular one- so simple!
I was a bit hesitant to replicate this easy dish as I wasn’t sure if my ingredients would stand up to the one Paola used. I bought everything from the farmer’s market, including the bread. I made the salad the same day and served it with the sausage and peppers pasta. Well, it was delicious! The ingredients were fresh and exactly how they are supposed to taste. Everything worked really well together and the bread was soaked just the right amount and was a bit mushy and crunchy at the same time. I think you could definitely make a meal out of it- especially if you add some protein like shrimp or chicken.
It took me back to the kitchen in Spello where we sipped wine and watched Paola cooking. I love how food takes you back…
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