Tag: pine nuts
Turkey Meatballs with Broccoli Rabe
- 1 pound dark meat turkey
- 3 garlic cloves
- ½ cup basil
- ½ cup parsley
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ¼ cup pine nuts
Process the garlic, basil, parsley, lemon zest and pine nuts in a food processor till all is chopped well.
- ½ bunch broccoli rabe, greens taken off, blanched, squeezed and chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs soaked in ½ cup milk (for 10 minutes)
- 2 cups tomato sauce
Transfer the tomato sauce into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer.
Add the turkey, processed herbs, broccoli rabe, egg, cheese, salt and bread crumbs into a medium bowl. Mix well and form meatballs and slide into the simmering sauce. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer and cook meatballs covered with a lid for 15 minutes. Taste for seasonings and serve with pasta.
Eggplant Caponata
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/3 cup currants
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch squares
- Salt
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup mint, chopped
Heat a frying pan with the olive oil. Add the pine nuts and currants and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and tomatoes. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggplant and stir. Lower the heat and cover with lid and cook for ten minutes. Take the lid off and add salt and cook for another ten minutes, stirring constantly. Check for seasonings. Add the cilantro and mint. Serve warm or room temperature.
Arugula Pesto with Pine Nuts
I love making pestos. I don’t find myself making a whole lot of different kinds of basil pesto for some reason. I do love it but I always find myself making a sauce with another herb or vegetable.
This on is an arugula pesto. Arugula is one of my favorite greens. I love its versatility.. I can use it in a salad, cook with it and now make a pesto with it.
I simply paired it with garlic and pine nuts. I don’t like to use too much olive oil but it is important to use a really good quality one- so a little goes a long way. I used Pecorino instead of Parmesan as Pecorino has a stronger taste which is great for the bitter greens.
That is all I needed to make a delicious sauce. I used it for pasta and in this case- for pizza. Even my daughter ate it- she doesn’t usually like arugula but she really enjoyed the pesto on the pizza.
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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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Garlic Chicken with Pancetta served with Couscous with Pine nuts and Currants
I was watching food television the other day and saw someone make chicken with 40 cloves of garlic. It looked delicious but it seemed quite labor intensive. I have been meaning to make this dish for a while but have been lazy – so I made it simpler. I decided to use less garlic- it takes too long to peel 40 cloves. I used one head of garlic instead and it was more than enough. I also coated the chicken pieces with seasoned flour before I browned them. I saved a step by doing this- I don’t have to take the chicken out and make a roux separately. I also decided to add pancetta for an extra layer of flavor – boy, what intense flavor bacon gives to a dish! Everything is good with bacon! The fresh thyme is a great addition- it brings a very earthy flavor to the dish. I served the chicken with couscous that I made with pine nuts and currants. I usually add golden raisins to my savory dishes- never used currants before- well I am a fan! They are great tiny little balls of sweetness and go really well in the couscous. My daughter who usually takes the raisins out, somehow didn’t mind the currants in the couscous. I added a little extra chicken broth to the dish so we can enjoy extra sauce with the couscous.
So, since the dish didn’t have any vegetables, I was planning on serving a salad. I had baby arugula in the fridge and decided to make it simple and add some lemon juice and salt. It suddenly occurred to me maybe I should serve the seasoned arugula on top of the dish! What a brilliant idea- actually it’s not mine- I have seen it many times on food television– they usually add seasoned greens on pizza, pasta, etc. Well it is a great idea- it tasted fantastic! The lemony arugula was perfect with the creamy chicken and the sweet couscous. It really was a brilliant dish and I think great for company. We drank a Riesling with the chicken- the same one I used to make the sauce. It stood up to the strong flavors of the chicken dish but was light at the same time. It was a very enjoyable meal indeed- nothing better in life than to enjoy great food and wine with the people you love most!
Broccoli Rabe and Sausage Pasta with Lemon Zest
If I had to pick one pasta dish to eat for the rest of my life, it would be this. I don’t know exactly why I love this pasta so much but every time I think about it, my mouth salivates! I guess it is the combination of the savory golden brown chicken sausage with the earthy bitter broccoli rabe which really excites my palate. A lot of people don’t use this green too much. It’s a combination of not knowing what exactly broccoli rabe is and how to cook it. Contrary to the name, it is not related to broccoli. It is actually part of the turnip family and so it has a very nice nutty flavor with a little bitterness. I actually like the bitterness since it reminds me of mustard greens. The creaminess of the pine nuts goes really well with the bitterness. I also love the fresh citrus flavor of the lemon zest. I use Pecorino cheese instead of parmesan cheese because it has a stronger flavor and can stand really well to the strong flavored broccoli rabe. Overall it’s a light pasta with very strong flavors. My favorite way to eat the dish is with crusty garlic bread and a nice bold red wine!
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe, washed and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 4-5 links chicken sausage, sliced in 1 inch pieces
- 3-4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup pine nuts, roasted
- Salt to taste
- ½ pound cooked penne
- ¼ cup reserved cooked pasta water
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped or torn
- Zest of one lemon
- ¼ cup pecorino romano, grated
In a wide frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the sausage and sauté on medium high heat for 5-6 minutes or till golden brown. Add the garlic and pine nuts, sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Next add the broccoli rabe and cook till the greens are wilted and cooked down, for about 5 minutes. Add the pasta with the pasta water. Add salt to taste and stir well. Finish the pasta with the lemon zest, basil and cheese.