Spaghetti with Shrimp

Spaghetti ai Gamberi

This is a delicious recipe of my book Perfectly Pasta. It’s a dish very popular in my country, and it tastes great if you use the highest-quality and freshest shrimps you can find. I suggest accompanying this dish with a good glass of white wine.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: about 35 minutes

Serves 2–3

Ingredients:

Extra virgin olive oil, about 7 tablespoons
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
½ pound (220 grams) fresh shrimp
1 can Italian peeled tomatoes, approximately 14 ounces (400 grams), mashed with a fork
Salt, about ½ teaspoon + 1 tablespoon
8 cups (2 liters) water
½ pound (approximately 250 grams) of spaghetti pasta
3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

Method:

1.        Heat about 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and sauté until light brown. Add the shrimp and let cook for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for about 20 minutes on low to medium heat. At this point, taste the sauce and add more salt if needed.
2.        Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the spaghetti and boil it, stirring often, until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer to the pan with the shrimp and tomatoes. Add the parsley and another 3 tablespoons oil, mix well, and serve immediately.

Note:

·         You can use fettuccine or linguine in place of the spaghetti.

Barley salad

Insalata di Farro

Barley salad is a delicious cold dish that’s easy to make and it looks and tastes great. You can use rice in place of the barley. There is a nice mix of flavors and colors in this recipe: many vegetables, tuna, eggs, barley, etc! It can be made ahead of time and it can just be taken out of the refrigerator and served. It’s a meal with low fat and extremely healthy. I have taken this salad to many picnics and my family and friends always loved it!

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: about 50 minutes

Serves  7-8

Ingredients:

Water, about 16 cups (4 liters)
½ cup (120 milliliters) white vinegar
Salt, about 2 tablespoons
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
½ onion, peeled and finely chopped
½ cup (120 milliliters) frozen or fresh peas
2 medium zucchini, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
½ pound (220 grams) green beans, snapped
1 pound (approximately 450 grams) pearl barley
¼ pound (110 grams) smoked cheese, diced
1 can best-quality tuna in olive oil, about 4 ounces (110 grams), drained
7 green olives, pitted and chopped
9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Pepper to taste

Method:

1. Bring 6 cups (1½ liters) water to a boil in a large pot. Add white vinegar and ½ tablespoon salt.
2. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and boil for 12 minutes. Lift the vegetables out with a strainer and set aside.
3. Add the peas and zucchini to the same pot and let boil for about 6–7 minutes. Lift out with the strainer and set aside as well.
4. Repeat with the red bell pepper and green beans. Boil them about 8–9 minutes, lift out, and set aside.
5. In another pot, bring 10 cups (2½ liters) water to a boil. Add 1½ tablespoons salt. Add the barley and boil it, stirring often, until al dente. Drain the barley with a colander and rinse it under cold tap water. Drain well again.
6. In a large bowl, combine the barley, carrots, celery, onion, peas, zucchini, red bell pepper, green beans, cheese, tuna, olives, extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper and gently mix. At this point, taste the barley salad and add more salt if needed.
7. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1–2 hours. Serve or refrigerate.

 

Potato Frittata

Frittata di Patate

This is a recipe from my book Simply Frittata. It is a simple vegetarian dish. My guests always enjoy it. My kids also love it.

 

Preparation time: 10–15 minutes
Cooking time: about 20–25 minutes

Serves: 3–4

Ingredients:
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 medium white potatoes, finely diced
Salt (according to taste)
6 eggs
4 tbsp. grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Pepper to taste
4 oz. (110 g) cottage cheese
2 tbsp. freshly minced parsley

Method:

1. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a skillet. Add the potatoes and fry until crispy and golden. Season with salt and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 390° F (200° C). Line a baking dish with baking paper.
3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat the eggs with Pecorino Romano cheese, a pinch of salt, and the pepper. Add potatoes, cottage cheese, and parsley to the eggs and mix well.
4. Pour the egg mixture into the baking dish and use a spatula to distribute it evenly over the surface. Bake for 20 minutes or until frittata is set[1] and the top is light golden-brown.     
5. After the frittata has rested for a few minutes, serve with a green salad or grilled vegetables.[2]
   

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[1] You can check by lifting the edge of the frittata with a fork.

[2] You may need to season with salt.

Pasta with Green Beans

Pasta con i Fagiolini

This dish is fresh and healthy. It tastes as simple as it is. It is one of my mother’s recipes and it is in my cookbook Perfectly Pasta.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: about 25 minutes

Serves 2–3

Ingredients:

½ pound (approximately 250 grams) fresh green beans
Water, about 12 cups (3 liters)
Salt, about 1½ tablespoons
8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or minced
½ pound (approximately 250 grams) orecchiette pasta
2 ounces (50 grams) Parmigiano-Reggiano (or Grana Padano) cheese (optional)

Method:

1.        Wash the green beans and remove the ends.
2.        Bring about 4 cups (1 liter) water with ½ tablespoon salt to a boil in a large pot. Add the green beans and let cook for 5 minutes. Drain the beans and cut into smaller pieces.
3.        Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and sauté. Add the green beans and let cook together for 7–8 minutes.
4.        Meanwhile, bring 8 cups (2 liters) water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the pasta and boil it, stirring often, until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer to the pot with the green beans. Let cook all together 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly. At this point, taste the pasta and add more salt if needed.
5.        Grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano on top of each serving of pasta and serve immediately.

Notes:

·         You can use penne or other kinds of Italian pasta in place of the orecchiette.

Portulaca salad

Insalata di Portulaca

Today I ate this one! It's the portulaca grass! It grows up spontaneous in my back yard! It's absolutely organic! I seasoned it with extra virgin olive oil, salt and fresh lemon juice. For what I know, the portulaca is one of the most powerful antioxidant.

Spaghetti with Carbonara Sauce

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

This is a recipe from my book Perfectly Pasta. It's is a traditional dish, very appreciated in all Italy. A few weeks ago, my husband was out of Italy and at the restaurant he asked Spaghetti alla Carbonara; he was greatly surprised when he got a dish of white spaghetti with pieces of hard boiled eggs inside!!! My husband was very disappointed! What was that?!?...Not the Italian Carbonara!

This is the authentic recipe of the famous Pasta alla Carbonara! It is a dish very simple, quick, and delicious, and it is basically just bacon, eggs, and pasta. The key to getting the best Spaghetti alla Carbonara is the quality of the ingredients—especially of the eggs—and the method in which you prepare it. You will be pleasantly surprised by the exquisiteness of this dish when it’s made in the right way.

The majority of chefs agree that “true” carbonara is made with guanciale and not with bacon or pancetta, but I believe that there is only a very small difference in flavor between the alternatives.

 

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: about 30 minutes

Serves 2–3

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
Water, 9 cups or 2¼ liters
¼ pound (110 grams) bacon, finely chopped
4 eggs
4 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
5 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or Grana Padano) cheese
Salt, about 1 tablespoon
Pepper to taste
½ pound (approximately 250 grams) spaghetti pasta

Method:

1.        Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and sauté gently. Add 1 cup (250 milliliters) water, cover, and cook until the onion is soft. When the water has evaporated, add the bacon and cook until crisp.
2.        Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat the eggs with the Pecorino Romano cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Set aside.
3.        Bring 8 cups (2 liters) water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the pasta and boil it, stirring often, until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer to a nonstick skillet. Add the bacon and onions and mix well. Add the egg mixture and, stirring constantly, cook on medium heat for about 1–2 minutes, just enough to cook the eggs a little. Serve immediately.

Eggplants Parmigiana

Parmigiana di Melanzane

One of the most famous dish of the Italian cuisine! Known in all the world, Eggplants Parmigiana is one of the most delicious vegetarian dish of our cuisine.  Some foreigners think that there is a secret ingredient in this dish because it’s not easy to believe that it is made with cheap and poor ingredients like tomatoes, eggplants, eggs and cheese. It is said  that Eggplants Parmigiana originates in Naples but today it can be found on the menus of the Italian restaurants in all the world. The following is the authentic recipe, the one that, in the past, my grandmother used to make, and my mother and I make today also.  You can prepare it the day before; the next day is even better.

Preparation time: about  30-40 minutes
Cooking time: about  1 ½ hour total

Serves  4-5

Ingredients

for the tomato sauce:
6 tbsp.  extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and  finely chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 cans Italian peeled tomatoes, approximately  14 oz each (400g each), mashed with a fork
1 cup (250ml) water
1 ½ tsp. salt

for the eggplants:
vegetable oil (enough to fry)
about 3-4 eggs
about 10 tbsp. grated Parmigiano Reggiano (or Grana Padano) cheese
about 1 cup (250ml) all purpose flour
4-5 eggplants (about 1 ½ lb. or 680g), thinly sliced lengthwise
about ½ lb. (220g) mozzarella cheese, finely chopped
a few basil leaves

Method:

1.        Prepare the tomato sauce: Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and the onion and sauté. Add the tomatoes, water and salt; stir well and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes. At this point, taste the sauce and add more salt if needed. Don’t worry if the sauce is a little watery; that is how it is meant to be.
2.        Meanwhile heat the vegetable oil, and prepare the eggplants: Whisk the eggs with 4 tbsp. of Parmigiano cheese. Put the flour in a bowl. Coat each eggplant slice with the flour, then dip into the eggs mixture and fry until golden brown. Drain the eggplant slices on paper towels and set aside.
3.        Preheat oven at 395° F (200° C).
4.        Build the Parmigiana layers: On the bottom of a baking pan (about 9 x 13 inches or 22.8 x 33 cm), spread about 1-2 spoonfuls of tomato sauce. Lay a flat layer of eggplants over the sauce. Spread  half of the chopped mozzarella over the eggplants, spread about 1-2 spoonfuls of tomato sauce over the mozzarella, and then sprinkle 1-2 tbsp. of Parmigiano cheese on top.
5.        Cover with a second layer of eggplant slices. Spread  the remaining chopped mozzarella over the eggplants, spread about 1-2 spoonfuls of tomato sauce over the mozzarella, and then sprinkle 1-2 tbsp. of Parmigiano cheese on top.
6.        Cover with the last layer of eggplants, spread the remaining tomato sauce over them, and sprinkle the basil and the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano on top.
7.        Bake  for 35-45 minutes. Allow to cool at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes:

·         You can use mild white cheddar cheese  in place of the mozzarella cheese.

 

Broccoli Frittata

Frittata di Broccoli

This is a recipe from my book Simply Frittata. Like most Italian frittatas, this is easy to prepare and very cheap, the perfect combination for the vegetarians. You might make it with things you already have in the house or with the vegetables leftover from lunch or dinner the day before. I suggest to use organic broccoli.

 Preparation time: 10–15 minutes
Cooking time: about 15–20 minutes

Serves: 2–3

Ingredients:

About 4 cups (1 L) water
Salt (about 1 ½ tsp. total)
½ lb. (approx. 250 g) broccoli, cut into large pieces
5 eggs
5 tbsp. grated Parmigiano Reggiano (or Grana Padano) cheese
Pepper to taste
¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil (just enough to generously oil the skillet)

Method:

1. Bring a pot of water with 1 tsp. of salt to a boil. Add broccoli to the boiling water and cook for 10–12 minutes or until tender. Drain with a colander. Then cut them into smaller pieces and mash a little bit with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the eggs with cheese, ½ tsp. of salt, and pepper. Add heavy cream and broccoli and mix well. Add flour and stir again.
3. Heat a large, nonstick, oiled skillet[1] and pour in the egg mixture. Shake the pan gently or use a spatula to distribute it evenly over the surface. Cover and cook the frittata on low heat for a few minutes until the bottom is light golden-brown[2] and the top has started to firm up. Then flip onto a large lid and slide back into the pan to cook the other side.
4. Slide onto a serving plate and serve with bread.[3]

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[1] Some people find it easier to use a smaller skillet to make 2–3 frittatas instead of 1 large one.

[2] You can check by lifting the edge of the frittata with a fork.

[3] You may need to season with salt.