Spaghetti baked in the foil package

Spaghetti al Cartoccio

One of the most delicious pasta recipes is al cartoccio  or rather, wrapped in a foil package and baked. The dish is finished in sealed aluminum foil in the oven, brought to the table and opened. I made it with olives, capers and sun-dried tomatoes and it turned out so good, can’t wait to make it again.It tur

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: about 50–60 minutes

Class: economy-healthy

Serves 4–5

Ingredients:

8 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
7-8 black olives, pitted and chopped
3 tbsp. capers, well rinsed
1 ½ cup (370 ml) chopped sun-dried tomatoes
Water, about 11 cups (2 ¾ L)
Salt, about ½ tsp. + 1½ tbsp.
3 tbsp. fresh minced parsley
1 lb. (450 g) spaghetti pasta

Method:

1.    Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and sauté gently. Add the olives and capers, cover, and let cook 5–6 minutes.
2.    Add the sun-dried tomatoes, 1 cup (250ml) of water, ½ tsp. salt, and the parsley. Let cook on low heat until the water evaporates, about 20 minutes. At this point, taste the sauce and add more salt if needed.
3.    When the sauce is done, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Meanwhile, bring 10 cups (2½ L) water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1½ tbsp. salt. Add the spaghetti and boil it, stirring often. Drain the spaghetti about 2 minutes before the cooking time suggested on the package, transfer to the pan with the sauce and mix well.
4.    Arrange the aluminum foil on a baking pan and pour spaghetti and sauce into it. Wrap it up and put the pan into the hot oven for 5-6 minutes. Then, carefully slide the foil package onto a large serving plate and open it at the table. Serve hot.

Raw Zucchini salad

Insalata di Zucchine crude

This raw zucchini salad is fresh, quick and delicious. When very thinly sliced, raw zucchini marinates great, especially in lemon juice. Then, the addition of olive oil and other raw ingredients makes a great healthy dish.

Preparation time: about  40 minutes
Cooking time: -
Class: cheap, very healthy

Serves  2-3

Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini
2 tsp. salt
5-6 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp. sunflower seeds
An handful chopped sun-dried tomatoes
6-7 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Using a vegetable peeler, slice zucchini into thin strips. Place the zucchini into a bowl, add salt and lemon juice, mix well and let sit for 30 minutes. Then squeeze the zucchini by hand to remove the water.

2. Transfer the zucchini to a salad plate and combine with sunflower seeds and dried tomatoes. Add the extra virgin olive oil and gently mix all together. At this point, taste the salad and add more salt if needed. Squeeze more lemon juice if desired. Serve immediately.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Funghi ripieni

My stuffed mushrooms taste delicious, are easy to make and great for parties. This is the recipe that my husband made for the 4^Th July dinner. This is a very rich dish, so I suggest accompanying it with some greens.

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Cooking time: about 20 minutes

Class: economy, heavy

Serves about 4-5

Ingredients:

2-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
About 5-6 Italian sausages, about 3 oz. (80 g) each, casings removed
8 oz. (230 g) cream cheese
15-20 medium-large mushrooms, clean, stems separated from the caps

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 370 F (187 C).

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan. Add the sausages and let brown a little, breaking them up with a fork.
3. Allow the sausages to cool for 5 minutes or so, and add the cream cheese. Mix well, then fill each mushroom cap with the stuffing.
4. Place the stuffed mushrooms into a baking pan and bake for 20 minutes or until they begin to brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Fresh Tuna Cipollata

Cipollata di Tonno fresco

Tuna is one of my favorite types of fish and here it is widely available. This is a very healthy recipe, which combines fish and onion. The taste is at the same time sweet and sour.

When you add the tuna fillets to the onion sauce, make sure that you reduce the cooking time if you like the tuna raw in the middle.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: about 35 minutes

Class: a little expensive, healthy

Serves 2

Ingredients:

4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 slices of tuna fillet
3-4 medium onions, peeled and chopped
1 cup (250ml) water
Brown sugar, about 2 tsp.
½ cup (120 ml) white vinegar
3 tbsp. tomato puree
 

Method:

1.     Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the tuna and let brown a little, then remove from the pan and set aside. Add the onions and water to the pan, cover, and let cook on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes. Then add sugar, vinegar, tomato puree, stir well, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
2.  Remove the cover, add the tuna fillet to the onion sauce and cook on medium-low heat for another 6-7 minutes depending on how thick are the slices of tuna. During the cooking time, make sure to spoon several times the onion sauce on the slices of tuna. Serve immediately.

Spaghetti with Olives, Capers, and Tuna with Fresh Lemon Juice

Spaghetti con Olive, Capperi, e Tonno al Limone

This is for my friend Ester who was looking for some recipes with capers. It is a daily, quick and easy meal, to make when you are rushed and want a good, tasty dish. I learned this recipe from my brother in law. He is passionate about food and loves to cook.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: about 20 minutes

Class: cheap-healthy

Serves 2–3

Ingredients:

Extra virgin olive oil, about 9 tablespoons
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
6–7 black olives
3 tablespoons capers, well rinsed
1 can best-quality tuna in olive oil, about 4 ounces (110 grams), drained
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt, about 1 tablespoon
Pepper to taste
8 cups (2 liters) water
½ pound (approximately 250 grams) spaghetti pasta

Method:

1.        Heat about 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and sauté gently. Add the olives and capers and let cook about 5 minutes on low heat. Add the tuna, mash with a fork, and then add the lemon juice. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and let cook for 5–6 minutes. Remove from the heat.
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 pot with the olives, capers, and tuna. Add another 5 tablespoons oil and mix gently. Serve immediately.

 

Mini Eggplant Pies

Tortini di Melanzane

Hello, finally I am back after a long break due to the fact that we moved to another house!  What a stressful time!!!

The summer has started and I can't wait to make a lot of new amazing dishes!

This is a fresh and tasty summer dish; I often use fire roasted eggplants and the result is great as well. One of the best things about this recipe is that you can make the mini eggplant pies ahead of time, keep them in the fridge and heat them in the oven when you are ready for dinner.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: about  20 minutes
Class: economy-healthy

Serves  2-3

Ingredients:

3-4 large eggplants
some cups vegetable oil (enough to fry the eggplants),
salt to taste
3-4 fresh round tomatoes
¼ lb. (110g) mozzarella cheese, finely chopped
a bunch basil leaves, chopped or shredded
1 tbsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp.  extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1.        Cut eggplants into round slices, approx.  ½ inch (1.50 cm) thick .
2.        Meanwhile heat the vegetable oil.
3.        Fry the eggplant slices until golden brown; place on paper towel and season with salt.
4.        Cut tomatoes into thin round slices, season with salt and set aside. 
5.        In a bowl, combine mozzarella cheese, basil, oregano and extra virgin olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt.
6.        Preheat oven at 430° F (220°C) and brush a baking pan with oil.
7.        Start to build the pies: On the bottom of the baking pan, place several eggplant slices, cover each one with a tomato slice, then spread 1 tbsp. of cheese mixture over each tomato slice. Place a second eggplant slice on the cheese, then another tomato slice, then spread another tbsp. of cheese mixture on the tomato slices and finish with an eggplant slice on top.
8.         Continue to build pies, alternating the layers in this manner until all the ingredients are used up.
9.        Bake for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool for some minutes before serving. Garnish with basil if desired.