Gnocchetti sardi with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Asparagus

Gnocchetti sardi con Pomodori Secchi e Asparagi

 

This is a daily dish, and is delicious.

 

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: about 25 minutes

 

Class: economy, healthy

Serves 2–3

Ingredients:

8 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped

7-8 black olives, pitted and chopped

3 tbsp. capers, well rinsed

10 sun dried tomatoes, chopped

4-5 asparagus, chopped

Salt, about a pinch + 1 tbsp.

8 cups (2 L) water

½ lb. (approximately 250 g) gnocchetti sardi pasta

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add garlic, olives and capers, and sauté. Then, add the tomatoes, asparagus and a pinch of salt. Cover and let cook about 10 minutes on low heat, stirring frequently. 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 tbsp. salt. Add the pasta and boil it, stirring often, until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer to the pan with the olives, capers, tomatoes and asparagus. Gently mix all the ingredients and let cook together for 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Have you ever eaten fennel?

Have you ever eaten fennel?

Fennel is crisp and tender at the same time. Its taste is slightly sweet and amazing delicious and refreshing. It is very healthy, it is an excellent source of vitamins and fibers. In the Italian cuisine, it is very popular to add a sliced fennel to the green salad.
I am glad to have found fennel also in the grocery stores in Usa but I don't understand why it is so expensive; in some grocery stores the price is absurd: about 3 $ each!!!

Carrot Meatballs

Polpette di Carota

The carrot meatballs are unknown in most of the Italian Regions. They are instead very popular in San Valentino Torio, the town where I was born and where I grew up. In this days, the Town celebrates Saint Valentine, the Saint protector of the area, from whom it takes its name.  

It is tradition to make carrot meatballs on Saint Valentine’s day and to serve them as an appetizer or a side dish. The size is usually that of a golf ball, but you can make them any size you want.

Here, some photos of the famous carrot meatballs and of the town of San Valentino.



 

 

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: about 30 minutes

Class: economy - healthy

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
Water, about 4 cups (1 L) plus enough to soak the bread
Salt, about 1 ½ tsp.
1 lb (450g) carrots, peeled and chopped
About ½ lb (220g) Italian bread
1 egg
½ cup (120ml) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
2-3 tbsp fresh minced parsley
About ½ cup (120ml) of corn flourPepper to taste
Vegetable oil (enough to fry)

Method:

1. Bring a large pot of water (about 4 cups or 1 L) with 1 tsp. of salt to a boil. Add carrots to the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain the carrots, transfer to a food processor and lightly blend, reducing them into smaller pieces.
2. Tear the bread into little pieces and soak in the water until it is soft; then squeeze by hand to remove the water.
3. In a large bowl combine bread, carrots, egg, cheese, parsley, corn flour, ½ tsp. of salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients, then, with your hands, form the carrot meatballs.
4. Heat the vegetable oil and fry them. Then season with salt and serve.

 

 

Sauteed Escarole

Scarole saltate

I love the sauteed escarole and I am glad to have also found this vegetable in a grocery store in Usa. With this recipe, you can cook the escarole as you like; I like the escarole less cooked and more crisp, so I cook it over medium-high heat just for a few minutes, while if I want more tender and well cooked escarole, I cook it on low heat until tender.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: about 20 minutes

Class: economy-very healthy

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Extra virgin olive oil, about 8 tbsp.

1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped

About 1 lb. (450g) escarole, clean

Salt to taste

 

Method:

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and sauté. Add the escarole and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until tender. Season with salt and serve.

 

Escarole salad

Have you ever eaten the escarole?

Well, in Italy is pretty common in this season to eat escarole! There are several ways to eat escarole. You can eat raw escarole, in a salad, when the leaves are tender, sweet and light yellow. Many farmers tie the escarole heads with string when they are growing and are still in the ground to make them white-yellow and tender in the middle.
However, when the leaves of escarole are deep green, it is better to cook them, to reduce their bitter taste. The following is the simple method to make an escarole salad. Soon I will publish the recipe of the sauteed escarole!

 To make an healthy escarole salad:

Use only the white-yellow central leaves. Chop them and place into a bowl. Add a bunch of black olives and season with extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt and vinegar. Serve immediately.