Arugula salad with Green Apple and Peanuts

Insalata di Rucola con Mela verde e Arachidi

What do you think about a delicious arugula salad? I made this salad combining the spicy arugula of my back yard, a sliced green apple, and some peanuts. I seasoned it with extra virgin olive oil, salt and fresh lemon juice. The result was amazing!

Pasta and Pumpkin soup

Zuppa di Pasta e Zucca

The season of the pumpkin has arrived. Today, here in Rome is raining a lot! What could be better than a soupy dish of Pasta with Pumpkin in a rainy day of Autumn like this?

Preparation time: about 15 minutes

Cooking time: about 45 minutes

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

9 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
5 cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
1 lb. (450g) chopped pumpkin
About 1 ½ tsp. salt
2 cups water
½ lb. (approximately 250 grams) lumachine pasta
Black pepper to taste
2 tbsp. fresh minced parsley

Method:

1.        Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onion and sauté until light brown. Add the tomatoes, cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes on low heat.
2.        Then add the pumpkin, salt and water. Cover and let cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
3.        When the pumpkin is tender, add the pasta to the pot and more water if necessary; the simmering liquid must be just enough to cover the pasta, so make sure you don’t add too much water. Cook over medium low heat and stir constantly until the pasta is al dente.
4.        At this point, taste the soup and add more salt if needed. Top each serving of pasta with a sprinkle of black pepper and parsley.

Notes:

·         You can use other kinds of Italian short pasta like tubetti, conchigliette or ruote in place of the lumachine.

 

Gnocchi

Gnocchi

Gnocchi is one of our most popular dish, known in every restaurant in Italy and abroad. Some people think that to make gnocchi is such a difficult thing but the traditional recipe is so simple and quick. I prefer to boil the potatoes the day before so that the next day the process to make gnocchi is faster but also for another important reason: I have seen that if I keep in the refrigerator the boiled potatoes (with skin) for 1-2 days, they become more dried, so that at the moment to make the gnocchi, they absorb less flour and the gnocchi are more soft and tasteful. In fact, it’s important to use only the minimum amount of flour because more flour you add, less flavorful the gnocchi will be. But I must say that many people (my mum also) like to boil the potatoes just before to make the gnocchi and their gnocchi are delicious too.

I recommend to master the recipe because in the next weeks I will publish my recipe of pumpkin gnocchi; it isn’t a traditional recipe but it’s a delicious dish and very suitable for this season.

  

 

Preparation time: 40  minutes
Cooking time: about 1 hour

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

For the gnocchi:

1 ½ lb. (700g) potatoes

2 cups (500ml) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt

For the tomato sauce:

7 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 cans Italian peeled tomatoes, approximately 14 ounces (400 grams) each
½ cup (120 ml) water
Salt, about 1 tsp.
Pepper to taste

To boil gnocchi:

Water, about 10 cups (2 ½ L)
2 tbsp. salt

About ½ cup (120 milliliters) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (or Grana Padano) cheese

Method:

1.        Prepare the gnocchi: Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil over high heat. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until just tender. Drain well, cool and peel them. Then mash with a fork or a potato masher.
2.        In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes, flour and salt. Then use your hands to knead until a soft dough forms. If the dough is still sticky, add a little more flour.
3.        Prepare a work area and dust it with flour. Take a small piece of dough at the time, and roll it out gently with your hands until you have rolls about the thickness of your thumb.
4.        With a knife, cut the rolls into pieces about 1 inch (2 ½ cm) long. To shape the gnocchi, hold a fork in one hand and using your fingertip, roll each piece of gnocchi over the tines of the fork pressing gently to form a slight “C” (good for catching the sauce).
5.        Set each gnocchi in a flat serving plate, dusted with flour.  Dust with a bit more flour and then place the plate in the refrigerator.
6.        Prepare the tomato sauce: Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and sauté. Add the tomatoes, water, salt, and pepper; stir well and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes. At this point, taste the sauce and add more salt if needed. Then, with an immersion blender, blend the sauce and set aside.
7.        Meanwhile, boil the gnocchi: bring 10 cups (2 ½ L) water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 tbsp. salt. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water, two-three at the time, to avoid that they can stick together, and boil them, gently stirring occasionally, until they rise to the surface of the water. Continue cooking gnocchi at the surface for about 1 minute, then remove with a large slotted spoon, drain well, and transfer to the pan with the tomato sauce. Let cook all together 2–3 minutes, gently stirring.
8.        Serve immediately with a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano on top of each serving.

Risotto with Pumpkin and Prawn

 Risotto con Zucca e Scampi

 The combination of pumpkin and prawn with rice makes a great meal and an excellent alternative to the traditional risotto dishes.  It will taste even better if you use the freshest pumpkin and prawn you can find.

 

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: about 1 hour

Serves  2-3

Ingredients:

Water, about 4 ½ cups (1,12 L)

Salt, about ½ tbsp. + ½ tsp.
3 tbsp.  extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
About 1 lb. (450 g), pumpkin, peeled and chopped
½ lb. (220 g) prawn, peeled
½ lb. (approximately 250 g) rice (Arborio, Carnaroli, Vialone, Roma, etc.)
2 tbsp. butter
½ cup (120 ml) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (or Grana Padano) cheese
Pepper to taste

Method:

1.       Bring 4 cups (1 L) water to a boil in a large pot. Add ½ tbsp. salt, and lower the heat so that the water just stays hot.

2.       Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and sauté gently. Add the pumpkin and ½ cup (120 ml) of water. Season with ½ tsp. of salt, cover, and let cook until tender (about 30 minutes), stirring occasionally.

3.       Mash the pumpkin with a fork, then add the prawn to the pan, and cook another 2-3 minutes.

4.       Add the rice to the pan and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring until well coated. Add 1 cup (250 ml) of salted hot water, and keep stirring, until absorbed. Continue, adding ½ cup (120 ml) of water at a time, waiting for all the liquid to be absorbed, before adding the next, and stirring constantly, until the rice is creamy and tender (about 20- 25 minutes total - you may not have to use all the salted hot water).

5.       Turn off the heat. Stir in the butter, cheese, and pepper. At this point, taste the risotto and add more salt if needed. Serve immediately.

Notes:

 
If you aren’t able to peel the raw prawn, bring a pot of water (about 4 cups or 1 liter) with 1 teaspoon salt to a boil. Add the prawn and let boil for 3 minutes. Drain with a colander and rinse under cold water, and then peel the prawn.

Pasta with Amatriciana Sauce

Pasta all’Amatriciana

This is one of our most popular dish. Although it takes its name from Amatrice, a small town of Lazio region, today it is commonly associated with the city of Rome. But it’s also on the menu of all Italian restaurants. Bucatini is the traditional pasta for Amatriciana sauce, but sometimes I prefer to use penne or thick spaghetti, which is easier to eat. ....by the way...it is a recipe of my book Perfectly Pasta!

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: about 40–50 minutes

Serves 4–5

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
¼ pound (110 grams) bacon, diced
3 cans Italian peeled tomatoes, approximately 14 ounces (400 grams) each, mashed with a fork
Salt, about 1½ teaspoons + 1½ tablespoons
Pepper to taste
Water, about 10 cups (2½ liters)
1 pound (450 grams) bucatini pasta
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese, about ½ cup (120 milliliters)

Method:

1.        Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté gently. Add the bacon and let cook until crisp.
2.        Add the tomatoes, 1½ teaspoons salt, and pepper. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring often, and add a little bit of water if the sauce starts to stick to the pan. At this point, taste the sauce and add more salt if needed.
3.        When the sauce is cooked, bring 10 cups (2½ liters) water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1½ tablespoons of salt. Add the pasta and boil it, stirring often, until al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add most (about ¾) of the sauce and mix well.
4.        Spoon the remaining sauce on top of each serving of pasta. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of Pecorino Romano cheese.

Notes:

·         You can use other kinds of Italian pasta, like penne or rigatoni, in place of the bucatini.
·         Some people like to use Parmigiano-Reggiano (or Grana Padano) cheese instead of the Pecorino Romano.

Peas Frittata

Frittata di Piselli

What do you think of an healthy peas frittata for dinner, tonight? ....of course with the best organic eggs! It is a recipe of my book Simply Frittata.

 

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

Serves: 1–2

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
½ medium white onion, peeled and finely chopped
About 1 cup (250 ml) frozen or fresh peas
Salt (according to taste)
3 eggs
2 tbsp. grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Vegetable oil (just enough to generously oil the skillet)

Method:

1. Sauté the onion in the extra virgin olive oil. Add peas, season with salt, cover, and cook for 5–6 minutes or until tender (make sure you don’t overcook them).
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat the eggs with cheese and a pinch of salt. Add the peas and mix well.
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 immediately.[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.

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.