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.

 

 

Whore’s Pasta

Pasta alla Puttanesca

I don’t know much about the origin of this dish. The strange name may refer to the strong flavor given by the combination of the dominant ingredients: olives, capers, and anchovies. We make this recipe when we are in a hurry. It is fast and easy to prepare—definitely a daily dish but, at the same time, tasty and healthy. It's a recipe from my book Perfectly Pasta.

 

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: about 50–60 minutes

Class: economy, healthy

Serves 4–5

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
5 anchovy fillets, rinsed
8–9 black olives
3 tablespoons capers, well rinsed
2 cans Italian peeled tomatoes, approximately 14 ounces (400 grams) each, mashed with a fork
Water, about 11 cups (2¾ liters)
Salt, about 1 teaspoon + 1½ tablespoons
3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
1 pound (450 grams) spaghetti pasta

Method:

1.        Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and sauté gently. Add the anchovy fillets and cook until they begin to disintegrate. Add the olives and capers, cover, and let cook 5–6 minutes.
2.        Add the tomatoes, 1 cup (250 ml) water, 1 teaspoon salt, and the parsley. Let cook on low heat until the sauce thickens a little, about 30–40 minutes. At this point, taste the sauce and add more salt if needed.
3.        When the sauce is done, bring 10 cups (2½ liters) water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1½ tablespoons salt. Add the pasta and boil it, stirring often, until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer to the pan with the sauce. Mix well and let cook together 1–2 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes:
·         You can use linguine or penne in place of the spaghetti.

 

Carrots and White Radishes (or Daikon) salad with Cumin

Insalata di Carote e Ravanelli (o Daikon) al Cumino

This salad is so easy to prepare and it is a very tasty way to serve carrots and white radishes. Sometimes I like to use the Japanese daikon instead of the white radishes. I personally prefer this salad with cumin seeds, but a high quality of cumin powder is ok.

Preparation time: about  10 minutes
Cooking time: -
Class: cheap, very healthy

Serves  2

Ingredients:
4 carrots, peeled
3 white radishes (or daikon), peeled
6-7 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3-4 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. cumin seeds or powder
a pinch of salt

Method:
1. With a potato peeler, cut the carrots and the white radishes into very thin strips lengthwise. In a large bowl combine carrots, white radishes, oil, lemon juice and cumin. Season with salt and gently mix all together. At this point, taste the salad and add more salt if needed.
2. Then, transfer to a salad plate and serve immediately.

Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Ricotta Cheese

Pasta con Salsa e Ricotta

This dish is tasty and so easy to make. I learned this recipe from my lovely grandma Graziella, who always enjoyed cooking healthy and funny meals for her little grandchildren. My kids love it.

Preparation time: about 5 minutes

Cooking time: about 35 minutes
Class: economy, healthy

Serves 2–3

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 can Italian peeled tomatoes, approximately 14 ounces (400 grams)
Salt, about ½ teaspoon + 1 tablespoon
Pepper to taste
8 cups (2 liters) water
½ pound (approximately 250 grams) penne rigate pasta
½ pound (220 grams) ricotta cheese
2 ounces (50 grams) Parmigiano-Reggiano (or Grana Padano) cheese

Method:

1.        Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and sauté. Add the tomatoes, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using an immersion blender, blend the tomato sauce. 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 pasta and boil it, stirring often, until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer to the pan with the tomato sauce. Let cook together for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn off the heat. Add the ricotta cheese and mix well.
3.        Grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano on top of each serving of pasta and serve immediately.

Notes:

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

 

Cabbage and Chard salad

Insalata di Cavolo e Bieta

I love cabbage! For the meat free week, here a delicious rich salad that you all should try: it’s rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and other essential vitamins.
You can use spinach instead of chard.

Preparation time: about  10 minutes
Cooking time: -
Class: cheap, very healthy

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
1/2 head cabbage
5 oz. (approximately 150 g) chard (or spinach)
1/2 cup (approximately 120 ml) shelled walnuts, coarsely crumbled

6-7 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3-4 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
a pinch of salt
black pepper to taste

Method:
1. Cut the cabbage and the chard into very thin strips. In a large bowl, combine cabbage, chard, walnuts, oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, and gently mix all together. At this point, taste the salad and add more salt if needed.
Let rest for 20-30 minutes, then, transfer to a salad plate and serve.

 

Spaghetti with Squid Ragù sauce

Spaghetti al Ragù di Seppia

This recipe is for the seafood lovers. Here, in Italy many many people love squid, octopus, clams and every kind of seafood. It’s a dish very rich and tasty. To get the best result, I suggest to use the highest-quality and freshest squid you can find. It’s perfect if served with a good glass of white wine, if desired.

Preparation time: about 15 minutes

Cooking time: about 1 ½ hour

Class: expensive, very healthy

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1 lb. (450 g) fresh squid
8 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 cans Italian peeled tomatoes, approximately 14 oz. (400 g) each, mashed with a fork
Salt, about 1 tsp. + 1 tbsp.
8 cups (2 L) water
½ lb. (approximately 250 g) of spaghetti pasta
3-4 tbsp. fresh minced parsley

Method:

1.     Clean the squid, chop the tentacles, and cut the body into small rings.
2.     Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté gently. Add the squid and cook for about 5–6 minutes. Add the mashed tomatoes and 1 tsp. of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 1 hour or until the squid is tender and the tomato sauce thickens a little, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. At this point, taste the sauce and add more salt if needed.
3.     When the sauce is cooked, bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tbsp. salt. Add the spaghetti and boil them, stirring often, until al dente. Drain the spaghetti and return them to the pot. Add the squid ragù sauce and stir well.
4.     Serve immediately with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.