More than Spaghetti Andrea Hospodar

Pesto alla Trapanese- Sicilian Tomato Pesto

This pesto comes from Trapani, on the western coast of Sicily. While there are many wonderful versions hailing from its namesake, I prefer this enlightened version with shrimp that I tasted while in Catania (on Sicily’s eastern coast). This is my version and it’s great as an antipasto with bread or as a primo, served with pasta.

1 16oz. box of very ripe grape tomatoes + 12 more
1/3 C blanched, peeled almonds, toasted lightly in a dry sauté pan for a couple minutes
1/2 C basil leaves
2 small cloves of garlic, smashed
pinch of peperoncino
1/2 C olive oil plus 2 T
salt
1 lb. fresh wild caught shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut into halves or thirds, depending on their size
1 lb. pasta (spaghetti, gemelli or what the Trapanese use, busiate)

Place tomatoes in a blender, reserving approximately 12 to use later. Add almonds, basil, 1 clove of garlic, peperoncino and salt; process pulsing until roughly chopped. It might be necessary to scrape down the sides of the blender from time to time. WIth the machine running drizzle in the olive oil until thickened and smooth.

Place 2 T olive oil in a sauté pan with the smashed clove of garlic and brown to light golden over low heat. Add whole tomatoes and discard garlic. Add about 3/4C of the prepared tomato pesto to the sauté pan and add shrimp. Cook over medium low heat until shrimp are just cooked through (have turned opaque and are not translucent), just a couple of minutes.

If serving with pasta, add pasta cooked just short of al dente to the sauté pan with sauce and toss through. Add a little of the pasta cooking water and let the pasta simmer in the sauce for 1-2 minutes.

Make it Vegetarian: Omit the shrimp and add a toss of grated parmigiano-reggiano.
Start cooking pasta in boiling salted water. When you first add the pasta to the pot give it a little stir. Meanwhile, cut pancetta into pieces that are 1/3” x 1/3” x 3/4”. This need not be exact, but small bite-sized pieces. Cook until browned and turn off heat. Put grated cheese in a large bowl (preferably metal, a good conductor of heat). Add whole egg, a pinch of salt and several gratings of pepper.

When pasta is approaching al dente, remove 1/4C pasta cooking water. Drain pasta when it is just done and immediately add to the cheese mixture along with the pancetta. Give it a toss and add a couple tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid if it looks too dry. (This varies depending on how much water clings to the spaghetti when it is drained.) Garnish with a little extra pepper if desired.

Optional WOW Tip- When I am able to get to the Morningside Farmers’ Market, I always stand in the long line at Woodland Gardens (in the middle of the market) to get some of the best eggs in town. The yolks have a deep rich color and flavor. Farm eggs are also sold at the Peachtree Road Farmers’ Market, but Woodland’s are my favorite. It adds tons of drama to your dish to serve it with the yolk of a farm egg on top. Move quickly- the pasta should still be hot enough to warm the egg yolk and slightly cook it. (Not recommended for eggs you’ve been storing in the frigo for the last month!) Carefully, place the yolk on top of the pasta after plating and let it ooze into the pasta. Even with out the extra yolk this dish is a real treat.

Variation- Use 3 slices of prosciutto instead of the pancetta. Toast the slice in a dry skillet for about 5 minutes then crumple over the finished pasta. Even use a combo of both!

Serves 4.

Buon appetito! salt
1 lb.bucatini or perciatelli (these shapes, a large spaghetti with a hole going down the middle, have a really firm, chewy bite, but spaghetti will be fine as well)
4 eggs (feel free to add an extra egg to each serving, if desired)
1T white wine vinegar
Grated Pecorino Sardo (softer and not as pungent as Romano)
a few tablespoons of finely chopped parsley

Make tomato sauce- heat oil in pan with garlic over low heat. When lightly browned discard and add tomatoes and slightly crush with your hands (Italian grandmother style). Add salt and cook until thickened about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta to just short of al dente. Drain and add to tomato sauce to marry together. Add some pasta cooking liquid if necessary.

To poach eggs, add eggs one at a time to simmering water seasoned with salt and some vinegar which helps stabilize the egg whites. After three minutes the whites should be set and the yolks still runny. Remove them individually and allow to drain.

Plate by making a nest with the long strands of pasta in a twisting motion and top each nest with an egg, a drizzle of olive oil, parsley and a few gratings of pecorino sardo.

Serves 4. Buon Appetito!
1/4 C fresh mint chopped
 Read the Pasta Tips article before beginning to cook!  Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil add spaghetti, stirring from time to time.   Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and leek in a skillet. Sprinkle generously with salt and cook until wilted and soft. Add peas, lemon and zest; let cook two minutes before adding fish. This will only take a couple minutes to cook so if the pasta is not ready, it might be necessary to turn off the heat.  Remove spaghetti from pot when it is just shy of al dente and add it directly into the pan with the peas and fish. Add 2-4 tablespoons of pasta cooking water and cook until the water has absorbed and the pasta has married to the sauce (about 1-2 minutes). Turn off heat and toss half the mint through the spaghetti. Divide the pasta between two plates and sprinkle with additional mint and a drizzle of olive oil.  Low-Carb/Gluten-Free Variation- Cut 12-16 ounces of fish into two pieces and omit the pasta. The fish will take longer to cook since it will be whole, but take no more than 4-5 minutes per side.  Buon appetito!

Butter 8 1/3 cup ramekins and dust with panko.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Place fennel in a large pot and add enough milk to cover. Add a very large pinch of salt and and cook approximately 30 minutes until very tender. Allow to cool. Drain fennel and puree with egg, yolks, parmigiano, a pinch of salt and fennel powder. Puree in food processor until smooth.

Make ahead: Can be made ahead to this point one day in advance. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.

Pour into prepared ramekins and cook in a bagnomaria (hot water bath) for approximately 50 minutes, until set and a knife comes out clean when tested. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in water. To serve run a knife carefully around the edge of each ramekin to release. Invert onto platter or individual plate. Garnish with reserved fronds.

Buon appetito! 4-5 T flavorful olive oil (preferably from Toscana)
pinch of sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Let steaks warm up approximately 30 minutes before cooking to encourage even cooking. Heat gas grill to fairly hot (my grill would be about 75% of the dial). Liberally coat each side of the meat with kosher salt and place on grill. Cook approximately 5 minutes per side. (internal temperature of 125° for medium rare).

Meanwhile whisk sauce ingredients together and adjust proportions to taste.

When steak is done, remove and let rest about 15 mintues before slicing. Dress each plate with the sauce or pass it along the side.

Note: the sauce can double as your salad dressing for arugula...just make a double recipe.

Buon appetito! with a small pinch of salt. Allow to brown and become soft about 5-8 minutes. Cut the fish into chunks if using monkfish, grouper or cod. Leave in two whole pieces if using halibut. Sprinkle fish with a small pinch of salt. Use less salt than usual because the clams will add salinity to the dish. Place in pan with the fennel add the clams and wine. Cover and let cook together until the clams steam open adding tomatoes after the first clam opens. When the clams are open uncover and cook a couple more minutes until fish is cooked through.

Serve in shallow bowls with pieces of bruschetta. Garnish with fennel fronds and drizzle with olive oil.

Serves 2.

Buon appetito!

cook duck, fat side down, over medium low low heat for about 10 minutes. It should be browed and crusty on the fat side. Flip and cook 3 more minutes on the other side. Remove duck and place on cutting board to let rest. Meanwhile, pour out all but a couple of tablespoons of the rendered duck fat from the pan. Add shallots and shiitake and cook over medium high heat until wilted, only about 2 minutes. Add cherries and port . Cook down a few minutes at high heat and add stock. Let reduce to the thickness of heavy cream. Slice the duck breast. Pour the sauce onto plate and place duck breast on top.

This is excellent served with Celery Root Puree.

Buon Appetito!

Serves 2. Optional: grape tomatoes quartered

Rub each piece of toasted ciabatta with garlic half just like when making regular bruschetta or bruschetta al pomodoro.

Place the chick peas in a large bowl. Add oil, vinegar, rosemary and salt. Begin mashing them with a potato masher or hand blender The key is to mash the chick peas to a course texture (it’s not hummus!), some will remain halved and even whole. The texture adds to the bruschetta’s appeal. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary, depending on how strong your vinegar is or how salty your salt is. Top each piece of bread with some of the chick pea mixture and if desired garnish with a few quartered grape tomatoes. Drizzle with your best olive oil.

Buon appetito!
1 can low sodium chicken broth
1 can water
10 asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces 3/4 cup freshly grated Taleggio (freezing for 30 minutes will help grating this soft cheese)

Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Add shallots; sauté until opaque. Add rice and kick up to medium; sauté a few minutes. Add wine enough to cover rice and salt generously; simmer until almost all liquid evaporates, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add broth one or two ladles at a time. Cook stirring from time to time and adding broth when the previous addition evaporates. About 10 minutes into the cooking add asparagus. If the asparagus is the really skinny kind, wait until it has been cooking at least 15 minutes or the rice is nearly done to add it. The skinny asparagus will cook immediately. The rice will take approximately 15 to 20 minutes. When the rice looks creamy and has lost that hard center it is ready. You want it “al dente” or to have a bite in the middle- don’t over-cook it! Tasting is the only way to really know! Adjust salt if necessary, but remember that the cheese will make it taste more salty as well. Turn off heat and whip in the cheese.

Buon Appetito!
end. Roughly chop the green leaves.

Heat the garlic in a few tablespoons of oil over medium low heat in a saute pan that has a cover. Once it has turned golden light brown remove it and discard. Meanwhile, add the stems to the pan and saute them until they are slightly softened. Once the garlic has been removed, add the green leaves. It is important that some of the water from their rinse still remain on the leaves. If they are fairly dry, give them a quick rinse before adding to the pan. This enables the chard to steam in the pan. Give it a sprinkling of salt, mix with tongs and cover. Peek at it every few minutes and toss so that it will cook evenly. It will take approximately 10-15 minutes. Note: if you like to spice things up, add a pinch of peperoncino (red pepper flakes).

Buon appetito!

Heat butter in a medium sauce pan until melted. Slowly whisk in flour. Add milk and a pinch of salt. Whisk thoroughly. Stir every so often while you wait for it to return to a boil. When it returns to a low boil, whisk constantly until thickened. Add a couple gratings of nutmeg.

Buon appetito!

grated cheese in a large bowl (preferably metal, a good conductor of heat). Add whole egg, a pinch of salt and several gratings of pepper.

When pasta is approaching al dente, remove 1/4C pasta cooking water. Drain pasta when it is just done and immediately add to the cheese mixture along with the onion. Give it a toss and add a couple tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid if it looks too dry. (This varies depending on how much water clings to the spaghetti when it is drained.) Garnish with a little extra pepper if desired.

Variation- If you like prosciutto, toast a couple slices in a dry skillet for about 5 minutes then crumple it over over the finished pasta. This a great compromise for vegetarians and meat-lovers!

Serves 4.

Buon appetito!
For a “one dish wonder” add spinach (fresh or frozen) when the lentils have just finished cooking. Cook until just wilted and flavors have married together. This makes a healthy, yet hearty, soul-warming wintertime meal.

Buon appetito! 1lb. ground pork
black pepper
nutmeg, freshly grated or 1/8-1/4 teaspoon from a jar
1 C white wine
1C whole milk
1- 28oz can of peeled Italian tomatoes crushed up finely with your hands
water if necessary during cooking
parmigiano for serving

6 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2/3 head radicchio chopped (shredded)
1.5 C diced butternut squash (1/2” dice)
2 C carnaroli rice (arborio & violone nano work as well)
1 C dry white wine, such as, Pinot Grigio
salt, several large pinches
2/3 C Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
parsley finely chopped

Heat broth and water in a medium pot and keep warm.

Heat 3-4 T olive oil in a deep, heavy bottomed pot 12” in diameter over medium heat; add shallots. After a1 or 2 minutes shallots will wilt. Add rice and stir. When the rice has become translucent (3-4 minutes), add wine and salt; stir thoroughly. After the wine has absorbed add the stock 1 or 2 ladles at a time. Continue this process as the rice absorbs the liquid, stirring after each addition. Meanwhile, add 2 T olive oil to a sauté over medium heat. Add butternut squash and a large pinch of salt. Cook for 10 minutes. It should still be firm and hold its shape. Add radicchio and a little more salt and cook about 3 minutes until radicchio wilts. Add the butternut squash mixture to the risotto just before it is finished. You know it is done when the inside of the rice has lost its crunchiness but still has a chewy bite in the center. Adjust seasoning (salt), if necessary. The total cooking time will be approximately 18-20 minutes, but tasting is the only way to really know for sure. Turn off the heat, add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir vigorously in a whipping motion. Garnish with a sprinkling of parsley.

Serves 4-6.

Buon appetito! 1/2 C Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 eggs
1 C chicken broth
1/4 c Marsala
salt

Preheat oven to 450°. Make breadcrumbs by placing a slice or two of bread (like ciabatta or farm bread), crust and all, in the food processor.

3/4 C light brown sugar
1T cornstarch
½ t salt
1 t cinnamon
½ t ginger
1/8 t nutmeg
15 oz pumpkin puree
1t vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 C mascarpone (about 5 oz.)
1/2 C heavy cream
1 single pie crust recipe

Roll out dough for crust and place in pie pan; crimp edges attractively. Chill at least 30 minutes.

Polenta has a reputation that it must be constantly stirred and I made it that way a few times until I came up with this method that makes terrific, lump-free polenta with only minimal stirring!

8 C cool water
2C polenta corn meal
2T kosher salt

Place the water in a heavy bottomed pot, like a stew or wide pasta pot. I love my 11” diameter 6” high All-Clad pot for this job. Very slowly pour the corn meal into the water, whisking vigorously all the while. The combination of the whisking and the water being cool with prevent lumps. Add salt and turn heat to high. When the water becomes hot, whisk often until it comes to a boil. Turn heat to simmer and switch to a wooden spoon. Come by and give it a stir every few minutes during the first 15-20 minutes. It will likely need more water at this point. If so add more. It can then be stirred every 20 minutes, adding more liquid when necessary. Good polenta takes time! 3 hours + Don’t rush it and you’ll be rewarded for your efforts!

TIP: If the polenta sticks to the bottom of the pot- Fret not! Do not try cleaning it right away. Simply soak the pan in cold water overnight. The next morning, the polenta will come right up from the bottom of the pan in one large rubbery disk with no scrubbing involved!

Buon appetito!
8 juniper berries, smashed with the side of a knife
2 C (1/2 bottle) red wine, like a primitivo or nero d’avola
water
olive oil and chopped Italian parsley for serving, if desired

Preheat oven to 325º. Generously salt meat on all sides and refrigerate overnight. If you do not allow time for this, just salt the meat just before cooking. Heat a large lidded enameled cast iron pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil and then beef. This may be done in several stages so as not to crowd the pan. Sear meat to dark brown on all sides, approximately 7 minutes per side. Remove meat and repeat until all meat is seared. Remove meat and add onions, carrots and celery, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any brown bits (the flavor). When wilted, add garlic and tomato paste. Cook several minutes then add wine and juniper berries. Bring to a low boil for a few minutes and return meat the pan. At this point, the liquid should almost cover the meat. If more liquid is needed, add more wine or some water. Cover, place in oven and cook for 2 to 2 ½ hours, stirring every 30-45 minutes. The liquid will reduce as it cooks but if looks too dry, add some water (not wine at this point). You will know that it is done when the meat can literally be cut with a spoon. Garnish with parsley.

Buon appetito! Parmigiano Reggiano (about ½ C) Cook the squash. Either microwave butternut squash in a covered casserole dish cut side down, covered until soft (about 15 minutes depending on your microwave) or roast by rubbing the squash with oil and placing them on a baking sheet cut side down and cooking them in a 400° oven for approximately 50 minutes. Scoop out inside of squash and gently mash. It will yield approximately 2 C. Roasting vs. Microwaving- Roasting concentrates the flavor of the squash, but if time is an issue (as it usually is at my house) the microwave can be used the steam the squash with speedy and fantastic results. Heat oil in a large pot; add shallots and cook few minutes at low heat. Meanwhile, heat broth and water in another pot and keep hot. Add rice to the oil, kick up heat to medium high and cook a few minutes until the rice starts turning translucent. Add wine stir until absorbed. Add a couple ladles-full of broth. Continue adding broth one or two ladles at a time, stirring frequently. After the first addition of broth add the squash and a couple big pinches of salt. Cook until done about 20 minutes. When rice is nearly done add rosemary, black pepper and more salt if needed. It’s done when the rice is creamy and still firm in the center but not crunchy, just al dente! Taste to make sure. Off the heat, add the grated Parmigiano and whip it in. Buon appetito!

Cook the squash. Either microwave butternut squash in a covered casserole dish cut side down, covered until soft (about 15 minutes depending on your microwave) or roast by rubbing the squash with oil and placing them on a baking sheet cut side down and cooking them in a 400° oven for approximately 50 minutes. Scoop out inside of squash and gently mash. It will yield approximately 2 C.

Roasting vs. Microwaving- Roasting concentrates the flavor of the squash, but if time is an issue (as it usually is at my house) the microwave can be used the steam the squash with speedy and fantastic results.

Heat oil in a large pot; add shallots and cook few minutes at low heat. Meanwhile, heat broth and water in another pot and keep hot. Add rice to the oil, kick up heat to medium high and cook a few minutes until the rice starts turning translucent. Add wine stir until absorbed. Add a couple ladles-full of broth. Continue adding broth one or two ladles at a time, stirring frequently. After the first addition of broth add the squash and a couple big pinches of salt. Cook until done about 20 minutes. When rice is nearly done add rosemary, black pepper and more salt if needed. It’s done when the rice is creamy and still firm in the center but not crunchy, just al dente! Taste to make sure. Off the heat, add the grated Parmigiano and whip it in.

Buon appetito!

5-6 canned San Marzano tomatoes with a little of their juices
1 C water
6 cracks black pepper
one sprig rosemary
mint
1/4 C ricotta salata
3/4 lb. rigatoni pasta

Add olive oil, onion, carrot and a couple large pinches of salt to a large heavy pot and heat over medium heat. When the vegetables have softened, add the garlic and then the lamb. Add an additional pinch of salt onto the lamb. Let cook until lamb is cooked looking. Add the tomato paste, stir and then the white wine. When most of the wine has evaporated, add the milk and the tomatoes, crushed up finely with your hands, tomato water, and black pepper. Add approximately 1 C of water and let cook over a very low simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring from time to time and adding water if it is drying out. Usually it need an additional cup of water depending on how long it is cooked and how much evaporates. About 30 minutes before you plant to serve the ragú, add one sprig of rosemary. I add it toward the end to ensure that the leaves will not fall off into the ragú. Remove the rosemary before cooking. Beyond 2 hours the ragú can continue to simmer for an additional hour or two if you like. Just remember to stir from time to time and add water as needed.

To serve, cook rigatoni in an abundant amount of very salted water until almost al dente. Add rigatoni to a saute pan with half the ragú and about 1/2 C of the pasta cooking liquid. Cook together for serveral minutes until the liquid is absorbed and flavors have married. Garnish with chopped mint leaves and crumbled ricotta salata.

Buon appetito!
4C raspberries
4C blueberries
1/2 C sugar
3T cornstarch
1 T juice of lemon
1 egg, beaten
powdered sugar
vanilla ice cream

Roll out thawed pie crust in the frigo 24 hours before planning to use.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Gently mix together berries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Be especially gentle with the raspberries.

Roll out crust repairing any torn areas. Place crust on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet. Spoon berry mixture in the middle of the crust leaving a two inch border on the circumference. Gently fold the edges over the berries, making pleats where necessary. Brush top of crust with egg wash.

Bake for 40-50 minutes until the crust is deep golden and berry center i Add garlic to sauté pan heated to medium low and coated with olive oil. Toss them out and discard when they turn golden brown and add the rapini to the scented oil. Add salt and peperoncino; toss and cover with lid. The water that clings to the rapini will help the mixture steam when covered. Remove lid and toss from time to time until finished, about 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning (salt). Meanwhile, cook pasta to until it’s almost al dente. Drain, reserving about 1/2C the pasta cooking water. Add the pasta directly to the pan with the rapini and let cook together to marry the flavors. Unless there was quite a bit of water clinging to the orecchiette, you will probably need to add a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water to the pan as well. When the liquid has been absorbed, turn off the heat and stir in the pecorino. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch more peperoncino if desired. Buon appetito! mozzarella will vary by producer.

Remove the Mozzarella from the frigo and let warm for approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour; remove it from the liquid that it is packed in. Thickly slice the tomato and the mozzarella taking care not to loose the juices out of the inside of either. Decoratively arrange on a plate alternating the tomato and mozzarella or like I have done above in stripes. Tear basil leaves over the top and place a cluster of them intact on the plate for garnish (and eating too!). Drizzel with the olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Mozzarella di Bufala: This is mozarella made with the milk from a water buffalo. It’s from Southern Italy (usually Campania) and will come packed in water in either a bag or a carton. Do not substitute with commercially produced mozzarella even if it comes in a container with water. It will not be as creamy and deliciously flavored . If you don’t believe me, do a blind tasting as I have to see for yourself if it’s worth the splurge- it is!! Burrata which is from Puglia (the heel of the boot) is mozzarella made with cow’s milk and is injected with creamy milk in the center. It is equally delicious and can be used as well, although it is difficult to find and very perishable.

Tomato Tip: Never put tomatoes in the frigo! They loose all of their taste and turn mealy.

Buon appetito!. The timing is not critical but the longer they cook the more creamy and broken down they will become. I like mine very creamy! Add the arugula and cook an additional 10 minutes, adding more water if necessary.

Make ahead - to this point the beans can made ahead. Just reheat gently (adding more water if they become dry)

Adjust seasonings and serve drizzled with a tablespoon of flavorful good quality olive oil on top.

Buon appetito!

Mix all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl (beating with a fork or whisk). Set aside.

Discard the outermost layer of the fennel bulb (these tend to be tough and damaged). Roughly chop the rest of the bulb discarding the core. Halve the tomatoes and roughly chop the arugula. Dress each of the components of the salad separately. Plate by placing the arugula in a stripe down the side, the fennel (the white stripe) down the middle and the tomatoes on the opposite side from the arugula.

Buon appetito! When it reaches golden brown discard it and kick up the heat to medium. Meanwhile, bring an abundant amount of salted water to a boil (remember the water should taste like the sea). Drop the pasta in the water and give it a good stir. Add zucchini to the garlic oil and let brown well on the first side to golden brown. Add a good pinch of salt and the shelled deveined shrimp. Cook them with the zucchini about 2 minutes then add the drained almost al dente pasta. It will finish cooking with the sauce. Stir together to coat the pasta adding a little bit of the pasta cooking water if it looks dry. Do not over-cook; the shrimp will only take 3- 4 minutes total. Once they are pink and no longer opaque in the center they are done. The pasta water should have been absorbed by now and the flavors married together. Toss in the mint and an extra little drizzle of olive oil.

Buon appetito!
Pre-heat oven to 400°. Lightly oil the center of 2 large pieces of aluminum foil (about 1 t each) and place fish on top; sprinkle with a small amount of salt. The olives and capers are salty too so take care. Garnish fish with the tomatoes, olives, capers and parsley. Drizzle with a little more oil (1 t) and fold the aluminum foil around the fish to make an even pouch, like an envelope. Place fish in oven on a baking sheet. Check them in 10 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish. They should be done in 10-15 minutes. The fish is pretty served on a bed of arugula or with some thin green beans.

Make ahead- the pouches can be made several hours in advance and placed in the frigo. This will add about 2 minutes to the cooking time.

Buon appetito.
At least 30 minutes before cooking generously salt both sides of the pork chops (can be done up to 2 hours before). This is an important step to obtaining juicy pork. It is my fast and easy “brine”. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.

Heat the oil in a pan over low heat; add garlic. When brown to a deep golden, remove the garlic and discard. Add the tomatoes and crush them up with your hands, kicking up the heat to medium high. Add salt and peperoncino. Let cook down for about 10 minutes until thickened. Add the chopped oregano off the heat and stir in.

Meanwhile, heat the grill to low or medium low. Cook the pork on both sides until it is deeply golden brown and a meat thermometer registers 140°. Allow to rest a few minutes before serving. Alternatively, this can be done on the stove top. Heat pan to medium and cook approximately 5-8 minutes per side depending on thickness. If the chops are approaching 140° and they are not sufficiently browned , turn heat up to medium high to finish cooking. Remove when chops are 140° to prevent them from drying out and let them rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Spread a small amount of the sauce on each plate (more sauce can be passed at the table) and top with a pork chop.

Buon appetito!
salt to taste
1 can low sodium chicken broth diluted with 1 can water 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 egg yolk

Grate the squash part of each female squash blossom. Roughly chop all of the flowers. Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Add shallots; sauté until for 1-2 minutes and add squash. Turn heat to medium and cook another 2 minutes then add the rice. Sauté a few minutes and add wine enough to cover rice and salt generously; simmer until almost all liquid evaporates, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add broth 1 egg, beaten
1/4 C corn starch

Combine the goat and ricotta cheeses in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Cut the basil leaves into a fine chiffonade (shreds) by stacking them upon one another and the rolling them up and slicing them. Add to cheese mixure.. Spoon mixture into a zip lock bag. Cut the tip end of one of the bottom corners and use the bag to pipe the cheese mixture into the center of each blossom. Dredge each flower in the egg wash and then the corn starch, shaking off any extra. You want a very light coating. Immediately saute in heated oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. It is important that the oil really sizzle when you add the flower. Cook for 2 minutes per side until deep golden brown. Make in two batches if necessary.

Watch me make it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVZ3aCeRvoU

Toast the bread until crisp but not browned. Rub each slice with a little bit of garlic and then the tomatoes, making sure to rub all the meaty part of the tomato into the bread. Place 2 drained anchovies on top of each bread slice, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with the parsley. Judiciously, sprinkle each piece with the sea salt.

Buon appetito! with a toothpick.

Buon appetito!
golden brown, remove it and discard. Add tomatoes, olives, capers, anchovies if using, peperoncino and a small pinch of salt. You must taste the sauce to adjust the salt because the capers and olives are salty as well. Cook until incorporated and the tomatoes soften.

When the pasta is almost al dente, drain reserving a little bit of its cooking water. Add pasta to pan with sauce, a couple tablespoons of the cooking water. Cook to marry flavors and to absorb the water over medium heat. Add the roughly chopped herbs and toss adding just a dash more olive oil. Serve with a little pecorino cheese if desired.

Buon appetito!

Buon appetito!
crush up the tomatoes with your hands; add another pig pinch of salt. Cook down at medium heat for about 7 minutes until thickened. Add eggplant to the tomatoes. Meanwhile cook the rigatoni until almost done. Add it to the sauce and continue cooking a minute or two more. This helps the flavors of the sauce really marry with the pasta and become absorbed. If the sauce becomes too thick add some of the pasta cooking liquid. Garnish with the ricotta salata and parsley.

Buon appetito!
bake 40 to 50 minutes until deep golden brown and a bamboo skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes until cool. Remove it from the pan and let cool completely on the wire rack.

Topping Options
Apricot: Plump 1 C sliced dried apricots in 1C white wine (I like to use a combination of the Moscato from above and Viognier, but any will do). Heat the with apricots and wine to a low simmer for 15 minutes.

Frozen Berries: Heat 1C frozen berries (any of your favorites or a combination) with 1-2 T sugar over low heat until warmed through, about 10 minutes.

It is also great with fresh seasonal berries, sweetened with a little sugar if desired.
olive oil.

•Note- to shell fava beans, you must first remove them from their pod. Then blanch the beans in boiling salted water for 1-2 minutes (you can even use the water you will later use to cook the pasta) Drain the beans and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. They then need to be peeled of their thick skin. It comes off easily and inside will reveal a brilliant green fava bean. This takes some time but it is not hard and so worth it!

Buon appetito!

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