Category Archives: ITALIAN CUISINE

ITALIAN MEATBALLS WITH ARRABIATA SAUCE

What is it about meatballs that everyone loves? Is it their size and the fact that they are just terribly darling? Is it their flavor or the fact that you can eat them in one or two bites? I remember my kids turning their noses up at meatloaf, but when I used the same exact recipe and formed the meat into little balls and either fried or baked them, they thought they were divine! (I still haven’t figured that one out. Perhaps it’s just that my kids, like children everywhere, were by nature perverse and knew instinctively that meatballs took me more time to prepare than meatloaf!)

Regardless, meatballs are just about the perfect food to fix for everyone, especially children. They, the meatballs that is, are full of protein and veggies. And if you are one of those people who like to sneak healthy ingredients into your cooking, meatballs are a very good vessel for doing just that. For example, oats and a scoop of wheat germ slide into almost any meatball recipe and no one, not even your little darlings who are always on the lookout for this sort of deception, need be the wiser. Another lovely thing about meatballs, they can be prepared GF if you use slightly chopped or ground GF oats in place of cubed white bread or bread crumbs. Even if you aren’t sensitive to gluten, oats are a wonderful and nutritious alternative to wheat.

Request: if any of you know why meatballs are more acceptable to children than meatloaf, I would appreciate your insight. I will then pass the knowledge along and save dozens of parents the time and trouble of finding it out for themselves!

Italian Meatballs:

2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed and cut into small cubes
1/3 c. milk
1/2 c. plus 2 T. finely grated Parmesan
6 T. chopped Italian parsley, divided
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1 large egg
1/2 lb. ground pork
1/2 lb. ground chicken or turkey
1/2 lb. ground beef
grated Pecorino Romano, opt.

In a large bowl toss the bread cubes with milk to re-hydrate. Stir in the Parmesan, 4 tablespoons parsley, salt, pepper, onion and garlic that have been finely minced in a food processor, and egg. When thoroughly combined, stir in the meat. Using a small ice cream scoop, gently form the meat mixture into balls and place on a lightly greased rimmed baking sheet. (Packing the meat mixture too tightly together will result in tough meatballs). Place in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the meatballs are just done. Do not over bake. Serve immediately or cool completely and refrigerate until ready to use. If you are preparing the meatballs to use at a later time, freeze them on the baking dish and package them when frozen. Use within 6 weeks. Just defrost and warm in the oven. Serve topped with Arrabiata Sauce, Pecorino Romano cheese, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley.

Note: This sauce is very spicy on its own, but combined with the meatballs, Pecorino Romano cheese, and parsley, the amount of hot is perfect.

Arrabiata (Spicy Red) Sauce:

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. finely chopped yellow onion
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 – 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. red wine (I like Pinot Noir)
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. chopped fresh basil
3-oz. tomato paste (half a small can) (I use Cento brand)
1-28oz. can crushed or peeled San Marzano tomatoes (Use cans of Italian tomatoes, like Cento brand, if possible. And yes, there really is a difference!)

Heat olive oil in a medium-large heavy sauce pan. Add onion and cook until transparent. (Don’t let the onion brown.) Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about a minute or until the garlic smells aromatic. Add the salt, pepper, and wine. Let wine cook until it is all absorbed. Stir in the brown sugar, basil, and tomato paste. Finally add the can of crushed tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer uncovered for about 30-40 minutes. Adjust seasoning.

Not only is this sauce perfect drizzled over Italian Meatballs, it is amazing poured over pasta. Serve with grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese.

ITALIAN CASSEROLE WITH SAUSAGE, MUSHROOMS, AND SOUR CREAM

I believe I have told you numerous times that I am lazy. Some people don’t think of me as lazy, but I’ve just got them fooled. For example, take this fake lasagna recipe. It looks and tastes like I have been slaving away in the kitchen for hours. Anyone who has ever prepared true lasagna knows that it takes hours to prepare. There’s the meat sauce, then the cheeses, then those darling lasagna noodles. And if you are really into a truly decadent lasagna, not only is there a red sauce, there’s a béchamel sauce. Now granted, none of these sauces are difficult to assemble. But add up all the time it takes to prepare each step, and you are talking about an all afternoon project. And granted, sometimes I make an honest to goodness, over the top lasagna. But for those times when I don’t want to spend 4 hours playing in the kitchen but still want a rich, creamy and luscious casserole, I make my dear buddy Margo’s recipe. And all kidding aside, it is one of the tastiest Italian casseroles you will ever meet. The sauce and the cheeses work together to cover the egg noodles in a gooey dressing that just melts in your mouth. Serve this with a Caesar salad, a warm crusty baguette or my Soft Breadsticks, and a bottle of your favorite rich red wine, and I promise you all thoughts of lasagna noodles will evaporate as fast as cookies in an office break room! Thanks again Margo for this wonderful recipe.

1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. bulk Italian Sausage (or half ground beef and half Italian sausage)
10-12 medium mushrooms, sliced
2 clove garlic, minced
1 jar (or 2 ½ c.) marinara sauce (I use Paul Newman’s Marinara Sauce – I told you I was lazy!)
8-oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 pint sour cream (2 cups)
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
8 green onions, chopped
1 lb. grated Mozzarella cheese
12-oz. (4 c. uncooked) thick egg noodles, cooked al dente (I use Country Pasta – Homemade Style Egg Pasta I buy in the 64-oz. package from Costco) OR rice pasta for a wonderful GF casserole
2 T. minced fresh parsley

Heat olive oil in a large fry pan. Add the sausage and sauté until very brown, breaking up the pieces as it cooks. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute or until the garlic releases its aroma. Pour in the marinara sauce and let gently burble for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Meanwhile combine the room temperature cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan, green onions, and mozzarella cheese. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Scoop about a half cup of the marinara sauce mixture into the bottom of the pan. Layer with half of the cooked noodles, half of the marinara sauce, and half of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree oven. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

(As you can see from the picture, there is no fresh parsley sprinkled on top. Oh I had the parsley all chopped and happily residing in my refrigerator. But in all my last minute frantic efforts to get the meal out for yesterday’s pre JazzVox concert lunch, the parsley was forgotten. Of course the lack of a parsley garnish didn’t stop anyone from eating the casserole, but I sure felt like a dummy when I realized what I had done. Not the first time I have left off that final touch, and considering that I am only getting older and less likely to remember even the most mundane of tasks, I’m sure it won’t be the last. I could mention the salad I forgot to serve for our New Year’s Eve late night buffet, but why bother you with even more evidence that I’m not playing with my full set of Cutco knives, circa 1964, any longer!)

ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP WITH LENTILS, CHARD, AND GARLIC

Based on a recipe from Adam Roberts, this soup is the answer to how to stay warm and feel special during our long, gray, wet winters. It is very easy and reasonably inexpensive to prepare. Add to this the fact that it is really delicious, and you have a winner.

For a greater understanding of why we who live in the beautiful Pacific NW need soups like this one so desperately in our lives, please read my definitions of the various and numerous types of precipitation we experience on an almost daily basis:

Patti’s Perception of Precipitation – based on the novel Smilla’s Sense of Snow by Peter Hoeg (great read by-the-way)

Misty Moisty – really just fog, but get’s you wet and cold none-the-less

Mist – more than fog, but less than sprinkle (also known as Oregon Mist except in Oregon where it’s referred to as Washington Mist)

Sprinkle – You don’t really need an umbrella, but wish you had one none-the-less

Drizzle – just goes on and on but really doesn’t affect the water table, just your mood

Chance of Rain – definitely carry your umbrella because you know there’s a good chance you’re going to get wet

Rain (aka – Standard Number 1 Wash) – relentless precipitation with no end in sight! Often accompanied by gray skies. (Renowned for driving newcomers out of their minds and/or out of state!)

Horizontal Rain – guaranteed to percolate inside all forms of outerwear!

Downpour – you are sure to get soaked between your car and the door to the grocery store

Le Deluge – you can count on a good soaking just getting out of your car!

Hail – pellets of frozen rain – you get beat up walking (don’t even think of running) from your car to the grocery store entrance

Sleet – pellets of ice often mixed with rain or snow – you get beat up and wet walking from your car to the grocery store entrance

Chance of Snow – the forecast that allows employees to leave work early, schools to consider sending our darlings home early, and sends most of the general public to the grocery store in a panic over possibly being house bound for 2-3 hours

Snow – atmospheric water vapor frozen into ice crystals and falling in light white flakes or lying on the ground as a white layer. FYI: Even the forecast of snow puts western Washington inhabitants on full alert. It doesn’t help that the threat of snow is always presented with a solemn countenance by our TV station authorities. Even the word “snow” can cause normally intelligent people to act in an irrational manner. And then there are the morons who feel they know all about driving in the snow. (They are the maniacs who truly believe that four wheel drive vehicles were designed to stop on a dime, even when the vehicle is traveling downhill!)

Some or All of the Above – (most common forecast) Just means that you need to carry an umbrella, make provisions for your children if they have to come home from school early, be prepared with an alternative commuting plan, go to the store the night before, have an extra supply of warm cloths at work, carry granola bars in your purse or backpack, and make sure your smart phone is fully charged.

Hopefully this has helped you understand more about the types of precipitation we experience in the Pacific NW. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to keep them to yourself. I am not a meteorologist; I have just lived in this area for a very long time and know enough to look outside if I really want to know what the weather is doing!

½ c. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1 medium onion, diced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 carrots, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced, opt.
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper (not too much)
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, opt.
4 minced garlic cloves, divided
1 c. brown lentils, rinsed and drained
2 bay leaves
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
6 c. water
3 to 4 c. shredded or thinly sliced Swiss chard or kale leaves
grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large covered soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and cooked until it is very brown. Remove half of the sausage and set aside. To the remaining sausage in the pan add the onion, celery, carrots, fennel, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cook until the vegetables soften a bit, about 5 minutes. Add half of the garlic and cook for one minute or until the garlic releases its aroma. Add the lentils, bay leaves, tomatoes, and water. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer gently until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes. Stir periodically during cooking process. (It might be necessary to add more water if the soup gets too thick.) When the lentils are tender, add the chard and reserved Italian sausage. Adjust seasoning.

Cook for an additional 5-8 minutes or until the chard is soft.

Pour remaining ¼ cup olive oil in a small pan. Add remaining 2 garlic cloves and warm over medium heat until the garlic sizzles and softens.

Remove from heat. Serve soup in individual bowls drizzled with a small amount of the hot oil and a sprinkling of Pecorino Romano cheese. Wonderful served with baguette slices that have been buttered, sprinkled with granulated garlic and dried oregano and toasted for about 6-8 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP

OK, we didn’t have any kind of soup like this in Italy on our recent trip. But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t learn a few culinary tricks along the way! For example, white wine is used a lot in Italy to deglaze a pan. Fennel is very popular in Italian cooking. And red pepper flakes are about as common as mayonnaise on a tuna sandwich in the states! And even though tomatoes are used extensively in Italian cuisine, they aren’t always the star of the show. They seem to be content to appear as just another ingredient lending a depth of flavor to whatever dish they grace with their presence. Same with basil. Basil doesn’t need to be the center of attention or present a distinct flavor in Italian dishes either. In fact, you might not even be able to detect its notes of subtle anise-like flavor.

I think in one of my posts I mentioned that Italian cooks are subtlety experts. They almost never beat you over the head with any one flavor. So when I was considering what to cook for my father-in-law for lunch today, I thought I might have a go at updating one of my favorite soups from my second cookbook. The few simple changes I made worked and the soup turned out great. And the best part, the soup is easy to prepare, economical and tastes like it’s been simmering for hours. The fact that it’s low in fat doesn’t hurt either!

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. Italian chicken sausage (I like Isernio brand) or 1 lb. Italian pork sausage
1 ½ c. chopped celery
½ large onion, chopped
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
¼ c. white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
14.5 oz. Italian diced or crushed tomatoes
1 T. tomato paste
1 qt. chicken broth
2 bay leaves
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ c. chopped fresh parsley
½ small zucchini, diced
½ c. dry pasta, cooked al dente (I use orechiette)
1/3 c. chopped fresh basil
grated Parmesan, opt.
Garlic Toast, opt. (see recipe below)

Heat olive oil in a heavy lidded soup pot. Add the sausage, breaking into bite size pieces as it browns. Add the celery, onion, and fennel and cook until veggies are tender. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper; cook for one minute. Pour in the wine and cook until the liquid has been absorbed. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, and parsley. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Just before ready to serve, add zucchini and let simmer for about 5 minutes or until the zucchini is tender, but not mushy. Add the cooked pasta and fresh basil; serve immediately. Pass grated Parmesan cheese and Garlic Toast (see recipe below) for dipping in the soup.

GARLIC TOAST

baguette slices
extra virgin olive oil
1 whole garlic clove, peeled

Place baguette slices on a baking sheet. In moderation, baste both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until the slices are very crisp and brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and rub the top of each slice with the whole garlic clove. (Because the toast is crisp, the fresh garlic just kind of melts into the hot surface of the bread.) Delish served with this soup, or almost any other soup for that matter!

MARTINIS AND CASTELVETRANO GREEN OLIVES

While I have been offering up my take on some of the fantastic food we experienced in Italy and implied ad nauseam how great Italian chefs are, I should in all fairness tell you about one thing most Italian restaurateurs and bartenders don’t have a clue how to prepare. And that my dear friends, is a martini. That’s right! A simple Tanqueray martini – very dry, shaken not stirred, up with one olive. (Really, can any drink be more cosmopolitan or easy to fix?)

But having experienced some horrible martinis before on our travels, (the worst of which was a martini prepared in New Zealand – 1 part cheap gin, 3 parts red vermouth) I was, I think understandably, a little leery about ordering a martini our first night in Rome. But darn, I wanted a “safe arrival” drink before we set off for dinner.

So I put on my most sophisticated face and boldly ordered a martini the way I always order a martini in the states. (After all, we were in Rome, at a lovely small hotel that caters to overseas tourists! My request should have been as ordinary as asking if I could exchange the rock they gave me for a pillow for something that actually had a little give when I laid my head down. But that’s a story for another time!)

After I told the nice gentleman attending the bar what I wanted he just stared at me. Now I know he spoke English because he was the same person who had, not 2 hours before, checked us in. So I decided to help him out. I told him exactly how to prepare my drink. By the look on his face I could tell he was absolutely horrified by my instructions, but by golly, when he brought me my drink (about a triple) it was perfectly mixed. What he didn’t get right however, was the “one olive” in the drink part. What he brought instead was my drink (sans olive) and a bowl of olives! (Mr. C had been smart. He had ordered Scotch on the rocks. Again, at least a triple!) So we clinked glasses, said “cheers” and proceeded to sip our drinks and do a little itinerary planning in the cozy library of the hotel.

So here we are our first night in Italy, having only arrived that afternoon, hungry, very short on sleep and very long on potent drinks in front of us. Oh, and of course, a big old bowl of olives.

Now, I love olives. (Mr. C likes them, but he isn’t really the olive nut that I am!) So I lit into those olives like I hadn’t eaten in days. I bit into the first one, and just could not believe how wonderful it tasted. (Now granted, I was really hungry. But I’ve been hungry before and still been able to discern good from amazing!) And these good sized olives were truly amazing! They were a distinctive bright green, slightly crunchy, with a meaty, buttery flesh. They had just the right amount of salt and not even a hint of bitterness. In other words, they were perfect, the best olives I had ever tasted!

It turns out these olives are Italy’s number one snack olive. They are often referred to as “dolce” (meaning “sweet” in Italian), and are produced exclusively in Castelvetrano, Sicily, from the olive variety known as nocerella del belice. So needless to say I looked for them everywhere we went. I actually snuck a jar home with us believing that I would not be able to find these little darlings in the Seattle area. But low and behold my favorite place to buy imported foods (PFI – Pacific Food Importers) sells them in bulk. (Thank you God!) And although I have not looked for Mezzetta brand Castelvetrano jarred olives in my local grocery stores, I think larger more upscale stores carry them.

So do yourself a favor. Give these beautiful green gems a try. They are simply wonderful.

And in case you’re wondering, we did make it to dinner that night, even after finishing every last drop of our drinks. But I’m sure glad the restaurant we chose (with the hotel’s help) was within easy walking distance. Because running on very little sleep, a very large before dinner drink, and a big meal, we were literally holding each other up by the time we got back to our hotel. Jet lag, what jet lag?

Photo – Castelvetrano green olives on an antipasto platter

SPAGHETTI WITH FRESH CLAMS AND MUSSELS

While we were in Italy, Mr. C and I shared many wonderful pasta dishes. Since we were in southern Italy, home to some of the best seafood you could ever hope to taste, many of the pasta dishes we ate contained seafood, especially shellfish. The dishes were simple with no one flavor overwhelming any of the others. Each dish was a perfect marriage of ingredients.

But before I go any further about the joys of eating seafood in Italy or sharing with you my spin on a classic Italian seafood pasta dish, I have one small confession about Italian cuisine that I need to share with you. There is one shrimp preparation that I doubt either Mr. C or I will ever be able to fully appreciate.

raw shrimp

In Italy shrimp are often deep fried or added to dishes still wearing the suits they were given at birth. In other words, the heads are still on, the skeletal bodies (including the icky little “legs”) are intact, and even the thread like feelers are left on to make the desirability of eating one of these critters even that much less appealing. And then to add insult to injury, Italian chefs tend to cook the hell out the little darlings. So what remains is an almost desiccated carcass in an inpenetrable and unappetizing casing. It leaves me wondering how a country that prides itself, and in almost every other way produces some of the best food in the world, can turn what should be a succulent treat into what Mr. C and I consider an inedible, is nothing short of savagery. But then, in all honesty, we don’t really know how to eat the clothed shrimp either. We watched others seem to enjoy biting off the little heads and (I’ll leave this part to your imagination), but we just could not embrace the whole “alla naturale” experience. But that’s OK. Every other seafood dish we tried was excellent. Just proves not everyone can love every dish they taste, even if it’s an Italian dish! But enough about shrimp and the fact that we prefer our shrimp scantily clad! Back to mussels and clams.

Like I said, we enjoyed clams, mussels and pasta several different times during our time in Italy. In some cases the sauce was more like a marinara, while in a few instances there was no evidence of tomato at all. But often, just to provide a lovely splash of color, a few cherry tomatoes were added just at the last moment. I learned to look forward to those warm, still semi-raw taste treats. I hope you learn to love them too.

And finally, don’t be surprised if I don’t post any recipes for fried shrimp. It just ain’t going to happen!

3 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 medium sized shallots, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 c. white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
1 c. vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
3/4 lb. fresh clams, cleaned
3/4 lb. fresh mussels, cleaned
8-oz. spaghetti, cooked al dente
2 T. butter, room temperature
2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley
8 cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half, opt.

In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper; cook for about a minute or until the garlic is aromatic. Add the wine and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, red pepper flakes, clams and mussels. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook until all the shellfish have opened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Discard any unopened shellfish.

Using tongs lift the al dente pasta out of the cooking water and add to the pan. Add the butter, parsley and tomatoes; toss until all of the pasta is coated. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately.

NOCCIOLATA

I tasted a cookie very much like the Nocciolata you see above on our recent trip to Italy. It was on the Isle of Capri. The Nocciolata on Capri however were formed into round balls and studded with whole hazelnuts. Absolutely delicious!

When we returned home I wanted to duplicate those amazing cookies. But do you think I could find any recipe on the Internet that came even remotely close to what I tasted that day? Heck no! So although the following recipe below is for a bar cookie, the taste is as close as I can come to the Niccolata I fell in love with on Capri.

I have always prided myself on not only preparing delicious food, but serving it in an attractive manner. To my thinking presentation is a very important aspect of the whole culinary experience. But sometimes, call it a momentary loss of good karma, or whatever other term you prefer to use to describe that moment in time when the world alignment seems to shift and you are caught in the fallout. That is just what happened to me yesterday afternoon and why the picture of my Nocciolata looks a little less than presentable. Heck, the cookies don’t even look edible, much less presentable! But there is an explanation and I feel duty bound to share it with you. (They say confession is good for the soul. Plus, I really don’t want you to think that I make a habit of taking cookies to share with others that look like the picture above!)

Every Tuesday we have a rehearsal that starts at 7:00pm in Seattle. And yesterday, we had three stops to make on our way into town. That meant that we had to leave the house by 2:00pm. OK, my ears heard what Mr. C. told me at breakfast about what time we had to leave that afternoon, but apparently my brain was not paying close enough attention (not a rare occurrence anymore). So I blithely went about my day finishing my blog post on Italian Bean Soup, answering a few emails, and starting a batch of Nocciolata to share with the gang at rehearsal. At about 1:10pm the cookies weren’t quite ready to be put in the oven when Mr. C. reminded me of the time. I panicked. I hadn’t had lunch, hadn’t practiced my music, hadn’t put on my head (not an easy task at my age) or changed my cloths. Basically I was about an hour behind.

So I quickly finished preparing the cookies, got them in the oven, slammed down some soup, put on my head and changed my cloths. By 1:55pm, after having just taken the cookies out of the oven, I headed downstairs with my purse and the hot pan of cookies (complete with two bulky pot holders). And of course because I was on fast forward, I thought I could hold my purse, and the cookies, open the basement door and push the garage door opener in one elegant and smooth movement. (Setting the cookies down on the entrance table would have caused a 10 second delay you see.)

Well all went well until I caught the edge of the cookie pan on the door. And in what seemed like 30 seconds (why do these sort of things always look like they are in slow motion?) the pan had flown out of my hands and landed on the carpet in our hallway with half the cookies on the floor. So I did what any intelligent, totally together woman would do under the circumstances. I screamed at the top of my lungs.

This brought Mr. C. running at full tilt down the stairs to see if I was OK. When he arrived and found that I had not broken anything and there was no blood, he proved to me once again why he is the best husband in the world. Instead of yelling at me for screaming and causing him to react in a manner that might have caused him bodily injury, he quietly said “oh honey, I’m sorry about the cookies. Are you OK”?

Am I OK? No, I’m not OK! I’m a raving idiot. Who in their right mind screams over something as insignificant as spilled cookies? But I was so frustrated with myself, that had I not screamed, I’m quite sure my head would have exploded. Really!

So we cleaned up the mess, put the pan with the remaining cookies in the car, and off we went. For the next 15 minutes I verbally berated myself for being such a dunce. By the time I calmed down, we were both laughing. I at my bizarre behavior, and Mr. C. because he said he had never heard me make a sound like that before.

Moral of the story: Getting through life with your sanity intact involves learning to forgive yourself even when you sometimes act like a darn fool. That husbands who still love you even when you react as stupidly as I did yesterday are worth all the flour and sugar in the greater Puget Sound area. And last but not least, people will eat homemade cookies even if they look like hell!

1 1/2 c. shelled hazelnuts
2 1/2 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until fragrant and the skins begin to flake. Remove from oven and place the hot nuts in a clean dish towel. Roll up the towel and let the nuts sit (steam) for about ten minutes and then rub the nuts in the towel briskly to remove as much of the skin as possible. (Some skin will be left on the nuts. Not too worry.) Let them cool completely and then chop into fairly small pieces.

Take about a fifth of the huts and whirl them in a food processor until they are finely ground. Do not make a paste out of the nuts, but you want them very finely chopped.

In a large bowl combine the flour and sugar. Pour in the melted butter and combine the mixture well. (I use a standard old fashioned table knife to stir the ingredients. No mixer required.) Stir in the finely and the coarsely chopped nuts. The mixture will be stiff. Gently pat dough into a buttered 9×13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until nicely browned. (This is one cookie you do not want to undercook! It should be kind of crumbly when you eat it, and only sufficient baking time is going to help create the perfect texture.) Remove from oven and cut into squares while the bars are still warm. Allow to cool completely before serving.

ITALIAN BEAN SOUP

While in Italy recently we spent a couple of nights on the beautiful Isle of Ischia in the Gulf of Naples. The Isle of Ischia is the birthplace of our dear friend Gaspare Trani, who until recently owned along with his wife Diane, the fabulous Gaspare’s Ristorante in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood of Seattle. (I am still in mourning! Gaspare actually had the gall to sell the restaurant and semi-retire.) It is still possible to experience his wonderful food however because he retained the catering side of the business. For more information or to place an order, please visit their website www.gasparesrestaurant.com or email them at diannetrani@yahoo.com.

Before we left for Italy we asked the Tranis where we should dine while in Ischia Porto. (Who better to ask after all?) They quickly answered that by all means we should eat at Ristorante da Raffaele. So not being dummies we took their excellent advice and ended up eating there both nights.

The second night we were not exceedingly hungry so we thought we would just start with a bowl of soup each and then share a primi or secondi. I ordered a cream of mushroom soup and Mr. C ordered the Fagioli (bean soup). While my soup was good; Andy’s was outstanding. So good in fact that he only shared one itsy-bitsy little spoon full with me. But the taste I did have left me wanting more. So when I got home I went on a quest for the perfect bean soup.

My search took me all through Italy. What I soon realized was that there are as many recipes for bean soup in Italy as there are cooks. And being the wise, practical and wonderful cooks that the Italians are, their soups often contain whatever happens to be on hand. You have a small piece of leftover pancetta and a few seriously sad veggies in the bottom of your refrigerator, no problem. Make a soup. And that soon to be moldy rind of Parmesan, well what the heck throw that in too. And while you’re at it, why not toast up yesterday’s baguette and add it to the soup at the last moment for some crunch and another depth of flavor.

Like I said, after looking at many recipes and also drawing on many years of making soup almost every cool weather weekend, I came up with my own take on a non-regional but distinctly Italian bean and vegetable soup. Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients. The soup actually goes together fairly quickly. And don’t limit yourself just to the veggies I use. You have a lone zucchini looking lonely and forlorn in your veggie drawer, dice it up and add it towards the end of the cooking time. Same with a small amount of butternut squash, cauliflower, parsnip, etc. The only vegetable I would not add is potato. There is already plenty of starch provided by the beans.

So next time you are in the mood for a hearty and delicious soup, build yourself a pot. As with most soups, it’s even better the second or third day. It also freezes beautifully.

(More to come on the Isle of Ischia)

2 c. dried white beans, such as cannellini or Great Northern
kosher salt
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for toast and serving
scant 1/4 lb. finely diced pancetta or thick lean smoked bacon, opt.
2 small yellow onions, chopped
3 small carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 cloves garlic, divided
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp. toasted fennel seeds, crushed
1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes, like Cento or 1 box Pomi brand chopped Italian tomatoes
4 lightly packed cups coarsely chopped or shredded Savoy or napa cabbage
4 lightly packed cups coarsely chopped kale
1/2 c. chopped fresh basil leaves
3-inch piece of Parmesan rind
6 c. chicken or vegetable stock
rustic baguette, sliced
freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

In a large bowl, cover the beans with cold water. Cover and allow to soak overnight in the refrigerator. Drain the beans and place them in a large pot with 8 cups of water; bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Set the beans aside to cool in their liquid.

Meanwhile, heat the ¼ cup olive oil in a large stockpot. Add the pancetta and cook until crisp. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the onions, carrots, celery, fennel, salt, and pepper; cook over medium-low heat until the veggies start to brown. Add 5 cloves of the garlic that have been finely minced, red pepper flakes, and toasted fennel seeds. Cook over medium-low heat until the garlic releases its aroma, about a minute. Add the tomatoes with juice, cabbage, kale, basil, and Parmesan rind. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 7 to 10 minutes.

Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid. In the bowl of a food processor, puree half of the beans with a little of the reserved cooking liquid. Add to the stockpot, along with the remaining whole beans. Pour the bean cooking liquid into a large measuring cup and add enough chicken stock to make 8 cups. Add to the soup along with the reserved fried pancetta and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning.

Meanwhile baste both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil and bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven until crispy brown, about 9 minutes on the first side, flip and a good 3 minutes on the other. Remove toast from oven and with the remaining garlic clove, skinned but left whole, scrape each piece of the toast. (You will be surprised how quickly the clove of garlic “melts” into the toast. You might even need an additional clove.) Set aside until ready to dish up the soup. Warning: Do not start eating the toast or you won’t have room for the lovely soup!

To serve the soup, place 2 pieces of toast in each soup bowl and ladle the soup over the toasts.

Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.

ITALIAN GRILLED VEGETABLES

When we were in Italy recently, grilled vegetables were on just about every menu. Sometimes it was just grilled zucchini, sometimes a mixture. But always the preparation was very simple; grilled with just a little olive oil slathered on before being placed on the grill. Off the grill the cooked veggies were then lightly sprinkled with salt and pepper. I personally like a little more oomph to my grilled veggies so this recipe (my take on a Giada De Laurentiis recipe) is perfect for me. (It’s still an Italian recipe since Giada was born in Rome!)

Grilled veggies are usually served with the secondi course, but since I don’t usually prepare what I consider two main courses, they are simply my veggie for that meal. (Or they make a wonderful additional to an antipasto platter.) But amazingly, one of the best dishes we tasted in Italy was prepared with just olive oil and salt.

We had made reservations at a small hotel in the mountain town of Santa Maria (about half way between the east coast and Rome on the west coast). But when we arrived we were greeted by the owner and loud, booming music. Roberto tried to explain what was going on, but finally resorted to going inside and eliciting the help of a young woman on the staff who spoke very good English. She explained that the hotel was hosting a large birthday party that evening and what we were hearing was just a taste of what was to come. Mr. C. and I looked at each other in horror, but the owner soon relieved us of our worry by calling a local B&B and booking us there for the night. (In his defense, he had called Expedia and explained the situation and Expedia had both emailed us explaining why we might want to change hotels and had also left messages on my cell phone. (I had taken neither my lap top or my cell phone along on the trip.)

So after learning that we really didn’t have to listen to crazy loud music all night, we were very relieved. The hotel owner offered to show us the way to the B&B that was just about a km away from the hotel. So we followed him and were absolutely delighted with our new accommodations. The hosts were friendly and the room was beautiful. We asked the staff for a dinner recommendation and they directed us to the nearby town of Tagliacozzo and the Osteria del Borgonovo. After driving around the little town of Tagliacozzo and not locating our restaurant, we parked along the central piazza and asked directions from three local boys. They pondered our question for a moment or two and finally came up with the general direction to take. They were charming young men and seemed thrilled to be able to help a couple of poor hapless Americans. Although we had driven by the osteria twice by this time, we almost walked by it too. Only Mr. Cs eagle eyes spotted a small and poorly illuminated sign that led down a long passageway and into the entrance of the restaurant.

The osteria looked like it had been built in a cave. No windows and only about 12 tables. Had either of us been claustrophobic, we might not even have stayed. But since we aren’t and the smells and general ambience of the room were lovely, we sat down complete with menus in hand.

That evening we both had good appetites so we each ordered a primi. Mr. C. had Tagliatelle al Ragù di Cinghiale (wild boar) and I had Ravioli al Funghi e Tartufo (thick large discs of ravioli in a creamy mushroom and truffle sauce). Absolutely divine. Since we still had a bit of room left for a little “something”, we decided to share a secondi. But before I tell you about our fabulous second course, I need to describe the restaurant in a little more detail.

Every grilled dish is prepared by the chef/owner right in the dining room. The cooking surface (grate) is the entire width of the wood fireplace. As you dine you watch the grill chef prepare everything from bread for bruschetta to rabbit, sausages or thick fork tender steaks dressed only with extra virgin olive oil and salt. Well steak was the item that caught our eyes. We had not had beef since we left home, so a hunk of beast seemed just the right thing to order and share. Our only problem was in telling our nice waitress how we wanted it cooked. Finally we resorted to looking in our “Eating in Italy for Dummies” book and came up with “al sangue” rare, for which we received a hearty thumbs-up from the middle-age couple at the next table. (If we hadn’t realized we were the only non-locals in the restaurant by then, it sure would have become evident at this point!)

So we ordered and sat sipping local wine in happy anticipation of the arrival of our steak. When it was delivered I was amazed at not only the size but the quality of the beef. Then I sliced off a bite and went straight to heaven. As described, the steak was simply grilled and then lightly coated with olive oil and coarse salt. Magnificent!

So next time you grill a steak, try this simple preparation. Grill the steak to desired doneness. Let rest for a couple of minutes and finish with a small splash of good olive oil and coarse salt. And for a side dish, why not serve a lovely plate of grilled veggies?

One final note: as we were leaving I worked up the courage to go up to the chef and not only thank him for an excellent meal, but to ask him about the grill. The first thing I noticed was how much heat was generated from the fairly small fire that was burning at the back of the grill. I mentioned this to the chef and in excellent English he told me it was easier to work in front of the grill in the winter! Then he laughed and thanked us for coming to his restaurant. I assured him it was our pleasure. We walked out of that restaurant not only full and contented from yet another wonderful meal in Italy, but with a new and wonderful memory to share with our family and friends at home.

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut in strips
1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut in strips
1 yellow squash, sliced into 1/3-inch thick slices on the bias
1 zucchini, sliced into 1/3-inch thick slices on the bias
1 eggplant, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces, then cut in 3rds
3 portabella mushrooms, stems and gills removed then cut into ¾-inch strips
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut in two
1/4 c. plus 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 tsp. balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 tsp. chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or bring your barbecue to medium-high heat. Brush the vegetables with 1/4 cup of the oil to coat lightly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Working in batches, grill the vegetables until tender and lightly charred all over, about 8 to 10 minutes for the peppers; 7 minutes for the yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, and mushrooms; 4 minutes for the asparagus. Take the veggies off the grill and arrange on a platter. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, parsley, basil, and rosemary in a small bowl to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the herbed olive oil mixture over the grilled vegetables. Serve warm or at room temperature.

MARINATED MOZZARELLA AND ROASTED RED PEPPERS

Well if truth be told, I never had any marinated mozzarella in Italy. But I did eat as much Mozzarella di Bufala as would be considered ethical. And truly, mozzarella made from the milk of a domestic water buffalo is just about the best cheese you could ever hope to eat. In one of the restaurants we patronized, the bufala mozzarella, tomato and basil (just a small sprinkle of basil, by the way) appetizer came with two, count them two big balls of this heavenly delight. We thought we had died and gone to heaven. Each of us had our own baseball sized serving of this culinary delight. No having to steal off the other person’s plate. (Guilty as charged!) No mozzarella envy. Just two happy people savoring this Italian delicacy.

Now that I am home and Mozzarella di Bufala is not on every menu and not available at every grocery store for a reasonable price, I need to plant my feet firmly back on solid ground. The reality is that Mozzarella di Bufala and even fresh cow’s milk mozzarella are expensive ingredients. And as such they need to be purchased and eaten in moderation. That’s when I remembered this lovely appetizer recipe.

Although the recipe calls for fresh mozzarella, the combination of ingredients creates a rich flavor and mouth feel. In other words, a small portion goes a long way.

So if you too love fresh mozzarella and want to serve an absolutely divine appetizer at your next dinner party, make a batch and set it to age in your refrigerator. Then leave it alone, except to turn it periodically of course. No little taste tests here and there to make sure it’s OK. No small sample for your best friend who happened to stop by for a cup of coffee. Not even a wee taste for your favorite postal delivery lady!

Just be patient, and your reward will come from all the compliments you receive from your guests.

1 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into bite sized cubes (Mozzarella di Bufala is the best)
1 small jar roasted red peppers, drained and cut into bite-size pieces (not too small)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. minced fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil (or more if you want to be able to dip bread in the seasoned oil)
crusty Italian baguette slices

Combine all ingredients in a covered jar (except the baguette slices, of course). Turn several times to coat each mozzarella piece. Refrigerate at least 24 hours, turning several times. Serve with baguette slices or as part of an antipasto platter.

CHEZ CARR CUISINE

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