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Chickpea and potato soup

An easy option for a quick, healthy and hearty soup. You can use cannellini beans instead of chickpeas if you want.

prep time 10 min     cook time 35 min
ingredients for 4
  • 500 g potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 can (400 g) chickpeas
  • 1 l vegetable broth
  • 2 carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 6 cherry tomatoes
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • salt and pepper
  • grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • grilled bread cubes or croutons (optional)
  • peperoncino oil (optional)

1. Heat a few tablespoons olive oil in a large soup pot and add onion, carrots and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until onion is translucent.

2. Add potatoes and vegetable broth and cook for 25-30 min total. After 15 min add halved tomatoes and chickpeas as well as bay leaves and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Ladle into soup bowls and serve with grated Parmesan cheese, croutons and a few drops of peperoncino oil for added taste.

BUON APPETITO!

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Hummus

This is the best basic hummus recipe ever. This Middle Eastern dip is traditionally made with chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil. Once you have mastered the basic recipe, you can flavour it with whatever takes your fancy: black olives, paprika, cumin, coriander seeds, red bell pepper or sun dried tomatoes.

prep time 10 min
ingredients for 6-8 as a starter
  • 2 x 400g cans of no-salt-added chickpeas (reserve the liquid)
  • 1 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste)
  • 1 garlic clove crushed (most recipes call for 2)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)
  • 6-7 tablespoons reserved liquid from chickpeas
  • 4 tablespoons squeezed lemon juice
  • parsley or coriander to garnish (optional)

1. Rinse the chickpeas in cold water and tip into the food processor. I use an immersion blender. Take out the germ/core  of garlic, the green shoot in the middle which makes it bitter especially if the garlic is older.

2. Add the crushed garlic, tahini, salt, the reserved liquid, the lemon juice and blend them. Pour slowly in the olive oil while you are blending.

3. Taste and adjust the flavour to your liking. When the mixture is fully combined and smooth, tip it into a serving dish.

4. Drizzle with some olive oil, and decorate with a few whole chickpeas. Sprinkle with paprika and finely chopped parsley.

BUON APPETITO!

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Lentil soup with kale

When I went to the farmer’s market this morning, I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted to make for lunch. I opted for Tuscan kale also called Lacinato kale or black kale or Nero Toscana and decided to make a soup.

To trim the kale take each leaf of kale and run a sharp knife down both sides of rib, starting at fat end and sliding the knife down. Repeat for the entire bunch and discard ribs. Or do as I do and grab the stem with one hand and run your index finger and thumb of the other hand along the rib and pull from the fat end to the top tearing the leaves. Quicker.

prep time 10 min     cook time 45-50 min
ingredients for 6
  • 350g lentils
  • 2 l of water or vegetable broth
  • 1 bunch of Tuscan kale
  • 1 celery stick, cut into rounds
  • 1 carrot, cut into rounds
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
  • mix of aromatic herbs minced: oregano, marjoram, loose leaf parsley
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons extra vergin olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • slices of crusty bread

1. Destem and chop the kale and rinse the lentils.

2. Heat the oil in a large pot. Add in the onion, garlic and herbs and cook for 3-5 minutes until translucent.

3. Add in the celery and carrot and cook for 2 more minutes.

4. Stir in the lentils and add salt and pepper.

5. Top with vegetable broth and tomato paste.

6. Lower heat and let simmer for about 30 minutes. The cooking time depends on the variety of lentils you use.

7. Stir in kale and cook for 5-8 minutes until kale has wilted.

8. Serve warm with bread.

Tip: For your carbs instead of bread you can use soup pasta like ditalini or conchigliette.

Tip: A little bit of peperoncino will give this soup some kick 🙂

FOR GLUTEN FREE ALTERNATIVE use appropriate bread or pasta

BUON APPETITO!

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Fasolakia

The traditional Greek green beans recipe (Fasolakia giaxni) is hearty, healthy and bursting with fresh and vibrant colors and flavors. You can find many variations of this traditional Greek dish, with the most popular being the classic version with green beans only and others with broad beans with potatoes or sweet potatoes and sometimes with zucchini. Feel free to experiment by adding different types of vegetables.

The traditional fasolakia recipe falls under the category of Greek dishes called “Ladera”, meaning Greek dishes prepared only with olive oil, with no addition of other fat. So make sure to use some good quality extra virgin olive oil, which will give its own, unique taste to this dish! Enjoy this delicious fasolakia as a hearty vegetarian meal or as a delicious side dish. 
prep time 10 min     cook time 40 min
ingredients for 4
  • 50-70 ml (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (400ml) crushed tomatoes
  • 500 g green beans or Romano pole beans or flat beans
  • 1 carrot, cut into rounds
  • 500g potatoes or sweet potatoes, in chunks
  • 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 4-5 tablespoons fresh mint, dill, oregano finely chopped
  • 0,5 l water
  • salt and pepper to season
  • 200 g feta

1. Trim, wash and drain the beans.

2. Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat, add onion and garlic and cook till soft, about 2-3 min. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 5 min. The traditional recipe for Greek green beans calls for fresh ripe tomatoes, but you can substitute them with canned chopped tomatoes.

3. Add the potatoes and stir thoroughly to combine. Add some salt and pepper. Add the beans ON TOP of the potatoes but do not stir.

4. Add herbs and enough water to just cover the beans. Allow to cook for 15 min, stir all the ingredients, season with more salt and pepper and lower the heat to a low setting. Cook for further 30 min (45 min total) till the beans are tender.

5. Serve it with a block of feta cheese and good crusty bread. It’s mandatory to use the bread to wipe up all that beautiful sauce.

BUON APPETITO!

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Spicy pork and sausage stew with chickpeas

This is one of those dishes that leaves you begging for more. That’s what happened with my son and godson who both told me beforehand that they do not eat chickpeas. Well, they did and helped themselves to another portion and maybe even to a third one.

prep time 20 min     cook time 3 hrs

ingredients for 8-10
  • 1.2 kg pork neck (or shoulder) cut into 3-4cm chunks
  • 400 g Italian sausage, cut into chunks
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 onions, quartered
  • 5 carrots, chopped
  • 6-8  garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 l water (2-3 cans)
  • peperoncino
  • 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
  • 1-2 teaspoon hot paprika
  • 1-2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • salt
  • 2 (400g) cans chickpeas
  • 1 bunch loose leaf parsley, chopped

1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or a large pot over medium-high heat and brown the pieces of pork shoulder and the sausages in batches. If there is a fatty side, put that side down on the pan to help render out the fat. Sprinkle some salt over the pork while it cooks. Once cooked, set the pieces aside.

2. Sauté onions and carrots in the pan making sure to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and peperoncino seeds and skin and cook for another minute. The quantity of peperoncino is up to you, start with a few seeds and add more to your taste.  If you prefer, you can use hot Italian sausage and leave out the peperoncino.

3. Add the pork, sausage, crushed tomatoes and water, then stir to combine. Stir in the various paprikas. Add salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook at low for at least 2 hrs or until the pork is melt-in-your-mouth tender.

4. Add the chickpeas and parsley, stir well and adjust the salt. Cook for 5 more minutes. Excellent served with crusty bread and red wine. This dish also freezes well.

BUON APPETITO!

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Two winter salads with spinach and fruit

Today I have two variations of the same winter salad to present. Just changing the legumes and a few other ingredients you obtain another salad. In the first one I’ve used cannellini beans and in the second chickpeas as protein.

prep time 10 min
ingredients for 2
  • 1 bag (125g) baby spinach or 1/2 baby spinach and 1/2 mixed lettuce
  • 1 can (400g) cannellini beans
  • 1 grapefruit
  • 1 avocado
  • 4-5 sun-dried tomatoes
  • handful of almonds
  • 4-5 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
  • 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • salt

1. Rinse the beans, peel and cut the grapefruit into mouth size bites, cut tomatoes into stripes, deseed the pomegranate unless you have done it previously and slice and peel the avocado.

2. Place all the ingredients apart from the dressing on a bed of baby spinach and toss them together with the dressing.

variation

Substitute the cannellini beans with chickpeas and the almonds with sunflower seeds. Omit the sun dried tomatoes.

BUON APPETITO!

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Coconut curry soup

Let’s warm up with this creamy, hearty and healthy soup. The sweetness of the coconut perfectly compliments the curry and other spices.

prep time min 10 min     cook time 30-40 min
ingredients for 4-5
  • 1 can (400ml/14 oz) coconut cream
  • 1 can (400ml/14oz) chickpeas
  • 5 carrots, cut to rounds
  • 2 zucchini, sliced or diced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 1-2 tablespoons green curry paste
  • curry
  • turmeric
  • salt and pepper

to garnish

  • 2 avocados
  • handful of sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds
  • parsley or cilantro

1. Sauté the chopped onion and the garlic cloves for a few minutes in a large pot. Add ginger, spices and green curry paste and turn to coat.

2. Toss in the carrot rounds and zucchini slices, the size doesn’t matter since they will be blended.

3. Add the coconut cream, rinsed chickpeas and a can of water. All the veggies should be covered. Add also 1-2 teaspoons of salt.

4. Let simmer on low for about 30 min until the veggies are done. Blend with an immersion blender. Check the salt.

5. Ladle into large bowls and garnish with avocado slices, parsley (or cilantro) and seeds. I am one of those people who find the taste of cilantro to be soapy so I never use it.

BUON APPETITO!

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Greek fava

I had a craving for Greek fava so I made it today. Fava is made with pureed yellow split peas. Not chick peas, not fava beans, not lentils (even though I have seen Greek fava called yellow lentils) nor white beans.

The best and most famous Greek fava comes from Santorini. This dish is served as an appetizer, a meze or a side dish, but it can also be a vegan main course. A part from being tasty, fava is really healthy, full of antioxidants and non-animal protein.

Every Greek mama has her own fava recipe just like every Italian mamma has her own tomato sauce recipe. Mine is a mixture of Cretan and Greek and having added some suggestions from the Internet.

Prep time  5 min     Cook time  1 h

INGREDIENTS FOR 8 (or even more!)
  • 1/2 kg (1 lb)  fava
  • 2  onions + some to serve
  • 1 peeled potato
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 dl (1/4-1/2 cup) EV olive oil
  • lemon
  • parsley
  • optional: kalamata or Gaeta olives, capers

1. Rinse the fava in cold water.

2. Bring the fava to a boil in 1.2 l  (5-6 cups) of water, skim the froth and add 2 quartered onions and a peeled potato cut into two or four pieces.

3. Let the fava simmer at very low heat for about an hour. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking. You might need to add a cup of water.

4. When the split peas are soft and the water has been reduced to leave a thick “porridge”, remove the pot from the heat and pass the fava through a food mill or use a stick blender or a food processor. I use a stick blender and blend the fava directly in the pot. You can puree it to a smooth cream or leave it more coarse.

5. Add the extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Put back on the heat and stir for 2 minutes but BE CAREFUL. The fava is piping hot!

6. Let the fava cool (it becomes considerably more solid) and serve it in a shallow dish. Add some chopped (spring) onion and parsley, some olive oil and lemon juice and alternatively olives or capers. Some use vinegar instead of lemon but I haven’t tried that yet.

BUON APPETITO!

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Pasta e fagioli

Pasta e fagioli aka pasta and beans. One of our faves at the moment. And you don’t have to add pasta, it’s just as good as bean soup. I’ve tried both  borlotti beans and  cannellini beans and they are both good, but I prefer the latter.

Pep time  10 min + the soaking time    Cook time  1,5 – 2 hrs

INGREDIENTS FOR 8
  • 500g  dried beans soaked overnight *
  • 400g fatty pancetta finely chopped
  • 200-300g fresh pig skins
  • 1 onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1  garlic clove
  • can of peeled/diced tomatos
  • 1 potato
  • peperoncino (chili pepper)
  • salt, pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • grated Parmesan
  • fresh maltagliati pasta or any kind of short pasta

1. Flame the pork skins to remove bristles, rub them clean with a cloth, and cut them into strips. Or if you use the skin from pancetta, just cut that into strips. No need to clean.

3. Mince the onion, celery and carrot and combine them. Heat a bit of oil in a large pot and sauté the chopped pancetta until it begins to brown. Add the minced onion mixture, a crushed garlic clove and the spices and continue to sauté, stirring, for about 10 minutes.

4. Add the tomatoes, the drained beans, the peeled potato, the skins and water to cover abundantly, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let simmer until the beans are tender. Total cooking time about 1,5 – 2 hrs. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking.

5. After an hour, add 1 cup or more of water and salt.

6. When done, take an abundant cup of the soup with the potato (if it’s still in one piece or in chunks) and use a blender to cream it. Add it back to the soup.

7. Cook the pasta directly in the soup checking the water and salt. You can use the amount of soup for your need and refrigerate or freeze the rest.

8. Add a little bit of olive oil and grated parmesan to the plate

FOR THE VEGETARIAN ALTERNATIVE: leave out the pork skins and pancetta

FOR THE GLUTEN FREE ALTERNATIVE: use as soup or use appropriate pasta

Tip: If you want to serve it as soup, add croutons or pieces of grilled bread.

*the soaking time depends on the quality of your beans. Sometimes 8 hrs is enough, sometimes even less.

BUON APPETITO!

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Tuscan bean and veggie soup

Soups are my go to in these gloomy autumn days. Today at the market I found black kale also called Nero Toscana and decided to pair it with beans for a hearty soup.

Prep time 20 min     Cook time 1h (less if using canned beans)
INGREDIENTS FOR 6
  • 300g beans cooked in their liquid (or canned beans)
  • a bunch of black  kale, stemmed and chopped
  • a small red cabbage, cut into medium size stripes
  • 2-3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 3 potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • peperoncino
  • 3-4 tomatoes, diced
  • extra vergine olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 125g of pancetta or bacon
  • grated Pecorino cheese
  • slices of stale bread

1. Fry the onion until translucent about 5-7 minutes, add the pancetta cut into cubes and some peperoncino. Start with a few seeds and a little bit of skin. You can add more later if needed.

2. Add the carrots and potatoes, cabbage and kale and  finally the tomatoes.

3. Cover the veggies with the liquid of the beans, check the salt and let simmer for about 25 minutes at low heat. If using canned beans, cover the veggies with water.

4. Blend half of the beans and add them to the soup. Continue to simmer for 25 minutes.

5. Add the remaining beans.

6. Put slices or cubes of stale (or grilled ) bread in the soup bowl and start ladling soup on top of them. Add some Pecorino cheese and let rest for a few minutes.

FOR THE VEGETARIAN ALTERNATIVE leave out the pancetta

FOR THE GLUTEN FREE ALTERNATIVE leave out the bread or use appropriate  bread

BUON APPETITO!