Posted on

Fried friggitelli peppers in tomato sauce

Friggitelli peppers are small, slender, mild flavoured southern Italian peppers which are great for frying.

They can be just fried adding a fair amount of salt on top which is the way I usually serve them. But this time I wanted something a little different so I made them southern Italian style with tomato sauce.

prep time 10 min     cook time 15-20 min
ingredients for 4-5
  • 500g friggitelli peppers
  • 200g cherry tomatoes
  • 200g (small can) crushed tomatoes
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • peperoncino optional
  • salt
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • peanut oil for frying

1.  Wash and dry well the peppers one by one. The authentic way to cook these is to leave the stem and seeds on.

2. Pour peanut oil until it covers the bottom of a large skillet and heat it over high heat. Fry the peppers in two batches until they are turning brown (about 3-4 min) on all sides.

3. Remove them and add a fair amount of salt.

4. Clean the skillet and heat a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add garlic and after a few minutes add cherry tomatoes cut in half. After a few more minutes add crushed tomatoes and some salt and let cook on low for 15 minutes.

5. Add peppers to the pan and let simmer for a few minutes more.

6. Serve with crusty bread and be sure to wipe up all the sauce. I make this always as a main but if served as a side dish, this amount yields more.

FOR GLUTEN-FREE option, leave out the bread or use appropriate bread.

BUON APPETITO!

Posted on

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!

Posted on

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!