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Sun-dried tomato pesto (Red pesto)

Hearing “pesto,” most people tend to think of basil pesto (Pesto alla Genovese). Pesto Rosso (literally, “Red Pesto”) is a Sicilian variation that starts with sun-dried tomatoes. It has a rich red hue and a deep, sweet, tangy flavor. Like all pestos, sun-dried tomato pesto recipes also vary by region and cook. The sauce typically calls for almonds instead of the pine nuts used in basil pesto. Some cooks add basil, while others complement the tomatoes with other herbs, like rosemary. Serve this hearty, unique sauce with pasta or as a delicious spread with bread or crackers.

prep time 10 min
ingredients
  • 200g dry-packed or oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
  • 100g unsalted almonds
  • 120 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 80g grated Parmesan cheese
  • handful of fresh basil leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • coarse salt to taste

1. Roast the almonds in a pan without oil for a few minutes.

2. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until all ingredients are finely chopped. Stop the food processor and scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice. You can also use a hand blender.

3. Store, covered, in the refrigerator, for 5-7 days.

4. Serve tossed with pasta, spread onto crostini or crusty bread, or with your favorite meats and seafood. If refrigerated and not heating for a recipe, let the pesto rosso return to room temperature before serving. When refrigerating, cover the pesto with oil. Pesto rosso also freezes well.

BUON APPETITO!
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Gigantes plaki – Greek baked beans

These large white or cream coloured beans (gigantes means “giant” in Greek) are a classic ingredient in Greek cooking. This recipe combines beans which are of course a great source of protein, antioxidants and fibre, while the addition of tomato not only makes them tastier but the vitamin C in the tomato helps increase the absorption of iron from the beans. Plaki refers to the method of cooking which means basically baking in the oven with a sauce made with tomato, onion, garlic and parsley. Satisfying and super healthy, enjoy this dish as a stew-like main course, as a side dish or even as a part of a meze with good chunky bread.

The recipe is easy and even though the cooking time is somewhat long, active prep time is very short. You basically soak the beans overnight, boil them, prepare the sauce, mix everything and bake.

prep time 10 min + soaking time    cook time 2hrs or more
ingredients
  • 500g dried gigantes beans
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 800 g ripe tomatoes, skinned, roughly chopped or 2 cans (400g each) of crushed tomatoes
  • salt and pepper
  • dried oregano
  • pinch of ground cinnamon
  • chopped flat leaf parsley

1. Soak the beans overnight, drain and rinse and boil in water about 1 hr until tender but not mushy. Make sure you boil them enough, otherwise they will be too hard to eat even after baking.

2. In the meantime prepare the sauce. Sauté the onion and carrot in a bit of olive oil on low heat for a few minutes, then add the minced garlic.

3. Add tomato, tomato paste, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper and cinnamon and about 1/4 cup of olive oil. Let simmer until sauce thickens, about 10-15 minutes.

4. Preheat oven at 180 C (350 F).

5. Once the beans have boiled, drain them and stir into the tomato sauce.

6. Tip into a large ovenproof dish, drizzle the remaining 1/4 olive oil on top and bake approximately 1 hr uncovered and without stirring until the beans are tender.

7. Serve with feta cheese if you so choose and good crusty bread.

Tip: you can substitute the gigantes beans with lima beans, Great Northern or even butter beans. Not the same but good enough 😉

BUON APPETITO!

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Curry flavoured lentil soup

It is soup season. This curry flavoured lentil soup is thick, hearty and perfect for a chilly day. Not only it is full of nourishing vegetables and spices, but it is also packed with plant-based protein thanks to lentils. It will fill you up without weighing you down.

prep time 10 min     cook time 30 min
ingredients for 4
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2-3 carrots, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp minced fresh ginger
  • 3-4 potatoes, diced
  • 1-1,5 tbsp curry powder (preferably with no added salt)
  • 1-1,2 l vegetable broth
  • 200 g green lentils, thoroughly rinsed and drained
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • fennel fronds to garnish

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, onion and carrots. Cook for 3-5 minutes stirring frequently until onion is softened.

2. Add garlic, ginger  and curry powder, stir to coat and cook for another 2 minutes.

3. Next add potatoes, lentils and broth to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check the cooking time for your lentils.

4. Serve warm with crusty bread. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for5 days, frozen up to 2 month.

tip: you can replace the potatoes with small pasta adding that at the end.

BUON APPETITO!

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Ajapsandali

Ajapsandali is a traditional Azerbaijani, Georgian and Armenian dish consisting of onions, eggplant, tomato, bell peppers and herbs. Ajapsandali will have a better look if you use peppers of various colours. To preserve vitamins and colour, do not stew vegetables for a long time. Some variations include also potatoes and chili peppers. This is a fabulous hearty one-pot meal. You can pair this with good salty feta unless you want to keep it strictly vegetarian.

prep time 25 min     cook time 45 min
ingredients for 6-7
  • 3 large eggplants
  • 2-3 sweet peppers
  • 1 green pepper
  • 3 onions
  • 4 big potatoes
  • 2 carrots
  • 4-5 big tomatoes (or a can of peeled or crushed tomatoes)
  • 2-3 garlic cloves
  • chili pepper or peperoncino
  • fresh dill
  • fresh coriander
  • salt and pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • optional: feta cheese

1. Cut the eggplant into cubes, sprinkle salt on them and let sweat while you prepare the other vegetables.

2. Cut the peppers into long strips, the carrots into large rounds and the potatoes into chunks. Slice the onions, chop the garlic and the herbs.

3. Pat dry the eggplant cubes and fry them in olive oil for a few minutes. Turn the heat on low.

4. Add the potatoes, sprinkle some salt and pepper on top. Keep adding in layers the onions and tomatoes, then the peppers and garlic. Add some salt and at the end 1-2dl of water.

5. Turn up the heat to a boil and  then simmer on medium for 35-40 minutes without the lid until the vegetables are cooked and some liquid has evaporated. At the end add the chopped herbs.

6. Serve with crusty bread and some feta cheese.

BUON APPETITO!

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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!

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Fried zucchini rounds

Fried zucchini rounds are almost as good as fried zucchini blossoms 🙂 The batter I make with flour and cold sparkling water gives the fried zucchini a very light and crispy coating almost like tempura.

prep time 15 min     cooking time  10 min total
ingredients
  • 1-2 zucchini
  • 3-5dl peanut oil
  • 1dl flour
  • 2 dl COLD sparkling water/mineral water
  • pinch of salt

Disclaimer: the quantities are very approximative.

1. Wash and cut the zucchini into thin even slices with a mandoline slicer  or a knife and pat them dry.

2. Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pot or pan over medium high until the oil is hot but not smoking.

3. In the meantime make the batter: Take the water out of the fridge just before using it. Blend the batter to the consistency of a heavy cream.  Add a pinch of salt.

4. Dip or soak the zucchini rounds in the batter and fry them in batches for a few minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.

5. Drain on paper towels or better yet on brown paper sheets for fried food, season with salt and serve hot.

BUON APPETITO!

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Fried zucchini flowers Roman style

I love fried zucchini flowers. There are many ways to prepare zucchini flowers depending on the cook and the region. My favourites are Roman style deep fried flowers. There are also different ways to prepare the batter. Mine is prepared with flour and cold sparkling water to obtain a very light and crispy coating.

Fry up a batch, enjoy them fresh, then do more. That way they stay crisp and light. You want male flowers which have stems. Females are attached to the squash. Ask for flowers at farmers’ markets and in specialty food shops. Be sure the blossoms are from zucchini as other squash flowers often have strong, unpleasant flavors.

If you need to wash the flowers, do it very gently and dry them suspended upside down. I never wash them, gasp! Use a cold-pressed vegetable oil (peanut or grape seed oil are best), if possible.

prep time 10 min     cook time 15 min
ingredients for 12 flowers
  • 12 male zucchini flowers
  • 3-5dl peanut oil
  • 1dl flour
  • 2 dl COLD sparkling water/mineral water
  • 12 pieces, about 1 cm, of anchovy
  • 12 pieces, about 1 cm, of mozzarella
  • salt

It is very hard to give exact quantities because I make the batter without measurements so bear with me. I’ll illustrate with photos.

Take the water out of the fridge just before using it. Blend the batter to the consistency of a heavy cream.  Add a pinch of salt.

Gently remove the pistil from each flower. Here it is removed.

Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pot or pan over medium high until the oil is hot but not smoking.

Place one piece of anchovy and mozzarella in each blossom.

Dip the blossoms in the batter

Fry two to three blossoms at a time on both sides for a few minutes until crispy and golden brown.

Drain on paper towels or better yet on brown paper sheets for fried food, season with salt and serve hot.

BUON APPETITO!

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Chickpea salad

I have a yummy salad recipe for you today: chickpeas, leafy greens and eggplant. This is one of those salads where you can use whatever veggies you have at home, and it is always good and filling.

prep time 10 min
ingredients for 2
  • 1 can (400g) chickpeas
  • roasted eggplant slices
  • 1 small cucumber
  • either a bag (125g) leafy greens or bag (125g)of baby spinach or both
  • handful of radishes
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt
  • balsamic vinegar

1. Place the leafy greens on your salad plate or bowl.

2. Drain the chickpeas and place the on top of the leafy greens.

3. Wash cucumber and radishes, slice them and add to the salad.

4. Halve the roasted eggplant slices and add to the bowl.

5. Make the dressing with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and toss the salad with it.

tip: like I said, you can use different ingredients. Here I have halved cherry tomatoes and celery rounds, but no radishes nor leafy greens.

BUON APPETITO!

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Spaghetti with walnuts

Once again I’m offering you a quick and easy pasta recipe. There are many recipes with a walnut cream but this one uses chopped walnuts that are slightly roasted.

prep time 5 min     cook time10-12 min
ingredients for 2
  • 200g spaghetti
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 15 shelled walnuts
  • a bunch of loose leaf parsley
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • salt and pepper
  • grated Parmesan or Pecorino

1. Begin by heating a large pot of water over high heat. Meanwhile, lightly toast the walnuts for just a few minutes until fragrant in a pan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. When the walnuts smell like they’re beginning to toast, remove them from the heat and transfer to a clean dish towel. Wrap them in the towel, and rub between your hands to remove some of the papery shells. Chop the nuts medium-fine, and set aside.

2. In a wide, heavy skillet or saucepan large enough to accommodate the cooked spaghetti, heat the oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until it begins to sizzle. Add the walnuts, stir together for 30 sec and remove from the heat.

3. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the spaghetti. Cook al dente, following the recommendations on the package but checking about a minute before the indicated time. Add a little bit of the pasta water to the pan with the walnuts, and reheat over medium heat.

4. When the pasta is ready, drain and toss in the pan with the walnuts. Add the parsley, adjust salt if necessary and add pepper.

5. Serve immediately with a grated cheese of your choice.

tip: you could add some anchovies to the pan if you like them.

tip: add some lemon juice to the pasta sauce

BUON APPETITO!

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Creamy curry lentil soup

Curried lentil soup makes a great choice for a meatless lunch or dinner. It is full of flavour, healthy and easy to make.

prep time 10 min     cook time 45 min
ingredients for 4
  • 300g (1,5 cups) lentils, rinsed and picked
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 large carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 rib celery, finely chopped
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large potato, peeled and diced
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 1,2-1,5 l vegetable broth
  • salt and pepper
  • thyme
  • a few slices of grilled rustic bread

1. In a large pan or soup pot warm oil over medium heat. Cook onion carrot and celery, stirring often, about 6-7 minutes. Add garlic, sauté for 1-2 minutes then add curry powder and sauté for another two minutes.

2. Stir in broth, lentils, potato. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils are soft, about 25-30 minutes. Add salt and pepper.

3. Remove from heat and using  immersion blender, blend the soup to your liking either very smooth or a bit coarse . Check the salt.

4. Ladle the creamy soup into your soup bowl, add the bread and a little bit of fresh thyme.

BUON APPETITO!