Penne all’arrabbiata

Super easy and fast, the iconic penne all’arrabbiata should definitely be in every home cook’s repertoire. This recipe is a good option when you have no time to cook, but you need to have a healthy and nutritious meal on the table within minutes. The name of the dish comes from the Italian word arrabbiato, which means angry and refers to the hotness of the chili peppers. Traditionally this dish is served with penne and without Parmigiano, even though you might add some without creating too much commotion. Replacing parsley with basil is a common variation option, and some people like to add one onion into the mix.

Ingredients: 

olive oil

3-5 garlic cloves

2-4 dry chilies or 1/2 fresh chili, deseeded and chopped

500 gr/ 1.1 lb canned chopped tomatoes

salt to taste

penne pasta

fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

Parmigiano (optional)

Instructions: 

In a pan, saute the garlic cloves together with the chilies over a low heat for a few minutes until the garlic starts to brown. Remove and discard the garlic cloves. Add the tomatoes to the pan, season with salt and cook for about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta al dente in a large pot that has been filled with salted, boiling water. Drain the pasta without rinsing it and mix with the tomato sauce. Garnish each plate with fresh flat leaf parsley and serve.

Paella

Paella, a rice dish similar to risotto, originates from Valencia on the Spanish east coast. Contrary to a popular belief, it is not a Spanish national dish, but rather a Valancian fare deeply rooted in its regional culture. There are three different types of paella: paella valenciana with rice, chicken, rabbit and beans, paella de marisco with rice and seafood without green vegetables, and paella mixta with a combination of meat and sea food together with a variety of vegetables. Paella’s popularity spread in the 20th century and the dish acquired influences from other food cultures outside Spain. Now a mixed paella can include a wide variety of ingredients, such as meat, sausage, seafood, vegetables and seasonings. The mixed paella and its numerous variations remains very popular all over the world, although in Valencia, only the Valencian and the sea food paella are considered authentic. This particular paella mixes the grill taste of the chicken drumsticks with the refined sea food taste and the yummy vegetables. If you have leftovers, serve them cold the next day. Paella’s taste doesn’t improve by reheating it.

Ingredients:

4-6 chicken drumsticks

125 gr/ 4.5 oz bacon

olive oil for frying

3 dl/ 1 1/3 risotto rice

1 onion, sliced

3-5 garlic cloves, minced

5 dl/2 cups chicken stock

3-5 tomatoes

white pepper

paprika powder

3-4 bay leaves

1 red bell pepper

200 gr/ 7 oz peas

140 gr/ 5 oz large cooked and peeled shrimp

200 gr/ 7 oz mussels

freshly ground lemon pepper

fresh lemon, in slices

Instructions: 

Fry the chicken drumsticks slowly in oil and bacon. Add the risotto rice and continue frying until the rice grains become glassy. Add the sliced onion and minced garlic, mix well, and continue frying until the onion softens. Add the chicken stock and the tomatoes. Let the mixture simmer on a low heat and season with white pepper, paprika powder, and bay leaves. Once the chicken is cooked through, and the rice is cooked al dente, add the bell pepper and the peas, and at the end the already cooked shrimp and the mussels. Check the taste and garnish with slices of fresh lemon. Serve immediately.

Mushroom and Tomato Pie

The very first pies were made around 9500 BC, and the early pies were round and prepared with oats, wheat, rye, or barley. It is believed that pie pastry was originated by the Greeks. Pies remained as a core food staple of traveling and working peoples in Northern Europe, and a large number of regional varieties were prepared with locally farmed cereal crop and available meats and vegetables. This creamy and light vegetable pie is made with mushrooms, onion, leek, and cherry tomatoes, but you can stay true to the tradition and use other available ingredients. The cream cheese adds its own unique flavor to the mix.

Ingredients:

1.5 dl/ 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 dl/ 0.4 cup rolled oats

75 gr/ 2 2/3 oz unsalted butter

1 tsp baking powder

0,8 dl/ 1/3 cup water

(olive) oil for frying

1 onion, sliced

1 leek, sliced

400 gr/ 14 oz mushrooms, sliced

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

200 gr cream cheese, eg. herbs or grilled pepper

2 eggs

240 gr/ 8.5 oz cherry tomatoes, halved

Instructions: 

Mix the all-purpose flour and the rolled oats in a bowl. Add the unsalted butter and continue mixing with your hands. Add the baking powder and water. Mix thoroughly until smooth. Grease a baking dish and spread the dough evenly. While you prepare the filling, let the pie dough cool in the fridge.

Slice all the vegetables. Saute the onion, leek and the mushrooms in a pan for a few minutes until the onion is golden and the mushrooms have released their juices. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and add the cream cheese and the eggs. Pour the filling on the pie dough and add the halved cherry tomato slices on top. Bake in the oven, preheated to 200C/390F, for 30 minutes.

Mezzi rigatoni con crema di ceci

Tuscans love chickpeas, ceci, so much so that in the coastal areas of Livorno and Pisa a chickpea flour cake has been named boldly as ‘gold of Pisa’. But this protein bomb is a good source of zinc and folate and can assist in lowering of cholesterol in the bloodstream. It is also one of the earliest cultivated pods, and in the Middle East they have found remains that were 7500 years old. By the Bronze Age chickpeas were already known in Italy. The ancient Romans found some good use for them and roasted them as a snack or cooked them into a broth. This creamy pasta dish mixes the subtle characteristic taste of the chickpeas with tomato and fresh rosemary. You get the best results by serving it with short hollow pasta.

Ingredients: 

2 cans (à 265 gr/9 1/3 oz) chickpeas

olive oil for frying

1 onion, sliced

3-5 garlic cloves, minced

120 gr/4 1/3 oz bacon, sliced (optional)

1 can peeled tomatoes

fresh rosemary, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

mezzi rigatoni or other hollow pasta

Puree 1 can of chickpeas in a blender or a food processor until smooth. Set aside. Saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes until the onion softens. Add the bacon slices and continue frying. Add the pureed chickpeas and mix well with the onion and garlic, then add the peeled tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and fresh rosemary. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add water if necessary. Meanwhile, cook the pasta al dente in a pot filled with salted boiling water. Drain the pasta and mix it with the chickpea sauce. Garnish each plate with fresh rosemary and serve immediately.

Minestrone di verdure

Minestrone, a thick vegetable soup, is a prime example of cucina povera cooking. Common ingredients include pasta, beans, tomato, celery, carrots and onions, but because there is no set recipe, you can use your favorite vegetables that are in season. Like many Italian dishes, the original minestrone was probably not made for its own sake, but the ingredients were pooled from available left-overs. There are also vast regional differences – Minestrone alla Genovese has pesto in it, but the Milanese version contains potatoes, bacon and pork rind. Minestrone soup can be served cold, too.

Ingredients:

1 onion, sliced

3-5 garlic cloves, minced

leek, sliced

1 zucchini, sliced

1 large carrot or 3 small, in cubes

1.5 l/6 1/3 cups cold vegetable stock

3 tbsp tomato puree

3-5 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

Parmigiano rind

200 gr/7 oz peas

200 gr/7 oz brown beans

100 gr/3.5 oz spaghetti

fresh parsley, chopped

100 gr/ 3.5 oz bacon (optional)

Instructions: 

Slice all the vegetables. Saute the onion, garlic, leek, zucchini and carrots in a pan. Add the cold vegetable stock and the tomato puree. Season with salt and pepper, and add the bay leaves. Let the soup simmer on a low heat for ca. 45 minutes. Half way through, add the Parmigiano rind. Add the spaghetti together with the peas and beans after 45 minutes and let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes. If necessary, add water. Garnish each plate with fresh parsley. Serve with Italian countryside bread.