BASIL-BASILICO GREAT FRESH FROM THE GARDEN

I use basil in my cooking. It is supposed to have some medicinal uses but I just love the taste it gives to food. So I get some of the benefits anyway whatever they are. A variety of basil plants are grown worldwide. My Mom grew it so I carried on the tradition. It was used in each bottle of the homemade pomodoro passata. One little leaf per bottle!

I like to use it in simple ways. Fresh basil on slices of tomatoes drizzled with a little olive oil, salt and pepper to taste is a simple addition to the menu. At lunch or dinner it is good! Or just in a Canadian style tomato sandwich!

A simple summer sauce is using fresh tomatoes,  by crushing them in a pot with a few pieces of garlic diced and adding many pieces of fresh basil leaves and letting it simmer for about an hour. It is a quick sauce to use on spaghettini or regular spaghetti or any pasta of choice. Barb actually likes it on penne with some hot peppers added to give some kick!

If you do not have fresh tomatoes- a can of crushed tomatoes can work year round with some fresh basil.

I grow my basil in a container, handy to the kitchen on the back porch.

There is lots of information and history about the herb you can research. For me, I just like to eat it! And yes it smells good too!

MY CANADIAN VEGETABLE GARDEN-GIARDINO ITALIANO

Good meals come from good fresh food. Italians always use the vegetables and fruit in season to make their meals. I have been busy- digging then planting my summer vegetable garden. So I am Italian and need tomatoes. I planted several different kinds. Lettuce, beans, eggplant, cucumbers and swiss chard are some of the other vegetables in my little plot. My herbs- oregano, rosemary,basil and parsley are in my little pots. Over the next few months I will share my summer recipes with you. It will be fun showing you the fresh vegetable then the dish it will become. For today, I want to rest my sore old muscles from all the gardening activity. Maybe a nap or two! Il bello giardino! Troppo lavoro! Sono stanco!

THE BASICS IN MY CUPBOARD

Every kitchen contains similiar food items-
               Milk, bread, eggs etc.

Along with a well stocked kitchen, every Italian cook has a list of basics kept for meal preparation in his cupboard or elsewhere in the home.

Salt Pepper.

Bottles of Passata di Pomodoro/ Pureed-strained Tomatoes. Many Italians in Canada still make thier own passata. I used to help my mother make about 200 bottles annually. Now I have found the prepared ones to be just as tasty without the work.

Cans of Tomatoes- I like the whole plum ones.
Frozen whole tomatoes. It is easy to buy or grow your favourite tomatoe. In the Fall, when the growing season is over, use the ripe ones. Wash and bag, put in the freezer for use throught out the year.

Onion
Garlic
Vinegar- Red, White

Tins of Beans- Romano, White, Kidney, Brown, Ceci-Chick Peas

Variety of Pasta- To name a few- Spaghetti, Spaghettini, Linguine, Fetuccine, Penne-lisce, Rigatoni, Macroni Elbows, Tubetti, Bows, Stars, Alphabet

Olive Oil-Extra Virgin
Olive Oil-EVOO
Vegetable Oil
And of course the herbs! Basil, Rosemary, Oregano, Parsley

Hot Pepper- dried

Cheese as topping or in a Dish- Parmiagiano/ Parmesean
Mozzarella Cheese.

You will find these basics in many of my recipes.

So you can visit my blog weekly for tidbits, recipes and menu plans about my style of cooking. I welcome comments and ideas. If you have trouble commenting just email me at abns@rogers.com