RAPINI- MORE THAN ONE WAY

One of my favourite vegetables is Rapini. It is like an Italian Broccoli.

Since being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes a few years back, I have had to increase greatly the amount of vegetables in my diet as well as considerably lowering the intake of Carbs. Thus one of my favourites. I make Rapini since I can prepare it several different ways and therefore eat it a couple of times a week.

When selecting a bunch of rapini at the market choose a bunch which does not have any yellow flowers or leaves on it as this indicates the vegetable is not fresh and is past its prime. Therefore it reflect the taste.

I-RAPINI SALAD

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch rapini

1 garlic bud chopped

3-4 tablespoons( 45-60 ML) EVOO- Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 teaspoon( 5ML ) salt

DIRECTIONS

Cut off approximately 1 inch(3mm) of the rapini stems.

Cull any old looking leaves and soak the long pieces of rapini in water in the sink for an hour or more until the rapini becomes very crisp.

Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil.

Add the rapini and cook for 10-15 minutes to your preferred texture.

Drain and rinse in cold water to cool and stop the cooking process.

Drain well and place in a serving bowl.

Add chopped garlic, olive oil, salt and stir well.

Ready to serve.

II- RAPINI STRACINATI

INGREDIENTS

Serves 2-4

1 bunch rapini

2  garlic buds diced

4 tablespoons( 60 ml) EVOO- Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoons( 2.5 ml ) pepperoncini (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Prepare, boil and drain as in I.

Heat olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat.

Add garlic and peperoni's and saute 5 minutes until garlic starts to turn brown.

Add the rapini- sprinkle with salt and mix well with remaining ingredients.

Simmer for a minute or two then it's ready to serve.

III RAPINI-ADOLPH STYLE

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch of rapini.

1 garlic bud chopped

3-4 tablespoons ( 45-60 ml) EVOO- Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 teaspoon ( 5ml) salt

1/2 teaspoon ( 2.5ml)pauperising (optional)

2 cups (  500 ml) of water

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the rapini as in I.

In a saucepan put the olive oil and chopped garlic.

Saute for a minute until garlic is brown.

Add the raw rapini to the oil.

Add the two cups of water to the saucepan and salt to taste.

Cover the pot and let cook until tender. It cooks and steams the rapini.

I like the strong taste of the vegetable as well as it saves much needed nutrients as the water and rapini cook together.

When cooked the rapini is ready to be served.

RAPINI PASTA

Buy, prepare and cook the rapini as Adolph's style.

Cut the rapini into pieces when cooked.

Boil a favourite pasta of choice but I like rotini( rolled ) or the farfalla ( butterfly) pasta for this dish. Use as much as needed for the number of people you are serving. ( 1 cup-250 ml per person )

After cooking, drain then add the rapini to the pasta.

Serve individual plates. Top with Parmesan cheese and with hot pepper flakes to taste.

Makes a good quick veggie pasta.

As you can see, rapini can be one of your vegetables at any lunch or dinner throughout the week.
#rapini3ways#rapinipasta#farfallapasta#rapinistracinata#rapiniforhealth#greenvegetablesarebest#rapinithatversatilevegetable

RED PEPPERS ITALIAN STYLE

Fresh red peppers are great sliced as another vegetable in a veggie/dip mixture.

ROASTED RED PEPPERS

One of our family's favourite is roasted red peppers.

Although both types of peppers can be used, I prefer the Bell to the Sheppard. They both have a Similar taste but the Bell roast and peel better.

INGREDIENTS

One pepper per person.
Vegetable oil. This is one dish that is not suitable for olive oil.
Garlic, salt to taste.

DIRECTIONS

Use a rack on the stove top or on a barbecue.
Tongs to turn the peppers as they roast.
The surface of the peppers will be black.
Let them sit in a dish to cool while the rest are cooked.
Start to peel when slightly cooled.

Have a bowl for the peppers and a water container in the sink to rinse your hands as you peel
Do not rinse the peppers in the water as it will remove some of the flavour.
When cleaned and peeled, break or cut the peppers into long strips.
Put in a serving bowl, add a couple of cut garlic pieces and salt.
Add the vegetable oil.
Mix well and let sti for a few minutes so the flavour of the ingredients mixes.

Since it is a very messy endeavor, you can prepare the peppers the previous day.
Just leave ungarnished.

The peppers can be eaten plain as another vegetable dish with your meal.

SOME VARIATIONS

A boiled potato cut in chunks with roasted peppers is vary tasty.

Fresh tomato and roasted peppers is a good combo.

Fresh slice peppers fried in oil make a nice side dish. Of course with some fresh Italian bread.

Adding roasted peppers to a sandwich.

During the Fall, bushel baskets of peppers can be bought. Roasted, bagged unpeeled and put in the freezer, they can be enjoyed during the winter at a reduced cost. Just let thaw and then peel.

I also like Pickled Peppers.

PICKLED PEPPERS

Using the fresh Fall peppers for Pickles.

INGREDIENTS
Peppers.
Garlic cloves.
Water.
Red vinegar.
Mason pickle jars- small or large- your choice.

DIRECTIONS

Wash the peppers well.
Clean and cut them into strips and set aside.
2 cups( 500ml) of water to one cup( 250ml) of vinegar.
Boil in a large pot on the stove.
Sterilize the jars- usually by boiling in water on the stove or can be put in the dishwasher.
Put the pepper strips in the jars, adding a garlic clove.
Pour the hot vinegar brine on the peppers, covering to the top.
Using new sterilized lids, seal well.
The peppers will take about 6 weeks to pickle.
Pickled peppers can be used as a regular pickle in a pickle tray.

VARIATION
Pork chops cooked with some oil, garlic and the pepper pickles using the vinegar brine is quite tasty.

GRANPA LOVES TO MAKE RAGU SAUCE FOR PASTAD-ADOLPH'S RAGU OR MEAT SAUCE

Adolph's Ragu or Meat Sauce

Most Italian regional cooking has their own version of the Ragu- Meat Sauce. Ciociaria cooking is no different.

A flavourful sauce is the base of any pasta dish that calls for tomato sauce.

INGREDIENTS

Bottled Passata di Pomodoro
Store bought or homemade- I usually use 2 bottles to make a good batch. A can of peeled plum tomatoes or a couple of frozen tomatoes can be added depending on what taste or texture you want the sauce.

1 onion- chopped

1 carrot-shredded or diced( optional)

Meat for flavour-
pork side ribs- 6-8
or veal- 1 lb ( 450 gms) shoulder blade cut
or pork sausages- 4

Ground beef- 1/4 lb ( 200 gms)- you can add more if you want a meatier sauce. Or make 6-8 medium size meatballs.

Garlic- 2-3 buds- chopped.

Olive Oil-EVOO- Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt to taste

Pepper 1/2 teaspoon ( 25 ml )

Parsley- 2 tablespoons ( 30 ml ) chopped

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot add some olive oil to  cover the bottom thinly.

Add the chopped onion, diced carrot, garlic and parsley.

Saute 4-5 minutes.

Add the ground beef in small pieces so it cooks thoroughly.

Add your other meat for flavour, making sure to sear or brown thoroughly.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Add one 1 can of crushed plum tomatoes.

Add the bottled passata.

Bring the sauce to a boil stirring to make sure all the ingredients are mixed.

Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for a minimum of two hours, stirring occasionally to allow the ingredients to be in the body of the sauce.

Be careful not to let the meat stay at the bottom or you risk a chance of burning it.

Some cooks like to add tomato paste now to thicken the sauce, but I rarely use it so did not include it in the ingredients.

A good sauce can be made for more than one meal. Use the sauce with penne, rigatoni or any variety of long pasta- like my homemade spaghetti or fettucine. Top with parmesean or parmiagiano cheese. Barb likes to add some hot peppers for flavour on her pasta.

ADDED NOTES

Modern busy cooks may like to make a batch on Sundays to use during the week for more than one meal. If you have a crock pot or slow cooker, it also can be made before going to work. Start the sauce as above. transfer the sauteed meat and vegetables to a lightly greased crock pot or slow cooker then add the passata and tomatoes. Slow cooking will allow the sauce to simmer slowly all day. There is nothing better than to come home from a busy day and smell homemade sauce in the the house.

As a teenager I would monitor my mother's sauce. My Nonna Maria- my Dad's Mom- lived with us. I remember one time tasting the sauce finding it a bit runny. I asked- Nonna- what did you do to the sauce? Did you add some water? Nonna replied- no! I asked again-Then what did you did? She replied - oh, I added some water- un poco d'acqua!!

Christmas Eve is usually seafood. But the last one-2011, I made two types of sauce along with the homemade pasta to satisfy all the guests at my daughter, Sonya and son-in-law- Andrew's home.

The fettucine with ragu sauce and meatballs for the grandchildren is in the foreground and the clam sauce in the background. Yes, don't worry I will provide that clam sauce recipe at some future time.

The aroma of sauce simmering in the home always brings childhood memories for me. It is such a traditional food item for any Italian home.

#ragumeatsauce#meatsaucebygranpa#groundbeef#goodonhomemadepasta#granpalovestocook#adolphdimambro#ciociariacooking#foodfromcassinolazioitaly#adolphlearnttocookfromhismother

MY BASIC HOMEMADE PASTA-THE EGG NOODLE

My favourite pasta dish is homemade egg noodle with ragu or meat sauce. Fortunately, the same dough can be used in several dishes- lasagna, fettuccine or spaghetti. It was a Sunday standard as my mother always had the time to make it for lunch. Italians liked to have their main meal at noon rather than later in the evening on Sundays so they could have la passeggiata- the leisurely walk- during the afternoon.

Weather always plays an important factor in making any homemade pasta. I do not recommend a hot, humid day as the dough has trouble drying properly. If made in the summer, using the basement with the cooler temperature would be advised or an air conditioned kitchen.

Serves 4
Preparation time- depends on experience. Can do the process in stages.
Cooking time- 3 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Flour- 1 lb (400-450 gms). I use All Purpose white flour but if you prefer, whole wheat flour can be used. Use your favourite brand of choice.

Eggs- 4 large eggs. Free range are best but regular commercial brands will do.

Pasta machine-I use the stainless steel one with three sections- flat, spaghetti, fettucine.

A counter top or table with clean tablecloths will be needed.

DIRECTIONS

Rub flour on the surface you will use. Keep the flour container handy.

Depending on how much pasta you want, determines how many eggs to use.

If you have not made fresh pasta previously start with 2-3 eggs. Normally, 1 egg per person will make fairly generous portions.

One cup (250 ml) of flour is needed for each egg used. This recipe calls for 4 eggs so 4 cups( 1000 ml) of flour.

By using a floured kitchen counter surface or in a large bowl, add your flour. Make a hole or well in the middle.

Add the eggs into the well.

Scramble the eggs in the middle with a fork. Start to toss the flour into the well with a fork, mixing the flour into the eggs. Toss the flour from the well walls into the middle.

As the mixture thickens, it comes time with very clean hands to start to knead the dough. The kneading process ensures all the flour and eggs are mixed together thoroughly.

Sometimes the dough is too sticky, so you may need to add more flour. Sometimes it is too dry and you may need another egg. Sometimes it is just right so you can proceed to the next step.

You want a ball of dough. You can continue making the egg noodle now. Usually I place the kneaded dough in a bowl, cover it and put it in the fridge to let it rest for awhile- 1 hour- before the shaping is started.

When ready to shape the dough, cut a section at a time from the big ball, making a small ball. Put the small ball in the flat section of your pasta machine. It needs to go through several times as you change the settings on the machine to bring it to the desired thickness.

If you are lucky, there may a little helper available!

When you have a long strip of dough, put it on a clean surface to dry. Continue to make the long strips of dough until all the original dough has been put through the machine.

Turn your strips as they dry to make sure both sides dry. When the strips are dry enough not to stick to the machine or too dry that they are brittle, it is time to shape into spaghetti or fettucine.

As the noodles come off the machine, place on a floured item such as a cookie sheet. I usually put waxed paper with some flour on top of the cookie sheet.

The pasta can be cooked immediately or put in the freezer to be used at another time. The pasta on top of the waxed paper can be rolled nicely and stored in bags in the freezer for use at a later date. It is work to prepare this item, so I usually make extra and love to give  some to my "Working Mom" daughters that they can cook at their convenience.

When you cook the noodles, put in a boiling pot with some salt added. Once the pasta rises to the top, it is done. It cooks very quickly unlike the packaged ones. Add your sauce of choice to the cooked pasta. The taste is so good. Molto buono!

I will be writing about my ragu or meat sauce in a future blog. If you have any questions, just write a comment or email me at abns@rogers.com.
#homemadeeggnoodle#homemadepasta#granpa'slittlehelper#homemadespaghetti#pastamachine#eggandflour#greatwithameatsauce#canbefrozen#freerangeeggsarethebest#noodles#kneadingthedough

MY BASIC TOMATO SAUCE

I learned and began to enjoy  cooking when helping my Mother to prepare meals when I returned home from school and especially from university many moons ago. Most of the recipes that will be included in my weekly blogs will mainly consist of dishes she prepared and are representative of the regional fare from the Ciociaria region of Italy which is in the region of Lazio situated between Rome and Naples. This region of Italy is included in what is often referred as " Il Mezzo Giorno" or the middle section. From this area south and including Sicily, Olive Oil is always used for cooking. The Tomato is the "King" of produce and used in a great many of the recipes . Additionally, in North America we regard eating as a necessary ritual for survival, whereas in Italy it is considered a passion, held in the same esteem as the three Ss-Sex, Socceer, and Striking! So when cooking Italian, put a little heart in it.

I decided for my first recipe blog to feature one of my favourite dishes and probably one of the best known and also easiest to prepare.

SPAGHETTI WITH BASIC TOMATO SAUCE

Serves 4
Preparation time 5 minutes.
Cooking time 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 lb (450 gms) Spaghetti
1 28 oz. canned whole plum tomatoes
or ripe peeled plum tomatoes( San Marzano if available or Roma) (pureed)
4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 clove-finely minced garlic
1 medium cooking onion-diced
2 teaspoons- finely chopped parsley
3 or 4 leaves from fresh chopped basil (optional)
1 teaspoon- salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Note: When I make it for just my wife and me, I like to bump it up a little by adding a teaspoon of dried hot chili pepper (pepperoncino) or a fresh one finely diced.

DIRECTIONS

Heat large sauce pan over medium heat.

Cover bottom with olive oil.

Add garlic and onion-saute for 4 to 5 minutes or when they just begin to turn brown.

Add parsley and basil.

Add the pureed tomatoes- Note you may puree the tomatoes by hand individually as you place them in the saucepan or you may puree them with a potato masher. Easiest yet is to place the whole tomatoes in a bowl and thoroughly puree or mash them before you start cooking your sauce.

Add the salt and pepper adjusting to your taste.

Stir all the ingredients and bring to a boil.

Turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, place a large cooking pot containing 4-5 litres of water over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Add a tablespoon of salt then add the pasta. Stir thoroughly to prevent it from sticking. Cook uncovered and adjust the heat to a medium boil stirring the pasta occasionally until the desired tenderness of the pasta is reached.

The cooking time may vary with the thickness of the spaghetti selected but the time which may range from 5 to 10 minutes is usually printed on the package of your choice. Note: However, the time listed on the package are times needed to cook the pasta " Al dente" which is how the majority of the people of Italy prefer their pasta. My family prefers the pasta more tender so we normally cook it for an extra one or two minutes.

Just take a couple of strands of the spaghetti with a fork and taste it.  Adjust the boiling time to your liking.

Drain the the pasta thoroughly and place it on a serving platter. Add the sauce and stir thoroughly. You are ready to eat-mangiare!

Note: I personally do not use any grated cheese to top off the pasta when cooked with this basic sauce or any sauce which contains any fish in the ingredients. But if it is to your preferred taste " Tu gusto preferito"- Go for it! The three most common cheeses Italians use on their pasta are Romano, Pecorino and my favourite- Parmiggiano!
                                                          
                                           

                                                             BUON APPETITO!

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

ITALIAN FOOD IS SIMPLE

The Italian dishes I make come from the Lazio region, province of Frosinone. The area is known as Ciociaria. The slang for the people who live there- ciociari. If from Rome- romani. Naples- napolitano. So I was ciociaro originally but really Canadian now.
Italian food is very simple- basic really. It varies from region to region. Whatever is abundant or in season is used in the cooking!  
My home town was Cassino. It is between Rome and Naples in Central Italy. Famous during World War Two for the battles for the Monastery on MonteCassino.  I wish I could say there is a Cassino dish. Ma non e vero! But there is not one.
So I am going to explore and present some of the dishes from this region as well as food I have adapted in my new home in Canada.

Just to let you my wife Barbara is always taking pictures when I cook. Annoying but will be helpful with this blog.

At age 9, just before our family left for Canada. July 1959
#italiancooking#lazio#cassinolazio#ciociaria#Ialianfoodissimple#lovetoeat#granplovestoeat#whatisgreataboutitaliancooking