Category: Vegetables

bacon, broccoli and ricotta pasta: recipes at my table

Bacon, Broccoli and Ricotta Pasta

Bacon, Broccoli and Ricotta Pasta

Bacon, Broccoli and Ricotta Pasta reminds me of the cooking shows I watched growing up.  The first chefs on tv were Julia Childs, the Galloping Gourmet and then came Pasquale.  Now remember, there weren’t a lot of cookbooks and of course no internet or blogs.  Recipes were passed from one generation to another and highly guarded.

Few ingredients, but big taste.  I only use one cup of marinara sauce for a light coating.

The ingredients are simple

The Italian Mentality on Chefs

When mom first started to watch tv chefs she would turn her nose up at anything not familiar.  Why is she putting mustard in her salad?  LOL.  Then came Chef Pasquale ( Pasquale Carpino) and she could associate with familiar food.  She loved it; Pasquale is from Cosenza, Calabria which is a short distance from the little town we come from. Pasquale sings to his food and it all comes out good.  An article from the Globe and Mail on Pasquale: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/the-home-page/article4168061/

One of the first tv recipes she made was the pasta with broccoli and bacon.  My Bacon, Broccoli and Ricotta pasta is a twist on his recipe.  Thank you chef Pasquale for bringing our culture and traditions alive. What I loved about his cooking is that he showcased quick and easy Italian without compromising flavour.  This dish goes to your table in under 30 minutes and packs a punch of flavours.

 

Beautiful colours

 

bacon, broccoli and ricotta pasta: recipes at my table
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Bacon, Broccoli and Ricotta Pasta

On your table in under 30 minutes.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings 6
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The Pasta

  • 500 gr Molisana Rigatoni 31B
  • 6 litres water
  • salt should taste like sea water

The Sauce

  • 6 slices bacon or pancetta
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic sliced
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 cup marinara sauce
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
  • 4 cups broccoli I used frozen today
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • freshly grated parmesan to sprinkle on pasta
  • 1/2 cup fresh ricotta
  • extra olive oil for drizzling

Instructions

The process

  1. Put your pot of water on to boil. Start making sauce.

    In a large skillet, sauté bacon in 2 tbsp olive oil. After three minutes add the onions. To ensure the crisping process, add 1 tbsp cold water as the oil seeps into onions. After the onions start to crisp add the sliced garlic. 

    Ensure that everything is nice and golden and then add wine. This will bring up all the brown bits in the pan.

    Pour in the marinara sauce and spices.

    Put in broccoli. If you are using fresh, steam it first for a few minutes.  If you are using frozen, put it in frozen. Drizzle in some more olive oil.  

    Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

    Boil Pasta for 10 minutes.  It says 13 for rigatoni, but I finish it in the pan with the sauce.

    Place pasta in skillet with sauce and toss. I take it directly from the pot to the skillet with a slotted spoon. You may need to add some pasta water.  Serve on a plate and top with teaspoonfuls of ricotta and freshly grated parmesan. 

    Garnish with parsley and black pepper.  Drizzle with olive oil. 


Recipe Notes

Molisana Pasta imported from Italy is one of the best pastas.  It keeps its shape and cooks perfectly.  

Check out all their products at: http://www.molisana.com/

 

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recipes at my table

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Sole Fillets

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Sole Fillets

Tonight”s meal is easy on the waistline; writing and cooking for this blog has added a few pounds to our waistlines.  Roasted brussels sprouts sole fillets is a light meal. My mom served fish with onions marinaded in vinegar.  I am roasting brussels sprouts and onions to make a hearty topping for this delicate fish.

Why sole?

Sole is a very delicate fish; when we had digestive ailments mom would often cook fish or other meats on a plate over some boiling water.  In Italian Sole is sogliola and it is a delicate fish, but has a meaty texture. No fish should smell fishy, but when I cook Sole the kids like it because there is no odour at all in the house.  My grandson loves it and he will eat it baked or fried.  Tonight’s recipe is lightly fried.  I like to use a combination of olive oil and butter to give it richness, but you can just use olive oil.

Panko, cornmeal and a combination of Italian spices give crunch and flavour to the coating.

Panko and Cornmeal coating

My mom dressed her fish with onions that were caramelized; after the caramelization, she would add white vinegar to the pan, and that added some acid to the sugar.  I do the same thing, but when I roast my vegetables I add a good balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Roasted Onions and Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Onions and Brussels Sprouts
Panko, cornmeal and Italian seasoning for Sole
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts Sole Fillets

A tasty meal that's good for your waistline.  

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 2
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The Brussels Sprouts

  • 20 medium sized brussels sprouts cut in slices
  • 1 large onion cut in rounds
  • salt
  • pepper
  • olive oil drizzling
  • sun dried tomatoes use at end to garnish

The Dressing for Brussels Sprouts

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste

The Fish

  • 4 fillets of sole
  • 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup cornmeal
  • 1/2 tbsp mixed Italian Spices red pepper flakes, fennel, oregano,etc.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter

Instructions

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

  1. Heat oven to 375 F.

    Wash and cut brussels sprouts lengthwise.

    Cut onion rounds and separate.  

    Mix onions with brussels sprouts: salt, pepper and add olive oil and mix well.

    Spread on a pan with parchment paper.

    Cook for 30 minutes or to golden brown.

    Remove and dress with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

The Fish

  1. Take the panko, cornmeal and mix with Italian Spices. 

    Dip the sole fillets directly into the mixture.  Make sure they are all coated.

    Put the olive oil and butter in a frying pan.

    Quickly fry the fish in this hot pan.

    Dress with brussels sprouts. Chop the sun dried tomatoes and place on top. 

    A side of pickles and pickled onions is nice.  

 

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Spinach and chickpeas over cutlets

Spinach with Chickpeas Over Cutlets

Spinach With Chickpeas Over Cutlets

In this recipe my Calabrese roots combine with the rich spices of Sicily to bring a dish that can be divided in two. Spinach With Chickpeas over Cutlets is really two dishes; the spinach and chickpeas is all vegetarian (that can stand alone), and the cutlet is added for depth.  You can choose to eat either together or separately.

The star of the vegetables: Tumeric

Tumeric is relative of Ginger that originated in Southern India, but has now traveled all over the globe. It should always be added at the beginning of the cooking process with onions or garlic.  Moroccans combine Tumeric with Saffron.  It is used in Sicilian cooking as part of the Moroccan influence.

It is known for its medicinal properties and the health benefits are endless. A good article on health benefits: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-turmeric#section3

The ingredients come together easily and the aroma is divine!!

tumeric is the star of this dish
Spinach with Chickpeas

Let it cook until most of the liquid absorbs.

Chickpeas and spinach goodness
Chickpeas with spinach

Cut the tenderloin into equal pieces and then clean excess fat. Pork tenderloin cutlets

The cutlets in egg wash and then breaded.

Coating the cutlets with egg and breadcrumbs

Chickpeas and spinach goodness: recipes at my table
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Spinach with Chickpeas over Cutlets

The warmth of the tumeric stands out.  

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 4
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

Spinach with Chickpeas

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 tsp tumeric
  • 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1 can chickpeas wash and drain
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste

The Cutlets

  • 1 pork tenderloin cut and tenderised
  • 1 cup Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs any brand you prefer
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1/2 tsp salt add to bread crumbs
  • 1/4 tsp pepper add to bread crumbs
  • 3 tbsp canola oil frying

Roasted Red Pepper

  • 1 red pepper
  • olive oil

Instructions

Spinach and Chickpeas

  1. Place the olive oil in a pot and heat.  Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes. If you like, you can remove the garlic; it's purpose is to infuse the oil.

    Add the onion, tumeric and Italian seasoning. Soften for about 3 minutes.

    Place the chickpeas in the pot and stir.

    Pour in 1 cup vegetable broth, cover and cook on medium for 3 minutes.

    Add the spinach and now let it cook uncovered until all the broth is gone.


The Cutlets

  1. Cut the pork tenderloin into 8 equal pieces.

    Cover with plastic and pound  with a meat mallet. 

    Dip into egg and then into breadcrumbs.

    Heat canola oil and fry for a minute on each side.

    Remove onto paper towels.



Plating

  1. Cut the red pepper into slices and coat with olive oil

    Roast the red pepper at 375 F for 20 minutes. 

    Place the spinach and chickpeas in a ramekin and invert onto a plate.

    Put one or two cutlets on plate next to vegetables.

    Use the roasted red pepper to garnish. It also gives it another depth of flavour.  

 

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Reno’s Sicilian Stuffed Artichokes

Reno’s Sicilian Stuffed Artichokes

My uncle Reno is a true Sicilian who loves to cook.  Reno’s Sicilian stuffed artichokes are the best and made with a love that stems from rich culture and traditions. My Sicilian Nonna Marietta made these and they fill the house with a warm sweet smell anytime of the year.  As with any dish, there are different variations, but this is the way we make it. When I first visited Sicily in 1975 my Nonna Marietta and Nonno Cicio surprised us with many artichoke dishes.  I remember that she had large jars of marinated artichokes and I would eat them like candy.

The ingredients are fresh and simple.

Baby artichokes and lemon

The Sicilian Family

My dad’s family comes from a small town in the Province of Palermo called Cerda; it is 60 km to the east of Palermo and close to the famous beach of Cefalù.   I love everything about Cerda and Sicily.  For the past 16 years, I visit every summer and am always in awe of this rich Island blessed with many wonderful dishes.  Many of our family member love to cook, and I was able to see many of these dishes firsthand in the kitchen with them.

Cerda is known for its artichoke production. Carciofi as we call them in Italian are a staple in our kitchen at home.  We make frittata with them and pasta, and just about anything. The Italians know that the hard leaves covering the tender sweet heart are good for your health as they lower blood sugar and prevent inflammation.  They also help digestion and are rich in Vitamin K.  Growing up in a half Sicilian household, I just love their sweet buttery taste.  I cook them often and March through April is the best time of the year to buy them.  Most of the stores carry a small baby artichoke which is good year-round.

Today I used loose baby artichokes, but wasn’t pleased with their texture.  However, the dish didn’t go to waste.  I also use the sauce in pasta, if we don’t sop it up with bread.

The process

I soak the artichokes in lemon to prevent them from turning brown.

Artichokes soak in lemon.

As you will see in the video, I make a stuffing and then press it into the artichokes.  Then they go into an egg bath and then fried.

Stuffed Artichokes waiting for the egg bath.

I put them directly from the frying pan into a pan with Marinara Sauce.  cover and steam for 15 minutes on medium/low heat.

https://recipesatmytable.com/marinara-sauce-passata-making/

Artichokes in Marinara Sauce
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Reno's Sicilian Stuffed Artichokes

Sweet Vegetarian Dish for the table.  

Course Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 5
Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

Preparing the artichokes

  • 6 artichokes I used baby ones.
  • 1 lemon

Filling

  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • 2 scallions
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan
  • 1 tbsp parsley
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1 egg for dipping artichokes before frying
  • oil for frying

Sauce

  • 4 cups Marinara Sauce

Instructions

  1. Cut up the lemon and place in a bowl of water. 

    Clean the outer leaves and stem of the artichoke.

    Place them in the water.

    Combine the bread crumbs, scallions, egg, parsley, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

    Drain the artichokes and stuff with bread mixture.

    Beat an egg.

    Set a frying pan with oil on the stove.

    Dip artichokes into the egg and fry.

    Remove and place in Marinara sauce on medium/low heat. 

    Cover for 15-20 minutes.

    Serve as a side.  Allow 2 per person.  

Recipe Notes

If in season, buy the larger artichokes because they will be tender.  If you buy the larger artichokes, you will have to remove the choke and clean it out.  A good video to watch https://www.oceanmist.com/artichokes/remove-artichokes-fuzzy-center

 

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