Pasta alla Boscaiola (Mushrooms, Pancetta)

I love it when my friends get all excited over traditional recipes.  This recipe is usually made in the Fall, when Porcini Mushrooms are in Season and readily available.   I had some sliced baby Bella's out of California as well as some dried Porcini to use up and you all know how how frugal I am.    No better way to cool off this hot Summer day than a dish of this hearty pasta, even if it's out of season.   I have been told it was also called "Lover's Pasta" in some Regions.  I am sure it was because when one was out foraging Mushrooms all day, you really missed them when they got back.  No better way to end the meal with a little dessert, right? Well, at least it's what I have been told.  
Forget the BBQ, this is all you will need.  Enjoy!   Buon Appetito!
Ingredients:  Serves 6 people
One pound of Penne or Rigatoni (Any Tubular pasta will do nicely)
4 ounces of sliced (unsmoked) pancetta or salt pork cut into small cubes.
One medium onion diced
One clove of garlic diced
8 ounces of mushrooms
2 or three pieces of dried Porcini (If you are making this out of season).
3 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
Pot of boiling water for your pasta with 2 tablespoons salt.  
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
One handful of pitted oil cured olives (optional)
one handful of ripe Cherry tomatoes (optional)
One cup of green peas (optional)
One cup of white wine
Method:  In a large saute pan, heat your oil to medium.  Saute your onion and garlic.  Add your pancetta and saute in the pan until brown (not crisp).  Add your tomato paste and mix. Be careful not to burn or you will have to start over.   Add your mushrooms.   Mix well and keep mixing until well coated.  Add your wine, salt, pepper and let cook.   At this point if you would like to add peas and black olives, do so.  Otherwise, when your liqiud has disappeared, take it off the heat.  Cook your pasta, drain, reserve about a half a cup of the starchy water to add back to the mushrooms, if it looks somewhat dry. 

Toss your pasta right in the pan.  Buon Appetito!

 Buon Appetito!

Pasta con le Melanzane (Pasta with eggplants and Mozzarella)

I love finding surprises in my garden.   Eggplants have always been one of my favorites.   I have had my fill of eggplant Parmigiana and eggplant tapenade  this Summer.  Now that we are nearing the end of the Summer season, I found two eggplants hiding behind one of my overgrown tomato plants.   This is the perfect dish.  I never get tired of Pasta, do you?
Ingredients: 4 servings
2 medium  eggplants, sliced, salted and drained.  Wipe clean with paper towels and set aside.  Begin this process approx. 2 hour ahead, so eggplants have a chance to extract their liquid.
3-4 cloves of garlic diced
2 sliced fresh tomatoes (I used compari, as they break down easily even with their skins on).
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
salt (several teaspoons to taste)
Pepper (about 2 teaspoons)
One large skillet
About 8 ounces of fresh mozzarella torn or sliced into pieces
One pasta pot
12 ounces of Rigatoni or penne pasta
handful of fresh basil chopped
handful of parsley torn into pieces (optional)
Method:  Heat your olive oil and vegetable oil in a skillet on medium.  Add your garlic and cook unitl fragrant.  Do not overcook.  You want to be able to smell the fragrance of garlic.
Add your eggplant and cook.  Add about a teaspoon each of salt, pepper and put a lid on the pan.  After a few minutes, check your eggplants.  Keep cooking until they are somewhat broken down.  Give the pan a mix again and put a lid on the pan.   Give it another mix and add your sliced tomatoes.    Using the same method, keep cooking for about 10 minutes or so, until everything has broken down.   Remove from the heat and add your mozzarella pieces.  While your pasta cooks, remove several tablespoons of water and add it to the pan. This will ensure for a creamier consistency, once the drained pasta is added to the eggplants.

 
 Add your hot pasta and give it a mix.  Add some additional salt if necessary.  Add as much herbs as you like.    Let the pasta rest before serving for a more intense flavorful dish.  Buon Appetito!

Classic Pasta Alla Carbonara

The following is the only way to prepare classic Pasta Carbonara.   There is no other way,  I promise.  It's orgins are questionable.   There are several theories about how this dish came about.   I tend to lean toward the explanation of it dating back to Ancient Roman times.  Doesn't everything?    "Cacio e uva" or eggs and cheese was served to coal miners. The black pepper was added to intensify the flavor.  The black pepper resembles coal.    The second theory has to do with two Americans throwing together their food rations, namely cheese and bacon over some pasta and pasta alla Carbonara was born.  Whichever you believe, it's all good to me. 
Forget the cooking shows, fancy magazines and  several interesting cookbooks. Classics should be enjoyed and remembered not covered up and forgotten.
Since you never know when company will arrive at my house, it's always good to have a plan B.  Pasta is a perfect plan B.  I always have pancetta on hand, as salted pork jowl and guanciale is very hard to come by in Tupelo, Mississippi.   Be sure whatever you use, it is salt cured as Americans like to smoke everything and smoke has nothing to do with any italian dish.   I like to measure the amount of egg yolks you will need this way; One large egg per 1/4 pound of pasta or one egg per person.  For this recipe, you will only be using egg yolks so be sure and reserve your egg whites for a Frittata.  
My version: 
Make adjustments for an increase in pasta.  
One pound of good quality italian pasta  (Spaghetti)
                      6 ounces of diced pancetta or
                      guanciale (salted pork cheek)
                      One large skillet
                      Pasta pot filled with salted water, brought to a rolling
                      boil
                      salt (optional), to taste
                      4  large egg yolks 
                      1/2 cup Pecorino Romano
                      Several tablespoons of reserved cooking liquid from
                                cooking your pasta.  
                      Plenty of black pepper

Method:  Place your pasta Pot filled with salted water to boil.  Cook your pasta until al dente.  Cook your pancetta  until  brown lightly,  without olive oil, just on it's own and until they are cooked through and slightly crisp.  The strips make for a prettier presentation and gives your guests the option to set it aside (although I have never seen anyone actually do such a thing, as they are quite satisfying).   Place your egg yolks in a bowl with your cooking water and cheese and give it a mix.   Remember to take your egg yolks out a bit ahead as you should always be working with room temperature eggs to get a creamy consistency.  Set the bowl aside as you drain your pasta.
Drain your pasta with a bowl underneath to catch some cooking watter.     I set aside a little extra, just in case.   The starchiness of the water contribute to the creamy texture of this sauce.   Drain, add your pancetta and mix with your egg mixture.    Head straight to the table and serve with plenty of black pepper.  The black pepper gives this dish it's intense flavor. 
Buon Appetito!
If you don't believe me, just watch this wonderful video from the premier experts in Italian Food and Food culture, the Academia Barilla in Parma, Italy. 
Pasta Carbonarahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKrI9pGpM78  

Roasted Chicken alla Nonna

 

Nonna's make everything better.  I am not sure why my Nonna Maria added tomatoes to everything.  My guess would be she had them left over from opening a larger can of peeled tomatoes.  Italians do not like waste, especially Italian Nonna's. It all makes perfect sense to me now.  While the chicken cooked, she could get so much done at home, including setting the table and pour some wine for herself and Nonno.   The wonderful flavor of  roasted tomatoes, onions, potatoes merging with bland chicken, turns that chicken into something wonderful.  Nonna's are always right, aren't they?
I had a whole bunch of grape tomatoes from my garden, I needed to use up. 
My grandmother worked when she came to this country, helping my Mother take care of us and sew up blouses and mens ties  for what we now know as the Ladies Garment Union.   They worked, side by side, in our home in The Bronx.  I was so jealous.  One day in 1968, when she wasn't looking, I actually hit her over the head with a kitchen broom.  She never forgot that.  She laughed and reminded everyone about it until her death in 1995. (Pictures of their sewing adventures to come).
This chicken dish was a very popular dish in her home and it's so easy.  She used a few peeled tomatoes cut up.  I can remember walking into her house and smelling those onions cooking. 
 Here is my Version.  I love you Nonna and miss you every day.
Ingredients:  One whole chicken cut up, cleaned, skin on.  (Based on a 4-5 pound chicken).   I like to buy chicken pieces. I used 4 chicken breasts and one leg.
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

4-5 red potatoes quartered into chunks
25 grape tomatoes cut in half
One large red or yellow onion/ sliced into thick pieces about 1/4 inch.
plenty of fresh Rosemary (some for your baking pan, some for serving)
One large baking pan.  I used a non stick baking pan
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F
1/2 cup white wine
Cooking time/ one hour (Depends on the size of your chicken pieces.  Mine were quite large.
Make adjustments for convection cooking.
Method:  Lay your chicken pieces skin side up in your baking pan. 
Into a bowl, toss your quartered potatoes, tomatoes and your sliced red onion.  Toss until everything is glossy.  Lay your vegetables alongside your chicken.  Sprinkle your salt, pepper all over the top.  

 

 Bake for one hour or so total cooking time.  At the 30 minute mark,  carefully, add your wine (Optional).  Wine, however, adds great flavor.  Do not be afraid to use it.  The alcohol will evaporate and leave behind fabulous flavor.  If you choose not to use it, do not worry.  Let the fat of the chicken, keep things moist.  It will work just the same. 
  At the 45 minute mark, carefully poke a hole into one of the thickest chicken pieces to test that your chicken is done.  If liquid comes out of the meat when poked, it needs it's full cooking time of one hour.  You should see a nice, even, golden color.  Remove from oven, remove your darkened Rosemary.  Toss your vegetables into a serving bowl and let your chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving.  It's so easy and uncomplicated.  Just like Nonna's cooking.   Buon Appetito!

Pasta with Fresh Garden Tomatoes, garlic, capers and black olives

I love it when my food causes a big "Stir" on Facebook.  Especially when some of the ingredients are right under our noses, in our kitchen.  Plenty of Fresh tomatoes coming out of the garden, we can't keep up with.  Looking for new way to use them up, can be quite a challenge.  For this dish, I looked in my pantry for some assistance.  Having a well stocked pantry is the key to ones existence (especially when you live 10 miles from the nearest grocery).   Although it was Friday, I really didn't feel like fish.   I always have plenty of black olives and capers on hand just in case.   The dish varies regionally in Italy, with the addition of breadcrumbs in some areas inn the Southern Region.   The dish, with fresh tomatoes is ready in a hurry .   Pick your favorite pasta and enjoy.   Buon Appetito! 
Servings:  4 ample Pasta bowls
Ingredients:  4 tablespoon of good quality Olive oil
                     3 cloves of garlic minced
                     5 medium, fresh tomatoes.  I used Campari
(The skin of the Campari tomatoes disintegrates quite well while cooking.  Do not worry about peeling them first)
One cup of diced black olives
A good tablespoon  of capers under salt, rinsed. 
Handful of fresh parsley
Handful of fresh basil 
1 pound of Linguine 
Pasta pot with 6 quarts of cold water
Method:  Clean your tomatoes gently with damp paper towel. Slice them thinly and set aside.  Place your olive oil in a large skillet and heat to medium.  Carefully add our garlic and saute' until fragrant.  Add your sliced tomatoes and cook on medium, carefully smashing them with the back of a wooden spoon,  to help them along in the cooking process.   After about 10 minutes or so, they should be softened and broken down.   Add about one teaspoon of salt and one of Pepper and continuing cooking. Don't be afraid to use more salt.    Place your pasta pot of water on to boil.  Add an ample tablespoon of salt to the water. Remember to bring it to a rolling boil before adding your dry pasta.  Bring it back to a boil in a hurry, by mixing and covering your pot for a few seconds.  Keep a careful eye on it to not boil over.    In the meantime, add your black olives and capers and give it all a mix.  Your condimento (sauce), is ready when you see some oil forming a ring around the pan.   It should be light in color and very fragrant.  The entire cooking time should take no more than 15 minutes or so.  Since no 2 tomatoes are alike, its going to take a little practice to determine when your condimento will be ready. I like to add hot chile pepper but that is optional.

Cook your pasta to just al dente.  Reserve a little cooking water (about a 1/3 of a cup to add to your condimento.  The starchy water will help the condimento adhere to your pasta.   Let it rest about 5 minutes before serving.   You won't be able to wait. 
Special Note:   This condimento is a wonderful addition to Pizza crust, Focaccia or just some crusty bread.   Hard to resist! Buon Appetito!
www.facebook.com/sundayatthegiacomettis 

Classic Pasta Arrabbiata

 

Sometimes being furious has it's advantages.   Life is filled with disappointments  and it seemed to be a day filled with them. Mother told me a long time ago, that letting things roll off your back, is the key to your success.  She is still always right.   I had even forgotten to go by the grocery store for some supplies.   Boxes and boxes still stacked high form the recent move.  Kitchen renovation in Limbo for now, as the cabinet shop is backlogged.  The only remedy? Some classic Italian cooking.   This Pasta Arrabbiata, or "Angry" pasta sauce, truly fits my mood.  I have blogged about  this pasta sauce before.   The Neapolitan version, consists of the addition of black olives and capers, another delicious dish.  Here, its even simpler.  Just a few ingredients had me feeling better in no time.   Traditionally served with Penne pasta, any pasta with an opening will do.  After a quick mix, the  sauce gets inside the pasta, creating a wonderful mix of flavor.  What really gets me mad is to read all these sauces in the media calling themselves "Arrabbiata," when all they are is one big mess of ingredients and nothing to do with traditional Italian cooking at all.   That's another story. 

Ingredients:  4 people

one pound of Penne or Tortiglioni (Elicoidali)

3 small cloves of garlic diced

3 tablespoons of olive oil (plus a little more if needed)

12 ounces of tomatoes and their juice

About  a tablespoon of hot pepper flakes or whole Peperoncini to taste.  

One large skillet to accommodate all the ingredients

Salt and pepper to taste

8 quart pot of salted water to a hard boil

some fresh Basil or Parsley 

Method:   Place your large skillet on medium heat.  Add your olive oil and garlic and saute until fragrant.  Add your hot pepper flakes or broken peperoncini and give it a mix.    After a few minutes, add your tomatoes.   Cook for about 10 minutes or so.  Add about a teaspoon of salt and pepper.  Give it a taste for additional salt after it's cooked.   You will notice your oil separating from the pan.

Simple ingredients

 If you are using whole and broken Peperoncini, remember to remove them from the sauce before serving your Pasta.

 Cook your pasta to al dente.  Add  a few tablespoons of pasta water to your sauce.  The starch from your cooking water will help create a wonderful coating around your cooked pasta.  Drain your pasta and mix well.   Take it straight to the table.   Parmigiano Reggiano is an option, however not traditional.  Some rules are made to be broken.

 Thank Goodness, by the end of the meal, I had forgotten all about being mad!  Buon Appetito!