FamilyFood

Pasta, Heirloom Tomato Sauce, Mozarella, Eggplant

The key to making pasta with tomato and eggplant sauce is to fry up the eggplant first and let it drain on paper towels while you make the sauce. That way it retains its crispy crunch at little longer. I like to toss the pasta with the tomato sauce, then add the eggplant, then add the fresh, chopped basil and cheese.

The simple tomato sauce was made with three types of tomatoes: Early Girls from the farmer's market, yellow tomatoes from the hippy church campfire night, and sweet cherry tomatoes from my friend Lia's garden. I sauteed sweet onions, lots of garlic, the tomatoes and a branch of basil from my patio until a uniform sauciness (heh) is achieved. I remove the basil branch before tossing the sauce with the pasta.

Along with the eggplant, I added cubed buffalo mozzarella (which I froze for about 10 minutes so it would retain its shape). It took the pasta over the top. J. loves to say that he can never order pasta in a restaurant ever. He said that about this, and I take that as the highest compliment.

Pappardelle with Tartufata (Truffle sauce)

Tonight's dinner was a meal that came together in about 5 minutes once the pappardelle was boiled. 

Tartufata is definitely not something we eat everyday, but it makes such an easy and delicious pasta sauce (or bruschetta topping) that it's a no-brainer when you have guests or just want to cook something special for no reason.

I wanted tonight's dinner to be special because I had just been gone for 3 days at BlogHer and I wanted to make something yummy for my family (esp. after eating all that conference food.)

I used to bring tartufata back from Italy, but you can now find it in Italian specialty shops here in the states. To make the pasta:

• Cook 2 8-oz. packages of pappardelle until al dente. Drain and reserve about 2 tbsps of pasta water.
• Toss pappardelle with 3/4 of a stick of butter and 1/2 to a full jar of tartufata (depending on your taste).
• Use the pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed (using warmed cream is good, too.) Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
• Top with grated pecorino romano and a sprinkling of finely chopped parsley. Serve at once.

Serves 4-5

Pelmeny and Spinach: A 20-minute meal

I often make this dish for our kids when my hubs and I have date night.  It comes together quickly and is really satisfying, to boot.

Cook one package of frozen pelmeny (delicious Russian "ravioli") in boiling water according to package directions.  Drain.  In the empty, still-hot pot drop in a couple pats of butter (or glugs of olive oil) and two big handfuls of washed baby spinach. Dump the pelmeny back in and toss until spinach is wilted. You can cover the pot for a minute if you want. Season with salt and pepper, top with grated cheese and serve. Dinner in 20 minutes.

Note: I can find pelmeny at my local grocery store, but if you can't, check your nearest Russian market.

Pasta with fresh white corn, heirloom tomatoes, and herbs

This is that salad that everyone makes in the summertime. I just love fresh (raw) corn, just off the cob, and summer tomatoes together.  When I want to make it into a heartier main dish or side, I add pasta to it, and perhaps some cheese (crumbled sheep's milk chevre is wonderful in this).

The tomatoes (especially the Green Zebras) were so outstanding that I didn't add cheese to it. I didn't want to take away from their sweetness.  I simply dressed the pasta with olive oil, salt and pepper and tossed it with the tomatoes and corn which I seasoned separately with salt, pepper, olive oil, and a splash of white balsamic vinegar. The final touch was the addition of freshly pick oregano and Italian and Thai basil, all of which I grow in pots on my patio.

We had company and I served this alongside grilled chicken paillard. It was a match made in heaven. It tasted so good sitting outside in our backyard sipping wine and chatting with our guest.  We had leftovers of both so I just chopped the chicken into the pasta and we ate it the next day for lunch.

Eat Local Challenge: Pasta with Meyer Lemon, Spinach and Walnuts

Towards the end of the week we were ready for some pasta. The lemons, spinach and walnuts were local, and when added to the pasta and cheese, gave this dish a substantial bite. The slight bitterness of the toasted walnuts (which I toast in my toaster oven) was offset by the creamyness of the feta.  And the addition of fresh spinach leaves made it seemed like you were getting a salad along with!

Toss the ingredients below (feta, chopped, toasted walnuts, spinach) with hot pasta, the juice of two Meyer lemons, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Eat Local Challenge Weekly Menu (Finally)

A little late, but this morning I took the girls to the park, sat in the sun, and made my menu. 

Note: breakfasts have been mainly cereal (an exception) and local milk or toast with jam and butter. I did pick up some local bacon and eggs but haven't made those yet.

Tuesday

Lunch: Pesto and provolone sandwiches, Raw English Shelling peas, apples (exceptions: provolone, bread*)
Dinner: Roasted Cauliflower, Fennel, and Garlic Soup, Crusty whole grain bread + butter (exceptions: bread*)

Wednesday

Lunch: Pasta with Spinach, lemon, and feta (exceptions: pasta, feta)
Dinner: Chicken Paillard (California, may not be within 100 mi), roasted asparagus, fennel/orange salad

Thursday

Lunch:  Zucchine frittata or cous cous (an exception)
Dinner: Either Gypsy Soup or Local Sausage and Yam soup, sauteed English peas, crusty bread

Friday

Lunch: leftovers of some sort.

My mom is coming into town for the weekend so the challenge for us will have to end on Friday. Since we are staying with her in San Francisco for the weekend, I'm hoping it won't be too hard to find locally grown/made ingredients  in our restaurant meals.

P.S. Saturday night's dinner is at a super-fancy and yummy restaurant and I am too too excited.  I will report back, for sure!

*bread is locally made though not sure where flour is from

Weekend lunch

Keeping it simple on a Saturday with grilled hot dogs on toasted buns, and fusilli-tuna salad. If we had potato chips on hand, this meal would be perfect.

For the fusilli tuna salad: combine a package of cooked, cooled fusilli with enough mayo to bind. Add finely diced onion to taste. Toss in a can of drained, rinsed, and flaked albacore tuna. Squeeze in the juice of one lime. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix. Chill for an hour. Serve. (It may need a touch more mayo after being refrigerated.)

Christmas Day lunch in photos

The all-Radko Christmas tree in my second cousin's house. Gorgeous.

The spread (foreground is Korean rice cakes with honey, then cipolline, roasted peppers, eggplant caponata).

Pesto alla Siciliana (pesto with the addition of tomatoes and ricotta).

Colorful penne with Italian tuna, capers, lemon and parsley.

Vegetarians look away!

Arranging the antipasti platter was my job. Because I'm anal.

Fennel salad with orange and red onions.

Spaghetti with fresh (uncooked) tomato pasta.

My beautiful sister lounging in the shade.

More ornaments and nutcrackers with Hawaiian print in background.

Wallie (my toddler) parked by the salami cuz she's no fool.

My mamma with my great-aunt and uncle. He tells the best WWII stories.

An awesome stash of vintage Pyrex and glass refrigerator ware in my cousin's cabinet. And Spam.

...just before diving in to the pork cheeks. (The best part.)

Christmas Day Menu

Tonight my whole family will be cooking like crazy for tomorrow's Christmas lunch. My mom's side of the family takes turns hosting  "The Family Party" every year and this year it's our family's turn. We're cooking for about 50 people. Here's the menu. (I'll post pics and recipes soon.)

• Antipasti—salami, prosciutto, cappicolla, roasted red peppers, marinated mushrooms, olives, cheeses
• Seafood mousse
• Three pastas: farfalle with Italian tuna (in oil), capers, parsley, and lemon; penne with pesto alla siciliana; fresh (uncooked) tomato pasta with basil
• Eggplant caponata
• Fennel and blood orange salad
• Roast suckling pig
• Crusty bread
• Green salad made with Waimanalo (local) baby lettuces
• Panettone

More Italian food products

Why don't they sell these flavors here?  What, Barilla doesn't think radicchio- and taleggio-flavored tortelloni will appeal to the American palette? /snort

Oh, how they underestimate us.

I haven't cooked them yet, but when I do, you'll be the first to know. Don't they look yummy?!