Showing posts with label Cook-bookery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cook-bookery. Show all posts
I wanted to cook myself something fairly simple for my dinner today. I am still not feeling 100%. I hate it when I feel unwell, but then again, I don't know anyone who likes it.
I wanted pasta. I love pasta and it is not something which I was able to eat a lot of when I lived in the UK because it was not something my partner was very fond of. Not a problem anymore. I can eat pasta now to my heart's content!
One thing I love most about pasta is the versatility of it, as well as the fact that you can enjoy the leftovers the day after almost as much as on the day itself.
When my children were growing up one of our favorite suppers used to be fried spaghetti, which I would make with the leftover spaghetti. I would cook extra spaghetti just so that we could enjoy this simple dish the day after.
One of my favorite cookbooks is Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros. It was one that I chose to bring back to Canada with me. I had an extensive recipe book collection and I could not afford to bring them all, and so I had to pick and choose.
If it came with me, you can rest assured it is an excellent book. Any recipe I have ever cooked from this book has been excellent. I cannot recommend it highly enough!
Ms Kiros has mastered the art of turning simple ingredients into something delicious and none of her recipes are complicated to make.
Many of them are family recipes drawing wisdom and taste from her Scandinavian and Greek heritage as well as from her experience with Italian culture and flavors.
Pasta with Tuna, Tomato & Olives was a recipe I had ear-marked for a very long time. Today I finally got around to making it.
One of the things which has always drawn me to this recipe is the simplicity of the ingredients. I almost always have these things in my home. I did not have fresh herbs today, but I made good use of dried herbs.
A little trick I have been wanting to share with you for a while that I learned from my sister. If you wrap your fresh bunch of celery in aluminum foil it will keep in the refrigerator for a very long time. Tried and true!!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE PASTA WITH TUNA, TOMATO & OLIVES
There is nothing too complicated here.
- 2 TBS olive oil
- 2 fat cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
- 2 stalks leafy celery, trimmed, washed and finely chopped
- 14 ounce (400g) tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 TBS tomato puree/paste
- salt and pepper
- 6 1/2 ounce (185g) tin of albacore tuna in oil
- 1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
- 1 TBS dried parsley leaves
- pinch crushed chilies (optional)
- 8 pitted Kalamata olives, torn in half
- 14 ounces (400g) pasta (Penne, farfalle, spaghetti, malfalda)
- olive oil and Parmesan cheese to serve (optional)
The malfalda, tomato puree and crushed chilies were my own additions. They worked well.
HOW TO MAKE PASTA WITH TUNA, TOMATO & OLIVES
All of Tessa's recipes are very easy to execute. This one is no exception and tastes beautiful when done.
Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large based skillet or saucepan. Add the garlic. Cook until it becomes fragrant and then add the celery.
Cook the celery over a gentle heat, stirring frequently, until it softens and turns a pale golden colour.
Add the undrained tomatoes and tomato paste. Season with some salt and black pepper. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the tuna, breaking it up into chunks and 3 TBS of hot water. Bring to the boil, then stir in the basil, parsley, olives and chili flakes, if using. Simmer over low while you cook the pasta.
Cook your pasta in a large pot of salted water as per the package directions. Drain reserving some of the pasta cooking water.
The sauce should not be too dry. If it is add a bit of the pasta cooking water. Toss in the pasta and turn it over to coat it generously with the sauce. Pull out and discard the whole garlic cloves.
Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with more pepper and serve immediately, with or without cheese.
This really was delicious. I was semi-concerned that it might be a bit fishy, but it really wasn't. I thoroughly enjoyed it. So much so that I probably ate more than my fare share. I can be a real glutton sometimes!
I am trying to repent but its an uphill slog.
Pasta with Tuna, Tomato & Olives
Yield: 4
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min
The olives in this deliciously simple pasta dish are left in large chunks. That way anyone who is not fond can easily fish them out. This is quick and easy to make and very tasty. Some crusty bread and a salad on the side works well!
Ingredients
- 2 TBS olive oil
- 2 fat cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
- 2 stalks leafy celery, trimmed, washed and finely chopped
- 14 ounce (400g) tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 TBS tomato puree/paste
- salt and pepper
- 6 1/2 ounce (185g) tin of albacore tuna in oil
- 1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
- 1 TBS dried parsley leaves
- pinch crushed chilies (optional)
- 8 pitted Kalamata olives, torn in half
- 14 ounces (400g) pasta (Penne, farfalle, spaghetti, malfalda)
- olive oil and Parmesan cheese to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large based skillet or saucepan. Add the garlic. Cook until it becomes fragrant and then add the celery.
- Cook the celery over a gentle heat, stirring frequently, until it softens and turns a pale golden colour.
- Add the undrained tomatoes and tomato paste. Season with some salt and black pepper. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the tuna, breaking it up into chunks and 3 TBS of hot water. Bring to the boil, then stir in the basil, parsley, olives and chili flakes, if using. Simmer over low while you cook the pasta.
- Cook your pasta in a large pot of salted water as per the package directions. Drain reserving some of the pasta cooking water.
- The sauce should not be too dry. If it is add a bit of the pasta cooking water. Toss in the pasta and turn it over to coat it generously with the sauce.
- Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with more pepper and serve immediately, with or without cheese.
Saucy Pasta Hoops. Did you used to like Spaghetti hoops when you were a child?
Did your children like them? I recently got myself a new cookbook.
I know. I have plenty of cookbooks, but this one appeared to be filled with delicious looking simple recipes.
Half Baked Harvest Super Simple by Tieghan Gerard. So far I have not been disappointed. Every recipe I have tried from the book has been excellent. I highly recommend.
So good I am tempted to also buy her other one. She is a real talent when it comes to cooking and presentation.
This is a recipe which really intrigued me. Not only was it pasta, which I love, but it was a rif on those tinned spaghetti hoops that children love.
With one exception . . . it is a more grown up version. How could I not try it???
It is also perfectly sized for two, which meant that I got to enjoy some on the day and then enjoy a second feast on it the day after.
I cooked something else completely for my husband. As you know he is not overly fond of pasta, although he does like tinned spaghetti. Go figure. Some things just don't make sense.
The cookbook author used anelli for hers, which are a type of hoop pasta. I didn't have anything like that to use, what with lock down and all.
I used what I had, which was a mix of ditalini and small elbow macaroni. I didn't have enough of either one to make up the full amount.
As you can see, however, it worked perfectly. This was absolutely delicious.
I think any small size of pasta would work fine. Hoops, shells, etc. Just pick a pasta that will cook in the alloted time for the recipe.
It was also incredibly simple, using very little in the way of ingredients. It does use fresh rosemary, which I happen to have in the garden.
I wasn't too sure about that, as rosemary is kind of a strong flavoured herb, but it totally works. I am not totally enamoured with rosemary actually, but this it was really good here.
Olive oil is flavoured with first garlic, and then the rosemary and some crushed chili flakes, which provide a bit of heat to the dish.
I don't like my food too spicy, so I only used a pinch.
Once the oil has heated and flavoured, you add some tomato puree (tomato paste.) You need to whisk this in carefully off the heat as it will splatter if your oil is too hot, so don't let your oil get too hot.
Also use a good Olive oil.
I used Peranzana Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Azienda Agricola Ramieri Rosanna - which I got from Cibilia. It is a beautiful premium olive oil, pure Italian and has a really nice flavour.
If you are making a recipe with so few ingredients, it helps to use the very best of them that you can, and this is fabulous! Mono arietal Peranzaa from Apulia produced using only Organic Olives, this olive oil is harvest on the family estate of Ramiri Rosanna.
The Rosanna family has a real passion for agriculture and it shows in their products!
Another ingredient you will need to use is Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste). You need to whisk this very carefully into the oil mixture. If your oil is too hot it will spatter and could burn you.
I favour the Cirio tomato products. Yes, I can be a bit of a tomato snob, but in a dish where tomato is the prevailing flavour, why not use the best!
Once you have done that, it is a simple matter of adding a quantity of water, bringing it to the boil and then stirring in your pasta.
Dry pasta. Yep, the pasta cooks in the garlic and herb tomato water.
This means that the tomato flavours really penetrate the pasta intensifying the flavours beautifully.
That's basically it, other than some seasoning and a bit of grated Parmesan cheese that gets stirred in at the end.
This was incredibly tasty. I fell in love with this, totally, and I think you will too.
Saucy Pasta Hoops
Yield: 2
Delicious and super simple to make. Adapted from a recipe in the Half Baked Harvest Super Simple Cookbook.
Ingredients:
- 3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
- 1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- a healthy pinch of chili flakes (crushed red pepper flakes)
- 3 TBS tomato puree (tomato paste)
- 600 ml water (2 1/2 cups)
- 90g short tubular pasta (I used ditalini and tiny macaroni) (3/4 cup)
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 55g grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to serve
- Fresh basil leaves (to garnish if you have them)
Instructions:
How to cook Saucy Pasta Hoops
- Heat the olive oil and garlic in a medium sized saucepan with a heavy base over medium low heat. (Make sure the garlic doesn't burn.) Cook, stirring, until very fragrant, only a minute or so, then add the rosemary and red pepper flakes. Cook for about a minute longer. (Again, don't let it burn.)
- Take off the burner and whisk in the tomato puree. Then whisk in the water. Return to the burner and bring to a boil. Stir in the uncooked pasta. Season with some salt as desired and cook at a slow boil, stirring frequently until the pasta is al dente, about 12 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Divide between two heated bowls and pass more parmesan for shaking over top. If you have fresh basil, you can tear some over top.
This was pure and simple comfort food. Perfect for these days in two ways, one it satisfies your need for comfort and two, it uses only a few ingredients.
A great wine to serve with this would be this Barbera del Monferrato - la Tridesca 2018. It has a bursting fragrance, vinous, full of freshness and hints of red fruits; a lively flavor and great freshness, with a cheerful and indomitable character.
This is Gianluigi, the maker of this fine wine. He plays with his surname ‘Orsini’ which in Italian means ‘little bear’ and in fact the logo of his micro winery company is a bear. Also, he likes to call himself bear justifying the fact that he’s not a social person at all.
He’s not on any social media and he will never be. He enjoys to make a super good wine because the wine he makes is the wine he drinks.
Gianluigi retired from his office job quite a while ago and has been making wine for the last 35 years always keeping the quality very high and I can guarantee you he makes wine for passion and he doesn’t care at all if his wine sells or not. The important for him is to drinks his own wine and enjoy it just for the sake of it.
I think its really nice to know the face behind the things that we use, don't you? You can purchase this wine at Cibilia. Purveyors of fine Italian foods.
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You are sure to love this recipe I am sharing with you today. Not only is it very unusual, but it is also quick, easy and delicious!
A skillet sized chocolate chunk cookie that bakes on top of the stove, right in the skillet!
I told myself that this year I wasn't going to buy myself any more cookery books, but then the other day when I had gone to Gordale to buy my Christmas cards, lo and behold, this little book jumped right into my basket! How could I resist however. Cookies in a Pan by Sabrina Fauda-Role. It was just far too tempting and the price was right, only £3.99. A real bargain.
Everything for the cookie gets mixed together right in the pan. Melted butter, egg, flour, sugar and baking powder . . . I added some vanilla paste because I am quite unable to leave things well alone, and a chocolate chunk cookie with vanilla is to me perfection.
You spread the batter out in the pan, press some chocolate chunks into it and let it bake on the stove top in the skillet over very low heat for about fifteen minutes and then you cover it tightly and bake it for about 5 minutes longer.
Voila! Presto changeo! You end up with a beautiful skillet sized cookie!
Its like magic. Its more than magic!
What a fabulous gift one of these would be for a neighbour, friend or family for Christmas, presented right in the pan it was baked in!
Who wouldn't be totally thrilled to get a gift like that! Not me that's who! I would love it!
The recipe said it made six servings, but in all honesty they would be HUGE! I cut it into eight wedges and they were still nice and big.
Look at that beautiful texture, very much like a regular cookie!
And that mix of chocolate chunks . . . Perfection!
Todd and I each enjoyed one while they were still semi warm . . .
The chocolate slightly gooey, so, so, so good . . .
I dare say these would make for an excellent dessert served warm in wedges with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and perhaps some indulgent chocolate or toffee sauce spooned over top!
Chunky Chocolate Cookie In a Pan
Yield: 8
An interesting way to bake a cookie, in a skillet on top of the stove. Deliciously different!
ingredients:
- 150g plain flour (1 cup + 1 1/2 TBS)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 90g sugar (scant 1/2 cup)
- 100g salted butter (7 TBS)
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 1 large free range egg, beaten
To top:
- 120g squares of chocolate (a mix of white, dark and milk) (4 ounces)
instructions:
How to cook Chunky Chocolate Cookie In a Pan
- Measure the flour, sugar, and baking powder into a bowl and whisk well together. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a 10 inch non-stick skillet over very low heat. Remove from the heat. Whisk a bit of the butter into the beaten egg to temper it and then whisk the egg back into the butter in the skillet. Whisk in the vanilla paste and then the dry ingredients until you have a mixture with a smooth texture. Spread out into the bottom of the skillet evenly. Scatter the chocolate bits over top, pressing in lightly.
- Place over low heat again and cook for 15 minutes. Cover tightly with a lid and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove the lid and wipe off any condensation which has formed. Replace on the pan and remove the pan to a wire rack away from the heat to cool for 15 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.
I was really surprised and quite pleased with how these turned out! I am game now to try some of the other recipes in the book and maybe even invent a few combinations of my own!
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