Category Archives: Italian food

Italian food, Rice

Bacon, Leek and Camembert Risotto

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the nine years that I’ve been in charge of organizing and hosting Christmas for my little family, it’s that Christmas is a lot of work. All the behind-the-scenes shopping, planning, decorating, wrapping, cleaning and cooking isn’t exactly the stuff of Norman Rockwell paintings, but someone (and we all know who) has to do it. It’s certainly made me appreciate how hard my own mother must have worked to make the holidays magical for me and my brother and sister when we were growing up. That’s why I love the Irish idea of Women’s Christmas (Nollaig na mBan) on January 6th, when women are meant to get the day off while the men do the housework, kind of like an extra Mother’s Day. What I can’t understand is why the idea isn’t spreading like wildfire. Who wouldn’t like a day off from housework, a girls’ night out and an extra present?

If Women’s Christmas was going to be celebrated in my own house (hint, hint Hubby), then this is the dinner I’d request to be made for me as one last calorific holiday indulgence (though I already made it on St. Stephen’s Day as a way to use up some of our leftover Christmas ham). Risotto is one of my go-to winter dishes, and this version is my absolute favorite. The leeks become meltingly soft and mild, the bacon adds its signature salty, smoky depth, and the Camembert in place of the usual Parmesan elevates the whole dish into something special. In fact, it’s the dinner I asked my husband to make me the day I came home from the hospital with our son. But don’t feel that you have to wait for a special occasion to make this. It would also be the perfect rib-sticking antidote to any long, dark, cold winter night.

Bacon, Leek and Camembert Risotto

Serves 4

If you can’t find or don’t care for Camembert, or if you want to make a less rich, more everyday kind of risotto, use 1/2 cup (50 g) of Parmesan instead. You can also use leftover ham instead of the bacon here, or for a vegetarian version, use mushrooms instead of the bacon.

4 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter
2 leeks, white parts only, sliced
1 1/2 cups (300 g) risotto rice (Arborio rice)
1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine or extra-dry Martini
2 pints (1 liter) good-quality vegetable or chicken stock
6 to 8 slices of bacon or pancetta, depending on how thickly cut the bacon is
8 oz (225 g) Camembert cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the butter in a wide, deep saucepan and add the leeks. Cook to soften, about 10 minutes. Mix in the rice, stirring to give it a good coating of the butter. Allow it to cook for a minute or two, until the grains of rice start to turn translucent. Add the white wine or Martini and let it bubble away for a few minutes. Meanwhile, heat the stock in another saucepan and keep it at simmering point.

Once all the wine or Martini has been absorbed into the rice, pour a ladleful of the stock into the rice and keep stirring until the stock is absorbed. Then add another ladleful and stir again. Continue doing this until the rice is al dente. You may not need all the stock; equally, you may need to add a bit more hot water. Don’t rush this process — allow the rice to fully absorb each ladleful of stock before adding the next one.

While the risotto is cooking, heat a separate frying pan and cook the bacon or pancetta until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

When you’ve added almost all the stock, test the rice — the risotto is ready when the rice is tender but still has a little bite. When the risotto is done, mix in the Camembert cheese and the bacon. Divide between 4 serving bowls or plates, add seasoning to taste and serve immediately.

Italian food, Pasta and noodles, Salad dressings, Vegetarian main dishes

Easy Pasta Supper with Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce

I’ve eaten so much pasta in my life that my blood must be part durum wheat by now. My childhood memories of dinner are crowded with images of a big bowl of salad and a basket of garlic bread on the table and a pot of spaghetti on the stove, with a huge bucket of Kemp’s ice cream in the freezer for dessert. It’s no wonder, then, that pasta is still my go-to comfort food or the first thing I think of when I want a quick dinner. After two weeks of time-consuming holiday cooking, I’m in the mood these days for something effortless but still satisfying. This famous tomato sauce from Marcella Hazan fits the bill on both counts. The recipe couldn’t be easier — melt some butter, put a halved onion in the pan, pour in some canned tomatoes and let it all simmer for 45 minutes — but the result is an alchemical kind of magic. It’s the little black dress of pasta sauces — simple, sophisticated and versatile. You wouldn’t think it was possible for a humble can of tomatoes to be transformed into such a silky-smooth sauce so full of flavor, but don’t wait much longer to try this and see for yourself. Add in a baby leaf salad tossed with my favorite balsamic vinaigrette, a loaf of Parmesan garlic bread and a nice bottle of wine, and my favorite childhood dinner feels all grown up.

Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce
adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan

Makes enough sauce for about 1 lb (450 g) of pasta, or 4 servings

5 tablespoons (75 g) unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut in half
1 x 28 oz can (or 2 x 14 oz/400 g cans) whole plum tomatoes, with their juices
salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the tomato sauce, melt the butter in a large pot (one that can also accommodate all the pasta later) over a medium heat, then add in onion halves and pour in the tomatoes with their juices. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer, mashing up the tomatoes gently with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook, uncovered, at a very slow but steady simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary, for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free from the tomato and the sauce has reduced and thickened. Stir occasionally, continuing to mash any large pieces of tomato with the wooden spoon. Taste for seasoning, then discard the onion when the sauce is ready. Add your cooked, drained pasta directly to the sauce in the pot and stir until all the pasta is coated.

***

Balsamic Vinaigrette
adapted from Epicurious, March 2003

Makes about 3/4 cup (180 ml)

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a screw-top jar, combine the vinegar, mustard, garlic and oil, shaking well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Desserts, Fruit, Holidays, Italian food, Pasta and noodles, Poultry

Turkey Tetrazzini and Cranberry Buckle

This is one of my favorite ways to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. It’s an adaptation of Jamie Oliver’s chicken and mushroom pasta bake recipe (spaghetti tetrazzini), which he says is “really tacky but gorgeous.” It got me thinking about how foods or recipes are as subject to trends as anything else. Chef’s salad, cheese fondue, shrimp cocktail and deviled eggs have all had their day (though I still love shrimp cocktail and deviled eggs). But how could you go wrong with wine and cream? That will never go out of style as far as I’m concerned. What are some of your favorite tacky or untrendy foods?

Turkey Tetrazzini
adapted from Jamie’s Italy by Jamie Oliver

Serves 4

1 oz (20 g) dried porcini mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
12 oz (340 g) button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 cup (240 ml) white wine
2 to 3 cups cooked shredded or diced turkey
1 lb (450 g) spaghetti
2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (200 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).

Put the porcini mushrooms in a bowl and pour over just enough boiling water to cover them (approx. 1/2 cup /120 ml). Put to one side to soak for a few minutes.

Strain the porcini, reserving the soaking water, and add them to a frying pan big enough to hold all the ingredients (including the pasta) with the garlic and fresh mushrooms. Add the wine and the strained porcini soaking water and turn the heat down. Add the turkey to the pan. Simmer gently until the wine has reduced a little.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions and drain well. Add the cream to the pan of turkey, then bring to the boil and turn the heat off. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the drained spaghetti to the creamy turkey sauce and toss well. Add three-quarters of the Parmesan and stir well. Transfer to an ovenproof baking dish or nonstick pan, sprinkle with half the remaining cheese and bake in the oven until golden brown, bubbling and crisp. Divide between your plates, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese before serving. (Alternatively, you could serve this right after adding the drained spaghetti and Parmesan to the creamy turkey sauce and skip putting it in the oven.)

***

cranberry buckle

Cranberry Buckle with Vanilla Crumb
adapted from Rustic Fruit Desserts by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson

You can keep the leftover vanilla crumb in the freezer for up to 3 months and either use it to make another cranberry buckle or as a fruit crisp topping (or you could just halve the amounts called for here for the crumb topping).

Serves 8 to 12

for the vanilla crumb (makes 2 cups):
1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
1/4 cup (40 g) packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (110 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4‑inch cubes
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

for the cranberry buckle:
1 3/4 cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup (110 g) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
zest of 1 orange
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120 ml) sour cream
2 cups (8 oz/225 g) cranberries, fresh or frozen

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 9‑inch square baking pan.

To make the vanilla crumb, combine the flour, sugars, salt and butter in the bowl of a food processor or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Pulse or blend until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Drizzle the vanilla over the mixture and either pulse or mix briefly to distribute the vanilla. Place the crumb mix in the freezer while you prepare the buckle.

To make the buckle, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

Using a hand-held mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar and orange zest together on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Fold in half of the cranberries.

Spread the mixture in the prepared pan. Distribute the remaining cranberries over the cake and sprinkle the crumb topping over the cranberries.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm on top. Wrapped in cling film, this cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

Grains and pulses, Italian food, Pork

Homemade Italian Sausage Patties with Goat’s Cheese Polenta

The first Thanksgiving I spent in Ireland, in 1999, I was very blasé about it beforehand; I still remember that I’d planned to make enchiladas that night. But at the last minute, I got a little weepy and ran out to the grocery store to see what I could find that might be more fitting, and bought some turkey escalopes and a jar of Ballymaloe cranberry sauce instead. My last Stateside Thankgsiving was in 1998, and although we’ve always cooked a traditional dinner every year, celebrating with anywhere from two to twelve friends and once even family, when my dad and stepmom came over for a visit, it’s just not the same.

So as long as I’m feeling homesick, today’s as good a day as any to talk about Italian sausages, one of the foods I still miss. There were plenty of foods I missed and craved when I first moved. I used to ask anyone who came to visit to bring me a bag of bagels, not even caring that they’d be stale by the time I got them, and Matt always requested an economy-size jar of Skippy peanut butter. Once or twice I’ve brought cans of Libby’s pumpkin puree back in my suitcase so that I could make pumpkin pie. I gradually stopped hankering after most of the foods I missed, but I’ll never stop wishing for a ready supply of Italian sausages. When we visited my mom in Florida earlier this year, she asked if there was anything in particular we wanted for dinner, and the only thing I requested was Italian sausages and peppers, one of her signature dishes. If I wasn’t feeling homesick already, just thinking of that dinner would do it. It’s one of the dishes that will always taste like home to me.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers, wherever you may be!

Home-made Italian sausages with Goat’s Cheese Polenta
adapted from A Kitchen Year by Paula McIntyre

Serves 4

for the sausage patties:
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground
1/2 cup (120 ml) red wine
1 3/4 lb (800 g) pork mince
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped fresh red chili
1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
1 teaspoon salt

for the sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup (120 ml) red wine
1 x 14-oz (400‑g) can chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup (180 ml) chicken stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a handful fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley

for the goat’s cheese polenta:
1 1/2 pints (700 ml) chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 lb (225 g) polenta
1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
3 oz (90 g) goat’s cheese
handful fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the sausage patties, place the onion, garlic, fennel seeds and red wine in a saucepan and boil until only 1 tablespoon of liquid remains. Cool. Mix this with the pork and the remaining ingredients. Form into walnut-sized balls and press down to flatten.

To make the sauce, heat the oil in the pan over a high heat and add the sausage patties. Cook until sealed and golden on both sides, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. Lower the heat and add the onions and garlic, cooking until they’re golden, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and bring to the boil. After 2 minutes, add the tomatoes and stock. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes. Check the seasoning and add the parsley.

To make the polenta, bring the stock to the boil. Slowly add the polenta in a steady stream into the stock, whisking all the time. When all the polenta is incorporated, lower the heat to s gentle simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta comes away from the side of the pan. This will take 40 minutes for traditional polenta and about 5 minutes for the instant variety. Add the Parmesan and mix well. Crumble the goat’s cheese and fold into the polenta with the parsley. Season to taste.

To serve, divide the polenta between the individual serving bowls, place sausage patties on top and spoon over the sauce.

30-minute meals, Cakes, Italian food, Pasta and noodles, Seafood

Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp and Peas, Tossed Salad, and Beatty’s Chocolate Cake

Last week our beloved 13-year-old cat, Miso, was hit and killed by a car. The shock of his death quickly wore off, replaced by a constant tearfulness and an intense longing to pet him just one more time. Reuben and I grew up with Miso, moving him from student apartments in Madison to slightly nicer apartments in Chicago and finally to our home in Milwaukee. He was as loyal and wise as a dog and as stately as any person I have met. It’s still hard to pull into our driveway and not expect to see him in the window or waiting on the porch for me. After a week of grieving, I’m now able to comfort myself with the understanding that he lived a good and full life. Chocolate cake helped too. I know, I know, we shouldn’t eat out of emotion. But in my defense, the deliberate measuring, mixing, baking, and frosting of the cake were just as therapeutic as sitting down and pondering Miso’s life as I polished off piece after piece of the best cake I’ve ever tasted. Comfort food is, in fact, comforting.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp and Peas

Serves 4

1 lb (450 g) fettuccine or linguine
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 lb (450 g) raw shrimp
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) half-and-half (or 3/4 cup (180 ml) milk + 3/4 cup (180 ml) cream)
1 cup (150 g) grated fresh Parmesan
1 cup (140 g) fresh or frozen peas, cooked

Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water according to package directions. While the pasta cooks, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small saute pan. Add the shrimp to the melted butter and cook over a medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until just cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the half-and-half, cheese, and more salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not boil. Reduce the heat and add the cooked pasta, shrimp, and peas, tossing gently to coat. Serve immediately in warm bowls.

***

chocolate cake

Beatty’s Chocolate Cake
adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten

Serves 8

butter, for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups (210 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups (400 g) sugar
3/4 cups (100 g) good-quality cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (240 ml) freshly brewed hot coffee
chocolate buttercream (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter 2 x 8‑inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Buttercream

6 oz (170 g) good-quality semisweet chocolate
1/2 lb (2 sticks/225 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (150 g) sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don’t whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Beef, Italian food, Slow cooker

Slow Cooker Stracoto with Porcini Mushrooms and Carrots with Egg Noodles

Kristin brilliantly thought to add a slow cooker category to our site. Slow cookers really can be a working mom’s best friend. This stracoto (fancy word for pot roast) is my favorite slow cooker recipe. I’ve made it in the oven as per the original recipe, but actually prefer my adaptation in the slow cooker, which results in a moister piece of meat. It’s awfully hard to dry out a piece of meat, or anything else for that matter, in a slow cooker. Reuben must have liked the dinner, since he added this programmable slow cooker to his Amazon wish list within a few hours of finishing it.

Don’t forget to enter our first cookbook giveaway contest. Entries are due tomorrow. To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment in Kristin’s October 26 post.

Slow Cooker Stracoto with Porcini Mushrooms and Carrots
adapted from Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network

Serves 6

1 x 4 lb (1.8 kg) boneless beef chuck roast or arm roast
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, sliced
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine
1 3/4 cups (420 ml) canned beef broth
1/2 oz (15 g) dried porcini mushrooms
1 bunch carrots, peeled and halved if large, and cut into 3‑inch pieces
egg noodles or mashed potatoes, to serve

Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet (cast iron preferred) over a medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes total cooking time. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan, add the onions and saute until tender, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the wine and boil for 1 minute. Stir in the broth and mushrooms. Bring the liquid to a boil. Carefully pour the liquid into the slow cooker. Add the carrots. Cook on low for 8 hours, or until the meat and carrots are tender.

Transfer the beef to a cutting board. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the carrots to a serving bowl. Tent the beef with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, spoon any excess fat off the top of the sauce in the slow cooker. Using a hand-held blender, blend the sauce, onions, and garlic into a smooth puree. (If you don’t have a hand-held blender, transfer the sauce and vegetables to a blender and puree.) Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Cut the beef across the grain into 1/2‑inch-thick slices. Arrange the sliced beef on a platter and spoon the sauce over. Serve with egg noodles or mashed potatoes, passing the remaining sauce in a sauce boat.

Grains and pulses, Italian food, Lamb

Sicilian Lamb Patties Braised with Eggplant, Peppers, and Tomatoes with Polenta

Though this blog project is a tad more work than I expected, it’s worth it for many reasons, one being the new recipes I get to try out. And I like that Kristin keeps me on my toes in the kitchen. After reading through her meals each week, I’m too embarrassed to cook/post some of my old standby recipes. After all, how many times can you type up an adaptation of the same stir-fry? So often I end up in food ruts because my old standby recipes are standby recipes for a reason — they’re good, they’re easy. But food ruts are dangerous, an easy way to forget how amazing food can taste or the thrill of finding that perfect new recipe or pulling off a multi-course dinner for a party of 10.

For those of us that love cooking, it’s not about filling our stomachs as much as creating a meal, an experience, a taste. These days I don’t have the energy to wax poetic about why I love cooking. Luckily, Jonah Lehrer has written a brilliant essay that explains the attraction quite well. All of this is a long way of saying that I’m happy this blog forces me to try new things, like making polenta for the first time. The polenta was easy to make, comforting, and the perfect base for the lovely braised lamb dish.

braised lamb paaties

Sicilian Lamb Patties Braised with Eggplant, Peppers, and Tomatoes
adapted from Bon Appétit, October 2008

Serves 6

In place of polenta, you could serve this over penne, ziti or rigatoni.

for the lamb patties:
1/2 cup (25 g) fresh breadcrumbs (from crustless French bread ground in a food processor)
1/4 cup (60 ml) water
1 1/4 lb (570 g) ground lamb
1/2 cup (30 g) finely grated Pecorino cheese
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

for the eggplant mixture:
2 small or 1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2 lb/680 g), unpeeled, cut into 1‑inch cubes
7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
coarse kosher salt
1 large red bell pepper, halved, seeded and cut into 1/2‑inch-wide strips
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/3 cups (320 ml) dry white wine
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 cups (450 g) chopped, seeded, peeled tomatoes

for the polenta:
4 cups (1 liter) water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (150 g) polenta (coarse cornmeal)
grated Pecorino cheese

To make the lamb patties, combine the breadcrumbs and water in a small bowl. Soak for 5 minutes, then squeeze all the water from the crumbs. Place the crumbs in a large bowl. Add the lamb and remaining ingredients and mix gently to combine. Shape into 12 oval patties, each about 2 1/2 inches long and 3/4 inch thick.

To make the eggplant mixture, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Combine the cubed eggplant and 5 tablespoons of oil in a large bowl and toss to coat. Spread the eggplant out on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse kosher salt and pepper. Bake for 12 minutes, then turn the eggplant over and bake until soft, about 12 minutes longer.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large, deep skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the lamb patties and saute until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the lamb patties to a plate. Add the bell pepper strips to the drippings in the skillet and saute until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Transfer the pepper to the plate with the lamb.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the chopped onion to the same skillet. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and garlic. Cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the wine is reduced to a glaze, about 7 minutes. Return the lamb and peppers to the skillet, then add the eggplant, tomatoes, and marjoram. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the lamb is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes. If the sauce is thin, simmer, uncovered until it has thickened to the desired consistency. Season the sauce to taste with coarse salt and pepper.

To make the polenta, bring the water and salt to boil in a heavy, large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in the polenta and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the polenta is very thick, whisking often, about 20 minutes.

Spoon the polenta into shallow bowls. Top with the lamb and vegetables, sprinkle with Pecorino cheese and serve.

Cookies, Italian food, Pasta and noodles, Vegetarian main dishes

Pasta with Chickpeas (Pasta e Ceci) and Ginger Cookies

I always feel better knowing there’s a can of chickpeas in the pantry, since I can turn it into a quick lunch with some couscous, lemon and diced feta. Or I can turn it into one of my favorite kitchen cupboard dinners — you know the kind, the ones you pull together from whatever you have lurking in the pantry or at the back of the crisper in the fridge, usually on the night before you do your grocery shopping when there’s nothing else in the house — spaghetti with chickpeas, lemon juice, parsley and freshly grated Parmesan, a recipe I picked up from Denis Cotter’s Paradiso Seasons. Jamie Oliver calls this a cousin of pasta e fagioli, the traditional Italian peasant dish of beans and pasta, so if you like that dish, chances are good you’ll like this one too.

But enough about soup. Let’s talk about these cookies. Ina Garten really knows how to make perfect autumn food — first it was her date nut spice bread, and now these cookies. Both recipes use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves that creates an atmosphere while you’re baking them that you want to wrap yourself up in. I gave one of the cookies to the woman who delivers our organic fruit and veg, and the first thing she did was hold it up to her nose to smell it and sigh appreciatively. I said before that the date nut spice bread might be the best thing I bake this autumn, but these cookies are a close contender.

Pasta with Chickpeas (Pasta e Ceci)
adapted from Jamie’s Italy by Jamie Oliver

Serves 4

1 small onion, finely chopped
1 stick of celery, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
extra virgin olive oil
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
2 x 14-oz (400‑g) cans of chickpeas
2 1/4 cups (540 ml) chicken or vegetable stock
3 1/2 oz (100 g) ditalini or macaroni
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a small handful of chopped fresh basil or parsley, to serve
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve
crusty bread, to serve

Put the finely chopped onion, celery, and garlic into a saucepan with a little extra virgin olive oil and the rosemary and cook as gently as possible, with the lid on, for 15 to 20 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft, without any color.

Drain the chickpeas well and rinse them in cold water, then add them to the pan and cover with the stock. Cook gently for 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove half the chickpeas and put them to one side in a bowl.

Puree the soup in the pan using a handheld immersion blender. (If you don’t have one, you can whiz it up in a food processor instead, then pour it back into the pan.) Add the reserved whole chickpeas and the pasta, season the soup with salt and pepper, and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, until the chickpeas are tender and the pasta is cooked.

At this point, if the soup is a little thick, pour in some boiling water from the kettle to thin it down, and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve drizzled with good-quality extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with some basil or parsley and Parmesan cheese. Serve some warm crusty bread alongside.

***

The Barefoot Contessa’s Ultimate Ginger Cookies
adapted from The Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten

Makes 16 cookies

2 1/4 cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (170 g) dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
1/3 cup (80 ml) unsulfured molasses or black treacle
1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (170 g) chopped crystallized ginger
granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and then combine the mixture with your hands. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the crystallized ginger and mix until combined.

Scoop the dough with 2 spoons or a small ice cream scoop (I used a 1/4 cup measuring cup, which is 90 g of dough). With your hands, roll each cookie into a 1 3/4‑inch ball and then flatten them lightly with your fingers. Press both sides of each cookie in granulated sugar and place them on the sheet pans. Bake for exactly 13 minutes. The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.