Pasta with potatoes

This is a must. Pasta with potatoes. Good for the winter as well as for the summer time.

Ingredients: potatoes, onions ,olive oil, parmesan cheese and

of course pasta.

Preparation time: 30 minutes

1) Peel 2 potatoes per person. Cut them in 1 inch cubes.

2)Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a pot and saute some onions

3) Add 4 coups of water and the potatoes. Add also 1 fresh tomato, a carrot and some celery.I like to add also some basil. Cover the pot and let it cook for 10-15 min.

4) When the potatoes are soft enough, it is time to add the pasta (short pasta) to the pot. Often we use mixed pasta, which is made from the left over pasta (penne + broken spghetti + ditaloni + whatever short pasta you have left in your cabinet). Add enough water just to cover the pasta. Also at this point I like to add hot red pepper.

5) Stir until the pasta is cooked.

6) Add parmesan cheese. and black pepper.

Buon Appetito

Vegetable soup with pasta

Here we are. It is a cold day outside. You caught a cold, you are sick home, you want some comfortable food, a warm meal... why don't you make yourself a vegetable soup? Generally, open the fridge and try to add as many vegetables as you can in your soup. Carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, onions, garlic, hot peppers, cauliflowers, potatoes, zucchini, celery... these are the classics. I even made one with only onions, or only potatoes. Then if you like, you can add some short pasta into it and finish the dish with parmesan, which will melt into the soup. It will be yummy and healthy.

Preparation time: 20-30 min

1) Wash and cut the vegetables.

2) Put some water to boil in a pot (about 4 cups per person).

3) Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of salt per person

4) Add the vegetables and let it cook for 20 min

5) Drain the vegetables and collect the broth

6) Add the pasta to teh broth and let it cook for 5 min (mind to don`t overcook the pasta)

7) Add parmesan cheese.

Variations: I cannot recall to have eaten the identical same dish twice. You can change the vegetables list or just the pasta shape. You can use all sort of short pasta, it will taste a little bit different every time. Yes. And, finally, don`t forget that you can eat your boiled vegetables!

Buon appetito!

Bucatini with red hot sauce and romano cheese

Here the pasta needs to be bucatini. It is kinda of hard to find in the store, but I suggest you to try it. It will kinda of whistle when you eat it, because it is made like spaghetti but with an hole inside. Then you need romano cheese (pecorino).

Time for preparation: 15 min

1) Boil water in a pot for the pasta (bucatini).

2)Add some onion, olive oil, red hot pepper  to a separate pot and let brown the onions for a few minutes.

3)Add plain red sauce and let it cook until the pasta is done.

4) Drain the pasta, add it back to the pot, add a bunch of pecorino cheese, and then the red sauce. Stir it. Add fresh basil and pepper too.

Buon appetito!

Peppe's red sauce

Tonight we are having my favorite sauce...the typical italian red sauce that I have named "Peppe's red sauce" although I believe it has an Italian name already dedicated to it.  Here are the ingredients:

1/2 red onion

1/2 carrot

1 can organic tomato sauce

1/2 pound ground beef

a pinch of salt and pepper

2 small hot red peppers

1/4 cup olive oil

First heat the olive oil and add the chopped onions and carrots.  Be sure they are chopped small enough for them to cook quickly.  Let simmer for approximately 5 minutes or until the onions become translucent.  Add the ground 

beef and let brown.  Drain any excess oil.  Add the tomato sauce, salt, pepper and red peppers and let cook for at least a half hour on medium to low heat.  Remember, the longer it cooks the better it tastes.  Add this to your favorite pasta and buon appetite! 

Pasta with onions and meat

It turned out that last night I was hungrier that I thought I would be. I found some ground beef in the fridge and I decided to make some pasta with it. But I still wanted to cook some onions.

Time:15 min.

1) Put water to boil in a pot

2)Cut onions and add to a second pot with extra virgin olive oil. Cover with a cup and let the onions cook at medium for 5 minutes.

3) Add some white wine and let evaporate the alcohol. 

4) Add the ground beef. Cover with a cap the pot.

5) Add the pasta (spaghetti will work fine, linguine better).

6) Drain the pasta and add to the pot with the meat sauce.

7) Add a bunch of parmesan (mandatory) and some pepper.

I was pretty full at the end of my second dish of pasta! However I had also a nice salad with lemon and olive oil. We used to say that salad at the end of a meal is good to wash your mouth and help you digest.

Buon appetito!

Onion frittata

I was thinking what I can cook for tonight... Last week-end we had far too many sweeties, so I feel that I should control myself and eat something light. I will make a nice salad for sure. Dressed with extra virgin olive of oil (good for you) and a little bit of salt and lemon (Vitamin C). 

I may just have eggs. Yes, I will make a nice frittata of onions.

Time: 10 min

1)Take a skillet, add extra virgin live oil, medium heat.

2)Pell and slice white or red onions. Add them to the skillet for few minutes.

3)Meanwhile beats 4 eggs (2 per person). Add a quarter of teaspoon of salt.  

4)Add the onions to the eggs, stir and re-pour everything in the skillet.

5) Cook few minutes one side and then the other side. Leave the round shape characteristic of frittata.

 

Serve like a pie. 

Optional: add parmesan to the mix.

Buon appetito