Move over, Martha. The Daring Bakers are claiming your territory!

Well, perhaps we’re not quite claiming your territory but we are all over a dessert you showcased. And it’s a good thing too as judging by my own experience and that of most of the other Daring Bakers, your recipe could do with a bit of help.

As many of you know, back in November Lis of La Mia Cucina and I decided to challenge ourselves to bake (or create) foods that we would normally not try. Since November, the little group that we affectionately named The Daring Bakers has grown to close to thirty members!

Each month our challenges have been exciting and we have been pushed to try new recipes and expand our creativity. But along with the growth spurt we’ve had some growing pains. Voting on our monthly challenge became a bit of a headache due to the number of people involved. As a result, we made a decision to move to a hosted event. Part of the duties of being hostess (or host) is that you must choose a challenge for the month, supply the recipe (and post the recipe on your own blog) and pick a date for the challenge.

The April edition of The Daring Bakers features Brilynn of Jumbo Empanadas as hostess. Brilynn had her eye on a Martha Stewart confection called Darkest Chocolate Crepe Cake. Martha’s own creation is based on a famous crepe cake from the New York bakery, Lady M Cake Boutique.

This particular dessert consists of four components:  crepes, filling, glaze and decoration. While I have some experience with crepes, I was very intrigued by the idea of making chocolate crepes, which I’d never done before. The crepe batter, which included semisweet chocolate, was fairly straightforward to pull together. As I went to actually cook the crepes, however, I was a bit concerned as I know that some of my fellow Daring Bakers had experienced some difficulties.

While the first few crepes had their lives tragically cut short after tearing and generally not cooking properly, I found the rest of the crepes easier to produce. The only drawback to this part of the recipe was that it took so very long to make the crepes. This was partly my fault as I decided to make mini crepes. After some research, I "invested" in a $9 egg fry pan that has the most adorable handle ever! I don’t usually eat a lot of fried eggs but the pan was so cute that I couldn’t resist.

While the crepes were good, I didn’t find anything particularly exciting about them. So I looked to the filling to offer the pizazz factor for this dessert.

I studied the recipe for the filling in the original but knew right away that I didn’t want to make it. Have you ever looked at a recipe and thought, "You know what. I just don’t want to go to the trouble"? That’s precisely how I felt when I looked at the filling recipe. Did I really want to buy Hazelnut Cream? Did I really want to use six egg whites? Did I really want to use almost a pound of butter just for a filling? For some reason I just felt uninspired by the filling and decided it just wasn’t worth using up precious butter.

Instead, I decided to go the simple route by spreading Nutella on the crepes. I figure you just can’t go wrong with Nutella! After having filled and built my little crepe cakes, I put them in the refrigerator to set. While they rested, I made the chocolate glaze. This particular glaze was quite easy to make and definitely good, but again, there wasn’t anything spectacular about it. It had a great pour quality that definitely covered a multitude of crepe sins, but other than that it was your average chocolate glaze.

For some strange reason, the further into the recipe I got the less interested I felt.

The final step before putting it all together was the decoration. The original recipe includes instructions on how to make candied hazelnuts with a decorative effect. Initially I wasn’t going to make these as it seemed a lot of trouble, but I changed my mind. I reminded myself that part of being a Daring Baker is pushing yourself so I went ahead with caramelizing the hazelnuts. I’m glad I changed my mind. The hazelnuts were probably my favourite part of the recipe. I would be lying if I said it wasn’t great fun creating strings of caramel sugar all over the kitchen.

The fun of the hazelnuts aside, at this point I was just eager to put the cake together and see the final result (and get it over with). I cloaked the crepe cakes in the chocolate glaze and let them set for a few minutes before transferring the cakes to a serving dish and then finally cutting into one of them.

The cakes were sweet with a nice touch of hazelnut from the Nutella. And the caramel decorations were a big hit. However, if I were to make this again, I think I would make a cream filling. As good as the Nutella was, I think some creaminess would have helped to lighten the cake just a bit.

But to be very honest with you, I just don’t see myself making this particular crepe cake again. It was uninspiring. It tasted alright, but the taste doesn’t match the visual appeal of the cake. It’s hard to put my finger on it, but the end result just didn’t live up to the hype.

Having said that, my Daring Bakers have all acquitted themselves admirably. In fact quite a few of them have given Martha a run for her money! To see what incredible confections the other Daring Bakers produced, you can check their blogs by clicking on the links under The Daring Bakers category in the sidebar to the right of this page.

And stay tuned … The Daring Bakers will be back for more next month!

Ciao!

Note:  For those of you interested in trying this dessert, there is a video demonstration that you can watch from the Martha Stewart site.

Technorati tags: crepes, crepe cake, daring bakers

It’s hard to believe that a little over a month ago I barely had time to even talk to my family, much less blog. The long days and even longer nights put in at work seem but a distant memory.

And yet it was only a month ago that I would stumble into the house, sometimes as late as midnight. And while I’m completely in love with food, it was at those times that the very idea of cooking or baking seemed next to impossible, like a distant dream not meant for me.

Wandering into the kitchen, that late at night (or should I say that early in the morning), more often than not it was nothing more exotic than a bowl of Cheerios keeping me company. That’s lonely business I tell you - sitting at the table alone, with a bowl of cereal at 1:00 a.m.

But as sad as that picture may seem, as with all things, the long hours passed and I began to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Naturally, the desire for for food breathed new life into me.

Inevitably the night comes when the bowl of Cheerios is cast aside in favour of something sweeter and divine. It’s what I like to call The Midnight Snack of Champions:  walnuts with Parmigiano Reggiano and honey.

You can’t have any one of these without the other two. The mellow butteriness of the walnuts is perfect against the sharp tingle of the Parmigiano, which is perfect dripping with the golden honey.

And there is no exact recipe for this snack. The proportions are entirely up to you. I like a handful of walnuts and a chunk of Parmigiano (cut into small pieces), covered in a few healthy teaspoons of honey (preferably chestnut honey).

The only rule here is that you must eat this with your fingers being sure to lick up every delicious drop of honey.

Forget the Cheerios.

In those quiet night hours, when hunger strikes, comfort yourself with the snack of champions all the while knowing that there will only be sweet dreams to follow.

Ciao!

Technorati tags:walnuts, Parmigiano Reggiano, honey

Jamie Oliver is driving me batty! In a totally good way.

As much fun as I’ve been having reading Jamie’s Italy, I’m frustrated by the fact that there are so many recipes I won’t be able to try until the bounty of summer fruits and vegetables begins to find its way into our kitchen.

My mouth is positively watering over dishes like eggplant parmigiana that has me longing for the beautiful purple eggplant from our garden. Unfortunately those won’t be here until August and September so I’ll just  have to bide my time.

But I’m such an impatient Cream Puff! Sigh.

To comfort myself, I decided instead to give myself a little present courtesy of Mr. Oliver. Who doesn’t like unwrapping a gift? The drama, the expectation, the excitement as you slowly reveal what’s hidden inside. As soon as I saw Jamie’s recipe for wild mushrooms roasted in a parchment paper sac, I knew I’d have to give it a try. Especially since I’m always looking for new side dishes to serve with meals.

I love mushrooms and was intrigued by the idea of roasting them in a paper packet. Usually we eat our mushrooms sauteed or grilled. Jamie’s recipe calls for wild mushrooms which are combined with a variety of herbs and prosciutto in a parchment sac. A splash of wine is the final touch before the mushrooms go into the oven.

I used a variety of cremini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms for my attempt at the recipe. I brushed off any dirt and kept the mushrooms whole, except for any that were particularly large, which I cut in half. I combined the mushrooms in a bowl and drizzled on lots of extra virgin olive oil. I added sea salt, black pepper and fresh rosemary. While my paper packet wasn’t nearly as neat-looking as Jamie’s, it certainly did the trick. Just before popping it in the oven, I added a splash of cognac to the mushrooms because I’ve always believed (don’t know why) that mushrooms and cognac go very well together.

After about fifteen minutes in the oven, my parchment packet had puffed up a bit (the hot air is trapped in the sac) and I eagerly opened it up to find a gorgeous melange of mushrooms that were cooked perfectly. The aroma of rosemary and the faint hint of cognac made the dish taste as wonderfully as it looked.

I do believe I’ve found something to keep my mind of eggplant parmigiana … for now.

Ciao!

Roasted Mushrooms with Cognac

Adapted from Jamie’s Italy by Jamie Oliver.

Note:  Parchment paper is available in baking shops and also in the baking section of most grocery stores. In addition (or instead of), you can also use thyme and sage to flavour the mushrooms. 

This recipe will serve 4.

• 1 pound of mixed mushrooms (cremini, oyster, shiitake), cleaned with larger mushrooms cut in half
• 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1-1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. rosemary, chopped
• 2 tbsp. cognac
• chopped parsley for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine your mushrooms in a bowl and add the olive oil, making sure that the mushrooms are evenly coated.
3. Add the salt, pepper and rosemary and mix well.
4. Take one sheet of parchment paper (it should be roughly 18 x 22 inches in size) and place it on a counter.
5. Pile the mushroom mixture in the centre of the parchment, flattening the mushrooms slightly so that they’re not mounded too high in the centre. Drizzle on the cognac.
6. Cover the mushrooms with another sheet of parchment of equal size.
7. Fold all the ends of the parchment up and in so that a tight seal forms on all sides.
8. Slide the parchment package onto a baking sheet and then place in the oven.
9. Bake for 15 minutes and then remove. Open the package (carefully as a lot of steam will be released).
10. Taste the mushrooms and adjust seasoning.
11. Place the mushrooms in a bowl and sprinkle on the parsley before serving.
12. Enjoy!

Technorati tags:  mushrooms, jamie oliver, jamie’s italy

Spring has embraced Toronto in a huge way! It’s a gorgeous day outside and for a change, I’m looking forward to being out there running errands.

I couldn’t help but post these adorable cookies and wish all of you a wonderful weekend.

I’ll post the recipe soon, but until then, enjoy the beautiful weather.

Ciao!

Jam Sandwich Cookies

Recipe from back of cookie cutter package. Cookie Cutters made by R&M International Corp.

Note:  Of all the cookie cutter sets that I have, these are my favourite. They’re called Springtime Linzer Cookie Cutters and the set consists of a cutter attachment with little slots that anchor the various cookie cutters. This particular set has six cutters to choose from including chick, rabbit and butterfly. I bought mine at Golda’s Kitchen, which ships internationally. Click here to see the cookie cutter set.

You can use whatever jam you like for these cookies. I like apricot because the lovely colour seems just right for spring! If you don’t have orange extract, you can use vanilla extract.

With this particular cookie cutter set, I can get about 40 to 50 cookies, which will yield about 20 to 30 cookie sandwiches.

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. pure orange extract
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 2 cups sifted cake flour (sift your flour and then measure out 2 cups)
• 1 cup apricot jam
• additional icing sugar for dusting

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until fluffy (about a minute or two).
2. Add the orange extract and the icing sugar and mix until well combined (a minute or two). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
3. Add the flour, one cup at a time, mixing well between each addition. Don’t over mix the flour. If it appears as though the dough won’t come together, remove the bowl from the mixer and mix in any remaining flour by hand.
4. Transfer the dough to a work surface and gather into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
5. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
6. After an hour, remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide in half. Place the portion you’re not using back in the refrigerator.
7. Roll out the portion you are using to a thickness of a quarter of an inch. Take whatever cookie cutter you’re using and begin cutting out cookies.
8. Transfer cookies to one of the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, just until the cookies between to turn slightly golden around the edges. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Reroll any scraps and cut out more cookies and bake them as directed above.
10. Remove the second portion of dough from the refrigerator and roll out as above. If you’re using a stamped cookie cutter such as the ones that I used, then be sure to cut out the other half of the cookie sandwich (i.e., if you cut out the bottoms with the first half, then cut out the tops with the second half). If you’re not using a cookie cutter with a stamp or with a design in it, then continue cutting the shapes you cut the first half with.
11. Once you’ve rolled out all the dough and baked all the cookies, let them cool completely.
12. Take the cookies that you intend to use as the tops of the cookie sandwiches and dust them with icing sugar.
13. Take your jam and give it a few stirs to loosen it. Taking the bottom part of the cookie sandwich spread a teaspoon of jam over the cookie and then top with the other half of the cookie sandwich.
14. These will keep in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 2 or 3 days.
15. Enjoy!

Technorati tags:  cookies, jam, apricot jam

I certainly hope Jamie Oliver doesn’t mind, but I’ve been cheating on him with Giada De Laurentiis.

Can you blame me?

While I rarely watch her television program, Everyday Italian, I am a fan of her cookbooks. I don’t think anyone would disagree when I say that they very clearly fall into the category of food porn and who can resist a little food porn every now and then?

I thought I’d finally take the chance to pull her second book, Giada’s Family Dinners, off The Overburdened Bookshelf and spend a few weekends enjoying an abundance of comfort food Big Fat Italian Family Style!

Giada’s Family Dinners is divided into chapters that include Soups and Sandwiches, The Italian Grill, Family Feasts and Family-Style Desserts. Being a good Cream Puff, I naturally started with the desserts section as you can clearly see from the Apricot Crostata above.

As one would expect, the cookbook is full of gorgeous full-colour pictures depicting Giada and her family enjoying a lot of good food. While many might find this ever-so-slightly annoying, I actually like the pictures because they remind me of my family.

Minus the designer plates, stain-free linens, and glowing faces of course. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family. But were we invited to Giada’s you know we’d be the slightly embarrassing second cousins. This fact notwithstanding, the photos in this book truly are beautiful and you’d be hard-pressed to resist the urge to run into the kitchen and start cooking based on the pictures alone.

As with all cookbooks, my final opinion rests on the recipes. Say what you want about Giada, her recipes are inviting and they work. Dishes like Tuna and Artichoke Panini, Herbed Cheese Polenta, Garlic and Citrus Chicken, Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs and Chocolate Ricotta Pudding with Strawberry Sauce will have you salivating as soon as you read the titles. But upon close inspection, the recipes are clearly written and well organized. The instructions are helpful and accurate, without being too long.

Oh. And did I mention the gorgeous pictures?

But the proof, as they say, is in the pudding so I decided to get into the kitchen and start cooking. I tried a number of recipes from this cookbook and was happy with all of them, and particularly impressed by two of them, the first being her lovely Apricot Crostata.

A crostata, in Italy, is akin to a a tart. While in many parts of Italy crostatas can be formal desserts where the pastry is fashioned in a decorative way, Giada’s crostata is more of a free-form tart and is both easy and delicious. As with many of her recipes, she has no problems turning to the tools of the modern kitchen, namely the food processor. After pulling together the crostata dough very quickly in the processor (you can just as easily make it by hand in a bowl), I refrigerated the dough for a bit before rolling it out to an 11-inch round. I opened one of the last jars of the lovely apricot jam my mother and I made last summer and used that as the filling for the tart. After 40 minutes in the oven, I had a beautiful golden tart that was delicious and impressed everyone. The effort for this dessert was minimal and the end result was more than worthwhile.

In this regard, I have to give Giada a lot of credit. Her cookbooks are filled with easy recipes that end with a big pay off when you sit down to enjoy them.

After trying the Apricot Crostata, I decided to try her version of Pasta e Fagioli. I don’t think I know a single Italian family that doesn’t have a traditional recipe for pasta e fagioli. Giada’s version is quite straightforward and calls for canned beans, which certainly saves time (for those of us that don’t want to soak our beans overnight). The resulting soup does not suffer in flavour in any way. As Giada emphasizes over and over, simple fresh ingredients combined with the winning combination of olive oil and Parmigiano Reggiano will take you far!

Eager to try another pasta recipe, my eyes fell on a recipe for baked pasta. The dish is called Farmer’s Pasta but I like to refer to it as the Incredibly Delicious Union of My Favourite Cheeses. This is because the dish features fontina, mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano. Oh yes and heavy cream.

Heaven!

While you’ll have to excuse the poor quality of my picture, take my word for it when I say that this was truly delicious. I had several requests for it after making it the first time and it will most definitely become part of our fall and winter repertoire of comfort dishes!

In the department of foods baked with lots of butter, cheese and cream, we enjoyed an incredible Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin followed by some amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies with Hazelnuts.

But after the Apricot Crostata, the dish that we loved most was a gorgeous Roasted Red Snapper with Parsley Vinaigrette. This one was a winner from the moment I pulled it out of the oven! Unlike some other cookbook authors who focus on Italian cuisine, Giada truly does justice to fish and seafood as all her cookbooks include a lot of recipes that use these ingredients. I love red snapper but find that I don’t eat it as often as I’d like. This recipe has changed that. After rubbing red snapper with olive oil and seasoning with salt, pepper and paprika, the fish is roasted at high heat. While it’s roasting, a delicious vinaigrette of parsley, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil and salt and pepper is mixed in the blender. Once the fish is out of the oven, drizzle with the vinaigrette and you’ve got a showstopper of a main course. I can’t say enough about how impressed I was by this dish.

End with some Nutella Ravioli and you’ll be smiling as happily as Giada and her family!

I really can’t say anything bad about this cookbook. Every recipe I tried turned out wonderfully and I recommend it highly. While the serving sizes of the recipes are large (remember the book is geared towards large family gatherings), I had no problems whatsoever halving the recipes.

I must give credit where credit is due. This is a well-written, beautifully photographed cookbook that is bound to yield a number of recipes that you’ll love. Buon Appetito!

Ciao!

Apricot Crostata

Adapted from Giada’s Family Dinners by Giada De Laurentiis.

Note:  I used homemade apricot jam for this crostata but feel free to use any jam or preserves that you like. Raspberry and strawberry would be particularly good choices. Be sure to refrigerate the dough before rolling out as it will be much easier to handle.

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2-1/2 tbsp. vanilla sugar (or you can use regular sugar)
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1-1/4 sticks (10 tbsp.) cold unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces
• ice water
• 1 cup apricot jam or preserves
• sliced almonds for garnish
• icing sugar for garnish

1. In the bowl of the food processor, mix together the flour, sugar, lemon zest and salt. Pulse a few times to combine.
2. Add the pieces of butter and pulse again (10 to 15 times), until the mixture looks like coarse oatmeal and the butter has been processed into very tiny pieces.
3. With the mixture running, slowly add in some ice water, a tablespoon at a time. Mix just until the dough comes together in a ball. You’ll likely have to add between three and five tablespoons of ice water.
4. Remove the dough from the food processor and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Once chilled, remove the dough from the refrigerator and begin rolling it out on a well-floured surface. You want to roll the dough out into a circle that is roughly 11 to 12 inches in diameter.
7. Once your circle of dough has been rolled to the correct size, transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Spread the jam or preserves over the dough, leaving a two-inch border all the way around. Once the preserves have been distributed over the dough, begin sealing the crostata edges by folding the border up over the jam. Continue until you’ve folded all of the border up and over.
9. Bake the crostata for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges of the crostata are golden. Remove the crostata from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
10. Once cool, transfer the crostata to a serving plate. Sprinkle centre with sliced almonds and dust the edges of the crostata with icing sugar.
11. Enjoy!

Technorati tags:crostata, apricot crostata, giada de laurentiis

Those rumours that I kept hearing about the Easter Bunny being spotted in our neighbourhood proved to be true. The house is full of baskets of eggs and Easter lilies. At the moment, my mother is in the midst of working her magic as the incredible meal that we will be enjoying this afternoon begins to take shape. Soon, the house will be full of hungry people, myself included, as another Easter celebration begins.

From Cream Puff’s family to all of you, Happy Easter! Buona Pasqua!

Ciao!

Lemon Meringue Tart

Note:  In Toronto’s Bloor West Village, there used to be a lovely restaurant and catering spot called Lemon Meringue. As the name would indicate, the place was famous for its lemon meringue pies. While the location is now closed (the owners still provide catering services), I was fortunate to catch a show on the Canadian Food Network that demonstrated one of the members of the Lemon Meringue team making a lemon meringue tart. Ever since then, this pretty tart has become a staple at Easter time.

Click here for the recipe. Enjoy!

P.S. Lord, if you’re reading this, please let the Leafs make the playoffs!!! (Yes, even at Easter-time we here in Toronto are thinking of hockey!)

Technorati tags:  easter, lemon meringue tart

I’ve heard rumours that the Easter Bunny has been seen hopping around our neighbourhood.

Perhaps.

What I do know, is that it’s Good Friday and that means fish and seafood in our household. I’m often asked why it is that we eat fish on Good Friday and to be honest, I don’t know the precise answer although I suspect it has much to do with this being the day that, in the religious context, Jesus was crucified. For as long as I can remember, Fridays were reserved for fish. It was a nice way to end the week, especially in preparation for the very large (and meat-filled) lunch we’d usually have on Sundays.

While we do enjoy our fish on Good Friday, it’s not quite the same as the celebration on Christmas Eve. Good Friday has a more sombre tone to it and the food we eat tends to be simple. Usually, my mother will make a pasta sauce with skate and a few mussels and clams thrown in at the end. But for this Good Friday, I wanted to try something new.

Flipping through Jamie’s Italy, I came across a recipe for spaghetti with shrimp and arugula. The picture made me stop. I love shrimp and pasta and the sight of the two of them with colourful bits of arugula had my mouth watering.

Preparation for the pasta was quite easy. Instead of using dried chili flakes, I decided to use fresh red chile peppers. The recipe calls for sundried tomato puree, which I didn’t have. So I improvised and made my own by soaking a handful of sundried tomatoes in boiling water for about twenty minutes. I drained them and put the softened tomatoes in the bowl of the food processor. I added a few cloves of garlic and processed them until everything was finely chopped. Then, with the processor running, I poured in about a quarter cup of olive oil through the food tube. I ended up with a dark red puree that had a very concentrated tomato taste.

While the spaghetti boiled, I sauteed garlic and the red chile peppers in olive oil. I added the shrimp and then some white wine and the sundried tomato puree. Once the spaghetti was cooked, I added the pasta to the pan with the sauce and shrimp. I added lemon juice and arugula and then mixed until all the spaghetti was coated in the fragrant sauce. Before serving, I sprinkled the spaghetti with a bit of lemon zest for colour and flavour.

What a delicious plate of pasta! On this sombre Good Friday, we had a bit of sunshine inside.

Ciao!

Spaghetti with Shrimp and Arugula

Adapted from Jamie’s Italy by Jamie Oliver.

Note:  I used spaghetti as in the original recipe, but you could try this with any long pasta. While the original recipe indicates that it will serve 4, you could probably stretch it to serve 6.

• 1 lb. spaghetti (I used fresh spaghetti)
• 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red chile pepper, finely chopped
• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 tbsp. sundried tomato puree
• juice and zest of one lemon
• 1 cup arugula leaves, roughly chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook your spaghetti in a large pot of boiling, salted water. Cook according to package directions. While your spaghetti is cooking, prepare the sauce.
2. In a large pan, heat the olive oil and then add the garlic and chile pepper. Saute for about 20 seconds, don’t let the garlic burn.
3. Add the shrimp and cook for about a minute, until the shrimp have turned a pinkish/orange colour on both sides.
4. Add the white wine and the sundried tomato puree. Cook for a few minutes over high heat, until the sauce has reduced a bit.
5. Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain the pasta and then add it to the pan. Add the lemon juice and the arugula and begin mixing the pasta until it is completely coated in sauce and the arugula has begun to wilt.
6. Plate the pasta and sprinkle a bit of lemon zest on top before serving.
7. Enjoy!

Technorati tags:  pasta , spaghetti, shrimp, arugula, jamie oliver

Hello, April!

I see you’ve brought a new Flavour of the Month with you:  Jamie’s Italy. I received a copy of this book to review and as soon as I picked up, I knew I’d like it. Who wouldn’t want to be sitting in Italy with a plate of pasta and a glass of wine?

I never get tired of cookbooks on Italian cuisine. I’m not sure if it’s the promise of Italy that they hold or the fact that the food just looks so good. Either way, I look forward to travelling through Italy with Mr. Jaime Oliver this month.

And while I expect you will bring some flowers, April, that’s fine. I’ve got my pasta e ceci to comfort me!

Ciao!

Pasta e Ceci (Pasta with Chickpeas)

Adapted from Jamie’s Italy by Jamie Oliver.

Note:  Pasta e ceci is one of those recipes that can be adapted to suit any tastes. You can make it as thick our as soupy as you like. Feel free to add whatever herbs you like. If you’ve got fresh rosemary or basil on hand, they are an excellent addition to the soup. This soup will serve 4.

• 2 to 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. hot pepper flakes
• 1 sprig rosemary or 1 tbsp. dried rosemary
• 1-1/2 cups chickpeans (use canned chickpeas that have been drained and rinsed)
• 2-1/2 cups chicken stock or water
• 1 cup dried pasta (I like to use tubetti which is a tiny tubular pasta)
• 3 tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• Parmigiano Reggiano to taste

1. In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil with the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, hot pepper flakes and rosemary. Cook over very low heat until the vegetables are soft and translucent (about 10 to 15 minutes). Be careful not to burn the vegetables.
2. Once the vegetables are soft, add the chickpeas and the chicken stock or water. Simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring often.
3. Remove half the chickpeas and place in a bowl. Set aside.
4. With an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor, process the liquid and chickpeas in the stockpot until you have a smooth and creamy mixture.
5. Return the remaining chickpeas to the pot and add the pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Let cook until the pasta is ready (about 10 minutes). If the soup gets too thick, add some water.
7. Once the pasta is done, stir in the parsley and taste again for salt and pepper. Adjust the seasoning accordingly.
8. Serve the pasta e ceci with lots of grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
9. Enjoy!

Technorati tags:  pasta, chickpeas, pasta e ceci, jamie oliver, jamie’s italy