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1.0 Spaghetti Carbonara di Santo
I did not invent this one. Nor did I learn it from anyone in particular. It is standard fare in Italy (invented in Roma) and everyone does it slightly differently. It really doesn't get much easier than this. The NY Times recommends a different way you make it. You might try that one as well. They use a skillet. I only do this if I have leftover Carbonara. I take those leftovers the next day, warm a skillet with extra virgin olive oil and a clove of chopped garlic and stir in the leftovers...maybe adding a very small amount of whole milk or Panna if I still have some left...just to get the leftovers a little creamier...it is ready in a couple of minutes and tastes just as good and just as fresh as it did the night before.
Start by boiling pasta in salted water.
You can make the sauce in the time it takes to boil the water and then cook the pasta.
That's how fast this meal is.
While the pasta is cooking, fry up some Pancetta if you have it. Prosciutto is a good second choice, Bacon is a good third choice if that is all you have.
I will add some Extra Virgin Olive oil and saute chopped onions and in the last minute of the carmelizing of the onions I will saute up a clove of chopped fresh garlic as well. If I am cooking for myself I will had a few peas, but no one else in my family likes peas so I won't add them 95% of the time.
While that is going, mix with a fork a number of eggs (two minimum or one for each guest...so for four guests I would do 4 eggs). At this time, I also add some Panna, Creme Fraiche, Heavy Whipping Cream or half and half if you have any of these). Not a lot. Just a little to add creaminess. The traditional recipe does NOT call for this cream. Some Italians will frown upon your adding this, so there's that. I add it if I have and don't if I don't. When the pasta is al dente, drain immediately, leaving a small amount of the salted water in with the pasta. IMMEDIATELY add the egg mixture to the hot pasta. You have to mix this in immediately and stir with rigour because the hot pasta cooks the egg while you stir. Then add 2/3 cup of fresh grated Parmigiana or Pecorino Romano or a combination thereof...add the pancetta and onions with garlic (and peas if you added them), Stir to a creamy consistency and serve immediately. You can't let Carbonara just sit around. Eat promptly.
That's why this meal is so quick and easy. You can do it in the time it takes to boil water and cook the pasta and you are eating within seconds of having finished. As usual, you can add salt and pepper to taste, grate a little more Parmigiana on top, add a spring of Basil et voila...Enjoy.
2.0 Fusilli alla Crema di Broccoli di Giorgia
When times are good I go with all local ingredients, but now during the shutdown, just scrape together whatever you can I get the broccoli from Santa Maria, the Italian Parsley and Basil from our garden in the backyard, garlic from Hanford and the Heavy Whipping Cream comes from the Strauss Family in Marshall. I usually use Fusilli now, but when times were good, I was able to get fresh fettuccine made a few hours prior in San Luis Obispo by my friend Sophia; nevertheless, Fusilli or Farfalle are the best types of pasta to use typically. I use Anchovies but if you want it to be a vegetarian dish, you can leave them out. That said, the anchovies get swallowed up in the sauce. They are a nice addition, but they aren't overpowering for the dish. I recommend their addition under normal conditions if everyone in your party is either a pescatarian or an omnivore. I bike to the SLO natural food coop to get a lot of the ingredients. For the olive oil, i bike to Higuera Street and buy my own bottle and have them re-fill it. I walk to my backyard to get some of the other ingredients. I usually don't have to drive for any of these ingredients. I was able to cook down the broccoli and the pasta in the same boiled water, saving on energy too. Again, lowered expectations for freshness under these times in Quarantine.
I got this recipe from my friend Giorgia, who is from Bologna. One of the culinary capitals of Italy. Like most Italian recipes, it simply requires really good ingredients done simply but to great affect:
Ingredients:
five heads of Broccolli
one large clove of garlic (or two small ones)
one bushel of Italian Parsley
one bag of Fusilli
250-300 grams of Panna, Creme Fraiche or Heavy Whipping Cream (whatever you can find...ranked in order if you can find all three)
one can of anchovies (optional but important)
sea salt
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A. Chop the broccoli into individual florets and sliced stalks and throw it all into boiling water...EVERY part of the Broccoli can go into the water. There are just as many nutrients and more fiber in the stalks but we don't eat them mostly because of taste, but since they all get boiled down, we can eat the stalks in this situation as well.
B. Chop the garlic and saute in Extra Virgen Olive Oil with chopped Italian Parsley and the optional can of anchovies in a saucepan on very low heat
C. Once the broccoli is soft, drain without losing the boiling water. Put the soft Broccoli into the saucepan and mash up with a fork and then stir with the other ingredients and add the Panna, Creme Fraiche or Heavy Whipping Cream and stir altogether.
D. Simultaneously, cook the pasta in salted broccoli water, and throw additional salt into the sauce in the saucepan and mix altogether. If you went with the anchovies, you can add less salt.
E. When pasta is al dente, drain and mix with the sauce. Salt and Pepper to taste, grate some fresh parmigiana on it and serve with a clove of basil.
Enjoy!
3.0 Fricelli alla Vegana di Tommaso
It is so named because I invented this one. I was cooking for a couple of friends and one of them was Vegan, so I had to think quickly. She was my guinea pig, and she loved it...so I have been making it ever since.
I start by carmelizing chopped yellow onions in extra virgin olive oil, when that’s almost done I sauté chopped garlic (one Clove) in with that and before that gets too roasted, I drop in a good tomato sauce from Italy 🇮🇹...I usually buy that sauce at one of our high end Italian delis like de Palo And sons, Giuseppe’s or Anti Pasto in San Jose...if you are in NY, you could probably use Michael’s of Brooklyn (just be careful to make sure it doesn’t have any anchovies which would drop it down to pescatarian but not vegan.......and with all the ex-Mafia in Southern Florida, I am sure you can find some good Italian delis there too :-) then I drop in some fresh chopped tomatoes 🍅 or Pomi from Italy 🇮🇹....you can start boiling the pasta water with some sea salt from Naoshima (I still get great flashbacks from our awesome trip to Japan, Jimmy)...then on the side, you want to purée a mix of the following...either in a blender or similar:
Tofu, carrots, veganese, hemp seeds, red onion, zucchini, sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, Braggs aminos, apple cider vinegar, Italian herbs 🌿 and agave nectar...then drop that mix in with the rest of the sauce and stir it altogether...go heavier on the tofu and vegetables and lighter on the other stuff...once the pasta is in the water i start dropping in fresh basil in to the sauce from our kitchen table til the pasta is ready.
I tried it with gluten free pasta last time and it wasn’t terrible, but it’s much better with a high end pasta from Italy by way of the aforementioned delis...I like the pasta from the south: Puglia, Calabria, Basilicata, Molise, Abruzzo. Et cetera...I use Fricelli the most frequently on this dish.
Mix it all together
Add salt to taste
Then vegetarians and all non-vegans can shred some parmigiana over the top.
Add a sprig of Basil 🌿 on top of each plate Et voila
Enjoy
4.0 Fusilli al Pesto di JR (one of my former students)
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1/2 lb Fresh basil
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1/2 lb Fresh arugula
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1/4 lb Fresh dandelion greens
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1 cups raw pine nuts
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1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
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Juice of 1-2 lemons
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Extra Virgin Olive Oil (see below for amount)
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1 1/2 - 2 heads (yes heads) of garlic
In a food processor add the garlic, cheese, pine nuts, lemon juice, and a splash of olive oil. You want these ingredients on the bottom because when you spin up the food processor, it will effectively make aioli.
Stuff all the greens on top. I typically cut off the thicker stems from each green before putting them in the food pro. Drizzle 2-3 Tbsp of olive oil over the greens to start. Spin up the food pro and let the greens incorporate into a paste. Slowly add olive oil as the food pro spins until the mixture begins to take the consistency of hummus. You don't want to over oil the sauce.
Taste the mixture and adjust the levels of cheese, lemon juice, or olive oil as needed. You should get a good kick from the garlic, a nice tang from the lemon, and a deep umami from the cheese.
Boil 1 lb of your favorite pasta (I typically use fusilli because it holds the sauce well, but long noodles work also) in generously salted water until al dente. Strain, return to the pot, and immediately add the pesto to the hot noodles and stir.
5.0 Lomo Saltado de Hesse: beef part only, white rice and fries on the side
Ingredients:
Red Onion - 2 whole
Tomatoes - 4 medium sized
Red Pepper - 1 pepper
Aji amarillo - 1 aji
Parsley - 2 tablespoons
Garlic - 1 tablespoon
Soy Sauce - chorro / two tablespoons to taste
Boiling Water - chorrito (a splash)
Oil - for pan
Paprika - 1 teaspoon
Salt and Pepper - to taste
Lime - to taste to season beef
Cumin - ¼ teaspoon
Lomo style beef - 1 lb
Red Vinegar - chorrito / drizzle
Steps:
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Season beef with lime, salt, pepper, and cumin
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Chop red onion, tomato, and aji amarillo into long slices
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Brown and cook beef on a pan with oil
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Take out beef and put into a separate bowl
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Brown garlic and onion in the juices from the beef, half browned with paprika
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After add in aji, red pepper to brown then add vinegar
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Add in the tomato last but do not let overcook
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Add beef back in add in parsley and soy sauce to taste “un chorro”
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1 chorro of boiling water just a little to make juice
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Cover and simmer on low fire
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Plate with white rice on the side and fries if desired
6.0 A Tart and Text-able Kale Salad
use a food processor to grind your desired amount of kale and half a jalapeño(or as spicy as you want it)
dress with olive oil, lemon juice, and minced garlic (dealers’ choice for proportions, but 2:1 olive to lemon juice is a good place to start)
top with parmesan and bread crumbs to taste.
7.0 Uncle Ben’s Hometown Hero (aka “That’s a Zesty Meat Pie”, aka Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza)
INGREDIENTS
For the dough:
1 ⅓ cups warm water
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 ½ teaspoons fine salt
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for the pan
½ cup cornmeal
3 ¾ cups flour, plus more as needed
For the sauce:
1 28oz can roma tomatoes, whole and peeled
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried or fresh basil
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
For the filling and toppings:
4 oz sliced provolone
12 oz fresh mozzarella
1 lb spicy italian sausage, uncased
5 oz parmesan cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
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Combine warm water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer, allowing to dissolve and foam for about 10 minutes. Add olive oil, melted butter, sugar, salt, cornmeal, and most of the flour. Knead, stopping occasionally to scrape sides of the bowl and adding more flour as needed, until smooth and elastic.
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Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface, kneading in extra flour if needed. Roll into a tight, smooth ball and place in an olive oil greased bowl. Cover bowl and allow to rise in a warm area until doubled in volume, about 1 to 2 hours.
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Meanwhile, in a sauce pot combine saute garlic and tomato paste in olive oil on medium heat until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves to the pot. Simmer for 60 to 90 minutes, until very thick. Add sugar, season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
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Punch down to deflate dough and turn out on a floured work station. Press and stretch out your dough into a round, about 3-4 inches larger than a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Brush skillet with 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil. Place dough in the skillet; stretch and pull to evenly distribute it over the bottom and sides.
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To top and fill, place provolone cheese slices on bottom of the crust. Top provolone with 8 oz hand-torn mozzarella cheese. Add italian sausage and top with the remaining mozzarella. Ladle pizza sauce generously over top. Top with grated parmesan cheese. Fold in the edges of the crust towards the center to seal the sides. Drizzle crust and center with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
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Bake in the center of preheated oven until crust sounds hollow and pizza is bronzed and browned, about 35 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing (if you can!)
9.0 Molly’s Mocha Mousse
2 TBSP butter
4 oz chopped chocolate
3 eggs, separated
½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup sugar
½ cup cream
1 generous pinch o’ instant espresso powder
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In metal bowl over pot of simmering water, melt chocolate and butter. Remove form heat. Add espresso powder.
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Wisk egg whites and 2 TBSP sugar to stiff peaks. Do same for cream and 2 TBSP sugar.
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Wisk egg yolks and vanilla into cooled chocolate mixture.
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Stir a spoonful of whipped whites into chocolate to lighten. Fold in rest of whites. Fold in whipped cream just until white streaks disappear.
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Refrigerate till chilled (or freeze, for mocha ice cream).
10.0 Bombay Sapphire Martini
Ingredients:
Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin
Cinzano Rosso Italian Vermouth
Tom Olives
Fill a Martini shaker with large cubes of ice and Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin.
Open the bottle of Cinzano Rosso Italian Vermouth, but only let a trace amount drip into the shaker.
On the low side, just let the vapors waft into the mix. On the high side, just a tad as it were.
Definitely don't "pour" the Vermouth into the shaker.
Shake the mix vigorously.
Strain the mix into a Martini glass almost to the rim.
Add a toothpick with a Tom Olive or two
Drink before the mix warms.
One is two few and three is too many.
11.0 Miele Old Fashioned
Ingredients:
2 oz. Bourbon
1/2 oz. Cointreau Triple Sec
1 spoon orange blossom honey
3 dashes orange bitters
Instructions:
In a glass, stir together bourbon, Cointreau, orange blossom honey and bitters together with a large chunk of ice.
Garnish with a candied orange slice or fresh orange slice. I recommend Basil Hayden’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon 🥃 for old fashions
12.0 Pisco Sour
Ingredients:
3 ounces of Pisco
1 ounce of Lime Juice
4 ice cubes
1 ounce of simple syrup
1/2 ounce of egg white
Angostura Aromatic Bitters
Makes 1 serving
Steps:
1. Add in pisco, lime juice, simple syrup followed by egg whites into a cocktail mixer
2. Add in ice cubes and shake mixer for 10-15 seconds
3. Pour into glasses and top off with 2 to 3 drops of angostura bitters on top
13.0 Mama Erin’s Gogo Juice (aka “That’s A Zesty Fire Water”, aka Whiskey Sour)
INGREDIENTS
20 oz Whiskey
5 Lemons
5 oz Honey
5 Egg Whites
A few shakes of Tajín
Three ice cubes
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Wash your lemons and check that your eggs are good.
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Juice lemons into a large cocktail shaker or, if you are on the go, a water bottle. Keep a few half-decent looking peels for garnish later. Garnish is not optional, you are making yourself a nice drink so you will go all out and treat yourself.
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Separate egg whites and add them to your vessel of choice. Find some use for the leftover yolks like a lemon curd or hollandaise.
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Add the rest of the ingredients to your vessel, plus a secret pinch of love, and shake vigorously for 45 seconds, or until egg whites are frothy and foamy.
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If using a cocktail shaker, pour your drink through a strainer into a chilled glass or an understated mug. (If using a water bottle skip this step.)
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Cut the peels you set aside in step one into interesting if not conventionally attractive shapes and garnish your drink by tossing them right in.
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Enjoy.
14.0 Mead “Homemade Honey Wine”
INGREDIENTS
1 gal distilled water
3 lbs organic honey
1 orange
1/4 cup raisins
2 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 packet dry yeast (D47 or E118 preferred)
1 tsp sugar
PREPARATION
All mixing and measuring tools should be cleaned with either chemical sanitizers (StarSan) or by rinsing/soaking in boiling water. Perfect sterilization is not critical, but thorough cleaning improves likelihood of proper fermentation.
Fill a sanitized 1 gal jug ~1/3 full with distilled water. A sanitized funnel is helpful.
Add 3lbs honey in 2-4 stages, shaking thoroughly to dissolve. Warming the honey and rinsing the containers with distilled water helps.
Squeeze orange juice into jug. slice the squeezed orange into small chunks and add to jug along with raisins.
Add cloves, cinnamon, and allspice to jugs. Whole or ground spices are okay.
Dissolve sugar in warm water, and activate dry yeast according to instructions on packet. A sanitized thermometer is helpful.
After successfully activating yeast, add to jug.
Shake thoroughly to combine, top off with distilled water, and cap the jug with an airlock. In lieu of a bubbling airlock, poking a pin-hole in a rubber balloon and securing tightly to the jug will suffice.
Store jug in a dark, dry place with a steady temperature ~70F. Wait 3-5 weeks until bubbling has nearly stopped (or balloon has deflated) for about a week.
Using a plastic hose, carefully siphon mead into bottles from below the fruit until settled sediment begins to mix. Discard fruit and sediment.
Refrigerate to halt ongoing fermentation and improve clarity.
Age at room temperature in a dark place, and enjoy!
8.0 Hummus
Put 3-4 smashed garlic cloves in the food processor, add a pinch of salt, and lemon juice (one big juicy California lemon, not lime my friend). Press the food processor, NO not the processor itself! the start bottom. Then add 3 big full spoons of good quality Tahini (sesame paste) to the mix with a good full tea spoon of cumin powder. The cumin powder goes into the mix, not in your mouth. Use the mixer again. Scrap the bottom of the mixer and use mixer again. Add half of the Chickpeas to the mix and mix it. Add another pinch of salt and mix it. If the mix is too hard, and a little of chickpea can water. Add two-3 table spoon of good quality extra virgin cold pressed olive oil. Drink a glass of double-oak bourbon, no ice, no extra stuff, Whisky up my friend. Think about life. Scrap the entire mixer before adding the other half of Chickpeas. Then add the other half of Chickpeas and push that food processor as if you're pressing the like bottom on Tom's water color videos.
Valla, please use a plate to dress it with a dash of cayenne pepper or Paprika. drizzle some Olive oil, and finish garnishing it with fresh parsley. If for whatever the reason you haven't start your second glass of Whiskey, you better to do that before start eating.