Spaghetti Bolognese

 As an Italian American I never ever had Spaghetti Bolognese.  My family isn't from Bologna or we would have had Ragu alla Bolognese.  But Spaghetti Bolognese isn't from Bologna either...it's English.  In Bologna they eat it with tagliatelle not spaghetti.

Ragu alla Bolognese has no garlic, basil or oregano.  Just a bay leaf!

Spaghetti Bolognese

serves 4

1 lb of minced beef

1 onion chopped

3 carrots grated

3 sticks celery chopped

1 bay leaf

1 cup passata (sieved tomatoes or just use a can of tomatoes)

1/4 tsp of vinegar

1/4 cup milk

salt and pepper

500 gm spaghetti

 Brown the minced beef with the onions on a med heat. Add the carrots and celery and cook till soften. Add the bay leaf, tomatoes and vinegar. Cook for 30min on a med low heat until the sauce is thickened. Add the milk. Boil the pasta.  Check the seasoning.

 

Top the pasta with the sauce and Eat!

Pasta and Ceci on Buckwheat Noddles

 

I really like all kinds of beans and chickpeas are one of my favorites. Pasta and Ceci or Pasta and Chickpeas is a fast and easy vegetarian dinner that is perfect for busy days. Add a can of chickpeas to a jar a sauce and top on some whole grain pasta.  I used dry chickpeas which I soaked and cooked.  I also made my own pasta sauce (with Gochujan).  We topped our pasta with ground almonds for a vegan dinner...but feel free to run with this dinner idea.

 

 

 Buckwheat or Soba noodles are fun for babies!!! 

Homemade Orecchiette

When I posted that I used store bought Orecchiette my mom commented with the recipe for homemade ones.
"To make orecchiette, take equal amounts flour and semolina. If I remember maybe 2 cups each. Put in middle of table (or large bowl if you like), but with my nonna, we made a mound on the table, and made a volcano in the middle. Sprinkle some salt over all, add about 1 cup water into the volcano, and work it in with a fork. It may not all work in, but you will get a dough. Knead the dough. Divide into several chunks, roll into snakes about as fat as your thumb. Then cut into pieces about 1/2" thick. Put that cut piece in your left palm. Now stick your right thumb tip into it, and form over your thumb tip. Pinch the sides alittle, and put on a clean towel to dry.Use the leftover flour/semolina mixture on your hands and cutting surfaces to keep dough from sticking."
I started to make the pasta before I remembered that I didn't have any semolina. I went ahead anyway. I had to add more flour for rolling. But came out really well. Really simply, but not fast.
I cook the Orecchiette in salted boiling water until they floated (about 2 min). Then mixed them a sauce of fresh tomatoes, capers, olives, and topped with parmesan. Came out a bit on the chewy side, next time I'll use the semolina.

Olive and Fennel Pasta with Turkey

I was going to make hamburgs for dinner last night, but then I saw nice olives on sale. I would have put the olives in the hamburgs, but then I found some nice fennel and turkey drumsticks.

In a big pan or pot:
1 tsp oil
brown the drumsticks
1 1/2- 2 onions chopped
4 cloves of garlic
2 large carrots chopped small
1/2 cup chopped turnip or swede
1 bulb of fennel (save the tops)
1 cup chopped olives
Cook the veg down for about 5min.
Add 1 can of tomatoes and water to cover.
Salt, pepper, dried herbs (oregano, basil, parsley) and 1 tsp of smoked paprika.
Cook for 15 min or until the turkey done.
Top with fresh parsley and the fennel tops.

With so much nice veg in the sauce, pasta is optional. We had tagliatelle and it was yummy!

Fennel and Mushroom Orecchiette

A friend asked me "Where is Italian NG?". I remember as a child asking my mom the same thing. "Why do we always eat rice?" Now I almost never make pasta. Its funny because my husband loves pasta, and I would almost always want to eat rice! So I made this meal to answer my friend. Here is Italian NG's Dinner:


I found some really nice imported orecchiette, which are little pasta ears. I wanted to make a simple sauce,with tons of veg but the orecchiette are small and I didn't want to overpower them.
In a non-stick pan over med heat:
1 tsp oil
1 finely chopped onion
1/2 a finely chopped fennel bulb
9 cloves of roasted garlic
9 mushrooms, sliced so they look like the orecchiette
1 tsp fennel seed
Salt and pepper

After the mushrooms stop giving off liquid and the onions have a nice colour add:
1 can Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced olives rings

Cook for 10-15 min or until pasta is ready. Can add some of the pasta liquid if the sauce is too dry.

Mix with the orecchiette and top with fennel greens.