Egg Noodle Pasta

We made this type of pasta in both the cooking classes I attended when I visited Italy. This simple recipe can be rolled out and cut into spaghetti, vermicelli, fettuccine, linguine...made into ravioli (pictured below), farfalle... Or other shapes if you're really creative and have a lot of time. In one of the classes, the chef scoffed at using a pasta rolling machine, preferring to do everything by hand (which really doesn't take long if you're only making a single recipe -- below, serves 1 or 2). In the other class...the chef used one! :)

2/3 C flour*
1 large egg

(Lots of pasta recipes include a little olive oil and/or a pinch of salt. Neither of the chefs in my two cooking classes in Italy did -- but I have experimented with it since then. I like a little olive oil.)

Mound the flour on a flat surface and make a well in the middle. Crack the egg into the middle of the flour well. With a fork, beat the egg and begin mixing in the flour. As a dough begins to form, use your hands to knead the dough until all the flour is incorporated and the dough is very smooth.

Roll the dough very thin; cut or shape into desired noodle size/shape. Place in boiling water for 2-4 minutes.


Cooking time may be slightly longer if you stuff the pasta (e.g. ravioli) or if it's folded or gathered like with a farfalle shaped noodle ('bow-tie' pasta); but with fresh pasta it's really quick.


*In Italy, the recipe was given in grams...so if you have a kitchen scale: 100 grams of flour. Generic, all purpose flour works well with this pasta. In one of the classes we made another pasta with semolina flour; I'll try that out and post it soon. :)

Marinated Eggplant

I took a one-day cooking class when I was in Rome -- "Fabiolous Cooking Day" (the chef's name is Fabio)...actually the class was in Mazzano, a small country village not far from Rome. I haven't found this recipe on the site, so I don't have exact amounts, but I don't remember really measuring anything as we made this dish anyway! :)

eggplant
white wine vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
garlic
fresh parsley

Thinly slice the eggplant and lay it on a baking sheet or in a baking dish, preferably in a single layer but it's okay if they overlap some. Put it in the oven (375°) until the slices begin to dry and turn a light golden brown. (30-45 minutes, depends how thick your slices are.)

While the eggplant is roasting, dice a few cloves of garlic (more if you like stronger garlic flavor) and chop fresh parsley. I'd guess about three to four cloves of garlic and 2-3 tablespoons of parsley for each medium sized eggplant.

In a bowl, lay down a layer of roasted eggplant and sprinkle generously with equal parts olive oil and white wine vinegar, then toss in some garlic and chopped parsley. Keep layering in that way until you've doused all the eggplant slices. (There was a little oil and wine 'juice' puddling in the bottom of the dish when we made it in my cooking class, but not enough that the eggplant slices were floating around in a brine or anything.)

Put it in the frig to marinate for at least an hour, turning once or twice to coat slices evenly. Longer than an hour would probably be great, though when I made it at home the eggplant leftover the next day was definitely more 'wilted', so don't make this dish too far in advance.

Serve chilled as a side dish.

Braised Baby Carrots

I'm really NOT a fan of cooked carrots. But when I can get them from my garden, prepped, cooked, and onto the table in less than ½ an hour...they're sweet and tender!

fresh carrots
olive oil
brown sugar
(balsamic vinegar)

Cut off the excess stems. I don't really peel the carrots, just scrub them under running water. Throw a little olive oil (or butter) in a small sauté pan over medium heat and add the carrots. Little carrots like these (pictured) really only need to cook 3-5 minutes at most. Sprinkle with brown sugar during the last minute or so, and then keep them moving so it doesn't burn, but begins to carmelize. (I'm fairly generous with the brown sugar.) I added a tablespoon or so of a balsamic vinegar glaze (a recent acquisition, in Italy!) to these carrots; but they're delicious with just the brown sugar. Or get creative...instead of brown sugar, sprinkle on cinnamon, curry, garlic or any of your favorite spices. Not all at once, of course!

Frutti di Bosco (mixed wild berry) Gelato

Ice cream, sorbet, gelato...what's the difference? Check it out here.

¾ sugar
1 C milk
16 oz mixed berries
juice of one lemon

Combine the milk, sugar, and berries in a saucepan; heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

Place all ingredients, including lemon juice, in a blender and process until smooth. If desired, strain to remove any seeds. Place mixture in ice cream maker for 20-25 minutes. If desired, transfer to an air-tight container to freeze for a firmer consistency.

Serve...garnished with fresh berries. :)

Limone (Lemon) Gelato

Having just returned from Italy, I was anxious to try out some gelato recipes in my ice-cream maker here at home! Gelato, ice cream, sorbet...what's the difference? A simplified explanation: Traditionally, gelato has a lower fat content (4-8%) than ice cream (12-16%); it's usually made with milk rather than cream, though it may contain a combination of both. Gelato often has a higher sugar content (around 20% depending on the flavor) than ice cream (averaging around 15%) because the sugar-water content is balanced to act as an 'anti-freeze' to keep the gelato from freezing solid. A true sorbet has no dairy, only fruit juice (which may be sweetened) and water. ('Sherbet' -- both the word and the frozen dessert -- is derived from 'sorbet', but often contains a little dairy.) So now you know! :)

¾ C sugar
1 C milk
1 C water
¾ C lemon juice
zest of one lemon

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to rolling boil, stirring frequently; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. If desired, strain out zest. Let cool to room temp.

Place mixture in ice cream maker for 20-25 minutes. If desired, transfer to air-tight container and freeze for a firmer consistency.

Garnish with lemon slices.

This is a basic recipe, but could be a good starting point for flavor combinations...I love lemon-ginger frozen yogurt, for example. Mint, honey, lavender...other flavors may be delicious in combination!

Raspberry Purée

1 pint raspberries
¼ C lime juice
1/3 C sugar
1-2 tsp corn starch

Purée all ingredients in a blender; if desired, strain out seeds. Heat gently in a saucepan to thicken. Serve (warm or chilled) over fruit, ice cream, cheesecake, angel food cake...

I like lime juice with the raspberries, but lemon works fine too (with raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries...) With raspberries, 1/3 C sugar tastes about right to me, but use less sugar with sweeter blueberries or blackberries.

Grilled Peaches (Plums, Nectarines...)

Peaches, nectarines and plums get a deep, carmel-like flavor when cooked on a grill (or under a broiler) that makes them even more delicious! A few tips...

* Just-ripe fruit works best; if it's very soft/over-ripe to begin with, it gets TOO soft when cooked.

* Coat grill with a light layer of non-stick cooking spray ("high heat" varieties for grilling are great, but anything works) OR lightly brush fruit surface with olive oil or melted butter.

* Place fruit on the grill for just a minute or two to sear. Check the underside -- once it's golden with grill marks, turn it over to finish cooking.

* Add flavor by sprinkling fruit with cinnamon or nutmeg, if desired. Or drizzle with a berry purée.

* Fruit skewers are a fun way to serve it too.

Orange & Pale Ale Marinade

Makes enough for about 2 lbs meat.

½ C medium-bodied beer - pale ale
zest and juice of 1 orange
1 Tbls olive oil
1 Tbls soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
½ onion
1 tsp salt

Peel onion and shred on a grater. Whisk together all ingredients. Put meat in a glass baking dish; coat with marinade. Bake...

This was not my favorite marinade. I generally like the zingy sweet of citrus (in case you hadn't noticed in many of the recent marinade recipes). I don't like beer, though I have other recipes/marinades made with beer that I DO like. Mostly this one was just rather bitter. Maybe with a different ale and a sweet onion...

Lemon-Basil Chile Glaze

¾ C (6 oz) thawed frozen lemonade concentrate
¼ C chopped fresh basil leaves
1 Tbls olive oil
zest of 4 lemons
¼ C lemon juice
1 tsp red chile flakes

Combine all ingredients. Use glaze to baste meat while grilling.
Makes enough for 4 lbs meat.

Broiled Fruit Desserts

More of a reminder than a recipe. I usually do this with apples or bananas (I almost always have one or the other around), but I have done the same with peaches and plums; other fruits could work too.

Slice the fruit, thinly, and place it in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil and lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray. I often 'dot' it with butter or sprinkle lightly with lemon juice. If desired, sprinkle with white or brown sugar. Sometimes I use sugar-cinnamon. Put it under the broiler long enough for the fruit to brown and begin to carmelize. If you want, turn the fruit and brown both sides.

The fruit can also be browned in a fry pan (with butter), or toasted on the grill.

Pictured: Apples...like apple pie, without the crust.

Honey-Lime Marinade

Makes enough for about 2 lbs meat.

¼ C olive oil
¼ C lime juice
zest of 2 limes
2 tsp honey
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp cayenne

Whisk all ingredients together. Put meat into a glass baking dish and pour marinade over it, turning to coat. Marinate 1-3 hours. Grill, broil, bake...

For a stickier glaze, mix 2 more Tbls honey with 1 Tbls lime juice and brush onto meat during last 5 minutes of cooking.

Sticky Brown Sugar Glaze

It's June. We're PAST Memorial day. Even if the weather isn't exactly cooperating yet, it's GRILLING TIME. I have a few marinade recipes I'll post over the next few days, weeks...

1½ C brown sugar
3 Tbls cider vinegar
3 Tbls beer or water
½ - 1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dry mustard

Combine all ingredients. Use this glaze to baste meat while grilling. Makes enough for 4 lbs meat.