ROASTED RED PEPPER and SUN DRIED TOMATO PESTO SAUCE with SPINACH AND RICOTTA RAVIOLI

I am always trying to create a variety of pasta sauces.  This one happens to be one of my favourites. The smokiness of the roasted red peppers together with the unique flavour of the sun dried tomatoes is delicious. To prepare a quick dinner, I usually make a double batch of the sauce and freeze it so that it is available whenever I need it.

INGREDIENTS:

4 red sweet bell peppers (will yield approximately 4 cups roasted and chopped)
700 grams of spinach and ricotta ravioli
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon of butter

For the pesto:

1/2 cup of chopped sun dried tomatoes
1 cup of fresh basil 
2 large garlic cloves
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

METHOD:

Roast peppers:

Preheat oven to 450 F.
Place washed peppers on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Roast for approximately 30 minutes until the peppers are slightly charred.
Let cool for about 20 minutes. Seed, remove skins and chop.
Puree in a food processor. Set aside.




Sun dried tomato pesto:

In a mini food processor, add tomatoes, oil, garlic ,basil, salt, black pepper and chili flakes(if using). Process to a paste-like consistency.

To make sauce:


In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the one tablespoon of butter.  Add the pureed red pepper and bring to a simmer for about a minute or two.  Stir in the pesto with a fork to easily mix in the pesto. Simmer for another minute. Stir in the whipping cream. Simmer for another minute. Turn off the heat and add 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Set aside.

 












Cook ravioli according to package directions but under-cook by 1 minute. Add to the sauce. Gently toss. Serve with additional freshly grated parmesan cheese.


TIPS:

1. You can also roast the peppers on the barbeque or on a Gas stove-top burner.
2. You can prepare the roasted red pepper puree ahead of time, even the day before.
3. The sun dried tomato pesto can be made ahead of time and freezes well.
4. The sauce also freezes well. To freeze, omit the whipping cream and parmesan cheese. Once the sauce is thawed and warmed, continue with the directions in the recipe.
5. Always under-cook any pasta that is being added into a hot/warm sauce. It will continue to cook and absorb the liquid as you toss the two together.
6. You can substitute the ravioli with spaghetti or gnocchi.
7. Do NOT substitute with store bought jarred roasted peppers.
8. If the sauce is prepared ahead of time, dinner can be ready in less than 10 minutes!
  

SERVING SIZE: This recipe will serve 6 or 4 generous servings


  

HEART-HEALTHY FRENCH LENTIL and PEARL BARLEY SOUP

I can't believe it is already October!  I thought I would start off the month with a hearty soup.  This one is for my vegetarian friends.  However my boys say it is their favourite.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups dried french lentils ( lentilles du-Puy), rinsed
1 1/2 cups pearl barley, rinsed
1 onion diced
3 carrots diced 
3 celery stalks diced
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups of canned San Marzano peeled Roma tomatoes, diced very finely
1 large bay leaf
salt
freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Saute onions, carrots, and celery for 10 minutes. Stirring frequently. Salt the vegetables to taste. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook briefly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the diced Roma tomatoes, lentils, barley, bay leaf, more salt, and black pepper. Fill the pot with approximately 1 litre of water just so that the water line is 2 inches above the ingredients in the pot.

Bring to a boil, cover and lower heat to a simmer for 35 minutes. 
Adjust seasoning if necessary and remove bay leaf. Serve with additional freshly ground pepper (optional).

TIPS:

1. When cooking any legume, the rule of thumb is to add water/any liquid/stock to two inches above the amount in a pot.
2. When sauteeing onions (carrots and celery) longer than 5 minutes, always season with salt after adding them to the oil in the pan. The salt releases the liquid in the onions etc, to prevent the mixture from burning.
3. Pearl barley cooks much quicker than regular pot barley.
4. French lentils also known as Lentilles du Puy, and Umbrian lentils (from Italy) are my favourite in soups.
5. This soup freezes well. Cook a double batch and freeze in individual portions for a quick meal.
   


 

ROASTED BEET QUINOA SALAD with GREEN APPLE, SPINACH and GOAT CHEESE

I love grain salads.  A perfect one bowl lunch or dinner.  Beets with goat cheese is one of my favourite combinations.

  

 

INGREDIENTS:

225 grams uncooked quinoa
140 grams goat cheese
3 cups diced raw beets, about 5 beets
2 cups of thinly sliced fresh baby spinach (chiffonade)
1 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, diced, tossed in 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to retain colour and crispness
1/4 cup sliced raw almonds
1/4 cup dried black cherries
1 tablespoon grape seed oil
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing:

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of red balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons of honey
1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon of finely minced shallot
salt 
freshly ground black pepper


METHOD:

Preheat oven to 400 F.

In a medium sized bowl, add diced beets, 1 tablespoon of grape seed oil, salt and pepper. Toss well and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Roast for approximately 25  to 30 minutes, stirring frequently. See below for an alternative roasting method.

Meanwhile cook quinoa according to package directions.

In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, honey, lemon juice, shallot, salt and pepper. Lastly, whisk in olive oil.  Whisk for at least a minute until dressing is light and creamy (emulsified).

Toast almonds in a frying pan for about 3 minutes or so, until they are fragrant. Watch attentively to avoid burning.


ASSEMBLING THE SALAD:

In a large bowl, add (in the following order), cooked quinoa, roasted beets, toasted almonds, apples, spinach, and cherries.  Pour dressing over salad and toss gently. Do not over mix the salad because the beets will bleed onto all of the ingredients.
Sprinkle goat cheese over top and serve.


TIPS:

1. You can substitute the quinoa with any grain.
2. You can substitute the cubed roasted beets with cubed roasted butternut squash. If using squash, roast following the directions in the METHOD section of the recipe. Reduce roasting time to approximately 20 to 25 minutes. 
3. Grape seed oil is neutral tasting, healthier than vegetable oil and can withstand high heat better than olive oil.
4. This salad can be served warm, room temperature or cold.
5. It keeps in the fridge for only a couple of days because of the spinach. If you would like to store it longer than that, omit the spinach.

ALTERNATIVE ROASTING METHOD:  

Scrub beets and cut off ends. Wrap each beet loosely in aluminum foil, place on cookie sheet. Roast at 350F for 40 to 50 minutes. Pierce with a fork to check that they are cooked through. Unwrap, cool, and peel. Skins will slide off easily. Chop and add to salad.
 






  

ROASTED ZUCCHINI and EGGPLANT PASTA

This is one of my family's favourite pasta dshes.  It is very easy to prepare and yet looks and tastes as though you were cooking for hours.  A perfect weeknight meal.

INGREDIENTS:

1 large Sicilian eggplant or a large regular eggplant
4 medium zucchini
2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce, (simple is best, made with garlic, and onion and fresh basil only)
1 red chili pepper, or chili flakes (optional)
500 grams of rigatoni pasta
1/2 cup or more (to taste) of freshly grated ricotta salata (hard ricotta cheese) or parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1/4 cup of fresh basil
5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil plus additional olive oil for serving
Salt and freshly ground black pepper



METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Peel half the eggplant and dice, approximately half inch in size.  Place on a paper towel and salt. Let stand (see tip below), while you prepare zucchini.
3. Dice zucchini also about half inch, but slightly bigger than the eggplant.
4. In a large bowl, add diced zucchini, and salt and then add the already salted diced eggplant. Do not add more salt to the eggplant.
5. Add 5 tablespoons of olive oil and black pepper to taste and mix well.
6. Spread on to 2 parchment lined cookie sheets.  Do not crowd the vegetables.
7.  Roast for approximately 40 minutes, but rotate pans half way through cooking time to ensure even roasting and to prevent steaming .
8. Cook until vegetables are soft and have started to brown. Do not overcook the zucchini.
9. Meanwhile cook rigatoni in salted water, for one or two minutes less than the required cooking time.
10. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
11. Warm up the tomato sauce in a large saute pan and add chili if using.
12. Add roasted vegetables to tomato sauce. Add reserved pasta water, only if necessary.
13. Toss in pasta with the sauce and vegetables.
14. Adjust seasoning.
15. Sprinkle with hand torn basil leaves, freshly grated Ricotta Salata or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Lastly, finish off with a little more drizzle of olive oil.



TIPS:

1. Under cook any pasta that is being tossed into a warm sauce or dressing because it will continue to cook as it absorbs the sauce.
2. The sauce should always be ready before the pasta is completed cooking. In other words, the sauce should be waiting for the pasta, not the other way around, otherwise pasta will be overcooked and clump together.
3. Always generously salt the pasta water, after it boils and before tossing in the pasta.
4. When using eggplant in a recipe, always peel half before slicing or dicing. This will minimize the bitterness of the eggplant in a recipe.
5. Salting eggplant (and draining on paper towel) before cooking ensures that you use less oil in a recipe.
6.  I always like to to tear basil by hand when adding to a pasta dish, it releases more intense flavour.
7. When roasting on two cookie sheets, always rotate the pans for even cooking. Otherwise the food will end up roasting in one, and steaming in the other.
8.  As well, do not over crowd the vegetables in the roasting pan, otherwise the vegetables will steam not roast.



SERVINGS: This recipe will serve 4 generous portions or 6 smaller portions

EASY RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Why buy prepared gnocchi, when you can whip this batch up in less than 30 minutes.  Cheese gnocchi have more protein than potato gnocchi.  Of course it may take you a couple of attempts before you master the technique but each batch will still taste wonderful while you practice.

INGREDIENTS:
500 grams of extra smooth ricotta ( I use Tre Stelle)
1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk (beaten)
salt
freshly ground pepper
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup of freshly grated Gran Padano cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano or Ricotta Insalata (I prefer Gran Padano)
1/2 to 3/4 cup of sifted flour
additional flour to prepare work surface


METHOD:
In a large bowl, with a wooden spoon, mix the ricotta cheese, beaten egg, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and grated cheese.  Gradually add in the flour as you continue to gently stir until the mixture forms a very loose and sticky dough.  Start with 1/2 cup of flour.  The exact measure of flour will depend on the egg size, and the amount of liquid in the ricotta.  It varies each time I make it. 

The dough will barely hold together.  This will create fluffy and light gnocchi.  Prepare your work surface by lightly flouring it.  Have a lightly floured tray handy to place the gnocchi in as you make them.

Take approximately a handful of dough with lightly floured hands.  Gently roll into a 1/4 inch thick rope.  Do not overwork the dough. Cut on the bias into 1/2 inch size gnocchi. You can just leave them like this or by using a fork make ridges in each one. You do this by rolling the gnocchi down the tines of the fork.

Place tray or trays in fridge for about 10 minutes or longer.  Meanwhile prepare a sauce and bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Salt the boiling water to your taste.  Gently add the gnocchi one by one into the rapid boiling water.  You will need to cook in several batches because you do not want them to clump together. Gnocchi are cooked once they float to the top.  It takes only a minute or two.  As they are cooked, remove with a slotted spoon and  place into a bowl or pan that has your choice of sauce.  


 SOME SAUCE SUGGESTIONS:
1.  Any basic tomato sauce, served with extra grated cheese of your choice
2.  Traditional Bolognese sauce 
3.  Any type of ragu ( duck, lamb, mushroom)
4.  Butter and sage
5.  Butter and sage and sauteed mushrooms 
6.  Butter and sage and baby spinach
7.  One of my favourites is simply a combination of butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, sprinkled with fresh basil

The list is endless.


TIPS:
1.  Do not over mix while adding flour 
2.  Flour should be sifted 
3.  Dough should be light and sticky
4.  The amount of flour depends on how much liquid is in the ricotta and egg volume
5.  Refrigerate gnocchi for at least 10 minutes before you cook them.
6.  Cook in batches to avoid clumping together
7.  Do not overcook, gnocchi is ready once they rise to the surface of the boiling water
8. The gnocchi freeze well
9.  Lastly, don't give up!  Keep trying until you get it just right!




 
 


 

ROASTED VEGETABLE FARRO SALAD with FETA and KALAMATA OLIVES

This grain salad is delicious served as a side dish or on its own for lunch or a light dinner.  It tastes even better the next day.  If there are any leftovers of course. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium size eggplant, partially peeled (see TIPS section below) and diced 1/2 inch
1 red pepper diced 1 inch
1 yellow or orange pepper diced 1 inch
1 medium sized purple onion, diced 1/2 inch
2 garlic cloves minced
1/3 cup grape seed oil
2 cups of warm cooked farro 
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup green onions sliced
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
200 grams of feta, diced 1 inch
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 cup of fresh basil, cut into chiffonade

For the dressing:

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


METHOD:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  
Toss eggplant, peppers, onion, garlic with grape seed oil and salt and pepper. Spread on two parchment covered large baking sheets. Do not over crowd.  Roast for 10 minutes, and then turn over vegetables and rotate pans to ensure even browning. Continue to roast for an additional 15 minutes.

Meanwhile transfer warm farro to a  large serving bowl.

Whisk the dressing ingredients together.

Add the roasted vegetables and any scrapings to the farro.  Pour the dressing over the warm farro and vegetables and toss.  Let cool to room temperature.  If serving the next day, just make it up to this point and refrigerate.  Next day bring it to room temperature and then proceed with the next step.

Just before serving add in the sliced green onions, toasted pine nuts, diced feta, olives and basil. 



TIPS:

1. Partially peel the eggplant to cut back on any bitterness.
2. I like to add the dressing to the warm farro to ensure maximum flavour absorption.



 
  

  

ORECCHIETTE with RAPINI and ITALIAN SAUSAGE

A simple traditional Italian pasta dish, made with a few tasty ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:

500 grams orecchiette shaped pasta
3 large Italian sausages
1 fresh red chili pepper or chili flakes (optional)
2 sliced garlic cloves
1 bunch of broccoli rabe (rapini) chopped, stems peeled
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-reggiano cheese
extra virgin olive oil
 
METHOD:
 
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet.  Remove sausage from casings and break up into pieces.  Saute until golden brown. 

Add hot pepper (if using) and sliced garlic.  Saute for an additional couple of minutes. Do not burn garlic. Set sauce aside.

Meanwhile bring water to a boil.  Add rapini and cook for 5 minutes or until your preferred tenderness.  With slotted spoon, transfer rapini to a bowl. 

Bring water to a second boil and salt generously.  Add pasta and cook for 2 minutes less than the recommended cooking time. 

Drain cooked pasta.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

Add pasta and rapini to skillet and toss with the sausage.  Add reserved pasta water if necessary.  Sprinkle lots of freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.  Serve immediately.





TIPS:

1. I use a potato masher to quickly and easily break up the sausage meat.
2. Always under cook pasta by 2 minutes before adding to a hot sauce. Pasta will continue to cook as you assemble the recipe.
3.To avoid over-cooking the pasta, always cook the sauce first and have it ready for the pasta. 
4. Peeling the rapini stems, cuts back on some of their bitterness.
5. Be careful not to burn garlic to avoid bitterness. 
6. A variation of this dish would be to simply add a drained and rinsed can of white kidney beans, or romano beans to the skillet just before adding the pasta and rapini. 

SERVING SIZE: approximately 4 to 6 servings

PENNE with SMOKED SALMON in a VODKA ROSE SAUCE

  
This is a very quick weeknight dinner.  Smoked salmon, tomato, cream, vodka and pasta. Yum!

INGREDIENTS:


150 grams of smoked salmon, thinly sliced and chopped
2 cups of pureed tomatoes
1 cup of 35% cream
1/4 cup vodka
1 onion minced finely
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of olive oil
chili flakes to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup sliced green onions (green part only)
1/4 cup of fresh basil cut into chiffonade
1 tablespoon of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
1 package of penne rigate, 500 grams


METHOD:

In a large skillet, on medium high heat, warm up the butter and olive oil.  Saute the
minced onion until golden and translucent.  Add the vodka and let it burn off for a   

couple of minutes. Add the tomato puree, bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Off heat add the cream. Put the pan back on medium heat and bring the sauce to a simmer.  Do not boil.  Lastly stir in the salmon, green onion, basil, parmigiano reggiano cheese, chili flakes (if using), salt and pepper.  Let it simmer for 2 minutes.  Turn off the heat and set aside while you wait for the pasta to be ready.

Cook pasta until it is al dente (with a bit of a bite).  Drain and add to the pan with the sauce and serve immediately.

TIPS:

1. Always under-cook any pasta (approximately 1 minute less than the suggested time), that is going into a warm/hot sauce because it will continue to cook as it absorbs the sauce.
2. The pasta absorbs the sauce quickly. It is best eaten right after you add the pasta to the sauce. However if you prefer a saucier pasta dish, reserve one cup of the sauce and spoon over the already individually plated pasta.
3. You can substitute any pasta shape, and any type of pasta.
4. Always add the cream to the pan off the heat source, otherwise the cream will curdle.
5. This meal can be ready in less than 20 minutes. 
  
SERVING SIZE: Approximately 4 to 6 servings