Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Prep. Time: 5 min, Cooking Time: 15-20 min, Serves up to 4 people

Ingredients
250gr whole grain spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
6 anchovy fillets, chopped
400gr peeled chopped tomatoes (tinned)
A handful of parsley, finely chopped (half for the sauce and half for garnish)
A handful of basil leaves (some chopped for the sauce and some whole for garnish)
2 tablespoons capers
½ cup Kalamata olives
½ teaspoon dried chili flakes
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

        

Method
Cook the wholegrain spaghetti in boiling salted water. On a medium frying pan heat the olive oil and add the chopped garlic and the anchovies. Cook them shortly until the garlic turns slightly golden and the anchovies break down.

Add the tinned tomatoes, capers, olives, half the parsley and fresh basil and the chili, and cook for a few more minutes. If the sauce has become too thick, add some of the pasta cooking water.

Drain the pasta before it is totally cooked and mix it into the sauce. Reserve some of the pasta water and add some into the sauce if necessary. Continue to cook for a few minutes until the pasta is done to your liking.

Sprinkle the remaining parsley and basil and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

     

Cannelini bean & bacon orzo with fresh spinach

I know it’s been a while since I posted something, but trust me I have been busy. Last week I was covering the Tiger Award Short Film Competition in the International Film Festival of Rotterdam and preparing and cooking recipes was not actually my priority 😛 And since I have taken over too many stuff at this moment, I thought it was about time to take a step back, chill and cook something trully enjoyable and easy.

I’ve been wanting for a long time to upload an orzo recipe since it’s one of my favorite pastas. Very common in Greek and Italian cuisine where you can cook it as soup, salad, in the oven, with meat or even plain with some fresh tomato sauce and feta (yum..). Simplicity is the key to happiness my friends.

To be fairly Italian you can use pancetta, Italian pork belly spiced bacon, but you can also use normal bacon like I did or prosciutto. To be honest bacon and pancetta are similar but bacon tends to be smokier and more intense in flavor. You choose!

Prep. Time: 30min, Serves up to 5 people

Ingredients
1 cup orzo
Olive oil
200gr bacon, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 large handfuls of fresh spinach (I also used some Swish chard)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
400gr cannelini beans canned or cooked
Some chicken broth

        
Method
On a small pot boil 3 cups of water over high heat. Add the orzo and cook it for about 9 minutes or until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a large wok pan or medium pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. As soon as the oil is warmed up add the bacon/pancetta/prosciutto and cook until it gets slightly crispy. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add the fresh spinach and season freely with salt and pepper. Cook the spinach until it becomes soft enough. You will see it losing 2/3 of its initial mass. This is a good sign. Add the cooked orzo, cannelini beans and some chicken broth and stir. Adjust seasoning according to your needs.

Enjoy!

Mushroom Thyme Crostini

Perfect Christmas appetizer for your guests. It is guaranteed to keep everyone happy and satisfied till the main dish comes. Also perfect for a friends night 🙂 Use fresh and good quality mushrooms, along with the best baguette you can find. Alternatively, you can put the bread in the oven and bake it, but grilling is faster and for me always tastier. You control your bread more and you save enough time so you can also enjoy the evening!

---

Equipment: grill pan, frying pan

Prep. Time:30 min, Serves up to 10 people

Ingredients
1 white baguette cut in thin slices
400gr white mushrooms
1 red onion
3 cloves of garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
salt
ground black pepper
fresh thyme            

Method
Take a frying pan and set in medium heat with 1 tbsp olive oil. Cut the onion in the smallest pieces you can and put them in the pan. Let them take their juice out for about 4 min. Cut the mushrooms is small pieces and add them in the pan. Stir well and let them fry for about 7 to 8 min.

When the mushrooms have decreased in size, season them with salt, pepper and some fresh thyme. Leave them for about 2 more minutes cooking and then set aside.

Take a grill pan – or you can also put them in the oven for about 15 min – and set in medium heat. Spray the baguette slices – or brush them – with the rest of the olive oil (2tbsp), sprinkle with salt and pepper and set them on the grill pan. Grill each side till golden brown, approximately 5 min.

Set the crostini on a wooden platter and add on top 1 tbsp of the mushrooms. Sprinkle with some extra fresh thyme. Serve freely to your guests! A bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and the night is yours 😀

                    

Butternut Squash Risotto

It is a pity that all this time I didn’t really put a risotto recipe, because it is one of my specialties – or so I’ve been told! I make risotto very often and mostly in different versions; with meat, variable vegetables, salmon etc. I came to realize I really enjoying making it, so one day I said I am going to try it with the squash. And it turned out pretty good! I used Italian risotto rice with dried vegetables, so I followed the classic procedure without dealing with a lot of chopping of cutting.

The magic ingredients for the perfect risotto are the butter and the Parmesan (love the combo) and the best trick is at the end when you let the risotto rest. It is then when its texture becomes creamy and juicy with the help of the butter and the sticky cheese. Be careful with the salt though because you have the stock which is already salty and the Parmesan at the end. And it is always better to have less salt in the food than more!

---

Ingredients
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
400gr butternut squash
400gr risotto rice
2 wineglasses dry white wine
1 liter vegetable stock
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
100gr Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
a handful of arugula salad

         

Method
Boil one liter of water and add the vegetable stock in. Stir and set aside.

Cut the butternut squash in half and peel its skin. If you have a big one, use only the half, otherwise use it all. Take out all the seeds and cut it in 1cm pieces. Wash it good and set aside. Chop the onion and the garlic finely.

Heat the olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter on a medium pan. Fry the onion, the garlic and the squash slowly for about 15 minutes. When they have softened add the rice and turn on the heat. Stir well while the rice is frying. Fry it in high heat for about 1 minute.

Add the wine and let all the flavors do their job. After it has evaporated, add your first spoonful of stock and keep stirring. Add some salt and turn down the heat so the rice will not cook too fast from the outside. Keep adding spoonfuls of stock and stirring the rice. The trick here is to add every new spoonful only when the previous has been absorbed. Do this for about 15 minutes. Taste the rice. If it is not cooked yet, add more stock. If your stock is over add boiling water.

Remove the rice from the heat when it is soft but also slightly firm. Add the rest of the butter – more salt if needed – and the Parmesan. Add the salad and season with pepper. Stir good and cover the pan with a lid. Let it sit for 2 minutes. This will make it even creamier and juicier!

Enjoy!

Fresh Arugula Pesto

Another spread recipe on the blog this month, but this time it is inspired by a spring greens pesto recipe I dug up from an old cooking book. Originally there was roasted pine nuts and spinach in. I slightly made some changes and voilà! I thought about this recipe when I first laid eyes on the fresh biological arugula we have on our KinderResto garden, where I volunteer. We had to cut some out because the plant grew amazingly fast and became very big. It was a pity to just leave it there get cold from the November weather. So, each of us took a bag full of fresh arugula! How great for me uh? If you take a look at the blog you will understand why. Half my summer recipes this year had arugula in(!).

This pesto is great over pasta, meat, fish, crackers, toasted baguette or as spread in sandwiches. I used it with trottole tricolore pasta and it was delicious! The fresh arugula gave this intense bitter taste to the pesto that I love. Mister Kornel not so much, but it is clearly a personal taste. So if it is too bitter for your taste do this before you start with the pesto: add 1/2 tsp. of salt to raw arugula Set aside for 15 minutes. The salt will draw out most of the bitter juices. Discard the salty juice, rinse and use the arugula as instructed below.

Don’t forget you can keep it in the fridge for only one week. But you are going to love it so much that you will eat it faster than you think!

---

Ingredients
2 large handfuls of fresh arugula
½ cup walnuts (pine nuts alternatively)
3 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves of garlic cut in small pieces
juice from ½ lemon
½ cup mushrooms
½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
salt according to your needs
ground black pepper

Method
Soak and wash throughly the arugula to remove the grit and the dirt.

In a small frying pan heat olive oil and sate garlic.

In a blender add the garlic, along with the arugula, the walnuts, the lemon juice, the mushrooms and the Parmesan.

Start slowly with blending and increase gradually. Puree until silky smooth.

Add some pepper and some salt, according to your needs.

Enjoy!

Double cracker pleasure! Beetroot hummus and Arugula Pesto!

Roasted Squash with Venetian Tagliatelle

You might guess that I am a bit addicted in squid ink pasta. Well yes, as a matter of fact I am. Now that I am really into cooking and food blogging (still an infant compared to other bloggers) I am learning every day how to appreciate the fresh market ingredients, the good selected meat, the special spices and all those things that can elevate my cooking. So, when selecting my ingredients I am more and more careful of what I put in my dishes. I don’t choose randomly, but I also don’t choose expensive. Well, in markets you find the best and cheapest stuff either way. But once in a while I come across ingredients carefully selected with prices a little bit higher than normal. But the result is definitely worth it.

At my last trip to Venice, I discovered this delicatessen store with great venetian ingredients I fell in love with. I wanted them all! But of course that wasn’t possible so I decided to invest to some good (and expensive) Venetian squid ink tagliatelle (Bella Italia, Tagliatelle al Negro Di Seppia)! And here is the amazing, tasteful result.

---

Serves up to 4 people. Time needed 45 min

Ingredients
200gr butternut squash in squares
2 white onions in rings
4 garlic cloves in small pieces
1 tbsp sage
250gr Venetian Ink Squid tagliatelle
80gr Greek feta
50gr arugula salad
sea salt
olive oil
fresh ground pepper

Method
Warm the oven to 220C. In a baking dish put the squash, onion, garlic and sage. Sprinkle with some salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast in the oven for 20 min.

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Throw the pasta into a bowl and add the roasted mixture. Serve in plates and add the feta and the arugula salad.

Enjoy!

Traditional gazpacho soup + Nachos dish

Gazpacho soup is originating in Andalusia and is widely eaten in Spain and Portugal on hot days, mostly in the summer. It is also sooo refreshing in the morning or when you feel hungry and don’t want to start eating unhealthy food. Make sure you only use the freshest, highest quality ingredients for this soup. But gazpacho is not only a fresh side dish. It can actually be combined with your favorite snack! You can use the soup for a nice Nacho dish when you have guests or just as a side savory dish for the drinks on a Friday night. What do you say?

---

Serves up to 8 people, Time needed: 15 min
Ingredients
for the gazpacho
6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 purple onion, finely chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 sweet red bell pepper seeded and chopped
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

for the Nachos dish
300gr Nacho chips
Some Pecorino Romano for on top
pepper
fresh basil on top

Instructions
Combine all ingredients. Blend slightly, to desired consistency. Place in non-metal, non-reactive storage container, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, allowing flavors to blend.

Put your Nachos on a plate and add the gazpacho, along with the Pecorino Romano, pepper and basil. You can either eat it cold or warm it up a bit in the microwave.

Enjoy!

Gnocchi with bacon and Pecorino Romano

Maybe the summer is over for good here in the Netherlands – and probably to most of where you are – but our desire for new and exciting recipes is never over! This week I give you one of the easiest recipes EVER. And this time I really really mean it! You have to try this on a sunny day (if possible :P) with some white wine on the side. Sit back and relax before you begin, enjoy some time for yourself and let the whole procedure of cooking take you over, like a real Italian!

Serves up to 4 people, Time needed: 15 min

---

Ingredients
75 gr smoked bacon
3-4 tomatoes cut in blocks
500 gr gnocchi di patate (De Cecco Gnocchi di Patate)
125 gr arugula salad
75 gr Pecorino Romano cheese
fresh basil leaves
ground pepper

Instructions
Heat up a frying pan without any oil or butter and bake the bacon till crispy for about 5 min. Bake from the other side too. Take out of the pan and let it take out the excess fat on a plate with kitchen paper.

Cook the tomatoes in the leftover fat in the pan in medium heat for about 6 min.

In the meantime cook the gnocchi according to package instructions. Set up a plate and serve the gnocchi with the bacon, add some arugula salad, the tomatoes and peel small pieces of authentic Pecorino Romano cheese! Don’t forget the fresh basil leaves! Some fresh ground black pepper and you are done!

Bon Appétit!

Vicky’s spaghetti Bolognese

When I decide to make Bolognese I always check my kitchen cabinets to check my leftovers. There is always an extra spaghetti package and some tomato paste! So in moments of “what shall I cook today”, my answer is spaghetti Bolognese! Even though it is an Italian classic, you can do it in various ways. You can add carrots and celery or/and some bacon for extra taste. I prefer the typical Greek kind of way, where you use onions, mince, some wine and tomato sauce. And oh! Some feta of course!

---

Ingredients
400 gr fresh beef mince
2 onions
3 scallions
5 cloves of garlic
400 gr tomato sauce
1 small glass of rose wine
1 spaghetti package

fresh parsley
fresh basil
oregano
olive oil
black pepper
white pepper
salt
Parmesan cheese or feta

Procedure

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan on medium heat. Add the onions chopped along with the garlic. Let them fry for 6-7 minutes in order to be soft. Add the mince and try to open all its chunks. Throw in your herbs and spices (keep some of the fresh for garnish later and for some extra taste). Fry it in high heat and as soon as it is spread, throw in the wine. Let the wine evaporate and take out all its taste. It smells delicious doesn’t it?

Now it is time for the sauce. Reduce heat to low-medium. I used a sauce that already had some spices and was not completely tasteless. You can alternatively use tomato paste and fresh tomatoes- I just didn’t have some at home and used what I had in my cabinet! Throw some water if it is too thick and let it boil for an hour or so in low heat.

In a pan with boiling water add some salt and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions. When they are ready toss them in the saucepan and stir gently so that all the flavors will combine. You can now sprinkle your gorgeous Bolognese with some Parmesan cheese or if you want to do it the Greek way with some feta! Add the extra basil and voilà!

Excellent!

Asian Noodles with Mediterranean red sauce

And here is a recipe I (kind of) made up myself thinking of my student years back in Greece. The classic tomato sauce for the spaghetti any student could cook, one way or the other, and afterwards would have a watery texture (!). It is considered one of the easiest and cheapest recipes after all. And I took it a step further with adding some roasted pine nuts and some fresh ingredients!

You can also use this sauce with white rice for vegetarians, with some chicken and bake it in the oven or on the bread and make some bruschettas. My version of it is inspired by the Mediterranean cuisine, with the pine nuts, the olive oil, the fresh basil and the tomatoes. All those tastes and smells travel you into some island in Greece or some resort in Italy. Along with this type of noodles I love, Asian style thick ones, this recipe was indisputably worth the risk!

---

 

Ingredients
100 gr cherry tomatoes
50gr roasted pine nuts
1 onion in cubes
1 red onion in cubes
3 – 4 garlic cloves minced
1 can tomato sauce (approximately 200gr)
some Parmesan
salt
fresh ground pepper
dried and fresh basil
extra virgin olive oil

Procedure
In a medium pot heat the olive oil and throw in the onions. Let them get soft for some minutes and then throw in the minced garlic. Stir for about 5 minutes till everything gets softer. Throw in the tomatoes and let them get out their juice. Add salt and pepper and some dried basil.

Now it’s time for the tomato sauce. Add some extra water and let it boil for about 10 minutes.

In a large pot boil some water and cook your noodles according to package instructions. I prefer the thick Chinese noodles because they are already full of taste by themselves. So imagine if you combine it with a sauce like that!

While the sauce and the noodles are being cooked, on a small frying pan with medium heat, bake the pine nuts till they get golden brown. As soon as the noodles are ready, throw them on a plate, add some of the Mediterranean read sauce, the pine nuts with some Parmesan and some fresh basil on top for extra taste.

Enjoy!