Minestrone literally means ‘big soup’ in Italian (minestra [soup] + -one). I.e. the soup with many ingredients.
There is no set recipe for minestrone, since it is often made out of whatever vegetables are in season or available from region to region. It can be vegetarian, or contain meat. Emilia is a region of Northern Italy (along with Romagna), with Bologna as its capital.
This version of the dish is a wonderful, hearty soup that can be served as a starter, or nearly hold it’s own as a main course with some rustic bread alongside. The soup is wonderfully aromatic, and the vegetables each bring their own texture and flavour to the party, collectively making for one fantastic (and big) soup.
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Minestrone alla Emiliana
Serves: 6 to 8
Ingredients:
1/8 cup olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 carrots, sliced
3 stalk celery, sliced
2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
6 ounces green beans, topped & tailed
1 savoy cabbage, shredded
8 cups beef broth
2 cups canned whole plum tomatoes, with juices
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 ounces Navy beans
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in crockpot. Set crockpot on Low and cook for 8 to 10 hours, or overnight if serving for lunch.
Optional: serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Filed under: Recipe on May 29th, 2010 | Comments Off on Minestrone alla Emiliana: The Big Northern Soup
Any dish which makes an appearance in two of the greatest movies of all time ought to be taken seriously.
While I settled on a different recipe than those featured in Goodfellas and The Godfather – I hope the boys would approve.
If you usually make meatballs using a jar of prepared sauce, you ‘ll be amazed how much better it tastes when made from scratch with fresh ingredients. The classic combination of tomato and basil makes this a delicious, authentic Italian classic.
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Authentic Italian Spaghetti & Meatballs
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti
Meatballs:
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces ground beef
12 ounces ground veal or lamb
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon dried parsley
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup olive oil (not virgin), for frying
Tomato Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 x 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon dried parsley
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper, to taste
6 basil leaves, chiffonade
Preparation:
Meatballs:
In a medium bowl combine all ingredients (except the 1 cup frying oil). Mix well and season with salt & pepper.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over Medium-High heat. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls and fry until lightly browned all over (they will finish cooking in the sauce).
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
Tomato Sauce:
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over Medium-High heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until soft.
Add the pureed tomatoes, wine, bay leaf, parsley, pepper flakes, salt & pepper and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat, add the meatballs, and let simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the fresh basil just before serving.
To Plate:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook al dente.
Drain well into a colander, and transfer to a large bowl.
Reserving the meatballs, toss the sauce with the pasta. Top with the meatballs and serve.
Filed under: Recipe on May 26th, 2010 | Comments Off on Authentic Italian Spaghetti & Meatballs
There is no better cookie than the oatmeal cookie. I’m not sure why, at some point in history, the oatmeal cookie was relegated to the raisin division and was banned from being served straight up or with chocolate chips.
In my books though, this is the greatest cookie by a long shot. Just sweet enough, just salty enough, just the perfect texture. And the kids are generally scared enough of the oatmeal I can keep the whole batch for myself.
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Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Preparation:
Heat oven to 375.
In a large bowl combine all ingredients except flour. Beat at low speed until well mixed. Do not over mix!
Stir in flour. Drop by even tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Filed under: Recipe on May 23rd, 2010 | Comments Off on Naked Oatmeal Cookies
