Proud Italian Cook

Farfalle Pasta Salad to Welcome in Spring

March 20, 2012 by Marie 24 Comments

We can officially now say that winter is behind us and spring has arrived, and this is the perfect salad to usher in the warm weather! Farfalle pasta, tender asparagus, cherry tomatoes, baby arugula and pecorino and pepper roasted chickpeas.

I love the gourmet food section of HomeGoods I always find something good there, the minute I saw these cute colorful butterflies I knew I’d be making a pasta salad so I quickly grabbed a couple of boxes, don’t they just scream spring? The pasta is made with all natural ingredients too, red beets, red bell pepper, spinach and tumeric, no food coloring at all.

Boil gently for 10 to 12 minutes then spray with cold water to cool down.

Slice cherry tomatoes in half add 1 crushed garlic clove, a healthy dose of olive oil, fresh chopped basil, salt and pepper, as it sits for a while the tomato juice will mingle with the oil and this will become your dressing.
For the roasted chickpeas I used one can that was drained and patted dry then tossed on a baking sheet with olive oil, lots of cracked black pepper, salt and a healthy dose of pecorino romano. Roast for around 15 minutes at 400 or until golden.

I cut the asparagus at a diagonal and roasted them for a few minutes, tender but al’ dente. Just toss everything together adding more olive oil, basil and grated pecorino romano.
For this version right above and below I added in julienned zucchini and sliced olives for added flavor and texture.

Either way, I’m sure you’ll enjoy!
Buon Appetito

24 Comments Filed Under: Pasta, Salads, Spring, Vegetables Tagged: bow tie pasta, farfalle, julienned zucchini, pasta salad, roasted chickpeas

Limoncello Tart with Amaretti Cookie Crust and Blueberry Blackberry Sauce

March 13, 2012 by Marie 54 Comments

I have a fondness for limoncello, that sunny, refreshing, sweet, lemony flavored liqueur from Italy, I love to sip it icy cold straight out of the freezer from a small delicate glass.
I also love it in desserts, like this tart.

Amaretti cookies make the perfect base for this tart and paired with the lemon filling, it’s a match made in heaven! Just whirl a package of amaretti cookies in your food processor and drizzle in some melted butter until it all comes together and you’re able to pat it into a tart pan.
The cookies are sweet enough so I didn’t add additional sugar, for a 7oz bag I used 6 tablespoons of melted butter which fits nicely into a 9″ tart pan.
Have your oven set to 350 and pre-bake your crust for 5 minutes, then let it cool.

The filling is simply, 2 egg yolks, 1 can of sweetened condensed milk, 1/4 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1/4 cup of limoncello liqueur and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest. Blend it with a hand mixer until creamy. Pour mixture into the cooled crust and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, it should be firmed up but not overcooked.

While the tart is baking you can make this quick sauce by warming berries with a little sugar in a saute pan, add lemon zest for an additional boost of flavor. In just a few minutes the berries will break down and yield their precious juice!

After the pie cools down you need to chill it in the fridge! This is very important because the colder it is, the better it is, give it at least a few hours, I promise you it will be worth it!

Don’t be like me, I couldn’t wait!

Luscious!

54 Comments Filed Under: Desserts, Pies Tagged: amaretti cookies, lemoncello, lemoncello tart, limoncello dessert

Little Lasagnas with Tomato, Burrata and Pesto

March 5, 2012 by Marie 26 Comments

This recipe was inspired by a photo I saw in La Cucina Italiana magazine, many years ago and although my version is much more simplified than the original, because I used some store-bought ingredients, I can assure you nothing lacked in the flavor department.

This recipe is such a hit each time I make it, it’s lighter than traditional lasagne and perfect for the summer months, and with creamy burrata adorning it, what’s not to like?

Being able to purchase fresh lasagna sheets and good quality pesto is key to the simplicity and taste, a quick 2 minute boil for the pasta then cooled down in ice water and patted dry.

The ingredients consist of fresh pasta sheets that are scattered with roasted tomatoes along with their lovely juice, dollops of store-bought basil pesto (not pictured here), grated parmesan or Pecorino, another drizzle of olive oil and of course the main character, burrata cheese!

You can do 2 or 3 layers at a time but I prefer three. You can assemble them on parchment paper that has been brushed with olive oil on a baking sheet, if you’re making quite a few, but I have made this several times since 2012 ( the 2 bottom pictures have been updated in 2019) when I first posted this and now I’ve come to love baking them in individual small casserole dishes.

I just oil the bottom and sides of the baking dish then spread a couple of spoonfuls of marinara on the bottom, then the layering starts.

Pasta sheet, roasted tomatoes with some of their juice, pesto, torn burrata and either Pecorino or Parmigiana sprinkled all over.

Because everything is precooked all you have to do is basically heat them through in a 450 oven until the burrata has melted and the edges are golden, somewhere around 15 minutes or so. Garnish with chopped basil and a few whole roasted tomatoes, ( because it gives a pretty presentation ) and serve immediately!

This is fantastic for a dinner party or a pretty quick mid week meal, just add a fresh green salad along with some crusty bread!

Buon Appetito!