pasta

Lasagna with Eggplant

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

I know that eggplant is a controversial vegetable, beginning with the fact that it technically is a berry and, therefore, a fruit. It is a mystery to me how people can say with certainty that they “hate” eggplant or aubergine as it’s known in most parts of the world. Eggplant can be made at least 100 different ways, so for those of you out there who claim to hate eggplant, don’t give up trying it. My Lasagna with Eggplant and seasoned beef crumbles is “meaty” and delicious. The eggplant is tender and slightly sweet and is perfectly cooked to absorb all of the other flavors in the dish.

This version is vegetarian, since I use real cheese and, therefore, perfect for a Shavuot meal. The vegan crumbles could be left out entirely if you prefer. It could also be made using vegan cheese which renders the dish vegan instead of vegetarian. While my husband and I have grown to like some of the vegan meat substitutes, so far the cheeses haven’t quite hit the mark for me.

Lasagna with Eggplant reduces the fat and cholesterol of standard lasagna without compromising on flavor. There is no rich ricotta cheese used so this lasagna feels lighter and is lighter. The eggplant, however, adds a silky, meaty element. It also comes together quickly using ready-made sauce. There are so many good ones out there that I rarely ever make my own anymore. Could this be made using real sausage or ground beef or turkey? Of course. But not only is this version healthier, it complies with the laws of kashrut, unless you are of the tradition that eating this gives the world a false impression that you are mixing meat and milk.

My Lasagna with Eggplant was made using a tomato sauce; however, you could use a béchamel sauce if you prefer. To keep it vegan, use an unsweetened non-dairy milk such as oat, cashew or soy. I would not recommend using almond milk as it is too thin. And while the lasagna looks and tastes cheesy, I used only about 8 oz. of cheese for the entire pan, with majority being on the top.

As with all lasagnas, this can be made ahead and rewarmed. It can even be frozen, so it’s perfect for when you know that you have a busy week coming up. The only thing that I would change from the lasagna that I made is I would not use fresh lasagna sheets again. This is a personal preference, but the texture for me was a bit gummy. I much prefer the no-boil lasagna sheets that have made making lasagna an easy dish to throw together. But you do you. And if you are a purest who insists on boiling your own noodles, go for it. I just don’t see a need to complicate a dish when the rewards are slim to non-existent.

Give this Lasagna with Eggplant a try and see if it doesn’t tick all the pasta boxes in a lighter but oh so satisfying version. I served it with roasted asparagus, homemade pickles and bread and fresh fruit for dessert. Perfect. Well, okay, maybe there were a few cookies along side the fruit….

RECIPE

YIELD: About 8 to 10 servings

INGREDIENTS

About 4 Tablespoons of EVOO

3 eggplants, about 1 pound each

10 oz. ground “meat” crumbles

12 ounces fresh lasagna sheets or 9 ounces dried “No-Boil” lasagna sheets

32 ounces of your favorite pasta sauce (Fresh lasagna and no-boil lasagna sheets require extra sauce in order to cook properly.)

1 onion, peeled and chopped

3 large cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 sweet or hot pepper, finely chopped

Small handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 rounded teaspoon each: dried basil, oregano

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

About 8 oz. of your favorite cheeses, grated on the large holes or pre-packaged (Use some cheese that melts well such as mozzarella or scamorza and mix with cheese with more flavor such as pecorino, asiago, parmesan. There are many packages of Italian or Pizza mix cheeses if you don’t want to grate your own.) And if you choose to use more cheese, it’s your lasagna.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice the eggplants into planks and lay them out on a tray or cutting board. Liberally sprinkle them with salt and allow them to sit for 15 to 20 minutes. This will make the eggplants sweat and removes any bitterness. Once they are sweating, blot the eggplants with paper towels or a tea towel. This will remove any excess salt as well as any potentially bitter liquid in the eggplant.

Then lay the eggplant on top of parchment on a baking tray. Very lightly brush or spray the eggplant with EVOO or avocado oil. Roast for about 20 minutes or until they take on a little color and become pliable. There is no need to turn them over. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool slightly before assembling the lasagna. The eggplant will continue cooking in the lasagna. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F.

While the eggplant roasts, add about 2 Tablespoons of EVOO to a medium sauté pan. Throw in your onions, garlic and pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix everything and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add in the tomato paste and mix that through. Once the vegetables have started to soften, add the “beef” crumbles, the parsley and the oregano and basil. Stir everything together and sauté for another 5 to 8 minutes, adding a bit more EVOO if it looks a little dry. If you want to add a good splash of red wine, I won’t tell. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside until you are ready to assemble.

You will want to use a 9 X 13-inch pan or its equivalent. You’ve all seen pans of lasagna. Layer in about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of your sauce. Then depending on the lasagna you use, lay down one layer of the pasta sheets, pushing them into the sauce. Sprinkle lightly with some cheese. Then layer in some of the eggplant planks. Add on top half of the “meat” and more sauce to cover.

Then cheese. Repeat, making one more layer and end with a layer of pasta sheets, sauce and all remaining cheese. I like to drizzle the cheese with a bit of EVOO but its up to you.

Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes. The top should be nicely browned and the cheese should be melted and a bit oozy. Allow the lasagna to rest for about 10 minutes before cutting. If you are not serving it right away, lightly cover it with parchment or waxed paper. Once cooled, it can be covered with foil over the parchment and refrigerated or frozen. Reheat in a 325 degree oven.

Mushroom Lovers Pasta

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If you are not a mushroom lover, stop reading now. But, if you are like me and love mushrooms in all shapes, sizes and varieties, then this Mushroom Lovers Pasta is for you. The sauce is creamy and luscious and coats every inch of pasta. The leeks and garlic just melt into the sauce and become one with the pasta. Topped with some chopped fresh dill for a bit of grassiness and this recipe will please all of the mushroom lovers among you. And while it is vegan, no one would know if you didn’t tell them.

I found the original recipe through Rainbow Plant Life, a vegan blog that I like to follow. It was called Mushroom Stroganoff. However, in general, I think it is a mistake to call vegan dishes after what would otherwise be a meat dish. My belief is that it should be enjoyed on its own terms with a few exceptions. And, frankly, I hadn’t eaten real Stroganoff in a number of years and didn’t feel confident that this replicated the taste and mouthfeel. But it is delicious which is why I am happy to offer it here.

Nisha Vora of Rainbow Plant Life is a very enthusiastic proponent of vegan cooking and she has some wonderful ideas. My personal experience with several of her recipes, though, is that they are fussier than necessary. I think of her as the Ottolenghi of vegan cooking. Where one bowl would suffice, she will use four etc. So, while I did prepare this recipe as she wrote it, I would simplify some of the steps.

For one, I don’t understand the scare tactics that some cooks use when talking about cleaning mushrooms and leeks. It’s just not that big of a deal, guys. I have heard of some people putting leeks through a dishwasher cycle to get them clean! Where do they buy their produce? I have been cooking for over 50 years and no one has EVER complained that my leeks or mushrooms were gritty. So please relax and don’t be put off by recipes that go into great detail about cleaning these vegetables.

Years ago my daughter-in-law was visiting when I made my Kale Sunshine Salad. Frances loved it but said that she was put off making it because of how much work it was to de-rib the kale as described by some cook she was following. I showed her a quick and easy way to do it and she has never looked back. Cooking should be fun. And if you are feeding a family, it also shouldn’t take all day.

So this Mushroom Lovers Pasta is essentially Nisha’s Mushroom Stroganoff with a few simple hacks. And while I happened to have made some homemade vegetable stock, feel free to use a commercial brand that you like. And if strictly adhering to a vegan diet isn’t essential, chicken stock works well here too.

There are many, many types of noodles on the markets these days. And we do eat a lot of lentil pastas, which have come a long way. But I had some egg noodle at home and that is what I used. Almost any pasta would work well with this delicious sauce.

So let’s make some pasta for dinner!

RECIPE

Yield: About 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil or a mix of EVOO and Avocado, divided

2 large leeks or 3 small-medium leeks

20 ounces of mixed mushrooms after trimming, which means buying about 24 ounces (~560g) (I used Baby Bella, Shitake, Oyster Blue and Royal Trumpet)

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Kosher salt

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional) (I used regular Worcestershire Sauce because that is what I have and a vegan dish with small cheats doesn’t bother me, but you do you.)

¼ cup (~30g) all-purpose flour

½ cup (~120 ml) dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or a non-oaky Chardonnay

1 (13.5 ounce) (400 ml) can of full-fat coconut milk

2 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard or coarse-grain mustard

12 ounces (340g) pasta of choice (I actually used an egg pasta, but feel free to use an eggless pasta)

¼ cup fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Prep everything before you start cooking! It took me years to do this and it truly does make the entire process easier and smoother.

For the mushrooms: Using a damp paper towel, gently wipe off any obvious dirt from the mushrooms. Do NOT soak the mushrooms; they are like sponges and it will ruin the dish! Remove any stems that don’t look great. I just grab the end and give it a wiggle and twist and it pops right out. If you do make your own vegetable stock, these can be saved and frozen until you are ready to use.

For Oyster, Maitake and Trumpet mushrooms, tearing them lengthwise is the simpler than cutting them. For Baby Bellas and Shitake, cut them into slices – not too thin. The mushrooms give the “meaty” mouthfeel to the dish.

For the leeks: Cut off the tough root end at the tip of the white part. Take a sharp knife and make a deep slit vertically down the middle of the leek. Rinse well under lukewarm water while gently pulling the leek partially open. Any dirt will be obvious and you can use your finger or a paper towel to wash it off. And when you are cutting the leek, if a bit of dirt shows up, just wipe it off. If the leeks are large, slice all the way through your cut line. Then chop the leek into pieces that are about 1/2-inch wide.

A lot of people only use the white part. I think that is incredibly wasteful and unnecessary. Peel off the really tough, very dark leaves as you go, but keep chopping through the lighter green leaves and use that as well.

Once you have all of your other ingredients out on your counter, you are ready to start cooking.

In a 12-inch skillet with 3-inch sides (or a Dutch Oven) heat 1.5 Tablespoons of oil. I used a mix of Avocado and EVOO. Either or both are fine. Once the oil is shimmering, add half of the mushrooms and half of the leeks. Sprinkle with half of the thyme (I used dried) and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt. Coat everything with the oil but then don’t stir them too much. You want to do this on a medium high heat. Cook for about 10 to 12 minutes or until the mushrooms are nicely browned.

Then add half of the garlic and cook for another few minutes. The edges of the mushrooms should be very brown and just bordering on beginning to crisp. Remove the mushroom leek mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Repeat this with the remaining mushrooms, leeks, garlic etc. Once the mushrooms are cooked, add the wine and deglaze the pan using a wooden spoon, scraping up any of the wonderful brown bits in the pan.

While the second batch of mushrooms is cooking, make your roux. To the vegetable broth, add the Dijon mustard, tamari or soy, Worcestershire sauce and the flour, whisking continuously until you have a smooth mixture. Add this to the mushrooms in the pan, whisking as you go to ensure that there are no lumps. Bring everything to a simmer and add the coconut milk, tahini, nutritional yeast, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and the paprika. Simmer over a low heat for about 8 minutes until the sauce is thickened, silky and creamy.

Cook your pasta according to the package instructions while the mushroom sauce simmers. Before draining the pasta, take off a couple of ladles of the starchy pasta water. Once the pasta has drained, add it to the sauce and mix everything through. If it looks a bit too thick or “tight” add some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time until the desired consistency.

When you plate the pasta, add some of the reserved mushroom leek mixture on top of each serving and sprinkle with the chopped fresh dill.

Now enjoy!

NOTE: If you don’t care about the presentation aspect too much, simply add back the reserved mushroom leek mixture to the pasta and mix through.

Springtime Pasta

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment

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Here in Chicago, we have had a pretty easy winter, especially compared to the rest of the country. And so far the month of March has been like late spring, then back to winter and back to spring etc. I’m not complaining mind you. Of all of the myriad things to complain about in the world right now, Chicago’s weather is not one of them.

So on one of the spring-like days, I decided to come up with a recipe that was appropriate for the weather. While the version I actually made was vegan, you could easily substitute dairy where I will indicate, if making vegan recipes is not your thing.

Any ridged or textured pasta will work here, but I chose to use a red lentil rotini pasta to give us a good hit of protein that otherwise would be lacking. I also used a vegan bouillon cube where you could use chicken. And vegan cream, where either dairy half & half or cream could be used.

Just before serving, I topped ours with vegan parmesan-style cheese. I will say that while there have been huge strides in vegan products, the vegan cheeses that I have tried so far are just “okay.” But then I tend to like strong cheeses and these have generally been fairly mild. Texture-wise, the cheeses are very good and several melt beautifully. The only other issue that I have with vegan cheese is the color. Since there are many vegetable food colorings out there, I’m not sure why so many of the cheeses present as a not overly enticing greige color. I’m sure that in time, this will be sorted out as well.

But I digress. Springtime Pasta comes together quite quickly and there are no special skills required in making it. Because it does come together quickly, though, prep everything ahead of starting to cook.

My husband and I loved this lovely fresh sauce and the lemon zest and mint added just the right amount of brightness to the recipe. So when you are in need of a bit of weeknight inspiration, give this recipe a try.

Recipe

Yield: About 4 generous servings

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons EVOO or avocado oil

8 to 10 ounces of your favorite pasta

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 vegan bouillon cube

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup of plant-based heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Zest of a small lemon or to taste

1 large shallot or small onion, thinly sliced

1 pound of fresh asparagus

8 ounces of mushroom, sliced into 3 thickish pieces (I like baby Bellas but white mushroom work as well.)

1 cup frozen peas, slightly thawed

1/3 cup of sliced sundried tomatoes in olive oil

One cup of pasta water

A handful of coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley with about 2 Tablespoons of chopped mint

Directions

Cut off the woody end of the asparagus and then cut the remaining asparagus into 3 pieces.

While you are starting to cook, prep your pasta water and get it boiling. Cook your pasta to the shortest recommended cooking time since it will continue to cook in the sauce for another minute or two. When the pasta is just about finished cooking, remove one cup+ of the pasta water and set it aside. One cup is fine if you are eating all of the pasta in one sitting. If you plan on refrigerating a portion, I would add another half cup to keep the pasta and sauce loose for reheating.

In a deep skillet or small Dutch oven, sauté the shallot, mushrooms, and asparagus pieces in the oil for 3 to 5 minutes or until they begin to soften but not brown. You can partially cover the pan to speed things along.

Add in the sundried tomatoes, lemon zest, salt, pepper, crumbled bouillon cube and frozen peas. When everything is hot, add in the wine. Toss everything through well and continue cooking for about 10 minutes.

Add in the cream, pasta and pasta water and stir through. It may seem like too much liquid at first, but the pasta will absorb it. Just before you are ready to serve, toss in your parsley and mint, reserving about 2 Tablespoonsful to sprinkle on top for presentation. Top with your cheese of choice or eat it as is.

Avocado Pistachio Pesto

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What is a dip for vegetables, a spread for burgers and sandwiches and a sauce for pasta? Avocado Pistachio Pesto – that’s what! I could even see using it on top of grilled fish or chicken. This simple-to-make, beautifully vibrant pesto is delicious in so many ways. So make a bunch and use it liberally. And the added bonus of many vegan meals is that they are extremely budget-friendly. And who wouldn’t want a delicious meal that doesn’t break the bank?

When making a dish with a few ingredients, always choose the best quality that you can find and afford. And that is especially true when using olive oil. I use a few trusted brands and I especially love the flavored olive oils. Baking cakes with olive oil not only makes them taste rich and flavorful, but they hold up beautifully as well. And there is no tedious creaming of butter and sugar or remembering to leave the butter out so it is malleable.

Don’t misunderstand. I love a really good unsalted butter slathered on freshly baked bread. And there are some cakes and cookies that just would not be the same without it. But if you haven’t tried a top quality olive oil, you don’t know what you are missing.

When ripe, avocados are creamy and rich tasting, while also being a healthy fat that packs a punch of anti-oxidants and vitamins. When combined with pistachios, lemon, basil, EVOO and mint, you have a party going on. This Avocado Pistachio Pesto will keep for a few days in the fridge if covered with a layer of EVOO. Anytime you take some pesto, fill in the gap with EVOO and the pesto will stay a beautiful green and will retain its vibrancy.

I paired my Avocado Pistachio Pesto with a red lentil pasta and some frozen, thawed baby peas. But any kind of pasta that you like will work. Throw together a quick, colorful salad and you have a great meal. So don’t wait. Make this today!

Recipe

Yield: About 4 cups

Ingredients

1 cup of raw pistachios, lightly pan-toasted

2.5 large, very ripe avocados

2 ounces of fresh basil leaves, thick stems removed

5 large garlic cloves

Juice of half of a lemon or more to taste

3/4 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

About 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

2 Tablespoons fresh or frozen mint leaves

Lemon EVOO or other quality EVOO that is bright and with a bit of an edge (I actually used two different olive oils in making this.)

Directions

Place all of the ingredients in a strong blender or food processor. While the machine is running, drizzle in the olive oil until you get a consistency you like. Don’t be afraid to use the EVOO. The sauce will thicken some over time. How thick you make it is personal taste. When using it with pasta, I also add about a cup of the pasta water to the sauce when ready to serve.

Summer Garden Pasta

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Summer Garden Pasta

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This simple Summer Garden Pasta makes the most out of the tomato and basil harvest. With only a few ingredients, this delicious pasta comes together in under an hour. If you have the time, pair it with one of these wonderful focaccia.

When choosing a pasta to use for this Summer Garden Pasta, I like to use a fusilli, but any pasta with ridges or twists will be great. They are both sturdy enough and have loads of nooks and crannies to hold the sauce. You want want to miss even a speck!

I made this dish one night when I had some heirloom tomatoes to use up and a flourishing basil plant. My husband LOVED this simple Summer Garden Pasta so much that he ate seconds and thirds! While I used heirloom tomatoes the first time, any good ripe tomato will work. This time I used organic Roma and grape tomatoes.

This is a sort of non-recipe recipe. Don’t get too bogged down in exact measurements. Another clove of garlic? Great. You like things really spicy. A few more red pepper flakes? Fine. More than a pound of tomatoes to use up? Go ahead. The basic recipe is below but be free to tailor it to your preferences. Just keep it simple.

Summer Garden Pasta is wonderful for those steamy summer days when turning on the oven is unthinkable. So buy your bread and feast!

Recipe

Summer Garden Pasta

Yield: 4 generous servings

Ingredients

Summer Garden Pasta

About 1.25 pounds of ripe tomatoes, coarsely diced

5 to 6 large cloves of garlic, peeled and left whole

2 to 3 anchovies in oil

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 Tablespoons EVOO (I used a Mediterranean flavored oil, but any good EVOO will do )

2 Tablespoons Canola or other neutral oil

1 cup roasted bell peppers (homemade or from a jar), rinsed, patted dry and coarsely chopped

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar (it balances the acidity of the tomatoes)

1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese

1 cup of pasta water

1 pound of dry pasta like a fusilli

Lots of fresh basil leaves (a large handful), with about half kept for garnish

Directions

In a large pan with a tight fitting lid, add your oils, garlic cloves and anchovies. On a low heat, cook the garlic until it is golden, bathing it occasionally in the oil. The anchovies will have broken down and become indistinguishable from the oil. This took me about 15 minutes.

Once the garlic is golden (do NOT burn the garlic!) add the chopped tomatoes, roasted red peppers, salt, balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook on gentle heat, covered for about 12 to 15 minutes or when the tomatoes have broken down and become saucy. You don’t want mush. I like to still see some of the tomato chunks.

Up to this point, you can make the sauce ahead if you choose. The other ingredients will be added when you are ready to eat.

When you are ready to cook your pasta, bring the sauce to a simmer. Crumble in the goat cheese and mix through. Add the pasta water just before draining the pasta and half of the basil. The leaves can be torn or left whole. Your preference.

Mix everything through and simmer uncovered for about 2 minutes. Drain your pasta and add it to the sauce, mixing it well. Alternatively, add the sauce to the plated pasta. Garnish with lots of basil that has been chiffonaded and some grated parmesan or pecorino, if desired. Mangia!

Wonderful One-Pot Pasta

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Wonderful One-Pot Pasta

Yes, nutritious and vegan tastes this great! Wonderful One-Pot Pasta with lentils is packed with vegan power and gives you a satisfying dinner in under an hour. And this one-pot method of cooking pasta right in the sauce makes clean-up a snap. Who could ask for anything more?

For the past year, I have been watching a vlog called Pick Up Limes out of the Netherlands. It’s all about the vegan life-style. The vlogger is a registered dietician and a walking advertisement for the vegan life. She is completely non-preachy and makes everything approachable. While she now spends less time on her life, which I kind of miss, she is a wonderful resource for vegan recipes and nutrition. This pasta recipe originated with her. Per usual, I made a few tweaks to portions and method. Frankly, even I was a bit surprised how much I loved this dish.

Wonderful One-Pot Pasta layers in the flavors to make a savory, thick – and very healthy – sauce. Every element plays a part. The capers and olives lend a brininess and the lentils add smooth mouthfeel and meatiness to the dish. And after eating the generous portions you feel full without any heaviness. It’s a great introduction to vegan eating.

I served this with broccolini that I lightly sautéed in a pan with just salt, pepper, grated garlic and lemon zest. The crunch of the broccolini was a perfect accompaniment to the unctuous pasta. A small salad instead wouldn’t go amiss and some good bread to lap up every bit of the delicious sauce.

There are a few shortcuts that you can take even though I chose not to. With a pantry full of dried lentils and beans, I cooked mine up in the morning. Unlike some legumes, most lentils do not require pre-soaking and a long, slow cooking. These only take a good rinsing and 15 minutes of cooking to be ready. However, prepared lentils are often available in the produce department in vacuum-sealed bags if you choose to go that route.

And normally, if I had thought ahead, I would have bought pitted olives for the dish. Since I had some lovely picholine olives from Morocco with pits I used those. It took a few minutes longer to cut the flesh off of the pits, but not much more. Kalamata olives, which are black, are readily available pitted and would be just as good here.

I did use the recommended spinach. While it added to the nutrition of the dish, it didn’t contribute much in the way of flavor in my opinion. So as a consequence, I have made it optional. Don’t forego making this pasta if you are out of fresh spinach! The original recipe called for 1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes. My husband and I do not like every meal to be spicy, so I only used a sprinkling and might even leave it out altogether the next time. All of the other ingredients are essential to the overall mix of nutrition and flavor.

When I saw the original amount of pasta called for, I thought there is no way that the portions would be generous. Boy, was I wrong. Somehow, 300 g or 10.5 ounces of pasta resulted in a very generous four portions. If you wish to increase the portions to make this for a bigger crowd, the Pick Up Limes website has a conversion table on the recipe.

We ended up using some grated Parmesan on top, but afterwards my husband and I both agreed that it was not needed. So if you are not going full-blown vegan, you can use it or not. And while I have not tasted them myself, there are also vegan “cheese” options out there. It’s up to you.

Wonderful One-Pot Pasta

For a non-vegan one-pot pasta dish that is quite good:

One-Pot Pasta Puttanesca

Recipe

Yield: 4 very generous portions

Ingredients

Wonderful One-Pot Pasta

1.5 Tablespoons Olive Oil (Canola or sunflower could also be used)

4 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2 cups (about 1 medium) onion, peeled and chopped

1 vegetable bouillon cube

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon ground dried fennel

Up to 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (Optional)

10.5 oz. (300 g) dry spaghetti noodles

3 cups (720 ml) tomato sauce

2 cups (480 ml) water

2 cups (360 g) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

2 to 3 cups (225 g) cooked lentils (brown, green or whole red lentils) (I was fine with 2 cups; my husband wanted more, so I added the additional cup. The original recipe called for 1.5 cups.)

1/2 cup (68 g) green or black olives (about 20 regular olives), sliced or chopped

1/3 cup (50 g) sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained and chopped

1 Tablespoon (9 g) capers, rinsed if stored in salt

2 cups (60 g) fresh baby spinach (Optional)

Fresh Basil (Optional Garnish)

Directions

Dissolve the bouillon cube in the 2 cups of water. Add the oil to a large pot on medium-high heat.

When hot, sauté the onion, garlic, herbs and chili flakes, if using for 3 minutes.

Now add the pasta, pasta sauce, water, cherry or grape tomatoes, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and capers to the pot. Bring everything to a simmer. Using tongs or a wooden spoon, push the pasta into the sauce as it begins to soften. The pasta will need to be fully submerged in the sauce to cook properly. [I got a bit impatient here. To speed things up, you can break the pasta in half – a heresy, I know. Otherwise, just be patient. It will take a few minutes.]

Once simmering, cover the pot with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on the brand of pasta. Keep checking after 10 minutes. You want the pasta cooked but al dente. 10 minutes into the cooking time, add in the cooked lentils. Stir through.

At the very end, stir through the spinach if using. Serve it generously and garnish with fresh basil, if using. Now enjoy!

Moroccan Chickpea Soup (Harira)

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Moroccan Chickpea Soup (Harira)


Moroccan Chickpea Soup (Harira) is hearty and fragrant – a soul-satisfying one-dish meal. There are many versions of this soup – some with meat and others like this one, which is vegan. In some families it is traditional to serve this as the “break-the-fast” meal following Yom Kippur. But it could and should be enjoyed throughout the fall and winter. This is a make-ahead meal that only improves with a bit of age.

To show how vastly different our family traditions can be, my family’s break-the-fast meal was always bagels, lox and smoked fish. We came from New York via Russia Poland. But the truth is that I actually don’t like lox and smoked fish in the Midwest just doesn’t cut it for me. So, as I have with much of our diet during the rest of the year, I have adopted a more Middle Eastern/Mediterranean/South Asian food culture. And a heavily plant-based diet.

I came across a version of this soup on the Jewish Food Society website. It’s a wonderful site that has made it its mission to collect stories and recipes of the myriad Jewish communities across the globe. These are recipes that have been passed down through the generations, but which might have so easily been lost. Because so many of these families were forced from their homes under terrible conditions, it was easy for these unwritten treasures to have fallen by the wayside. While I have found that the recipes on the site are not always easy to follow, especially if you are a novice cook, the family histories alone make the website worth a visit.

While we Jews lived among the local communities, we also remained outside of them, keeping to our own traditions. Local cuisine was adapted to meet the laws of kashrut. Harira, Moroccan Chickpea Soup is a perfect example. Moroccan Muslims would eat harira to break the fast on Ramadan. Whereas many Jews ate it to break the fast on Yom Kippur.

The original recipe for this harira uses fine egg noodles and since I am not a vegan, I did as well. However, there is no reason why an angel hair pasta or spaghettini couldn’t be used instead. That is the only change required to make this wonderful soup vegan.

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Moroccan Chickpea Soup (Harira)

If you choose to cook your own soaked chickpeas as I have done, you need to start the process the night before. If you prefer to use canned chickpeas, you can still make a delicious and hearty soup. I happen to enjoy cooking my own beans and use the liquid from the cooking process to replace most of the water called for in the recipe. It adds an extra level of nourishment and flavor and helps to further thicken the soup. Unless you are using organic canned beans, however, I would not recommend using the liquid. You could use water, as called for, adding a vegetable bouillon cube or you could use a vegetable stock.

After I had decided to make the recipe I found from the Jewish Food Society, I came across another version from My Jewish Learning, The Nosher. So I ended up doing what I usually do and took the elements that I liked best from both and then tweaked it!

My sister-in-law is from Morocco and I asked what her family’s tradition was for breaking the fast. She told me that their tradition was to eat an egg-drop soup before the fast and cake to break the fast, followed by a full meal. So whatever tradition your family follows – or if you are starting a tradition of your own, I definitely encourage you to fit this wonderful and incredibly soul-satisfying soup in there somehow.

For a version of harira with lamb: Harira – Moroccan Chickpea and Lamb Soup

Recipe

Yield: 6 servings

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Moroccan Chickpea Soup (Harira)

Ingredients

1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained OR one 15 oz. can of drained chickpeas

4 Tablespoons olive or a neutral oil like Canola

3 medium carrots (or 2 large), peeled and cut into small dice or rounds

2 stalks of celery, diced

1 large onion, diced

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1 Tablespoon Harissa paste, or to taste (I used 2 Tablespoons of a milder Harissa and added a few crushed red chili flakes)

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup brown lentils OR 1/2 cup red lentils and 1/2 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed

4 large or 6 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped (If making this in the winter, use canned tomatoes, about 28 oz. can)

3 cups fine egg noodles OR angel hair pasta broken into thirds (About 4 to 5 oz. depending on the kind of noodle that you use)

8 cups of vegetable stock, OR water with a couple of bouillon cubes OR the cooking liquid from the chickpeas plus additional water

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

A large handful of cilantro and/or parsley, stems and leaves roughly chopped

Directions

If you are cooking your own soaked chickpeas, place the drained chickpeas in a pot with 1 teaspoon of salt and 4.5 cups of water. Bring to a boil and skim off any white foam. Cover and cook for 50 minutes at a simmer.

In a large pot, add 4 Tablespoons olive or Canola oil. Add the chopped onion, carrot and celery and cook for about 6 minutes on medium high heat or until softened. I like to add 1 teaspoon of salt here. I will probably add more later since it is a big pot of soup. However, if you are using broth or bouillon and depending on your Harissa, you might not need much more salt. You can always add it but you cannot easily remove it!

Once the veggies are softened, add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes.

Now add the Harissa, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and black pepper and stir through to coat everything well. Cook for 1 minute and then add the tomato paste to the bottom of the pot. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes.

If you are using your own chickpeas you can add them to the pot. I find that when I cook chickpeas myself, they retain their shape and bite even when cooked longer. If you are using canned chickpeas, you will add them in later. Your lentils are also added now. Give everything a good stir to coat with the spices and tomato paste.

Next add the tomatoes, broth, water or liquid from the chickpeas, the chopped stems of the parsley and/or cilantro. Don’t worry if there are some leaves in there as well. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally for 1 hour. This can be done ahead.

When you are ready to eat, return the heat to a boil and add the noodles and canned chickpeas, if using. Simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and check your seasonings. The soup should be very thick, almost stew like. If you want it thinner then add more liquid. Add the juice of 1/2 of a lemon. Garnish with the chopped parsley/cilantro leaves.

Enjoy!



Beans, Greens and Pasta

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment
Greens Beans and Pasta

Beans Greens and Pasta adds sunshine to a cold, dreary day. Comfort Food at its best. Now personally, I haven’t met a green or a bean that I didn’t like. But when you put them together with pasta and a few ingredients to kick it up a notch, you have this delicious, satisfying meal. Since it comes together in less than an hour, it can even be enjoyed on a weeknight.

I came across a video for this recipe on Food52. It’s by Sohla El-Waylly. Most recipes have way more salt than I find necessary to the dish, but I will leave the amounts up to you. Just remember that you can always add salt but once you have put too much in a dish, it is almost impossible to take it away. Many years ago, someone taught me that if you over-salt broth, you can add a whole, peeled raw potato to the liquid to absorb the extra salt. The potato is then discarded. Absent that, you are pretty much stuck.

And once you learn how everything comes together, you can feel free to swap out the collard greens for kale or any other firm green that you have on hand and like. Cannellini beans (also known as white kidney beans) are super creamy and meaty, but you could easily use a Great Northern, Navy or Tarbais bean. Orecchiette pasta (“little ears”) is pretty and produces just the right “bite” that you look for in this dish, but any smallish pasta that you have available will work.

So learn the techniques – none of which are difficult – and then make this dish your own. But do make it because it is just so, so delicious. Greens, Beans and Pasta takes a salty, flavorful meat, but it doesn’t have to be traditional bacon, although that is what I used this go around. Feel free to substitute pancetta, smoked turkey leg or turkey bacon. However, keep in mind the fat content, because all of that beautiful fat means flavor. And at the end of the day, it really isn’t all that much. If you choose to make this without any meat, then be sure to add the most flavorful EVOO that you can afford.

I can’t really imagine making this dish without cheese, so you could do a vegetarian version, but a vegan version would be lacking in my opinion. You want to use a flavorful, somewhat salty cheese like a good Reggiano Parmesan or a Pecorino. The recipe does call for hot pepper flakes, but you control the heat and this could be left out if you really want without compromising the dish.

Now I know that pre-pandemic bread had gone out of favor in a lot of circles – something I NEVER could understand, but okay. During the pandemic, apparently a lot of people took up bread-baking and for a time there was actually a total shortage of yeast. This dish simply cries out for a good crusty baguette to wipe up the creamy, utterly yummy sauce that is produced. So I’m begging you – eat bread!

For other great pasta ideas:

One-Pot Pasta Puttanesca

One-Pot Pasta Puttanesca

Baked Pasta in Eggplant: Pasta Incaciata

Shrimp and Arugula Avocado Pesto Pasta

Penne Pasta with Broccoli Rabe

Roasted Pepper and Garlic Confit Pasta

Quick and elegant pasta

Recipe

Greens Beans and Pasta

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Ingredients

Greens Beans and Pasta
  • 5 ounces (1 1/2 cups) orecchiette (or another short dry pasta, like macaroni or penne)
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock or water, divided
  • 4 slices (6 ounces) thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3 to 4 garlic cloves
  • About 1 pound collard greens (about 2 small bunches)
  • 1 (15.5-oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, depending on your spice tolerance
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ounce Parmesan or pecorino, finely grated (about 1 cup), plus more to serve
  • 1 tablespoon butter (unsalted and salted both work)

Directions

Greens Beans and Pasta
  1. Put the pasta in a small bowl and cover with 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock or water, stirring occasionally to make sure the pasta isn’t clumping together. [The pasta gives off starch, which will make a creamy sauce. It also allows the pasta to cook quickly and not absorb too much of the cooking liquid.]
  2. Add the bacon to a 4-quart Dutch oven along with 2 tablespoons of water. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat melts out of the bacon and the bacon grows brown and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. (If you’re using turkey bacon, add 1 tablespoon of any oil along with the water.)
  3. Meanwhile, smash, peel, and finely chop the garlic. Strip the collard leaves from the stems. Stack the leaves and cut lengthwise into four long sections. Stack the pieces and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick strips (you should have about 6 cups lightly packed of manageable-sized greens).
  4. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the bacon from the Dutch oven and transfer to a plate, leaving all of the fat behind. Add the garlic and cook until tender and aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, if using, and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
  5. Add the collards, the remaining 2 1/2 cups of chicken stock or water, and a big pinch of salt and black pepper. (Unless you are using unsalted stock, only add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to start.) Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain an active simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the liquid has reduced to about 1 cup and the greens are tender and silky, 40 to 45 minutes. Taste the greens and add more salt and black pepper if needed. Add the beans and stir through. (You want it to be very well seasoned at this point, so the liquid and greens can season the pasta. But remember, you still have the salty cheese and bacon to add back in.)
  6. Add the pasta along with the soaking liquid and simmer, stirring constantly, until the pasta is al dente, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add about 2/3 of the cheese, 1 Tablespoon of butter, and about 1/2 of the reserved bacon, and stir well to combine.
  7. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and garnish with more cheese and bacon.

One-Pot Pasta Puttanesca

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 2 Comments

This One-Pot Pasta Puttanesca is a game changer! Everything cooks in one pot and is delicious and cooked exactly right. I already am a fan of sheet-pan cooking, but when I tried this pasta I became an evangelist. It’s absolutely brilliant. No more worrying about if your sauce and pasta are both ready at the same time.

Since we are all confined to our homes, I am spending even more time than usual looking at recipes. I saw this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs, the kitchn.com. Apparently it was developed by a Martha Stewart chef and it truly is magical. Even in these days of difficult-to-come-by groceries, I had all of the ingredients on hand. I did make a couple of changes to the original. The recipe called for 1 Tablespoon of salt which was too much especially when adding olives and capers. And for some reason, the original recipe said to only use 12 ounces of pasta when most boxed dry pasta come in 1 pound increments. Those were easy fixes to make.

This definitely is something that will make it into my regular rotation of dinners. It is just so easy, with minimal clean-up – ONE POT! And everything was cooked perfectly. I had baked bread earlier in the day so along with a glass of delicious red wine, my husband and I feasted. Really, you MUST try this.

For the recipe to work, you need a large shallowish pan like the Staub Heritage All-Day Pan or this Lodge enameled cast iron pan. I love my Staub pan and use it constantly. These pans are perfect for braising and go from the stove-top to the oven. If you are setting up your kitchen or looking to replace pots and pans, you can’t go wrong with either of these. (And I receive no remuneration for saying this.) You also need to use pasta made from wheat. The starch from the pasta will combine with the water to thicken and form a creamy sauce. This won’t happen with a vegetable-based pasta and the cooking time would be off.

Make this One-Pot Pasta Puttanesca for your next Meatless Monday.

How we’re managing isolation

My husband and I are in that vulnerable category of over 60 and with underlying health issues. So we are being very careful about social distancing. In addition to our normal home activities and chores, we have added some things. We are each taking advantage of free online lecture series, some of which are quite wonderful.

Not being able to use the gym in our building has meant getting creative with workouts. You can find us walking our long hallways (we live in a condo) and running stairs. Not much competition with our neighbors so far. And I have started a weights program and actually am developing arm definition! We do crossword puzzles together and I just started a wonderful 1,000-page biography of Winston Churchill by Andrew Roberts. That will clearly keep me busy for some time to come. Our beautiful, sweet cat is getting very, very spoiled having us constantly at her beck and call.

And I do needlepoint and my husband is a “maker.” None of this makes up for the loss of social interaction or the freedom of movement, but maybe I’ll come out of confinement a little smarter, healthier and having created something beautiful.

Recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 pound of dry pasta like a linguine

About 12 ounces of grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 cup pitted and halved olives (I used a mixture of Kalamatos and green olives)

1/4 cup capers, drained

1/2 cup chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley

2 Tablespoons EVOO

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon (or to taste) red pepper flakes

4.5 cups warm tap water

Optional

Grated Parmesan, Asiago or Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions

Put all of the ingredients into the pot and bring to a boil on high heat.

Boil rapidly for 10 minutes, swishing the pasta around to keep it from sticking and to distribute the ingredients. I find that using tongs is best for this.

Turn off the heat and mix thoroughly. Add some additional chopped parsley and the cheese, if using to serve.

Note:

My husband requested that I add a protein and I happened to have some shrimp in my freezer. I added about a dozen shrimp during the final three minutes. Personally, I would have been fine without it so this would make a perfect meatless Monday meal.

Tuna Puttanesca

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

When the Weather Outside is Frightful

Well, we had four easy winters so I really can’t complain – too much. But this winter has seesawed between a polar vortex and just plain dreary and wet. So going shopping – even when it is from my garage to the supermarket’s – holds little to no appeal. This pasta tuna puttanesca is the perfect answer because it is made almost entirely from pantry staples. And the best part is that it can be thrown together in under an hour.

Good for Your Health and Your Budget

We all know that it is healthier and more budget-friendly to cook at home than to order in or go out. This dish is so flexible and so quick to prepare that it can feed a crowd or a couple. There is no need to buy fancy canned tuna, although it’s certainly fine if you do. Use what you have on hand or would normally buy. Whether you like tuna packed in olive oil or water – chunk “light” or albacore – it all works.

This pasta dish is low in fat, high in flavor. Make it as puttanesca-like and spicy as you like or add just enough hot pepper flakes to tickle your taste-buds. If you have fresh parsley – great. And if you don’t, it will still be good. However, you do need a flavorful pitted olive (I usually use pitted Kalamatas myself) and I personally think that briny capers are a must. Mario Batali said that you should never use cheese on pasta dishes with fish or seafood. It may be breaking one of the sacraments of Italian cooking, but
I happen to like cheese with fish. There is no judgment here. I leave that decision in your capable hands.

So Easy!

Don’t even measure. I will give you some measurements below, but please use them only as a guide. If you want more tuna, use more. More olives – go for it. If you really enjoy anchovies, they can be added when you are browning the onion and garlic. The anchovy will break down, again adding a bit of briny flavor.

Let’s Get Started

Ingredients for Dinner for 4-6 People

  • 2-3 Tablespoons EVOO
  • 12 ounces of canned tuna, drained
  • 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 28 ounces (or 2 smaller cans) of chopped tomatoes in their own juice
  • 2 Tablespoons good quality tomato paste
  • About 1 Tablespoon, finely chopped garlic
  • About 6 ounces coarsely chopped, flavorful pitted olives
  • 1-2 Tablespoons capers, drained
  • 2-3 strips of anchovy, drained (optional)
  • Hot pepper flakes and salt, to taste (you can always add more but you can’t remove it once added)
  • 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water
  • One bunch of flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped and divided in 2 parts
  • 13 ounces to 1 pound of a firm pasta like a penne or rigatoni, preferably rigate (with ridges)

Directions

  1. Heat a large pan and add the EVOO. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the edges are just beginning to brown. Add the anchovy, if using, It will break down, melting into the EVOO and garlic.
  2. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir through.
  3. Add all of the ingredients (half of the parsley) except for the starchy pasta water. Mix through and cook on simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes. This can be made ahead and reheated or made right before eating while the pasta cooks.
  4. When you are ready to eat, cook your pasta according to directions. Just before the pasta is al dente, remove 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water and add it to the puttanesca sauce. Stir through and continue cooking while you drain the pasta.
  5. Toss the drained pasta into the pan of sauce (if the pan is large enough) or pour the sauce over the pasta when you serve it. Garnish with the remaining parsley and grated Reggiano Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano or Asiago cheese, if desired. I like to serve a salad alongside, but if your fridge is bare, this will satisfy on its own.