Pasta alla Checca … sorta …

There’s just a last hurrah of summer left. A few lovely tomatoes, definitely some beautiful basil. I wanted to cook something that really showcased the freshness of 2 of my all time favorite ingredients.

And along came Giada de Laurentiiis and her Checca Sauce from Everyday Italian. Granted, this is a very loose interpretation of her original recipe, but the inspiration is all Giada.

Now, according to her recipe in the book, and as I have written below, the sauce is made in a food processor. And I suppose you could make it in the food processor and it would be fine. But I decided to hand cut everything so that it was slightly chunkier.

• 8 ounces pasta
• 4 scallions (white and pale green parts only), coarsely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 (12-ounce container) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 (1-ounce) piece Parmesan, coarsely chopped
• 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 T olive oil
• 4 ozs fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

NOTE: I used more than a 1/2 pound of pasta. I also used vine-ripened tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes,4 tomatoes should do it. I removed some of the seeds and pulp so it wouldn’t be too watery..

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, 9 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the next 7 ingredients in a food processor. Pulse just until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped (do not puree).

NOTE: I chopped the tomatoes, basil, garlic and cheeses by hand. I really preferred the more rustic approach to this dish.

Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the tomato mixture and fresh mozzarella in a large bowl. Add some of the reserved pasta water (about 1/4 cup) if the sauce looks dry. Serve immediately.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

From the time I was a child, Sunday night in my house has always traditionally been a pasta dinner. Truthfully, I get so tired of meatballs and sauce. I also wanted a pasta without meat to satisfy the vegetarians …

It’s also been a slow-ish summer for me cooking-wise. Haven’t reached for the books on the shelves recently – and, after all, isn’t that the whole point of this blog?

So, it had to be pasta, had to be good … running REALLY late (as always), so it had to be quick.

You don’t get quicker, or tastier, than Giada de Laurentiis’ Sundried Tomato Pesto from Everyday Italian. Not many ingredients, simple prep, and delicious. Must have been … every morsel was gone, always the sign of a successful dinner!

This pesto is also great as a spread … yum, bruschetta … just leave out the step at the end adding in the pasta water. Oh, and don’t make or add the pasta!

• 1 lb penne pasta
• 1 (8.5-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 C (packed) fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and basil in a food processor and blend until the tomatoes are finely chopped.

Transfer the tomato mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the Parmesan.

Add the pasta to the pesto and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper and serve.

 

NOTE: And you’re DONE! In the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta, dinner is ready. Add a loaf of bread and a salad and you’re off to the races!

Tiramisu

Did you know that at some point in the history of Italy the Japanese invaded Italy, Tuscany in particular, and brought along with them and introduced to the cuisine starved Italians that delightful dessert known as TIRAMATSU?

Oh, heavy, heavy sigh. As I type, I am still shaking my head in disbelief, so if my typing is a little wonky, please forgive me.

This is what happens when men are allowed in kitchens. In Italy. Where the Japanese have NEVER invaded (except perhaps the Gucci and Fendi shops in Rome). The wonderful dessert of Tiramisu turns into Tiramatsu – which is apparently served in Florence in a beautiful church that has recently been compared to a Japanese Dessert Warehouse. Oh, ye worshipers at Santa Maria Novella, please send a pox his way!  (now don’t start sending hate mail, fellas, about men in kitchens. It’s nearly the same as your thoughts on women drivers!)

A dear, OLD friend recently went on a dream vacation with his family to Tuscany, and in the midst of this trip a cooking lesson was had at the villa they were staying in. Would have been fun to join in, but quite frankly the narration of it was hilarious.  When asked what they were making, the response received was Tiramatsu. When laughing followed that answer, my reply was … “Japanese dessert?” Feigning insult, I received the reply … now hang onto your mouse … “Italian, Japanese, whatever.” REALLY? This could be sparking an international incident of cataclysmic proportions!

Just to clear the confusion a wee bit, this was an Italian cooking lesson, but shall go down in the annals of history as Japanese Dessert Day. Really, would my Italian ancestors allow this to go by without unmerciful teasing? Anyone who knows me well knows the answer … ABSOLUTELY NOT!

And this brought to mind that I have not made Tiramisu in AGES and probably should soon – if for no other reason than to assure myself that this dessert is QUITE Italian.

Tirami su literally translates to ‘pick me up’, probably due to the espresso and chocolate in the recipe. I don’t remember where this recipe came from beyond my sister, and know she tweaked it and I tweaked it and came out with this delightful version.

So, here we go …

• 6 eggs, separated
• 3 T sugar
• 1 lb mascarpone
• 1 T dark rum
• 1 T peach liquor
• 24 ladyfingers
• 1 C espresso
• 1 100 g Toblerone bar

NOTE: You really want Savioardi, which are a crisper version of lady fingers. I buy the liquor in nip bottles as I don’t use those often. Toblerone adds an extra, really nice flavor and texture that just plain old chocolate does. ALso, I ended up using 1 1/2 Toblerone bars.

Beat egg yolks and sugar until light yellow. Add in the mascarpone and liquors.

Whip egg whites to soft peaks.

Fold egg whites into mascarpone mixture.

Soak Savioardi in espresso.

NOTE: You don’t want them to become soggy. It’s really more ‘showing’ the Savioardi to the espresso. A quick flip and out. It will soak up more than you think.

Finely chop the Toblerone bar – and try not to eat as much of it as you can while chopping.

Layer half the Savioardi in the bottom on an 8×8 dish.

Add half the mascarpone mixture.

Sprinkle with half of the chopped chocolate. Repeat.

NOTE: ALSO, don’t put the bowl of hot espresso next to the chopped chocolate. Not sure if you all know this, it’s certainly NEW to me, but chocolate melts next to hot things … so when you gather it to sprinkle it squishes through your fingers and makes an absolutely disgusting mess! In my hair, on my shirt, on my face … (this is what I get for teasing!)

Refrigerate for 1 hour or over night.

DIVE IN!

I was making four different things in my kitchen at the same time, so I had to repeat steps, dumped grated cucumber into the mascarpone, and my kitchen looked as though the Swedish Chef from the Muppets had been channeled into my body … I was COVERED in melted chocolate, mascarpone, espresso … but so TOTALLY worth it!

Hmmm… mascarpone, savioardi, toblerone, not a bit of nori to be found. Definitely Italian. And so there – HA on you, mpd!