Giada's Fusilli with Fresh Pomodoro

My friend Carol gave me some lovely homegrown tomatoes from her garden and I knew I wanted to make something special with them. At first I was tempted to make my very favorite tomato sauce on the planet, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Roasted Tomato Sauce, but I'm all about trying new things lately and Giada's Fusilli with Fresh Pomodoro really caught my eye.

I loved the idea of grating tomatoes to make a fresh sauce and let's face it, the sauce has two cheeses (fresh ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano) so, I was pretty much sold. Plus, can we talk about these long twirly fusilli noodles? They are so fun!

This is the perfect summer recipe for those ripe juicy summer tomatoes that are everywhere right now. It's one of those dishes that strikes just the right balance, satisfying and creamy from the cheeses, yet light and fresh from the tomatoes. Plus, the fusilli pasta is light and bouncy and just plain fun to eat. My daughter raved about it and I even caught her hiding the leftovers!

Fusilli with Fresh Pomodoro
Adapted from Giada In Italy

by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 6

salt

1 pound fusilli

1-1/2 pounds beefsteak tomatoes (about 4 large tomatoes)

1/4 cup oliveoil

2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

3 fresh basil sprigs

1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta, plus more for serving

1-1/4 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook 2 minutes less than the package directions, about 8 minutes (mine cooked about 13 and was still very al dente). Drain well, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Using the large holes on a box grater, grate the flesh of the tomatoes until you are left with just the skin. Heat a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the grated tomatoes, the whole basil sprigs, and about a teaspoon of salt to the hot oil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the garlic and basil sprigs, and stir in the ricotta. Add the pasta, followed by the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir to combine and coat everything in the sauce.

Cook for another 2 minutes to finish cooking the pasta and thicken the sauce slightly, adding some of the reserved pasta water if it looks dry. Stir in the chopped basil and serve topped with additional ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano, if desired.

Shrimp Tacos with Crispy Garlic and Salsa Mexicana

These Shrimp Tacos with Crispy Garlic and Salsa Mexicana are the perfect refreshing meal on a hot summer day! Simple and easy to make, these tacos come together in no time at all.

First, we're going to make a quick salsa using ripe garden fresh tomatoes, serrano pepper, garlic, green onion, cilantro, and lime juice. The salsa is fresh and delicious, even more so when the flavors have some time to meld together. Now let's cook the shrimp! We're talking big flavors here!

You can't cook shrimp without lots of butter and garlic and this recipe doesn't disappoint. It starts with butter and three large cloves of garlic. Next comes 2-3 thinly sliced serrano peppers. We are packing some heat here, folks! If you can't take the heat, then you might want to cut it down to one serrano, or maybe even half a serrano. Toss the shrimp in and within minutes you will be sitting down to enjoy the perfect summertime meal!

Shrimp Tacos with Crispy Garlic and Salsa Mexicana

Adapted from Rick Bayless Website

Serves 4-6

2-3 fresh serrano chiles stemmed, seeded, and cut into long slices

2 tablespoons butter

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoons black pepper

2/3 cup chicken broth

 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

salt

vegetable oil

12 fresh corn tortillas

4 ounces (1 cup) shredded Mexican melting cheese*

Note: I elected not to use the cheese.

Salsa Mexicana

1 small garlic clove, peeled

fresh hot green chiles to taste, 1 or 2 serrano

1 medium-large round red, ripe tomato (1/2 pound total)

1/4 cup loosely packed) roughly chopped cilantro

1 small green onion, chopped

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

salt, to taste

Heat the butter in the skillet over medium heat, add the garlic and stir for a minute. Stir in the chile strips, black pepper, and broth. Raise the temperature to medium-high and boil until the mixture has reduced to just a few tablespoons and is noticeably thicker, about 8 minutes. 

Add the shrimp and stir until the pieces are nearly cooked through about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, taste and season with salt, usually 1/2 teaspoon. 

Lightly oil the tortillas, lay them by pairs on a griddle or skillet over medium heat, flipping to warm through. Top each pair with a portion of the cheese (if using) and let melt, then top with a hefty amount of the filing and serve.

For the Salsa Mexicana: Drop the garlic and chile pieces one at a time into a running food processor, letting each get finely chopped before adding the next. Cut half the tomato into quarters and add it to the food processor, along with cilantro. Pulse 4 to 6 times until you have a coarse puree. Scrape the mixture into a bowl. Cut the other half of the tomato into 1/4" pieces and add to the bowl along with the green onion. Taste and season with lime juice and salt. This salsa is best if eaten with an hour or two but it will keep for a number of hours in the refrigerator.

Giada's Lemon White Pizza

So, white pizza has always been a favorite of mine. I don't like lots of pizza sauce on my pizza. In fact,  I'll just go ahead and admit that I don't even really like pizza sauce on my pizza. There, I said it. Feel free to call me crazy.

I'm just there for the cheese. And the crust. Giada's Lemon White Pizza reminds me of Italy and all the lemons on the Amalfi Coast. There is nowhere I'd rather visit than the Amalfi Coast. It's number one on my list of travel destinations. Maybe one day.

In the meantime, I'm getting my lemons from the Kroger here in Georgetown, KY. It's not the same, but I have a good imagination. I bought the best ricotta I could find, some fresh mozzarella pearls, and some fabulous Parmigiana-Reggiano. We have a Murray's cheese shop inside my Kroger so I am able to get my hands on some quality cheese.

The pizza comes together quickly. Warm the dough and let it rise. Roll it out on the backside of a large baking sheet.  Mix the ricotta, lemon zest, salt, and oregano. Spread it all over the pizza crust. Top with fresh mozzarella. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Top with a drizzle of olive oil (I say so), Parmigiano-Reggiano, red pepper flakes, and torn basil. Give it a squeeze of lemon if you really wanna get wild. Take a bite and close your eyes...

The pizza is light and delicious. There is a hint of lemon and the blend of three cheeses makes it so creamy. The fresh basil really adds a touch of freshness. Keep your eyes closed. It's summertime in Amalfi and there are good looking Italian men everywhere. You can hear their accents, you can feel the breeze, you can smell the sea. You have a delicious slice of pizza in one hand and a glass of Limoncello in the other. It is paradise.

Lemon White Pizza

Adapted from Giada's Italy

by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 4-6

1 (16-ounce) ball of store-bought pizza dough

1 cup whole milk ricotta

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

salt

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

all-purpose flour, for dusting

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into pieces

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Place the pizza dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and allow it to rest in a warm place for 1 hour.

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450F.

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, lemon zest, salt, and oregano. Set aside.

Using a touch of flour to prevent sticking, stretch out the pizza dough to an 11 x 6" inch oval. Turn a rimmed baking sheet upside down and drizzle with the olive oil. Place the dough on the baking sheet. spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Divide the mozzarella evenly over the ricotta.

Place the pizza on the lowest rack in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pizza to the upper rack and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Remove the pizza to a rack and sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Cut into pieces and serve. 

Ina Garten's Plum Tart

When I think of Ina Garten I think of two things. Number one: she cooks a lot of chicken for Jeffrey (she is definitely the Queen of Chicken).  Number two: she makes a lot of desserts with plums.

Plums are definitely underrated so you tend to notice when someone makes a lot of plum tarts and plum cakes and plum jam, like Ina does. The world should listen to Ina because the woman definitely knows good food and can be relied upon. So, PLUM DESSERTS for everyone! Really, people. Plums are both sweet and tart and they make some fabulous desserts. Please jump on the plum train while they're in season. You'll be so happy you did!

This plum tart is dead simple! It's so easy a little kid could make it. So you really have no reason not to give it a try. The crust doesn't require any rolling or any fussing about whatsoever. In fact, the crust is more of a crumble that is just pushed into a tart pan. Then you just cut the plums and place them on top before covering it with more of the crust which serves as a "crumble topping." It could not be any more simple!

Now, I am absolutely crazy for a crust loaded with brown sugar and chopped walnuts and this recipe definitely hits the mark on that. The plums and the walnuts pair wonderfully together. I also love a fruit dessert with a heavy hand of crumble on top and this recipe does not disappoint! In fact, this recipe may very well have more crumble topping than any other! Serve this alone or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and it will receive rave reviews!

Plum Tart

Adapted from Food Network

by Ina Garten

Serves 6-8

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

12 tablespoons cold butter (1-1/2 sticks), diced

1 egg yolk

2 pounds firm, ripe plums, pitted and quartered lengthwise (about 6 medium)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the flour, walnuts, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and the egg yolk. Mix, either by hand or with an electric mixer, until crumbly. 

Press 1-12 cups of the crumb mixture in an even layer into the bottom of a 9-1/2 inch springform or tart pan. Arrange the plums in the pan, skin side down, to form a flower pattern; begin at the outside and work your way in.

Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture evenly over the plums. Bake the tart for 40-50 minutes, or until it's lightly browned and the plum juices are bubbling. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer the tart to a flat plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Two Summer Sippers To Help Cool You Down {Berry Spa Water & Cucumber and Lemon Verbena}

 Are you really posting water, Kim? Yes, yes I am. You see, I'm not a fussy person by any means.  I drink plenty of plain old water and I love it just the way it is. Lots of my friends have been troubling themselves by sprucing up their water for years. Lemons, limes, oranges, cucumbers, berries and all kinds of fussy preparations. I always think it looks pretty. I always think, "sure I'll make some of that fancy flavored water too." Then I just never do probably because I forget about it, but then also because I don't really care. I just like water.

So, since I've had spa waters, or flavored waters, on my to-do list for years, you can bet I'm sharing them. Look Ma, I finally did it! And not just one fancy water...I've got two!

The first version is Giada's Spa Water and it's basically lots of quartered strawberries, blueberries, and water. My daughter and I really liked both of the waters, but if I had to pick my favorite this one would be it. I love that it's a bit different and the skewer of fruit on top goes a long way in selling it for me. Plus, I took to spearing the fruit inside the glass with the skewer which upped the satisfaction of the water greatly.

 Spa Water

Adapted from Food Network

by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 4-6

1 pound strawberries

1 cup blueberries

10 cups cold water

Hull the strawberries, set aside 4 whole small berries (for garnish) and quarter the rest. Add the quartered strawberries to a large pitcher. Set aside 8 blueberries (for garnish) and add the remainder of the cup to the pitcher. Top with the cold water and allow it to sit for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

On 4 small skewers or toothpicks, thread 1 blueberry, then a strawberry, followed by 1 more blueberry. Set aside until ready to serve.

Pour the spa water into four 16-ounce water glasses filled with ice. Serve garnished with the fruit skewers.

 

Whilst (I really like that word) vacationing in Gettysburg, our hotel had some lovely cucumber lemon water in the lobby and I was rather fond of it! I will confess that I liked it so well  I actually poured two glasses each and every chance I got.  

Giada's Cucumber and Lemon Verbena Water reminded me of the water I had in Gettysburg, so I wanted to give it a try. I didn't have lemon verbena, but I do have lemon mint that my mom planted years ago. It grows very well, like all mint, so I gave it a good haircut and put it in the pitcher with some cucumber. It wasn't quite lemony enough, and I really wanted to add lemon slices anyway, so I added a sliced up lemon to the pitcher as well. Delicious and refreshing, much like the water on vacation. This water was my daughter's favorite and she took to eating the cucumbers right out of her glass with her hands. Don't we sound classy?

So there we have it. I finally made flavored waters. We liked them, and I would definitely drink them again, but I don't know if I'd fuss enough to make them myself. Nothing against them.  I'm just not that fussy when left to my own devices.

Cucumber and Lemon Verbena Water

Adapted from Food Network

by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 4-6

1 small cucumber, thinly sliced

6 sprigs fresh lemon verbena, torn

2 quarts (8 cups) water

1 lemon, thinly sliced* (optional)

Put the cucumber slices in the bottom of a large pitcher. Gently roll the lemon verbena sprigs back and forth a few times in your hands to release the scent, then add them to the pitcher along with the water. Add sliced lemon, if using. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Theme: Summer Sippers & Icy Cold Treats

Giada's Italian Egg Sandwich

My family isn't Italian, but my friend's family is. When I was younger I absolutely loved going to her house and watching all the different things they made in the kitchen. The day before Thanksgiving the whole family would gather round the big dining room table and make a dozens of homemade ravioli for the big day. When they took a break from making ravioli they made Italian nachos, which was essentially tortilla chips topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese baked in the oven until the cheese melted, but to me it was genius! In the early morning after a sleepover, or in the middle of the afternoon for a quick lunch, they would make Italian Egg Sandwiches, just like the one I'm sharing today.

Giada's recipe is an open-face Italian Egg Sandwich, but my friend's family used to make their Italian Egg Sandwiches with two slices of bread, more like a grilled cheese, with a slice of mozzarella and maybe even pepperoni or salami. To me, this was a brilliant idea! Why hadn't I ever thought of it myself? 

It's almost 40 years later and I still love going to their house, seeing all the amazing things that come out of their kitchen. It was always so clear that ewvery recipe was carefully considered and made with love, together. Enjoyed, together. In my opinion, that's how it should be. Food is important. It should be made as a family and enjoyed as a family.

So here is a delicious Italian Egg Sandwich that can be enjoyed as a breakfast, light lunch, or a snack. You could go with a jarred sauce, but I don't think that you should. It is much more gratifying, and delicious, to make the Simple Tomato Sauce that is shared below.

Italian Egg Sandwich

Adapted from Food Network

from Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 1

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 large egg

salt and pepper

1 slice rustic white bread (1/2" thick)

1 garlic clove

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan

1/4 cup warm Simple Tomato Sauce, recipe follows,

 or store-bought chunky marinara sauce, drained of excess liquid

Simple Tomato Sauce

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

salt and black pepper

2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

4 to 6 basil leaves

2 dried bay leaves

4 tablespoons butter, optional

For the Italian Egg Sandwich: Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a heavy small skillet over medium heat. Crack the egg into the skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the white is firm and the yolk is almost set, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, toast the bread until golden brown. Rub the garlic over the toast. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Spoon the drained marinara sauce over the Parmesan. Top with the egg. Place the open-faced sandwich on a plate and serve.

Simple Tomato Sauce: In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.

Add half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce. If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

Ottolenghi's Hummus with Ful

Hummus is one of my very favorite things to eat.

If I had to guess, I'd say hummus is beloved the world all over the world. How do I know that? They sell over 20 variations and dedicate an entire refrigerator case to it in the supermarket.

If you love hummus as I do, then leave that storebought hummus at the supermarket because NO ONE will ever write a better hummus recipe than Yotam Ottolenghi. I've made several versions, and all of them are good....come on, it's hummus people, HOWEVER Yotam Ottolenghi takes hummus to a whole new level. EVERY SINGLE TIME!

Years ago I made Ottolenghi's Hummus Kawarma with Lemon Sauce which is his basic hummus recipe with chunks of seasoned lamb, toasted buttered pine nuts, and the most flavorful lemon sauce. It was heaven on earth, and to this day, it remains one of the best dishes I've ever made on my blog. You probably already know this because I have not stopped talking about it and I likely never will.

Ottolenghi's Heavenly Hummus Kawarma with Lemon Sauce

Today's hummus recipe is much different than Ottolenghi's Hummus Kawarma, starting with the hummus itself. Ottolenghi's Hummus with Ful begins with a tahini-based hummus, much thicker and heartier than his basic hummus. This hummus with the tahini is like velvet. It's so smooth and creamy and decadent. Top that hummus with ful, a paste made of fava beans, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and cumin. The ful is delightfully zingy from the hefty dose of lemon juice and carries a punch of flavor from the garlic and the cumin. When you pour the ful over the hummus you are in for a double bean flavor explosion. Then come more toppings: whole cooked chickpeas for texture, chopped parsley to add that herbaceous quality, a good dusting of paprika to add some earthiness, and more olive oil and lemon juice to round things out.

Proceed to have your hummus loving mind blown. This hummus was very good warm, but my eyes nearly rolled back in my head when I tasted it chilled. How in the world can something as humble as beans taste so very extrodinary? Is it just me?

Ottolenghi says to serve this hummus with onion wedges and quartered hard-boiled egg, which was very different than anything I've served with hummus before. I like onions, so I dunked an onion wedge in to the hummus and used it as a scoop...different, delicious, and not overwhelmingly oniony. Goes very well together. I love hard-boiled eggs and hummus, but thought they were just OK together so I'm not sure I'd mix the two together again. However, I absolutely LOVED eating this hummus with some warmed naan bread that I tore up and dunked right in. The naan bread is so soft and fluffy and it is so wonderful for dunking into this rich, decadent, heavenly hummus.

So, what are you waiting for? You have hummus to make! Go look up ANY Yotam Ottolenghi hummus recipe and get busy. It will change your life!

Hummus with Ful

Adapted from Plenty

by Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves an army

For The Hummus:

2-1/2 cups dried chickpeas

1-1/2 tablespoons baking soda

1-1/4 cups tahini paste

3 tablespoons lemon juice*

6 garlic cloves, crushed*

salt and pepper, to taste

For the Ful:

1-1/2 cups dried fava beans

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon ground cumin

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

For the Garnish:

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

6 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley

3 eggs, hard-boiled and quartered

1 medium red onion, cut into 6 wedges

Optional:

Pita, naan, crackers, and/or veggies for dipping and dunking

Soak the chickpeas and fava beans overnight. Place them in two separate bowls and cover with double their volume of cold water. Add 1 tablespoon baking soda to the chickpeas. Set both aside. The next day, drain and rinse both.

Place the soaked chickpeas and remaining baking soda in a medium saucepan and cover with double their volume of cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer very gently for 2 to 3 hours (mine were cooked in less than 2 hours), or until totally soft and easy to mush. Add more water during cooking, if necessary, to keep them immersed. Drain them, retaining the cooking liquid**

Transfer the warm chickpeas to a food processor, reserving a few to garnish at the end, and add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt to taste. Blitz for a minute or two until totally smooth. Add some of the cooking liquid and blitz again. You want the mixture to be very soft, almost runny, but just holding its shape. Taste and add more salt if you like. (I found that I needed to add another clove of garlic and a few more tablespoons of lemon juice for more flavor). 

To make the ful place the fava beans in a medium saucepan and cover with double their volume of water. Simmer gently for about 3 hours (they may take longer), adding more water if necessary. By the end of the cooking time, hardly any liquid should be left in the pan (drain it out if needed) and the beans should have begun to disintegrate, or will do so easily when crushed with a fork. Remove from the heat and add the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, garlic, and salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

To serve, spread the warm hummus in small individual plates. Spoon the ful in the center and drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice on top and around. Sprinkle with paprika, garnish with the reserved chickpeas, plenty of parsley, and serve egg and onion on the side.