Category Archives: Pasta

23 May 2020 Blog, Pasta beanbrothwithcroutons, beanrbtoh, beans, blackeyedpeas, ChefLeticia, cookbookauthor, cookingshow, croutons, garliccroutons, latinsuperfoods, quarantinecooking, quarantinecookingclub, superfoods, virtualcookingclasses

I used black eyes peas simply because that’s what was in my pantry. Feel free to use any kind of dried beans to make this delicious bean broth recipe and serve with croutons, parsley and Parmesan, or other garnishes that you might prefer. I used the ends of a loaf bread to make garlic croutons. It goes to show, in times of pandemic, nothing goes to waste! Inspired by the magazine Bon Appetit, this is another great one! You can watch a video of me cooking this recipe with my kids here.

Bean Broth With Croutons

Serves 4 to 6 people

For the Black Beans:

1 pound dried black eyed beans, picked over and rinsed (but not soaked)

8 to 10 cups water

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 to 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and whole

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3 fresh bay leaves

For the Croutons:

2 end slices of any type of country bread

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Freshly chopped parsley

For the Beans:

Place the black beans in a pressure cooker and cover with tap water by 2 inches. (about 8 to 10 cups of water). Add the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and bay leaves. Lock the lid and bring to a boil. When you hear the sound of the pressure cooker in full gear, reduce the heat to medium- low (it is very important to maintain a constant gentle pressure because the pressure keeps increasing as the boiling point of the water increases). Check the beans after 20 to 25 minutes – they should be tender, showing no traces of starch, but not mushy. The water will be cloudy. Remove from the heat and set aside.

For the Croutons:

Tear the bread into small pieces or cut them with a serrated knife. In a large saute pan over medium heat, add the oil and butter. add the bread in a single layer. the oil and butter should be bubbling lightly. Adjust the heat as necessary and keep stirring the croutons as often as you can, to make sure they turn golden evenly all around. Cook until the croutons are crisp and a beautiful golden rich golden brown on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Let them cool completely. Once cooled they can be stored in the refrigerator and warmed back in a hot oven for 3 minutes to crisp up again.

To assemble, pour some of the beans into bowls and garnish with croutons, parmesan and parsley.

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Leticia

22 Apr 2020

Pasta Cacio E Pepe

22 Apr 2020 Blog, Pasta ChefLeticia, italianrecipes, latinsuperfoods, pastacacioepepe

Pasta Cacio E Pepe

Pepper in the beginning and in the end! That’s the spirit of this amazing, classic and delicious dish from Italy called Pasta Cacio E Pepe. As mentioned in the video (watch it on You Tube), saving some of the pasta water is the real secret to this recipe. Yes! That cloudy water, that everyone throws away! Now you know! Keep it. Save it. that water is full of flavor! You might not seed to save the whole thing, but save at least 2 cups. As you add the water to the pan, and it mixes with the peppery butter, it creates a starchy, creamy sauce that transform this dish from ordinary to extraordinary!

Pasta Cacio e Pepe

Serves 2

Kosher salt

6 oz long noodle pasta (such as bucatini, spaghetti, tagliolini or Fusilli lunghi—as used in this recipe)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a large pasta pot. Season with salt. Add pasta and cook stirring occasionally, until just al dente (take one minute off from package instructions). Drain and reserve about 2 cups of the cooking water.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add pepper and cook, swirling the pan, until the black pepper starts to release it aromas, about 1 minute.

Add about ½ cup of the reserved pasta water to skillet and bring to a simmer. Add the pasta and remaining butter. Reduce. Heat to low and add the cheese, stirring and tossing with tongs, until all melted. Remove the pan from the heat. Add more cheese, stirring and tossing, until the cheese melts, and the noodles are covered by a creamy, beautiful sauce. Feel free to add more pasta water if the sauce seems a little dry. Transfer pasta to warm bowls and serve immediately. I like to sprinkle even more cheese and more pepper at the end. Never enough!

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19 Apr 2020

Tuna & Israeli Couscous Salad

19 Apr 2020 Blog, Pasta ChefLeticia, heartysaladrecipes, heartysalads, israelicouscousrecipe, latinsuperfoods, saladrecipes, tunaisraelicouscoussalad, tunarecipes, tunasalad

My daughter loves this recipe for Tuna & Israeli Couscous Salad! What I love about it, is that it’s great for batch cooking; we can make a batch and the family will eat throughout the week. Although, it’s so good that in just 2-3 days it’s over! Then we make it again, as it already became a staple in our home! Be sure to bring it to room temperature (but keep it covered until ready to serve) about one hour before serving. I made this salad with radish, celery and cherry tomatoes, because that’s what we had in the fridge; feel free to use scallions, ginger, capers, or any other condiments and vegetables (shallots!) you think might go well here. As long as they don’t overwhelm the flavors of the tuna and Israeli couscous, it’s all good. Also, I started with cooked couscous, and to do so, treat it as pasta; bring about 8 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Season with a large pinch of salt. Add the couscous and cook according to package instructions. Drain a colander and toss it with olive oil. You can watch a video of me cooking with my daughter Bianca here on You Tube. and don’t forget to subscribe to the channel!

Tuna & Israeli Couscous Salad

Serves 4 to 6

1 ½ cup cooked Israeli couscous (I used the tri-color, but feel free to use the regular)

2 red radish, finely diced

2 stalks celery, peeled and finely diced

½ cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

One (5-ounce) can or jar Italian tuna, drained and flaked

¼ cup freshly chopped parsley

¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro

In a large bowl, combine the couscous, radish, celery, cherry tomatoes and tuna, and fold well with a rubber spatula. Add the tuna, lemon zest and olive oil. Try to preserve some of the large chunks of tuna. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the herbs to finish. Serve at room temperature.

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14 Apr 2020

Pasta With Peas And Pancetta

14 Apr 2020 Blog, Pasta ChefLeticia, cookbookauthor, ilatianrecipes, italianrecipes, latinsuperfoods, pastapeaspancetta, pastarecipes, pastawithpeas&pancetta, quarantinecooking

Pasta with Peas and Pancetta

Pasta with Peas & Pancetta

Serves 4

We first tried this recipe for Pasta with Peas & Pancetta at our neighbor’s house for dinner one night, and after that, we never stopped making it at home. Our neighbors are from Rome, Italy, so we get spoiled sometimes with a Parmesan cheese from Italy and other imported ingredients that we love to indulge. Don’t worry too much about the kind of pasta you use for this dish. We used orecchiette, because that’s what was in the pantry, but any other shape along the lines of penne, farfalle, or fusilli will go well here. This is what we call Quarantine Cooking Club! You can watch a video of me cooking this recipe with my kids, Thomas and Bianca on You Tube

Ingredients:

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 ounces pancetta, diced

½ onion, minced

One 10-ounce package (about 2 cups) frozen peas, thawed

1-pound orecchiette (or other pasta shape mentioned above)

¼ cup fresh chopped parsley

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Coarsely ground pepper

Procedure:

Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons of the oil and the pancetta in a large skillet and cook over medium high heat stirring occasionally, until the pancetta has rendered some of its fats and it’s crispy, golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a plate.

Using the fat that’s in the pot, add the onion and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the peas, the pasta, the pancetta and a couple of tablespoons by eye to the pan, mixing everything together and making sure every ingredient is enrobed by the natural juices in the pan. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Finish with Parmesan cheese and serve in individual bowls.

I’m so happy that you visited today! Thanks for reading and browsing my site!

If you like what you read, tell your friends about it,

I’d love to connect with you! Please do send comments and suggestions,

If you prepare any of the recipes on the site, snap a photo and send it to me!

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And remember always,

Cook at home! Body Up! Health up! Wise up!

See you next time!

Leticia

15 Jun 2019

Chef Ignacio Matto’s Ricotta Dumplings

15 Jun 2019 Blog, Pasta, Recipes estela, estelanyc, ignaciomattos, ricottadumplings

The Uruguayan Chef Ignacio Mattos of the restaurant Estela in New York City, transforms the humble ricotta cheese into some of the most exciting foods being cooked today. This recipe for Ricotta Dumpling, stimulates all five senses. Six, if you include your sense of accomplishment.

Here is the recipe, adapted from his cookbook, Estela.

Ignacio Matto’s Ricotta Dumplings

Serves 6

For the Dumplings:

1 ½ cups (350g) packed fresh ricotta

¾ cup (75g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg

Scant 1 cup (230ml) mushroom stock

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 button mushrooms, chopped

½ cup (50g) finely grated Parmesan cheese

Drain the Ricotta: Drain the ricotta to make sure it’s firm and not too wet. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Put the ricotta in the strainer, wrap it in the cheesecloth, and weight it down with a few cans or something else that’s heavy enough to put pressure on it. Cover and refrigerate for 1 day. The result should be dense, and a soft clump of ricotta should stick to your finger when you try to take a swipe.

Make the Dumplings: When you’re ready to make the dumplings, combine the Parmesan, flour, and salt in a small bowl and whisk together with a fork; set aside. Measure out 1 cup densely packed ricotta and put it in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the ricotta on medium-low speed for 2 minutes, or until thick and creamy, almost like the consistency of peanut butter. Add the egg and beat until it’s fully incorporated; scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the dry ingredients and mix well for about 5 minutes. The batter will be thick and smooth.

To Form the Dumplings: Sift a generous amount of flour over a baking sheet. Find a large spoon and set out a small bowl of water. Scoop up a spoonful of batter, level it off against the edge of the batter bowl and then use the edge of a wet finger to slide it onto the baking sheet. The resulting dumpling should be somewhere between a blob and a half moon, with a little seam from where your finger was. This will be your test dumpling. Bring a small saucepan of unsalted water to a boil. Dust the test dumpling with a little more flour, drop it into the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Scoop it out and cut into it, to make sure that it holds together, and it’s cooked through. If it’s not quite cooked, increase the timing to 3 ½ minutes when you cook all the dumplings. If they threaten to fall apart, add a little more flour to the batter (no more than 1 teaspoon) and shape and cook another test dumpling.

Continue forming the dumplings with the remaining batter, leaving space between the dumplings. You should have about 20 dumplings. Sift a bit more flour over the dumplings and freeze them on the baking sheet for at least 4 hours, until frozen solid. You can make these up to 3 weeks ahead of time. transfer them to a freezer bag once they’re frozen solid and return them to freezer.

To cook the dumpling, bring a medium pot of unsalted water to a boil. Drop in the dumplings, bring the water back to a boil and cook the dumplings for 3 ½ minutes or until cooked through.

Assemble: As the dumplings cook, heat the mushroom stock and butter in a pan, whisking to combine. Add the chopped mushrooms and simmer until just tender. When the dumplings are ready, drain them. Add them to the mushroom sauce and gently simmer everything for 30 seconds. Divide the dumplings and sauce between wide bowls, top with the Parmesan cheese and the sliced mushrooms and serve immediately. Enjoy!

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Leticia

1 Mar 2019

Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimp

1 Mar 2019 Blog, Pasta, Recipes ChefLeticia, cookbookauthor, culinaryeducator, squid ink pasta, squid ink pasta dishes, squid ink pasta recipe, squid ink pasta shrimp, squid ink pasta taste, squid ink pasta with shrimp

The Taste of Darkness

Why can’t we resist black colored food? Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimp is such a case. Tinted with the ink of cuttlefish, this dark food became a favorite of my family. it goes really well with shrimp and tomato sauce. You can find the ink available in some Italian, Spanish and Japanese stores. Some fish mongers will also sell it. Or you can buy black pasta just like I did. I found it at Arthur’s Ave in New York, one of my favorite places to shop. There is absolutely nothing different than cooking this pasta from the other regular pasta that you already know.

The Shrimp Stock:

In my opinion, it’s easy to discount’s the shrimp stock’s importance in this dish, especially when you have pasta water. But it’s an essential element, and it affects the flavor and texture of this Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimp. Simply cook the shrimp shells in a hot pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, add cold water and bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 20 minutes.

Shrimp Stock

My kids stay with me over the range, half cooking, half talking every time we make this dish. Then we sit and enjoy a delicious dinner. The result is incredible as anything a restaurant can provide. There is that moment of silence when we close our eyes and take the first bite, before the familiar laughter, which is the best part of dinner.

Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimp

Serves 4

1 lb black squid ink pasta (spaguitti is my preference but other shape will work)

Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 lb (454g) raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1 large shallot, finely minced (about 4 tablespoons)

¼ cup white wine

1 cup shrimp stock from the shells, or chicken stock, plus more for tossing pasta (optional)

2 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Fill a pot with 4 quarts of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add a large pinch of salt. Add the pasta and stir. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is 2 minutes away from being al dente according to package instructions. Drain the pasta while saving some of the pasta water, just in case.
In a 12-inch skillet warm the olive oil. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and sauté over medium heat until they just start to turn orange, about 1 minute per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a bowl and cover with foil. Using the oil that is left in the pan, add the garlic and cook it just starts to turn golden, about 1 minute. Add the shallots and cook over low heat, scraping the juices from the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the white wine and continue to scrape the pan until every precious bit is released from the pan and flavoring the shallots and garlic. Add the shrimp stock and bring to full boil.
Reduce the heat to low, add the pasta and shrimp, tossing vigorously to distribute the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper and finish with tomatoes and parsley. Transfer to warm bowls and serve hot.

I’m so happy that you visited today! Thanks for reading and browsing my site!

If you like what you read, tell your friends about it,

I’d love to connect with you! Please do send comments and suggestions,

If you prepare any of the recipes on the site, snap a photo and send it to me!

Follow my food adventures on Instagram !

Contact me!

And remember always,

Cook at home! Body Up! Health up! Wise up!

See you next time!

Leticia

15 Mar 2018

Dinner on Demand: Penne A La Vodka

15 Mar 2018 Blog, Pasta, Recipes

“Mom, can you make Penne a La Vodka for us to try?”

Of course, son!

Here it is, my own version, as I share with you this easy (ridiculously easy) recipe, and yet, oh so good!

Penne A La Vodka

Serves 4

1 lb penne pasta

Kosher Salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 large shallot, finely minced

Freshly ground black pepper

Freshly ground nutmeg

One 28-oz can whole tomatoes San Marzano

¼ cup vodka

½ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

1- Fill a pot with 4 quarts of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add a large pinch of salt. Add the pasta and stir. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is 2 minutes away from being al dente, according to package instructions. Drain the pasta while saving some of the pasta water, just in case.

2- In a medium sauce pan warm the olive oil over low heat, add the garlic and cook it just starts to turn golden, about 1 minute. Add the shallots and season lightly with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

3- Pour the can of tomato juice (everything, tomatoes, juice) into the food processor and buzz quickly, just to break the tomatoes. Carefully pour into the saucepan and cook over medium heat until sauce starts to thicken, about 10 minutes.

4- Add the vodka and heavy cream and continue to cook, simmering gently over low heat.

5- Add the pasta and fold into the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper and finish with parsley and parmesan. Transfer to warm bowls and serve hot.

23 Oct 2017

Pumpkin Lasagna for Pumpkin Season