Sicilian-style pasta with canned tuna

We craved a quick pasta dish, and we tried this: https://www.recipetineats.com/canned-tuna-pasta/ The capers, anchovies, and garlic remind us of Sicilian cuisine. Our modifications: first, based on our pantry, we used 7 oz mafaldine pasta, two 5-oz cans of no-salt tuna in water (which we drained, saving the tuna liquid separately), 1 tsp anchovy paste instead…… Continue reading Sicilian-style pasta with canned tuna

Pasta e fagioli, pressure cooker style

We love pasta e fagioli, and we tried this Instant Pot version: https://inquiringchef.com/instant-pot-pasta-e-fagioli/ Our modifications: first, we used diced center-cut bacon strips (about 2 inches, cut into three sets of match sticks) instead of pancetta. For the beans, we used 8 oz dried cannelini beans that we had reconstituted using this 1 hour quick soak…… Continue reading Pasta e fagioli, pressure cooker style

Giada’s sheet pan eggplant parmesan

At the beach, we decided to try this simple sheet pan recipe by Giada de Laurentiis: https://giadzy.com/blogs/recipes/sheetpan-eggplant-parmesan This was an easy, delicious meal that needed only a handful of ingredients. The panko topping was particularly good, adding a light crispy texture to the tender eggplant. Our modifications: first, due to a very sensitive smoke alarm…… Continue reading Giada’s sheet pan eggplant parmesan

Baked ziti with roasted cauliflower, bell pepper, and shallots

We love making casseroles for Sunday dinners and weekday lunch, so we tried this Cookie + Kate recipe: https://cookieandkate.com/baked-ziti-recipe-with-roasted-vegetables/ Our modifications: first, to reduce sodium, we mixed 24 oz Rao’s marinara with 8 oz no-salt tomato sauce to make 32 oz (4 cups) of red sauce. We also added crushed red pepper flakes (approx. 1/2…… Continue reading Baked ziti with roasted cauliflower, bell pepper, and shallots

Tuscan pasta and bean soup (pasta e fagioli)

We had the most delicious pasta e fagioli at our favorite local Italian restaurant. But unlike other pasta e fagioli recipes, the restaurant's version was heavy on the beans (tender, nearly disintegrated, velvety), light brown, and had virtually no other vegetables. We suspected the soup's foundation was homemade bean broth (as opposed to stock plus… Continue reading Tuscan pasta and bean soup (pasta e fagioli)

Italian pasta and bean soup (pasta e fagioli )

We had an incredible homemade pasta e fagioli over the holidays, and we felt inspired to try a recipe: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pasta-e-fagioli Our modifications: first, instead of a ham hock, we browned 1 oz center cut bacon cut into match sticks. We also used 2 parmesan rinds. Second, we did a quick soak of 8 oz dried… Continue reading Italian pasta and bean soup (pasta e fagioli )

Orzo with chick pea in tomato sauce (pasta e ceci)

We tried this recipe: https://www.thekitchn.com/easy-pasta-and-beans-257210 This recipe calls for chicken broth, but if you use vegetable broth, it easily could be vegetarian. Our modifications: first, we halved the recipe. Second, based on our pantry we used 1/2 tsp dried basil instead of fresh, and we added it just before simmering the orzo in sauce. We…… Continue reading Orzo with chick pea in tomato sauce (pasta e ceci)

Tuscan bean soup (ribollita)

We craved a plant-forward soup with beans and leafy greens, so we made this: https://www.feastingathome.com/ribollita-recipe/ We followed the recipe pretty closely, and this was very tasty. We omitted the bacon / pancetta, but we used chicken broth (4 cups unsalted, 2 cups Better Than Bouillon). For the white wine, we estimated a "splash" to be… Continue reading Tuscan bean soup (ribollita)