Italian Food

Easy Spring Pasta Recipe: Fettuccine with Peas, Leeks & Thyme

by liz · Mar 5, 2019

Written by Liz –

Spring has sprung in California – as well as most of the country. To me that means spring vegetable season; asparagus, leeks, peas, artichoke, fennel and fresh herbs are bountiful in farmers markets. Much of this produce is available year-round, but spring is the best time to get the freshest spring vegetables, whether at your local market, grocery store or from your own garden!

And those fresh spring flavors really come through in this easy spring pasta recipe, Fettuccine with Peas, Leeks & Thyme. It’s a cinch to make and it’s packed with flavor and nutrients, plus spring is a great time to get hooked on the Mediterranean way of eating. Adding a bit of the pasta water instead of using sauce is a traditional way to make pasta dishes in Italy. This recipe is a sure way to eat more vegetables and wow your friends with your culinary savvy!

Wine Pairing

Italian wines can be hard to find, other than the super popular Pinot Grigio. If you can find a Soave wine, it’s a soft, fruity, clean wine with crisp lemon flavors and really complements this dish.
Grenache Blanc with its acidity and rounded flavors, or Sauvignon Blanc with its herbaceousness, would also be great wines with this pasta.

Fettuccine with Peas, Leeks & Thyme

Ingredients for 3 servings:

1 package (9 ounces) BUITONI Refrigerated Fettuccine
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup sliced fresh leek
1/3 cup frozen peas
Salt and ground black pepper
2 thyme sprigs, leaves removed and stems discarded
1/4 cup (1 ounce) BUITONI Refrigerated Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

PREPARE pasta according to package directions, reserving ½ cup cooking water. While pasta is cooking, prepare leek mixture.

HEAT oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add leek; cook, stirring frequently, until softened and golden. Stir in peas; cook for 1 minute or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, as shown above.

ADD reserved pasta cooking water, thyme leaves and cheese; stir in gently. Toss pasta with leek mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Links:

More spring pasta recipes:


Vegetable Tortellini Soup	Butternut Squash Agnolotti with Fresh Herb Pesto

Easter Sweets: Butterfinger Panna Cotta with Easter Egg Nests

by liz · Mar 2, 2019

One of my favorite Easter sweets is panna cotta, or Italian “cooked cream.” It’s an eggless custard that is silky-smooth and so easy to make. In fact, David Lebovitz writes that if it takes you more than 5 minutes to put it together, you’re doing something wrong. If you haven’t yet tried to make custard, crème brulée or flan, panna cotta is the recipe to try first.

Our easy version for Easter, Butterfinger Panna Cotta Nests, uses items you already have in your pantry, since it replaces the cream with evaporated milk. That also lowers the fat and increases the nutrients! This dish has to be made in advance so it can set in the refrigerator, leaving you free on the day of the meal to entertain or cook other dishes. Putting the ingredients together and warming them in a pan are a snap, and the shredded coconut egg nests on top are perfect for a pretty Easter table.

Panna cotta is also an extremely versatile recipe. You can experiment and make your own version by adding lemon or orange zest, almond extract or even spices like saffron, pepper or rosemary. Here are some panna cotta recipes we love using chocolate and amaretto, as well as pumpkin spice and chocolate pistachio.

Happy Easter!

Butterfinger Panna Cotta Nests from Meals.com

Ingredients for 4 servings:

PANNA COTTA

3 tablespoons water
1 envelope (7 grams) unflavored gelatin
1 can (12 fluid ounces) Evaporated Milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup crushed BUTTERFINGER BITES Candy

NESTS

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
4 drops green liquid food coloring
2 drops yellow liquid food coloring
BUTTERFINGER NestEggs

Directions:

FOR PANNA COTTA:
GREASE four 6-ounce or six 4-ounce ramekins or custard cups.

PLACE water in a small bowl; add gelatin and let stand to soften.

PLACE evaporated milk, sugar and vanilla extract in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Turn off heat. Add gelatin mixture; stir gently to dissolve gelatin.

POUR into prepared ramekins; sprinkle with crushed Butterfinger.

REFRIGERATE for 2 hours or until panna cottas are firm.

FOR NESTS:
PLACE coconut in a resealable bag. Add green and yellow food coloring; seal bag and shake to thoroughly mix. If necessary, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of water to help color mix.

TOP panna cottas with coconut “grass”; top with 1 to 2 unwrapped Nestlé NestEggs.

Butterfinger Panna Cotta with Easter Egg Nests

Author: Meals.com

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 4

Scrumptious Italian dessert with chocolate for spring or Easter!

Ingredients

PANNA COTTA:
3 tablespoons water
1 envelope (7 grams) unflavored gelatin
1 can (12 fluid ounces) Evaporated Milk
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup crushed BUTTERFINGER BITES Candy
NESTS:
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
4 drops green liquid food coloring
2 drops yellow liquid food coloring
BUTTERFINGER NestEggs

Instructions

FOR PANNA COTTA:
GREASE four 6-ounce or six 4-ounce ramekins or custard cups.
PLACE water in a small bowl; add gelatin and let stand to soften.
PLACE evaporated milk, sugar and vanilla extract in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Turn off heat. Add gelatin mixture; stir gently to dissolve gelatin.
POUR into prepared ramekins; sprinkle with crushed Butterfinger.
REFRIGERATE for 2 hours or until panna cottas are firm.
FOR NESTS:
PLACE coconut in a resealable bag. Add green and yellow food coloring; seal bag and shake to thoroughly mix. If necessary, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of water to help color mix.
TOP panna cottas with coconut “grass”; top with 1 to 2 unwrapped Nestlé NestEggs.

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Cooking with Wine: Winter Squash Chardonnay Risotto Recipe

by liz · Jan 1, 2019

Every so often, you stumble upon a Chardonnay so refreshing and unique, so unlike typical oaky-buttery-California Chardonnays, that you want to drink it, cook with it, maybe even bathe in it.

You’re lucky if you can find on that is half steel-fermented and half oak-fermented! I love Chardonnay with a creamy freshness and lemon-lime quality that is opposite of oak and butter. That kind of Chardonnay is just as perfect in a rustic dish in front of the fire as a on a warm summer day in the garden. And cooking with wine is just as important as drinking or tasting wine.

Cooking with this kind of Chardonnay adds something special to the dish: a little more citrus, good acid and lots of flavor. And don’t forget to pour a glass to pair the wine to sip with the dish! It’s the perfect pair to either of these winter Chardonnay recipes: Winter Squash Chardonnay Risotto below and Chardonnay Roast Chicken with Santa Barbara herbs.

And for dessert, here’s my other favorite way to use winter squash…and summer squash and fall squash and…

Winter Squash Chardonnay Risotto

Author: Liz Dodder

Recipe type: Main

Cuisine: Italian

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 6

Cooking with a bright, acidic Chardonnay lends a savory, lemony quality that is perfect with creamy risotto and winter squash.

Ingredients

2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed, peeled winter squash medley
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves minced fresh garlic
2 cups organic vegetable broth
2 cups Chardonnay (brincy, acidic and lemony is best)
1 ounce pancetta or prosciutto
1 medium finely chopped onion
1¼ cups uncooked Arborio rice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herb mix (like lemon thyme, oregano, rosemary, basil, lavender)
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup (1 ounce) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine squash and 1 tablespoon oil, tossing to coat. Arrange squash in a single layer on baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until squash is just tender. Remove from pan; set aside.
Heat a large heavy-bottom stock pot over medium heat. Add pancetta to pot; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Remove pancetta and set aside.
Add remaining olive oil to pot, then add onion; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add ½ cup wine; cook 1 minute or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Continue to add remaining wine and broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes total). Stir in squash, herbs, cheese, lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Top with pancetta.

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Pesto Pairs Perfectly with Italian White Wine

by liz · Sep 30, 2012

September 30 is the last day of California Wine Month so I thought I’d pair one of my favorite Italian sauces (as in the Tortellini with Pesto and Sun-dried Tomatoes above) with some California white wines made from Italian varietals. And I added a twist to the pesto that I learned from Luce, one of Bon Appetit’s top 10 best new restaurants in America.

The Food:

Luce is a very small market and restaurant dedicated to simple Italian cooking in Portland Oregon. Every dish on the menu was so simply made that at first glance, it seems too easy, too sophomoric. But after a bite or two, the flavors this kind of cooking imparts transports you to the traditions of Italy. Bon Appetit called it “bare bones…Italian home cooking at its core.”

The pesto at Luce was made with basil, avocado, almonds, walnuts and garlic. This is pesto in Southern Italy. And it was incredible! The avocado replaces the olive oil, making the dish lighter, full of flavor and oh-so-good for your skin. To make this easy on me to make at home, I used Buitoni pesto as a base, placing about half the container of pesto in a bowl, then mixing in one whole ripe avocado and serving it over al dente pasta. A perfect late summer meal.

The Wine:

I wanted to pair this with an Italian varietal made in California, and I found 2 wines that worked perfectly. Arneis from Palmina Wines has a bright lemony quality, and enough acid to zip along your tongue with the pesto, cutting the oils and balancing the meal perfectly.

Another wine, Bianchetto from Moretti Wines is a blend of 3 Italian varietals from different regions: Arneis, Malvasia Bianca and Tocai Friulano. You won’t see this blend in Italy, but it’s lovely flowery nose and fruit and acid balance also really enhanced the dish.

National Linguine Day + Wine Pairing

by liz · Sep 15, 2011

Pesto Linguine with Green Beans & Artichoke Hearts recipe — Photo by Meals.com

I love to try to incorporate as many vegetables as possible into my meals – after all, how many of us actually get the recommended dose of veggies at each meal? So when I found out about National Linguine Day, I decided to find some linguine + vegetable recipes, and also try pairing wine with them.

Well, I found 2 great recipes – super easy version and look-like-a-chef version – plus 1 great wine to go with them both. Both recipes use one of my favorite vegetables, artichoke, which is a difficult food to pair with wine, but what wine goes with artichoke, pesto, green beans and lemon? I found the winning varietal…read below to find out!

Super Easy Version: Pesto Linguine with Green Beans & Artichoke Hearts by Meals.com

Ingredients for 4 servings:

1 package (9 ounces) Linguine
1 1/4 cups fresh green beans, cut in half
1 container (7 ounces) Pesto with Basil
3/4 cup artichoke hearts, quartered
Pinch of ground black pepper
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan Cheese
Fresh basil sprigs (optional)

Directions:

PREPARE pasta according to package directions, cooking green beans with pasta; drain. Transfer pasta and beans to large serving bowl; toss with pesto, artichoke hearts and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese. Garnish with basil.

Linguine with Lemon and Grilled Baby Artichokes recipe — Photo by Meals.com

Look-Like-a-Chef Version: Linguine with Lemon and Grilled Baby Artichokes by Meals.com

Ingredients for 4 servings:

1 1/2 cups fresh, frozen or canned baby artichokes or artichoke hearts, tossed in 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 package (9 ounces) Linguine
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper
shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

PREHEAT grill.

GRILL artichokes over medium heat until lightly browned. Alternatively, place on baking sheet, cut-side-up and position 6 inches from broiler. Broil for about 3 minutes or until lightly browned.

BRING water to a boil in large pot; add linguine. Cook for 1 minute. Drain, reserving ¼ cup cooking water.

HEAT oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute or until fragrant (the garlic should not brown). Stir in wine and cook for about 4 minutes or until slightly reduced. Add lemon juice, lemon peel, parsley, chives, tarragon, salt and pepper; cook for about 1 minute or until mixture is heated through.

ADD cooked linguine to skillet along with reserved cooking water and Parmesan cheese. Toss gently to coat. Toss in artichoke hearts. Serve immediately with additional extra virgin olive oil and Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Wine Pairing: Verdicchio

You need a wine with high acidity to pair with artichokes and something from Italy to match the food style. And a white wine since it’s a late summer dinner, pretty light with green vegetables and plenty of freshness. A Verdicchio is perfect for this! It’s crisp and snappy, matching the acidity of the artichokes and lemon, and creating some summer sizzle in your mouth. A last hurrah to the sun.

Italian Food for a Broken Heart: California Sangiovese

by liz · Nov 24, 2009

Each broken heart needs a specific fix: those induced by college athletes call for cigarettes, those from French men require fast-food burgers and stadium hot dogs, and from the tall and beautiful Swedes, plenty of Häagen-Dazs ice cream.

So, what would ease the pain caused by an Italian-born food & wine snob, who, when given any ingredient, can tell you the right way to cook it, and helpfully correct any dish you’ll ever cook, especially Italian food? Frozen pizza from the supermarket, that’s what. The new-age vegetarian kind, from the neighborhood gourmet grocer.

I opened the frozen whole-wheat rolled-crust pizza with roasted vegetables, tofu and goat cheese, cooked it to crispy perfection directly on the oven rack, and defiantly put the whole pie on my plate. Eating the entire thing – and forgetting the Italian snob – was gonna take a lot of wine, so I opened a bottle of California Sangiovese; bold enough for California pizza and enough fruit and alcohol to repel him and his palate. He’s not the only one who can deliver a perfect pairing.

As frozen pizzas go, this one was surprisingly good. The vegetables tasted fresh, the crust was crispy and flavorful and the goat cheese added the perfect amount of tanginess. It was satisfyingly familiar, comforting and just a bit unexpected, which was more than I could say for him. As I finished the last crumbs on my plate, licking my fingers and draining my glass, I was smiling. I decided to keep this frozen pizza close to my heart, or at least in my freezer, at all times. Heart aches don’t stand a chance in my kitchen, no matter where they come from.

Pizza