If you have never tried roasting tomatoes, you are in for a delicious surprise. This recipe for paccheri with roasted tomatoes and ricotta is one you won’t want to miss.
In the States, I have vivid memories of buying plump red tomatoes that were picture-perfect but tasted like…well, nothing. I remember my continued disappointment! Of course, if I took some from my mother’s garden or hit the farmers market, I usually had better luck, but, let’s face it—these days it’s sometimes hard to find a tomato that tastes like a tomato. Even in Italy, where I usually do find juicy and flavorful tomatoes, sometimes I find some duds. In these cases, I have a natural remedy: roast them. If you never have roasted tomatoes, you are in for a delicious treat. Roasted tomatoes concentrate the tomato taste leaving them bursting with robust flavors. They makes every dish pop and are the star in this recipe for paccheri with roasted tomatoes and ricotta.
Ever since I have discovered roasting tomatoes, I have found myself adding them to a variety of dishes because they are an easy and healthy option to add flavor to most savory dishes. I used them as the base in this delicious roasted tomato and basil soup and as a topping for these double baked kale potatoes and breakfast bruschetta.In this roasted tomato and ricotta paccheri recipe I pureed them so they blended perfectly with the ricotta cheese then used the rest to line a dish with a few spoonfuls of sauce.
Roasting tomatoes and then freezing them is a great way to preserve tomatoes for use in the fall and winter months when tomatoes are out of season. They will last for about 4-5 days in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer. I like to freeze them in small portions and whip out a bag at a time to make a quick pasta sauce or bruschetta with fresh herbs. There are some recipes that say to roast tomatoes at a low temperature for up to 2 hours; however, I’ve found that roasting tomatoes for around 40-50 minutes at a higher temperature is just as sufficient to draw out their intense caramelized flavors. (Sometimes, I even roast them for less time if I am in a hurry. Even at the 20-30 mark, they still have a strong flavor.)
If you have never tried roasting tomatoes, you are in for a delicious surprise. Here’s one recipe you won’t want to miss.
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
For the tomatoes and sauce:
1 pound (450g)Datterini tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
.5 ounce (19g) Arugula
10 Basil leaves
1 cup (8.9 ounces, 250g) ricotta
Chives (optional)
For the pasta:
12 Paccheri pasta
½ tablespoon course salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Arrange the tomatoes in one layer on top of the baking sheet. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 40 minutes or until the tomatoes are have shrunk, keeping a close eye on them so they don’t burn. When you take the tomatoes out, keep the oven on.
In the meantime, bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add the course salt. Cook the paccheri pasta according to the directions on the box. Drain the pasta, let cool.
In a blender purée the roasted tomatoes, arugula and basil leaves. Scoop out 4-5 spoonfuls and spread on the bottom of a casserole dish. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, add the ricotta then pour in the rest of the tomato sauce and stir until combined.
Using a pastry bag or small spoon, fill each tube of pasta with the ricotta mixture and set the pasta tubes upright in the casserole dish. If you want, tie the tubes in groups with a chive stem and top with chopped chives.
Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 10-12 minutes or until the filling is warm and the top is slightly golden. Serve warm. Buon appetito!
A few helpful hints:
Roast tomatoes ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator (up to 4-5 days) or freezer (up to 6 months) to whip out when you need them. If you have the roasted tomatoes on hand, this pasta recipe goes from 60 minutes to around 25 minutes.
Be sure to fill the pasta tubes completely full as the sauce sinks when baking.
If you have some ricotta filling left over, spread it on a piece of toasted bread for a quick bruschetta.
If you want to elegantly plate the pasta like in my photos, reserve a few extra spoonfuls of sauce and heat it on the stovetop in a small saucepan. The sauce baked in the oven will have a different consistency and dries out a bit more.
If you want a taste of Italy, try these tortiglioni with anchovies, radishes and tomatoes. Don’t shun the thought of anchovies just yet! This salty ingredient is the secret ingredient in this mouthwatering sauce.
Although anchovies might not be the first ingredient that comes to mind, definitely don’t exclude them. Anchovies are extremely versatile and can be used in a variety of ways, whether they are fresh or salt-cured in olive oil. You can melt them down with butter or olive oil in a skillet and spread the flavorful sauce onto a piece of toasted artisan bread then top with stracciatella cheese for a quick bruschetta. Or, how about marinated anchovies, which are a typical Italian recipe proliferate in restaurants along the Mediterranean Sea?
If you want a real taste of Italy, cook with anchovies. Their savoriness adds an irreplaceable bold flavor to dishes that are unlike others. My challenge to you: sneak them in various sauces, soups and salads and observe for yourself if anyone can spot that flavor, or if they just tell you that your dish is delicious.
If you want a taste of Italy, try these tortiglioni with anchovies, red radishes and tomatoes. Don’t shun the thought of anchovies just yet! This salty ingredient is the secret ingredient in this mouthwatering sauce.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ large white onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
7 radishes, thinly sliced
20 datterini tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes), cut in half
5 anchovies in oil, cut into pieces
1 fresh sage leaf, torn in pieces
1 chive stem, torn in pieces
250g Tortiglioni pasta (or fusilli, penne, or macaroni ecc.)
1 tablespoon coarse salt
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, as needed
Instructions
Put the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet and cook the onions and garlic over medium heat until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the radishes, tomatoes, anchovies, sage and chives and continue to cook until the tomatoes are soft, about 5-10 minutes.
In the meantime, bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil, add the coarse salt and cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain and return to pot. Pour in the sauce and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and stir until the cheese has melted. Delicious served both warm and cold.
The majority of Italians eat pasta every day for lunch. Of course they vary their recipes so it doesn’t get boring and prepare dishes like this vegetable kamut pasta,tagliatelle with asparagus and peas,tortelli verdi,lumaconi or pasta with a simple tomato sauce. But, yes, that’s right, most Italian eat some kind of pasta every day. But that’s not all. The typical weekday Italian lunch usually includes some kind of meat or fish, vegetables, fruit and espresso. On the weekends expect to find various desserts and gelato. You would think that with these extravagant lunches everyday, the whole country would be obese, no? Yet, Italy is considered to have one of the healthiest diets in the world and is ranked among the highest life expectancies. What’s the deal?
From my observation of the last 5 years living in Italy, there are a few eating behaviors that play a large role in the Italians healthy style of living. This is not a scientific study, so take what I say with a grain of salt. This is only my observation/opinion. This reflection is for the majority of Italians; certainty, there are individuals who follow a less healthy diet.
7 Italian Diet Secrets
1) Fresh foods—Italians typically prepare food by hand instead of buying pre-packaged goods loaded with preservatives and sugar. They eat a lot of fresh fruit, vegetables, beans, whole grains, dairy products, fish and extra virgin olive oil. Recipes are simply and don’t require loads of caloric condiments like mayonnaise.
2) Sauces, pesto and dressings—Sauces are made by hand with just a few whole ingredients. Tomatoes and basil are picked from the vegetable garden to make tomato sauce and pesto. Alternatively, if you don’t have a garden, both markets and supermarkets carry extremely fresh produce which often times even lists the place of origin; many products come from local farmers. Salad dressings consist of just healthy extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Meat is usually eaten alone or with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Think of all the calories Italians save by not loading their salads with ranch, thousand island or blue cheese dressing or dipping their meat into mountains of bbq sauce?
3) Snacks—Mid morning or mid afternoon snacks typically consist of a yogurt, nuts or piece of fruit.
4) Sugary drinks—Coca cola and similar beverages are typically drunk on special occasions. Italians drink wine and natural or sparkling water at meals.
5)Quantity—Italians dishes aren’t meager portions by any means; however, they aren’t exaggerated and super-sized like you often find in the states or restaurants with all-you-can-eat buffets.
6)Quantity vs.meal time—Typically Italians eat sweets for breakfast, a large and varied lunch, and a light dinner. This gives their body fuel for the entire day and they slowly and consistently burn most of it off by evening. Makes sense. Not sure why in the states it’s the reverse and we often go to bed with a full belly of food.
7) Walk—Italians have a tradition of a “passeggiata” or “stroll” after meals, which aids in digestion.
There you have it, 7 Italian diet secrets for a healthier lifestyle. These 7 secrets aren’t hard at all to incorporate into your everyday life. It just takes some self-will and determination to undo some of the habits you may have grown accustom to.
From every culture we can learn something new that can help us live better. And, in this case, Italy’s healthy style of eating can be an inspiration to all of us to alter the way we think about consuming food. Remember, what we put in our body affects how we feel. If we feel good, we are happy. If we are happy, we are more productive. If we are productive, we are motivated to live fully. All this, just by eating better.
Forget the store bought sauces and make your own with vegetables for a flavorful and healthy Italian meal.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
¼ cup (25g) extra virgin olive oil
1 vegetable bouillon cube*
½ onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
3 celery stems, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 datterini or grape tomatoes, skin removed (I freeze the tomatoes then the skins just pop off under water)
10 cloves
½ Cinnamon stick
Dry white wine, as needed (enough to cover the vegetables)*
12 ounces (340g) pasta (I used kamut tortiglioni pasta)*
½ tablespoon coarse salt
½ cup (38g) grated Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan cheese)*
Instructions
In a medium-sized saucepan, add: extra virgin olive oil, vegetable bouillon cube, onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook on medium low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomatoes, cloves and crumble in the cinnamon stick. Cover the vegetable mixture with white wine and stir.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes, checking periodically to make sure that there is some liquid at all times, adding a bit more wine or water if needed.
In a medium pot, bring water to a boil and add the coarse salt. Cook the pasta according to the indications on the package. Drain and mix in the sauce and Parmigiano Reggiano. Buon appetito!
*For a vegan recipe, check the vegan-friendly wines here, double check the vegetable bouillon ingredients list (or buy vegan bouillon cubes), make sure that the pasta doesn’t have egg and don’t include the cheese.
Pasta dishes don’t have to always be smothered in tomato sauce :: sugo and loaded with meat to be satisfying. In fact, some of the best Italian pasta dishes are those made with a vegetable sauce, like this recipe for tagliatelle with asparagus and peas given to me by my aunt-in-law.
There are three main secrets to preparing a delicious pasta dish like they make in Italy :: Italia:
1. Use fresh seasonal produce
2. Cook the pasta in generously salted water until it is al dente (slightly firm when bitten).
3. Top with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese.
Italian women are clever :: furbe; they prepare mouthwatering dishes with just a few ingredients. What is their secret? They buy fresh vegetables that are in season. Often Italian women have a vegetable garden at home, otherwise they head directly to a farmer or vegetable stand at the market. Choosing good in-season vegetables allows you to enjoy the maximum flavors since the produce is in its prime. Good sauces aren’t difficult to make, they only need fresh and flavorful raw materials.
The next important trick is how you cook the pasta. The first rule of thumb of a good Italian cook is that you should always add coarse salt to the water once it comes to a boil. Secondly, you should always read the cooking time on the outside of the pasta package and be sure to start checking the pasta’s firmness a minute or two before it should be ready, especially if you mix the pasta with a sauce over heat, like in this recipe, as it will continue to cook. Although overcooked pasta is perfect for those who wear dentures :: la dentiera, it is by no means good. So set a timer folks and cook the pasta al dente!
The last important tip to making this tagliatelle with asparagus and peas dish absolutely delicious, is to load it with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese. I might be impartial since I live in Emilia Romagna, the origin of this delectable ingredient, but I can definitely tell you there is a major difference between pasta dishes with and without parmigiano reggiano. And, no, for all you Americans, I am not talking about the powdery stuff in the cylinder green tube made by Kraft, that stuff for Italians has the same affect as kryptonite on Superman.
There you have it, some of the most important tricks :: trucchi you need to know to make some tasty Italian pasta dishes. If you have any other tips, leave them below in the comments section.
Pasta dishes don’t have to always be smothered in tomato sauce and loaded with meat to be satisfying. In fact, some of the best Italian pasta dishes are those made with a vegetable sauce, like this recipe for tagliatelle with asparagus and peas.
Serves: 2
Ingredients
For the sauce:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
10 asparagus spears, hard ends snapped off & discarded, then chopped
1 cup (145g) freshly shelled peas
1 organic vegetable bouillon cube
White wine, enough to cover the vegetables
4 datterini or grape tomatoes, skin removed (I freeze the tomatoes then the skins just pop off under water)
½ cup (38g) parmigiano reggiano
For the pasta:
200g tagliatelle pasta (or any kind of pasta)
½ tablespoon coarse salt
Instructions
For the sauce:
In a medium-sized saucepan, cook the shallot in the extra virgin olive oil over low heat. When the shallot begins to become golden brown, discard.
Add the asparagus, peas, tomatoes, vegetable bouillon cube and white wine (enough to cover the vegetables); bring to a boil then reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for 40-60 minutes.
For the pasta:
Bring a pot of water to boil, add the course salt and cook the pasta according to the instructions located on the package. Check the doneness around 1-2 minutes before it should be ready, remove from heat and drain when it is al dente (slightly firm when bitten).
Add the pasta and parmigiano reggiano cheese to the sauce previously prepared and stir over low heat until combined and the cheese has melted. Serve immediately. Buon appetito!
Note For vegetable based sauces, I like to cook them around 40 minutes but you could also let them simmer for less time.
Easter dinner is only two days away. If you want to liven up your Sunday meal, how about whipping up a mouthwatering pasta dish: spinach and ricotta lumaconi with roasted red pepper sauce.
Still not convinced? Here are 5 reasons you should make this recipe:
1. It’s super easy to prepare. If you’re like me, you want to enjoy your company instead of slaving away at the stove :: fornello while listening to your guests laughing, joking and munching on your freshly prepared hors d’oeuvres. The cook should also enjoy herself/himself, don’t you agree? Make this pasta dish the day before then just pop it in the oven to warm up 10-20 minutes before you want to chow down.
2. It serves a lot of people. Making dinner for an intimate group of 4 is one thing, trying to entertain a group of 10 or more is a whole other beast, especially when picky eaters, like kids :: bambini are involved. Good thing almost everyone loves pasta. It’s filling, satisfying and you can make a lot of it with the same ease and stove space that you would for a regular serving.
3. The ingredients are economical. You don’t have to fork over the dough for expensive lamb or ham. Pasta is one of the most economical products around and perfect for feeding a large crowd. That way you have more money left over to buy good quality parmesan cheese, fresh spinach and peppers from the market and even some good artisanal bread from the bakery :: forno to accompany the dish. Eating well is all about eating high quality natural products, and when you keep the recipe’s ingredients to a short list, not only is it usually healthier but you can also afford better products.
4. The presentation is gorgeous. Let’s face it, presentation isn’t everything in the food industry but it does count a lot. A whole lot. Think about your mom’s meatloaf. It may be your favorite dish ever, but frankly if you served up a blob of meat smothered in ketchup, your guests might just reach for the breadsticks :: grissini instead. Who wants to eat something that resembles cat vomit? Now, to fill your mind with a more pleasant image, imagine yourself in your sparkling clean apron coming out of the kitchen doors with matching oven mitts and carefully setting down a giant tray of hand stuffed pasta. OMG. Who wouldn’t just love you in that moment? If you’re a single lady, watch out cupid might have just struck an arrow in every man’s stomach at the table.
5. It’s lip-smacking delicious.How could it not be when we’re talking about a veggie stuffed pasta smothered with a creamy roasted red pepper sauce and melted parmesan cheese? This also covers the dilemma if some of your guests are vegetarians. Shabam. Problem solved. Do your guests :: ospiti have gluten allergies? No problem, just buy some gluten free shells and make a separate dish. Or, if you can’t find gluten-free lumaconi, simply keep a bit of the filling and sauce aside and mix them together with gluten-free spaghetti or penne.
What more could you want? Besides of course a life time of free gelato or high heels that massage your feet. I mean, come on, this pasta dish is delicious but definitely fails in comparison to those!
The typical traditional menu in Emilia Romagna for Easter is much like that for Christmas: cappelletti in broth or tortelli verdi, the boiled meat used to make the broth :: brodo with homemade mostardi, a type of homemade spicy fruit marmalade, and in-season vegetables. Southern Italy has more of a typical Easter meal that includes lamb as well as other specific specialties made just for Easter Sunday.
The one thing that is common in all of Italy (or at least that I know of) are two main Easter time desserts: beloved chocolate eggs and the colomba, which is a sweet bread filled with pieces of candied fruit peels. When I say “sweet bread” I am referring to bread that is sweet and not “sweetbread” which is a culinary term for the thymus and pancreas of veal and calves. Luckily my friend Jamie clarified this for me and saved me from future embarrassment :: imbarazzo. You learn something new everyday. Just like I hope that most of you know what rocky mountain oysters really stand for.
The other main Easter sweet found literally everywhere in Italy is the beloved chocolate egg. Boy, I thought Easter egg hunts were so cool growing up, but really Italians are doing it right with chocolate eggs that vary in size which you crack open to find a surprise :: sorpresa inside. Right now in the supermarkets there are over hundreds of chocolate eggs in all different sizes. One was even taller than me! (And, I’m 5’7’’!) A year’s full of chocolate…I was tempted until I looked at the price: it was a whopping 390euros! Hmm….my mind always thinks in plane tickets and that would definitely be a flight to somewhere cool, so, as you can imagine…I passed.
Mr. Italicano and I are headed off for a weekend to the Prosecco wine country. I can’t wait to do some “research” for my blog posts a.k.a wine tasting and eating way too much good food. Cin cin :: cheers to you all and I hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend wherever you are!
Spinach and Ricotta Lumaconi with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
4 red peppers (or 2 super large ones like shown in the photo)
½ teaspoon white vinegar
½ cup (55g), chopped walnuts
For the pasta and filling:
17 ounces (500g) Lumaconi pasta
70 ounces (2 kg) fresh spinach
2 cups (500g) ricotta
½ cup (35g) parmesan cheese + 1 cup (70g) parmesan cheese, freshly grated & divided
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the sauce:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°) and line a 1 or 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
Wrap the garlic bulb in aluminium foil then set it on the baking tray along with the peppers and tomatoes in a single layer. Sprinkle salt on the tomatoes. Roast for 40 minutes then remove the tomatoes and set them aside in a bowl. Continue to roast the red peppers and garlic for another 20 minutes.
Remove the baking try from the oven and immediately transfer the red peppers to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 20 minutes to “sweat”.
Once the peppers are cool to touch remove the skin, stem and seeds and discard. Transfer the peppers to a blender along with their juices. Squeeze out the soften garlic and discard its shell. I used about ¾ of the garlic bulb, adjust to taste. Add the roasted tomatoes, white vinegar and walnuts. Blend until smooth.
For the pasta and filling:
Bring a large pot of water to boil, add 3 pinches of salt followed by one half of the freshly cleaned spinach. Cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove the first batch with a slotted spoon and transfert to a colander. Shock with cold water, let cool, then squeeze out the excess liquid. Repeat for the second batch, reserving the spinach water.
Add 2 more pinches of salt to the spinach water and more water if necessary. Add the lumaconi pasta and cook until al dente (a.k.a. Slightly hard)
While the pasta is cooking, transfer the cooled spinach to a large bowl and add the ricotta, ½ cup parmesan cheese, red pepper, salt and pepper.
Drain the pasta and return to the pot along with a drizzle of olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together.
Cover the bottom of an extra large casserole dish with a thin layer of roasted red pepper sauce.
Fill each pasta shell with a spoonful of ricotta and spinach filling then place in the casserole dish. Repeat.
Once the pan is full with the filled pasta, cover with the remaining sauce and 1 cup of parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 (180°) until the pasta is warm, about 10-20 minutes. Serve with extra grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Each region in Italy has its own delicious and distinct cuisine. Liguria is known for its basil pesto and focaccia, Tuscany for it’s ribollito soup and florentine steak, and Emilia Romagna, the region where I live, boasts some of the most mouthwatering pasta dishes like lasagne, cappelletti and the renowned tortelli verdi.
My friend Elena was kind enough to share a tortelli verdi recipe with me that has been passed down in her family throughout the generations :: generazioni. Elena, like many Italian women, learned how to cook at a young age and spent countless hours in the kitchen with her grandmother and mother learning how to make traditional recipes by hand. It comes as no surprise that cooking has turned into one of her biggest passions and throughout the years she completed an advanced program at a school for chefs and has taken two professional courses (butcher and bread making) as well as participated in numerous cooking classes to satiate her culinary curiosity.
Tortelli verdi dates back to Medieval times and was a typical dish served by farmers :: contadini on the holidays (typically on Christmas Eve) while in modern times this exquisite dish is enjoyed all year round. While there are many variations to this classic dish, this particular recipe calls for egg pasta dough filled with spinach that is then formed into small squares and topped with sage infused butter.
To begin, heat two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet then add two cloves of smashed garlic and cook for two minutes. Next add 450g of organic frozen spinach and one organic vegetable bouillon, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes then remove the lid and continue cooking until the spinach is dry.
Remove the skillet from the heat and cool. Discard the garlic and add 1 cup of grated parmigiano reggiano cheese and 3 tablespoons of dried bread crumbs. Stir well. To test if the filling has the right consistency :: consistenza, try to form a small ball. If it holds its shape, it’s ready; if it is too soft, simply add more grated parmigiano reggiano cheese and breadcrumbs until you are able to form a ball.
Now it’s time to make the pasta dough :: la sfoglia. Place 400g of organic type 00 flour on a clean surface, make a well in the center and crack in 4 eggs. Using a knife or a fork gradually combine the flour and eggs until you have a reached a dough consistency. In Italy type 00 flour is readily found in all supermarkets but in other parts of the word it may be found at a high price in specialty stores. Although I haven’t tried this recipe with all-purpose flour, according to this article by The Kitchn blog, they’ve found that it is generally fine to substitute all purpose flour for type “00” flour; recipes will come out fine, you will just notice a texture difference if you grew up in Europe or are familiar with type “00” flour.
At this point knead :: impastare for 10 minutes then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. In the meantime, clean the counter in order to have space to roll out the dough.
Divide the dough in two pieces, rewrap one of them and place in the refrigerator. Using a rolling pin :: un matterello, roll out the first piece of dough until it is as thin as a piece of paper. Work quickly because if the dough dries out when you make the tortelli the borders will not close well and the filling will leak outwhen the tortelli is being cooked.
Whereas a normal sized rolling pin is used in other regions in Italy, in Emilia Romagna a long rolling pin like you see in the photo is commonly utilized and passed down throughout the generations.
Using a frilled edge pastry cutter, cut a line at the bottom of the pastry sheet. Form little balls of spinach filling the size of small grapes :: le uva and position them in a line about 1/4 inch from the edge and 1/2 inch from one another. Fold the pasta sheet over the balls.
Cut the pasta sheet with the frilled edge pastry cutter where the overlapped edge touches the pasta sheet. Starting from the center, use your two pinkies :: mignoli to form a circle around each spinach ball and pat around it to seal, this also will allow the air to come out. Utilizing the frilled edge pastry, cut a line between each ball then with your fingers press down on all of the edges to make sure that the square pasta is completely sealed.
At this point :: a questo punto the tortelli verdi are ready to be cooked or conserved in the refrigerator (for a few hours) or in the freezer (for a few months).
When you are ready to cook your tortelli verdi, bring a pot of water to boil, add salt and the tortelli verdi and cook for roughly 4-5 minutes. In the mean time, melt two tablespoons butter with 5 sage :: salvia leaves in a skillet. Drain the tortelli verdi, add them to the skillet and coat with butter paying attention to not break them while stirring. Serve immediately with grated parmigiano reggiano cheese.
Advice from Elena :: Consigli di Elena:
If you want the tortelli verdi to be more flavorful, substitute the extra virgin olive oil for lard or chopped pancetta.
If the spinach filling seems too salty, don’t add salt to the water before cooking the tortelli verdi.
If you want more delicate tasting tortelli verdi, add 160g of fresh ricotta to the filling and 4 additional tablespoons of breadcrumbs.
To conserve the tortelli verdi in the freezer, put them side by side on a paper tray and place them in the freezer until they are frozen. After which you can transfer them to a freezer proof plastic bag and replace them in the freezer.
Each region in Italy has its own delicious and distinct cuisine. Emilia Romagna, boasts some of the most mouthwatering pasta dishes like lasagne, cappelletti and these renowned homemade tortelli verdi.
3⅛ cup (400g) organic type “00” flour or all-purpose flour
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons (25g) butter
5 sage leaves
Instructions
For the filling:
Heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet then add the garlic and cook for two minutes. Next add the organic frozen spinach and one organic vegetable bouillon, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes then remove the lid and continue cooking until the spinach is dry.
Remove the skillet from the heat and cool. Discard the garlic and add the grated parmigiano reggiano cheese and dried bread crumbs. Stir well. To test if the filling has the right consistency, try to form a small ball. If it holds its shape, it's ready; if it is too soft, simply add more grated parmigiano reggiano cheese and breadcrumbs until you are able to form a ball.
For the dough:
Place the organic type 00 flour on a clean surface, make a well in the center and crack in the eggs. Using a knife or a fork gradually combine the flour and eggs until you have a reached a dough consistency.
Knead the dough for 10 minutes then wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. In the meantime, clean the counter in order to have space to roll out the dough.
Divide the dough in two pieces, rewrap one of them and place in the refrigerator. Using a rolling pin, roll out the first piece of dough until it is as thin as a piece of paper. Work quickly because if the dough dries out when you make the tortelli the borders will not close well and the filling will leak out
when the tortelli is being cooked.
Using a frilled edge pastry cutter, cut a line at the bottom of the pastry sheet. Form little balls of spinach filling the size of small grapes and position them in a line about ¼ inch from the edge and ½ inch from one another. Fold the pasta sheet over the balls.
Cut the pasta sheet with the frilled edge pastry cutter where the overlapped edge touches the pasta sheet. Starting from the center, use your two pinkies to form a circle around each spinach ball and pat around it to seal, this also will allow the air to come out. Utilizing the frilled edge pastry, cut a line between each ball then with your fingers press down on all of the edges to make sure that the square pasta is completely sealed. Take the second ball of dough out of the refrigerator and repeat the process.
At this point the tortelli verdi are ready to be cooked or conserved in the refrigerator (for a few hours) or in the freezer (for a few months).
When you are ready to cook your tortelli verdi, bring a pot of water to boil, add salt and the tortelli verdi and cook for roughly 4-5 minutes. In the mean time, melt two tablespoons butter with 5 sage leaves in a skillet. Drain the tortelli verdi, add them to the skillet and coat with butter paying attention to not break them while stirring. Serve immediately with grated parmigiano reggiano cheese. Buon appetito!
In the States, I have vivid memories of buying plump red tomatoes that were picture-perfect but tasted like…well, nothing. I remember my continued disappointment! Of course, if I took some from my mother’s garden or hit the farmers market, I usually had better luck, but, let’s face it—these days it’s sometimes hard to find a tomato that tastes like a tomato. Even in Italy, where I usually do find juicy and flavorful tomatoes, sometimes I find some duds. In these cases, I have a natural remedy: roast them. If you never have roasted tomatoes, you are in for a delicious treat. Roasted tomatoes concentrate the tomato taste leaving them bursting with robust flavors. They makes every dish pop and are the star in this recipe for paccheri with roasted tomatoes and ricotta.
Ever since I have discovered roasting tomatoes, I have found myself adding them to a variety of dishes because they are an easy and healthy option to add flavor to most savory dishes. I used them as the base in this delicious roasted tomato and basil soup and as a topping for these double baked kale potatoes and breakfast bruschetta. In this roasted tomato and ricotta paccheri recipe I pureed them so they blended perfectly with the ricotta cheese then used the rest to line a dish with a few spoonfuls of sauce.
Roasting tomatoes and then freezing them is a great way to preserve tomatoes for use in the fall and winter months when tomatoes are out of season. They will last for about 4-5 days in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer. I like to freeze them in small portions and whip out a bag at a time to make a quick pasta sauce or bruschetta with fresh herbs. There are some recipes that say to roast tomatoes at a low temperature for up to 2 hours; however, I’ve found that roasting tomatoes for around 40-50 minutes at a higher temperature is just as sufficient to draw out their intense caramelized flavors. (Sometimes, I even roast them for less time if I am in a hurry. Even at the 20-30 mark, they still have a strong flavor.)
