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!
Still not convinced? Here are 5 reasons you should make this recipe:
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.
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.
