Fresh Summer Pasta

Italians approach food and wine from a perspective of self expression. Food, for example, is simple, elegant, nutritious, and timed – you have your antipasto, followed by pasta, a meat course, salad, and cheese or dessert and espresso. The meal in itself is an expression of the chef, the garden, the soil, the climate, and the season.

Wine is the same. In Tuscany, we took a wine tour with a wonderful woman named Francesca. She was so knowledgeable and passionate about wine, spewing wisdom so fast I couldn't write it all down. One of the first things she told us was, "When you drink Italian wine, you are tasting an expression of the place it came from." The health of the soil, the amount of rain that year, storms, diseases, bugs... It can all be tasted in the quality and flavor of the wine. And for that reason, Italians favor less oak in their wine. To overpower the essence of the fruit with heavy oak would be a shame, we were told. When you hold a sip of wine in your mouth and swish it all around, you taste every single note of fruit, spice, and chocolate. Too much oak would overshadow the delicate flavors.

At the table, we were met with several courses of the most carefully – but simply – prepared food. And never without wine. "In our life," Francesca told us, "food doesn't make sense without wine, and wine doesn't make sense without food."

They each make the other better, and neither can express itself fully without the other. 

One thing that really struck me was the quality of the pasta. In America, we're used to a little bit of pasta with a ton of thick sauce. In Italy, so much care and work goes into making the pasta with the finest ingredients, that it would be a shame to overpower it with bold, heavy sauce. Every dish was mostly pasta with a bit of extra flavor – garlic, fresh vegetables, a light bolognese, perhaps some cheese. 

It reminded me of a dish that, when I was first learning to cook, I would make for myself at least once every week. I would visit the Italian market in town and buy some fresh, unique pasta – whole grain farro was my favorite. Then, I'd search the refrigerator for any spare seasonal vegetables, do a quick chop, add lots of garlic, olives, and spices, toss through the pasta, and (with a garnish of cheese) dinner was served. It was so simple and delicious and easy, I wondered why more people didn't do it. 

We didn't have much in the refrigerator the other night, but we had some pasta, an onion, and a few jars in the pantry. Keeping in mind the culinary traditions I learned in Italy, combined with the flavors I love, I had a meal for three prepared in 10 minutes flat. Tailored to whatever you happen to have on hand, this is one of the best weeknight meals I could possibly imagine.

Fresh Summer Pasta :: Serves 4
1 package spaghetti
sea salt
olive oil
1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, julienned
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
1/4 cup marinated artichokes, chopped
1 16-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
a few shakes of red pepper flakes
black pepper
1 cup fresh basil, julienned
handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
feta cheese and pine nuts, for garnish

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain in a colander and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, warm a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt, and cook until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add peppers, olives, artichokes, tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, and black pepper, and cook until warmed through, about 3 minutes. 
3. Add pasta and fresh herbs to the skillet. Toss through to evenly distribute, warm the pasta, and coat with sauce. Add a bit more olive oil if needed. Divide among plates, garnish with pine nuts and crumbled feta cheese, and serve. 

Greek Pita Pockets with Zesty Olive Tapenade

{Vegetarian friends: This meal would be fantastic with diced tofu instead of chicken.}

Greek food, to me, has all the makings of a healthful, simple, and easy-to-prepare weeknight meal. The ingredient and flavor combinations are endless, but there are three things that, to me, make Greek food what it is: Lemon, dried herbs, and feta cheese.

If you, too, are a fan of feta, you probably understand that there isn’t much it doesn’t taste good with. It adds a pop of flavor to these pita pockets along with the most delicious, versatile spread with basil, garlic, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and marinated artichokes.

This pesto, olive, and artichoke tapenade is a repeat customer in my meals. Originally inspired by my friend Kelly and her stellar cooking, it’s only natural that whenever I house sit for Kelly (and her beautiful, spotless kitchen) I must make the tapenade. Thus, with the help of Kelly’s kitchen, this Tuesday night dinner was set against the backdrop of oak trees, outdoor furniture, dusk air and good conversation – the epitome of summer.

 

Greek Pita Pockets with Pesto Olive Tapenade :: Serves 4

1 pound chicken tenders (or 1 package tofu, diced)

juice from 1 lemon

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. dried basil

salt and freshly ground pepper

3 cloves garlic

2 cups fresh basil

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup marinated artichokes

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

2 whole wheat pita breads, halved

chopped romaine

feta cheese, crumbled

1. Marinade chicken in lemon juice, olive oil, dried basil, salt and pepper. Place in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the tapenade. Make a quick pesto in the food processor with garlic, basil, and olive oil. Add tomatoes, artichokes, and olives, and pulse just a few times to chop. Transfer to a bowl and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
3. Brown chicken in a bit of olive oil over medium flame until cooked through. Allow to rest for a few minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces. 
4. To assemble the pita pocket, place a bit of chicken, some tapenade, feta cheese, and romaine into one half of a whole-wheat pita. Serve.

The World (and what I've been up to)

I always thought that, arriving on another continent, I would feel more of a shift. A definite, tangible feeling of there we were, and here we are now. A difference; an enlightenment. In my twenty-two years I’ve seen a fair bit of the western hemisphere, crossing cultural borders and speaking a different language. But never more than two time zones away from home, the transition has always been fairly simple to manage. Three hours ahead or three hours behind, I always felt grounded, and knew where and when I was in relation to where I came from. 

Landing on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean for the first time was strange… Very strange. Stepping off the plane in Rome, if you’d told me we were still in California I think I’d have believed you. I felt weirdly at ease; but at the very same time, for the first time ever in my travels, I felt as if the rug had been pulled out from underneath me and I couldn’t feel the ground. Totto, it may feel like it, but we're definitely not in Kansas anymore. For my entire first day in Italy I searched for something to hold onto, some footing to grasp and anchor myself down in a different time and place. I had absolutely no idea where and when I was. There was the shift I had expected – and oh, was it so much more dramatic than I could have anticipated. 

But all it took was a visit to one of the oldest cafes in Europe itself, Caffe Greco. After dropping bags in the room upstairs, I made my way into the 250-year-old cafe, then stopped. There was a different process to coffee drinking here, and I took a minute to observe other patrons. It went a little something like this: Browse the pristine pastry case on the left; order an espresso and pay; take your receipt over to the bar on the right; watch the cute tuxedo-clad barista make you the most perfect shot; eat your prosciutto and mozzarella sandwich standing up, chase it with your espresso, leave a nice tip, and be on your way. 

Okay, I’ve got this.

I did exactly as others had done before me, savoring every last bite of my delicious sandwich and teeny sip of the perfect espresso. I couldn’t help but beam with excitement, happiness, and pride. My dad and brother walked in and I explained the process to them, and from that moment on I had my footing. I was there. Italy was my oyster.

This might sound silly to those of you who are experienced jet-setters. But for me, Italy was a serious enlightenment. Before this trip, traveling to Europe seemed so daunting; long plane rides, different currency, language barriers, culture shock. There were plenty of reasons to keep putting it off. And yet, every time I did put it off, I felt an aching sense of nostalgia for a place I’d never seen. I didn’t know how that was possible until I finally found myself walking the cobblestone streets of Rome, tasting wine in Tuscany, sitting on the beach in Amalfi. Some innate, gut-wrenching heartstring had been pulling me to Italy for as long as I can remember. Chalk it up to my Italian heritage, my love for food and wine, the scenery, the history, whatever – I recently learned that when you follow your heart, you’re never far from home. 

The ice cream sandwich, all grown up

 

This month, we're taking the ice cream sandwich up a notch. This favorite summertime treat isn't just for kids anymore – it deserves the same creative spin on "fun" as your adult life. 

As I currently am, many of my friends may be experiencing the infamous identity crisis that comes with graduating from college and entering the real world. But believe it or not, I think I've found the cure: simply indulging in an exquisite, flavorful, textural, and sophisticated version of a childhood dessert is enough to make you think, "Hey, maybe this grown-up stuff isn't so bad." 

Until you finish the sandwich, that is. :) But there's a perfect excuse to have another one. 

For my take on a posh ice cream sandwich, read this month's column. I used teff flour, coconut palm sugar, and dark chocolate for the Fleur de sel Cookies (see previous post), and rounded it out with a scoop of salted caramel ice cream. The results do not disappoint. 

Teff Flour + Fleur de sel Chocolate Chip Cookies

I find it hard to settle.

Making decisions has never been my strong suit. Whether we’re talking about a pair of department store jeans, going blonde, what to do with an hour of free time, or what to do with my life after graduation, I change my mind a minimum of 3 times before something finally happens… Or doesn’t. One way or another. I'm inclined to believe this is because I want to do, see, learn, and experience everything. How to fit three lifetimes into one?

Tried-and-true recipes are no exception to this rule. Take the chocolate chip cookie, for example. I’ve written on this before: everyone has that one recipe that steals the show, takes the cake, every time and without fail. 

But I just can’t let it be. I can’t settle. If I haven’t taken a recipe I love, rearranged the parts, and put it back together in a while, I get fidgety. If I’m not creating, testing, manipulating, and making a mess, I’m not truly happy. 

That said, I’ve taken to experimenting with gluten-free flours again, and I picked up a bag of teff flour at Whole Foods the other day. Its earthy aroma, sandy texture, and high protein content made it a wonderful addition to a batch of cookies – to which I also added some coconut palm sugar and fleur de sel. Recipe below.

There’s been a lot of great eating and cooking over the past few weeks. Elliott and I have tried to visit every farmer’s market in the greater south bay on the weekends, and so far we’ve made it to downtown San Jose, Campbell, Saratoga, and Los Altos. We also stopped by a lively Greek festival at the St. Nicholas church last weekend, complete with Greek beer, wine, pastries, coffee drinks, crafts, and dancing. 

And let us not forget the trip to Harley Farms in Pescadero for some fresh, delicious goat milk cheese. Their ricotta is my favorite, closely followed by the lavender-honey chevre. I highly encourage you to take the short drive to Pescadero if you ever have the chance… it’s baby goat season!

This Saturday starts my graduation/summer traveling adventure. First stop is Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for a week… then home for a little over 24 hours… then off to ITALY for 10 days. I can’t wait to share it with you.

Fleur de Sel Chocolate Chip Cookies :: Makes about 12

8 Tbsp. butter, room temperature

3/4 cup coconut palm sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 egg. room temperature

1 1/2 cups spelt flour

1/4 cup teff flour

1/2 tsp. fleur de sel, plus more for sprinkling

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 cup dark chocolate chunks 

1. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and mix in.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, teff flour, fleur de sel, and baking soda. Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 or 4 increments, mixing thoroughly after each one. Add chocolate chunks and stir to mix in.
3. Place dough in the center of a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold over lengthwise (hot dog style) and gently roll out to a 12-inch log. Fold up the ends and place in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350’. Grease a baking sheet with butter or nonstick spray. Unwrap cookie dough and slice into 1/2-inch rounds, placing about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Press gently with the bottom of a cup or glass – the cookies will not spread much. Sprinkle lightly with more fleur de sel. Bake for 11 minutes, until edges are firm and lightly brown, and center still looks a little wet. Remove and let cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack and serving.

Store in an airtight container.