My garden

Bucatini all' Amatriciani

cooking pancetta and onion



bon appetit



adapted from Sophia Loren's Recipes & Memories

This is a sauce that comes from Amatrice, a little mountain town not far from Rome. The preferred pasta for this bucatini - thick spaghetti with holes through the centre. But if that is not available, a thick spaghetti will do.

for 6 servings

6 tablespoons olive oil
2 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced
3 onions, thinly sliced
half of a fesh or dried chile pepper, minced or crushed (I put the whole chile in )
1 pound fresh or good quality canned peeled tomatoes, crushed
6 large or 8 medium basil leaves
salt
freshly grated pecorino cheese
bucatini or thick spaghetti (I was hungry today so I cooked 100g pasta for each person)


Place oil in a skillet over medium heat, add pancetta and onions. When the onions begins to turn golden, add the chile pepper, tomatoes, basil, and a pinch of salt. Cook the sauce for 15 minutes, until the flavours are nicely combined.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta until just al dente; drain. Toss the pasta with the sauce and sprinkle generously with cheese.

My patio

La Carbonara

adapted from Sohia Loren's recipes & Memories

According to the book, Carbonara is a Roman specialty. You can use bucantini, think spaghetti or penne.

For 6 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoon unsalted butter (I omit this)

4 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced

Generous pinch of minced Italian parsley

5 or 6 egg yolks

2 tablespons light cream

3 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino or Parmigiano cheese, plus additional to serve

1.25 pounds pasta (I used spaghetti)

Heat the oil and butter in a pan, then add the pancetta and parsley; saute over medium heat to brown the pancetta well. In a bowl beat together the egg yolk, cream and cheese.

Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta well, and turn it out into a serving dish. Working quickly, pour first the pancetta mixture, then the beaten egg mixture over the pasta.Toss quickly to coat the strands with the sauce; the egg will cook in the heat of the pasta. Serve immediately while still hot. Pass additional cheese at the table.

De Bortoli sauvignon blanc

This is recommended to me by a wine tasting instructor. Not bad but a bit too dry to my taste. I like light and fruity sauvignon blanc more.

Spaghetti con Pomodoro Crudo (Spaghetti with uncooked tomato sauce)

This is what I had for dinner tonight. It looked and tasted so good, and was so easy to make that I wanted to post it as early as possible to share with you. A perfect dish for the hot summer evenings.

Modifed from Sophia Loren's Recipes & Memories

For 6 servings

1.5 pounds spaghetti (I usually use 80g for two not so hungry people)

2 pounds fresh tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes here)

0.5 pounds fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

2 medium red onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup pitted black olive, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons drained capers

handful of basil (oringal recipe calls for 1/4 cup Italian parsley and 10 to 12 chopped fresh oregan leaves)

1 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1/3 up extra virgin olive oil

Freshly grated Parmigiano cheese (optional)

Cook the pasta until just al dente. While the pasta is cooking,place in a large serving bowl the tomatoes, mozzarella, oniions, olives, capers, basil, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Pour the oil over and toss gently.

When the pasta is ready, pour it into a colander and quickly rinse it under cold water; drain well and added the warm spaghetti to the bowl.Toss to combine, remove the garlic if desired, and serve.

I didn't actully weight all the ingredients, but just put in the amount I thought right. Next time I will chop the capers too.

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