Buona Pasqua

      Photo by La Buongustaia

1960's Advertising Postcard

Another beautiful vintage illustration

         Picture sourced from Pinterest

Insalata di Tonno

Tuna Salad

This for me is summer on a plate. Can be made in a variety of different ways. Here below the salad was simply made by using a jar of good quality tuna, vine cherry tomatoes and freshly picked basil leaves (here I chose the tips) all dressed in a good olive oil and a sprinkling of salt (I use Maldon as you can crumble it in with your fingertips).

           Photo by La Buongustaia

To this you may want to add finely sliced onion (white or red or even spring onion). Even a whole garlic clove; just need to let the clove marinade a while, for the flavour to infuse in the salty olive oil.

You can use dry origano instead of basil.

Make sure that it is served with fresh crusty bread of your choosing.

A little tip that was given to me, to remove the harshness from the onion or garlic, is to throw in a few ice cubes! The result is amazing, it will leave you with a delicious juice to soak up with your crusty bread.

Buon Appetito!

            Photo by La Buongustaia

This is the tuna that I use. It is nothing like those sold in tins from the supermarkets however, Carluccio's sell a good quality solid tuna in a tin. It's very much worth paying that little bit extra as the quality is superior.

If not, buy yellowfin tuna in olive oil. Most supermarkets stock this.

Linguine con Tonno

Traditionally made with spaghetti which I do love however, my preference is with linguine. This is my linguine with tuna fillet:

Photo by La Buongustaia

Photo by La Buongustaia

Whilst placing a large pan of water on the boil ready for the Linguine, the salted anchovies can be rinsed in fresh water and then simply split down the centre on the underside using my fingerstips to remove the bone all in one piece.

Photo by La Buongustaia

They are then added together with the crushed clove of garlic, chilli flakes and olive oil on a low heat. Eventually the anchovie fillets will disintegrate completely leaving a brownish salty essence. When this happens, add the tin of chopped tomatoes.

Photo by La Buongustaia

Leave the tomato sauce on a very gentle simmer for about 10 minutes or so before adding the tuna fillet.
Now the pan of water should be ready to throw in the Linguine.

Photo By La Buongustaia

Drain a little of the surplus olive oil from the jar and add the tuna fillet to the tomato sauce. Stir gently and then remove from the flame.

             Photo by La Buongustaia

Finely chop flat leaf parsley ready to add when turning the pasta into the tuna sauce at the end.

Photo by La Buongustaia

          

Pane Pomodoro

            Photo by La Buongustaia

Simply meaning bread with tomato, this is from the Puglia region, a so called peasant snack. But far from it! This one uses up stale rustic bread (Sourdough will do) as bread should never get thrown away.

The bread is sliced into chunks and soaked just slightly with water.

Using these small cherry type tomatoes from the vine, the innards are sqeezed evenly onto the bread surface and the skins are then torn and placed on top. Add just a touch of pressed garlic and sprinkle with dry origano, salt, then drizzle with the best olive oil that you have.

Buon Appetito!

Tomatoes are harvested throughout the summer months in Italy. Vine tomatoes are then laced onto string and hung, so as to have a supply of fragrant tomatoes during the colder months.

          Photo by La Buongustaia

Pasta Fave

I love this pasta dish, so simple yet so hearty and comforting as it comes with it's own flavoursome broth.

Ideally to be made when broad beans are in season, which is usually around the beginning of spring in Italy. Broad beans are at their best when tender and small. I used to buy them by the carrier full to then pod them, beautifully fresh. Other times I would get given carriers of broad beans from the locals, those who had a little land to grow their own fruit and vegetables. 

I would pod enough to make this dish, with plenty left to be eaten raw, accompanied with fresh rustic bread. If any left over after that, I would pod and bag up, ready to freeze, so to have broad beans throughout the year.

             Photo by La Buongustaia

For 2 persons, all you need is a couple of tbsp of good olive oil.

1/2 a medium sized white onion finely chopped.

100g of Good quality frozen or freshly podded broad beans

125g of Pasta Lumache (Small snail shaped pasta).

1 Vegetable stock cube (Dado Star) used instead of salt.

* Optional, a tsp of lard. I use lard to add richness and depth.

               Photo by La Buongustaia

In a small saucepan pour in the olive oil and add lard. 

Sweat the finely chopped onion on a very gentle heat, until the onion softens and becomes translucent.

Stir in the podded broad beans and let them take on the flavour of the onion for about a minute or so. 

Pour in enough water to cover the tops of the beans, I use cold. 

Add vegetable stock and bring to a very gentle simmer. Leave on a simmer for 40/50 minutes, slightly covered.

Now cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water with the addition of sea salt. This time about 5g. We have added a vegetable stock cube to the beans which will bring this pasta dish plenty of flavour, without the need of additional salt.

When the pasta has almost cooked, drain and add to the beans. 

Continue cooking the pasta with the beans until the pasta is 'al dente'. 

Serve into deep dishes and....

Buon Appetito! 

               Photo by La Buongustaia

              Photo by La Buongustaia

                Photo by La Buongustaia

               Photo by La Buongustaia

After a gentle simmer for about 40 minutes the broad beans take on a deeper colour. Believe me the flavour is just divine.

               Photo by La Buongustaia

The Art of Cooking Pasta

If there is just one essential to master in the kitchen, make sure it is this; a foundation to many Italian dishes.

Now in spite what it says on the packet, there is an art in cooking pasta perfectly. Master this and your pasta dishes will be as good as, if not only better than anything you've had from an Italian restaurant.

If like me, I'm very fussy when it comes to pasta. Pasta can make or break a dish. Cook pasta perfectly and you're in food heaven. Cooked incorrectly and the dish is not worthy of eating.

I was lucky enough whilst living in Italy to have the guidance of masters.

If using packet pasta..and out there, there are so many different types and varieties...