PASTA AL PESTO DI PISTACCHI

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Sicily for the wedding of two friends and, as a pistachio lover, I had my dose of pistachio-based food 😋 and I couldn’t resist to stop by a small supermarket and get some fresh, grained pistachio, and some pistachio pesto. So the other night, while still holiday-ing in Italy but back North at my fam’s, I decided to make a nice pasta dish with the pistachio pesto 💚 Add some tomatoes 🍅 and cheese 🧀, and you have a perfect summer treat. Super simple and super yummy 🤤

InstaRecipe (for 2 people)

You need:
160 gr penne
200 gr cocktail tomatoes (diced)
3/4 tbs of pistachio pesto
olive oil
Grana Padano cheese or Parmesan to taste

Procedure

In a big pot, heat the water for the pasta. Cook the penne as per package instructions.
In the meantime, in a pan cook the tomatoes with some olive oil until soft. When ready, pour the pasta in the pan with pesto, and some extra olive oil if needed. Stir well for a couple of minutes. Serve with some grated Grana Padano cheese or Parmesan.

Buon appetito!

BIGOLI AGLIO, OLIO e PEPERONCINO

Today marks an important day in my life as an expat: 7 years since I left il Bel Paese and moved to Tulipland! 🌷🌷🌷
To not forget my roots, let’s celebrate with an Italian classic: BIGOLI AGLIO, OLIO E PEPERONCINO 🫒🧄🌶

InstaRecipe

You need (for 2 people)
160 gr bigoli (thicker spaghetti)
olive oil
1/2 garlic clove (finely chopped)
chili pepper flakes
Parmesan cheese

Procedure

In a big pot, heat the water for the pasta (and please, add the salt only after the water starts boiling🙏😉). Cook the spaghetti as indicated in the package.
In the meantime, in a pan pour some olive oil and fry the garlic and chili flakes.
When it’s ready, drain the spaghetti and pour them in the pan and stir for a couple of minutes on medium heat. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese..it’s already done!

Buon appetito! 😋

SPAGHETTI ALLE COZZE

Today is the first day of spring ☀️🌷 and Tulipland has been blessed by sunny days for 3 weeks now and it seems we’ll be in luck for the coming weeks too ☀️🥳

This #lekkerweertje makes me think of the holiday season and the nice days spent at the sea 🐚 SPAGHETTI ALLE COZZE anyone? 😋

#recipe (for 2 people)

You need:

160 gr spaghetti

500 gr mussels , washed and debearded

1 garlic glove

1 onion

olive oil

salt & parsley to taste

Procedure

In a big pot, heat the water for the spaghetti (and please, add the salt only after the water starts boiling🙏😉). Cook the spaghetti for about 10/11 minutes (or as long as indicated in the package), and keep them al dente.

In the meantime, in a large pan roast the chopped garlic glove and onion with some olive oil, while paying attention to not burn the garlic. Then, increase the heat, add the mussels, cover the pan with the lid and for about 5/7 minutes until the mussels open. Next, remove the mussels from the pan and throw away the mussels that did not open. Keep the best looking mussels on the side, while remove the others from the shells and set aside. Keep the liquid of the mussels, filter it and put it back in the pan.

When the spaghetti are al dente, put them in the pan and let them cook slowly for a few extra minutes until ready and the liquid is absorbed. Last, add the mussels without shells and parsley to taste, and stir for a minute.

Serve spaghetti with the mussels in shells on top.

Buon appetito!

SPAGHETTI WITH SALMON & BROCCOLI

Let’s go Italian for today dinner? 🇮🇹 what about a delicious plate of SPAGHETTI WITH SALMON AND BROCCOLI? 🐟🥦 😉

#recipe (for 2 people)

You need:

160 gr spaghetti

200 gr salmon (chopped into cubes)

200 gr “rice” broccoli (alternatively, you can grate some steam-cooked broccoli into small pieces)

olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

fresh parsley

Procedure

In a big pot, heat the water for the pasta (and please, add the salt only after the water starts boiling🙏😉). Cook the spaghetti as indicated in the package.

In the meantime, in a pan cook the salmon with some olive oil and then add the broccoli rice when the salmon is almost ready as the broccoli need little time to cook. Add salt to taste.

When it’s ready, drain the spaghetti and pour them in the pan with the salmon and broccoli, add some fresh parsley and stir for a couple of minutes on medium heat.

Buon appetito!

PASTA “ALLA CARBONARA” VEGETARIANA

Let’s go Italian for today’s lunch? 🇮🇹 what about some lighter vegetarian PASTA “ALLA CARBONARA”? Quotes are mandatory because this one has little to do with the original version 😉

#recipe (for 2 people)

You need:

160 gr penne or spaghetti

2 eggs

200 gr “rice” courgette (alternatively, you can grate them into small pieces)

30 gr Parmesan cheese

olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Procedure

In a big pot, heat the water for the pasta (and please, add the salt only after the water starts boiling🙏😉). Cook the penne or spaghetti as indicated in the package).

In the meantime, in a pan cook the rice courgette with some olive oil and salt until tender (it won’t take long). Lightly beat the eggs with the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in a bowl.

When it’s ready, put the pasta in the pan with the courgette, add the beaten eggs and stir well for a couple of minutes until the eggs cook. Serve with some more Parmesan cheese on top, if you like.

Buon appetito!

PASTA ALLE VONGOLE

I know, I know. Vongole should go with spaghetti. But what about “celentani” for a change?? Celentani is a type of Italian pasta that looks like a macaroni formed in a helical tube shape. This was my favorite pasta variety when I was a kid 😋 My nonna used to make celentani with fresh, homemade ragù sauce: I loved it so much for lunch after school!
Well, now that I don’t eat meat anymore, a pescatarian version with vongole is perfect too 🐚

InstaRecipe (for 2 people)

You need:
160 gr Celentani or spaghetti
200 gr vongole (clams)
1 garlic glove
olive oil
salt & parsley to taste

Procedure

In a big pot, heat the water for the pasta. Cook the celentani or spaghetti as per package instructions.
In the meantime, in a pan roast the chopped garlic glove with some olive oil. Then, add the clams and cook for about 10 minutes. When ready, pour the pasta in the pan with the clams, add some fresh parsley and some olive oil if needed. Stir well for a couple of minutes.

Buon appetito!