The Gouda Life

This past weekend was one of the first in a while Mr. GL and I had completely to ourselves. To do whatever we want, with whoever we want, at any time we wanted. I know we don’t have kids, and it’s weird to think that we don’t often have a lot of time spent like that, but it’s true. Between Mr. GL’s job + band, my full time job, cooking, photography, editing, writing and trying to look after 4 animals, there are few hours left in the days to spend canoodling on the couch. 
And so we canoodled. And we ate. And we slept in. And we did a lot of nothing.

However, the two things we did manage to do were the perfect lazy weekend activities. First we ventured into the Hintonburg neighbourhood to visit  Urban Craft, a once-monthly craft market that houses some of Ottawa’s most talented ladies and gentlemen I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. As this was our first visit, we were both extremely taken aback to see the caliber of talent that comes out to sell their wares. I came home with a beautiful feather and vintage button hair piece from Flights of Fancy, a pair of delicate drop earrings made by Chelsy Anne, and a little jar of the most wonderful hand-balm from Purple Urchin to keep my over-washed mitts silky smooth through the winter. I am anxiously awaiting the next market so I can buy even more wonderful local products. 



The second thing we managed to get out of our pajamas for was a Sunday supper with Mr. GL’s band-mate, Jordan, and his lovely lady, Staci. As we all are well aware, Sunday to me means comfort food. And comfort food more often than not translates to Pasta alla Bolognese. Though I don’t know many who don’t totally flip out for a bowl of rich, meaty bolognese, I thought I should be polite and check with our guests to make sure it was something they’d enjoy. And as it turns out, Staci is a vegetarian… so it’s a darn good thing I did.

I was inspired to make a vegetarian pasta sauce that mimicked the texture and richness of a bolognese, so I did a little poking around and came across The Wednesday Chef’s Mushroom Ragu. It looked as close to a meat-sauce as one could hope to get without a pound of beef, though it’s safe to assume that while delicious, it’s not bolognese. But it’s not supposed to be, so let’s be clear about that now before we go any further. I don’t want to share things under false pretenses here, friends. We don’t do that. 



The sauce was brilliant. Thick and “meaty” with a richness that really makes it feel like you’re getting a good old fashion meat sauce. I adapted the recipe slightly to add a bit of spice and a few dashes of soy that really gave it an extra kick of savoury umami flavour. If you have a vegetarian in your family that misses the comforts of pasta with meat sauce, this is as close as you’ll come to the real thing without the real thing. Even for the non vegetarians, this is an excellent alternative when you want something lighter, or if you’re just trying to cut meat out a few times a week. 



Bucatini with Mushroom Ragu
adapted from The Wednesday Chef

Though I adore Bucatini for this recipe, you are welcome to switch the pasta up to whatever you like best. 

Store-bought tapenade is fine, but try to buy one without too many ingredients. The fresher, the better. 

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1/2 cup chopped onion
1lb cremini mushrooms, chopped fine
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp black olive tapenade
1/3 cup red wine
2 tsp soy sauce 
1 tbsp fresh oregano, minced
pinch red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
12 ounces bucatini
Parmesan or Peccorino 
fresh thyme or oregano, for garnish (optional)

Coat a large sauce pan over medium heat with olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and saute until soft. Add the mushrooms and let them cook until they release their juices, 8-10 minutes.



Add the tomato paste and tapenade. Cook for another 2 minutes. Add the red wine and soy sauce and cook until reduced a touch, 7-8 minutes. Add the oregano and season to your liking with salt and pepper. Keep warm with the lid on while you cook your pasta to al dente according to package instructions. 



Before straining pasta, reserve 1/4 cup of the starchy cooking water. Add the strained pasta back to a large pot and add the ragu, 1/4 cup of starchy water and 1/4 grated Parmesan. Toss gently to combine. 



Serve with extra Parmesan and a pinch of fresh herbs. 

Every so often, a day comes along where the weather is so perfect. And if you’re schedule permits, you get to enjoy this day the way beautiful fall days should be enjoyed. 

That was yesterday. I had a quick latte to start the day off while I watched my stories (aka Regis & Kelly - can’t start a day at home without them. Won’t.) and then headed out on my bike to the grocery store. It was threatening rain when I left the house but as though the weather God’s knew I wasn’t prepared, the clouds parted and let the sun shine through for just a little while.  



You know those moments that are so perfect, so heart-stoppingly beautiful, that you wish you could freeze them in time, stick them in a box, and look at them whenever you were having a less-than-perfect day? Again, that was yesterday. Halfway to the store, as I was zipping down 2nd Ave, the air was cool and the sun was shining bright on my back, hefty gusts of wind took the leaves from their summer homes on the trees and exploded them into orange confetti, and the air smelled of thick smoke from someone burning a fire nearby. I slowed my biked to a snails pace so I could soak myself in every single second of it. From that moment on, my day was made. Sometimes, it’s as simple as that. 

 

I had my heart set on spaghetti as I headed in the direction of the grocery store. There was no denying myself that. It just felt like a good day to be twisting and slurping noodles with a movie on and a glass of wine to accompany. And what’s more classic than a few big, tender meatballs in marinara piled high atop a bowl of tangled noodles? Answer: nothing. Don’t try and argue with me on this one. Not up for debate. I won’t have it!

The rest of the day, though the weather took a turn for the rainiest, I busied myself making meatballs and sauce. And I did so with the biggest of smiles and a warm heart. But that could have been from the wine. Come to think of it, it was probably the wine. 



Spaghetti and Meatballs
adapted from Ina Garten

It’s vital to the tenderness of a meatball that you be gentle when mixing and forming. Do these steps with tender love and care and I promise you will come out with a soft, flavourful meatball. 

Meatballs
1 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices of white bread, crusts removed an  processed)
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp  black pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 large egg, beaten lightly
3/4 cup warm water 
Vegetable oil



Combine all ingredients except for oil and blend, very gently, with a fork until combined. 



In a large, heavy pan, add enough oil to reach a depth of about 1/4” and heat over medium-high until shiny. 

While oil is heating, very gently roll the meat mixture into balls just bigger than a golf ball. You want them to be big but not massive.  Put the meatballs into the oil, about 5-6 at a time, and let them brown on all sides, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer them to a dish until you’ve finished. Set aside. Discard the oil but don’t clean the pot. 





Basic Marinara 
adapted from Ina Garten

I used whole plum tomatoes for the sauce, which was fine, but having a picky eater in the house meant I needed to puree. So I left the original recipe’s suggestion of crushed tomatoes for those who like it smooooth. 

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 cup good red wine
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Extras
1 1/2lbs spaghetti, cooked to al dente accordingly to package instructions
Parmesan cheese
Good quality olive oil



In the same pot as you browned the meatballs, drizzle with a little oil and add the onions. Cook over medium heat until translucent, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the wine and turn the heat up to high. Cook, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until wine has almost reduced completely. Add the tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper. Add the meatballs to the sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook for 30-40 minutes until sauce has thickened slightly and meatballs are cooked through. 

 

Serve over spaghetti with a sprinkle of Parmesan and a drizzle of your best olive oil.  

 
(and to answer your question, YES, I DO love Parmesan. A LOT. And I won’t apologize for it.)

The excitement is starting to grow thick like molasses in the late summer air. Can you feel it?
No?
Oh, maybe it’s only me who has a momentous occasion coming up. And on second thought, I think I might have mistaken the smell of excitement for love. 

This Sunday my big sister, my only sister..and sibling for that matter, Laura is getting married! I can’t believe it’s here so soon. It felt like yesterday they were announcing their engagement, but here we are, tomorrow kicking things off with the Rehearsal Dinner. After 6pm tomorrow night, it will be a whirlwind of love and excitement and dancing and love and then more dancing and more love. Isn’t that the best? I sure think it’s pretty un-freaking-believable. 

Before we get going tomorrow, I wanted to be sure to get just one more recipe for you lest I get sucked into a wedding-induced euphoria and never come back. Totally plausible. 

As you may or may not have heard 300 times, I’m a really big fan of pasta. Especially when it’s a really simple bowl of pasta with a few good seasonal ingredients that really shine. 

When I came home last week, claiming ‘there’s nothing to eat’ as is customary, I started stubbornly opening and closing cupboards until I had what maybe, sort of, might pass for a meal. What was eventually to be piled in a bowl in front of me was shockingly good. A dish I’m likely to make again and again. Especially when there’s nothing to eat. A bowl of perfectly simple ingredient. Aside from your big sister’s wedding, what could be better than that? 



Rigatoni with Sliced Asparagus, Navy Beans and Mint/Basil/Lemon Oil

I love rigatoni in this dish because it’s ridges and big tubes catch a lot of he sauce as well as the asparagus and beans, but if you’re not a fan, please feel free to use a pasta of your choice. 

1lb Rigatoni
Small bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed
1 can navy or white beans, rinsed
1/3 cup loosely packed basil
1 cup loosely packed mint + extra leaves for garnish
Zest from 1 lemon
2 tbsp of lemon juice
1/4-1/3 cup good quality olive oil, plus more for finishing
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook to al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water. 

Slice asparagus as thinly as you can on a sharp angle until you have about 1 cup of pieces. 

To make oil:
Add basil, mint, lemon zest + juice and olive oil to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. If it’s too dry, add more oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 





Once pasta is cooked, add the asparagus and beans and toss to combine with pasta. Asparagus should brighten as it heats up. Add the oil a few tablespoons at a time until you have enough to coat the pasta. Add Parmesan and add pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until your sauce becomes slightly creamier. 

Spoon into bowls and garnish with mint leaves and extra shaved Parmesan. 



Off I got to celebrate the love of two wonderful people! Have a lovely long weekend, everyone! 


She might kill me, but it’s too cute a photo not to post. HAPPY WEDDING TO MY BEAUTIFUL SISTER AND HER SOON TO BE HUSBAND, COREY!
[photo credit: Kronick Photography] 

I’m holding my wrists out, palms facing up, for the slap on the wrists I deserve for having been absent from here for so long. 

There has been so much going on lately that upon arriving home from most days, I am magnetically drawn to the couch and the comforts of my living room.  I’ve felt the guilt burning into me for not getting busy telling you about all these wonderful things I’ve been making lately, but thankfully the burning feeling could often be tamed with a cold glass of wine. For that, I am apologetic.



While most people are dealing with the ever-present heat-wave with light meals and less frequent eating, I am stuffing my face with anything I can get my hands on. Light, heavy, sweet or savoury. I want it all. And often. Why I can’t be one of ‘those people’ who magically stay svelte by repeating ‘It’s just too hot to eat’ is beyond me. I’m just not that lucky. I could eat pasta and bread every day all summer long. Maybe even 4 times a day. Not that I do… but I could. Oh boy, I could.

Thankfully, my affinity for filling but fresh dishes has brought me here today to tell you about something magical. It’s a pasta dish that’s summery, fresh and leaves you feeling satiated without feeling sleepy. 

If you’ve ever come across the site Honest Fare while grazing the vast plains of the internet, you know it’s a hub for the sort of dishes that feel as good as they taste. And how could they not with a name like Honest Fare. If there has ever been a site you click through to from The Gouda Life, let this one be it. It’s beautiful. It’s eloquently written. The photos are breath taking. And the food is utterly perfect. Always something fresh and unique and exciting to try at home. 



When I first laid eyes on an entry about a Fresh Mint and Pea Pasta Alla Carbonara, I knew, without ever a second of hesitation, it would be coming to a plate near me in the very near future. I couldn’t resist the way the little raw egg yolks looked sitting atop a steaming pile of linguine, with blanched peas, fresh mint, crispy prosciutto and Parmesan cheese.  It was lovely to look at, the textures worked so brilliantly with each other and it smelled just the way you would imagine summer to smell. 



Fresh Mint and Pea Pasta Alla Carbonara
adapted from Honest Fare

 If you’re worried about raw egg yolks, they do cook when you toss them with the hot pasta. If you’re still not comfortable with it, toss it all in the pot with a little pasta water before adding the fresh ingredients. 

If your snap peas are not really big enough to provide a crunch, you can just add extra English peas. 

I didn’t use the shallots because I didn’t remember to pick them up (would you expect any different from me?) but I wanted to keep them with the written recipe since I think they would really take this dish up a notch. But if you are looking for another method, just blanch the peas quickly. And toss them with the pasta. 


1 1/2 cups English peas, fresh or frozen
1/2 - 3/4 cups sugar snap peas, shelled
5 slices crispy prosuitto, recipe follows
1/4 cup shallot, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 big handfuls of fresh mint, leaves whole
1/3 lbs linguine
2-3 egg yolks, depending on how many are eating
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
Salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan

Have sugar snap peas shelled and in a bowl ready to go.



Place egg yolks in individual bowls and sprinkle with a little coarse salt, cracked black pepper and a little red pepper flake if you like heat. Set aside until ready to serve. Have cheese grated and crispy prosciutto in bowls ready to use. 

Add olive oil and butter to a frying pan over medium heat. Once melted and shiny, saute shallots and peas, partially covered, until shallots are soft. Salt and pepper the veg to taste but feel free to go a little heavy on the salt since it will need it once tossed with pasta.



While shallots are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the linguine to al-dente according to package directions. Before straining, add 1/2-1 cup of starchy pasta water to the pan with the peas and shallots.  Transfer pasta to the pan with the peas and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and a little red pepper flake for some heat. Add a small handful of the cheese and some olive oil if the pasta is sticking. 

Assembly needs to be rather quick to keep the pasta hot enough to cook the egg yolks. Fill each bowl or plate with a good helping of the pea pasta. Top each dish with a pre-seasoned egg yolk, raw snap peas, crispy prosciutto and some flakes of Parmesan. Mix everything together at the table while the pasta is still pipping hot.




Crispy Prosciutto
In a large skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tbsp of canola or other light oil . Rip prosciutto into bite sized shreds and add to pan. Stir every so often to get it crispy on all sides. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil. 






 

I came home tonight with full intentions of sharing a Frozen Lemon Soufflé with you. But given the circumstances, that can wait. Who cares about delicious light-as-air frozen lemony desserts, anyhow? (I do. A LOT. But it can wait one or two days, can’t it? CANT IT!?)

While I was sitting at my desk this afternoon, day-dreaming as is common after lunch, an idea popped into my head. Lasagna. But not just any lasagna. Caprese lasagna. Say it again with me, Capreeeese lasaaaaagna! Nice. Now if you’re like me, you’ll need to pick your jaw up off the floor before we continue. And I don’t mean to sound as though I’m tooting my own horn. But I totally am. I’m sorry.


(For some reason I have a much easier time copying recipes from my cookbooks to a notebook before cooking. It’s an OCD thing. And one that keeps my cookbooks free of stains)


Caprese salad is an Italian classic from the region of Campania that’s made up of tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and finished with a drizzle of of fruity olive oil and some fresh cracked pepper. That alone is enough to make me and most others weak in the knees, but with the addition of soft lasagna noodles and the ingredients layered between them, it was, in a word, perfect. Fresh, colourful, simple and packed full of flavour. It’s also a wonderful dish to use up all the tomatoes and basil you’ve no doubt planted and are starting to pop up right this second.

The only unauthentic part of this dish is the switch from fresh basil to basil pesto. I was hesitant about adding a sauce or dressing, but was worried the dish might feel a little dry. The pesto is the perfect compromise and helps it feel creamy and smooth. Plus, the look and colour of the pesto make me feel swoony.


(I wasn’t going to post this picture, but I had to because it was so funny. I started pouring the olive oil and taking a photo at the same time and thought I was oh-so-coordinated before I realized I was pouring olive oil everywhere. Turns out I’m not nearly as talented as I seem to think)


Because there are so few ingredients in the dish, it’s important you get the best ones you can find. Ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and high quality cheese and olive oil are all majorly important in making this lasagna as delightful as it is. If you’re ever going to spend a little extra on something, now is the time.

Perfect for an evening thats too hot too turn the oven on, and even better paired with a hunk of grilled meat or tofu on the side.

Lasagna Caprese

I assembled this on individual plates the way you would a typical Caprese, but it would be just as lovely served family style from a glass casserole pan. If you’re planning on doing it that way, don’t worry about folding the noodles. Just layer them, add a thin layer of pesto, tomatoes and cheese etc etc.

The pesto recipe here belongs to Marcella Hazan and is from her brilliant book Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. She approves of the food processor method, so I feel safe in saying it is absolutely authentically Italian. So there.

2 cups tightly packed basil leaves, plus a few leaves to garnish each plate
3 tablespoons pine nuts, plus 2 tbsp to garnish
1/2 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped fine before being added to the processor
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
3 tablespoons butter, softened

12 lasagna noodles, boiled according to package instructions
4 large vine ripened tomatoes
1 1/2lbs fresh mozzarella
the best olive oil you can afford, to garnish
balsamic vinegar to garnish (optional)
fresh cracked pepper

Put first 4 ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and blend until creamy. Transfer to bowl (or leave in food processor bowl, but it’s a bit of a pain) and stir in cheese and butter. This gives it a nice rustic texture.



On each serving plate, place two slices of tomato. Top with one lasagna noodle, letting one half of it extend over the tomatoes. Spread 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp pesto over the half of the noodle that tops the tomatoes. Fold the noodle back over itself so it covers the pesto. Place two rounds of mozzarella on top of noodle. Place another noodle on top, spread with pesto and fold over. Repeat steps one more time ending at the mozzarella. (tomato, noodle/pesto, mozza, noodle/pesto, tomato, noodle/pesto, mozza = voila!)

Top each plate with a few basil leaves, a good drizzle of olive oil, some pepper and a little balsamic (if you like balsamic).



See? How easy was that? Almost too easy, am I right?

I’ve been feeling pretty lazy lately.

Not the sort of lazy that restricts you from cooking a three course meal, but rather, a deep set-in lazy that has me dreading walking to the kitchen, let alone doing anything once I finally get there.

Granted, I have been a little under the weather and feeling some stress from that, but generally that doesn’t stop me. I feel at ease in the kitchen and can usually work my way through any stresses or problems while concentrating on putting a meal together. Often, I don’t even have to focus on the issue at hand for it to instantly dissolve into the cutting board in front of me.



This past week, however, I haven’t even had the urge to do so much as boil pasta and add a jar of sauce. There have been a lot of visits to restaurants, a lot of take-out, and a shameful amount of snacking. And today I decided the party was over. Time to get back to business before I wake up in two months, poor and bloated from one too many greasy slices of pizza.

Despite the fact that I still don’t feel quite myself, I’m ready to try and find my way back the only way I know how. Which, as I’m sure you guessed, is in the kitchen, standing steady in front of the cutting board, camera in one hand, knife in the other. My lingering want to hang out on the couch and watch endless re-runs of Criminal Minds made it necessary for me to ease in slowly lest I run screaming from the kitchen,  knife in hand. Nobody likes crazy Kelly. She’s definitely an acquired taste.



After a few laps around the kitchen, peeking in cupboards, opening and closing the fridge as if somehow something new would appear each time, I decided on a simple pasta dish of linguine, artichoke hearts, arugula, lemon and some mustard spiked breadcrumbs. All things I had on hand, which certainly made the task slightly less daunting. I was pleasantly surprised at the resulting dish. It was something I’d expect from a two-weeks ago version of myself, rather than the sour-faced-lump-on-the-couch version that types before you. Maybe this was just what I needed to get back on track. I’ll let you know after this next episode of Criminal Minds, ok? 

Lemony Linguine with Artichoke Hearts, Arugula and Dijon-Breadcrumbs

I used canned artichoke hearts, but you’re welcome to use hearts you’ve cooked yourself, or marinated jarred ones. Whatever you have on hand will be just fine.

1 lb linguine

Olive oil
4-5 artichoke hearts, cut into bite sized pieces
3 garlic cloves, rough chopped
1/2 - 1 tbsp red pepper flakes (depending on your spice tolerance)
Zest of one lemon
3 handfuls arugula
1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (instructions below)
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp Dijon mustard, grainy or smooth
3/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups pasta water. (You may only use one cup, but better to have more than not enough)

While pasta is cooking, add a few glugs of olive oil to coat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil starts to ripple, add the artichoke heart pieces, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the artichokes are just starting to brown.



In small skillet over medium heat, add the butter and cook until melted. Add the Dijon and whisk to combine. Add breadcrumbs and stir to coat. Let cook, stirring often, until they are lightly browned and crisp. About 7-8 minutes.

Add strained pasta back to the pot. Add artichokes, lemon, arugula, parmesan and 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Toss to combine. If it’s too dry, add more water until desired consistency.



Serve pasta with breadcrumbs and fresh grated Parmesan.

And then promptly return to your spot on the couch, and flip on your favourite show.  Bon Appetit!

*****************
Fresh Breadcrumbs
Cut the crusts off 4-5 slices of your favourite bread (I used a 12-grain). Place in blender or food processor and pulse until they resemble a soft sandy texture.

It’s Monday and I’m playing hooky.

Alright, you got me. I’m not playing hooky. I’m not brave enough to do things like that. In actuality, my office access card seems to be on the fritz so I was told I could just go home. Isn’t that wonderful?

Lucky for me, I seem to have gotten a day off on the one gloriously sunny day of the week. Knowing that, I decided to take my time strolling home. Lazily sipped a latte, stopped in a few shops, and finally ended in my mecca, the grocery store.



Grocery shopping in the morning is much different than grocery shopping after work or in the evening. Shoppers, though few, are noticeably more pleasant, having not yet had to deal with the many stresses of daily routine. No one is waiting impatiently for you to get out of their way or racing to be the first one through the small passage way out of the produce aisles. It’s just lovely.



I picked up some asparagus with the intention of having it grilled with our steaks tonight, but when I noticed the almost sagging leaves of tarragon wasting away in the crisper, I decided I’d better use them before it was too late. Asparagus and tarragon are a lovely combination, one you should rush try if you haven’t already. The fresh, sweet asparagus and the bold anise-like tarragon bring out the best in each other. Roasting the asparagus delivers a lovely nutty kick to the pair. Add in some toasty almonds, garlic and Parmesan and you’ve got a creamy, earthy little pesto that is great with pasta or on fish or poultry. Because it was lunch and I was looking for a quick snack, I tossed some in with spaghetti for a creamy, light bite.



Spaghetti with Roasted Asparagus-Tarragon Pesto

If you don’t have spaghetti, your favourite pasta will do just fine!

1 lb spaghetti
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed of tough ends
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 clove garlic
2-3 tbsp fresh tarragon
handful almonds, toasted
1/2-3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 350.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and strain.



While pasta is cooking, add asparagus spears to a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Roast until spears are bright green but still have a little bite, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from oven and add to a blender, bullet or food processor. Throw in the garlic, tarragon, almonds (reserving a few to garnish), a pinch or two of salt and a good glug of olive oil. Give it a few whizzes until a you’ve achieved a smooth paste, adding more olive oil if necessary. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your liking.



Put pasta back in a big pot over medium heat and add half the pasta water, 1/2 cup of the pesto and the parmesan cheese. Toss to combine. If it’s a little too sticky, add more pasta water to loosen.

Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil, some chopped almonds, a grind or two of pepper and extra Parmesan.

I like to cook (no waaay!). I love that it differs from baking in that you can add this and add that until whatever you’re making resembles something edible. Cooking like this often provides a welcome distraction when trying to pull myself out of whatever slump I’m in. Even if it’s just because they ran out of my favourite chips. That can be traumatizing, too. And while I love to lose myself in a recipe of 20 ingredients, I have a special place in my heart for the basics, too. The recipes that can’t be added to or altered lest they be ruined. Like a basil pesto, for example. You can taste the basil, the olive oil, the pine nuts, the Parmesan and the garlic. You can alter/add to a pesto recipe as much as you want but the more you add, the less you taste. The more it ventures away from ‘pesto’ and becomes something completely different.

Today, we’re talking Tomato Sauce basics. I know, I know, you have the best tomato sauce recipe passed down from your grandmother’s, grandmother’s, father’s sister. I know we all have one. And I thought I did too. There is a place and time for your best ever tomato sauce recipe. But this is different. Have you ever tasted a real tomato sauce? I mean really tasted it? No olive oil, no garlic, no basil, no peppers. This sauce is magic. It takes you somewhere else entirely (no doubt Italy, but I haven’t been and I don’t want to lie to you. Maybe you could confirm for me?).

The sauce is made with three basic ingredients that I wouldn’t be surprised if you had on hand right now. You got your tinned (yes, tinned) Italian tomatoes, your onion and your butter. Yes, butter. You heard right. An odd ingredient to add to a tomato sauce, but it really rounds out the acidity in the tomatoes while making the sweetness of them pop. The onion lends a savoury hand but not too much so. It tastes like tomato sauce should. Pure. And like TOMATOES!

This sauce is easy. And it’s good. Good like you wouldn’t believe. And there is just no acceptable reason why you’re not making it tonight. Or for your friends/family this coming Sunday.

I need to say just one last thing before I pony-up the recipe. Please try this as written before you make any additions. It deserves a chance to be tried in it’s purest form. No additions. Not even garlic or oil. After you’ve had it once, you may go to town adding whatever your heart desires.

Tomato Sauce with Butter and Onion
adapted from Orangette via Amateur Gourmetvia Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking

1 28oz can whole, peeled Italian tomatoes (like San Marzano. Plum will do in a pinch)
1 yellow onion, halved, skin removed
5 tbsp good quality butter*

*I didn’t use unsalted so I didn’t add any extra salt. Taste your sauce frequently and add salt if needed.

Add tomatoes, butter and onion halves to a large pot. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to medium-low and let the sauce gently simmer for 45 minutes - 1 hour. Discard onion*.



*If you’re particularly fond of onions and don’t like to waste - I sort of like to spread the stewed onion on a few pieces of crusty bread to serve with dinner.

That’s it! That’s all!

If you’re looking for something nice to use the sauce in, might I recommend Baked Spaghettini?

Preheat oven to 400.
Cook your spaghettini until al dente (5 minutes) and strain. Toss enough sauce with the pasta to just coat the noodles. Pour into a large baking dish. Evenly tuck about 1/2C of torn fresh mozzarella into the pasta.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until noodles are browning slightly and cheese has melted.

I wasn’t planning on posting today. Mostly because I figured I’d be having something boring and typical for dinner… until I saw this on Pinch My Salt. Farfalle with PISTACHIO CREAM SAUCE.

GET OUT OF FRIGGING TOWN! Pistachios… and cream?! Who is this and how does (s)he know my inner most desires? This was too good to be so easy. Great for a dinner-for-one but impressive and delicious enough to entertain with. It just doesn’t get any better.

Farfalle with Pistachio Cream Sauce

8oz Farfalle (about 5 cups uncooked) or Penne
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced fine
1/4-1/3 C unsalted pistachios, ground in a food processor/blender
Olive oil
1/2-3/4C heavy cream
Cayenne pepper, few pinches depending on taste
salt and pepper to taste
Parmigiano Reggiano to serve


Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (my whole wheat farfalle took 10 minutes to become al dente). Strain and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, heat some olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the diced onion and cook until just translucent. Don’t let it get brown. Add the ground pistachio and mix. If they are already like a paste, don’t add any more olive oil. If the mixture is still slightly dry, add just enough olive oil to make it into a paste. Add the cayenne pepper. Taste it and add salt to taste. I used salted pistachios so extra salt was not necessary.

Add the cream and let it reduce a little until it coats the back of a spoon.

Toss strained pasta and sauce together and serve with lots of fresh ground pepper, remaining 2tbsp of ground pistachios and Parmesan!

…and get ready to fall in love.

(I did not enjoy this. At all. Obviously.)

I know what you’re thinking. What in the name of holy hell is this maniac doing standing over a hot stove for 6 hours in this heat? Perhaps she dipped into the Chardonnay a little too early in the day [and really, what would be so terrible about that?] While often that would ring true, it wasn’t the case this time. It was a recipe I tried a few months back and didn’t post until now. So it’s not that I’m crazy… I’m just lazy. Which is so much better, right? Right?

This dish is everything a Sunday dinner should be. You get up, go to the market, spend hours working on it and reap the rewards when that first bite, dripping with rich, brown, meaty flavour hits your tongue. It’s the exact sort of dinner I crave, not only to eat but to cook, when I have days to myself. Even if you’re not totally gung-ho on spending 6 hours in front of a stove… I do so hope you’ll give this a go on a crisp day in November. There is nothing like it to warm the soul.

I happened to make it on a day when Allan wasn’t home. So I ate it alone. A LOT of it. And I can’t say that I enjoyed it any less. It makes incredible leftovers, and freezes perfectly. We enjoyed a lasagna bolognese later in the month…and I highly recommend you try the same. Just replace your regular meat sauce with this.

I got this recipe from chef Ann Burrell of The Food Network. Her recipes, much like her, are always big and bold and full of deep, layered flavour.

Bolognese Sauce
adapted from Chef Anne Burrell 

1 large onion, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
3 ribs of celery
3 large cloves of garlic, rough chopped
Olive oil, enough to coat your pot/pan
3lbs lean ground beef [I used chuck and round]
2 cups tomato paste
3 cups full-bodied red wine [I used a shiraz/cab]
Water, whatever you use to drink is fine.
Couple bay leaves
1 bunch of Thyme
kosher salt

1lbs (approx) spaghetti, spaghettini, linguine
1/2C-1C fresh grated Parmiggiano-Reggiano
Good finishing olive oil (optional)

Start by pureeing the carrot, onion, garlic, and celery in a food processor until it becomes a paste a little thicker than baby food. Heat 1-2 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan [like a dutch oven] over meadium-high heat. Once the oil has started to ripple, add in the vegetable paste and a few generous pinches of coarse salt and stir frequently until all the liquid from the vegetables is gone. Be patient with this step as it’s important to the overall flavour of the sauce. You want it to be fairly browned before you move on to your next step. This should take about 20 minutes.

Add the ground beef and season again with a few pinches of salt. Stir and break up the meat and then let it cook for another 15-20 minutes, stirring every so often. This is another chance to get really brown (rich) flavour in your sauce.

Add the tomato paste and stir for a bout 5 minutes until it has brown slightly with the rest of the veggies/meat. Add the red wine and stir, scrapping any stuck on bits from the bottom of the pan, until the wine has reduced by about half. It should take about another 5 minutes for this to happen.

Add the bay leaves and thyme to the pot. Add water to the pan until it reaches 1 inch above the meat. Give everything a good stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and stir occasionally.

You will need to add roughly 3 more cups of water throughout the cooking process (3.5-4 hours). DO NOT add all the water at once unless you want a boiled meat sauce. Add 1/2 - 1C water at a time and just until it’s slightly above the meat line. Be sure to reduce the water until very little is left before you add more. This really helps develop the flavours. Taste often and SEASON WITH SALT!!! It will more than likely need more salt as it cooks.

When you have about 30 more minutes of cooking time, bring a large pot of water to a boil and season well with salt (it should taste like the ocean!). Add your pasta and cook until it has slightly more bite than al dente. Spaghetti should take about 6-7 minutes. Reserve 1/2C of the pasta water before you strain it.

Remove half the sauce and reserve (let cool and freeze, this will be your leftover sauce).

Add the pasta to the remaining sauce until it’s a 1:1 (pasta:sauce) ratio. Add the 1/2C of reserved pasta water and cook over medium heat until the water has reduced. Add your Parmesan and a drizzle of god olive oil to finish.

This sauce deserves to be served with a damned good bottle of wine. And some really awesome people to share it with. After all, food always tastes better that way!