One Pot Wonder: Italian Vegetable Soup & Cornbread

Summer is unofficially over, which means it's time to get back to routines and schedules. And I could not be happier. I know, I sound like a total party pooper. Don't get me wrong, I do love summer, but come late August every year, I'm itching for cooler weather, apples and pumpkins, prime time TV, and a week when I can just stay put and get back in the kitchen.

Now I don't want to jinx it, but I think it's safe to say that the dog days of summer are finally past us. The weather in NYC has been just divine, and I've finally had a few weekends where I can stay home and relax instead of living out of a suitcase between graduations, vacations, and beach visits. So with some extra time on my hands, it was about time I got back in the kitchen with one of my favorite Sunday traditions: one pot meals!

As I've said here before, one pot meals are clutch for young, busy and poor folks (like me)! They're a major timesaver during the week, and much healthier and more cost effective than ordering takeout everyday for lunch or dinner. On the menu this week is a big, biiiig pot of Italian vegetable soup. Besides chopping up all the vegetables, you essentially just dump and stir everything into a big pot. And because I always need a little carb-age to truly hold me over, I made a lighter version of hearty cornbread. While it may officially be summer until this Saturday, this Italian vegetable soup and cornbread says fall is here to stay.

Italian Vegetable Soup
serves 6-8

Ingredients:
2 cups escarole, chopped
2 cups baby spinach
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 zucchini, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
28 oz can diced tomatoes
6 cups vegetable broth
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Add escarole, spinach, garlic, onion, zucchini, red bell pepper, fennel, canned tomatoes, vegetable broth, red pepper flakes, thyme and oregano to a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10-15 minutes until vegetables are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and top with parsley and basil.

Healthy Cornbread
serves 12

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray an 8x8 inch pan with cooking spray.

Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir in yogurt and eggs until combined and batter is smooth. Pour into pan and bake 20-25 minutes until tender and cooked through in the center.

To Food With Love

I typically like to switch up my cuisines - sushi one night, Mexican the next. But the theme of this weekend was Italian, and I'm not complaining. Maybe I'm biased because of my Italian roots, but I don't think I could ever get sick of Italian food, even after an entire weekend full of it...

It started with dinner at Il Bagatto in the East Village on Friday night. Hidden on 2nd Street between Avenues A & B, Il Bagatto is old school, no frills, authentic Italian food. After the waiter spewed off a looong list of specials (completely by memorization, too!), I decided on two specials: grilled calamari to start and fettuccine with shrimp, grape tomatoes and pesto. Though simple, the calamari was perfectly tender, not rubbery at all, and very light. The pasta was also not too heavy, yet nicely satisfying for a hot summer evening. Afterwards and very apropos, we saw Woody Allen's To Rome With Love, which I highly recommend for anyone who has a love affair for all things European, like me! 

Continuing the trend, Saturday I spent at an Italian cooking class at The Blue Burner in Midtown. Another Groupon purchase and having taken a cookie baking class there a few months ago that was somewhat unfulfilling, I was a little weary for this one. But we were pleasantly surprised, as this class was much more hands-on and involved. During the 3 hour class, we made a white wine risotto, a red wine risotto, pesto, and chicken cacciatore. It was quite the indulgent meal for a Saturday afternoon, but also made for the perfect excuse to take a long nap after. 

To cap it all off, Sunday's excursion was to L & B Spumoni Gardens in the depths of Brooklyn. I've read about Spumoni Gardens on several "best pizza" round-ups from other food blogs, so it was about time I saw what the buzz was all about. And the buzz is 100% deserved. Also a very old school, no frills place, you order your pizza by the slice or pie at a window and then devour it on several red picnic tables out front. (There's also a sit-down restaurant attached to the pizza window). Spumoni's signature is a tomato pie, which has a thick crust, a little bit of cheese and topped with tomato sauce. A departure from your typical New York slice, this was the best Sicilian style pizza I've ever had. And though it's a bit of a trek into Brooklyn, I'm not one to pass on quality food for the sake of time. 

The Incredible, Edible Egg

I've been really into eggs recently. Not just your standard scramble or omelette, but eggs on everything. Deviled eggs, eggs on pizza, eggs on grits, eggs on rice. Basically eggs on any sort of carb-bomb. Maybe it's because they're super easy, versatile and cheap. They can go from breakfast to lunch to dinner; and are essential to my favorite course: dessert. Or maybe it's that eggs are timeless. People have used eggs since we figured out that chickens laid them. (Or did the egg come first and then the chicken? Another story for another day...) It could be that during my recent training for a half-marathon, I found myself craving some serious protein. I inhaled smoked salmon eggs benedict from The Bowery Diner after the actual race like it was oxygen (which was delicious and I definitely recommend it!).

Regardless of the reason, I don't think anyone could argue that eggs are delicious and a staple as an ingredient or as a stand-alone course. So when I saw a recipe for carbonara pasta on one of my favorite blogs How Sweet It Is, I had to give it a try. I've had spaghetti carbonara several times in restaurants (in fact, the carbonara at Landmarc - shameless plug - is quite tasty), but have never ventured to make it on my own. I guess something about eggs and pasta intimidated me. But after my new egg-kick, there's nothing I wouldn't put an egg on. Not surprisingly, this dish was totally foolproof and absolutely egg-cellent even on a warm evening in New York City.

Spaghetti Carbonara adapted from How Sweet It Is
makes 2-3 hearty servings

Ingredients:
1/2 lb long, thin pasta (I used brown rice spaghetti, but you could use linguine, angel hair, whatever you have in the pantry)
1/4 lb pancetta, chopped
1 medium-large shallot, chopped
10 oz baby bella mushrooms, quartered
2 large eggs
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
salt & pepper

1. Cook the pancetta in a large skillet over medium-high heat, until browned and the fat has rendered, about 5-7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Turn down heat to low.
2. Add the shallot and mushrooms to the pan with a pinch of salt. Cook until browned and softened, about 8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. While the pasta and mushrooms are cooking, mix together the eggs and cheese in a small bowl.
4. When the pasta is cooked to al dente, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the shallot and mushrooms. Quickly toss to mix.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat and pour in the egg and cheese mixture. Stir constantly for a minute or two until all the noodles are coated.
6. Stir in the pancetta and top with more parmesan cheese and a couple grinds of black pepper.

Lessons from Ina: How easy is that?

I have a mental list of recipes that I've always wanted to try, but haven't had the guts to. As easy as Ina makes it look, that double-layer chocolate cake really can't be that simple. There are several factors that might shy me a way from a certain recipe: too many ingredients, need for particular (or expensive) cookware, patience. This is why I rarely blog about baking; because I don't have any more space in my apartment to house five different cake pans and I don't have the patience to follow a recipe word for word.

While I don't see myself getting over my baking phobia any time soon, I will brave more savory recipes when I'm feeling adventurous. Some feared recipes that I've been able to cross off my list: frittata, risotto, braised short ribs. The funny thing is, every time I've finally attempted one of these dishes, I'm always surprised at how easy and not scary it is.

So this past Friday evening was the perfect occasion to give lasagna a go. I was having some friends over, so I wanted to serve something that I could prepare ahead of time and just heat up before they arrived (Ina's number one rule when entertaining: never serve something that will keep you over the stove while guests are waiting hungrily). Lasagna has always been hallowed ground for me. Gaga makes lasagna every Christmas Eve, so I've always felt that lasagna was her territory, not to be toyed with. Luckily, this lasagna was for friends, so I didn't have to live up to the decades-old expectations from family and could play with the recipe as needed.

While I tend to use recipes more for inspiration (see above, re: lack of patience), I do stick closely to a recipe when trying something for the first time. So who better to go to than the Food Goddess Herself: Ina. While there was no one part to the recipe that was particularly difficult, it was a bit time consuming between cooking the sauce, pasta, and actual cook time. But all good things come with a wait, right?

Right. So, so right. The lasagna was incredibly cheesy, with so many great flavors - tanginess from the goat cheese, butteriness from the mozzarella, and a fresh, herbiness from the basil. We all went back for seconds and thirds, and yet somehow managed not to feel heavy and weighed down at all. A great dish to feed a crowd or impress your friends, yet relatively simple. As we shoved our faces, cheese oozing down our chins, I couldn't help but think (in the words of Ina): Now, how easy is that?


Ina Garten's Lasagna with Turkey Sausage
serves a crowd
Ingredients:
For the sauce:
2 tbs olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb turkey sausage, casings removed
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
Pepper

For the lasagna:
1/2 lb lasagna noodles
15 oz ricotta cheese
4 oz creamy goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 lb fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
2. Add the sausage, breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon and cook until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and let sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, Parmesan, the egg, the rest of the parsley, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
6. Ladle a third of a the sauce into a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish, spreading over the bottom. Layer  half the noodles, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta and one-third of the sauce. Repeat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to lightly cover the top. Bake for 30 minutes in a 400-degree oven, until bubbling. (If serving later, refrigerate as needed, but allow to come to room temperature for about an hour before putting in the oven. This is what I did and it worked out great!)

Lotsa layers!

Cheesyliciousness

In the words of Ina, how bad can that be?