Archive

ITALIAN RECIPES

Carote? That's carrots

Stewed Carrot

Ingredients:

2 1/4 pounds (1 k) carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
An onion, finely sliced
1 tablespoon minced parsley
2 bay leaves
A sprig of thyme
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

Sauté the onion in the olive oil over a gentle flame, letting it wilt but taking care lest it brown and burn.
Add the carrots and most of the water, reserving some should the carrots look as if they are drying out, the herbs, and simmer for a half hour covered, checking the seasoning shortly before the time is up.
You can, if you want, add a little more minced parsley after you remove the dish from the stove.

Baby Carrot and Almond Salad

Ingredients:

1 pound frozen baby carrots (you can also use fresh ones, peeling them)
1 tablespoon slivered almonds
A small heart of red radicchio
A tablespoon of butter
A white celery heart
The heart of a fennel bulb
1 yolk
A dash of cider vinegar
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Steam the carrots, draining them while they're still crunchy, then sauté them with the butter until they're lightly browned.
Meanwhile, prepare a fairly runny mayonnaise by whipping the yolk with a pinch each of salt and pepper, a dash of vinegar, and a the olive oil, added a few drops at a time.
Should the mayonnaise become too thick, dilute it with a few more drops of vinegar or lemon juice.

Finely slice the radicchio, fennel, and celery and combine them in a salad bowl with the carrots, which should be drained.
Pour the sauce over the greens, and serve, sprinkled with the almond slivers.
Note: you can, should you prefer, use a pound of cauliflower florets instead of baby carrots.
Also, do not try this recipe if a thunder storm is building, because the mayonnaise will curdle.

Raw Carrot Salad

Ingredients:

Carrots
Walnut meats
Garlic
Bread
Vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Lemon juice

Preparation:

Select fleshy carrots whose centers haven't gone to wood, and grate them on a stainless steel grater, lest they discolor.
When you are done, prepare the sauce: Finely mince or grind about a dozen walnut meats with a couple of cloves of garlic, and an egg-sized chunk of bread less the crust that's been dipped in lemon juice.

Season the pesto made from these ingredients with a little salt, pepper, and olive oil, adding the oil a little at a time. Season the carrots, and if you find them too sweet for your taste, add some more lemon juice.

Shells with Asparagus and Carrots

Ingredients:

14 ounces (400 g) conchiglie (small shells) or similar pasta
A bunch of asparagus, about a pound (400 g)
2 carrots
A small onion
A 6-inch (15 cm) rib of celery
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Set pasta water to boil.
Trim and discard the tough white ends from the asparagus spears. Cut the green parts of the spears in half widthwise, and then quarter them lengthwise to obtain strips of asparagus.

Peel the carrots, and cut them into strips using a potato peeler. Mince the onion. Julienne the celery, removing filaments if it has them, blanch it, and pat it dry.
Sauté the minced onion in the oil and butter until it is translucent, and then add the carrots, asparagus, and celery. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cook over a medium flame for 7-8 minutes.

In the meantime, salt the pasta water and cook the pasta. Season the pasta with the sauce and serve at once.

Fagottini Stuffed with Steamed Carrots and String Beans

Ingredients:

1/2 cup green beans, steamed
1 carrot, thinly sliced, steamed
1 cup ricotta cheese
A spring onion, finely sliced and gently sautéed in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until soft and well wilted
1/2 teaspoon freshly minced thyme
An egg, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
A pinch of freshly ground nutmeg (optional)
1 pound (500 g) fresh pasta, in 4-inch (10 cm) squares

Preparation:

Blend the steamed vegetables and combine them with the ricotta, spring onion, minced thyme, and egg. Check seasoning, and add just a little ground nutmeg, if you want. Lay half the pasta squares on your work surface.

Divvy the ricotta mixture evenly over them, moisten their edges with a little water, and cover them with the remaining squares, tamping the edges down with a fork so they stick.
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook the fagottini for 3 minutes, or until the pasta reaches the al dente stage.

Remove them to a serving dish with a slotted spoon (if you drain the pot they will break), and season them with freshly melted unsalted butter and a little freshly grated Parmigiano before serving them.

Amaretto Almond Carrots

Ingredients:

1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 pound fresh carrots, trimmed and peeled
1/2 stick (4 Tablespoons) butter
1/4 cup amaretto liqueur (may substitute 1 teaspoon almond extract)
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and white pepper to taste

Preparation:

Lightly toast slivered almonds in a dry skillet until fragrant. Set aside.
Slice the carrots into 1/8-inch-thick coin shapes. Place carrots in a heavy sauce pan with the butter and gently simmer about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the amaretto, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Continue to simmer until carrots are just tender but not overcooked. Stir in toasted almonds and serve.

Buon appetito!

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