 | This is THE BASIC PASTA. When you are tired but need to feed the kids, or your fridge is empty, or you are starving but you don’t want, or have no time to cook... the solution is the pasta burro e parmigiano. No time wasted in chopping onion, garlic or tomatoes... Just start with hot water to speed up. You only need the time to cook the pasta (usually around 10 minutes) when the water is boiling. When the pasta is cooked, not too soft, drain the pasta and add the butter and the parmesan cheese, mix well and it is ready and delicious. Of course, I like a bit of black pepper too. You may wonder how much butter you need...not too much, just for the pasta not to stick. |
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Tomatoes are not necessary for pasta sauces. We love pasta with vegetables and meat and there are many kinds. When artichokes are in season we have pasta sauces and lasagna with them. For this sauce: just put extra virgin olive oil, garlic and sausage in the pan. Cook and add a little or white wine ( if you have it, it can be done without too). Add the artichokes cut into strips. Cook for 10 minutes, if it dries too much you can add a little of water. When the pasta is ready, before draining, keep a cup of the boling water. Add the pasta in the sauce and cook for 2 minutes, if it is too dry add a bit of the hot cooking water, and parmigiano cheese. I cut the onion finely. It has to cook properly, I like when it melts, without burned pieces of onion in the sauce. I use a simple secret that save some fat from your sauce too: fry in the frying pan the onion, a bit of extra virgin olive oil and a little of water. When it dries, you add a more water- a couple of spoons. In this way the onion did not burn but instead cook completely and become very soft. When it is ready, you add the other ingredients. It’s a matter of just 5 preliminary minutes for a very good sauce. Onion soffritto is required for the pasta sauces with: Tomato Zucchini Pancetta-bacon Meat 
 The 'soffritto' -fried slightly - is the base and starting point of Italian pasta sauces. There are mainly three kindsof soffritto: With garlic With onion With onion, carrots and celery Depending on the sauce we are making we start with either one or the other. Examples: Basic sauce tomato and basil: need oil and garlic, like the simple but delicious ‘aglio olio e peperoncino ‘ pasta and fish or sea food ones. Matriciana pasta with pancetta? Oil and onion Sauce with meat? Always onion, carrots and celery When I say sauce with meat, I refer to: Sauce with sausage, pork spare ribs, pork meat, meat balls, ragù etc. The sauce you use with pasta, lasagna, polenta.
 Easter Monday is a public holiday known as ‘Pasquetta’ Little Easter
We say ‘Pasqua di rinascita, Pasquetta di Festa’: Easter is for ribirth, Ester Monday for partying ! In Pasquetta we traditionally relax with friends having a picnic outdoor. In the morning, the Italians pack a grill, simple food or leftover and head out on a trip to the lakes, beach, forest or to one of Rome’s parks.  On Easter Sunday the resurrection is celebrated with a Holy Mass and the Benediction ‘Urbi et Orbi’ held by the Pope in Saint Peter square. At home Easter involve a breakfast with boiled eggs, salami and hot chocolate. The Easter lunch includes lamb and fried artichokes, and of course chocolate eggs and the dove-shaped ‘Colomba’ cake. In Italy we say: ‘Natale con I tuoi e Pasqua con chi vuoi’: Christmas with your family, Easter with who you want. Easter day is when we have our amazing and never-ending traditional meals with friends and family alike.  In Rome we honor and love Saint Joseph. He’s celebrated both on March 19th and on May 1st.
March 19th is a special date for us: it’s Father’s day too. On March 19th It is celebrated the sanctification of Saint Josepeh, Jesus father, patron of artisans, carpentersand protector of all popes.
 This is an extremely easy recipe that gives excellent results and require a very short preparation.
Take all the kind of vegetables you like more (zucchini, pepper, potatoes, mushrooms, carrot, onion, tomato, artichokes – not leafs vegetables as spinach , usually I don’t use broccoli or cauliflowers either because they have a too strong flavor that will cover the others) or you’ve at home. This is my today's lunch pasta. It's a rapid and healthy recipe. You can use any broccoli, cauliflower etc. It’s really delicious!!
 Grilled fennel In my family we love to eat fresh fennel during our meals but we don’t like the outer leaves which are too hard for my children.
In Italian we say “non si butta niente” that means food shall not be wasted. |
