Tuscan Fresh Fennel with Olives

When out it’s hot this dish is so refreshing.Fennels are not so well known  even if they are very  fresh taste a and no calories

Insalata di Finocchi

4 fennels

1  handful green olives

1 clove garlic

parsley

origano

oil, 

vinegar, 

salt 

peperoncino 

Slice the fennels as finely as possible,mix them with the olives, then add a small chopped garlic clove ,a spoonful of parsley and some fresh origano.  Prepare  a  dressing  with oil , vinegar, salt a and a pinch of peperoncino. Season the fennels, stir and serve cold.

Italian Family Tomato Sauce

Tomatoe sauce is probably the most  used of our  sauces and for this reason we give a lot of attention in choosing the right tomatoes or the right  canned tomatoes to make it.

Salsa di Pomodoro

500 gr. ripe tomatoes

(or 400 gr. peeled  canned tomatoes)

50 gr. onion

50 gr. carrots

50 gr. celery

parsley

basil

2 spoonfuls oil

salt ,pepper, sugar

Cut all the vegetables in small pieces .Pour the oil in a casserole and cook the chopped vegetables for 10 minutes  on moderate heat .Add the tomatoes possibly cut in half by hand and let them cook for 30 /40 minutes. Put them through a vegetable mill and then  cook them with oil, a small  glass warm water, salt, pepper, basil, parsley and 2 pinches sugar and cook for approximately 20 minutes.

You can add:

* A little sugar will take out some of the Tomatoes' acidity..

* A little peperoncino (Italian hot Chili pepper)will give  a hot taste

* A little cream will create  a more delicate taste.

Cherry Tomatoes & Garlic Sauce

AGLIO, AGLIO,AGLIO GARLIC ,GARLIC,GARLIC

When  preparing pici  the best sauce to serve them with 

Salsa all’ Aglione

garlic 6 big cloves

fresh tomatoes, gr 300

( preferably cherry tomatoes or Pachino)

wine vinegar, only  a few drops

1peperoncino ( red Italian  hot pepper)

extra vergin olive oil

Take a high-sided pan , large enough because you have to warm  then the pasta in it . Clean 6 garlic cloves, crush them and put them in the skillet where you’ve previously heated  extra virgin olive oil of excellent quality. 

Make them just “ take colour” and add the crushed dried peperoncino and vinegar .Finally add tomatoes cut in half.

. Add salt and cook for 10 minutes

Drain the pasta   and pour into the skillet . Serve with a generous grating of pecorino cheese .

White Onions with Balsamic Vinegar

For a friend who asked for,

For those who love onions,

For those who love them a little bit more delicate

Cipolline Caramellate
white onions
oil
water
salt
balsamic vinegar
peperoncino powder

Peel the onions, wash them, dry them and cut them in a cross-shape on the top.

Put some oil in a pan and add the onions half covered with water, salt them and cook with a cover for about 30 minutes.

 

Just before the end of the cooking time, add some vinegar and some peperoncino powder and go on cooking it without the cover for 5 minutes.

Suggestion:use green beans