Last night we endured a fierce ice storm. As I write, intermittent hail still pangs against the windows. The wind is whipping, having left remnants of broken branches strewn across the yard and road. Since school was closed today, the kids and I resigned ourselves to staying in our pajamas all day. Truth be told, I enjoy this kind of weather when we are all snug and cozy at home. Cold and dreary days inspire me in the kitchen to make warm aromas that evoke comfort – and I savor when we are able to eat long and slow without the constraints of time bearing down on us. So, today…
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Have you ever swapped your garnish of parmesan cheese for garlicky bits of toasted breadcrumbs? This easy pasta recipe comes together in the time it takes to boil water. Toasted breadcrumbs is not a new concept, it’s roots are humble, and it was often a way of using up stale bread. In this simple dish, we’ll add garlic and anchovies (don’t worry if you don’t like them, they disintegrate and leave behind their robust flavor) for a powerful punch of flavor in an otherwise incredibly simple dish. It’s important to use good, stale, rustic bread for the bread crumbs and reserve plenty of pasta water. The starch in the water…
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Brasato al Barolo simply means beef braised in Barolo wine. It’s a classic, rustic dish from the Piedmont region of Italy. Every northern Italian family has their own version of this recipe, but one thing remains the same – a hearty roast is cooked long and slow in a full-bodied red wine until the wine has reduced to a flavorful and brothy essence.
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While this spinach and Gruyère strata is the perfect breakfast or brunch recipe to make any time of the year, this has been our go-to Christmas morning breakfast for almost two decades. Since it is prepared the night before, I’m able to enjoy Christmas morning with ease. With a mixture of eggs, cream, white wine, spinach and Gruyère, it is prepared and left to absorb overnight by thick cubes of rustic bread. In the morning, the strata puffs-up golden and delicious with threads of Gruyère cheese and spinach tucked in and around each pillowy slice. The edges delicately crisp-up and the bread takes on an almost custard-like texture.
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Oh, you should be proud of me. This is the post and recipe that almost never happened. For the last few nights I have been all-consumed by Hallmark Christmas movies. I was finally, finally, able to pull myself away from those sappy, ridiculously predictable, but completely addictive, Christmas movies long enough to post this recipe for you before the holidays! I’ll make this quick so that I can get back to those awfully delightful movies you can make these Italian knot cookies, too.
