Sourdough Bread - Prepare dough and slash for baking

Sourdough Bread - Coil Fold, about 1 hour from end of final proof of 4-5...

Sourdough Bread - Coil Fold onto Bench

Sourdough Bread - Pre-Shape #2

Sourdough Bread - Pre-shape #3

Sourdough Bread - Pre-Shape #4

Sourdough Bread - Cover the pre-shape for 20 minutes

Sourdough Bread - Flour dust your baskets for final shaping

Sourdough Bread - Final Shaping of dough 3

Sourdough Bread - Final Shaping of dough

Sourdough Bread - Shaped Dough for retard 12 Hrs in Fridge (overnight)

Ann's Healthy Yet Delish Kale Pasta

 

I know this recipe looks long and complicated, but it's really not.  I just give you every possible instruction imaginable, so you can learn at the same time.  So it's more like a chat!

Realizing things can be scarce out there, any greens (not lettuce), broccoli, broccoli rabe, kale, spinach, frozen spinach, jarred roasted peppers, regular flour or plain old canned tuna or canned anchovy, can be substituted.  Or be creative and invent your own combination.  The preparation will be the same!  But these flavors paired beautifully.

I've given you everything you need to know to adapt this pasta with pretty much anything you might have on hand.

Besides, it's time to tell all my secrets!

*Special thanks to Susie Gilroy, when I asked what can I do with kale, she said sauté it with peppers!

Ann's Healthy Yet Delish Kale Adaptable Pasta

2 Red orange or yellow pepper or mixed
1 Bunch adult kale trimmed off center stalk and torn into medium piece
2 Healthy handful baby spinach
1 Jar Italian tuna in oil, using the oil
Light drizzle of Olive oil, enough to barely cover sauté pan
Even sprinkle over the oil Garlic Salt
Pinch of red pepper flakes over the oil
1/4 cup White wine
2/3 cup chicken stock OR I use (1) square of Herbox Chicken cubes for all my stock in pasta recipes
      melted in hot water (you can swipe 3/4 cup out of your pot of water!)
Sprinkle of Wondra flour at end before adding pasta
Blob of butter at end before adding pasta
Blob of creme fraiche at end before adding pasta
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb of Trumpets Pasta, which hold the sauce so beautifully. but any of your fav pasta will do


1. Set a 3/4 filled pasta pot with water and bring to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, roast two peppers of your choice (I used orange) by putting directly on stovetop flame, turning till entire pepper is black and burnt.

Put in a bowl and cover with a plate so peppers can steam.  After about 5 minutes run under warm water, rinsing off the charred black skin and removing the stem core and seeds.

Slice into slivers, then turn and slice other direction into 1/4" pieces.  Set aside.

3.  Fill sink with cold water.  When water is boiling, put in a good handful or two of salt and add all the kale, press it down into the boiling water. Water will stop boiling so just steep it no longer than a minute.  Using a big slotted spoon or spider strainer, strain out and throw into the cold water.

Save the pot of water for your paster later, and keep the heat on low covered so it doesn't boil away.

When the kale has cooled a bit in the water, take it out in handfuls and squeeze extra water out.
Take the wrung out kale, on a cutting board, give it a medium chop.

4. During this time of isolation, all these pasta's I'm making are in this fabulous oval pan, which I just adore!  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005C3XN5E/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_Z9QGEbWDCG2B5

Heat oil on high heat in a sauté pan that can hold the entire dish, sprinkling a few shakes of garlic salt and pinch of red pepper flakes.  Cook briefly till the oil gives off the garlic aroma,

5.  Ok, so the next happens fast, as you want the green to stay bright and not get dull or brown.

Throw in the kale and spinach and cook on high till green soften.  You can even cover the pan for a few minutes to create a steamy heat, to soften that kale!

After a few minutes add the Tuna and it's oil and break up and combine evenly with the greens.

After a few minutes add the roasted pepper and toss around for a few minutes till combined.

Still on high heat, add white wine and cook off alcohol stirring for two minutes, till it comes back to a sizzle

Add chicken stock and cook down by a third.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and a slight sprinkle of grated cheese .  Turn off heat, cook pasta, add and serve.

Sauce can be eaten at this point (and brighten the flavor with a squeeze of lemon optional)

BUT if you want it a bit rich and unctuous (like I do), no lemon but the sprinkle of Wondra Flour, Blob of Butter and toss over medium high heat.

Add blob of creme fraiche and toss to just evenly combine.  Turn off heat

6. Cook pasta in same water as you blanched the Kale

Reserve a bit of pasta water just in finished pasta looks dry, which it won't with the additions, but will if butter/creme not added.

7. Add drained pasta to pan and toss till it's all combined and glossy.

Serve with cheese if you like, immediately.

Tom Valenti's Spaghetti with Italian Tuna

serves 6 as app/4 as main

4 tbls olive oil

I use garlic salt instead

3/4 cup Chicken Stock

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 large very ripe beefsteak tomato (seeds removed and cut into 1/4” dice)

1  5.5 oz can italian tuna (Jarred Italian Tuna in oil, like a tuna confit is best)

2 tbls capers

12 pitted calamata coarsely chopped

6 pepperoncinis  stems removed and cut into 1/4” rings (those bright light green tart slightly hot Italian peppers in vinegar, you can find in a jar)

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Zest and juice of half a lemon

2 tbls parsley roughly chopped

Salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes

1 lbs box of Spaghetti

Warm oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat, add garlic salt and red pepper flakes to taste.

Oil will get aromatic.

Then add wine (it will splatter a bit) bring to boil

Then add stock

cook down till reduced by 1/3

Then add tomato and tuna cook for 6-7 minutes

You can prepare up this point and leave it for up to 20 minutes while you boil the water (be sure to salt water after it starts boiling!  I like the water to be heavily salted).

Cook pasta for till al dente, reserve two cups of pasta water before draining!!!

Add capers, olives pepperoncinis, red pepper flakes, parsley, black pepper, check seasoning

Toss with pasta.

 

Not in the recipe:

I add at this point the zest and lemon juice, a big blob of butter and a little Locatatelli grated cheese and some of the pasta water if it looks too dry!!! Toss till glossy over medium heat.

Lucille’s Eggplant Lasagne

This looks long but that is because I explain every little thing!

You will need:
One large eggplant or 3 medium Japanese eggplants (these tend to be less bitter but in this day and age take what you can find!)

Vegetable oil

One can San Marzano tomatoes basic large can, not giant one and not little one! I think it’s 28oz

Olive oil

One container (you won’t need all only some)finely grated Locatelli or a chunk you can grate if you can’t find. Any pecorino will do. But if you can’t get, use Parmesan but not as good. But will work in a pinch. Some people prefer it. Not me.

Fish sauce (If you don’t have a smidge of soy for umami)

White vinegar

Red pepper flakes

Salt pepper sugar

Dried basil

One ball fresh mozzarella or pack of shredded or ball that’s not fresh.

1 lb spaghetti

Half stick of Salted butter cut up into 4 tbsp

Directions:
1. Set covered pot of water for pasta to boil and turn down to simmer till ready  (don’t forget to salt JUST BEFORE adding pasta

2. Slice eggplant In half top to bottom. Slice length wise into 1/5” thick long slices. you should have about 24 slices.

Lay in single layer on a tray and light salt, lay second layer and lightly salt. Cover with a piece of Saran a lay on their side a few heavy cans on top.

You will see in half hour moisture will bead up on slices.

3. While you are waiting for eggplant to release bitterness begin prep for the sauce

Dump can of tomatoes in a bowl. Hand blender them just enough to  crush them but not purée them. They will cook down to proper consistency. If you don’t have a hand blender just crush with your hands.

In the bowl of tomatoes add:

Three good healthy pinches of salt
2 tblsp of sugar
5 grinds of black pepper
Good pinch red pepper flakes
Tablespoon of white vinegar
Half teaspoon Fish sauce
Nice sprinkle of dried basil

Stir and let sit

4. Take a large sauté pan or deep fry pan and set over medium high heat.  The bigger the cooking surface the faster it will cook.

Drizzle with olive oil till just covered. Once oil warms up, gently pour in tomatoes. Let them come to a simmer. Keep cooking and stir occasionally till the sauce loses that raw taste and starts to taste like a sweet pomodoro sauce. Should take about 20 minutes.

Mid way through add a tblsp of salted butter and sprinkle lightly some of the finely grated Locatelli. Once sauce comes together, check seasoning and set aside. You don’t want it to cook down. You want that fresco kind if sauce. Light Buttery and sweet and fresh tomato like.

5. While sauce is cooking fry your eggplant!

Rinse quickly in cold water and pat firmly each piece between a dish towel. Set aside.

Dry tray and lay paper towel or paper napkins (if conserving towels) on tray.

Find your biggest fry pan and just evenly cover bottom with vegetable oil.

Fry eggplant till just golden on each side over medium high heat. Watch to make sure they don”t burn.  Lay each done slice on prepared tray of paper towel.

6. Salt water with two handfuls if salt and cook pasta al Dente. Nothing worse than barely salted water. It should taste almost like the sea.

Drain pasta and put in a bowl and add 3 remaining pats of butter and toss so pasta is not sticky.

7.  Time to assemble lasagne.

Pre-heat oven to 350

Divide mozzarella in half and cut into small pieces. Half for each layer.

Put two large spoonfuls of sauce on bottom of pan. (See square glass pan I used?  That perfect). You will have just enough sauce so conserve it.

Add half the pasta
Layer half of the eggplant evenly
Layer  half of the mozzarella evenly
Press it all down then:
Spoon just enough sauce to cover all keeping enough for final layer.
Sprinkle generously with Locatelli

Do it all again for top layer using rest of pasta eggplant Mozzarella sauce and Locatelli in that order.

Put lasagna on a sheet pan or cookie sheet and bake for approximately one hour or until you see it bubbling up the sides and it looks like the picture.

It’s hard to over cook it. 😉

When done, take out and let it set about 15-20 mins. Cut a square with a sharp edged metal spatula and gently lift out onto a bowl.

We like ours really hot so at that point I microwave each piece for a minute before eating!!