Spinaci con funghi (Puglia spinach & mushrooms)

For ➍

4 tbs olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

300 g fresh mushrooms, sliced

250 g clean fresh spinach, roughly chopped

2 tbs balsamico

10 cl white wine

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic in the oil until they start to become tender. Add the mushrooms, and fry until they begin to shrink, about 3 to 4 m. Toss in the spinach, and fry, stirring constantly for a few m, or until spinach is wilted.

Add the vinegar, stirring constantly until it is absorbed, then stir in the white wine. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until the wine has almost completely absorbed.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with fresh parsley.  Serve hot. 

Orecchiette con cime di rapa (orecchiette with turnip tops)

For ➋ 

250 g orecchiette,

3 garlic cloves, sliced 

½ red chilli, sliced or 2 tsp red pepper flakes

5 anchovies*

200 g turnip tops (leaves teared from stems, chopped)**, or tenderstem broccoli

pecorino or toasted breadcrumbs (optional) 

alt:

150 g Italian sausage

fresh rosemary

white wine

Begin by making and cooking the orecchiette and cooking it in salted boiling water. If using dried pasta, add the shredded turnip tops and cook together. If not, cook the shredded turnip tops in oil in a pan.

Meanwhile, gently fry the garlic and chilli with the anchovies in a little of their oil until the has softened a little and the anchovies have dissolved.

Drain the pasta (reserve 1 tbs of the cooking water), then add the pasta and broccoli to the anchovy pan and toss a few m to coat the pasta evenly. If needed***, add 1 tbs of the cooking water.

Add some pecorino, or crumbled toasted breadcrumbs if wanted.

*or use meat from an Italian sausage instead. 

:: In a pan, add olive oil and sliced garlic in a cold pan.  Add the red pepper flakes and finely chopped fresh rosemary, then crumble the sausage meat. Turn on the heat and cook for 10 m.  Add the chopped turnip tops until soft and tender. Add a small glass of white wine.

Cook the orecchiette in boiling water for 8 m. Drain and add the orecchiette to the vegetables. Add some pecorino, or crumbled toasted breadcrumbs if wanted. ::

**or use tenderstem broccoli.

***when using fresh pasta

Burrata with warm peppers & tomato salad

For ➍
3 mixed peppers
4 tbs olive oil
360 g mixed tomatoes
2 tbs green pesto
½ jar (90 g) sun-ripened olives Taggia
1 ciabatta
1 burrata

Halve the peppers, remove the stalk and seeds and cut into strips 1 cm wide. Heat 2 tbs oil in a frying pan or wok and fry the peppers over high heat for 8 m. Stir frequently.
Meanwhile, halve the tomatoes and cook for 1 m with the pepper mix. Remove the pan from the heat.
Mix the pesto with the remaining oil and stir in the olives. Spoon into a bowl and let stand for 5 m.
Meanwhile, tear the bread into pieces. Put the burrata on the pepper-tomato salad and serve with the bread. Drizzle cheese with some oil.

Lamb meatballs with eggplant sauce

For ➍
meatballs:
500 g ground lamb
½ tbs salt
½ tbs freshly ground black pepper
½ ts ground nutmeg
¼ ts cayenne pepper
5 tbs chopped parsley
5 tbs chopped fresh mint
½ onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs tomato concentrate
5 tbs pine nuts
sauce:
2 eggplants
3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
3 onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, & chopped
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs. With wet hands, shape into walnut-sized balls.

Preheat the broiler*. Pierce the eggplants with a fork. Place them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Broil until tender and the skin is charred all over, turning once, about 15 m. Slit the eggplants in half lengthwise and let the steam out. Scoop out the flesh and let it drain in a colander.

Heat the olive oil in a deep, wide pan. Brown the meatballs on all sides. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook until wilted.

Stir in the tomatoes and eggplant, season with salt and pepper and cover partially. Simmer 30 m, or until the eggplants have formed a thick, rich sauce.

Serve with some firm pasta al dente. Roasted peppers and/or artichokes cooked in lemon juice**, make good side dishes.

*Use grill instead.
**Use preserved artichokes instead. Drain oil, warm them a little, and sprinkle with fresh lemon juice.

Based on a traditional Italian Jewish Passover dish, this recipe bears a strong resemblance to the Middle Eastern Buran (Baghdad meatballs) recipe.
The image background shows the ghetto in Rome.

Tonno dalla Puglia (Pugliese tuna)

For ➋
500 g fresh tuna slice
2 tbs olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 leaves of fresh basil
oregano
salt & pepper

Dust the fish with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a skillet.

Fry the garlic.

Bake the tuna for 5 to 6 m per side.

Put the tomatoes in the pan for the last 5 m.

Remove from heat. Sprinkle with oregano and basil.

Divide into portions.

Serve with green salad.