Light Lunch Calabria Italy by Ruth Paget

Light Lunch Calabria Italy by Ruth Paget 

Swordfish and spicy hot pepper are the standout ingredients of Calabrian cuisine from the toe of the Italian peninsula across from the island of Sicily. 

With a minimal pantry, Calabrians turn out healthy and delicious meals as described in the cookbook My Calabria by Rosetta Costantino with Janet Fletcher. The following 5 dishes use familiar ingredients in different ways: 

p. 32 – Crispy Eggplant Meatballs 

-eggplant 

-breadcrumbs 

-pecorino cheese 

-parsley 

-garlic 

-egg -olive oil for frying 

p. 37 – Calabrian Sweet Pepper Fritters 

-flour 

-yeast 

-salt 

-sun-dried sweet peppers 

-olive oil -garlic 

p.75 – Rigatoni Pasta with Ricotta and Sausage 

-sweet or hot Italian sausage 

-olive oil -Ricotta cheese 

-black pepper 

-rigatoni or penne rigate pasta 

-pecorino cheese

p.96 – Chicken Soup with Ricotta Dumplings  

-Ricotta cheese 

-eggs 

-breadcrumbs 

-pecorino cheese 

-parsley 

-flour 

-chicken broth 

p. 101 – Rita Callipo’s Creamy Red Onion Soup  

-sweet Italian red onions 

-olive oil 

-kosher salt 

-flour 

-vegetable broth

-pecorino cheese 

My Calabria: Rustic Family Cooking from Italy’s Undiscovered South by Rosetta Costantino with Janet Fletcher contains many recipes that make use of vegetables. Gardeners especially might enjoy trying recipes from this book. 

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Light Lunch Emilia-Romagna Italy by Ruth Paget

Light Lunch Emilia-Romagna Italy by Ruth Paget  

It is hard to think of a light lunch coming from Emilia-Romagna (Italy), the home of hearty lasagnas, cheese tortellini pasta, and meaty ragú tomato sauce, but if you slowly read Lynne Rossetto Kasper’s The Splendid Table: Recipes from the Heartland of Northern Italian Food, the cookbook delivers both everyday and feast dishes. 

The capital of Emilia Romagna is nicknamed “Bologna the Fat,” but in reasonable portions you can be well-fed and trim with the following dishes: 

p.345 – Basil and Onion Mashed Potatoes  

-potatoes 

-milk 

-butter 

-olive oil 

-parsley 

-garlic 

-basil 

-Parmesan cheese 

p.351 – Roasted Beets and Onions 

-beets 

-onions 

-olive oil 

-balsamic vinegar 

 p.116 – Garganelli Pasta with Roasted Peppers, Peas, and Cream 

-red bell peppers 

-butter 

-prosciutto 

-heavy cream 

-garganelli or penne rigate pasta 

-peas -Parmesan cheese 

-black pepper 

p.28 – Garlic Crostini Pancetta 

 -baguette or other crusty bread 

-garlic 

-olive oil 

-pancetta slices 

p.96 – Tagliatelle with Fresh Porcini Mushrooms  

-porcini mushrooms 

-butter 

-egg pasta 

-black pepper 

-Parmesan cheese 

The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper written with Renaissance just proportions to closely approximate the wonderful food of Emilia-Romagna might make many Americans consider it to be their second favorite cuisine after their mother’s like the Italians. 

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Light Lunch Northern Italy by Ruth Paget

Light Lunch Northern Italy by Ruth Paget 

Bargain shoppers can find many delicious yet inexpensive dishes for their weekly menus in Marlena de Blasi’s cookbook Regional Foods of Northern Italy. The 200 recipes in this book take readers beyond Venice to the Alps and wine growing regions: all delightful fare. 

The following 5 dishes show off the elegant yet simple recipes of these lesser-known regions: 

p. 29 – Salad of Arugula, Raw Porcini Mushrooms, and Pecorino Ceese (From the La Marche region south of Venice and Emilia-Romagna) 

-arugula lettuce 

-porcini mushrooms 

-olive oil 

-lemon zest 

-mint leaves 

-pecorino cheese 

p. 32 – Pecorino Foccacia Flatbread (From the La Marche region south of Venice and Emilia-Romagna)  

-Fennel-Chile oil for the topping 

-For dough: 

-yeast 

-sugar 

-water 

-olive oil 

-pecorino cheese 

-flour 

Flatbread dough just needs to be punched down once after rising, making it easier to make than a loaf of bread. 

p. 56 – Tagliatelle Barberesco with Tomatoes and Mushrooms (From the Piedmont region, home of Italy’s most famous wine – Barolo) 

-fresh pasta 

-sweet butter 

-shallots 

-wild mushrooms 

-tomato purée 

-Barberesco wine 

-bread crumbs 

p. 58 – Hazelnut Sauce (From the Piedmont region) 

-hazelnuts 

-garlic 

-olive oil 

-cream 

-Parmesan 

-Dutch-process cocoa -cognac 

p.88 – Whole Cheese-Stuffed Roasted Pumpkin (From the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region north of Venice) 

-onions 

-mushrooms 

-mascarpone cheese 

-Emmenthaler cheese 

-Parmagiano cheese 

-eggs 

-white bread 

-pumpkin 

You alternate layers of mushrooms, bread, and cheese inside the pumpkin you roast for a great unexpected treat. To learn more about northern Italian cuisine, Marlena de Blasi’s Regional Foods of Northern Italy is a great introduction to these lesser-known recipes. 

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Light Lunch Southern Italy by Ruth Paget

Light Lunch Southern Italy by Ruth Paget 

Bargain buyers can find several delicious and inexpensive dishes amidst the Baroque prose and culinary culture insights in Marlena de Blasi’s cookbook A Taste of Southern Italy: Delicious Recipes and a Dash of Culture. 

The following 5 recipes and their main ingredients provide an idea of the recipe gems in this book: 

p. 21 – Pasta with Green Tomatoes (From the Lazio region around Rome) 

-green tomatoes 

-purple onion 

-basil 

-garlic 

-bread crumbs 

-bucatini or other string pasta 

-capers -pecorino cheese 

The green tomatoes are used to make a puréed sauce. 

p. 126 – Purée of Dried Beans and Bitter Greens Spread (From the Puglia region, the heel of the Italian Peninsula) 

-cannellini beans 

-fava beans 

-olive oil 

-fennel seeds 

-heavy cream 

-dandelion greens, mustard greens, or red chard 

-garlic 

-country bread 

p. 154 – White Bean Fritters (From the Basilicata region sandwiched between Puglia to the east, Campania to the West, and Calabria to the south)  

-cannellini beans 

-rosemary 

-yellow onion 

-garlic 

-cabbage -rosemary leaves 

-olive oil -

-egg 

-bread crumbs 

p. 168 – Spiced Ricotta Spread (From the Calabria region opposite Sicily on the southernmost tip of the Italian peninsula)

 -anchovies 

-whole milk ricotta 

-grappa or cognac 

-red chile peppers 

-garlic -capers 

p. 233 – Sardinian Bread Pudding (From the island of Sardegna above Sicily) 

-bread 

-whole milk 

-heavy cream 

-eggs 

-pecorino cheese 

-olive oil 

-garlic 

-red chile pepper 

For a vacation on an ordinary day, Marlena de Blasi’s A Taste of Southern Italy is a fun read with many appealing recipes. 

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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French Toast Recipe by Ruth Paget

French Toast Recipe by Ruth Paget 

Serves 4 

Ingredients: 

-6 slices of bread 

-3 beaten eggs 

-2 cups milk 

-1/2 cup sugar 

-butter for frying toast 

Steps: 

1-Slice bread in half diagonally. 

2-Mix eggs, milk, and sugar together. 

3-Dunk bread halves in milk-egg mixture. 

4-Fry bread halves till brown. Serve French toast with syrup or sliced, sugared strawberries. 

(A Monterey County California Recipe) 

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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California Crepes Recipe by Ruth Paget

California Crêpes Recipe by Ruth Paget 

Serves 6 

Ingredients: 

-6 cups flour 

-3 eggs 

-1 cup milk 

-4 cups water 

-1 teaspoon salt 

-1/2 cup olive oil 

Steps: 

1-Place flour in a large mixing bowl. 

2-Place eggs in a separate bowl and whisk them. Add milk and water to the eggs and whisk some more. 

3-Pour the liquid into the flour. Mix with a wooden spoon, crushing lumps of flour. 

 4-Use a whisk to make the batter smooth. Add salt and olive oil and mix till velvety. 

5-Wait 2 hours before making crêpes. 

You can fill the crêpes with items such as the following: 

-lettuce and salad dressing 

-ham and cheese 

-eggs and cheese 

-eggs, ham, and cheese 

-hazelnut spread 

-dried fruit and blue cheese dressing 

-ratatouille vegetable stew 

-jam 

(A Monterey County California Recipe) 

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Welsh Rarebit Sauce Recipe by Ruth Paget

Welsh Rarebit Sauce Recipe by Ruth Paget 

A beer economy recipe, especially if you serve this sauce over toast made with spent grain from the beer making process. The Tuck Box Restaurant in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Califronia serves Rarebit Sauce to prepare you for a day of touring. 

Serves 6 

Ingredients: 

-3 tablespoons butter 

-1/4 cup flour 

-1 teaspoon mustard 

-1 teaspoon salt 

-1 teaspoon pepper 

-1 teaspoon cayenne 

-2 cups stale ale beer 

-1 pound grated cheddar cheese 

-6 slices of bread 

Steps: 

1-Melt better in a saucepan. Blend in flour, mustard, salt, pepper, and cayenne. 

2-Gradually add beer. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil is slightly thickened. 

3-Add cheese and continue cook. Stir constantly until the sauce is thickened. 

Serve over toast points (toast cut in half on a diagonal) that are lined up like French toast on an oval serving platter. Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley down the center of the toast. 

(A Monterey County California Recipe) 

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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