Pasta e fagioli -- literally "pasta and beans" -- is a hearty and heartwarming Italian soup, perfect for a chilly night. There are countless recipes but this one, given to me by my friend Tracy Santoro (and adapted from Chef Joe Cicala's recipe in the The Washington Post), is the best I've tried. The base of the soup is made with pancetta, vegetables and white wine, which add tremendous depth of flavor, and the broth is thickened slightly with puréed beans, which makes it rich and satisfying. Serve it with Rosemary Focaccia and a Big Italian Salad -- I promise, it will warm you up and make you happy!
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Perfect for feeding a crowd, focaccia is a flavorful and easy-to-make Italian flat bread baked in a sheet pan. It's made with a yeast dough that rises twice: once before it is shaped and then again after it is shaped (so be sure to allow plenty of time). To give the bread its signature dimpled appearance, little indentations are formed all over the dough, which hold tiny pools of olive oil that soak into the bread as it bakes. This classic version is topped with coarse salt and fresh rosemary but other toppings can be added, such as thinly sliced tomatoes, olives or grated cheese, to name just a few. Enjoy warm out of the oven, and slice leftovers for sandwiches. |
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My 11-year-old son calls these biscotti "crunchy brownies." It's an apt description: biscotti are twice-baked, oblong-shaped cookies made intentionally dry and crunchy for dunking into coffee or tea, and these are made with a double dose of chocolate. I'm happy to say that they have nothing in common with the packaged biscotti sold in most coffee shops, which always taste dry and bland like bricks. When you dunk these biscotti -- ideally into a hot cup of café au lait -- they soften, becoming rich, chocolaty and decadent. Perfect for breakfast, dessert or anything in between! |
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