FOREVER DREAMING OF ITALY: CACIO E PEPE, A SIMPLE ITALIAN CLASSIC

We may not be able to travel during this global pandemic but that doesn’t stop me from dreaming about Italy!

A couple of years ago Adam and I ate our way through Tuscany and spent some time in Rome (click here to read my food guide to Rome) and during our time there we took a fantastic authentic Italian cooking/pasta making course. It was during that course that I first had Cacio E Pepe and feel in love with the bite of the pepper against the salty cheese. Not only did we love our time in Italy but this classic, simple dish always reminds me of our great adventures there.

Buon Appetito!

INGREDIENTS:

- Serves 2 people

120 Grams of Pasta of Your Choice
Salt
3 TBSP of Unsalted Butter
1/2 TSP of Freshly Ground Pepper
3/4 Cups of Finely Grated Parmesan
1/2 Cup of Finely Grated Pecorino

DIRECTIONS:

Boil water, add salt followed by your pasta of choice. Cook slightly before al dente.

Before draining the pasta, set aside about 1/2 a cup to 1 cup of pasta water.

Warm up butter in a skillet and add in the freshly ground pepper. Toast the pepper for 1-minute stirring continuously.

Add in 1/2 a cup of pasta water followed by the pasta - coat the pasta so it cooks a little further. The sauce should be wet so once you fold in the parmesan and allow it to cover the pasta fully if the pasta water is absorbed fully, add more before lowering the heat and adding pecorino.

Stir, serve and enjoy!

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If you like this recipe or have any comments/questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

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RECIPE REVIEW: STRAWBERRY GOAT CHEESE BRUSCHETTA RECIPE

I found this recipe online while trying to find inspiration and had to try it out. I am a huge fan of goat cheese and the mix of sweet and salty flavors, so right off the bat it caught my attention. I did make an adjustment to the original recipe which called for thyme instead of mint, and I am so happy I did. The freshness of the mint perfectly complimented the strawberries and it tasted just heavenly. If you have a sweet tooth or like sweet fruits with cheese, you got to try this strawberry bruschetta recipe! Feel free to also get creative and change up the cheese! I am sure it would also taste amazing with feta cheese and a little balsamic glaze or cream cheese if that’s all you have!

INGREDIENTS:

Serving: 3-4 People

1/2 CUP of balsamic vinegar
Bread cut into slices - I used baguette but the original recipe calls for Italian
1 TBSP of olive oil
1 LB of Fresh Strawberries (cut into small morsels)
2 TSP of Fresh Mint (chopped) - original recipe calls for thyme
1 CUP of Goat Cheese - Keep at room temperature for easy spreading
Salt and Pepper to Taste

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HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY BRUSCHETTA:

The first thing you want to do is reduce the balsamic vinegar into a glaze so in order to do this you need to heat it in a small pot or pan over medium to low heat. Let it simmer there for 8 to 10 minutes, it should reduce by about half and thicken nicely to a glaze. Once it is done, remove from heat and allow it to cool back to room temperature.

Next, you have to toast the bread. You can either do this in bulk using a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzling them with olive oil, and placing them in the oven at 400 for 5-10 minutes. The timing here can vary depending on how thick you cut the slices and how golden/crunchy you want them so keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

While the bread is in the oven, combine cut-up strawberries with fresh mint in a bowl and add in the room temperature vinegar glaze. Salt and pepper the mixture to your taste.

Once the bread is ready you can go ahead and spread goat cheese across each piece before spooning the strawberry bruschetta mixture over each piece. Garnish with more mint and serve!

Enjoy!

To check out the original recipe, click HERE!

If you are looking for an authentic traditional Italian bruschetta recipe with tomatoes, click HERE!

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If you like this strawberry bruschetta recipe or have any comments/questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

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RECIPE REVIEW: SHEET-PAN CHICKEN WITH CHICKPEA, CUMIN AND TURMERIC

I was first introduced to this NY Times Sheet-Pan Chicken recipe during a dinner party with a girlfriend and couldn’t get enough. I ended up taking a copy of the recipe home eager to try it myself and not only was it so easy to remake, but it tasted just as good as the first time. I love the mix of flavors and spices, and how the yogurt breaks through the acidity. If you want to make it vegetarian and just leave out the meat, I’m sure it would be just as tasty! Either way, Adam told me I can definitely make it again so not only does this recipe get my approval, but it gets his too!

Score: 4.5/5

INGREDIENTS:

 Serves 4 People

-Chicken and Chickpea-
4 LBS of Chicken (I prefer to use dark meal like thighs) bone-in and skin-on.
Lemons for lemon juice - need to yield 5 TBSP total (2 for chicken, 2 to marinate slaw, and 1 for yogurt)
1.5 CUPS of full-fat Greek yogurt
2 TSP of Turmeric (1 TSP for chicken marinade, 1 TSP for seasoning later)
1 TBSP of Fennel Seed
1 TSP of Cumin (ground)
2 Cans of Chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1 Large Red Onion - sliced thinly
1 Mini Cucumber - sliced thinly
Olive Oil
2 TBSP Water
Salt and pepper to taste

-Toppings-
Feta (optional)
Fresh Mint - torn into small pieces

DIRECTIONS:

 Season chicken using salt and pepper before creating a marinade using 3/4 CUP of yogurt, 2 TBSP of lemon juice, 1 TSP of Turmeric, and 2 TBSP of water. Add more salt and pepper if necessary, it should be slightly salty, this will reduce once cooked and combined with yogurt topping later.

Add seasoned chicken to marinade and make sure it is coated evenly - allow to sit for a minimum of 30 minutes at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.

Prior to cooking, adjust the oven rack to the top shelf and heat oven to 450!

Next combine chickpeas, fennel seed, cumin, and the remaining Turmeric in a bowl with half the red onion slices, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper before giving it a good toss to make sure it is covered evenly. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and push chickpeas to the outer edge to make room for chicken.

Scrape the excess marinade off the chicken and place it in the center of the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for about 45-50 minutes until skin is browned. You will need to toss chickpeas occasionally to make sure they become crispy and golden and don’t burn

While the chicken is cooking create a slaw by tossing the remaining onions in a bowl with the thinly sliced cucumber and add 2 TBSP of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and let sit in its juice.

Once the chicken is ready, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Add onion cucumber slaw, to remaining yogurt and top with 1 TSP of fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Top chicken with yogurt and garnish with mint and feta.

Enjoy!

To check out the original recipe, click HERE!

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HOLIDAY GINGERBREAD COOKIES

THE BEST GINGERBREAD COOKIE RECIPE!

Queue the Christmas music, ......"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"
The holidays are a great excuse to get together with family and celebrate. With all the parties and gatherings you are going to this year perhaps a little baking session is needed. Here's an easy and fun gingerbread cookie recipe that is not only delicious but great for any party. This year I was even thinking I could write people’s names on them and use them as place cards on a dinner table! Or keep some blank cookies for my nephew and nieces to decorate as a pre-dinner activity. I recently made a 3D gingerbread Christmas tree which turned out amazing! The creative opportunities are endless! Enjoy!

Makes about 30 cookies

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INGREDIENTS FOR GINGERBREAD COOKIES:

1/3 of a Cup Butter (unsalted) - softened
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Large Egg - at room temperature
1/3 of a Cup of Fancy Molasses
2 and 3/4 Cups of Flour (All Purpose)
1 1/2 TSP of Ginger
1 TSP of Cinnamon
1/2 TSP Baking Soda
1/4 TSP Ground Cloves
Pinch of Salt

*You will also need cookie cutters and icing!

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HOW TO MAKE GINGERBREAD COOKIES:

Blend softened butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add in your egg and fancy molasses.

In a separate bowl mix your flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, ground cloves, and salt. Whisk until well mixed.

Slowly start to add your flour mixture into your butter mixture until a dough starts to form. You may want to finish it off with your hands.

Make two dough balls from the mixture and wrap in plastic wrap before placing them in the fridge for an hour.

After an hour, remove the dough balls from the fridge and let them rest for 10 minutes before rolling them out to 1/4 inch thickness. I used my clean countertop to roll the dough out and placed wax parchment paper on top of the dough for easy rolling.

Cut out your shapes and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Place each shape 1/2 - 1 inch apart because the cookies do spread out and puff up a little.

Bake 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. 10 if you want them soft and 12 if you want them crunchy.

Remove from oven and allow to cool down before decorating.

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If you like this gingerbread cookie recipe or have any comments/questions about how to make gingerbread cookies, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

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