This is a tasty yet simple prep for pasta, perfect for a weeknight meal. Roasted garlic adds great depth of flavor—spread any leftover cloves on slices of toasted crusty bread. The garlic can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for about a week (after cooling, squeeze out the softened garlic from each clove and store in a sealed jar). I’ve suggested thin spaghetti for this dish, but choose any shape you like, cooked according to package directions.
Ingredients
1 head garlic
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
3 teaspoons coarse sea salt, divided use, plus more to taste
2-ounce chunk Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
1/2 teaspoon pepperoncini or red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Directions
Step 1
Peel off the papery outer layers from the garlic while keeping the bulb intact. Slice about a 1/2 inch off the top; you can trim the roots but don’t cut them off or the cloves won’t hold together. Place the garlic cut side up on a piece of parchment paper, then drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil on the exposed cloves. Fold the long sides of the parchment paper over the garlic, then fold the ends underneath to make a packet. Place on a rimmed sheet pan and roast for 45 to 60 minutes, until the cloves are golden and soft and start to shrink away from the peel.
Step 2
Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and cold water; set aside. Fill a stockpot with 4 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and the spinach. Cook for 2 minutes, then use a spider skimmer or slotted spoon to move the spinach to the ice bath (this chill-down helps retain its color), leaving the pot of boiling water on the stove.
Step 3
Add the pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. When the pasta is half cooked, prepare the sauce. Pare any rind off the cheese, cut it into cubes, place in your food processor, and pulse until the cheese is nearly a powder. Remove 1/4 cup of cheese from the work bowl and set aside. Add in the spinach, 6 cloves roasted garlic, the pepperoncini or red pepper flakes, the remaining salt, and the black pepper. Process until smooth, adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup of liquid from the pasta pot if needed.
Step 4
Drain the pasta, transfer it to a large bowl, and toss with the sauce, thoroughly coating it. Serve each portion with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of the reserved cheese.
A silken purée of fava beans served alongside braised wild chicory is another Pugliese classic, one we enjoyed at Ai 2 Ghiottoni in Bari with the folks from Fratelli Ruggiero. While it’s possible to find fava beans (dried or frozen) in the US, wild chicory is elusive—dandelion greens are a great stand-in and available at many greengrocers. Note: This recipe includes directions for soaking and peeling the skin from dried favas, but some purveyors sell them already peeled—you might see them labeled as broad beans. If you love chickpeas, they make a tasty substitute.
Ingredients
12 ounces dried fava beans
6 garlic cloves, divided use
1 bay leaf
1 pound chicory or dandelion greens
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt, divided use
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use, plus more for drizzling
1 teaspoon pepperoncini (crushed red pepper flakes), or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Step 1
Soak the fava beans in a large bowl of cold water overnight. They will triple in size. Drain and rinse them, then peel off their skins with your fingernails (some beans will have a crack, which makes the job easier; for those that don’t, use the tip of a paring knife to make a slit to start you off).
Step 2
Place the peeled favas in a large pot with enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Smash 3 garlic cloves with the side of a heavy knife and add to the pot along with the bay leaf. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender, about an hour.
Step 3
While the beans are cooking, make the greens. Trim the stems as needed, rinse the leaves, and boil them in a large pot of water with 1 teaspoon salt until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
Step 4
Mince the remaining 3 garlic cloves. Heat a frying pan. When hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the pepperoncini, and smashed garlic, cook for 2 minutes, then add the greens and cook through; keep warm on the stove.
Step 5
When the beans are done, drain them well and transfer to a food processor or high-powered blender. Add in 4 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper and process until smooth and velvety. If the purée is too thin, transfer to a saucepan and place over medium heat to thicken.
Step 6
For each serving, plate a large spoonful of fava purée alongside some of the greens and drizzle both liberally with olive oil.
Calabrian Pumpkin Soup Recipe, Spotlight on Croutons, Benefits of Homemade Meals and How to Set Achievable Goals for Exercise
As still-warm days give way to cooler evenings, my kitchen turns into “soup central.” Add a salad, and dinner’s ready. This week’s recipe is a twist on the traditional squash soup, and it comes from one of my favorite places in the world, Calabria, in the southernmost part of Italy—picture the big toe of the boot. I like to top it with fresh croutons, so I’m also sharing my easy recipe for making your own. This fits right in with a new study on the health advantages of eating homemade meals as much as possible. There’s also a new finding to help you reach exercise goals, important at this time of year, when you may be spending less time outdoors and more time on the couch!
Simple but sublime is the pumpkin soup my Merry Band of Tasters and I were served when visiting the Librandi family, one of Calabria’s outstanding olive oil producers. “Mama” Librandi shared the recipe with me.
Ingredients
1 3-pound pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, with seeds and membranes removed
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons water
Sea salt
Croutons for garnish (see the “Healthy Ingredient Spotlight” below)
Directions
Step 1
Using a sturdy knife, cut the pumpkin or butternut squash into roughly 1.5” cubes. Do the same with the potatoes.
Step 2
In a medium saucepan, combine the pumpkin, potatoes, the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and the water. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender—50 to 60 minutes.
Step 3
Transfer to a blender jar and purée until smooth (don’t fill the blender more than half full—work in batches if necessary). Salt to taste.
Step 4
Divide the soup between warmed soup bowls. Drizzle generously with additional olive oil, and garnish with croutons.
Yields 6 appetizer or 4 main course servings
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Quick Croutons
Packages of croutons aren’t just highly processed, but they also don’t taste all that terrific! Making your own is a snap, and you can customize them to the dish they’ll be used in—toss in rosemary, sage, or thyme for the Calabrian pumpkin soup or sprinkles of Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes for Caesar salad. Here’s my simple technique: Take two or three slices of hearty day-old bread or baguette and rub all sides with a halved garlic clove. Cut the bread into uniform cubes and place them on a baking sheet that will be big enough to hold them in a single layer. Sprinkle them with extra virgin olive oil, your choice of herbs and/or cheese, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper, and toss well. Spread them out and bake in a preheated 400°F oven until browned and crispy, between 10 and 15 minutes. Keep your eye on them so they don’t burn.
Healthy Kitchen Nugget
Storing Squash
One of the many things I love about pumpkins and squashes is the long shelf life their thick skins give them. The best way to store them is in a cool, dry location, like a pantry cabinet, where they’ll keep for up to three months. So, when you see them at the store or farmer’s market, stock up on a few different varieties and have fun experimenting with recipes. Hint: They’re a great alternative to sweet potatoes, and roasting will bring out extra sweetness.
For Your Best Health
Home for Dinner
A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics looked at the eating habits of 35,000 Americans over the course of 15 years and found new evidence that eating more homemade meals you make yourself leads to better health. Mortality rates among those who dined out two or more times per day were 50% higher than for people who ate out less than once a week.
“Emerging, although still limited, evidence suggests that eating out frequently is associated with increased risk of chronic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes and biomarkers of other chronic diseases,” explained lead investigator Wei Bao, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the department of epidemiology at the College of Public Health of the University of Iowa in Iowa City. “This is one of the first studies to quantify the association between eating out and mortality.”
The takeaway from the researchers: “Frequent consumption of meals prepared away from home may not be a healthy habit. Instead, people should be encouraged to consider preparing more meals at home.” While findings based on questionnaires and personal recall have limitations, cooking for yourself certainly puts you in control, enabling you to focus on the best ingredients including fruits and veggies, heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil, and whole grains.
Fitness Flash
Setting Achievable Exercise Goals
Need a boost to get on track with exercise? A study done at the University of Pennsylvania and published in JAMA Cardiology found that when you set your own goals (as opposed to having someone else—a trainer, a doctor, or even an exercise buddy—do it for you) and take steps to meet them right away, you’re more motivated to follow through with them and create lasting change.
Then the question becomes how to create the right goals for you. Start by choosing an activity you like that fits your lifestyle—swimming is great, but if you don’t have regular access to a pool, it won’t be achievable. Your choice should also fit into your daily routine. Begin at an intensity that matches your ability—if you don’t yet exercise regularly, walking daily is great. Go easy at first, and then pick up the pace as you improve. And if it helps with motivation, create a reward system for yourself—maybe a new book or fresh flowers as you reach each goal.
Simple but sublime is the pumpkin soup my Merry Band of Tasters and I were served when visiting the Librandi family, one of Calabria’s outstanding olive oil producers. “Mama” Librandi shared the recipe with me.
Ingredients
1 3-pound pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, with seeds and membranes removed
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons water
Sea salt
Croutons for garnish (see the “Healthy Ingredient Spotlight” below)
Directions
Step 1
Using a sturdy knife, cut the pumpkin or butternut squash into roughly 1.5” cubes. Do the same with the potatoes.
Step 2
In a medium saucepan, combine the pumpkin, potatoes, the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and the water. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender—50 to 60 minutes.
Step 3
Transfer to a blender jar and purée until smooth (don’t fill the blender more than half full—work in batches if necessary). Salt to taste.
Step 4
Divide the soup between warmed soup bowls. Drizzle generously with additional olive oil, and garnish with croutons.
