Mangia Che Ti Passa! Try This Italian Feast this Week

The essence of Italian food is not greasy pizza or thick sauce spaghetti. In Italy, food is considered a lifestyle where freshness and the support of local vendors is a must. Italian food is very diverse, however, many dishes are light and simple. Letting the tastes of ingredients show through without over preparing them is strictly an Italian trait. Quality product with careful restraint yields clean, crisp Italian flavors that your mouth, and guests, will never forget.

Here in U.S., they’re called Farmer’s Markets. In the motherland, however, it’s just the regular market. There are no mainstream grocery stores that package and preserve food for years. Instead, every item can be picked up locally or better yet, made at home.

Let’s try the Italian way this week. Capellini Pomodoro, or tomato capellini, combines a light sauce with long, thin pasta and is the simplest three ingredient dish you’ll ever make. It pairs perfectly with Insalata Caprese, a traditional caprese salad famous for the perfect mix of tomato, basil and cheese.

Gather at the Poway Farmer’s Market:

10 medium sized tomatoes, dice 8, slice 2
2 heads of garlic, diced
1 bunch of fresh basil, slice all but four large leaves
1 package of mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 package parmesan cheese, grated
1 bottle balsamic vinegar
1 bottle olive oil

Ingredients from the Cabinet or Local Grocery Store:

1 package of angel hair pasta
Salt/pepper to taste

Directions:

Capellini Pomodoro: Heat several tablespoons of good olive oil in a saute pan. Add eight chopped tomatoes and let them begin to cook down. After a couple minutes, toss in your two heads of diced garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste and allow this mixture to simmer for 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes are completely cooked down. For the pasta water, add enough salt so it tastes like salt water. This will help flavor your noodles. Toss in the angel hair, and let it cook “Al dente,” or “to the bite,” which means your pasta will be firm but not hard. The pasta will retain heat and continue to cook outside of the water. This is why Italians emphasize cooking pasta until it is Al dente, so when it finally hits your mouth, it’s not too soft. Angel hair will cook fast so keep a close eye on it. Once your pasta is ready, drain it. In a separate bowl, combine equal amounts of pasta and pomodoro sauce. Fold together and top with grated parmesan and basil ribbons. Also, for extra presentation, add several whole leaves of basil to the top. Serve family style.

Insalata Caprese: Slice your mozzarella thickly. Slice your tomatoes to the same thickness. Plate the tomatoes first, top with the mozzarella slice and then a whole basil leaf on the top. Repeat for each guest, these are individual salads. Over each of them drizzle olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lightly salt and pepper. Serve family style with several salad towers and each guest can serve the insalata on their plate.

This salad is hands down the simplest, most beautiful you’ll ever try. Excellent as an appetizer or a main course, it will always be in your back pocket as a flavorful treat and meal booster.

If your guests are craving a little something extra, whip up meatballs or sausage and peppers to go with the pasta. For more amazing recipes along these lines, see here.

Either way, enjoy this homemade Italian feast.