Harissa

Harissa paste is a traditional Tunisian blend of dried chili peppers and spices. Harissa is made with dried chili peppers rather than fresh as their flavour is more complex then fresh peppers. To make Harissa paste combine the following ingredients and blend in a mortar and pestle until a thick paste is formed.

 Ingredients:

3 1/3 tbsp dried chili flakes, soaked in the same amount of hot water until soft

1 2/3 tbsp garlic

1 2/3 tbsp paprika

2 tsp caraway seed

2 tsp coriander seed

1 tsp ground toasted cumin seed

1 tsp salt

6 mint leaves finely chopped

Penne Abruzzo

A delicious dish made with roasted eggplant and hot Italian sausages served over penne.

Ingredients:

1 lbs of penne pasta

1 1/2 lbs hot Italian sausage

3/4 lb eggplant

1/2 tsp of salt

1 tbsp olive oil

6 slices of smoked bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 large onion chopped

3 cloves of garlic chopped

1 tbsp fresh rosemary

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cup of red wine

1 1/2 cups of tomato sauce

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of sugar (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of salt and set aside for 30 minutes.

3. Bake the sausage in at 350 F for 10 to 15 minutes and set aside to cool.

4. Remove the salt from the eggplant, brush with olive oil and broil for 7 to 10 minutes or until tender. Allow the eggplant to cool.

5. Bring a large heavy pot of salted water to a boil and add the penne.

6. Heat 2 to 3 tbsp olive oil in a dutch oven or large frying pan.

7. Add bacon to the pot and cook until almost crisp. Add onions, chili pepper flakes, garlic and rosemary. Cook until the onions are tender and light golden.

8. Slice the sausages and cube the eggplant. Add to the onion mixture along with the wine. Simmer a few minutes and then add the tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes and add the cooked and drained pasta. Simmer the and additional 1 to 2 minutes. 

9. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and a pinch of sugar if desired.

Capellini with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Lemon

 Capellini with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Lemon

This recipe is a simple and delicious dish that can be easily made in about 15 minutes. The sauce is supposed to be tangy, but you may choose to adjust the amount of lemon juice to taste. Chevre is a soft goat cheese; it is easier to crumble if it is refrigerated.

Serves two but can easily be doubled.

Ingredients:

1/3 lbs capellini (angel hair pasta)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

6 sun-dried tomatoes, cut into very thin strips

3 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup of chicken stock

4 to 5 tbsp of lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp parmesan cheese

3 tbsp chevre (goat cheese) crumbled

Chopped parsley, for garnish

1. Bring a large pot of salted water (for cooking the pasta) to the boiling point.

2. In a large frying pan over low heat, fry garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, stirring occasionally until the garlic turns golden and the sun-dried tomatoes have begun to colour.

3. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes while the pasta cooks.

4. Cook the pasta in rapidly boiling water. Drain the pasta and add to the frying pan. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and stir to mix well (the dish should be fairly soupy).

5. To serve, place equal portions of the pasta in high-sided bowls and pour the remaining sauce over the.

6. Crumble the chevre over the pasta and sprinkle with chopped parsely.

7. Serve with additional parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper.

Note: the chevre can be added directly to the sauce while simmering to melt the cheese into the sauce