All Posts By: NANCY DeLUCIA REAL

With okra in season, why not prepare a delicious pasta dish for our upcoming July 4th celebration? While stewing the okra and tomatoes, the rigatoni pasta cooks in minutes – just add it to the okra in skillet. Enjoy and have fun!

Prep time: 8 minutes (for cutting okra, tomatoes & onion)
Cook time: 10 minutes (okra and pasta)
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped white or brown onion (1/4-inch pieces)
1 large ripe tomato, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
3/4 pound fresh okra, tips cut and discarded; flesh cut into 1/2-inch rings
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup water
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound Rigatoni pasta (or other preferred, short variety)

Directions:
1. In a 12-inch skillet, heat the oil on medium-high setting.

2. When oil is hot, add chopped onion; stir-fry onion for 2 to 3 minutes or until it is translucent and turns light golden brown.

3. Stir in the okra; cover and cook on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes.

4. After 1 to 2 minutes, stir in the wine; cover and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, bring a 4 to 5-quart sauce pot of water to a boil – keep water aside at a low boil.

6. After the okra and tomatoes have cooked 2 minutes, stir in 1/4 cup water, salt and black pepper.

7. Cover and stew the okra and tomatoes on medium-low heat for about 2 to 3 minutes.

8. Meanwhile, add the rigatoni to the boiling water; cook according to package directions – 8 to 10 minutes or until “al dente” (crunchy-tender).

9. While pasta boils, set the skillet with okra and tomatoes aside on a cold burner or on a countertop (this will ensure that it will not dry out).

10. When pasta has is cooked, drain it in a colander, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

11. Bring the okra and tomato stew to a simmer.

12. When okra and tomatoes simmer, stir in the drained pasta and 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid.

13. Stir and heat through on medium-high heat, reducing the liquid a little. If more pasta cooking liquid is needed, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more. NOTE: The pasta and okra mixture should not be soupy.

14. Divide the rigatoni, okra and tomatoes among 4 to 6 dishes. Ask guests to add some grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and some crushed pepper to their rigatoni dish (optional).

15. Serve this pasta dish with chilled Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio wine (both are white wines).
Text and Photograph ©2015 Nancy DeLucia Real

Sometimes I just don’t know where my tastebuds are headed – do I want sweet or savory foods? Maybe I want both. For this salad, I used three types of melon: cantaloup, honeydew and watermelon. Then, I added red onion, lime juice, salt, pepper and Feta cheese. The flavors in this salad definitely satisfy a sweet or savory palate. Enjoy this refreshing salad all summer long!

Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 to 1/3 cup lime juice
1-1/2 cups diced cantaloup
1-1/2 cups diced honeydew melon
1-1/2 cups diced watermelon
1 cup Feta cheese, crumbled
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste (if needed)

Directions:
1. Place the sliced red onion in a bowl with lime juice; set aside for 5 minutes.

2. After 5 minutes and in a separate bowl, combine the diced melons with red onion and slightly toss.

3. Top the melon and onion with Feta cheese and black pepper. Taste.

4. If needed, add a little salt (1/4 teaspoon); taste again. Adjust seasonings and serve immediately.

5. This salad pairs well with fish or poultry.
Photograph & Text 2015 Nancy DeLucia Real

Iran is the modern name for ancient Persia. The people of this culture call themselves “Persians”. I can see how proud they are when they say they are “Persians”, for they stay connected with their great empire dating back to 2,400 years ago. Persia was rich with architecture, visual and decorative arts. And, it flabbergasted its visitors with succulent foods, then and now.

The first time I tasted Persian food was at my friends’ home. My hosts, Elena and Robert, presented an ornate and colorful buffet with an array of freshly-made meat, chicken and vegetarian stews. My taste buds went crazy – herbs, spices, pomegranate seeds, apricots, cherries, walnuts brought out sweet and savory flavors in at least 4 to 5 rice dishes and fish. However, I was most impressed with how Persian cuisine combines fresh fruit, nuts and rosewater in desserts. These ingredients are used in cakes, marzipan, saffron ice cream, rice sorbet and cookies.

Here’s a cookie recipe which I developed by combining almonds, cardamom, cinnamon, butter and rosewater. Once baked, enjoy these with a cup of Persian tea.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Bake time: 30 minutes
Makes: 24 cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
2 large eggs
3/4 cup unbleached, granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon rosewater
1 cup roasted, unsalted, slivered almonds (ground)
powdered sugar (for garnish)
ground cinnamon (for garnish)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease and flour one 12 X 18-inch baking sheet and set aside.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom in a medium bowl and set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl and with a hand mixer, beat together the eggs, sugar and butter on medium speed until well blended.

4. Stir in the rosewater and the slivered almonds.

5. With mixer set on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture (1 cup at a time) to the wet ingredients, mixing well after each addition.

6. Transfer the dough onto a smooth, floured surface.

7. With lightly-floured hands, lightly knead the dough until smooth and uniform.

Rolling Out the Dough:

1. Divide the dough into two portions; set one portion aside.

2. With lightly-floured hands, roll out one portion into a log measuring 10 inches long by 2 inches wide.

3. Cut off a 1-1/2-inch piece and, with lightly floured hands, roll it into a ball.

4. Flatten the dough ball into a circle measuring 1-3/4 inches and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

5. Repeat cutting and placing the cookie dough on baking sheet; space each dough circle two inches apart.

6. When baking sheet is filled, bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms look light golden brown when lifted with a spatula.

7. After cookies have baked, transfer the baking sheet on a counter; let the cookies cool in baking sheet.

8. At serving time, sift powdered sugar and cinnamon onto cookies.
Photograph & Text 2015 Nancy DeLucia Real

Peas with Grappa? You better believe it!

During the early summer months when I lived in Italy, bushels of pea pods would be delivered to our kitchen. We then went to the garden for onions and whatever ingredients might add color and flavor to our pea recipe. In this case, we used red bell peppers and thyme. But the best was yet to come – the peas were spiked with Grappa.

As a side note, here’s my favorite Grappa – Poli Grappa®. It’s from Bassano del Grappa in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Poli Grappa® is smooth and goes down like a sweet fire. However, for cooking purposes, you may want to save some bucks and buy inexpensive Grappa found at Trader Joe’s® Stores.

I hope you enjoy this exquisite side dish of Peas, Grappa & Thyme. Don’t forget to end the meal with a shot of Poli Grappa®.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2 to 3 (as a side dish)

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
One package Trader Joe’s® fresh, shelled peas (found in refrigerated vegetable section of store)
2 tablespoons finely chopped brown or white onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup Grappa
1/4 cup chicken, vegetable broth or water
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Directions:
1. In a 12-inch skillet, heat the oil.

2. When oil is hot, stir fry the peas on medium-high heat for 30 seconds – do not let them turn golden.

3. Add the chopped onion and bell pepper.

4. Stir fry the mixture on medium-high heat for 1 more minute or until onion is translucent.

5. Add the Grappa to the pea mixture and stir fry 1 more minute.

6. If mixture dries out, add 1/4 cup of broth or water and stir fry for 1 more minute.

7. Stir in salt and black pepper, to taste, followed by the thyme leaves.

8. Serve peas as a side dish to fish, poultry or meat. Alternatively, add this dish to a vegetarian feast.

*Grappa is an Italian alcoholic beverage made from the distillation of skins, pulp, seeds and stems (the “pomace”) leftover after pressing grapes in the winemaking process. Grappa is therefore a fragrant pomace brandy. The flavor depends on the quality of the Grappa.

Text and Peas, Grappa & Thyme Photograph ©2015 Nancy DeLucia Real
Poli® Grappa Photograph by Vinopedia

Do you ever throw out cooked, leftover spaghetti? While living in Italy, my grandmother (Nonna Annunziata) never threw out extra ingredients. To my amazement, she used the leftover spaghetti to variate our frittatas. She simply beat eggs with Pecorino Romano cheese. She then added the cooked spaghetti to the egg mixture and cooked it in an oiled skillet. Wow! Everyone loved it, except for me. And now, everyone loves my spaghetti frittata, including me!

Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
8 large eggs
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh, chopped parsley (optional)
2 to 3 cups cooked, drained and cooled spaghetti
4 tablespoons olive oil (for coating skillet)
1 to 2 large, vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into cubes and set in a bowl
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (for tomatoes)

Directions:
1. In a 3-quart mixing bowl, beat the eggs, cheese, salt and black pepper together.

2. Stir in the parsley (optional) and the spaghetti; set aside.

3. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil.

4. When oil is hot, add the spaghetti-egg mixture to the skillet.

5. Immediately set heat on low and cover the skillet.

6. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes.

7. After about 6 to 7 minutes, tilt the skillet. Using a spatula, left edges of frittata and let the raw egg escape to the sides and bottom of skillet.

8. Cover the skillet and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.

9. After 3 to 4 minutes, place a large, flat platter over skillet and quickly flip the skillet with frittata over and onto the platter.

10. Carefully slide the flipped frittata back into the skillet.

11. Cover the skillet and cook the frittata for about 5 minutes.

12. After 5 minutes, using a spatula, lift the frittata bottom to check if underside is golden brown. If it is golden brown, the frittata is done. If not, cook it for another 2 to 3 minutes.

13. Slide the frittata into 6 to 8 wedges and garnish with sprigs of fresh parsley.

14. At serving time, add extra virgin olive oil, salt and ground black pepper to the cubed tomatoes; stir together.

Serve immediately with Italian bread or toasted bagels.
Text and Photograph ©2015 Nancy DeLucia Real