Category:  Meats

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Active prep time (to make filling): 20 minutes
Inactive prep time (for baking peppers): 25-30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 to 1-1/2 cups cooked basmati rice (per manufacturer’s directions), set aside to cool
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces dark ground turkey or ground beef
1 small yellow onion, peeled and finely minced
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely minced
1/2 of a medium zucchini, finely minced
2 whole peeled tomatoes (canned), puréed in a blender
Salt, ground black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 red bell peppers, cut in half vertically, stems discarded
One glass or porcelain baking dish (to hold 4 bell pepper halves)
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Prepare the Filling:
1. After you have cooked the rice and set it aside to cool, in a 4-quart saucepot, heat the olive oil (DO NOT LET IT SMOKE).

2. When oil is hot, add the ground turkey or beef; using a wooden spoon, break up the meat.

3. On medium-high heat, cook and stir the meat, breaking it up, for about 3 to 5 minutes.

4. When meat has turned brown, stir in the minced onion, carrot and zucchini; stir and cook on medium for about 2 minutes or until onion is translucent.

5. At this point, stir in the puréed tomatoes; cook on medium-low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes. The ground meat mixture has finished cooking when the liquid has reduced slightly.

6. When cooked, stir ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.

7. Preheat oven to 375°F and transfer the meat mixture to a glass or porcelain bowl; let it cool until it is slightly warm.

Fill and Bake the Peppers:
1. Using a large spoon, gently stir 1 cup of the cooked rice into the meat mixture; add 1 tablespoon olive oil and gently mix.

2. Taste the rice/meat mixture; if needed, adjust salt and pepper level. If you want to add more rice, you can add the remaining ½ cup.

3. Spoon the rice/meat filling in each of the four (4) red bell pepper halves. When stuffed, the peppers/filling should have rounded tops. If there is leftover filling, it can be reheated the next day and enjoyed by itself.

4. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil to the baking dish.

5. Place each stuffed pepper half (pepper-side down) in oiled baking dish.

6. Cover the baking dish with foil and place on an oven rack which is set at center of preheated oven.

7. Bake the stuffed peppers for 25 minutes.

8. After 25 minutes, using a small spoon, scoop out filling at center of one pepper; taste. If it is hot, peppers are ready to be served. If not, bake for an additional 5-6 minutes.

9. Serve the Stuffed Peppers with a green salad or other vegetable side dish. Garnish with basil leaves.
Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc (white), Cabernet Sauvignon (red).
Text & Photograph ©2025 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Prep time: 10 to 15 minutes
Serves: 4

When I was growing up in Italy, my grandmother or “Nonna” had a meal to prepare on a daily basis by 1 p.m. At times, she only had pasta and grains on hand and didn’t have time or money to shop for foods.

One day, my Nonna created a last-minute dish that required a short pasta variety. Since she only had long fettuccine, Nonna grabbed a few at a time, broke them into one-inch pieces and said, “Ecco! (there!), now I have short pasta”. She then made a quick tomato sauce, cooked and drained the pasta, threw in the chickpeas and served everyone. When we added grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano to this poor man’s dish, it tasted heavenly!

Here’s the recipe – only three ingredients are needed!

Ingredients:

One pound long pasta or short (if using long pasta, break it into one-inch pieces)
One 14-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzos), drained
2 to 2-1/2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce
Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. In a 4-quart saucepot, bring water to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, rinse and drain the chickpeas; set aside.

3. When water boils, cook the pasta to desired tenderness (9 to 10 minutes).

4. Drain the pasta and return it to the saucepot.

5. Quickly stir in about 2 to 2-1/2 cups tomato sauce and the chickpeas.

6. Serve immediately and ask guests to add cheese to their pasta e ceci, if desired.
Text & Photograph ©2025 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Prep time: 10 to 12 minutes
Serves: 4

Wanna freak everyone out at your Halloween dinner or party? They won’t believe that a scary dish such as black fettuccine can be so delicious!

Ingredients:
1 pound black fettuccine (homemade and premade; available at Eataly foods store or other supermarket)
Your favorite tomato sauce for pasta
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
Crushed, dried pepperoncino

Directions:
1. Bring a 4-quart saucepot of water to a boil.

2. Add the fettuccine to boiling water.

3. If homemade and fresh, boil the fettuccine for about 3 to 5 minutes (after 3 minutes, taste for doneness and boil a little longer if it’s not done).

4. If the fettuccine is from a package and dry, boil it for about 7 to 10 minutes.

5. While the fettuccine boil, keep the tomato sauce warm in a small saucepot; set aside.

6. When fettuccine has cooked, drain and return to the same saucepot.

7. Add sauce, stir and serve.

8. Ask guests to add their own Parmigiana Reggiano or Pecorino cheese and crushed peperoncino (dried chilis).
Text & Photograph ©2024 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Active prep time: 20 minutes (cooking milk mixture)
Inactive prep time: 90 minutes (cooling mixture & freezing time)
Serves: 4 to 6

Kulfi is a frozen dairy dessert (similar to ice cream) from the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East. The term kulfi has its roots in Persian – it means covered cup. It is believed this dessert originated in the Mughal Empire in the 16th century. This invention of kulfi was recorded in detail in the Mughal Emperor Akbar’s administration. The dairy mixture was flavored with pistachios and saffron, packed into metal cones and immersed in slurry ice.

Kulfi comes in various flavors. However, this recipe is the original Mughal Indian version with cardamom, saffron and pistachios.

Although Delhi is considered the birthplace of Kulfi, it is likely that Kulfi originally evolved in Persia (present-day Iran). As far back as 500 BCE in the Achaemenid Empire of Persia, ice creams and sorbets were created with rosewater, fruits and honey. It is likely that the Mughals elaborated on the Persian desserts to create this creamy ice cream called Kulfi.

If you desire a similar Persian-style frozen dessert called Bastani, use the optional rosewater ingredient listed herein. In this recipe and photo, I leaned towards the Persian flavors!

Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
½ cup condensed milk
¼ cup dry milk powder
2 teaspoons granulated white sugar
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
2 saffron threads or 2 envelopes each measuring 0.125 grams ground saffron
1 to 2 tablespoons rosewater (optional)
¼ cup chopped, unsalted pistachios

Directions:
1. Stir the milk, condensed milk and dry milk powder together in a heavy, stainless steel saucepot.

2. Bring the milk mixture to a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.

3. When mixture comes to a boil, stir in the sugar, cardamom, saffron and, if desired, add 2 teaspoons rosewater.

4. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly (take care that mixture does not stick to bottom of saucepot or burn).

5. After mixture has simmered 10 minutes and has reduced and thickened, stir in the pistachios.

6. Immediately transfer the mixture to a porcelain or glass bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let milk mixture cool completely – about 30 minutes.

7. After milk mixture has cooled completely, transfer it to popsicle molds or, alternatively, to a 4-cup metal bowl.

8. If using the metal bowl, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and freeze the kulfi for one hour.

9. When kulfi has set and looks frozen, serve it in small bowls, garnished with chopped pistachios.

Text & Photograph ©2024 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Prep time: 15 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

Don’t know what to do with those celery tops? This recipe infuses celery leaves with aromatic garlic and olive oil. This Italian side dish is great with everything.

Ingredients:
Tops from 2 bunches of farmers’ market celery (leaves and stems up to the stalk’s seam), rinsed, drained & chopped
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 whole garlic cloves, peeled
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. In a 4-quart saucepot, heat the oil until hot but not smoking.

2. Add garlic cloves to the heated oil and stir-fry until they turn golden brown.

3. When garlic is golden brown, add the chopped celery tops.

4. Stir fry until they’re wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Add salt and ground black pepper to taste.

6. If a more tender consistency is desired, stir-fry the celery tops for an additional minute or two.

7. Serve immediately as a side dish to meat, fish or poultry; or enjoy as part of a vegan/vegetarian meal.
Text & Photograph ©2024 Nancy DeLucia Real