Eat.More.Good.Food. That’s a great New Year’s resolution and this January we’re guided by Domenica Marchetti’s new cookbook, The Glorious Vegetables of Italy.
Domenica takes a fresh look at Italian vegetables and prepares them with style and flair. Of course, the rapini is a simple preparation that brings memories of my grandparents’ garden and kitchen table.
We’ve enjoyed the Ribollita – and here’s the diet tip. If you’re cutting carbs, just cut back on the croutons and you’ll still have a great, rich vegetable-loaded soup. Of course, the Ribolitta is not vegetarian, as it includes a bit of pancetta in the preparation with the soffritto. (Soffritto is the saute of pancetta, onion, and carrot, adding much flavor to the soup).
The complete recipe for Ribollita has been made available for us to share with you. Please enjoy the recipe here. Ribollita_Recipe_GloriousVegetables
Throughout the book, you’ll find meats, cheeses and seafood are used as seasoning, while the vegetables are the stars of the main event. Chapters are designated “Appetizers,” “Garden Soups and Salads,” “Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi, and Polenta,” “Pizza, Calzoni, and Panini,” “Main Courses,” and “Side Dishes.” Rounding out the book are a few desserts – incorporating great vegetables Chocolate Zucchini Cake, and a Winter Squash Panna Cotta. Still hankering for more? Preserves and condiments crafted with vegetables: Tomato Marmalade and Pickled Snacking Peppers. Great basics like Fresh Egg Pasta Dough and Simple Tomato Sauce are here too, inspiring confidence for all.
We’ve also made the Capricci with Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Cream. It was fabulous on a cold winter night. We didn’t have the Capricci so we chose Festoni. Gigli would be another good choice to capture all of the goodness in this recipe. This might not be the best way to start your diet, but this is a very satifying meal, when served with a salad!
We highly recommend The Glorious Vegetables of Italy. Make it part of your New Year’s Resolution.
