Following are reader suggestions and some recipes. Buon Appetito!

1. Leftovers vegetables make great pasta sauce: Take leftover vegetables, chop them up, sauté in some olive oil with garlic and add a little tomato sauce or chopped tomatoes. Add salt and pepper. This makes a great pasta sauce. You can sauté the cooked pasta in this sauce and add parmesan cheese just before serving
2. Leftovers for a creative frittata: All sorts of leftovers are good for making a frittata. If you have some leftover veggies or meat, you can cut them in pieces. Sauté some onions in olive oil, add the leftovers and add salt and pepper. In a separate bowl lightly beat some eggs (quantity will vary depending on the amount of leftovers) with a teaspoon of olive oil, salt, pepper and a teaspoon of grated parmesan. Add to the cooked vegetables and cook on the stovetop or pop into a hot oven for a flavorful frittata
3. Roast chicken or turkey leftovers: Make chicken pot pie or turkey pot pie using chopped meat and adding flavorful ingredients. Use the bones for making broth for soup.
4. Fish leftovers: chop the fish to make fish tacos or fish burritos
5. Potato leftovers: Make potato pancakes or try potato gnocchi
6. Leftover beans:  Make chli or bean soups or do as this reader suggests:
   “I made this recipe for Kemp’s Black Beans today. Unbelievably delicious. I used onion powder and more sherry than called for.”
7. Leftover meat: chop or grind the meat and use to stuff peppers, zucchini or to make stuffed eggplants

Please send in more suggestions and I will share with everyone,. Let’s help each other eat live better!

Photo: Stuffed eggplant (melanzana ripiena)

For more info: serenella@toscanamia.biz.

Some of my favorite meals as a child resulted from my father or mother using kitchen leftovers. Most people know about the delicious Tuscan soups (like ribollita or pancotto) made utilizing breads – usually stale breads. Have you heard of polpette (meatballs made from leftovers – sometimes coated and fried) or fresh pasta ravioli with stuffing made from leftover fish or meat? Have you heard of soups or pasta sauces made with fish bones and fish heads or those flavored with parmesan crust?

The current depressed economic situation is international. My friends and family in Italy are not as frightened as people in the U.S. over this deep recession. Perhaps it is because Italy has undergone thousands of years of invasions, famines, and wars (including two brutal wars in the last century) before being ranked as one of the top 10 world economies. Italians know how “make do.”

The Italians are not despairing. They have rolled up their sleeves and gone back to basic principals of La Cucina Povera (cooking rooted in old and rustic traditions). Even restaurants in Italy have joined the trend. Some are featuring panini with “fish tripe,” fried potato or zucchini skins, specialties made from artichoke stems and so on.

All this does not mean that anyone is steering away from preparations that are absolutely delicious. On the contrary; this is where creativity and attention to each detail and ingredient (as always) comes in. You will be surprised at the delicious creamy soups you can make with leftover peas or beans or the desserts you can concoct with leftover egg whites or egg yolks. What about carrot or beet greens in your arsenal of vegetable recipes?

As an example, here is a recipe for Tuscan Ribollita Soup. It is an abundant recipe (for 10 or 12 people) so that you can store some in the freezer for another meal.

Please send your best frugal and delicious recipes to serenella@toscanamia.biz and put “recipe” in the subject line.  I will share them for all our readers to enjoy. I am excited to see how creative we can be!

Buon appetito.

There is a long history of food appreciation and gourmet cooking on both sides of my family. When I was a child growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1950s, the only espresso coffee house was Caffe Trieste on Grant Avenue in North Beach (where I experienced my first heavenly cappuccino). We did not see espresso shops on every corner (like Starbucks) or trendy Italian restaurants that featured the regional foods of Italy. In an effort to maintain traditions and have authentic ingredients, my parents roasted their own coffee beans in a small, round tin roaster with a handle turned by hand over an alcohol-fueled can. The dark-roasted coffee beans were ground in an old, hand-cranked coffee grinder (I was responsible for this task). When we went on vacation, the first thing to be packed was an old (manual) espresso coffee maker and a small electric burner.
In the pre-Alice Waters California, Italian-American families grew their own produce in their back yards (or on window sills and terraces if they lived in apartments).

On many occasions, I accompanied my Babbo (father) to the Civic Center plaza in front of City Hall in San Francisco where, much to my embarrassment, he lovingly picked the precious fruit from the old olive trees in the square. He would then take these home to cure for a variety of delicious recipes.

I always smile when olives are involved in recipe (as in the recipe for Cornish Hen Skewers over Polenta). Recently, I was speaking to a woman who immigrated to California as a child. She said to me: “You will never believe where my father and mother went to pick olives!” We immediately bonded over this shared history.

The Italian quest for authentic and fresh ingredients and the maintaining of cooking traditions is legendary. You may have heard stories of Italians picking wild mushrooms wherever they can, even near dangerous freeways. Without authentic and essential ingredients (not always found in grocery stores), the recipes just would not be the same!

http://toscanamia.biz/blog/recipes/cornish-hens-skewers-over-polenta

Ingredients:

• 3 oz. smoked salmon, cut into large pieces (1 inch squared)
• 1 T olive oil
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 T butter
• 1 T Tomato sauce
• A few drops of Tabasco Sauce
• 4T fresh whipping cream

Boil plenty of water for your favorite pasta.  Bow tie pasta is fun with this recipe.  Bring the water to a boil, add salt as needed. Follow the package cooking directions for the pasta. You can actually make the sauce as you are cooking the pasta.

Procedure:

Sauté the scallions in the olive oil and butter until wilting.  Add the smoked salmon and stir well.  Then add the tomato sauce and Tabasco sauce for zing.  When these are all heated, add the whipping cream, stir well and heat but do not boil. Serve immediately.

Do not add cheese as this is a fish pasta dish.

Spaghetti Sauce with Sun Dried Tomatoes (enough for ½ lb. pasta)
(Printable Version)

• 1½ T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 5 or 6 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
• Fresh Oregano
• Fresh Basil
• Salt, pepper
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Procedure:

Coat a large pan with the olive oil.  Add the garlic and scallions until they start to turn a light golden color (not too dark).  Add the Roma tomatoes and cook for about 15 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook over slow heat for another 10 or 15 minutes.  Add a few leaves of the herbs and salt and pepper to taste.

Mix with your favorite cooked pasta, add the Parmesan and serve hot.

Gnocchi are an economical dish to make and a great and creative experience to share with children. Although a little difficult the first time you “try your hand” at this, gnocchi become fun when you get the hang of it.

The original and most classic version of potato gnocchi (according to the great food experts Carnacina and Veronelli – as well as my grandmother) is made with very good potatoes and flour only. Over the years and for the sake of ease in restaurants, eggs have been added to the recipe. I find the addition of egg makes the gnocchi less fluffy but it is certainly an option to make the process easier.

This is one recipe where you will need a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients to take into account the relative humidity of your cooking environment. So, get out your equipment and have a go at it!

(Printable Version)

Ingredients:

• 2 Kg (of potatoes (preferable flaky Idaho or russet potatoes)

• 400 gr.(14.1 ounces) of sifted Italian 00 flour (or all purpose flour) plus some flour for dusting

• 100 grams (about 7T) of butter

• 120 grams (about 2/3 cup) of grated parmesan cheese

• 1 egg, beaten (optional)

• 5 liter (a little over 2 C or 1 pint) of your favorite pasta sauce (tomato sauce, ragú, pesto, cheese sauce or other)

Procedure:

Scrub the potatoes with a vegetable brush. Cook the potatoes in boiling water until done. Peel and mash the potatoes through a food mill or ricer into a large bowl. Let this cool to the warm stage.

Note: Some people prefer to bake the potatoes rather than boil them. What I am giving you is the classic Tuscan recipe and you can feel free to experiment.

Add the flour to the potatoes gradually and incorporate with a wooden spoon.

Optional: At this point, if you are having any trouble, you may want to incorporate the beaten egg, a little at a time, to help the dough stick together.

Place the dough on a kneading surface and knead gently (as you would bread dough) for a few minutes (about 5). Knead until the dough comes together and you can make a ball out of it.

You should have nice dough that holds together but is still relatively soft.

Cut off a piece of the dough (about the size of your fist), and roll into a cylinder or ‘rope’ on a dusted surface until it is about ¾ inches in diameter. Now cut the cylinder into 1 inch pieces.

Many restaurants cook the gnocchi at this stage. The real Italian tradition is to make gnocchi with ridges using the tines of a fork. Make sure everything you use (your fingers, the fork and the working surface) are well-dusted with flour to avoid sticking.

To create the ridges, press a piece of dough on a fork as you hold it. Press and roll the piece of dough over the fork with the thumb of your other hand so that you form ridges on one side and an indentation on the other side. This makes the gnocchi prettier and less thick. Place the ridged gnocchi on a single layer on a lightly floured dish or pan.

To cook the gnocchi, place them into a large pot of boiling and salted water. After a few minutes, the gnocchi will rise to the surface. Cook for one minute more then remove with a slotted spoon or skimmer and into a bowl or large plate.

Immediately toss the gnocchi with butter. You can serve them in this way with parmesan cheese or you can toss them in your favorite sauce. Serve immediately.

Buon appetito!

This recipe comes to us courtesy of Margherita, a very lovely lady from Lucca (Tuscany), Italy.
For 5 people

Ingredients:

• 1 cauliflower
• 5 T all purpose flour
• 2 Eggs
• 1 cup sparkling (mineral) water
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 T Grated Parmigiano cheese
• Vegetable oil for frying

Preparation:

Place the flour, eggs, water, salt and pepper to taste and the Parmigiano in a bowl.

Whisk all the ingredients until they are creamy. Place the batter in the refrigerator for one hour.

Boil or steam the cauliflower until well cooked and soft. Drain. Cut into pieces and smash with a fork and mix this into the batter.

Meanwhile, heat the oil until hot enough for frying (350 – 375). Drop the cauliflower batter one tablespoon at a time into the hot oil. Cook the fritters until golden. Drain on a paper towel.

Serve warm. 

This is a delicious way to prepare Cornish Hens. I do not have any quantities measured out for this recipe as I usually eyeball it and vary it according to the vegetables I’m using. Here’s my best shot at a formal recipe:

Ingredients:

• 4 Cornish hens cut in quarters
• Pancetta thickly sliced (about 4 ¼’ thick slices, cut into quarters)
• Sage leaves as necessary
• Slices of day-old bread (thick crusted Italian bread is best)
• Vegetables. This depends on what you like to use to alternate on the skewers with the hens. I use any of the following: tomatoes, onions, peppers, mushrooms (cut in quarters or large pieces)
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil
• long metal skewers
• rectangular roasting pan

Preparation:

• Polenta prepared (cooked) using the recipe on the package. I like to use the Pheasant polenta and make a double dose of the basic recipe. Place a thick layer in the bottom of the roasting pan.
• Black olives of your choice (I like the ones that are a little bitter). Scatter the olives over the polenta.

Assembly for the skewers:

Skewer a piece of Cornish hen then a piece of pancetta, one sage leaf and piece of bread in that order. Alternate with vegetables if you like then repeat the series until all the pieces of Cornish hens have been utilized but leave room on both ends of the skewers so you can place them on top of the roasting pan.

Brush the skewers with olive oil then salt and pepper according to taste. Place the skewers across the top of the pan with their ends resting on the sides of the pan so they rest over the polenta (not directly on it).

Place everything in a pre-heated (350 degree) oven. Turn the skewers occasionally and cook until the hen pieces are done (and the bread looks a little burnt and crispy). The drippings from the skewers will fall into the polenta giving it more flavor.

When the hen pieces are done, let the skewers rest a few minutes. Place the polenta and olives in a serving tray or plate. Take the skewers out of the cooked hens and veggies. You can serve these over the polenta or in a separate plate (whichever you prefer).

Serve with a good wine.

Buon appetito.

Serves 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hours, 30 minutes

Tuscans are known as Fagiolari or Mangia-fagioli (bean eaters) in Italy. You can be sure that meals in Tuscany often include beans in a variety of preparations.

The Tuscan dish Fagioli all’Uccelletto is quick, easy and delicious. The name all’uccelletto refers to the fact that this preparation uses ingredients (mostly sage and garlic) classically used in cooking small game birds.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (500 g) dried cannellini, navy or great northern (white beans), soaked overnight in abundant water* 
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed 
• 7-8 leaves of fresh sage 
• 1-2 peeled fresh plum tomatoes or a small can of tomatoes 
• Boiling water 
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• 8 Mild Italian link sausages (optional; see below)

*If you’re in a hurry, you can substitute 2 cans of cannellini beans. They won’t be quite the same as the soaked beans but very good just the same.

Procedure:

If you decide to make Fagioli all’Uccelletto with sausages, use mild Italian sausages. If you like spicy food, you might mix in some other kinds of sausages (your favorites). Just don’t make this so strong that the great taste of the beans is overpowered. This recipe is base on two large sausages per person. If you have big eaters, you will want to adjust the recipe.

Drain the beans that have been soaked overnight in a colander then place them in a pot with clean cold water (that is 2 inches deeper than the top of the beans. Add a few leaves of fresh sage and a clove or two of peeled garlic to the beans. Bring water to a boil then set to simmer. Start checking the beans after ½ hour of simmering. You will need to cook them until they are about ¾ done so you will need to taste them (this could take up to 1 hour). Do not let the beans get too soft.

If you are including sausages, prick their skins lightly with a fork. People usually prefer to render some fat from the sausages before adding them to the beans. Sauté or boil the sausages for a few minutes to render some fat.

Once the beans are 3/4 done, set the olive oil to heat over a medium flame, in a heavy bottomed clay pot or Dutch oven. When the oil is heating, add the garlic and the sage (not more than seven or eight leaves). Cook until the sage gets crispy and the garlic just starts to brown (about 1 minute). Add the tomatoes, lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the beans and enough bean broth to cover. Season the beans with salt and pepper, add the sausages, and simmer everything until the beans are quite soft (10 to 15 minutes), stirring occasionally and adding bean broth as necessary to keep things from drying out. Please note that the final result should be on the drier side (not soupy).

The story, as told by the author Pellegrino Artusi in the historic Italian cookbook “L’Arte di Mangiar Bene” goes back to the year 1430 in Florence.  At that time, the leaders of the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches were having a church council meeting.  When the Tuscans served this roast to the Greek bishops, they all exclaimed “Aristos, aristos, aristos!” (the best) in Greek.  From that day forward, the Tuscans have called this roast Arista.

Arista is served all over Tuscany and can be part of simple or elaborate meals.  It is great with potatoes or beans (Tuscans are known as fagiolari or bean eaters). It is delicious served hot from the oven or even better cold in a panino the next day.  Ask your butcher for a rib section center cut pork loin.  You can have the butcher cut the bones away from the meat but leave the undercut attached then re-assemble the piece and tie it with twine.  Or, you can just cook it on the bone.

As with all Italian specialties, the Arista recipe varies from cook to cook. Feel free to experiment with the optional ingredients.  Buon appetito!

Arista di Maiale (Tuscan Pork Roast) – Serves 6
(Printable version)

20 minutes preparation
3 hours total time

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped sage (optional)
• 6 cloves minced garlic
• 1 1/2 Tbs. sea salt, plus more, to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 4 freshly ground cloves (optional)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 bone-in pork loin roast, about 4 ½ to 5 lbs – center cut pork loin  (the picture is of a boneless piece)
• 1 cup white wine

Procedure:

Arista refers to the pork saddle.  In Tuscany it is usually cooked on the spit but it can also be delicious roasted in the oven.

The story, as told by the author Pellegrino Artusi in the historic Italian cookbook “L’Arte di Mangiar Bene” goes back to the year 1430 in Florence.  At that time, the leaders of the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches were having a church council meeting.  When the Tuscans served this roast to the Greek bishops, they all exclaimed “Aristos, aristos, aristos!” (the best) in Greek.  From that day forward, the Tuscans have called this roast Arista.

Arista is served all over Tuscany and can be part of simple or elaborate meals.  It is great with potatoes or beans (Tuscans are known as fagiolari or bean eaters). It is delicious served hot from the oven or even better cold in a panino the next day.  Ask your butcher for a rib section center cut pork loin.  You can have the butcher cut the bones away from the meat but leave the undercut attached then re-assemble the piece and tie it with twine.  Or, you can just cook it on the bone.

As with all Italian specialties, the Arista recipe varies from cook to cook. Feel free to experiment with the optional ingredients.  Buon appetito!

Arista di Maiale (Tuscan Pork Roast) – Serves 6

20 minutes preparation
3 hours total time

Ingredients:

¼ cup finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 Tbs. finely chopped sage (optional)
6 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 Tbs. sea salt, plus more, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 freshly ground cloves (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 bone-in pork loin roast, about 4 ½ to 5 lbs – center cut pork loin  (the picture is of a boneless piece)
1 cup white wine

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mince together garlic, rosemary (and sage if using). Mix in a small bowl with sea salt and add pepper. Rub 1 tablespoon of this mixture all over the outside of the pork. Start at one end of the meat and make a 3/4-inch slit with a long thin knife through the middle of the pork to other end. Stuff the entire length of the slit with the remaining garlic mixture, pushing it down with your finger or the end of a spoon. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.*

Put loin, fat side up, on a rack in a roasting pan and roast in middle of oven.  Add the olive oil.
Some people prefer to keep  the meat directly in the pan (and not on the roasting rack) so that it cooks in its own flavorful fat. When the meat starts to brown, quickly pour the wine over the meat and close the oven to keep the temperature  constant.

When an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally at least 2 inches into meat registers 155°F, (about 2 hours), remove the pork from the oven. Let the pork stand, loosely covered, 20 minutes.

Remove string. Separate loin from bones and cut meat crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices. If desired, serve bones cut into ribs.

*Make ahead: You may rub and stuff the roast with the garlic mixture 1 day ahead of cooking.  Keep it chilled and covered overnight and bring it to room temperature before roasting.