Mangia Con Elena

  Italian Crostata (Tart) IG: @mangia.con.elena   Italian Crostata is a classic sweet treat for any occasion. The best thing about this (other than the taste of course) is that you can transform it into a thousand different variations, depending on the filling: fruit , chocolate, custard, and ricotta just to name a few. My favourite crostata filling is apricot jam but any jam works great so feel free to add whichever is your favourite.  It will stay fresh on the counter for a few days. It also freezes well as does the dough (frolla). Growing up my mother made these crostata free form on her baking sheets. Exactly the way she was taught to make them. You can make them free form by laying the dough on parchment paper, adding the jam and pinching the sides to create a lip. Free form or in a tart pan, they are delicious! Ingredients 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour plus more if needed 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 cup sugar 1 large egg (room temperature) 1 large egg yolk (room temperature) 1/2 cup s

  Wine and Lemon Poached Haddock with Asparagus and Grape Tomatoes IG: @mangia.con.elena This  quick and easy poached haddock recipe is delicate and packed with Mediterranean herbs and spices.  I have several different ways that I like to prepare white fish and this is definitely one of my favourites. It works well with fresh Spring asparagus and ripe grape tomatoes. It is light and perfect for Lenten Friday dishes or for whenever you have a craving for some Mediterranean goodness. This can be made without the addition of asparagus or switch it out for other veggies such as yellow and green zucchini.  This recipe works best with white fish such as cod, haddock, sea bass, flounder or sole.  I prefer haddock as it has a mildly sweet taste and is a leaner white flesh. It has tender flakes and a firm texture which holds up well with poaching and becomes milder as it cooks. Rich in protein, nutrients and minerals, fish is the perfect Mediterranean staple. I like to serve this over a grain s

  Goat Cheese, Parmigiano and Grape Tomato Pasta Mista IG: @mangia.con.elena We like to call this "Italian Mac n' Cheese." This pasta dish is incredibly simple and can be ready and on your table in less than 30 minutes! Definitely a go to dish in my house when I am craving pasta but have little time or energy. In addition, the smell of the garlic and tomatoes simmering definitely perk me up!   Goat cheese and grated parmigiano- reggiano are blended with the flavours of grape tomatoes simmered in garlic and olive oil to release its juices. Add a bit of pasta water to thicken the sauce and you have a creamy, flavourful and delicious bowl of pasta.  When I have as assortment of half full pasta bags in my pantry, it is time to make "pasta mista," which means mixed pasta.  This one is farfalle and tortiligione.  When making this dish, choose a pasta shape with crevices or twists as it is the best vessel for this wonderful sauce. Trust me, you will be glad you did whe

Italian Beef and Barley Soup  IG: @mangia.con.elena  I am soup obsessed. Ask anyone who knows me and they will agree wholeheartedly. If you scroll through my blog you will see a variety of soup recipes. Soup in my childhood home was a regular occurrence. It wasn't just for the winter months as often my mother would use all of the veggie leftovers in a soup because in our Italian household nothing ever went to waste. My parents taught us an appreciation of food and gratitude for every meal that graced our table.   My mother made the most delicious soups and never followed a recipe. Her base was always the same- home made chicken, beef or vegetable broth depending on what the ingredients for that night's soup was going to be used. I definitely am the same way when it comes to most of my cooking but especially soup.  When the craving hits for soup, I first go in the freezer to see what meat and broth I have and then into the fridge to see what vegetables will best compliment the c

  Italian Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash It is mid October and the weather has turned cooler. The leaves are changing colours and there is a gentle rain outside. It is time to dig out those sweaters and swap out all the summer outfits in my closet for cozy winter ones. As much as I dread winter, I do love the fall. I love everything about it- the crisp air, the gorgeous colours, the filtered sun and even the rain. It is my most favourite time of the year to go for walks in the many trails that we are blessed to have in our region. There is always something to marvel at, that makes me stop and smile. It is also my favourite time of the year for embracing the amazing harvest that is readily available to us. Squash and apples being my most beloved for this time of the year. So it only makes sense that this apple and sausage stuffed squash is a dish that is on repeat in our house. It is that good. Sweet apples, earthy sage, savoury Italian sausages and saltiness from the parmigiano

  Italian Cannellini Bean (White Kidney Beans)and Tuna Salad IG: @mangia.con.elena Another classic quick Italian salad. This salad is traditionally made with just cannellini beans (white kidney beans) , tuna and onions but I like to add crunch to my salads by adding celery and making it even more nutritious by adding fresh tomatoes, peppers and parsley. I enjoy the tuna but I have members of my family that do not so I will add the tuna in later as a topping to my salad and everyone can add what protein or dairy that they like!  Add some crusty bread and finito! I have to admit that I wasn’t a big fan of beans growing up. I am pretty sure it’s because we ate them all the time and there was a period where we ate pasta è fagioli everyday ( It probably wasn’t everyday but in my mind it was). My parents grew their own beans and my mother would add day old bread and make it into ribollita as well (still can’t eat ribollita with bread). It was a tough time when my dad’s mining company went on

Spaghetti Alla Gricia  IG: @mangia.con.elena Pinterest: mangiaconelena Spaghetti alla Gricia is one of the four classic Roman pasta dishes. The other dishes are Cacio e Pepe, Bucatini all' Amatriciana and Carbonara. They are simple pasta dishes with few ingredients yet incredibly flavourful and delicious! It is also referred to as "Amatriciana bianca"  the ingredients are identical except for the tomatoes.  Spaghetti alla Gricia is said to hail from the town of Grisciane in the region of Abruzzo where poor shepherds  would take this simple meal while working in the fields.  Tomatoes were added in the 17th century when they were introduced to the Italian soil. Bucatini all' Amatriciana was born in Amatrice and later became a classic dish of Roman cuisine.  The authentic recipe calls for guanciale which is pork jowl. However, it can be challenging to find guanciale and you can certainly substitute pancetta or bacon. If using bacon I would highly recommend purchasing the

  Stuffed Peppers Stuffed peppers is an authentic and classic dish that can be made using a variety of ingredients. It is typically filled with a mixture of ground meat and rice but can easily be transformed into vegetarian by omitting the meat and adding grains and legumes. Honestly, anything goes with this dish. What does not change in this classic Italian dish is the seasonings and the addition of tomato sauce. My mother typically made this in the summertime when peppers were fresh from our garden. They were made with green peppers because that was what we grew but also cheaper and more available. The coloured peppers are a bit sweeter than green. It doesn't matter which coloured peppers you use, it is more of a personal preference. Traditionally, this classic dish is made with ground beef or ground pork and rice. I also enjoy making them with a bit of a spin substituting ground pork or beef with ground turkey or chicken and swapping rice for quinoa or barley. This recipe uses g

Ricotta and Spinach Gnocchi  If you are visiting this page then chances are you are a lover of gnocchi like me! Just like every other Italian dish, the way they are made varies from region to region. It is typically made with potatoes and flour but if you ask any Italian it's almost a guarantee that they will share a different recipe than the last. Some are adamant about adding eggs and others say no way. Some use semolina flour only and others use all purpose flour or double zero.  Each flour of course will result in a different consistency. I prefer my gnocchi with a bit of a chewy consistency. I love the pillowy soft ones and will gladly eat them but I most definitely prefer ones that don't melt in my mouth. Chefs and Italians everywhere will probably disagree with me and say that gnocchi should be pillowy and light and airy. Most definitely but being Italian, I believe that is entirely a personal choice (and I will gladly defend that!) 🤣  If you are new at making gnocchi t

Hearty Ham and Split Pea Soup My son is not really a fan of turkey- strange, but true. He does love ham- who doesn't? So for special occasions I will make both a ham and a turkey because the rest of our family loves turkey and all the trimmings. I typically buy a smoked bone-in ham big enough that we can have leftovers and then I can make delicious ham and split pea soup. This soup is creamy and smoky and the longer you boil the bone the smokier it gets. The soup gets its creaminess from pureed cannellini beans and potatoes. Cannellini beans are essentially white kidney beans.I   have been adding beans to soups since my children were little and they never noticed a bean or a chickpea which they wouldn't otherwise touch!   They add a great creamin ess and thicken up the soup without added dairy and cornst arches. Additional bonus of course is that they are excellent antioxidants, great source of protein and so many other essential nutrients! Trust me, if you puree them enough, t