[1] Pasta with broccoli rabe and pistachio pesto. The recipe is below (photo © DeLallo).

[2] Homemade casarecce (photo © The Pasta Project).

[3] Pistachio nuts (photo © The Guilded Nut, a specialist in pistachios, with numerous seasonings).

[4] Broccoli rabe (photo © Imraw).

[5] Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (photo © Murray’s Cheese).

[6] Toasted (roasted) pistachio oil has many uses, from biscotti to salads (photo © La Tourangelle).

October is National Pasta Month. One of Italy’s popular pasta sauces is pesto.

Pesto originated in Genoa, the capital city of the region of Liguria on the northwest coast (and, as Americans know, the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, in 1451).

The original pesto recipe, Pesto Alla Genovese (gen-oh-VAY-say), is a paste (pesto) of olive oil, basil leaves, pine nuts, crushed garlic, coarse salt, and Parmigiano-Reggiano or other grated hard cheese, such as Pecorino Sardo (see it in photo #1).

Pine nuts were a plentiful crop in Liguria and found their way into many recipes, including pasta sauce. Here’s (the history of pesto).

But Pesto Alla Genovese (here’s the recipe) is just a template. You can vary all of the ingredients; and in fact, you’ll get more flavor from other nuts, such as pistachios and walnuts.
 
 
PESTO VARIATIONS: MIX & MATCH

If you see ingredients below that call out to you, experiment with small batches of pesto. If you don’t like it on pasta, add mayo, sour cream or yogurt to create a dip or sandwich spread; or use it as a topping for fish, meat and poultry.

You may very well discover a combination that will become your “signature pesto.”

Cheeses

Aged Asiago, aged Cheddar, aged Gouda, aged Manchego, Cotija, Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano.

Greens

Arugula, beet greens, broccoli, broccoli rabe, chervil, cilantro, collards, dandelion greens, garlic scapes, kale, mustard greens, parsley, peas, radish tops, ramp tops, scallions, spinach, watercress,

Nuts & Seeds

Almonds, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts.

Oils

 
Also:

 
 
RECIPE: BROCCOLI RABE & PISTACHIO PESTO WITH BURRATA

Thanks to DeLallo for the recipe.

The pasta shape chosen is casarecce (photo #2), a grooved shape that holds more sauce than ribbon pasta like spaghetti and fettuccine.

While it may be harder to find it in your supermarket, it’s worth looking for. You can get it online from DeLallo.

Both parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano are used in this recipe. Here’s the difference.

The two cheeses have different flavor profiles, which makes the pesto more complex.

Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
Preparation

1. BRING a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the trimmed broccoli rabe for about 1 minute until bright green. Drain and transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain well, squeezing out as much water as you can.

Note: We blanched the rabe in a mesh strainer and removed the strainer to drain and press out the remaining water. This enables us to use the same pot of water for the pasta.

2. PLACE the blanched broccoli rabe in the bowl of a food processor, along with pistachios, garlic, parmesan and pecorino, salt, vinegar, red pepper flakes and pistachio oil. Pulse until finely chopped.

3. DRIZZLE in the olive oil, a few tablespoons at a time, scraping down the sides of the food processor as you go. Add enough oil to form a thick but creamy paste. Slightly thicker is preferable in this recipe, since you’ll likely be thinning the sauce with pasta water.

4. TASTE and add additional salt and/or pepper flakes as desired.

5. BRING the pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Set aside 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta well and place it in an empty saucepan.

6. ADD the pesto and toss until evenly coated. Divide among serving bowls.

7. GARNISH with a few chunks of fresh burrata, microgreens and additional grated cheese, as desired. Because the stracciatella inside the ball of burrata will ooze out, don’t slice the burrata until you’re ready to serve it.

There are more than 360 pasta shapes in Italy. Each region developed its own varieties.

Casarecce (kah-zah-REH-chay, from casereccio, which means “homemade”) is a shape that originated in Sicily. It comprises short twists of pasta, which, with its curled edges and a groove down the middle, appear to be rolled up on themselves.

We turned to Jacqui Debono for more information on this shape.

Jacqui, from England now living in Veneto, Italy, is a pasta expert whose writing is so well researched: We’re a big fan.

Her goal is to try every single type of pasta available in Italy, cook it and write about it. She shows that there is life for American pasta lovers, beyond fusilli and rigatoni.

She shares here knowledge on The Pasta Project, a wonderful website.

“[Casarecce] look a bit like little rolled-up scrolls” says Jacqui.

Before the advent of bronze dies to extrude the shapes, casarecce were made by rolling small rectangles of dough around a thin wooden pin or metal rod.

Italians who make this shape at home still use these rods. However, commercially-produced casarecce is made using either a bronze die for artisan production, or a nylon die for mass production.

Bronze dies produce superior pasta because the pasta has a rougher surface to which sauces better adhere. Because they’re costlier and wear down faster, large operations use nylon dies.
 
 
WHY SO MANY SHAPES OF PASTA?

Italy’s many pasta shapes were largely developed to pair with the sauces of the region (or vice versa).

Thus, casarecce from Sicily (and very popular elsewhere in Southern Italy), pair best with traditional Southern Italian sauces that include eggplant, tomatoes, cheese and basil.

It is often served with the local seafood, including amberjack, bluefin tuna and swordfish.

In Sicily, casarecce is also often served with:

 
Jacqui has also created:

 
So track down those casarecci and enjoy!

> The history of pasta.

> The different types of pasta: a photo glossary.

> A year of pasta holidays.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

October is Italian Heritage Month, previously called Italian-American Heritage Month.

It’s time to celebrate the accomplishments of Italian Americans, which in our case means the food.

Beginning some 200 years ago, Italian immigrants in the U.S. with wonderful Mediterranean flavors and their home cuisine.

Some of those recipes got enhanced with American ingredients, including lots of meat, not affordable in the Old Country). Here are some favorite dishes that are not authentic Italian.

Whether from Italy or Italian American, we love Italian food!

1. Caesar Salad

This salad was invented in by Caesar Cardini of San Diego. He started a restaurant just over the border in Tijuana, Mexico during Prohibition, in order to serve alcohol. Here’s the history of Caesar Salad.

2. Cioppino

There are numerous seafood stews made along Italy’s coast line, but this version was invented by Italian-American fishermen in San Francisco.

3. Chicken, Meatball Or Veal Parmigiana

Eggplant parm originated in Sicily, but Italian-Americans adapted it to different meats, which were easily affordable to them in the U.S. (photo #1: Chicken Parmigiana).

4. Garlic Bread

A loaf of bread, sliced mostly through and then spread spread with butter or oil and minced garlic is then toasted in the oven. But it’s definitely an American creation. In Italy is bruschetta, individual slices of bread, brushed with olive oil, with garlic and herbs, is its parent.

5. Italian Dressing

In Italy, salad is served with oil and vinegar. Adding garlic, herbs and an emulsifier is American (photo #2).

6. Fettuccine Alfredo

This rich dish, tossed the pasta, butter, cream and parmesan, was invented at a restaurant in Rome as Fettuccine all’Alfredo. However, it didn’t migrate much beyond Rome: You won’t find it at a restaurant elsewhere. Thanks to Italian-American cookes for spreading the recipe. Here’s the history of Fettuccine Alfredo.

7. Marinara Sauce

In the U.S., marinara sauce is made from crushed canned tomatoes, olive oil, onions, garlic and herbs. It is the American version of sugo di pomodoro (tomato sauce), which is made from the same ingredients plus basil.

In Italy, sugo alla marinara, which originated in Naples, means “made in the style of the sailor,” or “mariner’s sauce.” It indicates a sauce used with a shellfish dish. It’s a similar sauce that adds oregano and sometimes anchovies, capers and olives.

Neapolitan marinara sauce is believed to have originated in the mid-16th century, when Neapolitan ships returned from the the Americas with tomatoes. A possibly apocryphal story references how sailors’ wives would start a quick sauce when they saw their husbands’ boats returning [source].

8. Muffuletta

This hero-type sandwich was invented in New Orleans by Sicilian immigrants.

9. Neapolitan Ice Cream

While layered ice cream exists in Italy (think spumoni), bricks of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry together was popularized in America and named after the Neapolitan-immigrant-run ice cream shops that sold it (photo #5).

8. Pepperoni Pizza

Italian-style pizza is different from the American variety. In Italy, less is more: less cheese and just one or two ingredients. Common Italian toppings include anchovies, corn, olives, prosciutto and sausage. Pepperoni, while an Italian sausage, is an American addition (photo #3). Pizza pockets: definitely all-American.

10. Rainbow Cookies
Those three-layered cookies in Italian pastry shops were invented in the U.S. in the early 1900s.

11. Shrimp Scampi

This is splitting hairs, but scampi is the Italian name for a small member of the shrimp family, langoustines. In the U.S., large shrimp were available, and were used in a dish called Shrimp Scampi—or, Shrimp Shrimp. In Italy, langoustines sautéed in butter/olive and garlic is simply called Scampi.

12. Spaghetti and Meatballs

This Italian classic is actually “faux” Italian. Few people in Italy had the money to serve large meatballs. Little meatballs were used in some dishes, but not pasta. This dish was invented in the U.S., where beef was plentiful (photo #4).

If you find any of these dishes in Italy, it’s because they were brought back to Italy from the U.S.!

There are more Italian-American dishes, of course. Sausage, peppers and onions on a roll. Sunday Sauce. Perhaps Baked Ziti, and Penne Alla Vodka.

We love them all.

[1] While Eggplant Parmigiana came from Sicily, the use of meat-based parm occurred in the New World, where even low-income people could afford to add chicken, meatballs and veal (photo © MackenzieLtd).

[2] Born in the U.S.A.: Italian dressing (photo © Wish-Bone).

[3] Pepperoni pizza is an Italian-American favorite. (photo © Tablespoon).

[4] Those luscious, large meatballs? Strictly American (photo © Delicious Shots | Blogspot).

[5] Neapolitan ice cream was created in the U.S. by Neapolitan immigrants (photo © P. Schemp | Wikipedia).

[1] One-sheet Pierogies Primavera. The recipe is below.

[2] Mini Classic Cheddar Pierogies.

[3] Mini Pierogi Skewers. Here’s the recipe.

[4] Classic pierogies with butter and onions—and a bowl of sour cream. Here’s the recipe (photos 1-4 © Mrs. T’s).

[5] Pierogi “Shepherd’s Pie.” Here’s the recipe from Cleverly Simple (photo © Cleverly Simple)..

October 8th is National Pierogi Day.

Today we have an easy comfort food idea: Pasta Primavera—but not the standard you expect.

It’s made with pierogi, the filled dumplings of Central and Eastern European origin.

There, the pierogi are made by filling made filling pieces of noodle [pasta] dough with a savory or sweet filling, and pinching the edges together like ravioli.

They are then boiling like ravioli, or pan-fried. Unlike Italian filled pasta, the toppings reflect Eastern European cuisine: butter and/or sour cream.

Pasta Primavera got its name from the colorful vegetables combined with the pasta.

In addition to the colorful additions, it gave us pasta lovers a guilt waiver because of the vegetables.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF PASTA PRIMAVERA

The origin of Pasta Primavera has a touch of glamour.

In 1975, New York chef Sirio Maccioni of Le Cirque was hired to cook for an Italian baron and his guests, on a 700-acre Shangri-La Ranch on Robert’s Island, Nova Scotia.

Along with two of his chefs, he began to prepare local game and fish, but eventually the baron and his guests asked for something different.

Maccioni then made pasta and added vegetables, with a sauce of butter, cream and parmesan cheese.

The dish was a success, and Maccioni began to serve it at Le Cirque in New York City where it was a “special” until publicity made it the next hot thing.

A 1977 article in the New York Times, by the power duo Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey, included a recipe for the dish.

Other chefs subsequently put in their own claims for inventing the dish, but the end of the story is that Pasta Primavera became a staple in homes and restaurants, and remains so to this day.
 
 
RECIPE: PIEROGIES PRIMAVERA

What’s more fun than Pasta Primavera? Pierogies Primavera, an easy sheet pan dinner with veggies and mini pierogies.

This recipe, from Mrs. T’s, is a welcome pasta dish for veggie eaters and a temptation for those who resist their veggies.

Feel free to load up on even more vegetables for an greater balance of veggie to pierogy/pierogi.

Prep time is 10 minutes, cook time is 20 minutes.
 
 
MRS. T’S PIEROGIES

Try Mrs. T’s Pierogies can be baked, boiled, fried, sautéed or grilled

The minis (bite size) are made in Mini Classic Cheddar, Mini Cheddar Seasoned With Bacon, Mini Classic Onion and Mini Four Cheese Medley.

The full-size pierogies are available in 10 additional flavors (don’t hesitate to try the sauerkraut pierogies).
 
 
RECIPE: PIEROGIES PRIMAVERA

This recipe uses the cheddar variety: sharp cheddar cheese blended into seasoned whipped potatoes. You can switch flavors at your discretion

Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
For The Dressing

 
Preparation

1. ARRANGE a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. WHISK the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and pour over the pierogies and vegetables. Toss gently to combine, then spread into an even layer.

4. ROAST, stirring halfway through until the pierogies are golden-brown and the vegetables are tender, 16 to 18 minutes total. Serve with a peppermill for those who like more heat.
 
 
MORE PASTA PRIMAVERA RECIPES

 
 
MORE WAYS TO SERVE PIEROGI

These easy-to-prepare dumplings can be boiled, baked, fried, grilled or sautéd.

You can serve them classic-style with sour cream (add fresh herbs garnish), with an optional side of sauerkraut.

We like them as a snack, warm or room temperature, with beer.

We like to top them with melted cheese, an homage to mac-and-cheese. But there’s so much more:

But check it out: Our 50 different ways to serve pierogi!

LOOK FOR MORE RECIPES AND PRODUCT NEWS AT MRSTSPIEROGIES.COM.

Fall means apple cider, a drink that’s refreshing served cold or hot (mulled cider).

Here’s a festive drink that adds wine, to make it a sangria.

Here’s how to set up an apple cider bar for a party.

If you need a pitcher, take a look at Pampered Chef’s Quick-Stir Pitcher. It has a plunger feature, to make it easy to mix powdered drinks, and can be used to serve hot or cold drinks. Bonus: The sleek design fits into your refrigerator door. Here’s more about it.

You can also serve the sangria from a punch bowl.

This drink is made with what Americans call apple cider, but in Europe, apple cider is an alcoholic drink.

 
 
RECIPE: APPLE CIDER SANGRIA

Thanks to Pampered Chef for the recipe.

For a non-alcoholic version, substitute 3 cups (750 mL) lemon or orange sparkling water for the wine.

Ingredients For 8 Servings

 
Preparation

1. PLACE the cinnamon sticks, 1 cup of the apple cider and the honey in 2-cup prep bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 2 minutes. Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave.

2. POUR the cinnamon sticks and cider into a pitcher. Place in the refrigerator until ready to combine.

3. CUT the apple and orange in half lengthwise, and then into slices. Add all of the fruit, the remaining apple cider and and wine into the pitcher; stir.

4. PLACE the lid on the pitcher, or cover with plastic wrap. Chill for several hours or overnight.

5. TO SERVE: Pour the sangria into glasses with ice. Top with some of the fruit, if desired.

Nutrients per 8-ounce serving: Calories 140, Total Fat 0 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Carbohydrate 21 g, Fiber 1 g, Sugars 6 g, Protein 0 g.
 
 
SANGRIA HISTORY
 
 
APPLE HISTORY
 
 
APPLE CIDER HISTORY

[1] Apple cider sangria combines seasonal flavors with wine.

[2] (both photos © Pampered Chef).

[3] Apple cider, mixed with ginger beer and infused with vanilla bean and fresh mint. Here’s the recipe.

[4] Apple juice sangria, made with clear apple juice instead of unfiltered apple cider (photos #3 and #4 © USA Apples).

The apple tree may have been the earliest tree that humans cultivated. Over the millennia, through selective breeding, farmers improved the fruits [source].

When the Romans invaded England around 55 B.C.E., they found the locals cultivating apple orchards and drinking apple cider.

The original apple varieties weren’t for eating. They were bitter, so were pressed for their juice and left to ferment into alcohol.

The Romans immediately embraced the drink, and cider quickly spread through the Roman Empire and across Europe: from the Germanic tribes to the east, to the Normans in the south (northern France).

When the Normans invaded England in the 9th century, they returned to Normandy with the rootstock to grow their own apple orchards and left behind the word “cider” for the English language [source].

Everyone drank cider or beer: adults and children alike. Due to unhealthy water sources, it was the safer choice.

Fast forward: Colonists brought apples to North America in the 17th century—the bitter cider apples. Apples were being grown in Massachusetts as early as 1630. At the end of the 18th century, Johnny Appleseed traveled west to spread apple trees for cider.

As in Europe, cider or beer was drunk instead of water.

Mutation was continually creating new breeds of apples. The McIntosh mutation was discovered in 1796, by a farmer named John McIntosh. It was sweeter, and was best for eating rather than fermenting.

More sweet mutations followed, and today, we have as many varieties of sweet apples as cider apples.
 
 

[1] The inviting package design © Jamie Stark | Stark Designs).

[2] Here’s the recipe from Here’s a most delicious French bread pizza recipe from Nicole of Cooking For Keeps (photo © Cooking For Keeps).

[3] Caprese Chicken Skillet. Here’s the recipe from Rachel’s Healthy Plate (photo © Rachel’s Healthy Plate).

[4] Gourmet grilled cheese sandwich on brown bread with cheddar, feta, arugula, red onion and tomatoes (photo © Wisconsin Cheese).
 
 
>>>CHECK OUT<<<
THE HISTORY OF TOMATOES

Vine-ripened tomatoes are one of the treats of the summer table.

That’s why this is a sorrowful time of year: The days are getting shorter, and there are no more summer tomatoes.

But we have a solution for people who want to enjoy great tomato flavor during the off seasons: the Summer Is Inside brand of canned tomatoes (photo #1).

Canned tomatoes, you say?

Yes! Summer Is Inside tomatoes are standing by to brighten your meals all year long.

Grown in California by family farmers, the tomatoes go from field to can in five hours. The process locks in all the flavor, freshness and nutrition.

Unlike other canned tomato products, Summer On The Inside tomatoes have a firm texture that works well in many recipes.

The Salad Ready Tomato Wedges are available in two varieties, classic red and tri-color. The tri-color variety features red, orange and yellow tomatoes.

Each variety is marinated in olive oil and an Italian spices blend: garlic powder, onion powder, other spices, vinegar, sugar and salt.

Even though the tomatoes are in oil and vinegar and Italian spices, the seasonings do not overpower the fresh, seasonal inherent tomato flavor. (They do, however, make them delicious to eat straight from the can.)

Without doubt, Summer On The Inside is a superior solution to most canned tomato brands, and to the bland, mealy, produce department tomatoes that are picked green, turned red with ethylene gas, and sold hard.
 
 
HOW WE USE SUMMER ON THE INSIDE CANNED TOMATOES

The tomatoes are ready-to-eat. If you’re going to drain the liquid (e.g. for these uses), save it to use as a dressing, or a flavoring to other dishes (soups, stews, etc.)

We’ve even added some vodka to the liquid for a Bloody Mary “Light.” But for more substantial cuisine, we use them in/on/as:

 
There are more uses below.
 
 
FINDING SUMMER ON THE INSIDE CANNED TOMATOES

You can find Summer Is Inside with the label as shown in photo #1, in the canned tomato section of your grocery store. The brand name is inside the black tomato in the white band.

But the manufacturer, Pacific Coast Producers, also private-labels its canned tomatoes to numerous retailers.

For example, at Walmart, you’ll find the embossed can in red stripes with a white center, with the store’s Great Value brand replacing Summer On The Inside.

The red and white color bands, with the embossed tomatoes in the red bands, will clue you in.
 
 
USES FOR CANNED TOMATOES

We typically use imported San Marzano or domestic San Marzano-style canned tomatoes. Summer On The Inside is just as good, and even better on green salads.

For many of these recipes, you can simply open the can and put the tomatoes to work.

But you can also drain them and roast them in the oven until they’re caramelized. Then, serve them with grilled cheese, on any cheese sandwich on toast, or as a vegetable side.

More ways we used canned tomatoes: