Polpette Vegetariane

Coming soon: Homemade vegetarian Italian meatballs

Pasta e Fagoli

When dried cannellini beans, celery, and parsley arrived in our CSA box- I knew exactly what I wanted to make. Pasta e Fagoli is a family favorite that has been passed down through many generations... (from  Nonna Scalise to Nonna Bonvino to my mom and now to me, to name a few.) My mom's grandmother would make Pasta e Fagoli for her when she would come home from college, and my mom and grandma did the same for me. Little did they all know- they were enjoying a vegan meal (minus the parmesan they would top it with.)

Dried cannellini beans from Suzie's Farm in San Diego, CA

It's a simple yet flavorful dish, perfect for autumn or winter meals. Some people make it as a hearty soup, others make is as a pasta dish. I like to make mine somewhere in between. From my family to yours- buon appetito.

Ingredients:

( Serves 3 to 4 )

- Olive oil to coat the bottom of your pan

- Salt to taste

- Crushed red pepper (just a pinch if you're like me)

- Parsley

- Tops of celery

- Three cloves of garlic

- One can crushed tomatoes

- Two cups of veggie broth (add more if you'd like it to be more like a soup)

- One can of cannellini beans (if you have fresh, dried cannellini beans- make sure they are cooked before you begin preparing this dish)

- Two cups of cooked pasta (a small pasta, preferably)

In one pot, salt and boil water for the pasta.

In another sauce pan: Mince garlic, and lightly warm olive oil in your sauce pan. Add garlic, and about a handful and a half of full celery leaves, and cook for one to two minutes. Toss in the can of diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, and veggie broth. Continuously stir for about five minutes. 

In your other pot- the water should be boiling at this point, so begin cooking your pasta. 

Add salt, crushed red pepper, and a handfull of parsley to the sauce pan. Stir and allow to cook until your pasta is ready.

Once strained, slowly add your pasta to the sauce pan and stir. Allow all ingredients to cook and blend together for about five to eight minutes. 

This pairs very nicely with a glass of Pinot Grigio, and, just like many dishes, this one has proved to be even better the day after I make it. 

XO - Theresa

Wild Rocket Panini

A few weeks ago, I was exploring my motherland on a trip of a life time... drinking phenomenal wines, sipping on limoncello, attempting to speak the beautiful language, lounging on a tiny beach with the locals, eating copious amounts of carbs, soaking in the breathtaking landscapes, art, and beautiful people, touring ancient ruins, milking goats on an organic farm, befriending a donkey, and picking berries for breakfast. Although at the end of my trip I was craving an American breakfast and some good Mexican food, Italy knows what's up when it comes to food. 

Along with cigarettes, classy Italian cuss words, family, vino, scooters, never leaving the tiny towns the grew up in, etc... Italians love their "rocket" (also known as rucola, rughetta, or as we call it- arugula.) Very early in my trip, I was told that the Italians love arugula so much because, since Roman times, they have believed it to be an aphrodisiac. The best pizzas I had were simple, and topped with this flavorful green. Since a good amount of the food I had on my trip was just vegetarian, not vegan, I am hoping to adapt many of my favorite dishes I enjoyed in Italy to my vegan diet, now that I am back in my own kitchen. Here is my first attempt at a vegan dish inspired by my gastronomic adventures in Italy.

Last weekend, I found this organic wild arugula at the Long Beach Marina farmer's market (which takes place every Sunday in the Alamitos Bay Marina, for those of you who are in the area- over by Schooner or Later/ Joe's Crab Shack/ Whole Foods.) I was pretty excited about finding fresh, wild "rocket" here, and was planning on using it in a pizza until I found these vegan deli slices (below) by my favorite "meat" company at Whole Foods. So, panini it was. The smoked tomato deli slices slightly resemble salami, but are only full of good stuff. (The company also makes sage-lentil deli slices which I haven't tried yet.)

Wild Rocket Panini 

(Makes one sandwich) 

2 slices of (dairy and egg free) whole wheat bread 

earth balance natural buttery spread

original veganaise 

a handful of fresh wild "rocket" (arugula) 

3 slices of field roast's smoked tomato deli slices 

a handful of daiya mozzarella (my favorite vegan cheese)

While your skillet warms to a medium temperature, lightly butter (earth balance) one side of each slice of bread. Place the un-buttered side down in the skillet first to warm but not toast. Turn the slices over so that the buttered side is down, sprinkle the daiya mozzarella cheese on each slice and allow melt. 

Once melted, remove from the skillet and spread a dab of veganaise on each slice. (Veganaise has a very mellow garlic taste so it blends nicely with the other ingredients in the panini, and helps keep the sandwich together.) Add the three slices of smoked tomato deli slices, top with arugula, and voila- you have a (vegan) taste of Italia. It's my new favorite sandwich, especially when it is accompanied by a nice glass of rosso. Buon appetito. XO Theresa