FOOD TO EAT DURING LENT

From the ashes of Ash Wednesday to the light of Easter, the Church encourages spiritual growth, and practice self-discipline with allowances for fish and other non-flesh foods to maintain nourishment while observing penance.

"Eating lean" does not mean eating too little, nor does it mean eating poorly. It means making a choice. Red meats, poultry, and their by-products are excluded, while foods such as fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, grains, vegetables, and fruit remain permissible. 

Here are some Italian dishes during Lent.

FISH DISHES

Baked salmon with risotto

Stuffed calamari over peas

Risotto with shrimp and spinach

Baccala' and potatoes

Baked fresh cod with potatoes

Whiting over rice

PASTA DISHES 

Linguini with clams

Fettuccini with shrimp

Tagliatelle with mushrooms

Rigatoni with eggplant

VEGETABLE DISHES

Stuffed artichokes

Broccoli di rape

Fava beans and artichokes

and many, many more!

CAVATELLI MURGIANI AL FORNO (BAKED)

  Came across these Cavatelli Murgiani at the local Farmers Market.  Purchased them for the first time and decided to bake them with ricotta and mozzarella.

INGREDIENTS

  

1/2 lb. Cavatelli Murgiani
1/4 cup of olive oil
• 
  

1/2 onion chopped

2 cups of crushed tomatoes

Fresh parsley

Couple of basil leaves

Salt and pepper

1 cup of ricotta

1 egg

4 oz. mozzarella (grated)

1/4 cup of grated cheese

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside.
• In a large skillet add olive oil and onion.  Cook onion until golden, add tomatoes, parsley, basil leaves and salt and pepper.  Cook sauce for half hour.
• Beat the egg slightly, add ricotta and mozzarella.  Mix slightly.
• In a baking casserole, add a little sauce.  Add the cooked pasta.  Then add the ricotta and mozzarella mixture.  Stir gently to combine. Add the remaining sauce.
• Bake covered in a 375-degree oven for 30 minutes.  Uncover and sprinkle with grated cheese. 
• Bake for 5 more minutes.

PINTO BEANS WITH CAVATELLI PASTA

 Cavatelli with beans is a truly delicious first course, and this particular pasta shape is perfect for accompanying beans, making everything creamier and more inviting.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of pinto beans (already boiled)

1/2 lb. of cavatelli

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves of garlic (chopped)

1 cup tomato puree

Salt and black pepper

PREPERATION:

Chop cloves of garlic and sauté it in oil for a few minutes. Add the tomato puree, salt, and cooked beans. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes over low heat. Turn off the heat and let rest.

Meanwhile, boil the cavatelli and drain them when very al dente, reserving a ladle of the cooking water. Then, add them to the pot with the bean sauce and toss to combine. Add the reserved cooking water and continue cooking for about 5 more minutes.

This dish is going to warm you up in a most delicious and comforting way during the cold season.

Enjoy!

Blue Tuna with Basil Tomato Sauce and Capers (Tonno fresco con pomodorini e capperi).

Fresh tuna with tomatoes and capers is a simple, quick and tasty recipe for a Mediterranean-flavored main course.

The fresh tuna steaks are accompanied by a delicious sauce of cherry tomatoes, onions and capers.

 Ingredients

3 tuna steaks about 1-inch thick

1/4 cup of olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, cut

One red onion, cut

Few leaves of basil

1 lb. cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons of capers

Tuna steaks

Cherry tomatoes in pan

directions

Heat 3 tbs. oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onions and sauté about 5 minutes until soft.

Add the garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes, then add in the tomatoes, basil and capers, stirring well to combine.

Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

In another pan heat the remaining 3 tbs. of oil over medium heat.

Salt and pepper fish to taste, then place in the pan when oil is hot.

Cook fish about 3 minutes per side (fish should be light brown at edges but still pink inside).

Place the fish in the pan with sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Serve immediately!

CANNING CHERRY TOMATOES (Conservare i pomodorini)

The most classic way to preserve cherry tomatoes is to make a tomato puree by boiling the tomatoes.  And making a fresh cherry tomato sauce is an explosion of authentic flavors, perfect for enhancing many dishes.

Procedure:

Simply wash and cut the tomatoes in half. 

Place them in a pot, add some salt and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.

Then place the tomatoes in a food mill and rotate to remove skin.

Place the puree in a jar and add few basil leaves.

Cap the jar and boil for 20 minutes.

BAKED SEA BREAM WITH POTATOES (ORATA AL FORNO CON PATATE)

Baked sea bream, along with sea bass, is one of the most popular fish-based main courses thanks to its simplicity. It's incredibly easy to make; all you have to do is season the fish with aromatic herbs and arrange it on a baking sheet with the potatoes... the oven will do the rest.

Ingredients

2 whole orate (sea bream)

1 pound of potatoes

3 tablespoons of olive oil

3 sprigs parsley

3 cloves garlic

2 tsp salt

2 tsp black pepper crushed

Instructions

Peel the potatoes, wash them, pat them dry, and cut them. Take a baking dish and put 3 tablespoons of olive oil in it. Spread the potatoes in an even layer and add some salt and pepper.

Continue with the fish. I usually buy the whole fish already cleaned and gutted, head on. Salt the fish inside and out and then add parsley and 3 garlic cloves cut in half to the fish cavity.

Place the gilthead on top of the potatoes, add 2 more tablespoon of oil and pepper.

Bake at 450°F (230C°) for 40 minutes. Take it out of the oven, remove head and tails, and serve it with the side of potatoes.

Orata al Forno calls for a white wine to accompany it.

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On occasion, I also make orate with crabs.

EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA (PARMIGIANA DI MELANZANE)

Eggplant Parmigiana is a rich and hearty one-dish meal, typical of Italian cuisine. It's made with fried eggplant, then layered in a pan with mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil. Delicious in flavor and mouthwatering!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. eggplants
• 2 eggs
• Fresh tomatoes for sauce
• 1 mozzarella
• 1/2 cup of parmigiano
• 1 cup of breadcrumbs
• 1/2 white onion
• Basil
• Salt
• 1 cup of vegetable oil to fry eggplants

Cut the eggplants

Arrange the eggplant slices in layers on a colander and sprinkle generously all over with kosher salt.  Set aside to let the bitter juices weep from the eggplant, about 1 or so.

Rinse the eggplants under cold running water and then blot dry with paper towels.

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the salt, breadcrumbs, grated cheese, and season with pepper.  In a bowl whisk the egg.  Dip the eggplant slice in the egg and then dredge it in the breadcrumb mixture.  Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining eggplants.
2.                                

In a large straight-sided skillet, pour the oil to a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat the oil over medium heat.  Fry the eggplant slices, turning once, until golden brown.  

Transfer to a paper towel-lined dish.  

Then prepare the tomato sauce. Chop the onion and sauté in 3 tablespoons of oil, then add the fresh tomatoes, parsley, basil and one sliced pepper (if you like) and cook covered for about 20 minutes. Then season with salt and black pepper.

                     

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place some marinara sauce in baking dish and arrange some of the eggplant over the sauce. Cover the eggplant with more sauce.  Scatter half of the mozzarella over the sauced eggplant. Repeat with eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella. 

Bake until hot and brown about 40 minutes.

Serve immediately.