Jo’s Tuna Pasta from splendidtable.org

1 lb 2 oz penne, fusilli
3 1/2 fl oz extra-virgin olive oil
1 white onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 oz good-quality tinned anchovies in oil
6 1/2 oz good-quality tinned tuna in oil
freshly grated parmesan cheese, to serve

 

 

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta over a bowl, reserving the cooking water, return to the pan and set aside.

Heat the oil in a separate saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion and cook for 3–5 minutes until softened. Add the tomato paste, vincotto and anchovies together with the oil from the tuna tin, reduce the heat to low and cook gently for 5–8 minutes, until the onions are nicely caramelised. Add the tuna and a few splashes of the reserved pasta cooking water, increase the heat to high and cook for 10–15 minutes, adding extra splashes of the pasta water as you go, until the sauce has a thin paste-like consistency.

Tip the sauce into the pan with the pasta and toss together thoroughly to coat. Divide among bowls and scatter over lots of grated parmesan. Serve.

summer beets stacks from wendyseewendydo.blogspot.com

  • 4 beets, small to medium sized
  • 4 ounces goat cheese
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup walnut oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
  • salt & pepper
  • Preheat oven to 350º F.
  • Scrub, rinse and pat beets dry then rub with a small amount of olive oil and wrap tightly in foil (two beets per foil packet).  Roast for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until beets are tender and easily pierced with a knife.  Allow to slightly cool then carefully remove skin.  (The beets will stain your hands and clothing! So I use rubber gloves.)  Set aside.
  • In a small, dry frying pan toast walnuts until slightly browned.  Set aside.
  • In a small  owl, whisk together balsamic vinegar and walnut oil then season with salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.
  • Once skin is removed slice beets width-wise into three or four sections (depending on the size of the beet.)
  • In layers, alternate beet slices and crumbled goat cheese.  Drizzle stacks with balsamic walnut oil vinaigrette, fresh thyme leaves and the toasted walnuts.

Easy stuffed fresh mozzarella caprese from anitalianinmykitchen.com

mozzarella-capr-2-1-of-1

1 large and 1 medium fresh mozzarella (I used 2 medium and had a lot of caprese left over)**
12 cherry tomatoes or 2 or 3 medium to large ripe but firm tomatoes (seeded and chopped)
1/4 small onion chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
3/4 teaspoon oregano (3/4 gram)
1/4 teaspoon salt (1.35 grams)
4-5 fresh basil leaves chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil (54 grams)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (14 grams)

Place the fresh mozzarella in a sieve over a bowl for approximately 20 minutes. Carefully hollow out the mozzarella, chop the excess mozzarella.

In a medium bowl combine, chopped excess mozzarella, chopped tomatoes, onion and celery, oregano,salt, chopped basil, 3 tablespoons olive oil and balsamic vinegar, toss gently together.

Fill the hollowed out fresh mozzarella with the caprese mixture, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and serve the extra caprese mixture on the side. Enjoy!

 

Easy And Elegant Asparagus Tart from 12tomatoes.com

  • 1 (17.3 Asparagus-Swiss-Tart-Resizedoz) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • 1 1/2 pounds asparagus
  • 3 cups assorted cheese, grated (2 1/2 cups swiss, 1/2 cup parmesan)
  • 2 tablespoons honey dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, optional
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • Hollandaise sauce, garnish
    1. Preheat oven to 400º F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
    2. Take both sheets of thawed puff pastry and place them on lined baking sheet, overlapping them by 1 inch and pressing the seam gently to seal.
    3. Use a paring knife to score a rectangle border 1 inch from the edge of pastry, then take a fork and pierce the dough all around the inside of the rectangle. (This allows steam to be released so the center of your tart doesn’t puff up, while the outside edges do.)
    4. Place baking sheet in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown and lightly puffed up.
    5. Remove from oven and let cool 2-3 minutes, then brush honey dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar onto the center of puff pastry. Evenly sprinkle assorted cheeses over the center of tart.
    6. Take your asparagus and trim the ends so they fit into the center rectangle of tart. Lay asparagus out in a single layer, alternating the direction ot the tips with each row, then brush with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
    7. Return baking sheet to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and edges are puffed up, and asparagus is tender.
    8. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes, then drizzle with hollandaise sauce, slice, serve and enjoy!