Cheesy Garlic Bread

All right folks, I’m going to let you in on a secret. This is probably the one recipe that I make which always gets compliments, and I’ve long suspected that it’s the primary reason I get invited back to dinner parties. I have never made this bread and not witnessed it be entirely devoured before the meal is halfway over. Seriously, it is that good.

As you’ve probably noticed, I have a thing for Italian food. Having studied in Florence, my appreciation for Italian cuisine grew exponentially, and I love the use of fresh, seasonal ingredients and simple take on food. Italians don’t make garlic bread like Americans do. For them, it’s a simple piece of toast, rubbed with a piece of raw garlic that accompanies soups. It’s fresh. It’s healthy. And it really showcases the garlic.

But, sometimes. . .well, sometimes you need some good ol’ cheesy “American-style” garlic bread. And that is where this recipe comes in. It’s from America’s Test Kitchen. I haven’t a clue if the recipe is still available online somewhere, but I have made this so many times that I no longer look it up–and I’m fairly certain the measurements are quite different at this point. It’s cheesy. It’s buttery. It’s so bad for you that it’s good. It’s basically the polar opposite of actual Italian garlic bread.

But you know what? Sometimes. . . sometimes I’m ok with that.

I hope this scores you many dinner party invites and provides you endless happiness as you lament the fact that Ben Affleck didn’t receive an Oscar nod for directing Argo (I’m bitter). Happy eating.

Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi

Some foods are just naturally associated with comfort. Mashed potatoes. Mac n’ cheese. Roasted chicken. Chicken curry. They are the things that I find myself making (or, in the case of curry, asking my mother to make) when I’m frustrated and in need of a foodie-hug. This past week was just one of those weeks where nothing seemed to be going my way. I consistently got up late and had to rush in the mornings; I forgot things left and right; I didn’t meet personal deadlines for papers. Mostly, I felt tired and a bit run down. Which of course all culminates in frustration with myself and a need for comfort.

To break my funk, I decided to make gnudi. Having lived with the greatest host family on the planet my junior year, my list of comfort foods has grown to include all things Italian. Gnudi are essentially pasta, designed to emulate the filling of ravioli (hence, they are “nude.” Get it?). They are ricotta-based, mixed with herbs and greens (traditionally spinach), then boiled before being topped with either a simple tomato sauce or some brown butter and sage. Since I was too lazy to dice up tomatoes last night, I opted for the latter.

Despite their appearance, gnudi are incredibly easy to make. They require few ingredients–most of which can be found in your kitchen already. Plus, because they are protein-based, I find that 6-8 of these are incredibly filling, so you wind up with plenty of leftovers.

There is something so wonderful about simple, comfort food. Here’s to a better week ahead. Happy eating!

Napoletana Pizza

NOTE: The pizza dough HAS to rise overnight–plan ahead!

I love pizza. Then again, show me a person who doesn’t. Actually, don’t. That’s depressing. Aside from it’s amazing flavor and versatility, my absolute favorite thing about pizza is the crust. I am incredibly picky about pizza crust. It needs to have a crisp bottom with a decent amount of chew–but not so much chew that the dough gets to be more soft than crisp. Am I making any sense? I’m probably not making any sense. I’ve tried my fair share of pizza dough recipes but none of them have even come close to replicating the kind of crust that I salivate over.

Until now.

I first saw this recipe on 101 Cookbooks about two years ago (if you don’t read that blog already, go read it. It’s fantastic), but set my heart on making it early last year. I went to the store, bought some yeast, got more flour, and thought I was ready to go–until I realized I had no large food-safe plastic bags. I finally managed to procure some over a weekend at home and came back to my apartment, ready to cook—only to discover what was to be the beginning of the great cockroach and mouse infestation. Needless to say, my cooking plans were shot.

So here I am, 1 year later, in a new apartment, finally making this pizza. Is it sad that I am bouncing in excitement right now? It is so good. I don’t even have a pizza stone, and I am obsessed with it. While this might not be instant gratification pizza, it is worth every stinking moment of anticipation. Here’s to pizza. Here’s to cooking. Here’s to having another slice. Happy eating!

Tomatoes Two Ways

I hope everyone who celebrates Christmas had a very happy holiday. We had a relatively quiet holiday as our little cousins were sick (boo!), and I came down with a nice dose of allergies. That being said, the food was delicious (Thanks, Mom!!), and my Benedryl-induced naps were pretty awesome. For a low-key holiday, it wasn’t half bad. That being said, I think I prefer the usual chaos of Christmas and can’t wait to see the little ones when they are back in fighting form next weekend!

So during the hell period that was finals, I invented a couple of quick, mid-week dinners. I’m not going to lie, this was the result of my somewhat interesting finals-grocery-shopping and the subsequent attempts to use everything in my fridge before going home for the holidays. The sauce is extremely basic. Both dishes use essentially the same ingredients–the only real difference is that, in one case, the sauce is tossed with some pasta and a splash of pasta water, whereas in the other, it serves as a savory topping for some flaky salmon.

In any case, I consider this a testament to the magic of tomatoes and feta. Serve either of these dishes with a healthy serving of sauteed spinach or winter greens, and you’ll have a pretty well-balanced meal. Hope this helps you out in a pinch. Happy Eating!

Chicken Piccata

I have a secret. I adore Giada de Laurentiis. I know a lot of people hate the sight of her, but I love, love, LOVE her recipes. Sure, her outfits are always a little too pristine and her hair a bit too glossy for a busy kitchen, and, yes, I sometimes joined in mocking her when watching her cooking shows. But, let’s face it: she got to cook for royalty when they made the trek to the U.S.; obviously, we think her food is good enough for a future king. So hate on haters, I will continue to lust after her mad cooking skills.

Today, I thought I would post one of my favorite Giada recipes for another kitchen staple: chicken piccata. For some reason, I once convinced myself that, contrary to everything else I knew about Italian cooking, chicken piccata was downright difficult. It isn’t. Since realizing how simple this dish is, it has made several appearances in my kitchen–especially once I saw how adaptable it was in terms of serving size.

I love this recipe because the chicken is so, so moist. I hate when chicken breast gets rubbery (I’m a dark meat person myself), and this recipe is the polar opposite. With the tangy lemon and a hint of white wine and broth, I pair this with some simple spaghetti con aglio e olio or tossed with sauteed mushrooms for guests or with a simple salad if I’m cooking for one. Regardless, it’s a dish that comes together quickly with a few pantry staples.

Happy Eating!