Few things are better than this.

So after this week's Tomato Tart fiasco, I was glad when tonight's dinner came together smashingly. Then again, few things (and I mean very few things) are better than pasta. Especially, if that pasta involves butter, prosciutto and parmesan cheese. And then of course, there were the sage leaves fried in brown butter, and I think I might have melted into my chair after the first bite.

There is something so wonderfully homey, so wonderfully heart-warming about a bowl of pasta. But it is summer, and there really isn't any need to be warmed up, when the sun is shining like it was today. That's why this pasta is so perfect. It's the ultimate go-to dish when you feel like making something rustic and comforting, but also something quick and effortless- the kind of meal that won't have you using your stove or oven any longer than you need to on a hot day. It's also sort of a godsend, when you are still(!) getting over the scars from a previous dinner gone bad (we all know what I'm talking about). So do yourself a favor, and make this amazingly no-fuss pasta that will have you swooning in no time (from the taste, not the heat, I swear).

And since we are on a roll here, I thought I would share another low key recipe that is quite the regular in our kitchen- and one that goes perfectly with the aforementioned pasta, if I might add. I'm talking about broccoli, oven-roasted with some garlic and olive oil and then topped with a bit of parmesan cheese and lemon zest. I know, I know, you thought I would never roast a single thing after the tomatoes, but look at me now! Like the old saying goes, "If you can't succeed, try, try again."

Anyway, back to the recipe. I am here to tell you that I became an instant broccoli lover- no wait- an instant broccoli fanatic from the moment I tried this. And I'll have you know, I didn't even like the vegetable until this recipe. And if that's not enough to make you want to get up right now and roast some broccoli in the heat, than maybe this will: I will bet you twenty dollars that if you make this for someone who claims to dislike broccoli, they will totally and forever be changed after one bite. They will probably even ask for more, because they will like it that much. Seriously, I'm betting money on this dish. So come on, make it- I dare you.

Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan

Some notes: This dish is adapted from an Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) recipe. My version serves two, but can be multiplied very easily to accommodate more if needed. 

Ingredients:

• 2 large heads of broccoli
• 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• good olive oil
• generous pinches of salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets. Discard the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a knife and pull the florets apart.
3. Place the broccoli florets on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle the the florets generously with olive oil and then toss with the garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
4. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until florets are crisp-tender and some of their tips are browned.
5. Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with parmesan and lemon zest. 

Pasta with Prosciuto and Fried Sage Leaves

Some notes: This recipe is a combination of a few different recipes and variations, including this one. It serves two, generously, but feel free to scale up the recipe to your preference.


Ingredients: 

• About 6 ounces dried pasta, whatever you prefer (although this dish is best with egg Tagliatelle or egg Papperdelle, which is what we used)
• 2 oz. prosciutto, sliced 1/8 inch thick 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 
• kosher salt
• good olive oil
• 10 sage leaves

Directions: 

1. Drizzle enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a skillet, about 1/4-inch deep, on medium-high heat. Add sage leaves, and cook for about 1-2 minutes, flipping once. Transfer to paper towels.
2. Bring a well-salted pot of water to a boil.
3. In the meantime, cut the prosciutto into thin strips length-wise, about a 1/4-inch wide- and then cut the strips in the other direction, about 1-inch long.
4. Place the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the prosciutto. Sprinkle with a small pinch of kosher salt. 
5. Saute the prosciutto until it loses its raw color (but make sure you don't let it brown), about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
6. Add the pasta to boiling water and cook until it is al dente. Drain the pasta, but not too thouroughly, leaving some moisture on the noodles- the starch from the pasta water will help create a sauce when everything is tossed together. 
7. Transfer the noodles into the skillet with prosciutto, and toss. Grate parmesan cheese on top and toss once more. Top with sage leaves, and serve immediately, with more parmesan to your preference. 

Saved by Salsa Verde and Claritin: an unlikely but pleasant combination.

Summer is finally here. Our garden beds are bursting with green life and the herbs are spilling out of their pots and onto the porch, where Sammy lays panting contently in the warmth of the sun. Besides a bit of wind, the sky is bright blue and completely void of clouds- a perfect day for a bike ride.


So off John and I go, he on his spiffy-and-shiny fixed-gear Bianchi, me on my laid back, 1964 Schwinn Cruiser (an oldie but a goodie). We make it about 1 mile, before I start sneezing and hacking and my eyes and nose itch so bad that I feel like screaming. Apparently summer is here, and so are my allergies. I try pushing through anyway, stubbornly pedaling against the wind. But my sneezing gets so bad that my tongue feels like it's swelling up, and with that, we turn around and sadly head back towards the car. On our way home, I am grumpy and defeated, and I know that the only way to boost my mood is some allergy-medicine and dinner, in that order.

(Below is a drawing John made of my bike. She's a beauty, ain't she?)


A few hours and a dose of Claritin later, I am in the kitchen, doing what I do best- lusting over the food I am about to cook. Besides nearly sneezing my head off today, I also managed to pick up some lovely produce from the Farmer's Market in town. Bright green and leafy rainbow swiss chard, enormous sugar snap peas, and some amazingly fragrant and heady China Rose garlic- the perfect component to some yellow corn and fingerling potatoes previously purchased at the grocery store.

In no time at all, I begin to feel like myself again, chopping and mincing and stirring and tasting. The swiss chard is sauteed with garlic, salt and pepper, olive oil, and a bit of lemon juice and zest; the snap peas are also sauteed, on a higher temperature, with some garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper as well, cooked until they are slightly soft but still retain their crunch when bitten into. The corn is prepared simply, boiled and then rubbed with butter, salt and pepper. And the whole meal is rounded out with the fingerlings, which are halved, placed on a baking sheet, drizzled with olive oil and salt, and roasted in the oven (at 425 degrees) until their skins are slightly wrinkled and golden (about 20 minutes). But the real star of the show, is the salsa verde that is poured over the fingerlings when they are still warm from the oven. The fingerlings are then tossed, immediately speckled with garlic, red chili pepper flakes and parsley.

Full belly and allergy-free, I find myself considerably more at peace. I can't tell whether this is because the Claritin has officially kicked in, or because I've just eaten the whole bowl of fingerling potatoes; but either way it seems like something to celebrate about, so I do, curled up on the couch with a glass of wine, a good book, and my dog at my feet.


Salsa Verde for Potatoes:

This recipe is adapted from the food blog 'Orangette'. The original recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of capers, which at the time of making this, I did not have in my possession. I made it without them, and it tasted divine- but if you would like to add the capers, by all means, go for it! And, if you don't, I can vouch that the salsa will absolutely be just as delicious on your potatoes.

• 6 tablespoons good olive oil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• Pinch of red chili pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a whisk. Let sit for at 15-30 minutes, so the flavors have time to blend together.
2. Pour over hot potatoes, and add more salt to taste if needed.