Spaghetti with Fresh Soppressata

October 14, 2023

Here is a delicious meat sauce pasta dish that uses both spicy and mild Italian sausages as its main ingredients. The sausage makes for a flavorful sauce and is easy to prepare. The recipe comes from Food & Wine magazine courtesy of restaurateur Andrew Carmellini. In the recipe headnotes, they explain that Mr. Carmellini’s family makes their own soppressata, a hard salami, by grinding their own meat. Italian sausages share many of the same ingredients such as garlic, white wine, fennel and crushed red pepper. To give the fresh soppressata extra spice, you may use only hot sausages or increase the amount of crushed red pepper. Either way, you’ll find yourself savoring this wonderful pasta dish.

I used both mild and spicy sausages but feel free to use just one or the other. The spicy Italian sausages from Whole Foods are not overly hot so you could use them solely and skip the mild sausages if you want to.

The sausages are mixed with garlic, white wine, ground fennel, black pepper and crushed red pepper then refrigerated overnight.

A flavor base for many recipes, a mirepoix of carrots, onion and celery are an integral part of this dish just as they are for other dishes such as bolognese, soups, braised lentils and many other dishes.

Once the simmering is close to an end, start your pasta. When the pasta and sauce are done cooking, drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Mix in the grated cheese and herbs (reserve some for topping the pasta) before serving.

The Italians have a word to describe the flavor of this dish – delizioso!

Spaghetti with Fresh Sopressata

Recipe by Kiyo

Servings

servings

Adapted from Food & Wine magazine

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves
1 1/3 cups dry white wine, divided
1 pound Italian sausage (sweet or spicy or a combination, Whole Foods meat department recommended), casings removed
1 teaspoon ground fennel (available at Down to Earth on Maui)
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion (3/4 cup), finely diced
1 small carrot (1/2 cup), finely diced
1 celery rib (1/2 cup), finely diced
1 (28 oz) can plus 1 (14 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed with their liquid
kosher salt
12 ounces spaghetti (or up to 16 ounces)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese plus more for serving
1/4 cup finely chopped basil plus more for serving
1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley plus more for serving

Directions

Using an immersion blender or small blender, puree garlic with 1/3 cup white wine. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the sausage, ground fennel, black pepper and crushed red pepper and knead lightly to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the sausage mixture and cook over medium-high heat, breaking up lumps with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, 6-7 minutes. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring frequently , until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup white wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and their juices to the pan and season lightly with salt. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 5 cups, about 40 minutes.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti until just al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss with 1/2 cup grated cheese, 1/4 cup each basil and parsley. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in some of the reserved pasta water over moderately high heat, until the pasta is nicely coated with sauce, about 2 minutes. Divide into bowls and serve with extra cheese and chopped herbs over the top.

Dinner, Italian, Pasta, Recipes, Sauces

Baked Feta Pasta

May 16, 2021

This baked feta and tomato pasta dish is one of the easiest and most delicious meals we have been enjoying lately. The recipe went viral on TikTok and for good reason. It’s a hands off recipe that comes together in an hour. The resulting dish is just superb. Serve it with good bread to sop up all of the delicious juices from the tomatoes and olive oil.

It’s not a fancy or complex pasta dish but if I was served this at a restaurant I would be begging the chef for the recipe.

If you can find small tomatoes on the vine it makes for a nice presentation. However, it’s not essential because the tomatoes will be crushed and mixed with the feta and olive oil once it comes out of the oven. A fine quality feta such as Mt. Vikos really makes this dish shine. Mt. Vikos is the best I have found and worth the few extra dollars. It isn’t overly salty, and the flavor is outstanding. This feta is creamier than cow’s milk feta which tends to be saltier and tarter than sheep and goat’s milk feta. Here on Maui, you can find Mt. Vikos feta at Whole Foods and occasionally I see it at Safeway.

Just before you mix everything together, fresh minced garlic gets tossed into the hot dish where it will cook just enough to mellow its sharp raw bite.

Serve the pasta with lightly toasted sourdough bread topped with some of the crushed tomatoes and olive oil.

Baked Feta Pasta

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Adapted from TikTok

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 pints (20 ounces) ripe grape or cherry tomatoes
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
red pepper flakes (optional)
dried oregano (optional)
7 - 8 ounce block of feta (Mt. Vikos recommended)
10 ounces short pasta (Gemelli, Casarecce, Penne, Fusille)
1 medium garlic clove, finely minced
3 tablespoons julienned basil

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Place tomatoes in an oven safe baking dish (9x11 works great). Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes, followed by ½ teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper. Coat the tomatoes evenly with the olive oil by gently tossing together. Place the feta block in the middle of the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with a few pinches of red pepper flakes and dried oregano. Bake uncovered until the tomatoes have burst and the feta has softened, about 30 minutes. Increase the heat to 450 degrees and continue to cook until the tomatoes and feta are golden brown, about 10 minutes more.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in generously salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water.
As soon as the feta and tomatoes come out of the oven, stir in the minced garlic. Use the back of a wooden spoon to smash the tomatoes and feta into a creamy sauce. Toss in the pasta and half of the basil, mixing until pasta is evenly coated. If the pasta seems dry, add a few tablespoons of pasta water. Serve with remaining basil and freshly ground black pepper.

Beef, Dinner, Italian, Pork, Recipes, Sandwiches

Italian Meatloaf

December 26, 2020

When I was growing up meatloaf was a mainstay of my mom’s repertoire. She was an excellent cook who made tasty, old fashioned recipes such as beef stew, creamed tuna, pan-fried pork chops and the best brownies and lemon meringue pie ever. Here we are nearing the end of 2020, and meatloaf is just as popular as it was when I was a kid.

This Italian version of meatloaf is an excellent way to put a new twist on an old classic. The sweet Italian sausage creates an intensely flavorful meatloaf. A can of crushed tomatoes along with a few other ingredients turns into a luscious, rich sauce that certainly requires garlic bread to round out the meal.

The sauce is so simple to make. Crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, dried oregano, salt and red pepper flakes are all you need.

The first time I made this recipe I was shocked at how much sauce there was prior to baking the meatloaf. I was almost certain that the entire dish might be a flop because of the amount of sauce called for. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it had reduced to a thick, rich and delicious sauce, in fact just the perfect amount for the meatloaf.

We have eaten the meatloaf with many different sides such as buttered pasta, mashed potatoes, and in a sandwich. It is a very versatile main dish that freezes and reheats well. You can switch out the cheddar and mozzarella cheese with pepper jack cheese, or use mozzarella with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Italian Meatloaf

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Adapted from Cook's Country

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 8

Ingredients

Sauce:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if you want a spicy sauce)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Meatloaf:
35 squares saltines
¾ cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 pound ground sirloin or other lean ground beef
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)
2 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)
3 tablespoons fresh basil (julienned or chopped just before serving)

Preparation

Special equipment: Broiler safe 13 by 9-inch baking dish
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 400 degrees.
Sauce: Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until softened but not browned, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, pepper flakes, oregano and salt. Increase heat to medium and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover to keep warm.
Meatloaf: Spray broiler-safe 13 by 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Place saltines in a large zipper lock bag, seal bag, and using a rolling pin crush crackers to fine crumbs. In a large bowl, whisk saltines with milk and eggs. Let sit until the saltines are softened, about 5 minutes. Whisk saltine mixture until a smooth paste forms. Mix in beef, sausage, Parmesan, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper and pepper flakes with your hands (I use disposable gloves) until thoroughly combined.Transfer beef mixture to prepared dish. Using wet hands (or disposable gloves) shape into a 9 by 5-inch rectangle. The top should be flat and the meatloaf should be 1½-inches thick. Pour sauce over the meatloaf. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the meatloaf registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour 5 minutes to 1¼ hours.
Remove sheet pan from oven, uncover dish, and sprinkle cheese evenly over the top of the meatloaf. Heat broiler. Broil meatloaf until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes.
To serve, transfer the meatloaf using 2 spatulas to a cutting board to make 1-inch thick slices. Or, slice directly in the baking dish. Spoon off any excess oil from the tomato sauce. Scatter julienned or chopped basil over the top and into the sauce just before serving.

Dinner, Italian, Lactose Free, Pasta, Recipes, Veggies

Summer Weekend Pasta

August 21, 2020

This is a lovely, summery pasta dish whose ingredients can be adjusted to include whatever fresh veggies you might have on hand. Now that corn is in season, make sure to include it along with the bacon (yum). I do love the bright green specks of zucchini tucked in-between the orecchiette, but that’s not to say that you couldn’t switch it out for another green vegetable such as julienned kale or thin strips of asparagus. Whatever you choose, keep in mind they should be cut, grated, or sliced into petite sizes so they meld nicely with the orecchiette.

Orecchiette is the perfect pasta for this dish. The domed shape of this pasta is ideal for catching the little nuggets of corn, bacon, and zucchini.

Bacon = Happiness.

The zucchini is grated and salted before being squeezed to extract as much liquid as possible. This will ensure you do not end up with watery pasta. The final dish is a bowlful of summer flavors.

Summer Weekend Pasta

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Adapted from Food52

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 2

Ingredients

4 slices thick bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch pieces
1 medium garlic clove, peeled and crushed
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
2 medium green zucchini, ends trimmed
½ pound orecchiette
2 ears corn, kernels cut from the cobs
1 tablespoon roughly chopped or torn basil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil for finishing
grated parmesan cheese for serving

Preparation

Grate the squash on a box grater or large hole grater. Place grated squash in a bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Let sit for at least 10 minutes, and up to 30 minutes.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large saute pan with crushed garlic clove over medium heat. Cook until the bacon is crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Discard the garlic clove.
Once the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, take fistfuls of the salted squash and squeeze firmly to extract liquid. Set aside in a bowl.
Drain the pasta but don't shake it; you want a little pasta water to help create a sauce. Pour it back in the pot. Add the pressed squash, corn kernels and bacon to the pot. Toss everything together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle in a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Add basil and red pepper flakes if using. Toss once before serving and sprinkle with grated parmesan.

Bread, Dinner, Italian, Lactose Free, Recipes

Fresh Herbs & Onion Focaccia

April 9, 2020

I saved this focaccia recipe from a 1996 Food & Wine magazine (yes 24 years ago!). Over that period, I have made it quite a few times, but not for several years. So with extra time on my hands (and a nudge from John) I decided to bake this beautiful focaccia last weekend. The dough rises quickly and smells divine even before it is formed and baked. This recipe has been fool-proof, turning out perfectly time after time.

Luckily if you don’t grow your own herbs, you can find them easily in any market.

A cup of minced onion is cooked in a bit of olive oil and the fresh herbs are added to the onions before being mixed into the dough. Don’t skip this step. The few minutes it takes to mince the onion and herbs and sauté until slightly softened will be well worth your time.

I used rapid rise (bread machine) yeast so the dough doubled quickly, in about an hour. If you use regular active dry yeast, the rising time could take up to 2 hours. Either of these is fine.

The dough rises until it has doubled in bulk. You will then punch down the dough and let it rise again for another 45 minutes or so. Now it is ready to be shaped and placed in your pan. Along with the onion that is incorporated in the dough, extra slivers of softened onion are added on top with raw sesame seeds and Maldon salt. Chili flakes, poppy seeds, more fresh herbs, and olives are other options. Or leave it plain with just a sprinkling of coarse salt.

The dough is billowy and soft, and flecked with herbs.

Beautiful focaccia with a light open crumb makes for a tender bread that is perfect with your favorite Italian meal or split and used for salami and cheese sandwiches. This is the reason I saved my old favorite.

Fresh Herbs & Onion Focaccia

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Adapted from Food & Wine Magazine

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 17x13-inch focaccia

Ingredients

Fresh Herbs & Onion:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 cup (packed) minced yellow onion
1 medium garlic clove, minced
¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
freshly ground black pepper
Dough:
1½ cups lukewarm water (105-115 degrees)
1 cup lukewarm 2% lactose free or regular milk (105-115 degrees)
1 scant tablespoon table salt
2 teaspoons sugar
(1) ¼ ounce envelope rapid rise yeast (also known as bread machine or instant yeast - 2¼ teaspoons)
6½ cups bread flour (spoon & level measuring method)
cornmeal for dusting
Topping:
1 large onion, sliced into thin wedges and separated into strips
Raw sesame seeds
Maldon sea salt for sprinkling
olive oil

Preparation

For the herbs & onion mixture: Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over moderate heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, reduce the heat to low and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the herbs and a generous amount of pepper and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the water, milk, salt and sugar.
Measure bread flour into a medium bowl, add yeast and whisk together.
Stir flour 1 cup at a time into the herb-liquid mixture until the dough becomes too stiff to stir. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough until smooth, supple and elastic, about 5 minutes, kneading in only as much flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.
Generously grease a large bowl with olive oil. The dough is very lively and will double in size so use the largest bowl you have. Transfer the dough to the bowl and turn to coat with the olive oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Set aside in a warm draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1½ hours.
While the dough is rising, sauté the onion slices for the topping in a bit of olive oil on medium-low heat until just softened, about 4 minutes or so. Don't let them brown or soften too much as they will cook again in the oven.
Once doubled in bulk, punch down the dough. Re-cover the bowl and let rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Brush olive oil over the bottom and sides of a 17-by-13-by1-inch dark heavy aluminum baking sheet (I use my jelly roll pan). Sprinkle cornmeal on the pan and tap out excess.
Punch down the dough and turn it onto a cornmeal-dusted work surface. Turn the dough over and over to coat lightly with cornmeal and shape into a large, rough rectangle. Lift the dough and place in the prepared pan. Don't worry if it loses its shape in the transfer, it is very forgiving. Gently pull, push and pat the dough so it fills the baking sheet. Let the dough rise uncovered in a draft-free spot until billowy, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
While dough is rising, preheat oven to 450 degrees with the rack positioned in the bottom third. If using a baking stone, place on the rack and heat for at least 30 minutes.
Scatter the sautéed onions evenly over the top of the dough. Dip your fingers in olive oil and make many deep indentations in the dough, pressing sautéed onion strips into the dough gently. Brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and Maldon sea salt.
Place the baking sheet in the oven (on the baking stone if using) and bake for about 20 minutes until the edges are crisp and the focaccia is a deep golden color. Remove from the oven and brush extra virgin olive oil (optional) over the top. Using a large metal spatula, slide focaccia onto a large rack to cool.
Let cool before cutting into pieces with a bread knife. Leftover focaccia can be frozen in Ziploc freezer bags.

Dinner, Japanese, Lactose Free, Pork, Recipes

Spicy-Sweet Sambal Pork Noodles

May 8, 2019

Leave it to Chris Morocco, Senior Editor of Bon Appetit magazine to come up with this terrific pork and noodle dish. The flavors of both sweet and spicy along with the crispy bits of pork and chewy noodles can’t be beat. I made this with fresh ramen noodles and udon noodles. They are both delicious, but if I had to choose one or the other, it would be the udon noodles because they are a bit thicker, springy, and toothsome (ramen noodles are my favorite for soup based bowls). Luckily, we have some pretty decent fresh noodles available at the markets.

Sun Noodle is one of the largest producers of specialty Asian style noodles. They make over 300 different types of fresh noodles for markets and restaurants. Both the ramen and udon are made by Sun Noodle and sold at our local Island Grocery store.

A few of the seasoning ingredients are shown above. There’s also a bit of tomato paste, soy sauce and sugar that gets mixed in with the pork.

Don’t skip the basil. It is an essential topping that brings the dish together just before serving it.

A portion of the pork is first cooked until the edges are crisp. The rest of the pork and seasonings are added to the pan along with water. Everything simmers until the sauce is thickened and the flavors have melded.

If you happen to have any leftovers (rarely the case) pack it up and take it to work for lunch.

Spicy-Sweet Sambal Pork Noodles

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Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 2-4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground pork, divided
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 sprigs fresh basil
2 tablespoons Sambal Oelek ground chili paste
⅛ cup soy sauce
⅛ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
¾ pounds fresh udon or ramen noodles
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
kosher salt to taste

Preparation

Heat oil in a large wide heavy pot (Le Creuset works great) over medium to medium-high heat. Add half of the pork, breaking apart into 3 large chunks with a wooden spoon. Cook, undisturbed, until well browned underneath, about 5 minutes. Turn pieces and continue to cook until pork is nicely browned on both sides, about 3-4 minutes longer.
Add ginger, garlic, sugar, and remaining pork to the pot and cook, breaking up pork into small clumps, until meat is nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary. Add tomato paste and 1 basil sprig. Cook, stirring occasionally until tomato paste darkens, about 2 minutes. Add chili sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat too low. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally , until sauce is slightly thickened and flavors have melded, about 30 minutes.
Cook noodles per the instructions, in a large pot of boiling salted water (short of al dente). Add noodles to the pot with sauce along with the butter. Add a splash of pasta cooking water if sauce seems too thick. Simmer, tossing occasionally until the sauce begins to cling to the noodles, about 1 minute. Remove basil sprig.
Divide noodles among plates or bowls and top with torn basil.

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Basil

Spaghetti with Fresh Soppressata

Spaghetti with Fresh Sopressata

Ingredients

Directions

Baked Feta Pasta

Italian Meatloaf

Summer Weekend Pasta

Fresh Herbs & Onion Focaccia

Spicy-Sweet Sambal Pork Noodles

Follow My Lilikoi Kitchen

Basil

Spaghetti with Fresh Soppressata

Spaghetti with Fresh Sopressata

Ingredients

Directions

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Baked Feta Pasta

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Italian Meatloaf

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Summer Weekend Pasta

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Spicy-Sweet Sambal Pork Noodles

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