Minestrone is a staple of cucina povera. It has existed in one form or another since Roman times. This is the Neapolitan version and it always contains a base of tomatoes and potatoes, which, despite their being fundamental today, were only introduced in the mid-16th century.
Cooking and Food
Neapolitan Classics: Vegan Baked Zeppole
Wales has St. David; England St. George; Scotland St. Andrew and Italy has a lot of other saints. One in particular stands out. On 19 March, Italians celebrate the feast day of St. Joseph and it is also Father’s Day. In Naples, we tend to celebrate events and feast days with pastries (ok and all…
Neapolitan Classics: Sweet and Sour Stuffed Peppers
Peperoni imbottiti… Stuffed peppers. My Mum made them very often for us. The combination of sweet and sour or agrodolce is one of the hallmarks in the flavour pantheon of Neapolitan food. These are very simple to make and may be a main or a side dish. This is my rendition, with tweaks and adaptations, of…
Vegan Burns Night Part 1: Cock-a-Leekie Soup (Leek & Potato)
Cock-a-leekie soup is the perfect starter to serve as part of a Burns Night Supper along with haggis and clapshot. Robert Burns, is Scotland’s Bard. His works, life, song, poetry and Haggis are celebrated by Scots around the world on his birthday, 25 January. The main culinary event, is the Haggis, something else for which Scotland…
Neapolitan Classics: Pasta e Lenticchie (lentils)
A staple at Neapolitan tables during colder weather, pasta e lenticchie is savoury, warming and delicious. That it takes about 20-25 minutes to prepare is just the added bonus. Use red split lentils for fast and fuss-free cooking. Any type of pasta shape will do, other than long, stringy varieties (unless you break those up)….
Raw Cranberry & Orange Relish with Cognac
For me, cranberry sauce or relish is not just for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I love it anytime, combined with vegetables in a salad or on nut butter sandwiches (peanut butter and cranberry, oh yeah). This is a simple, raw recipe. It takes five minutes to make, but does require “seasoning” for 24 hours.
Raw Brussels Sprout Salad with Almonds, Walnuts and Cranberry/Orange/Cognac Relish
Brussels sprouts are surprisingly versatile and don’t need to be the soggy mess we’ve been subjected to from time to time. They’re beautiful too. I love slicing them in half and looking at the perfect little arrangement of leaves. This is a quick and flavourful salad. It’s a perfect accompaniment to seitan or tofu roasts…
Burns Night Supper, Part 2: Vegan Haggis
It’s Burn Night! You need vegan haggis.
Burns Night Supper, Part 3: Vegan Clapshot
This is my favourite way to make mashed potatoes… the secret is that it’s not only potatoes!
Agrodolce Sweet Potatoes with Chickpeas and Cavolo Nero
Sometimes you feel like having a jacket potato (or baked potato as you’d say in the US) loaded with goodies. Well, this is just that … only different. Sweet potatoes are so delicious that I usually don’t even bother topping them. I eat them simply baked with skin and all. And I love sweet and…
