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Minestrone Romagna Style

Minestrone Romagna Style by John Spottiswood

This is the way minestrone is made in Romagna. It's not a lot of prep time, but you simmer the soup for a long time until all of the vegetable flavors mellow into one mild but delicious soup. The subtle flavors of this soup are even more delicious the next day, so it is a good dish to prepare in advance of guests arriving for a…

14 votes
21619 views
Italian Chick Pea Soup

Italian Chick Pea Soup by John Spottiswood

Chickpeas are one of my favorite ingredients in soup. They don't lose their texture or their nutty flavor. Whether in a spicy Harira (served during Ramadan) or in this mild flavored Italian soup, Chickpeas make soup both nutritious and delicious. This soup has been popular in Italian homes for over 1000 years, and it was…

12 votes
6304 views
Tuscan Vegetable Soup - La Ribollita

Tuscan Vegetable Soup - La Ribollita by John Spottiswood

We made a heaping pot of this up at Heavenly Valley last week when up there for ski week. It was the perfect capstone to a wonderful day snow boarding. We were limited to vegetables we could find at the local supermarket, and substituted regular green cabbage for the black leaf Kale. While it was still good, I would recommend…

6 votes
8705 views
Spinach and Ricotta Balls - Gnudis

Spinach and Ricotta Balls - Gnudis by John Spottiswood

I've been looking for tasty ways to cook spinach and wild greens because they are so healthful. This one is fantastic. These are called Gnudis in Florence because they are "nude", e.g. missing the pasta on the outside. These are sort of like a spinach ravioli without the pasta. If that doesn't sound all that flavorful to you, wait…

6 votes
6703 views
Ricotta and Greens or Spinach Pasta

Ricotta and Greens or Spinach Pasta by John Spottiswood

This is another excellent dish that takes advantage of delicious and healthy greens. This is a Sicilian dish that I absolutely love. Our kids all went back for seconds. It's also quite beautiful...the lousy picture I took does not do it justice. A healthy and yummy treat! This is also adapted from Red White and Greens by Faith…

4 votes
2540 views
Farro with fresh herbs

Farro with fresh herbs by John Spottiswood

I had Farro for the first time recently at a party at a winery. I thought it was fantastic served under grilled lamb. It's a little crunchier than barley, and has a subtle nutty flavor. You'll love it with grilled meat! It's a little hard to find, but try an Italian supermarket or Whole foods. You can also substitute "spelt", but…

2 votes
3170 views