Here’s another attempt at Spaghetti with clams (from the farmers market). Turned out really well. The key is good clams, good olive oil and italian parsley. Everything else can be swapped around till you find the perfect flavors and mix. Definitely try adding some hot pepper too.
soak the clams first
steam the clams
toss the pasta with the sauce after removing the clams
add the clams after putting a portion of pasta on each plate
This was one of the best farmers’ markets I’ve been to in LA in a while. All sorts of delicacies and all organic. Zucchini flowers, baby artichokes, baby clams, aubergine, grape tomatoes, blueberries, white raspberries, salad and a beefsteak tomato. It’s on Saturdays at Arizona Ave and 3rd Street. Here’s a link to their site.
When these little puppies are in season, pick some up and tug out their stamens and throw ‘em on pizza… maybe even stuff some anchovies inside and sprinkle some fresh mozzarella on top. Don’t forget that EVOO. Oh god.
Tear the zucchini flowers apart and lay them over the pizza
baked zucchini flower pizza ready for eatin'
Found this little number at epicurious.com. Check it out here. If you’re a pizza person and you have some experience, this would be a good one to try. Don’t cook the chanterelles too much, just a little sauteing is perfect. I used Trader Joe’s dough and it came out really thin and crispy using a stone. Check out some pics below.
Radicchio, pancetta and chanterelle pizza
Radicchio, pancetta and chanterelle pizza
Me: “Hmmm what should we make for dinner?”
Nate: “Something easy, I need to be someplace at 10.”
Me: “Okay, how bout gnocchi with a tomato ragu?”
Nate: “Ummmmmmm yeah.”
It’s only proper that we cooked this meal without shirts on because it was sweltering. I wore a chest-hair net. Nate did not make it to out before 1 am.
your shirtless chefs
The gnocchi isn’t hard to make, it just requires “the touch,” something we are still perfecting. Bake about 12 russet potatoes until they are soft. You can also boil until soft or microwave but baking is best. Baking will take about an hour, so plan accordingly.
baking the russet potatoes
Once they’re soft, cut them in half long ways and scoop out the insides. If you have a potato ricer, use that to crush each scoop. Mix the potatoes with your hands and add a bit of flower until the consistency is right. That’s the hard part. I’m still not completely sure what it’s supposed to feel like but I would say about a cup of flour is right. You want to use 00 (“Double O”) flour which you can get at most specialty markets (Bay Cities, Surfas in Los Angeles). Once you’ve mixed it, roll it out into strips about a half inch in diameter and cut inch pieces out of it. Then take a fork and roll each piece to create the little indents. Those are important because the sauce is supposed to sit in there.
mixing the potato and flower
mixing close-up - look at those hands
gnocchi assembly line
a roll of potato and flower
gnocchi
The sauce takes about an hour and you should start it after you put in the potatoes. Fill the bottom of a pot with about a quarter inch of olive oil and saute some onions, chopped carrots and celery. Add two or three cloves of crushed garlic. Cook it over a low heat until the onions are translucent then add some coarsely cut heirloom beefsteak tomatoes and about 2 small cans of tomato paste. Let that cook for about another 10 minutes. Cook the meat a little bit in a pan just for about 2 minutes and then add it to the sauce. Turn it down to a simmer and use a diffuser if you have one to keep the heat even and constant. Add some italian parsley and more salt and pepper just before serving.
the beginning of the sauce just after adding the tomatoes
tomato paste
searing the ground pork
the sauce cooked down a bit
Heat water in a large pot and salt it as it begins to boil Cook about 10 or 15 pieces of gnocchi at a time, removing them about 10 seconds after they start to float. Serve immediately with the sauce and some parmesan cheese.
dinner!
This is a little mix of crostini with toppings that I made and bought. The green topping is the pistachio pesto I made earlier for a pasta dish. It’s even better the day after. The red is a sweet red pepper sauce made my Momma’s Middle Eastern sold at the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market on Saturdays. One of sweet red bell pepper crostini has caramelized onion on it and the other has a chunk of feta cheese. The white is the Angelo & Franco Ricotta which is great on its own or with a little squeeze of lemon juice. The orange is a sun dried tomato humus also from Momma’s. So easy to make and delicious. It makes a great appetizer or snack.
ricotta and red bell pepper crostini
mixed crostini
If you’re looking for an easy, delicious meal, this is it. This package of pasta feeds about two guys and costs around 4 bucks. Boil it for less than the time it says, about one minute and 40 seconds or until the first few pieces begin floating. You can make an easy sauce by heating some olive oil in a pot, adding in some diced onions, chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper, chili, and italian parsley just before you are ready to serve it. It tastes great with parmesan cheese.
Trader Joe's Perline Prosciutto Pasta
prosciutto pasta with tomato, onion, and italian parsley veggie sauce
Get a poaching pan, poach the eggs, toast the english muffin, slice the tomato and avocado, fry the bacon, and sprinkle the mozzarella and hot sauce.
poached eggs with tomato, avocado, bacon, mozzarella and hot sauce
Gretchen and I had to show Jesus how we make Pizza in America. We used Trader Joe’s dough and made everything else. Yes, we made the corn, grew it, harvested it, peeled it, boiled it, sliced off the kernels, pow. I sliced the potatoes using the slicer blade in the Cuisinart and then baked them with some olive oil for about 30 minutes on 350. I sauteed the sliced sweet onions for about 20 minutes on medium heat with some olive oil and salt and pepper.
baking the sliced potatoes
sautéing the onions
corn
homemade cilantro pesto
The first pizza was an onion, potato, mozzarella and gruyere pizza with arugula.
what's left of the gruyere, potato, onion, mozzarella and arugula pizza
The second was corn, onion, feta and mozzarella served with our homemade cilantro pesto (pine nuts, basil, cilantro, olive oil, salt, pepper) and lime.
corn, onion, feta, mozzarella, cilantro pesto pizza, served with lime
The third, one you might have seen before, fig, gorgonzola and mozzarella. Sweet and delicious.
Tomato, onion, mushroom, spinach and ricotta omelette with turkey bacon, baby yukon gold potatoes and a trio of toasts topped with the pistachio pesto, blueberry jam, and sweet Cheeseboard butter.
fluffy omelette preparation
the omelette with the sides
trio of toasts? yes
I picked up the ricotta from Whole Foods the other day because the two guys who make it were there giving out free samples. Its incredible and I would say, even if you’re lactose intolerant, its worth trying.
Angelo and Franco Ricotta Cheese