Hard to believe it is Spring and still a chill in the air. One way to combat those chilly Spring nights is with a hot bowl of soup for dinner. besides being tasty, the best part is that they really are quick and easy to make, delicious and healthy. Serve with slices of crusty bread and you have a meal. here’s a recipe from my upcoming book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style.

Minestra Bolognese
1 lb (500 gr) speckled beans
½ lb (250 gr) fresh pasta-(short noodles)
1 medium potato
¼ cup (50 gr) plum tomatoes
1 garlic clove
½ onion
handful fresh parsley
1 carrot
1 stalk celery
fresh rosemary
freshly grated parmigiana reggiano cheese

Soak beans overnight, Cut celery, carrot, onion, in chunks, place them in cheesecloth. Put in with beans and boil for 30 minutes, remove cheesecloth with carrot, celery, onion. Place in potato with beans and cook for another 45 minutes. Drain and place in food processor.
In a sauce pan, make the sauce. Place in olive oil, heat,then place in chopped garlic,pinch of salt. When garlic is just about golden, add in tomatoes, chopped rosemary and chopped parsley. Saute for 15 minutes. Add in pureed beans. Bring to boil, add in fresh pasta and cook for 3 minutes or until pasta is done. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, freshly grated parmigiana reggiano cheese

For more great recipes, get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions

  copyright, 2010, art of living ,PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

Nothing better than fresh pasta…the taste or maybe the memories of (making fresh pasta in Italy..in Umbria..in Le Marche..in Abruzzo) how could I even think about pasta and not think about the memories created around a large table of flour and water and eggs and people..lots of people passionate about the same thing ..food…. fresh pasta to be exact..

In all the cooking programs that I have hosted, throughout Italy…fresh pasta is the most requested course…one of my favorite recipes for a pasta dish and some of my favorite memories in photos of making pasta are here… Create your own pasta memories around a table…ones that you won’t soon forget….what you create will linger in your mind ..the camaraderie, the fun,the taste of an artisan dish of pasta…

These are some pasta memories from a country house in Umbria….

Fresh Pasta with Zucchini & Ricotta

2 ounces ricotta

2 cups white flour

1 ½ cups cold water

pinch of salt and pepper to taste

2 zucchini

10 cherry tomatoes

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons plain tomato sauce

Preparation for pasta:

Place flour on wooden board and shape into a well. Place water and salt in center of well. Blend by hand and work the dough till smooth and well blended. Let rest for 2 hours covered with a clean towel.

Divide pasta ball into 4 portions. Roll out each portion on well floured board. Cut into noodles that are ½ inch thick with the help of a pasta machine or by hand.

Cut each noodle into smaller strips. Sprinkle with flour, let sit.

Preparation for Sauce:

Place olive oil in saute pan with the zucchini that has been cut into quarters. Cook over high heat for 2 minutes. Place in tomatoes that have been cut in quarters with the plain tomato sauce. Let simmer together for 5 minutes. Add in salt as desired. Turn off heat.

Boil water ion pasta pot. Place in fresh pasta, cook for 2 -4 minutes (taste after 3 minutes do not overcook). Drain. Place in saute pan with zucchini, toss, serve with grated dried ricotta

Serve on rustic plates in a bright, sunny house in the country..ohh and don’t forget the wine..a Chianti..from the hills of Tuscany will do or a Montepulciano from the mountains of Abruzzo..

 Wednesday,May 26th, 11 AM-Book Expo America-Book Signing /release of second edition of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions. Hope to see you there. If you want more info on this appearance- email: info@marialiberati.com

Hudson Valley Wine Fest-Sept 9-12-Rhinebeck NY. I am very excited this year to be one of the two Celebrity Chefs selected to appear at this event.  Along with Celebrity Chef Vincent Tropepe, I  will be doing cooking demos all weekend. If you want more info on attending this event or sponsoring one of my on stage cooking appearances –email : info@marialiberati.com

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