A Pasta Salad à la Traditional

It is an Italian nationwide summer staple, known at home as svuota frigo "fridge-cleaning" meal for beach, lunches, picnics, and al fresco dining with light, Mediterranean ingredients. Though pasta is found all over the country, Bologna is note as the "best" pasta.

Americans have heavy salad with cured meats, creamy mayonnaise dressings, and heavy cheeses. 

Let's do it the Italian way! Facciamolo all'italiana! Serve as its own course rather than as a side dish. Italians do not eat bread with pasta. Because both are heavy starches.

Here is one "traditional" recipe.

Pasta fredda (Italian)

"cold pasta"

or

Insalata di farro

"spelt salad"

~Use organic as best as possible.~

cooked (GF) pasta as directed on the package

mozzarella cheese or DF cheese

basil, chopped

black olives, cut in half

cherry tomatoes, cut in half

chopped red and yellow bell pepper

1 cup (240 ml) Italian dressing*

Bolognese dialect (bulgnais) “Italian”

un 1. Combine pasta, bell peppers, tomatoes and olives in a bowl.

dû 2. Mix in the dressing.

trî 3. Stir in the basil and cheese.

quâter 4. Serve at room temperature or cold.

*traditional "tipica" Italian dressing, 3-to-1 ratio

makes 1 cup (240 ml)

3/4 (180 ml) extra virgin olive oil 

1/4 cup (60 ml) white or red wine vinegar or fresh organic lemon juice

1/4 to 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

optional: 

ground black pepper to taste

minced garlic

zénncv 5. Whisk the vinegar and salt (black pepper & garlic) together.

sî 6. Slowly whisk in the olive oil or shake together in a glass jar.

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Tetrazzini Pasta

Tetrazzini is an Italian-American dish. It is made with (leftover) poultry or seafood. Various types of dairy sauces, pastas, and vegetables are used. So, be creative and choice the meat, sauce, and pasta you want tonight. Then change the ingredients next time you want tetrazzini.

Serves 8

Preheat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC

• 1 pound (455 g) a package of: linguine, spaghetti, egg noodles or other types of pasta
• 2 cups (260 g) singly or a mixture of sliced: spinach, carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini, leeks, asparagus, celery, peas, etc.
• 1 pound (455 g) shredded cooked organic: turkey, chicken, ham, seafood (of choice)
• 1 cup (130 g) sliced mushrooms
• 2 cups (480 ml) (dairy-free) butter, cream, milk and cheese, béchamel, mornay, or yogurt
• olive oil
• 1 cup (130 g) organic onion, chopped
• minced organic garlic
• (gluten-free) flour
• 2 cups (480 ml) organic chicken broth; seafood use chicken, clam juice, seafood stock, or for a kick, Cajun-style broth (Cajun seasonings and andouille sausage)
• 1 Tbs. (15 ml) organic lemon juice
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) white wine
• 2 cup (480 g) (dairy-free) different types of cheeses
• garnishes chopped: parsley, chives, cilantro, mint, etc.

1. Cook the pasta as directed.

2. Sautéed in wine: onions, mushrooms, and garlic. 

3. Whisk in the broth and lemon juice.

4. Stir in the choice of dairy. 

5. Simmer until it thickens. Add little flour if needed.

6. Toss in the cooked pasta and vegetables.

7. Add everything to a casserole pan. Sprinkle with cheese.

8. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 25 minutes.

9. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes.

10. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes. 

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Mediterranean Olive Oil Dip

Sitting around a table, enjoying the sunny weather, having a free friends over or just the family, olive oil dips are savory.  

Makes 2 cup (480 ml)

2 cups (480 ml) olive oil 

4 Tbs. (60 ml) balsamic vinegar 

2 Tbs. (30 ml)  organic lemon juice 

4 tsp. (8 g)  each dried: oregano and basil

2 clove garlic, minced 

dash of red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste

garnish. parsley and/or basil

1.  Whisk the mixture together.

2. Let it rest for 15-30 minutes.

3. Garnish on top.

4. Serve with warm, crusty (GF) bread for dipping.

Try some other appetizer dips:

French Onion Dip:  https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2024/07/french-onion-dip.html

Bread Dipping Oil: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2026/04/bread-dipping-oil.html

Baked Goat Cheese Dip: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2024/03/baked-goat-cheese-dip.html

Vegan Queso Dip: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2023/02/vegan-queso-dip.html

A Goat Cheese Dip with Roasted Garlic: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2022/07/a-goat-cheese-dip-with-roasted-garlic.html

Dill Dip: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2022/04/dill-dip.html

Eggplant Dip: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2021/04/eggplant-dip.html

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Mushroom Stroganoff

Stroganoff originated in Russia in the 19th century, named after Count Pavel Stroganov (Павел Строганов). The dish has sautéed beef, onions, mushrooms, and Russian sour cream. 

Different countries have adapted their versions:

• US: sour cream or cream of mushroom soup with egg noodles or white rice
• Brazil: chicken or beef, with ketchup or tomato paste, served with white rice and shoestring potatoes
• France: flambé beef, cognate, or white wine with French heavy cream
• UK and Australia: like America but with creamy white wine sauce with rice or pasta
• Japan: beef strips in a savory sauce and served over white rice 

Here is a vegan stroganoff.

Грибной строганов (Russian)

/gribnoy stroganov/

Serves 4

~Use organic as much a possible.~

1 pound (130 g) sliced mushrooms, different types have unique flavors, eg. cremini, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. (30 ml)  olive oil
2 Tbs. (30 g)  (GF) flour
2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth

1/2 cup (120 ml) white wine
1 Tbs. (15 ml)  soy sauce or GF liquid alminos 
1 Tbs. (15 g)  Dijon mustard

1 tsp. (2g) each: paprika and dried thyme
1/2 cup (65 g) vegan sour cream or non-vegan with Greek yogurt or DF yogurt

cooked and drain (GF) egg noodles

garnish: parsley or chives

один  /a-deen/ 1. Sauté the mushrooms in oil over a medium-high skillet for 5-8 minutes.

два  /dva/ 2. Add the onions and garlic. Cook 2-3 minutes. 

три  /tree/ 3. Stir in the flour.

четыре  /chye-tir-ye/ 4. Pour in the broth and wine. Mix.

 

пять   /pyat/ 5. Add the soy sauce/liquid aminos, mustard, spices. Stir well.

шесть   /shest/ 6. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.

семь   /syem/ 7. Stir in the sour cream.

восемь  /vo-syem/ 8. Serve the mushroom sauce over the cooked pasta. Garnish.

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Asparagus with Hard Boiled Eggs à la French

 In 20 minutes you can have a French appetizer on the coffee table.

France is one of five European countries that grown white asparagus, which are grown underground. There are special festivals from mid-April to June 24th just for white asparagus.

Asperges et œuf (French)

Severs 4

Preheat the oven to 450ºF/230ºC

bunch of organic white or green asparagus, trimmed

4 Tbs. (60 ml) olive oil

Himalayan salt and black pepper

2 Tbs. (30 ml) organic lemon juice

grated (dairy-free) cheese, eg. Parmesan

4 organic hard boiled eggs

un 1. Place the asparagus on a large sheet pan.

deux 2. Drizzle with oil and season to taste.

trois 3. Roll the asparagus in the oil, then spread in a single layer on the baking sheet.

quatre 4. Roast about 8-12 minutes until they are tender and lightly browned.

cinq 5. Remove and drizzle with lemon juice and cheese.

six 6. Peel the cold eggs and slice horizontally.

sept 7. Serve a sliced egg with the asparagus on four plates or in bowls.

Try other asparagus dishes: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/search/label/asparagus

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