Italian-American Chana Masala

That’s right, you heard me. This is probably the best improvised dish I’ve ever made.   I had some very nice, very sweet tomatoes from Pike Market (where does that vendor get tomatoes that good in December?), mushrooms, celery and green onions.  My newly-stocked pantry is loaded with chick peas.  I thought I wanted to make a pasta primavera, but then, the chick peas don’t really fit, and I’ve got this baguette that’s gonna turn into a rock so pasta isn’t really the right idea and…

Calorie Estimate: 750

Ingredients

• 5 plum tomatoes, quartered
• as much mushroom by volume as tomato
• 1 stalk celery, 1/8″ slices
• 2 green onions, 1/4″ slices
• 1 15 oz can chick peas
• 2 T olive oil
• anchovy fillets (about 1 oz)
• garlic powder to taste
• salt to taste
• black pepper (lots! chick peas love black pepper)
• red pepper
• italian herb blend

Preparation

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet.  Add the chopped mushrooms and let them cook a couple minutes.  While the mushrooms get going, slice the celery and green onions.
2. Add celery and green onions to the pan.  Quarter the tomatoes and add them to the pan.
3. Add the anchovy fillets.  Break them down with your stirring spoon and mix them thoroughly through.  These provide a lot of savoriness, but don’t actually make the dish taste like anchovies unless you use too many.
4. Add the rinsed chick peas.
5. Season to taste.  Salt generously and use lots of black pepper.  For chick peas, I like to be able to see flecks of black pepper on the beans in the finished product.  I also realized garlic couldn’t hurt, but it was too late in the game, so I added a little garlic powder.  Any aromatic herbs will probably work, but the standard basil, parsley, oregano mix was just right.  And I like a little heat, so some red pepper flakes round it out.
6. Cook a few minutes until the peas are fully warmed and any liquid has thickened up and brought the dish together.

The flavor here was excellent: deep, warming, and very satisfying, especially served with that baguette.  The eating experience really was like a chana masala and so, the name!

Olive and Sundried Tomato Tapenade

Taken from Love and Olive Oil.

Calories: 1200 (hard to estimate +-200)

Ingredients

• 2 cups pitted olives (mix of Nicoise, Picoline, black, etc)
• 1/4 C sundried tomatoes
• 1 T capers
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 anchovy fillet (or 1/2 T anchovy paste)
• 1/4 C olive oil
• 1/2 T fresh basil
• 1/2 t thyme, dried
• 1/2 t parsley, dried
• 1/4 t oregano, dried

Preparation

1. Pulse everything in a food processor until reasonably smooth, or reasonably not smooth, whatever you like, adding oil as you go (start dry).  Refrigerate and enjoy over the course of a week, or an hour.

More Molto Mario Ideas

From the Napoli Trattoria episode.

1. Braciola di Pollo = stuffed, de-boned chicken.  Looks delicious.  Probably a lot easier to do with skin on chicken breasts, although the whole chicken would probably be worth it.
2. Crostini Napolitani:  my interest is the anchovies and seasoned ricotta idea.

Half a puttanesca

This is a quick, satisfying recipe that mixes salty, tangy pasta with cool, creamy ricotta.  A little fresh (well, it’s Seattle, supermarket fresh) mozzarella and prosciutto on the side and perhaps a glass of red wine, and you’re a happy man.

Estimated calories per my serving: 750

Ingredients

• pasta
• capers
• anchovy paste
• olive oil
• garlic and parsley (dried mixed)
• italian seasoning mix (red pepper, oregano, basil, salt, etc)
• dollop of ricotta
• mozzarella ball
• prosciutto

Preparation

1. boil the pasta, drain when al dente
2. warm a splash of olive oil in a skillet, add garlic and simmer.
3. Dump in pasta, add seasonings, anchovy paste, and capers to taste.  Toss well and plate.
4. Drop a hearty dollop of ricotta cheese in the center.