Zuppa di pasta e fagioli

Hearty and warming. I usually don't like pasta that get all fat and soggy, but in this soup it actually works. The starch from the pasta cooking in the soup makes the broth wonderfully silky, and the soft pasta works well with the beans. This is a quick weekday version, but there's a more involved, slower version that makes the beans much more flavorful.

Number of portions: 6 servings
Serving size: ~550 g
Calories per serving: ~395 kcal (reduced from ~430)

1 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2-3 slices bacon (35-50gr), cut into lardons 

5 cloves garlic, smashed

1 small onion (4oz/114g) roughly chopped

¼ tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste

½ tsp fennel seeds

5 fresh plum tomatoes (10oz/285mg) or ½ canned, diced 14oz (398mL) 

2 lb. 5 oz cooked beans like pinto or romano or cannellini 

6 cups water (only 3 cups if using cooked beans)

6 cups light beef broth (1 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon)

2 bay leaves

1 piece parmesan cheese rind (30 to 40g)

1 tsp salt, to taste

1 sprig finely chopped fresh rosemary

1/3 cup (43g) grated parmesan, and more for topping

8oz/230g small pasta such as shells or ditalini or orzo

1 bunch (4 to 8oz) mustard leaves, ribs sliced thin, leaves chopped (can subst. kale and/or chard)

¼ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley

2 Tbsps. olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 to 2 tsps white wine vinegar to drizzle on top

Lots of freshly ground pepper

OPTIONAL - Fresh Croutons

1. Render the lardons in a large soup pot (it makes lots of soup) until lightly brown and crispy. Remove all but 1 Tbsp of fat and add the olive oil. This is to increase heart-healthy practices. If it isn't a concern for you, keep the bacon fat and never mind the rest.
2. Add the garlic, onion, red pepper flakes and fennel seeds. Cook until the onions soften.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until they start to release their juices. If using canned tomato, cook until they start to break down.
4. Add the beans, water, broth, bay leaves and parmesan rind and stems cut away from the greens. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the flavors soften and blend, about 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Return the soup to a boil and add the kale/chard leaves and the pasta and cook until the pasta is cooked. (NOTE: if using mustard greens, they are more delicate and cook more quickly. Wait until pasta is cooked and water level is correct, then add and cook for about 5 minutes.)
6. The soup should be thick and creamy; if too thick, thin with water until you get the consistency you want.
7. Remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind; add the salt, rosemary, the grated parmesan, parsley and remaining 2 Tbsps. olive oil. Adjust seasoning to taste. Top with more olive oil and parmesan and a few grinds of black pepper. Optional is a drizzle of white wine vinegar per serving.
8. Optional 'croutons'. These are not true croutons, just a quick and dirty version. Figure for 1 slice per bowl of soup. Double toast some bread until pretty dry (but not completely), butter while hot, and chop up with a knife. Garnish each bowl of soup.

Penne with Roasted Plum and Herbed Blue Cheese Sauce

Fruit and cheese is a classic combination, and added to a pasta makes for a stunning combination for a meal that feels wonderfully decadent. The brightness of the plums pair well with the unctuous fats of the cheese. The beauty of this dish is that it can be served hot or it makes a great picnic dish, cold on a bed of lettuce.

3 cups Penne pasta (8oz)
18 Italian Prune plums, smallish, quartered (1lb)
pinch of cinnamon powder
a little honey (½ to 1 tsp)
1 Tbsp light oil
1 small onion, finely minced (4oz/115g)
2 to 3 garlic cloves, pressed
¼ cup combined chives + basil + parsley (finely chopped)
3 oz Cambozola cheese, diced (for easy melting)
¼ tsp black pepper powder (coarsely ground)
salt to taste
2 Tbsps toasted nuts (walnuts or pine nuts or pecans)
Optional: lettuce leaves and 5 to 6 tsps extra virgin olive oil

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Set the pasta water to boil.
3. Arrange the quartered plums on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with the cinnamon, drizzle a thin stream of honey on each one, not too much! Roast for about 5 to 7 minutes at 350°F.
4. Cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve about ¼ cup of the pasta water.
5. In a fry pan cook the onion in the Tbsp of oil until completely soft but not browned.
6. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute more.
7. To the onions add the herbs, cheese and pepper. Once the cheese has melted, add the pasta and toss, cooking, adding a few Tbsps of the pasta water. The pasta water will reduce and help create a creamy, more consistent sauce, combining oils with the starch in the water from the pasta. This will only take a couple of minutes. Taste and season with salt
8. Add half the roasted plums and toss.
9. If serving as a cold salad, arrange over lettuce leaves, aesthetically place the remaining plums on top and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. 
10. If serving as a hot dish, arrange remaining plums on top and serve immediately.

Pesto Mac and Cheese

Some may feel that toying with a classic is aberrant, but I think this tastes pretty darned good! You can also omit the pesto just for a regular old tasty mac&cheese.

8oz (225g) dry chunky pasta like macaroni, fusilli, etc
2 (1oz/28gr) + 2 (1oz/28gr) Tbsps butter
¾ cups (75g) panko breadcrumbs
1 small onion (4oz/115g)
1 Tbsp flour
¼ tsp dry mustard
⅛ tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1½ cups milk
1 cup (about 2.5 oz) grated sharp cheddar
1 cup (about 2.5 oz) grated gruyère cheese
Optional 1.5 oz chèvre cheese
2 Tbsps to ¼ cup pesto

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Boil the pasta in some salted water until just al dente; tender but firm (it will cook more when baking, and mushy pasta isn't great).
3. Meanwhile, in a hot pan, melt 2 Tbsps of the butter and mix in the breadcrumbs, stirring until evenly combined, and set aside.
4. Melt the remaining 2 Tbsps of butter and cook the onion until perfectly tender, about 5 minutes.
5. Blend in the flour, mustard, pepper and salt.
6. Stir in the milk and whisk until it thickens into a sauce. 
7. Remove for the heat source and stir in the cheese until well combined.
8. Add the pesto and combine, followed by the pasta. Mix until the pasta is uniformly covered.
9. Pour the pasta into the baking dish and sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the surface.
10. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the top is toasted and golden.

Spicy Italian Sausage and Kale Pasta

Yes, kale. As an easy-to-grow cold weather vegetable, it's worthwhile for us to try to find ways of making this tough, strong-tasting vegetable palatable. I've found that strong flavours can achieve this goal. In this instance, the sausage has a strong flavor and is robust enough in texture to balance the kale.

12 oz hot Italian sausage
8 oz kale leaves, massaged and thinly sliced
6 large garlic cloves (30g) coarsely chopped
3 Tbsps olive oil
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
2 cups chicken stock
1 lb Rotini pasta (or use your favorite chunky pasta)

½ cup Pasta Water
¼ tsp salt
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan; squeeze sausage out of casings and crumble into the pan, cooking until the sausage is nicely browned. Turn the heat down.
2. Meanwhile, wash and massage the kale and cut into thin slices.
3. Add the garlic and hot pepper flakes and cook for about a minute, then add the kale. Cook until the kale is all wilted, stirring constantly to prevent garlic from browning.  Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer, leaving the pan uncovered. This will increase the flavour by concentrating the liquid and further contributing to browning.
4. Now, start the water for the pasta and bring to a boil. The kale needs lots of time to soften while cooking. NOTE: Save ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
5. Add the cooked pasta to the sausage/kale mixture, adding as much pasta cooking water as you think you need for it to be moist enough.  Add the Parmesan cheese and serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese.