This recipe seemed to be buried under my nostalgic ode to Ohio in a post I wrote years ago after a memorable trip to visit my family. I spent a lot of time with my late Sicilian grandmother and my aunts on that trip. It was a fantastic time of year because so much of the summer harvest was still bearing fruit and everyone was happy and generous, eager to cook and enjoy the rustic countryside of Ohio that I grew up with and have loved and missed over the years.
This recipe for Sicilian Swiss Chard is one that my aunt made in just a few minutes. I never really knew that it was something my grandmother liked to make and eat because it wasn’t one of those things she made for the Sunday dinners, which were more family-style meals (think lasagna or pasta with meatballs), so I learned something new about her during this visit- and I also learned that I had unknowingly inherited a love of greens and that learning how to make something this simple would be one of the healthiest types of dishes in my repertoire to date. It’s something I have made over and over again, with spinach or kale instead, and it saved me many times when I lived in Turkey and there was an abundance of greens to cook. I hope you’ll enjoy it and prepare it for yourself and your family, too.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1/2 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces. I recommend this Italian boxed variety if you don’t have fresh tomatoes on hand.
1 bunch red or green-stemmed Swiss chard, cooked and drained of all water. Substitute spinach or kale if you don’t have Swiss chard. (Always choose organic/pesticide-free on the greens, if possible).
Summer food is equivalent to grilling, right? Well, in the intense heat we’re feeling here in the Midwest I’m not sure everyone is so excited about firing up the grills all the time. I mean, it’s really hot- even in the evenings I’ve seen temps at 98° F. That said, with all the amazing summer produce to be found at farmers markets and in our own gardens, there still needs to be a way to use up your favorite summer veggies even if it means staying indoors and NOT turning on the oven.
The last ten days of Ramadan are upon us and it’s a special time for Muslims to really try as hard as possible to dedicate a good amount of time (especially in the night hours) to prayer, spiritual reflection, repentance and worship of the Creator. Most people aren’t thinking so much of food and gatherings as much as earlier in the month, but planning for ‘Eid-ul-Fitr, or the three-day celebration that marks the end of the holy month of fasting, is somewhere in the back of our minds.
Where will ‘Eid be spent? What will we make for guests? If going to someone’s home, what’s a good hostess gift to bring? If visiting multiple families and friends, what’s an economical yet thoughtful way to say Eid Mubarak (Happy ‘Eid)?
The first day of ‘Eid (the day after the last day of Ramadan, which is also the last day of fasting) begins early. The special ‘Eid prayer is only conducted in the morning and there are usually two prayers to accomodate people, some of which begin as early as 8am. Often times the turnouts are so large that in places like Chicago, stadiums or banquet halls are rented out to fit all the people who attend.
After ‘Eid, most people will go somewhere to eat lunch or brunch, either at a restaurant or someone’s home for what is often referred to as an open house. I like to bring desserts because often times it’s either an afterthought for a busy host, and/or truly enjoyable for them and the rest of the guests to have something homemade and different from what they might be used to eating.
This ‘Eid, I’m also thinking of light foods- it’s still summer her in the Midwest and after all the scrumptuous food on ‘Eid day, it’s hard to refuse a light dessert that won’t put you over the top.
My recipe for Ricotta Pie is one such dessert that I absolutely love sharing. Most people think of ricotta cheese as going in lasagna dishes, but it’s actually a wonderful cheese for desserts, too. It bakes well, it seasons well (savory or sweet) and is lighter than cottage or cream cheeses, so pies made out of ricotta are a huge welcome when other heavier foods abound.
[yumprint-recipe id=’72’](UPDATE- this giveaway is now over)
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Talk about a quick dinner- and yes, frittatas make great quick and nutritious dinners. Just take it from the rural Italians who live on such rustic, satisfying food.
I roasted my peppers ahead of time, but you can easily purchase peppers in glass jars from most grocery stores
How to Roast Peppers
Peppers of all kinds can be fire roasted in a variety of ways. You can use bell peppers or small sweet peppers. If you’re adventurous enough, you may even want to fire roast hot peppers.
To roast, clean peppers well then pat dry. You can then either 1) place peppers directly on the flame of a gas stove; 2) or place peppers on a comal or metal pan over an electric or gas stove; 3) in the summer or warm climates, there’s always the luxury of roasting over the hot coals of an outdoor grill.
For all three methods, simple allow one side of each pepper at a time to blacken, but not turn white (over-blackened). Rotate until the entire pepper has blackened. Then, allow the peppers to rest either out on a plate, or preferably in a paper bag. This allows them to sweat, making it easier to peel later on.
Let them rest for about 10-15 minutes, or until the blackened skin is easy to peel. I like to wear gloves so that the black stuff doesn’t get stuck underneath my short nails since it’s so hard to get off. Otherwise, just use a non-serrated, but sharp knife (paring knives work great) to scrape the black part off.
Cut the peppers as usual- dice or julienne- depending on how you choose to use them in a recipe. They’re ready to be eaten ‘raw’, but are basically very well-cooked at this point, and easier to digest since the skin has been so well softened by this process.
Roasted peppers are absolutely delicious on pasta, on pizza, in tuna salads, eggs or just alone with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar as a pepper salad of their own.
Use jarred roasted peppers or roast your own. Chop them roughly or dice, according to your preferance.
In a medium size bowl, break the eggs. Add the cream and whisk together. Add the parsley, salt and chopped peppers. Mix to combine.
In a heavy-bottom, oven-proof skillet, melt the butter or warm the oil. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and turn the heat to a medium-high. Add the small pieces of cheese to the top.
Cook for about three minutes to allow the eggs to set. Once you start to see the edges brown, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Cook for about 10-12 minutes or until the frittata has thickened all throughout and isn’t watery anymore. It should be fully cooked, just not browned on top.
Turn the oven broiler on high and place the entire (oven-proof) pan into the oven under the broiler. Keep it there for three minutes only, which should be sufficient time for it to brown nicely on top.
Remove and allow to cool before cutting and serving.
Goes nicely with a side salad and rustic bread for a light dinner.
I’ve grown up making tuna fish sandwiches all my life. In fact, it was probably the first kind I ever made for myself during my latch-key kid days of the late 80’s and early 90’s. I tried to get creative back then, but there was much to be desired gastronomically during that time.
Believe me, if I was allowed to use the stove at that time, I probably would have mixed the tuna with some of Nonna’s homemade Sicilian tomato sauce and made a somewhat flavorful sandwich. Instead, mayonnaise was the sandwich sauce of my youth.
Alhamdullilah, thankfully, much has changed since then. After years of travel and an absolute obsession with eating foods natural and as unprocessed as possible, I’ve taken my tuna to new levels with the incorporation of real Mediterranean flavors and whatever else is fresh and good for us.
The recipe below is one I made recently for a neighbor and friend I hadn’t seen in nearly two years. She recently called one morning and asked to come by for a visit that afternoon. I responded with excitement, “Of course!” and hung up- not realizing I’d love to present a healthy lunch but it would have to be done quickly and give a nice presentation, too.
This simple lunch was a snap to prepare and a success at the table. Try it yourself – I think you’ll love it. Here are the ingredients:
Mediterranean Tuna Sandwiches
Makes approximately 4 healthy size sandwiches or 12 open-faced small sandwiches
1 TB homemade or a good quality(made with olive oil) mayonnaise
Preparation
Drain tuna and put in the bowl you plan to serve the salad.
Add all of the rest of the ingredients and taste. If you need to add more of anything, don’t be afraid- a little more will only extend the serving size.
Serve on your favorite bread, croissants or rolls and with a delicious sliced cheese such as provolone, mozzarella or Swiss. Even better when melted!
