Sun, sand and pasta

I'm back from my beautiful, wonderful, relaxing, tummy filling, sun filled (i'm running out of spectacular words to describe it) vacation. Sperlonga is by far the most beautiful place I have ever been, complete with incredible beaches, friendly Italian locals and food that satisfies each and every taste bud. It was one of those places that pleases each sense. The taste of the fresh pasta, the smell of the blooming flowers, the sound of waves crashing on the shore, the touch of the soft sand and the sight of just about everything the town had to offer resulted in an overall feeling of awe. I went with my grandmother and both of us couldn't have been more content. We stayed at the Aurora Hotel.The charming local is a Gagliardi family run business, bursting with a garden that puts those in House & Garden to shame.

Along with long days spent on the beach basking in the sun and taking the occasional dip into the warm ocean, my grandmother and I ventured along the coast to the local Archaeological Museum, leading out to ancient ruins and a cave fit for a king (or an emperor in this case).

Yes, it was perfect, right down to every last bite of pasta. I went a little pasta overboard in fact, trying to combine my meals with other extra treats, like breaded scallops, a shrimp cocktail, crisp salads and plenty of tiramisu and gelato. All in all though I just couldn't resist the seafood pasta combination, I figured if I were on the coast I may as well sample what it had to offer, and I did, devouring pasta with all types of fish and crustaceans each night.

Spaghetti with mussels and clams

Baked scallops with breadcrumbs

Shrimp Cocktail

I decided, like any self-respecting food junkie caught in Italy, that the only way I would be able to make it out was by stuffing my suitcase with fresh pastas, dried Porcini Mushrooms, chocolate and hazelnut infused biscotti and a variety of other special treats.

With these specialties in hand on my return home, the first thing I did was run straight to the outdoor market, stocking up on fresh mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, plenty of garlic and some freshly caught clams and mussels in order to ease my way back into normal life. My first at home meal was right on the Italian target, whipping together Linguine di cozze e vongole (linguine with mussels and clams) and an Insalata caprese.

The best part about Italian cooking, and I am repeating myself, is that a lot of the dishes are quite simple, it's the quality of the ingredients that make the difference. This is the recipe I came up with after plenty of taste testing seafood based pastas these past few days. I used to make something similar without the tomatoes, but the sweet taste of perfectly ripe tomatoes make all the difference.

Linguine di cozze e vongole (Linguine with mussels and clams)

Serves 4

Extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

1 dried chilli

15-20 good quality cherry tomatoes, cut into halves

1/2-1 lb mussels, cleaned

1/2 lb clams, cleaned

A bunch of fresh parsley, leaves and stems separated, leaves chopped

1/2 lb good quality linguine, fresh if you can find it

1. Heat a few lugs of olive oil in a pan on medium heat and add in the garlic, turning down the heat slightly so as to cook the garlic but not burn it, crumble in the dried chili.

2. After about 5 minutes add in the cherry tomatoes, squeezing them slightly so their juices release into the olive oil.

3. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the skin of the tomatoes begins to peel off.

4. Add in the mussels and and clams and cover with a lid.

5. At this point bring a large pot of water to boil and add in the linguine.

6. When the mussels and clams in the pan have opened turn off the heat and add in the chopped parsley.

7. keep an eye on the linguine, turning the heat off a minute or two before the instructions say to.

8. Drain the pasta and add in back into the pot, pouring the sauce over immediately and cooking over medium heat for a few minutes.

9. Serve immediately.

Soup built for a vacation

Tomorrow is the day that I have been waiting for, the BIG off to vacation day. I have been counting down the weeks, days, hours and minutes, anticipating the moment when I board the plane to Italy...destination point: Sperlonga. Sperlonga is a small town on the western coast of Italy, situated between Rome and Naples. Among the whitewashed house (resembling the those of Greece) lie the ruins of the Grotto of Tiberius, an ancient Roman villa, along with the stunning Archaeological Museum, a hidden cave and last but not least, one of the most beautiful beaches in Italy. Ah yes, there may be nothing better than three full days enjoying sun, sand, scenery and of course real Italian food.

I have been to Italy twice before and each time I fall in love with it all over again. I promise to come back with plenty of photos and a stack of recipes based on the local cuisine. I bid you farewell with yet another Jamie Oliver Italian-inspired recipe, Zuppa di baccalà (sald cod soup). I made it last night...the robust flavor and fresh, simplicity caused me to have dreams about a three day vacation filled with plates and bowls of traditional Italian food.

Zuppa di baccalà (sald cod soup)

Recipe adapted from Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver

Serves 6

11oz salt cod fish or 11lb fresh cod, haddock or monkfish fillets

1 white onion, peeled and chopped

2 small carrots, peeled and chopped into medium sized pieces

2 sticks of celery, trimmed and chopped, pale green inner leaves reserved

2 cloves of garlic, minced

A small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, stalks and leaves separated

Extra virgin olive oil

1 small dried red chili, crumbled

2 x 400g tins of good-quality plum tomatoes

3/4 pint light chicken stock

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

1. If your using fresh fish, pack it in sea salt over night and rinse before using. If your using the salt cod, soak the fillets in cold water for 48-72 hours, changing the water at least once a day, removing the salty flavor.

2. Heat the olive oil in a pot and add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley stalks and dried chili. Cook on low heat with the lid on for 15-2o mins until soft, but not brown.

3. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 mins.

4. Add the stock and bring to a boil.

5. Break up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon and add the fish fillets. Simmer for 15-25 mins with the lid on until the fish flakes apart when touched with a fork.

6. Pick out any fish skins and stir the soup.

7. Taste and add salt, pepper and lemon juice (be careful with the salt as you may not need any due to the saltiness of the fish).

8. Turn off the heat and top with chopped parsley and celery leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.

9. Serve with bread or by itself.

Jamie takes on Italy

I have been avoiding my blog duties for quite sometime now and it's time to face the music. My sister has been in Barcelona visiting and summer is full-fledged, resulting in plenty of time outdoors and not enough time in the kitchen. Though I have managed to squeeze in a few home cooked meals all thanks to Jamie Oliver.

My infatuation with the chef grew after I recently purchased his Italian cookbook. I barely have words to describe how utterly amazing it is. After spending far too many late nights reading it from front cover to back, I took it upon myself to learn the true basics of Italian cuisine, with more than enough help from Jamie (we are now on a first name basis). I have been carrying around the 320 word cooking bible for two weeks now, pulling it out every now and then to show my friends and sometimes even random strangers the beauty within the pages. Eager to cook everything at once, I have decided to go slow and take my time, in order to learn the secrets inside and out. There are two recipes in particular that I am drawn to, easy and quick to make with wonderful results. I have found that the secret lies in the ingredients, using only the best quality vegetable to obtain a mouth-watering taste. I have already made them twice this week and I have a feeling that they may be popping up in my meals continually.

Verdure verdi condite alla perfezione (dress up perfectly cooked greens)

Adapted from Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver

6 big handfuls of mixed greens, leaves and herbs (baby cabbage leaves, Swiss chard, cos, gem, Romain, spinach, rocket, watercress, yellow celery leaves, basil, parsley, sorrel, or fennel tops all work either alone or combined)

Good quality extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil and steam the greens and garlic, covered by a lid.

2. Once the greens have taken on a dark-green color (time varied by the type of green, taste to see if they are done) drain them in a colander and lay them on a clean tea-towel to soak up any excess water.

3. Leave them for a few minutes until the steam escapes and then put them in a bowl.

4. Mix in the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and stir.

5. Serve hot or cold.

Tomato and olive crostini (small toasted bread)

Adapted from Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver

About 20 ripe cherry tomatoes in a variety of colors, chopped into quarters, or 5 heirloom tomatoes in a variety of colors, chopped into small pieces

A handful of good-quality black or green olives, stones removed and chopped

Good-quality extra virgin olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper

1-2 dried chilis

1 loaf of ciabatta, cut into 1/2 inch slices

1 clove garlic, peeled

1. Combine the tomatoes, olives, 2 or 3 glugs of olive oil and a swig of balsamic vinegar in a bowl and stir.

2. Season with salt and pepper and crumble in the dried chili and stir.

3. Grill the slices of ciabatta until golden brown.

4. While they are still hot rub them gently with the garlic and drizzle on the olive oil.

5. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and then generously spoon the tomato mixture on top of each slice.

6. Serve as an appetizer, with a meal or by themselves.