(photo: hummus or chickpeas with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Omit the tahini if you’d like a more Italian version!)
By now many of our readers have realized that Italian food is all about simple preparation and great ingredients. In short, simple food equals great food that is satisfying, easy to prepare, and healthy for you. Some of my favorite everyday Italian food include items so simple you’d think I have the palate of a a five year old, but I derive great culinary satisfaction from:
- Perfectly ripe fruit, including pears, peaches, and plums
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil which is buttery, bitter, and sweet all at the same time
- Crusty, warm, bread
- Eggs which are neither over or under cooked
- Cured pork
- Pasta and Rice
- Roasted Chicken
- Bean soups
- Great coffee with hints of chocolate and hazelnut and subtle bitter qualities
- A well mixed aperitif
- Old world wine
(photo: hummus and roasted peppers and whole wheat bread)
(photo: add a piece of cured ham and this is a perfect meal – along with a glass of wine, of course)
Recently, I made two of my favorite simple foods: basic hummus or chickpea spread and roasted peppers dressed with olive oil, dried oregano, basil, Kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
You can find the recipes here, including a recipe for simple poached eggs:
– Hummus and/or chickpea spread
What are some of your favorite simple foods (Italian or otherwise)? A good way of thinking about the question is to ask yourself what foods would you bring with you if you were going to be stranded on a dessert island?
(photo: everyone’s favorite prosciutto and melon; this is certainly overdone in some place, but if the prosciutto and melon are great then it’s an ideal combination)
I love Italian food!