This recipe is a cross between a soup and a stew; it’s heartwarming and packed with nutrients. I consider it my Italian therapy. 🇮🇹
Pasta e Fagioli
You will need:
1/2 lb. Ditalini pasta 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 carrots, diced 2 ribs of celery, diced 1 small onion, diced 1 garlic clove diced, optional Salt and black pepper to taste 1 can of Pinto beans, rinsed 1 (24 oz) jar of marinara or passata (puréed tomatoes) 2 bay leaves 1/4-1/2 cup water as needed Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
Method:
In a medium-sized pot, heat olive oil on medium high-heat. Pan fry the (soffritto) carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Season with salt & pepper. Add beans and tomato sauce. Use the immersion blender to thicken the sauce for 5-12 seconds. Add pasta and water. Simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked al dente. Be sure to stir occasionally. Add more water if necessary. Serve with the cheese.
Please remember to remove the bay leaves. I used mine as a garnish.
PS. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use the back of a wooden spoon to smash the beans.
Borlotti or cannellini beans can be used as well.
Are you going to try this hearty dish?
Buon Appetito!
I hope you will try this recipe.
Happy Holiday Season to all!
Gina Martino Zarcadoolas, aka Foodiewinelover Culinary Personality, Food & Wine Blogger Author of the cookbook: Cuisines, Corkscrews & Cultures Level-2 Certified world-renowned – “WSET: Wine, Spirit, Education, Trust” Level-2 Certified Sommelier and Italian Wine Scholar Scholar 🇮🇹 Winner of 2019 Italian Wines “Salice Salentino USA Bloggers” Award, held in Puglia, Italy Brand Strategist
Marry me bow ties. You will get stomach butterflies.
While farfalle means butterfly in Italian, it is commonly refer to as bow tie in the US . This broccoli pasta dish is delicious and easy to prepare. Boil the broccoli in the pasta water to save time and cleaning.
Ingredients:
1 head of broccoli, cut up in florets
1 lb. Farfalle (bow ties) medium-sized
1 handful of salt for pasta water
1 head of garlic, sliced razor-thin
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2-3/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
1/4 cup reserved pasta water
Preparation:
Bring pasta water to a boil. Add salt. Add the pasta. Cook for 6 minutes. (use the timer) drop the broccoli in the same water. Cook for an additional 6 minutes.
In the meantime, in a large frying pan, heat up the olive oil on medium-low, drop the garlic. Remove from the burner. It will continue to cook. Drain the pasta. Add it to the garlic. Add the cheese and pasta water. Mix well. Serve at once.
Wine pairing suggestion: Sauvignon Blanc from Alto Adige. This grape has become one of the region’s leading varieties, and displays notes of passion fruit, elderberries, and black currants. The wines tend to be crispy with a fresh mouthfeel and great intensity.
Happy New Year 2025 to all my subscribers. Kicking off the New Year on a spicy note. Today, I am sharing my Spicy Rigatoni alla Vodka. It is silky on the palate and sexier than Puttanesca. I crafted this recipe to replicate the famous dish from Carbone Fine Food. I recently had the original at their Miami location, and I was blown away. Mine is even better. You might ask why? It’s simple, I made it and I know what I put in it.
Ingredients:
1 lb. Rigatoni
1 handful of salt for pasta water
2-3 tbs. olive oil for frying
1 hipping cup of chopped onions
1 hipping tbs. of garlic, chopped
1 tsp. Calabrian chili paste
4 ounces tomato paste
1 cup vodka
2 cups heavy cream
Salt to taste
3 tbs. butter
1/2 – 3/4 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated Parsley or basil for garnish, optional
Preparation:
1. Bring pasta water to a boil. Add 1 handful of salt. Cook the pasta al dente.
2. In the meantime, in a large skillet on medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Sauté the onions 2-3 minutes or until caramelized. Add garlic and chili pepper paste. Stir well. Add tomato paste, stir until it obtains a rust color.
3. Deglaze with the Vodka, lower the flame to medium. Reduce the sauce for 1-2 minutes. Lower the flame to low. Add the heavy cream and salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir well.
4. Drain the pasta. Pour it in the sauce. Swirl in the butter and sprinkle the cheese. Mix well. Serve at once. The pasta should be glistening.
Gina’s notes: if you don’t consume alcohol, alternatively, you can use some reserved pasta water instead of Vodka.
If you can’t find Calabrian chili paste, use Thai red curry paste along with some crushed red chili pepper. Use your judgement.
While I love using reserved pasta water, I didn’t feel like I needed it. The ratio of sauce was perfect for one pound of pasta cooked al dente.
Wine pairing ideas: Demi-Sec champagne, full bodied Sangiovese-based Rosato or a Pinot Nero.
I hope you will give this famous dish a try. Until then, Have a wonderful New Year from my kitchen to yours.
Gina Martino Zarcadoolas Food & Wine Blogger, Sommelier Level 2 and WSET Level 2 certified. Cookbook Author: Cuisines, Corkscrews & Cultures Italian Wine Scholar Salice Salentino-Italian Award Winning Wine Blog Website: www.foodiewinelover.com Email: gina@foodiewinelover.com
Calzone is believed to have originated in Naples, Italy. They are delicious pizza pocket stuffed with a variety of ingredients like prosciutto, salami, pepperoni, ham, all sorts of cheeses, and veggies like red bell peppers and mushrooms. You can also add fresh or dried herbs to elevate the flavors and textures. In Naples, they love stuffing calzone with fresh seafood. Generally, calzone is made in individual-sized, this way they are easy to consume. Today, I am sharing a large family-sized calzone that is easier to put together, but requires the use of a fork and knife. By all means, use your hand if you want to!
1 lb. store-bought freshly baked pizza dough 15 oz. whole-milk ricotta cheese 1 cup mozzarella, shredded ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated 4 ounces Prosciutto, shredded and chopped 1 egg, beaten Marinara sauce on the side
Servings: 4-6 with a salad or a side of veggies
Time: from start to finish – less than 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Preparation:
1. Make sure you keep the dough at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to using. Cut the dough in half to create the top and bottom of the calzone.
2. Lightly knead and roll to flatten – about ¼ -1/2 inch thick. 3. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, place one half of the dough. 4. Spread half the ricotta on the dough. Add the mozzarella, Parmigiano (parmesan), and prosciutto. Finish with the remaining ricotta. 5. Cover with the half dough. Pinch all around with a fork to seal together. Brush with the eggs. 6. Bake on a lower rack for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
You will get a crusty dough. Cut with a serrated knife or a pizza slicer. Serve with the red sauce for dipping.
This recipe got a high rating and will become a part of my culinary repertoire.
Wine Pairing Suggestions: Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo or Aglianico,
Dough before kneading and rolling
Please let me know when you try this recipe. I would love to hear your spin and creativity.
Rustic Pasta with Meat, Porcini mushrooms, and Spinach
This flavorful dish is inspired by the mountainous region of Abruzzo, where you will find an abundance of porcini mushrooms. The original recipe was developed by an Italian chef, but I put my own spin on it and tweaked the measurements. I have followed his method and prepared it many times in my kitchen. He recommends using Farfalle, a pasta shape, commonly known as bowties, but it literally means “butterflies” in Italian. You can also use Fusilli, a short pasta shaped like a corkscrew. They both work well and absorb the sauce nicely. It’s always a big hit in my kitchen, and perfect for feeding a small crowd. This recipe brilliantly combines veal, beef, and pork, tomato paste, and porcini mushrooms to create a culinary masterpiece. Make sure you caramelize the tomato paste to get a rust color, and the result will be a stupendous rustic dish packed with layers of deep flavors. Make it for a dinner party, and your guests will think that the sauce had been simmering for hours.
Serves 8 to 10 as a first course, 6 as a main Level of difficulty – medium
Ingredients:
6 ounces dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 2 cups hot water for 10 minutes
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2- 2.5 pounds ground veal, beef, and pork divided equally
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup plain tomato sauce
14 oz. whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
1/4- 1/2 cup reserve pasta water
1 pound farfalle pasta
1 handful of salt for the pasta water
6-8 ounces baby spinach, trimmed
½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
Preparation:
1. Drain the porcini, reserving the soaking liquid, and coarsely chop the porcini. Strain the soaking liquid through a strainer, and set it aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until it is lightly toasted. Add all the meat and the chopped porcini, and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the meat is well browned, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and add the tomato paste. Cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until the paste turns a rust color, 5 minutes. Deglaze with the wine and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the strained porcini soaking liquid, the tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a quick boil. Reduce the heat to a very low simmer. Cook 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Rustic Pasta with Meat, Porcini mushrooms, and Spinach
3. Bring pasta water to a boil. Add salt. Cook according to package directions or al dente. Drain. Add pasta and the reserve water into the meat mixture. Stir in the baby spinach and mix well until the pasta is nicely coated. Pour into a serving bowl and serve at once, with the grated Pecorino on the side.
Then end result will be a rich and thick meat sauce. If you like more sauce, add more tomatoes and pasta water.
My wine suggestions: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, a delightful red wine from the Abruzzo region of Italy or a Barco Reale di Carmignano red wine blend from Tuscany. The latter is made with mostly Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Canaiolo.
Rustic Pasta with Meat, Porcini mushrooms, and Spinach
I hope you will try this easy and delicious recipe. Please be sure to let me know when you make it.
Cuisines, Corkscrews & Cultures features 88+ recipes from global cuisines, plus more than 160 tidbits, tips, headnotes, Gina’s notes, and wine pairing suggestions. This cookbook is packed with valuable content for the beginner cook to the most advanced. Explore Gina’s kitchen for some delicious meals; let her share with you her knowledge of food & wine and cultures of the world. You will discover a rustic side to her personality, with a touch of glamour!
Her cookbook is available on Amazon.com in the US and many parts of the world. If you would like an autographed copy, please contact her at gina@foodiewinelover.com. The signed copy will be shipped from her US address.
Cuisines, Corkscrews & Cultures
Testimonials:
“Gina not only offers a wide variety of delicious salads, but her salad recipes are a wonderful way to start a meal. One of my favorite salads Gina makes is tabouleh. It is so easy to make and such a lovely recipe. All of Gina’s salads are made with love and fresh seasonal ingredients.” – Chef Krystina Kalapothakos, http://www.kouzounaskitchen.com Author of the cookbook Back to My Roots
“My dear Gina, I give you a 5 star and more for this dish. This is everything that started my passion for cooking, and I am so very glad you did this post. A true authentic dish from Naples which gladly is where my Nonno was born and raised. The simplicity of this dish speaks volumes! My favorite dish of all-time is Spaghetti al Pomodoro con Basilico. You are amazing and completely fed my soul to see this. Yes, the recipe must be in your cookbook that I am so excited about. Love this and you.” – Natasha Panacci, http://www.cookingwithtash.com
“Gina, I would give anything to have a taste of your Greek-Style Shrimp Saganaki! So delicious! All my senses would love to try this amazing dish. Your food has so much soul, story, and passion! Your fresh pasta looks superb! You are a superstar, Gina! Good food, good wine, good atmosphere. I see it all shining through your pictures and your captions.” – Camila Hurst, http://www.piesandtacos.com
“I love that each recipe has the history and story for it. This helps set the context for why you would want to make each recipe. Gina’s diverse knowledge of foods from around the world along with her knowledge of wines makes enjoyment of each meal more complete. Some favourites of mine are Greek Goddess salad with its deep roots in an ancient Mediterranean culture. The picture an setting are lovely and make you want to dive right in. A really unusual recipe for me was “A Kissable Kibbeh to Caress your Palate” with a great picture of her mother making this unique recipe. It is helpful to have notes about what to do if you cannot find certain ingredients so that you can still enjoy the recipe and make it. Great job Gina. Highly recommended.” Cathy Connally – Cookbook Author – Canada
This recipe was inspired by the Pasta Queen on Instagram. It makes for a stunning presentation, but requires some patience. It may take a little practice before shaping the pasta nests. Put on your favorite apron and follow me in Gina’s Kitchen!
Serves: 6-8
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
Sultry Spaghetti Nests
Ingredients:
3/4 lb. thin spaghetti
1 handful of salt for pasta water
¼ – ½ cup reserved pasta water
1 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil + more to drizzle
8 ounces pancetta, chopped
½ – ¾ cup dry white wine
28 oz. can peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed*
¼ – ½ cup prepared plain sauce – not included in the photo
10-12 slices Provolone cheese, each rolled and broken into 2 pieces
Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino cheese
Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Preparation:
In a large skillet, on medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Pan fry pancetta until golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Deglaze with wine. Stir for 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and reserved pasta water. Lower the flame, and simmer for at least 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Preheat oven to 350-degree Farenheight.
While the sauce is cooking, bring the pasta water to a boil. Add salt. Cook pasta al dente. Reserve some water before draining it (follow the recipe). Drop the pasta in the tomato sauce. Mix well until every strand of pasta is coated with the sauce. Use a fork or thongs to shape the little nests in a ladle. (Should yield about 8-10 pasta nests depending on their sizes.) Place each nest in a medium to large metal baking pan. Add any leftover sauce on top. Nestle 2 pieces of cheese in the center of each nest and sprinkle it with the grated cheese.
Bake for about 5-8 minutes until the cheese has melted. Remove. Garnish each pasta nest with a basil leaf, and drizzle liberally with olive oil.
Your guests will appreciate this gorgeous spaghetti bake as well as the tastiness of the dish. Use a spatula to serve the pasta.
Cook’s notes: you can crush the tomatoes by hand or use a potato masher.
Wine Pairing Suggestions: Sangiovese-based wines such as Chianti Classico or Rosso di Montalcino. A Montepulciano d’Abruzzo would work as well.
Sultry Spaghetti Nests
Sultry Spaghetti Nests
Please let me know when you make this! It’s a crowd pleaser!
All photos are my own. All rights reserved
Buon Appetito!
Gina Martino Zarcadoolas, aka Foodiewinelover
Culinary Personality, Food & Wine Blogger
Author of the cookbook: Cuisines, Corkscrews & Cultures
Level-2 Certified world-renowned – “WSET: Wine, Spirit, Education, Trust”
Level-2 Certified Sommelier & Italian Wine Scholar
Winner of 2019 Italian Wines “Salice Salentino USA Bloggers” Award, held in Puglia, Italy
Brand Strategist
Food & wine pairings create many emotions; if done right, they are both great givers of happiness.
Today, I am sharing with you a recipe for stuffed shells that I paired with a lovely Chianti Classico. The idea is to keep it simple and minimize cleaning in the kitchen. This recipe serves 6 with a side of salad. The level of difficulty is easy to intermediate.
Scrumptious Stuffed Shells & Sangiovese
Ingredients:
1 (12-ounce) box jumbo shells*
1 handful of salt for pasta water
24 oz. jar – plain marinara sauce
8 ounces of fresh mozzarella, cut up
1 (15 oz) container of whole milk ricotta
Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, to taste
Preparation:
Boil pasta in salted water for 6-7 minutes. Drain.
Preheat the oven to 350°F
In the meantime, on the bottom of a large glass baking dish, spread some tomato sauce. Fill each shell with 1 teaspoon of ricotta cheese and place them in a single layer on the baking dish. Drizzle with tomato sauce. Place a piece of mozzarella in each shell. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese. Voila!
Bake for about 45-50 minutes until you see the sauce bubbling.
Cook’s notes. I used about 27 shells. (There will be some unused shells)
Wine pairing: Renieri 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG. This wine is made with 100% Sangiovese, and the grapes are cultivated in the southernmost part of the Chianti Classico zone, in the town of Castelnuovo Berardegna. The warm temperatures produce bigger and riper wines.
The aromas and flavors include cedar, leather, oak, underbrush, red juicy cherries, vanilla, tobacco leaves, mushrooms, and earthy characters. The tannins are supple and supported by vibrant acidity, leading to a long finish with a hint of chocolate. A superb wine, but I don’t believe it deserves 95 points. My opinion!
This wine complemented the stuffed shells to sublimeness.
It’s been raining here, and I needed some comfort food to cheer me up. I made braised short ribs simmered in a tomato sauce and paired them with a Nero d’Avola. It is the flagship grape of Sicily. Mille e Una Notte translates to A Thousand and One Night and comprises predominantly of Nero d’Avola. This wine boasts violet hues and shows great concentration. The nose delivers aromas of dark fruits, blackberry, plum, savory and sweet spices, and a hint of earthiness. The mouthfeel is silky and mirrors the nose with additional flavors of dark chocolate, baking spices, hints of black pepper, nutmeg, and licorice. The finish is lingering, and this wine has the potential for long cellaring. Below is the recipe for the short ribs.
Braised Short Ribs in Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
6 short ribs (about 3 lbs.)
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
olive oil for frying
5-6 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 (32) oz prepared plain tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
1 (26.46) Pomi strained tomatoes
Flat leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
1 lb. spaghetti or any pasta of your choice
1 handful of salt for the pasta water
Parmigiano Reggiano
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350-degree Fahrenheit.
1. In the meantime, liberally season the short ribs with salt & pepper. In a Deutch oven on medium-high heat, heat 2-3 tbs. olive oil, sear 3 short ribs for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove. Sear the second batch. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pan, add more oil if needed, sauté the garlic for 1-2 minutes, and deglaze with the wine for 1-2-minutes. Add in the tomatoes, water, parsley, and ribs. Bring to a gentle boil and turn off the burner. Cover.
3. Place the pan in the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until the meat is tender.
4. While the short ribs are cooking, bring the pasta water to a boil, and add a handful of salt. Cook according to package directions or al dente.
5. Serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano or local Parmesan cheese.
Cook’s Note regarding Italian traditions: if you want to eat like the Italians, serve the pasta first, followed by the short ribs. Here in the US, we tend to serve them on the same plate.
While the wine and the dish were delicious on their own, a brown sauce would have made a better pairing with this outstanding wine. The acidity in the tomato sauce overpowered the wine and mellowed its flavors. Either way, the food and the wine were both super stars, but they didn’t get long together.
I hope you will give this recipe a try! I recommend this wine for a special occasion and stick with a Sangiovese-based red wine for an ideal pairing.
Happy Cooking & Sipping from Gina’s Kitchen!
Gina Martino Zarcadoolas, aka Foodiewinelover
Culinary Personality, Food & Wine Blogger
Author of the cookbook: Cuisines, Corkscrews & Cultures
Level-2 Certified world-renowned – “WSET: Wine, Spirit, Education, Trust”
Level-2 Certified Sommelier & Italian Wine Scholar Student (Unit 1 completed)
Winner of 2019 Italian Wines “Salice Salentino USA Bloggers” Award, held in Puglia, Italy
Brand Strategist
Are you familiar with Etna Rosso? This wine is from Sicily and offers fantastic value.
Etna Rosso is a volcanic wine rich in minerals produced with at least 80% Nerello Mascalese and up to 20% Nerello Cappuccio.
Nerello Mascalese is a noble red grape that thrives on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily with nuances of red berries, cranberry, aromatic spices, woodsy herbs, thyme, dried flowers, and mineral characteristics.
Nerello Cappuccio is usually used in a blend and rarely as a varietal because of its lack of tannins. This grape variety adds elegance with flavors of red cherries and softens the grippy tannins in Nerello Mascalese. It makes for a perfect blending partner!
2017 Gambinowinery Gambino Vini Tifeo Etna Rosso appears itself in a translucent ruby red reminiscent of an elegant Oregon Pinot Noir with delicate aromas and flavors of cherry and raspberry, tobacco leaves, forest floor, leather, and cocoa. The tannins are silky and showcase a high level of acidity leading to a long finish with a sultry mineral freshness.
Food pairing:
Mouth-watering Veal Bolognese over Pappardelle. This dish is made using wholesome ingredients and is a shorter version than the original long-simmered sauce. The recipe is on page 82 of my cookbook. It makes a dazzling pairing because the level of acidity in the tomato sauce and that of the wine interweave harmoniously, Bam!
Happy Cooking & Sipping!
Gina Martino Zarcadoolas, aka Foodiewinelover
Culinary Personality, Food & Wine Blogger
Author of the cookbook: Cuisines, Corkscrews & Cultures: https://foodiewinelover.wordpress.com/product/cookbook/
Level-2 Certified world-renowned – “WSET: Wine, Spirit, Education, Trust”
Level-2 Certified Sommelier & Italian Wine Scholar Student (Prep course completed)
Winner of 2019 Italian Wines “Salice Salentino USA Bloggers” Award, held in Puglia, Italy
Brand Strategist
You might ask why? It’s simple, I made it and I know what I put in it. 
Foodie WineLover 
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