For those of you who are not familiar with its roots, frittata is a dish of Italian origin. Like an omelet, in can be enriched with a variety of ingredients. It’s the perfect dish to serve for breakfast because is very nourishing, and you can keep it really simple, or for those special occasions, make it a bit more decadent. For those of you on a low-carb regimen, it is a perfect dish to start off the day since it is high in protein, and very low in simple carbohydrates. This Asparagus, Mushroom, and Cheese Frittata recipe is easy to prepare and will provide you with a healthy and nourishing meal. The eggs contain omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins K, B1, B2, C and E are found in Asparagus.

Begin by slicing finely the leaks, and the remaining ingredients. To clean the mushrooms, just wipe them off with a wet paper towel. Do not wash them as they will absolve water this way becoming soggy during cooking. Chop up the herbs very finely.

Beat the eggs with a fork and then add the milk, salt, herbs and half of the cheese. Mix well.

Cook the vegetables and add the egg mixture and the remaining cheese to the pan and your frittata is ready to go in the oven.

Frittata is the perfect to serve for breakfast or brunch to your family, house guests,  or on a holiday morning. It is healthy, colorful, and festive. Find some fresh local ingredients, and create your own masterpiece. Enjoy!

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Asparagus, Mushroom, and Cheese Frittata

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6 to 8 servings

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp of butter
• 2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped leeks cleaned - white and pale greens parts
• 1.5 cups asparagus cleaned and sliced into two inch pieces
• 1.5 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms cleaned by using a wet paper towel
• 12 eggs
• 4 Tbsp of whole milk
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped tarragon
• 1/2 Tsp salt for the egg mixture plus 1/8 tsp for the vegetables
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped tarragon
• 1/2 Tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup diced cheddar cheese
• 1 campari tomato thinly sliced - optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Chop up all the vegetables and herbs.
• In a large bowl, with a fork beat together the eggs for about a minute, add the milk, 1/2 tsp of salt, the fresh herbs and sprinkle with some freshly ground black pepper. Add half the cheese and mix it together. Reserve the remaining half for later. Set aside.
• On a 9X13 inch cast iron or oven-safe skillet heat the butter and olive oil together over a medium high heat. Add the leeks. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and mushrooms. Sprinkle them with a 1/4 Tsp of salt. Cook stirring constantly for another 2 minutes.
• Arrange the mixture in an even layer across the skillet.
• Whisk eggs one more time just for a few seconds and add the egg mixture to the skillet. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of cheese all over it, and arrange the tomato slices around it.
• Transfer the pan to the bottom of the oven and bake until you can see the middle just barely set for about 12 to 14 minutes. For a browned crisp top, set frittata under the broiler 12 minutes after baking and broil until frittata is puffed and begins to turn golden in color for about one minute. Watch this really close as the frittata can turn dark brown in a matter of seconds. Do not walk away from it!
• Once the frittata is done, let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing it. Serve immediately.
• Leftover frittata will keep well stored in a glass covered container, refrigerated for up to 3 days.
• Enjoy!

Your comments means a lot to me. If you like what you see please leave a comment below. Thank you!

The post Asparagus, Mushroom, and Cheese Frittata appeared first on My Global Cuisine.

Having just completed my post on stuffed grape leaves, and craving for all things Middle Eastern, I thought it would be nice to do a post on Fattoush Salad. There is nothing more delicious or appetizing than a good Middle Eastern mezze. Seeing those bowls of hummus, babaganoush, tabouleh, kafta, spread out on a table while surrounded by family and friends is heartwarming. Fattoush Salad is a perfect addition sure to round out a great mezze.

I grew up in Sao Paulo surrounded by Lebanese people. The number of people living in Brazil of either full or partial Lebanese descent is estimated by the Brazilian and Lebanese governments to be around 7 million. Sao Paulo is host to the largest portion of these immigrants. Growing up, many of my friends of my friends were Lebanese and from the time I was young, I was exposed to this wonderful cuisine. During my travels, when I am in the mood for something other than the native cooking, I often seek out Middle Eastern food. For me, it reminds me of family and firends, and has become one of of my favorite cuisines.

Fattoush Salad is very easy to make, and is the perfect companion to your mezze or grilled meats. Since much of the Middle Eastern table contains flavorful meat and vegetable dishes, Fattoush Salad offers a welcome and lighter side to compliment those dishes.

I hope you enjoy making this Fattoush Salad. In the Middle Eastern tradition, be sure to make extra so that you can share it with your family and friends!

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Fattoush Salad

Course Salad

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 3 pieces toasted pita bread broken into 1 inch pieces
• 1 head romaine lettuce or purslane chopped or broke into pieces
• 3 medium size tomatoes cut into quarters
• 3 radishes stems removed, thinly sliced
• 1 small persian or english cucumber cut in half and sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped curly or flat leaf parsley
• 1 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 cup chopped scallion
• For the dressing:
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon of sumac - *available at Middle Eastern markets
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground allspice

Instructions

• Start by toasting the pita bread in a toaster oven until crisp and golden brown in color. Break the bread into 1 inch pieces. Seat aside.
• Make the salad dressing. Whisk together the lemon juice, the pomegranate molasses, the garlic, sugar, sumac, allspice, salt and pepper. Add the olive oil and whisk until the olive oil is emulsified into the dressing. Set aside.
• In a large salad bowl, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, cucumber, parsley, mint and scallion.
• Just before serving, give dressing another quick whisk and start to pour over the salad slowly. Taste your salad and add more dressing and salt if necessary. Add the toasted pita bread and serve immediately. Enjoy!

The post Fattoush Salad appeared first on My Global Cuisine.

But don’t take my word for it, make it for your family and friends and see what they have to say. Make it for your grandmother, even if she is Italian, I dare you! I have served this to my friends in Italy, my family and my friends here in the US and they all say the same thing…this is the Best Marinara Sauce EVER!

This recipe is Italian cooking at its best and in its purest form. It uses a few fresh ingredients which are carefully prepared and the results are incredibly delicious. Did I say delicious? I am just coming off my personal holiday eating bonanza. The Christmas cookies and fruit cake are now gone and for the last month I have been on my protein and veggie diet with very few simple carbs. Well that all ended today when I made this dish for you. This dish is always good, but sometimes you hit it just right and WOW! I found myself saying…this is the Best Marinara Sauce EVER!

Ideally, you would be preparing this dish when the tomatoes are in season and you can walk out to your garden and pick some fresh basil. But these days, thanks to our global economy, we can often find great ingredients year-round. When I prepared this dish in Italy, I got up early and went to the market to get fresh tomatoes, basil, fresh pressed olive oil, and fresh cut parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Even if that’s not your world today, do the best you can to gather good ingredients. It will make a difference! Here are some of the fresh ingredients used in this dish.

So, let’s get started. Personally, I prefer not to see pieces of garlic floating in my sauce. To avoid that I prepare this amazing garlic paste. It is simple to make. You do so by peeling two garlic heads and combining them in a blender with an ounce of extra virgin olive oil and a tablespoon of salt. Once the three ingredients are blended together, you can use in in your sauce and store the remainder in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. I use a small glass Tupperware container. You can use the paste in any dishes requiring garlic. Just make sure that when you add your garlic paste to a pan keep the heat low to ensure the paste will not burn.

There are two things to secrets to making a great marinara sauce, or as many Italians call it, gravy. As you may have guessed secret one is to ensure the ingredients are fresh. The second secret is in the preparation. The preparation of this dish begins by carefully infusing the oil with the garlic paste and peperoncino by simmering the mixture at a low temperature. Once the oil has been infused with the flavors of the garlic and peperoncino, it is time to add your tomatoes. With the tomatoes now in the pan continue cooking them until they are partially dissolved into the oil and begin to break down. You will want to the tomatoes to retain some of their shape as it is part of the dishes signature. Below you see the tomatoes cooking in the pot.

Next add the chopped basil.

Continue cooking the sauce over low heat for 1-2 minutes ensuring the flavor of the basil is absorbed into the sauce.

After the pasta is cooked and drained and add 1/2 of sauce to the pasta pot and mix with the pasta. Cook the pasta and sauce together for another minute. This will ensure the flavor of the sauce is absorbed into the pasta. Place the Pasta in a serving bowl, or individual plates and top with additional sauce before serving. Garnish with Basil and cheese. I am sure that once you try it you too will find yourself saying…this is the Best Marinara Sauce EVER!

Enjoy!

Special thanks to Chef Paolo Monti. You are my hero!

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The Best Marinara Sauce EVER!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 to 6

Author My Global Cuisine

Ingredients

• 1 LB package fettuccine or spaghetti
• 1.5 LB or 4 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Italian dry peperoncinos smashed or 1/8 TSP of Red Pepper Flakes
• 3-4 garlic cloves slivered thin or minced or 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 small bunch approx 4 TBSP of fresh basil julienned chopped
• 4 ounces grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Optional: If making a garlic paste 2 big heads of fresh garlic or 3 small ones, 1 ounce extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt

Instructions

• TO MAKE THE GARLIC PASTE: Peel the garlic heads. Add to a blender with the extra virgin olive oil and blend until it becomes a paste. Add salt and blend for a second. Transfer the paste to a covered glass container. The garlic paste can be refrigerated up to 3 weeks.
• ************************************************************************
• In a sauce pan on a low fire add 4 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil.
• Add peperoncino or red pepper flakes and garlic. Sauté until garlic becomes fragrant about 15 seconds.
• Add tomatoes, cover the pot and cook at medium-low heat stirring from time to time for about 15
• minutes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.
• Once the tomato sauce has been cooking for at least 15 minutes add one tablespoon of sugar to it. If the tomatoes were sweet to begin with, you won't need any more sugar. If they were not, add another teaspoon of sugar. Add salt. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil. Stir. Add fresh basil. Turn fire off.
• Cook pasta according to the package instructions, but make sure to cook until the pasta is al dente. If the package says 9 minutes, cook up to 7 minutes. You will need the extra minute in order to simmer the pasta together with the sauce.
• Reserve half cup of the cooked water and drain the pasta in a colander and mix the desired amount of pasta with the sauce. Add two ounces of grated parmesan cheese and cook together for a minute in order for the pasta to absorb with the marinara sauce flavor. If the pasta becomes too tick add a splash of the reserved cooked water to it. Place the desired amount of pasta on individual pasta bowls, and pour some extra sauce on top. Garnish with basil and serve with extra parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper. Enjoy!

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