Mary handles the walnut-chopping
Il malocchio – the evil eye – added spice to the 2011 Houston cooking class with Mary and Brownie. This year, our evening together was a candlelight dinner – and Mary and I did all the cooking beforehand with the help of Lynn.
While Mary was out doing last-minute errands, I soaked the eggplant in salt water in preparation for an antipasto. Unable to find dishcloths for drying them, I just lined them up on the dish drainer to dry out. Una perfetta soluzione – and after all, my cooking equipment in our Assisi farmhouse was once far more than rudimentary……
Grazie mille, Mary and Brownie for again hosting me – and thanks so much, Lynn and Robert for your invaluable help!
And here is a favorite recipe:
Drying the eggplant after soaking
Melanzane al Funghetto (Eggplant/Cherry To- mato Sauteé)
– 8 medium-sized eggplants (or fewer if very large…..try for smaller ones!)
– 10-12 very ripe cherry tomatoes
– olive oil
– garlic
– fresh basil (if possible) – or parsley
Dice the eggplants and fry until brown in hot olive oil. Re- move. Add garlic and brown, then tomatoes, briefly. Return eggplant, salt to taste and simmer all together. Add chopped fresh basil (or parsley) at the end.
note: try this dish served with rigatoni or penne pasta! Add Parmesan cheese
A few comments from our dinner guests:
Friends gather for an Umbrian feast
“What a terrific evening! Thank you for all the effort and pleasure you poured into the evening!” Sue
“Wonderful eggplant!” E. S
“What a lovely sera italiana – absolutely superb” The Carrells
“A delightful woman, a delightful dinner. I look forward to more of the same.” Sidney
“What an incredible evening! The meal was fresh foods that I actually don’t associate with Italian food! I’m a convert.” T
