• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

By Root 313 0

’s. They serve tea, scones, chicken potpies, and the most scrumptious open-faced avocado Gouda melt. Here is my version, sprinkled with a pinch of truffle salt. It makes a wonderful lunch or light dinner accompanied by side salad.

1

teaspoon mayonnaise, or to taste

2

slices country bread

1

avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced

3

ounces cheddar or Gouda, sliced (about 4 to 6 slices)

Pinch of paprika

Truffle salt to taste

Pinch of pepper

1. Slather the mayonnaise on the bread slices, about ½ teaspoon per slice. Lay the avocado slices neatly on each bread slice. Arrange the cheese on top of the avocado. Sprinkle the paprika, truffle salt, and pepper on top of the cheese.

2. Toast the sandwiches in a toaster oven set to 350 degrees F or under the broiler set on low for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

grilled manchego cheese sandwiches with fresh tomato spread

SERVES 2

The summer I spent in Barcelona, I ate a lot of manchego cheese with fresh, crusty bread smeared with fresh tomato paste. It was a traveling student’s meal, cheap and easy. Those student days inspired this grownup grilled cheese recipe. Don’t worry if you can’t find organic manchego; European law prohibits any antibiotics and growth hormones in commercially sold dairy products.

1/2

cup chopped fresh tomatoes

1

teaspoon olive oil

1/8

teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

Four

3/4-inch-thick slices country bread

3

ounces manchego cheese, thinly sliced (6 slices; see Cook’s Notes)

4

fresh basil leaves

4

teaspoons olive tapenade

Butter for grilling

1. With a mortar and pestle, mash together the tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper until a chunky puree forms.

2. Spread the tomato puree onto 2 slices of the bread. Top with the cheese slices. Lay 2 basil leaves per sandwich on top of the cheese layer. Spread a thin layer of olive tapenade on the remaining 2 slices of bread. Place the bread facedown onto the basil leaves.

3. Heat a grill pan over medium-low heat, melt a small pat of butter, and add the sandwiches, weighting each one with a small pot lid. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, being careful not to burn them. Slice the sandwiches in half and serve.

* * *

COOK’S NOTES: Manchego is Spain’s most famous cheese. It’s made from sheep’s milk, and is usually aged from six to eighteen months. I like to go for the six-month-old cheese because it melts nicely. If you can’t find manchego, go for goat cheddar.

If you don’t have a grill pan, use a regular heavy-bottomed frying pan.

* * *

pasta fresca

SERVES 6

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, like a great bowl of pasta. Something about those carbohydrates drives us crazy. We eat a lot of pasta in my house, and I rely on quick, easy recipes. This recipe is from my family friend Rosanna, who lives in the tiny village of Orgia in Tuscany, Italy. Although she doesn’t own a restaurant, people travel for days just to taste her cooking. I turn to her for simple yet exquisite dishes. The no-cook aspect of the sauce makes it a hit with the novice cook and the career woman. It’s tasty topped with a lot of red pepper flakes, so serve a bowl of them on the side for those who like it spicy.

5 to 6

plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

5 to 6

ounces Parmesan cheese, roughly cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1/2

cup toasted pine nuts

1/4

cup finely chopped red onion

1/2

bunch fresh basil, stemmed and coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1/2

teaspoon red pepper flakes

3

tablespoons good-quality olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1

pound penne pasta

1. Combine the tomatoes, Parmesan, pine nuts, onion, basil, red pepper flakes, and olive oil in a large serving bowl. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature so the flavors develop while you prepare the pasta.

2. Fill a large pot with plenty of water. Bring to a boil over high heat and add a small handful of salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, still slightly firm to