Pregnancy and Bolognese

I have been a terrible, rotten blogger lately.  The truth is, that for 15 of the last 16 weeks, I've had no desire for food.  Every time I've tried to eat it, my body rejects it.  I've been taken down with a case of pregalimia.  Brutal.

If you haven't heard of pregalimia, then you have either a. never known a pregnant person with "all the time sickness" (morning sickness is seriously the most annoying phrase EVER.  It has nothing to do with the morning.  It has to do with things being smelly, the very cute little alien that has taken over your body and turned you into a vomatious demon, and a very disturbing relationship with your head in the toilet- or the sink- or the trash can...), or a. you are one of those people that have only seen the bright side of pregnancy (i.e. your wife/significant other/friend never got sick, or she kicked it old school, and hid from you until she woke up and saw the sunlight with a rumble in her stomach that said: FEED ME NOW!)

Now that I've hit week 16, I finally have a (mostly)steady, ravenous desire for food.  This is one of those lovely times when living in Italy is first world problems.  What?  You're pregnant!  'No cured meats little lady, but here ya go, have some bolognese!'  It's wonderful.  Good grief.  Writing this blog is making me hungry. (Yay!)

Speaking of bolognese, or ragu, as it is known to some, this is one of the recipes that I have come to love since moving to Firenze.  A good girlfriend gave me the recipe, and it's one of the few things that I've ever made that if it was in our house everyday, my husband wouldn't be able to resist it.  Ever.

You'll need:

• 2 tbsp olive oil (I prefer extra virgin)
• 6 rashers of streaky 'pancetta' bacon, chopped
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 carrots, chopped
• Stick of celery, chopped 
• 1kg/2¼lb lean minced beef (I usually use what is sold as "ragu meat" in Firenze.  Pork is just as tasty as meat if you prefer it.)
• 2 large glasses of red wine (I prefer Chianti)
• 2x400g cans chopped tomatoes (or 1 jar of passata- a type of tomato puree for those that don't like a chunky sauce)
• 2 fresh or dried bay leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 800g-1kg/1¾-2¼lb dried tagliatelle or a good artigianale pasta that will hold up to the ragu.
• freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional for serving)

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan and fry the bacon until golden over a medium heat.

2.  Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery, cook until softened, and the onions are clear.

3.  Increase the heat and add the minced beef. Fry it until it has browned. Make sure to "chop" at it with your spatula so that the meat gets nice and small (and the veggies too as they break down and cook).

4.  Pour in the wine and boil until it has reduced in volume by about a third. Reduce the temperature.  Stir in the tomatoes and bay leaves.

5. Cover with a lid and simmer over a gentle heat for 1-1½ hours until it's rich and thickened, stirring occasionally.

6.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

7.  Serve over tagliatelle, or stir in with a hearty pasta that sticks to the ribs on a cold day!

8.  Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

This is also one of those delicious sauces that tastes better with each passing day, so don't be afraid to make it ahead of time and use it later.  (Although, once you taste it, I guarantee that it won't last long!  I've caught Kyle eating it by the spoonful!)

My Last Meal in America

Holy exhaustion Batman.  You don't know tired until you move to a foreign country.  A little over two weeks ago, my family and I moved to Florence, Italy for my husband's job.  Thankfully, my husband and I visited over the summer, so I was reasonably prepared for what we would need, and what things we should bring from the States (thankfully I remembered taco seasonings and Old Bay!)

I think people really don't realize that Italians eat pasta every single day.  It's nothing like pasta in the States, it's lighter, more flavorful, and in all ways just better, so trust me, I plan on taking plenty of cooking classes to share my experiences and recipes!  I want to learn not only authentic Italian cooking (which varies by region), but other European cuisines as well.  Italian food is amazing.  Everything is always fresh and homemade.  In Italy, if something isn't homemade, they'll tell you. 

And trust me, Italian food is kind of like dating.  You can weed out the phony "tourist trap" food versus the amazing Italian food very very quickly.  (For example, if you see a huge mound of gelato, slowly back away.  You are being bamboozled.  Go to a small gelateria where there aren't any/many tourists and allow yourself to be completely blown away.)

The thing is, as much as I love Italian food, I had a hankering for a cheeseburger the other day, and me, yes, Little Miss "I only eat healthy food" dragged my husband to Hard Rock Cafe for a huge bbq burger.  I have to say, it was awesome- until I was in a food coma and literally couldn't move for ten minutes. 

After my honkin' "American cheeseburger", I got to thinking...in the whirlwind of packing up and moving to Italy, what was my last homemade American meal?

Shrimp and Grits!!

 

How befitting, I moved to the South a Philly girl, and left the US with grits in my belly.

Here's the easiest recipe for grits you'll ever find.  This is not quite as amazing as my best friend Alexis' shrimp and grits recipe, but she's promised to share that with you all another time.  This recipe is simple and no holds barred delicious.  Give it a go!

Cara's Shrimp and Grits
serves 4

You'll need:

For the Shrimp:

• (1) 1lb bag of shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 Green Bell Pepper
• 1/2 Yellow Pepper
• 1/2 Red Bell Pepper
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 Cup corn (I used frozen sweet corn, but you can use fresh if you want)
• 3 Tb Old Bay (You can add more if you like.  I tend to go heavy on the Old Bay)
• **1lb Andouille Sausage, sliced (I didn't have any on hand, but you should definitely try it with the sausage!

Heat a medium sized skillet to medium heat.  Chop, slice the peppers (or if you want, just buy a bag of frozen chopped/sliced peppers) and toss them in the preheated pan with 1/2 the butter, sliced andouille and Old Bay.  Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the corn.  Cook for 1 minute.  Add the remaining butter and the shrimp.  Cook until the shrimp go from clear to white/pink and begin to curl (2-3 minutes).  Stir occasionally.  If it seems like the butter is reducing quickly, lower the heat a bit and add a bit more butter, a splash of fish or chicken stock, or a splash of white cooking wine  Don't overcook them!  Add more Old Bay to taste.

For the Grits:

• 1 1/2 Cups water
• 1 1/2 Cups milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup white or yellow quick grits (NOT INSTANT) 
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tb butter
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (optional)

1. In a small pot, bring water, milk, and salt to a boil.
2. Slowly stir grits into boiling mixture.
3. Stir continuously and thoroughly until grits are well mixed.
4. Let the pot return to a boil, cover pot with a lid, lower the temperature, and cook for approximately 30 minutes stirring frequently.
5. Add more water if necessary.
6. Grits are done when they have the consistency of stiff cream of wheat.
7. Stir in butter.
8. Serve with additional butter on top. (Optional- I didn't do this since the grits were being topped with the shrimp, veggies and Old Bay butter sauce.)

Serve grits topped with shrimp and veggies!  Enjoy!