Potato and Red Pepper Frittata

According to Martha Stewart this dish is based on tortilla Española. In Spain, it is traditionally accompanied by garlic mayonnaise—but it is also delicious served on its own. You can use leftover boiled or baked potatoes in place of the raw ones. Simply slice them, and add to the onion mixture at the end of step 2.

It's okay if the potatoes do not cook evenly. Some will be browned; some will only be translucent.

I have tried substituting the red pepper with other vegetables, and they turn out to be great also.

Enjoy:)

POTATO AND RED-PEPPER FRITTATA

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, stem, ribs, and seeds removed, then thinly sliced in strips
2 russet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into thin slices
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 large eggs
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°. In an 8-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in skillet. Add potatoes; season generously with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, tossing often, until potatoes are tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer potatoes to bowl with onion mixture; toss to combine. Return mixture to skillet; flatten with a metal spatula.

In a large bowl, beat eggs with rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Pour over potato mixture; tilt pan to distribute evenly. Bake until set, 15 to 20 minutes. Cut into wedges, and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This IS the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich from Bon Appetit. The Asiago and prosciutto work great together. Just give it a try, and you would never go to regular grilled cheese again:)

If you have a panini maker, just go with that one, but keep in mind that putting the tomatoes in afterwards might be a problem.

Serve with some tomato soup and enjoy:)

ULTIMATE GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

Ingredients:
Butter
4 slices country white sourdough bread, cut on deep diagonal into 1/3-inch-thick slices (each about 7x3 1/2 inches)
4 thin slices prosciutto
8 large fresh basil leaves
8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices young Asiago cheese or drained fresh mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 (1/3-inch-thick) slices heirloom tomato (from about 1 large)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Lightly butter 1 side of each bread slice. Place 2 bread slices, buttered side down, on work surface.

Top each with 2 prosciutto slices, then 4 basil leaves, then 4 cheese slices. Sprinkle with salt and crushed red pepper. Top with remaining 2 bread slices, buttered side up.

Heat olive oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add sandwiches to skillet and cook until golden on bottom, about 4 minutes.

Turn sandwiches over; transfer skillet to oven and bake until golden and cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

Remove from oven. Carefully lift off top bread slices from sandwiches and insert 3 tomato slices into each, then cover with bread tops and serve.

Makes 2 servings.

Penne with Roasted Tomato Sauce

According to Michael Smith you haven't lived until you've roasted a tomato! Sounds a little bit too strong, but roasting a tomato does work wonders. The simplicity of this method reveals a deep satisfying tomato flavor that will make this one of your favorite ways to dress pasta.

Unfortunately the tomatoes that you buy at the market today aren't really that flavorful, so roasting them like this helps by concentrating the taste. And one thing to keep in mind is not to put the tomatoes in the fridge. If you expose them to cold they lose all the flavor they have. Just leave them outside, preferably where they can have the sun hit them, and they will ripen more, giving them a little bit more flavor.

You can also roast tomatoes then refrigerate them for a wonderful addition to any salad. To be able to add them to a salad, you should roast the tomatoes at 250 degrees, for about 5-6 hours, to dry them. And skip the additions of pancetta, onions and garlic. Just add the olive oil, salt and pepper. You would end up with wonderful dried tomatoes. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and arrange skin side down in tight rows on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Drizzle a touch of oil on each and lightly season with salt and pepper. Because ovens – and tomatoes – vary it may take six to eight hours in total or even overnight. You’ll know they’re done when they shrink noticeably, lose their fleshiness and taste amazing.

I haven't tried it, but I think adding some black olives to the pasta sauce will give this sauce a kick. And if you can help it, don't skip the pancetta. Enjoy:)

PENNE WITH ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE

Ingredients:
12 plum tomatoes, halved
8 slices of pancetta or 4 slices of bacon, optional
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup of olive oil
penne pasta or other type

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C).

Thinly slice the pancetta or bacon then toss with the tomatoes, onions, garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss into a casserole dish and roast until the tomatoes shrivel and begin to brown a bit, about one hour. The pancetta or bacon will infuse the tomatoes with lots of flavor and the tomatoes will caramelize and become very tasty. You'll know when it's done because it will look awesome and smell wonderful!

When you cook the pasta be sure to use lots of well-seasoned water. Taste it. It should be pleasingly briny and remind you of a day at the beach. Remember: as the pasta cooks it will absorb the seasoned water and in turn be properly seasoned. A pinch or two of salt is not enough! When the pasta is done don't rinse it. The starches that would rinse away will help the tomatoes stick to the pasta.

Toss the hot pasta with the hot sauce.

Yields 4 Servings

Grilled Zucchini Ribbon Salad

This one is a great summer salad. Especially if you have a lot of zucchini lying around like I do:)

I skip the garlic, the taste just didn't work out for me. If you want, prepare it without the garlic and see how you like it before adding it.

I also added some cherry tomatoes. If you don't cut them into halves or so it doesn't get the zucchini moist, which is what I preferred.

Enjoy:)

GRILLED ZUCCHINI RIBBON SALAD

Ingredients:
6 to 8 large zucchini, roughly 4 pounds
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Sea salt, preferable gray salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cloves minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
2 lemons juiced
2 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley leaves
2 tablespoon freshly chopped basil leaves
6 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, optional
Shaved Parmesan, to taste

Directions:
Prepare a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high.

Wash the zucchini and trim the ends. Using a mandolin or vegetable peeler thinly slice the zucchini lengthwise. Toss the zucchini with 1/3 of the olive oil, gray salt and pepper, to taste.

Quickly grill the zucchini ribbons on 1 side, until lightly marked and wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to a plate or a baking dish and let cool slightly.

When slightly cooled toss zucchini in a bowl with the remaining ingredients except nuts, if using and Parmesan. Spread onto a serving platter, top with pine nuts, if desired and shave Parmesan over the top.