Brainy Gourmet Frutti di Mare...

Whether you have heard of spaghetti di tuna or not doesn't matter... its just a delicious brainy take on Frutti di Mare. Yes, Italians do make this dish. Italians living on the seaside eat a lot of seafood and pasta with it... ever heard of 'Frutti di Mare'?  That means fruit of the sea.

For this dish you will need: tomato sauce, canned tuna in oil (or fresh grilled tuna steak, crumbled), onion, red pepper flakes, garlic, fresh dried herbs and pasta either spaghetti or linguine. Essentially, the sauce is an Arrabbiata sauce... spicy hot tomato.

To begin, chop one onion and 2 cloves of garlic to saute in olive oil. Once browned, add one large can of crushed tomatoes, 1/2 tsp of sugar, 1 tsp of red pepper flakes (1/2 depending on your taste buds or more if your brave), fresh dried herbs: rosemary, mint and oregano and the canned tuna un-drained. Let simmer while you start a pot of water to boil for spaghetti or linguine pasta.

...top with Parmesan

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Meatloaf ~ Anybody's Brainy Gourmet Meal...

Meatloaf ~ Bistro Style at home...

When it comes to being a Brainy Gourmet, its what you have at home and what you can do with it that counts. And, especially, when it comes to meatloaf. Just don't add the kitchen sink...

Meatloaf can be and is gourmet food. The key is always to let the 'meat' speak for itself which means DON'T add unnecessary ingredients like: broccoli, spinach, crackers, oatmeal, ketchup, cheese, eggs or anything else that does not belong in a good 'meat' loaf.

 

Choose your ground meat: beef, pork or turkey will work. Mix about 1 and half pound with dried herbs, bread crumbs and 1/4 cup of heavy cream along with a pinch of salt and garlic powder. Form into a loaf and lay into a glass baking dish drizzled with olive oil; also, drizzle some on top as well as some Worcestershire sauce. Bake for about one hour, first on 400f and then reduce the heat to 350.

From the juices that will flow as the meatloaf cooks, you can make a quick sauce... *Note when using 100% beef, you can let it stand at medium rare. That's bistro style...

Prepare whatever side dish you like... 



~ Tutti a Tavola!

 

Brainy Oven Baked Chicken with Butternut Squash...

 

Show me the 'Appian' way to go home...

Turn on the oven to 400, drizzle a glass baking dish with olive oil, lay in as many chicken thighs, bone in skin on, as you will need to serve. Sprinkle over the top: garlic powder, red pepper flakes and dried herbs - rosemary, mint, oregano and sage. Also, dice up 3 cloves of fresh garlic and lay on the thighs. Bake/roast for about 45 minutes or until fully cooked and crispy skin side up. For the final step, spoon over the top honey flavored open pit barbecue sauce and return to the oven for 5-6 mins.

In the meantime, microwave a whole small butternut squash until tender. Wash, peel and boil as many yellow gold potatoes as you will need. When tender, drain and mash with butter, heavy cream and sour cream until smooth.

Put it all together and put it on the table!

~ Tutti a Tavola!


*What's the Appian way - ... this dish takes you back along a road you don't want to depart from

A Brainy Favorite... Oven Baked Parmesan Encrusted Chicken

 

If only there were time for slow cooking and slow eating...

Though hurried by the rush of everyday life, remember that it takes no time at all to make a savory home-cooked dish like this; even if you don't have a brick 'stone' oven; your oven will work just fine.

For this dish all you need are: a few boneless, skinless chicken breasts, mayonnaise (homemade if possible), Parmesan cheese and dried herbs. To begin: turn on the oven and pre-heat to 425.

Next, drizzle olive oil into an oblong glass baking dish and lay in your chicken breasts. With a spatula, generously spread mayo over the top of the chicken breast. Sprinkle each breast with a pinch of salt, garlic powder and grated Parmesan; top with fresh dried herbs: rosemary, mint and of course oregano. Bake on 425 for the first 10 and then at 375 for the next 25-30 min or until the tops are crusty brown and chicken is cooked through.

In the meantime, before the chicken is done, prepare your sides: angel hair pasta, and a green salad.

~ Tutti a Tavola!