RECIPE: Spiced Olives, Pancetta and Parmesan Pasta, Panettone Bread Pudding from Emily Richards

Emily Richards shares three recipes from her Per La Famiglia cookbook!

Spiced Olives

Warm olives offer up their juicy interior and salty sweet taste in a way that my family and friends love.

Letting the olives marinate is important because it gives them a flavour boost. They are normally served cold or at room temperature but warming them brings out the flavours more strongly.

If time is of the essence, you can pick some olives up at your favourite deli. Just warm them up before serving.

• 1 cup (250 mL) oil-cured black olives
• 1 cup (250 mL) green olives
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• Pinch of hot pepper flakes
• 1 strip lemon rind

In a small saucepan, heat olives, oil, herbs, hot pepper flakes and lemon rind over medium heat until warmed through, fragrant and olives have plumped up slightly.

You need to let them cool a bit before serving, as they will be very hot inside. About 10 or 15 minutes should be enough time.

Serve warm or cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 1 week.

Let olives come to room temperature before serving.

Makes: 2 cups (500 mL)

Tip: Leaving the herbs and lemon rind in the olives helps deepen the flavor and is a wonderful garnish when the olives are served.

Pancetta and Parmesan Pasta

Pasta combined with pancetta and cheese is real, down-home rustic cuisine. These simple flavours produce a pasta dish to remember and serving it with a glass of your favourite Italian red wine is a perfect match. This sauce is a favourite of my father because of its simple flavour, and how quickly the meal comes together. His noodle of choice? Easily bucatini, a long thin tube of pasta. (I think he likes it because it’s messy when you slurp it up.)

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil
• 4 oz (125 g) sliced pancetta, diced
• 1 onion, fined chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) hot pepper flakes
• 1 can (28 oz/796 mL) tomatoes, chopped
• 12 oz (375 g) spaghetti
• Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, to taste
• Chopped fresh Italian parsley, to taste

In a large skillet or saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add pancetta; cook for 5 minutes or until crisp. Add onion and garlic; cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add hot pepper flakes; stir to coat. Stir in tomatoes and cook for about 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta for about 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain well and return to pot. Add sauce and stir to coat. Stir in cheese and parsley if desired.

Makes: 4 servings

Tip: Look for chopped or diced canned tomatoes for a quicker sauce, so you don’t have to chop the tomatoes. Using this type will give you more chunks of tomatoes and less juice. You will need 3 cups (750 mL) of canned tomatoes for this recipe. Chop the tomatoes and be sure to add both the tomatoes and juice to the sauce.

Tip: Try other pastas such as linguine, bucatini, penne or tagliatelle instead of spaghetti.

Panettone Bread Pudding

Panettone is a fruit-studded sweet bread that is enjoyed by Italians all over the world. It’s traditionally served over the holiday season, but here it’s reimagined as a warm bread pudding. A perfect ending to a meal or as a comforting snack after a cold winter’s night. It’s also a super easy way to get rid of all those panettones you get for Christmas! Or better yet, wait until after the holidays and pick them up on sale. A great dessert for winter weather all season long.

• 8 cups (2 L) cubed Panettone bread (about half of a panettone)
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) golden raisins
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) cut mixed citrus peel (optional)
• 5 eggs
• 3 cups (750 mL) milk or soy beverage
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) grated orange rind
• 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
• Orange Marmalade Sauce:
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) orange juice
• 2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice
• Pinch cinnamon

Sprinkle bread on the bottom of a greased 10-inch (2.5 L) oval baking dish. Sprinkle raisins and candied orange, if using, over top. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, orange rind and vanilla. Pour over bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).

Uncover and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden, and knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Orange Marmalade Sauce: In a small saucepan, heat marmalade, orange and lemon juices, and cinnamon over medium heat until hot. Serve with pudding.

Blueberry Sauce Option: Omit marmalade and use 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) frozen blueberries, 1/4 cup (60 mL) granulated sugar, orange and lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon (15 mL) cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) water. Bring it to a boil and cook for 1 minute or until thickened.

Makes: 8 to 10 servings