I knew I was taking risks with two of the dishes, so I chose a fool-proof recipe for the third one: It is impossible to screw up packaged gnocchi (as long as you fish the little guys out the moment they float up) and it is hard to make bad pesto. Purée in a blender:
- sun-dried tomatoes (red pesto) or basil (green)
- olive oil
- garlic
- hard Italian cheese, e.g. pecorino
- pine nuts (if you like)
Now, for the risky ones:
Carciofi alla Romana -- baby artichokes fried in olive oil -- did not turn out as expected. One could "eat the heart out," (indeed!) and it was surely tasty, but the outer leaves were as hard as on the full-size artichoke. Maybe that is how it is supposed to be? I need to consult an artichoke expert.
For the salad, I combined a few peas, some watercress, and avocado chunks. I was worried that the watercress would be too bitter, but the combination turned out alright.
- sun-dried tomatoes (red pesto) or basil (green)
- olive oil
- garlic
- hard Italian cheese, e.g. pecorino
- pine nuts (if you like)
Now, for the risky ones:
Carciofi alla Romana -- baby artichokes fried in olive oil -- did not turn out as expected. One could "eat the heart out," (indeed!) and it was surely tasty, but the outer leaves were as hard as on the full-size artichoke. Maybe that is how it is supposed to be? I need to consult an artichoke expert.
For the salad, I combined a few peas, some watercress, and avocado chunks. I was worried that the watercress would be too bitter, but the combination turned out alright.