Nearly all recipes for homemade anellini alla pecorara call for sautéed egpplant, zucchini and bell peppers. The latter can be any colour but I prefer red, yellow or orange. This time, I used one red pepper and one yellow. These are all summer veggies, although nowadays we can find them year-round. Some recipes also include mushrooms but not the one I followed. Of course, you can add them too. Sauté the cubed vegetables with olive oil and garlic

Despite the fact that Tuscany is famous for its beautiful and elaborate art and architecture, the traditional cuisine in this central Italian region is very rustic! Like other parts of Italy, the Tuscan kitchen is based on what Italians call ‘la cucina povera’ (the kitchen of the poor). Meanwhile, in a large, heavy-based pan, warm the oil and butter, and gently fry the onion, celery, carrot, rosemary and a pinch of salt until soft and translucent. Anellini al forno is a typical Sicilian dish, usually made with meat sauce. I prefer to prepare this delicious meal with a more healthful and sustainable twist, so my recipe is meatless. When in season, this dish is perfect with eggplant or zucchini, but during the winter months you can make it with white sauce (béchamelle), broccoli, cauliflower or other available vegetables. I’m sure you’ll love this traditional Tuscan kale, white bean and pasta soup as much as we do. It’s super healthy and nutritious. One of our favourite pasta soup recipes, particularly during the colder months of the year or just when we want to have a healthy meatless meal. In Italy, it’s popular to serve this soup with a dash of extra virigin olive oil and some grated parmigiano. Of course, Italian parmigiano isn’t vegetarian so vegans and vegetarians will want to leave it out or use a vegetarian or vegan cheese. Add grated parmigiano or vegetarian parmesan if desired. What to do with leftovers.

How to make this Tuscan Kale and white bean soup.

Swift Sauce Tossing. To prevent the pasta from clumping, toss it immediately with your desired sauce or ingredients right after draining. The hot pasta will absorb the flavors more effectively. This Tuscan kale, white bean and pasta soup is one of many versions of kale soup from Tuscany. This warming and super nutritious soup is hearty enough to be eaten as a meal on its own or makes a great starter to a cold weather family lunch. Traditional food in Tuscany. Anelletti is a pasta type that is ring shaped and in this case is baked, ( al Forno) between layers of marinara and bechamel sauce, of course there’s cheese and other goodies included like Italian sausage and peas.

I made the dough in the same way as other pasta doughs by mixing the flours then adding the eggs and olive oil and then water as required. Durum wheat semolina has a higher gluten content than soft wheat flour, so pasta dough made with it requires a bit more kneading to get it soft and pliable. Make the rings by wrapping thin 'snakes' of dough around your index finger and sealing the ends together. This homemade anellini pasta rings recipe comes from Abruzzo in Central Italy. It’s a dish you can find in many trattorias and homes there, particularly in and around the town of Elice in the province of Pescara. This pasta recipe is rich in veggies and perfect for vegetarians. Of course, you can use other types of pasta with the alla Pecorara sauce. A unique pasta dish from Abruzzo. I like to spread the cooked anelletti onto a rimmed baking sheet so it can cool down faster, then it’s basically like making a lasagne, just have all your ingredients ready to go so you can start layering it into your baking dish. Known in the UK by the rather undignified title of ‘spaghetti hoops’, anelli are a pasta variety that has become synonymous with childhood nostalgia, served in a soupy, tomatoey sauce fresh from a Heinz tin. However, despite these slightly unsophisticated associations, they are in fact an authentic Italian pasta shape. Like I said there are many versions of this dish, I got inspired to add the bechamel from a video I saw on Rosella’s Cooking with Nonna, and I’m so glad I did because it really makes the sauce dreamy.But this isn’t another column about baked pasta. It’s a column about the fact that, even though I make versions of minestrone all year round, when autumn arrives, holding tights and the other half of the detachable duvet, the need for big soup is great. This one is full of good things that are around right now – mushrooms, potato, pumpkin or butternut squash, with pasta, if you wish: anelli if you can find them, another small shape if you can’t. Add the potato, squash, soaked porcini and fresh mushrooms, fry, stirring, for a few minutes more, then add the liquid and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, then add the pasta and continue cooking, stirring regularly, until it is tender, adding more water if you think it needs it. Other than the traditional meals Sicilian people make with anelli pasta, anelli and anellini can be used to make soups and other, more straightforward pasta dishes. How to make pasta recipes with this Sicilian favorite just requires a bit of imagination! Anelli is perfect for casseroles and easy baked pasta recipes, like the baked ziti with marinara and mozzarella that has become so well-loved in America. What kind of anelli can I buy from Supermarket Italy?