I was thrilled when my friend Nicolee asked me to be part of a cookbook project for the magazine Kinfolk.The subject of the book was to travel around the world, profiling “tastemakers who are cooking and entertaining in a way that is beautiful, uncomplicated, and inexpensive”. The idea was to ask each person to provide two recipes. One would be a recipe that had special meaning and was important in some way. The other recipe needed to be something that the cook made often and was a ‘go to’ dish.
For my first recipe I chose Amatriciana. Although this is not a recipe that I grew up with, it has become our family’s favorite meal. Now, when my daughters come home from university, it is the first thing they ask for. I’ve written about it a few times, and included the recipe here.
On the other hand, the other recipe I chose – the one that I make without thinking, was bruschetta. And I although I’ve written about fancy versions of it here and here and here, I have just realized that the classic – with tomatoes – was oddly absent from the blog.
Well, maybe not so oddly. It’s barely a recipe. But so many people do get it wrong, I think it’s worth slipping it in, quickly, before tomato season makes it’s final farewell. But the plain version, with just a drizzle of olive oil and a hint of garlic, is good to go all year round.
Unfortunately, due to various publishing budgets, my section has been cut from the cookbook. Partly to make up for my disappointment, the folks at Kinfolk kindly sent me the totally amazing photographs that Parker Fitzgerald took here in Rome. I’m sharing them all here, since I am SO in love with them. And of course, my favorites are the one with my Pico baby.
I’ll throw in the recipe for bruschetta as well. Although, as you can see, it’s basically a recipe for toast.
photo Parker Fitzgerald
photo Parker Fitzgerald
photo Parker Fitzgerald
photo Parker Fitzgerald
photo Parker Fitzgerald
photo Parker Fitzgerald
photo Parker Fitzgerald
photo Parker Fitzgerald
bruschetta
Bruschetta is about as ‘non-recipe’ as you can possiblity get. And like any non recipe, it’s all about the ingredients. The main ingredients are bread and olive oil, so if you start out with good quality bread and oil, you’re half way there.
The bread should be crusty, with a firm rustic crumb. In other words an Italian loaf.
Extra virgin olive oil, from Italy.
Only use tomatoes if they are fantastic. If not, forget it.
2 large ripe tomatoes
Fresh basil leaves
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Garlic
Salt
Chop tomatoes into bite size pieces. Put in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt and basil. Mix gently.
Slice bread about a half inch thick. Toast over coals if possible. If not, toast either over open flame on your cook top, or else in the broiler.
While still hot, rub garlic across the bread. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, top with tomatoes and a bit more salt.
Do not make ahead, or else the bread gets soggy. It’s best eaten standing around the grill, with juicy oil running down your chin.
The simpler version of this is to skip the tomatoes, and just pour on the olive oil. This is the perfect meal, especially when you have freshly pressed olive oil in the fall.
photo Parker Fitzgerald
I haven’t seen the cookbook yet, which will be published by Artisan in October., but I’m sure it will be gorgeous. You can pre order it here.
And more of Parker’s beautiful work can be seen here.
And if you’re not one of the 340,000 people (yes, you read that right) already following Nicolee on Instagram, you should be. She is @cucinadigitale
Absoultely beautiful.
The simple things, hum? I have been having this bruschetta a whole lot this past summer and I am not quite ready to give it up – I never seem to get tired of it. Sure enough, tomatoes from the garden and tuscan bread make a huge difference, but try my best 🙂 Great choice as a good recipe for entertaining, too, I yet have to meet someone who doesn’t love bruschetta.
Love these photos of everyday life . Tomatoes are overflowing from our gardens.
Love the last photo of you!
I am so envious of your beautiful Roman apartment and terrace. Sigh.
The terrace is tiny, but we manage to pack a lot in.
Love, love these photos!
I am changing your name to Elizabetta. From the small girl in St. Louis I see how lives can change, obviously for the better. I’m also positive that pasta exists to assure us that all is well with the world. Love it, just a beautiful way of life and one that I embrace.
You can call me Elisabetta anytime you want! Or just ‘betta for short.
Love the pottery, love the food, love your lime plant, love the photo’s of you and love your doggie!
Such a great post, makes me happy!
Love your recipes and your photos! Don’t ever think they are not truly appreciated!!
They are lovely photos. I’m so glad you shared them. And ‘proper’ bruschetta deserves a recipe – instructions. People sometimes want to make simple recipes more complex than they are and spoil them. The photo of you on your balcony holding the bowl of pasta with your dog reaching up … it’s looks so much like my friends’ apartment in Rome I think you are on their balcony!!
What wonderful photos. And what wonderful dishes – the best of simple food elegantly done. I am terribly sorry to hear that you ended up on the cutting room floor. That is a darn shame, and most certainly the book’s very big loss. You are right about the shots with teh dog. He is a treasure.
Yes,a bit dissappointing, but it happens all the time. I understand. In these types of books you always end up with way more material than you can use. I’m just happy I get to share these photographs with one and all.
You and Pico look beautiful, Elizabeth. Missing you.
Miss you too!!
The photo’s are beautiful indeed. I could fall in love with your dog…
Beautiful photos, beautiful food and what appears to be a beautiful life. Thanks for inviting us in.
After all that is what cooking Italian is all about…perfect ingredients, simple preparations. One of my two favourites too E. There is almost nothing better than either of the bruschetta nor L’amatriciana!
Beautiful beautiful beautiful photos!!!
Love these images of you and your loveable Pico.
The photos of you and Pico on that Roman terrace are just how I imagine city living in the Eternal City! What oozes from them is the serenity of simple foodie pleasures, especially that of flavoursome family favourites. My husband’s signature (aka only!) dish is Amatriciana (but there is a knack to it, that I’ve yet to grasp – his is better!), and we live off bruschette with tomotoes and basil from our patio garden all summer long (a splash of aged balsamic if we’re feeling in the mood). A perfect choice of dishes. Kinfolk’s loss is our gain! Lovely to meet you in cucina ‘at home’.
I am so glad that AdriBarr also expressed what I was thinking–but yes, I do know how these things work but oh, these photos are glorious! You look fantastic and hello? Why have I not seen Pico before? Or more of your beautiful apartment? Ok, for that last one I know that we all have our privacy lines but Pico??? Please, more!
Elizabeth, I very much appreciate that you appear to be, as the French say: “bien dans leur peu”–comfortable in their skin. 🙂
Maybe I should just have a pico tumblr page? I certainly take enough photographs of him. Just follow me on instagram, which is where I let my pico play star
Great pix!