week 8 lockdown menu + recipes

Sorry this menu update is a few days late. Actually I almost didn’t include it here. It’s been almost 2 and a half months now, and while the menu planning has been a life saver, I think that perhaps it’s coming to an end. While still useful, we find ourselves making so many changes to it over the course of the week, that we were wondering whether or not to continue.

It does help to have a plan though, and we might be changing it a bit, to more of an inventory and/or outline of ingredients to use during the week. In other words, leaving specific recipes to the last minute. Kind of like the way we cooked before this all started?

One of the reasons that things are changing is because, as we enter Phase 2 of the lockdown, with more freedom, our meals are changing. We are still here in Umbria, and plan to stay here for now, but Domenico went back to Rome for 3 days this week for work, and Sophie is going in this weekend. We are also allowing ourselves to go grocery shopping a bit more often. And I’ve now officially set up an office in the guest room, and am pretty much at my desk working from 9-5.

Other food related news is that there is lots of take out available from our beloved local restaurants. Thank god! Also, some of them might actually be starting to open for real after May 18. That’s all still a bit unclear as to how it could work, but we’re all hopeful. The nice weather also helps since many places will just set up tables outside.

Sophie continues on her quest to perfect her sourdough bread, and it getting really good at it! (As her bread gets better our walks get longer.)

I’m still having my martini at the end of the day, but since the days are getting longer and warmer, this means you can usually find us on out the terrace, watching the sun go down.

But in the meantime, here is what might be our next to last menu. With links as always.

Monday
Lunch: Pasta Aglio Olio with Bottarga
We’ve had a pack of bottarga in the fridge since forever, and so this seemed like a good time to use it. I made a simple aglio, olio and then just added the bottarga at the end. I also added a bit of tuna.
Dinner: Take away Umbria Style
OMG, we were so happy that our favorite trattoria out here finally started take out. We got our favorites. Stewed rabbit as a main course, but to start we ordered ALL the vegetables (eggplant, artichokes, chicory and peppers) along with a big plate full of hand cut local prosciutto. We also ordered Torta al Testo, a type of Umbrian flat bread that is very easy to make. You can find the recipe in my book, or else here.

Tuesday
Lunch: Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese
Ever since I saw this recipe on instagram I was craving it. It was so easy and good. I also made grilled cheese using the leftover flat bread from the night before, and a load of pecorino.
Dinner: Fish, Asparagus and Herbed Couscous
Herbed couscous has become our favorite side dish, especially since I replanted the herb garden. I chop a mess of mixed herbs (parsley, chives, basil, marjoram) along with the zest of a lemon to end up with at least a cup. Add to cooked couscous along with some lemon juice and a bit of butter.

Wednesday
Lunch: Cacio e Pepe
We had cacio e pepe since we were all craving it and I also wanted to make a video showing how easy it is to make this foolproof version.
Dinner: Mushroom Soup
Sorry, not real recipe here, since Sophie kind of made it up. But she did use a mixture of fresh mushrooms along with dried funghi porcini. And the base was lamb stock we had in the freezer.

Thursday
Lunch: Vegetable Feast, Focaccia
This was mainly an excuse to gobble down Sophie’s focaccia. This time she used her sourdough starter and it was even better than usual. A simple salad of cherry tomatoes and another of celery and anchovies. Also, I bought mortadella just because.
Dinner: Mixed Grilled meat, Salad

Friday
Lunch: Pasta with Broccoli and Anchovies
Dinner: Squid and Beans
Great recipe from Alison Roman’s Dining In. We also added tons of arugula from the garden. You can find a version of it here, but I recommend you buy the book.

Saturday
Lunch: Salad (sorry but we have a LOT of lettuce in the garden)
Dinner: Take out pizza

Sunday
Lunch: Grain Bowl
Dinner: Stir Fry with Pork and Lettuce; Rice; Eggplant
We have SO MUCH lettuce in the garden that we’ve been cooking it. Romaine is great in a stir fry.

Desserts:

Cream Tart: Sophie had been craving a lemon custard tart and so she made this one.

My neighbor made this lovely and easy strawberry tart. It’s simply a shortcrust she added cocoa powder to. She baked it, let cool, and then topped it with loads of whipped cream and strawberries. Easy and delicious.

And speaking of strawberries, Sophie whipped some mascarpone with sugar and egg yolks and put it in a cup with strawberries and called it dessert. She literally thought it up and made it while I was doing the dishes. It’s kind of like a strawberry tiramisu, but with no cookies.

For more Italian dinner inspiration buy my book The Italian Table

And you can find the previous menus from the lockdown here