La Cucina di Autunno

No season brings out my inner chef like Fall. While my warmer weather dishes drift toward the gourmet, something in the crisp chill of the autumn air, the frequency of grey, rainy days and long, clear nights inspires a deep craving for filling, richly colored dishes that no other season can bear. Two recent autumnal meals, in particular, have scratched this culinary itch.

As a side note, today's post is in hopeful honor of those recovering from the violent earthquake felt in Central Italy, today. I wish them all luck, health, and restored spirits and kitchens soon. (I apologize if my Italian is poor.)

Spaghetti di Autunno1/8 pumpkin or squash
1 medium carrot
1 medium red onion
1 1/2 cups tomatoes
1 small head broccoli
1 bunch beet greens
1 clove garlic, minced
various Italian herbs
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
1/3 standard pkg spaghetti
1/3 cup parmesan, grated fresh

Preheat oven to 220 C (430 F).

Pre-chop all the veggies, slicing pumpkin (or winter squash), carrots, and red pepper (capsicum) julienne for quick roasting.

Toss together pumpkin, onions, peppers, carrots, broccoli, 1 tbsp olive oil, herbs, and garlic and roast for 20 minutes, stirring after 10.

In a large pot, boil water and prepare 1/3 packet of spaghetti, broken in half. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water, drain the rest and set aside.

In the pasta pot, lightly sautee tomatoes (I used a late-season mix of heirloom green and ripe) using the remaining olive oil. Add in drained spaghetti and stir well. Finally, stir in roasted veggies and toss with grated parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve hot with an extra sprinkle of cheese. This is a full meal for 2-3 people.

Sweet Autumn Veggies

1 sweet potato, sliced thickly
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 ripe pear, chopped
1/3 cup walnut halves
1 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lemon, juice only
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp thyme

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).

In a large mixing bowl, stir together melted butter, olive oil, and lemon juice. Toss chopped vegetables, fruit, and walnuts in the mixture until well coated.

Sprinkle in brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and thyme then toss again to spread the flavorings around.

Spread a single layer of the mixture into a large roasting pan. Roast for one hour, no stirring necessary. Grind a bit of sea salt cross the roasted veggies once they're finished cooking, and serve.

This dish is a hearty side for 2-3, or a small accompaniment for 4-6.

For a delicious Western European meal, serve this with traditionally prepared Corned Beef and some steamed and salted Brussels Sprouts.

My recipe for Corned Beef is simple. Just simmer the meat with bay leaves, a sprinkling of brown sugar, at least a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and half an onion, chopped. Simmer about two hours for an average sized cut of corned beef brisket. A standard 2 lb/1 kg roast makes dinner-for-two and a week's worth of lunch meat.