Cook the Book: The Southern Italian Table
"The notion of cucicna povera, or poor cooking, carries through Southern Italian cooking today."
A few years ago, my fiancé and I went on a trip to Italy. It was no mere European vacation—we spent a year working two jobs to save enough to live in Italy for as long as possible. Finally, when we reached our desired sum, we gave our landlord notice, got rid of basically every single thing we owned, and packed our remaining belongings into two oversize backpacks that were too heavy for us to even carry.
Upon arriving at Fiumicino Airport in Rome, we quickly realized that our Italian phrasebook—and the three Italian language classes that I had taken—weren't going to do us any good. Language barrier aside, I was excited to be in Italy but more specifically to eat in Italy.
Our first meal was a sad affair that involved lots of pointing and gesturing for a few mediocre slices of room temperature pizza. The next morning we ventured into a little sit-down breakfast place (rookie mistake) and ate a breakfast of coffee and pastries that set us back about 40 euros. What was going on? Where was all this amazing Italian food that I had been hearing about?
It was only after making our way down to Sicily did the real Italian-eating experience begin. From the markets to the butcher shops to countless dinners at new friends' houses, we ate better than we'd ever eaten before. The regions of Southern Italy have a culinary identity all their own—vegetable and seafood heavy with influences ranging from North Africa to Spain and Greece. You won't find many butter-drenched stuffed pastas in Arthur Schwartz's new The Southern Italian Table. Instead, this is olive oil territory.
Pastas from Southern Italy are traditionally served with fresh seasonal vegetables and olive oil instead of gobs of pricey dairy products. The notion of cucicna povera, or poor cooking, carries through Southern Italian cooking today. The food is made of whatever's cheap, plentiful, and in season. It doesn't get too much cheaper than the Sicilian classic, pasta with lentils, or acquacotta, which is just day-old bread and chickpeas.
Schwartz has brought together classic dishes from Campania, Pulgia, Basilicata, Calabria, and Sicily in The Southern Italian Table and everyday this week we are going to be sharing them with you. Here's just a taste of what's going to be on this weeks menu: Pasta with Lentils from Sicily, Pizza Rustica from Campania and Eggs in Purgatory, a simple dish of eggs cooked in tomato sauce that is popular throughout the South of Italy.
Win 'The Southern Italian Table'
Thanks to the generosity of the folks over at Ten Speed Press, we are giving away five (5) copies of The Southern Italian Table this week. All you have to do is tell us about your favorite cucina povera, or cheap Italian recipe, in the comments section below.
Five (5) people will be chosen at random among the eligible comments below. We're sorry, but entry is only open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. Comments will close Monday, October 5 at noon ET. The standard Serious Eats contest rules apply.
Comments are closed: 279 Comments:
My favorite cheap, Southern Italian meal is pasta al dente, with generous dollops of olive oil, slivered garlic, and red pepper flakes. It cooks up in no time at all and satisfies a craving for tasty comfort food!
Teachertalk at 1:21PM on 10/19/09
Aglio, olio, e peperoncino
rbear at 1:21PM on 10/19/09
One word, carbonara.
Michael Z at 1:22PM on 10/19/09
Warmed white beans with garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and rosemary. No idea whether it's authentic (there are no Italians in my family), but it sure is cheap and good.
gwenkern at 1:23PM on 10/19/09
spaghetti in meat sauce.
fatthy at 1:27PM on 10/19/09
Panmarino dipped in olive oil and fresh ground black pepper. If I'm feeling less lazy, Ill even slice a tomato for it. Yum!
Beanalicious1 at 1:27PM on 10/19/09
I like pasta with olive oil, garlic, and red pepper seeds! :)
cupcakemuffin at 1:28PM on 10/19/09
Oh- I could name a dozen, but if I have to pick just one, it would be pappa al pomodoro- soup of tomatoes, olive oil and stale bread. It's pure comfort in a bowl.
jammin83 at 1:28PM on 10/19/09
Olive oil, rapini, garlic, red pepper flakes
ctillman at 1:28PM on 10/19/09
spaghetti carbonara
nlarsh at 1:31PM on 10/19/09
From Arthur Schwartz's Naples At Table:
Sugo di Pomodoro
- Can of good quality whole tomatoes
- Olive oil
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- Basil leaves
Sweat onion in oil. Pass tomatoes through food mill -- fine screen -- into pot. Cook down, add torn basil, pepper flakes to taste. Toss with pasta.
Wonderful!
andymcmorrow at 1:31PM on 10/19/09
I love polenta in all its forms
foodieteen at 1:33PM on 10/19/09
A simple pomodoro sauce on pasta, especially for these cold rainy days we've had lately!
Cupcake819 at 1:34PM on 10/19/09
Homemade pasta and marinara
jessie at 1:35PM on 10/19/09
Mine is a pita pizza - half of a whole wheat pita topped with fresh mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce and shredded basil.
gargupie at 1:36PM on 10/19/09
A quick saute of Roma tomatoes and garlic in olive oil, served over angel hair pasta with parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
Suzzanne at 1:36PM on 10/19/09
Pasta tossed with fresh parm, olive oil, S&P.
arm1970 at 1:38PM on 10/19/09
We love pasta with white beans and onions. Fast, cheap, and simple.
blgrimes at 1:38PM on 10/19/09
angel hair, olive oil with garlic, salt pepper and cheese
npfldmom at 1:40PM on 10/19/09
Pastina (tiny pasta) with butter.
Barbd at 1:41PM on 10/19/09
Beans, Sausage, Pasta, and Greens
arbeck at 1:42PM on 10/19/09
potato gnocchi with butter and parmesan
MadameTart at 1:43PM on 10/19/09
box of pasta ($1) with tinned tomatoes ($1) and frozen spinach ($1) simmered with anything you have in the house: a slosh of wine, smashed garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped onion... quick and easy!
ec_washington at 1:45PM on 10/19/09
Carbonara
jaspevacek at 1:45PM on 10/19/09
mmmm... sausage and peppers.
jenniferann at 1:47PM on 10/19/09
my favorite is fettunta from tuscany. It's a great snack of toasted bread rubbed with garlic, and sometimes topped with white beans. it's fast, cheap, easy and amazing!
darragh24 at 1:47PM on 10/19/09
Pasta with Parmesan, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.
IndyGal at 1:48PM on 10/19/09
Pasta with butter and grated parm. Sometimes I'll add broccoli if I feel I need the vegetable. It's quick, easy and filling!
sueb84 at 1:49PM on 10/19/09
Fried slices of polenta, topped with a simple garlic, tomato and basil sauce, and crowned with a poached egg and parmesan. You can add anchovies if you like. Lots of black and red pepper as well. Maybe a bread salad on the side with olives, onions, chickpeas, peppers and chunks of feta. Stock up on olive oil first.
NotAmerican at 1:50PM on 10/19/09
Pasta is NOT cucina povera. Only until after WW2 did pasta become something Italians could eat on a regular basis. Pasta was special occasion food, sometimes eaten only a couple times a year, most of the time in a soup.
My favorite cucina povera dish is polenta, with a little dollop of mushroom ragu to go with it.
simon at 1:52PM on 10/19/09
I buy this giant box of seconds tomatoes from the farmers market, it works out to about 40 cents a pound. I roast the tomatoes in the oven with some herbs, garlic, onions, whatever else I have on hand, blend and throw it onto pasta for an easy, cheap dinner.
snackpig at 1:54PM on 10/19/09
i dont know if this is considered cucina povera, but i love nothing more than making fresh pasta, if only for the kneading factor. i call it cucina terapeutico.
french tart at 1:57PM on 10/19/09
Polenta! It is so good with cheese mixed in and a bit of sauce over it.
queenbleu at 2:03PM on 10/19/09
pasta with tomato sauce
piehole at 2:04PM on 10/19/09
Sardine pie is my new love affair. Why was I such a snob to pass this up before?
zephyrluna at 2:07PM on 10/19/09
A supergarlicky ribollita soup is my favorite - of course, no one wants to talk to me afterwards, haha!
eviek23 at 2:08PM on 10/19/09
Cacio e pepe, my favorite standby for when there's nothing else left to eat in the house.
DinnerDuJour at 2:08PM on 10/19/09
My favorite cheap italian recipe is simply linguine and pesto with some olives or artichokes if I have them lying around.
pdubbs at 2:10PM on 10/19/09
1 or 2 Italian sausages, greens and pasta with a little garlic and olive oil is comforting and yummy.
moo1018 at 2:13PM on 10/19/09
"The food is made of whatever's cheap, plentiful, and in season." Why can't we have this concept in the US? Aside from what the luckiest among us are able to buy from farmstands in the summer, NOTHING is cheap, plentiful and in season. Almost all of the food that is presented in our grocery stores comes from a far-flung distribution web in which most local, seasonal advantage is squashed, and prices are propped up and evened out across the land. You can live in an _______-producing state (fill in the blank with a fruit, for example), and grocery store _______s are still not cheap.
Lorenzo at 2:14PM on 10/19/09
pasta with broccoli rabe (or really any green vegetable you've got laying around) and sausage. SOOOOO good. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, red pepper flakes.
blammm at 2:14PM on 10/19/09
hands down, ribollita. if you don't know italian or italian cuisine all that well ribollita literally means "twice boiled" and it is a soup which is basically a thick bean based soup where the beans and nearly all the vegetables blend into one uniform bean mush of sorts. drizzled with olio nuovo the soup is something i've been dying to find somewhere stateside but alas olio nuovo is unavailable here and i have yet to even see it offered on any menu. but if you've ever been to florence i recommend the version served at trattoria mario which is right by the mercato. the soup was a staple during my time abroad and was almost always my choice for primi while dining at mario's.
szmansour at 2:15PM on 10/19/09
Saute chick peas, olive tapinade, rosemary and crushed red pepper in olive oil. Add orrichiette, halved grape tomatoes and even out sauce with reserved pasta water. Add grated parm and/or cubed mozzarella if you'd like (and who wouldn't?)
ksoze711 at 2:18PM on 10/19/09
Pasta with white beans and sausage, with a very simple cream sauce if I'm feeling luxurious. I love that you can pretty much take anything in your refrigerator or pantry, serve it over pasta, and have a delicious dinner. Tonight I'm looking forward to re-creating a childhood favorite: spaghetti with butter and myzithra cheese.
lkrier at 2:19PM on 10/19/09
Anything with polenta (warm mushy polenta or fried crispy polenta!) as the "base." In particular, I like polenta with a puttanesca sauce. I don't know if that counts as traditional "cucina povera," but it is friendly on this poor student's pocketbook!
Emily H at 2:21PM on 10/19/09
Panzanella. Too late in the season now, though. On to hearty sauces.
jlbrach at 2:24PM on 10/19/09
ribollita. and i could use a bowl right now.
Pupster at 2:25PM on 10/19/09
Make a quick pizza crust, top with olive oil/proscuitto/shaved parmesan/a couple tomatoes. Perfect!
kristyk at 2:26PM on 10/19/09
soup! involving any number of vegetables left in the fridge: tomatoes, beans, potatoes, onions, carrots, etc. plus some small pasta to add a bit of body. I like soup even when im not super poor.
engmcmuffin at 2:28PM on 10/19/09
I do love eggs in purgatory!
Truculence at 2:29PM on 10/19/09
A simple Italian sausage with lots of fennel. Grilled.
tankwatkins at 2:30PM on 10/19/09
Putanesca. An easy sauce that is ready by the time the pasta has cooked.
Rhetor at 2:32PM on 10/19/09
spaghetti in a red wine tomato sauce!
tifscatku at 2:32PM on 10/19/09
Any dish with fagioli... the Tuscans know how to do their beans right! I'm currently eating quite well in Italy, but when my time here is up, this book will come in handy, I am certain. I have a few cucina povera recipes on my blog, that I learned from a Florence woman a couple weeks ago.
www.ellenp1214.wordpress.com
ellenp7 at 2:33PM on 10/19/09
boboli whole wheat pizza crust, some thinly sliced roma tomatoes, drizzle of olive oil, parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and a few fresh basil leaves...cooked for 10 minutes and ready to devour :)
lucyot at 2:33PM on 10/19/09
Cacio e pepi ... done right it is divine.
Importance at 2:40PM on 10/19/09
homemade pizza with ricotta, fennel and sausage. yum!
valeriam at 2:40PM on 10/19/09
homemade spaghetti and tomato sauce!
KCapogrossi at 2:40PM on 10/19/09
sausage with fennel and olives topped with shavings of reggiano.
Offalwinfrey at 2:41PM on 10/19/09
Polenta with mushroom ragu is the perfect comfort food to me.
Nezrite at 2:42PM on 10/19/09
Bruschetta and a caprese salad, with cheap wine as well!
tgrabler at 2:44PM on 10/19/09
bruschetta
drew13000 at 2:45PM on 10/19/09
Cheap and easy? Spinach with garlic, olive oil, and white beans.
MeganCochran at 2:46PM on 10/19/09
spaghetti with meat sauce
caramel at 2:46PM on 10/19/09
Al dente pasta sauted with butter and garlic and dredged with Pecorino Romano. My homemade spaghetti sauce and meatballs.
lamora at 2:49PM on 10/19/09
Another vote for ribollita, seriously
Anranius at 2:52PM on 10/19/09
Fresh pasta with cherry tomatoes, basil, parm, olive oil and garlic. And a big hunk of bread. MMMMMMM
Jilly at 2:55PM on 10/19/09
Pasta with aglio, olio e peperoncino!
Annieo at 2:57PM on 10/19/09
fresh tomato sauce over ziti
z911empire at 3:00PM on 10/19/09
Zucchini Blossoms Patties
* 18 zucchini blossoms
* A pint (500 ml) whole milk
* 3 heaping tablespoons flour
* An egg, lightly beaten
* Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
* Olive oil or lard, for frying
Trim the stems of the zucchini blossoms, remove the pistils, wash them gently and pat them dry just as gently.
Roughly Chop them up
Prepare the batter by combining the milk, flour,salt, freshly ground pepper and egg.
Heat the oil.
Drop about a table spoon of the mixture into the hot oil and fry them until golden, drain them on absorbent paper, and serve them hot.
To Die For!
csresale at 3:06PM on 10/19/09
garlic, squishy tomatoes, olive oil on the stove, pasta and parm in a bowl. drizzle on some balsamic for treat.
mjnesmith at 3:09PM on 10/19/09
Pasta e fagioli. Can you spell cheap and delightful at the same time? Ingredients always on hand, ready in a flash. Yum.
pateberry at 3:10PM on 10/19/09
It has to be Carbonara. It's a go to meal in my house!
Karen Moore at 3:11PM on 10/19/09
Pasta with any fresh sauteed vegetables. Simple and cheap.
jonkeane at 3:13PM on 10/19/09
recently I have fallen in love with white beans with lemon,rosemary and garlic. I can eat it with a spoon or on some toast. Add some more olive oil and toss it with pasta.
megRT at 3:13PM on 10/19/09
Cannellini, garlic, fresh greens and a little pancetta and olive oil sautéed together all served with some fresh bread. I will have to make it sometime this week!
kyle25 at 3:13PM on 10/19/09
pasta, light quick cream sauce, peas, sausage, parmesan
Jbout at 3:22PM on 10/19/09
I second the cacio e pepe! Second vote = arancini in Sicily! I think that counts as cucina povera...
vinoportland at 3:26PM on 10/19/09
pasta made with fresh tomato, onion, garlic, basil, olive oil... parmesan! yum! :9
cathyahh at 3:32PM on 10/19/09
Italian wedding soup.....
pksmash at 3:35PM on 10/19/09
I'm a big fan of carbonara -- but when I first moved out, I had nothing except a few heads of garlic and boxes of pasta. I must've spent at least a week eating pasta three times a day, with garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and parmesan. To this day, when I'm running low on groceries, I'll have this exact meal...though sometimes I'll throw in some minced anchovies or chopped olives.
annerska at 3:37PM on 10/19/09
garlicky greens and a fried egg and a piece of pan-fried toast
ricotta pancakes
braised fennel bulb
mashed potatoes with a ton of olive oil
anchovy/tomato sandwiches
Lynn Rosetto Kaspar's Puglian green tomato sauce
a browned-then-simmered sausage
eqsachs at 3:48PM on 10/19/09
spaghetti with lots of mushrooms in the sauce
little orange straw at 3:53PM on 10/19/09
Pappa pomodoro
karen r at 3:57PM on 10/19/09
My southern Italian family is all about eating well but inexpensively, so for me it's pasta fazool. And that's just how they said it too!
jujyfruit at 3:58PM on 10/19/09
Just One?!? No way.
Greens and beans. Rapini and white beans sauteed in olive oil with garlic.
Everyone thinks carbonara is cheap?!? I guess it can be with cheap Parmesan from a can.
Putanesca - only the olives add cost if you want to go high end.
Pasta with sardines or anchovies. Cooked with oil and garlic.
Fried bread balls with anchovies. Good for a snack, good for a meal.
joeqboo at 4:01PM on 10/19/09
Fresh rolled pasta made with eggs from my friends' chickens, topped with a simple tomato basil sauce grown in my garden.
hannah_phi at 4:08PM on 10/19/09
Spaghetti carbonara, of course!
cochon at 4:08PM on 10/19/09
cacio pepe
rumanddiet at 4:11PM on 10/19/09
Why cheap? I adore pasta and beans, and somehow, so do my kids. Aaaah, bacala in red sauce at christmas. Oh, and my favorite little number that I try to recrete now and again: it's sort of like a spread made with tomato paste, anchovies, fennel, and crushed red pepper (as best that I can tell). Lather that on some great bread and it's all over. I wish I knew what my cousins called it.
okmosa at 4:12PM on 10/19/09
bruschetta - chopped tomatoes, basil, garlic, mozzarella, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Crusty bread for dipping and scooping.
ncjc2121 at 4:13PM on 10/19/09
polenta with marinara sauce and parm.
oregonpinot at 4:15PM on 10/19/09
White beans sauteed with olive oil, garlic, lemon, and thyme.
cmp45 at 4:19PM on 10/19/09
Crostini with sun dried tomatoe marmalade Don't get Arthur on the radio up here anymore...miss him..
bessfour at 4:20PM on 10/19/09
pasta, olive oil, salt and black pepper.
cheekfull at 4:21PM on 10/19/09
Fusilli with pesto gets my vote, I hope I get yours!
beano at 4:27PM on 10/19/09
Pasta with sauteed garlic and seasonal vegetables
sjwoodin at 4:28PM on 10/19/09
Pasta putanesca
slowdownandeat at 4:29PM on 10/19/09
When I was in college doing the Europe backpacking vacation (on the cheap... hostels, meals of bread and cheese) my friends and I took a long train ride from Switzerland to Venice. When we arrived at Venice around dinner time, we were up for a ton of food. We found a hole in the wall restaurant (with the menu prices still printed in Lira (in 2002). It was 6 euros for any pasta and any sauce...served on a huge plate, with breadsticks/olive oil too. We each had two full plates... so cheap, so good.
Chowdahead at 4:32PM on 10/19/09
Anchovies melted down with garlic and some tomatoes if they are on hand.
lizaj at 4:36PM on 10/19/09
OMG @ szmansour-
I was about to rave like a lunatic about the ribolita I had in florence, and guess what? It was at trattoria mario!!! I went back for three days in a row to eat it! If only I could find a good recipe...this stuff is heaven in a bowl.
jay27 at 4:40PM on 10/19/09
Cannellini beans and tuna with herbs.
PDXbiker at 4:41PM on 10/19/09
Once I had most of the ingredients as pantry staples, pasta puttanesca all the way. So simple and tasty!
Mary_Eats at 4:55PM on 10/19/09
Pasta with olive oil, garlic, Parmesan, and slivers of basil.
petitegourmande at 5:05PM on 10/19/09
Minestrone or a fiery arrabiatta
PeanutButter at 5:11PM on 10/19/09
Pasta puttanesca+++
LaBourrique at 5:14PM on 10/19/09
Polenta with whatever else is around.
cyberroo at 5:31PM on 10/19/09
The perfect Meatball.
I hope to find it again someday *sigh*
hungrychristel at 5:39PM on 10/19/09
I love basic spaghetti and meatballs. Yum!
hecaterosecrr at 5:47PM on 10/19/09
Tomato sauce - with anything. The longer it's cooked, the better it gets.
katieelby at 5:50PM on 10/19/09
Spaghetti with garlic, oil, red pepper and breadcrumbs.
mollyn at 5:56PM on 10/19/09
Sauteed spinach with pinenuts and lots of olive oil, served on polenta
williaka at 6:02PM on 10/19/09
Any soup or pasta I can make using leftover or foraged ingrediants.
msecondo at 6:04PM on 10/19/09
A big bowl of minestrone on a cold, rainy afternoon.
tdark27 at 6:16PM on 10/19/09
pasta puttanesca w/ tuna
amusebouche at 6:16PM on 10/19/09
Does pizza margarita count?
Anna212 at 6:24PM on 10/19/09
Angel hair pasta with red sauce and a couple of meatballs, sprinkle of parm (ok, a rainshower of parm) and crushed red peppers.
dmcavanagh at 6:24PM on 10/19/09
ribollita - with all the old bread being my favorite part.
prunesaregood at 6:35PM on 10/19/09
My father's parents were from Sicily. As a young girl, I remember him slicing oranges into a bowl, adding olive oil to cover, and heavily peppering them. We both used to eat and enjoy them. I haven't eaten oranges this way for many years ( I will be 70 in a few weeks ), but the memory of our special time together enjoying this "treat" can never be duplicated.
Everyone is wished a rainbow-filled day !
Mrs. Marshall
BgMamma001 at 6:41PM on 10/19/09
Socca. Without a doubt.
Phil W. at 6:51PM on 10/19/09
Pasta carbonara!
vickster at 7:10PM on 10/19/09
pasta, olive oil, garlic, and then either red pepper flakes or a handful of fresh chopped herbs. delicioso!
franko at 7:19PM on 10/19/09
A good Amatriciana!
KateRuby at 7:24PM on 10/19/09
Puttanesca
darthbunni at 7:40PM on 10/19/09
Pasta with pesto!!!
RJ Foodie at 7:41PM on 10/19/09
Canned Tomatoes, fresh garlic and onions and olive oil over bulk pasta :)
CanadianDave at 8:06PM on 10/19/09
cooked down can of tomatoes (whole) with just some pasta. garlic goes in there if I am lucky.
ClearlyDiluted at 8:08PM on 10/19/09
pasta with parmesan cheese, butter, and garlic.
foodchemistry at 8:16PM on 10/19/09
pasta carbonara and warm crusty bread
TNFarmer at 8:19PM on 10/19/09
puttanesca!
Carioca at 8:19PM on 10/19/09
marcella hazan's tomato sauce with onion over spaghetti!
punkrockmartha at 8:20PM on 10/19/09
My family's from southern Italy, and my dad rolls out the family recipes pretty often. My favourites are pasta with eggplant, garlic and red pepper flakes; and fagiola, fresh flat beans cooked til soft and drizzled with olive oil.
piccola at 8:52PM on 10/19/09
My favorite cheap Italian recipe is simply tomato sauce over noodles! So simple and quick to make!
Hurdler4eva at 8:53PM on 10/19/09
My favorite cheap Italian recipe would have to be spaghetti and meatballs. No matter how many times I have it, I still like it.
nanjhall at 9:19PM on 10/19/09
just got back a few weeks ago from favignana, sicily and my italian friend who i was visiting does a couple of things with an iron grill pan masterfully; 1) slice summer veggies like eggplant, zucchini and large white mushrooms about 1/4 inch thick and grill them dry on the very hot pan, than drizzle them with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. 2) grills thin slices of bread on this pan and rubs them with raw garlic and then tops with a mixture of chopped tomatoes, olive oil, salt & pepper - and a leaf or two of wild arugula that grows in his backyard - YUM!
tigress at 9:25PM on 10/19/09
simple red sauce with olive oil, garlic, fresh toms, and basil over some pasta. cheapo.
_greenbean at 9:33PM on 10/19/09
Is there a cheaper italian meal than spaghetti?
ewizabeff at 9:41PM on 10/19/09
Linguine with butter.
In the South we call cucicna povera, rough food.
garek at 9:41PM on 10/19/09
long pasta (spaghetti or buccatini)
fresh breadcrumbs sauteed in garlicky olive oil
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes, flat-leaf parsley if you wish
another drizzle of olive oil
so easy
so perfect
gorzd at 9:43PM on 10/19/09
spaghetti with tomato sauce and mozzarella.
slin1 at 9:50PM on 10/19/09
spaghetti carbonara
tlinjang at 10:01PM on 10/19/09
I can eat Aglio e olio any time of day.
bobcatsteph3 at 10:06PM on 10/19/09
Pasta e fagiole, or cook up some polenta and let it set overnight. Then the next day slice it up, fry it in some olive oil and top with warm marinara sauce and some Parmesan cheese.
corinne at 10:17PM on 10/19/09
Oilve oil and garlic dressing with bowtie pasta.
wezlee at 10:25PM on 10/19/09
Minestrone!
SEAtoNYC at 10:31PM on 10/19/09
Panzanella! It's my favorite way to use up extra bread and tomatoes. For a hot, economical Italian dish, definitely polenta. It's so versatile.
LizLemon at 10:32PM on 10/19/09
Fiori di Zucca Fritte!
yankeesgal at 10:52PM on 10/19/09
Fresh pesto and rotini!
sauerkrautball at 11:06PM on 10/19/09
Cinghiale with soft polenta
andrearode at 11:17PM on 10/19/09
Any variation of bread soup, ribollita being the classic. Old stale bread plus aromatic vegetables, plus some cured meat, sausage, or cheese for a deeper flavor, maybe some chopped tomato and possibly a poached egg. One of my favorite meals, and cheap to boot.
Nicholas H at 11:21PM on 10/19/09
Squash gnocchi with browned butter sauce. Homemade, it's cheap and easy.
dbcurrie at 12:15AM on 10/20/09
I'm happy with some pasta, olive oil, garlic, and herbs.
armstwa at 12:51AM on 10/20/09
Spaghetti alla puttanesca. Olive oil, capers, maybe some anchovies, fresh garlic and oregano is all that is needed to make a perfect puttanesca, or more appropriately "whores spaghetti."
Mike13241 at 12:57AM on 10/20/09
polenta with marinara
chromiumman at 1:01AM on 10/20/09
It might not be truly italian, but I love to make a baked spaghetti with lots of cheese on top and crisped pepperoni.
ilikecitylights at 1:41AM on 10/20/09
A frittata with lots of veggies or a chunky ribollita
deedles55 at 3:49AM on 10/20/09
linguine with clam sauce
BiereBeer at 5:09AM on 10/20/09
spaghetti all'arrabiatta
cellophane at 6:19AM on 10/20/09
It has to be Pasta Fagioli.
cdziuba at 7:23AM on 10/20/09
Spaghetti Carbonara
dikaryon at 7:32AM on 10/20/09
Pasta with a simple tomato basil sauce - perfection!
mcferret at 7:47AM on 10/20/09
Pasta Carbonara - Easy, cheap and best of all deeeeelicious!
rilabby at 8:07AM on 10/20/09
Pasta, olive oil, a touch of Parmesan. Can't beat it!
DuncanHusky at 8:28AM on 10/20/09
Polenta. Polenta. Polenta.
PoorOldMama at 8:33AM on 10/20/09
I like adding a little heavy cream to the tomato sauce to go over pasta and topped with parmesan cheese.
LIDARKSIDE at 8:36AM on 10/20/09
Can't decide between carbonara and eggs in purgatory.
iyamapotato at 8:38AM on 10/20/09
Saute a few anchovies in olive oil. Add canned tomatoes. Cook about 30 minutes. Eat over pasta.
lucylucy at 9:03AM on 10/20/09
We make quite a bit of homemade pasta with vegetables or pesto sourced from the garden in the summer
philip at 9:12AM on 10/20/09
Pasta, olive oil,and any greens.
finsbigfan at 9:38AM on 10/20/09
homemade meatballs first fried and then simmered in crushed tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil, over cappellini
aharste at 10:15AM on 10/20/09
Pasta, pasta, pasta - with anything.
LKSachs at 10:26AM on 10/20/09
My roommates and I would call it "pasta special." Basically pasta mixed with any frozen veggie we, cooked in olive oil, garlic and herbes de provence. We would throw a bit of pesto in their if we had it on hand. Topped with goat cheese or camembert and some siracha for some extra kick.
tanyavell at 10:26AM on 10/20/09
pasta with butter, salt and pepper
Faither at 11:01AM on 10/20/09
Good old meat, sauce and noodles is a cheap meal.
agordon10 at 11:09AM on 10/20/09
Bruschetta--buy a nice can of san marzano tomatoes, fresh basil, evoo and a pinch of salt--freshly toasted ciabatta bread--delicioso!
bajjmayer at 11:23AM on 10/20/09
carbonara!
dtgville at 11:52AM on 10/20/09
Pasta with kale, white beans, and a splash of white wine.
she likes pie at 11:57AM on 10/20/09
pasta with a cream marscarpone cheese sause!
llama at 12:16PM on 10/20/09
Ribollito
wingreend at 12:21PM on 10/20/09
The cheapest dish I prepare is pasta fagioli soup. Tomatoes, broth, and white beans with some basil and what a treat on a cold day.
Teeeveee at 12:27PM on 10/20/09
Neapolitan Pasta with Lentils -- which, incidentally, is from an earlier Arthur Schwartz book. It's real comfort food.
http://www.thefoodmaven.com/naples/lenticche.html
Channa at 12:32PM on 10/20/09
pasta e fagioli!
Ltizzle at 12:58PM on 10/20/09
I like minestrone, with lots of bread. Thanks!
dglitter at 1:17PM on 10/20/09
Simple dish of pasta tosed in olive oil, garlic and a little parm sometimes some olives or sundried tomatoes added also.
slvance at 1:43PM on 10/20/09
Pasta fagioli pantry staples...and cheap ones to boot!
sassysprite at 1:46PM on 10/20/09
Simple, pizza.
semarr at 2:02PM on 10/20/09
What a difficult choice. Today it would be penne with eggplant.
NOLA_Pam at 2:21PM on 10/20/09
Pasta with olive oil black pepper parm and chili flakes
kimbodian at 2:25PM on 10/20/09
pasta puttanesca
threedogkitchen at 2:28PM on 10/20/09
Authentic Italian cooking is still pretty new to me, but I love the concept of lovingly making wonderful food out of affordable and in season produce! Currently I love making pastas tossed with olive oil, garlic, maybe some crushed red pepper, and in season vegetables, but I'm itching to learn more!
misplacedtexan at 2:31PM on 10/20/09
pasta with anchovies and toasted breadcrumbs...yum!
PoignantTuna at 2:44PM on 10/20/09
Tortellini cooked in chicken broth -- "Ravs and Broth" is what we call them.
lakeloverhh at 2:50PM on 10/20/09
Roasted Potato and Vinegar Pepper Ciambotta... LOVE it!
Brownie at 2:58PM on 10/20/09
i'm also a fan of good fresh pasta, olive oil and fresh parm.....
chon76 at 3:02PM on 10/20/09
It's sooooo hard to choose just one, but since I must, I tip my hat to eggplant parmigiana. Makes great heros the next day.
MMinNYC at 3:05PM on 10/20/09
Spaghetti and meatballs
Sunnyvale1 at 3:52PM on 10/20/09
Sausage and Rabe sandwich.
smokey07 at 4:33PM on 10/20/09
we have pasta with a simple tomato sauce and fresh mozzerella about once a week - it's wonderful!
moniyer at 4:42PM on 10/20/09
my grandmother's minestrone has always been a staple. As a side note my families home in calabria was the best place I have ever been - I never felt more at home.
christopher at 4:44PM on 10/20/09
Bruschetta with tomato chunks, white beans, black olives, and olive oil.
deenarae0 at 5:48PM on 10/20/09
Pasta e Fagioli with bread and a salad.
AsTheNight at 5:57PM on 10/20/09
pasta with white beans
allelect at 8:35PM on 10/20/09
Like many of the previous posts my cheap pasta is olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper over cooked spaghetti.
HSlater351 at 9:43PM on 10/20/09
MNMMM cheap and easy... pasta with butter topped with bread crumbs and parsley..
Colengal at 9:46PM on 10/20/09
any kind of pasta that includes roasted garlic & good cheese. yum.
graciecat at 1:29AM on 10/21/09
Minestrone with garlic breadsticks.
trustysis at 2:09AM on 10/21/09
Pancotto, the bread soup of Puglia (Apulia.) Bread stewed with tomatoes, green veg and, of course, lots of garlic, olive oil and chili.
UnasBravas at 7:21AM on 10/21/09
Marinated eggplant with fresh mint (reverse-engineered from a dish my BIL's mother served)--
Generous pinch of salt
1 clove garlic, peeled
Juice of 2 lemons
Olive oil - a tablespoon or two, to taste
1 Eggplant, sliced lengthwise into 1/4 in slices
2 tsp fresh mint, cut in a chiffonade
Mash the garlic clove together with the salt to make a fine paste. Whisk together with the lemon juice and some olive oil to make a dressing. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.
Bake, broil, or grill the eggplant slices until they are tender, then cool to room temp.
Toss the eggplant in the dressing until fully coated, then add the mint.
Let sit 10-20 minutes before serving.
It makes a great sandwich filling, and is good chopped and stirred into pasta as well.
gorboduc at 8:55AM on 10/21/09
carbonara
intheyearofthepig at 12:54PM on 10/21/09
tomato based pasta w/ turkey meatballs
cryho01 at 1:22PM on 10/21/09
Hands down, gotta be carbonara. Yum!
merckurybubbles at 1:27PM on 10/21/09
The cheapest? 1 lb ground beef, Store sauce doctored with spices at home, bread and butter. Put the sauce in a bowl. Eat with bread and butter. Used to fill up on this as a kid. My mom of course was actually trying to make spaghetti, though
blbst36 at 1:27PM on 10/21/09
tomatoes and garlic sauteed in oil, served over spaghetti.
Runningwithbeaters at 1:31PM on 10/21/09
Stracciatella soup. Drizzle a couple of gently beaten eggs mixed with Parm into simmering chicken broth, throw in pasta, beans, whatever else is on hand (I've even used matzo balls - you reading this, Mr. Schwartz?), garnish with pepper, nutmeg, whatever. Authenticity varies depending on the 'whatever's on hand' bit, but rumor has it that this quick and cheap meal is based on an Italian soup.
unpocojmoney at 1:59PM on 10/21/09
It depends on my mood. Usually my favorite and the cheapest is red sauce with meat. But I love a beautiful alfredo, carbonara, or creamed tomato sauce. Always garlic and a good pasta!
edenxpress at 2:01PM on 10/21/09
Sausage and peppers.
wmoss at 2:52PM on 10/21/09
Well, it sounded good THEN....
just butter and catsup...mixed in with plain old spaghetti until it all mushed together.
Bria at 3:06PM on 10/21/09
Whole wheat pasta with olive oil, smashed garlic, spinach, chicken, and fresh Parmesan cheese.
Krystal at 3:12PM on 10/21/09
Spaghetti with olive oil, in which you have sauteed finely chopped garlic, chopped Italian (flat) parsley and topped with toasted pine nuts. Perhaps an addition of finely diced plum tomato. Yummmm!
PatDA at 3:21PM on 10/21/09
Spaghetti with a simple tomato sauce
or
pizza with whatever is in the fridge on top.
tchansen at 4:26PM on 10/21/09
Not sucking up, but my favorite is from Serious Eats-- Bucatini ai Fagioli from Dinner Tonight. The beans are so creamy and delicious, it feels incredibly decadent!
shalomblack at 5:01PM on 10/21/09
Pasta with oil & garlic (aglio et olio) is about as simple and delicious as you can get.
Friday at 5:23PM on 10/21/09
pastina, butter, romano cheese
andie at 7:33PM on 10/21/09
either spaghetti carbonara, or otherwise a combination of sea salt, black pepper, olive oil, garlic, and a splash of white wine =)
cluelessfoodbandit at 9:37PM on 10/21/09
Cheap, fast and easy: Pasta tossed with a little softened butter and Parmesan cheese.
BostonDiner at 10:50PM on 10/21/09
Spaghetti with marinara sauce - as cheap as it gets
Oenonome at 11:53PM on 10/21/09
Spaghetti with scrambled eggs.
leegwebb at 10:22AM on 10/22/09
polenta, served any way.
jymbrittain at 10:35AM on 10/22/09
penne in a lightly sauteed garlic, grape tomatoes and olive oil sauce.
Monelle at 11:49AM on 10/22/09
linguine with olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, parmesan and fresh chopped parsley...plus everything mentioned above!!
redsh at 12:52PM on 10/22/09
spaghetti and meatballs, definitely
allot at 1:47PM on 10/22/09
spaghetti carbonara for sure
element103 at 4:50PM on 10/22/09
ribollita!
hungrytoo at 5:55PM on 10/22/09
Tuscan tomato soup.
southerncooker at 7:14PM on 10/22/09
Mark Bittman's pasta and potatoes. A perfect hearty dish for winter.
Rebecca F. at 8:37PM on 10/22/09
Bread, basil and olive oil.
ky2here at 9:09PM on 10/22/09
Pasta with pesto and pine nuts.
amylou61 at 9:27PM on 10/22/09
Pasta with raw tomato sauce: tomatoes, black olives, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, herbs...
merstar at 9:27PM on 10/22/09
carbonara
nmp164 at 10:19PM on 10/22/09
A little pasta tossed with some bacon, a little half and half and some parmesano reggiano, is the perfect thing!
mamie116 at 10:42PM on 10/22/09
pasta with marinara sauce.....
starsmom at 11:26PM on 10/22/09
Our favourite is pasta with arrabiata sauce, from a jar, but with a twist: we buy sausages (merguez, usually), slit open the casings, and saute them with onions and garlic. Then you toss in the sauce, heat it up, and pour it over the pasta. Yum.
mousecatfish at 3:22AM on 10/23/09
pasta with butter/parmigiana mixed together! a bit of salt and pepper may be necessary as well...
jkiel at 11:13AM on 10/23/09
spaghetti, olive oil, garlic, parmesan, pepper.
mr guy at 1:33PM on 10/23/09
Risotto. Rice and broth mixed with whatever protein/vegetable/herbs are on hand or in season. +/- just a bit of any number of fats that can be stretched this way (Like butter or cheese)
marinelm at 1:38PM on 10/23/09
Risotto, usually with some hearty winter squash or beets. The beets turn it this bright red color, and dark green shredded beet greens set the whole thing off. Yum.
MrMonk at 1:54PM on 10/23/09
My favorite cheap Italian food is pasta with diced tomatoes, a little olive oil and a touch of cream. Simple and comforting.
cooklocal at 2:11PM on 10/23/09
chicken parmesan
zekks at 3:00PM on 10/23/09
pasta puttanesca. yum.
lauralop at 5:48PM on 10/23/09
gnocchi with brown butter sauce
chefbuttercup at 9:49PM on 10/23/09
basic spaghetti is about the only thing italian we ever make, i love italian food though and would love to learn more recipes.
msrodeobrat at 12:24PM on 10/24/09
Carbonara
tamintx at 4:41PM on 10/24/09
White pizza is our favorite cheap Italian dish.
mail4rosey at 6:44PM on 10/24/09
Well, it's our old stand by-cheap and when there's not a lot of food in the house-
spaghetti aglio ed olio- Spaghetti with oil and garlic.
Sautee the oil and sliced garlic. When garlic browns remove. Boil pasta, remove. Pour over oil and add chopped parsley, pepper and parmiggiano cheese.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
charmandluck at 10:43PM on 10/24/09
Dude. Roasted garlic in olive oil and butter spread over fresh-baked bread. Is there anything better? I think not. Cheaper? Heck no.
Stufsocker at 12:50AM on 10/25/09
Spaghetti and meatballs.
taxchyk at 2:11AM on 10/25/09
I cook a great chicken parmesan! It's actually Amy Sedaris's recipe but I love it.
prettyinpink42 at 3:48AM on 10/25/09
Ahhh, so many things to choose from, and economical too! I am going to go with Pasta Puttanesca, the spices and the anchovies really knock me out. I love to add extra cheese to it also, and serve it with nice crusty bread!
sugarpaws at 7:39AM on 10/25/09
Minestrone soup - cheap and filling!
spike at 4:53PM on 10/25/09
Sauce from homegrown tomatoes, with pasta, and vegetables from the garden!
saturdaynightfever at 6:16PM on 10/25/09
Pasta with olive oil and parmesean.
Aisling at 6:19PM on 10/25/09
I like Spaghetti with garlic, butter and parmesan!
legab67156 at 8:32PM on 10/25/09
My cheap fav is spaghetti and meatballs
Ardy22 at 11:03PM on 10/25/09
I'm a polenta fan.
nesta67 at 11:42PM on 10/25/09
The classic is my favorite Pasta with fresh Parmesan, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.
darcybel at 1:38AM on 10/26/09
Pastina with butter and parmesan cheese :)
gkran at 1:46AM on 10/26/09
Angel hair pasta with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper would be my choice. Adding cheese would be optional.
sdeas at 3:50AM on 10/26/09
Minestrone
dddiva at 5:27AM on 10/26/09
Pasta with olive oil.
donnak4 at 8:03AM on 10/26/09
Spaghetti with cheap spaghetti sauce and parmesan cheese.
kngmckellar at 8:54AM on 10/26/09
My cheap Italian meal is spaghetti and meatballs with garlic and parmesan cheese. garrettsambo@aol.com
garrettsambo at 9:22AM on 10/26/09
pasta and ceci beans drizzled with olive oil.
AICORP at 9:51AM on 10/26/09
Pasta with bacon, garlic, red pepper flakes in a light tomato sauce.
hungrylikethewolf at 10:14AM on 10/26/09
I love spaghetti and sausage!
lilyk at 11:04AM on 10/26/09
It's a tie between pasta with lentils and minestrone
madeas at 11:18AM on 10/26/09
my favorite is lasagna :)
kathypease at 11:31AM on 10/26/09
rigatoni is my favorite
Bridget73 at 11:47AM on 10/26/09
My favorite is ribollita
dvice at 11:51AM on 10/26/09
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Caroline Russock at 12:02PM on 10/26/09