Something to eat: eg’s recipes

eg tells me that these all come from The Washington Post, which is the newspaper that first published my recipes!

I don’t know what toybox tomatoes are.. I’ll bet eg does.

Zucchini Alla Scapece (Marinated Zucchini) 6 side-dish servings

This dish is even better made a day in advance, as it gives the zucchini plenty of time to absorb the flavors of the garlic, mint and vinegar. Cover the platter tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before serving. If you find the taste of raw garlic too strong, you can blanch the whole cloves in boiling water for 90 seconds before slicing them for this dish.

Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil or a mix of olive and vegetable oil, for frying
6 (2 1/2 pounds) small to medium zucchini (ends trimmed off), cut crosswise on the diagonal into 1/4-inch slices
1 medium clove garlic, sliced paper-thin
2 tablespoons finely shredded mint leaves, plus 1 mint sprig, for garnish
Kosher or sea salt
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Line a large platter with paper towels or a large piece of brown paper bag.
Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet to about 375 degrees. Test it by putting a small piece of zucchini into the oil; it should sizzle immediately. Carefully put some of the zucchini slices into the hot oil, filling but not crowding the skillet. Fry for about 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom. Use a fork or tongs to gently turn the slices; adjust the temperature as necessary. Fry for 3 to 5 minutes on the second side, until tender and golden-brown in spots. Use a wire mesh strainer or large slotted spoon to transfer the zucchini slices to the lined platter to drain.
When the slices are cool enough to handle, arrange them on a large, deep oval serving platter in a single layer. Scatter a few slivers of garlic and a little of the shredded mint over the zucchini. Sprinkle with a little salt.
Combine the vinegars in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons of the vinegar mixture over the zucchini. Continue to fry the zucchini slices and layer them in the platter, topping each layer with the garlic, mint, salt and vinegar. You should end up with 3 or 4 layers.
Cover the platter loosely with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. Garnish the platter with a sprig of mint just before serving.

Stuffed Peppers 8 side-dish servings or 4 main-course servings

You can serve these stuffed peppers as a side dish or as a vegetarian main course. They are a nice addition to a summer buffet table. Sauteing the bread crumbs before stuffing the peppers produces a filling that is light and crisp.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups lightly packed fresh bread crumbs (see TIP, at right)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup coarsely chopped giardiniera (Italian-style pickled vegetables in a jar)
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 large red bell peppers, or a mix of red and yellow bell peppers
1 1/2 cups diced canned tomatoes (not drained)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Use 2 tablespoons of the oil to grease the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold 8 bell pepper halves.
Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs, garlic and minced parsley and cook, stirring frequently, for 8 minutes or until the bread is pale golden and starting to crisp. Transfer the bread crumbs to a large bowl. Add the giardiniera, capers, cheeses, salt, and pepper to taste, mixing gently but thoroughly. Set aside.
Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, including the stems. With a paring knife, remove and discard the seeds and white ribs. Spoon the filling into the hollowed-out pepper halves. Reserve any leftover stuffing for sprinkling over the peppers before baking.
Spread about 3/4 of the tomatoes in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange the peppers on top of the tomatoes. Spoon the remaining tomatoes over the tops of the peppers. Sprinkle with any remaining bread crumbs and drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the peppers. Bake the peppers for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the tops are nicely browned and the peppers themselves are just tender. Turn off the oven and let the peppers rest inside it for 15 to 30 minutes, until they are completely tender. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Orzo With Toybox Tomatoes and Fresh Mint 8 to 10 servings

If you make this more than 30 minutes in advance, taste and adjust seasonings and stir before serving.

Kosher salt for cooking the pasta, plus 1 teaspoon
3/4 pound dried orzo pasta
2 cups toybox tomatoes or a combination of colored cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
1/4 cup assertively flavored extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, such as Trader Joe’s brand

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add enough salt to make the water taste like the ocean. Cook the pasta according to package directions, until al dente.

While the orzo is cooking, cut the tomatoes in half through the stem and place in a large bowl. Add the mint, olive oil, garlic powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Toss to combine.

Drain the orzo and toss immediately into the tomato mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning with olive oil, garlic powder and/or kosher salt.
The first two are by Domenica Marchetti and the last one from Linda Carucci.