As I get older, my cooking gets simpler. I find myself creating short cuts and innovations on recipes I created years ago, as a way to feed myself and friends more easily. Hankering for the flavors of smoky piquillo peppers I used to love in Spain, I hot roast sliced peppers dusted with smoky paprika…
Read MoreOur Favorite PaperThin Pancakes (No Flour, Eggs, or Milk…)
One of the best snacks I’ve had was in the market in Nice: a thin chickpea-flour pancake served hot on pieces of paper to eat with your fingers, pulling off the chewy edges and the soft crepe like interior. This sublime creation is easy to duplicate at home, where the eggless, flourless, dairy-less crepe-like pancakes can go savory or sweet.
Read MoreMagic Peppers (Oven-Roasted Peppers with Many Flavors + Uses)
My favorite hors d’oeuvre is also a brilliant material for improvising; oven-roasted pepper slices are so easy, delicious and versatile I call them Magic Peppers. I learned the basic approach in Italy: brushing pepper slices with olive oil and roasting them at a high heat, with whatever flavorings I feel like, from slivers of garlic—and—anchovy…
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