Lily Pasta Santa Caterina

April 29 (new) and April 30 (traditional) are the feasts of St. Catherine of Siena. Last night I ended up serving Pasta Santa Caterina for dinner. This time I made it with lily shaped pasta (Capanelle, also referred to as gigli or riccioli, translates to little bells or bellflowers) from Trader Joe's, since I had given some to our children in this year's family Easter Basket.

The lily symbolizes purity. Its stoic structure, pure white color, and delicately sweet aroma attribute to qualities of royalty, purity, and chastity. It is the symbolic flower of the Blessed Virgin Mary and is sometimes depicted with other saints (including St. Catherine of Siena) who possess these qualities. A lily among thorns represents the Immaculate Conception as the purity of the Virgin is preserved among the fallen nature of the world. Legend says that the lily originated from Eve’s tears when she and Adam were banished from the Garden of Eden. Another legend claims that lilies sprang up from the ground when drops of blood fell to the foot of the Cross. During the Easter season, many churches line their altars with Easter Lilies to signify the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the hope of eternal life.

This pasta would also be perfect for tomorrow's feast (May 1, St. Joseph the Worker) since the lily is also one of the symbols for St. Joseph.

Pasta Santa Caterina

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. ripe tomatoes 
• 2 Tbsp. Italian parsley, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. fresh Basil, chopped
• 2 tsp. garlic minced
• 3 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I omitted this and it was still great) 
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 6 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 lb. gigli pasta 

Directions:

Peel tomatoes, remove seeds and dice.

In a medium bowl combine all of the ingredients except the pasta.
Marinate at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Cook the pasta according to package directions, until tender. Drain thoroughly, and transfer pasta to a heated serving dish. Add the sauce and toss.

Serves 8 to 10.

St. Catherine of Siena, ora pro nobis! 

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Alphabet Soup for the Saint Educators

With the upcoming feast of St Elizabeth Ann Seton (January 4), it seems a good time to feature an idea for those saints associated with education.  A hearty vegetable meatball soup is a good one for a winter evening and adding in alphabet pasta is a way to recognize teaching saints. We have several saints this month associated with education, who are patrons of students or teachers or who were teachers themselves, like St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, who opened schools, trained teachers and prepared textbooks for use in the schools.

• St. John Neumann (January 5) is credited with  establishing the first system of parochial in US and opened 100 schools in eight years in Philadelphia while bishop.
• St. Marguerite Bourgeoys (January 12) established an order of teaching sisters in Canada and opened the first school in Montreal. 
• St. Francis de Sales (January 24) is a patron of educators.  
• St. Angela Merici (January 27) founded the Ursuline Order, the first religious order for women dedicated exclusively to the education of girls.
• St. Thomas Aquinas (January 28) is the patron of universities, Catholic schools and students.  
• St. John Bosco (January 31) ran a school for boys and is the patron of youth. 

The saints associated with teaching are numerous and their feast days can be found throughout the year. To find out feast days for other education related saints such as, St. John Baptist de La Salle (April 7), St. Rose Venerini (May 7), St. Mary MacKillop (August 8), St. Madeline Sophie Barat (August 25), St. Gregory the Great (September 3), St. Teresa of Calcutta (September 5), St. Theodore Guerin (October 3), St. Rose Philippine Duchesne (November 18), and more...

You can check out these patronage lists:
http://catholicsaints.info/patrons-of-students/
http://catholicsaints.info/patrons-of-schools/
http://catholicsaints.info/patrons-of-teachers/
http://catholicsaints.info/saints-who-were-teachers/

Meatball Vegetable Alphabet Soup

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp bread crumbs
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 lb lean ground beef or turkey
3/4 cup alphabet pasta
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups beef or chicken broth
1 can (14 oz) pureed tomatoes
1 cup chopped kale (optional)
2  Tbsp tomato paste2 tsp Italian spice

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 °F.

In bowl, combine mayonnaise, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder and ground meat; mix well. Shape into bite-size balls and arrange on 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bake meatballs in oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions, rinse, drain and set aside.

In large saucepan, heat oil and sauté onion and garlic, celery and carrots for about 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add broth, tomatoes, tomato paste and Italian spice; bring to boil. [I added chopped kale as an option since it is considered a "brain food" and this is a soup for educators.] Reduce heat and simmer, for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add pasta and meatballs. Reheat and serve.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, and all patron saints of teachers, education, and students, Pray for us. 

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Gemelli Pasta for all the Holy Twins

Today I am adding another idea to the pasta for feast days collections. Gemelli is a pasta that is a single s-shaped strand twisted into a spiral. To the eye it appears as twin tubes twisted around one another.  The name derives from the Italian word for "twins" because it looks like twin tubes. Gemelli is ideal for lighter, smoother sauces which will cling to the twists, such as pesto or butter/oil sauces. It is also common in pasta salads.

Because of the connection to twins, gemelli is an ideal pasta to use on the feast days of any twin saints, of which there are a few: 

• Sts. Cosmas and Damian (whose feast day is today - September 26)
• Sts. Crispin and Crispinian (October 25)
• St. Scholastica (February 10) and St. Benedict (July 11)

Also, the name Thomas is from the Aramaic name Ta'oma' which meant "twin" (Didymus in Greek). So St. Thomas the Apostle is often referred to as the twin and this pasta would fit his feast day (July 3) as well. 

There are a variety of recipes for using gemelli. Here is a simple one to try.

Gemelli with Mozzarella, Tomatoes, & Arugula

Ingredients

1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound small cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup firmly packed baby arugula leaves
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 pound gemelli
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, finely shredded

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the garlic and the 1/4 cup olive oil and let stand for 20 minutes to allow the garlic to infuse the oil. Strain and discard the garlic. Add the tomatoes, sea salt and pepper to the oil.

Rinse the arugula and dry thoroughly. Add the arugula to the serving bowl with the other ingredients and toss to mix well. Cover the sauce and let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours before using.

Cook the pasta in boiling water, stirring occasionally, until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and transfer the pasta to the bowl with the sauce. Toss well, adding up to a few tablespoons of the cooking water if needed to moisten the sauce so that it coats the pasta well.

Divide the pasta among warmed shallow bowls. Top with the cheese, dividing it evenly, and drizzle with olive oil. Serve immediately.

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Sopa Estrella - Soup with Star Shaped Pasta

There are several small star shaped pastas in the variety referred to as stelline (Italian for "little stars"). It is sometimes simply packaged as pastina which is a the generic variety of of tiny pieces of pasta available in a variety of shapes. Pastina is the smallest type of pasta produced.  These pasta are common for broth based or thin soups.

August has several feast days where this tiny star shaped pasta, stelline, could be used as a symbolic reminder of a saint in a recipe.

St. Dominic (August 8) - On Monday we celebrated the feast of St. Dominic de Guzman. St. Dominic, the Spanish priest and the founder of the Dominican Order received the rosary from Our Lady and the child Jesus. It is said when St. Dominic was a baby his godmother saw a star on his forehead during the baptism, so a common attribute is a star either on the forehead or above his head.

St. Lawrence (August 10) - Wednesday is the feast of St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr. Due to the timing of his feast in mid-August at the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, that annual asteroid showing is often called the "tears of St. Lawrence." So a "shower" of stars in some dish would remember this tie to St. Lawrence.

Assumption (August 15) - Our Lady is known by many star titles - - Star of the Sea (Stella Maris) and Morning Star (Stella Matutina) being the most prominent. Other titles or images include Star of the New Evangelization, Madonna della Stella, Star of Jacob, Fixed Star.  The star image could be tied to any Marian feast day, but there is a very strong connection to this feast and the Star of the Sea title. In many places traditions associated with the sea are part of this celebration - like the blessing of fleets, blessing of the bounty of the sea, and wedding of the sea.

Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12) - In the image on St. Juan Diego's tilma we see Our Lady clothed in a mantle of blue with 46 stars.

Epiphany (January 6) - And of course we associate a star with the visit of the wise men who followed the Star of Bethlehem to the infant Jesus.

Our Lady of Pontmain (January 17) - Our Lady of Hope appeared to several children at Pontmain, France. They described her as surrounded by stars. "Oh, there are so many stars the Blessed Virgin will soon be gilt all over.”  Images of her under this title show he clothed in a blue mantle gilded with golden stars.

St. Thomas Aquinas (January 28) and St. Nicholas of Tolentino (September 10) both are shown with a sun/starburst on their chest in many depictions.

St. John Nepomucene (May 16), Bohemian priest and martyr for the seal of the confessional, is often shown with five stars over his head (because, on the night of his murder, five stars were seen over the spot where he was drowned).

This week for the feast of St. Dominic I modified a typical Spanish tomato broth sopa, using stelline pasta instead of the typical fideo to celebrate the Spanish Dominic de Guzman.

Sopa Estrella

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup stelline pasta, uncooked
3 cups chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

Saute garlic in olive oil. Add chicken broth and tomato sauce. Bring to boil. Add dry pasta and simmer until pasta is tender. Add more liquid if desired for thinner consistency. Add salt and pepper. 

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Orecchiette "Little Ears" Pasta Ideas for Saint Days

Orecchiette from the Italian orecchia, meaning "ear", and -etta, meaning "small" is a variety of pasta from southern Italy. Its name comes from its shape, which resembles a small ear.  The ridged exterior and cup-like interior holds chunky sauces and scoops up small vegetables, making orecchiette perfect to serve with sautés. 

Last year, I posted an orecchiette recipe called tuoni e lampo which is a traditional Italian pasta dish with chickpeas. Its name, I thought, linked it well to the story of thunder and lightning associated with St. Scholastica and St. Benedict. But focusing specifically on the ear shape and its name, this pasta would be a fun one to use for a variety of saint feast days associated with ears and hearing.

Today we celebrate the feast day of St. John Vianney, patron of parish priests and confessors. St. John Vianney was especially known for his gift as a confessor. He  drew thousands of penitents to line up, sometimes days in advance, to experience what many recalled as his ability to see into the deepest recesses of the soul.  For this humble priest who was known to hear confessions for up to 16 hours a day, the ear pasta seems a fitting symbol.

Some other saints who have connections associated with hearing and ears are listed here – many coming up soon in September.

• St. Francis de Sales (January 24)  -  He was known as powerful confessor during the Counter-Reformation. His masterpiece of the spiritual life, Introduction to the Devout Life includes the well-known, “How To Make A General Confession.”   He is the patron of the deaf and hearing impaired.  
• St. Benedict (July 11) - St. Benedict in his rule begins the Prologue with these words: "Listen carefully, my son, to the master's instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart." 
• St. Alphonsus Liguori (August 1) – He is a patron of confessors and wrote much on the sacrament of confession. 
• St. John Vianney (August 4) – He was known for hearing confessions up to 16 hours per day and is a patron of confessors. 
• St. John Chysostom (September 13) – An early Church Father, he interpreted the epistles of St. Paul. He is often depicted in iconography with St. Paul whispering into his ear. His ear is incorrupt. 
• St. Cornelius  (September 16) – Pope St. Cornelius is a patron of hearing ailments due to his name coming from the Latin for horn, and in art is usually shown holding a horn, the type that was used in the Middle Ages to rally troops in battle. These horns had a similar shape as the ear horns that hard-of-hearing people once used to amplify sounds. By this process, he became the patron of ear ailments.
• St. Pio of Pietrelcina (September 23) – Confession was his primary activity of the day. He was known for reading souls in the confessional.

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St. Anne Thimble & Thread Pasta in Chicken Noodle Soup

There are two types of pasta I found whose names are associated with sewing in some way – ditalini and filini.

Ditalini is short tube pasta which means “little thimble.” It is a common soup pasta, typically found in minestrone.  I found it fun that this pasta is also sometimes called Ave Maria or Pater noster, as that was about the amount of time it needed to cook the pasta – the time it would take to say that prayer.  Filini is a very thin, small cut strand pasta. The name in Italian literally means “small strands” (or threads).  These are best for light, broth based soups or cooking with rice.  In the United States we usually find it packaged as fideo. 

Today, July 26, is the memorial of St. Anne and St. Joachim the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Since St. Anne is the patron of sewing and seamstresses, it would be fitting to make something using the “sewing” named pastas – “Thimbles and Threads”.

St. Clare of Assisi is the patroness of embroidery and needlework. Assisi is known for its beautiful needlework and embroidery and “Assisi embroidery” is a distinct type of cross-stitch.  Clare would have learned this skill herself as a girl. So her feast day, August 11 would be another opportunity to make this dish as well. And since the BVM is a patron of sewing as well, so any of her feast days, I would include, too.

Since they are both soup pastas I was looking for a broth based soup to use a combo of these two pastas and I decided on chicken noodle – a basic staple soup associated with comfort and healing.

Chicken Noodle Soup

½ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped onions
4 cans chicken broth
½ pound cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup diced carrots
½ t. basil
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ cup of pasta

In large pot sauté onion and celery in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add broth, chicken, and herbs/spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add dry pasta when close to serving. Needs to cook for 5-8 minutes until tender. Serve.

St. Anne, pray for us!

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St. Kateri Care Package

A package arrived this afternoon, filled with all sorts of food items to celebrate St. Kateri! Hominy, wild caught salmon, bison meat, cornbread, and even some pasta shaped like "lilies" (which Mary blogged about here) for today's feast of the "Lily of the Mohawks!"  Thank you, Erica and family!

{Updated to add} The girls baked cornbread in a cast-iron skillet, while I made the pasta. I sautéd the hominy in coconut oil, with garlic and leeks, mixed in the al dente "lily" shaped pasta, and topped it with salt, pepper, and parmesan.

During dinner we read the short story about St. Kateri Tekakwitha found in More Saints: Lives and Illuminations by Ruth Sanderson.

You can find additional ideas for celebrating today's feast of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, including St. Kateri's Indian Corn Cookies, in the archives. 

St. Kateri, pray for us! 

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Campanelle "Little Bells" or Gigli "Lily" Pasta Ideas

Campanelle is a pasta shaped like a cone with a ruffled edge. It is Italian for "bellflowers” or "little bells" due to its shape like a bell or bell-shaped flower. This pasta shape is also referred to as gigli which means lily. Campanelle is intended to be served with heavier sauces or in a casserole.

It is part of tradition in Christian art to use lilies as a symbol of purity when portraying Our Lady or the Saints and even Angels.  The lily is an emblem of purity and chastity. It is the flower the medievals found to best symbolize the purity of Mary, and was admired as a flower of purity since the time of the Ancients. By the 14th century, it became common to find the lily in Annunciation paintings and illuminations, with either St. Gabriel holding it on in a vase between them.

There are numerous saints depicted with a lily or a bell which would be fitting for a campanelle pasta meal idea on feast days.  This week we happen to have a prominent lily associated saint - St. Kateri, the Lily of the Mohawks. But it is a good year round option due to the many saints associated and depicted with lilies or bells, as well as all the Marian feasts.  

St. Anthony the Hermit - January 17
St. Agnes - January 21
St. Agatha - February 5
St. Casimir - March 4
St. Joseph - March 19
Feast of the Annunciation - March 25
St. Agnes of Montepulciano - April 20
St. Catherine of Siena - April 29
St. Anthony of Padua - June 13
St. Aloysius Gonzaga - June 21
St. Maria Goretti - July 6
St. Kateri Tekakwitha - July 14
St. Dominic - August 8
St. Philomena - August 11
St. Gabriel the Archangel - September 29

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St. Anthony "Little Tongues" Linguini

In a recent post for St. Mark's feast day I suggested a penne pasta dish for the pasta shape symbolism of quills. As shared then, there are hundreds of kinds of Italian pastas, and each one has its own special name and the names are usually symbolic to the shapes. I am finding it fun to make a connections for creative dish or celebrations for saints and their symbols.

Linguini is a long flat pasta, (thinner and more narrow than fettucine). Linguine means “little tongues” in Italian due to this shape. It is a versatile pasta and often used with a savory seafood sauces.

 In thinking of the significance of the tongue shape for any saints, I thought of several with a tongue association. St. Anthony of Padua, whose feast is June 13 was known as a gifted preacher. When his crypt was opened, they found that the saint’s body had been reduced to dust and bones, but his tongue was intact and life-like. This was taken a sign from God confirming the ardent gifts of preaching and teaching that Saint Anthony had enjoyed on earth. There are also a couple saints who are referred to as "honey-tongued" doctors - St. Ambrose and St. Bernard of Clairvaux.

Pasta is a great option because it is quick to prepare and can be paired with a prepared sauce or simple seasoning and make an easy feast day meal or side. I decided to pair some linguine with pesto for a light side dish. In addition to being delicious pesto contains basil as a main ingredient. There is a custom in Italy of giving pots of basil away on St. Anthony's feast day and so I have come to associate basil with St. Anthony. Including a basil component to the linguine increased that symbolism, but any Italian sauce or flavoring would be appropriate for this beloved saint, who died in Italy. Thinking ahead to the other possible tongue symbol saints, a honey based pasta sauce seems fitting.

So I hope you consider an easy side for St. Anthony's feast day - "little tongue" linguine in remembrance of his eloquent preaching.

St. Anthony of Padua, Pray for us!

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Penne Pasta "Quills" for the Evangelists

There are hundreds of kinds of Italian pastas, and each one has its own special name.  Each pasta name actually means something which can be really fun and symbolic for making a connection for a creative dish or celebration.

Penne pasta is a tubular shaped pasta with slanted ends. The name means “quills” or “feathers” and is so named because of this shape. We associate quills with feather pens and writing. Many saints who were writers, doctors, evangelists are depicted holding a quill.

Because of its shape, penne complement virtually every sauce and are exceptional when paired with a chunky sauce. Penne pairs nicely with chunky meat, chunky vegetable, cream, or oil based sauces. It is also a good shape to use for baked dishes.

Red is the vestment color used liturgically for the feast of martyrs and also for the evangelists. St. Mark, whose feast is today was both. Making a dish using the "quill" shaped pasta in a creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes will include the symbols both of him as a writer of the Gospel represented by the quill shape and as a martyr/evangelist with the red.   While I chose a sun-dried tomato and cream basse option, any of the marinara sauces would be equally fitting for an evangelist. 

Evangelist Feast Days

St. Mark - April 25

St. Luke - October 18

St. Matthew - September 21

St. John - December 27

Creamy Sun-dried Tomato Penne

2 C. dried penne or mini penne pasta
1 T. olive oil
1/2 C. sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)
1/2 C. cream
1/4 C. freshly grated parmesan
1/2 t. garlic powder

Boil pasta. While waiting for pasta to cook, saute sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil for a few minutes. Add cream and mix. Add parmesan and garlic powder. Mix. Drain pasta and pour sauce over warm pasta. Serves 4.


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Mudrica - St. Joseph's Sawdust

On St. Joseph's feast day in Italy, many pay tribute to the carpenter saint by sprinkling "sawdust" over pasta. There are different variations on the "sawdust" ingredients. This recipe for Mudrica (St. Joseph's Sawdust) is adapted from John Besh's My New Orleans: The Cookbook. You can read more about Mudrica in the archived St. Joseph Altar foods post by Jenn Miller.

Mudrica

Ingredients:

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

2 T. olive oil

3 tbsp. grated parmesan

2 tbsp. toasted pine nuts

2 tbsp. dried currants

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

pinch fresh chopped oregano leaves
pinch of salt

Directions: Put all the ingredients in food processor and pulse 4 or 5 times or until the mixture is well combined. Sprinkle over buttered pasta of choice.

St. Joseph, Most Courageous, Pray for us!

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Pesto Tortellini Shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day

Looking for an easy and cute lunch idea for St. Patrick's Day. Using frozen tortellini, jarred pesto, and a broccoli stem you can make these fun edible shamrocks.  I had a tri-color package so used both the green and white ones.  You can use a variety of veggies for the stem - broccoli, green bean, celery.

St. Patrick, Pray for us!

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Meatless for Lent - Tortellini Soup

If you are looking for an easy and tasty idea for meatless meals for Lent, this is one that we recently tried and really enjoyed. It will become a meatless staple for us.  

Creamy Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (32 oz) container vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup sour cream
2 (9 oz) packages frozen cheese tortellini
Grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, for garnish, optional

Directions

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bay leaves and crushed red pepper flakes.

Add diced tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir in fresh basil, Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Simmer on low for 15 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves from the pot. Use a hand immersion blender to blend the soup (or carefully transfer soup to a blender to blend and return to the pot). Stir in sour cream until well combined. Stir in the cheese tortellini and cook on medium-low until tortellini is cooked, approx. 8 minutes. Serve warm.

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"Thunder & Lightning" for St. Scholastica

There is a rustic Italian peasant dish called tuoni e lampo or "thunder and lightning" which is made with pasta and chick peas (garbanzo beans) - where “thunder” refers to the profusion of fried chickpeas, and “lightning” to the excessive amount of coarsely cracked black pepper.

One of the most dramatic stories told about St. Scholastic and her brother, St. Benedict, is one associated with thunder and lightning and found in the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great. St. Scholasica very rarely got to see her beloved twin brother, St. Benedict. On one of their annual visits, he indicated that he had to leave and not be outside the monastery overnight.  His sister implored him to stay just for the night, but he would not. She started to weep and prayed to God. At that time violent thunder and lightning erupted, the skies opened and a mighty storm commenced. St. Scholastica said basically, "You would not listen to me but God did."  St. Benedict was forced to stay the night.  They spent the night in spiritual and heavenly talk. Benedict returned to his monastery the next morning.  St. Scholastica died a few days later and yet St. Benedict was able to have spent the extra time with her.  A lovely version of the story is told in Tomie de Poala's picture book, Holy Twins: Benedict and Scholastica. 

From the Beuronese Murals at Conception Abbey

How excited I was to find the Italian dished called "thunder and lightning." Though not associated with the feast day as far as I could find, to me it seemed so perfect for St. Scholastica's feast day, February 10. Tuoni e lampo is often made with a mixture of pasta types - what is left at the bottom of the bags, then adding the beans. So really any type of pasta could be used. This particular version of the recipe I found, used a pasta called orecchiette, or "little ears" for its shape. I thought that could be a clever connection to God hearing St. Scholastica's pleas. It also seems fitting as it can refer to the St. Benedict in his rule as he begins the Prologue with these words: "Listen carefully, my son, to the master's instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart." 

Tuoni e Lampo

Ingredients:

6 ounces dried orecchiette pasta (“little ears”)
2 T. olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans
1 ½ t. finely slivered sage, plus sprigs for garnishing
½ cup chicken broth
½ t. coarsely cracked black pepper, “mignonette or butcher-grind”
1 T butter
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:

Add orecchiette to pot of boiling, salted water and cook until al dente (about 12 minutes.) While that is boiling, cook garlic and chickpeas in olive oil over high heat. Stir until the chickpeas begin to pop.  Add sage, broth and pepper.  Continue to cook over high heat until the broth reduces a bit and becomes syrupy (about 5 minutes.)   Drain pasta well.  Put butter in a large warm bowl and add pasta.  Toss.  Add chickpeas and broth to bowl and stir well. Add 1/2 cup cheese and salt to taste.Mix gently.  Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired, and dust with extra cheese. Garnish with small sage leaves.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4 though easily doubled to serve a large crowd. 

St. Benedict and St. Scholastica, Pray for us!

[Author note: Since St. James and St. John are known as the "Sons of Thunder" tuoni e lampo would be a dish appropriate in name for either of their feast days as well.] Pin It

A Lion Lunch for St. Mamas

I first learned about this obscure, to me, saint when we visited Spain a couple years ago. In the Basque region, near my relatives' town, there is a cave containing prehistoric paintings – Santimamiñe Cave. These cave paintings date from about 13,000 BC and include a range of animals such as bison, horses, deer, goats and brown bears.

The cave's name comes from a nearby chapel of Santimamiñe, which in the Basque language means San Mamés or St. Mamas (also St. Mammes), to whom the chapel is dedicated. I had not heard of him before, but the guide shared that he was a 3^rd century martyr, often pictured with a lion. 

He was orphaned at a young age – his parents killed for being Christians. He was a shepherd who was known to preach to the animals in the fields. It is told that St. Mamas was tortured for his faith by the governor of Caesarea and was then sent before the Roman Emperor Aurelian, who tortured him again. An angel then freed him and ordered him to hide himself on a mountain near Caesarea.  St. Mamas was later thrown to the lions, but managed to make the beasts docile. A lion is said to have remained with him as companion and protector. Accompanied by the lion, he visited Duke Alexander, who condemned him to death.

In Cyprus, there is the legend that he was a hermit and when soldiers were sent out and captured him, while on the way back to town, St. Mamas saw a lion attacking a lamb, escaped the soldiers, saved the lamb, jumped on the lion's back, and rode it into town. That is how he is often depicted in icons. 

He is the patron of Langres; babies who are breastfeeding; protector of sufferers from broken bones and hernias.

Pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela brought his cult into Spain and he is more well known there. A statue depicting San Mamés and a lion can be found in the Casa de la Misericordia in Bilbao, which was once the convent of San Mamés and whose current chapel holds a relic of the saint. The stadium that is home to the Athletic Club de Bilbao is called San Mamés Stadium, and players of that club are called the "lions of San Mamés" because their stadium was built near there.

So his feast day (August 17) can be a time to learn a little more about a saint that might be new to your family, too. Since St. Mamas is closely associated in pictures with a lion it is a feast day idea. Additionally, it was a medieval belief that the lion slept with its eyes open. For this reason, they also became a symbol of watchfulness. I came across this lion themed recipe and thought it would be a fun, savory lunch idea for children to add the the other lion themed recipes on Catholic Cuisine. It is made from spiral noodles in a red sauce, surrounding a circle of colby jack cheese. Add olives for the eyes and nose, with cheese triangle ears and pepperoni strip whiskers. Who can resist a pasta lion?

Other saints who are depicted with a lion are St. Mark, St. Jerome, St. Mary of Egypt, St. Paul the Hermit, St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Onuphrius, so this idea could be used at other feast days.

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Pasta Roses for St. Therese

Shower your dinner table with delicious edible roses for St. Therese's feast day. This recipe for Rosette di Pasta or Pasta Roses is a variation on the traditional and unique dish from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.  The original recipes call for ham and fontina cheese. The finished product is a slightly rosey pasta flowerette. I decided to make some with this more traditional recipe and also a variation using a typical lasagna filling for a deeper color. 

While most of the recipes call for a homemade pasta cut into rectangles, I opted for using regular boxed lasagna noodles. Those were pre-cooked according to directions and then I cut off one edge so they would have a flatter base to set on after they were rolled. 

Ham & Fontina Variation:
On the pasta length I spread a cream sauce (Alfredo), placed thin slices of fontina on sauce, and thin sliced ham over that. 

The layered pasta was then rolled up and set upright in a baking dish, fluted side up. After all the rosettes were in place the additional sauce was poured around the base and brushed over the tops. 

Lasagna Filling Variation:
On the pasta length I spread a layer of ricotta cheese, then covered that with the meat and tomato sauce filling, grated mozzarella was sprinkled on top, and a bit of dried parsley over. 

The remaining sauce was again poured around the base of the completed rosettes. With the ham and fontina variation I cut the lasagna noodles in half before rolling. For these I used the entire length of lasagna noodle and the end product was a much fatter rosette. Both were fine - so it could be done either way.  With a paring knife (or kitchen scissors) make an X cut about 1/2 inch deep into top of each piece to make the roses bloom." Press down slightly to open them a little. 

Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

There are several other filing variations you could use. In addition to being a meal option for St. Therese's feast it could also be used for other saints associated with roses; St. Rose, St. Rita, St. Rose Duchesne. Be creative and enjoy. 

St. Therese of Lisieux,
Pray for Us!

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Pappardelle di San Giuseppe

The following recipe adapted from Cooking with the Saints was submitted by Hi Cookery in honor of the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. Thank you Highlander and Islander!

May 1: Feast Day of St. Joseph the Worker

Highlander used to toil in construction to pay his way through college. The wages were low and the labor was hard but he knew what he had to do to make a living. St. Joseph the Worker is an inspiration to those like Highlander who work(ed) in blue-collar professions to provide for the future and their families. Jesus’ earthly stepfather is deservedly fêted twice a year on March 19 and again on May 1. We honor him with a sweet pasta dish called Pappardelle di San Giuseppe (Noodles for St. Joseph’s Day), which is traditionally eaten in the Italian region of Lucania. The sprinkling of the noodles’ topping ingredients symbolizes the holy carpenter’s sawdust.

Recipe
(Adapted from Cooking with the Saints by Ernst Schuegraf)

Ingredients

• ½ pound of pappardelle pasta noodles
• salt
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped fine
• 1 ½ cups bread crumbs
• 4 tablespoons of sugar

Directions

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water as directed on the package. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high. Stir-fry the walnuts, breadcrumbs and sugar. Remove from heat and mix with the drained pasta.

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