Orta in Pembroke, Mass.

Before last year, I had never been to the South Shore. But, for some reason, several of my jobs have taken me to the South Shore a handful of times in just the last few weeks.

A blogger dinner at Orta in Pembroke was one such occasion that brought me to this side of Massachusetts. Two-year-old Orta is named after the 8-mile long Lake Orta in northern Italy. Chef/Co-owner of Orta, Brett Williams, discovered Lake Orta while working and traveling throughout Italy 10 years ago.

Over the course of our dinner at Orta, we sampled several appetizers as a table, ordered our own entrees, and shared two desserts. One of the first appetizers we tried was the Prince Edward Island Mussels ($10).

The P.E.I. Mussels were swimming in leeks, smoked bacon (I ate around this), and roasted garlic thyme butter. Grilled focaccia was served alongside for dipping, which I was glad for, as I couldn't get enough of the addictive wine and butter sauce. Several shells were missing their mussels, but we thankfully found most of them swimming in the sauce.

The second appetizer we tried was the Yellowfin Tuna Tartare ($12), dressed with a soy-ginger reduction, wasabi aioli, and served with crispy chive crackers.

I loved the presentation of this tartare, and the tuna was fresh and seasoned well. The chive crackers also added a necessary saltiness and crunch to this dish.

The third appetizer we sampled was my personal favorite of the night, the Orta Arancini ($8). 

These large, plump arancini were stuffed with fresh mozzarella and served in a slightly spicy tomato sauce. They were delightfully crispy (without being greasy) on the outside, and full of gooey cheese and risotto on the inside. Dipped in the well-seasoned tomato sauce (which had a kick to it thanks to Tabasco and crushed red pepper flakes), these were wonderfully comforting. 

Between our appetizers and entrees, Orta also had us try some of their signature brick oven pizzas. Like the rest of the kitchen, their brick oven is in full view for patrons in the main dining and bar areas to see. 

I tried a slice of the Margherita ($14), which was topped with San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil.

I'm kind of a snob when it comes to pizza (I eat way too much of it), but Orta's Margherita was fantastic. The brick oven did wonders for the crispy, airy crust, and the cheese to sauce ratio (which is very important to me) was spot-on.

For my entree, I went with the Fresh Linguine ($19), which was topped with black truffle cream, roasted wild mushrooms, and fresh chives.

Unfortunately, Orta does not make their own pasta in-house, although they do have their pasta specially made for the restaurant. The linguine did taste surprisingly fresh and homemade, and the black truffle cream wasn't overly heavy and possessed a nice, subtle truffle flavor. There were also plenty of mushrooms, allowing each bite to have at least one. As you can see, though, the portion size was tremendous (as were all of the entrees at our table). I took half of this bowl home and Z and I ate the leftovers over several days. 

Somehow, we all saved a little room for dessert. We tried the Mini Black Bottom Cheesecakes and the Warm Pecan Pie (all desserts at Orta are $8).

The black bottom cheesecakes were unfortunately nothing too special, although I did love the mini chocolate chips baked inside the cakes. The pecan pie, however, was a great way to end our meal. Made with a shortbread crust and topped off with caramel and vanilla gelato, the warm, sticky-sweet pie was so delightful on such a cold "spring" evening. 

Our server poured us several wine pairings that evening (Orta has a variety of wines to choose from, glasses and bottles), but they also offer cocktails (all $11) and a few bottled beers. 

The atmosphere at Orta is casual yet sophisticated and comforting. I loved how they have several booths tucked away in the wall, if you're looking for a more private dining experience. 

My only gripe would be that I found some of the dishes to be a little too expensive, and the portion sizes (for the entrees, at least) to be way too large. I think the entrees could be more affordable and more appropriately portioned. 

All in all, though, I enjoyed my meal at Orta, and if/when I find myself on the South Shore again, I'd definitely go back - especially for some more of that arancini (and to try a cocktail or two).

My meal was complimentary. All opinions are my own.

Also: We have a winner for my $25 gift card to b.good + four-pack of Sir Kensington's condiments giveaway! The winner is (chosen via Random.org)...

Bianca!

"What a great giveaway! I hope I win, I'd love to use these condiments on picnics and cookouts this spring/summer - on sandwiches, salads, and burgers of course!"

Congratulations, Bianca! Please email me within 48 hours to claim your prize.

Tomato and 'Sausage' Risotto with Arugula

Risotto and I have a love-hate relationship. I don't make it often, but when I do, the texture is off, I don't cook it long enough (or, I cook it for too long), and it never looks like it does when Ina makes her's (yes, I realize I watch too much Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics).

So, last week, I decided to give risotto another try - and, for some reason, this time it worked (kind of). The rice was an ideal al dente, and everything just looked right (finally!). However, I ended up letting the risotto sit for too long, and the texture got way too thick. Not inedible by any means, but just a little too creamy for my liking. 

Learn from my mistakes: eat this risotto immediately after cooking it, and you won't be disappointed.

Tomato and 'Sausage' Risotto with Arugula

Yields: 4 servings

Adapted from Martha Stewart

-1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, in juice + 3 cups water

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-1/2 yellow onion, diced

-2 vegetarian sausages, chopped (I used Field Roast Smoked Apple Sage, but I recommend using an Italian sausage)

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

-Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
-1 cup Arborio rice

-1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)

-2 tablespoons butter

-2 cups arugula, for serving

Directions:

1.) In a small saucepan, combine tomatoes (with their juice) and 3 cups water. Bring just to a simmer; keep warm over low heat.
2.) In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion and sausage; season with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, breaking up sausage with a spoon, until onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
3.) Add rice; cook, stirring until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add vegetable broth; cook, stirring until absorbed, about 1 minute.
4.) Add about 2 cups hot tomato mixture to rice; simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue adding tomato mixture, 1 cup at a time, waiting for one cup to be absorbed before adding the next, stirring occasionally, until rice is creamy and just tender, about 25 minutes total (you may not have to use all the liquid).
5.) Remove pan from heat. Stir in Parmesan and butter; taste to see if it needs more salt and pepper. Serve immediately (risotto will thicken as it cools), stirring 1/2 cup of arugula into each dish. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan, if desired.

[Print this recipe]

Despite how thick my risotto got, Z and I loved this dish. The addition of the peppery arugula at the end gave the otherwise rich dish a necessary brightness, and the generous bites of sausage throughout made this a very satiating meal.

Have you ever made risotto successfully before? If yes, what are your tips?

Easy Tomato Sauce

Growing up, my aunt used to make us homemade tomato sauce almost every time we went to her house for dinner. I remember how the smell of the sauce, bubbling away on the stove, greeted us every time we visited her. And the taste was nothing like the jars of Prego and Ragu we consumed at home. 

The other night, I randomly found myself craving my aunt's tomato sauce. She unfortunately isn't in my life anymore to get her recipe, and I'm assuming her version took a lot longer to make, but the taste of this simplified version brought me back to her dinner table. 

Easy Tomato Sauce

Yields: 3-4 servings 

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-1 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes

-1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

-1/2 teaspoon dried basil

-Pinch of crushed red pepper

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.) In a large saucepan over medium to low heat, heat olive oil. Add tomatoes (without puree - reserve puree for later) and break down with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes. Add tomato puree and seasonings.

2.) Reduce heat to low and semi-cover the saucepan with a lid. Allow the sauce to cook for 45 minutes to one hour, stirring occasionally. (If sauce is too chunky for your liking after cooking, puree with a hand blender).

[Print this recipe]

It really doesn't get much easier than this. Just make sure you use good quality whole tomatoes (I used San Marzano - they were on sale at Shaw's, and I had read in other recipes that they're the best for homemade sauce). 

This ended up being an incredibly easy way to enjoy the taste of homemade tomato sauce, and it was nice to reminisce about all of those delicious dinners at my aunt's house. 

What do you call it: red sauce, marinara, spaghetti sauce, something else? Growing up, we always called it spaghetti sauce, but I think tomato sauce is more appropriate for this recipe.

Tuscan Market in Salem, N.H.

On September 9th, I met Mary Ann Esposito. No big deal.

But this post isn’t all about me. I met Mary Ann because we were both invited to the same media dinner hosted by Tuscan Market – a 10,000 square foot artisanal market with a 65-seat cafe featuring Italian-imported and inspired foods and products. The market - which is located right next to Tuscan Kitchen in Salem, N.H., and owned by Joe Faro – will open in October.

Our evening kicked off with innovative bellinis, which we got to sip while walking around the store and admiring the almost-filled shelves full of authentic Italian items (including olive oil, wine and candy, to name a few).

Delicious, freshly-baked olive bread. 

Handmade pastas.

Parmesan cheese...straight from Italy.

Tuscan Market also features a wide variety of local produce, most of it coming from Smolak Farms in North Andover, Mass.

Our meal for the evening - which was presented and prepared by Tuscan Brands' Corporate Chef Eddie Payne - consisted of five courses. Unfortunately, Z and I only had the chance to try a few of them, since most of the dishes were not vegetarian-friendly - but we still were able to get a good enough taste of what Tuscan Market will have to offer the public in a few weeks.

Smolak Farms' heirloom tomato, caramelized fig, house-made burrata,  local truffle honey, and purple basil.

The vegetarian version of the Cappellacci of Roasted Butternut Squash & Duck Brasato with simple sage sauce, shaved black summer truffle, and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Payne talking about the dishes.

Everything we tried was flavored beautifully, and all of the ingredients used were clearly fresh. It was a bummer we couldn't try all of the dishes, but we did make up for dinner with dessert. Meet the most delicious, moist carrot cake I have ever eaten (hands down):

The cream cheese frosting was also delightfully tart, smartly lacking the unnecessary added sugar.

We finally cleansed our palates with some house-made pistachio gelato (the market features 24 different flavors of gelato) and a cup of strong cappuccino.

I would definitely return to Tuscan Market once it opens in October. From the freshly-baked breads to the local produce to the authentic Italian products, this will be the one-stop shop for all of your quality, local food needs. Trust me: It’s worth the short drive to Salem. 

Tuscan Market will be open seven days a week: Monday to Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; and Sunday 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

My food and drinks were complimentary, but, as always, the opinions expressed in this post are honest and 100 percent my own. 

Arugula Pesto Lasagna

Cheese + carbs + pesto = deliciousness.

Earlier this week, Z and I had a bag of arugula that desperately needed to be eaten. I wasn't in the mood for a salad for dinner, so I decided to make some pesto - and then slather said pesto between sheets of pasta. Let's just say it ended up being a very good idea.

Arugula Pesto Lasagna
Yields: 8 servings
Adapted from TLC Cooking
-1 package (16 oz.) partially cooked lasagna noodles
-2 tbsp. olive oil
-1/2 onion, diced
-1 tbsp. minced garlic
-1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
-12 oz. white button mushrooms, sliced
-White cooking wine
-Crushed red pepper flakes
-Salt and black pepper, to taste
-3 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
-1 cup prepared arugula pesto (I omitted the cayenne and used walnuts in place of the pine nuts)
-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-12 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9-inch lasagna pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2.) Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onions until transparent. Add garlic and spinach; cook and stir about three minutes more. Add mushrooms, crushed pepper flakes and cooking wine; cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl.
3.) Add ricotta cheese, pesto, and Parmesan cheese to spinach mixture; mix well.
4.) Layer 5 lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping, in prepared pan. Top with one third of ricotta mixture and one third of mozzarella. Repeat layers twice.
5.) Bake about 30-35 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

This was, by far, one of the best lasagnas I've ever made (not to toot my own horn or anything). The garlic-y, peppery pesto complemented the rich cheeses and sweet onions perfectly. We also have a ton of leftovers - I plan to freeze a few slices so we can have them for dinner or lunches in a few weeks. 

What are some of your favorite meals to make that yield a lot of leftovers?

Italian Tofu 'Meatballs'

On Monday, I had planned to make a big dinner. A warm, comforting, cold-killing dinner that would also invite Z back home from snowboarding with a wonderful aroma. But by the time I got home from work, I wanted nothing more than a box of tissues and some orange juice. My motivation for cooking had died.

However, I did a good amount of recipe searching on Monday in preparation for the dinner, and had stumbled upon a recipe for tofu "meatballs." We had a package of tofu in our refrigerator, and all of the other ingredients that the recipe called for. So, when Z and I got back from work last night, we decided to make them (for full disclosure, Z did most of the work).

Italian Tofu Meatballs
Yields: 6 meatballs
Adapted slightly from Cooks.com
-1 lb. firm tofu
-1/4 onion, diced

-1/4 tsp. oregano
-Salt and black pepper, to taste
-Dash of garlic powder
-1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
-1 egg
-1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes

Marinara sauce (we used vodka sauce from Trader Joe's)

Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice tofu and drain well. 

2.) In a large bowl, combine tofu, onion, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder, bread crumbs, egg and parsley. Mix well with a fork, mashing to blend ingredients. Shape mixture into balls, squeezing tightly.

3.) Place meatballs in a single layer in a shallow baking pan that has been lightly oiled.
4.) Spoon desired sauce over meatballs. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Before:

After:

Happiness, in a "meatball."

Serve with your choice of pasta (and more sauce...and more cheese).

I'm usually not a fan of tofu-turned-into-meat-things, but this is one recipe I will be keeping. The meatballs didn't taste fake to me at all - the seasonings in this recipe really helped the meatballs to taste like...well, meatballs. The texture is much softer and more fragile, but that's expected with tofu. 

If you're looking to eat healthier, eat less meat, or just try something new, I highly recommend making these meatballs.

A Feast Fit For Irene

The only destruction Hurricane Irene caused for me this weekend was stripping away my girls’ night out in Boston Saturday night and preventing my sister and niece from driving down from Maine on Sunday. Despite the change of plans, however, I ended up having a relaxing weekend that was pretty damn blissful.

Because my Saturday night plans were cancelled, Z and I decided to invite some friends over and make an Italian feast. To make our dinner in even more economical, we had each of our friends bring something for the meal. Two of our friends brought some great cheeses (goat, Manchego and Brie) with crackers and white wine, and another brought homemade crepes with fresh peaches, hot fudge and a bottle of red wine for dessert. Z and I took care of the main course: sliced bread with homemade dipping oil and whole wheat fusilli with homemade cilantro pesto and chopped grape tomatoes.

The end result was a simple, cozy, relaxing dinner shared amongst friends in the comfort of Z’s home. It was the perfect way to spend a hurricane-ridden Saturday night!

What did you eat/cook during the hurricane? 

Roasted Vegetable, Goat Cheese and Pesto Pizza

On Monday evening, after a long day at work, I wanted nothing more than to cook - and drink some wine. For whatever reason, I was craving pesto, and decided to make a unique (and somewhat healthy) homemade pizza.

To start, I roasted some roughly chopped red bell pepper and white onion on a baking sheet with some olive oil, salt and pepper. I roasted the veggies at 475 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, flipping the veggies once with a spatula.

While the vegetables were roasting, I got to work on my pesto. I followed my own pesto recipe, but replaced the arugula with spinach and the pine nuts with raw almonds, which ended up being a very successful alternative. 

For the crust, I picked up a whole wheat Boboli crust (Boboli rocks), and spread the pesto on top (like pizza sauce). Once the veggies were done, I sprinkled them on top of the pesto layer, and then added some crumbled goat cheese. 

Not sure why Blogger wants this photo to be sideways...

I then baked the pizza according to the directions on the Boboli package. Within 15 minutes, I was sitting down with my glass of wine and a large slice of my homemade pizza.

The sweetness from the roasted peppers and onions helped cut the saltiness from the pesto, and the goat cheese added a wonderful, creamy texture to the pie. Despite how healthy this pizza was, it was ultra satisfying - and it made a great, easy lunch for the next few days.

What's your favorite dinner to make that makes great leftovers for lunch the next day?

Quinoa Veggie 'Meatballs' & Ina's Herbed Ricotta Bruschettas

It's recipes like this that make me wonder why I didn't become a vegetarian years ago.

A few weeks ago, Katie from The Small Boston Kitchen posted her recipe for Quinoa Veggie "Meatballs" - and I immediately knew I had to make them in my own kitchen. The only things I changed in Katie's original recipe is that I used chopped slivered almonds instead of pine nuts (at Trader Joe's, the almonds were under $3, while the pine nuts were just over $7). I also cooked the quinoa in veggie stock, added 1 tsp. minced garlic to the recipe, and used frozen spinach, since frozen will last longer in my house without going bad.

The end result: completely and utterly delicious and satisfying. These "meatballs" were wonderfully crispy, chocked full of great texture - and nutrition! - and incredibly flavorful. Meat eaters: I promise you won't miss the meat in this dish. 

On the side of my "meatballs," I had some whole wheat penne (all topped with garlic marinara sauce), and I also made some of Ina Garten's Herbed Ricotta Bruschettas, out of her most recent cookbook, How Easy is That? The only things I changed in Garten's recipe was that I omitted the scallions and garlic, just to save a little extra money. I also cut the original recipe in half, and used dried herbs I already had in my kitchen, versus fresh. 

Herbed Ricotta Bruschettas (revised)

Yields: 2-3 servings

-1 cup ricotta

-1 tbsp. dried dill

-1/2 tbsp. dried chives

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

-4-5 thick slices round sourdough bread

Olive oil

Directions:

1.) Combine the ricotta, dill, chives, salt and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

2.) Brush the bread with olive oil and "grill" on each size for 1 1/2-2 minutes in a frying pan (until lightly browned on each side). 

3.) Remove bread from the pan and sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper. Spread a generous amount of the ricotta mixture on each slice.

4.) Serve 2 warm slices per person. 

This was one satisfying meal, but it was also surprisingly light. Garten's ricotta mixture was also a fantastic complement to the crusty sourdough bread, and dipped in the marinara sauce? Forget it. Thank god for leftovers. 

What blogger recipes have inspired dinner in your house recently?

$5 Wine and Discounted Pies at Pizzeria Posto

I love local restaurants with quality food, a passion for local produce/ingredients, and a great atmosphere - with plenty of vegetarian options. I dined at one such establishment last night in Davis Square: Pizzeria Posto.

I met my friend Julie for some long overdue dinner and drinks. On this particular Monday night, Pizzeria Posto had a 20 minute wait (if that doesn't speak to the food/service, I don't know what will). We opted to sit at the bar, and took advantage of Posto's Blizzard Menu Mondays. Now through the end of winter, Blizzard Menu Mondays offers economical diners any of Posto's wood-fired pizzas for $9.95, and your choice of Chianti or Orvieto for $5 a glass. Julie and I both sipped on two Chiantis over the course of the night (two for the price of one!), and also split an appetizer and a pizza. Our appetizer: Rosemary Sea Salt Bread ($2.50).

The Rosemary Sea Salt Bread is baked to order, and served with Posto's chili pepper oil. The oil packed a serious - yet comfortable - kick, and paired beautifully with the salty, airy bread. This was the perfect light appetizer to split between two people, without filling ourselves up before the main course. 

The pizza we decided to split was the Mushroom (originally $16.50), topped with asiago, parmesan, homemade fior di latte, sliced garlic, oregano, arugula and lemon zest. 

Seasonal, mostly local pizza toppings and ingredients go a long, long way. This pie - which gave us both two generous slices - was satisfying, yet light and abundant with fresh flavors. The crust was also wonderfully thin, with subtle charcoal marks from the wood fire oven. The crust was even better dipped into the chili pepper oil, as an FYI.

Our experience at Posto was a very successful one. The service was friendly, albeit clumsy at times - there were several spills and dropped glasses along the way - the food was seasonal, fresh and flavorful, and the atmosphere was cozy - perfect for a girls' night out or a romantic dinner spot. 

Have you ever been to Posto? What's your review?