With its long coastline, Apulia (Puglia), in the heel of the Italian boot, has an abundance of seafood. Today's fish dinner was inspired by a conversation with Giuseppe Alemanno, a native of the Apulian town of Lecce.
Alemanno likes grilled fish with his pasta and always adds fresh, seasonal vegetables. "No sauce," he says. "Only a little olive oil and salt after the fish is cooked."
Ricotta salata is a hard sheep's milk cheese. Orecchiette, a type of pasta produced in Apulia, is shaped like little ears. Rapini (also called broccoli raab), has a nutty, slightly bitter taste and is best when small or young.
Try a soave, an Italian white that might require a trip to a wine shop. It's worth it.
Grilled Snapper
• 3/4 pound snapper fillet
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Heat a stove-top grill over high heat. Coat the grill and snapper fillets with olive oil. Place the fillets on the grill and cook for 3 minutes. Turn and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Insert the point of a knife into the flesh; it should be opaque, not translucent. Drizzle the olive oil over the fish and season with salt and pepper.
Makes 2 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 222 calories (33 percent from fat), 8 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 60 milligrams cholesterol, 35 grams protein, 0 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams dietary fiber, 110 milligrams sodium.
Basil Orecchiette
• 1/4 pound orecchiette (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 1/4 pound rapini (broccoli raab), cut into 2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup ricotta salata, cut into small pieces (1 ounce)
Fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Add the orecchiette and boil for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl large enough to add the pasta, microwave the broccoli rapini and garlic for 3 minutes on high. Stir in the tomatoes and basil. Drain the pasta and add to the bowl with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss well. Sprinkle the cheese on top.
Makes 2 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 349 calories (29 percent from fat), 11grams fat (3 grams saturated), 13 milligrams cholesterol, 13 grams protein, 50 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams dietary fiber, 268 milligrams sodium.
Linda Gassenheimer is a food writer for McClatchy Newspapers.
