A REASON TO SMILE

Enter the humble chickpea...a hearty little legume with a buttery texture and mild flavor. Rich in plant-based protein, chickpeas enliven salads, pasta dishes and soups like the one above. This recipe delivers what I'm often told people want - simple preparation with few ingredients...and, of course, loads of flavor! You can use dried chickpeas, but the inexpensive and easy to find canned alternative is quicker and easier. Fresh rosemary and a great extra-virgin olive oil play supporting but prominent roles. Hmm, is it just me or does this bowl of soup look like it's sporting a smile?

CHICKPEA SOUP WITH ROSEMARY-INFUSED OLIVE OIL

2 cans (15.5 ounces each) chickpeas (also garbanzo), drained

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

4-5 cups chicken broth

Salt and pepper

In a soup pot, combine the chickpeas, olive oil, rosemary and garlic. Heat on low for 8-10 minutes, stirring to coat well. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour into a blender, along with 4 cups broth, and purée. Transfer back into the soup pot and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer a few minutes until heated throughout, adding additional broth, if desired, for a thinner consistency. Ladle into bowls and drizzle with a little infused olive oil.

ROSEMARY-INFUSED OLIVE OIL

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons rosemary leaves, removed from woody stem, rinsed and dried

Place rosemary in a small pot and pour the oil on top. Heat on low for about 4 minutes. You want the oil to be warm but don't let it come to a lively simmer. Remove from heat and let the rosemary infuse for 1 hour. Strain into a small clean, dry bowl or glass jar. Cover and refrigerate up to a few days if not using right away.

Or, if this is too much trouble, drizzle the finished soup with a great extra-virgin olive oil alone!

SIMPLY...FLAVORFUL!

This is a repeat recipe from my cookbook (page 65) but it deserves extra attention. The time is ripe, and right, as the case may be, for succulent, juicy, vine-ripened to the max, sweet homegrown tomatoes...another reason to head to your favorite local farmer's market (or your garden). This recipe also merits a second look because, amongst other things, cooking should be about experimentation, and having fun. That might be as simple as substituting penne for rigatoni or tossing in different herbs, even though the recipe doesn't call for it. That's when it becomes your own, and a source of pride and satisfaction, not dinner drudgery! Also I can't think of a better time to say something about a couple things that are top of mind (mine, and maybe yours)...cooking with top-notch ingredients and the beauty in simplicity. These really go hand-in-hand, especially with Italian cooking. It doesn't take a lot for a dish to wow, but the ingredients have to be the purest and best versions of themselves. This recipe is all about the flavor of fresh, ripe tomatoes, which might vary by variety. (Part of the fun is trying different kinds.) Another recipe that has stood the test of time for the same reasons as above, made famous by Marcella Hazan in the early '70s, is tomato sauce with butter and onion. Find my version on page 73 of Cooking by Heart. In this case it's about canned tomatoes, preferably imported San Marzano. Add an onion, a pat of butter, lots of fresh basil (and 1 carrot, as my nonna did) and voila, or ecco in Italian, with little effort (but only the finest ingredients) you will marvel at how much flavor this simple preparation delivers. But don't believe me...try for yourself and let me know what you think. Now back to today's recipe...

With an abundance of sunshine, tempered with the right amount of rain, these beauties arrived early this year. Yea, that means a longer tomato season!

The inspiration behind this recipe came from my cousins Giulia and Elisa. I alluded to it in my book but didn't have the space to include their photo. Credit where credit due!

Peeling explained in recipe below. Who wants tomato skins floating in their sauce!

From chunky fresh tomatoes...

...to saucy deliciousness. If you want a smoother texture, blend in a blender or food process, with or without the clove of garlic.

PENNE WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE

2 1/2 - 3 pounds very ripe beefsteak or plum tomatoes

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large garlic clove, peeled and lightly smashed

1/2 teaspoon or more fresh thyme leaves

3/4 pound penne pasta, rigati (ridged) or liscie (smooth)

3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Salt and pepper

Fresh basil leaves (optional)

Score a shallow "x" in the bottom of the tomatoes. Place them gently into simmering water. Slowly count to ten then remove them with a slotted spoon to a colander. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skins, cut out the green stems and remove most of the seeds, if present in the variety you're using. Chop tomatoes coarsely.

Combine the oil, garlic, thyme, tomatoes and 1 teaspoon Kosher salt in a large skillet. Simmer on low, covered, about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have broken down. Uncover the skillet, add the basil if desired, and continue to simmer until thickened to a saucy consistency, about 20 minutes (this will depend on the amount of liquid in the tomatoes). Discard the garlic or leave it in, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water. Before draining, scoop out 1/2 cup of water. Drain pasta and transfer to the sauce, along with a couple tablespoons or more of pasta water to moisten, if needed. Remove the skillet from the heat and toss in the cheese. Serves 2-3.

BIG SOUP!

That's what minestrone means and it's meant to be packed with flavorful, nutritious fresh vegetables. Mine is loaded to the brim with the best seasonal picks from my local farmer's market, plus pasta and white beans. So delicious! Before serving, sprinkle with cheese or stir a dollop of basil pesto into each bowl. It's a meal on its own. Or better yet, toast or grill sliced Italian bread for bruschetta. Then rub one side with the cut surface of a clove of garlic and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Soup plus bruschetta...Yum!

EARLY SUMMER MINESTRONE

This recipe is very similar to the one in my book, substituting cauliflower for green beans, eliminating the cabbage, and using more cooking greens, in this case kale and spinach.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 carrots, medium dice

2 celery ribs, medium dice

1 large onion, medium dice

2 small summer squash (zucchini and/or yellow squash), about 12 ounces, 1/2-inch dice

1 cup cauliflower florets, cut in 1-inch pieces

1 can (15.5 ounces) Cannellini, Garbanzo or Red Kidney beans, undrained

6-8 cups chopped greens (kale, spinach, chard, escarole)

Pinch of crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 ½ cups pureed canned plum tomatoes

8-10 cups chicken or vegetable broth or stock

Salt and pepper

¾ cup soup pasta (I used orzo this time)

Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Heat oil in a large soup pot on low. Add carrots, celery, onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Add the squash and cauliflower and simmer 15 minutes. Add the canned beans, greens, red pepper and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and cook, covered, stirring frequently, about 25 minutes, until the greens are wilted. Add the tomato and 8 cups broth or enough to cover vegetables. Bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Cook the pasta separately according to package instructions; add to the soup. Or cook pasta in the soup, adding additional broth, as needed. Season to taste. Ladle into individual bowls and top each one with grated cheese and/or a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Serves 6.

This week's market pick. Can't wait to see what I find next time!