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"Darkly mysterious and satisfying"
Black Trumpets and Balsamic Vinegar with Pasta

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 16 ounces of your favorite dried pasta
• 5 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Black Truffle Oil
• 1 large leek or two bunches scallions. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces including the tender greens
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/2 pound of fresh Black Trumpet Mushrooms (or substitute 2 ounces of dried black trumpet or any richly flavored mushroom such as Morels or Cepes)
• 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• salt

Preparation
 
Pasta:  Prepare your favorite pasta to al dente. This recipe works equally well with angelhair, shells or penne.
 
Mushrooms:  If you are using fresh Black Trumpets clean carefully ripping open the trumpets to make sure any remaining bits of the forest are removed. Cut roughly into large shreds. If using dried mushrooms rehydrate by covering with hot water for 10 minutes. Roughly cut softened mushrooms if needed. Retain 1 cup of liquid to add to sauce.
 
Sauce:  Pour the Olive Oil into a sauté pan and heat over medium heat for about 30 seconds. Sauté the leeks for about 2 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are wilted and the liquid they have given off has evaporated. Add the Balsamic Vinegar, stir well, and season with salt to taste.
 
Pour sauce and mushrooms over cooked pasta. Drizzle with Black Truffle Oil. Serve with a fresh garnish.

Capellini with Balsamico and White Beans

Ingredients (Serves 4 to 6)

• 1 medium sized red onion cut into 3/4 inch chunks
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 14 medium sized Roma tomatoes, cut in half length wise
• 8 oz dried capellini or other thin spaghetti
• 2 cans (15oz) Cannellini (Italian white beans)
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Preparation

Mix onion, 1 teaspoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar in an oiled baking pan. Rub tomatoes with remaining 2 teaspoons oil and season to taste with salt. Arrange cut size up, in an oiled baking pan. Bake onion and tomatoes in 475 F. oven, until edges are well browned (40-50 minutes for onion and about 1 hour and 10 minutes for tomatoes). If drippings begin to burn, add 4-6 tablespoons water to each pan.

Bring 8 cups of water to a boil over medium heat. Cook pasta until tender to the bite.

Drain the pasta well and keep warm. Pour beans and their liquid into a medium saucepan. Add thyme and basil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often for 3 minutes. Add pasta and mix. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Chop 20 of the tomato halves and add to pasta with basil, onion, and remaining 1/4 cup vinegar. Transfer pasta to a shallow serving bowl. Arrange remaining tomato halves around edge.

Poached Pears With Ricotta, Walnuts And Balsamic Vinegar

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 large, ripe Comice or Bosc pears, halved, peeled and cored
• 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
• 4 tablespoons of well aged balsamic vinegar.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make syrup, combine sugar and 1 cup water in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring to boil. Place pears in shallow ovenproof dish, and pour syrup over them. Cover with foil, and bake until tender, about 20 - 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool until just warm.
 
Place 2 pear halves on each of four plates with a dollop of fresh ricotta and a sprinkle of walnuts. Spoon any syrup remaining in pan over and around the pears. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over each portion, and serve.

Fennel Salad with Balsamic Vinegar

A Classic Salad

Ingredients (Serves 4 to 6)

• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 2 cups fennel bulb sliced
• 1 cucumber, sliced
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut in wedges
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar - best quality
• Roasted Red Pepper (jar or prepare fresh)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Fresh basil

Preparation

Clean romaine, dry it and tear into bite size pieces. Add the remaining vegetables. Pour olive oil, then balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper over the salad. Toss to mix, then taste. Add more salt, pepper or vinegar as needed. Chop basil, add to the salad, toss again. Garnish with strips of roasted red pepper.

A Taste of the Italian Countryside

Ingredients (Serves 6 )

• 1 1/2 lb plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1/3 c chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 6 thick slices of crusty bread, toasted

Preparation

Mix tomatoes, herbs and liquids in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Hold at room temperature.) Spoon tomato mix onto toast and serve.

Earthy Delights has Fine Aged Balsamic vinegars bottled exclusively for Earthy Delights in Modena by Acetificio Emelio Carandini. Click Here to Shop at Earthy.Com

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