Easily one of my favorite restaurants in Dallas is il Bracco, and one of my favorite dishes on their menu is the Spicy Gemelli. Since we started planning our dates nights specifically around this coveted Spicy Gemelli, Alex insisted I learn how to make something similar at home. This recipe is surprisingly simple and is a relatively quick dinner. There is nothing better than a night out enjoying authentic Italian food, but this Spicy Gemelli recipe is a close second. Enjoy! xoxo

Print Spicy Gemelli recipe.

1/4 cup olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

3/4 cup tomato paste

2 tablespoons vodka

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 pound Gemelli

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

In a saucepan over medium heat, warm oil, and cook shallot and garlic, stirring often, until fragrant. Add crushed red pepper, and tomato paste, occasionally stirring until the paste starts to carmelize for about 3-5 minutes. Add vodka and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid is evaporated. Add cream, stir until well blended and remove from heat.

Meanwhile, cook Gemelli in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with sauce. Top with chopped basil and serve warm.

I have to give Alex credit for being the “idea guy” in the kitchen. He is constantly coming up with crazy menus and requesting things, like lasagna, on a whim. After insisting multiple times that lasagna was too time-consuming, I caved and start working on a less time-consuming recipe. Most classic lasagna recipes call for a bechamel and ragu sauce, but I don’t know anyone who really has time to prepare sauces all day long. I cut the bechamel and left the cheese as is and turned the ragu sauce into a modified version of my classic tomato sauce. I prefer beef, but you can easily substitute the ground beef in the sauce for ground pork or a combination of the two. Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print Classic Lasagna recipe.

1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

1 white onion, coarsely chopped

ade3 cloves of garlic pressed

1 plum tomato

6-8 large black olives

1 teaspoon drained capers, rinsed

2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning (oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, onion, parsley, and sage)

1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin

1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2  lb. ground beef chuck (10% fat)

3 tablespoons triple concentrate tomato paste

15oz crushed tomatoes

8 oz. dried lasagna noodles

1 lb. ricotta

12 oz. low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely grated (about 3 cups)

Purée bell pepper, onion, garlic, tomato, olives, capers, Italian seasoning, cumin, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes (optional) in a blender or food processor until mostly smooth.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high. Cook beef, tomato paste, and blended mixture breaking up the meat and stirring often until liquid is evaporated, and meat is starting to brown, 20–25 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes and let simmer on low until lasagna is ready to assemble.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles, stirring often, until very al dente, about 4 minutes (noodles will finish cooking in the oven). Drain noodles and stack them flat in layers, separated by parchment.

Lightly oil a 13×9″ baking dish. Spread a heaping cupful of sauce in the dish. Lay a single layer of noodles over the sauce. Spread 1 cup of sauce over the noodles. Season ricotta with salt and pepper; evenly spread half of the ricotta over the sauce. Scatter one-third of the mozzarella over top. Repeat the layering process. Finish with remaining sauce, followed by remaining mozzarella. Cover with a lightly oiled piece of foil.

Bake lasagna until bubbling around the edges, 40–45 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Uncover the lasagna and continue to bake until the top is golden brown, 15–18 minutes more. Let sit 15 minutes before serving.

What day are we on now? Day 55? I am so thankful that I have a stocked kitchen to keep me sane during quarantine. I have loved spending this extra time testing recipes I would normally claim to be too busy for. Between the wild and fun recipes, I have discovered some great staples. Spaghetti Carbonara has quickly become one of my favorite quarantine meals because it is the perfect way to use leftover vegetables. I easily find myself left with odds and ends in my crisper drawer and hate to throw out produce at the end of the week. My favorite combination is shallot, prosciutto, mushrooms, and English peas (except Alex hates them) but I have also used spinach, broccoli, asparagus, and chicken. Take the extra time this week to create your version of Spaghetti Carbonara using leftover produce in your kitchen. Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Download Spaghetti Carbonara recipe.

1 lb. spaghetti

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

2 Tbsp. canola oil

1 shallot, sliced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped prosciutto

1 cup chopped mushrooms

3 large eggs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning

Red pepper flakes

Heat 6 qt. water in a large pot over high. When water starts to boil, add spaghetti and salt. In a large skillet or medium dutch oven, heat canola oil over medium. Add the sliced shallot and minced garlic, cooking until fragrant. Add prosciutto and mushrooms, stirring often until prosciutto is crispy, about 4 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning. Once the spaghetti is al dente, use tongs to add spaghetti to the prosciutto mixture and remove from heat. Reserve 1/3 cup of spaghetti water. Slowly add the hot water to the egg mixture, and whisk the mixture well while adding water. Pour egg mixture over spaghetti and combine. Add additional Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes to your liking.

This weekend I was in Austin, Texas for a good friend’s bachelorette party. We ate at some of the cutest places including Forthright on San Jacinto, and my new favorite, Juliet Ristorante on Barton Springs. The staff at Juliet Ristorante was able to easily accommodate our larger party with reservations and our service was wonderful. Not only did our waiter give great food and wine recommendations, he also offered to take our photo outside against their white brick and ivory wall (they turned out adorable!). Half of the table split a bottle of Tempranillo (2010) Izadi Reserva, Rioja, and the other half of the table split a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc (2015) Brancott Letter Series, Marlborough, Australia. My favorite of the two was the Tempranillo. For an appetizer, our table shared an olive oil tasting that included olive oil from Australia, Chile, and South Africa. I preferred the Pendolino olive oil from Australia, but they were all wonderful and paired well with the bread provided. For dinner I decided to go with a pasta entree called Capellini e Funghi which was angel hair pasta with a mushroom cream sauce, roasted garlic, spinach, and rosemary. This dish paired well with the Tempranillo wine and was very filling. I couldn’t finish it all after having bread with my appetizer! This dish does include a heavy amount of roasted garlic, so next time I might ask for less garlic on my dish. Juliet Ristorante does have more intimate tables that are perfect for a date night, or larger tables in the back room for events like a bachelorette party or family get-togethers. It also has an adorable patio surrounded by greenery and thinking lights for group celebrations. Check out the full menu for Juliet Ristorante here, and be sure to check them out on your next trip to Austin! xoxo