Theo A. Michaels - Rustica

RUSTICA

RUSTICA

DELICIOUS RECIPES FOR VILLAGE-STYLE MEDITERRANEAN FOOD

THEO A. MICHAELS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MOWIE KAY

Dedication

For my family and the generations before us.

Art director

Leslie Harrington

Senior designer

Sonya Nathoo

Editorial director

Julia Charles

Head of production

Patricia Harrington

Publisher

Cindy Richards

Food stylist

Kathy Kordalis

Prop stylist

Olivia Wardle

Indexer

Hilary Bird

First published in 2020 by

Ryland Peters & Small

2021 Jockeys Fields

London WC1R 4BW

and

341 E 116th St

New York NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Text Theo A. Michaels 2020

Design and photographs

Ryland Peters & Small 2020

ISBN: 978-1-78879-280-6

E-ISBN: 978-1-78879-312-4

Printed in Slovenia

The authors moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library. US Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for.

IMPORTANT NOTES FOR COOKS

OVENS: The recipes in this book have been tested in a fan oven.

MEASURES: Both British (Metric) and American (Imperial plus US cups) are included within these recipes for your convenience, however, it is important to work with one set of measurements only when cooking.

HERBS: All herbs used are fresh unless specified as dried.

CITRUS ZEST: When a recipe calls for the grated zest of citrus fruit, buy unwaxed fruit and wash well before using. If you can only find treated fruit, scrub well in warm, soapy water before using.

OLIVE OIL: Extra-virgin olive oil is the highest quality oil. It is unrefined, contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatories and has a low smoke point and heightened flavour. It is best saved for dressings. Refined olive oil is milder in flavour and contains less health benefits but its higher smoke point makes it more suitable for cooking.

BEANS: Precooked canned beans are used in these recipes for convenience. If however you would prefer to use dried beans, convert them as follows, then soak and cook as appropriate to the variety before using as instructed:

400-g/14-oz. can cooked beans once drained yields 250 g/1 cup

115-g/heaping cup dried beans once cooked yields 250 g/1 cup (equivalent to 1 can of cooked)

STERILIZING JARS: Sterilize glass jars for use before filling with preserves. Preheat the oven to 150C fan/160C/325F/Gas 3. Wash the jars and lids in very hot soapy water and rinse but dont dry them. Remove any rubber seals, put the jars onto a baking sheet and into the oven for 10 minutes. Soak the lids in boiling water for a few minutes before using.

CONTENTS

Rustica [ruhs-ti-kah]

Definition:

adj. humble; rural; frugal; peasant food; honest

n. cookbook celebrating the simple beauty of uncomplicated

village food from the Mediterranean

What follows is a collection of over 65 recipes inspired by Mediterranean village life; pages filled with simple yet delicious food, based on traditional dishes cooked across the region, but developed with modern life in mind. Some recipes are classics, while others are my fresh twists on traditional techniques and ingredients. My aim is to share my enthusiasm for this style of food and cooking with you, and also to offer you a blueprint for a simpler, more balanced way of eating. My recipes are not contrived or designed to be healthy. I just want to encourage you to eat in a naturally balanced way by enjoying good quality seasonal ingredients, sensible portion sizes, a few treats and a tumbler or two of wine simple, frugal, humble eating.

My own family hail from Cyprus, coming originally from villages dotted all over the island. It is through conversations with them over the years that I have been able to paint a picture of what life might have been like a generation or two back, and this has shaped my village food philosophy. They typically grew their own produce, foraged and fished, and also kept some small livestock, such as chickens, pigs, goats and rabbits, which gave them meat plus eggs, milk, butter and the means to make cheeses. Sourcing food this way automatically meant eating in tune with the seasons and a higher intake of vegetables, fruit, pulses, grains and nuts. Meat and fish, often considered a luxury, were reserved for feast days and celebrations. What was in effect a Mediterranean diet (now recognized as one of the healthiest in the world) came from a place of necessity in these rural communities. What I love in particular about this Mediterranean style of cooking is the alchemy of simple, often frugal ingredients morphing into something delicious. It was built on the foundations of low-waste kitchens and nose-to-tail eating, long before these phrases were coined. Never has stale bread tasted so good as when it is transformed into Pangritata, breadcrumbs fried until crisp in olive oil with garlic, and used in place of Parmesan (see ) and even goat; both sustainable choices.

My recipes feature all the headline acts youd expect to find; olives and oregano from Greece, pasta and tomatoes from Italy, almonds and saffron from Spain and lentils and potatoes from France. I celebrate the food eaten in all these countries, and the ingenious and diverse ways that they use these ingredients, which are common to all of them.

Rustica is a cookbook, yes, but do consider it a starting point. Sure, you can run with me and cook my recipes just as I do, but feel free to add a little of this and leave out a little of that. I use drizzles and splashes, a pinch of this and a handful of that and I want you to feel comfortable doing the same, dont overthink it, have fun. Ultimately, its these nuances and the personality of a cook that are the most important ingredient.

Theo x

SOCCA WITH CHARRED ASPARAGUS & SPICED LABNEH

Socca are delicious savoury pancakes that originate from Nice in France and make a delicious breakfast or brunch. They are simple to make, the main ingredients being gram (chickpea) flour and water, making these both vegan and gluten free. They are not as pliable as conventional pancakes, so better topped rather than filled and rolled up, and here charred asparagus and my Spiced Labneh do the job nicely (see recipe on ).