Tag: legumes

Vegetarian meatballs and meatless meatloaves: 15 recipes – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Vegetarian meatballs And Meatless meatloavesbut with legumes and vegetables? It can be done! Quick and easy to prepare, meatballs and meatloaves are often a dish save-dinner which satisfies the whole family because both adults and children like them, but they don’t necessarily have to include meat. For those who follow one vegetarian diet or for those who want to try to reduce their meat consumption (which is good for the environment) or simply for those who want to vary, here it is 15 recipes to make vegetarian meatballs and meatloaves.

Vegetarian meatballs: ideas with legumes, vegetables, quinoa and ricotta

To make vegetarian meatballs we can focus entirely on legumesrich in proteinsas in the recipes of Lentil and potato meatballsfrom the Chickpea meatballs on pea cream and of Mixed bean balls with aromatic herbsor we can combine legumes with vegetables and greenschoosing them each time based on the season as in Bean and vegetable meatballs with pumpkin and catalonia, in Vegetable meatballs with chickpeas, turnip greens, broccoli and turnips Mixed vegetable meatballs with courgettes, asparagus and broad beans.

Another idea for creating vegetarian meatballs is quinoaused as in the recipe Quinoa and sesame meatballs or by combining it, for example, with potatoes and courgettes as in Quinoa meatballs and yogurt sauce. Finally, classic save-dinnerhere they are Low-fat meatballs with the ricotta.

Meatless vegetarian meatloaves

Just as we prepared vegetarian meatballs, we can prepare some Meatless meatloaves good for everyone. Also in this case we use legumes and seasonal vegetables by combining them together, but also, for example, mozzarella and mushrooms. For autumn and winter they are perfect Pumpkin, chickpea and mushroom meatloaf, The Cauliflower meatloafThe Vegetable meatloaf with potatoes, radicchio, pumpkin, broccoli, il Vegetable and chicory meatloaf. Going towards the spring also try the Chickpea, spinach and mozzarella meatloaf and the Chickpea and artichoke meatloaf.

Below, in the gallery, our best recipes chosen for you: perfect for preparing excellent vegetarian meatballs and extraordinary meatless meatloaves.

The recipes

Black chickpeas, what they are and how to use them – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Have you ever tried the black chickpeas? They are less common than the more common beige chickpeas and not everyone knows that black chickpeas are also an important source of nutrients and what they are typical of the Mediterranean. In particular, it is possible to find black chickpeas in the territory of Murgia Barese. Once upon a time, when meat was a rare material, legumes were a precious alternative to improve daily nutrition. Today we go back to using these ancient ingredientstasty for the palate and rich in property for health, while in the areas between Puglia and Basilicata the cultivation of black chickpeasresistant and able to adapt to even the most adverse conditions.

Benefits of Black Chickpeas

They are small in size and are lined with a dark skin hence the name: black chickpeas belong to a very ancient variety typical of center and southern Italy. The flavor results more intense and pronouncedideal for many preparations, from soup towarm salad. Bringing legumes to the table regularly is an excellent idea, in fact in general chickpeas, composed of 19% proteins, 17% fibers and 10% water, constitute a source of vitamins (in particular vitamin B, C, E, K) e minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. Compared to the better-known variety, black chickpeas contain high levels of iron. Thanks to the fibers they help you stay fit, stimulate the intestinal well-being and they are a satiating food capable of fighting hunger and energy drops.

History and cultivation of black chickpeas

Santeramo in Colle, Acquaviva delle Fonti and Cassano delle Murge: in the heart of the southern area of the Karst Murgia has lived, since time immemorial, the black chickpea tradition. Chickpeas were already known in ancient Egypt and Rome and were eaten fried. Cultivation abandoned after the war, now we are witnessing a return of interest towards this plant which, due to its small stature, still does not allow the mechanization of the entire harvesting process. For this reason, as in the past, much of the processing remains manual.

Recipes with black chickpeas

They usually recommend each other soaking times rather long: the ideal is to leave the chickpeas in a basin with water the evening before cooking them. For cooking consider a couple of hours: therefore, it is forbidden to be in a hurry. But in which recipes is it best to use black chickpeas? Here are some suggestions.

In soups

During the cold season and in autumn the soup It is a warm comfort food, rich in liquids and low in calories. The black chickpea soup is recommended, to be flavored with a sprig of rosemary fresh and serve with slices of crusty bread.

Hot chickpea soup

Hot black chickpea soup is a poor dish of Apulian cuisine, once widespread in peasant families and to be rediscovered thanks to the presence of simple and healthy Mediterranean ingredients.

Pasta and chickpeas

Have you ever thought about making the classic pasta and chickpeas but using black chickpeas? The even stronger taste of this ancient and precious legume will make your traditional dish even tastier. Try looking among them 10 pasta and chickpea recipes that we propose in this article and replace common chickpeas with this variety.

Black chickpeas, cavatelli and prawns

Alternatively, prepare the black chickpeas with cavatelli and shrimp blended with white wine: a delicious and decidedly tasty first course.

With potatoes in a delicious side dish

A single dish? Try cumin potatoes, cabbage and black chickpeas.

When the good weather returns, the green light is given to easy-to-digest preparations and salads with seasonal vegetables. Black chickpeas lend themselves very well to enriching salads or pasta salads, for a balanced and complete meal.

Dried broad beans: how to cook them without mistakes and 3 easy recipes – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Arrange the dried broad bean purée on individual plates, complete with the turnip greens, a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil and serve accompanied by toasted bread.

Macco di fave: the recipe

The Broad beans it’s a recipe traditional Siciliana simple dish whose protagonists are dried broad beans.

Ingredients for 4 people

350 g of soaked dried broad beans
1 carrot
1 spring onion
1 clove of garlic
wild fennel
extra virgin olive oil
salt
black pepper

Method

Clean it carrot and the spring onion, chop them finely and fry them in a saucepan with 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Also add the crushed poached garlic and the broad beans rinsed from the soaking water.

Season for a few minutes, cover with hot water, season with salt, cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for at least an hour or until the beans begin to break down. Stir frequently and add any additional warm water if the soup dries out too much during cooking. Serve the Broad beans very hot and creamy, finishing with a generous grind of pepper, chopped wild fennel and raw oil.

Fried broad beans: the recipe

Perfect for munching during an aperitif. The fried broad beans they are very tasty and can also be used to give a crunchy note to many recipes.

Ingredients for 4 people

200 g of dried broad beans
1 liter of peanut oil
Salt to taste

Method

Rinse the dried broad beans well, place them in a bowl, cover with cold water and leave them to soak overnight. Rinse them well, drain them and pat dry with absorbent paper. Pour the seed oil into a saucepan and when the oil has reached a temperature of 160°C, fry the broad beans a few at a time, until they are golden.
Remove them with a slotted spoon and let them drain well on a sheet of absorbent paper for fried foods. Season with salt and serve.