A balanced diet is the base of a healthy lifestyle, naturally, but it affects much more than our wellbeing. The ingredients we chose have an impact on the environment, a cause that for many has a great influence on their eating habits. The Mediterranean Diet in particular, rich in nuts, beans, fruit and vegetables, unrefined cereal and fish, could help reduce global warming by up to 15% by 2050 and has been declared in 2010 by UNESCO as Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Pasta is of course a staple of the diet, easily combined with an infinite variety of vegetables and healthy proteins. Barilla, the leading pasta brand, kicked off several events in anticipation of the World Pasta Day on October 25 in Bologna Italy. Following a webinar on Sustainable Gastronomy on June 18, chef Marcello Zaccaria of Accademia Barilla took part in an online masterclass showcasing a step-by-step pasta recipe that perfectly incorporates the elements of the Mediterranean Diet: Mezzo Maniche su Crema di Ceci al Rosmarino, con Coda di Rospo, a pasta with a chickpea purée, rosemary and monkfish.
“In this recipe we can find pasta, the base of the diet’s food pyramid; chickpeas, therefore legumes that should be eaten at least two or three times a week; rosemary, that underlines the importance of the dried aromatic herbs; and fish, that represents an important source of health for us,” noted Chef Zaccaria.
The tasty dish was created by nutritionist Mariangela Rondanelli, Nutritionist and Associate Professor in Dietary Sciences and Techniques at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Pavia. She explained how cereals, an important component of the Mediterranean Diet, played an important role during lockdown. “The homemade preparations of pasta, pizza and bread quickly became an amazing daily reality that allowed us to rediscover sociability. At the base of the food pyramid of the Mediterranean Diet, in addition to purely nutritional elements, there is also an aspect that concerns relationships”.
Wellbeing, turns out, also means sharing good food with our loved ones. Tune in to watch the cooking masterclass from July 2nd on Future Food Institute social media!
Mezze Maniche on Rosemary Chickpeas Cream with Monkfish by chef Zaccaria
Serves 4
Ingredients:
350 gr. Barilla Mezze Maniche pasta
200 gr. dry chickpeas
50 gr. extra virgin olive oil
300 gr. monkfish
3 cloves garlic
1 salted anchovy
1 bunch parsley
1 carrot
1/2 onion
salt and pepper
1 bunch sage and rosemary
100 gr. stale bread
Method:
The day before, soak the chickpeas in cold water for about 24 hours.
Add sage, rosemary and garlic to the extra virgin olive oil.
Add in a saucepan with the carrot, celery, and onion and cold water with no salt and cook.
Once cooked, take the chickpeas with part of the cooking water, pass them through a mixer or a blender, and season with a part of oil scented with sage, rosemary, and garlic.
In a frying pan, put a clove of garlic in its skin and a stalk of parsley with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, add the monkfish cut into small cubes and sauté quickly.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cut stale bread into small cubes and season it in a pan with chopped garlic, salted anchovy, chopped parsley, and chili pepper.
Cook the pasta in salted water, drain 2 minutes before al dente and add it in the pan with the monkfish to finish cooking.
Assemble the dish:
Place the chickpeas cream at the base of the dish, add the mezze maniche pasta with the sautéed monkfish and finish with the stale bread cubes.