Bacon and Peas. They have a special place in my heart.

Whenever I’m in Florence, I make it a point to go to Trattoria da Rocco in Santa Croce for a quick but homely lunch. This little gem of a trattoria is located inside San Ambrogio Market (Address: Piazza Ghiberti | Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio, 50122 Florence, Italy), just a few minutes away from Piazza dei Ciompi flea market (you know I have a thing for thrifting).

Trattoria da Rocca’s Primi Piatti (first courses) are €4.00, Secondi Piatti (seconds) €5.00, Contorni (sides) €3.50 and Frutta e Dolce (desserts) are just €2.50. Travellers to Italy would know you hardly come across these prices anywhere! There was a cover charge of €1.00 per person, very common in Italy. Some places charge €1.50 – €2.00, depending on how touristy or high-end they are. We ordered a lasagna, sausage and beans, and bacon and peas for our lunch that day on a November afternoon. We always gotta have them bacon and peas.

When we first approached the trattoria, we circled the eatery trying to look for an entrance. A door, perhaps? That was when we saw someone waving enthusiastically at us from inside the trattoria, signalling for us to pull open the cubicle doors. That’s how you enter. You sit right next to the doors.

The servers weren’t the least grumpy nor impatient despite me trying (very hard) to get by in my smattering Italian. They listened intently, answered my questions (“carne di maiale o manzo?” –> “pork or beef?”) slowly because it was quite obvious I needed time for thought-processing, and tried to include some English (“porrrk!”) to make my life easier. We were there on a weekday noon, and you can see how packed it was.

And so, after 3 weeks in Italy (which felt like 2 days), we came back to Singapore. Last month, the husband said he was craving the bacon and peas. Me? I was just craving Italy.

I made a minced meat lasagna with bacon and peas for his lunch the other day. Although I wasn’t in Italy (or Rome. Don’t get me started on Rome), my heart was still warm because I had an appreciative husband.

If you’ve never had bacon and peas before, or are just put off by frozen peas (they’re very misunderstood), try this dish. I use S&W’s canned Young Sweet Peas, and they’re the closest you can get to peas-heaven. That didn’t come across quite right. But they’re delicious! My plea to you today is, “Give PEAS a chance!”

The post Bacon and Peas appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

I decided to include this not-that-budget Shrimp & Mushroom Risotto recipe because it’ll still cost you less than what you’d pay for risotto outside! :) Plus, the extreme satisfaction you get after the meal is completed? It’s priceless!

Makes 2-3 servings

What I used:

4 tablespoons butter
2 cups sliced shitake mushrooms
8 shrimps or prawns, medium sized
1 cup white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
200ml President light cooking cream
1 packet Lee Kum Kee pork bone hotpot soup base
2 medium red onions, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup Carnaroli rice, uncooked (I got mine from Fairprice Finest)
Some grated Parmesan cheese
A sprinkle of dried Italian herbs (optional)

You’ll need: 1 small/ medium pan, 1 instant-noodle pot, 1 large pan

1. Heat 2 tbsp butter in medium pan, add sliced mushrooms and fry for 5 mins at medium-high flame. Add prawns.
2. Add white wine, bring to a boil, then cook for 3 mins. Remove only the prawns and set them aside.
3. Add cooking cream, reduce flame to medium then simmer for 5 mins. Set mushroom mixture aside.
4. In a separate pot, simmer 6 cups water (1.25 litres) and add the Lee Kum Kee hotpot soup base. Let it continue to simmer as you cook the rice in the coming steps.
5. Using a large pan, melt 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil. Sauté chopped onions til soft, about 3 mins. Add 1 rice-cup of uncooked Carnaroli rice, swirl to coat with the butter and oil.
6. Add simmering stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring enough to keep the rice from sticking to the edges of the pan. Wait until the stock is almost completely absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. Rice should be ready in about 1/2 hour. The rice should be soft and just a little chewy. Don’t mush it or break the grains on purpose. Keep tasting! 
7. Stir in the mushroom mixture and some grated Parmesan cheese. Arrange the prawns on top, sprinkle some Italian herbs, then enjoy!

How much I spent: 

More than usual :P

——————————————————————-

I read somewhere that Italians don’t use cooking cream in their risotto but this is the only way I know how to make it. And it tastes good! So although this may not be traditionally Italian, please try not to leave out or substitute any ingredient for this dish. The ingredients are quite easy to prepare.. just some butter, packaged cream, bottled wine, and rice out of a box. The only thing you really need to do is slice up those mushrooms and chop those onions. But believe me when I say you won’t regret it!  Cook this on a Saturday night for your candlelight dinner. Just be sure to give yourself ample time to wash up before eating. Cooking rice on a stove-top, is after all, quite labour-intensive!

The post Shrimp and Mushroom Risotto with Italian Herbs and White Wine Sauce appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.