Preparation:

In a medium mixing bowl combine the tuna, capers, and parsley. Crumble the manchego in your hands to a coarse texture. Add the cheese, olive and lemon juice to the mixing bowl. Gently toss the stuffing. Drain the piquillo peppers. Gently open each end of the pepper and stuff with the filling. Arrange on a platter and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Makes 6-8 stuffed peppers.

Preparation:

Cook Fettuccine in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.  Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the heavy cream and butter to a simmer.  Add salt and white pepper to taste (about ¼ teaspoon each)

Drain the pasta and reserve about 1 cup or more of the cooking water.  Toss the hot pasta into the sauce, add ¼ cup of the reserved water, grated cheese, and nutmeg and toss to coat evenly.  If the consistency is too thick continue to add the reserved water until smooth and creamy. 

Preparation:

Soffritto ("under fried")

Mince the onion, carrot, celery and garlic finely. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the minced vegetables and sauté, stirring every few moments to cook evenly. Cook the soffritto until it becomes a deep brownish paste. A good soffritto takes a little practice to get right. Don’t let your soffritto burn!

Puree one cup of the cannellini beans with 1 cup of water and set aside. This will be used to thicken the soup.

To the soup pot containing the soffritto (still over medium heat), add the parsley and a little salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes to the soffritto mixture and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the cannellini beans and stir well. Add the bean puree to the pot, as well as the rest of the water. Stir and bring to a slow boil*.

Add the kale, stir well and bring to a slow boil again. Stir the bread into the soup and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer on low for 2 hours. Check the flavors every 30 minutes or so and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve in heated earthenware bowls with filone bread (you may substitute any dense rustic Italian bread), an assortment of olives and Chianti wine.

(* If you prefer a meatier taste to your soup, an ounce or two of pork works well in this dish for flavoring. *We suggest to use Tuscan kale when in season Sept – Oct, also called dinosaur kale).