Spezzatino - Leftovers at their best :)

The pride I took in cooking this simple hearty dish is immense. The biggest satisfaction came from the fact that while it was cooking, my kitchen smelled like my mother's. I could close my eyes for a second and just be tele-transported over next to her, while the wooden stove is on, by the table my parents built together one spring from marble and iron. Fantastic. 
I never had the nerve to cook this before because I just love my mother's Spezzatino, it's one of the things she cooks often during the winter and I was afraid I would be hugely disappointed. I didn't want to spoil that taste.
But being November here in Ireland most of the time, I found no more arguments against it. I just had to try and hope for the best.
So, the principle of the Spezzatino is simple: you throw in the tall pot anything you have at hand.
My mother's Spezzatino is quite simple:


Potatoes
Courgettes
Stewing Beef pieces
Carrots
A stalk of Celery
One Onion
A clove of Garlic
Tomato Sauce
Salt
Olive Oil


Everything is washed/peeled/chopped (except the celery) and placed in the tall pot with a bit of olive oil. Salt is added, then tomato sauce and then enough water to reach almost the top of the pot, let's say you leave the top 5 centimeters.
It has to slowly boil and cook, the meat will release its full flavor that way. You will need to taste it before it's ready for the salt.
Once the soup evaporated enough, I decided it was time to eat. The time of great truth!
I was tempted to add one of my yummy vegetable stock cubes, but then I decided against it, I wanted the Spezzatino just like Mamma's.
And indeed it was!!! Oh joy, I could not believe it, I was so happy I ate two plates... So, so proud to accomplish such unmistakable taste!

This is what it looks like in the plate. The soup is not too thick nor too thin, just the way I like it. But mind your tongue, the vegetables are quite hot!!!
On top I enjoy a bit of chilly powder. My father would cover it in grated Parmigiano cheese. 
And of course, make sure you have bread at hand, you will WANT to clean the plate with it!
Awesome!

Leftovers - My favourites!

Whenever I get to use that last slice of ham or those poor piece of courgette that just did not find its way in any other dish before they become rotten, I'm a happy person!
I hate to see waste; especially food wasted, it breaks my hearth. 
My husband just this morning was "giving out" to me because he says I dread the worst to happen. Well, I admit it, I do! That's why saving and avoid wasting (money, food, water, heat) are so important to me.
We live a very fulfilling life, nothing is ever missing from our table (unless we forget to buy it!) or our lives. Our son's Christmas is full of presents and his clothes always clean, and despite my habit of saving here and there, he is the happiest child I know. That's important.
I also remember well from my childhood, and generally from the part of my life spent under my parent's roof, how much tastier some foods were the next day.
Now, on Saturday I was on my own for lunch, husband busy playing soccer (or so he says...) and I desperately craved pasta!!! With no actual will power to make a proper sauce, I opened the fridge and found the 


Ingredients:


3 mushrooms
1/2 onion
3 slices of Salami
4 Cherry Tomatoes


Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Pasta


I put the water on for the pasta, with some rock salt as usual. In a non stick pot with a bit of olive oil, I placed the tomatoes split in half, the sliced mushrooms and onion and the salami cut in little pieces. I threw a bit of salt on them as well and put a cover on.
By the time the water was boiling and it was time for the pasta to go in, the topping was almost ready.
The cooked pasta was then drained and mixed, on medium heat in the non stick pot, with the topping, and here is the result:

Very, very enjoyable indeed! By leaving the salami out, it's a completely vegan dish.