A Friday list and rosemary maltagliati pasta

Time has been slipping away from me lately. The manuscript is in but somehow I feel busier than ever and suddenly, somehow, it’s almost December. I happened to see this wonderful advice today by Lisa Clifford (while scrolling through social media with one hand and feeding/wiping up after/making play dough figurines for a nearly two year old with the other) and it could not have been more timely. It reminded me to find a little time to myself, set myself the goal to write this down and get this blog post up – in other words, do a little something for myself that makes me happy. It’s so easy to forget about when we’re running around, spreading ourselves thin like this maltagliati pasta I was going to write about.

Maltagliati fresh pasta

It’s perfumed with fresh rosemary from the garden, something that I will do again and again with fresh pasta, even if just for the scent while it’s cooking — it’s like aromatherapy for the kitchen. Maltagliati, “badly cut” pasta, don’t have to be badly cut at all actually, and are often seen in this rhombus shape. With the rosemary and a recently-made batch of fagioli all’olio (cannellini beans cooked a little like this) this short, flat pasta was destined to be tossed in a pan with beans, some of the liquid from cooking and pancetta.  A match made in heaven for a quick lunch, but more of an idea rather than a recipe.

I was struggling to find the time to write this recipe and photograph it the way that I wanted when I came across that Lisa Clifford article. So this is what has inspired a rather different blog post, one that will hopefully inspire others by spreading around some rather lovely content I’ve been looking at lately, some eye candy or food for thought for the weekend perhaps — when you have a moment for a time out, a cup of tea and feet up.

I love a good short and sweet list. In fact, the Friday list thing has been something I’ve always enjoyed reading on other blogs (a bit like looking over someone’s shoulder at what tabs they have open on their computer) and finding inspiration is as easy as skimming over a link.

Mariu making pasta

Firstly, there’s this beautiful workshop (and this) from Local is Lovely that I can’t stop looking at. A dream team of some of my favourite people out there for all things style, food and photography.

And there’s this project, which I can’t wait to see happen. The people behind it are real-food power couple Rohan Anderson and Kate Berry whose blogs and instagram feeds are always inspiring. I’m especially enjoying Kate’s brilliant Lunch Lady Vs the World posts.

I’m already thinking about Christmas now too and am planning on making my first ever Christmas puddings this weekend based on this traditional recipe.

I now also have ambitions to do a gingerbread house after seeing snippets of some amazing architectural baking by Molly Yeh but as the recipe’s not up yet, for now I’ll be content with the idea of this prosciutto and grape pizza.

I wouldn’t mind a quiet night in with a large, steaming bowl of cacio e pepe. Or a trip to Rome to eat it at Flavio al Velavevodetto for that matter.

I was doing a spring clean of the pantry, which is so packed that the doors barely close, and spent a good part of last week baking to use up the overflow of ingredients. I attempted a version of these salted caramel brownies and found that one of my favourite blogs ever is ending. Well, it’s still there, thank goodness, but new content won’t be created. Pop over though for some seriously good and very precise dessert recipes.

Rosemary maltagliati

And if you need some Christmas gift inspiration, these are some of the things I have on my wish list:

These shibori-dyed napkins

This cookbook really intrigues me

This tea towel (Melbournites will know it…)

This handmade roll-up placemat is genius for going places with young kids

Some cute kitchen art

One of these beautiful arrow spoons

Have a happy weekend x

mariu and beans

Comments

  1. Dear Emiko,
    I know you are in the middle of writing a book – so pleased to hear the manuscript is in. More than anything glad to hear that you felt inspired to write after reading my Blog on how women put their own dreams and desires on the back-burner, whilst nurturing and caring for others. I hope your dreams come true…and I think they will. Un abbraccio forte, forte, Lisa

  2. oh, I wrote a long comment but disappeared! I was saying that I relate to this post and your situation so much, even though I don’t have a toddler to take care of.. I fell like I’ve been spreading myself as a sfoglia bolognese lately. I’m not able to learn from my mistakes, apparently.
    This said, I crave for a bowl of pasta, even if it’s breakfast time in Italy, and I really enjoy reading link lists, they are always a good inspiration.
    Hugs to Mariù! x

    • Emiko says:

      I know, as I said to Regula too, we are all so busy these days, with or without little ones in tow! And I don’t mean to complain now that I have less time but I do need a reminder every now and then to stop doing so much and slow down — and she’s my reminder! 😉

  3. I just adore that pic of Mariù and Marco! I know what you mean, we are all very busy ladies, I’m going down in the morning and suddenly it’s 5 in the afternoon and I realise I’ve been writing behind my computer the whole day, stil in my pijama’s!

  4. Love the look of this pasta– and your little one is just too sweet!

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