When we’ve traveled in Italy, there are always two dishes I look for.  Both are very ordinary.  Both are what I think of as family dishes.  Ordinary in the sense that they are dishes with an infinite variety because every home cook has their own family traditions and because they are always subject to what’s in the house.  Both of these dishes are just wonderful comfort to me.  One is Minestrone Soup as I’ve written here.  The other is perhaps even more common, simple, ordinary and that is Spinach and Cannellini Beans with Rosemary.

Now, the recipe for Spinach and Cannellini Beans with Rosemary is really just that.  Where’s the variety you ask?  Very small things I’m sure.  Some cooks will use homemade broth, some add wine, some will add garlic, often tomato is added.   But, I believe it is basically home cooking at it’s grandest.

The other night I had out a recipe from The Best of Cooking Light 9.  Once a year they put out a magazine publication with their collection of some 100 + recipes from the last year.  I found a recipe for Halibut with White Beans in Tomato-Rosemary Broth.   Oh, it sounded good.  And so I set out with that for the dinner plan.

Here’s where it went:

Tilapia with Spinach & Cannellini Beans in Tomato-Rosemary Broth

very loosely adapted from The Best of Cooking Light 9

2 (6 ounce) tilapia fillets

1/2 cup corn meal seasoned with salt & Aleppo pepper

3 garlic cloves

2 tomatoes chopped

2 cups cannellini beans  (rinsed & drained)

fresh baby spinach to top the pan

1/2 cup chicken broth (because Gorn wouldn’t let me use any of the really nice white wine that night)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

I wiped a non-stick skillet with olive oil leaving just a film on it.  I tossed in the tomatoes & garlic for about of minute of softening.  Added the beans and broth.  Brought that to a simmer and turned it as low as possible.

Topped (stuffed) the skillet with the baby spinach and covered it.  It should be about done (wilted) by the time the fillets are sautéed.

Dipped, dusted the fillets with the seasoned corn meal and sautéed them in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 4 minutes on a side.

Added the leftover corn meal to the spinach & beans as a thickener.

Dinner is ready.  I was overwhelmed it was sooo very good!

This seems to fit with the Weekend Herb Blogging with the lovely Rosemary in it.  Weekend Herb Blogging started and maintained by the lovely Kalyn from Kalyn’s Kitchen and being hosted this weekend by my fellow Bread Baking Babe Katie from Thyme for Cooking.

Happy Easter Everybody!!