Ricotta cheese rolls.

Nice recipe for a light afternoon break, for a children party or even for a simple treat for the whole family without regrets.

2+1/3 cups all purpose flour

7 spoons skimmed milk

7 spoons seeds oil

3 spoons sugar

2 cups fresh ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla flavour

1 egg white

1/2 cup hazelnuts toasted and minced

1/2 dark chocolate drops

Mix ricotta cheese with milk, add sugar, salt, oil then the flour sifted with baking powder.

Knead untill you have a smooth loaf and let it rest into the fridge for about 1 hour.

Divide the dough in 2 parts, same size and with a rollpin spread them in a rectangular shape, spread the dough sheets with egg white, lightly whisked, then sprinkle with hazelnuts and chocolate drops.

Roll the two parts and cut each into slices about 1/2 inch tall.

Put them on a baking pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes at 356 F°.

When cold sprikle with icing sugar.

You can choose many other filling: cinnamon and apples, almonds and chocolate...Just chop them in tiny pieces!



Gluten-free chocolate cake.

This flourless cake is very very similar to a chocolate cake made in Ferrara (North of Italy) that's called "Tenerina" (softy cake) and made the first time in honour of Elena Petrovich from Montenegro, married to Vittorio Emanuele III and their tender love.
It's really really easy and everyone can make it but it's really good.

4-oz dark chocolate coarsely chopped

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup cocoa powder

Melt chocolate with butter into the microwave at low temperature mixing now and then, add sugar, mix untill warm then add eggs one at time mixing well.
Add vanilla extract and sifted cocoa, mix and pour into a slightly greased 8 inch pan.
Bake at 375 F° about 20-25 minutes, cake will remain short, soft and moist.
Serve at room temperature with a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar.

Let me try...

Let me try if it's working again!
I had a lot of trouble with Blogspot editor, so many my will to post expired for a long time.
Now my almost-2-years-old Lorenzo is out with grandma and I have a little time to try: if it's working good I'll start posting again recipes and more.
I was so busy with my new site www.lamoraromagnola.it , it's all in Italian and I feel the need to have a more international corner but I'm too lazy to translate the whole site!
Shame on me!
Now I post, 3, 2, 1...

Sicilian pesto (Pesto alla siciliana).

As promised I'm here with a recipe.

This is a pesto recipe: I've already posted the genovese one, now it's time for "pesto alla siciliana"!

It's a lovely and tasty recipe, very quick and good for the summer season, you just need good cherry tomatoes and fresh ricotta cheese.

As often happens there are many version of this recipe: some don't include ricotta cheese, some use almonds instead of pine kernels son don't be surprised if you find the same recipe around with different ingredients.

4 servings:

1 garlic clove

a bunch of fresh basil

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 cup pine kernels

2/3 cup fresh ricotta cheese (cow or goat)

2 cups cherry tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

Open tomatoes in half and squeeze them to remove juice and seeds, put them into the mixer cup.

Add washed and dried basil leaves, pine kernels, oil, the garlic clove, Parmesan, ricotta cheese and oil.

Close the blender lid and mix for a while: you can choose pesto's thickness, if you like it creamy mix a little bit longer, if you prefer to taste pieces mix just few seconds.

Taste it and add salt and pepper, you can preserve it into a glass holder for about two days in refrigerator.

Cook the pasta you prefer, drain it and save a little cooking water, mix pasta with pesto and add water as needed to whisk well.

Easter surprise, I'm back!

Lorenzo is almost one year old, this year has been full of wonderful moments and it has been really really hard sometime.

Now I'm starting to breathe once again, breastfeeding is at the end and I have some moments to write down something on this blog.

I received mails and comments, often very nice ones and they helped me deciding to come back.

I'm thinking about the recipe to post, I'll be back soon!

Welcome Lorenzo!

On 29th May 2010 my little boy Lorenzo came to this world.

The hard final months of pregnancy and a predate childbirth are the main causes for my absence.

I don't really know when I' ll be able to write again because, you can figure, I have so much to manage with this new and deep experience.

I don't want to close this blog, I'm sure I'll be back one day, ready to write more and more recipes.

Feel free to leave your comments or suggestions, I'll read them for sure!

Take care!

Claudia

Bacon candies (Caramelle al bacon).

I'm back for a while with a giant belly and a nice recipe I still didn't share with you.

It's an appetizer or an idea for a party, they're easy to prepare and really loved by children.

You need very simple ingredients and alluminium foil:

for about 20 candies you need:

a pack of sandwich bread (the white one, rectangular shaped)

bacon or italian pancetta

white creamy cheese like philadelphia

Spread cheese on the first bread slice, top it with another slice and spread cheese again, do the same untill last slice.

Now chop the bread tower with a long knife and make squares, mouth-sized.

Roll on each square a slice of bacon then close it into an alluminium foil giving the shape of a candy.

Do the same with all the squares then put in oven for about 15 min. at medium heat.

Serve hot or warm, they're fantastic!