Parma ham layered cake.



 

It's a great appetizer I discovered in a historical gourmet shop in Bologna called Tamburini.

You can learn more about all the great things they sell HERE , it's a place where I often buy something for dinner when I spent my saturday in Bologna's downtown and sometimes I also stop there for luch because it's truly worth a stop if you want to try real bolognese cooking at a fair price.

For this recipe I don't want to give you measures because I do it using the scientific method "a little of this, a little of that"; I'm sure you can follow this method too :D

 

Parma ham in thin slices

 

green salad

 

arugula

 

processed cheese slices or cheese in thin slices

 

black truffle sauce or mayo and black truffle

 

In a pan or on a dish make a layer of ham, put on top black truffle sauce or some mayo plus some truffle then green salad and arugola in small pieces.

Make another ham layer then add the cheese slices, add some more truffle sauce or truffle mayo another green salad and arugola.

End with a last layer of Parma ham.

Let it set for a couple of hour into the fridge covered with clingfilm to let the tastes combine together and serve in small squares of about 1.5X1.5 inches.

If you have a pizza slicer you can use it to make squares, if not use a very sharp knife.

Skinny Bolognese sauce.



 

Usually skinny means "not as good as the original version": here I can't say this sauce is great as a well done Bolognese with all the fats, the sausage, the vegetables stirfried and so on but it's quite tasty and really skinny and ideal if you are on a diet, if you have digestive problems, if you have a toddler with a passion for pasta with Bolognese and you don't want to overload him/her with fats.

This is my toddler's choice and he's a gourmet ;)

You can cook it while you cook your pasta, no need to make it hours in advace or cook it for hours.

You can freeze it in small portion and defrost it room temperature or into the microwave.

 

Serving 2:

 

a cup of veal minced meat (or beef or skinny pork meat)

 

1/2 cup skimmed milk

 

salt and pepper to taste

 

a sprinkle of dried garlic

 

1/2 cup tomato sauce

 

Put minced meat in a pan over medium heat and crush it with a fork, add milk and crush again untill the meat is evenly hulled.

Add garlic if you like then salt and pepper and tomato.

Stir well and put a lid on the pan, turn the heat to low and cook untill your pasta is ready.

You can complete your dish with a little extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.

Pork loin with shallots and balsamic vinegar glaze.



 

Good good recipe, even really quick if you use a pressure-cook pot.

I use pressure-cook pot to shortcut some long recipes like bolognese sauce, roasts, minestrone soups and to steam-cook vegetables like potadoes or fennels.

It's time-saving and a really healty way to cook, it's easy to use just need a little bit of attention ;)

 

4-6 serving:

 

7 medium shallots

 

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

 

salt & pepper

 

1 garlic clove

 

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

 

1 and 1/2 pound pork loin

 

1 cup water

 

In the pressure-cook pot or in a plain pot pour oil and add the garlic clove, turn on the fire then add the meat and let it brown on every side.

Add the sliced shallots and let them golden with the meat then pour vinegar, pepper and salt.

Cook on medium heat for a couple of minutes then add water then close the pressure-cook pot, put the heat on maximum untill it whistle then turn heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes.

If you use a plain pot add water and close with a lid, turn fire to low and cook untill ready.

When the meat is done take it off the pot and if the sauce is too loose turn heat on and let it reduce untill it's tick like a glaze.

Slice the meat when it's cold then re-heat with sauce and serve with a good potato mash.

Crazy crust, pasta matta.



 

As promised I'm back not only with news and chats but also with recipes!

Today I post you a basic recipe that will come on hands to you, I'm sure!

This is a good recipe to make tarts and pies, especially salty ones.

This is low on fat and really cheap, a good alternative to phyllo pastry or puff pastry.

It's good with soggy fillings and keep a good shape after baking.

This is a recipe for a 4-6 serving tart.

 

1/2 cup all purpose flour

 

2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil

 

a pinch of salt

 

1/4 cup sparkling water, cold

 

Mix all the ingredients untill you have a smooth and non sticky dough, you may need more or less water, add it little by litte.

Let the dough rest for few minutes then spread it and use it for your pie or tart.

You can bake it but also deep fry it, making little calzoni with tomato and mozzarella cheese for istance.

Back from holidays.

Yesterday we landed to Milano Malpensa after a long month of holidays, we had a nice time but sadly my grandma passed away while I was abroad and with no chance to come back.
The most important thing is that Lorenzo had a very very fun days made of swimming, playing, eating ice-creams...
A real toddler's dream.
Now that we're back I had to spend some time cleaning home and clothes washing plus a big groceries shopping  because my fridge is very similar to the one in the photo!

Anyway from the first days of september I'll be ready to cook again: I bought some food magazine from Australia and U.S.A. and a book about Thai fried rices I think I'll have so many things to try this autumn.

Zucchini and saffron farfalle.

A delicious pasta dish, easy to prepare but with a sophysticated allure due to the basil and lemon notes.

It's seriously one of my favourite for the spring-summer season.

Ingredients for 4:

14 oz. pasta (farfalle but you can also use fusilli or penne)

3 oz. creamy cheese like robiola or philadelphia

3 small zucchini

1 bag saffron powder

2 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil

salt & pepper

4-5 basil leaves

lemon zest

Cut zucchini in small dices, sautee in a pan with oil, salt and pepper.

When zucchini are golden add saffron, mix then add the cheese and the basil leaves roughly cutted, mix again.

Bring salted water to boil then cook your pasta, drain it and pour into the pan with 2-3 tablespoon of cooking water.

Turn the fire on and mix very well.

Put your pasta into dishes then add lemon zest on top.

Can't be easier uh!?

Cheese cigars.

This is a quick-quick-quick appetizer recipe, you can put the cheese you prefer inside, in the picture you can see cheddar because that was the cheese I had at home at the moment but they're fabulous with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese too or parmesan, a little mozzarella and rosemary.

You need:

toast bread in slices

same amount of cheese slices or diced mozzarella and tomato sauce

a little butter

Cut out the crust from bread slices, pass them under a rollpin to flatten then put on every slice a slice of cheese or a little tomato and mozzarella.

Roll the cigars, melt a small amount of butter in a pan then cook untill golden (first the seam side down to prevent them from open).

Serve hot, if you make the tomato-mozzarella version be aware that the filling will pour a little more than with plain cheese.