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.

Nocino ( Walnuts liquor).



Tradition says if you want to make nocino you have to pick up walnuts the night between 23rd and 24th of June, the night of San Giovanni, often called "witches' night".

Walnuts are still green and not good to eat but the result of your liquor will be great.

This is a old family recipe but not from my family so I have to thank a friend for it :)

With this recipe you'll make about 34 oz. of nocino.

24 walnuts

34 oz. alcool (the one you use for liquor)

1 teaspoon grinded cinnamon

5 cloves

a piece of dry lemon zest

a piece of dry orange zest

Later:

35 oz. sugar

3,5 oz. alcool (the one you use for liquor)

Cut the walnuts in 4 parts, put them in a mason jar with zests and spices plus 34 oz. of alcool.

Let it rest for 40 days in a dark place.

After 40 days make a syrup with the sugar and about the same quantity of hot water and 3,5 oz. of alcool.

When the sugar dissolved pour the syrup into the jar, let it rest again for 20 days.

After 20 days filter it with a fine strainer, pour it in bottles.

It will be ready after 1-2 months.

Honey buns extra-light.

This recipe came out from a magazine clipping that arrived to me through a close friend some years ago.

It was about "honey cookies" but, even if I followed it to perfection, what I had at the end was very far from a cookie!

Anyway the taste is good and dainty and this recipe is so light that can become a non-guilty treat.

You need:

1/2 cup milk or less

1 egg

2 cups 1/4 all purpose flour

1/2 cup honey

baking powder

Mix warm honey with flour and baking powder, add egg then milk enough to have a smooth dough.

Let it rest for about 1 hour in the fridge, covered, then knead again and divide it into pieces of about 0.70 oz., put them on a baking tin, brush with a little milk then bake for 15-20 minutes at 355 F°.

They're good but the day after they become a little bit stale because they have no fat inside, keep them in a plastic bag to prevent it or heat them a little before eating them.

You can add about 1/2 cup of butter to the mix to have a richer treat.

People from Emilia- Romagna are just like that.

People from Emilia-Romagna are just like that.
They need a car? They build a Ferrari, a Lamborghini or a Maserati.
They need a motorbike? They build Ducati
They want cheese? They make Parmigiano
They need to create a quick pasta dish? They open a Barilla factory
They want a good coffee? They open a Saeco factory
They need some good songwriters? They give birth to people such as Dalla, Vasco, Morandi and Ligabue.

They need tiles? They end up with beautiful majolica tiles
They are just like the Japanese: they never stop, if they have to do something they make sure to do it in the most perfect, beautiful and useful way for everyone.
Will there be bricks available after this earthquake? They’ll end up using them to build cathedrals!

 

This is a translation of a piece from " Il Resto del Carlino", thanks to Silvia Somaggio, she helped me translating it the best way.