Ricotta braids.

Time for a new recipe today!

A great treat for your mornings, lovely to see delicious to eat!

They're also light, no eggs, no butter!

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup 1/2 sugar

1 cup 3/4 fresh ricotta cheese

baking powder

grated zeist from 1 organic lemon

1 pinch salt

milk and sugar to decorate

Knead all the ingredients till you have a smooth loaf, divide it in bites about 2 oz. each, roll to have a cilinder then fold in two and twist the two parts.

Put the braids on a baking pan then brush with some milk and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Bake about 20-25 minutes at 340 F°.

Once cooled you can freeze the braids; when you need one just pick it up from freezer, wait 3-4 minutes then heat for a while in the oven.

They will be as good as just baked.

Apple & curry dip sauce.

This idea came from my friend Elisa, she said she cook curry chicken with apples, I had some and I've tried.

It turned out a nice dip sauce in which I dip chicken bites and vegetables, I like it very much and it's really simple.

2 sweet apples like renetta

1 onion

curry powder

1 tablespoon butter or extravirgin olive oil

a pinch of salt

Cut the onion in slices and put in a pan with butter (or oil), sautee until golden then add apples in thin slices, let cook until apples are creamy then add curry and salt as much as you like.

To have a smooth consistence blend the sauce and serve room temperature with chicken or vegetables you like.

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!