Gnudi with tomato sauce

Gnudi?? what a weird name! Nudo means 'nude' in italian and these are basically ravioli without the pastry wrappers! They can be considered a cousin of  gnocchi but made with ricotta rather than potato.

I would suggest using fresh ricotta from a cheese store rather than supermarket ricotta. Make sure the ricotta is will drained but putting it in a sieve lined with cheesecloth and leave in the fridge until it stops dripping.

Whats so great about this recipe is that you can add spinach, different herbs, well its up to your imagination. The sauce can also be anything you like and a simple as butter and sage.

This recipe is similar to one i posted a while ago for Malfatti.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 lb ricotta
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp nutmeg
 2 1/2 cups grated parmesan
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2/3 cup fresh tomato sauce ( or cheat here and used canned!)

Method
Fill a pan with water, add some salt and bring to the boil.
In a food processor, mix the eggs, ricotta, egg yolk, 2 cups of the cheese, the nutmeg, add salt and pepper to taste.
Mix until you get a smooth paste.
Sprinkle the flour onto a plate.
Divide the mixture into manageable pieces and roll into strips about 1 1/2 inch wide. They should look like snakes!
Cut slices of about 3/4 inch thick and roll them lightly in the flour.
Make sure the water in the pan is boiling and and add to the pan but don't over crowd.
Let boil for about 2 mins then remove with a slotted spoon. Repeat untill they are all cooked,
(At this point, you can let them cool down and refridgerate for later use. Covered, they can keep for about a day).
If you are eating them immediately, pre-heat the oven to 400F, put the gnudi in a baking dish, drizzle with the tomato sauce, add the remaining cheese and bake until lightly browned (about 15 mins)
Should serve 4!

Zabaglione

Unlike some recipes I came across, real zabaglione is not made using cream!! This is the authentic italian way of making this delicious dish

Zabaglione is an ethereal dessert made by whisking together egg yolks, wine (traditionally marsala) and sugar. This beating is done over simmering water so that the egg yolks cook as they thicken into a light, foamy custard. Traditional zabaglione must be made just before serving. (There is also a frozen version.) The warm froth can be served either as a dessert by itself or as a sauce over cake, fruit, ice cream or pastry. In France it's called sabayon or sabayon sauce.

Ingredients

4 egg yolks

2 1.2 oz sugar

4 tbs dry marsala

The Zabaglione is cooked over simmering water in a double boiler. This will prevent the eggs from curdling, so take care the water doesn’t come into contact with the bottom of the bowl.

In the top of the double boiler (or a metal bowl that can be suspended over simmering water), beat the egg yolks and sugar until thick and foamy. Beat in the marsala. Set the mixture over the simmering water and whisk constantly for about 4-5 minutes. If the mixture heats too quickly, remove it from the heat for a few seconds. You want to cook the eggs slowly so the mixture stays very smooth. It will look foamy and be slightly thick. Serve immediately, or chill for making

Read all about zabaglione here

Super Easy Crab Cakes

Similar to my tuna cake recipe, this is a fast way to make Crab cakes. You can serve with a salad, baked potato or any other side dish you prefer.

Thanks to Lisa in Bournemouth for this recipe!

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 slice of bread - about a day old is the best.

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 large egg, beaten

1/2teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 pound cooked white crab meat, flaked

Butter and oil for frying

Lemon or lime wedges

Method

Put bread in a food processor and pulse to make breadcrumbs.

Put into a bowl and mix with the chopped parsley.

In another bowl, mix the Worcestershire sauce and egg.

Add the crab meat, lemon juice and about 6tbsp of the crumb mix to the egg mix.

Season with salt and pepper and combine well but don’t mush up the crab meat too much!

Put the rest of the crumbs into a saucer.

Divide the mixture into 4 portions; flatten gently into thick patties.

Coat each patty lightly with the remaining crumbs.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes before sautéing.

Heat butter and a little oil, enough to generously cover the bottom, in the frying pan.

(You can also bake them or gill them if you don't like the idea of frying)

Add the crab patties, in batches if necessary, and fry until golden brown on both sides, about 1-2 minutes per side.

Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

Serve with the lemon or lime wedges for squeezing.

Savoury Biscotti

I really have the biscotti bug!

I bought some sun dried tomatoes and decided that i would make herb and tomato biscotti. They made a great accompaniment for my caprese salad!

The recipe is similar to my almond biscotti, with a few substitutes.

Ingredients.
1/2 cup wholewheat flour
1 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs (beaten)
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs canola oil
1/2 tsp mixed herbs ( I used Italian Seasoning)
3 sun dried tomatoes (chopped)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method.
Pre heat oven to 350F
Combine the flours, and baking powder.
Mix the eggs, water, oil, tomatoes and herbs.
Add to flour.
Mix until the dough is well blended
Put the dough on a long sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a flat log about 12" long, 3" wide and 1" thick. You will need the plastic cos the dough is rather sticky.Lift the wrap and transfer the dough to a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray.
Bake for about 20-30 mins until lightly browned.
Remove from the oven, put onto another baking sheet or a cutting board and leave for a few minutes to cool slightly.
Cut crosswise on the diagonal using a serrated knife and cut slices of about 1/2" thick.
Put the slices back on the baking dish, cut side down and bake for another 20-30 mins or until crisp.

Chocolate Biscotti

It seems I can't get enough of these! A couple of pointers here, improved from my previous recipe

Since the mixture can be a bit loose, use the cling film to roll the dough before putting into the tray. Also, DO let cool before cutting. This will avoid the semi cooked dough from breaking. As. the name implies, biscotti are twice cooked. This is a must. Time can vary so keep an eye out while cooking

Ingredients.
1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup cocoa (choose a good quality type)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs (beaten)
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 tbs canola oil
2 tbs honey
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts.

Method.
Pre heat oven to 350F
Combine the flours, cocoa, sugar and baking powder.
Add the eggs, milk, canola oil, honey and mix well
Add the walnuts
Mix until the dough is well blended
(I use my hands here-easier and more fun!)

Put the dough on a long sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a flat log about 12" long, 3" wide and 1" thick. You will need the plastic cos the dough is rather sticky.Lift the wrap and transfer the dough to a non stick baking sheet.
Bake for about 20-30 mins until lightly browned.
Remove from the oven, put onto another baking sheet or a cutting board and leave for a few minutes to cool slightly.
Cut crosswise on the diagonal using a serrated knife and cut slices of about 1/2" thick.
Put the slices back on the baking dish, cut side down and bake for another 15-20 mins or until crisp.
When cool, you can dust with powdered sugar (or not!)
They keep well in an airtight container and are delicious with a cup of coffee!

Pomegranate Semoule

Foodie Fight Challenge using semolina flour and pomegranates.

Interesting challenge since I am familiar with these two ingredients as semolina is widely used in Europe and I had pomegranate trees in my garden. I had to buy a pomegranate this time and went to AJ's - bad choice! one pomi cost almost $3.00!! I went to Trader Joe's and they were 99c!

Anyway, lesson learnt!

Semolina is often used to make cakes, gnocci and pasta type dishes so I decided to go with a traditional European dessert, spiced up with some pomi wine.

Pomegranate Semoule

For the Pomegranate wine:
3 pomegranates
3 cups red wine (low tannin)
1 tbs vanilla sugar
Cinnamon stick
4 tbs orange juice
Juliennes of rind of one orange


Put the wine, sugars, cinnamon stick and orange juice in a pan and start heating.

In the meantime, open up the pomegranates over a plate, to preserve any juice that may fall, and remove all the fruits.
Add to the wine mixture, bring to a boil and simmer for about 30mins.
Pass through a sieve, pressing the pomi fruits to get out as much juice as possible.
Set aside.

For the Semolina mould
2 cups of the pomi wine
3 oz semolina
3 oz sugar

Bring the pomi juice to a boil, reduce to a low simmer and slowly sprinkle the semolina over it stirring all the time. Add the sugar and keep stirring until smooth.
Pour cold water over the glass or dish you will be using, pour the cooled mixture in and refrigerate.

For the Pomegranate syrup
1 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup sugar

In a small saucepan, combine pomegranate juice and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved; boil for about 1 minute to reduce. Remove from heat and cool. Cover and refrigerate

Presentation.
Drizzle the pomi syrup over the mould, top with some whipped cream and decorate with a few of the pomi fruits.
Serve chilled.

Perfect Bechamel Sauce

All the bechamel recipes I found use plain flour. I have found that by far, the best and lightest bechamel is made using corn flour. (corn starch, for Americans) Another trick is when adding the cornflour to the butter - take the pan with the butter off the heat, add the cornflour, and stir until smooth. The hot butter will melt the cornflour. Add a little bit of the milk until the consistency is liquid THEN put back on the heat ready to add the rest of the milk. Also, be prepared to stir ALL THE TIME! If you get lumps, the sauce is ruined.

Ingredients

5 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons cornflour

4 cups milk (warmed)

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Method

In a saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted.

Take off the heat, add the cornflour and stir until smooth. I prefer to use a whisk here.

Add about 1/2 cup of the milk and stir vigorously until you have a thickish consistency.

Put back over the heat.

Add the remaining milk bit by bit, stirring all the time.

Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, (or until the sauce thickens) stirring constantly, then remove from heat.

Season with salt and nutmeg

This sauce can be used as a base for cheese sauce, pasta sauces and also as an addition to pie fillings. I always use this recipe as a topping for my lasagne.

Easy Pancakes

Pancake mix is always an easy way out but try this recipe and you will never use a mix again!

You can choose your choice of topping, add fruit etc etc. This is a great basic recipe

Ingredients

1½ cups flour

10 oz milk

2 oz sugar

2 oz butter, melted

2 tsp baking powder

2 eggs (beaten)
pinch of salt

Method

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the milk, eggs and melted butter.

Mix well. Leave the batter in the bowl for about 15 mins before using.

Heat up a frying pan on a medium heat. (if you have a pancake pan, you would just need to heat it after spraying with some non stick spray)

Melt a dab of butter in the frying pan.

Pour in a little of the pancake batter.

As the pancake begins to cook, small bubbles appear. When the bubbles start to pop, its time to flip the pancake.

Cook on the other side for 1 minute until golden.

Stack pancakes on a plate and serve with your favourite toppings.

I love sugar and lemon juice best - but now its up to you!

Maids of Honour Tarts

I First tasted the little tarts over 20 years ago at a little tea room in Kew gardens, London. They were like nothing i have tasted before and I have been searching for the right recipe ever since.

Maids of Honor cakes have a long history dating back to around 1585. They were a favorite of Henry VIII who is believed to have named them so after seeing Anne Boleyn and her maids in waiting eating the small cakes. It is said that the king was so fond of the recipe that he kept it locked away in a chest in Richmond Palace.During the 18th century the recipe was obtained by a Richmond bakery who began making the cakes for the general public - which is where I had tasted them

This is the recipe that seems to taste like the ones I so liked...but i am not sure if it is the original!

Ingredients

8oz Puff Pastry

8oz Curd or Cottage Cheese

1 Egg

1 Lemon

3ozSugar

2oz Currants

½ oz Blanched Almonds , crushed

½ oz Butter

2 tsp Brandy

Method
Preheat oven to 375°F

Push the cheese through a fine sieve, add the beaten egg, grated rind of the lemon, sugar, currants, chopped almonds, butter and brandy.

Mix thoroughly to combine all of the ingredients.

Roll out the pastry and cut into 16 rounds and place in shaped baking tray.

Half fill the rounds with the filling.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

Mostaccioli

Mostaccioli are characteristic of a Neapolitan Christmas. They are spicy cookies with a chocolate fondant icing, generally made in diamond shapes. You could make them flat or in balls if you wish. Some recipes also add liquor and candied peel but i have kept these relatively simple.

Thanks to Gianluca for this recipe.

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 /4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

Zest of one orange

Chocolate Glaze:

3 tbs unsweetened cocoa

1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Water

Silver ball decorations

Method.

Prepare Cookies:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.

In another bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat sugar with butter until blended.

Increase speed to high; beat until light and creamy.

At low speed, beat in egg and zest.

Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, just until combined, occasionally scraping bowl.

Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough and cut into diamond shapes using a pizza cutter.

Place shapes 2 inches apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet.

Bake cookies 7 to 9 minutes (they will look dry and slightly cracked).

Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

Chocolate Glaze:

When cookies cool, in medium bowl, with wire whisk or fork, gradually mix cocoa with 1/4 cup boiling water until smooth.

Gradually stir in confectioners' sugar and blend well.

Dip top of each cookie into glaze. Place cookies on wire rack set over waxed paper to catch any drips.

Decorate with silver balls

Allow glaze to set, about 20 minutes. Store cookies, with waxed paper between layers, in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 3 days, or in freezer up to 3 months.

Pissaladière

A Pissaladière is a kind of French-style pizza that makes a great hors d'oeuvre. No cheese or tomatoes are used. The recipe I tried asks for bread dough bought from a baker ( as is commonplace in Europe. Not finding that you can either use bought pizza dough or make your own)

Ingredients

14oz bread or pizza dough

2lbs onions

1 1/2 cups or 10 oz anchovies

15 black olives

2 tbs powdered sugar

herbes de provence

pepper

olive oil

Method

In a large pan, heat up 5 tbs of olive oil.

Slice the onions

When the oil is warm, put the onions in the pan, add the pepper and herbs and the powdered sugar.

DO NOT put in any salt.

The sugar is necessary to balance out the acidity of the onions.

Gently cook the onions and be very careful that they don't burn or the whole thing could be ruined. They just have to turn golden

The secret of the Pissaladière is here: Put in some of the anchovies with the onions. The heat will almost melt them and they will get combined with the onions. If necessary, add a tbs of the anchovy oil to the mixture.

Roll out the dough and press it into a pan (pre-sprayed with non stick or olive oil), pushing up the sides.

Spoon the onion mixture over.

Decorate with the anchovy fillets and the olives.

Cook at about 420F/220C until done.

The Pissaladière is also great cold.

Serve with a green salad.

Quiche Lorraine

With its few, simple ingredients and easy-as-pie preparation, quiche Lorraine livens up any meal, giving it a French twist without all the culinary expertise normally associated with la cuisine française.

I have come across several recipes that substitute some of the cream with milk...and tasted some of these results...yukkkkk.....tasted of scrambled eggs! A real quiche uses cream - or even better crème fraîche.

Never use a pre made crust - always make your own.

Also, (and I did not know this) shredded cheese is an absolute no no in the authentic Quiche Lorraine.

Oops, i always used cheese...so today I will be trying out an authentic recipe from Amelie.

Vive la France!!!

Shortcrust pastry:

To make the pastry:

Rub 1 1/2 cups of plain flour,

a pinch of salt and

31/2 oz of butter into 'breadcrumb' type consistency. (you can also use half vegetable shortening for a light pastry)

Add a very small amount of milk, and knead that in (The milk can be replaced by a beaten egg if preferred).

Add a tiny bit more milk if necessary but always a very small amount at a time. If you add too much it will suddenly go sticky and unworkable (if this happens add a little more flour).
Method
Leave the ball of pastry in the fridge for an hour, then get it out and leave it another half an hour to reach room temperature.
You can now roll out the pastry and put in your flan tin. Prick the base of the pastry all over.

easy no???!!!

Now for the filling:

Lardons are traditionally used but you can use cubed bacon, grilled and drained instead

Ingredients:

7 oz thick smoked bacon cut into cubes

4 eggs (separated)

10 oz cream, whipped

salt and pepper.

Method:

Beat the egg yolks and the cream.

Add the bacon cubes

season to taste

Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites.

Pour the filling into the pasty. I prefer to blind bake the pastry for about 15 mins, to be sure it will be nice and crisp.

Bake at 430F for 20-30 mins until done.

You can always make your own variation, using cheese, scallions, herbs, onions etc. etc. I was actually amazed at how light and tasty the original was!

Vichyssoise

This cold soup has so few ingredients that you should only use the best. Try and use homemade broth and not a bouillon cube. With their mild, sweet, onion flavor, leeks make a wonderful addition to this cold soup. Because they're grown in sandy soil, leeks tend to trap grit between their multi layered leaves and must be washed thoroughly before cooking. Yukon Gold potatoes are the best here.

Ingredients

4 leeks

1 medium onion

2 tbs butter

2 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

4 cups chicken broth(home made if possible)

2 cups cream

4 tbs chives

Method

Gently sweat the chopped leeks and the chopped onion in the butter until soft, about 8 minutes. Do NOT let them brown.

Add potatoes and stock to the saucepan. Salt and pepper to taste

Bring to the boil, and simmer very gently for about 30 minutes or until done, adding more broth if necessary.

Puree in a blender or food processor until very smooth.

Cool.

Gently stir in the cream before serving and top with the chopped chives.

Super Fast Tomato Sauce

A good tomato sauce usually needs at least an hour simmering. This is a quick, and just as tasty alternative. Great with pasta - or even on toast!!

Ingredients:

10-12 tomatoes

10 basil leaves

4 cloves garlic

Olive oil

Method:
Gently fry the crushed garlic cloves and about 5 basil leaves in the olive oil.
Remove the basil when done.
Peel the tomatoes (immerse in boiling water for about 1/2 min and the skin will come off)
Chop the tomatoes and add to the garlic.
Cook gently on a medium flame.

Top with the remaining basil and serve.

Couldn't be easier!!!