Pancakes

This recipe is not Italian, but who does not love them?!

Persons: 3
Preparation: 15 min

Ingredients:
100g plain flour
Pinch of salt
1 egg
300 ml milk 
1 tablsp. melted butter or sunflower oil

Steps:

1. Place in a bowl flour and salt and make a hole in the center.
2.  Add the egg into the hole plus the melted butter and half of the milk. 
3. Stir until it melted, then add the other half milk and stir. 
4. Heat a small heavy-based frying until it is very hot and then turn the heat down to medium. 
5. Add a tea spoon of butter in the pan.
6. Place a scoop of the mixture in the pan and cook on a medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until the batter looks dry on the top and begins to brown at the edges. 
7. Flip the pancake over with a palette knife and cook the other side.

Eat them with Marple syrup, Jam, Honey or Nutella!

Cake with yogurt and olive oil

Persons: 8
Preparation time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt (without sugar added)
250 gr sugar
1 tablespoon of olive oil
250 gr all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
lemon juice
1 apple (peeled, cored and diced)
1 pear  (peeled, cored and diced)
3 eggs

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 
2. Grease and flour one inch cake pan.
3. Beat oil and eggs in a bowl. 
4. Add the sugar and the yogurt and beat well.
5. Combine the flour, baking soda together in another bowl. 
6. Slowly add this mixture to the egg mixture and mix until combined. 
7. Fold in the apple and pear by hand using a wooden spoon. 
8. Add few drops of lemon juice.
9. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
10. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes or until cake tests done. 

Suggestions: Once cake is cool serve with a dusting of confectioners' sugar.

Aubergines Sandwiches

Persons: 4

Preparation time: 20 min

Cook time: 10 min 

Ingredients:

2 medium aubergines

ricotta cheese

3 tomatoes

Olive Oil

Salt

Basil

Steps:

1. Cut the aubergines in slices. Meanwhile, heat in a pan the oil.
2. Now place the aubergines in the oil and fry for a couple of minute each side.
3. When the aubergines are ready (wait them to become cold) start make the sandwiches with one slice of tomatoes and one tablespoon of ricotta, salt and basil (each sandwich will have two layers)
4. Cook the sandwiches in the oven for 5 min, 180°C

Suggestions: Toast some bread slides to eat with them

Zucchini Cake

A tasty recipe from Federica!

Persons: 4/6 

Preparation time: 40 min

Cook time: 35/40 min

Ingredients:

500 gr pasta brise '

800g courgettes

150 g tomato pulp

3 eggs

1 onion

50 g butter

50 of Parmesan, 

basil

olive oil 

salt

Steps:

1. Fry in a large pan the chopped onion with 40 grams of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil 
2. Cut the zucchini and add them ​​with the chopped tomatoes and few basil leaves
3. Add a pinch of salt and cook over moderate heat until the zucchini are almost defeats. 
4. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. 
5. Meanwhile, roll out the dough and place it in a greased baking pan. 
6. Mix the egg yolks with the Parmesan and the zucchini, then complete the compound with the albumen. 
7. Place the mix on the pasta and cook it in the oven at 180 C for 35-40 minutes.

Vegetable Balls with Provola/Smoked Cheese

Persons: 3

Preparation time: 40 min

Cook time: 20/25 min

Ingredients:

1 zucchini

1 carrot

2 potatoes

1 egg

2 spoons of peas

3 spoons bread crumbs

Smoked Cheese

Oil

Salt

Steps:

1. Boil in a pan the carrot, zucchini, peas and potatoes (as they require different time, you can either use different pans or place them in the pan at different time).
2. When all vegetables are soft enough cut them in small pieces.
3. In a bowl mix the vegetables with 1 egg and the bread crumbs.
4. Add oil and salt to the mix.
5. With your hands prepare small balls using the vegetables mix.
6. Add a piece of cheese inside the ball and cover with more bread crumbs.
7. Cook in oven for 20/25 min at 200°C.

Almond cake without eggs

I did not have any eggs at home but lots of almonds so I decided to prepare a new cake! The taste was great, although it was not as soft as a cake-with-eggs can be :)

Persons: 6

Preparation time: 20 min

Cook time: 30 min

Ingredients:

200 gr all purpose flour

200 gr sugar

3/4 cup whole milk

1 cup almonds 

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Steps:

1. Place the almonds in a bowl and with a food processor mix them until finely ground. 
2. Preheat the oven at 160 C (320 F).
3. In a bowl, assemble the flour, baking powder, baking soda, the milk, the sugar, the butter, the oil and the vanilla extract with a spoon or a hand blender.
4. Beat until well mixed
5. Add the almond meal into the flour mixture.
6. Grease and line the bottom of a bake dish with baking paper and pour the batter.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes clean.
8. Decorate the top with confectioners' sugar.

Biscotti di pasta frolla

Persons: 10

Preparation: 20 min (+30 min in the fridge)

Ingredients: 

300gr flour

250 gr butter (room temperature)

200 gr sugar

4 egg yolks

chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Place in a big bowl the flour, sugar and butter.
2. Add the yolks and chocolate chips 
3. Mix everything with your hands (don't worry it will take some times and at the beginning you might think it is not working, it will!) just until it forms a ball.
4. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
5. Preheated oven at 180°C.
6. Flatten the pastry into a disk and then knife cut the disk in small hearts.
7. Bake for 15/20 min.

♡  Enjoy ♡

Mozzarella in Carrozza

The nice thing about a mozzarella in carrozza is that they are just amazing! The taste is awesome and every time a prepare them I am surprised about how quick the preparation is.

Persons: 3 
Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 mozzarella
6 slices whole-wheat bread
3 slides of ham
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
Olive oil for frying
2 cups (about) all-purpose flour

Steps:

1. Divide half of the 6 bread slices (you get 12 slice of bread).
2. Divide the cheese equally among 6 bread slices. 
3. Top with a piece of mozzarella and a piece of ham. Cover with the remaining bread slices, pressing gently, to form 6 sandwiches (check that they are completely closed).
4. Whisk the eggs and salt in a large bowl until well blended and frothy. 
5. Place the flour in a medium bowl. 
6. Add enough oil to a heavy large frying pan to come 1/2-inch up the sides of the pan. 
7. Heat the oil over medium heat. 
8. Dredge the sandwiches in the flour to coat lightly, then dredge them in the egg mixture to coat completely and place in the hot oil. 
9. Cook until the sandwiches are golden (about 2 minutes per side). 
10. Serve hot.

Suggestions: If you like, you can substitute anchovies for the ham, the taste is great!

Small Krapfen

This a great treat for any special occasion. It might be a great present for St Valentine for your soul mate :)

Persons: 10

Preparation time: 30 min + 1h

Ingredients:

300 g of flour

25 g of yeast

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 tablespoon melted butter

grated lemon peel

warm milk

vanilla

oil

salt

Steps

1. In a bowl, dissolve the yeast and a teaspoon of sugar and little warm milk, sprinkle the surface with a little 'flour, stir and let it ferment for about 15 minutes to warm.
2. In another bowl, work the egg yolks with the remaining sugar, a little lemon zest and a pinch of salt.
3. Place the flour in the center, pour in the yeast and egg mixture. 
4. Work the whole by adding, if necessary, the warm milk, the dough should be soft and make bubbles that you can work with your hands. 
5. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise.
6. When the dough has doubled in volume, transfer to a clean, floured work surface. 
7. Roll the dough out to a thickness of about 1 cm (a little less than ½-inch); using a cookie cutter or glass cut out rounds about 7-cm to 7½-cm (2¾-inch to 3-inch) in diameter (keep the cuts as close together as possible). 
8. Place the rounds on a parchment lined baking sheet lightly sprayed with vegetable spray, cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume for about 30 minutes.
9. Heat oil in a  saucepan over medium heat 
10. Fry until golden on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes.
11. While bomboloni are still warm fill with Crema Pasticcera (Italian pastry cream). 

Tuna Bruschette

How great is when you can combine speed and excellence? This is the case.
You should try this recipe, everyone will love it!

Persons: 2
Preparation time: 20 min

What do you need?
12 Cherry tomatoes
1 Mozzarella
1 Tuna can
2 slice of Bread
Olive Oil
Salt
Oregan
Garlic

Steps:

1. Pre-heat the oven at 200°C

2. Put the bread in a pan in the oven and let it cook for ## minutes.

3. Once it becomes crispy add tomatoes, tuna, mozzarella, olive oil, salt, oregano and garlic.

 Quantities are to your taste.

4. Let the bruschetta in the oven until the mozzarella has melted.

Suggestions: 

For a romantic dinner you might avoid garlic ;)

You can substitute tuna with many other ingredients (or even add to tuna) such as olive, anchovies, ham, artichoke.

Apple pie

This is the original recipe of my grand mum's apple cake. I remember it as the best birthday present for me!

Persons: 8

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

4 apples

2 eggs

200 gr sugar

200 gr all purpose flour

100 gr butter

Lemon

200 ml milk

1 baking soda

1 table spoon of vanilla

cinnamon

salt

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 
2. In a mixing bowl beat butter, milk and eggs with an electric mixer until creamy. 
3. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat well.
4. Combine the flour salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon together in a bowl. 
5. Slowly add this mixture to the egg mixture and mix until combined. 
6. The batter will be very thick. 
7. Add the apples with some lemon juice to the mix. 
8. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
9. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 minutes or until cake tests done. 
10. Let cake cool on a wire rack. 
11. Once cake is cool serve with a dusting of confectioners' sugar.

Desert's roses

Persons: 6

Preparation: 30 min

What do you need?

300g flour 00

150g of sugar

125g butter, diced

half-teaspoon of baking powder

3 eggs

a pinch of salt

chocolate chips

corn flakes

Steps:

1. Put flour into a bowl plus baking powder and a pinch of salt to make a fountain and break in the eggs and sugar

2. mix quickly with a fork, add the butter (cold) . Begin to knead it all before with a fork and then by hand (and a little faster), until a ball is a little sticky

3. add 3 handfuls of chocolate and knead (add flour if too sticky). Let the dough in the refrigerator at least half an hour.

4.Preheat the oven. Remove from mixing the dough balls and roll in corn flakes (pressing) until they are covered. Put parchment paper on the baking sheet in the oven at medium height. 

5. Cook for 20 minutes at 170 degrees. 

Fruit tartar (torta di frutta)

This is absolutely one of the best cake I ever made. It takes some time, but you will be excited about the result!

Persons: 10

Preparation time: 60 minutes

What do we need?

Sweet Pastry Crust:
250 grams all purpose flour
125 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
115 grams granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 lemon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 egg yolks

Pastry Cream:
500 ml milk (whole is better)
1 lemon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 egg yolks
125 grams granulated white sugar
60 grams all-purpose flour

Instructions:
Sweet Pastry Crust:  

1. Place the butter in the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, and beat until softened. 
2. Add sugar, vanilla, some lemon peel and salt
3. Gradually add the beaten egg, beating just until incorporated.
4. Place the flour in a big bowl.
5. Prepare a hole in the center of the flour.
6. Add the egg mixture to the hole.
7. Mix everything with your hands (don't worry it will take some times and at the beginning you might think it is not working, it will!) just until it forms a ball.
8. Flatten the pastry into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
9. Preheat the oven at 350F.

... in the meantime
Pastry Cream: 

1. In a bowl mix the sugar and egg yolks together
2. Add the flour to the egg mixture
3. Mixing until you get a smooth paste.
4. In a saucepan bring the milk, 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice and vanilla just to boiling
5. Remove from heat and add slowly to egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. 
6. Then cook the mix over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly. 
7. When it boils, whisk mixture constantly for another 30 - 60 seconds until it becomes thick. 

Sweet Pastry Crust (part 2 - let's cook!):  

1. Lightly butter and flour a tart pan with a removable bottom. 
2. Evenly pat the chilled pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. 
3. Lightly prick bottom of pastry crust with the tines of a fork
4. Place tart pan on a larger baking pan and bake crust for 15 minutes (check if it is getting too brown, it is ready!) 
5. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely before filling. 

The time to fill:  

1. Cut in small piece any time of fruit you like (it is great with grapes, banana, strawberries, kiwi, blueberries etc.) and cover with some lemon juice to prevent it get brown.
2. Remove the tart from the fluted sides of the pan. 
3. Spread the pastry cream onto the bottom of the tart shell.
4. Place fruit in concentric overlapping circles starting at the outside edge. 
5. If not serving immediately, refrigerate but bring to room temperature before serving. 

Results:

Suggestions: if some pastry cream is left you can leave in the fridge for a couple of days. It is also excellent on the top of a biscotto with coffee!
If some of your pastry crust is left you can prepare some small fruit tartar or just some biscotti. Cook them in the oven at the same temperature but only for 5/10 minutes (check if they are too brown).

Pasta Pizza

Pizza, pizza, pizza. I miss Italian pizza everytime, everywhere!
I kind to figure out how to prepare my own pizza.

Persons: 4/5
Preparation: 20 min
Ingredients:
1 kg of flour
2 tea spoons of sugar
20 g of salt
600 ml of water
6 spoons of olive oil
25gr yeast

Steps:
To prepare the dough for the pizza you have the flour in a large bowl and form a hole in the center. Take a glass bowl, pour a glass of warm water, and crumble into the cube of yeast  and sugar . Stir until do dissolve well and inserted in the center of the flour the mixture of water and yeast.

Now, aside, melt 20 grams of salt in another glass of warm water , add oil and insert them into the flour .
Keep close to you a little 'flour and the remaining warm water, which will integrate the dough little by little, until you reach the desired consistency, which should be soft and elastic (depending on the flour used, should you need a little' d 'water in more or less).

Continue to knead  until the dough is smooth and soft  but consistent, with whom you will form a ball that you are going to lay in a large bowl (remember that the dough will double in volume), adequately dusted with flour on the bottom.
Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and store it in a warm place away from drafts, as the oven off at home.
Wait until the dough has doubled in size (it will take 1 hour - 1 hour and 1/2), and then proceed to draw up the dough for la pizza.