...Back on track!

Wow, it is such a long time since last time...6 months almost. Sorry to the people who were passing by hoping in something new. I think they've lost their hope and patience by now...I really hope they will pass by one more time and they will not be upset anymore! Many things have been in the way, but I never lost my passion and I promise to try to keep going with the blog. I was keep cooking anyway and lots of unpublished recipes lay silent in my computer folder. Here I am know to start again, bringing up colours, tastes and smells through my blog to your kitchens!! Hope you can keep enjoy it!

So, as first recipe I want to post this double recipe for two DIPS.

Dips here in Australia are a must for every pic-nic, barbecue and pre-dinner. I made this CARROT and CUMIN dips for my first Ozzie anniversary (1 year I spent in this country). It was still summertime, the days were long and warm (I so wish that nice weather to be back straight now, when winter doesn't want to took off!!!) and we all enjoyed them on bread and crackers in my garden with a nice bubbly...yummy!

Well, they are pretty easy to do and so colourful and tasty. So stop talking and here the recipes.

CARROT, CUMIN & ORANGE DIP

3-4 small carrots

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 brown onion

1 garlic clove

1 tsp ground cumin

60ml (1/4 cup) fresh orange juice

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Steam carrot covered for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and cumin and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes . Blend carrot, onion mixture and orange juice until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.Let it cool.

BEETROOT & DILL DIP

1 beetroot (250g)

1/3 cup breadcrumbs

1 garlic clove

2 tbs dill

1 tbs mustard

2 tbs cooking liquid

Cook beetroot in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 1 hour or until tender. Set aside in cooking liquid for 30 minutes to cool. Drain, keeping 2 tbs of cooking liquid. Peel and coarsely chop beetroot. Blend together beetroot, breadcrumbs, oil, garlic, dill, mustard and reserved cooking liquid until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

DIP di CAROTE, CUMINO e ARANCIA

3-4 carote piccole

2 cucchiai di olio EVO

1 cipolla

1 spicchio di aglio

1 cucchiaio di cumino

1/4 tazza di succo di arancia

Cuocere a vapore le carote per 15-20 minute finchè tenere. Soffriggere in una padella cipolla, aglio e cumino per 5 minuti. Frullare le carote, il soffritto e il succo di arancia insieme. Aggiustare di sale e pepe e lasciare raffreddare.

DIP di RAPE ROSSE e ANETO

1 barbabietola (250g)

1/3 tazza di pangrattato

1/4 tazza di olio EVO

1 spicchio aglio

1 cucchiaio di senape

2 cucchiai delliquido di cottura

Bollire in acqua salata la rapa per 1 ora o fino a che tenera. Lasciare raffreddare per 30 min nel liquido di cottura. Scolare e tenere da parte 2 cucchiai del liquido. Frullare la rapa con il resto degli ingredienti e aggiungere i 2 cucchiai del liquido tenuto da parte. Salare e pepare a piacere.

Un'insolita torta di compleanno

A few hours ago I discover that today is a friend's birthday!

Well, I was sure he would have been happy to find a cake for him in these pages.

I start to think and think and think...

nothing that I could do and post in such a few time...the oven is not working...not enough ingredients in the fridge...and tons of other things to do instead...so, I decided to have a look at the past recipes I made and never posted...no nice cakes, biscuits, tarts

...till I found this!

Yep, I think this can be a perfect and unusual birthday cake.Why should birthday cake be always sweet?!?

I'm sure a few candles would not look out of place on top of this pie!!!

So, happy birthday Giampi and I promise next time you are over here you will taste this lovely pie for real!!!

PS. Just to let everyone know that this time the perfect pictures are not mine! My friend Alberto is the photographer. And I really thank him for these shots!!!

CHEESE and OLIVES PIE

for the crust:

2 cup rye cracker (I used the IKEA ones)

1/2 cup melted margarine

for the pie:

3 red onions sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tbs red wine

1 cup self-raising flour

3 eggs

1 cup plain yogurt

300g feta cheese, cubed

1 cup cheddar cheese

3 tbsp dill

1 cup kalamata olives

Finely crumble in a blender the crackers and combine with margarine. Cook onions in oil and wine for 10 minutes. Let it cool down and meanwhile mix together flour, eggs.yogurt, feta, cheese and dill. Add salt and pepper and the onions. Cover the base of a 24 cm round pie pan with baking paper and press firmly the crumbled crackers. Pour the filling and sprinkle the surface with olives. Bake at 180 C for 45 minutes.

PIE OLIVE e FORMAGGIO

per la base:

2 tazze di gallette di segale (Io ho usato quelle dell'ikea)

1/2 tazza di margarina fusa

per il ripieno:

3 cipolle rosse a fette

1/4 tazza di olio EVO

1 cucchiaio di vino rosso

1 tazza di farina auotlievitante

3 uova

1 tazza di yogurt bianco

300 g di feta a cubi

1 tazza di groviera (o cheddar)

3 cucchiai di aneto

1 tazza di olive kalamata

Sbriciolare col frullatore le gallette e mischiarle con la margarina fusa. Cuicinare la cipolla con l'olio e il vino per 10 minuti. Finchè si raffredda, mischiare farina, uova, yogurt, formaggi e aneto. Aggiungere la cipolla, sale e pepe. Rivestire una teglia di 24 cm con carta da forno e pressare le gallette sbriciolate sul fondo e sui lati. Versare il ripieno e spargere la superficie con le olive, Infornare a 180 C per 45 min.

Zebra cake

This is the cake I made for my ex-housemate birthday.

At that time Imma's collection "DOLCI DAL MONDO" had just become available and I was looking for a cake to make.

I closed my eyes and push the scroll up and scroll down button alternatively for a few minutes and then stop, open my eyes and the ZEBRA CAKE (by the way, exactly from IMMA!!!) was there.

The recipe looked quite easy and quick to make, I just changed a few things (margarine instead of oil and one egg less!). The stripes were nicer in Imma's cake I guess, but still quite "zebrish" in mine too and the taste was great!!!

ZEBRA CAKE

300g Flour

1 and 1/2 tsb baking powder

200g sugar

250ml milk

200ml melted margarine

3 eggs

2 tbs cocoa powder

vanilla essence

Mix eggs and sugar till white and creamy. Pour in milk and melted margarine. Keep stirring and when completely combined add vanilla essence and sifted flour and baking powder. Divide batter in two part: leave one white and add cocoa to the other. Grease a 26 cm round pan. Pour 3 tablespoons of the white batter in the middle. Pour over 3 tablespoons of brown batter and again 3 of white and so on till you finish both. Do not spread or shake the pan in any case (or you are going to loose the zebra effect!!). Bake in oven at 180 C for 35-40 minutes.

ZEBRA CAKE

300g Farina

1 busta di lievito

200g Zucchero

250ml Latte

200ml margarina

3 uova

2 cucchiai di cacao in polvere

essenza alla vaniglia

Sbattere le uova intere con lo zucchero fino a quando risultano bianche e spumose. Aggiungere il latte e la margarina fusa. Quando il composto è omogeneo aggiungere la vaniglia e poi, gradualmente, la farina setacciata con il lievito. Dividere poi l'impasto in due parti: lasciarne una bianca e aggiungere all'altra il cacao. Imburrare e infarinare uno stampo per torte di 26cm di diametro.Versare 3 cucchiai di impasto bianco nel centro della tortiera. Versare poi, sempre nel centro della teglia, 3 cucchiai di impasto nero su quello bianco. Continuare così alternando gli impasti fino a loro esaurimento. Assolutamente non spalmare l'impasto o scuotere la teglia per livellarlo. L'impasto si distribuirà da solo nella tortiera. Infornare la torta a 180 C e cuocere per 35-40 minuti.

Coconut kisses

Something sweet again!
I guess February it's going to be a sweet month!
But is it not the sweethearts month, is it?!?
Anyway, these easy treats can be made any time and they are particularly perfect if you are in a hurry and you need and want to bring something nice to a party.

In less than 15 minutes you will have a nice dessert, for family, friends or just to treat yourself in a lonely afternoon!
...and believe me, this is a kind of dessert evryone can make (I had lots of male friends, quite unkeen in the kitchen, who wanted the recipe and kept proudly making it themselfs!!!)

COCONUT KISSES

100g coconut meal
100g white sugar
1 tbs flour
1 egg

Mix egg and sugar, add the two flours and mix till well combined. With your hands (it's better than using a spoon!!!) grab a bit of dough (as much as you want, it depends on how big you want to make your treats!!) and place some tufts on a baking tray covered with baking paper. Bake at 180 C for 10 minutes or till the edge are brownish (and the bottom too!)

DOLCETTI AL COCCO

100g di farina di cocco
100g di zucchero
1 cucchiao di farina
1 uovo

Lavorare lo zucchero con l'uovo, aggiungere poi le 2 farine e amalgamare bene. Utilizzando le mani (vengono meglio che usando un cucchiaino), prelevare un po di composto (la grandezza decidetela voi, in base a quanto grandi li volete fare!)e formare dei ciuffetti a punta da appoggiare su una teglia rivestita di carta forno. Infornare a 180 C per una decina di minuti o fino a che i bordi non si scuriscono (e anche la base diventa scura).

Cheesecake brownies

And here it is another recipe that was silently laying on my desk (and the pictures in my hard drive!!!!). I made this fatty brownies for a field trip I had with my lab people in July: by the first night, I think they were almost all gone!!!
Moreover, the day I was baking them I was supposed to go and see a room to move to.
I had to call to say I was running late because I had brownies baking in the oven...
Fortunately they didn't mind and the room turned out to be the one I moved to (before moving again a month ago, but the people are still the same!!!!).

The recipe I used is a mix of a few different recipes I found browsing books and websites.
It worked out pretty good...and I really enjoy eating them straight from the fridge
(before they literally start to melt and grease your hands!!!)

CHEESCAKE BROWNIES

300 g dark chocolate, chopped
200g unsalted butter, softened
1 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
250g cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Grease and line with overhanging baking paper a 4cm deep, 16cm x 26cm (base) pan. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan with boiling water. Let melt, stirring with a metal spoon till smooth. Using electric beaters, cream butter and brown sugar until pale. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, mixing until well combined. Sift in flour, cocoa and baking powder. Add melted chocolate and mix well. Beat then cream cheese, caster sugar and vanilla until soft and creamy. Add remaining egg and beat for a further 2 minutes. Spread half the chocolate mixture over base of prepared pan. Using half the cheese mixture, drop heaped teaspoons over the top. Cover with remaining chocolate mixture. Dollop over remaining cheese mixture. Using a flat-bladed knife, swirl mixture to create a rippled effect. Bake at 180˚C for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre has moist crumbs clinging. Allow to cool in pan. Cut into pieces and serve.

CHEESECAKE BROWNIES

300 g cioccolata fondente, a pezzi
200g burro ammorbidito
1 tazza di zuccheo di canna
3 uova
1/2 tazza di farina
1/4 tazza di cacao
1/2 cucchiaino di lievito
250g formaggio tipo philadelphia
1/4 tazza di zucchero
1 cucchaino di essenza di vaniglia

Imburarre e rivestire di carta forno (in modo che sbordi) una teglia 16cm x 26cm e profonda 4cm. Sciogliere la cioccolata a bagnomaria, mescolando finche` non e` liscia. Con uno sbattitore elettrico lavorare a crema il burro e lo zucchero di canna. Aggiungere le 2 uova,una alla volta e mescolare bene. Aggiungere poi la farina setacciata, il cacao e il lievito. Aggiungere infine il cioccolato fuso e mescolare bene. In un altra ciotola sbattere il formaggio, con lo zucchero e l'essenza di vaniglia finche` il composto risulta morbido e cremoso. Aggiungere l'uovo e mescolare per altri 2 minuti. Versare meta` del composto alla cioccolata nella teglia e livellare. Usandone meta,lasciar cadere cucchiate del composto al formaggio sopra il primo strato. Coprire col rimanente impasto al cioccolato e di nuovo le cucchiate di quello al formaggio.Con un coltello non appuntito formare delle spirali nel composto. Infornare a 180˚C per 40 minutes (uno stuzzicadente inserito nel centro non deve uscire troppo asciutto, ma ancora un po' umido).Lascia raffreddare nella teglia e poi tagliare a pezzi delle dimensioni preferite!

Insalata Arancia e Rapa rossa

I was going through all my pictures and I found these ones, taken a few months ago.
I think it was a Sunday afternoon and I got back from the Farmers Market with a bag full of fresh veggies...yes,as you can see it was Winter!
...beetroots and oranges were in season at that time...
juicy and colourful, they were just asking to be combined in a perfect and healthy salad!

Quick and easily I had my lunch and I really do not why I waited so long to post it...
Lucky all the people at the other side of the world that can still find cheap, fresh and tasty oranges and beetroots to try!!!

BEETROOT and ORANGE SALAD

for 2:
1 beetroot
1 orange
1 bunch English spinach
balsamic vinegar, EVO oil, salt, pepper
pecorino cheese

Wash and put the beetroot in a pan with cold water. Boil it for 40-50 min or till tender (when you can go easily through with a fork). Drain and under cold running water peel the beetroot. Slice it. Wash the orange and slice it unpeeled. Combine the salad layering spinach, slices of orange and slice of beetroot. Drizzle with a vinaigrette made mixing, oil vinegar salt and pepper. Top up with some pecorino!

INSALATA ARANCIA e RAPA ROSSA

per 2:
1 rapa rossa
1 arancia
1 mazzetto di spinacini freschi
aceto balsamico, olio EVO, sale e pepe
pecorino

Mettere la rapa in acqua fredda e farla bollire per 40-50 min o finche e` tenera (quando si punge facilmente con una forchetta). Scolare e spellare sotto acqua fredda corrente. taglaire a fette. Lavare bene l'arancia e senza sbucciarla, tagliarla a fette. Preparare l'insalata sovrapponendo a una base di spinacini freschi, uno strato di fette di arancia, uno strato di fette di rapa e condire con una salsa fatta mischiando olio, aceto sale e pepe secondo i gusti. Finire con scaglie di pecorino.

Coconut milk jelly for a special birthday!

Hi everyone!!! Lots has happening since my last time in the blog.

Summer arrived together with really hot days, people visiting from overseas and another moving!!! Thing are settling down again finally and mostly important I’m getting used to the new kitchen (still we do not have a working oven, uff!!!).

By the way, yesterday it was a special day and so today I’m back to say a huge “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” to my mum and of course, post her birthday cake!!

Well, not really a proper cake, but I told you that my oven is not working.

So, while I was at the beach in a 36 ˚ C day, I came out with this idea: healthy, quick and refreshing tiny cut jellies.

It doesn’t ask much time or ingredients and the important thing is that my mum enjoyed it, or at least how they look like since Skype has not yet invented the way to send flavours!!!!

BUON COMPLEANNO MAMMA!

(Vegan) COCONUT MILK JELLY

For 5 small mould:

1 small can coconut milk (165g)

1 teaspon agar agar (or gelatine if you are not vegetarian)

2 teaspoon of sugar

kiwi, strawberries and honey

Dissolve the agar agar in the coconut milk. Pour in a pan with sugar and bring to a boil. Pour in the mould and let set in the fridge. When they are ready you can serve on a slice of kiwi and with a strawberry on top and drizzle with honey!

(Vegan) GELATINE al LATTE di COCCO

per 5 stampini piccoli:

175 g latte di cocco

1 cucchiino di agar agar (o gelatine normale se non siete vegetariani)

2 cucchiani di zucchero

kiwi, fragile e miele per decorare

Sciogliere l’agar agar nel latte di cocco. Versare in una padella insieme allo zucchero e far bollire. Verasare negli stampini e lasciare rassodare in frigo. Qundo sono pronti si possono servire su una fetta di kiwi, con fragole e irrorati di miele!!!